[angieME]

Julie, I do a 3 mile walk first thing when I wake up and then we do a 1 1/2 mile walk after supper. We used to do 6 miles every day but since it is getting darker sooner in the evenings we have had to cut it back.

[Kempyd]

Cherie don't appologize, that is what we are here for. You talk about whatever makes you feel better. Plus, we ahve all been in the same boat so we know what is going on.

Julie I have been eating lots of soup with my tummy feeling bad and that would be great if you would come to my house and cook your for me. I really do love soup though. If you have time post the recipe.

Dips we could never forget about you! Hope to hear from you soon though.

Jackie don't you love living in LA on days like this? This kind of makes up for the other 250 sucky days that we get.

Angie when is your trip again. Sorry, I think my short term memory is shot. I love the pics. Rebel is to cute. Our friends are coming in for the DU banquet and they are bringin their 2 JRT's. This ought to be fun.

Noelle are you out enjoying your beautiful land?

Chris what up girl?

Di did you leave us as soon as you got here?

Sandy you too girl!

Holly, Red and anybody else I forgot get your butts back in here.

[jbbm]

Kempy if I lived closer to you I would bring you some hon! I really just use anything I got in the house to make my soup. I really love making soup of all different kinds.

Chicken Vegetable Soup
6-10 cups of water depending on how much chicken you have(can always add more or less if to thick or thin)
chicken breast on the bone or whole chicken on the bone
2-3stalks of celery
1 large onion
4-5 carrots cut up
canned tomatoes or sm can on tomato sauce
cut up cabbage
one bag frozen mixed veggies (corn, green beans, peas, carrots)
salt and pepper to taste

I boil the chicken with celery and onion and some of the carrots until chicken is cooked. About an hour. Take it out and skin it and de-bone it and add it back to broth in bite size pieces, add rest of carrots, tomato, cabbage, frozen mixed veggies and s&p. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer for 1-2 hours. Enjoy! I also use this recipe for beef veg soup but instead of chicken add a beef bone and make a stock and then add cubed beef stew meat and a beef boullion cube. I do not use boullion cubes though in the chicken recipe.
Julie

[melekalikimaka]

Hey girls. I'm super busy at work..we've got a lot of work coming in which is great but that also means buku paperwork. I'm swamped! My days of slacking are over. I blew it this weekend too eating-wise . We invited the couple whose house we stayed at in Maui over for a BBQ (they're back in their Honolulu home) and we had a great time on Sunday. Along with the usual steak and Aidell's sausage (have you tried any of these?) I baked a great salmon filet and made some low-fat lemon dill sauce . It came out better than I expected. "Auntie" brought 3 pies over for dessert--2 banana cream and 1 coconut cream. OMG, both were great. With all the leftovers laying around yesterday, I couldn't get the hang of 'getting back on track' but TODAY is a NEW day and I am back on ON! I have a little over a month to get some weight off before my trip. I don't have a pounds-lost goal but I just want some of my shorts to fit better instead of digging into my gut . I've got to remember that next time I'm reaching for that pie !

Angie, sorry it rained over your weekend. I think it's hilarious about taking pics of Corey having his tantrums , that'll really be funny when graduation or even his wedding day comes around.

Dips, take care of yourself and keep in touch when you can. You were definitely in my thoughts when I heard of the blackout. Hope everything turned out ok.

Julie that soup sounds really good for a cold, rainy day. I'll keep that recipe around for another month when our 'winter' starts creeping up.

Kempy, I'm around--just real busy. It's so darn hot here, still 85-90 degrees! Hope your feeling back to your normal(?) self real soon. That was a great picture of Echo.

Cherie, you're doing great. 1 lb down is better than up. Bravo to you for being adult about it--I succumbed to a burger this weekend because I was feeling cr@ppy--how silly is that?

Chris, sorry to hear about your sister. That doesn't sound healthy at all. You on the other hand, are amazing--an inspiration to us all. You're also very patient having spent all that time in a car with mom. How is she doing these days, didn't she have surgery awhile back?

Hello to redballoon, jackieO, Holly, Emily, Tonya, Sandy, Di...and anyone I may have missed. I'll check back w/ya ladies later. Have a great day.

[angieME]

Kempy, We are going to leave at about 2 in the morning on December 24th and drive all day. We are going to try to make it to the North-South Carolina border and spend the night at South of the Border(a big truck stop with amusement rides and restaurants). Then get up and do the same thing on Christmas Day and get to Tropical Palms by around 3 in the afternoon on Christmas day. We are going to stay there until January 2 when we get to head back home. I know we are crazy for planning it at Christmas but the kids already have that week off from school and we get a couple extra days off without our accounts *****ing because we are gone so long. It just sucks because I am so excited to actually go somewhere that I cant stand it.

I think we are going to try to fit a night in at Old Orchard Beach in a few weeks. Sad, I live in Maine and I have NEVER been to Old Orchard Beach.

Noelle, I am having the worst cravings today. I want a smore so bad it is pathetic. Good for you for getting back on plan. Your BBQ's sound so fun. I wish my families were closer but they arent.

I did something good this weekend, I went for chinese(bad I know ) but I couldnt finish it all so I imediately put the rest in a container and put it in the freezer for another day. Sad thing is I think it is telling me to eat it. hehe

[jbbm]

Hey everyone
I just had to log on and make a confession I feel so guilty right now. I made rice crispie treats and tacos for supper and made berry smoothies for a snack. Sounds okay but portion control was really bad. Is anyone else having a tough time controlling portions? I think it is the fall cooler weather. I just have to tell myself I am not a bear and do not need to put on 40lbs to make it through the winter! Sorry to sound so down! I wish I could say I have been OP. I think I deprived myself to much during the day and I was starved tonight. But on a positve note I might buy a pilates tape. Anyone have one? I heard alot of good things about them.
I would love to lose 20lbs by Christmas. Maybe that will be my new goal. Goodnight Girls. Julie

[redballoon]

jbbm, don't be down. Controlling portions is really a problem. I mean, that is the WHOLE problem. It's harder I think in the fall when the seasons start changing. Then again, I don't know if you're in an area where there are seasons. I have the Pilates for Dummies tape but haven't tried it yet. I've heard other people have though and like it. 20lbs by Christmas sounds like a good doable goal. I've got to get something like that going myself. Just think how great it would feel! Well, Good luck!

[PhotogirlTX]

Good Morning everyone!

Julie... Redballoon is right... that is the whole problem, and that is the reason we are here. It was one night, shake it off and start fresh this morning!!! We know you can do it and we are here behind you!! I have the Pilates for Dummies, and it's really good. I just ordered another one from the Windsor series, but can't remember the name, I think it's Advanced Slimming. Anyway... I am ready for one that goes a little faster. I think this is going to help me get the lean long look.... ONCE I do enough cardio and dieting to get the fat layer off. So I am starting it now in hopes that my muscles will suddenly emerge!!! :-)

Angie... wtg on putting it in the freezer!!!! Hope it didn't call your name too much.

Noelle... great resolve to forget about those pies!!! That is a weakness for me, sweets in general.... so I try to limit my exposure to them. The girls get applesauce and pudding and frozen fruit pops for desserts and I don't really care for those, so I don't crave them and we are all happy! :-)

Kempy.. hope you are feeling better.... Tomorrow is your banquet right? Good luck these last two days!

Ok... so now I am going to act like a kid, instead of the adult I am and jump up and down and scream and yell.... hehehehe...

I must have been holding water weight yesterday. I am now down to 145.00. That is 2 1/2 pounds from last week, a pound and a half from YESTERDAY. I know I drank a TON of water.. more than usual on Monday, and maybe my system didn't get it all flushed out by Tuesday morning, anyway..... yesterday... instead of pigging out because I was frustated... I blew off my elliptical 30 min. work. BUT... I did have a good reason, other than I just wanted to sulk, yesterday when I was doing my one hour on the treadmill, my bottom of my heel started rubbing really bad, and I felt like I got a huge blister. I need to re pad my ortopedic inserts, and the places where I had rubbed holes in them, was the places where my heel was hurting... so I needed to stay off my feet last night and give my heel a rest. Anyway... I sulked, didn't exercise last night... and took my pictures for my monthly comparison.. and that did cheer me up. I can definately see progress!! And when I did my measurements this morning, more progress... so I am recommitted and re determined to continue on this journey!!! I've gotta work hard to make October as good a month as September was for me!

Anyway... enough blabbing..... Hope everyone has a great Wednesday, this is a start of a new Month, and we can all make a new commitment!!!

Hugs,
Cherie

[angieME]

Julie, I was just getting ready to post the same thing. I have been overeating so bad lately and I was wondering if it is the cold and getting dark early making me do it. I have no idea what I am going to do to get myself to stop doing it but all I want to do is eat.

I am going to start a new thread for the month so everyone come over there.