Starting things off. Happy Monday to everyone!

Newleaf, thought of you this weekend. Hope you had a good visit with your sister. I was at Sam's club and picked up Thomas's Bagel Thins. A skinny sliced bagel for 110 calories. Very tasty! I bought the everything ones but they did have other flavors as well.

My Spring Break is officially over. Back to school today. Let's hope our kids aren't too off the wall! Looking forward to a great week. My scale was down 1/2 this morning. Little by little!

Hey, everyone. Overcast morning here and I'm about to (gasp) go run. I'm doing the Couch to 5K in nine weeks plan. And I'm feeling totally intimidated...even though day one is only alternating 60 seconds of running with 90 of walking. Still, I think I would be so happy to be able to run 5K (which is about 3 miles, right?) easily...and eventually 5 miles. Weekend was good--spent almost all of yesterday outside running around with a bunch of families. Lunch at a friends was hard to categorize in terms of calories (and dishes she invented like a brown rice salad with walnut oil, dried cranberries, carrots) so I gave it my arbitrary 1,000 calories and had greens with a slice of deli turkey and balsamic vinegar for dinner. I wish they'd invent an armband that measured how much you eat.

Peanut's Mom - Redecorating your son's room sounds like fun - how old is he? Glad you're back in the swing of things.

Marie - I was just shopping Victoria's Secret online...I think they've redesigned my favorite undies (which are many years old and all falling apart at the same time). Wish they didn't do that! Buying smalls...so cool!!! And yes, the occasional creature in the skimmer...yuck!

Petra - Glad K's bloodwork was normal. Hopefully he'll plump out again and it will just remain a mystery. I used to have a cat who was a great mouser and would leave me presents. I would never put my feet down when I got out of bed without looking first. I don't miss that at all!

AnnieDrews - Sending good vibes for the weigh-in

Onmyway - Happy back to school! Something I really like (since you mentioned bagel things) are those sandwich rounds...we buy Arnold's, but I know there are other brands. Yummy and very low cal.

Countryhomeschoolin - How old are your kids? Just curious...and as for my diet, I'm trying to count calories (not good at that part...I eat too much hard to figure out stuff and I'm lazy), stop eating crap altogether and get a LOT of exercise.

Just a quick check in to say the scales said 174 pounds this morning!! Not sure if it's enough to win, but I'm very happy!!! Be back later...

Annie-good luck on your weigh in today. Have my fingers crossed for you.

Countryhomeschoolin-I follow a Mediterranean style diet. You may hear me mention eating some unusual protein choices from time to time. Not required on this diet but I like to try new things.

OMW-spring break..........I vaguely remember that concept My weekend was WAY too short.

Taking the puppies to be groomed today. I think there's an extra dog on my shepherd in fur so I'm sure she will feel better. Putting off the torture won't make it any easier. Talk to you guys later.

OnMyWay, sorry your break is over! I hope all goes well at work today.

RedHookMom, good luck with your C25K!! I hope you enjoy it and it opens up the whole world of running to you. I’ve toyed with the idea of running, but in the end I find that I just don’t care for it. Ummmm, iron-on hem stuff??? Do tell… now that sounds like something I will have to Google!

AnnieDrews, WOW!! I hope you win today!! But even if you don’t, clearly you have won regardless. You started something, you stuck with it, and look at the results! Congratulations!

PeanutsMom, I hope your son loves all the changes you made!! Change always makes my younger DS nervous, but in the end he comes around…

Petra I’m glad that your dog seems well; hopefully the urine test will come back fine and you can put this worry behind you. Maybe your dog is just losing sympathy weight along with you. I’m glad you had a wonderful night out with your friends; that can be so restorative!

CountryHomeSchool Welcome!

Marie, Lambchop, AngelsKeep Wave!

ICUWishing, AZManatee, CruiseCAT, Wizzie, SusieMc, WeightLossWanted, KittehMomma, TuningIn, LeitnerFarmLabs, Bellafonte, and anyone I’ve missed Hope you guys are all well…

Here, I ended up not going to see my sister. She didn’t want a visit, wanted to tough things out alone. I guess I didn’t realize how stoic she is. I’ve learned over the years to reach out for help, and to accept help when offered – which truly overcomes how we were brought up. I guess she hasn’t done that. My DS10 had a wonderful time camping, so I guess the hemming was worth it… and it was nice having all the alone time with my DS8. After I picked my son up from camping, we went to the donut shop and there was a little girl clutching a tiny plastic Snow White figurine and it so reminded me of when my boys used to go around clutching little cars or trucks like that. And it was all so long ago now; it really drove home how grown up they have gotten.

Weightloss-wise, what’s that? It hasn’t been my focus for the last couple of weeks. Need to return to that… Here’s to a great week!

oh.my.gosh...chocolate...please send help.

:\ that's all. be back later - things to do

Hi! Drive by posting this morning! The Cub Scout campout went well but Friday night it was very cold. I only lost .2 last week. I seem to lose big (3 lbs or more every other week.) At least it's moving down. So this Wednesday should be really good. I'm walking this Saturday in a Walk-A-Thon for MADD. It's a 5K. I'm excited about it.

I'll get to personals later. Hope ya'll all had a lovely weekend.

I WON!!!!

It was very close, I won by 0.5%!! I ended up with $120 as the prize. I think I will buy a new pair of New Balance walking shoes for work and maybe a new scrubs set if I have enough left over.

This is just the beginning for me. I am going to continue my lifestyle changes and get the rest of this weight off once and for all. I want to be healthy and fit for the rest of my life.

Thanks to you all for the support and good wishes!!

OnMyWay-Those thin bagels sound good! How much fiber do they have? I'd love to try some.

Red Hook Mom-Great job on beginning a running program. I was never able to even jog, even when I was in my teens and twenties. I have a lot of respect for you girls that are running.

Petra-I'm sure your dogs will feel so much better after the grooming.

NewLeaf-I hear you on how quickly our children grow up. Cannot believe my older son is now 18....and a registered voter!!

LambChop-Sending anti-chocolate vibes your way! Hang in there!!

Wizzie-I sure do miss those Cub Scout campouts, but not the bad weather. We were caught in a downpour one time. It was terrible. Glad you had fun.

AnnieDrews you won!!! Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you!!! And, that this is just the beginning...

LambChop I hope the chocolate has moved about its business...

Wizzie I'm glad you had fun camping. We always have enjoyed the Cub Scout camping trips.

Annie's anti-chocolate vibes must have worked...moved onto chips...

in FULL blown binge mode..wrote long thing...figuring it out...trying to stop...just keep going...i've had such control for months, and even though my brain says..STOP, you understand what it's about now...just keep eating.

Yes, I'm human-- and right now, not a very proud one, just someone struggling to win a battle with my mind. be back later --

LambChop...

k, head is out of the fog....very somber moment when i realized, while i was binging, I didn't want to stop until I was done...like my brain is going, you can stop anytime now...

...and yet i chose not to. it was a choice....nobody twisted my arm, i freely made the choice...and why i didn't CHOOSE to help myself and stop, i can't honestly answer...i just wasn't ready.

I'm done with it now. Thankfully - i'll move forward from here, and I've written out my feelings and such and found the root of it.

Sorry, not my usual self today.

Petra, that’s good news that Kobe is well. Dead critters in the pool are worth the EEK value.

Annie, I’m glad the blizzard was an exaggeration. Weatherman like to be dramatic. And great attitude about your work’s BL contest. I am so GLAD you won. Buy yourself a wonderful toy.

OMW, I hope your 1st day back after the break is ok. I’m still envious you got a whole week. WTG on the ½ pound.

Liz, I love the concept of your invention. An armband that knows your calorie intake would be awesome. I’d be the first one in line to buy it. I love the Oroweat sandwich thins. I top them like a bagel or toast occasionally.

Heidi, iron-on hem stuff – go to any fabric store – its in the notions area.

Kim, I lose in chunks as well. I tracked if for a long time with my cycle and now I know what week in my cycle I lose (3rd) and where I stay the same (the rest).

Deb, we all have the not proud moments. The difference you made this time is you’re a diligently fighting it. Think of how much more damage would have been if you hadn’t.

Back at work after a long weekend. I got lots done this morning and now I’m in the “I wanna go home” mode. Not a productive frame of mind. Our district is on spring break and my envy has migrated from OMW to all my co-workers. But someone has to be here making sure the network doesn’t crash and if it does, to fix it. Phooey, I don’t want to be that person.

I finished the quilt top yesterday. So now I get the cumbersome process of putting it all together. I was thinking a magic wand could move it along. Anyway, we draped it on our bed and it is beautiful. I want it done so I can gaze at it lovingly. I ellipticalled this morning. I really do the elliptical better in the afternoon rather than 5:00 in the morning. But since DH will be switching to Swings next week, I can’t see a reason to get up at 4:30 and doing the 1.5 mile doggie hike for one more week. So we’ll go after work this week, then we have to figure out the doggie schedule. And yes, my life does revolve around my doggies. J
Marie

LambChop Self-sabotage... I know all about it. I have had just the same experience as you -- knowing I should stop, telling my self I don't care, etc. I'm glad you have found a root cause. I'm still searching.

Marie Sorry you are stuck at work while everyone else is not! But hopefully this portends a quiet week. Can't wait to see the quilt when it's done!

Here, I had my bad moments but decided to just move on with a healthy dinner anyway. Stuffed portabella mushrooms, 1 hot sausage, nice large salad. Yum! I am finding it difficult to motivate myself to go grocery shopping, which leads to not having good food choices in the house. And you know the rest. I got a nice walk in after dinner, though. It was a glorious night!