Hey all. I'm alive and well. Stupid pain pills make me too sleepy to keep my eyes open, so i haven't read posts. Just thought I'd pop on and let everyone know I'm feeling fine. Will post later this week.

Hey all. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday so I was MIA. I had a couple vitamin shots she is going to try for energy. I also woke up to a full blown flare. Hands hurt, so tired, muscles hurt, neck hurt, shoulders on fire, hips on fire, and the nasty burning and tingling in my finger tips. I work 4 tens so I have Fridays off, I spent that in bed for rest. Today, well we will see what today holds Today is my normal weigh in day but I skipped it since I also weigh in on every 1st of the month to get my monthly weight loss numbers. I cannot weigh everyday or it will drive me mad. I haven't really started exercising yet. I used to do spin but I am going to have to find something that is light on my body first and work my way into it. Thinking I will start with walking.

Toasted: Wow that sounds like a maddening project at work. I can so relate. I have been thrown into a huge contract negotiation and it is very hard at times. It has to do with the technical side of medical so it also puts my mind to mush thinking of all the things that cannot be missed. I hope that your February is much much better for you. And I hope that everything calms down for you at work. Thank you for the kind welcome. I do remember you. I have always wanted to travel to Africa and I remember having some discussions on that. I had also had spouts with IBS which is digestive but this way of eating has really also helped with that. It is funny how healthy eating can really help the body.

Lemon: Should I call you Lemon? They have tested me for ANA and I am positive. They know I have Fibro and an autoimmune but are having a hard time giving me a hard answer on what. I don't have a rash, so they don't know if it is Lupus. I have so much pain in hands they thought it was RA but my RA factor is negative. It has been a whirlwind of doctors, I am really sick of them...LOL How many children do you have? I have three girls that are 9, 6, 5, and a son that is 18. I also have two step kids I helped raise but they are out of the house now. I so get kids making you gag...LOL I thought it was bad as babies but the older they get the grosser things get. I also understand diets sucking. I am currently doing intermitten fasting and it is the first thing that I have found I can really understand and stick to more than just 2 weeks. Just find something you like and go from there....that is all the encouragement I can give on that because I know how hard the finding is.

Diane: I do remember you. We had a spin connection It sounds like you had an injury so I hope you are doing better! It sucks when you gain. I gained 50 lbs in over a year and went back at in in 10/17. As though life goes. I am excited to hear about your hair. I think it is going to look awesome. And guess what. If you end up hating it you can always go back to what it was. Im jealous on the hiking. Is it warm enough in Colorado yet? We have had so much rain here in Oregon. I hope your weigh in goes well!!!

Lilion: I hope you are feeling better. Not sure what happened as I am new, but I hope all goes well.

Okay, it's almost time I can go have my coffee. I have to clean the house today as well. At least I am caught up on laundry

Have a wonderful Saturday ladies!!!!

Lil: yeah for you girl! Sorry the pain meds have knocked you on your butt. They are never fun and hopefully you can quickly transfer to otc meds. I always hate the script ones!

Jen: lemon is just fine. I have more babes in heaven then on earth. Autoimmunes are the bane of my medical. Just know if you have one you will most likely develop more in life. That’s my track record and what I’ve read on it. What can I offer you to look at: in regards to hands have they ruled out the generic happen to everyone as mommy tendinitis and or carpal tunnel? I ask because your kids are old enough but if you stop And think about all we do with the hands it maybe just something like that. They did RA testing (neg) on me and in the end this is more the fit for what I have. What helps me is thinking of how I use my hands and making accommodations to how I do things. For example if I weed the flower beds, I have to limit my amount of time. The whole pinching, pulling, grasping of the hands will make it flare horrible so I’ve learned to limit my time, take ibuprofen an hour before I start and use my tools more then my hands if I can. I also find my use of magnesium oil and vitamin D helps too. Both OTC but they are supplements and some (most) doctors don’t like them.

As for the rest, have you ever had your vitamin D levels checked? My endo clues me in that this can be another way the body is letting you know everything hurts and it’s low. She also indicated that our food stuffs aren’t guaranteed to get us the excess and that most people north of Atlanta (long/lat line) are defiecent.

Now I am not a doctor but a gal who has dealt with the unknowns of a body attacking itself and I don’t mind sharing some of the things I’ve learned. I know doctors grimace if you say any mention of “I read” or “can I try taking” about supplements or changes to my diet but that’s because most aren’t schooled in. My GP flat out told me she doesn’t recommend supplements except a vitamin. And if I understand correctly both lupus and fibro are very tough to diagnose because they do tend to have different reactions in people and no two present the same.

Sorry for my book. Btw: lil had gallbladder surgery yesterday.

Am: well I am here and have gotten some undone projects completed. I just got a bunch of seed catalogs to look through and think of what I can do come warm weather.

My diet stinks today. The IF works when I stick to it, but I have the idea TOM will find me eventually soon. I find I’m wanting to stuff my mouth w all the contraband I shouldn’t take in: soda and sweets and Super Bowl craziness. I’m wearing those 16s as I find it I eat too much they feel a bit snugger though the tum. Or at least by end of day. So with that it helps me keep mindful.

I’ll be afraid to weigh in Monday - I’ll probably be way far from the 220 I was Thursday. Maybe I should just stick with broth hah.

More later!

I’m feeling fat and bloaty today. I have over eaten I believe. I haven’t bothered w calories but I’m sure I haven’t done well.

I will have my Super Bowl meal that includes a burger and then tomorrow I’m back to micromanaging. I want to get done with this decade and I think the crazy TOM need has hit which has been part of my issue the last few days with sweets and mindless snacking. I guess there all sorts of speed bumps as I go along and sadly I think I let them trip me up more often then I should.

Happy Sunday people. I’m off to garden a bit while my youngest naps as they were up at 5 and I really didn’t like the attitude that followed so a nap is just fine for them.

Lemon: I am really sorry to hear you had so many losses! Yes I have been told I will more than likely develope more. I have very low vitamin D but have been on supplements and shots for several vitamins. When I am not flaring my energy is fine but it's these darn flares that throw me! I do not have tendinitis or carpal tunnel. I have been through so many tests in the last 2 years it just makes me want to scream what the **** is wrong??? I do practice the give your hands a break. I use to be able to scrub doors and now I can only do 1 a day if that before I am in pain. Luckily my kids like to help clean at the age they are at! I hope you start to feel better TOM is horrible. I think we all get ravenous during that time. The thing about not being on calorie or goals is tomorrow is another day and we can start fresh. It's not about the slipping it's about not giving up in the long run!

For me: I am going to my parents today for the super bowl. Still feeling tired and achy but I need out of the house. I've also been struggling with the 240 mark seems my body wants to hold onto it. Also seems I have enough fat why would I plateau.... LOL. Putting the scale away until weigh in day so I don't over obsess! Happy Sunday everyone!

Hey guys, how was your weekend?!! How was the Superbowl? Were you happy with the results? I'm not huge into American Football but I went to undergrad in Massachusetts so I have a soft spot for the Patriots and wanted them to win. Apparently, based on Twitter, I'm pretty much the only one outside the New England area with those sentiments but since I'm not that into it, I don't really care either way. If it was my football/soccer team, I'd have been offended by all the hate. My only experience with the Superbowl is adverts (with football interruptions), the halftime show, pizza, fizzy drinks, chicken wings, and some Velveeta sauce (the Velveeta sauce doesn't go with the wings, it goes with chips, I think, but I remember being fascinated that such a product existed masquerading as cheese). But I miss the vibe and the excitement. They show it here live but at some unholy 3 or 4 in the morning sort of time.

Plan-wise, the weekend was a bust. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it wasn't great especially as I did zero exercise. Sighhh. But all is not lost. I'm back at it again today and so far so good. I didn't weigh in this morning, because, really, is there any need when I know how heavy my body feels? Okay then.

Lemonthyme: Heyyy!!! I hope you enjoyed your Superbowl Sunday. Were you able to get your room cleaning on in the end? Or did you relax in silence with the kids out of the house. Low-key I hope you were able to do a bit of both. I actually love in the Northern Hemisphere between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer smack dab in the actual tropics. The only weather we have here is hot AND humid, what differs is how much rain we get. I'm coming of a TOM but it's been pretty hard getting back on track with food.

Diane: Yayyy decent weigh in!!! How was your weekend? Were you able to go hiking in the end as planned? What about spin? As for the Vionics sandals, my mom has several pairs and she loves them. They're great for problem feet and for being basically orthopaedic sandals they're not bad in looks- there are some stylish-ish ones.

Lillion: I'm so happy to hear you're doing okay but please get all the rest okay? People often underestimate laparoscopic surgery because it's outpatient, but it's still surgery and there are still people poking around your insides where they don't belong. Please allow yourself to rest and recover. I'm thanking God surgery went well and praying for your total healing and restoration. :Hugs: :Hugs: Hugs:

Jenni: I don't know that I'm a good daily weigher either. Sometimes, I'm fine with the ups and downs but sometimes a bad weigh in can make me all "burn it alll, it doesn't matter, axe the wagon and use it for kindling because I give up" melodramatic, if you know what I mean. I think walking sounds like a good start to getting back into exercise. What places in Africa would you like to go to? I live in Africa so you'd think I've gone to all the places I want but I haven't I too have my African bucket list. I went to school in America for 6 years and I still have a US bucket list. One day.


Alright, I need to get back to work as my To Do list is super long and I need to blast through it if I'm going to fulfill my promises to my colleagues to get them stuff they need. That's one of my main New Year resolutions- no more breaking promises to myself and to others because I'm a procrastinator. I'm not doing so well at it yet this year, but right now is as good a time as any to turn that around. My goal for today is to send our promised work to my colleagues, eat under 1500 calories and walk at least 4km. Have a great day everyone.

Jenni: I hate when the body rebels. I have had luck with the magnesium oil for general aches. I actually started using just for regaining fleet to my big toe which I broke falling over a baby gate. As I said in the last I’m so super graceful. Hah! I hope you can find something that works for you because I know the hurts can drain you from feeling like doing anything!

Toasted: we XP - so it sounds like your weekend was like my own - off kilter w food(you were better!) and not doing much in general. Yes a good veg was what I needed to do as it was snowing quite a bit Saturday and watching large flakes fall was nice as I was looking through my seed catalogs. I’ve also been reminded my husband is a bump on the log if it’s just he and I sometimes and he does that well. As for the Super Bowl - I’m a fan of neither team but I cheered on the eagles because who doesn’t like an underdog? And besides sometimes I feel in life people feel they are more deserving of the prize if they have won before and get a bit big for their britches if you will prior to game time with them just being the top team. But I do watch more for the commercials and just sitting with my DH. Alas - I hope you keep to your plan and your lists! I’m way away from my own.


Hello all!

Am: go Eagles! I’m glad a second stringer took them to the win. His life has now Changed probably more than he imagined I’d have to think. And yes with watching the game I ate some. I tried to be mindful but I’m sure the weight is up. I purposely did not hop on the scale this morn. I am currently back to IF. And by Wednesday maybe I will be back to where I need to be. Having 1 beer and bread products and some chips, yep this girl will stay away from the scale.

I have to check my plant babies today and give them a bit of fertilizer and see how they are doing. I’ll also do some more work in the basement and see how that goes befor the little gets back off the bus this morn.

I have two hurdles this week for diet besides today - I have a bday cake and I have a date night with dinner and a movie. So with it all I will have to try my darndest to find good areas or watch what I’m taking in around the rest of the day and still keep in calories.

Well my dears I hope you all are doing well. I’m off to start the daily melting I avoided the last few days. The old craziness I’m waiting to start is still in hiatus, the eats were good over the weekend but it’s now time to dry out if you will and I hope I can get to walking later this week. My goal is to get those few totes cleaned up and put away so I can go walk in my basement. Maybe it will help!

Happy day all! I’m off to melt.

Toasted: I really love your New Year's resolution. I try and live by that also. Mine was not to give up on anything I try. I have given up so many times on hobbies and health related issues. Africa? I have a few bucket lists on Africa that I am sure many tourists do. Victoria Falls, Pyramids, and Zanzibar Archipelago. I would also love to see the wildlife of Africa. What about you? What is your U.S. bucket list? I hope all goes well with your work this week. Sounds like it is still really busy.

Lemon: I had a broken big toe several years ago. Be careful, my toe has never been the same. Seems like they never fully heal properly. What IF do you follow? I have been doing IF for the month of January. I started with 18:6. Last week I tried the 5:2 but did not really love the 500 cal days. I feel you on the hurdles. The movies are so hard for me. The smell of that popcorn drives me insane. I hope you find your balance you are seeking in all the activities that are coming your way.

For me: Yesterday wasn't too bad. I went to my parents for the Superbowl. My mom is doing the Keto diet so there were healthy choices there. I stayed in my IF window and calorie range. I was excited that the Eagle's won. I have a busy week with work. These negotiations are a little stressful but we are pushing through. I decided once my flare eases I am going to start back up on our flooring. I have already finished the upstairs flooring. Now I need to start the downstairs. That will definitely be some exercise. I give all props to construction people so very labor intensive work is draining! I have a few birthdays this month. One of my daughters turns 7, my husbands birthday, and well Valentines Day. I have instructed my husband no candy or chocolates. Hopefully that will stick with him....LOL

Hope you ladies have a wonderful day!!!!

Jen: I’m doing 18:6 when I’m good and on point and just being mindful of calories at the same time. I know there is no way I can do 5:2 - I hate fasting all day for those days in lent - so I know unless I want to eat a house the following day, I will try and stick w my 18:6.

Are you doing reno or a new build? You mentioned your flooring so that’s what made me ask.

And my toe - I know right?! Oh my goodness I’d love my toes back that I had pre-kids as they really have taken a beating as my kids get bigger and always find them. They too aren’t super graceful.

Toasted: good going on holding to your resolutions. I never make them only because I’d be like the 65% that have already dropped them. Yes I’m bad! I try to keep it simple and just remind myself I need to work at being a good person and try to add good things to my days.

Am: so I worked for an hour and half in the basement. Part of my issue going through all of this stuff is that I have a hard time. Some of the things were bought in preparation for a baby joining us that just got put in the basement when I had a loss and to deal with later when I felt strong. Now is later I guess, but it can still be hard to go through and look at and wonder. Lots of wonder about who they would have been and then the hurt kind of creeps back. So I came back upstairs and will do a bit more cleaning on this level here too. It’s not like I have a super clean house after the weekend. And I’ll deal with the other in short bursts.

Oh dear god - here is c.crawford hawking cream for the face to be meaningful. Now that she’s 50 we get to celebrate how beautiful she is - or so they are telling me in the commercial. Hah! I too am aging - sometimes not so gracefully, but it’s fun when you meet someone on a plane that tells you that you look 15 years younger then you are - the water helps! Really - to be reminded you are closer to 50 like all the models you grew up with - just cause me to roll my eyes and laugh quick. Just age gracefully and enjoy life in the background I’d tell them.

Ok still melting with my fast today. YEAH! I also just finished my coffee and will start up with the water. Might as well knock out the salt that might be hiding in me somewhere and the fat I ate. Alas - time keeps moving forward. I best get my butt in gear and join it and maybe MAYBE by 3/1 i will be comfortably in the 2teens.

Here’s to trying.

262.2

Lilion: Thanks for checking in!! It was good to hear that you made it through ok. Hope you are getting lots of rest and healing well.

Jen: That's right, I do remember the spin connection. I had actually taken a break from spinning for a few months last year, but I went back to it. I just really like it and I think it is such a fantastic workout. As for my injuries... after elk hunting vacation in October, 2016, I had terrible pain in my back. It took a while to figure out, but it turned out to be a pinched nerve. I had taken time off from working out for that... and put on some weight. I never really got back to working out very well and back to losing in 2017. Then, my plantar fasciitis flared up and I took another couple of months off and put on more weight. I still have some pain from that, but trying to keep going with orthotics and such. I think if I can lose more weight it will be better.

Lemon: Sorry to hear about your losses. I had only one loss many years ago before having my other kids and it was devastating. I don't know if you ever recover fully from that. But, I'm glad you are stepping away so that you can do some other cleaning. Little by little, you'll get it done. As for the gray hair issue, I very much agree about skin tones changing. I don't want to have that happen, so I'm just going to go with it. I think that once I get used to it, I'll be fine with gray hair. A friend of mine did it and said she loved the freedom from the hair coloring. But then her husband told her that he thought she looked so much older, so she went back to coloring. I know that my husband is so anxious for me to be done with coloring, that he will be supportive. Well, he better be!!!

Toasted: Yeah, people are so brutal to those who are successful. I didn't really care who won, although I really do love American football. I thought it was a really good game, though. I stepped a bit outside of my normal food plan.... ok, a LOT outside of my normal food plan, but that's ok. Sounds like a lot of us were doing that!!

As for me, I did lose a little bit from Friday, so that's good. I am actually glad I keep track here of daily weight. I thought it was lower than that on Friday and I thought that I had put weight on. Unfortunately, for the week, I was up .2 pounds. I am ok with that, although I was kind of hoping for a few weeks of not gaining anything. But, I'll work on it again this week. It turned out to be TOM for me, which completely irritates me. It has only been a month since the last time and I had been going every 3 months. Feels like it will never completely go away. Oh well. Could be worse.

The good news is that I went to a spin class on Saturday and went hiking on Sunday, so the weekend was good for exercise. I went to spin this morning, and I plan on lifting weights tomorrow. So, here we go!

225.0

EPIC FAIL

Diane: I’m sure a new do will perk you up with something new. You’ll find other colors on you will look fantastic and maybe something you haven’t done in a long time. It will maybe take a bit of time w DH but it may not and he may like the intrigue the change brings. Hehe! Enjoy the change!

Morning ladies!

AM: so I hopped on the scale and I’m sure it hasn’t budged since the weekend. And I’m a bit disappointed in myself but I also knew it’d go up as I was eating. So I’ll make adjustments again and the abacus of my self will need to move down AGAIN.

I’m frustrated and life will continue and the scale will move in a direction. Up and down and sideways. I’m all about craziness.

The good news is I did stick to my fast yesterday in fact I finally ate at hour 17. I was doing too much and then looked at the time. I got 4 jugs of water in me and managed to space them throughout the day so I didn’t feel like floating before bed. Make changes weekly was my MO for the next few months. Hah. I’m not accomplishing too well. But I’ll keep trying.

Happy day all. I will make some changes and hope I can right the ship yet again. Have I said I find dieting tedious? And some moments just want to eat? Yep. Back to the water and a fast. I can do this

Diane: Great job on the exercise! I am sorry to hear about your injuries! I know how painful back injuries are. And I am dealing with plantar right now. I got some orthodox for my feet and it seems some good days with it and some bad! I wish it would just go away! I also was told my big toe was bone on bone and I would need a joint replacement. I'm holding off on that for awhile! Did you end up getting your hair done?

Lemon: Its a Reno. We bought this house in 2014 and I didn't envision having to change things but I found I hate carpet and tile. Houses suck your money clean! I am finding I hate the 24 hour fasts too and I had an epic fail also cookie doe and gummy worms uggg it was my 500 cal day and I blew it so back to 18:6 today! Do you follow any type of eating style with IF? I'm sorry you had a bad weigh in just keep swimming! Weight is so hard to lose!

For me: trying to get this eating thing right! No more 24 hour fasts! Work is crazy busy and my body is still achy. I had a dream I was laying on a warm beach and was awoken to my alarm I want to go back to the beach but need to get myself ready for work! Have a great day ladies!

Ugh - serious muffin top this morning! Does eating a grilled cheese and baked beans cause this much bloat? Holy Batman. Well good thing I’m in the confines of my own home and running around. Still fasting this am. Will also get ahold of calories today and keep them in check. Dear golly this is driving me bonkers but I will not let the 220s dissuade me nor will I let the piece of birthday cake I’ll have this week. It’s not like I ever got of the 230s easily. Maybe my weight is more like an etch a sketch that you shake up and down to clear and he darn thing never is quite clean - that’s me and my weight.

Now glad you had a laugh! I did. Off to go melt some more before my morning avocado.

Lemon: Ok, not an epic fail for you. A minor setback! You'll get it! You would think we could just have a decade that we could just breeze on through, but I guess it just doesn't work that way! But I know you'll get it. It is perfectly ok to get frustrated, but then we just need to keep plugging on and moving forward. No looking back.

Jen: What the heck? A joint replacement in your big toe? I've never heard of that, but I guess I'm not surprised either. They can do so much these days. Does it hurt or make it painful when walking? I didn't get my hair done yet. I'll do that on Saturday, since it is a 4 hour appointment. I'm excited, but nervous about it. Most of all just ready to get it going.

For me, no weigh in today. I am sure it is up. I feel very much bloated and I didn't have a great food day yesterday. It wasn't completely off the charts, but it wasn't great. I kind of had a rough night. I do think that the hormones are lit right now. It made me way more angry than it should have to have TOM again. I need to just accept it. Then, when I was unpacking my gym bag, I realized that I left this long sleeved shirt that I love at the gym. It is a football shirt that was my son's when he played in college. It means nothing to him, but I love it. I use it on cold mornings so I don't have to go into the gym in a tank top. (Good news is that someone turned it in and I have it back now.) Then a friend of mine from High School sent me a message that one of our other friends had passed away. We definitely had lost track of each other, but he and I kind of had a thing way back then. It just made me sad. He did well with his career and was married, had 3 boys I think. So, part of me was glad that he had a good life. But the other part was really sad. Time marches on and sometimes you forget those happy, carefree days. He died peacefully in his sleep, so probably a good way for him to go, but I do feel sorry for his wife and kids.

Anyway, not trying to be a downer. I went to the gym today and lifted some weights. That was good. I have a lunch packed that will keep me on track, so that's good too. Just have to keep trying!

So I sit here finishing up the 99th oz of water. I’ve got chicken sliced up and seasoned to throw in the pan and make low cal chicken philly steak. Who knows how it will be as it’s a new recipe for me. But I didn’t want to load up on all the crap I’ve had in the past few days so I’m doing veggies and the meat w mozarella which is lower fat. The rest of the fam can have it on buns. I’ve avoided bread today in hopes that was part of my issue.

Here I had gotten over the cold to now have cold #2 starting at least I think - I have one kid w a sore throat and horrible cough. The other has snot going on and I’m finding I need to cough but it’s seriously low and totally unproductive. Like I inhaled a piece of glitter that seems to be all over my house. Alas welcome to winter and all the crud that the kids bring home. Yeah.

My hope tomorrow is for a bit lower scale of the btdt number but as long as it goes down I’m doing good!

Hope you all are doing well.

Diane I look forward to hearing what DHs and your own reactions are to the new you.

Have a good night and I’ll see you all tomorrow with hopefully a happy scale to report and perhaps a cold that just shrinks up and goes away.