Hi Friends,

Thanks for your kind words Faye and Mscat.

I'm feeling a little better today and am just trying to be gentle with myself. The silly thing is that the thing that is getting me down most at the moment is my weight - and because I am down I have lost all control of my eating and exercise - I really am in a cycle of comfort eating and depression at the moment. I realise that I need to break this cycle - the first thing I did was pray about it, and that in itself has helped me to feel a bit better.

I've not overeaten today and have made good choices, and I've also done quite a bit of housework which has kept me active. I didn't make it to swimming on saturday, but I WILL go either tomorrow or Tuesday.

Silly Poll - As well as rewarding myself with a cool and funky new wardrobe (including some heels! ), my ultimate reward will be my whole Caribbean wedding and honeymoon. I've never been on a hot tropical beach holiday before, so it will be really exciting - and to have a new body,a whole new wardrobe, beautiful wedding dress and lovely new husband will be a truly wonderful experience.

Love Amanda x

MONDAY: today is Mission Monday and our mission this week is getting tough with ourse4lves. I have scanned posts over weeks and found that we are wobbling a LOT. We need to determine whether losing weight is a priority with us or not. Do we want to continue where we are or do we want to move forward. Let's take a long hard look at ourselves this week and make a firm decision about this!

Gotta get going. Will check back in later

Faye

Good Morning Beautiful Ladies!

It's a dreary Monday here, but I'm halfway through with my book! And I'm feeling pretty good. If all goes according to plan, I'll be done with the first draft in 4 weeks and will start sending it out to publishers by my birthday in January. Still adjusting to the 4:30 am thing, though. My schedule is all screwed up and I'm eating too many meals.

I did try a new crockpot thing this weekend, though, that ended up so good *everyone* ate it. I thought I was making something special that I could eat all week... HAH! I made 2 batches and both disappeared as soon as they were done.

I bought *steel cut* oats (they look like grain, not flat like oatmeal) and cooked them in the crock pot with sliced apples, cranberries, cinnamon and a tiny bit of maple syrup. YUMMMMM! Mixed all together it tasted like hot apple pie. But it's very low calorie, fat free or very low fat, and you can use splenda instead of syrup to make it even better. Steel cut oats have the most nutrition you can get from an oat grain. Nothing's been processed away. I've never been able to stomach oatmeal because of the texture, too slimy. But these aren't slimy at all, just chewy and satisfying. And they stick to your ribs! So you aren't hungry for hours. I'm gonna get a smaller, separate crock pot so I can make them at the same time I'm using the big one to make dinner. If you want to try this, steel cut oats are also called "Irish oatmeal". THough you'll probably have to go to a healthfood store to find them.

Amanda, hope you're feeling better. You can pull yourself through this, you've done it before. I know what you mean about "knowing" what you have to do but not having the "upmph" to just do it. I'm having the same problem with my exercise. It's either feast or famine with me....need balance!

MsCat...hope your balls behave today! You crack me up!

Faye! Oh my gawd! LOOOKKK........there's a leaf on your deck!! Get it, Faye, get it!!

Okay, gotta go now. Hope everyone has a great day!
Julie

Julie: VERY VERY FUNNY! I am in deep depression because my deck has leaves all over it again. DAMN! I absolutely can't stand to see the mess out there, it drives me nuts. I guess I can go out tomorrow and clean it again, but I just got my ears to quit ringing!

I cleaned the whole condo today so I am done with that now, yeah! I am going to go downstairs and lift weights and do some toning before lunch today. No walk for me because I am married to a dolt! He told me Saturday that it was the Sunday to turn back clocks so of course I did, then this am he called and said he was late for work because it is next Sunday! DUHHHHHH! That put me behind an hour and it is too hot to go out there now so I figured with cleaning the whole house and doing weights I got exercise in for today.

Hope you all are having a good Monday. Carri we miss not getting to hear from you everyday, but understand your work has to come first along with getting into your new house.

Everyone take care and I will peek in a little later.

Faye

Hi Girls,

Well I've given myself a good talking to and have made some good steps towards sorting myself out.

I got 3 points yesterday - had my first day back on track with my eating and water. It went fine, although i was a little hungry because I have been used to overeating over the past few weeks.

Today I went on the exercise bike for the first time in ages - it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, I think all my swimming has increased my general fitness. The only thing was my bum really hurt from sitting on the seat! I told myself i would do 20 minutes just to ease myself back into it gently, but I ended up doing 25, so i'm very pleased. And guess what? That little bit of exercise has already helped to lift my mood and increase my energy levels - i feel alot better.

I've re -comitted to my diet and exercise plan. I worked out that if I want to be 140lb by March 2006 (we don't want to get married much later than this) - then I need to lose 7lb per month over the next 17 months. So I need to get serious and stop sabotaging my efforts. 7lb a month is achievable, but I will have to work at it - especially as my medication makes the weight harder to come off. I've written out an exercise plan which involves me doing exercise EVERY DAY. I think because I am at home alot I can be quite inactive, so I need to exercise daily. I am going to do a combination of swimming, exercise bike, walking, hand weights and sit ups. It sounds alot, but obviously I will do different things each day.

I am aware that I need to completely change my whole lifestyle, which includes diet, exercise and attitude towards food. I am also going to ask God every day to help me to make the right food choices.

So that's the plan anyway - I really want start my married life slim and healthy. I'll be 33 when we get married, so we'll be starting a family straight away - no time to waste!

JULIE - That recipe sounds lovely - like real comfort food, but without the fat. I love porridge and it sounds a bit like that. Wow, your book is coming along nicely - keep it up and you'll be able to churn out more than Barbara Cartland!

FAYE - I agree our group has been struggling lately. Thanks for sticking with us through thick and thin (literally!)

MSCAT - Yes, your little tale about the balls did make me laugh! I hope you manage to get your problem under control, as peeing yourself at work could not have been nice for you.

Sandy B, Sandy G, Carri, Susan, Dot - hope you are all doing well!

Love Amanda x

Hello, I miss you all...of course I have been totally awful and being off program for two whole weeks!!! ugghhhhh...I think the stress of the house and the new job are just too much right now, I did resolve myself to start fresh today and have the headache to prove it!! my body wants its fat !! Everything is going good with the house, get this...the inspection is this weds and guess what just started yesterday?? those little asian lady bugs, the brown ones that come in the fall, have all decided to move in to my house...we are sucking them up with the vacuum cause I do not know what else to do with them, do you guys?

I am glad that you are all doing well...I will try and get back in tomorrow to do personal responses!! Keep up the good work!!

Carri: Everything that I read to try and help said that they are drawn to your house because of aphids, which is what they feed on so you probably have those too. There are electronic gadgets that keep them away but not pest stuff too much. Seems like everyone used your method for getting them, the vacuum cleaner!

Amanda good job yesterday. Keep up the good work!

Ladies, we are in this fight together and we need to get ourselves back up on our individual horses. I am as bad or worse than anyone having problems so believe me I do understand. We have to make this a priority in our lives and we ARE NOT doing that. We need to work harder if we want to accomplish our goals!

Everyone have a good evening!

Faye

TUESDAY: Today is Target Tuesday and our target this week is getting in our water. Remember, though you can go without food for long periods of time, water is essential to our body so get that h2o in today girls!

later

Faye

Good Morning Ladies,

Faye, I swear God created fall to give OCD people like you a lesson in LETTING IT GO!!! Your deck has leaves on it.....COPE! And I was wondering how long it would take you to figure out that daylight savings time was next week

I got 4 points yesterday...

Amanda--BIG HUGGS! Good for you, girl, you are picking yourself up much faster than you used to. It's hard for you to see that, but I can tell a big difference. We all stumble, but as Dave Draper said..."failure isn't falling down, failure is staying down."

Carrie--Something ALWAYS goes wrong the day of your housing inspection. For us it was the middle of January and we got a huge ice dam which is when ice collects underneath the roof and leaks all over the house. Fortunately, it didn't do any lasting damage, just made it look like we had huge leaks in the roof! Ugh!

About this week's mission of getting tough with ourselves and making weight loss a priority....I've noticed that last year when we were all making great strides, there was alot more traffic on this thread. I remember I came here at least 2 or 3 times a day and so did everyone else. I'm not saying that people aren't serious because they don't have time to come here, but I am saying that it's easy to get slack and not utilize the great tool we have here. Mutual support is our greatest ally, and maybe we should be using it more...even if we only pop in for a quick note. Every post doesn't have to be a novel.

And speaking of novels, Amanda---Barbara Cartland was a freak of nature!!! That woman wrote a book EVERY TWO WEEKS!!!! All I can think was that she wrote during a time when books were the only readily available form of entertainment (WWII) and she wrote romances which people snapped up. The world was starving for hope and love and happy endings, and she wrote them as fast as possible.

Okay, gotta get the kids to school. Everybody have a great day.

FAYE, I DARE YOU NOT TO SWEEP YOUR DECK FOR 24 hours!

TTFN,
Julie

GOOD MORNING BEAUTIFULS.... I have been mia for a while but am back now...lol Amanda i am right there with u... the scales says i am up... but my bras dont fit anymore so i had to go buy more in a smaller size... whtas that all about?? lol anyway i am not going to sweat it...dosent do any good for me... so.. after i finsh this message i am doing my workout with the workout ball... then i am going to figure out what to do for dinner... i need to do my menu planner again... i was out of town this weekend and forgot to do it... so i will do it today... I hate being away from here for days...lol i can never remember who said what and i cant respond personally...lol oh well. Tonight is my parenting with love and logic class and hubby is going with me tonite...
I went to see a therapist last week as well... it was wonderful... so freeing... made me feel great. I will be going every other week for a while... it also helps to talk about all the deaths i have had to deal with... its a nice way to release it all. To all fo you beautiful and wonderful women whom i am PROUD to call my friends... have a wonderful day... I will check back later lovelies...
take care of u
love u all,
Sandy

Julie: !!!!!!!

Faye

Faye!!!!!!

Hi Gals,

Well I'm proud to announce my first 4 point day yesterday - it feels really good to be back in control of my eating!

CARRI - Yes, moving is stressful AND you have started a new job, so I don't blame you for going off track. But well done for nipping it in the bud and getting back into your diet - I doubt you've done too much damage. I hear you about the fat cravings - that is exactly what I have just had to break. It really is a case of mind over matter - or fool your body into thinking it is having something really fatty! Last night we had one of my favourite comfort food meals of sausage and mash - it was all low fat though and was yummy!

FAYE - I agree with Julie - you will be fighting a losing battle with the leaves! Instead appreciate their beauty - all the lovely autumnal colours, the reds, yellows and burnt oranges. I love autumn (as long as it's not raining!). I agree with you about our laxness of late - you are great because even when you are not doing well, you still come here to cheer us all on! If it wasn't for you, then I think this group may well have disbanded long ago.

JULIE - Thanks for your kind words. It has not been easy to pick myself up and I'm still not 100%, but I am already feeling so much better.

SANDY B - I'm so pleased that you have found a good counsellor. I've had some really beneficial experiences with counselling and I'm going to have some more if I can. I think it will do nothing but good for you!

I didn't manage to go swimming today - I'm having trouble getting myself to leave the house ( I always have trouble with this when I'm feeling low ). But I will try again tomorrow and I'm going to go on my exercise bike tonight instead.

Have a good evening

Love Amanda x

POINTS POINTS POINTS:

julie
amanda
faye

Julie: It rained yesterday so I can't get the leaves up but it is hot and sunny today so who knows about tomorrow! Truthfully, they do drive me nuts, but practically, they make the deck slippery when it gets wet so I try and keep them up as much as possible for that reason as well as it being astetically pleasing to your ole OCD buddy!

Amanda: I DO enjoy the fall colors on the leaves as long as they are, A) on someone elses trees, or B) in someone elses yard! I appreciate what you said about me, but I need you guys as much as you need me. I know sometimes I probably don't show it, but you keep me in line too cause I know sooner or later I have to come here and confess my bad deeds!

It is totally miserable here today, hot, sunny and so humid you can hardly breathe. I guess I shouldn't complain at least it isn't snowing here which is a whole other nightmare to deal with!

We have a small amusement park here and every year they have a city employees' day where you get in free and get free food coupons. Jack gets 5 free passes so we are taking our dd, sil and dgs on Saturday. Of course, most of the stuff I won't be able to ride (haven't actually been to an amusement park in probably 20 years) because of not fitting etc, but I will enjoy it anyway just being with my grandson. We took he and his mom out to dinner on Saturday as his Dad is in San Antonio on business and while his mom and granddad talked politics, we played with his crayons pretending they were racecars, spaceships, aliens, etc. Only problem is we accidently colored the whole top of their expensive cherry tables "landing" and "fighting" with our spacecraft and cars etc. Hey, ain't the adults supposed to watch us kids and they were yakking about the presidential race!

Have a good evening.

Faye

Afternoon all, well I did manage to stay OP yesterday, I think I went over like 2 points but that is nothing compared to what I have been doing so I consider it a win ... on track today so far...it is so hard to stay OP when you are this stressed, I want to eat and eat and eat !!

Julie - You are so right, when I could come here daily I was doing so much better staying on program...so much better...thanks for the words about the inspection, I just want it to be OVER and go on with moving...but oh well it is just one of those things you have to go through I guess...

Faye - Thanks for the info, they seem to be a little better today but with my luck they will be back in droves tomorrow...Ha ha

Amanda - Thanks for the encouraging words...you might be surprised how badly I did gain over the last two stressful weeks...I think maybe like 3-5 pounds but I am not going to weigh myself until one full week of back OP, give myself the benefit of the doubt

Hope you all have a great weekend, and we can do this together!!!
I will let you all know how the inspection goes!!