Happy to report another day OP, whatever I'm doin'. I'm certainly not an accountant, so I'm not counting anything except litres of water...when I get over 1 litre that is.

Gym was great this a.m. Figured out why my left calf is sore...not from the gym...dummy nut...(me)..was so busy at work yesterday that I never changed into my shoes, I wore my hiking-type boots all day! They kinda hold your feet and ankles in a less than natural and very firm grip. So, consequently my legs ache...left more than right. So met the gym and water requirements today...and dietary. I'm finding the not eating after 7 trick is really working for me...thus far. I'm vacating the food area and going to bed earlier with a mug of hot water.

So, am off to drive DS to marching band rehearsal. No eating oportunities there. That is one good thing about living in the boonies...if I don't buy it, I won't drive to get it...'cause I'm frugal!

Anagram, sounds like DH is coming along quite well. It is great when the recuperation is quite noticable.

Empress, just take a no guilt card and move on...which thee appears to have done..move on me means. The land between 9 and 12 be wrought with many dangers and perils. We salute thy stalwartness in surviving nearly 4 days in that dreaded wilderness.

Eydie, I do that too....I only get 1 hour for supper on two of my shifts, and by the time I get home whatever I'm having to eat had better be fast. Do a lot of soups...hearty ones.

Well, off I go, time to hit the trail. May lurk on by later.

Ceara

Anagram, congrats to you and DH for such a productive day! Glad to hear that things are getting back to normal.

Ceara, I know what you mean about not being willing to drive out for food cravings--I live in the middle of nowhere too. It seems like we're at least 1/2 hour from anything! I'm cutting off all food by 7: 30 and it's working out great for me too. The first few nights were hard [hungry!]. The only loophole Ive added is I get a reprieve if we're out for dinner in the evening. Is anyone else doing this? Wildfire? Amarantha?

Haven't time to read everything, just wanted to say I'm so glad Dickens is okay!

Oh, and Kaylets, my avatar is a custom one, I uploaded it eons ago and it's stored on the 3FC server somewhere now.

Been a brutal day...just got home. Happy Friday to us all!

Well, sure you get a reprieve when you're out for dinner. I interpret the no eating evening to mean AFTER dinner. For me, that's usually by 7 or 7:30 but if I eat dinner later, it's later (like last night). If I should eat an early dinner (almost never), then that gives me some extra time to think about a snack before 7 or 7:30 (hehehe).

It does get easier to do that vast desert of no eating as you go along, doesn't it? I did have a time last night avoiding it but I knew I was not seriously starving and my desire to eat had more to do with emotions than anything else. I didn't do super calorie wise yesterday or today but I have negotiated the no-eating in the evening maze. And the no candy trail for the fourth day so far. And the water. So Slimfast in the morning and no more "no guilt" cards for me for a while.

There's a lot to be said for being rural AND frugal. You're right - I know I'd never spend the time to drive far for something to snack on. Unfortunately, I live within five minutes of McDonald's, Pizza hut, Wendy's, Burger King, Bob Evans, Olde Country Buffet, Dunkin Donuts, etc., etc. Plus a grocery store, convenience stores, pizza places innumerable. Sometimes I'm glad I'm just plain lazy. It always seems like too much trouble to even go that far.

Hello All!

This morning is definitely one of those "spirit is willing but body is weak"-- Right this minute, we'll just say I'm really tired-
That's as far as we'll take that thought!

I am just riding behind everyone's shoulder catching your "draft". I know I want to take the wheel and start driving but this week's been so jampacked I feel as though I just going thru the motions.
Good thing we don't have much food around to get me in trouble!
Kind of hard to binge on Veggie burgers or blocks of tofu!!

Although, did anyone see the beginning of Connie Chung last night?? A Diet Dr Book -- very interesting.... instead of just listing --- this scone has 750 calories ( I'm guessing) and a piece of toast w/ jam has 86 calories ( Guessing again) the book shows a picture of the scone next to 14 pcs of toast w/ lo cal jam-- one scone = (equals) 14 pcs of toast- Since the brain remembers pictures better, you don't have to keep looking up the calorie ( points ) -- Anyhow, he brought a Tofu Chocolatte Mousse for Connie to try- I guess if I really had the time and inclination I could binge on Tofu!

I really am hoping to get to Walmart on the way to work to get some water-- DH bought some at the grocery store but grabbed the wrong ones-- w/ sugar and 90 calories a serving ( 2 servings a bottle!)

Today's thought is: "The only real mistake is one from which we learn nothing."


To the best choices!

Just a quickie as I have a full morning...as usual.
Thot and on the scale this a.m. Does anyone else do the stuff I do? I weigh in my nightgown before I've eaten, but after I've done the toilet abolutions.. first I get on, then off. Then I sn-e-a-k on slowly and then I press on the window sill to lower the reading and slowly let off the sill to let the scale settle. What a production! Just laughin' at myself...that will be what I love about myself today. The ability to see my foibles and laugh at them!

Make it a good one...is Friday!!!!!!!!! Right Punkin?

Ceara

Ah, yes, Ceara = I relate to most of your "scale aerobics". When I first started this journey (well, restarted) I had no scale and decided I would do without and track progress re how I feel and how clothes fit as I did not want to get back into previous routines of weighing. I still keep scale in basement so I don't weigh stark naked first thing in the morning. But I do the nightgown thing and a usually precisely timed weigh in (though I know I'd have a lower number earlier). I usually weigh at least three times to be SURE but sometimes take the lowest rather than the average. When all three are the same, I'm confident.

I am not back to weighing every day (the basement is somewhat inconvenient) but am weighing more often than I think I'd like. Actually, right now I'm feeling heavier than the scale indicates and that's unusual. Usually I'm feeling great and demon scale attacks my confidence with a higher number than I'm expecting.

Love your "love of the day" - I'll latch on to that and add that I like that I can see (at least sometimes) where I've been wrong and own up to it.

Good morning! Well, something's shifted somewhere and I've lost 3 pounds this week! I'm at 151 pounds now. Now I have to maintain constant vigilance against evil self-sabotage!

Punkin o' Friday do declareth, it is in fact...
Friday!!!!!

Day started out really bad... got an exreeeeemely angry message left on our company's voicemail. Apparently my brother cut someone off last night and some idiot with a cell phone thought it the perfect thing to do to call our 800 number (on the side of my brother's van) and leave a lengthy message, sprinkled with various expletives, and ended the call describing my brother's house... not what I needed this morning. I did call and warn my brother. I'm not all that worried - if the man had any um, "guts" he would've confronted my brother then and there instead of being a coward and leaving an annonymous obnoxious voicemail message.
Unfortunately, said chicken $#!t man did not leave a return phone number (that would be far too brave of him). I would've looooved to had a little talk with him.... (did I mention that I can be a tad confrontational??)

Cell phones + idiots who need anger management classes = bad idea

Anagram - I am so happy that things seem to be slowly returning to some sense of normal for you and hubby. I'm sure it was great to get out together. Just spending time together doing nothing in particular is the best...

Ceara - Congrats on the string of OP days!! I must admit I share in your scale activities. I don't know - I just think there's something wonderful in standing on a scale and seeing your goal weight by WHATEVER means you can make it happen!!!!

Eydie & Ceara - I'm with you both. I live in the boonies, 30 minutes from a grocery store. I will *not* make a special trip - that's a challenge I made to myself a while ago.

Eydie - Congrats on the loss!!!

As for the not eating late. Maybe it's easy for me because I eat dinner at 5-6pm and am normally in bed by 9'ish at the lastest for work. I eat dinner and I'm done - I guess I should count myself lucky that it's not a problem. A lot of times I'll take a cup of hot tea to bed though... Maybe the reason I don't have a problem with it is because it's been SO long since I've snacked at night that it *has* gotten easier to not do it!

Kaylets - Nope, I missed Connie Chung - sounds like it was interesting though!

Arabella - I indulged in some chocolate yesterday too - both of us did it responsibly though - amazing!

My best friend in CA sent me See's candy for my birthday yesterday - bridge mix, my favorite. I haven't had it in a year. I was about to call her and ask her WHAT she thought she was doing - then opened the box and found that she'd shrink wrapped each individual serving for me so I could freeze it and take out one little bag w/ about 8 pieces at a time. Realizing how much time it must've taken her to do this I knew in my heart I couldn't just open up all the little bags and binge... the box is in the freezer right now and funny, it's not even calling to me.

Time to skeedaddle...

Terri
It is Friday, and I am

What a thoughtful friend!

brrrrrr its cold here and onley getting colder exspecting more snow tonight , i think im done with the white stuff till next christmas. haha well sounds like everyone is in positive mode woo hoo me too.

o.k. i weighed in last night i lost 4 pounds since the valentine challenge, i weighed in at 251 last time now im at 247!!!
coool!!! congratulations to everyone else who lost those pounds this week... there are so many i cant name haha heres to us!! way to go you all!!!!! its a hard thing to do to change your eating habits and so far not counting my period week i did fine . until next monday a new fresh week,

i also have the diet book by the dr.. its really cool. you can eat so much more food if its just healthy and not junk food.
well my kids are getting out of shcool so must go get them , see ya all later later and lighter senamay

starting val chal..251
this week............247