This week's goals:

1) Drink your water

OR

2) Try a new healthy food


I'm shooting for both, especially with the new diet plan - a good opportunity to try new things.

Good morning everyone

Raven...wow what can I say you are doing so awesome. I had such a laugh when you welcomed Enigma with an "if you can stand me." I am amazed at the change in you these last two months. It really is incredible. Are you sore today from the weight workout? I really want to congratulate you on your running and getting closer and closer to your goal. And like Happy said though, give your shins a chance to heal so that you don't do any damage.
Well our dear Superman has sold and is going to Florida. We shall miss our boy. Kristi finally got up the courage to ask if she could ride him but she was one week to late.

Happy great goals for the week. I really really have to try and drink the water. I find this is my greatest downfall. I WILL work on that this week. And I will try a new healthy food.

Tracy good to see that you popped in for 1 second. I hope all is well with you.

Hippy has the sun finally started to shine for you there? It was for us yesterday. Plus we had nice weather so it was starting to feel like spring. Has Jordan found his ring yet? How nice of Gary to take you out. It is nice when you get to spend some family time together. Have you been doing your watp videos?

Jolly how are you?

Enigma pop back in and say hello. Really if you need some motivation this is the place to be. Between Raven and Happy they will have you up and at it in no time.

We had our 15 anniversary this last week. Haven't gone out to do anything yet because today is payday, so maybe this weekend we will go out. We will have to go to the city though so that we can go to a healthy choice restaurant.

Well everyone have a happy Tuesday.

Good morning

Raven, for myself I think I shouldn't avoid situations that I know I can control. I just seem to take on a pissy attitude every once in awhile and decide that I will do what I want when I want. Or should I say eat what I want when I want it. I have to have self discipline Sometimes I just confuse myself. I lost quite a few pounds low carbing, felt great, exercised, I felt so good I couldn't believe it. I swore to myself that I would NEVER go back to bad eating habits but here I am. Why is it such a struggle for me to get back OP? Every day I say I'm going to jump in with both fett and make some sort of progress, everyday I screw up The only thing I seem to be able to accomplish daily is drinking water. I'm not giving up, I'm trying to change my way of thinking and hopefully, soon, I will make it a whole day without screwing up.

Lucky, we haven't had sunshine in 10 days or so They are promising a little each day this week with sun all day on Friday. I think I would feel a whole lot better to wake up to a sunshiny day! There's just something about it that elevates my mood and makes the day much better. Jordan has not found his ring. I hate it for him but as raven said, it's one of lifes lessons. I just don't feel like I should run out and get him another one. He asked if he saves his money if he can buy it himself. I told him that is fine but I kind of feel like a heel for not replacing it for him. Just one of those mom issues I guess, I hate to see him not have one but I feel like he needs to learn the lesson of being more responsible and I will not just hand him money because of a mistake he made.

Happy, glad to hear you are being successful on SB. It's a great plan, sure wish I could dig deep enough to hop back on the wagon.

Where's Jolly? Anyone know?

Have to run, have a lovely day!

Good morning chickies!

Happy - I have to admit I wondered what happened to you. Thanks for letting us know everything is ok, and I do understand needing to get up, get away from the computer, and get things done. I really have to force myself sometimes to get OUT of that computer chair. Major congrats on the loss!! That's a substantial step in the right direction! And I'm so proud of you for resisting the urge to splurge! I know how hard that is. But you pushed through it, and I know you're happy you did. Ice - so pretty, so destructive. I remember ice building up, then water would creep up under the roofing material, what a mess. When I was a kid I couldn't understand why the horrible adult things would always knock all the icicles down and de-ice the roofs... I just thought that was approaching blasphemy. Now I'm one of those adult things, and though I understand the need, it still seems like destruction of beauty. I love icicles. They make me feel like a kid again. I need to try the new food thing. I have the water pretty well in hand - but my menu gets REALLY boring after a while. I'll find a new recipe to try.

Hi Lucky!! Well you know sometimes I get kind of .. hard to take, I guess. *sigh* Anyway... I really don't know why all this started clicking. Maybe the job thing, I know that helped, that's for sure. Maybe the dad thing, that's caused a lot of thinking in there. I don't know... I just had a lot of perspective changes rather rapidly, and you know how that goes, when that happens you can't figure out why you ever thought the old way to begin with. Awwwwwww maaaaannnnnnn... I'm so sorry Kristi didn't get a chance to ride that big 'ol bad boy!! He is incredibly beautiful!! What a picture THAT would have been to have, eh!? Well, maybe she'll learn a lesson from that, you think? Never put off..... Next time, suck it up and ask right away, girlie!! Oh I know, just shoot me. Hey, Nickie's lesson finally happened after two weeks of being postponed because of horrid weather. We haven't been riding much because of ice, rain, wind, the whole freakin' bit. I'm so sick of it I could puke. Aw Kathy, she looked like she was floating out there on that horse! Dang they are such a team! Shadow wants to canter those jumps SO bad, and Nick had to collect her up because the jumps are spaced for trotting, not cantering, and that big ol' beautiful girl collected up that canter so tight she looked like a rocking horse and Nick hit her two point so perfect ... they looked exquisite out there. I wish she realized how absolutely beautiful she is on that horse. I can't wait till I can afford to buy Machine a horse too. I have a feeling he's just going to tear up the course once he gets going. Little speed freak. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! I hope you enjoy your night out. Wow.. fifteen years. Congratulations, you two!

MMmmmmmmmmkay. Lets see. I'm not really sore at all from my UB yesterday. That's a good thing and a bad thing. My biceps are a little teeny bit sore, which means I'm pretty much on track or maybe just a wee bit low on the weights for them. The rest of the workout obviously needs a kick. That's fine... yesterday's UB was mostly to find out where I stood and just to get back into doing it. I don't feel that same obsession I used to - the one where I would start out with the heaviest weights I possibly could manage and then totally wreck myself with them. I am more interested in long term, sustained success than I am short term proving I'm a tough little macho female. That's definitely a new approach for me, too. Tomorrow morning will be LB, and I'm actually looking forward to it. I did a 2 mile treadmill workout this morning. I did run my half mile, and I did run cumulatively a full mile of the two. I felt very sluggish going into it, but by the time 2 miles rolled around, I was at 29:17. That's the fastest 2 mile time I've done so far. My shins feel fine, and I think I'll keep the running to three times a week for now, I'll lift three times a week, and I'll have Sundays off. I still want to try to ride 4 times a week, but the weather has NOT been helping that goal at all. This weekend is supposed to be pretty nice, though. Hopefully I can get in a ride both days. Like I mentioned before, as soon as the lifting/running is back to feeling very steady, I'll add in pilates in the evenings hopefully 3 times a week. That means I need to pop for a DVD player next payday. Thank goodness they're not that expensive.

Food has been very OP, water wasn't that great yesterday for some weird reason, but today back on track with that. Exercise seems to be back on track. My period should be starting some time this week.. it seems to be running a little late this month. I doubt I'll see any more scale victories till after it has run it's course. And with the adding in of the weights, there's every possibility I may not see a scale victory for a while. *nose wrinkle* I hope I can just deal with that and keep on going this time, instead of letting it play with my brain.

Hope everyone is doing well!!

Hey Hippy - we cross posted. I can understand having a hard time getting back on track. I'm not really sure what the catalyst was for me this time, I just got so tired of hearing my own whining and excuses I think I finally snapped and said enough was enough. There was one thought that I had, I remember it well, and that might have been a big part of it. That was when I thought about last summer and how much I wanted to be able to wear tank tops and breezy blouses when it was so very hot outside, and I couldn't .. well, wouldn't. Because I was just too embarrassed to. And last month I was layering up against the chill, and I realized I didn't want to be wearing the same exact clothes in 90 degree plus heat because I was ashamed of my pudge. And I realized the only way I'd be able to do that was if I started NOW, not when it was already hot and I wanted to wear the light clothing and I hadn't done anything about it for the last 6 months. Now, whenever I'm tempted to go off plan, I just ask myself what I want to be wearing in August when I'm out there riding in that heat. Light and breezy and lookin' all sleek and sexy on my pony? Or layers of t-shirt and overshirt so my pudgy little arms and fat little belly won't show bouncing around on the saddle? Fairly easy answer for that one. *chuckle*

Keep trying, girl... you'll find your catalyst. And I know you'll jump back in and probably blow right past me. We CAN do this.

Hey chickies,

First of all, Jolly you can come in out of the cold and come play again. I have a feeling you're peeking and if I catch you, I will drag you back in myself. Tug, tug, tug... and the same goes for all of you other shy folks out there. C'mon in, we don't bite - people are not on the approved food plan. However if you are made out of chocolate

Kathy, Happy Anniversary! Hope you have a nice celebration dinner. Me and the hubby like seafood best so that's usually a safe choice. I had to put up a little note on my computer monitor for about 2 weeks that said DRINK YOUR WATER to get me back in the habit again. It sure is easier to get down when you're hot and sweaty. I've been drinking green tea also just for a change of pace.

Hippy, I know EXACTLY where you are with the stubborn mindset. I am the same way. I know some people have talked about emotional eating or hiding behind the pounds but when it comes to the brutal truth, I just want what I want when I want it and I don't give a #$%#@. However, like Raven I did alot of thinking the beginning of the year. Thinking about all the goals I've blown, if I had started a year ago and kept up with it, I wouldn't be battling this over and over, how I keep hiding from pictures because I have a distorted picture of what I look like in the mirror but the pictures don't lie, etc, etc. Also, I can no longer ignore that I am older and at serious risk for heart disease, diabetes, etc. I figure if I can't handle a modified diet, what WOULD I do if I had to get really strict because of some life threatening disease? So I have come to accept that this is what I have to do. Either keep on gaining until I'm into a size 5x, in a wheel chair and all alone or bite the bullet and change my fate. Is it easy? No. Am I brimming with enthusiam? No. It's more of a quiet acceptance of what has to be. I do get cravings, sometimes bad but I keep thinking, I'm losing on this diet plan, slow at it might be. Although the winters seem to go on forever, the years really do fly by. I could easily be in better shape by my birthday and goal by next New Year's eve. I just have to stick with it. ** Big sigh and that's my story ***

I started out with just concentrating on water and portion control. Didn't really make a drastic change to my eating habits but I did start to measure things. If I had chocolate, I measured out 1 ounce (3 small pieces) and said I'd have to be happy with that. And even if you start to do this, you will definitely make a dent in the calories in and help get you settled into a plan. Then we started South Beach. For me to lose weight I have to look at the big 3 - fat, carbs AND salt. Can't lose if I don't do all of them. And since SBD is low carb, low fat, low sugar it works for me because it's also fresh foods which I can control the salt too. I've had to learn to cook differently. I'm usually a pretty good cook but when certain "staples" are removed, the tastes and flavors change. We've had some pretty "so-so" meals thus far. I told hubby that the good thing about bad food is that you're not tempted to overeat.

Raven, I have taken your advice about exercise. I got up early today, had breakfast with my husband (we are sharing breakfast which means now I actually EAT breakfast instead of thinking about it). I had plenty of time before I had to start work so even though my head was saying I laced up the sneakers and popped in a WATP tape totally ignoring my screaming inner child. Did that and even had enough time for 15 minutes of Yoga too. The yoga was a great cool down and really relaxed me for the day ahead. It was a great way to start the day. So today I had a perfect day, eating on plan, exercise, water BUT I STILL WANT CHOCOLATE !!!! And not any sugar free fat free pudding thing either. But I am resisting. right now I know it's just an I-wanna not an I-needa now.

Raven are you doing your weights with barbells? Or do you combine barbells for lifting and squats and dumbbells too?

'Morning ladies...

Happy - Good for you for getting ye olde butt in gear!! That's the spirit! See? I knew you could... Now just keep resisting the lure of the chocolate (or find an acceptable substitute... I use the skinny cow chocolate fudge sundae as my pacifier for dessert on bad days). I use the bar for squats and lunges. I have a bench with the leg extension attachment and a rack. I figured it was about the least I could get away with for a minimal beginning weight workout. Sounds like you're really starting to get things on track, girl. Good for you!

Yesterdays run was sluggish, and of course today I know why. I started my period this morning. Right during my LB workout, too. LB was good - though just like my UB Tuesday, I went very light so I can kind of get an idea of where I stand. ****, just doing the squats and lunges with the bar and 5 pounds nearly killed me. And I was up to like 60 pounds on those, too! It's the movement itself that is so hard with those two. But it's SO good for my hips. Yesterday was not really off plan at all, just kind of a comedy of errors. I think I'm kind of proud of myself for not caving to convenience and sticking to my guns about my calorie limit. I forgot to eat breakfast at home, and figured I'd just grab oatmeal when I got work. Except I was out of oatmeal. But, I had picked up a few Balance bars for those snack emergencies (I'll use half a one sometimes if I don't come prepared), so I ate one of those things. Gah. Not the best, but better than nothing, and better than running down the road to the coffee shop for a bagel. Lunch was not much better, because I hadn't cooked the night before, so had no leftover healthy good stuff to bring. I ended up running to the store and picking up a box of oatmeal for future breakfast slip-ups, and some of those healthy choice meals for emergency lunches. They really aren't great, way low on the protein, but they'll do in a pinch. No Arby's, Wendy's, or whatever else seemed so much more tempting at the time. And then dinner was a perfect chicken/veggies/and a little potato. Today I ate my eggs at home, and remembered to bring my good for me lunch. In the past it would have been very easy for me to rationalize away grabbing fast food yesterday. I'm so glad I didn't. I'm tired... TOM is kicking my butt. I fell asleep on the couch last night after cleaning up the kitchen, and this morning it took everything I had to drag my rear down to work out. Even now my little eyelids are drooping and all I can think of is getting home to go to bed. The only plus about TOM finally being here (it's running late this month) is that it will be over in a few days and I'll be feeling good again. *yawn*

Happy hump day, chicks!

Good morning! The sun is shining!!!!!! I feel so much better today!

I actually did pretty well yesterday on eating. I impressed myself! Today I plan to do even better. I made just a half pot of coffee so I can get started on water earlier, a whole pot of coffee every morning needs to stop anyway. I took time to cook myself a healthy breakfast so I feel the rest of the day will fall into place.

Happy, you are so right! If I had kept going when I started last August I would weigh so much less right now. I am so damn bullheaded sometimes. I now see if I can be that stubborn on eating what I want when I want it then there is no reason why I can't be that stubborn, change my way of thinking and not give in to my self!

Got company...gottaa run!

Morning Gals, yesterday didn't go as I had planned at all. I wasn't expecting company and that just kind of threw a wrench in my plans. I wanted to do some house cleaning and go out for a walk but instead I felt like I had to sit and chit chat. It was my mom that showed up and she is so famous for coming here and just sitting, flapping her jaw about what we need to do and all of these great plans she has. The woman just drives me crazy. I know that sounds terrible but it's true. Don't get me wrong, she's my mother and I love her but she has just decided in the past few years to try to be a mother to us and it just doesn't work that way. She has always been the most selfish, self centered person I have ever known. Life has always been about what she wants when she wants it. Was never worried about us kids when we were growing up, only herself but now she tries to play Mommy to the rescue and to be very honest I don't want or need her crap. Here I go complaining about a bunch of crap that I don't even want to hear! Sorry girls! On to something else.

Eating was okay yesterday but could have been better. Didn't walk, drank alot of water. It's cold today and raining so I won't be getting out to take a walk but am pushing myself to do WATP.

Hope everyone is well and has a successful day!

Good morning ladies,
Yesteday I had a bad day at Dodge with chocolate. It wasn't so much the chocolate or a binge but more the ferociousness of the "I want it and I'm going to over do it and I don't give a damn of the consequences" that got to me. It's that self defeating side of myself that I think I hate more than anything. Especially because I know I can't always control it. It's not just about food too. One of my conquests this year is to stop smoking once and for all. I have decided (from prior attempts) that I want to get my weight down a bit first. I can more easily handle losing some and the inevitable gain when I quit if I have a program that works that I can rely on. I will also strengthen my self control through regular diet and exercise habits. On the other hand, if I tried quitting the cigs first and gained 10 or 15 pounds on top of what I already weigh, I'll get ticked and go back to smoking, just like I did the last time. It's all about saying no to myself and building my self discipline "muscles". Geez, why does this have to be so hard?

But hey, every day's a new opportunity, right? And even if we stumble, even I can see that we get a little stronger on the come back each time.

However, today's going to be a Terrific Thursday for all of us, won't it? It's my favorite day - almost at the weekend and it's super couch potato TV night for me. Have a good one!

Hey Hippy, I feel for you on the mom thing. My husband went through the same thing with his father. Not a loving father growing up but when he got old and sickly he felt sorry for himself and whined about how he wanted things differently. Didn't help that his wife (not my dear sweet departed MIL) also pushed us to the edge. Trouble is that his actions did not back up his words and there was alot of past hurt that just wasn't going to be forgiven, particularly when the insincerity and self pity were so obvious. So we settled for a civil relationship at arm's length. Sounds like you need the same and you recognise it. The "bless in the mess" I suppose is that you are a better parent because of it and won't let her drag you down.

I'll do my WATP if you do yours, 'k?

'morning...

I ran, not great, but I met my baseline of running that half mile, and intervals for the rest of the time for a total running distance of one mile. TOM is still whipping my butt. Quads and glutes are sore (understatement) from my workout yesterday. Retaining water like crazy. OP with food, to a certain extent. Went over my calories yesterday by about 150. Drinking my water even though I feel like a bloated balloon already.

Hippy - Sorry about the mom thing. Mine's dead, so .. *shrug* My dad was kind of like that, except during has later years he really did change. I mean real, honest to god change. It pains me greatly because now he's losing his mind to alzheimer's.

Happy - Bummer that you had the run-in with the evil chocolate. I don't even keep it in the house anymore. It's much safer that way. I know quitting smoking can be rough - not that I've had to, but I've watched my ex fight it for years. Good luck with that one.

Tomorrow is Friday, and this weekend had freaking better not be rainy. I swear if you hear about a homicidal female gone postal in Atlanta, it will be me if the weather is crap.

On that note... have a wonderful day.

TGIF!!!! I am so ready for the weekend! This has been the longest week. It's cloudy again but going to be sunny and around 50 tomorrow. I am so ready for pretty weather!

Raven, sorry about your mom and I didn't mean to drudge up any hurt feelings if I did. I'm glad that your dad has changed. I have come to see that mom will always be the way she is. I try to take her with a grain of salt but sometimes she really gets to me. I get tired of her acting like we owe her. She thinks she is just the most perfect mother and when it's time for Mother's Day or her birthday she asks for diamond rings and stuff like that. I THINK NOT!!!! We bought her a Mother's Ring when we were kids, a few years ago when she was hard up for money to go out she hocked it. She doesn't know that I know about that but I decided then that I will not buy her things like that anymore. I try to handle her the best that I can and never say anything about her in front of Jordan because he loves her and I don't want to put any ideas in his head.

Happy, I hate that you had to deal with this sort of crap. To me it just puts a ripple in the family seen, alot of tension and so on. I don't see her alot so I just do my little visits and are glad when they are over. Did you do WATP yesterday? I did not but I did put on a coat and go out for a walk. I felt like I needed the fresh air and I felt refreshed when I got back.

I have to go to the bank and grocery and so on today. Have to pick up some Valentine's Day cards and a gift for Gary. HMMMMM.......I have no idea what. He is so hard to buy for. I guess I will look around a use my imagination. He loves red nighties but my body says, NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Bad idea

Guess I better run.........have a great and successful Friday!

Happy Friday the 13th. In a strange twist of fate, today is absolutely freaking gorgeous, and it's going to be very, very wet and cold and stupidly nasty all weekend. Great. You know, there comes a time to say screw work, pardon my language. I came in, but I'm taking off around noon or so. I can't deal with these totally wrecked weekends weatherwise anymore. I haven't gotten to ride without being miserable in so long I can't even remember when. If I have to miss it again because we're too busy building the freaking ARK then by God I'm taking half a day to do it while I can. So there. *hmph*

Hippy - I just feel bad that your relationship with your mom is the way it is. It hurts to think of how many years I missed with a woman who was, in so many ways, the best friend I will ever have. It hurts because my kids don't have a grandma, and she was the quintessential grandma... always dragging out the books, the crayons, the glue, the sparkles, the cookie dough, whatever she could think of the play with those kids. She had so much to give, so much love in her heart, and my kids will never know that now. February 18th... in 5 days.. will be the 10th anniversary of her death. It still kicks my *** every dang year. You'd think I'd be cool with it by now. I'm better... I've hit "ok" for the most part. The anger is gone, the denial is gone, and I can talk about it with far fewer tears. *sigh* I just miss her, that's all. I can see very much where you would feel the way you do after trying so hard with your mom. You can only give up so much before it just isn't worth it anymore and you're hurting yourself.

My boyfriend got me a sweet little tea rose plant for Valentine's day. It's early, but .. that's ok. It's so special in more ways than he even knew. My dad used to grow roses - beautiful ones - and he had many tea roses, too. So it brought back a lot of memories, and I cherish it very much. Of course, then he had to go and buy a box of little chocolate hearts in a very pretty little heart shaped velvet box, too. Gack. I've hidden them away - very away. Now the trick is to forget they exist.

UB today was good. My "light" LB turned out to be a joke... I could barely walk yesterday afternoon. That's a good thing, I guess, just kind of amazing how far back I had to go. It's all good. I worked my UB (especially my triceps) to tremor, very near to failure. I am going to have to break out chest/back from shoulders/arms though. I don't have time to fit it all into one workout. I missed my delts completely, but I'll break it out next week and get it all.

Food is OP. Water is good - I'm feeling a little less waterlogged today and should be back to my normal charming *cough* self by Monday. I guess we'll see if I've managed to drop any more weight, though with the weights thrown into the mix now, it wouldn't surprise me if I haven't. I just need to remember I AM losing fat, regardless of what the scale says. I can't NOT be losing fat, it's not possible with my intake being what it is. Period. Logic WILL prevail. It will it will it will it will, dang it!!! God I really need to go horseback riding and get some horse hugs. Spring must be getting closer, the dogs are starting to shed badly.

TGIF, folks!

Morning ladies. Last night I could feel myself sinking into a black mood and it carried over to this morning. I'm just disappointed in myself that the self sabotage is still so strong within me. Started with scarfing down chocolate mid week. Yesterday I had potato chips and a Coke with lunch and made some feeble, almost don't count attempts on my workout. Hubby made oatmeal and strawberries for breakfast today and it was so unappealing but I ate it anyway. Afterwards I felt better though for having something healthy. Gave myself a good talking to in the shower, it's my choice to spiral downwards or yank myself out of the funk. I'm up a pound this week as a result of my eating - I'm just glad I don't have a face full of zits from the chocolate fiasco - but that may be lurking in the background.

My husband called me when he got to the office. Our front patio is a solid sheet of ice from the gutters dripping over the walkway. He asked me to put salt down which we almost never do because there would be some flowers being delivered later today (for him he says ) Tomorrow we are going out to a great restaurant I'm looking forward to - I've already studied the menu so I can decide ahead of time rather than get there ravenous and pick too much of all the wrong stuff. Today we were eating breakfast and watching the news. They had a piece on the Victoria's Secret models offering lacy suggestions for Valentine's Day. I looked across the table and told my husband, geez, we all know that the sexy stuff is just for the girl's benefit. If I put on a ripped up pillowcase, as long as my nipples were sticking through the holes you'd find that far more interesting than any Victoria's Secret $100 teddy, wouldn't you? The way his face lit up was priceless and I knew I was dead on right. So that kinda lifted my mood and I am picking myself up, dusting myself off and moving on with life.

So Hippy, go get that red nightie. I totally understand the NOOOOOOO part but I think we hold back because we are so self concious and we think alot deeper about it than they do.

Raven, that is so sweet with the tea roses. I love them myself, just can't seem to keep them alive for very long. I am earnestly trying to grow the Chia Pet herb garden. Poor little straggly things. I think they'd do better with more sun and warmth than they've been getting.

Well I'd best get my old rear in gear here and make this a happy, productive day. Have a good weekend and enjoy tomorrow - spread the love all around!