And for those of you following my endless parade of kitten pics, here's some new ones I took on Saturday: one, two, three, and four. Plus two more I took this morning: one and two. Oscar and Nénu (he's the paler one with blue eyes) are five months old now. Amazing how much they've grown in one month, isn't? They almost look like miniature versions of oriental shorthairs now, but they certainly still act like kittens. So demanding... but so much fun!

Great looking kitties!

Starting with my protein bar and some autumn blend, but with a touch of cream and a touch of sugar-free hazelnut syrup. My weight seems to be staying steady, even though I'm watching portions and exercising quite a bit more. I may have to adjust a few more things.

Have a great day!

Dean

Sorry it has been a while since I have posted. *sigh* I hurt my foot and now I need an MRI but I have to jump through hoops now that new changes are in effect for my health insurance. And my kiddo has been having SOOOO many issues in Kinder. I have thought for a while, if I am honest, that something may not be quite right. I have an appointment with this peds doc tomorrow. I think there is a chance that he has ADHD or possible Autism (like his half brother). Just a lot to take is all. I have had 2 days eating way too much but thanfully I didn't go over my usual calories.

Fiona: Those are some cute kitties.

did exervcsie this morn ..i was so HEAVY doing it....but i did it!!

Hello my lovely ladies....and gent!
Just when you think........I did the most dumb thing yesterday. Having forgotten something in the house I rushed back in to get it...twisted my ankle on one of the puppy's toys and fell headlong in a sprawl, making sure I landed on my worst knee. I laid there in an undignified heap snivelling for a bit but managed to reassure myself there were no breaks and stood up. Owwwwwwwwww!! I have "jiggled" (proper Physiotherapist word honest) my already arthritic knee and now it won't bend past about 50 degrees.
My eight mile walk in 2 and a half weeks' time gets ever more unlikely!
I am going to swim later to see if that will loosen it up.
On the plus note, I did manage to hobble to puppy training classes with my 4 month old cocker spaniel Maisy. who did really well........shame I wasn't as good as her!!!
I will have to be so mindful of food choices as I find exercise the key to it all. If I exercise I don't want to overeat...it's as simple as that!
Have a lovely day. I will try to attach a photo of Maisy but not sure if it will work!
Big Welsh Hugs,
Hwl Fawr ( Goodbye in Welsh)

Good Morning!
I am back after days of being cruel to my body. Sugar and gluten make me gain weight, act a little crazy, and feel ill. Not posting on here makes me not feel so good mentally. I am back and so happy to see all of you.
Donna I hope your knee is better. That is great that exercising can keep you from overeating.
fightbrave I know what you mean about exercising and feeling heavy. I so want to feel light and not like a blob. Exercise makes me extremely tired. Like in bed way too early. I now try to do 15 mins., because some is better then nothing.
Natasha our daughter has profound autism. Some days eating is my main coping mechanism. I hate hoops. They just make them to discourage us from using their services. (In my opinion.)
Dean will your new meds effect your weight?
Fi it sounds like you are doing better! Love the collage and kitty pictures. I love kitty bellies.
Terra I love the zoo! Are the zebras your favorites?
Sam you look amazing! The dress and shoes are great but YOU look fab!
shinesgirl how are you doing? I am glad your move is such a positive one. How is all the extra time with hubby?
Candidcamster I LOVE your tunnel and one foot in front of the other. So true.

Glad to be back. Thanks for being here and have a peaceful day!

New meds shouldn't affect weight too much, I'm just on Xarelto and metformin (I know its possible for the met to affect it a bit). Although they DID affect the taste of my coffee, LOL. Its odd, when I started the blood thinners, my coffee tasted off, and still hasn't quite come back to normal.

Oh well.

Everyone have a great day. Stay healthy-no tripping on doggie/kittie toys!

Dean

mountian walker - i hoe u feel better and if not u need to visit doctor

Ubee - i do feel like a blob or BIG MOMMA!.lol!.but i did it again! this morn and was proud!........trying to be more organised though in food preparation and daily chores

Good morning all. It seems like it's been forever since I got a chance to chat with you all. And when I don't chat with you on a regular basis, I don't eat correctly. I have decided that our little group should just move into a commune together until we all reach goal! Guess I'll have to settle for our virtual commune.

Bill announced on Monday that he was moving home (which is only across the street). We're definitely having a bit of male/female communication challenges since he communicates in declarative statements (for example, "I'm moving home today") and I communicate in questions (for example I would have preferred "Would it be convenient for you if I moved home today?"). This, too, shall pass. In the meantime, I've got about 3 more weeks of going over to his house to put on his compression hose which he has to wear until they release him, remind him to take his blood thinners twice a day, and haul him around to all of the doctor and PT appointments.

As a reward to myself, I ordered an Ipad Air (Fi, I may call upon you for good app advice!). Have wanted a tablet for a long time and just decided what the heck.

On the diet front......well to be honest there is no diet front. So, I'm getting back on that band wagon this morning as well. I've made out my list of things that I need to get done around here which include fixing me. Time to stop using every little thing as an excuse to have an emotional eating moment.

Hopefully I'll be back to commenting individually soon. In the meantime, hope everyone is continuing to do well.

my mai problem is............i tend to eat fast............sometimes i don't realise until i finish and i was like "the food finish already?"

how can one take to eat

Betsy— That's so cool you're getting an iPad Air: it will change your life, I'm warning you. =smile= The one thing I highly recommend you get for it, for just hanging around the house, is a silicon skin like this one. (It also comes in pink.) A silicon skin is not at all the same thing as the padded case you will need if you want to to tote it around somewhere: there are thousands of options for those. In fact, your iPad should ideally fit inside its travel case without having to take the skin off: that's how mine works. The point of the skin is that with a minimal addition (hardly any at all) in weight & bulk, it makes your iPad ever so much easier to handle without fear of dropping it. Your comfort with your iPad will be SO different after you get the silicon skin, believe me! I don't understand why Apple doesn't sell the skins themselves. As for apps, I'm afraid I won't be much help: just about the only special apps I have are French dictionaries and art programs—and of course the indispensable Kindle app. You know I don't count carbo grams or calories, nor do I track my exercise, so I'm useless on that front.

I'm not doin' so hot, I'm afraid. This depressive episode is not showing any signs of petering out. I have a good day now & then, but mostly I'm going down into serious -3 or -4 levels of depression pain, even -5 one horrible stretch, every day in every way. The kittens are nice to cuddle with, but mostly I have to medicate myself into a stupor before I get any relief from the pain. And the medication I take (Geodon) makes me crave sweets like nobody's business! I even broke down a couple of days ago and had a mini-binge on raw sugar mixed with peanut butter. =big sigh= Mostly I'm sticking to my diet by sheer force of will and extreme, one might even say Spartan, simplicity of food options. It's not pretty, but it is what it is....

Hey all! Quick check in before bed...

Took the day off of the gym to shampoo my carpets...I hate to admit it but they haven't been cleaned in probably two years...needless to say it really needed to be cleaned. I got the upholstery tool as well and there is a leak in the hose which caused water to spew everywhere when I tried to use it on my dining chairs. I didn't even try to use it on the couches because I didn't want to risk not being able to sop up the water. I placed a call into Rug Doctor and had to leave a message so hopefully they will call me back tomorrow before I have to return the cleaner. I'd really like a replacement and get another day's use for free so I don't have to rush when I get home to get my couches clean. DH is supposed to organize our bedroom tomorrow so I can do the floor in there after work. I'd ask him to do it but he had a slipped disc in his neck that's giving him trouble so I don't want him to make it worse for him.

Thanks to all the lovely comments left about the dress...I had a really good time at the wedding and got to catch up with a friend I had just recently reconciled with. She's losing weight too and looks great!

My friend Ana is coming down from Wilmington again this weekend...I'm really excited and hope to get her in the gym with me. I also have a trial on Saturday to do for one of the weddings I have next month. It's going to be a busy weekend I hope I have enough time to do everything!!

Anyway I'm pooped and my back is sore from all the hard work I put in tonight so I'm gonna call it...

Hope everyone had a great day...check in tomorrow

Hmmm, sounds like we're all struggling a bit. Seems to come in waves.

Starting the day with a bit of hazelnut coffee... Mmmm, hazelnut.

Just remember, the week is almost over, so the weekend is approaching and we're also moving into fall-one of my favorite times of year. A nice hot cup of coffee or tea in the morning as you look out on the changing leaves is certainly a good distraction.

Have a great day!

Dean

Thursdays my husband works from home, so it always feels like a lazy day. I have a lot of picking up to do. The puppy, Cupcake (Shizpoo), is chewing anything and everything in sight. Shoes, clothes, anything she can drag from somewhere or the garbage. I have 3 older children so they leave things out. My daughters work shoes are destroyed. I don't feel so bad, because I tell them to pick their stuff up and put it away so she can't get into it. My son vacuumed his room last night and changed the cleaner bag but left it on the laundry room floor. Guess who got in it and tore it to shreds. He said he would clean it up before he goes to work.
I'm still working on potty training her, which causes anxiety for me...I'm watching her constantly (except when she got into the vacuum bag, lol)

I have been doing good with food choices and following my plan. Someone mentioned they eat fast. So do I, I don't savor the food. Then I'm hungry for more to taste and feel the food because I didn't get enjoyment out of it.

I hope everyone has some fun plans for the weekend. I am going to try to read a book. My depression has removed my enjoyment for reading which was my favorite hobby. Anyone have fall activities planned?

Question for everyone: How do you avoid food when you are stressed out or depressed? Last night I was depressed and stressed about the stuff with my kiddo so I ate some ice cream when I wasn't hungry and knew I didn't need it. I only ate half the pint (which was a good thing) but I feel the pull to eat as the situation progresses. I have a desk job and getting up isn't always an option.