Starting the topic, be right back.

Good morning all. I'm a little disappointed to report a 0.2 gain - almost nothing I know but somehow (maybe weight training and sodium?) my great sneak peek ended up showing a minor gain. Oh well, I'm committed to getting to my 10% by the end of March and I'd better get going if my doctor is going to be wagging his finger at me on Feb 24th.

My weekend was so-so. It started well - my step daughter and grandson came over Saturday for dinner and I made a WW veggie lasagna recipe and a salad that was making my points work well. Then Krista shows up with at least 1/2 dozen Dunkin Doughnuts. I started with one - had the points - and then she left them at our house when she left. It wasn't pretty. Still, today is Monday and a new day and the beginning of a new week. It is also the beginning of my re-committment - I am doing WW by the book - because I know that by-the book works. Have a great one!


163.6/157.6/135 and 23/240 workouts
First 10% by the end of March!

Hi Ladies,

I'm at work and swamped but thought I'd take a minute to breathe and share the excellent news:

I am down 1.5 to 160.5!!! Woo hoo!

I am surprised and happy, considering that the only exercise I got over the past 7 days was a 2 hour walk through the West Hills and Downtown Portland yesterday. My fiance' and I love to do this, park in the neighborhood where I used to live and walk up the West Hills for a fantastic view of downtown, then down through residential streets to walk along the waterfront, then back to our starting point via the Pearl District -- an area full of expensive view lofts, tony restaurants, and chic little shops and coffee bars.

I did vary my calories/points wildly from day to day, including
one "fat day" where I had a pint of microbrew and a cheeseburger. This is more or less the "Wendie Plan" and
I'm going to do it again this week. My goal for this week is
to leave the 160's behind FOREVER!

Judy: .02 gain after a donut fest isn't so bad. Just keep at it and I'll bet you see a loss. Mmmmmm ... donuts.

Time to go microwave my Smart Ones as I hammer away at yet another proposal. Have a great week gals and I'll check in later.

S.

166/160.5/135?
(starting weight, according to home chart was 166, not 165.5
as I had thought)

Hi all.

Judy - Don't worry about that 0.2. I'd consider it a maintain, especially since you had a lot of sodium late in the week. As for the doughnuts - ouch. Make Krista take them home next time or throw them away (easy for me to say, hard for me to do). Too much temptation!

Sabrina - Congrats on a terrific loss! Sood the 160s will be but a distant memory. That walk sounds lovely. When we lived in the city, we used to like to do walks like that. We'd walk along the lakeshore to Northwestern University. Sometimes I really miss the city.

I had a so-so weekend. Had a couple of run-ins with cheese and some valentine's candy that's stashed away. Today has been a lazy day - it's foggy and grey. John took the day off since he worked all weekend. He's at the store now buying ingrediants to make chicken soup. We won't have any tonight, since it needs to cool overnight so we can get the fat off, but I'll be set for a couple of dinners for the week. Tomorrow I'm going to hop on the bike. Wish me luck.

Carla

Good Morning!

Between being super busy both at work and at home, and my ISP going down, I haven't had an opportunity to get here for a few days.

Judy - sorry to hear about your small gain, and darn those donuts! With a good week, you should do fine on the scale on Saturday.

Sabrina - congratulations on your loss! That's great! Your cheeseburger night sounds yummy too! Next stop, out of the 160's!

Carla - never, never buy candy for any occasion more than one day in advance When Jen was little, I always had to go back to the store for more Valentine's or Easter goodies cause I'd eaten hers

I haven't been journalling for a few days, and it's starting to catch up with me. I didn't make my 20 workouts for January, so I'll have to make amends this month. I had a half decent sneak peak this morning, so I'm hoping for a good weigh in tomorrow, even though I don't particularly deserve one.

Have a good day, everyone!

Hi all.

Karen - Yep, I try to be efficient and prepared (which is 100% against my nature) and it bites me in the end. Next time I'll wait awhile longer to get that valentines candy. And I'll keep that it mind, considering as soon as the 14th is here and gone, the Easter candy will be on the shelves, and I've got a major jones for Easter candy. Here's hoping the sneak peek holds until WI tomorrow.

I had an ok day yesterday. I haven't been on the bike yet and have to go get a flat tire repaired in just a bit. I'm pretty tired from not sleeping well lately, so I may just take a nap.

Talk to you all later.

Carla

Sabrina - congratulations on that great loss! That walk sounds just lovely. I'm glad to hear that the "Wendie Plan" is working for you. I flirted with it a few years ago but just couldn't seem to work that in with my menu planning for the week.

Carla - Mmmm, that chicken soup sounds good especially since it's going to get cold here again tomorrow (today is rainy and very mild). Sorry to hear about the Valentine's Day candy. Thankfully, that's one holiday that for us, doesn't include sweets/chocolates. Tony and I usually just go out to dinner (which has challenges in itself) but I don't know what we are going to do next week - we haven't talked about it yet. Yes, I did think to ask Krista to take them home but forget - and yes, I could have thrownt hem away but I thought I could "hold out". Next time, they go with her or in the garbage! Did you get on the bike? How is your knee doing?

Karen - Did you journal today (oooh, I'm such a pain in the a**!)? How about get a workout in? (now I'm even more of a pain in the a**). Come on, girl, let's go! I'm glad to hear that your sneak peek was a good one - I'll keep my finger crossed that it stays that way for your weigh in.

I had a good day yesterday. I did 2 strength workouts - they are part of this new series so I've been very psyched about trying them. I managed to bank a food point and stop eating 2 hours before bedtime. The last part was the toughest - that little voice just kept calling me and I told it to shut up and just go go to my belly a couple of times. Myh sneak peek this morning was very good - 1.5 pounds down from my weigh in on Saturday - the key though is to keep it that way - I saw the same number at the beginning of last week and then the darn thing disappeared on me. I'm hoping to get a short yoga workout in today 'cause I could really use the stretch after the weight work yesterday. I had lunch out with a bunch of people from work including my former boss who was fired right before 9/11. I had a grilled veggie sandwich on foccacia (sp??) which was very yummy and not too bad point-wise (the foccacia pieces weren't huge).

Have a great one!
Judy

Carla - hope you got your nap in. It's a miserable feeling being tired during the day.

Judy - yes you are a P.I.T.A.! However, I thank you for the nudges. I have just finished journalling. I'm going to pass on the workout tonight, but will get to the gym tomorrow, and spend some time on my trusty TM after dinner.

See you in the morning!

Minus one pound this morning! Five weeks of losses - Angie holds the record btw...I think she had 12 or 14 weeks of consistent losing.

Karen - woohooo on the pound gone and the 5 weeks in a row!!! Do you mind my asking what your total is so far? Yes, Angie did have an amazing number of weeks of loss in a row. I wonder if she still reads once in a while. Way to go for journalling!


Angie, are you out there?

I had a so-so day yesterday. I did a yoga workout when I got home which felt really good and didn't snack much. Between going out for lunch and dinner I didn't have a lot of points left though and I gave into the little voice late and had a little PB so I went 2 points over - I had one food point banked and a whole bunch of activity points though so I guess I was still OP, but I want to try to make up for it tonight and get some more food points banked. Lunch is at my desk today and dinner is pretty low point so I think I'll be OK. I have to pick up my journal tonight because I know one of the things I was ruminating about last night was the job and how much I dislike what I am doing. I've been thinking about career changes (as I have before) and while I don't know what I want to do (or can afford to do) I think it has to be something with children (I've thought about teaching before but don't know). Anyway, I have a late meeting today so I'll be getting home on the later side. Tony brought Max (the 6 mo. old kitten in to be neutered today) and will be picking him up around the time I get home so I think exercising is out for today but so far I've racked up 26 workouts so I'm OK with a rest day.

Have a great one!
Judy

Judy - I was up to 265 in the summer of 2001, was 252 Jan 2002, 240 Jan 1, 2003 and am at 231 at the moment. So that's 9 lbs gone since I got myself back on track for the New Year. Sounds to me like you did very well yesterday in the face of 2 meals out, and you well deserve your day of rest today. Hope Max is okay after his surgery. It harldly seems to slow them down at all after the first day once they get over the anasthetic.

I made a big decision yesterday...I've been thinking a lot about what I'd do if I could do anything I wanted. I had a horse through my teen years, and lived, breathed, and slept horses. I still love them, but haven't ridden much for years, and I've ridden less and less as I've allowed myself to get heavier and heavier over time. And what I want to do again is to have a horse. Mike and I talked it over, and we can just afford to board & maintain a horse...but I'm too heavy to comfortably ride. So...I've dangled a big carrot in front of my nose...once I get below 200 lbs, I will start taking riding lessons again, and when I get below 180, I'm going to get a horse. That is a huge incentive for me...and very exciting!

Have a good day, everyone.

Hi all.

Judy - The chicken soup was indeed timely, as we're now in the midst of another cold snap. We had some last night and it was lovely. It's going to be dinner tonight too, I think. My knee is doing better, thanks for asking. I didn't get on the bike yesterday, because I ended up walking home from the gas station where my flat was being repaired and then, of course, walking back. It was about a 20-25 minute walk roundtrip, so I'm counting it as a workout. It sure was cold, but the fresh air felt good. Falling on the ice, on my good knee, however, did not feel good, but no damage done thank goodness. My knee was stiff today from walking, so I'm resting it, but the good news is that I was able to drive pain free today and last night was able to lay in any position in bed without it hurting much. Sounds like you're on track to make that sneak peek a reality on Saturday. Hey, if you're going to go over points, PB is a good thing to do it on. I hear you on the career change. I'm still tossing it about. I'm constantly looking at jobs (I have to actively look for work since I'm on unemployment) and it's really hard getting enthusiastic for anything. I have a few books on career changing that I'm going to start to read. I'll let you know if they're any good. All I know is that I'd like to do something, whether it's paid employment or a volunteer position, that makes a difference for someone, and like you, I'm interested in working with kids. I've spent 20 years helping bankers and have had about enough of that.

Karen - Congrats on your loss - terrific work. And 5 losses in a row - you rock! Our starting places are very similar. I just have to do some work to catch up to you. I think it's fabulous that you're going to get a horse. What great incentive. I never was as horse crazy as a lot of young girls, but I think they're beautiful animals. We're in the midst of horse country - the town next to ours, which is 1/2 a mile from us, has a five acre minimum for home sites and there are many estates on 20 acres or so and a lot of the families own horses. There are riding clubs, etc. If I ever won the lottery, I'd move there just to have a lot of land (don't want a big house, just land) and I'd definitely keep horses.

I'm up .02 this morning. I'm definitely not going to fret about it. After being exceedingly crabby (some might say *****y), and fighting the salty/sweet cravings, I decided to check the calendar and what do you know, I'm in the throes of PMS. My sneek peak on Tuesday showed a loss, so I'm sure it's mostly water. However, 2 gains in a row is not what I want to see, so I'm working hard for a loss next week.

Have a great day!

Carla

Karen - you have made super progress!! I think that been arrot you are dangling in front of your nose is just fantastic! I didn't grow up with horses, being a city girl, but remember my first ride (bareback) in the summer of '72. I was on a teen trip, camping all the way out west in municipal, state and national parks and we were in a county park in Wyoming (I think) and these two teenage girls came riding into our campsite on their horses. I thought it was amazing that they had horses. They couldn't believe some of us city kids had never ridden one and so I got on and rode bareback for a hundred yards or so. Anyway, I think it's a wonderful idea and a real incentive to keep going as well as the fact that it will be great exercise for you.

Carla - ouch - my knees are hurting in sympathy for yours falling on the ice! Of course the walk to and from your flat tire is a workout! I'm glad to hear that you were able to drive pain free. I can't wait for us to speak in person - we are so much in the same place career wise. Sorry to hear about the .02 but as you said to me on Monday, that's a maintain. I have to check my calendar too because I have been having salty and sweet cravings and have had some PMS-like break outs. I think it's too soon but I have to check and I sort of feel like my PMS has started earlier in the month recently (poor Tony!) I

Today was a looong day at work and a tough one. A meeting on this project that may or may not get off the ground and may or may not mean I have a job or not. Very frustrating and very unsettling - on top of that, I am really detesting the place. Hmmm, maybe that's one of the reasons that I went over on my points by 1 tonight on PB again. I still have activity points in the bank though and I am planning on getting a wickedly tough workout in tomorrow morning (it's called Boot Camp!) so I think I'll be OK.

Have a good night - I'd better get off and get some sleep.
Judy

Hello Ladies,

Sorry I haven't checked in lately, life has been crazy. I haven't had a chance to read up on how all of you are doing. I will try to later. I knew I needed to get in this quick note so I can admit to everyone that I gained 1.5 last week
If I had ignored it and not posted this gain it probably would have gone up more next week.

It is time for carpool, so I will look forward to reading how all of you hae been doing later.

Tahoemom

Hi all.

Judy - I can't wait until we meet either. It will be great chatting with a friend who is at the same crossroad that I am. I'm so sorry that work is so uncertain and unpleasant for you right now. I hope the PMS monster is gentle with you this month. I've noticed that my PMS is much more intense when it comes to my moods, but that the day or two right before my period starts, I have a calm that comes over me, my cravings lessen, and I'm much more interested in eating right, etc. I'm in that place right now, thank goodness.

Tahoemom - Sorry to hear about that gain. But you're right, we have to own it and acknowledge it so that we don't repeat it. I hope life becomes less crazy soon.

I had an ok day yesterday and according to the scale, some of that water has left my system. I know I'm feeling a lot less bloated. Today I'm keeping busy around the house and am breaking a sweat that way. While I was in the basement doing some laundry, I test drove the bike to see how my knee would handle it. It felt fine, so I'm going to try my hardest to get up before Ana tomorrow and do a workout. If not, I may do a video and let her join along.

I forgot to post my stats yesterday, so I'll do that now.

Have a great day everyone.

Carla
271/266.8/244 - 1st 10%/140