Hikein - You and I are going to get our butts in gear, that's what!!! I don't know Cristin, but I have my switch right here I know how you're feeling, girl. Today has been really crappy!! Let's make a promise to one another that we will get back on plan and kick some a** on that scale. We CAN do this. WE CAN AND WE WILL! You with me????

Lucy - Your post sounded SO encouraging! I am so glad your headache is gone. I had to go to the emergency room a couple of months ago with a migraine from he**! Your dog sounds very affectionate and big! Wow! And...you kicked butt at the grocery store! You are set up for success.

Jennifer - Where are you today?? I agree with Hikein -you are beautiful! Inside and out! You are such an inspiration to me!! Thank you

Guys, I want you to know that I had a rough day eating today. I will be totally honest, because it helps me none to hide these things. But I want you to know that I feel crappy as a result, and I am committed to changing my eating overall!! I promise!! I have PMS in a BAD WAY!! Oh, I feel rotten. But that is not an excuse to eat everything not nailed down. I am encouraged, because in the past I would just keep on and on eating badly, but I think I have come to a point that I learn my lesson after eating really badly. (Now watch me scarf up everything in sight this weekend after I just said that!) Seriously, I am going to be on track for water and exercise and eating this weekend.

I'll check back in with you guys this evening (That is if I don't get attacked by a hot tub cover By the way, thanks for being concerned with my little "accident". It means so much to me to have guys like you that care. Talk to you soon!

Afternoon, chickies! Hope everyone is having a great Friday! It's weekend time! Yes!!!

I had a thought...since Monday is the 15th, and then we're halfway through the month, do we want to have a mid-challenge weigh in, or do we want to wait until the end of the month? And then, after this challenge, do you want to do something for April? Ideas? Suggestions, please!

Lucy- you little munchkin! 5'1"....you're teeeny! Just teasing you chickie. When I was in school, I was always one of the tallest- in my graduation class, they sat us boy-girl according to height....and of course, I was one of the last 6 girls to be interspersed with all the 6'+ guys. Now, once I lose the weight, I'll finally look as tall as I am at 5'10. And you are so right about how checking in here can give you an instant mood boost- we really, really, really have a great group here. Without everyone, I'd have veered off course...you keep me accountable.


Julie- Don't make me beat you, chica! I'll have to put on my Cristin hat & come up with a good lecture, or just find a cattle prod & zap you back on track You are going to do this...even if I have to drag you along, kicking & screaming! What exercise did you do today???

Well, sure, I say that, and then have to retract it after the compliment. Blush! Thank you. That's in my "thinner" days- well, relatively speaking, since I've never been thin And darn it, you're another munchkin! (( kidding )) Darnit, when I get into an 18-20, I'm not going to be able to wear anyone's "hand me ups" because my legs are probably about 6" longer than yours! And I am making note of that date...I now know 2 birthdays...gonna have to do something special...

Lisa- Ouch! Are you & hubby ok today? Poor guy nearly knocked unconscious...nothing like that to ruin the mood. (((Lisa))) My head hurts just reading about that. Owwwwies! LOL @ the bike comment....it's about time I got a good one. My old one stayed at my mother's when I moved in with hubby. It was a reject from the early 80s- one my mom bought, with a bright orange vinyl seat, and "handles" that moved your arms (you couldn't make them stay still) the whole time. Well, that bike was horrible, but I used it. Then, mom got a bird that destroyed the seat- he'd bite holes in the vinyl, and you'd be sitting on the seat & move & it would dig into your skin and cut you, or scrape you. It was a torture device! So, when I showed hubby how serious I was- doing my WATP every day, and no deviations from my plan, that was my reward. A bike that I can actually use without all the torture, although it does hurt my butt if I do it for too long. You'd think my cushioning (JLo's butt on one side, all her sisters on the other) would keep it from aching, but noooo, it's the tailbone area that hurts.

My bike wouldn't make fun of yours...it would probably kill to have a lighter tush on it so it didn't have to work so hard. Yours would run screaming from me before i could get near it

Breakfast & lunch went as planned...kinda hard to deviate when you don't bring anything else & work where the only "temptation" around is the soda machine. Dinner will probably be something quick & nukeable so that I can get a jump on housecleaning. Our new vaccuum came yesterday (our old one gave up the fight a few months ago- it spits out more dust & cat hair than it was sucking up, and you'd have to go over the same spot at least 30 times to get anything up.) so I'll be playing Lucy this weekend and doing some cardio cleaning. I'm already prepared to be skanky...will go home, do the WATP, fill my huge 52oz mug with lime diet coke (I will need the caffeine) have dinner, and then get started. Hubby has to work at least one day this weekend, so between laundry, vacuuming the whole house, and everything in it, and scrubbing the master bathroom, I'll have my hands full. My school is changing over their system this weekend, so no classwork can be submitted until I get my new login & password, so a weekend without schoolwork will give me some free time. Maybe I'll have some free time to chill out & take a bubble bath.

I'll check back tonight...have a great Friday & wonderful weekend!

Lisa - we all fall off track. =) PMS totally sucks, and I am totally lucky because I only have my period 4x/year!! hah!! but when I have it... oh, boy, I ain't getting out of bed for ANYTHING. Just get back on track tomorrow, and consider today your "off" day. =) If you DO feel the need to munch constantly (which I am feeling today... hehe), munch on carrots, or chew some gum! I find very often, that if I eat a mint, and suck on it for a good 10 minutes, my head shuts up. =) You'll be fine, girl!

Jennifer -- Haha you've got the cleaning disease!!! I'm not alone!!! *G* But you're totally right about me being a munchkin -- my husband is 6'4"!!! Aren't we an odd couple *G*. My mom was always the tallest, too. She's almost 5'10", and everyone else in my family is very tall. Not sure where I got it... =)

Okay my house is clean, I am going crazy, and I need to eat something else. I'm eating lunch, but I have those stupid freakin munchies. *beats the munchies with her shoe* GO AWAY!!!

So I'm going to drag in a bag of carrots, and if worse comes to worse, I'll be a carrot-girl today. Could be worse!! =)

Keep up the awesome work, you guys!!

OK, well I didn't check in really, yesterday and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed right now! I gave myself til 8am to be on the computer, which means Ihave 10 minutes left...certainly NOT long enough to do what I want to do here. I spent the better half of the last hour going through old emails and cleaning out my mail box. I need to do the same with the rest of my house today! Ugh! And I have laundry, dishes, breakfast, meal planning, exercise planning and actually DOING exercise to do yet. But....

I wanted to comment to all of you that I appreciate your support and I feel the love there is in this group! I truly appreciate each and every one of you. I know that I am human and that there will be (and boy have there been) days when I have to really fight the fight! And there are days when it doesn't feel so hard...but I am glad that each of you are along for the ride!

Lisagirl...You bet...I am up for the challenge. I am starting today to implement a plan and with your and Jennifer's major support and enthusiasm and some assistance, I just may beat this monster that lives inside me!!! LOL! I would like to say that I am going to lose the 6#'s to get me into the 160's by the end of the month, but I will take any loss right now! So I am going to work very hard and be comitted for the rest of the month and see where the scale takes me! I gotta get going.

Jennifer---you rock, girl! I got inside your head with you and you make so much sense! If only I had figured that out a long time ago! I am going to paraphrase it (if I can) and hang it everywhere to remind me of what I need to do and why!!! Girls (if I may, Jennifer) If we prolong this weight loss by "wavering" (going off plan, etc.) for even one day...it will take us that much longer to acheive our goal! And how long do we want to wait to reach our goals??? Jennifer said it so much better, but that's it in a nutshell!

So my ultimate goal (and really my mission) is to stay on plan and remember that I won't reach my goal if I waver...even one day! I am doing this for myself, but also for my daughter! I am making that promise here right now for all to hear and if you should hear any excuses from me (and I mean ANY), I want you all to hold me accountable and do whatever you have to do to get my "thinking" back on track! Just some suggestions!!! (Hint: my daughter is truly my inspiration, so you can use her for reasons to crack the whip, also!!!)


Lucy---I could really use your energy right now! I have so many things to do around here...starting with a good dusting! I need to make a list and just start crossing things off as I do them! It will make me feel better!

I am not even going to write about my day yesterday because it is over. Today is a new day and my plan is to work my a** off (boy do I need to) around here and make this house shine. Then work on my menus and exercise plans for the rest of the month. It is now 8:05 and I need to get going! Hugs to all of you and thanks for your words...all of them. I love you chickies!!!

Pant, Pant, Pant.

1 mile WATP this morning, as a warm-up. LOL

1 room done, half a halway done, laundry underway....up & down the stairs, and this vacuun is pretty heavy, but it's resistance training, right? Washing windows is UB, right- biceps & triceps?

I'll be back...later....when I can sit & read & catch my breath.

Hope everyone is having a less productive weekend!

Hi guys!! Just wanted to check in quickly. I am soooo busy today! We have had a baseball game, a birthday party, and my house is so wrecked, I don't even know where to start!!! The word "mountain" does not even BEGIN to describe my laundry (we are a family of 5).

Just want you to know I AM RIGHT ON TRACK TODAY! And, I am going to stay on track! Hikein, Jennifer, Lucy, Please.....crack the whips!!!! I woke up this morning with a mission in mind. I will not be swayed this time. This weight is coming off if it kills me (and it may

Jennifer - When I read your post yesterday about the bird eating the seat - I just fell out laughing - I had tears rolling!! My DH said, "Are you o.k.?" I said, "Oh, Honey, it's so funny - the bird ate the seat!" And then he just sort of looked at me like I had lost my mind . Oh well, he loves me anyway

Hikein - I love your attitude! We are going to ROCK!!! We will be kicking a** and taking names at the scale! Just wait and see
*That goes for this ENTIRE GROUP!!!

Lucy - (and Jennifer ) - Just once I would love to post and report a clean house. However, I am not sure how long that will take!! I am in a bit of chaos here. Maybe I just need a new vacuum cleaner?????

I hope all of you chickies are having an awesome Saturday, and I want you all to know I am sending each one of you positive and happy thoughts!!

p.s. I commit to 64 ounces of water today, 5 miles on the bike, and a light toning workout for my arms. Before, I haven't committed specific things. I have always thought of myself as a woman of my word, and I will report back tonight to let you know how things went. I wish you all were here, so we could have a girls night out!!!

Lisa...you just crack me up! I like the taking names at the scale part of your post! And the comment about needing a new vacuum cleaner! LOL!

No "formal workout today for me, but since 8:05am until about 2pm (when I quit to take a shower and...I'll tell you the rest later) here's what I have accomplished:
Stripped the bedding and did all that laundry and started on the 4th load.
Vacuumed all three bedrooms (one's an office)
Washed all the windows on three levels of the house (we have four)
Dusted the bedrooms and even the cobwebs hanging from the ceiling (yuck!)
Cleaned the kitchen floor and bathroom floor (I always do this with a rag and bucket on my hands and knees...always...can't use a mop!)
Cleaned the toilet and around it
Cleaned the bathroom sink (I will get to the tub)

OK...that's about it! Then I showered and took DD to my sister's house to play with her cousins so DH and I could have a quiet night alone! We are going to a home improvement store first (Nice date, eh?)

So now I close and we will go. Catch you all in the morning!

Hello everyone

Glad to hear everyone is doing fine and staying op. I have to catch up on reading everyones posts as I've been away for the last week. Dh got tickets for Las Vegas as a reward for me staying on track. I lost at the slots and I also lost 2lbs. We left last Sun and returned Thur nite then dh gave me tickets for a Tom Jones concert for Fri nite (loved it ) But, now I need a rest. Dh and son#3 have left for Barry for a hockey tournament and the other children are either at work or at sleep overs so, I'm home alone and loving it.

I tried hard to stay op all week and think I lost the pounds because we walked alot and kept busy all week. I didn't drink the alotted water(I drank wine and spirtz's instead) will get back on track tomorrow. I don't know if I told you but last Sat before we left my daughter got the silver medal at the city wide Science Fair. So we flew out on a double high Sun.

I think I'll sign off for tonight and catch up with everyone tomorrow take care ladies til then.

Oh no!! My cleaning disease has rubbed off onto you guys, too!! =)

Photo shoot went pretty well today. Food was, eh... *shrug* Not the best, not the worst. But it was a long day and whatnot. I should have some pix Monday, hopefully!! YAY!!! =)

Other than that, no workout today because I was occupied... halfway tired, now, and hoping for sleep very very soon!!

I'll tell you guys more about today tomorrow. I want to pass out now...

you did your WATP at 8:30 Saturday morning, and it's now 3:35, and I'm still wide awake, and doing more laundry. Eek! I'm going to go face down at some point...I had a snack around 1, lunch around 7pm, and dinner at 1:30am.

Now, I just had 2 sugar free peppermint patties, because I've worked freaking hard! LOL- now to sit down & fold laundry...I think I have earned some time to myself. If I showered, or even got into the tub, I think I'd crash. So, I'm going to keep on going until my batteries give out

Hubby fell asleep while I was going laundry marathons downstairs- he finally got up again around 12:45- it's about time! LOL If I'm up, he needs to be up!

I'll be in at some point tomorrow to read & actually understand what I've read 3 times & isn't staying in my head. Have a wonderful weekend, chickies!

Well, I finally fell asleep at 5:30am. Egads! And was back up at 10am, to start the next round. I stopped, because I couldn't vacuum at that hour...took garbage out, did all the laundry that I could, and figured I'd finish up our room today- go thru drawers, too, and toss anything that's questionable.

Breakfast:
1 strawberry yogurt zone bar

Diet Coke...and I am going to keep pounding that today....the leaded stuff until about 2pm, then switch to caffeine free. Otherwise, I might be face down on the carpet before the day is half over. I wonder how bad I'd feel if I didn't get the exercise in that I promised Lyn I would do. Crap, can't start thinking like that...

Hi guys! Just to let you know, I'm still right on track!! This is a hectic day for me with church, 2 birthday parties, cleaning...Stress city!!! But things are good, and I am good too!! I will check back in later when I can have a minute to actually think!

Breakfast - chicken sandwich (Boca) and a few Wow Doritos
Lunch - Spicy beans over lots of salad veggies with lite sour cream
Snack - Smart Ones ice cream sandwich

Ok... so the photo shoot went awesomely yesterday, and I'll post the details in my regular journal, as it's a long story!! =)

Food yesterday was decent, but I was on the road most of the day. Ech! Woke up this morning, and felt way better - I'm getting a cold, or something... ech. So no workout today, unless you count a 2 mile walk, which I will count. *G* Slept in till noon today, which was nice. Other than that... today = chill out day!! Yesterday was extremely hectic. Dinner tonight is going to be something really yummy, because I am starving to death and today's my day off.

Game plan for tomorrow is as follows: WORK OUT!!! AGH!!

I hope you guys all had a great weekend!! I'm going to go eat junk food now, and savor my off-day.

Sounds like everyone had an especially busy weekend! Jennifer, you exhaust me just thinking about the hours you spend working on cleaning your house! I worked for some 6 hours and I ached all night! I get a real backache from cleaning...seriously! I don't know what that's all about, but especially laundry and folding clothes...and vacuuming! Those are the worst!

So, DH and I went on a date last night. Out to a pizza place. Had a salad, glass of wine and one large piece of pizza loaded with lots of yummy toppings! I was soooo full! Ugh! I had a stomach ache all night and couldn't get comfortable. We then went to Home Depot and looked at rolling trash cans and other misc. things that we DON'T need!!! LOL! We rented a movie and headed home by 8pm! DH promptly fell asleep on the couch before it even started (he always does!) but it didn't help that the had been drinking beer since noon!!! Oh well! It was a good movie...2nd Hand Lions! No sugar yesterday (unless you count the wine, which I should!)

Today...another story! EGADS! We hosted coffee hour at church today. My MIL makes a mean sour cream coffee cake and we had two in the freezer and some banana bread which she also made and took that. Everyone was raving about the coffee cake, so I tasted it. One taste turned into 1/2 piece! It WAS good! But I stopped at that and was getting ready to throw away the rest when a guy from the church came by to refill his coffee. I half jokingly offerred him the other 1/2...AND HE TOOK IT!!! LOL!!! Of course, he is as skinny as a rail! <SIGH> Aren't people funny???

Then...we went out for breakfast to meet my sister and her family who were taking care of DD and pick her up. We went to Perkins. I had a Greek Salad with balsamic vinagrette on the side. And water! It was good and I didn't even taste anyone's pancakes!!

Snack was some trail mix (oops...it had some M&M's in it...get the whip out!!!) and for supper I had beans and rice with salsa.

Water is around 48 oz. so far...need to start chugging...BRB gotta go get some now!

I have not had a chance to work out my program for the rest of the month, but I am going to work on it yesterday...um, er...I mean tomorrow (just reread what I had written...must be the procrastinator in me...LOL!) Seems a certain little 4 YO has wanted my undivided attention every time I want to get on the computer or start a task. She is watching a My LIttle Pony video right now to keep her occupied!


Lucy...glad to hear your photo shoot went well! I am anxious to see the pictures!!

Lisagirl...of course you are good! You ARE good! You are GOOD! Great job on avoiding all the goodies today. I give you lots of hugs and kudos!!

Well, the video is over and she is in here wanting my attention, so gotta run!

Hugs,
Julie

Jennifer - Are you possessed?? Only teasing chick! My 3 kids are "uncleaning" as fast as I clean!! You all are such a good influence on me - I scrubbed grout with a little brush, and I feel much better!! Hope you had a super Sunday chickie!!!

Lucy - Your photo shoot sounded like fun! I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself!

Julie - Guess what? I went out on a date night last night too!!! My Mom kept ALL THREE BOYS OVERNIGHT!! But, the funny thing is, we went to dinner (I was very good - had a blackened chicken salad & diet Coke) and then we went to Wal-Mart to buy groceries! Is that as romantic as Home Depot? Or do you have me beat??? LOL!!!
p.s. I like the coffee hour time at my church!! Yours sounded yummy

Northernclipper - Losing 2 pounds while on vacation is a real accomplishment! Way to go!!!!


Ever since I had that "bad day" a few days ago, my tummy has not felt too good. I have not eaten enough today. (Can you believe I just reported that????) Wow!! I am under my points, which is a rare situation indeed.

Well, off to get things ready for teaching Kindergarten tomorrow! Good Night!