hey everyone! it's a new month, time for a new thread. let's get to thinking real quick about a challenge for february. i'm still stumped. my gut feeling is that some kind of nsv should be incorporated somehow. anyone new who's looking for a great home here on 3fc, we welcome you join us -- we are supportive and motivated to succeed.

i'd like a NSV challenge added too
right now i hate the scale
I will think of ideas and post later
Laura and Melissa NO FAIR! applebees together - seriously i hope you two had a blast!
Where is Everyone?? i hope all is ok - i worry about everyone when they are not around.
I have become addicted to luna bars- had no time to eat when dealing with FIL and the hospital -they had the bars in the snack bar so i grabbed one and now i am addicted.
I have decided that i am just putting food in my mouth because i can. NOT because i am hungry. i need to learn what hunger is and not just bored or eat cause food is available. I need to eat to live not live to eat. (yeah I ripped that off of the biggest loser )
have a great day!
Sandi

Thanks for starting the new thread-I totally spaced it. Yes I think some NSV's would be good but I will have to actually think lol. Yes it was me who got to have lunch with Laura and it was a blast. The time just went so very fast but it was so nice to "see" on of us. I have just had lots of errends ect the last few days and by the time I get them all back, I am a veggie. Katy did stop by the other day. Apparently she was in jail again on some warrant. I read her the riot act because not only was she washing her clothes she was washing the losers she hangs out with. Told her no more or she loses privilages. Not my problem they are all too lazy to get a job and be responsible-it isn't mine. She did tell me Michelle isn't happy with her though and I tried to remind her that dependency can be cancelled anytime and if that happens, she won't be able to keep any children she gives birth to. She said she is due in July or Aug so at least that gives me more time-now I am also questioning whether she is preggo or not. She still hasn't gone into see the dr. Oh the saga rolls on!

Ok off to play Pirate the World and then I have to get busy lol. I found this game and now I am addicted.
Melissa

wow, that's awesome that you and laura got to hang out melissa. i know how those pirate games can be addictive. i kicked my pirate game habit, but only after weeks of playing pretty much non-stop i keep on hoping that kate will see the light before the baby is born ( if she is pregnant.) well, there is time left, so that's good.
i love those luna bars! they are much better than other similar bars. the lime one is the best i think.
i am looking forward to having an op day. i just had a pretty big breakfast, so i am going to have to watch it later on today. i have less than two weeks for my mini goal, so i need to get busy. i thought of one nsv that would be good for me, and that is to control snacking. i have developed this habit of snacking, not always on healthy food, and i want to try and cut that out.

Fortunately there are only 600 free moves a day so that keeps me from getting on there every spare second. One guy found an xbox on an island. Now if I could get those scurvy bilge rats to quit looting me while I am not at play!
Melissa

hmm i have never tried the luna lime bars.. I need to check those out. of course i will eat anything that has chocolate on it so i use the luna bar excuse to get my fix in. they don't taste like cardboard or paste so i likes them!

I CAN NOT get addicted to pirate games.. i spend way too much time on video games i get addicted to. 2 years ago i was given the old school ninetendo & tons of games for my Bday and i played super mario for hours on end. no laundry done, the house went to heck and i ate non- stop potato chips. NO pirate games for Sandi.
although i really adore Movie pirates if they are Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom

i am so glad you and laura got to have dinner together. I bet ya'll had fun!

I have come to the conclusion one can talk until one is blue/purple /red in the face and one's "grown-up" kids will not listen . for any reason. and all we parents are, is stupid, annoying, and worthless.
I hope katey gets it together- something has to happen to get her attention. i hope it does before it is too late.

well i had a great OP day today until i got home and decided to eat everything in site. i mean what was up with that?? I atre a great breakfast and a good lunch - snacks were great and my fitday was awesome. now i am afraid to finish posting what i ate today. and i don't even think i was hungry. i have been going thru headaches getting off caffiene again. but thats no reason to EAT.

I am not sure if we want to do a group challenge like exercise like we did before -like say 3 times a week for Feb. or so many minutes? or the person who logs in the most exercise minutes gets a gold star?? or if everyone wants to do their own challenge? or pounds lost?? or set a goal and work towards it?? i think NSV's may be different for everyone. or someone please think of something better than i did

my NSV this month will be to drink my water.
i need get serious - i have only been half - butt doing this program. lazy lazy lazy slacker.

well i need to work on my fitday and see what i can do better. I read this book about losing lots of pounds in 14 days and it was all don't eat fruit and no grains and no dairy. I don't know but i really love peaches and nectarines and fruit may have sugar (natural) in it but i can't see how something that is natural/unprocessed can make you fat. I just really believe less calories in and exercise more and you lose weight. and i can't see how carrots are bad for you? i am having issues with all this don't eat fruit and don't drink milk -
i would think you'd be better off not drinking the artificial flavored protein shakes they talk about in the book??
oh well off my ""
sandi

i totally agree with you sandi. about the artificial foods not being as good for weight loss as fresh fruits and dairy. they just got done with that whole thing "eat three servings of dairy a day to lose weight." it doesn't matter for weight loss though. low calories+exercise=thin. eating fresh foods as opposed to processed is fine.. it's healthy. and healthy foods are usually lower in calories anyway. but not always. i know all too well that avocados are healthy and high in calories, so i limit them. so many weight loss books are out there. it's just a bunch of folks trying to make $$$ imho. !
but mostly i agree with you about the fact that johnny depp is a hot pirate. and it's all about old-school nintendo.

HI guys! Just wanted to check in before I start another long stretch at work. It looks like we have some seriously AWOL gals. Theresa--I hope everything is fine with you. We really miss you and hope you come back soon. Kayelle---You are our inspiration, our muse hope to hear from you.

Dh did super with his eye surgery. Even the doc was amazed at how much vision was restored only one day postop. That is a major stress gone from our lives.

I've been thinking about the challenge and the NSV for Feb. Part of losing weight is changing how you look at yourself,so how about a NSV that once a week we post something positive we noticed about ourselves personally?? Too corny maybe??? Maybe an exercise challenge of 3 sessions of whatever each of us do a week??? (Somebody help me out here, i'm sinking fast!!)

Melissa, can't the case-worker make Kate go to the doc? What about pre-natal care if she is pregnant, she should really have started that already. Since she is bound by the court so much you think they could make her do something!!! I think if you knew for sure and when a true due date was it might help relieve some of the stress. Easier to plan for the known instead of the unknown
Well my total weight loss for January was the best it's been in months, 14 pounds
You are so right Candice. Weight loss is truly the old fashioned less calories in, more energy out. I keep my calories between 1200-1500 a day, try to make good choices but still count everything I eat. Sometimes you just need that piece of chocolate. My exercise is what's been really bad with all the hours I've been working. Most days I just fall into bed when I get home and sleep until about an hour and a half to two hours before I have to get back to work. My shifts are typically 14 hours a day with report time figured in. That's not counting 40 minutes of driving everyday. Somehow I have got to get some type of exercise in. Any suggestions??

Well, now I've got to work on the bills before I go back to bed. I hope everyone has a great weekend. I will try to post sometime during the weekend, not a promise, just a hope!!

Take care everyone!

Suzette

Hi all, again I was lost wondering where everyone was in the old thread!
Suzette-14 pounds is AWESOME!! I actually gained and lost the same 3 pounds in January
According to Curves I gained 1 lb last week, but I know it was all the chips and salsa I ate Sunday. My PMS demands salt!! I am doing much better this week, if I could just get myself to the gym more often, I've only been twice this week. I am going to Curves and the gym today and tomorrow. Hubby wants to meet with the trainer and the gym and get us a both a routine worked out. Right now we're just doing the treadmill and hubby does weights, but doesn't really know a routine. I read weight training will speed up metabolism so I really need to start some!
Well, I'll check in again later. Off to the gym!

Kathy

Hi everybody! I haven't gone anywhere...I've just had a busy week and haven't had time to check in, but it's finally Friday! I am ready for a weekend. But where is Theresa??? It's really not like her to be gone so long. I hope everything is ok.

Congrats on a great month, Suzette!! 14 pounds is terrific!! Awesome!

I haven't tried Luna bars. I'm not even sure I've ever even seen one in the store. I might have to check them out. Yikes, I never would have lost any weight without fruit and grains and dairy. I'm sure it works for some people but those are things I could not (nor do I want to) give up. I probably eat enough fruit for at least 3 people in a day, but it fills me up and satisfies my sugar craving without packing on pounds so that's what I'm sticking with.

Count me in as another Johnny Depp fan. Definitly a very hot pirate. That's one of my favorite movies and I can't wait for the second one. I've never played the game you all are talking about, though. Sounds like it's better if I don't start. I am easily addicted to things like that, too. I play WordRacer on occasion and I love The Sims 2 but I rarely play it because once I get started I could sit here playing it all day and get nothing accomplished.

How cool Melissa and Laura that you got to have lunch together! I bet you had a great time. Sounds like a lot of fun!

I've been doing fine other than being busy and slightly tired. I've really been pushing the workouts since we are counting minutes for Lighten Up Iowa. My team is doing really well so far, but we are only two weeks in.

Well I need to go help my husband with dinner...whole wheat pasta w/marinara tonight, and I can't have too much because I still need to get a workout in tonight and I hate exercising with a full stomach.

Hi to everybody!! I'll try to catch up more tomorrow since I get to stay home ALL DAY! Whoohoo!!

I'm here, I'm here!

Where have I been? Let's make it short and say things were so busy and demanding on my time, I just went into autopilot for everyone else. I was taking no time for myself, which meant no exercise, eating whatever could be grabbed in a second (or even just cleaning after the kids when they were done), etc. On Monday I walked by the scale and dared to step on it. It said 240, so I hadn't gained through it all--probably all the running crazy! I realized I need to put myself first again or I am going to burn out. I started exercising again, went back to eating right, even if it means putting others off while I cook. I am feeling much better today. I actually have that thin, light feeling again!!!

Through the last couple weeks I have learned that everything in my life hinges on exercise. If I don't exercise I get cranky, and the eating and water goes right down the drain. When I exercise, I automatically make better eating choices to feel good for another workout, I drink the water because I inhale it while doing the workouts, and my mood lifts for the entire day. I have to exercise or everything else stops...very glad to realize that now!!!

Tried my BL DVD and LOVE it. thought I would die the first time

I can't go back and read everything, but I skimmed and saw that Melissa and Laura got to really meet! That is awesome!!!!! It would be nice to put faces to the names here.

sorry I disappeared, but glad to be back to thinking of ME and back to you all. Starting next Saturday I have 4 days straight of parties! Two to throw, two to attend. I was supposed to be helping throw the Valentine's party, but no one ever called me so I just kept quiet. I know, horrible of me, I should have spoke up and said "what do I need to do?" But I decided if they wanted to exclude or forget me, that's fine, I'll just keep quiet. I have been so crazy busy, it would have been hard to help anyway.

Theresa

I am so happy to see you back Theresa! We have been worried about you. I am just plugging along here and yes it was so wonderful to have lunch with Laura-the time just went way too fast. Course you know me, I get around an adult and good luck getting away anytime soon. I am gonna talk your ear off! I went Friday to watch my son get award for caring. He was the only kid in his class to get one. Food is off again on again-I am just stressing over stuff way too much and need to let it go.

Oh i am getting much better at my pirate game too and looting and pilaging! I think it is theraputic and hey it is free-one guy earned 140 for the month in cash just for playing. Personally I want an xbox that is sitting on an island
Melissa

yay! theresa is back! that is so right about the gym. i wish i could get into the habit of going every day, because it really improves my mood and since i weigh at the gym, i want to do better on eating so it doesn't show up on the scale that i ate a grip.
i've been doing ok today, even though sundays are usually bad. i would have been bad and ate the rest of the cherry garcia after my nap, but dh ate it and saved me the calories i was actually mad for a second, but then i realized it was actually a favor. i am always starving and craving bad food after a nap for some reason. hopefully i will hit the gym later on. it's still early, so hopefully i'll get motivated to go.

well i blew it. no gym and i had a muffin and fries instead, and went way over on calories. dh and i got all pissy at each other and i went by myself to work to check my schedule and get some tea. then this girl invited me to go with them after close to denny's, and by the time we were getting ready to leave, i was really hungry. i had the muffin because it was free, and i am not sure why i had fries. i didn't have enough cash to get anything else, but why did i feel the need to get anything?!?
i am so mad at me!

We are back from Seattle and San Diego. It was wonderful meeting Melissa. Now she has a face, and a very nice one at that. We talked alot, mostly about out kids, first her's and then my phone rang and kid problem #987,345,346 popped up to make me nuts. It's hard to escape even 3000 miles from home. I should flush the cell phone. Anyway, our lunch was lovely.
Food on this trip was fine till Friday. Then I blew it with junk. I did work out twice at a club in San Diego. Apparently some health clubs belong to an organization which allows travelers day passes. This one charged $5.00.
I never saw so many sleek, worked out bodies. Nothing like my little NY club with many overweight easy going women.
I am OP today and will workout again tomorrow.
I think a once a week NSV is a good challange, plus exercise at least 3 times and OP every day. Most of us, including me, have been slacking off since Xmas, and it's time to get real. Summer is in 5 months and It's TIME.
Laura