:bravo: to Lauren for dropping those last two pounds. Weigh to go and :goodscale: :carrot:

I think it's amazing that your BP is so low. I had no idea exercise could make that big a difference. Yay! You've got me thinking about Curves.
Gotta run, but will come back later.
Judy

Hi Turtles,
Lauren, yes, I'm going to head out and try new clothes in a smaller size. My pants and skirt are all baggy. One concern is that waist still fits, so I'm not sure new lower size will work yet, but I bet I'm close and the only way to find out is to do it. Right?

I'm sending you :goodvibes: to handle the dynamics of your relationship with DH (most important) as you make time for your parents, work, Curves, and doing the right thing for yourself. You're a very smart woman and I know you can do this. That doesn't mean it will be easy. To me, it means that you can do it. :cheer: :cheers: and :love: will help you out.

I love all your good ideas. You're so valuable to us.

Lin, how are you doing? Sounds like you're really busy. Could you post your link to your blog again? That way I can read your blog when it's impossible for you to be here.

Overdid the food on Valentine's Day. Had a great food plan in the works, but deviated and then overdid! To make matters worse, I overdid yesterday too. Tough coming off the wagon and climbing back in. I'm okay today and am hoping my WI will be okay. We'll see.

Take it easy, be well and happy and keep on keepin' on!
Judy
234.6/193/189 and deeper into onederland :cool:

Hi turtles:

Lauren - great job on the weight loss! Keep it up!
Pubnight was lots of laughs being a Yuk Yuk thing & shared some nachos for my dinner, so not so bad.

Judy - I overdid it as well. We had a long weekend up here & more time to snack at home. Got out to 2 dances, so there was alcholol involved.
Not looking forward to my w/i tomorrow. We are having a Open House at Tops and hoping to get some new members to join.

Weather has been great for getting around - unheard for here, but not complaining about the no shovelling thing.

Cheers

Hey Bandit,
We're the ones getting the snow and the shoveling. LOL. Well, I'm glad you finally got a break with the snow. You deserve it!

WI was tough this morning. I was up 1.2# and I've been struggling with this same weight back and forth and back and forth. Not fun. Now my ds and his family will be with us for a few days and that's been tough for me in the past. My job is to rethink their visit, assess what will work for me, and do it!
I really want to break 190# and I need to exercise daily and keep within my points every day. I'm going to try to forget about my recent past and get on with today and make this day count.

Good luck to us all
Judy
234.6/194.2/189 and getting closer to goal! :cool:

Hi Judy - good luck with your family coming. It is always a challenge with company around - you just feel you should have some extra's for them & hard not to join in.

My w/i won't be nice as well. Been very busy up here socializing which equals extra food & drinks. I think I just sabotage myself - especially after a victory like I had last week with getting my 6 week no gain thing - seems after that I was more relaxed & so easy to slip into old habits.

So, my new week always starts on Thurs since I weigh in Wed evening & tomorrow back on the wagon - not letting a few days of overdoing it turn into another week & so on & gain lots back. No way - too hard to get it off.

Lets all hang in there & do our best!

Good luck, everyone!

:bravo: :cheers: :cheer: :love: :dance: :carrot: :tread: :goodscale:
to all of us from Judy
Bandit, thanks for the good thoughts. I hope your WI is better than you think it might be, but I sure get the "sabotage" or "relaxation" bit!!
Judy

Hi--I'm on my way to choir rehearsal, so no time to do more than a quick post. I just wanted you to know I'm reading and will write a longer post tomorrow.

Hi turtles:

Well, my weigh in was worse than I expected. Was up 1.75#
So extra food outtings + drinks + no walks in 4 days = scale to be up.
No surprise, really. But, my new week starts today & thats it for the overdoing it. And no excuse with the socializing - that is part of life and have to learn how to adjust the rest of my day when I know I am going out.

Tonight checking out a new dance with a Tops friend & Saturday have a hockey dance with dinner beforehand. So, just have to behave myself.

Yesterday we had blowing snow & drive home was slippery. Seen 1 van & 2 cars in the ditch along the way & that always makes me nervous. BUt just took my time & was careful. But, still no shovelling!

Have a good one!

Bandit, I like your attitude. Ugh, it's miserable to eat a bit more, exercise a bit less and gain weight. Not fun. All I know is that you and I are probably quite alike and need to find the perfect fit for socializing and losing weight. You've lost a lot so far and I know this week will be a good one for you.
Lifestyle is tricky------but I know we can do this.
Judy

Hi,

Lauren, congrats on keeping up with the Curves workout. I'm sure that's helping you a lot. :) Congratulations on dropping the last of the Christmas fluff. Way to go!

:hug:, Bandit. And congratulations. That 6-weeks without a gain is worth celebrating. I'm sorry you ended up gaining the next week. I'm sure you can do it again, though. :D (The 6-weeks, not the gain. :lol: )

Judy, good luck to you this week. Good luck with staying within points and getting in more exercise.

BTW-the link to my blog is posted in my signature. I hadn't posted for almost a month, but posted two posts today.

I have been having a really hard time since the week I was sick. And I've been super busy and had no time to post. Not posting seems to make things worse because I lose that accountability. I haven't been recording my points the past few days, either. I haven't been eating anything and everything, but I have been eating more than I was and exercising less, due to working at home more. I'm sure it will all show up on the scale, but I do have a plan.

Starting tomorrow, my weigh in day, and when WW starts my week, I'm going to do a week of filling foods. That really helped me with control when I did that the last time because I had to pay attention more to portion size and when I felt full than I do when I count points.

The other part of my plan is to go for a walk or do some other exercise on the days I don't take the train downtown.

Keep on turtlin'! :balloons:
:chef: :coffee: :comp: :write: :book2: :corn:

Count me among the turtles who would rather not weigh in this week! For some reason (stress, most likely), I've really gotten into the peanuts at work. They're in their shells, so that slows me down a little -- but not much! I seem to be wildly craving salt. I know TOM looms, so that's a contributor.

Also, yesterday DH and I went out for a belated Valentine's dinner at a very nice restaurant. I had steak and wine and other things, all marvelous, and all far more than I usually eat. Pants feel a tad tight today!

Heading to Curves tonight, then over to my parents for more housekeeping. (Pop stepped on his CPAP machine mask so I picked up a new one for him -- $450! Boy, I hope insurance will cover it!) My parents got lost yesterday, trying to drive home from the oncology appointment at a local hospital. I was getting my hair done and didn't get their frantic phone call. It took them a couple of hours to get home (should've taken 30 minutes). Mom was completely fried. They had a map, but neither of them could figure it out. I feel so bad for them. Boy, it's hard to see your parents grow old, isn't it?

Anyway.

Judy, I hear you about playing with those same pounds, dealing with family visiting, etc. I wish there were some magic bullet, but there just isn't. We'll persevere and move forward! Just think spring. More body parts exposed. We can do this!

Bandit, isn't it interesting how it seems to be our social lives that present the biggest obstacle to weight loss? So much of our social interaction revolves around food and/or alcohol. I'm impressed at how much you manage to do in spite of the socializing; I'd be enormous!!

Lin, do you think that approaching onederland might also be affecting your progress right now? I know that it has a couple of times in the past. Maybe you just start to get more content at this weight?

This is going to sound quite silly, I realize, but I did face an obstacle when I moved into onederland -- I was so used to seeing the last two numbers on the scale be something low (10, 05, 02 ...) that I was appalled at the idea of seeing them become 99, 95, etc. Isn't that stupid?? The FIRST number went down from a 2 to a 1, but it was those pesky OTHER numbers that threw me! Amazing the mind games we play when it comes to scales.

Have a great day, everyone. Spring will come some day!

Hi Turtles,
Lin, a week of filling foods will do the trick. Here we all are struggling a bit, but I love that we have plans and ideas to get us past this point. And yes, exercising at home even if you don't have your daily walks connected with work will help! :tread: :strong: I know you're gonna do what you need to do and take this step into onederland one day at a time. :cool:

Lauren,
Yeah, the socializing is weird. I love to do it, but on Valentine's Day my dh and I shelved our tasty but healthy plan for dinner for something else.
That "something else" was delicious, but it blew my mind and Monday I overate as well. That meant that Wed.'s WI was up more than I was ready to handle. Ugh. Now this is all turning around quickly. I've lost those pounds with three days of "good" eating and now I have to prepare for my ds and our grandchildren coming in for the next few days. I have some tricks up my sleeve (read a book or crochet when they want me to watch them play video games) and I've got good food planned for Sat. I can do this!!!!

Lauren, as far as your folks and their aging, it must be heartbreaking. I'm sending you :hugs: to help you through. This is a trying time for them and you and your dh. I hope they can get settled in, learn their routes better, and make a good adjustment. :goodvibes: I appreciate all your tips and encouragement about breaking 200#. You're hitting the nail on the head, not just for Lin, but for me too! Thanks. I need to break 190# and stop floating around in the low 190's# Too much up and down is getting too discouraging. By the way, yesterday didn't go as planned with dd and grandson and I did get to a dept. store anyway, but was not up to trying on pants that might not fit. I'll get "stronger" soon and give it a go.

Bandit, have a good weekend. I know you can do this! You have a lively social life which is fun, and I know we'll grasp how to handle fun and food in a way that'll get us fit! :goodscale: to us all this week.

Judy
234.6/194.2/189 and deeper into the 180's# :cool:

Hi turtles:

Sounds like we are in the same boat this week - and I find attitude is key here for regaining our focus & staying on track but still enjoy our outtings and being social.

Lets all: Plan ahead, exercise, drink extra water & make the best choices when faced with a challenge.

Enjoy your weekend!

Sorry i haven't been around lately. It looks like everyone is struggling some but it is good to see that everyone still seems to have a positive outlook about it. I am not doing well. In fact i have gained quite a bit of weight. I am feeling really down on myself right now but trying to make some better choices.

Hi Cherry - nice to see you back with us. Weight loss is tough, always challenges & temptations.

Just try to do one thing each day better than the day before. Remember, baby steps. Hang in there!

Good luck, everyone