10 lbs. at a Time #164- A New Year Dawns
 

Good Morning All,

A New Year is almost upon us and I'm sure most of us have done reflecting over the past year. It's been a learning year to be sure and I think it's important for all of us to focus on the positive changes and encourage ourselves to make more of them for the coming year.

A New Year is a fresh start for some and I know myself I will be treating it as such. I ate my way through Christmas and am really at a loss as to why I let myself sabatoge (sp) myself that way. I knew it was wrong, I knew I wasn't hungry but still I kept on. I have a 3 lb. gain to start the new year and have updated my stats to relfect that. Today is a new day and tomorrow a new year and I am determined to start it off on the right foot.

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season and were able to spend time with loved ones and time renewing yourselves.

To all of you; A Happy New Year and nothing but the best for 2003.

Take care,

Pam

Pam, you are so right. Although I did lose weight last year, I could have lost it all had I stayed focused. I am getting serious, I have my shopping list (the fridge is EMPTY), and I intend to make a 2 week effort to see just what type of dent I can make in my weight. I am joining Curves for Women on January 20th, and am looking forward to seeing some serious results overall.

Happy New Year everyone!
Meg

Hi Gang :wave:
Pam is'nt it stupid..i've done exactly the same thing but with chocolate :( in fact as i've been browsing the forum this morning i've been stuffing my face with big fat chocolate almonds..at 9am in the morning!! what a nut :lol: like the pun? :s: but the best thing about it is that i'm finally in the right frame of mind to do this again..took long enough did'nt it? i've been thinking about the clothes i was wearing last spring and how close i was to wearing my size 10's again until i blew it :mad: don't you dare blow it! Are you listening? Get a grip now before that 3lbs become's 10lbs. The most humiliating thing for me was that i lost my driver's licence while i was on holiday and had to get a replacement when i came home..hubby came with me and the man asked me if my weight was still the same (it was 140 when i renewed it last year) i had to say "unfortunately no..i'm back up to 165lbs". Hubby did'nt hear me tell him and came up to the desk and said something like "have you told him how much you weigh" whilst smirking :mad: no wonder i'm an emotional eater.
Anyway..i've decided there will be a lot of changes in 2003 and the biggest one will be my appearance..this year the sweats and trainer's will be gone i'll be back in suits..stilletto's..and jewellery.
The old me..Joan Collins..(i alway's refer to myself as her because i alway's used to be dressed up to the nine's like her in the past) is raising her head again :D

Happy New Year to you all :wave:

:wave: Hi Everyone

Pam and Meg, it's good to hear from you again, and Pam I know just how you feel. I didn't do very well during the Christmas holiday, between all the parties and gifts of chocolate. Especially the chocolate! Cat and I both had a good time with chocolate. But I have sent it all away and now I am struggling to get back on the program. And like you I am having a three pound problem. Throughout the last two or three weeks I have gone up and down. When I would get tough with myself it would go down, then when I goofed off it would go up. Right now it's up, but I have until my official weigh in on Friday before I will change my stats. So it's an incentive to be really good this week!:nono: I don't want to have to register a weight gain!

Tomorrow is the start of a new year and I intend to be on program with both diet and exercise so I will continue to lose weight. It appears we have all been having a problem during the holidays but it also appears everyone is determined not to let it stop us. WE CAN DO IT. I think it is just as important for us to post our failures as well as our successes. It makes us realize we are all going through the same thing. It doesn't matter who we are, or where we are in life it is difficult for all of us, but by working together we can do it. If I hadn't been posting and trying all the time these last few weeks I might have gained more and that would have been very discouraging. Not giving up and giving in is so important. Think of it as an accomplishment - How much could we have gained if we were not struggling to stay committed.

:grouphug: Now it is time to put the holidays behind us, don't dwell on our failures but enjoy our successes - it's a new year - Time for a new commitment - EAT HEALTHY AND EXERCISE - EXERCISE - EXERCISE!

:soap: Anyone who isn't posting - come back to us - we need you and you need us - WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER!

:hat: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Where is everyone - sleeping in maybe - Don't forget it's a new year and time for a new commitment!

I did pretty good last night. We had my bil and sil over for the evening. We played sequence, a fun game and ate snacks and had a few drinks. And watch the ball drop in Times Square. But I stayed pretty much op. Except for a few pieces of cheese and a few pieces of pepperoni, I only ate low fat crackers and drank ice water. My sil had brought over a pizza for later but we all decided we didn't need it and instead each had a big fresh orange that we had just received as a gift yesterday. It was delicious! I was so glad they decided against having the pizza because I know I would have been right into it if we had cooked it! They really helped me with that decision!

I've already done my exercise for today. This morning I walked the treadmill for 25 minutes and went 1.10 miles. Maybe this afternoon I will do a mile on the bike. I am in a Valentine's day challenge for exercise to do 50 miles by Valentine's day and it would have been only 1 mile a day to achieve it, but I've missed a few days so now I need to make it up if I am going to meet my challenge!

Tomorrow is my dh birthday. He will be 70 years old. He sure doesn't look or act it. Everyone is always surprised to find out his age. I plan to take him out for chinese food, along with some of the family if I can get them together because we haven't really planned it yet. Another challenge - I better be good until then, because I love chinese food!



:wave: Hi everyone and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR - GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF US FOR AN OP DAY AND AN OP YEAR

Good Morning All,

Happy New Year!! It's hard to believe it's here already isn't it?

Cathy, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your strong words yesterday. When I read the part of don't let 3 turn into 10 that really brought it home for me just how easy it would be to let it slide like that. Thank you for helping me put that in perspective. I love the image of you of as Joan Collin's and have no doubt about the fact that you will knock hubby's socks off this year. You're a beautiful person inside and out and your strength is showing through. Go Girl!!You know you can always email me for extra support. Thanks for being such a friend.

Grandma G, I'm so glad you joined our group too! I know what you mean about the posting helping you stay focused on the journey even when our motivation strays. You ladies are always in the back of my mind when I feel like giving up. An inspiration you all are to be sure.

Meigg, I'm happy to hear from you again. Curves for Women has had excellent reviews from some of my friends and I know you'll do well at it. I love to hear the resolve in your post this morning. We all owe it to ourselves to be the best we can be.

Karie, Dahlia, Terry, Lisa, Carol, and everyone else whose been with us over the years, please come and say hi and let us know how you're doing. We miss you.

Take care and let's all have an OP day to start the New Year off right!

Pam

Happy New Year everyone. Day one. Going well. Trying atkins for next two weeks with much support from hubby and family and work friends. Work has been very dissapointing as of late. Remember the salary cut? Did not get the money back in bonus. I asked a friend point blank what her bonus was, and she lied to me (obviously to make me feel better). But you know what, that is not being a true friend. I have had several people warn me about her in the past, and I have never believed them until now. I am cutting her out of my life. It was a ridiculous thing to lie about - so what else is she lieing about? Clearly, I am upset.

I am moving on, though. New Year's resolution: 2 weeks on Atkins to see if I can budge scale 5 pounds. Then I will believe that carbs are what has been my problem. I hope none of you are really anti-atkins. I need all the help I can get right now. I promise not to have steak with butter on it! I am eating eggs, fish and chicken, with salads and veggies. Cutting out the caffiene, sugar, fruit, and everything else is going to be a nightmare! - mostly just breaking the habit. I went to reach for something this morning and had to remind myself that I had started!

New Year's is such a good time, as we all have good intentions. Let's try to stay focused. I read on cnn.com today to just try to keep your resolutions one day at a time. i think we all need to keep that in mind. If we fall off, we can always start with the next meal, the next morning, or simply getting back on the treadmill.

I have so enjoyed the journey with you all so far, and I hope the year to come will make us happier with ourselves - whether we lose weight or not.

Happy New Year!

Meg

Afternoon Ladies :wave:

Pam..i'm so glad that the "talking" to helped :D you are so close to your goal and i know you'll be there in a couple of weeks ;) any time that you feel like your motivation is slipping just get out that "fat" picture..the one that you posted on Yahoo and compare it to a "thin" one and say to yourself "I'm never going back there" (i'm a fine one to talk are'nt i? :lol: ) What is it that they say? A picture is worth a thousand words? or something like that..well..it is true. I never thought of doing that while i was on my way to goal last year and i so wish i had i think it would have kept me on the straight and "narrow" :lol:

Meg..i'm not anti-Atkins and i think you're right not to have fat dripping off everything :lol: Good Luck! About your friend..how do you know that she lied to you? if it was from someone else how can you be certain that she did'nt lie to them? and even if she did lie you are probably right it was to protect you from being hurt.. friends like that are hard to find..besides..even if she did get more than you it was'nt her fault it was your employer's..they are the one's you should be mad at :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE AND HERE'S TO A SLIMMER ONE!

Meigg, we are here to support each other no matter what. My SIL did Atkins a few years ago and had much success on it. She did gain all the weight back but she also wasn't following the guidelines properly either. Sounds as though you've researched it and are going to keep a good head about you. People seem to think that you never get carbs again but I believe that after the induction phase you get to add some back in until you strike the right balance. I'm so glad you've got Dan's support and that of your friends...it does make it easier doesn't it? Be sure to post often and let us be here for you.

Cat, good point about the pictures. I'll have to ask Erwin if he can scan the one in from his Christmas party in my size 12 frock. That's a good one to show me how far along I've come. Thanks for the reminder.

I'm OP today and have nine points left for the day so far so good. I've jounalled everything and am remembering to drink my water. I'm off to clean the pantry out and see if I can find it's shelves again.

Have a good one.

Pam

Thanks for the support guys. I did well today. I am eating chicken with salad and a little feta. I drizzled a little olive oil and lemon juice on the salad and it was REALLY good. Imagine! I actually could see myself making that dressing in a restaurant and enjoying it. That is a positive.

I am mad at my boss, which I am trying to let go, but I asked my friend to be honest about how much her bonus was (so I could see if everyone got different amounts based on workload, or if they were all the same - like last year). She said she got the same as me. I found out from someone else that she got $250 more than me. The thing is, I wouldn't have even been mad at her if she had just told me the truth at the time - she has worked really hard all year, and totally deserved it. I also told her she didn't even have to answer if she didn't feel comfortable. But pick one of the two - don't lie. I just wanted a real answer so I knew how badly I was getting screwed out of my $10,000 in lost wages. That's all.

Well, enough of that. I will simply look for a new job instead! Stay positive, right? Right!

Talk to you all tomorrow.

Pam - Great job journaling and with the water - keep it up. One day at a time!

Grandma G - I love your workout challenge for Valentine's Day. I wish that my gym opened earlier (I think it opens Jan 20th) or I would join you!

See you later!

Meg

Good morning everyone. Well, day two is off to a GRAND start!!!!

I am feeling well, despite the cutback on caffiene and sugar - and guess what - MY BOSS ACTUALLY APPROACHED ME ABOUT MY SALARY!!!!

He told me that he is doing the math and that he should know by the end of next week what type of increase he can give me. It probably won't be back to what it was, but even if it is something, that is better than nothing! And HE approached ME! This has absolutely MADE MY DAY!

I hope everyone is doing well today. Remember, try to keep your resolutions one day at a time. And if you slip, just start over again at the next meal, or by working out. We can do it!

Talk to you soon!

Meg

Meg..so glad that "scrooge" approached you :D the word must be out..he's probably heard that you are :censored: :mad: :lol: i hope you get what you deserve :D Glad that Atkins is working out for you..now..i've got to find something that works for me. I might just try counting calories and fat grams instead of restricting anything..that usually works for me :wave:

Hey girls, just doing a quick check in today to say hi! All is well...I'm back at work now after a lovely week off and there were no surprises waiting for me. I love days like that.

Had an OP day yesterday and am on track today also.

Meigg, sounds promising. Good for you.

Cat, how are you doing today? Sounds like your plan is coming together. Remember one day at a time and like Meigg said, if we do poorly at one meal treat that as one meal, not a whole day. We will do this.

Have a good one and I'll pop back in later.

Dahlia, if you're lurking, how is your son doing on his recovery?

Pam

Hi Pam..what can i say :?: it's lunchtime and so far so good :lol: glad to hear that you are doing well :D think i'll get the old digi-camera going later and take some "before" pic's..want to get on the treadmill sometime today too as well as go shopping...boy.. i'd better get movin' :wave:

Good afternoon ladies!

It is a great day here, sunny but cold. I got off to a good start by walking 1.30 miles on the treadmill, in 29.30 minutes. I am trying to increase my speed and endurance by continually increasing my speed each time for the mile, then slowing down and continuing to walk for a few more minutes. It is working but when I walk faster my ankles hurt more along with my feet. I hope that will improve as I walk.

So glad to hear your good news Meg. It's about time they realize how valuable you are. I hope it works out for you. Also glad to hear the new diet is working for you. I have the book, but I never tried it. It didn't seem like something I could stick with, but I know several people who have had a lot of success with it. Good luck!

Meg, if you want to start a Valentine's day exercise challenge before your gym is ready why don't you do some of that dance exercise you told us about. Just challenge yourself to do so many minutes each day in place of miles. I wish you were closer you could use my treadmill!

Pam and Cat, I like the idea of the pictures to show us how far we have come, I think I will do that. I will get a before and after picture to put on the fridge! That should scare me into eating right! :lol:

My dh is having a great 70th birthday so far. Our dil arranged to have a friend's daughter, who is taking massage therapy in College come with her table and all her equipment and give him a massage this morning. HE LOVED IT! I knew he would. I was planning to take him out for Chinese food tonight but we postponed it until tomorrow night. It was more convenient for the rest of the family. :hb:

I am doing pretty good staying op with my eating but I could do better. I am working on decreasing portions again. Even though I eat the right things, I need to eat less.

:wave: Hi Karie, Dahlia, Terry, Lisa, Carol, Floridachick and anyone else who may be lurking, come and join us - we need you! :dance: :dance: Good luck to all of us for an op day

Well, I'm not sure if you meant Riddle "Lisa" or me, but here I am anyway! Its the start of a new year and even though I have not been posting, I've been doing well!

I think I started around 235....wayyyyy back when. I'm happy to report I am down to 190ish!!! Will weigh in on Monday and confirm the exact number. I've been wavering between 185-190 for a bit now.

I've been sick since Thanksgiving, so I went off my meds. Restarted them yesterday as part of my resolution to get/stay healthy. Did Tae Bo just a few minutes ago - WOW am I out of shape! I haven't done any exercising in ages, probably since last spring, and I can tell!

Anyway, my long term goal will be to get down to 160-165. I remember when I was posting last year my long term goal was 185 and "I'd be happy!". So this is a big next step! I haven't been in the 160's for at least 10 years!

I hope everyone else is doing well. I haven't had a chance to go back through past threads (that would take me a year in itself!), but its really great to see some familiar faces here! Hope I can stick with you guys this time!

Best wishes for a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Lisa

Cat - keep trying. I know we will all find something that will work for us eventually. I think the key is to actually DO the work (if you know what I mean). I always keep saying, "I can start tomorrow". No - it has to be TODAY!

Grandma G - great idea about the exercise. We just bought a ball, so I am definately going to incorporate some of that tonight - some sit-ups, etc. Also, I just thought of something when I was reading your post - the part about portions. Wouldn't it be great if there were cookie cutters for portions? That were the right size for protein and a different one for veggies? When you went out you could just use your cookie cutter and you would be fine. And in a perfect world - no one would think you were a freak for doing it!:lol:

Anyway....I am off to have chicken and veggies. Remember that fish I had every night for dinner ALL LAST YEAR? It has more carbs than allowed in one day! Pretty funny.

Good night!
Meg

Good Morning!

Had a smashing day yesterday..stayed within points and got a good workout in on the treadmill. Wasn't too hungry during the day and did well with my choices. Felt great!:D I just want to keep building on these little successes day by day.

Hope you all are doing well. Talk to you later,

Pam

Good morning ladies,

I am up early this morning. I always am when I have regular coffee the night before. We went out for chinese last evening for dh birthday. There were 15 of us and we had a great time. but Meg I should have taken my cookie cutter. Actually although I only filled my plate once, I REALLY FILLED IT! At least I hadn't eaten much during the day, but I have no idea how many calories I consumed last night! It's a good thing I did my exercise yesterday. I have been keeping to my commitment on exercise! I've walked 3 and 1/2 miles in the last three days and that is really good for me! I amost didn't do it yesterday. When I wait until later in the day, I always want to put it off until tomorrow, but yesterday I pushed myself and wouldn't take no for an answer!

Lisa it is so good to hear from you. It sounds like you did okay during the holidays! I know what you mean about getting into the 160's. This is the first time in probably 20 or 25 years that I have been there. I have been hovering between 167 and 170 for about a month or better now, so I am ready to get going and work! My next big goal is to get down into the 150's

Cat, just keep trying until you find what works best for you. These challenges both with diet and now I am finding with exercise help me more then anything else. When I try to procrastinate, I think about the challenge and I don't put it off until tomorrow. Meg is right it has to be TODAY!

Pam, it sounds like you really have your motivation back. You will be at your goal before you know it. We are all so proud of you! keep up the good work.



:wave: Hi to Dahlia, Karie and anyone else I missed. :cb: :cb: Lets all keep with it, eat healthy and exercise - that is all it takes to bring us to our goals!

Good luck to everyone for an op day! ONE DAY AT A TIME - TODAY!

Hmmm...i did'nt get around to exercising or taking any pic's like i said i would..i spend so much time posting and reading on here that the hour's just fly by :rolleyes: i'm definitely getting control over what i eat tho' and making better choices :D

Hi Lisa..welcome back and congrats on the weightloss :D

I can't believe it's 2pm and i've been online since early this morning :eek: so i'd better make tracks before it goes dark.

Hello ladies,
Meg, not sure what is the story, but that is nice that your boss is going to increase your salary and its his idea.. that means you are a valuable employee and they know it.. *hurrah for you* :)

Pam... my son is doing very well, thank you for asking.. we are taking him in for a post op checkup on MOnday, 3 weeks early cause he is having some problems,,,, but I'm sure they will taper off, just want to talk to the doctor and have him tell us everything is ok.... but it's amazing the difference a month can make... there is a light at the end of the tunnel... whew :)

Pam it sounds like you are doing so great on staying op and getting close to your goal... soon more of us will be able to say that too..I remember 5 yrs ago how great it felt when I lost the 40 pounds.. and people were all noticing and telling me how great I looked.. I want to hear that again and I WILLL... I am determined.. I am a strong willed person, I just have to get my act together...

OK.. grandma G.. one more week and I'll be able to get back on my treadmill,, the kids will be out of the basement and it will be mine again.

Hi to everyone else,, have an *op * weekend and take care.

Dahlia

Hi All,

Dahlia, you sound great and I'm glad DS is on the mend. I know how scary it can be not to know what's going on all the time when the body is healing. Fingers crossed that everything will be fine. I also forgot to ask how the grand babies were doing? Do you still babysit them alot?

Cat, isn't it amazing how fast the day can be frittered away on line? I'm amazed at how fast I can chew up an hour :)

Meigg how is the Atkins plan going for you? I had a bit of a giggle on the fish comment. Go figure eh?

Lisa, nice to hear from you and continued success. I know you're a busy gal but try and stop in once in awhile :) We miss you!

I've had a smashing good 3 days and feel quite a bit better than I did before New Year's. My body just doesn't handle high fat and no water very well. I've noticed since I've been eating my regular way I feel a bit more energized. DH and I had a giggle over this being our regular way of eating and Christmas being an oddity in our household. Ah the difference a year can make.

Hope you all are having a pleasant weekend. Will check in tomorrow. Sweet dreams to all....

Pam

Well everyone, after several days of doubt because of the scale, I finally have faith that Atkins can and does work (at least today I do). I am down 3 pounds. Hey - I don't care if it is water, fat, muscle, or anything - I actually LOST! 181.5 lbs is the weight I have never been able to get below, which is why I set my first goal at 179. Then I will know that Atkins REALLY works for me.

I need to go out and by those ketostix that you pee on to tell you if you are in ketosis. What a nightmare. I just can't imagine adding that to my routine for the rest of my life. - but hey, if that means that I can fit into all of the clothes that are stored in the basement, I think I can pee on a stick!;)

And the food - sounds great on the front end...but man - apparently I am not clever enough with my menus! Eggs with feta for breakfast & turkey sausage. Turkey burger with cheddar and a small salad for lunch, and roasted chicken for dinner, or a burger, or scallops. I may be overloading on the cheddar as snacks, but a girl has to have something to keep going!:s:

Pam - you sound great - and back on track after a slight holiday binge. It sounds like you truly have made some lifestyle changes, which is what it is all about!:smug:

Dahlia, I am so glad to hear your son is doing better. I am sure the doctor will tell you not to worry - and everything will be fine! My thoughts are with both of you!!!:grouphug:

Grandma G. - Sounds like you are VERY dedicated to the treadmill, and you are an inspiration to me. I have called around to all the local gyms to get pricing and hours. Can you believe that the new curves is only open 9-12 and 2-7. I am in the CITY OF CHICAGO. Not in the suburbs. This area is a ghost town during the day. I found a gym about 10 blocks away, same price but open 24 hours, with a parking lot. I am going to join - just not sure when. Thanks for the inspiration!

Ladies, once I create, patent, and start testing the "Lifestyle cookie cutter by Meigg" (to wordy?:lol: ) You will all get one free to test. In the mean time, let's try to watch our portions.:chef:

Have a great rest of the weekend - Meg:wave:

Good Morning Ladies...Meg they have started showing an ad for Curve's on tv and they make it look real fun :) the women are just ordinary overweight women..no Cindi Crawford's :lol: so you've had second thoughts about joining :?: do those hours not work for you? Congrats on the weightloss :D where do you get those ketostix? i've heard about them but have never seen them.
Are you missing carbs at all? i could'nt imagine having bacon and eggs without bread :cry: but i suppose it's a small sacrifice to make if it means not having to live on lettuce :rolleyes: oop's questions..questions..sorry to bombard you with them :lol:

I'm going to use my treadmill in a while..i almost put "try" but i'm not going to try i'm going to do!

Pam..great job on the 3 day's OP!

Pam - I get home from work at 6. I worry I can't fit it in. And they aren't open weekends. I was really psyched about it and now I am not.

You get the ketostix at the pharmacy - no prescription necessary. I don't really miss the carbs. It is weird. but one day I had a craving for sugar cookies - and I don't even like sugar cookies.:dizzy: . I have had to give up ALL sugar - including aspartame. It is hard - just to figure out!:o

Right now I am using chocolate molds and melting nestles chips - I have to REMEMBER NOT TO LICK FINGERS or it messes the whole thing up. But what is funny- I don't really have a craving to - so that is good.

You go with the treadmill girl!!!!

Just another quick check in! Sounds like everyone is doing very well!

Saturday night I had to go digging through bags of old jeans - someday I'm gonna make a quilt, when I have time - to find a smaller pair of jeans for myself! Hubby was quite impressed on how a size 16 looked. 14s next? I don't know...haven't been that size in 15 years and two kids ago!

Weighed in this morning at 190 which gives me 25 to goal. Set up my exercise room over the weekend, but I really wish I lived close enough to a gym. I always thought that would be more fun to go somewhere and work out than to sit at home and do it.

Well, I have a busy day ahead, so I better get going! Take care all!

Lisa

Hi Ladies,

I don't have much time but I just had to check in and say WAY TO GO LADIES! Everyone sounds so motivated and ready to work! I know we can do this together.

The exercise challenge has helped me so much to get my motivation back. Every day after I finish I record it and I am determined not to miss a day. For the last three days I have managed 1 and 1/2 miles each day. And I never thought I could do it. What a great feeling! But I find I need to do it the first thing when I get up or it is much harder to get myself going. Like I told Meg, if you don't have a treadmill or a gym just do any kind of exercise you can and set a certain amount of time each day to do it, and increase it gradually. Then set up a challenge for yourself and try to do it daily. It's amazing how fast it adds up - I pledged to do 50 miles by valentine's day and I am already at 9 miles, almost a 5th of the way there! I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM DOING IT! I think this is what I needed to get those scales moving again!

:wave: Hi to everyone - good luck for an op day.

It's Working!
 

Well, I got the ketostix, and suffice it to say, the diet is working. I registered a reading on the stix, and lost 3 pounds on the scale! That is definately motivation to keep on truckin' with the low-carb thing. Perhaps my body just wasn't meant for alot of carbs.

I have alot of energy. Didn't even need to press snooze on the alarm this morning - what is wrong with me? And I am looking forward to joining the gym! I am inspired, and I hope to stay this motivated. I haven't felt this good about a program EVER!

Lisa - CONGRATS ON THE SMALLER SIZE! I keep seeming to get bigger. That is a great indication of how well you are doing - keep up the good work! Can you try integrating some new music or videos into your workout - something that makes your home gym a treat? Maybe put in a VCR so you can watch movies while you work out?

Have a great day everyone!

Meg

Good Morning Ladies,

Grandma G...way to go on your challenge. I'm so proud of you!!! 50 miles is a lot of walking but you'll be there in no time. Are you still using your paintings as a visual?

Meigg, holy smokes girl! No snooze button??? Terrific...I'm jealous :) Great job and keep up the good work.

Lisa, you are doing so well and I'm happy you're checking in again. The scale isn't always the better judge of things as you well know. I'm so proud of you and the new size!

I've had a good weekend..actually a pretty good past week. I'm feeling better mentally and that sure carries over to other things doesn't it?

Well back to what they pay me for and I'll check back in later,

Pam

Hi Ladies :wave: Grandma..you're right..when i used to exercise religiously every day it was because i alway's did it in the morning it was like do it now and then it's over and done with and the rest of the day is 'free' to do other things..now that i have no motivation to do any i say to myself "i'll do it later" but later never happens :( today is a prime example..it's 4.20pm and i still have'nt done any..i'm sat in my lycra shorts but i have'nt done anything :lol: well..that's not exactly true...i bought 2 exercise tapes yesterday to motivate me..NOT...one is one of the FIRM series and OMG these amazon women move that fast that i have'nt a clue what just happened..i have no co-ordination at all :spin: so that was $20 spent well :mad: maybe if i watch it a zillion times i'll get some of the moves down but there is no chance that i'll mess with the 14" step that they use unless someone gives me a ladder :lol: now i'm really gonna use my treadmill..i did'nt yesterday like i said i would but i am now..right this minute :wave:

I'VE GOT A NEW ATTITUDE ooh ooh..ooh ooh ooh :lol: i just love the new Jenny ad it's got me pumped :D and YAAAYY i did exercise last night..3 miles on my treadmill..i'm gonna try a tape today :) but not the FIRM because i'll end up looking like this :dance: and the amazons will be doing this :dancer: :shrug:

Cathy you seriously crack me up :) You go girl! Great job on the treadmill.

Pam

Hi Ladies,

Way to go Cat, 3 miles on the treadmill:cp: When you exercise you really exercise. Think what would happen with the scales if you commit to doing that every day. WOW. I thought I was doing great at a mile and a half. Of course for me it is great, so I am happy with it! I love your sence of humor!

Yes Pam, I am still using my paintings for a visual. The last couple of days I have been studying a painting I am working on that is nearly finished. That is how I decide what still needs to be done and how I know when it is finished. My mission in life, other then my family is to create paintings that bring to people the beauty and history of our great country. Most of the commission paintings I have done have been creating other peoples dreams and memories. It is such a challenge to do that, but so rewarding. The greatest feeling is when a client says to me, "that is exactly what I had in mind." My current painting, not a commission is based on an old black and white photograph and is of a big stone house built in 1819. It is part of the history of our town and the site of the first town board meeting. The scene is of a beautiful fall day, with the trees in full fall color and the grass still green is littered with falling leaves. Out in the front stands a man dressed in a dark suit and three ladies in long white dresses, and near a tree sits a yellow cat. The reason I put the yellow cat in the painting is based on a story we were told a couple years ago when we went to a party at the "stone mansion", given by the present owners in honor of some of the decendents of the original owners. The decendents told about a yellow cat that lived in the house and always slept in a large glass bowl that sat on the piano, then proceded to present the very bowl to the current owners with a stuffed yellow cat in it (not a real cat) with a request that it remain with the house. I plan to have prints made of this painting and write the history of the house so a copy can go with each print. This is the third painting in my historical home series. I think it will be the last in this series.

:yawn: Sorry I got carried away, hope I didn't bore you to death!

Meg you are doing so well with your new diet. Congratulations on the weight loss. Good luck with it!

Dahlia, I hope your son continues to improve. I bet you will be glad to get back on the treadmill. In spite of my hurting feet and ankles, I feel much better after exercising. And it is working. I have already lost 2 lbs of what I gained over the holidays. Only 1 more to go and I will be back where I was before Christmas!

Good luck everyone for an op day tomorrow, and hi to anyone I missed. :wave:

:lol: he-he glad you had a giggle...i ate way to much today but i got lots of cleaning done and i did a 50 min exercise tape this morning and another 3 miles on the treadmill this afternoon :D i'll have to make sure i do something first thing like Grandma does otherwise its fatal :faint: i get online and that's it..end of story.

Come out..come out..wherever you are :lol: i walked for 4 miles yesterday and 'rode' for 30 minutes on my exercise bike :D i thought why sit on the sofa and watch the bold and the beautiful when i can 'ride' :lol: still eating too much tho' :(

Hey Cathy, little steps at a time. Soon the exercise will become routine and then the eating will fall into line.

I too am still eating too much but it's not junk food right now. I'm still sticking to between 25-30 points per day for the most part. I'm just trying focusing on maintaining right now and not obsessing over points or that guilty feeling from being a point over. AFter awhile I think that's what gets me down is then I feel like a failure. So right now the focus is just a healthier lifestyle with healthier choices and upping the activity by taking the dogs for a bit of a longer walk or parking farther away at the mall. We'll see how it goes.

Meigg, how are you making out so far? I hope it's all going well for you with the new program.

Grandma G, you are doing so well too. I love to hear about your painting. It makes me wish you lived closer to me. I'd love to commission you to paint a portrait of our dogs for my husband. I'm far too attached to the dogs I know :) You sound as though you love what you do so much that I know that joy reflects in your work.

Karie, where the heck are you at girl? Hope all is well in Cowtown. Come out and say hi?

Hi to all I've missed. I'll check in later,

Pam

Hi Ladies,

Where is everyone - We need you all! Karie, Dahlia, Lisa, and anyone else who might be lurking. :lol:

Pam, you are right I do love my work. A couple years ago we remodeled a room upstairs in our home to be a studio and I bought a north light to work under. With a corner for a framing center. Before I always painted at a big old desk in my Gallery (dining room), downstairs without a good light and not much room. Yet for some reason I still haven't settled into my new studio. I used to spend hours a day painting, now I haven't been taking much time with it. The fact that my husband retired hasn't helped either. We spend so much time running the roads, traveling and working on historical projects. I help him with all his town historian duties. Of course my current series of paintings blends well. I made up my mind not to accept any more commissions so I could paint only what I wanted to, but I am having a terrible time saying no to people. Doing commissions helped me so much to grow as an artist - I tried things I never would have thought of on my own. And accomplishing their idea is always a thrill. Once a women asked me to paint her back porch as a gift for her neice who spent a lot of time there as a child. I was doubtful it would make a good painting, but I did it and it turned out to be a great painting, one of my favorite's and her neice loved it. Now this same women wants me to paint a special tree for her other neice. :lol: Here I am getting carried away again!

Pam you are doing so well, and learning how to maintain is just as important as losing, because if we don't learn that and just gain it back we have wasted our time dieting and yo yo dieting is as dangerous to the health as staying overweight is.

Cat, I am so proud of you. :cb: :cb: When you exercise you don't fool around. I wish I could do that! You are inspiring me to incorporate some work on my exercise bike into my day. I haven't used that much lately. I am still doing my treadmill and haven't missed a day. But I still need to do it when I first get up before breakfast.

I too seem to be eating more then I should. I have been munching during the evenings. I try to keep to things that are low in calories and good for me, but I need to stop doing it anyway because even that adds up. On the Ophra show they had a guest on that said you should not eat after 7:00 in the evening. If with your lifestyle that is not possible then stop eating at least 2 hours before you go to bed. The guest also said that that hungry feeling you get in your stomach later in the evening was when your body was getting into the fat reserves and you should welcome that feeling and not feed it. Because when you feed it you keep yourself from losing. That makes sense and I am trying to remember that, and not eat!

:angel: Well I had better be an angel and do well today because we have another banquet tomorrow. The last of our holiday parties. More temptation!

:dance: :dance: Hi to anyone I missed and good luck for an op day

Hi Ladies..Another 3 miles on Treadmill..20 mins on exercise bike and 10 mins Pilates..(well..trying Pilates :lol: ) yesterday.Weighed in this morning with a 1.5lbs loss :D the exercise alway's does it for me..regardless of if i watch what i eat..good job really :o it's almost 8.30am so i think i'll get up there and start doing something :wave:


169.5/168/130

Hey everyone!
 

Atkins has been going great. Although I have been overdoing it on the cheese:cheese: (my favorite food), so I haven't seen a real loss. I also have been drinking coffee and I am working on switching to decaf. I had also lowered all my bipolar medications, and I think because I am metabolizing food differently, I had a manic episode (first one since 1999). I felt it coming on, and took a bunch of pills. I am now back where I was before, but not upset about it. I will try messing with them again later.

I am also joining the gym this weekend.

Gotta go!

Did an assortment of exercise tapes this morning for about an hour and another 3 miles on my treadmill..hope i can keep this up :D i feel like i can because i'm actually starting to look forward to doing it in the mornings :D