Happy Monday everyone!!

Hehh.... anyone else have Spring fever yet?

Has anyone seen Mthrgoos recently?

Ugh...Monday The only thing I like about Monday is knowing I'll have 5 days ahead where I can stay on plan without too much effort. The weekends are still such a problem for me. It's not as though I don't plan for them, it's that I find it so difficult to stick to my plan - my whole mindset seems to go out the window. I guess I really need the structured workweek thing going on. Having said that, I did really well this weekend, but had to concentrate and think about it constantly, whereas during the week it's just my normal mode of living. It's not even the fact that there's more food temptations on weekends, because at my office every day is either "donut day", "muffin day", "take-out day", "bring in homemade treats day" or whatever. I think it's all about being more relaxed on the weekend and allowing things to slide. Maybe one day I'll figure it all out.

I'd love to have spring fever...that would mean it feels like spring! Unfortunately, with another snowfall last night it's difficult to get into that spring mode, but once it warms up (and dries up) I'm raring to get out on those hiking trails again. I find hiking so much more satisfying than treadmills and/or exercise tapes, but I don't love it enough to get out and do it in the cold, snowy weather. I need to do some serious training though because I'm planning to climb the "Tower" again (want to beat my previous time).

Just got off the phone with my travel agent and have finally completed all the arrangements for a trip I'm really excited about. I don't actually leave for almost a year, but there was lots of planning involved. I'm going to Moscow! I've always been fascinated with Russia and studied Russian history in University, so I just can't wait to tour all the places I've read about. Wheeee!

P.S. Mthrgoos is alive and well - just really busy right now.

Hi all!! Weighed in with a gain of 2.5 lbs this morning. Not a big surprise, I had a bad weekend. I know a lot of it’s water and hopefully I can get it off quickly. It’s interesting though, that this morning after seeing the gain, my thoughts immediately turned to McDonald’s for breakfast (even though my breakfast bar and banana were already set out). It all started on Friday when I “peeked” at the scale and I had stayed the same. Well, it must have bummed me out more than I thought because I made some bad choices on Friday. I was great on Saturday and couldn’t have been worse on Sunday. The only good thing is that I still managed to stay away from the sweets. So this morning, when I see the expected gain, instead of it motivating me, it bums me out and I start to go for the comfort food. Normally, this would have been the end of this “run” for me. There would be lots of stops and starts, but ultimately, I’d be back to the high 290’s in no time and scratching my head about how I don’t understand why sometimes it’s so easy and sometimes it’s so hard. But somehow as I was contemplating McDonald’s I realized that it’s the whole comfort food thing. When I am up and happy and doing well, nothing can stop me, but bring me down a notch and not see success and I RUN to the food that will make me feel better (or so I think) even if I am the reason I didn’t have success! Part of it comes down to extremely unrealistic expectations. I EXPECT a 2-3 lb loss every week. After all, I am actually doing what I am supposed to do, so weight – be gone!!! The other is just simply the whole want it now syndrome. So today, I will not let this be the end of this “run”. I will make it past today’s setback and move forward with my weight-loss.

Goals for this week:

1. I will not set food on that scale until Monday 3/15. I know some of you may suggest that I just skip the scale, but as much as it brings me down, it also motivates me that much.

2. I will write down everything I eat and keep it between 1400-1600 calories

3. I will get in my 3 weight workouts, AND 3 cardio workouts

4. I will NOT let this small setback, completely throw me off track. Not this time!!!!

5. I will realize that my body fluctuates and sometimes the scale doesn’t immediately reflect my efforts. And that the scale is only 1 measurement of success. There is also how I feel and how my clothes fit.

CONGRATS sandi. good for you. i feel the same way about the set backs. used to be if i saw a gain on the scale then i figured, i have blown it anyway so go to arby's, mickey dees, burger king or something to that effect. then, like you, the run is over. i gain everything, plus back and feel horrible. i am doing my best with keeping all of this under control and as for now so good. i think you have definately had a nsv for today and you deserve a big pat on the back. keep up the good work.

Sandi....you absolutely amaze me....wow. Not only are you objective about yourself (which is hard enough to do...and not everyone can do that...) but, you make a plan to fix it. That is so admirable. I just finished "listening" to dr. Phil weightloss challenge...(on Tape) and he just was talking about self sabotoge. OMG...I do that all the time...I don't know I keepo stopping myself from loosing this weight. I don't know what I am scared of to see? I just do not know. Maybe it is all the $$$$ stuff....you know my destructive pattern of feeling good + looking good = spending lots and lots of $$ that I do not have on clothes, make up, hair, shoes etc, etc. I dunno. Sandi....do you have dr. phil's book? I think just by reading some of your posts that you would greatly benefit from reading it....I would let you borrow mine, IF you promise to give him back....LOL Let me know by PM....

We are doing this ladies...let's keep up the good work...Thanks for posting and sharing your stories...because it makes me feel like I am not the only one...and people in numbers mean so much!!!!

Great attitude Sandi! You are so gonna do it this time, I just know it!

I had a pretty good week but then I blew it on Saturday. I was really in the mood for catfish (fried of course) and I hadn't had any in over a year so I went for it, and boy did I ever go for it! I think what really threw me off is the fact that the place we went to didn't have a salad bar, which I wasn't expecting. I mean doesn't every place have a salad bar? Needless to say, I went overboard on all the bad fried foods. At least I knew I was going to be eating it that day so I ate very lightly all day prior to going. I still ended up feeling all full and bloated all night, what a horrible feeling! Well I'm glad I got that out of my system! I hope everyone else had a fantastic weekend!

Beverly

I hate scales... I went up "10 lbs." over the weekend.... which, as we all know is PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. :angry:

I demand a recount tomorrow morning! I need a new scale, cheap but good. Any suggestions?

Sandi ... good for you for getting back on track. I hear you about getting discouraged. I WANTED more than the 1lb loss I got this week and also started thinking about comfort foods ... but unfortunately, a morning commitment kept me from doing it and by lunch my head was back in gear!

Apryl ... I had MAJOR spring fever last week and even yesterday when it was mid-40s, sunny and not windy ... but today reality hit, we've had gusty winds and light snow ALL DAY!! yuck!!

We had a busy weekend. My daughter turned 5 today and we celebrated w/ party w/ friends at the gymnastics school on Saturday and a family trip to the Children's Museum on Saturday.

Apryl, I think I saw several different scales on sale in the Target flyer this week, starting at $20. I have no idea if they're any good.

Tomorrow I take the test for the 911 operator job. If I pass this test, then I get an interview, I think, and a drug test.

Wish me luck!!!

Sandi, hang in there, girl. No one said this road would not have its speedbumps.

Jillegal, Moscow, how cool is that?

Sounds like everyone else had a good weekend. more tomorrow!

cooking class tonight threw me for a loop! i had it all planned... we were making shrimp scampi and rice pilaf. i planned how much i could eat.

i got to class and she announces that she couldn't get shrinmp so she changed the whole menu.

we had bread with goat cheese, sausages with pesto, a summer pasta salad with lots of veggies, and an apple crisp.

i didn't OVEREAT, or BINGE or even have seconds... but it was all much higer calorie than i even knew or planned for. i put it all in fitday and it's 1900 calories for today.

i still count this as a day on plan, and you know why? because i tried my best and i counted it all. tomorrow will be a light day.

I LOVE my new scale. Only $30.00 Tantia, model 2001!!!

JILLEGAL --- I don't know how I missed the portion of your post about Moscow ... my niece has done two academic 'stints' there ... one semester as an undergrad and then from Sept 2002 - May 2003 on a Fulbright Scholarship ... she's now working on a Masters in Russian Studies ... if you want an "insider tips", I'd be glad to ask her.

Thanks Steph, that's really good to know! Naturally I want to hit all the historic and touristy spots, but I'd also like to spend some time away from the tourist traps and converse with "real" people (and yes, I'm already studying my English-Russian translation texts). It would be great if she knew a few out of the way little traditional bistros and local drinking holes with a true Russian flavour.

Am loving the beautiful weather today!!! Got out for a nice walk with my DB over lunch. We are both excited because the diamond for my engagement ring FINALLY come in! He proposed over Christmas and let me pick my own ring. The diamond has been "on order" since the first week of January!

Am having a hard time focusing on work today - wanting to be outside enjoying the warm weather. They are calling for snow at the end of the week, so I want to squeeze in as many walks as I can!

Also excited....I am registering myself for "Learn to run" lessons for my 30th birthday. At the end of the 10 week course there is a 5K "marathon". Should be fun to try! Here's hoping! Yikes...

Apryl - your scale is obviously wrong. There is no human way that you can put on 10 pounds over the weekend!

SAPF - good luck with the job test tomorrow. I bet that you'd be great as a 911 operator!

Sorry to hear that you are not feeling well Sandi! Take care of yourself...

Enjoy the spring weather everyone else! Hope that everyone is getting a taste of this great weather! I have a bad case of spring fever!