Hi Hot, I like your energy. I couldn't run a bit last summer - not even for five minutes, but I've been working out using the tread mill and trying to go a little further each week.

Today I'm in the pits - what I've learned though is that this is going to happen and you should just ride it out - not give in to candy, cake and all kinds of destructive, backsliding behaviors. So I'm going easy today, I'll get extra sleep tonight and take a day off of exercising tomorrow to get myself back on track. I'm also eating my best, healthiest foods today like salad, non fat yogurt/fruit smoothies, fruit and veggies to get my system back.

Remind me, what weight loss plan are you using. I'm calorie counting (1500 a day) and exercising. I'm really serious about this. My weight loss time line is this - minus 10 by March 31st (160!), then by end of May (150!), then if I think I need it another 10 over the summer. Then next year an athletic goal to help me maintain! Thinking ahead helps me live better today. Take care. Thanks for being here.

Hope things are going well for everyone. I got to move my ticker today! Yeah! I was up a pound last Monday but was down 1.5 this Monday! I'm so glad to see that thing keep right on moving down the line. My goal is to be under 200 by my bday in May.

TOF-sorry you're in the slumps today. But you sound like you're handling it well. Just keep doing the stuff that's best for you-even when you'd rather not. You'll be glad you did. Hang in there. Sorry your class ended up being a bust! bummer. Hope you get your money back. Congrats on the four miles. Keep up the good work.

Marie-hope to hear from you soon. Hope things are going well.

Splashes-I love your enthusiasm. How are things going for you? Have you changed your ticker yet?

Ladies, how about an Easter Challenge? Easter is 03/27/2005 so that gives us six weeks to work on our goals. If you're up for it, post what your goals are here and we'll keep each other accountable along w/our everyday encouragement. We could call it our "Eggcellent Easter Challenge", if that's not to corny for you. If you have a more hip name, just let me know. Always open to ideas. Anyway, I'll start us out:

My "Eggcellent Easter Challenge" is to get back on track w/exercising every day, make sure to drink 64 oz. water a day and to lose 5 pounds in the next 6 weeks.

I'll be glad to keep up w/everyone's commitment/successes and post when there's a change.

Well, I'm excited! I lost 4.5 pounds on another post for Valentine's day so I think 5 pounds is attainable. That would put me under my preholiday weight! Woo-hoo!

Talk to ya soon. Have a great day. Take care.

Hi all, I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day. DH and I had fun but didn't spend much $$$ on it. No cards or presents. All the money is for the home improvement that's going on. Today we are supposed to get the money from refinancing our house and that will be great. We've chosen which bills to pay off and we'll have $3000 left over for the home improvement project. We're replacing all the flooring in our house with oak laminate. The carpet that was installed was not the color I picked out when we built our house and I hate it. So I see an end in sight for getting rid of the putrid color carpet.

Food wise, I have been doing pretty good. My choices are better and smaller so I think there is progress. Exercise could be better - I missed last night but will hopefully make up for it tonight. If the $$$ are put in the bank today, we're going across the mountain to Costco to get the oak laminate so then there wouldn't be time.

We're also repaining all our walls. I chose a very light orchid color that's pretty much white unless the sun is streaming through the windows. So that's going to be my project for the next couple weeks. No knitting or stained glass. I put it all away last night so I could work on the house. Not my idea of fun, but since it was my idea, I should be participating in the changes. FYI, we just built this house 4 years ago and we're already into home improvements. I've always hated the carpet and the walls have taken on a yellows tone and it's sort of depressing. So now it's work time.

TOF, way to go on the 4 miles. You are doing so GREAT it's amazing. I'm up for a March challenge. Skinny, I hope that the household is starting to feel better. Hots, keep at the exercise and you'll be doing something for 4 miles with TOF.

Speaking of work time, I should get back to work.
Marie

Helloooooo ladies! Got on the scale today when I shouldn't have...but it's ok...lost lots of water weight. DOwn below 185 but I'm going to wait till friday. Eating is good. BUt I've come down with that flu that's going round. Throat is all scratchy. Need to go to dr.s tomorrow to get a note for work.

I see the March Challenge coincides with teh Easter idea. I say the Eggcellent March Madness GOal? Does that work?

As for what eating plan I'm on...just eating what I'm supposed to eat as prescribed by my doctor. Hi protein, low carb, medium fat. Works well. On Friday I join the gym so I will have access to treadmills which should give me some motivation for jogging when the nice weather comes around.

What colors are you going to use Marie? I want to paint my bedroom a silvery midnite blue. It's popsicle orange right now due to not having put down a primer over the old color first!lol I also notice we are aiming for the same goal weight! This could be our own personal challenge!Lol

Skinny, I got to change my ticker twice! Yay me. A pound a week so far. Slow but steady wins the race!10lbs in 6 weeks is plausible as far as I'm concerned! That would put me at roughly 175. That would be a sweet deal for me!

See everyone tomorrow.

How's it going? Things here are good. I walked 4.5 miles last night. Wanted to do 5 but my knees and ankles started protesting! I didn't want to push it.

Eggcellent March Madness Challenge works for me. Of course, I'll probably call it EEMC!

I am doing WW. It works for me like nothing else I've ever tried. Most other things I've tried were too restrictive and made me feel like I was in prison instead of gaining freedom over food. I make healthy choices, even when I get a sweet tooth. I like the thin crisps that Nabisco has. It gives me a taste of sweetness w/o blowing my healthy eating habits. WW has some awesome recipes, main dish and desserts as well.

Splashes-what kind of gym are you joining? Women only or coed? We are members of our local Y and we really like it. Especially in the winter when it's too cold to be outside walking. It's helped a lot. Doesn't it feel good to move that ticker right on down the line? You're doing great!

Marie-sounds like you'll be busy for a while. My DH has asked me to make a list of things for him to do around the house while we're waiting for a job. He's also going to do some volunteering to keep himself busy and on a schedule. Like splashes, I'm wondering what colors you have in mind to use. My house is very bright and cheery. The living room, kitchen and hallway are a medium blue, bathrooms are "gazebo white"-it's actually more of a dove grey, bedrooms are purple-(oldest DD), darker blue (youngest DD) and mint green-my room. Eclectic, aye? I wanted to girls to personalize their rooms. After I first painted my room-titan green-I thought what in the heck was I thinking? It was very bright and glaring. But after we got the carpet down and the furniture in their, it's actually quite tame. My DH is glad!!

TOF-How's it going? Are you having better days? I'm thinking of you.

Well, gotta run. Have a great day. Be kind to yourself!

I haven't had any coffee yet this morning! The abbreviation for our challenge is EMMC not eemc! Sheeze. Oh, well. I'm going to get coffee. Have a great day.

good afternoon...eating is on track...

Skinny, I'm joining a coed gym but it has a women's only part. Our local Y is toooooooo expensive...tis a long story...but it's like a highpriced healthclub...the gym i'm joining is right down the street from house..about 3 blocks...

After raining all night, i woke up to snow..shovelled the walks and now everything is melting...took the dogs out and got hit on the head with falling clumps of snow! Spring is here...

Maybe see everyone later!

Hi all. I can always count on you to lift my spirits and inspire me. Thanks so much. Sounds like everyone is on track with exercising and eating well. I like the Eggcellent challenge. My goal is to get down to 160 by the end of march by eating right and exercising as often as I can. That's 10 lbs to go. Thanks for the great idea.

It takes me so long to get to this site, that I don't have much time left to chat so I've got to go. Thanks, thanks, thanks for being here. I couldn't do it without you!

Hope everyone is doing well. Things here are good. Didn't exercise this morning. I just couldn't drag myself out of bed! I'll exercise before bed tonight but I have GOT to start getting in bed earlier!

Oh, another thing for me and the EMMC-I'm giving up sweets. I have a friend who thinks I'm crazy for doing that but I've done it before for other health reasons so I know I can do it. Sugar wreaks havoc on my endometriosis and I've been feeling it during my TOM. First test will be tonight. Oldest DD has a band concert (she's 1st chair alto sax and has a solo-she's a little nervous) and we're going to DQ afterward. I'm sure I'll do fine but you guys send me some good thoughts, please!

Splashes- snow *sigh* We haven't had any to speak of so far and I'm wishing we would get some. I haven't gotten to make snow cream one single time! At least you didn't get whacked by an icicle! Our Y costs $36 a mnth, which for my family works out to $9 per person per month, which is pretty good. We definitely use it enough to get our money's worth. Hope you enjoy your gym.

TOF-Glad to see you back. Still having computer problems? What a pain in the neck. I've got you down to lose 10 pounds, eat right and exercise for our challenge. You can do it! Keep cking in w/us despite your pc problems.

Marie-how's it going? Be sure to let us know how you're doing.

Ladies, we've certainly come a long way, haven't we? Doesn't it feel wonderful to have more energy and have to start thinking about smaller clothes? One thing that helps keep me on track is what I'm teaching my two teenage daughters by making good eating choices. I'm instilling habits in them that I hope will last a lifetime and keep them from having to do what I'm doing now when they are my age! It means a lot to me when they tell me how proud they are of the changes I'm making. so, let's keep pressing forward! WE CAN DO IT!

Hi all. Skinny, thanks for the great encouragement!!!! I see you're down a couple more pounds - that's terrific. I'm really battling these days - very tired. Next week I have a week off and I know I'll catch up. I'm loving the exercise though. The tunes are keeping me on track and that helps.

Yes, in spring we'll feel so good walking around in our t-shirts, we'll have more energy. It will be great!!!! This is so important to our health, life and happiness. We can do it and we will. I hope I can bring the same encouragement to all of you.

My workouts are going well. Eating is a battle. Like you Skinny, the sweets are tough on me and my moods. Without the white sugar I'm much happier and feel much better. I know my workout this morning was tougher because of some of the foods I ate.

Tonight I'm going to read some of our old posts for inspiration - just think we've been traveling this road for 1/2 year. Let's try to reach goal and maintain it by our one year anniversary. Take care.

My stats:

sw210 cw170 gw 150
eggcellent goal 160 by March 31

Evening Ladies!!

Wonderful posts today! I'm allergic to proccessed sugar (the white stuff) and white flours...so those a big nono for me. BUt it's hard to avoid them sometimes when you just NEED to indulge. I'm also hypoglycemic and have a carbohydrate intolerance. SO everything goes hand in hand with me. If it's white, I'm either allergic to it, or can't process it, or it'll kill me!!Lol

Can't wait for my weigh in tomorrow. My eating has been excellent and I've been keeping busy doing alot of hoursework!

Going to bed earlier is one of my goals too. And tomorrow is join the gym day...I can't wait!! The weather is looking up so going outside for longer walks is a possibility too!

WEll gotta go...Hope we see Marie soon! See everyone tomorrow!

GOOOOOOOOOOODDDD MMMOOOOOORRRRRRNNNNNNNINNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

Lost 2 lbs this week! Down to 183!!!!!!WOOHOO FOR ME!!!!!!!!!! Maybe see everyone tonite...if not have a great weekend Ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How's it going? Things here are good. I stayed up too late last night (again) and didn't get up and exercise this morning (again). I will gazelle tonight, though. Eating is going well. DH and I were surrounded by ice cream last night and we both just ordered water. So, first obstacle passed. Eating is going well. I do need to get some more veggies in and at least one fruit tonight.

Splashed-congrats on the weight loss!! You're smokin! Keep up the good work. Joining a gym will probably help you lose even faster! Let us know how you like the gym. You join today, right?

TOF-How's your battle w/the sweets going? Mine is going well; no reasons to complain. Of course, it helps that I do the grocery shopping and just don't buy it to keep in the house! I'm glad your workouts are going well. What are you doing now?

Marie-Did you take the money and run? hope to hear from you soon.

Have a great weekend, ladies. Keep up the good work!!!!

hay gang///celebrated by having a brownie with a friend...back to good eating on monday! See everone then!! Keep up the great work ladies!!!