CH-------will lose 30
Stacy----will lose 32--10 down--22 to go!
card-----will lose 20--4 down--16 to go!
trob ---- will lose 30-7 down--24 to go
Sno------will lose 36--5 down--31 to go!
Nawchem-goal 12lbs ----down 4
lachona---will lose 40--10 down--30 to go!
Chaarli----will lose 20
Dollypie---will lose 30--8 down--22 to go!
Whirleygirl-will lose 25
Bertine----will lose 25--6 down--19 to go!

Wow Dolly!!!! Passing up chocolate cake! I'm impressed!

Bertine 9lbs is really good. Plus you're very close to your goal wt.

card some of us are doing the walktober challenge, that would give you some companionship.

getn healthy I was shocked to read the words scarlet fever. How on earth do you catch that? Poor thing I hope shes feeling better fast.

Well I had something to post getting caught on the posts it totally slipped my mind.

Well--

I hope we hear from everyone soon--I love everyones goals for this week!

Nancy--keep us posted, I'm sure you had something important to say!

Good Morning Chicks,

It was so foggy driving to work this morning, I could barely see the car in front of me. I made it to work fine, but there were several wrecks reported, hopefully they are all okay. Well DH has a job interview today and has a phone interview later today, everyone keep your fingers crossed. This is a big ego booster for him, I just hope the interview goes well. So I uped the resistance on the elliptical today and I felt like I was in slow motion, but the thigh muscles were working on overload. I hope I did not over do it. Tomorrow I am thinking of doing 10 min intervals on the treadmill, bicycle, and elliptical to change up my workout.

Sno: The desserts at MIL are always good, but they are never served at specific time they just sit out all day long and you graze. When I walked in I smelled the cookie bars and then saw the cake. After only being there about and hour and seeing MIL go for thirds on dessert just for a snack it was a revelation. This is what I have done for years, grazing on food and desserts. So I took in a deep breath of the smell and said it is going to stop. I have been trying to only sit down and eat at specific times and making my food count the past few weeks. So I said after dinner if I am still hungry I will have a small piece. After dinner dessert wasn't even mention so I didn't miss the cake. I took your advice and brushed my teeth after eating. When they all had cake and coffee at 9pm I said no thanks and went to get a boardgame for all of us to play. By the time I set it up they had all the dishes in the sink. This was a big accomplishment for me.

card: I always like my doctor's scale better as well. It is usually 3 pounds lighter with my clothes on.

Getnheatlhy: I am so sorry to hear about your daughter. I didn't even know you could get scarlet fever anymore. I hope she is better soon.

Bertine: good to see you are stopping by

getn healthy, scarlet fever? wow! that just comes from streph, right? i hope she is ok.


snow, it is pretty close to my goal weight, i am hoping that i will lose another 9-10 pounds by my birthday in november and another chunk of it by new years. every time i start eating i think "30 pound, you just want to lose 30 pounds" and that gets me to stop eating before i am stuffed. today i am wearing a pair of pants that i couldn't get into a month ago. it feels awesome.

Stacy----will lose 32--12 down--20 to go!
card-----will lose 20--4 down--16 to go!
trob ---- will lose 30-7 down--24 to go
Sno------will lose 36--5 down--31 to go!
Nawchem-will lose12--4 down--8 to go!
lachona---will lose 40--10 down--30 to go!
Dollypie---will lose 30--12 down--20 to go!
Bertine----will lose 25--9 down--16 to go!

I fixed the ones I could figure out--card is yours right? I took out a few people who we have not heard from in a while--if you come back, feel free to add yourself to the list!

so according to this we have all lost 63 lbs in 5 weeks--we are awesome.

Dolly--thanks for letting us know your process in avoiding the sweets--it can be really motivating to see other people over eat. I know one time I was in the store and I kept running into a lady who was very overweight to the point where she could hardly walk. Then I was behind her in the grocery line and she had a pile of bread, english muffins, cookies and cakes. I had veggies fruit and meat. I felt sad for her but it was also a warning--I love all the food she was buying!

Bertine--you are doing so great--what an inspiration. I bet you look wonderful in those pants--keep it up. And thanks for telling us how you do it! Those kind of stories really get me through the day!

I made carrot soup again yesterday--it was really yum!! And only 78 cals a cup.

Hello, well i am doing well today. Glad to be back on track for the week. I slipped a bit over the weekend, but basically back on plan by Sunday. I have decided that i like the "thought" of exercising, i hate the act of it, and i LOVE the feeling AFTER i exercise. My son asked me last night, "mom, when you are on the ellipitical, at what time do you say, ok, i can do this for the whole 30 minutes." I told him when the number hits 30:00 and i step off, i realize i can do it. Isnt that sad, ha ha. But really the whole time i am on it, i am saying "OMG, i HATE this, i just cant make it this time. How in the world did i do 30 full minutes yesterday?" Then i finally reach 30 minutes and realize i did it again.

Daughter is MUCH better today. Had to get her off the trampoline...so that is a good sign. Thank you all for your concern. I had NO IDEA scarlet fever was still an issue in todays day and age. I thought we had vaccines for stuff like that. Blew my mind.

Sno-Thank you for updating the weight loss list. We have done so well as a group...big pat on the back for all of us .

Bertine- Yep, scarlet fever comes for the strep infection of group A staph. Apparently the cycle goes, strep, scarlet, and then rheumatic. Very scary. Woohoo to you for fitting into clothes that you couldnt a month ago. WTG.

Dollypie-Good idea on upping the resistence. You inspired me to do the same on my ellipitical. I must say, i too felt like i was running in tar...like a cartoon in slow motion. I think i will work up to a harder resistence. Maybe do 1 or 2 minutes at higher resistence then go back down for 3-4 and just kind of alternate. I am working regularly at resistence 3, that is not too fast, not to slow for me. Time to up it though, thanks for the idea. I like your and sno's idea of brushing your teeth. I do the same thing at work with REALLY strong gum...keeps me from snacking.

Naw-I dont know how you catch scarlet. From what the doc said, it is a strep infection gone crazy. Some people get strep and it stays strep, then some people are "allergic" to that bacteria and it develops into scarlet. Her poor little chest and back were covered in what looked like a heat rash. I felt so stupid for saying, "oh and she has this little heat rash"...like the rash was barely worth mentioning, i thought it was not even related to the strep, just a rash from the fever breaking or something. That taught me a lesson that whatever i may think i know about illness and medicine...i really dont know crap.

Card- You are so funny...waiting on the boss to retire and the kids to move out...you sound like my dh.

Ok, talk to you gals later.

Well another day of 3:00 binging (I need to work on my afternoon snack, I over eat cronically at that time.) It is my absolute weak point. The work day is almost over and they bring out snack at work, I've asked repeatedly to not have to be the one to serve it, I serve snack EVERY morning, but every day at 3:00 I end up being the one at the snack table to serve. It is getting very frustrating. I'm going to my supervisor tomorrow and telling her I absolutely refuse to serve afternoon snack any more. I also haven't been exercising in the evenings, I think in the spring i'm going to invest in some type of exercise machine, feeling the christmas cash crunch too much right now. Well at least I have a plan now. I have been really good in the mornings, at lunch and in the evenings. So here's to me!!!

dolly - fingers are crossed, wishing you and your dh all the luck in the world

Bertine - keep going!!! you are doing so well.

sno - i'm sticking with 205 for now, I keep bouncing between 205 and 210 so until my body decides what the heck it is doing, i'm just keeping the low weight and hoping for the best.

naw - where is the walktober challenge posted, cause I can really use a jump start right now.

get n - I really wish i could get into the swing of exercise, I just can't find one I can stick to and then I find it so easy to find something else to do. I really need to organize my life better. get my priorities straight, but with how much I hate housework it should count this week, my house is spotless top to bottom, laundry is done. Carrying the laundry basket up and down stairs really should count. and sweeping, i hate sweeping.

So I am having a blah day because of yesterday. I had great intentions to go home and cook a healthy meal, but the electricity kept going off and on. We had nothing in the house to eat so DH wanted to eat somewhere. I thought okay a salad from somewhere. But the electricity was not just our neighborhood, but a three county ordeal. No one had electricity and alot of the restaurants would not serve people. So on the way home DH found a Popeye's that was still serving. I ended up having a popcorn shrimp meal with mac and cheese and a biscuit. I was so hungry I ate all of it. I went to do my calories that evening and that one meal had too many calories to mention. Way too many. So I guess yesterday was my splurge meal even though it wasn't too good. Looks like I will need to double up on the workout today.

card: Try and occupy yourself with something else during snack time and do talk to your boss about it.

getnhealthy: Glad to hear your daughter is doing better. When I am on the elliptical I put the towel over the timer so I don't have to watch the clock tick away second by second.

card the walktober challenge is in the chicks up for a challenge section. Do you kindergarten or is this a snack for adults? My energy is really low at 3 so I have some caffeine then.

snow hope you're starting to feel better.

stacy I think if you don't know if you're going to make 30min it means your really challenging yourself to progress!

Well I talked to third in command at work, she is a real sweetheart. My boss is an egomaniacal you know what and my supervisor is not playing with a full deck, so I have the snack situation settled for the moment. I work in a day care so we feed the kids 3 times a day. I serve morning snack every day, it doesn't bother me because i have never been a breakfast eater, so I bring a piece of fruit and i'm good. We eat lunch with the kids, but it's bring your own so i'm ok there. It is just that 3:00 blah, i bring a piece of fruit or some yogurt but it just doesnt' cut and I end up snacking uncontrolablly. So today the other girl served snack for me and she said she will continue to do so. So far today I have stuck to my diet and have walked for 30 mins. So pretty good.

dolly - sorry to hear about the blah day, but it happens once in awhile, sometimes it feels like even nature is against us.

naw - We are not allowed to have hot beverages or sodas at work so I may start bringing some ice mocha or something if i can find a low cal version. Caffine would probably really help. I'll have to check into that, thanks for mentioning it.

Hello, oh, i am SO bummed. I was working on my ellipitical...i had a REALLY crappy day at work...being a good girl and taking it all out on the ellipitical and it broke. Just flat out lost resistence. This is the second time this has happened. I read a review not too long ago that talked about Reeboks Rbels being notorious for that...so i guess there was some substance to the article. I got it fixed last time for around $150 in parts and labor...that was just a year ago...i really dont want to pay that again on a machine that i bought 2 years ago for $600. Now what am i supposed to do? I have made an apt to check out a new gym in my area but if it is too pricey i am not going to be able to do it. Oh well. Me and ds are going to go over there and check it out on saturday i guess, but that doesnt help me during the rest of my week. Tomorrow is a full work day and i know i will never go to the gym after work. This is my last week of work where i am now...THANK GOD. so i start my new job next week and i was already tinkering with the idea of a gym since i will just be working 2 days a week, so maybe this is a sign that this gym is where i am supposed to be. Just very upset that i was only 15 minutes into my workout. Thank goodness i had already done my core secrets balance ball, then had moved on to the ellipitical and was half way through before it quit, but still...it is 2 days til weigh in.

Card-Well that is good news about the 3 pm snack being taken off of you. That is my weakest time too. I am usually just getting home from work and the kids are wanting after school snacks...and i would much rather have what they are having....big bowls of cereal...but i usually opt for my yogurt or string cheese. Oh and the house work...it definately counts. It seems like i spend ALL saturday or sunday cleaning and i count every minute of it...heck i usually clean 3 hours straight. I know what you mean about exercise though...i do really hate it and i could find much more fun things to do....but alas i really try to opt for exercise 6 days a week...ugh.

Nawchem-Thanks for the encouragement about pushing it the 30 minutes, i like your thinking...maybe that does mean i am making progress. I am part of the walktober thing too. I like it...i need something to keep me going.

Dollypie-That is so funny about putting a towel over the timer ...i know it. I cover it up and then it feels like i have been on it an eternity...or well, at least 12 minutes, then i sneak a peek and see it has only been 6 or 9 minutes...then i really feel like i am going to die. ha ha ha

I don't know what was wrong with me last night. I woke up at 1am and 3am ready to get up and get going for the morning. Then at 5am I was wide awake again and made it to the gym. I don't feel tire now, but hope it does not hit me this afternoon.

Yesterday evening I went to take the dog out for a quick walk around the block and one of my friends called on my cell phone. I ended up talking to her about 30 minutes and just kept walking. When I looked at my pedometer I had clocked 1.89 miles. Maybe I should talk on the phone all the time when I walk.

Get n healthy: Sorry to hear about your broken elliptical. I would definetly recommend a gym though. I thought about getting an elliptical, but then I thought it would become a place to hang my clothes. With the gym membership I pay about $1.25 a day, and I have four types of cardio equipment to choose from and three different circuits for weight lifting plus free weights (that I never use). The key though is that you are comfortable at your gym and you will go everyday. Mine is about a mile from my house, so if I don't go in the morning I can stop on the way home from work. Also get a free two week membership and see if you will actually go, and go when you would work out. See how crowded it gets a peak times. When I was in Houston I was at a gym that you had to sign up a day in advance to get a treadmill at peak times, needless to say I ended my membership. Last thing to remember most gym membership rates are negiotable, don't get bullied into paying a high rate. At that gym in Houston I paided $40 a month and my neighbor paid $60 a month and it was the same membership.

card: Glad to hear that the snack situation is worked out. That was nice of your coworker to do the snacks.

Hi all:

well I am still sick--so weird. And TOM is hanging about so I'm kinda low energy! I cant wait for this to resolve. Even so I went to the laundromat today--I have been wanting to wash all my comforters and sleeping bags and I dont have a big enough machine at home. I ended up having to wash one of my sleeping bags twice because someone had left some really obnoxious smelling fabric softener in the machine and the sleeping bag reeked when I took it out of the machine!

My hubby wants me to go sing with him at a competitioin for a fiddlers festival this weekend. He is a musician and is currenlty without a band. I guess I am doing it.

Eating has been okay this week--not great--more around 1900 cals, but not bingey--I have been pretty hungry I think from PMS. Still no exercise--I just have no energy!

Stacy--glad your daughter feels better. I wish i had those kind of recuperative powers. You have really been working that elliptical!! Can you get it repaired? Maybe it has a warranty or something. I would love to join the gym. Cant really afford it tho.

Card--you were so creative to get out of serving snack! I hope it solves your problem. I have been having a cup of tea and my treat every day at 3-4. It helps me not be too hungry for dinner. I have some prepackaged treats just for this purpose so I dont eat too much. My goal is to learn to eat normal foods in normal quanitites.

Dolly--dont you hate it when you overeat on something that isnt even good? I hate that. That happened to me the other day, I was walking and someone called me and before I knew it I had walked 15 minutes over the time i had put down.

Keep up the good work everyone!

Had a great day today. no bingeing, 30 minute walk, good meals. It's all good. My scale was at 205 on wed and 206 today so my weight doesn't seem to be doing the huge fluxuations any more. Thank goodness. Going from 205 one day to 210 the next day was really starting to depress me.

get n - chin up, by the sounds of things the new job will go along way to reducing stress in your life. tomorrow will be a better day. I don't even have a gym less than an hour from where I am. So I think i'm going to have to invest in a few videos and borrow my son's weights.

dolly - congrats on hitting the gym in the morning. I can't function until after my first pot of coffee, way to go!!!! Also good work on the long walk.

Sno - keep on trying, my dh got the flu last year and was sick for three weeks, complicated by dehydration of course. So hang in there and this too shall pass. Your body probably needs the extra calories right now to fight the germs so keep doing what you need to do to feel better.

Well off to clean my spotless house again. If I could get dh to work afternoons all the time i'd never cook again just clean and clean and clean. Nothing better to do and it beats eating.

Okay--I finally went walking today--just got up and did it--ended up walking for about 30-40 minutes--I lost track of time. It felt good--I was not too tired. I think my energy is finally coming back.

Also, my jeans are a tad looser--either they are stretching out or I have benefitted a little from the five lbs I have lost since beginning this challenge. I suppose the acid test would be to try on my tight jeans or heaven forbid actually measure myself.

Card--my house needs so much work it is pitiful. I envy you a clean house.
At least my comforters are clean tho that sleeping bag is stinking up the house. Oh well--I am off to give the dog a bath!