also - when are we doing the starting weights? are we emailing them? or are we going to be posting in a thread?

We're posting in a thread for starting weights. The deadline is the 26th by 10 pm EST

Good morning everyone I am already in challenge mode here, so you all better step it up. Once I posted my starting weight I feel the challenge is on and I'm focused for the first WI. Ya'll better watch out

sxl--the thread is already started for starting weights.

Rhonda--It's true you can get crappy food for really cheap usually, so you have to strike a balance that is right for you. I don't buy anything with sugar anymore, doesn't matter how cheap it is, we don't need it. What I save from eliminating those sugary snacks I consider making up for the healthier stuff I buy. I spend about the same buying healthy as I used to buying junk...just cut out like mac and cheese, spagettios, etc. and that picks up the extra from the fresh produce I buy now. We are going to grow tomatoes this year, because i can't afford to buy them anymore unless they are on sale, much better to just grow our own. We plan to make a big garden as well, but probably not until next year since our backyard is still torn up...BUT the building should be going up in the next few weeks and then I can put things back together and will have lots of new areas to plant flowers, yay!

Okay, guess I'm chatty this morning. I'm going to walk all three dogs today, clean some, and do my Jillian exercise. that should get me to noon when the little boy comes home.

Rhonda - I don't have anything in particular I do for earth day, but I love that your family does! Just wanted to tell you I think that's really awesome.

Sure have had enough of this rain!

I woke up this morning with a killer sore throat, DH had a cold this weekend but I thought I had escaped getting it somehow. I guess not. Looks like today will be soup and tea... Though that doesn't sound so unpleasant when it's so rainy outside.

Got this really annoying project at work that's been put off and put off and finally given to me when we have next to no time to actually complete it. Of course. So the weather's crummy, I'm coming down with something, and I get a nice stressful project at work to top it off And I have a presentation tomorrow on the last day of my last class. What a week, huh? When it rains it pours I guess.

<--- this guy sure is coming in handy today.

Hi everyone! Beside my allergies acting up, I'm doing well! Oh, well I'm PMSing pretty bad, shoulda started yesterday, but besides all that~ I'm good!

I'm soooo excited about starting the challenge! I like seeing those of you who are pumped up and ready to challenge each other! I need that friendly, but strong competition to help me beat you! Really tho, I neeeeeed to do well this time. I was no good last time, too much stuff in life messing with me. Was great the time before, lost the 42+ or so. You all have to help me by threatening to beat me!!! I HAFTA meet my 100 lb mark in THIS challenge!

I haven't read all the posts yet, am taking Mr. Furley to the doc this a.m. for his checkup. But will read up when I can sit back down here! Lots going on this week, training for us, several doc appts, etc.

Here's to each of you! May this journey be one of self-discovery, of one where your strength surprises you, where supporters come out of nowhere for you, where you feel that you can do anything you put your mind and heart into, where you hit your goal and more. I'm wishing you all Good Determination because luck isn't needed.

Big hugsssss, Selina

According to your ticker ... we are starting at the same weight

I am so excited, I really want to see that "1" at the front of my numbers. I have a feeling I won't make my goal of 185 lbs this time, but I put it out there for something to work REALLY hard for to see if I can challange myself. It requires me to lose a little more than 2 lbs a week and since I have already dropped 90 lbs, my weight loss is slowing down now and not moving along at that pace. Oh well ... as long as it keeps moving and in the right direction, I will get there.

We go to my in-laws on the 18th of Aug and I really want to be looking good since we usually go to a water park and I hate looking and feeling like a whale at them.

I'm so excited. I went to the NBC website and they do have Biggest Loser t-shirts for sale. Maybe they will offer the tanks soon too. I ordered a blue shirt for being on the blue team at the fitness center.

Now I can't wait to see what team I'm on for here!

I too am so very excited for this challenge to begin. I really feel like my head is in the right place for me to do well this time. My goal is to simply get out of the 170's during this challenge. I'm getting married this fall and would like to look smokin' hot. Sort of my motivation I guess.

Kelly--my starting weight was 220, but I am back to 219 as of today. I have goal of hitting 195 by July 4th...I'm planning on going home to see my family in Ohio that week. I'll set another goal after that, but right now that is my focus. We are so close, so So SO close let's do it!

Terri--thanks for posting about the shirts, I would love to have a black one to wear while I do my Jillian DVDs...I pretend she's in my living room, so this will just make hubby really think I'm insane

Happy Tuesday (Earth Day) Everyone ! ! !

For now the sun is shining, and all appears to be well in Seattle. I feel good today...Even though they are 3000 miles away, I am always amazed at how what is going on with my family effects me. Really, really long story that involves my redneck uncle, $15000, and a truck. But I just spoke to my mom and she sounds as upbeat as I have heard her in a long while.

OK, I've decided not to look for another job in IT...I am going to change careers, I'll be figuring out "to what" while I continue losing weight. Once I reach my goal weight I should be ready.

My boss is on vacation, so I'll be around.

Welcome to all the new folks !

I got pulled over this morning.... and I'm upset.

I decided since no one was working today because of the that I was going to work from home so I could get challenge and house stuff done. So I goto Target and on my way home I'm cruising along listening to my new Danity Kane CD and I notice a cop with a radar gun after I passed him. I didn't see him pull out so I thought I was good. I'm about a block from my house and all of a sudden here he comes. I thought I was maybe 5 to 8 mph over the speed limit. Turns out it was 11!! Thankfully its not reckless, but it doesn't end there..

So I get home and I have the option to pay it or go to court and I know I was in the wrong so I want to pay. I call the automated line for Newport News and they say it's like $5 per mph over the speed limit plus 61 bucks for processing and I have to send a copy of the ticket. I looked at the ticket at this point and notice the cop wrote down that I was going 56 in a 25 mph zone... which looks like I was going 31 mph over!! In VA if you are over 18 and go 15 mph its reckless and they can lock you up for it, so needless to say I'm panicing.

I called the City clerk's office and get this really rude woman and as I'm trying to explain that I need to contact the officer ASAP, she's got the attitude of a ***** and is like "Well thats why you have a court date if you feel like you didn't do wrong or something unjust was done to you, you need to take it to court." HELLO! I'm owning up to the fact I messed up thats why I'm trying to pay it off!! So I give her a piece of my mind and clearly tell her she doesn't understand English (yes I really said that!) and ask to speak to someone else. She puts me on the phone with the City Clerk herself who was very understanding and nice about what needed to be done. I basically had to call and speak to the officer and get the ticket amended before it gets to the court tomorrow.

So I call the number she gives me and they tell me to call another number. So I call that number and its the central precinct (cause Newport News is so big it needs 3 general area police stations, but I'm sure there's more than that) and they tell me Officer Daniels is out on the road (DUH! He just pulled me over less than 20 minutes ago!) and that they don't know when he'll be back into the precinct cause the rain is causing a lot of accidents.

So now I play the waiting game.... I can be content with getting my laundry done but my nerves are going to be jumping until this officer calls me. If it doesn't get ammended before the end of the day, I have to go to court and waste a days pay to telling the judge that the cop screwed up on the ticket.

What kills me is that either way the cop messed up. Either he wrote the wrong thing on the ticket, or he forgot to arrest me if the speed limit right there is indeed 25 mph.

I called my mom to tell her, cause the car I have is under my dad's name. She's all like "Your dad's gonna be pissed" I'm like ok... its my first ticket in like 6 years and its not reckless so I'm not stressing it.... if it costs my dad and extra 20 to 50 bucks a month I'll pay it just to shut him up.

There's my vent for the day.... I'll be posting a more explicit version on my blog later since I have all this free time to kill while waiting to dump softener in the wash.

Happy Earth Day! We're celebrating here at work with "dirt" pudding (served in plastic cups with plastic spoons, what irony). We do a ton of EPA projects, so we've recycled all our paper and cans for years, but I think there's still room for improvement here at work.

On the homefront, I replaced all of our bulbs with CFL this January. We don't water the lawn, use native plant landscaping (okay, it's really just that the fencline is completely out of control), and we don't have a pool. I drive a car that gets 37mpg, and we recycle all our paper and cans at home too. I think my next "green" step is to get some reuseable shopping bags. Even though I recycle my plastic ones, I think the reuseable ones will be better.

BTW - Any other "Admin Professionals" on here? My job falls within the realm of our clerical department, so I get to celebrate what used to be Secretaries Day. I got a lovely plant from the partner's yesterday and we're going to lunch tomorrow. I'm so spoiled (at my job).

I finally made my Red Bean n Rice last night and they were yummy! I didn't have half the ingredients, so I made it up as I went along. I think it cost me about $2.58 for the entire dinner, and that included enough for today's lunches, and some extra.

On a side note.... I got Bob's book in the mail yesterday so I'll be reading that and will have discussion about it later today.

I'm an office manager so I'm going to say I fall under this category. I don't get anything.... unless of course you want to consider my boss letting me go home and call the voice mail every hour instead of sit at the office and answer a random call a Secretaries Day gift.