Hey ladies. Well i fell off the wagon yet again this past weekend. I get so tired of screwing up every dang weekend. This time what threw me off was my dh and kids roasting pumpkin seeds....can you say OIL AND SALT! Rediculous. Then the grand parents mailed candy to the kids 1000 grand bars and butterfingers...ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!? Well needless to say...i had some of both. I am trying to look at it like, i only ate 2 bites of butterfinger and 1/2 of the 1000 grand...which is know is terrible...BUT, normally i would have eaten at least one whole one of each. So at least that is a step...although it is definately not a step towards my goal either.

Today on the other hand has been great calorie wise. Didnt get a workout in...worked too late. But at least water and cals are in check today. Tomorrow is surgery day...just some cysts are being removed, twigh-light sedation...so i wont be going to the gym tomorrow either. But i will probably not eat a lot either. I really miss my gym workouts...it is amazing how much better my body feels when i am in the gym.

Tina- Glad one of us had a good weekend. Good for you for planning ahead with meals. That will make or break my week. I think that is a lot of what is wrong with my weekends. But you'll be back to ticker in no time with that mentality.

Robbin- Mmmm bbq ...i wouldnt have turned it down either. Bbq is SO salty though, bet that scale will be back down by the middle of the week.

Michelle- With the before and during photo you posted...it looks like great progress. Good for you. Looking good.

Ok, time to get some laundry done.

ROBBIN...Great job with staying on track! You'll be in the 220s in no time now!

TINA...You're doing so good getting your groceries today and planning out all of your meals for the week. Do you get a lot of trick or treaters that come to your house? I remember growing up, we lived in a large residential neighborhood, and my parents would get 10 bags of candy, and sometimes my dad would have to run up and get more. I don't have any little ones anymore so it's not as fun now.

STACY...Thank you for the nice compliment on my pictures. Seeing them together made me really see the difference. I always mess up on the weekends too, and salt is also my enemy!

Well today was another hard day after trying to get over yesterday. I had to go get a copy made of my mom's death certificate, and then some reprints made of some pictures to send to family members. We are having such cold weather here, but beautiful sunshine during the day. This morning it was 34F and my DH said it's supposed to get down in the 20s tonight.

Well girlies gotta be a quickie this morning! Hope ya'll are doing well and things are moving your way. I am still having some issues to say the least, have gained 4.4 pounds since saturday morning when i hit a low of 237.6. SOOO now i am back up to 242. Yes there was some pigging out to account for it, but why should it take 8 days to get 4 pounds off and 3 to put it back on!!!!!!!! I do think some of it is water and lets suffice it to say feels like things are backing up a little. so maybe lots of water and getting back on plan will take care of things.

We are having warm spell (high of 75 today i think) so i may try to get outside with the kids some today and see if the fresh air will help my spirits!!

Hate to be the downer but need to lean on ya'll a little today! Really do hope ya'll are doing well! Erin

...Sorry I have been MIA over the weekend, but we had the most beautiful weekend. Hardly any wind and in the mid 60's, so I was busy helping my Hubby work in the yard and get buildings closed up for winter. We still have some stuff to move out of the garage so we can get the car in, hope to do that today.

Robbin and Tina...It absolutely drives me NUTS having to look at tall grass, but with the big mower down, the riding lawnmower down, there isn't much I can do about it. Sure can't mow 7 acres with a push mower, and I wouldn't try it with the tall grass and weeds we have. I did mow around the buildings, but still need to mow in front of the barn.

Michelle...I'm following the Core plan with Weight Watchers. I can eat lean meats, veggies, fruit, milk/yogurt, and grains. Any food that isn't a core food I count the points and deduct it from the 35 points I'm allowed for the week. So if I have 1/2 c egg beaters, veggie sausage patty, mushrooms, 1 cup milk, tangelo and 1 slice of whole wheat toast. Everything is core food, except the toast and that would count as 2 points. I watch my portions and judge form 0 to 5 how hungry I am. I also write down in my journal what I ate, how much water I drank, if I got my five servings or more of fruit/veggies and my 2 servings of milk/dairy. I also write down how long I exercised.

Erin...75 degrees sounds wonderful. Mother nature decided to go out with a bang here. After having such a beautiful fall weekend, we dropped 45 degrees yesterday to 24 for our high, had wind gust up to 45 MPH and snowing hard. We got 1" and suppose to have more today. Looks like the kids that are going treat or treating will be in snowsuits. Erin, will post a picture of the baby quilt either tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for asking.

Stacy...Don't you just hate it when the candy is calling your name? That little bit shouldn't hurt you. Just kick your rear in gear and increase your workout and chug the water, you'll be back on track in no time.

Well girls, I need to get busy and get my house cleaned, have a meeting with our Social worker this afternoon and my hubby and I need to finsh cleaning the garage so we can get the car in. I'm going to have to bundle up for that one, we are only going to be 32 today. BRrrrrrrrrrr!!!

Cheryl

Good morning ladies, how are the scales treating everyone? Not so good here, I am still at 222. What really gets me is that it doesn’t matter what time of day I weigh they still say 222.0 every time. I weighed before bed last night and they read 222 so of course I thought oh yeah in the morning they will be back to at least 221 but nope they weren’t they were right there at 222.0, now does that not make any sense? I have got to be retaining water for that to happen right?

Stacy – I completely understand your weekend problem, I have the same one. It wouldn’t be so bad if we spent all weekend at home where I make good choices but we are always so busy or going to someone’s house and that is where I screw up.

Michelle – We aren’t quite as low temperature wise as you but it is cold here today, the temp this morning is 39 and isn’t supposed to get over 50 today the worst part is we are having so much wind it feels like the cold cuts right through you. It will be a cold night for trick-or-treating for us.

Erin- I am sure your scale problem is that stupid WWW that we all have problems with. Just keep yourself on track and you will be back to 237 in no tome at all.

Cheryl – SNOW, YUCK! I am not ready for that yet. I don’t mind it around Christmas but in October that is just too early. Good luck on the garage cleaning.

I have found a new substitute for regular bread. Have any of you heard of Lavash Bread? It is like a tortilla but has only 2 grams of fat and 6 carbs. It is very soft and pliable and makes the best wraps. The shape is different from tortillas too they are probably a 12”x12” square so very big and you can really pile on the fixings, I used deli Cajun Turkey, Kraft Light done Right 2 Cheese Ranch Dressing, Lettuce and Tomato and it was yummy.

Well better get to work. Check back later.

ERIN...Your weather sounds perfect; it's 32F here this morning and supposed to get up to 55F today for the high. Within one day of eating out on Saturday, I was up about 6 pounds, that's crazy!

CHERYL...This weather thing is so weird! First we complain in the summer when it's horribly hot, and then we complain when it's so cold; can't it just be perfect lol! You're doing so good with your food plan, it sounds great!

ROBBIN...The scale really irritates me too! It takes so long to just lose 1-2 pounds, but like I said above, I can gain several pounds in one day, just seems so wrong!

HELLO to everyone else! Today I'm just finishing up all the thank you cards so I can get them all mailed out tomorrow morning. I was waiting for the obituary so I can include one in each card along with a memorial folder too. My DH got about 20 papers from the schools yesterday, so I have plenty. I hope all of you have a nice day and a fun and safe Halloween tonight!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I spent the morning volunteering at Alyssa's class party. Like I said I made monter toes and simple pimples. While the kids were out doing their parade to other class rooms another mom and I totally wiped school and replaced it with ghoul. The kids had so much fun. Today feels so totally off track, maybe being side tracked will do it. Just feels like a holiday, laxy dazy day.

We got dumped on over the weekend so I have to go out and make sure the sidewalks are salted and cleared for tonights big adventure. I did happen to make a snowman too! and my DH made Alyssa a hill in the back yard so she can slide anytime she wants. This year is full of a lot new things for her. I was always too protective for her to go outside so much before in case she caught a flu...but hey, she's five now, I think flu's are built in anyways! LOL!

Stacy, you're preaching to the choir sista! I for one know all about the weekends totally blowing ones game plan. And you're right, it all has to do with no schedules and no plans. Weekends are always flying by the seat of our pants. Lets hope that we can maintain on the weekends instead of gain! LOL!

Michelle, this will be my second Halloween in this house. Because it's a new development that there isn't a whole lot of families. But certainly more than last year, this year. My step-son stays home to hand out candy so I don't get to see how many kids we get. I think he said we got a dozen last year, but like I said this year the population of our neighbored has doubled so hopefully we'll get more.

Erin, keep hanging in there girl! This will eventually fall back inline for us. It might take a little time for us to re-adjust and our bodies to give in again. Keep doing what you know and keep posting!!!! Oh, by the way...enjoy your nice weather while I'm out shoveling! LOL!

Cheryl, another one with nice weather huh?! Phooey! Hope all your fall preps go smoothly and quickly before you get hit with the white stuff!

Robbin, I wish there was some type of class one could take on all the changes and why there aren't any changes in your body when there is so much effort put into it. Will we ever figure this one out?! Have faith in your actions, the scale will move back to where it was soon!

I gotta get some housework done. Have a great day ladies and a safe Halloween. Keeping fingers crossed that there will be more treats and than tricks!!

TTFN!
~Tina

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Well i made it through surgery. It was pretty neat, all the nurses were dressed up for halloween. My back is super sore...i plan on going to the gym tomorrow but i will probably just be able to do some kind of biking for cardio...*maybe* some on ellipitical. I am pretty nervous about my weigh in on friday considering that my exercise is going to only be about 10% of what it usually it. I am hoping i feel MUCH better tomorrow. He removed a cyst on my bicep, shoulder, and back. So what does that leave...butt and leg exercises i guess. i was kind of prepared though for this week to be bad for weight loss. After the weekend i had AND the surgery...i will be lucky to break even.

Tina- I am going to plan for this weekend. I am determined for this coming weekend to be a new way of looking at weekends. I need to get my elliptical fixed so i can do that on days when i cant get to the gym...for some reason i just cant seem to make it to the gym on weekends. One thing that was a positive about today...i got PLENTY of water through my IV...went through several bags of saline...been running to the potty ever since i got home. I bet your daughter was thrilled to have mom helping with the big party at school, makes them feel so special.

ELEM- Right there with you babe. i am up 6 lbs from ticker weight ....amazing what one bad weekend can do. Geeze. Lets stick it out together...we can show that evil scale whose boss.

Robbin- My scales are not being good to me either. I skipped many days in a row in the gym, pigged out over the weekend, and TOM is just a day or two away. Its going to be an interesting weigh in this friday. That is wild about it being stuck at 222. That will make you want to shake it and throw it. I hate to get excited at night thinking, ah cool, it will go down at least 1-2 pounds by morning and....NOTHING. Patience my dear.

Cheryl- 7 acres, how nice. I know it is a lot of work though. We have just over 2 acres with a berry patch, veggie and herb garden, and fruit tree orchard and it is A LOT of work to get everything ready for winter. Its good healthy work though, work that makes you feel good at the end of the day. Thanks for the "kick" into gear...i needed that.

Stay strong tonight ladies, i know it will be challenging, especially for thoe of us with little gouls and goblins.

TINA...I miss the days of helping in my girl's classrooms for parties. It was always so much fun and the kids were always so excited! We went to my sister and brother in law's house tonight for a good turkey dinner, and they live in a really nice neighborhood, and the cars kept pulling in lined up clear around the streets. They had a few hundred trick or treaters.

MICHELLE...I am so sorry for the passing of your grandmother. There is nothing that can prepare you at all for when they are gone, and you and your family are in my prayers. Thank you for your kind words also. This has been such a horribly hard two weeks and I still can't believe she's really gone. It will be a long process to take in, but I take it one day at a time. I hope you get to feeling better soon. What you have is very dangerous so please take good care of yourself.

Hey girls, hope everyone is having a good morning. I am not going to do personals right now. I am feeling kinda down today and just don't feel up to personals. I can't seem to get certain things off of my mind this morning, such as my hubby going to Iraq in May. I know it is still 6 months away but it is bringing me down today. I think the real reason I am so down is because of the scales, I just don't understand them. When I weighed first thing this morning they said that stupid # of 222 yuck, but then I went to the bathroom (and it was quite the healthy trip if you know what I mean) so I decided to weigh again and I do not understand this but the scales went up to 224, does that make any sense? My numbers food wise were pretty good for yesterday with 1495 calories, 46 fat grams and 158 carbs. The only thing I was over on was carbs and that was only by 20. When the scales are this way I get so tired of measuring all of my food and keeping track of it all. Makes me want to say what the heck maybe I am meant to be fat. But I hate that word, fat, I hate being fat. I just want to cry today.

Sorry for the cry baby whining. Check back later.

ROBBIN...I'm so sorry you're down and not having such a good day. It doesn't matter that it's still six months until DH goes to Iraq, or even one month, it's the fact that he has to go and that would also worry and upset me too, you have every right to be upset. I don't even know what to say about the nasty scale. The same thing has also happened to me before and some days, I just never want to see it again. I hope your day gets better and just know that we're all here for you anytime.

Afternoon ladies! Anyone else getting annoyed with the bag of chocolate, chips and sweets sitting around staring at you, calling you and tempting you? I know I am!! So far I have avoided its beckon, but dang...IT'S HARD!!

Stacy, glad to know your surgery went well. How are you doing today? You say the doctor remove "a" cyst from your back, shoulder and bicep, was it that big??? And you know you shouldn't put so much thought into this weeks weigh in when you're unable to give it all you've got due to your surgery. Just do your best, and remember that you're doing so well!

Ryanmi, nice to see you back again but sorry to hear of your grandmothers passing. You're so right, no matter how much you think you would prepare yourself for the actuallity of it, it just never seems real when it happens. It sucks that your stricken with walking pneumonia again. I hope all those drugs and this week off of work will send onto a speedy recovery.

Michelle, all this volunteering and little parties for my daughter is so new to me still. I would have to agree, watching her get all excited and so happy about the events makes my heart fill with so much joy. In some ways I feel like a kid again too...shhhhh! A few hundred trick-or-treaters?!! Wow, how does one prepare for that? I'm much afraid my bowl wouldn't haven been able to handle that. LOL!

Robbin, ohhhh... I'm sorry hear this day is being a tough one on you. I know the scale has so much "weighing" on our minds when we try to become a "skinnier" person. Which would have to remind us of our reason for doing this. Are we losing weight to become "skinnier" or are we doing it to become a more healthier person. I know a lot of us are highly motivated by the thought of fitting in and feeling normal being smaller. But I think getting healthier deserves just as much "weight" as that dang scale. Take pride in what you've accomplished, you'll be watching that scale go down again very soon!

Hoping you all are having a great day!
TTFN!
~Tina

Hey gals, doing well today...still a lot more sore than i thought i would be after surgery. I was sure i would be able to at least ride a stationary bike today...turns out, apparently i was still pretty numb when i thought that. Woke up today in a lot of pain and cant sit comfortably in a chair since i have stitches on my back. I did well on calories though, on the bright side, turns out analgesics curb your appetite. Cool.

Tina- Yes, i am totally tired of goodies screaming at me...the ones the kids brought home last night are on the kitchen bar. They get thrown out tomorrow when no one is looking. There were 3 cysts in all. One on my bicep, one on my shoulder, and one at the bra line on my back. The ones on the arm and shoulder were more like light colored moles and smaller than a pencil eraser...but doc had to take them with margins so i ended up with 3 scars that are about 3 inches each...bummer. I had the bright idea of getting them all done at once. Not so bright of an idea now, but doc thought 2 of the 3 might be cancerous...so they needed to go. The one on my back was truly a cyst and it was deep in the fat of my back...that is the one that REALLY hurts today.

Robbin- I have done that exact same thing with going to the bathroom only to come off the potty weighing more than when i got on it...NUTS. I would LOVE for a scientist to explain that one. I am so sorry about the stress you are having with your dh going to Irac, i cant imagine what that must feel like. Just know my prayers are with our military always.

Ryanmi72- SO SO SO glad to hear from you again. Really been missing you. That is great that you have been able to maintain. So sorry to hear about your grandmother. Funny what wacky family comes out of the woodwork when someone passes. Walking pnuemonia huh? That is terrible. I had that once in my life and let me just say, there is nothing worse than feeling like you are not getting air. YUK. Feel better soon and keep in touch.

Ok, time for another Percocet...oh my aching back. Sorry about the whinning...but geeze it hurts to sit and lean back, but then i cant lay down on my back or right side either....boo hoo hoo.

Ok girls a quick stop for now and I will try to get back for a few personals a bit later. I spent my time yackin with the other girls in the office before clocking into work and now I am out of time.

The scales were at 221 this morning which is very good but when I weighed before bed last night they were 220 now does that make any sense? Oh well, I am eating right and exercising so they have to move sooner or later. I just hope for the sooner.

Well better get to work. Check back later.