morning everyone!
UGH~! its a monday and I am moving slow today! had a hard time getting out of bed the is morning, just wanted to sleep more! its going to be a beautiful spring day here so I am hoping to enjoy it this afternoon and go for a bike ride! Have a great day!

Gemini - Good luck at the doctor. My sister developed gestational diabetes as well, she had to do the diabetic diet for the last few months of her pregnancy. She lost a bunch of weight on WW and is now pregnant again (I just found out today it's a boy! ), apparently he's 9 days ahead in development and of course one of the side effects of gest. diabetes is quick growth. So we'll have to see, it looks like maybe the weight thing isn't the only factor in developing gest. diab. Good luck with it and congrats in advance if it turns out to be true!! Oh, and I think you can for sure keep practicing WW in principle, but up your points to more of a maintenance level or something? You'd have to talk to a doctor about that one but obviously focusing on healthy choices is good....

Sonja - Back on track! BBQ and wine... mmm...

Where's Faerie this morning?


Finished up a project that had just been DRAGGING on at work this morning. Hurray for that! And like I mentioned to gemini, I just found out this morning I'm having a little nephew in September! My sister couldn't decide if she was going to know the gender of the baby (they didn't with the first one) but decided to do so this time, and I'm really excited! Knowing the gender makes it more real, you know? Now to go buy a bunch of blue things....

Hope everyone's having a good morning!

Suite---We are at almost exactly the same place right now! Onederland is so close, yet it seems so unattainable. We'll get there soon. I'm hoping for this week! And I'm so jealous of your garden! I only have a balcony, so only 1 small tomato plant fits for me yet. One of these days, though...

Lizzy---Don't sweat the whopper. Sometimes I think it's a good idea to give into those types of cravings. It helps me to remember why I don't like to eat those things on a regular basis anymore. And congrats on your 5k! And sorry to hear about your recent (?) break-up. I, too, had a relationship end a while ago, and I've only recently gotten to the point where I can talk about it with my family and friends without falling to pieces. Over Christmas I bumped into him with his new WIFE (we were engaged)... I think I ate a whole carrot cake afterwards.

Chey---Glad you found us! I love this place. The folks here are full of advice and encouragement, and also a good kick in the pants when I need one!

EVERYONE---Thanks for jumping in with the mental cheerleading. It was a laugh/cry/get angry moment for me, and you guys were right there when I needed you, just like always.

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Ahhh, Happy Monday, ladies (and guys, if there are any). Thanks again for your support over the weekend. I had my first "gain day" at my weigh-in on Saturday. It was only a teensy 0.2lbs, but even still...

It was disheartening, but only for a little bit. Then, as you all saw, I got MAD. I'm trying really hard, but I have to admit I may be doing a couple of things wrong:

1.) I tend to elaborate on recipes. You know... "this looks like it may need a little extra olive oil", etc. So I may be sneaking in an extra point or two this way.

2.) At the end of the day, if I have points leftover, I tend to reach for processed snacks rather than extra fruit/veggies. I'll have a 1point cup of 60 calorie chocolate pudding... a skinny cow.... a granola bar... a 2point WW double chocolate crisp bar... I should keep these "snacks" as just that-snacks. I should limit them to one per day and rely on more "real" food to meet my points allocation.

3.) When I started boxing, I stopped hiking. Part of this is just because there aren't enough hours in the day for me to do everything I want to do, and I've so been enjoying the boxing that I've traded other things off to go boxing lately. The fact is, boxing is a great workout. I sweat a lot! But I can't let it replace true old-fashioned cardio. I need to figure out a way to do both.

So, in an effort to jump off this plateau, I'm biking to work this week. It works out pretty well because we have a locker room and showers here at work, so I just wake up, have my breakfast and brush my teeth, then I hit the bike and exercise all the way to work. The after-effects are even better, as I feel GREAT! I feel like I started the day in such a fantastic way, I definitely don't want to do anything to screw it up now.

Further, I will be more diligent in the kitchen. No more un-recorded licks or bites of anything. With the increase in cardio combined with my existing strength training and an increased honesty with the mistakes I'm making in the kitchen, I expect to be losing again soon. Or else, BODY. I am so serious.

Awww Suite: nephews are so fun! My brother has a son who I adore, but I don't get to see him much since he lives 2 hours away...but he is so fun to play with!

Aero: your plan sounds really good. I am in a similar boat as you, I have been on a plateau since late February. I know I DEFINITELY need to stop munchin in the kitchen as well! I take little tiny bites of stuff...but I do it constantly and I need to STOP as well! My roommate just made banana bread and I keep sneaking little nibbles of it, and it is definitely not good!!! I also have the same problem as you of eating my points in crap...hahaha! Instead of eating a banana, I'll eat a granola bar, etc, etc. I have stopped buying snacks just for this reason. We recently had ice cream that was 3 points a serving and I was eating it everyday instead of focusing on what I should be eating.


~~ Anyhoo, I really like avoiding the scale!! I haven't weighed myself in over a week, and don't plan to until Friday, which will make it two weeks. I love it because instead of relying on a number, I evaluate myself on how I feel. When I was weighing myself, I would feel really good, but then I would get on the scale and realize I hadn't lost anything, and feel bad about all of my success with working out and eating right. Now I just base it on how I feel that day. And I feel good! I feel skinnier, even though I am not sure if I am actually down on the scale or not. I thoroughly recommend it!

vday -- yay no scale!! so great, right?? i have definitely been weighing myself too much lately. Gotta put that thing away till WI on Thurs.

suite -- congrats!! i just got me a niece, no boys here. My brother says he feels like his house has turned into a giant lump of cotton candy bc of all the pink!

aero -- wow biking to work sounds great!! way to go! you are being so proactive!!

gemini -- OH, a home pregnancy test! Still don't know about the other acronym...but judging from the context as well as Jaime's response to you, it sounds like you're preggers? Congrats!!

Well, I just got back from watching the Boston Marathon. We were towards the end, at mile 24. Wow, those people are amazing! It was really fun to watch. Beautiful weather, too. John and I got some BBQ that a restaurant was selling on the street, but I chose the chicken instead of sausage and it seems I only spent 9 pts, which I can handle. And in Boston, today is Patriot's Day so the whole city is off of work, and schools are closed and stuff. So my internship is cancelled. Very cool! BUT I need to work on a paper. Here I go!!
S

Heather -- good luck at the doc!! And congrats on finding a sweet guy. They are good to have around!! AND good luck getting back OP. I'm struggling big time, too.

As for me, I just noticed I have a FREAKISH tan -- I drive a convertible so I get the weirdest tan lines. My nose is red except for the line where my glasses sit. My chest is red except for the circle where my necklace was. Fabulous.

Didn't do awesome yesterday, unfortunately. Too much free time at home, writing a paper that I was really struggling with. That leads me to the kitchen after finishing every sentence, it feels like. But today I'm busier, with internship and therapy and class. Ugh I do not want to go to therapy. Oh well. Now it's just a matter of planning...of to the planning thread!!

S

aero - Sometimes that refocusing is the best thing that can happen to us. I definitely know when I'm doing a little more "hidden" eating than usual, and it always comes back to haunt me on the scale! Keep doing what you're doing!

vday - I don't really know what to do with little boys Somehow I only ever babysat little girls, I don't even think I've changed a boy diaper... How in the world to handle THAT one? It's gonna be fun to figure things out! And Way to go avoiding the scale, it sounds like you really made a good choice there. Some people can't live without it, and others thrive without it like you seem to be doing. Good move!

Heather - Your boy sounds like a sweetie, bringing you drinks and stuff! Glad to hear you so upbeat and positive. Good luck getting on different meds, I hope it works out for you!!

Sonja - Boy do I know what you mean... getting up after every sentence when writing a paper to go snack on something. Good thing semester's almost over, huh? I get that to look forward to this weekend writing my paper....


So I'm sitting here writing this waiting for my brownies to come out of the oven I made a half batch of a random brownie recipe I found, which I then put into little muffin cups so they'll be portioned correctly. It'll be 2 points per brownie, which is actually very, very reasonable! Now to see what they taste like... I'm pretty excited. I was poking around for something sweet and decided to do this instead of eating a million things that would leave the craving unsatisfied. Always a better route to go.

I'm in eating mode because DH and I had a bit of a stupid fight... I'm sure I've mentioned how we're supposed to be going to Brazil in August, right? His whole family except one brother is there, so we were going to go to see them AND because it's freakin' Brazil and I want to go to Brazil!! We didn't take a honeymoon because we decided to save the money to fly to Brazil, and I was fine with that. Today he tells me that his one brother who lives in the Czech Republic won't be going to Brazil in August like planned (he couldn't make it to the wedding so I've never met him, so part of the point was to make sure Ticiano was coming to Brazil when we go so I can meet him). His wife is pregnant (due end of November) and he doesn't want to leave her alone while he goes to Brazil. So anyway, DH wants the trip to be canceled. And I'm mad. I was looking forward to going so much, and while part of the reason for going was definitely to see his family, it was also very much about US, about me getting to know where he grew up, about it being our displaced honeymoon. He seems to think that it was just about Ticiano, this one brother of his who frankly strikes me as an incredibly flaky and unreliable person. of course I've never met him and that may sound mean but this is not the first time we've changed plans because of him being wishy-washy about what he will/won't be able to do. So now DH wants us to go to the Czech Republic in the spring (a YEAR from now), so we don't have to inconvenience his brother and the new baby. Let me mention, by the way, that flying to the CR is about TWICE as much as it is to fly to Brazil. And me being the only one in our household who's employed, with not a great job at that, and DH dragging his heels on applying to things and getting a freakin' job himself and... man, you can see why I'm making brownies, huh?

So don't get me wrong, it's great that we're in a position where we can even think about doing something so extravagant as flying to Brazil or the CR. I just feel really disappointed, and kind of abandoned or something. Because it wasn't just a trip to Brazil, it was our honeymoon. I waited a year for this freakin' thing and now it's not going to happen. And for stupid reasons (in my opinion). And it makes me sad.

Suite, disappointing...time will heal, but between now and then sucks. Maybe you guys could plan a smaller, romantic trip for your "honeymoon" that would soothe some of the disappointment. Sorry, I don't have many encouraging words, I'm sad for you, too...enjoy your brownies, great idea making them in the mini cups, tonight I had a coffee cup with some ice cream in it and ate it with an iced tea spoon (long handle little spoon part) it was good, I got lots of tastes and it took me awhile to eat it.

Had a great WI, I think it was stored up for a few weeks and when I finally got back on track it fell off, of course now I'm paranoid that it wasn't real, but I've been 15something each day that I weighed (I'm a scale whore, freely admit it, I am down to only once in the a.m. but when we camp I have no scale ~ egads) I don't know why I'm so 'noid but I guess I just have to deal with it.

~Faerie, miss your smiling face, hope all is well.

I miss getting on here, I feel out of touch. Best to all ( Gemini, best of luck to you)

Oops, sorry, it's means Big Fat Positive. Been on these pregnancy boards again too much!

Suite -- I'm so sorry to hear about your trip!! Does your hubby really understand how important this is to you? But most importantly, how did your brownies turn out??

Kel -- yay on the weight loss!! I definitely hear you on fearing it isn't real. I guess the best thing to do is just keep OP and do the things that you know you should!!

Gem -- Oh, wow, I never would have guessed it stood for that! So I guess by now you know for sure? And I'm guessing that this is a happy thing (I volunteer at Planned Parenthood and have more contact with people who dread a BFP than those who celebrate it!)?

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So, my new WI day is Thursday so I'll WI tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I'll have gained a pound, but it's partly on purpose -- I don't feel ready to be at 135 yet! It just snuck up on me! After tomorrow I'm hoping to get myself back in order. Clean the house, open some windows, get organized, donate some clothes, just generally UNLOAD, and I think it will be good for me, psychologically. So that's the plan, a spring cleaning weekend, inside and out!

S

keli - We miss you around here too! I saw your WI in the WI thread, and WOW, what a fantastic loss! You must be thrilled with it!

Sonja, you crack me up! The brownies were delicious, and just what I needed! I packaged one up for today, gave one to DH, and ate the other four but still only went into the FPs by 2. See, this is why I make small batches of things, because I know I just have so little impulse control when it comes to home-baked stuff!

We had another "discussion" (cough) about it later last night and I still don't think he really gets it... Now he's all like "why do we have to keep to this honeymoon tradition" and I keep trying to tell him... it's not so much about the name of it as much as it is about us just being together, doing something fun, intimate, romantic, etc, before kids come into the picture. Anyway, I've pretty much given up on a lot of it, I'm happy to go to Prague next year. I guess we won't get to Brazil til 2010 then, at the earliest. I was just more excited about South America than another Europe trip... Oh well.

I'm thinking we can handle a mini-vacation thing this summer anyway for our 1-year anniversary, slash substitute for cancelled Brazil trip... But where should we go? Hmmmmm..... Anyone have any suggestions?

morning all! Happy Wednesday! Half way through the week! Wohoo! And a short week for me! No school on Friday so tomorrow is the last work ady this week for me! Hope you all are having a great day!

Suite---
So sorry to hear that you and your DH had a fight. Those nights are the worst, aren't they? I'd be disappointed too! Prague is great and everything, but if you had your heart set on something else, it probably feels like a consolation prize! No worries, though. You're really right about how it's really just about the two of you getting away to do something fun and exciting together. I've heard that Savannah, GA is actually really beautiful. I have a friend who went there with her DH on their honeymoon and they loved it! Or, you could always come to CO. I love it here, and I find the mountains incredibly romantic.

Anyone seen Faerie lately?

that is really weird...faerie just dissapeared