So TOM [U]finally/U] decided to show up today! Which is good I guess. This week's been a complete MESS! I thought I was Pregnant... but apparently not. I'm actually pretty sad about it.

I had gotten back up to #191.5 on Tuesday due to TOM's inevitable arrival... but this morning it's at #189.5. What's the chance I'll be below last week's #187.3 by tomorrow morn??? lol - don't you love when TOM comes?

My best friend is going back into the hospital today... long story - but I'm afraid I'm losing her! It's a very hard sad day.

I didn't do my exercising yesterday at all... i feel like crap for it too. ugh. I'm back at it today though. I need to lose this weight now more then ever. I need to focus now more then ever.

Hi Enygirl,

I am fairly new here so I hope I am not overstepping my bounds by saying I can relate to what you are going through with your best friend. I lost one a few years ago myself. It's such a difficult thing to go through. I am sending positive thoughts your way and I sincerely hope things get better for you.

I like your idea of rewarding yourself with a tattoo. I have a full sleeve that needs finishing and tattoos everywhere including a dragon on my skull. I love body art! Unfortunately I am in the process of looking for a job since a corp. took over the last company I was with and I pretty much had to leave due to ethical differences.

I would love to reward myself with a tat or another corset (my fave seller is on ebay: alterego, she's awesome and sells yummy leather corsets usually under $100)-alert: frugal shopoholic here!-those are some pretty perfectest killer idears! But my jobless but's unemployment only allots enough for barely covering bills, which is what it was meant for so I am not complaining, regardless,alas!

I have just started this 'lifestyle change' rather than repeating my old habits of yo yo dieting. It is working rather nicely and I read another thread on here about how one person (can't remember who) gave themselves one day a week to eat anything they wanted. Does anyone else here do this? How does it work for ya? I liked that idea and so that is how I am rewarding myself. I alloted my time to be from Friday eve until Saturday eve. A full 24 hours. It's weird though, after shoving my face full of pizza and peanut butter chocolate cookies, they were out of the peanut butter rieces (sp?) chunk, my faves, I am actually satiated and it is Saturday and I am back to eating the health food. I actually am craving it now? Has this ever happened to anyone else? All though I will maybe make an exception tonight for popcorn or get some really fattening cheesy nachos at the grocer to make!

I'll tell ya though, once I do get a job (just got interviewed for the human resources specialist position at a really great company *pwetty pwease cross your fingers for me*?) I am going to get a tattoo (or get my sleeve finished) and wear my new corset out to a sushi restaurant where I will commence to pig out on my fave food of all!!

.......please to forgive newbie ramblings all.........when I lose myself sometimes it takes a few seconds to catch sight of me again!

care,
Luci

MistressLucy - definately not over stepping your bounds.. I appreciate the good thoughts. I've never heard of the 1 week eating anything you want - let me know how it effects the weightloss. I know that during TOM's visit I am not as hard on myself for eating more then my self prescribed allotment or eating foods that I know aren't the best. i don't limit my food choices - just the cals. The couple things I stick to steadfast (save a few slip ups) is AT LEAST 64 oz of water a day - MUST eat Breakfast - and NO EATING at least 3 hours before bed.

And even in my binging and bad eating my choices are getting better... I crave crunchy apples more then potato chips - and have fallen in love with sugar free dark chocolate rather then milk chocolate... little steps to life change - rather then drastic changes to become a bouncy ball.

It's seems to work for me. This past week wouldn't have ended so bad if I would have kept up the exercise portion... but today is a new day. I'm writing a new ending.

Enygirl - sorry to hear about your friend sending you a

MistressLucy - welcome to our group. I also do one guilt-free day - each Friday I treat myself to lunch at work since I brownbag every day and I have a glass of wine (or 2) with dinner on Friday night. The funny thing is that I find that I am still eating a pretty good lunch on Friday even if it is a bought one.

Things are okay here - managed to navigate the office Christmas party and eat a reasonable amount. I stuck to the good fresh foods like veg and dip, fruit, some appetizers that were pretty healthy and only had one treat (a buttertart that was homemade and well worth it) and stuck to mineral water.

It is snowing like mad here -since around 2:00 am this morning and it will go overnight too. We've already been out to shovel once today and the snow is almost knee deep. It's also blowing snow with 52 mph wind gusts and a wind chill of -25 c -brrr! It did inspire me to make soup and some muffins today.

Thanks - she's doing much better now - she's eating again.. it's amazing how strong the mind can be!

I feel you on the snow. i've stopped my 5K training - w/ 8 inches of snow and windchill below 0 - it's just too much for me. I'm still going to get outside and walk a 5K each week - so that my body won't go into complete shock when I do it in January - but for now i've gone back to the Slim in 6... I love that program, and I was getting Incredible results! (over 11 inches off my body in 4 weeks!)

I'm getting nervous about the upcoming weekend - We still have 4 family Christmas' to go to! I need to keep things in perspective and allow myself to eat a little more then normal. I'm aiming for NO MORE then 1800 cals a day... that way I'm still losing weight.. and exercise during this is going to be key! 'tis the Season!!!

Where is everyone??? Did you all fall off the wagon.. or worse - the face of the Earth!??!!!?!?!?!? COME BACK!!!

I know what you mean about Christmas eating. I have had 2 office parties, managed to ignore 3 bake sales at work, have to face an open house on the 24th, host dinner on the 25th and 26th and then I'm hosting a video game night on the 29th - I'll be drinking mineral water and eating celery on New Year's Eve!

At least I'm hosting most of the events so I can control the type of food being served and maybe be I'll too busy playing hostess and I'll forget to eat. My only real problem will be the wine.

It sounds like that Slim in 6 is working for you. Do you just do the exercises or do you follow the eating plan too?

BTW - I am glad that your friend is progressing - hope things continue in an upward mode for her.

I do the exercerise - and I count cals. The Calorie Deficient theory really works for me... so I have a general idea of how much I'm losing by how many cals I eat each day. I try to stay between 1100-1300 cals a day - which gives me about a #1/3 loss a day... obviously, water weight - TOM and if I miss a workout screw this up I'm getting better though!

I'm thinking that I just won't eat at all the next 2 weeks - that way I can drink all I want.. although alcohol on an empty stomach is gereally bad

to that! LOL

I think I may have lost weight from shoveling snow! Seriously, it is snowing again. I have had to shovel every day and sometimes 2 to 3 times- I am running out of places to put the snow!

DH, my Dad and I also did the stairs and walkways of two of our elderly neighbours today.

We went to see I Am Legend on Saturday - it was really good but the end went on a bit longer than it needed to, at least DH and I thought so.

This evening we went to see The Golden Compass which was pretty good. I think it is more for people who read Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" series though. 3 out of 4 of us liked it and the person who didn't like it had not read the books and found the story disjointed. He did like the fighting scenes between the armored bears though!

I'm planning on seeing the Golden Compass next week. DD and I are in the middle of reading the first book. I like to have her compare and contrast the 2 types of media. I think it's a great skill... plus I think it's adorable that she always says "Mommy - i liked the book better." - gotta love 5 year old minds!

I believe I may be getting a new bathroom scale for Christmas. I'd be SO happy - right now I weigh myself at work - and it's hard to find a place that's level, and that there are 50 people trying to peek. If I do get one I'm going to redo my posted weight to match that one... plus I should weigh less because then I can weigh in naked I swear clothes add at least a pound!
So I guess I'm going to re-restart my journey then! (I guess technically the 30th, since that's Sunday - and I'm anal about these things)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Mauv - I'm jealous! I have to go back for the rest of the week - and then I have next Monday and Tuesday off again. *sigh* I would've taken time off - but I'm trying to save my vacation days.

So when is everyone weighing in to assess the damager of this weekend? I weigh in at work right now - so I'm doing mine in the morning. I'm buying a scale this week though - so that I can weigh at home! Much more convienent - and private.

Have a great night and rest of your holiday.

I bought a scale - and really it isn't off from the one at work - which is nice. I would've hated stepping on it and seeing an increase!!!

I don't know where everyone went off to - but I miss you guys! I CAN'T DO THIS ALONE!!!