Good morning! I figured I'd get the monthly thread up and running. This is for Lifetimers, soon-to-be Lifetimers, those who are on maintenance or anyone else who wants to jump in. The thread was started for a group of us who were at different levels as a place to talk about our journey.

Lisa: Got my lab results back and while the one level is good, the other is low. Talked with the doctor's office yesterday and again this morning and they are adding the other medication to see if that helps. I'm hopeful that it will balance things out for me. I'll pick it up tonight. On a positive note I went to WI yesterday with no expectations at all because lately I never know what's going to happen at the scale. I was pleasantly surprised with a 1.4# loss. Needless to say, I was very happy with that! Now to keep the losses coming at a steady rate. My goal is to be down by our next staff meeting in March.

I'm going to take advantage of the sunny weather even though it's a little chilly (27) and get outside for a walk over the lunch hour. I feel so much better when I get away from the office for a bit.

Melissa,Thanks for getting the thread started. Sorry to hear about your levels again. I had no idea that having thyroid problems would be so troublesome. I just thought you take some prescription medicine and that's it. You have struggled with that so much.

I went to WI on Saturday and was down 3# (but I was up 2# last month), so I was still happy. Still struggling to take off the Christmas weight! Ugh--I so overdid it.

I'm doing well training for the 1/2 marathon (walking). I've really cut my pace time and that makes me happy.

Got my GF in WW (not sure I told you). She seemed reluctant in the past about joining WW and last month she was complaining about her weight. I just popped the question and she is now going regularly. She's lost 11 pounds and I'm so happy for her. She said some of her clothes are loose. I hope she sticks with it. It's fun now to go to lunch with her because we both order low point items. She likes to go to Applebees.

Speaking of Applebees, have you been lately? They've really cut back on the WW items. Some of the ones I liked are gone.

I hope you've been able to walk. That's the good thing about Florida--can walk all year round.

Lisa: You would think you could just take a pill and your levels would be fine but unfortunuately it doesn't work that way. The new med is really helping with my energy level and for that I'm happy. I'm not as tired which is good. The nice part about this med is that it gets in your system quickly unlike the synthroid which has to build up.

Congratulation on being down at WI! That's great! I didn't go to my meeting today because it's been snowing and the roads were icy. I decided to not venture out because it would be more of a hassle getting the car cleaned off and then driving to the center. That's great that you friend is a member of WW--it definitely makes it nice when you go out to eat.

I haven't been to Applebee's in a while but have heard that they cut back on what they were featuring. I'm wondering if it's because they don't want to pay to advertise the WW meals.

I have been able to get out and walk and it feels really good. I did go out for a little bit today at noon even though it was snowing--I like getting outside even for a little bit.

It's snowing here today--the "official" number is 3" but there is definitely more than that where we are at.

Melissa, I hope your meds are straightened out soon. I shouldn't complain, but it's been so cold here. We just aren't used to it. I'm accustomed to being outside. Of course, I keep walking each day, but it's been freezing. This morning it was 39 degrees.

DH and I canceled golf yesterday. We had played in cold weather for 3 weekends and just got tired of it. We don't play well anyway when we're shivering.

We went to a gala on Friday night for local battered woman's shelter. It was a nice affair. Food was good and they had the usual auctions (got a necklace). On Saturday went to dinner with friends. That was fun. I walked 40 minutes yesterday, so that was good.

Lisa, I'm hopeful that my meds will be straightened out soon. This new one seems to be helping with my energy level so we'll see when I get my blood work done next month. It doesn't help that the weather here has been so dismal--we get one out of seven days with sunshine so it makes it hard to be energized. As far as coldness...I was out today for a walk and it's a brisk 27 degrees. It feels good to be outside as long as the wind isn't blowing; 39 is cold for your area.

I didn't make it to my meeting last week with the way the weather was (icy, snowing) so we'll see what this week holds.

I had a pretty busy week between WW and helping out at that gun raffle that I do every year. My muscles were still aching yesterday!

Melissa, We're supposed to get 70 degrees tomorrow and I'm so looking forward to that. It may last a few days, too. It will be great to get out in my garden and do some weeding, although with this cold the weeds haven't been growing too much (one blessing).

Eating-wise I'm doing pretty well. Ash Wednesday fasting helped some. I'm going to dinner with my GF and her parents tonight--will be seafood of course. I'm looking forward to that.

I hope you've been able to walk. I'm out there almost every day (usually the only one in the morning when it's 35 degrees!