Due to Susan's husband's surgery I didn't feel it appropriate to have a Friday's follies so no topic today. Instead let's make sure we say some prayers for her and him this morning as he goes into surgery.

POINTS:

Faye :dancer:

Susan: We are praying and pulling for your husband's surgery to come off well today!

WooHoo, I am down another 3 lbs for this week! :carrot: :cb: :dance: That makes 29 so far. Just have to keep focused and stay on my plan! I would sure like to be around the 300 mark by Sept when we go to the Cub's game.

Everyone have a good day!

Faye :)

hello all!

I am feeling alot better and am doing okay at getting back OP. I had a bit of a wobbly start at the beginning of the week because of raging PMS, but that is over now and I feel alot more in control and motivated. I went to the gym today for the first time in a week! My hip needed a rest and PMS just left me with no energy at all, so I ended up having a whole week off! I was starting to feel really fat and sluggish though, so I'm glad I finally sorted myself out to go this morning. I did my 'Fat Burner' class (aerobics with handweights) and then had a swim. Boy, do I need a new swimming costume - mine has holes in it now where the underwire has poked through and it is far too big and the underwire doesn't support my bust as it's just too big! I just need so much new stuff that it's hard to prioritise. Mind you, I did manage to buy myself a lightweight spring jacket yesterday - I've been looking for about 2 months to no avail. I saw this one yesterday and just grabbed it, even though I couldn't really afford it!

FAYE - I am so proud of you - you are doing so well! Are you swimming again yet - hope you don't have the yob problem at the pool this year!

SUSAN - I don't blame you for being scared - I would be terrified. Know that you have a lot of friends praying for you and thinking of you today and in the days to come.

LEE - Now that is one very shrewd priest - managing to get a man who hasn't been to church in 25 years to commit to going and all in a single visit!

JULIE - Hope you are doing okay!

CARRI - Hi!

CW - Brownies? Yummy!

Love Amanda x

Hey ladies,
I haven't been to this post in a long while, but I got a birthday email from Faye and I decided its about time to come on back. I haven't been doing as well without you guys.
For those of you who I havent met, or in case some may have forgotten me, let me introduce myself. I'm Nikki, just turned 20, after an 8 month stay in Dallas, I'm back in Houston. I currently live with my parents (just until i pay off my other apartment and can get another one) and my boyfriend, Casey.
I had gotten down to about 170 and into a size 10/12 after graduating highschool at 250 and wearing a size 20. Since I've started living with Casey I've managed to find some of those pounds that I lost, Im not sure of my exact weight as i do not have a scale. But i estimate im in the 190's.
anyway, I hope yall dont mind if i rejoin you, and I look forward to talking with you again.

nikki

Amanda: Please don't slip backwards. You are doing so terrific, I would hate for you to get depressed about where you are at. You have accomplished so much and you can get down to your goal weight with just a little bit more hard work. Look at me, I screwed up but never GAVE up!

Nikki: We always welcome back our gals that have left us for awhile. Hope you had a great birthday!

Have a great day girls!

Faye ;)

Just moving us up to the front page today gals. Hope all you mommies have a great Mother's Day and the rest of you a nice weekend!


http://www.GlitterMaker.com/created/114751926683787.gif
Faye :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful mother's day and can spend it with their children or their own mothers. I will see you tomorrow morning!

Faye :)

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Yesterday was dh's birthday...ate too much, but we opted for unfrosted angelfood cake with fresh fruit instead of a big heavy bday cake. So, that's something...it tasted way better, too!

I've discovered the joys of frozen bananas! If you blend them up with a little milk, it takes on the consistency of ice cream--and it blends well with other flavors. My pre-skating nutrition is now a frozen banana blended with a cup of milk and a tablespoon of peanut butter!! YUMMMM...protein and potassium=lots of energy for skating.

Well, gotta get going.
TTFN,
Julie

Hello gals,

You got me worried talking about Mother's day - I thought 'oh no I've forgotton', but actually our Mother's day is in March, so it's okay, I'm not in my mum's bad books!

I am ready to start my diet again tomorrow - I've definately been eating more over the last few weeks and my main fear is that I am going to feel really hungry for a few days. Last night I got peckish and even though I had yoghurt in the fridge, I automatically chose bread and cheese! I know it's going to hard for the first week or so, but I am going to have to just stick it out and hopefully a bit of weight loss at the end of the first week will spur me on! I can't wait to start losing again!

I've been thinking about my diet plan and the fact that I need something that I can stick to easily - calorie counting works best for me, but I am not bothering with the main meal at lunchtime and light, no carb meal in the evening thing anymore. Basically, it's just not practical for me as it meant I was having to cook two meals each day - and I didn't have the energy to prepare a proper meal when I got back from the gym at lunchtime. I just figure that although I believe that plan would have been effective, the fact that I couldn't stick with it for more than 2 weeks shows that it is not going to work for me. Now I am just basically saying 'everything in moderation' and I am going to watch my portion sizes, reduce my carbs and reduce the takeaways! I am thinking of having a planned 'day off' each week - where I can eat whatever I want without calorie counting - some people over at the 100lb club use thiis method with great success. What do you guys think? I won't be planning to binge or anything, but maybe just allowing myself a treat or two! I guess the only way I'll find out if it works for me is to try it!

I am aching so much from the waist down! I did an aerobics class and swim on Friday, then a legs, bums and tums class yesterday and my legs and abs are really aching! I am so glad to be back at the gym though - I just feel better about myself and hold myself better when I am exercising regularly.

SUSAN - Thinking of you - I sincerely hope everything has gone well. :grouphug:

NIKKI - Welcome back! How are things at home? Is your dad back from Iraq?

Have a good day

Love Amanda x

Hi girls.

Well it was definitely an off program weekend, but for some reason I just wasn't very interested in eating that much. So even though I went off, I didn't go far. That was good. We also got a sum total of 10 hours of sleep for the entire weekend. We drove through the night thurs night (easier if the kids are asleep for it), and fri and sat night we were hanging out with family and our local friends, so we got about 4 hours each night (kids wake up Early!) and drove home through the night on Sunday. To say the very least.. we are POOPED!

But it really meant a lot for his parents to see the kids and play with them, so I suppose a little lack of sleep won't kill us just once in a while.

Anyhow (YAWN!) I'm off to get our dog from the pet motel and to pick up Erin for the day.

Goodnight. I mean, good morning (Is it? Where's that coffee?) LOL! :D

-Lee Ann

MONDAY: Today is Mission Monday and our mission this week is sleep. If you look at the posts you see harried mothers, busy young adults, and menopausal grandmas not getting enough sleep. Let's work hard to get in at least 7-8 hours a night for our weight loss program to really be effective. If outside influences (other than LeeAnn's trip) are causing lack of sleep, check with your doctor about your health or remove what is causing you not to sleep.

I believe their tracker system went belly up this weekend and that is why no one has trackers. You may try again and see if they are back up and running, but it wasn't yesterday.

Amanda: I want to see some good points from you this week. I know you can get back on track.

LeeAnn: Hope you can get some rest after your trip and enjoyed yourself.

Susan: I am anxious to hear about how the surgery went. I have been thinking and praying for you all weekend.

Julie: Sounds like you have half the recipe for Elvis's favorite food! Hope it works great for you to provide you with energy.

I had a lovely mother's day even though it was quiet around here. Kelly and Thomas took us out to dinner on Saturday night and she bought me this huge spa basket that is lavender and goes perfect in my hall bath. I talked to my son yesterday morning and received a beautiful card with two very touching messages from each of them (so nice to have a dil that likes you) and lots of attention from Jack, but that's nothing different actually!

Have a great day. I am off to the treadmill. LeeAnn, you are going to want to pay attention to this:

Finally, from the "I've heard everything file," Hasbro just released a cologne for it's 50th anniversary of Play Doh. It smells just like the stuff and costs $19 a bottle!

Faye ;)

Ladies, my dh surgery went well. A little more complicated than the surgeon had anticipated but it was over in 5 hours. He's been in ICU on spinal epidureal narcotics for the pain every since. No one told us before hand how very painful this surgery is - one of the worst. He gets narcotics steadily 24 hours a day. His food is already looking better and the swelling is going down. They are hoping to move him to a regular room and start physical theraphy tomorrow. Once we can get him walking again and arrange for his home health care to come and do special dressings on his sores, he can come home. Perhaps by the weekend.

Thanks for all your prayers. I'm convinced they made a huge difference.

Hi all,

SUSAN - That's excellent news about your dh. The worst is over for him now and you can both concentrate on his recuperation. I am so happy that the surgery went well!

Well I am all set for a 3 point day today - no gym as I am still too achy, but am booked in for tomorrow. I am finding it okay so far - have felt a few hunger pangs, but not too bad. The test will be tonight when I stay up late and end up snacking - but I've saved a few calories for a healthy snack if I do get really hungry, so I should be okay!

Have a nice evening

Love Amanda x

Susan: Oh we are so thrilled that everything went ok and now he can concentrate on getting on the mend and start gaining some good weight. You on the other hand, can heave a sigh of relief and try and get your home back to normal once he heals up and can come home. I wish you both the very very best!

Amanda: Good for you! Keep it up!

I was hoping it would pour down rain so we wouldn't have soccer practice tonight and it looked like it for a bit but it rolled on through. So....I have to get upstairs and shower and get dressed to go to the practice a little later and put the chicken/rice casserole in the oven in half an hour.

Everyone have a good afternoon.

Faye :)

Hello everyone,

I've come to the conclusion that I'm too old for Six Flaggs, and the funnel cakes don't taste as good as I remember. Bad thing is, the funnel cake set me off on a sugar binge over the weekend. anyway, new day, new week, start over. The weekend was also very tiring, as my daughter-in-law's father was missing. I've worried for the family, cried for them, babysat my granddaughter, etc. It turned out that her father needed some time away, and decided to leave. I'm a little angry with him for putting my son and his family through this. However, my heart goes out to him as well. Don't ask me why. It's complicated. Any way, my prayer is that he comes home soon, and hearts would heal.

Amanda-I used to have terrible PMS, until I found my "happy cream" What a difference it's made in my life. My husband can't even tell when I PMS.

Susan, so glad that the surgery went well. I will continue to keep you and your family in prayer for recovery and healing.

Nikki-glad you're back. I'm looking forward to getting to know you as we become big losers together. lol.

Julie, Leeann and Faye, hello to you, and any others that I may have missed. I hope we all get the rest we need over the weekend.

Have a good day.

TUESDAY: Today is Target Tuesday and our target is exercise this week. It is warming up so we have the opportunity to shake up our boring exercise routine with some outside activities this week.

POINTS:

Faye :bravo:
Julie :bravo:

CW: Glad your dil's father is ok. I agree it was a little insensitive for him not to have just told them he was going to leave. Men that leave sometimes can't face their families to tell them first and that is sad. Hope your dil is ok as well.

Well, I need to get started early this morning. Have a good day everyone and let's rack up some points this week!

Faye ;)