When we first started dieting this last year, we didn't take much care as to what we ate as long as it was under our calories for the day. This January, though, we started following the AHA guidelines for health. I was consuming 1600 calories/day, but this week it's been more like 1400/day. Eating enough fat has actually been my issue this week; I know that's important, too, because our bodies need healthful fats.

Not being at the YMCA the last couple weeks has probably had more impact than anything else. I'm anxious to get back there. I sure hope they don't cut way back on the open swim hours once summer comes and they have swim lessons and such. I know the weight machines will be busier. That's when our commitment level will have its biggest test.

Kimberley - I've been taking these Fish Oil pills, and I don't know if they help, but my goodness they take away my cramps! Something about Essential Fatty Acids.. Uhm, but you should take my multi vitamin! mmmk!

Holy cow, I have so much energy now! I know I need to try and sleep in a bit, but wowsers, I had no idea how bad I felt until knowing how good I feel now! So like my manager asked me for a doctors note, which I won't provide.. I had a stomach flu, what the HECK is a doctor gonna say or do? Nothing. I didn't ask HER to provide a doctors note when she decided she was just too tired to come into work one day. She called half the staff at 5:30 in the morning to find someone to go into work for her.. and this is the manager.. I'm just complaining.. she is SO unprofessional and annoying. My work is just annoying, our staff meeting is on Sunday night, so i have to bus to work to sit and listen to basically nothing for 3-4 hours and then go home. Waste of my time. Okay, I'm cranky at them!!! And I'm babbling.. have a great night..

-Aimee

Uh, no, you usually don't ask your boss to provide a doctor's note, LOL!!

I do take vitamins daily - we take one Equate brand multivitamin, 500mg vitamin C, and 1500mg glucosamine sulfate daily. The foods we eat are loaded with vitamins, though, too. I started feeling better just eating right, then started the vitamins just to be sure I wasn't missing anything.

A Kentucky friend of ours from Dave's Garden (the gardening site we love) is coming through Columbus with her husband tomorrow. I'm driving in to meet them for lunch - such a nice unexpected visit! We're meeting at Max & Erma's restaurant since there's one right at a convenient exit. Their light menu posted online so I was able to peruse in advance and figure out the calorie and fat content. Right now, my plan is to enjoy either the Hula Bowl salad or maybe the Black Bean Roll-Up's. The fruit smoothie sounds kind of tasty, too...

Well, I'd better toddle off to bed. Howie wants to get up and weigh in by 9:30a at the latest so we can have our weekly Egg McMuffin and coffee treat. I must dream slimming dreams, LOL!

Speaking of sleep, I probably average 8-9 hours. With him on second shift, it's easy to stay up late and sleep late. If I get into a good book, I sometimes am still awake at daybreak. Trying to do more of a 3 or 4am bedtime again, though.

Hey ladies...well today at CURVES was a real challenge, they added stair steppers this morning, and my whole body is sore...must be using muscles I had no idea I had...I really feel the pain today, and MIL was good today too, thank goodness...So, did 4 days this week..Taking tomorrow off, will go back Monday..I will do 5 days next week..Then after I take off about 20 pounds, I will get back into my walks too...They are putting this huge park in down the road, won't be in til next Summer, but, that will a better place to walk in than the pavement. I want to get myself back up to the 5 miles I used to walk each day.

Aimee, we are so glad u are back to your healthy, energetic self..that's great, and if the job stinks that much, find another one, life is too short to be miserable at a job like that.

Kimberley...Max And Erma's, wow, the one in Germantown? My aunt used to work there, we went once the burgers were awesome, we had one in Toledo too years ago, but it closed. Wow, talk about a blast from the past, LOL...I loved their Pizza Burger, do they still have that? YUM

I will be making Spaghetti sauce later. With some Italian Sausage..Sounded good for a change. Either that or Pizzas..maybe can talk DH into calling ahead for the 4 cuts and going to pick them up...Hmmmmm, probably not, he is so tired still. Guess it will be the sauce..hehe...we have a new pizza place opening down the road soon, hope they are good, then we can get it from there when we don't feel like driving to Saratoga to our fave place. We have a ton of Pizza places here, but find a good one, one that is clean, one that won't give uyou stomach problems after, well, that is a challenge, lol...Aftr I mentioned the Pizza Burger, now I have Pizza on the brain...UGH, torture!

well, gotta get things done, HAGD!

Thank you all for your thoughts. I'm going home today! YAY! Well, not really to my home--Jeff will pick me up at the airport, and I'll spend tonight at his place. But close enough. Julie (my sister), Jeff (her fiance), and Jackie (his daughter) left yesterday morning, so now I'm here alone with the parentals I LOVE my father so much--we get along really well and I miss him a lot when I'm away, but, like I said, my mother and I don't always see eye-to-eye, so I'm anxious to scoot on outta here. I also had Cheetos and brownies for breakfast today, so I'm definitely ready to get out of here!

My mother took me shopping yesterday and bought me a new coat (a charcoal-gray wool peacoat that I am totally in love with) and new slip-resistant shoes for working at the restaurant. I also bought 2 new white shirts, 2 white tank tops, and 2 pairs of jeans--all for working at the restaurant. So, I got a lot of stuff I needed, but it wasn't much fun since it's not stuff I wanted, ya know? It was definitely good for us to both get out of the house, though, and of course I don't fight with her when she's buying me stuff

Jeff and I have to go see Sin City tonight--he's a big comic book dork, so he's been anxious to see it for over a year. I've forced him to watch enough episodes of The OC and American Idol, so I think I owe him a trip to a movie based on a supposedly-amazing graphic novel I have never even heard of before.

Alright, it's about 10am and I have yet to shower, get dressed, and pack to go home, so I better get movin' before my mom gets home at 1. Again, thanks for thinkin' of me...hopefully I'll be back in the swing of things in no time!

I'm going to start an April thread today, just so things don't get too cumbersome.

I totally agree re: fab mindset. I have to believe I'm worth it to make the changes I need to make. That offer to help out financially until you get another job, hotdog! that was superbly nice. That at least can put your mind at ease. I've worked for some real maniacs, so I definitely know what that's like. (and I mean literally maniacs)

Kimberley - how consistent has your plan been? Have you lost all 41 pounds by doing the same thing? And is it possible your body is getting used to eating the same thing? My mom is constantly stalling with her weight loss and is finding she has to change things up every couple of months to keep the weight coming off. And it doesn't want to come off at all, she's losing less than 1 pound each week.

this fits me to a T. It can get frustrating. And then I'll be up in down with the push factor too, some weeks I'll add in the extra exercise needed, and keep away from too much gnoshing, then other week for whatever reason I'll slip and that means I'll yo yo for a little while. And I get injuries sometimes too, nothing serious, but enough to keep me on the sidelines. And losing those days of exercise are definitely enough to stall things. But it's a journey, and journeys are never all smooth. I'm learning more and more as I go along. I've changed my diet too, like you guys, Kimberley, I've tried to make it healthier and healthier as I go along.

I love scotty dogs. Speaking of the BI's, Kylie, where are you??.....??

I'd love to have a garden one day. There's a community garden up the street, but the people who've taken it over the last couple of years are a bit whacky (they put on toga like clothes and dance around with drums at spring time, not really my style). Rob has a green thumb like you wouldn't believe. We bought some basil one year, he put it in a pot by the window and pretty soon it was like a bush! we've had it for years and it's still wonderful. I on the other hand can be dangerous to the lives of green things!

Diana, glad to hear you're likin' the Curves. I'm writing about the Y in the April thread. Wow, 5 miles in a day is wonderful! I'd be pooped! When we go to the botanic garden I probably get up to between 3 and 4 miles of walking for the day. I'm pretty tired after that. Rob has been going crazy over pizza the last couple of days -- this is Brooklyn so we have a pizza place on just about every block, no exaggeration. So today will most likely be a pizza day.

I would see Sin City, let me know how you like it, it looks interesting.

See you all in April!