WELCOME LISA!!!!! We love newbies! :D

Well ladies, I'm back at 151. 1 more pound and I can add another angel.

Robin-you know I've been here a couple of times, and I'm not going to blow it this time. I'm motivated and I've GOT TO keep from binging!

I've printed off the weight progress chart under the diet section of this website and I've posted it on my refrigerator. I'll be looking at that everytime I go to the kitchen. I plan on going to a step aerobics class at 6:45 tonight, then doing some weights, then I'm working an extra 11p-7a tonight. Have a good one!

My first official workout
 

Well I finally got movin' :D I did 10 min on the elyptical, 10 on the bike, 10 lifting with legs (mostly butt & thighs) then 10 min on my abs. Then I came home and felt bad about not walking with Bella so we went out for a quick 10 min walk. Altogether that's a 50 minute workout. It felt good! :workout: I'm so glad I joined a gym. They even have classes I can go to. Although I am nervous about doing them since I am so uncoordinated. We'll see. . . I didn't stop to buy the lottery ticket bc I didn't have any cash :lol: This is very typical of me. I rarely carry cash as it keeps me from spending it.

Hope everyone had a great day. Tomorrow is FRIDAY!!! FINALLY!!! :) ;)

Good evening Chickies!!!
Wow, we were chatty today, it took me over 10 mins. to catch up!! Welcome Lisa, you'll find we are a fun bunch of nuts who are just as crazy busy!!!

It's Thursday and I have to make this quick CSI is on tonight!!

Kerry, I would fall over if you really did hit! I have to confess I haven't ever been on a plane in my life, do you think we could rent a boat??? A few good stiff drinks and I'm usually game for about anything, but it's really far from PA!

Kim, I'll have to look for the brownies!!! And an extra shift on top of the gym, girl when do you sleep??

Robin, man that is such a shame about work. I usually find that it's one person causing all the problems. And to boot they all want to suck you in, well I'm glad you've held your ground!! As for your DH's aunt, make sure you contact labor relations (I'll double check the correct office) and sue the pants of the hospital, the person, and anyone else I didn't mention. I've never been a fan of the sue happy crowd, but THIS deserves it!!!! You may want to call your local welfare office, they have connections every where! When I was a case worker I called them alot for extra help and ideas!

Marie, get us an update on Kodiac!! We're all concerned!!!

Goodness, I'm sure I've forgotten to mention some things, but I really need to run! I'll try to check back in the am!!!

Hey ladies!!! Just a quick post. Today has been really hectic between WI and taking the kids to swim lessons. Just wanted to let everyone know how WI went. Last week I was really depressed and not very motivated because for some reason the scale was showing a 4-5lb gain. I missed WI last week because of an event at work. So I was alittle worried about today. I was sure I would still have a gain to post. Howevery I lost .2lbs!!!! I don't care that it was only a smidge, I will take whatever as long as it is not a gain!!!!!

Have a great night everyone!!!

"In the past three years I"ve had two babies, taken night classes towards my masters, built a house and worked a full time job as well as coached."


Good grief Lisa!!! What do you do in your "spare" time?????????????????????

Welcome to the nutcase forum!!!!!

Robin I feel for you on the office thing--work can be a joy to go to or a dreaded excursion, depending on who you have to work with!!! And best of luck with your husband's aunt! Makes you just wanna punch the guy's lights out, huh?

Marie, I am so happy to hear that Kodiak is doing better, I really hope there is no long term consequences. I am such a wuss when it comes to animals--I spoiled my dogs rotten! A couple died and it really tore me up. The last 2 I left with my ex-husband (he spoiled them too), and now I just can't make myself break down to get another, but I am a sucker for animals, especially big dogs!

Kerry, dealing with procrastinators makes me crazy, too! The munchkin is the world's best at it! He is a wonderful, really wonderful kid, but man he really knows how to push my buttons waiting to the last minute!

News from this homefront --good and bad: I have a brand new little great nephew (Daddy is in Iraq). Kaelin is a cutie! I have a 2 yr old neice that has samonella poisining, and may have to spend the next week in the hospital....poor little thing!

Have a great Friday everyone!
Joetta

Opps!!!! I am so sorry Lisa I forgot to welcome you to our group! I hope you find as much support here as we do. We have all had our ups and downs but we get past it and trudge on! Welcome!!!!

Well, I made it back from the gym. Step class was unusually hard tonight. I don't think I've ever sweat that much. It was a great workout though. I've done pretty well with my eating so far. I had oatmeal and strawberries for breakfast and almonds and yogurt for snack. I'm planning on a boca burger on wheat, a salad and an orange for lunch. :cbg: Dinner will probably be a lean cuisine and yogurt since I'll be at work. :T

Kerry-Way to go on the workout!!! You will notice a big difference in how much better you feel. :strong: 10 minutes is great for your first time on the elliptical. I could only do 5 minutes my first time.

Lori-Actually, I slept for 14 hours last night. I guess I was really tired. :dunno: I slept from 2:00am until 4:00 pm.

Paige-Congrats on the weight loss!!!! :bravo: :cb:

Joetta-Congrats on the new great nephew! :cheers: :cheer: Hope the niece feels better real soon.

Hiya Chickies, It's almost Friday and I took Monday off so weekend is looking great. I tried something new and opened Word as I was reading since there were so many posts and I didn't want to forget anyone. So I'm pasting my comments as I read. Boy did it get long. Also, food, exercise and water were all on the mark today. Yeah!

Robin, boy we have a lot in common these days. My DH is out of town too and I tend to eat breakfast for dinner. Tonight was the first night since he flew away that I had a dinner. The last couple nights were eggs. And isn’t having the whole bed great???? Kodiak came threw with flying colors. Today was the first day he seemed normal and the blood work came back “awesome” according to the vet. So there might not be any long term damage. I am so thankful. Good luck on the job situation. Arguments in the work place are so uncomfortable. Also, DH and I built our house and were our own contractor. I wouldn’t trade that for anything. We had control and weren’t at the mercy of a general contractor. I think you’ll like your choice to do it yourself. If subcontractors don’t do good work, fire ‘em. I did that and they promised to fix the job and then offered a $2000 reduction on the septic system. So it’s possible and profitable to do it yourself.

Kim, thanks for the brownie ideas. Also, great work on the exercise. It is a lot easier to exercise with someone else. Although I’ve noticed that my exercise partner, DH, and I tend to feed off each other’s non-motivation and skip it more than if I was doing it myself. Maybe DH isn’t such a great choice for an exercise partner.

Kerry, I’m a packin’ my bags. Hawaii sounds like a great destination. Sorry to hear that your weekend is shot but there’s a reason and it’s a good one. Please do keep your meds from the animals. The total vet bill was almost $300. Put it this way, I was lucky to have the money to just pay it. Usually that wouldn’t be in the budget.

Hey Lisa, welcome to a great forum thread. I think you can safely guess that all of us are busy too so you came to the right place. So far (other than not knowing if the position will be cut) I think I have one of the easiest jobs in that I have a 200 day contract, meaning I get 60 days off a year. It’s pretty cool. Hopefully it will last.

Lori, if we’re going to Hawaii and you’re traveling by boat from Pennsylvania, just where are you going to board? I did lousy in geography, but I’m pretty sure there isn’t any waterway to Hawaii from PA.

A small loss is way better than a small gain so WAY TO GO, Paige!!!!

Joetta, I’m a sucker for big dogs too. Kodiak is a tall boy, but skinny as a rail (Same as my two human boys) and my 2 female dogs are both overweight like me. My thoughts are with your new nephew, your little niece and the Dad in Iraq.

Talk to you all tomorrow. Have a great night and Friday!!!!!
Marie

It's been a crazy busy day at work - lugging journals, trekking across campus and sweating too much. I think I got my workout for today.

I'm going to get my hair cut again tonight. This time I'm doing something more drastic than a trim. I'm very nervous! Then I'm going to a cookout with a friend, but I really haven't had much too eat all day (500 cal) and I've worked myself to death so I plan to indulge a litte.

Thank God it's Friday. I am glad this week is over. I need to sleep in tomorrow. I hope you are all having a good day and have fun weekends planned.

I'll check back in over the weekend!

Hi, I'm taking a minute to say hey there, ladies! I'm back in town, exhausted, more from stress than traveling, but looking forward to getting back into balance over the weekend. Seattle was lovely, sunny and warm, and I managed to see some old friends in the course of work. I wasn't entirely eating per plan, but following the 80-20 rule and walking a lot, so I think I did okay.

I'll read your posts and do personals over the weekend. Until then, take care!
:wave:

judy

It's FINALLY FRIDAY!!! Somebody stop the clock so I can enjoy it!! I'm beat, and really need to cook something we can all eat! It's raining and chilly here in PA, I was so pleased with my new A/C I forgot to turn the heat back on last night, it was a bit frigid in the house this morning. We were all running late and to make matters worse Lead Foot Lori got a speeding ticket on my way to work! Oh Marie to answer your question, I would have drive across the US to get my boat to Hawaii, so I would need a month's head start!! And I'm so glad to hear Dakota is doing well!!

Joetta, I hope your niece is ok, samonella poisining is nothing to mess with for us adults, I couldn't even imagine a child having it.

Paige, Yea 2lbs way to go!!!!! Don't feel bad, for some reason I put on all kinds of extra pounds this week. I'm hopping it's just because I upped my weights that I'm lifting, coz I've done very well with my eating!

Kerry, sounds like you've got the new look bug!!! I usually do something drastic with my hair when I start slimming down, but I can't go much shorter with out getting a crew cut now!! But I have been considering letting it grow some. The only bad thing is I have a waive to my hair and it takes on a mind of it's own when it's long! Have fun at the cook out!! I'm saving my burger day for Memorial day and the goal weight (which I'm starting to worry)

Judy, glad your trip went well and your back!! What's the 80-20 rule??? And good for you for keeping your feet moving, espically away from home!

Kim, 14 hours??? OMG the kids would have sold tickets if I'ld have slept that long. Well what is it they were saying about not losing weight if you don't get enough sleep??? That should count for an awsome weigh in :lol: !!

Ok, I need to go cook, my oldest DS went to camp for the weekend, should be nice and peaceful around here for a couple of days, yea right!!!

Hi everyone, hope everybody is having a great Friday. I know I have. The 3 dogs and I went for a long hike and so I got some good exercise. I've been on plan and drinking my water. Unfortunately it is now TOM time to visit so WI didn't show my efforts this morning, but heck, it's Friday, so I didn't care. I have a trhee day weekend to enjoy and I plan on doing that on my plan. No deviations like the last couple of weekends.

Judy, glad you're back. Seattle was warm and sunny???? That's not fair. I'm only about 350 miles SOUTH of there and except today, it's been cold and rainy. I'm glad it was nice for you though.

Lori, a speeding ticket?!?!? I don't think that driving across the US will be very thrifty if you're a lead foot. By the way, if you lighten that lead load, it'll be less on the scales. Hahahaha. Can you tell I'm in a great mood?

Kerry, enjoy your barbecue. That sounds like fun.

Talk to you all over the weekend.
Marie

Good Morning Chickies :coffee:!!

Hope everybody is having a great weekend, it is rainy and yucky here in PA! I don't know gang, I'm starting to get worried, it looks like I have put on 2lbs this week. Problem is I'm not sure why!! I'm seriously hoping it's just because I upped my weights and that it's just muscle, but how can ya not worry!!! I have been very careful about what I have eaten, maybe I'm going to have to shake things up! I'll have to think about that today!!
I'll keep checking back, not much to do with this misserable weather!

Good Morning!
 

Well the cookout got rained out :( It poured all evening from about 5pm on. My hair looks great though. She cut most of it in layers up to my shoulders and chin, but gave me one longer layer underneath to lessen the shock. I really like it and can't wait to see what it looks like after I do it myself. I'm hoping I can just wash and go sometimes ;)

I have a new recent obsession that worries me - Starbucks Frappuccino! I get the light one and the tall is only 230 cal, but last night I had the grande and it's 300! It is soooo good with that caffeine kick! They use splenda and fat free milk though. I'm going to have to be careful about those bc they are too close to work and everyone at work is into them as well. On another note, I discovered a Smoothie King just up the road as well that I can walk to so I intend to indulge in that for lunch this summer Yum! I'm really diggin the smoothie thing ladies. Thanks! :D

Did I mention that DH & I are really planning a trip to Hawaii for Christmas? My very best friend lives on Maui (moved there after college). I've been watching ticket prices and making plans in hopes that we would be able too. I think we might! I've been twice in the past six years for a total of a month on the island. I love visiting her and vacationing at the same time. Lori - this would not be a good first plane ride, but I don't think I could handle a boat. I get seriously sea sick and that's a long ride! Maybe if I hit the lottery we can all meet somewhere on the mainland :lol:

Marie - glad to hear you're on plan with the water, I have a lot of trouble with it. And don't worry about the WI during TOM I just went through that and now it looks like post TOM I am actually lower than I was prior. I hope the same for you.

Lori - I believe you are gaining muscle. After working out this week I don't see how one can lift weight and not gain. I can feel muscles I never knew existed! Don't worry about it and keep up the hard work! It's paying off bc I am sure you are feeling great. ;)

Judy - Welcome back! I'm so glad that you had nice weather for your trip and you got some personal time in while away. I hope you're settling back in and we see more of you! :)

Joetta - How is your niece doing? I hope she's feeling better. We have a new baby in our family and one of my BF has a new nephew that I got to hold and love on last night. Ah babies...

Robin, Paige and Kim - I hope your doing well out there! Working your butt off and trying to lose weight can be all consuming huh? Take care and checkin when you can! :grouphug:

Marie, I read one of your posts about software and this Life form thing is really cool. I downloaded the sample and I just may have to buy this bad boy!
Thank you
http://www.lifeform.com/

Just a quick post tonight!! I hope everyone has been able to enjoy the day! It was a beautiful day here! I spent most of the day cleaning and grocery shopping...fun, fun, fun. I actually got to do my yoga dvd tonight without any interruptions!! That was a first...I waited until the kids went to bed. I feel really good having actually gotten through it...an accomplishment!! I'll check back in tomorrow.

Lori, I really like Lifeform. I paid the $39 at least four or five years ago. What's scary is how much I go up and down. It's given me proof I'm a yo-yo dieter. I want that to stop. I want to lose weight and keep it off this time. I use it to track TOM (since I'm perimenopause and it's changing so much), weight, and I use it for journalling and tracking whether I earned my 4 points (diet, exercise, water for a reward goal). I used to journal on it, then I started journalling on 3FC, but I went back to tracking my days/feelings on Lifeform. To say the least, I found it worth every penny. I know how many calories family recipes have and you can add new foods. It's a helpful tool.

I'm watching Nascar at the moment and Jeff Gordon was just leading but isn't anymore. I figure several of FullTime Working Stiffs are watching based on the beginning thread. I love wireless laptops!!!!

I've been good with water and diet today, but I didn't exercise. Unless we count walking around our new SuperWalmart - they keep changing it around and I walked the store several times. I spent too much money on clothes, but I love to shop. And the capris this year are really pretty.

Well, I'll talk to you all later.
Marie

Well, I made it through my "girls night" get-together. I did pretty well actually. I ended up having 1630 calories today, which is not bad considering all of the pizza and sweets. "The Notebook" was a real tear-jerker. I usually don't cry during movies, but I did towards the end of this one. I highly recommend it though if any of you haven't seen it yet. Tomorrow is Sunday which is my hardest "diet day". I have a hard time not binging on Sundays for some reason. It's probably due to the fact that it's my last 12 hour shift and I'm really tired. I can do it though. Hope you girls enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Kim

Good Morning Gals!
A quick check in from chilly Ky! We had snow flurries this morning! The derby festival kicked off last night, and everyone was bundled up like eskimos!

Little Olivia is doing better with the samonella. Background on how she got it---She is 2, her sister is 4. Mom found a wet playset teapot beside the turtle tank, asked 4 yr old Lauren where the water came from, she told her it came from the turtle water. Then asked if she drank it, she replied, "No, Livvey did."

Went to a wedding yesterday--the girl that was such a butt-head at work. LONG day, was happy when that was over! I did very well with the eating, since the food was just finger foods, and the chicken salad and ham/biscuit sandwiches were really terrible. There was a chocolate fountain, but I don't like chocolate- so that was not a temptation!

Have a lot to do today to catch up--laundry, cleaning, getting office supplies ready for my day in Lexington tomorrow, oh, and the basket of ironing!!!!

Gotta run!
Joetta

Good Morning!
 

Well it's barely morning and I just rolled out of bed. I stayed up late watching a movie and hanging out with DH. Then he stayed up even later over at the college working on his portfolio. I swear that boy has his days and nights mixed up at this point. :dizzy:

I was REALLY bad yesterday and I PAID for it. I had a lunch date with some of my girlfriends. We went to a new restaurant here in Charlotte called "Red Robin" it's a NW chain that has ventured into our neck of the wood. I had a huge hamburger with cheese and onion straws. I didn't eat too many fries, but I did drink TWO strawberry lemonades which were very sweet. I figure I consumed about 1000 calories in one sitting! :eek: I had heart burn for the rest of the day. I was going to go to the gym, but I thought I would get sick. :barf: So I went shopping instead. :D I bought a cute summer sweater set (sleeveless shell with cover) and another sweater to cover a shell I already own. I tried to find shoes with no luck. Needless to say, The only thing I had for the rest of the day was a small glass of sprite to settle my tummy and then a few bites of ice cream before bed. :devil: Today I go to the gym.

Joetta - the story with your niece sounds familiar. Sisters!! I never had one, but I have 4 nieces to witness the damage! Glad she is feeling better. And you survived the evil ones wedding. Bad food always help curb the eating. What's the point and why waste the calories right? It got way chilly here yesterday and today too. Brrrr... I hope you get everything done today!

Kim - I've seen "The Notebook" and I cried. How could you not? It was SAD. Then we watched "Ladder 49" last night and it was sad too. :cry: I have the movie "Birth" to watch this evening. I hope you can stick to plan tonight. That's quite a shift! Good luck! :)

Marie - I'm jealous of your wireless laptop. That will be one of my first indulgences after I've been working the new job awhile. I'm hoping to do it by the time DH starts in the fall so I can absolve myself from the office and give it solely to him for a studio. And where in the heck do you journal on 3FC? I need to investigate.

Paige - My day today will be like your yesterday, cleaning and groceries - yuck! So how'd you do at the Yoga? Do you fall over like me?

Well I'm off for now probably just to read a bit since life doesn't actually get moving here in SC until 1-2 pm when church lets out. Yep you heard that right, most business don't open until after church. I live right smack in the bible belt :lol: Today I will workout, read, grocery shop, watch movie, laundry and prepare for next week. Enjoy your Sunday ladies! :)

Hi everyone, I hope everybody is doing great. I'm on plan so far today with food and water. Haven't exercised, but I plan on doing that shortly. I made Banana Baked Oatmeal bars. It's a recipe I got off 3FC. Next I'm going to try a Lo Cal Banana Bread that I got off the journals this morning. But for now, I have enough stuff with the bars.

Kerry, the journaling part is right buy forums on the menu. There's a great group of women there. You talk about your day and such, and there's a place for comments. If I really need motivation to stay on plan, I go there still and read others journals. It's very motivating.

Joetta, I'm so glad your niece is doing okay. What a horrible scare. When I read your post, I was very surprised that you went to the bad one's wedding. What possessed you to do that?

Kim, I find Sundays hard because it's so relaxed and quiet. I guess I get bored and I start to eat. It's usually a fight with myself to stay on plan. When I stay on plan Monday through Saturday, I'm pleased. On Sundays, if I'm good, I'm just plain relieved.

Here's hoping everyone has a good week.
Marie

Holy Cow! I miss 48 hrs worth of posting, and it's like I haven't been on in a week. We are a chatty bunch, aren't we. It was a gorgeous weekend here, even after the weatherman said it was going to rain most of the weekend. But they're never right anyway, I don't know why I listen to them. I worked both yesterday and today weeding and planting flowers in our flowerbeds. We have something like 100 feet of flowerbeds that are about 2-3 feet deep. The run the length of the house, and then turn and go the width of the house. We're renting this place, and the last tenants evidently didn't do anything with the beds. It took me all day yesterday, and about four hours today to just pull weeds from them. And then it took me another few hours to put in the new plants. I am so sore. My entire back, legs, and arms are sore all over. Plus, both days, I took a break and went for a hike since the weather was nice. I haven't eaten much either day. So, I'm hoping my WI tomorrow morning will be a good one. I really exhausted right now, physically. Emotionally, spending all weekend doing the flowerbeds was just what the doctor ordered. After all the stress of last week, my mind needed a good break.

Marie - I'm so jealous. I have a wireless laptop, too. But where I'm currently living, there are no other Internet connections other than dial-up and satellite. I'm hoping that where we build our house, there will be DSL available. What all kinds of dogs do you have?

Kerry - You've really been Miss Chatty the last two days. That's okay, though. I love reading the posts. I'm so jealous of you, too. Hawaii for Christmas? I've been wanting to go there for quite a while. My DH and I were actually planning on going this year, but since we're building the house this year, we just can't swing both. And I really want a new house. I hope you enjoyed the strawberry lemonades. They sounded greatd!

Joetta - I'm glad your niece is doing better. Did she have to be hospitalized at all? I know it's not funny that she got sick, but it is sort of funny how the two little girls told what had happened. Fortunately, kids are pretty resilient. I guess they have to be just to survive to be an adult. Especially if they have siblings.

Kim - I've been wanting to watch "The Notebook," but I don't like the way Nicolas Sparks ends some of his stories. Like in the movie "Message in a Bottle." I didn't see a need to kill of Kevin Costner's character in the end. And I figure this one probably ends the same way, or something as dramatic that would make me cry, too. But I'm sure one day when my DH is out of town again, I'll rent it and ball my eyes out. - And fourteen hours of sleep sounds like heaven to me! I love to sleep.

Paige - I'm glad you had a good weekend. I hope this coming week is a good one, too.

Lori - Your weight gain could definitely be due to the increase in your weights during your workouts. Muscle is way heavier than fat. But on the good side, it burns way more calories, too.

Did we scare Lisa off? I hope I didnt' miss anyone else.

All of the troubles my office was having at work have been worked out. And I was told by HR that I was not part of the problem, and that I had done anything wrong. So, I was very relieved for that. I've only worked there six months. Most of the stuff started before I was hired.

And as for my husband's aunt, I actually work for Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare. I'm not a caseworker, but I work with them a lot. I actually do locates for all the foster care cases in ID. I find the families and parents of children in the foster care system. Anyway, I've got great resources for helping his aunt. We are persuing discrimination charges, and will also be hiring an attorney to try and get her some retirement for her near 30 years of work. She's completely distraught over the whole thing. So I really want to help her out the way she deserves, which is the best.

I hope everyone has a great week! Wish me luck on my WI. I'm hoping my armadillo gets to move some.

Robin

I'm sooooo disappointed in myself. I did it again. Why do I do this? I just binge on carbs from the time I wake up on Sundays until Monday mornings when I go to bed. I think I consumed 7000 calories which is definitely a record. I know that I've definitely got a problem. Have any of you tried Southbeach? I've been trying to do weight watchers points system and it worked really well for about 3 months, then all of a sudden I started having this binging problem on Sundays. It's like I can't stop myself. I always save all of my flex points for Sunday because I know that it's the hardest day for me, but I still go WAY over. I was just wondering if I tried cutting out all of the bad sweet stuff if it would make the carb cravings/binging any less. Any insite would be very much appreciated.

Robin you are a much better tenant than I am. We keep our yard nice, but all our plants and flowers are in pots. I refuse to put them in the ground when our landlord does NOTHING for the place and didn't when she lived there either. We'll be taking them with us. My BF has put hers in the ground and intends to transplant everything when she buys. I just couldn't imagine the labor! I bet it looks nice now though :) And yes I do tend to be chatty. I'm glad no one minds. I get bored and just ramble. I guess if I had a couple kids to distract me it would be different. . . someday. . .

Marie - I did find the journals, but it wasn't exactly what I expected. It's like group journaling huh? Glad it works for you! I just get on here and ramble to you guys. ;)

Kim - I have serious issues with carbs too and my only way of dealing is to say no to most - no cookies, cakes, candy, breads, etc. When I do have them it is a special treat. I do have sandwiches regularly so I get bread there and I eat lots of fruit which tends to curb my cravings for sweets plus since cutting out the refined sugars, fruit tastes oh so sweet now! I tried one of the low carb diets years ago and it made me feel awful. I was tired and grumpy. Carbs are NOT bad, it just depends on what kind you eat. I've lost all my weight so far doing - 50% carbs, 30% good mostly good fat & 20% protein. The body needs fat and carbs! Try going to http://www.mypyramid.gov and see what the guidelines say for you when you put in your age, weight, etc. It should be a good guide for your standards. What is your BIGGEST weakness in the carb category? I would suggest cutting it for a few weeks (mine was cookies) and see if that helps. I find that when I stop eating something completely I surprisingly stop craving it after a few weeks.

Well I dropped only a pound as of this morning. Last week I thought I was going to lose 2, but not this morning. I've been working out and lifting weights, so that could have something to do with it. I hope to see some results from all this sweating! I've been doing about 15-20 min of cardio and 10-15 min of strength. We'll see. . .

Have a great week ladies. We're counting down to the weekend again! ;)

Good Evening Chickies!!!

I know how you feel Robin, I only missed yesterday and needed to catch up! It's a good thing, being chatty is very encouraging so gab away Kerry!

Well, I don't get to move my ticker this week, I guess I was due! But at least I came back to the 147 lbs. That made me feel better!! I'm planning on switching my work out routine starting today, so when I'm done with dinner I have to hit the weights!

Sorry girls, I hate tear jerky movies! I want stuff to blow up and suspense! Most of the action movies the good guy always wins!

I know I'm not going to remember everything, but I want to mention a few things.

Joetta, little turkeys! That was so funny, at the time serious, but they will laugh about that for years when they get older!!! Glad she is better, I swear kids will eat anything!

Kerry, I love to read, I just don't find the time like I used too! Maybe after summer, I'm usually to busy and it stays daylight way to long! Tell DH he's going to have to come in from his vampire mode now that you're going to be working full time!!!

Robin, you have the perfect job to help her!! Like I said, I never sued anybody in my life, but I truley hope you sue the pants right off 'em!!! They deservie it!

Marie, your making me hungry for banana bread! Now I'm going to have to hide a couple so they don't get eaten and use the excuse to bake some bread!

Kim, you will find that I eat tons of carbs. I'm just trying to be more careful which ones I eat. Your body is probablly craving them because of the 24 hour tourte your giving it! Carbs are good for quick energy boosts! The best advice I can give you is over pack your lunch bucket with healthier choices, popcorn, pretzels, rice! You need power food, that's why your body is carring on so bad. Brown rice, whole weat anything, and sweet potatoes are awsome slow burn carbs! I usually make myself a cup of tomato soup and toss in some brown rice! The choices are limitless, but the other half of the equaition, don't take ANY MONEY TO WORK! Nothing, no change, no dollars, no big bills (some one will break them for you)!! Less than one month you won't truely care if you eat another Ho-ho agian! I promise the cravings go away! I can go through McDonalds drive through and the smell turns my stomach! I also tossed out a ton of easter candy that nobody ate!!

Lori and Kerry- Thanks for the great advice. I will definitely take it. I literally ate myself sick yesterday. I feel so nauseated today. I can't ever let myself do that again. Love the idea about not taking any money and packing lots of healthier choices. I'll do that next time. It sounds like both of you are doing great!

Hey ladies!! I just wanted you to know I was here and had been catching up on all your posts. Today was such a gloomy day after a beautiful weekend. One of those days when you just want to stay in bed! I was outside most of yesterday and I am paying for that today! My allergies have taken over and I feel miserable. I did find some allegra-d in the cabinet but it doesn't seem to have taken yet! Some of you were talking about journaling. I recently started one at livejournal.com. If you want to check it out to see if it is for you my username is allaboutmetime. I like it better then the 3FC journal because I wanted a log of what I'm going through daily that I can look back on when I reach my goals along the way. Kind of like a diary. You can't really do that easily on 3FC. You can add friends to your list and they can leave comments as well to your post. To exhausted tonight to reply to all the post tonight. I'll do better tomorrow.

Today will be a challenge
 

Well I baked a birthday cake last night - chocolate with chocolate icing - YUM!! :devil: All I could smell was chocolate on the drive in this morning. It is one of my coworkers birthday tomorrow and we are celebrating today. We are also having pizza and subs for lunch. It's going to be hard to be good today and I just might have to splurge a little. :s:

I am loving the fitness routine. I find that I don't really want to go when I get home, but I force myself to and feel so GOOD when I am done! :smug: It inspires me to do it again and again no matter how much I want to talk myself out of it beforehand.

Lori - I am all about the "no cash" theory. It helps me so much to know that I don't have money to go to the cafeteria where we have a smorcasboard of tempting foods! No cash = no cheating! :p I hope it works for you too Kim!

Paige - I like the livejournal thing! I might have to do that myself! I love journaling and need something more techie than the old fashioned pen and paper. And don't worry about responding to everyone all the time. It's nice to just see posts about what's going on with you! :)

Happy Tuesday
 

Well my armadillo finally got to take a couple of steps. He was getting really bored where he was. I'm down 2 lbs at yesterday's WI. That put's me at 190. I was hoping for 189, just to break past the 190s, but I'll take what I can get.

I stopped carrying cash a while back. I found that I too easily spent it, usually on junk food, and then had no idea what I had done with it. I'm too frugal (aka cheap) to not know where my money is going. But it does help fight the cravings to get something from the vending machines. They don't take debit cards or checks, so I'm fairly safe there.

I, too, have allergies. I just had to get my allegra prescription refilled. I also have prescription eye drops because my eyes tend to itch so bad that I want to scratch my eyes out. But I was introduced to these eye drops last summer and it's been heaven ever since. I think I'm actually going to enjoy summer this year.

I love working out, but it is kind of funny how until I actually do it, I dread it. I fight it because I just want to go relax. But once I do it I feel great. But it's pretty much the same story every day. I make myself go exercise, and then I'm glad I did once it's over.

Kim, I have a real problem with the carbs, too. So when I started this weight loss regime, I decided that I would just avoid sugary carbs. I still eat pasta, wild rice, whole grain breads, and such. But at all costs I try to avoid the cakes and such. And after the first week or two, it was fairly easy. Although, when I've fallen off the wagon, usually caused by stress eating, I have to go through the "withdrawl" period again. But it's easier each time. And I have noticed that some foods now turn my stomach, too. I can turn down fried foods with no problems at all. And on a normal day, one with no excessive hormones or stress, I don't have a problem turning down cookies and cake either. It does take a while to get to that point, though. So, stick with it. And I also pack my lunch and snacks for the day. That way I just eat what I bring with me to work and then I don't have as much temptation.

Well gotta go. Have a great day!
Robin

Newbie
 

:wave: Howdy Everyone!

I'm Rebecca from Oklahoma and I am a full time working stiff trying to lose weight. So far I have had no luck, but now I am getting my fat butt in gear.

Let's see what do you wanna know about me?

I am 24 years old, have one daugher Allison Nicole who is 17 months, I will be celebrating my 5 year anniversary to my wonderful husband Scott this July.
I work Tues-Fri 10 hours, and every other week I work Wed-Sat 10 hours, it is very draining on me. But, I gotta work to pay the bills.

We are going to Las Vegas in June with some friends and I would love to lose 10-15lbs before then, so today is a new journey! I am going to start by changing my eating habits, and exercising. Right now I am on my 3rd bottle of water (20 oz) per bottle, and after Allison goes to bed, I am going to work out. Wish me luck on that one!

My long term goal is to lose 70lbs, I would love to reach this goal by Christmas of 2006, I know it is possible I just gotta stick to my diet!

I can't wait to get to know everyone, and to be on this journey with other ladies who are going through the same thing as me.

Sorry for babbling on, but if there is anything you guys want to know let me know.

I swore I was going to work out before I jumped on here, but I can't help myself!! I just hate getting behind, we just chat up a storm :lol:!!!

Welcome Rebecca, I hope all goes good for you this time!! We have a fun, busy bunch of nuts here!!

Robin, Wahooo 2lbs, you go :dance:!!!!!!!!! I know what you and Kerry mean about practically needing to kick yourself to do the work-out then absolute bliss when your done!! Hey I rode the stationary bike for 30 mins. yesterday (15 mins. hard, 5 slow, 5 more hard, then finised the last 5 slow) The sweat was dripping so bad I couldn't see the numbers on the meter and had a puddle forming under the bike! Last time I tried the bike I thought I was going to die after 8 mins. so apperantly I'm getting in better shape too! And it's one of those killer bikes that the faster you pedal the harder it gets and the arms are going at the same time!!!!

Ok, enough blabber for tonight I have to get moving!

And Paige, just droping a line and letting us know you're still hanging in is great!!

AH--AH--AH--CHOO! I've spent the day doing mostly routine check-ups of my female plumbing, and between appointments wandered around the neighborhood the hospital's in, admiring the lovely homes and all the blossoms. I guess I inhaled a lot of pollen in the process....but it was nice to do all the medical stuff on one day, instead of trying to rush back to work.

I managed to lose two pounds last week, after being so worried about losing my focus while traveling. I'll be gone again on Friday, so I want to keep the momentum going. I need to lose seven more pounds by Memorial Day. I'm bringing seafood burgers to a co-worker's potluck tomorrow, so I know there will be at least one thing I can eat!

Hi, LadyBug! Nice to meet you. I'm trying to lose lots of weight over time, too. Do you have a specific eating plan in mind?

Robin, congratulations on the weight loss :goodscale

Kerry--I love what you said about working out, I can really relate to it.

Kim--Have you seen a nutritionist? Sometimes they can help you identify a balance of foods that will work for you, since everyone is different. I've been avoiding most sugar and processed grains (including rice), and eating two, maybe three fruits a day, and lots of veggies and protein. I definitely don't eat sweets or bread before noon, 'cuz when I do I'm on a bender for the rest of the day. I love love love cereal, but it just makes me hungrier than before. I blame it on the years of going back and forth on low-fat diets. Anyway, South Beach seems like a reasonable plan, because you can eat fruit after the first few weeks, and it seems to be more heart-healthy than Atkins. I do a variation of it that I worked out with a doctor, and so far, so good!

Oops, gotta run! I hope everyone is doing great! I really enjoy your posts.

judy :flow1:

Good Evening ladies!! Hope all is well with everyone!

Welcome Rebecca! I hope you find the motivation and encouragement here that you need. This is a fabulous group of women!!!!!

Judy- Boy, what a fun day you have had!!ha-ha Congrats on the 2lbs!!!! That's great, keep it up!

Kerry- I really like the live journal thing, It helps to keep me motivated. I like the idea of having everything accounted for so I can look back on it when I reach my goal!! Let me know if you try it. How did you do today with all the goodies at work!

Lori-I also am all for the no cash thing!!! It really helps me alot. As a matter of fact I walked by the vending machines today at work and I thought to myself "Gee, I haven't visited those in a long time!".

I managed to get my yoga in last night before I went to bed and I must say I slept really good!!!! It is getting easier each time I do it. I'd like to get up enough nerve sometime to actually go to a class. But that won't happen for awhile. Well we just got home from swimming lessons and I thought I would jump on and see how everyone was doing. I always like to hear about those extra pounds melting away!!! Keep up the good work everyone!

Evening all, today was a great day. I lost 4 pounds since last WI. Granted some was due to the TOM ending, but some was just me being good. That is such a great way to start the day. For the last couple of months, all I saw was the scale going up. I have 7 pounds to go to be at where I was last November. I know I can do it.

I've had about 1300 calories today, draks tons of water and took my 3 dogs for a hike on the mountain logging roads. I huff and puff my way up the hills, then the down is like a breeze. I figure it all evens out. I couldn't go as long as I would have liked because of Kodiak's endurance was compromised by the abuterol experience.

Lori, I like the idea of not carrying cash. I always don't have any because if I do my teenagers seem to confiscate it. So I have exactly $1 in my purse. It does stop me spending money when co-workers go to Burger King/McDonalds. Can't buy if no cash. Lucky for me, they took out our vending machines at work.

Welcome Rebecca. What's cool about this site is that you can share as much as you want. No one's going to push you for more. I hope you enjoy Las Vegas. It's an interesting town. I'm going to Reno in a week and half for my 22 anniversary. The strips are very showy.

Paige, I journal on my Lifeform software. I have journals far back (about 5 years) of previous diets. I should go back and look at those. Maybe I can find a clue as to why I feel off the wagon. Might be interesting.

Well, that's about it from my end. Work was good and the weather was gorgeous. All together perfect day.
Marie

Thanks for the warm welcomes everyone!

Judy~My plan is start drinking more water, less pop, no more junk food, no more sweets, make better choices when getting fast food. Eat my fruits and veggies everyday, if you have any tips I will gladly take them!

I had another bad day yesterday. I'm feeling so much better today though. Junk food sounds gross today for some reason. I went to the gym for an hour this morning and did an advanced step aerobics class. So far to eat I've had Kashi oatmeal, an orange, and a blackberry fat free yogurt. I'm planning on making Salmon for supper tonight, which I've never made. I hope it turns out O.K. I'm sure my son will let me know if it's not. I made him chocolate chip pancakes this morning and he was in heaven. I resisted them, by the way, yeah!

Paige-Hope your allergies are better!

Kerry-Your cake sounded yummy! I'm glad you're loving the fitness routine.

Robin and Judy-Congrats on the 2 pounds!!!!! :cb: :cp: :dancer:

Welcome Rebecca!!!!! :wave:

Lori-That bike workout sounds great. I've read that bicycling is one of the highest calorie burn workouts that you can do. My 45 minute spin class is supposed to burn between 400-800 calories.

Marie-WOW-4 pounds!!!! That's awesome! :bravo: :cheer:

Hope everyone has a great day!!!!

Lori- Have you read this article yet? It's a good one.


Why the Scale Lies

We’ve been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can’t resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can’t bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence it’s readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.

Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body’s water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don’t understand what’s happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it’s water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water.

Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it’s easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn’t have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That’s why, when it comes to eating, it’s wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.

Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it’s packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it’s stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it’s associated water. It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you’re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it’s wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It’s the actual weight of everything you’ve had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you’ve finished digesting it.

Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it’s not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, it’s likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it’s only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it’s physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you’re really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.

This brings us to the scale’s sneakiest attribute. It doesn’t just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you’ve lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you’re just sitting around. That’s one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.

Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn’t differentiate between the two. It can’t tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat. There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current.

If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry. The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don’t be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride. It’s a matter of mind over scale.

Great article Kim!!! I think that's your biggest post over here yet :lol:!!!

It's obvious I have increased endoruance, but my butt is more than a little sorry I pushed so hard on the bike! :D I think I may have to avoid that bad boy tonight!! At any rate, yes my muscles and body are SLOWLY transforming, I can see the muscles peaking out of my upper body, but that spare tire thing around my gut has got to go!! See what kills me is everybody says measure, measure, measure! But I lose inches in some really weird places, like my feet, hands, face, and yes what little bit of boobs I have! I didn't measure any of those things! So sometimes the tape measure dosen't tell the whole story either!

I'll write more later, I have to cook dinner now!

Boy do I feel like a dork! Ya know I just hate being wrong, after Kim's informative article, and my friend Rachel giving me an ear beating I think I'm getting a little too much sodium. And I thougt I was doing so good picking out low fat foods, well I guess I got carried away with being a busy full time working stiff. I have had at least one (usually 2) meals a day for the past 2 weeks that came from a can or a bag! Like tomato soup, tuna, and my favorite frozen chicken stir fry! OOpppsss, I think I better get back to dicing and slicing my own food and save the cans for when I'm really pressed for time! Can you say DORKARELLA!!! Yea, that would be me the one who never admits when she's wrong, so mark this one up on the calender!!! And to think, I was blaming it on the protien smoothies being too many calories! Well I'll behave the rest of the week and see where that gets me! If I'm still having a problem next week we may have to look at my new smoothie intake!!!

Good evening chickies!

Welcome Rebecca! :wave:

Lori - I didn't measure anything and wish I would have. I've used my clothing as an indication of inches lost. I too have lost so much in my boobs and face and other weird places only to have this donut still hanging out around my gut. :mad: Grrr... this has been my solid inspiration for working out regularly from now on. I sure hope we can do this. . . I'm starting to worry.

Kim - I hope you were able to get back on the wagon today. Try to start fresh and stay away from those high calorie carbs! Eat more fruit! ;)

Paige - I'm glad the yoga is going well for you and it sounds like you're really enjoying it. Honestly I'm intimidated by all the fitness classes, but yoga would give me fits! :lol:

Marie! Way to go!!! That's quite a loss! :bravo: Keep it up! You'll have those seven off in no time - I know you can do it to :cheer:

Judy - that's great that you lost 2 while traveling. You're really staying on plan and doing so well! :cp: How did the potluck go?

Robin - A two pound loss is AWESOME!!! :dancer: You're going to be below 190 in a matter of days! ;)

It sounds like many of us are suffering from allergies. I thought my nose was the size of a baseball when I went to bed last night. I took so much decon and allergy meds if you could od on the stuff I would've. It's really put me down. I have managed to make it to the gym twice this week so far - Mon and today. I did mostly cardio tonight and I'm trying to push myself: 15 minutes on the elyptical, 10 minutes on the bike and 10 minutes working abs HARD. I laid off the weights today bc I'm suffering a bit and need to do some serious stretching. I'm really starting to feel it though in all kinds of places!

Good news - DH passed his portfolio review for specialization and is officially at Junior Interior Design level! I am so happy for him and relieved! :lol: He's almost done for the semester and I can't wait.

Well I'm off for now. I'll check back in tomorrow. Keep it up ladies - We're doing great!!! :balloons: