Kimberley - I attempted to clean my bathroom today.. I was inspired by you! I didn't get as far as you though, only got the toilet, sink, and some of the stall done.

How about a challenge? I started something up in the South Beach forum.. by why not do it 2 places?!? Exactly! So I'm thinking, week 1.. we drink at LEAST 3L's of water a day. What do you all think?

I am off to bed, have a great night gals!

-Aimee

I inspired someone to clean? Well, how about that?? Most of the time I can't even inspire myself to clean, LOL!

Liters...Hmmmm....Gotta convert that to ounces before I can wrap my brain around it.

Okay, according to Google calculator (Oh, I love Google!), that's a bit over 101 ounces. I could do that. I try to drink two or three 32-oz (.95 liter) cups of water a day, chugging one down right when I get up...Except first thing on weigh-in day of course!

I know I'm supposed to be sleeping.. but the bf isn't tired.. so I'm awake too. I have a realllllly early morning tomorrow, the phone company says they are coming between 8:30am and 12pm. I am really getting sick of them.. poo heads. I took the day off work to hang out waiting all day? woowee!

Anywho, I should have converted the L's into American.. aka.. about 96 oz. I like my idea.. my next thing is I think no eating past 8pm? or like 3 hours before bedtime. I just can't chug water, so I end up sipping all day.

Alrighty, really going to bed now.. so sleepy! Nite

-Aimee

Whew, I'm in late this morning! Of the crazy things, I actually had WORK to do when I got to the office at 6am today But now it's done, so here I am

I definitely drink a ton of water during the day. I just keep refilling my little 16-oz bottle. Once I've had 4 bottles (8 servings), I stop counting, but I pretty much always have more--and that's just while I'm at job #1! At job #2, I continue drinking (Minute Maid Light lemonade--5 calories per serving, plus I do about 2/3 lemonade and 1/3 water to water it down even more). I used to drink diet coke at the restaurant, but I find it doesn't really quench my thirst (plus it has sodium!), and I can't drink the water there plain--so icky! So I do my lemonade-water mix and that gets me through the night. Also, after running around all night, I am usually quite thirsty when I get home, so I drink a tall glass of water (sometimes 2) right before I go to bed. As for eating after 8pm (or 3 hours before bedtime, since our schedules all vary so drastically), I don't know if I could ever commit to that. I think what that rule is really helpful for isif you have a problem with night binging or grazing, which I don't have time to do But sometimes I don't get a chance to have my last snack (or sometimes even my dinner) till about 9 or 10 pm, so count me out on that one.

So last night, I was serving again. Good, I figured I'd be home by 10 (since it was pretty slow business last night), I'd make a few bucks more than if I was hosting, all would be good. But of course, that was all too simple. Instead, one of the kitchen guys called out, so one of the servers who was supposed to close last night got pulled back to the kitchen to cook instead (he worked in the kitchen before--they really don't just randomly make servers cook ). So then we needed a second closer (entirely too much work for one person to close alone), so of course, they asked me. I hesitated and said I would do it IF no one else would. Well, no one else would. SO luck me, I was there for forever and didn't get home till a few minutes past midnight. the silver lining, though, is that I walked away with 78 bucks in tips (and that's after I tipped out the host, salad bar attendant, and bar tender). Not bad for the hour-and-a-half of sleep I had to sacrifice. I also kept in mind that I do not have to work on Thursday night (gave my shift to someone else who wanted to work and wasn't scheduled), so I know I'll be able to sleep extra both tonight (since I have a dr appointment at 8am, I get to sleep till 7!) and Thursday night (podiatrist appointment is at 8:30, so again, I get to sleep till 7!).

Tomorrow morning is weigh-in, plus I'll be able to go to my TOPS meeting again since I gave my night shift away. Hopefully the loss will still carry over to the scales tomorrow and nothing from the weekend has "caught up" with me. I honestly think that since I restrict my calories so much during the week, it all balances out (usually between 1400-1500 calories per day during the week). I think it also keeps my metabolism guessing, since it's pretty much 4.5 days on plan, then 2.5 days off plan (it all starts with dinner on Friday night!). I'll go on thinking this way till I hit a plateau and get frustrated Oh, I cut some sodium out of today's allowance by making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch (light white bread, 1tblsp strawberry jelly, 1 tblspn Skippy reduced-fat peanut butter) instead of my usual Lean Pocket Ultra. I have to be careful when I make my PB&J sandwiches--I could honestly sit down with a jar of Skippy reduced-fat PB and a spoon and just eat the whole thing--YUM! So, sticking to the 1 tblspn of PB on the sandwich and NOT eating any directly from the jar was a minor accomplishment this morning

Well, off to try and stay awake till 3, then off to job #2 (where I have to say till about 10:30-11 since I am hosting tonight). I can't eat anything tonight because I have to fast for my morning blood work, so not even any lemonade after 10pm tonight, and no breakfast before I leave in the morning. Should help the answer I get on my scale when I weigh-in tomorrow morning Catch all you Fab Chicks later--have a great one!

Marge--there just so happens to be an Amtrak station about, oh, 2 miles from my apartment--I hear the train whistles as they go by ALL the time. I think the planets are aligning... --Jill

That's great. My favorite part of the ride is going over Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. The tracks go over the water in an almost scary way.

I wonder what it actually takes to lose weight, I don't feel like I necessarily have it, but I push thru because what other choice do I have. I think once I start to believe in myself, I'll get it off consistantly. --Aimee

I think everyone who wants to really do it and is ready to do it has it. For me it has been more like a puzzle, figuring out what works and what doesn't. I think I had to figure some personal issues out first before I could really do what I needed to do. I think that's why I always like the idea of Phil's keys, because it approaches weight loss from a lot of different angles. And it's like you say, if I don't do it I stay the same weight or gain, and I don't want to do that. Hey, it's a lot of work, no question about it.

If my boyfriend was flirting on national tv? I'd cut off his balls. Maybe not, I'm dramatic. But if he were to flirt with anyone when I'm around, I'd be very very angry.

Heh heh. I've never thought of myself as a jealous person, but I've had a couple of episodes this past year. I don't like getting jealous. I don't know what I'd do if Rob actually cheated, he isn't that way at all, so it's hard to imagine. I know couples can get past it; don't know if I would. Hope I never have to deal with that situation!

So New York, heaven, shopping heaven. New York is such a huge city, and there has to be tons of flights going there.. which makes them cheaper.. not only that, I can even fly from the USA (brother lives in Seattle), so I could get there. Can you imagine? Oh New York.. I'd have to go to a club, just to say I went. I secretly want to live there...maybe if I become a famous plus size model I will!

Yeah, NY is a hub for flights going everywhere. There's Newark, La Guardia and (my personal favorite) JFK. So, when you're looking for a flight you can check out all three airports. They're all about the same distance. Lots to do and see here. I haven't gone dancing in years, and I mean YEARS

We're going away for the weekend after next and I'm a little worried about that food and exercise wise. I'm not "firmly" into the 60s yet and would love to be further down so that there's not a chance of popping back up into the 70s. It's all psychological. I know we'll do a lot of walking, but I may end up missing a day of gym. Hard to believe I won't be eating over since we'll probably eat most of our meals out. Restaurants usually are my weak spot.

I drink about 70 to 80 oz of water/day. I can try to up it a little (gurgle, gurgle!). I'd do the no eating after 8pm. I have a yogurt snack with a glass of milk at 7:30pm.

Well, gotta put my nose to the grindstone.

Quiet morning so far, eh?

Jill - Sleeping in is fun, since I got this new job, I get to sleep in all the time. Probably not for long though, I gotta think about a new job. There is this course/test I can take which would make it so I could be an insurance agent (it's gov regulated here, so you gotta take a test and be certified), once I take the test I can make a min of 12 dollars an hour. Which is a lot better than working my min wage job until I decide what I wanna do with my life.. Those tips have to be nice, I think I'd get into being a waitress just for those tips. Extra money There is a shoe store here that does commission, you get 12% of every shoe you sell.. and they cost a min of 100 bucks each. Not too bad if you actually sell..

Marge - I like the idea of Dr Phil's key's too... I know I have issues.. they scare me though. I don't reallllly want to deal with them, it's like facing the fact that my childhood is partly responsible for how I am today. And I love my mom. It's hard. But it'll all be solved by going to New York!! I want to go ice skating like in the movies, and see the tree.. and meet Carrie Bradshaw.. and Mr Big, cuz he's so cute. lol, I am CRAZY I think you will be fine on your weekend away.. just eat lots of salads, the Canadian Marge says YOU can DO it!!

Well I am off to do some bathingsuit shopping, only because I will get 50% off. And if I wait longer they will be sold out.. My friend says she'll taken it in for me when I shrink. WHEN I shrink.. not if..

Jill - tomorrow is our weigh in day! Keep your skinny fingers crossed for me, and I'll keep mind crossed for you! Deal? DEAL!

-Aimee

Hi gals!!! Whew...u all wear me out, lol...I agree with the veggies in the pasta sauce too, and really you should get that crockpot working and make your own frozen dinners, much better for you, less sodium etc...As far as the eating late thing goes, DH read recently, that it is a complete myth that no eating after 7 pm thing...AS LONG as you have NOT consumed all of your caloric intake for the day, AND have done your work-out for the day, then it is fine to eat late if you have no choice. AS far as water goes..I read this somewhere, and a nurse told me it too...for obese and overweight people, you need to consume 8, 8 oz glasses of water, and add in another 8 oz of water for every 25 pounds of weight you have to lose...I normally, on average consume 100 oz of water every day, sometimes more...sometimes less, but on average 100 oz each day...and no soda, only on occassion. I do have a thing for raspberry or lemon iced tea. But only 1 a day...and my coffee...
Woke up with a huge sinus headache this morning...Did not make it to the gym...will go Sat. to make up for that. And, have had 3 sals this week, which is a good thing, woo-hoo...One off my ebay, and 2 off my site today...Will post the link to my craft sale below...
went to get some flowers today, a huge, gorgeous hanging basket full of hot pink dbl impatiens, ( love them, as they need to be deadheaded I just shake the basket and off the dead heads fall...so simple)...some Million bells for a planter I set in a small bicycle, and some New Guinea impatiens for an area in the front of my porch...Almost set with flowers but not planting them til the last of the frost...Anyhoo, ladies, am off, got lots to do b4 bed...

www.ezcraftshow.com

look in the Primitives category and find me there "Primitive Punkin Patch"

I had a bad sinus headache today, too, maybe a mild migraine on top of it. Not sure if it's weather, allergies, or rebound from yesterday's bathroom cleaning chemicals (or maybe a little of each). No YMCA for me.

I took the generic of Advil Sinus, finally, but sleeping with my nose partially covered by my shirt helped some. I don what I've come to call my "sinus burka" - covering my nose with something so I breathe the warmed air -- when my head's bad, for the room temp air feels like daggers going in my nose with every breath.

I wasn't taking anything with pseudoephedrine because it raises blood pressure, but I finally just had to get some relief from the pressure. My BP was 128/86 at the YMCA's open house Sunday, so it was better and I'm just going to wait until Friday to get it taken again at the doctor's.

awww sorry to hear that Kimberley..I have a problemwith Air conditioning and my sinuses...Funny I never had sinus problems when I lived in OH. Now I have them a lot, started after I moved here, must be the higher altitude for me, and my DH loves the Central Air..I get bad ones when we have the air on in the truck or car sometimes. Our neighbor is a Pharmaceutical Sales rep, he says it is the natural air that makes my sinuses go nuts, but, to me, when the Air cond is on, is when I get the most sinus headaches, when I am out in the fresh air, I don't get so many...I am clueless..I am getting my new car soon, we go to show the mngr who happens to know my husband our Matrix, and he is getting me a Navy Blue Toyota SE from somewhere else, so in a cpl of weeks, I will have it, WOO-HOO! Okay am outta here, HAGN!

I just had a pretty horrible day.. woke up.. waited for the phone company.. called them, they hung up on me, got transfered SO many times, yelled, talked calmly, and still ended up getting no where. The guy showed up at 1:30pm! An hour and a half late, and has NO solution, can't figure out whats going on. What I suspect is the guy upstairs was fiddling around and crossed some wires.. but of course he never does anythign wrong. Even though before our internet wouldn't work because of the way he crossed some wires. Stupid people. So anyways, my "friend" came to pick me up to take me to look at some bathingsuits.. that went... well? I dunno, we went to one store, and then she spent 2.5 hours in a store picking out 3 shirts and 1 pair of pants. I got home an hour and a half late, and the bf said if I was later than 6pm he wouldn't take me to my fav walking spot. So no walk for me, not only that, I can't go to the little fruit stand I want to.. because it closed at 6 as well. Ugh. Stupid girl. So she was "taking me home", but had to stop at the bank.. of course... and then she turns, but didn't look. A car was literally 1 foot away from hitting me, at a fairly high speed too. This happened 2 times on the way home... remind me WHY I ever hang out with her?!?!? I am so cranky and upset right now, my next chance to go to that fruit stand is Monday. They are just cheaper, and their stuff is fresh. Sorry, I'm venting.. I should probably go for a little walk around here to cool off before I go stalk her and hurt her.

-Aimee

Just walk in the opposite direction of her house! Dang, I'd be a little cranky, too. Glad you're okay, though. Count the blessings, LOL.

Kimberley - I ended up walking to the grocery store... for asparagus, 2 cookies, and a bottle of pop. Bad Aimee.. bad! The night before my weigh in too! I might have to postpone that weigh in until Friday. I am determined to get back on plan, and stay that way for 2 weeks. I realized in the past 2 weeks I'm down 8 pounds, thats SO good, I should get up and do a little happy dance!

I am SO frickin' tired.. so I am off to bed! I'll talk to yah'll in the morning!

-Aimee

BTW.. Goodmorning Jill!

My boss went into the hospital last night. He's had a virus which has filled his lungs with some amount of fluid, and lots of stress, both causing him breathing problems. Besides his job, he has a high stress family, the kind who don't know how to stop when you say stop.

Hey, where's Jill's morning post??

for obese and overweight people, you need to consume 8, 8 oz glasses of water, and add in another 8 oz of water for every 25 pounds of weight you have to lose...I normally, on average consume 100 oz of water every day, sometimes more...sometimes less, but on average 100 oz each day...--Diana

wow, I drink about 80 oz (and thought I was kicking butt with that!).

An online craft fare is a cool idea. Good luck with more sales. Impatiens are really cheerful flowers. I'm not sure what my favorite is, I love tiger lilies. I love tulips too, but they don't last long at all. I hope we get to the botanic garden this weekend, the cherry tree grove should be all in bloom by now.

Aimee, I can't believe the Canadian phone company is as horrible as it is here in the US. As for that gal pal....(sounds of Marge snapping her behind with a wet towel!).

From what I understand, asparagus helps get rid of excess water. I eat them all the time, though they're started to go out of season here and are getting expensive. After watching the video of Supersize Me I'm thinking more and more of going organic!

I'd say 8 lbs in two weeks is a more than significant amount of weight. I don't think I've ever lost that much in that amount of time.

In the town where we're going to there's this historical roadside diner that serves the BEST hamburgers. As long as I take it easy for most the days, I should be able to handle one meal of a treat like that. We're taking an 8:30am train from Penn Station, so I'll be getting up EARLY that day, heh. I'll have to go to the gym thursday.

Well, gotta go get a cup o' Joe. Have a good one, everybody.

I'm here, I'm here! Whew, not even starting my post till 11:21am...craziness! I had to go to the dr office this morning to have fasting blood work drawn (checking cholesterol, thyroid, iron, etc.), so I stayed in bed till 7 It was really nice to get that extra 2.5 hours of sleep. So I went to the lab, had my blood drawn, then went to the dr and had my bp checked again. This time, it was only 133/82. The 82 is perfect, but the 133 could still be better. However, it's not in the "high bp" range for my age, so they said I'm good to go--must have been extra-stressed on Monday during my appointment. She said below 138 for the systolic pressure (the top number) was in the normal range, even though I thought 133 was a little up there. Guess it's all good, though. I will definitely still be keeping an eye on sodium, though, because 2800mg a day will certainly catch up to me sooner or later!

Tomorrow morning is my podiatrist appointment--FINALLY getting my toe fixed. YAY! I took the day of from work so after my appointment I could just go home and not worry about the pain after the anesthetic wears off. My plan is to go grocery shopping as soon as I leave the podiatrist office while my toe is still numb. That way, I can just vege (sp?) out on the couch with Jeff and some new DVDs all weekend. We may go to a movie, but that only requires walking to and from the car, so that should be fine. Jeez, the way I'm talking, you'd think they were going to amputate my toe, eh? I'm just a big baby when it comes to pain like that.

Well, at my official Thursday morning weigh-in today, I was holding steady at 299.5 pounds. That's only a .5-pound loss for this week, but as long as it's going in the right direction, I'll take it! At least I made up for my splurge of a weekend enough to recover a loss for the week as a whole. Yay! I know I really need to watch what I eat on the weekends, too, but it's so hard when I'm at Jeff's and we go out for almost EVERY meal. This weekend should be better since he is coming to stay with me. I can at least cook (or instruct him to cook) on Saturday and Sunday. Still have to go out for out Friday night dinner, though

So, I have a TOPS meeting tonight, which I can actually goto since I gave up my shift at the restaurant. 2 weeks in row of TOPS--they may actual begin to know my name Hopefully, the loss will still be reflected on their scale after I've eaten during the day. I hate weighing in with them at 6:30pm because I eat differently throughout the day. In the morning, I know my stomach is empty when I weigh-in at home. It hasn't been a problem so far, though, so I should be good to go. I'll have dinner after the meeting.

Alright, well, I guess that's long enough of a post (even for me), so I'm off to pretend to do some work with the peace of mind that the scale and the bp cuff both have lower numbers today. Keep in mind-it's almost Friday!!

Goodmorning!! No weigh in for me today, I had issues sleeping last night and when I got up, I made breakfast, ate, and then showered. Totally forgot to weigh in cuz I was SO tired. I'll do it tomorrow, so I'm not worried!

Marge - Sorry to hear about your boss, hope he gets better soon. And learns to relax! I'll know forsure tomorrow how much I lost in 2 weeks, last time I peeked at the scale it was saying 8 pound loss.. and then came the ice cream... hehe. So I could definitely have gained that back. Even so, ifI gained 2 back, thats still 6 pounds in 2 weeks. I'm not taking ANY chances and have packed very healthy foods, and lots of water for work today. Can you believe I work 11am until 8pm?!? Thats stupid, yes I get an hour long break.. but it's a 9 hour day!! I just think thats wrong for a part time retail job, they expect everything from you, and give you 8.30/hr in return! Everyone says I shouldn't complain because I'm making over min wage, but I have the experience.

Jill - Good to hear about that BP! Also good that you are going to watch the sodium still.. it's EVIL! Congrats on the weight loss, anything down is better than up! Hmm, something like that anyways!

Alrighty! I am off to sell some clothes to people, and to have that meeting with the manager.. hopefully she'll give me SOME kind of training stuff, maybe some rules on their Loss Prevention, maybe some store stats.. something.. ANYTHING at this point! Have a good one, I'll be back much later!

-Aimee