Read all your posts, girlfriends -- just not replying individually tonight. Tomorrow's a long day and I reckon I'd better slip off to bed. Three in the morning is going to come too soon! Howie gets to sleep through tomorrow. LOL What's ironic is, up until this last week, I was typically still awake at three in the morning.

Kimberley--hehe, maybe some of your stress reached me dwn here in DC...for some reason, I was up at 3 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. I was still awake when my alarm went off at 4:47. Okay, so maybe it's really because I woke up coughing due to a tickle in my chest that wouldn't go away, but still...my thoughts are with you guys!

So yeah, I'm sleepy. I fell asleep on the couch yesterday during the day for a few hours, and when I woke up, I still felt like I was ready to go to bed. Blah. Maybe it's the gray weather (although yesterday wasn't gray all day, but we didn't actually leave the apartment, so who knew ).

I've been doing much better food-wise. Not perfect, but better, which is at least a step in the right direction. We went out to eat on Friday night to Uno's, and I got a bowl of soup and an entree salad, and then on Saturday, we had lunch at Sweetwater, and I had another entree salad, so even if I went over in calories both days, it could have been worse

Jill: Entree salads aren't too bad if they're not loaded with stuff. And you're right, it could have been worse, especially at Uno's. I was shocked to find out an individual tomato and cheese pizza was 1500 calories!! YIKES!

I'm expecting my weigh-in number on Friday to be a good one. I'm excited!

Hey Chicks!

So it's been way too long since I posted! No excuses other than work's too busy.

It's nice to catch up with the 'veterans' and also nice to see some new faces!

I've been on plan for an entire year and it feels GREAT! I totally jumped off my 5 month plateau in the last few weeks and am darn determined to lose lose lose! (the weight of course!!!) I teetered between 232 and 235 from August until mid December. The week before X-mas I had a gallbladder attack (1st ever and hopfully ONLY! OUCH) and so I really had to watch my fat intake over the holidays in fear of having that kind of pain again. I also bought some exercise DVD's for us for christmas. So the renewed spirit and change up of routine has dropped me 8 pounds in 3 weeks. I never quit exerciseing or eating on plan that whole time, that in itself is proof of a changed me! (oh yeah, the lady I work with that had "the Surgery" last April, she started at 287 and is only at 212, I started last Jan at 312 and am at 229; hee hee! )

Sam and I are looking for a house to buy... no more renting. When we buy a house we are planning on getting another dog, a brother for Lexi! I'm really looking forward to it, but it's a really slow process since we can't afford to get a really nice house, we have to get something cheaper that is still in mostly good shape. What a pain. I wish I had a ton of money!

I gonna try to get on here on a regular basis again. The encouragement and conversation is just what I've been missing!

Hey, everyone. Hi, Sara - gosh, great to see you again! I'm posting from the waiting room, believe it or not. My friend brought her laptop because she needed to keep up on things at the office. She has the Verizon wireless plan and we get a signal in here. Howie is in surgery, and they made the incision at 9:15am. They call the waiting room every hour or so with updates, and if I am not here, they have my cellphone and call me on it. I'll catch y'all later.

Still keeping you all in prayers this morning, Kimberley!!

Sara, nice to meet you! You have made wonderful progress in the last year--83 lbs! It is definitely an achievement that you've made it a lifestyle and not a "diet"! That is what I am working towards...

Looking forward to seeing you more around here!

Prayers on the way Kimberley and WB Sara, glad to here things are going well for you other than that gall bladder...

Ugh gall bladders are horrible, I got rid of mine, and have a nice scar across my tummy instead. The pain of the gallbladder attacks will stay with me forever, it was truly horrible.

I think a 10k is a bit ambitious for a complete non-runner!!! But I am sick sick sick of thinking about weight all the time, so if perhaps I am thinking about ideal nutrition and training plans for running, the weight will look after itself.

I am teetering at 200lbs today. Nearly there at 199, maybe next week!!!

I did a core body class on the fitball today. It's so amazing being able to do a class and keep up and do everything everyone else can do, it's so great! I really enjoyed it! We have two more classes this week at lunch time, ultimate abs (which sounds terrible) and body pump (which I have done before, it's good fun too)

I'm really tired now, 5 minutes til home time.

Diana, I wonder if you couldn't get a big container of plain natural yogurt (which would be easy to find at the grocery store, I think!) then add fruit and honey. I try not to use artificial sweeteners either, I think it makes me lose my sweet sense, because they tend to be a lot sweeter than sugar. It's so much easier to find dark chocolate now here in the US, a few years ago you'd have to search out a gourmet place. chocosphere is great. scharfenberger is delicious, but overly expensive imho. the darker you go the less sugar too. we went to a store here called fishers eddie, they resell old restaurant dishes, and bought smaller plates to use, which I've heard before from other people, it's a great idea. Great suggestions. Keep us updated on the tips.

Good job at the Uno's, Jill. I'm getting better but not quite perfect too. It takes me a little while to get back on track sometimes. I'd say I'm at about 85 percent. Feel better.

Yeah, doesn't that suck, Jen, re the electricity rates. I think all the utility companies are going to do it. Thanks re: Phil book, too. I'm not having the umph I used to have and I need to figure out what's going on and get back into swing. Maybe I'm just making it too complicated, we did just come out of the holidays. The way things are, it's not easy to see a relative joining the military. Keep us posted about Friday

Hi, Sara, nice to see you again. Congrats on the loss during the holidays, tough time to stay on program that's for sure. Good luck with the house hunting, that's really exciting.

Wow, Kylie, that's a GREAT way to start off 2006, entering onederland!

It's cool you can post from the hospital, Kimberley. I'm glad your friend was able to come and be with you. It's after 2 here, I hope the surgery is over and all is well.

I'm doing stock spread sheets today to see if our client was fleeced. Time consuming and exhausting, perfect job for Monday. I woke up at 4:30 and couldn't really go back to sleep either, blah. On the bright (literally) side, the sun is shining and it's 56 degrees, not bad for January. Got to put the nose back to the grindstone. Take care, ladies.

What?? No posts since yesterday AFTERNOON?? We must all have other things going on!

I think I am going to have a pretty good loss this week if I keep up the work. I'm already down 3.5 unofficially!

It's very quiet here today not like us at all. My tummy hurts! I did a core body class yesterday, and boy did we get to the core!!! I'm feeling muscle I didn't know existed! I am not going to the gym tonight (I did do cardio at lunch) and am going to sit on the couch with my low fat beef and vegetable stew and the cat and watch telly!

Tomorrow I have a body pump class, I am having my weight lifting training shaken up (which kills me!) and then going for a swim!!!! And having my annual appraisal!!!

Yeah, it was quiet...I went out to a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner with a group of women last night. I recently joined this group called Metro Women, and it's just a group of ladies who get together a few times a month to socialize. It's so hard to meet people outside of the workplace that this gives us an opportunity to meet people in a safe environment, and I had a lot of fun. There was one girl at our table who was quite outspoken (really smart and nice, just loud--you know the type), and she and I got into some good discussions. I'm glad it was better--the last dinner I went to with the group was quite dull, and I was considering not joining for 2006 (it's $20 a year).

Well, I'm CRAZY tired! I thought I was sleepy yesterday, but then I got home after 10 from the dinner (since I got lost on my way home ), and Jeff wanted smoothies, so I made them, we watched some tv, then went to bed and watched some tv, and we didn't go to sleep till just after midnight. I then woke up at 3am (as seems to be my normal routine now for some reason), and then my alarm went off at 4:47 as usual, so I would say I got maybe a good 4 hours of sleep last night, so now I'm even more tired than I was yesterday. I really thought I was going to fall asleep in the car while driving to work this morning.

So, my plan for tonight is to watch Disney movies and NAP until bedtime Jeff won't be home--his older cousin has to have tests on her heart tomorrow morning, so he is spending the night at their house so he can take the 3 boys to school in the morning. She called Sunday and told him to pack enough clothes to last till Friday in case they have to do more testing or find something that requires her to stay in the hospital. I am worried about her--she seems healthy, and I want to know why they're sticking a tube in her heart! But anyway, I will be Jeffless tonight, so plenty of sleeping time available. I'm suppressing my worried thoughts of him being gone--since our little issue in October, I pretty much worry about him whenever he's not in the same room with me (where is he? who is he with? what is he doing?). I almost feel guilty for worrying about him when his cousin is having these tests--I should be focused on her! I know he's been a good boy, but those fears still swell up at times. Bah, c'est la vie.

Morning gals!

Worked out with Denise Austin this am, she has the MOST ANNOYING voice on the planet I think! However, she makes you sweat and hurt really good.

I'm selling my elliptical machine to a girl at work tonight, it's about 3 years old from walmart. Sam and I have been talking about getting a new one for a while now, so it's now or never! We have one scoped out at Sears, a NordicTrack brand on sale now for $799, it's really nice and smooth and quiet! So I guess we'll be buying that tonight too.

Well gotta get back to work now... I'll be back later

Evening, ladies!

Jen, you're kicking butt! can't wait to hear your official total. You too, Kylie, man, you have the exercise down. I get tired just reading the list of things you do, heh.

Jill, maybe you need a little time with Jeff to get past it. hopefully those tests will all come out negative, that stuff gets scary.

Cool about the new elliptical, sara.

I'm still swamped at work, boss got a slew of new client's today. I have to go out tonight too, so I'm going to have to make this short.

I went to fitday today and logged in the calories, get the feeling I'm working to turn this around and get more serious?? have a great night.

This post's just a quick hello and goodbye tonight. I'm so tired I am close to nodding off here after reading your posts (not that they're boring -- honest!). Updates posted at thehman dot com. See ya when I'm fresh in the morning.