huntress - the exchange policy at BestBuy is good. I had a nice experience with credit toward a new phone in exchange for a broken and not-very-new one. If they're NOT nice then it's time to get - ahem - firm.

2 cents spoken here.

To keep it on topic: Hey! I've just discovered that I get 2 or possibly 3 points for my workout this morning depending on how I judge the intensity. 2 points is a Dove Miniature ice cream treat, hee hee. I must be in the honeymoon stage with this little program but it's working for me, man.

Cafe, the WW renegade - no meetings, bootleg pointfinder. It's like moonshine - only not. I knew there was a reason I stayed incognito.

I'm back and YOU GUYS ROCK!!! 3 whole pages to read, I am loving it!!!!

Well, let's see. I suck. Wasn't a good girl on the trip.

I packed snacks and actually ordered a Grilled Chicken Sandwich on the way down. Without fries, but they screwed up and packed an extra order in the bag, so what did I do? I ate them.

Then when we got there, we had subway, and I was good. (except for the Macadamia nut cookie I ate for dessert)

On our first day, we went to Silver Dollar City. It was fun, we rode all the rides and walked around in wet underpants all day. (serious chafing going on) But there was TONS of food there. I had a hotdog for lunch and a bag of chips. Then ate my daughters bag of chips. (Lays) I LOVE those salty chips.
I also ate a few bites of a cookie and then my diet went to **** in a handbasket when I tasted Kettle Korn for the first time. My girlfriend bought a bag for me and I munched on it all freaking day. Grrrrr....

Then when we came home, they made frozen pizza and I had a few slices of that too. Then more Kettle Korn of course.

Side note: One hour after we went on this one particular ride at Silver Dollar City...the walkway collapsed and 19 people were injured. Scary thinking that we had just been on it. Yikes.

We then did White Water on the second day, and I did walk around in a bathing suit all day. Cellulite was a flappin. There were a couple of women there that were bigger than me which made me feel better. But 94% of the women were smaller which made me sad and made me want a sandwich at the same time. We brought our lunch into the park, and I had a ham sandwich and some Doritos for lunch and then had a chicken sandwich for dinner that night. (MORE KETTLE KORN) I finished the bag though, so don't worry.

The good thing is, I walked up and down hills all day at SDC, and then at White Water, I must have walked up a billion stairs. So, between that and doing all the slides, I got a workout. I also got a burn, and I am about this red...

We left at 7:00 this morning to come home and I had a horrible breakfast of toast, eggs, bacon and hash browns. (With a Diet Coke, of course) and that was my meal for the day. I am going to have a Lean Cuisine here in a bit for my dinner...and then tomorrow, I am back on the program. I will do my walking and eat healthy. It helps to have some healthy food in the house, and the house is pretty bare right now.

Sinnrah, WELCOME!!! Nice to have some new blood here to liven us up and keep us on track so we look good. LOL, now that I have spilled the beans about my terrible eating on vacation. But, you know what? Vacation doesn't happen every day and I had fun and I didn't obsess over the food....All in all, I made some good choices too and DID get a lot of exercise. I will weigh in the morning, but I figure I have set myself back a week or two and that motivates me even more. So did seeing all those chicks in their bathing suits. I know I can look like that if I try.

Oh, and Cafe...No Texas connection for me either. Although, when I was about 20, this guy told me I looked like a Texas Cheerleader, tall with long dark hair. (he must have had some weird bizzare sexual fantasy thing going) and he called me Texas for a long time, but that is it.

Well.....I will hop on here in the a.m. and post the news from the scale, if you hear screaming...it's just me and I WILL get over it.

Glad to be home. Both my home and HERE. Good to come back to my friends and my support system.

Time to get serious about this body...while I was walking around in my bathing suit at White Water, I kept thinking I heard people applauding for me, but it was just my thighs slapping together.


Tiffany
Back in the house!

I LOVE KETTLE CORN! There is a festival thingy called Trail of Courage that makes my favorite. That festival isn't until October, I will be having me some! They make a microwave version, but I wont dare let myself even try it.
I'm making baked potatoes and grilled skinless chicken breast on the grill...cooking at this moment. Going to try eat'n the tater w/o butter...hope'n the grilled flavor will be enough.
Glad you are back Tiff!

Hi everyone......

Thanks for the info, I did talk to Sony today and they are going to check it out for me over the phone and possibly it is under warranty. Sorry again about the ranting and raving today.

Tiffany - It's so good to have you back! Missed ya girl. I'm glad you had a good trip. I figure with all that exercise you got, you should lose a few pounds! Vacations always renew my spirit and remind me how important it is get healthy and lose the weight.

Have any of you tried Blue Bunny frozen novelties? I was just thinking about them today. They are low or non fat and sugar free. Pretty good in the summertime when you want something cool and sweet. I haven't had any in a while and am thinking that I will go to Walmart and get some this weekend. They are usually 2 for $5 box of 12.

Have a nice evening all...........check in with you tommorow.

LJ
225/203/150

ps.........what is Kettle Corn, I've never heard of it.

OMG...it is EVIL in a bag.

It looks like regular popcorn, but it has a thin sugary coating on it. Kind of vaguely smells like carmel corn, with that sweet smell, but it's SO addictive, I can't stop eating it.

Glad my bag is empty...


Tiff

Kettle Corn...at the festival I like to get kettle corn they actually pop it in a huge black kettle and it looks like they are putting cornsyrup or something in the kettle. I might ask this year what they use. It is like carmel corn, but not as sweet. Tiff is so right, EVIL in a bag. Oh, and they wear pilgrim outfits...like that 's how they made popcorn back in the day. Makes it taste even better.

Oh darn! I wanted to get in here and post before Ms. Tiffany got back and found out that I haven't posted since she left. Didn't make it. Oh well. Maybe she won't notice. Maybe the soggy underwear has somehow temporarily water-logged her brain (hey, walking around all day in wet underwear has GOT to effect SOMETHING, wouldn't you think?) and I can slip in here before she sees me.

Truthfully, I've been in a funk lately, girls. Weight is up. Mood is down. Motivation is in the dumper. I do get to the gym but only half-heartedly. I eat whatever I want whenever I want and find myself feeling sick a little too often. Had the "vending machine special" for breakfast about half an hour ago and my stomach is retaliating. And yet, I am now craving Kettle Korn!!! Yes, I love the stuff too.

Tiff, you are so brave! I have not been seen in a bathing suit since God was a child and I don't plan to change that any time soon. We're going to a picnic at a coworker's house on Saturday. They have a pool and told me to bring my suit. Not going to happen. These are people I work with!! Ain't no way.

So anyway, Ms. Tiffany, sounds like you had a great vacation! Again, I wish I was brave and daring like you and could enjoy water parks and stuff like that. I love to swim but, like I said, wouldn't be caught dead in public in a suit. Maybe next year...just like I said last year.

All this talk of warranties and fixing appliances and such. Last week, the water dispenser on our new fridge started leaking. We scheduled service for July 12. Yes, the warranty ran out on July 13. So after Rich waited around all day long, the repair guy never showed, never called. After many phone calls (and much screaming ), we finally got the appt. rescheduled for yesterday. You guessed it. No longer under warranty and they tried to charge us. TRIED TO, I said. Boy is the president of a certain company getting a letter from me!! Jello needs her water!

I have to go now. My @!*# boss has just arrived at this #(*@ place and I have to do my %#@* job. Only 43 days to Scotland. Only 43 days to Scotland. Only 43 days to Scotland.....

See you guys!

Welcome back, Tiffany! Mmmmm Kettle Korn.... I don't think you did too bad at all, all things considered. Lots of exercise.

Jello - I was having that sort of week last week - trying half-heartedly but feeling like why bother. Just going through the motions, or skipping the motions when I was really, really crabby. It was all PMS trying to defeat me! I'm feeling SO much better this week. So what can I say but DON'T GIVE UP! All is not lost!

I was laying in bed last night thinking about this - and I thought: I wonder if it would help if I counted out the days until the next time this is going to happen and then make a plan that cuts me some slack during those days so I feel like I'm getting away with something but really doing better than I would if I tried to be totally good?

I remember that a long time ago (10+ years ago) when I was successful at losing weight that if I could just hold my weight steady during that week and not gain that I would then drop 5 pounds over the course of my period. Every time. In effect, I was more sure to lose during that time than the "good" portion of the month.

Anyway, hang in there, JO, through whatever crisis is nagging you. If anyone has any ideas on my little scheme let me know.

Hello!
Cafe, I had been wondering the same kind of thing...wondering if it's related to my cycle or my diet. I think I am going to start keeping notes in my food journal regarding my motivation and cravings...maybe there is some sort of pattern that I can learn to accept.
I've been up since 5am and haven't had breakfast...been to hectic, had to run to town. Need to eat and wake up that metabolism!
ttfn

Hi all!

I am not motivated in least to post today, but didn't want to lose track of you all. I'm doing OK with the eating, haven't walked in a couple of days but I found an old cassette tape this morning of 90's dance music and spent much of the morning dancing around my bedroom while getting ready to go to work. That really lifted my spirits since I miss going out on Saturday nights dancing with my friends. They all still go, but I am so stubborn about doing things with this extra weight. It's not like I can put on a cute little black cocktail dress and heels anymore, I am so self-contious that I just quit going. Who knows, maybe I will lose enough before the end of January that I can suprise them all and show up for the birthday party they have every year at that time.

Jello - Sorry to hear that you are having a rough time.

I'm glad that I don't live anywhere near where you get that Kettle Corn, sounds totally addiciting.

Have a good day..........later

LJ
225/203/150

OK, so I am going to give myself a swift kick in the behind

I just have a case of summertime blues, would much rather be out doing something fun instead of sitting in this office all afternoon with nothing to do. I am just going to try to make the best out of a not-so-great situation. Attitude is everything, isn't that right ladies.

Jello - I have been where you are.......try reminding yourself the reasons why you want to do this.

In fact, I have seen other threads that do just that......eveyone puts down their reasons for wanting to lose weight. Anyone want to do this?

Here are a few of mine.

1) To be able to put on that little black dress and feel good about the way I look.

2) To feel good physically

3) To be able to buy clothes in regular sizes and have them look nice.

4) To show all those people that never knew me before, that I'm not just that fat girl.

5) To be able to walk up to someone I haven't seen in a long time instead of hiding and hoping that they don't see me because I'm so embarrased about the way I look.

6) Goes with #5, so that the next time I see my old high school boyfriend that I ran into in the grocery store recently, he recognizes me. I swear this happened, I walked right by him and he never even noticed me...........why on gods green earth did I turn around and go back

OK, my pity party is over effective RIGHT NOW!

LJ

Awww Jo. Sorry about your funk. We do all get them. I think sometimes it is so hard to have so many things on our plates. Diet, exercise, work, family, friends...something has to give.

To be honest, I LOVE food. Maybe there is no actual deep rooted reason why I became fat other than I LOVE food. I love to go to the Olive Garden and eat like I am having my last meal. There is something comforting about eating hot delicious (fatty) foods with people you love.

So...sometimes when one side of my balance dips out of whack...I pick up on the other one. For example, if I am eating like an idiot and having too much fat, I try to pick up on my water consumption and maybe push the exercise a little more. When I am not wanting to exercise...(which is NOW) I try to cut back on the food a little. Most of the time this doesn't work... BUT...it is a plan.

Besides, look at how far you have came. If you keep going, (even with the slip ups) you will still come out WAY ahead. I know that even when I am being bad, I still try to make SOME good choices. LOL...that makes me feel like I am only being 70% bad. And that is better than being 100% bad.

This funk will not last. Do what you want for a while and you will be amazed at that little voice in your head. It will started whispering, then talking, and then pretty soon...it will be yelling at you and you will have no choice but to listen to it, if only to get it to shut up.

Things will work out. Just don't disappear from here. Things would not be as lively around here for sure.

Now..what is this Scotland thing? You must have posted it earlier and I missed it.

Tig and Cafe....I think the journal thing is a great idea, and maybe we would all benefit from learning more about our cycles and moods. Maybe then, we would have a "heads up" when something will happen!

Well, I did weigh this morning and it was fluctuating between 243 and 242....I was 241 when I left...so I will take that and be dang happy about it.

Back to work for me. Yogurt and banana for breakfast and healthy eating for the rest of the day.

The **** with one day at a time...this is one meal at a time.

Good to be back,
Tiff

Great idea! Here are 10 of my reasons for wanting to lose weight. 10 out of 4 billion.

1. To be able to go back to my high school reunion and have people be stunned by the transformation.

2. To be able to buy clothes off the rack in the normal section, and not have to buy Plus-Size any more.

3. To be able to run and play with the kids and not get winded.

4. To look great in a bathing suit.

5. To not sweat like a hog after simply walking up the front steps.

6. To know that when people are whispering about me, it's because they are jealous of my weight loss and not making fun of how fat I am.

7. To gain back my self-respect. To be able to hold my head up high and look people in the eye again.

8. To lose some of those dimples on my thighs. Well, I have a whole gallon of cottage cheese on them, but I'm being kind.

9. To be able to take a bath and fit better in the tub. (Right now, I can put a 1/2 inch of water in there and then sit down and the tub will fill up). Good for water conservation, but bad for my self-esteem.

10. And simply for my health, I want to lose some of these ailments that come with being overweight.

So many are the same as what u have already listed.
-dont want to hide when I see someone I know in public, i dodge isles at the store
-want to feel more sexy for DH (he says i'm fine the way i am, good boy)
-not hide when i get dressed
-to feel good physically, i think my back hurts because of the extra weight
-BATHING SUIT, SHORTS, TANKTOPS!
From Bob Greene Book..."In life, nothing stays the same. Your body is no different. It's always changing. And every day, you can choose whether to improve it or let it slide back."....

So, I waited too long to eat breakfast and ended up with 1/2 of a donut...custard filled long john. The day is not a wash, and I'm gonna ROCK the rest of the day!