Judy: Awesome job on the W/I! That is just too good, keep going!
I am sleepy again this morning, DH and I stayed up last night to do our final confirmation on our hotel and excursions that we booked for our trips. They had a few things wrong so I spent some time on the phone getting things switched around... not too bad and for the most part everyone was helpful. Then we watched Lost and went to bed, with the time change everything seems later and out of whack... Indiana has not changed time for years so doing the whole spring forward fall back thing takes some getting used to after being away from it for 13 years.
Ladies: Good afternoon. How is everyone doing? It's been a crazy week, but I've finally had time to check back in with everyone. Not too much is new, work has just been incredibly hectic. I am not going to do workout 5x this week, I still felt too sick on Monday. But I will make it 4x, I've already gone Tuesday and Wedesday night, and I am going tonight and tomorrow. I'm feeling pretty burned out and overwhelmed at work, but I need the OT money for my CC's and for my house fund, so I will keep on trucking. Next month, around April 22nd, I'll be taking a 3-day weekend off and going to see my family, which is good, because I miss them like crazy. Whenever I get stressed out and burnt out, I always want my family. Anyway, the good news is that I'm due for a review around April 10th, and I think I have a raise coming, whenever my poor, inundated manager can get around to my review, so that should help in the future. And for now, there's more good news -- I lost 1 pound! :::. That is excellent, considering that I was hoping to maintain after the crazy weekend I had last week. I think that the reason I lost weight was that A) my idea of "too much" junk has changed radically, so it wasn't as bad as I thought and B) I changed my behavior after the excessive eating nights, cutting out work snacks and eating fruit instead of pretzels at night when I first get home from working out. So, I'm on track again. How is everyone doing?
Princess: Sorry you haven't been sleeping well. Now, I am not saying that you will rebound but IF it happens, please remember that what matters is that your overall, long-term trend is downward. There were many times when I was frustrated last year when I maintained or yo-yo'd, and although I still get frustrated in the short run, I realize that last year I lost 25 pounds overall, and that's what ultimately matters. You have lost 42 pounds now, and as long as your overall long term trend continues to be onward and downward, you are good. Of course, you may need to be reminded of that many times -- trust me, I do. But ultimately what matters is that it is coming off and staying off, and you are no doubt doing wonders for your self-esteem and your health by losing all this weight and developing healthier habits! On a lighter topic, I think it is so funny that you are excited about it hitting 70 degrees. Our projected high is 89 degrees today. Blech. 89 degrees is mild enough for AZ, but it's a sign that the high heat of summer is coming. Blech.
Judy: Yes, I learned this weekend that I only want to get drunk every six months or even less often -- the hangovers aren't worth it. I do think it's important to go crazy every once in a while, so that you don't get to be old and feel like you never had crazy times. But I don't want to do it on a regular basis, and I certainly DO NOT want to do it two nights in a row. I don't even drink that often, and apparently, it should stay that way. Yes, losing weight and paying off the CC's is definitely worth it. It's wonderful seeing the total debt go down and knowing that by the end of June I can start saving for a house and my retirement. It was very hard finding and adapting to other non-food and non-spending coping mechanisms, but it's been worth it. I think I always hope for an extraordinary weight loss, especially when I've been really hungry that week, but anything is good, and 1.2 pounds is great! Congrats!
Morning all... another sleepy one, I am just not sleeping well lately and am so tired during the day... I hope to get some rest this weekend at some point to try and catch up... we are heading south later this afternoon for the college tour and visit that we are scheduled for tomorrow... I am hoping to be back home by supper time on Saturday and then take it easy for the rest of the weekend.
So what is everyone doing for the weekend.
Ariana: LOL, funny how we both hope for the season to arrive... winter for you and summer for me. Are you going hiking this weekend or is it too hot for that already... funny how the seasons come on fast and before you know it they have made the final change.
Judy: How are you doing?
Kerri: What is new in your neck of the woods?
Bandit: Any big plans for the weekend?
Chris: How are you doing?
I have to run but will get back on later to see how everyone is doing.
Susan
Real fast. I'm on the run right now, but will chime in when I can. I am doing really well. I am on /core and pointing out everything that is not core. I bought a journal keeper and writing is helping to keep me on track.
Good luck and : everyone.
Judy
Hi Turtles,
Well, shades of Bandit!!!! We've had an ice storm here that is not fun! Luckily I had bought all the food I needed for our St. Patty's Day party during the week. I try to work ahead and get things done early just to avoid getting caught without. DH is outside right now chipping away at the ice.
The snow plows have been through dumping sand and plowing up the stuff in the road that can be moved. The roads look better. This morning early we had a solid inch or more of ice on the sidewalks and roads, but now it seems to be breaking up a bit as the temperature gets a little warmer. We're having 18 of us at a party here tonight. My little grandniece and grandnephew have learned how to play Irish songs on their flute and learned to jig. I think it's going to be hysterical! My nephew has been practicing on an Irish fiddle and even my dh has had his ukelele out and is learning some songs. We have tambourines and maracas (don't ask) for the non-musically inclined so everyone can chime in. I've got so much corned beef going and will warm up the ones I did yesterday. I have saved 15 points for this meal, and will still have to be careful. I am planning on what to have and what to avoid. I'm hoping with all the laughs and music the food will not be so much on my mind.
Enough about me!
Bandit,
Here we are at another WI for you. Last week's was great considering that you felt you might see a gain at the scale. My aim for this year is to avoid gains by all means possible because it takes me so long to get the weight back off. Your snow situation sounds really tough. I think people who deal with snow and snowbanks, etc. are really terrific. WE've had a mild winter and I still don't want to see any more snow. Good luck at your :
Princess,
Glad you've made your arrangements for Hawaii. Good luck with the college tour. Let us know on Monday how you made out. I understand your running tired. I know the time change has a lot to do with that. I'm beat most of the time. I'm doing too much, but I sure would like an increase in energy. I'm hoping that the and losing weight will help.
Ariana, : on your one pound loss. Isn't it funny how we are really making great adjustments. You were beating yourself up on the foods you ate and the drinks, and yet you hadn't done as badly as you thought. I had a similar experience after the wedding and although I gained weight, it wasn't as bad as expected. Good luck with your work review. You are goal oriented and it's great to see your progress.
Kerri, how was this week? :
Chris, are you okay?
Good luck to everyone. Let's drink lots of water and keep on keepin' on!
Judy
234.6/216.4/thinner into onederland
I have had a very long hard week.... I am so stressed and tired..I have my DD2's dog for the week and its going to be a long one as he and my dogs do not get along, I need to keep them separated at all times...
I did at least get the yard mowed and leaves cleaned again..I hope we are getting to the end of it, I am so darned sick of cleaning leaves..
Judy, I sure hope your weather gets better soon..Sounds like you are a yo-yo queen like me..... Look how far you have come..I know you must be so proud of yourself at this point... Keep it up girl...
Susan, I hope you did get to enjoy your week-end...
The trip and tour went really well, DH and I feel much better about DS going to that college now. It is a smaller school and has a very nice campus and is a fairly safe area. All went well and everyone seems happy with the school so that is a good thing. Got home late on Saturday evening and we were all very tired. Three of us sleeping in the hotel room and the four hour drive did not make for a very restful night and Saturday was a long day followed by another long trip home but Sunday I managed to get my chores done and a little grocery shopping so it was a good weekend over-all.
Kerri: Hope it gets better with the dogs, when we keep our DS dog we have the same problem... two of our three do not like her so we just keep them all seperate while no one is home to avoid trouble.
Judy: How was the party? You have so much more energy then me... I have a hard enough time getting my chores and such done on the weekends let alone hosting parties and dinners, etc. Hope all went well!
Bandit: How was your weekend? Anything new and exciting?
Ladies: Good afternoon! My weekend was okay. Friday night I did spin class and went to dinner with a friend. I ate an All Bran bar before I went, and although I ate more than I would like, I didn't go crazy. Saturday, I went out to breakfast to meet my friend's parents, who were visiting from Boston. Again, I ate before I went out, and I was proud that I didn't eat too much, and even left some on my plate. I have found that eating a healthy snack shortly before going out to eat helps a lot with my self-control -- it's easier not to order the higher point items if I'm not starving -- do you guys use the "pre-eating" method too? Does it work for you? I tried to work afterwards, but I was just too horribly tired. I couldn't even focus -- all I could think about was sleeping, and it was 11 am! So I abandoned work at 1 pm, went home, slept for two hours, and then woke up, had Starbucks, hung out and quilted for a few hours and then went back to bed (my speed dating event Saturday night got cancelled.) Sunday morning I met someone I had been chatting with online for a first date (breakfast), and it was delightful. We're getting together again next Saturday night for dinner, and I'm looking forward to it. I did house stuff for the rest of Sunday, sewed for an hour and then I was in bed by 7:30, asleep by 8. I'm still tired, but it's not anywhere near as bad as before. I'm starting to feel human again. I've decided that I'm working myself into the ground, so I'm taking this week off of OT. I'll start up again next week, see if I can make it more manageable next week. Well, that's the story of my life since I last posted, and I have to get back to work. Take care, and write back when you can!
Princess: I'm glad that your weekend went well, and that you are happy with the college setup for your son. I'm sorry you are still so tired. That is very, very hard. No, it's too hot already for hiking, except up in the mountains (Mt. Lemmon above the city -- the high for today is 85 degrees down in Tucson, and 67 degrees up on Mt. Lemmon. I might go there on a hike soon. We'll see; it's a little more than an hour up to the top, and then another hour back down, but it's beautiful.) Yes, it is ironic how I look forward to winter, and you look forward to summer. It's all relative.
Judy -- good to hear from you, even quickly! I'm glad to hear that you are OP -- good luck! Sorry about the ice storm. How did the party go? Did you stay within your goals? Did you have fun? Thank you for the congrats, I am quite happy with it, especially since I was expecting to gain. It is funny, how little changes like fruit instead of pretzels and no work snacks can make such a big difference! I'll let you guys know how the work review goes...it's due for around April 10th, so probably by the end of May... I am goal oriented. It's in my personality.
Kerri -- I'm sorry your week has been so stressful. (BTW, which icon is the person yelling and screaming, red-faced? I don't know which text corresponds to that, and it perfectly fits how I feel some days!) Hopefully, both leaves and extra dogs will be gone soon... (BTW, as far as yo-yoing is concerned, it's important to focus on the long term progress -- are you going down long term? Because that's what matters most.)
Hi Turtles,
Again, I have to run, but will try to respond.
Kerri, it's so odd to me that you're dealing with leaves and mowing (coming up here soon) and I'm still dealing with ice and snow! Sorry about the stressful week , but the time will fly and you'll be dds dogsfree soon!
I think your weight loss is awesome. I am determined to get where you are!!
Princess, glad your college trip went so well. It's tough to let kids go to college even though you know in their development that it's the right thing to do. So it is reassuring to know that the college selected is a good fit for your son.
Ariana,
I think it's great that you think, plan, and prepare. When we eat first before heading out for a dinner, etc. we're able to handle the event better. Good for you. Hey, I'm delighted you met someone who has possibilities for dating. Sounds great. Good luck.
Bandit, how did the weekend go?
Chris, sending good vibes to you andyour family.
Me: Party went great. My food was great all day and the party was a hysterical success. My niece arrived in a leprechaun costume. I had never seen one before, but it's made of parachute fabric--that nylon stuff--and the costume was huge and had a motor and fan to keep it inflated. Well, she looked like one of those huge lawn ornaments that are inflated for the holidays. That started us all off. The food was great and I've figured out an easier way to prepare it all for next year. Also we had music and the kids danced and ran around the house and altogether we had a lot of fun.
Unfortunately the next day my dd who is getting married made some pretty big adjustments to her wedding party. Everything had been going smoothly,
and we were getting along great. In any case, I ate over the stress. Duh!
How many more times will I do that? So, I'm hoping on the scale and the before my other dd comes over with the grandbaby. And I've gotta run. I feel okay about the wedding changes. I gave my input and she made a decision and that's that. I just have to be prepared for lots of changes and try and keep on going with the flow.
You all take care, be well , and drink that water.
Judy
Morning everyone, I was home yesterday so I did not get a chance to get online. I was not feeling well so I took the day off from work... mostly just tired and worn out I think but I stayed home for the day. I actually had to take one of the dogs to the vet also so it worked out well.
I am just hoping to maintain at W/I on Saturday... it has been that TOM and I have not gotten in as much cardion as I hoped to so maintaining would be great. I have added iron to my vitamin intake to see if that helps with my energy level... I have just been tired and worn out feeling so we will see if it helps.
Judy: Congrats on the party, sounds like it was fun. Sorry to hear about the added stress of the DD changes to the wedding, that is never fun to deal with. Hope it all gets back on track for you.
Ariana: Sounds like you had fun on your date and that makes me so happy for you! I think that there is someone out there for all of us... finding them is the hard part and you may just have hit pay-dirt! Awesome!
Kerri: When does the extra dog go home? I know how you feel there, we go thru that also. Hope you get relief soon!
Bandit: What is going on with you lately? Have you made anymore progress on the storage items? I have not, I need to get back at it.
Hi turtles,
I missed my WI yesterday because I had to wait for the repair man to check out my clothes dryer. However, I made a point of going this morning. Because I was so careful at the party, and ate perfectly and low on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I was able to come through this week losing a pound. I am so happy and so grateful that I didn't let the poor eating I did on Sunday throw me into a tizzy. Yay. I may not be able to lose as quickly as I'd like, but I can certainly lose a pound a week with exercise and proper foods. Yay!!!!
Ladies: good afternoon. How is everyone? It's been a busy, busy week, but what's new? I have been exchanging emails with my date for Saturday, and that's going well. I weighed in, and I maintained, which is fine, really. Frustrating, yes, but better than gaining, as I am always saying -- after all, maintaining is the same as not gaining.
I think my problem is eating out. It's something I still struggle with. I think I'm getting better -- eating an All-Bran bar or a piece of fruit helps a lot. But it's not enough. I still eat too much, too often. But it's a work in progress. And I have managed to cut out almost all of the extra snacking at work, so, some progress is being made at least. I'm going to try limiting myself to two planned higher point meals (Friday and Saturday night), and being scrupulously "good" the rest of the weekend, and seeing how that works. I also missed my Monday night workout for a work party, with more junk food, which couldn't have helped. Ah well. It's always a work in progress right? We all have to reinvent and reexamine our strategies periodically to find something that works, right?
Judy: I'm glad that the party went so well. It sounds like a blast! ;D Sorry about the wedding stress. As far as stress eating is concerned, I understand, it's very hard. The only thing that seems to work is to respond with other stress relievers, a walk around the block, a workout, some hobby or other that relaxes you -- and I've found that the more I turn to non-food stress relievers, the easier it gets to avoid stress eating, and my body even starts to crave the non-food relief. That doesn't mean I don't want to stress eat anymore, I do, but the drive is not as powerful, and therefore, easy to resist. If I find that I cannot resist, I give in in a small way -- if I'm desperate at work, I make a kind of hot cocoa that is only 1.5 points. The hot drink and the chocolate are both calming, but not high in points. Also, I think that your go-with-the-flow attitude is excellent and goes a long, long way. I think that for stress-eaters, a solution we don't often think about it simply cutting back on the stress, we're so focused on the effects, we tend to ignore the source. But there are many things in our lives which we cannot change, and therefore, we shouldn't worry about them, right? Re my strategy -- I like it -- it helps me make healthier choices. I need to ramp it up and eat even less at the restaurants, or eat out less often, but one thing at a time, right? It's a big improvement for me to not seriously overeat when I go out to eat. The next step is making healthier choices. But, one thing at a time. RE your weight loss -- CONGRATS! That is great, even with a tough week, you still managed to lose a pound! ;D :::
Princess: I'm sorry you are still feeling so tired. I can't remember, have you had your thyroid checked? Maybe you should get a blood panel done. Maybe you aren't eating enough protein. Or maybe you are sleeping poorly, and you don't even realize it. It's so hard to find the cause for these things, but I hope you do find it soon. Re my date: Yes, I had a wonderful time. I am looking forward to our next day Saturday. Thank you, I'm excited too! ;D
Anyway, write when you guys get a chance. I hope this post finds you well!
Hi Turtles,
Kerri, are those extra doggies ready to go home yet?
Princess, glad you've added iron to your intake. It can help a lot with anemia.
Hey, your trip is coming up soon! Good luck with your : this week.
Ariana, good thinking on eating out, etc. It's tricky to add social activities to your schedule and still keep on losing weight, but you've got the determination to do it. Keep on posting your tips because they help everyone.
Bandit, are you weighing in this weekend? :Yeah, how are your de=cluttering efforts coming along? I jumped on the bandwagon here and donated quite a few books to my library. That made room for the overwhelming photo albums that are growing by leaps and bounds. That happens when you have adorable grandchildren. Aw, shucks!
Chris, we're thinking about you and sending : I hope you're doing okay.
Today promises to be a busy day, but that's fine with me. My clothes dryer is back and working and the house isn't looking too bad. I think I'll hop on the and get in a little more exercise and keep this weight loss rolling on!
Have a great weekend, everybody, and chime in when you can.
Judy
234.6/215.4/thinner into onederland
Its Friday and I am so sorry I have been so out of it... I am dancing a jig.... Tomorrow is the big DAY...The end...I could tell you stories about this week but I will not bore ya all...I am just happy to return this dog in the AM......
I hope you all are fine and sticking to plan...I went to weigh in yesterday and guess what? I am back to signature weight.....
Judy, so glad the party went so well...Congrats....Stress always gets me too, that's why I was so concerned about this week...Plus its tax time... and I work too many hours.....etc....You did good girl...
Susan, good luck with weigh in on Saturday...
Ariana, I 2nd what Judy said, that is great.....I have no control when I eat out...I plan what I will eat in advance, etc...I sike myself up and... wammI.... I get there and fall apart every-time..That's why I have been such a slow loser, I love to eat out at least once a week and have to compensate the rest of the week...
Dear Turtles ,
I'm trying an experiment to see if the word tantrum preceded and anteceded by : produces the adorable red-faced icon.
All goes well here, and the scale at home was doing great for me today.
Take care and have a great weekend.
Remember, this is just a test. I'm not in a tantrum mood.
Morning all!
::. That is excellent, considering that I was hoping to maintain after the crazy weekend I had last week. I think that the reason I lost weight was that A) my idea of "too much" junk has changed radically, so it wasn't as bad as I thought and B) I changed my behavior after the excessive eating nights, cutting out work snacks and eating fruit instead of pretzels at night when I first get home from working out. So, I'm on track again. How is everyone doing?
But ultimately what matters is that it is coming off and staying off, and you are no doubt doing wonders for your self-esteem and your health by losing all this weight and developing healthier habits! On a lighter topic, I think it is so funny that you are excited about it hitting 70 degrees. Our projected high is 89 degrees today. Blech. 89 degrees is mild enough for AZ, but it's a sign that the high heat of summer is coming. Blech. 
Yes, losing weight and paying off the CC's is definitely worth it. It's wonderful seeing the total debt go down and knowing that by the end of June I can start saving for a house and my retirement. It was very hard finding and adapting to other non-food and non-spending coping mechanisms, but it's been worth it. I think I always hope for an extraordinary weight loss, especially when I've been really hungry that week, but anything is good, and 1.2 pounds is great! Congrats!
: everyone.
and losing weight will help.
on your one pound loss. Isn't it funny how we are really making great adjustments. You were beating yourself up on the foods you ate and the drinks, and yet you hadn't done as badly as you thought. I had a similar experience after the wedding and although I gained weight, it wasn't as bad as expected. Good luck with your work review. You are goal oriented and it's great to see your progress.
keep on keepin' on!
I am so stressed and tired..I have my DD2's dog for the week and its going to be a long one as he and my dogs do not get along, I need to keep them separated at all times... 
Look how far you have come..I know you must be so proud of yourself at this point...
, but the time will fly and you'll be dds dogsfree soon!
Tomorrow is the big DAY...The end...I could tell you stories about this week but I will not bore ya all...I am just happy to return this dog in the AM......