Yes, my life seems lately to be just one big ball of yarn which the nasty CAT FROM H*LL is commencing to pounce upon...and maybe getting my random thoughts down in black and white will keep me from unraveling completely at the paw - or let's be frank, the claws - of DEMON KITTY...:)

Aah...I'm so new to diettalk, and already I'm alienating myself from all the nice, normal (not to mention sweet, smart, strong and courageous) people here. Well, I can't hide my true colors forever.

Lest you doubt the fragility of my grip on sanity, I will be honest and brave from the start. Hmm. I will at least be honest. I am a 26 year old woman who has somehow let herself get to a whopping 268+ pounds. A woman who is happily married with two children yet has spent the last 48 hours fantasizing merrily about an ex-boyfriend she dated for 6 months 10 years ago...A woman whose idea of a fantastic way to spend a sunny afternoon is holed up inside listing all the prime numbers under 1000. Well, technically, 997 and under since 998, 999, & 1000 are not prime numbers. Aah!! There I go again...

And where is the "smiley face cackling moronically" anyway?

I admit to being downright panicky at this point - what if nobody reads this? Worse still, what if somebody *does*?

Despite my concerns, I'm still dressing down and diving in. Why? After reading "The Diet Channel" and their "Top Ten Tips on What Works and Why" (which I really should post here if I remember), and talking to some of you who have benefited from journaling, I've become a believer. This must be one of those little bitties that seperate the winners from the losers. Or, in our case, the losers from the non-losers. :D And if I've ever wanted to lose weight, it's now!

Well, not RIGHT NOW. See, RIGHT NOW I have a king-size Reece's candy bar in my lunchbag that my loving, thoughful, supportive husband left on the dashboard of my car to demonstrate his undying affection and sincere desire to see me fail miserably at my weight loss goals. :)

So hey, check back with me in five minutes, because in five minutes I swear I will back on track and full of purpose and determination!!

:(

No. No no no no no. See? I'm a nutcase. A nutcase with a delicious candy bar in her lunchbag that is CALLING HER NAME.

Help??

Hi elivi

Sorry, but I've just read your post. So I've proved one of your fears groundless, and yet have confirmed one of your other fears. I will admit to having wanted a smiling face cacking moronically. Well, I don't think I *actually* have, but now you come to mention it I can think of the odd time when it would have come in useful.

I notice from your stats that you've managed to lose 11.75 pounds (if my maths isn't playing up on me again, that is). So a big well done on that. And I hope you'll find journalling as useful as I have. (Yeah, I know the stats don't prove much progress, but I'm only just back on course again after a while a long way off).

So, one thing I'd love to know before I go, is what happened to that candy bar?????

Look after yourself (oh yeah, by the way, its lovely to meet you).
Chuckles

And I thought I was all alone hanging on to the edge of sanity!:D You really have nothing to fear, a day visiting my journal will cure you of all thoughts of you being alone on the "sanity express!" :D

So, what did happen to that candy bar?

But I find that journaling my feelings and thoughts helps tremendously. Sometimes I do worry that I may be giving others proof in writing that I'm becoming certifiable, but it never fails that the kind and loving people that visit my journal will not only talk me away from the "edge" they also find just the right words to get me through whatever the problem is!

So I'll be back to find out what happened with the candy bar, and for the record, I know what it's like when it's calling you! I can hear ice cream calling me from the freezer when I'm way upstairs, asleep in bed at 3AM, so hey, you're not alone!:D

Donna

MissChuckle!!

Welcome to my underground lair.

:ha:

It is lovely to meet you too, sweety! Yes, I have lost some weight so far but it is really SLOW going for me. Of course, I make it harder on myself by hopping up and down on the scale a dozen times a day (wonder how many calories that burns?). If I were any good at delaying gratification I'd stow that evil device away in a closet and only bring it out once a week or heavens, once a month. But then, if I were any good at delaying gratification I wouldn't BE in this mess, now would I?

The mouth-watering, malicious candy bar is still with me BUT I haven't eaten it yet. Yet. :) After posting my plea for help I figured I needed to put some space between us so (and this is true, I swear it is) I took a "bathroom break" to the farthest bathroom in the building (2 flights of stairs and about 3 miles away), locked myself in the handicapped stall and proceeded to do the macarena for 5 minutes or so. Yes, that horrible dance that was so popular when I was in high school.

I figured the exercise would help clear my head, and even if it didn't, I'd have burned some calories to offset the 420 fat-filled ones I was preparing to take in. And you know what? I'm not really craving it anymore.

So what would you do with it? I noticed you didn't post your address so it seems I can't send it to you!! :)

If you have to have it you could always have half now and half tomorrow or later!:D

Sometimes just getting use to not having to have it all makes it easier to get use to smaller portions and portion control.

Donna

Donna,

Thank you so much for stopping in! Actually, you were definately one of the strong and courageous people I had in mind with the first post. You see, I HAVE read your journal (or quite a bit of it) and I already admire you very much.

That was a terrific idea about having some now and some later. Or heck, all of it later! Look for my new book "Procrastination, the Key to Phenominal Weight Loss" wherever self-help rubbish is sold. :D

Really, there ought to be a standard caloric law of some kind. You know how it takes you 45 minutes to eat a 30-calorie spinach salad? Then how come I can pack away 420 calories (and 24 grams of fat) in less time than it takes to write "Horrendous Chocolate Binge Attack" in my food log? It's unjust. :coach:

I'm having a vision, an entire step class full of women and men going up and down to the beat, looking down at the displays of the scales perched atop their steps...

And what Donna said about the candybar, or my personal fave, wait til it gets destroyed by the heat, or pounced on by rabid greyhounds...And it'll never pass the portals of your lips... (okay, my greyhound is singular and non-rabid, but counter-pouncing sweet-eating tummy/thigh-saving.))

Welcome to the crazy party!!

Jessica,

You are a hoot! That is definately one step class I would sign up for. Oh wait. I think I'm instructing that one. I've actually had to fight down the urge to weigh again after clipping my nails...:)

Now waiting until it gets destroyed by the heat, that would never work. I've been known to lick melted chocolate off the inside of the candy bar wrappers. :o And I can't believe you girls still want to talk to me after all the self-depreciating stuff I've disclosed today!!

Well, I'm proud to post my first-ever journal-related victory: The candy bar is gone! I gave each of the three girls in my department a peanut butter cup and ate the last one myself. And I know I would never have done that without this journal and your wonderful responses so ladies! You've done your good deed for the day. :rose: Kudos to your dear hearts.

Hi elivi!
Its always great to have a new journaller amongst us here, i am sure you will gain a lot of support here.
A sense of humor is something i really like in a person and i can see you have a wonderful one! Donna and Jess and i poke fun at each other all the time and can always do with another friend to join in the fun!
Good job on that chocolate bar, thats one step closer to that first goal right?
Great to have you here!
hugs bell :)

Hey Elivi,

Now that was a great compromise, sharing it so you didn't eat it all! I've done that before, but it was a whole cheesecake and only 1 other person, but still, it was only 1/2 the calories!:D

Donna

Hi Bell!! :wave:

How sweet of you to notice little ol' me! I would be very pleased to join the ranks of the Nutcases Formerly Anonymous ("Hi, I'm Elivi, and I'm a nutcase." "Hi Elivi!") I'm going to pop on into your journal this morning and see what that's all about.

Donna,

Yes, it felt great to share those peanut butter cups yesterday, and I honestly would never have thought of it were it not for you guys. "Moderation" is not one of my strong points. I'm really an all-or-nothing gal (which usually translates into nothing, of course).

But honestly, when was the last time you caught yourself thinking the justice system was too hard on Mr. Axe Murderer because he only kidnapped women, hacked off their heads and chucked them in the freezer "in moderation" ??

I know this may be a bit of a stretch to apply to dieting. But one minute I'm eating a modest 1/2 cup of ice cream, then *poof*, I'm a 13th century Viking shrugging "Well, I've raped, I might as well pillage and burn, too!" and finishing off that dang half gallon of frozen butter fat. :)

***
Feeling pretty good today (only slightly unraveled by demon kitty). I actually ate a salad last night, which is something I never do. I feel like a bunny. :hop: :D I read somewhere that the average woman's greatest source of dietary fat comes from salad dressing. Clearly, the average woman is not having enough fun.

Anyway, I've got some other journals to catch up on (like yours, bell :wave: ) so I'll close this one. To quote Monica, Make it a great day! I intend to, as soon as this blessed coffee kicks in. The Babybear got me up at 2:00 this morning so thank GOD for caffeine, eh?

http://www.thedietchannel.com/weightloss.htm

Hi Elivi, :wave:

I just got back from Curves ... all set to go to my Journal and what do I see YOUR NAME .... AND YOUR JOURNAL. So when did you start your Journal .... and do I need to clean my glasses for not having spotted it sooner.

Congratulations on your loss this week ... :cheer: You are moving forward and making great progress I MIGHT ADD.

Well I do want to get over to my own Journal .... but I will be stopping by again. Make it a great day. As always, Monica :wn

Hey Elivi,

I'm fortunate that I LOVE salads, so I "sample" different dressings and Kraft makes a line of fat free dressings that are great! Now to me each one is a winner, I've tried them all. Most average about 50 calories per 2T and 0g fat, their Italian dressing which to me tastes identical to anybody elses full fat Italian dressing is only 20 cal per 2T and 0g fat. I love the stuff! I'm not a lover of "dry" salads so the Kraft fat free dressings let me "live it up!":D

Yeah, I hear you on the "average" American woman, obviously they didn't poll me cause my greatest source of dietary fat probably comes from ice cream!:D Although I use to be very good and only get the Healthy Choice brand for a long time. But because it came in half gallons I had a "portion control" issue so it really wasn't helping to have it be low fat if I'm scarffing down the entire 1/2 gallon in 2 days!8-| So my new thing is the Wal-Mart brand low fat ice cream bars. They're low fat vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate on a stick. Only 110 calories/7g fat per bar. Not perfect, but not nearly as bad as eating a pint of ice cream!

Donna

okay, so it occurs to me, you're in my time zone :D !!

"giving it away" is another one of my tricks.

--Have you ever been to the greyhound races or the Edgefield or Multnomah falls? It's a fantastic hike to the top of the falls--pretty intense but so worth it!!

errrrr... Oh yeah, and salads. And ice cream. I prefer dry salads, and pints of "real" stuff (Ben and Jerrry's is my favorite mistake) I try to go by the 80/20 rule, if 80% of my eating is good,. then the mistakes just add to my "quality of life," doing "bad" stuff every now and again keeps my system happy so I won't have the overwhelming urge to binge... Though I have found that the more I avoid my scary faves (that aforementioned B&J's) I don't crave them... I dunno, it's all a work in progress.

I liked the link. #9 is my downfall. Actually, eating my meals like a bovine (standing, not chewing cud) is my downfall. Oh well, enough of me hijacking your journal.


Have a great one!

:D

Hi Monica!

I was wondering when you'd find me! I just started doing this yesterday but already *it has helped*. You'll have to read the first page to see what I mean but thanks to these wonderful gals (MissChuckle, Donna, Jess & Bell) I avoided tripping into a diet pitfall rigged by my own loving husband, of all people...

Men. I can't find an appropriate smiley for my thoughts on THIS subject, but these come pretty close:

:c( 8-| 8-}

Donna,

You are lucky to like salads! Although I will try those dressings you mentioned and perhaps they will help.

Ladies! What is a "dry" salad? You don't mean a salad *without* dressing, do you??

Why? How?? What, no "shudder" smiley face either? Ah, this one will do :-&

No offense I hope Jess!

Speaking of ice cream...my husband brought something new home last night. "For the kids" he said, yeah right. The Angelfish would prefer fruit and the Babybear is too little. Ha! But I wasn't too upset because they are only 60 calories apiece. Not bad for ice cream, right?

So this new kind is called "Scribblers" and they are supposed to be giant crayons. I say "supposed to be" because they barely resembled crayons and totally resembled...something else. Er...uh... ...in the interest of keeping this as PG13 as possible, let me just say that my husband now refuses to eat them and when I had one last night it called to mind an activity *much* more fun than eating ice cream! :o

Jess,

Yes, we are neighbors of a kind. I actually grew up in Auburn and lived in Lakewood for 2 years, so I know your neck of the woods better than my own! Yes, I LOVE Multnomah falls but have not ever been to Edgefield. Where is it?

Speaking of time zones, it's lunch!

you crack me up with your scribbler analogy. i hurt my neck at the gym last night and laughing makes my head hurt so i better steer clear of you, Donna and Jess today!
How old are your kids? I have two my daughter Caitlin is 6 today and my son Riley is 3.
Well have a great day/night!
i will take this opportunity to say that i hate salads with a vengeance i have to diguise vegetables to eat them at all...thats not very good is it? Oh well...i eat loads of fruit but vegetables there are very few i like even a little bit.
hugs bell :)

hehe, I grew up in Lakewood--Oakbrook, in fact.I just keep moving North-- now we live real close to Pt Defiance Park in Northwest Tacoma. Actually, The Edgefield is a bed and breakfast en route to Multnomah Falls, off of that main hwy, just past the greyhound races. It used to be a poorhouse/farm, then an Old Folks Home, then the McMinneman brothers bought it and now it's a brewery/winery/distillery/pub/2 restaurants/moviehouse/9 hole pitch and putt golfcourse with rooms to stay in and quaint art wherever you look...Very cool.

I saw those scribblers...think I'll pass...(I can't even watch dh-type eat a banana w/out thinking...thoughts...) Our 18 month old is starting to get into popsicles, but prefers ice cubes and soft serve cones, I think I'll keep it that way as long as possible.

Yes, dry, no dressing. But I really like vegys; cukes, peppers, tomatoes, and I will have dressing on *some* salads, one I make has bibb and red leaf lettuce, pear or apple slices, craisins, candied walnuts or pecans (not too manyy of those) and crumbled bleu cheese w/ homemade l/f bc dressing; another has baby spinach, tomatoes, shrimp sauteed in lime juice, cayenne, butter, and sesame oil, the pan is deglazed w/ rice vinegar, add some olive oil, presto there's the dressing....mmmmmmm; and last one, thin sliced cukes, thin sliced avacado, and thin-sliced tom, layered, teeny bit of Johnny's, teeny bit of olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. (anyone hungry yet?)

Ever do those personality tests where you have to describe, say, your dream house, and everything ends up signifiying something much larger? For example, if you say there are a lot of trees in the yard, then you have a lot of friends? Or if you picture a dark hallway, then it means you are afraid of the future?

Well DH makes fun of me because in one of these tests you are wandering in your back yard when you come up against a brick wall and are supposed to describe your reaction. Of course this signifies how you react to obsticles or problems in your life...anyway, when I got to this part of the test it stumped me. I just said "Wall? What wall? There's no wall." And it just cracked DH up, because that's truly how I deal with many problems in my life - ignore them or pretend they are not there.

:( Binge? There was no binge...

Yeah, I did NOT eat so well last night. I know better than to read while eating but I was at a really great part of the new Harry Potter book and couldn't put it down when supper was ready. Bad Elivi. So there I am up to my neck in potions and Quiddich and by the time Harry gets out of detention with Professor Umbridge (OMG, have you read this part? It's chilling...) I realize I have my hand up a box of Honey Bunches of Oats with Strawberries and I have consummed, oh, maybe half the box.

:(

BUT to my credit I immediately got up and brushed my teeth, did some aerobics, modified push-ups and arm curls. And then promptly put the whole thing out of my mind in typical Elivi-esque fashion. I'll deal with it later. Or maybe not.

Hey Bell! :wave:

Don't leave! I'll be good, no jokes today, I promise.
You'd never know I take antidepressants, eh? Oh yes. DH can always tell when I've forgotten my miracle happiness pill (ie, Lexapro) because I'll be up at 4 in the morning writing poetry in the dark. That's all well and good, but I also eat like it's going out of style. Half a box of cereal is nothing to what I can pack away in my natural state of mind!

:bd Happy Birthday Caitlin!!!

The Angelfish is 6 years old and Babybear is 6 months. They are both boys. I know Angelfish is a dreadful nickname for a boy but he was such a beautiful baby (everyone thought he was a girl, even when I dressed him in blue) I just couldn't help myself.

Are you done having kids? Got any pictures you want to share?

Jessica,

I can hardly believe I'm saying this, but those sound like amazing salads. Are you available weekends?

I think I'm going to have to try that Edgefield place you mentioned. It's sounds like it's pretty close to my office. And my boss promised to take the department to lunch next week as a reward for some killer work I did for him recently.

Speaking of work, I have about a week's worth to do today as our office is closed tomorrow, so I'd better get busy. Have a great day everyone, and if you notice me walking towards any brick walls, just turn me around, k?

I am really bad at posting pictures but I think this link should work:

http://picturecenter.kodak.com/share?invite=AEgr4izjmzhV18k70Uyo

These are pictures of Babybear. I'll try to get some up of the rest of us later.

actually it "slideshow"-ed me through all 40 shots, so I saw the whole fam-damnily! And the baby bunny isn't at all happy, is he??!!??omg, what a cutie! And his bro is gorge, and I'm guessing the man is daddy?(Or you got some 'splainin' to do Lucy...) And you look pretty durned nice, yourself!! (and did I recognize an IKEA couch in there?) Was Jacob a christmas baby? Abby will be 2 next Dec 26th.

I wish I could be computer competent enough to post shots...


re walls and honey bunches of oats. At least it wasn't a bag of Oreos. And you stopped. And, well heck, it's HArry, afterall. BUT i do have my own little, "no eating while reading" rule. I haven't extended the rule to the PC because I post and eat bf and lunch. When I'm not Moooooooooooo grazing. (those are my only seated bf's and lunches.)

Have a good day off tomorrow!!!

Elivi,

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL ... BEAUTIFUL BABY .... thank you so much for sharing your family pictures.

It helps so much to associate a picture to a person .... Make it a great evening ... take care. As always, Monica :hug:

Hi Elivi,

What a cutie Jacob is with those big beautiful eyes!:D

Donna

Elivi...just stopping by to say thanks for being a visitor to my journal. You have a great sense of humour and that will help you get to your diet goal. Also, you ability to deny a food binge is probably a plus..much better than sinking into the slough of despond I would be in. Nope, better to just put it behind you and get on with the next day.

Journalling is helpful. I have been journalling here and while I have been close to goal three times and then gained again, I haven't done that steady upward creep that would get me in big trouble. You could say that I am "managing" my weight. Right now I am partway to goal but very frustrated because the scales ARE NOT moving even though I have been following Atkins for 10 days and exercising and I should be losing. AAARRGGGHH!

What kind of plan are you going to use to help you get to goal? You have lost about 11 pounds so far, so whatever you are doing it is working.

Take care and have a good weekend.

Elivi,
Well, I'm on board!
Suzie

heloooooooooo....are you there??????????? or are you having a lovely loooooong weekend.....:D

Jessica,

Wow, you're a sweetie!

I am here, but won't be able to write in 'til a bit later today.

Thanks so much for checking in! It warmed my cold little heart!

:sweety:

I have a phobia about eating in front of people. Probably a lot of overweighties do, I don't know. But even when I wasn't really fat, it pained me to have to eat in front of people. I just felt like everyone was judging me and what I was putting into my face.

I saw the movie "Girl, interrupted" awhile back and was really taken apart by what one of the nutties in the movie said, you know, the one who hid chicken under her bed to eat in private. Something to the effect of "Well, you don't like people watching you when it comes OUT, I don't like people watching when it goes in." And I thought, YES! That's it. That's how I feel too.

Great, I finally connect with someone, and it turns out to be a phycho who strings herself up by the end of the show.

But this is a serious phobia of mine. I lost 50 pounds my first year in college because I had to sneak into the cafeteria before anyone woke up to eat breakfast, and then starve the rest of the day. And I was, at the time, 180 pounds, tops.

I'm having one of those moments now, because I'm contemplating including a meal plan or two in my journal. And it just terrifies me that ya'll are going to know that I (gasp) eat. Yeah, and you figured I gained 120 excess pounds by chewing on the end of a pencil, right?

Dale Carnegie once said, "Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it...that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear."

And you know what just occured to me??? IF I post what's eating me these days (or is it the other way around?), I bet you lovely women would have a few pointers for me. Help me identify harmful patterns or just give me a few tips.

Hole-y buckets, why is this so difficult??

Jessica,

Aren't Christmas babies wonderful?? :gift: Yeah, we're just biased. The Angelfish was born on 12/17 and Babybear 12/22. I know they'll never have a "real" birthday, but know what? I don't care. Christmas is twice as special to me because of them. And suzie (hi suzie!!), our newest forum member and I are twins, so we've never had a "real" birthday either, and we came out of it with few scratches. Well, few birthday-related ones, anyway.

I am NOT computer literate. Kodak does the work for me. When I take my film in, I pay $3 extra to get my pictures returned with a CD. Then you pop the CD in and upload directly onto the album they put up for you. It's so easy, you should try it. I'd love to see pictures of your family.

Monica,

Well, :o it's confession time. That's not me in the pictures. It's suzie. But as we shared an egg awhile back, there might be a teeny resemblence.

Donna,

Aren't you a sweety!!?

Artsy,

Thanks for popping on in! Feel free.

My "plan" is personal, and I'm still putting a lot of thought into it. It includes diettalk, weight-lifting, a *little* cardio several times a day, eating frequently, and focusing on general health with lots of produce, fiber and protein. I also attend TOPS and recommend it to anyone.

Suzie!!!!

I am so thrilled to see you here.

Remember, it's hand, hand, up, up
shoulder, shoulder, head, head
hip, hip, butt, butt
rock, rock, rock, turn :D

C'mon! You know you wanna! You're the best. Stick around my love!!

***
The following is an actual excerpt from a conversation in my house:

Me: Honey, you forgot to take the roast out of the freezer last night.
DH: That's because I'm stupid.

--Curtains flatten themselves against the windows from the force of my sigh.

Me: When are you going to stop beating up the man I love?
DH: When he stops sleeping with my wife.

See why I love this guy? :)

Hi Elivi,

Post away girlfriend! Who cares how much you eat? And I love to see other peoples menus cause I get stuck in ruts with my food and seeing other ideas sometimes makes me go hhhhmmmm???

As for your phobia about people watching me eat, never bothered me! I have to say that before I lost weight, because I was keenly aware of my size I figured, "they knew I didn't get like this eating salad!" So I ate! And now, even after losing, I figure I work out hard, so I don't care what anybody thinks when they see me eat a 1/2lb burger at Shoney's, fries and a slice of hot fudge sundae cake! What I eat don't make them fat, and it'll be my butt up at the crack of dawn putting in my exercise time, so I don't give other people in public a second thought!:D

Life is too short to worry about what someone else thinks, especially a someone you don't know and may never see again! If you know like I know you better eat that meal and smile at em!:D

So post your menus if you want, I find it helped me stay really accountable, and something about knowing that others would see it made me choose an apple w/ pb for a snack over a 1/2 pint of ice cream many a day!

Donna

Yeah I know it doesn't make any SENSE...

It could hardly be called a PHOBIA if it was entirely rational...

Well here is what I fed my face yesterday...

6:00am
1 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup GoLean cereal

9:00am
GoLean chocolate shake, 1 orange

12:00pm
2 cups cream-based homemade vegetable soup, 1 whole carrot

2:30pm
1 oz soy nuts, 1 cup red grapes

4:30pm
1 slice zucchini bread (with pineapple and walnuts) with butter

5:30pm
large spinach salad with peas, tomatoes, squash, celery, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms & fat-free italian dressing that was actually NOT half bad, 1/2 cup BBQ potatoes & carrots, 1 dinner roll with butter, 3oz BBQ beef brisket, and a little guilt from eating too much for dessert.

Total calories for the day: hahahahaha. I'm no good at this. Any help?

As you can see, I got a little carried away around 4:00pm. I was feeling fine and in control, then our dinner guest called to say he was running late and wasn't sure when he'd get to our house, and something inside me snapped. I panicked because suddenly I didn't know *when* I was going to eat dinner. And as you can see, I headed straight for the rich zucchini bread...

Eh. Live and learn.

Elivi,

Hi, sweetheart! Yeah, I know exactly what happened to you last night. Happens to me all the time. I do GREAT on my diet and resolutions until late afternoon, early evening, and then I lose it. Almost anything can trigger it. After coming home from Cedar Point I had such a headache (always do after more than 2 roller coasters!) and it just would NOT go away. And the puppies made a real mess in the laundry room while we were away; tore up the carpet and tracked in all kinds of filth -- it took us a long time to clean it up. And I had worked so hard being "fun girl" for CH and staying true to my diet, even though I WAS hungry. Around 8:30 CH decided he wanted mashed potatoes and gravy, you know, real comfort food, and I was like, "What the heck, I'll make some for me too."

At least you didn't eat anything after 5:30, right? And the rest of your meals look fantastic. That's not bad. And you'll do better next time. You will. By the way, what would Elaine do if her dinner guests were late?

Love ya,
Suzie
B-)

Suzie,

You know what you are?? You're the sweetest sister alive! :sweety:

You're right that any little thing can throw off my afternoon eating plans. And I'm SICK of it, sick of being mauled by the devil's pet feline if you know what I mean. I make good choices when I'm fresh, rested and emotionally balanced. And it's high time I realized that I'm just as FREE to follow through with those good choices as I was to make them in the first place. And if you understood that last thing I wrote, you're amazing.

Well, *technically* I did eat after 5:30pm, but I didn't write it down. It is really too embarrassing for words. After dinner, and after working out, I went back into the kitchen for water, and saw that someone had placed an *almost* empty ice cream carton on the kitchen counter. Yup, I tipped my head right back and drank off the last dregs of sweet melted butter fat before I even knew what I was doing. :o

What would Elaine do? I love it! Well, she would have a heart-to-heart with demon kitty and explain calmly that unplanned zucchini bread is NOT the answer. And then she'd go right back to sewing sweaters for the pygmies in South Africa. :D

Hey Elivi,
just finished my stretch of nights and thought i would stop in and say hi!
How cool to have your sister posting here too. HI Suzie :wave:
My son Riley was a christmas baby born 19/12/99.. not so great though in this hemisphere as its the hottest time of year..... i was so over pregnancy it was soooo hot!
No more kids for me i am looking forward to next year when both will be at some sort of school at least a few days a week.
well have a good week my friend.
hugs bell :)

Belly Bell, :wave:

I am just so thrilled to see you here! Your upbeat spirit is just what I needed today to get me going.

How odd to think of Christmas being the hottest time of the year! You must think the majority of our Christmas carols just plain inappropriate huh?! So is it freezing now? Because I could sure use some of that! DH and I had to go to bed with wet shirts last night just to fall asleep, it was SOOO hot! Oy! You poor thing, being pregnant and ready to pop in heat like this!

While I'm in here, I'm going to post my food stats from yesterday...

6:30am
1 cup homemade oatmeal with cranberries, almonds, barley & bulgur wheat, 1 cup soy milk

9:30am
1 GoLean soy energy bar, 1 cup blackberries

12:00pm
2 low-fat spinach mannicotti with parmesan cheese

2:30pm
2 slices homemade whole-wheat oatmeal bread, 1/2 oz turkey deli meat, 1 oz cheese, 1/2 T BBQ sauce, 1 apple

4:30pm
2 cups lentil, beef & veggies soup, 1 cup brown rice

Once again, the zucchini bread began calling to me about 6:30pm, but I drowned it out with the noise from the electronic toothbrush, LOL.

Good Morning Elivi,

Just wanted to stop by and check to see how fantastic you are proceeding on your JOURNEY TO SUCCESS.

Somewhere I think I have a recipe for low-calorie zucchini bread .. I will do some checking on my recipe disks ..... no reason why you shouldn't enjoy a slice or two ..... especially if it is made by your tender loving hands ....

I appreciate your comments in my Journal ...... I did read them. Make it a great day. Take care ... continue on your journey to success. As always, Monica :hug:

re food and embarrassment--I found I couldn't articulate *that* I was embarrassed, so wasn't honest about my intake, after all, a couple of bites here and there (yeah, that icecream thing) don't count, right? And if eaten standing up, nope, they REALLY don't count. hmmph. Well, by journalling, I find I do a better job of making good choices. There again, freak woman I am, I journal my eating in the "everyone's journal" thread in No Diet, then put all my emotional garbage into the other journal I have. Maybe I'll streamline later, who knows??? Your hubby sounds awesome. And yes, this heatwave bites!! There's areason I *don't* live in San Diego(aprt from the obscene cost of living.) --So WHY am I going to Fla in August? My sister. families. hmmph.

SOrry for going off on a self indulgent tangent there.:o

Your eating looks fine. Your exercise has been consistent. It'll happen to you!! Be easy on yourself about the "mistakes"--you're human!!:D Happy thoughts!!:D

My lovelies!

Thanks so much for your kind words. They mean much more to me than you can know.

I finally got new batteries for the scale, and what do you know? My weight has gone up but my fat % has gone down... Well I can only hope that means good things, but I will wait to update my stats until I have my official weigh-in at TOPS on Monday. Unless they cancel AGAIN due to heat, in which case I will post new stats after beating the club officers senseless. Might get a nice upper body workout that way, LOL.

I think DH has been seen too much Matrix...I found this note in my lunchbag this morning:

"The honorary HauTu (how to :) ) presents you with this loving gift for your appetite consumption. Believing the nutrients will revitalize and strengthen your core energy; the HauTu added the ingredients with Full-Care precision. Hope will fill you when the meal has been received and assimilated--" --I have a feeling resistence might be futile, LOL-- "--With our greatest wishes for a successful and fullfiling passing of moments in the confines of your constricting cubicle. Soon you will be set free. Wake up!"

Take care girls!!

what a sweet hubby! How gorgeous is that note!
just wanted to stop in and say that the up side of scrubbing crayon off walls is a 2 hour arm workout if you ever want to try it out!
Your meal are looking great!
i live in the tropics here in Brisbane and the weather never really gets very cold at all...the coolest it gets is around 5 degrees celsius.... thats the best thing about living here ...i hate the heat though and in summer it gets pretty hot and very humid...
Well i am having a relaxing day well morning...then up to school to help out with activities....
have a great one,.
hugs bell :)
p.s I see all the usual suspects are over haunting Suzie's journal now too...see what you have done...you will never be rid of us now :tomato:

:wave: good mornin'!!

Bell,

I think I'll tell him you said so. DH has extremely low self-esteem, but it is completely unwarranted!

So you'll never guess what I had for dinner last night?? Ice cream!! No, I'm not kidding. That was the entire evening meal. :)
And I'm actually feeling pretty good about it.

I got home in a moderately fine temperment, and DH hands me a small chocolate blizzard he had picked up for me earlier in the day (yeah, I know, we've gotta have "the talk." He's way too into showing me his love by buying me food). So I'm thinking, it's a gift, and I don't want to hurt his feelings, so I'll eat it.

Normally, such an "unplanned" sweet would have thrown the rest of my day out of whack, and I'd wind up gorging myself on any fatty foods I could dig up from the back of the fridge, telling myself that I'd already blown it, so better to blow it up good!

But I'm pretty pleased with myself. Because after the blizzard, I realized that ICE CREAM IS FOOD. And no food is "bad." It's just food. And if I want to have ice cream for my evening meal once in a blue moon, then by golly, I'm gonna.

So I stopped there. That was dinner. And it felt great.

Oh, and JESS! We went to Edgefield yesterday for lunch. It was super!! Except they made us wait about an hour for our food. But I just keep drinking water as fast as they'd fill my glass up, and then got a spinach salad that was WONDERFUL. Yum!! I'm so glad you told me about that place. And I didn't even have ONE of their scrumptious homemade greasy fries!!

Oh, I'm so proud of myself I'm actually glowing. No wait. That's the reflection from the computer screen. Ah well...

Elivi,

Well, since you asked, I never took the test. Nope, didn't have to, since I'm smack dab in the middle of the PERIOD FROM HELL!:help:

Ever since I went on the pill, my periods have been short (5 days) and relatively light. But I swear something is wrong with this batch because I started 5 DAYS early and we just keep going and going and going! Did I say going? I meant GUSHING. Gross and completely off topic, but you did ask. Oh, but there is a plus side to this wacky M cycle -- I haven't had any cramps (and I usually spend the first two days doubled over with pain) and that characteristic 2-pound gain was also strangely missing. Well, could be the diet. :-/

Well, sorry ladies! I know this is ELIVI'S journal and most of you browsers surely don't care to hear all the lovely details of my PFH!
Guess I should have sent a private message. :D

Anyway, Elivi, congrats on your ice cream break-through! And yes, I did get what you said before about being FREE to follow through on good food choices, and hon, I think you're brilliant! :blinky:

Love you sis,
Suzie (down a pound!)

"But I'm pretty pleased with myself. Because after the blizzard, I realized that ICE CREAM IS FOOD. And no food is "bad." It's just food. And if I want to have ice cream for my evening meal once in a blue moon, then by golly, I'm gonna. "
Things started changing for me once I got to that realization. I was conflicted by all the info about all these different diets, lowfat, no fat, macrobiotic, Atkins....well, geez, I figured, ALL food has some merit (some more than others) so how can you go about *living* on a "plan" that cuts out ALL fruits, or all grains (yeah, I'm pickin' on Atkins, sorry)---It's called moderation. If my hon brings me ice cream to make me happy (it's been proven--ice cream makes me smile) then I'll eat it. With a smile. Not every night, a "treat" is only a "treat" if it's special, after all (I had to come to that realization with beer and wine:o )

Ah well. Most often I feel like I'm fighting an idealogical losing battle, since this thought isn't widely held. Which is why I'm staunchly situated in No Diet Aproach, I feel like, as long as I'm journalling there, there'll always be some activity on that forum...


oh my.:hijacked: sorry!!

:eek: sorry about that 1 hour wait!! Yipe yipe yipe!!!



And a note on patience. Or an entire opera, the way I go on. When I first started my "journey" (battle sounds so negative and unsustainable, journey is interesting....with a destination... What's the battle's end, anyway???) I made a few key changes. I stopped eating after 7. Drank more water. I worked out about 5 days a week, 3 at the gym, 2-3 around home, walking, etc. I monitored portion sizes. I drastically cut my consumption of the truly yummy (bad) stuff. And I was eating a better quality of food. And nothing happened. For 6 weeks. NOTHING. Not a POUND. Not an INCH. Not a body fat %. Ultimately, I lost ten pounds in about a month and a half, in spite of that bad first month plus, so it all averaged out fine. The point was, I kept getting discouraged, wanted it NOW...But my body was ready when my body was ready. Every body loses differently--different speeds, different areas, differenttone...An exercising person may actually lose slower, but the results will show differently. CASE IN POINT--my former babysitter has lost 40 bs in about the same time I've lost 30, she's done Atkins, no exercise, I'm doin' my own thing. We started out in sz 18s, now we're both in 14s. Mine are loose, fit on the "comfy" side, hers are all skin tight. I'd be interested in comparitive body fat %s. NOW I look at weight loss a bit like pregnancy. The baby's gonna come out when the baby comes out, you can't rush it. Well you *could* but at what expense???If you do all the right things, it's inevitable.


:D I've waffled enough in your journal.

Take care, have yourself a great day!!!!:D

Hey, don't hold back, Jess! :D

I mean that. If there's one thing I hope you've figured out about me it's that I need all the help I can get. And which is more helpful really, a pat on the back or a firm shove...if I'm standing on the tracks and the train is barrelling down on me?? :)

I agree with so much of what you've said. I've always been very nervous about weight-loss techniques that make me do ANYTHING short-term that I know I won't keep up long-term. So I guess maybe I should spend more time on the NDA board, huh? I have starved myself down to 160 before. But I didn't learn anything in the meantime so I gained it all...and then some...back! I DO want to lose weight, but even more than that I want to have a lifestyle that will naturally support a healthier, thinner me.

Oh Suzie!!

I'm so sorry to hear about your PFH...

Shh...everyone...don't let's tell suzie the treat that's in store for her after she gives birth to her first baby, huh? Or she'll NEVER make me an auntie...

and :cheers: on your lost pound, babe!!!

Jess,

I don't know if I mentioned it before, but TY so much for the recommendation to Edgefield's. I really did love it! We've got the best stuff around here, don't we?

Portland is really a VERY clean, health-conscious city (bike lanes everywhere), but sometimes I think they overdo it. Yesterday on the way home from work the ODOT freeway sign (that usually warns of an accident ahead) was all lit up: "Smog advisory today. Limit driving."

I'm not trying to be a smart-@$$ or anything, but they DO realize they've posted this sign on the freeway, right? What are we supposed to do, pull over and wait like you do for an ambulence? Maybe get off at the next exit and book a hotel room for the night?

I didn't happen to have any driving-related plans for the evening, but say I did? Can I really visualize myself so stricken with guilt over the polution of my little Honda Civic that I'd say "To heck with these $80 concert tickets purchased 6 weeks ago. I'm gonna do my part and stay home tonight!"

Nah.

Anyway, enought rambling out of me.

rofl. soooooo funny, the sign thing. And your reaction. And yet, you're a mathematical type. hmph. who knew. (cuz, see, accountants are all uptight and ocd stricken and have the gab capacity of goldfish...)

:joke:

re pfh--hell, I'm BREASTFEEDING and in the midst of one...how's that for some supreme deity having a sick sense of humour???

ahh well. Thanks for the pre-house cleaning and laundering chuckle. (ahhh, the glam life of a SAHM)

some days i read journals and have a great laugh and check in with people and other days i really learn something or have stuff that i strongly believe to be true, reinforced.
i dont sprout off a lot about how i lost my weight and kept it off, but i love to read other peoples post where i truly know in my heart that they get it!
Elivi and Jess- i believe that you both have it 100% right...when i first started out in 98 i would screw up with a treat and then write days or even weeks off plan due to that all or nothing approach. once i realised that i could have a treat now and again and get straight back to healthy eating i became much more successful at it.
Not feeling bad about the icecream, and letting it bring on a binge is an awesome achievement....
hugs bell :)

he-loooooooo!!??? I'm expecting to be entertained. It's 9 am. Where ARE you?????????? (sheesh, do they actually expect you to *work* for your pay??):D

Don't we looo-ooove bell?!!

Sorry, Jess, Bell, my friends, this post will not be funny...

I am SOOOO discouraged this morning. I do not think I am losing weight. I do not know why. Last week the scale was starting to move in the right direction, but as of Saturday, Sunday and today it popped right back up. And tonight is my TOPS meeting and I so wanted to have a loss. :(

What is it with me and weekends??? Why do I always gain then? I really don't think I eat differently than during the week. I actually exercise more. :-/

Then I get here and read all the happy posts of my friends losing 2, 3, 4 pounds a week...I just feel lower than low. What is wrong with me? I'm enormous...it should be EASY to lose at this weight, right??

Ok, enough :violin: from me...I can't mope forever...

This is the part where DH would ask "Did you remember to take your Lexapro today?" ...the universal, fix-it-all query that has taken the place of "Is it that time of the month again?" as a bad-mood justification around my house. YES, I took my antidepressant. NO I am not expecting a visit from my maiden aunt. Am I not allowed any negative emotions anymore? Oh. Sorry. You're not DH. Didn't mean to snap at YOU. :o

:(

I hear your frustration, elivi and I am suffering from the same problem you are. I gained 3 pounds on vacation after being on a plateau for two weeks. However...I am going to keep on until I find something that works or my body accepts the inevitable. I hope you show a loss tonight even though it doesn't look that way now. You could be retaining water and if you are, may you lose it NOW!!

I think I need to lift weights as well as aerobic exercise and I need to be really hard core on the diet in terms of not too little and not too much. I wish I really knew what was happening inside my body and didn't just guess with a formula that seems to work for everybody else.

Take care.

Jessica,

"(cuz, see, accountants are all uptight and ocd stricken and have the gab capacity of goldfish...)"

OK, how'd ya know? I AM an accountant. And a d@mn good one. And I love my job! Guess that steroetype just flew out the window, eh?

And I guess I should have mentioned that my company is shut down every Friday for the whole summer, so I'll be taking a few more 3-day breaks from "fatassdotcom" ( :rofl: Jessica!) before this is all over. But it sure is nice to come back in on Monday and see that you wrote to me anyway!

Jess, you're still doing the "mamma milk jugs" routine?? No wonder you eat standing up!! :)

guilty as charged, MooOOOOoooo.

(stats; profile button. No, I'm not omniscient.)

re weight. I shouldn't weigh week by week, there's soo much variation. But I do. I just don't succumb to the "oh poo, I didn't lose" bug anymore (just the "oh poo, I didn't exercise bug) because I know, if I continue doing the right things, I will trend downwards. Eventually. MAYBE it's a long eventuality, but it will happen.


Think, Mary Tyler Moore theme. "yer gonna make it after aa-aaallll, Be doodoo dooppBAH (throw hat here.) BAH!!":D

frustration is one of the hurdles in this journey my friend.
So let me pick your brain a little.
How many cals are you eating a day?
How many cals are your burning a day exercising?
Anything could be the cause of the gain. salt, water retention.
do you keep a food journal where you log every single bite.
one of the big mistakes i made when starting out was not eating enough...it took me a lont time to realise that i was burning off so many cals with exercise that my body was clinging to the rest of them in order to sustain life lol..i didnt lose for ages til someone pointed out that i should increase the cals. and it worked,.
feel free to PM me if i am not making an ounce of sense here!
Hang in there and you will be fine!
hugs bell :)

Elivi,

I think I understand a little of how you feel. But don't give up, sis!
Here, I'll do my Monica impersonation (although she does it better):

YOU WILL SUCCEED! YOU WILL MEET YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS!

I'm sorry you're down. But I love you anyway. And you are still a fabulous, fantastic woman.

Suzie

Ditto to what Bell said!:D

It can be frustrating, but you're still learning the give/take with your body, so I'd follow Bells advice, check your eating, make sure you're eating enough so that your body feels comfortable with allowing you to lose. Eating too little will always backfire on you, especially when you exercise too.

Donna

I'm sorry you guys had to meet Despondent Dora yesterday. Not sure how she got out of her cage.

I lost 2.5 pounds at the TOPS meeting last night!! I guess yesterday's weight must have been a fluke, and I wish I hadn't let it get to me like that!

Artsy,

Thanks for stopping by, my dear. Your kind words must have done the trick. I read "if you are retaining water, may you lose it NOW" and immediately had to run for the loo. Flush!! The easiest and fastest way ever discovered to lose weight!!

Jessica,

Here's a tip. The next time someone accuses you of being all-knowing, roll with it. FYI, you're the cutest ever.

Bell,

Great. Now I have to banish Hannibal-esque nightmare visions evoked by the "picking your brain" phrase. But what the heck. Pick away.

I guarrantee you I do not fall into the "not eating enough" category. Most days, I probably eat 2000 - 2400 calories, from good, healthy sources, spread out evenly in the day. I try not to eat after 5:00pm. Now, occassionally you will find me buried in a half-empty box of Honey Bunches of Oats with Strawberries and a guilty expression on my face. Occassionally I eat ice cream for dinner when I had planned on bean soup. Occassionally I eat way too much. But most days, this is what I do.

If fitday can be trusted, I burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 3200 a day. I exercise every single day for at least 20-30 minutes. I lift weights to guard against muscle loss.

:( I purposely eat much more than most "dieters" because I do not want to be one. Then why, you ask, does she whine like a teething infant when she doesn't lose weight like as fast as a "dieter?" That is a very good question mate. We should talk like this more often!

Suzie,

Thanks for the Monica impression. Where is Monica when you need her anyway?? Not that you're not the cat's meow yourself. Love you too!!

Donna,

Thank you for the kind words my friend. Sometimes you just need a good firm slap against the head to remind you of what you already know. Yes, I'm on the right track. But I'll get run over if I just stand here... :)

By the way, I've placed a bid on Ebay for those Pure Strength videos. I'll let you know how it goes.

***
Okay, speaking of Hannibal-esque nightmare visions (and we were), here's one for you: this is one of those optical thingy-ma-bobs where you have to stare at some thing for a really long time, you suddenly see something you didn't before. Concentrate on the doorway in the back of the room. Oh, and I had to stare at this one for over a minute before I got it, so don't get discouraged. Might help to get close to the monitor and unfocus you eyes...

http://www.billybunny.com/images/misc/doorway.gif

Was I being paged :coach:? LOL

Sorry I haven't written before this .... but I have read your posts .

CONGRATULATIONS ON HAVING LOST TWO AND ONE HALF POUNDS OF BLUBBER .... :cheer: :cheers:THAT IS NOW FLOATING SOMEWHERE OUT THERE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN .... is that why the water here in Burbank tastes the way it does ..... THE MIXTURE OF EVERYONE'S BLUBBER .... (just kidding).

My foot is still swollen ... but not as bad as it was on Sunday .... I talked to my girlfriend Dee last night (we were supposed to get together today and go out .... SHOPPING) and she suggested putting ice compresses on my foot .... DUH ME me .... oh well that is why I have friends to think for me at times.

Elivi, I AM SO PLEASED AND PROUD OF YOUR FOCUS AND COMMITMENT ..... YOU KNOW YOU CAN AND WILL SUCCEED ... JUST REMEMBER TO BE KIND AND PATIENT WITH YOURSELF .... YOU DIDN'T GAIN WEIGHT IN A DAY, WEEK, MONTH OR YEAR .... SO GIVE YOURSELF THE TIME TO LOSE WEIGHT IN A HEALTHY AND PERMANENT WAY. Make it a great day. Again TERRIFIC :up: ON YOUR FANTASTIC LOSS As always, Monica

HOORAYY!!! Congrats on your 2.5 pound weight loss, atta girl and all that good stuff. Just keep on doing what you are doing.

There's a guy here at the office that has been flirting with me the last few months. He's one of our travel guys, so fortunately I don't run into him very often, but it seems whenever I do he's overly friendly. Hanging out at my desk a lot, you know.

Lately he's started picking up little gift-shop trinkets for me on his trips. This all began when I mentioned my lifelong love affair with chocolate (as in, I'd like to dedicate this song to my Hershey bar :) ), and the next thing I know, he's bringing me chocolate from France. Then a small stuffed moose from Minnesota. A spoon from China.

So this morning, there's a keepsake pack of postcards from Ireland sitting on my desk when I get here. And I don't have to ask where it came from. But I can't help wondering - what is this guy thinking!?? OK, so there's very few women who work in this office. But good gravy. I'm 260+ pounds! And not exactly Anna Nicole Smith, no matter what I tell myself.

:( What to do? What to do?

Monica,

What would I do without you? You are just the spirit of encouragement and goodwill, did you know that? LOL about unwanted body fat floating into the Pacific Ocean...I KNEW there was a reason (that absolved me of all responsibility) I'm fat...LOL I've been drinking too much of the water!

Artsy,

So good to see you here, my friend. How are you feeling today? I just know you're going to achieve your goals so don't give up now!!

Jessica,

I know you won't read this, but I miss you. Come back soon!! :c(

But I can't help wondering - what is this guy thinking!?? OK, so there's very few women who work in this office. But good gravy. I'm 260+ pounds! And not exactly Anna Nicole Smith, no matter what I tell myself.

And just what is that crack suppose to be about? I just KNOW you aren't trying to say that because you're 260 or more this man shouldn't find you attractive!?
Hello~maybe for one he "sees" the person inside the package, AND maybe to him the package is cool too! There are a LOT of men out here that like a little meat on a woman's bones (thank God!) and find a woman with curves more attractive than a stick with tits!
My hubby of 10 years found and fell in love with me at 275lbs, and I dropped 2 other guys to be with him! So it's not about what size you are, its about WHO you are girlfriend!:D

Remember~you gotta love you at any size, and if you love you, so will everyone else!

Donna

p.s. Oh yeah, you got a man! oops! Well, in that case, yeah, maybe you should be careful of dude's intentions, he could be a nut!

Elivi has a boyfriend......Elivi has a boyfriend!!!!!!! :) just teasing, where does hubby think these little gifts come from?
i agree with Donna- he obviously likes what he sees doesnt he. both inside and out i am sure... dont doubt your attractiveness, you are one good catch...i am sure hubby thinks so..
i would just tactfully talk about your significant other while this guy is around...
I also wanted to stop in to say thanks for your message in my journal...your message made me get up and go out this morning...lifted me out of my down mood ...your a pal!
hugs bell :)

They were both left by DH as an expression of love on my dashboard this morning...:(

I keep putting off having this "discussion" with DH. I guess on some level I LIKE it when he surprises me with food. And the other side of me doesn't want to hurt his feelings. Because I don't always have the most tact, and I know he does it to show me he loves me.

How would you bring this up? Other than, "Read my HIPS! No more food gifts!" of course :D

Donna,

LOL about a stick with t*ts...:) I know you mean well, but I just can't wrap my mind around this one. My DH is like your husband. He fell in love with me at 200 pounds and is probably not going to be thrilled when I get below 180.

Well, I won't have to deal with The Flirt again for a little while...he left for Taiwan yesterday. And if I'm piercingly honest, I have to say I like the attention. BUT I don't want it to turn into a problem later down the road.

Bell,

Oh quit your teasing! :o What are we, in sixth grade??

DH knows all about this, I've told him, and he's totally cool about it, thinks it's no big deal. I don't know if this is normal or not, but from time to time I develop little "crushes" on other men and I always tell DH about it. Therefore, he doesn't worry. Also, I KNOW what it is like to be cheated on and I could never inflict that on my family.

Bell, you feeling better? It must be one seriously phycho bug if it can knock our bell off her feet, eh?

***
Note to self for future reference: Food panic is often unjustified.

Today you started feeling that old familiar panic around 11:00 because you were afraid you didn't have enough food to last you until dinner. The tightness in your chest, the coiled-up nervousness, the overwhelming fear of HUNGER.

You mentally ticked off the items in your lunchbag: black bean soup. Red plum. Cottage cheese. What if it wasn't enough? You wanted to bolt down to the drugstore and buy gobs of junk food to hide in your desk, to comfort you, to stave off the anxiety.

But you didn't. You ate your bean soup. YOU FELT FULL. You were fine. A smarter you, refreshed and calm, knew that the remaining food would be more than enough to tide you over. You are fine.

Please remember this.

Well, we had another lay-off at work yesterday...

This makes number 7 in two years. I know the economy is bad, but geez louise already. There is an all-employee meeting this afternoon and I'm half-expecting T-shirts to be passed out saying "I survived seven layoffs at Company X."

Please excuse me if I'm not entirely verbose today. I have a really hard time dealing with these things.

But a positive to close with, I did lose 1.5 pounds last week. Nice trend developing here.

Hope your week is going better than mine...

Hi Elivi,

Just stopped by to see how you are doing .....YOU ARE DOING SPECTACULAR :up: CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR TERRIFIC ONE AND ONE HALF POUND LOSS :cheer:

I understand your feelings ...... and it shows you are a thoughtful, considerate person WHO THINKS OF OTHERS. IT IS A RARE QUALITY IN TODAY'S WORLD. .... but I for one am glad to see that quality is not completely gone.

Make it a great day .... know that I am checking whenever you post. I feel funny reading other posts that others write lol because it makes me feel as though I am snooping ... I know it sounds 8-}. As always, Monica :wn

It's remarkably difficult to hold my nose with one hand and type with the other.

Who knew?

Had to get up extra-early this morning. (4) To get the crockpot going for dinner tonight. We're trying a garlic, red pepper, chicken thing that sounded pretty good... on paper.

I started having second thoughts whilst sauteing 12 cloves of garlic with red pepper and onions over the stove this morning at 5:00am. Yes, that's right. 12. Cloves. Garlic. Before I'd had nary a cracker to settle my stomach. Oooooh. My poor abused tummy is at the mercy of demon kitty this time.

Did I use that word right? Whilst? Eh.

And what, I pray WHAT is this gigantic zit doing on my chin, hmm? I'm supposed to be an adult nowadays. At least, this is what I keep telling my kids.

Yesterday was a little rough. Does this sound like a stellar idea to you? Lay off half your workforce, reassign their duties to the remaining employees while (whilst?) giving them no overtime, make them take a mandatory day off every week, then require said overworked, bleary-eyed employees to attend a 2-hour meeting for damage control?

I don't even have time to pee anymore, let alone go to your 2-hour meeting to hear all about how well Company X is doing and what bright futures we have here, bladder infection notwithstanding, LOL.

I suppose I COULD go look for another job, but nah, that doesn't sound like me. I'd rather stay where I am and b*tch and moan. :)

OK, I'm getting a little concerned about my fat & sugar intake. Still reaching for all the wrong foods more than I care to admit. Of course I had a 190-calorie chocolate cookie at the meeting yesterday (to take my mind off my screaming bladder, you know). And a large blizzard for dinner last night. Can almost feel my fat cells soaking up that one.

Ew. Not a pleasant visual there.

Monica, please don't EVER feel like an intruder here.

This is what I've told DH. There are two sides to every problem a woman has. And she'll only tell you about one of them.

For example, "We had a layoff at work today." (And no one cares.) "My feet hurt." (And no one cares.) "The Babybear kept me up all night." (And no one cares.)

And it's the "no one cares" part of the problem that carries the sting. Which is why I love diettalk so much. Because when you help solve THAT part of the problem, the rest doesn't seem so bad anymore.

Hi Elivi, :wave:

I am stopping by before I go for my podiatrist appt. .... but first I have to pick up the xrays .... doggone it .

When you post something in your Journal I DEFINITELY READ IT .... but when others write to you .... I don't know call me old fashioned but I feel like I am snooping .....

Okay so I am 8-} -- my father used to say it starts in the head and travels to the feet ... lol . Make it a great day (zit and all) ..... :laugh: and YOU ARE DEFINITELY USING THE WORD WHILST IN THE TRUE CONTEXT OF THE WORD .... lol but it is easier to say while ...

Take care Elivi .... As always, Monica :hug: :wn

Mmm-hm. This is gonna be another crazy day, I can tell.

My thoughts are blinking on and off like DH changes the TV channels. I have no control. I'm just riding it out.

OK, I've had a little too much caffeine today. Which was fine while it lasted but you know, nothing lasts forever. So I've just jumped off a speeding train into wall of half-set Jell-O.

And it's not even strawberry. :D

Did you know a woman's fat percentage is supposed around 25? Mine is *gasp* around 50. Yes. 50. I'm a walking tub of lard. Actually, I'm a sitting-at-my-desk-typing tub of lard.

Goals to deal with this: more weight-lifting. Less Blizzard-eating. Less peanut-butter-with-a-spoon-eating. Gag. You don't want to know how often I've done that in the past week.

Mother-in-law comes to stay with us tomorrow. For a month. I'm in a state of near-panic about this. I dearly love this woman but a MONTH? I don't know if I can behave that long.

Elivi,

IT IS SO NECESSARY FOR YOU TO BE GOOD TO YOURSELF. Don't :tomato: because your MIL is coming ...... relax ... take a deep breath and PLAN TO GET TO KNOW HER.

Being a mother in law .... of which I am (and will soon be again) isn't always the easiest ..... show your MIL the same patience and understanding you do your children . She knows you love her son ..... and that you are a wonderful mother.

Share with her your successes ..... and be as good a friend to her as you are to all of us.

If you like peanut butter ... how about making your own ..... if you have a food processor .... it is so simple .....

EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY .... YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THE POWER AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE IT OKAY. Positive actions bring positive results. :up:. Love you lots, As always, Monica :wn

stopping in to see why your world is " less than sunny" at the moment. you sure do have a lot going on dont you? i can understand why you are feeling frazzled.
employers really dont have a clue about how to treat their workers these days. it doesnt take much to earn the respect of employees, treating them like they are important would be a start. my own workplace sucks right now too, not enough staff and the ones that are there are not valued, just worked into the ground......i am not good with new jobs though so will probably stick around.
Zits????????????
i made it through my teen years with no zits and here i sit at 29 last week when i was sick and had three, i was looking for a bag to put over my head.
Hang in there sweetie, hoping life starts getting sweeter for you real soon.
hugs bell :)

OOOhhhh Elivi, I came to you first to share my new "find!" And let me preface it by saying, "I am NOT one of these new age nuts that tries to convince myself that some health bar is JUST AS GOOD AS...." okay!?
But~yesterday I tried this power bar called "Pria", it was their "Mint Cookie" flavor, and girlfriend, it tasted EXACTLY like the mint cookies by the Girl Scouts. EXACTLY! No different, I even said aloud, "D@MN! these taste just like a Girl Scout cookie!" I couldn't down that thing fast enough! Chocolately goodness at its best and get this, only 110 calories per bar, 3.5g fat! Ask me if I'm not going in search of these bad boys!? So I thought about you because my thoughts at the moment were, "this sucker could replace any chocolate craving I'm having!" and then I thought about you so I wanted to share it with you first!:D
Now I don't know what any of the other Pria flavors taste like, but the "Mint Cookie" Pria power bar is a little piece of pure decadence for us chocolate lovers!

Donna

Happy MOnday to ya'--here it's Friday--call it Florida time change?

mil--don't worry about behaving.
zits--hate that.
job--eek. *meep.* (meep is actually a dea-ism I love)
fat %--guess what!?--you're changing it, 1% at a time.

deep cleansing breaths, chug a sip of water as though it were a braCING SHOT OF JAGER (NASTY STUFF BUT SOMETIMES IT CAN CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK ON things (sorry, caps))(like making ugky boys hotties) and think, life is like a roller coaster ride. Or a hill you snowboard/ski/coast down--sometimes there are bumps, but just hang on, they'll pass.

Abby's playing in dog water. Gotta go walk or something. (cuz it's nice to be out in 80 degree high humidity s**t at 9 in the morning.)(with bugs.)

hearts.

:sweety: Hi Elivi!

I'm back!

Congrats on meeting your first weight loss goal! And I'm happy for you that Shirley's coming to visit. I noticed you're trying to sound nervous about it so those of us NORMAL people with NORMAL :whip: mothers-in-law won't austrasize (sp?) you, but you don't fool me. I hope you know how lucky you are! I mean, my mother-in-law's okay, but I could never take her into my house for a MONTH! CH :coach: and I are always happy to see them come and happy to see them go, if you know what I mean.

I know what you mean about that peanut-butter spoon thing! It must be a genetic thing with us or something. We have a tub of that sinful stuff in the bottom of our pantry, but I haven't even taken off the quality seal, cause I know if I did it'd be gone in a week. And that's as far as my willpower takes me.

By the way, have you seen my thread? I've been gone so long I have no idea where it is...

Love you,
%%- Suzie

Hey there! You came and visited me in my journal a few days ago so I thought I'd pop in on you. Looks like you have been doing very well. Sorry about the problems at work. My work news lately hasn't been so great either, as you likely know from my journal. Stress like that we don't need when we're working on important projects like getting healthy!

I haven't tried the Pria bars that Donna mentioned, but I sure do like the chocolate peanut butter and chocolate raspberry Zone bars... :D

I enjoyed reading all the things you posted about your DH. Sounds like you have a great relationship & that is so wonderful. Does he need to work on weight/health issues too? My Sweetie does, and he's just now starting to take a few baby steps, 2-1/2 years after I started. It is really hard if they don't work with you, but it can be done!

What kinds of exercise do you do? Hope you have a great weekend!

Lisrey *

Layoffs...what a lousy thing to deal with. Studies show that it is very difficult on the people remaining behind, they feel terrible for the people who are gone, they feel guilty and they have to deal with lower quality work. Try to be a bit detached about work right now...care about what you are doing while you are there, but don't wear the problems of the whole organization. If somebody in management decided that the organization should lose "X" number of people and their work isn't going to be done, it isn't your problem. Just be as courteous, kind and competent as you can, and DETACH yourself from the results that you didn't create.

I am glad to hear that your diet and exercise are going well. It is helpful to have a positive focus to anchor your day when you feel less than good.

Take care.

:c(

This morning, when I got to my desk, lo and behold, a box of Ghiradelli's Mint Chocolate Drops propped up beside the computer! My first thought is, ah, The Flirt must be back in town. But no, the little post-it attached is from one of our Product Managers, as a thank-you for getting his expense report turned around so fast.

What the humptity!!?? I guarrantee you, I do not look like I need additional food. Why are people so compelled to buy me tempting goodies? And why am I so compelled to eat it when they do?

I'm not starving. The last time my stomach growled was January 2001, and you can still clearly see the dent in the ceiling my head made when that happened. Not a noise I'm used to hearing, LOL.

And just now, as I type this, my manager came by and dropped three mini Reeces and a Rolo on my desk. Mind you, she told me she was going to buy some candy for the Chocolate Resource Center (a little candy dish she leaves out for people, and another bane of my life) and asked me if I wanted anything.

I said no! How does "no" translate to three mini Reeces and a Rolo? And if I really wanted some, couldn't I just take it from the CRC like everyone else in the company?

:(

I think I need a sign for my cubicle like you see in zoos, "Please do not feed the Fat Lady."

Or maybe I should buy one of those coin-operated feeders they have outside the petting zoos, set it up to the side of my desk, and fill it with carrot sticks or Fiber One, with a little placard explaining the nutritional needs of the Overweight Accountant species of animal.

Thank you SO much for all your messages. I'm going to write back to each one of you. Just have to clear away some of the towering piles of paperwork on my desk first.

Anyone have a match they can lend me? :D

Hi Elivi, :wave:

Wanted to stop by .... just to see how you were doing ....

Suggestion .... how about putting the candy aside (in a plastic bag) ..... and on your way home YOU CAN EITHER THROW IT AWAY ..... OR YOU CAN GIVE IT TO YOUR CHILDREN.

The fact that you are appreciated is terrific .... unfortunately that isn't always the case .....

Well I want to go and check out some other Journals .... before the man I live with gets X-( upset with me. The two hours he was away this morning lol I accomplished washing the breakfast dishes, making the bed, doing two loads of laundry .... lol wouldn't you know HE WAS HOME RIGHT ON THE DOT ..... I have him timed to the second. If I would have gotten up earlier I COULD HAVE DONE MORE. Well speak of the MAN ..... he just passed by and shook his head .... lol it's wonderful to rebel at age 60.

REMEMBER TO BE GOOD TO YOURSELF .... Make it a great day. As always, Monica :hug: :wn

Sounds like everybody you work with is stress eating chocolate because of all the layoffs and the tension, and of course, they don't want to leave you out. Check it out...are people eating more than usual? Suggestion...you are going to have to let them know that you are trying to eat healthier and say something like, "you know, I would love some fresh fruit." Then you will have legal snacks and it will help you stay on plan.

Like Monica said, come up with a plan for that chocolate, like dropping it off at a retirement home or the police station for folks to eat on your way home. Regift, man!!

Hi Monica.

I truly love it when you visit my journal. Always something positive to say!

Thank you for the MIL perspective. Easy to forget she is a person too! I DO love this woman, and know I am lucky in that regard.

My MIL is a 54-year-old child. She is sweet, giggles all day, is very loving, and a tad naive about life. My kids adore her.

My problem is that I really want her to like me. So I'm sort of afraid to let my hair down around her, if you know what I mean. Let my stomach hang out. Let the house get messy. Get impatient with the kids or too tired to make dinner.

:(

I guess I should explain that DH and I got married because we "had" to. And neither of us got to finish college, we suddenly had a family to support. Now, six years later we are still crazy about each other, so by some miracle (and I am grateful, God!) it's worked out very well. But you can see why a MIL might harbor some resentment against me. I really did knock her son's life off the track.

I am so happy that you came to see me Bell!!

You bring sunshine wherever you go, did you know that!? :)

I am like you, I had no adolecent acne to speak of. So you can understand why I am so puzzled when a little volcanic eruption occurs on my face. I'll be bent over the sink, peering in the mirror going "WHAT is that!?" and DH will laugh at me. "Oh, that? It's Sonny Bono, what do you think it is?"

Elivi, a brief note before I go to feed my face ....

LOOK HOW MUCH JOY YOU HAVE GIVEN HER SON ..... YOU HAVE BEEN A GOOD WIFE .... A TERRIFIC MOTHER ....AND A GOOD DAUGHTER IN LAW

I am already a mother in law (and when my middle daughter will be getting married in January ...I will be a mother in law to a new son in law) and my oldest daughter and my son in law just celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary ......

Elivi ..... you are a beautiful, caring woman ..... BE KIND TO YOURSELF lol Les my hubby just came by .... lol I am being glowered at ... just know that AS LONG AS YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE YOU ARE LOVED ...... SO PUT A :) on your face. As always, Monica

LOL I am being carried away .......

You know that Pria bar sounds absolutely divine!

I have a very soft spot in my heart for mint chocolate, so you know I'll be trying that energy bar soon!

In related news, I tried another of your suggestions last night - the first of CatheTheGreat's Pure Strength videos. Let me just say that if the exercise video well ever dries up for this lady, she could have a very promising career as an extortionist. My legs are killing me this morning. I can barely walk. :c(

THAT'S GREAT!:D

That soreness lets you know you used a weight that challenged your muscles and you worked them well!

Did you do the floorwork too? By the time the inner and outer thigh work is done I can't even stretch, my thighs are on FIRE and screaming to the point I can barely move, I just sort of roll over on my side and lay there for a few minutes, THEN when I'm sure my thighs aren't going to go into some spasm OR jump off my body and kick me to death, I stretch! And I don't use weights(bodybar) like they do, I'm still using my own leg weight and I can't handle it!8-| But it is a great lower body workout!

Have fun, and try that Pria bar, I've got to get some more, those were a freebie I got from some magazine for participating in a challenge they did. I'm telling you, they taste JUST like that mint chocolate Girl Scout cookie! And 110 cals, I'm drooling just thinking about them!:D

Donna

This is what we call killing two bird-bugs with one stone. :D

Who-e you guys crack me up.

Jess, those "ugky boys" must be a Floridian variety - we don't have them here.

Now testosterone-seething buff 20-year-olds who think they are God's gift and like to hang out at my gym - those we have in abundance.

But it would take more than a shot of Jagar (like a concusion, or 10 minutes with Cathe Freidrich) to make me swoon over them.

Suzie, so we've actualy ruled out the possibility that I may be normal, eh?

Well, that was bound to happen.

I DO love my MIL. This is what I keep telling myself.

This actually happened last night:

DH is sneezing and sniffling and complaining about coming down with something. Being the loving wife that I am, I give him a hug and kiss, tell him I hope he feels better, then go to bed.

30 minutes later MIL knocks on my door (mind you, I was sleeping at the time), asks if I can show her where we keep the decongestant. Sure, I say, ever the helpful host.

Halfway to the kitchen, it dawns on me what is going on. Why do you need the cold medicine? I ask. Oh no, she says, not for her. It's for her son.

Who, by the way, knows perfectly well where we keep medicine.

Seething and laughing at the same time (not an easy feat), I hand her the cold medicine, which is located approximately 4 inches from where DH is standing, finishing up the dishes.

I didn't stick around to see if she just handed it to him, actually TOLD her adult son to take it, or spoon-fed him. :) I was too afraid to watch.

So today I ask DH how it feels to have 2 women catering to his every need. He replies dryly that it is all he ever hoped it would be.

Grr. That wasn't what I meant. :D

elivi :wave:

You popped in my journal some time ago and gave me requested ol 1-2. Thanks.... Its late but Thanks.

You are a RIOT! :laugh:

Reading your last post reminded me of a episode of Everybody Loves Raymond. Last nights episode was almost exactly about your question to DH. TO FUNNY!

Anywhoos just wanted to say hi and meet you.. I think I will come here more often.

Yeah, I know. Five days later and I'm just now acknowledging your presence in my journal - what kind of a friend am I anyway!??

I just have to :bow: in admiration of your successes - losing 70 pounds so far!! Blows my mind. I have so far to go! :c(

I know, I know, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single yadda yadda yadda...

Some days that is good enough for me. But some days I wake up and HATE the way I look and feel as if I'm trying to drain the ocean with a toothpaste cap (thimble is so overused, don't ya think?). Yeah I'm making progress but I'm still not really GETTING anywhere.

:(

You're right about my DH - I adore him. He says we are two adjoining puzzle pieces - not very much alike but we just plain fit. I can't fathom why he loves me but I'm so glad he does.

He is maybe about 30 pounds overweight but still looks good - just needs to curb his sweet teeth (DH has a whole mouth of them) and get back into a regular exercise routine. He HAS been trying. You know men, they can't let the woman be the only one in the house lifting weights!! :D NOT good for the tender male ego.

As far as exercise goes, I'm trying to do a little bit of everything. Dancing, walking, biking, swimming, climbing stairs, lifting weights. Donna is trying to get me into Cathe Freidrich's exercise videos. I tried one the other day and wouldn't you know it, no smiley face for collapsing on the floor too pooped to...well, to poop.

Yes, Donna, I know you have to keep with it. And I will try it again. As soon as I have a day when I don't actually need to USE my legs.

I did have a great weekend, thank you. I had power. ;)

You know lady, you are SO insightful.

Yes, people are eating way more than usual around here. But of course I didn't put it all together until you said something.

How are you doing Artsy? Haven't heard from you in a few days.

Work is so hectic that it's hard to take time to write in here as much as I'd like. I remember now I was going to use this journal to log my eating and exercise habits - I've totally slacked off there, haven't I?

:(

Well so far today I've had a bowl of oatmeal w/ soy milk. And no exercise other than walking to my car and climbing the stairs at work.

Day's young. I'll post more later.

Cheers!

LOL, you crack me up Elivi!:D

It could have been MUCH worse! You could have gotten her CTX Leaner Legs workout, now THAT is THE cruelest leg workout I've ever come across! 8-|

And what's that about the tender male ego? I WISH my hubby's ego could get bruised! He happily plays his playstation as I work out in the mornings, he doesn't give a seconds worth of thought to joining me! Once, and I do mean once, he took a Tae Bo challenge I threw out, and was I surprised when he passed it!? I just knew he would pass out or give in before the hour was up, but he hung in there, huffing, puffing, panting and wheezing, but he did it! That was the last we spoke about him and his fitness!
However, on occasion, after a real hard "I don't think I can get off the floor" workout, he will put my weights away for me, and THIS he considers his contribution to weight lifting!

Did you get only the leg workout or did you get the PS Series upper body workouts too?

Have a good one today,

Donna

What exercise tapes are you doin?

Elivi:

I need you to remember the way you felt driving to Wendy's yesterday for lunch - the impatience, the fear, the hungry tightness in your stomach. How you wanted to buy 5 burgers and chase them down with 17 orders of fries. How you felt even that would not fill the cavernous NEED inside you.

I need you to remember how you corrected yourself, calling to mind how little food it actually takes to calm you, refresh and restore you. How you hugged yourself in the car and smiled in anticipation while you told yourself it was going to be okay. Just wait, you said. There are good choices to be made here. It will feel so good to make them.

Remember the incredible feeling of POWER you felt walking out of Wendy's with your salad in a bag at your side, arms swinging, no more panic clutching at your throat. You could take on the world. You could fly.

Elivi you are such a hoot! I would love to meet you ...lol

I havent been exercising, just simple walking. wahhh
I am going to the doctor monday if I am not any better with this fatigue. I have had enough.

My hubby told me I have to sign off the internet, because I have roadrunner and its too expensive. Try as I might to be under the Kings dictations, I called roadrunner right in front of him and told them to come out tomorrow to pick the modem up. Then when he went to bed, I called them back and cancelled the cancellation LOL
Now, I have to hide my external modem, hehe

We are tipping and hitting (so to speak) this week. Wish I could hit the X in the upper right hand corner on him, like I do cybermonkeys online LOL

Oh by the way, I tried one of those Pria bars. I got the strawberry shortcake flavor. Oh my.. Glad I only bought one lol
You can order them online by the box cheaper. But I DONT TRUST ME..lol

I think maybe I might take fish oil tabs, someone said that is good for energy and helps fatigue. I dont eat fish at all.
But I did try veggie sushi with seaweed LOL
That wasnt bad at all.

Well, my friend, I am going to look around the forum a bit..

Hi elivi...I was away a few days working out of town, but now I am back. I stayed on plan but did not get any exercise. I am feeling pretty tired tonight, but contemplating a trip to the gym...or then again, it might just wait until tomorrow. Sounds like you are back on track and feeling positive about life...may the feeling last! Take care.

Good Morning Karen, :wave:

It is a very early start for me ......

Karen, when you go to the doctor ask him/her to check your thyroid ..... of course that will mean a blood test :tomato: .... I need to get going want to check other Journals ..... and post in my own ..... it has been so long since I really posted anything except brief messages .....

Make it a great day ... take care of yourself. As always, Monica :hug: :wn

Oops sorry Elivi :embarassment:

I just realized I posted my comments to Karen in your thread ... too early in the morning for me I guess .... 8-}

I will be checking out other journals and writing in as many as I can ..... than I have to check with Dee and meet her at the hospital. Love you lots Elivi :hug: As always, Monica :wn

you won't see this for a while, you'll be spending all (donna reed) weekend errrr....mmmmmm.....oh yeah, *entertaining.*

and it was *ugly*. My fingers have an eastern european girth ill-suited for my bil's laptop.

Congrats on your Wendy's achievement. I never take moments like that lightly.

happy weekend wishes.

Working backward...

Jessica,

Glad you're back! I've missed your humor in my journals. And I was just teasing you about the ugly boys. Elivi trying to be cute.

Bring back any winged cockroaches in your hair? Made you look.

Monica,

Mi journal es su journal. ;)

Artsy,

Welcome back and thanks for your positive words. I need all the happy thoughts I can get with the weekend coming up. Weekends are notorious for frenzied face-feeding at Elivi's house.

Karen,

I feel as if I HAVE already met you, you remind me so much of my MIL it's scary. You even look like her. So what's the address for the Pria bars?

Maxi posted in my journal! Maxi posted in my journal! :x

Donna has me doing some Cathe Freidrich exercise videos. I've only tried one so far - a Pure Strength tape focusing on the legs. The name is misleading - they should be called the Pure Throbbing Excruciating Aching Series of Horror.

Donna,

My grocery store doesn't carry Pria bars. :( But I'll keep looking. Karen mentioned a website.

I got the whole Pure Strength set - I'm just afraid.

Think Darth Vadar: "Come to the dark side elivi! Try the upper body workouts, the force is with you, you can do them!":D

Donna

p.s. I can't find the Pria bars either! Oh well, I tried, so if I'm forced to eat cookies instead it's not like I didn't try to find the healthier substitute!:D

Hi elivi! Just thought I would stop by and butt into your journal this time to say hi! I posted the Zone diet info you asked for in my journal. Hope it helped. I must say, I get a kick out of your humor...I typically find that sarcasm works best for me...unless I don't have the energy in which case I settle for pathetic puns and bathroom humor. Anyway, hope you are doing great, making progress, and feeling good.

I need to get back to the hunt for what used to be my figure...

see ya, Iv

I loved your post about Wendy's. That was the way I started out -- with momentum that built on itself. I got more and more confident as I lost, and that helped me lose more! You are doing beautifully & it is great to hear the strength in your posts.

Great job! :up:

Lisrey :D

Hiya gang! Monica, that was cute.. I have a sleep shirt that says, its too early! lol I will have my thyroid checked again..

Elivi... I hope you REALLY love your MIL lol I bet I dont look like her now! I got my hair totally cut off.. One more inch and I would look like that loud mouth Susan Powders lol

Donna and Elivi.. here is a site that has those Pria bars on sale. May God be with you all, I would NEVER buy that many LOL

http://www.vitacost.com/store/products/ProductSearch.cfm?searchby=PN&SearchText=pria

That comes out to about .96 per bar after shipping costs of two boxes. I found them at the health food store but they were 1.29 each.
Told my son I would get him some for breakfast along with a smoothie.

P.S. Elivi, I read in Tamara's journal that you went on Jenny Craigs diet. I just read a book about this man that went on a diet like that and his cupboards were full of those boxes lol
The book was called "somethings wrong with your scale" . It wasnt the best book but it was comical as well as thoughtful.

Well, you have a good nite..I am off..

Elivi,

SuperWal-Marts almost always carry Pria Bars. And they are fantastic!

:up: Suzie

Congrats on your successful Wendy's trip. I've never heard of Cathe Freidrich, but you make her video sound like so much fun, I must check it out. :D

Hello,

wanted to say hello and thanks for your support in my journal. i see your doing well.

weekend are hard in my house too where food is concerned but i try to do my best.

take care.

Donna,

You are forever forgiven for your rabid enthusiasm (ie, product endorsement) over the Pria bars. I found them at our Wild Oats this weekend and cleaned them out. But what else could I do? They were on sale for 69 cents each!

OMG I have tasted bliss, and it is Pria. Donna you were absolutely not kidding about those girl scout cookies. And the "double chocolate cookie" one is to die for also. Ever since I have been handing them out like buttons at a political rally.

And and AND I lost another 2 1/4 pounds last week! Probably thanks to CatheTheGreat, aka Darth Freidrich. Donna, in a rare moment of forgetful giddiness I tried the upper body workout over the weekend. This woman found muscles in my body I didn't know I had. During which (amid all the screaming and cursing), I think I momentarily forgot my own name. I just wanted the pain to stop.

And I'm thoroughly hooked. :)

Ivy,

:rofl: you are a funny girl! That comment you made reminded me of a quip I heard on TV recently. Fat Guy says "I lost 20 pounds," and 2nd Fat Guy responds with "Look behind you, you'll find them." :D I feel like this everyday.

WHEN do we start seeing changes in ourselves? I feel like the same old overstuffed elivi. I'm wearing the same clothes, and they look the same on me. Today I feel soft and heavy and round, I'm a walking, breathing pudding cup. Blahh...

But part of this may be that I'm *sniff* coming down with something.

Why DO we say "something"?

As in, "I'm coming down with something tonight, not sure what it is. I could wake up with a cold, or a Mexican tangerine, or Catherine Zeta-Jones. It's too early to tell."

Lisrey,

You are so right. I've got to Pay Attention and Learn - those are the keys I think. So I've learned something new - I need to STAY OFF the scale except at offical weekly weigh-ins.

I've been weighing every day (make that several times a day) and I think that contributes to my bad weekend habits. Of course my weight drops on the weekends (getting up later, dehydration) and that gives me a false sense of security. I think I can eat whatever I want, and boy do I.

So I've decided to stay OFF the scale. I need The Fear.

Karen,

Thanks for that address. And when do we get a new picture avatar?

Did you also read my Jenny Craig rant? She's evil, I tell you!

Suzie,

We don't have a Walmart here yet. What do they go for over there?

Nikic,

Try Cathe at your own risk. I assume no responsibility for memory loss, hair loss, weight loss, or total paralysis. :up:

Hi Minnie.

Thanks for visiting me. My heart just went out to you in your post about your daughters. I am sending positive thoughts your way.

Dear Elivi,

CONGRATULATIONS ON HAVING SUCCESSFULLY LOST TWO AND ONE QUARTER POUNDS :cheer: :cheer:

You write that you feel the same .... that your clothes look the same etc ..... maybe it is time to REWARD YOURSELF WITH SOMETHING NEW ... even a tee shirt in a smaller size does wonders to lift ones spirits ... I know that when I ... now please don't :laugh: .... or if you do keep it to yourself I had to purchase new bras and panties .... it gave me a thrill ....

Have you started saving your funds for your NEW WARDROBE.. how about putting 50 cents to a $1.00 in a jar for every pound you lose .... YOU WILL HAVE SAVED QUITE A BIT ....

Again congratulations YOU ARE DOING FANTASTICALLY . As always, Monica

Hi Elivi...Just wanted to check in and make sure you are avoiding those KRISPY KREME!!!! I put the downfalls of my KK battle in reply to your post on my journal thread. I'm warning you....they are sneaky little boogers! ha ha ha

As for losing and then thinking you can be just a little naughty...story of my battle too. Somehow that security just makes me think, see there...I can always do that so I might as well just worry about being good tomorrow. I've been searching for some sort of deep psychological desire to sabotage success...but as yet I have found nothing, so I am pretty sure it's just my indulgent bad habits that are causing me to stray. So, I am slowly conditioning my pea brain to the thought that it's finally time to act like a grown-up and just admit that those old bad habits are what got me in this condition. 8-| Speaking of bad habits...I better get back to working through this pile of crap on my desk so I can be ready for this afternoon's meeting...wheeee!

Happy carrot sticks and water bottles!!!! :D See ya later, Iv

:hop: YOU LOSER YOU :hop:

You are rockin Girly girl.........

Karen Voight says, after working out consistantly, you can expect the first month to feel a differance, in the second month you will see a differance and in the third month others will notice a differance. I say get out a tape measure and measure yourself. This will be a sure sign of shrinkage! :up:
I even measure the width of my foot. lol...

OOOOhhhhh Elivi, I am so tickled for you!:D I told you, Cathe is addictive, and she gets results! You'll never waste a penny with her workouts, I truly believe they scare the weight off, just sheer terror makes your body shed pounds!:D
Wait until you try her cardio, she has a really good kickboxing workout that is 1 hr, but it can be broken into 2 workouts if you want. 35min of cardio kickboxing which you can modify completely to low/no impact and then 20min of drill work with punching, jabs and kicking, all grounded, no jumping (unless you choose to). It's called CardioKicks. And no equipment is necessary with that workout. Another goodie is her BootCamp workout, its a great way to do both cardio and weights in one workout.:D

You have my mouth watering on the Pria bars, I will be in search of the other flavors!

Donna

Elivi!

You are halarious, sis! I'm sitting here in my office and my reader keeps sending raised eyebrows my way because of my constant giggling. I just can't keep it in when I read your posts.
:laugh:
And now I'm seriously going to check out those work-out videos. Where can I find them?

:up: Suzie

Hi Elivi- just stopping in to do a bit of a catch up and say hi!
you are scaring those pounds away girl, and we all know how many pounds Donna has scared off so i say keep at the Cathe tapes!
you are doing awesome sweetie. i am devising an evil exercise minute plan for September...going to really give September a shake up...i turn 30 in September so i am determined to be the best i can be when i hit the big 3-0.
hugs bell :)

And now I'm seriously going to check out those work-out videos. Where can I find them?

Suzie, they're at www.cathe.com

They are phenominal workouts!

Donna

Yay!! Congratulations on the loss! That's great, and it's great that you're enjoying those workouts, too.

I'm with Maximum -- measure yourself now. I wish I had had the guts and/or brains to measure when I started, but I never thought of it. I would LOVE to know now how much of an overall change I have made, but I guess I will never know... I did keep one dress that was custom altered to fit me right before I started losing. I think when I get to goal I will have it altered again to fit me at THAT size -- no matter what it costs! :laugh:

And finally, how often you weigh is a completely individual thing. There was a long poll thread called "How often do you weigh?" that had a lot of interesting replies. Personally, I like to weigh myself every day, but I take an "official" weight once a week. It helps me to see how my body fluctuates depending on my behavior, my sodium intake, my TOM, etc. Other people prefer weekly or even monthly... It just depends on the person & how they use that information. Good luck with whatever you try, but don't believe that every day weighing has to be a bad thing. :)

Lisrey :up:

hear hear to Lisrey's dimension insight; I got meast's taken after 3 months of working out (silly trainer at the Y lost them!!:c( )--but seeing before pictures makes me really wish I knew how bad it *was*...

hey there girl!!! Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I see you lost 2 1/2 pounds... WAY TO GO!!!! That is great! So I see you are doing some workout tapes from a lady, any that you highly recommend? I ordered the firm and can't wait till it gets here. It will be 4-6 weeks, so I need something new I can buy until then. I better get moving, have a great day!

Hello,

I think we do see changes but the real changes are inside and most important. the new habits and love and self esteem for ourselves.

i see change in me physically but want to see more.

your doing so good with food and exercise too.

keep it up,

and take care.

Okay, after whining yesterday about how my clothes looked and felt the same on me, guess what??!

No, they still look and feel the same. I still feel stuffed into them. (Of course they do. They're too small, from before I had the Babybear. But the last thing you want to do when trying to lose weight is go out and buy bigger clothes... :( )

BUT but but my ring is a wee bit loose! Weird. Pants - tight. Ring - loose. I can't seem to stop playing with it. :D

Monica,

That is a good idea about rewarding myself, but I can't bring myself to buy clothes yet.

Soooo...anybody have some great reward ideas (non-food, natch) they'd be willing to share? The more creative, the better. I'd be willing to spend up to $25 every 5 pounds.

One idea I had - buy a couple dozen roses and leave them around the office in little vases. Tell anybody who asks that I'm celebrating losing X pounds.

Hm. That one's a little scary. Not sure I'm ready to start broadcasting my weightloss yet.

LOL Ivy. YOU act like a grown-up. I'm only 21 (er, for the 5th time) so I'll settle for being a smart kid.

Maxi, Lisrey, Jess,

re that old device de torture THE TAPE MEASURE. I did actually take my measurements 2 months ago. But I find this one more frusterating than the scale. 18 pounds is a big number. Possibly-one-inch-or-maybe-just-a-half-I-can't-remember-how-tight-I-made-this-the-last-time-around is a very small number and never as encouraging as I hoped.

Donna,

You're right about the sheer terror thing. I have visions of all my other videos (even Carrie and Village of the Damned) huddled shuddering in a corner of the movie cabinet.

Suzie,

Donna was right, you CAN get those videos at www.cathe.com. BUT since you are family I will tell you I saved about $20 getting them from Ebay instead. Less money for Cathe, more money for me. But I have a hunch I need it more.

Ah Bell, I am seriously frightened now of what you might have in mind for us for September. I'm going to need to put the paramedics on our speed-dial, aren't I?? *wimper, wimper*

Lisrey,

I think you're right, weighing often isn't *necessarily* a bad thing but in my case it has become one. I've been using the excuse of "hey, I'm losing!" to overeat. Which doesn't make me happy anyway.

Hear that elivi?? It doesn't make you happy!!!

Sophie,

Yes, I'd highly recommend these tapes - they are called the Pure Strength Series (short for Pure Throbbing Excruciating Aching Please Make it Stop Sobbing With All My Strength Series of Horror) from Cathy Freidrich. Three tapes, one for the lower body, one for the upper body, and another I haven't tried yet but I think has something to do with your back and posture.

They are great because they make you GAIN muscle. Typically women don't like to "bulk up" but if we are overweight or over 20 we have to stop thinking of it this way. Each pound of muscle you gain burns an extra 75 calories a day just to maintain itself. Conversely if you lose muscle (which by the way we naturally do after we turn 25 or so, and it accelerates with weight loss) you are going to burn that much LESS.

Minnie,

What you wrote was really beautiful. Thanks.

Now, I'm really hoping people will leave me some reward ideas!?

If you like jewelry ..... perfume .... BUT SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY SPECIAL .... JUST FOR YOU. Some like to go and have their hair done .... others like to go and get their nails done ..... BUT IT HAS TO BE JUST FOR YOU. You're doing GREAT :up:. As always, Monica

E,

ha ha ha I am laughing so hard about your tape measure description!!! How many times have I been buck naked in my bathroom trying to decide how tight I pulled the da*n thing last time and at exactly what point on my hips I decided was the "widest point" that day. (how can you choose