Arabella, How can any human actually eat enough food to be up 40 pounds in one single week! YIKES! I would love to believe most of that was water weight, but she was still up 15 after a week OP? OMG is right! Definitely ...food... for thought there the next time I'm feeling a major binge coming on.

This is a little more work to find the palace, but I'm sure I'll adapt to the new path soon. We should probably keep it strewn with rose petals or something appropriate so the other s find us.

My princesses are back! They both had a lovely time, but the youngest came back with a severe sunburn on her shoulders, and she also had a nasty mishap with ants. The sunburn is horrible. I've never seen blisters this large; DH actually drained one off with a syringe. And the poor baby has one arm covered nearly to the elbow with ant bites. Turns out one of her fellow campers hid an open bag of Doritos under the bed, and when my girly reached down beneath to grab a pencil that had dropped, she stirred up the critters. They were not happy, and they proved it by biting her repeatedly. We set her up with a special cream and Benadryl and let her sleep off most of the day. Poor baby.

My current sourdough obsession led into homemade pizzas last night. They turned out really well. The best thing about making your own is that you can sneak in all sorts of extra veggies, plus, you can use ingredients like turkey pepperoni--70% less fat, and they taste really decent. The other nice thing is that none of us could make it through more than two slices. Yet another example of filling up with quality food that you feel good about eating. I wouldn't begin to profess our pizzas were health food, but they worked well into the day, and no one was sneaking back into the kitchen later on because they were still hungry. It all falls back to balance, don't you think?

Arabella, sounds like you have the perfect attitude to shift through this, plus you know you have the tape measure backing you up, no matter what the scale says.
I've been thinking a lot about how inactive I actually am when I'm not out working. My steps have been abysmally low; most days I'm lucky to hit anything over 5,000. I had to face it the last couple of days and realize that I'm seriously not leading an active lifestyle, and the numbers (scale, pedometer, etc.) are showing it. Yesterday I made a point of doing extra things, and I boosted my steps by a couple thousand. I hadn't thought of how those little things could add up to so much, though. You are right--the cumulative effect of 350 calories a day is the right number to lose a pound in ten days. Thank you for bringing that up!

wsw, I am so sorry to hear the heat and stress have been keeping you down. Also, no need to ruin a perfect, royal manicure. We'll keep holding on to you no matter what, even if all we can catch is the hem of your gown.

Off to make breaky for the girls and get out to my Sunday morning walk. The weather looks perfect for it!

Andria

Not to sound silly, but I wanted to pull this up so other royals could find us more easily.
*HUGS*

Andria

Well, another fresh week and Fresh start with the Equinox only a few days away. I'll have to record another big disappointment in my results but won't give up the determination.

wsw, a good night's sleep will go a long way. The heat/humidity can certainly get to you - I'm looking forward to our cooler weather this week as a time to be more active and "catch up" (my buzz word always).

Arabella - published, huzzah!!! No, it's not the money but that's nice too. I know you've been published before but another is always great and a step in your direction. qsilver - you're right - the theme seems even right for a darling movie.

And the Carb Queen numbers make even me seem like a piker. But the denial I recognize. I too was 251 at one point and didn't "feel" it. Didn't feel ugly or unworthy or any of those things. Yet now when I look at those pics, I see a person I didn't see then. Same with current weight - when I first reached it seven years ago, I felt SLIM and pics looked better. Now, I look at those "slimmer' pics though and see a still-very-chubby person. Maybe my eyesight is getting better.............

Oh, those waffles and pizzas sound good. I can almost smell them. I think you're on track about quality food. Mine has been much less so than it had been. I've been eating for calories and then I binge. Last night I went to a dinner honoring a friend and the food was great, good calorically (though not diet) and I felt more satisfied than in a long time. It wasn't overly salted either as so much "out" food is.

I'm learning on the 'little" movements too. Sometimes it's just a set of leg lifts at the sofa as I pass behind it or want to catch something momentarily on TV. Sometimes it's just an extra butt wiggle or two to get the circulation moving. Not enough certainly but better than totally couch potato-ing. A weed or two here or there helps too. I have been doing a tiny bit of yard work here and there and it IS adding up. Had to fire my kid - a really nice boy but leaving too much of the job behind. So have a more "pro" fellow who does it for a living and the first time has left the yard looking much better. Strangely, only a few more shekels.

Busy week coming up with household maintenance stuff - also "catchup" but I'll feel so good when some/all of it's done.

Oh, the dinner last night actually was honoring a 40+ year professional and personal friend of DH. Very touching -but for me the most touching was that he mentioned DH by name as a professional touchpoint in his career. He was able (timewise) to mention only a few so I was thrilled DH was one. One of those things it was tough to go to alone but I'm so glad I did. Sometimes this being tough and doing the ly thing has its non-weight rewards.

Anyway - off to Monday. Cloudy and "maybe" will get some rain. that's what they've been saying for days-- "maybe" -- and I'm getting tired of watering so hope today's the day...At least there's supposed to be a cooler front coming in.

Almost simulposting, Arabella! Your reenergizing para says what's in my mind. Except it's for my trip to Quebec - now only 3 weeks away. Been trying to build a bit of stamina too for the whole thing. I'm not doing well weight wise but do feel I have a teeny bit more stamina - when it's not too hot to move.

You'll be gorgeous for CO!

I so want to stumble off the path this morning. I just knew that if I came here first that there would be something posted that would make me want to stay true. I'm frustrated because my weight is up a couple instead of down, and I've been working so hard. And as I'm typing that, I realize yet again that I'm looking for the scale to give me the wrong information. My bad.
I am feeling stronger, even after only four trips to the gym. My Sunday morning walk was also my fastest and farthest distance since moving here. I'm making good food at home so we aren't eating out, we are saving calories, and we are saving money. These are all the right choices. If my weight doesn't reflect these changes as immediately as I had hoped, I just need to remind myself that I am doing the right things. I also need to reevaluate and make sure there aren't other things I've let slip by the roadside. I know for a fact that I haven't been eating enough veggie matter the last couple of days. That is an easy change. I'm going to go back to the first of this thread and see what I posted as my goals for summer solstice; maybe there will be other things I need reminding of, and maybe there will be other little successes I can see.
For now, I feel a little more straight in the head, and I know I'd better get to the gym or is isn't going to happen today. Too bad I don't have a royal carriage to take me off in proper style. Guess that would look a bit silly in sweat pants anyway, huh. Of course, it would also give me time to practice my regal wave. Haven't had much chance to work on it of late.

Andria

wsw, It isn't just you. I still feel awkward on this new path. Remember to look for the rose petals.

I have another job fair today. So far I haven't done so well at these things, and I'm not feeling too hopeful for today. Blah. We do what we have to, right? I had no idea that finding a teaching job would take so long. There are supposed to be teacher shortages here, but I keep seeing the same faces at all these fairs. Kind of sad when you begin to recognize people at them.
Ah well. Time to get ready.

Andria

What a great feeling to get that paper work done (at least for now). I'm STILL admiring my bare dining room table though there are a few files tucked here and there to be worked on.

Full schedule here today. Sigh. But things getting done. It seems like all the things I've been working on are converging within a week or two. Not complaining but hustling, for sure. Have been "patting" (as vs. "hitting") the Fitness Center. Believe it or not, feeling a little good coming of it.

Difficulty sleeping in last three mornings - up way too early - and, once again, it's full moon. I'm beginning to believe there really is a connection.

Must be off - my itinerary for the day is written on a little note to take with me so I don't miss any important stops. It will slow down this afternoon once the carpet cleaner gets here. I'll have a good reason to spend a lot of time w/computer

Hope the job fair was THE ONE, andria.

Off I hustle.....................