Marie, thanks for the beautiful photos. Although I generally threaten anyone who tries to take a picture of me eating, no one looks good eating, I don't care how skinny you are!

Carol, I've been eating fruit for two weeks now. Not much, at the most a cup of berries and/or half a large apple a day. It sounds unnatural to avoid fruit, doesn't it? It was one more thing that I would eat too much of, and it made me hungrier for other carbs....at this point I'm avoiding so many other major categories of foods, including normal baked goods, that I can't spend any energy mourning one more thing. I'm getting plenty of good food to eat, and that better than 75% of the people on the planet. Maybe I'll treat myself to some pineapple or watermelon if I reach my Independence day goal .

Nikki--I'm new to this crazy stability ball. I know people who sit on them all day at work, that would be awesome!

Penny, 38 years married is worth celebrating! Good for you. Your hubby picked a bad time to come east, rain, rain, rain. It's beautiful here now, though.

Gotta run--judy

Judy, it was Penny with the awesome garden pictures. I wish my yard looked like that.

Penny, I'd never recognize you in the ice cream shot. What a difference!!! But I'm not sure which looks better - you or the garden. You look fabulous.

Carol, the dresses sound so wonderful. Please do post a couple pictures of the wedding. BTW, when is it again?

Nikki, 2x at Mickey Dee's??? Are you going back on Atkins now? Good luck with the ankles and working out.

I got to swim today - I know - no news flash but it's supposed to be cold, raining and just plain old yucky all week. But I lucked out before the front arrived (it still hasn't I think but it's much chillier). So that was a wonderful surprise after work. DH had the day off and took the pool cover off and got it clean. Very nice of him.

He had a good day and I do know that it's the not getting the job that's irritating him. The problem is that he has 25 years experience in the sheet metal shop, is a shift supervisor and applied for the shop chief. EVERYONE expected him to get it. The dingbats higher up hired a guy with no sheet metal experience and no supervisory experience. It was quite the slap in the face. Then they lied and said that he was fine with their selection. What BS. By now he'd usually be getting past it and just do his job, but the guy they put in the position is doing shady things (like violating copyright laws) and is always late. That's really bugging him since he was supposed to be so great. Everyone in the shop is feeling just about the same. It really was a raw deal and I'm trying to be understanding but after a while, it does get old. And Guard weekend always makes him moody and grouchy. For some reason it was more irritating to me than usual. Today he was in a good mood. So I just need the lottery to shine my way and get him out of there. Oh, one side note, on of the higher ups that didn't select him, put him in for a sizeable monetary award that we just received. Talk about strange.

Past that, today has been good. I'm glad I'm working whole weeks for a while - perhaps I won't keep feeling like I'm barely treading water.

Some kid at a school wasn't paying attention as I was walking by, jumped and twirled into me and pulled back my pinkie toenail (was wearing sandals). It hurts like the dickens. He did apologize and I hobbled off without saying anything because I truly wanted to swear. I thought I did good by clenching my teeth. So this evening I tried to put on my tennis shoes and just couldn't. My slippers are hurting it. So you all have any idea how I can walk/jog tomorrow???? I'm thinking I could exercycle with the sandals on.
Marie

Penny nice photos your doing great. The garden too. I have a iris that is a bearded one about 36 inches tall. I have gone to putting more white in my garden and the colors show up really nice this year first time doing that. All that hard work with wt. and gardening is paying off for you. I will post a picture as well when I have my daughter over to help me. Also after the wedding to show you girls my daughter the beautiful bride and her mom.
Judy the ball sounds like fun way to go. Keep up the good work.
Marie glad your hubby opened up thats good for both of you. My SIL applied for a union job at his company everyone he knew and others said oh man you got it bud you've been here so long proven yourself dedicated etc. It was given to another guy with half the time and whom doesn't even get along with the guys. So guess who helped pick him out the higher ups it was nothing to do with votes it was already in the works from the get go. Sad but these lousy things happen and its not fair or nice. The other guy will fall on his face in due time with your hubby standing on the sidelines watching shaking his head with many others.
Girls I was told yesterday that my stress maybe adding to it a bit the back thing but narrowing of the disk isn't from stress I don't think. But my pressures most likely trigger it more to cause pain. The grooms family decided to pay for all the booze hurray! The parents have been divorced for a long time and still have issues so they came together for this how nice is that. Hurray in my pocket book.
Well today I am packing my lunch and going to grill some chicken for dinner just the hubby and I for dinner. The SIL's birthday today and she is struting out with his sister and aunt for a big lunch Italian. Sounds good huh?
Well talk to you all soon my down fall yesterday was the hubby brought in some fresh Italian bread other than that I did well.

Marie- Yea I know I totally over did the carbs. I go back to atkins Friday. Last time when I only ate carbs 2 days it did not work well. Of course, Mon- Friday I am eating healthy carbs not McD's or fries or pasta or bread or rice even. We shall see what happens. I prefer to go back on Atkins immediately. I may o back on it tomorrow as then I will have been off 5 days. I just dont want to shock my system to fast by going back and forth. Otherwse I would have gone right back on Atkins yesterday.

Judy- I could never sit on it all day. I do however, love using it.

The perils of multitasking...of course I knew that was Penny in her garden, but this is what happens when I try to post while I'm doing something else (like participating in conference calls). My bad!

Marie, sorry about your toe! Something similar happened to my big toe years ago, and the nail has been a sickly gray ever since.

judy

Morning all, this morning I got the nail clippers out and cut the nail off. Hence I can wear shoes. So I took the doggies out for a 2 mile walk before work. Thoroughly chilled me and I'm still shivering. Right now I have 2 sweaters on, a blanket over my lap and my space heater on full blast. I am getting a little warmer. It misted a bit and was 45 degrees. I wasn't dressed properly. But the doggies were thrilled when I left for work since they got to do something that we've never done before I leave for work.

Carol, definitely the physical back stuff isn't related to stress but the stress can aggravate it by the tightening of muscles. So take it easy. Good news on the $$$ in your pocketbook.

Judy, participating in conf. calls and 3FC'ing??? Oh your my type of gal. I am a multi-tasker through and through. I can no do one thing at a time. Drives me nuts.

Nikki, good idea on chosing the healthy carbs. Enjoy fruit as the fruit season is here and it last so little time.

I weighed in this morning and am still the same as Friday's weigh in. Just fine with me. But one pound more will make it under 30 pounds to my goal. so I'm working for it. I've stayed on track (vigilantly) for a week. So I think I'm past my so-so eating style. Back to healthy and under control.

Time to work.
Marie

Judy - I'm glad you are phasing some fruit back into your diet. I figure it's better to eat some delicious fruit than a muffin, bagel or donut. You're right - you are already eating better than most people!

Marie - I hope your pinky toe is getting better. I know you don't want to miss out on your exercise. I have some Clarks sandal/sneakers that are really comfy. They look like a sandal on top and the soles have "treads" like sneakers. I'm rooting for you to lose the pound to get below 30 lbs to your goal.

Carol - I love irises, but I think it's too dry in my yard for them. I like white flowers too. In fact, it's been my dream to one day visit the Sissinghurst "white gardens" in England. All of the flowers are white - it must look spectacular. I can't wait to see the wedding photos. I hope your back gets better soon.

Nikki - I think I might cut back on carbs a bit too. I've been feeling bloated lately from eating too many carbs. Even when I stay within my calorie limit, eating too many calories as carbs makes me feel yucky.

Thanks, everyone, for the compliments on the photos I posted. I remember how miserable I was on that vacation (where I was eating the icecream). I felt like I was the fattest person on the island! I never want to have such low self-esteem again. Yesterday I hosted the monthly luncheon meeting for my chapter of the charity group I belong to. There were 18 of us and we did a salad bar lunch where everyone brought a salad ingredient. It worked out well and was fairly healthy.

Marie - Way to go on maintaining.


Penny- It is funny how I never put carbs together with that gross feeling until I cut them way back. Good luck cutting carbs.

I went back on Atkins today. I decided to change my weigh in day to Friday from now on. So I will weigh in for this week on Friday officially. I already feel better back on Atkins and It's only been 4 hours.

Nikki

Hi all, I'm taking a lunch break and thought I'd write. My co-workers went to the airport for a ride in WW2 airplane (at $425 each) I declined. DH would kill me.

I'm starting to think I'm getting a cold. I've ben shivering for 2 days which I thought was normal as it's brrr out. But I can't get warm. I think I have a low grade fever. The clue was when me throat started to hurt about an hour ago. So when I get home, echinachea here I come.

Penny, I know that when I eat too many fruits and veges I get bloated. I figure as long as it's not fat I don't care. I love fruit and vege season (aka SUMMER) so I just enjoy them. The white flower garden sounds pristine. I like bountiful colors but can imagine how awesome a wedding would be in all those white flowers.

Nikki, good luck on your next interval of Atkins. I'm glad you're feeling better.

I did WATP 3 miles this morning as I forgot to reset my early alarm. That's faster than the treadmill. I'd like to do a real mile on the treadmill after work but we'll see on how I feel.
Marie

Marie, would your hubby kill you for spending $425 or for passing up the chance to fly in a vintage plane?

Girls I went for my first P.T. visit. Wow I guess I have to learn to bend a bit differently and pick things up different too. She feels with better posture positions, some push ups to get me back in place. I should be better soon. I need to do them 3 times a day at this time. So I had a good 1 hr. visist and they excepted the consult charge paid yesterday and then just my 10.00 co pay per visit. I will be going 2 times a week but not the week I am on vac. Also she said to get one of those little rolled pillows for behind my back when in a seating position like work watching t.v. etc..She was funny couldn't believe how strong I was during the testing. I told her I might be 52 but honey I am an active lady. Sometimes there is no choices but to do whats needed around the house etc. Thats why I have no time for this dang back stuff. She laughed. Nice girl and I think we will do okay together she's young but knows her stuff used to work in my field. So throuhout my day I will try to sit with better posture.I am also going to start using my treadmill for up to 1o min. .$200.00. I had a fun and relaxing time. My poor daughter geting married should of been with me she is totally stressed. Her passport is still not here and she called and they said it may not make it in time for her wedding they couldn't guarntee it. She did it about 3 months ago. So her man is looking into it with our congressmans office I guess they should beable to help move things along thank goodness. I have been pretty good on my intake at least no real junk food. I did eat a candy bar but it at least was a dark choc. milkyway. Nikki you will be fine and I am sure will get right back into the swing of things. Its so easy for us to get off the golden path I know for a fact! Marie I agree with the stress too. The weather is making all of us come down with junk. I have a little sinus stuff going on. I am going to take something to ward it off. It was only 60's here yesterday I think back up to 80's by friday. I have more whites in my garden these days and I like it cause everything else shows up better with them. I would love to see a white garden I bet with lots of greens it looks lovely. I hope to work in my veggie garden this weekend we haven't even started it yet. My nephew is coming out tonight and I think we will ask him to help us get the rotor tiller from my daughters so it can get done. Nice having a younger person around to help out. Well off to work I go. The snake at work has been going through so many personal things I have just given her space for times she needed the office to herself without her asking. Also I do feel sorry for her and told her so but still have my guard up and always will. To bad I have to feel that way cause I truly don't like it.

Lost my whole post girls dang! Anyways the P.T. is going well and I paid the consult chg. 65 and now only have to pay 10 per visit. Intakes going okay nothing too bad ate a dark choc. milkyway thats about the bad of it all. Well now that I lost my first entry I got to go to work will catch you all later.

Marie- I hope you feel better.

Carol- I'm glad you went to PT. Hopefully you will feel much better.


My first day back on Atkins was hard. I was craving carbs so bad. However, I think that means I sucessfully reset my body to crave carbs which should make this cycle work much better

I have a phone interview today. A company in NYC who deals with digital media and advertising called me last week. They are looking for a customer training coordinator. I would love to have the job. I just have to fiure out if I could do the commuting. My condition gets worse with stress and to much walking so that is a major concern. I figure worst case I get experience interviewing and if I decided I cant take it at least I know I am qualified for such positions.


Nikki

Help me, ladies, I am desperately craving baked Lay's potato chips! I am not actually hungry or thirsty, and I ate plenty of crunchy food for my afternoon snack--carrots and celery with spicy hummus--so I know it's all mental. I treated myself to a small buttered popcorn at the movies last night, so my body is saying, "Yippee! We're going back to normal!" The monster has been shrieking for potato chips for hours now. I'm afraid that if I give in (it's not the worse snack in the world, just empty carbs and calories), the cravings will come bigger and faster...I'm close to 222 now, trying to get unstuck from the same weight range, and it just feels like a titanic struggle...So although I was planning to work late tonight, I think I'd better head over to Curves and then go home to have lovely grilled steak and a salad. I feel better now that I've written this.

Okay, quickly before I run away from the chips: Carol, I'm glad that you're feeling upbeat about the therapy. If I were you, I'd schedule a massage the week after the wedding. I bet you'll need it, after the stress, partying and being on your feet!

Nikki, you're right, it is helpful to practice interviewing in a real setting. I have to interview lots of people, and a candidate who is tense or tongue-tied can torpedo her chances, no matter how strong her background is.

Time to workout and have my healthy dinner. I will have to take work home, but that's better than staying here and fighting with myself!

judy

Judy - BACK AWAY FROM THE CHIPS!!!! I think carbs love company and always want to invite some friends if you let them in! You can do it - tell the carb demons you are in charge!

Nikki - Good idea to "practice" an interview. I had a job eons ago in Australia. After I had worked there several years, my boss said I was a terrible interview as I was so tongue-tied and nervous! However, he said they were desperate, so they hired me anyway! As it turned out, he said I was one of their best hires ever. I always hated interviews. Luckily, I've been working with my DH in his business endeavours the last 25 years, so he can't very well fire me or he'll be in a world of hurt!

Carol - Your post reappeared. I hope the PT will help your back. I'm going to do accupuncture next week for my ankle - I figure it's worth a try. My yoga instructor also does accupuncture and I've heard good reports from others that have been to going her. Avoid the snake in your office as much as possible - you don't need any extra stress right now!

Marie - They would have to pay ME $425 to go up in a clunky old plane! Think of all the fun stuff you could buy for that much. I hope you're not coming down with the same bug my DH had. He was sick for nearly 3 weeks - a record for him. Good idea to take the echinacea, etc.

I had a busy day today with a board meeting (maybe should be called 'bored meeting') that went on and on and on. I wished I could put my head on the table and take a nap! I had a burger for lunch (a rarity for me) but it was good and I enjoyed every bite. I had fruit on the side instead of fries and ate only half of the bun. I love it when others suggest new project for other people to do. Someone suggested I put a Paypal button on our website for people to donate money. A totally lame idea, in my opinion, lots of work and no potential, given the fact that we are a fairly obscure charitable organization with very little traffic on our website. I've decided to quit my position on the board next year and take a break. I'm very busy in my DH's business and it will be nice to have less stuff to do. Maybe I can start up my soap or eBay business again - at least I can make a little pocket money and have fun at the same time.