Hi Women!

I've had a few nasty days this week (Tues-Thurs). Off program, up to my neck in work, and the deal for our house had fallen through. I was too busy to exercise (which is not good for my mood) and stressed. Plus I had just finished a commitment to post my journal online. All these things contributed to my going off the rails. It takes all the tools I can muster to stay OP, but feels SO much better when I manage to. I'm going to start posting my journal again (not here - I'll spare you that ). I will also make sure to get enough work done early in the month so I don't end up against the wall, make sure I get in my exercise and so on.

The good news is that we got an offer on our house yesterday, close enough to accept. The bad news was that the house we'd been planning to put an offer in on sold --- the day before, after having been on the market for almost a year! But I'm sure there's a house with our name on it.

You all sound like you're doing great -- I'm going to start doing that myself. I had a good day yesterday, finally, even though I was still glued to the computer from 4:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.


Have a wonderful day, Everyone!

xo
babette
231/211.2/160 (missed weigh-in this week )

Babette. I remember so well when we were looking for our house. Several things fell thru and every time I was devastated because searching for your home is such an emotional thing. We finally found the perfect little house that was ideal for us and I'll probably live out the rest of my days here because I never want to go thru the search again!
So no one can blame you for going a bit off program while you're going thru such a stressful time--be proud that you're doing so well!

BTW, DAY 16 of my streak! I could get used to this. My challenge tomorrow is having friends over for brunch tomorrow. I'm doing all low-fat stuff so I can eat my fill and still stay on track. I told them it was BYOB [bring your own butter!].

I'm climbing out of the same pit, Babette!! And I don't have the stress that you do! Just a busy week and let myself get sooooo off track!
So today is day 1 again...I feel so awful and I want to remember this so I don't go turning to junk again.
Went shopping and my fridge and cupboards are stocked with lots of good choices for me.

This coming weel will be *much* better. I feel myself getting more focused again. What a battle/journey this is!!

But it's not over yet. Really feel the urge for ice cream but hope to avert disaster. Very stressful day but the mail held a surprise: a copy of the magazine in which I have a story running, reminding me again that I really am kind of good at what I do (when I do it) ... so should have no need to comfort myself with ice cream, right? Still want some, though ...

Babette: I'm sorry your house deal didn't work this time, but I believe you will find the house you are fated to own and all the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place. You will also reach the level of weight that is best for you ... no off-program days here and there will keep you from it. You will climb out of the pit and not fall in again, someday.

I tell myself all of the above over and over, year after year and slowly, I am getting there. I think.

Goddess: Congratulations on your 16-day streak. I love your BYOB line ... I most likely will steal it for my personal use in the future!

Jelynn: I am with you on the coming week being better than the last ... in fact, I am almost 100 percent sure it will be the best week ever. I know everyone will be on track and focused and all of our wishes will come true. The time is now!

Downward, everyone!

Good Morning, Lovelies!

It is such a gorgeous day here. We've had mist floating away and now it's sunny, blue blue skies and bright leaves still hanging on.

Thank you all for your kind words. I feel so much better now and I really have to avoid those situations. Not get behind in my work, and etc. As for the house stuff, I know i must stay positive. I'm excited to be moving to town in any case and we could find the perfect house before the end of the month. We did find the perfect buyer. He's young and enthusiastic, and wants to do all the things with the property that we would do if we had the time and money: a bridge across the river to the 30 wooded acres on the other side, a foundation, a screened gazebo down by the river, etc. He fell in love with the place and I feel good about selling it to him. I think any time we increase happiness in the world its what you know who would call "a good thing." Plus its a difficult place to live, and I would have hated to sell to someone who I thought didn't really know what they were getting into.

Jelynn, why do we crawl down into the pit when it's such a crummy place to be? Let's stay out from now on! Having the house properly stocked is so helpful. I'm going to do that myself!

Crone, that's so great about having the magazine arrive! It really is satisfying to have stuff out there, isn't it. Can I ask what magazine, or would that be too nosy? (if it is just tell me, i won't be offended!) I found out yesterday that I got a credit in the print version of the online technical encyclopedia I've been writing for as "senior contributing writer." Which gladdens my heart, even if it is technical writing, and even if I sold my rights, so that I don't get anything monetary out of it.

Goddess, our homes are so important to us, aren't they. I am fighting the devastation. I know that a house will come up for us and even if we have to rent over the winter (and move again in the spring , we will be just fine. I have been longing for a house to settle into for all my adult life, and this one is going to be it!

Have a wonderful day, All!

xo
babette
231/211.2/160

Is that a word? Anyway I like it. Last night after I posted, I realized how burned out I was with my streak, so I ate some mandarin oranges, some cereal and some yogurt, which is all I had in the house, and brought my calories to approximately 2600. Streak ended, hooray! I didn't gain any weight from that, of course, and my weigh-in was boringly the same as last week. Also I had reached the last page of my weight management journal and that seemed to be sending me a message.

So I'm starting a new streak to Thanksgiving (actually the Sunday after Thanksgiving). I am changing the program to 1500-1999 calories and only ONE exercise session ... the market research is so active a pursuit I don't really need to formally exercise a second time most days.

Babette: Nope, you are not too nosy!! It's not a national market magazine, but appears everywhere in this area, so I really don't think I should post the name. But I am pleased with the nice layout they gave me and how super they are to work with. Wish it ALL could be this easy!

AND, BABETTE, congratulations on getting the byline on your online encyclopedia contributions. It is important to get the credit we deserve for our work and bylines have a way of focusing our priorities and reminding us what we are all about ... at least I feel that way.

Glad you found the right buyer for your property. It sounds so beautiful, I wish I lived there! It would be wonderful to walk in 30 acres of TREES!!

Downward, everyone! Have a wonderful day and remember we are WINNERS ... ummm, make that LOSERS!!! HOO-RAH!

Hey Gals and Pals, It is me, your old friend...I am ready once again to get serious about this mess of a body I created. I need your help and support....I knew I'd find you here....

My weight has climbed by leaps and bounds, but I am going to look to the future, and not to what has been. I am planning on eating a sensible dinner and weighing my self in the morning...I will then be on my way to thinness and freedom !!! I'll let you know how it goes.... Love to you all...Joanie

Hey Gang....Day one of streak one....I weighed in at a whopping 242....but, the good news is that this is the heaviest I will ever be...it is all downhill from here! I am going to eat and exercise sensibly and drink 8 glasses of water a day and post here regularly....here I go, wish me luck! Anyone care to join me? Love you all....Jh

So great to see you back again! Man, isn't that the way of it, though. Always a shock to weigh again after a long time not weighing. Why can't we hop on the scale and have it register lower than we'd prepared ourselves for? I managed to gain 15 pounds back while I WAS weighing myself regularly. It came on in 5 pound clumps (and I could point them out to ya ) that I somehow managed to refuse to admit to. The human mind is a fearsome thing, n'est-ce pas?

Crone, you are not only a fine model of a streaker, you even break your streaks perfectly. Awesome! That's definitely CRE at its finest. WTG!

Okay. I've been doing GREAT again. Since Friday. And I'm going to keep doing great. Yesterday I took in 31 points and got 9 (!!!) points worth of exercise. And here we have a fresh new week, almost a fresh new month and enough time before Christmas to have a really great improvement. Let's do this thing, Gals! Love to all!

xoxoxo (feeling extra exuberant today!)
babette
231/211.2/160

Joanie Welcome back girl! Remember that it doesn't matter where you've been, or how you got there, it only matters that you're back where you should be. Keep posting with us- you'll find the road back to thinness again, I promise! Also remember that it takes energy to lose weight. I know you had a lot of things sucking your energy out over the past year so maybe now the time is right?

Crone Congratulations on your article in the magazine. I'm glad you're pleased with the layout and everything, because that's so important.

Babette We are always strongest when we lift ourselves up. I'm glad you're back OP and ready to fight all over again. We can do this! I hope your house situation turns out well- and it will. Just give it time. Moving is stressful but you can manage it.

As for me, it's PMS time again. I just feel yucky all over. Don't you hate that? I'm craving like there's no tomorrow. I was off program on Saturday and feeling yucky about that. I had pizza which ALWAYS makes me sick, so I should know better than to eat it. But I did anyways. Then last night I was doing super good until I heard my husband open the freezer to get out the ice cream. So (since I'm journaling PM to PM) I'm going to salvage what remains of today and carry on. If I do this right today, I can still end up with 39 Points, which should only show a small gain on the scale. I know PMS is tripping my up but it doesn't have to be that way! I can fight it! Exercise is good here though, I did jump rope and weights this morning and plan to ride my horse this afternoon. I've got five glasses of water down already too. I am NOT giving in this month!

Well, I'm going to go drink up more water and get to work. Take care girls- eat to live, don't live to eat. (Sorry- I know that's cliche)

Love, Lisa

Ended yesterday with Pilates and 1900 calories EXACTLY! Today is the second day of the rest of my life! I feel everything is in balance and I'm ready to go UP, UP, UP ... career-wise ... while going DOWN, DOWN, DOWN ... weight-wise. Still hoping to lose 15 pounds, but am happy with maintenance and good habits.

Joanie: It is SO good to see you again (in cyberspace)! I hear in your posts that you are absolutely ready to begin the game anew and see it through (that rhymes!). If I had a crystal ball, I know I'd see you there next year at your goal weight and healthy. Please enjoy your journey and all the wonderful, nutritious and abundant food this planet has to offer (not including Ding-Dongs, which is what I am desiring at the moment but passing on!).

Weeesa: Pizza makes me not feel well either, though it tastes so good. I've been experimenting with making my own from only fresh ingredients and even the bread from scratch and this works better. I think there's something chemical in the tomato paste or something that gets me. When I make it myself, I know what I'm putting in and how many calories are in it also.

Babette: I know about those upward clumps of pounds that we see but don't see! That's why I'm so careful to record my weight each week and keep clamping it down, so to speak. It IS a struggle, isn't it? Like fighting gremlins that pop up one place and when you fend them off, they just pop up somewhere else.

I think they call it life, don't they? Sigh.

Have a great day, everyone. Don't let the gremlins get you!

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." ... FDR

I keep a food journal; it's always been helpful to me. Today I noticed that when I was tempted to go off track I heard myself say 'don't write it down; it'll be like it never happened'. The lengths we go to to deceive ourselves! I'm so excited that I noticed the beginnings of the sabotage and I didn't give in to it. Is that the wicked little gremlin you were talking about, Crone?

Eydie

Thought I might as well push this to three pages. The dreaded research job is drying up, so I came home early and ate dinner, so here I am at 8:11 p.m. and I've eaten all the calories on my plan. Feeling quite restless and THAT'S a gremlin because I often translate restlessness into eating.

But won't!

Yep, Goddess, that's a gremlin, too, not writing things in our food journals so the calories won't count! I used to do that, but when I got serious about losing weight, I became relentless about keeping the journals. It's a first step in keeping those little monsters under strict control.

BTW (off-topic and pointless rambling coming up), my cat looks exactly like the gremlins in the film of that name! She can be most unnerving as she sits and stares at me when I am reading and gives me that gremlin look. It makes me wonder what she is thinking.

Probably nothing.

Onward to Day 3, even with the gremlin.

Just popping in to say I did well yesterday, higher points than the WW guidelines, but I was hungry all day and I didn't overeat.

I'm going to look at a couple of houses today that seem promising. Well, one does, anyway. I would love to get that settled and then get to the happy part of anticipating moving in. DH and I are going away for the weekend. I think that's the only way we'll be able to relax at this point. I think I may get some boxes and start packing, because we have to be out the end of the month whatever happens.

Let's go out and make it a great day, Everyone!

xo
babette
231/211.2.160

Hey Sports Fans....Just wanted to be accountable here....hopped on the old scale this morning....and was down to 240....yep that's right ...DOWN to 240....if I stop to think, I'll scream...so I am going with the yippee skippy attitude of WOW...have a great day all of you....I will be a good thin girl and guzzle water like there is no tomorrow...Love you...need you...Joanie