Another day of the BERP. I'm still working to free up book boxes ("banker's box" size) for the remaining books we're giving to charity. I spent the whole day emptying just one box, since it had a lot of magazines in it that needed to be paged through for clipping images. Clipping is the slowest, and the hardest, part of this project. At the end of a day of clipping, my eyes are so tired I have to lie in the dark for a few hours.

Tonight is the night we put out our recycles: I'm glad we have two big bins on wheels, because this week's BERP-ing filled one to the brim and the other half-full with discarded paper. I feel sorry for the men who have to pick them up and dump their contents in the truck, because paper is so heavy!

I'm too trashed to say any more. Tomorrow I'm going to do something other than clipping, that's for sure. G'night, y'all—I'm wishing for all of you a happy Tuesday!

Ubee - Congrats on being a grandma

Betsy - Thank you for the welcome

Fiona - That BERP project sounds very draining. Hope you have a happy Tuesday as well.

I'm doing pretty well. I'm sticking to my calorie limit and managing to get exercise in - logging everything on MFP. It feels easier this time around, just have to stick with it.

Bed time. I hadn't posted, so I wanted to stop and and say hello and hope all of you are doing well

Ah my safe place to land... I've had a difficult last 3 days food wise. Finally figured out last night I am very worried about two things. It is justified however as always I have no contrrol. I will have faith. I do have control over my eating so today I go forward. Thanks for being here..
Autumn, so nice to see you. Glad you are doing well.
Fi I do wish we could have had before, during and after pictures of the BERP. You do give a good discription and I appreciate that. It is motivating me to do things around my house.
Sam congrats on the loss! I can appreciate your feelings about how life takes us where we need to be.
Terra sorry you are having trouble with night eating. I have a cut off time every night where I no longer allow myself to eat. It works most of the time.
Betsy so true on putting ourselves first!!! I am with you!!! Can you tell you hit a nerve???
All right my cape is on to face the day. Who is with me?

Ok, I'm going to join in here. Hi everyone!

I posted another thread but haven't really got any responses so I'll say a bit here. I'm a 29 y.o. mother of 6 ages 8, 6, 5, 3, 2 & 4 months. I've mesn obese all my life (very chubby as a little kid, 100 lbs @ age 8, 240 @ age 14, 272 @ age 20 when I was married). I'm 6' so I don't look as heavy as I am. After baby # 5 I was 334 lbs and a size 28 and MISERABLE, so I worked hard, and honestly a little too intensely, and lost 48 lbs in 3 months. I got to the point that i was eating 800ish cals a day, doing two workouts a day, and losing 5-6 lbs a week. I knew that was too much so ater 3 months I took a break, but honestly i ended up sliding back into bad habits. A couple months after I lost a few more lbs and got my weight to 280 and wore a size 18 in tops and 20w in skirts. After that I had several miscarriages in a row, and gained 20 lbs back to 300, then got pregnant with my now 4 month old. Normally I gain about 15-18 lbs a pregnancy, loose it all after baby is born, then gain it back + 15-30 lbs in the first 3 months postpartum. This time I gained 27 lbs in pregnancy, lost nothing when baby was born (how do you birth a 7 lbs baby and not lose anything??) and have gained 20 in the postpartum.
My first big goal is to get down to 250. Far enough away from 300 that I hope if I get pg again I'll not end up over that evil number. >:-(

Ubee ~ 8 pm is my cut off time usually but I've been eating past that time but I need to stop doing that

I dont know if it was this thread where someone said to compare scales, the scale at the doctor's and my home scale but I did that today and they are the same

Morning all. Just a quick jot as I need to shake a leg. Ubee, you stop that laughing about just a quick jot......even if it is warranted!

Terra I think I suggested comparing scales. Having the scale at home and at the doctor be the same is great -- mine have a 4 pound difference. Hope the evening munchies pass you by soon. I'm trying to work on getting all my pictures in order on my computer. Worked last night!
FlowerPower Welcome. And good luck with the weight loss effort. We're a supportive group so feel free to vent as well as offer ideas and suggestions.
Ubee Oh, Ubee. You give me these mental images and then they stick with me all day. I want a cape, too. But I'm with you -- we will get through the day making only good choices and just worrying about the things we can control (ok, that may be pushing it a little!).
Autumn Owl Sounds like you're right on track. Keep it up!
Fi You pun at the end of your post got me giggling. Glad there's no clipping today for you as I can't imagine trying to spend the whole day doing that. After your BERP is finished, you should feel so empowered because it sounds as though you will have conquered the Mt. Everest of de-cluttering.
Sam Sounds like you needed a down day -- kind of nice every once in a while!

Got my blood work back from the doctor's visit, and for the first time in over 25 years, my cholesterol is in the normal range. Overall great results, so I was happy about that. I've finally started tackling the humongous weeding project that is known as my yard. With all our rain this year, the weeds just took over control of the terraces. So, I'm working on those.......with Toby's help. I pull up a bunch which loosens the mulch/soil so he feels the need to lie down in it, roll on his back and beg for a tummy rub. Off to the gym. Have a great day!

Hey all

Just a quick check in - almost done with marking and report cards! Woo hoo!

in 20 days I fly home for the summer..... in 32 days I turn 30....... (happy to go home not sure how I feel about turning 30).

We have a lot going on at work in the next little while, plus still packing to go home and to move apartments...

Big summer for me... planning to learn to play Acoustic Guitar, learn at least 1 new recipe a week, hoping to work out and lose some weight!

Hope you all have a good day and will check in again with personals on my weekend

Fi Sounds like you got a lot of the BERP done last night! I bet your little hands are so tired from clipping so much stuff. I'm so proud of you though! I bet you are going to have a good loss on your weigh in day

Autmn Glad to see you post again ...It's wonderful to hear that things are going great for you doll. Keep it up!

Ubee Sorry to hear you had a rough 3 days...I know you can get back on the wagon, put on that awesome cape of yours and ride the wind!!! You can do it girl!!

Flowerpower6 Welcome to our group!! Everyone is very loving here but if you need a good kick to get things going again, everyone will chip in!!! Sounds like you have a nice little family going there!! I hope you'll stay with us for awhile and let us know how and where your journey takes you...If you truly need the support, you've come to the right place

Betsy WOO HOO!!! Such great news to hear about your cholesterol!! So proud and happy for you!!!! Sounds like you've also got a busy day tackling the yard. I know if I lived near by I would help you get everything in order Toby sounds like my dog when I was a kid, always rolling around in dirt and then tracking it in the house to make my mother living hehehe...Hope your day at the gym went well too!

Time Sounds great to hear from you!! Sounds like your summer is going to be filled with fun! I love how you have already made your mind up to take off some of the pounds too! You know we'll be here with you every step of the way!!!

Came home today and DH informed me he is now 248 lbs....He's down a total of 21 lbs now! He even showed me how his shirts are getting loose on him again where they were so tight before Makes me happy that he's seeing progress and I think he's going to stick with everything. I'm very proud of him. He's at band practice now so I'm getting a little time to myself...

Today was very slow at work today...I couldn't wait to get out. I was supposed to go walking with my friend, but her DH couldn't borrow his mother's car who lives with them to go to band practice, but is always late to get a ride from my DH lol...So we rescheduled for another day in the week. I did manage to get my cardio in today...I kicked and screamed the whole time and really didn't want to do it, but I know I would have felt bad if I didn't and I always feel good when I'm done...It was just one of those days were I just wanted to sink into my bed and watch some TV...But it's still early enough for me to do that lol...I'm really into that show Orange is the New Black on Netflix...

I think I'm going to make my 60 lb mark this weekend....If I don't it's ok, but I am so proud of where I am...I'm so close to 100 lbs I can feel it! I won't give up no matter how much I feel like I want to sometimes....I'm so thankful to have all of you guys here to back me up and cheer me on when I need it!!

I'm off to get a shower and some dinner in my belly...Hope everyone has a great evening! One love! <3

I'm back - and it is desperately time. I missed you all so much -
but I think the worst thing is I missed out on myself again.

Total flashback, food and emotionally wise. And I learned again that I've got a real problem when there is too much stress on all levels to really stick to m plan when I can hardly breath or think.

The ex-boyfriend came around last week, telling me he loves me only the tell me two days later it was just a weak moment and he never wants to see me again.
I sprained (? (that's what the dic. says)) my ancle during the same night, so there is nothing much with moving around, doing sports to put off steam.
Work is hazardous at the moment and I need all my inner calm not to try to "kill" my boss on a daily basis. I'm so glad he's on holiday now - but when I see the workload he left without further explanation I just feel sick agin. Doc would want me to stay home and put the foot to rest, but lame chance.
Then I turned 37 on saturday - and just felt bad because I had a feeling I didn't manage anything in my life up to now. All big dreams shattered, still lonely - and no real important plans for the future.
Lots of time for self pitying...and remorse. And lots of fat, unhealthy soul food. I didn't check the scale - I'm much too afraid for what it tells me - but I have to to start again. Tomorrow is regular weight day, so maybe....

I hope checking in more regularly, maybe take a healthy dosis of tough love and enjoying how you all succed or struggle but still always stand up will bring me back on track or save me from falling again....

now I'll do some reading to catch up with everything I missed

Ugh. I feel miserable—physically, not emotionally. Last night I got absolutely NO sleep. Even though my BERP activities were limited, due to a mild back strain from manhandling the recycle bin, I uncovered some stuff that started me obsessing about all my big plans of the past (mostly writing-related) that I never did carry out. Doing this project is like prying off the layers of an onion, working slowly toward the core. Some layers are more disturbing than others.

I don't even know what I was so worked up about. All I know is that my stomach's been hurting and my head's been hurting all day so far. I've taken antacids and an H2 histamine blocker and acetominophen, but none if it has done any good. I've tried multiple times to get to sleep: it's a lost cause. I feel sort of like I have a bad hangover—my dim memories from college of what that was like. I wrote some postcards, although I don't know how coherent I was. I'm reading a good book on the history of the concept of beauty. But it makes my head worse and makes me nauseous to read more than 5 or 10 minutes at a time.

This has never happened to me before, to be so sick in the aftermath of a sleepless night. Usually I just conk out mid-morning and sleep 'til late afternoon, but not today. Oh well. I'll stop complaining in front of y'all: you're all so nice, and I hate to come across as a whiner.

Struggling.
Not quiting.
Making my daily post.

Looks like a lot of us are really struggling today which means that from a POP perspective it's going to be even harder than normal. Me, too. Part of me wishes I could kick myself in the rear end because really my problems are nothing compared to so many people in this world. But, they are my problems and they impact how I feel physically and emotionally. I imagine the same is true for everyone else.

I'm going to try to get through the day without going off plan. And I'm going to allow myself to be upset by what passes for turmoil in my life. But I'm also going to remind myself that my turmoil is pretty low on the rating scale compared to people who are refugees, or live in a country where women are subjected to unspeakable horrors, or those who don't have to worry about losing weight because they won't be eating today at all.

Maybe forcing myself into some semblance of emotional balance will lead to balanced eating.

Sugar Glad to see you posting again. ::HUGS:: I am so sorry to hear of your hard time with the ex boyfriend...Just remember that you are better than that and move on...I know easier said than done sometimes, but sometimes coming out of a relationship can be the fuel you need to push ahead and get some of that weight off. You are a beautiful and sweet person and you deserve it and owe it to yourself to do you for awhile...And Happy late birthday!! Don't look at all of the failures in life that you've had but how luck you are to be alive and live in the here and now...There is still plenty of time to turn things around for yourself and I have a feeling you can and will do it! Keep posting here and you will do well.

Fi My darling I hate hearing of you feeling bad But it's only because you are a good friend and I feel bad when people feel bad. Don't you ever worry about "complaining" in here....This is a group of love no matter what and we're here to help you along any way that you need it. When you get headaches you should try eating some food that is rich in magnesium or take a magnesium supplement...It's supposed to help with headaches Sending you lots of love today my friend!!

Ubee You need some HUGS too!!! Sorry you're struggling today, but don't you dare quit!!! You CAN do this!!! Sending you love too!!

Betsy You're right...In life there will always be someone worse of than you in some sort of sense....But that doesn't make your problems any less real...Keep your chin up buttercup, things will get better...Remember if you ever need to vent I'm listening...Even the best cheerleaders have their off days ::HUGGLES::

Nothing too exciting going on here today...Same old same old. I'm looking at my two oldest cats having a stand off in the kitchen lol...This ought to be hilarious. Starting to get nervous about the wedding coming up on Saturday...I hope I do as good a job as I did on the trial run and everyone is happy. Rest day today but tomorrow I'll be working on these arms of mine and get one step closer to losing these sugar glider arms.

Betsy ~ Oh okay I didnt remember who said to compare the scales, Im glad both scales turned out to be the same.

Thanks for the kind words and welcome.

to everyone who was struggling yesterday. You gals are so awesome for undertaking this journey and you've all done SO well. Reading your posts and seeing your stats encourages me so much. You can do this! You are doing this!


As for me, every single time I get serious about losing weight we get sick with some horrible bug. This time it was the flu, ugh. I've been feeling yucky all week but it slammed into me big time yesterday. Thankfully I feel much better today and while I don't feel quite up to a hard aerobics workout I do plan to take a walk at some point.
Also I'm down 12lbs from when I started losing last week, so yay! I know that having the flu has something to do with it but so long as I eat smart and exercise I shouldn't gain any back.
I can tell a difference in how I look and how my clothes fit, but I'm sure no one else could. I can't wait to get to the point where a 10lb loss is a BIG difference!