Hi all. What in the world is it about weekends?! Beats me, but let's just say I didn't do my best either. I don't usually do this but I decided to repost this here from the Motivationally Challenged thread because it fits here on the Labor Day Challenge...

I've been trying for a very long time to think of a reward for when I reach my goal. I love the charm bracelet idea where you get a new charm for every 5-10lbs lost, but I started way too late. I've already lost almost 25lbs and it just wouldn't feel quite like a reward now, after the fact, to just buy a bracelet and fill it up with charms. Things like a manicure or pedicure or massage don't work for me either because I already indulge in those services. As far as clothing goes, I pretty much buy when I want to anyway. I don't say any of that to make it sound like I'm some prima donna spoiled brat because trust me nothing would be further from the truth. I am actually quite conservative (I'm an accountant by trade, if that gives you any idea) and don't shop much at all, but when I DO see something that I really want I do get it. Today I started thinking about diamond earrings as my goal weight reward. Little studs set in white gold or platinum. Of course it seems extravagant to me but I have literally been trying to reach my goal weight for 7 years now. Granted I haven't always been as diligent as I am now, its been an off and on thing, but still. Its been a long journey and has not been easy at all. So when I get to the end of the weight loss journey and embark upon the weight maintenance journey I want something very special to mark my right of passage. Of course I have a little while to mull this little idea over and convince myself that it is going to be a wise thing to do I think that JC Penny has an annual fine jewelery sale sometime in September with up to 60% off if my memory serves me correctly. This just may coincide with the Labor Day Challenge! And what motivation! Can you tell that I'm convincing myself already?

Evening ladies!

Today was... eh. Power went out right after I started fixing myself a healthy breakfast, so I ended up going to McDonald's instead. Horrible, I know. But calories came in at 1880 today, which isn't bad when you include a fast food meal. Here's what today's menu looked like:

Breakfast--coffee with creamer, oj, breakfast burritos, hash brown
Lunch--Diet Coke, Triscuits, turkey, lettuce, Swiss cheese, and lf mayo on hot dog bun
Dinner--chicken stir fry with noodles, fried green tomatoes, lots of water

Didn't get any exercise, and I seriously doubt I'm going to now. I've got to get out of that habit.

My brain is moving rather slowly today, and I'm afraid that is all I can think of to say this evening. Have a lovely night, chicks.
~Elisha

Hi! Just wanted to check back in. I had a pretty good day, I think. Food was good, water...not so good. Exercise...I can't decide if I want to go jump on the bike right now or just not exercise at all. I know that sounds bad, but I am operating on very, very little sleep the past few days. My 2 year old has had a flare up with his reflux, and he has been a sick boy! Nights have been rough. I feel so helpless and so sorry for him! He is on medication - Prilosec - but it is not doing the trick. We even upped the dose. Talk about stressed to the max, I feel like I could run outside and howl at the moon for an hour or so...I just might do it!!! As a mother, I just want my kids to be healthy and happy and safe. I can't stand it if they are sick. Well, I know that I should take care of myself so that I can better take care of them, right?? It's just that...I feel a bit out of sorts and blue the past week. Maybe it is just TOM problems...I think it is just life. I know I am rambling, but this sure beats the heck out of eating everything in my kitchen! Sometimes I just feel so overwhelmed with things, with life and all the bumps in the road!!!

Sorry to be such a negative post. But, to tell you the truth, it's because of stuffing so much emotion down that causes me to eat like a maniac. I am going to try to deal with things one day at a time.

Hope you all have a terrific evening!!

Evening Ladies,
Just wanted you all to know, that despite the crap I ate this weekend, I did well today with staying on plan...until tonight! I caved and had a bowl of icecream with some melted peanutbutter on it!!! Heavenly! But I did manage to get in almost 3 miles of walking today AND I started back to my toning routine, so for that I am proud of myself! Lots of water has been put into my system today! It was a hot humid day here and I do drink more on these kinds of days!

My plan tomorrow:
1.) Get up early, pop in a WATP DVD to walk for 1.75 miles (I count the .25 mile warm up in addition to a "moderate" 1.5 mile walk all in 25 minutes!!!) Now, to get some sleep!

2.) Eat a healthy breakfast with some of those yummy blueberries we picked today! Pack a healthy lunch & snack for work!

3.) Eat NO icecream even though I know it is in the freezer! I will expect a tazer if I have to report that I did!

I think I will plan a little shopping trip with DD tomorrow night after work so I am not thinking of eating all night!!! I have a gift card at Circuit City burning a hole in my pocket. Want to look at some of their DVD's (maybe they have some exercise ones on sale!) and I need to get a decent alarm clock! I have a scrapbook I could work on as well!

Speaking of trips with DD, one of my best friends called me tonight to tell me that she has moved back from the EAst side of the state! I was thrilled to say the least and we are making a road trip (she's still about 1.5 hours away, but sooo much closer) to see her next Monday! She cooking me lunch for my birthday! Yea! It will be good to see her. Haven't seen her since last July!

Lisa...good to see you journalling! Maybe that hubby is gone is causing you some anxiety?? Just a thought! When will he be back? Get some sleep chickie! Hugs to you!!!

Elisha...going to join the challenge for the rest of the week? C'mon...I need some motivation right now! It will do you some good too to beat the pants off me! Hope your week gets better, chickie! You've been in a slump just too long now! Kick it in! Hugs to you too!!!!!

Michelle...the diamond earrings sound fabulous!!! You go for it! I think I want a diamond tennis bracelet or even better, a diamond ring so I can look at it every day and know how hard I have worked!!! You deserve whatever you decide for yourself, girl, cause you are working hard!!!!

Rysa...good luck at your Mom's next week! That must be just dreadful for you to be around that kind of people who can eat, eat, eat and not gain an ounce! I think I would have to hurt someone!

abroad...Your flea market extravaganza sounds like just too much fun!!!! Isn't free entertainment just the best???? Hang on...your day will come and that scale will just jump!!! I can feel it for you, chickie!

Lucy, hope your butt feels better today! I have a gel seat on my bike! Couldn't do it without it! When I ride for 30 minutes or more, though, it does start to get a little sore! But then I take a break and I'm ok! I just have to be careful what shorts I wear, or I chafe! Yuck! Probably TMI, but we can all relate here, can't we? Oh, and that pesto Chicken pizza sounds great! Maybe we could come up with a recipe to make one?????

Jennifer...sounds like you are just plugging along as usual! Those darned "blips" in the scale!!! I HATE them!!! Maybe you can prod me along this week with little subliminal messages to keep me motivated, eh??? Like, "I have the tazer and I will use it."

That's it chickies....I'm heading to bed! Have a great day tomorrow!

Morning ladies!

Today is going to be a long day, I can feel it. But hey, at least the power is on today, which is more than I can say for yesterday.

Work here in a bit, then groceries, then home to fix dinner. I have no idea what we're having. But I'll have time to exercise this evening, so all is well.

Here's what's on the menu for today:

Breakfast--coffee with creamer, scrambled eggs with red peppers, onions, and cheese, white toast (only kind of bread in the house at the moment)
Lunch--turkey, lettuce, and lf mayo on white, triscuits, cheese, and probably water
Dinner--hard to tell

My body does not want to move today. And I'm on my second cup of coffee! Oh well, I've gotta do it anyway, it's almost time for work. Bah!

I'll catch up this evening. Have a lovely day, chicks.
~Elisha

I am having a MUCH better day today! Yeah!!! I did exercise last night, 8 miles, and I biked again this morning, 6 miles. So...doing better in that arena!! I am drinking my water this morning (already up to 20 oz). I plan to get in 64 oz. today! It really helped for me to journal last night. I did not indulge in a binge before bed! I'm going to do my best to try and journal instead of giving in to the food cravings. Just one day at a time...it's all any person can do.

We bought a snow cone maker, and it has been great!! The kids love it and I have been having Diet Coke icees! I'm going to try Kool-Aid with splenda next! These little snow cone makers are small, and are only $17 at Wal-Mart.

Food is good so far...hunger factor is high, though. Hmmm...some days are like that I guess.

I have a comment for everyone, but I will save them for later on. I have got to run and get dressed. I hope you have a terrific day everyone!!!

(((hugs))),
Lisa

Lisa - I know this is gonna sound a little weird, but I have reflux from **** and perhaps I can offer a few tips? Bananas help a lot for me, and so does peppermint, like candy canes. I stock up at xmas and I'm down to about 5 now, but they really help. I'm sure you already know the whole 'prop the bed' line which doesn't work, and all of that... if it's really getting bad, go see a gastroenterologist and see if you can get on nexium. If he's only 2 and it's that bad, it's probably really a lot more painful than we think it is. I hope your little one is feeling a lot better!!

Julie - yeah, I have the seat made of rocks and sticks right now, I think. Ow!! Once we have a few bucks to spend, I'm going to get a nice squishy one like that, because my butt (although I'm proud of the round shape and size and all that crap) is extremely boney, and it hurts to sit on -anything- not padded! I think I can whip up a recipe for that kind of pesto pizza -- plus pesto, although it has a bit of fat from olive oil, has the GOOD fat that you -need- that lowers cholesterol and does all the good stuff, so it's good!! I found a beautiful sushi recipe yesterday that I'm making thursday night, too, which I'll share below!

Okay... so my last day of work was yesterday and I'm freeee!!! *does a happy dance* My fingers aren't swollen to the point that my rings won't come off and my engagement ring (which is a big chunk of deep blue sapphire surrounded by tiny bits of diamons set in white gold) didn't even create a giant indent in my finger!! YAY!! Oh, the simple things that make life wonderful!

I finished all of the wedding favors (Which are tiny yummy chocolates) yesterday and managed to eat 1, around 7:30 last night (way after we finished) because i am somewhat PMS-ey and I needed some chocolate. Food yesterday was bad because instead of soup, my friend (the bride) wanted fries & chicken strips for lunch, so I had a small fish fillet (still deep fried... bad bad!!) and soem fries, but not as much as I really wanted to.

Today is a bbq at a friends' house after the hubby gets home. I'm going to make a batch of cookies of some sort, perhaps chocolate chip oatmeal? I dunno. We'll see.

I found a great recipe for some sushi, which is -not- the kind with raw fish... that'd be sashimi, and i don't really enjoy the raw stuff. Just creeps me out. But these are mostly veggie. I'm making them for dinner Thursday, when another bridesmaid and her bf (our good friends) are coming to help us finish the food for the wedding on Friday, and staying the night with us. Sooo we're going to have shrimp & veggie sushi, with garlic sauteed shrimp in the sushi. VERY good, and -very- good for you!

Today is going to be the nicest day of the week... nice and relaxing! It's in the 90's all week here *gag* and today I'm doing all the rest of everything I can possibly do. TOmorrow we go shopping to get all the food that we need. Thursday I have to cook all of the pasta (all 12 lbs) and make a giant batch of pesto (about 4 lbs of baby spinach) and do the other stuff, too... yeech!

And to make everything even better... last night, a 22-yr old girl (my age exactly) was walking to her car in the mall that I now work at, as of the 27th, and she got attacked and kidnapped, and he made her drive out of the garage and stuff. When they got to a big stoplight right downtown, she grabbed the keys and ran out of the car screaming and escaped, but man.... that sucks. I get off at like, 8pm most of the time, or later half the time (at around 10:30? ech!) and so now I have to worry about this. I'm going to buy myself a thing of mace for my keychain, simply because I am a scared tiny girl (I'm 5'1" and as I keep losing weight, I look tinier and more easily smacked about) and I'm totally paranoid, and I now have to walk to my car in the dark, alone, late at night, in a giant parking garage ALL ALONE.

So anyway here's the deal for today -

B- Some fruit n stuff
L - soup
D - BBQ at a friends' house, so probably not much.

Workout -

No time for formal workout for the rest of this week. I have -that- much to do, seriously. I'm going to be running like mad all day every day, though, so I don't feel too guilty about it.

Off to eat my breakfast, make some cookies, and get going! I'll post that sushi recipe later on!!

poop! I made notes yesterday, and this morning, and never got here to make my comments....sigh!

today was just totally hectic- I worked through lunch in order to get a bunch of stuff done. Nuked & ate at the desk while I was shuffling stuff. At least we got 4 more loans into closing today. Whew! It's going to be a close month, for sure!

I've got to get my butt in gear- time to get in my exercise before I just want to curl up & go to sleep...long days do that to me.

I'll peek in later as soon as I can! Hope everyone is having a good one!

A lightbulb went off tonight after reading someone else's post on another board. It hit me that I sabbotage my good efforts and successes with bad food choices when the scale shows a loss!!! What is up with that??? I do it every time. I will lose 2-3 lbs and think "ok, so I can now eat something I really like!" Instead, I should be saying "ah, this is how I am supposed to do this!" and continue with the good eating habits! So, right now I am finishing off the cheesecake topped with strawberries and lite cool whip!! Tazer me, ok?! I SHOULD be eating just some strawberries and maybe a little of the coolwhip! So why do I do this??? I keep saying "I will do this and that tomorrow". There was a time when I was really *doing* this or that today and not giving myself lip service! So....after a day of eating bad choices and attempts at exercise, I will remember HOW I have lost these 15 lbs so far and continue with that effort! I just have to! I can't stand it anymore that the scale is just flucuating between 167 & 170 and I can't get below that stupid 167!!!

Today it read 168. something! I didn't even look to see what the something was because I was so disgusted with myself that it hasn't moved that I really didn't care!!! So there goes another week of my life with NO loss on the scale! I guess I am going to have to get to the point that I really and truly can't take it anymore!!! I sure don't want to be gaining!!!! ARGH!

On a positive note, I went to Circuit City tonight and spent some of my gift card on a Pilates DVD. I also looked at MP3 players but decided to hold out until later for that!! I'm going to go down now and pop in the DVD and check it out! I may have to get a mat or something down the road. We have carpet in the family room where I work out and not much room, so hope I don't need much room for Pilates. It's abs, arms, butt & thighs for only $6.99!!! Couldn't go wrong!!! Oh, I also got an alarm clock that acutally works!!!!! So now, I have NO excuse not to be up at 6am doing my aerobics!!!

So, on that note, I am going to go check out the DVD and then hit the bed!
Talk to you chickies in the morning!

Julie - $6.99 is such a deal! Way to go! I do the exact same thing with my weight loss efforts -just like you described. I come here, claim I need support, get lots of support, and then succeed...then gain...succeed a bit more...gain some back... Can you say "yo-yo"? Grrr... I'm wondering what it takes for me to just plow ahead and do this thing?? I have what I need - you guys are terrific. I have an exercise bike in the bedroom, tons of DVD's, a neat place to walk outside if I want to...etc..etc... All I know is we MUST stick together!!! Just think...when we are skinny Minnies we will look back at these struggles and smile .

Jennifer - Hang in there Chickie!! Work sounds really hectic for you!! But, this week does seem to be flying by!! At least for me it is! (((hugs))) to you Jennifer!!!

Lucy - thanks for the reflux advice. DH has reflux too- it is not a fun thing to deal with. If peppermint helps you, have you tried Altoids?? When I have indigestion, Altoids are the only thing that helps me. Congratulations on finishing the chocolates!! Good luck to you as you prepare for the wedding!! Positive thoughts coming your way!!!!

Michelle - You will be wearing diamonds before you know it!!!

My day was good. We swam a lot. I drank my water!!!! Woo hoo!!! I did have pizza for supper, but I worked it into my points. Can't do that again this week!! I'm headed for the bike now... have a great evening everyone!!!

p.s. Jennifer, can you drag out that tazer picture you have?? Please zap me!! (And..then zap Julie!!!! Hee hee - sorry Julie, but you get a zap too - only fair!)

*yawn*

I don't know why I'm up this late, but as I am I thought I'd say hello to y'all. Still under 1200 calories, but man, were they BAD calories today. Wasted 180 on _2_ chocolate push pops (lucky they're low-fat, low-cal), and another 210 and a whopping 16 grams of fat on 4 buffalo chicken strips. Not terribly bad, but since it takes away calories I could use on actual food, *sigh*. Next time the Schwan's man shows up, I'm not buying! (Home delivery frozen food guy. Great food, horrid temptation.)

Still exercising, and in the wonderful news department, my dh is now exercising and dieting along with me!

Michelle - Go for the diamond! You'll be sparkling in no time!

Julie - Hang in - one cheesecake does not a diet break. Just start again, from this moment!

Jaymi, my sister and I are cats and dogs, too. Good luck on her last day.

Well, I better get to bed if I plan to get up in the morning. Night, all!

Rysa

Lisa, and Julie, Front & Center, chickies!

No more of this, you hear???? We're doing this, girls. Get with the program. We are all 3 guilty of a loss, followed by one, or 3 bad meals, or little cheats, and then we're right back to where we were before the loss. It's a vicious cycle, and we need to break the habit now. Electroshock therapy ought to do it, right?

LET'S GET OUR TUSHIES BACK IN GEAR AND GET IT STARTED!