GOOD MORNING LADIES!

I'm so glad to see that most of us are doing well. I'm still 1/4# in the red for the month. WOO-HOO to those showing losses and NEVER GIVE UP to those of us that are plugging along.

You know TOPS theme this year.......HAND IN HAND, TOGETHER WE CAN! I started a contest last night by making 30 of those people figures off our latest TOPS News cover in bright pink, green and blue and gluing them onto a poster board. I numbered each of the 60 'people' and when a member loses they get to write their name on one. Of course the more weeks they lose, the better their chances of winning their monthly dues paid. There will be 6 winners and a person can win more than once if their numbers are drawn. Our members always love having their dues paid for them! I also did the program with the same theme and it is a great program #50. Next week I will continue it. Check it out if you haven't.

Eleni, I'm happy that you are having a good week and are looking forward to your weigh in. Good for you for running for leader again. You are organized and it is so much easier on everyone to keep those with that talent in office. I would be so blessed if I had people like you!

Sherri, sounds like you are enjoying the job. I would love to get out of the house and I am proud that you have expanded your wings into the adult world. You needed to get out of the house and around more grown ups. Children are great, but there are times in our lives when we need more. Great going on the losses your having. Keep warm....I'm thinking of you!

Wendy, glad you're back on the gazelle. It is so easy to get out of the exercise habit. I plan on joining you soon. My knee is getting better, but I am so afraid of reinjuring it. You have done so well.....don't let it slip away....it's too easy to do.

Nita, Your chapter did well this year and you are so lucky to have that many KOPS in your group. We don't have any....and I think it really helps. I sure hope to get mine back this year. Have you warmed up since you got back from vacation? We had blizzard conditions here yesterday, but hey, I'm in the mountains so I asked for it, right? Here's to a good year for ya!

Linlin, I agree with the sodium thing. Soup is notorious for the salt. As long as you know you've been fine the rest of the time, it should come off next week. Don't forget to drink water.

Christie, I see you are doing the low carb way of eating. Since you mentioned 'induction' on the losing thread, are you doing Adkins? I believe in low carbing and that is how I got back to goal last time. I just need to get the mind frame back again and beat the carb cravings long enough to stay on it. I am finding it much harder this time than the first. Others have said the same thing too. I felt wonderful on it.....hope I can get back to it. Good luck to your daughter too.

Speaking of daughters, my sweet angel is 17 today! This is always a very hard day for me. I look at her peers and see what she should be doing and mourn the loss of that child......but then I count my blessings that I will never have to worry about her driving, hanging out with the wrong crowd, or talking back to us. No behavioral issues at all. She is a blessing that has taught my heart sooooo much. If we could bottle her personality, we would be multi-billionaires! We would also never think about war. Now that I have tears in my eyes, I will stop......

It's almost 1am and I should get to bed. Just wanted to start us off today and let you all know that I haven't forgotten any of you. Have a SUPER day and lets get those {{{{{VIBES}}}}} going. If nothing else, to shake our booty's around. Lord knows we could use the exercise!

TOPS Hugs,
Summer

Summer, You sleep like I do. Not so great.
To your sweet angel. I have told you before how much I admire the way you care for her. You are also a sweet angel yourself!!!!!!!
I love the new TOPS theme. Our co ordinator will not let us give free dues but I can give cash prizes that they can apply to dues.

Good morning, I am looking forward to weigh in tonight.What a switch. I should have a min of 5# . If I don't retain too much water today it will be better.
Had my yearly physical yesterday. She said I have a small goiter due to thyroid. I asked her how we can stop it from getting large. She is going to check thyroid in 2 months and see where it is. It went from normal to borderline. That I was not happy with. I realize a lot of people have their thyroid remove but I am vain enough that I don't want to walk around with a knot on my throat. Now that she brought it to my attention I can see it. It is very small and just looks like a little fatty spot on my neck. Oh well
Time for work.Have a good day and stay warm

summer-hope your dd has a great birthday. Our co-ordinator won't let us give free monthly dues either. Cash prizes here.
Eleni-congrats. I'm happy for you. It is nice looking forward to a way in. I still swet everytime. No matter if I did good for the week or not. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers about the throid.
Everyone else- hope you all are doing well. I'm ok
Me- I hoping to run for leader this year. I'm also going to try the things that sherri had going last year. Hopefully I can get them to work. Going to area business for prizes. I think that is an awesome idea.
Well work calling, gotta go

Thanks for the support Summer and the rest of you.

Summer, your daughter sound so wonderful. You are lucky. I have 2 little girls 4 1/2 and 1 1/2. They are great and I hope I am as lucky as you.

I was annoyed this morning when I weighed myself and I was up 1/2 lb. I count WW points. I ate 23 points yesterday and rowed for 30 min. The only thing I can think of is that I had salt and vinegar spudz. I think I really need to stay away from the salt.

Eleni, good luck with your thyroid. I will be thinking of you.

Good luck everyone else and have a great week.

Afternoon ladies!
It has been anothe awsome OP day


Summer- Give the birthday girl a hug for us ya hear??
and you are so right about the low carb, it is gonna get me back to goal before summer if I just stick with it, and my daughter is losing fast too

Sherri- YOU GET BETTER!!!!! THATS AN ORDER!!!!!

Eleni- MOM- You are so upbeat here lately I LOVE IT!!!!
We are all doing better that usual, I just know this will be the year we all either hit goal or get really close

Linlin- way to go on your losses 18 pounds is alot Just think that is almost 4 containers of Crisco, that always keeps me motivated

Wendy- Youll be a great leader girl

Nancy- MISS YOU ON THE MENU THREAD!!!!!!

Mickey- YOU GO GIRL on those menus!!!!
well all I am gonna have to get busy cleaning, I am making roast for the hubby for supper ...catch you all a little later!!!

YOu all probably do not even remember me! I dropped in a couple of times, but I usually hang out at Alternachicks or Body for Life/Bodybuilding. I am however, a TOPS member and have been since September of 2002. On July 29th I reluctantly got on my scales and was shocked and stunned to see the numbers. I weighed 270 lbs. Five and a half months later I weigh 234 lbs, 36 lbs lighter. I had a rough Xmas month, two weeks before and two after. ALl I wanted to do was eat. I controlled myself somewhat and still went to the gym most days, but I gained 4 lbs over that period of time. Well, I only have one more to get off and hopefully that will be gone by the time Tuesday rolls around again. That is our Weigh in night. I am also doing BFL 12 week challenge. I have the rest of this week and one more to go. Started BFL at 249 lbs and currently weigh 234. I have lost 15 lbs but gained muscle.
WIth the combined support of TOPS, BFL and my friends on the 3fat chicks forums I WILL become the me I want to be.
Virginia

Hey there Virginia!
I totally know how you feel! I weighed in at 142 last year this time and weighed 160 this Saturday!!! It is disgusting how quick the weight comes back on and it so slow to lose it
I started Atkins Saturday though and so far it has been AWSOME!!! I weighed 154 before my shower while ago and about jumped through the ceiling, even though I am sure it was water weight I cant help but be tickled, I am sure the BFL will work great for you also and dont worry WE WILL GET BACK TO THE WEIGHT WE WERE, I JUST KNOW IT

I had a 8 1/4 pound loss at TOPS tonight. I was happy with the way my efforts have paid off. I don't expect that each week but it is a good start.

Thanks ladies for your wishes for my dd. She slept till noon and only then woke up cause I was plugging in her feeding tube. Really cute mood and I told her this evening that my friends on the computer have wished her a happy birthday and she just gave you all a BIG SMILE!!! I gave here the {{{{HUG}}}} I was asked to.

I made a lemon poppy seed bundt cake since one of her nurses and parapro have brought her gifts. We will open them tomorrow when both are here and enjoy some cake. DD will taste the frosting...I'll add a little milk to make it easier for her. She isn't to have anything orally due to aspirating which causes pneumonia with her.....but she loves the tastes, so we give her very little.

Eleni, I'm looking forward to how your meeting went tonight. GOOD FOR YOU.........you sound wonderful. I'm sorry about the thyroid thing, but having it out shouldn't be that bad. DH's mom had hers done years ago and all she has is a small scar....no knot. Maybe yours would be like that. What ever will get you regulated and feeling better, I would do. Oh, you snuck in on me while I was typing. WEIGH TO GO.....what a loss! Yep they won't stay that big, but as long as it stays in a downward mode, your fine.

Wendy, good luck with running for leader. Anyone else in your chapter that wants to do it? It's a rewarding job and as long as your organized, it should be easy.

Linlin, your girls are 3 yrs apart just like mine. It was the perfect age difference for us. I hope for your family too. Yep, there is the salt again. Really try to stay away from adding salt to your foods. Some say the salt substitute or using other herbs or spices helps with the transition. It's worth a try to see what the result would be on the scale. Hey, I just noticed your from Ontario. Where about?? My relatives are back there...Kitchener and Parry Sound area! Gee, maybe we're long lost relatives! LOL

Sherri, I hope your throat gets to feeling better quick. Not good feeling with the scratchy, raw feeling. You'll be back to your exercising in no time!

Christie-----WOO-HOO!!!!!! Weigh to go!!!! I'm proud of you for trying the low carb way. I remember how easy it was the first time I did it and it felt wonderful. I'm almost 14#'s from goal now and it is sooooo easy to put it on. Not fun! You have the mind set to get back to your goal - GREAT!!!!

Virginia, welcome back. Sounds like you are on the right track too!

Mickey, I've also noticed how well you've been doing on the menu thread. Good going, and I'm glad you're around more.

Have a good eve all.....chat soon.

Well congrats everyone, and welcome wanttolosealot. Glad you are here. You can do this. We all can. Sometimes this thing is bigger than we can handle, but we will get there.
One day at a time. Ladies.