Losing - forgot to say it but I LOVE your squirrel avatar. LOVE IT.

Annie - cracking me up with your note on your lunch. I'd have added "This means YOU!" ha ha.

Potato soup sounds good - I make a mean one. It's not light but it's not decadent, either. Hmmm... It's still cold, so ... Thanks, Annie - that might be our dinner tomorrow night.

I have to run errands on the way home tonight, then will leash up the dog, get changed (in that order, so the dog goes bonkers the whole time she's got the leash on her), and take her out on the trail. Breakfast for dinner tonight.

I did 45min steady state on the TM. I was a little surprised when April, who has disdained the TM in the past, actually tried to climb on with me; I finally figuured out she liked the breeze from the box fan and moved it to blow on her instead. She is wearing a fur coat after all.

Thanks for the well wishes guys. We have her scheduled for surgery this Monday. She will have to stay overnight for a few days, and we aren't allowed to visit or call for updates.

WHY are you not allowed to call for updates, PP? I guess I can understand the visit b/c she'd think you're there to get her, but no phone updates? My vets call to update me twice/day and then call after they're released to me to make sure they're doing well. They're better than doctors! That's driving ME bonkers and it's not my poor pooch!

I'd have a problem with no contact after the surgery, too. I can certainly see a point from the vet's side, but it seems a little drastic. After my dog had her mastectomy/spay, I went by to peek in on her (at the vet's urging) and he even offerred to help me pick her up gently. I didn't want to hurt her, so I just quietly looked in on her without her knowing it.


I would at least ask why they didn't plan to update you on your dog's condition...

losing- The smart stick sounds great, I always wanted one. I thought maybe it wouldn't work that great.

This was the last of the sunny days here, it's gonna rain for the next 3 days. I made sure I got out for a 32min walk, also rode the bike for 20min. That peanut butter & ice cream did me in, I gained 1.6 lbs. I was expecting it to happen, but I was still mad, so I threw the rest of the peanut butter in the garbage. Hubby got mad at me, but he ate all the ice cream last night, so i thought he was done with it( he only eats it with ice cream usually). I think he wanted to eat the rest of it right out of the jar tonight after work. Oh well, i suppose he's gonna want me to go out and buy more very soon. There is no way I can keep this stuff away, so I have to buckle down and gain control again. I'm in this bad habit of over eating everyday for weeks, it has to stop. I feel like I'm addicted to healthy or junk food, doesn't seem to matter as long as I stuff my face all day, even when I'm full. Today was bad too, I'll probably gain again. This is really getting me down, no matter how depressed I get about it, it doesn't stop me from doing it.

Losing - i did that 100 pushups thing a couple of years ago. I got to the stage where i could do around 60 (proper ones - on toes!) which i was pretty happy about. Would be difficult to actually get to the point of doing 100 i reckon, but just following the program definitly strengthens your core and shoulders and back and it's amazing how quickly you improve really. Maybe i should start it again, as i reckon i could only do about 10 at the mo!

PP - sorry to hear about your doggy troubles. It's too sad when animals are in discomfort (

I wrote my presentation. Meetings start in half an hour and i'm on this afternoon.....

Fruitlady-Is there anything you can find to do to keep your mind off of the food during the days or evenings? Do you have any hobbies or friends you could meet for a walk around a mall or something? Even reading a book? Personally, I really don't have any real friends, so I know it's not easy if you don't. Working during the day and keeping house usually keep me busy enough to not think about food all of the time, but sometimes I do.....alot lately, as a matter of fact! With it getting warmer, I'll have things out in the yard to hopefully keep me occupied, too.

Hi Ange!!

Oooops. I wasn't very clear. They will call and update me about her, they just don't want owners calling for updates. The office is not hugel and is also an emergency hospital so space is an issue. I'm sure they have these rules for a reason, not just to drive us nuts, LOL.

Weighed today and have maintained the same weight for three weeks, including last week's TOM. I feel pretty good about where I am food issues wise so may start activly trying to lose soon.

Yay, PP, for maintaining!! That is what I have apparently been doing myself for the last several months although I really want to get to goal. At least I know I can maintain.

For the first time in almost 2 months, I awoke without pain this morning. I hope this means the steroids are doing their work. I hope I'm not jinxing myself.

Oh, Good, PP - on them giving you updates. That had me all bent out of shape and it's none of my business - ha ha!!! CONGRATS on maintaining - even during TOM. I always seem to go up and I KNOW it but it plays with my mind.

Annie - YAY on painfree day today - hopefull all day. Keep us posted.

FL - they sell peanut butters in individual containers at some places - not natural ones, unless it's Smuckers (the ones without the hydrogenated oils) ... maybe that's an option if he needs it? Or he keeps the PB in his vehicle. Same for ice cream - maybe if you need to keep it (?), spend more and buy individual containers of it - then it's easier to cut out when it's pricier, too. At least for me. Do you give yourself a range, say 110-114 because our bodies are all composed of chemicals and all food input is a chemical reaction to process it - our bodies will go up/down with all of the various nutrients ... sounds like you're frustrated with trying to keep it in such a very tight range for your height/weight. You don't want to set yourself up to feeling frustrated all the time at your body, which is our only one for life. It would be a struggle to be at odds with it all the time, when it's a miracle how things work to start with. Anything there that you might be interested in volunteering with, in addition to hobbies? Good for both you and the receiving organization/people.

My evening was a total change of plans. Hit the market on the way home and missed three calls from hubby. He left a message so I pulled that down and he'd accidentally locked his keys in his trunk. And he works an hour from home. So i rang him back, said I was running home as I was about 3 minutes from there, unloaded the cold stuff, let the dog out, and took her with me to get him. We finally make it back home around 8:30 - i made breakfast for dinner while he showered, and then did dishes, took a hot bath and it was time for bed. Abbreviated night with no trail walk, painting, etc. C'est la vie! Side note - his ex was a screamer/yeller and I think he couldn't believe that I just was like, ok, i'm on my way. He kept apologizing, and I said we all do things like that -we're human! His daughter finds that amazing that she can spill something and I'm just like here, clean it up! No screaming about how messy she is, etc. It took her a year to finally understand that not every "mom" deals with things that way. It's a whole new world, he says.

Well, I was hoping to catch up here a bit but not going to happen right now, so quick post, missed work yesterday, did not feel good. E very so often this happens to me kinda flulike but not and am tired and have upset stomach, doesn’t seem to be food related but more emotion related like if I am not doing well. It seems so regular over the years it makes me wonder what it is.
Anyways ate way to much yesterday like trying to stuff the emotions back with food, like that works! and back on plan today.
Losing – funny, I tape Joel as well JM and Joel are the only ones I tape always encouraging.
NP – yeah the high days help me with the lower cal days but I want to get so I am just doing the same everyday and not overeating at all as it makes me feel tired and sluggish. Seems like an ongoing trial and error.
Fl – I understand you completely it is earie as I feel so often the same. The battle is in our mind and we have to win that battle and it can be done. We don’t have to give in to what are mind is telling us to eat. Darn it I am just not going to listen to it anymore.

Hi - gosh we all have a lot going on today, huh? I need to mentally give myself a kick in the keister, so no time to post much this afternoon. Managed to walk and get in some pushups. Downloaded Barbra Streisand's "Don't Rain On My Parade" for my walking tunes. Funny, it was sprinkling outside! I'll check back tonight. Be good, or don't!

I did 56min of total body weights today.

April is much more active today. She gets a little confused looking, especially when trying to get up, like she doesn't understand why her leg just won't work right. She spent most of yesterday laying in one spot in the living room rug, until Hubby got home from work, then she started trying to run around. Depending on what she wants, she will either put weight on her back leg hobbling slowly or just pull it up and run around on the other three.

I'm trying desperately not to stress eat. I have a huge pack of Extra 'Mint Chocolate Chip' Dessert gum that I'm running though fairly quickly, but better gum than empty calories.

Annie, Thanks, it's funny, i have no problem w/ over eating in the evening. It's the morning after breakfast, I'm alone & hubby is still sleeping. Even if I keep myself busy, I'm still thinking of what I'm craving. When he gets up, I stop eating and do my exercise for the day. I don't have any friends, wish I did.

national- Thanks, I just told hubby today that we need to make changes by buying a small jar of peanut butter for him & that we buy a pint of ice cream instead of a large one. That way he can eat both in one night, hopefully finish it off & there won't be any left for me to eat. It will cost more to do it that way, but to me it's worth it. I've been trying to stay in the 108-112 range cause my clothes get too tight. No money to buy new ones.

Ashley- Thanks, your totally right, we don't have to listen to what our minds are telling us to eat. But once I start thinking about a certain food I want, it's like I have to have it.


Like I thought, my weight was up again today. 113 is the point where I get scared. So no over eating today( there's no junk food here I want) & I stayed in my calories range. I think one of the reasons I have been eating too much is that I don't have to watch every gram of fat or make sure I get enough sodium, cause if I eat alot, then I'm just getting them both in for the day and I don't have to worry. I'm scared of being in pain with stomach, back & chest cramps, so if I want to keep my weight down, I'm just gonna have to deal with keeping track of everything. Hubby is fine with buying smaller portions of his junk food, he said he'll do it, if it helps me. He knows I struggle everyday if his crap his here, I have a good feeling about this, I think it's going to work for me & he still gets to enjoy his junk food. Not fair at all!! He's 6'1 & 167lbs. no matter what he eats, how lucky.

Did ride the bike today for 15min, then we went for a 30min. walk before it got cloudy outside. So all in all it was a good day!

Ugh. I just went all Ninja on a sleeve of Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mints. I really dread weighing.