Actually Cyan, i have 2 boys and we work with teens--aka fosterparents basically. We also have 2 teens girls at home as well. Feeling fine so far.

Didn't exercise yesterday. Kept saying later and never got around to it. Not sure if I will tonight or not though.

Can't write individual posts today. Sorry girls.

Well, the filming was yesterday and it was fun, I'll let you all know when it is on...sometime this spring.

I am ready to really get motivated and make some changes in personal development before the new year

reina I am going back to my lists ...writing down my weekly goals here really helped me to be accountable. You guys helped me to make the food go away.

Sorry, something happened to the computer and I submitted before I was finished typing.

Deana, I am so happy for you! I hope it is a girl.

Miki, I agree with you I hope that the baby virus isn't going around. Miss Miki I need to have you on my shoulder again. I am healthy food shopping on Thursday and I am going to take you along...we can buy the hummus but I am counting on you to give me the willpower to not put the potato chips in the cart.

Cyan, remember you are the exercise queen and our leader. Last year we all had a healthy lifestyle started let's keep it up!

Reina, I am with you! I am going to post my weight and my goals for the next week every friday. Let's keep each other accountable and make sure we do at least a few things on the list.

Newie, things will get better! Life is like a river, sometimes there are rapids,sometimes it drys up and sometimes it runs smoothly I just kind of made it up and it doesn't make much sense but my mom would always said things like that and it made me feel better!


Well, here is my list of what I plan to do by next friday 11/21.

1. This week I will get rid of all remaining Halloween candy.
2. I will go food shopping and get healthy snacks
3. I will pre-plan my dinners so I will have healthy options picked out
4. I will eat oatmeal for breakfast
5. I will start having my turkey pita for lunch every day
6. I will just eat out twice this wek and try to limit portion sizes
7. I will only make two types of xmas cokies with the kids
8. I will make an non-edible gingerbread house
9. I will wear my skinny pants to try to keep me honest
10. I will not eat after 8p.m.

Hopefully I will be able to do at least 8 things last week on the list.

Hi,

I have a few minute of down time...Just finished helping jimmy with homework and I am giving myself a half hour to relax.

I was trying to remeber why my weight loss worked and I think it had alot to do with taking time for yourself. The more I took time to do little things for myself the more in control I felt withmy life. I then felt I could control more of my eating. I think most of the time I eat just because I am either bored, angry, stressed or tired. I know that I realy don't need to consume the large amount of junk food that I do or the sweets but I do then I feel guilty then I set myself to fail again because I expect too much too fast. i guess when I was not depraving myself of the extra pampering I did not need to reward myself with food.

so I decided that next time I am

*bored instead of eating i will clean up the house, work on a scrapbook project, write or go on the internet.

*angry instead of eating I will write down why i am angry, what is causing me to be angry and if I can change it

*tired instead of eating I will go to bed or take a nap

*stressed I will do yoga, breathe deep, take a walk, take a bath, read to my children

Hopefully this will help. I am so ready to get motivated again and really make my goal of 20 pounds by January 1. Even if i just lose 10 I will still be happy. Since it is getting colder outside I probably won't be walking as much so I think I will dust off the exercise tapes and do them with the kids or get up a half hour earlier in the morning and do them. I also have to stop comparing myself to all the skinny moms i know. I need to lose th weight because it will make me feel healthy.

sorry I am rrambling but I am in a very motivated mood and I don't want to lose it.

Well its thursday...I must admit, this week has been slow slow slow...I am so looking forward to the weekend ... I need to veg and of course drive my car

Hey Debee...man I hope some of your determination and motivation rub off on me...its so good to see you in fighting form...if you can do it...I can do it. thanks for pulling us together with your newfound determination.

I will make my own list too

1. no eating after 8pm
2. cut back on portion size
3. no mindless snacking at work.
4. EXERCISE at least 3 times per week until I am back to my old routine..I dont know what happened but I sure fell off the wagon here
5. cut back on deserts and chocolate.

Well thats my top five for the next month...once I have mastered these..on to the next five.

Taiwan...are you hoping this baby will be a girl? Let me know.

Miki how are you doing with the exercising? And your eating? details please

Hey Newie...how are you doing today? how is the hubby? Let us know.

Reina...I hope you are doing well..let us know how you are doing when you get the chance.

Lisa...same goes for you..how is your pregnancy? Scool and work ...man how do you do it...and you have kids and a husband...geez...kudos to you for holding it together.

well ladies...as usual, I am at work, thank goodness its almost lunch...I am in the mood for a tuna sandwich so I will probably go get one...yum yum with a side salad.

I bid everyone a great day and lets get back in the losing spirit

Cyan

Ok,
looks like everyone is getting that motivation pumping..

Well, you would all be proud... I started Atkins today.. I never ever wanted to do it, because I am such a carb addict, that I said "I CAN'T DO IT" .
Well as Flav, pointed out the other night, it's not that I can, it is that I won't because I won't give up those favs of mine. Well, I started today, so I am sure I will be *****y for the first few days but I hope to get by, my boss has lost some weight on it and only has been on for a couple of weeks... He said it was hard, but worth it, when you get on that scale. So I have my big jug of water next to me and I had a wierd lunch.

This diet goes totally against what I have believed is right for so long. Lisa, how did you adjust to that...
I had a double cheeseburger with bacon today, without the bread of course, but YUK.... all that meat made me more sick looking at it than anything else.

I don't know, we will see....

Deb, good to see your lists again. I glad to see everyone's...

Good luck and I will check in later.

Hi, everyone--sorry I haven't posted the last few days, but I've been busy with each day and really couldn't motivate myself to write. Thank you so much, everyone, for your encouragement. It really helped me. Actually I've been feeling much better the last couple of days--I think it is good when hubby goes out in his job search. I really hate it when it's just the two of us in the house with that shadow hanging over us. I enjoyed teaching the 7th grade on Tuesday. I think I know why I quit my job in September. I think I am supposed to get back into teaching. I really like this elementary school level. When I was in training in the 70's, I wanted to teach 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, but I never got the chance because the job offer I received (and there weren't many offers out there back then, so I took what I could get) was for 9th grade. The paperwork for an English teacher on the high school level was so incredible that after 11 years I just couldn't take it anymore. Anyway, we'll see how things work out for me. I have come to a place of "one day at a time".

I think hubby's job search is progressing pretty well, though we don't have anything definite yet. One prospect that he will follow up on as far as it goes is a manufacturing job for a company that makes parts for Ford. A huge industrial park is opening very close to where we live that will be supporting a Ford assembly plant near here. (Most Ford Tauruses and Mercury Sables are assembled at a plant about 3 miles from my house.) Hubby has the 20 years of manufacturing experience with General Mills behind him. He filled out preliminary applications Tuesday and was invited back for 2-3 hours of testing a week from today. Hopefully he will make that cut and be invited for an interview. Again, we're taking things "one day at a time". I don't know how I got to this place of peace from where I was the other day--maybe my prayers and those of others around me are being answered. Hubby gets down, especially when he is home, not out looking, but I'm trying to keep him busy doing house projects he hasn't had time for before--things that will both accomplish something important in the house and help him feel productive as a human being. We're due to get our first unemployment check this week. Hopefully it will arrive on time.

I went back on Atkins induction today. I've been having more and more problems with the carbs, and yesterday I ate a whole bunch of cheese puffs--two bowls full--about 4 cups!! They made me feel gross, and I think I've gained two pounds. My body just can't deal with the carbs. Once I start eating them, I begin craving them, and then I start gaining again. I know it's that whole insulin situation in the body. Reina, I know how you feel about all the meat. I'm not much of a meat person myself, and I get sick from eating eggs. I do a lot of cheese, cottage cheese, and peanut butter. I don't do Atkins to the letter, even induction, because it is too restrictive for me, but I do cut out most flour, starchy veggies, and as much sugar as possible. For me, the carbs are the problem. Already today, after one day my craving for sweets has reduced. I don't lose as fast as some people do on Atkins, but without it I don't lose at all. Two weeks is all I can take of the Induction stage, but that's enough to jumpstart the weight loss thing for me. Also, Reina, if you start to feel constipated, get some Metamucil (I know it's not the best, but it works.) The meat can do it to you. And wrap meat or cheese in lettuce instead of bread for a different kind of sandwich.

I'm not walking--I don't know why I stopped--but I'm going to get the food back on track first. I haven't forgotten that jacket at my mother-in-law's house that I want to fit into. And I found somewhere to wear it. Being the first grade teacher means I will have to participate in the school Christmas program. I really need to look decent for it--sometime in the first half of December.

Congratulations, Taiwan, on your new baby--that's wonderful. Also, there better not be a pregnancy virus on this computer. At 47, a new baby is not the thing for me. Also, Debee--congrats on the filming of the TV show. Let us know when it will air. Also, Miki and Cyan, thanks for everything you say--I love reading what you write.

Well, hubby wants this computer, and I have a couple more e-mails to look at. I will get back to you all soon. Bye for now.

hey Girls

Last night was so windy that the roof siding on the building next to mine ripped off last night...so this morning...a chunk of roof siding was dangling precariously over my precious silverbeega I got dressed so fast and with my dad holding open the entrance door...I got the car out before it fell....phew! But the winds were so strong that when I opened my car door to get it...the door escaped from my hands and hit against the side of my house...therefore I have tiney chips where the door hit the wall right on the lip of the door...oooooo I am soooooooo mad...I cant even think...it didnt go down to the bear metal but the primer is exposed so now tomorrow I have to use touch up paint on my chips but its never the same..I know I will be able to see it...but its a metal door and winter is coming and I dont want it to rust...argh... I should of bought door protectors...guess I will be making a trip to canadian tire tomorrow and get me some door guard protectors...yeesh

well other than that...its friday and I must resist the temptation to run home and hap hazzardly blob some touch up paint on my door lip and making it worse..I have to do it when i am calm...grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Ok I gotta go..have a good weekend
later

Cyan

Hi everyone,

Cyan, wait before you paint! I always try to touch something up and then make it worse. It was so windy here in philly last night that one neighbor across the street lost 15 trees, another lost about 25...tv news camera were on our street all day filming the mess.

Reina and newie fill me in on what you eat on a typical adkins day...I think I will give it a try. i know carbs are my downfall and I know lots of people who did lose weight on adkins. It seems that there are more products on the market too.

Well, today on my weigh-in I am down to 131.6. I am still up 5 pounds from my low last year of 127 and 20 pounds away from my ulimate goal of 110. However, if I could lose 10 pounds by xmas I would be so happy.

Foodwise today I had coffee for breakfast with whole milk, lunch was a turkey pita and I have been drinking green tea. Tonight for dinner I made roast chicken, carrots and red potatos I will only have a salad with a few pieces of chicken. It is boy scout bingo night so I'll be out of the house and hopefully will not get the chance to eat tonight.

saturday Jimmy school is having a family hike day so that will be our exercise and lawn work. The other exercise I have been doing is getting christmas decorations ready. I really want to enjoy december this year and want the presents wrapped, cards sent and the house decorated by dec. 1 so far I am 95% done with shopping, and since we put up three trees, I put up the retro silver one in the basement yesterday. we plan to get the
real one the sunday after thanksgiving and the fake one in the dining room I want done by dec. 1

Well, have to run..have a great weekend everyone!

Hello

Just got home from Josh's basketball game. He's a starter this year on the Junior team, and we won. I think Josh made about 8 pts.

Aside from walking around the mall all day yesterday while my car was in the shop, I have had no exercise this week. Monday and today eating was fine, but yesterday shopping with my sis while waiting for my car also meant eating out at Applebee's. We both had the grilled steak covered in melted monterey jack cheese and onions and peppers, a side of garlic mashed potatoes and a slice of garlic cheese bread. We also shared a dessert....a blonde brownie covered with walnuts and vanilla ice cream with a maple sauce drizzled over the whole thing. YUMMY!!

Hopefully this week off was the break I needed and I'll be psyched up again to get back into some heavy duty exercise starting Monday if not before.

My youngest sis, Joy (kaylen's mom) has a doctors appointment Tues afternoon to see if she's far enough along that they are going to induce labor. She was dilated to 2 today. Cant wait to see the new baby.

Reina, it's good to see you in here again! Miss you when you arent around. I hope you do well on Atkins. I just havent been able to get to the point I am willing to restrict myself that way. And exactly how do you eat a cheeseburger out of a bun? I've got to get back to keeping a big jug of water with me too. I know that's a huge factor in how I lost before, but I just cant seem to make myself do it.

Newie, I am so glad you are feeling better! Keeping my fingers crossed for the manufacturing job....well, actually keeping my fingers crossed for the RIGHT job to come along SOON, whether it's that one or not. Dont want to settle for less than the BEST one for your hubby! Try to get back into your walking...I know I'm one to talk since I'm not doing great either BUT you know what a stress reliever it is.

Cyan, Wow what a close call for your beloved car! That is sickening about the paint but thank goodness it wasnt worse. Try not to let it ruin your favorite time of the week...the WEEKEND!

Debee, you amaze me. 95% finished with Christmas?? I havent even STARTED!! Did you stock up with those healthy foods yet? Did you buy hummus but NOT chips??

Taiwan and Lisa....got ideas on baby names yet?? Maybe we can all help...lol Hope you're both feeling well. Post when you can.

Well, this is like the longest post ever so I guess I should end. Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

Miki