Day 3
 

Hmmm. Wasn't sure if I said "WELCOME" to Chicklo up there!!! I can't see all the posts, but Chicklo: :wave: Glad to meet you.

Also, welcome to Metta!!! :wave:

Punkin: Thanks for your words of welcome yesterday and the :dance: :dance:!!! Please keep us posted on your mom's continued progress.

Dollar!!! Wonderful to "see" you!!! :wave:

Arabella!!! I think you should go back to that shop and get those wisps ... a Wood Nymph should have wisps!

Eydie: :wave:

Kaylets, thanks for restocking the FRESH START cards! I can use a spare!!! :)

I'm on day four of my MARCH TO LABOR DAY!!! HOORAY!!! Did well on day three food/exercise wise, not so good career wise, whining and details in the journal, film at 11.

QOD: Me in three words: "WOMAN ON A MISSION!"

One component of my mission, as always is reaching-that-elusive-135-pounds-of-fantastically-fit-and-healthy-female-musculature-walking-around-masquerading-as-a-person-while-I'm-really-a-superhero-by-th-end-of-the-year goal.

"I'm a woman on a mission, I am, I am. I'm a woman on a mission and I'm not just goin' fishin' ... I'm a woman on a mission, I am."

Avanti!

To all mentioned and

You're all so friendly. :)

Okay, um, some stuff about me:

I'm a part-time graduate student and I run a computer consulting business. Right now I'm doing a fabulously boring contract job which affords me a lot of time to surf the internet, so I'll be here often.

When I'm home, I read, write, play video games and classical violin. I'm trying to add "cooking" and "jogging" to my list of actual hobbies. When I need to move my ***, I mainly do yoga, pilates, and aerobic videos. I hear Billy Blanks' voice in my nightmares. I hate exercising, but I try to do it in the morning before work to get it over with.

As for my diet, I'm vegetarian; I try not to eat sugar or refined carbohydrates, and I keep a food journal so that I can track my calories a bit. I'm addicted to Diet Coke and crackers, the second of which I can't even keep in my house because I will eat the box in one sitting. I'm hypothyroid, so I try to eat often to keep my metabolism going.

My daily goals are to work out, keep my caloric intake in a reasonable range, drink lots of water, and feel good about myself. The last one seems like a stupid goal, but it's actually the hardest one.

Wonderful Wednesday!!!

I can't believe I didn't even have 5 minutes to get here to post yesterday! Amazingly busy... :crossed: for a quieter day today!

Q o' the day ~ me in three words?
Emotional (meaning no problem showing *any/all* emotions), loyal and dependable.

Yes, the "kids" made it home Monday night 'round 10pm. Gracie kitty doesn't look like she's grown at all (she went to CA with Mums) and I've decided she's a pygmy cat and she's never going to get bigger (not true but seems that way!).
My Mom's doing really good and has found "her food" - well, food*s* - basically anything high in fat. She's been all over butter (even though she can't taste it), french fries, cheese.... she made my stepfather stop twice on the way to CA for Taco Bell pintos n' cheese. :lol:

Eydie and Kaylets, Fresh Start cards comin' right up!

Cerise, I thought your summer story was very sweet... I also love your quote - it reminded me of a story I heard when I worked for WW about a man who put scotch tape over the numbers on his scale and wrote the weight he wanted to be on the tape. So every time he weighed himself, he was already where he wanted to be. Eventually his weight became the number on the tape.

Arabella, :bravo: on accomplishing all your daily goals! Yes, gardening counts - and I plan on raiding our greenhouse today myself! :cb:

Frogger, you go right ahead and be silly! Your "little hi, little ho" made me think of my silly saying (people look at me strange), from the Mutts cartoon (Mooch kitty), "Let's have a little look-see, a little look, a little see..." :lol:

Dollar, welcome back!!!!! :wave:

Zadie, have a wonderful trip, rest well and happy studying! :dizzy:

Ceara, :lol: "nail in your coffin, or a french fry". Isn't that too true! Since when was a serving of french fries a BUCKET???? (not that I haven't seen the bottom of a few buckets) but my goodness it is getting crazy!

Jenn, my weigh in day is Monday too. Here's to fingers crossed and good thoughts to banish our fluffies on the day o' the scale!

Metta, welcome welcome! The more the merrier! I've always thought that it's hard to get to your destination if you don't plan the journey! I hope we inspire you to set a couple goals for the next few weeks! I'm jealous of the classical violin playing! I got as far as playing "happy birthday"... :dz: And no, feeling good about yourself is never, ever a stupid goal. :no: I think a lot of us share that one.

Amarantha, woman on a mission, not just goin' fishin'.... :lol: Oooh, you crack me UP!!!!!

Finally had some wonderful news yesterday. My girlfriend's pathology for her breast lump came back, and it's benign. I don't think I ever mentioned it out of fear of my life starting to sound like an episode of freakin' General Hospital, but she had a grapefruit sized lump removed on 6/30. Benign, benign, benign :cb: one less person to have to worry about!!!! :dance:

Ok, this is enough of a novel, time to get some work done!

Terri

Welcome to Metta!!!!!!:D Glad you came in.

Cerise-my walking cohort, did you move your hiney today? If not, Nike girl! (Just Do it) LOL 10 minutes. You can do it!!!!!!!!!
I only got in 10 myself. (Meetings) But I feel better about me today.

Hi to all! I'm getting excited about moving. Gotta go to the bank this evening and then I'm packing a box. That's my "moving challenge" at least one box a day. I just have odds and ends left right now. Extra linens, some nik naks, videos, etc.

Ok, I've gotta get to another meeting. Catch ya later!

Post-coffee, feeling FINE.
 

Cerise in da HOUSE.

Hey, ladies. God, I woke up wishing I were dead. I just hit the bottom of my coffee cup (I get 12oz. a day ONLY) and I suddenly feel GREAT:D !!! Anyone else know that feeling?

Ceara, I hear you on that cheat list idea. Actually, I've been doing it since the beginning of my time with this Faboo bunch. Speaking of super-size (confession ahead):o , I BLEW it last night. I ate an inordinate amount of Taco Time. Kept me up for a while, too. That's what I get. :ink: Hand me a fresh-start card, willya?

Eydie, THANK YOU for that Japanese proverb! **see above confession**. You made me feel a lot better, my friend.

Metta, welcome!:love: Another vegetarian!!! I gave up meat a year ago and am now fighting the "junk-food vegetarian" stigma. **see above confession**. Someone told me once, "You're the heaviest vegetarian I'VE ever met." Whooeee. I think they mistook me for a vegan. Pooters:mad: I'd like to add cooking and jogging to my "fun" list, too. Cooking's getting better. Nutrition's mattering a lot more to me now...Jogging will have to wait until my body stops trying to shut down when I walk! (Help me, Frogger, HEEEEEELP!)

QOD: Three words that describe me? "She means well." Damn. Wish those weren't my words, but it's true. :(

NO!! Be the person you wish you were!!!!!:soap:

Kaylets, tear your "Fresh Start" card in half and we'll share it. I have to say, though, that M&Ms don't come near the transgression I pulled yesterday **see above confession**. I mean, chocolate is MEDICINE. You were MEDICATING yourself, right? Very necessary. Deep-fried bean burritos are not medicinally viable, at least not to my ol' body. :nono:

Arabella, I swear, why is it that some days no clothes look good? No matter what I try on, no matter how cool the clothes are and how neato I looked in them yesterday, some days I look in the mirror and see this piggy-eyed stranger. You doll up, girl! Because it's all in your head. Your smile and walk and way with people is what folks see, not the stationary chick in the mirror with a horrified look on her face. I'm speaking from the heart, here. Hope it's true for me...Besides, you didn't sound whiny at all. Or me-me-me. I like hearing about your struggles. Gets my head out of my own...sandbox for a while. ;)

Punkin, congratulations to your Mom for finding pleasurable foods. I'll bet pleasure's a big part of healing. I think you did mention your friend's lump briefly at one time. I remember thinking, Oh, Dear God. Hasn't she had enough? That was around the time that you couldn't find Gracie, either. I think. Anyway, I'm so glad that it was benign! :dance:

OK, Frogger I did NOT walk yesterday, on top of my Taco Time binge ** see above confession**. Send me some walkin' vibes, Mama! Drat. Today's the DAY. You, too, right?

Big love to you all...

Cerise

welcome, chicklo and Metta! welcome back, amarantha and dollar! kaylets-it's definitely hot enough for me! punkin-thanks, i am feeling better. glad your friend's report was good! again today, hot, hot, hot!! have been sticking to my program, come **** or high water. hope all you guys are doing well. thinking of you all. take care.

wsw

Wed Continued
 

Afternoon all!
Empress, that reminded me of the song...nobody loves me, everybody hates me, I think I'll go eat worms....amusing where the mind goes....anyway, you've gotta do positive stuff when that happens and you DID! KUDOS on the GYM VISIT!!! You are the best!
I also did a positve thing...I went back to the gym...not been since February....shoulder was stiffish on some things but did do the circuit 3X. So that is good...am just over 1 liter of H2O and have .5 to go! Off to the WC!
:wave:
Ceara

So many posts! I don't know where to start....

Jenn, you're doing great!

Cerise, coffee is a magical elixer indeed. I allow myself a cup a day [a BIG cup!;) ], and am never going to give it up! oooh, that rhymes!
:lol:

Metta, Have I mentioned I love your name? Does it refer to the loving kindness meditation? I try to do that, really I do---fail miserably much of the time, but I try!:D
Monday night at the end of yoga class: everyone was nice and quiet during the final guided relaxation and I started thinking of a really funny dirty joke and almost exploded, I wanted to laugh so much---but I held it back somehow. Am I the only one who has such impure thoughts?:o

Arabella, my hairdresser never got the wisp thing either, so I just take it all the way down. Sounds like it might be time for you to take a little shopping expedition; there's some cool, drape-y, girl-y tops out there now!
Oh, and you are inspiring me to get back to 9 servings of fruit/veg a day again. I've been gone too long!

Amarantha, You're on a mission, you do have that determined look!

Punkinseed, I'm so happy that you got good news about your friend. And it sounds like Mom's digging her some creamy comfort foods now. Mmmm, pintos and cheese.

I'm feeling really good about my workout today. I walked 4 miles on the treadmill, did a 30 minute upper body thing, and 10 minutes of ab stuff. As far as food, there's still room for improvement--not too bad though. Tonight, I'll make a plan for tomorrow. it's always enlightening to see if the plan matches the reality!

Greetings, Frogger [still have that honeymoon glow?], Dollar, Zadie, Chicklo, wsw, Wildfire, Kaylets, and all!

Hey girls, thanks for the words of encouragement, they really mean alot when your dieting.
Cerise: I live on coffee when I`m in school! Thank god for the summer cut back.
wsw: good to know your feeling good:)
Amarantha: exercise really do help how you feel...maybe thats why I am feeling a little down, I really got to have more exercise!
Ceara: tHE water drinking aint as easy as it seems! I`m trying to add more to my life style too!
Eydie: i admire your exercise routine, and I hope i can incorprate something like that in my life!
Metta: welcome:)
Everyone else, good luck, keep moving and keep strong! I find it so hard to keep under 22 points a day, it is terrible trying to pick out things for lunch and dinner when you are so hungrey! I am glade I am working though or I would always be eating! I really have to improve on the exercise part though, and I think I really will try to, this week has been very hetic with work and extra stuff. Anyways, I just look at it that in 8 weeks I will be happy, even if right now it is really hard. I am really going to have to watch it this weekend to start with the weekends are so hard, b/c there are always parties, and i have a date w/ marcel on sat. night. So I am either going to have to really cover my *** on Sat. or conserve points on Thursday and Friday. I`m going to keep smiling and keep going strong. Good luck to you all!
Good night.
Jenn

Just a drive-by :wave:. Busy, busy, busy.

Welcome to Metta!

Been horribly off program. No take out, fast-food, junk food...just way off track. Tomorrow will be Triumphant Thursday for me, 'cause I'm getting back on the wagon!

Welcome, all newbies, and hi to all others.

Life has generally been running amok here the last couple of days. Will not whine. Will hardly mention that Monday I had the WORST, most senseless binge I've had in more than thirteen months. One of the stupid kind I thought I had left behind forever. And I have no clue why or whatever. I had had a good day, etc. Yesterday and today have been sheer hellers and I haven't binged. Just don't know what triggered such sheer stupidity. Hoping tomorrow will be better in general and that I'm able to start the long road to balancing out healthwise for all the damage I did Monday night.

I have the "wisp" problem too. Done right, I really love the look but I wouldn't have thought it was such a tough concept.

Tomorrow's weigh in and I'm not sure I can face it. I think I said that last week too but this will be worse. I am on my way back but still trying to figure out what possessed me. (Devil made me do it? Just let guard down? Dunno.)

Sometimes we just need a little ...
 

:balloons: LIFT! :) I found this quote from RavenToy in her journal. Dunno. It just hit home and kept me from eating the one donut I have in the house, so I borrowed it and pasted it in my journal and thought I'd share it here as well:

"I need to stop getting tired of 'dieting' and I need to remember WHY I'm trying to change my life." ~ RavenToy

'Nuff said.

:balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons: :balloons:

Hello all!
***************
Today's thought is:
Yesterday is history,
Tomorrow is a mystery,
Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the 'Present'.
**************

==============
Today's question is:
"Is honesty always the best policy?"
--Table Topics

===============

Sorry so short but need to get to work early.

Anagram- Plenty of fresh start cards and Monday was a bad day for me too ( Tuesday too!)

Empress-- Couldnt agree w/ you more and thanks--

Everyone-- We're doing the best we can and sometimes our best is just coming back here!

Take care!

Day 4
 

Good Morning Beauties!

Day 4, all systems GOGOGO! Whilst walking past a woodland trail this morning I had an impulse to go in for a run, so I added a 15-20 minute run to my walk. Good news: I can still do it! :banana: So good for weight loss, stress release, and just generally feeling like myself. I had a bad case of the blues yesterday, but am back in the game today.

Amarantha, so true about exercise being the best medicine. And I'd forgotten how much difference it makes to REALLY work up a sweat. If I weren't a Woodland Nymph, I would have called it a jog... but WNs do NOT jog, they merely run in a very casual manner :) Sadly, I cannot go back and get my wisps, because the hair is not long enough :eek:

Anagram, :grouphug: Don't you hate those binges that come out of nowhere! I find sometimes it's not the absolute worst days that can lead to a binge - if I'm really upset I can't eat. Frustrating when you can't even tell where the darn thing came from! Re: wisps - I think I'm going to have to find a photo to take with me next time...

Wildfire, how are things going with your daughter? Well, I hope. Kaylets, you're right. Keep coming back, ride it out, and eventually you'll feel more like yourself again!

Must run. Have a wonderful day, all!

Yo!
 

Mornin' All

Today has already started bad. hubby is sick and is staying home today. And I have just had a peanut butter cookie for breakfast. (Along with 2 strawberry pop tarts) AUGH Pass me a fresh start card..........

I'm currently looking for a new job as well. When we move I refuse to drive 2 hours to work in traffic everyday and 3-4 hours home in traffic everyday. If this company thinks for a moment for the peon pay they give me every week that I would even consider such a torture, they are :dizzy:

Sorry for the rant, it seems like one of those days........

Must've been something in the air yesterday 'cuz I had my first binge in months yesterday too (mmmm, ice cream... :T ).

Granted, in my mind I think I've blown it out of proportion (which I think we all do to some extent) because after the fact, I think my binge was about 1 1/2 cups of ice cream. 9 points. Eaten after 20 minutes on the elliptical and I think I went over in my daily points by about 4.... :chin: I need to reevaluate my "binge" methinks and not beat myself up over it.... How 'bout you guys and yours??

Frogger, how exciting, moving!!!! I bet you can't wait to get in your new home. :dizzy:

Cerise, thank you for the Taco Time warning. We have both them and Taco Bell and I've never been to Taco Time. I shall continue to avoid that place like the plague since Mexican food is a weakness of mine. :devil:

Amarantha, remember dahling, when one opportunity passes, there very, very well may be a good reason - like another one coming??? Hang in there, I hope today's better. Love RavenToy's quote too!

Eydie, YOU, have impure thoughts????? :chin: now who was it that sent me all those Harry Potter fanfics????? Hmmmmm...... :lol:

:wave: WSW!

Jenn, I'm doing WW too and when I notice I'm screwing up lunch and dinner I plan them the day before, and write them down ahead of time (like after dinner the night before), so that way when you get home and are starving there's no "what can I have?", you just look at your journal and cook.
A lot of times too I'll do some pre-prepping for the next night's dinner while I'm making my current dinner (make 2 salads and throw one in the fridge, etc.). But then again, I'm told that super-organized part of my personality is a bit annoying, so nevermind.... :lol:

Wildfire, so how is your Triumphant Thursday?? Do we need to send you the wagon "seatbelt"? Don't let the straight jacket appearance, uh, scare you! :devil:

Anagram, I hope things are going better today.... :grouphug: everyone!!!

Arabella, you ran? That's SO cool! There's been times that my walks feel so good I feel like breaking into a jog... but I've never been so daring. Maybe I need a little Wood Nymph encouragement? :lol:

Q o' the day ~ is honesty the best policy? Yes, it's the best policy, but not always the smartest one. Telling a 1/2 truth to save someone's feelings, or to make a situation less volatile is better than being 100% honest and making a huge mess of it all.

Toodles everyone!
Terri

Hello everyone, I hope you're all doing well. Thanks again for the lovely welcome.

Cerise: I've heard the same stereotypes about vegetarians and weight, but I don't really understand where people get them from. What do people think makes a body fat? Too much steak? Maybe that's the case for a few people, but I would guess that bread and pasta and candy are the primary villains for most of us. Along with a large dose of sitting on our asses.
There aren't a lot of diet plans for vegetarians out there... most of what people talk about is low-carb, Atkins-y stuff. I'm always trying to balance my carbs and protein better.

Eydie: yep, that's what my nickname refers to. I'm not sure that my name mirrors my actions all of the time either, but when people call me by it, it reminds me of the way I want to be.
And as for your impure thoughts, bursting into giggles is a perfectly Buddhist thing to do. As a yoga teacher of mine once said, the word enlightenment just means 'lightening up'.

You people talking about the hair thing? The wisp thing? What is that?
I need a haircut something awful, but I haven't decided what I'm going to do with it yet. (I lost some of my hair when my doctor put me on Synthroid, blech.) My hair has been the same - long and blunt - for so long that I don't really have any ideas.

Anyway, I'm doing well. I managed to get through PMS without doing any major damage to my diet. I haven't exercised yet today because it's freakin' pouring rain, but I am going to get around to it. Tomorrow is my weigh-in day, and I'm crossing my fingers for a good one.

ETA the question of the day: is honesty always best? Hm. I think honesty is always right, but it's not always the kindest thing to do. And I'd rather be kind than right.
I love debate, so I'll give an example that's close to home. One of my coworkers is morbidly obese and just started dieting. He's doing a great job: he says he's lost 25 pounds. He asked me the other day if I could tell. Now, truthfully? I couldn't tell. But I said that I could.
I know how important every bit of encouragement is. If I had said no, it could have been crushing to him. And I like him; I worry about his health and I want to see him keep going.
I thought about it later - was that the right thing to do? I don't know. Felt like it to me, though.

Thursday
 

Good Day All!

There must have been something in the air yesterday because I could have tied one on too....fortunately there isn't a lot of binge food here...so I compromised with mindless eating of grapes and Quaker oat bran squares. Had there been chocolate around here it would have been history!!!!!!!:lol:

Am doing fine today...have only .5 L under the belt...more to go!

QOD...toughie. I agree Metta...you did the right thing with your co-worker. Encouragement is always a good thing. Sometimes it is better to tint the truth a bit....only when it builds up someone else. There are ways of saying things that blunt the harshness of reality, but they are hard to come up with on the spur of that moment.

I've read the new Potter and someone is going to loan me the tapes...Jim Dale here I come! I can hardly wait!
:cp: :cloud9:

Anyway, am off...

Ceara :)

Well, I had planned a nice long treadmill trek after work tonight, but DD called me at work to request that I schedule a dentist appointment ASAP for her...sore molar...so I may be delayed, but I will get on that treadmill tonight, even if it's 11:59pm! (Just could NOT get out of bed to work out this morning.)

You know what girls? Binges (big or small) are going to happen. Sometimes the best thing to do is let them happen and resolve to start fresh the next day. Get it out of your system, then GET GOING! No guilt about it, either. You can't change the past, but you can sculpt the future.

Metta, I think you did the right thing with the co-worker. He was looking for affirmation that his efforts are paying off. Even if you can't see the weight loss yet, he is healthier, even if only 25lbs lighter.

Amarantha, are you still doing the weights? I noticed somewhere that you said you aren't doing the BFL, but have you continued with the weights? Seeing any difference? I've taken the basic program and stuck with it, but have made some adjustments.

Arabella, DD is currently attending summer school (for the month of July) to try to get two credits. She only passed three out of eight for the year. Isn't that wonderful? (where's the sarcastic smilie?) She leaves for CB on August 3rd. I'm hoping that she'll do some serious growing up and get responsible while she's there. I know what you mean about having wisps. I have them! My hair is very short, with longer layers on top and wisps around the sides. You need to ask them to razor the sides so they will wisp. :yes:

We have a Chicklo? I missed her post. Welcome Chicklo! :wave:

Better get over to the dentist's office. Catch ya later!

Fabulous Friday!
 

Ok, this is it-- I have been one way or the other off program since July 3-- Holiday is OVER and I am going to stay OP one 15 minute chunk at a time today. Even if I have to go to bed early!!
Yesterday, I felt as though I could feel the fat cells expanding as chocolate was going in my mouth. ( It was the good stuff in case you were wondering)
But today, will fight the sugar cravings!!
**************
Today's thought of the day is:
"Things do not change;
we do," Henry David Thoreau
***************
Today's question is:
"Do you find antiques attractive?? Why?"
-- Table Topics
**************

Take care all!

Hi all!

Where's my good walking friend Cerise? Haven't seen you post that your movin and shakin girlie!!!

Weather is crappy here in N. VA. Foggy, drissly etc. so far this morning. Bleck...

Weighed in this morning and I'm up 2 lbs. I'll post a mini goal for this weekend: Lose at least 1 of those pesky sneak attack things. That means eating right, packing boxes and moving my fanny. Along with getting a haircut and my nails done of course...:devil:

Well Ladies, work becons, but I'll be checking in off and on today.

HAPPY FRIDAY
:cb:

Hi all!

Well I think I figured out what my problem was as far as being stuck with my wt loss. I got that 90lb number in my head and that is all I could think of. I don't think i was being as careful as I should have been with my foods, in a sense perhaps a little self sabbatoge because I was so disappointed in myself when I would weigh in because I just didn't get that 90. The first week I figured for sure I would hit it I went down .4 leaving me .6 to reach 90 I was so upset because I had started walking 5k a day and riding a bike *which by the way I hadn't done in 31 years* so I couldn't beleive I didn't make it. That was 4 weeks ago and I have been up and down and all around that silly number ever since. I even started having trouble going for my walk at 515 am.
So now I have changed my focus, I have managed to get my walk in all week and Im back to being right on track with my eating. This is far to important to me to be getting hung up on numbers. My number one focus now is to make sure Im getting in my walking because I feel so much better when I do, it is my time for myself. I still pick a goal so instead of focusing on the 90 I will focus on 95 and when I get to 92 I will look at 97 I think that way I will avoid the disappointments.

So onward and downward .

Anagram, Sometimes I know why I binge, sometimes not. Still whenever it happens it's disturbing---feels so "old life", no room for it in the 'new and improved'! Wildfire's right, sometimes it just happens.

Arabella , you're doing SO well!

Wildfire, how was Triumphant Thursday?

Frogger, feeling better today, I hope?

Amarantha, I agree with you about the aerobic part of BFL. I'm used to moving; I can't live without it!

Punkinseed, HEE!:s:

Metta, I'm veg too, by the way.

Ceara, I just listened to new HP on audio. Jim Dale is splendid!!!! How does he do it?

Had a great day yesterday. Food part was great, Didn't get in as much of a workout as I wanted 'cause time closed in on me. But I got in 20 min. Of Pilates and 30 min. on the treadmill.

Day 5
 

I did my weekly weigh-in this morning, and I'm down a pound. Not a big loss, but anything to break my little plateau is cause for celebration in my book.

My workouts yesterday and today have been pretty meh, but at least I did something. I'm seriously jonesing for sugar this morning, too, but I'll survive.

Question of the day: yes, antiques are attractive. They seem classy. It's the nature of style: new stuff is good, old stuff is bad, but once it's old enough it comes back around to being good again.

YO!
 

Somebody slap me
 

Ooooh. Coffee not working. :yawn:

I was up 'til two last night cleaning the house. My brother and sister are coming down for a wedding and are staying with us. Since they moved the visit up a day I stayed up late cleaning like a maniac. So did lovely Ramon. I'm such a lucky girl. :love:

Frogger, dang it! :mad: I haven't walked this week at all. Tonight I'm walking if it kills me (it may - see above complaints). Thanks for keeping on me, please don't give up. How're you doing?

God, Amarantha. Please tell me you weren't always this into exercise. Please tell me it was hard as **** at first but you got addicted to it through long, grinding effort and patience. Is any of this true, because I seem to equate exercise with torture and try my hardest not to do it. :shrug:

I'm so proud of you guys. You're all working towards something amazing.

Metta, thanks for the reassurance about fat veggies. That lady almost had me convinced. Eydie, I didn't know you were veg, too. How long, and how in the **** do you get in your servings of whole grains?

OK, have to drag my butt around the office now. Somebody give me a hug...

:tired:

:grouphug: to you Cerise!
I'm doing OK. Couldn't make it on a walk today. Maybe later. But girlie, I think your mad cleaning counts as moving the fanny big time!!!

Happy, happy Friday!!!! :cb:

I'm SO looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow!!!! It's been a loooong week...

Had myself a little celebration yesterday - my Mom finally gave me the go-ahead to take a little time off so I'm heading to California in a couple weeks! :dance: Goin' to Bo-Beena's house for a short visit. Mom's been doing really good a couple weeks out from her chemo, so that's when I plan on making my getaway... :s:

Cerise, no icon for a slap, but here's your hug... :grouphug:

Metta, congrats on the loss!!! You're right, *any* loss is good! :yes:

Ceara, they had a story on Yahoo news about the guy who did the voices on the Harry Potter tapes. Sounds like quite a guy! Got a giggle on your binge too - grapes and oatmeal squares.... yea, it coulda' been worse!

Wildfire, I guess that's true. Binges will happen from time to time - the challenge is to keep them to an occassional happening, and not a weekly (or daily!) happening!

Amarantha, ok, I'll call it a calcium "treat".... :lol: :T

Kaylets, I'll send you some "stick with it" energy for each and every 15 minutes you need.... You can do it, and don't forget, you're STILL healthier than you've been in years!!

Frogger, packing and moving is great exercise! Have fun!

Dollar, I agree - setting a new goal when you're getting close to your old one is a great idea! I've done it, saying "I want to weigh ____ by ____" - then get there and never loose anything else! :dz: Gotta keep setting goals!!! :yes:

Eydie, you've just hit the nail on the head. I don't think it was so much the quantity of my "binge" as much as it was a reminder of something I thought I was "over" - it was an *old* behavior that I thought I was done with. Guess not. Like Wildfire said, I have to accept that they'll still happen from time to time - and that it doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to undo all my hard work because of one misstep. I just have to keep them to a single happening and not a month long free for all! :nono:

Arabella, I'm sorry to say I'm whisp impared. I have curly hair that wouldn't whisp if I begged it to...

Q o' the day~
Love antiques. I have a couple tables that belonged to my Grandmother and Great Grandmother. I love the simplicity, function and look of them. I often imagine what their lives were like when those pieces were brand new. Were the pieces expensive to them in their day and what did they look like brand new? I only know the history of a chair I have that was my Grandmother's - before she died she told me one of her "beaus" bought it for her. Can you imagine??? A boyfriend buying you *a* chair?? It's a nice chair, but it must've been some chair in those days!

Toodles all, have a great weekend!

Terri

Punkin, I hear you on the wisp-challenged thing. I have this mop of long, curly hair. Rock star hair. Actually, I really love it (ohmygod, a woman who actually likes her hair the way it is!!!:fr: ) I just get the layers trimmed every so often and let it fly...

Coffee just kicked in. :hyper: :hyper: :hyper:

Goal for the day: weigh in. Then take my 35-minute walk. Are you listening, Frogger? That's all I have to do today to feel like I'm the person I want to be. Thanks, lovelies, for the hugs. I needed it.

But now that the coffee's in my system I'm JUST FINE!!!!!! :twirly: :yikes: :bomb: :spin: Hope I don't have a heart attack. Hee, hee.

Status report manyana...

Hey you bunch of "losers"....it's FRIDAY!!!!! :dancer: (and therefore Punkin is :queen: ) :D

I'm gettin a bike :cb: I'm gettin a bike :dance: My Schwinn Super Cruiser is on sale tomorrow, and hubby said when it went on sale again it was MINE! A birthday gift, so it's early. But I'm gettin a bike! :dancer: WHERE I'm gonna put it in this apartment is another thing!

Cerise, I used to have "rock star" hair...halfway down my back and permed to get the curls. That was a long time ago, though...I stopped fighting with my fine, straight as a board hair and found a good stylist that knows how to work with it. I still have moments when I long for long locks....but then I think about how frustrating it gets with my hair. Enjoy your natural curls! Many of us would kill for them. (Don't worry, you're not in any danger...I don't mean that literally. :D)

Punkin, nothing wrong with a little calcium supplementation every now and then. Calcium actually helps weight loss. :yes:

Metta, congrats on one pound banished forever! :cp:

Amarantha, I added more cardio, too. And abs to every weight workout, so every other day. I have to admit, I'm loving the weights, loving feeling strong and pumped. My favorites are the bench press (currently only 48lbs, but I'm working on it!) and the lat pulldowns. I've been doing an hour on the treadmill, 3 times a week. Other days if I feel like going for a walk or riding my soon-to-be bike, that's just bonus.

Oh, and Cerise, I don't know about Amarantha, but I HATED exercise. Then I bought a fancy treadmill that I can use at home, in my pyjamas if I feel like it. Don't have to go anywhere, look presentable, can do it whenever I can find time....and that made the difference for me. Then I bought a weight bench and weights....and started getting up at 4:45am to work out before I had to shower for work. There are days I have to haul my butt off the couch still, but most times I actually want to do it!

Kaylets, how did the day go? Perhaps this break was needed so you can get motivated for the next segment?

QOD: Antiques for me hold unlocked memories. They have survived through families' good times and bad times. Whether they are from my family or from someone else's, antiques have a past and represent it in a world of MDF and melamine. They were crafted with pride and care. I have a large antique armoire in my living room that somehow stands there as a sentry. It commands your attention. I also have an armless rocking chair that was my great-great grandmother's that was passed down through the family, once belonging to my twin great-aunts who were known as the village witches. Knowing that the women of my family sat and rocked in that chair ties my life to theirs. A past QOD asked what would be saved in a fire if you could only take one thing...for me it would be the rocking chair.

I'm cat-sitting for a friend for a week. I have to say I am amazed at the state of her apartment. There is junk everywhere....stuff that should be thrown out, broken, garbage kind of junk. I'm always so paranoid about anyone coming over when I have dishes in the sink or shoes by the front door....but holy crow that place needs to be shoveled out. Last time I looked after her cat I tidied up and did the dishes she left, took out her garbage, straightened up what I could without being invasive. This time it's even worse....I wonder does she think I'll clean it for her again? I have to spend some time there each day keeping her cat company, but it's so messy I can't sit in it. I actually think an intervention might be needed here...you know, I'll help you throw some garbage out because it's getting out of hand kind of thing. Geez, if I had someone coming in to my place to look after my cats it would be spotless before I left. I guess people have different standards. Makes me realize I probably don't have to be paranoid about my place. I don't think I should clean it up this time, though, other than taking out the garbage so it doesn't attract bugs or creat fruit flies. (Punkin, I know the Martha Stewart in you is freaking out just reading this! :lol: )

Yup, started having palpitations and had to start breathing into a paper bag.... :lol: ;)

Have a great weekend everyone!

:wave:

Metta, congrats on losing the pound!:)

Cerise, yep--old timer vegetarian for 19 years! Click on my journal if you'd like to see some of my 'menus'; I keep my food journal there from time to time. I should start doing that again--helps me to be accountable!

Punkinseed, How's BoBeena? We haven't heard from her here in a while.

Wildfire, I know what you mean about being overwhelmed by clutter---in someone else's house, that is. That could never happen here, heaven forfend!

Anyone have outrageous plans this weekend?

Ok, I think I'm recovered from the shock of my fall from the wagon. You hit the nail on the head, Eydie. It was so "old me", not new and improved. I know it was at least 13 months since I had done something that derelict. I fall all the time but usually it's something I at least like and I limit it to some degree. This was the old totally out of control binge.

But this awful week is over and I'm gaining control again. Today was good and I had three water workouts for the week. Well over goal on water today (something that was slowly creeping downward as was exercise - everything but calories). Most of the week's problems are corrected and the coffers are a good deal lighter because of them.

I did weigh yesterday and it was, as expected, awful. Today was two pounds down from yesterday and I'll weigh again tomorrow.

On the more pleasant side, at picnic last weekend, I had lots of notice of weight loss from people who don't see me often. Had first comment at pool today too. Also bought two new bathing suits today and it was the easiest that chore has been in years.

Enjoy antiques very much. My kitchen table is a round golden oak that belonged to my DGM and DGGM. I played under it as a child. Have their teapot as well. And in my living room a library table that was DGs and that I refinished. Covered with family photos. Other things as well but those three things are my faves. I enjoy things that others have used because I feel the connection to those people though I may never have known them.

Forgive the me=me post. I'm still catching up on my reading. Love it when the posts come flying in so fast I get behind.

Nothing special here this weekend except a concert (River City Brass Band) we plan to hear on Sunday. Car shopping has been taking up a lot of time. Hate it. Wish my current car could live forever.

Simply Saturuday!
 

Hello all!

Found this in my email this morning and was just what I needed to find! Thanks Ceara!

Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its
hiding place
in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and
counted it carefully.
Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No
chance here for
mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and
twisting on the
cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to
Rexall's
Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some
attention but he
was too busy at this moment.

Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise.

Nothing.

She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could
muster.

No good.

Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the
glass counter.
That did it!

"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone
of
voice.

"I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in
ages," he
said without waiting for a reply to his question.


"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered
back in the
same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick.. and I want to
buy a miracle."

"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.

"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his
head
and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much
does a
miracle cost?"

"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I
can't help you," the
pharmacist said, softening a little.

"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I
will get the rest.
Just tell me how much it costs."

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man.
He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a
miracle does
your brother need?"

"I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. "I just
know he's
really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy
can't pay for it, so I want to use my money".

"How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago.

"One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly.
"And it's all
the Money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.

"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and
eleven cents-the
exact price of a miracle for little brothers."

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he
grasped her
mitten and said "Take me to where you live. I want to see your
brother
and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle
you need."

That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon,
specializing
in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge
and it
wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that
had led
them to this place "That surgery," her Mom whispered. "was a
real
miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"

Tess smiled. Sheknew exactly how much a miracle cost...one
dollar and
eleven cents...... plus the faith of a little child!.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law,but
the operation of a higher law...... (A TRUE STORY)

I know you'll keep the ball moving! Here it goes.
Throw it back tosomeone else who means something to you!

The Friendship Ball

A ball is a circle, no beginning, no end. It keeps us together
like our
Circle of Friends. But the treasure inside for you to see is
the treasure of
friendship you've granted to me. Today I pass the friendship
ball to you.
Pass it on to someone who is a friend to you.

MY OATH TO YOU...

When you are sad.....I will dry your tears.

When you are scared.....I will comfort your fears.

When you are worried.....I will give you hope.

When you are confused.....I will help you cope.

And when you are lost.....And can't see the light.

I shall be your beacon.....Shining ever so bright.

This is my oath.....I pledge till the end.

Why you may ask?.....Because you're my friend.

*****
Thanks everyone for your support and kind words!
I did do better yesterday, not 100% but much better- and today my goal is to do better than yeseterday--
And thanks to you all, I have turned it around!

That is my miracle- the rediscovery of how much easier ANY journey is with the support of others.
As I've said before( but I really like this visual)
"The more of us at the oars the faster we can move this boat."
=====================
So today's question is:
" What miracle(s) have you experienced?"
======================

Take care all! You really are the best!!

The QOD is easy for me today though I've had many.

The biggest/latest is the fact that DH survived the kidney aneurysms the night of 12/2/02 and again that he was able to go off dialysis on 4/18/03. The doctors don't say "miracle" though one came close. They use words like "extraordinary" but I've watched it all and it's a miracle.

Glad you're feeling better and back on track, Kaylets. Your inspiration (and that of all of you) has meant so much to me on my journey that I need you here and "in the hug".

Must move it - busy day.