I am feeling much better today! No planning for today, though. I am having lunch with a friend but he basically shot down every restaurant I offered up to go to. Said they were all "boring". I bet he wants to go to the Mexican or Vietnamese places around here - all VERY high in calories. I can usually find something OK at the Mexican place though.

I am up from my ticker to 161.2 (last time I weighed a few days ago). I know its because I've been sick, not drinking my water the past couple days, and not watching what I've been eating when I was sick - lots of grilled cheese at my house lately! Even had pizza one night. Today is also unplanned, like I said earlier, but I'm going to plan tomorrow and start getting back on track. Hopefully I'll get to the gym tonight or tomorrow as well.

Misty - TOM can do that to you! I am an emotional eater during TOM - I want comfort foods and sometimes give in

Chris - DH and I carpool too and if I don't feel like eating what I brought or I forget my food I'm usually in a pickle too. I usually don't have cash on me either, so I can't just go to the cafeteria downstairs. I usually walk around asking if anyone is going out to lunch

Traci - Don't worry about that gain, you will lose it!

Misty-- When I got my Enell I was 44DD. I got a size 4 Enell. I have no idea if that helps you!!

Yesterday was another bad day. More or less, if it wasn't nailed down, I ate it. I never know when my TOM is going to be, nursing for so long made it pretty unpredictable. Let's hope it is that and I haven't actually lost my mind.

Hello Ladies!
Well, yesterday went smoothly, thankfully!! I did substitute the brown rice for a BIG salad though. When I stepped on the scale for my weekly WI, I was shocked and appalled that the number climbed even higher! I don't know what is going on, my scale was acting kinda weird and with TOM and the Mexican food I don't know what to believe. I am just going to keep up with my plans and not touch that scale till next Friday! Luckily yesterday it cleared up long enough for me to have my 30 minute walk. Today it is back to raining, so I am definitely hitting the treadmill after work, since it won't matter how late I need to stay up to do homework tonight. I have a lot of housework tomorrow, so hopefully that will burn some extra calories, plus I will look too much of a wreck to be tempted to go out to eat.
Chris- I also wear a 44DD, but when I took my measurements, they lined up with a size 8, which they say is more like a 52 D-DD-DDD. I doubt that I would be able to get into a 44 if I was really a 52, so I am kind of lost on what size I wear. I went with the size the measurements pointed to, with my fingers crossed that it is the right size. I guess we will see when I get it.
Lori-LOL...I don't know what I was comforting, I sure wasn't comforted when I saw the number on the scale this morning! I didn't know it was possible to gain 2 lbs overnight!!! Oh well, like I said, I am going to try to stay OP and not weigh again till Friday.

My bf and I also carpool, so he always has the car during the day, so I face the same problems as you 2. I think we are going to be changing things though, since his work hours are going to make it harder for carpooling to be convenient.

For today:
4-5 bottles of water, 35 mins on treadmill, 10 on elliptical (that's all I can do)
B: Lite yogurt with lemon luna bar <gross, I only ate a 1/3 of it> (190)
S: Everything crackers with pepper jack cheese (240)
L: Progresso Light Soup with broccoli added (150)
S: I didn't plan well today, I didn't bring one...OOPS!
D: Large salad with almonds and sunflower seeds, rf dressing, caesar pea
pods (400)
S: Ice cream (180)
Popcorn (90)
Total Consumed: 1250 I guess I didn't plan well today, I am probably going
to end up STARVING! I guess I need to buy some fruit to
bring for snacks, I am slacking off, I know! I'll try to add
some stuff in somewhere.
Have a good day ladies!!

Change of plans:
B: Same as above
S: Skipped
L: Same as above
S: see first snack above
D: Fiesta Besta salad with salsa and ranch, edamame added (645)
Total Calories: 1512

Misty---- hmmm..... that size seems very, very odd.

Well, ladies, school has taken it's toll. I gained back all but one pound of what I recently lost and will have to change my ticker. I am so frustrated with myself. There is nothing good or satisfying about being this fat and yet I can't seem to get it together to do anything about it. I can. I have done it before. I had so much more time then, though. No baby, no school. How is that for an excuse? People with more kids and more challenging kids have done it. Why can't I get it together??????? So very frustrated, and so ends my rant.

I hope everyone had a good weekend. I am concentrating on water again this week. Food, too, but I have much more success with water and right now I need a little bit of success!

Chris

Today is my first day back on track since being sick. I gained 3 pounds while sick. Most is water weight, I'm sure. I haven't been drinking much water recently either. I'm pretty sure most of that 3 pounds will come off quickly.

I'm still having some medical problems though. It would probably be TMI if I posted what they are. I have to go back to the doctor this Thursday to try to figure out what is causing it all. Its really making me feel worn down though, so I hope we're able to figure out whats causing it.

Chris - Don't worry, its just 1 pound. Get back on track and you'll lose it in no time!

Misty - I'm sorry the scale was up Wait until you have a week that isn't TOM and see how it is. I noticed that sometimes you eat under your goal for calories. Maybe try to bump it up?

Good Morning Ladies...
How is everyone doing this tiring Monday morning?? Well, it is the last week of the month, which for me means finals for school and craziness at work!! Well, I ended up staying OP Friday, even though I was up till 3am doing homework. Saturday I did housework for 7 hours!! I would say about 5 of it was labor intensive; moving furniture, bending, lifting, etc. I don't know how many calories I burned, but it had to be a lot! I still only ate about 1800-1900 calories and I drank ALOT of water! Yesterday I was extremely sore, especially in my butt, lower back and hamstrings. I could've and probably should've drank more water yesterday, but ate OP as far as calories. I took the day off from exercise though. Today I weighed myself and a couple of the pounds from Friday were gone. I think that with all the soreness I have, my muscles are probably retaining water to continue to heal. Also, last night I had a lot of sodium in my dinner. So...things seem to be back on track, luckily!
Chris--I know how you feel, I have days that no matter what I tell myself about how I don't want to be this weight anymore, I almost can not stop myself from eating what I know will produce the opposite of what I want. It's a daily challenge. I have learned that I just have to take hold of the situation and regain my control. I am the only person that can create the life that I want for myself. I have to look at it the way I look at the rest of the goals I have. I want to finish with school. I schedule my studying, make it a priority, even studying at parties. I have to do the same thing with weight loss; I need to have a routine so that this becomes a habit, second nature to me. I have to set myself up for success, not failure. No more crap in the house, that way when I have a weak moment, there is no way for me to cave in. Willpower alone can not get us through, we need to be ready for when willpower fails us. Its hard, I know, but we can do it!!
I found the difference between my measurements and bra size very interesting too. When it gets here I will let you know how it goes.
Lori--I hope you get things figured out with your health, that can really take a toll on all aspects of life! Take it easy and feel better soon! As far as my calories, I think that going below my calories isn't helping the situation. Online I saw a suggested calories range of 1846-2214 for me, I am wondering if maybe the range I have been in of 1500-1800 has been too low. One of my goals this week is to really try to stick right around 1800-1900, I am hoping this will help my body to realize I am not going hungry anytime soon!!
For today:
at least 5 bottles of water
30 mins of walking
1800-1900 calories

B: Cereal with skim milk (263)
S: Lara bar (190)
L: Organic burrito w/caesar pea pods (410)
L: After walk-apple (77)
S: Kashi GO Lean ROLL (190)
D: Brown rice with steamed veggies (502)
S: Something!
Total consumed: 1629 before evening snack

Have a great day Ladies!!

Hi Ladies!
I hope everyone is well...Where is everyone?? Well, when my bf picked me up he had 6 boxes of Girl Scout cookies!!! Luckily, he only order 1 box of my favorite (Tagalongs) and 1 box of the sugar free chocolate chip. The rest are ones that he likes! So I had some light Dreyers ice cream and 2 of the sugar free cookies (which were very good). That little snack put me slightly over, but I am really trying to stick to the higher end of my range and see if that is one of my problems. So...

1800-1900
at least 5 bottles water
30 mins walking (my rebounder should be here today!!!)

B: Cereal with skim milk (263)
S: Larabar (180)
L: Leftover brown rice and veggies (317)
S: Apple and caramel cakes (167)
D: I have no idea, which can be BAD! I have errands to run after work and that means a very uncertain dinner. My bf will want to grab something out which equals a lot of calories, usually.

Total: 923 (that leaves about 1000 to work with for dinner, I may end up at Taco Bell, at least I know how many calories I am consuming there)

I have had 1 serving of Girl Scout Cookies every day for 2-3 days now Well its only 2 cookies per serving and 3 points. Not bad. I STILL haven't planned a day or kept on track recently. TOM came today and was very painful. All I wanted to do this morning was eat - and I did

Well, I am late today, things at work have been hectic to say the least! my rebounder came last night, my enell bra is sitting at my doorstep and I can't wait to try them both out!! I sneaked a peak at the scale this morning and it seems I have lost all of the TOM and mexican food splurge weight plus a little more! I think eating at 1900 calories is helping me to stay OP and helping my body to realize there is plenty of food coming its way. I guess I will see on Friday!
4-5 bottles H20
1800-1900 calories
Walked 55 mins, probably will try out the rebounder

B: Yogurt with a pinch of sliced almonds (162)
S: Kashi GO Lean ROLL (190)
L: Organic burrito with Cheddar Veggie Crisps (390)
S: Apple (77)
S: Seedless grapes (108)
D: ?? Maybe ravioli

Before dinner: 935

Hello again...Sometimes I feel like I am the only one posting here anymore!
Last night I resisted the temptation my bf presented, which was ordering pizza from some place that put a door hanger on our doorknob yesterday. Even though I didn't feel like it, I decided to cook instead. I had Amy's organic wheat and oat bran crust cheese pizza, to that I added some broccoli florets and parmesan cheese. It was very good! Then I had an apple and some multigrain honey graham cakes for dessert. I tried about my new Enell bra, which I think could be a size smaller, and my rebounder. Even after walking for 55 mins yesterday, I managed to bounce for 15 mins before my legs were killing me! Anyway...

1800-1900 calories
4-5 bottles of water
30 mins of walking, 15-20 mins rebounding

B: Cereal and skim milk (263)
S: Larabar (210)
L: Leftover pizza from last night and a plum (460)
L: After walk orange (70)
S: Grapes (138)
D: Barilla Plus with Prego Heart Smart and veggies (685)

Total: 1826

So I went to the doc this morning. I woke up with laryngitis. Throat is swollen and sore. Glands are swollen. Ears are blocked. Chest congestion and coughing that up (hence the laryngitis). Turns out I have a strain of the flu. Doc put me on antibiotics. We also talked about my other issues I've been having lately. I did some experimenting with the fiber supplement I had been taking, and that helped a bit. Basically the doc thinks I have IBS. My experimenting helped, so he said to keep doing what I've been doing. I have an endoscopy scheduled for the end of April to test for anything else related to the IBS.

I'm working at home today and tomorrow due to feeling sick but I have SO MUCH I need to get done because I will be gone on travel for the next 2 weeks! Next week I will be in Santa Clara, CA (for a conference) and the week after I will be in West Palm Beach, FL and a naval base down in the Bahamas. Don't start saying I'm lucky - I will be stuck in a building with no windows all day until the sun goes down every day I am there!

I think I'm up 4 pounds from my ticker but I'm still not back on track. Hopefully once I start feeling better (yay antibiotics) I will be able to focus more on my eating and exercise.

Sorry Misty about not posting my plans, but until I am better I just want to focus on trying not to be sick! Where is everyone? I hope they didn't give up!

Lori--- you are one sick women! I have IBS. Very stress-induced! It is not fun but better than other things I could have. I am sorry that you don't feel well again.

Misty-- I looked up rebounder so I knew what you were talking about. That looks like fun-- as fun as exercise can be. Definitely would need an enell for that.

I don't know where everyone is. I PM a couple of people to see where they were. Deeinthekeys is in school and getting her house ready to sell so she is too busy to post much but says hi to everyone. I am most worried about coralee as she was too hurt to sit at the computer last time she posted.

Hi Ladies...
Lori--My mom has a severe case of IBS, I have seen the effects...It does not look fun! When she starts to have a bout, she drinks a cup of keifer and that seems to really help. Also, she has found that the dreaded white carbs, such as toast, tortillas and baked potatoes really help when she is having an "episode." She has been experimenting with sweet potatoes, sourdough toast and wheat tortillas, instead of the others b/c she is diabetic on top of it. Anyway, maybe that will help when it flares up. Hope you feel better!!

Chris--Yes, the Enell is a must for that type of activity. It is pretty fun, brutal on my legs, especially with the walking. It came with some workout dvds, but I don't know that I have the stamina for them yet. I have been bouncing 15 mins the last 2 nights, trying to build up to more. I did notice that leg extensions, that lower ab exercise where you lift your legs up and down, are much easier on my back from it. I will probably try out the first workout dvd tomorrow while my bf is gone. I either watch tv or listen to my ipod, so the time goes by pretty fast. Last night I listened to the last part of my finance lecture, then switch to the Dr. Phil I had recorded from yesterday.

So...
I am eating out twice today, but I am still managing to stay in my calorie range(YAY!!!) Oh, I was down 2 lbs today!!
1800-1900 calories
4-5 bottles of water
30 mins of walking, 20 mins on rebounder

B: Lite yogurt and multigrain mini cakes (222)
S: Banana
L: Veggie Delite Subway 6" with jack cheddar cheese and sweet onion sauce and baked veggie crisps (490)
S: Cara cara orange (70)
D: El Pollo Loco BRC burrito, salad w/ranch, dipped reg cone (957)
Total: 1844 calories

Well, have a great weekend everyone! I will try to get here at least once!