I start a new journal every six months or so. Right now I feel like I really need a jump-start, and sometimes a new journal can have that effect. It's definitely the right time.

Three and a half months ago I started a new, very challenging and exciting job. I've been putting in some long hours at work to get myself well-grounded. I also have a bit longer commute than to my former job, so my free time, and therefore my exercise time has decreased. During the summertime my eating is always healthier, but also I tend to eat more because I just love the food choices. I've definitely been eating too much lately, with meetings taking me out for numerous meals, and had guests at home that gave me plenty of excuses to indulge. I've gained back about 10 pounds of the 80+ I had lost. I don't want to go any further astray!

My plan for the next few months is to focus on staying within my daily calorie limit (1200-1500), drink plenty of water, and exercise as much as my schedule will allow.

Calories/menu: 1300/Coconut-crusted tilapia with rice & an ear of corn for dinner.

Exercise: 2.5 miles/42 minutes outdoor walking after dinner. I started a new book on tape ("Horse heaven," by Jane Smiley). It's a really long one, so I'll be working on it for awhile.

I saw an itty bitty baby bunny rabbit on my walk. It was sitting on the edge of the sidewalk when I passed by. Almost dismissed it as a clump of leaves or something, but turned back and got close enough to touch it gently. It did not move. It didn't open its eyes, but it was breathing... I think it was hot and dehydrated. I'm sure it was scared. I hope its mother finds it. Poor little critter! :hop:

My Sweetie & I had a number of large prickly bushes removed from the area around our deck. The tree company we contracted to do it was here today while we were at work. It looks very bare now! I think we will be happier with our yard in the long run, but we have a lot of choices to make now on what to plant instead. Will be exciting (and probably expensive); I'm looking forward to working on some improvements.

Tomorrow I will pack a healthy lunch to take to work. Not sure what will happen in the evening. It's supposed to rain. I will probably do Curves unless my Sweetie decides to take me to the movies... No idea what our dinner will be, but I will try to moderate and stick to my calorie limit.

Lisrey :ex:

Hi there Lisrey,

I know what it's like to "need" to start a new journal. Not really sure what it is about it, but maybe it's the idea that it's a fresh start that really makes us feel motivated.

Anyway, I know you'll lose those 10 extra pounds in no time.

Take care

Dar

First off, CONGRATULATIONS on your weight loss so far! You rock!! You should get those last 10 pesky pounds off with ease if you keep doing what you're doing. :)

Hey Lisrey!

Gosh...has it been that long since you switched jobs?...It seems like just yesterday!

Well...I know that you will continue to do well and drop those excess pounds and certainly reach your goal soon enough!

You are inspiration to me and many more!

Keep up the great work!

mcmarto

Welcome to your new journal ... new fresh pages to fill with success. You'll do it now!

:wn

Hello, friends! Thanks for visiting. I am going to write a real quick post here & get to bed...

Calories/menu: 1800. Too many! Sweetie & I had popcorn (no butter) at the movies, then he brought home a pizza that we ate after 10 p.m. :sigh:

Exercise: None today -- never got an opportunity since we went to the movie.

Work was relatively productive today. I made a HUGE "to do" list for next week before I left. We saw "Batman begins" tonight & I liked it a lot. Great to have a superhero movie that is engrossing from the get-go and has a more serious tone. I especially liked Morgan Freeman & Liam Neeson. I love movies & I need to get to more of them!

Tomorrow morning I have to take my cats to the vet for boosters, so I won't get to Curves before it closes. :( I need to do grocery shopping, some weekly cleaning, walk, and do laundry. In the evening I have a beauty appointment, and Sweetie is going to hang out with a computer gaming friend all day, so I will be able to eat a healthy meal prepared by me. Should be an on-plan day, and if I can squeeze everything in, I'll watch a DVD in the evening!

Lisrey :mus:

YAY to great new starts!!! your determination and focus have always inspired me, you'll weather these changes and I know you'll be back on track in no time!

I believe in you!!

Busy as usual!

Hope you have a great day and you are able to get everything checked off your list!

Well...let's see...I made more boxes today (it would be nice if I could fill them)...hahaha...I keep thinking that stuff will just magically pack itself...pfft!

Well have a great weekend!

mcmarto

Oh Lisrey, I just KNOW you can nip this in the bud.

I think you will be fine. You are re-committed and making better choices. I am really proud of you for "nipping it in the bud."

:up:

Thanks Jessica, Mc & Chum for having so much faith in me. You have more confidence in my success than I do, I have to admit. I am feeling rather shaky about this whole weight loss thing right now. I think part of it is PMS. 8-|

Calories/menu: 1500. Broiled marinated salmon with rice & an ear of corn for dinner. Probably ate too many baked chips in the middle of the afternoon. I want to eat a skinny cow ice cream sandwich later, but that would put me over calories at this point. :(

Exercise: 3.2 miles/54 minutes walking in my neighborhood. Felt sluggish and slow -- VERY humid and wet today, as well as hot. I think that was part of it, along with the aforementioned PMS. Had to really talk myself into walking. The book on tape awaiting me pushed me into it, thank goodness. Once I got going I was happy to be out, despite the oppressive air.

I felt like a slug today... Wanted to take a nap shortly after getting up, that sort of thing. I did do quite a few of the things on my list, but didn't have much ambition to do them. If I weren't obligated to meet a friend tomorrow, I probably would have pushed everything off until then. Except the vet visit.

Ah yes, the vet visit. 2 meowling felines who hate their cat carriers, hate the car, hate the vet altogether... one of whom needs to be muzzled so she doesn't bite when having her temperature taken or getting a shot. The felines have been on a diet for a year of careful measuring and restriction of almost all people food. The older (fatter) one actually lost a whole pound. The younger one (the biter) gained another 1/2 pound. I had to buy a new kind of food, which is more expensive, as the vet said the diet food I have been buying is actually only a "maintenance" food. Not what I was told previously. Pfffft.

The best part about visiting the vet's office is seeing other people with their animals. I saw a doting and delighted woman with two brand-new kittens named Orville & Wilbur. There was a blind woman with a seeing-eye dog (very well trained, indeed) a man & a baby, a family of 5 with a cat wrapped in a bath towel that had a hideous raspy meow (had to be what it was there for), and a teensy tinsy Siamese kitten that the vet techs were keeping for someone on vacation. It was up on their counter playing around with a string... very cute. Lots less dogs this time than the last few visits, which for the emotional and mental health of my kitties was a good thing.

Tomorrow I am going to meet an old friend at Cranbrook. I have never been to Cranbrook before, but I did a destination walking thread taking me there once. I have wanted to go for a long time. It's a cultural campus, with an art museum, science institute, gardens, and an architect's house you can tour... other things I'm sure, that I'm forgetting right now. It's been over a year since I last saw my friend. At that time her weight was the highest it'd ever been & I was really shocked by how much she'd gained. Previously she'd always been a very average-sized person. I find myself wondering how she's done since we saw each other last, when she was pumping me for info on how I'd lost weight. We'll see.

My plan is to get up early and walk if it's not raining, shower, eat some lunch & go. Not sure if we will have dinner together or not. She has a young son & may need to get home to her family. I am hoping to stop at Trader Joe's on my way home & get some cereal. There are two stores around here & neither of them is very convenient, but one is *sort of * on the way home from Cranbrook.

Until tomorrow!

Lisrey :flower:

Remember when we used to use that phrase around here? I miss it. I've been telling myself that all day, while mainlining diet jello and water and waiting to get over the hump.

Butch up!

Butch up!

We can do it. I know you can do it. I'm pretty sure I can do it. OK OK I know I can do it too. Gosh darn it, Lisrey, put up a photo of yourself at your highest weight. Put them everywhere (that's what I've done...actually they are recent photos, argh). It will remind you why working hard is better than dying early and huffing and puffing around the Trader Joe's.

You can do it!!!! :)

have a great day!! make it a great week!

(slog through the crap parts, remember where you started. Push on....)

Long ago when Olive was just a pup...she was fearless...she would get into the vet's office and just bark and bark...walked around like she owned the place...

In the last few years...she has begun to dread it...she starts crying before we even get there...I have to pick her up to get her in the door...she continues the crying while at the vet...and insists on sitting on my lap as she sheds about a pound of hair!...OH!...

Well it sounds like you have a great day planned...can't wait to hear all about it!...

Congrats on getting in that walk...its when you don't want to do it...and you do...that it feels the best!...

mcmarto

Hahaha, Chum! Butch up! :laugh: I don't put pictures of big fat old me up, ever. I figured out a long time ago that they just made me depressed and negative about my chances for success. Instead, I put up pictures of me at goal weight (hmmm... back in high school). THOSE inspire me and make me strive for what I want. At least they did. Now they've been up so long I don't look at them too much! Maybe I need to find some new ones. ;)

Thanks, Jessica! Today was a much better day & I am feeling much more myself. Although it was once again hot and humid, and the heavy air makes you feel like you're walking underwater. Bleck.

You're right, Mc, those are the walks I'm usually the most proud of. Just get my rear end out there & do it, and it DOES make me feel good! :D Saw a pug on my walk today that made me think of you. The pug wasn't doing much walking, mostly standing around sniffing stuff, and its owner looked bored...

Calories/menu: 1400. Stopped at Trader Joe's as planned & got a jar of marinara. Had that over whole wheat spaghetti for my dinner. (Sweetie ate about 52 hot dogs at the Tigers' game today and was not hungry.)

Exercise: 3.2 miles/54 minutes walking this morning. HOT. HUMID. Like my book on tape a lot already. That's a very good thing; hopefully I will keep pushing on through the heat. Weatherpeople seem to think it will be here awhile.

Met my friend at Cranbrook and had a nice visit. We walked around the gardens for awhile but got very hot so sat in the shade on a bench and gabbed for the last hour or so. She has lost I'd say 1/2 of the weight she'd gained. Now she is going to have breast cancer surgery & I hope the stress of this diagnosis does not set her back. They detected it early and she seems very positive and unconcerned, if that can be. I will be thinking about her.

Cranbrook was beautiful. I want to go back again sometime so I can see more of it. My friend wasn't much interested in the museums or the other buildings (although she did want to go to the gift shop!). When we discovered there was no A/C, I decided I didn't particularly want to go in today, either.

I go back to work tomorrow. Will pack a healthy lunch & plan to do Curves after work. Last week I did not make it to Curves at all. I need to commit myself to it as much as I can... or I need to quit and do something else for strength training. Halfway isn't cutting it. I'll look at the weather forecast after posting here... I want to walk either Monday or Tuesday, so the wetter one will be the Curves night. Dinner? Dunno. I would like tacos, I think. Sweetie is thinking of golfing; I don't know if he will be home when I am hungry. If he isn't here to cook, I'll be better off & my meal will be healthier and my portion more modest... :laugh:

Lisrey :cat:

Stick To Your Plan Today Lisrey! If I Can Do It Today, So Can You!

Howdy, Chum! Wish I'd seen your message BEFORE I ate too many tacos. :sigh: I did great tonight getting my exercise in, but by the time I did that, got groceries, and tacos were prepared, I was SO HUNGRY it was hopeless. I am not proud of this.

Calories/menu: 1900. Tacos. Eeeek.

Exercise: 1/2 hour Curves workout.

Okay, tonight at Curves I made a decision. I think this is a momentous event. For awhile now I've been bored with Curves, pretty sure that I've gotten about as much as I can from it. I need to step it up a bit with my strength training. BUT I didn't want to change my routine too much when I am still transitioning into my new job.

Tonight I've decided to investigate finidng a personal trainer. I want to find someone who will look at what I want to be able to do and the equipment I have in my basement, and maybe work with me once a week until I understand how to safely do some routines that will get me on my way. I will stop doing Curves and I will do something a bit more strenuous. I don't know how to go about finding this amazing person who is going to give me a big kick in the pants, but I am going to start asking around. I am also going to find out exactly how long I have left at Curves if the payment I make this week is my last one. :lift:

Tomorrow evening after work I will walk. We're supposed to only have a high of 86 tomorrow, and lower humidity. Wow! Food is still a questionmark, but it sounds like Sweetie will be here, so I will need to be careful and moderate.

Lisrey ;)

YAY!!!!Personal Trainer!!!!!!! You might PM dea, she's a personal trainer herself and might be able to direct you toward resources that few people know about (she's also a librarian, I'm told that profession has resourceful people ;) )

Your outing with your friend sounds like exactly the sort of thing I would have loved!

Plan to have a great day tomorrow!!

Hi Lisrey, I like your new journal. I hope you don't mind me stopping by.

I do the photo thing that Chum did. I have fatty pics of my on the fridge. I don't have many skinny pics, as I think I am about the same as I was in high school. Getting down to 135 will be a whole new experience for me. I don't think I've been there since...6th grade? :laugh:

Stick to your guns, and the weight will come off. I hope you find a great personal trainer! I always said if I won the lottery, that'd be the first person I'd hire. Followed by a cook (since I can't cook).

When is your party? End of this month? I bet you're getting excited.

Here's to a fresh new start! %%-

A personal trainer!!! What a grand idea and I think it will give you the umpf you are looking for!

You ARE brilliant, aren't you? I'd always suspected...

GOD I LOVE TACOS...you know they are my FAVORITE FOOD, next to frosting. Maybe even equal to frosting. And Dr. Pepper.

Hmmm.

Thanks Jessica, Rikki & Chum! I am excited about the personal trainer idea but feel a bit daunted about how to locate one. I don't know anybody who uses one so no recommendations are in the offing. I don't want to join a big gym, and hope I can find one for whom that is not a requirement. We'll see. I wanted to announce this idea publicly here so that I wouldn't be able to back out! Now, to DO it.

Rikki, my party is on the 30th. Still getting my menu together, etc., and trying to figure out when I'm going to do all the cleaning & prep. I know it will all work out, but I want it to be good. :o

Calories/menu: 1350. Sweetie decided to cook a casserole for himself that I don't like, so I made the other half of my whole wheat spaghetti marinara tonight. Yummy. I may eat my skinny cow ice cream bar later if I can otherwise stay out of the kitchen, as I have the calories left. :up:

Exercise: 3.2 miles/54 miles outdoor walking after work. My shins ached a bit tonight for some reason -- must be from the lack of Curves recently? I haven't had that problem to this extent for a long time. I felt like it was slowing me down. The book is very engaging & I know it will keep me walking regularly. Now I just need to match the eating to my plan...

Felt very happy and confident at work today. The TOM mood momentum swing is starting to hit. :laugh: I got a lot done and think people are liking the results I am producing. This is staff and Board. I think customers will, too.

Tomorrow is my weigh-in day. Not expecting much... will be happy if I have maintained from last week. I haven't really put good effort in, although I'm mentally working up to it (I think). I am working 12-8 because I have to attend an evening meeting. No riding lesson this week. I will get up early and go to Curves before showering and heading to work. I will ask the Curves people how I get out of my automatic withdrawal and what it will mean if I do it. I should eat well, since I will be packing both lunch and dinner. Here's hoping it all goes according to plan!

Lisrey

I dunno what sort of menu plan you had, but I make a really good vegan cous cous salad that can be modified in many ways...the instructions are a bit vague (as am I) but I used to make it for large groups where I knew vegetarians and vegans would be present... (and I'm tellin' ya...dea's got great resources and is a great guide!! ;) )

148.4. This is down 1.2 from last week, but I think it is the first day of my TOM drop (although TOM is not actually here yet), so I can't really take personal credit for it (unless I take credit for the hormones I've got?).

Jessica, I did pm dea a couple times last night & she gave me some good advice & leads. I am still a bit worried that I'm not gonna find what I'm looking for that I can afford, but will start my investigation pronto! :)

I am going to Curves momentarily... be back after work tonight.

Lisrey :*

Hooray on going to curves, and going back down!!!! That's great! You're doing so well. A fresh start (and a kick in the butt) is sometimes all you need! Congrats!

Have a great day! :D

yay!!! On pm-ing dea, yay!!! on investigations, YAY!!!! on the loss (for whatever reason, it's the kind of momentum that's good!) and yay!!! On going to Curves!

Congratulations on your loss this week! :up:

You said you'd like to "announce" your intentions about finding a personal trainer and I recommend following through on that. Often the least likely person will have the phone number to call, the person to contact, etc.

Now you're on your way ... good for you! Have fun getting ready for your party too.

:o

Congratulations on the poundage shrinking and if you have TOM to thank for it, who cares? Just pick up a 2 lb bag of carrots and see how much you lost!

Hooray!

Hooray!

Hooray!

I am also just thrilled your new job is working out well. Isn't it nice when things start going your way more regularly? Life should always be like that. heh heh heh

Thanks, friends!! :hug:

Calories/menu: 1350/Lean Cuisine at work for dinner as planned. I had some lite microwave popcorn when I got home.

Exercise: Curves workout this morning. I had a lot of energy & it felt good. I did ask them to stop my automatic deductions after my payment this weekend. I will have until 8/24 to use Curves and figure out my next step. If I haven't figured it out, I can still pay cash month to month until I do.

I looked in one yellow pages for trainers today. There was just a whole lot of exercise stuff (Curves outlets, health clubs, fitness centers, etc.) all lumped together. I think it's going to take a lot of looking and calling to find the right places... I guess I need to get started! :laugh: My biggest problem is figuring out which city I would like to find my trainer in: the one where I live, the one where I work, or one somewhere in between. ??? Not sure what would work out best.

Tomorrow I am going to the big local art fair which I attend every year. I don't have any time off to take, so I am working Friday & Saturday in exchange for going on a less-busy day at the fair (tomorrow). I am going alone, so I'll be able to go as fast as I want, skip things I don't like (this fair is HUGE and usually I spend 2 days). I will probably buy a lot of cold drinks as it will be in the upper 80s; not sure what I will find to eat but will try to be healthy!

Lisrey :wave:

hmmm...just a thought (perhaps a bad one) but what about checking in at places that sell supplements? I wonder if they have lists of PTs? The fair sounds like good fun--enjoy yourself!!

I love art and craft fairs! I hope you have a good time. Get some good alone time. Take a relaxing day off.

Maybe you could check into gyms. Our gym has a personal trainer who does it as a side business. She's really great. I hear lots of other gyms do the same thing. Or they might have brochures that PTs put out. You could take a bunch of 'em and read 'em at your leisure. Then you could decide. Just a thought...

Have a great day! :)

Hiya Rikki & Jessica -- good ideas. I will look into both the supplement places & the gyms. There have got to be good leads somewhere.

Calories/menu: 1800? Had a little styrofoam container of honey bourbon chicken and rice for lunch. It was a modest portion for a steep price; rather tasty for art fair fare. Sweetie brought home grinders for dinner & I had a bbq pork one with baked chips. I also ate some TLC cheese crackers when I got home... Not as bad as it could have been (there were MANY temptations at the fair).

Exercise: Walked ALL OVER the planet today. Usually I don't count casual walking in my exercise, but since I was on my own & free to go at my own pace (except for dodging the big crowd of people), this counted for me.

The Ann Arbor summer art fairs are the largest outdoor art event in the US. There are over 1,200 artists represented. There are actually 4 large fairs, plus many, many side booths that aren't "official," but sometimes just as interesting. I love the fair... I usually go every year, and take my Mom or a friend. I usually go two days. This year I went on my own, and packed it into one day. Since I have seen a lot of the stuff multiple times, I can go pretty quick when I want to. The fair is always incredibly crowded, and incredibly hot. I like to go Wednesday or Thursday to avoid the biggest crowds. Unfortunately, the heat cannot be avoided.

I took my "cooleroo" neck wrap, which did keep me nice and cool for the most part, and I kept drinking water or lemonade constantly. I did have TOM start today, and between that & the heat, developed a tremendous headache by the time I got home. I was at the fair from about 9:30 until 5. I took a 1/2 hour break and went into the A/C of the student union, sat down and used a computer around 1:30 when I started to feel like a melted crayon...

I bought 1-1/2 pairs of earrings (replaced one I lost from last year!), 2 necklaces, a watch, and a pencil holder (for work). Happy with all purchases except the new earrings, which I have decided are just too big for me. :sigh: Only bought one item with a cat on it this year, which might be a record! :o

I think my headache might be affecting my coherence here, LOL.

Back to work tomorrow, so I need to get some rest. I will pack my lunch & do Curves after work. Not sure what dinner will be all about; need to see what Sweetie's planning. Night!

Lisrey I-)

My close friend (who lives outside Detroit) was at the Ann Arbor Art Fair yesterday. She loves it and called me from there! Small world, huh?

Sounds like you made a decent food choice at the fair, though I confess I don't know what bourbon chicken is. It is so much easier to eat lightly (I find) when it is incredibly hot. It seems all I ever want to do is drink.

What is a neck cooler?

Sounds like a fun day (except for the headache).

:)

sounds like a fun busy cool day. (way to exercise restraint, I can go crazy at festival things--it ain't purty!)

Hoping tomorrow(today) shapes up to a good day for you!!

Glad you kept yourself cool and hydrated. I don't think many people realize how dangerous heat can be! What did you buy with a cat on it? I'm glad you had a good time. Sometimes we just have to count the exercise we get doing normal stuff. I know if I go somewhere like an amusement park, I feel like I get a pretty ok workout since I'm walking around lots.

Have a great day, and a great weekend! :)

Hiya Chum! Yes, small world, but BIG art fair. You can't believe it until you experience it. The honey bourbon chicken was grilled chopped up chicken marinated in a honey bourbon sauce over white rice, in a styrofoam container, eaten with a plastic fork. :o I bought the neck cooler thing at last year's fair when I was equally hot and melting. I hadn't used it since, but it was wonderful yesterday!! It's a tube-shaped piece of fabric, perhaps 2' long, filled with these little gel crystal thingies. You soak it in tepid water for 1/2 hour or more before you want to use it, and it stays nice and cool for a long time. You wear it around your neck (you can move the gel stuff so you can kinda tie it) -- it's great! I think there might be a website. Let me know if you're interested & I can pm it to you.

Jessica, I resisted the butterfly fries, the pad thai, the deep dish pizza... and all of the ice cream places everywhere! :*

Rikki, I bought a sterling pendant in a flower shape, with a little white cat face done with a colorful reverse painting technique in the center. It's really cute! I wore it today & got lots of compliments.

Calories/menu: 1400/Grilled chicken breast with sesame ginger sauce served over egg noodles. Reeeeeaaally moderated on the noodles. Proud of myself!

Exercise: Curves workout. I think this is the first week since I started my new job that I've gotten in 3 trips to Curves in a week. Why is it I'm having great workouts now that I've decided to quit?

Work was busy for me today as I was on the desk all day plus had a zillion off-desk things to take care of. Got a lot done nonetheless & feel good about it.

Tomorrow I am working again (in exchange for yesterday), but I will be off the desk. I am planning to pack my lunch & to walk in the evening (I have been missing my book!). Not sure if Sweetie will be here in the evening (he hasn't decided what he's doing tomorrow), so don't know what I'll be having for dinner. Tune in next time...

Lisrey :laugh:

Calories/menu: 1300 (for now)/Lean Cuisine pizza for dinner. Sweetie offered to bring me home a *real* pizza, but I resisted. He got Taco Bell for himself (which he is now eating & I am smelling). I may eat one of my skinny cow things tonight (still haven't tried the new flavor!), or not.

Exercise: 3.2 miles/54 minutes walking after work. A Curves person suggested to me that your body resists losing if you walk the same route all the time. I am not sure I believe this, but for fun tonight I decided to go the opposite direction than the way I usually head. Ya know what? Things DID look different. I noticed things about the other sides of houses and yards that I had never seen before. So even though I was the same pace & same distance, it was different & interesting. Hmmm.

I finished tape #3 of my book, but the beginning of tape #4 seems to have a problem. I hope that Sweetie can repair it! (He is good at that, so I have hope.)

I got several good things done at work today. It was different to work a Saturday again! I am sure that Monday morning I will wish I had more weekend, but it felt fine today. Sweetie did yard work all day & although I could have helped him had I been home, I didn't really miss it! :tomato:

Tomorrow it is supposed to be very hot, very humid, and very stormy. They predict a heat index of 103. I am hoping I can get up fairly early & walk (and that my tape is repaired!) before it gets too bad. If there are thunderstorms everywhere I may just be out of luck... I will do shopping errands and try to clean up my house during the day; will have to see what the Sweet One wants to do for dinner.

Lisrey :)

Shawn and I run my bike route backwards, and it makes me laugh to see how the things I *love* about the bike ride are the same things I *loathe* as a run. (things=hills.) Hey, in case you didn't notice--you're on a good-choice roll!!!

Hey Jessica! Yes, I am doing alright. Someone has inspired me with her kickin' attitude and consistent progress! :D

Calories/menu: 1500 (probably a low estimate but I'm proud of my snack resistance today so I'm taking it)/meatloaf and cheesy potatoes for dinner ala Sweetie. Oh yeah, and he baked chocolate chip cookies! I only had one bite. He has probably only made cookies 3 times in the 17 years we've been married! :O

Exercise: 3.2 miles (backwards again)/52 minutes (faster than lately!). It was thunderstorming when I got up this morning, so I waited until this evening to walk. It was SO HOT today it was unbelievable. I waited until 8:15, my last hour of daylight, to leave. Weather.com said it was still 88 degrees and felt like 102! When I got back in I was completely dripping and it was getting quite dark. Crazy for Michigan! The low tonight is only supposed to get down to 72!?!?

I did some grocery shopping and bulk shopping this morning. Was very annoyed because I made the wrong choice on where to shop. I wanted to go to two different stores. There are two towns on either side of my home that have both stores. The one I picked, the second store was going out of business & had almost nothing on the shelves! So I wound up having to drive the opposite direction to the other town anyway. Grrrrr... With gas prices as they are this was not in my plans. Also a big waste of time. X-(

When I got home I did laundry & some other cleaning projects, ate a healthy lunch, Sweetie & I paid bills... I stayed away from the snacks in the kitchen & am really proud of that. :up:

It was so hot today our A/C was not keeping up very well. Sweetie is always hot & keeps it on 70 degrees. I am usually pretty chilly at 70 and wear sweat shirts and slippers around the house, but not today. T-shirt and bare feet! Yikes. I am proud of myself for walking tonight. I stepped outside at 7:45 and the heat took my breath away just standing there. Wasn't sure I wanted to do it at all, but thought of my book & went.

Another thought was that I won't be exercising tomorrow. I have a Board meeting & will work 9-9 probably. I will pack my lunch & a Lean Cuisine for dinner so my eating will be controlled. Will be a long day, and another hot one... relief is supposed to come Wednesday, 74 and rain (?), and I will get to ride again! Oh, and looking at the long-range forecast, the day of my party it's supposed to be 83 and sunny. If only the weather people could be right! :laugh:

Lisrey :ex:

:up: way to prioritize exercise today!

Thanks for the encouragement Jessica! I need all I can get! ;)

Calories/menu: 1350/Lean Cuisine for my dinner tonight before the Board meeting. Eating some baked chips & salsa now for my evening snack.

Exercise: None. Worked a 12-hour day.

Work today was fine, except I discovered I'd upset one of my staff by not asking for her opinion about something... and it was a radical opinion, unbeknownst to me. I feel bad now & half feel like I should apologize for not asking her, although I am still sure we would have to agree to disagree. On the other hand, I am the boss, and I make the final decisions, so maybe I should be a bit tougher and just hold strong with no apology. ??? I will sleep on it. I think I tend toward the too-soft side most of the time as a boss, and I don't want them to think I am a pushover for everything. :shrug:

I have made a point to be very conscious of my calories this past week & the scale is going down a bit again. Partially TOM effect, but I have also been on-track most of the time, so I'm feeling good. 143 was where I'd been settled since April or so, and I'll feel a lot of relief when I just get back to that point (but I won't let up!).

Tomorrow's forecast calls for storms, so I am planning to do Curves after work. We are having a pot-luck lunch tomorrow for a student page who is moving away. It doesn't sound like too many things on the menu are going to appeal to me. Either I will be stuck with only junk, or I will go hungry, most likely. I am hoping there will be enough there that I can make some good choices. I am taking a pretzel snack mix... Sweetie may or may not be home for dinner, so it's wait-and-see for what my calories will be. I want to start making phone calls to find my future personal trainer, but I don't know who/where to call or when I'm going to fit it in! Aaaaggghhh! I think this will be the hardest part! :caf:

Lisrey :mus:

Tough Bosses with Softer Sides are the best. My opinion. But then again, I've despised most of my bosses and only respected a few. That's why I'm trying to work for myself, I suppose. ha!

How did the pot luck go? I never do well with those. Thank god they happen rarely in NYC to me. I never like other people's cooking when it is done in bulk. Something is always off. Or always fattening. Or people bring a bunch of chips and call it their DISH. Sigh. It's a hard one, I agree. Someone told me once to always bring something I will want to eat to a pot luck and pfft to everything else. Good advice, I think.

Perhaps you should look for a trainer by your office; seems more convenient. I think there are websites where you can start or the yellow pages or even the internet or a local gym??

Hi, Chum! The person who was angry with me was not there today. She's a diabetic, and apparently her blood sugars were through the roof yesterday because she has some kind of infection. Her doctor ordered her to stay home or she would put her in the hospital. I am hoping the irrational (I thought) anger was due to that, rather than my policy changes. We'll see. :shrug: The potluck was okay... I ate a little of several crunchy salty things (my usual downfall), and I had one sloppy joe on a wheat bun. I avoided the multitude of desserts and the pita bread, most of the cheese. For me (as boss), it's hard to not taste the foods my staff bring in because I don't want to offend anyone. Hard to know how much will be perceived as enough. ???? I am still mulling over the trainer location thing. I was starting to wonder if I shouldn't try to find one closer to home that maybe I could work with on Saturdays, when I am always off, or if they will have flexible evening hours. When I look online or in the phone book I am overwhelmed by choices. Maybe I need to throw some darts?

Calories/menu: 1800 is my best guess on calories. I ate some things at the potluck I didn't know how to find in FitDay (crostini?), but made a stab at it. For dinner I made myself fish with corn & rice. Had a nectarine and one peanut M&M for dessert.

Exercise: Curves workout. One of the staff there complimented me tonight on how much effort I put into the machines... Again, I'm liking Curves more now that I've decided to part with it. :sigh:

Work was full of "issues" today. I took care of some of them. One of them is huge and scary. I may wind up having to fire someone. :caf:

Tomorrow is my weigh-in. I am confident it will be much better than last week, even if I did go over today. I have focused on eating within calories best I could, and had TOM, which always helps. Eating should be good tomorrow -- I will take another Lean Cuisine to have before my riding lesson. Really looking forward to riding again!!

Lisrey :D

Hello...long time no chat!

Now what is this I am reading about your DH eating tons of hot dogs, Taco Bell, and offering to bring you "real" pizza!

Ahhhh!

But you are strong...and doing well...keep up the great work!

Now I see you are ready to mix up the exercise!!!...Did you check online for a trainer?...I think there are sites that have listing of trainers locally!

Hope you can find someone you like!

Well...have a great week!

Talk to you soon!

mcmarto

oh, man.

-Potlucks are diet death, for me (oh, joy, I get to face one on Saturday!) --VERY nicely moderated, there!
-Big scary firey issue...eeeek. :console: best wishes and strength, there.
-soft, touchy bosses always confused me, I think; Firm is good in a boss. Firm, but reasonable. Something tells me you fall into that category. I find, with most apologies, to let my conscience guide me--if I feel really guilty about it, I definitely say sorry. Otherwise? It'll die down. With your situation, it sounds like there's enough outstanding drama to give that particular situation a sudden end...

Have fun riding and staying in spectacular dietary form!!! :D

146.2 -- 2.2 down from last week. Quite satisfied with that. Would like this pace to continue, but know better. This is the lowest weight I've recorded since July 1st.

Hi, Mc! Good to hear from you. I did look at some online trainer listings, but they were huge (100s of people) and didn't give any info about the individual trainers except an e-mail address! No phone, no city, nothing! Too overwhelming. I need to find a time I can make some phone inquiries and just start dialing, I think.

Hi, Jessicia! I guess I did okay with the potluck, as I stayed the same weight as the day before. :o As a boss, my two big philosophies are involving my team in decision-making, and being fair to everyone. I am not sure I am tough or firm enough, but I am still learning about my staff. We'll see how things develop.

Gonna go shower & head to work. I have my bag of riding clothes all packed & am pretty excited about tonight. It's supposed to actually be much cooler temps today (high of 73???), so I'm hoping it will be very pleasant around the barn!

Lisrey :D

Hi Lisrey, hope you get the work issues sorted out. I know that you make a great boss. If you feel bad about hurting someone's feelings, that's a good sign. Just don't let it guilt you into doing things you don't feel you should do. (like appologize if you don't feel you did any wrong.) I guess I'm saying, you care about people, and you're trying your best to be fair. All I know is, if my old boss was you, I wouldn't have quit my job!

HOpe you have a great rest of the week. Looks like most days were good cal wise, and congrats on getting 2.2 down this week! Woo hoo! :)

Lisrey, congrats on the 2.2 down, that is great!

Hope things calm down at work at bit, I know you have a kind heart and would hate to fire someone, but sometimes that is all that you can do. Hang in there.

Great job! 2.2 pounds a week is perfect.

enjoy your pot luck,
~K

Hiya Rikki & Crazy. Thanks for the support. The person I was thinking of apologizing to now is going to be off (doctor's orders) the rest of the week. I think she has bigger things to worry about than my apology. I do, too... now I have to work a split day tomorrow to cover for her absence. :sigh:

Welcome to my journal, Kelsey, & thanks for the support! :)

Calories/menu: 1300/Lean Cuisine at work tonight as planned. I did eat some Cheez-It snack mix which was left over from the potluck, but I did not eat too much, and did not have any other snacks tonight.

Exercise: 1 hour plus of horseback riding. I think tonight was the best lesson I've ever had as far as me being in control. I was thrilled and delighted with the response I was getting from the horse. We really got the canter going and were able to keep it going nicely -- I loved it! Felt like dancing and flying at the same time, just a beautiful experience. There were only 3 of us in the class tonight so we had a lot more space and freedom to do what we wanted. Fun! My instructor advised me to purchase some paddock boots and half chaps... Probably $100-150 worth of equipment. Not sure when I can go to the tack store or afford the stuff, but I want to do it if it will improve my riding! :up:

I spoke with someone at the city today who gave me a start on how to prepare for the personnel issue I'm faced with. I feel less stressed about it and am hopeful that I will not have to fire anyone after all... but time will tell. My workday was very full and busy today and just flew by. I got a few things crossed off my list, but tomorrow will set me back again.

I called to inquire about 2 personal trainer options this evening before riding. I left a message at one place, and the other place told me to call back early tomorrow morning when the trainer is working. That place is VERY near work and would be very convenient should it become my choice. I am not 100% sure I want to be sweating in skimpy exercise attire that close to my workplace, but I don't want to drive a zillion miles, either. I hope this trainer works some hours other than 5-9 a.m., which is when she's there tomorrow! :laugh:

Tomorrow's plan:
1) get up & shower, call the trainer
2) drive to a meeting away from work
3) go out to lunch with the meeting group & attempt to order something healthy
4) go to the store & buy ingredients for 2 dishes I want to put together Friday night for Saturday's party
5) walk if there is time
6) go back to work from 5-8 p.m. to cover for absent person; eat another Lean Cuisine, maybe? When/what I have for lunch will probably determine this.

Lisrey :cat:

I meant to dancing nana you about the loss...I should probably go to kilo's journal for that, though :)

:dn :dn :dn

your tomorrow sounds like it'll be manic (but I kinda like those well-scheduled days, myself!)

Glad to hear you had some serious horsey joy, and that you've been in such awesome control with your eating--GO YOU!!!

Have a great day, Lisrey! I'm happy you had a nice riding lesson! You are doing so awesome. The cals you're keeping to will only help you get to your goal! You rock!

Have a great time getting ready for your party! Sounds like a blast! :D

Hey, Jessica & Rikki, thanks a bunch! I really did have a wonderful time riding last night. Sometimes with my private lessons I'd wonder if I was ever going to get anywhere, if I was really making any progress, if I was just wasting my money. Someone might casually ask me if I had a good ride -- I'd say yes but be thinking "I guess." Now I am having FUN. I really like this group class & am glad I was forced to change. Change is good!!

Calories/menu: 1500? Lunch was a chicken kebab with rice and a pita. I probably shouldn't have eaten the pita, but I am a bread-aholic. :sigh: For dinner I had a Lean Cuisine to squeak in under calories by my best guess.

Exercise: 2.5 miles/43 minutes walking this afternoon. The weather was gorgeous -- upper 70s and only moderately humid. Nice! I started tape #5 of my book & am loving it. (Horses!)

On the way to the meeting (yes I was on my cell phone in the car -- I don't usually do much of that!), I called the personal trainer near my work. I have an appointment to meet with her Monday evening to see if I like what she has to offer. I also called (once I was parked!) a health club in another town near work. They have a group of trainers & suggested I stop in and pick up a brochure on what they offer. I did. The club was a neat place. I think I would like it -- tennis courts, a big outdoor pool with a water slide -- I didn't have time to stay and check out the whole place, but it definitely offered a lot. The other woman's gym is tiny by comparison, but she told me it has everything you need. I am going to try to get an appointment to meet with one of the health club people also and see if I like either choice. The health club ones are out of my price range unless I do a 2-4 people session. Not sure what the plusses and minuses of that would be, so those will be additional questions. I am making progress! :up:

Tomorrow I will either do Curves or walk after work. When I get home I need to bake a cake & put together a potato dish for my Saturday party. Not sure what I will have for dinner (depends on Sweetie), but I will pack healthy for lunch & see what happens. Friday is the day the library staff likes to order out as a group. I will probably have no problem resisting, but I always feel guilty when I do not participate.

Lisrey :peace:

I dont like the group eating thing too, my friends and I will go out, I'll get a salad and then they all want to split an appatizer and want me to go in too.. what do you say to that? I enjoy fridays because I don't work saturdays, it does end up being a rather rushed day.

Hiya Kelsey, I didn't order with the group today... they got Subway & I figured my packed turkey sandwich was just about the same thing (but less, and customized to my taste!).

Calories/menu: 1350/Tortilla crusted tilapia, corn & rice for dinner. Yum.

Exercise: Curves workout. I was pushing myself hard tonight & really sweating. I guess I am trying to maximize the time I have left there.

Busy day today, though not a terribly productive one. Did not get a chance to call the person who schedules the trainers at the sports club. When I got home from work & Curves I made my dinner, then a cake for tomorrow's party. Sweetie came home & made a jelllo & a potato casserole for me. He really is being sweet about the party. He's not thrilled to have people over that he doesn't know, but he's helping and being a good sport. He probably will not socialize with my friends, but he has agreed to do the grilling, so he'll have to interact at least a little! :laugh: He is a bigtime Introvert. I am an introvert also, but next to him I look like the life of the party, LOL.

So, tomorrow morning I have an appointment to get my hair colored (hide the grey, please!). On the way home I will go to the grocery store & pick up the rest of the stuff I need for the party. Once home I have a list of cleaning and food prep projects to take care of... and my guests begin arriving at 6. I don't expect to have any exercise time. I do expect to eat the wrong things! I have been on a roll lately & hope this doesn't totally derail my eating. It's possible I will be too busy being hostess to eat too much, but I doubt it! I will probably eat from nervousness. I am *really* excited to be having this party. I hope it will be successful & that my friends will have fun. We'll see!

Lisrey :party:

Hi Lisrey,

A personal trainer sounds exciting. Sounds like you will soon be done with Curves. I have just joined with them. They have gym in the next town. I find myself in that town more then in my own, so seems right to join. I like it very much, but it sure is different then the reg gym I use to go to.
Can't wait to hear how things go.

I hope (and know) your party will be a smashing success. Good luck, have fun and BE GOOD!!! LOL

Dar

Hiya, Fleur! Long time no see! Congrats on starting Curves! I have been doing it for 2-1/2 years. Obviously, I have liked it, and I think it really helped me tone up a lot. Trouble is, with my new work location and schedule, it's not as easy to get there regularly. It's also getting a little boring, and I think I've kinda reached my peak there. I hope you will enjoy it a good long time, as I did. I'm ready to move on now... I hope!

Calories/menu: 2250?/one burger & one hot dog for dinner, with miscellaneous side items. Mmmmmm.

Exercise: None. Very busy day of prep for the party, but did do a lot of cleaning and a little yard work.

The party was fun! Seemed like it was over really quickly, but it went from 6:00 until nearly 10:30, so I guess it was about what I'd expected. My Sweetie did the grilling and cleaned up almost everything while I visited with my friends, so it was wonderful. He did not really socialize but he worked in the background which I sure appreciated. Even though not everyone knew each other, they all talked and laughed a lot -- I knew it would be a very friendly and fun group. We played the Book Lover's edition of Trivial Pursuit -- definitely a good game for librarians! We played in 2 teams of 4 because the questions are not easy unless you're VERY well read. (My team won.) :o

Tomorrow??? Haven't thought that far ahead. Wanted to go to the saddlery to buy boots and half chaps, but I called them earlier and they are not open on Sundays. Might try to call the sports club but doubt the trainer scheduling person will be there either. It may thunderstorm, but if it doesn't, I want to force myself to try the rollerblades. I will walk, too, for sure. Food? I have TONS of leftovers from the party now...

Lisrey :*

Hi, I have not visited your journal in a long time. I had forgotten that you did some riding. I also saw the mention of roller blades. Have you been using them? I knew you walked a great deal. Sounds like you have a lot going on.

A personal trainer sounds great. I am sure whoever you select can really help you focus on what you want for you. I sometimes wish I was closer to a larger town/city to have more of those options. Just cannot do all the driving and use the gas to buzz in for it each day.

Your party sounded fun and relaxing. I am not good about going to staff parties because my husband is not very social, either. He feels very out of place as he does not know anyone. And I hate going by myself. At least at your place he was busy and in his element. What a help he was to you!!

Enjoy your week. These weekends just go by too fast.

Hi, SB, thanks for popping in. Yes, I started out with walking as my primary exercise, but have tried to broaden my scope a little at a time. I gave myself horseback riding lessons as a reward for weight loss. I've been taking them about 15 months now and I am finally starting to feel I know a little bit about what I'm doing, LOL. It's really a lot of fun. I was *very* proud of my Sweetie's performance at the party yesterday. Even though he didn't interact with my guests much, he let me enjoy the party more than I ever would have without his help. It was great. :x

Calories/menu: 1300 right now/Mediterranean turkey burger with an ear of fresh local corn for dinner. MMMMmmmm it was just delicious! This particular turkey burger they prepare at Whole Foods Market. I swear it is my favorite burger in the world.

Exercise: 3.2 miles/51 minutes walking this morning. I got up with lots of energy, it was sunny and mild outside, and I walked my usual route in my fastest time of late. Felt great!

Okay, so I probably have a few more calories than what I posted above... I forgot that I went to Whole Foods. Can you say "samples?" Their samples are always too much fun to resist. I had: 1 cherry, a bite of grilled chicken, a couple small cubes of gouda cheese, a few different tortilla chips, and a piece of crostini with a tiny taste of stilton cheese on it. Hmmmm.

This afternoon I decided to try the rollerblades. I don't know if it's me or these skates, but something wasn't right. The right boot, which is the one with the buckle that won't stay shut when the boot is tightened, felt all wrong. My foot kept turning over sideways, and I just couldn't move properly. I was outside all of about 10 minutes. Fell down once in the grass, could not really get going very well on flat pavement, but down the driveway was scary! :O

I am not sure if I should try again with duct tape on the buckle, if I should try again with an experienced person to assess the problem, or if I shouldn't try again until I have different rollerblades (that probably won't be free). :shrug: Today's attempt was quite pathetic and I do not feel very inspired to try again right away. Advice, anyone?

This afternoon I also left a voice message for the woman who schedules the personal trainers at the sports club. I hope she'll call me back in the next day or two so I can ask some questions. Tomorrow evening I have an appointment to go visit with the trainer that is closest to my work location. Her gym is apparently very small, but I would get individualized attention from her and it would be very convenient. I've been advised to see how comfortable I feel with the person, as well as to look into their qualifications and references. I am hoping for a couple of good options; we'll see.

Tomorrow's plan is work 9-5, go see the trainer, go back to work and eat a Lean Cuisine, then hold a Board meeting. Not sure what to expect as this is a planning meeting... may be a quick one, or may be a really long one. Eating will surely be good, but I won't get any exercise in.

Lisrey :beam:

rollerblades: duct tape. (if the other felt alright, it sounds like a fastening issue--I always have to go a smaller size in skates or my ankles get floppy, I should think if the skate isn't fastened tight...oops. Duct tape could be a cheap fix for free fun!!)
party: chuckling out loud. (Shawn is the same way. He's usually okay with the guests, but would just as soon be his happy introverted self and not have people over to begin with.)

I have been thinking of you all weekend, at the house we rented they had "books to let" and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister was *right* *there.* (hear me squealing with excitement.) --Only, it gets *better* (is that possible?) It was a signed copy. I asked to borrow it and though I'm in full agreement with you that it's not quite Wicked, (it feels to me as though it's trying to be reminiscent of Chevalier's work, and falling flat) I am going to call the homeowner/hotel guy and see if I can buy the book from him, or trade for a first edition Islands in the Stream...

glad to hear you sounding so "up" and "on"!! (not that you were down and off before but, well, you just sound really peppy!!) Best of luck on the trainer front!

Glad you had such a fun party!!! Sounds like a blast. Hope the appointment with the trainer goes well. Let us know what you think! :)

Have a great day, Lisrey! You're on a roll!

Jessica, thanks for the rollerblade thoughts. I think it's going to take some gumption for me to try it again, but when I do, it's duct tape all the way. :laugh:

Rikki -- thanks!

Calories/menu: 1300/Lean Cuisine pizza at work. I was going to have some light micro popcorn for my snack tonight, but Sweetie offered me part of his chicken parmesan. I had about 1/3 of it. I think it worked out okay.

Exercise: None today... long day of work. :(

Work was crazy today. More things to do than I would ever have time to accomplish. After tonight's special Board meeting, I feel even more overwhelmed. There is a lot to work on! :caf:

I went to visit the trainer at the small gym tonight. She assumed that I would work with her, and immediately dove into ideas for changing my eating plan. I took all of her ideas down. It was a much different meeting than I was expecting/hoping for, but I think it's probably alright. I will try to make the changes to my eating schedule and menu that she suggested... although it will not be easy for picky me! She wants me to write it all down & e-mail it to her in a week. Then a week after that (either that Mon or Tues) I will have my first hour-long session. She is thinking of an intense circuit training sort of thing for me... I will hopefully be able to handle it.

This woman is a bodybuilder. Her arms were HUGE. I was impressed by her physique. I am not sure where this will lead, but if she knows how to look like THAT, I am pretty sure she will have some good suggestions. She operated this gym until recently (sold it, but is still the trainer there). She is also helping to open another chain of gyms on the other side of the state.

I did not hear back from the other person who schedules trainers at the sports club. If she eventually calls me back I will still gather info from her. There's nothing that says I have to stay with the first lady. I think I will give her a go for a session or two and see how I like it. Yikes -- this is getting serious!!!

It is late and I am very tired. Have a little bit of a headache. I don't have the right kinds of foods to start the eating plan that the trainer suggested for tomorrow (she said it is based on Body for Life). Not sure how to modify what she suggested to make it work with what I have... I will try to stop at the store tomorrow night on the way home and get some different ingredients.

Tomorrow I will work 9-5, then I have an appointment at 6:00. Will stop at the store on the way home, then see if I still have time/energy to walk. We'll see what happens, and how I feel.

Definitely heading for a new chapter!

Lisrey :shrug:

Hey girl!

You sure have been busy...your party came and went...you attempted the rollerblades and you found a potential trainer!...WOW...

Time sure goes by fast!

Unfortunately...I feel like time is moving slowly for me with all this rehab work...I had to bring the dogs home after 2 nights at my mom...this place is a mess...tools...dust...furniture...everywhere!...My bedroom is clean...but...they drag in the dirt on there paws...ayyyyy!

Well...I hope the trainer works out...I think Kilogo used to eat on BFL...she may have some good ideas for you!

Well...have a great week!

mcmarto

Hey Lisrey! I hope you like the personal trainer. She sounds like she knows what she is doing! I think it's always hard to adapt to a new eating plan. I am impressed that you don't eat much fast food. I was doing the budget the other day, and realized that we go out ALL THE TIME! So I made a deal with my hubby. We can eat fast food once a week, and a "nice" place (like Applebee's) once a week. We're going to try it for a month and see how we feel. I am hoping to feel less sluggish. I am also hoping to save some money to spend on new (smaller!) clothes! :)

Have a great day at work. It sounds like your very busy. I guess they realized that you were the best person for the job if they gave it to you! :)

WOW! The trainer sounds ready to go and intense. Am sure you can handle it as you have been very active for many months. I am sure she also picked up on your dedication to a healthy and well toned body. I have heard of "Body for Life" but am not sure what it entails. Good luck. You have really put in some long days with those meetings. I am usually so beat after meetings.

Enjoy your week!

The trainer thing sounds pretty cool...though...bfl...uh...doesn't he endorse green vegetables??? Ahh, well, you're gonna make it through this next phase of changes and weather 'em fabulously!!

Hi everybody, thanks for the encouragement and votes of confidence on the trainer thing. She actually scares me a bit! It is NOT what I was expecting at all. I hope I will like this, and that she knows what she's talking about. I got a call today from the woman at the other place who schedules the trainers. She is going to have a couple of their trainers call and talk to me about scheduling options & what they could each offer me. I will keep them in reserve as a second choice if things don't work out with the scary one! :laugh:

Calories/menu: 1250 calories. Weird menu, tried to follow what she suggested but didn't have all of the proper ingredients. Went to the grocery store tonight & am now prepared to try. Today's menu looked very different from my norm. Here's what I ate:

7:45 -- 3 oz sliced deli turkey breast, 1 pluot
12:15 -- 1 slice sunny millet bread, 3 oz sliced deli turkey breast, 1 slice tomato
4:00 -- 1 oz peanuts
8:00 -- large slice meatloaf from ground sirloin; 3/4 c cheee/potato casserole
9:00 -- peach (this was after my walk)

Exercise: 2.5 miles/41 minutes walking. I had an appointment tonight, followed by grocery store trip, and it was HOT. Three strikes against walking, but I still did it! Proud 'o me. I pushed hard all the way around and got a pretty quick time.

The eating was weird. Tomorrow's breakfast is going to be the biggest challenge... I don't like eggs, but I'm going to try scrambling egg white with some chicken breast, and eating it in a low-carb tortilla with salsa. I also get to have strawberries & a cup of skim milk. I am not sure I am going to like the egg white part. A trial. Not sure what I will do if I can't stomach the eggs. I've already told the trainer so many things I don't eat, she is going to think I'm insane.

Work today went pretty well. I apologized to the person from last week & I think that went a long way toward getting back on her good side. I did not apologize for my decision, but for my approach to it. I am learning. LOTS going on. My head was spinning. I didn't sleep well last night because I was awake thinking about the crazy food plan! I hope more sleep is in the picture tonight. Tomorrow will be a VERY long day.

I have to get up early tomorrow to do the egg whites, but I also need to leave home 1/2 hour early for work. I have a staff meeting to run, and I want to get there early to set up and prepare. I will work until 6:30 or so, then go to my riding lesson. I can't wait to ride again! Very excited to see how I do this time. I have prepared some of the food I plan to eat tomorrow, and I put it all in FitDay. I hope the egg white thing works out. Did I mention I am nervous about this? :o

I'm pretty excited, too. This is a BIG change for me. A major shake-up. Maybe this really will get me back on a losing track again. That would sure be nice. I think I am ready to put the work in... I know I am as far as the exercise goes. It's the darn food routines that are going to be hard. I'm especially worried about trying to work it out with Sweetie, but if this does what I hope it will do, he should like the results. Gotta convince him!

Lisrey :mus:

I am not a huge egg fan, but one thing I did enjoy when doing the SBD thing was whites and mushrooms with Johnny's (seasoning salt) --with just a wee bit of parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top. (I also loved this with spinach, but I won't even go there, recommending it to you :) ) I will recommend, time being what it is, and cleanup of eggs being a major hiney-pain, find a breakfasty thing you like, make quite a bit of it, and reheat it for future mornings (if you can do boiled eggs, those are a huge timesaver...)

I can only imagine what your nerves must be like--this is a MAJOR shake-up for you!--but you know, if you try it, and hate it, you know your old way isn't ever going to go anyplace. Life is too short to be miserable with the food you're eating. Scary trainers may know what they're doing, and talking about, but there are bunches and bunches out there who might also know what they're talking about and follow differnt approaches.

I love that you didn't apologize for your decision at work; very nice and decisive and assertive and "rawr." (yet compassionate!!) :up:

Hi Lisrey! Have a great time riding. Can't wait to hear about it! :)

Your trainer does sounds like she knows what she is doing. But Jess is right. She's not the only trainer in the world, and if you really can't stand her eating plan, try someone else. And don't feel bad for your decision. I'm rooting for you though! I do like eggs, so I don't have a better suggestion. Except maybe egg beaters, which are easy to clean up, and low in cals and fat. (But still high in protien, which is probably why your trainer wants you to eat them.)

Have a great day at work! :)

Sounds like you are encouraged to up the protein. A couple things on your menu I had NO CLUE what they were. I was curious as to what she would recommend you eat. You had some tasty choices. Congrats on walking even though it was hot. You certainly should be proud of yourself. Good luck with this big change. Hope she isn't too scary!!!

Hi Lisrey,

Is it green veggies that you can't stand or all veggies? Just curious. Have you ever tried jicama? That's usually a big hit with anyone. Kids, adults, veggie haters, all.

That rollerblade situation doesn't sound good at all. If your foot is turning over then the boot is not tight enough. If it fits on your other foot, then duct tape should help. It's not a wonder you fell and that you had a negative experience. Proper fit is very important on these things.

The whole point behind the small meals throughout the day is that they are evenly spaced so that your blood sugar never fluctuates much. I think you're going to have to adjust your eating times a bit more to be effective. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Soon you'll know exactly when 3 hours has passed because your body will be telling you that it's time to fuel up again.

I am *totally* exhausted but I am excited about all of your replies and input!

Jessica & Rikki -- I know very well that this may not be the right trainer for me. But it's precisely because she's recommended something that's so challenging that I want to give her a try. I would NEVER have tried this on my own. EVER. :laugh:

SB, I'm betting one of the things you didn't recognize was the pluot. It's a cross between a plum and an apricot, and absolutely delicious. A sweeter version of a plum.

Kilo, I have not tried jicama but have heard about it. How do you cook it, or do you eat it raw? Veggies I eat are corn on the cob, tomatoes that are cooked, potato, chopped up cooked veggies that are "in" things, like peppers in salsa. I also can eat lettuce, but find it incredibly boring since I don't eat dressings, and I have had spaghetti squash and it was okay, but seemed like more bother than it was worth. I know, I am terrible. The rollerblades frustrated me, but I *will* give it another go with duct tape. I can ice skate no prob, so I can't believe this is as hard as that first attemt felt. Trainer told me to eat every 4 hours. I pretty much did that today & have not felt any hunger to speak of. Overnight??? We'll see. The times are going to be hard when I eat with Sweetie. EVERYTHING is going to be hard when I eat with Sweetie.

Calories/menu: 1300. I ate the egg whites! They were okay! I was nervous but without the yolks there was not that icky flavor that I don't like about eggs. There were too many of them. Trainer suggested I do 5 whites and I had to force myself to eat it all. Very full afterward. Tomorrow I am going to try 3.

7:45 -- 5 egg whites scrambled, 1/2 chicken breast, salsa, low carb whole wheat tortilla, 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup skim milk
12:15 -- 1 slice sunny millet bread, 3 oz sliced deli bbq chicken breast, 1 ear corn
4:30 -- 1 chicken breast, 3/4 cup white rice
9:00 -- 1 peach
10:00 -- 3 oz sliced deli bbq chicken breast

Exercise: 1 hour 15 minutes horseback riding lesson. The regular instructor was not there tonight & the stand-in had no watch! It was an extremely hot night, and I feel totally wiped now. The horse & I did alright, although there were more people in tonight's class and it wasn't as fun format-wise as last time.

My staff meeting this morning went well, and the rest of the day was fairly productive. Mostly, just LONG. I am so tired. I did not sleep well last night or the night before. I need rest. I really, really need rest.

Tomorrow I will eat the egg white thing again for breakfast. At lunchtime I will go out & see if I can get another ear of corn to go with my sandwich. Not sure what will happen for my dinner meal... Sweetie will be in the picture, so it'll be a big question mark. Exercise ought to be Curves, but the way my legs feel right now I'll bet I'll be movin' pretty slow!

Sleep now.

Lisrey I-)

I was so overwhelmed yesterday by the new food plan plus all the stuff I had to do, I forgot it was my weigh-in day. Until I had a really nice weigh-in this morning! :laugh:

Yesterday (official): 146 (down .2 from last week)
Today: 145.6

I am sticking within my calories better (so far) on the new eating plan. I guess one really weird thing about me is that I have never once before now eaten on any real "plan." I've cut and counted calories, I've eliminated foods that were unhealthy, I've added foods that were better/lower fat, etc., but I've always eaten what I wanted to eat. I think I'm probably one of the only ones here that has never tried something this regimented. Maybe it's what I need for a little while (if I can stand it).

Back later... must go shower. That riding last night was so hot & dusty I am sure I am about the grossest of the gross.

Lisrey :foot:

Hey, congrats on the weigh-in! You're doing so well Lisrey. Perhaps I should lower my cals to about your level, and lose as quickly as you're doing!

Glad you had a good time riding, even if it wasn't your favorite class setting. I'm glad you're doing something you really enjoy!

Is it hard to separate the egg whites? What do you do with the yokes? I tried to separate them once, and thought: screw it. And just dumped the whole egg in. I like eggs, though. But I HATE boiled egg yokes. I always throw those away and eat the whites (like with Easter Eggs--but I haven't done those in years!)

Have another great day, Lisrey. Hope you got some sleep last night, and hope you are feeling refreshed and ready for a new day! :flower:

Rikki, it's easy to separate eggs if you've done much baking... When you break the shell, hold both sides immediately beside each other with the contents facing up, so that you keep the yolk inside the shell. Then, transfer the yolk back-and-forth between the two halves of shell, letting the white pour out into a bowl as you go. Sadly, I have been putting my yolks down the garbage disposal with the shells. I have no use for them that I can think of. :shrug:

Calories/menu: 1490/Chicken, chicken, more chicken. Ate the same menu as yesterday, but for dinner had Sweetie make BBQ-sauce covered chicken breasts on the grill. I ate one with no bun, although I told him we'd be having sandwiches. Also had a peach with it. He made a deli hot dog which I had a bite of, but only a bite. Oh, and the 3 egg whites seemed like a lot still, but I think it's pretty do-able.

Exercise: 2.5 miles/42 minutes walking. I packed my bag for Curves this morning, but left it on the kitchen floor. Did not realize until I was almost pulling in their parking lot that I didn't have my stuff. :sigh: The walk was good. I do have some funny pain under my big toe when I walk, but my running shoes cushion it a lot better than the other shoes I wore today. Hope that improves ASAP.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about this food plan and working with the trainer. I feel really good about its chances. I think I'd reached a point in my progress where I was no longer motivated strongly enough from within to lose more weight. I think the trainer will be the external motivator that I need. I don't want to disappoint her... and I also think that this eating plan has taken away my desire for snacks. Either that, or it's the fear factor!

Tomorrow is Friday, which means my staff will ask if I want to order out. No! I am going to stick to this food plan. Sweetie bbq'ed me an extra chicken breast tonight which I am packing to eat late in the workday with rice. I will take that Curves bag tomorrow for sure.

It is past my bedtime -- I'm off!

Lisrey I-)

Sounds like you are enjoying your new plan. Super that husband is supporting you also by grilling and making tasty healthy choices such as chicken. You are right, I did not know what pluot was. :) Sounds yummy. Hope you are not too sore from riding. Those lessons sound like fun and give me something to think about if I ever lose some of this weight. I have always wanted to do that. Not sure if there is a place around, but is something to think about.

Have a great weekend.

:up: WAY TO GO, Lisrey!! I think sometimes we do need to shake things up a bit, affect a major change, to get to where we want to be. It's hard, at first, but the results prove themselves...

Heh. Try eating like this when you're allergic to chicken like me. Forces you to learn about lean protein alternatives quickly! (fish, pork, lean beef, tofu, beans).

You eat jicama raw. Peel the tough outer skin, then cut the white inside into finger-sized rectangle sticks, about a 1/2" tall and wide. Store covered with water. Best eaten a bit chilled.

I've forgotten the gym bag before, too. Most annoying.

Congrats on reaching out and trying a new plan!

SB, I'm not sure my husband is being supportive. I think he thinks I'm crazy, eating the egg whites in the morning. When he notices that I'm not eating the goodies he prepares some evenings, I think he might get angry. So far I've avoided conflict by having him make things that sort of fit in.

Thanks, Jessica! This certainly is a major change for me. I don't know how long I can (or will want to) stick to it, but for now it has me jazzed and excited about weight loss again. We'll see.

Kilo, you mean there's something healthy that I eat that you don't??? :laugh: I am intending to have some of those things on your list -- have just been so busy it's been hard to be creative. Tonight I had a piece of salmon at the end of the day with my fruit. Nice change. I am finding the chicken convenient to take to work, but there's nothing stopping me from taking a trimmed butterflied porkchop to reheat, or something like that. Sounds good. I will have to look for the jicama when I go to the store again. Thanks for the thumbs up -- I am feeling proud of myself and brave for trying this. When I first met with the trainer and she suggested all this, I was more scared of the eating plan than the exercise she'll put me through. As the first workout date gets closer, though, I'll bet that will change!!

Weight: 145.2. This is an "unofficial" weight, but amazing to me that I've lost 1.6 pounds in 3 days of trying to eat this way. Even if the foods are equally healthy to what I was eating before, it has disciplined me better and I am eating the quantity I should.

Calories/menu: 1470/bbq chicken breast with rice at 4; salmon and a peach at 7:30. I am not hungry, ever, I have no desire to snack, and I'm sticking within my calories easily each day. WOW. :O

Exercise: Curves workout.

When we left work today, there were three very young children outside the library waiting for a ride. I'd say the oldest was about 7. They had tried to call their parents' home phone and cell phone, and no answer. I waited around with them for about 20 minutes until their Dad showed up. (Grrrrr.... unattended children. What are these parents thinking???)

Anyway, that whole time I was holding my heavy bookbag with my purse, etc., in it. I am not sure what I might have done standing there or getting in my car, but when I got to Curves my back was twinging on one side. I thought some stretching would maybe help it, and did my workout fine, but once I got home, it turned into real pain. I have moist heat on it now; hoping for rapid improvement. I hate being sidelined by injury -- especially when I'm going strong.

I checked out two DVDs at work to try to watch this weekend. I really want to see both of them. Sweetie is out tonight & the one I want to see more I also think he would like to see. So perhaps I'll watch the other one tonight. But then, if he doesn't have time or want to watch a movie later this weekend, I'll be bummed. What to do... what to do...?

Tomorrow will be interesting. Not sure what time I'll be getting up, but I'll eat my egg white thing again. If it ends up being a lot later than 7 or 8, how should I space out my 4 small meals? Or will I be able to do the 4 meal thing at all with Sweetie probably wanting to make a real meal for a late dinner? Might be tough. I'm hoping my back will feel okay by morning & I'm planning to walk. I also want to drive up to the saddlery tomorrow and pick out the boots and half chaps my instructor recommended. I'd like to pay some bills first, to make sure I can afford it on this paycheck, but I doubt Sweetie will want to do that first thing in the morning. :sigh:

All for now!!

Lisrey :D

:O the parents should be drawn and quartered...what are they thinking, the library is a daycare????? (hope your back feels better!!)

I'm so glad your new eating plan is working so well!!!

Yarg. My sweetie likes to make sure the budget is in order as well. I see his point, but sometimes I just wanna SPEND the money. We're not going to retire for ages! Why do we need to save it? :sigh: And then I realize I'm being a baby... and let him do his thing. Keeps him happy. That's important right?

Hope your back feels better soon! That sure sucks. Take care of it, ok?

Congrats on already losing! That is fantastic! You can do this. Here's to continued success: :cheers:

Have a great one!

:flower:

Hey Lisrey...

Sounds like you are doing...greeeeeeat!

Congrats on the weightloss and all that exercise!...WOW!

Sometimes we all just need a little change to get us back on the weightloss path...you have done so well...but maybe for the last 20-25 pounds you just needed a little change in your diet...I am so proud of you!!!

So have you worked out with your trainer yet?...I can't wait to read all about it!

I spent my Friday night cleaning up my old place...its about 70% done...we have some workout equipment, 15 boxes, 2 mirrors...and about 8 large pieces of artwork left to move out!...So hopefully by tomorrow night...

I am anxiously awaiting for my appliances to be delivered...woohoo!

Have a great weekend!

mcmarto

Out of 31 days in July:

16 days I ate within my target calorie range (1200-1500)
26 days I exercised, including 8 days of strength training
29 days I took my multivitamin
29 days I ate fruit
Ate fish 6 times, pizza 4 times, no Taco Bell.
Watched two movies and sat down and played the piano twice. Wish I had more time to devote to this area of my goals.

Average daily calories according to FitDay: 1642.3
Total exercise minutes for the month: 1942
Average daily weight for the month: 148.2308
My "official" weight stayed the same.

Since 8/1 I've been trying the new eating plan and things are looking much better. I'll be starting to exercise with the trainer in another week or so. I am excited about making improvements again. Have stayed the same for too long, and was starting to gain a bit... July wasn't pretty, but I'm getting a kick-start that will hopefully take me in a new direction now.

Lisrey :D

Good luck Lisrey!

mcmarto

Hey Lisrey! :)

Wow, we sound like "veggie twins".....for most veggies the only way I can eat them is if they're cooked in something (and therefore don't taste like they're supposed to anymore.....!)

Way to go on the change-up.....I needed one too, started supplementing Curves with a "regular" gym, I'll wait and see what happens with that!

PS.....let me know how the jicama is, I'm always looking for new things to try! :laugh:

Your monthly averages look terrific. Hope your back is better today. That is a bummer! I know what you mean about parents picking up kids late. I am a teacher and it happens often. What would they do if the adults at the place just left? On the other hand I am always afraid I will one day be that parent that lost track of time. YIKES!!! I try to keep a timer so I am not late. I just get fed up with the chronic ones.

Did you get your riding duds? I used to live in cowboy country northwest of here. There were REAL cowboys there. I always wanted a pair of Ropers. I thought they were the coolest and morst comfortable pair of boots. Never did, though. You will be much happier riding with boots. The heels make a difference. Not sure what half chaps are.

Enjoy your weekend.

Hey, Jessica! Latchkey kids are a big problem for libraries. Not only do they not always get picked up before closing, sometimes they are WAY too young to be there on their own. Libraries are public places. Even though we like to think of them as safe and quiet, the staff are not babysitters and anything can happen there. I could rant on this for awhile, but I won't. :o

Rikki, my back is feeling a lot better, thanks. I took it easy today & did not do a few things I had hoped to tackle (washing my car, cleaning the weight machine in prep for using it!). I will try them next weekend when I'm 100%.

Mc, I will work out with the trainer for the first time either the 15th or 16th. It will depend on her schedule. She is helping to open some new gyms, and they are not sure which of those two days their big equipment delivery will be. I am keeping both dates wide open! :laugh:

Hi, Geo! I bought a jicama today but haven't tried chopping it up yet. I'll let you know for sure. I have decided I'm a "supertaster." They are people who are overly sensitive to the bitter flavor in green vegetables. They also commonly do not like coffee or grapefruit (I do not like either). Does this describe you???

SB, I went to the riding store & I bought a pair of riding boots that are more like a tennis shoe with a heel. The actual boots just didn't seem to fit me right, and these were much more comfortable as well. I didn't get the half chaps yet. These are leather wraps that go around your calf, with a stirrup that goes under your boot. They help you grip the horse and keep your leg in the proper place while you ride. I'm learning English riding; not sure if Western riders use them. Anyway, I decided I need to ask my instructor some more questions about the half chaps before I buy them. My legs are very short, and my calves are big around, so they didn't fit me very well. I also tried on some riding tights, but they were too long and I was pretty self-conscious in them (you could see my underwear through them). I think I will ask some questions when I ride again, then go back to the saddlery after my next paycheck.

Calories/menu: 1480/only 3 meals today. Did the egg white thing again for breakfast, a 1/2 sandwich with the ear of corn around 1:30, then Sweetie & I made shish-kabobs for dinner. I was starting to get pretty hungry by the time it was ready, but I did not snack & was proud of myself. I had one skewer steak and one chicken, with little roasted potato pieces. Finished my meal off with a juicy pluot. I ate all of the foods I was supposed to, just not at the split-up times I was supposed to.

Exercise: 3.2 miles/52 minutes walking this morning. It was still early but already hot, and I skipped from shady spot to shady spot. By the end of the walk I was feeling zapped, and my back was still a bit sore. Hoping tomorrow I can get my pep back.

Sweetie did not feel well today & was a bit grumpy. I was glad he was willing to cook the kabobs. I tried to stay out of his way for the most part. Did my shopping, laundry, etc.

Tomorrow morning my plan is to have my egg whites & go walking as early as possible -- it's supposed to be even hotter. I'll shower, then I'm driving down to my parents' house to celebrate my Grandma's birthday with them. They are planning to have lunch at their Country Club at 2:00. I'm hoping to eat a little something before I leave home, then order fish at the club. I'll do my best to stick to the right types of foods... but it'll be a test. I know my Mom has baked a cake. :caf: It's possible that my Dad & I may play some golf in the afternoon. He's got a game in the morning and might be worn out, or not want to go out in the fierce heat. We'll see.

Lisrey :wave:

Oh, man, re latchkey kids...I could rant for HOURS... I don't know what things will be like as Ab gets older, I don't know what I'll think then, but my current thought process? The world is a scary freaking place to be young. Responsible parents make things better; irresponsible ones make things worse... And here I'll stop that train o thought...

Way to go on managing to keep the eating in check despite sweetie and his mood (and YAY Sweetie! For being obliging!!)

Good luck with the cake tomorrow...or heck, have fun, enjoy (eat a really light bf and a light lunch and ??eh,?? it should average out, yeah?)

WOW, you call your husband "sweetie" all the time, your cool. :) He is a lucky dude.

I think parents just drop off their kids at the library (and the pool) here too. I can't really study at the library anymore because the kids are kinda running wild there. A couple of kids got kicked out, and they didn't have anywhere to go. As I was leaving, I saw them peeing on the side of the library. Yuck!

GOod luck with the cake. And have a good time golfing if you get to go! That should be fun! (and good exercise if you walk and carry your own clubs)

Hiya Jessica, I can't apparently do the "light breakfast" thing anymore... I'm supposed to eat a big protein-filled breakfast on this plan. I did, and did my best to make it all work out anyway. :)

Hey, Jump! I don't call him that to his face, LOL. But I can't use DH or any of those things other people use. Just doesn't sound right. I have always called him "my Sweetie" when talking to my Granny and certain other people, so that's what I've adopted here, too. He IS sweet, sometimes. :laugh:

Rikki, golfing was fun. But you still get exercise even if you ride... just not as much. Hitting the ball can be a workout on its own. Especially in the 90 degree heat we had today! :caf:

Calories/menu: 1470. For breakfast had the usual egg white thing, strawberries & cup of skim milk. Around 2:00 had lunch: broiled whitefish, one dinner roll, medium baked potato with a pat of butter. After golf I had a turkey burger with ketchup (no bun), and a piece of yellow cake (made from scratch by my Mom) with strawberries and pressurized whipping cream (just a little). I plugged it all into FitDay & this is what it gave me. Within my calorie range, so I am pleasantly surprised and delighted. I only got 3 meals in rather than 4, but it was an unusual day. Weekdays are back tomorrow and things should get more manageable.

Exercise: 3.2 miles/51 miles walking in the morning. I jogged anytime I had to cross the street. Around 4:00 my Dad & I went out to play golf. I was hitting the ball great off the tee & from the fairway -- could NOT believe it. Their country club is a tough course. Usually I get in the low 60s for 9 holes. Today I got 53 on the front nine! Definitely my best 9 ever there. I had one par on a par-3, where I hit my 3-wood right on the green, was putting for birdie! Back nine wasn't so great, but still got a 59 and was happy with my round. Fun!

Play was a little slow on the golf course so when a twosome behind us caught up to us my Dad invited them to join us. It was a new club member and his 12-year-old son -- and they were Scottish. The man had an extremely cool accent and an excellent swing. The boy had lived in West Virginia for 4 years, then Wales for 4 years before moving here, so his accent was a bit mixed up, but cute. He is an impatient golfer now, but he'll be good someday, too. It was fun meeting them and listening to some of the different golf expressions, such as "lovely strike!" :D

Was nice to see my Grandma & Aunt -- particularly good to see my Grandma doing well. She has been having a lot of ups and downs lately with chemotherapy. My Dad & I played the piano a little before I headed home, and that was fun, too. I miss my family a lot sometimes & it was good to spend some "quality time." I invited them to come here & play next weekend, to have a cookout and take a look at a few things we could use some advice on! Hope the weather will be good & they'll be able to come.

Tomorrow will be a bit of a strange day. Working until 5, then need to take my car for routine maintenance & to have the tire with the slow leak checked out. The new dealership that now services my type of vehicle is close to my Curves. I think once the car is checked in, I will walk over to Curves and work out, then walk back. Not sure how late I will be there, so don't know about eating afterward, but will try to stick to the 4-meal thing.

Lisrey :beam:

Auuuuuugh. I would not, apparently, do well with bfl, then...I'm a light morning eater, building up momentum to lunch, and then give or take a heavy dinner. I think you just have to find what works, and ride the success!!

Sounds like you had a fun day! Good luck with tomorrow's challenges! :)

Glad golf was fun! It sure sounds like it. Wow, it sure sounded hot. Glad you got some exercise in. Anything is better than sitting in front of the tube, isn't it?

Hope you have a great day today. And I just wanted to say how awesome you are sticking to plan, and doing so well on the challenge. You and Jess are putting me to shame!!! Keep up the great work!

Glad to read you are doing so well with the menu challenge. It is always hard when eating out or with others. Eating before was a great idea.

I guess I never thought of English saddle riding since most out here ride western. A neighbor next door does teach English and Western both and her daughter was runner up in 4H in English saddle riding. I saw her picture in the paper. She had on the whole outfit and really looked COOL.

My honey bought fruit today and bought one of those things you mentioned earlier. Half plum and something else! Anyway, when he mentioned it I told him I had recently heard about them from my diet site. I had a taste - MMMMM. Also stopped today and bought a watermelon. It was SO delicious. I cut up 1/3 and filled a huge bowl. We have all been eating at it tonight and the bowl is about gone!!!

I know what you mean, Jessica... I had to really work up to the cup of cereal I had been eating for my breakfasts. Now this 4 meals a day thing is a real challenge for me, but the hardest part is not having my biggest meal at night. It's more like the four meals are all about the same size, really.

Thanks for the kudos, Rikki -- you are doing fine! Don't short-change yourself. It is a *challenge*, you know! :laugh:

SB, glad you liked the pluot! They are SO yummy. I have convinced a lot of people to try them. Once you find them in the store, gobble up all you can -- they don't seem to have a very long season of availability (here, at least).

Calories/menu: 1375/the usual through the day, with a piece of "coconut crusted tilapia" and a pluot for dinner. Sweetie got a pizza for himself (he's eating it now). I had a bite of it since he went to a new place & wanted me to try it. I am proud that I told him I didn't mind if he got pizza for himself, but I didn't need any. :)

Exercise: 10 minute walk from car dealership to Curves; Curves workout; 10 minute walk back. I only mention these walks because they were in 90 degree heat and felt like big walks, LOL.

My tire had a nail in the sidewall. They told me it was still close enough to the tread to repair, but that I need to watch that tire... and they told me I have *very* expensive tires. I am glad it was salvagable.

Good productive day of work today. I am glad I got out of there quick to go to my car appointment, because the next two days will be looooong.

The trainer e-mailed me this morning & asked me how the food plan was going. I e-mailed her back my eating/exercise log and asked for input. We'll see what she says. My weight was up a little this morning (probably a result of the cake!), so I didn't tell her that I'd lost anything. I will wait another week when I go work out at her gym to report.

Tomorrow I have to stay late to attend a city council meeting. It should be easy to eat my 4 little meals, but I won't get an opportunity to exercise.

Lisrey :flower:

Calories/menu: 1200/stuck to the plan except got home too late from the city council meeting to eat at the right time. Had 3 oz of deli turkey and a pluot at 9:30. I e-mailed the trainer my log last night & she has not responded yet.

Exercise: None today. Worked 9-9. :caf:

It was a good day of work. We had a very successful end-of-summer-reading party, and I also made a lot of headway on 2 different projects. The evening's meeting was entertaining but longer than I'd hoped.

Tomorrow I am hoping to sleep in a bit since I worked the long day today. I am not sure what my evening eats will be; perhaps the same as today. It's my official weigh-in day, which should be a positive, and also my riding lesson, which I always look forward to. Yay!

Lisrey :)

Kudos to you for telling your husband not to order you a pizza, and for sticking to just one bite of his!

Your new approach sounds interesting. Sometimes I think we have to change our methods a bit as our bodies adjust. Way to go signing up with a trainer.

Hi Liserey :wave: . Are you doing BFL ??? I am totally surprised but think it is way cool, I do BFL and used to train some of my patients using the principles. The hardest part for me (and a lot of people) to begin with is the eating. One thing cool about it I think is that it really emphasizes the intensity of a workout and hitting the weights. A lot of areas that were saggy, convex or soft will start to become convex and lift up. I bet your trainer is in pretty good shape, hope that sparks the motivation in you. :)

145. This is one pound down from last week, just after I had begun the new eating program. :up:

Hi, Lutha! Nice to see you here again. This eating plan is shaking up my usual methods a LOT, lol. I am not sure how long I'll be able to do this as strictly as I have been, but I'm giving it my best try.

Jump, I am sort of doing BFL... The trainer has modified it somewhat for my odd likes and dislikes in food. I have not worked out with her yet, but she is recommending pretty intense circuits for me. Yes, she is in fabulous shape -- she is a champion bodybuilder. :)

I am off to eat my egg white breakfast and start my day. Will be back late tonight after I ride!

Lisrey :spring:

Hi Lisrey,

You sound so pumped about the turn in your weigh loss plan. I'm so glad for you.

I am finally on track myself. For the first time EVER, my food and my exercise are both going hand in hand. Curves has really helped me. It's only been a few weeks and already I'm not huffing and puffing going up stairs,like I use to.
I'm trying to follow the Curves low carb food plan too. So far so good.

I bought myself a couple of those rubber braclets that are all the rage. You know the ones that have sayings on them. Mine say "Take Control" and "Go For It". They just help remind me of what I'm suppose to be doing.

Well, I've babbled on long enough.

Have a wonderful day.

Dar

Hi Lisrey, congrats on being down a pound from last week. THis new eating plan is really working for you! I hope you can stick to it. When do you start working out with the trainer?

Hope you have a great time at your riding lesson. I know you always look forward to those. We are going to Colorado this weekend, and I saw there is a horseback riding stable next to our hotel! My hubby has a job interview in Colo, so I might be able to ride horses while he is in the interview. It's probably "western" riding, but I was excited nonetheless.

Have a great day. Get some sleep! :)

YAY on the weigh in!! You're doing GREAT on this bfl thing! :up: Hooorayyyyy!!!!!

have a great day, and a great ride!

Super job on the one pound lost!!! Enjoy your ride and the rest of your week! :)

Thanks, everyone! I am happy. I don't know what has done it as far as the change in my ability to stick to plan. It could be the plan itself, but I doubt it, because it's not very easy. It could be the desire to be accountable for this trainer (I am going to be paying ($$) for this, after all). It could just be that I needed something different to get me interested again.

Fleur, I'm glad you are liking Curves. It served me well for the 2-1/2-plus years I did it. I have about 2 weeks left that I've paid for, and I'll take advantage as I can. I have one of those bracelets too. Mine says "Libraries Matter." :D

Rikki, do you ride? I can't remember if you told me before.

Calories/menu: 1225/mostly the same as yesterday for food. I ate all of my meals about an hour later, though. If there's anything I think the trainer won't like it'll be the lateness of my last meal. She hasn't e-mailed me back any feedback yet. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. :shrug:

Exercise: 75 minutes horseback riding lesson. I had a great ride tonight. We had a lot of people in our class, but it was still fun. I feel like I understand this horse, and she responds to me unlike any other I have ridden. It's funny, because everyone tells me she's not an easy one. I dunno. I only know that we seem to "click," and I have fun riding her. We didn't get to canter too much tonight because there were so many of us. I did get to wear my new riding shoes & I love them! Next week I will try my stirrups a little shorter, though. It'll be a bit of trial and error until I get used to them. My instructor is going to try to order me some custom-made half-chaps. She took measurements of my calves and is sending them to her husband, who is currently in Bolivia. She knows a man there who makes them beautifully, and cheap. If her husband has time to get them, I will be in business. We'll see. :)

Tomorrow morning I have a meeting in another town. I will eat my egg white breakfast, then I'm not sure what will happen, food-wise. I don't want to pack a lunch and leave it in the car, since it will be another HOT day. If there are people I know at this meeting, they may ask me to join them for lunch... I will play it by ear and do the best I can. After the meeting I am going to pay a visit to my old library, as it is in that neighborhood. There are a few things there that I want to photocopy, and a few changes I want to see. The biggest project I worked on before I left was implementing a big new technology plan. I never got to see it, but it is in place now. I am excited to lay my eyes on what they wound up with. After work I will either do Curves or walk, depending on weather and time. I will stop on the way home from work and get myself some fish; I think Sweetie is planning to golf.

Lisrey :cheer:

Glad to read the boots worked out well. Sounds like a great ride. Super job staying focused. Eating out can be difficult. Hope the day went well for you.

heh

you were riding poorly, perhaps, because your horses were poor? I think you, dear Lisrey, function well when you're challenged...this new eating plan is a challenge, the horse you're on is a challenge, therefore--SUCCESS!!

:cheer:

Hiya, SB! Here's a pic of my riding shoes:

http://www.ariat.com/products_detail.aspx?cid=2&scid=21&pid=145 (http://www.ariat.com/products_detail.aspx?cid=2&scid=21&pid=145)

I think they're pretty cool. :D

Hahahaha, Jessica! I *do* live up to challenges... but those other horses were big challenges for me, too. This one has been a challenge for other people, but not for me. Weird. I think we just fit each other's styles right now. She is not the prettiest (or youngest) horse in the stable, but she and I can communicate. :up:

Calories/menu: 1150 (low!)/Egg white breakfast thing; low-carb pita with grilled chicken, tomatoes, and raspberry vinaigrette for lunch; grilled sundried tomato chicken breast with 3/4 cup garlic & herb rice for dinner; a large peach and 2 slices deli turkey after my walk.

Exercise: 3.2 miles/52 minutes walking. It was the nicest, coolest temperature I've had to walk in in forever. I dodged a few raindrops (but just a few), and started tape #8 of my book. :ex:

My meeting this morning was kinda boring but not too painful. I did some valuable networking afterward. No one wanted to eat lunch that early, so I headed in the direction of my old library & got some gas in my car ($$$!). I decided to go to the pita place because I knew that would be the sandwich option with the least bread. Their "lite" pitas are good, and the tomatoes could sort of be my veggie. I wasn't even really tempted to get chips with it!

After that I visited my old library, which was bustling and beautiful, and saw the technology project in action... It looks like it is a success (after some trial and error), and I am so happy for them. I also got to say "hi" to lots of people, and meet my replacement. It was refreshing and pleasant... I miss LOTS of things about that place, but I don't question my decision for an instant. The new administration was impossible, and sounds like it still is.

Went back to my new job after that & got a few things done. On the way home got my chicken breast & grilled it with some butterflied pork chops that I packaged up with 3/4 cup servings of the rice into "mini meals" for the next two days. I am starting to get the hang of planning for this eating plan, although it is work, and I am not sure how long I can keep it up.

Tomorrow morning I have another meeting, but this one is at the City Hall, which is across the parking lot from the library. The problem with it is, it's early. It starts 1/2 hour before I typically have to be there. So if I want to have my new usual egg white breakfast, I'll have to get up 1/2 hour earlier to make it. I have my lunch & mid-afternoon meals ready to go. Hoping to do Curves after work because it's supposed to be rainy. I will get out a bit early since I am starting early, so I'll have a head start on traffic. Sweetie won't be home for dinner -- he'll be watching FOOTBALL at a friend's house. I will get some fish for myself for my last mini meal. Sounds like a plan!

Lisrey :lift:

dang, is it already football widow season??? time sure does fly!!

We watched football last night. I usually am picky about what teams I watch but David was so happy to have football on that I watched for a while and then made a quiet exit and showered and washed my hair. We will be watching football till superbowl. That is the most important TV program in David's opinion. It is good that we have more than one TV. lol

Good going on your weight loss. I know you are thrilled that this new approach is working so well.

Carol

"Football Widow" I love those terms! My love buns doesn't like sports all that much. I am usually a "computer game widow" or a "PS2 widow". Those last all year! *sigh*

You are doing so awesome on this new eating plan. I am proud of you. Keep up the great work, and have a terrific weekend! :)

It's pre-season football, Jessica, but he does a countdown all summer to the first pre-season game (tonight's game). I actually really like football, but I like college football much better than the pros, and they don't start for a few more weeks yet. The pre-season stuff doesn't get me too excited. His friends actually bailed on him tonight, so we are watching it together. He didn't know about this until after I'd bought myself salmon for dinner, though, so I still got to eat my own thing! :D

Thanks for the kudos, Carol! I know what you mean about the game having to be with the right teams.

Rikki, my Sweetie does a lot of gaming, too. He is big into Ultima Online. But he's also passionate about just about every sport out there! :laugh:

Calories/menu: