Good morning. I didn't get a chance to post yesterday but I did get a minute to peek in and read the posts.


I've come to the realization that I'm going to have to logg my food for awhile. Since it's the beginning of a new month, I'm going to start today doing just that.

I also did my ab work and core strenghting exercises this morning. Even though it only takes me about 10 min to do them, I feel that I get my mind on the right track for the day by working my body just that little bit.

It's snowing in Ohio today. Spring is only 19 days away? Oh well, if gives me a chance to wear the new boots that I bought on sale for an end of the season buy...I don't have to wait until next year to wear them. I've got to look at the bright side.

How's everyone else doing? Anyone have an goals for March?

As I stated earlier mine are:

1. I will logg my food daily for the month of March
2. I will continue to do my core strenghting and ab work
3. I will check out the Yoga class that meets on Saturday mornings and determine if this is something I want to add to my weekly workouts.
4. I will make time to write in my journal everyday
5. I will make an effort to compliment one person each day and give them a geniune smile.
6. I will remember to take 3 deep breathes every day.

Have a great day everyone. I'm headed to work.

Susie

Susie:
I like your idea of giving someone a compliment and genuine smile every day. Especially in the workplace, it gets hard to do because there is so much phony stuff around!!!

Judy:
Chicago was very fun. Fortunately I didn't snack, but had very nice meals. Everything was so outrageously good. My friends ordered dessert at this Spanish restaurant and I knew that if I did, I'd really gorge myself. So I "tasted" theirs. Oh, so decadent. One was a steamed banana covered in home-made caramel sauce with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream. The other was the best dessert I've ever had...I don't like things that are very rich...this was PERFECT. French vanilla ice cream rolled in a delicate crepe, drizzled with real strawberry sauce and garnished with strawberry and whipped cream. It was absolutely fabulous. I was proud that I didn't order any - but the home made rice pudding with raisins sounded very good!

Spores:
Regarding your gym manners...some people wipe off the machines before and or after they work out - I typically don't, just because I'm lazy, I forget and I usually shower right after I'm done working out. I don't think most people care that much if you clean the machine off - they are the people who typically wipe it off before they begin anyway. Also, in the locker room, it gets a little cramped in there and it's nice to leave people with some room. But usually when I go it's not bad at all and I like to spread my stuff out. I bring my own gym towel that is more like the size of a beach towel and I use that to walk to and from the shower. I get a little self concious when getting dressed, but I mean, there's nothing I can do but either feel ashamed or just live with it. There are days when I haven't shaved in a while, etc and you know in the end, who cares. I'm there at the gym, I work out hard and I deserve to feel confident and comfortable. The only manners type thing I can think of is to be quick if there is ever a line for the showers. We have five separate shower stalls and occasionally there is a line, like in the mornings. Otherwise, I take a long shower...I love them!

So here I am having Chex Mix and tea for breakfast. Arrgh. It's always hard to get back into the exercising/food after a mini vacation or trip! I am so proud to say that I didn't take one single drag of a cigarette. It was my first roadtrip with girlfriends since last April when I quit smoking...I usually would pretty much chain smoke when I drove long distances...and in the city, in bars, etc...but I didn't. That was a success for me!

Feeling groggy today.

Girlie

Good Morning Lovely Ladies......

Didn't do so well OP yesterday. Went on an eating frenzy, but think I have it under control now. Fingers crossed.

TOPS in my area is on Monday nights, and as luck would have it I had to work at Kohl's last night, however I do plan on getting to TOPS next week. I wish I knew someone else that attends or would attend with me. I do better with a buddy.

My new boss, Kelle, gave me her Windsor Pilates tapes, from basic to pro, including tights and bunz workouts. Never been opened. Total of 5 tapes, no I have NO excuse to not get some exercise, with the WATP and the Pilates tapes, things should happen, once I implement a workout regimen. Kelle is in buff shape and goes to the gym 6 days a week. I don't think she ever had a weight issue tho. She even has tight bunz.

Holly, you sound in such a great mood and place in life right now. Congrats! How's the job search going for DH?

Susie - I love you can make goals and stick to them. I am good at making goals but not keeping them for long. You are an inspiration.

Judy - if you order you jeans/pants on-line from about anywhere, you can get them in tall. The last pair I ordered was from JCPenney catalog.

Jodi - Great job on a week well finished. Keep up the great work.

Girlie - sounds like you had a fantastic time in Chicago. Hard not to eat when traveling. It is the getting back into gear once I return that is the hardest for me.

Hello to everyone I might of missed. Stay OP and focused. We can do this. I want it badly.

Cheers!!

Annie

That is thighs and bunz, not tights and bunz. lol, sorry in a hurry as doing this at work and trying not to get in trouble.

Howdy chicks. I have been in to read. I have a rotten cold. Mostly in my nose and eyes. They really aches and itch. Toddlers!! ACK!!
A VERY long day yesterday. Quiet day today. All i have felt like eating is cereal.

I wrote an article for our church news letter about bullying. I am proud of it. If you are interested PM me and I will email it.

Everyone sounds pretty good!!! Have a great day. I just smiled genuinely at all of you!!!

hello everyone!
i feel like i have been away for ages, i am doing well. keeping busy. eating good. i haven't exercised this week but it is only tuesday going to try and fit that in tomorrow. the dr. went ok i had a mamogram (ouch!!) i have to go back next week for a sonogram, the dr thinks i have endometriosis (sp?) he wants to do a laproscopy (sp?) in the near future. so we shall see. my mood is much better. it is going to be a good week.

holly- sorry to hear about the cold, hope you get well soon. what 'cha reading? good for you with the measurements!! that is fantastic! it is so great to see the numbers going down!! keep it up girl!!

annie- good luck with the tapes. i really love the WATP's (when i am not too lazy to do them of course) the exercise really does help though. i'm telling you as a pep talk for myself. lol we can do it! i also think about going to TOPS wish you were over here i would be your buddy. going to get up my nerve and try it i think.

girlie- glad you had a good time in chicago! good for you not smoking! it is fun to unwind with the girls! you can do it girlie just hop right back in to the exercise, you always do so great with it!

mychoice- good for you with awesome goals for the month!! you can do it. it is snowing like crazy here again. i'm thinking spring will never get here! if you know anything about endo-whats-a-ma-call-it or laproscopy (sp?) send me a PM. i've looked it up online and my dr. told me lots but i am always looking for more info!

judy- i found some very good fitting jeans at walmart thet are lee riders strech in women's sizes. i am not too tall 5'6" so the length isn't an issue although they do come in petit, average, and tall. they are zip front with just the tinyest bit of stretch to them. they are very comfortable. they run big though i can wear a size 16W in them but in all other pants i am an 18-20.

spores- good for you getting on the treadmill!! you rock!! keep up the great work!!

sorry if i missed anyone! hope you all have a great evening!

ooops before i forget....
my goals for march
1) loose 5 lbs
2) walk 3 times a week min.
3) make healthy choices as much as humanly possible
4) don't beat myself up when i fall off the wagon.
nite chicks!!
xoxox

Mychoice: Thanks for sharing your goals! I like that one aboutgiving a genuine compliment. I am going to add a goal: I will make an effort to ask one genuine, caring question to each person I deal with on any significant level. I too have been thinking of logging food again. I find that sometimes it works for me, but sometimes it's just too overwhelming. I feel like I write so much down already, and it makes eating take that much longer. But I know it helps. Do you measure your food as well or just eyeball it?

Girlie: Thanks for the gym tips. Your attitude is so great -- I am just going to go out there and do it and try to forget about the staring eyes. Good for you on the trip -- not ordering desert when your friends do and not smoking in bars...those sound liek impossible challenges!

Annie: Oh, do let us know how you like the pilates tapes. I've thought about trying them, but I'm not sure if they're out of my challenge zone right now. They look hard! I too wish I had a buddy nearby -- so much easier to go to those meetings and workouts with someone else.

Holly: Sorry to hear about your cold. Hope you feel better soon!

Had a long and stressful day today, and put off my workout several times. Didn’t want to do it; wanted to work and cross things off the to do list...but then I thought, “Hey, I need a break, and what better way to relieve stress than to workout?” So I did it! And was glad I did. So hooray for that. Not so great on food today, thought. Try again tomorrow.

We got a lOT of snow overnight. DH is home, busses were cancelled. He drove DS and friend to school. The friend thinks we are mean, “but it’s a snow day!” LOL!
I have 4 kids here. 2 more coming. We were supposed to go to the sugar bush for a field trip but I am NOT driving 6 kids, 5 not my own on bad roads.

DH is bugging me already. A running commentary on how bad the other parents drive, what I am feeding the kids, blah,blah,blah..... get a life!!!!! Stop trying to create some self importance. LOL!
I felt super crappy all day yesterday. This virus is mostly in my eyes. They are itchy and achy and really puffy. It is NOT pretty.
I am feeling much better today. Not as irritable so far. Although DH may inspire some!!
I watched Idol last night and out of curioslty I watched The Amazing Race. Boston Rob and Amber from Survivor are on. He is babe-ilicious. I LOVE his personality. He cracks me up and turns me on. Most people think he is an ******* but I tend to adore good looking *******s, my Dad is one, Dh is one, DS is headed that way. I DONT think they are *******s but they are very direct, blatantly honest, super funny, often outrageous....I LOVE them!!!!!! Even when the drive me batty. I couldn’t stop watching .I laugh out loud at everything he does on the show. I finally shut it off at 10 and went to bed.
Food was weird yesterday because I was sick. I had cereal for breakfast and lunch. I made hambuger patties with onion gravy, rice and veggies for supper. Comfort food.

Hope today is better.


Annie~ you are sounding focussed. You will do this!! I would like TOPS better if it was more anonymous. In all small town I see the 10 memebers everywhere I go. Maybe it helps keep the junk out of my shopping cart.

Girlie~ did you get back on the exercise track!!! Congrats on not smoking!!

Susie~ how did the goals go?? Thay are fantastic!!

Jodi~ Glad you are feeling better.

Spores~ congrats on CHOOSING to workpout!!!!!!

Judy~HI! How's it going?

Jodi: Glad to see you! Sorry to hear of doctor stuff; no fun. Hope all is well. Love your goals, especially that last one" "Don't beat myself up when I fall off the wagon." Thats one I need to work on as well.

Holly: Snowed in with so many people! Yikes! Hope you can find some time for yourself.

I had planned to workout early this morning, but that time ahs slipped past. I do not do well with early workouts. I do not do well with mornings. If I have someplace to be, I can get up and going, but if I don't have to leave the house for a few hours, I just wallow. I'm also kind of sad today (no reason), so am moping about and not wanting to do much. How to deal with this? Usually I would throw up my hands and consider the whole day a bust at only 10am. But that is a tendancy I want to overcome. So instead. Hm. I will find a balance between desire to curl into a ball and need to care for body. I will take my extra time this morning and do my hair all nice and pretty so I feel nice about myself and have a nice day. When I get home from my classes, I will hop on the treadmill. I will think of that half hour between the time I get home and the time my bf gets home as my time to reward myself for making it through the day. I will pop on a Kids in the Hall episode and watch and laugh as I walk on the treadmill. I will ignore the dishes in the sink and the blinking answering machine and take that half hour just for me. I will pack myself some healthy snacks today so that I'm not starving when I get home. I will ask my bf to cook dinner with me so that I'm not tempted to go out for junk. I will ask him to do the dishes and not feel guilty about it. This is what I'm gonna do.

How is everyone? Having a good week so far?

Spores~ I love your plan!!! Way to turn it around!!!!

Hello,
I did very well with my goals yesterday. I'm really glad I started to log my food again, because last night I was eating these Orange Slices (you know..the candy kind) and I realized that I had 6 of them and that if I wasn't going to write down my food I would have not taken them into consideration. Because I was logging my food, I realized that I had made my choice to have my "desert" then, so I couldn't have anything later. I'm wondering (although I have a pretty good idea) how many of those type calories I've let slip up on me, and in turn they let the scales slip up to a higher number?

We received some snow last night and the roads were slippery, so my Accounting class was canceled (didn't cry about that one! *smile*), so I got an extra walk in. I walked for an hour and went just about 3 miles.

How's everyone else doing? Anyone else dreaming of summer? I am and I see myself just about at that 200 mark, and looking thinner than I've looked for years, attending all the high school graduation houses I have to go to this summer, yep..there I am...tanned, my stomach not sticking out, my arms sculpted from all the weight training, my toenails painted coral, in strappy sandles, with a really cute sundress....oh yeah...I see it. I'm smiling...everyone is saying "look at you...how much weight have you lost?"...man does that feel good!

Spores: I love the way you turned the day around. I think it's important to write that out like you did. You have to have a map, so you can see what direction to head in. You asked if I measured my food or eyeballed it. I usually eyeball it but sometimes when I know that it's something that I like to eat, I might measure it out so I'm "real" about how much I'm taking.

Holly: I hope you are feeling better. I completely understand the comfort food. I was smiling when I was reading about Boston Rob. I don't watch Survivor but a friend of mine does and she talks to me every week about him.

Jodi: I'm glad you made it to your doctor appointment. I'm going to PM you.
I like your goals, they are good ones.

Girlie: I hope you hear something good about the interview.

Annie: Did you check out TOPS. You are correct that it's easier to have a buddy to workout with and attend meetings with, but who knows, you might find a new buddy at the meetings. The best way to make a buddy is to be one.

I better get back to work. Chat with you all later.

Susie

I hope I can join you on the race to 199!! I can't wait to see 199 again. I'm currently at 226 lbs. I'm trying to get back on track with my eating and exercising after a bought with bronchitis all of last week! I'm 29 and would like to see a better figure by my 30th birthday in July. I also was wanting to try to participate in a 5K roadrace in April, but I still don't know if I will lose enough to put myself out there. (I wanted to try to be at 195 for the race, I completed it in 2002 at 192 lbs) I have an 8 year old daughter and a very sweet, cute boyfriend that lives with me. It's really neat to read about everyone else just so excited to see under 200 lbs. It's good to know I'm not the only one longing to be there again!

Stephanie
234/226/125
SW/CW/GW

Good Day, everyone.

I like how everyone has goals listed! I would like to lose 5 pounds this month too. That is totally doable.

Anne:
Let me know how the Pilates is.

Spores:
Don't worry about the "staring eyes"...you'll find that they are more worried about getting stared at themselves. Just be confident, look people in the eye and smile.

Susie:
Great job on checking yourself with the orange slices!

Holly:
Hope you feel better!!!

Jodi:
I've read lots about people having a lap. I hope all goes well, whatever the outcome!

Stephanie:
Welcome! You can do the 5K but I know how you feel. I ran my last 5K when I was around 180...at 230, it's harder to run...but doable. Our 5K is coming up in May and I will not be prepared, but will probably do the walk portion anyway. Trying to get DH to do it...and maybe next year it will be our run together! I was never any good, but the rush of finishing is just awesome.

Well, I haven't gone to the gym yet. Hope to make it tonite. I got a call back from the company and have a 2nd interview on Friday. I only have one suit, so DH is going to look at suits with me tonite, and hopefully we can make it to the gym as well. Five miles on the elliptical tonite and tomorrow will get me feeling good for the interview.

Talk to you all soon!

Girlie

Hi, Stephanie! Welcome, I just jumped into the group a month ago myself. Everyone is very positive, it's been a big part of my success so far!

Girlie: Congratulations on making good choices in Chicago (my kind of town, Chicago is!). I hope the interview goes well on Friday--I know that you'll look fabulous, anyway....

Susie: I love your visioning yourself after you've met your goals. I have a hard time doing that--I think that's part of my mental stuff that causes me to self-destruct when things are going well. I've broken my goals out in lots of bite-sized pieces, in part because I haven't weighed my ultimate goal--165 or less--in thirty years, I don't have a clear picture of myself at that place. But I can see 191, so I'll start there, and cross the next bridge when I come to it. I hate doing it, but I agree that keeping a journal makes a big difference. I do log my food and exercise, but since I don't count calories, I don't worry too much about specifying exact amounts. I travel and eat out a lot, it began to be a reason not to write anything down at all. If I know I'm having more or less than a serving of something, I will write "two servings of squash," or something like that.

Spores: I hope your day is going per plan. Re measurements: I've been checking in with a bariatric doctor's office. They measured me when I first started, and took pictures, too I'm going back tomorrow morning for my first weigh-in in three weeks.

Jodi, Anne: Thanks for the suggestions on the jeans. I'm not so terribly tall (5'6"), but I have a hard time finding ones where, if the leg is long enough, the crotch isn't somewhere near my knees, or the waist isn't too big. I have big thighs and butt (Anne, I need to borrow your tape ) and rarely like the way that stiff denim fits me.

Holly: I do hope that you're feeling better today!

Make good choices, everyone!

judy

MychoiceSusi: What a great visualization! I have heard that it is one of the most important techniques for weight loss. I always have a hard time with it; I can visualize the body, but I can’t seem to put my head on it. Maybe I’ll try writing it out. I too think I need to start measuring so I am more real about how much I eat. The thing that gets me down is the extra steps. One more step to get to eating. One more dish to wash. One more bother to hunt for and wash up the measuring cup in the sink. I need to work on my impatience. Eating for me is either comfort/emotional satisfaction or pure and simple physical need. In either case, I want it and I want it NOW.

Stephanie: Welcome! Feel free to jump right in. We’re all in the same boat here.

Girlie: Good luck with the interview! A new suit is always a confidence-booster.

Judy: Bariatic doctor? I’ve never heard of it. Can you tell me what it is? Yes, eating out is a challenge. I always blow it when I eat away from home, because I look at it a “treat time” and just splurge. So I need to work on cooking at home more often. Like, tonight.

Okay, first part of the day’s plan went well. Did my hair, snacked pretty well at school, did the treadmill. Now comes the dreaded “cook dinner at home instead of ordering chineese” part. So hard. I’m really hungry, and I really want the treat, and I HAVE to do dishes before I can even think about cooking, and I really hate doing dishes. It would be so much easier to order some nice fried delivery. But I ate Chipotle last night (unplanned), so I want to balance that by being good tonight. And I have tons of work to do. If I order in, that is a sure recipe for wallowing in front of the TV and eating all night. The best way for me to break this pattern is at the source: no delivery. No take-out. No dive-thru. Just take the perfectly fine food in my refrigerator and put it in the magic cooking machine and eat a meal out of my own kitchen. Not so hard.

Hope my bf gets home soon and offers to do the dishes. That would make it easier.

Thanks for listening, all! Today’s been a struggle for some reason, and talking it out really helps.