I had a job interview yesterday, this time outside my agency. I think I did okay- it was round one with a panel,very short and they said if you get to round two, then you can ask questions, I wasn't allowed to ask any during it..Okay then! I felt good afterwards for awhile, then felt exhausted the rest of the day and ended up vegging in front of the tv all night.
I can't tell if I am getting a cold or just exhausted, hopefully the latter. I've been on the go for quite awhile with one thing or another, and being an introvert I wonder if I need more down time without talking to anyone. My new friend is very nice but he talks a LOT
My mom is going to stay home for now with more help, she doesn't want to go to the hospice place and it sounds like that makes sense as she is still pretty with it. My dad sounds okay with that, as long as he gets more help and she can still get out of bed.

Good morning coaches,

Food is on plan and weight is stable at the lower reading. I'm looking for a little loss soon. I've taken Otis for a walk and I'm leaving for a hike soon. I was hoping to hike Camelback, but there has been some rain this week and I'm leery of the rocks being slippery. The last thing I need is to take a tumble, so I'll do one with no rock climbing. After lunch I'm going to the gym with a friend. I am so bad at getting to the gym.

Curlyjax Good luck on the interviewing process. With my hike this summer I may meet up with a woman who is just an acquaintance for part of the hike. I've spoken with her on the phone a couple of times recently and she talks A LOT too. She seems so nice and has had a very interesting life, but I can hardly get a word in edgewise. I don't think of myself as a quiet person, but maybe I'm on that end of the spectrum. It may be that I'll be hiking the first 84 miles solo, so maybe I'll be happy to have the company by then.
Bill It sounds like the hockey game was really fun. I've been to one in Vancouver BC and it was business related, so in the box and all of that. It was very fun and then we walked back to the hotel in the snow. I'll never forget it.
Maryann Good job getting back on plan quickly. I'm so glad for you that the student is getting moved. Hopefully that will make things a little easier.
Penny My weight loss is quite slow too. I have only had the digital scale since the first part of December, but it really is something how it shows such small increases and decreases. I popped up after having the beers and few cookies. Now I'm back to the lowest again. I do like the Happy Scale ap . . . at least the picture shows the loss.

Okay, it's cool here today, but I better get out there and get my hike. Have a great day everybody!

Food OP except for a small amount of rice cleaning up after dinner. I really need to nail down a procedure for that time period. But I’m proud of the other 23 hours and fifty five minutes.
A Kings’s game tonite which means an all you can eat buffet. I will do what works: no sweets at game/ treat before I go.

BBE | I have never seen a hockey game. I always thought it would be hard to follow the puck.
Curleyjax: high emotional situations take lots of time and space. You have had yr share this year. Easy does it.
Karen: I envy your work out buddies. I have none that are close. It is my retirement goal to do lots of Sierra meet ups to find folks.

Good morning!

Yesterday was on plan and weight is down a smidge. We'll see if it goes back up, or if progress is being made.

It turns out my giant pot of soup is super yummy! I'm looking forward to having it again today...and prob all week.

Maryann, credit for the 23 hours 55 minutes on plan! Yes, I am now 17.2 pounds to goal.

Bill, the hockey game sounds like a fun time. I've only been to one and just remember being very cold.

Curly, sending good wishes for the potential job! I'm glad your mom is still strong enough to get up and that she's getting more care to help relieve your dad's responsibilities.

Karen, dog walk, hike, and gym on the same day! Kudos!

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Exercise was chase the (3 yo) DGD day, CREDIT moi. She spent hours climbing a neat plastic structure, accompanying her moves with a running commentary, e.g. "I'm moving my leg over the bar." Up and then down. Up and then down. Without slowing one bit. DW was exhausted; I came home and passed out for an hour. Am grateful that we had our two kids when we had more energy. She had a valentine from her best friend that'd arrived in the mail; she'd slept with it the night before. She read it to us again and again, showing us the three hearts that her friend had attached and the stamps that she had added. Striking reminder that kids at that young an age have deep friendships.

Eating was good, CREDIT moi, because there's no room for snacking when chasing the DGD. My walk today will be to return the book about Edwina the Dinosaur who didn't know she was extinct. I love the attitude. She just didn't care that she was extinct; she continued to bake chocolate chip cookies for all the kids.


maryann - Kudos, indeed, for "23 hours and fifty five minutes." I found it easy to follow the puck at the hockey game. What I didn't find easy was understanding why the puck was passed the way it was, e.g. behind the net to whoever grabbed it. In basketball, each pass makes sense to me.

Karen (karenrn) - Your hockey game in Vancouver BC sounds magical. Congrats for being aware that taking a tumble isn't a good idea for a grown up.

curlyjax - Neat to have made the decision to keep your mom at home for now. An interview can be exhausting.

Penny. - Yay for a soup good enough to want to have it for a week.

Readers -

Good morning. OP. I faced numerous challenges yesterday in terms of sweets and said “No Choice.” It struck me that turning down 7 opportunities for overeating doesn’t matter if I overeat on the eighth. That fact could lead to resentment But for today I am looking at it as 8 ways to be good to myself. Today is planned and I will go to gym. My continuing focus for the week is to only eat to satisfied even if that means not finishing my treat.

Good morning!

Yesterday was on plan, with cycling class, and weight is holding.

Nothing much going on here to report. I'm still in a slump but feeling a pull to do more of the group exercise classes at the rec center. Maybe!

Bill, kudos for wearing yourself out at the park and avoiding snacks. That sounds like high praise for a preschooler. A sticker for you! the DGD keeps you moving.

Maryann, credit for staying on plan, and you're so right about the decision to overeat voiding out the earlier decisions not to. "Not part of my plan, no choice!" as Beck would say.

Coaches:

Still struggling with my foodplan, my weight, my eating and overeating and even binge eating. I find myself doing things I had left behind for years. All of a sudden the behaviours are back with a vengeance and I know the only thing that works is a big fat N.O. NO sugar. No snacks. No eating after 7. No "winging " it. Yes to support and reading and listening to supportive materials: books blogs stories of success.

Coming here to post and let it go and commit to work a program.

BillBlueEyes: The Boston Bruins were one of the "original 6" NHL teams. I am shocked you have never been to a game but happy you have discovered the sport of ice hockey. Here in Toronto the Maple Leafs are known far and wide to be dismal and horrible and yet their fans (not us) sell out the arena downtown for every game. Apparently our team (Ottawa Senators) are also dismal right now due to a horrible owner, Eugene Melnyk and a bureaucratic nightmare of trying to move a stadium from the east end of Ottawa to downtown. Ottawa is not the sports twon all the sports muckymuks say it is... Here is a link to Don Cherry, long time CBC hockey commentator who breaks down all hockey stuff every game. (This channel has the Canadian subtitles.) He was a Bruins coach and often refers to his time there. Take a peek and see if your understanding of the game improves. I look forward to your thoughts. BTW he has a personal tailor who makes him bespoke suits. He chooses his own fabrics, often from the upholstery section.

to all.

Just a quick check in. Weight is stable, food on plan but plan increased a bit yesterday. I'm doing a very strenuous hike today called the Superstition Ridgeline so I had spaghetti for dinner, not a huge portion, but not mini either. I went to the gym yesterday rather than a hike. I hope you all have a great Friday and I'll let you know how it goes. I'm picking up hiking Suzanne at 5:15 and we're heading out to meet the group. It's a one way hike, so we need to put a car on each end. The new hike leader is leading us.

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Walk, CREDIT moi, included the local hardware store where I got a circular fluorescent bulb for the magnifying lamp on my desk and a pair of four-prong fluorescent bulbs for the bathroom overhead light. Easy peasy right? Well, the bathroom fixture started with one of two bulbs working. Now, neither of them works even though one was burning bright while I was up there. Can't believe that one of the new bulbs and the working bulb have both failed at the same instant. Of course I checked the circuit breaker. Today when the light is strong, I'll go up there and check all the little plugs of the fixture. Might be the first time in my life that I've been unable to replace a light bulb.

Stopping at the library just had to happen to balance stopping at a brick-and-mortar bookstore. More books than I can possibly read. Picked up one new book for the DGD after returning three. DW insisted that I bring home no more than one, "The crate is full!" Too many books is just right for the DGD since it's just right for me.


onebyone - Thanks for the briefing about the National Hockey League. You inspire me to get myself to a Boston Bruins game. Oddly enough, today is the anniversary of the date in 1967 marking the longest losing streak in Toronto Maple Leaf history (10 games). I was brought up to believe that U.S. hockey teams could NEVER play as well as Canadian teams. Then it became normal just to hire Canadian players. Congrats to your Ottawa Senators who did win last night. Next time you figure out an excuse to be in Boston, I'll take you to a Bruins game so you can explain to my why they're passing the puck in such odd ways.

maryann - Kudos for using “No Choice.” - what a gift that notion is.

Karen (karenrn) - Have a good hike today.on the Superstition Ridgeline. You athletes need your spaghetti.

Penny. - Ouch for the slump with Kudos for continuing to mush forward.

Readers - day 21 Get Ready to Weigh In

Good Morning,

Yesterday was 100% OP. I'll ditto yesterday's food plan to match the success. This weekend has another pair of challenges: a surprise birthday and another King's game. I don't want that scale floating up again. Gym tonite no choice.

Penny: Super credit for all you have accomplished. That is an impressive weight loss. It certainly slows down when you get closer to goal. The last five pounds for me is another ending challenge.
BBE: Isn't there an old joke "How many scientists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?" There are never too many books for the little ones.
onebyone: So glad you checked in. I know that feeling of being adrift. this is the place to be.
Karen: Good luck on the Superstition.

I have two, three day weekends in a row. I am really looking forward to them. My current job is much less strenuous than any other position I have ever held and yet I seem to still be drained often. My shrink says I am still recovering from the terrible mood swing of the summer and fall. Maybe that is true. In any case, I am showing up for all aspects of life - family food relationships, work relationships - so I am giving myself credit.

Good morning!

Yesterday was on plan and weight went right back up where it has been stalled. Hmmm.

Onenyone, getting started is always the hardest part. Credit for checking in and feeling motivated.

Karen, have a fun hike with your friend and group!

Bill, too many books is a great number to have! Credit for the walk.

Maryann, credit for the on plan day! Truth be told, I could probably lose another 30 so I'm going to have to get past these stalls.

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Alas, the hyacinth I bought DW two weeks ago have finally projected their last aroma. The original bunch had been reduced to one last flower in a bud vase; the others had expired. That was one long lasting bunch of flowers. I hadn't seen them in the store before; I haven't seen them since. What serendipity.

Walk, CREDIT moi, was, once again, to the library because my copy of Chris Christie's book, Let Me Finish was waiting for me. I look forward to reading a sleazy book of revenge. I have no illusion that I'll learn more about the current administration or about Bridgegate in New Jersey of a few years ago. But I will have a small-minded laugh as one politician goes after others. This despite my reading stack growing dangerously tall. Maybe I'll just read the first chapter then return it for the other vultures on the waiting list.


maryann - I do admire your perspective, "I am showing up for all aspects of life." Have fun at your King's game.

Penny. - Yep, the scale readings do their own thing. Kudos for on plan - that's what matters.

Readers -

Hi coaches! The good news is I have a second interview scheduled next week. The bad news is now I have a sore throat and feel cruddy again. It’s going to be a very busy week and I need time to prep for this interview, I really can’t be sick now. I guess i’m just going to have to push thru and do what I can, it’s not the end of the world if I don’t get it.
I have been eating too many sweets again which doesn’t help. Well, onwards.
Penny- I’m sorry about the stalls, that is indeed frustrating.
Bill-long lasting flowers are the best! Your book sounds fun.
Maryann- you’re doing great with your plans for challenges
Karen- hope the hike went well!
Onebyone-I’m struggling too. Great idea to seek out supportive materials.

Good morning coaches,

I'm on a high from the great hike yesterday. It was easier for me than it has been the other two times I've done it and I think the most recent was 5 or 6 years ago. I was a bit anxious beforehand because I was afraid our leader would go way too fast up the initial part which is a climb and 2800 feet elevation gain. He told me he typically does it in 2 hours and I thought, oh no. We did it in 2 hours 10 minutes which for me is incredible. It was 8 hours of hiking time and a total of 1 hour or breaks. Suzanne had a rough time with all the down, but never a word of complaint. For some reason she thought the top of the Ridgeline would be flat. Oops, I thought telling her it's the toughest hike I have ever done would tell her something. There are several chutes to climb up even after we get up to Flatiron. Anyway, I took enough food, ate before I needed it so I wouldn't bonk, had macaroni and cheese for dinner and lost 1/2 pound. Besides that I'm not even sore this morning, which luckily for me is pretty typical. I truly do feel blesses and only hope I can keep doing this kind of thing for years. It is truly my passion. My weekend plans are, maybe the gym for upper body stuff and get the food planned for the week. I have another great 14 mile hike to Reavis Falls on Monday. I'm so glad to have found this new hiking group!

Curlyjax Congratulations for being called for a second interview. I hope you can limit your list of things you need to do and put taking care of yourself at the top of the list.
Bill Today's quote works great for me, "we celebrate every half pound loss".
Penny It is so frustrating to see the weight go up and down. I have seen a lot of it lately, especially with the digital scale.
Maryann You are showing up in every way. Have a great on plan weekend. That reminds me, I'd better make my plan.
Onebyone Good luck getting things turned around. It sounds as if you have the plan in place.