Good Morning Lovely Ladies!!!!

Do you ever have days where you just feel lighter and CUTER? Welcome to my Monday. I drank a lot of water yesterday and weighed in a 200 this morning. I really wanted to move my ticker so I did. I keep remind myself water is a big key, now I just need to follow through. One more pound to ONEderland and 2 more pounds to my first 10 lost! WOOHOO!

Chele - isn't that WHOOSH wonderful?! Congrats! Keep it up!

Haley - Sounds like you really enjoyed yourself on your date!!!! I think sometimes men with kids tend to be a little more on the mature side, especially if they're taking care of them. However, not always the case, but sounds like you may have a winner there!!! Keep us posted!

As far as my nutrition class goes - so many freakin definitions... I was def frustrated yesterday but I am looking forward to our personal dietary analysis project. I really think that will come in handy with trying to lose weight and still maintaining essential nutrients,etc.

Arts - CONGRATS!!!! Doesn't it suck to be obsessed about a binge and already plan out everything you're going to binge on. That's how I get. I hate it because I just cannot let it go. That is a major victory for you to have not done that!!! You may want to check out a book my therapist has me using. I don't know the specific name of it right now, but I can find out if you want. It's basically a food and emtions workbook. I'm an emotional over eater and binger and the workbook takes you through exercises to really learn your emotions.

How'd you do in the kareoke contest?!?!

Stella - My friend saw Daybreakers and wasn't too impressed with it. Sounds like you had a good time though. Sounds like you have a good week ahead of you... regardless of whether or not you and CB/Jesus get to hang out. Just remember, chin up. This week WILL be a better week than last!

Mary - sounds like you had a blast snowboarding. Do you take pics? I know you usually do. I wish we could get more skiing/snowboarding in around here, but alas, I live in the middle of the state in the south.... and I do enjoy my beach! I'll take the ocean over snow any day of the week!

Shauna - boys/men are stupid. I don't know why they think reverse psychology works. Sometimes you just need someone in your corner you know? My best friend says the best thing he learned from his marriage was to not try to fix something even though that is the "manly" response, but to just listen. Sometimes girls just need a sounding board.

Kendal - I was thinking about you yesterday! Glad to see you're still truckin' along. Just keep checking in with us! It does wonders for accountability.

Taylor-That is awesome!!! CONGRATS!!!! Your dad sounds like a machine! I love it when older people work out. I swear they can run circles around me! And way to work your first class into the day! I applaud you!!!

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY EVERYONE!

THAT IS SO AWESOME! You should be so proud of yourself.... again, maybe I should take up knitting! LOL

Thanks Feral!! I totally forgot that it's Monday, and thus a new chat week lol!!! You're so close to onederland, you're going to make it!!! Snowboarding was so great, but I actually didn't take pics on this trip! I didn't even hold my phone, since I was afraid my falls would crush it. I was more focused on learning the basic techniques lol. In two weeks I'll be able to take more pictures because I'll make my friends hold the camera so I can have someone take a picture of us all hehehe I'm super excited, too, since it's everyone that went on our last trip to Camelback (where we had rented the chalet) which means that John's coming and I get to snuggle with him in bed :3

Mary - CONGRATS

Feral - I definately have those kinds of days Daybreakers wasn't *good* but it was entertaining. It made me want to watch Underworld, actually, but I couldn't find my DVDs.

Haley- That's awesome about the date If he has any single, acceptable friends, send them up to Gaithersburg

Why the tears? Because I'm emotionally unstable?

In all seriousness, it was a culmination of emotions back from Thanksgiving/Christmas/NY weekend/upcoming birthday. I miss my mom, which is kind of a constant thing, but I feel slightly abandoned by my dad. Yes, he needs to move on with his life, etc etc, but he's being a bit of a d-bag lately. He was supposed to take my sister and I to Italy this summer - it was my sister's graduation present. Well, instead he's taking his girlfriend to Ireland and basically said to my sister "Oh, you need to get a job." The girl's been working her a** off for 3 years and is graduating at the top of her class, why would he express any sort of pride in that? He's just very aloof and kind of acts like okay, my daughters are 27 and 24, I don't need to pay any attention to them. Not to mention he's accused me so many times of "forgetting my mother" because I refuse to go to the cemetery...well what are YOU doing going off to Ireland with this woman and breaking promises? And then things were made worse over New Year's weekend because I felt like CB was "abandoning" me as well, even though he wasn't, it was just the way I saw things, so everything went to ****.

As far as the Italy thing goes, I'm not whining that I don't get a free trip. I'm more concerned about my sister - she was really looking forward to this, and he's always promised her he'd take her. I have a job and I'm going to Greece in May, I can take care of myself, but this was a big thing for her, and he didn't even TELL her it wasn't going to happen, she heard it 2nd hand.

The other thing is I get kind of...crazy. I think no one loves me, and I do stupid things. I didn't do that Saturday, I just laid on the couch and cried. A lot. While cradling the cat, because I know *she* loves me. But, the good news is, I feel so much better, and I realize it was just a temporary bout of craziness, and everything's fine, and people love me, and my dad's just odd. Jessie says sometimes we just need to get all of that emotion out, so that's what happened.

Stella - Jessie's right! We let our emotions build and build and they have to come out somewhere! We all need a good cry every once in a while. Plus, being partially crazy is part of being a girl lol. That really sucks about your dad :C Perhaps it's his way of dealing with the loss of your mom? I know I didn't want to go to the cemetery for a long time when my dad died, but I was an angry 15 year old and I didn't want to do anything lol. I'm glad you feel better

Good morning, everyone! I am happy because I was on plan all weekend and I have drank lots of water.

Stella: A good day of crying sometimes makes everything feel better.

Mary: Snowboarding sounds like so much fun. I wish there were more things to do around here in the cold. Can't wait to see some pictures...one day.

Ferel: Congrats on making it to 200!!!!!

Morning everyone! I hope that no minds that I join the weekly chat, but it's always been the best place for support.

We'll I'm back to school today. Totally don't want to go, but I don't have much of a choice in the matter, I guess.... I've just so enjoyed being lazy over the break. However, once I get into a routine of gym, classes and homework I should be good.

I'm feeling totally neglected by my bf these days. He's going through a lot and is supper busy, but I'm feeling lonely. He started his MBA last week and did an entire semester's course in a week. So he was smokin' busy all week. He bailed on my staff Xmas part this past saturday, b/c he has too much going on. He's also decided to quit his job (along with 3 of the other 4 employees) to start a new company this week. The 3 of them are presenting the 4th partner with buyout options today. I totally understand that he has a lot going on, but I just don't want us to be a casualty of all this. I can suck, but being a "widow" for a few months, then hopefully, things will settle down and get back to some sort of normal......

I've also temporally moved back in with my folks (well my mom). She recently had foot surgery, and is having a hard time getting around. Since my dad is away for work for the next 2 months I volunteered to move back in and help. In someways it's awesome, my mom will be totally supportive in my weightloss and I don't have to buy any groceries b/c she'll pay for it all, but man I miss my house! My mom's totally laid back and cool, but it's still weird reporting my comings and goings to someone after having lived on my own for 3 years.

I hope life gets back to normal soon!

Stella I'm so sorry your dad is being a jerk. You're sister must be heart broken. That is totally not fair. I hope things get better soon.

Feral Congrats! You must feel amazing!

Shan - welcome back ! I hope things get better with the boy.

Shauna - that's awesome I need to learn how to stay OP on the weekends...

Mary - I'm just anti-cemetery. That's not my mother in the ground, its just carbon/water/whatever is left after the soul leaves the body. I do things to remember her every day so she's always with me, I don't need to go to a field in the middle of Jersey to honor her. He doesn't understand that, we just have different ways of approaching it, and approaching the whole grief process in general. I could go on for pages and pages about how we cope differently with things, but I won't, its boring.

Stella- Dad's are strange people I have weird feelings towards my dad... I found out some crazy stuff about him and I just dont understand him anymore... the whole cemetary thing... My cousin died when I was a senior in High School... I have never once been to the cemetary even though she was one of my very best friends... I dont think you need to go to a cemetary to feel close to someone still or "remember" them so no worries... As for the boy all of his friends are married lol but I will keep an eye out for you

Feral- Dont waste your time on flashcards for all those definitions lol

Shan- Men get busy but it doesnt mean they dont care... but maybe you can plan something special to reel him back in for some time together... just let him know you are still there... and I know what you mean I moved back in with my parents a little while ago... I honestly hate it... at least you know its only temporary for a little while

I dont know what it is I just cant stay OP over the weekend... and my work schedule is really all over the place all month so like this week I'm only working two days... I still get paid for a full week so thats nice...but I dont do well diet wise when my schedule is messed up... and I dont drink enough water and I usually just go and do a lot of stuff because I'm bored... and boredom leads to guess what...eating... and then new boy in the picture... they require time... my life lately has always been work, gym, sleep... I dont do anything else because I dont trust myself doing anything else...

I've been kind of going between...but now I'm back at school and determined! Anyways, weighed myself this morning with a couple days of eating really healthy... back to 146. Only three pounds to go to mini-goal!

Good Morning,

Feral -- is knitting a weight loss technique? It hasn't helped me much!! Good for you coming so close to the hundreds. Even though the REALLY important thing is the healthy changes you've made, not the number on the scale!!

Mary -- hey Jersey neighbor...whereabouts are you? I recently moved to Jersey City...

Stella -- wow, that sounds ridiculous about your father, and you have every right to be upset!! I was also an emotional sick mess right around the new year, not sure why, feeling better now but emotions are difficult to figure out!! FYI I'm a therapist and definitely understand the emotional struggles, as well as the frustration of feeling like you *should* be able to get a hold of them. Not so easy!!

Shauna -- yay for OP!!

Shantroy -- good to see you again! been awhile since i've been on the boards, but its nice to see familiar faces! Good luck with living home. As for the boyfriend, why in gods name would he do all this at once?? that is insane!! hope it's not a pattern...

Haley -- I am pretty sure I wouldn't survive moving back in with my parents. I love them, but...anyway, I hear ya about the boredom eating. Helps to simply not keep food around, though I guess if you're living home, it's not really that easy.

So, I'm convinced my scale is broken. I've been to the gym almost every day this week except yesterday, been eating SOOOOO much better, drinking tons of water, and NO CHANGE!! Well, that's not really true -- last night I drank beer/wine, hardly ate, felt totally dehydrated, and yet was up 2 lbs according to the scale this morning. Seriously?? If that thing is right, I'm getting up to the overweight mark again, and that's both mind-boggling and incredibly frustrating! I can't get over the fact that I ate anything I wanted for the past year, stopped when full, stayed steady around 128, and suddenly I'm back to having to watch everything I eat, go to the gym, etc, and yet my weight's gonna rise??? WTF???
Just trying to keep faith in the knowledge that no matter what the scale says, veggies are better for you, exercise is good for you.

Hi guys! I haven't taken part in a weekly chat in a while, but I think today is a good day to start.

Feral- Congrats! Onederland is just a few days of work away! After quitting smoking, that is really great. I quit smoking over the summer and it's been creeping back slightly as I've been back to school, when I'm drinking etc. I've gotten a mixed reaction from my friends, but I never want to buy another pack of cigarettes again, so hopefully I'll stick with it.

Platformnine- Last time I went snowboarding, I kept my phone in my front pocket, along with several coins (unbeknownst to me). When I fall, I have a tendency to fall HARD on my face, and ended up majorly scratching up my phone. So it was probably a good idea to leave your phone, despite how much harder it makes keeping close to friends. While you're learning, I think it's best to fall forward, and hard, if you don't mind; that way, you know that you're putting in your all. If you fall forward, you're going too fast, if you fall backwards, you're being a little too tentative. Just don't try to catch yourself with your hands... trust that the massive padding in your coat will ease your fall, rather than breaking a wrist. Also, ski trips are amazing when you're bringing a potential SO along. I envy you!

stellarosa- I can relate to your dad story; while my mom's still around, my parents split up when I was two and everything was always really strange after that. I'm pretty sure my dad didn't really want kids, or at least didn't want them at that time. When I was 5, he got remarried and didn't invite my brother (then 6) or me to the wedding or tell us about it until we saw him on a family vacation with his already pregnant wife.

He's done a lot of stuff over the years and the biggest effect it's had on me is my weight issues. For my brother, it's been worse, because he never really disengaged from him or learned to not take everything so seriously. A lot of what he's done over his life has been to try to please our dad, and he never ends up getting what he's been promised. I think he's finally starting to get angry about all of that, which is good.

I think that with my dad, the change in our relationship came when I lived with him for a summer and totally lost my sense of idealism for him. Once you get over your parents being these infallible deities (where everything that's happened between you has been your fault, in some way), it's much easier to not expect too much. They screw up too, and a few years down the road he'll probably think over his actions and see some errors, regardless of whether he says as much. You have to feel bad, but don't take it personally (I know that's a lot to ask), as your Dad probably is just thinking about himself and hasn't thought enough about how it might effect you and your sister.

Shan- I'm sorry about you moving back in with your parents! Even if it's only for a little while, I'm sure it feels a bit like falling back into old patterns. It's probably also not helping the situation with your boyfriend.

Haley + Stargzr- My weekend didn't go that well either, but don't worry, our bodies bounce back and the important thing to remember when we go off plan is that one day, or two days, will not make us gain all the weight back. That's the scary part of it.

I'm getting back into the swing of school and it's very difficult. I miss my friends (who are in Mexico for 6 weeks), but I'm also glad to have the extra time to get things done, focus on getting healthy and achieve my goals. I also broke up with a short-time boyfriend in December (the week before Christmas, abouts), and am having vague lonely pangs for someone to lie next to, etc. I just need to remember that there were reasons that I broke up with him, and loneliness is not a reason to get back together with someone I don't really like.

Weight wise, I'm creeping back to my ticker of 139.4... I'm 141 or so, but I haven't let myself change my ticker, since I figure the December weight gain will hopefully come off soon! Wish me luck!

Stella - maybe its the moon? If it makes you feel any better I forced myself to watch the last 15 minutes of Ladder 49 because I knew I would cry. I very rarely cry but you know... its healthy every now and then. I'm sorry about your Dad.

Shan - welcome back! I like everyone else's suggestion of maybe a set date night one night a week? Even if it's just for an hour of eating dinner and a good conversation? Hopefully it'll be over soon enough and you guys will pull through!!!

Loquacious - AWESOME! And congrats!!!

Star - don't get too frustrated. I had the same week last week and then I had a whoosh. As you've heard me say time and time again on here -- WATER, WATER, WATER. I feel like when I drink even HALF the amount I'm supposed to I see a big difference.

Haley- As far as weekends go - I think you really just have to get in the mindset of doing well. Although, I don't go out with friends very often so it's easier for me. On the other hand my parents had me pick up fast food for them yesterday and I reallllly wanted to get my hands in the bag of fries. There was a moment of contemplation where I wanted to order a small fry for myself.... but you just have to find some kind of motivation. Sometimes its okay to let go, but.... maybe allow yourself one free weekend? Or one free day a month? I have a hard time bouncing back from those personally.

feral -- you are a strong woman to go get fast food for other people and not partake. an inspiration!!