No Soda Day 18
Abs Day 12
No Chocolate Day 1

Good Morning!

Lots of snow on the ground here, the kids and I are home from school today. I had planned to keep them home anyway, but having snow to play in is a nice addition. I haven't gone downstairs to workout yet, but I'll get there eventually.

hi everyone!

I'm actually feeling stronger today (I think I have my own *challenge* going on until my fracture heals and I hope that no one will mind if I post my *victories*)

Today I had 3 Major ACCOMPLISHMENTS--all firsts from Oct.!

#1---was able to put on PANTYHOSE!

#2---reached behind and fastened my bra (even though I stretched it down low)

#3---blow-dryed the layers in my hair so I no longer look like Don King!!

oh and one of my smaller skirts actually FIT???? I don't get it, I thought I'd become a complete marshmellow????

Fish, good for you----get thee to the mammography appt. too.

Hi Psyh-Dom:

it's infectious...you'll be jumping into *something* soon....start small (one flight of stairs everyday, 2 bottles of water, etc)

where's that Carla? I need her address so I can mail her my cats that are completely out of control.....

lol but i know what u mean marble... after my back surgery i was so happy when i could finally put my own undies on! lol was a long long time till i could tie my shoes, or put on socks... 135 staples in my back! yikes

glad to hear u are feeling a bit better!!!

Groundhog day here. Starting over with Day 1.

Stagemom, you have to decide for yourself what your challenge covers. If your original intention included no FF hot chocolate, then I think you're stuck with that... For me, I use "chocolate" to cover a range of goodies that I have trouble eating in moderation. I don't see chocolate as inherently bad, just as a really big trigger food for me. But I have no trouble being reasonable about the few chocolate-flavoured things I still allow myself. I try to keep reminding myself that the point of the challenge is not self-denial but weight-loss... I don't know if that answer helps you or not.

Fish, you're really acing ACE! And I just noticed that your ticker shows an increasingly slender fish. You're getting pretty close to goal, and must already look damned fine. Yay Fish!

Where, oh where has our Mesmerize gone? Where, oh where can she be? Off playing with her sisters? Or hiding from 's whip and ? Come back, we miss you.


Marble, you're progressing nicely, I see. But you don't seem to be interested in the no-wine challenge I suggested! Whyever not? As for the cats, they're certainly welcome (not the answer you expected, right?), but this is an indoor home, and besides my rebounder is folded up in its case, so where would they sleep? I'm having my own cat fun, trying to clear up poor Lily's eyes with yet another round of drops, this time 4 doses a day. For 14 days. Maybe we could make a trade - your big fellas for my skittish little Lil?

I remembered last night why I had banned wine and chocolate in the same challenge. After a rather boring glass or two of white, I found myself devouring an entire bag of chocolate-dipped florentine cookies that were meant to be a Xmas gift. A small bag, but still... So the challenge starts over, no longer in sync with the days of the month. And it will be a two-pronged challenge, each prong independent of the other as far as pause days go. Sort of two semi-challenges, so to speak. Right, Red? At Level 3, to be realistic. that I can keep it together this time. Or at least semi-together...

Day 1 WAS completed yesterday. But I went to bed early. I do feel like I'm getting a cold. Or *god forbid* something worse. Anyhoo. Yesterday I barely had any calories. I didn't even hit 1000. Not because I didn't want to eat, but because I was busy and just didn't think about it. Got off to a late start this morning. Been out paying bills since 9:45. Still have yet to eat breakfast. Guess its gonna have to be BRUNCH. Oh well. Food is Food at this point...atleast that's what my belly is telling me. Anyhoo. I'm outta here. I'm gonna TRY to remember to post here before I go to bed tonight. I was just pooped from that class I had last night. We made an advent calender with them using ribbon and candy and they made their own personal gingerbread man. And they were bouncing off the walls. I swear, even if kids are too young to realize that Christmas isn't til Dec 25th they still sense it and go NUTS!! Its open play tonight at work. Maybe I'll get a change to get some boxes wrapped for the week after next. I have to work straight through the weekend, which is kind of a bummer. Have 3 birthday parties to do on Sunday. So it'll be like being there my normal hours. Kinda sucks. Ok, this time I'm really outta here. Sorry about my tangent. LATER LADIES

Carla a *no-wine* or no whine* challenge for me is the equivelent of sanity-suicide! (how would I endure the holidays with my family?)

I'm a pretty good cat wrestler....but my giant MC is completely relaxed, he sleeps through nail cutting and I can give him a pill with one hand while I stroke his throat (he only freaks out for important matters like a tail-fire after he runs across the stove).

yes. my poor old body seems to be healing...although I was pretty sedentary, I forced myself to walk everyday and I did not *baby* the parts of my bod that work...(I can vaccuum righty and only splashed toilet-water on myself once being clumsy with scrubbing----)...I also followed psycho.-doc's sound advice...."get up, get dressed and don't eat junk food (high-carbs. sugar, etc)...I did a lot of veggies and good protein. To be honest, the pain meds. pretty much killed my appetite and the 3 boxes of fancy chocolates that came as gifts, I stuck in the freezer for the approaching winter famine.

I now have WEIRD cravings for romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes with fat-free italian and lemon juice dressing????? I found a local asian farmers market with great prices and tons of fresh fish, exotic out of season fruits and veggies so I've been indulging myself....

Ok my original intent with no chocolate was candy, cookies, cake, sweet treats kind of things. So I am declaring that for me Sugar Free Hot Cocoa does not fall in the "chocolate" category. However Starbucks Mochas do!

Sushi, I almost forgot about you. You're doing really well! Maybe you should ask that nice man of yours to give you a rain hat and a waterproof running jacket for Christmas? The first night of my marathon clinic years ago we were supposed to be running 10 k. Of course it was 30 below with wind chill, so we all assumed we'd listen to our little motivational talk and then go home or for coffee. NOT. Instead we learned that the only weather-related excuse was glare ice. And a proper runner would buy cleats to deal with that... (We don't have hurricanes or tornados or floods, so I don't know if they'd be considered legit excuses.)

Of course you're not running a marathon, but I thought I'd share the experience with you anyway. Also the fact that I didn't have the right clothes or headgear, and my ear lobes froze and swelled up and finally peeled. They looked like juicy tomatillos for a while, not the colour but the papery covering. The story is, there are no cold days, just underdressed runners.

And as I write this, I'm sitting indoors in my nightshirt - it's too cold and wet to go out. So it's a case of do as I say, not as I do. Good luck squeezing in the early morning runs.

Hey Curly, thanks for comiserating.....135 staples and back surgery tells me I should stop whining about having to use my other hand...

You are doing great with your wt. loss, number 51 is a big deal, congrats from the sidelines....(not for long)

Day 2 of SWN, Day 1 of WALK

Don't worry Phys I had a really hard time getting past that first day, "I'll start tomorrow" is a popular phrase for me. Once you get over the start and the first few days it get's easier.
Marble, take it easy! Sounds like the eating is right on track though. I hear you about the wine. Holidays are hard to get through with out a little help.... (notice I haven't tried a no beer challenge in a while)
Hey Red, and all you other runners out there, I'm jealous!!! I can't wait to start running again. Walking just has to do for now because of the children. It's so hard to find the time and I hate falling in and out of shape. I could probably get into a routine but then in February DH is away a lot and I'd be out of shape again in no time. It would be nice if we had space for a treadmill but our house is too small and it would be a hazard for the kids. Did't one of you lose a Gazelle to children using it as a play stucture?? What happened to all you Gazellers anyway?
I'm going to have to bring my daughter along on my walk today, and it's going to be tough to squeeze it in too. But I'll get it done!!
Hey silly!I'm glad you're challenging again!

ooooh, I completely forgot about the "Gazellettes"...did someone run off with Mr. Ponytail?

Thanks for the encouragement, Apple. I know how 'tomorrow I'll start' feels... and yet I can't manage it...

But I will tomorrow!!

No Soda Day 18
Abs Day 13
No Chocolate Day 1

Workout finished for the day.

I went to the wellness screening this morning. The good news is that my blood pressure is great! 102 over 72. I attribute that to the fact that I work out practically every single day. The not so good news is that my cholesterol is sort of high. I have to eat more veggies and fiber.

Marblefly - it is so good to hear from you again. I am glad you are feeling better. You will be back in the challenges in no time!

Silly Fluff - sounds as if you have a busy weekend! Just remember to try to take some time for yourself to breathe and eat properly.

Stage mom - you are so close on the sodas! I might try a no caffiene challenge next.

I have not been able to work out yet. I will have to go after work. With luck the gym will not be too crowded.

My Gazelle sits in the middle of the living room, waiting for someone to come play. I barely even notice it any more, apart from the sad lonely little whimpers.