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Meg -- "RAW oatmeal mushed up with a banana" YUMMY my kind of person... Have a great week Meg, and take care of The Crud! I haven't been sick yet so fat this year either, knock wood (head) ....

Today I was supposed to work because the intermediate school, grade 7-8, that I work at, was having the open house for the grade 6s coming in next September... But because it's "suppose" to freeze rain LATER today they cancelled the buses !! So therefore cancelled the open house... So I called to see if I should come in, and they said not to bother... On a bad note MY kids are home, on a good note I can go to the gym this morning...

I too am back on track, well sort of, I have 2 good food days under my belt, so this should keep rolling for the rest of the week now... Last week food was so atrocious that I'm not going to weigh in till tomorrow or Wednesday...

Anywhoo I'm off to read some more posts then off to the gym...TTFN...

Oh, and, Let's be careful out there this week...

Happy valentine's day to all those who are celebrating. Happy Monday to those like me who are ignoring the day. :P

I'm suffering from a serious carb hangover. We wound up not going for Chinese food last night and went to Little Italy instead. We were at a traditional Italian restaurant and I just couldn't avoid a cheese or pasta filled dish. Had some very yummy baked ziti. Then went home and had an attack of the crackers. It was liked the jumped into my mouth.

Was at the gym yesterday and had a work related emergency that forced me to leave before I could finish my workout. I got 40 minutes in on the treadmill but missed my toning class. Monday nights I usually just do one kickboxing class. Tonight I'll add on a toning class and then I'm going to try and hit the elliptical. I got some ziti and the attack of the crackers to work off.

Sorry to hear about the Crud, Mel. It’s been a bad winter for various types (stomach virus, head colds, sinus infections) of crud going around. Hope you get better soon.

But, yes, spring is on the way. There are now royal purple and white with a few purple streaks crocus blooming in the yard. The Southern Chorus Frogs have been calling in their “thumbnail over the teeth of a comb” trill the past week. An occasional Spring Peeper (and I think I might have even heard the Cope’s Gray Treefrog although I thought he called only in the mid-summer) has been tuning up a bit. I even heard Southern Leopard Frogs “chuckling” on a trip to the coast this weekend in search of birds. It’s still too cool for the Southern Toads and Carpenter Frogs yet, though. The Cardinals have moved into a more variations of their breeding songs, including the “pretty bird pretty bird pretty bird” song. The Titmice are sounding a greater variety of calls, as well. There have been at least two pair of Wood Ducks on the pond, investigating the nest boxes that the landlord maintains for them and calling in their little kazoo voices “woooeeee” as they lift off when the dog and I surprise them on our morning walks. And, as of this morning, the first daffodil is now open enough to officially declare it “blooming”.

We don’t have any real big plans for Valentine’s Day. Many years ago, I started making “botanical” requests for Valentine’s Day – “get me a nice pot of blooming red tulips” or “get me a bunch of daffodils” – when asked what I wanted for Valentine’s Day. The unspoken half of that request was “please just don’t bring home chocolate.” Like children, quite often, men like to have guidance, specific guidance on what makes an appropriate and appreciated gift. I already have part of my Valentine’s. The local big box hardware store had a couple of absolutely beautiful African Violet plants yesterday when we were there. Since I lost almost all of my African Violets to an insect pest some months back, I have been slowly rebuilding my collection. I didn’t even know African Violets came in these colors – fuchsia and magenta!- but there they are, sitting in my living room window.

I’ve had some trouble over the past week. Along with some intestinal troubles, I’ve been fighting some inexplicable bloat. No changes in diet (no more than my usual variety, anyway, and nothing extraordinary or new), no extra sodium, same amount of fiber (been whole grain since before it was fashionable), nothing in excess or lacking, no PMS issues the past week. Even been really really good with my water lately. Weigh-in last week was truly scary! Past my “red line”. And my line graph of my weekly weigh-ins is showing a slight drift up over the past month in amongst the usual zig-zag of water retention (not over Christmas but January instead – huh??). But I just ain’t gonna surrender calories/points right away. I’m holding the line on calories/points for now and watching the portions very closely instead. The tummy trouble and the bloat are easing as of yesterday. This has happened once before, back in August. I didn’t cut calories/points then immediately, either, just clamped down on myself on journaling and watched portions. And, as now, I found that my portions had “grown” very little. The bloat subsided as inexplicably as it came on. I honestly have to think this is hormonal, another of the lovely vagaries of perimenopause. I’ve been perimenopausal since late 1997, seven years and counting – hot flashes, night sweats, failing eyesight, thinning hair, CRS (Can’t Remember Stuff) syndrome, PMS that can turn really ugly. <sigh> Isn’t enough enough?

Other than that, an important anniversary this week – on the 19th, I celebrate one year in this weight range (128-132). Yes, I do plan to join the National Weight Control Registry. These are my short term goals this week: finish some bird paperwork from one of my volunteer “jobs” and join the NWCR. And pay very very close attention at weigh-in this week.

Hi Gang:
Hope everyone had a good V-day, with lots of non calorie treats.
Nice spring like day here in NY. We need it, winter is way too long. Getting ready for a vacation the end of the month, so thats keeping me going.

Donna congraulations on your anniversary. Good going on keeping a close eye on your portions and the scale.
Rubia: Hello fellow NYer. I live in LI. Love Little Italy, but don't get there often.
Meg hope you feel better.
Ilene: Glad your back on track. Thats the hardest part of this life style. Getting right back, to where we need to be. Good for you.

Hi maintainers,
Still hanging in here. Today is a good day. Hit some rough spots last week but i am coming over this.
I had a lovely valentine, with gifts from my husband and children: a box of chocolates, and a new brain twister puzzle. I love both although of course only one is non-fatttening.
The week started weakly for me, only 10 mins row on monday, 10 mins row + 15 minr jog & 15 mins bike yeasterday. Today I managed to put in a decent workout& I am feeling the better for it: UBW plus 10 mins row, 30 mins jog and 30 mins bike. Still have to watch the eats though. Afternoon snacks are always out to get me.

Have a great day,
rabbit

Donna: congratulations on your anniversary !

Meg, good luck on tomorrow!!! We all know you're going to be fantastic.

Hi everyone!

No, I haven't dropped dead, or moved to Mars, or gone into hibernation. Just busy busy busy. Totally swamped at work, which leaves me totally wiped out at night, so no time to post, although I've been reading. I am so sorry. I believe that one of the reasons this board is SO strong is because we all contribute.

That said, I don't have much of note to say. The threads have been fascinating -- thanks to everyone for sharing so many great insights. My current discovery focuses on what happens when I don't exercise. All of a sudden I've realized that I've lost touch with my body again. It makes me feel discombobulated; out of sorts with myself. Fortunately, yoga meets tonight, and I hope to get a walk in at lunchtime. I'm taking a student who I mentor to lunch, and I'm hoping against hope that she has not worn a pair of incredibly cute but incredibly non-walkable shoes

Meg, you'll have to let us all know whether studying one's butt off actually reduces one's hip measurement. 'course, if that were the case, I'd be able to wear Twiggy's pants. Good luck on Thursday!

To everyone else,

Hey Airegrrrl and KarynLee long time no see!!

Yes Robin, exercise is crucial !! I feel out of sorts and not normal when I don't exercise, it's not a pleasant feeling... I sure do hope that your student is wearing good walking shoes... It'll be a nice time to talk for the both of you...

This morning I finally got the nerve to weigh-in... I weighed the same as I did on Jan 1, for some reason I decided to measure...lo and behold I lost 1" off my chest, waist and hips and 1/2' on my thighs and my pants, size 8, are super loose... I like or LOVE those #s much better !! Another lesson learned scales are a poor measure of progress, will we ever learn? I doubt it, but let's not rely on it so much that we loose sight of our true progress...

It's been a good week food wise, water wise, and exercise wise !! I feel on top of the world... <-- doing the happy dance ...

Well got to get off the puter I need to do something with myself...TTFN ...

Hi,

Meg, congratulations on the start of new job, and I hope Crud will be gone by Thursday.
Ilene, great achievent about your measurements - I also found out awhile ago that inches lost do not equivalent to weght lost, and actually ended up 3 sizes smaller at the same weight as I was 18 years ago!

My week so far was really frustrating. It all started with my neigbour bringing in one huge bag of frozen plums and hubby asking to bake his favourite plum pie. Which i did on Sunday, and since there was no space in the freezer for the leftover plums I baked 2 pies thinking to bring second one to work... Well, on SUnday evening we figured out that our DS has pink eye and on monday morning I got one too = hence I stayed home Monday and Tuesday. Apart from the part that I could not exersice, my hubby also forgot to take plum pie to work, and guess what??? It was my lunch, dinner and breakfast for the whole Monday - I am actually surprized something was left for my hubby. That is to corellate with love to bake!!! Did I mentiioned that I DO NOT EVEN LIKE PLUM PIES!!!

Well, today was better - I am back to work and i am done with my 8 km run, and I am not going to look at the scale this week - that is for sure.

Other news is that I decided to stop teaching/instructing yoga - I guess I just burned out with leaving kids behind as well as with having to work more than one job. I guess I will stop next month, and I already found great instructor for my class - she seems knowledgeble enough - he-he. Sad but true, it was great years and it gave me confidence, but my kids grow up so fast and I just want to be with them after my "paying" job...

Also, I survived introductions to my older DD's boyfriend I think I am still too young to meet BF's of my DD, I am not sure who was more blushing - he or I, but I liked him, and I hope he liked me. I mean, he is not real BF, but definitely having great crash on my DD - that's for sure! He-he

That's my update - actually I almost wanted to finish this plum pie and tha only thing which stopped me was the fact how I will post my downfall here... Thanks to all of you who listened.

Sandy.

Hey everybody. Well, the week is half over. I've been in maintenance training now since the first of the year and feel that I've been doing pretty good. Today was a fall off the wagon kind of day. Ouch, that hurt.

On a spur of the moment thing, while on the way to the mall at lunch, a coworker and I decided to pull into the Long John Silvers. It was not part of my plan. My plan was to get a healthy turkey sandwich at the food court. But Long John Silvers called and I couldn't resist. I think the made me do it.

Anyway, a fish combo plate, 780 calories and 42 grams of fat later, I'm left with only 300 calories left to finish out the day. Guess I need to get back up on that wagon and get the horses under control. I don't think this one slip up is going to cause any (major) weight gain, but I don't want this slip up to lead to another and another and . . . . . . .

So, back to work for me. Hope you all have a great week.

Hi back, Ilene. I'm happy you're having such an awesome week! Even though you haven't seen me around much, I'm here daily. There's so much good reading on this wonderful forum, that by the time I get through it all, my computer time is capoot. Plus, most of the time, I would just have to write, "I agree!" or "Me, too!!" or "Right on!!" It's so great to relate to all of you and what you go through. It's such a blessing for me. But, like Robin pointed out, we all have something to contribute. I will try to be better (I have to learn to read faster so I have more time to write! ).

Elaine, I think it's a huge victory to fall off the wagon and get back on the very same day. Too often, when I slip, I vow to get back into it "tomorrow" or, even worse, "Monday." You should be proud of yourself. Don't get down about falling off, feel strong about getting back on with no delays or excuses.

I'm having sort of a downer week. I was all excited about my running (after a 6 month break) and I've gone and re-injured my heel. I'm beginning to think that being a runner is just not in the cards for me. I let myself be depressed one day, but now I'm trying super hard to stay positive and hopeful. I've dropped all impact (treadmill, kick boxing, step class) and I've been sticking with the elliptical and the recumbent bike. This is my plan for the next couple of weeks. I've been pushing myself extra hard - I think just to prove to myself that I can still get a killer workout even though there's very little impact involved.

The Valentine's weekend was oh-so-NOT-good and I packed on a couple of pounds that I worked so #$%$# hard to get rid of. The food I ate actually made me ill - had the sweats at night and everything. It was really gross. Don't know why I do that to myself. But, this week has been good - exercise, food quality and quantity, water, sleep and attitude are going superbly well. My goal is to keep it going through the weekend - when I typically loosen the reins and give myself permission to screw up.

Back to my mommy duties.... hope you're all doing fantastically!

When I'm reading I'm constantly .... like a bobble head in the back of a car ...

Karyn, I hope your knee gets better soon... What is it with knees??!!

Thanks Ilene! I don't really know what's up with the whole knee thing! Fortunately, both of my knees are fit as a fiddle - it's my heel that's being uncooperative.

Karynlee (fellow bobble head)

Hi maintainers,

Meg- congrats on the new job & I hope everything was OK on your first days

Karynlee - If it is your heel that is hurting could this be related to that you need new running shoes ? I have read somewhere that if you run on a regular basis the shock absorption wears out in 3 - 6 months. Anyhow, good luck with the healing. it's unfortunate that it takes so short a time to get an injury and so long for it to heal !!

Sandy - bad luck about the plum pie, especially if you don't even like them !!! But you have to temember this is not an all-or-nothing game; eating pie for 1 day will not be enough to throw weeks of running and healthy living overboard !

All folks who fell of the wagon: jump back on, you know my motto: In the long run its all about showing up and going through the motions. And I can now add: for the majority of the time. It would be really unrealistic to expect that you will never fall off the wagon or be perfect all the time. As long as you show up & go through the motions that is just OK.

Robin: I was wondering where you were. I think of you when I breathe. And I have to agree that studying your but off has no measurable influence at all on your hip circumference. (for Meg... and this is even so if you studied the dreaded science stuff, which I did )

As for my workout today: Things are getting into shape again, I am feeling more in control. I did 20 mins rowing, 35 mins jog and 35 mins bike today.

Have a great day,
rabbit