I have been on the computer all night since about 8pm! My eyes are tired and I should have gotten off an hour ago, but I have to see what everyone is up to...busy body that I am!

So, Lisa...sounds like you had a great day! I love Taco Salad! Had it for lunch yesterday and supper tonight! It's healthy and so yummy! Just a few crushed chips on the top and dollop of sour cream and I'm good to go! Gotta have the onions, though! Yummy!

Jennifer...did you put your calendar in the copy machine and forget to take it out????? LOLOL!! OK, it wasn't THAT funny! Hope you find it!
As far as the challenge...I was thinking that the "crash diet" thing might be a good thing for SOME of us (namely me!)...but I will do whatever the majority want!

Hey guess what every one????? I lost a lb. this week! Finally! I was so happy to see that scale finally go down! It's been almost...maybe more than a month at 174. I think it was actually 172-3/4, so 1 & 1/4!!! Yea me!

Here's the low down on the food today (get the tazer's ready!)
B-fast Oatmeal, pecans, milk, Splenda, string cheeese

Lunch: My famous cabbage soup! Cottage cheese and a very small serving (less than 1/4 cup) mashed potatoes, 1/2 grapefruit!

Snack: um, er, well....this is where I went awry...a cookie after passing out 2 trays of freshly frosted sugar cookies to the residents...I caved and ate one. It tasted soooo good!
and then...I had a bit of another one...and then finished that one too! Yikes! The second one didn't taste as good as the first! That's the price I pay!

Supper: Taco salad and nothing since except water!

So that's my day. No exercise except for the running up and down steps and up and down the halls at work coordinating three rooms of school children and residents!! It was pretty comical, but I felt like was getting a workout! a little one!

Thanks everyone for the kind words about DD. She had her blood drawn today and Daddy said she was a little trooper...looked at the needle and watched them draw most of the vial and THEN started to cry! But she got ice cream anyway! and stickers! and a needleless syringe to take home for the bathtub which didnt' make it to the bathtub but she found amusing to squirt the mirror in the bathroom!

Tomorrow is a new day and I am recommitting to following the plan! Thanks for your support! I'm beat!

Jennifer -- dinner sounds yummy. =) I may have to try that one night!! *G*

Lisa - WOW!! A size 10? Girl, you're almost there!! Keep it up!! You'll be there in no time at all! Yep, I did keep my workout plans... I can't just sit and do nothign - my curse. Nope, neighbors have been screaming since 3pm today, and it's not 11pm... so that's a good, what, 8 hours or so? Yeah. Lots of slamming doors as usual... oh, well. We'll move as soon as we can. Could be worse. I could have people dealing drugs downstairs. These are just stupid people that get drunk... which, to me, is far less horrible than crack-dealers living downstairs.

Julie - Congrats!! WTG!! 1 lb means you aren't stuck, and you're doing a great job!! *big hug* Good job, girlie!

Had a good day, saw Mona Lisa Smile. It was okay. Definitely not as good as I'd hoped it to be, but that's okay. Still a decent movie. =) We rented a really good one called Pieces of April, though. It's super good... totally describes how people can be, and the end of the movie is totally worthwhile. You guys should check it out.

Hope everybody else had a good day!! Off to bed with me. *gasp* What a horrible hour... only 11. :P Hope I can sleep tonight!! Ciao!

Well, what a morning!

Been hectic since before 8am when I got in here. My loan officer is the person "on duty" today, so needless to say, there's 100 problems in addition to the normal stuff, and we get to do this all over again on Friday. Sheesh!

Foodwise, been a good day.

Breakfast:
1/3 cup smart start
2 slices provelone cheese
1 pineapple cottage double

Lunch:
3/4 cup ditalini
3/4 cup meat sauce
sprinkle of parmesan

No ideas for dinner, yet. Tonight after work, we need to go shopping, Publix has my cottage doubles on sale, buy one, get one free! Woo Hoo! Since I eat them every day for breakfast, I can really benefit from that. Also want to get some taco seasoning & stuff like that- need low fat sour cream, so I can use those tortillas. Also thinking about a chicken quesadilla made with those, and a hint of sour cream, the fat free cheese, and diced chicken breast. All these ideas...lol

Exercise tonight will be WATP for sure- if I do the 2 miles, then no lower body work, and it's too soon to do the same upper body work again, so I might have to concentrate on the chest & back tonight, if it comes to it. Going to be a busy night, for sure!

LucyKitty, good to see you feeling a little bit better...and that the squishes are nearly over for you!

Julie- I know I took the dang thing home, but that's the last I saw of it! LOL- then again, with 4 cats who had the house to themselves for 3 days, there's no telling where things could have gone. If it doesn't show up, I'll have to beg you to email me my stats...lol- I don't have room in my head for all that stuff! Awesome job with the pound loss chickie- see, you're off the plateau, and losing again. Yaaaay!

Lisa- Congrats on getting into those size 10s! Excellent!!!! You kick butt, girl! You'll get to those 8's, and be slammin' in no time. Great work- I'm so proud of you, and Julie, both!!!

I've killed my half hour...trying to get stuff done today so that I don't have as much to deal with tomorrow & Friday. Sigh...hurry up, weekend!!!

Time to hit the journals, and then get my buns back to work. I'll see everyone later! Have a great afternoon, everyone! It's Hump Day!!!

One Last thing before I sign off....Cristin, wherever you are hiding, Happy Birthday, Chickie! We miss you here!

Are we over the hump yet??? Hate to wish my life away, but, come on WEEKEND!!! I feel different today. I was thinking about how much coming here to the forums has changed my attitude about things. I used to think eating healthy, exercise, etc... was a punishment (sometimes I still do), but now I seem to have a better focus. I want to feel good! Eating right and exercising do make me feel much better. Anyway, can you guys tell I am in a rambling mood.....ramble. ramble. ramble.

I am having a great eating day (Is that bragging?? I feel like I need to be positive on these days, because I have quite a few bad days too!! Anyway, I am right on track, and that hungry beastie that was inside of me has calmed a bit, thank goodness. Hormones throw me for a HUGE loop each month, but I seem to be leveled out.

Breakfast - Chicken sandwich with a few WOW Doritos

Snack - A little popcorn

Lunch - Smart Ones Fettucini Alfredo with a ton of broccoli I added in.

Snack - a Smart Ones ice cream sandwich.

Hmmm....sounds a bit carby today. I'm gonna pile on the veggies at supper. I am making taco meat, because reading about it here has made me want it!!!
I will put the meat over a lot of salad and raw salad veggies. I have some low-fat sour cream and some great picante in the fridge. Yum!!

I can't drink water at work. I just can't. Teaching 5-6 year olds is rough when you go potty every 20 min. But I am home now and heading for my Brita pitcher!!

Jennifer - happy shopping at Publix!! Sounds like you're having a hectic day at work!

Lucy - Hope you are still feeling better, and hope you got lots of rest last night!

Julie - Woo Hoo!! WTG for the 1 pound loss! That one pound will soon turn into 5..... and so on!

Thanks for all the support and encouragement you guys bring here!! I believe we are the coolest Chicks ever!!!!!!! Go Chickies!!!!!

Not much to post today. Serious cramping, might go to the doctor today if I can, and if my mom can take me (no car). Definitely no working out today. The TOM issue is worse and I think I might have slipped away from the world for a moment (didn't completely lose it, just had that falling-down-a-tunnel-of-black thing for a minute) this morning. Not a good day so far, as you can tell. Anyway... this has happened before, and I am waiting for a call back from my mom, and I'm about to call my obgyn to get some painkillers and make an appointment if necessary.

Food today is probably going to be way under calories, and I may have to return my work to the office for the next 3 days, because I can't even think straight, let alone type up important stuff. So... no working out, and I'm going to be living on toast and chicken noodle soup for the day. Woohoo.

I'll update later.

Lisa - WTG!! When that little swithc in your brain clicks over, and you finally seem to 'get it' about what you want/need to do, then things are going your way, my dear. Good job!! *big hug*

((((((Lucy!)))))))) Please be careful and take it easy. I am worried about you. I hate cramps. Poor girl. If you can, please be sure to update later for sure so we can hear how you're feeling. I'm sending you good thoughts......Do ya hear them???

Thanks Lisa. =) I'm being careful... sitting as much as possible, taking it easy. This is why I only do it 4 times a year. *G* I'm still positive and everything, though. No worries. And yes, I do hear those good thoughts! **Hug**

O.K. chickies here is the lowdown - I ate just right, and I ALMOST have in my water. It is 8:00, and I still plan to get in my exercise. But, I have the munchies all of a sudden! I hate this! Sometimes, night time eating is as hard for me as the weekend ordeal. Just writing in here makes me feel a bit better though. I did have a big Taco Salad for supper. It was delicious and filling. I added some light red kidney beans on top of the salad to add some fiber. My kids were having some cookies for dessert, and I was smelling them.....ohhh I wanted to gobble down some, but I didn't.

Hope all of you have a terrific evening! I'm going to get busy so that I don't start the snacking Talk to you tomorrow!

Ok, I'm home....pant, pant, pant.

We did marathon shopping tonight- wiped out 2 stores- at least it feels that way. Mrs. Paul's shrimp bowls were also on sale 2/5.00, and of course, I had 1.00 off coupons that expire this Saturday...so we had to clean them out. The cottage doubles were on sale, and a bunch of other things. Oh- Healthy Choice dinners were on sale 4/6.00, and I had coupons for those, too! Saved a heck of a lot...always a good thing!

Tonight, since we left at 5:30, and are just back now at 7:30 with everything put away, I am having a lovely HC Lasagna Bake for dinner. Did over 2 miles in the grocery store...Upper body work moving these groceries...lol- I'll probably get on the bike, just to make it official.

Figured I'd check in here while I eat, and then pop into the journals, do a quick once-thru, and then hit the bike, and relax a little. For some reason, I got really sleepy/fuzzy around 2pm- don't know what that was from, but I didn't like it one bit. Not good to feel like you're going face-down, ya know?

Lisa- don't you like the way you feel after exercise? For me, this is the first time in my life I have gone out of my way to sweat & not tried to get out of it. I was the queen of excuses to get out of gym class...and in college, my 2 gym classes were bowling! LOL Is that pathetic, or what?

KittyChickie, please take care of yourself....I've got to put my "Mamma Jennifer" hat on now & obsess & make sure that you're all right. Let us know how things go, ok? Gotta worry about my favorite chickies in the world...no way you're getting out of a challenge that easy, Jess!

All right...off to check out the journals & then bike for a little bit, and get my buns (not so achey today, but I'm sure after another ride, tomorrow they might be a little miffed) to bed early so that I get a better night's sleep & avoid that nasty midday crash.

Night, chickies!

Jennifer - I am still the Queen of excuses for exercise. So, please address me as "Queen" if you would Ha! Ha! What is my deal with the procrastination in this area? But, I am determined Queen.

I wish someone was on-line to chat here tonight!! I need a chickie chat!! I am hyper or something. Well, this is probably a good time to get my butt on the bike! With this crazy mood I'm in , I'll probably be back in a bit to write some more!! At least I'm not snacking

Did 3.04 miles in 10 minutes on the bike- I figure it's not a lot, but it's something for tonight.

Had to pop back in to say goodnight...and of course, curtsy a few times for Our Queen, Her Highness, Lisa!

I have been reading through today's posts. Sorry I don't get here before now, but it just works out that way! Had a relatively good day! Better than yesterday, for sure!

Here's the scoop for today!

B-fast: 2 slices pepridge Farm ww thin bread
1 oz. low fat cheese, 2 oz. deli turkey, 1 tsp. lowfat may0
Lunch: Out to a "soup" bar! I had the sampler...3 bowls of 6 oz. each:
Reuben Soup, Beer cheese herb, Garlic Chicken.
1 small side of whole grain bread & 1 tsp butter (the real stuff)!
Diet Coke
Snack: l stick (small) Pepperoni cheese sticks from Little Ceaser's
Supper: Large salad w/ oil & vingegar, l 3 oz. sausage, l cup milk
Snack: l cup diet hot chocolate made with milk, l mini PB cup, 3 cheetos, 1 tsp. peanut butter!

I'm sure I am over my carbs for the day because of my snacks tonight, but well...I must be PMS'ing or pregnanant because I am wanting weird stuff! NO, I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant! The boobs don't hurt enough! But I've been really tired at night the last few days and really craving! Hmmmm! I'm sure it's just PMS! Amazing that I lost that pound this week!

Here's a quote I read on one of my Chinese websites tonight:
"When there are no waves on the surface of the pond, the water is naturally still. When the dust is cleaned from a mirror, it is naturally bright. Therefore, it is not necessary to clean your heart, just get ride of the muddy and misleading thoughts, and your pure spirit will naturally emerge. Likewise, it is not necessary to seek happiness; just get rid of the pain in your heart and happiness will naturally abide there." - From Tending the Roots of Wisdom.

Enjoy!

Jennifer: Hope you get some much needed rest! And I hope your cats cough up a really large fur ball for you, but don't sweat...I can fax, scan and send or whatever you want me to do with that sheet! Let me know! You are doing so great! Glad you got some bargains shopping tonight! I love that kind of shopping! So does hubby!

Lisagirl: You are doing awesome, chickie! Way to go on the (lightbulb thing)! It's amazing when we can actually look at all this fitness and good eating as a positive thing. I know I feel I have reached that and I won't allow myself to go back to those old habits! So, gotta stay focused here, ok? We don't want that tazer being used on either of us!!! LOL! Yea...and those 5 lbs I am looking forward to getting off this body!!! Thanks!!!

Lucy...You have just had the roughest week, haven't you? I know that you will be back up and feeling better in no time. Those kinds of women's things must be taken care of...(steps on and squishes!!) There! Soon, you will be back among the living! Hang in there!

Where is the rest of our group? We sure got small, but we are the best darned chickies in the world, aren't we?? I sure appreciate all of you and hope that our next challenge will prove to be as motivating as this one has been! We just have a week left, so we have to get moving! I would really like to take off 2 more # before then (HA!) so I can say I have lost 10# since beginning this journey in January! That would be my ultimate goal!....and then....

The next challenge goal!!! I'll be dreaming of this one!

Night all!

Ahh, JOY!!!

Jennifer - no need to worry. All is to be fixed tonight. *purrs*

Here's the deal, chickies. FINALLY got ahold of my obgyno, and they gave me a prescription for some painkillers (YESSSS!!!), but he's worried about the fist-sized clots (Sorry, too much info, I know...), and even though it's normal for me, he wants to double-check me because of the intense pain and large clots, and because of my miscarriage-history. So I told the nurse i'm in the process of getting on hubby's insurance, and as soon as I'm on, I'll be making an appt. She said "GOOD!" and that he would be pleased to hear. =) My doc is the best. My first visit, at 16, he was so nice and completely laid back about everything, and because I've got a very small frame (and tiny features - if ya saw me in person, you'd be amazed at how tiny my mouth, nose, ears & hands are. This is why my mom calls me "Pygmy"), he used the child-sized tools, and has used the small-size stuff ever since. He is super nice, understanding, and totally not judgemental, unlike several female doctors (planned parenthood when broke and no ins.). (The femmes have told me that I have 'big thighs' and other very rude things. I prefer my male doc...)

SO anyway... yay. Problem is to be solved... YESSS. Painkillers tonight, professional grade & strength, and tomorrow I should be as good as new. My hubby should be home soon to take care of me, darn it.

Today was ok for me, actually. No workout, but that's okay. I haven't eaten much, but I'm getting hungry. Eh. Anyway, yeah. My brother's gonna come visit me tonight for a few minutes, so that'll help.

Weather here was absolutely -awful- today. Thunderstorms, lightening hit a commerical plane and ppl got hurt or something, and TONS of deadly wrecks on I-5. EW. I saw a head-on with 2 little sports cars, and the drivers in both cars got killed, and it was just horrible. It's been pouring, hailing, etc. all day. I hope hubby makes it home okay.

Okay. No more whining today. I'm all better!!

Food yesterday was horrible,but under calorie. *G* That's cool with me! Workout today is gonna be spread out across the day, though, just to take it easier on myself.

Food:
B - Bagel w/ cream cheese, water & vitamins
L - Top Ramen w/ salad
S - Carrots & ranch
D - Taco Salad (tho mine will be a mexican pizza cuz i love those *G*)

Workout today:
20 min bike
8 min stepper w/ weights (While watching tv)
500 situps (while watching the noon news)

YAY!! You guys are awesome. I am SO hyper and motivated today, I could... well, no... I FEEL like I could run a marathon! WOO!!

Even with the rain and muck here, it's still spring, and still awesome! *hugs all around*