I'm proud of myself...I drank my 2 quarts of water, I pushed the lawnmower for 1 hour and 45 minutes, and I'm on track with my calorie intake for the day! Woohoo!

How did everyone else do today?

Pretty good day-I did get more water in than normal although I am still short on what I need. Foodwise, right on target and tried new recipe tonite and I thought it was pretty tasty. Going to mom's to see company visiting from arizona so I am taking a diet rite with me just in case there are other things there that I don't want to eat or drink. Mom is usually really good about it-it is Dad who has junk around-lol. I am getting soooo excited and I haven't felt like this about weight loss in the longest time. I do attribute this to you group of gals-I don't feel all alone anymore. I want to thank you all for being here.
melissa

I agree Melissa! Joining this site and group was the best thing I could have done for myself! Reporting in here daily and knowing that you all are here to help me stay on track really makes all the difference!

Ditto - It's great to have a place to go to read about everyone's successes and to share my own.

Melissa - just go into your signature and change the weight number in the text - you don;t have to recreate it.
Happy B-Day Jeanne!
Planned splurges is a good idea! I never thought of it that way - That is something I should start doing, because even a little taste of something leads to a binge sometimes for me.
I didn;t exercise at all today . But did get my orthodics!!! My podiatrist said to start back walking slowly so my feet can get used to them. So looks like swimming and walking are the way to go!
Good Luck to all!

Tonight I felt good for the first time in weeks. Apparently I have had Lyme disease (caused by deer ticks here in NY state) for 5 or 6 weeks, but the rash and then blood test and result just came last week. I attributed my terrible fatigue and general dullness and aching arms and legs to the stress of my son's July 9th wedding and all the company and meals and running around. Each day now that I am taking antibiotics, I have several hours of fatigue and pain, but when it goes away I feel better than I have in a long time. I think when I feel bad I kind of accept it, and learn to live with it. And lately that's what I've been doing with my extra pounds of fat. But now I'm so glad to have found this site. I've had 3 pretty good eating days, no sugar, very moderate carbs, stay out of the fridge.
I love the idea that I am connected to other women who understand and I can go to the site anytime and read what happening. I want to succeed because that's what the group is about.
Laura

My husband, gotta love him. We're not really ones to exchange gifts because we usually buy what we want/need whenever it is wanted or needed (within reaon, of course). But this year he bought me a present along with a beautiful card. You won't believe what he bought me ... 4 Reese's Peanut Butter Cup candy bars. They are my favorite. What the heck was he thinking?!

Dinner, btw, was delicious. My mom was here to watch the kids and is sleeping over so I think I'll take advantage and do a longer workout tomorrow.

Thank you for the tip in the signature-at least I only have to do it once a week lol. Husbands go figure-my ex was the same way everytime I started to do something about my weight-for me it was Ben and Jerry's. Don't know why they do that but I am so glad that you had a nice dinner.

LauraB-so sorry to hear about your ailment. I have heard that is awful stuff. I agree it is a good thing that there is a place where we can all connect. I think any type of obesity whether it is mild or moderate is such and isolating condition. For some reason whatever we go through we think we are the only ones who think or feel that way. It is nice to see so many of the same things I go through, others grapple with also and we now also have a sense of "belonging". I am happy I found this place.

Laura, lyme disease is a horrible illness...hopefully it was caught in time and you won't have any lasting effects from it. Feel better soon!

Jeanne, I'm glad you had a nice dinner. Peanut butter cups? Oh my...not exactly a diet friendly gift, huh? Oh well, remember what I said...birthday calories don't count.

JILL CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That is awesome!

I remembered what you said about birthday calories so I split one of the packages with him and sent the rest with him to work today.

The scale didn't agree that b-day calories don't count so I am off to exercise.

Good morning all!

CONGRATS JILL!! That's great! Wow! I'd be thrilled if I lost that much in a week!

Sorry to hear about the Lyme Disease, Laura, but I'm glad they've figured out the cause of your pain and fatigue so that you can start getting better.

Congrats on the new orthodics, StillTrying, and may you have much luck getting used to them!

Well, it's the thought that counts, right jjeanne? That was a great idea to have a little and send the rest off with him. My husband has done that kind of thing to me when I've lost weight in the past. I always thought it was kind of sweet of him, I'd much rather have a husband that would buy me treats once in a while instead of one that would always be after me about losing weight (bless his heart he has never said one negative thing to me regarding my weight struggles). He doesn't buy me the sweets anymore...he's finally realized that with my family history of full diabetes, heart disease, and cancer that I need to do something NOW so to reduce the liklihood of health problems later. I am sure your husband meant well, too, sometimes their brains just work differently than ours or something! Glad you enjoyed your b-day dinner!

It is also a huge motivator to come here and read what everybody is doing. I know this group is just what I need to stay on track. I had a really good day exercise-wise and food-wise yesterday and I KNOW that it's because I can check in here and talk about it. It's the most I've done in ages...I jogged a mile and walked SIX miles! That is really a lot for me. I also did my regular 10 minute ab routine. I can tell already that today won't be as good for me because it's rainy out. I really need to spend some time in the garden today if it is possible at all (mmmm...fresh tomatoes). I really have a hard time exercising indoors on rainy or hot days in the summer, but I am going to have to make myself do it if it doesn't clear off outside pretty soon. I also need to start lifting weights but I tried it a few weeks ago and ended up getting mild backaches. I have a herniated disk so I really try to avoid anything that aggravates it because I don't want to have to have surgery for it.

I am still really struggling with drinking enough water. Will try again today!

WHOOOO HOOO WAY TO GO Jill!

Laura, I am so glad they found what was wrong- now maybe you can feel better..

Jeanne.. PB butter cups??? Oh I would not have been able to be that brave and given them up.. Peanut Butter and chocolate should be their own food groups IMO..
Good for you in resisting!

( I am on a smilie kick today )
YAY! it's FRIDAY and only working half a day, till noon, meeting hubby for lunch and finishing up school shopping ..OHH joy! don't need much just a ruler, different crayons and a pair of "Mary Janes" for the youngest-
I am doing good on water and rode bike for 12 minutes this a.m. will tackle again tonight, Food was good even with going out to dinner- had a good salad, bypassing the bad foods on the salad bar! they even had a good LF dressing available. had a nice portion of chicken and 1/2 baked sweet potato. the hardest part was sitting around afterwards while everyone talked and had dessert (I did not have dessert!)
I have decided NOT to weigh myself unitl my next goal date of August 24. If I continue to eat right and exercise I will lose weight and inches. I will not let the scale control my eating habits. I need to eat healthy for life, not just to lose pounds. (rant over )
Have a great day all and thanks for the support!

Hope I got everyone:
Jill - Congrats on your loss! How do you like TOPS? I was thinking of joining since there is one about 5 blocks away. I could walk there, but the meeting ends when it is dark and I don't think I'd be comfortable walking alone at that time. I know they don't give you a diet to follow, but are the meetings along the lines of a WW meeting?

Laura - sorry about the Lyme Disease, but glad the medicine gives you some relief. Where in NY do you live? I am on Long Island.

StillTrying - I hope the orthodics make your feet fell much better. I was fitted for and received orthodics. I wore them for about 6 months or so, but then I got lazy about moving them from shoe to shoe. Now one is missing.

Melissa - you'll get there with the water. What was your recipe?

Suzy - Holy geez! Pushing a lawn mower -- you're my husband's kind of gal! I don't go near that machine. I tried to mow the lawn once last summer and was dying. That is exhausting!

Kaye - that was a lot of exercise! Good for you!

Well, I just completed my exercise for the morning. I walked on the treadmill for 36 min. I followed Prevention.com's speed interval workout. It is a 5 min warm-up, 5 min walking at a moderate speed (I did 3.3 mph), 2 min. jog (I did 4 mph), 5 min walk, 2 min. jog, 5 min walk, 2 min jog, 5 min walk, and 5 min cool down. Then I did some stretching exercises and some weights (not much since I am just starting). I may try to get another round of exercise in tonight after DH gets home -- gotta work off that dinner!

Have a great day!

Good for you on skipping the dessert! Restaurant desserts always look soooo good....it's not easy to resist!

And good for you for being strong enough to stay off the scale until your goal date! I am working on not giving that thing so much power, I know it's not a good thing to be a slave to those numbers. I have a hard time even skipping one day of stepping on it.