WELCOME to any new ones that wish to post on this thread that is dedicated to keep on the road to thin. We will rejoice with your triumphs and be there for you when you may falter. We are a happy family here.

Well ladies this is A GOOD DAY TO BE OP rain or shine snow or thunderstorms. I am working on another good week here and am trying to keep my FOCUS.

GERI what a nice mom you are to supply all that candy for those collage boys. I can see it now ~ that man peering over his glasses into your cart. Peanut butter cups! Enjoy them but count the points.

CYNTHIA Snow? Ah but in Colorado you get it early and it stays late. Going up to the attic where you computer is does count as exercise doesn't it?

TERI thanks for the lasagna review. I will try it. Hope you break that plateau soon. I love Dotti ~ she has really put together a powerful site.

BRENDA you go girl. That is what this weight loss business is all about. We learn what we did and fine tune our program and go on. Can't do anything about yesterday but we sure can choose our attitude about today. You have come so far at this point and are such an inspiration to me!

Everyone have a great OP day!

Maggie fixin' to go and make some breakfast ~ in Tennessee

Hi all,

Well, I weighed in yesterday, drum roll please............4 pounds gone!
yea!!! I am so happy about that. I am especially pleased that I proved to myself I could still have all my favorite foods and still lose weight. You just have to make choices, this week I have had: biscuits and gravy, fajitas, chimichunga, turkey w/ potatoes, stuffing and gravy, milkshake, brownie, and more. I just kept a honest track of my points.
We can all do this. I am especially pleased that I stayed OP in the face of what would have otherwise been an excuse to pig out and pamper myself but I did not give in. See we have found some lumps in the back of my leg. I had a MRI yesterday to get a better look... I could go on here and whine but I will spare you I will just keep in mind God is truly in control and leave it at that. Stay strong!!

We are worth the effort

310/306/175 start date 4-4-01

Brenda, sorry about the gain, but at least it made you re-evaluate your food choices. Way to go on finding that extra resolve. It sure comes in handy.

Forgiven, it certainly sounds like you know how to work the program. What a wonderful variety of food you are eating there woman, and to lose weight on top of it all. CONGRATS!!

Maggie, I sure hope it does. It's a pain when I want to balance Quicken and I've left my checkbook on the main floor, two floors down. You learn after a while, though, that some things don't have to be done right away .

I had to go to the gym today since I woke up to 6 inches of the wettest, heaviest snow you can imagine. What I don't get, though, is that the streets are fine yet a lot of the schools closed. That NEVER happened when I was in school, and there were certainly worst storms than this one. I don't know if it's the influx of Californians or what, but we may as well be a southern state now the way people here handle snow days. In fact, when I lived in Steamboat Springs a few years ago, we got one foot of snow each day for three days (I know, I had to wipe it off the truck each day since the darn thing didn't fit in a garage) and that following Monday I thought for sure things would come to a standstill. But NOTHING closed, not even the schools. Those people knew how to handle it!

I have had a good OP day and hope for another tomorrow. LIFE IS GOOD We got the results of Cowboy's MRI today and he does have a herniated disk in his neck. So off to see the surgeon tomorrow.

FORGIVEN CONGRATULATIONS on that big 4 gone. I love this program for that very reason that we can have the foods we want if we write what we bite and stay within a range of points. Do let us know what that MRI shows up.

CYNTHIA times they are a changin'. Schools close down when the snow flurries now days. They didn't used to do that. Now they have to make up "snow" days and get out later in the year. I had to chuckle about your California remark. They have snow there also. Among other things........ of which I used to be one of.

Have a nice night and a terrific OP day tomorrow.

Maggie fixin' to cut some zzzzzzz's in Tennessee

Hi everybody! Worked most of the day and then packaged up all my 'goodie bags' for my Frat Boys. We're meeting my youngest son tomorrow night for dinner at a restaurant that is about 1/2 way between our home and his school. He's bringing down his roommate and his laundry . Then he'll be home on Sunday for dinner so I can have all his clean clothes ready to take back with him.

Cynthia: Well then the free nights, really were free. It's nice when you can use business expenses to get you a nice vacation.

Terri: I don't have any sun here this week either so you can't blame me. Actually, it was 81 here on Sunday so us Michiganders called that summer and now we're into Autumn!

Brenda: Sorry about the 2.5#. Ouch, that hurts. And you were doing so well. Ya know, sometimes when we continually lose large amounts (and you've been doing 3-4 a week) our bodies need a week to just catch us. I'm sure those 2.5 will be gone next week and take a couple of friends with them.

Maggie: Oh, I'm counting the PB cups. And boy do they count! Sorry to hear about Cowboy. Hope he'll get fixed up real soon and be on the road to feeling better.

Forgiven: Congrats on a nice weightloss. You go girl!

Gotta run. I have soooo much to do for a meeting tomorrow. I'm not used to being so unprepared.

Don't expect your life to change without some effort on your part.

a BRRRRR good morning to you all

The last three days it was so hot in the house you couldn't breathe, now its so cold I've had to go around and shut the windows. No wonder we're all cranky here in Missouri. We had killer winds yesterday and I hear it howling again today. I'll be grateful its not SNOW!

I've also had three very OP days so hopefully the scale will budge here soon. I went back over my journal for the last couple of weeks and saw that I had more high days than I "remember". OH DUH. Funny how conveniently the mind shuts out those little facts. I'll give myself a pat on the back for keeping up the journal now for three solid weeks.

Brenda - Sorry about the gain. Maybe next week we can boast of our losses along with everyone else.

Cynthia - I hear you about the computer being on a different level than everything I need. That's why we're buying a ranch house! No more stairs! Hope you snow melts soon. I couldn't believe it when I saw the email at work saying that our Denver office was closed due to inclement weather. We never get to shut down the home office due to weather.

Maggie - Let us know what the surgeon has to say. Poor Cowboy. That cannot be pleasant at all. We'll say a little prayer for him.

Forgiven - Congratulations on your loss too. Hope the lumps on the leg turn out to be nothing. We'll say a little prayer for you too.

Geri - You are one busy gal. I used to be organized but since I got married, I can't get it all together. I need to get DH his dog so he'll let me work when I come home.

Well, I took an antihistamine last night due to all the wind so I overslept some this morning. I better get moving so I can get to work. Take care and be strong!

Hi,

Well I blew it yesterday. But I dont plan on this being a week long pig out. I wrote breakfast and am staying OP today.

Thanks for prayers, thoughts. Sweet of you all. I guess its hard to break old ways of finding comfort in food......I will though

Just thought you would like to know that the surgeon thinks Will's pain and tingling is caused by "car-pool-tunnel" so he advised him to wear wrist braces at night for six weeks and then report back to him. He also said that if he rounded up a bunch of people Will's age and sent them all for MRI's that they would all probably have necks looking like his. Age plays havoc with our bodies. Hopefully this is the case and that the braces will tell the tale that he doesn't need surgery.

My day has been a nice OP one and will continue into the night.

FOCUS ladies it is all about keeping ours intact. We can do this thing! Don't worry about the momentary slip ups..... get right back with it and go forward with a good attitude. It will happen.

Have a great night all you friends of mine.

Maggie happy in Tennessee

Hi everybody! Just wanted to stop in for a minute. If I don't then it takes me forever to catch up if I leave it for a day or two. Life has been hectic to say the least.

I had my big Family Council meeting at the nursing home today. Mom and I seem to be the only ones soliciting gift certificates for prizes. Funny since my dad is now gone and we don't really even need to be there anymore. Oh well, we'll be able to say we did our part and that works for us. What they do with it after we're gone is up to them.

We all went out to the steakhouse tonight and met my youngest and his roommate for dinner. That was nice. I was able to give him the box with the Easter goodie bags and got them out of my house.

Food has been kinda cruddie this week. I'm sure it's those D#$% peanut butter cups I got into earlier in the week. I will have to eat virtually nothing for the next 3 days in order to even 'maintain' this week.

Gotta go ladies, it's late. I work the theatre all day tomorrow and Saturday so don't know how much time I will be able to spend here. You all be good. Love to all.

Remember that while life doesn't always give us chances, it does always give us choices.

Maggie - ouch for Cowboy. A couple of years ago I had a computer/work injury. I was sitting in the same slumped position for too long a period over several days. My left finger went numb and I couldn't hug my husband without pain before I finally went in. My MRI was negative (by the way, those things ain't fun if you weigh over 200 lbs.!! So close in, like a coffin) so I ended up having some rather painful physical therapy, but it worked. I do have recurrances now and then (I think it was the C-5 vertebrae - whatever that means) and I have been given a home traction device which helps the pain to disappear after a few days' uses.

Terri - if that office was actually in Denver and not one of the "satellite" cities, then there was no reason for it to be closed. The streets were dry by 11:00 a.m., I noticed that on my way home from the gym. They were never icy, just slushy because it was too warm outside for it to be otherwise. Further south was a little more dicey. It's amazing how we can "forget" how much I've eaten. I've complained to DH a few times after trips if I had a gain, saying I didn't eat much, then he'll kindly point out all the stuff I ate on the trip .

Forgiven - you've made a big step forward, not to let one slip send you into a downward spiral. That is great. The more times you can deal with emotions or problems without food, the easier it becomes.

Well, I'll be in Colorado Springs for one more day than I thought. I had Easter all planned out and now DH throws this curve. He wants to go down Saturday as well so he can golf, and we'll be staying in a hotel. At least I'll have his mother's to go to in order to fix my meals, but it's a bit of a hassle. Oh well, at least I'll get to hike since they didn't get much snow.

Happy Sunny Friday Morning everyone.

I've posted here before even though I'm not counting down to 250. I'm actually hover around 225 and with this lack of energy, I may be on my way UP to 250. GEEZ.

Just needed to ask the teen/college moms how they are dealing with separation from their kids. My daughter is 18 and will be attending a local college soon. Even though she will still be living at home, she is rarely home anymore. I had this idea that she and I would still go shopping together and just do mom and daughter stuff. Now her job and boyfriend take up her time and there isn't any left. She is leaving me with hubby and son who I affectionately refer to as "The Men". Good Grief

2oM (Annie)

Hi everyone and Happy Easter Weekend! I hope you all have wonderful family plans for the weekend.

I am braindead today so I hope I am not repeating myself, but for the first time on a holiday, we are going out to a holiday brunch. It's at a small country club and is supposed to be wonderful. I am sort of stuck thought between a rock and a heartbeat. Since I'm paying all that money to eat, my old thought would have been to really get my money's worth. But my new thoughts are saying, 'you know better than that, you've been doing so well, don't blow it!' The new thought and the old thought are really clashing right now. I hope by Sunday they have really duked it out and that my new thoughts will win. Wish me luck.

I did want to stop in before you all go out of town to pass on my WW leader's tips for getting through a holiday. Pick 6, then Delay and Distract. She says: before chosing what you are going to eat, walk all the way around the table and pick 6 things that you REALLY want to have. Then DELAY before having any seconds because it takes your mind 20 minutes to realize your stomach is full. Then if you still want more choose only 2 things. Then DISTRACT and get the heck away from the table so you won't be tempted to have anything else. Go do dishes, play with the kids, or take a walk. Hope these help.

Cynthia: Enjoy the time away, at least you're staying in a hotel!

Annie: Glad to see you back. I wish you'd stop by more often. I have boys so I don't have the 'shopping' partner syndrome to get through. One of the boys is at home 'commuting' to college. The other one is away currently, but every 12 weeks he switches and comes home to work. I just try to be with each of them once in awhile in the car, maybe taking the youngest to school or the oldest out shopping for something 'technical'. When they're captured in the car you get to talk about anything YOU want to and they can't get away. I know how you feel, at my house it's always been 'the guys' this and 'the guys' that.

Gotta run, doing theatres this weekend. You all be good.

Prepare for tomorrow by doing your best today.

Just dropping by to say Happy Easter!!

We picked up our puppy a week early so I'm a bit shellshocked. We're not supposed to have pets so its been a matter of figuring out how to have him, love him and not get caught! He didn't sleep too well last night and therefore neither did I. But he's adapting. He's seven weeks old and weighs 15 pounds!!! But he's so darn cute; like a little bear cub. I have to admit its a riot when he howls like he's a "big dog". Although playing tug of war at 2:30 am wasn't much fun for me. So I'll be kind of scarce for a couple of days until we get him settled him.

Maggie - That's great that Cowboy doesn't have to have surgery right away. Hope the braces help and he's feeling better soon.

Gotta go...I hear howling. Everyone else, sorry for the lack of replies. I think of you all daily and enjoy all the posts. Have a great weekend.

P.S. Tonight I'm trying Green Chile Ravioli from Cooking Light. Sounds delicious!

Hi everyone! Well, it is officially after midnight so I can wish you all a wonderful Easter!! DH and I worked the theatre again all day and I had a steakhouse to do this evening as well. We were able to plan our time and do it all.

This week's movie reviews: Joe Dirt with David Spade, funny in a stupid sort of way; Bridget Jones' Diary with Renee Zelwiger, cute romantic comedy;
Along Came A Spider, really pretty good, suspenseful.

I did really well and avoided the movie theatre popcorn this weekend. One accomplishment at least.

Terri: That puppy sounds like a baby bear. 15 pounds at 7 weeks old, my gosh he's going to be a moose! Hope your new place is big enough!

Well, girls, Happy Easter one more time. I'm doing that buffet for dinner today so wish me luck at having some self control. Love to all.

Don't make the mistake of thinking everything has to be perfect before you can be happy.