Starting the topic. I'll have to catch up later. I did have a good weigh in on Saturday - down 0.6 (last week's 0.2 plus a little more).

Judy
163.6/155.6/135

Michele - good to hear from you! Sorry to hear about Aruba but I'm glad to hear that Steve's mother is out of the woods. Hey, hovering on or near goal weight sounds good to me!

Tahoemom - sorry to hear that you've been having a rough time - it's a tough time of year to stick to program. Did you find your treadmill under the clothes?

Sabrina - Sorry to hear that your sinus infection is hanging in there. I hope the new antibiotics do the trick. I'm sure you enjoyed the Peter Gabriel concert - I have to admit that I've never heard of In-n-Out Burger - must be a west coast chain - but I hope you enjoyed it - and good for you for having the bank for it.

Kerry - When I'm in my "routine" (which I haven't been due to this darn cold) I do 2 or 3 cardio sessions a week and 2 or 3 weight sessions a week. I try to get in a yoga workout once a week. My cardio could be anything - step (I'm a big fan of videos), treadmill, rebounder, etc. I love working out - it makes me feel great - energized, less stressed. I find that I I make it something I have to do, like brushing my teeth. I'm not sure what you meant by "it's catching up with me"?

Carla - sorry to hear about your "slugdom" on Friday. I hope you enjoyed Ana's program yesterday. Anthony's was just adorable. They did little skits and a nativity tableau at the end. He was a snowman and one of the kings - he was just too cute for words - and no stage fright this year.

I had a so-so weekend - as I posted earlier I did have a 0.6 loss on the scale on Saturday. The weekend was very busy - lots of baking. I did OK on Saturday - I did have some cookies but counted them - actually they were lunch for me (not nutritious but hey, it's once a year). I did less well yesterday - I think part of it was the news that my youngest (and favorite) cousin might not be able to make it to our little get together on Saturday (when Tony makes homemade sauce and meatballs). Bewteen that and dreading getting back to work today, I should have picked up the journal - I didn't - thankfully the Triscuits were the low fat variety. I have to check my calendar. I was looking for salty and then sweet snacks - I have to see if PMS is sneaking up on me. I'm feeling a little better today but not well enough to try a cardio workout - I'll either try a yoga tape again or maybe a little strength.

Have a great one!
Judy

Hi all,

Judy - Congrats on your loss! Way to go! Sounds like Anthony's program was precious. Ana's was cute. This year she at last sang and did some of the hand motions. Usually she stands on stage looking like a deer in the headlights, so she's made progress. Salty and sweet sounds like PMS to me. I hope your completely free of your cold soon.

My weekend was ok, but I was a little too much into the sweets. When TOM arrived this morning, I realized I was in PMS mode. Somehow it snuck up on me. I'm now battling a head cold - that explains the slugdom on Friday. And I'd like nothing better than to be a slug today, but that's not an option. I think it will be a very early bedtime for me tonight.

Carla

Good Morning!

Judy congrats on a great loss! Sounds like you're doing very well! I'll bet Anthony was adorable. I'm not doing my baking till this weekend.

Carla - hope your cold goes away asap. Hope your busy schedule will allow some R&R time.

Michele - how nice to hear from you! Good for you for hovering close to goal. Sorry to hear about your cancelled trip & MIL's illness.

Tahoemom - hope you've unburied your treadmill. I have to climb on mine later.

Sabrina - are your sinuses better yet?

Kerry - I do weights tree times a week and cardio two or three times.

Chocolate season has arrived full force at my workplace. Seven boxes on the go at the nursing station! I don't know how many I've eaten today, but it's way too many. Aughhh! The weekend was NOP, so I have to be careful this week.

Enjoy the rest of the day...

Karen

Hi all,

Karen - Yikes on all that chocolate. That would definitely be a temptation to me. I teach pre-school religious education on Sundays and this past Sunday, our last class before Christmas, I got a couple of small boxes of candy. I haven't broken the wrappers on them and I think I'll just bring them to my mom's house on Christmas day. Hang tough, you can do it.

I had an ok day yesterday, but I realized that, while I've been losing weight, I've been really nelegtful, once again, of eating properly. So I have to start being very aware again of getting in fruits and veggies and milk. I've been way too heavy on the carbs lately. I was retaining water like a fiend yesterday. I guzzled a 24 oz bottle of water plus some orange juice and it was hours before I had to go to the bathroom. So, I'm hoping to flush all of that out today before I weigh in tomorrow.

Have a great day all.

Carla

Carla - I'm glad to hear that Ana got over her stage fright - Anthony had the deer in the headlights look last year. Yup, I checked a calendar yesterday and PMS has definitely snuck up on me as it did on you.
I'm so sorry to hear that you have a cold - it seems to be the season for it. I hope you got a good night's sleep - best thing you can do. I hope you are feeling better. Good idea on leaving those boxes of chocolates closed and bringing them to your mom's. Good for you for focusing on nutrition. I have found that the weeks I do best are also the weeks when I get all my milks in so I am paying special attention to getting those in this week.

Karen - Seven boxes of chocolate???? Sorry to hear you sucumbed - take a hit on your points and move on - every day is new one. I've been trying to think of a strategy you could try but I have to admit, I'm having a hard time coming up with one. How about "allowing" yourself one or two pieces a day - count the points of course. I know that helped me last year - by knowing I could have a piece, I was less likely to keep going back for more.

I had an OK day yesterday although I did go over by 1/2 point. I'm planning on being extra OP for the next few days. I would be very happy to see a maintain on Saturday. I'm planning on getting out for a walk at lunch even though it's pretty cold today. I'm in the city today and just know the chances of my doing a workout when I get home are pretty slim.

Judy

Hello everyone, We just got back online. We have been hit by a huge storm. 3 feet of snow since Saturday night and it doesn't look like it will stop. Today is our 2nd snowday (no school and extremely tough on me). There has been a lot of munching going on (boredom for the kids and Hubbie, he's a teacher). I've been trying to watch what I'm eatting but it doesn't look to good for me.

I did have a productive weekend shopping in Reno. Though power outages(spelling?) cut into some of the shopping time. I go to Reno ever year with a few girlfriends and we shop, gamble and spend the night. It is something we look forward to each year.

I loved reading about the holiday shows. They sounded great. Neither of my kid's schools are doing anything for the holidays. After reading about your shows I wish they were.

Lights are flickering, going to go now before I lose power. Tahoemom

Hi y'all!

Well I'm back from Cali and the Peter Gabriel concert. Let me just say, this was absolutely the most fantastic show I've ever seen! Loads of special effects, but not in a tacky sort of way. He's an incredible showman, and he sounds absolutely great live.

Judy: In-n-Out is mostly a California chain, but I guess they also have stores in Nevada and Arizona. They've been in business for over 50 years and much beloved by many people in Cali.
I usually don't care for fast food at all, but they make everything fresh to order -- fries are hand cut right there in the store, real ice cream for the shakes, etc. It really is good. You can see their menu and drool here:

http://www.in-n-out.com

Merry: I wish I could report that I was feeling all better, but I'm just not. I'm now through a second course of antibiotics too and
still no change. Of course, the fact that I'm working 50-60 hours a week could have something to do with it. I hear you on the chocolate, by the way. Some evil person brought some yummy looking truffles into the office yesterday. They were small and I allowed myself one.

Sounds like everyone is doing reasonably well, what with all of the temptations. I'm trying hard to lose that 1/2 pound this week
by counting points and drinking more water. I also--for the first time since I've been sick--went on a leisurely stroll with some girlfriends tonight. We stopped at Starbuck's for latte's and then
walked around our neighborhood looking at Christmas lights and chatting. No rain, and not that cold so it was a fun, relaxing evening.

I'll be reporting in on Friday with the weigh-in -- good or bad!

S.

Hi all...

Sabrina - I saw Peter Gabriel years ago, he was great then too. He's doing a concert in Vancouver this week. Yup working 60 hours a week is plenty to keep you sick. Hope you'll be able to get some rest during the holidays (unlikely, I'm sure). How noble of you to eat just one chocolate! I must use you as a model of restraint when I go to work today!

Tahoe - you poor snowbound thing! How great that you were able to get away for a little sanity break with your girlfriends. I have a group of friends I do that with too...never laugh so hard as when we get together.

Judy - didn't have any better of a time with the chocolate yesterday, but today I'll be strong!! Did you get your walk in?

Carla - flush, flush, flush! Oh...I was going to say that I'm not looking forward to weigh in tomorrow, but it's today! I hear you with the not eating properly. Time for me to pull out the WW material and get back to basics too. I may go to some meetings after Christmas to get back on track.

We went out for dinner last night with some friends at a restaurant at a huge botanical garden. The entire garden (acres and acres) was done in lights of all descriptions, it was absolutely breathtaking/magical. Was NOP, but delicious.

Better go weigh in before breaky...will be back to post.

Karen

Up one pound - bah humbug. No chocolate today...no chocolate today...

Tahoemom - I heard about the storms you were having! Snow days must be tough. Are there outdoor things you can do - snowshoeing, cross country skiing, building a snowman? I'm thinking that if you got some activity in, it would help counteract the munching. I hope you don't lose power!

Sabrina - I'm so glad you enjoyed the concert. In-n-Out sounds great - I'm glad they are not on the east coast, though - it would be too tempting! I'm sorry to hear that you are not feeling better - um, yes, I think working that many hours is definitely affecting your ability to recover. Any time off soon?? Way to go on having one truffle - that is an accomplishment - I hope you gave youself a big pat on the back!

Karen - sorry to hear about the gain but you'll get it off. I'm sending no chocolate {{{{HUGS}}}} to you to help fight off those evil boxes of temptation. Yes, I did get the walk in - it wasn't particularly strenuous but it was still moving.

I had an OK day yesterday. Went a couple of points over but I hope to erase that today. I walked from the train station this morning to be sure I got some activity in - boy, was it cold! I wonder if you burn up extra calories ;-) Tonight some of us from the old company are getting together for drinks after work. My plans are to stay for one drink - and make it a light beer rather than another more point laden concoction. I will probably be walking to the train station tonight since the bus is soooo slow during the evening rush hour. Since I'll be getting home late, I told Tony not to wait for me. I'll probably just have a bowl of cereal when I get home so I'm hoping to wipe out my 1.5 point deficit (after the holidays, no more running point deficits!) and start banking a few. Tomorrow is work from home day and I think I'm going to try some walking on the treadmill - nothing too strenuous to start - as well as trying to get in a little strength training. Of course, those plans might fall by the wayside. Over the weekend, Tony and I bought some home office furniture (2 desks and a bookcase) - he's moving his office upstairs. Tomorrow, the stuff is supposed to be assembled - I can't wait 'cause right now I use a computer table that has no surface area for writing, etc. Anyway, since my office is in the basement where I exercise, I'll have to get up early to get a workout in - otherwise it's going to be a bit of a mess with the desk being assembled and having to move everything around.

Have a great one!
Judy

Wow, sure is quiet. I had an OK day yesterday - the get together last night was fun but I only stayed about an hour (the bar was getting very smokey) and just had one light beer. When I got home, I didn't really have dinner - I just grazed a bit. I didn't go overboard although I wasn't quite as good as I had planned. I did a strength tape this morning - it was tough because I hadn't done it in a couple of weeks but it felt good to get back to exercising.

Have a great one,
Judy

Hi all.

I'm sorry I didn't get on yesterday. I had to pick Ana up from school and take her to the doctor. She has a urinary tract infection. I couldn't get her into the doctor until late afternoon and the poor things was suffering from external burning. She couldn't sit. So most of my day was spent hugging, cuddling and comforting. She's better now and is taking medication to get rid of the infection.

Judy - Kudos for doing so great at the bar yesterday. And yay for you for being able to get a good workout in. I know how much better that makes you feel. My plan for the chocolate was a good one. Too bad I didn't follow through. I broke into one of them yesterday. Stress from Ana being sick and John coming home late. Stupid but I did it. The good news is I only had a couple of pieces, I threw out a peice that I bit into and didn't like, it's a small box and the remaining pieces are for the most part dark chocolate, which I don't like.

Karen - Sorry to hear about the pound. You'll get it off in no time. THe botanical garden sounds nice. We have one near us that does the same. I have to remember to go check it out this year. I'll join Judy in sending {no more chocolate } vibes to you.

Sabrina - I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the concert and sorry to hear that you're still sick. All those hours at work are certainly not helping. In and Out sounds a lot like a chain that has recently moved into Illinois from Wisconsin: Culvers. They make their hamburgers fresh upon ordering also. Very, very good. It sounds like you're doing all the right things to get that 1/2 pound off.

Tahoemom - Wow are you snowbound. I haven't been listening to the news lately, so I didn't know that your area was being hit so hard. It must be tough with everyone in the house and bored. Hang in there. Good thing you were able to get that trip to Reno in. Sounds like a fun trip.

I was up three pounds yesterday. My rings are still very tight, so I know it's mostly water. Still, not fun to deal with. Back to basics for me today, including journaling and drinking lots of water. I've already postponed my follow-up visit to the doctor once and I have to keep my appointment on the 15th. I'm hoping to get a walk in today if my ankle cooperates. I'm dead tired though. I was up a couple of times last night with Ana and I'm still fighting this head cold. But I think some fresh air will do me good, so I'm going to give it a shot.

Have a great day.

Carla
271/268/244 - 1st 10%

Hi All

Thank you Judy & Carla for sending the No Chocolate vibes...it worked. Unfortunately you both neglected to send No Shortbread vibes, and that was my downfall yesterday!!! Oh well.

Carla - so sorry to hear about poor little Ana's UTI, she must be miserable. Hope she continues to improve quickly. Caring for a sick child sure takes it out of you. Darn that stress makes us turn to food...I'm sure we'd be slim and trim if it didn't. We need to learn the secret of alternate coping methods...maybe next year! Your gain is water weight...don't sweat it.

Judy - good for you for doing so well yesterday. Our pubs/bars/restaurants are 100% smokefree in BC, it's very nice. Good for you for doing a workout even though you found it tough. Hope the furniture assembly/moving isn't making things too chaotic at your house.

Have a good one!

Karen

Hi everyone, Thanks for all of the condolences on my weather whoas. Sorry to say the storm that hit here earlier this week is now heading your way. More bad news for you is the second storm is coming in to us tonight (1 to 2 feet of snow expected).

Judy, I have been trying to get out and shovel snow. It is really working my arms and back, which is good since Jazzercise has been cancelled all week. Unfortunately for us at home is the snow has been powder and to deep for the kids to really play in it. I am hoping it will settle soon so we can do some sledding. Pulling kids back up the hill is a great workout.

Sabrina, I love In n Out burgers. Growing up in Los Angeles it was something that we got as a treat. Last year while visiting my folks my hubbie and I got to go out on a date and we ended up at In and Out. Not the most romantic place but certainly tasty.

Cece, sorry about your daughter's UTI. It is so hard when your child is sick.

Hope everyone is doing well. Do any of you have a trick for journalling? I'm not doing well at all with that part of the plan.

Oh I forgot to say I have maintained my weight this week, which is a miracle. Take care.