ICU I'm a huge fan of freecycle, too. Garage sales just aren't worth it to me, and this way I can get rid of things 1 item at a time as I come across it. Easier to stay on top of the unwanted junk going out the door that way...

LambChop sounds like you are in a good groove; sorry to hear about the muscle loss. Sounds like a good diet change. WTG on paying attention to all these factors!

TLC I'm glad to read you had a good day yesterday...

WLW Glad to read that you are making the switch to doing more cooking yourself. It really makes a huge difference in the diet... Funny you should mention a getaway to Charleston; I just suggested going there to my DH a couple of days ago! (You may recall from when you first joined -- my nephew goes to CoC).

OnMYWay glad to read things are going well for you. And so nice that you and your DS20 are close. I hope things turn out that way for me, too! Hard to picture have DS in their 20s, when they are only 8 and 10, but I know how fast the years flip by...

Petra I hope you have a better day today... stress-free.

Marie Do share your wealth tips when you find them!! It sounds like a lot of us agree, work as a means to an end. It didn't use to be that way for me; I was very career driven. But having kids and changing my lifestyle has changed that.

Here, spin another cycle on the hamster wheel. I'm on my way to the basement and the elliptical, having finished up work for the morning. Yesterday I went to Wal-Mart for grocery shopping and I've become really disappointed that they seem to have gotten rid of a lot of grocery choice by clearing out a huge amount of shelf space for their own products. And, their fruits & veggies all looked terrible. I was pretty disgusted with it all yesterday, so I think this afternoon I'll have to go to the grocery store...

Petra, I hope today goes much smoother for you than yesterday. You’re in a stressful specialty and I would think there would be some unbearable days.

OMW, Isn’t it cool when our children get to their 20’s. I really love the time spent with them as adults. I agree work gives structure but I’m thinking I’d rather volunteer work to do that. Today I absolutely am mad at my boss. Enough to not care about money and walk out the door. But then the mortgage would come due and I’d be in biggie trouble.


WLW, ditto on being careful what you wish for. I just love the Carolinas!

Giv, my kids also think we’re made of money and there are many times I’m sure they have more accessible cash than I have. I’m glad you had a good day yesterday. Music is fabulous!

Lamb, to combat muscle fatigue when I really upped my aerobics, I added whey isolate protein powder form GNC to my mochas and fruit smoothies. I can send you the specific name as it adds a creamy taste to both and has few calories. It was a quad saver.

ICU, I gave up on garage sales after my first one. Now Goodwill gets all and I take a tax deduction. I hated the time involved in setting it all up. I also go for the really dark chocolate. Usually the little taste is enough but I think it’s SADD that’s causing the reaching for chocolate. The dark and dreary has gotten to me. Ever since the time change. I hate that it’s dark after work. I’d much rather dark in the morning. Enjoy your swim tonight. It’ll be fun.

Newleaf, enjoy your 8 and 10 yo. The time truly does just fly by. I clearly remember like it was yesterday when my kids were my grandson’s age. I love my 40’s, wouldn’t want to go back to my 30’s or 20’s, but I would like to have more time with my kids at every stage.

I suppose I should work no matter how irritated I am. Bummer I’d rather chat with you all. But writing here definitely took the edge off my irritation. There are days I think that perhaps working for a school district isn’t worth the hassle and low pay. Maybe it’s time to start perusing the wantads…

Marie

Nuts ... lost a whole rambling post while the site loaded again. I'm getting very, very tired of these performance issues.

OK, here's the truncated version. I hit goal 10/14 and apparently couldn't handle it, began to get sloppy with logging and letting misbehaviors with things like chips and candy sneak back in. Been doing a LOT of thinking lately, what with relationship issues, general need to find fulfilling work, and getting back to the pool. Sunday, a month and a day after goal, I was 5 pounds up. I got pissed off. Since Monday morning, not a bite has not been logged, and the processed crap food is gone. Much water and green tea has been consumed. And today, 3 days later, 4.5 lbs are back off. This tells me that I didn't overconsume on the calories - what I did was eat things that cause inflammation. Low level chronic inflammation is now being correlated with nearly every degenerative disease out there ... and if the newest studies are right, could even be the cause of aging itself. For candy and chips, I very well might have risked shortening my life. Stunning. I have too much left to learn and too many things to do, to voluntarily give up one more single minute. It's all about choices, and this week so far, I am happy with the ones I'm making. It's a better kind of happy than was in the potato chip bag.

ICU-what an inspiring post. I have never reached goal but I have a fear that maintenance will actually be harder than losing weight for a whole lot of reasons. More than I want to go into right now. I'll start worrying about that when I get a whole lot closer again. Do you post on the maintainter's board? I bet they would be able to help you with some of those issues.

I wrote a short post yesterday that I also lost. I have been arguing with my ex-boyfriend off and on actually for months. We broke up almost 6 months ago and I honestly don't know why we still talk to each other. I have to say I think it is more him than me. He owes me money-and we're not talking $20 here. I may decide that I would rather forget the money just to get him out of my life. He is coming over today to do some work around my house for.......money! I am going to tell him that I don't want to hear another word from him until after Christmas. I think we really need a break from each other.

NL- that sucks about all the grocery changes - hopefully at the regular store you have better luck

Marie- thanks for the info...i have a big tub of whey protein...2 of them! I used to use it all the time for smoothies - think it's designer(brand name?) whey i have - if adding the cottage cheese and bread don't help, i'll look into adding that

ICU - i hear ya, taking forever for the board to load for me the last few days...

I like your thought process, and am glad you're finding your zone again...and taking control of your choices...way to go

Petra- I hope the break from each other helps you sort things out

-------

Well...yeah.

Ummm, I'm signing up for another 1/2 marathon for the fall. Decided that i don't want to "just stop" and not have a reason to keep working after I get through this first 1/2 in March...

so, I decided to have a goal behind it, so it will keep me moving, and will give me a point to work with. I'll look at what I do in March, and just work to improve it for October...i'd like to know i have something to keep working towards, instead of just "being done" in march...

happy with my decision, and i'm sure in March as i'm going through the 13 miles i'll be like, WHAT WAS I THINKING? but ya know what? if you don't reach for big goals, you won't achieve them

icu: way to go getting back on track!

lc: wpw, not just one, but two half-marathons?! you know you have your own personal cheering squad right here : )

petra: when I moved back to charleston I kind of fell back into an on-again, off-again relationship with an ex, mostly due to loneliness. one day I realized I hadn't heard from him in over a month, now it's been about 18. occasionally I'll get a case of the lonelies and start to reach for the phone....but it was a relationship that isn't going to go anywhere so I don't want to waste time and energy maintaining it. hope the break helps you make a decision!

my doctor's appointment was a bust, they moved the office and apparently it didn't register when I got a letter about them merging with another practice months ago. you would think they would have included the move in their appointment reminder since I haven't been there in four months! I got lots of walking in as planned, wandering around downtown charleston to take pics. even walked up the ramps for 2 levels at a parking garage (someday I'll be able to do all 5!) normally I would have done the stairs but I was pulling my rolling bookbag and dragging up stairs is counterproductive when I use it to avoid carrying weight that will strain my back. I did fall prey to temptation when I stumbled across the Sugar bakeshop and bought myself 2 heavenly cookies...but I also skipped lunch because of it. Not the best choices but hopefully all the walking helped cancel it out!

It sounds like everyone is doing so well, even when you fall off the wagon you've been dusting yourselves off and jumping right back on! Reading y'alls posts is so motivating, especially since I'm not normally a goal oriented person. Today's going to be a house cleaning, laundry washing, cooking day. I'm thinking I should do my big batches of spaghetti etc and just freezing 1 meal portions so I have no excuse about not having time to put meals together before I leave for work...because I can always go to the cafe or deli. For some reason getting my stuff together the night before just doesn't happen. I'm not good at being organized...was thrilled when I learned that a lack of organizational skills and motivation is due to my learning disability and not a personality flaw. I've adapted well in lots of areas but some things just seem to be more of a mental block.

Ok, so I need to eat breakfast before my blood sugar drops out...10 hours of sleep last night but I'm still moving slow : ) I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Not sure if any of you are familiar with "Simple Truths"? I got this in my email today and thought I would pass it on, it has to do with developing a winning mentality. I think it applies to our weight loss journey as well as athletic performance! http://blog.simpletruths.com/recover...ning-mentality

ICU, great job on the logging. I wish I had your full post. Try typing your responses in Word and copy/paste them in 3FC. I’d lost so many posts that now it’s habit to open Word at the same time I log into 3FC. Anyway, very interesting on the inflammation. I know junk food causes me weight gain but I didn’t know about the research.

Petra, good for you on the decision to stay away from BF. Just from the little you wrote, it sounds like he’s using you. You are worth a real relationship and never forget that. As I keep telling my kids a relationship is 50-50. They had both been in an 85-15 and swallowing their pride. One worked it out with their GF and now they’re getting married (and now I’m comfy with that –before, no way). The other has split and the custody battle has begun (first hearing yesterday). Never give up who you are to have a person in your life. Everyone deserves to have self esteem.

Lamb, YEAH on adding the continuing goal. I think that is like maintenance. Once there it’s easy to slip from good habits. Having goals beyond it like ICU does with the swimming is a key. Enjoy your half marathons. Better you than me as I HATE running.

WLW, making and packaging your own spaghetti is a great idea. Then you have control over you intake. Plus it tastes better.
Marie

petra - I started lurking over with the Maintainers a few months ago, and am starting to post. Near as I can tell, maintenance is just like weight loss, only you generally get to eat a slightly higher level of calories. For what it's worth, you might as well get used to the idea that some quantity of your attention is ALWAYS going to be devoted to your food and your exercise forever more - that you will have to give up the past carefree lifestyle around food in order to continue having the benefits of slimness. But the pros ... wow ... so very, very, very worth it! I think everybody would benefit from reading Maintainers, because you're going to spend a much bigger percentage of your life maintaining than you will losing.

lambchop - you rock! 1/2 marathons ... incredible! Looking forward to hearing about your training this winter!

Marie - I lovelovelovelove keeping up with the latest studies. Many of them are small but well-designed, because they're being done by independents and nonprofits. I get my best info from Life Extension Foundation, a nonprofit. It's the best $75 I spend each year, and I read their magazine cover to cover. On another forum, I heard somebody express it this way - we're being "farmed" by the food industry, the insurance industry, the FDA, and Big Pharm to have lifestyle illnesses ongoing so that profit can be made - they don't want you dead, but just to not feel well enough to go without treatment and pills. That kept me awake a few nights. Until I figured out that again, there are choices and I can choose to opt out of that whole system. Hm.

wlw - it's always an adventure to recognize the limitations we believe to be true about ourselves, and to see what happens when we lift those blinders. That's part of this whole weight-loss thing, I think. For many of us, tackling the pounds represents the first major task (and victory) in our lives!

Sorry to me MIA. My computer has gone crazy and won't let me log in at Chicks. I'm at a friend's . Hope to get the prolbem fixed and back soon!

Penguin, it may not be your computer-there has been a problem with this site. Unless you are having that problem elsewhere.

ICU-my fear about maintainance is that I have gotten such a reward from seeing my scale go down for so long I don't know what it will be like when that reward goes away. Suddenly the reward will be to have the scale stay the same. I don't know if I will be able to deal with that. Like I said, I have a lot more time to enjoy my scale going dow before I have to start thinking about that. I've already accepted the "I will have to eat this way forever" thing. In fact, I think I will have to obsessively plan my meals, keep a food journal, the whole nine yards, forever because my past experience has been that if I don't do it all, it slowly comes apart.

I also have to tell you I don't think there is a big conspiracy out there trying to keep people sick. It's just that people have simply given into their lazy nature. I don't know if you read M. Scott Peck but he suggests that the original sin is laziness. I do think a lot of the junk in processed food does lead to imflammation and most people are too lazy to make good food for themselves. Processed food is easy.

Lamb-good for you on the half marathon training. That's impressive! I don't think I could commit to something that big.

As for the BF. He had to work OT at his real job today so he didn't come over. He plans to come over next week to do that work. I appreciate the help and it is one way I make sure I get some of my money back but I do need to get him out of my life. Unfortunately, this drags this out a few more days.

Good evening chicks! I tried posting before work this morning but lost my post twice before giving up in frustration! Hope everyone had a great day!

We had a Thanksgiving feast at school today. Nothing like cooking with a bunch of preschoolers to make you not want to eat anything!

I have managed to lose another pound which brings me to a loss of 4 since the beginning of the month. I'll be changing my ticker as soon as I'm done with this post!

Giv, sorry about the migraine. Enjoy the treadmill. A friend gave me one last winter and I put it to good use even though I find it extremely boring!

Petra, No settling for a relationship that is going nowhere. You deserve better than that!

Patch, good to hear from you, I was wondering about you!

WLW, sorry about your Dr. appt. but great job on all the walking!

lambchop, Another marathon! You go girl!

Marie, I'm with you, wouldn't want to go back to my 20's but maybe my late 30's and only if I could know then what I know now!

Newleaf, Kids do grow up so quick! I am fortunate to be living in 2 worlds since DS is 20 and DD is 11. When DS graduated HS I made a slide show of photos. It was amazing to see the transformation of a baby to a boy to a man. Hard to believe they grow up right before our eyes and we don't really see it.

Haven't heard from DMC, presmaggie or Gardenerjoy in a while. Hope they are doing well!

patch - wondered what happened! We miss you!

petra - that's exactly what I ran into - a major letdown with not having that target in the distance. Was kind of a "now what?" thing. So with the holidays coming up, and last year's holidays having helped me get to my highest weight, I thought I'd be a lot better off moving my goal down just a bit more to help me keep my eye on the ball through the end of the year.
I agree, I think a "conspiracy" is too strong a word, but I am convinced that the greed mentality in this country's big-business and financial sectors has produced a culture that's incapable of thinking ahead to long-term consequences. Michael Pollan's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" was a pivotal read for me - one of those paradigm-shifting "OMGs!" that continues to shape my choices. I cannot recommend that book enough - it would make an incredible video documentary if someone were willing to go back through everything he researched. And I also agree with you about laziness - I am chronically guilty of it myself. Best wishes with the BF situation.

giv - very cool on the free treadmill! With winter coming on, you're all set for bad weather!

OMW - I laughed about the preschooler food! Not to mention that they probably didn't make a whole lot of stuff that was healthy, did they? Congrats on the pound - you're truly "on your way"!

wlw - what a mess with the dr! You made a positive day out of anyway - awesome!

Back up a half - it was a great whoosh- now the work has to continue. Pouting a little because my thighs are getting BIGGER (I knew they would - I build muscle incredibly fast), but they're really rock hard and I can almost see some outlines. It's a bright spot, since I don't remember having those since COLLEGE ... 20+ years ago!

Wow, everyone. So much going on. I'm glad I didn't try to check in yesterday -- sounds like the site was on the fritz again!

ICUWishing very motivating, your post. You are doing so well.

Petra sorry about the situation with your old boyfriend. It sounds annoying, at best...

Here, life is just chugging along. I'm not gaining, but I'm not losing. I'm a good maintainer right now, but this isn't where I want to maintain! I need to get it in gear to lose 20 lbs... ugh. But I will; I know I will...