hello all

Just a short note to check in tonight......I feel crummy and fat (hopefully just water retention....yeah....right) and not looking forward to weigh-in tomorrow. I ate it, so I may as well see how it reads on the scale....

elisha......I hate taking pills because of all the side effects and interactions. Luckily, I am not on any medication now.....but then, I have nothing to blame my woes on either!

Dlzbth.....TY for the kind words about Mom. Yes, somedays are kinda tough....but she is in a lovely home with a caring staff....and I don't lay awake at night wondering what she is doing or where she is.

Lucy......Sounds like you are having a great week.....Enjoy! Just make sure you ease yourself into your workout, k?

Sparked......I was so glad to see your post.....been missing you, girl! Hope you have a wonderful birthday. And BTW, Donna is right.....your 30's are a wonderful time in your life!

Gotta go.......have a great weekend!

Evening chicks!

Food today was a complete write-off. At least my water intake was good. Currently I'm sipping on some herbal "total well-being" tea, and I've got another glass of water handy.

I don't know what is up with me. One day I'm down, then the next day I'm up, then I'm down again. I would think it's PMS, because it is about that time, but I switched to Seasonale, so that theoretically shouldn't be an issue. Maybe I'm just going crazy. Why is it that everything has to be frustrating all at once? Everything bad in your life has to come after you at the same time. If it was just one thing at a time, I could handle it, but NO! All together! I hate that.

Anyway... I indulged in some "comfort" food today, but now I just feel guilty and over-fed. It's not comforting anymore. Which I suppose is good. But the comfort is more of a mental thing, so I still turn to those same things, but they don't work. *sigh*

Ok, my mind went blank. Time to watch a movie, then sleep. Have a good night, chicks.
~Elisha

Morning ladies!

Motivation level: 6

It's a beautiful day outside. The forecast says it's supposed to rain though. Bleh. Just what I need, more rain.

I have to work all day anyway, so I suppose it doesn't really matter what the weather is like. Today is going to be insanely busy, and I'm going to get a lot of miles in, so I guess that's a good thing. Then I'm going over to Steve's after work, and we're cooking in tonight, so dinner shouldn't be too bad. Since I didn't eat my lunch from yesterday, that's what I'll have today (it's still in the freezer at work).

Breakfast: coffee w/creamer, scrambled eggs w/sauteed peppers, onions, and roast beef, and cheese, and toast
Lunch: diet vanilla coke, lean pocket, rice cakes
Dinner: dunno, but it will be ok.

No exercise other than work though. I'm just plain worn out. And I'm getting enough sleep--about 9 hours last night. It's just not helping. Ugh.

I don't want to go to work! I just want to lay down and put in a movie and not move all day. But, I also want new tires for my car, so I guess I will go to work.

Have a good day, everyone.
~Elisha

Hello all

It is happy weigh-in day.....kinda. I am up a pound, but I expected more, so I am ok with that. We have been splitting wood for the winter......a job that isn't as bad as it sounds, as I am assisted by a 22-ton hydraulic log splitter. However, there is still the lifting the logs into place, tossing them in a pile, chucking them in the basement.....all of which left me more tired than I should be. Just my body saying 'you can't do this kind of work if you insist on lugging around this poundage'.......and I am listening. Next week will be better......last week of the challenge and I WILL get rid of this weeks pound, and maybe more. I CAN DO THIS!

Elisha......staying busy at work helps the day go faster.....and all that walking is in your favor too. Hmmm.....did you think your sleeping problems could be due to your new meds? Why don't you check out your medication side-effects with your pharmacist or online?

Jaymi.....exercise at ANY time of day is great. And I love your 'weight ticker' at the bottom of your message.....it shows how far you have come! Your goal is getting closer all the time! You go girl!

It is supposed to rain the rest of the day, so I think I will take the Hoover out for a waltz!

Donna thank you for showing me how to return. I thought I had written down the groups name.

Everyone here seems to be motivated and that's what I need.

I haven't been getting to walk as much but have been pedaling. Today I pedaled for 4.45 miles and honestly did the treadmill for .5 miles. The podiatrist has not released me to do any major walking. Had foot surgery about 6 weeks ago for a bunion, heel spurs, and hammertoe.

I have lost 2 pounds this past week which makes me at 179 pounds.

This is about it for the day. It will take me awhile to get to know each of you. Some of the names I have remembered from the journal section of 3fc.


SW=188
PW=179
GW=130 or less (whatever the dr decides is best for me)

OK gals! I haven't been able to post since Thursday evening! I am sooo sorry! Yesterday at worked sucked! Let's just say there's this Social worker who apparently thinks it's her job now to berate me in front of my boss and the rest of the Department Heads! I talked to my boss about it before I left work (early) and he agreed that it was neither the time nor the place for her to "discuss" her "concerns"!!! Some people!! Grrr! So I basically allowed her behavior to "ruin" my day, darn it! I ate poorly (skipped lunch) and had stuff I shouldn't have. Nothing too major, but it always leads to poor eating on the weekend, so....

Here I am...Saturday night! I can hardly redeem myself today with no exercise and I'm feeling lazy. Perhaps the rainy, stormy weather has something to do with it! I went to my Dad's today to scrapbook with his wife! Got 17 pages done, so I feel good about that! I had a cookie and a piece of fudge there, though! Other than that, I've done ok, except not enough water and too much coffee ...

I am really wanting to get those couple of pounds off before the end of the month (next weekend!) and in order to do that, do I have to put a shock collar on myself???? Geesh! C'mon...someone...tazer my a** so I can get these 2# off me for the month!!!!!!!

OK, plan for tomorrow:
*Drink 80 oz. water
*Walk 2 or more miles!
*No cookies or snacks at church fellowship time!
*Eat foods that are on plan!

Anyone else got a plan for Sunday??? Would love to hear it!

CeeJay & Lucy...take care of those feet, chickies!

Jaymi...Fishing or Back to Texas? Which is it, chickie? LOL! Glad to see you are making some small steps to get back where you want to be!

MsRD...stay motivated, girl! I'm with you...gotta get these pounds off if I don't want to ache every day! Way to go on the wood spliting...even if you do have some help!

Elisha...new tires for your car? Didn't you just buy that car? Or are you talking winter tires? Hope your day turned out like you had hoped and that dinner was delightful!

Kelly...Glad you are back and hope you had a great birthday today! You will get on track when you need to be, chickie!

Donna...Where are you? It's the weekend! I'm here and you're not! Tsk, tsk! I hope you are staying on plan and doing what you need to be doing! Great job on the dinner out!

Hey...Jennifer, Lisa!!!! I miss ya! Get back here ASAP would ya! Lisa...just because Jennifer was gone all week does NOT give you permission to take LOA!!! And Jennifer...you should be well rested! I sure hope that beach scene didn't go to your head, now! YOu did take your equipment with you, right???

Have a great Sunday all! DN is here having a "sleepover" with DD (both are 5)! I just threatened them with "NO movies tomorrow" if I heard another peep! It's pretty darned quiet in there!! LOL!!! Mom Power Rules! But tomorrow will be another busy day...I WILL follow my plan!! Hold me accountable or you know what....the tazer!!! Oh NOOOOOOOoooooo!!!

Yeah, okay, so October's not going to be the greatest month in weight loss history, at least not for me. I guess I'll try again next month.

I have just been eating like crazy these past few days. I'm craving carbs, and fats, and pretty much everything. Salt. Grease. You name it. I really want pizza, and some potato chips and dip. No wonder I'm fat.

I think I'm going to indulge the pizza craving at some point this week, but I'm going to work it into my day, so it won't be too terrifying. Other than that... well, the other cravings have already been indulged in if not satisfied, and now I just wish I would quit. I need some magic words or something that make me not want to eat.

I don't know.

Well, I got in 4.28 miles today. Not as much as I expected. And there was fast food involved. I had planned to eat a healthy lunch, but then Steve showed up at work (he brought me flowers!) and took me to Arby's for lunch. I need to start eating salads. Even fast food salads, which aren't exactly low in calories, are better than... well, pretty much anything else at any fast food place.

Someone kick me.

Haha... ironically enough, Steve fixed Lean Cuisine chicken and pasta for dinner. At least he tries, if only sometimes.

So I'm trying once again tomorrow to get my diet back on track. I've still got a healthy lunch waiting for me at work. Perhaps I'll have a breakfast that doesn't include eggs tomorrow (although that's asking a lot of myself). And maybe, just maybe, there will be some sort of physical activity involved, since tomorrow is my short day.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Have a good night, chicks.
~Elisha

Alright chickies! We have GOT to change the mood here with this group! Up and at em, girls!!! Where is all that positive thinking and motivation??? Huh, huh??? This is the last week of October and the last week of this challenge...

Some of us (me included) haven't done diddly squat this month while others have been whizzing right past us!!! I say we make this last week the best week of the challenge! REally get our butts working and ready for the next challenge (Jennifer...what's up your sleeve???) We have NO reason at all to sit and let these old ways of thinking take over our bodies! NONE! We are capable, smart and beautiful women! Let's kick this thing this week!!

Anyone else gonna join me?

Here's MY plan for the week:

Walk every morning before work...even if it means I don't get my full 8 hours in! Pbbbfft on them!
Make a chart to track my progress with working out.
Do toning routine 3 days this week!
Drink 40 oz. water at work every day!
Avoid the sweets like the plague!
Plan my snacks & meals for the next 7 days (I have Zone bars!)

It looks like I've not been alone food wise today.
Tomorrow's plan will be as follow's
1. drink at least 60 oz of water--need to flush our some sodium
2. exercise at least 1 hour at the gym
3. Stay as busy as possible mentally --don't think about food.
4. Try to eat at the following times. 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. These are my downfall times.


Hi to all--Let's have positive attitudes tomorrow.

Julie, wonderful Julie, I am with you!

I think I've finally kicked this funk today. This morning I was sitting here in front of my computer, typing up a depressing little Woe-Is-Me journal entry (see my 3FC journal for details) and generally feeling sorry for myself. Then I thought, you know, why should I sit here and mope about it when I could just get up and exercise right now? So I did. I only did 20 minutes this morning, but at least I did that. It put me in a much better frame of mind for the day.

Then Mom made buckwheat pancakes and sausage for breakfast, which consumed about half of my daily calorie budget. Then lunch was the lean pocket and rice cakes I've had sitting in the frige at work since Friday. For dinner, there was pizza. There was a lot of pizza. Four slices, to be exact. My calorie total is at 1989.

But! I realized that the pizza added a lot of extra calories, so I added some extra exercise--48 minutes (3 miles) on the stairclimber, plus an UB circuit and exercises from a 70's book of my mom's... Slendercises. It's basically like pilates, but there's also arm and leg exercises. I've done the Slendercises routine before, and while I didn't lose many pounds, I had people asking me if I had lost weight fairly often. It doesn't take very long, and it's pretty simple movements, and it just feels good to stretch like that, so I'm going to work them back in on a daily basis. There is a short warm-up routine that I'll do every day, then different exercises for different body parts, and I'll do one of each every day for a week, then go to the next. There are 10 exercises per body part, so that's 10 weeks. I can have a completely new body. I want to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks, that's my goal. I can do that.

Anyway, I ended up with 21 calories left over in my budget, after adding calories burned in exercise.

So yeah, let's pick it up and make this challenge worth something!

Come on, chicks!

My goals for the week:
1. Stay within my calorie budget.
2. Drink at least 64 oz. of pure, clean water each day.
3. Eat as many fruits and veggies as possible.
4. Do my Slendercise routines every day.
5. Do cardio 4-5 days this week.

Ok, and now it is time for sleep. Have a great night everyone!
~Elisha

Morning ladies!

Motivation level: 8

I'm feeling pretty good today. I already did my morning set of Slendercises. I will do the rest this evening when I put in my stairclimber time. I wish my treadmill was working! However, KMart has those Gazelle things on sale this week, and I've always thought those looked like fun, maybe I will ask my mom to go half with me. We'll see.

Today's menu:

Breakfast: coffee w/milk (we're out of creamer!), tortilla w/scrambled eggs, peppers, and onion
Lunch: diet vanilla coke, Smart Ones dinner, mini rice cakes
Snack: peanut butter sandwich crackers
Dinner: No idea. Grandma is coming to stay with us tonight (tomorrow is my brother's birthday, we're having a dinner for him), so I'm sure Mom will actually fix something for a change. I will try to eat as healthy as possible, and drink lots of water.

Like I said, there will be Slendercising and Stairclimbing tonight! And water!

I hope everyone is having a great day!
~Elisha