Hi Shmalger - look at you - full of positivity

Recording - day 2, 3 pauses
Positive - day 2, 3 pauses

So I've been negligent in posting everyday but I'm happy to report that I have finished Day 6 of 21! Still got motivation woohoo!

I've decided to drop the challenge within a challenge because it got too complex for me... hehe.

Wowzers, Red - one more day and you've aced the no sugar challenge!!

Hey Sunni - keep it up! Almost a week gone!

Thanks miriam101! I hope not to hit a rut one of these days, but for now I've stayed positive. It makes a really big difference if I focus on the countless reasons why I am doing this. WTG on your ongoing success with your two challenges!

Sunnigummi - WTG on staying positive! Great job on your succesful challenge days! And hey, I'm like you. One thing at a time!

redballoon - Don't forget to breathe! You're SDC to finishing your next 2 challenges.

I'll check in later with my update; haven't exercised yet - but I will! Keep up the good work everybody.

Hey all. Day 8 starting over again. I didn't eat enough yesterday and even though I was tired, went to swim last night. Felt so tired and starved that when I got home, absolutely fell off the *not eating bad stuff for me* bandwagon BIG time! It didn't help that DH brought home a huge tin of a Xmas gift he received in his office that day (I won't post what it is but suffice to say I wouldn't be acing Red's sugar challenge right now!)

So today of course, my mood has swung to the negative, probably after the *high* I caused myself yesterday. And the stupid stuff is sitting over on the counter still! I should be exercising, or doing something productive, but instead I am sitting inside on this overcast, rainy day watching movies on the boob tube and reading internet garbage and writing emails. Very introspective today......

Yaay Red! You are so incredible right now! Send some good vibes my way, would ya'?

Miriam--FINALLY! you deserve that vacay, absolutely! Let DH take care of the kids and hold down the fort--you need some YOU time!

Quix--have fun on your break, as well! It sounds perfectly wonderful!

Tex, Tech, Schmalger and Sunni--you all sound like you are doing so well on your challenges!! Keep it up through the holidays!

Arabella--I hope you are feeling better. Maybe the holiday break will be good for you? Or is it too busy (i.e., do you have to do too much for it to be enjoyable when you are sick?)

Well, off to change the laundry and clean a couple of bathrooms.......

Yep - Schmalger - positivity really has quite an impact on our successes...

Hey Mod! Nice to see ya! Climb back on the bandwagon - I have an empty chair next to me I know what you mean about the low after the high- - earlier this week I ruthlessly consumed an obscene amount of sugar and I felt like my heart was racing and adrenaline pumping and... very sick to my stomach, LOL

I am VERY excited about my trip to the states! I'll be staying in the metropolitan area - so I'm not quite sure how I'm going to be getting places - I guess on the subway <which makes me nervous by myself - I'm a big scardey cat after my cousin was mugged on the subway with me like 20 years ago...>. My brother and I are hopefully going to see Rock of Ages on Broadway and I'm looking forward to going ice skating at Rockefeller Center - all the fun things I could never do because for the past 10 years - when I've traveled - I've always has a baby or toddler with me. But I'm not sure how one dresses in cold and rainy weather - I've been living here a long time, lol. Here's a question: if you're going to the mall, and it's freezing cold outside and you're wearing 4 layers of clothing and a long coat and boot, when you get to the mall - what do you do with all those clothes?!

Happy Thanksgiving to all you Americans - I always found Thanksgiving a good time for personal introspection and realizing how much we all should be thankful for in our own lives.
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Challenges:
Recording - Day 3, 3 pauses
Positive - Day 3, 3 pauses

Whew! I just finished my exercising for the day, just before midnight. My sister stopped by, and her 15 minute stop-by to return something turned into 2 hours! I came so close to not exercising tonight and counting it as one of my pause days. But I got on there and finished at about 11:30 PM. And I had no idea how much this exercising has been affecting my legs until I got on the machine tonight. I didn't think I would make it 5 minutes! But I slowed down when I thought I would collapse and got it done. I know I wouldn't have made it without prayer, the ipod, and constantly reminding myself WHY I'm doing this. Oh yeah, and picturing Jilian barking at me works wonders, too. So here's the daily report:

Daily Exercise Day 4

Level 3
Exercise? Check!
Stats? 30 minutes on the elliptical – 4.50 miles – 135 calories burned
Mood? Completely tapped out. Whew!

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modcat44 - Ugh! Laundry and cleaning bathrooms - two of my most favorite things. I'm sorry you've been struggling with sugar. You have been doing such a GREAT job. Remember that! You have sooo much to be proud of. You're in the low 180s!! You will get past this and continue to excel! Here are some "good vibes" to get you through this -

miriam101 - I hope you have a spectacular time in New York. DH and I went to New York last Thanksgiving. We were with my MIL, who insisted on dealing with the insane crowds to go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We were *not* thrilled, but after all was said and done, we were glad we went. New York was so cool to us, and I'm sure you'll have a blast. HAVE FUN and WTG on your challenges!!

Red--I think she means So Da*n Close, haha! (Or So Darn Close, I guess I should say).

Thanks for all the positivity Red, Schmalger, Miriam! I am feeling better now, so starting Day 9 (on Turkey day, so may not be successful, but at least off of Day 8!) I hope to go for a run here shortly after the bird is in the oven--want to run about 45 minutes to counter-act the upcoming feast......

Miriam--what I used to do was leave the coat in the car and run into the mall. Now I know, you are gonna be parked very far back and if it is really is freezing, you'll just have to sweat inside--maybe take a lighter weight jacket, so you'll have something on but not too heavy to walk around in......
Another trick is to buy something soon and put the coat/jacket into the shopping bag while you are walking around--another reason to not be bringing in a too bulky coat.....

Off now to do stuff--have a great day everyone!

I went ahead and exercised early (in comparison), so that the rest of my day is freed up for other things. We aren't going out of town like we usually do, so it's just DH and me. But I am gonna cook a little and watch Peanuts and Garfield Thanksgiving specials. We finally broke down and bought the DVDs, because we always miss it on TV and love them!

Daily Exercise Day 5

Level 3
Exercise? Check!
Stats? 33.40 minutes on the elliptical – 5.00 miles – 180 calories burned
Mood? Great! I am more and more sore with each passing day, and like last night, I didn't think I'd make it 1/4 of a mile. It's funny, though. Once I crest 20 minutes, it's like my body gets "broken in," and I'm able to push through and keep going. I was so close to 5 miles at the 30 minute mark that I just kept going until I hit it.

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redballoon - modcat44 has it right on the nose about SDC. And WTG on completing yet another challenge! You are unstoppable!!

modcat44 - I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better! And enjoy Turkey day and your run.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I suppose by now you Thanksgiving challenges must be finished, fellow Americans. Don't eat the leftovers today

How did you all do?

Red - nice fringe benefit - weight loss - eh? I know you might not see the tangible results of your challenges yet - which must be hard because they are really difficult ones! But I'm sure the subtle things will start showing (like you size-gauge jeans fitting better ) I've found that my weight was stalled for a while and even though the scale wasn;t moving (which annoys the ** out of me) I could see clothes were fitting better.

Mod - my coat question was if I was coming sans-car....

Shmalger - woohoo! Good for you for pushing through and reaching that 20 minute crest. My body - or maybe brain? is so anti-exercise but once I start - I do okay. It's the starting that is the bummer....

Wonder where arabella, and fish and apple are?

Challenges:
Day 4 for both recording and positive...

Well - i'm not SOOO ready for my trip yet... I don't wear pants - only skirts -so i went and bought some warm tights to wear. Iguess i'll have to wear boots - ugh. hate boots because my feet sweat .... I'm going to be in Manhattan and Brooklyn and NJ. Starting to get excited!

Coats: I bought a beautiful long wollen coat when i was in NY 6 years ago, size 12P (yea America - for petites..) and last year I was so huge, not only couldn't I close it <like the previous year...> I couldn't even get it on!!! This year it fits, but only with something thin on - so not practical. So a short jacket it'll have to be, and not a very warm one, at that! Maybe I should buy a new coat?? Nah - then I'll be stuck in a big size, hehe. I would still like to lose a fair deal of weight.

Sorry for the ramble. I love the recording challenge - makes me think twice if I really want to write down that tempting junk -or not have it.

As you are almost done with your ENTIRE list of challenges, Red, have you given some thought about the next one??