Welcome, Nancy and Patience. It's good to have you join us.

I'm reporting a teeny weeny loss - 0.2 - not as much as I would have liked but at least in the right direction. I've also set a little goal for myself - In the next month I want to lose the 2 pounds I gained a couple of weeks ago and lose 1 more. It will be challenging with the holidays and while I don't often like to set these little goals ('cause I never seem to make them) I figure I need a little help for the toughest part of the year (for me). I did so-so over the weekend although I did do a couple of good workouts (and finished the draft of my paper on Saturday!) Yesterday was tough - we got the tree and put it up although we didn't decorate it yet and then we went to Krista's. It was great to see her and Anthony but she had gone out and bought bagels. At first, I only had a half - then I had the other half! It was around lunchtime and I had one - 6 points is way too much for lunch on core but at least we had an all core dinner. I'm going to have to watch my weekly point allowance carefully now (and had a couple of non-core snacks last night).

I'm home today (although I have class tonight). I woke up about 3 times during the night and at 4 am I had a headache - not a migraine but a sinus-like headache. Anyway at 6:30 when the alarm went off, I was exhausted and my head still ached so I called in sick. I'm feeling better now but am going to take it easy until I have to go to school tonight.

Have a great one!
Judy
163.6/154.4/135
227/240 workouts

Welcome Nancy and Patience.

Judy - hope you're feeling better. Ouch re the bagel, but a core dinner is a good meal. Congratulations on your loss - no matter how small. I've given up on time limited goals - I generally don't make them due to my tendency to plateau for weeks at a time. In the past I've gotten grouchy with myself for not making a certain weight by a specific date. I thought of you when I read the SDP this morning - have a peek.

All's well with me. TOM arrived y'day and today I've spent most of the day in the bathroom losing the ton of water I've been carrying around with me all week. I did my annual baking session at my best friend's place on Saturday. I do her baking and she pours the wine and does the dishes. Had some nibbles of shortbread and almond roca, but did quite well overall. I don't bake at home for the holidays anymore. None of us need the extra zillion calories. I buy what we want in small quantities. Yesterday I bought two wee little pannetones instead of the two huge ones we usually get. They're stashed out of reach until closer to Christmas.

Better go & make a dent in the supper dishes. Have a great day.

Karen

Hi all.

Patience - Welcome. As for the small gain, if you're back on the wagon it will be gone in no time.

Judy - Happy Hannukah! Yay for the loss, even though it's smaller than you would have liked. It's still a loss! And congrats on getting that first draft of the paper done. I hope your headache is a thing of the past.

Karen - MMM - pannetone. I wish you lived nearby - I'd happily pour you wine and do the dishes if you did the baking. We'll be doing some cookies tonight, but from the pre-prepared dough. Ana's school sells it as a fund raiser.

It's a busy couple of weeks. Ana's had three diagnostic sessions already and has to do another one, plus she has two scheduled visits with the school psychologist - one this week and one next week. After that, I think we're done with evaluations, at least until after Christmas. I've been trying to come down with something - I was running a small fever yesterday. Eating has been so/so, but the sneak peek has been good. I'm hoping it will hold out until tomorrow. I'm definitely not getting in enough water. And now I must run to pick up Ana.

Talk to you all tomorrow.

Carla

Karen - I just read through the last two SDP's. Did you think of me because of the knitting or the cookies? It soundsl like you did great at the baking get together. I'm going to try to leave the cookies (in tupperware) out on the porch this year and see how that goes. I'm not willing (or ready) to give up the whole thing - after all, I've only had an opportunity to bake cookies like this is in the last 10 or so years! I *wish* TOM would come - I'm in the throes of PMS!

Carla - I'm sorry to hear that you have been sick. I swear by zinc - in the form of Zicam. While I'm fighting off a cold now, I seem to be winning so far (shhhh!!) Wow, that's a lot of evaluations but I'm glad to hear that they are "getting on it". Thanks for the Hannukah wishes! It was so nice to light candles tonight - it gets dark so early these days.

I woke up tired (went to bed too late) and feeling like I was fighting off a head cold (maybe the reason for the sinusy headache yesterday) but I've been feeling better as the day (and evening) have gone on. It's that Zicam, I swear. I did some freestyle upper body weights in gym class today. I handed in my last paper tonight and am done with school for the week. I'm giving myself this weekend to do holiday stuff and then I'll start to study for finals next week.

Time to start getting ready for bed. I have my early morning ELA session to cover tomorrow and need to get a good night's sleep!

Have a great one,
Judy

Happy Hannukah, Judy! It was the knitting that made me think of you, not the cookies, I swear! I'm hoping your cold symptoms don't come to anything. I've had a tiny little cold for about 2 weeks, just enough to be annoying in the morning and evening, but not enough to feel rotten about. Good for you for getting that paper turned in.

Carla, I hope you're feeling better! Being feverish is miserable. I'm glad that Ana's assessments are moving along. I'd be happy to do your baking for you. I love to bake, but hate the clean up after. Mike tried to break into the pannetone this evening, but I think I have him convinced to wait another week! Hope your good sneak peak holds out.

A couple of food challenges on the horizon: tomorrow is a Christmas luncheon at a nice restaurant; that shouldn't be too bad. Thursday is my work Christmas party, which involves a buffet and many desserts. Willpower will be in order for that one. I did 30 minutes on the treadmill this evening, and did 20 minutes of chest/shoulder/bicep/tricep work before dinner. If it's not raining tomorrow morning I'll take the dogs for an early morning romp.

Talk tomorrow...

Karen

Just dropping in quickly to post a 1.4 lb loss. I love re-doing my ticker!
Have a great day, everyone.

Karen - wow! Congratulations on making it over the 25 pounds lost - fabulous! I hope you get rid of that cold soon - I'm not there yet - and I swear, that Zicam just keeps it from getting any worse. Good luck at the luncheon and especially at the Christmas party. I'm sure you know a whole bunch of strategies to help at buffets - here's some {{{{{WILLPOWER}}}} coming your way!

I am definitely in the throes of PMS, and having bought some candy to put into packages for my Secret Santa at work has not helped! I am going to try to have a totally core day today - which is what I need since I have NO weekly points left! I did come home and do 1/2 cardio yesterday and managed to not snack until later in the evening. Today, I'm going to exercise either during gym period or when I get home (or both) and try to have no more than 2, totally core snacks. I should pick up my knitting again (thanks for the reminder, Karen) later in the evening. My wrist has been fine recently (no carpal tunnel symproms) and I've been OK when my hands have been busy (like ont he computer) but fall off the wagon once they are free. KNitting will keep them busy later - maybe I can squeeze out a maintain if I can stay OP for the next two nights!

Have a great one!
Judy

Hi all...

Taking a break from paper pushing for a few minutes. Someone here just thoroughly ticked me off, so I've come here instead of to the vending machine.

Judy - thanks for the extra willpower for the buffet tonight. I did great at lunch yesterday; I had a salad with walnuts, cranberries, apple and bacon and just a taste of tiramisu. I'm going to get started on some knitting too. My niece works in a craft store; I will drop in and see what she has. My problem when knitting is dog hair! With 3 dogs in the house, I always seem to get strands of hair knitted into whatever I work on. Ick. Be strong with the PMS; I always feel like someone slightly evil has taken over my body when I get it.

Nothing much to report. Did some squats and back dumbbell work yesterday. I'm going to leave work early this afternoon and take the dogs out for a run before I have to come back for the Christmas party. I'm taking the day off tomorrow to do some shopping and general Christmas preparations.

All for now...

Karen

Very quiet here these days.

Dinner went well. I've grocery shopped and Christmas shopped this morning, and I'm very close to being finished with Christmas shopping. I usually start around the 22nd. I just made a great salad with baby romaine, oil & vinergar, almonds, avocado, apple and parmesan for lunch, it was delish to say the least.

Off to the beach with the dogs now.

Have a good weekend.