Rennie, Cattails & Carma, I'm definitely going to do the wellness for Lent program. Already told DH that I want to go to church tomorrow evening to pick up the materials. He'll do the 5K with me too, so I'm looking forward to it. We'll walk most of it, not run, but that's ok.

Cattails, I like having a goal-sister! Glad your DH has gotten back on the plan. My DH eats a lot of the same things I do, we had the same thing for dinner tonight, but he over-snacks and when I'm not with him, well, he won't tell me what he ate usually!

Carma, good job on not eating the cookies. I have a box of GS cookies in my office that a financial advisor dropped off. They have been sitting there for 2 week unopened. Driving everyone else in the office completely NUTS that I won't open them!

Sum, nice on teaching your daughter to do her taxes. My kids just ask me to do theirs, and one of them asked if I could do for her BF. Guess they figure they may as well ask me...

Zumba, wish we could come up with something that worked for you.

Hi to anyone else that I missed!

126.0 this am.

B - egg, cheese stick, yogurt
L - salad with shrimp, black beans, tortilla chips
S - grapes, coffee w/cream & very small brownie (they were in the office kitchen, drat someone!)
D - salad with chicken, feta, guacamole, black olives, salsa
S - no sugar added ice cream

that is about 1250 calories.

Oh, and I did 30DS this evening. Moved back to level 1, and it was tough. I'm really mad at myself that I got away from doing it because it was getting easy to do, and now I feel like I'm starting over. But, since I'm going to do the church wellness program, I decided that was a good way to get back into the habit of doing this and today was good to start.

I am happy with my weight, maybe more consistently at 123-124 would be nice. What I'm not happy with is the excess skin/flab at my belly still... the whole reason I started doing 30DS was that. I want to be consistent with it for Lent, and see what that does. Then after that & tax season is over, consider other options...

Gained another pound today...I might as well since I'm in this gaining mode.....

Getting a lap band feels like a good idea right now....

I ate way too much yesterday. My ear still hurts and I was not feeling well, so I ate

Today I am meeting someone for lunch, at Panera. I am getting a salad from their secret power menu. Then I will fast until Thursday's dinner.

I hate when I overeat, ugh. I wish I had this healthy relationship with food.

Sorry to sound so negative, it was just a really bad day, BUT today is a new day and I can do better. I can not undo yesterday, but I can make the right choices today!!

I broke down and made an appointment with a dr for my ear. Yup, I am so stubborn... I could have felt better by now.

DH is traveling a lot. Again this week he won't get home until very late Friday. He will swing by on Thursday night to pick up his passport and then off to Toronto he goes. If weather was warmer, I would go with him.

Anyone here gets their nails done? I desperately need mine done. It has been a month and I broke two of them. I think I want to go back to pink and white. Last month I chose a dark blue and it was really cool. Friday will be my pampering day, I may even get a pedicure. My toes look so naked I was letting them breathe after months under the shellac polish. They looked pretty thin and weak. My skin could use some attention too. Perhaps a facial is in order.... This winter has been hard on my face. I have tried moisturizing a lot, but the cold and dry does it's number.

Zumba this is for you;

Remember when fat cells empty their fat, they temp. fill with water, which weighs more than fat. Many see a gain at that point.

Pick yourself back up, dust off....today is a new day!

Marlene I fear going back to the gym... I was doing so well I hear you about the belly area! I hope you get it toned!!

Carma I hope your daughter is feeling better!! Congrats on 205! Onderland, here we come!

Cat Wonderful about your hubby!!!!

Rennie staying below 165?

Wow! I can hardly keep up with this thread!
While I feel I'm doing okay food and exercise-wise, I think it's unlikely that I'm going to make my goal. I wanted to be in metric onederland by the time I left for my holiday in the states, but it's unlikely- 6+ kilos, so, 13 pounds by the end of March? At the moment I'm not losing much, but I've read in many places that that is not uncommon when you start a running program...

Zumba, I'm so sorry you're feeling discouraged! Please don't be too hard on yourself and focus on being kind to yourself. You sound so stressed- I wish I could do something besides digital hug smilies! I hope you find what you need.

Sum, I'm glad you're going to have your ear seen to! As for the healthy relationship with food, I hear you. I spent a lot of time thinking about this (15yrs?) and not doing anything, just trying to get the food thing sorted. Seems like you've got it cracked, mostly, but a bad day(s) like you're having can be discouraging, I know. Same thing goes for you as Zumba- don't beat yourself up about it!

Marlene; I watched a 30ds video once. It was exhausting from the sofa! You are amazing!

Carma, poor you and poor kid! Hope she gets better quick (and, just as important, doesn't pass it on to you!) Good job on going for a walk and saying no to stress eating; I started going for regular walks/ now jogs and I can't tell you how much good it's done me, stress-relief wise!

Greetings to anyone of missed, or any lurkers. Apologies to North America. I think we nicked your spring

Hi chicks........Life is really throwing some curve balls my way. I'm still going over divorce stuff even though we signed, DH still owes me money for stuff from LAST YEAR. He cannot do simple things, like give me copies of the kids portraits...so I have no baby pics of my kids. I am trying so hard not to hate him, because hating him is making me stuff my feelings with food.....When will i be free from all this madness.....no wonder i'm fat.

My schedule for the next two weeks is maddening. I have to start school, then go into the greek embassy to get abused for wanting to prove i'm from greek descent....and there's a visit with the new accountant and eye exam. I think by the end of next week i'll be ready to lift a few drinks....

Hoping AF gets here sooner than later so I can get rid of some of this annoying bloat. I took a diurex today and it did NOTHING. Im afraid to take any more today because i heard they weren't good for your kidneys.....not sure who or what to believe anymore.........

In a few minutes I am dropping off my son at orchestra, he has to be there at 6 and I pick him up at 7:30...this gives me time to finally do a 21 day fix workout (or maybe two). I stopped doing them after two days. I think the problem is that i don't have a regular schedule..I'm at different places to teach on different days, i don't have my kids every day....etc. I need to say that i am going to do it every morning at such and such a time and let that be the end of it.

I feel frumpy and big and just so uncomfortable. Couldn't wait to get out of my jeans today and into sweats.

SUM...your emoticoms made me giggle,l especially the one hitting the other one with the frying pan..I guess I needed that today.

MAGICSUSAN: you are way too sweet ....thank you for your kind words. I just can't get it together.....its so hard this time and I don't know why.

MARLENE: looking good as usual.

CARMA: i'd be happy now with even a little woosh

hope everyone has a good night. My kids go back to their dad today....grrrrr....

So it has been 20 days since my last check-in. That's not good; I need to get back in the groove! So... I commit to weighing myself tomorrow AM and posting it here. I have a feeling it will not be pretty.

Anyway, just busy here. Nothing too much new. I've been at my job now for 2 full months and I need to admit that I'm not still adjusting anymore and it's time to reestablish my eating and exercising routines.

Here were my challenge goals:

• Be back at 156
• Reestablish an exercise routine
• Healthy food choices with portion control

Sadly, I have not begun to accomplish them. I want to feel in the groove again! The good news is I have definitely established the new habit of NO CANDY. Now, for me, that does not rule out plain chocolate if it is in a cookie, ice cream, or trail mix. But it does rule out every other thing that would fall under the candy umbrella. Gum. Mints. Candy bars. Anything candy-like in a wrapper. Skittles. Twizzlers. Valentines Day candy. Easter candy. etc I'm having none of it. I have hopefully moved it into the non-emotional category of "I don't eat that." I truly feel like I'm ready to be done with it for good. So... no diet soda since I don't even know when. Some time in the summer? And now, no candy since early January.

Grrr I had a really long write up and the computer locked up. Too tired to re-write it long and short of it I was really bad Tuesday and MFP said I would be 211.5 in 5 weeks if I didn't knock it off. Today I was a saint and super duper exercise/step queen. 21721 steps. 50 flights of stairs and MFP told me if I did this every day I would be 181.8lbs in 5 weeks.
Feels good to break the cycle. Oh and now I can't cheat on Friday because I was BAD Tuesday.

Heidi: Welcome back. Great job on no candy. I am pretty sure my body would be freaking out right now with no candy.

Hi all!

Sum, sorry you are still not feeling good, when is your appointment? Hope soon!

And yes, I get my nails done. I used to bite them until December of 2012, and decided then if I was going to look better because of losing the excess weight (and that because I was successful at that), I should stop biting my nails too. Getting them done REALLY helped, because I didn't want to mess them up. I usually go in every 2-3 weeks and get shellac, in a red or a pink tone. Blue would be nice, but maybe a little too far out for work. I don't get shellac on my toes, the regular seems to last longer there, and I get a pedicure only about every 2 months or so. A facial sounds delightful.

Oh, and you'll just have to face the gym fear... sucks though.

Magicsusan, I can't run, so you have my respect on that. I'm ok with a fast walk, but more than that aggravates my knee. I have to do the modified version of some of the 30DS exercises, but I try to be in-between the two versions.

Zumba, stress doesn't help in the weight loss battle. And it sounds like you have a LOT of it. Is there something you can do to kick back just a little to relieve some of that? Maybe just meditate for 15 minutes?

Heidi, good to see you check in. And great job on the "no candy" rule.

Carma, good job on breaking that cycle. 50 flights of stairs... wow.

Rennie & Cat HI!

Today I was up to 127.5 for some reason, and really hungry today too...

B - MRC chocolate protein shake
L - Salad with chicken, feta, guacamole, salsa, black berries, animal crackers
S - cheese stick, chicken roll.
D - salad with egg, feta, salsa. guacamole, orange
S - Skinny Cow bar, magic pop rice cakes, pickles
Total calories - about 1360
Did do 30DS, day 2 in a row!

Chicken rolls are not my friend. This normally would be something that wouldn't tempt me or even be on my radar. But we had volunteered for DD's activity fundraiser after school, and they were selling them. They basically are a fried chicken tender on a yeast roll. They smelled so good, and then DH decided he was getting some. If he had passed, I would have been able to. I had him buy me 1, and we left, which was a good thing. 230 calories. So, I had salad & an orange for dinner. Then this evening, I was hungry... Normally I just have the ice cream treat. Ended up having the rice cakes & still hungry, so had the pickle spears. I was working on a work project that I needed to get to a certain point, so going to bed wasn't an option. Now I'm headed that way...

The total calories wouldn't normally worry me, but the form they were in plus the fact that I was up some this morning concerns me. Ah well... I have a good plan for at least the next 2 days and will keep up with 30DS.

Wow, Zumba, you've got a lot to deal with there. Do be gentle with yourself.

Magicsusan, you may not be losing much right now, but you are gaining a lot with your running: strength, vitality, and endurance to name a few!

Carma, I hate when I lose a post like that! Don't you love MFPs prophesies? LOL

Sum, sorry about your bad day; pain is really derailing. Hope tomorrow is better.

Yay, Marlene, I'm so glad to hear you're doing the 5k! Walking or running, it'll be a great time. It's one of my dreams to run a 5k but I can't go more than a 1/4 mile before ITB pain hits my left knee.

Heidi, it's so good to see a post from you!! I've missed your menus; I need some new ideas to explore. Good going with the candy ban. Are you enjoying your job?

161.9 this AM. Which makes me heavier than a year ago by about 3 pounds. This time last year, I was getting ready for my Patagonia trek... Great memories!

Thanks, soon2bskinny, too bad about the computer; I hate that!

Thanks Marlene. Sounds like a plan re those chicken rolls. Sound kind of gross to me... Good for you for not letting it derail you. I hope you got to bed at a reasonable hour.

catTails yes, I'm enjoying the job. There is a lot of room to make an impact. The only thing I don't like is that I'm working more hours than I would like, and more hours than the job, which is part-time, was advertised as. But hopefully that translates to working less in the summer...

As for food menus, nothing too exotic going on here. I did buy an avocado yesterday, though... Still sitting on my counter though. Oh, here's something I had yesterday, a papaya protein shake. So good... We had about 1/4 of a papaya left over, sitting in the fridge. A little too squishy too enjoy eating, but great in a protein shake. Papaya, soy milk, water, ice, vanilla protein powder. So that was breakfast.