Good Morning, everyone!

Kar, how old are your stepchildren? I, personally, have been a little more dominant in my household. I would have told the kids to go outside and play instead of going online or watching TV when they have company. Don't overlook your own need for relaxation and pleasure, especially when you have to go to work later!

Pita, congrats on 235!! How old is your daughter? What kind of classes are you taking, and are you taking them in pursuit of a degree? How fun! I like school.

I have a sixteen-year-old son who lives with his dad and visits every other weekend (though he lived with me for the first fifteen years), otherwise I live alone.

My weekend - my plans yesterday to visit a friend fell through unexpectedly, so I did household stuff instead. Laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, washed car, got oil changed, cleaned a bit of the storage room, precooked food for meals this week, etc.

Today I was planning to do some exercise, but I'm feeling pretty lazy. I have an aerobic dance video that I do in my living room. I'm thinking of going over to my mom's house to sit by the pool and get some sun, then later meeting up with a friend.

Hi Phantastica, I sure would like to be lounging around a pool today. I live in an apartment complex with a lot of college students. Lying out by the pool with a bunch of young, thin, tan girls is not my idea of fun.

My daughter is 15 and is about to be a sophomore in high school. She is one of those, "I'm my own person so don't label me" kind of kids. Very bright, precocious, and a slob! I got to admit I enjoyed seeing her room all spotless for the last two months.

I go to a technical college where I'm getting my marketing management diploma. This is my fourth quarter and I have two more to complete. It's been fun to be a college student at 40. I spent 20 years of my life running a child care business out of my home. This is definitely different!!

Well, I'm off to Starbucks for an iced coffee and some good conversation.

Hi Ladies,
Phantastica, my stepkids are 11 year-old girl and twin 9 year-old boys. The little girl was in the Outter Banks with a friend from her mom's work for the week. So it was just the boys and their little friend. Normally we do kick them outside and tell them to play. But we had some nasty thunderstorms that day. But I can tell you that I think it will be a long time before they ever have a little friend over again. So what kind of good healthy food are you cooking for this week? Hope you enjoy the afternoon at your mom's by the pool.
Pita, sounds like you are glad to have your daughter home. Sorry to hear that you had a long afternoon trying to get her yesterday. Don't you love doing laundry after a trip? Fun fun fun. Great news on your weight loss! Keep it up! I do the same thing with the scales. I have a nasty habit of weighing myself in the mornings and at night before going to bed. Hope you are able to get a nice dent in your college work today.
I didn't get my workout done today. The boys played in ball tournments all weekend long. So I am a little tired today and decided to take the day off. Plus the humidity is so awful in Ohio today. It looks like it is getting ready to storm. SO maybe it is a good thing the boys lost their game this morning.
Well I think I am going to go and take me a little nap right now. We are suppose to go to the city pool tonight for a pool party for their regular season baseball team. I haven't decided if I am going to go swimming or not yet. I feel uncomfortable wearing my swimming suit in front of people at times. If that makes any sense.
Have a great afternoon ladies!
Later,
Kerry

Good morning

I need your opinions and help on a TOPS contest that I'm putting together for this weeks meeting. What I've done is find a very cute pick of a flower with 16 petals that comes from a coloring book I found online. I will print this out for each member and they will color 1/2 to a whole petal for different things they do. Below is what I have so far for them to do. I would like a few more ideas that would be practical and helpful for the members.

What do you think?


Flower Power Rules

Color one whole petal if you:
Lose a pound (one petal per pound)
Stay for the whole meeting
Do a program
For contacting and giving support to a member (only one petal for the week)


Color half a petal if you:
1/4 to1/2 pound loss
Turtle
Bring in a food journal (half a petal for each journal, 3 ½ possible)
Bring in a healthy recipe to share with the group

What does "do a program" consist of?

We've also had thhings like exercise 3x a week, drink 64 oz of water a day for a week.

Does "For contacting and giving support to a member" mean outside of the regular meetings?

Doing a program means preparing a presentation to give to the group. Example: In a couple of weeks I plan to do a program on the good and bad of fats. Mainly focusing on the type of good fats we should be eating and talking about the bad fats such as trans-fats. I will have a handout with a food list on it, etc.

Yes, contacting means to call or email a member outside of the regular meeting.

Good ideas about the water and exercise!

Morning Ladies,
Pita that contest sounds really good. I like it. What if you added something in about eating the daily serving size of veggies and fruits? Since I know a lot of people and myself included have a hard time getting those all in. Also stay away from sweets and junk food. Those are just some suggestions. Bring an diet tip in that they read from a magazine and share with the group.
Well this evening is the big weigh-in. I am hoping for a loss. I better think about getting some kind of excerise in for the day.
Oh, by the way I quit my part time job yesterday. I didn't like how they were treating me and I was becoming really moody and depressed at home only have three days there. So my dh and I talked about it and he said it would be okay if I quit. Not to stay there and make myself miserable. So I am now patiently waiting for school to start back up so I can work the after-school program.
Well I better go and get my fat behind moving. LOL
Chat with you ladies later! Have a great day!
Kerry

Kerry my thoughts are with you for a good weigh-in tonight.

I have been really watching my calories, exercising hard, and obsessively standing on the scales every time I go pee! I know I got the TOM weight off and am trying for at least 2 pounds. I got two more days to make it happen.

These are the rules I decided upon for the challenge for TOPS. Let me know what you think since I'm not making the copies until Thursday when I can get them done cheap at my school's library.

Color one petal for doing any of the following

• Have a loss (one petal for losing 1/4 to one pound; additional petals as needed)
• Weigh-in and stay for the whole meeting
• Call or email a member to give encouragement and support
• Bring in a weekly food journal (one petal for 2 to 4 days, two petals for a whole week)
• Exercise for at least 20 minutes a day (one petal for 2 to 4 days, two petals for 5-7 days)
• Bring in a healthy recipe, article, or idea to share with the group. (2 petals for giving a full program)

Pita I really like those rules for your contest. I think they are manageable and doable. I had a sick dh on my hands today, so I was able to run into town long enough to stop and weigh in at TOPS, run to the store to buy some aleve and chicken noodle soup and come home. But I did manage to lose 2 1/2 pounds. So I am happy about that. I am very tired and think I am going to go to bed now. So I will chat with you tomorrow.
Phantasica, hope your week is going great!

Wayyyyyyy to go on the 2 1/2 pound loss, Kerry!! That is fantastic!


I have a meeting today with my club at school and there was talk of ordering pizza. I really don't need one of my biggest weaknesses showing up the day before weigh-in. Not to mention it will be at lunchtime and I'll be starving. If I do have any, I will make it work with my calories for the day and workout afterwards.

Have a great day!!

Hi Phantastica and Pita,
I hope you both had a good day! I push mowed our yard today. So that was my excersise for the day. I did eat good too! I think I did. I had a Slim fast shake for breakfast. For lunch I had a chicken salad from Wendy's and a small choc. frosty. Then we had a birthday party to go to tonight at the city pool. I ate 2 hot dogs, a small handful of chips and a small piece of cake.
So Pita how did your meeting go at school today? Did you behave around the pizza? Hope you have a great weigh in tomorrow evening.
Well I think I am signing off the computer and going to bed early. I am just a little tired this evening. That sun did a number on me today. I still have a little bit left to do tomorrow morning.
Chat with you both later.
Kerry

Good morning :wave

Thanks for reminding me about the pizza, Kerry! I had three pieces, 2 cheese and one sausage. The scales don't show a gain this morning, but they also don't show a loss. I'm going to eat very little today, exercise really hard at Curves, take my daughter school shopping this afternoon. Maybe by this evening's weigh-in I will have something good to report. If not I have only myself and weakness to blame.

You have a great day and I'll report back in tonight.

Hope you have a great weigh-in tonight Pita! Sending positive thoughts your way. Sounds like you are going to keep yourself busy today so you won't be thinking about food. Hope you have a great day!

ok im jumping in i looked it up on the web site and i love the idea and only 24 a YEAR ?????? can that be right? i was sooooooo successfull when i went to WW meeting i just cant afford it now im gonna go to the next meeting for sure theres 2 by my house in the evenings im gonna check it out hope ya'll dont mind me jumping in

Welcome Michelle. Yes that is right about the $24 dollars a year. Then there might be monthly dues at your chapter. My chapter charges 2.50 a month. That is to help with charms and awards. If my memory serves me right it is free the first two meetings you attend.
Take care,
Kerry