Good Morning Everyone!! How are we all doing??? I see we have a hand ful of new members join in the last few days!! WELCOME ABOARD!! We look forward to getting to know you better! Jump right on in and join in with all the fun!! We have an amazing group of women over here so feel free to jump right on in!! If you have any comments, questions, or concerns feel free to ask away because we have some very knowledgeable women here that would love to help you out!

Everyone who has been doing the January Challenge, today is final WI so go WI and tally your points so we can determine who our Top Loser for January is!

Anyone have anything special planned for today?? I need to run to Blockbuster and returns some games, run take something back to Best Buy and then we are hitting the park around 3:30 today to meet a friend. Steven has another day of baseball tryouts so send those Good Luck vibes again!! I really think he has an awsome chance at making the team!!

Also don't forget we are starting the new Challenge today, check out Daisy's post about the Step It Up Challenge!! I am going to get my pedometer today! So get to Steppin' everyone!

Hope everyone has a great day!!!

Good Morning! I was pleased this morning when I stepped on the scale - it was 179.5! Much better than Monday's WI. Lets hope I can stick in the 170's till WI on Sunday!!!!

Bobby stayed home from school today - he has a fever, headache and dizzy. Michelle was NOT pleased he got to stay home. Oh the life of a mom, huh?

Not sure if I will go into work today. Michelle has early dismissal today, so I could leave her in charge of Bobby this afternoon. But I think I may just take the day and do laundry, pick-up the house, etc. Don't tell my office!

Robert has therapy at 3 pm, so I will take him and hit the treadmill or lifecycle, not sure which. But I will get 30 to 40 min of cardio in today!

My goal for Feb is to lose 1 lb per week. Very modest I know, but for me personally, it is a HUGE challenge. My weight just doesn't come off easily, so I would be thrilled with a pound per week!

That's it for me today. Hope everyone has a wonderful, OP start to the month!

TTFN- Sharon

Your weight doesnt' come off as easy at it does for some of us cause you don't have but 16lbs to lose, the less you have to lose the slower it can come off!

The steppin up challenge actually starts, technically, on Sunday - but anyone is welcome to get started whenever they wish... I am wondering since that is a fitness oriented type of challenge - should we maybe repeat Dani's January challenge? I thought it was quite helpful...

AHHHH Laurie! You, sweet, innocent girl! I have a lot more to lose than 16 lbs, but at this point in my life, I will settle for that! Heck, I'd be thrilled to see 170 again! In all honesty, I need to lose about 30 lbs to be in my target goal per the govt guidelines, but I would have to live at a gym and never let a sweet pass my lips for the rest of my life to get there! hehehe!

My dream goal would be to get into a size 10. I am currently a size 14 (down from a 16). The 16 lb goal would get me to a size 12, which wouldn't be all that bad, but I would still be overweight at 164. I am just trying to be realistic with my goals, so that I don't set myself up to fail!

But I do agree, it is easier to drop 2 lbs a week if you need to lose a lot more than 16 to 20 lbs!

Morning all! I'm sitting at home today waiting on the DirecTV satellite installer. Vern the cat just brought me a toy to play with and he's sitting here howling for me to get up and play.

We have an update on the SILs. I talked to MIL last night who gave me the straight scoop.

Claire, who just turned 14 last week, has viral meningitis. She's home from the hospital, but still miserable. Doctors figure as long as she can keep down food and liquid, she might as well rest at home since there's not much they can do. She runs the fever up and down. They figure another week or so.

Mary is 32 weeks pregnant and on complete bed rest in the hospital. She has a very weak and thin uterine wall and they have her on 24 hour rupture watch. At 34 weeks, they are going to take the baby by C section and it will be in neonatal intensive care for a while. It's about 4 lbs right now, so the prognosis is good. She doesn't know yet if it's a boy or girl. She's bored out of her mind being in bed all day long.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

Susan,
I am glad Claire is home and doing better!
I will pray for Mary. I was on home modified bedrest from 27-37 weeks with DS in July and August of 2001 so I feel for her! I read a ton of books, tv and interenet shopping (much to DH dismay!) I swear that my son likes scarey things because I read so much James Patterson and Patricia Cornwell LOL!
One of the best things that anyone did for me (other than friends watching my two year old and DH keeping up with work, house and shopping) was my 18 year old neice who was a senior in high school at the time would come over once a week after school and paint my toenails! Sounds silly but it really gave me a lift!

I am headed into work for 1/2 shift 1-7 today then 7-7p tomorrow so I will try to check in! Everyone have a great couple of days!

Allie

I did it. I weighed in after the Vegas vacation. I took measurements, too. I am a glutton for punishment! (Damn, the food was good, though... my inner fat girl did have a great time!)

4 inches magically added themselves to my waist- I am going to assume some of that was from the amazing bloat I experienced after the flights to and from.

But I also gained back the five pounds I had lost- AGAIN. Since the trip has left me needing to strictly adhere to a budget for the next few months, I should be fairly successful at the sticking to the diet resolution.

This is the second time I've gained these five pounds back so I will be at the gym until further notice! Assuming my workout pants fit... ugh.

Hope everyone else is having a good day!

Okay Laurie - sending : Steven's way!!

It feels great to be able to be posting again. I thought maybe I was jinxed for a few days.

Sharon - sometimes its nice just to be home a day from work - just to catch up. I need me one of those days, too!! Unfortunately, its because of a sick child you are home - hope Bobby feels better soon. There is so much junk going around here.


Susan - I will be praying for Claire and Mary. Meningitis is scary!!

Allie - have a good day at work, today

Daisy - I missed the new challenge - I will check it out.

Welcome to all the newcomers - its great to have you here. And now, I am going to hit send before the system bumps me off

Lafayette - drink that water, add 10 or 15 minutes to your exercise, stay away from salt and I'll bet they'll both be gone (inches and lbs) in a week.

I am sooooo! I was such a today. I ate 3 slices of hawaiian pizza and a salad for lunch!!! This is why I hate working for a doctors office. they have soooo much food. Its hard to fight the temptation. And it was my favorite pizza too !!! I need to do better.......

Here is a guilty admission of mine: I actually do better in a situation with a lot of people. (This is the bad part - I am embarrassed by it, but it is true) I like to feel "superior" when I stay on target and everyone else gorges themselves. Isn't that awful? I don't ACT like that but in my head I am like "tsk tsk tsk - Hisper shame on all of you! I am so awesome to stick to the plan..."

Horrible -

And yet... effective...

I do the same thing. Co-workers will ask me, won't you eat all your food? And I'm proud to say, No, there is too much in that plate for me! It really does feel good not to eat everything.

Now if only I could do the same with my family!

But I have learned not to hate myself for eating too much! After all, it's not the end of the world! I used to make myself so miserable before. But no more. Remember that we are not on a diet! It's a lifestyle. We eat healthy and the pounds come off automatically. This is for life.

I LOVE Hawaiian Pizza!! YUM!