Good morning ladies.
Things seem to be going well here, except potential rain. We could use it also, and the grass is growing great here too.
Summer-sorry about your bad day. When we are stressed about a lot of things, or things we have no control over, seems like the rest of the stuff can go to pot too. The one thing about stress is that it eventually levels out, and then it's back again. I'm learning that i have to learn to deal with it, and turn to something else besides the food. I still do it, don't get me wrong. I think one thing that i've learned in the past year is to tell myself to stop. "What are you doing?". Stress isn't always the only reason i get out of control. Being tired, tooooo busy, and just plan lazy are some of the others. But I'm learning, and so are you to make those small changes that can make the big picture fall into place. I'm not always perfect, but I'm a lot better off than I was a year ago. So hang in there. It will turn aroun. do only the things that you feel you have to.
Mary Ann-Weigh to goal girl. A little of the stuff is better than the whole thing. And it seems when we allow ourselves some, we don't go overboard. Making those small changes is where it is at.
I bet your granddaughter was a cutie. I remember Brandon's first birthday, cake all over his face. didn't get as dirty as I wanted him too, but he is making up for it.
Coco-Brandon seems to be doing a lot better. Still a little stuffy. I took him to his Aunt Kim's yesterday, which probably didn't help any(she has cats, he is allergic to them). Him and I got home kinda late, but need to vent, and she was willing to listen.
CC-You hang in there, and don't overdo yourself. Just wondering are you a type of person that thrives on being busy. The more you have to do the better you do them all. I'm finding in my years, that i tend to do better when I focus on one thing. If I have to many things going, I get stressed, and well don't do well. Sometimes when I get like that I just stop doing anything. Which seems to be the route this week. Didn't exercise much, didn't write down stuff. The best thing I did this week was watch my carb intake at the end. I did have some. And get more water in. So just take this time that you have to figure things out, one step at a time. Sometimes writting down the pros and cons of things help me. "sometimes".
Sherri-What can i say girl, you are doing awesome, and the changes you are making are great. I told you about the book I was going to buy, well I bought a different one, and there is another one I want. "Strong women stay Young" by Miriam E. Nelson.PH.D.. She also has a book, "Strong women stay slim". I think i'm going to work on these books. Didn't buy the second one yet. Soon. I asked our area Co-ordinator yesterday at workshop about incentives being donated by area business. She said that it was also ok as long as the business doesn't advertise that they donated to tops. I don't think that will happen. She also used the free pass in the workshop as an example. I still think that they misunderstood that whole thing. One of the ladies that went we me, thought it was a good idea. I did have a good time. I also learned that Michigan and Florida have the same bylaws. I was wondering what a person has to have to become a co-ordinator, or an area captain, or how do they get the job. Anyone out there know. Ps, my scale is showing a loss this week, even if I add 5 pounds to it. That should cover me for any possible disappointments. After we went to the workshop we went to lunch and it was China 1 buffet. I did have some carbs, 1 spring roll, and the crabragoons(4), and one of the little doughnut like things. I could eat a dozen of the crabragoons alone. They are just so good. The rest of the stuff i ate was veggies, nuts, and meat. They had some awesome deserts there, and mint chocolate chip icecream. Didn't have any.
Sher-Welcome. You will find the ladies on this board just awesome. They give great advice, and sometimes they give you the stuff that you don't want to hear, but know you should
You are doing awesome. One day at a time. I have a tendency not to put my all in this thing all the time. But I'm better off this year than i was a year ago. So anytime you need anything we are here.
Eleni-Hope you are having a wonderful time, or had a great time.
I go to srd May 15. We are going to do a little gambling on the way there, and on the way home. I just hope food wise I can stay focused.
Penny-Where are you at girl. I hope things are going well
Nita-YOu too. Hope you are having a great weekend.
Well as you all can tell i went to workshop yesterday and it was great. They handed out a baggie with some stuff in it, and 1 m&m. We learned that it takes a walk of a foot ball field to work off just one m&M. there is generally about 55 m&m's in a pack. It averages out to 3.3 miles just for that one bag of m&m's. To walk off a chocolate chip cookie 8 football fields, down and back.
Hershey chocolate with almonds-38, 1 icecream scoop-50, One slice of pep pizza-60, taco dinner from taco bell (2 taco's-56) a taco salad from taco bell -145.
Mcdonalds big mac, fries, and a drink 240.
Wow. can you image. Makes you wonder if all that type of food is worth it.
This all came in a take home pack that I would like to start making the visuals for. But need to do the grocery shopping, and laundry, and some other stuff.
tops hugs ps
i heard on the news this morning that vitman e can help the pain of sore muscles from exercising. There was much more information, but that stuck out the most.

Good Afternoon Ladies
Thought I would check in to see if anyone had posted. Not much happening here. I also thought I would get on in case it stormed here. It is suppose to storm this afternoon and eve. We had a storm last night. There was a couple of claps of thunder and I wondered if they were ever going to stop. The creeks are starting to rise some. So hopefully they will get a chance to go down before the next batch of storms come through.

Summer Hope you are having a better day. Just keep your chin up. You are doing good.

Shortstack. On some of the things you posted I feel the same. I am doing better than I was alwhile ago. If I would get off track. I wouldn't get back on. Just gain weight. And have to start all over. Now I am able to get back on. It may take a day or two. But I do get back on. I think sometimes you get comfortable with the way things are. And you think I have done this for so long. That I don't need to write down or measure or weigh. I should know all this. Or that is the way it is with me. But I know that if I do write down,measure ect.. I do so much better. I guess I just get lazy. Or think I just dont have the time. So what I have been trying to do is. I put my journal at my place at the table. So I can see it at all times. Then as I am fixing breakfast, dinner or whatever. I see my journal. And as I am fixing the food. I can write down what I am having.

CC You are doing great. You will be at your goal before you know it. I cant wait to see you in the TOPS magazine. Do you know when you will be in it.

Sherri How are you doin? You are doing great with all the exercise. The inches will be melting away. You keep up the good work.

Eleni How was SRD. I am sure you had a good time.

Sher Welcome aboard. This is a really good board. The ladies here are teriffic. You couldn't ask for a better support group.

To everyone else. I hope you are doing well. Staying OP. I know sometimes it is so hard.
Hope everyone has a good day. Take care. Will check in later.

Hi All,

Got back from SRD about 8 PM last night. It was a whirlwind 2 days, but very interesting and inspiring. We had some of the best entertainment Friday night that we have ever had since I've been going. He was a impressionist from Las Vegas. He was very talented. All of our group thought that they could have stopped the show with him and they would have been happy, but they followed up with an "Elvis" impersonator. Then, Sat. it was back to business. They named the state King and Queen. The queen had lost 159.75 lbs. Very inspiring. If she can stick with it long enough to lose that amount, surely I could stick with it long enough to lose 40#. They ended SRD with the KOPS graduation, which my daughter-in-law was in, and the "circle of light".
I saw and spoke to Eleni, several times. We were so busy, we didn't have time to relax and enjoy the area. Next time, I'll plan on spending an extra day.

Wendy, I like all those figures about how many times you would have to walk the football fields to work off what you eat. I think I will make a copy and take it to my chapter to read to them.

Summer, I hope things are better today.
Sometimes, we all just get too busy. I told my friend this morning that I just needed some time to do nothing in. Even tho the SRD was great, the crowd waiting to get in the auditorium was not great. I had 4 other people riding with me and I felt like the mother hen, keeping up with her chicks. They were never where I expected them to be. My DIL and I had to hunt them up to get them to the car.

Hope you all have a good day.

Nita

hi I am back too. We always stay the day after. Makes it easier.
Like Nita said it was the best SRD since I have been going also.
Nita and I did get to see each other but only got to talk a few minutes. But it was great to see her. Our trip tho was filled with several misfortunate happenings for everyone in our group. But i think the girls with me had a real "shitty" time. Our motel rooms flooded with sewer water.My room was the worse. We had all left to go to the walk on Friday morning and at last minute I grabbed my walki talki. About the time we walked to where the walk was going to start Bill calls me. He says we have a big problem. That our room was flooded with sewer water..We all headed back. The other two rooms just had a little but ours was flooded completely. Bill was getting our stuff out when we got there. They refunded my money even for an extra
day. And fund us rooms next door.It is funny now but it wasn't at the time. Somehow I lost my new bathing suit. It was on back of bathroom door. It smelled so bad Bill was only one that could stand it. I was not going to walk in that crap.
But even with our adventures we had a good time. Unfortunately we also had a lot of good food to eat. I am seafooded out. Plus the scales are not going to look good. Starting over time again.
I exercised everyday but I would have had to exercise for 8 hours a day to take care of food I ate. But it could have been worse.
But I will get it going my way again
Fl Sher Following me aren't you. Thats ok. I have made some wonderful friends here. Glad you finally checked out the site. Just remember what you hear here stays here. I do vent my frustration with our chapter here some times.
There are too many posts for me to catch up with.
i am glad to be back. i tried to get my laptop to work but no go. I spent several hours with a tech and still could not get connected. I was not a happy camper as that was one thing I wanted to use laptop for.
But i keep my food journal on it plus my regular journal
I will try to read thru the post later.
Hope everyone is doing ok
Gotta go and try to start putting stuff up.
It is good to be back

I haven't been on in a while but I do check in and read the posts. My life is turned upside down right now, will tell all later.
It's good to see so many of you doing well. And for those of you who are struggling, don't give up, Just remember to take one day at a time. YOU CAN AND WILL MAKE IT!

It's good to hear that you all had a good time at SRD. Eleni, sounds like yours was eventful to say the least. But hope there was something positive that you brought back with you.

I went to TX SRD the 1st weekend in April. We had such a good time. We always come home refreshed in our weight loss journey. I guess something must have clicked with me. I am back on my way to KOPS status. I have had a good loss each week since we got back. We had 13 members from our chapter attend. We always have a good group go, sometimes as many as 22. And Nita, I know what you mean about trying to keep track of people. We now have a rule, plan to meet in the AM, discuss plans, check in again in the afternoon, first ones at the auditorium save seats for the rest. Sit together at sessions. We dress alike some days. Don't really have a lot of trouble, but have in the past. We split up to make sure all educational programs are covered. Then give programs on what we have learned when we get back. But everyone is required to attend all sessions! We had a problem with that in the past. Some thought it was a good time to go shopping!

Everyone take care. I know I didn't mention everyone, but I do think about you all and when things settle down and I can talk about it, I will explain my not posting as often. Just keep me and mine in your prayers.

TOPS Pal, Wanda