Hi ladies! Small success story here. Well you know how last week I was moving successfully away from 175 and towards 170? (I'm assuming I still am since its been an awesome exercise week and overall pretty good food week since then.) Well this morning I was feeling so light! Of course I haven't been back on the scale and don't want to until week's end. So anyway I am packing my food to take to work and decide not to pack my usual 2 Special K bars (90 calories each) for breakfast. Instead I decided to stop at Tim Hortons for a chocolate chip muffin. Sounds delightful, right? Well I am driving away from my house when something hits me. "Stop! Wait! This is what you always do! You always lose 5-8 lbs and then start feeling "successful" and blow it with your food! Don't do this!" So I listened to "the voice" I did a huge u-turn in my street, drove back home and ran into the house to get the 2 Special K bars! And they were yummy too! So I had a 180 calorie breakfast as opposed to a possible 400 calorie one. It was the perfect beginning to the perfect food day too. I was so inspired to do well after that battle.
I pretty much have decided on the diamond studs for my reward gift to myself. I've tweaked the whole idea a little more, though. If I find some before that time, I'll get them but I still can't wear them until I reach goal. That way, seeing them every day will serve as a motivator to do well. Also, for maintenance purposes, I've decided that since I like to have a 5lb window to play with, if I get to 8lbs over my goal weight, I can not wear the earrings again until I am back within my safety range. I'm so excited just thinking about it. And its already working on my motivation level. On a scale of 1-10 I was definitely flying high at a 10 all day today. Making excellent food choices with those earrings in mind. Hopefully this feeling lasts!
Oh also, for accountability purposes I've told my mom and my sister about the whole plan. They'll keep an eye on me and if ever I'm wearing the earrings undeservedly, trust me they will not hesitate to ask, "Ahem.. uh, should you REALLY be wearing those?"
That is what I always do, too! I think I need to listen to that "voice" of yours, too! I will lose a couple of pounds and think I'm doing rad and then blow it with some stupid food choices! That's what happened this past weekend! So, I am going to start thinking in those terms when I really think I "deserve" some sort of food reward!! Thanks for sharing with me!
On another note, I went to Circuit City tonight and spent some of my gift card on a Pilates DVD. I also looked at MP3 players but decided to hold out until later for that!! I'm going to go down now and pop in the DVD and check it out! I may have to get a mat or something down the road. We have carpet in the family room where I work out and not much room, so hope I don't need much room for Pilates. It's abs, arms, butt & thighs for only $6.99!!! Couldn't go wrong!!! Oh, I also got an alarm clock that acutally works!!!!! So now, I have NO excuse not to be up at 6am doing my aerobics!!!
Ok everyone, if yaw’l don’t like my hot pink.. Then too bad!!!! Anyways!! (you all better laugh!) Ahem,
Lucia- Sorry I didn’t comment on your post… sorry about the sciatica, although I have no idea what that is…. I hope you get well soon! My mom has a surgery tomorrow as a matter of fact! I tried to get her into WW, but she wasn’t as interested.. Maybe now she will be!
Michelle- rewards… a good idea!! Mine would end up being food! Nah, I’d probably say a shopping spree for me for new clothes! Or shoes! Good luck!!! And congrats on the lbs going down!!!
Julie- Don’t worry about that dreadful scale! Let’s trash it! Have fun with the DVD! Pilates is so hard for me! I do some of it with Denise Austin.. But there are a lot of hard exercises!! You get all of my envy for even being able to do them! You go girl!
Elisha- The scale sucks! I wish we could all throw it away! You are so faithful to this site! I don’t see how ya do it! You are always here bright and early!!
Today was a rough one… I’m not sure if it’s me that’s being grouchy or not… but me and my sister have been fighting like cats and dogs. Then my hubby wants to come in and tell me something smart and I went off on him too! I don’t get it… If I ask, what do you want for lunch… quesadillas or bar-b-q then why can’t I get an answer! He gotta make things difficult and say which ever one yaw’l don’t eat.. And it doesn’t matter…. My sister on the other hand… I ask her a simple question like… is there a car behind me.. And she get’s an attitude like I’m bothering her! Maybe it’s just me.. My TOM is next week, maybe I have PMS, but I hate when people act dumb! Anyways sorry about that! I didn’t get to exercise today… I ate about 3 tacos from Taco bell, and something else (that I can’t remember) and a dipped cone from Mcdonalds… (that’s when I got pissed off) I figured a dipped cone is better than a double cheeseburger and fries!! I’m still at 142 so that pack of Skittles I had last night hasn’t settled in yet! OH well, my clock is set to 5:30 am.. I gotta get my exercise in!!! Today I didn’t hear my alarm go off at all!! I got my library card today.. But my daughter was acting bad though… I thought about going there to email you all because they have high speed internet.. But if she cuts up like that…. Maybe not!! Anyways the beach, the mall, and the family dollar, and walking around the strand will be in the plans for tomorrow. Wanted to go to Ripley’s aquarium, but no money! Wanted to take her to TX roadhouse for chicken strips.. But no money… so hopefully we can make it through her last day here without fighting. Well I gotta go now.. Talk with you all tomorrow!
Hello Everyone! Today I cooked Cambells Fast Fiesta Shepards Pie:
Campbell's® Fast Fiesta Shepherd's Pie
Prep. time: 10 min. Cooking time: 10
Serves: 4
Source: Campbell's® Quick and Easy Cookbook
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 can Campbell's® Tomato Soup
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
3/4 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can Campbell's® Cheese Soup
1 cup 2% milk
2 tbsp. butter OR 2 tbsp. margarine
1 1/3 cups Instant Mashed Potato Flakes or Buds
0 Chopped fresh cilantro OR 0 Chopped fresh parsley
Directions
COOK beef in skillet until browned. Pour off fat.
STIR in tomato soup, corn, picante sauce and cumin. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min.
MIX cheese soup, milk and butter in saucepan. Heat to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in potato flakes. Let stand 30 seconds. Mix with fork until evenly moistened. Drop potatoes by large spoonfuls onto beef mixture. Sprinkle with cilantro.
Yesterday was fun.. my hubby tells me I'm getting too dark! Now whadya think about that!?! I finally found the library, but I have yet to read a book! I can't wait... I haven’t read in a long time! Anyways I need to join in the challenge.. I have been doing HORRIBLE!! I drank 2 real sodas, ate a burger, and two fries, and some skittles! I did exercise for an hour today, but I need to exercise again!!! I bought some sugar free chocolate so that maybe will help with my cravings... I am sooo tired! I have so much to do. I need to finish washing clothes, folding them and etc. I need to wash dishes , take a shower, bathe the kids, clean the living room... etc. I've cleaned up earlier.... but hey it doesn’t stay that way!
I know I missed everyone… …. Sorry!!!!! I think I need to get this fast food thing out of my head… that was my downfall in the first place. I can do it! I have to achieve my goal.. And that is to be healthy… I won’t be like I am doing now. I have stopped journaling and counting and everything! I’m being awful!! Tonight (not tomorrow) I’m going to start at least getting my journaling back on track! Well time has run out! I'm sorry I couldn’t leave comments for everyone! Will talk with everyone later!
Ok, so I'm making a new goal for myself. Well, not a new goal, just reasserting my goal. Exercise 4-5 days next week, no excuses. Anyone up for an exercise challenge? Julie? I know you're already doing challenges on the Labor Day board, but I definitely need something shorter-term.
I was hoping to make 199 by August 1, and that was perfectly doable, since I was at 208 on July 1. In May I lost 7 pounds, and in June I lost 11, so 8 should have been no problem. But now I'm at 205, and I've only got a week to go. And I could have made it if I had been on the ball. If I had exercised 4-5 days a week like a good girl I would have been right where I wanted to be.
So now I've got the calorie intake system down pretty well. I barely have to think about it anymore. The only thing else to do is exercise.
So someone kick my butt if I don't exercise, ok? Really, I need some serious exercise intervention here. When I first started this, I said I was going to literally work my butt off. Now I need to start actually doing it.
However, it's not going to happen until Sunday. Tomorrow is work all day, then a dinner party, then Saturday is an even longer shift at work. And to top it all off, I was going to make dessert for tomorrow' dinner party when I got home this evening, but we have no milk, which is an ingredient in every single recipe I considered.
So starting Sunday, kick my butt if I don't exercise, ok?
Ok, now I need sleep. Have a good night everyone. I'll see you in the morning!
~Elisha
Re: Clement Stone's quote above... I wish it were as easy as he makes it sound! On the surface it sounds absolutely true. No one else controls your attitude. Life deals you whatever hand it deals you and then from there its something inside of you that determines how your react to it, what you think about it, your attitude about it. Why is it so hard for me to be positive all the time? What's missing inside of me that holds me back in that area? Why have I been struggling for so many years with my weight issues? Am I not distinguishing mental attitude with true desire? I'm thinking that I have had a true desire to reach my goal weight all of this time, but mentally I haven't been able to get with it. Just haven't been able to! It has at times felt like a much larger force at work than just my own sheer mental attiitude. All those times I made (and still make) unwise food choices (key word here, "choices"), or go through bouts of no exercise. What was my mental attitude? Was the issue that I didn't really positively BELIEVE I could achieve my goal, so my actions followed that unbelief?
Okay, no pressure guys. I just had to vent. Not really expecting any solutions to this lifelong issue to come this easily by just posting this. OH! I DID IT AGAIN! DO YOU SEE MY ATTITUDE?!?! Now why couldn't I have the thought (just be hopeful) that "hey, I've got this wonderful little network of ladies that have had the same weight issues that I have had and someone just may share some nugget that will result in a lightbulb moment for me! Woo hoo! I can't wait!" Why couldn't that have REALLY been my thought?
Okay - I've got to save some of this analyzing power for work tomorrow! Talk to you all later
Oh - Julie! Adorable pictures. Also I forgot to answer you. I am in Southeast Michigan (Ferndale). I only come in your direction when driving to Chicago or further points south. (If I'm remembering correctly where you said you live.)
Feeling a little sluggish today. On the other hand, my mind is ready to crack the whip. I've been hovering at 204-205 for a week now, and I've been losing a pound every few days. I know, I shouldn't complain, but I'm getting so close to breaking that 200-pound barrier, I'm getting impatient.
So I bought some of my healthy eating staples last night. Right now I feel like I want to eat all of them. And this coming week I absolute HAVE to exercise. If I do it for a week I'll be back into the habit and I'll continue. It's just the first week that's tough.
Anyway, enough of my whining.
Michelle--I absolutely agree with everything you said, and I've felt that way a number of times myself. There's a great article I read a while back on eDiets called "Do I Want To Lose Weight?" that asks why, if we really want to lose weight, we haven't been able to do so. I'll post the link as soon as I find it (stupid computer froze when I was trying to find it). If this is what we want more than anything, why haven't we done it already? Why is it so hard? Why are we still in the same position?
I will say, though, that I am kind of a fatalist in that I believe everything happens for a reason. There is a reason I am overweight, and there is a reason I am fighting this battle at this point in my life instead of any other point. I was in a track meet in 8th grade, and I was way out in front of everyone in one race. Then I fell down. I sometimes think that if I had won that race I probably would have joined the track team in HS, or at least liked running a lot more, and I would have lost weight and gotten in shape then and I wouldn't be where I am today. However, I also probably would have gone out with guys who only wanted me because I was pretty all through HS and college instead of guys that actually liked me for me, I wouldn't have made the friends that I have made, I wouldn't have come to 3FC and met you wonderful chicks and made the friends I have made here, and I wouldn't be in the process of proving to myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to. My best friend made the comment to me yesterday (we were talking about my dating situation) that I am worth it, and I know it. I replied that I was in the process of proving it to myself. I'm so hard-headed that I have to prove everything before I'll actually believe it, so maybe winning this struggle was the only way for me to learn to love myself in the way that I deserve to be loved.
Anyway, my point is, there is a reason we are here now. We may not know what it is, but we don't have to. We're here anyway, so we might as well make the best of the situation, and maybe, just maybe, we'll learn something along the way.
Elisha- I want in on the exercise challenge... what what exactly are we gonna do?!? How's it gonna work.. you tell me!
Michelle- you are feeling the way I am feeling right now, so I totally understand where you are coming from! But what is that quote really saying?!? I mean.. I don't believe that.. sometimes no matter how hard you try to be happy or motivated.. it just doesnt happen!
Well chicks I need to go exercise before the baby wakes up... which is just my luck will be in a couple of minutes... But I will check back in later!
Last edited by Jaymi_Dol_78; 07-24-2004 at 10:00 AM.
Howdy Ladies,
I'm checkin in right now because I'm having a tough time this afternoon! I'm stressed and need to unload, so if you don't want to read this, that's fine, but I will feel better after I get it out of my system!
I don't think it's me, but sometimes hubby makes it seem so! I've been trying to clean the house all day and keep getting interrupted with little things and distractions (like, fixing b-fast, lunch, taking care of DD's needs, starting one project and then doing 50 other things because I came upon them!) I had a few minutes to discuss with hubby an upcoming trip that DD and I are taking to OHio (without him thank goodness!) and he made some wisecrack about being able to find a hotel room!!!! As if I'm not able to function without him! We argued about my perception of his comment for a while and he wouldn't tell me what he *thought* he had said and when he did it was exactly as I said it was!!!! MEN!!!!
Then I asked him if the camera bag (which is a huge backpack) had found a new home on the kitchen counter (because whenever I ask him to put something away or do something that might disrupt *his* schedule, he tells me "I will later" and later never comes) so yea...I was being a bit sarcastic, whatever!!! He had to make a big deal out of that saying "Why don't you just ask me to put it away?".....Ai Yai Yai....I'm ready to slap him at this point!!!! I explained to him what I just said above and I also told him that it is frustrating to have to pick up after him all the time! THEN....(you ladies will love this!) he says "Well I pick up after you, too!!!!!!" NOT!!!!!!!!!!! He has NO clue how much time I spend putting things away, cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, laundry, etc. around here because he: 1. Is not here in the mornings before I go to work and do much of the tidying up 2. Falls asleep at night after supper when I clean up from the messes made during the day 3. Does his own thing in his garage when he is not in the house on the computer or sleeping or "throwing" things where they don't belong!!!!!
OK, I think I am done with my rant! Sorry! He left to go see a movie and spend some time "alone" (without me is really what he means!) When he gets home I am either going to have to kill him or make up with him. The first sounds best right now!!! GRRRRRR!!!!!!
Back to your regularly scheduled post....
Well, I managed to get in 6.5 miles in 22 minutes this morning on the bike! I am proud of myself for even attempting it with my lacadasical attitude these days! So, yea me!
So far today I have eaten 3 blueberry pancakes with syrup, 2 sausage links and a bowl of Chicken Corn Chowder (Campbells) and am probably waaaaay over my carbs for the DAY! But, I don't really care right now. I'm feeling kind of tired too, which means my insulin is crashing and it will be time for some more sugar soon!! Just kidding! I will eat some protein here soon! Or take a nap! Naw...gotta get some housework done, so I need to get going!
Michelle...I feel all the same things you said in your post. I think we all struggle like that or we wouldn't be where we are with our weight...that and genetics! Truly for the most part that is a part of it! But I beleive it IS true that our attitude/thoughts are something we can control. Just like my reaction to my hubby today! I was not in a good space and it showed! I have to let things go sometimes and for me that is so hard! I also find that planning, for me, is essential! If I don't plan, my life is chaos and my weight goes crazy! So planning what to eat (even when I go out) BEFORE I eat and planning WHEN to exercise and how much is helpful to me!
Food issues are an addiction and addiction IS a force larger than positive attitude! It is developed behaviors over years and years of making the wrong choices or not knowing that there were choices! It is my beleif that we all have some sort of addiction (or you can insert the words "bad behaviors" here) and to overcome them, we have to own up to the fact that it IS a force larger than us and then surrender! It's all about the 12-step factor (and I know I'm rambling here, so forgive me) and when I sit down and read the 12 steps (from any program) it all falls into place and then I can have peace and try to work with what I am given to work with!
You know, we all know WHAT we have to do to lose the weight (I read it here all the time) but it's the DOING it that makes it such a challenge! Life gets in the way of us making that right choice or walking that extra mile! So that's one of the reasons we have this group. To cheer each other on and to help one another along! I know I have depended on my chickies for encouragement so many times and you all have helped more times that I can count. I wouldn't still be here 7 months later if it weren't for this great group!
I've rambled long enough, so I am going to cut this short! Elisha, I wanted to comment on you, but just hang tough, chickie! I'm working on an exercise challenge that I will try to post tomorrow! HUgs!!!!
First of all, thanks for your feedback on the Clement Stone quote. I don't feel quite so looney now
Elisha - The funny thing is that I too, believe that everything happens for a reason. My "everything", however, as I'm finding out, is a little LESS than EVERYthing. Whenever things happen in life I'm usually able to see beyond the immediate circumstances to see a lesson in it all. I believe that if I'm running late there may be a blessing in being late that I know nothing about (you know, like maybe I avoided being in a car accident because I came through that intersection 10 minutes later). I believe that times of financial distress (putting it mildly) make me appreciate times of plenty that much more. But what I found out by reading your post is that I've never considered that my weight issues would also fall into that "everything happens for a reason" category. Maybe because I have had to suffer I'm a more compassionate person towards others with even greater difficulties than me, you know? Something for me to think about.
Julie - <<<<<<hugs>>>>>> I understand you totally on the hubby front! We argued today about my hubby's excessive work hours and I've not had an easy Saturday either. I was able to get in a nice walk this morning which was a wonderful release, then came home and did a lot of housework and laundry. So I'm feeling quite accomplished right now, which has kind of lifted my mood. That is until I think of my hubby working. I'm very resentful right now and really need to deal with it. I definitely don't want to turn to food. I have those diamond earrings to consider, you know. Just kidding, I had to throw in something here to make me smile a little. Anyway as far as your options for when he gets home. I vote for making up That's what I'll do, even though I'm tired of always being the bigger person
Jaymi - hopefully you were able to workout before the baby woke up! Hope you're having a great day.
Hello everyone.. Just a quick update... Food hasn't been THAT bad... I ate a SF kool cup and a pickle, and some candy canes... and I ate some of my porkchops, an apple, a plum, and a red pear. I exercised for like 18 minutes and I got tired and just laid there and gave up. I don't have any energy. I get way too tired too fast.. MY daughter is acting bad anyways, so I'm going to wait until her nap and try again.. That darn dog is barking away... hubby is laying on the floor sleeping.. oh well, I don't care. If someone comes banging on the door, he can talk to them! Well I gotta go... gotta pee!! Talk with you all later!
I did a huge u-turn in my street, drove back home and ran into the house to get the 2 Special K bars! And they were yummy too! So I had a 180 calorie breakfast as opposed to a possible 400 calorie one. It was the perfect beginning to the perfect food day too. I was so inspired to do well after that battle. 
Yea Michelle!!!
Anyways!! (you all better laugh!) Ahem,
Nah, I’d probably say a shopping spree for me for new clothes! Or shoes! Good luck!!! And congrats on the lbs going down!!!
Motivational Quote of the Day
Now why couldn't I have the thought (just be hopeful) that "hey, I've got this wonderful little network of ladies that have had the same weight issues that I have had and someone just may share some nugget that will result in a lightbulb moment for me! Woo hoo! I can't wait!" Why couldn't that have REALLY been my thought? 
