Hey everyone


Today in a nutshell
calories: today: 1377 this week: 2544/12600
exercise: 30 minutes walking
water: 48 oz

Nothing of interest happened today... work and home ... same stuff... different day.

Hope everyone is doing well.

I hope my hug power helped Elisha. Is the medication you are taking for depression prescribed? Maybe you need something different... talk to your Dr. sweetie. Even if it's only monthly ... it can be helped. You don't have to feel this way ...you're allowed to make yourself better: I notice you have an yahoo im .... do you mind if I add you to my contact list?

Well that's it for tonight ... I'm off to play
Joy.

Wednesday Morning Calorie Count Edit ... so I thought I had some room so I had two macadamia/white chocolate cookies - actually DH handed them to me... so I really couldn't resist. I thought they were about 100 calories so I wasn't fighting too hard, when I looked at the package they are 200 calories each. And I remembered that I forgot the popcorn I had in the afternoon ... so the calories have to be adjusted by 400 calories and what ever a bag of light popcorn is .... I'll figure that out later and add it all to my daily for Wednesday...

Hello all!

I was up at 5am this morning.....and it is now 10pm and I finally got to sit down! Work was busy, there were errands after work, grabbed dinner at Arby's and then off to visit Mom. Then, on home and tackled the assorted duties around here!

Julie.....We appreciate you stopping by, especially given the fact that vacation is right around the corner! Did you say where you were going? Or maybe I missed it? Don't forget to plan exercise and making good food choices!

Joy.....You are doing awesome with the calories! Be careful not to cut them back too far.......I always end up binging when I do that!

((Elisha)).....Vitamins can't hurt and you get a gold star for 22 minutes of biking! I think Joy has a good idea.....just get up and move......even though you don't want to.....your energy will catch up with you and you will be amazed at how much better you feel!

Jennifer.....You lurking out there, chickie? HOpe all is going well!

TBJ......Sending healing thoughts you way......

Calories today came in around 1400......so, thus far, it is 2740/11,900 for me. Someone brought in a treat today, so I had a small brownie......and then my Arbys dinner included a cherry turnover.....but other than that, the choices were good!

Morning chicks!

Joy: Thank you for the big . It made me smile, and that’s something I didn’t do a lot of yesterday. I don’t mind a bit if you add me to your Yahoo Messenger… that would be nice. I like having people to talk to. No, the medication isn’t prescribed, it’s OTC. I just thought I would give it a shot first to see if it did any good. And really, I am feeling better, and I even when I do feel bad it doesn’t last as long, so that’s good, right?

MsRD: Yay, a gold star! You’re right—I know I feel better when I move. I’m making that my one goal for the day: at least 30 minutes on the bike and a set of weights. I can do that while reading or watching tv.

I’m feeling better today. Not physically really, but certainly emotionally. I just went home and vegged last night, at least for the most part. Didn’t even take the dog for a walk, as it was raining. I did kind of pig out at dinner though. But now… bleh. I don’t want to eat any more crappy food. I just don’t. I’ve still got some in my house, but there’s a good possibility I’ll throw some of it out this evening.

Last night I went on a little bit of a throwing-out spree. Not much, and I certainly need to do more, but it made me feel better. I went through all of my old cosmetics—nail polish, lotions, hair products—and threw out the stuff that is too old and the stuff I never use.

And I did some dishes, rearranged the frig a bit, putting stuff in smaller containers, etc., and I will do more of that tonight. I had a text message from Steve this morning saying that if I put away the clean dishes (the mountain I washed last night) that he would wash the rest of them. Unfortunately, I got his message after I finished washing over half of what was there (I washed a few while breakfast was cooking). But I did leave the rest for him. I guess it is the thought that counts.

So like I said, a little more cleaning tonight, some time on the bike with Harry Potter, and not much else. Perhaps a bubble bath and a manicure.

Yesterday at work I also planned out dinners for the week. I’ve even made notes as to what I need to thaw and when, if I need to prepare anything in advance, etc. I’ll have to do a bit of rearranging (I forgot I was going to Pittsburgh for work tomorrow), but at least I know what’s available. And at some point I’m going to go through my cabinets and frig and write down everything we have so we can just mark it off as we use it. That way I’ll always know what I have available. Part of my brain is telling me that’s crazy and a little too much, but the rest of me thinks it’s a good idea. We’ll see what happens.

This weekend, I have on the agenda: NOTHING. YAY! That means I’ll get some laundry done, get more stuff put away (and more stuff thrown out), get more stuff organized, get the house clean (though it’s not really too bad, I’d just rather keep up with it), and hopefully not much else. Steve and I want to sit down and work out a budget at some point, but as I’ve already written down all of my stuff it shouldn’t really take that long. Also, more meal planning and perhaps some cooking.

I’m still doing ok with water. I’m trying to stay away from caffeine in the evening, and almost everything we’ve got to drink at home is caffeinated, so I’m drinking water there too. That’s a good thing. I can’t seem to get the food thing under control right now, but I am moving in a better direction. And I think planning my menus will help. I am trying to get in my fruits and veggies, and everything else… well, that will come.

OK, enough randomness from me today. Have a good day, chicks!
~Elisha

Yikes, it's been forever since I've been here!

Gramma is doing ok after her heart attack, but she's still a bit weak, and she's scared of having another. She was a prime candidate for a bypass, but the doctor said at her age, it probably wouldn't work and she would be in a nursing home in six months. So, they're just going to keep an eye on her. She was always the picture of health anyway, concerning how she ate, so Hopefully things won't have to change too much.

The car. Let's just say that it took us 2 months to finally pass emmissions, and it could have cost us thousands of dollars in repairs if it hadn't been for a future in-law who looked at it and worked some "off-the-record" magic on it. I was on adrenalin for so long that I'm completely useless now that it's over. I'm taking a 1 week hiatus on exercise until I get my strength back. I've been having hot and cold spells, and I want to make sure I haven't picked up some kind of bug lately.

I had my cholesterol tested on Monday, but I don't have my results yet. If it's not down this time, I may have to go on meds. I'm praying I don't have to do this, as I can't afford yet another perscription.

Anyway, I'm sorry I missed this whole challange! I'm hoping to be ready to go for the next one!

Howdy chicaroos --

Wrist: Possible fracture. Took x-rays yesterday. Am hoping to hear from doctor today. Still don't know for sure. Don't think it's a break, because there was never any bruising. Have a wrist brace. Makes my wrist feel better. And the brace is black with metal eyelets for the strings to keep it closed, so it looks really badass.


Meds: Meds probably sound like a big hassle to you mentally healthy people. But they are a godsend to me.

Old me: --> --> --> ad inifinitum, plus 30 pounds heavier.

New me: plus 30 pounds lighter.

The new med is helping. I just hope it doesn't trigger the

***
Betani -- So glad to hear Grandma is better. She's probably happy not to need surgery right now. Blargh about the car being so difficult. Hope you can deal with any cholesterol problem without meds.

Elisha --

MsRD -- You and your hectic life! Good job on keeping those calories down. Maybe you're on a losing spree? Can't wait to read about your success on April 1.

Joy -- Yay! You're doing well with the calories. Keep it up... er, down.

Julie -- Hey, the point of the calorie challenge is for us to look at the big picture, so that we see we can get back on track even if we have a bad day. At least you're still counting, even with that sugar.
***

Personal calorie limit goal: 3,100/10,850
Group goal: 10,034/42,850

GO TEAM!

Hello All!

Wednesday at last! If we made it this far, we can make it thru the week, right? A coworker looked at me today and said she thought I was losing weight......what a boost to the ol' self-esteem! (Yes, I know, highly unlikely she saw my 'dramatic' 3 lb loss....but it was good to hear anyway)

Elisha.....Glad your day is a little brighter than yesterday. Sometimes all it takes is some time off to veg out......and a bubble bath and manicure sure couldn't hurt either! Good for you for planning your menus....pretty soon it will just be second nature to you.....wish I could be that organized!

Betani......It is so good to hear from you again.....and to hear your Grandma is on the mend. Hope your cholesterol test goes well.......meds can be wonderful things, but side effects and interactions have to be dealt with too.

TBJ....Fracture!?! : Take it easy a bit and let it heal. A nice sketch of a skull and crossbones would be a nice touch on the wrist brace.

I have really been guzzling the water today.....I think I am over 80-ounces thus far!.....and did 30 minutes WATP too. Food choices included TacoBell, but calories still came in at 1300! To update.....that is 4040/11900.......I had budgeted 1700 calores per day, and have been under my quota every day! the weekend will be the real test!

Evening chickdees

Today in a nutshell
Calories today: 1847
Update calories for yesterday: 2087
Average daily calories: 1770.33
This week: 5311/12600
Exercise today: 30 minutes
Exercise this week: 75 minutes
Water: 86 oz

Well.... that's about it for my life...
Joy.

Morning Chickies...
Hey...sorry about this week! It has been a busy one! DD started soccer practice on MOnday and had it as well last night. I can now empathize with all of the parents out there who say that sports takes over their lives!! Geesh! I'm used to being home at night and not having to rush out the door the minute I get home! And last night also was parent teacher conferences (during soccer practice time) so we ate out (Fazolli's, but I did have a grilled chicken saalad...and a few breadsticks ). Took the babysitter with us to stay with DD at soccer while we ran to the school!

I have just been exhausted at night...mostly because I have been spending my whole day at work trying to get things in order for vacation...and that is so exhausting. I am so far behind in paperwork, that I never thought I would see the light at the end of the tunnel, but there is a glimmer of hope!

My foot has been really hurting at night. Just throbbing. Therefore, to me pain means rest (so no exercise)! So I've been resting it and icing it at night! I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I'm using the inserts, doing the stretching, etc. It's only been a week since I've had the inserts, but I would think they would give some releif, like they did in the beginning! Hmmm. I'll be calling the Pediatrist when I get home from vacation. I'm thinking of getting a shot even before I leave, but I since we won't be doing a whole lot of walking (I dont' think), I'll save it for when I really need it...at work!

I think I will have to opt out of the calorie counting challenge. I just have not had time to add up my calories, and I haven't been watching it at all, so you can deduct 7500 from the total, which brings it to...35,350 (I think!)

I've got to go throw in a load of laundry and get ready for my day! I hope you all have a great day today. I'm going to try to check in tomorrow sometime, but if not...I'll check in later this week, as we will have the laptop and internet connection at some of the places we will be going!

Hugs,
Julie

Checking in

Today in a nutshell
Calories today: 1236
Average daily calories: 1636.75
This week: 6547/12600
Exercise today: 30 minutes
Exercise this week: 105 minutes
Water: 89 oz

Joy

Morning chicks!

Sorry I was MIA yesterday. I had to go up to Pittsburgh for work, and I left around 6.30… no time for much of anything yesterday morning. Or even last night really. And I was up late doing random stuff… OK, mostly reading, but also some other stuff. I got in 53 minutes on the bike last night while reading. Calories yesterday were bad though, as was water consumption (only around 40 oz).

Has anyone thought about the April Challenge? Tomorrow is April already! (And our clocks get changed this weekend. Don’t forget!) Any ideas for the challenge? Would someone like to set it up, or would you like for me to do it?

So I think I mentioned that I’ve decided I’m not going to eat any fast food for the entire month of April. Since today is the last day of March, I was planning on doing a sort of Last Chance type of meal for dinner, most likely McDonalds, getting whatever I wanted. However, I’ve altered that plan a little bit.

I stepped on the scale this morning, and I saw 220.0. I know that has a little to do with being in the car so much yesterday, too much salt, not enough water, and ToM. But it’s like 220 is my magic number that I never ever ever wanted to see again. And yet there it is. I don’t want to be here.

So the McDonalds plan has changed. Breakfast was different than planned, the whole day will be different. I’m still getting some fast food, but I’ve thought it through: Burger King Whopper Jr, no cheese, no mayo (330 calories), small fries (230 calories), large Diet Coke (0 calories). It’s still fast food, and enough to satisfy the fast food urge I’ve been holding back for days now, but I’ve planned it into my day and it won’t do too much damage. Dinner will be leftover pork tenderloin, rice, and broccoli. Possibly a salad. I’m skipping my snacks for the day, but I’m usually not hungry for one when I have fast food for lunch anyway, so that’s no big deal. Breakfast was a mashed potato sandwich, but I used whole wheat bread, FF cheese, and only 1 small swipe of Brummel & Brown spread. I’ve added all this up and my calories come to 1425 for the day. If I feel like it, I might allow myself a cookie or some other snack after dinner, but If And Only If I exercise tonight, weights and cardio. I’ve been doing pretty good at getting on the bike in the evenings, so I don’t think it will be a problem.

I’ve got to be sure to drink lots of water today though, so perhaps just a small soda at lunch. I drink soda slower than I drink water, so I always end up drinking less water (if that makes sense). I want to flush out my system today, get some of this salt and driving bloat out of my body. I do NOT want to see 220 on the scale tomorrow morning. Or ever again.

But oddly enough, I feel somewhat renewed today. Yes, I’m tired and bloatey and I’ve got cramps and all the other ToM fun going on, but my mind is in a better place. Today I am motivated to do something good for myself.

Next Thursday and Friday I have our company meeting in Baltimore. There most likely won’t be too much healthy food available, but I am going to make the best choices I can. I also probably won’t be able to exercise those days, as most of my time will be spent either in the car or “networking” with people I already know. These meetings are such a waste of time for me.

My next paycheck is on the 10th, and I’m making myself a deal: If I exercise 6-7 days between now and then, I get an exercise step. I’ve been wanting one for a long time, and I’ve tried to keep making deals with myself, but I haven’t made it yet. This time, I know it’s totally doable. (And my paycheck isn’t already sucked up by credit card and other bills, so that helps too.) But if I slip up and have even a bit of fast food (which I won’t), I don’t get it, no matter how much I exercise.

My new overall plan is like this:
Exercise: 30+ minutes per day, 5 days per week
Weights: 3-4 times per week
Calories: 1600-1700 per day
Water: 90-100 oz per day
Vegetables: 3-5 per day
Fruits: 2-3 per day

It’s totally doable, I know it is. I’ve got to start working, and working hard. That’s the only way I’m ever going to get anywhere with this. Or anything else.

So let’s get to it.
~Elisha

Hi everyone --

Quickly:
7,300/10,850 calories. Eek! Gonna have to keep it low for three days.

No opinions on the April challenge.

Evening Chickies!

Friday at last! Yesterday went well.....kept it just a tad under 1200 calories, but no exercise. I came home, had supper, and then napped in the chair until bedtime......just one of those days! Today......I think I lost my mind! Lunch was Burger King.....not the best of choices.....then I had a chocolate moment at the 7-11.......and then ......cookies! It is a good thing my calories had been low this week, because I tried to make up for it in one day! I think I am still okay, though......7050/11,900.....and only 2 days left!

Julie....Get some sleep! I know it is hectic trying to get everything (and everyone) pointed in the right direction for vacation.....but you have to get some sleep or you will be too tired to enjoy your trip! Hopefully, a little rest on your foot will help it improve.

Elisha.....Good going on the 53 minutes worth of biking! Watching TV always makes the exercise time go faster. If you want to set up an April challenge (tomorrow already!?!), go ahead......I haven't even given new monthly goals a thought!

TBJ......Eek! Those calories are creeping up on you! But I know you can still stay within your calorie budget......only 2 days left!

Joy.....Thanks for checking in! Those calorie numbers are really looking good.....and the water is too! You have got the exercise minutes tallying up....this is really shaping up to be a good month!

Weigh-in will be tomorrow......I think it will be okay, with a minimum amount of trauma. Although calories have been kept to a good level all week, I haven't been exercising as much as I should.......when will I ever get it 'all' together?

OK, chicks, the new challenge is up! You'll have to forgive my intro, as I'm not entirely sure I'm awake yet.

But it IS up, and that's what's important, right?

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...=1#post1198418