I'm here! I'm up for my first mammogram this year, Eydie. Was it awful? Hopefully all is OK.

No chocolate bunnies for me, although I'm thinking of having some Ben & Jerry's sugarfree ice cream for my birthday this weekend.

Wasn't awful at all, Darlene. And they bounced right back to their original shape! :lol: It was a little disconcerting to look down at the plates and see how flat they were tho! Creepy!

I binged today. :o Had a big water crisis at work today----water everywhere! It was horrifying! :eek: :fr: So when it was all over and I binged on lots of cheese and crackers. Calories and fat grams are thru the roof today, but no sugar.

Hi guys, am sitting here trying to work on some translation. Emails keep popping in and I oh so eagerly go to them instead of the work at hand. . oh well, just wanted to shamefully report a total sugar binge yesterday. Five weeks off and I was just sick of the discipline I think. But I didn't feel great eating the junk and that was actually a good thing. It was like, ok, so I don't feel wonderfully happy eating sugary things so I'm not missing out on much by staying off the crap. Its allure has lessened considerably. I never felt bad eating fruit and healthful food. I did not feel good eating the sugar yesterday. A good lesson I think.

Hello to all and wishing you all the best. :sunny:

How're you doing today, RedBalloon? My problem was always getting back on track after a sugar orgy. I love the "just don't start" philosophy! :)

Okay, I am posting tonight as I keep lurking and telling myself I will tomorrow ....
I have been working my *** off with this Self Challenge, trying to get rid of the damn 30 lbs that are dragging me down. I workout mostly twice everyday. The clothes are feeling loose but I have not lost a pound. The instructor in me tells me, don't worry you are building muscle and the pounds will melt away shortly..

Eydie, glad that you got your mammogram and everything was okay. I got mine at 38 because of a lump that it was nothing at the end, so I know what it means to have the babies squeezed like pancakes between that plate... I have to have a yearly MRI for a hemangioma, blood tumor in my liver and another in my 4 thoracic vertebra, I am due for it for a while already. Hate to be in that damn tube.

Gypsy, stay away from chocolate.
Macon, how is everything doing? how many OJ are you gulping still?
Redballon, what do you do so far away?

Well girls forgive me if I didn't mention everybody.. I will go to bed, the kids still lurk around is 10:30pm and they still don't go to bed if I am not in the same floor. Oh well.
MPaz

Hi guys, Eydie, thanks for thinking of me. I did get the translation done. Now I'm working on editing a book manuscript. I am happy to say I am back on no sugar. So it was just the one day off and some crackers that had sugar in them yesterday, which I would normally not allow but yesterday I did. Ok, no big deal. I just enjoyed two of the juiciest oranges. They were heavenly! And now I'm eating strawberries as I type this. Who needs any more sugar than this. This is heavenly, truly! The cookies and cake and ice cream didn't taste anything nearly as good as this. It tastes so healthy. My body is just sucking it up. I think it is too because I was able to get back to the gym for the first time in a while today and though I didn't do all that much I did cycle for 30 mins and did some back and chest weight training, then walked the 50 min. home and that was after riding this morning. I was wearing my pedometer and I got over 11,000 steps today so I am happy! :sunny: Oh, it felt so good to be back in the gym. I was laughing so much, joking with people I haven't seen in a while.

Danci -- hi there, most of the work I do isn't far at all, it's all very close stuff and so my eyes are suffering! And I rarely leave Tokyo to go anywhere except out to ride my horse and that's not work so. . .. nothing's far away there either. Ok, ok, just kidding!!!! :lol: No, I just came over here. Had been in Germany, then India and wanted to go back to India and didn't get a visa on the first try after waiting a long time so I said, ah, what the heck, I'll go see what Japan's like for a few weeks and I just stayed and stayed, over 22 years now! Ugh, I hate saying that. I can't believe it really. Life is so short. Anyhow, I do all sorts of work and because I keep a horse I want to be able to ride her so I can't do your normal fulltime job. Actually, even if I didn't have the horse I couldn't do your normal fulltime job. I'd simply go stir crazy! So, I am kind of a freelancer with a parttime regular job at an English-language newspaper. I do other writing, do a lot of horse-racing related work as it's very big over here, also do translation work and editing and proofreading for a book publisher. I've taught English but don't right now. Don't like teaching but will do it if the money is very good.

Danci, what is this Self Challenge? That's great that you are working out twice a day! Wow! Waht do you do? Do you go to a gym twice a gym and if so, how do you manage that?

Gypsy, when's your birthday?

Speaking of chocolate bunnies, what do you all plan for Easter? I had started my no-sugar challenge as a Lent thing, with all intention of ending it in a sugar spree with the bunny. I still may indulge on Easter but I do want to keep up basically being off sugar (except for certain holidays and occasions where people would really be insulted if I didn't eat something they gave me, which is a rare occurrence). Do you all plan to stay sugar-free ALL the time or are there times you'll allow it?

I'm thinking that eventually it'll be like being a vegetarian with me, that I won't want the stuff because there are just too many reasons NOT to eat it. With meat and fish, it's basically an ethical issue with me but I don't like the stuff anyhow. I used to be able to eat a hamburger though. I don't think i could now.

Danicomia, You're talking about the Self magazine challenge, right? I always intend to do that every year--oh well! I really love my Pilates machine, btw. It may just be my fevered imagination but I think it's really toning my arms. I'm mostly happy with my body, can't seem to lose the jiggle in my thighs though. Ah, genetics! :lol:
I know what you mean about the MRI; I had to do that a couple of years ago. Very surreal.

RedBalloon, Hoorah! That's wonderful to get back on track so quick. In my sugar-eating days sometimes it would take me months [really!] to get back on track after a binge. So to answer your question if I'll allow sugar-y sweets on special occasions, I'd have to say no. It's just not in the cards for me. If I have sweets I'll have to make them myself for the most part, with Eydie-approved sweeteners! I think I get into trouble when I allow myself things that are accessible anywhere. As it is now, I can stroll thru any convenience store, and simply say, 'nope, not for me!'
This is funny: our local grocery store has suddenly started selling lots of organic things. That's great, but a lot of those new products are cookies and things like that. I must admit that before I stopped eating sugar I would've been able to justify it in my mind because it's ORGANIC SUGAR! Ha! The addictive mind is very, very tricky that way.

Just a flyby here. Eydie, thanks. I am always inspired when I think I have done something that is hard to do! I hear you on the organic garbage. The "health food" stores here are the way they were in the States in the '70s, don't know if you're old enough to remember, but the food is just gross, overpackaged, garbage mostly. I wish there were stores like I saw in California and New York, big places full of real food!

Hello!

Eydie - Glad your mammogram went well! :rofl: at your "bounce back to their original shape!" I had my first when I was still in my twenties and I was shocked at how flat they got - it is creepy! Do you mind sharing your pecan cookie recipe? Congratulations on having the work problem and sticking to cheese and crackers!

MP - :cheer: on the self challenge! Twice a day - I bet you are exhausted but I am sure there will be a BIG pay-off for all your hard work! As for your weight - remember that muscle weighs more than fat and takes up less room so I would focus more on how your clothes fit. Keep up the great work and thanks for the inspiration!

Darlene - :hb: I think you said your Birthday was this weekend! Enjoy your day and the ice cream! :)

RB - As one who has fallen off the wagon the previous week, I think you are right that it serves a good reminder that we are not missing much! I have not decided what to do for Easter. I actually bought easter chocolate for my DH the other day so it is in the house but so far, I have avoided it. When I really need a sugar/chocolate I eat these vegan chips that are sweeten by barley wheat. A huge handful is only 70 calories and satisfies my craving.
:cp: on the 11000 steps and getting back to the gym!

Last weekend, my computer crashed. I never knew how much time I spent in front of this thing for better and worse. The good news is that without it, I moved around a lot more although I missed having easy access to info! The bad news is that I am really lazy about backing up (my disc drive was messed up so it took more time then normal) and I lost a ton of docs that I need so I will be sitting here for days recreating! :mad:

I have been walking and doing resistance training. I have stayed away from sugar although it was really cold this past week and I started drinking soy lattes again. I actaully do replace food so it was not additional calories but I add splenda to them which I have been trying to avoid. I am going on vacation in a couple of weeks and decided that when I get back, I will quit caffeine again then. In the mean time, it is nice to have my old friend back! I am such an addict! :D

Good to 'see' you, Macon! :D Coffee would be a hard one for me to give up too, so I just don't do it. :coffee:

Speaking of which, I visited a Starbuck's yesterday and instead of ordering a frappicino, which I love, I ordered a plain iced coffee, and added some 1/2 and 1/2 to it and enjoyed it thouroughly. I never dreamed I'd be content with the plain coffee but there you are! :) Hey, and it was much cheaper too!

Ohh, Edyie! That sounds yummy! I am getting ready to run errands and my first stop is going to be Starbucks. I should buy stock! :dizzy:

How was everyone's weekend? It is finally warming up here and that puts me in much better spirits!

Hi, all! I should also own stock in Starbucks. I think I exchanged my sugar addiction for a coffee addiction. I just love it! With half and half, of course!

This weekend I had some sugar free ice cream (Ok, a whole pint!) and a sugar free peanut butter cup. I enjoyed it soOOO much! Although, I did suffer a bit of, um, intestinal distress. Which I guess is a good thing, or I'd be indulging in that stuff all the time.

It's funny, I really don't feel deprived of desserts at all. I haven't had any desserts with sugar in them since December 31, 2004, and although when I started this, I told myself I could indulge on special occasions, when special occasions come up, I feel it isn't worth it. I feel like I've found the key for me--regular exercise and no desserts. And I've lost 30 pounds! Still have a lot to go, but I can't believe how well this is working for me.

Thanks to all of you for your support! I don't think I could have done it without you. ((hugs))

Darlene - 30 pounds!!! :bravo: :dancer: That is great that you lost 30 lbs. in less than 3 months! What dedication and inspiration for the rest of us! What kind of exercise have you been doing?

I assume the ice cream and peanut butter cup were Birthday related? Hope you had a nice time on your birthday.

I am expanding my caffeine realm to now include ice tea (with splenda). Yummy! Before I was drinking 3-4 big bottles a day of water. Now that I have added tea to my addiction list, I am having to remind myself to drink water too. So sad how quickly I can fall down the caffeine addict hole! Oh well, I am very happy here~ :coffee:

How is everyone else doing?

Hi Everybody! :D Just wanted to pop in and say that I'm still around and still sugar-free. Day 187!!!! I can't believe it.... :faint:

Darlene, happy belated birthday!!! And 30 pounds---wow! You are such an inspiration.

I'm enjoying my coffee addiction too! ;) It's not like I drink a pot a day but I do enjoy a cup or two! :coffee:

BTW, I've noticed that i sen to be getting a little jiggly here and there, so i want to state my intention for more strenuous exercise. I've been working out every day but nothing hard-core--so I have to get back into that. Did one of my beloved "firm" videos today and loved it. Really got a good sweat going--I need more of that. I don't want to be all jiggly this summer. Plus, I'm ready to drop a few more pounds too.

Hi, y'all! Thanks for the kind words! How is everyone feeling about the Easter weekend? I think I'll be OK unless my mom makes "lamb cake" and "bunny cake"--two favorites from my childhood. If she does, I think I will indulge. I'm trying to follow Oprah's recommendation of limiting indulgences to 4-6 times a year, and holidays seem to be the best time to do it. But we'll see.