Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

Monday Check-In: I'm pleased with my day. Good food choices and a good session with my trainer. She did call me yesterday though and it threw me for a loop. I guess she is planning to leave the gym. I guess they are on her for not pushing supplements and the stuff at the gym. She's just not like that. She makes recommendations to me, but it's always vitamins like Vitamin D, Garlic, etc. . .I think I may start working with her privately instead, which is fine by me. It will be cheaper and I don't have to pay for all 10 sessions up front. It should be a win-win for both of us. She'll stay with me through this session then probably quit.

Work was really busy today. No personals tonight, but I did read the post. I'll try to check in tomorrow. Have a peaceful night and lets make tomorrow count!!!

Hello everyone. My name is Stephanie. I'm completely new to MyFitnessPal. I'm having some trouble getting my "start" to really "stick". I have a love hate relationship with food right now. I binge eat and then fast. This in the end doesn't leave me with weight gain, or weight loss either. It leaves me at square one. Like every two weeks or so, I completely repeat this cycle. I'm getting tired of being "gung ho" about the newest diet idea I have, and newest motivation, to just drop the ball again shortly thereafter. I'm looking for peace through eating in moderation, exercise, ...well really all aspects of a healthy lifestyle practiced with moderation. I have a couple road blocks in the way that I'm trying to get around. I have Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (which has symptoms similar to Type II Diabetes). I need to lose around 100 lbs. I'm married of 4 years; and this is my second year as a teacher. I want to drop this college, grad school, and first-year-teaching-stress weight so I can move on with my life to an optimally healthier version of myself, and my husband and I can finally start a family. Could anyone provide just the tiniest tip to help motivate/support me to get started and really take off this time? Thanks in advance!

P.S. Reading through the posts has shown me the words of some really kind, caring, and dedicated individuals committed to a healthier you and wish everyone the best of luck with your own personal goals! Hasta luego for now

@Toots...best of luck with the adoption process. We adopted Emma domestically so we didn't have quite as much red tape to get through, but she is 100% Native American, so we had to get approval from both tribes and there was added stress, time and money for that. And congrats on the books!

@LivestoTravel...I think your feelings are perfectly normal. I think you are wise to just let it be for a couple of weeks. That will give it time to settle in and you both will be better able to talk about it without hard feelings to bubble to the top quickly.

@Kelley...it certainly sounds like he put you through some rigorous training! I, too, hope that this is just a blip on our winter weather and not how it's going to go.

@Karen...you have my name right...it is Tracy. That's a pretty nice student teacher -- the Air Force One gifts would be awesome!

@Karenleona...I think I should have my husband do that with the goodies! I haven't made any yet, but I believe this weekend will be a good one to get my baking done. Good luck with the Angio tomorrow.

AFM...I just can't get excited about exercising right now. The thought of going outside when it's not "necessary" isn't appealling at all. I'm not a huge wuss when it comes to winter weather, but this -26, -11 isn't for me. I've been doing some at home, but not all that motivated. And last week I was told to not lift so I haven't (it helped that my sister threw her back out while shovelling so she couldn't lift either). I was cleared yesterday and told to be at about 80% by my next appointment so we can see what's going on. We start up tomorrow again. I can report that for the most part, my food has been on schedule and I've lost 1.9 pounds in the last week.

Thankful: Today I am thankful that we have stations that play Christmas music all day long. It makes my day at work go much fast when I have Christmas music on in the background.

Tracy

Tuesday goals: Sticking to the same routine. This is my second week with the new routine. I didn't workout yesterday before work because I couldn't get my head into it. I came home from work last night and changed into my workout clothes. I got 6 minutes into my routine and realized that was not going to happen. I had horrible pressure in my stomach and was so uncomfortable. I am changing this week's routine to Tuesday- Sunday rather than Monday- Saturday.

The snow is finally making it's way to us this morning. It looks so pretty outside. I am waiting to see if there is an early dismissal or after school activities are cancelled. If they are that means I don't have to go into work. If they aren't I have to leave super early to get to my school on time. So far only one local district has cancelled after school programs but it isn't mine.

Today's gratitude: As I was pouring my cup of coffee this morning I looked out the back window and was watching the squirrels and blue jays clean out my back feeder. One squirrel climbed up into a tree and sat with his tail wrapped up around him. IMO the poor little baby looked cold but beautiful at the same time. I put my cup of coffee down, got the feed out of the garage and went out to fill the feeders all the way up before the snow began. As I was outside listening to the sounds of the wildlife in my back yard I felt peaceful. I am grateful to be able to find beauty in the world around me. I am grateful for all the critters on Earth no matter how big or small. Simply beautiful!

Kah - I was thinking the same thing about visiting the dr. However today I am feeling so much better. No pains or discomfort at all. This is probably TMI but it feels like really bad gas pains and bloating. Some of that gas released and instantly the discomfort went away! Last Thursday I made a smoothie with some Greek yogurt that I had in the fridge. When I drank it, I noticed it didn't taste quite right but I drank it anyhow. (Stupid move, I know) I think possibly the yogurt was going bad and having it's way with my stomach. Congrats on the extra super workout! How are your legs feeling today after the squats?

Lives2Travel - Best of luck to you when it is time to have that conversation with the hubby. I hope it goes well for you.

Kaye- I hope you are feeling good after the Novocaine wears off.

Skinny- That's funny. I am the complete opposite. I didn't expect Hershel but expected something to happen to the Governor. Do you watch The Talking Dead after it? I was getting emotional watching and listening to the cast speak. LOL I am such a sap!

Karen - That's funny that you daughter made you watch her put up the tree. I do the same thing to my hubby when I set up my village. I don't actually want the help but like the company. HEHEHE

Stephanie - Welcome!

Alupinsk - That is so sweet that you have ornaments that represent your past. I have 2 ornaments on my tree (one is my brother's and I stole it) that my great Uncle Tony gave to me. My husband laughs at them because they are very 70's looking. But they are priceless to me.

@Karen~What great gifts from your student teacher!

@Laurie~I hope the weather and road conditions aren’t too bad for you (or they call school off early).

@KarenL~We don’t get a lot of snow here either, if we get bad winter weather its typically ice and shuts down the city. You’re right though, people drive like idiots! The police and DOT have a lot of ramps still closed and HOV lanes are closed, yet people drive through the barricades and subsequently crash – my commute was over an hour today because of this. :grumble:

@Susan~Sorry your trainer is leaving your gym, it’s fairly common – I’ve seen a lot of faces come and go at my gym (especially if the trainers are young). I’m glad you can retain her outside of your gym as a trainer though. Trainers do push those supplements (my gym too) but never thought it could make or break them – I take a ton of supplements. My trainer doesn’t really push that stuff on me - he did get me to increase my fish oil dosage and take magnesium though (both of which made a huge difference).

@Nicole~Wow, a month with your trainer – hard to believe it’s been a month already. Patience grasshopper, you are definitely building muscle – the scale will cooperate soon, I promise!

@Stephanie~Finding this thread was a great start. The best advice I can give is to not deprive yourself of anything. If you are a sweets person, allow yourself a treat everyday – maybe change the type of treat (i.e. 1oz of dark chocolate instead of an entire candy bar or baked chips instead of regular potato chips). What I have found that worked for me is to change one thing, let that become a habit and then change something else. Trying to do too much too soon can really derail you. Check in here often, post about your successes and your challenges – we’ll celebrate with you and offer advice when faced with challenges.

@Alupinsk~Great goals. I’m actually planning on a tattoo this summer, I already have the design planned – a dragonfly on my shoulder. I love dragonflies – they symbolize change, depth of character, discovery, and an ability to see beyond our limitations. These are all phases and self realizations I’ve gone through while on this weight loss journey – I’ve gone through a lot in my life and have come full circle, so decided I wanted something to represent that.

@Nettie~I’m so glad you are feeling better, I bet it was the yogurt. :frown: No pain in my legs whatsoever; I did lift heavier with chest press and shoulder press so do have some lingering soreness there, otherwise I’m good. :happy: What I love about snow is how peaceful and quiet it makes everything outside, so being able to see the blue jays (one of my favorite birds and I don’t get to see them since moving to Texas) against the white and peaceful snow must be beautiful. Enjoy your day!

Today’s gratitude~I’m grateful for my parents. I’m lucky to have the parents I have, they have supported me through every walk of life and continue to do so. I’m extremely close with them and I’ve close to losing them both, so I value every minute I can spend with them. They live an hour from me so I don't get to see them as often as I would like.

AFM~I had a seriously bad day at work yesterday and left late. I had time for the gym but just wasn’t feeling it, went home and vegged on the couch with Zoe and a cocktail (okay, more than one) while I watched The Voice and The Sing-Off (love this show). I seldom have bad days at work, it was a doozie – today is a new day and I think we are getting Christmas bonuses today. I have a late meeting so won’t make up my missed workout today, but will plan for longer workouts the rest of the week to make up for it.

Tuesday Goals~I don’t post goals often because they seldom change. However, I want to do a half-marathon in May so am making some running goals – I need to improve my tempo and breathing; I’m following a program and guidelines set by my trainer to improve these things, so those are my current goals.

Exercise Goals:

Sunday~Gym, training session DONE!
Monday~Gym, running drills (Didn’t happen) :mad: :frown:
Tuesday~Rest Day
Wednesday~Gym, training session
Thursday~Gym, Arc Trainer
Friday~Rest Day
Saturday~Gym, running drills

Hello everyone.... Tuesday goal is not fitness or weight related it is to do everything in my power to make sure my son graduates this year. He has gotten it in his head that he doesn't need a diploma or college. What makes it worse is the special education teacher is telling him he aplauds Kenzie (my son) for having a well paying job that he can live off and maintaining at school. I honestly cussed the teacher out (I have never done that before) because a kid with all F's and who only shows up to school 2 days per week is not maintaining. I think the worst part is when he started his senior year he only needed 6 credits to graduate which he could have done by christmas break now he doesn't even see the point of graduating and possibly will not. He keeps telling me "Mom I can make it on the money I make at my job and I love my job".
Anyways thanks for letting me vent.

I am thankful today for Riley our new puppy.....although he is a handful at times he has brought me and my son many smiles and laughs.

@New people- welcome to the group
@ Nettie- hope you get the stomach pains figured out
@Laurie- Glad your dad is doing good and you got quality time with your mom
@Kaye- What a lovely holiday memory
@Believeth- welcome back
@Toots- Congrats on the book and good luck with the adoption
@Kah- glad your okay from the storms and wow 540#
@Michelle- sorry to hear about your stressful day with the ex's
@Susan- Great news on the trainer
@Tlh0407- I love christmas music too

Tuesday Goals: Nothing new. Just keep doing what I’ve been doing.

Like Kelly I’m so thankful for my parents too. They both came from pretty rough families, but they broke a cycle and made a much better life for themselves. They’ve worked so hard to provide for me and my sister. I’m proud to say they’ve been married 45 years. It’s not been easy, but they’ve pushed through. I’m thankful my Dad fought for my freedom in Vietnam even though I wasn’t even born yet. It was a thankless war, but one that I support 100%. My parents have both worked long hours making minimal money, but still provided a comfortable life for us. I do not thank them enough. This Christmas I plan to spend some quality time with them and thank them for everything they have done to make me the woman I’ve become.

@ Tracy – Apologies!!! Karen made me second guess myself and I think I was calling you Tina. Duh??!!! I know you’re Tracy. LOL!!! I’m glad you’re cleared to exercise again. You were on a roll so don’t lose that. Congrats on the loss though – Woo Hoo!!!

@ Nicole – One month already with the trainer? Wow!! I haven’t lost a lot either, but my stamina and strength training has really improved. You’ll see it in other areas as well. One more final – yippee!!

@ Laurie – How’s the weather today? I know our DC shop was closed all weekend because of weather. Not good for sales, but the safety of our employees is more important. We actually had a customer call and complain that we were not open. Seriously??!!

@ Kelly – Love your tattoo idea and what it means to you. I’ve thought about getting one, but never found that one thing that really symbolizes something to me to make it permanent. If it has a story and has meaning, go for it!!! Sorry about work. I know it doesn’t happen often, but it puts us in a funk that’s for sure. A few adult beverages and your four legged feline sounded just like what you needed. Hope today was better!!

@ Karen ~ I loved your gifts from your student teacher especially from Air Force One. How cool is that??!! For you and Laurie, Nettie and other teachers, what are some of your favorite gifts? I know teachers get plenty of coffee mugs. LOL!! Anything stand out? I’m going for gift cards this year and a big cookie tray in the teachers lounge. Not too personal, but it’s the thought. Right??!!! 

@ Stephanie – Welcome!!! You’ve found an amazing group of people. If you check in often, you will get so much support. I’ve been on MFP since August 2012. I had a rough 2013 and got my butt back in gear on August. I was down 60 lbs at one point, but derailed last year during the holidays and gained 30 lbs so fast. I’m back at it and only 9 lbs away from my lowest. Baby steps. I also received my 490 days of logging today. Like Kaye said start with logging, which is so important. Every bite, lick, morsel, etc. . . I’m not 100% perfect, but I try to get on there as much as possible. Kelly brought up some great points too. For me, I allocate calories almost every day for a “little” treat like a square of Dove Dark Chocolate or a WW Ice Cream Sandwich or a Skinny Cow Nut Cluster. It helps me to think I’m not depriving myself. I log it and move on. If you do have a rough day, you have your short pity party and get right back on the journey. You CAN do this!!

@Alupinsk ~ Goal setting is very important, but just make sure there attainable too. You’ve been really working hard and I hope you make that number. If you don’t, that’s OK too. Think of how much you have accomplished? You’re doing amazing!!!

@Nettie – Hope your enjoying your snow day. It’s better to be safe than sorry that’s for sure. I grew up in western PA near Lake Erie right in the snow-belt and hated it!! The only time I had stitches was a tumble in the driveway, knocked my head on the car bumper, and a trip to the hospital. It was awful!! Plus, I hate the whole boots, gloves, hats, scarfs – yuck!!! We were so spoiled and hardly ever shoveled snow. My dad worked for the city and would bring the big snow grater home. We always had a very clean driveway. Plus, during the holidays, we had so many treats because my dad would do the neighbors too. So spoiled!!!

@ Pyro – Like I mentioned to Stephanie above, you just have to keep doing it every single day. If you mess up one day, get your butt back in gear. So many of us have been on plateaus or just maintaining until life around us slows down a bit. You have to find that spot for you too, but keep fighting. You’re worth it!!!!!

@ Queen – I’m so sorry. I really hated to read this teacher would say that especially when Kenzie is not doing well. Every student should be encouraged to graduate no matter what. College is not for every kid, but just the accomplishment of graduation is so important. He’s been going to school for 12 years and this is a big accomplishment, which he needs to understand. Some kids thrive in technical schools and some kids will learn through personal experiences. While he may love his job now, we all know how tough it’s been the past 5 years with this economy and the recession. There are so many people out there still looking for work. If you can have a little edge on someone like a H.S. diploma, you may get that job over someone else. Some companies will not even look at you without a college degree. I’m not saying that is right either. I have some good friends who never went to college, but have worked 20+ years in a trade and I would hire them tomorrow. I’m glad you stood up to the teacher, but I really hope your son will listen to you too. Thinking of you!!!

Kelley- they called school off for us today. We only ended up with 1-3 inches of snow in the area but this morning was a mix of snow, sleet and rain so driving was dangerous. It should be back to work tomorrow as the storm ended about 2pm today. I hope you have a better day at work tomorrow. Good luck with the half marathon, that is a great goal. :drinker:

KarenL-wishing you the best of luck with angio on Wednesday, I hope you get some well-deserved answers and you can start exercising again. :flowerforyou:

Nicole- you are building muscles and the weight will catch up soon. Stick with it and a month is great with your trainer. :bigsmile:

Stephanie-Welcome to the group and you found a supportive group of people so come back and post often. Like many others have said log in every day and track what you eat. Pick one thing to change and make it a habit, just remember how long it takes your students to develop a new habit. You can do this. As for the stress of teaching, I deal with it by doing something active several times a day. When I started this journey, I would walk around the track at the gym. You can also walk the halls at school to get rid of the stress. What grade do you teach? I teach 7th and 8th grade science.

Tracy- those are some extremely cold temperatures and I can understand why that makes exercising hard right now. Take the time to ease back into the heavy lifting so you do not hurt yourself again. I also love Christmas music.

Alupinsk- for social interactions have you tried Meet Up.com. It is great place to connect with people your own age and to be able to socialize with some new people. Yes, it can be intimidating to meet strange people but if you find the right group then it is also fun. I joined a couple of meet up groups, I love the friends I am making in those groups, and I look forward to going out with them. They have groups for all interests and age ranges with all different size memberships. Most events happen in public places so it is easy to check out the group without feeling trapped.

Nettie- I also love watching wildlife. We have had a few squirrels in our yard eating the pumpkins that we set out for them. They love the seeds and the fleshy part of the pumpkin especially when it is snowing and cold. Great that you had a day off today, snow days are fantastic.

Pyro- TOM will play havoc on our bodies and especially our desire to eat all the wrong carbs.:grumble: There are good carbs that you can eat instead. Another piece of advice is to track your weight over this time. You may see a pattern as TOM approaches and leaves. For me I lose weight the week before, and then gain it after before I lose it again. You can put your weight in the note section of your daily log. Watch what you eat and keep exercising or at least moving.

Queen- that is awful what the teacher told your son:explode: . He should be made to work hard and keep his grades up. Remind him that the job may not last forever and his HS diploma is a very valuable tool to have behind him. I hope you get him back on track, have you talked to his guidance counselor or administrator, they may be able to provide some additional intervention. Maybe that could your next step.

Rnmotell- Welcome to the group.:flowerforyou: Hope the epidural works and that you can start exercising again.

Susan- the day started with snow, sleet and some rain so the roads were a mess today. Many places including the government closed down. The weather cleared up about 2pm and the roads were starting to dry out. The redeeming feature with this storm was the temperatures staying around 32-34 degrees so it will not freeze until tonight. Some people will complain about anything since they are not concerned about other people’s safety. It is good to know that your shop cares about its employee’s and their safety.

Michelle- I agree this group does pay it forward.

Today was a nice day since I had a snow day.:bigsmile: The only draw back is that my gym was closed today due to the snow. They have decided to follow the school schedule for closing this year, which means that I will not be able to hit the gym on future snow days. The fun of belonging to a gym owned by the city is that will close at the drop of a hat just like the school system. I hope that the next snow day my exercise will be shoveling snow, as I also enjoy clearing the sidewalks. Today, the snow did not stick to the sidewalks and we did not get as much as was initially expected. :sad:

Goal; Last week, I realized how easy it was for me to blow off going to the gym so I have arranged to meet my trainer 2 times this week and next week. It should help to keep me on track. Today, I made it a rest day since I had papers to grade and really did not feel like exercising.

Papers all graded:laugh:
8th grade labs done.
Tomorrow the next round starts.

I am also thankful for wildlife and all our furry friends.

@robin--sorry about the gain, but at least you are starting to mend. Until the pain is gone, could you suck on ice cubes or all-fruit popsicles? Not sure if the cold would help or hurt.

@kaye--I agree that little ones giggling makes me happy. My BIL just posted a video on FB of my niece on the "holiday" L (our elevated trains in Chicago). Every year the Chicago Transit Authority decorates an L train for the holidays--here's the website for anyone who wants to read the description: http://www.transitchicago.com/holidaytrain/#about Anyways, my sister and BIL took my niece and she was thrilled! Great video of her laughing and dancing to the music.

@laurie--glad you didn't have to drive in that weather! We have snow on the way overnight, so it's a waiting game to see what happens tomorrow. It doesn't sound like enough to cancel the full day, but a late start schedule is a definite possibility. Glad you got all of that grading done--I know what you mean about "the next round"--it feels like that all year doesn't it?

@susan--I don't get a lot of gifts since I teach HS, but the most common are gift cards which I LOVE! Starbucks cards are really popular, but we English teachers get our fair share of Barnes & Noble cards as well. I've also gotten things like hand lotion, and also lots of candy. If you give food, you can almost be certain the teacher just ends up putting it out in the office for all of her/his colleagues--not necessarily a bad thing, just reality. Funny, but I've actually NEVER received a coffee mug. Weird.

@holly--It makes me so angry to hear what the teacher said to your son! :mad: How is failing classes "maintaining"?!?! It's teachers like that who give us all a bad name. I hope you can convince your son to get that diploma. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, right?

@kelley--sorry about your bad day at work--sounds like you had a much needed "me" evening (well, zoe too!).

@pyro, stephanie, & others struggling with nutrition--I ate cookies for lunch today. There. I said it. Having said that, I'm still under calories for today b/c I made sure to go to the gym and ate better the remainder of the day. My point is that we all have moments of weakness, or times when we are stressed, or (as happened to me today) days when time flies and we grab whatever is nearby b/c we forgot to eat lunch. Know that you will never be "perfect" and that perfection isn't a requirement for success in this process. Just do the best you can--if you slip, forgive yourself and move on with healthier choices next time. :flowerforyou:

@nettie--sounds like you were productive on your snow day. :drinker And yes, I watch Talking Dead--I love Chris Hardwick!

@nicole--glad you are almost done with the quarter! I agree with others who said just keep going and the scale will catch up. I started lifting heavy in September (I think) and haven't seen much in the way of scale movement. I had also been measuring with no change there either. However, just yesterday I noticed that I'm not as "jiggly" around my waistline. My measurements are exactly the same, but I as starting to see some changes after 3 months, so I know the lifting is working. Yay! :happy:

@karenleone--I hope the angio gives you some answers and gets you back into the gym!

Tuesday Goals:
I have so many parties and such in the next couple of weeks, my only goal is to hang tough and maintain until the holidays are gone.

I know I thanked each of my parents separately, but it seems to be the theme today. Plus, a close friend of mine just lost her mother yesterday. Her father passed away a few years ago, so now she has neither parent left--and she's younger than me, only 41. Her loss and your posts make me want to express how grateful I am to have 2 healthy parents. They have taught me a lot separately, but perhaps even more through their example as a couple.

They've been married 47 years, and though they nag and quibble at times, they've shown me the importance of compromise in a relationship. They've also taught me what NOT to do. For example, my parents can't go ANYWHERE (dinner, shopping, vacation) without arguing at the outset. They get over it really quickly, but it always stressed me out as a kid. We would spend the first 15 minutes of any car ride listening to them argue--my sisters and I would get so annoyed about it even though my parents were always laughing about it 5 minutes after it ended. My husband knows we are NOT allowed to argue in the car no matter what!! :laugh:

Grading goals:
1. 10/73 Tone vocabulary quizzes
2. prep for my domain meeting on thursday

Exercise goals:
Mon--rest day (meeting)
Tues--walk gunner NOT DONE--TOO COLD!! + gym (cardio) DONE
Wed--rest day (meeting + dinner with friends)
Thurs--walk gunner + gym (lift and HIIT)
Fri--going out with student teacher and colleagues for drinks
Sat--walk gunner + gym (cardio)
Sun--walk gunner + gym (lift and HIIT)

Exercise & Weight:
Bench press = 85
Dead lift = 90
Squat = 90
Overhead press = 55
Upright row = 60

Overhead tricep extension = 25 (dumbbell)
Bicep curl = 15 (dumbbell)
Lat pull down = 100
Tricep pull down = 90

Wednesday wish: On my news feed this morning I noticed a lot of my friends struggling. I hope anyone who is struggling to meet their goals this time of year find the strength to stick with it and get over their hurdle.

Yesterday was such a waste of a snow day. When all the local districts made the decision for early dismissal the snow was coming down pretty hard. The weather reports were all saying it was going to be bad. So naturally all the districts made the decision for early dismissal. Around noon however the snow seemed to ease off. It changed to rain for a bit then back to snow flurries. By 2 pm the roads were perfectly cleared and I could see parts of my lawn. I am all for snow days and enjoy the extra time off, but being home yesterday made me feel a little guilty. There was no reason why my program had to be cancelled as the roads were not bad at all.

I did made good use of my time off though. I did my cardio and abs workouts, straightened up around the house, cut up my remaining two pumpkins and made a pot of spicy pumpkin and lentil soup. It was a new recipe I was trying. I thought it was just ok. I didn't hate it but didn't love it either. It has potential for being a really good soup with some tweaking. I was so busy yesterday that I didn't get around to wrapping more Christmas gifts or writing cards but I did get a lot of other things accomplished!

Kah- I wish I had pictures of all the birds on my feeders. I had a lot of blue jays, cardinals, juncos, and chickadees. The bright coloring of the cardinals and blue jays looked so pretty against the snow. Unfortunately the zoom on my camera isn't that great so if I took some they would have just looked like little specks. :ohwell:

PyroJones - Welcome. I suggest you focus on one thing at a time. Maybe just focus on logging all of your food you eat no matter how good or bad. Get into the habit of logging everything first. Once you do, then begin to focus on staying within your calorie goal. The more you keep at it, the easier it does become over time. Focus on one goal at a time. Once you are able to maintain that goal consistently add in another. Best of luck to you!

MNwalking - I hope things work out with your son. I agree that having an education is very much needed in today's society. I agree 100% with what Susan said. What did your son's teacher stay in response to you cussing him out?

My stomach issues have left. I had not pains yesterday at all and so far no pain today! I am feeling pretty great now. :happy:

Michelle- I am glad I can check in on you and encourage you to keep going rather than giving up on yourself.

Laurie - That is funny that you mentioned that about the pumpkins. Behind my house I have woods with a lot of wildlife. I am always throwing scraps of fruits and veggies in there for the little critters. After I cut up the pumpkin yesterday I put on my boots, grabbed the scraps and threw them deep into the woods. We have a ton of wildlife living in there. Since moving in I have spotted squirrels, chipmunks, raccoon, opossum, woodchucks, field mice, rats, snakes, box turtles, owls, hawks, woodpeckers and a bunch of other various birds. I have yet to see deer or foxes but they have been spotted in our area.

Sounds like we were in the same boat as you with the snow. I was disappointed. I wanted to get outside and do a bit of shoveling to burn a few extra calories. Plus I love the way everything looks around me covered in the snow. It's just so magical, calming and peaceful.

Robin- Sorry about the gain. But that was great you were able to eat a hamburger!

Wednesday Wish: Ugh, I wish my sinuses weren't infected. I wish my kids didn't collect cold germs at school and bring them home to share. I want to breathe through my nose again!

I didn't manage to get my measurements yesterday; although I sew and there are easily 14 stupid tapes in this house, of course I can't find one. If necessary, I'll grab one at the dollar store today and actually get my measurements. That is terrifying for me, but I'm gonna do it. I also weighed myself this morning after an epiphany and the 4 extra pounds that were freaking me out Monday are gone.

Lesson learned: Do NOT weigh yourself the week after your period, Pyro. You're bloated. Calm down.

I have to tell myself to calm down a lot.

Robin - I hope now that you're starting to feel a little better you can take a breathe and start focusing again. It's so hard when I'm sick to remember to take care of myself.

Holly - I would just flip out if a teacher said something like that. I spend a LOT of time in meetings with teachers, emailing them, calling them, managing my daughter's homework and assignments and fighting both for her and against her. Sometimes I feel like I'm seriously the only one who cares if she does well. I hope you can get through to your son.

After trying weights for the first time yesterday, I took it a little easy at the gym today, just treadmill and elliptical. What I really sincerely need to do is be vigilant about logging my foods. I want so badly to just have 5 good days in a row. I also realize I HAVE to keep logging over the weekend, even though I don't go to the gym Sat/Sun. Must make better choices. Must be honest.

Everyone stay warm! It's not too bad here, but I'm in NH so my idea of "not too bad" may vary from yours.

Wednesday wish - i wish that i could get off my butt and do more with the girls. i feel like my weight is stopping me. i also wish for will power to not go crazy with holiday snacks

Wed. Wish: that it stops snowing and the roads are clear so I can drive home tomorrow. (Up north on vacation, Ont.). I Am snowed in today.

@lauriek70-i am struggling with blowing off exercise too. smart move on arranging time with the trainer

@skinnyjean and grandma-I think working to get through these holidays is a great goal. its so hard this time of year.

@robin-your right about the logging. I haven't been doing that either. glad you reminded me of how important that is

@lives2travel That was a beautiful wish. shows just how beautiful of a person you are

@jnettie- I need to develop your dedication to working out

@alupinsk- I live in ohio too and in the morning they are saying wind chill is going to be below zero..ewwwww

@tlh407-your advice to pyro is so true. I am just now starting to work on that myself

@kah68-Glad you are finally getting some much needed downtime

@Cassidy getting started is the hardest. Maybe try just walking in place for 5 minutes a day during one of your favorite shows. I am so out of shape I can't do much at one time either but it does work.

AFM-I am happy and learning to love myself and know I am valuable!