Hi Everyone! I skipped out for a couple of days but I didn't forget all of you. I have only exercised 2xs this week because of weather and not sleeping well. I'm hoping I can walk in the morning but it sounds like it is going to rain. If it's raining I'll get on the treadmill. I stayed on plan except yesterday. We had our usual Wednesday meeting and they had fried chicken, potato salad, and baked beans. It was all yummy, but costly points wise. I need to get my exercise in to work off all the "yummy" food I ate.

I lost 1.8lbs this past WI and I don't want to gain it all back.

Coach - Welcome!!

Marie, Judy, Penny - Hi! Hope you are all doing well.!

Have a great weekend.

Kathy

Hi, ladies! Welcome, Coach! It's good to meet you. Right now I'm not the best person to ask advice about cravings . When I'm focusing, I remind myself of how much I've already eaten, when I'm planning to eat again, and then move around, do something else. I've noticed that I tend to hold my abs in when I'm experiencing a craving, but if I rlax and breath in and out deeply for a few times, it occurs to me that my stomach isn't hungry at all, just my tongue .

I'm having fun now that I've finally reached my destination. This is beautiful country, but it's distressing to see the impact of the mining industry on the environment. I sorta lost track of logging my food, so I'm back to that today. I will have to work out today and through the weekend to meet my workout goals for the week. But I will do it!

judy

Hi All!

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing. Last week was not a good exercise week for me, but this is a new week and I'm going to get back to my goal of 5 days a week. I did get a walk in this evening.

My DH started his new job last week on 1st shift, but now he is to his orginal shift this week which is 2nd shift. I am so thankful he has a job, but I'm not looking forward to him being gone in the evenings. Because I work 1st shift and he 2nd shift we will only get to see each other an hour a day Tuesday - Friday. He'll leave for work before I get home. I know I'll do fine, but the last time we worked this type of schedule I turned to food because I was lonely. I do have the boys at home, so that will help to keep me busy.

Hi Marie, Judy, Auntieg & Coach. Trust you all have a great week!

Kathy

Judy - Sorry to hear of your travel woes. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself after you finally got there. I'm trying to eat fruit for snacks. At least I've managed to stop the number on the scale marching upwards!

Coach - Nice to meet you! As I mentioned to Judy, I'm trying to replace my 'bad' snacks with healthier choices like fruit. Fruit leather is also a handy snack that you can take anywhere and they are only about 50 calories (I get mine from Trader Joe's).

Marie - I'm glad you're still managing to walk your doggies despite the cast. You're doing great with the calories. How is Blizzie doing? I hope the weather warms up for you soon. It's been unseasonably cool.

Auntie - Good to hear from you again. I hope things are going better for your family members. I've been thinking of you.

Kathy - Congrats on the 1.8 lbs. lost . I hope you're sleeping better - that can make all the difference to me whether I have any willpower! The better I sleep the less cravings I seem to have.

We went to the coast for a few days to celebrate our 40th anniversary. It was cool and drizzly, but it was still very enjoyable to breathe the fresh sea air. We had a nice ocean front room with a cozy fireplace. I'm trying to get back into my exercise routine, after being away off and on for the past few weeks. My back has been a bit sore (I always get a bad back from hotel beds) but I'm going to try to get to Curves tomorrow.

Have a great week everyone!

Kathy, I'm glad to hear that you're on the losing track . I'm sorry to hear that you and your hubby won't see each other on this new shift, however. I know that you will use what you've learned to keep the scale moving in the right direction.

Penny, congrats on your anniversary! So few people these days can celebrate a number like that. And take my advice, as a frequent traveler: the best beds are at the Doubletree Hotels.

Marie, you are a wonderful example of not letting obstacles (like broken body parts) get in the way of progress!

Auntie, I'm thinking of you. Coach, I hope you find your way back here.

I got back from Colorado late last night. I don't plan to travel again for a month or more, and it feels good to be able to settle in. I worked out most days, if you count walking extra laps through the Dallas airport.

Hey, where did everybody go? I've had an unusually social week--three receptions and one play. I mostly made good choices, although one place had fried oysters to die for . I'm on track with workouts. not always long enough, but I'm making myself do something, even if I only have 30 minutes.

Hope you other chickies are dong well and looking forward to the weekend.

judy

Judy - Looks like it's just you and me kid! Sounds like you had a fun week with all those social gatherings. Good for you managing to get in 30 min. exercise when you can - every bit helps.

I'm still catching up with things since we went to Boise and then to the coast for our anniversary. I've been doing some major yard work and trying not to do in my back!

I've recommitted to losing in a serious way as we'd like to go on a trip to New Zealand in about a year's time and it would be so nice to travel more comfortably (especially as it's such a long flight) and I know my joints would benefit from carrying less weight around too. I've been back at Curves after being awol for a couple of weeks and I'm starting a new yoga class at the end of the month.

I hope everyone else is doing well.

This has been a hard week for me. I've been very spotty with logging my food, and no long workouts during the week. I will be working this weekend, because I've got a lot to do to prepare for two days of meetings at the end of the week. The stress is really leaching my energy...but I will get through this! Watching Fit TV on cable, in hopes that these good messages will seep into my brain.

Penny, why New Zealand? Do you have family there?

Judy - Sorry to hear you've had such a hard week. I hope you'll be able to get a bit of a break this weekend between preparing for your meetings so you can recharge your batteries. We've always dreamed of going to NZ as we've heard so many good things about it. We lived in Australia for several years when we were first married (I actually met my DH there). We'd like to spend a few months in NZ and also hop over to Australia to visit as we still have many old friends there. Hopefully in a year or so my DH will be semi-retired so we can go for a longer trip. It would probably take me a while to get over the journey, so it would be nice to have an extended stay to thoroughly explore without rushing. I hope next week goes better for you.

Hi Judy & Penny!

Sorry I haven't posted lately. Life has been crazy. I'm adjusting to my husband working 2nd shift. He always ran the kids in the evening, but now I have to do all that. I'm also trying to get some extra things done at night and to keep myself busy so I don't eat because I miss my DH. So far so good!

I've been doing well on the exercising and dieting. I've been walkin 5 days a week and 2 miles each time. The pounds are coming off slow, but at least they're coming off.

Judy, do you ever get any rest. I don't know how you handle the stress. The older I get the less stress I can handle. In fact, I am applying for a new job at a local school. I feel it is time for me to move on from my current job. I have been the Office Manager for a landscape business for 10 years. With the economy people are cutting back on landscape work. Things are not look good for us right now and I'm concerned as to what the future holds. I'm praying that by getting into a school I'll have a more stable job.

I have not told my boss that I am looking for another job and in some ways that makes me feel bad. My boss has been very good to me and I don't want him to feel like I've let him hanging. I'm the first and only full-time secretary he has had. When I started working for him I worked out of a bedroom in his house. He now has built his own building. Why do I feel so guilty. I know that whether I get this school job or not, it is time for me to move on.

Have a good week!

Kathy

Hi, Kathy! It sounds like you're adjusting to the new schedule. It's great that you've haven't lost a step in maintaining your commitment to walking! I don't think you should tell your boss that you have another job until you've received an offer. No point in stirring up trouble if you don't need to!

Penny, it's so wonderful to imagine visiting another contry for an extended period of time. You'll want to be lean and fit for all that travel

This weekend, I did some cleaning, vacuuming, laundry, etc. I feel calmer just for tackling my chaotic bedroom. I went to the office for a while today. I didn't get a whole lot done, but it felt good to organize myself for the week and knock a few things off my to-do list. Food has been on course, and I did my quota of workouts this week, although not as many minutes as I would have liked.

I also joined a gym! I've been mulling over joining something for a while. The gym is a five-minute walk from my apartment building, the online reviews were 99.5% positive, all the classes are free (no registration, just show up) and there was a pleasant enough atmosphere when I stopped by today. So...here we go! I'm meeting with a personal trainer Monday afternoon.

Hope every has a nice Monday!

judy

Kathy - I know what you mean by it being hard to stay on plan when there are disruptions to our normal routines. I always seem to do a lot better when things are "same-old-same-old"! You are doing great with your exercise and I'm glad to hear you are losing steadily. I hope your job plans work out and that you'll find something a bit more stable.

Judy - Sounds like you got some therapeutic spring cleaning done on the weekend. Sometimes cleaning house helps to "clear" my mind! I go crazy dusting and vacuuming when I'm really stressed - but I mean REALLY stressed as I usually only drag out the vaccum when it's starting to get crunchy underfoot! Congrats on joining a gym - it sounds nice and is really handy for you too .

I'm back to my routine at Curves and have been doing lots of yard work so I'm starting to feel fitter already. My goal is to lose a pound a week. I'm trying to stick to about 1600 cals and I'm eating mostly fish, veggies and fruit. I have also started drinking 8 glasses of water a day again. I haven't been drinking enough water and I think it was making me sluggish and dehydrated. I bought some Roses Lime Juice and add a tablespoon per glass of water and several ice cubes. It makes a nice refreshing drink.

Have a great week everone!