Maureen its great to have you back. Yesterday I started my day with carrots for breakfast. I was running late so I just grabbed those little carrots and went off to start my day. Afterwards I bought some white homemade bread and had a turkey sandwich not bad only added mustard. But that bread was my down fall of the day. I couldn't seem to stay out of it when I got home, and then during dinner. Oh how crazy is that! I guess when yah start with those carbs their hard to stop on. At any rate it blew my efforts. I am going to try today to monitor my carbs. I think that when I did that South Beach diet I learned that bad carbs do start many cravings. I am going to try and stop eatting the bad carbs and I know their not all bad. Gotta get my info. out to clearify which are good etc.... It sounds like you have a good plan in mind. That is good. New Years Eve we are planning on having a few friends over. The plans are to grill some steaks, shrimp with cocktail sauce and a nice big salad, onion rings the hubbies favorite. Its his birthday so I need to make something he truly likes. We are celebrating with the kids for lunch pizza it will be. So there is no reason I can't start my watching now cause its all in my choices. Well lets give each other strength to reach our goals. I have to start that water habit again I have slacked off. I think picking up some water for the office would be a good start today. I am off from work but my 83 yr. old mom called with some problems at 5:50 so I have been awake for some time now. Gotta love em!
Carol

Hi Carol,

So the new year starts for me now. I am motivated to get healthy! My new year goals are the following

- healthy habits
- kindness/generosity of time, spirit and resources
- simplifying in the areas of material goods - more time on relationships, less time on material goods

Let's see what happens. Thanks for being here.

Happy New Year, and best wishes for a healthy and peaceful 2006! I'm back home, and looking forward to a much calmer stretch of time than I had the past four months or so. The holidays were good. I always have fun with my mom and sibs. But I'm glad I live in another city; I keep in touch every week, but this way I don't get caught up in most of the hassles or tension. I overspent once again, and ate like there was no tomorrow.

Finally got back on the scale, after a long absence. I had to move my ticker way up and set a new weightloss goal, of four lbs a month. I also dug out my neglected food diary and have been writing long confessionals (desserts, evening snacking, not sweating enough, etc.). My new DVD/VCR is hooked up, so I've been having fun with new and old workout tapes. I'm very disappointed with myself, and am resolved to be a better self-coach and monitor in 2006.

Maureen, it's so good to hear from you! I've missed your voice on this thread. Your goals are inspirational, and something we should all strive for. Good luck with getting of to a strong start this month.

Carol, I hope the hubby is back to his old self today. Did you have a good time New Year's Eve? Have you been able to work out at all?

Today I did half an hour of a yoga tape, and had cottage cheese with applesauce and almonds for a late b'fast. Lunch will be a Lean Cuisine and an apple. Dinner will be steak, sweet potato and a salad. I'll work two snacks in there somewhere.

Okay, time to get some cleaning done before the Fiesta Bowl (go, Ohio State!)

Morning everyone. I'm glad to see that Maureen is back and that we all survived the holidays. I've been sick the last week with no energy to surf on the computer. Tomorrow I'm supposed to go back to work, but I'm not sure I'll be able to. So other than sleeping and zoning out in front of the TV, I haven't done anything.

So this was just a quick hello and when I feel better, I will chat more. Have a great New Year to all of you.
Marie

Hello girls and yes we are ready as a team to make some new goals and valued outcomes for the new year. My hubby is still coughing and I think he should return to the doctors. If he is not better today on tues. he is going if he likes it or not! Sometimes yah gotta take control I guess? At any rate don't feel so bad Marie your not the only one whom ate lots of goodies and felt bad. I know I DID! But today is another day and I have started to take control of my intakes again. I am trying as Maureen said to eat better. I am trying to eat healthy things. Except for a little sliver of cheese cake yesterday. But I was in control in only having a little and making my friend take home all the rest as I knew I couldn't have it in the house. I ate well calorie wise yesterday 1300. I am trying to watch the bad carbs, bad fats and increase the fresh fruits, protein and veggies. I also have read alot about extra meals but I think for me I will just try to have a snack in between meals. It is suppose to help boost our metabolism more? I also have started to drink one glass of hot water with fresh lemon in it in the a.m. after breakfast. It is suppose to cleanse your system? Hey who knows if it works I will feel like a queen! Hah Hah! Anyways increasing my water intake is another area I am working on. This is a must! I really slacked off here! I know I feel better when I drink more and added lemon is a plus. Well take care and lets make a difference this year we can all be proud of. I like your 4lb. goal idea maybe I should do that? I need to get off at least 10lbs. before I go to Hawaii in March or April I need to make reservations. Gotta start looking anyone got any great ticket ideas? I am all ears!

Good Morning all! Good to hear from you Carol, Judy and Marie. I have a snow day today - what a bonus! I've been cleaning, etc.

One reason I was absent was that I was suffering from asthma and not dealing with it. It was making me irritable and tired! I wasn't sleeping well. Finally over the holidays I dealt with it and I feel like a new person. I am telling you all this because I suffered for five months without taking the time to look into it - sometimes our weight issues might be related to other physical issues that are keeping us down. So another resolve for the new year - deal with health! That means doctor's visits when needed, dental health, vitamins daily, lots of healthy food and exercise. I know you all agree and I'm so glad you are here to continue the journey with.

Judy, like you, I back tracked. I don't know what the scale says but my mind says that it is time to go ahead again. I know I have to keep digging deep too to see why I have this relationship with food that's not always healthy. Today I sorted through some old pictures and I took one out of myself at 16 - I looked beautiful - thin, happy, pretty! At sixteen I felt like the ugliest person to live in the whole, whole world - people were sending me that message and by the looks of the pictures it wasn't true. What I am saying is that some of what we are dealing with might be wrong messages from the past.

Take care. Good luck today.

Me again - take a look at this week's People magazine - it's inspirational!

Thanks for the reminder about People magazine, Tired. It's the kind of thing I normally save for the dentist's office, but I've seen a nice story about a local woman who was profiled in it, and I did want to read more. Like you, in my case I know there are several ingrained brick walls that keep slowing me down. I hope that we can share ideas on how to tear down the walls over the coming year.

Carol, if you continue with your program you'll have the muscles to drag your hubby off to the dr's whenever you need to . I'm sorry to hear that he's still poorly. By the way, I drink half a lemon in my morning tea when I first wake up--but I love lemons, so it's not hard for me.

Marie, I hope you took some extra off and that you're feeling better today!

Off to Curves! I did about 20 minutes of my Pilates DVD this morning, and half an hour of my favorite yoga tape yesterday.

Bye! judy

This morning

Good morning all. I finally made it to the gym yesterday - 30 minutes of biking. It felt great!

Today I'm really going to try to get on the healthy food bandwagon - no more teachers' room junk food. Here's the plan
healthy breakfast, soup lunch, veggie/fruit snacks, healthy dinner - - water.

Judy the people in People were motivating! There's so much good news about healthy weight loss and lifestyle in the news - we can do it!!!! It's a journey of replacing unhealthy habits with positive habits/routines. I know we can do it.

Well girls the hubby is on a mend. That was a good thing I tell yah! At any rate I am trying to get back into having healthy foods maybe a few too many yesterday. I started my day really late waking up which threw me into a hurry to get out the door without breakfast. I ate a cereal bar and gave away a yogurt as it had 210 cals. 36 sugars. No way if I am going to waste away that many sugars it better be on a candy bar! So then my lunch was good an orange, salad with tuna thank God I made lunch the night before. Then at dinner I had broiled a T bone steak, crabmeat salad had a little 1/2 cup goulash well before bed the gradkids were eatting frosted flakes I had a bowl too. So along with a few almonds I think I went over my calories or at least felt like it. The food choices weren't too bad other than the frosted flakes. Today I will count my calories better and try to stay around 1500 or below if I make healthy choices thats a lot of food. I am dressing up for work this week at least for two days. It gives me a better feeling and maybe I will worry about my looks a bit more. I feel like I haven't gain a ton but yet my scale day is going to be friday. I have been going on how I feel and look. I know since I slacked off at the gym I feel like my fab is coming back not a good thing at all. Maybe today I can kick that one a bit! Need to tighten things back up.
Maureen I am so glad your feeling like a challenge is in need again to make a healthier lifestyle you always helped with motivating me. When were on we are on! Judy I will also ck out that article. Keep you the good work girls Marie hope your doing well. Oh Maureen so far not much snow in Syr. N.Y.
Water increase has been going well and only 2 cups a coffee a day, herbal tea 1 and then water w/ lemon.
CC

A quick howdy before the day gets out of hand--good work, Carol, on being so thoughtful about your calories and making good choices! I used to love thos handy little yogurts, but now I can't eat 'em, too sweet for me! I buy low-fat plain yogurt and add my own fruit and ground flaxseeds or wheat germ. Speaking of Frosted Flakes, that was my favorite cereal as a kid, I'd put two more spoons of sugar on them, can you imagine? There'd be a fine sediment of sugar on the bottom of the bowl....makes me ill to think of it now

Hey, Maureen, are you saying no to the free food today? That's one of my primary pitfalls. Luckily everyone else seems to be on a diet, too, at least for a few weeks....

Marie, I hope you're doing well today!

judy

Hi all,

I'm at work for the moment but I don't know if I'll make it the whole day. I didn't yesterday. I have to say i'm really sick of being sick.

Maureen, you are so right about looking at old pictures. I have a couple pictures of me when I thought I was so ugly and fat - now I look at them and think how much I'd give to look like that again. It definitely is a brick wall.

Carol, great job on the counting calories. You really are getting back into the groove. I'm still really struggling but I know that when I feel better I won't be looking to food as my entertainment. At least I'm hoping so.

Judy, way to go on the exercise. I don't like my Pilates machine and am trying to sell it locally. I'd sell it on ebay but it would be a pain to ship. Be glad you didn't invest in one.

Well, I should get back to work while I am actually here.
Marie

Well girls I did it the white square thing came out of the closet. I guess you could look at it as a friend in a way. It keeps us in balance. My wt. was up but I knew it would be. I need to shed 4lbs. to get back to my good wt. Not too bad it could of been worse. But I need to remember its less than a week since the holidays. No sense in having a fit I did it to myself now its time to take control. I don't believe in giving up everything you like but to get it fit in to your life. So today I will have a breakfast out with my friend order 2 poached eggs whole wheat toast dry and 1/2 order of potatoes, lunch plans salad greens, w/ tuna, onion a little dressing and 1 small orange chopped up. In the evening I plan on making my own homemade pizza w/ lots of veggies on it. My evening snack 1 yogurt and a small orange. Thats all she wrote folks! I am trying to get back on track but I know if I go to strick I will not stick to it. I also will only have 2 cups of coffee today, 1 cup of herbal tea, lots of water./ Next week I will attack my exercise mode. One step at a time. As I said this was my reality check not fun but a need. I will use the scale again on Monday then on Friday again. Good luck girls Judy good job exercising, Maureen be strong! You can do this! Marie the picture thing is a great idea I may try it too!

Marie, I'm sorry to hear that you're still feeling poorly. Lots of folks are down with a nasty flu or something. I hope you will do something good for yourself this weekend, and get some more rest!

Carol, I think you are exactly right to focus on one behavior at a time. I tend to try to make everything over all at once instead of building step by step, so of course it all falls apart!

Tired, I read the People magazine, and was very inspired by the photos. Everyone had a different eating program, but they all worked out...a lot, every day, and still do. There's no getting around it, girls!

Signed up for the Curves six-challenge today, and I have also jumped into the Valentine's Day Challenge on this site. Since I've managed to regain in two months the ten pounds it took me forever to lose, I would love to blast right past those numbers as quickly as possible, to give myself some momentum for the journey.

Have a good weekend!

judy

Good luck Judy. I really hope you can blast past those pounds. Isn't it depressing how easy it is to put on weight (fast, is what I really mean) whereas it takes forever to lose. Just doesn't seem fair.

I'm hoping to do a little exercise this weekend. Not sure what but I want to start moving so that the cold doesn't settle too much in my bronchial tubes. I definitely plan on resting, though.

I did make it the whole day at work yesterday and so far today (I don't see leaving early so I consider it made).

Carol, sounds like you're making good food choices. I'm not doing too bad, but it certainly could be better. I still need to make my portions a little less, than I think I'd be happy.

Well, back to work. Talk to you later this weekend.
Marie