Alright, still tired and stressed out today, but now I just sound like a broken record . I did make efforts to get to bed early, it just didn't happen. But I did manage to make a batch of tuna-avocado salad for lunches, and chop up veggies for a few days. Maybe tonight? I had chorus rehearsal last night, and it was wonderfully de-stressing, at least for the 2 hours I was there.

There's a deadlift/benchpress competition on the beach here every April and the gym manager, T, has tried to get me to enter for the last 2 years. Yesterday T & friend who trains with him cornered me and would not let up until I agreed to enter. How did this happen??? It's silly, but the biggest reason I wanted to say "no" is because I don't want to weigh myself in public and have that # broadcast to everyone around. But now... I guess I'll be in major training mode for the next 2 1/2 months. I'm hoping it will help me get there darn pounds off, at least, and will give me access to the gym on Sundays when it's normally closed to train with everyone. Still wondering how this happened...

Shannon, it's chilly here too. Brrrrrr. Plants are inside for the week. I figure the air in my home is really clean.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Megan! How fun!

I'll tell you that none of the strength training people at my gym care about scale weight. They all think I'm nuts to be pushing for "140-something". Muscle has density and heft to it and as far as scale weight---meh, whatever! Bodyfat, baby, bodyfat! Which is my way of saying that no one else is going to care what the scale says. How fun!!

Meg - Is there anything to the rumour that you're changing the name of your city to Sixxburgh?

Megan - that does sound like a lot of fun!

Midwife - I noticed you increased your miles goal again. You go! I'm thinking about bumping mine up, or taking the bike miles out. I'm going to give it to the end of Feb and see how things are going recovery wise before I decide.

It is 17 degrees here today and I drove through light snow showers on the way in to work this morning... I finally have DH asking me if I want to go walk at the park and it is 17 degrees outside! Grr!

Megan, how awesome! You will do great in the competition! Think of it this "weigh" (ha ha, I typed that by accident but then thought it was funny) - the competition is about weight lifting, not bodybuilding or modeling. The people who are watching will be far more interested in how much you can lift than in how much you weigh!

My high school freshman science teacher was a Guinness world record holder in women's weight lifting (well, I'm sure her record has been broken by now though). She was a massive woman, but still gorgeous and feminine! I have no clue how much she weighed but with all that muscle on her I'm sure it was a lot. There is some info about her here, on the site of the other science teacher at my high school who trained her. Her name is Diana Fuhrman.

That sounds like a neat opportunity

Megan, that sounds like fun! Go for it!!

Megan-- I agree-- that sounds like a great opportunity!
I hope you enjoy it.
And to be at the gym when no one else is there sounds like a true luxury!

Megan, what fun! And to be able to have the gym opportunity is cool.

Something was looking out for me today. When I went shopping this morning, I saw some candy I like that I haven't seen in any other store. I put four pieces in a bag, telling myself all the while not to do it, then went to the self-check out with all my purchases. I scanned the bag of candy last, and the screen said I had to wait--for the cashier, I assume. Since I didn't see the cashier and I didn't want to wait, I just backed out of the screen and left the bag of candy there. Went home and ate my veggie burger with a side of pepperoncinis instead of a side of candy.

Off to a wedding in Oregon tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing my DD, who is in her first quarter of college, as well as friends I haven't seen since we left in September. Plus I want to drive by my house and see how the tenants are keeping up the place. Wonder if they'd mind if I put my face up to the window to stare at my remodeled kitchen that I only got to use for two months before we left?

Have a great rest of the week, everyone!

Wow, after 2 pm and I'm just finding time to check in - and have lunch!

Megan - the contest sounds like fun. And harder than the one my gym is running. All I have to do is show up and get checked in 3x/week for 6 weeks. The prizes are drawn at the end, and most are small - t-shirt, water bottle, etc.

Sheila - yup, the was watching out for you. Have fun at the wedding.

We're still waiting to see if the volcano is going to erupt. Between our staff we had 3 people with family flying out this week. 2 have gone, my DH is scheduled to leave Sat night. The problem of course is the ash in the air - we're not close enough for any direct problems. This could go on for weeks and it'll either erupt, or quiet down.

Meanwhile, it's slowing warming up here. It was -10 this morning, after -18 when I went to bed. It's now all the way up to 1 above. Supposed to be considerably warmer - and snowing! - tomorrow. I knew that little groundhog saw his shadow - darn him.

Last night's NRLW workout went well, though that jacknife on the ball move still eludes me. I try a few, and fall back to crunches on the ball for abs work. I need a partner to help me til I get the hang of it better. And I was down 1.2#!

Thought I'd post tonight because it feels as if I've been putting it off. I've been struggling lately. I've tried to get my weight to go down (I'm about 8 lbs higher than I want to be), and nothing seems to be working. Of course, part of it is that I'm not consistent. I still can't seem to get away from the chocolate, so this is it. I'm tired of the chocolate being in control. As of today, I am giving up chocolate (though I love it). I am giving it up because no matter how little I eat, that darn scale goes up. I am giving up chocolate because I feel like it controls me rather than me being in charge. I am giving up chocolate to prove to myself that I have the strength to give up a "food" I really enjoy.
Now, for what I'll earn. If I, WHEN I, have given up chocolate every day until one month from today (March 4), I will take $50 and go shopping without feeling guilty about spending the $50. I won't buy chocolate with it, but a good book, a cute shirt, something that says "I did it!"
As for the rest of my life, today is the first weekday morning that I didn't exercise. I was SO TIRED last night that I decided to stay in bed an extra hour. Boy! That extra hour made me feel so much better. I did go exercise tonight but I had planned to do an hour of cardio before I taught pool toning and it only ended up being 20 minutes. Oh well! Tomorrow, I'm back at it at 6 a.m.
A friend, who is also losing weight, and I agreed to do a 5K with each other in July, so I have to start running more. I just printed out the 5K to couch program and will be doing it starting Monday.
Sure wish I could get some energy going. I just feel so sluggish every minute of every day--must be the lack of sun here
Well, you have my chocolate pledge. I'll update here about it each week. Here goes!

Placing the first I'M ROOTING FOR MEGAN T-Shirt order from southern California!

Hi maintainers,

I'm still lurking, posting more in the BFL thread at the exercisers forum.

but I want to tell that i do enjoy reading all your posts, and Megan- COOL!!!!

Rabbit

I really appreciate all of the support everyone, thank you! My friends here have already told me exactly what you all said (even the ones who make fun of my "rabbit food") - that my weight doesn't matter, and they will be there cheering me on. My BF wants to know who these guys are at the gym talking to me about weightlifting. It will be a good challenge for me, I think, to get out of my comfort zone.

goal, good luck on your chocolate pledge! You can do it, you can do it!

Sheila, way to leave that candy behind!!! Great victory! Enjoy the wedding.

Blueberries and strawberries were on sale at the store last weekend and I have both to eat today. They are delicious! Plant City, FL is already harvesting their strawberries (the crow is now endangered by the cold). Yum, I love fresh berries! Have a great day everyone!

2 pounds of fresh blueberries at Costco last weekend were $5.99. I didn't buy any, though. I have a hard time going through that many--although I could probably freeze them. No one else in my family will eat them (and other berries as well). I guess the hunter/gatherer diet is out of the question!

My weight continues to be unmovable. I am stuck at a horrible high and I can't stand it. I will have to devote a few hours this weekend to developing a new plan.