Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

OMW - Everything's just BETTER when the sun is shining, isn't it? I see that ticker of yours slidin' to the right again, and it sounds like you are very much in the groove! How long til beachtime? Novasure sounds like a godsend - you'll be the 4th 40-something I know who's done it (the 3 others are wildly enthusiastic).

Kitteh - let's MAKE it a good week!

kathi - keep fighting the good fight - and have a terrific trip!

kim - sorry you've got some stressors. Hiding under the covers is a better option than hiding in the refrigerator, at least. Breast cancer is definitely a scary one, but it sure seems like more and more successes are happening!

Annie - hiya!

Sue - keep up the great work! One of the chicks on another thread has the signature "It's not about perfection - it's about persistence!" I think she's right on, and you are certainly living it!

Barb - methinks cleaning counts as a serious workout. I bet you're tired!

Deb - Way to go with the half! Awesome! A flat course does make a huge difference, I remember from my running years. I think you'll be really amazed at how much easier it will seem.

Cat? Marie? Helloooo?

Hydra - welcome back! Missed you!

Here, I'm eating more like a maintainer than somebody with a few left to lose. This next month, though, is all about food as fuel while I do the final push to get ready for Atlanta. Mucho yardage. Ow.

Well the drama at work boiled over today. I got a phone call today saying that if I don't do something about my delinquent paperwork by friday I'm going to be suspended. They are done with the threats. That will make people jump.

I skipped the educational event. Got home kind of late tonight anyway because I stayed a little late to do.......paperwork. But keeps my calories in line for the day and I'm going to try to do some Wii tonight too.

OnMyWay—congrats on the weight loss! You're getting close to ½ way there.

AnnieDrews—I hope things settle down in your life so your mood evens and things are easier. I tend to let those things get to me when I should be sleeping. I hope your stuff isn't getting in the way of a good night's sleep...I find that makes things spiral out of control...difficult things plus not sleeping equals more difficult things. I hope you have more happy and smiling times than the not so much.

Becky—I love that “it's not about perfection...it's about persistence” line. It's so true. I did not let Monday's not-so-great day turn into anything more than that. Thanks for sharing that bit of advice.

Petra—were you glad that things boiled over so that everyone is going to have to do what needs to be done? I hope that's the case. And I hope you had some Wii time...it sounds like you really enjoy the Wii exercise. I've seen a Wii, but never used one.

Yesterday:
food—yes; water—yes; vitamins—yes; exercise—yes plus (2 walks and weights).

Helllooo

I didn't check in last night as I went out to dinner. Such is my eternal struggle - navigating a way between my pretty full-on social life and trying to making healthy food choices so that I don't stray too far from my weight loss path. I guess that's all part of the learning journey - a short term diet isn't going to work for me, healthy eating is my lifestyle choice. It sounds so simple when I write it down - but I need to do a bit more work to make it second nature.

Onmyway - funny to see you relishing the warmer temperatures. Here, we are so over our long hot summer and we are enjoying the chill in the air! We had our first frost yesterday Woo-hoo on the 1.5 lb - great result. I hope you are on the mend from your cold. I think you're a champion tackling the taxes when you are not feeling quite the thing.

KittehMomma - yay that the scales were kind! Hope your week is going to plan. I know how hard it is to get back into it.

weightlosswanted - hope you are having a great time in Texas. Great going on staying on track when you are out of your normal routine - that takes real commitment.

Wizzie - I'm embarassed at my lack of knowledge of geography in eastern Australia, let alone anywhere else in the world!! I'm so sorry to hear about your friends. I hope each of them makes a good recovery. It's a very worrying time.

AnnieDrews - your Indian meal sounds derlish! I hope your troubles are easing.

Sue - you are going so well with all your targets - you are really in the zone. Great going to take yourself in hand when you could see yourself beginning to slide.

angelskeep - all that spring cleaning adds up to a really solid workout, I reckon! Your place will be gleaming.

lambchop - woo-hoo on completing the half marathon! It seems particularly unnecessary to include hills in the route! It's a major achievement and you own it - it certainly was no fluke!

petra - I'll have to do a search for your tandoori recipe. We went out for Indian last night - it was yummo! Sorry to hear that matters came to a head at work - sounds a bit drastic.

ICUWishing - good luck training for Atlanta.

Morning girls.

Still no Marie? Hope everything is okay....I know Cindy's had a big change going on, so I wonder if that's cutting into her time with the new living arrangements...hope all is well with both of our girls.

Kitteh- are you back on plan? Are you ready for a good week?

Kathi- Hope you're enjoying TX and the riverwalk.

Kim- sorry to hear the fatigue hs you...that's frustrating - and so sorry to hear of your friend's cancer diagnosis.

Annie - I hate off-schedule TOM! Me too...my heavy day fell on my half marathon day...it wasn't due for days! Yeah on the boss liking the chicken - hope today is a good day for you.

Sue- Hi Sue, nice to meet you staying accountable is a good thing, glad you're checking in, especially if it helps you stay on track

Barb- do you prefer the guest season, or the "to yourselves" season at the B/B? hope you get all your chores completed

OnMyWay- thank you - yes, I know I worked hard, but you know how we all self-criticize...I guess I needed that second one to cement the fact that yes, I am an endurance athlete in my head. Congrats on the scale moving - and hope the cold is gone soon...hate how miserable a cold makes you feel.

Becky- thanks, I'm hoping to pull it out. I chose it FOR the flat course, so we'll see. Good luck at Atlanta, you'll do great! Helloooooo maintaining...keep those calories that you need for competing. That's what I'm in right now...need the increased intake, but trying to make sure they are healthy extra calories.

Petra- sorry to hear work is ultra-stressful right now. Hope things settle down - and hope the paperwork isn't too taxing on you

Koala - hi, nice to meet you! You're right, the learning journey is how to balance everything..make it fit into your lifestyle, while making good daily choices

---
went to the doctor...i'm a perfect example of why not to panic when the scale moves...the scale was up 4 pounds, but it was all good news. See, if I only saw that 4 pounds, i'd freak out at home...but here's what actually happened:

I lost 4 pounds of fat, gained 9 pounds of lean muscle - i'm holding water, but my body fat dropped 2% - and I'm burning over 100 extra calories a day at rest...so i'm smaller, leaner, but scale went up...see, don't panic just because the scale moves...and this morning it was down 2 from water finally releasing from my muscles

it's not always bad news

**not shifting my tracker/ticker thingee right now as i'm bouncing around and it's not an indication of how my body is changing...not sure what i'll do...may just pull it off until i'm in a more regular pattern

Thanks for the warm welcome back. I went to the docs yesterday and weighed 213, waaa waaa.

Going to do some errands, a friend of mine said he would send money to get some painting supplies and a couple canvases. Cool. He is nice guy, I know him from another site.

Take care ladies and gents, have a good day!

Well this should be an interesting day. The other inpatient psychiatrist has been told that he has to return to the hospital today whether he wants to or not (yes, this is the fly in the ointment) so that I can get to my delinquent dictations. I think my boss tries to make everyone happy rather than making the tough decisions that need to be made and letting the chips fall where they may. Very frustrating. I don't know if the other doc will now be back regularly (which was the agreement regarding my friend's materninty leave) or if he is just coming over today because it's a crisis but we will get this under control one way or another-if I have to go to hospital administration (over my bosses head) to get it done. I did not volunteer to do 2 people's jobs indefinately. Okay, I'm done venting now.

I may get some updated pictures today since I'm not supposed to have patient care responsibilities today. I'm still on call today so I have to do any consults that come in but that shouldn't be too bad. I told the lady who does my pictures that today would be a good day since I have some flexibility. I'm also wearing the same clothes I wore for my first pictures back in Oct. Would make an interesting comparison.

Deb-thanks for your post. I've been very frustrated about my weight really not changing but I have been more active recently too. Clearly some of it is less than perfect dietary compliance but maybe there is more to it than meets the eye.

Hydra-glad you are feeling better.

I'm getting worried about Marie. This is not like her at all. Hope all is well.
Cat-we miss you too but know you may be busy with your new responsibilities.

well, better get ready for work so I can get to my dictations. Oh joy! This task is also about as exciting as watching paint dry so that doesn't help anything here. Under normal circumstances I try to do a little several times a week so it doesn't get out of control but to have to sit there and do this all day today is going to be tough. I may check in once or twice from work to keep me from going insane,

A quick drive by, will be back later for more.

Petra-Thinking of you as you get that boring work caught up. I know you can do it!!

Quick post by me...

Petra I hope things get better soon at work!

Wizzie Sorry about your friend's breast cancer diagnosis. I hope it was caught early and that she makes a full recovery. My sister was diagnosed in Feb so I hear you...

OnMyWay Look at your ticker move!

And I concur, hopefully all is well with Marie and CruiseCAT.

Speaking of cancer, I have my 6 breast imaging modalities today: MRI, mammogram, CT scan, ultrasound, heat scan, and some other tomographic scan. It will be a full day, but if there is something to be seen, I'm confident it will be found with this full battery of tests! Only 2 of them are standard (MRI and mammogram) for someone of my high risk status; the other 4 are part of a study I'm gladly participating in. Then tomorrow I go to my gyn onc and hopefully will get my surgery scheduled -- yay. So that's what's up with me. No weight loss to report, but I'm not really focusing on that right now.

Petra - Hope things get better at work. Sounds like a complete rat race.

Deb- You ROCK! WTG on the running.

Koala - No worries! My pen friend as also sent me pics from her trips to Tasmania. I soooo want to go there too.

ICU - Can't wait to see how well you do in Atlanta. Do you swim particular strokes? Are you a sprinter or do long ones? I love to swim, just interested in hearing more about what you're into.

I have a doctor's appt on Friday for this fatigue. It's just gotten worse and worse. I feel like I can't even get out of a chair. I feel like it's just thyroid meds off. It's really messing with my exercise plan. That really ticks me off. However, I have managed to keep eating the right way, so I'm happy about that anyway.

My friend goes tomorrow for a more in depth MRI breast scan before surgery. This whole thing is just surreal to me. Thanks for your well wishes for all my friends. I'll be gone next week to one of my stores ( I'm a corporate marketing manager) for a Relay for Life event. That will pick up my spirits. At least, I'll feel like I'm fighting cancer in some sense.

LambChop Things are going so well for you! Congratulations on your 2nd 1/2 marathon!!

Kim - Generally I'm a distance swimmer because I'm just not fast enough to be a sprinter, but for Atlanta I'll do the 50 and 100 backstroke and the 100IM cuz I can't train enough for anything else - life precludes me from swimming more than 3-4 hours a week.

petra - wow - sounds like you're still not done with the hurdles! Sorry the relief process is being dragged out so much.

koala - the choices get easier, and after a while, the body acclimates to the good food (and can punish one SEVERELY for straying too far! ) Practice, practice, practice ... eating out still throws me for a loop sometimes.

deb - I am in AWE of your progress. Yes, you most certainly are an athlete! Congrats on the stellar numbers!

heidi - good luck on all the tests! I'm a thermography/ultrasound girl myself for the last 10 years, so it's good to see the newer alternatives getting a thorough study that will hopefully prove them out once and for all.

Nothing new to report - just trundling along!

Annie, What will be,will be…Something I’ve learned in my old age, there are just some things I cannot control! Hope your mood is improving!

Petra, Paperwork! Yuck! Not sure I know anyone who likes that aspect of any job. Looking forward to seeing your new pics!

ICU, Trundling?!!! That’s a new one, I like the sound of it and absolutely feel that way sometimes! Nationals will be here before you know it! I’ll think of you this weekend, DD has a meet, 9 events over the course of 3 days. I’m timing for two of those days, counting that as my exercise!

Slroth, Looks like you are sticking to your plan! Even going above and beyond on the exercise. Hope you are noticing some positive changes as a result!

Koala, Many of us here have also realized that these changes we are making are for the rest of our lives. Sadly we know the reality of how quickly we can put on weight, but how hard it is to take it off. If eating out is a big part of your life, many restaurants post nutrition information online, you might want to have a plan before you get there.

Lambchop, Your post sounds like you are moving out of your funk! There’s a happier tone there! Sounds like your DR. visit went well, glad you can see the positive in your results!

Hydra, Painting sounds like fun! Glad to have you back with us!

Newleaf, Hope by now you have been poked, prodded and scanned enough! You certainly have a lot on your plate but you are staying so positive! Hope you can get your date scheduled easily. Thinking of you!

Wizzie, Hope your Dr. can give you some insight as to why you are so tired. Relay for Life is a great event, what a wonderful way to help others!

Still feeling crappy with this cold, but did go back to school today. My scale was way down this morning but I know it’s because I’m not feeling good and not eating much. I’m not moving the ticker unless it’s still down this weekend. Almost done with the taxes so DH can stop bugging me! When I know there is no refund coming, I’m not as motivated to get them done early!

I got a reprieve. They have decided not to suspend me-at least not this week but I have to continue to work on my delinquent dictations. Thanks for all your well wishes. I will get this under control one way or another. I did get some pictures taken today. I haven't gotten them emailed to me yet. Will post later.

Becky-May is just around the corner. How exciting.

Heidi-Hope all is well with your testing. Better proactive than reactive in this situation.

a quick hello!!! even though I haven't been making it to 40somethings thread, I'm still around and still doing pretty well, although right now I'm carrying a few extra lbs of water due to finally starting to exercise again after close to a month of being sick.

hope everyone is doing well, and I'll try to not be such a stranger.