Hi Everyone,

Well, the heat has finally broken here. it really cooled down yesterday but it was so humid that even the 70's were not pleasant. It's better now tho. I've had an OP day. Kept busy at home with laundry and cleaning. A friend at work was selling her "extra" vacuum cleaner for $20 so I bought it to keep on our second floor. WOW, it almost sucked up the rugs! Best $20 I've spent in ages. Now I have to find a place to keep it between uses. It was still muggy enough this AM that dusting was a chore cause the dust stuck to the furniture it was so damp.

I remember reading something, not sure if it was here or in another group that someone uses when really good, off program, stuff is offered:

If you really want something take a taste. That's enough because if you eat more it won't taste any better than the first bite ...so why waste points? Savor the taste and go on. No guilt!

I really like this idea and have used it ...IT WORKS!

Going out to enjoy the cool breeze.

Good Sunday night ladies, I'm smiling a big smile as I type because the cool breezes are flowing through the computer room at home. I didn't do a good job staying OP this weekend. I let the hectic pace of too much to do, dictate what I ate! I had hoped to do better. Live and learn and learn and learn. Upcoming week is going to be hectic because I think that this is the week that I am going to become the trustee for my aunt's financial assets. I dread it because she is going to be hysterically angry and abusive about it. There is no getting around it. It has to be done to protect her interests, but still. . . (I wish that it could be easy and painless)! Tomorrow is going to be a long, but fun day because, after work, I am going to see Russell Crowe's band, TOFOG, in concert at the House of Blues. It's a sold out concert and I'm certain that it will be a zoo! Loads of screaming female fans (of which I am one). Well, at least my week is going to get off to a good start. I plan to make it a good OP week too. I <gulp> have to weigh-in on Thursday. Yikes! Ladies, hope that you had a great weekend. Good luck at this, the start of your OP week. Stay strong. Cindy

j-ann, hooray! Glad that the heat has finally left town for you. Now, if you can only get rid of the humidity too! Congrats on the "new" vacuume cleaner. Sounds like a keeper! I'll try your "just a taste" idea the next time I split a dessert with a friend.

Melissa, I think that we need every weapon to conquer the ice cream attacks of high summer!

Geri, you are one busy lady! I'm sure that you are burning up the calories as you hustle and try to make sure that everyone is taken care of. Listen, girlfriend, you make sure that you take a minute or two for yourself. Okay? Glad that the cool weather has finally come to your town too. Isn't it a relief? Nice job on giving that cookie the "cold shoulder." I wished that I could have done that to the dipped ice cream cone from DQ on Saturday. You have a good one.

Diane, good to see you back here. Congrats on your good days. Count every one of them and be proud. You're doing good, lady.

Brenda, glad that you are feeling better. Sorry that the storms rained on your Reba McIntyre concert. Hope that you still had a good time. Listen, it is hard to get back to the program sometimes, but you just take it one day at a time. You have done so well and I know that you will get back in the swing of things. Take care.

Bunny, you have been doing a great job and I think that the slight gain was probably from the salt from the Chinese food. It is notorious for causing a gain on the day after. You just keep up the great job that you are doing and the scale will behave itself the next time you check in.

Hi everyone! Its a new week. Glad to hear from so many that you are having better weather. It is so hard to DO anything in the heat.
I have had a good weekend. The jazz festival on Friday was great, and I did indeed get a bit 'merry'!! But only had 4 glasses of wine, so was therefore on the programme! So that was great. Saturday I had a quiet day, mostly playing a game on my computer, which is one of my secret habits.....but I get so involved I forget to eat, which has its advantages . Yesterday we went shopping for a new mantlepiece for the sitting room, but could not find one we liked, although we ended up in a trendy new furniture shop buying a lovely bit of furniture with drawers for the bedroom. Then last night we went to see a film called 'Cats and Dogs' which was truely silly, but I laughed from beginning to end, especially when the cats were driving the car....

Cindy - You are doing brilliantly, it sounds like to me. It sounds as if you are facing a real challenge with the stuff with your aunt's affairs. Keep focussed on what you want.

Diane - well done about having some op days, and keep it up! I am glad you are feeling better

Geri - Cats are so fantastic - Max is undoubtedly delighted by the break in the weather you are having! your ice cream quote is very true. We live in such an instant gratification culture, and its good to be reminded that it is all puff at some level. Have a good time with your mum.

Maggie - Hope your thin within person is in the driving seat!

Bunnie - I have been wondering if it would work to make a lasagne by layering up the meat and pasta, but just doing a layer of low fat cheese slices instead of white sauce and cheese. That would save a lot of points. I might try it and then I will let everyone know and you could try it in your new lasagne pan. And that point you made about other people knowing really rings true for me as well. I find I am quite emotionally vulnerable around my weight, and really just want to keep that bit protected and private, at least at first. Other people's judgements, or even other people's 'advice' is not what we need. Furthermore I am a bit suspicious of too much praise of me when I lose weight. It rings too much of when I was a child and my mother really taught me that thin was good and fat was bad - thin was loveable and fat was unloveable. what rubbish, but how insidious. For me the trick is to go to meetings to be accountable to myself, monitor myself, without getting hooked up in crappy self esteem stuff about becoming a 'better person' with each pound I lose.

Canadian - How was your saturday WI? I hope things are back on track.

Melissa - good idea about putting motivational things up in the kitchen - I have some chinese fridge magnets (well, Chinese style! ) with words like 'love' 'movement' 'peace' etc on them, and I make different arrangements of them depending on what qualities I think I need with me that week.

J-ann - that one taste idea is great! I am very curious about food (addicted perhaps? probably, at a level) and so I always want to taste what everyone else has got on their plate, but one taste really is enough, often. So yes, I will remember your suggestion and try it for high point treats too. One of the women in my meeting says that she has trouble resisting picking of her children's plates as she is clearing up, so she keeps a bottle of washing up liquid detergent on the table at meal times and as soon as they have finished eating she squirts their plates with it so she cant pick at their leftovers on the way to the kitchen!!! I thought that was brilliant.

Love to everyone

Hello! I'm headed off shortly for my first live WW meeting. It begins at 10 am, with weigh in at 9.30. I have a bunch of errands to run first, so I'm leaving much earlier (plus, its in town -- quite a distance from me). I'm nervous but dang it, I'm goin' anyway. Afterwards, its lunch out with my girlfriend (we try to go each week) -- this week we're seeking out salad and soup. Then we'll go thrifting in a town about an hour from my home. I've not ventured there yet - we're relatively new to the area and haven't explored all the small towns yet. It looks to be cooler weather and I'm hoping to go walking with my husband tonight. We already plan more hiking for tomorrow.

Melhoward -- signs near the 'fridge are a lovely thought. Last time I was in WW, I posted my ribbon and such on the fridge door (actually, that's where I kept my weigh-in card too) as a reminder to think before I ate.

j-ann -- I taste hubby's desserts and such. Heck, even when I have the points available, somehow I feel like some things just can't be eaten anyway (yeah, I know, on WW you can eat anything -- but right now, I can't, ya know?)

Lunacat -- I know what you're goin' through with your aunt can't be easy. My father had to take over first my grandfather's and later my grandmother's finances and it was fascinating (in the same was that a wreck might be) to watch. I don't envy you your tasks -- but ya know, you seem very much to have the things internally you need to this well. Bravo to you.

Lilacglitter -- My kids just went to Cats and Dogs and said it was hysterical. Husband and I don't get out much for movies -- except as they show up at our local drive-in.

Well -- I gotta get going. Its only been since Friday since I weighed-in - so I guess we'll find out this morning if the pound was related to salt and water retention. I think it was - but hey, the worst that can happen is I find out it wasn't and move on, right?

Good Morning

Another summer weekend is over, where are they all going to!
My Saturday catch-up WI was very surprising. As I've mentioned I've had trouble staying OP and I almost didn't go to WI but decided to face the music. Well, I was down 4.8 . I'm a bit concerned that it is partially due to the morning/evening weight difference but it sure gave me a big boost to keep on track. Staying for the meeting after to go over the program was a good refresher course as well.

My cold is about 85% gone but the rest of the family is coming down with it now. My youngest daughter is not very happy she has her "Grands" softball tournament this weekend in Ottawa and doesn't want to be feeling bad with a cold. She is drinking lots of fluids and taking Cold and Sinus medicine to help combat the cold.

Bunny: good luck at your first official WW weigh-in, I'm sure you'll do fine. As for people knowing what your up to, forget about them, you are doing this for you and you can't change how they think. If your not dieting they will think one way and and you are they may be thinking something else. The people who really care about you want you to be healthy and you are making the life style changes that are important to YOU! Keep it up, you won't regret it and soon you won't care what other people think.

Liliac: Sound like the Jazz concert was great and it's it wonderful to have a few glasses of wine and feel ok about it. Dogs and Cats sure does look like a silly movie but sometimes those are the best kind.

Luna: Hang on and get back on track. I know it's hard but we can't give up. Well I'll tell you NO amount of rain could have ruined that Reba concert....... Those gals put on a show that was worth twice as much as I paid. Thank goodness for umbrellas and blankets. I can't wait till the fall line up is anounced for concerts at the Place of Auburn Hills. I just love going to concerts.

j-ann: Great buy, now you have no excuse to do the upstairs vacuuming... P.S. - that is a GREAT quote. I'll keep it in my mind.

Thin: That sounds like a great trip. I've been up that way a couple times. Yes, the concert was at Pine Knob, I got there early and got great lawn seats. And to think I almost didn't go because I couldn't get seats in the pavillion. I'm glad I changed my mind. Your comments about the kids made me laugh. Mine are 21,19,16 and I still do too much for them.

Diane: I'm staying that the Travel Lodge right downtown Ottawa on the weekend. My daughter plays her Softball tournament in Kanata and if you not busy and have 100 people or so to bring along with you, the Lady Expos could use as much fan support as they can get. LOL..... I've not been to Ottawa before, I'm glad we are staying downtown, I'll get a chance I hope to take in a couple sites. Good to hear things are getting better for you.

Maggie: Hi

Have a terrific OP day and week Ladies!

Just a quick check in to say: it was definitely the salt/water thing on Friday. I'm down FOUR pounds. I stayed for the meeting -- which I probably won't do again. I hated it. Just HATED it. First of all, none o' these women appear to need to lose more than 20 pounds if that -- nothing against those losin' less, but I felt like an odd duck. There were stars on the wall for each lifetime member at this location since 1997. Of the hundred or so there, only a couple were to folks who'd lost more than 40 pounds. My leader was a gal who'd lost 15 pounds. And everyone was much, much older than I am -- like the two folks celebrating 70+ birthdays. The meeting was flat, no participation. The leader wasn't terribly engaging. I think, perhaps, I was expecting too much but I was very disappointed.

I'll try to find another meeting time/location somewhere within 50 miles or so of my home, but I'm not sure what it'll take to get me back for a meeting. I'll keep weighing-in, of course, in the meantime.

(Sorry to be such a downer. It was very disappointing and I'm not over it yet, I guess!)