Day 2 and 3 were completed. Just didn't get on the computer long enough to do much more. Worked late last night and the night before. One was cuz I had to hvae my boss give me a ride home. And last night was cuz we have 3 birthday parties today. I'm about to eat some breakfast now. Since I'll be there all day. So I'll post tonight when I get home and eat dinner. Later ladies

Hello Everyone! What an active group!! This is great! At the moment, no one is posting in my other group aside from me, so this is nice!

I am going to take the unplanned first day that I stayed under 1800 calories!

So I have completed Day 2

The pause days - are they supposed to be planned?

Red, you have totally motivated me to walk in the rain! I do enjoy it - just not the cold rain... but if I gear up for it, I may enjoy it! It will be so much better to make it a point to stick to my challenge regardless of the obstacles that may come up. What do you do for a living? It sounds like you are a writer with a hobby of riding horses? Are you from Japan? I went to Japan with my sister when I was 14. It was one of my favorite trips! We stayed in Yokohama City for the first week and Kyoto for the second week. I think what stood out the most for me about the trip was how clean Japan is and how safe I felt. I read the article you posted! I'm so motivated to do the right thing over the Holidays. I have never had a planned cheat exactly. When I lost the first 8 pounds (about 3 years ago), I allowed myself to cheat whenever I went to my parent's house. So I usually had a big bowl of ice cream. But now my mom and I are doing craft shows together and I see my parent's way to much to cheat whenever I visit. I'm sorry to hear that you are sick!! I hope you feel better in time for your trip!!

to Stage and Curly on completing your challenges!!

CBETA - You were telling Linda that you don't deserve a pat on the back because you have tried to start your diet over and over again (I hope I am understanding you correctly). I believe that you absolutely deserve a pat on the back for your determination! I quit smoking cold turkey just over 4 months ago. I tried to quit soooo many times over the year before I actually quit. I tried to quit 3 times I believe it was in the same month that I actually did! During that time, I did a lot of research on the web about quitting smoking. One website I went to said that the more times you try to quit, the more likely you are to succeed in the end. With each attempt you gain more knowledge about how to quit, what will work for you, what caused you to go back to smoking. This goes for dieting or making your lifestyle change as well!! I cut my fast food eating to once a month when I dieted 3 years ago. I cut it down to not eating fast food at all this try. I cut soda out when I dieted a year ago. Oprah quoted someone else on a recent show, "Power is strength over time." You try to diet and fail, you use your strength to try again and again and again. As Oprah said, "One day you wake up, and you are powerful!" Anyway, sorry to go on such a long rant CBETA! Congratulations on making the huge change you did - removing your friend's computer!!

Shad - I love that horse picture!!

for the warm welcome everyone!!

Ees!

Completed Day no whichever (Day 9???) of crunches yesterday and Day 17 of running. I'm lost with which day of crunches I'm on... no... it was Day 8 I think. Okay. It was Day 8.

Day 17
ran 10'33", walked 2'05", ran 1'07" then stopped to chat with boyfriend
ran again for 12'08"
total time ran is 22 min 41 sec

Today is a pause day for running, as there is no way I'll fit it in.

Must go now

It's day 2 for the chocolate issue, and day 6 of drinking no soda...I've been really sleepy all day, and ended up quarrelling with a bag of oyster crackers. I purchased them to eat with soups, but I should have known better. Part of me wants to toss them out because I usually end up eating them, esp. when I'm not hungry. In a fight with the oyster crackers, it was a tie. I ate part of them, not the whole thing, and they are now in the pantry. WIth the crackers, it made me think about the whole carb thing. I know that I can not give up all carbs. Mainly because I just don't want to. It doesn't seem natural or all that do able to me. However, I can easily cut down on them. I'm not making it an "official challenge" yet, but I'm going to attempt it. Maybe, like sugar, if I cut down on how much carbs I eat, I won't crave them as much? Maybe? Huh? I hope so.

I've been reading about people who do not eat after certain times in teh evening, like seven or eight. Does this really make a difference? I work all sorts of different hours, and often times dont' get done with work until nine. If I eat at four o'clock ( lunch time at work), I am hungry by the time I get home. I've tried to fall asleep adn ignore it, but I get up in the middle of the night, too hungry to eat well...I just eat it. Like a bear at a campsite, going through cupboards and what not.

My dad is not an avid dieter, but he is effective in losing weight. When I asked him what he does, he said he just cuts out sweets, drinks more water, cuts down on carbs, eats smaller portions, and tries to get inmore exersize. Perhaps I am looking too hard for a plan, like a published book or something, when many times it's common sense.

The only question I have, is for everyone who is doing a challenge that eliminates or cuts down on sweets and salty things, how are you going to handle Christmas? I know in my family that's a toughie...I want a defense so I dont' feel sorry for myself for not "being allowed" to have those things. My mother in law is going to lose weight, but she's not starting until Jan 1. I'm starting now...

::: What is this thing: , I know it's dancing, but what is it? Coolwhip?

Ha ha ha Shad on a horse!
It's so long since I have been on a horse - or even a racetrack, I've almost forgotten which end bites and which end kicks.

Day #1 total calories= 1472


alteon: speaking for myself I have no plans to treat myself for christmas... you can remake any type of treat so that it is healthy....

I have a long way to go.. and being thin & making my goal will be better than any christmas cookie could ever be..

but thats just my view.. as for others i'm sure one day off program wont ruin all your progress.. just cut back the next day..

Day 4 SWN and Day 3 WALK
I can't believe how busy we are!! Wow! What's going to happen when New Years comes along???!!!

*yawn*
I'm EXHAUSTED!! Three birthday parties is TOO MUCH for one day. The kids from the first one acted like they had no home training. They tore up the bathroom (I have no idea how) and they just wrecked the place. The second group was too calm. Seemed like none of them were used to birthday parties. And the third one. *shakes her head* It was bad LOL. And to top it off...Well ok let me explain this first before I get into it. I'm not sure if I told yall this, but I've been working with preschool kids for YEARS!! I taught preschool in my home and in daycare centers. Where I work now is NOT a preschool or a daycare for that matter. Its a parent/child developmental play center. We offer programs which promote socialization, motor development, cognitive and so on. So I've been around a WIDE variety of childen, from above to below the average as far as development is concerned. But something just erked my nerves about that last party. There was a 3yr old who did not speak a word. Not a word. HONESTLY. All he did was grunt. THats its. And the thing that erked me was that the mom wasnt concerned. I mean an average 2 year old has a vocabulary of about 250 words. Thats just textbook average. And an average 3 year old should have a vocabulary of about 1000 words. And if it were my child I'd be at the pediatrician ASAP and have them referr me to a specialist. Cuz a 3 year old that can't say ANY words at all would worry me. I know its none of my business. Buts its sorta my job and I can't help but notice things like that. Maybe I'm just tired. LOL Anyhoo. Tomorrow I gotta call Curves. My friend got me a free month there so I can try it out. She LOVES it so I wanted to see for myself. Once the boyfriend gets over whatever it is he has (he wont listen to me, but I think he has bronchitis) we will start walkin every day again. Ok, I gotta get a shower. I just feel yucky all over. Have a good night ladies.

Fluff

Day 3 in the bag. (Hey - who's calling whom a bag???) Seriously though, on target for both challenges. And the scale did seem to move this morning! If it's still down tomorrow, I'll change my ticker.

So many newcomers - who knew that many people would have the courage to start a 21-day challenge this close to Christmas! I think we all deserve a collective pat on the back, with extra-large bravos for the new arrivals.

Sushi, you're sneaking up nicely on a completed challenge.

I'm gearing up mentally for a week back at work , so I'd better hit the hay early.

No Soda Day 21 Challenge Completed
Abs Day 15
No Chocolate Day 4

Yup, I did make it all the way yesterday.

Well in the past they have been here and one of the reasons was the computer that was sitting in my bedroom. As it is gone, I will purposely try avoiding our meetings. Addionally even if they are here, I plan not to come to the table, not come and help in the kitchen I am hoping it will work bi-fold, they will not like cooking alone and if I stay away w/o help I will feel embarassed to eat with them. I think I can do it!
They would like to help, and do want to visit the gym with me, but as they end work at 9pm they are unable to catch dinner until after.
Dear, redballon.
I've read and re-read what you wrote. Seriously thank you so much. I definitely see the reason in your words. Thank you so much for your support.
tears are in my eyes... thank you...(sorry I am not very good with what I wanted to express, perhaps I will write more soon)

essabella, Thank you very much for your kind words. Everyone is so inspirational, at times when i read I feel that I can move mountains.... seriously perhaps I shall start reading in the morning so I have a full day ahead of me... I congrat you on loosing your smoking habit. I myself, an occasional smoker...(1 pack for 1-1.5 month) more social kind with company (hmm 1 person remains smoking, rest live far away even an ex got rid of his habit, has been smoke free for almost 2 years now)
I think the importance of repeat trials is to make yourself realize that one shall not avoid trying again, but instead repeat until a great result. This is what I will try to do over and over again.
Thank you for your great support.

And now for the today's report: "Maestro Drums, please" bum bum bum

Challenge A: Level 2 - DAY 2 (Dec 4) is completed!!!!
Challenge C: Level 3 - Day 1 (Dec 3) was successfully completed. I think Day 2 (Dec 4) can be counted as well.
It was tough, I do not remember if I said it in this thread or another one that my plans for today were somewhat unusual.
A friend of mine suggested we go mushroom picking after a few rains we had last week it can be a great opportunity to find some. And so we did.
I got up at 6:30 preped, drove for 45 min to get to my friends house and then 4 of us (me, my ex, a friend and his father) drove to Fort Ross. (and yes I was a doll I went and bought a latte at starbucks for my ex and bought NONE for me. I did take one small sip as it was spilling. I think it is a first time I was able to resist not because I was trying to prove something to others out of being upset)
Oh and the trip - it was beautiful. 3 some hour walk in the forest, looking for mushrooms occasionally climbing the hills. I loved it and found a whole bunch. I will get you some picks once my ex sends them over. We plan to go again but much earlier so we can start looking at like 8am, some of them were already taken by people before us. Before leaving home I ate a good size breakfast, over their we ate just a little bit + 1 bottle of water. When we returned we went to this cute local restaran, first thing I had my 2 glassess of water, then I could barelly fit the food, and so I took a box home. We ate out yet, we finished shortly before 7, and no food for me since then!
Great day, great feeling. I wish I did not have to work tomorrow and could go on a another such walk.
I wish you all a successfull and easy-going week.
CBETA

Day 1 of water challenge completed and Day 1 of 20 min. walking completed. It's almost 2am here, but I finished my walking and drinking before midnight. I didn't think I was going to get the walking done, but we had to go to the great wal (wal mart) and so I set myself a cell phone alarm and marched around the store for twenty minutes. We're supposed to get a foot of snow here tomorrow, so it will be interesting to see how I get my minutes in tomorrow...I might be walking up and down my hallway for twenty minutes, but hey - minutes are minutes!

Keep On Truckin!
Erin