Slip ups are okay. Failure is not defined by the mistakes you make but rather your choice to not get up and try again. Keep going!

Good Evening,

Well i did it! Hooray! I managed to not eat everything in my house in sight. Praise God! Still on plan 100%. I dont know what has saved me except for my incesent posting. Just glad i survived the night. Think im going to go back to the pool tommorow...been a few days..

Night night

Fi.....that is amazing news about the stairs! You must be thrilled. As for the situation with Bob....does he have a male friend he could talk to? As Tootsie mentioned...men like to "fix" everything so the fact that he can't fix you must be driving him nuts.
Cindy.....I understand what you are saying about sleep. For the last 2 weeks or so my sleep pattern has been terrible......something that isn't unusual for me but as well as my usual taking ages to get off to sleep I have been waking around 3.30, staying awake for a while and then waking up every 45 minutes or so until it is time to get up....talk about frustrating!
Port.....finances....oh dear. People think that living somewhere rural is some sort of idyll but the lack of jobs must be so difficult for you both. Don't let it knock you off course you have done so amazingly well.
Well the scaffolders are due today in preparation of the work to put external wall insulation on the house which is due to start next week. Nothing from the guy supposed to be fixing my fence and frankly taking the dogs up the garden on the leads has lost it's novelty factor...especially when it is cold dark and pouring down with rain at 6.30 am!
Hey Betsy...I am with you on the novelty of a consultant who actually listens to his patients........he also looked REALLY young....but I know that is because I am getting older!
Got back on the scales today and have lost another 2lb which takes me to 11lb lost in just under a month so I am pleased with that........a long way to go.....sigh.
Off to see my psychotherapist shortly....have a great day chickens.

Ugh im awake too early. Its only 5:54 am and i cant sleep. Dont know why??? I must be thinking too much :/

Back to normal overcast late winter weather.

I stayed up late last night watching the end of Breaking Bad series on Netflix and "slept in" -- for me that means not getting up until 7:30! After a shower, dog stuff, coffee brewing and computer time, I'm late in getting going for the day. So, just a fly by right now to say hi. Hope everyone has a great day.

Well good afternoon again,

I am feeling pretty darn accomlished today. I did 40 laps/ 80 lengths in 54 minutes today. Im feeling good about it. I hope to join a Master's Competetive Swim Team next year and im feeling like im getting better at my speed.

Jumped on the scal today..wahoo..we are going down.. Now it might only be .2 but i will take it. Maybe there is hope of getting under 225 by Feb 20th.

Now.. ive just started thinking about V Day. Thinking that it would be best to tell my husband not to worry about buying gifts or flowers or cards or chocolate. I really am not a gift person. I am more of a hang out person..i prefer time over gifts.

Im happy about tonights dinner menu. I am making low carb cauliflour sushi again. Sooo good! My goal for dessert is to try making a new recipe- chocolate vanilla swirl cheesecake brownies-low carb/gluten free/sugar free.

Anywho..gotta run..nappy time.

Quick check in to say hi!

I'm doing ok...doing well eating wise except for the constant voice in my head wanting to buy a candy bar from one of my co-workers whose kids are selling it for school. I've resisted but I seriously need to come up with some treats for myself that aren't terrible for me so I can keep these cravings at bay. My TOM should be visiting soon so I'm sure that's a lot of this.

Went to the gym and just did cardio...was beginning to bloat and didn't want to chance having hurricane strength winds coming from my behind so I did an hour and called it a day.

Had my shower and now readu for bed. Night babes!

PS: BETSY:: I loveeeee Breaking Bad!! Was so sad when I finished it

Hello chickens!
Sam....I am with you on the "hurricane winds" thing! Ever try doing yoga when the winds are blowing? Embarrassing or what?
Had a real weary afternoon yesterday. Just wanted to eat and eat and retreat under my duvet until all the work on the house is finished!
But I resisted the food (for the most part!) and had an early night and for once managed a good night's sleep so feel quite refreshed this morning!
The fence will be fixed this afternoon. The builder came yesterday evening and will give me a quote on the work that needs doing in my kitchen to minimise the mould....so it feels like things are moving forward!
Port......your swimming is amazing! Well done you. And as fo your cooking....I am moving in!!
Have a great day chickens.

Hi Tootsie. Sounds like you and I both have had a bad day! I am really sorry you are feeling like this. I too, was tempted by delicious Chinese food today, and I had had an exceptionally bad day at work, combined with general feelings of anger/worthlessness/hopelessness, I had to grit my teeth and keep on driving. I did not eat it, but rather than being chuffed with my willpower, it just made me feel worse. Weightloss and hunger are such mental things. So I am sitting here, in a foul mood, about to put myself to bed so I can hopefully wake up in a better mood tomorrow. Sorry I don't have any words of wisdom for you, but I sympathise with how you are feeling and just want you to know I share your feelings and hope you feel better soon.

Darn it all! I can't stand it when that happens! 'Hit the wrong place on my iPad, and I lost over an hour's worth of writing personals to y'all about "Breaking Bad" (HUGE fan here, and I watched it week by week, season by season, over the years), about things with Bob (tentatively improving) and thanking y'all for your sympathy & support on that front, and about being excited by y'all's wonderful achievements re. diet & exercise. Please imagine an enthusiastic, detailed posting directed to each of you guys, instead of one trapped in myself, the way they usually are. =sigh= Y'all are such great people—I feel so fortunate to have this community!

It's my day to haul the two oversized (you know -- those huge ugly bins) down to the end of the alley for pick up tomorrow and wouldn't you know that it's started raining. Oh well. It's not like rain is unexpected in the Pacific Northwest at this time of year.

Fi -- In my fly by yesterday I didn't get a chance to congratulate you on being able to climb the two flights of stairs. Man, what a huge improvement that is for you both physically and I would bet emotionally. So happy for the progress. And today's post gave me a chuckle as we've all had the what-happened-to-my-post moments! Aaarrrggghhh! Glad things are tentatively improving with Bob. Enjoyed watching Breaking Bad -- again -- and appreciate having streaming video in the house.

Porthardygurl -- Keep that scale moving downward. This whole weight loss battle has such a huge mental side to it that hitting a plateau or gaining for no known reason has such an impact on us. Congrats on getting through it. Your swimming sounds awesome. You may have to team up with Sam and write a cookbook together.

Sam -- Sitting here laughing and thinking about all the times I've had a little SBD moment myself at the gym. I always wonder if my covert looking around for who did that really fools anyone! Keep resisting those candy bars. If you find a wonderful sweet/salty treat to have that is low calorie, low carb, and doesn't lead to intense gastrointestinal issues from the xylitol, let me know. Right now I allow myself a Tootsie Roll pop (just one) if things get too bad.

Calda -- Good for you for resisting, but sorry that it didn't at least give you a Supergirl boost. I totally agree that weight loss efforts have such a huge mental component. I was pondering yesterday over the combination of the physiological and psychological components of weight loss and which impacts us more. Both play huge roles and both are tremendously understudied in how to manage them.

Donna -- So glad you're getting the work done on the house to get the mold problem under control. I know you'll be happy to have your fence fixed. Isn't it amazing what being well rested does for us!

Got the laundry done yesterday, will get the beds changed and the sheets washed up today, and I continue to work on the photo album projects. I also made up a brussel sprouts salad which tastes a lot better than it sounds. Cooked some brown rice in the microwave and defrosted some of the sugar free applesauce that I put up with last season's apples, so all I have to fix is my chicken breast and dinner is ready for the next two days.

I've been tracking my weight loss efforts and regains and have figured out that if I gain a pound one day, it can take 2 1/2 days to lose it again. So if I have a binge weekend and gain five pounds over 3 days, it will take over a week to lose those 5 pounds again. Anyone else notice that? Maybe I should say that I've noticed that when I've indulged in things that are in the sugar category. Water weight from having too much salt doesn't take as long to relose, but still -- much easier to put it on than to get it off.

Time for coffee, the crossword, and the gym. Hope everyone has a great day.

Fi: Congrats on walking up the stairs. I hated being in pain and immobile in the hospital just for a few days in the hospital after my last c-section. It was mostly because of having someone taking care of me. I hate being dependent. I'm weird because I can kind of deal with a lot of pain because I escape in my head, but mild to moderate pain, I can't stand at all because I refuse to take medicine for it. I'm afraid of becoming addicted. Thankfully that was nearly six years ago, and that pain is long gone. I can't imagine being dependent and in pain for the length of time you have. I admire your strength and perseverance. I like BB as well. We've started watching Better Call Saul, but so far, it isn't as good. I'm hoping that it picks up. We like watching Dexter and The Walking Dead as well. We have a weird difference in what we view because we like comedies, dramas, sci-Fi, action/adventure, super hero shows, romance, etc.

Food Trigger Warnng:

My spouse got me chocolate covered strawberries again. *sigh* I have been allowing myself a square of dark chocolate a day, so I guess I can replace it with one of these. I'm freezing the berries. Hopefully they stay okay.

My scale moved up a pound. I was under calories or right at calories all week. I had a lot of sodium though-food from a restaurant last night. I'm hoping that that is it. I'm on my time as well. I could've tracked wrong, I guess, but I've weighed everything, even the food from the restaurant, and according to my tracker, I should lose 2 pounds per week. Maybe the calories burned in the tracker is incorrect?

I know, Sam, I need to take measurements.

Hi everyone.

Fi, it is amazing that you were able to walk up two flights of stairs. I am so happy to hear that your legs are getting stronger. You go girl. I'm also glad to hear that things are tentatively improving with Bob. I hope that continues.

Donna, so glad to hear your fence will be fixed today and the mold situation is being addressed. I know for a fact that mold will aggravate breathing problems so that should help you.

Porthardygurl, good news that the scale is finally moving down for you, and that you were able to get into smaller pants. It just goes to show that even if the scale isn't moving, other good things are happening within our bodies. Keep up the good work. Your recipes sound great.

Sam, I love your hair. I'm sorry to hear that it's fading already. It looks so vibrant in the picture.

Tootsie, great job on the 4 mile workout. I told my DH not to buy me candy or anything chocolate for Valentine's Day. Otherwise he would have. We don't usually exchange gifts, just cards, and go out to dinner somewhere.

Betsy, I know if I cut out carbs for a few days I will lose faster after a binge, but it still takes longer to lose it than it does to gain it. Life is unfair like that.

Well, winter is finally here. We've had it very easy so far. While everyone around us has been getting snow, we have only had a dusting here and there, with temperatures above normal and above freezing. That all changed today. It is COLD here and is supposed to get colder. I'm happy to stay home and not venture out in it!

The scale finally moved down a little, so I'm happy about that. DH has lost too, which almost makes me happier than my own weight loss. I worry about him. He has put on about 70 pounds in the last few years, since he had open-heart surgery and major complications afterwards. I think a big part of his weight gain is due to a steroid he takes daily. He was never heavy before that. He has lost about ten pounds since the end of the year, four in the past week and says he wants to lose more, but he is not inclined to "diet" or exercise to make it happen. Fortunately, something seems to be working.

I hope you all have a great day!

Bugger! I hit the wrong button and my post to yall are gone...

FiI totally just did what you did..lost all my writing.. What is Breaking Bad about?

Sam hopefully your doing a bit better today?

Mountain Sure you can move in. I love to cook for people!

Betsy Sounds like youve been very productive with your time

Cald Yes..its all a mental game. Its why i lose my sanity temporarily when the scale stops or goes up.

Tootsie The choolate covered strawberries are probably a lot healthier and lower in sugar that one tootsie pop. I wouldnt worry too much about it.. Enjoy!

Well good morning!!

I am hhhhaaappppy!! My scale dropped from 229.8 down to 228.0 Yay!! Almost down to my 227 that i was at before all the funny gaining for no reason. Lets hope TOM doesnt show uo and ruin it.!

Still havent decided whether to go swim today or not. Im feeling quite sore still from the last swim. There is no hot tub available to use until further notice cause its broken...so i cant stretch out and heat up my muscles.. Part of me says "go and just do it anyway" and part of me says "nope stay home and rest your muscles and go tommorow". Its hard to have a beneficial workout and good lap time if your muscles are already fatigued. So...still not sure...plus im being a baby about having to get into the cold pool!

Ive got housework to do today cause we have a young adults group that meets at our house. Tonight is movie night. So house needs to be cleaned and dog hair needs to get vaccumed.

Still havent called the college. I keep putting it off..maybe tommorow lol

Well take care everyone.