Good afternoon ladies!

I have to admit, I stopped at *gasp* McD's for lunch today. I didn't even think twice and that was scary... at least, until I got home and realized what I'd done! But what's done is done and I can't undo it. I know I shouldn't make up excuses, but my monthly friend is visiting this week, so I let myself give in to temptation.

Hi Alisha! I'll start my menus tomorrow, after I go grocery shopping. I'm still not into the habit of eating at home yet, after eating out for 3 straight months while living in the hotel. But I will shop til I drop tomorrow at the Kroger and then I'll post my menus proudly!

Carafre: I wonder why kids everywhere are staying sick for so long. Did your doctor have a theory? Thankfully, the Sir has been healthy all season *crossing fingers*, and we have too. My hubby usually gets sick once each winter around Christmastime, usually knocks him out for a week, but he didn't get it this year *crossing toes*. Keep your spirits up and keep the orange juice flowing, Carafre, and you'll all be better in no time. Good luck with the water intake; that's one of my downfalls now, too. Maybe it's time to institute our old challenges...??

Ed: Welcome! Good luck on your goals. Walking is excellent, that's how I got down 26 pounds (but I've gained a few of those back due to inactivity for a few weeks). I don't count calories yet, but I may start using Fitday.com. It's a cool site (free!) that lets you plug in your food and adds up the nutritional content for you. But I've been slacking lately and will slowly get back up to speed. How many kiddies do you have? I have a 17-month old boy, the light of my life. I also have two stepchildren, ages 13 and 10, that live with their mother in another state, but they stay with us sometimes and they are wonderful. I've been a SAHM since the Sir was born, but before that I was in the corporate world.... I didn't hate it, but I don't miss it! Good luck and check back often!

Gotta run ladies, talk to you later!

C

Only 4 more days until the premiere of 24 on Sunday night! WOOOOOO-HOOOOO!

Sorry, I usually don't get this excited about a television show, I really don't watch that much tv. But it is the best show ever and I can't wait until this season starts! Everyone I know is hooked on it too. Do any of you watch it? I've got all 4 of the previous seasons on DVD, so you can tell I'm a big fan. Last year I regularly visited the official website and message board, but not this year. There are too many spoilers that I saw last year, and unfortunately I've already seen one for this year (a sad one) so no more!

24!!!!!!! Yay!!!!

Cindy, Dont feel bad, lol. I stopped at mcd's for breakfast this morning and had (gasp) a cinnamon roll and a med. Regular coke. But like you AF is getting ready to start so...

Guess what ladies...I was laying on my side last night and I could actually FEEL my hipbones!!! I forgot I had any LOL. Other than my splurge at mcd's this morning I have done well so far today. I've had half my water for the day, and I have done my aerobics video already. My motivation and determination has been renewed this week.

Anyways its almost time to go pick Christian from school. So i'd better get off this thing, lol. I'll talk to you all later

Just a quick hi from me before I pick up the girls from dance. I worked out with my sister last night and did 30 min on the life circuit machines, 15 min on the elliptical, and 10 on the treadmill. Scary....

Everyone here is getting sick again. Nicole will probably have to do the nebulizer soon. I'm watching her close.

Okay..Welcome Ed. I'm Chris, sahm of 3 daughters, and a full-time student. I gotta go. I think they may kill me if they think I "abandon" them at the dance studio.

~chris

Hi my name is Danielle and I am A sahm of 4. My oldest just started kindergarten. They are 5,4,2,and 9 mo. Talk about exhausting,fun, lovable but I am always so tired. It doesn't help that hubby won't lift a finger. Anyway I am doing good on my diet I started Jan. 1st but just weighed myself 3 days ago. I have been pushing the stroller around a track we have here at the rec center for 2 hrs. While my son is in pre-school and my daughter in Kindergarten. Also I go to the gym when I can get a sitter. This sounds like a very supportive group. I am thankful. I really don't have many friends I am just to busy and I am only 25 all my single friend don't want to hang out with a whole bunch of kids. They are still into the bar scene, which I have hardly ever seen!

Good morning Ladies!

Amanda: You have hipbones? Wow, I wish I had some of those. I seem to remember a time when I used to have them, but I must have lost them over the years and replaced them with pillows. More comfortable, to be sure, but tough to fit into jeans!

Chris: Wow, you're REALLY doing well at the gym! It's such a good feeling, isn't it, to start getting addicted to something that's good for you (as opposed to, say... chocoloate! lol)

Danielle: Welcome to our little group! Good for you for starting a new lifestyle, you'll really be rewarded with the results. And you'll be teaching your little ones about how to take care of themselves, too! Wow, you walk a LONG time! Walking really helps, believe me. I usually walk with my little guy every day in our neighborhood. I've got one son, 17-months old, and 2 stepkids (13 and 10) that live with their mother in another state. I know what you mean about no friends, I feel the same way! But sometimes you just don't have time. Don't worry, you'll make more friends soon in the gym you go to, or through your children's schools and activities.

Well, all, I didn't do so well yesterday; absolutely no exercise (unless you count running around after the Sir!). Today it's rather cloudy and depressing outside, but I may get on the treadmill soon. I'm trying to get in my water intake. And I still haven't started Fitday! I need a kick in the butt. Maybe Billy Blanks will give me one when we all start Taebo tomorrow. Oh, and tomorrow is weigh-in day, woo-hoo!

Okay, talk to you all later!

C

Cindy: Yeah, I have hipbones,....Its just too bad I can only tell when I am lying on my side, LOL. A couple of weeks ago I found my long lost collar bones, LOL.

I'll be SO glad when my tae bo boot camp tapes get here....Although I kNOW that I'll ony be able to do about 10 minutes for a while, LOL Billy really makes you work, LOL. Today I did my Kathy Smith video again and this time I added about 5 minutes of the 2nd workout to my usual 20min quickie workout. So that w/ the cool down stretch at the end gave me a full 30mins of exercise for the day. Only 16 oz of water so far though, so I gotta get busy on that.

Christian is feeling much better, thank goodness. And Haleigh is down to only needing the nebulizer treatments once before bed, and once when she wakes up to break up the crud that collected in her lungs over night... She is feeling much better and She will join Christian back at school on monday.

Chris: Sorry your daughter is getting sick again. This stuff just will NOT let go of the kids once they catch it. I hope she feels better soon. And just remember, Spring is ONLY a little over 2 mos away

Danielle, Welcome! I am 25 also. I have 2 beautiful kids. Christian 6, and Haleigh 5. Are we married to the same guy, LOL. Seriously though, congrats on getting all that walking in. Its one of the best exercises you can do (and easiest too) I love to walk, but since I live out in the boonies, I dont really have a safe place to walk. BUT DH is supposed to be getting me a treadmill next month, but we'll see how that goes, LOL. Anyways, I look forward to reading your posts. Good Luck!

Well Ladies I have to get off here and get ready to go pick up Christian. Then we are going to my moms house for dinner. I'll check in tomorrow

Hi everyone thanks so much for the support, It also helps that you can see everyone making progress it is really encouraging. Sometimes when you think about how much you have to lose it can be so discouraging. Its nice to talk to others. Any other sahm in northwest indiana? I wasn't able to workout today but I hope I can go tommorrow morning(hubby is off).housework is calling better do it while I still have energy!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amanda, before I get off here also wanted to say I hope your kids get better very soon!!!!!! I know its so difficult to take care of them when they are sick especially when their is more than one child. God bless you and your family.

Hi all, I"m not even going to try to catch up with all the posts. I've been working on my quilt and my wrist hurts.

All in all its been a fairly decent day. My nephew has the crud going around. I watched my sisters kids while she took him to the doctor. He's 17 months old...with double ear infections again, and he's wheezing, and his oxygen level is down. I loaned her my nebulizer again. Poor little guy. He gets so miserable.

I'm trying to ignore my growling tummy. It's hard. I tried the prescription appetite suppressants but I felt so weird and my head felt awful, so I quit taking them. I had some kind of attack where my legs went numb and my abdomen was burning from my neck down to my waist. Don't know if it was because of those, but it scared me to death.

I'm trying to do this the old fashioned way but it's alot harder.

Gotta go...and let my wrist rest. That's the pains of having rheumaotoid arthritis. Simple things make the worst pains.

~chris

I'm back! It's time to play catch up. *laugh*
My brother in law got married and we had house guests that came up for the wedding for 4 days. We've been busy and had a lot of chaos.

I can say that my weigh in this morning was 221.6 which means I've not really lost or gained.

Now it's time to get working again.

Saturday weigh-in: DOWN 2 pounds! Woo-hoo! Although I really feel giant lately. Maybe it's because of my monthly friend. Maybe next week I'll really start to feel like I'm getting back to normal.

Hi Julie, welcome back! Glad to hear you didn't gain, especially through all the festivities. That's quite an accomplishment!

Danielle: Nope, not Indiana here... I'm in Atlanta. Although I grew up sort of near your neck of the woods, in the far northern suburbs of Chicago. So maybe there's a good chance we have the same accent!

Chris: Sorry to hear about your nephew. He's the same age as my little guy, I can't imagine how horrible it must be for his mother to see him so sick. As far as your appetite, I've found that eating snacks with protein really helps to keep me feeling full. Things like peanuts, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, stuff like that. Also, it gives you energy that you need for working out.

Alisha: You get a "Woo-hoo!" today just because! You are so motivating to all of us. As far as your question to me, what did I order at McD? Was it healthy? It most certainly was NOT healthy, and it shall remain nameless lest I give it the credibility it most definitely does NOT deserve! (Oh, but it sure was tasty.....)

Menu today:
Kashi Go-Lean Crunch cereal with whole milk
Coffee with powdered creamer and some milk
Orange juice

Lunch:
Uh.... we'll be out today running errands and will probably eat somewhere... but I'll make a vow right now that wherever we go we'll get a salad and water.

Dinner: (Boy, Alisha, you sure are making me plan ahead! I guess that's the idea, right?)
My husband's Famous Fried Rice (yes, he uses some butter but not a ton)
Steamed veggies
Water

Snacks: Pretzels, cheese

On another note, my son decided a few months ago that one of my old Beanie Babies is his favorite thing in the world. He doesn't go anywhere without it and there have been a few close calls where we thought we lost him (the Beanie Baby, not the son!). Anyway, I am thrilled that I found another one on eBay yesterday and I ordered it for a back up. Very exciting! And it's one of the teeny ones from McD's a few years ago, so it was only 99 cents! (I know, it doesn't take much to get me excited about something).

Have a good day/weekend, Ladies!
Cindy

Weighed in this morning - up half a pound, but since last week was a 6 pound loss (unrealistic) I think things are more accurate this week. I'm down 5.5 lb over two weeks - pretty good! Baby is up, so I gotta go. I had raisin bran and skim milk for breakfast.

TTFN,
-Catinhat

Good Morning Ladies!

Alisha: Have you tried the boot camp videos yet? I am excited that I am getting them but scared, you know, LOL Regular tae bo is hard enough. But I know it will be worth it to tough it out, even if i have to do basic training for a month straight before I can move on to one of the next videos in the series, lol I am SOOOO out of shape.

I only lost about half a pound this week, so I am not going to bother changing my ticker yet. It is time for AF so I am pmsing today, lol. Hopefully next weeks weigh in will be better. Of course another problem is that i forgot my thyroid meds ALL WEEK! I can't believe i forgot to take it. I normally take mine when I give Christian his...I guess I was to preoccupied w/ sick kids to think about it. Oh well.

Here's my menu for today:
Breakfast: Slim fast optima shake 190cals (i'm not a breakfast eater)

Lunch: Not sure...but i'll probably have some raw broccoli w/ ff ranch dressing with whatever it is

Dinner: baked spaghetti w/ garlic bread and mixed veggies

Anyways I gotta get off here for now and get some housework done.