Hello Ladies

The week is off to not a very good start for me. Yesterday was crazy, and I didn't do any exercise except for my yoga class and running. I didn't make it to bed until after 10:30 pm and then we talked a bit, which made it even later. This morning I woke up around 5:30 am, so I'm feeling tired. And I might have to stop my 21-day challenge until next week or so, I just won't be able to do all that exercise every day with the Olympics and all.

It's February 14th, and I haven't met my weight mini goal. The scale showed 134 and tad this morning, which is a lot better than nearly 138 last week (still don't know where that came from!), but nowhere near 132. I knew I wouldn't get there, but I was hoping for 133... which, interestingly, was my intial goal for Valentine's Day, before I amended it.
Not too sure whether to put a new goal in place or not... part of me wants to aim for 132 for the end of the month, part of me wants to make it 129, part of me wants to just decide on a goal for March 20th (after that it's my big camping trip) but isn't sure if I could come up with a realistic one right now. One thing I know I will do will be to lock the scale in the closet and only take it out on Tuesday mornings!

My challenges for this week:
- not to get discouraged about not having met my weight mini goal
- no food after 7 pm and in bed with lights off by 10 pm (a bit of flexibility allowed if skating runs late and on the weekend)
- stability ball workout & midriff moves (at least 5 days out of 7)
- no more than one coffee per day

Short post just to say I only lost 3lbs but I'll take it!

Sushi 134 is closer to 132 than 138! You are doing so well and you are so close. Hang in there.

Mscat , ONLY 3 pounds? What kind of ungrateful wretch are you? Only three pounds my a**. Ha!

I'm down one pound, wishing it were three. And no, we're never satisfied, are we!

Sushi, you're doing well, going the right way. I predict a big loss one of these weeks. Maybe even 3 lbs like our cat!

Must rush... Can't count Tuesday as a success either - I was feeling tired and had a second coffee, which ended up being a very bad idea because it made me feel sick and nauseous. And then I didn't get to bed till almost 10:30 pm even though I could have made it by 10:05 pm or so.

However, I do have a S.T.I. moment to report! My boyfriend's mother makes this fruit crumble thing, which this time ended up very sweet because of the fruit she used (berries). I had some on the weekend, and it was way too sweet for me (just in taste, not talking about calories). Yesterday evening the whole family was having it again, and I was wondering if I'd get offered some. Nobody would have minded if I just grabbed some, but I didn't want to do that because of my challenge, especially since it was after 8 pm. But I was considering eating if someone offered a portion. To place the blame on someone's ivitation, I guess, bad me! Nobody did - probably because I had a bit of a go at Steve about the fact that I decide whether this is sweets or not, no matter what's inside and how many calories it has. I was tempted to have some anyhow, but... I didn't!!!

Carla - you are right! I was fishing for a big pity party. I am actually proud of my accomplishment especially since I had a splurge day in there! Love the bellydancer and here is a and a for your pound down!

Bonnie - we've been missing your sunshine. Glad to know everything is alright. Looking forward to having you back with us soon.

I almost had an STI moment today - my boss delivered girl scout cookies I ordered. I had forgotten about them. I left them in the bag and didn't even bother see what I ordered. Then my girlfriend asked me if she could taste the new shortbread cookies. I opened a package and had two with her. Then I closed up the box and put them back in the bag. I think I am going to take one box home to DH and give to my VP to serve at the Toastmasters meeting next week so I won't be tempted anymore! I won't be there because I am going to Houston with DD to see my family

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

i've been doing not too badly - not much time to misbehave between work and boot camp/spinning! But tonight the condo "social committee" had a Valentine's wine and dessert evening, and of course I succumbed. It was actually quite funny - in keeping with Valentine's, they served Mateus rosé wine. Flashback to university in the late 60's, we thought we were so cool and sophisticated with our slightly cheap pink wine! I realised it was time to leave when I started singing chug-a-lug... Especially since 5 am will come early tomorrow.

Apart from one evening where I had pity party post-divorce melt down insomnia, I've been in bed and asleep early every night. Still not enough sleep, as I can't seem to have lights out before 10 at the earliest, but it's better than 2 am. And I've been getting my exercise, which I think is my challenge this week. Monday, boot camp. Tuesday, early morning spin class. Tomorrow, boot camp... I didn't like the mornng spin at all. I always hate the BOOMING THUDDING LOUD music with plenty of BASS, but it's even worse at 6:30 when you're half asleep. I thought I'd spin in the morning since the cats have decided they really like the 5 am wake-up routine (they adapted within about 18 minutes). I can't sleep in whether I want to or not. Why, oh why did I decide to adopt cats? Anyway, I think I'll go back to evening spinning when I don't have to actually hear anything after...

Sushi, if your running seems heavy going right now, maybe you need to cut back for a few days? Do you run EVERY day? Rest days are important too, and you could always do some other type of exercise on rest days. Other possibilities: try doing intervals on some days, maybe a little hill running, anything to mix it up and make it more interesting. Also, if you can get the BF to run with you, it'll make it a lot less of a drag. I always found more joy in running with others.

Bonnie, glad to see you back, and I want to see you back in onederland RIGHT NOW!!!!! Enough dithering already. Carla has spoken.

Mscat, or should I say , congrats on the control with the cookies. Yes, you ate a couple, but then you stopped. Much better than my Val party munchies...

Gotta sleep. Hugs to you all.

Sushi, isn't it a pain when the people we're subconsciously counting on to corrupt us don't? But kudos to you for not finding some excuse to eat the crumble anyway!

Darn, I had another STI momen to post, and now I can't remember what it was... grrr!

Carla, yea, I run every day. I'm still not a fan, and I know that if I stop for a day, that will quickly become 2 days and so on... Same problem with interval - the first minutes are the toughest for me, so I don't think I could go through the first few minutes several times! At the moment, the plan for next month is to build myself up to longer runs and do it every other day, but this month I do want the push. I don't want to, but I will cut down the time if I continue struggling.
Steve comes with me 5 times out of 7, runs with me some days, but usually just walks, carries my water bottle and keeps an eye on my pace. It's a great encouragement because sometimes I nearly can't anymore, and he's a bit behind or ahead, I tell myself "I'll just run to where he is." Usually it goes "can't give up just yet" then "I'll just go to the end of the road and then stop if I can't anymore" then "just a bit more" and then "only 2.5 minutes left, I might as well continue".

I'm thinking that the struggle over the last few days might be caused by my overall tiredness, which is a result of not getting enough sleep. I'm up by 6 am this week, and haven't made my 10 pm goal yet (watching skating on TV, and won't give it up!!!), and I need to be in bed at least 8.5 hrs before the alarm goes off because it usually takes me time to fall asleep. Looking forward to Thursday when I'll be able to make it to bed by 10!

I remembered!
This morning, I was about to step on the scale - something I've been doing every day over the last weeek and a half, and something I want to stop as I posted earlier. That'a partially because it's now standing in washroom I use, before I had to ask Steve to get it for me from downstairs from the other washroom on weigh-in days (I don't go in that part of the house). I guess he got tired of taking it up and down all the time, and it's been in our washroom recently. I was about to step on it, but instead put it in the cupboard to take out next week. This will stop me from obsessing about daily fluctuations.

Mind if I join???? I would like to start a weekly challenge. I am having problems keeping with the 21-day challenge for my exercise....I am thinking if I do a couple 1-weekers that I will be ready to start back at the 21day thing soon. SOOO here is my challenge.

7days= 30 mins of exercise of any kind... just pull up your big-girl panties and do it!

sorry I've been missing again..I've been sick for 2 days now..I lost my voice yesterday...I din't get any exercise in on monday but did manage to get in 23 minutes yesterday on bike
I was down 1.2lbs for last week..
Sushi - your doing great...your at least moving in the right direction...you were so close...you just have to hang in there
mscat - 3lbs is awesome...I think were all jealous of you...I know I am...I've only been losing an average of 1lb per week...great STI with the cookies

I would like to join this challenge If I may. I weigh in every single day. I think I have learned very well how to maintain. I want to stop weighing every single day. I do want to weigh on Saturday, because that is my weigh in day. If this challenge continues, I will add something every week to work on. But the scales is a good starting place for me. I have got to start losing weight.

Good morning Ladies

Thursday here, no skating on TV tonight, so I actually WILL be in bed by 10 pm - I'm sure I couldn't stay up longer than that even if I tried! Yesterday the coverage didn't start till 9:30 pm, and alpine skiing was first... I was nearly falling alseep in front of the TV, as skating didn't start till 10:30...
So no luck with Wednesday either. It looks like I didn't think my challenge through this week ... I knew I had to get up by 6 am, hence early bedtime, but I forgot about the Olympics - even though I did have the broadcast times noted. But I'll do the exercise part today for sure.

Running was a bit better. I really didn't feel like it, and it was a struggle from the very start, but I told myself I'd do at least 5 minutes. I ended up pushing myself and running to the end of the road and bit back, to a total of 10 mins, and couldn't continue because of some strange lower abdominal pain (the nasty cramps, but for no reason - there was a bit of discomfort earlier in the day, no idea why...). Spent the next ten minutes sitting on a fallen tree in a fetal position... Then it got better, so I decided to walk back home and all of a sudden felt a lot better. So I walked back to the end of the road, and ran all the way back and a bit more, hitting 13.5 mins, and it felt great. I'll see how today goes.

Hi Ladies - it was great to see so many posts from old and new friends!

Living4Him to our lovely group sounds like this is a great place for you to work on your challenges. We post our weight losses on Monday a.m. so just let us know on Monday how you did on your Saturday weigh-in. We want you to continue doing what ever works for you and We are here to support you in STOPPING THE INSANITY! with everything else that doesn't work for you.

JTC to you too! I love your "big girl panties." I an going to start referring to mine in that endearing way. Great goal and just keep in mind - 3 weeks of a challenge is a 21 day!

Sushi - congrats on your STI moment resisting the crumbly thing after 8 and putting the scale up. I am a scale addict too, especially now that scale is constantly moving down!

dg - happy to hear from you again and for your 1.5 lbs down!

carla - for getting to bed closer to your time. I know what a struggle it is to get into bed on time. I keep saying 10 p.m. too! You are leading the pack because it's still 12 and 1 a.m. for me. Perhaps I will grow up in the next week or two and be more like you.

Have a great day Ladies!