OMW - Definitely sounds like you are back in the zone..... KEEP IT UP

GivTLC - sure hope you feel better. Good luck at the WI.

Patch - Glad you finally got your glasses; $200 off is the least they could do for you.

Joy - Good to see you back here. I have to say if I spent as much time exercising as I did online I would have been at goal long ago.

National Freedom Day is not a "real" challenge just a holiday that's not Christmas or New Year's now that the Halloween challenge is over. I didn't do that one but I really wanted to have a goal date in mind and February 1st seemed like a good one. Each will have their own goal with a place to come and encourage others, seek support, and hopefully report success. For those that did the Halloween challenge did you do anything "special"?


Mack and I had a great hike and soak at Deep Creek and have decided to take another short hike today. Rainbow Basin is close so we are going to go check it out now that the desert temps have dropped.

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/basin.html

Pictures 1-20 are from yesterday's hike:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/574263020gZWXGI

This is what I get when I stop to eat while posting. I didn't know that there was going to be a Thanksgiving Challenge also. I think I'll have to pass due to being away for 16 days between now and then.

National Freedom (February 1st) day will be my challenge; my goal is to reach goal.

Giv- Hope you're feeling better soon, and congrats on losing over 8 pounds!

OnMyWay - Hope you are back in your zone sooner than later

Penguin - WOOHOO! It's about time you got your glasses! Woohoo on being less expensive than you thought too! I can imagine depth perception would be weird if it felt new - can't wait to see the pic

GardenerJoy - welcome back - and good job for meeting your exercise goal

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I lost another pound bringing me to 12 pounds -- I have LESS than 100 pounds to lose...95 pounds. That feels weird. I'm so used to saying, I have 100 pounds to lose when it hit me...I don't! I have 95 pounds to lose! hahaha

Going to try to change my avatar - ..see if i can shrink a pic enough without it being wonky!

Morning Cat, we must have posted at the same time! going back to read what you wrote

thx for the scoop..i'd jump in on a challenge

love the pic of the two of you together! that's lovely - and what a pretty place to hike - do you see other people out there when you go, or is it just the two of you?

I'll pass on the Thanksgiving challenge also, because I'll be away that entire week of the end of the challenge - through the 30th. I'd miss the final piece of it

Deep Creek Hot Springs can be VERY crowded; having said that we try to go in the spring or fall early in the morning and NOT on the weekend. During the summer and on weekends there can 100+ people down there and a temperature to match. Not my idea of a nice hike or good for relaxing in the pools. Our last trip down was on Super Bowl Sunday (February 1st) and there were about 15 people there. Yesterday we had the place to ourselves for a short time and then over the course of several hours there were seven other people that showed up.

I got the glasses I've been waiting a month for. I'm happy that things are in focus , but I don't think they made the 'readers' part strong enough. I have to move things away for them to be in focus {that's really counterintuituve for me}, then when I get them in focus I can't read the print anymore because its too small. I'll take them back to the office Mon and see what can be done. They said they could regrind them if that happened. But I waited all this time!

One of my problems with eating is I can set a cal or amount limit and lose weight, then if I eat ONE THING over that limit I gain a lb. One thing. That just seems so harsh. Its like knowing I'm going to fail before I start.

Since I'm being 'serious' about losing weight, I got Hubby to help with my meaasurements. Gulp. Not very encouraging but maybe that will help with the motivation thing. The pictures on the fridge seem to be helping.

Cruise, My computer is being weird today. I could only see the thumbnails but the area looks beautiful. I like the pic of you an Mack together also.

Lambchop, good job on the picture. Nice to see you.

Cruise, Loved your pics! What a beautiful place!

Patch, Yeah for glasses! Can't wait to see them. Hope you have no troubles getting used to them!

Lambchop, Like you avatar, it is so nice to have a pic to associate with a friend! Keep up the good work. The first 12 is a great accomplishment, many give up before reaching that point!

Inthemidst, as you can see I flunked the Halloween challenge. I think I do better without setting weight goals to specific dates. I may be better to set a days on plan goal and see what I get, my body is not very consistent.

Gardener, We will definitely be raking today. Our yard is covered with leaves. I am so happy the sun is out! Loved you comment about having more time to exercise. Cruise has a great photo of her treadmill with a laptop attached!

I have had a great week. I'll be walking tonight when my DD and friends go trick or treating. They have big plans to hit lots of houses. I'm hoping to adjust my ticker by midweek when (not If) I stay on plan for a few more days. Things are moving in the right direction but I'm having to re-lose some that I had gained first. Oh Well....

Happy Halloween!

Hi friends! I am down 1 lb. One at a time it seems. I have big plans for the next 10 days. I am going to really start cutting back on my intake and increase my out take. Not that much longer until xmas!

I am sorry I haven't been able to post, but it is midterms now and so much to do. Its just hard to stay focused. I don't want to gain weight while taking classes, that is how I got my weight in the first place, so I am so focused to walking every day! Now I need to fix the food part.

Today I made real oatmeal in the microwave and added some B. sugar for a nice big bowl of cereal, it is my new best. I am taking all my instant packets to work and getting rid of them. Yuck compared to real stuff!

Touch base when I can. Happy Halloween and stay away, stay far away from the candy
!

I did 10MS Knockout Body again. I still did 40 min but I didn't do "Body Blast" and did the Abs section instead. Who came up with the 'on back roll up to a side plank' move and what were they thinking???? I'm not saying it is impossible or that it doesn't work but ugh!

The sun is shining and Hubby is out working on the porch. Yay, for him!

DMC, Do well on your midterms, we'll be here when you are finished.

Morning everyone, the stress of the week has gotten me and I don't have the desire to be on my computer more than a few minutes so I'm going to skip personals. Please know I read each and laughed or smiled or thought "Yeah, I relate with that".

I lost another pound. 8 pounds to goal. That's unreal to me. I stared at the 143 this morning and swore the scale was playing a Halloween trick on me. But alas, I see the 135 in the midst. Dear Huskies and I did our 1.5 mile walk and Sasha was semi behaved. She pulls like crazy. I'm going to drive to the PO to see if hopefully the non-pull harnesses arrive to my box. I did my elliptical and loved it. And I did the quad weight press as my facet joint is still irritated (it's in the middle of my back between the shoulder blades). I got to see DGS yesterday for the first time in 4 months due to the custody battle. DD is bringing him here tomorrow and we're going all watch the Viking Packer game. I'm a Packer girl and DD is an avid Viking fan. Should be interesting. And DGS loves whatever DD does so I'll be outnumbered but I do have 4 dogs to help my side.
Marie

inthemidst: thanks for starting a new challenge thread for us!

CruiseCAT: The photos are lovely! I've always wanted to go to a natural hot spring. We have beautiful springs in Missouri but they are very cold!

lambchop: yay for another pound and having less than 100 to lose!

patchworkpenguin: I find myself dealing with a lot of resentment. When I think about what I used to eat, it seems like I ought to be losing a pound a day! But apparently, it doesn't work that way because I'm losing more like half a pound a week. I just keep reminding myself that if I keep doing that, I'll eventually get to my goal.

Onmyway: I hope you got lots of walking in with the trick or treaters! It looks like we're going to do another big day of leaves on Monday.

dmc2009: glad you found a breakfast you liked! Good job on keeping up with exercise during your midterms.

Marie: yay for another pound and I hope you have a great day with DD and DGS!

We get very few trick or treaters, so I handed out Ghirardelli chocolates. The extras are something I will enjoy in a planned way over the next few weeks. DH says the kids won't get to eat it -- their parents will steal it from them!