Carol, good for you for not gaining. I think it's extremely easy to put on pounds and nearly impossible to lose them. Maintaining is a good thing. The cookies sound delicious. I can see why you'd send them away.

I bought 5 outfits for the baby this morning. A local department store was clearancing things and I got really beautiful Carter sleepers for about $7-$8 each. They are adorable.

I walked again last night for 2 miles with WATP video. I did 11 miles in 7 days. YEAH!! I think I'm going to try the 3 mile walk this weekend just so I get a little variety.

TTYL.
Marie

Baby clothes! Oh, Marie, I love ohhing and ahhing over them. Guess it's a good thing I've never had kids myself, we'd have to build extra closets just for all the cute clothes and shoes! Good for you, getting those walks in I'm finally understanding that I'm always in a better mood on the days I have a good workout.

Carol, I'm so sorry 'bout that mean ol' scale. Do you like the SB diet? I very rarely eat bread anymore. I had a sandwich at this lunch meeting today, and I felt almost wicked.

Judy and Marie thanks for all the support. I got on that little square this morning and it was down 1 lb. hurray! Yah know I needed it even if thats all it was I'll take it and run! I felt so much better to see some movement and that was even after I ate chinese for lunch yesterday. I didn't have breakfast due to a doctors blood test checking all my levels. oh now I am in trouble for sure!!!!!!!!!! At any rate by the time I got a chance to eat it was almost lunch so I combined breakfast cals with lunch and had chinese. It was chicken with garlic sauce and not to heavy of a sauce at that. Lots of veggies and I only ate part of the rice and a little wonton soup. Judy I did SB before and it taught me some good things. Like eatting certain foods caused cravings, made me eat more at least it seemed like it. So I figure if I just cut back on white breads, pasta and sweets it will help. I have purchased water with a friend to keep at work. So my level of that has increased. I also have taken the stairs and not the elevator and trying to fit in the gym. Yesterday I didn't get there as I am fighting off a cold and was with a client a bit later. I just didn't feel like another late night. But today I should finish at 4 and will get there. I really enjoyed going last saturday in the afternoon it was empty at the gym. So I will try that. I want to find a place to take water exercise classes. My gym got rid of their pool. I need to ck that out. My mini goal is to lose 4lbs. at least before Valentines day. That is a realistic goal for me! That will put me at 169lbs. My lowest was 168 a while back! I can do this so God give me the strength to eat well , drink lots of water and exercise! lETS GO GIRLS! Tired where are you???????????????????????????????? We need you on this road too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marie baby clothes shopping can get dangerous everything is so cute! Are you making any sweaters or blankets? I have saved the ones I made when the kids grow out of them. That way someday they will go to another one.

Hi everyone. Judy, I definitely feel better now that I'm exercising daily. Physically and mentally. I'm very excited that when spring comes and I can walk outside again, I will already be in shape to be able to do the hills. I've done the 2 mile walk every day and this weekend I'm going to try the 3 mile walk for a little variety. I didn't want to go overboard so that I stop but I do need variety.

I ordered a new lightbox this morning. It's a blue lux spectrum light that a friend on another thread said works magic for depression. She also used the full spectrum like I have and swears by this new one. So I ordered it and put my full spectrum up on Ebay.

DH like the clothes I bought baby. They were so adorable that even the miser had to like them. He especially like the price.

Well, back to work. Good luck on the journey everyone. We can do it!

Well girls its monday and I feel like staying home today. I have that bug that was going around with the cold symptoms. Crazy dry cough and a bit of congestion. But the State is coming in to review some of our folks who live at home,that means a file review etc. So I thought there is no choice but to go in. If they questions one of my files I want to represent myself as I know my caseload the best, so off to work I go. I'm suppose to go out to dinner with a client tonight and another client and his coordinator. I might decide to change that to another night this week. They will be disappointed but sometimes thats life. Well not a bad weekend with eating except for those cinnamon buns I bought. Now that was my downfall. I had my mom for dinner yesterday. I made some chicken and did mashed potatoes with some added in sweet potatoe. Not so bad and a change. I need to pick up some more sweetpotatoes. They are good with a little cinnamon on baked with just a little marg or butter. Well have a good day and lets make some healthy choices. Lately at work I think stairs or elevator and have been picking the stairs every little change counts. Do it for 10 days and habits form.
Marie you are going to love that little one to pieces! Fun Fun! Glad your exercising even though I feel like yuk I may stop to at least do the treadmill for a bit. I feel more in control when I work out. I have my doctors appt. on tues good timing with being sick. Oh is anyone else on Omega 3 fish oil? I have heard some good things and going to try it out. A cholestrol lowering thing , circulation improver and all around good for our heart!

Carol, I just love cinnamon rolls. Cinnabons are my favorite. Thankfully there isn't one anywhere in the vicinity. Our dinners were a lot alike too. I made turkey and mashed potatoes. Yum. I think though that my portions are growing a bit and I need to cut them back again.

I sure hope you feel better. I'm still coughing and a little congested from the cold I got at Christmas. But I feel fine and that's all I care about. Take it easy so your body can recover.

I did the 3 mile WATP yesterday and it was definitely harder. Today I'm going to do the 2 mile. It's a good length for me. I got bored by 45 minutes with the 3 mile walk, so 30 minutes with the 2 mile walk is good. I might try to add the 3 mile once a week for a little variety.

I took the day off and set a goal to finish my white cardigan hoodie. I really want the pink one I have planned and I can't start it till this one's done. So today I'm going to finish it.

Talk with you all later. It's almost time for me to exercise.
Marie

Marie I worked late last night so no knitting but I have to finish the little guys sweater. I only have a little more than a half of sleeve to go and sew it together. I keep saying oh this week and then it has come and gone. The late evening take a toll. Today though I am only working a half a day got to go see the doctor. Good timing to get my blood results since I am still coughing and can't sleep well etc. I don't feel awful just a bit drained. No work outs do to all this either. I am gathering my tax info. and hoping to file right away to get back hopefully some funds never know for sure til we do them but it would all come in handy. I will flex some time on thurs. to only work a 6 hr. day. The girls and I are planning a dinner out at the casino. We aren't taking much to spend but have dinner coupons so we will eat for free. My friend is renting a room for two days so we are just visiting and maybe going to fit in a swim if we can under her room #. Well I took a couple of clients out to dinner last night even though I couldn't taste much. I of course still ate but not over eating. I had chicken parm a favorite of mine. I brought 1/2 home. Today I had a whole wheat eng. muffin with blueberry jam for breakfast with 1/2 of a sm. banana. I plan a salad bed with tuna for lunch with lite dressing. So my calories today will not be to high. I have started myself on Omega 3 fish oil. I read how its suppose to cut down the chol. and help with the heart, metabolism etc. So what the heck its worth a try. My sons birthday is today and how I wish my visit was today! Oh well soon enough I will be on that long flight to Hawaii. Still have to purchase a new bathing suit. My friend is traveling with us and we plan on doing some fun things. The hubby won't be up to some of it so it will be good to have my friend to sight see with. He will enjoy seeing the kids but hates traveling all together. Hang in there girls we are climbing the mountain to greater health!
It will be great when we can see the tip of that mountain up so high!

Hi, Ladies!

I'm at home today with a vicious sinus headache. I was in Boston yesterday, and spent the morning working in a home with two cats and a dog before heading downtown for meetings. I think the combination of the dander (I have mild allergies) and the flying wacked out my sinuses. So I'm napping off and on and trying to get some work done. The napping is going well, the working isn't quite as good.

My weight is stubbornly stuck. I haven't been exactly on program every day, but I have been pretty disciplined, except for a margarita and some tortilla chips on Saturday, and a chocolate bar yesterday I had a 6:45 flight yesterday AM, and got back home around 8:30 PM, so no workout, and I did about 20 minutes today, which actually made me feel a little better until I pooped out entirely. Three weeks into a new routine is right around the time most folks drift off or give up, and I'm not doing that!

Marie, I love your stained glass avatar, how gorgeous! Congratulations on getting a lightbox and doing what you need to do to keep your spirits and your energy up.

Maureen, I hope you're feeling good today!

Carol, I'm sorry to hear that you're not feeling well! Practically everyone I speak with is either getting or getting over some bug. I hope it moves on soon. You are making such good choices with food, thinking like a thin person and not overeating just because food is in front of you! I hadn't meant to eat those tortilla chips on Saturday, but the waiter brought them automatically, and automatically I started munching....well, I will get there.

I really should try to do a little work. I have a big deadline, and I will be in a pickle if I haven't gotten myself organized today.

Be well!

judy

Good Evening all! Gee, I hope you both feel better. Carol, how did the dr. appointment go? I'm glad that you had the appointment. Feeling rundown is lousy. Judy, you're traveling day sounded atrocious. One thing you might want to try if you have long layovers is to walk the airport. I did that in Minneapolis and was literally exhausted when I got on the plane.

Judy, thanks for the compliment on the stained glass. A friend on another thread commented about my old one and I decided it was time to change it since I had yesterday off. I thought springy would be nice.

I had a good day at work. My new lightbox came today and I like it. It's a blue lux lightbox and one of my co-workers came in my office and said"Wow, you're purple!" Cool, I think - I love purple. Also, my old lightbox is up to $150 on ebay. YEAH!!!!!!!

I walked after work. 2 more miles on my tracker. My hip and butt are sore today so I didn't push it but I still did it. Then I had an orange!!! no cookie - just a good for me orange. It was delicious.

Again, I hope you both feel better. I'm sending good thoughts your way.
Marie

Girls the doctor said its in your family history like it or not you need to take the Tricor! So my battle is up and I am giving in no matter what I eat it will never change things with my blood count. So my #'s doubled from where they were before. I have to go back to have that ck'd before Hawaii trip and my thyroid was a little out of wack so she lowered that a bit. As far as my not feeling well she said it most likey was a virus and I was prob. at the close to the end. So I am taking over the counter cough syrup to losen it all up. I feel a little better today.
Oh forgot to tell yah all down one more lb. on my little square scale! That is now helping me get closer to my goal. I am still up from my lowest wt. last year but glad I am making some movement. Hawaii incentive is working!
Marie the light sounds like a great purchase and will give you a sense of relief from the winter. I think I need one too! Good choice with the fruit. I ate a cookie last night but had a lighter food intake for the day so I think it worked itself in. I need to get some more fruit. The tulips make me feel like spring!
Judy wow what a crazy trip that was huh? No fun! You deserved those chips sometimes we just have to have um. At any rate if I skipped them then I would of been trying to replace them with something satisfying all night long and would of ate more calories. Sometimes less is best and have what yah want but not always just special treats. Hope your feeling better sounds like we both need a shot of ginger brandy warmed up!

Carol, I totally agree with you on eating what you really want and eating less of it. I definitely snack on lots if I don't give in to what I really want. My whole goal for losing weight (at least not gaining) is to eat no diet foods (unless that's what I want) and to eat smaller portions. so far I'm doing okay.

I finished all the knitting last night. So tonight I'm going to sew the sweater together. Maybe I'll be able to wear it tomorrow. When it's done, I will post a picture of it. It's looking good so far. Today I'm wearing it's buttercup yellow twin - I love hoodie cardigan sweaters.

Carol, great job on losing a pound.

Well, I'm posting at work so that I have a little more time to work on the sweater tonight. I know, bad me.
Marie

Another sniffly day, but better than yesterday. I was up half the night fighting off crazy fever dreams, and today's not so bad, I'm just tired. I have to fly again tomorrow evening, so I will throw in the towel and start taking medicine, to help the congestion move along a little faster. I try to avoid cold medicine, I hate the way it makes me either dozy or hyper.

Way to go with the weight loss, Carol! I'm humming "Tiny Bubbles" as I write this. Take care of that virus, you don't want it to linger.

Marie, you're right about walking in the airport. I usually don't take the moving sidewalks, and when i have a long layover, I do spend a lot of time walking the length of the terminals. Monday morning I almost got in a little running--I'd just settled into a quiet spot not far from the gate when I saw a mouse out of the corner of my eye! I'm petrified of rodents, but I did very well to just quickly gather up my things and stand right by the gate attendant. I'm sure if I did what I wanted to do--run away screaming--TSA personnel would have chased me with billy clubs and hauled me away. Ewww, I still hate thinking about it.

Okay, I think I'll heat up some lunch. When I feel achy and sluggish, I tend to want heavy comfort food, so I'm focusing on staying on program (which I haven't done so well this week).

Have a good day!

judy

Judy, too funny. I despise mice and their kind. YUCK!!! Good thing you thought about TSA and running around crazily. Good luck feeling better. BTW, what do you do that you travel so much. I could never do that.

Judy years ago when I was prego for my first child we had mice in our country little home. Well I stood on top of the kitchen table screaming for the hubby. He came to my rescue and the little mouse prob. had a heart attack. This huge prego lady standing on a table etc... Too funny! Your right about the airport. In fact maybe since you fly so often you could give me some tips on snack foods etc. for the longest flight of my life to Hawaii that is. Oh its coming quick. I have to count up the days today. March 9th through the 25th.
I am still sick myself isn't this junk yukie! I have the cough thing going on and a chest cold. I finally started yesterday on medication from the doctor and feel better already a bit that is. They don't like to give us antibotics anymore until you really have it! Oh! At any rate I had yesterday off and feel a bit better today. My friend and I did my taxes yesterday thank God we are not paying in and are getting a bit back. It will pay for some expenses of our trip. The rental car etc.. Aloha! Gotta get my summer things out to see what I have. In a week or so I will ck out some new bathing suits. I ck'd my journal and had to go back all the way to Oct. to find the wt. I am at now so I guess I am doing okay. I have to lose 2.5 lbs. to be in the 160's that will feel so great. I know I can do it. My thyroid was out of sorts again to so with that being better maybe I can reach my goal. I have been drinking lots of water no soda not even diet. I have enjoyed more tea lately hot tea. Cut back on my coffee at work and home. I am trying to do better but some snacks still make their way into my mouth not sure how that happens! Hah hah! Gotta keep a sense of humor.
Marie I am with you I just finished knitting the little guys sleeves last night. I will sew his sweater together today some time. I am going to line the inside where I put the design of the trains. I hope to give it to him on sunday. Good for you finishing your sweater too! When we are busy we aren't munching so much. I have to buy some yogurt, fruit and fresh veggies today. I am making chicken strips for dinner grilled and then we dip them in hot wing sauce. They take the place of chicken wings with no fat, I use chicken breast skinless. Well take care girls it is going in the 40's today my friend and I may walk 3 miles around the lake later on. Due to my not feeling well exercise has been minmal.

Carol, I really hope that you start to feel better. I hate being sick. The cold I had after Christmas still lingers with a cough every once in a while because of mucus in the bronchial tubes. Basically I feel fine, but I definitely have morning congestion. So, I hope yours last shorter and that you feel good very soon!!!!

Please take a picture of the sweater (preferably on your grandson) and post it here. I can not wait to see it. I LOVE trains!!!!

I'm a little bummed with my sweater. I sewed most of it together and apparently I forgot to mark that I altered the pattern from the first time I made it that I had lengthened it for the second sweater. So now this third sweater is a little short. I will probably finish it but I was definitely bummed.

I've walked every day and decided that I like late afternoon walks best. I tried a morning exercise, but was sort of miserable. So today, I got up and took my shower and will exercise later.

Yesterday I shopped a little at Walmart. I got 6 long sleeve knit shirts for $5 each. I was so sick of my old ones, they were too short and kept coming untucked. Drove me nuts. I also got 2 sweatpants and a pair of knit exercise pants. It was like Christmas.

Well, I suppose I've rambled enough. Have a great weekend Carol, Judy and Maureen!
Marie