I guess I just get tired of doing sports all the time. we just went through a pretty lengthy season and my editor wanted baseball photos every week. We would run a half page photo essay, which meant I would run around to 3 or 4 different games so there was some variety in the teams featured.

I LOVE portraits. I do a lot of pics for bands and theatre productions.

See I was lucky I got to follow around primarily two teams during baseball season. We would publish 2-3 photos per game and would have about 3 games a week. Got to follow one team to state and travel to those games. Got around 5-6 photos from those games published if you could feature type photos. Its so challenging I just love it. Some sports I detest like volleyball... Do you keep a portfolio online anywhere?

It's cool listening (reading?) the two of you talk business....feel like I'm learning something new. Very interesting. What a neat choice of career.

Today was a great morning....walked about two miles, then came back and did my squat routine....[stephie, you might want to try this for your lower body....you squat 10 x with legs together on one side of your step, then squat with one leg up, then squat with one leg on either side of the step with feet turned out, then squat with the other leg up, and finally, squat on the other side of the step with both legs together. Works all parts of the legs, inner and outer, and butt. Just remember to squat back as if you're sitting so that your knees are no further than your shoelaces. I do 20 at each position, but I worked up to it]...finally ended with some heavy duty stretching and flexibility exercises. It felt so good to be active again! Will weigh myself now...Tina, isn't that what we're supposed to do...weigh in officially on Fridays?

Angel, how are you doing? Tina, are you settled back in yet?

Have a great day all!

Susan

Stephie - I used to upload my assignment stuff to Smugmug, until I discovered my editor was downloading smaller versions of the original file size and publishing those, which made them look like heck, so now I burn them to CD and drop them off every Monday. I work for a weekly paper that publishes on Friday.

I still have the Smugmug site, but nothing's on there right now. I don't know that I need to do an official online portfolio as this is just freelance stuff and I have a regular full-time job. The extra jobs I get are word-of-mouth and I pretty much have more than I can handle, now.

25 years ago I was trying really hard to break into photography as a career and kept running up against walls. Now that I've relaxed, it's dropping into my lap. I'm too old at this point to start over and pursue it full-time. This weekend freelance stuff is running me ragged at times.

Ok, the rest of you - back to diet talk: (sorry for the threadjack)

I"m trying to get off 12.5 more pounds to get to goal. I just landed a role in a community theatre production where there's oodles of dance numbers, so I will be dancing my hiney off 7 days a week for about 6 weeks. I think that should take care of the rest of the weight. I'm following Atkins, still at induction. Any time I try to up the carbs, I stall. Maybe with all that exercise I won't stall. Hmmm, I'll have to try and see.

Hi Morgaine..... I also think its neat that you two are in the same field. Small world.

Susan....those squats are KILLERS!!!! I feel your pain. hehe

Tina.....Welcome back!! Sounds like you had a great time (rain aside) Sorry about the never ending laundry pile, but vacation is like that. I've never been camping in a trailer, but I'm sure it beats a tent hands down!!! (esp. the AC)

Great news...I lost 2 lbs this week!! wooohoooo. It feels soooo good to be a loser. And I mean that in a good way! hehe

Good morning ladies! Well it is Friday and it is hot, hot, hot in my neck of the woods. Well Susan Friday is the official weigh- in day and it was no change since the holidays. I guess I am glad that I did not gain any over the husbands vaction. So right now I am at 156. I am really hoping to get back on track Monday when things settle back down. Glad to hear that you all are doing good with you rountines and eating. Well we are off to go shopping for the beach tommorow. Well I hope you all have a great weekend!

I forgot to mention - I am leaving Monday for a week's vacation - camping - so I won't be checking in. I'm making sure to take all the right food with me so I stay on plan. This will be the first time I'm not going to be able to weigh myself everyday. Hubby has said I couldn't bring the scale - I asked. I'm hoping that the following Monday weigh-in will be a pleasant surprise.

Morgaine...have a great time...it's a good idea to forget the scale. You'll probably be so busy that you won't have time to mess up, and you'll certainly be active. Just think what a nice surprise you'll get. Have fun.

Have a good weekend all...take care.

Hello ladies! Well I usually don't write on Sundays but I am feeling like I need to write down my plan for the next week so I will have you all to hold me accountable. I don't want to slip anymore so I am starting today with 30 min on my step with a video. I don't think with the heat today I will be going out. I did my shooping and stocked up on lots of fruits and veggies and lean meats so that part is in check. Ok for the exercise plan this is it for the week. Monday- weights and my 4 mile walk - Tuesday- 4 mile walk- Wednesday- weights and walk- Thursday- 4 mile walk- Friday-weights- Sat-OFF Sunday- 30 min Step video. I am going to stick to this for the week if it kills me and see how I do when I am faithful. I think I get so de-railed so fast I don't even know the couple of pounds have creeped on until I step on the scale. I am going to try and get better with that also though. I get on that stupid scale almost everyday and I either get really happy or really sad. I need to start focusing more on just getting healthy then getting to the next number. I sometimes feel like such a hypocrite for giving others advice when I can't stick with it myself. I know I can do this I just need to get my head out of the fridge and do it. Well I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend so far. Today after the step it is relaxing for me and my family. We all went to the beach yesterday and I tell you a day at the beach with three kids is exhausting. We have all had it I think. Tommorow my husband goes back to work so back to reality here at home. I think my diet went on vaction with him. Talk with you all tommorow.

Tina....you sure have the week all planned out!! WTG!!!....I find the same thing, if I don't stay on top of what I'm doing, its soooo easy to get sidetracked. I used to weigh myself more frequently but found that if I gained, I would spiral downward and go off plan.....if I lost, then I was a model citizen. I quickly STOPPED THAT as I was getting obsessive about it. Now I just stick to my Friday weighin's. WE are doing a sorting and de-cluttering day....(oh yippie!) Its amazing how the kids games get piled, movies laid on counters not in their cases....books not put back and besides....we've just too much stuff. Dh and I just watched an organizational type show on tv (Neat) and said.....what if we?...could we?....so we're doing it today!!! WE've been in this house just over 1.5 yr and before that, 3 yrs living here in the south....do we really need our 10yr old parkas? wooohoooo can't wait to DONATE!!! so thats what we're doing today. wish me luck!!!

Angel, tossing is so hard! I wish you LOTS of luck. I'm doing it now, partly because of the flooding in my basement, and partly because I want to move on with my life and all the clutter is holding me back. All my friends are retiring and moving to smaller places...not that I want to do that, but firstly, all the clutter makes me nuts, and secondly, with the stroke scare, I want to ensure that if anything happens the kids won't have a mess to clean up. Morbid thought, but something I really need to consider.

Tina, sounds like you have a good plan for the week. Hope the weather isn't too brutal and you can follow through with everything. a 4 mile walk in heavy heat isn't fun. Maybe you can have some video tapes handy to substitute if it is too hot.

I was going to be so good this week...was going to grill all my food...but some D@#$ animal chewed up the hose from the propane tank to the grill. Had to pan fry everything...at least it was non-stick. Just doesn't taste as good.

Took a 1.5 mile walk this morning, then did upper body. Feel some sense of accomplishment although I am trying to pace myself as I get back into working out again.

Have a great day everyone!

Good morning ladies! Well the heat is on where I live, how about all of you? Your right Susan I don't know if walking in this heat is even smart. I walk in the evening though so I am going to see how if feels later. I really hate the heat especially since I have no pool. I think next year that is going to be our investment and I know with three kids it will be well used. Great job Susan on getting your workout in already. At this very moment I feel like flushing my head down the toliet. My two boys are fighting and the youngest one is screaming at the top of his lungs. This is kinda gross but I am going to tell you all. I have a planters wart on the bottom of my foot and it is right on my heel where everytime you walk your full body weight presses down. I have a doctor appt. tommorow and I pray they can do something because this thing kills. I never knew that warts could be painful but I tell you it is one of the most painful things I have ever had. It makes it really hard to walk and when I am done walking I have to sit down or balance on one foot. Well enough of that sick business. Well I pulled out the food journel and plan on doing my weights before my shower. I hope you all have a wonderful day. I am just going to try and stay COOL today! Have a good one! \

Tina

artmaker - Photography is an awesome career choice one of my favorite quotes about it says "What other profession is so much fun that people do it while they are on vacation?" Thanks for the tip on the squats, I will definitely try them.

angel - congrats on the two lbs that is what we like to hear!

tina - no gain is still great! I know it can be frustrating though. Your plan looks excellent, stick to it girl!

OK ladies IM BAAAAAACK...your more tan, very sore now a little richer (yeah right) breath of fresh air! Steamboat was beautiful...although I did not get to see too much of it as I was working. Put in about 32 hours this weekend as I found out last minute I was the tournaments sole photographer. I would say I took 5000+ pictures! But more money in my pocker which is soooooooo neeeeeeeeded. Also booked a wedding so hopefully these financial problems I have been having will be a thing of the past.

The good news is the damage was minimal only 1 lb gained and pretty sure I know where that came from (starbucks is the devil...) So back to my routine this week. Gotta get a run in tonight and hopefully some strength training I have been kind of lax in that area.

How did everyone's weekend go?

Good Morning!!
Tina....ohhhh yuck!! hate warts, esp. plantar ones. You are going to think this is totally off the wall but......I've tried it and it works. Ds had a wart on his foot (not a plantar though) and dh heard of an old wives tale about putting a pc of grey duct tape on it. You replace it everyday and eventually after 3 wks...it goes away. Yeah right? well we tried all types of wart remover,....compound w....medicated pads etc....so last ditch attempt....we tried the grey duct tape AND IT WORKED!!! not sure why, not even sure I care why!!! Just thought I'd mention it. BELIEVE IT OR NOT!!! hehehe.....

Susan, good job on getting your walk in early. I will be leaving soon to the gym, no outdoor walk, run, bike ANYTHING TODAY!!! It will hit 100+ today.... CRAZY for Missouri !!! We never did too much of the tossing, dh got a migraine yesterday and since it was a room with most of his stuff...we are waiting for a better day.

Stephi....Hi. Glad to hear you're back and on track!! I hear ya on the Starbucks thing.... 5000+ pics, wow...you were busy!!! but can you say? CA-CHING$$.

Good morning, ladies!

I was just reading your thread and you all seem so wonderful and supportive! I was hoping to join in, if you’ll have me I am 24 years old, married (three years this August) and working on losing my last 10-15lbs. I am a Weight Watchers member and am working on the Core plan. I am having the hardest time lately…I knew it was bad when the husband and I bought Nutella (chocolate and hazelnut spread) at Costco this weekend! Can you believe it?!?!? Who, in their right mind, needs Nutella in BULK?!?!? At 200 calories for two tablespoons, Lord knows I sure don’t need it!

I have felt better about myself now than I have in a few years and I think I am getting complacent. I know that I would feel even better once I have lost the last bit of weight but I think I am getting tired of the whole project.

Well there you have it, as I break the suction between my fingers and the jar of Nutella, I know I need to make the decision to get the job done!! Any suggestions, motivations, general kicks in the fanny would be much appreciated!