Good morning everyone!

It's been crazy with the holidays and I figured rather than try to get a weekly thread going that a "holiday" thread might work better to get us through the New Year.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. Ours was a "green" one this year...it seems as if Buffalo got all the snow. Totally strange for us because usually we're the ones who get belted with all the snow. I'm not complaining though because it's a lot easier getting around on dry roads.

I went to my normal meeting yesterday (Dec. 26) and was up 1.4#...I figured as much since I haven't been drinking water and have eaten ham, which seems to help me retain water. Anyway, I'm at work today and tomorrow and my goal is to drink lots of water and get myself back on track.

Anyone have New Year's plans? We have two get togethers over the weekend and after that it should be on the quiet side. Thank goodness!

Have a happy & healthy New Year everyone!

Hello friends. I apologize for my silence. Very stressed out at work, but things are looking up.

Had a nice, pointy Christmas. Some friends over for the big day. Had a wonderful day alone at home Day After Christmas. What a relief!! Just puttering around and took a power nap with Eddie.

NYEve sees us at a friend's house. I'm hoping for a dancing party. And New Year's Day at my mom's for her annual luncheon.

I haven't weighed in for a couple of weeks (my meeting which i work is on Tuesdays and so we're off for two weeks and I "forgot" to weigh in at the last meeting - I think I didn't want to know!) - I'm a little afraid of getting on the ol' scale...

Hope everyone is fine. I haven't caught up on reading journals and Thin 4 Life postings for the past couple of weeks, so I'm in the dark.

P.S. lala We just watched a very charming video last night, Irani "Children of Heaven" I think was the name. Anyhoo, one little character was named "Roya" so I thought of your kittycat!

Hi everyone from the land of the overly fed and indulged......

Melissa- I'm sorry you didn't have a white christmas. I'm sorry that buffalo always gets slammed. I would be so frustrated if I was trying to get to my family and was stuck. Don't worry about your loss, pork can be cruel this time of year. Fill up that water bottle and you'll see a nice loss this next week. Is it quiet at work or what?

laurel- I have not seen that movie, but I'm about to reserve it from the library. I like iranian movies, I don't have to read the subtitles. Roya, is a beautiful name, it means dream or imagination. Lucky Eddie kitty to get to nap with mom! Roya is extremely jealous.

So, I had a couple of whopper days this week - 50,40,30 and counting down to a few 20s in the next few weeks to make up for it. I was blessed with a mondo loss last week, so we'll see what the scales do for me on Saturday. Its strange, my rings are loose and other than feeling a bit bloated, I'm not feeling too repulsive.

We have a few more holiday gatherings at friends. I am hoping to foist off some food to them. I'm overwhelmed at the amount of chocolate and gack that we were given. Yikes!

New Years is the annual finish planting bulbs event chez lala. No plans. We usually go to a friend's on new year's eve for lunch. Who knows this year. I could stand a quiet night of book reading and napping. There is a cheap fare to Japan too, I'm really tempted to go there for the weekend, but I think my family would kill me.

So, I'm back at work, not motivated and with no deadlines. Guess its time to clean out my computer files....

lala

Hi guys. It's the last day of the year, and I decided to put in an appearance at the office - perhaps I will get some computer files cleaned up to à la lala.

Like everyone else, the past week was a write-off as far as eating healthily is concerned. I also had the world's worst hangover yesterday, so I have sworn off drinking. I'll be toasting the new year with spicy clamato juice tonite.

Have a wonderful evening, whatever you decide to do. I look forward to our daily chats, challenges and collective accomplishments in 2002.

Hi Seesaw and all,

Happy and healthy New Year to all!!!!

We will have some friends over tonight for a little impromptu pizza party and I'm hoping to do a little dancing too.

Okay girls, I'm ringing out the old year w/a little booby problem!!! Have to go on Monday for a biopsy. Little calcifications in the right breast. Doctor says doesn't look suspicious but must err on side of caution. A little nervous about the procedure. Anyone been through this? Actually at the place I'm going to, they are all super nice,kind, gentle, etc. They seem not to mind that I plan on crying/fainting and generally being immature. They say everyone feels the same way. Was very anxious about the finding etc, but now seem to have come to terms esp as many reassurances that the odds are with me in terms of a diagnosis.

So that's my jolly news.

Talk to you all NEXT YEAR!!!!

LM - sending lots of good healthy thoughts your way. MY cousin has gone through quite of few breast calcification findings - starting 10 years ago and she's doing fine. It's scary though and I wish you swift and safe passage through the exam.

I've made feeble attempts at cleaning up my home. But am supremely unmotivated. My MIL just left Saturday, and even though I love her dearly, I'm glad to have our small "dull" quiet world back.

We're meeting friends for a quiet NYE dinner tonight and are looking forward to a couch potato day tomorrow.

Have a happy and healthy new year y'all.

Patch

Laurel-

My prayers and good vibes are with you.

so, quiet day here. I'm really tempted to leave early and hit the gym. I really need to get my gold stars filling up my calendar.

No plans for the new year celebration. Our annual luncheon with "intellectuals with small fashionable glasses who speak of things that are v. esoteric" has been postponed. I am so happy. I can be a moron and not wonder which fork to use and maybe read shape magazine instead of arbitare. Yippeee. Should make for a happier lala.

Had an excellent weekend puttering w/DP and DC (jacques). Looked at upholstery fabric for new dining room chair cushions, looked at new refrigerators (amana? or kenmore?), ran lots of little errands and hung out with more normal, less effected friends. Nice weather too.

We are sorting through basement trying to organize gack. Good thing too. Looking at IKEA and decided to make do with what we have for now.

I am recommitted to try and get to goal in the next few years (er, months). I can say that I have happily maintained my 10% (give or take a %) for the last year and hopefully, can lose the last 10% to get to goal. 20th high school reunion coming up, gotta look sharp for those other 11 classmates .

so, to each and everyone of youse, happiest of new years and new beginnings.

lala

Hi gals and Happy New Year 2002!

Thanks for the good wishes.

Lala, I think you might have preferred our little shindig last night, which involved an awful lot of pizza and other junk food plus live entertainment in the form of me and girlfriend groovin' to James Brown/salsa etc. while the other participants sat around laughing. Hey, everyone was happy...

Ate a whole lot last night (will someone rid me of these leftover potato chips??) and now off to Mom's for her annual New Year's Day luncheon. She's been cooking for a couple of weeks now...oh dearie me...

Happy New Year everyone!

Wow, it's hard to believe the holidays are finally behind us...all the work and running around and now they're done. I have to say I'm pretty excited about getting things back to a somewhat normal mode. We have one more family gathering tomorrow night and after that it's all over with.

We've been digging out of snow the past few days--Erie finally got hit with some of the Buffalo snow although not nearly as much (28") last I heard. Got a lot of activity points for shoveling!

Laurel Hope your tests come out A-O-K! My thoughts & prayers are with you.

Hope everyone had a nice holiday season!

Ditto Laurel. Let us know when you get the results and know that you are in our thoughts.

Everyone Else: Hope you had a great holiday. I guess we'll all be struggling to get up to speed again after the break. I know I'm not all that productive so far today.

I'm considering signing up for a half-marathon training clinic at the local Running Room. Have any of you ever taken such a clinic? I'm just a little afraid that it will take up more time than I'm willing to devote. I guess I'll give them a call this afternoon to find out what to expect.

Hi everyone and a happy new year!

Got the new year on the right foot by getting up early and going for a run/jog at our local small lake. It was fun. My legs are killing me now, but I realize that outdoor running is more fun.

seesaw- I've never taken that kind of clinic, but it could improve performance and give you all sorts of motivation. I would check it out.

Saw the Royal Tenenbaums last night - funny if not a bit sad. I loved gweneth paltrow's character. I unfortunately indulged in too much movie popcorn. I'm paying the price today.

So, thank goodness for short week. I'm off to LA on Friday night to attend my cousin's wedding. Lots of cousins getting married this year . Hopefully I can find something in my closet that will be appropriate.

So, everyone have a great day back at work.

lala

Seasaw - I think it's great your thinking about doing a 1/2 marathon! I can't say enough good things about training clinics. Just before I joined WW I reluctantly joined a Marathon Traning group called the LA Leggers (I kept telling everyone I was only doing 5-10 miles tops, 5 marathons later... I could and would not have done anything if not for the great bunch of people I met. They kept me coming back and actually having fun. I got such great tips regarding what to eat both before, during and after the runs... how to gradually increase the mileage, how to gently stretch, how to improve my technique. It was fantastic.

You're right it will take up more time than you might think you want to spend... but it's so worth it. There's nothing like crossing that finish line with a bunch of people who been through what you have. I think my very first finishing medal is still my favorite. And the additional payoff is the shape you'll get in!

I know I'm writing an epic here and I could go on ( but won't ) -- if you have' any particular questions, along the way, just ask either here or by emal.

Lala we were def on the same eating page. I saw three movies (The Shipping News, A Beautiful Mind, and Kate and Leopold) wonderfull all in their own ways... and ate a bag of movie popcorn -- AND chocolate -- at each one. I do not want to get on the scale.

Melissa I was thrilled to hear you finally got "some" snow

ciao for now...
Patch

Good morning. I feel that the new year has officially begun because I'm back on the WW track...FINALLY!!! I threw all the tempting leftover pizza/calzone/chicken wings in the freezer. I hope when they get good and freezer burned I'll have the gumption to feed them to the worms. Right now that seems too wasteful, but then again I don't want to get a waist-full (at least not any more than I have already!) I think my official count is up 3# since T'giving.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes re: the breast. I feel fairly confident that is not serious (knock on wood) and have almost talked myself into thinking that the biopsy itself won't be too painful or uncomfortable to go through. They do give you a shot of novocaine or something similar so that should do the trick...right??? (brave smile) It's next Monday morning and the results come back in 24-48 hours. Of course I shall unburden myself of all the details, so be prepared and thank you for lending your e-ears!

seasaw I've never been to a marathon clinic. Getting back to exercising today was a bit of a challenge, but glad I did it. My quads are like lead now after a session on the elliptical. sooo out of shape!

melissa yes that shovelling is great exercise! So far it's gotten pretty cold around here but not a flake in sight, at least not the snowy kind...

see you guys later. Where's Miss KT lately?

Hi everyone! I'm so happy that I went to my meeting today at noon...I really had contemplated on foregoing it because of the holiday weekend and such but decided to go and be brave. I'm happy to report I lost the 1.4# I gained the week before which brings me to the top of my goal weight w/o having to pay. I'll take it

Laurel: I do the same thing...stick things in the freezer or out of sight somewhere. For me if I don't see it I don't eat it or want it. My gf had a biopsy done and it wasn't too bad per her report. You'll be fine.

Has anyone here had any experience with elliptical gliders? I have been hearing a lot about them recently and am actually contemplating purchasing one to use when the weather is bad and I can't get out and walk. I'd love to get a treadmill but don't have the space and I think this might fit the bill. Sears is advertising one this week from Lifestyler. Comments would be appreciated

Melissa-
I use one at the gym and really like it. I'm not sure how the home models compare with the professional ones. I know that I get a good and sweaty (er, glow) workout when I work out at the gym.

yeah for the loss too. I knew you could do it!

freezer as a food wasteland- If I had room in my freezer
I would put stuff there. Instead, I just throw it out. I can't stand having stuff around to tempt me. Funny though, our cleaning guy covered our sideboard with a cloth while dusting. That is where all the gingerbread cookies and decorating gack was. I left it in place for a week and didn't go near the cookies. Out of sight and out of mind.

lala