Curly, I don't know if you can get it in the US, but up here we have a sugar-free cough syrup called Buckley's Mixture which is sold on the basis of how awful it tastes and well it works. Just in case you don't feel awful enough already...

Mez, I agree with you about no partial hysterectomy, at least not unless it is really essential to your health. I don't know how old you are, but menopause will take care of the cramps... Meanwhile, here's a suggestion that will convince you I'm crazy: when I still had periods, I always had monster cramps, and I finally realized that pain has a frequency. What I mean is that if you hum along with the pain, you should be able to find a level that matches and covers the level of the pain. And if you hum loudly at exactly the same level/frequency as the pain, you'll almost totally mask it. Of course if anyone hears you, you may end up in the looney bin...

Red, you mentioned your wayward co-worker: is he out of the slammer? And have you seen a doctor about your health? I'm particularly worried about the possibility of mumps - you can get really sick when you get them as an adult.

Update on Marble: I had an email from her today; she's doing not too bad, but is still in a lot of pain and the meds are making her itchy. Her nose has been re-attached or re-whatevered (surgery last last Tuesday), but the shoulder is in a sling and very painful. The fall was caused by a badly camouflaged (sp?) expansion joint, and she is suing. I now have her phone number and will call and check in tomorrow. I think she'll be okay, but definitely back to Day 0....

Yesterday I had a wonderfully excessive evening, lots of laughs, too many cocktails, but worth every calorie, and worth the slight headache. Today I'm still not back on target, estimated date of lift-off: Wednesday. Meanwhile I'm enjoying myself, but not too, too excessively. Although yesterday was a lovely day: I had a contract that fell through, but not soon enough for the client to avoid paying. So I arrived at work, only to have a free day!! Sometimes you get a freebie...

Fish, it sounds like maybe the problem with your writing (not in your posts, of course) is a lack of concision? Maybe if you could get some kind of a course on precis-writing it would help. In spite of the way I babble on here, I have put considerable effort into learning how make it short. It does take time and more than one rewrite, but it is very satisfying when you get there.

Gotta go. Take care, all.

I have a dilema. Day 3 was a little high, I was hoping to compensate with a low day 4 but day 4 was high too. If I start over, the challenge will still be going on thanksgiving, and my birthday, which is the day after. No way I'll only consume 1500 on those days!! It's early for a pause day, but I guess I have to take it. And today I'll be good! Really! Sit-ups and caffine rolling along, day 15.
Red-good job on moving around. It's so nice to be active, isn't it? I always feel invigorated even after my puny sit up work out.
Curly, sounds like you're on the road to recovery. Try to take a short walk if you can, fresh air can do wonders!
Carla-we're there for you on Wednesday! I'm interested to see what the challenge will be. I'm glad you had a good time last night

Hi there 21' dayers!!!

Back to the real world today... havent been at work since last wednesday.. that will be scary!

ok since i am still mending.. I am going to make my challege for 1 hour of exercise per day.. and start today!!

Good morning everyone!

Sunday ended up being my second (and last for this challenge) pause day, but Saturday was day 18! I am almost through this challenge!!

My sister, niece, and I went mountain hiking yesterday. We hiked about 7 miles. It took us 3 hours and 20 minutes but we were moving pretty much the entire time. Dang, climbing mountains is rough work! So, go figure, I ate more than 1500 calories yesterday I am not even mad at myself about it. I am actually a little disappointed in my food choices (dinner was 1/2 a frozen pepperoni pizza), but one day of grease won't kill me. Tomorrow is my weigh-in day, and I am pretty sure I will be posting with a loss of at least 1 or 2 pounds.

I will post more to everyone later. Enjoy the start of another work week!

Good morning! Busy day ahead of me and I couldn't sleep well. Thinking of all the things that went on yesterday and all the things that need to be done today. Ugh. It's no wonder I can't sleep but I need it the most. I hate that. Oh well, will not let it agitate me into overeating. This is my worst thing. Whenever I'm stressed, either for good or bad, I try to calm myself with eating. What I really want is sleep! Wish me luck, people!

Fish -- Good to hear from you. You and a couple others have been the only ones showing up these days. Just don't understand where the others go. Well, it sounds like you had a great day out hiking. Are you walking through the Appalachians there? Or what mountains are those? What height are you getting up to, I wonder? In any case, it sounded like fun and a whole lot of exercise. Now that's a pause day but then not. That's why I like to add extra calories for exercise because I can't incorporate it into a daily thing but don't want to be punished for eating more when I do exercise. Maybe you could try similar. As for the pizza, I think the frozen types aren't as greasy as fresh ones. The grease looks bad frozen and I think they try to keep it down. In any case, great going on getting this far in your challenge! And I look forward to hearing more from you! Enjoy your work too!

i make little mini pizzas on a flat whole wheat pita bread... just use ff cheese and lots of veggie toppings... its yummy!

Curly - those mini pizzas sound delish! That would, however, require me to have more food in the house than a frozen pizza and some 3-week old asparagus Seriously, I had every intention of going grocery shopping yesterday and restocking the fridge with healthy food, but after our mega-hike I was too lazy and sore to get off the sofa and go to the store! And, I had actually finished off the rest of the veggies in a vegetable and egg white scramble I made for b'fast on Saturday.

Red - I have found the only way for me to lose weight is to set a calorie limit and then exercise on top of that limitation. I think I must just have a super-slow metabolism I know that you have commented that I don't eat very much, but honestly, if I am going to lose weight, I have to keep my calories under 1500 and my exercise at at least 30 minutes a day. I can maintain at about 1800/daily and 30 minutes/daily, but anything more than that and I definitely gain. Being petite doesn't help. I keep thinking that if I were only a few inches taller (I am 5'4") I wouldn't need to lose any weight at all

Well, I've been putting this off, but it looks like I will have to start over with the calorie limit challenge. Rats. Well, I knew it was going to be hard. I'll keep trying! Just that I have this Thanksgiving/birthday obstacle. Although Red is right, I should have 2 pause days by then. But if the whole week-end becomes a family feast.....I'll have to try REALLY REALLY hard. It's still more than 2 weeks away and I could really be feeling good about myself by then. I also got TOM today, so I think I'll relax today and get back to counting tomorrow. Mean while day 16 done for caffine & sit-ups!
Fish, I love hiking, but it's yet another thing I have a hard time fitting in to my life right now. My husband has developed a hip problem this past year too, and it's hard for him to walk very far. Congrats on doing SO WELL with the calories. I am impressed. Can't wait to hear the results of your weigh-in!
Red! I hope your day goes well, and you get a good night's sleep!
Curly, now that you're better, I'm sure you'll do great exercising 1 hour a day!

day 1- 30 min walking.. 30 min circuit training..

lemme tell ya i dont know if it was being away from the circuit training for a week or that my system is getting back to being well.. but that 30 min wiped me out!


Fish: buy the stuff and make up a bunch of the mini pizzas & freeze them!

my mom and dad have a garden and I had a huge bowl of Kale for dinner.. I love that stuff! then i came home and sauted onion, turkey bacon and hamburger... so i can make a bacon cheeseburger quiche for dinner tomorrow

hey thats an easy receipe for ya Fish... u saute the hamburger onion and turkey bacon and spread it into a glass casserole dish..

then u beat @ 6 eggs, some baking powder and @ 1/2 c milk and pour that mixture over the hambuger and top with ff shredded cheese and bake..

Today I started an exercise challenge (30 min a day). And I'm still pondering other components to be added later, which of course will leave me with those staggered multi-challenges that have become so popular here. Today I went to my first spinning class of the season , and didn't TOTALLY humiliate myself... I predict some seriously stiff bits and pieces tomorrow.
Today I went to the orthopedic surgeon to see about my sore feet. (No, I'm not contemplating surgery!!) So far I've been told not to walk too much, and I need to get yet another pair of orthotics. I've learned since the foot saga started that no two orthotics providers will EVER agree that the other guy's orthotics are even barely adequate. An interesting wake-up call: one reason she wants me to not walk too much is because my weight is hard on my feet in their present condition... And she wasn't trying to be mean. Anyway, if the orthotics don't work, then there are about 6 more options before surgery, which she doesn't recommend unless it's a last resort. It'll take a little imagination to come up with exercise that I enjoy that doesn't involve my feet!

My gazelle had found its true vocation as a hanging rack for the clothes awaiting ironing, but I finally liberated the poor dear (deer?) today.

Red, if you walk 50 minutes, you've probably covered well over 10,000 steps. You should get a pedometer - it'll give you such a sense of accomplishment. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better and getting your oomph back. I knew you'd find it again one of these days.

I spoke to Marble today, and she's in good spirits. Her nose has been remodeled and is perfect again. The shoulder is still giving her a lot of grief. It may still be a while before she starts posting again. I think she got a good laugh when I told her I was on no challenge at all - as a sympathy strike until she could exercise again. She claims the fat is pooling around her hips as she lies there... It'll be good when she's better and brings that sense of the absurd back to the thread. I think she misses us all.

So Red, I don't think there's really a lack of interest going on here. Just a lot of people being sick or recovering from falls or finding it hard to break through the end of summer blues. Be patient and we'll all be back on track eventually. Weekends tend to be extra slow anyway: I think a lot of posters only go on line on their employers' time...

Time to go soak these old bones and muscles before they seize up entirely...

Yesterday was day 19 - Once again, way too low, but definitely under 1500 (only 888 - oops ). I got busy again at work and did not stop for lunch.

But I went to the store last night on my way home - stocked up on lean cuisines to bring in for lunch, bought some cottage cheese, fruit, veggies, stuff that is easy to grab and bring with me for lunch as I am racing out the door. By the time I got home, it was 9:30 p.m. DH made me eggs benedict for dinner (with low-calories hollandaise - only 10 calories a tablespoon) and then I was just too tired to eat anything else.

Two more days and I am going to have to think of a new challenge!

Carla- way to go with your spinning class! I took one, once It was actually a lot of fun. I just never know when I am going to be able to get to the gym, so it is hard for me to take a scheduled class. I hope to be able to get to the gym today, as I did not make it at all yesterday.

Curly - circuit training can really wipe you out! Keep at it though - you will be back to full strength in no time!

Red - I hope you were able to get some sleep! Just take deep breathes - we are here for you.

Apple - way to go on day 16!! Are you not having any caffeine, or just limiting to a certain amount?

I’m back. I tell you I think there is more to my TOM than just the pain. I get terribly down and it take awhile for me to get over it. Some months are harder than others. I swear I fall into a empty cold pit of self doubt. Well I’ve crawled out and will shake what remains off. I really hate writing sad things so I thought it was best to stay away.

Red - I’m so darn proud of you!!! Hitting the gym, jogging and weights and walking in the rain!!! I’d say YOU ARE A WILD WOMAN!!! Hope it’s catchy! LOL

Carla – I’m going to give the humming a try! Thanks so much for your advice =) I’m 41 I had a talk with my sister and she thinks I maybe going starting menopause I guess the same thing kind of happen to her when she was around my age. I started my TOM when I was 10 years old. Fairly early.

Eeek I got to run I'll BRB