Hello all!!--

Q Babette-- again, parallel lives, size 16 is the size I was celebrating last week too!! - - But I have never run except for an elevator and I am impressed.

Q Aramantha- Interesting how all the guests are female and the attendants are male....... hmmmm-- wonder who who have in mind for the Royal chef?

Q Eydie- I thought of you yesterday many times-

Q Punkinseed-- I LOVE THAT ANALOGY! "if you trip on a rock, you don't go back back to the beginning and start over" -- That was just what I needed to hear this morning!

Q Upandaway-- Talk about multitasking!! Cleaning and extra calorie burning!!! Don't forget to do something for yourself too, especially guilt free- rewards of job well done!!

TheLyd- I award you a royal title of Queen- Please accept this tiara and elbow length gloves with our compliments-- I seem to be out of royal wands- I trust one of our other members will have a spare handy

Q Cindilier- Isnt packing the worst?? Be careful, when we moved from CT, it wastn until 5 yrs later, I found still packed, A box full of trash - luckily all paper trash BUT STILL

Q Punkinseed- Congrats on your making your morning challenge- Mine have become challenging as well- for more than one reason-
I have started drinking water with my coffee and as for the other-
I'm following Dr Phil on that one-- " DO IT IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT OR NOT"

Q Jellyn - How's it going in your kingdom? is everyone treating you royally?

Q Mom2boys- How is the research going? took me a long time to realize, the only thing that would work long term would be something that worked for me- by that I mean, that it made sense, that it fit into my lifestyle, and most of all, that I saw results.

My goal today is to get the water in - I was doing great earlier in the week and then again, stress kicked in and the bottle just sits there-- And to just keep dusting myself off and keep moving--I've got to remember that you can't make progress if you aren't moving!


Take care all

Good Morning, Your Majesties of the Empire! Long may you rule!

I did it again I decided to have a piece of fudge with my post-dinner mint tea, but I had points to spare (and it was good!). I had one of those "more" impulses afterwards but told it to leave me alone and it did.

I want to express heartfelt thanks to Emperess Amarantha for establishing the Royal Spa. It's FABULOUS! And even if I only spend a few seconds there from time to time, they are deeply revivifying seconds!

HRH Kaylets, I thank you for your admiration of the royal run. I fear that, were I a commoner (perish the thought!) one would have to describe it a "jog" but thankfully, it is in my power to describe it as I wish!

Very cool to be so parallel

Today's challenge is much like yesterday's, although my exercise goal more or less alternates:


Today:

Keep intake under 35 points.

3 mile walk, 2 sets of circuits, (already did those 2) tai chi class

Drink >3L water.

Get at least 7 servings of fruits & veggies.

Journal every bite and report it here.

Have a wonderful day, Your Exquisite Excellencies!
xo
babette

Good day all and Happy Friday-eve!

This morning, my standing challenge of not inhaling sourdough bread (not even toasted, how gauche!) was met. Matter of fact I STILL haven't had breakfast... probably because dinner was just a "tad" off program - not too bad though, but still, not what Elberta had arranged...

Emp. Amarantha - I'm glad you told me who Elbert was! I went to introduce myself and all I got was an "Argh!" - the parrot is nice though...

HRH Kaylets - I love Dr. Phil! Have you read any of his books? I wonder how applicable they would be to this whole "weight loss/get your life under your control" thing they would be.

HRH Babette - I second your applause for Emp. Amarantha's spa idea. Actually, I have the entire weekend reserved - I have purchased the royal bubble bath and at 3:30pm Friday I will check in and let Elbert, Elberta, Granny Goodnurse, towel boy and masseuse pamper me until Sunday evening when I must come back to reality and get ready for work....

Challenges for today:
No snacking before breakfast - done
water, water, everywhere - first glass is full, minus 3 long sips
staying to the planned menu - so far, so good...

I leave your royal company, for now...

Terri

Well ladies, I did manage to shop for groceries yesterday, actually used couple of coupons, bought what was on the list, plus some fresh fruit too good to pass up. Took the daughter shopping and am proud to say she is becoming a very frugal shopper (in addition to becoming a truly breathtaking beauty), we did not break the budget.

As for today, well today my goal is to stay with my program in spite of the (apparent) lack of results. I visited eDiets and a couple of other sites and have concluded that I need to eat between 14 and 1500 calories a day. This is dead on the money for the point range I'm in so I feel confident that I'm doing it right. I've made "give it time, just keep trying and give it time" my mantra. I think I'll head over to the spa and let the healing properties of the enchanted waters can improve my mental outlook. That'll be me in sitting in the shade with a Stephen King novel by my side and the Eagles playing on the radio, repeating my mantra over and over.

upandaway

Good Morning, Your Excellencies!

I'm tired this morning, and feel a bit like I'm catching a cold (my adorable grandson was over the other evening and had a runny nose). Also, I've gotten really a lot of exercise the last few days in a row. So. I decided to take it easyish today. I'm going to incorporate a 3 mile-walk into meeting my sister for lunch and will do a couple of sets of tai chi through the day. I was going to run, but all things considered, I think that this plan is wiser.

Also, I'm not going with a target point level, but going back to the basics: no eating when I'm not hungry and no eating other than at the table when I'm alone. Plus the water. This is the sacred collapse evening of the week, and we're having nachos for and a movie, and I will likely have a festive bev. or two. That, combined with lunch with my sister... hmmm... No, the heck with it. I can still keep it under 50 points (about 2500 cals) and splurge fairly modestly, so that's my goal. I'll report back, too.

Amarantha, is nowhere and no one safe!!! I'm shocked and appalled that Blob would dare to assault Your Grace en route to Her palace! Where was the Royal Bodyguard? Nevertheless, I think that the rock-tripping analogy is most appropriate, and hope that the rest of your day went royally.

Well, I am off to slay dragons. Work work work Have a wonderful day, Your Excellencies!

I guess my "recommitment day" was humorous to the powers that be... for some reason (stress? depression?) my will and want to do this has waned. I know it will come back, but it's now a matter of doing the least amount of damage while I'm working my way back in the right direction. I know it WILL come back.

So, today's challenge will be simple - water and lots of it. If I can't control much else right now, I will drink water until it comes out my ears. The rest will come back later, it always does after some prodding...

I also will start to practice some form of meditation. Stress is getting to me and the depression from the obvious decision I must make to postpone my vacation (which means I won't see my friends for 2 or more months now) is what I think is affecting my will to take care of myself.

So,
~water,
~deep breathing and a conscious thought before I eat something,
~hang on and know that perfection is not going to happen right now. To expect perfection when you know you can't deliver is just going to cause feelings of failure, which leads to more stress, etc.
~HAVE FAITH IN MY RESOLVE - my want will come back but I need to prepair myself for seeing the damage I've done and not let that lead me into more negative stuff.

I saw the rock, tripped over it anyway, now I'm fighting to keep walking straight.

Terri

... nothing and no one is safe from BLOB! The bodyguards (Walking Pole 1 and Walking Pole 2) were hanging out in the hot tub back at the spa when Amarantha left yesterday and she didn't like to disturb them. She believed her resolute nature would be all the protection she'd need against the antics of Blob, the evil fitness thief, who uses every means in his power to suck the fitness level out of unsuspecting folk who sometimes don't even notice for years they have no muscle tone left because Blob has replaced the muscle fibers with clumps of fat through a reverse liposuction process known only to him. His minions, Sal Sloth and Marvina Maybe Tomorrow, are everywhere, too.

That said, Empress Amarantha is giving her royal report on yesterday's challenges to her advisors even as we speak. She sayeth that she did indeed chase Blob outta the area yesterday and had a nice stroll on the Desert of No Food from 9 P.M. to Midnight and she did indeed do her Thursday weights. Thusly, 2/3ds of her Wednesday challenge were meteth! She's already walked an hour today and has a final exam to go take, so must hurryeth.

Amarantha's Thursday Challenge: ONE, as a reward after she taketh her final exam on the first class of her college program, she will NOT succumb to the urge to come home and take a nap but will drive to the sporting goods store and purchase a SECOND pair of walking poles to augment her security forces when she traveleth about. She will keep a pair in her royal carriage for emergencies and keep a pair at home. TWO, she's gonna go for a MAJOR CALORIC FUN RUN today ... she'll run towards a special CHALLENGE TROPHY marked 1699 ... it's a tricky game because if as much as ONE extra calorie over 1699 should grab her from the sidelines and yell "TAG," the trophy is forfeit and will in fact disappear before the very eyes of the cheering crowd. If Amarantha, however, makes it to the trophy and snatches it up ... well, she'll have the trophy!

Have a great day, Royal Folk!

168/167.5/135

Morning all. My challenge for today, indeed the weekend, is just to make it from one dosage of pain pills to the next, I'm sad to say. Major toothache attacked in the middle of the night and no dentist is working in this town of Fridays, so it'll be sweat it out and bare it, (it hurts to grin!) until Monday.

The upside is I can't eat much so staying on target calorie wise shouldn't be too tough. Getting in all the nutritional components, that may be a different story. Also, since I don't have a toothache in my feet I can still ride the old bike so I'm off to do that. It actually takes my mind off the jaw pain.

Amarantha, I'm so proud of you for accomplishing the 'no-eat zone' from 9 to midnight. Nights are tough for me. Somehow the rest of the house in bed, all quiet, it's like the perfect time to snack snack snack. Of course last night I just snacked on Advil, so no problem!

Great Friday all,
upandaway

Jetski-By Post, Midday, Imperial Vacation Spa, South Empire: Bad news, the 1699 Trophy has disappeared and the Caloric Fun Run has been cancelled for today. Blob is suspected of having taken the trophy, which was sitting on a pedestal at the edge of the spa's state-of-the-art run/walk track located in a grassy meadow in the center of a secluded grove of Queen Palms and pecan trees. Only a few birds, bees and butterflies were seen in the vicinity when the theft was discovered, though; although, a strange orange piece of shiny paper with the word "Reese's" imprinted thereon was also nearby.

Amarantha is claiming victory on the purchase of the Walking Poles, though, and will reschedule the Fun Run. She is substituting a stroll through the No Food Desert of 9 P.M. to Midnight as a second challenge.

Q. Upandaway: Sorry about your royal tooth hurting. So rude of dentists to take these long weekends!

Not that it was that brutal, but I'm sure I'd have done much worse if I hadn't been trying to accomplish my goals for today.

Upandaway, hope you don't suffer too much with the toothache before it gets fixed -- toothaches are the worst!

Amarantha, I admire the way you continue on with your chosen challenges, even after tripping over the proverbial rock!

Here's my day:

Food / Points
Oatmeal with fruit and soy milk / 7 (3 fruit)
1 c soy milk / 2
2 cafe au lait (mmmm...) 2
Chicken shawarma with salad / 10 (2 veg)
Nachos with cheese, veggies, salsa and sour cream / 15 (3 veg)
Gin and tonic / 4
Beer / 3
total / 43

3 mile walk, 2 sets tai chi
>3L water
7 fruits/veggies

Burned 5 points!

hello! May I join your daily challenges? I have been doing this for exactly a week on my own and it is not only difficult but LONELY!!! I would love to hear about all the queens and ladies and how they set their challenges and do what they need to do. I am a mother of 3 (9,6,4), teacher and wife. I lost 80 pounds in the past 18 months but in the past 6 months I gained back stress due to hubby's temporary unemployment, selling a house, etc. etc. the excuses go on.... But now that I am finally settled (I hope) I started again and so far lost 8 lbs. (water weight???) My challange for today was not to eat "cheat food" - anotherwords go over my points (I do weight watchers on my own) - I went over my points by two - ate a cookie. So I actually did well I think considering I used to go over by eating 5 candy bars!!! I am also trying to drink 5 glasses of water each day (for some reason this is hard for me to do) and to drink 2 green teas a day. i guess that will be my daily challenge for Saturday!@!!
I hope to hear about everyone else's journey soon - I look foward to meeting each of you!! Fondly, Kim

Be it known: The spa's limosine (sp?) has just rolled up to the front door and the driver has opened the door and escorted Queen 3mom up the massive front porch flanked by Greek columns and through the spa's golden doors. Queen 3mom has lost 80 pounds (woo-hoo) and desireth a stress-free zone to play her personal challenge game and hobnob with her fellow royalty. She is most royally welcome! The cook, Elberta Crone, BTW, is especially good at making green tea.

Amarantha walked another 20 minutes with the new poles, which are green, as opposeth to the blue of the other two. She is resting on a covered pavilion near the azure blue outdoor pool with the deep blue ocean beyond and the pink-blue sunset above the Queen palms dotting the golden sand beach. She is drinking a nutritious smoothie made of only frozen cranberries and Splenda and reading a trashy novel and thinking of her challenge to stroll across the Desert of No Food From 9 P.M. to Midnight, coming soon ... film at 11.

168/167.5/135