Minutes, Sunday, January 2: All members of Athletea's Diet Club 2004 (Athletea, Athletea, Athletea and Athletea ... X-( ... oh, and the mascot) have reached their official New Year's Sunday's Weight Goal at this a.m.'s weigh-in and reorganization meeting (give or take a pesky .2 pounds, which we are not paying attention to).

The club moved into new quarters closer to the center of Diet Village to reflect the commitment of the members to reach their final goal of 135 by June 18.

Club elections were held. Athletea was named the new 2005 president. Athletea was named 2005 vice president. Athletea was named 2005 club clerk. Athletea was ...

X-(

The mascot was named 2005 mascot.

The consensus of the membership was that every member should declare a goal o' the day at morning meetings and report back on it each night. Members are encouraged not to skip meetings as the consequences are DIRE (e.g., we might gain weight).

Athletea declared her "GOALPOST" for New Year's Sunday is not to eat the daily candy bar. She will also try to remain in the 1500s caloriewise, but that's more a wish than a goal.

The membership voted that all nightly reports should be done in the soothing color called "sienna" ... this was Athletea's idea, as she aspires to devote more time to her painting this year and "sienna" is a painterly color ... X-( ... sorry, Mascot, yes, we're drifting off topic ... anyhow, President A hath put in an order for virtual "sienna" ink from the local Diet-o-Rama store.

Meeting ended. Membership heads to work.

Hello Athletea! I am writing in "Sienna", lol. I will try not to exceed 1500 for...today.
Check-in with you later.

Hi, Friend. Thanks for the visit to my journal. Come any time.

Your new journal looks mighty spiffy. A new start with a new journal for a new year. Good luck to the both of us.

Yo, greetings to JoJo and Aria. Thanks for stoppin' in ... yea, JoJo, good luck to us all, but we dinna really need it because methinks this will be the most fortunate of years ... dunno why I think that, but I do. Aria, there's plenty o' sienna now in stock in the clubhouse! It's a pretty color for loggin' in great calorie counts! :up: Hope your goal went well today!

Minutes: Club President Athletea shared her food and exercise log. The mascot tried to give a speech but we put him in a closet X-(
Athletea's Sunday Log:
2 Slimfast Optima Vanilla Shakes 380
2 Improved Corn Muffins* 320
*(Flaxseed, soymilk, raisins & Splenda added to a mix)
2 Improved Corn Muffins 320
Creamy vege soup** 110
**(Frozen mixed vege, low sodium mushroom soup base)
Chicken/vege "Bun Meal" entree 320
Smoothie: Mixed berries, soymilk 95

Total 1545

Exercise: 30 min walk, late afternoon

Hi there, yesterday was 1510! :)

Bleech, it's Monday! X-(

Ok, it's me, the Mascot, and I'm chairing this meeting. X-(

Would anyone like to share a goal today? Club President Athletea? Figured YOU'D have something to say!

Well, Mascot, I just wanted to share that THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF OUR LIFE! And my goal for Monday is to stay in the 1500s calwise, PLUS I'm challenging myself and all club members (especially Club Vice President Athletea and Club Treasurer Athletea and Club Cluck, er, Clerk Athletea) to NOT EAT THE DAILY CANDY BAR today only!

Ok! Meeting adjourned! X-(

That was quick.

Great work there on the cals, Aria!!! :wave: :cheer: I didn't see thee in the back of the room there when I posted before!!!!! Let's go out there and have another great eating WISE day! Ok? Ok! Huzzah!

OK :hop:

Interim report, Diet Club Board emergency meeting: Club President Athletea reported that Club Member Athletea did not reach the club goal of NOT eating a candy bar today. Moreover, she reported that said CM A actually ate TWO candy bars. Cals remain good, though, she reported, and a full meeting of the membership will be held tonight as usual with a complete report. There being no other business before the board, the meeting was adjourned. X-(

Minutes, quick night meeting, please come to order ... X-( ... you can talk later, Mascot, it's Athletea's turn now. Here is my Monday report before the server goes down again:

2 Caramello bars (goal of no candy bar not met) 420
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
2 Improved Corn Muffins* 320
Tuna/brown rice/mushroom soup casserole 185
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
2 Improved Corn Muffins 320

Total 1445

Exercise: 40 min gym (10 min walking laps in aerobics room, 30 mins weights)

Meeting adjourned! ISP here does not function well when it rains!

"Two" candy bars. You should have given me one. But that calorie count sure looks good.

My regards to Mascot. And keep smiling, both of you -

Happy new year to you too! :D And thanks for the sweet comments in my journal. Candy bars... it's sooo hard for me to stay away from those too! Why can't someone just invent healthy chocolate?! :shrug: I had a little bit of cake on new years eve, but haven't had any cake or candy since then... this has already been a very long year! :laugh:

1585 :)
Weigh-in tomorrow.

Sis boom and bah!!!! Hoorah!!! It's a new wonderful day to DIET (Dedication, Intellect, Education, Talent = SUCCESS ... or something) ... Aria, you are lookin' good there ... :up: your weigh-in is a SHOO-IN!!! :cheer:

IronMaiden (love that name) ... they tell me dark chocolate is healthy because it has lots of antioxidants ... hmmm ... not sure that applies to Caramello bars ... I guess sugar free, fat free chocolate pudding would be somewhat healthy ... sigh ... a Caramello bar it ain't! :)

JoJo, you can have my ONE allotted one today ... I'm declaring a candy emergency zone ... it's my production day and I don't want to even go there with candy today!!!

Thanks for comin' by, guys!!!

BTW, I can keep smilin' but Mascot refuses to do so ... X-( ... see?

Hear ye, hear ye, the Tuesday-Is-Production-Day-So-We-Need-To-Be-Diet-Watchful-All-Day-Because-Production-Day-Makes-Us-Mad-And-Stressful Emergency Meeting is called to order. Anyone from the public wish to make a comment?

X-(

Not you, Mascot! Anyone else? I thought not. Ok, let's go on to club business. Club President Athletea has asked that all members keep a running online tab of their journal report today. Please post your food here and return to edit throughout the day, rather than waiting until evening, since the membership plans on being at different locations during the day and this is the most efficient way to check in!

Ok, Wise Club Spokesperson, here's my first report and I'll be back to edit through the day as ye say! ~ Signed, Club Member:

Improved Muffin 160
Super Energy Drink* 335
*2 servings mixed frozen fruit (two kinds of melon, peaches, grapes), raisins, flaxseeds, soymilk, Splenda, water
Two cupcakes (at least it's NOT candy) 400
EAS Carb Control vanilla protein shake 100
Slimfast Optima vanilla 180
2 Improved Muffins 320
8-oz ff milk w/Splenda (shake) 80

Total 1615

Exercise: Gym: 10 min recumbent bike, 20 min treadmill, 5 min abs

NOTICE, THE MEMBERSHIP HAS PETITIONED DIET VILLAGE COUNCIL TO DECLARE TUESDAY A CANDY FREE ZONE. Be the first in yur diet neighborhood to comply with the new regulations as the council is sure to approve it!!!! Don't wait! Do we have to send the Diet Police after ya? THIS MEANS YOU, ATHLETEA! ~ Signed, Anonymous Cranky Candy-Hating Busybody!

X-(

OK I will try that for today, as I am not too good at this sort of thing, lol.

7:00am
BREAKFAST ~ 260 calories (1 dry whole wheat toast, 1 fried egg in olive oil, 1/2 cup orange juice, black coffee)
I do have to stay away from left over Christmas candies too.

12:30pm
LUNCH ~ 360 calories (curry soup with leftovers: chickpeas, pasta, bok choi, onions, yams, fresh ginger and black coffee)

3:00pm
SNACK ~ 150 calories (3/4 cup cereal w/1/2 cup 2% milk)

6:00pm
SNACK ~ 70 calories (soy chips and cup of black decaff)

7:45pm
DINNER ~ 470 calories (small slice of cheese pizza, low fat ranch dressing on salad, homemade hot chocolate w/ 2% milk)

8:30pm
SNACK ~ 100 calories (leftover soy chips and one lollypop)

10:30pm
SNACK ~ 150 calories (one grapefuit, some cucumber slices w/hummus)

TOTAL ~ 1560 calories :)

Lookin' good, A!!!! :up: I just posted same on your journal ... you're really doing great ... keep a'goin'!

Thanks Athletea!
Nor bad for today! :pass:
How did you do?
Going to bed now, before I have another snack, lol.

I'm just drinking water now, no more cals, also going to bed ... good luck on your weigh-in, Aria! Thanks for posting menus with me! :wave:

Discussion Topic: "Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success." ~ Dale Carnegie

The Diet Club meeting will please come to order. X-( Does anyone have anything to say about the discussion topic. Athletea?

Er, I'd just like to say that we in the Diet Club have experienced beaucoup bouts of discouragement and failure in our club goal of reaching 135 pounds, but we agree with Mr. Carnegie ... THESE ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR FUTURE SUCCESS, which as everyone knows will come precisely at 9 a.m. on June 19, 2005, if not before. Huzzah!

That's all? X-(

Work with me, Mascot. I have a headache and have to get some rest 'cause I'm working tonight. I went to the gym and did a little weights and I shopped for healthy food and I made a list of bills I have to pay and I AM TIRED ALREADY and when do I have TIME to eat right and exercise and I AM CRANKY!

Whine, whine, whine, whine, whine! Ok, would anyone like to sing the DIET song? No? Ok, I will: "Diets work if ya work 'em, one more time, diets work if ya work 'em, one more time, one more TIME!" Will all members please return for the evening meeting when convenient and post their day's food and exercise! Be there or be square! And remember DIET = (hmmm) DO IT EVERY TIME (sis boom bah) 'n yu'll be fine! Meeting adjourned! X-(

Hello Athletea, I won't be posting my menu for today because it is too time consuming, due to my triggered perfectionism, but just imagine me basically eating the leftovers from yesterdays leftovers, plus a few goodies. :laugh:
Hope your headache goes away! I am a bit on the dizzy side myself today, just looking at my list of things to do at work and otherwise...
Have a great day! :*

S'ok, Aria! :) I appreciate your stalwartness in doing the menu yesterday! It is kind of time consuming, but it's easy for me because on most days I just type my food into a spreadsheet I created that tallies the cals for me ... then at the end of the eating day, I post it. It's only on days I have to go to the mountains to work all day that I do it all online ... which is handy. I journal all different kinds of ways ... a notebook and pen works great but I get tired of carrying it around. I think seeing it in type is really helpful for me to focus on what I'm eating and how it relates to my goals ... you did great on your weight loss this week! See ya!

Due to lack of time, the night meeting of Athletea's Diet Club has been moved to this late afternoon postie! When A works nights, she likes to eat early, so she asked us, her stalwart fellow club members to give her nightly report now ... says she'll come back and edit in changes if any, but would like to make this the end o' the eating day. Lest anyone think, A is starving herself at night, be assured she'll have a snack after midnight if need be (which will go on the next day's count):

Athletea's Report:

Slimfast Optima vanilla shake 180
Cinnamon roll 420
2 Baby Bell cheeses 140
Sf tapioca pudding w/raisins 135
Brocolli/mushroom soup 75
Pb/choc kid's snack 140
Salmon fillet w/dill 100
Shake: Mixed frozen berries, soymilk, Splenda 95
2 Soy/Orange/Cranberry muffins 270

Total 1555

Exercise: 10 min weights in gym, 20 min walk at home

Mascot is taking an afternoon nap, which is why it's so peaceful here right now!

Thank goodness Mascot is sleeping, lol! :)

Well, A, he woke up last night just before the meeting I had to cover! He made me SO stressed out yappin' at me that we didn't want to work and that we wanted a candy bar ... that ya can likely guess what happened! SO, Club President Athletea is calling an emergency meeting to deal with Mascot and post the AMENDED WEDNESDAY CALORIE COUNT!

Well, we were doing so well, but that Anger Demon, aka Mascot, got to several of the club members last night even BEFORE we got to our job and FORCED US to go on a mini-binge. :hug: Sigh!

We are refusing to get upset by this, but in an effort to get our Diet Thing going again, we are reposting yesterday's menu:

Slimfast Optima vanilla shake 180
Cinnamon roll 420
2 Baby Bell cheeses 140
Sf tapioca pudding w/raisins 135
Brocolli/mushroom soup 75
Pb/choc kid's snack 140
Salmon fillet w/dill 100
Shake: Mixed frozen berries, soymilk, Splenda 95
2 Soy/Orange/Cranberry muffins 270
3 Slimfast Optima vanilla shakes 540
Caramello bar 210
2 Soy/Orange/Cranberry muffins 270

Total 2575

Emergency session adjourned. Thursday a.m. meeting in a separate post.

Minutes: Club President Athletea asked the membership to vote Angry Demon (aka Mascot) out of the club. The vote to do so was unanimous. A new Mascot was chosen, Happy Hopper from the Diet Village Petshop ... is she not a nice little happy mascot: :hop: ?

THE MEMBERSHIP OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED TO DO A 21-DAY NO CANDY CHALLENGE, starting today! Hooray! THIS IS NOT A NO-SWEETS CHALLENGE, JUST NO CANDY! Club President Athletea will have sole discretion as to exactly what constitutes candy.

X-(

Somebody please eject that Angry Demon.

Thanks.

Meeting adjourned.

All right :coach: OUT! OUT! OUT! X-(:whip:

Athletea, I was very hungry yesterday, probably due to my 2000+ daily calories during the holidays, so I ended up with 2025 last night.
Back on track today, but still hungry.
2 slimfast optima vanilla shakes at 540 calories? :laugh:
Wishing you better luck today: you can do it, remember!

You are funny, Aria! Thanks for helping to get that Demon Mascot outta here!!!! Sorry you had the hungries, too! I've already had ice cream ... but cals are hanging in there ... taking nap now before yet another night meeting ... will eat protein before I go!

Emergency Meeting, please bring in the nice new mascot: :hop: ... thanks; well, as Diet Club President, I'm declaring that this is NOT a diet night ... all we are hoping for now is to stay with our NO CANDY Challenge ... have decided to extend the NO CANDY Challenge all the way to Valentine's Day in honor o' the season o' sweetness ... X-( ... GET THAT GUY OUTTA HERE!!!! Think that we have a better chance o' getting our diet mojo back if we are not dealin' with candy bars for awhile ...
here's where we stand reportwise ... note we are talking about ourselves in the plural ... NOT a good sign ... but anyhow, we gotta leave for work soon ...

3 Soy/Orange/Cranberry muffins 405
2 cupcakes 400
Slimfast Optima Vanilla Shake 180
1 scoop ice cream 280
Ultra lean beef pattie 160
Sl ff cheese 60
Roll 110
3 Soy/Orange/Cranberry muffins 405
Editing Friday a.m. as had two more shakes last night, which was better than stopping for candy, so I'm pleased with the results and calling yesterday a slide-cals-back-to-diet-level kinda day:

3 EAS Carb Control Shakes 300

Total 2300

Exercise: 30 min walk

:hop:

Happy Birthday to Club President Athletea!!! :bd ... well, ok, it's not her birthday but it's the FIRST DAY O' THE REST O' HER LIFE ... she is going to dentist in approximately five minutes and that'll occupy a lot o' eating time this a.m., so it's good.

THIS IS NO CANDY TILL VALENTINE'S DAY CHALLENGE DAY TWO, WOO-HOO!

The membership has agreed to start an emergency foodwatch postie here and update through the day as we'd REALLY like to get our cals back into the 1500-1600 range today, so here's where we are:

2 muffins 320
2 cupcakes 400
Ultra lean beef patties, sl ff cheese, bun 330
2 Slimfast Optima vanilla shakes 360
2 muffins 320
Bottle of water with the muffins :water:

Total 1630

Exercise: 30 min walk, still evaluating where to take exercise program from here

:hop:

Thanks for stopping by my journal. Sorry didn't reply sooner, work is keeping me busy. I like you new mascot, thank goodness the little demon guy is gone. Reminded me of my very, very difficult parent of my very, very difficult student. And good luck today on your calorie count.

Thanks, Runt!!!! I don't envy you having to deal with a parent that reminds you of my late unlamented demon Mascot! :) Yea, :hop: is so much nicer!!!!

Minutes: Since we are at loose ends, we decided to hold a Diet Motivational Meeting. Club President Athletea read her favorite saying for the naysaying club members (I see you back there, Naysayer Member Athletea) who DO NOT BELIEVE our diet will work: 'No great deed is done by falterers who ask for certainty!' This is a quote from Mary Ann Evans Cross, aka George Elliott, a Victorian lady who did her own thing at a time when ladies didn't! The membership wasn't too sure what this has to do with weight loss but it seems to apply.

Mascot Happy Hopper :hop: hopped to the podium and asked about Valentine's Day and Easter Challenges. President A and the Diet Challenge Committee said they have some stuff in the works.

Exercise Guru Athletea noted in passing the severance of our collective relationship with the personal trainer (aka, we can't afford her anymore) and asked everyone to think of ways to motivate themselves to work out regularly in lieu of the motivation we got from the trainer, who is good at that sort of thing (motivating), whilst we poor Diet Club Members sometimes have a hard time all by our lonesome! "BUT," she said, "WE CAN DO IT!"

And we can.

Meeting adjourned. :hop:

You're too cute! Love the new journal. Keep up the awesome attitude!

Melinda

Thanks, Mel! Great minds must think alike as I was just going to visit your journal next! :wave:

Going to edit in my last meal of the day, which was the last of my muffins and a bottle of water. I certainly do make good muffins ... they are better than donuts ... the secret is using cupcake wrappers ... but don't give 'em to your dog ... mine wants to eat the wrappers!

Hi Athletea: I love your Little journal...It is so cute...You are one talented lady...I love your new mascot..I think he is more like you.. :)
Love ya

Louise

Your new mascot is definitely my kind of guy. Does new mascot motivate you as much as your personal trainer? Inquiring minds want to know.

Keep smiling -

Hi, Lulu & JoJo!!!! :wave: Thanks for stoppin' by ... reading your posts stopped me from going and having a snack, so I really appreciate it! Hoping to last the night without caving!!! Not really hungry, just blah right now.

Well, JoJo, I don't think the mascot actually does motivate me as much as my trainer ... but the mascot is cute: :hop: :hop: :hop:

I see there are some holiday smilies available and that's got me thinking about holiday challenges and goals ... perhaps :hop: 's cousin is the Easter Bunny!

I'm not sure what the sentence I just typed meant, but as I am a reporter by trade (aka hack) that happens to me a lot, so good-night!

Minutes: Club President A got up to SAY: 'I DON'T have any motivation today, so let's go play!'

X-(

WHO LET THAT GUY IN HERE!!!!??? Please eject him immediately!

:hop:

That's better.

Goal for today is to get some work done without doing any extra noshing. A secondary goal is to just GET to the gym and do at least 20 mins of SOMETHING!

Not sure why I feel so blah ... depression from this being the THIRD day of NO CANDY TILL ST. VAL'S DAY! Tomorrow I will be re-evaluating goals as I want to get rid of the January 23 goal and do a real St. Val's Challenge ... my only goal for the weigh-in tomorrow is not to have gained ... if I DO gain I will blame it on that pesky Demon X-( ...

Meeting adjourned, with no motivation gained.

Bleeeech :c(

Afternoon emergency motivational meeting minutes: Having failed to do the paying work, we gave up for today and went to play ... at the gym, that is. It did not thrill us but we jogwalked laps around the aerobics room for 10 mins, rode recumbent bike for 5 min and walked on treadmill for 30 min. ... we are eating a lot, we are speaking of ourselves in the plural again, not a good sign! :c( We are eating a lot, thus messing up our weigh-in tomorrow, even though we feel we have lost some weight this week ... the scale's tale will doubtless be contrary to that, but so be it!

Here's where we are right now, will come back and edit after dinner:

2 EAS Carb Control vanilla shakes 100
English muffin w/2 T diet butter 220
Cinnamon roll 420
Slimfast Optima shake 180
2 ultra lean beef patties 320
2 rolls 220
2.5 sl ff cheese 150
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100

Total 1910

SATURDAY ~ Club President Athletea spoke today at an afternoon motivational meeting of the Diet Club o' Diet Village, East Dietshire. Her topic was: "Diets do work!"

A pointed out that there is sometimes a negative connotation to the word "diet" because people associate the word with quackery and fad plans that have little lasting effect on healthy weight management. But A said she likes diets, in the sense that the word means a planned approach to weight loss or weight control. She said that like some great religious person once said (she's not sure which great religious person, but there must have been one), "There are many paths to the truth."

A said she believes that a planned approach, devised by the dieter or by a doctor, nutritionist, reputable weight loss organization or other source with the proper credentials, WILL bring success, if consistently applied. She asked the membership to sing the Club Song:

"Diets work if ya work 'em, clap yur hands,
Diets work if ya work 'em, clap yur hands,
Diets work if ya work 'em, so ya can't afford to shirk 'em,
Diets work if ya work 'em, clap yur hands!"

A said she just felt like giving this speech as sometimes she gets discouraged and when people in her nonvirtual life keep telling her that "DIETS DON'T WORK" she tends to want to throw in the towel, but then she looks at her overall weight loss stats, produced by dieting and feels better. :hop:

She hopes others will not be discouraged by naysayers, even the naysayers in their own heads, because healthy diets do work and weight loss is possible, despite all odds.

Athletea, it is a great idea to remind yourself of your outstanding weight loss! :*

I totally agree with your speaker today who pointed out to the assembled multitude that "Yes, diets do work" and I will remind you that you have made a diet work for you, and so have I. The mindset that says "diets don't work" is limited to those who haven't figured out how to make those diets work, and your club slogan - "Diets work if you work 'em" gives the answer to that little problem.

Yes, there are lots and lots of people who have lost weight with a diet, then they leave the diet and gain all the weight back.

There are also those who want to eat what they want to eat, and loudly state that "Diets don't work" as their excuse. When I ate what I wanted to eat I got fat. I need the discipline of a diet in order to lose weight. If I fail to follow the diet, the diet doesn't work for me, but that is not the diet's fault. The fault is mine.

So now I am preaching to the choir, and I will stop. Just stick to the diet you know will work for you, and ignore those who say otherwise.

And keep smiling -

Thanks Aria and JoJo for your comments. I was feeling discouraged today by listening to the naysayers, but am doing well tonight. Realized I'm quite thirsty so drinking :water: ... clears the head. Have a lot of the paying work to do tomorrow to catch up for Monday, but will take time for myself also ... need to eat better and bake something as I have to work in the mountains for a very, very long time.

JoJo, I think this bears repeating: "There are also those who want to eat what they want to eat, and loudly state that "Diets don't work" as their excuse. When I ate what I wanted to eat I got fat. I need the discipline of a diet in order to lose weight. If I fail to follow the diet, the diet doesn't work for me, but that is not the diet's fault. The fault is mine. ..."

Amen! :)

As always, you have hit the nail precisely on the head.

Weekly Average: 1754, quite a bit higher than last week. There are a number of reasons I didn't do as well, but it could have been worse. On to the weigh-in Sunday and reframing my goals into the holiday challenge I want to do.

Exercise wasn't that great either due to the decision to quit the trainer. I believe I am tired of exercising, but will work to get that mojo back next week. Meeting adjourned. :hop:

Hi sweety,thanks for your visit.I sort of blew it today but I feel good about the advice you all gave me.I plan to try them tomorrow.Never give up :laugh: I like the part about needing to eat breakfast.You earn something everyday.Have a great night.

Good job, Athletea!

I loved your meeting yesterday.I agree that diets do work if you work them....Don't forget how far you have come in your weight loss journey....

Have a super Sunday..


Louise

Thanks be to Bunny, Aria and Lulu for your words this a.m. ... they are very welcome! Let's all go out there and have a super day!!!

Sunday, January 9, a.m. meeting minutes, weight loss and challenge announcement: Club President Athletea hath announced that a miracle happened and the pesky .2 pound that'd been hanging around here has gone away to stay! In light of the miracle, the St. Valentine's Day Diet Committee has created a six-week goal-oriented challenge and posted it on the challenge thread ... anyone is welcome to challenge themselves on that thread with their own goals for the season o' sweetness. Mascot :hop: has ceded his place to the St. Val's Challenge Mascot ... :x ... who is verra, verra, SWEET! Here's what the committee posted on the challenge thread, and again, if no one else posts there, the committee chairman said it would just be deleted and the challenge run from the clubhouse:

"Just wondering if anyone would like to join me in a holiday-lite 'n easy challenge for extra fun as we face the dreaded heart-shaped candy boxes on the drugstore shelves whilst at the same time it's our heart's desire to stay svelte for the sweet 'n romantic holiday. Anyway ... my challenge to myself is to weigh 150 pounds on February 13 (St. Val's Eve) AND to eat no candy until St. Val's Day!!! Hooray! (Then I'll eat a whole box if I wanna).

So, I got to thinkin' that I'd just post this here and check in every day or thereabouts in a NO PRESSURE kinda way and see if anyone else wants to join me in challenging themselves to a February 14 goal or goals in honor o' the season AND then come back and report now and then on how it's going.

I don't have a good history of stickin' to these challenges, but will do me humble best ... if no one joins me, I'll delete the challenge and just continue it in my journal, so's not to use up too many megabytes or whatever here as there are a lot o' good challenges going on!

THIS IS THE ST. VAL'S CHALLENGE MASCOT:

He's verra SWEET!

Hmmm. I really miss candy.

Oh well.

Hi Athletea! Love the tender little lovey mascot---the old pre-bunny mascot was kinda scary! Anger issues and all that.... :laugh:

Sending you good vibes, good wishes and powerful mojo to speed you along your quest. The heart-shaped devils are already lying in wait in all the stores, so be careful! You can do it. I know you can do it, because I've done it for 113 days and I never would've thought I could in a million years. [Stay away from sugar, that is!]
However, somewhere along the road I've lost my workout groove. That strong desire to sweat buckets that I had for years has suddenly left me. Actually, it left when I cut down on sweets---a connection? Hmmmm.
I'm going to seek out your challenge and join you on your noble quest!

Yay, :queen: E's in the house!!! :wave: Thy stalwartness is welcome in this quest, E. To be honest, I've lost my workout mojo a bit, too, perhaps I'll add that to my challenge ... to do some kind of workout each day. That's a good idea. I'll do 'er!

Minutes, :queen: E's turning up at the clubhouse reminded Club President Athletea that she ought to add one workout per day (of any length, intensity or type of exercise) to her St. Val's Victory Challenge, so now it's official, A will exercise each day, eat no candy and reach 150 pounds by February 13. THIS IS DAY ONE and the goals of no candy and exercise have been met (the exercise was an extremely wimpy 10-minute walk but qualifies)!

A isn't restricting cals to any particular number for the challenge, but aiming for a weekly average in the 1500-1600 range, hopefully, because that's how she'll achieve her 150-pound goal.

Here's Sunday's menu, it's not as bad as it seems, as the muffins are homemade and have extra protein in them. There wasn't an intention to only eat muffins and EAS, it just happened: Editing to correct calorie count as I realized my muffin recipe had less cals than I thought, so ATE another two ...

EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
2 Eng muffs, T diet butter 340
2 blueberry muffs 250
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
2 blueberry muffs 250
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
2 blueberry muffs 250
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
2 blueberry muffs 250

Total 1740

:x :x :x

:cheer: on the .2 Keep up the amazing work!

Corinna

Thanks, C!!!! :wave: It's great to see ya! Have a good week!

Minutes: Club President A hath called an emergency meeting as it's a production day with a night meeting in mountains, followed by another such day tomorrow. Club President A and Club Member A and Club Member A and ... er, the club ... will be doing an emergency online foodwatch ... e.g., will report and edit on this postie. WE WILL ALSO BE COGNIZANT O' THE ST. VAL'S VICTORY CHALLENGE and post on the challenge forum and again we thank :queen: E for joining us there and giving us the idea that exercise should be added to our own challenge. Accordingly, we are up early to go to gym ... planning on a lightish day, though, but WILL meet the challenge o' one workout per day! WE DON'T EVEN WANT CANDY!

Report, to be edited throughout the day:

BLEEECH! 'EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY, WILL ROBINSON!' Bad day at bad rock and cals got away from me. No food report today.

THIS IS ST. VAL'S CHALLENGE DAY 2!!! WOO-HOO!!! And now a word from our St. Val's mascot ... :x

The above notwithstanding (e.g., I ate more than expected and didn't count cals), I had a GOOD day actually for my St. Val's Challenge. I did a report on the challenge thread, so won't repeat myself ... well, ok, I will: 40 minutes weights in gym (to meet the workout-a-day criteria) and NO candy (lots of cals, but no candy) ... the third criteria of 150 pounds by February 13 (St. Val's Eve) remains to be seen. Will get the eating mojo back tomorrow!!! Still have to work a meeting tonight and then can mercifully go home!

:x :x :x :x :x :x

Absolutely no candy until Valentine's Day? My goodness, that is a challenge. Good for you. Personally I treat myself to a sugar-free bite of candy every so often, and really admire your vow of no candy. I will limit myself to just cheering you on.

Cheers, cheers, cheers.

Thanks for the cheering part, JoJo!!! :wave: Er, as to sugar free candy ... it just doesn't make it for me. I want the real thing or nothin' ... guess I'll settle for nothin' 'cause candy ain't dandy when I wanna lose weight!!! :)

No meeting this a.m. ... Club President Athletea is up way early after working last night as she desireth to go to the gym to work on that exercise mojo thingie for the St. Val's Challenge.

Huzzah!

Hi Athletea!
Finally got of my butt for a 30 minutes walk yesterday! 8-| Weigh-in tomorrow. You are doing great with your challenge!

A great challenge! And a great goal - all that candy to look forward to!!! :D Great job in hitting the gym. Your ticker is sure showing your determination and success!!

Wow! Actually, I could do the no candy thing.. but no sweets? I'll :whip: anyone who tries to make me. Hehehe.. I wish! I'm such a slave to sugar. :c(

You GO! I'm very impressed! :)

Corinna

More cheers, cheers, cheers!!! Go, friend, go. Stay away from that candy, I am telling you to stay away from that candy. Actually candy will reach out and grab you if you give it a chance. So stay away from it, absolutely!

I am sooooooooooo proud of you!Youre stickin to your guns and you will see results :balloons: Youre going to reach your goal sooner then you think,just keep doing what youre doing.You dont have that far to go my friend. :D
Im conquering the binge demon as we speak.Im winning!!! :laugh:

Well, there's no formal Diet Club posting this a.m. by request o' the membership, who did NOT watch cals again yesterday (that includes Club President Athletea, Vice President Athletea, Treasurer Athletea, Board Clerk Athletea and Members Athletea, Athletea and Athletea! What are we going to do with these people? Sheesh!).

However, Club President A dropped in to report that her St. Val's Challenge be going fab and that :queen: Eydie, who hath joined the challenge BE ALSO AND LIKEWISE DOING FAB AND IS EXERCISING EVERYDAY ... Eydie, thanks for being with me on the challenge and hope all's well with thee!!!!
Wanted to blanketly thank all who visited me lil ol' clubhouse here yesterday!!! I really appreciate the support I get from a lot of people and vow to do better in giving the support more consistently ... had a wonderful (sort of) birthday but ate more than expected (this involved SIX cupcakes ... but that's ok because I'm only barring candy not all sweets). I really need to get my DIET mojo back now that I'm working on the exercise mojo! This rainy weather makes me want to forego my healthy eating and that's when I start overeating (it wasn't a binge yesterday, just plain bad choices and too many cals for weight loss) ... WHY WOULD I WANNA EAT VEGE WHEN THERE'S CAKE!!!!!????? X-( Oops, there's that Anger Demon nibbin' in again ... WHO LET HIM IN THE CLUBHOUSE!!!

:x

That's better!

Bunny, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, TOO! YOU JUST KEEP GOIN' 'n GOIN' AND YOU ARE KICKIN' THAT BD OUTTA YOUR LIFE!!!! Keep goin' ... you are doing great!

JoJo! As a wise lady once said (now who was that?): "LIFE IS GOOD!!!" I think you are right, the candy DOES reach out and grab me ... sigh ... unfortunately, so do the donuts 'n cupcakes ... but we soldier on ... I think the soldiering on is the important part, don't you?

Corinna!!!! Fellow slave ... sigh ... me, too! But I really do have a sort of personal subgoal to emulate :queen: E and say bye-bye to refined sugar by the time I reach maintenance (June) ... BUT I will use brown rice syrup, honey, fruit and Splenda, etc., and still enjoy that sweet taste, I think. It CAN be done ... right? Can it? Sigh ...

Hi, Susan!!!! Yea, the ticker thingie is really nice to give a visual of how we're doing ... I'm grateful to the site far far away for providing those ... the other one I had didn't work too well.

Aria!!!! Thanks for droppin' by the challenge ... PLEASE join us every day if it pleaseth thee, you're always an inspiration ... going to check in on thy weigh-in anon!!!! Huzzah! :up:

Reading these posties and the ones on the challenge today hath really pumped me up to go on ... realizing that life IS good, diets do work if I work 'em and my exercise mojo is out there somewhere trying to get back home! THANKS!!!!

Hi Athletea: I hope you had a splendid Birthday yesterday...... :bd :balloons: :gift: :cake: oops I mentioned cake...well cupcakes..

Keep it up you will get back on track...drink water lots of water to flush it all out...

Have a great day.....

Louise

Thanks, Lulu!!!! :) S'ok to say the CC word!!! I enjoyed every bite!!! Today I did well for with a cinnamon roll, though. Only ate half and substituted a protein shake for the other half!

Notice: The Diet Club will meet tonight with members sharing cal counts and exercise, but wanted to mention that I was pleased today to find that a famous brand of LEAN frozen diet entrees has several healthy looking new additions to their line ... I'm not normally a fan of these frozen entree things but they are handy ... these have things like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, etc. ... I bought a rosemary chicken one with vege & brown rice and two of the salmon with orzo and vege ... which I'm planning to eat for an early dinner ... hope it's ok to discuss this on the forum but we discuss WW & Slimfast, etc., etc., so ... I won't say the name but anyone reading this would likely know it!

Having met her St. Val's Challenge exercise goal (in spades and DOUBLE), Athletea retireth now to enjoy the rest of her day off 'cause it ain't likely she'll be able to slack off as much tomorrow!

I really do have such fun planning my diet ... that's what makes it successful for me ... it's really a game ... I think Bunny said that on her journal today ... we have to make it fun ... but then, all goals and challenges are fun, are they not ... even if they don't seem like it at the moment?

Hmmm. In several posts I note I've said, "for with," and similar phrases ... I'm too tired to correct them ... please ignore ... can you tell I write for a living?

Bleech ...

:laugh: You can relax here, since you are not at work, lol!
Yes, definitely yes, we can tell you write for a living!!!

Thanks, Aria!!! :D

Meeting Minutes: The Club discussed a quote that President Athletea was thinkin' about: 'For lo the winter it is past ... and the voice of the turtle is heard in the land ...' (Bible)

Not sure what a turtle's voice has to do with anything (guess they had wild turtles in the spring back when they wrote that) ... but A hath reached a point in the year where she always finds a turning point. This might be hard to contemplate for those who live in a cold climate where there's probably ice 'n snow still stickin' to stuff but even when I lived in such a climate, I really viewed, say, the middle of January as the time when everything changes. All the bad stuff of last year is over with and all the good stuff of last year is likewise a set of memories so I can't rest on my laurels (such as they are) ... it's time to move forward with confidence, knowing that spring is just around the corner ... it's time for rebirth (for me, anyway) and my new life to start (the one where I perpetually weigh 135 pounds, make lots of money in a wonderful new career and become a famous painter, in that order) ... and if those things don't happen, I'll have lots of fun trying, anyhow!

Ok, here's the damage for today. I may have another 100-cal protein shake later, but don't anticipate it. Will edit if I do:

Lite microwave batter biscuit w/2 T butter 300
1/2 cinnamon roll 210
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
2 Slimfast muffin bars 280
Slimfast vanilla shake (original formula) 220
Salmon/orzo/vege Lean Cuisine 260
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
Smoothie: Mixed frozen berries, soymilk, Splenda 150

Total 1620

Exercise: 35 min weights in gym, total body with focus on upper; 90-minute walk later

St. Val's Challenge: No candy, did workout, will post on the challenge forum!!!! This is Day 4!

Huzzah! Must play mahjong now!

Hey there!! Your journal is LONG!!! :D It made for good reading though :) You have made some amazing progress girl!! Did you just count calories the whole time? Have they been at 1500 the whole time? I'm nosy, I know!! LOL :laugh:

If you like frozen meals, I highly reccomend Gardenburger's new ones. http://www.gardenburger.com/products/products-meals-swchick.html There's a link to one of them but there are several others. Sometimes I take the southwest "chicken" and veggies one and throw it in a low carb tortilla w/ ff or reduced fat cheese and ff sour cream and it's really good!!!

A thing that helps me with sweets is, I make a batch of SF cookies or muffins, wrap each one individually in a paper towel, put in baggies and freeze. That way when I really want one, by the time I'm done thawing it out and eating it I'm too lazy to make another one!! I only let myself thaw one at a time, it kind of helps!! The sugar free candies are good, but trust me, if you eat too many you will pay!! :c( But, I still have a few once in awhile (their in the freezer too). Frozen fruit is really good for sweet cravings, I love frozen grapes, berries and bananas!!

How do you track your calories? Do you use fitday?

Hi, Andrea!!! :wave: Thanks for droppin' by! My journal IS getting a mite lengthy, actually. I usually keep them short because I have a rather short attention span ... hmmm, but was thinking it might be interesting to see how long I could go on this one! :)

No, my cals were much higher when I started losing weight ... and I still desire to eventually eat 1800-2000 a day for maintenance, but we'll see. I don't believe in cutting cals too far. It's not good nutritionally and it also leaves one with no place to go in tweaking the diet.

I've tracked cals every which way, paper, online, in fancy little books, in spreadsheets, in my head. I've used fitday but it's too much trouble for me. Also had some programs that I downloaded but mostly I just use a bunch of spreadsheets I created to track weight and eating ... when I'm doing day trips for work, I sometimes just use this journal, updating now and then from different computers.

Thanks for the link. I'm going there in a second ... I used to like Gardenburgers when I didn't eat meat. Didn't know they had frozen meals.

Hmmm. I think I know what you mean about the sf sweets ... malitol doesn't agree with me ... thanks for the idea about the frozen fruit ... I put it in smoothies but never think of eating it whole. That sounds good ...

Meeting Minutes: The Club discussed a quote that President Athletea was thinkin' about: 'For lo the winter it is past ... and the voice of the turtle is heard in the land ...' (Bible)

Not sure what a turtle's voice has to do with anything (guess they had wild turtles in the spring back when they wrote that) ...


Visions of wild singing turtles lurk in my mind now.

Actually the turtle quote was found in the King James version of the Bible, more modern versions such as the new King James version, NIV, etc. tell us that these were turtledoves, which are more apt to sing in the spring than regular turtles. Specifically the passage is Song of Solomon chapter 2, verses 11 & 12 which read in the new King James version "For lo, the winter is past The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land."

It is a lovely passage, isn't it? And it paints a very poetic picture of the joys of springtime, rebirth of the earth, etc. And here endeth the Bible lesson for today.

Sorry about that, Athletea, I just couldn't resist.

Fascinating stuff, JoThrive! Glad you cleared it up--I ws wondering what a turtle's voice would sound like. Turtledove is much better! :)

I also wanted to say that the new Gardenburger meals are really good----excellent for emergencies!

Thanks, JoJo! I think turtledoves would sound much nicer than turtles ... yes, it IS a lovely quote. Another favorite of mine from the Bible is the one that says to think on everything that is lovely ... I don't know it exactly ...

:queen: E! I just shot you back a pm ... really enjoyed the site you recommended. Thanks for that info.

Well, Diet Club President Athletea called an emergency meeting in the middle of the night and decided she had to have something to eat ... so here is her amended Wednesday diet report. This may be a bit less, as A did not eat the whole frozen meal ... was disappointed in the flavor and ate only the salmon part ... should have just had a salmon fillet baked with dill and one of my vege smoothies ... there was too much pepper or something in the vege/orzo mixture ... so it goes ... I am having trouble keeping cals down again this week, but not really bingeing:

Lite microwave batter biscuit w/2 T butter 300
1/2 cinnamon roll 210
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
2 Slimfast muffin bars 280
Slimfast vanilla shake (original formula) 220
Salmon/orzo/vege Lean Cuisine 260
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
Smoothie: Mixed frozen berries, soymilk, Splenda 150
3 peanut butter snack servings 420
EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100

Total 2140

[color=blue][b]Another favorite of mine from the Bible is the one that says to think on everything that is lovely ... I don't know it exactly ...

"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
- Phil. 4:8

It's one of my favorites, too.

Thank you, JoJo! :) That's very good advice, dinna ye think? Only think of whatever is lovely, just, pure, etc., let the rest go. Hard to do, but a good idea methinks.

Minutes: Club President Athletea decided to revamp her St. Val's Victory Challenge a bit in order to deal with some issues she thinks she has with sugar. She is removing the NO candy restriction from her challenge in order to get a handle on this. All other aspects of her challenge remain the same.

She exercised 40 minutes today on the treadmill in gym.

Thanks be to :queen: E for some interesting things to think about today. I really appreciate it! :)

Athletea cancelled the planned Friday morning meeting as she unwisely made an interview appointment at 8 a.m. a long, long way from the clubhouse. Will post later in the day 'cause I'm here to stay! The plan is to go to gym veeeeeeery early and get a short workout in and a nice gym shower (they have better water than I do and it's much hotter, sigh).

Today's eating was good and Athletea plans to rest on her laurels and not eat anything but if she falters from this path, she'll edit it in later ...

EAS Carb Control vanilla shake 100
1/2 cinnamon roll 210
2 Eng muffins w/4 T diet butter 440
M&Ms (candy now permissible) 240
High pro shake 240
High pro shake 240

Total 1470

I know I've said it before, but one of the many things I like about you is your ability to switch gears! Go, Athletea!!! :)

Yo, thanks, :queen: E!!!!

The Diet Clubhouse is shut down for the day for repairs (translation: bleech, the BD got me again, crazy work day ... thinking of doing a new plan but haven't decided yet)!

Back later in day tomorrow!

Do you really play mahjong, or are you like me and just play the computer version? Chinese New Year is next month and my roommates tried to teach me to play mahjong last year. Traditionally in China, (a lot of Taiwanese came from China when Chairman Mao started the Cultural Revolution and keep their Chinese traditions) on Chinese New Year's Eve, everyone stays up playing mahjong. It is too complicated a game for me. I am regressing to the attention span of a four year old and don't have the attention for it either.
I am inspired by your ability to change your plan to fit what you need and want. Good luck with the new plan.

BD? Qu'est ce que c'est?

Corinna

C'est le BINGE DEMON :lil: Stampin' Lady!!!! :)

C'est my NEMISES!!!

I'm up FIVE pounds but X-( but it's not official-like until tomorrow.

C'est le vie, though, 'n I'm sortta back on track.

:queen: E, I'm going to do step one of what we talked about 'n look for the book ... but I'm really not committed to doing them in order ... I'll tweak it for my ownself! :)

Hi, Runt!!!! :wave: Nah, I don't really play mahjong, just the computer solitaire version! I've thought of trying to play the online game with other people but have not the guts ... and I don't know anyone that plays it in the nonvirtual world. I'd like to, though. :)

Yes, my attention span is somewhere in the four-year-old range also ... and now I'm late to go see some friends clear on the other side of town (we're garage saling at 7 a.m., except I won't be on time) ... sis boom 'n bah!!!!

FOOD THIS A.M. WILL BE A SLIMFAST MUFFIN BAR AND CARB CONTROL SHAKE IN CAR!

Sort of feel in control today.

That's good.. I was thinking bile duct and then.. guh? ;) Yay you for being back on track! You have an on track day and so will I!!!

Corinna

Hi Athletea - thought I would stop by quickly and say hi and thanks for writing in my journal - but your journal was just too long and too interesting to make it a short visit!! You are doing so well on this journey - I think I'll have to keep my eye on you (great motivation here, ya know!)

stoping by to see how you are doing :wave:

Hope you found some great deals at the garage sales :)

Beth :peace:

Howdy, Beth! Thanks for stoppin' into me lil ol' clubhouse!!! :wave: I did find some good bargains ... a gigantic breadmaker that I find I have no place to keep and I would never make so much bread anyhow, but it was never used, a low cal cookbook and a space heater (these can be hard to find in Arizona after the first few weeks of winter). :)

Meandering thoughts, stream of consciousness: I had a good lunch with my friends ... grilled fish and a creole rice thing ... BUT then I had some lemon bars made with juice from my friend's tree ... and that killed the "back on track" eating for today ... set me up for eating more sweets later on ... of course my weigh-in tomorrow will be high ... ah, well, what can I do? I may as well give up, this is hopeless ...

NOT!

There will be a meeting of Athletea's Diet Club tomorrow, at some point ... I have to really concentrate on the paying writing but will also do some diet re-evaluating ... I think I will close out this journal and start another one at that time also ...

I finished my self-portrait and hung it on the wall ... it's me at 135 pounds, though that wasn't the intent when I started the painting ... I somehow painted myself on a scale with a big smile on my face ... I really like how happy I look ... I am going to have that 135 smile on my face in reality SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW! :)

:queen: E, in two hours of mindless computer mahjonging, my foggy brain has cleared up in the area of what program I'm going to do ... :) ... actually, going to just continue with cals and exercise and the St. Val's Challenge ... I think I'm going to make some healthy bread in that breadmaker ... I'm thinking flaxseed bread ... hmmm.

World, this post is not making any sense ... my brain is starting to degrade from too many lemon bars ... I wrote a long graf here about why I think I'm experiencing so much anxiety these days and overeating, but it wouldn't be relevant in a diet journal (except for the overeating connection, of course) ...

So, I'll just say, good-night, Gracie.

Good-night, Gracie.

MOOOOOOVIN' ON TO ATHLETEA'S DIET CLUB: THE SAGA CONTINUES ... or something like that ... visitors are asked to stop by our new clubhouse on the SUCCESS SIDE O' TOWN! :wave: