Tired you hang in there you'll get where you want to be! It is better to take it off slow and keep it off than to lose fast and put it right back on. Little changes make big differences as habits form and routines are made. So keep it up!
Judy sounds like your finding some good things on your own to make the differences in your eating pattern. That is so good. We are all different and the little things that make us tick huh?
Marie hand in there pick your battles wisely yah can't change everything at once. Little changes that are do able may help just a thought! Don't let the scale control your whole wt. loss attempts. You also sometimes need to stay a bit away from it and go by how your clothes fit, rings getting loose etc... Sometimes I go weeks with out the scale. It all depends on my mood. Oh we all can get into our moods your not alone by any means. Adjusting to being without meds is tough and you have taken that on so give yourself some credit. Sounds like you need us to give you some pats on the back and you deserve some. Stress isn't a good thing for any of us. Do you have any hobbies? Knitting is relaxing for me or reading. Good luck!
Tired I thought of you last night as I was sewing a pillowcase slip cover for a school chair. It has 3 12" squares made into pockets. It slips over the chair to serve as any extra storage for the childs belongings. I made one on tues. for my grandaughter at the teachers request. Then her little friend without any funds whose family could use a little help didn't have one. So Brooke shared hers. Well I put one together out of scraps at 10:30 last night. I am going to drop it off to Brooke this morning on my way to work. She would give someone the shirt off her back if they asked. She is a cutie. Now the little girl will have her own. I wonder what happens to the poor kids who don;t have the monies? Does PTA pick them up to get what they need?
Well I had a good eating day yesterday as planned. I was a bit hungry last night and ate a bowl of Kashi cereal at 190. I could of done with out but still kept my calories at 1400. Take care sorry tthis was so long.......

Carol, good words of wisdom. I'm staying away from the scale for 2 weeks. My asthma was out of control so I went to the dr. this afternoon and am on prednisone (steroids). No way will I lose weight with a week of that so I decided to just be good and ignore the scale. My clothes and rings do fit. Actually right before the cruise in July I was going to have my ring resized since I could lose weight (thanks bipolar meds...) and it had been in the jewelry box for a year. Guess what I'm wearing right now - the ring that I forgot to have resized. Pretty cool, huh?

Dr. said no exercise for a while - why is it when you get in the groove something always throws you back out? I sort of like not feeling guilty because I'm not exercising for a couple days, but I sort of liked exercising - it made my emotions easier to deal with. Since I'm tired of having difficulty breathing, I will not exercise for a couple days.

That's about it. Talk to you all later.

Hi all. Carol, so good to hear from you. That was great of you to make the chair cover for that child. There are so many children in the world who need extra help. Fortunately I work in a school system that provides for all whether they are able to do it or not. Many parents do extra so that children whose parents cannot do it are still taken care of. It's endless what we, as a society, could do to positively impact children.

Marie, good to hear that the ring fit and nice to see that you're at 192, that's super. Like you, I have some kind of respiratory illness which has had me wheezing, up at night and exhausted. I've always bordered on asthma and have a couple of attacks. This might be bronchitis. I may have to go to the doctor tomorrow. We'll see. My appetite has been down and so has my exercise. Luckily everyone here at home is supportive at the moment.

Judy, Leslie, Skinny and Alipea - I hope you're all doing well. It's so important that we all get as healthy as we can be. Take care.

Tired you have no time to be getting sick. That is not fun at all you and Marie need to keep up your energy. Well maybe Marie you could do a low impact yoga? It would be relaxing and not high energy level. I think if you go to the library if you want maybe there would be a tape or dvd. I also am not doing the little scale thing today Tom came to visit yesterday. I liked it a lot better when he left me for a few months. Won't belong I hope and he will be gone forever. That is one part of my life I could do without. I had a good intake yesterday all except some fried chicken for dinner. The dog got some of the breading but still it was a bit up scaled in calories. Then the other pieces were taken to my friend. She was thrilled not to have to make dinner. Afterwards I only had a little apple to eat as a snack. So all together it wasn't that bad but I could of made better choices. We'll blame Tom! He's good for something! For lunch yesterday I had steamed broccoli with a little garlic powder, pepper, dash of marg. and one triangle of laughing cow cheese melted in. It was great and pretty low cal. I figured around 100 cals. total. Next time I may add in a little pasta and have it for dinner. I went for groceries last night lots of good deals so I stocked up for winter. The pantry looks good and I bought some healthy frozen veggies too. It is so much easier to make healthier choices when the foods are right handy. Well hope you all have a great friday. I am not camping this weekend I am going to the farmers market, garage sales and going to dig up some blueberry bushes for my yard. No that is a calorie burner. Sunday I may have the kids for dinner its been awhile. I will see what everyone is up to. I also would like to walk around the lake its about 3 miles. I haven't been going as it was 7.00 to get in. But after labor day its free.

Leslie--I hope you had fun on the walk yesterday. I'd love to walk a half-marathon. I can walk a long way, but I don't think my arthritic knees could take the stress of the training as well as the event itself. But I haven't ruled it out! Maybe when I get closer to my long-term goal.

Marie, you are doing/starting/changing/ending so many things at once, no wonder you don't feel very centered! It's hard to stay balanced with so much going on--and you've still managing to lose weight. Congratulations on being able to wear your ring, that must feel wonderful. Hope you are on the good side of the cliff today.

Carol, I'm trying to picture how the dog "got some of the breading" from your fried chicken Maybe the dog was trying to do you a favor and spare you some extra calories. I think you will have a great weekend, I love farmers markets.

Tired, I hope your feeling better today. I think you're right to try to simplify your life, at least for now. Save your energy for what you really want!

I've been doing pretty well, eating per program and going to Curves, but not getting up and out early enough to do my long walks. Almost made it this morning, so I should be back on my usual (non-vacation) sleep patterns next week. My apartment complex is having a yard sale tomorrow, so tonight I'll go through the closets and cabinets to see what I can sell. I have a few electronics and miscellaneous items in pretty good shape that I don't need but I can't bring bring myself to toss. There's a free jazz concert I want to go to, and a big football game to watch in the evening, so all in all I should have a fun and productive day.

Hope you do, too!

judy

Judy, sounds like you'll have a good weekend. Excellent job on the exercise (Curves) and eating on plan. That's always a tough thing to get to be a habit. Good luck making money at the yard sale and enjoy the jazz concert. That sounds like fun.

Carol, enjoy the walk around the lake. 3 miles is quite a distance but it should be fun. I didn't do the scale thing today either. Taking steroids will cause me to gain weight and I didn't think I needed the aggravation of seeing it. Knowing it and seeing it are two different things. Bet your puppy loved the chicken skin - good for you in not eating it all. Really sounds like you've got your head together about eating right.

Oops - got to get back to work - suddenly have a deadline...

Hi everyone!

Things have been going pretty well. I've resisted temptation when I can. I found Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom Fudge Lites help A LOT!! It's only 1 point for 2 bars so they are a great reward at the end of the day. I try to keep it to ONE bar per day and the box lasts almost two weeks... that is if DH doesn't get into them!! Blue Bunny Reduced Fat No sugar added ice cream is also a great treat. They really satisfy my ice cream cravings for very few calories and points! Can you see that my eating is all about the treats?? I made veggie soup tonight, 0 points and counted out my 35 oyster crackers to = 1 point. I've been actually keeping under my point allowance by a bit each day.....because we are having friends over tomorrow night and I know there will be snacks and goodies. I also did 30 laps of the pool today. Okay... the pool is only 24 ft long but at least it's something!
Judy... do you like Curves? I've been considering something like that... but I'm very self concious about going to places llike that. I did the National Body Challenge Jan-March this year and they gave you a free 12 week membership to Bally's. I went... but there are so many "buff" people there I always felt self concious.
okay.. enough rambling.... have a great evening!

Judy hey I at least gave the dog the breading I never thought about how it sounded to others! Funny! She shares with me once in awhile it cuts my calories and we both get our treat. Your doing well. I wish I was at your place for the sale. I love buying other peoples treasures. This year they may end up under the tree. I am going to a sale this morning lots of nice childrens clothes for the grandaughters. She has this sale two times a year and in a richy area of town just the best of things you know. I love it I am not too proud in anyway. Better than me paying top dollar.
Marie actually the 3 miles goes by quite quickly around the lake. I'll let you all know how beautiful it is.
Wish you were able to all be here to go with me.
Leslie one step at a time. As you change your way of thinking and eating it becomes more natural after awhile. Not that you won't slip things in but it becomes more normal to just grab the healthier stuff when shopping for groceries. After awhile you know which one is better and have to read the labels less etc.... It is so important to read the cals. fat. sugars etc. The lovely companies tend to make things better one way and mess them up in another. Yogurt is a biggy with that read a few labels. Some have an awful lot of sugar in them. The sugar turns into fat so they might is well put the fat in them. There has been times I get so frustrated I don't buy any! Good luck and keep going. I have a soup recipe similar to ww. and its great and so low in cals. Have you tried laughing cow cheese yet?
Tired hope school is continuing to be going well sounds like a nice class so far. Did you get those treats to school yet? I have two apples sitting on my desk and a healthy lunch in the ref. I got called out on an investigation right at lunch time. So I never ate or went back to the office. I stopped for a gyro it was delicous but not sure how many lovely calories I ate. At that time my stress level was pretty high as the problem involved two of my clients whom share an apt.... Oh never a dull one but my fridays are usually a bit more laid back! it will all work itself out. All in a days work! I made a few calls when I got home and things seemed to be going better.
Have a great day. I am going to work on healthier choices today and some yard work and housework today and tom...

Hi friends. Boy do I have good news - I slept for 7 hours!!!! I feel great (except that asthma). What I'd give for that every night. No nocturnal wanderings and surfing. I slept for more than 2 hours. I about fell out of bed when I saw it was after 5:00. I expected it to say midnight. So cool.

I just cut DS2's hair off. He starts Guard weekend this month even though he hasn't been through basic training and tech school. They still want him to work the weekend. So all the cute hairs got buzzed. He looks so cute. He even has his little camo uniform. I guess my baby has grown up.

The asthma is a little better. I think the prednisone is loosening all of the garbage around my bronchial tubes and I'm able to cough some of it out. Problem wiht coughing is it make me nauseous. So I don't have any desire to eat or drink. Such an interesting dilemma.

Today we sign on the home equity loan. All the credit cars/remodeling bill will be paid soon. I hate the three day waiting, then I have to wait for ditech.com to send the check (they're really a pain, btw). So I figure we'll get the money in another week and a half. Since all the credit card bills were just paid, I have time. Just being patient - not my long suit.

DH has Guard weekend too so I will be all alone again today. I wish I could work on the addition but that drywall dust is what's doing my asthma in so I've been forbidden to go out there. So what to do? I think I'll finish my yellow sweater. I knitted most of it before the cruise and I sewed is all together. I just have to knit the facings, the sew them and the hood on. So today, that's my goal. Then I can start a new project. I have lots of yarn.

I signed up for a comm college class on drawing. So on Wednesday eveings in Oct, Nov, and Dec I will be learning to draw. I think that will be fun. I wanted to take it so that I can draw stained glass patterns easier and when I'm in meetings my doodles will be works of art. Truly that is one of the driving reasons. So Carol, I dind't join Curves, but I did sign up for a class outside my house. It will be fun.

I guess that's it for now. I'll be back later.

I weighed in even though I swore I wouldn't when I was on prednisone and voila, 2 pounds disappeared. I was doing the happy dance this morning. I tried on some jeans that fit at this weight a year ago and they were still too tight - that was sort of depressing but I didn't care that much. I lost 10.5 pounds since the cruise - a month and a half.

DS1 is here and is being pleasant - no apology but at least he's being nice.

Just checking in. Wow Marie - 10.5 lbs that's awesome! You must feel terrific! The drawing course sounds wonderful!

Carol, I do have healthy snacks at my desk and it helps a lot. I'll bring some apples too today.

Judy and Leslie it sounds like the two of you are mainly staying on track too. Terrific!

The cold/asthma (whatever it is) kept my energy output low this weekend. At least I didn't have much of an appetite so I don't think there was much of a weight gain. I'm in a good place though. I've been thinking a lot about balance and it's been helping me with stress which helps to alleviate overeating. . .All your positive posts are helping too. Thanks so much.

Marie good for you signing up for an art course. I think that is great. Stained glass has always been a little interest of mine maybe someday. My kids are all very artistic in many ways. One is a contractor, tatoo art, and designs. The one daughter naturally just has a natural talent for decorating. The other is a photographer by trade and a local photo editior for the newspaper and has many talents with art. I like to grow flowers,knit, quilt,gardening, decorate, bake, cook etc... My hubby is talented with cars when he is able to. He has a hand with wood also and can do lots of nice projects. I currently started a charcoal grey crop sweater with a scooped neck for colder weather. I can only work on it for a bit at a time as I had carpal tunnel syndrome surgery a yr. or so ago. It still has its momments. Enjoy knitting and finishing up a sweater or project is always a joy. Congrats on your wt. you'll fit into those pants soon enough just keep up your efforts. When your home alone it gives you an opportunity to cook things maybe others wouldn't want. Healthy stuff! Try a new recipe for fun!
Tired glad to hear your doing well. I notice that on this site your on right before me. Those early risers! I didn't get to walk around the lake but dig in the yard to put in some new blueberry bushes, pulled many weeds they were huge. I thought I'd sleep like a bear but not really what the heck? Anyways you seem to be doing well handling going back to school and balancing out your intakes. Keep it up!
Judy and Leslie continue you efforts we are all going to have to buy a new outfit to reward ourselves soon. Something for fall.
I did make some choc. chip cookies ate a couple , but with 3.5 hrs. of yard work I deserved them. I'm sure I worked them off. My little grandaughter B. had requested them. So I couln't refuse. The rest of my eating for the day was good.
Have a great week and lets all keep up our good efforts for a great fall drop off of pounds.......................

Hi again. I started the day only to return home as one of my son's is ill. He has a high fever and lethargy. I get especially nervous because of mosiquito born illnesses in the area, but he doesn't seem too bad so hopefully he'll recover in a day or two. Thank goodness I had my plans ready for a few days so it wasn't too hard to transfer the teaching to the substitute. I hate taking a school day off as it interupts the momentum - oh well, my theme is to take each day - or each moment and make the best of it - life happens.

Carol, I enjoyed reading about your creative family. Yes, I'm an early riser. I love the morning - it's quiet, I have energy and I enjoy my cup of coffee.

My eating has been ok so far today.
breakfast: coffee and quiche (healthy ingredients)
lunch: kashi bar and apple
I'd say about 700 so far.
Since I'm home I'll make some healthy veggie chili for dinner.

Have a good day.

Hi, all--

Sorry I wasn't around all weekend, I was on the go! The yard sale was entertaining--seeing another side of my neighbors--but I didn't sell a lot. Most folks were interested in kid's clothes and really tacky tchotchkes, and I was selling books and electronics, mostly. But I got about $30 for odds and ends, and gave half of that back for the relief effort. The jazz festival was fabulous, I ended up going alone but had a great time anyway. I went to the movies yesterday, saw The Constant Gardener, which I highly recommend.

I strayed a bit from my eating plan (ice cream at the festival, popcorn at the movie), but I've been close to perfect for weeks. As long as this isn't a habit, I'll continue to lose. I'm down just half a pound from last week, but I lost so much the week before, I think that's to be expected.

Leslie, Curves is okay with me! It's only women, and the majority are plump, if not very overweight. The staff and clientele varies a bit from place to place, but I've found them to be friendly, welcoming and non-judgemental.

Marie, congrats on the weight loss and the good night's sleep! You've dealt with so much in the past few weeks, but you're still on track. Good for you!

Tired--hope both you and your son are feeling better by the time you read this.

Carol, I'm back to trying to teach myself to knit....I remember how to cast on, but not much else....

judy

Hi all. Judy it must feel great to see the ticker go down - 25 lbs is a big loss. Keep it up. Glad you enjoyed the jazz festival and thanks for the movie recommendation. I love a good movie and might have the chance to see one this weekend.

I'm starting to feel better and my son seemed to perk up tonight. Thanks for asking. I'm hoping to fit in some exercise tomorrow morning before work. Have a good night all.