First of all! Hurrah for Lauren! You keep on going girl! 2001 is definitely your year. I agree about exercise being such an upper. When I first started walking, it was such a "happy pill" to walk in the morning. Kept me more active all day. Now my desk job keeps me chained down. It's harder to move as much. You have the perfect opportunity to rev up your activity before going back on the job scene.
Kathy -I am getting a visual on you paintng a moose! How funny. Reminds me of my silly girl. Told her we needed duct tape for a project. So she starts quacking. Today I bought the duct tape. She asks,"Does it quack?". Maybe you had to be there. quack. Anyway, how could you possibly say you lead an uninteresting life? I remember the seaside biker vacation. And the "revenge is sweet" wedding you attended. Ummm, thought you worked at a medical facility for the disabled. They let you make critters there?
And didn't you go to Disneyland (world?)
Yeah, real boring.
Ruby got a note from me about the Advocare, so I'll try to make it short. The list of ingredients is very LONG. The basic concept is that most of us need better nutrition and don't have the time or know-how to achieve it. The Metabolic Nutrition System is just one of many, many different products. It happens to be best for weight loss, but can be used as a life-long nutrient supply. The company wants folks to be informed about the products, so if you have a question about something, you can make a three-way call with your distributor to the company to figure it out.
Lauren, if you want, I'll mail you my ingredient box and a two day supply to try it out. Here's my e-mail address if you like. [email protected]
Dora, thanks for the offer! I may take you up on it. I just checked out AdvoCare products via the Novartis-sponsored Physician's Desk Reference online, and I found a few. Which one are you taking? Thermo-G? http://www.healthandage.com/html/res...l/00473750.htm It says it contains green tea extract, which I wouldn't be able to handle. The other one, Thermo-E, contains the ephedra. Those are the only two listed to promote energy and weight loss. (There's also Spark, an energy beverage, but that contains caffeine.)
On the other hand, their "FemEssence" supplement looks good. I may try that once I'm a bit older.
WW weigh-in had me down almost a pound last night (.8), so it wasn't just a fluke in the morning. Woo-hoo!
Dora, you're right that getting the exercise in is easier when I'm not working. But I did it regularly while I was working, too, I just had to get up a lot earler! Of course, I don't have children, either, which means my mornings are at least theoretically open.
Well, I'd better get to it. Got to clean the house today, too. Weird weather -- thunderstorms, tornado warnings, high temperatures and snow are all predicted. Michigan's weather is never dull.
Good job Lauren ! All this discussion on supplements is interesting . I take a multi , b complex , E , potassium , chromium & c . I don't take iron because it blocks the absorbsion of thyroid in people who have to take thyroid hormone . I'm not quite sure if I need to take other things . I take 1000 iu's of E .
Dora , hows it going with the hubby working out of state ? okay I hope . How did you hear about your supplements ? I don't think many of us get the right nutrition , so we all need some help . If I forget to take mine , I get wiped out .
For anyone wondering how I make mooses during work , I work at an institution for the developmentally disabled . I am a vocational trainer . My title is adult training specialist . In the morning I work with 4-5 people doing contracts . This is packaging products , etc... In the pm I work in a woodshop making mostly cedar birdhouses , shelves , trellises , etc...I enjoy it alot . I also have woodworking equipment at home .
Kathy, thanks for clearing up the mystery of how you make mooses. Sounds like a meaningful job. I miss that -- a job that actually helps people. (Of course, at this point I just plain need a job!)
I went for an hour-long walk outside today instead of doing the videos because I felt it would be more rejuvenating to be outside in the autumn air and intermittant sunshine. It was; I don't feel I got as good a workout, but I really enjoyed the walk and didn't want to come back in. Maybe I'll spend time out in the yard as much as possible today. (Can't go too far because repairmen are coming over this afternoon.)
The home scales show me down 2.5 this week. That actually isn't as huge as it sounds, since I had only lost 2 pounds for the month prior to this loss. So that's still about a pound a week average. A good turtle pace, even if it happens in fits and starts. It does look like my Christmas goal is within reach! And in just another pound and a half, I'll have lost 70 pounds! :eek
How is everyone doing? For many, Halloween is the beginning of the holiday eat-fest when we all put on weight. So this is the time to be extra vigilant. My WW leader, Pam, makes a concerted effort to lose 5-10 pounds *before* each holiday season, which keeps her from being above her lifetime weight come January. Smart, smart lady.
Onward and downward,
Lauren
274/205.5/199 by Christmas (home scales, a.m.)
How is everyone? The board seems a little quiet the last few days. I guess everyone is trying to get situated for Halloween and all. One of my 4 kids still doesn't have a costume. What does and almost 10 year old boy dress up as anyway? He says he wants to be a SWAT team member, what's up with that? Of course he says they have cool weapons. Since I don't allow my kids to play with weapons I'm not so sure about this but I am quickly running out of time. After all, he won't be doing this much longer anyway so I guess I'll let him have his way this time. We must choose our battles wisely.
Lauren, you are doing so great, I'm so jealous! Taking a walk outside is a good idea, do it while you still can. The weather here keeps flipping back and forth. I never know what to have my kids dress in at this time of year. A couple of days ago they were in shorts and today it's back to winter coats.
Kathy, it sounds like you have a really cool job, it must be really neat to be so creative. I'm so NOT creative it really amazes my husband when I try to be!
Dora, where are you hiding? I'm sure you're out running a marathon or solving world hunger or something else that's equally as rewarding, right?!? I expect to be emailing you by the weekend, my fingers are crossed! I'd like to be lighter by Thanksgiving and even better by Christmas. I'm pumped to get started on those suppliments.
Hi, Ruby. It has been quiet here lately, but we're a fairly quiet group these days. I still post regularly over in the Turtle Club, too. A SWAT team guy, huh? At least he wants to fight the bad guys. I heard that this year the most popular costumes (for boys, anyway) were crime fighters of various kinds, probably due to September 11.
Last night my WW leader said something interesting. She said that when it comes to the holiday season, Halloween is the pop quiz, Thanksgiving is the mid-term, and Christmas is the final exam. That's when you find out what you've learned and what you've internalized. I really liked that.
WW scales had me down 3.2 pounds last night, which surprised me -- but I'm not complaining. Nothing like having TOM finish in order to see a good loss.
Onward and downward,
Lauren
279/209.6/199 by Christmas (WW scales, evening)
I really like the comment about Halloween being the pop-quiz and Christmas being the final exam. That really is true. The major problem I have with Halloween is all of the candy. I am living at home and we are all doing WW. My mom bought a bag of candy that we were giving out by the handfuls, and mini bags of pretzels. We didn't get to the pretzels so that will last for awhile here. I only had a couple pieces of candy - sweets being a favorite of mine. I received a list of the WW points for Halloween candy and I figured it really isn't worth the points. What I do like is the Slim Fast Peanut butter bar for only 2 points. It tastes like a Butterfinger - which I love. That should help me out when I have the urge for candy.
I had my WI tonight and I am down 2.5#, that has me so close to 50 that I can smell it. I really hope I have a good week so that I can get to this milestone this nest week. If it doesn't happen I know it will happen soon, but it sure would be nice.
Lauren - congrats on the loss, keep up the good work!
I hope everyone survives all of the candy that may be around. Don't feel guilty about throwing it out or sending it with the kids to school.
I've really not been hiding out. My DSL was acting up and the hubster wasn't here to fix it. The good news? I now know more about re-starting DSL than ever before.
Melissa - way to stay on target!! I thought I was going to win the candy battle last year by buying huge bags of the individually packaged candies. Duh! And just what was calling my name at night when I was bored?
My DD and I attended our church's fall festival. I had great fun with my country "chicken farmer" outfit. Found a really cute stuffed hen, paired her with cheap overalls (really, really cheap. the dye is on my socks and skin!!) rolled cuffs, freckles, pig tails and the coup de grace, tooth black!! I neglected to tell my boss that I would be dressing up for work. He about fell over. Then, I grinned. I thought he would bust a gut. Had at least two folks totally puzzled over who I was. Named the chicken "Candy". Told folks," this is my chicken, Candy. I really love Candy" corny, huh?
Tomorrow our WW group will be celebrating our "walking to Hawaii" with a luau. Door prizes and games are promised. I've got my DD's cheesey plastic hula skirt and fake leis all ready to go. And., of course, my cowbell.
Lauren - it's great to see you doing so well in the loss department. You are always the voice of reason.
Kathy - I thought of you and your meeces this weekend. A busy intersection here always has vendors with interesting wares. One lady was selling Texas Boot Birdhouses. Yeah, that's right. Take an old cowboy boot, cut a bird hole in the heel. Make a little cedar rooftop with a hanging wire and tie a bandanna around it. Too darn cute. Get this, they have a dot.com @ texasbootbirdhouses.com everybody should have at least one, right?
Gotta run. My dear, darling hubby is coming in tomorrow and I am making his favorite, yubra. (that's Lebanese for cabbage rolls) It takes me a long time to make the things, which is too bad. They are yummy, cheap, and good for you. I have told him many times that if someone makes yubra, it means they love you.
Dora, your costume sounded hilarious! I wish we worked together; sounds like you keep things hopping. The Lebanese cabbage rolls sound yummy. Hope your time with DH was good.
How is everyone doing? Gizzi? Judy in Boston? I miss you.
I'm down 1.5 pounds on my home weigh-in this morning. That puts me at 70 pounds gone, and it also puts me in the home stretch to my goal of 199! I'm thrilled. My husband is also really noticing my weight loss. He's always made nice comments about it, but now it's starting to really hit him how much smaller I am. Basically, he saw me this thin when we were dating but not once we were married, so he never saw me this thin (or this fit) naked! It's kind of weirding him out. To me, it feels like I'm finally heading back into more normal territory. It was the higher weight that felt weird to me. It'll be interesting, though, to see how he feels when I lose another 25 or more pounds. He's never seen me as thin as that.
Well, it's another beautiful sunny day here, so I'd better get outside and walk. I did a good workout this morning, so my walk will be more of a stroll today.
Onward and downward,
Lauren
274/204/199 by Christmas (home scales, a.m.)
How is everyone doing? We seem to be a little quieter than usual these days, don't we? I seem to have time to read the posts but not to write one. My son just turned 10 years old yesterday. It makes me feel really old when he calls himself a pre-teen! He's my oldest.
Lauren, you are so great! Congratulations. I have no doubt that you will reach your year-end goal. You are so close now.
Dora, you are so good to your husband, I hope he appreciates you. I assume you had a fabulous weekend with him after being gone like that. By the way, make sure you check your email.
I hope everyone else is well. I'll check in later.
Lauren - thanks for your inquiry about how I'm doing.
Seems like the group is pretty quiet at present, which prompted me to write. I've been more of a lurker over the last year + than a writer, but with everyone so quiet, I thought I should do more of my part and contribute (at least this once LOL).
Last week, I began traveling for the first time since September 11th - 6 flights in 4 days. Exciting travel to Toledo and Dallas. The first trip was to a client that we're in a jam with; the second was to a client with whom we've just finished a ton of work (with more to come) and part of the visit was a party. That was fun, however, it was at a Cajun restaurant -- hard to eat healthfully on Cajun food. No wonder Paul Prudhomme is so fat!
I found the traveling to be just a bit more time consuming than it was before. My first trip through Logan Airport (in Boston) security was a breeze. The second time through, en route to Dallas, we were in line for over 45 minutes!
Anyway, it was good to get out of the office and away from some of the day to day craziness. It's been really busy here -- like tax seasons for accountants crazy. Week before last, I logged 92 hours -- that was a new high; one which I hope never to duplicate.
Still finding controlling my eating to be a challenge in the current busy environment (or is that just an excuse). We should start to calm down as we slouch into Thanksgiving. I am hopeful that a lighter schedule will give me more time to concentrate on the things I need to do to stay healthy.
Ruby, congrats to your son on his decade anniversary.
Judy, great to hear from you, as always. Your work schedule sounds like a killer -- I'd collapse within a week or less. That's great that you're energized by business travel and meeting with customers. I wish I were! I'm actually not heartened by what a breeze security was in Logan airport given what happened in September, though I'm sure it's more convenient.
Well, my home scales had me up 2 pounds and WW had my up 3 (three) whopping pounds this week! What's up with *that*?? I had two over-point days, but I had plenty of banked points that more than covered them, and I exercised 5.5 hours for the week. So I'm figuring it's the Celebrex I was taking for my foot injury. I know some anti-inflammatories cause people to hold water. I'd never seen that side-effect in myself before, though. Well, here's hoping it's just very temporary, whatever it is.
The meeting itself was good, so I'm glad (as always) that I went. Our leader had us write down what we planned to eat for Thanksgiving, then she gave us point values for traditional Thanksgiving foods. It was an eye-opener. It also gave me the chance to think about what I might do differently this year, which foods I might alter or cut out altogether. One man's Thanksgiving dinner plans came to a whopping 96 points!!! At 19.5, mine didn't look so bad! :lol
Hope everyone is having a good week.
Onward and DOWNWARD, dadgummit,
Lauren
274/206/199 by Christmas (home scales, a.m.)
Lauren - hope your foot gets better soon. Hard to say which is worse, aching tootsies or mouth pain. I found that my body reacts to meds differently as the years go on. Used to drink 1/2 pot of coffee plus sodas. Now, one cup not only keeps me up, it kills my stomache. Sudafed makes me wired when it used to put me to sleep. Ibuprofen does most certainly cause water retention. Just one of the joys of growing older. (along with combination dry skin AND zits! What's up with THAT!? )
Judy - I'd like to travel lots more. But I'm not sure about that meeting with clients part. Depends how cold that call is. Just what do you do, anyhow? Seems like you have to be a wizard to keep all those balls in the air. Give me a heads up if you are in Austin. The more notice, the better.
Lauren - your hubby is so sweet already, I hope he can make the transition with you from beloved, heavy Lauren to beloved, trim-n-fit Lauren. Early married years are full of changes and surprises, he might not know quite how to think about this sort of change. I remember years ago a woman wrote to Dear Abby. She lost alot of weight and suddenly her hubby was super jealous. He had promised her a fur coat as a reward for the loss. When they went to the furrier, he accused the clerk of intentionally touching his wife at every opportunity. Ultimately, he demanded she regain the fat!!!
Now, not everyone will have a reaction remotely like that. But it does show that some folks don't think of this journey from our side of the fence.
Ruby, Ruby, my DD is 10 also. She is quite proud of her whole decade, but hasn't thought of the "pre-teen" title. I did tell her she qualifies as a preadolescent, which is bad enough. She's been complaining lately that her nipples are sore. Urgh. Does that mean what I think it means? Tell me it's too soon. Course, I started at 11 and my grandmother at 9 (legend has it, but she also experienced menopause at 28!) I am not ready to have the "talk" with my ever-so-naive brat.
Kathy - are you still out there? How's those kiddos and mooses?
Just found out that my stepmom threw in the towel and decided we are going to the local eatery for Thanksgiving buffet.
Less stuff I have to prepare (as in, nothing!!) and more control over choices cause we go, we eat, we leave the leftovers there. Plus, it aint the Ritz by any means. Not many choices in a small town.
Skipped WI and went to visit Pop and stepmonster on the "ranch". They have a perfectly spoiled black lab. Her name is Fred. Now they have another her, Hank the cow dog. (for those who don't know, that is a book series) Hank and Fred. By the end of two days, I was calling both of 'em Frank. So, I've threatened Pop with bringing him an Irish Setter female to name Frank. Then they would have three females with male names and a blonde, brunette, and redhead. And I could yell,"Frank" to my heart's content. He's threatened to disown me if I bring another dog. So, I plan to buy a package of "franks" and wrap it in a big towel and carry it in a box like there might be a puppy in it. Such fun. It's his own fault for spoiling those creatures rotten. Even bought a king-sized bed so Fred could have her own pillow. Absolutely rotten.
Sorry to write a book. Seems to be less often I get to check in.
Y'all have a great week. I'll be back Saturday!
Y'all be good!
What's up with *that*?? I had two over-point days, but I had plenty of banked points that more than covered them, and I exercised 5.5 hours for the week. So I'm figuring it's the Celebrex I was taking for my foot injury. I know some anti-inflammatories cause people to hold water. I'd never seen that side-effect in myself before, though. Well, here's hoping it's just very temporary, whatever it is. 
)
Such fun. It's his own fault for spoiling those creatures rotten. Even bought a king-sized bed so Fred could have her own pillow. Absolutely rotten.
