Well, well, well...it's WI (not Wisconsin--will we NEVER get tired of that??) Wednesday...What's a girl to do? Hop on the scale of course, face the music and do what needs to be done. What needs to be done? Plan meals for the day, plan exercise for the day, think positive thoughts, drink lots of water, smile, be grateful for having the knowledge and the tools to get this job done and go out and do it!

Ooh, I'm all pumped and motivated! Look out world, here I come! Today's official weigh in is a WHOPPING 259. Whew. Only 109 lbs to goal weight. Wow. Will I concentrate on that number? No. One lb at a time. One meal at a time. One glass of water at a time. Rejoice in the process. Enjoy the bountiful summer fruits and veggies. Discover new foods. I have been eating avacado lately. Wow, is that good. A slice or two on a tomato sandwich for lunch is wonderful! Arnold makes an Oat Nut bread that is so good...toasted with a thin layer of ff mayo on the tomato side, salt & pepper and two thin slices of avacado is my new favorite lunch. Hmmm. maybe some sprouts on there would really be good. Next shopping trip.

I made guacamole with the rest of the avacado: Mash the avacado in a bowl. Squirt the juice of a lemon or lime in there. Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 chopped onion, 1 chopped tomato, salt and pepper. Mix it all up and refrigerate about an hour, if you can. I was dipping WOW Tostitos in it right away and it was so yummy! That will be today's lunch. (I'd better push it to the back of the frig so no one will find it!) Nice. Better hide those chips too, come to think of it!

I am going to journal this time too. No, REALLY journal...not just what I ate, I mean everything. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and just haven't. Today's the day. I was going to create a dixk, just for that, but for some reason, I feel like I have to write it all down by hand. More personal or something...I don't know.

*I just got up and went in search of a notebook...found the perfect one...it's small and has multi-colored pages and a peace sign on the front. I'm set. I may even have to get the heck off the computer and go write in my new journal...well, maybe in a few minutes.*

I'm going to the yarn store later today...I decided that everyone is getting an afghan for Christmas this year. Something to do with my hands, besides using them to stuff food into my face! I'll get lots done on our trip to Maine...10 hours in the car to our first stop, then 3 hours beyond that.

Well...I'd love to stay and ramble on and on, but my cute little journal is calling to me...I'll be back later...Have a great day, everyone! It is just lovely again today...currently only 63 degrees, only going up to the 70's...I got so much done in the front yard yesterday, mowed, trimmed, edged...today it's time to tackle the back yard. I even spent some time (15 minutes, perhaps?) decluttering the garage. What a good feeling. Gotta love that Fly Lady.

Really leaving now...see you all later!!

Did you see all the new smilies?

Hope I don't get busted by the smilie police!

**I did...three times...glad I "copied and pasted!"**

WEIGH-IN WEDNESDAY! WEIGH-IN WEDNESDAY!

My WI went well this morning... can you tell? I'm down another 5 pounds for a grand total of 45 pounds! I've been very well behaved in the last couple of weeks (other than some drinking while at a party this past weekend), the only thing I've been doing differently is having A LOT of water... as much as I can stand in my system really. I'm luckier than most I think, since most of my days are spent at home right now and I don't have to worry about needing to run to the bathroom to pee every half hour while working in an office!

I'm REALLY doing this! No stopping until I reach my goal weight of 150 pounds! That said, I think you guys are a big part of my success. Not only does reading and posting keep me outta the kitchen, you guys are so supportive and motivating; I can't imagine being able to do this without you!

As summers are SO lazy for me because my piano student numbers dwindle to single digits, I have all today off. A friend of mine is dropping by this afternoon but until then, FREEDOM! I'm actually sharpening up some of my OWN piano skills for once and working on learning to play some new Chopin. As a surprise for my hubby, who a long time ago said he loved Chopin's "Nocturne in E Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2", I am attempting to learn it flawlessly while he's at work so I can surprise him with it some evening. (This will probably take a month or so of practicing to get it perfect!)

Well, Chopin's calling. I'll pop back in a bit!

TTFN
Sara

Boy.... todays posts are INSPIRING !!!!
Kat... I even copied yours and emailed it to myself so I will read again.
I don't think I ever welcomed J-ann...WELCOME. 10 days and counting.... you will make it !!!!
Can't respond to everyone this morning. I slept late.

Just wanted to share some good news. Remember me telling my hubby that I wanted him to quit tempting me to eat with him.
Well... he listened !!!! We went to the movies last night... and he got his HOT BUTTERY FRESH POPCORN ... and he did not offer me a single bite. We had not eaten dinner and I was starving !!!! I was sooo grateful he did not offer it... because I may have caved in. I did not cave in... and I have one more day to add to my cheat free resume. LOL

I think... no, I know.... I am going to make it this time !!!!
Love you all....

Not that I want to nit pick or anything, but I just got on the scale, naked, after getting 6 hours of sleep and it said 257. I did it like three times just to make sure the scale isn't wacky and it's the same. I guess that was my clothes, I didn't think scrubs weighed that much, but when there's just so much material...sigh...

SO...I think my starting weight will be 257.

I'm off to the pool club. I was going to walk there, to meet my son and dh, but now my nephew is coming...there goes that idea. Well, I'll have time to do extra laps now.

see you later.

What did you see, 2cute? I would like to see "Signs" with my favorite stud, Mel... I mean that I would like for him to accompany me, not just see him in the movie.....

dream on kat............................................... .............................

Hello ladies. Hope all are fine.
Work is going great but I get really hungry for something mid afternoon.
Better run talk to all of you later

Boy, Kat, are you going strong or what....keep it up - I even feel like maybe, thinking about journaling.

When you say "everything" are you talking about a "what's on your mind", "how are you feeling" journal? Which is sort of like posting here...but, I have to admit I don't always tell you all what's going on in my head or what is going into my mouth. Too depressing to talk about...of course, that was before I knew we had a "would be shrink" of our very own. Wanna start practicing?

Hi everyone! I am new to this website and found your postings to be very inspiring so I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Stephanie. I am married with 2 beautiful children. My son is 4 1/2 and my daughter will be 2 in October. I currently weigh 275 pounds. My goal is 150-160. I am 5'11". I just started 7/29 so hopefully all goes well. I am not on any specific plan. I drink lots of water(100+ ounces daily) watch my portions, eat more fruits and veggies, lean meats and try to stay away from the junk food. I also walk 1 mile every morning. I plan on increasing my distance as the weeks go by. I will weigh myself for the first time this weekend so I hope I have lost some. To everyone, congratulations on your losses.
Steph

Hi Ladies,

It looks like I'm going to have a nine-month old visitor all day Friday and the following Monday. A friend of mine's babysitter had to go away suddenly for a few days and my friend just started a new job. She's dropping Ethan off at 6:45am... wow, that time of the morning is going to be a real shocker on my system! If I can get over my "morning sickness", it might prove fun to have the little tyke here.

Kat... I'm SO excited that everyone's getting an afghan this year for Christmas! Our bedroom is a navy blue with orange highlights!

Mary... You get hungry for a snack in the afternoon? I'm telling you... JUICY GELS (sugar-free kind)!!!! Only 5 calories per cup! I just bought 5 more packages! I've already had thoughts like, what if I go shopping and they are completely out of them? WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THEN? WORSE... WHAT IF THEY ARE DISCONTINUED!?! I should fill my pantry with them!

Lucky... Hmmm. Speaking of my aspirations to become a head-shrinker, I wonder if there are psychologists devoted solely to counselling ppl with weight problems? I mean, there are behavorial therapists that devote themselves to curing phobias by desensitization... Could overeaters be cured in the same way? You know, a lab technician brings out a big piece of chocolate fudge cake, and as soon as we desire it, they, say, poke us in the eye! Eventually we'll come to see cake as associated with being poked in the eye and we won't desire it!... or maybe we'll poke ourselves in the eye in hopes of getting some cake!

Sorry... I am in a very strange mood tonight!

I must just be tired! Time for bed!

Toodles,
Sara

Oops! You were posting while I was!

I just wanted to say WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME! You'll find everyone here very encouraging! Hope we all get to know you really well!

Toodles again,
Sara

Welcome Steph: This is a great group of gals. Stop by often.
I'm off to shower and go to work see you all later

Sara, thanks for the reminder, KAT my bedroom is decorated with oriental things so a quilt with oriental symbols on it would fit perfectly.

I don't know about the "poke in the eye" but I do know this is a "head" problem for me and I want to fix it and move on.

I was listening to the news about the twins that were separated because they were joined at the head. Makes me feel bad I even complain about my weight.

Hi, Steph, welcome to our group. If you have read any old posts you will find we are a bit crazy, nuts and down right fun. I would like to add psychological therapy from Sara but she is threatening to poke me in the eye, so I don't know?

Just a quick post to keep this thread hopping! Where IS everyone today btw?

Lucky... Sorry, I was being silly last night! I promise not to poke you in the eye! I KNOW that for a lot of overweight ppl, eating IS a psychological issue and I genuinely do wonder if there are any significant number of therapists who specialize in dealing with it. Maybe cognitive therapists, who work on discovering destructive thought patterns and working to change them into something constructive, might try and tackle the issue... That said, I don't know if all overeaters (or eaters of the wrong things) have a psychological basis for this; some of them just REALLY like food... because it's yummy! I guess the psyche is still involved for these ppl though because eventually they get to a point where they HAVE to lose weight for health reasons and the WILL to lose weight definitely comes from the mind!

Well, I should get practicing my Chopin before my students come and I have to listen to "I'm a Little Teapot" for the 1000th time!

See everyone in a bit,
Sara

Hey all...

I tried to post this morning but fell asleep at the keyboard...
Actually, I read Lucky's post about journalling (that's not what made me fall asleep!) and decided to write down my thoughts before posting here, so I did...I guess that consumed whatever energy I had left after a long night at work. I record what I have eaten, and whatever else pops into my head, to answer your question, lucky...

This will be quick, I'm wolfing down lunch as I do this...I know I know, a real I wanted to eat something before I whisk the boys off to the pool club...I should get a few laps in and some water exercise anyway...

Welcome, Steph! You couldn't have picked a nicer group of girls to hang out with! Good luck with your efforts to lose the weight!

Gotta run...back later.

I am a teapot short and ....... there...1001 times!!!!