We got back from Boise last night. We had a lovely time visiting our son and really liked Boise and the beautiful scenery. Boise is a very vibrant city which is growing at an incredible pace although luckily it has preserved its interesting old buildings. We drove along the Payette River to Cascade Lake watching the kayakers taking on the Class V rapids. I hope our DS doesn't take up that hobby! Our son is very happy there so that's the main thing. There's so much to see and do - I'm looking forward to going again.

My DS bought me a Yoga For Dummies DVD for Mother's Day - it's what I wanted, he wasn't being mean . My DH gave me a book on hummingbirds, which I love. The weather was great - around 85 deg.

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day. Congratulations on finishing your thesis Nikki!

Hi all, sounds like everyone had a nice weekend. Nikki, congrats on the loss. I hope it stays away. It's pretty awesome when you find something that works.

Penny, I'm glad your son is doing great in Boise. Perhaps you might want to migrate there at some point. I couldn't live inPortland - too much rain. We're having gorgeous weather today. It's sunny and in the seventies.

Carol, go try on the smaller skirt. It's worth getting the smaller size even if it's just a tad on the tighter size. I know that I have very little wiggle room to grow with my wardrobe. I like comfy clothes and they become tight, I'll be miserable - good reason to stay on track.

Today is Kodiak's 5th birthday. I keep telling DH he's been around 5 years to torture him. I made him his breakfast of dog chow and put a big 5 in whipped cream on top. He was quite the happy doggie. And I made him a carrot cake too. He'll be surprised when I give him a small piece this evening. I know, I spoil my doggies way too much.

Yesterday I didn't walk, hike or job. Gasp!!!! It was sort of strange. Instead I swam for a 1/2 mile. It was wonderful. I'm hoping for time to swim this afternoon but I'm not sure that will happen. Both DSs and DS1's GF and DGS are going to be over for dinner. Somehow, Kodiak's impromptu b-day part got out of control. GF and DS want the cake. Tomorrow is to be in the 80's and I think there's a chance my cough, cough will get worse... Actually it will if I don't move the lilacs I put on my desk. They're aggravating the astma. But they smell so BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

This morning I was back on the treadmill, walking 1.4 miles and jogging .6. I'm on track food wise, but I haven't been good the last few days. Between the conference, anniversary and Mother's day, I was eating too much. But I'm on track again - at least for now.
Marie

Didn't mean to be gone so long, the days just got away from me. Saturday and Sunday I went shopping, to retire some of my more worn or saggy pants. The weather was so beautiful, I spent a lot of time just wandering around outside in the warm sunshine. Today was very hectic. Plus I was a little spacey, which may be due to missing my daily apple and other fruit. But I'm eating plenty of food, I'm certainly not starving .

Carol, I'm sorry that your son put a cloud on your Mother's Day. Your daughters sound very sweet! Your upcoming weekend sounds fun. Hope your back is feeling better.

Yaay, Nikki!!!

Penny, I should will finalize my itinerary on Wednesday and let you know where I seem to have space in the schedule. Sunday late afternoon is still the most promising. Maybe Carol can give your son kayaking lessons .

Marie, whatever happened to the concept of "a dog's life"? Your furry beasts have it pretty good.

judy

Penny the DVD sounds good thats where I would be starting too. I saw my first hummingbird sunday. Flew so fast I only got a glance. He will be back soon. I just bought a new hummingbird feeder yesterday and filled it last night. Its really cool looking. I found it at the conference today a trade show person was selling it. I bought two one for a gift. There amazing to watch and sometimes scare me in the garden by buzzing so close by my head. Sounds like you had a good time.
Marie sounds like you'd better stay home with all those issues a day of swim is in need. The doggies are quite lucky. I watched a dog show on t.v. last night the Monks in training how to walk the dog etc. Bear and I will make an attempt to follow their ideas tonight. He had me up last night around 1 I took him out standing on my porch in my tee shirt crazy dang dog! I wouldn't kayak in the rough water oh no! Calm water is more my speed though I think it would be exciting and challenging maybe someday but not yet! Judy I am back to my old self and will call him this week or attempt to but not mention it to him just let it go.
Nikki way to go to town on that wt. loss. My clothes are fitting well I still haven't used the scale yet. I did manage to win choc. dish filled with lovely choc. yesterday at the conference. I did manage to eat some but on the other hand at least it was good dark choc. I shared them with the kids and the hubby they will not last and soon will only be a memory of tasty times. I grabbed out my clothes from last summer and they all fit or are a bit loose so that is a good feeling. I do need to do the scale one of these days. Sometimes not tracking that goes better for me. My rings are another way for me to know how I am doing if they move easily etc. So all signs seem to be good at this pt. Hope that summer job goes your way sure would be pretty on your resume. Out of the office all day yesterday for a conference and this a.m. for an appt. with a client. Hopefully no one will ever need me to be an investigator but if it ever comes my way the upper hands are going to be really involved cause I am not taking it on alone! I have made up my mind on that one.
Food wise not too bad. I only had a small muffin at the conference for breakfast didn't touch the extra sweets. Then the lunch was veggies, salad and ck breast stuffed with spinach and a pepper sauce. Very good! Dinner grilled a hot dog off the diet a bit and a salad. But I did manage to eat the candy! Bear and I exercised in the yard a bit playing no walking yesterday but will manage to exercise today after work. Take care everyone I think we as a group are doing really well all motivated and seeing some results hurray for all of us! If we look back we can see a difference wow look how far we have come to make some positive changes in our life styles that is something to feel good about. Take care and keep moving forward everyday we do a good habit it becomes routine after awhile.

Carol- Clothes and rings are an excellent way to tell. Way to go on not eating all the chocolate.


Judy- Why did you miss your fruit are you trying to lo carb or just a hectic day?

Marie-Hope you had a nice time at Kodiak's bday.

I have a scale question. I norally weigh in my room. However, I noticed that the needle sways a bit on my floor and it is hard to read .. so it is hard to get an accurate reading. So, this morning i weighed on our solid tile floor and I got a consistant needle. My question is which do you think is the more accurate weight? The solid floor one is a bit lower and I'm afraid to accept that weight becaue I think I might be kidding myself.

Nikki

Marie - Sounds like Kody is one lucky pup having a mom like you! He should have bought you a Mother's Day card! It must be nice and warm down your way right now - good swimming weather. Yesterday was our warmest day so far this year - 81 deg. I did some lawn repair and enjoyed looking at the flower beds with the bark dust which seems to be keeping the weeds at bay (for now). I still need to get about 25 bags of mulch to finish the largest bed but will do it a bit at a time as I don't want to wreck my back again. My DH wants to help do it but his back is in far worse shape than mine and he has to mow 2.5 acres every week!

Judy - I'm looking forward to meeting you if it works out with your schedule. I hope the weather stays nice for your visit.

Carol - I was thinking of you when we were watching the kayakers! I don't think I'll be attempting anything like that in this lifetime! Good idea to let the situation go with your son. It took my DH about 3 hours to wish me a happy Mother's Day (he suddenly realized when my DS wished me a happy Mother's Day when we met for brunch). I figured it wasn't worth making a big deal about it and I'm glad I didn't as the day turned out great. Guys can be a bit "gormless" as we say in the old country. I view it as a genetic disability!

Nikki - I read in my Women's World magazine yesterday that you should always put the scale on a hard surface to get the correct weight. So, the lower one would be correct in your case! Way to go with staying on track with Atkins.

It's not my weigh-in day yet, but I had to peek to see if I gained over the weekend with all the traveling and eating. Luckily, it's the same as when I left, so I still have a few days to get moving downward again. Like Carol, I can tell if I'm retaining water by my rings and they have been really tight.

I'm going to start doing my Yoga for Dummies today as it looks doable (although a faster pace than I'm used to). My instructor is away this week so there won't be any yoga class today.

Morning all, I'm at home today. I have a long "to do" list on my fridge. Unfortunately I played sleepy head and now have a headache. But it won't slow me down too much. It's supposed to be 81 today and sunny. The pool was 82 degrees yesterday so it'll be even warmer today. YEAH!!!

Nikki, without a doubt the hard surface is the right weight. Never weigh on carpet. You'll never get a consistent, accurate weight on carpet. So congrats on the lower weight.

Carol, is your son the child in Hawaii? If so, the time difference is probably the problem. I'm 2 hours behind my parents and whenever I look at the clock to call them when it's good for me - it's bad for them. Dinner, too late, lunch, etc. Sometimes manuveuring the time difference is tough. I hope it all works out fine. I almost forgot to call my mom because I was going to call at 3:30 pm and I realized that was 5:30 - their dinner time. So I went swimming, then out to dinner with my son, and as we were playing with DGS, I looked at the clock and it was 7:15. I took DH's cell phone and called from their apartment. But of course I had to apologize for calling so late. You son might be in the same boat.

Judy, sounds like you're enjoying spring. Don't you love the re-birth of nature. Enjoy the shopping for smaller clothes.

I did a 4 mile WATP this morning. Way easier than my treadmill walking/jogging routine, but it was fun to do something different.

Well, time to tackle the list.
Marie

Nikki, I've always heard to use the scale on a hard surface, not on carpeting, for a more accurate and consistent reading. I would opt for whichever one gives me the lower numbers . I'm missing fruit 'cuz I'm South Beaching for a while, so for the firt two weeks, no fruit at all. I get plenty of vitamin C, fiber and other good stuff from a variety of veggies (like snacking on red bell pepper slices), and fruit will be back on the schedule soon. I love fruit, in part due to the sugar rush, and have been eating too much of it as a "healthy" evening snack...I even invented a goofy treat I call 'plum yums.' Are you ready? You stick an almond into the indented side of a prune . Hey, it works for me! But even that makes me rummage around in the kitchen for more carbs, no matter how much food I've eaten. So it's good to cut back and learn to be more conscious.

Back later on--judy

Penny on the mulch note would it be cheaper to get a truck to del. it? Just a thought I like the bags as well because you carry them and dump them a little less work I think. Just a thought. Want to come do my gardens too? I have to plant some seeds and a few pansies as well. My apple trees are in full bloom never had so many blossoms. Does anyone know when do I spray? I killed some worm nests in them with a torch the other night a womans work is never done. Oh work now that is a crazy thing! The ladies the two whom did not attend the conference heard from our old boss whom was there which is ones good friend it got out early. So she convienced the other buddy of hers to turn us in for not returning to work for an hr. on a 80 degree day. What brats they are we are all a bit upset and just not having anything to do with either one of them they are just out of control. I can't put up with their petty behavior anymore there is not trust or friendship at all. How jealous and troubling they are huh? At any rate the boss said to us on the quiet end that she knew what they were up to. And she didn't really mind as the course was planned to be longer and it was a conference day not a reg. work day. Thank the lucky stars for that one. What an office huh? Human Service oh yeah! More service of neg. behaviors than anyone of us needs. Yah try to be nice to them and include them in things and exactly what do you get I am done with it! No more pretending to be nice on my end.
Nikki oh take the lowest reading at any rate its an improvement you've worked so hard. I did have a piece of choc. just can't keep that stuff in the house.
Marie I guess I am a bit jealous over the contact they have with her mom. Oh giving myself a little pitty party. I know its tough but it still is something this mom looks forward to. At any rate they will be home next month for the wedding and some good times.
Judy I am going back to phase 1 again starting thurs. for a little while. Isn't it amazing how the cravings come under control. I guess after my choc. thing I should do it again forsure. Let me know how you do. I didn't think the first two weeks were all that bad. I guess having such knowledge of what we should eat takes the guessing out of it. Did you read the book? Maybe I shoudl just do phase two and follow the recipes and program closely. I will review that tonight and decide. Well good luck and hopefully it will give you a boost in the right direction. You sure have been good with the exercise end of things lately results have to be showing up soon. Take care everyone I have to go get breakfast and off to my lovely office for a day of attitudes. A for attitudes! Not letting it stress me this time around just people are so crazy with their own lifes got to make someone elses off balance as well I guess sad that they are so angry with life. You'd think people would have more to think about that raising issues which are so little.

Hi Ladies-


It sounds like everyone is doing well. Judy and Carol it is nice to have fellow low carbers
I am a bit down today. I wont make me goal for Sunday I am still 8 pounds away. I only lost 2 lbs this week despite the scale saying 4 yesterday.That means I only managed to get back to my weight prior to my carb week. My TOM is 2 days late and I'm sure that is contributing but it is still bumming me out. I am trying to think if I ate anything this time around I did not the first time but nothing I can think of Oh well. I will weigh on Sunday to get the final number and then start a July 4 goal. If I can even half meet each goal I will be there faster

Nikki

Nikki, I hope you don't feel down for long. You set an ambitious goal on purpose, to really push youself to stay on track, and it sounds like you did! Plus you lost a buncha weight while you were working on a thesis, and are already thinking about your next big milestone...you are a winner in my book!

Carol, I've done the SB diet before, when I felt I needed a jump-start that still gave me plenty of choices, and wouldn't rule out fruit and grains altogether. I'm getting over the fruit thing now, and a small amount of berries or whatever will be back on my daily menu in another week or so, so that won't kill me. I read the book a while back, but I found a copy for $2 on Saturday at a discount store (coincidence? I wonder....).

Okay, big epiphany: I have spent this year trying to be something I'm not: a morning person. I pushed myself to start waking up at 5:30, to have time for meditation, working out, making lunch, having breakfast, etc. I haven't used my alarm clock in weeks, and it feels so much better to sleep until I'm ready to wake up (around 7 or so). If I don't have enough time for a long workout, I do a short one, and then go to Curves or do another workout later on. Or I work out in the evening, in the fitness center or in my apartment. The other night I even used my mini-DVD player to work out while watching a basketball game on TV. I'd been trying to stop eating before 8:30, even though I don't get home most weekdays before 7:30 or 8...now I'm having dinner at 8:30 or 9, after working out, and guess what? I'm not hungry again before going to bed around 11PM. So much for late-night snacking. Despite my crazy worklife, I'm feeling good and losing weight I'll weigh in officially on Saturday before heading to the airport, but I know this is working. So the moral of the story is that what matters is what works for you, not what works for most people.

Sorry to go on so long! Marie and Penny, I hope you're having a good day.

judy

Marie - I'm glad your taking advantage of the nice weather. It's been nice here too but of course it's supposed to rain on the weekend .

Judy - I like the idea of your "plum yums". I love prunes and could eat a whole bag (probably with disastrous results!) They are very high in calories but so good for you. I usually find myself rummaging for carbs in the afternoon, so I've bought a big bag of low fat string cheese to snack on. I like peeling the little strips off and eating them slowly. They are quite filling and only 70 cals each.

Carol - The mulch would probably cost about the same or a bit more delivered than the bags. I like to get a few bags at a time and spread it when I get a chance. Our local Fred Meyers has it for only $2.99 a bag, so it's quite reasonable. I don't think I could face a mountain of mulch (they have a minimum delivery). We don't have many apples (the trees get too much shade) but we have tons of pears coming on our four pear trees. It also looks like we'll have a lot of paw paws this year. Last year was the first time we had fruit on them and only had three but they were so delicious. I planted two tiny paw paw saplings about six years ago and it's taken this long to get fruit but it was worth the wait. I don't use any bug sprays. We have lots of spiders and ladybugs and they seem to take care of the aphids, etc. We had a big tent caterpillar nest in one of the apple trees last year but they seem to be gone.
Sorry to hear about your childish coworkers. I think you're right to say you're not going to give them the time of day any more. They should find something more constructive to do than cause trouble.

Nikki - Don't be down - you're doing great! TOM is probably to blame for your slow down.

Judy - I'm glad you've come to terms with how you want to plan your day. I figure this is a lifetime thing for those of us who have trouble with our weight and we need to make things as "doable" as possible so we can stick to them for the long run. Sometimes we need to shake things up and try something different once in a while.

I tried my new yoga DVD. It looked easy the first time I watched it but I was only able to get half way through when I actually did it. It's a lot faster than the yoga I'm used to and you really get a good cardio workout - which I need. I'll keep on trying it and hopefully will build up my stamina over time.
I did a lot of yard work this morning and also went to Curves, so I had plenty of exercise today.

Penny - Don't you just love how easy yoga can look until you try it ! Nice work on all of your exercise

Judy -It is great to hear that what you are doing is working.

Hi all!!! Judy, I thought I wasn't a morning person but then I knew I wasn't a night person either. I was a sleeper. LindaT is the one that got me to give the morning exercise a try for a month. It worked and I'm hooked. I'm still not a night person, but I am a morning person. I think it was more I was just lazy whereas my kids are definitely night people and I think DH probably is also. I'm glad you found what works for you because there's no point in being miserable when exercising - the habit will never stick then.

Nikki, my TOM gave me a beloved 4 pound weight gain. So that you lost is just excellent. After logging all my food choices over the weekend, I knew I hadn't "gained" weight. I just LOVE being a woman.

Carol, those co-workers need a kick in the behind. What jerks. I'm sorry you have to put up with them. Sounds like the boss is on to their game.

Penny, it sounds like your garden/yard has loads of wonderful treats. I've never had a paw-paw or even heard of it. What are they?

I jogged/walked this morning and then swam this afternoon. My hair is already turning green. I did some major clarifying with it after swimming this afternoon. I have a haircut appt on Tuesday - I don't want her to cut it off. The clarifying took most of the green out. I tried a new solution for keeping the cholorine out - I was wetting it and applying conditioner before jumping in as my stylist said. This time I did the wetting and condition, then put a swimcap over the top of it. There was still conditioner in my hair when I was done so I may have a solution. I don't like swimcaps but I hate green hair, love my long hair, and won't give up my pool. So the swimcap won.

Guess where I'm going on Friday??? Skiing!!! Almost DIL are driving to Bend tomorrow night and skiing on Friday morning. They're open 8 to 1 pm. This is the last week that they're open. So then we'll drive back down and I'll swim in my 86 degree pool. Oooo la la!!! The best of my 2 favorite worlds.
Marie

Marie I love the pool but that happens to me too. I had a call from the young guy I purchased my kayak from yesterday. I used to do day care from him about 20 years ago family friends son. He offered for me to go kayaking with him and his friends about 12 of us sunday. I told him no rack yet he said thats okay I will pick you up. I guess the age gap doesn't apply here! Thought that was really nice. So today I will go purchase my life saver. I told my daughter she thought it was really cool he asked me to go. I hope I am up to the speed of the rest of them I will give it my best shot along with some advil the night before hah hah. So exercise is in my forecast. I cleaned the house last night vac. washed the floor etc. that was it for my exercise. But I am glad it looks better Bear does a number on it with his in and out stuff. He is going to get groomed and to the fit it shop next month I made the appt. I purchased him some treats which are herbs in them to calm down the crazy pup a bit just a couple little treats a day. Not sure they really work but he likes them and will sit for them. On the diet front I ate pasta yesterday and was a bit hungrier at dinner cause I only had yogurt for breakfast and a salad and whole wheat roll for lunch. I guess planning better is in need. Got to get back to the protein and eggs in the a.m. that helps keep me fuller. Work is still nuts but I am just doing my own thing. That helps! Tonight I am going to get out walking. Nikki we are all very proud of you and all of your accomplishments school wise and wt. wise. Your one smart cookie! Keep up your efforts even if it takes a little longer you still will reach your goal!!!!! Judy you have to make your schedule work for you whats good for someone else just might not be as natural for you. Finding the right time isn't always so easy with me I have to kind of schedule it or I don't do it. Penny the string cheese I am purchasing some food today for better groceries to choose from in the house. I am getting low and thats part of my problems. Judy you and I paid the same for our book how funny! Lots of good recipes in it I think today I will pack it in my bag and ck out what I need at the store. Make some yummy and healthy for dinner they have pasta leftovers good night to play in the kitchen and create. Well have a good day girls and keep it up! Marie you enjoy swimming even with green hair you'll be looking great!