first off congrats to all the "losers"!

I'm back on track too- I only gained 1 lb over the wedding weekend (for eating KKs and fired food, and cake...) and I went back to eating right yesterday and I'm back to where I was.... now, I just have to get jumpstarted again (after the honeymoon)

I went shopping monday to buy the rest of my honeymoon clothes and although I had bought a pair of size 12 shorts before, I never bought 12 pants before- until Monday. I wore them yesterday and I had so many compliments and more people that I see everyday came up to me and asked me if I was losing weight. good feeling...

my pictures are online but the server is busy right now- anyways- www.caudillsphotography.com and then click on the camera to see pics online, then weddings, and then archibald/sage wedding. (I like the kissy pictures the best )
Have a great day everyone!

Kandice-Hip, hip hooray on getting pants in a size 12! That is totally awesome! Keep up the good work, young lady. I'm getting frustrated b/c I can't get into the site to see your pictures! I can hardly wait. I'm sure you were a beautiful bride. I guess I'll just have to be patient try again later.

Eveyone else-where are ya? Come back and fill us in on all your goings on.

I did 50 minutes on the elliptical and 35 minutes on the treadmill last night for a total of 6 miles. Whew. I'm still tired! Because of all this exercise last night, I used my stretching video this morning. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to get up the steps to work today! Otherwise, I'm doing well. Although I must admit to a PMS moment and let you know that I ate some oreos yesterday. Not overindulged but I did eat sweets. *sigh* Sorry. I'll be good from now til Easter-I promise. Doing well w/water and getting back into a.m. exercise routine.

Gotta run. have a great day! Take care.

I finally got on the website to see your wedding pix! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! You were radiant and you both looked very, very happy! Oh, and did I mention gorgeous? So happy for you!

thank you skinny- I'm so happy with our pictures- I'm really glad- because pictures tell the story long after the memory starts to fade...

Busy at work- trying to get everything together for next week- honeymoon!

Hi everyone! Kandice, greattttt pics! I like the one where u are looking out to the left... it's sweet.

I'm sorry I can't reply to each of you. I have another cold.. plus I've been at the kids' school's Tropical Festival all day long. I got in 20,976 steps, over 9 miles today. I'm tired and not feeling well. Going to bed. Hope you all are having a great weekend. Hugs to each of you. Keep up ur good work. It will pay off in the end!

Bye for now!

Hi.. just checking in.. I did 12000+ each day from Mar. 1 to Mar. 14. Now I'm trying for 15000+ til the end of March. Trying to boost my metabolism bc I just can't tell if I might be on a plateau. I go up and down a little both ways in inches.. and I haven't weighed but will try to soon. I guess I'll have to give in and get myself a scale. :sad:

I'll hit the 15K today.. and I hope to keep my momentum up~ I walked 3 miles this a.m. to give me a good start. Can't wait to join the Y in April and really get into swimming and more weights, etc. I hope to get to 177 by the end of June. I am determined!

You all are doing great as well! Keep up the good work! It's worth it!!

Oh and I'm definitely gonna try to hit my 199 by Easter. I really need to find a place to go weigh for free.. hmm.. any ideas??

Gotta run, will try to write again soon!

Happy St. Patrick's Day. It's good to be Irish, even if it is just a little Irish!

Well, ladies I stepped on the scale this morning and TA DA-I have reached my Easter Challenge goal of losing 5 pounds. Check out the updated signature/tracker: 212! Woo-hoo! So, that means I should be able to lose some more in the next 10 days, right? I'm sure gonna try.

I'm doing well w/exercise, eating and water. Monday-60 minutes on gazelle, Tuesday-50 minutes on elliptical, yesterday and today-30 minutes on gazelle and we'll go to the Y tonight as well.

Bonnie-congrats on the weight loss! You go, girl. Keep up the good work. You'll have no trouble meeting you chickie challenge, I'm sure.

Selina-Glad you're feeling better. You really put in the steps, don't you? Keep it up and you'll soon reach your goal, no doubt. Have you joined the Y yet? If so, they should have a scale there. I know my Y has one in the wellness room-where all the treads/ellipticals are.

Kandice-thinking of you........and grinning! Hope you're having a BLAST!

Gotta run. Have a great day, ladies. We can do it. Only 10 more days to final WI for the chickies. Hang in there!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Hope ur wearing ur green!

I don't know what is wrong with me, I'm bummed out today. I am walking ALOT and doing other exercises every single day and I'm eating between 1200-1500 cals a day, making sure I get water in, and all that. I just feel like I'm at a plateau. My measurements are basically the same for a month. Makes no sense. Maybe I'm crazy.

Selina-sorry to hear your down. I wish I had some words of wisdom. I went through the same thing a few months ago. I just kept doing what I was doing and eventually I broke through. I know the main reason someone hits a plateau is b/c your body is adjusting to all the changes made by getting healthy. Anyway, I'm sending you strength and good thoughts! Hang in there, sweetie. YOU CAN DO IT!! STAY STONG AND STAY DETERMINED.

Hello all,

Yes, I have been M.I.A. (Missing In Action). I call myself upgrading the motherboard in my computer and it turned into a major project. Well needless to say I built myself a whole new system thank goodness I'm a computer tech....or this would have cost me a couple of thousand dollars....LOL

I want to thank you all for great welcome to the group. Although I have lost 2lbs since my last post it has been an up hill battle. At first it wasn't so hard, but then I went on a trip with my sister out of town. Now I didn't do as bad as you may think, but we all know we are our worst critic. When I got back home it was as if sugar was waiting at my front door. Ok maybe it was a Honeybun Oh how I love them with their cinnamon glaze dripping from their plastic wrapper (wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth). Oh let me stop and just focus on the size 12 skirt (previously size 18) I just bought today. YES SIZE 12!! (I'm doin' the "Happy Dance"!!)

We have a week to go .......Let's Do It!!

Skinny~ Is the Gazzell worth it? That infomercial has been catching my attention for some time now.

Soon~ Don't focus on your measuremeants or your plateau right now, because it will keep you bummed. I ran into the same thing a couple of weeks ago and I let it control my actions. A week later there I was not following my regimine and found out I still lost weight and inches. HOwever I was so mad at myself, because it I had not focus ont the plateau I would have lost even more weight. I know it sounds crazy but it does works.

~Tae2Tas

Hope things are going well w/everyone! Things here are good. I've done well w/my points and water goals. I have exercised everyday as well. I have walked/gazelled 15.5 miles since Friday so I'm on track, definitely, for my 20 miles for my walking club. I have about 18 miles to make up from being sick a few weeks ago so I hope to make up a few miles towards that this week.

Bonnie-Thanks for your kind words and encouragement. It feels so good to have accomplished so much. It's amazing how much better I feel and how much more energy I have as well. Sounds like you have a good, healthy attitude towards staying on track w/your exercise. There are so many factors that effect our weight so don't get discouraged. Just jump right back into it, which it sounds like you're doing. That little ole pound will be gone before you know it.

Tae2Tas- I like the way you think; changing that old tape (longing for honeybuns) with new tapes (enjoying smaller clothes). That's the way to succeed. As for the gazelle, I love mine. I usually do about 30 minutes in the morning and 30 at night on the nights we don't get to the YMCA. It's easy on the knees. It comes w/a video that gives you complete instructions, different types of exercise to do on it and stretching warm-up exercises as well. I think it's been a good investment.

Selina-how are you doing?

Has anyone thought about our next challenge? Maybe Kandice will have some inspiration for us when she returns. The only thing I can think of is a July 4th challenge but that would be an awfully long one. Any ideas? Wait, Memorial Day is coming up, DUH! Maybe a challenge for that?

Gotta run. Have a great day. Take care! Be kind to yourself today.

Hi everyone- I'm back! 4 lbs heavier but worth it! (Chris gained 7 lbs) It'll all go away now once I start getting back into the swing of things. I started eating Low Carb again today and went to curves- 144 workouts since I started- my goal is to have 200 workouts by June- don't know if I can do it (there 72 more M-Fs left till June 30th)- but I'm going to try!

Selina- 9 miles- WOW! wtg!

Bonnie- wow- 195- everyone is doing so good! (and thank you for the kind words!)

skinny- "eggs"cellent work getting to your easter goal early! I bet it feels so great to accomplish it! (and early!)

tae2tas- Welcome back! congrats on the size 12! That's what I'm wearing now too (in pants)- from a 16/18 to start with. Small clothes are the greatest!

I bought a size 12 dress back in September when I wasn't really losing weight and it fit good back then (I'm smaller on top anyways)- I wore it for formal night on the cruise and the shoulders kept falling off- almost time to try on the size 8 dress I have hanging on the front of my closet to monitor my success! and I spoke with an aunt I haven't seen since the wedding and my "evil" stepmom- she's been telling everyone that my wedding dress was a size 10 and I had it taken in 2ce! LOL! yay stepmom! (in reality I TRIED ON a size 10 dress- that wouldn't zip- in that style BUT ordered a size 16- but had to have it taken in 2ce... but it's nice she's bragging about me- even giving me more credit)

I haven't gotten my pics developed yet but will shortly and get them posted- the honeymoon was the best! The weather was terrific the whole time! we sat with 3 other couples our age at dinner and hit it off with one couple from Minnesota- they went snorkeling with us one day. and we met another couple at the dolphin excusion that was married on March 5th- they were on their honeymoon too. we hung out with them a lot too. The dolphins- they are amazing animals. so smart. we stood about 3 feet apart and then the dolphins would swim in and out of the people and you could pet them. 1 of them rolled over for me and chris so we could rub its belly. so cute. at the end of it, they were giving kisses to everyone- so you offer the dolphins your cheek and they come up and put their nose on your cheek. Chris hadn't shaved and it gave chris a kiss and swam right away afterwards- didn't like that he was picky. and everyone laughed- asked if he usually got that response... and then it was my turn to get a kiss, and the dolphin came to me and kissed me and the lady took a picture and then I stood up- the dolphin was still there- he wanted more kisses from me!

snorkeling was so much fun too- we got to bring home a conch shell and try conch meat- supposed to be an aphrodesiac (sp?) - so when we started he asked if there were any newlyweds there and it was only us- so we raised our hands and were the first to try the conch meat. I think it tastes like scallops- not really any special taste.

food was good- nothing special really though- I had lobster tail one night and I htought it was rubbery (and being from Maine I KNOW what good lobster is!) and Chris got filet mignon but he had to CUT/SAW at it- it wasn't tender at all. The man of the couple from Minn and Chris both had escargot for an appetizer one night and they were being very "redneck" about it. "so this is snails?" "down south, we pour salt on them (he was talking about slugs) and watch them melt" "too cold in Minn for snails- never seen any" the other woman and I were like "we married these guys?!"

anyone heard from Dena?
keep going everyone- everyone's doing Great! Now I have to get going to hold up my end!

Just wanted to check in w/everyone. Things here are going well. I did 3 miles on the elliptical last night. I now have 18.5 miles towards my weekly 20 miles. I'm trying to catch up on the miles I missed when I was sick a few weeks ago. I hope to have 10 made up this week. That will only leave me 8 in the hole. Good eating day yesterday as well.

Kandice-So nice to have you back! It sounds like you had a fabulous time. I'm so happy for you. Be sure to post some of those pix when you get them back. Also, let us know about the size 8. I think it's great that you only came back w/4 extra pounds. You'll have that off in no time!

Everyone else-hope all is well. I'm missing those of you who haven't been in here for a while. Visit soon and let us know how it's going for you.

I think I've found my own personal challenge-but don't leave me out of the new challenge here, for goodness sake! Anyway, it looks like my oldest DD and I will be going on a mission trip in September w/the Baptist Medical and Dental missions. They will be traveling to a place calle Israel (pronounced IzRayel), Nicarugua. It will be a seven day trip and we are very excited. We've never been on one before and can hardly wait to experience it together. The team will be putting up some new buildings, supplying an optical, dental and medical clinic as well as other community projects. It's been 12 years since the team has been there so the need is great. So, I want to be as healthy as possible when we go so I can help as much as possible. Do you think my ultimate goal of 180 is obtainable by that time? I'm at 212 right now. It's the end of September so that would give me approximately 6 months to lose 32 pounds. Input? Advice?

Well, ladies gotta run. Have a great evening!

Skinny- way to go on your miles- you'll be there in no time!

as far as your goal weight- I think you can get there- September's 6 months away and it's easier to be active in the summer anyways. I don't know how fast you're losing but if you follow the 2 lbs a week then there's time for 48 lbs! we'll all be here to cheer you on and keep you on track!

the mission trip sounds so much fun! I'd love to do a mission trip with our church sometime. We're having revival this week and the guest has been everywhere- Brazil, India, quite a few more places too, spreading the word. The feeling of satisfaction and that you helped make a difference in someone's life- wow, I don't even have anything that I could begin to compare it to, that I've done with my life so far.

how's everyone else doing? I had no problem drinking water while we were on the honeymoon, but now that we're back it's a hard time... so that's my small goal for today- to drink all my water. and go to curves at lunch time. I'll have 146 visits today since I joined last June. I think I'm still on track for my 200 visits by June this year, and then 300 visits by December 2005.