Good morning everyone,

Or should I just say good morning Stephanie? Is it just us? Thanks for the support. BF and I aren't going to break up or anything, I've just been planning our trip to my parents for XMas for a month, where he was supposed to come home and meet my family for the first time, and he told me Wed. that he's not coming. He does have excellent reasons (there's a story there that's not mine to tell) but I was very upset anyway b/c I'd been planning for a month, my parents & sis were all excited, tickets bought, etc. I rarely get home to PA now that I'm in Florida, and I only get to see my family about 2x a year, so this was a big deal for me. I'm still upset but we're working on it.

Stephanie, could you try a 2 or 3 day rest? If you're injured, even if it seems like a little thing, you want to let it heal so you don't do more damage. If you must work out, you could do something else that's lower impact than running - swimming, elliptical, nordic track, just walking? I always struggle to give myself a rest when I'm injured, but even though it's hard mentally it always works out better physically. When I got up to running 30 miles/week I started having knee problems and I just had to cut back a bit. If you've gotta work out, then ice, stretch, ice some more, stretch some more.

Yesterday was another good day for me. I walked an extra 2 miles for a total of 8 miles (2.5 running, the rest walking) and food was slightly higher calorie range (1700 cal) but with the extra exercise was ok. Also it was all good 'quality' food. I don't have big plans this weekend so I'm going to try and get a longer walk/run in at least one day. I do have a friend's bday Saturday night but I've already said I'd be DD so will avoid alcohol, and hopefully not eat too badly.

Does anyone else (Stephanie?) have any special plans this weekend?

I'm here too! Well, for a few minutes at least. Then I have to get started with my day. It's 9 am here and I haven't even had breakfast yet!

Stephanie, the weight is just flying off of you! You will make your New Years' goal for sure. And your final goal is just a few lbs down from 155, isn't it? Your'e soooo close.

Megan, I'm sorry to hear about your bf troubles. Go ahead and have fun without him. I'm sure you've done this already, but have you told him how important this trip was to you and your family? He might be anxious about meeting them. Why don't you have him talk to them on the telephone first and gradually work up to them physically meeting. Of course, you may have already done this.

Look on the bright side - at least this way you have your family to yourself.

Great job on the exercise you two! I'm going to be heading out this morning for some walking myself. Maybe I'll do some jogging intervals as well.

The only plans I have for this weekend are to go on a hike tomorrow morning/afternoon. We went last weekend and loved it; we're going to try a different mountain tomorrow. This one costs $5 per car, but I'm sure it's worth it. I'll be going with my Mom and 9 yo brother (who are both quite the intrepid adventurers), and maybe one of my other siblings if they can wake their teenage butts up early enough on a Saturday morning to get some *gasp* fresh air and exercise. They're both little twigs, though, so I guess they think that they don't need it, which we all know is not true.

We've been unpacking our Christmas decorations slowly this week, so we'll finish decorating for Christmas this weekend as well. The stockings are on the coffee table in the living room patiently waiting to be hung on the fireplace mantel. We also need to buy a wreath for our front door, string garland along the bannister, buy a tree (I don't know if they've begun selling them in Arizona yet), etc. Fun times!

I'm here, too!! I posted a 1.5-pound loss at TOPS last night (for 2 weeks since we didn't have a meeting last week due to the holiday). That means I have 8.25 pounds to go before I can officially say I have lost 50 pounds and only 18.5 pounds till I'm finally below 250--I don't think I've been below 250 since I was like 18 or 19 (I'm 23 now). These little goals are getting so close I can taste it!!

You girls are so good, planning ways to be good over the weekend.

Megan--I totally understand why you're upset about the BF thing. No matter what his reasons are for not going, I know it is a disappointment. I only go home to CT to see my family once or twice a year, so if Jeff weren't coming home with me for Christmas, I would be devastated! I mean, it could be for totally genuine and logical reasons, but I would still be down about it. I know I'm not really helping here, but I wanted you to know you're not crazy for being upset

Jenn--ha, I have a little Christmas tree that's maybe a foot-and-a-half tall that's on a little stand in our living room, and that's the extent of our Christmas decor We are going to my parents' house in CT for the holiday, and we don't ever have people over, so it's just the two of us who will ever actually see it anyway.

Stephanie--another pound...rock on! Man, you girls are motivating!

Good Morning Ladies:

Stephanie: take it easy on your knee! I would also suggest like Megan, and just do something that doesn't involve your knee, give your body time to heal itself. Just for the next few days work your upper body, back, and abs. -those are fun ones!

Congrats Ladies on the Losses!

Jdogg: I was talking to my bf and he thinks I need to eat more, and that may help me break past this 170-175 range. Although he thinks I way 135-how sweet is he. I won't tell him how much I weigh, so he guessed. I guess he lives with me, so to guess low is good for him. Anyways, i was telling him about my four pound gain and he thinks I dont' eat enough. I use fitday and I usually eat about 1500-2000 a day. I work out almost every day and I workout with weights and cardio alternating days most times for at least an hour. He thinks I work out to much to, he works out fo maybe thirty minutes, but he is trying to gain weight, I'm trying to lose...so we are on different paths here. Any other ideas anyone?

No big plans this weekend, but studying for finals..oh yea, and a hair appt! Woo Hoo! I need my hair colored bad, I've got major rootage showing.

Everyone have a great FRIDAY!

Bah humbug, Jilly

Seriously, I hope you have a wonderful, magical holiday in CT with your family. When I lived in Boston, I would drive down to VA w/ my sister to visit our family for the holidays and we'd go through Connecticut. It's really a beautiful state. You have to watch your speed but the landscape is gorgeous.

Jill - It's great getting close to the little goals! Exciting!

I guess I will be resting my knee, I look like a gimp just walking. It's really painful, I don't know what happened to it. I am disappointed though because I hadn't worked out for several days and have been pretty inconsistant the last couple weeks, and yesterday was the begining of the month and all my new goals and now it's all ruined already ! Ok I am done pouting. I know it's not the end of the world. I also know there's other things I could do, like abs, upper body stregth training, and ab or arm Pilates. I don't know if I will though because I am being a big baby!

Anyway. The weekend, hmmmm. Nope no plans except for to try and be good. Oh yeah I have to go to my fiance's nephew's 4th b-day party. I am not really excited about that, but I am sure it won't take that long. I will just have to avoid the burgers and cake! Maybe I should get started on my 8 page developmental psychology paper, or maybe not. Gosh I am whiney tonight! I need to buck it up, I have been getting ever closer to my goal!!!