Marie-Well, one thing I have learned since I started exercising is that there is no such thing as "spot reduction". Cardio is what helps get rid of fat. Abdominal exercises will help with muscle development/toning though.

Kerry-142.....Awesome, girlfriend....I would take that for sure. You go girl!!!! Enjoy your night out with no guilt! You're right, you can't be good all of the time.

Paige-Good luck with weigh in tomorrow!

I ended up eating 1700 calories today, but made it to the gym twice for spin and a 3 mile walk/run. I'm figuring I burned at least 550 calories, so I should still be O.K. I'm off tonight, but have to work 12 hour shifts Sat. and Sun. this weekend. My Zachary's gone now for a whole week, so it's so tempting to eat just from being bored and lonely. Hope you ladies enjoy the rest of your weekend! I may not get a chance to check back in until Monday.

Good Morning Chickies !!!

I did a bad thing last night !!! I ordered Pizza Hut, ate 3 pieces of stuffed crust, and one crust my son wouldn't eat. Then went to bed without working out! Well, what the heck, it's a holiday! Yea, I'm counting the whole weekend as a holiday! I'll have to change that mind set next time around on a holiday weekend. Oh well, the pizza was awsome and I'm going to work out when I'm done posting with you girls!

Kim, the Taebo kicked my butt! I think thats why I was so easy to skip last night, my hamstrings and lower back were still really sore. They feel better today so I'm going to lift this morning, and bike later! That bites working the whole holiday weekend, I'm sure the money will be good, but it still bites! Will you get to rotate out next year? My mother in law is a nurse and she works every other holiday with a yearly rotation. Which means the next year she works different holidays.

Paige good luck with weigh in!!!! You'll have to let us know how the new group is. Enjoy you quiet time at work, ya never seem to get enough of that! It sounds like your crazy schedule is going to wind down for a while. Ours just gets started at the end of July. Both my boys play football and practice is every night and a game every Sat. It's just a little crazy !!!

Kerry, I can't believe DH and Bella broke the scale!!! Too funny, but what a hassle trying to get a new one. Well 142 sounds very do-able! Way to go!!! I hit 140 Friday morning, I think that's why I was so tempted to run for pizza. This morning I'm all bloated from the salt and was 142 again this morning so who knows. When our old scale broke I bought a good one from Wal-mart too. I got a digital one thinking it would be better, well it's easier to read, but if you move it, it reads all crazy the next time you get on it!

Marie, I like the 3 second count at the stop sign, we all get so set in our bad habits this may just help! I was just so outraged that he insinuated that I was going to run those kids over it still jerks me off! I drove school bus for 7 years, I'm overly cautious when it comes to kids playing around the road. If they would have been near the intersection I would have stopped the traffic to let them cross. I may fight it for the heck of it, but I talked to one of the guys at work and his daughter got a ticket from the same jerk, she lost hers when she fought it. A car stopped in the middle of a stop light intersection and then put his turn signal on, she locked her tires up to keep from hitting him so he said her car was out of control.

Julie, I don't miss the potty days at all!!! My boys were both really tough to get trained. Once we got them going there wasn't anymore accidents, but getting them started was a trip. I remember my oldest son didn't have a bowel movement for days, he was holding it. Finally I gave him a saposatory (sp) and he went right on the bathroom floor, he couldn't hold it! But that was it, the next he used the pot! Good luck!

Ok, I'm going to get my rear in gear! I'll check back later!

Ah girls thanks for the love! I can always count on you. Yes I am going to get my butt moving next week and start exercising again. I'm committed!

We had fun last night, but didn't go to the Speed Street thing with everyone else - just dinner and drinks for us. DH had to get up and go to work this morning and we aren't for the Charlotte partying on behalf of Nascar. I know we have some Nascar fans in our group and I bet you all would love this town this weekend. It is crawling with race drivers, race fans and everything related to it.

I'm going up to hang out with a girlfriend at her place by the pool. She lives in a condo and they have a community pool. I'm thinking about stopping to buy a new suit before. I have to tell you that it was awesome last night wearing a pair of jeans I hadn't worn since 2002. I asked DH what he thought and he asked which pair they were. I lifted up my top to show him the ripped belt loop He says "Man those were the good old days. . ." We were partying a lot and I wore my keys with a rip cord on my pants loop. It got torn off getting out of the car at a party one night.

THEN - My friend's friend said to me after dinner "no wonder you stay so skinny, you eat well and stop eating when you're full" I had ordered chicken kabobs with rice and didn't eat much of the rice and didn't finish the chicken. It felt good to tell her about my journey and that I was a size 14 on Jan 3 when I started. She said she's trying to do the Atkins thing. I don't believe much in all that since I don't think you can do it for a lifetime, but I gave her two pieces of advice: take is slow & steady 1-2 lbs/week and get a support group!!

I hope everyone enjoys their weekends. I'm sorry you have to work Kim. Hopefully you get paid well! I don't have Monday off being that I work in a hospital - sick people never go home, doctors and nurses still have to care for them . . . blah blah blah!

Catch you later chickies!

I forgot to say - LORI!! Good for you for having your pizza and loving it! I really think it is important to have those days when you eat things that you love and don't feel guilty. It's not going to make you fat doing it every once in awhile. Although, I do know about that bloated food hang over the next day. . ick!!!

Kim - with all that exercise you should be able to eat 1700 calories a day. I'm still working on putting my eating and your fitness together into one weight loss guru!!

Paige - I would think that all that running after children would make you lose weight alone! I bet you can lose that 20 lbs over the summer, just keep moving and watching those calories/points. Good luck with the weigh in!

Wow! Awfully quiet around here today!!! I had WI today and lost a pound and a half so I will take that especially with all the temptation I had this week I think I did pretty well. That puts me at a grand total of 41lbs. since the last week in January. A teacher at work who was doing the at work program is going with me on Saturdays so it is nice to have a friend at the meeting. The leader is kindof obnoxious but he is really good about sharing products that are low in points. I did go to Walmart after the meeting and did my grocery shopping for the week. One of the products he shared was an alfredo sauce by ragu that is 2pts a serving. So we will have that one night this week and try it out. My friend brought me some more clothes that are to small for her, they are 18's and still alittle tight. Although the 20's are fitting nicely. So now my motivation is to get into those 18's soon.

Kim- I wish I had your motivation to exercise!! You are a maniac! Sorry you have to work all weekend.

Lori- DS was just like your boys. He would hold it for days and then cry because it hurt when he HAD to finally go. DD was a sinch to potty train, she was mostly trained by 3 whereas he was almost 5!!!! And don't worry about the pizza!! It happens to all of us, its called life. We just have to get back on the wagon after we fall off.

Kerry-I'm right there with you on the exercising!! I know I have to do it but it is just so hard to get motivated!!! I feel great after I'm done but that feeling doesn't carry me through to the next day. I think we need Kim to kick both of our butts into gear!

Well I hope since Kerry is the only one who has posted today that this means you are all out enjoying your day. I'll check back in later.

Where is everyone this weekend!!!!! I think I hear an echo!!!! Hope this means you are all having a fantastic weekend.

Well, I made it through my weekend. Now I'm off for 3 days. I'm getting ready to go see my Mom. I'm taking today as a total cheat day, and I'm loving every minute of it.....no guilt! I've already eaten some of those ultimate peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven. My Mom is such a good cook, and I can't wait to eat at her house this evening. My training program starts Wed. so I'm getting myself mentally prepared for it. I can't wait!

Lori-I don't rotate holidays because I do a weekend option program. It's where I work 24 hours and get paid for 32, plus I work an extra 8 hour shift on Thursday nights. Since I do this, I just work every Fri 7P-7A, Sun 7P-7A, then Thurs 11P-7A. If Holidays fall on those days, then I work them. I do get 128 hours of PTO per year that I can take, but not allowed to on Christmas or New Years. I love it. I get over $800 extra for working weekends and $600 extra for working nights so that's $1400 extra for my "wierd" hours. It's bittersweet. Since I'm a single mom, it helps a lot.

Paige-Hooray for your 1 pound loss! That's awesome! Congrats!

Kerry-Did you buy the new bathing suit? I'm sure you look great in it if you did.

Paige- sorry, I meant 1.5 pounds.....even better!

Well, someone is here this weekend. I've come into the office because I have so much to do, but I guess I'm so resentful that I'm avoiding doing any work....

I spent the weekend deep in thought, trying to get a handle on the emotional eating that keeps me from staying on track. I will track my feelings more closely (in my new and improved journal), and make more 'quiet time' for myself. AND I HATE MY JOB!!! which is a major stressor. I have a second interview next week, and although every situation has its challenges, I can't imagine that I would be as angry all the time as I am in my current job.

But it's a new day, a new week, almost a new month, a new summer....one day at a time!

judy

Judy-Emotional eating can be so challenging to overcome. That's my main struggle also. I'm so sorry you are having such a rough time at work. That must be terrible. I'll be praying for you. Hope the new job prospect works out.

Paige - Good for you for the loss!! You're really doing great! Keep it up girl I don't know how to stay motivated with the exercise, if you figure it out let me know and I'll do the same I've just come to the conclusion that I have to force myself to do it and yet again, I didn't today.

Kim - Glad your weekend is over and now you get a break. That's one crazy schedule But it sounds like it works for you. Enjoy your cheat day!

Judy - I'm so sorry that things have been emotional for you. I hope so much that you get the better job. I have everything crossed for good news. I know all about hating a job and that's why I went to library school. . . of course I'm getting ready to complain . .

So here goes: It was a LONG day at work today. Not only did it stink being one of the few groups in the city working, but have I told you about the old lady issues? Well we have one woman that just won't retire and she REALLY should. She's in her mid-70s and suffers from incontinence problems of some sort. Well she stank all day today and our boss wimped out on sending her home. Actually our boss ended up leaving early. We were all mad at her and had to deal with an old lady who just smells awful. I just avoid her and have no idea how to deal with it. SHAME on her daughter for sending her to work everyday. I'm probably going to **** for not being nice, but her daughter is going to **** for being an awful awful person.

Phew! I needed to get that out. Thanks I'm doing good with the eating and not so much with the exercising. The scale looked very near the 140 mark this morning and I'm hoping to see it near that on an official weigh in later this week.

I hope we see everyone back after the holiday once you get back into the swing. For now, I'm having dinner and going to bed early. I'm exhausted!

Oh and I forgot to say that I did buy a new swim suit this weekend. It's a two piece Anne Cole - black with green/white stitching. Very nice and DH says it looks GREAT! I'm so proud of myself for looking good in a 2 piece again! Plus I bought DH a surprise on Sat as well - one of those portable fire pits. It's great! We had a fire on the deck Saturday and roasted marshmallows! Fun!

Boy it was lonely around here this weekend!!! I'm glad to see some of us were able to make it back. I actually had time on the computer and had no one to talk to. I did play around and change my avatar/signature. I also added my picture to my profile...A huge step for me!!!!!

Anyway, I played around on e-bay...and of course had to buy some fiesta ware!!!! I need to learn how to sell stuff on e-bay instead of just spending $$$$. The weather has been stormy off and on all weekend so we haven't gotten to do much outside of the house. Plenty that needs to be done inside....just don't want to do it!!!

Kerry and Judy- It sucks when you have to work and most people have the day off!!!

Kim- Enjoy your cheat day!!!! They don't come around often!!!!!

Have a good evening ladies!!

Good Evening Chickies!!!

What a weekend, I of course ate way to much junk and we played football with the kids yesterday! Every muscle in my body hurts and my legs are just terrible black and blue. To think, it was my kids taking my butt down! We have to watch, my boys get a little wild, we have to keep reminding them that nobody has pads or helmets on!! They caught my oldest son taking my butt to the ground on video, I don't know which was worse me hitting the ground, or me rolling over him. We both got up hobbling!!!! I think I'm going to skip working out tonight, but it would probably help losen some of my stiff muscles up!

Man Judy, you have to get a new job asap! When you feel that badly its very hard to snap out of it. And if it's effecting your eating and your well being, it's not worth it! When I worked at Verizon, the people I worked with were great, the job it's self was beyond stressful. Nobdy calls the cell phone company unless they have a problem. 50+ of those kind of calls every night, 5 days a week can really give anybody a bad attitude, even me.

Paige, way to go on the loss, your kicking butt!!!!!

Kerry, the swim suit sound too cute! Even if I get thin enough I'm not sure I can get a bottom cut high enough to cover up the stretch marks from having the kids! So I may just have to admire everyone elses 2 pieces. Besides I never have enough to fill up the top anyway!

Kim, that actually sounds like a pretty cool schedule, I'ld love something like that. Hope you enjoyed your cheat day!!! I made mine a whole weekend of cheating!!! I best put my game face back on and get back down to business!!! I'm thinking 135 by the 4th of July! That will work if I keep gracing myself with 1 lb a week. I forgot to weigh in this morning so I'll have to do it tomorrow! I was more worried about my aching body and getting my coffee!!!!

Ok, I'm going to bed, I'm off work tomorrow, but we all have Dr. appts. tomorrow so I'll be running around all day! Chat with you then!!!

Good Morning Chickies !!!

Wow, everybody must have been really swamped getting back into the grove yesterday! Not alot to say this morning! It's my early morning, and I hate getting up! DS and I went running all day yesterday, we went to Sam's club, I haven't been there in years. I may have to make that a new monthly trip! They didn't have alot diet wise but they have tons of my house hold cleaners and stuff like that. They have great prices on food to, lunch cakes for my boys, and chicken really cheap. I may have to invest in a freezer if we continue to shop like that.

Ok, I have to run! I'll chat with you chickies later!!!!