Hope - You can most certainly talk about it if you'd like. I look at this area as a place to talk about a few more things than just weight loss & only weight loss, because SO MUCH more than just what we eat affects us.

You miss your time with your friend. You miss doing the things you're used to doing with her. That's rough! It feels like she skipping out on you a little, because her life has changed a bit. Don't let this little friendship bump keep you from remaining good friends. You must accept that the friendship will have a change a bit as you both change. So. First things first, tell her how you feel! You don't have to get all sobby or anything, but let her know that you're really happy her stuff is all coming together, but that you miss her. Then, offer a solution. How about you two hang out at one of your places & watch a rented or Netflix movie? You could snack on popcorn (low points! woohoo!) and just chat for a few. I like to Netflix series with my friends that we watch and can gossip about. There are things you can do that don't require a lot of money, you can just BE together (even if it means you're together a little less often, at least the quality is still there ). Accept the way that you feel about it, though. Pushing it down (with food and whatnot) only makes it worse.

I'm so happy to hear that you're continuing on even though your one friend decided to stop. This is for you afterall! It might be tough, but keep on going. You've come way too far to stop now

Happy Friday to all

Yeah that darn scale, Heather/Faerie Sorry, makes me think of a funny story, not sure if any can relate, but there are two nice ladies at my ww class that need to strip down to as little as possible without being naked, Maybe that would of helped... Well can't fix yesterday, only can worry about today.

Faerie sounds like a wonderful start to a beautiful weekend ahead, Enjoy!!

Hey, I also think about what I would do with the loot!! First, take care of the family, donate alot, maybe a cruise, then my dream is to open a Counted Cross Stitch/Framing Shoppe......oh to dream

Faerie/Suite, thanks for your input on the AP, I'm not sure if eating back all those points is helping me, I'm going to try not to eat them all, I will use my FP, as needed, Fridays are kinda tough, since I'm up so long, my day starts at 9pm, Thursday, and I stay up as long as I can on Fridays, usually pass out by 8pm, but the reason I did ask is, I was thinking it takes 3500 calories to lose a pound, what if I exercise half of what I need to acheive that goal. That's my challenge to myself this week. Did my killer Turbo Jam workout, and enjoyed a 30min power walk, so hope the rest of week goes as well.

Hope everyone has a great friday

Tarah - I'm sorry to hear you're having a tough time with your friend. That can be really stressful when you feel you've been put on a back burner by a close friend. I definitely second Faerie's suggestions about finding something low-budget to do with her. And if you feel you need to go 'do' something, a single game of bowling is pretty cheap But watching movies, especially ones you've seen before, is a great way to cheaply spend time with people. You can laugh at the movie and talk through it without missing anything. Definitely tell her how you feel, though, or it might spiral downwards and end up out of control, you know? Maybe she doesn't realize that you feel like she's leaving you out of her life all the sudden. Just make sure you stress that you're happy for her in her new life changes and stuff, but that you would like to remain a part of her life regardless where she lives and how much money she has.

Faerie - Oooh, ThinkGeek has such fun stuff. I've never ordered from them but a lot of their products are pretty awesome. I particularly love the tshirts they come up with ... like the one they have now, "OMG Pwnies"... I think I saw an alarm clock there once than runs away from you when you go try to turn it off, so you have to get out of bed... Oh that site cracks me up.

Let's see, if I won the lottery... I'd definitely start out with a couple of charitable causes (I have no idea what, though...). Invest. Buy a house. Start college funds for my friends' kids. I'd love to own a B&B or even a small restaurant, so I'd probably do that. Oh, I don't know, there are just too many possibilities! Hard to think of having that much money when I'm sitting here just scraping by, you know?

Institches - Remember that it's not necessary to exercise up to that 3500 cal deficit for one pound - you're burning cals all the time with your BMR, that combined with calorie intake restriction (aka diet) takes care of a good portion! Just don't want you to feel like you have to exercise yourself to death!


Woot-off still going on. I'm glued to my computer, waiting for something good. I picked up a nifty tool for my dad that I'll squirrel away til Father's day, and I picked up a 5lb bag of pistachios for me. Yes, 5lbs of pistachios. I freakin' love pistachios It was an incredible deal, and you know how expensive nuts can be... Oh I'm such a nerd. But if you think about it 49 pistachios feels like more food than 23 almonds (both of which = 1 oz or 4pts). So it's a good thing

Every time I swallow it feels like there's fiberglass in my throat. Boy I feel like a bag of medical maladies lately... I hope I'm not getting sick. I haven't been sick in about 9 months and I was really happy with that... Until today, since I now think I'm about to get a cold (they always start like this). Time will tell. I wonder if having a cold would affect one's WI? Like, does the cold virus make you hold water? Kind of irrelevant since it'd just come back off. I'm rambling anyway, I probably should leave everyone to enjoy their Fridays.

Jamie -- my secret potions when I'm starting to get sick are Airborme (I don't care who says what about whether or not it works, I think it works!) and LOTS of hot water steeped with garlic, ginger, lemon, and honey. It usually knocks the cold right outta me before it can flourish into something big and yucky.

Tarah -- I'm so sorry to hear about your troubles, and I totally hear that you are tempted to eat away the bad feelings. I may be wrong, but I don't think it will help. Keep posting here -- we want to hang out with you! And I'm not buying a house! I've got NOTHING but time!!

Faerie -- hope your B&B weekend is as great as it sounds like it would be!

My weekend was as off-plan as I'd expected, but not bingey, so that's good. I think I'll be OK to hop back on the wagon today (though the half-eaten pizza from last night is dangerously close to me right now). At any rate, it was a VERY fun weekend that I had been SO nervous for -- a reunion of a youth group I was part of in high school. I was so so so scared to have my adolescent insecurities come roaring back (being part of the "cool crowd" was always VERY important to me, but even though I was, I never really felt like I belonged...) but I realized a few hours before the event that these were people I LIKED! So why was I so nervous?? And then when I got there, it was just really fun. Overwhelming, but fun. This mixed in with all the crap I'm going through at home (broke up with boyfriend but still living together) and the potential that I might move to NY (where a lot of these people live) meant a lot of support for me and a lot of "I'll be looking for a roommate, wanna move in with me?" conversations.
So, despite too much wine and vodka and not enough food last night, I'm feeling pretty good today. And vowing my own personal Prohibition for the next week, at least...
S

SOOO...I must confess my Super High Day on the Wendie plan yesterday was REALLY a super high day! I was suppossed to eat 44 points, and instead I ate 60!!! I made an excuse of "well this is my first week on wendie and I haven't used any of the week's flex points". It was just bad planning/giving in to temptation. We went to CPK and I ate 4 pieces instead of my planned 3. So, that was the end of all my points. But I was SUPER craving sugar because of TOM so I ate a 1/2 cup of ice cream when I got home. So that put me to 47 points. Then my friend/roommate wanted to go out and we hardly EVER go out anymore because he has a new boyfriend. So I drank 2 vodka cranberries which I am counting as 8 points (3 shots and 2 pts cranberry juice). Then when I got home I wasn't even hungry, but I was buzzed, so I ate a bowl of cereal. And there ya go...60 points!

If I would have done yesterday better, I would have eaten only the planned 3 pieces of pizza, eaten an apple, and had one drink. I would have been at 44 with that.


Next super high day, I WILL do better. This was my first super high day, so I thought "man, 44 points! I can eat anything". I was wrong. haha.
I will definitely plan better next time.

My first weigh in on the wendie plan didn't give me extreme results like I have been reading. I only lost .4 of a pound. I was only doing wendie for half of this week though. Next weigh in, we will see!

hope you're absolutely right, you have to take care of yourself first. We're always putting ourselves to the rear and it often ends up on our rears Friend things are tough sometimes, all my walking partners deserted me @ work, new jobs and busier, it stinks. I hate walking inside by myself, I can't wait for the nice weather... I'm sure I've written this a zillion times, but...like you said blah, blah, blah...

Anyway, Tues. has always been a good WI day for me, when we had @Work it was Thurs. and I struggled, if you've found Mon. helps your success, stick with it, you'll make new friends at your meeting and maybe won't miss "old friend" quite so much. I grab onto whatever seems to be working and stick with it!

Faerie I hope your B&B weekend went well, sounds fun, especially the day off with nothing planned. I got my certificate from my class in AZ, I passed!! So I guess it was worth the WI woes it caused me We gotta just keep truckin' through those ups and downs.

Suite hope you can fight that cold off, I agree with the tea with honey and lemon, also a guy I work with swears by Airborne like Shrink said, even though he's the one who told me that they say it doesn't work and you can get $$ back from somewhere... when I'm sick I totally go into denial, I will not admit I'm sick until I'm stuck in bed, I have had good results the last 2 times I was sick with that mucenix, or whatever the name is, I use the store brand, but it seems to knock it out pretty quick...and that soup thing...I've had that reaction myself, it doesn't sound like you're going to miss that soup anyway!

Shrink sounds like you're back on track, I agree with you planned overages are not bingeys. People look at me like I'm crazy now if I have a donut or something, but hey, I occassionally know what I'm doing

stitches I like the idea of x-stitch shop, I haven't done any in awhile, but want to get back to it. Maybe I'll do a little one and that'll get me back in the swing. It's good for keeping your paws out of the snacks, can't be having cheeto fingers when you're stitching

Vday that sounds like a learning experience I've had too many times, counting up after and the points keep adding up....I do better if I'm keeping track even if I'm over, so it's good you're doing that and moving on...went to NYC on a bus trip Sat. and thought I did really well, until I got home and DH had 2 pieces of pizza left, so before I took my Mom back to her house, there we are eating those 2 pieces of pizza and had no excuse of being buzzed, just for some reason I said I'm eating that....dang it....so then I'm supposed to be good today and well, my APs and FPs are long gone....

well, Tuesday's coming and like ev1 else, I'm looking forward to a fresh start. I have high hopes for April, Easter's past so that challenge is over, nobody's birthday or anniversary...anywho, I've rambled on enough, thanks for listening all and thanks for being here

best to all

Sonja & keli - thanks for the words on the sickness thing, I think it abated - drank lots of water and some tea with lemon, honey, and brandy that kicks the sore throat right out! I have a bottle of airborne at home but I haven't yet opened it. I keep forgetting about it

Sonja - Good to hear your weekend went well! There's so much more to life than eating, as I'm sure you know, and this weekend was one of those times for you. Glad to hear you had fun with your high school friends.

vdaybaby - let me just say WOW! are you gorgeous! I love the new avatar! As for your FPs, it happens. Pick yourself up and move forward - though I'd adjust the rest of the week's points down so you don't exceed your FPs for the week (so lower your remaining high days). And get in some activity. You'll be okay And yeah, that temptation to eat just about anything on your super high day is strong, huh? Be sure to give it a couple weeks before you decide what to do!

keli - Yep, we seem to be free and clear of challenges for a little while! I think the break from holidays lasts til Memorial Day. (Not to say we won't have our own personal challenges between now and then - I for one have an oral exam and a graduation between now and then, so eek!)


Seems quiet around here this weekend/today! Hope no one minds that I started up the April weigh in thread a day early, wanted to make sure it was up for you Tuesday weighers.

Saturday I got to go out to dinner with my dad & stepmother, they came into town for some apple cider thing (they make hard cider, there was some related event down here where I am so they traveled the hour and a half to come down) and took me and DH out. They like eating at fancy places which is nice because we never when we go out ourselves! We went to this really cool mediterranean place and they had a bellydancer come in to entertain The food was really simple and really delicious, I had saffron chicken with basmati rice and some sauteed vegetables and it was just awesome! Even estimating high for what I ate I still only spent 10 FPs on it (and that's with a couple glasses of really good wine, too), which is perfect since my saturdays are typically my high days anyway.

One of my friends is really aggrivating me right now. She wants to go to Panera tonight to do some work and have dinner. I told her I had dinner planned for at home, and she said fine, we can go after dinner. I tried explaining to her that I just don't work well in public places like that, especially when I'm reading something I really need to focus on, and with two weeks to my orals I don't have the time to waste by sitting around waiting for my brain to focus at a Panera when I know I can turn on study mode at home fairly easily. She was actually arguing with me about this - that I don't work well at home, that I haven't read nearly enough for my orals yet (proof that I don't work well at home), that I should be getting freaked out that I'm behind in my studying for it and I should therefore come with her to Panera to read. So basically I had a 20 minute conversation with her about how much she knows about my studying habits versus what I know about my studying habits. I'm also not one of those people who works well "with" other people. I prefer to study/read alone. I don't need to do things in groups, you know? She just doesn't work well at her house and she expects me to just do as she wants me to do. (seriously, it's a trend in our relationship.) I'm just losing patience with her. I don't understand why she wouldn't accept the fact that I didn't want to go work at Panera. It seems pretty clear to me, when someone says 'I don't really want to' you don't push it, you respect their desires, right?

Grar. This friendship has some serious issues beyond this one, too. So it's like just one more thing on a big pile of other things that I dislike about our dynamic. I guess I'm just waiting for graduation to end it for me (I kind of avoid confrontation).

Anyway, I'm rambling. Hope everyone's Monday is good and not all as rainy and cold as mine is!

Thanks Suite!

My stepmom always takes me out to dinner too: she's loaded!


Idunno what to tell you about your friend...
let's see, what would I do? I would probably just stop answering her calls...but that's probably not the best solution

When do you graduate? And what are you graduating from? I graduate from a regular BA in May...and then hopefully on to grad school!

I'll be just finishing grad school. I'm hopefully leaving with my master's in English in a month... Assuming I pass my orals I can't wait for it all to be over, I definitely need a break from school!!

hey all,
just posted in the weigh in thread...up .5 this week but I was waaaaaaaay over with points, didn't even track over the weekend. Still battling the binge today, but so far i'm winning.
my boyfriend is being pissy. and that is not fun. i'm stressed and resentful. so, chocolate fixes that, right? WRONG!!!
what i just noticed is that my weigh ins on WW online from 2004, when I first tried this, go like this: 142, 141, 139.5, 138, 140.5. ...and that's it. Then I started binging like mad and totally fell off the wagon. This time around: 142, 140, 140, 138.5, 137.5, 138...and now I'm fighting the binge like mad and trying to remind myself why I'm doing this, that the garlic bread won't fix my loneliness or desperate confusion...
<sigh>

tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful. I really hope the warm weather will invigorate me.

s

Suite toxic friendships, who doesn't have one! I got away from one, we got different jobs, same plant but different areas, with distance things got better. Now, I have another one, this time with an older gentleman I work with! He started out as a kind of mentor, now he hates our boss and this bitterness and negativity justs brings me down. He got upset by the timing of my FL trip, didn't want me to go...anyway the time away from the office helped change the dynamic a little there, so it's better. Hopefully, loads of your stress will go away when you're finished with school. Congrats on a great accomplishment, just getting to the point you're at, you're doing great!

Shrink I reset my goal when I went over my WI records from past years, I made it to goal and then promptly started going back up, the only time I maintained was right around 150, so that's what I had my dr. make my WW goal. I'd still like to get to 145 or so, but I've got to get out of the 160s first.

You are so close to your goal! Maybe you could try to maintain for awhile instead of trying to lose and then attack it again when you're feeling more secure. I've finally learned after almost 6 years of marriage (not too many really, compared to some) that sometimes it's better for me to let him be pissy and work through it himself than to try and fix it, or cheer him up, I used to try and say this or that and sometimes it would make it worse. Like sometimes I just want to be mad about something, don't try and cheer me up it just makes me madder!

Anyhow, for the bingeys I recommend trying to do some form of exercise if possible, go for a walk, do some crunches, punch a pillow, or something that keeps your hands busy like a craft, puzzle or video game.

Best of luck and hope you're feeling better about everything soon. Take good care of yourself!

Okay SO: I don't really like my best friend's new boyfriend....he's INSANELY loud every time he comes over and he makes my best friend act stupid, irresponsible, and inconsiderate.

THAT being said, I agreed to go out with them tonight to an acoustic show at a cafe. BORING. I was bored the whole time. Anyways, we went to a bar next door to it when the show ended. My best friend's boyfriend is LOADED RICH so he ALWAYS buys EVERYTHING for my best friend. So he offered to buy me beers at the bar. I said no. Then he offered again. I said no again. ( I only had 12 points left and hadn't eaten anything in a couple hours, and was not about to blow my points on a couple beers). This was a BIG accomplishment for me because I LOVE drinking, and almost never turn down FREE alcohol. Anyways, the third time he asked me, I told him I was watching my points, and didn't want any. So THEN he orders cheese sticks (fried cheese), and continues to badger me about eating them, and why didn't I want any, and one cheese stick won't kill you, one cheese stick won't hurt you, are you sure you don't want one, here's the last one do you want it?

He even put the plate DIRECTLY in front of my face and moved it around so that I could smell it and said "mmmmmm don't you want one??"


Needless to say I will not be going out with them anymore. He is an a**hole, and REALLY annoying and rude. I didn't want to go in the first place but my best friend was begging me.

So LONG STORY SHORT, I resisted the temptation of free alcohol, and I resisted the temptation of cheese sticks when I was STARVING.

I just finished eating a veggie burger, cottage cheese, and a huge plate of steamed carrots and broccoli.

And I would like to say that I love this site because there is really no one else I can vent to about this, no one else who would really understand it.

VDay -- way to resist!! Whoa!! you're an inspiration. I don't think I would have stayed so strong!!

Kel -- thanks for the advice! Now that it's a new day and I was able to sleep in, I'm finally feeling back on track, ready to spend some time cleaning the apt and planning some meals for the week. And go to the gym. And I stepped on the scale and it was down to 136.5, which means a 1 lb loss for the week! I changed my weight on WW site and so am officially still on a downward trend. Woo hoo!!

S

Vday that's awesome, great willpower! Yeah, too bad some people just don't understand, staying on program is tough enough sometimes, without the extra drama.

Suite-hope last night went well, did you give in, or stick to your choice to study at home?

shrinking-sorry for the gain, hope this week goes better for you! Hang in there

Hope everyone has a great tuesday

Happy April 1st everyone

Institches - I know people at my meetings, too, that strip down to their skivvies in order to WI. Every ounce counts I guess!

Suite - I'm sorry you had to deal with an aggressive/annoying "friend". They sound really needy.

Lizzy - So glad you're still on a downward trend! You're doing well

Vday - Wow! Kudos to you for resisting that near irresistable temptation!!!! (And I hope you can stay away from that guy as much as possible!)

Kel - Yay for getting that certificate!

---

Just got back from a 4 day weekend! Blargh. Work after long days off isn't really fun

I stuck to the points really well, and actually only missed one day of exercise (yesterday). My own fault entirely. Woke up... lazy... didn't get to it in the morning and that means I just don't get to it all day. However, this was only one of two days all throughout March that I missed exercise.

Visited three different B&B's. Oh they're all lovely. One more to see and then we have to make a decision!

Hrm. That's pretty much it. Back to work I go

Have a great day, all!