Morning ladies,

Monday morning! Time to start afresh. I'm feeling much more clear-headed after taking the echinacea and not quite as fatiqued. Whew, I hate that feeling.

It was a pretty low-key weekend. I got a couple of things done on the 'to do' list but I wasn't in the mood to work hard. I think I just needed the opportunity to relax and enjoy. Spanky and I had a great lesson on Saturday. The trainer commented how pleasantly surprised she was about how Spanky and I were getting the lateral moves down. Finally, I am able to get him to push off with this shoulder instead of wanting to pull him around by his face. That is hard!!! Push with the left leg, keep the left rein down by his shoulder while keeping the right leg off and the right rein slack when the instinct is to do just the opposite. I can certainly feel this leg work in my hip muscles.

I better get this posted and get busy here at work. to all!

Good morning ladies,

My first week was very good (if I do say so myself). I did go out to eat a couple of times but I made healthy choices and I got in 4 days of exercise. I am also happy to report that I am 4 lbs lighter so overall I am happy with how I did. In order to make my exercise program easier, I went out and purchased a new recumbent bike and I absolutely love it! This will defiantely make my workouts more comfortable...and since I am below 330 I should be able to start using my Wii Fit again so I am anxious to start that tonight after work.

Hope you all have a great day!!!

Hello ladies,

Happy Monday to you on the last week before Labor Day.

I am feeling a little sore from my hike yesterday but feeling good because I am on the way to a higher fitness level.

Next week I am going to visit my family on the opposite coast. I am feeling trepidation about the plane ride because I know I am just over the line from fitting the seatbelts. I thought I had given up this awful consequence but here I am suffering it again. At least I am back to doing something about it, if not in time to have a more pleasant flight.

Terri: It's nice to start a week clear-headed. Glad you are off to a good one.

VickyD: Congrats on a successful first week and 4 lb loss!

Happy Monday, ladies. Oh, life is crazy. Had water in my laundry room this weekend, and landlord didn't respond to my phone message because the idiot was working Saturday in the office instead of the only sensible employee they have. But, allegedly, they've done what they need to do now (except the mold abatement will take a couple of days to be completely done). Oh, I hate mold. The main reason I would like to move out of the midwest is mold.

I'm still a little way from my end-of-August goal (to be below 300). If it weren't for TOM, though, I think I'd be there. So, I'm letting the goal ride for one more week.

So, do I have a plan for the week? My goal is simply to make good eating choices and exercise every day. If I can do that in the midst of everything else I have going on, I'll be very pleased. The weather looks like it's going to cooperate, so I should be able to exercise.

VickyD: Nice to meet you! Glad you had a good first week.

Hey, letstry, I know what you mean about the seatbelts. I have it down to a routine. As I'm boarding, I'm trying to make eye contact with the steward/stewardess who's saying hello at the entrance, and as soon as I get her/his eye, I say "I'm going to need a seat belt extension." Generally they'll hand it to me right then, so I can take it back with me and fit it onto the seat belt before I sit down, which makes it easier, faster, and less embarrassing. If they don't, they'll at least bring it as folks are getting seating, usually pretty discreetly. Once in a while, I realize maybe I didn't need it. But it's so much easier to have it than not.

Hi All - it's a struggle to get here but I need to be accountable. I finished August with 1110 minute of exercise - I need to kick it in gear to maintain my 1500 average for 2009. August is ending with me still in the 260s as I've started several months now. Today was a good OP day - back at it again after backsliding over the weekend. I really am ready for the official end of summer - the day after Labor Day is always a big new motivator for me.

Hugs to all,
Carol

Vicki, I'm so glad you found an exercise that you enjoy and that you're already experiencing the success you want for your efforts. We're happy to have you here! I like your energy!

Angela, I have a serious mold allergy and didn't discover it until I had suffered from multiple bouts of bronchitis and was on steroids, and I was living in the jungles of Indonesia at the time. It turned out I had been living in mold-infested quarters for at least eight years previous. Now I have to be super vigilant and wipe everything down in the house. I have air purifiers with ultraviolet lamps in the bedrooms and I get my ventilation system cleaned annually. I pray your landlord gets right on the cleanup!

WARNING...My personal thoughts/views and venting on the seatbelt extension thingy. Don't take anything I write too seriously, because I don't.

I finally bought my own seatbelt extension about five years ago. I've traveled so much it was just easier to bring my own along. However, I have no problem asking for one. Nor do I have problems with those who love to stare as I'm being brought one and watch me installing it. I practically announce it over the loudspeaker that I need an extension (it made my ex cringe ) People also stare at the moms with babies in carriers, anyone wearing a headscarf, hookers, loud drunks and the very aged travelers. I've also noticed that the moment the other passengers eyes are off of me, they've probably stopped giving me another thought. The only person it seemed to bother long-term was the ex. I'm sure he's got more on his mind these days with mounting legal bills and guilt over not keeping in touch with his children. My sons don't seem to have any problem with their mother using a seat belt extension.

I'm in a mood today! Let'stry, you are so close to being liberated from what that seatbelt extension means for you. You keep hiking like you have been and you won't ever need to ask for one again!

I just got my new meds for blood pressure. And so I go online to look them up and there are tons of side effects connected to them, as well as a warning for those who are allergic to sulfa drugs, about which I had just finished telling the pharmacist.

I fasted for the last 24 hours, so I'm a little cranky and edgy. I did drink plenty of water. I wish I could have gone longer, but since I had to go to the store for the meds, I did some shopping and ended up buying potato salad. I had it when I got home, the whole container! So much for resolve.

I sent the boys to their rooms to do their homework, then invented more chores for them to do so they would leave me alone. I don't like feeling so cranky! However, I did notice that I wasn't at all lethargic or achy and sore today.

I got on the scale this morning and it read 312. That's down from the high of 320 last week. I have no idea what's going on, because I didn't do anything differently. I napped most of the day. After I ate the potato salad a couple of hours ago, I had a bowl of chicken broth with turkey meatballs. And then I drank a glass of non-fat milk. And now I feel achy all over again.

So, tomorrow is going to be another fast day, but this time, I'll eat a single item and see how I feel after that. One food at a time.

Hi Ladies
I'm not ignoring you...I am having a difficult time typing. I'm having major pain in my right wrist. I have very little flexibility and shooting pain when I move it certain ways. I'm thinking a pinched nerve. This has happened before and always goes away, but it's worse this time. I have an appt with a specialist on Thursday. Hopefully soon I'll be back to more typing.

I made the Zucchini Lasagna last night. YUMMY! I've added this to my list of favorites!!!

Time for ice back on the wrist...

More soon!

Love to all!

Georgia: I have some hard-to-pin-down allergies and have tried everything to come up with a definite set of foods to avoid. My allergies lead to anaphylaxis and it is very frightening to not know for sure what is going to set it off. I tried an elimination diet. Nothing. I went for testing. Nothing. I have been able to determine that sulfites can be a big trigger for me. Sulfites naturally occur in some foods and they are added to others as a preservative. Also NSAIDS (ibuprofen for example) can trigger a reaction. Another factor for me is hormones. I am more likely to have a reaction at certain times of the month. I also have exercise-induced anaphylaxis so I have to be super careful about how and when I exercise -never never never on a full stomach.

This is all to say that in addition to the elimination diet you may want to look at commonalities among foods, as it may be a substance within the food causing a problem; and look for other signs and patterns to your allergic reactions.

Hey everyone -- just poking my head in for a couple minutes Not so happy with what I've been eating -- the amounts have just been insane (welcome to the Midwest?). I have my daily plan, and I try to stick to it, but everyone we're visiting wants to treat us to special things, and since it's a special occasion for them, as well as for us (e.g., my grandmother wanting to go get an ice cream cone! Can't remember whether that's ever happened before!), it's hard to say no. I'm able to push aside what I don't want and can accept the comments that are made about wasting food, but I'm still eating too, too much. It doesn't make me feel good, and it doesn't make me happy. Fortunately, we're in the vacation part of this trip -- that is, away from the more challenging family members and with the only slightly challenging family members -- so I'm regaining control over what I eat as of tomorrow. Yay! Who knew I'd ever feel out of control about eating, and who knew I'd be happy to be back in control?! I'd never had to worry about my weight until a sudden, insane gain in 2000, and I guess I always just figured that the weight would leave the way it came -- mysteriously and rapidly. Guess that's not going to happen

I'm pumping my little carrot arms at you all -- you can do it!!!

I had a great weekend filled with family and to much food.It continued into yesterday. Today is a new day and a new month...fresh start!
I sure dont miss the indegestion that comes with eating to much food.I had it so bad on sat and sunday nights.We had pizza and mexican both. I knew better!!
Going to do some yardwork today and maybe even some housework. THe air is pretty crisp here this morning..so nice!!
HI to all ..no time for personals now or I wont get started on my list of things to do.

A nice start to a new month for me today, including 60 strong minutes of water aerobics. Food was great too!

It's very quiet around here - hope you are all doing well.

Carol, OMG! I didn't even realize it was the 1st of the month! Thank you for waking me up.

It's quite warm here in Central CA today. I'm trying to be frugal and haven't run the A/C for a few days. When the temps are below 90, I don't turn it on. No one seems to complain. The boys are supportive of trying to save money where we can.

Everyday I tell myself I'm going to get out into the garage and finish putting together my gym. It hasn't happened yet. But today I actually threw out some of the recycling that had been piling up, so there's progress. I may not have the energy to get it all done in a day, but there are moments in the day when I can get something done.

I have started an evening clean-up team. So far, a third of the team is grumpy. My younger son is highly resistive to helping with housework. But last night, the chores did seem to lead to him pretending to be tired at 8:55 and he begged to go to bed. First time he was in bed on time since we moved here! Anyway, if the downstairs is clean when we go to bed, then I don't have to stress about it the next morning and I have my opportunities to get other things done.

Tonight I made roast chicken with lots of garlic, roast potatoes and salad. We have lots of chicken left over for chicken pot pies (that was the request). I'm trying to find a way to make it more healthy.

I'm actually feeling pretty good tonight. I stayed away from the soy as much as possible today and I'm seeing good results tonight. I started looking into what food products have soy in them or connected to them. Just cutting all that out will make me lose weight!

xxxooo to everyone!

So I guess a new suck starts today -- our trainer let us know today that she's moving to MA at the end of the month. We loved her! So now what?! Argh. We just joined this gym for a year because we wanted to train with her. Not a happy camper

My husband's sick today -- too much family stress, too much bad food -- it either made him sick or lowered his resistance, allowing some tummy bug to find its way in

The only good news for today is that I spent about 4 hours strolling with my parents, which was really nice -- I was carrying a bag around with me, though, so my back was just shattered by the time we came home. Some Advil and yoga helped, though I'm really wishing I could sleep on my own bed...sucks when you're looking forward to the end of a vacation

So boo hoos for me today -- I hope someone out there has had a really great day to balance mine out!

walrus- hugs on your bad day. Hugs on hubby being sick and hope you dont get it!!
Geo- my rule is never go to bed with stuff out of place in the living room. I am not able to enjoy my coffee the next morning if things are not in their place.I started it when my kids were young and it has continued.Its amazing how fast just a fly through pick up can help a room.

Carol- great start to the month...also thanks again for the blt salad info..i had a huge one yesterday. MY tomatoes are now gone but my neighbor has tons left and she shares.

Still trying to find a way I love eggplant other than fried.I have made it so many ways and fried is by far the best. I think for lunch today I will batter it and lay it on a cookie sheet and bake it and see if it close.We have over 20 more on our few plants.

WEll I had a 30 min brisk walk yesterday ,today I am going to try and do something a bit more strenous. Food was great yesterday except for that eggplant(fried). I still came in perfect on calories.

Hope everyone has a great day. I plan to make sept a weight loss month!!