The next few days are going to be a real challenge for me. One of my best friends is visiting me and I definitely plan to indulge in some good food and drink. I've decided I'm going to eat/drink whatever I want, but be mindful of HOW MUCH. Hopefully that will work well - plus a lot of the stuff we're planning to do will involve walking.

I had also planned to really watch my eating this week, prior to my friend's arrival, but that didn't end up working out so well. And BF and I are going to a movie tonight, I don't know how I will say no if he wants to get pizza... I am so weak lately!

I was put into a gifted program when I was 7, but I didn't find out what my IQ was until at least high school if not college (don't remember exactly). All I knew was that there were three levels of gifted programs and I was put in the highest one. Later I found out that there was an IQ cutoff for the program so I knew mine had to be above it, then later I found out what it actually was. Then after that I took another IQ test as an adult and scored significantly lower! All I remember about taking the test as a kid was that there was a big sheet of multiplication and I felt bad because I had to tell the person administering the test that I didn't know how to do multiplication yet.

Megan, I actually got onto my 8 hours of sleep schedule following a late night of work in middle school. I had gotten home and watched TV, and didn't start my homework until later, then ended up having to stay up late to do it and was exhausted. For whatever reason it made such an impression on me that from that point forward I always did all my homework as soon as I got home and made sure I went to bed on time. Somehow I managed to go from then all the way through college with only a couple late nights of working.

In weight-related news, I totally caved and ate two piece of cake yesterday that I totally didn't need, and half a cookie today. And now I am going to go run to make up for it because we have a Passover seder to attend tonight and there will be more and more food piling up.

Allison, the dinner sounds magnificent!

Iris, we're having "pizza lab" at my house tonight. DH makes deadly good crusts and sauce ... And we all pick our toppings. I get the "weak" thing - I have had a weak week. Nothing too terribly awful, but just not at the level that will get me into the 140's for good. More focus!

Jessica, enjoy the run! I hear Seder can be quite a foodie's delight.

Shannon, there's a whole chapter in Nurtureshock devoted to how things go wrong when parents tell a kid the generic "you're smart.". They have no control over that. Telling specifics, like you've mentioned "great job on sticking with that puzzle til you solved it" gives them something more concrete to be proud of. It really opened my eyes and changed how I give out praise. According to the book, you're totally on the right track. Hope that's some minimal comfort!

Saef, yahoo on the five!

Me, on the PMS 2-3 lb puff and fighting the crunchy/salty demons.

No luck on the loss this week. Holding steady at 150. I guess I can't complain, at least I didn't gain.

A day of chores today--lots of shopping and errands. Tomorrow will be more relaxing.

I am still staying steady, too. Still over goal.

Got off my fanny finally and took a nice hilly 3.3mi brisk walk. The weather was just toooooo good to pass up. It's Danger Day - I'm alone at home til 9pm. . I think it'll be okay - I have a big to-do list to work on.

Today was also a danger day for me, too. It's not being alone, for me -- it's having an unstructured day, with no plans. A planned trip to an antique shop in the city to pick up my tuned-up clock fell through. With me, I feel guilt after laying around watching TV, not accomplishing anything.

Temptation won. Feeling low and rather hypocritical - gave myself a lot of opportunities to put things in the "good day" basket, and still couldn't make it happen. I want to just go to bed and end it all (for today) and wake up with a cleaner slate. First, I need to take out the garbage - it has the evidence and the remains in it. If nothing else, I can make sure I can't repeat it tomorrow.

Meh. I had a bad day as well. We can over come this. We can do it! Go to bed (I would but we're watching some DVR shows). Drank way too much wine and ate chocolate? Where did that come from? But yesterday? Ate tortilla chips. Equally as bad.

Happy Easter everybody ! I am .2 under goal this morning. It is a struggle to stay at goal. It is so easy to be over goal and beyond.

to all !

Got dinged by the scale this morning...I had planned to be at 10% by Easter; had only about 1.4# to go. But I'm up about 4.3#

It's maybe a pound fat; the rest is water from too much restaurant food: carbs (the linguini went down soooo easy) and salt (of course). And the Cadbury bunny didn't help, either.

The thing is, when I stick to plan it is pretty straightforward. I eat simply and well, and I exercise not so much, a lot of walking and Pilates, which I enjoy, so it's almost as though the weight is coming off slowly, 'all by itself'. HA!

So, it's back to daily weigh-ins and stocking up on the egg whites and broiled 'stuff'. And logging into my 'fitbook'.

I was thinking of taking a short-term membership at a local gym. I've been not the best gym member, but I like the vibe of this one. I just want to make sure I'm not doing it as 'punishment' 'you must run!!!!' for going off plan. I figure the weather's getting warmer and I may prefer to walk in air-conditioning, and maybe try C25K. And I've always liked the leg machines.

I am absolutely determined to get this healthy living stuff down and get this done.

thanks for listening and enjoy this beautiful day...

Exhale, I hear you loud and clear. I am just recovering from a 19 pound regain after being at goal just short of 4 years. I am just a tad under goal this morning and I am happy about that, but I realize to stay there takes constant awareness. It is downright foolishness , on my part, to think I will get to goal and stay there without effort.

Glad you're under goal
It does take focus. Otherwise I blink and . . .

You know, I want to be done with this extra weight by the 4th of July. I think I can get it done; less than 2 pounds a week, if I focus, so I'll focus !

Good morning everyone. I'm back from my visit with dd. We drove from Spokane to Seattle to see a specialist. Overall, a good trip. The specialist didn't have anything new to offer but he did give her a new suggestion for her migraines. She has been on a migraine medication for four years that causes weight gain. Before that, she was on other meds that cause weight gain. She has gained weight no matter what she does. She's sick and tired of it. So, hopefully this new med will help. I drove back and drove through snow, sleet, hail, and rain! I've never driven myself in snow so it was an experience.

My weight seems okay this morning but you never know after you fly. We are going to an Easter brunch after church which will prove dangerous.

I felt like I really was good all weekend. Moved a LOT, stayed low in calories despite my BF's birthday dinner of lasagna last night because I ate less earlier in the day, avoided alcohol, and I was rewarded with a 1 lb gain on the scale this AM. Hoping it's just a little blip. I thought I was in for a whoosh.

I stocked up and prepped some healthy foods this weekend but am starting to get stressed about my big sampling campaign for work that starts later this week. Just taking it one day at a time, I can only be so prepared for that and then it is what it is.

Exhale, exercising in the AC in the summer can definitely take some of the stress off of one's body. I see it as a treat to work out at the gym in the summer, I really do!

Michele, hope DD's new medication has fewer side effects. Sounds like you had quite a drive!

Becky, today is a new day. Take out that trash and start with a clean slate. It's Monday, too. Somehow Monday is always a good day to start anew.