We went last night, but it didn't go quite as we anticipated.

The service was insanely slow because the restaurant was understaffed, after getting a late start due to a baby that wanted to nap more than he wanted to nurse... We didn't get our buffet dinner. We spent time with friends, and went to the worship, and left at about 8:15 completely ravenous... We stopped at Wendy's on the way out, and ate our burgers in the car.

The scale did not punish me for my Wendy's transgression, and I was actually down another 0.4 this morning from yesterday. I'm enough below 300 that I still get a 2 on the scale when I step on while clothed. Woo!

Lots of water today, because I am definitely retaining from the late night fast food dinner. My rings are tighter than normal. I'm anticipating another day or two with decent drops. Especially since I'll be exercising, too!

Mandy - I'm so sorry that you did not get to enjoy the anticipated buffet, but happy that you got to see your friends and enjoy the worship service. AND - you got a great scale result. For something that didn't go as planned, it seems as though it went exceptionally well.

Diane - Disappointed that the weather prevented your hike. And that you, along with me, have struggled with food. As you say, nothing to it but to commit ourselves again and continue to improve. I'm excited about your hunting trip and about Body Flow going well!

I am at a conference this week. I flew in yesterday morning, and had the whole day to do whatever I wanted! It was wonderful. I enjoyed a long walk (5 milesish), packed my food so that I could eat the food I wanted to eat when I wanted to eat it, and read for hours at a time. Again - it was wonderful. And it's so easy to stay on track when I don't have to watch people eat food that I enjoy, but am choosing not to eat. I won't be able to weigh tomorrow, since I only ever weigh on my scale, and I am not desperate enough to weigh in tomorrow to have packed it, but I am fine with that. My husband comes in tonight, but for today, I get to work without guilt, was able to hit the gym this morning and run (good, not great, run) and have many of my favorite (healthy) foods waiting at the motel room, and some I have packed with me to the conference -- just in case. I may be hit and miss on check-ins this week, but if so, I'll be thinking of y'all. Honestly, I love his company, and am glad he is going to be with me, but I would not be disappointed to have a week where I did not have to deal with eating with him or feeling guilty because I want to go to the gym and he wants to go to the movie or something.

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Popping in fast - sounds like we all are having a crazy week. This is post annual convention for us and now all my work begins between 3 board meetings, an executive holiday retreat to plan, come up with holiday gifts for corporate partners, plan a Christmas luncheon complete with gifts and games (and gathering volunteers) at the charity orphanage we support and then our annual employee meeting and another event with the orphanage (complete with begging for donations and volunteers) - all this between now and the first week of March.

I have decided that Ideal Protein is just way too expensive for me to do, considering I am only losing a pound or so a week and can only use 3 of their products (due to gluten issues). I feel that I have kicked the sugar habit and am going to go back to Atkins. With the ideal protein, I am hungry constantly, having issues with the restroom, am not losing weight unless I end up taking a laxative at the end of the week and am eating all chemicals. With Atkins I am eating real fresh foods, am never hungry, drop weight consistently and do not have any bathroom issues at all, and is so much more affordable. So, I will go weigh in this weekend, pick up a few of my favorite products and tell them I will be out of town for a couple of weeks and then not go back. I would probably feel different if they were supportive but this particular office doesn't give a hoot and the woman who is doing it knows nothing about the program - keeps trying to sell me stuff with gluten even though there is a huge orange sticker on my folder that says gluten free. Just to many issues.

It was nice to see the number on the scale this weekend - 213. Of course the day after it was back at 213.6 . When I hit 200 I will be half way to my goal weight. That is something to work toward!

More later when the boss goes into his meeting.

Mandy: Well, it sounds like even though things didn't turn out how you planned, you made it through ok. Good to see some losses!

Laurie: Hope you enjoy your conference. I think it would be nice to have a whole week of just taking care of yourself instead of having someone else's issues to deal with. Glad you are getting some time alone!

Kat: Sounds like a good decision for you to go back to Atkins. Hope that goes better for you! I am sure you will be glad to not have to spend the money any more.

For me, nothing much to say. I didn't weigh in, just didn't feel like it. I might weigh in tomorrow. Went to Body Pump this morning, but didn't run last night. So, good choices/bad choices!

Good morning!

Still at my conference. Had a solid two days of great exercise and great food. Hubby joined me last night, so that will be more of a challenge. I invited him to go to the gym with me, as we always go on Tuesday and Thursday, and he complained about going to the gym on vacation. I am in Santa Fe and really want to do some hiking trails, but I am pretty sure that he will not be excited about it. But I need to take a deep breath, remember how much I enjoy his company, and find some things that we can do together. And maybe I will push for one hiking trail day.

Kat - I think going back to Atkins feels like a terrific plan! Ideal Protein just did not seem to be working for you the way it should have. And you know us. We will be excited about anything you think will make this work for you. Yay for the scale dropping again, too! The ever-elusive Onederland is coming into view for both of us. Can't wait to hear about Atkins working for you.

Diane - Glad you showed the scale the middle finger! I did too, as today is my typical weigh-in day. Also glad you went to Body Bump! I think that class sounds fantastic!

I wanted to do the gym at lunch, but I let my husband use the rental car, so the gym is not realistic unless he is in. But I think I will run outside, which is something I almost never do. But as the weather cools, I will get fewer opportunities to do so. So I will do it, and maybe get in some weights later.

Have a great day, everyone!

Just a quick check in today. I was at a class all morning, so I'm behind at work. Hope everyone is having a good day!

Hope to run tonight, since I didn't get to workout this morning. My car has been in the shop and hopefully will be done this afternoon. Oh joy.

Diane - Hope the car is done well and on time. I hate those inconveniences. Hope you get caught up quickly at work as well and that the run goes well.

Still at my conference. Ran at lunch. Not an impressive run, but a run, and I am staying on track at the conference. Ate not-good food last night (greasy enchilada) and didn't feel particularly great after I ate it, I ate only until I was full, and left about half of it on my plate. Progress. And I went for a walk afterward to help digest it, which was lovely. I also told my husband that while I was happy to eat dinner with him, I preferred to exercise at lunch, and he could join me or not. Felt like a good compromise. Hoping for good news on the scale when I get home.

Hope everyone is doing well today!

Laurie: Sounds like overall, you are doing well at the conference and not giving in too much to temptations. It sounds like you're getting some exercise in as well, so hopefully that helps your weigh in!!

I did get my car back, so that was good. Amazing how much better it is. I went running last night. I needed to get home earlier, so I didn't stay as long as usual, but it was pretty good. I went to body pump this morning. I am going to see how the day goes, but I might go back to the gym tonight to run or do the stair mill. It looks like it is going to be rainy, so hiking probably won't be happening.

Diane - Woot on getting your car back, and woot on taking care of getting it fixed. Hope you're loving Body Pump, or at least that you're seeing great results from it. Hope your gym tonight (if you decide to go) is fantastic.

I officially HATE going out to eat. I saved calories yesterday so I could go out to eat and have whatever I wanted (within reason). I ordered a hamburger with mashed potatoes. I LOVE mashed potatoes, and have not had them for some time. These were the worst mashed potatoes ever. And the hamburger was bloody and almost raw. The waitress didn't come to check in time for them to actually cook it before we had to leave for the movie. I ate a total of one (gross) bite of mashed potatoes and a few nibbles around the edge of the hamburger, and was super hungry at the movie. I would 1000% have preferred some lunch meat or a protein bar for dinner. It would have been much cheaper, and it would have been edible.

Sorry for the rant. I am so often disappointed by restaurant food, and it always has mystery ingredients and sodium and is expensive. If I did not have the husband with me, I would have eaten something simple, maybe topped it off with some low-calorie delicious dessert, and either read or walked or gone to the gym. Going out to eat--on the whole--makes me crazy.

My parents have been here since Tuesday, and will be leaving in the morning... Which is why my routine has been thrown out the window for this week.

I only get to see them a few times a year, and I wanted to get the most out of the visit, which meant not taking an hour out of my time with them to go exercise, and then another half hour or so to get cleaned up. I wanted to watch them play with my son, and I wanted to cook yummy food for them, and I wanted to just sit with them and chat. So... My exercise routine has been absent, but I've done my best to keep an eye on my portions, and keep my water intake where it's supposed to be.

I'll be back to my regularly scheduled routine tomorrow.

Laurie: Yeah, when you go to a restaurant, it needs to be perfect. You pay so much for it, and since you don't go often, it is so disappointing when it isn't as good as you wanted it to be.

Mandy: I think you made a good decision with your parents being there. Those are precious times that you need to just enjoy. Exercise can be put on hold!!

For me, I am just glad it is Friday. I went running last night, but only a shortened time. Then I did about 10 minutes on the stair treadmill. I went slow, but by the time 10 minutes had passed, I was pretty tired and really sweaty. It made me feel really stiff. So, bodyflow this morning was a little difficult. I think it helped overall with the stiffness.

Have a good weekend!

Good morning!

Mandy - Hanging out with parents is a fantastic choice! And you also didn't use it as an excuse to go insane with food (which is a habit of mine I am trying to break), so it sounds like a win-win. Hope your visit was great, and that you slip back into your routine without problem.

Diane - That stair treadmill is the worst. Good for you for tackling it. Glad the bodyflow this morning addressed some of the stiffness, but sometimes, I wish it were easier to figure out just how hard to push. Exercise is supposed to make us feel good, dang it, and I hate when it gets to be debilitating.

I am back at work, and trying to dig out of the build-up, albeit unenthusiastically. I could not get to sleep last night because of serious heartburn. Every time I laid down, I would end up with acid in my mouth. Unpleasant. Then I woke up at 4:30 with what I think is a UTI and could not get back to sleep. Minor ailments, but now I'm exhausted and nauseous. **sigh** Glad it wasn't my weigh-in day, cuz a weigh-in on just a few hours of sleep is never pretty.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Laurie: Sorry you had such a rough night. Ugh!! That's the worst.

I also avoided the scale. I don't know when I'll venture back on to it. I am feeling myself checking out, way too early, for vacation and hunting. Today is crazy at work, though. We're really short handed. So, gotta go.

Not much to update here, other than retaining water like a sponge because of the miniPMS I get during ovulation.

But I do have a picture of my kiddo to share! This kinda begs for a caption. I can't believe he's gonna be a year old in less than three weeks!

Mandy - Every time I see a baby grow as fast as your is (i.e., pretty much every baby), I am in awe. And yours, of course, is particularly adorable. Sorry about the mini-PMS. Double PMS sounds like the worst. Loving your photography skills, though.

Diane - I love that you do the hunting thing every year. It's a reminder for me how long you've committed yourself to fitness. You are no "Go to the gym for 3 weeks in January" goal setter. You have ups and downs, but you always push through them. Hope things calm down at work.

Feeling better today. I took my Prilosec, like I'm supposed to, for my heartburn, and am taking antibiotics for my UTI. Didn't run. I am going to try to sneak out in the afternoon to run, but it will all depend on how quickly I can get through my stuff at work. I won't take time off for lunch -- I will just sip a protein shake at my desk -- so the time I work won't be an issue, but I'm still trying to catch up from the conference. Just gotta try to figure out the right balance. I don't want to sacrifice my reputation at work by letting the work flow slide, but traditionally, I have sacrificed my personal goals for work, and I am trying to fight that issue as well.

We shall see. Hope everyone has a great day today!