Hi Everyone,

I have spent most of the day sleeping. I guess maybe I had a bit of the flu? I work with a lot of doctors in my job and I guess I almost fainted at work on Friday. One of the doctors noticed that I was about to, and sat me down before I did. Then they all checked me out, took my BP, checked my reflexs, listened to my lungs, my heart and took my temp. I was running a low grade fever, they all declared that I might have a bit of the flu, and sent me home. It was a little embarrasing. I really thought it was something that I had eaten.

After sleeping all day I feel a little better. I just want to get well. I have so much to do around my house. My DH has been a big help in getting the laundry done today.

Mtiger: YES, you are doing it and you will keep doing it. I know you can and will.

Wardhog: I did laugh at your story. Only because I knew you were ok but those gym stories can be funny. One time when I was in the weight room I was watching this very cute and in shape guy working out with dumbells, he had on a tank top and I could see the muscles. Anyway he was doing shoulder presses and I was watching him and walking to the weight rack to get a pair of dumbells for myself and because I was watching him and not watching where I was walking I trip over a weight that someone had left on the floor. It was apparant that I was checking this guy out instead of watching where I was going. Embarrasing but funny.

Focult: How are you doing?

I just have my couch potato people at home that watch me and comment and try to give advice etc. I do have a funny story about sweat. As I do my DVD I look at them and they are all ringing wet and I always say, I don't get like that. Well the other day I moved to the intermediate level of the workout and when I was done my roomie told me my whole back was wet. I did a little whoopie dance. Funny, I am excited to be wet with sweat. Wierd!!

I missed my first day (in 4 weeks) of working out yesterday. I had too much to do yesterday. The scale went up today also. Any correlation? Maybe. Well today I have already worked out in the barn, cleaning out stalls for 2 hours. I was huffing and sweating. I will do my DVD tonight also. Got to get back on track.

I'll check in tom. Keep up the good work everyone.

I hope you are feeling better, Mychoice.

Don't worry about missing one day of exercise, mtiger. That's life.

I had a killer workout today. 30 min on the stair climber, 33 min on the treadmill (3 mi), 30 min on the elliptical, and 30 min on the bike. I stayed on my eating plan yesterday and I am on track for today. I did not fall down at the gym today. LOL I forgot to say the most embarrassing part! There was a new instructor and she was doing her filming for her certification. So there's a chance that my graceful self ended up on her tape (I was right next to the camera). I hope I don't see it on America's Funniest Videos!

Have a great day, everyone!

Susie - Go you! That's a huge hunk of weight you lost. 2.5 pounds is fantastic! Isn't it a great feeling to be able to stop yourself from eating ALL of a tasty desert. That's definitely one of my weaknesses, so I know how hard it can be to put down the spoon/fork and lean back on your will power. I hope your weight loss will put a stop (or lessen) some of those health concerns. I have a history of diabetes in my family, and I'm terribly afraid of developing it. Weight loss can only help us in our goals of avoiding more complicated health problems in the future. I'm sorry to hear that you've developed a bit of the flu. I heard on the radio that it is going around earlier than usual this year. I hope you'll be able to shake it off with lots of rest and fluids.

Mindy and Kelly - Congrats on the weight losses! Those numbers are amazing!

Mindy - I hope you're feeling better soon. Getting sick can really throw a wrench in exercise plans. Have you tired Emergen-C before? It's a huge dose of vitamin C in a power form. You use it like Alka-Seltzer - just dump a pack of it in a cup of water, then gulp it down. Whenever I'm feeling bad, I start taking two or three packs a day. It really does help me avoid getting sick sometimes.

WardHog - Woo! You're down too! We're all well on our way to goal weights. Your gym story cracked me up. I can just imagine myself doing something like that. And in front of the camera too! At least you can laugh about it. ;-)

Sorry I've been MIA for the last few days. I haven't fallen off the wagon, though. I'm still on plan. I weighed myself this morning and I was down to 222. Twos! My official weigh in is on Tuesday, so I have my fingers crossed that it will stay down there. I walked three miles on Saturday and Sunday. I upped my dumbbells on Friday. I'm using 10-pounders instead of 5's. I can certainly feel the burn. I was afraid I'd be sore the next day, but I wasn't. Water intake has been a struggle for me in the last week, but I'm doing what I can. I got 80oz in yesterday, which was very good. I like to get in 100oz a day, but sometimes I find myself gulping water right before bed to make that happen. I need to work on my pacing, I think.

Here's to everyone having a fantastic week and seeing lower numbers on the scale!

foucault - great job on the loss. I hope your weigh-in goes well.

I did 45 min on the elliptical and a Group Power class today. Eating was on plan yesterday and is on track for today. I had a huge salad for lunch - I hope it keeps me satisfied for a while.

Hi,

I'm feeling much better...now my poor DH has what I had.
The good side to all of it is that I didn't feel like eating much and it got me through the sugar craving so now that I'm off it; I won't feed it again.

I'm able to drink water again today...it tastes so good. I had a baked potato for lunch...it tasted wonderful. I'm going to try some green beans tonight. I'm being really careful with the food: I don't want to upset that tummy again.

It sounds like everyone is doing ok and working their plan.

Sorry to be so short today in my posting but I'm posting at work and I have a lot to do. I'll check in tomorrow.

Foucault- Good job on the loss. Hopefully it keeps moving down for you. I can't believe you're using 10 pd weights. That's awesome. I just started using 5 pds. recently.

Wardhog- You are just trucking along. Doesn't 45 min. seem like forever. I know it does when I'm just walking around school doing laps. Tonight Kelly and I did our "BL" dvd and it is so much more fun to do something together.

Mychoice- I am hoping nobody gets my crud. It is taking me about 3 weeks to get over it. Today 10 of my students were absent. Makes sense why I have been so sick. Hope you both get feeling better soon.

My roomie made dinner tonight. He made some noodle-roni stuff. I was shocked how many calories were in that. I didn't have any. WOW!! I had a piece of cake yesterday for a birthday. Boy was it yummy. I skimped on my calories the rest of the day to make up for it. This is the way life will be from now on. Dicker and Deal.

Keep strong everyone.

Susie - I'm glad you're feeling better. And I hope your DH gets over this bug soon, too. Our receptionist was sick, and I've been avoiding her in hopes of not catching what she had.

Mindy - The 10lb weights are *heavy*, but I like the challenge. You'll be up to 10lbs in no time, I'm sure. After about four or five weeks of 5's, you'll realize they aren't much of a challenge anymore. Cake sounds wonderful! It's nice to be able to fit it into your daily plan by adjusting calorie intake.

I'm stuck at home for another hour due to bad road conditions. However, I'm not that blue because my weigh in this morning was 222 - down another 1.5 pounds. I am participating in a 10 by February 10th challenge, and I'm only 2 pounds away from meeting that goal. I really have faith that I will be under 200 by the time this summer rolls around. Losing weight is so much easier for me in the summer. If I could be at 180 by the time the year is out, I'd be so deliriously happy.

I hope everyone is doing well this morning. Eat those yummy, healthy foods!

EDITED to add: I busted by booty on the steps this morning due to all the ice and snow. There were witnesses. I hate when there are witnesses to embarrassing falls, especially when I go flat out on my ***. Hello sidewalk.

Hi Everyone,

I think that we are all finally well in our family (it's just DH and me). I am looking forward to my FIRM class tonight at the Y and then my 2 mile walk. My body is ready to move. It's not used to missing so many days of non-exercise. I'm one of those lucky ones who love to work out...I just hate eating right and my body requires that I do both to even move an ounce.

I tried the best canned soup last night. It was made by Pregresso and it was a Vegtable Noodle in a chicken broth. I'm not a big meat eater so I'm always looking for good soups with no meat in them--it's the chewing it that bothers me. (but sometimes I crave a really good burger or steak). Anyway it was one of their "Light" soups and it was 0 points on the Weight Watches plan. I really liked it. I had leftovers today with a 1/2 peanut butter sandwich for lunch.

Focult: you are doing so well..keep it up and you will see that scale go under 200....I will cry tears of joy when that day comes for me. 2 years ago, I got to 239..that's the closest I've been to 200 in a long time..but I'm headed back there. One day at a time. I hope you aren't to sore from that fall...take it easy.

Mtiger: What is your "BL" DVD? Good job for checking out the noodle-stuff calories and then passing. I like the "Dicker and Deal" phrase.

Wardhog: Looking forward to your post.

Coming here each day is really helping me to keep on plan. I'll see you all tomorrow.

I swear I posted earlier - oh, well.

Foucault - congratulations on the loss! I hope you didn't hurt yourself in your fall.

Mychoice - I am glad you're feeling better. I love to eat soup in the winter, and then salads all summer.

mtiger - I usually break up my time on the machines. If I do the elliptical for more than 30 min, my feet start getting numb. I also read while I'm on there, which makes the time go by faster. How do you like that Biggest Loser workout? Is it circuit training? I used to do Firm workouts at home all the time before I joined the gym.

Today I did an 11 min mile warm-up, a Group Ride class (no pratfalls today), 21 min on the stair climber and 23 min on the elliptical. I stayed on plan yesterday and I am on track for today. I tried on a couple pairs of jeans yesterday. I can get them on my hips now, but not button or zip them yet. I'll get there.

Have a great day, everyone!

The Biggest Loser video is all cardio. Lots of lunges, kicks, punches, etc. It has three levels. I am working on the intermediate level which is 5 min. warm-up, 30 min. cardio, 5 min cool down. It is intense and kicking my butt. There is an advanced level that adds 10 more minutes of cardio. I don't think I'll be ready for that for a while. They do have a curcuit training video also.

We are supposed to get snow and ice tonight, gotta be careful out there. Hope you are ok Foucault. I knew you would keep losing. Good job!!

Mychoice- I told Kelly the other day that the highlight of my day is working out with her after school. I don't have much of a life do I?

I am a bit depressed today because I just keep playing with the scale this week. It is going up and down and I don't know if I will actually lose anything this week. I'm not doing anything different and it gets frustrating. Got to keep my chin up. We'll see how it goes at weigh in time.

Stay strong and motivated.

Good morning everyone,

I have a busy day ahead of me so I decided to "take care of me" first and get here and post.

I had a great workout last night in my FIRM class. We did low weight reps with high repetition to help muscle endurance. I can feel it this morning. My muscles are tired but it's a good tired. Then I did my 2 mile walk. My food is ok, but I missed writing it down yesterday. I will try and go back and capture it all but I also decided if I can't then I can't, what is important is that I started out writing down today's food already.

I have such an issue with having to do it "all" or "nothing" and I'm trying to unlearn that principle.

Mtiger: Remember the scales are just one thing that we measure our success by.

Wardhog: It won't be long before you get those jeans zipped!

Focult: Looking forward to hearing how you are doing.

Ok..got to get busy. See you later.

Mychoice - I know what you mean about being "all or nothing". If one wrong thing goes in my mouth, it's - well, I've already blown it today, might as well pig out. If you have any advice for getting out of the mindset, I would love to hear it.

I have a bit of a cold today, but I went to the gym anyway. I did 22 min on the elliptical, a Group Power class, and 18 min on the bike. I stayed on my eating plan yesterday and I am on track for today.

Have a great day!

Susie - The Progresso soups are great. I really enjoy the Minestrone one since I don't eat meat. It's surprising how many soups have chicken or beef broth in them. I know what you mean about crying when you see 199 on the scale. I haven't seen 190-something since before high school. I don't know what I'll do with myself when the day actually comes. But I have confidence that we will both get there, and we will look awesome for it.

WardHog - I'm in the same boat as you with the jeans. I have a couple pairs that I can get on now, but I just can't button them up. Damn belly. At any rate, I hope you don't come down with a full-fledged cold. Get well!

Mindy - Don't worry too much about those fluctuations on the scale. I go up and down like crazy, too. Sometimes I can go up three pounds a couple days after my weigh-in, then still be down more when my next weigh-in rolls around. It's weird.

As for me, I'm doing well. I just finished my 30-day cleanse and I've started taking supplements like calcium, flax seed oil, and green tea. I'm on the right food track today, and I got some yummy Skinny Cow fudge bars for snack in the evenings. Yum.

Foucault- I sure hope you are right about the scale fluctuations. This morning I was up 1 pound from my weigh-in Friday. I had been down a couple. I want to see the 220's so bad that I can't stand it. I am starting to question everything I've been doing. Am I eating enough, exercising enough, what is different this week compared to others? Today we had a "snow day" so I went to the mall and walked 2.5 miles. I plan on doing the curcuit training tonight also since I haven't done it in about a week.

Girls- I wish I could find jeans. I have a wierd problem. My waist is so little compared to the rest of my body that I cannot find jeans that fit. I have tried everywhere and unless they have an elastic waist (and those are not real jeans) they will not fit. Maybe when I get smaller.

I don't have a problem with staying on track with eating. But, if I eat something a little "bad" I just add it in and then skip something else later. I never think, "I blew it" and give up for the day. I just go on and try to compensate for it. It works for me. I also write everything down, either before I eat it or immediately after. I never waiver from that. My journal is at the table at all times. I have been eating all meals at the table. That is a switch for me. When I am at school is sits right on my desk.

Keep working everyone!!