Battle of the Bulge #10
 

Here is the new thread...enjoy!

Just a reminder- today is weigh in day.

Also-

Monday- support day and a good day for tips on staying motivated

Tuesday- support day and a good day for reasons why we want to lose- I think that keeps us motivated more than anything when we reexamine why we want to lose..

Wednesday- "what have I been eating all week day" and I want to start trying to get everyone to share quick recipes or tips on cooking that work for them.

Thursday- "what I have done to move my bootie day" and I want to get everyone to start giving us an idea on how they work exercise into their lives and the things they enjoy doing.

Friday- support and influence day- lets make this a day we talk about anything or anyone that influenced our weight loss for the week- things like friends giving bad foods or a partner that supported our efforts.

Saturday- recap day- lets talk about the things we thought worked for us for the week and those that didn't- this might help us see where we strayed and where we stood firm.

Sunday- weigh in day and reaffirm goal day- give us an idea of your goals for the week, month, and long term.

Have a great day everyone!

Good morning again!
 

Hi everyone! I just love moving into new "digs"- brand new thread...Ahhh...

So- today is weigh in day so I hopped on the scales and despite cheating majorly last week the exercise helped and I lost 3 pounds. So I am 3 under my start weight but still 4 more than my lowest. I can live with that for now. I thought for sure it would say 288 or something.

Red- Wow- poor girl..we all kind of jumped off at the same time and left you nobody to chat with. Sorry-
I know how you feel about putting things off- when I have to study-my house is clean and chores are done that I have put off for weeks. It is not that I don't want to study- just can't seem to make myself. :D
As for the boy that has caught your fancy..not a strange thing to hang a little hope on someone. I think we all dream a little about the opposite sex. What keeps you from trying to advance things though? Age is a state of mind so that can't be it. Ahh..just remembered- girlfriend and you say serious. How long have they been together and is he happy? These are the important questions. Not that I support breaking anyone up but I must confess I have done it before. The guy was in a horrible relationship that he was just too cute to be in. :lol:
Despite your calmness on meeting an Olympic athlete I think that it would be really cool. Those people are so dedicated and focused on what they want to achieve and how to get there. The drive and ambition are really fascinating to me. I don't know if there has been or will ever be anything in my life that triggers that level of dedication. ;)
By the way- thanks for the encouragement. You need to heed your own advice though. Any weight loss is moving in the right direction and you should be happy. We all have to balance our allowances with ourselves with the choices we make to lose weight. For you- it is harder than for me. You are already living a basically balanced life that you are seeking to change in order to lose. On top of that you are already within a good weight level. For me- it is much easier. I lived a very gluttonous lifestyle so any change drastically changes my weight. Big difference- you should celebrate the weight loss!! :cp: By the way- being dehydrated would make the weight seem higher than it actually is.
As for your riding- I am so glad you got to go out and ride. I can tell a change in your spirit when you get to do that. Good for you!

stormy- WOW- you have a variety of things you do to move that bootie! I bet you never get bored with the same ole same ole.
How was Fat Moe's? Did you have fun???

Okay ladies- hope we pick up some more people today. Don't know where Michiemesh or kjk are..hope they come back.
Have a glorious day everyone!

Red's horoscope of the day:
The sun has crossed her zenith and this marks a change in spirit for you. Today will be a glorious day full of happiness and joy! Wrap yourself in her happiness and warmth and enjoy your good fortune. Get out into life and accomplish something you have put off until now. A small step in the right direction will lead to the success you crave.

hello everyone i'm still here just was MIA
 

hello everyone. I'm still here i just have been really busy and haven't been able to post. My mom got really sick with her last treatment and was haviong problems with the boyfriend. So i had to tell him i didnt want to be with him anymore. Creating to much drama for me, and god knows i have enough drama. But just checking in. today i weighed 224.5. i gained 2 pounds in the last week. But that is ok. I haven't been excersing at all.. I need to start walking. Anyways talk to u guys later. Have to get back to work.

Michelle

Hi ladies!

Michi, hi. I hope things will get better for you soon. Hang in there.

CG, congrats on the weight loss. I have the same problem with studying. I will find anything else to do. Clean up, watch tv, do taxes, etc. Today I plan on getting a lot accomplished. I have two projects to wrap up by myself and two group projects. You are so fortunate to have it almost over. May will be here before you know it.

Red, I am sorry I wasn't here to chat and you were down. I am glad that you were able to ride your horse. Last night my husband and I were talking about all the things we are thankful for. I named my animals on a list of many things. Animals give us unconditional love. They do not care about how you look, what you do, etc. I think everyone should take time out to look at all the blessings in their lives.

Here is a part of a song that we we should all try to keep in mind. It is by a band called Switchfoot. The song is This is Your Life.

"This is your life are you who you want to be?
This is your life, is it everything that you dreamed
that it would be when the world was younger
and you had everything to lose"

This inspires me

Oh yeah today is the dreaded weigh in day. Well I did 35 minutes of Pilates this morning and 30 mins of cardio boot camp. Before I jumped in the shower I decided to weigh myself. Well I am up 4 pounds from my Wednesday weigh in. Yesterday was my cheat day. I cheated by having a small hamburger (I brought my own fat free cheese to use, which my husband laughed at), seasoned fries, and a small milkshake at lunch. I did not have breakfast yesterday and I did not cheat for dinner. Last night I did have chocolate icecream. Even though yesterday was my cheat day I still exercised for an hour. The scale sucks and I do not like it. On the bright side my tight jeans are now loose. I had to wear a belt! I also put on some shorts to workout in this morning that were tight and they were also loose, even in the thigh region. So I am not going to let a number on the scale get me down.

15 days to Valentines Day ladies. C'mon we can lose up to four pounds by then! Let's focus and get our butts in gear!

paying the price. . .
 

Good morning, people! At last! Some posts. But it's 4:30 a.m. here and I have not done a thing on the story that i need to have finished now in a few hours. Damn! Yesterday knocked me out and the weekend was a total loss. I at least listened to the tape and realize that he said next to nothing so this is part of what's stopping me. On the other hand, I will embellish and make the article more about things in racing than him. Major pain though.

************

Crime girl -- thanks as always for the horoscope. I will read it again and contemplate just how I can get close to it! :bravo: Congratulations on your weight loss!! Your efforts paid off and it's so nice when the scale also gives a nod.

I think I want to lose this weight too much. And wanting something too much is never good. Maybe I have to just back off a bit. It's finding that fine line of where the back off becomes just falling off into the abyss of sloth and gluttony! Unfortunately, I don't consider my weight anywhere near "good." OK, it is probably not endangering my health but I I cannot have this kind of body for the things I want to do. I need to be light to ride. The muscle tone needed for dressage is incredibly high and it is hard enough to get when only riding 3x a week but add to it the weight I have to contend with and it is absolute **** to ride. I am in constant pain trying to maintain position. Anyhow, I will try to be more vigilant. I tend to write things down to a point and then too many days I just leave off a lot of things. On the other hand, I don't like to be vigilant. I really want to just relax because I have to be vigilant in so much in my life. It is really not me. All the important things are falling victim to work. I think I would prefer mindless work. Problem is, it doesn't pay. The good money is in work that does involve a lot of thinking. So, I guess I just have to constantly work against my natural tendencies, which is to be real easy-going and just feel, not think! That is what I want, what I have to do is the opposite. And riding is an exhausting mix of emotion. Being at the stable with the horse is relaxing but the riding is such hard work and emotionally it can be draining. My teacher is so strict and almost never says anything nice. I get scared when the horse is freaking out and yet all my teacher ever says is, if you are afraid then you should give up riding. What an idiot. Courage is not the absence of fear, it's doing it despite the fear but to hear something like that when you ARE afraid just makes me want to cry and give up. Yesterday was one of those days. And if I speak to the horse to calm her down, the teacher says, "That will do nothing!" which may be true but ****, maybe I'm talking to calm myself down. What difference does it make what I say?

Crime girl, you are such a sweet and gentle person. I need more people like you in my life. I was just writing to a friend that there is nothing gentle in my days, but you and others here are. One of my problems with guys, always has been, is that I don't perceive them as happy much of the time. And yet, these people seem to choose this or want this. So yes, the guy at work is like that. I don't see him as happy but he seems to be bent on it. Because of whatever problems (from my point of view) in his psyche, it seems he prefers where he is. But this is the problem. I have to stop playing the doctor. If there's one thing I should have learned from now it would be to stop trying to fix things. Yes, I think they are messed up, but when it comes to other people they have to realize it and make the choice themselves. I think no amount of telling them will help. How to be an influence? I don't know. I think I should stop trying to care.

Yes, meeting the Olympic athlete should be more fun but the interpreting is so much work and in the evenings I am usually zapped. My brain doesn't work well and yet I need it too. So, most of the fun goes out of it. I don't like on-the-spot interpreting. And yet the people around me all want to put their two bits in and most of these people don't know how to work with an interpreter and just go babbling off. Maybe this guy will be quieter. Anyhow, it will be fun to be sitting next to him talking. The pictures from the television set are so in my mind, seeing him winning, hearing the interviews (of course I have many more than people outside of Japan because the Japanese TV focused on him.) So to then have him right next to you is like he just jumped out of the television. In fact, I don't think I have this too much. I don't deal with movie stars or such much so it's different. Usually I know the people in person and then see them on TV which is a different feeling. I did go to a press conference once years ago when I was just starting out at the paper. It was for Rainman and Dustin Hoffman and I was sitting in the first row and he kept looking at me and I wanted to ask a question but my heart was pounding like crazy and my mouth went dry and there was no way I could. :lol: Ahh, now listening to Summertime by Janis Joplin. That is the kind of thing right now that make me feel better.

michi -- glad to hear you're still at it. Sorry to hear things are so rough with you. I hope things go more easily for your mother. I do know what you are going through. And with the boyfriend, I am sorry there too that you are being subjected to such drama. You probably did the right thing. If he can't be more understanding at this difficult time for you then perhaps he is not the best match for you. I am very much one for working within a relationship and getting over rough spots but you can't carry another person. There has to be more there. There has to be support. You're right not to get upset over the weight gain. It could be nothing. Two pounds isn't much. Try to walk. It's a great stress reliever too. And keep coming here to us.

stormy -- It sounds like you and I are really in the same boat as far as the scale goes. At least your clothes are looser. Focus on that, as you seem to be doing. I am the opposite. My clothes are tighter although it is a nice tightness which means the muscles are tightening up again I think, which they better be as I do so much. When the muscles are worked underneath the fat you just carry the fat so much better and it feels better. Still, I need to see the fat come off and I think the only way to do it may be shock treatment, which for me means only vegetables and fruit, nothing else. That is so hard but it does bring results. Perhaps if I just throw in a couple days like that each week I will see a difference. It's just I get absolutely no joy out of eating that way. And I never stick with it long enough to experience perhaps a joy from being thin. That is what I have to aim for but I can't remember the feel. It was so, so long ago and only for fleeting bits of my life.

Is it only 15 days to Valentine's Day!? That's so sad. That song is too depressing stormy because the answer is no and a bigger no. That's the problem. And I gave up dreaming a long time ago. That's the even worse part. When dreams are dashed over and over again it becomes too hard to dream again. Maybe if I change the feel from dreaming to just "knowing" I can still do it, get somewhere closer to happiness.. . sigh, sigh.

Goodmorning! Had an Ok weekend, wasted it a bit. will catch up later! hugs all round! tiff

You know, stormy, I had meant to say, why don't you make your cheat day AFTER your weigh-in day. I would think it would be less disappointing. From the sounds of it you probably consume a lot more salt on your cheat day and that is going to have you retaining water. Of course, maybe if you weigh in and then go hog wild you'll do more damage but I would do it that way. . . just a thought.

Catch Up Mission
 

Hello! Pleased to hear everyone is still alive and kicking after the weekend. I had a bit of a F*arse weekend.. you know the sort where nothing goes to plan and you waste a lot of time just doing nothing! But the good things were I suppose that aside from sunday night, I ate healthily, I went to pump class on friday night, although I did have to stand up the front as some newbie had taken my spot down the back.. grrr... and on sunday night I implemented my "abs in the ads" philosophy. BF is good but he got sun stroke on friday and spent the rest of the weekend claiming it was extrememly hot (it was only mid 20's) while I froze with the air con on super cold.. he he well I suppose I burnt more calories trying to stay warm right?
On a not so positive note my car cost me mucho $$$ to get a warrant of fitness. I had to get 2 new tyres and of course I only put expensive ones on my car.. grr. pirellis. The warrant guy was a real dick too, when I asked him to explain why my current tyres had failed he was like"don't think you can get me to go back on my decision".. and then crapped on about valuing my life.. I think I stuck it to him when I came back with my new tyres and told him I was actually and engineer and had measured the tread my self in about 8 different places using my vernier calipers and felt that his decision was marginal.. I hate it when people figure just cos I am young and blonde i am STUPID! grrr. Of course losing $360 just before I go on holiday is fantastic! especially as I only get paid monthly, and you guessed I don't get paid until i get back! he he.. hmm mr visa where are you???

Ok, here goes my catch up mission. I apologise for missing out anyone or anyone's questions.

Stormy - No I can't scuba dive yet. I have been to the dive shop and played in the pool a couple of times, and have been snorkelling too but no ticket yet. It's on my list of things to do tho! You're lucky being able to do it! I love crayfish and about the only way to get some here without parting with the thick end of $50 or owning a boat is to dive for it. The coral sea is beautiful from what I have heard tho.. you are soo lucky! I hear you about the leave thing.. I feel really sorry for pple in the states, you guys only get like 10 days a year as a govt minimum don't you? we get 15 soon to be 20... But I am sure you will love Aussie. It's not as beautiful as NZ, but it does have it's own "special" charm.. he he he (our relationship with aussies is similar to the us-canada thing). My favourite leg exercise would have to be lunges. I enjoy squats, but lunges get the burn going and seeing as I have monster jelly thighs (YUCK) i need all the leg work I can get. (most of the fat is only at the top.. the most attractive place of course!).. as for getting your abs first.. I have one word for you BIATCH! he he... man I wish i could get abs. I think I have 6 ab muscle fibres now. But I am starting to do my crunches at home, in the ad breaks of tv programmes I watch. That way I don't feel so guilty. BF helped last night by resting his feet on my stomach while I crunched. I make a good foot stool apparently! lol.

LGH - you betcha flights to oz are expensive.. you try flying an extra 4 hours on top of that. Seriously, it is incredible what I have to pay from NZ to get anywhere in the world aside from australia and the pacific island.. I think to get to LA now is still about $1500 and to get to europe is $2500 and then we get hammered on the exchange rate. but if you look around you can get some good deals. Emirates often have cheap rates from NZ/AUS to US to they must do them in the other direction too!.. Wow your dad lives in Australia.. when you do get to see him it will be amazing for you! It's really nice to hear that you are getting to know that side of your family now, if you haven't really met them before. I can't imagine what it would be like not having met my father or any of my cousins etc. As for washing the dishes in clorox?? we are talking bleach right?? hmmm I would be rinsing before I ate off anything? still I suppose if you can't trust the water quality then it could be a good idea.

Jacque- I am sorry to hear of your loss. I hope your friends last moments were peaceful and pain free. *Hugs*

Red... I hear you on the beer drinking... he he on saturday night we went to a BBQ at a farm.. luckily I had the foresight to offer to drive, so I only had 3 over the whole evening, but bf had quite a few.. poor boy. then on top of that someone pulled out some cigars. Now I don't think BF has ever really smoked in his life...I mean yeah the odd one when he was younger and drunk.. but definitely not a cigar.. it was funny. Only the boys got them, but I had to light his for him (i don't smoke, just tried everything at least once if not twice when I was a teen) as he didn't know how. anyway then I figured I would share it with him so then we both would have cigar breath if we kissed.. he he .. anyway the poor thing finished it completely. The only problem was that even the next day he could taste it.. and combined with his heat stroke.. he was one grumpy little bear yesterday! It was funny.. we'd have something to eat and he'd be like "tiff.. does this taste odd to you.. oh wait it's the cigar taste, it's back.." I agree tho, drinking beer, while you might not get a hang over, totally wipes you out. As for having someone to hang your emotions on (i like that turn of phrase) it's completely normal! Don't stress..and it's completely normal to to NOT want to force someone to be with you or stay in line. I am of the opinion that it should be natural if they want to be with you. But different cultures have different expectations and there are definitely men I know who thrive on the drama of being kept in line and under the thumb! But if he is HOT.. then maybe you can have a bit of fun helping him stray from the straight and narrow? nothing dodgy.. but if you can, why not? It might just make him think and question the situation he's in.

I so hear you on the instructors harsh comments. I personally think talking to your horse can help.. i know it would help me too! But well done for not coming off, and think of the increase in inner thigh toning that episode will have done! You know, I think you should just focus for the moment on making yourself happy with your progress each lesson. Try to filter her negativity out.. i know it's hard! Also I am presuming (from my limited experience with the japanese culture, mostly Japs who come to live in NZ) that your teacher was embarassed by your "public" display of emotion. That could explain her comment.. But don't worry too much about only riding 3 x a week. I only used to get to my horse in the weekends.. and he would have the odd beginner during the week and we still made it! so I KNOW you can!

Thanks for being nice about my name.. i think that's what my parents were hoping for when they named me tiffany.. Mum was a bit disappointed with the whole tomboy thing! he he.. I love audrey hepburn.. but DAMN was she skinny!

As for vending machines in japan.. i've heard the stories.. there's quite a trade in second hand school "uniforms" isn't there?? he he

CG- what's this negativity I am hearing! Geez. One step at a time. You had an AWESOME week with your exercise. who cares that you had a few not so brilliant food choices. Well done. Keep up the good work and soon your body will help you out by not craving the crap! Well done on the loss.

Anyway have to run now, this has taken longer than planned!
Tchuss
Tiffany

life wasn't meant to be fair. . ..
 

NBK -- what the heck! you mean you're young, blonde and NOT stupid?!? That's just too unfair. :mad: What are the rest of us just supposed to do, huh? Now you tell me! And if you can't I'm going to head for the train tracks, join the Monday morning jumpers. :cry: Seriously, you could have fun with that stereotype, as maybe you already do. With the idiots who can't see past their own IQs, let them think you're one of them until a particularly choice moment when you leave them realizing they just don't have a clue and better yet, do it in front of others who realize it too!! :lol:

Well, I shouldn't even be writing now. I've kind of decided to beg off for another day on this stupid article, say I was sick or something. I mean I was, just don't have to give the reason. . .

No really, I got somewhere along with it and have another 90 minutes before I have to go to work (the office that is).

Yeah, well, your weekend sounds as about as productive as mine was, NBK. But at least you got some exercise in too. Heh, well, with the cutie at work, ok, it may be normal but still, it bothers me that I still act (inside) like some junior high schooler with a crush on the teacher, only, yeah, now the ages are reversed. Besides, I told you I was hopeless for an Irish accent. The only thing that helps is knowing the fantasy is better than the real thing, at least, I think it would be.

Ah man, that riding teacher can be such a hardass. I thought about what you said about a display of emotion but there was none. I don't whine or cry or anything. I just freeze up a little bit. You know, it's weird, my horse doesn't usually move much but when she does it's like a little rodeo. In a way she's a lot scarier and more people have fallen off her than the hot ones. I guess I did get some extra toning in there too because my butt is sore. But that was probably more from I'm finally getting my right leg to stay down and solid and this is a real strain on my butt, upper inner thighs and my left lower back. I have a twist which has gotten a lot better but I think I'm finally getting the final kinks out of it and using some muscles I hadn't used to this extent before. I feel much more secure in the saddle.

Yes, you got it about the vending machines. I don't think you can find uniforms in them but I've heard that you can find other articles of clothing. I've never seen these machines though. They're not going to be the ones out in the open, they'll just be in certain sleazy areas I would think. One thing I used to miss that was here when I first came to Japan was alcohol in vending machines 24 hrs. Now they turn them off at 11 p.m. or so. It's just to prevent the sale to minors. Still the convenience stores are open all night and usually sell alcohol, not that it matters for me. I don't look under 21! I saw an interesting spin on that though the other night and that was a machine that you swiped your driver's license into in order to be able to buy alcohol. Kind of a convoluted way of going about it and easily gotten around but whatever...

OK, will try to do a bit more work. . .

hmm alcohol in vending machines. Yeah when I was in holland, if we felt like partying after the hotel bar closed we would just hit the heineken vending machine! woo hoo. gotta love that... waking up in the morning outside your hotel room with a half used roll of 2 euro coins in your hand! he he and yet I still wonder why i put 5 kg on in those 3 months!

red, sometimes I hold off on getting indignant until that precise, very effective moment, but most of the time I fire up straight away. it's just I have had it my whole life "girls shouldn't be good at math", "it's odd that tiffany enjoy's science and playing soccer"..."you're doing engineering huh? pff" etc....I do sometimes use it to my advantage, but generally only with people who actually know the truth.. as for the rest of you.. well i don't suggest you join the monday jumpers, I hear that is becoming way too too cliched! but perhaps get some high lights (like i do!) and giggle heaps! he he.

Umm what about fixating on colin farrel? he has a broad irish accent.. mind you he's probably got a few diseases with all his lady killing!

Oh yeah, I got my b12 results back.. very interesting.. basically I am on the bottom limit of normal, 136ppm range is 136-950 ppm..my lowest was 40 ppm... so i'm not that bad, but afer my injections I was up in the 400's so it's supplement and bright orange pee time for me! yay. (not)... but explains why I am so knackered all the time.

well had a quick swim/splash in the sea at lunch.. how refreshing. Now back to work mountain!

Hmmm. "waking up in the morning outside your hotel room with a half-used roll of 2 euro coins in your hand." I think you may be my longlost twin separated (and frozen for about 20 years) at birth. :rofl: Not that I have ever done this (the euro wasn't around yet) but I can, you know, imagine, what it's like! Ok, no jumping for me. Oh, and heh, if it's highlights, I have those and they're natural and they're red, orangey, like sunshine! so there! Never giggled though. . . that must be it. . .will try that.

Yeah, I can see the having to deal with not only the blonde stuff but the girl stuff would really get my fur up. Just smack 'em down, the little mites!

what is this with people lacking B12? Can't you just pop some pills or something. And is it the alcohol killing this. I hear alcohol kills B vitamins.

I have budget blood. I hadn't drunk for about 4 years when I first got diagnosed with my deficiency (well I drank about 6 times a year. MAX and that includes single wines/beers). I can take supplements and have injections, but it's a pain in the butt literally! he he... my problem is that when it is as low as mine was, it is possible to have serious nerve damage, you have chronic fatigue and your attention span goes to goldfish level...mine has only just got back to normal a year and a half later and just recently i noticed it had gotten worse, hence the test. I was lucky I didn't have any permanent damage last time!

So I figure now, may as well drink if I want and just keep an eye on it!

oh yeah. BF's daughter has lovely red hair, I think it will go strawb blonde like yours sounds red, as she gets older!

OK, right, I remember you talking about your blood, which was a bit beyond me. I'm glad you found out about that problem and can control it. Well, I've got to get out of here now. Nice talking to you!

Red, sorry the song lyrics depressed you. It should motivate and inspire you! I keep my cheat days on Saturday b/c of school, parties, etc. I know that I will always cheat on Saturday. That is why I weigh in on Wednesday also. The only reason I weigh in on Sunday also is b/c it is the official weigh in day for us on the thread. However, I go by my Wednesday weight on my tracker.

NBK, sorry about my abs. I have just never had a big problem with them. Yours must not be that bad if you let your bf put his feet on them! Those vending machines remind me of when I first moved to TN. In Louisiana you can go through drive through daquiri shops. As long as a little piece of tape was over the styrofoam cup it was legal. When I moved here and I asked about a drive through daquiri shop people just looked at me like I was nuts.

stormy, I will try to turn around my usual depressing outlook on life and be motivated! :cb:

he he he.. stormy.. i wish that was the case. I just figure, if he wants to put his feet there then he can. Personally i wouldn't cos I might never see them again! but oh well...

Umm yeah I've heard of the drive through daquiri shops before.. has anyone in La heard of "if you drink then drive you're a bloody idiot!"... hmmm oh well to each their own.
and yeah red.. you be happy and motivated!

Heh there! :wave: Everybody sleeping I guess. Hope to hear from you in the morning. I got in late from work, no time for a decent meal. Damn! Eating some junk, just something to grab. Have a story to still write and it's bedtime! Must be up early tomorrow. Oh darn it again!! Hope everyone is doing better. Where are you all?! Grasshopper, kjk, michi, crime girl, come out again. Seems like today was mostly stormy, nbk and myself. Oh well.. . .

Good morning! I'm up. It's 5 a.m. Ugh, double ugh! Where are you all? Working hard? :sunny: This (sunny face), by the way, is not the way I feel but I am doing the smile first the good feelings :goodvibes: will come later thing. ;)

Good morning! Sorry i haven't posted am working flat out at the moment and my wrist is getting pretty sore from all my spreadsheeting... grrr sometimes I hate excel! anyway had a good workout at the gym last night..more about that later!
:)
Tiff

Good morning, NBK. Looks like we're the only ones up in the world yet. It is only 3:30 a.m. on East Coast Stateside. I am considering canceling riding today and I hate that but I still have not finished that damned article. It's next to impossible. The guy said nothing and I'm pissed that this is taking away from other things. It's apparently really, really cold out and I'm worried the ground may be frozen anyhow, which means I won't be able to ride. Would schedule later but have to be home to do this volunteer interpreting tonight. Why, oh why do I get roped into these things? Last night too, at work, I called the meeting because I was sick of everyone on the desk complaining but doing nothing about it. Of course, this meant I am hurting because it took my time to work on the article. Damn again! Oh well. I suppose I have to participate more or get out of the place. I am so sick of going out and shooting the bull with the guys over beers and having it end there, in a dazed, crazed drunken nothing!

I'm feeling tighter all over by the way. Maybe just a bit dehydrated. It doesn't really mean anything. Got a pair of jeans out yesterday that don't stretch and am going to use them as a measure to gauge my weight progress. It was really disheartening to see that I can't even get them closed. They used to be loose. :cry: There was tons of chocolate and stuff at work yesterday but I only had a teeny bit. Made a big salad. Ok, when I got home I ate some junk crackers and snack kind of things but still it could have been so much worse.

Sorry - not posting today..please forgive me. Frantically behind in school so it was exercise or post today and I picked exercise. So- I wont be on until tomorrow- have 300 more pages to read and a couple of other school like things to do..
Egads!
Someone shoot me, would you?
Hope you all are OK! Have great day today!

Hey! Typical Monday for everyone it seems. I just got it so I need to go and workout.

Red, use those jeans to motivate you.

NBK, the nice thing was instead of going to a smokey bar after work you could just go through the drive in and drink it when you got home. Sometimes the convienence things can be bad. Here I am too lazy to drive to the liquor store to get the stuff to make a daquiri. In Tn, you can not even get a bottle of wine at the grocery store. I only drink once in a while, like maybe once every two months but I would like things to be more convienent when I do want something.

Stormy - sorry I wasn't saying you were a drink driver, i was thinking more from a kiwi point of view.. there is no way those containers would get home still sealed! I know one day, not long after I moved up here, this woman almost took me out turning right (left type turn for americans) into my street, she was trying to steer her hillman hunter (big old english car) and drink jim beam from the bottle at the same time. No seat belt, her kids were jumping around in the back.. grrr. NZer's have a bit of a binge drink mentality...I understand about not being able to buy a bottle of wine at the grocery, when I was in australia last I got so frustrated because in the state of Queensland, you can't buy alcohol except from a bottle shop associated with a pub, so prices are phenomenal, even for beer! I mean australian wine was more expensive in australia than it is here!

As for smokey bars, well on the 10 of december last year, they made all bars and workplaces smoke free in NZ. IT is so nice to go out and not wake up smelling like pub carpet...

hmmm well back to the spreadsheet from ****
food good today so far.. don't talk to me about yesterday!

gotta get through this day. . . awake!
 

Heh guys, just in from riding. Am so tired because I was up really early to work on that damned story. Now, the guy's been calling me and I really just want to take a nap because I have that interpreting thing tonight and I have to have a good bit of energy to do it. Just bought some autograph boards I'm hoping I can get the guy to sign. I'm not an autograph hound but I know some people that would love to have the autograph from a four medal Olympic athlete so I'm going to try.

*******

Crime girl -- you made the right choice!! GOOD FOR YOU!! I am so happy to see you exercising like you've been. You are just amazing with everything you do just know I think so, OK!?

stormy -- you're right, I'll try to think of just easing into those jeans and having them loose, me able to breathe, bend any way, yes, heavenly! I've been so used to stretchy things but I actually do prefer the feel of non-stretchy fabric, yet tight in key spots, like jeans and tailored jackets. Ok, gotta stay up! God, I'm going to want a glass of something tonight. I'm getting excited about meeting this athlete. Athletes and people with real talent really get me excited! Because I know the dedication and the work they have to put into things to get where they get. It's not about looks. It's about guts. About the liquor, I've from Pennsylvania and that's like one of the driest states around, only hard liquor and wine in state liquor stores and try finding one of them and beer only at beer distributors. It seems so weird to think about now, especially having lived in Germany and Japan, where alcohol can be had just about anywhere and here, well, any time of day or night.

NBK -- I can't believe that woman drinking whisky out of a bottle driving. Poor thing, really, eh? I've been, cough, cough, known to knock a few back, binge mentality et moi! Here I come Kiwiland! But no, you know when they're drinking out a bottle we're probably not talking happy drunk, right? I don't know about the smoky bars. I don't smoke anymore and I hate having to wash all my clothes (dryclean, coats etc.) after a night in a bar but I know so many people that just love to smoke and it would really make them unhappy. Sure, it's unhealthy but I think they should have a choice. I think there should be more smoke-free places or better ventilation. I think I draw the line at pubs. Everything else can be smoke-free as far as I care.

Red, when is your interview? I bet you are excited. I too hate to have to clean my clothes after going out. I also have long, thick hair which tends to suck up the smell. Have you worked out this week. I bought a new Pilates tape that I did on Sunday and I was so sore yesterday. It is funny how doing exercises really slow and paying attention to the body can make you so sore. I have a hard time with Pilates b/c I tend to have a hard time slowing down. The exercises on this tape is pretty similar to the Pilates one that I already have, maybe only two different exercises. However,I must have done somethind different this time.

NBK, when does winter start in NZ? Is it around July or so? Bite the bullet and b/c a diver. It would be a great thing for you and your bf to do. We love it! The only bad thing is now whenever we go on vacation all we want to do is dive. For us, this usually means leaving the States, which can be expensive.

CG, have a good day at school. I hope that you caught up with your reading,etc.

I hope that everyone else is doing well. WE miss everone! Little GH, I hope that you are enjoying time with your family. Michi, I hope things are going better. KJK, come back! Jacque, I hope that you are doing okay.

heh people. Just back home now. After 11:30 p.m. God, it's been a long day. Did so many things. Working out was not one of them but I did ride and walk so exercise was done. Stormy, it wasn't an interview, it was just interpreting at a press conference dinner with about 30 people and this medalist. He was OK, only 22, a nice guy. I am so tired. I will catch up with you all tomorrow. Hope to see some more action around here!

Hi guys! Wow, a lot has happened. I didn't get to read everything. I will after my doctor's appointment. I have to get all the junk back out of my body.

Thanks for the support while I was gone. I guess "weightloss-wise" my trip was good but healthwise it was horrible!!!! My grandmother kept getting more and more angry with me because I wouldn't eat SOME of the stuff she'd cooked. I basically said I'd cook my own breakfast since everyone there eats cereal. She said she was cool with that but later was putting stuff in my food while it was on the stove (cheese - because I need calcium....I'm REALLY allergic to dairy!) or she'd pull it from the refrigerator and put margarine in it....She was just incapable of leaving my food alone an not putting her "two cents" worth into it. I would eat whatever she cooked for lunch - when everyone would come over. So it was lots of fried chicken and fried potatoes. Then for dinner I would eat a Salad that SHE MADE. But she was telling everyone there that I had an eating disorder because I wouldn't eat ANYTHING. Kept making me sandwiches 15 minutes after I'd just eatten - right in front of her - and then get mad at me because I wouldn't eat them and not talk to me for another 15 - before getting up and making me something else to eat.

It's not like I didn't tell her before I went. I swear if a person could be abusive about food - she is. She loves you and that's why she does it - this need to feed everyone that comes through the door...but somehow if you don't take her food everytime it's offered she thinks you don't love HER. Frustrating! I was in a no win situation and decided that next year I will just stay with my cousin. I couldn't stay with her this time because she was on a business trip.

CG - the clorox thing is the fact that she mixes it with dish detergent - that makes a toxic gas that will make you VERY SICK. She has infazema really bad but will not stop making the clorox mix. Everytime she does her nose bleeds. Maybe the two are not related but it seems like a bad sign to me :) I had to ask her to stop washing my cup and my plate - that I'd wash it....she'd wash it while I wasn't there and put it back where I had it - like she hadn't done it. The stuff smelled so strongly that it would make my eyes water!!

I did my best to be nice and I know this all sounds like something I should have just caved and gone a long with - but I'm not on my diet for weight loss. By the 3rd day I was back on all my fibro meds. I even took them in front of Grandma hoping she would finally understand that I had an honest health reason for eating the way I do - but it never clicked...she said "if you'd eat something you might not be so sick."

I am trying to keep in mind that she is the "eat something, so I know you love me" extreme!! Otherwise it was a great vacation.

I have complained and *****ed enough now. I'm going to the doc to get straightened out now.

Woah LG, what a trip. Grandmas tend to be that way. They want you to eat, eat, eat. However, yours just didn't get the message. I can not believe that she uses clorox. I think that would make anyone sick. Anyway I hope that you are able to get to feeling better soon.

Stormy - winter here starts in may/june normally.. although our seasons are a bit moody at the moment.. but will definitely look into the diving thing maybe while we are in aus!

LGH - sorry to hear you had issues with your GM over food.. it is hard when people see it as an extension of their feelings for you. But pleased that you had a good trip and stood your ground. The whole sneaky cleaning thing cracked me up! he he.

I am sooo tired. It is sooo hot here and I can't sleep.. grrr.. seriously, the only time i seem to be able to sleep is between 0600-0800.. when I am meant to be getting up.

anyway will chat more soon I promise, just got sore wrists from all my spreadsheeting and don't really want to type too much.
Ciao Bellas
Tiff

NBK - I'm so sorry it's that hot! Do many people there have A/C?? Hope that's not a dumb question but my dad is near Queensland (in the mountains near by) and no one there has a/c. They just die in the summer months (right now). Hang in there - it will be fall in no time!

Stormy - thanks for the support about vacation (NBK you too). I am glad to be home. I had a great time and it was so nice to see everyone! I saw the doctor today and while my liver took a real beating I was fine otherwise. I am glad to be back to my own food styles :) I made soup tonight and am going to cook cubed steak with a rice gravy tomorrow. :) Yummy food :) :)

Talk with you guys soon. I am going to shower and hang out with BF. He smashed his finger today and has been tryign to poke a hole through the nail since.....it's several hours later!

LGH - there is a really funny story about houses and buildings in australasia... most exisitng, pre 1980 houses don't have much insulation, double glazing is almost non-existant and a/c? pfft in your dreams! lol.. actually the climate here is pretty temperate, but where I grew up, it swung from 35°C in summer (but as dry as a desert!) to -5° and frosty in winter....I think the reason most of our buildings don't have these sensible things, is that they were built after the english model for houses? Thankfully work has A/C and so does my car... my father who has MS and suffers in hot temps a lot has just been given an A/C unit for his appartment by his friend so that's pretty cool! Literally. I am really looking forward to the heat in QLD actually, last time we were there i noticed it was a lot drier than here, but I suppose that's the difference of being on the east coast vs west coast where I am now. But yeah, us down under do seem more inclined to tough things out rather than pay for a solution to them!

Hope the BF's finger is ok, if he's not too squeamish try drilling a hole in it.

Well I hope everyone else is having a great day, not much else to report..having smoked chicken salad for dinner tonight.. yum yum..
Cheerio
Tiffany

Hi all!

I'm still around, but this is the first time in a week that I've had time to sit down, read posts and make a post myself. Work is absolutely crazy right now -- this is our busiest time of the winter and the Y is just mad!

I haven't been eating well, but am getting back on track this week. I did horribly last week, but am trying to get back on plan. Still drinking tons of water. However, the exercising is non-existent. I did so well those first 3-4 weeks, getting up early and walking, but I'm so tired from work lately that I can't make myself get up any earlier than required for me to be on time for work. Then, I'm again so exhausted when I get home that I don't want to change and workout.

If anyone has some suggestions on how to manage this, I'm all ears. I really can't get into a routine right now, because I'm working between 8 and 12 hours a day, around 55 hours a week.....argh!!!

Well, I've got to go work on invitations to my friend's baby shower...and then get to bed. Tomorrow is my long day, I've got volleyball, so I might not check back until Thursday.

I miss you all and was glad to read that you miss me as well!! :) Have a great night, and I hope to chat soon!!!

Kelly :D

Oh, and I haven't weighed in since last Sunday. If I get a weigh-in in in the next couple of days, I will post it. Otherwise, I'll wait until Sunday.....

Have a good one!!!

KK

KJK,
Glad you are still around. I know that it is hard to manage but you can do it. I think that you just need to make time for it. It will give you more energy. Just get it over with in the morning as you doing before. I know how you feel. I work full time and carry a full school load. I feel so much better and alert when I exercise and eat right. You can do it. I'll be here if you need me.

12 more days in our Valentine Challenge. C'mon ladies, we can do it!

hello everyone!

NBK - he IS most definately squeemish!!!! Last night he did manage to poke a hole in his nail though. He seemed to be feeling a little better. I think he's going to urgent care with it today. Thanks for the A/C update :) A lot of people living in northern US - especially in older houses - don't have A/C either. When they have heat waves it really hits them hard! Our schools didn't have them either growing up, so anytime the temp got above 90f we were all sent home. That happened a LOT - so finally they started putting A/C in the schools.

Kelly - all you have to do to help with stress and to start the weight loss is 30 minutes of walking. I know that sounds like a lot but it's easier to wrap my mind around that "oh man, I'm so tired and now I have to exercise." I just have to get up and walk at any pace for 30 minutes and I feel better by the end. I'm sorry things are hectic right now - especially since you're probably not getting paid anymore to deal with the extra burden!! Hang in there - unfortunately people will give up on their new years resolutions pretty quickly and you're life will return to normal. :)

Stormy - how is your challenge going?? I haven't been able to read to catch up with everyone yet! I hope things are going well. I had several cheat days put together - the best cheat was a dove ice cream bar. I had to drive to 3 grocery stores before I could find them in AR, but it was so worth it :) My little brother and his best friend thought I was crazy driving all over the place for icecream UNTIL they tried it :) I have to say though, it's much nicer being back here and feeling in control of my foods and my diet. I feel much better emotionally now than I did there, eating off the diet. That's a big improvement for me - usually I'd just say "I'll eat whatever I want now and I'll deal with it later..." This time I was much more aware that the stuff I was eating could make me sick and it was hard to enjoy it. I probably need to feel exactly that way right now :) helped a lot to get back on track.

okay i have to get to work. Talk to everyone soon! Meri

KjK - nice to see you back. You can do it! Just like LGH said, try getting your exercise in in the morning!

LGH - hmm my school never sent us home, no matter how hot or cold it was... poor us.. we even had to go swimming in the out door, un heated pool when the water temperature was 6°C and the air temp 10... oh what a hard life I have had..lol

Well ladies, I went to my pump class tonight.. I am getting so frustrated at the moment. I'm not losing at all, no matter what I do or don't eat... maybe I am growing muscle at this point as my weights do feel "lighter" and no I am not using the aluminium plates! lol.. but the thing is, my biggest motivator in the gym is seeing my muscles working. Now I can with my arms and my back... but my thighs are still coated in fat and I can't really see anything moving when I am doing my squats or lunges..and it really guts me. and as for my no-abs all flab.. well the name says it all. I have a puku. I suppose I should step up the cardio.. but it is just too hot! he he... well that's my excuse for being lazy.

Anyway now i would like to boast a bit.. today I have a flat inspection (lovely scheme dreamed up by the rental management company so they can be nosey). Anyway we don't really take notice of them anymore, as our flat is generally pretty tidy and to be honest we are excellent tennants, always pay on time in full etc no damage, aside from stuff that can't be avoided. Anyway I mentioned this to BF and while I was in the shower this morning, he is making the bed, tidying my room, vacuuming the house and this is ON TOP of him helping me with the rubbish last night *smile* and he even manages to look like he enjoys rubbing my anti-stretchmark cream on my lower back and thighs.. mind you.. I'm always putting sun-block or after sun stuff on him but still.. yay yay yay :dance:

It was funny tho, as he said he thinks the vacuum cleaner works better than bug spray, he sucked up 15 moths (still alive) with the vacuum, compared to the 3 or 4 he usually gets with the spray each night.

It's another hot day here in taradise... still i am starting to get more used to it, so lets see if I can get some cardio done today!
TTFN
Tiff