Hi ladies-

Sorry I have been MIA. I had an emergency situation I had to take care of with my boyfriend. I have been out of town sti am until tomorrow. My eating hasn't been the best because I have only been eating one meal a day and drinking lots of diet soda and coffee to keep the adrenaline going and handle what I need to handle. I won't weigh in this week until friday.

Marie- I am glad your trip was so nice.

Carol- So sorry to hear about your cousin. My thoughts are with you.

Penny- That coconut shrimp sounds great. Hawai would be nice right about now.

Judy- i dont know how my arm is.. It stil hurts a bit but I am running on pure adrenaline now so I cant feel as much pain. I guess I will find out thursday how I actually feel once I am home and can relax a bit. I am glad your knee is better.


ttyl
Nikki

Hi all, I just lost my whole post - incoming message startled me and somehow I deleted everything... and it was such a good post. Very witty...

So to try again...

Nikki, I hope your emergency with your BF is resolved positively and quickly. One meal a day is bad, but we all have to do what we can do in hard situations. Our thoughts are with you.

Carol, since you're sending feelers out about a new position, you might want to make a pro and cons list of leaving. If it's just the irritating idiot, perhaps you could talk to you wonderful boss about putting physical space between you - such as a different office, cubicle, dividing wall, etc. She might want to keep you enough to go the extra mile if she knows you'd be willing to leave because of this person. And if you get a job offer, you can look at the list and really make a good decision that's best for you. Remember the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. You have a nice boss and that's a rarity - and 5 weeks vacation is nothing to sneeze at.

I faced the devil this morning. It's been 1 month since I last weighed in. I was going to wait another week, but decided to unbury my head. It was ugly. Really, absolutely ugly. There's a reason I felt fat - I gained 5 pounds in the last month. Eeks. The evil scale chortled at me and I didn't drop kick it into the pool. I'd sort of expected it. I truly thought 2-3 but I will deal with the 5. Nothing as motivating as an evil scale. I took my tracker off as it's wrong and I didn't feel like changing it. I will let you know when it's accurate again.

Yesterday's stats: 1539 calories, 1.1 miles walking, .4 miles jogging, and .25 miles swimming.

I'm pleased that I got my calories back in control. today is day 3 of being on track. I hope it stays relatively easy.

This morning I added 2 miles biking as my knee is getting bothersome. Believe it or not, the walking/jogging doesn't hurt but after sitting for a while it stiffens up pretty quickly. DS1's orthepedist told him to use the exercycle to strengthen his knee - he didn't but I will give that a go. Pretty soon I'll have to admit there's a problem if it doesn't get better.

Time to work...
Marie

Nikki, I hope you and the BF are okay.

Carol, your clients are lucky to have you on their side! I hope that the one difficult person doesn't drive you away from your work.

Penny, hanging out on the river and in the Pearl District sounds wonderful. That's such a neat area.

Marie, after work today I will go to the bookstore and buy one of those skinny calorie-counting notebooks, and starting tomorrow I will post my calorie count here everyday. It's July, and I won't come anywhere near my 2007 goal if I don't suck it up and focus! Years ago those little books helped me lose over 60 pounds. I just purely hated all that tracking, but that beats weighing over 200 pounds for the rest of my life. I have to admit that nothing else is rally working for me, and I've been backsliding like nobody's business for a month now. So there's nothing to it but to do it!

judy

Marie - Give your scale a good kick from me! Don't worry, the pounds will come off quickly now that you're back on track. I think it's a good idea not to have to stick 100% to your eating plan when you're on vacation, otherwise you just feel deprived and miserable. It's the other 300-odd days of the year that count. I hope your knee gets better. Mine was "cured" by doing lots of leg lifts, lunges and squats at Curves. I started out really slowly and carefully and built the reps up. My thigh muscles are a lot stronger now and that helps support my knee. You can do the same exercises without any machines if it's ok with your doc, I guess it depends what's wrong with your knee.

Judy - You and me both! It's just too depressing when the pounds start sneaking back on when we've worked so hard to get them off! I've been backsliding and have only just knuckled down and started keeping track the last couple of weeks. I seem to be heading in the right direction again. No more backsliding for us - we can do it!

Carol - I'm with Marie on being cautious about "jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire". You have a good thing going with a nice boss and 5 weeks vacation. Don't let one aggravating coworker spoil it for you. Maybe you need to do a little confrontation (not something I'm good at) but it might clear the air and let the person know that you've got her number. A private word with your boss might help too, especially if you drop hints that you might not be able to continue working there under the circumstances.

Nikki - I hope everything is ok with you and your bf and that your arm is feeling better.

I'm down another 1/2 pound Not official yet till Friday, but at least I'm no longer gaining.

Well girls the ----- hit the fan today. My boss came in and told me she was sorry about confronting me last week but the info. the other person gave was not accurate and she found out I was the one telling the truth about it. The other girl stuck her nose where it didn't belong confused a whole lot of stuff trying to look good and make me look bad. It back fired but I did show my supervisor that I was at my end of the line and was ready to look for something else showing her the resume on my desk. She said no way then said please give me a chance to straighten things out your good and I don't want to lose you. She actually tried hard all day to let me know that too. Well I sent out the resume but didn't tell her doubt I will even get a call on it and if I do I will follow up to ck it out never hurts to look. But you are all right 5 weeks vac. a yr. from Sept. is nothing to sneeze at. I also really do like my boss and my clients as well. Most of my coworkers are great just a couple bad apples. I guess you get it anywhere. She did get talked to today and stayed to herself all day long and looked upset. Now just how does it feel I say oh guess I am a bit bitter but look how many times this has happened. The boss ensures she is putting a stop to it this time. From now on write ups! Hurray!!! On the calorie count good for breakfast and lunch dinner now was chinese just wanted it kind of a victory dinner in away. Shouldn't be such a bratt I guess. Marie sorry to hear but I know you can get it off. It happened to me to. We just take a little brake and think we can eat like we used to and it doesn't work for us. To bad we don't just learn it right off the bat. But look at it this way we stopped before it got to out of hand. Im with all of you lets get it off. Judy you too look how far you have come. Sometimes little things make us crazy and we just go off a bit. Vacations, weddings, stress etc........ Nikki sorry to hear about your boy friend hope everything is on a mends now and you will be fine. Together we are all learning to cope with stress and changes. It sure is a learning experience huh??? Thank you all for your ideas and support and I agree not to really let her push me out. Like the boss said if she had not ck'd with me and kept it to herself the truth would not of come out. So in the long run this might of been worth it. Calling hrs. on wed. night and the funeral on thurs. so sad I say. Too darn young for such things to happen. Thanks for your kind words everyone.

Carol, I'm glad you were vindicated AND you didn't just say "that's alright," but you let your boss know that you'd been pushed too far. Good for you. Difficult people are everywhere , but you and your boss can take steps to prevent a difficult pattern or situation from becoming the norm.

Yaay, Penny! You're moving in the right direction. It's all front-sliding from here on in.

So I bought a food diary last night, not the exact one I was looking for, but this will do. I couldn't face the scale this morning, but I will work up the nerve by the weekend. So far today I've had a cup of kefir (yogurt), about 3 oz deli ham, a small salad with crabmeat and water chesnuts, and about 1/4 cup of mixed bean salad. And plenty of water. Right away I'm challenged with a calorie count for the salads, which I had at a lunch meeting, but at least they will be tracked and go into the record. My knee was achy last night, so I still haven't worked out, but I brought my Curves bag with me today so that I can see how it feels to go there this evening. So of course, as I write this, my knee begins to twinge....

Nikki and Marie, I hope your days are going well.

Hi ladies-

Thanks for the support. The bf and I are working things out but it will take awhile. He got in to an accident Friday and had my medication in his car so he is in a bit of legal trouble until I can prove they are mine. We have to go to court and all. Talk about stressful ... He was just bringing them from his house to mine . I spend a lot of time at his place so I leave them there as well as my at house.

Hi all,

Carol, I'm glad that the truth is coming out at work and that the idiot is getting just reward. And I'm glad your boss has realized the error of her judgment.

Calories: 1464
Exercise: 5 miles exercycle, 1.2 miles walking, .3 mile jogging
And the scale was a pound nicer today...

Penny, YEAH on the 1/2 pound. You are getting there. It's sort of funny, we're all struggling this summer and the typical person loses weight in the summer and gains in the winter. I guess we're all backwards. Perhaps we could lose during bother times...

Judy, did you get the calorie counter? I use my computer program that I keep on a USB drive. I'm trying to figure out if there's a Windows Mobile program I could use and have it on my phone. If I find one, they'd probably have a blackberry version too. I find tracking on the computer way easier but not those internet sites. I can use my program on anybody's Windows computer. Just plug the USB drive in and I log it. And I was so angelic I put the drive on my keychain so I'd always have it. But the phone would be even easier. DS1 said that Windows Mobile needs to be re-encoded from a reg. program so that's why I can't transfer it to my WING, but I might try - what if it worked???

Work is fine, life is fine. We're going to see DS1, DGS and almost DIL this evening. Burgers is all they know how to cook so I'll be having a plain burger to keep the cals down. It rained this morning (shocker - that doesn't happen here in the summer) so I didn't walk the doggies. I used the treadmill. Poor Kodiak stood by the side of the treadmill staring at me for a good 5 minutes. I felt bad and told him that it probably wouldn't rain tomorrow.

Carol - It's good that things have come to a head at work - maybe this will clear the air and your work environment will improve. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow when you attend your cousin's funeral.

Nikki - Sorry to hear about the crummy situation with your bf and the misunderstanding about your meds. I'm sure things will work out ok when it is explained. It must be stressful for you though.

Judy - Front sliding - I like that! From now on we'll only slide forwards!! It sounds like you are psyched up for losing again and I hope that keeping a journal will help - it's a useful tool for keeping track and keeping us honest.

Marie - Yes, I usually gain in winter, but this year I seem to be an equal opportunity gainer! I can just see Kody looking dolefully at you as you run on the treadmill! One of our kitties, Teddy, likes to go 'walkies' around the outside of the house every morning. As he's supposed to be an indoor cat it's kind of a no-no but he knows to stay with me or my dh and not run off. Whenever it's raining he won't go out and just looks at us accusingly like it's our fault! It's been raining a lot here too - so weird for this time of the year. It's nice and refreshing though, after our heat wave.

Penny thanks for the support. I am back home now and can't wait til I get in from work and can sleep ! I am not even going to worry about this weeks weigh in. I will do it next week !

Nikki

Nikki, I hope you're getting some rest after this most recent adventure. Your poor BF must have been traumatized. It's bad enough to be in a car accident, but then to have this other accusation hanging over his head, too...

Penny, I have been tracking but not formally in my little book yet. There's all this stuff you're supposed to do to launch it--measuring, affirmations, and whatnot--that I will focus on Sunday afternoon. I'm just practicing making myself write on anything at this point. I'd gotten out of the habit of posting a "menu" on my frig for the next day, which was keeping me from improvising too much. That was a huge factor in my struggle these past few weeks. I've tried the online and PDA logs, but there's something elemental about pen and paper that I think does work for me, as long as I don't tie myself up in knots over calculating every type of calorie and gram.

Marie, I think that you, Penny and Carol should upload You Tube-type videos of your animals being adorable! I feel like I know them at this point. My little log is actually a squatty spiral-bond notebook, with calorie, fat and carb listings in the back. It even has a page of little stars I can use on days I was awfully good. I am carrying it around in my purse, and trying to have positive thoughts about it. Maybe I'll sleep with it under my pillow, or give it a pet name, like Fuzzy...

I did well last night. I had a salad with salmon and miso-ginger dressing for dinner, and a smoothie with half a cup of raspberries for dessert. Later I had a handful of sunflower seeds, and was glad that my brother's ice cream is all gone, or I woulda inhaled it. This morning I had a bit of tofu (early, on my way for my MRI), and later a cheese stick and some almonds with skim Chai from Starbucks. I had yet another lunch meeting today, where I had about four oz sliced roast beef and turkey w/mustard, tomato salad and roased veggies. Not enough water this morning, though, so I'm trying to rehydrate myself. I have to stop by a reception after work, so I have a cup of veggie soup and some shumai dumplings to eat before I go, so I won't nibble.

Carol, I am thinking of you and your family today.

judy

Judy- Way to go on the eating

I am on my way to work in 20 minutes I will get my rest when I get in. My bf is holding strong for me and me for him. This situation made me realize how much I truly do love him and what I would do for him. Funny how a situation can bring people closer.

Nikki

wow Nikki your time has not been fun at all. Your right through rough times things that happen bring folks to a way of learning more about each other. A stronger understanding and relationship can be made. Good luck. Okay where do you girls find these books with cals, fats and a diary to write your own foods in? I have always made my own but if somethings out there I want one too! Thanks again for all your support it was a very rough day that started at 9:15 and ended around 5. We all spent some well needed family time togther after the last event that was around 3. Talk about a long day with emotions flying high. I have my stress to prove it as a muscle that tends to tighten up in my shoulder blade started yesterday. So some muscle rub smells great on me today for work.
Oh thought I should fill you all in. I had a message from the company I sent my resume to. They want to setup an interview. I will call today and follow through with my interest. I will not leave my present job unless the pay and benefits meet my needs. It is closer to my home by 14 miles a day round trip. Now that would be a plus. Does anyone use EZtime at work? It might be great some places but with our schedules and the in and out and starting and ending at different sights its a bit crazy. Just started this last week another stress at work. My current job is working with special folks with developmental problems, MR etc. this one is folks with brain injuries. Current 24 people on my caseload new one 17. I really like my caseload I have and thats hard. Oh well guess I will see what this little adventure leads to never hurts to adventure and find out what your worth.
Food intake yesterday was within my limits but I only calculated in my head.
About 14500 together. Today is our company picnic I will try to be good this a.m. no bread as I will most likly have a roll later?
Someone told me when you have fresh broccoli to take the stalk and peel the outer layer off and slice it steam it than use it like water chestnuts. Being it was on sale and I have lots this is something that I am going to attempt. I am going to make my own garlic broccoli pizza.
Saturday is my daughters and my birthday. We are going to have a little gathering on sunday. Maybe have my mom come over too. Her new hospital day for testing is wed. anything else going on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Marie, Judy, Penny and Nikki this site has been good for all of us. We might still be struggling with some unwanted lbs. but together over this time we have learned alot about food, friendship, emotions, exercise and made some good changes in our routines and habits. So lets get moving to make those unwanted lbs. to slip away too. Are we also charting exercise on these notebooks? I will add that to mine as its a must!! Now that this week is about gone its time to get real serious.
Have a good day!

Carol - Good luck with the interview. I use an online database to track my food. It is called MY P.L.A.N. If you pm me I will link you to it I dont think I can link it hereOI might get in trouble.

So ladies I couldnt help but peek at the scale today. I felt lighter so figured what the heck. I was so surprised I weih 147. I did it I broke the 150's . I have a total loss of 51 lbs now

Nikki

Nikki, you rock That's a tremendous accomplishment. And to think how much drama and stress you've dealt with this past year. You have earned every pound lost. Sometimes women on these boards complain that their BFs or hubbies get weird when they lose significant amounts of weight. It's great to know that you and your BF are tighter than ever.

Carol,that you have an interview so soon is a testament to your skills. No wonder your boss doesn't want you to leave. It can't hurt to check out your options. Re the log: you can find different ones at any Borders or Barnes and Noble-type big bookstore. I used to use Corinne Netzer (I'm not sure that's the right spelling), who does different variations, depending upon what you want to track. I got another brand this time. I hope you're able to relax and enjoy the birthday weekend after such a tough week.

I am easing back into working out--so far, so good. I will need to start physical therapy again, though . I need to find someone close to work or home, if I have to go a few times a week. I did okay last night. I only had a glass of wine at the reception,then had shumai and stir-fired shrimp and veggies for dinner, with a smoothie w/cup of mixed berries a little later. This morning I had a chicken b-fast sausage and scrambled Eggbeaters for brekkie, a piece of smoked tofu for a snack, and greens, chicken verde and watermelon for lunch. Watermelon is high in sugar, but I've been craving it all summer and it was wonderful.

Penny and Marie, I hope you're having a great day!

judy