that is the best about losing weight. i will never forget the day i tried on some cute pants at the gap in a 16 and they fit. i had not been able to wear a 16 since age 13 before that.
now i think i am going to reward myself when i get to my goal by buying this rug i have wanted from ikea for like 5 years. it is this awesome multicolored block area rug for $250. i guess that has nothing to do with weight, but at my goal i would have to have new clothes anyway so i want a different luxury thing. maybe a fancy date to my favorite restaurant with dh too.
i know it's no good to reward yourself with food, but dang i just really miss lobster ravioli.
anyone have a low-cal recipe for ravioli?
melissa.. about washington. my cousin lives in everett too, and when i visit my family up there in the summer i always love the "cool" weather but they are dying from the "heat." but at least y'all can drive in the rain. here it is like "like, omg, what is this wet stuff?!? better step on it.. might be poison or something!"

Under the vegetarian section in the WW recipes on this site there is a ravioli casserole recipe I posted there. My kids all loved it-even Joshua ate it. Might check that one out and see if it appeals. I always figure a good reward is something that brings you joy so it doesn't have to be new clothes necessarily. A special thing you want that you normally wouldn't do for yourself. If we didn't drive in the rain we would never go anywhere LOL.
Melissa

Cadwell- a new rug sounds wonderful. I think our houses are also a reflection of how we feel about ourselves. When I feel fat and awful the house looks dingy. When I feel thinner i have the energy to spiff it up a bit, a new tablecloth, or photo frame and I'm happy, so a rug at goal is a great idea.
Laura

I now have a new reward in mind!! We went to the mall and this guy working at one of those little center aisle shop things took us over. He had this cube thing with three sides. He rubbed the first side over my nail and it looked all rough, took off the rough ridges, lines, etc. Then he rubbed the second side over it and it looked clean. Then he rubbed the third side over and it looked so glossy and shiny I could have had a double layer of clear gloss on it! It was real smooth too, it was amazing, and all only took maybe a minute. then he put this lotion on my hand that made the skin feel like air it was so smooth, like rubbing a cloud. The kit was $30 so I didn't get it...though I really wanted to! I have decided it will be my first reward for weight loss. When I get to 230 lbs. I am going to the mall and buying it! That's about 20 lbs. away so I figure that's a good mile marker for a treat to keep me going.

I have the house all to myself the rest of the day and it is wonderful! MIL is keeping the kids for the day, then keeping my daughter overnight and taking her shopping tomorrow for some school stuff. She wants to buy her the bookbag, I didn't care long as I got some time off being mommy I got the medical form in the mail from her pediatritian today and wanted to cry. She just can't be big enough to leave me already, is she? That's what I just keep thinking...she's only 3, she still needs me! I'm a drama queen I guess. Hubby told his boss he needs next Friday off so he can drop her off with me She's never been anywhere without me except to MIL's.

On the tattoo, not sure what I will get. I am not the artist to make up something myself, but there are hundreds of pages of flash online to look through if I ever get around to it. When I get closer to goal weight I will feel it's more within reach and start looking I guess. I could always ask hubby to draw something for me...he designed all his and they are awesome, especially the ones he did for our kids, right after each was born he got them put on with their names.

IcePrincess, your nipples will turn black and fall off? OMG I have never heard that before. You are definitely on the right track, so just keep going with a smile. Yes, it will get bumpy but you do the best you can and get through it. IT always gets easier again at some point.

last night we did go out to eat and I did have a salad, but then had some white rice with this chicken stuff over it that I know was WAY over calorie limit. But, I also put in 8 miles on the gazelle when I got home, so hopefully that will balance out. I stepped on the scale this AM and it's the same as WI on Wed, so I guess I am okay.

Theresa

I finally was able to run a mile straight yesterday, but I was a slacker about stretches and my legs were really heavy the rest of the night. I also ran that on the treadmill, so I'm going to try to do it again today but outside...and I will stretch plenty! I am starting a structured cardio / strength program on Monday. It's an eight week beginner boot camp essentially and it should take me up to my hot tub weekend with a little bit to spare. I'll post my progress on an exercise challenge thread. I am really looking forward to being stronger when it's over--lungs, legs, arms and oh please butt!

I was around 200 cal over my goal yesterday with my final intake approx 1830? and I was feeling really noncommittal last night about diet. Soooo...today I'm going to shoot for 1400 cal to balance it out and with the run I should be okay. My mood though right now is just kind of "meh", so I'm kind of just trudging through it like an obligation. This is the first time I've felt like this since I joined these forums. I'm not bummed out or anything, just have this "I don't want to but I have to" mentality.

You know what's strange, though--Last night after dinner I knew I was over on calories and I just didn't care. I even thought rationally (if that's even possible) about bingeing. So I went into the kitchen and opened up the fridge and the cabinets and I couldn't find a damn thing that I wanted. I did that like three times. So weird. So I just drank some water and went to bed. Apparently I was pretty noncommittal about everything last night. It even took me two hours to actually go to bed after I told myself that's what I should do. In retrospect, I think maybe I was just bored and tired and that's what sparked the eating idea...and maybe I was just too bored and tired to eat. lol! I should be that lazy every night!

bleh...back to housework--laundry and floors today whee. I really want to paint our butt ugly bathroom but it'll have to wait, I guess. The drudgery! omg my mood is so annoying right now. good luck this weekend everyone!

Hi all - If I mess up matching names to what I say - I am sorry - I haven't checked in in a few days and have missed a whole bunch!

Congrats on the loss Laura and glad to hear your son & DIL are working toward a solution.
Melissa - don't beat yourself up, gald to hear you are getting back on program - everyone has a bad couple of days. Thanks for the recipe too - sounds great - now if I can talk my husband into a meal without meat!
Melra - Awesome on the 5" loss!!! I took my measurements a few weeks ago when I started - think I will do them again at my BDay in Sept - that will be about two months or so into the program for me. I've only lost 6lbs but it feels like more to me by the way my clothes fit!

Whoever posted that they had to put Richard Simmons on mute...I almost peed myself!! Amen to that!

We have a cook out to go to today - I am thinking of stopping on the way at the grocery store and getting a premade salad to bring with me - then have some of the chicken with it. I was "bad" last nite and had some of my hubby's onion rings from the take out fish place - he is going to kill me going there every two weeks! I had a piece of broiled haddock on a multigrain roll w/ a slice of Amer cheese (I must have my cheese!) and skipped my evening snack - so I don't think it was that bad, but paid for the grease today! Yikes!
Whoever mentioned fitday.com - Thanks! - I am going to try it to list my foods daily - I hate counting and writing - but it may be my savior!!
I am definately going to check out that ravioli recipe too!!! thanks melissa!

Oh and I walked twice this week at lunch and my feet are doing pretty well! - hope to get in three walks next week!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!! keep up the great work!!

Oh - and what I will do for myself when I reach my goal weight??

CLOTHES!!!
And QUIT SMOKING!!!
Right now my weight goal is 145 (I am 5foot 4inches) which is the high end for my height - but I was 135 in 1997 and everyone thought I looked sickly, so I must be big boned?? I know I am big chested !...anyway - I may change my weight goal to 135 and then quit smoking so I can afford to put the 10lbs on.
CRAZY!!

I need to quit smoking too. I almost have all the weight I gained gone so that made me happy today. I may even be able to move that darn ticker down one on Wednesday. Thank goodness it appears to mostly have been water-even my son is saying geez mom your in the bathroom again? Well I am off to start the never ending laundry and put all the clothes away in the girls room yet again. Odessa takes everything down at nap time and then again either early in the am or before she falls asleep at night. It is getting old to say the least. I am excited cause I found two annual recipe cookbooks WW on ebay for 3.99 starting bid. 2005 cost me about 34.00 brand new so it is a heck of a deal. Any WW people in our group should check out ebay before buying directly from WW. I have gotten some sweet deals on cookbooks and misc stuff there.

Congrats on the inches lost Macdeez! I think there is something to this water drinking thing. I have been drinking close to 64oz a day while eating OP and all that weight I gained is comming off fast. I only have 4 more lbs and I am back to where I was before I played 007 on myself.

macdeez~ that is really awesome about the inches, congratulations !

I did my run and my mood improved. I ran 1 mile straight and then walk/ run intervals for another 1.5 miles then I stretched it out with some yoga when I got home. I feel pretty good about my exercise, but I think I'm already at like 800 calories right now though

stilltrying~ did you stay OP at the cookout? Also, for both you and neo, I wanted to give you a little shot of optimism on the smoking. I never gained a pound from quitting smoking. Not a bit of difference. My husband and I quit at the same time, so it made it a lot easier to really quit. I hope you both do! Depending on how long you've been smoking, you will notice a huge difference in tastes and smells at about the 3rd week.

Neo, water makes a HUGE difference in weight loss. i don't remember the science and facts behind it, but do know that when I lose weight it's when I am drinking lots of water. Loss slows on weeks I am low on the water.

Theresa

Well I am going to keep this up then. I have an apple juice container which is 46oz-was being dyslexic before and I have drank almost the whole thing each day. Does the bathroom trips get no so frequent eventually? I mean this is borderline ridiculous! Of course if I have to choose between restroom visits and more pounds lost, I will go with the pounds any day of the week.

congrats on your inches loss mel, that's awesome! and thanks melissa for the recipe.. i love ravioli in a casserole. i've always made it that way.. with tons of cheese and vodka sauce so i think i will like your version a lot.
theresa.. i have one of those polishing files, and they are terrific. i didn't want to spend the $$ on the kit either so i just got the file for $10. the other stuff is super, but i like my file fine w/o it even. so much better than acrylics, and way cheaper.

Yeah I have been on a roll lately with good recipes. I made pecan crusted chicken fingers tonite yummy! I have had more fun trying new recipes and there have only been a few where I said "EWE" too. I never thought I would get so domestic again after all these years. Fair time is coming up but I already told Mom what I was having and gave her permission to ask if I really wanted that if I went for something deep fried. My Dad works for the county so I get in free and the kids get some rides for free too so the only expense really is what they eat. I plan on doing alot of walking this time too and letting the kids see all the animals. I will also bring my big jug of water with me. Wow it will be two major outings for me in a month-I might get spoiled LOL
Melissa