The girls let all of the guys around take the pics. They really don't have a choice. All of the guys come equiped with a camera. :lol: Joe didn't say anything to the people but when he got home he was fuming. We have the negatives but we don't know who to bring them too. This is the first year that this has happened. I wonder why they have changed their policy now?

Since you are taking the pics for yourself to see the difference try doing the tight fitting clothes shot. You know, the ones that are in the mags about the before and after shots. Don't cringe, if you are wear bike shorts or something you will be able to really see the changes. I know that some of my clothes that fit me ok and not very flattering. Whe I put on bike shorts I can see where I have changed. I am not saying that it is pretty but at least I know what is moving around.

Flying high again
 

Hello everyone :yawn: . I took some cold medicine for my sinuses and now I'm getting really drowsy. Can't drive the forklift today :lol: .

Angie you look really good, very pretty. You look remarkably like a girl I knew back in high school. Her name was Theresa and she was from Baltimore, MD but living in Hawaii since her dad retired from the Navy. You should've posted the full body shot. I bet you anything you're not nearly as big as you think you are. We're our own worst critics remember? Besides, just put your pictures side-by-side, at your heaviest and the current one--look how far you've come! That is totally remarkable. I'm like you though, take a picture on the digicam and delete it right away because I think it's so horrendously gross.

Kemp, that's a good idea about taking pics wearing bike shorts to really see the progress. Yeah I can see my lumps and bumps but they've gotten noticeably smaller. Speaking of lumps and bumps, I found some mardi gras beads and doubloons in a box on my bookshelf--and I didn't even have to show my bumps ( * ) ( * ) :lol: .

Sheesh, I'm tired. I need to go lie down. I'll check back with you gals later. Have a great day everyone.

Noelle I almost swallowed my gum b/c I was laughing so hard at the ( * ) ( * ) that is so funning. I have never seen that before.

Kempy, Great pics!!!! You are so skinny!! You guys looked like you were having a ball. You are so skinny!!! oops did I say that already!! Well you look great!!!!

We did have fun, from what I remeber. And thank you for the complement. I may need you to resize the one with me and my friend so I can change my avatar. The only think I don't like about the pic is that you can tell I need to have my hair done but that will be taken care of Friday. I am sure we will be taking more pics in San Diego so I will send more later.

Noelle, Jay liked your boobies!!! haha :lol:

Wow, I am the first one to report in for today? How did that happen?

Not to much going on my way. I got to the gym again this morning. I think going out of town is pushing me a little too. I know I won't be as tight as I want by Friday but maybe I can stop some of the extra jiggling that is going on right now.

How is everyone? Are you guys still alive?

You are having a good week at the gym Kempy. I have been doing hand weights and pushups alot lately to try to build a little extra muscle but I don't really know anything about it. I am just winging it and hoping I am doing enough.

I got to walk outside again today. YEAH! I am going to walk to the Middle School today at 4 to pick up the kids. That should piss them off. They do not like to walk at all. Unless they can go uptown by themselves then they are ready to go. :lol: Makes me wonder what they do. Brit loves to go walking with her friends so they can see boys.

Hey girlies,
Just a quick pop in......I'm at work and well you know how it goes. Anyway, I changed my pic next to my name again....LOL....thought this one was so fitting for me since I can't stay off the scales and can picture my poor scales doing this...

Having a good day, hope everyone else is too. Angie, the weather is getting warmer finally. Think I am changing out of this skirt and shirt when I get home and put on some jeans and a sweatshirt and sneakers and hitting the pavement!!! What a day for a walk outside. (can't believe I said that, a couple months ago I would never ever say lets go for a walk)

((((Hugs to all))))
Sandy

I am gald to see you guys pop in. Glad to hear that the weather is nice for you. You guys up north really needed a break. Are they calling for more snow or cold temps?

I am not worried about what is going on over here next week. I checked the weather for San Diego and it is going to be in the 60s during the day and the 50s at night. I was thinking it would be warmer than that. I was looking forward to wearing shorts. I guess I will have to rethink the waredrobe choices now.

I don't think we are expecting any more cold blasts. The 5 day forecast is gradually getting warmer so hopefully. We are so below normal temps for the last couple of months it is sickening. It was 12 below zero yesterday morning when Jay delivered and they said the normal lows are supposed to be in the 20's for this time of year. Poor guy, the delivery cars heater doesn't work well either. He said he has been freezing while delivering all winter. He won't take the Durango because he doesn't want to rack the miles up on it.

I can't wait until we hit the 60's. Except when it is sunny and cold I still sweat from the sunshine on myu face. That sucks but hey it beats being cooped up in the house.

Hey everyone, I just got in to work. Angie, I walked my son to school today since I didn't get my walk in yesterday. Plan on walking to the bank too after the mail arrives. You know, I could walk to work if I was so inclined--it's only about 1.5 miles or so one way but then I'd have to walk back home in the noon sun to pick up the boy from school. Just the thought of it makes me sweat and sunburn. Maybe if we install a shower here at the workshop I'll do it but I don't relish the thought of getting to work sweaty and uncomfortable.

Kempy those were great pics! Wow! You look mah-velous darling! Yeah, skinny, just like Angie said. Geez if only I were over 6' tall then my weight would be the normal. :lol: Is that Joe? He looks like a big huggable guy if you don't mind me saying. My hubby is like a big teddy bear too.

Sandy, that's a picture of my scale too! I have 2 scales (I call them 'his and hers'). One dial-type and the other digital. I hate both of them equally :lol: . But I'm getting to love walking so hopefully if I keep doing it the scales will be nicer to me. Funny how that number on the scale can affect your day either way, good or bad.

Hi everybody.
It's definitely not cold anymore. The highs over the next 2 weeks range from 68 to 82.

I bought Julie Morgenstern's book "Organizing From the Inside Out" a few weeks ago. (paperback, 262 pages, $15.00)
She's been on Oprah a few times helping people get their houses better organized. She helps big companies get their offices in better order, too.

Anyway, four rooms in our house have been a disaster area for so long that I was getting desperate, as I knew what I had done in the past wasn't working since I'd end up with the same mess again.
Our dining room is one of the rooms, and we got to the point awhile back where we didn't want anyone to even come in the house.

Julie's formula is the first one that sounded promising and that Actually works ! (I can throw out the 4 other books I have on getting organized)

I've gotten 2 rooms finished that were so bad there was a walking path in each of them.

If you have a room (or more than one ) that's always a mess and you just close the door when company comes....try Julie's book.
I highly recommend it !

The thing that's not good is that I get into what I'm doing and forget time and it's really screwing up any routine I had with my weight loss. I work better at night, and sometimes don't stop to go to bed till 5am.
I practically have to set an alarm to remind myself to drink water.
We have bought 5 bookcases and a moveable 2 drawer file cabinet from Ikea. I love putting their "Billy" style bookcases together. They are so easy.
A lack of storage space was one of my big problems.

Hubby has mostly stayed out of my way, which is good. The stuff I'm sorting thru are all messes that I perpetuated and I need to handle them myself.

I'm hoping to be finished in another week, and then get my routine back on track.

Hope everybody here is doing better with their eating habits than me right now.

Hi Suzan :wave: . I'm going to be looking for that book you mentioned. Our house needs that. We just got through decluttering and I want to keep it that way. Don't tease me about shopping at Ikea! That's one store I always try to hit when I go to the 'mainland' . I can't buy much though since it would be too hard to carry home on the plane. I have brought home some cool shelves and candle holders but if I lived near one, my house would probably be furnished cheaply yet tastefully. No Ikea here. No Target either. No Lane Bryant (which I don't think I'll be able to shop in there much longer anyway :dancer: ) , No Victoria's Secret. No Bath and Body Works....I could go on and on about the stores I love that we don't have. Maybe I just like them because we don't have them? I dunno. I'd be shopping a lot more, that's for sure--and I shop a lot!

Gar I don't like my hubby top help organize stuff either. He is good at his stuff but when it comes to papers or bills I can never find them once he has touched them. When we first met I opened his desk drawer to look for a pen and there were tons of bills in it. He forgot where he had put them. Needless to say I am the one who handels the finances.

Noelle that is Joe! He is kind of hugable looking isn't he? I think I'll keep him.

Just a quick note for the ones of you that I have sent the pics to (if you other guys want to see them pm me your e-mail address) i am really good at camoflouging so don't think I look like that all of the time. That belt brings your eyes away from my tummy which by the way was hidden pretty well by the shirt and the beads didn't hurt either.

Good Morning everyone!! It is a little colder here today but I am going to get in a walk if it ckills me! My diet is going good so far this week. Did anyone see 60 Minutes? (I think that was the show last night) About overweight people who make too much of a chemical in their belly that drives appetite? Graylin or something like that. The fed a mouse and then injected him with the chemical and all he did was want to eat. They say overweight people when they diet start to make more of this chemical and it makes them want to eat more. Makes sense to me.It was like a white powder when it was dry. Strange.

So that explains it. I thought it was psychological. I wish I had stayed up to watch it. So now what? Does that stay with you or does it eventually go away? This is harder then quitting smoking!

They are using that to try to find a way to make our bodies stop producing it so dieting will be easier. It really sounded like me when they were talking though. They said that when you go on a diet your body is like "hey wait a minute something isn't right here." and it starts to produce more of the greylin to make you eat more. I told Jay that little mouse sure looks like I feel on a diet. :lol: Maybe they can find a way to control it safely. They said that they think obesity needs to be treated like any other disease. With medication. It is more than willpower.

I am so glad they found Elizabeth Smart!!! YEAH for that family.

It is a blessing that they found her!!

I can't beleive that she was right behind their house and that she could hear them calling for her.

Angie I have heard of that before. I think I saw it on Dateline or something. It makes total sense to me though. I wonder if all people produce it not just overwewight people and that is why it is hard to stick to a diet.

Rebel is at the vets. He went outside today and threw up and then just laid down in the field and Jay had to go get him and bring him inside. He has been shivering and breathing weird all morning. He did the same thing a few times before and has had to go on medication because of an overgrowth of bacteria in his tummy. I switched his food to Nutro because it has no corn in it and corn is an allergen to dogs. We had a Petco open up and they had a big sale on Nutro food so we were talking to the sale guy and he asked why we weren't using the Little Bites Nutro for Rebel so it would be easier to chew. We bought a bag and then he started to throw up bile last week in the mornings so I checked the food label and there is corn in it. Poor baby. I have to go back to lamb and rice this weekend I guess.

Rebel is back from the vets. They couldn't find anything wrong with him so he gave him a shot and said if he isn't better by morning we need to bring him back in. He is sitting here shivering and he has me a little scared. I hope he is okay.I don't want to leave him alone to work but I have to. He didn't have a fever or anything. He acts like he did before but I get so scared when it happens and I am praying it is just the tummy bacteria. It was so sudden though.

Anige I hope it is just something in his tummy that will just have to work its way out. Poor baby. I hate it when my animals are sick b/c I can't do anything for them and I never really know what is wrong.

Angie, I hope your dog is Ok.....I know how scary that is.
You hate to leave their side till you know they're going to be alright.
Also, if your vet can't ever find what's wrong and Rebel is still sick, go to another vet. Don't wait too long.


mel...
Tease you for going to Ikea?
I bought 5 bookcases and a wooden 2-drawer file cabinet with castors (so I can move it if I want) at the Ikea in Houston last week.
I like the "Billy" style bookcases which I'm guessing are their biggest sellers. They are So easy to put together.
A corner unit and 31 inch wide bookcases (both 80" tall) in the guest room, and a corner unit and 31 inch bookcase on each side in a room that I made my exercise room......Before I went thru that room, things had gotten so bad there was a walking path from the hall door to an outside door.

Storage is one of my biggest problems, and I had to create more before I started to go thru the cluttered rooms.
You can put doors on the lower half of the 31" wide bookcases that are 80 inches tall. So that helps with putting away stuff.

Hubby even likes the bookcases from Ikea.
At first he said, "Don't buy that...I can build it."
But this time I had to say "Can you buy the wood, build it, stain or paint it and have it dry and in place in 45 minutes?"
I won this one, even tho' I did have to drive 100 miles each way to Houston.


Angie, I'll say a prayer for your dog. I'll be thinking about him all day.

Hi ladies. Angie sorry to hear Rebel is sick, poor little guy. I've never had a dog allergic to foods before. Hope he gets better soon. Could it be that he ate something in the house when you were out on your walk?

I'm glad about Elizabeth Smart. Hope she isn't too warped because of her ordeal. What's the story on that guy anyway--'Emmanuel' as in Jesus? Did you get a look at his pic?

Gar I'd drive a 100 miles to get to an Ikea. Funny thing is, where I live, 100 miles one way would mean around the entire island 1 1/2 times! :lol: My cousin in L.A. sends us a catalog every year and my sister and I paw through that thing til it gets all tattered. I have hand-carried a shelf kit home by plane before. We have a furniture store here that has similar styles but because we're out here on this little rock the prices are much higher than what they should be.


I'm dragging my butt again today. Stayed up til 1:30 this morning watching old movies on TV just snuggling up to the hub in bed. I was sorta complaining in my journal yesterday about not having lost any weight this month...but this morning the scale was very friendly. Don't wanna speak the # out loud since it might run and hide :lol: --you know, don't wanna jinx it like Angie said. Anyhoo, gotta get some work done.

Have a great OP day all!

He seems to be doing better now. At least he isn't breathing heavy and shaking. He has done this before but only once this bad. It scares me everytime. I guess I will do some research for a better dog food than Nutro now. If they can make a variety for JRT's and add corn to it they can't know too much about dogs. :lol: I am going to check into Eagle Pack breand. Hopefully I will have better luck. On the plus side the vets loved him today. He was too sick to be mean. They kept saying oh he is so sweet. That is odd because Rebel hates them and tries to hide or bark at them. Our vets are great.They are a husband and wife team. They come to my house every year to give shots to all of them at once. We have 4 cats too, plus the 3 dogs. Whenever they come he tries to make friends with Rebel. Last time they came they stayed for an hour longer than necessary so he could lay on the floor with Rebel to try to get him comfy with him.

Noelle, congrats on losing. I did good this week too but I don't dare say it because I have for the last 2 weeks and it always goes up by Saturday. SHUCKS!!! We will just say I wished I looked as good as the number on the scale does. hehe :lol:

I better get back to work!! Jay is eating a brownie and I took a bite and figured I had better come inside until he finishes it or I might eat them all.

Hey girls,
Angie, glad to hear Rebel is feeling better. It's as bad as having a kid sick, you worry the whole time and just wish you could take it away.
Kempy, the pic's were great, you are so skinny, yes I am totally jelous!!! I hope to one day be there or well at least close to it.

Today is WI day and the scale says 2 lbs gone. Thought it would be more, I have been so so so good and doing everything right......but I will take what the scale says.

Hope everyone is having a nice day...ttyl

Hugs,
Sandy

Sandy 2#s down, You go girl! 2 lbs is great! :dance:

Thank you for the encouragement:D

WAY TO GO SANDY!!! I guess you ARE doing everything right!!! WoooHooo!!!!

GO SANDY GO :cp:

Isn't it great when that scale moves down instead of up?

Okay, I finally sorted through the pile of posts here. You girls write long posts! Geesh! Loved the pictures Kempy sent, your georgeous, and no hips!! To dream. I've never been to Mardi Gras, but maybe someday. We just invited a friend from NY to visit in May. Hopefully that'll be fun. She's used to posher living than us, so... we're small town people. I'm sure we'll find common ground. Wer'e cousins taht met at the family reunion in NM in July.

Hubby had to take another injection last night, from pain. Better than the ER though. Life's different now. No big catastrophes.
I hate to see him suffer. But his outlook on life is different, now that we're not living through crisis all the time.

I sweated my *** off last night in aerobics. Hardly anyone there. I hate that, and cousin missed it cause she's sick. Bummer. But, i'm feeling good about myself, and keeping it up. I know I can keep the weight off, and as the weather gets warmer, I get more motivated to go outside and walk more. So bring on Spring! (sigh)

Well girls, i'm off again. It's CSI tonight, and I gotta figure out a healthy snack. I'm an eater when I watch TV. --- P.S. thank God that girls home, what a miracle!

I am proud of me
 

I just got back from walking to and from the bank--that's why I'm proud. On my way back I went around the longer portion of the block which goes behind a commercial bakery. OMG the aromas! Angie I don't know how you can stand to be in a bakery and smell all those great smells and not want to taste everything in sight! This is primarily a bread bakery I think. I could definitely smell some of those onion roll hamburger buns and something that had me fantasizing about eating hot, crusty, steaming french bread with gobs of melted butter on it...I stopped in my tracks right at the vent fan--there were 2 in a row so as I walked I got a lot of free wonderful smells. Oh yeah, walked my son to school today too...trying to see how much of an effect this has on any weight loss this week *crossing fingers* .

Whenever Jay goes into his mothers bakery he comes out and all I can smell on him is bread and bacon. Whenever we go anywhere after work we always have people saying yum, you guys smell like donuts. I personally hate the smell. I think it smells like grease and I can't stand the smell of grease. I don't like raised donuts either but sometimes when I am glazing them I will get a craving for one. Even though I would never eat it. Chocolate cake donuts are my thing.

I am having a good week too. I have been at the same weight for the last 3 days so hopefully it stays until Saturday. :lol: I seem to be going through another spell of noticing alot of changes in my body but the smaller I am getting the more my extra flab on my stomache and underarms is bugging me. I know I am going to have surgery when I get to goal.

Great job on the changesin your body Angie... i'm not sure aobut surgery. I've found that more exercise, and using weights can firm up the skin. Remember way back when I complained about the flb on theinner thighs? Well, after more exercise,a nd waiting, it's firming up really nice. I'd be afraid that if you ever gaint he weight back, that skin will stretch out more... just a thought.

I'd hate for you to spend so much oney, only to not like the result also.

my 2 cents, for what it's worth.

Angie I think Chris is right. Have you thought about getting more hand weights. You can find them pretty cheap at like Wal Mart or Academy. I found a site (www.getfit.com) that shows all sorts of exercises that you can do. I think it is really cool b.c you pick the male or female body, move the mouse over the body part that you want an exercise for, click it and it will give you a break down of the muscle, pick which spot you want to do and on the side they list all of the ones you can do. When you click on the name of the exercise a box will pop up and will she with pictures and really good explaination of how to do it. This might help you in finding differnet moves to do. I think it is so good Iwant our personal trainers to look at it.

I think I am going to try to teat my body fat today. I know thatit will be bad if I do it after we get back. I really don't know if I am ready to know or not.

Thanks for the sight Kempy. I'll check it out when I have more time. As far as surgery goes I was so big at my biggest that there is no way the skin will ever tighten up. I literally have belly just hanging there. It is gross to even explain. I was looking at my arms yesterday and I don't think there is a part of my body that doesn't have stretch marks. YUK! They are white and not pink so that helps but the belly skin is too gross to live with. I won't have surgery until I am sure I can maintain it but it isn't that much money. A full tummy tuck goes for about $4,000. I would gladly pay that to have a flatter stomache. Now that I am so close to goal I am seeing why I was so disappointed last time I lost the weight. I will NEVER look as good as a normal person who weighs the same because I have spent to many years abusing my body and have stretched it beyond capacity.

Don't get me wrong I am not complaining about losing weight. I am so glad that I did it but I would like to be able to wear lingerie and look hot in it. I still have to wear bathing suits with skirts because my stomache is so gross looking.

Angie I know how you feel exactly. I was a chubby kid from the time I was about 7 or 8 years old. I always had this little pouchy stomach. As I got bigger and bigger, that part always got larger. When I'd lose the weight it stayed. Now it's a big pouchy stomach :lol: . I NEVER wear sleeveless tops since there's no way I can hide the stretch marks on my arms, not to mention my arms are kinda flabby. The flabby part can be toned but the marks are still there. I don't know how I'll feel about the way my stomach looks when I get to goal but I guess I'll find out eventually since I fully intend to get there!

The easiest way to describe my stomache is one of those punching balloons that you blow up. You know what they look like when you let the air out of them. The ripples. That is my belly. YUCK!!

Noelle, I know you are going to get there. You don't give up and that makes me respect you so much. You have to deal with family feasts every weekend and yet on Monday you get back into the groove and keep it going. That is great! I don't think I would have your willpower.

I have to get back to work but Kempy, if I don't get to talk to you before you leave make sure you have a great time!!!:dizzy:

Hey guys!

I guess I will be the first one here today even though it is almost 1 here.

Angie how is Rebel?

I will be leaveing tomorrow so I wont be on the site until the 24th. Unless when I get to Joe's mom's I can get on the internet to drop in a quick hello. I am hapy I am going but I am a little sad b/c I will miss talking to you guys everyday. I talk to you guys mre that I do the friends I have around here. You are part of my everyday so something will be missing when I am gone.

I'll check back when I get home. You guys be good and have a great weigh in. I hope all of you are losers. :)