Hi everyone --

Back to work....I was at the office until very late on Friday and then I did freelance stuff both days over the weekend, so not much of a break.

My eating was pretty good. And I took a walk around the block yesterday....and living here in my new house which is in the country, I had no idea how long our block is. It's about a mile! I didn't break any speed records, but it did feel good to be a little active again.

Red -- I wasn't upset at all when you said "it is an excuse". I have been using it as an excuse...and last year, when I was in the midst of everything, I wanted and felt I needed food to comfort me or at least I was not about to beat myself up for eating high fat, high calorie foods....not considering the emotional rollercoaster/downward spiral I was on with my parents' illnesses and passing. And I don't fault myself or feel bad about using what I was going through as an excuse to put my weight back on. But now that I'm doing better for the most part, it only does me a disservice to continue using their passing as an excuse to not take care of myself. If I want a long and healthy, happy and active life (which is what they'd want for me), I've got to lose weight and get in shape and take care of myself.

Red, I really liked what your training partner said, "Life is too short." And mine will be shorter if I don't eat more healthfully and start exercising. I also need to remind myself life is too short to spend it worrying.

Jolly -- Good for you for purchasing relatively healthy chips even though you really wanted to get a bunch of "crap". I hope your staffing situation gets better soon. I, too, anesthetize with food...especially over the past year...it's an old habit and one that's hard to break. I want to try experiencing and fully feeling my life, rather than stuffing the feelings down with sweets. Again, Jolly, I do applaud you on the relatively healthy choice you made!!

Well, gotta get some work done. Have a great day everyone!

Good morning all. Real quick post, then back to work. I did manage a one pound loss this week. Hope to do better next week. Congrats Happy on your loss, and Michelle for getting back on course. You can do this!

Have a good day all.

Wow. It's Monday already. Seems like I blinked and this weekend was gone.

Red - I always try to enjoy those effortlessly positive rolls of working out, eating right, and keeping on track. I know they won't be around forever so I try to milk them for all they're worth while they last! ;) I hope this one hangs around for a while for you. I own three horses, one of which we just purchased after a nearly year long leasing situation. We board the horses with the woman who owned the horse we leased. That would be Shadow. We also take lessons - we were taking them from the BO (barn owner), but she has two horsie university students spending the summer with her, and the kids are taking lessons from them right now. I take a lesson here or there as I can afford it. Once these students leave, however, it has become painfully obvious that my kids will be beyond where the BO can instruct, so we need a new instructor, and all three of us are going to go dressage for now. The BO has made noises about me working with some of the other horses after her college students leave because of the progress she's seen with mine, but ... I don't have time. Nor really the inclination to work for her in that capacity. I've lost a great deal of respect for her over the last several months, and I think it will probably be time to find a new boarding facility once these students leave. I don't relish the thought. I don't like it when people talk the talk but don't walk the walk. And the BO doesn't walk. :shrug: I love the "life's too short" comment. He's right. It is. Being in my 40s and just starting to really learn to live has taught me that. *lol*

Jolly - :bravo: on the loss!! If I feel discouraged about "only" being down a pound, I try to remember how I'd feel if it went UP a pound, and that usually changes my perspective just a bit. Up a pound would be a disaster, down a pound .. is just so so? Bah! Down a pound is fantastic!! :cb:

Michelle - Your post touched me when you talked about doing a disservice to your parents' memory by continuing to use their passing as an excuse to eat poorly, etc. I've touched on that several times along this journey of mine, and I'm glad you reminded me. Sometimes I lose track of all the reasons that came together at once to get me to take such a hard look at my life, and that was one of them. Thank you.

Chach - Ok, what are you trying to do, show me up???? :yikes: You are doing absolutely great!! Man, I really need to get going here again, you're making me look bad. ;) Remember, when you go to the zoo, no playing with the polar bears!! :lol: Mm.. were you up there during the Binky fiasco? Maybe not.

Happy - Lord do I know that all or nothing feeling. It seems like that is the natural way of my life. I focus so much on one thing that nothing else gets addressed. I'm trying so hard to learn to balance it all. I will. Eventually. Some day. :^: Excellent news on the loss!!

Very busy weekend for me. Shadow is doing well on the bute, and Nick had some good, if light, rides this weekend. Another month or two on the supplements with bute on the days she needs it before we re-evaluate and determine if we need more aggressive treatment. Eve is .. spectacular as always. What a huge blessing she has been. Arashi. :lol: My boy was full of himself this weekend. Hit benchmarks with my riding, and got a taste of what the future holds again for Arashi and I. It tasted *really* good. :cool: I truly do think there is more to this horse than meets the eye.

Artemis the wonder-destructo-pup and her faithful sidekick Tippy (sister) will be going to their new home next weekend, it looks like. The family came out, they seem like really good folks, made friends with the girls and it seems like a perfect match all the way around. They are having a fence built at their new house this week. Yes, I want Artemis to have a wonderful home, she deserves it. But I do have to admit I cried so hard last night when she came in to my room and lay at the foot of my bed where she's been sleeping for the last 4 months or so. This little PITA pup, with her unusual acceptance of everything and all her husky mannerisms, has taught me a lot. I will miss her much more than I thought I would.

It seems like things are starting to work themselves out again. Doesn't it seem sometimes like life just explodes in your face, and it takes a while for all the dust to settle? I handle the disruption in my routine fine, as long as I'm not trying to work out and eat right. Those are the first two things to go out the window when my life gets shaken up. Routine, at this point, seems critical to my weight loss. This is something I need to think more on.

Only three more weeks and I get another three day weekend. I live for three day weekends. ;)

Hello Ladies,

Jolly: Great job on the loss. You did very well. And great job on the choice of snack foods. I hope to see you move that bar down very soon! Glad you horsie is well.

Red: My big problem with the weekends is 1. Being busy 2. Not planning on the food aspect. I did okay, but in my own eyes, not as well as I needed to. It's all a matter of being way too busy and not planning my snacks, etc., well enough. I do so much better with the workdays because I have no where to go other than my desk. I plan out all my snacks and have such a regimented schedule, nothing slips by me. Plus, I get more exercise in on the weekdays.

Happy: I am sure you got a great workout in with your yardwork. I still have no grass, and I sure am wishing I did have some! I want my fence up, but the final grading and landscaping still aren't done. Boo hoo!

Michelle: I liked what you said about "doing a disservice". That really hit home with me. I am trying to "lead by example" to my mom, who is at her heaviest ever. I haven't seen her since Christmas, so it's going to be interesting to see her in 2 months when she comes up to visit. I'm at my lowest in over 10 years, and I am really hoping to inspire her also.

Raven: I'm glad your two pupps are going, but I am sure you are really sad. It will hopefully relieve some stress, both time-managment wise and financially. It's really tough, because of your kind spirit and huge generous heart. Don't mean to show you up, but hey, what can I say? Come on along with me! I've come too far to backslide now!

Okay, everyone, my monthly measurements come up on Wednesday. I have a feeling I will see a great loss in inches! Really been working out hard this last month!

Have a great Monday!

Chach

Hello everyone. It's Tuesday night here and I've had a full day. Today was a riding day (I can only get out to ride three days a week weather permitting) and then after riding I went to the gym and did a good workout and ran 5 K.

Then I came home and ate but it was good food, a big salad. Only problem was I then reached for a bag of tortilla chips but it was a small bag and I almost never eat them. I'm still off sugar totally. Sugar is a horrible trigger for me. It's been about six days without the stuff and I have tons of energy, something I always have when I'm off the sugar. Well, I still think this roll may end soon though I'm going to try to stretch it as long as possible. Now I'm dead tired and though I was thinking of eating more I think sleep is really what this body needs. Since I can sleep I think that's what I'll do. But first, over to you. . .

*********

Michelle -- It sounds like we have similar lifestyles as far as work goes. Freelancing is a special lifestyle and not for everyone. I do it because I can't stand to be "caged" in any one place for too long as long as I'm working for someone else. I hope you'll be able to get a break sometime soon. It sounds like you're doing good with your eating and that mile walk was great! Exercise is soooo important. I too was touched by what you said about it being a disservice to your parents if you don't take care of yourself. What an excellent outlook. Good luck to you!

Jolly -- I think your post went to the other page and I don't want to go back and find it but yes, I remember you and the chip splurge. You made me laugh when you said you were upset and were heading to the store "to buy all sorts of crap." I know just how you felt!! Oh, do I ever. I've made some major, major saves recently in this area, stopping myself from turning my anger inward, trying to find something other than food to take it out with. I keep a journal, one I can carry with me anywhere and I write a lot, one or two times a day, often on the trains, since I spend so much time on them. It's a great outlet. I'd kept one for years and then got away from it but now I'm back writing. I highly recommend it. You can let all your feelings out, give them full voice, rant and scream and swear to high heaven, call people names and anything you please. It's better than talking sometimes because you can say anything and don't need to find a partner and writing it down somehow makes it all the stronger. Then I just forget it. I don't think I'd want to read the drivel but maybe someday I will. I look at journals from 25 years ago and want to cry at how young and innocent I was at times but at others I think, wow, I was a lot smarter back then! :rofl: And jolly, congrats on the weight loss! I really like your reward plan. I'm going to try to make up something similar, but maybe with many more rewards! like every kilo gone!! (I went back to the other page to see you post after all. . . .)

happy -- so glad to hear your scale dropped as well! See, if you just hang in there. I think that's a very good goal, sticking to your plan. You say it's simple and small steps but I think that's a very big thing to achieve. Don't make little of it. In fact, those are the real goals, aren't they? The weight loss is just a result of that work so sticking to plan is the real goal.

Raven -- Thanks for the explanation of your horse setup. Now I understand everything. I went through club after club over here of people who can't walk their talk. Problem was that I didn't realize it at the time. I think I'm at a good place now, at least for Japan and the owners, my teachers, go to Europe regularly for training and also have some trainers come in too. I don't know what it is about riding that makes people so blind. Maybe it's that they don't see themselves on video or don't think the way to get their horses, their riding somewhere is different from what they're doing. Anyhow, I hope you can find a good place to move your horses to. Any ideas? Are there any good dressage barns in your area? Do you know the bulletin board called ultimatedressage.com? That's a great place. You must check it out if you don't already know it. I'm glad you liked the gym wisdom too. Sometimes it takes someone in a totally different situation to bring a great fresh perspective to something we've been stewing over. I'm lucky to have a whole slew of guys from an old gym I went to 22 years ago who have all come to this new gym. The difference between the old club and the people in the new old is amazing. There's a camaraderie, a politeness and mutual support, joking and the usual minimal type gym conversation. It's a great place and I have to be careful not to look forward to the atmosphere so much that if no one is there when I go to train that I don't get bummed out and then not get a good workout in. Glad to hear Shadow is doing well. Good going on the riding with Arashi! and I'm glad to hear you've found a home for the pups. It's sad to part from any animal. You can't call them or send email. You've been there for them and now they can move on. Later you'll surely be there for others. You've allowed the flow. Finding good homes for them has freed you up in case someone else really needs someone and you're the only one that can help.

Chachee -- just identifying your problem areas is a step toward solving them. I wonder if it might not be good to have readymade weekend menus so there really is no planning. Of course there's preparation involved and that kind of planning but at least it would save you from thinking about what you should eat. If you have a list you can grab for the store or if you can keep most of the things on hand for weekends it could help. I've been thinking of just sticking to the exact same thing for a week or so, alternate week by week. Choice is not my friend at this stage or with my lifestyle and workload. It may be boring to have the same thing everyday for a week but if it helps me get the weight off then I can do it. Good luck on your measurements this week.

*****

Ok, bye for now!!

Well hello :D

I have missed so much, again :lol:

First off, Raven, Jolly, Chache and Happy, Congrats on the loss! You go girls :D

A nice, big welcome to Michelle. These women are great :D

Hi Ya's to Lucky and Red :wave:

Did I miss anyone? Sorry if I did :o

Okay to catch you up real fast. Summer is a killer when Jordan is out of school. Always something to do, somewhere to go or someone here. It has been real humid here so I have to pay extra attention to the pool and the chemical level. Jordan and whoever else use it everyday and sometimes it's a job to keep it up.

Gary had 2 teeth cut out week before last and it was a disaster. He did good the first 2 days then he got up one morning and his face was so swollen that he couldn't open his mouth. He was swollen from under his eye all the way down into his neck on the other side of his face. His mouth was tight it was drawn, couldn't eat or drink. We went to the dentist and he said it was an inflamed jaw muscle from the pressure on his jaw from trying to get the teeth out. Told him to take his pain pills and use warm rags. We came home and he walked the floor from pain. went to the dentst the next day and he changed his antibiotic. Still walking the floor about to pull his hair out. Went to the dentist again the third day. Now, it's all infected, they had to pry his mouth open to see whatwas going on, major pain the rest of the day. Back to the dentist, changed his antibiotics again anf finally the next day the swelling started to go down. Today he has to go have the stitches taken out. All of the swelling finally went away Sunday but he still can't open his mouth all of the way so I guess they will check that out today too. That was almost 2 weeks of pure ****. I felt so bad for him.

Now I'm trying to catch my breath and get ready for vacation. We leave Sunday and we can't wait. After the past few weeks we feel like we really deserve it. This week will be busy with erronds to run and things to get to take with us, house to clean, bags to pack, laundry to do. It will be well worth it. I am so ready for those margaritas :D

Can't remember what I last posted about weightloss, I think maybe 5 pounds? Down 2 pounds the past 2 weeks, would have liked to seen a bigger loss but I'll take what I can get.

Have to run, I miss you all and the encouragement! Take care!

Good morning all. Just a quick check in, before back to work. I did my weight work out this morning and spin class. I really like that class. I need to forget about my couple days of bad food choices, and focus on what I want to do now. Work out and eat healthy. Yeah! Chachee, good luck with your weigh in and measurements. Though, I do have to blame you for one thing. I had another dream about MY ex last night. Thanks.

Everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful day, and are doing nice things for yourself! Talk more later. I have to work tonight, so will probably post then.

What's going on!?!?!
 

I said I wasn't going to let emotion into my weigh-ins but this is ridiculous. I've worked out like a nut, cut way down on food, no junk, no alcohol and for a solid week now the scale has not budged, and my scale reads in 200 gram increments.

This morning I get on and it's up!!! I mean, I don't mind slow progress but this is ridiculous. I know muscle weighs more and all that but I need to get a good 10-15 kgs off. How can I ever do it if the scale won't budge even at this end of the journey?

Help, words of encouragement! I'm about to throw in the towel again. I'm sick of this! :mad: Does anyone see this happen for long?

Hi All.

Hippy: Sorry to hear about Gary. Hope he is better and not so swollen! What a nightmare!

Jolly: Sorry bout that dream! I hate it when that happens! Hopefully they won't be re-occuring like mine!

Red: Thanks for the tips. I think I just get so busy and then think, "Oh, I have until Wednesday to weigh in, it will be okay". Not the case this week. I'm up on the scale and really, quite frankly, pissed at myself.

Only I can make this happen and only have myself to blame when it doesn't. Not really in the best of moods right now, so I'll keep it quick before I bring everyone else down!

Chach

Red,
I see you are on now. Please do NOT get so discouraged. I don't know why we give the biggest importance to that blasted stupid :censored: scale. That is NOT NOT NOT the validation for success in our lives.

You have done well, avoided some bad habits and got back on track again. That's 3 HUGE SUCCESSES.

I understand the moon is a bit closer to the earth today - that has affected the tides and our particularly our scale numbers. YES THAT'S IT!!!!!!! I would not lie to you!

Please do not be discouraged. Do not sit on the couch. Do not eat tortilla chips. Do not stop at 3 convienience stores on the way home from work.

Give yourself a star for each good habit you engage in each day. Please, will you do that?

Hey chicks..

Red - Muscle weighs more than fat. I know it's discouraging. If you are lifting heavy, it may take a while for the fat loss to outstrip the muscle gain. I've gone for as long as 9 weeks - yes, I counted them - without losing any measurable amount, and even would go up some weeks. That is one reason I have avoided lifting this trip down the scale. It's psychological. I love lifting, I love seeing the muscle, I can't deal with the slowdown in scale loss. Of course, who am I to talk right now, I can't even get back OP. Bah. Just don't get discouraged. This is a lifestyle, not something you're doing just to lose weight, or just to drop some weight so you can "go back to what you were doing before."

Happy - OMG I see a sense of humor in that post. Can it be!?? :devil:

Chachee - I am living your pissedness. Today was meltdown for me. More about me later. I haven't been posting because I was SO down. *hug* I hope you're feeling better soon.

Jolly - WTG on the exercise! And you're right... what's done is done and gone, keep going, keep moving forward. Sounds like you're very on track with that!

Hippy - Wow OW! Poor Gary! I'm so glad he's doing better now! What a crappy thing to have to go through. Enjoy your vacation! Drink an umbrella drink for me! :D

Today was not a great day. The car broke down at my horsesitting assignment, luckily it wasn't too serious, but that coupled with Shadow's situation and Nick's computer frying - spontaneous combustion. I *need* some stability back. I love Artemis, but yes, I need my routine and my garage (read - workout room) back. I have my eye on a couple stables, both of which have pros and cons. One big plus for both of them is that they are closer to me and both of them are on the way to where I work. Cons.. I am responsible for daily feeding, and I'm not sure the board price includes hay. I'm stopping by one place tomorrow night, and the other on Saturday morning. Shortening that drive to see the horses would really help me a lot. It would save wear and tear on my car, and gas. Plus I have to admit that the awkwardness around Rosa lately and having to bite my tongue constantly is beginning to really hamper my enjoyment of being with my horse. I keep telling myself I'll be ok, I just need to get things in my life back into some sort of routine, some predictability. I need some room to breathe a little.

Thanks, happy!
 

Thanks happy, your post made me laugh!! :) Thanks so much. Because of your encouragement I'm going to try to do as you said. The problem is, you see, not so much that I'm placing so much importance on the scale, it's that I DO need to see progress toward my goal of losing the pounds. I mean, that's what it's about too, after all. I guess I'll just have to give it more time. I mean, it does happen that weight will just come off, 2 lbs or more seemingly at once, right? right? right? please!!

No, really, I think because it has been so hard doing this all over again that I really needed to see some results, not just have faith in them. It's not just the weight. So much in my life seems to be at a major stalemate and has been for weeks, months, years. I really really need to see progress to some goal and gaining muscle is not really one of them although that's the only thing I seem to do. If I stop training I can then lose weight but I know it's just the muscle going. The fat stays on. I guess one week is not long enough, is it? The body needs time to adjust. . .

Still, I feel awful and your words help. Thanks again!

Raven, thanks for your words too. OK, I'll take it from a fellow iron lover. If you can go 9 weeks without a weight loss, then I guess I can't ***** quite yet, right? I must say that although my clothes don't feel looser really they do feel better on me, which I guess means I've tightened up again. Even yesterday I was surprised at the strength I have, I seem to have gotten stronger with the time off, not weaker. I was even saying I should move up with the poundage because things were getting too easy. You see, I hate an easy workout and I really know how to train to add muscle, but I don't know how to lose weight AND add muscle. But I guess I should go longer, or faster, not up in weight, which will lead to an increase in mass, equal increase in size. Better to go for more quality muscle with stamina. Part of the problem is that I train with guys and I am always feeling so weak in comparison. It's never enough and never will be until I'm happy with my look and I won't be able to see that look until I strip the fat off.

Raven, I hope you feel better. You certainly do seem to go through major swings of mood. Sounds like you do need to get out of the barn you're in. If it's making being with the horses unpleasant, who needs it!?

Red - The one thing that I found that made a marked difference in *my* battle with muscle vs. fat loss was HOW I ran. Not so much the distance or time that I ran, but how I approached it. I'm not trying to be pedantic or a know-it-all, I'm not sure how much you know about anaerobic vs. aerobic running. If you push your running too hard you enter into anaerobic running, which essentially now turns your running into muscle building rather than fat burning. You may know all this, so my apologies. What I had to do was play around with the speed, the intensity, I added lots of intervals, or did hill work. Each person is different, so what worked for me might not have anything to do with you, but it does sound like our bodies are remarkably similar in their ability to put on muscle very quickly. It's a blessing and a curse. Hey... if you want a fun challenge? Have you tried treadmill lunges? Increase the elevation if flat is too easy. Great workout for the legs!!

Hello all. Checking in from my evening shift. OOps. Freudian slip there as I typo'd shift without the "f". Hmmm. I am still dealing with some stress from the weekend's fun. Exercise is good, but food is still off. Not hugely off. But enough that I need to work on it.

Raven, e when you can. I will try to get a quick one out to you tonight. I think moving the ponies would be a good thing. I know a good barn is hard to find, but I also know the stress of not liking where you are at. I was in a stalemate for a long time, because I didn't like where I was, and didn't go out as often as I should. plus, anything you can do to make life, driving, etc, easier is a good thing.The horses should be a pleasure, not a stress.

Red, I will just weigh in quickly. You need to eat so many calories per pound each day to maintain your weight. I have seen calculations vary from 10-16 calories per pound. So, the further you are from goal, the easier it is to lose the weight, because you need so much food to maintain that any healthy choices lead to a loss. The closer you get to goal, the slower the loss. The other possibility, other extreme really, is if you are going too low with calories. Your body's metabolism slows down to try and "save" you. I am sure you know all this already, but just wanted to put it out there.

Happy, I loved your moon theory. Let's use that more often :)

Chachee, unfortunately, I also have recurring dreams about my ex. Just hadn't had one in awhile until we started talking about it. Ah well.

Well, I guess I had better get some real work done. Catch you later.

'Morning all... :cofdate:

:lol: on the slip, there Jolly. Don't we all sometimes feel like that :yes:

Raven, what are treadmill lunges? Longer strides? Sounds like something that would guarantee me to "hit the wall" as I lost concentration. I do sprints on the treadmill and that helps up the workout intensity. And with the time clock you can see the progress you're making as you either up the speed or the duration of the sprint. Boy it really sounds like you have some heavy duty thinking on relocating the horses. If you move to the barn closer to you but you have to do the feedings yourself, would you have to go there 7 days a week? Good luck - this doesn't sound like an easy decision. Why does life always have to be so complicated?

Red, I understand what you are saying about the scale, it's like needing positive reinforcement that your efforts are paying off. Perhaps we should get you some calipers so that you really believe the fat's going away! But as the ladies have said, the closer you are to goal, the slower this takes. I'm not sure the scale is the proper way to judge your progress. Probably the only truly accurate way is with an underwater weighing and who can afford that, so... you'll just have to stay motivated to stick with the routine as is. One person on the forums here said she used a string (several actually) to measure body parts and never looked at her scale - as the strings got smaller, she knew she was making progress. Just keep up the good work.

Chachee, time to get off the bus to funkland. You've been really motivated up to this point and I hope you can get back there again. Don't let this be the start of a downhill slide - heck, we are counting on you to guide some of us along!

Hippy - so sorry to hear about Gary. How awful with the teeth - I can so relate. I hope everything heals up in time for vacation. It's pretty crummy when you're away from home and things flare up and you are sick. Vacation's too precious to waste! Have a good time and a safe trip.

A mile to walk around the neighborhood Michelle? Sounds like a great walk and I'm sure the pups will love helping you explore the new area. It's always kind of fun to check out new areas too.

Gotta run now, lots to get done at work today. Have a good one everybody...

Hey all. Hope everyone is doing better. Husbands, kids, selves. We all deserve it! I just have a quick "save" to report. The last few days were poor. But, this morning, I was goign to go get some more crap to eat, and was able to focus myself on where I want to be, and what I need to do to get there. Was able to focus on the choice, and by doing so, decided to stay commited to long term results and give up the immediate gratification. Hurray. One save down, many to go.

Have a wonderful day all.

Hello Ladies,

Well, the funk is now attibuted to the fact I was sick as a dog last night! Oh my goodness, ladies, I haven't been that ill for a very long time. My temp when I got home was well over 101 and I had horrible chills and sweats. I was running to the bathroom every few minutes. Took a few doses of nighttime flu meds and slepts from 6-9, then wide awake. I did manage to get on my Gazelle this morning and workout for 20 minutes. Didn't want to go on a walk, as I would be too far away from the bathroom. My throat is incredibly swollen and still feelin quite gloomy, but at least I didn't eat any crap food like I usually do when I am sick.

I got on the scales this morning before my measurements and was down again. If it hold true for tonight's WW weigh in, I should hit that 30 pound mark. Pretty good in 4 months, if I don't say so myself! On my measurements, I was down around another 3 inches for a total of around 37 inches since February. Good news.

Raven: Sorry my pissyness fell into your back yard. I don't get that way often, as you know, but I guess my feeling under the weather attributed to the moodiness. Oh well. It's all over now. I've decided that this coming week is going to be my best one ever, scale-wise. I am going to drop another 5 pounds next week. No more screwing up over the weekend! Good point about aerobic vs. anaerobic. I always try to keep that in mind.

Jolly: Great job on the save. Hopefully one day this will all sink in and we won't have to constantly save ourselves from bad habits, they will all just be gone.

Happy: I'm home from Funkland. I know it was just being sick and not knowing that was what it was. Give me a couple of good restfull days and I'll be back!

Red: I think Happy and Raven both had great things to say. Nothing more for me to add! You've done incredibly well, just keep it up!

Okay, weigh in tonight. I think I'll do well. Just gotta keep the momentum going!

Have a great day!

Chach

All systems GO!
 

Good afternoon all. I just want to say thank you for all your support. I t really helped me through the day yesterday. The scale was up yet again today but I'm not going to let it get to me today. You're all right, I have been really good, done great things in the way of exercise and eating so why get all bummed because the scale didn't give me that hoped-for pat on the back. I have to learn not to need it, not to want it and just recognize and acknowledge my own efforts, right? Well, thanks all again. You really are a fantastic bunch of people!

Yesterday, thanks to all your encouragement I was able to get to the gym and do a great run. Had to cut the arm/shoulder routine short because I was out of time. I did dawdle at home. But I didn't eat much either, actually not enough but that was due to running to two jobs after the gym and not having a chance. I think I ate too much when I got home but no sugar and no tortilla chips! I feel the fat getting super soft which is always a sign it's going to flush out soon. I sure hope so! Had a great lesson today on my mare. Finally starting to feel like a real rider. :yes:

*****

Raven -- Just as you were writing that yesterday about changing how you ran I was writing down a routine to do on the treadmill using my heartrate monitor and really making sure I was getting my pulse up into the 80-85 percent max at times. It was a routine I had found in a bodybuilding magazine and I was figuring out my max exercise and writing it down so I could have it handy on the treadmill. I used to do a lot of complicated routines with a heartrate monitor but can't find the watch, just the band that fits around your chest. But the other day I remembered that even with just the band, the treadmill will read it. So I took that yesterday to the gym and did it. I think I got in a better workout and the time did go faster. I really felt tired afterward so I think my heart got a much harder workout.

No, I haven't tried lunges on the treadmill. I think I have to put lunges back into my leg routine. They're supposed to be great for shaping. You're right about the blessing and the curse part. I think it's like that for any "gift" we have. I always liken it to a double-edged sword. And you have to learn to use it or it'll use you, kind of like fire I guess. Did you know that the word "Gift" in German means "poison?" Appropriate at times!

Heh, good luck with your horses. I don't think I would want a setup where I had to feed unless it was very, very close to my home. Too much responsibility and a worry if you're sick or away. I hope you can find something worthwhile though. Just don't burn bridges. I always try to keep the lines of communication open except in the worst cases, especially when they're are others (your horses) involved. Heh, by the way, I hope you make progress with dressage. Maybe we can meet up sometime and ride together. That'd be great. We seem to have a lot in common. I was up at 4:30 as usual this morning (in the summers it's 3:30!) and I was thinking, well, Raven would be getting up at this hour too!

Jolly -- Fantastic work on that save!! :encore: You're doing it, making that choice that is about you and for you. The crap you want to put in your mouth is like those people/situations hurting you at a distance. It's like they've wormed their way in anyhow and you are giving them access, allowing them to harm you further. Don't!! Protect yourself and your dreams, your desires.

Heh, and never (Raven too) think I may know something already and so you shouldn't tell me. I can ALWAYS use a reminder even if I do know it. Thanks for your input. I am very short and have to remember too that maybe my appetite, even without the emotional mindless eating, even in the best of times, is just too big for my height.

Oh, yes, loved the slip. I may start using that at work since we're all on shifts at the paper. The guys would love it! :lol3:

happy -- Thanks for the calipers thought. I probably should get some since it's the fat that I'm really worried about, not the size so much and those readouts (scales you stand on and things you hold) aren't very accurate. I was thinking yesterday too, someone once told me once when I was really down and sick of trying so hard, she said, just try harder! And I thought, damn, I'm already trying so hard, whine, whine, whine. But she was right, it's reaching down deep for that bit of extra when you think you just can't go on. That's what does the trick. I get it at the gym in training with forced reps, doing just a couple more, really working through the burn and I get it from my riding teacher who yells at me to keep going though my whatever is killing me. :coach: She wants to see that bit of improvement in the horse, not me. And all this hard work is making me a better weight trainer, a better athlete (well, I'm getting there!), a better rider. So yeah, I guess I have to work on my worst weakness, eating! It's been my Achilles heel, the eating, the food the drink. I'm a pleasure seeker and I want it now! :cbg: It's not the same though is it, the pleasure of stuffing your face and the pleasure of looking at a body that's a work of art, that's taken months, years, to get and you can nod your head and say, yup it's been a long road, sweat dripping all the way. Ok, getting carried away here. :write:

Happy, hope to hear from you soon.

Chachee -- What's up with you? What kind of sickness has you in its grips? Are you better? Working out despite being ill? Wow, that's some determination you've got there. I hope you get better soon. What, by the way, is a Gazelle? And Jolly, don't tell me it's a kind of antelope! :rofl:

Be careful of your weigh-in this week. Don't slack off because you were down earlier. Some of that may have been dehydration from being sick. Maybe not but maybe. Just don't want to see you setting yourself up for a big disappointment. Good luck! :goodscale: That's excellent that you didn't eat junk food when you were at your worst. Awesome! You're an inspiration.

*****

OK, all, anyone else I've neglected, hippy, elaine, where are you?, lucky?
Hope all is well and we'll hear lots from all soon.

Ciao tutti!

Oh, another by the way, can you all tell me what your heights are? I'm a shrimp, 5 feet 1 1/2. Good for being in Japan and good for working around jockeys, which I do a lot. Not good for eating like a 7-foot giant like I do a lot as well! :eating2:

Just a quick note before I'm off to walk the dogs and do my horsesitting job...

I think I found the perfect barn. Serendipity at it's shining best. Long story very short, I stumbled onto a new barn being built literally less than 5 minutes from my house. Twenty acres of beautiful pasture, 16 horse barn, we will be the only pasture boarders and he'll throw hay and feed for me as long as I buy the grain. Amenities include in-barn 40x80 training arena, outdoor full size arena, round pen, wash racks, locking tack rooms, farrier on site once a week, a vet's office in the barn ... uhm .. *ponder* oh yeah, streams running through each of the pastures for fresh water. The barn won't be finished for another month, which is fine because I need to give Rosa some lead time anyway. He told me since I'm pasture boarding I could move them over as soon as two weeks from now, but I am thinking it would be better to give Rosa her 30 days. He can also transport all three of my horses for me for a VERY reasonable price. Very nice guy, young, but I watched him with his horses and he's quiet, calm, believes in most of the same things I do - mutual respect, partnership, and conditioned response training. He himself trains cowboy mounted shooting horses, and teaches western pleasure. He has a couple other instructors come in to teach other styles of riding, including dressage. I'll talk to those folks, but he also said he'd be willing to talk to other instructors to discuss having them teach on his property, too. All this practically in my back yard. All this for the same price I'm paying now. I have a good feeling about this. So eliminating the 40 minute each way drive, plus the stress associated with Rosa, having Artemis in her new home... all that will add up to more time for me. And I can buy another pair of headphones so I can listen to my music while I run and there won't be the destructo-wonder dog to destroy them! I can deal. :D Now the fun part... telling Rosa.

Red - What a great post!! You are SO right about the pride issue and looking in the mirror and seeing things you know you put your sweat and tears and sometimes blood into. That was a GREAT reminder to me. You have been saying so many things I need to hear lately. I need to print that post out and read it on a daily basis. Awesome words. I know I don't want to burn my bridges with Rosa. Even considering everything, I'm not interested in creating more conflict, I just need to remove myself from the source of the stress. I just don't respect her anymore, and she's disappointed me too many times lately and I find myself constantly biting my tongue. I want to leave on good terms, though. I think even she can't argue with the beauty of finding a place 5 minutes from my house with everything I need for my horses. Reading about your treadmill workout made me want to go run. :lol: But this week is still one big mess. My fingers are crossed :crossed: that Artemis goes to her new home this weekend. My horsesitting job ends Saturday night, I work for Rosa Sunday morning... maybe I can pick up my new headphones this weekend and be ready to start hitting the treadmill on Monday morning.

Chach - I'm so sorry to hear you're sick!! Make sure you take care of yourself, don't push things too hard, let your body heal. Please don't apologise for the pissiness!! It wasn't meant as an accusation. It just seemed like we were on the same wavelength with our moods at that point for whatever cosmic reason. ;)

Jolly - It truly is about choice. Lately I've been choosing comfort foods, convenience, emotional medication, all not so great things. Like I said in my e-mail, I know what I need to do, I just need to get back to doing it. You are doing so well with recognizing your patterns and making decisions.

Happy - Do you know what a lunge is? Here's a link to a decent little clip of a barbell lunge. Now do them walking forward (there are also backwards lunges :yikes: ), and then do them on a treadmill and add incline. Massive leg workout. ExRx Barbell Lunge

Ok. I need to get moving, this ended up longer than I anticipated! Imagine that. :o

Weigh in was good. Was down another 1.4, for a total of 30.6. Very excited! Got another 5 pound star and a great round of applause. The lady that joined one week after me was down 35, so I have to lose the 5 this week to pull back ahead of her! :)

I'll try to post more later,as I am running late this morning!

Chach

Alrighty, I'm back for a longer post.

Red: I'm now in the last stages of the flu bug. I have an extremely sore throat, but that is about it. I hate to be sick, and only end up being sick once or twice a year. Ugh! I don't usually even want food when I am sick, so eating junk is really not an issue. Did have a few slices of a small frozen pizza, but that was about it. I've come too far to backslide now! Oh, and a Gazelle is a suspended workout piece of equipment. It's hard to explain, but if you do a seach of Tony Little's Gazelle on the internet you'll find it. I love it because it's Zero impact!

Raven: I'm so happy for you and your new barn. I'm glad your stress level has gone down. That is going to be such a blessing for you and your family. It's probably better for you to be away from Rosa now. Two different styles and different attitudes that don't always mesh. I'm so happy for you! (And glad our mood swings coincided!.)

Did my weights this morning. My goals are quite aggressive for the next bit. Let me go explain them now:

1. Be down 50 pounds by surgery date. That is only 19.4 more and I have 8 more weeks to do it. I think I can, but I won't beat myself up if I don't.
2. Be under 200 by the end of August
3. Lose 5 pounds a month beginning September, and continuing until goal.

Well, off to get some more work done! It's a rainy day up here, so no power walks during work breaks.

Chach

Hey all. Red, thank you so much for what you said. About overeating being me allowing others to hurt me from a distance. I wish I had read that earlier today. Today was not a good choice day. But, after I read your post, I went and wasted money by throwing out the rest of the junk food I bought and hadn't eaten yet. So, did save some calories. And when I say throw out, I mean destroy. I make sure it is uneatable, so I can't possibly grab it out of the garbage.

Well, Hello to all. Raven, I am so happy about your new barn. Chachee, congrats on the loss. Everyone else, jump in here. I have to head to bed for a 12 hour day tomorrow. Won't be on the thread until tomorrow night. But, as it is a training, I won't have time to overeat, and I have my gym bag packed to go workout afterwards. Here's to a better day.

Hello everyone. Been peeking here because it's been a busy day, but the few times I actually tried to post, I've been having problems. The site is very slow to respond and sometimes the pages don't even load. Will try again tomorrow, hopefully it will be better.

Hang in there as some of you seem to be having a bit of a bumpy road right now. I myself am still struggling with why doing the right thing seems to be such an effort. If I dream of the answer tonight, I'll post in the a.m. Heck, if I wake up from the answer during one of those mid-night potty runs, I'll post it :lol: Take care folks...

Morning gals :coffee:

Just wanted to catch up a bit before I go.

Raven, your babies are going to be moved closer to home? That's wonderful :D Will this give you a chance to be able to see them more often and ride a bit more? OH! I'm taking orders, what flavor drink would you like :lol:

Jolly, junk food is evil! I am so glad to hear that you threw it away! I have often wondered what it is about some foods that make you feel so good when you feel so bad. For me I feel great while I'm eating it but then I kick myself in wazoo the whole time I'm throwing the wrappers away :lol: Anyway, what a good choice!

Chach, sorry to hear you were sick and hope you are well on your way to feeling better! Down more pounds :bravo: Pretty soon you will be so thin!!! Great job!

Happy, thanks for the well wishes! I am so impressed that you are still smoke free. You rock :dancer:

Red, how are things with you?

Hello to anyone that I might have missed!

The next few days will be very busy. Lots of running to do and packing. My brother is going with us this year, I hope he has alot of fun. Jordan tells Chris he has to keep me busy while he checks out the bikini's :lol: I tell him there won't be any of that! I can't believe that my child is old enough to want to check out bikinis! I am so excited! I'm looking so forward to swimming with the dolphins. For me it's a rush to know that I'm going to get to get in there and pet them and play around! Deep sea fishing is on our list of thigs to do along with renting jet skis and maybe parasailing.

I had better get going. Everyone take care!

Good morning, Ladies!

Jolly: I have to do the same thing that you do when I throw out "bad for me but tastes so good" food. I run it through the garbage disposal and throw the wrappers away. Who would have ever thought we would get in the garbage because of no self control? Reminds me of the Sex and The City episode where Miranda digs the chocolate cake out of the garbage. Funny, huh? Not really. Great job on the save, though.

Happy: Still waiting for all the answers in life.. will keep hanging out!

Hippy: I hope you have a wonderful time on vacation. I will be thinking of you swimming while I am still trying to get pictures hung in the house. Have fun and make sure your sons don't get too consumed by the dental floss! Oops, I mean bikinis!

Have a great weekend everyone! I am going to do my best to stay OP! Red, I have planned to have chicken stir fry with brown rice tonight. It's a great low points meal. A little high in sodium, but not that bad.

Chach

Hey all. Hope everyone has a good weekend. Hippee, have a great vacation. Happy, thanks for the good words. Chachee,I hear you.

Bad choices abound. I am almost scared to get on the scale Monday. Ah well. That is the price for bad choices. Busy weekend ahead. Have fun all.

Hello people,
Just wanted to check in. Can't address you individually now, am at work, Saturday.
Just wanted to say I've been doing OK, took the day off from exercising yesterday. Choices are OK but quantity is too high. Want to get back on track and crack down.
My weight did finally drop by the way, am now under 71 kg. My new goal is to see me get under the 69-kg mark. So, when I see 68-whatever come up on the scale that will mean I have achieved my goal. Wish me luck! Here's to the push to 68!! :drill:

I'll get back to you all later. Here's wishing you a good weekend! :wave:

Top o' the wee morning hours here, except for Red who is in the middle of her workday on a SATURDAY :write: !!!! :yikes: You keep up the faith girl, congrats on finally seeing some numbers on the scale that make you happy. You can do 68k - slow and steady, ok? Baby steps. :high:

Jolly, I keep telling myself that each minute is a new opportunity to make a good start in the right direction. I will if you will, ok? We can't afford any backwards momemtum here from anyone - tote that barge, lift that bail whatever the heck that means... :rolleyes:

Raven, it sounds like you've found a really great new home for the ponies. I know you bought Shadow, are Eve and Arashi yours to take and move now too? I thought you were still on the dollar a year for a million years payment plan - or so it seems, right? Sorry if I misunderstood. And being closer you will get to enjoy them more AND maybe even get to bed at a decent hour too. Wow! Sometimes the universe comes together.

I have discovered a new trigger food - Edy's Grand Lite 50/50 Bar (Dreamsicle ice cream). I simply cannot be trusted to be resonable with it so along with Snickers, it's now on the banned pile. Sigh and summer's just starting... Somewhere in my house is my beloved Walkman which I need desperately. I must find it AND my exercise music soon. Very Soon. Going to mom's tomorrow to help her with her computer and might spend the night. Will be good to visit with her, bad for trying to catch up and cram everything else into the remaining few hours on Sunday. But they again hey, who would actively chose spending time doing laundry and dishes over time with a beloved mum? Dad's been gone for a long time so there's no one to celebrate Dad's day for - just honoring memories.

Hope you all have a good, active weekend with great weather. Red - what's the weather like in Japan? Are you in winter now?

Catch up with you later ladies.

Hi Happy! Still at work, still Saturday. Thanks for the thoughts and the encouragement on the 68k. I've got to get the weight off. I have so much muscle that I look a lot bigger than people who never work out. So I have to have to have to get this fat off! Saw myself in a shop window. Yuck! Don't want to look like the Incredible Hulk! :no:

You made me laugh with the winter question. No, we're not in the middle of winter. We're heading into summer just like you. You gotta be beneath the equator to switch seasons! :rofl: Heh, but who the heck knows where Japan is, anyhow? who the heck cares? again. . . :rofl: It's officially the rainy season here which means the weather is very unpredictable. We've had a week of sun but there's a typhoon heading this way could bring some major rain. That actually has nothing to do with the rainy season, which tends to be very humid and lots of fine misty rain with intermittent downpours. It's getting hot, summer here swelters with temps over 100 F. Killer stuff.

Heh, I hear you on the trigger food. All sugar is my trigger. God, just your mention of Snickers has been drooling. Specially since I discovered those new hazelnut ones (new here at least). Sickening sweet but so yummy, specially when I'm rolling into the PMS sugar craving days here. Heh, maybe I can just pretend I ate it and not. Anything to give it a try.

OK, gotta run. Good luck on finding your Walkman and music. It is a fantastic motivator. Have you considered a heartrate monitor as well. They're a lot of fun. Playing with your heartbeat. When I first got mine I used to wear it in the office for fun and would see just which guys sent my heart a racin' !!

This has got to be fast... I'm pretty much at a dead run. Horsesitting 40 minutes away, then getting Artemis up to Rosa's to be picked up by her new adoptive family. *sigh* Yes, I'm happy about it. *sniffle*

Red - Bah, I know where Japan is. I know a lot about Japan, courtesy of my father who fought in the war and started my curiousity with his stories, my brother who loved everything eastern, and my daughter who wanted to move there but has since changed her mind since she has a horse she doesn't want to leave, so instead studies the history and the language. Though we're moving on to german soon. ;) Japanese and Russian histories fascinate me. I can't help but wonder, Red, if your body image is somewhat distorted. You need to post pictures so we can give you a good old american reality check. ;)

Chachee - Funny, but not really. The story of my life. ;)

Happy - I was leasing Shadow and bought her outright, that is correct. Arashi I rescued from being sent to slaughter - I paid $500 for him, and Eve was gotten from the Rescue for the princely (princessly?) sum of $100. Too many horses, not enough responsible owners. :( I can certainly relate to needing the music. That's part of my problem right now, too. Artemis chewed up two pair of headphones and I just couldn't afford to buy another pair. Maybe now, eh? :D

Ok, I gotta git. It's going to be a long, hot, sweaty day. :grouphug:

blazing sun today . . .
 

Hello all! Finding a little time here to jump in for a post and get back to those of you who have posted and I wasn't able to reply to before the backlog is too great!

RAVEN -- Hurrah for you and your amazing stores of knowledge. You are a rare breed! :smug: Yes, I knew you knew about Japan. :sumo: I wasn't putting a challenge out and didn't mean to sound flip or anything, happy. Your question tickled me. Never ask, never learn. Most people don't know about Japan and I don't see why they should. That's what I was saying. I was never into Japan at all. Had no interest in it whatsoever, and really, after 22 years here, I can't say I have anymore interest in it than I did in the beginning. I just know a lot about it. But then again, it's now become a part of me so I don't know if "interest" is the correct thing to even be thinking about. A big part of me is now Japanese, a bit is German, a bit is India and a big part is still U.S. of A., no wait, make that Pittsburgh!! Yeah Pittsburgh!

So, your daughter has changed her mind about Japan? Oh well, if she ever wants to come give it a peek feel free to avail yourselves of me. German was my major. Good language to be learning if you're getting into dressage. Nothing like Munich beer! :cheers: That's where I lived for four years, that's where I learned to drink beer. Getting off the subject, must be thirsty here!

Heh, just wanted to express my congratulations as well on your finding what seems to be a great setup for your horses. I hope all works out. By the way, what does horsesitting involve exactly? Feeding, exercising, grooming, I guess the works, huh? And about Artemis, it'll be sad for you to part but you've done the best thing one can, find a good home. The world needs more people like you, Raven. :angel:

Oh, and about the distorted body image, thanks for the try but nah, the distortion is definitely centered around my waist and posterior! :yikes: But, now that you said it, yesterday I said I was disgusted at my reflection in the store window and yes, it was yucky, but I realized a lot had to do with my clothes. I've gotten in the habit of wearing loose shirts that cover my butt and the roll around my gut and they look sloppy and they actually make me look bigger than I am. I have no money for clothes though so this kind of thing has become my usual wear except when I'm doing an interview or something but I do have to work on that as well.

Oh, hurrah, hurrah, :twirly: today I just got back from riding and I was out in the big arena where the mirrors are!! And I took a good luck and there was definitely less fat sitting there behind me on the saddle! Oh, Raven, I'm not going to post any pictures (even if I knew how) until I can definitely show a before and after. Otherwise you'll just go, "Oh, yeah, man, she really IS a little tub!" No, really, I'm a size 10 on top, usually a 10 or 12 on bottom depending on how stretchy the fabric is and at my height that is just too rotund, distortion or not. I want to fit easily into a size 8 and maybe a size 6. I've never been there and I don't know if I can get there but I think I can. But yes, bit by bit, one bird at a time. (more on that later!)


CHACHEE -- Hurrah for you and your weight loss! :bravo: That is so great and I'm so happy for you. Heh, but don't go getting into a race with someone else. :nono: Keep it coming off at your pace, your body's pace, slow and steady wins the race, remember? That's the race against the fat, not someone else. I guess you'll be better by now, right? Hope you are. What a nasty thing to get a flu going into the summer. I didn't look up the Gazelle yet but will. Thanks.

Good luck on your new goals. They sound a little ambitious but if they provide the right motivation for you, then fine. Only you can say. And that sounds like a great dinner you had prepared the other night, brown rice too. Hurrah for you. I'm in the land of white rice and I always make brown because it's so much healthier.

JOLLYGIRL-- Glad if my saying something helped you. I think like that recently when I've been disappointed or hurt by someone, aggravated or whatever. And I'm starting to be able to do it for stress too, which is really the same thing. Feeling like I have to eat because I've been working so hard is only hurting me too. It's a bit harder to do that one though because there's no real adversary I can put a name to. Maybe I should draw up a picture of something like Mr. Stress :stress: or Mr. Office, like Mr. Yuck (anyone remember him, is he still around?) And good for you Jolly, for throwing out the junk. :cp:I am very familiar with the picking it back out of the garbage bag. And I know to make it inedible as well. Now I've learned to not bring the stuff in the house at all. If I absolutely must have something I buy it at work and take just a little for me and give the rest away. But that is dangerous because I have ended up many times NOT giving anyone else any!! Now, I just don't get started. The best place to dump it is down the toilet!

HAPPY-- hope to hear more from you soon! Read Raven's part so you don't take my laughing wrong about your Japan question! ;) I couldn't stand it if you did!

HIPPY--You probably won't have time to post before your vacation. Just want to wish you a really great time. Swimming with the dolphins. :goodvibes: Now that is something I would love to do. Have fun!

Anyone else I haven't mentioned, a big hello and I hope to hear from you soon. :write: Remember, even if you've been going hog wild for the past few weeks, the war ain't over til you stop fighting! :cheer:

*****

Well, I'm off to the gym after some luscious watermelon. I've been living on the stuff. I ADORE watermelon. It satisfies my sugar cravings and just tastes soooo good!! :cloud9:

Will check in later and report my workout. :tread: :strong: Wish me luck . . . . and the strength of gods!!!

Just popping in while I have a cup of coffee! We are going to be taking off this afternoon. Just wanted to tell everyone bye :wave: Hope everyone stays well while I'm away. Take care girls, talk to you next week!

Hey all. Hope everyone is having a good weekend (and has a good vacation!). Send some gentle kicks my way. I have been stress eating, as I freak myself out worrying about my horse. I know tomorrow's weigh in will not be pretty. But, I will have a better week. I will.

Have a good one.

I have tried to start a post here at least three times since Friday, and every time I get interrupted and have to bail. So, let me try again. :D

It was a very busy, hot, sweaty, work with my horses kind of weekend. We will be moving them on the 1st (hallalujah!) so that means we have a lot to accomplish in a week and a half. My boss is giving me Friday the 2nd off, and I get the 5th off for the 4th of July holiday. A four day weekend right after I move the horses, what a blessing! Artemis is officially in her new home, and I have to admit it was darn nice getting up and not having the panic thoughts of getting Artemis into the garage, fed, and walked before she could make a mess anywhere.

Into work at 5 this morning, meant I was up at 3:30 because it's an hour drive to get here. I'll get out of here early (around 11) so I can meet the farrier at Rosa's to see if we can epoxy her damaged hoof. She blew ANOTHER abcess, and now, finally, is starting to feel better. The supplements are working their magic, the pressure is out of her hooves, and shes not in pain anymore. Poor Eve, OTOH, needs shoes badly. I'm going to see if the farrier can shoe her today, too. Her hooves are wearing faster than they're growing on that darn rock, and since we've had her for such a short time and had her eating good food and getting hoof supplements, that hasn't had time to produce enough growth to offset the wear. She's sore, poor baby. I'm anxious about the move. It's all I can think about! :dizzy:

I'm so focused on that I don't have the time or energy or desire to even try to think about food or exercise. Very preoccupied. BUT! I will have a round pen in the new place, and I keep thinking how good the workouts will be when I start doing round pen basics with all three horses!! Lots of running! I want to move NOW! *lol*

Red - My post about Japan was a lame attempt at humor, I hope I didn't sound like know-it-all or grumpy. I think living in Japan must be something like living in Alaska - you live there, it's nothing special, yay. Horsesitting is just about whatever that particular client wants. We do just about everything. We're going to start learning how to braid for shows, too, so if someone needs that we'll be able to offer it. Mostly we're doing it because we refuse to shave our horses' manes. So if we're not going to clip, then we need to pull and braid. Whee! One bird at a time? You have birds in your pockets!? *lol*

Work is calling. Time needs to be done, and I need to get things wrapped up before I leave. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Hey all. WEll, weigh in was not as bad as I feared, or deserved to be honest. I stayed the same. So, keep sending kicks my way. I need to stay focused. I just need to trust that the pony will be ok with time. It is hard worrying about your fur babies though.

Raven, I hope all goes well with the farrier today. And congrats on being able to move on the first. should be great.

Everyone else. Hope you had a wonderful weekend, and have a great week.

Farrier visit went well, Shadow and Eve are sporting classy new front shoes. They're stylin. ;) Arashi got his trim, and we'll hold off on Eve's rear shoes for now, maybe with the new pasture she won't need them. We won't be riding her for a while anyway. Shadow looks like she's feeling great finally. What a relief. One more step towards getting them to their new home.

I have some cheap headphones, I'm going to see if they will work with the stereo till I can pick up the better ones. If so, tomorrow I hit the treadmill. I'm going to try to put my morning routine back in place. Wish me luck! That will put me one step closer to getting back OP.

Jolly - I WISH my scale would have stayed the same. :o As you know, I can really relate to worrying about the four-legged kids. I have allowed it to pretty much completely derail my weight loss. Tsk. Please let us know how Chance is doing.

Off to bed... have a great night, everyone!

Hi kids,
I had a really nice weekend with my mom again. But then that meant that everything else got backed up. I was torn at first about it but hey... laundry will always be there, some day Mom won't. So I made my choice and stuck to it. I even got to bed at a decent time yesterday and better hustle today. That's my goal for this week - get enough sleep.

Tuesday I have to get another tooth pulled - don't know why I seem to be having such problems with deep infections in my jaw. I am not happy about this but what can you do? Back to soft foods again for a few days. I must have spent 45 minutes scanning labels on soup cans in the food aisles. So much sodium in most of them, the ones that are low sodium taste like dish water - I know, I've tried them. :lol:

Quick catch up... Hippy, I know I missed you but I hope you have a great vacation. Have fun for us! Red, you are right - I don't know where Japan is, so I looked it up. You're much more north of Australia than I thought. Heck, you're just across the sea from Russia. Anyway, I have met quite a few ladies from all over the world on this forum and it's been an interesting education for me about other countries and cultures. Thanks for not turning around, making the mppppfffffhhhhhhttttt sound and laughing hysterically at me :D I figure, if I don't ask, I don't learn, right? And when I figure I'm done learning, that's when I really get dumb because there's always something new to encounter each and everyday. And you are so right about people wearing baggy clothes to try and cover up some bumps and bulges and ill fitting clothes just make it seem worse. Someday all of us will just have it all together, right?

Raven, it sounds as if the horses are doing better, must be quite the load off your mind, now to focus on the running again. That's good, we should mix up our priorities at times. Good luck with the moves!

Jolly hope Chance is doing better. No stress eating - scuff, scuff, nudge, nudge --- 'k????

Well I really have to get to bed, you never want to go to the dentist when you're yawning alot! Hellos to Lucky and Chachee too.

a bird in hand. . .
 

Hello people. This always happens on weekends. I check it at work and then, probably because I'm not logged in as redballoon I never get notices saying there have been posts and then I realize, duh!!, oh yeah, this again, and there's a backlog.

Well, no time to catch up now but I did glance over things and because I haven't continued with my "one bird at a time" explanation and Raven is making fun of me!! for carrying birds around in my pockets (there have been stranger things in my pockets!) here's what I wanted to say.

I found this in a book and thought it could help us during those rough times and when the task ahead seems overwhelming. . .

Give it a read. . . :)

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. . . If you want to change yourself, try making the changes as small as they can be. If you want to create yourself, like a great painting, don't be afraid to use tiny brush strokes. If you want to add more vegetables to your diet, try adding five percent more. The creation occurs because we're moving toward the creation.

When we stay the same, It's not because we didn't make a big enough commitment to change, but because we didn't do anything today that sent us moving toward change.

If you continue to think of yourself as a great painting you are going to paint, then wanting to instantly change is like wanting to finish your protrait in 10 minutes and then put it up in the art gallery.

If you see yourself as a masterpiece-in-progress, then you will relish small change. You'll be excited by a tiny thing you did differently. today. If you want a stronger body, and you took the stairs instead of the elevator, celebrate. You are moving in the direction of self-creation. There are no unimportant changes, no matter how small. . .

. . . Huge things can be accomplished by focusing on one small action at a time. Novelist Anne Lamott recalls an incident in her childhood the memory of which always helps her "to get a grip."

"Thirty years ago," she remembers, "my older brother, who was 10 years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulders, and said, 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.' "

-- from "100 Ways to Motivate Yourself," by Steve Chandler

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I hope you liked it. I like the "bird by bird" part. It's something I can remember easily, you know, like our fresh water analogy and the "such and such is not my friend." I'm going to use it.

Wow. I really liked what you wrote, Red. I get that way sometimes. So frozen by the huge amount I have to lose, or huge amount I have to save, or whatever, that I am afraid to make that first step. And the other part is right as well. Any great masterpiece takes time.

Raven, I am glad things went well with the farrier, and I hope you got your butt on the treadmill. Happy, I hope things go well with the dentist. It must be painful and frustrating. Have you checked out soup recipes??? recipesource.com has some good ones. Good luck.

Well, I did my spin class this morning. Did not get out of bed in time to do weights as well, so must focus on that later. I, too, am trying to get enough sleep. Doesn't help that I am working a couple of third shifts this week. But, I picked up some trail mix to eat, so I am not tempted by worse crap. Chance is still pretty much the same. The allergic reaction part seems gone, the muscle soreness is still there. Walking and massage. Walking and massage. And you are right, Happy. Like he needs even more weight on his back when he can be ridden again.

Here's to a great day all.