Spores this is only my take on Lent. I borrow from different practices and use what resonates with me.It is symbolic of what Jesus went through in month before Easter. So you give something of comfort up and then be "reborn" at the the end of the Easter season. For me I am feeling more intune with myself . I saw the wine and cheese as an indulgence. The cheese is really almost and addiction or extreme bandaid food when I am down. So for me, when I eat at night i am never hungry it is more of a reward for getting through the day. Through giving it up I am hoping to become even more intune with myself. I think that goes hand in hand with the "whole" aspect of better health and weight loss.Body, mind , spirit.
Good day for me. Nice evening with DH. Soon off to bed and read.
Nighty , night.

Banana Bread...

www.allrecipes.com

search for - Lower Fat Banana Bread 1
submitted by Lauren S

YUM!

Working on better time management.
I am spending too much time on the ...........computer. SEE, I was trying to journal then, Mom and Dad IM me. They are in TO. There goes another 5 min.
So the new plan is to be off the computer by 9am. I LOVE reading and commenting but I will do that after lunch.
I am not exercising and I need to schedule it. I will start with the WATP 1 mile this morning. I have gotten lazy with it.
Food has been good for a while.
I had a really nice night with DH. We laughed a lot. He didn't think much of pancakes for supper but was good about it.
I have a sitter coming today at 4pm. I am heading to London to putter around and then I pick up Sis at 6 to go to the Kalan concert. Rock on! LOL!

Hello everyone. My lunch meeting went well. The manager of this center took me to Carlos O'Kelleys...and well, there are a few healthy things to get, but okay, how stupid does this sound - I found out what she was ordering (Fajita Cheese Crisp - bad) and I ordered something just as bad (Seafood VeraCruz, basically a seafood burrito - it is so good!). I know that if she ordered something healthy, I would have too. Funny huh? And they give you free chips and salsa before & during the meal, and she ordered a side of Queso dip - a cheese dip and when it came she asked me to have some...so I did. Hey, it was an interview.

The meeting went well, but I found out something I didn't like...she told me the insurance plan isn't great, it's rather expensive for both employees and the company in general and they are re-evaluating this year and going to change plans. However, the waiting period before the benefits kick in...get this, she said, "I can't remember if it is 120 days or 190 days before you are eligible." Umm, forget that. I can't wait four to six months for insurance to kick in. DH has none, and Lord knows I can't afford COBRA, and I'm not going without. So just because of that aspect, I will not accept this position. The money is much better, but to me, it's not worth losing my current benefits, seniority and vacation time, plus paying higher premiums every month!

Spores:
Lent is not something I typically take part in though I should. I've been getting lazy in my faith in the past year. Today, Ash Wednesday, we are supposed to fast in some way...no snacking, one larger meal, etc..until midnight. Then, all through Lent season until Easter, each Friday we give up meat. I don't think you have to, but you give up SOMEthing, most people just say meat (hence the time of year the fillet o fish is on sale at Mc Donalds, and other fish dishes are promoted, funny huh?). Many people give something up during the whole Lent season. For me, it's just a matter of not being so gluttonous - because as humans we are in many ways. Just a time of year to think of something/someone else aside from ourselves. Other people have their own interpretations, that's mine. I've felt gluttonous about meat lately, and sugary snacks...but I want to be realistic about what I give up. It can be alcohol, smoking, etc...Last year I did alcohol, but I don't drink much anyway, so it's not going to be a challenge for me. Meat during the week would be a challenge for me, but I think giving up meat in full until Easter would be a stretch for me. It should be a challenge, but something attainable. I want to make sure it's not just becoming a "diet" challenge, but a true giving up of something that I really enjoy or feel gluttonous about. Hopefully, this will get me to eat more fish during the week.

Holly:
Thank you for the banana bread recipe. I like sweet breads, zucchini is my favorite! I really like your computer idea. That is one thing that can become addicting. I'm rarely on the computer at home, but at work...I admit I spend much more time doing non-work related things than I should! At least I still get my work done...but one of these days, I'm going to have a job during which I can't do this!

Hope all is well.

I'm feeling lack of motivation in the mornings. I almost didn't go to the gym this morning. I told myself I must go today and Friday, and I will take off Saturday. Lately, I've been starting to nap right after work. Yesterday, I napped after my lunch interview, I slept from 3p-5p. Monday, I slept from 5p-7p. Then, I can't get to bed on time and feel tired in the mornings. But I am feeling more positive than yesterday. Just trying to take things day to day.

OK, enough of a rant. Have a great day.

Holly: Good for you on food. Your night out sounds fun! Yay! I know what you mean about the exercise: gotta schedule, schedule, schedule. And computer time too. It's so easy to get caught up in staring at the screen. Breaks are good.

Girlie: Too bad about the position. Benefits are a big deal. I pay for health insurance now, and it is a huge burden. I know what you mean about letting another person's bad choice justify our own. I tend to do that with my bf. If he wants junk, it feels like it's okay to go along. Bad news for me, since he ALWAYS wants junk. Thanks for the info on Lent. I also think about cutting down on meat. I don't cook meat, but I think I eat too much of it. Funny, I think of fish as meat also, because it is after all an animal. But I guess many people differentiate. Seems like cutting something out for just a limited time would be easier than thinking you can never have it again.

Off to class. Busy this week with papers. I'm looking forward to a break in March!

Exactly. I think this is a good way to think about any lifestyle changes in general! Now I just have to believe it and do it!

Girlie

I was thinking today about weight and hinderances. This came to mind: when is the last time I've ever felt sexy?

Unfortunately, it's been a long time. I mean, I know my husband finds me very attractive and I believe it, etc...but I remember the first few years of our relationship how I could give him certain looks and have him wrapped around my finger. I was so confident. Now I realize that it's not he who has changed, it's me...I've stopped being who I used to be as I gained weight. It just doesn't "feel" right to act like that any longer. I know DH would love it. He once asked my why I didn't act like that any longer, and I'm not sure what I said, but I didn't really think about it.

Does anyone understand what I'm saying?

Girlie

hi chicks,
sorry i've been scarce this week, i'm suffering in silence with a monster bladder infection. not hungry so no food worries at the moment, not exercising til i feel better. i just can't do it with the headache and fever. off to the doctor tomorrow for hopefully some relief! he has been off all week. grrrr. other than that all is well. for lent i have given up cheating on myself with food. that's right ladies, my afair with baked goods, treats, and all the little bites i take everyday, to fulfill needs other than hunger is off for the next 40 days!! hopefully i can deal! going to give it my best shot. i said bye-bye last night with a chocolate chip cookie i had stashed for emergencies and a glass of milk (fat tuesday celebration) that was all i could muster with the way i've been feeling. almost sounds pathetic LOL.

girlie- it is very hard to make a good food choice when the person across the table is ordering something wicked. i do this all the time. very rarely can i sit in a restaurant and order a salad or other healthy option when my DH is getting a cheeseburger and fries. forgive forget and move on, try again at the next meal.

spores- thanks for the broccoli idea, good for you hopping on the treadmill when you didn't want to! don't work too hard!

holly- glad DH is in a better mood. sometimes scheduling time is the only way to do things for ourselves. good for you!!
i bet i missed someone and i am sorry, i better go back and lay down, have a great evening girls!!

LOL!

Last night was a blast. I dont know if I have ever gone in to the city without having to "do" something. I hate to waste the trip so it is usually busy. I did stop at the Asian Grocer and dropped off dinners for Grandma. Otherwise it was all about me.

Kalan ROCKED!!!!!
What a sweety. I feel kind of maternal about him.LOL! I voted for him for 2 hours every Tues night during the show. He is a mega talented young man.
He is also really cute too. As noticed by an abundance of screaming 12 year olds.
I really think the Mom contingent would have gotten more out of it musically.
The show open with purple backlit fog.Kalan sauntered on with fiddle and bow in hand. He kicked out a rockin solo.
The whole first set was origional tunes(some written by him). There was some good rock reminiscent of Deep Purple, Zeppelin, White Snake, Uriah Heep, a couple of beeeeeauuuuutiful melodic acoustic ballads and some a cappella 3 part harmony.
They covered songs by Neil Young, Bowie and Peter Gabriel.
The encore was a kick *** medley starting with The House of the Rising Sun and included The Devil Came to GA, some Doobies and Born to be Wild.
The band was fantastic. Very talented and tight musicians.
All in all very enjoyable.
It reminded me soooo much of my early days hanging out with basement bands and then travelling the bar and band scene. My sis and I danced our asses off, woooohoooo. The 12 year old girls looked at us like we were nuts. At least we knew the lyrics!! ha
We giggled over how Kalan looks a LOT like my highschool honey. It was uncanny and kinda weird. Total flashback.
I got home at midnight and watched TV a bit. I did have a snack but I ate dinner at 5 I was hungry.
Fun, fun, fun!!!!!
Today is back to normal.
I have one of my babies coming back fulltime on Monday. His Mom is back in school for 20 weeks. I missed this little guy. More $$ too.

ROCK ON chicks, have a groovy day!!! LOL!

http://vikrecordings.com/kalanporter -winner of Canadion Idol 2004

I need another java and I will be back to chat!

Holly:
Hee hee...you sound so girlish! I have not heard of Kalan at all! But again I don't watch the American Idol shows. Sounds like you had a great time and I'm so happy for you!

Jodi:
*hugs* hope you feel better. Take it easy and I hope you feel better soon. Good for you on your Lent sacrifice. That's a good one. Perhaps I should try something similar? Perhaps no candy or other unplanned sweets? I guess it's just trying to determine what "unplanned" means! There is a difference between a snack that is planned, or dessert, but there are so many unplanned little bites and spur of the moment snacks that we have!

Today is kinda glum again. I got a denial letter regarding the internal position that I applied for. I was hoping for at least an interview...but apparently, they didn't think I was the least bit qualified and that really sucks...because I'd do a great job!

A friend of mine who lives in Denver has been there in her job for 1.5 years and is planning to move to work for another hospital. She has such a great job that will always be in demand, so she will always be able to get hired somewhere without a problem. My field is so broad and jobs are so in demand that it's so tough to get hired. There's always someone more qualified. It's depressing.

I've been feeling a little sick lately. I've been getting slightly nauseous and my trips to the bathroom haven't been "normal". I woke up in the middle of the night with nausea. My stomach felt horrible and I could feel my heart beating in my ears but I couldn't throw up. I'll spare you the details but I ended up in the bathroom for a while and headed back to bead, trying to calm down and quiet the beating in my ears.

I still managed to get up and get in my hour of cardio. I still felt little twinges in my stomach, and I just exercised through them. I still feel them now. I had a smoothie; maybe I will feel better after lunch.

Girlie

Girlie: I know just what you mean about feeling sexy. I used to wear low-cut tops all the time, but in the pst year or so, I feel like I shouldn't war them, like it's inappropriate. And Ithought it had to do with getting older, but I think it really has to do with not feeling sexy because of my weight. Like the idea that I could be sexy at this weight is just wrong and gross. Also, giving things up for a certain time: I think it's a good way to trick ourselves. For instance, my mom quit smoking after having been a smoker for over 30 years. She did it by deciding that she was going to quit until she's 70. After that, she can smoke again. So it doesn't feel like it's forever. Hope you feel better soon...tummy stuff is no fun.

Jodi: sorry to hear about the infection. No fun at all. Hope you are feeling well again soon! Good for you on giving up sweet baked treats. That's my biggest weakness as well.

Holly: Sounds like your night was awesome. Glad you had a good time. We all need a night like that. They are too rare!

So I don't want to eat lunch. This is a recurring thing for me. I get home from class and I'm hungry but not starving, and I just don't want to eat lunch. I don't want to MAKE lunch. So I put it off and do other things. And then around 5:00 when bf comes home, I'm RAVENOUS and want BIG BURRITO and sweets. And I overeat and feel awful. I know skipping meals is a no no no. But I just don't want to go through the trouble. It seems so overwhelming: choose which lean cuisine to eat. open package. read directions. put in microwave. take out and stir. put back in. take out of microwave. find fork and napkin. poke at food. cut bite. lift to mouth. chew chew chew. repeat. ugh. Such a little thing! So that's my struggle this afternoon. Eat luch, fer chrissake.

Heh heh...spores...I know how you feel.
But in mine, I would add, "I probably shouldn't be eating anyway because I'm so fat, even this is low fat and it's a lean cuisine and we need to eat to be healthy..."

Then an hour later I'd gorge.


Can you tell it's not been a great day? My good friend here got an interview for the job that I got turned down for. The thing is, I'm way more qualified. Seriously. She was very surprised and just applied at the last minute just to do it. It's a client relations job and she majored in math and spanish. I majored in communications and marketing. I've been with this company for almost seven years...she's been here not even half that. Plus, I deal with the client...she doesn't and never has - until six months ago, she was a customer service rep in the call center.

I'm very frustrated and bitter. I know it is silly. I'm very happy for her. Sometimes, I feel like there's this huge plot against me and that someone out there really doesn't like me!

hello everyone,
feeling better thanks, work stunk, glad tomorrow is friday, i am in a bit of a mood!. no good reason. just cranky.

girlie- sorry to hear about the job stuff, hang in there the perfect position will come along. what field do you work in? good for you getting up and moving this morning when you weren't feeling well!

spores- eat your lunch!! i know it is hard to do sometimes, so hard to stay on a schedule like that. make it the "good" thing you do for yourself for a few days. good luck!

holly- good for you, so glad you had a nice time at the concert!!

I am back, I have made a couple meals,had tea ,decorated the gym and made 50 rice balls wrapped in seaweed. I am pooped from being up late but it is a good TV night.Veg mode!

HUGS GIRLIE!! You have been having a tough time in a lot of ways lately it seems.Positive thoughts coming your way!! Have you been to the Doc for your tummy?

Jodster~ sorry you feel crappy too. A big ARG had been said on your behalf.

spores~ I have trouble with lunch time too. I either eat too much mindlessly or I pick here and there and dont really have a meal.I have been really thinking about what tastes good to me and then making a healthy version. This week a couple of times I tossed 1 c pasta with herbs and grated cheese, had celery and was satisfied.

HUGS dear friends!!!

Hi Gang!
I did a quick scan of the posts and it looks like you all could use a great big hug! It's ok to voice your problems and such here....come here...this board is here to help us get through the tough times and celebrate the good ones.

I'm happy to report that I showed a loss this week of 1.25 lbs. I wanted the complete 1.75 lb gain from last week off, but I guess my body felt it wanted to hang on to for a little while longer. I'll work hard this week to get that gone and hopefully a little more.

Jodi: I've had that cranky feeling hit me before for no reason. Hang in there! How's the bladder infection?

Girlie: Sorry to hear about the job. That can be tough to take..but you know..there must be something better out there for you...keep looking for that open window. I hope you are feeling better

Holly: How are you doing with not spending so much time at the computer?

Spores: How's the treadmilling?

Ladies, I've got to get to work. Hope to make it back here tomorrow morning.

Work your plan!

Susie

Hiya Susie~ very happy to see you here. Congrats on the loss!! Susie rocks!!
I am doing great with less time on the old PC.

HUGS to everyone!!
I am taking 3 toddlers to the Early Years Play Group. This is my journal.

I made 50 rice balls wrapped in seaweed last night. Yup.
It is Japan Day in grade 1.
It has been sooo exciting. DS's teacher is such a gift. Their social studies segmnet has been on Japan. The have learned 4 songs, counting, 10 words, they have dressed up, have cerimonies....they are singing the Japan national Anthem over the PA this morning.
It just so happens my DH has a friend of 15 years from Tokyo. They lived together in both places and I have a friend who married a Japanese fellow and they have lived both places. We have tons of Japanese stuff. I took it all in and decorated the gym last night. it is gorgeous. The class today have invited one guest each for a sit down lunch. Each family has provided a traditoinal dish, the kids will sing and perform a 20 min play about Japan. My Aunt is going as the guest.( the one who gives my grief, LOL, it will mean A LOT to her and DS).
My kids here go home at 12:30, but 1. So I am taking the wee monkey and going to try and watch the play.
See, life IS good.
I was super tired yesterday but happy. I ate horrifically. Worse than I have in 8 months. It was enjoyable. Today is new day!!
DH and I had a mushy, fun evening. We are sooo mature and wondeful, LOL! He is a grudge holder. I am beyond thrilled that he has let the tiff on Saturday go. First time ever!!!!!!!
DD has a Valentine Party this aft at school.
We have a Family Games Night at the church tonight. I am taking a veggie tray.
On Sun, we are making Love Bags with the kids to give to the seniors and shut ins in our congregation. I am baking chocolate muffins.
Monday is teacher appreciation day at school. I am making a Chocolate Elair cake for their luncheon. I will make an extra one for my troop for Valenitnes Day.
Weeeheeeee!

Life is wonderful!!

I have been doing several rounds of the Sun Salutation every day. It has been great. Food WILL be OP today!!

Have a peachy day!

I ate a danish. And I'm drinking diet coke. Haven't had a soda in a while so taking it easy. It really makes me bloated...and it's not the good time of month to do so. I ran out of my iced tea that I bring to work. I wish we had better options in the vending machines here at work.

Jodi: Glad you’re feeling better. I ate the lunch and was glad of it. Also hit the treadmill. Woo.

Holly: Oooh, rice balls! Do you have a recipe you can share? I have always wanted to try them. Do they have to be wrapped in seaweed or can you leave out that ingredient? Sounds like you have so much joy in your life right now. Hooray. Sun salutations – those are great. Do you have a tape or do you just do it yourself? I always forget the routine.

Mychoice: Congrats on the loss and your amazing attitude. Treadmilling has been going pretty well. I really like walking while talking on the phone; my mom and I tend to have hour-long conversations. I think I’ll invest in a headset phone and stroll the hours away.

Girlie: Oh danishes, one of my many weaknesses. When I worked in an office, they had pastries out about three times a week, and it killed me. Hm, I wonder who is in charge of the vending machines at your office. Maybe you could put in a request for healthier choices. Lots of offices these days are looking to make healthier work environments.

Have been having a lot of weird pain symptoms these days – especially jaw and head stuff, along with carpel tunnel crap from too much grading. I have to have an MRI next week for some headache issues, and I’m nervous. That little tunnel is scary. I just want my body to work! Guess all I can really do for now is focus on what I can control – eating and exercise.

I got a pedicure today! Felt great. My treat to myself. Now my toes are all pink and girlie and I feel pretty. Maybe bf will take me out on the town this weekend. After I finish my work, of course.

Now trying to will myself onto the treadmill. Bf comes home soon and I have the whole embarassment issue. Will try to get over it and at least take a few steps.

Have a weird issue at school: a student has been hitting on me. He’s not in my class, but is in a friend’s class, and he’s been making some comments to her regarding me (he told her yesterday that I smell good!) and it makes her upset. I’m not sure how to deal. It’s kind of nice to be found attractive, but this is no good. I’ll have to put a stop to it somehow.

Hope everyone is havig a great Friday!

Rice Balls

Cook Asian sticky rice.When it is partially cooled add seasoning to taste.Mix well. I used you-kaa-lee for one flavour and toasted sesame seeds with salt for another( you can buy them prepackaged at any Asain grocery) . Scoop up a handfull pack it tight and roll it in a ball.Wrap in seaweed or roll in the sesame seeds or serve plain. Let it cool.Refridgerate.

It was pretty good.

I have been doing yoga for years with or without tapes and classes. I know it by heart.

Girlie~ HUGS again!!

Spores~ I am glad you are getting the pain and headaches checked out even if it is scary. Have you looked at dental/jaw stuff??
I LOVE pedicures. We should all have one once a month.

Cant you just ignore this guy? Cant this student tell her friend she doesn't like what he says? I am so glad I am out of those environments. It is just a non-issue for me.
You are smart. You will handle it well.

I am going to watch 20/20. Cory Feldman is going to talk about his relationship with Michael Jackson. Normally I could care less about this stuff but it struck me somehow.Maybe because this kid grew up in the movies as I was growing up. Dunno?

Jodi? Honey? How are you feeling today??

HI Susie.

good morning chicks!
i am feeling better, all but this bloated feeling i can't seem to shake. keeping busy, too busy to put myself at the top of the list. going to work on that this week. i was reading on oprah winfrey's site about a boot camp she is starting 12 week challenge. what interested me most is her inspirational speach. she talks about how you have to rise to the top and make yourself a priority, take care of yourself like you would your best friend etc. i know many of us, including myself struggle with this concept. it might be worth a look oprah.com . busy saturday, DS had basketball at 8am, going to pick him up at 10. cleaning, shopping, haircuts and then MIL birthday this afternoon. lots to do tomorrow too.

holly- i am feeling better thanks, glad to hear you sound so uplifted! life is good!

mychoice good for you on the loss!! keep up the great work! how is your buddy system working out?

spores- i am so happy to hear about your treats for yourself! ooohhh a pedicure sounds nice! good for you girl! doesn't just the littlest treat make you smile? glad you had your lunch. keep up the great work!!! kids get crushes a lot. i wouldn't draw any attention to it, you don't want to send the wrong message. good luck!

girlie- hang in there! keep looking forward. i had a bad week, i wasn't feeling well so i wasn't really hungry but when i did eat i made all the wrong choices. looking forward to taking better care of me this week.

hope you all have a great weekend!!

girlie-

Stellar week!!!!
This has been the best week I can ever remember having.
Japan Day was a glorious success. The Games Night was a ton of fun. The time for hockey this morning was wrong on the schedule so it is at 10am not 8am. Smile.
DS is going out with friends after hockey. DH is going north. I may find something for DD to do. I will putter at home. Lots of niggles to putter at. I dont mind when I am not squeezing it in.
I have not over eaten this week but I have not been as mindful as I could be all the time. Water has been good. Exercise is better but not great.
Life is still good!!!

Jodi~ glad you are feeling better. Take a few minutes at least for yourself. I will check out O.

Holly: Thanks for the rice ball recipe. I can't wait to try! I love sesame. I have heard of them being bade with fish in the middle -- not sure how to get it in there. Maybe I'll do some experimenting. Yeah, the amorous student at school is a weird issue; one I've never had come up before. Biggest trouble is that he keeps coming into the writing lab (I tutor there as well as teach classes) and wanting to flirt instead of take the tutoring seriously. I am hoping that a few obvious mentions of the bf will take care of it.

Jodi: Ooh, bloated is no fun. Lotsa water! I hear you on the busyness. So hard to priortize ourselves, especially when work and family are so demanding. Hope you can find some just-you treat time! I am hoping the crush issue will just go away. This "kid" is in his early 30s, so he should know better!

So, a brief vent, if you all dont mind: I handed back first papers in my Composition class today, and one kid got a D. And I think I was being pretty generous in not flunking him. It was baaaaad in so many ways. And after class he came up to me and YELLED at me! Actually yelled. In the library no less. I have had people be unhappy with their grades before, but no one has ever gotten this aggressive. It was so upsetting. I stood my ground and kept my cool (which is a hard thing for me to do when someone is being so totally inappropriate), but of course now I am very upset and cant stop thinking about it. I cannot believe this guy. What is the matter with people?

And it gets me thinking about all the people in our lives that we treat so inappropriately and inhumanely: the waitress who forgets to bring our order, the grocery checker who is being slow, the person in the car in front of us who is driving slower than we want to go. I just don't know why people think it is okay to act like a total jerk when things don't go their way. Ag!

So the goal now is to not let this get to me. I am hungry, and wanna eat. And since I am upset, I wanna eat junk junk junk. And I can't let the jerks of the world dictate what I put in my mouth. Ag.

Hope everyone else's weekend is going better than mine! :)

Hello,
I've been busy this weekend with trying to get everything at my home caught up. I cleaned like a mad women on Saturday while DH was at work. I can get more done with him out of the house. I got all the rooms in the house clean...I'm talking I moved furniture here! except for the spare room. Which if you know what I'm talking about here...raise your hand...is a "collect all room". I thought I would get to it today, but with the tutor and then the grocery shopping, I didn't. I think I'll tackle it little by little this week. At least I can close the door on it.

I need to get back to the gym, took a few days off when I had strep throat, and today I just didn't have time. But I'll be there tomorrow.

We went to see Hitch....very, very cute movie. I like it. Had a nice time with DH.

Spores: Ok...I'm so glad you came here and vented. I hope you didn't eat. I know that feeling..I've said..just this once...it will make every things better, I'll deal and go on..but I can't tell you how many times I didn't go on..except to keep eating...how did you do after you vented...did you eat? If you did..it's ok...because we are here to help you get over that hump. I go to TOPS and I thought there pledge was silly at first, but I made a point to memorize it because I was going to a TOPS event and I knew that they all would say it. It goes, "I am an intelligent person, I will control my emotions and not let my emotions control me, Every time I am tempted to use food to satisfy my frustrated desires, build up my injured ego or dull my senses, I will remember, even though I overeat in private, My excess poundage is there for all the world to see. I will take off pounds sensibly.

I can't tell you how many times I've said that to myself over and over when I've felt like you are feeling. That part about being tempted to use foods, is that part that gets me back on track. I find that I emotionally eat for one of those reasons, so I identify it , rage about it and I don't eat. I keep repeating that pledge over and over to myself.

Anyway, I think you need to remember these students are students..you are the person in charge there, so put them in their place! Big huggsss to you...look how pretty your tonails look! *big smile!*

Jodi:I've been checking out the Oprah site. I get her magazine and I she had something on it in the February or January issue. Are you thinking of doing the challenge?

Holly: You have the most fun! Glad to hear the DH came to his senses! Men...got to love them!

Girlie: A Danish...a coke...lord help me I can tate it now! We have a new bakery in town and I keep thinking about going in there....I can smell the sugar when I drive by. I'm going to take an alternate route..don't need the temptation.

Ladies, I've got to run. I've got to get my clothes ready for tomorrow. I'm going to an Access computer class for work. I have to leave my house at 7:00 a.m. to get there by 8:00 so I need to have everything ready to go in the mornings.

I'll see you all tomorrow.

Susie

I eneded up being really sick Sat night, still am. Very weak. Bah!
I lost 7 lbs in 1 day, LOL!! All I did yesterday was drink water, tea and gingerale and sleep. My body hurts from all the puking and sleeping. I still have the runs. 3 other kids had it over the weekend. My 2 had the runs last night but no puking so far. No extra kids today. Schools are closed because of the freezing rain and road conditions.

My darling DH was actually kind and helpful instead of going on the defensive. Apparently I have to be completely 100% incapacitated for him to step in. Oops, that sounds a little sarcastic. Anyhow, he willingly made phone calls, drove kids to stuff, tidied , vacuumed,swept, made meals, dealt with the dozens of kids needs......
So the rabbit and cat didn’t get fed for 2 days. LOL!
He wished me a Happy Valantines Day this morning. Wow!
Right now he is super grumpy. Feeling a little cornered and tied down. Giggle. He cant work today. I am still sick. I would say he is out of patience with the kids. Ha. “You have it made hanging around at house all day doing whatever you want.”
Ya, and I storm out to split wood every day at 7 am too. Hey, he had his day of trying to do what I do. I will admit he did quite well. He probably accomplished a third of what I do. He was pleasant about it. Day 3 isn’t going as well.

Today I will try to get better. Take a shower. Be kind to DH.

Mychoice: Thanks for the words of encouragement. I love the pledge. I will try to memorize it too. Memorizing something really makes it part of your consciousness. I didn't eat -- instead my bf and I cooked together and he listened to me rant for an hour. Better than pie any day. Wound up having a good evening. And I took the day off Sunday: drove up to a nearby town with bf, took a walk and windowshopped, came home and laid around talking. Total R&R. I needed it. Looking forward to this week. Am planning to cook at home (even today, when everyone esle in the world is eating out!), take my treadmill time, and just go one choice at a time. Trying to just step back and look at every little stress in the grand scheme of things.

Holly: Sorry to hear you're sick! Terrible feeling. Glad your DH jumped in to help. I think every woman who stays home instead of working outside should get a medal of honor. People just don't understand how much work it is!

Hope everyone is having a happy V day and is managing to avoid the curse of Russell Stover. I am off to class. Take care, all!

Hello everyone. Sorry I've been MIA this weekend. I've been MIA in more than one way!

I had an eating fest all weekend. I did NOTHING. No housework, just lots of eating, laying around and eating and watching bad movies. It was nice though :) I was a little depressed...but mainly just wanting to do nothing. Not necessarily in a bad way. I just didn't want to have to do anything. So I didn't. We had sushi on Friday night, Chinese on Saturday, I ate about five pieces of fried chicken yesterday and crackers, donuts, sugary iced tea, bread, lots of cherry cheesecake ice cream, pizza and tons more this weekend. Hee hee...I must confess all my faults. I had very little water and very little vegetables.

I finally decided I'd head to the gym last night. It was 9pm and I knew I wouldn't get to sleep until late anyway, so I went to the gym and had a really great workout. I weighed myself and I have lost a slight bit of weight despite my weekend binge. Kind of weird and not very fair. I guess it is just more hope to show me that I can turn it around. I think that my body is getting used to the regular workouts and my metabolism is getting better.

I started the day with two slices of millet toast, Silk cultured soy (yogurt) and oranges. Tonite I'm making a v-day dinner...first time cooking a full meal in a while (I don't think heating up a frozen pizza really counts!): Grilled pork chops, fresh green beans and steamed red potatoes. I may even make a tomato/cucumber salad.

Glad everyone is doing well.

Holly: Japan sounded awesome. I love Japanese food.

Spores: Odd about the student...flattering but odd and scary! And the student who yelled at you...he deserves to fail just for that!

Time for lunch. Taking it easy today. I'm going crazy because my cycle is all messed up...my period is a few days late!

CD

Hello,
Ladies, it's confession time. I was on a mini binge yesterday. I was overly tired; I stayed up on Sunday night watching the Grammy's. When I'm tired I notice that always overeat. So, I know that I must get my sleep or I mess up. Why do I let myself get overly tired like that when I know what happens?

I'm resolving that I will get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. I just have to. It's important for me.

I'm starting over today. Anyone else starting over with me? Do we need some sort of a challenge to get us going again? Any ideas?

Holly: I hope you are feeling better. What ever you had sounds miserable. Don't push yourself to much when you start to feel better

Girlie: Good for you for getting back to the gym.

Spores: Sounds like you have a nice time with your BF. What did you cook last night? You are doing great with the treadmilling...keep it up.

Jodi: How are you lady?

Where's everyone else? Debbie, Suzy...who else am I leaving out?

I'm off to work. Have a great day everyone and stay on plan.

Susie

I have lost a few days and today will be much the same. Still very weak. I have eaten some bland food. Lots of fluids. Still VERY wonky. C'mon, the kids bounced back in 24 hours. All us parents who got it are looking at 72+.
My DH has truly been wonderful. I am surprised in a pleasant way. He was helpful ,was kind and considerate All day yesterday. I know I make him sound like a jerk and he is not but I can honestly say that that every single time I have "needed" him in the past he gets defensive and pulls back. It is fear on his part. I am thrilled that he has come around. I love how we constantly grow and make progress in our relationship. It has always been this way.He was raised to never show emotion.He was punished for it. He is a sweet sensitive man who did not have a clue how to process or express what he feels inside.He tries his best and he had come a LONG way, baby.When we were dating he introduced me to someone as his girlfriend. I asked later, Am I your girlfriend? He replied, Do think I fix everyone's transmission?
He is soooooo open and loving with the kids and that has spilled over to me. It is actually amazing how feeling safe and secure and building trust can open a person's heart. It goes both ways. It is all about loving and learning from each other.
I remember last year when my former best friends were down on DH and they blamed him for this and that and thought I was a big victim. Marriage is so not about two separate identities you cant indentify where one thing or issue starts or stops. It is all intertwined. We have learned to say okay, this is where we are at right now, doesn't matter how we got here. How are we going to resolve it.
I guess these are my Valentines Day thoughts, LOL!

Hope everyones day is better than mine!!!!!!

Good morning, All.

Had a bad night. I was so sick. My head hurt horribly and I felt so nauseous. I know this is a little TMI...but one of the worst things about this is not being sure which end your body wants to rid the poison from. So, I didn't cook last night. DH ended up picking up McDonalds on the way home from class anyway! He was very good to me and rubbed my neck and shoulders. When I get a headache, there just isn't anything to do but toss and turn, different positions, try to relax and push that energy to another part of my body, etc. I finally fell asleep around 1am and woke up briefly around 3am and I felt so AMAZINGly bettery. So light and airy. So I re-set my alarm for 6.45 instead of 4.45 and decided to sleep in.

I feel better today and am going to focus on liquids today. I think my body was telling me I need more water. I'm VERY bad at that. I never really conciously drink water unless I'm working out or around a water fountain. Also, I don't get that stressed out...I think my body wells it all up into a ball of energy and it comes out in the form of a fireball of a headache.

I'm starting the day with oatmeal and oranges...and liquids, of course.

Girlie

Sounds like everyone is confessing to binges and/or feeling icky. No good. And I will join in: Chocolate cream pie has been a regular feature of the last few days, along with too much cheese. No good. I'm not sick-sick, but am feeling really really tired and seem to have just a variety of weird pain stuff: jaw, head, back, hips. Overall makes me feel like an ill-used sack of flour and rocks. Combine the previous with sudden snowstorm and too much teaching work, and all I want to do is crawl under a blanket with the remote. I think the idea of some sort of challenge is great, Mychoice. Something to get us all going. Maybe we should all challenge ourselves to go out and plunk down the cash for a professional massage.

V day was nice. BF and I did our traditional evening at Dave and Busters. Video games and skee-ball; fun. We were both kind of tired from work, though. Stayed up too late and barely got out of bed this morning.

Sorry no personals; have to run and get some work done before my eyes close of their own will. Am thinking of you guys and sending feel-better thoughts.

Hi everyone, I have no good excuse for not posting lately. I have plenty of time. Just get lost in life sometimes. I have't been eating right, exercising or drinking enough water. ****, I haven't done anything I should do lately. But I missed ya'll. I'll Have something happen I want to tell ya'll about then I forget and it 2 days later and its not important any more. I have such a simple life compared to everyone else. Sometimes it's real hard to find anything to write about. I know I like the support everyone gives. I know if I could just stay on task I could loose this weight!!

BIG HUGS TO ALL

hello everyone,
sorry i haven't been around. another busy week and i am not doing very well. trying everyday to stay focused but just having a hard time sticking to it for an entire day. i exercised yesterday but ate like crap and did not exercise today and ate pretty well i just can't get the 2 together. i'll keep giving it my best effort, sad as it is and hopefully it will click soon.

mychoice- no i'm not doing the oprah challenge, i like a lot of what she has to say but i am not up for that. maybe we do need a challenge in here, i'm just feeling out of steam again!

spores- the massage sounds like a great challenge lol. i just need to loose 30-40 more lbs before i can actually get one! glad to hear it isn't just me feeling yucky and off track. that sounds sort of bad but i hope you know what i mean.

holly- get well soon!! you poor dear! glad DH steped in and helped out. my DH is a lot like that when i am sick so i really understand. his idea of helping me out when i am sick is to stay at work longer. he is getting better though. hang in there and get your strength back!

girlie- i do that too sometimes just say screw it all and do nothing! you needed the break, hope you get feeling better!

debbie- hello, we missed you too. keep trying! it is so hardto stay focused all the time. little steps!

well if i missed anyone sorry hope you all have a great night!!

No More Glum Chicks!!!!
 

:cheer: RACERS START YOUR ENGINES!!!!! :cheer:

Starting today we will all be positive!! LOL! :dizzy:

NO more bugs, no more bad days............

I am not sure I believe it yet buy I am trying.
Uh-oh, Oprah says trying is no good, I WILL do it.
I still feel wonky but better. What an awful bug.
I am not exactly OP because I am eating a lot of toast and applesauce.I haven't exercised. Too weak. I also haven't snacked after 7pm!!
Half my kids are still home sick.

C'mon girls we can beat the February blahs!!!

Jodi~ I can feel it clicking right NOW!!!!
Debbie~ My life is incredibly dull. i just talk about whatever and assume people care, LOL! We are interested in what you are doing. AND we are here to support you.
Spores~ put down the pie and get on the treadmill!! Loved the flour/rocks analogy. Go get thyself a massage!!
Girlie~Hope you are feeling better today. How did you do with the water?? Glad you had a lazy weekend. Much deserved!!
Susie~ I totally overeat when I am tired too. It's like trying to find extra energy.My spare room, diningroom table, top of the dishwasher, DS's floor.... are catchalls. Embarrassing but true. My only excuse is that our basement and upstairs bath are part renoed and there are not homes for somehting yet. Annoying.
Hope you are well.

HUGS chicks!! Now I need to lay down :faint:

Good morning,
I think we do need to kickstart ourselves! I have missed all my goals and I really feel bad about it. I turned 50 on the 14th and I missed my bday goal, missed my Jan. goal.
A new start is a great idea.
I ate wole oats with flaxseed meal made
with smartbeat marg. and splenda. not great but lots of fiber! I got to get ready for work. I really miss it on mon and tues. Hope te make me fulltime soon.

BIG HUGS TO ALL

Hey everyone. Just a quick post. Got lots to work on today. I am feeling better. I asked DH to take care of dinner yesterday, and he brought mcdonalds for lunch AND dinner! I went to the gym at 10pm and had a great workout. I'm going to try going to the gym at night for a week or two. I seem to have such better, harder workouts at night...plus, no time crunch. I figured I'd get the same amount of sleep, plus, I can take a nap right after work if I need to. So let's see how this goes. Plus Dh said he'd come with me at night. He's been so great, straightening the house up and he was washing dishes when I left for work. He's keeping up with his end of the deal...I work and he goes to school FT and takes care of housework. What a dear. I'm feeling lazy and will have to pitch in more. I'm so proud of his good grades, a few b's, mostly A's through his graduate coursework. If he gets straight A's again this semster, he'll graduate in May, not only with his master's degree, but with a 3.8 GPA! So proud of him!


Talk to you soon.

Girlie

Debbie: Glad to see you! I know what you mean about it being hard to stay on track. But you have aloready lost 40 lbs – that is AMAZING to me. I have never in my life lost more than ten pounds – that’s how off-track I get. So I’m so impressed with your accomplishment. Hope to see you again soon – I love your input! Simple life, schmimple life; I think it’s great!

Jodi: I know what you mean about getting the two together. Seems like I can eighter exercise or eat well, but doing both at once is impossible. But doing on ehting in a day is better than nothing! It helps me if I work out in the morning, because then I don’t want to “ruin” all that hard work with eating junk. It’s like I set my day up to go well. But I rarely can exercise in the morning. I am just a sleepyhead. I think we are all feeling a bit blah. Maybe the end-of-winter doldrums? Maybe we should all go buy swimsuits and hang them on the fridge as a reminder that spring is around the corner!

Holly: Glad you are starting to feel better. Keep taking it easy! We can all break out of this slump with just a little effort and a ton of support!

Girlie: So great that your DH is supportive and keeping up his end of things. Less for you to worry about! Hope your day is going well and not too stressful. Congrats on your workout. It’s so nice not to have to rush. And I think exercise is a great way to unwind from work.

Okay everybody, sounds like we all need a swift kick in the pants, me especially! So how about this: today is February 16th. Just a week and a half of this month to go. Let’s all pick one small, managable goal. Something about actions, not results. (We have control over our actions alone; the results are inevitable if we change our behaviors.) Something we want to DO in these 12 days before February is over. And we post that goal to let everyone else know what we want to accomplish. Then we can just focus on one little thing. Sometimes it’s the little pebble that starts the landslide.

My one small thing: I plan to walk on my treadmill (no time or speed constraints – even just a few minutes) at least four times before February is over.

What about everybody else? One small thing? We can do that much! Who’s with me?!

Lurker emerges from the shadows
 

Hi, y'all--

I have been struggling to find time to post on the site regularly, so I pop in and follow your conversation sometimes but haven't always said hello. Afraid I'll catch the flu or something from one of you :lol: But since my goal is to change that first number on the scale by the end of the year, I feel like we have a common bond.

Anyway, spores' "kick in the pants" really resonated with me. I didn't reach my Valentine's Day goal, and I have a hard time keeping up the momentum. It might help to focus on just one thing through the end of the month. I'll commit to doing some fitness activity every day, including aerobics or walking on the days I don't go to Curves. When I am moving around more, I tend to want to eat less--and vice versa, if you follow me. When I'm being a slug, I also want to chow down, especially in the evenings.

So thanks for the inspiration! I hope everyone is feeling better today.

judy

hello everyone,
spores- i love your idea, it is the pebble that starts the landslide! i have slacked on so many things this month, everything really. it is like i take 2 steps forward and then three back. sticking with it is what it is all about though so for the next 12 days i will do WATP 1 mile tape 8 times. i can do that! thanks for the pep talk!!

holly- glad you are feeling better, i wouldn't try to hop back into anything too quickly that flu sounds like it was really bad. keep taking care of yourself! and the sick little ones!

debbie- happy birthday girl!!! keep looking forward! you will meet your goal!!

judydc- welcome back lady! we can do this! a little exercise everyday is a good thing. let us know how you are doing!

girlie- good for your DH! i hope he graduates in may! it is so great he is supportive with the house etc. good luck with the evening exercise! you can do it!!

ok so we are moving forward here!!! do you all hear?? whatever funk, or blah, or yuck you are feeling set it aside!!! concentrate on one small step to babedom!!!!

Judydc: Welcome! Great to see you here. Great goals! Exercise is a big challenge for me, and I know what you mean about one positive thing leading to another. How do you like Curves? I have heard great things about it and am considering trying it out, but 1) the hours suck, and 2) it's kind of expensive. I'm afraid I'd never go because I could so easily use the closing early thing as an excuse, and then there's forty bucks a month down the drain. What do you think?

Jodi: Awesome goal; glad you're inspired! I have heard that WATP is really good. How do you like it? Is it all just walking in place? How does that work? I am with you on falling behind on everything. I am such a victim of inertia: when one thing slips, I just collapse and let everything slip. Gugh. But doing one thing is likely to whip everything else into shape!

Gonna go take my weekly treat: Dominic Mongahan being all cute and British on Lost. Rowr!

HELLO! I feel like I've been gone forever. I've been struggling to, but that's not why I've been missing in action. I've been missing because I've been trying to do things around the house in the morning so that I don't have so much to get caught up on the weekends. I would like to have some time over the weekends to do something else besides just housework and studying.

Now about the struggling. It has just been one of those weeks that I couldn't get enough to eat, and it didn't matter what, I just wanted food. But I think that's over. Last night when I came in from work, I was so hungry. So I had some green peppers (trying to be healthy), then I had some crackers, then I went for it...some Fritos..you know..all the salt, all the grease....well, when I went to work out those things came back to haunt me. I felt so queasy at my stomach. That's not so bad because when something does that to me I won't touch it for a long time.

It seems like we are were struggling there for a few days, but I can see it coming back around in the posts. Isn't it great that we can come here and work through these things?

Spores mentioned that we set a small "pebble" action challenge. Just what I need. Mine is going to be that in the next 12 days I will get back to my Tuesday work lunch workouts and I'm going to start doing core strenghthing exercises. I have a hard time doing crunches and such because that pressure on my stomach and bladder from crunching those muscles can flare up my IC, but I really need to work on that area. So I've seen some core exercises. like planks, that I think would help out in that area. If someone has any other suggestings for core strengthing I'd love to hear them. I think I'll do some searching on the net as well.

That's my action goal ladies. Time is not permitting me to answer individually, but I'm really excited to read all your posts. It feels good to be back.

Have a terrific day!
Susie

Susie~ I try to do that too. Besides the usual dishes and tidying I aim to clean 1 rooma day fairly well, then it is minimal stuff for the weekend. it is nice!
Sorry your tummy got queasy. I have been craving Doritos the while time I have had the flu....wierd eh.
Good luck with your new resolve.
Jodi~ HUGS...I will be walking right beside you!!!
Spores~ I love your resolve and motivation.
Judi~ HI, glad to know you are still reading!! Good luck with getting moving!
Girlie~ your husband sounds wonderful. It is nice you had the weekend to crash and do nothing after how hard you have been working and working out!!
Debbie~ How's it going today?

I woke hungry. Had a headache but I was not wonky.
I ate some shredded wheat, milk and orange slices. YUM! I had a glorious coffee!!!
I have 3 babysitting kids right now, 1 more coming at noon. My 2 are off to school with minimal chaos. After school I will have 4 more back home here. This will be the new routine for 4 months.That’s 8 total from 3:40 to 4:30. It’s nutty but it goes FAST. I went to TOPS.....
weighed in. I was down 7 lbs. I had already gained back 5 of the lbs I lost from the flu so some of this may be a real loss.
I like how my body and face look with the loss. It is inspiring me to keep going from here. I am definitely in the 220’s which is a HUGE success. I have lost down to 228 many times but couldn’t stay below it. I am now!! It is a new low.
I have decided to only go to TOPS twice a month.

I have had 2 of the Mom’s I sit for tell me sincerely that they love me in the last while.It is hard to describe how wonderful that feels.

All is quiet right now. I enjoy this post morning rush time.

Here’s hoping I am over this flu for good!!