hi chicks!!
beautiful day here today too. i started to post earlier but stopped so i could go out for a walk. i knew you would all understand! i walked my videos back to the video store, 2 mile round trip. i feel good!

judy- you sound very positive! good for you!

annie- so glad you enjoyed tops!

mychoice- i didn't mess it up last night! i ended the day with a mini bag of microwave popcorn low fat even. i stayed on track all day today too. i got some exercise i am feeling like i can actually do this. i hope DH gets over his funk. maybe he is just stressed about jumping back in since he has been off for a while. don't let it get you down. he will work it through. be as supportive as you can, but don't forget to take care of YOU!!

holly- good for you!! i need to get spring cleaning myself. so much to go through so little time. you are so upbeat! nice to hear!!

spores- hang in there girl!! why do we do what we do?? that is the mystery of the ages. good luck!! you can do this!! we are ALL going to do this!!

debbie- good job going to curves!! keep it up!!

Good morning,
I can't believe the month is almost over. In Ohio we have been enjoying great weather the past two days and it looks like March will go out like a lamb.

Tonight is my weigh-in. I'm hoping for a good loss at the scales. I'll let you know.

I brought a great big salad for lunch. Once I got off the sugar, I've notice that I feel really good. I need to remember that.

DH went to work this morning and seemed to be handling things ok. He does have something very exciting to look forward to this weekend. A friend of his was given 2 Final Four tickets, so they are going. I'm very excited for him! I called my girlfriend and we are going to go out to dinner, see a movie and maybe hit a club for some dancing. It's going to be a fun weekend.

I've got to get to work. Have a great day.

Susie

Good Sparkling Morning!!

High today only 60, but should be warm enough to get my bunz out and do some walking. I did really well with staying OP. Ended up with 1180 cals for the day and 30 minutes of walking. I am very excited for myself as I have not done that good in months. Today for breakfast 1/2 cup oats with splenda and an apple. Lunch will be tuna with lt. mayo, 5 crackers, and an apple if I am still hungry. I did bring veggies to cook in the nuker, but will only eat them if I am still hungry. I work tonight at Kohls so staying OP is always easy on Kohls work nights.

Susie - your weekend sounds wonderful, hope your weigh in goes great!!

Jodi - great job on the walk! Keep up the great work.

Hello to all.

Annie

Debbie: Hooray for the nic weather. That makes things so much easier. Good for you on portion control! That is really hard for me.

MychoiceSusi: Hooray for you! Good weather, good choices (darn those mysterious work foods that lay around tempting us), good attitude...you are doing so great! Thanks for the pep talk. You’re right, there are no “bad” foods. Food doesn’t carry some intrinsic moral value. It’s all about choices and what best nourishes our bodies. Sorry to hear about your DH’s grumpiness. That can be hard to deal with. Good for you for talking about your feelings instead of letting them build up. Sounds like you have a great weekend planned. Fun!

Holly: Yes yes, do keep on writing! My secret mission in life is to turn everyone I meet into a writer. The world needs more good words!

Annie: Congrats on making it to TOPS! How wonderful to find a good supportive place to be. Yes, evenings can be so hard. I don’t know why exactly; maybe because the distractions and pressures of the day are over and it feels like time to unwind...and for some reason I think unwinding means french fries! I bet having an evening support group will really help with that. Keep the commitment going all the way through dinnertime!

Judy: I love that saying, “Beyond the mountains, there are mountains.” What a cool idea. It makes me remember that this is a lifelong journey, and it will never get boring because there are always challenges, and that every beautiful view is just one in a series I can look forward to if I keep going. Speaking of Buddhist thought...I got my Master’s at a Buddhist university, and Boulder is a very Dharma town. And at first I felt a bit out of place, because I have never met a fat Buddhist, but the more I learn about that way of life, the more enamored I become of certain ideas, and how they realte to healthy living. Like, the idea of non-attachment: I am not the cookie, and the cookie is not me. And the idea of compassionate, mindful actions: Each choice I make is part of a larger cycle, and I make choices with the mindfulness of how they impact each aspect of the larger whole. These are great ways to approach weight loss. I’m not always good at practicing them, but it;s good to keep trying.

Jodi: Gee, skipping your posting to take a 2-mile walk? I dunno...hee hee. Good for you! Sounds like things are going very well; glad to hear it.

Well, yesterday I was awfully sad and stressed all day. Had a little tiff with BF and it put me in a funk all day. The good news is that we worked it out and I’m feeling better. AND, I didn’t overeat in reaction. I stayed on plan and actually skipped the potatoes at dinner in favor of a big salad. I did not wind up getting in my exercise yesterday, though. But that is okay. I ate well and recorded my food and wrote in my journal. My goal for this week is three workouts, and I am still in good shape to reach that goal. Today will be a good day. I have my meals all planned out and my exercise planned as well. It’s pretty nice here too, though we may get some rain.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Hey; I 'm on a short break just flyby posting. I make it to curves after work
yesterday... I ate my oats for breakfast...then came the chinese buffett at lunch. I didn't eat as much as usual but still blew my portion thing all to pieces. doing lots of walking at work but not enough for what I ate. Everyone have a great evening will post tomorrow

BIG HUGS ALL

hello everyone,
another nice day here too. work was not bad at all, the day actually flew by for a change. i did a lot of outside stuff so i could enjoy the weather. the weekend is near that always makes me happy. i had a bad girl evening last night, darn easter candy, did well today though, hopeful for this evening too. not much time to post but i am thinking about you all!! have a good evening!!

Did well so far today. Stayed on plan with food and even doubled my usual walking time. But now...really wanted to go out for cheeseburgers for dinner but instead made healthy stir-fry. But now I am feeling very unsatisfied and really want some sort of big sugary dessert. Am trying to remember that I want the weight loss in the future more than the sugar now, but that now seems awfully overwhelming. Sigh. Just thought I'd post and vent. Hope all are well.

I was a grown up all day and I am not done yet!!
Did the usual morning mad dash plus I showered and got spiffied up and packed a lunch for me.
I took the whole day off from babysitting. There is a workshop put on by our school council today and tonight at the school. I attended this aft as a participant and tonight I am taking notes for the parent handbook.It is a conflict resolution procedure that is taught to the kids , the teachers use it and is being offered to parents too. Way cool!!! That was this aft. This morning I went to court to support a friend. Apparently when your husband is killed by someone who didn;t see astop sign and you are left as a single parent( soul provider) of 2 young boys at 29 it is not enought to bear. Banks, insurance companies and your inlaws tie up all your free time and money in court for a year. GIGANTIC SIGH!!! How about greiving and supporting your family and helping your boys get through this.
The MIL is sueing for custody rights to the children. HELLO????? She was estranged from their father for good cause.
Anyhow, I went to court with my dear friend so she can fight for the right to raise her own children as she sees fit!
We had a sitter come tonight so we could both go to the workshop tonight.
DH has an interview tomorrow that he is keen about!!!
Life is good, busy and I am feeling blessed.

Oh, I was the same at TOPS. Better than gaining!

Spores~ what about fat free chocolate gellato( ice creamish). I find it very satisfying.
Jodi, Debbie,Annie,Susie, Judy... HI and HUUUGGGSSSS!!!!

Good morning,
I did a little better on food at dinner. I ate a roasted chicken wrap from kfc. I did more walking than usual at work. They wanted a full inventory. I was assigned 215 cars to locate and account for. Nice weather so it went fast.

Holly: Good for you! Your friend really needs you. That great you take time to be there for her.

Spores: KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE...
I like some diet snacks but not many. sf
chocolate pudding topped with ff coolwhip
is pretty good and won't totally ruin your plan. I sometimes put low fat vanilla wafers, sf vanilla pudding, bananas and ff coolwhip for a reduced fat snack. I try not to fix it often. because I tend to eat too much of it.

BIG HUGS TO ALL

Debbie~ good job on making a better choice for supper.Extra walking too!!!

I love my Hubby!
I am feeling very proud of my man. He came with me last night to the conflict resolution workshop at the school . 1) he is very shy, we sit in a circle and take turns talking about ourselves and then go on to other things, 2) there is a LOT of talk about emotions and their impact when you react. He did the exercises, listened to and participated in everything,even gave feedback. This was HUGE for him. A gigantic step outside of his comfort zone.I am soooo thankful he came and was open to it!!!!! This would not have even been close to happening a year ago.

I had a big ,deep sleep last night. 3 kids today, my 2 are in school. No hockey this weekend. I am teaching SS. It will be enjoyable to have a whole day at home tomorrow.
The basement is sealed. We could start painting.The catch 22 is that when DH is laid off we have time to do this stuff but no extra income to do it. So we go into a bit of debt and then spend the whole summer getting back on track. Such is life I suppose.
Food was small meals throughout the day.
More cleaning out and tidying today. A friend called me to say she has cleaned out her closet and has clothes for me.Yippee!! I need summerish stuff.
Not much else going on. OH, the program director form last night wants to fine tune the Parent Handbook with me.Formatting it etc....I am excited about her interest.

The sun is shining, there is still snow in the bush but the yard is clear.I will check for rhubarb today.
Have a delightful day!!!

Good morning,
I was down 4.50 lbs last night. I was just standing there on that scale...grinning..as they kept moving that slide down. I'm really glad that I had DH ration those Peeps! My goal for this week, is to have another loss. That's what I'm focusing on right now, just a consistant loss each week. Doesn't matter how much..just as long as the numbers go down.

Holly: You sound so happy. I loved your "day as a grownup" post. I hope the interview goes well for DH. Be sure to be extra kind to him for stepping out of his comfort zone..that takes a lot of courage. I also support all your writing efforts...keep it up.

Spores: I'm very proud of you for working through the BF conflict without turning to food. You are working your way thin lady..don't ever forget it.

Debbie: You are the exercise queen. Curves and walking inventory..I bet your legs and tush are looking firm. Exercise not only helps us to lose weight but by being tonned we look thinner. Isn't that a great plus?

Jodi: Be careful of that Easter candy...it will get ya! I should know...before the rationing of the Peeps I was in big trouble!

Anne: I'm so proud of you for staying on plan. How was the evening at Kohls? I really love that store.

I must get to work ladies and earn my keep. Have a great day!
Susie

Good Morning Ladies........

How's everyone on this fine Friday?

Hey Debbie...one small slip with chinese food isn't too bad. That was yesterday, today is a new day, make it better. One day at a time.

Jodi - Dang that Easter bunny and all his evil ways.....pitch the rest of the candy.

Spores...Hang in there. Keep your hands and mind busy with other thoughts than food. I know, easier said than done, and I am so there with you.

Holly - Your life is sure diverse. Great things to work on. God love your friend, battles in court are tough. Great strides for hubby at the workshop. Good luck on his interview.

Hi there to everyone else...

Yesterday was great on food portions and cal count. Stayed right at 1000 for yesterday. Didn't get my walk in with my buddy, we both were too busy to take a break and walk. Next week is supposed to be awesome weather wise, I can't see missing any days of walking. Very pumped and jazzed. Today is day 4 on my new eating/exercising and attitude plan, and doing great. I have been journaling my food which I forgot how beneficial it is and to also see how much I am eating and knowing when to slow down so the count does not get too high. I need to drink a bit more water, only consuming about half of the requirement so far. Baby steps, one thing, one day at a time.

Have a wonderful, positive weekend.

(((HUGS)))

Annie

Debbie: Good for you, lots of good choices and walking. Thanks for the low-fat snack idea. Sonds tasty!

Holly: Hooray for all te wonderful success you're having lately. Glad to hear your DH was so supportive and invloved. That's a great feeling. Gallato, I have never tried it. I will look at the store for some. Good to have for emergencies!

MychoiceSusi: Congrats on the loss! That is such a great feeling. You really have earned it!

Annie: Good for you for staying on plan! That is a great feeling. I too am journaling all my food and it really helps. One day at a time for sure.

Okay, well, I did pretty well with last night's cravings. I decided to make a smoothie instead of going out and getting cake. I got discouraged when I discovered I was all out of frozen fruit and bananas, but we had a little bit of leftover vanilla ice cream, so I made a smoothie with that and fresh fruit. It took the edge off. Then BF kept me distracted for the rest of the evening, and I did not eat any more. So hooray for that.

So. Last Friday I weighed just to get a baseline, and then I weighed again this morning. And, dum dum dah dum, I am down 3 pounds! I am very excited and pleased. But here's the trouble: I don't trust it! The second I saw that number on the scale, my first thought was disbelief, then happiness, then doubt. I weighed myself three times just to be sure! And now I keep thinking that it's not real, it's just water, it's not possible to be down that much in just one week, etc. This is how my brain wants to sabatoge my efforts. Because if I had gained or stayed the same, of course I would totally believe it and berate myself for it. But losing three pounds, my brain just cannot seem to accept that as possible.

I guess this points out two of my own personal obstacles: one is not really believing in my own success. The other is putting too much stock in the number on the scale. It seems I want to sabatoge myself either way. Either I gain and I feel horrible or I lose and I don't think it counts as a real success.

So today I am going to accept and celebrate my success. I am going to give myself a pat on the back for all my effort and accept that this weight loss is a real testament to my ability to stick to a plan and succeed. And I am going to give myself a reward for this. Not sure what it will be just yet, but it will definately not be in the form of food. Any ideas?

Hope everyone is having a great Friday!

Good day everyone. I'm so sorry to have been gone! How long has it been? Almost two weeks?!!! Holy cow!

I'm okay - just busy at work and have been going on the 45 minute drive to school with DH at night, 3 nights a week. He's getting very stressed and it sick of the drive and it helps if I go with him. I usually get a tea and go to the bookstore and read for a while - it's actually really nice to have that time with DH and by myself.

I went shopping last night and bought two pairs of khakis that fit great, and three tops for spring. In return, I'm going to clean some things from my closet this weekend. I've told myself I can't buy anything unless I get rid of stuff.

The problem with going with DH is that I'm not getting my exercise in at night. We don't get back home until 9.30p-10.30p and that's time for bed. The other nights that he has no class, I don't feel like doing anything.

Spring is coming and I know if I don't do something soon, summer will be very depressing for me because I'll feel fat and uncomfortable. Just losing 10 pounds would be so beneficial. Once I get into that "fat and uncomfortable" stage, it's an absolute wreck to get out.

DH and I are still having our road trip around Memorial Day - however, we aren't going north through Canada any longer. We've decided just to stick with meeting my family and going down through Virginia, to Richmond, to Colonial Williamsburg, through DC and Philadelphia, and probably back through Columbus back to Illinois. It will be fun and draining as well, and by cutting out going through Michigan and Canada, we'll not be so rushed to get everything done in a week.

I wish we all lived in the same area. We'd have weekly or bi-weekly get togethers and perhaps some of us could go out for walks and picnics and things. I'm such a dreamer!

Girlie

This is will have to be quick, I'll try to find more time this weekend:

Congratulations to all y'all who have been on track these past few days! And a big cheer to the losers!:bravo: The weekends can hold so many temptations, I love it when I end the week with a clear loss, it gives me strength to walk right past the hot pretzels and cookies it the mall....I'll change my ticker tomorrow. I am down at least a pound.

Annie--I've done a training for nonprofits at Naropa U in Boulder. And there are certainly fat Buddhists out there (like the great man himself, I guess). If you don't believe me, check out the Buddhist thread in 3FC support groups.

Keep it goin' ladies :cp: