Friday is finally here - thank goodness - I have to tell you all it has been a long week at work. Then yesterday at work was the true kicker, one of the guys picked a couple pressure points and I felt that I just needed to cry (which I never do at work). I work in a mostly male industry (there are only females are the assistants, a couple saleman, and a couple others that are in management roles)so even though I am not a emotional girl at the office some times I am sterotyped into that role.

Anyway it is Friday and I am ot of the office at meetings for most of the morning so today hopefully will fly by.

Weigh in day - down 1 more (thought it would be a bit more since the clothes were fitting better still). By the way, I tried on the dress last week to see how it is fitting; well, I had to order a new one. See something is happening to my body, because it is very bunching in the middle and is a little too long (past my feet) - it appears there is more material than needed to cover my body. When I first tried it on it was a good fit and seemed to be a bit tight in the tummy. So I bought another dress from the same site which is knee length so it should not be as much of a deal. I will get the other altered when it is closer to the weddings, but since I have my work award dinner at the end of this month I did not want to get it altered a few times.

Nori - yes I had a great time out with girls. Controled drinking and we ended up getting dinner - everyone was getting steak, hamburgers, sandwich with fries - but not I - I had spring egg rolls (only ate the insides not the fried layer) and a meditterean salad with about a tablespoon of dressing. DH rabbit food comments are fewer. I just defend myself everytime he says something. I think I may have been too defensive last time because he also asked how I was doing with it - I said how does it look like I have been doing??

Nighthawk - I have been telling a lot of people about losing weight especially since some have noticed - that way I need I can not treat myself because I have a bunch of people "watching me". The bad thing is there is always somebody who is like does it really matter - yesterday one of my co workers offered me a soda - let along a regular coke at that - come on!!! I was strong though went to the vending machine and got the flavor water only !!! I was pretty proud of myself

Elizabeth - welcome back - thanks for being so sweet and supportive - hope everyone is feeling better in your household

desertdreamer - how is you leg doing?? Remember only do what your body can do - there is a lot of awesome upperbody work outs


marinemommy - it looks like you have great plans and you have been doing very well - keep going - we can do this!!


hellokitty - do you have billy banks boot camp - one of the girls at work just got it - she said I could try it in a bit - just wondering what it might be like

Hope everyone else is doing well and keeping up with their goals. Hubby is out of town again. So I know I will get some exercise in tonight - only did a five minute this morning - some push ups and crunchs. Plus it is suppose to snow tonight and tomorrow - it may be 6 - 12 inches so shoveling the sidewalks and driveway counts as exercise, plus taking my little guy out to play. Just hate the fact I have to go the grocery store tonight and it will be packed with everyone getting emergency supplies - I should have gone earlier this week, but wanted to wait a bit.

Everyone take care - E

Good morning ladies & J: It looks like everyone's posting and working hard!
Menu: cereal, Lean Cuisine, 2 clementines, grilled pork, turnips, green beans, skinny cow Pts= 22? Water: 32 oz. Vita: no Exer: 15 min BATP, 10 min DDR

Lisa: I'm a secretary also, what does everyone else do?
Sarah: My plan is WW on my own, 26 pts a day max, I'm working on the exercise and water
Danielle: the boss ended up losing $1,000 at the casino, got a $200+ speeding ticket on his way home (lucky he didn't get DUI!!!) and had a big fight with his wife to top it off. After I covered for him 3 times on the phone with his boss, he told him the truth yesterday as to where he went...I'm glad that drama is over! I hope your leg is feeling better.
Elizabeth: thanks for the logos, I hope your cold is gone.
Lori: Thanks for the song suggestions, I never heard of Barroom Blitz, I'll try to find a sample...I love Radar Love too.
Nori: the pork was kind of dry from the grill I'm jealous of your weather, exercise and sleep!
Catherine: I hope you feel better today, take some time for yourself and do something special.
Momto2: your words are so true, I tend to think negatively and I have to stop doing that.
Donna: 15 lbs is great! Congrats, sounds like you have a solid plan!
Erin: We're expecting snow this weekend too, have fun playing with the little guy.

I've got to hit the grocery store, maybe I'll sneak a long lunch if I can and try to do it then. I also promised DD we'd go get fish for a small tank we set up the other night. It will be our first fish experience. I'm told Petco sells fish and I could stop and get them on my way home but she wants to pick them out so that means a drive back about 15 miles towards where I work We might go to the Peabody Museum here in New Haven, she's been fascinated with mummies for the last several weeks and I think they have one there. Have a great weekend. My internet connection from home wasn't working last night ???? I may not talk to you again till Monday. Have a great weekend everyone.

Wow! So much to read and update! First of all, ladies & J, you are all doing amazing jobs. Look how long we've been sticking with this! This thread started at the time of New Year's Resolutions. And what happens to those? They last for a week or so. You've been here, trudging along, through fast weight loss, little gains, and plateaus and slow weight loss. HUG YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Squeeze really hard. (And wow - you just burned a few extra calories there, too.)

I can't respond to everyone, because I can't figure out how to type in this box and read all the posts at once! LOL

Elizabeth - so great to see you back on! How are the home renovations going? You better believe we're excited about moving to SC! The only thing is, I want more of this weight off before we move. It's a lot easier to say no to yummy yummy yummy Southern Cooking when you know you have to get in your size 10 jeans. Right now, I'm still a size 16, and my goal is to be a size 12 before we leave. I'm trying to focus on how great it feels to be in Onederland, and not get caught up in the fact it's taking me so long to lose. You keep up the great work, you'll be leaving me in your dust!!!!

Nori - 14 pounds!!! Way to go!!!!! Tell me, what lean protein source are you using? Can you give me an example of your daily menu? I need to up my water intake. I'm going to focus on that today.

Catherine - I have to admit, when I read your first post and it said FRYING, I Was like, now there's a girl who knows how to do it!! LOL I love fried foods. They've been the hardest thing for me to drastically reduce. I'm so sorry you were crying. I hope today is going better, and I hope you have a fabulous weekend to help you recover. It's only natural to have mixed feelings about caring for your FIL. I don't know if you're a religious person, but you're doing exactly what Jesus would want. (I teach CCD on Sundays, and I'm teaching the 4-5 year olds about Jesus caring for his sheep, and how we care for people.) You keep up your amazing work!

Lori - way to go on the new BMI!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Lisa & Nori - I bought Billy's Boot Camp. I think I need a little more coordination and speed, but I'm aiming to work up to it.

My friend bought TurboJam, and she came over last night after the kids went to bed (and my husband was on duty) and we did the LEarn & Burn and part of the AbJam. OWWWWWW! It's fun, but whoa!!!!!!! Have any of you tried it?

Maureen - what's BATP? As far as what's normal for a haircut, in the town I live, haircuts for women range from $25 - $50. But if you go down the hill to Palm Springs, they can be more than $100. Can you imagine?

Okay, more later!

Erin - been there, done that with the crying at work. I used to work for a large law firm, and was the only woman besides secretaries who worked in construction law. Keep your chin up, I bet you handled everything great. And a great big WAHOO for your crunches and push ups this morning!!!

Again, I'm the dork that can't read the posts while replying, so I can't remember who asked what jobs we had here? Right now, I work as a secretary in Human Resources for a school district. When we get to SC, I'm taking some time off to focus on my kids. I'm really looking forward to that.

Hi Sarah - Yes, this is a great group! If you click the cutton "Post Reply" instead of starting to type in the box, you should be able to see posts? I can. they are underneath the box where youstart typing. Anyways, CONGRATULATIONS on the scale moving girl!!! Had to make you feel good--eventhough you'd doing good without it moving too!
To answer your question - I really feel better when I eat small meals that include carbs, fat and protein. I aim right now for 40% carbs/30% protein/30% fat. Thinking about switching around the protein and carbs ratios though. Lean protein = chicken & fish! Well, mostly - at least in 2 of my small meals a day! Also tuna, turkey breast (even the deli style), egg whites (or Eggbeaters), protein shakes, Morningstar sausages (have only 80 calories and 10 g of protein), cottage cheese (this has fair amt of carbs also though). I also eat some salmon 3-4 times a week. The smoked salmon from Costco (YUMMY), or salmon I cook and eat leftovers.
So for most meals I eat a serving 2-4 oz meat (depending on the calories in it), a salad or fruit and or veggie and about 3-4 almonds. Something to try to get balanced with all food groups.
Breakfast is usually 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1/4 cup blueberries in it, coffee, 3-4 almonds, and some source of protein.
Or an omlet (usually 1 whole egg with some eggbeaters added to it) with LOTS of veggies - red pepers, spinach, onions, mushrooms - in it. Sometimes I put avocado in it for my fat if I only use egg whites.
1 meal is often a protein shake with strawberries, blueberries and sometimes banana in it.
1 meal is usually a BIG salad with meat in it and lots of veggies, with Newman's Own Lighten Up Balsamic Vinagerette dressing, and a fat free yogurt.
1 meal often include either pasta or brown rice...it's hard for me to cut all of it out. Most of my meals are around 300 calories. Some lower, some higher... and I eat 4-5 of those meals each day.
Sometimes when I need somethign else I take 2 oz banana and put 1t-1/2T peanut butter on it and it gets me through a rough moment. For roughly 60 calories.
I use a kitchen scale ALL THE TIME.
Plus, best thing is that I know I can live like this forever. IT IS NOT A DIET! It makes me feel good. I know I may have to mix things up as I hit plateaus, but for now...sorry so long.

Erin - sorry about the rough day yesterday. YES, snow shoveling counts as mega exercise!!! Gladyou had a nice girls night out

Maureen - when you say BATP, so you mean WATP? Walk Away The Pounds? 50$ for a haircut is "more highend" here. I paid $35 last time. But we just moved here last year and it's Hickville compared to Seattle. In Seattle I normally paid $150+tip for cut and full foil at just your average salon - not highend. I never got just the haicut, but I think they were $50. Sorry your pork was dry. Those low fat meats get ruined so quickly on the grill.

Oops, Melina is crying. Gotta go...

OMG - it works! I hadn't ever noticed the post reply. I had been using the advanced option, and it always took me to a different screen! LOL

Nori - your eating plan sounds great. I was reading posts on another forum about Jillian Michaels new book, and she recommends different percentage ratios depending on what kind of oxidizer you are. Not sure what that's all about? Have you read her book or The Zone?

Hi Sarah - Yes, this is a great group! If you click the cutton "Post Reply" instead of starting to type in the box, you should be able to see posts? I can. they are underneath the box where youstart typing. Anyways, CONGRATULATIONS on the scale moving girl!!! Had to make you feel good--eventhough you'd doing good without it moving too!
To answer your question - I really feel better when I eat small meals that include carbs, fat and protein. I aim right now for 40% carbs/30% protein/30% fat. Thinking about switching around the protein and carbs ratios though. Lean protein = chicken & fish! Well, mostly - at least in 2 of my small meals a day! Also tuna, turkey breast (even the deli style), egg whites (or Eggbeaters), protein shakes, Morningstar sausages (have only 80 calories and 10 g of protein), cottage cheese (this has fair amt of carbs also though). I also eat some salmon 3-4 times a week. The smoked salmon from Costco (YUMMY), or salmon I cook and eat leftovers.
So for most meals I eat a serving 2-4 oz meat (depending on the calories in it), a salad or fruit and or veggie and about 3-4 almonds. Something to try to get balanced with all food groups.
Breakfast is usually 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1/4 cup blueberries in it, coffee, 3-4 almonds, and some source of protein.
Or an omlet (usually 1 whole egg with some eggbeaters added to it) with LOTS of veggies - red pepers, spinach, onions, mushrooms - in it. Sometimes I put avocado in it for my fat if I only use egg whites.
1 meal is often a protein shake with strawberries, blueberries and sometimes banana in it.
1 meal is usually a BIG salad with meat in it and lots of veggies, with Newman's Own Lighten Up Balsamic Vinagerette dressing, and a fat free yogurt.
1 meal often include either pasta or brown rice...it's hard for me to cut all of it out. Most of my meals are around 300 calories. Some lower, some higher... and I eat 4-5 of those meals each day.
Sometimes when I need somethign else I take 2 oz banana and put 1t-1/2T peanut butter on it and it gets me through a rough moment. For roughly 60 calories.
I use a kitchen scale ALL THE TIME.
Plus, best thing is that I know I can live like this forever. IT IS NOT A DIET! It makes me feel good. I know I may have to mix things up as I hit plateaus, but for now...sorry so long.

Erin - sorry about the rough day yesterday. YES, snow shoveling counts as mega exercise!!! Gladyou had a nice girls night out

Maureen - when you say BATP, so you mean WATP? Walk Away The Pounds? 50$ for a haircut is "more highend" here. I paid $35 last time. But we just moved here last year and it's Hickville compared to Seattle. In Seattle I normally paid $150+tip for cut and full foil at just your average salon - not highend. I never got just the haicut, but I think they were $50. Sorry your pork was dry. Those low fat meats get ruined so quickly on the grill.

Oops, Melina is crying. Gotta go...

Argh!! I had typed out this HUGE post to everyone and it poofed into cyberspace somewhere. Story of my life, I swear, thank goodness it's Friday.

Alright, so now I don't have time to redo it all I'll keep it short and sweet for now.

Major congrat's to all the *losers* this week! You're all doing a fabulous job working your plans. Keep up the great work gang, you rock!

So many of us are shrinking even tho' the scale doesn't agree. Just goes to prove, scales really are for fish! The proof is in the pudding, so-to-speak, the clothes are getting big, you're melting girls.

My leg is MUCH better today. I did weight workouts this a.m. and will do cardio for an hour this afternoon. Feels good to be moving. Weigh in's on Sunday, 2 more days to feel the burn!

Have a safe, healthy, and fun weekend everyone! Keep up the super effort, it's working and looks awesome on all of you!

BATP is Blast Away the Pounds, it's probably just like WATP but with Denise Austin. I'm trying to make a grocery list and I need new items to buy...any suggestions?

I used some free time to read all the old posts today, Nori and Elizabeth great photos, thanks for sharing!! I'll try to find a digital photo of my husband Mike this weekend. How do you post, cut and paste?

Catherine our sons and daughters are identical ages! Hope you get some time for yourself this weekend. I can't believe you work in a bakery, one of my favorite things is a poppyseed horn with icing on top

Sarah: I've always thought of trying pomegranate juice, hows the taste? Is it sweet or tart?

Taco Bell came back out with the crunch wrap supremes...someone is really testing my willpower

I need a good book to read and get my mind off of food!! Anyone have any suggestions, I like memoirs or fiction mostly. Has anyone read Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs? It's really good. My friend just read Angela's Ashes recently, good book but a tear jerker.

I hope I can get online this weekend, I might need your support especially with DH working tomorrow and me in the house with the kids and refrigerator all by myself.

I haven't read Jillian's book, but I have read the Zone. I guess I loosely follow the Zone - if I had to pick a plan. My Mom has done the Zone for a couple years now. Works great for her. She hasn't quite gotten to goal, but she's gone from 215 to 160 and maintains pretty well. She want to lose30 more pounds. Following it exactly, I dont' feel I get enough calories. For a female if you eat from the leanest food choices it's basically 3 300 calorie meals and 2 100 calorie snacks=1,100 calories. Too low for my liking. Too restrictive. I h ave NO idea about oxidizers? Have to go check.

Mo - OK, BATP - I've heard from 1 other gal that it's real good. I have some Denise Austin. I know lots of people find her annoying. I just did her Shrink Your Female Fat Zones this morning. Good toning/strengthening dvd. I upload my pictures to Photobucket.com and then to here. I haven't read anything good for a while. The Divinci (sp?)Code was the last one. It was good!!

Mo - I love love love Pom juice. But I don't drink it straight because of the calories. I add a splash of it to iced green tea and it makes it amazing.

Nori - 1100 calories? I bet I've never eaten that few calories in a day. LOL That is too low. I've read no one should go below 1200 calories or your metabolism slows down. My friend had to go to a dietician, because she was barely eating, and not losing weight. The dietician told her she had absolutely slowed down her metabolism over the years with all of her crash dieting. So she had to start eating different calorie amounts on different days, and add exercise to shock her system back into working. I hope it works for her.

Desert - holy cow do I lose everything in cyberspace. I swear my hotmail eats messages rather than sending or delivering them sometimes. Glad your leg is feeling better today!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great day, and a great weekend, Everyone!

Uggg, Danielle - I hate when I lose posts on the web... So happy your leg is feeling better. Take it easy. Getting hurt is one of my biggest fears now. What would I do if I couldn't work out? OMg, I'd have to eat less! I'm making sure to get a 1,000 calorie deficit each day and I'm able to do that because of all the cardio. I eat 1,400-1,600 calories a day. Burn about 600-900.

LOVE pomegranats! Have never though of splashing juice in tea though. Good idea. THanks.

Thanks, Mo. I got some new Valentine's Day pics of the girls that I'll put up when I get time. I can never get my pics small enough to attach here. So I do the [img] thing and they are huge...

Marine- I'm from SC, I'm not sure how it is where you live as far as good tourist spots but SC is pretty good. From where I live you head east a few hours and your at the beach, head north 2 hours and your at paramonts carowinds, head north west a few hours and your in the mountains about another hour and your in Gatlinburg TN (not sure if I spelled that right), head west and your in Atlanta GA, Southeast and your in Charleston SC. All of which are good vacationing spots so there's plenty to do with a not so long of a drive. I personally have been trying to talk my husband into moving up north cause I love the mountains and I like to see it snow, but he just won't budge.

I've been trying to resize and upload Mike's photo but it won't work. I was able to put him in my "public gallery". He's the one grabbing Shakira's breast at the wax museum in NYC! The closest he'll ever get