Hang in there Red. End of the month is coming and you need to just get to that point. It won't stop all of your worries, but it will be one big monkey off your back. Once you get back on your feet and start feeling better, things will start to snap back into place. How do I know this, because I've just been through it.

Hi, everyone!

1. Journal my food daily, every bite.-2 pauses allowed-Day 0
2. Drink 24 oz water-1 pause allowed- Day 1
3. No eating after 10:45 p.m. unless it's fruit-3 pauses allowed- Day 0
4. 1 fruit minimum daily-3 pauses allowed-Day 1
5. 1 vege minimum daily -3 pauses allowed-Day 1

Red - Congrats on doing so well at the flute concert! That's wonderful! You're under tremendous stress right now, and you're doing much better than I would in your situation. And remember stress leads to exhaustion. Once your stress level goes down a bit, you'll have more energy and be more in a mood/mindset to exercise. I applaud you for doing so well. Hang in there, girlfriend.

A big to everyone. Sorry I was away. It was DMIL's last weekend here...she goes back to CA on Wednesday. So we tried to cram in a bunch of fun activities and didn't leave any time for the computer. We went to Germanfest on the shores of Lake Michigan and also saw the Air Show that was going on there. And yesterday, we went to the County Fair. I thought of you, Red, when I was admiring and petting the beautiful horses. As I said, I know something will come along for you that will not only be work you enjoy, but also with a salary so you can keep your lovely horse.

Here's where I'm at with the challenges. I took a pause on my journaling on Sunday. But I'm getting back on track now.

Journal and Stay within points - 2 pauses left - Day 12 completed.
Gym or walk at least 25 minutes - 2 pauses left - Day 12 completed.
50 ab exercises - 1 pause left - Day 11 completed.

Red - I'm SOOOOO proud of you going to the gym! Don't discount it by saying you had to keep it short. Getting there at all with all you're going through is accomplishment! You rock!! Milwaukee is truly a multi-cultural city, so they celebrate the many cultures in the summer with festivals (practically every week). A week ago was Festa Italiana, this past weekend was Germanfest, and throughout the summer there is also Polish Fest, Irish Fest, Asian Moon Fest, Fiesta Mexicana, Indian Summer, African World Festival, Bastille Days. For the ethnic festivals, there are multiple bands and dance groups that come from all over the country and the world performing on several stages, traditional cuisine from that region, genealogy and cultural exhibits, etc. It's lots of fun! At Germanfest, which is like an Oktoberfest, there of course is beer, struedel, and classic German dishes prepared by Milwaukee's finest German restaurants and sausage haus.

The Air Show happened to be going on at the lakefront as well...so we got an excellent view while we enjoyed the festival!

I didn't know you lived in Munich. That's so cool. You are so well traveled. I've only been outside the U.S. a few times...twice to Canada, and once to Hong Kong back in the early 1980s when my dad was working there.

As for petting horses....it is wonderful. I pet a couple on their noses and they made it clear that where THEY wanted to be petted was by their ear. So I gave them a good scratching at their ear and jawline (probably some horse name for it, but I don't know it sorry). I love ALL animals. I always go up to people with dogs and ask to pet them. I pet horses and cows at the fair. And our County Fair has a petting zoo with goats, llamas, donkeys and sheep...so I give them all a good petting. As areas become more urbanized and city-fied, county fairs are getting more scarce. We used to live in Silicon Valley CA and it had a nice county fair. Now there aren't any animals....as there no more farms there. Luckily most of the counties in Wisconsin have at least some rural areas...so County Fairs are plentiful and jam packed with animals. And State Fair is in a couple weeks where the best of the best animals and exhibits will be on display! I love State Fair!

Okay...I've gone on long enough. Red, I'm glad I could make you smile. I'm here for ya', girlfriend. As are we all.

Red - Hang in there with the caffeine. You likely will feel worse before you feel better. Since you do occasionally still have tea, do you drink that in the evening at all? Or do you limit caffeine intake to the a.m.? I do feel your lack of sleep and lack of energy is partly due to the stress you've been under. Just do what you can and don't beat yourself up if you don't achieve perfection every day. This journey is all about persistence, not perfection. There is a wonderful line from a one year anniversary post by a woman on the 100 lb Club group. She said that while she did have the desire to give up or quit her weight loss journey from time to time, that desire was always less than her desire to succeed. As for your parties...it's wonderful how Diet 7-Up with a little lime can look like a Vodka Tonic. Or Diet Coke can look like a Rum & Coke. Perhaps those you are with don't even have to know that you're not drinking. As for animals...it's funny because I'll go up to a dog or a kitty and the owner will say...."oh he doesn't like people" or "she's really skiddish or shy", and yet they'll come right over to me and let me pet them or pick them up and hug them. My DH says I really have a way with animals, and I guess I do. If I were given the choice and if money were no object, I'd much rather work with animals than people, because animals are always authentic...they don't B.S. and they don't back-stab you. And they just aren't a**holes. Not that all people are...but sometimes they sure do show up from time to time in the workplace. Am I right or what?

Wow - we are getting philosophical on the thread today. I'd better add my 2d worth.
Stress releases adrenalin and the body goes into fight or flight mechanism in self defence. Adrenalin is what keeps us going when we should be settling into rest and recuperation. On the whole it is not a bad thing, however too much (as of anything) is not good for us and you, Red, have been fighting on all fronts for quite some time. You need at least a week if not a bit longer to regroup, recuperate, redress. Friday is only a couple of days away. It will come round when it is ready. I have to give it to you Red, I would find Japan had to take for a long period of time. I like the place but the cities are too much for me. You've withstood the pressure cooker of Tokyo for a long time. I wonder if there is anything outside of the big cities that you could do.

I could go on, but I have a job interview in town this morning at 10am. I need to get my own adrenaline running. And although I did achieve most of my challenges yesterday, I've decided to leave them until tomorrow again. I have enough on my plate today.

Shad - I couldn't have said it better myself....so I'm very glad you did! I hope the interview went well. 2 months close to home would be SO good for you (and for Sunday)!

Red - I'm with Shad. I've never been to Japan, only to Hong Kong, but I do not like the hustle, bustle and stress of big cities. I worked in downtown Milwaukee when I first moved here and it was too busy for me. I don't even like to go to Chicago very often as I get stressed just visiting there. I'm glad I work in the 'burbs and live in the country. I also agree that you could use a little rest, recuperation and regroup. Take it easy on yourself, girlfriend. Let your body, mind and spirit regain its balance after the roller coaster you've been on.

Journal and Stay within points - 2 pauses left - Day 13 completed.
Gym or walk at least 25 minutes - 2 pauses left - Day 12 completed.
50 ab exercises - 0 pauses left - Day 11 completed.

Yesterday was tough...DH went to the doc about his back injury that happened at work. Then DMIL wanted to go to a place that has literally no healthy food for dinner. As we left the restaurant to go back home, there were tornado warnings to the north, so we were kind of on pins and needles waiting to see how close they were going to get. Luckily they stayed about 10 miles away. I'm hoping for a better (and calmer) night tonight.

I guess I'd better not take any more pauses on the ab workouts...I don't fancy the idea of starting over.

My challenges are as follows (each are separate):
-Only eat 1200 calories --Day 13 (1 pauses left)
-NO fast food --Day 12 (NO pauses left)
-NO eating past 7pm--Day 15 (3 pauses left)
-Exercise Daily--Day 14 (2 pauses left)
-Drink 5 glasses of water or more--Day 15 (3 pauses left)

Back from my weekend! I just got the wii fit, and I am loving it!!! I especially like the hula hoop aerobic exercises!

Red - It's frustrating when the scale doesn't reward you for your efforts...but keep doing what you're doing and you'll see results. Especially once you get out of the stressful work situation and get to the gym more regularly to rebuild your stamina and muscle, and when you exercise, it helps you sleep...at least it does for me. Hopefully reducing your stress will fix your skin problems too. You're right...other drinkers don't want you to stop drinking. But you need to do what is right for you no matter how much they persuade. Have a nice glass of tomato juice, with a stalk of celery in it, and people will think you're drinking a Bloody Mary. It's so ironic that the more populated and crowded the city, the more isolated the people (and animals) are. That's something I really like about the whole state of Wisconsin. I noticed this the first time we came here for vacation. People pass you on the street and smile. Everyone greets you as a friend. I work at a company with about 4000 employees, and even though I know about 2% of them, I smile and greet them and they smile/greet me when we make eye contact. That's one of my favorite things about the Midwest. Those meaning of life questions would be stumpers in your early 20s, but now that I'm in my 40s, I'm with ya'. Don't know what my purpose is, but I'm enjoying it.

A big to Shad, Sara, monkey, Miriam, Paula and anyone I may have missed!


Journal and Stay within points - 2 pauses left - Day 14 completed.
Gym or walk at least 25 minutes - 2 pauses left - Day 13 completed.
50 ab exercises - 0 pauses left - Day 12 completed.