hmm for me it would be cheese.. lovely lovely cheese..

FYI- calcium can assist weight loss! Apparently in the interests of your bones, if you aren't getting enough calcium in your diet, your body will start storing fat.. therefore that slice of cheese or glass of milk isn't really all that bad for you. In fact they did a study where people were on a restricted calcium diet and also an increased calcium diet along with a placebo diet.. all the same except for that mineral and the increased calcium people lost like 15-35% more weight than any of the others. People in the restricted group actually gained as a whole. Something to think about anyway...

Red - I have not really lost since the new year either. Not based on the scales. I've been bouncing in the same 5 pounds up and down for a month. It drives me crazy but what can I do?? True my jeans do fit but not the way I want them too and I'd have thought by now they would, but they don't. I can't think too much about it or I'll make my health goal a weight loss goal and I'll just give up. I just wanted you to know that several of us are bouncing around with the same freaking weight!! I get up and hope to see a loss and the same damn numbers show up - one day 2 up the next 2 down, the very next day I'm right back up again. I'm blaming it on the silliest things...that 1 rice cookie I had...the bite of steak I had with the seasoning salt I'm allergice too....the extra rice milk in my detox shake....I can't even blame something yummy on it, and yet I'm not giving up the rice cookies or extra milk either.

Change your focus. Make it to be as healthy as you can be. To eat only foods that will make you strong and healthy - and yes, strong is SEXY! Exercise in ways that make you age beautifully!!! Ride your horse, build strong core strength and enjoy the fact that you're eating healthier than you ever have in your life and the rest will start ot fall into place!! Take care of YOU - not just the number on that damn scale.

I'm so sorry life is frustrating! I can understand it completely!!! Having a job you hate and not having a clear path to leave it can take the shear life out of you...I'm proud of you for not looking to food as the reward. It's my number 1 reward...and when I skip the reward I EXPECT that a lower number on the scale will be my gift for skipping my reward. But NOPE....none for me. I'm stuck.

I'll be thinking about you and hoping you're finding some peace very soon!! You deserve it girl!!

My food would be brownies...They are the perfect, yummy dessert to me. I love them straight from the oven and I love them cold!! I could eat a whole batch right now!!!! Thanks a lot CG!!

I am eating prunes again. My new candy. What a sorry excuse for a candy substitute. At least they don't stay around long

I'm trying to cut back on my dinners. I tend to eat the most food in my day from 5:00 pm through to bedtime. I'm trying to change that! We'll see.

okay guys - snow has stopped falling. I have to go get my car tomorrow. I left it at an outdoor adventure place, of all things. BF's work van is not wanting to run either....we may be sharing a car tomorrow too. I have the most clients in one day tomorrow and I'm betting they all cancel. We just aren't prepared for snow at all here. That's a lot of money out the window. I hope they don't cancel!!

I'm late out the door, now that they posts are pouring in! NBK, grasshopper, I glanced through your posts. Thank you so much!! You've given me just what I needed, knowing I'm not in this alone. I didn't realize you guys were going through the same thing. And grass, thanks for your kind and inspirational words. If you can stick this out, with all your pain issues, then I will give it my best too! Hope your day is a good one too! Talk to you later!!

Ha ha prunes! I love them.. I was in a rush this morning so had 1/2 a bag for breakfast. You're right tho LGH, they really don't last long.. now hopefully the weird feeling in my stomach is due to the chicken nuggets and cheeseburger I had last night (bad tiff I know but.. eh.. I have no willpower sometimes..at least no coke or fries.).

Hi guys - it looks like my 2 1/2 hour journey home today is small stuff compared to what's happening now in NC. Students are STILL stranded at schools..busses are at hospitals for the night after being stranded on instates for 5 1/2 hours..they just took the kids to hospitals so they could have bathrooms, food and blankets for the night. One highway is grid locked for 20 miles...one of the main hwys in the city. The road that I got stranded on was closed shortly after I started walking...a ton of other roads have been closed too....it wasn't this bad when we got 2 FEET of snow...and this was only 1 inch. It was the strangest snow storm I've ever seen though!! In 20 minutes the roads went from completely fine to a solid sheet of ice..and the salt trucks got stuff in the grid locks with everyone else. It's really horrible out there....it took my coworkers 6 hours to get home...and most of their spouses are stuck at work tonight. Very very strange storm!

when we say we can't handle snow - this isn't at all what we usually mean

I ate okay - not great. I have been snacking on BF's food. Nothing too bad but I'm not suppose to do it at all. If I want those scales to move I am going to have to make a commentment to myself. Stop the bites here and there and stop the rice cookies...make that stand.

I hope you're all warm and cozy tonight! I will probably not be at work tomorrrow as I can't get out of my neighborhood...we'll see. More snow tomorrow night and this weekend also. We'll end up with 3 inches and hte whole state will shut down

Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't been on as much- school as usual is keeping me busy and I HAD to watch Law and Order SVU from last night!
I got my exercise game for my Xbox today and I love it! I am looking forward to it and it even has built in incentives- giving you new enviroments to work in! I am so excited! I also got a book I ordered called "Passing for Thin" which is one woman's journey with weight loss and it looks really good.
Another good part for today is I got a really good haircut! I had to pay an arm and leg but it was worth it. It makes me feel like a brand new me.
Anyway- enough about me!

little grasshopper- I am so sorry you had to trudge through the snow to get home. I am glad you left for home when you did or you might have been one of those people still stuck! Is your area of NC like South Carolina (where I grew up) in the sense that everything closes down when it snows and the entire state has like ONE snowplow so it takes forever to clear the roads? It would snow an inch in Spartanburg and the whole town would close. Sounds like a wicked storm though- stay safe! I have to admit though- I am still jealous! It is 52 degrees here and all my neighbors have their fireplaces going at the same time that I have a couple windows open!

NBK- I think that ultra skinny girl in your class should be force fed and made to drink tons of weight gain shakes. Really- I can say I am not jealous of those girls- I love my curves even if they have skidded too far.
Thanks for the cool facts about calcium- do you think I could talk my body into just letting me have Ben and Jerry's? If only- sigh!

stormy- Wow- another flight for you. What in the heck is wrong with your car? Well- at least you won't have to drive if the weather gets bad and hopefully you will beat any storms that might come. Great job getting all your school work done- I am already behind! Oh well- last semester. I actually went and filed for graduation today and I have to say that felt really great! Hang in there in your program- you sound like you are doing great!!

Red Balloon- Thanks for allowing my diarrhea of the mouth. I get started and just can't stop!
I wish I could tell you what to do about the job. I do think that you need to try to not stress and let what happens to happen. Sometimes things have a way of working themselves out. Go with what you feel is right- don't second guess yourself and try to pick the path that has the most happiness. You will be OK. Keep in mind that your decisions are not permanent and you will not be forced to stay in a job you hate- you can always leave whether it is the paper or this new job- and stop listening to those horoscopes because they are wrong.
As for feeling like a strange person in a tiny Asian world- you should be celebrating your difference. I bet those people looking at you on the subways etc. are looking with envy. I think it is more the case of the purebred prize winning pooch living in the dog pound full of mutts. You are the exotic one and that is a great thing.
The post that you wrote that made me cry was talking about stormy's patient at least having the horses there for him. Okay that is all I am going to say because I don't want to start up again. It was just a touching thought that at least he was not alone.
Your horse situation sounds complicated but I guess the bottom line is at least you have her. I am a strong believer that animals know and sense those who care and those that don't. I know my dog shows me a lot more affection that anyone else because I make time for him and realize he needs love and attention too. I am thinking your horse feels this too.

Okay- hope I responded to everyone. I need to go to bed because I get up at 5 am tomorrow and I am not getting enough sleep at night.
To answer my own question of the day I would pick fudge. I love it!

Tomorrow is "What have I been doing to move my body?" day. Chime in and let us know your progress.

I will post the question for tomorrow - well...tomorrow.
Have a great night everyone!!!

Hi people. I'm back home and before I settle down to work I want to get caught up here. I got to ride and it was a pretty day. I'm feeling sooo much better than I was this morning, and again, so much of that is thanks to you all. So I don't know what comes over me, bad dreams, good dreams, horoscopes, hormones, food allergies, work, lack of exercise, scale readings, who knows, but come over me it does and I just get so in a black cloud, not a gloomy black cloud, but one with lightning bolts an claps of thunder and everyone who knows me runs for cover until suddenly the sun shines out from behind that cloud and voila! smiles again. Sigh. . .

grasshopper -- what's this with all the snow? Hope things get back to normal or at least that nothing bad happens with this sudden storm. I agree with stormy, you probably burned a ton more calories walking in that snow.

You're so right about needing to focus more on health. I had been doing that and just got tired of it. But, knock on wood, I have not had a cold in months, maybe years and everyone around me is sick all the time it seems. I guess I shouldn't ever forget that health really is everything.

Thanks for your kind words about my work too. Sometimes everything just feels so stuck, not just my weight, but everything. I always want to get better and better, don't mind that the progress is slow, but sometimes, when I can't see any at all, or things look to be worse I just want to cry. I guess I should try to apply everything I do with riding to life. In riding, I know that if I just stick it out, just keep trying I will progress. But for some reason, I don't have that kind of faith in any other area of my life, not really. I guess it's why I get scared that I'm never going to be able to do it and then I get upset.

Well, I hope your clients don't all cancel. Do the plows go around. Do they have them or only salt trucks? If they get the roads clear I think people will come out. I hope you can get out yourself.

Jacque -- I hope you're not goofing off with your eating and exercise!! No excuses things just being crazy at work. For some of us that's the normal state of things! And no one is going to get sick of you, so stop saying those silly things. You're as bad as Crime girl apologizing for her long posts, long? what's long? If I started apologizing or saying things like "you must be sick of me" I just start seeing all these heads start nodding, so I never ask! and so they don't nod and I feel OK!

NBK -- Living in Asia does screw with my head. Can't you tell?

And, NBK, I agree with Crime girl, that woman in your pump class should be force fed. Get some meat on her! Waist smaller than your thighs. "doesn't look like a woman" you crack me up, NBK!! I wish I had you here with me. Oh, yes, those types, that's my riding teacher. Oh no, I think it's her thigh that's smaller than my biceps.

Oh, and by the way, if there are any tiny Asian women out there reading this (why would they be reading this stuff?!!?) don't take offense or anything. We're just trying to make ourselves feel better at others expense!? For me, it's all I have!

Crime girl -- hi there! Good to hear from you. "Passing for Thin." Sounds like an intriguing title. Is it her saying she only looks thin but doesn't feel thin?

Great with the haircut. Glad you got one you like so much. Doesn't it just make you feel great. Good cuts usually do cost a lot though bad ones can cost a lot too. I need one as well.

So, when is your boyfriend coming over here? And don't let him think that the tiny portions here mean tiny prices. The cultural shock equation for Tokyo is like this. First you divide up a normal American-size portion into 4 and throw away 3/4s of it, then you double or triple the price of whatever you're used to paying for the whole thing. That'll give you a rough idea of what to expect.

Oh, and Crime girl, really stop with the "diarrhea of the mouth" kind of talk. I LIKE what you say. Lots of good stuff comes out of your mouth . . .and I don't have any icky fetishes either.

Thanks for your faith in me. It's nice to hear you say I will be OK. This is probably my biggest problem, anxiety, not stress so much. I can take a lot of stress. It's anxiety that gets me. And yes, those friggin' horoscopes are pathetic. So far today, it's been great. I think my horse is actually showing more affection and she has been a cold one, turned off I think because no one was really ever thinking nice things of her. I think you're right that she must sense I care for her. Animals are saying things all the time and most of the time no one hears them. Here though I've never come across so many animals who are NOT saying anything because either they gave up or they never learned that they could talk with people. I see the horses come in from Europe and they're looking to communicate and no one talks to them. It ry and they learn who I am so quickly. It's like, yes, here's someone who'll talk! My horse, having grown up in Japan, is perhaps only now coming to want to reach out more. Her eyes have totally changed since I first met her. Before they looked rather lifeless or angry, irritated. Now, they are often very gentle. Before, she didn't want me to touch her face, now she will nuzzle up against my chest and nudge me playfully from behind when I'm bending over doing her hooves.

CG, though I don't want you to cry again, I didn't say it before but I am a very strong believer in animals' ability to help people and other animals in need. And they know about death and I think they know how to help someone over to, let us say, the other side. They say there comes a moment, no matter how horrible the manner of death is, that there is no pain, no fear. Animals know to accept death and horses are spiritually uncanny. They are very highly developed spiritually. I don't think it's too strange to think, especially for people who know horses, that this man's time to go had come and the horses were meant to see him on. And that's maybe why he died the way he did. Like it was meant to be that way and maybe wasn't as horrible as it seems, as tragic as it seems. We all have to die sometime and I can't think of a better way to go than surrounded by the things you love. So, sorry if I made you cry. I hope I didn't again.

********

kjk, michi, where are you? Hope you're OK. Stop in and chat if you can!!

Well, no posts yet. I'm calling this a night very soon. May stay up and read a bit. Didn't get much exercise in today other than the 45 min. ride and maybe about 50 mins walking. Had to work at home, just sitting in front of a manuscript proofing. BUT, afterward I went to the convenience store and bought nothing but barley tea (with no calories)!! So that is a major save. I didn't do so well during the day but I did write it all down. I had been incorporating more walking into my days this week by getting on and off the train later and earlier. That I think is really going to help. I don't like to keep trying to tack exercise on here and there. I need the gym to really say, OK, this is just for exercise. I much prefer to be exercising as part of some other work, so the walking further to get somewhere doesn't feel like exercise. It just feels like getting somewhere but it's taking a little longer than usual. I know this is hard to do if you're always driving. There are few real walking cities in the States, aren't there? Here, it's very easy if I just give myself a bit more time. In fact, I have always loved to walk and used to do so much more. Think I'm going to try to work it back into my life. Ok, hope to see lots of posts from you all tomorrow morning. I am going to try to get to the gym in the morning before work at the paper. Wish me luck!

Good morning all. Looks like we're not going anywhere for a while.

Red - we do have plows but only a few. Even as snow was falling they didn't realize this thing was going to happen. 3,000 kids got stuck at schools last night and Burger Kings stayed open all night to feed stranded drivers stuck in the grid lock. The problem now is that a lot of our roads are clogged with people who ran out of gas....It's NOT normally this bad. We handle snow fairly well here...but that's the problem - when it started no one went home, we went to lunch. They didn't close the schools, didn't treat the roads, and no one here has special tires or chains - it just doesn't make economic sense to have all that equipment with as little as we get. They are saying we'll get more tonight - 1-2 inches more. Driving would be fine if there weren't so many people and if people would just stay in the lanes and drive a safe speed - but I guess that's true anywhere.

People were laughing at me yesterday when I called back to the office and told them how bad it was. I had to remind them that while I WAS southern girl - every license plate around me was northern - and they were just as stuck as I was

They are not opening the road where my car is stranded today so it may be next week before it get it - YET ANOTHER storm is coming our way over the weekend...we're on some sort of snow conveyer belt now Dogs love it though.

Red - I feel you pain girl. I'm so mad today. I am at what should be the lowest weight of the month for me and yet I'm still 140. I will go down to 136 and then right back up to 140. Granted I haven't been able to exercise this week - but should that REALLY make me GAIN? I know, water weight....I'm with you though - I'd still like to see the damn thing move Time to pack it away again!

Oh - my headache was mosty gone but I guess running up hill in snow isn't good for headaches...it's back, on the other side now. Not NEARLY as bad though. If I can get to work I'm going to have the doc adjust me. I've been avoiding it because of the candy bar slip up - he'll know. Time to get it dealt with though - this will be a week of a headache and that's just too much!

Good morning!

I tried to get on and post last night when I got home from volleyball, but for some reason our damn internet wasn't working correctly. Every site I tried to go to took like 5 minutes to load, so I just gave up and went to bed!

Well, like I said, I had a volleyball game last night, which was fun. Our team has decided that, instead of being competitive and getting pissed when we lose (when it's supposed to be for fun), that we are going to be the league's "fun" team and just laugh everything off. I tell you, it made the night a whole lot more fun, but losing still stinks!

And to top it off....I hurt my knee. I don't think it's too bad, just feeling really weak and a little sore this morning. So I'll see how it does today, and hopefully everything is fine. Keep your fingers crossed.

To answer CG's question: ice cream, definitely ice cream. I could eat that stuff non-stop, which is probably I'm where I'm at now! But I would love it!!!!!

As for my eating, I've been right on plan this week. Even had Wendy's for lunch yesterday, but I got a grilled chicken sandwich and a small chili.....only 13 points! I do keep track of everything I eat, by subscribing to Weight Watchers online. It's a small fee per month, but I don't mind because it holds me accountable....I don't have the money to "waste."

Ok, gotta get to work now. Hope you are all well, I'll try to catch up more later!

Kelly

Sounds like everyone is doing okay. I need to go pack, do some reading and head to the airport. I hope everyone has a great weekend, stays warm and does well with their lifestyle change. I'll try to check in from school.

Stormy, just saw your message. Have a safe flight and a good trip. Hope you can check in and talk with us sometimes.

Good morning, people. 6 a.m. here. Gotta hurry if I want to get to the gym this morning before work. Slept in too much. Really don't want to get up at 4:30 like I do when I'm riding, not for the gym, horses, yes, gym, work, no way!

grasshopper -- Wow, things certainly snowballed with you! All those people stuck at school and work. I can't understand it. You say there was only something like 3 inches though, right? Can't see I was cheered to think of Burger King staying up to feed everyone. Kind of a double-edged sword there. I wish all the fast-food joints would just vanish from the face of the Earth. Sure, you can buy some decent things there now, but they're built on garbage. Still, in an emergency I guess you'll take anything to keep warm. Stranded drivers, that's bad and especially if people keep their engines on and windows up. Gas fumes can be deadly. Too bad about your car. That really sucks. I love that you ended on a positive note about doggies loving the snow. Snow can be so much fun. I hate it here in Tokyo because Tokyo doesn't know how to deal with it either. People don't know how to walk and everything is just a total mess but I used to love playing in the stuff. Pittsburgh back when I was a kid still got a lot of snow and we'd go toboganning and sledding and build igloos in the back yard, snowball fights, great fun. I love the sounds of winter, the silence, the way wound carries when you go outside and there's just this massive white, the sound of snow falling from tree limbs. . ok, taking a trip down nostalgia road here. Again, blame it on the caffeine. Well, hope you can have some fun with this. And darn, what are those headaches doing back again! Ah, and the weight! Isn't it a bummer. Just piss you off so bad? Like, what the heck!? Oh well, keep plugging away.

kjk -- Ouch! I hope your knee feels better soon. The "fun" team sounds . . .well. . .fun! But sure, you can take it too fun. I mean it is about winning too. I think though that you can be competitive and still have fun, right? You know, I'm amazed that everyone seems to know about WW points, even when you're going out to eat. That is something that WW seems to have gotten its hand into everything. God, they must be doing some business. I mean, it sounds like they have restaurants offering WW menus, right? They're sure to be getting some kind of royalties for use of the name. Wow, I can remember WW back in the early 70s. It must be huge now. I like the idea and think that for me now, counting calories is probably the best way. I will overeat and overeat if I try to stay totally away from something. And I am committed to eating healthy now so I will really weigh putting junk into my system before I do it and I do do it. To say, you've got 1,500 calories to play with, or 2,000 if you exercise, do with it as you want just makes me feel so much better, not so deprived. I need this feeling of choice and freedom in everything I do. WW seems to allow that and it would probably be my choice of a program if I were in the States. Most of it, however, is lost on me here because the products aren't available.

All right, I am really going to try to get to the gym. What a chore with all my stuff in a backpack when I have to bring a change of clothes and shower there because I'll be going in to the office afterward. At least I don't have to get dressed up for work. We could go in our workout sweats if we wanted.

Oh, and my horoscope was a good one this morning! I'm thinking I will make my own horoscope. Write things, all good, all happy, on pieces of paper and or something and draw one out in the morning. Kind of like, my word for the day. That way I'll have something positive to ponder all day long but will avoid thinking of doom and gloom in my path like if I hear it's going to be a "bad" day. Horoscopes are such a waste. Why do they play on my mind like they do?