well i know that journalling helps me a lot so here i am starting out fresh!
i have been doing so great since xmas with my program of maintaining my 50 pound loss. i havent had a good week this past week though. i have gone off track with my eating and havent worked out as hard as i could have.
i hope that by journalling here daily i will be accountable and stay on track. i was allowing myself one reward meal per week and otherwise stay OP so thats my aim for the week as well as 5 days of good workouts.
here goes!
hugs bell :D

Good luck, bell! You're one determined lady. I'm sure you'll have success maintaining, especially since you have a plan. That always seems to help keep control.

i just realised that today is 12 months of being at goal. sometimes when i think about it, it seems like an eternity as i can just take it one day at a time.
i am doing good so far today have eaten well and got my walk in. i am going to go and do the water aerobics class tomorrow or monday and try and do that regularly. the instructor is gorgeous but i am going there to get fitter(honest) :D
thanks for the support mel. how are you doing?
hugs bell :D

well today has been another successful day. i normally struggle on my weekend of night shifts but since i started taking my own meals to work i am doing a lot better. i even managed to get 6 hours of sleep in today without interruption which is WONDERFUL!
i am going to water aerobics tomorrow night and am determined to make it to sunday(easter) OP.
i am having subway for dinner tonight which i am addicted to. maybe i should do the subway diet, what do you think Kim? sometimes i think i am turning into a turkey sub lol.
heres to another OP day.
hugs bell :D

Good work Bell! Im glad you were able to get some rest..I love subway too! :x

good morning all,
well its always the way just when days off come around you get sick. the bronchitis is back and i feel awful again.
i am not however going to let this upset my plans to get to sunday OP. i worked out with my tae bo basic tape yesterday and caitlin(4) did it with me too.
the eating is going well without too much trouble. i seem to be able to go days without thinking about staying OP and just doing it. and then others where i have no control and just eat merrily whatever is in sight.
plan to get my walk in today and do some easter crafty stuff with the kids.
hugs bell :D

good morning all,
had a great day yesterday with exercise. there was a party at playgroup so i did eat a couple of things i normally wouldnt but i made it my lunch also. so i ended up OP for the day.
i also did one hour of walking and one hour of aqua aerobics. the class was great. he does a really great ab workout in the class also. my abs are sore today so i know that they did some work.
we are going to my mother in laws for dinner tonight so i am not sure whats on the menu. i always have a small portion and no dessert so i will be fine.
i will make it to sunday OP!
hugs bell :D

Great work, Bell, maintaining a 50 pound weight loss. Sounds like you are focusing more on activity than calorie restriction which is smart. Keep up the great work.

thanks artsy!
as long as keep my exercise up at a good level everyday i seem to do so much better with the food.
i followed ww to get here and thats all about moderation not deprivation. i have had a stomach bug so i am feeling much better now and am just about to head out for my walk.
thanks again
bell :D

well i have been slack with my journalling but here i am....better late than never i guess.
i have been doing really well until i derailed yesterday. i jumped straight back on the wagon today, and got 45 minutes of walking in and a day of good eating.
i am going to water aerobics tomorrow night and i always have a subway for dinner too. so tomorrow is shaping up as another good OP day.
promise to check in more often.
hugs bell :)

ok, well here i am making a bold new step on my journey towards health and happiness.
after maintaining for a year at my ww goal of 145 i have decided to challenge myself.
i am making it my new goal to reach 132. i may or may not make it this far. i cant actually remember ever weighing that little so it will be a hard road.
i am feeling positive though. i know what i have to do and now its a matter of getting back into the losing pattern again.
i am still going to have one reward meal a week because as they say deprivation is diet suicide.
wish me well.
hugs bell :D

I wish you well Bell. You are quite a success and an inspiration for the rest of us. It sounds like you have done so well to maintain. I just wanted to say you are a motivation to the rest of us and you should be proud of yourself.

thanks so much for the support jennalynn. the help i have gotten from my dt pals has made all the difference over the past 3 years.
i know i can do this! i will keep you posted. continued success to you also
hugs bell :D

Hi Bell- I was just reading over your journal and wow, great job! im impressed that you took it off and are keeping it off! (and you still stick around here and keep us updated!) keep up the super job you are doing. :P

thanks theresa for the support.
i felt it was important for me to continue to get support whilst maintaining. i dont want to have to lose those same 50 pounds again!
i also love to give support to others as i had so many supporters on my trip to goal. now that i am starting to try to lose more weight i will be posting here more than ever.
i am feeling good about lowering my goal weight. i worked out to tae bo yesterday and was OP. worked a bit of chocolate into the plan as its PMS time.
i am going to get my walk in and tae bo today. i am having my reward meal tonight(hooray).
i allow myself one reward meal a week and otherwise am OP all week.
hugs bell :)

Bell,

You really are good at encouraging the rest of us. Reading your posts, reminds us that we are in this for life and that it is possible.

Thank you

Karolyn

you are fast becoming a great supporter here at diettalk also Karolyn.
it definately is a life time choice for me.
thanks for your support!
hugs bell :)

Best wishes on your journey to 132 pounds, Bell. I am on my way down to 137 pounds and when I get there it will be the lowest weight I have achieved for 10 years. I am planning on making exercise an important part of my journey. I had a good workout in the gym tonight and I can feel the lactic acid building up. Take care.

good morning all,
well i was so looking forward to my reward meal last night but it wasnt all i had hoped it would be. when i was eating whatever i wanted all the time i never really appreciated food that much. but when i am only having one reward meal a week it has to be GOOD!!!!
i had a turkey open grill sandwich. it was smothered in cheese and was YUK! so i will have to do better next week lol. oh well its time now to refocus and get on with the next week of good eating and exercise.
i am going to try and talk my friend into coming to a body combat class tonight. i feel up to the challenge.
off to playgroup just thought i would check in before i leave. having subway for lunch so here's to a great OP day.
hugs bell :)

hey bell... well, i finally figured out what op means. lol keep being op! (ummm.. on plan right??) ;)

Got it in one theresa!
hugs bell :D

just finished doing 30 minutes of kickboxing and have a yummy meal planned for dinner so i am all set.
i am going to reward myself by going and buying a new swimsuit tonight. this isnt something i normally look forward to but seeing as i am using it a lot with water aerobics its worth the money.
i have challenged myself to working out every day for the next 21 days so keep an eye on me at the 21 day challenge board for that.
hugs bell :)

another good Op day yesterday. did 45 minutes of weight training and my muscles are feeling it today.
i am at work on night shift over the weekend and thats normally tough for me to stop eating. so i have made sure i have low fat snacks to take with me and my water bottle.
i am going to walk today down to the shops and do some window shopping. i am planning on getting to water aerobics tomorrow also.
if i am not around the next couple of days i am catching some sleep.
hugs bell :)

well i got plenty of sleep in today after night shift last night. thats great for a couple of reasons. i am well rested but also i cant eat if i am asleep :D
so i have had a good eating day and have bought chicken filo pastries for dinner tonight. i got 40 minutes of walking in as well.
i bought my new swimsuit for water aerobics so i am all set.
check in tomorrow.
hugs bell :)

never got to water aerobics today as the kids were out so i got a great sleep after night shift.
i took caitlin to the park after i woke up. so got 30 minutes of walking in. its a public holiday here tomorrow so we are going into the city and taking the kids bike riding through the park.
that will be good for exercise as well as taking the kids out in the fresh air.
i have almost made it through the weekend!!!
hugs bell :)

well i have had a great day today. we took the kids to the city today and went bike riding for two hours. it was a beautiful day and the kids really enjoyed it. plus it was great exercise. we rode down by the river and ended up riding about 12 kilometres.
had subway for lunch so i have had another good eating day.
won some money too which is always a bonus. i am going to treat myself to something special.
hugs bell :)

well another week is here.....the year seems to be passing by so quickly.
i have 2 special occasions this week so i am allwoing myself 2 reward meals instead of one. that way i wont be tempted to blow a whole day on bad eating.
i am going to water aerobics tonight abd i am off to go on a mini shopping spree and am looking out for something new to use on my journey maybe some new weights or a pedometer.
hugs bell :)

had a great day yesterday, went shopping and bought myself some things for a change. bought a new pair of runners plus some clothes.
went to water aerobics last night and got a 10 class ticket while i have extra money. the eating was on plan again.
today is hubbys birthday so i am cooking a special dinner and getting a cake. i am having my reward meal tomorrow night when we go out so i will be extra good today.
am off in search of a new workout tape. i am getting bored with my old ones now.
hugs all , bell :)

am going to split one reward meal into two parts. i had some birthday cake tonight so i am going to go without dessert for my reward meal tomorrow night.
i have been so busy today with birthday preparations for jason. made a nice dinner of rosemary and mustard chicken.
got 30 minutes of walking in today. couldnt find any good workout tapes. will have to look at different stores tomorrow.
hugs all, bell :)

another reward meal over for the week. even though i only have one meal like that a week i still feel guilty when i eat it. all those years of good food/bad food are still there inside my head i guess. i had more of that darn cake so its out the door today..no temptation!
got 30 minutes of exercise in yesterday and am aiming for more than that today. will do my weight training tape and maybe go to water aerobics if i dont get a better offer.
hugs bell :)

Hi bell. Looks good. I just read your journal and that is wonderful you kept the weight off. I kept 50 lbs off for over a year, but then...long story. I gained 15 pounds last year. Now I'm working on it. You're a inspiration that it can be kept off. Thank you.

Maybe what I need is a reward meal. Eat good the rest of the week and have a reward meal.

hi debbi,
thanks for your words of support i appreciate them.
the reward meal idea really works best for me. when i first made goal i was having one DAY where i ate what i wanted. but i found it too hard to get back on program after that day.
this way i have something to look forward to and it stops me eating a little bit of this and a bit of that. i save the good stuff for my reward meal. i have a main meal and a dessert.
have already gotten my exercise in for the day.
25 minutes of tae bo basic and 20 minutes walking. i love to have my exercise done early in the day. its only 10 am here now so i am set for the day.now to clean the house!
hugs bell :)

Happy Mothers Day Bell...You can be strong!! Have a great weekend!! Congrats on the healthy choice vrs MacDonalds... :rose:

thanks for the mothers day wishes sooz! i will be going between my mum and jasons so not sure when i will get my mothers day lol. i am going to water aerobics as my way of enjoying mothers day though.
baylee- i am glad you found the recipe. i hardly eat any red meat so i am always looking for chicken recipes. let me know if you find any good ones ok?
have had a good eating day today. have been really busy so havent had time to think much about eating.
hugs all, bell :)

hi baylee,
i'll find the recipe again today and post it at the recipe section. its a really simple recipe but great.
hugs bell :)

well the weekend is here again and thats always the toughest time for me. too much temptation to eat whenever we go out.
i went to my parents for dinner last night. everyone was eating mcdonalds but i took a healthy choice meal. i wasnt sure i would be strong enough to not have the other but i am glad i didnt!
not too much planned for the weekend although i intend to go to my water aerobics class tomorrow. after all its mothers day and that is what this mother wants to do!
hugs bell :)
p.s i just posted the mustard/rosemary chicken recipe at the recipe board.

Bell, this recipe is going to sound strange..and in fact the name of the recipe is -

SOME STRANGE CHICKEN
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 envelope lipton's onion soup mix
1 sm bottle fat free (or not) french dressing
chicken

mix first three ingredients together pour over chicken and bake, tastes great with rice.

I know some of your products are different down under..can you get cranberry sauce??

If you try it let me know what you think! I think it is YUMMY and it smells delicious... *

Oh Sooz,
That's sounds soooo good. What time's dinner :laugh:
Dolci

just thought i would check in before going to my mums place for mothers day.
i have had a great day so far. have taken some me time which was nice. went for a walk for an hour and went to my water aerobics class.
off to see my mum now and have a bbq. its a beautiful day here so it should be great!
Happy mothers day to you all tomorrow.
hugs bell :)

i am feeling really good right now and thought i would share it with you all.
its amazing how some nice words can really make your day. as i was leaving my parents place tonight my dad told me what a wonderful mother i was to my kids and that he was proud of me. he is a man of very few words so this really meant a lot to me.
i managed to stay Op all day as well despite the bbq. so with 2 hours exercise and Op eating i have come out on top.
hugs all, bell :)

How wonderful that your Dad said something so positive about you, Bell. I know that feeling, as my Dad said very little also. But one day - out of the blue - he said to me, "You are the Mother I wish I'd had." I thought I would burst.

Happy Mother's Day!

ThinLynn

hi bell, i usually post on no diet approach and weigh in boards. but i read about your mcdonalds episode, about not eating it. i would have never been able to do that, even though i am doing good on my no diet approach at least once a week i have mcdonalds. i cannot resist their fries. alot of people i know that are trying to lose weight, usually have a sweet tooth that is their downfall. but mine is fries, i could care less about sweets. i go for the greasy take out food but i am getting soooooooo much better at it. i order medium fries instead of large and i know someday i will be able to order small fries, them maybe none, but i think that is going to far. good luck to you. ;)

thanks Thinlynn and Debi for stopping by.
Debbie- making progress is what its all about. having mc donalds once a week would work for me too as i have my reward meal. but i love pasta and pizza so they are normally my reward meal choices.
the fact that you are now having smaller fries etc is a great sign that you are winning the battle. i am with you on craving salty greasy stuff. i can pass up the sweets but chips etc i could eat all day.
thinlynn- happy mothers day to you too. i am still feeling good about my dads comment yesterday.
coming over now to check out your journal.
hugs bell :)

well its the dawn of another day here downunder. i always feel good when i know i am going to water aerobics. i look forward to working out and the rush that it gives me plus it boosts me to know that i am well on the way to my new goal weight.
i have decided not to weigh myself but just keep going well like i have been. i am doing a lot of weight training and i know building some muscle. the last thing i need right now is to be sabotaged by the scales. i know i am doing well and thats all that counts.
i bought a new workout tape yesterday and its tough! its called "the method" and is a 90 minutes tape of all different stuff. it combines yoga,dance,pilates and weight work. i am not that co-ordinated so it will take some practice and the blinds shut thats for sure lol.
well heres to another Op day. i am going to attempt the 30 minute ab workout on the tape today as well as my water aerobics so i am on my way.
hugs bell :)

never did get back to the ab workout today. i had all good intentions but a very demading 4 year old(almost) got the better of me. for my own sanity i spent some quality time with her so that i could peacefully go to my water aerobics class tonight.
i am feeling extra sore after tonights class. i pushed myself a bit harder too. so i will be even more sore tomorrow.
had my healthy choice dinner tonight so another good on plan eating day.
am going out with my mum tomorrow so i will have to try extra hard to make good choices at lunch.
hugs bell :)

Bell sounds like you're doing great! When I exercised at home, my blinds where shut too! lol.

I was thinking of getting some of those healthy choise and other meals for dinner as that's the hardest for me to plan and stay on plan. Last night I made too much and decided I could eat half for lunch today. Sometimes I haven't.

Keep up the good work. * :rose: *

Kudos for keeping up with the workouts, bell. Are your clothes starting to feel looser and are your muscles starting to feel tighter? I am going in to the gym this evening for a workout. Have a great day.

hi debbie and artsy!
thanks for stopping by.
debbi- i find the forzen meals are a life saver when the rest of the family is having take out. i am always prepared so that i dont cave in to temptation.i love pasta so i normally go for the spaghetti bolognaise but the cracked pepper and chicken is my favourite.
artsy- my clothes are getting looser and i am starting to see some real definition in my muscles especially my upper arms. i decided to lower my goal weight so that i can get a bit leaner before i tone up much more. my darn hips and thighs though are another story lol.
hugs bell :)

have spent the day with my mum and the kids today. thats a rarity and i had a great day. we only went grocery shopping but it was great to just sit and talk and not be rushed.
i got in about 50 minutes of solid walking and didnt eat any bad stuff. although i nearly succumbed to a muffin that had about 15 g of fat on it. but i stuck with my skinny cappucino instead.
think i will get some more walking in before the day is through.
hugs bell :)

ended up getting 30 more minutes of walking in today for a total of 80 minutes for the day.
think its time to head to bed. i have been feeling so focused for a few months now. but i am starting to get the beginnings of my resolve fading. i am determined to stick it out. i have come too far to give up now thats for sure.
hopefully a good nights sleep will put things in a better light for the morning.
hugs bell :)

still feeling blah today. i think this will be my biggest challenge in the past few months. normally when i get like this i have a few days of not being strict with myself. but today i am going to try something different. i am going to try and get the adrenalin going through some exercise. maybe those endorphins will lift my mood.
could be the thought of 4 nights of night shift starting tonight and knowing that exercising will be harder to do.
anyway enough of the pity party. i can do this!
hugs bell :)

Bell that is a great idea for getting out of your blah mood! You know you've really changed you attitude when you think that way. :) Think I might actually get some exercise tonight myself--I have some things to think about for school and walking really gets the brain working too!

Bell,

You are way awesome lady! You continue to stick with it, through thick and thin. You should be proud of yourself for not giving up. And a four year old to help you out can be really fun or really challenging (depending on the day). My four year old is quite fickle about the days he wants to exercise with mommy! Hang in there. You are an inspiration!
Chaligi :x

HI Bell,
Way to go my Aussie Pal... our journey together began about 2 years ago and it is good to know you are still with it... I think I have finally hit the magic combination.. I just wish you had forced me to do weight watchers a year ago..lol you will always be an inspiration...I hope to get my 25 magnet on Friday.. keep up the good work..my friend..
USABell

thanks for the support steph,chalagi and kathy(i was thinking who the heck is reen lol).
i know that i can do this. i gave myself a bit of a break with the workout today. i am so tired from doing so much so just did a 30 minute ab workout today.
kathy my friend you are doing so well with ww. i wish i could have talked you into ww long ago too lol. but you finally got there and look how well you are doing.
you are inspiring to me too dont forget that!
hugs all bell :)
i am going to push past this blah feeling.

Bell the fact that you consider a 30 minute ab workout a "break" is what makes you a success and your determination so outstanding!! Way to go!!! * :rose: *

the support that i have gotten today from all my wonderful friends here has made me so happy to be part of the diettalk family.
knowing that i am helping others to strive forward on their journeys is a great reward.
thanks for the support.
hugs bell :)
look forward to seeing you here every morning baylee :) :) :)

Hi Bell, Just stopping by to tell you I am going to make your chicken recipe tomorrow for dinner..I got the ingredients today at the market. I am going to use fresh rosemary though since I have it growing in my garden, right under my lemon tree!! I know it will be great..Mr sooz loves dijon!! Thanx for sharing the recipe.. :x

i am sure you and mr sooz will love it sooz! plus it will be even nicer with fresh rosemary. let me know how it goes.
i am feeling more positive today. have been having some trouble with dealing with my almost 4 year old. it causes trouble with jason and i as we have different ideas about parenting.
i know thats what made me so frustrated yesterday. i am having my reward meal tonight and am going for my walk later on.
hugs all. hope you have a great weekend.
bell :)

Bell, I so feel for you. It is so hard when you disagree with your partner in the parenting areas. Usually what happens is that men are often too hard on very young children, expecting them to behave as little adults. Another thing that causes trouble is when the partner mistakes one of the child's developmental behaviors, (such as testing limits, saying no,etc) as proof positive that the child is going to be an incorigible brat if he, the parent, doesn't step in and shape the kid up! Anyway, I support you, and I am sure you are doing a good job. My tactic (since the children are with me most of the time)is to keep partner blissfully unaware of most of the kids' stages and shortfalls, most pass with time and no action on our parts anyway.

If you have an almost 4 year old and a disagreeing partner, you really deserve that reward meal! :laugh: But be sure to get other rewards, like time completely by yourself so you can deal with the stress. You are a very smart and kind person, and you are doing so well! Keep a smile and thank you for all your kind words in my diary. Love, Heather

[ 05-18-2001: Message edited by: HeatherC ]

thanks so much heather! that post was written like you were inside my head lol.
my partner grew up without his father having much to do with him and his brother. although he knows how much he hated not having hid dad around, i think he underestimates how important his role as father to our children is.
i grew up in a family where we always felt loved and secure. we did everything as a family etc. i know that i want what i had as a child for my kids. we are working on it. wanting them to behave as little adults hit the nail right on the head. often he forgets that she is only 3 and a half.
i always take ME time. at first i felt guilty but i know that its important for me to have some alone time in order to be a good mum too. i take some decompression time and go to my water aerobics class it helps me relax and then i can cope great when i get home. i dont believe in putting myself last all the time. i would do anything for my kids but i need to keep my sanity too lol.
thanks so much for your understanding..i appreciate it!
hugs bell :)

Hi Bell,
For some reason my emails to you keep coming back undeliverable.. email is getting like snail mail now !!! anyway, keep on the positive side.. don't let Jason get in the way of your goals.. I'm sure you don't get in the way of his.. I'm just glad I have dogs instead of children even though one almost got bit by a rattle snake that was visiting in our backyard today.. it was sure trying to bite her but Lucy was quick on the paws.. I am sure I will have nightmares tonight.. I am scared to death of snakes and this is the first one I have ever seen in my yard.. It may have even scared a couple of pounds off !!!! Keep smiling my aussie pal and enjoy life..
usabell

boo hoo. i notice nobody missed me while i was away lol.
my server crashed a few days ago but i am back in action.
my eating stank today as i worked myself up about going to the doctor so ate to make myself feel better(which didnt work).
i am back on the wagon tomorrow.
hugs all, bell :)

Bell, we did miss you!! Hope everything was ok at the dr??? Glad you got your server back!! woo woo!! :rose:

thanks sooz.
i have had a pain underneath my arm for a week or so and went to the doc about it yesterday. i have to go and have a mammogram. i am scared about the whole thing but trying to stay strong and positive.
have eaten well today. will get a walk in later. will be good to clear my head a little.
hugs bell :)

owie, that sounds really painful and stressful I know how worried you are and I am sending positive thoughts your way..let us know when you find out more..huggs :rose:

Bell,
I am sending my love and prayers and positive thoughts about your mamogram. Just remember, no matter what happens we are here for you and you can vent all you want! Your posts have helped me so much--I have taken to saying that I am OP and plan my reward meal once a week (I tend to get just as compulsive about denying myself as I do about eating) and it is not making me binge like I feared it would. Anyway, just wanted you to know I'll be thinking of you. Love, Heather

thanks so much sooz and heather for your support. i am feeling more positive about things today. the pain has almost gone completely but i am still going to have the mammogram considering the history of breast cancer.
my appt is for next thursday. my mum is going to come with me and help with the kids so i am sure all will be fine.
heather- you are a great person and i am so happy that the reward meal idea is working for you. i will be checking out your journal when i am done here.
sooz- you have been such a great supporter of mine for 3 years now. i am grateful for that everyday.
hugs to both of you.
p.s heather i joined you and jo in the weekend goal idea.
bell :)

Bell you will feel much better when you have your baseline mammogram and find out that everyting is clear...with all the positive vibes coming your way it couldnt come back any other way!! Im so glad your mom is going with you to help with the kids!! :rose:

Bell, I know how scary this can be. I had a lump in my breast a couple of years & had to have a biopsy. I had to wait TWO WEEKS for the results! (small town living, I guess). Anyway, everything was okay and I'm sure it will be for you too. You'll be in my thoughts.

Karolyn

Bell, sweetie, I am sending LOTS of positive energy your way!! I'm glad that pain went away, that is good to hear. Still a good idea to get the mammogram, though. (((HUGS))) to you!!

You asked me about this yoga I'm doing...I would HIGHLY recommend it! It's "Yoga for Weight Loss" by Suzanne Deason. It keeps me really calm and energized throughout the day and easy on these aching joints!

Howdy Bell! Just wondering if you have gotten your mamogram yet and how you are doing? Hope all is well and you are too! I am excited about this weekend challenge, as I tend to get waaaay too busy and blow it on the weekend. Maybe I can break the pattern!(((HUGS))) love, Heather

with all these positive vibes i am getting i cant help but be ok can i?
thanks so much joni and heather. my mammogram is scheduled for the 31st of may. they may do a ultrasound too because of my age apparently.
i will keep you posted. hope this weekend is good for both of us heather. i am going for a 3 hour bike ride this morning with my family so as long as i eat right i will have a good OP day.
hugs to you both.
bell :)

had a great day today. did a two hour bike ride with the family(my dad chickened out on 3 hours lol). ate well and spent some much needed time destressing and enjoying my wonderful family. had a long talk with my mum which is always nice too.
i am looking forward to an early night tonight and am going to water aerobics tomorrow and to take my daughter to see rugrats in paris.
i will be ok as long as i stay away from the popcorn!
hugs all, bell :)

Bell,
My thoughts and prayers go out to you! I will be thinking about you this coming Thursday. I had to have a mammogram and ultrasound done back in February. The lump in my left breast turn out to be a benign cyst! Thank God! I was so worried and stress, I even thought the mammogram was going to hurt but it didn't. Anyway, that was the best day of my life to find out that I was going to be okay! I am believing you will be okay too! No matter what just have faith :) Blessings, Jerry LaVonn

thanks so much jerry. i am staying positive and just looking at this as the start of regular mammograms for me even at an earlier age. because of the extensive family history i would have had to start having them regularly anyway.
thanks again. hugs bell :)

Hi my aussie pal,
Yikes on the mammogram but I know the drill.. I had breast lumps removed about 15 years ago.. fibrocyst.. but I was worried because my grandmother died of breast cancer.. doctor said they would recur but so far they haven't..
I have lost 28 pounds so far.. I will catch up to you one of these days.. lol maybe when I get skinny I came come down under for a special treat.. sitting in that airplane seat would be much more comfortable after weight loss. lol
let us hear from you after the mammogram and not a minute later !!!
much love to you my friend,
USABell

thanks for stopping by kath!
you will move past me at the rate you are losing my friend :)
i will certainly post here after thursdays tests and stuff.
have had a good day today. did my water aerobics class and 30 minutes of walking. am making the mustard/rosemary chicken for dinner tonight.
life is good. the weather is beautiful, i wouldnt want to be anywhere else.
i would love for you to come visit me kath!
hugs bell :)

Bell you're my biggest inspiration when I don't feel like working out! I think about how much time you devote to exercise, and you work shift work, have two little kids, etc! Thanks for sharing your dedication!

thanks so much bev!
i know that in order for me to retain my sanity i need to have some me time. i choose to workout in that time because surprisingly enough i actually enjoy it. never thought i would be able to say that.
so glad that you are our latest star you certainly deserve the title.
hugs bell :)

Bell,
Hope your weekend has gone good for you...I worked most of it 8-|
You and several others have such a good outlook on exercise...me being allergic to the stuff just might find a cure for the allergy someday by letting it rub off onto me!! :laugh:

Keep up the good work...I still feel like I have maintained for the past 3 years even letting the scales reclaim 25 of my original 125....but alas, we all have some weaknesses that even the most disciplined person cant fight!

Much success,
Angl :rose:

thanks for the check in angl. i always like it when people post so i know they have been here with me.
believe me when i say that i have always been a exercise hater. when i was losing my 50 pounds i walked that was as strenuos as i got. once i found an exercise that i really enjoyed doing i was set. i love water aerobics so much that i dont think of it as exercise but just something that i like to do. the fact that it burns loads of calories too is a bonus.
i applaud you for having lost so much weight that must have taken some real determination. i will be watching your success this time also.
i had a good day today. got one hour of walking in and an hour of water aerobics seeing as i have to work tomorrow night. i didnt want to miss a class thats how much i like it. the eating was good too. here's to a happy and healthy week ahead!
hugs bell :)

thanks baylee. i will let you know after the tests on thursday.
had a "discussion" with a friend today who is doing the 3 day diet with her hubby. she weighs about 120 pounds but is doing it to support him. i told her that she could support him in other ways such as adopting healthier habits such as exercising as a family or finding better alternatives with eating. she was so hubgry today she was just about eating her arm off lol. thats not what health and happiness is about as far as i am concerned. what happens after the 3 days you go back to eating junk and then do the three days again. it seems a waste of time to me. anyway thats my vent for the day.
got 40 minutes of walking in and have eatne well. had a turkey sub for lunch and bought some chicken filo pastries for dinner.
have to work tonight so will take some low fat snacks with me and a sandwich.
well check in tomorrow.
hugs bell :) :x <IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0">

Dang, Bell, you know I am getting old but I can't remember if you are 14 hours ahead of me or behind me... so I'm not sure when your Thursday is... I'm not even sure if it still comes after Wednesday !!!!lol
so just in case it comes before mine I'll keep you close in my thoughts for the next couple of days...
I am hoping to reach 30 lbs by this Friday but it might be close... I have figured out why I don't do as well on the weekends and it is not from eating wrong but because I am not faithful to my water drinking.. it is easy at work to get all my water in but weekends I tend to drink more diet coke..at least I backed off considerably on cold beer. Oh well, keep up the good work my friend.
USABell

2 hours til i leave to go and have the mammogram and whatever else. i am feeling churned up inside about it but taking nice deep breaths and trying to relax.
i felt a binge coming on yesterday due to no sleep and feeling stressed. happy to say i had a small reward meal at lunch and went to bed early(6pm) so all up my day was Op with some exercise.
i will let you know what happens today when i get home later.
hugs bell :)

Bell, we are thinking of you...I know that going through this is so tremendously stressful...take care friend :rose:

Sending my prayers your way, Bell. I've been thinking of you all afternoon.

Hugs,
Lynn

Bell, I hope all went well today!!! :-/

Hugs,
Angl :rose:

just got home and everything went well at the hospital. i feel so drained from the whole experience. when i first got there the doctor said they would not be doing a mammogram just an ultrasound. after the ultrasound however they did 2 separate mammograms. i was so sure that they must have found something i was working myself up into an anxiety attack.
later the doctor told me there was some calcification there from breastfeeding. she said the pain is probably hormonal and related to stress or too much caffeine.
so i am feeling relieved and so thankful that i am ok.
i am so grateful for all your thoughts and prayers, thanks again.
hugs bell :)

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!! GREAT news!!!!! Docs have been telling me for years to cut the caffeine cuz of those little fibrous lumps. I just gave it up almost 3 months ago and those little lumps arent as sore, PLUS, my cramps are better!!

One of the few times that a "negative" is a REAL positive!!

Bell that is such wonderful news!! I was thinking of you all day..I knew it would be rough but the good news was worth it..now you can stop worrying !! * * * I am soooo happy!!! :) :) :)

((((HUG)))) :rose:
............((((hug)))) :rose:
.........................((((hug)))) :rose:

Lynn

Very good news. It was rough to go through though. Are you going to give up caffiene? I hate when they tell you your pain is from stress. I was told to give up caffiene too but I like it. It helps keep me awake LOL. Did you know caffiene increases our metabolism? I wonder if we didn't change anything else in our diet and exercize but gave up caffiene, if we could actually gain weight?

Just wanted to say I am so GLAD that everything went welll and the news was physically good(I say that only because I wouldn't want to be you and have to give up the caffeine!!!)

Well..you must sure be doing the happy dance!!!! Now you can get on with all this OTHER stress of lifestyle changes!!!

Hurrah! Thrilled to pieces that you are ok, Bell!! I think you did great staying on your program even when so worried. So an armload of roses for you, sweet Bell!
:rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: Love, Heather

thanks everyone!!!!
i have 4 cups of coffee a day and i am not sure whether i can cut down from that or not lol.
there was a whole list of things that the doctor siad would help me. they included watching my diet, exercising, decreasing my stress levels and caffeine. i have the diet and exercise under control. i am a naturally sressed person so i know i can work on that. i let other peoples problems become mine etc. i have been having trouble with some areas of child raising etc that have caused me a lot of stress so maybe i will work on that first.
can you tell i am trying to avoid giving up caffeine lol. i have started taking vitamin B1 also. if 4 cups of coffee a day is my biggest vice i think i am doing ok.
hugs to you all, bell :)

great news Bell.
I too was told to give up caffeine, chocolate, reduce stress, quit smoking, and limit alcohol when I had lumps... I did quit smoking and I gave up coffee but diet coke in the morning (at least 3) is my caffeine of choice now..had no lumps recur as yet in the 15 years since he said I would.. keep up the good work Bell, you are doing great.
USABEll

Thanks for all your encouragement in my diary, Bell! A bouquet of roses for you :rose: :rose: :rose: Have a great weekend! Love, Heather

nice to see i have had visitors here to my journal. having all your support is all that keeps me on program some days lol.
went to my water aerobics class last night. even talked my mum into coming with me next week. i worked last night and got to sleep all day today which was a real luxury.
might be having some pizza at work tonight but i will be good(promise) lol.
hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
hugs bell :rose: :rose:

had a pretty good day with food today. havent exercised today though which is unusual for me. so i aim to make it to three water aerobics classes this week at least.
one more night of night shift til days off thank goodness.
hugs bell :)

You're doing great Bell... night shift fouls up one's whole system. You do amazingly well staying OP during those shifts! :)

i know you are in here somewhere kath lol.
see you are still doing great getting to the 30 pound loss mark. you are inspiring people everywhere my pal.
as for me just finished night shifts for a week- hooray!!!!!!
so now need to get the exercise routine happening again and keep on eating on plan. the eating is always easier than the exercise. maybe i need to do another 21 day exercise challenge.
well aim to get my walk in later and water aerobics is tomorrow. cant wait.
hugs bell :)
thanks for the encouragement bev! i will have a great week this week. i can feel it!

Hi Bell,
Just wanted to say your doing great!!! Keep up the positive attitude and you will have a good week. :rose: * :rose: Jerry

Hi Bell!
What discipline and resolve you have, girl! I really admire your accomplishments and your consistency. Can you rub some of that magic dust onto me? 8-| It's amazing that you've been coming here for 3.5 years. I didn't even know Diet Talk existed until a couple months ago. I'm going to go check out your Diet Talk star page so Keep up the great work and I'll talk to you later!
JRL *

i see the support fairies have been here while i was sleeping :x
today is going to be busy. have a firetruck visiting the playgroup, you would swear they were actually going to fight a fire they are so excited :laugh:
so that will be 30 minutes of walking for the day to get there and back. then water aerobics tonight. my mum is coming for the first time tonight. not sure how she will like it lol.
thanks for all the enocuragement it really makes me stay on track knowing you are all behind me.
JRL- diettalk was the first site i ever came to when i hooked up the net. i think it was fate me finding this place. i love it!
hugs bell :D

yes I am here Bell
The weekend was tough even though I didn't think so.. gained a couple of pounds but I am not exactly sure why.. oh well, first time for everything.. weigh in isn't until Friday so maybe I will drop it by then..keep up good work my friend.. must be getting cold there as it is soooo hot here...
check in later tater,
usabell

hey kath,
dont despair about the couple of pounds could be lots of things, water retention etc. they will disappear as quick as they appeared.
survived the playgroup firetruck visit. all the mums were disappointed as there were no hunky young firemen there :c( :c(
riley was petrified of the siren so the visit for us was shorter than expected lol.
exercise will be 2 hours by the end of the day and all the meals are planned so i cant go wrong.
hugs bell :)

Stopped in to check up on you and am glad you are okay. I gave up caffine after my daughter did an experiment with mice and I could actually see the difference. I still have it occasionally, but I don't let it become a habit again. The withdrawal was a headache! It was worth it. I sleep better, I'm calmer. I can focus on things. If I do chose to have some caffine, I can really feel the charge. I don't even miss it anymore, I don't even have to have a cup of decaf tea in the morning. I never thought that would happen. Cut back slowly, lay in some asprine. I recommend it to anybody.

Keep up all your good work.

thanks for stopping by dreamweaver!
i am trying to cut back and am going to kepp trying. it seems to be my one vice at the moment and i know there could be worse things i coule be doing.
had a great day yesterday did 2 hours of exercise and ate on plan. i can feel myself getting stronger with the water aerobics, i even kick the instructors butt with some exercises now much to his disgust lol.
have a cleaning house day planned today as i will be busy the rest of the week. reward meal tomorrow so that will keep me focused today.
hugs all, bell :)

So Bell, I am dying to hear if your mom enjoyed the water aerobics class? I am sorry I have been quiet around here. Yesterday my daughter had an accident at school--ambulance came, the whole bit. She has a concussion and cracked a rib, but she will be fine, thank God. But I am not giving up writing to all of you! The fire engine sounded fun. It is cool to see things through the eyes of kids and ooh and ah over all that stuff we take for granted now. ((HUGS)) Love, Heather

hey heather,
my mum hated every minute of it lol. i am sure she thinks it was some conspiracy to try and kill her lol. she isnt going to come again i dont think, although i tried to tell her it takes a few classes to get the hang of it.
normally there is people of all ages there but wouldnt you know it last night she was the oldest there. anyway i will have to do lots of convincing to get her there again.
i am so sorry about your daughter. i just posted about it in lindasues journal. that must have been so scary.
is she ok now? i would have gone crazy not knowing if she was ok on the way to see her.
big hugs to you.
bell :)

Hi bell,

You are definitely an inspiration!

I too have had to cut back on caffeine, due to my migraines. But also have figured out that aspartame is the real culprit after reading something here on DT. Have only had one in three weeks since cutting it out completely! Before I would have up to three in one week. DT has helped me in so many ways! :x

Keep up the great work! I may just give water aerobics a try, it sounds like a lot of fun!

[ 06-05-2001: Message edited by: 1luckystar ]

[ 06-05-2001: Message edited by: 1luckystar ]

Bell- I just wanted to say thanks for stopping in and offering me your encouragement. Sometimes I feel alone even with so many people. Its hard to be a newbie on the board and not know anyone. I almost feel like I shouldnt intrude in a conversation because I don't know you all. I know, that has to stop. You have done marvelous things lady, and you should be proud!!
Thanks Again.
Linda

hi karen and linda!
first off linda i for some reason thought you were a long time member here. especially by the warmth of your posts. so please stop by whenever you like i always like making new friends! i know what you mean about feeling like you are intruding. some of us have known each other for a while but we all met here and are always happy to meet new friends. i will be stopping by your journal to keep up with how you are doing.
karen- thanks for the encouragement. i too have cut back even cut out aspartame as much as possible. i was having a lot of depression and my doctor suggested that may be a factor. i have been 110% better ever since.
well need to check out some more journals.
hugs bell :)

Hi Bell,

I just had to add a comment about aspartame. I gave it up about a month ago and don't even miss it. When Karen mentioned about the migraines, I suddenly realized that I haven't had any headaches either since giving it up.(I don't miss them either.) :laugh:

Karolyn

thats great karolyn. i believe that my mood changes had a lot to do with an excessive intake of aspartame products. i have been so much better since cutting it out.
hugs bell :)

i borrowed a book from the library yesterday that is proving to be real food for thought.
its called "well rounded-8 steps for changing your life..not your size". its written by Catherine Lippincott a plus size model. although i personally am happiest around the weight i am now its a great book about accepting yourself regardless of the number on the scale. i really wish i had read this book when i was heavier and felt really badly about myself.
as i read it more i will probably post here about some points that i found interesting.
one part that spoke to me was this;
"We are all taught to feel inadequate about our bodies no matter what size or shape body we possess."
this really hit home with me as even now i feel inadeqaute with my body sometimes even more than i did at 50 + pounds heavier.
well i am rambling now, must be time for bed!
hugs bell :)

Bell, what in interesting thought on aspartame. I have really tried to cut that out of my diet over the past 3 months. There are only a handful of things left that have aspartame in them that I havent been able to give up. But I do see a change in my mood! <IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0"> I also gave up caffeine about the same time, but never thought about the correlation between aspartame and mood swings...hmmmmm....GREAT point!!

"We are all taught to feel inadequate about our bodies no matter what size or shape body we possess."

What an interesting quote! I see my little girls now, 13 and 9, and they think they are gorgeous! I pray that they never lose that!

wouldnt it be great if we could eliminate this societal thinking that weight determines what sort of person we are?
i think its wonderful that your daughters have such great seld esteem joni. i am sure you will nurture it.
the author of the book speaks as a person involved in the modellling industry. she speaks of women who are size 8/10 aspiring to be like models in magazines. she makes so many good points in the book such as that even those seemingly perfect models having their photos retouched etc. even they are not perfect!
i had a great self esteem day today. one of those rare days when i looked in the mirror and liked what i saw. hope it lasts :laugh:
reward meal tonight which i am looking forward to. got my 30 minute walk in today which is always good for clearing the cobwebs out of my head.
hugs to all.
bell :)

Bell, enjoy your reward meal tonight!! You sure do deserve every bite!!

What book is that you are reading? Do you think it would be a good one for my 13 year old? She is begining to "compare" herself to those ads!

hi joni,
its called "well rounded- 8 simple steps for changing your life not your size". the author is catherine lippincott.
its a positive book about loving yourself regardless of the scales. it has a lot of how to make the most of your shape etc. beauty tips etc. some parts i dont agree with but others are really thought provoking.
as an insider its interesting to hear her stories about seemingly perfect people needing touching up etc.
hugs bell :)

Hmmmm...thanx! I'll check it out and see if its appropriate for my daughter. sounds VERY appropriate for me, though! Thanx for the reference! :rose:

Hi Bell!
Long time no see. That book you're talking about sound like a good one. I'll have to check it out.

So how are you doing? Looks like you're doing very well with your eating and exercising. I'm doing okay, though the process is quite slow. *Sigh*

I read your Diet Talk star biography. How very inspiring! Who was that little girl you were holding? Your daughter? Beautiful.

Australia is one of the places I dream of going to. Were you born and raised there? And what part are you from? I would love to hear a little about your country.

Well that's it from me, so I'll talk to you soon!
JRL :rose:

maybe you and your daughter could read some of it together joni? some parts are really relevent to my old way of thinking of myself.
hi there JRL! good to see you stopping by. i am doing well with the eating and exercise had my reward meal last night which was well worth the wait. enjoyed a night out with friends and family too so it was great!
the girl in the photograph is my daughter caitlin. she is 4 next month and that pic was taken at her uncles wedding last year. i also have a 18 month old son riley.
i was born in sydney and moved to brisbane(where the goodwill games will be) when i was in grade 10 at school. i have never been outside of australia but i cant imagine living anywhere else. its beautiful here almost year round. i should look for some good sites about australia. i will work on that over the weekend and i will post any i find.
unfortunately weight loss can be slow but its much more likely to stay off that way right? you will get there. i will go over later and check out your journal again once i get these kids bathed for the day.
hugs bell :)

Hi Bell, I just wanted to say thanks for stopping by to read my journal and offer your words of wisdom. I can use all the advise I can get. You are really an inspiration and I only hope I can do as well as you have. Thanks again.
Gina ;)

Hi Bell! I have always wanted to visit Austrailia, too! Isn't it funny? This was even BEFORE the movie Crocodile Dundee! Now my daughter (age 8) has seen a movie with Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen called "Our Lips Are Sealed" and it is set in Austrailia and it looks so fun, everyone swimming and surfing and having shrimp on the barbie (I do believe they managed to throw in EVERY possible cliche about Austrailia, lol...) that now SHE wants to go there. Its all she talks about, started checking out books from the library about it, etc. Too funny.
You guys are just starting winter, right? Is it still nice weather? I notice you do water aerobics...is it an outdoor or indoor pool? Enjoy your weekend, mate! :) Love, Heather

hi gina and heather!
thanks for stopping by <IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0">
gina- i will stop back by your journal later today to see how you are doing. thanks for the support.
heather- g'day mate :) i think when people come to australia they expect all those cliches to be true lol. i live in the tropics here in queensland so the weather is pretty mild in winter. we would never get snow here put it that way. the water aerobics is inside(otherwise you wouldnt catch me there lol).
went to my parents for dinner last night and my dad was making it. thats normally a sign that the fat content will be high. however he had removed all the skin from the chicken much to his disgust. it still tasted great as i pointed out to him. but it would have been even better with the skin he said lol. you cant win the low fat argument with my dad EVER!
did my tae bo basic last night and had to miss my water aerobics class :c( i love that class now and feel crabby when i miss one. anyway i will get my fix there tomorrow.
hugs all. bell :)

Hi Bell, I read your Star Biography too and think you are a true inspiration * * * * .
Plus, you are totally gorgeous!!! I hope you can reach the point where every time you look in the mirror you recognise that you are truly beautiful, inside and out. :rose:
Cheers from Downunder,

wow i am blushing now clozzie! thanks for the compliments, i hope the day comes where i am happy when i look on the mirror EVERYTIME!
i have had such a trying day i will be happy to go to bed. tomorrow will and can only be better. started with my son being awake half the night last night, then my daughter had a cold. the car died this morning. everything that went wrong did. although the upside to that is once upon a time this would have led to mindless comfort eating. but not today! yeh me!!!
i am going to have my healthy choice dinner instead of rubbish.
water aerobics tomorrow as well so things are looking up!
hugs all, bell :)

have had a great healthy day today. did my 60 minute water aerobics class. did an hour of walking also.
my breathing has been a bit rough today though. think its time to get a puffer that will help me avoid getting so short of breath when exercising. anthony the instructor says it sounds like exercise induced asthma. better get to the doctor i guess.
have a great chicken meal organised for dinner tonight.
here's to a great new week ahead!
hugs bell :)

Hiya Bell...
Although you might have exercise induced asthma, It is GREAT that you would go to the Doc to get something to help you through it instead of just giving up on exercise like most people would do!! I used to work with a gal who had several health issues due to her weight, she could barely walk at the end of her employment...her doc put her on disability. All her problems were weight related, and the reasons she did not do anything about her weight was due to her "health problems"...a catch 22 she let herself get into.
Much success,
Angl :rose:

Bell, my asthma flaired up this past week also a bit...mine is very mild..and often just having caffein will clear it up..but I know you have been having health concerns with caffein also so that could be a problem for you...want to hear something funny? I recently switched from diet coke and pepsi to diet rite cola because diet rite doesnt have aspertame in it..and no sodium either..but i didnt realize it didnt have caffein either!! and when my asthma flaired up I was drinking can after can..akkk...but I guess it cleared up on its own..then I saw it was no caffein...silly sooz... :o

i can just see you drinking all those sodas sooz...lol. glad you eventually realised that they were caffeine free lmbo.
angl- thanks for stopping by again. i am loving water aerobics and no asthma is going to stop me from going there. off to see the doc this week for another puffer!
have had a really blah day today. both the kids have colds and are miserable. that makes for one crabby mum lol. was tempted to eat junk for dinner but had a filo pasrty with chicken and veges instead.
i will have a successful week this week. i guarantee it!
hugs bell :)

Bell, Sorry that the kids are sick! I hope they feel better soon and that you don't join the club! Great can-do attitude! I love that guarantee! We make a joke that staying OP is a guaranteed way to lose weight, and if it doesn't work you are guaranteed double your pounds back! :laugh: I know YOU won't be getting a refund! Love, Heather

Hi Bell,
You better not be getting asthma!! :( I really hope you aren't getting anything. Have you gotten to the doctor's yet?

I would love to see some of those sites. Once I get enough money saved up, Australia will definitely be the first place I go. Maybe once your children get older, you could come over to the US. The US is a lot different than Australia as you could imagine, so many different climates and beautiful places to see. There are still so many states that I myself haven't even visited.

Your exercising is in one word....WOW!! water aerobics AND walking. Whew!! Makes me sweat just reading it. Keep up the great work and I'll talk to you soon!
JRL :rose:

Bell, Just stopped in to say hi. I hope your kids are feeling better soon and I hope everything goes ok for you at the doctors.
Gina :D

thanks for visiting heather,jrl and gina!
i have had a strange day today. let some negative stuff effect my mood for most of the day. i promised myself a while back i wouldnt let family problems of my partners impact on me, but it has once again.
anyway it got me down today so much that i didnt want to go to water aerobics tonight. i ended up going and it was a great stress reliever!
the eating has been good. am going to take the family out for dinner tomorrow night providing the kids are well enough. they are both over the worst of it.keeping my fingers crossed for a full nights sleep tonight though!
still havent been to the doctor but will get there this week.
hugs all, bell :)

Bell Im so glad you got to go to your water aerobics class and that it helped with stress..family things can really get to us...I have finally figured out that there is nothing we can do to control others so the only thing left is to concentrate on US when times get like that..let them do what they are gonna do..but dont let it stop US from doing what we want to do...hope the kids are all better and you can get to the dr soon...hang in there my friend... :x :rose: :x :rose: :x

Bell, It is too bad you could not send your MIL to the water aerobics class so she could cool off! ;) (Bad Heather!) I think it is great that you used your exercise time to destress. It has been a hard week for you with the kids sick. "This too shall pass..." thank goodness! Hope they are great today, and their lovely mum too! Love, Heather

good morning! :)
got my first night of solid sleep in 4 days last night as the kids slepth through the night. hope that means they are over the worst of their colds.
i know you are right sooz about me not having control over other people. i need them to sort out their emotional junk not me.
heather- i have had thoughts about the water aerobics also :) bad bell!!!
i know today is going to be a better day..grocery day so time to stock back up on all the good stuff.
hugs bell :)

i must like punishing myself i think lol. the first good day in sight and i decided to tackle the caffeine issue. i bought some decaf-it actually tastes better than i thought it would. so i am going to gradually cut back. i have had major withdrawal headaches today and had my first cup of full coffee at 4pm. so maybe i will have my decaf during the day and my full caffeine first thing in the morning.
bought a turkey to roast for dinner tonight. might go out with friends to see moulin rouge tomorrow night and have my reward meal then.
hugs all. bell
p.s did 45 minutes of walking today. :)

busy day today so thoughts i would check in early in case i dont make it back for a while.
decided to take my mum out for dinner tonight as we never seem to get time alone much these days. do a bit if shopping too..you know the girly things lol.
the turkey was yummy last night if i do say so myself. i am almost at 1000 posts. i will have to come up with something exciting for number 1000.
hugs all, bell :)

Hi Bell. Just catching up on your journal, it's been a while (bad debbi :( ).
It is fun doing girly things, isn't it? I hope you had a good time.
You'r journal looks so good.
I read your star page, I think I read it before but it's been a while. Anyway, you look great! Your daughter is soooo cute.
Keep up the good work!
*

Hey Bell, you are doing so well :rose: :rose: Good on you for taking some girly-time with your mum. I went to Moulin Rouge last week and really loved it - very sumptuos and over-the-top. Nicole Kidman is luminously beautiful (and she's a local * ) and Ewan McGregor has a lovely voice. Hope you enjoy it and you reward meal :) .

Hi Bell!

It is really hard to cut out caffiene cold turkey. The headaches can be murder! :eek:
I have heard it is good to gradually switch by changing one cup to decaf every few days out of all that you drink until you are drinking only decaf. Good for you at making this change! ;)

Looks like I need to go see Moulin Rouge too! Will have to ask my MIL if she wants to go, the hubby thinks its a chic flick! :laugh:

Take Care!

Bell...know that I am getting closer to goal I think I better start reading your journal with a bit more attention! Congratulations on kicking the coffee habit. I quit drinking coffee (from a 3 cup a day habit to zip) in two weeks. I had headaches after each cup was reduced, so don't go too quickly. Drink hot water or herb tea when you have a sipping craving. Good luck over the weekend.

thanks for all the support my visiting friends :)
i had a wonderful night out with my mum yesterday. we didnt end up going to the movies as we took ages at dinner, chatting! just as well i was owed a reward meal because i sure ate one lol..it was great to just be able to catch up on all the gossip even though we see each other often. never really get to speak privately with kids and others around.
thanks for the advice about the coffee. i am realising now that its going to be easier than i thought. i am doing the decaf thing and will try tp cut back from there also. i think its having a warm drink in the winter here at the moment thats causing me to drink more. i bought some green tea so will substitute with that also.
artsy- not sure what you can learn from me at the moment. but i will take tips from you any day. you are doing so well.
debbi- i will stop by your journal soon.
karen- saw that you talked to hubby about your losing weight. glad it went well.
kelly- hows the weather in your neck of the woods at the moment? its getting cool here but nowhere near as cold as it would be over there.
hugs all...
three nights of night shift coming up so if i go m.i.a i will be catching up on some sleep.
bell :)

Hi Bell, I'm glad to hear you had a good night out. You deserve it.
I'm trying to kick the caffeine habit to without much success. If you have any suggestions let me know.
Hope you have a great day.
Gina ;)

Bell- Kicking the coffee and caffiene in general is a hard undertaking. It took me 3 months before I felt OK again. I feel much better now though, so that is something to look forward to. You are so strong and motivated. I enjoy reading your posts. Thanksyou. BTW What kind of work do you do where you work night shift?
Love Linda

good morning,
just home from work so thoughts i would check in before hibernating for the day.
linda i work as a personal carer in a nursing home. i like the work and the hours suit me not having to put the kids into daycare.
gina- the coffee thing is going really well. i had decaf yesterday and i am really surprised that i am doing this.
went to water aerobics last night which was great for de-stressing myself before going to work.
well off to bed.
hugs bell :)

Hi Bell,

Hope you had a good sleep. I'm glad the coffee thing is going well. I agree with you on the warm drink when it's cold. That's the only time I drink coffee. I'm not that crazy about the taste and will order tea in a restaraunt if they have decaf.

Karolyn

Sweet Dreams, Bell! Bravo on kicking the caffeine! I am kind of a big baby on this subject. I drink so much iced tea (not the decaf kind) that if you cut me open you'd find it running in my veins! lol Even in winter, all I drink is iced tea. My dentist said it is one reason I have good teeth...tea has something in it that inhibits plaque bacteria. Plus it has some flavenoids in it that are thought to be anti-cancer. But that is not why I won't give it up. I just feel like I have given up enough: fat food, high fat food, chemical foods, sweets, etc, etc, etc! I don't want to give up one more dang thing! lol I feel the same way about salt. I know it is awful for you, but I can't face life saltless. I don't wanna and no one can make me, so there! teehee See what I mean about being a big baby! Anyway, I have nothing but admiration for you on this one! Love, Heather

Hello Bell,

Finally made it over to your journal. Was slightly intimidated by all the pages it contains. But I read the whole thing just to get to know you a little.
You are a very determined woman and I'm positive that you will reach whatever goal you set for yourself.
So you really hated exercise in your former life? Hard to tell now. And there is hope for me! Not that I had given up yet.
If you have a minute, please pop by any time.
Thanks.

Noenoe

had a good 6 hours sleep today when the kids were at my parents. my mum and dad help me out a lot by taking the kids on one of my nights at work so that i get to sleep.
heather- i hear you about the caffeine. originally i told the doctor that with everything else i have cut out i am not doing it with caffeine..surely i can have one vice right? :) i cant cut salt out either so i am right there with you.
karolyn- thanks for the support, yet again.
noenoe- you are doing great. i loved the story about the mall and needing hubby to pick you up. wow..thanks for reading all my journal not sure it would have been too entertaining though lol.
didnt get any exercise in today but did 90 minutes yesterday. the eating is good so far too.
hugs bell :)

Isn't it great to have your parents help you out this way?!
My dad is in a nursing home in Holland. And when I visited him last summer I was totally in awe with the care-takers there. Hard and sometimes difficult work but they do it with such love. I can just picture you being just the same.
Hope you had a great weekend.

Noenoe

PS. Is there any time difference between NZ and Australia? Just curious!

Bell,
Just wanted to stop by and say Hi! I'm glad your getting more sleep and that the kids are getting better! You sure are popular! I wonder why? Oh, I know, Your a success so people want to be around you and your a friendly caring person!
:o Hugs, Jerry

such caring messages from you both, thanks so much Noenoe and Jerry.
Noonoe i generally care for people that i look after at work as i would want my relatives cared for in the same situation. i have learnt a lot from these wonderful patients and it makes you appreciate everyday that we have.
Jerry- i will have to check my emails at h&h to see how you are doing with the pepsi thing. i am sure you are still kicking it.
havent had any sleep yet today and its off to work again tonight. i will hopefully get a few hours before i go otherwise i will need some matchsticks to keep my eyes open lol.
got my walk in too and the eating has been OP.
p.s its 2 hours time difference with NZ noenoe.
hugs to all.
bell :)

thank goodness that work is over for another fortnight....i can only take so much sleep deprivation lol.
i didnt make the best choices for dinner last night but that is behind me so not much point in feeling guilty about it now 8-|
i am having my son christened next weekend so i will be kept busy with planning etc this week. am going to keep the kids indoors too so that they can get completely over their colds by next sunday. i will make that my reward meal day so that i dont have to stress over eating as well as everything else. occasions that mean the family all coming together generally spell disaster as there are various disputes going on between people. fingers crossed that they dont let the day be ruined by petty fighting.
hope to catch up on some sleep the next few days...
hugs bell :)

Here's the snoring guy for you because I hope you've caught up on your Zzzzzz's.
Do you need lots of sleep?
I'm a person of very little sleep. When I was a kid my parents took me to the doctor because I never wanted to sleep.
Give me 5 - 6 hrs and I'm fine.
That compared to my hubby's 9 - 10 hrs.; we are total opposites.
Aren't all families a little bit like Coronation Street? There are always different currents going on. I do hope it doesn't spoil Riley's big day!
I love his name.
Roly is a short form for Roland. But his brother started to call him RolyPoly, now shortened to Roly.
I hope you have a great day tomorrow!

Noenoe

hi noenoe,
i love my sleep and need at least 8 hours or i am crabby lol. i havent gotten any sleep since coming home as the kids dont want to play the game at the moment. i always go to bed early tonight anyway.
roland is just as nice a name as roly. i like roly poly too :)
need to catch up on the cleaning of the house tomorrow. when i do my night shifts in a row the housework gets left, so have a mountain of washing to do.
have a great day tomorrow noenoe.
hugs bell :)

Bell, I dont see how you do it without getting enuf rest..you do so much!! I hope you can rest in the next few days and that the kids are all better in time for the christening..take care my friend.. :rose:

Well...I read the WHOLE thing!!! Someday I hope that I can get this weight off and maintain! I know that it's a struggle no matter what one weighs! There's this skinny little baker at my work...and she was saying she can't wear trackpants because they are dangerous!!! A co-worker spoke up and said like you have to worry about gaining weight! Well..I said, it doesn't matter what you weigh...when you gain weight you are uncomfortable because that's not what you are use to! The baker was so thankful I spoke up for her!!! LOL.. she is always getting teased about watching her weight!

You are so faithful...to both your eating habits and exercise...you will succeed because this is the NEW you! You have made the lifestyle change...are aware of your eating habits and make up for those times that are unavoidable.

You GO GIRL!!!
Not sure how you manage the sleep deprivation. I know when I only get the 3-4 hours that life permits me, I feel like I am a zombie!!! But...I also have so much more time in a day then the average person, LOL.

hi sooz and eclipseb, thanks for stopping by.
i am hoping that the kids will be well by sunday too sooz. we are staying close to home the next few days to try and get them both well.
eclipseb- thanks for the reminder about people being happy with their weight. i agree completely, my mother is stressing about her weight and some people cant understand why. but its all about where the person themselves feel comfortable not society or others around them.
i have had a pretty ordinary day. some family stuff going on that has gotten me down but luckily i can work out my tension at water aerobics tonight. cooked a great malaysian noodle dish with chicken last night and cooking spagetti bolognaise tonight.
half way through the mound of laundry, another half to go.
hugs all, bell :)
p.s i was thinking of organising a chat for all the journallers here. i love reading all about how each of you is going but would love to chat in real time also. what do you think?

Hi Bell!

Glad to see your still going strong! I would love to be part of a chat for us fellow journalers(sp)! That is a great idea. Sometimes it is hard to get to everyone and that way we could all get a chance to gather together. I don't know about everyone else but evenings work best for me.

Take Care,
lucky *

hi karen,
i wwas just coming back to add to my post earlier and saw yours.
evenings your time are morning for me so thats great. i will post a message to everyone at the pub later.
after having a blah day jason came home with roses and we are going out for dinner so things are looking up. i am not due for my reward meal so i hope i can do ok.
hugs bell :)

Good morning Bell,
DJ had scheduled a chat past monday 10 AM.
That was fun talking with her. You get to know a person a little better that way.
Nobody else showed up unfortunately. So I got to know her real well.
I think she has one planned again for coming monday; 10 AM is that midnight for you?
Let me know what's happenin' and have a beautiful, wonderful day. :x

Noenoe

good morning noenoe,
its 8.10 am here now and just getting organised for the day. jason took me out for dinner last night and it was great to be able to tell him some things that have been worrying me lately.
i have woken up today with a new resolve and positive mindset. i had a roast meal for dinner last night which was pretty good calorie wise compared to everything else on offer.
i will see what my schedule is like for next week and organise a journalers chat for the evening your time. it would be great to catch uo with you all.
i am going to do a good workout today to make up for not getting to class last night. in fact i wont make it all week :eek: due to appts and such.
i still have plenty of tapes and stuff i can do here anyway.
hugs bell :)

Hi Bell! Just dropping by to say hi. I know you are very busy planning wonderful events and dealing with difficult people! You are so lucky to have a guy like Jason! And that you ate so healthfully even under stress is sooo great! I am sorry you won't get to go to your exercise class. I know how much you enjoy it. I guess it will be that much better when you do get to go. Have a happy OP day! Love, Heather

couldnt get the internet to work yesterday but here i made it back today! :)
hoping for a great OP day with exercise today. havent gotten much exercise this week so i better work on that today.
thanks for the support Heather, you are the best!
hugs bell :)

Hi Bell,

I didn't clue in earlier, but Jason came home with roses and took you out to dinner, was it your birthday, your anniversary or are you plain lucky being married to a romantic and attentive kinda guy?! :)
You're making lots of girls jealous, you know!
But I agree nothing clears the air and strengthens the relationship as much as some time with just the two of you.
Have you been married for a long time?
Well I hope you have yourself a great day today, O/P and all, then I will do the same overhere in my little corner of the world.

Noenoe

hi noenoe.
jason and i have been together for 6 years and he is indeed a sweetheart. he came home with the flowers because he knew i had been having a rough day with a member of his family. it helped to vent my feelings to him about it and that he understood where i was coming from.
i am at a crossroads again in relation to trying to go lower with my goal weight. i realised today that i am at around 140 pounds and no matter what i seem to do i cant get any lower. i am not sure if this is my body telling me this is low enough for you at 5'6. i have never been any lower than this since i was about 15. i am planning to continue the exercise and weight training. i am feeling really tired and exhautsed lately because i am striving to have the perfect me.
i dont think i will ever be happy. i need to work on loving me inside and stop making myself ill trying to get lower and lower. i am almost obssessive at times and that cant be good i am sure.
this is just venting gals, sorry.
hugs bell :)

i feel better having vented out my frustrations earlier. i also posted on the goal board something which may make more sense(or may not lol).
i have had a relaxing night home alone with my son who is still got the cold. jason has gone to pick caitlin up from his mums place where she stayed last night. so i have had a nice day home with riley and able to give him 100% of my time which he appareciated.
i got a 45 minute walk in but could have done better with some choices. still on plan but room for improvement.
i am down to one cup of normal coffee a day and i am not getting the headaches anymore. so i am going to try anf cut that out altogether.
i am looking forward to a great weekend!
hugs bell :)

Down to one cup a day and no headaches! WOW! That is a major accomplishment! Aren't you proud of yourself for all the healthy, wonderful changes you've made? Bell, you are just great, an inspiration to us all!! :x

Hi Bell,
You are doing great, you look great (I saw your picture), you just have to start seeing that for yourself. And if no further weight is coming off, well let it be! Maybe you've just reached a huge plateau. I think if you just continue with what you're doing, everything will be fine at the end.
You're also pretty stressed with planning the perfect party for Riley and the ongoing family thing.
Count yourself lucky with an understanding husband; he sounds like a great guy!
I've got a great guy too (26 yrs.), ofcourse we have our tiffs but he is always there for me when needed.
Count on a great party tomorrow! Have fun! Take lots of pictures! <IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0">

Noenoe

Hi Bell :rose:
That "how low is low enough" question is one we all have to answer at some point. But I have a feeling you are right on about this one. Maybe you could just keep on doing what feel you can reasonably do to stay healthy, but not so much that you feel stressed or exhausted. Then just let the pounds fall where they may! If you are wondering if this is just a plateau and you want to try to get past it, I got this advice from exercise phisiologist:
1. change your exercise. Try something new. Your muscles may have become accustomed to what you are doing and gotten better at doing it. Since they are more efficient, they use fewer cals than they did when you started.
2. Add ten minutes to the duration of your exercise. It doesn't sound like much but it may be enough to fatigue your muscles again.
3. Try to trick your metabolism. This one is hard. You start by adding back calories, 50 calories the first day, then 100, then 150, etc, till you have added 250 cals altogether. Stay at that 250 extra level for one week. Then cut it out again, all at once. For some reason this one is very successful for many people.
4. Add more weight training. More muscle=more cals used= faster metabolism=lower plateau.
5. Examine your diet closely by keeping a diet diary for a few days that includes every taste while cooking, cheerios snitched out of child's cereal bowl, sample eaten at the grocery store, etc. Sometimes the cals creep up and we aren't even aware of it.

Those were her suggestions and I like her because she used to be over 300 lbs and now she is 120 lbs and incredibly buff! So she's been there, you know? Plus she is an MD. You are a beautiful woman, inside and out, Bell, and size will never alter that! Love, Heather

Bell I had a couple of thoughts reading your post...maybe this feeling of exhaustion is a reaction to your cutting down on caffein...we all know caffein is a stimulant...maybe what your body is adjusting to is your "withdrawls" from that..and you need to get that behind you before you can actually assess what your body is telling you..but the other thing 5/6 at 140 seems perfect to me..especially a "fit" 140 from the exercising you have been doing..and a size 10..wow!..so I think you need to ask yourself WHY you want to be thinner than that...hang in there friend.. :x :x

Hi Bell. Just wanted to stop by and say hi, since they've said it all. Well all that I could think of and then more. I also have trouble with seeing myself as perfect, but then I'm not. ;) I think the idea of changing your exercise routine is a good idea. I've started doing kickboxing and my body has definately changed and a few pounds dropped off. Not that I was at a platue, but just wanted to do this type of exercise. But my body wasn't use to it, especially going more intense then I had been.

Anyway, you're a great person.

Take care. :rose:

thanks for all the support my friends it meant the world to me.
one statement that you made really hit home sooz. why do you want to be thinner???i have always believed in being fit not thin so i know the answer is that i dont want to be thinner. i want to be more toned and feel well.
so many factors adding to my feelings lately. i am going to keep doing what i was doing whilst maintaining for a year. i need to stop doing 2 hours + workouts a day as well. i know what i am going to do and i thank you all so much for offering me the insight i needed.
i need to work on my self esteem yet agaib. just when i think i am getting better i hit a slump again. so i will give it 100% this time because i am worth it.
hugs bell :)

Bell, I knew you would be able to figure out what was best for you!!! That is great news!!! major huggs!! :x

Isn't it strange how we look at losing the weight as THE HARDEST THING to do. I think that what comes after losing the weight is the hardest part.
I'm confident you will conquer this! :rose:

Noenoe

[ 06-23-2001: Message edited by: noenoe ]

Noenoe,

good point. I once lost a pile of weight and look at me now, all back on again +! by the way, where are you from in Ontario?

Maria
'Long May Your Big Jib Draw'

Maria, I'm from Bowmanville, ON. A little town 1 hr. east of Toronto.

Noenoe

Noenoe,

Wow, not to far away at all. so, why are you up so late. too many captain morgans like myself? Actually, just a night owl. Plus one or two rums. (bad ***** i am). what do you do for a living?

ms

Or maybe just on an extended pity trip! lol!

maria

Or maybe just on an extended pity trip! lol!

maria

wow, am I bad at double clicking the 'add reply' button or what? I hope John cleans this up, so that I don't look like a total computer wiennie!

Maria

thanks noe noe for the support. for me it has been hardest once i made goal and tried to make peace and accept the new me.
i know that i will conquer this. well tomorrow is christening day and i will take lots of pics and get some posted to you all..
p.s raymar you can delete your extra post by going into edit.
hugs bell :)

Bell, I hope you know that we are working on getting you your PHd in maintenance!! It looks like several of us will be following your path in the coming months/year. You are doing a fabulous job and showing us all how to do it! Good work, girlfriend!!

Can't wait to see the pix! That is such a lovely ceremony~!

Bell,

I'm so glad you have decide to stop pushing yourself so hard. Doing what you did to maintain for a year will take so much stress off of you.

I didn't know the "old" you, but I bet there are plenty of members who will testify that the old you was just as wonderful and warm a person as the "new" you. You make such a difference to so many people! You are kind and caring and altogether a fantastic role model for all of us. Just keep reminding yourself of that and if, you forget, we will remind you.

:rose: :rose: :rose: :rose:

Karolyn

i would love to get my Phd in maintenance joni...i have worked so darn hard and then i culd just flash my piece of paper at people lol :)
karolyn- the old me suffered from terrible self esteem and the new me is working on that everyday. some days i am great and others i have a bit of a setback.
the day is beautiful here as we start preparing for the christening.
today will be a great day!
hugs bell :)

I wish I was there.

What a wonderful day for your family.

You are such an inspiration for so many of us, Bell.

I'm well on my way to goal. Knowing that you have maintained for so long gives me hope that I can do the same.

((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))

ThinLynn

you are almost here lynn..see me here waving the streamers and balloons????? :)
the day went well today although i was disappointed that jasons brother didnt come. but thats beyond my control.
my little boy was perfect during the ceremony and slept for 3 hours afterwards while we all had lunch.
i am looking forward to a wonderful week ahead. i have decided that maintenance is it for me now and working on toning up some more.
hugs all, bell :)
i am off to have a shower as its been a long day and i am beat! 8-}

worked out some frustration this morning by doing the tae bo basic tape with someone in mind when i was doing the punches and kicks lol.
eating has been good and i am cooking a light dinner tonight after the overeating yesterday at the christening.
i like the idea of the stress level being written in the journals. mine was a 4 early this morning until i confronted someone about some issues i have with them. now that i have vented my stress level is at a 1.
here's to a great week.
hugs bell :)

well its a new day full of possibilities and i am in control of what i get out of this day!
i am feeling great since releasing the pressure to be perfect.
i am taking the kids to the park today which will get some walking in plus keep them entertained :)
water aerobics tonight and tomorrow night as thats the only time i will have this week to get to class. as it is the instructor will think i have disappeared lol.
0 stress for me today as everything is calm and peaceful-at least at this time anyway :)
hugs bell :)

Releasing the pressure to be perfect is a great feeling..I used to always feel that way too..that every decision had to be my responsibility some how..now im trying to know that that just isnt true....i think perfection is a big trap and i am so glad you are working yourself free!! :rose:

unfortunately sooz i think that for us virgo's peferctionism is a trait lol. but we have it beat right? :laugh:
i had forgotten how much i miss my water aerobics class until i went back last night. it feels great to have sore muscles this morning(knowing that i worked hard). its the best thing ever for releasing the stress of the day and just having some time for me.
came home to an awful low fat frozen dinner but thats life i guess. take the good with the bad.
the kids and i went walking yesterday and are off to do the grocery shopping and get all the healthy stuff repelenished for the fortnight.
caitlin wants to make some chicken and spinach enchilada things she saw on the television for dinner. so i have worked out how to make them as low fat as possible for me so i am set.
hugs all. bell :)

Bell, It sounds like you have an up-and-coming little chef in your house with Miss Cait. My 6 yr old, Joey, has said he wanted to be a baker when he grows up since he could talk. He gets really mad at me if I make a meal without him. :) Now he says he wants to be a baker who also works at ground control for NASA. How quickly they change!

Glad you got back to your H2O aerobics! I know you enjoy it so much. Now that it is getting hot here I am swimming a lot more. I really enjoy it. I just swim laps. I love it when my body feels like I worked it, too. There is nothing better for stress, right? Have a wonderful week-happy hump day! Love, Heather

well this little icon was me about 1 hour ago when i discovered that i lost my purse when i was doing the grocery shopping this morning. now i am a happy camper because someone just rang to say it was handed in with everything including the money still inside.
i really thought it would be found without anything left in it so i am very happy. so grateful that someone was honest enough to do the right thing.
so my stress level is 0 at the moment but i wont say what it was an hour ago lol
did get 90 minutes of walking in retracing our steps to the shops and back to check if i dropped it somewhere there. cait was not impressed by the third trip lol...
well thats my exercise taken care of too.
thanks for stopping by heather. a baker that works for NASA eh?????that could work.
hugs bell :)

I'm glad you found your purse with everything still in it! Things like that give me faith that there are still kind and decent people in this world. But my real reminder is when I come here to DT to find that my friends have rallied around me in my time of need! Thanks so much for stopping by my journal, your words always help me so much!

Take Care!

hi karen,
you are most welcome my friend. i love stopping by your journal to see how you are doing. i am glad that everyones words made you feel better about that woman at work.
people like that need their heads read thats for sure.
i am feeling settled now that the anxiety of the lost purse is finished. got all the ingredients for the enchiladas so cait and i are doing dinner tonight for the boys.
hugs bell :)

Oh wow Bell that is awsome that someone returned it!! What an awful feeling when you thought you had lost it!!! :rose:

"i am in control of what i get out of this day" that is a great quote. I'll have to remember that.

I'm gald about your purse.

I was like you. When I got to a good weight for me it was hard to accept