Still at 209, my dreaded "I'm stuck" number. I swear my body loves 209. Sigh. Oh well, tom is here!!! Thank goodness because my fingers look like little sausages. And now the salt cravings should stop. I am hoping to go shopping this weekend, I usually go only 2 days, so Friday and Saturday and I will be finished. If the malls are too crowded I may try and go Monday evening and maybe Thursday evening instead.

Snow - that is a lot of vegetables. I don't think I come anywhere near 10 servings. Maybe I will try that. With eating all those veggies, you wouldn't really have alot of room for anything else.

dolly - boy do I sympathize with not wanting to cook. Some evenings by the time I get home I just don't want to do it. Cambells chicken noodle soup has very few calories by the way. Just a quick I don't want to cook tip.

Well off to get ready for work. I won't be home until late this evening. I hate long work days.

It has actually warmed up a bit today so I think after work the dogs are going to get go on a walk. They will love that since we haven't been for about two weeks now. So last night I didn't want to cook again so I just sauteed some chicken tenders, steamed some broccoli, and opened a can of corn. Not alot of effort, but it worked.

Sno, the number 10 just seems a bit over whelming to me. I try to aim for a veggie at breakfast and two at lunch and dinner. I am sure my serving sizes might be a more than one serving though. Also I have two pieces of fruit. Is fruit included in the 10? You deserve a rest of exercise if no break for a month. What an accomplishment though.

Card, I am going to battle the mall this weekend too. I am taking my grandmother for Saturday morning only, I can only handle so much of her shopping. I offered to it all for her this year, but she wants to get which I understand, but she get so frustrated and tired that it turns into a not-so fun experience.

Everyone stay healthy!

I made it through 7 days of this eating plan and fell of the wagon with a bang last night. Had a full blown binge evening :tantrum: and I'm feeling it today. I don't know what brings these little episodes on but wish there was a switch attached to my mouth that I could turn off. I've been very good today so hopefully not to much damage was done. Still have lots to do in the next 10 days to get ready for christmas. I'm hosting a xmas party for 40-60 people on the 16th so lots of prep to do. I wish I could take the whole month of Dec. off to really have enough time to get things done without over taxing myself. Yes I'm in a bit of a downer mood but I'll pick myself up and get back in the spirit after yesterdays sugar wears off.

Good to hear I'm not the only one who wants to bail on the evening cooking.
I think I'll enlist my kids this evening while I decorate the house. Have a great day ladies and :dust: to all. I know I need it.

Nina

Okay 40 I just pulled the wagon up so dust off your pants and get back on! Well all have our moments the key is to not dwell on them and move on.

Wednesday
 

Hi everyone:

had a great day yesterday and logged off one more pound--still 3 from my pre-thanksgiving day weight--I have been back on plan for 4 days now so that isnt too bad.

Exercise is holding strong--already did my walk today!

Dolly: 10 veggies--yes a half a cup of veggies or fruit is one serving. A lot of times what I consider a portion is two portions. So it is easier than it sounds. And it does really keep you from being hungry. you sound like you are probably already pretty close to ten.

Keep it up Card--if you are at 209 with TOM you will be less after--particularly if you are bloated. Try drinking at least 100 oz of water a day and that will also flush things out.

Nina--one binge no matter how large is just one. even if you bloat up for a few days the weight will come right back off!

have a great day!

Good Morning!!!! Still at 209. I guess it could be worse. Got the monthly staff and board meeting out of the way yesterday. Now if I do the shopping this weekend I will be ready for Christmas. I ate well yesterday, no extras. That is a first of course I was at work from 8:45am until 9:00pm and then dh dragged me out to a friends until 10:30 so I was cooking supper last night at 10:45, the kids were not happy with me. But there was no time for snacking.

dolly - that sounds like a great meal. Easy and nutritious. I am sure your dogs will love the walk, my outside dog is inside and just pacing like mad. I feel sorry for him he is too hot inside and too cold outside. Poor thing can't win at the moment and it is far too cold here to take him out for more than a pee. As it is I am freezing trying to get to work. Weeks like this I really wish I had the van and dh was walking to work. And I hate shopping with anyone else. I just go with dh and he is there to keep his mouth shut and carry packages. And he knows this. Do not bother me when I am shopping because I get very cranky.

40 - I sympathize. Kick yourself once, heave a large sigh and climb back on. It is all you can do. But first give yourself a big pat on the back for the 7 days and all the lost pounds. And by all means get the kids to help. I always get them to do most of the decorating. It is less than perfect and maybe not what I would have done, but Christmas is for kids as far as I am concerned.

Snow - way to go!!!!!! I wish I could keep up the exercise maybe then the number 209 would disappear from my scale. Keep up the good work, those pants are calling you. I am going to try to increase my veggies. It can only help.

Well feel sorry for me ladies as I head off into the bitter cold. Sigh. It is supposed to be warmer tomorrow. Thank goodness!!!!

Okay I totally missed my morning workout today and it has thrown me all out of wack. I woke up at 445am and though oh 15 min until my alarm goes off just time for a small snooze. Then I hear DH's alarm go off and it is 615am. So now I feel tired and cranky. I can't believe I miss exercise but I do.

Sno, good job at keeping up you exercise, you are doing great

Card, that is way to late for me to cook and eat I probably would have just gone to bed, but then again I don't have any kids either.

Afternoon ladies,
Feeling much better today. I weighed in this morning and I'm only up on pound. Yesterdays eating was right on track and the goal for the rest of the week is keep life in perspective and get as much as possible done but not sweat it if I'm behind "schedule". Who makes those schedules any way? Oh ya I do so I guess I can change them. Had an appointment with a specialist this morning about my knee and I'm going to need surgery but I should make a quick recovery post surgery. It's good to know finally what the problem is and accept some lifestyle changes for the next couple of months.
I can sympathize about the weather Card -14 this morning and cold for at least the next 3 days. We'll at least be able to get some out door rinks organized soon. I don't know how you could cook so late. We'd have opted for cereal and gone to bed.
5:00 in the morning Dollypie. You're my hero!!! I've been using my lack of time with all the christmas prep I've been doing to forgo my workouts. I'm going to try for 5:00 tomorrow and hit the gym.

Sno way to keep on track.

Have a great day ladies
Nina

Hi Chickies... well its been a rather challenging first week of December for me. Despite some setbacks, I am still down a half pound which is great. I have had a lousy attitude this week. I think I am weary after struggling through the long Thanksgiving week with my family. And now it is just freezing outside and dark by 4:30 in the afternoon. :cry: Thankfully I know better than to rely on my emotions in all this... just grit my teeth and do it! But its been a tough week and I am hoping for a better attitude in the coming days.

thursday
 

Okay ladies still exercising--barely. It was hard today--I could not believe I had not done more after 13 minutes. Fortunately I stuck with it and got my 30 minutes done.

Had a large lunch yesterday which put me up two lbs--I envy those of you who eat and then dont go up or just go up a pound. It dont happen to me.

However, I am confident to be at my pre-thanksgiving weight by monday and 238 by the following monday--I know I can do it. I will be glad to have the holidays over tho--just want to have not parties to go to! I have one on sunday and am dreading the aftermath. I will keep in mind Dolly's success at the holiday tea and hope I can do the same.

Take care ladies and keep up the good work!

Sno

Well ladies, i lost 0.8 from ticker weight this week. So hooray. Not much but at least i got to play with that ticker. Down from 247.8 to 247.0...so not much of a move but hey, i will take anything at this point. I ran into a problem with the ticker. It would only let me have one ticker...wouldnt let me do the other one...my long term one...kept giving me the same snow man...my long term is the moon one....anyone else have this trouble? They have some weird password thing now. How are you all getting around that? I know it sounds petty, but hey, i live to see that snowman and moon move.

So last night I walked the dogs and it was 30 degrees outside, that was a first. I bundled up and I wrapped a scarf around my neck and mouth. Let's just say I had to dig for it, because where I am in Texas most people don't even know what a winter coat is let alone a scarf. I am convinced it is going to be an abnormally cold winter for us here. My g-pa says the same thing because his goats are have alot of hair, gotta love him. Halfway through the walk I was taking off the jacket, I got so hot underneath all of those layers. I was missed at the gym yesterday by the Jack Lalane look-a-like again. Went in for some strength training and it was a good workout. Just looking for it to be 5 o'clock soon!

Get n healthy: :carrot: way to go on the lose!:carrot: The scale is headed in the right direction. I played with my ticker and didn't seem to have any troubles with it. What are you talking about with a password, it didn't encounter anything like that.

Snowbrocade: I can relate to counting the minutes. When I am on the treadmill I am usually watching music videos so I try to say I won't look at the timer until the end of the song or commercial. When I am try to jog those last few seconds during my intervals I even count the seconds, how sad is that. The good thing is that you stuck it out and finished your workout. I bet you felt really good about that.

Sojourner: This might sound silly, but put on your happy cap as my friend who is 3rd grade teacher would say. Do something for yourself and that will help. DH says shopping is not the solution to all my problems, but it seems to help and it is better than junkfood.

40: Did you make it to the gym this morning, I was thinking about you at 5am as my alarm went off.

I haven't weighed since Friday morning and I was at 209 still. I really have to get my act together this week. I shopped Friday night for 3 hours and yesterday for 8 hours. I am almost done. Everything I bought is wrapped and I am broke.I should be able to finish Monday.

dolly - it is nice to hear you miss exercise. Maybe if I get my buns in gear and get into the habit I will miss it too. I was laughing about the coat and the goats. Lets just say that I have 3 winter coats and know where they all are. It must be really nice not to know but mine are in use for about 5 months or more of the year. I think we may have a cold winter as well but it has been pretty warm for the last 2 days. I hope the hot spell lasts until Christmas.

40 - glad to hear your knee will be fixed and doing well soon. That has to be a big relief for you.

sojo - I can sympathize with the pre Christmas blues. Life tends to get a little overwhelming this time of year and money is tight and there is no sunshine anywhere. Chin up, this too shall pass. I have been feeling great since I finished most of my shopping. It takes a lot of the stress out of Christmas for me to be ready.

Snow - I am one of you. I eat and gain. I look at food and gain. It takes a lot for me to lose a little and a little for me to gain a lot. Keep up the good work on the exercising. You are going to be my inspiraiton to continue with mine. Tonight I will be doing my exercise video.

Get n - Congrats on the almost pound. I haven't been able to move my tickers for so long that I wouldn't know if I am having a problem.

Well off to clean my house. Playing catch up after all that shopping and wrapping this weekend. Hope every one has a great day.

Sunday
 

hi all:

well--Christmas is already starting to influence me. My husband brought me piece of candy last night from Sees. It was really good. And my birthday is next weekend. Tonight is a party and I am really hoping not to eat much but even when I go lightly I gain. I am starting to be resigned that I will not lose much this xmas--maybe that is too much to hope for. I guess if I just maintain the ten pounds I have lost so far in this challenge I will be doing good. And then get back on the wagon after christmas for our next challenge!

Exercise is doing really well--tho I started late yesterday and was walkign in the dark for the last ten minutes! I was thinking about doing inside and walking in place--but that just wouldnt be the same.

Card--thanks for the encouragement! boy--you think all that shopping would trim off some weight! Oh well--the holidays are almost over.

Actually I really enjoy the holidays--I just also would really like to lose weight and those two things seem to be incompatible.

hi there everyone,
I've been busy all weekend but stayed on track with my eating. Got to the gym at 5:30 pm on Friday Dollypie. Tried for the AM but I swear there were bricks tied to my arms and legs and I just couldn't get up until 6:00. I really think the early morning workouts will be the key to consistancy for me but I'm thinking it would make a great new years resolution.
I went to a dinner party last night and ate small portions and just a light dessert and I've been very good today so my fingers are crossed that I'll squeak into the 160's tomorrow morning.
Congrats:carrot: on your lose Stacy. This time of year it's sooo hard to loose and i usually gain anywhere from 5-10 pounds so if the scale is moving in the other direction you should feel pretty good about it. This challenge really appealed to me because I was hoping it would help keep me accountable through the holiday season.
Sno 10lbs is awesome. I bet you can probably shave a bit more off before New Years and if not I'm up for the next challenge. I really do want to lose 40 before I turn 40 which is in May.
Wow Card. All your shopping and wrapping in two days. According to my schedule I won't be there until about the 18th. I'm host a fairly large party next weekend so I'm focusing on those details this week.
Sojo I was feeling the same way earlier in the week. All the extras that have to be done can be a little overwhelming, especially when we're already so busy. I took a couple of hours for myself and decided not to sweat it this season. :xcheer: :elf: I know I'll get it all done eventually but with a little perspective I'll remember what's really important and not do the stressed out mother thing.
Have a good night everyone:hug:

Nina