Lilturtle: Welcome home. You may want to wait until tomorrow morning, just after you get up, to step on the scale. The doctor advised me that it's the best time of day to weigh in. After you've used the bathroom, in the buff, and before you've had anything to eat or drink. When ever you decide to weigh in, I hope you get results that please you.

I managed to get 60 minutes of cardio in and a little strength training, too. I'll be doing my usual Saturday weigh in tomorrow morning.

Glad you were able to sleep through that procedure worththeeffort, that wouldn't have been pleasant otherwise.. :/

Things have been going well for me the last few days. I've been pretty busy. I started another online class last week towards my bachelor's degree. I've loved most of my classes so far, but this is a Government class and I find it absolutely boring and irritating... :/ Oh well, 4 more weeks and then on to an economics class.. I'm sure that will be just as boring and irritating..

So about the interview.. It went great up until I was informed that the job would sometimes entail making referrals for women who are seeking abortions. This is definitely NOT something I could do and live with myself. So the ship on that job has sailed. I had also applied a few weeks ago to a job in my Roman Catholic Archdiocese and I was excited to hear news in regards to it. Unfortunately, the news I heard was that they have decided not to fill the possible right away. :/ Not sure when they will, but I've been informed I will be contacted at that time.

Well, I'm off to Southern INdiana for the weekend. See everyone on Monday!

Hi there,

I am going to see my friend tomorrow after seeing my family doctor. I'm making progress on packing, yay! I have my clothes out of storage, I'm trying to go through them.

I've got a few things to do over the weekend but it should be quiet on Sunday. I'm going to hopefully take my last few swim lessons soon, then I'll move in less than 1 month, yikes!

Have a good weekend!

Amy

If you happened to wonder why I didn't post yesterday, it's because I got an idea for a collage right around 6:30 in the morning, and proceeded to spend sixteen hours straight on it, with no breaks to speak of. Then I crashed, slept, and woke up to spend six more hours this morning, completing it. 22 hours for one collage!

This artwork is all about how I feel trapped by the huge amount of labor that remains to be done on the BERP. Here it is: the title is "as free as a bird."

Hi Everyone! Worked out with trainer Thursday morning and walked with my pups 35 minutes Friday. Soon to walk the pups up here at the lake and ride bikes with my hubby! So exercise is great! Food so-so. Gotta get that right and all will be well.

Trish: Home Sweet Home!!! So happy for you that you are home ~ safely and soundly! Hope you are happy with your weigh-in!

Worthy: I am so happy that your mood has improved! It is amazing what a day off and sunshine can do for the soul. You are doing so incredibly well with exercise. Hope it is paying off on the scale!

Sabrina: Can't blame you for being turned off by the "requirements" of that job. I couldn't do that either! Best of luck to you with finding something new! The right thing will come along...... in God's perfect timing!

Amy: Glad to hear that the packing is going well. Thanks for taking the time to check in!

Fi: You are one BUSY collage maker!!! Sorry you are feeling trapped by all of the work involved with the BERP. I bet the collage-making process is very therapeutic for you, though.

Holly: How are you? Please write when you get home and let us know what you've been baking!

Waving HELLO to everyone else! Hope all is well!

Well, I got new kitten pictures today. =big smile= But instead of loading all the still photos onto my domain and all that fuss, I'll just give y'all the link to the new video of the oriental shorthair named Cherry Bomb and her four kittens, now four weeks old. To those of you who may not have been following this story, two of these kittens will arrive in my husband's and my home in about nine weeks. Enjoy!

Adorable kittens, Fiona. Mom seems very attentive, making the rounds and confirming that everyone is clean and in good order.

I have a 2-hour drive down state today to do a 15-minute presentation about some of my research. While attending a meeting yesterday, someone asked me if I would do a longer presentation to their genealogy group but I don't know if that will work because they only meet at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays when I'm working. I told her I could do a Saturday or Sunday but not a week day. I expect that will be the end of it.

<edit> Oh, yes...I'm only 21 pounds away from Onederland. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that by August, I'll be below 200 pounds for the first time since 1993.

Another crazy day in BERP-land for me! My niece Margaret and her son Gavin are coming over for our regular Sunday get-together tonight. She's volunteered to help me box up the rest of my horror fiction collection for moving it down into the basement: the bulk of it is already down there, because what used to be my writing office, with my horror near at hand for all the writing related to horror literature that used to be my job, is turning into my collage studio. I need nearly every inch of bookshelf space in there for my "cutter" books and my boxes of clippings! Plus, I plan to move my quite voluminous postcard collection into that room, because the main reason I've been acquiring those postcards, mostly in the form of booklets & boxes, is for use in collage. Eventually I want to get everything I need for collage into that one room, or at least as much of it as is humanly possible, instead of having it scattered all over the house.

The good news, in addition to the blessing of having Margaret available to help me some with book storage chores, is that Bob already installed cat flaps in both the doors of our bedroom and of my office-now-studio. That's so those doors can be closed for privacy without shutting the cats out from anywhere. I taught our last pair of cats how to use the cat flaps (they're not born with that knowledge =laugh=), and now I anticipate teaching the next pair. But not until they've emerged from Phase One of their accommodation to our house: when we first bring the kittens home, they'll be kept just in our bedroom and its bathroom. For a couple of weeks, more or less, Bob and I will be living almost entirely in that space, in order to be in close contact at all times with our new babies. =smile=

What? Weight loss? Is that what this forum is about? I'll be lucky if I remember my regular weigh-in day, the 22nd of the month! =grin=

Hi there...

How is everyone? It is a bad day for seasonal allergies!

I saw my family doc yesterday, I'll continue to see him after I move. I have a lot of faith in him and we have a good rapport. I probably have to get a medical clearance for ankle surgery from him. Interestingly enough, he thinks that I should try another diet such as WW or calorie counting before doing Lap-band. I'm actually glad to hear that.

I've got to get to tidying up my place and packing, have a good afternoon. I'll try to stop in later or tomorrow.

Hi to Holly, Fi, Believe, Ohio and hugs to everyone else!

Worthy— That's terrific you're just 21 pounds away from Onederland: by the time we're weanin' our new fur-babies off wet cat food onto organic kibble, you'll be there! As you can tell, I'm very oriented these days toward not just any ol' future, but specifically the future month of August 2014. =grin= It sounds like your cardio and your renewed commitment are really paying off. As for your name, I appreciate it that you gave it a lot of thought, and I've always loved the name Amanda, but Worthy really has a ring to it... it's you: you're worthy! =big smile=

Amy— It's none of my business, of course, but even at my highest weight of 351, I was opposed on principle to bariatric surgery. I just think since we all have to sort out our issues regarding food and exercise anyway, why not take the time to make those permanent lifestyle changes at the pace of normal human change...slooooowly. And what you have to lose now isn't much more than what I've lost so far, and look at my ticker: I'm not even close to halfway there yet. But I'm goin' all the way down this time, you better believe it! If you combine some carbohydrate restriction with the calorie counting, Amy, that will help you along, and be good for your longterm health to boot.

Kathleen— You say you've got the exercise part figured out, but your eating is still so-so. What's the plan? What's your next step? Are you in need of some tough love? What about applying some of the principles from The Willpower Instinct? How are those slow-breathing sessions working out for you? I really find that they're helping me not only to make the right "I won't" choices, as in "I won't eat too many nuts," but also in the "I will" choices related to working hard on the BERP. In other words, they help me maintain my focus on what I want in the long run, and not get distracted by what I may feel like doing or not doing, at any one moment. And that's just one item from the whole bag o' tricks in that book.

Well, Margaret called to say she's got the awful respiratory bug that's goin' around, so we won't be seein' them tonight, after all. Oh well... maybe Bob can help me out some day this week with getting those books boxed up. He just got over that bug himself, and he's been really grumpy in its aftermath. Every time I suggest something he could do to help me with the BERP, he sighs a whole lot, and then if I bring it up again, he snaps at me. =sad face= I'm not sure he's quite ready to be a parent, but our fur-kids are coming, ready or not!

I have a small NSV to report: I now fit into size 3X leggings, and my 4X t-shirts are starting to be comfortably (fashionably even?) loose. As for my beloved collection of black 5X tees with rock stars and hippie slogans on them, I'm still wearin' 'em, but I guess there will come a day when they'll look ridiculously huge. I wish I could trade 'em in for the exact same tees in a smaller size, equally well broken in and all, but I guess I'll have to wait 'n' buy 'em all over again when I get down to size L.... one fine day... =wistful expression=

I'm absolutely exhausted. It has been a long day of driving. The presentation went okay. The other presentations were very interesting, too.

I have Monday off from work and will be taking advantage of it by pulling all my clothes out of the closets to try things on to see what fits, what is too baggy, what needs to stay, and what needs to go. Since I don't have any girl friends to help out, I'm pressing my husband into service to give me feedback on what looks decent and what doesn't.

Now, off to bed. zzzzzzzzz.

I am tired and ready for bed, but wanted to check in. Walked about 30+ minutes at the lake today. Home now and ready for a HEALTHY week ahead! I will focus on making good food choices this week, while keeping up with my exercise and walking.

Fi: Those kittens are adorable!!! I haven't read any more in The Willpower Instinct, but I definitely need to PRACTICE the breathing technique. Set the book aside for awhile; got bored with it and started another book. I tend to do that. Thanks for challenging me to make a plan. I need to do that. I was following the DASH diet plan as a rough guideline to eating healthy. Need to revisit that book and buckle down and get serious with it again! I lost 6 pounds right away on it, which was the first weight I have lost in years, and I have kept that and a few more off! I also began my thyroid med around the same time, so I am sure that helped, too. Now, my dose has been doubled because my thyroid levels were still low. Will recheck bloodwork in 2 months. HOORAY on your NSV!!!!!

Worthy: Happy to hear that your presentation went okay and you are home safely and soundly. Hope you get a good night's sleep! Best of luck to you as you go through your clothes! That can be a tedious process, but enjoy the smaller YOU as you work! Oh, ONEderland!!! I long for the day again, too!!! It has been way too long! I am about 15 pounds away, I think. Need to weigh in this week to be sure.

Amy: Glad you like your doc so well that you will still see him after you move. And so happy to hear that he thinks you can lose the weight without lap-band surgery! What route do you think you will go ~ WW, counting calories, or another plan? Good luck with that decision. YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Holly: Are you home yet?!? Anxious to hear how you are liking the summer job this year!

ohiofreespirit: Please post a quick (or long) note when you can! I assume you are busy with school, but just want to be sure you are okay!

Chelsea: Are you still reading along? Please post a quick update if you get a chance. We haven't heard from you in a good while. Hope all is well.

Trish: How did your weigh-in go? You must be so happy to be home!

Sabrina: Waving hello and sending a hug!

MonteCristo: How are things with you??? Miss hearing from you! Hope you're okay!

floralshorts: Please let us know how the big first day back at work goes! I'll be thinking about you!

Day off from work. It's raining. Good thing I planned on cleaning closets. I no sooner than brought all my blouses downstairs from storage and Mr. Black Cat showed up to supervise the proceedings. Look familiar to anyone?

I was surprised that the process went so quickly but really, it only took me about 90 minutes to go through the two piles in the photo and another two piles of equal size. The best, best, best part was trying on a number of 18/20 size blouses that my husband bought me as Christmas gifts that I hadn't been able to wear. They all fit now. It's like having a whole new wardrobe! I did keep a few 2X tops to wear while working out but everything else--3X and 2X--has been packed into two drawstring trash bags to go to the thrift store.

I've attached some pictures of my day's project that has left me feeling pretty accomplished--both in terms of actually following through on a house cleaning task and having the confirmation of my weight loss.

I still haven't weighed myself. I've been kind of discouraged lately thinking even if I lose the weight I am still going to have image issues. Like bad hair, crooked teeth, bad skin, etc. I'm just having kind of a down day.

Sorry you're having a down day, Lilturtle. I hope things are better for you tomorrow.