Need to Lose 100 LBS -Robins Thread !

I just posted my 5 month progress pictures on my blog. I need to get my tush in gear and get outside so I won't be posting them in here. If you are interested please check them out on my blog. Here is my link. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/JNettie73/view/5-month-progress-pictures-647058

Have a great day everyone! :flowerforyou:

Hi everyone! I'm new, but hopefully permanent here. Since it's Sunday this fits....

I could lose 100 lbs, but my current aim is to get my BMI to under 25, which would mean losing 85 lbs. I can't quite recall when was the last time I was that low, but I've been fairly close to that in 2002 after I lost about 20 lbs during a summer spent working at a farm. After that I gained nearly 50 lbs in a year as I was p depressed about my studies. Since then I thankfully only added 25 lbs in ten years and plateaued there for a while.

I actually started tracking everything on MFP a year ago, but unfortunately lost my rented home and had to move twice. This including living on cheap and unhealthy microwavable food for three months. Luckily I didn't gain extra during the year despite this and was finally able to pick up again just over a month ago. I will graduate as a library assistant this spring and am in my final practical phase until my graduation in late May. I quite miss our healthy and FREE school meals (two main course options, plus a vegetarian option and soup to choose from every day). Luckily I have managed to either pack a good lunch or eat reasonably during work and proper lunch/dinner after that. I've not been very worried about my macros for now as I'm more concerned with finding a way to eat at a deficit (I'm going for about 1550 kcal plus exercise) and be content with my choices. Plus I end up quick adding calories often as I eat out (usually healthily) quite often, so tracking macros is slightly difficult anyways. Since I got back on MFP I've lost some 11 lbs. And have been p happy lately.

My biggest complaint for now would be my plantar fasciitis, which annoys me to no end. I can't walk with the dogs as much as I'd like to as my work puts quite a bit of stress on my foot, but it has been getting better so I'm hoping soon. If I could afford new shoes, that might help. Whatever happens I'll get back to biking soon, which will hopefully be easier on my foot. It'll be about a week until I'm done with my library dog project with the school next door. And after that I'm hoping to unwind a bit and up my exercise minutes as much as my foot allows. I'm also hoping to get to the gym, but this will have to wait until June.

@RobinsEgg- Woo hoo to the tax return! Too bad about your sexy fish lips not coming back. :laugh: Hope your day is productive now that you've kicked that migraine to the curb!

@Riiseli- Welcome! :flowerforyou: I hope you find a way some day to afford some new shoes. The right shoe can make all the difference with foot pain. At least you have biking to fall back on!

@Nettie- I looked at your blog. AWESOME! You should be proud of your progress, for sure.
What a disappointment to have to wait for your flooring. At least it will be worth it to have it done right the first time. I guess the theme for your vacations this year is "men at work".
I totally would buy the tomatoes off the clearance rack. I love tomatoes. As long as it was something that we would eat up right away, or I was able to freeze, I would go for it. Our store has a clearance rack and a clearance refrigerator case. The rack is always day old bakery...which I don't need. I do look in the refrigerator case sometimes, though. It's usually dairy items that are expiring that week. If it's something that I need or will use, I will get it. I think it's cool that your store marks down the less fresh produce like that. Our store keeps it all out there with the fresh stuff. I usually dig in the back or bottom of bins to get the newer stuff since they're going to charge me so much. :grumble:
Anyway, I coupon and shop sales always. You can save so much money that way. Then you can use the money for stuff that's more fun than full price tomatoes. :happy:

@Rain- You've been bit by the race bug! :happy: I'm impressed with your Warrior Dash. I've only done regular 5K's...the obstacle thing intimidates me. And what a nice NSV that you had realizing that the burger and fries made you kind of sick and that your body wants healthy food! Even if you ignore the scale for a while, I'm sure the focus on decent food choices and exercise to relieve stress will move you in the right direction.

@Tracy- Happy Birthday! Sounds like you had a good night out! :drinker:

@Laurie- I think spring fever has hit. I'm sure we're all going to be soaking up the sunshine now that it's finally coming around! Think I may get out on my bike this afternoon, too.

@Susan- One more week to vacation...you can do it! Hang in there! :flowerforyou:

@Littleshadow- Great training walk! Sorry your ankle is giving you trouble. Mmmm....mahi mahi. I've only ever been kissed by people and pets. :laugh:

@Kaye- Chocolate dessert waffles sound delicious! I think when you stick to calorie counting and walking, it works. The key is to commit to it. People want a quick or easy fix, but there isn't one really. Sounds like you're turning heads with your simplicity!

AFM- Sunday Share: My name is Amanda. I've been yo-yoing around with my weight since high school/college. Then I got married and had two babies, 16 months apart, both via C-section. I gained 80 lbs with my first pregnancy, lost about 50 lbs, and then gained 40 lbs with my second, lost about 20 lbs during the younger one's first year, but let the weight creep back on and then some. My baby turned 4 years old, and I weighed 295 lbs! I did NOT want to see 300 on that scale, so I decided I needed to do something. I had used WW years ago to lose 20 lbs, but the points system wasn't something I was able to maintain and I'm pretty cheap, so I didn't want to start paying for that again. :laugh: So, I happened upon myfitnesspal and got excited about a place where I could track myself, and not pay anything. I started logging in December 2012. I asked a friend to be my workout buddy. I lost 42 lbs by July 2012. Then, I took on a new role at work with more responsibility, went on vacation in the woods with no MFP access, gained 5 lbs and threw in the towel. :embarassed: I wouldn't get back on track until December 2013 when I realized that my baby is now 5 years old, and I had gained back all but 16 lbs of the weight I had worked so hard to lose in the beginning of the year. I wasn't reaching my goals by NOT tracking, so I got back on board, found this thread and now I'm down 38 lbs (22 lbs since the first of the year).


April Renaissance:

1. Under calories: 3/30
2. Wall sit: 4/30, 49 sec.
3. Forearm Plank: 4/30, 28 sec.

@amanda--the weight moving up and down can be so discouraging--I'm so proud of you for getting back to it and NOT giving up on yourself! :drinker:

@robin--yay for the migraine going away quickly! :flowerforyou: I'm also excited for your tax refund--that's great! You inspired me to start my return yesterday, and I finished it this morning. Sadly, I get no big refund, but between what I owe the feds and what I get back from state I'm only down $150--so not bad. :ohwell:

@riiselli--plantars fascitis in nothing to play around with. I've had it myself and it will only get worse if not treated. By treated, I mean get to a doctor and get some custom orthotics if you have any type of health insurance that makes that financially feasible. If the doc isn't an option, the next best solution is to get some good shoes and OTC orthotics. I know they can be an expense, but your feet are so important! I hope your finances allow you to take care of this sooner rather than later. :flowerforyou:

@christy--great job with the exercise and calorie goals this week, and thanks for sharing the recipe link. :flowerforyou:

@nettie--your progress pics are so great--they really show how far you've come! I especially love the profile pose b/c it shows your tummy shrinking. In the 1st pick it sticks out further than your chest, but now it's clearly the opposite. If brian ever complains about "the girls" getting smaller, you can use the defense that they are now "relatively" bigger. :laugh:

@rain--so glad you had fun at your obstacle 5k--they are truly addicting! I've never done the Warrior, but did a similar race called the Rugged Maniac last summer. It was brutal, but so fun!! I came out of it with soreness in every muscle in my body and a pretty nasty quad pull, but I would still do it again. This year I may do the Warrior Dash instead b/c the Rugged Maniac falls the same week as onther 5k I always do--last year I made the stupid decision to do both. :blushing: Congrats on such a great accomplishment!! :drinker:

@tracy--thanks, if we decide to plan the trip, I may take you up on the offer to recommend some trails. :happy:

AFM--I finished the AP essays, so my grades for the quarter are done other than entering a final participation grade for my juniors. As I mentioned above to robin, I also finished my taxes. :noway: Now I am off to the grocery store. It's a beautiful day, so definitely taking gunner out when I get home. Not sure if i'm in the mood for a run, but if not, we will enjoy a nice long walk.

Grading Goals:
1. 70/70 AP essays DONE!!! :bigsmile:

Exercise goals:
Mon--walk gunner DONE + gym DONE
Tues--walk gunner DONE + gym NOT DONE (graded instead)
Wed--rest day DONE <phew!>
Thurs--walk gunner DONE + gym DONE
Fri--walk gunner NOT DONE
Sat--walk gunner DONE + gym DONE
Sun--run outside w/ gunner

Wall sit = 35 sec
Forearm plank = 40 sec

@riiselli: look up heelthatpain.com. It was the only thing that worked for me. Heel seats made specifically for plantar fasciitis. They are only about $25 a pair.

SUNDAY SHARE - I AM 68 YO HAVE BEEN 100 LBS OVERWEIGHT FOR LAST 5 YEARS. STRUGGLED WITH LOTS OF HEALTH ISSUES WHICH SEEM TO BE GETTING BETTER. TRYING TO FOLLOW A MOSTLY VEGETABLE DIET FOR HEALTH REASONS. I HAVE MEAT OCCASIONALLY BUT I FEEL BETTER WITHOUT IT. HAVE HAD SUCESS WITH PERRICONE DIET AND EDIETS, BUT FAILED AT WEIGHT WATCHERS, THEY ALLOW TOO MANY CARBS WHICH I JUST CANT HANDLE.

CURRENTLY, USING HCG AND IT DOES SEEM TO SUPPRESS THE APPETITE. TRYING TO WORKOUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I DO WATER AEROBICS, WII GAMES INCLUDING YOGA AND WALK

I HAVE 3 CHILDREN, 6 GRANDCHILDREN AND 8 GREAT GRANDS.

Rain- Congrats on your first 5K and a Warrior Dash as well.

Robin- Yeah for a tax refund. I also started my taxes today and federal looks promising just need to do the state.

Today, was a relatively laid back day. Did a little rock climbing today but not worth recording, I mostly belayed for the group I went with today. Our weather is changing again and rain is expected for tomorrow. So I guess the weather will be playing with my head again.

Workout
Sunday- Belaying workout (good for arms)
Monday- Trainer
Tuesday-Gym strength/core
Wednesday-Rest or bike at a park
Thursday-Rest
Friday- climbing
Saturday- water aerobics

Hi everyone,
Thanks for the congratulations on the race! I slept about 10 hours last night and woke up REALLY sore, so I think it was tougher on me than I thought and I was just running on adrenaline. I also did something really dumb, and thought "winding down" with 45 minutes on the elliptical last evening would be a good idea (and would also make me feel good about that burger I ate) ... that was obviously not true. But I woke up so happy. Coincidentally, my friend who drove me to the race met up with a former roommate of hers who is trying to get a team together for Tough Mudder in late August (11ish miles with a ton of really tough obstacles) which is about 6 months away. Maybe it's the post race euphoria talking... but I just might sign up with two other friends of mine (who are both fit, beautiful, adventurous AND supportive). It sounds really dumb to do something like that, but most 5k to half marathon training programs I found take 3 months. I started this journey to become more like the person I want to be in my head. And that person would do Tough Mudder. I think it would also be good to have that as a 6 month goal to keep me on track, and provide me something to work towards in both my cardiovascular fitness, and upper body strength since I have ZERO at the moment and can never motivate myself to do anything but cardio.

The race is 29 weeks away, which means I could be 60 pounds lighter by the time I do it, and basically 100 pounds down. Right now I'm weighing if that's too extreme of a goal, but a part of me thinks I should just sign up while I have the motivation to, and then accept that I must train or suffer in 6 months.

@Skinnyjeanz: Thanks for all of your encouragement and advice leading up to the race! I definitely found that Warrior Dash was well organized if you're considering it.

@Nettie: I've been hovering around 220 for a few weeks too, and I feel your frustration. Hopefully your new downward trend will continue!

Sunday Share for newbies (silly of me to say newbies when I am one myself):
I'm Laura, 20 year old college student in the process of losing 122 pounds. I've moved a lot over the last three years, and struggle with balancing my weight loss and health against a mountain of work for my double majors. I enjoy traveling, practicing my spanish, exploring the LA area where I now live and spending time doing anything on the coast or in the water. I

@ushkii--that's awesome that you had such a great week! Do you think the fact that your wife has jumped on board the fitness wagon is part of what's helping you? I bet I would do much better if my DH were more conscientious of what he eats. He's very supportive of my efforts, but that hasn't yet translated into him worrying about what he eats. He's a healthy weight, though I'm sure he could be healthier overall. I'm sure most of your success is your new commitment to just doing it--keep going!!! :drinker:

@robin--when and where is your HS reunion? That's an exciting event to look forward to!

@katrena--hope your husband is feeling better.

AFM--all in all I had a productive weekend. Finished my grading goals, got the taxes done, and FINALLY cleared off my contribution to the clutter on the dining room table. I also caught up on laundry, did some grocery shopping, and prepared my lunch for the next few days. I only need to worry about Mon-Wed b/c then I will be at a union rally in downtown Chicago Wed night through Sat. I'm a bit worried about food b/c I will be at the mercy of whatever they provide for us. I know one of the lunches they order in pizza. My guess is they will also order some salads to go with, so I will fill up on that. In addition, I know we have a dinner out at Weber Grill on Thursday night. Otherwise, everything will be a surprise.

On the bright side, there is a fitness center, though I'm not sure how much free time we will have and I can't find any specifics on the hotel website about whether it is open 24 hours. Regardless, I will bring my workout clothes so I'm prepared. We will also be right across the street from Grant Park, so if the weather cooperates, I can always just go for a walk. One of the other teachers who is also going wants to try to fit in some exercise as well, so I'll have someone to walk with at least.

This past week, I managed to come out about 200 calories under for the week. I'm glad I have a bit of a cushion just in case some of my estimates from dinner Wed night were off.

Exercise goals:
Mon--walk gunner + gym
Tues--walk gunner + gym
Wed--not sure
Thurs--not sure
Fri--not sure
Sat--walk gunner
Sun--walk gunner + gym

Wall sit = 40 sec
Forearm plank = 45 sec

Busy, busy weekend. We spent it cleaning, weeding, fertilizing and planting in the yard and on the patio. We moved to a townhouse 5 years ago to escape all the work of a big house and yard. The HOA takes care of the front and we do the back. It's not a huge yard, but big enough to have a large patio, some grass for the dog and plenty of bushes and trees. We have at most 1 more weekend to be done for the spring/summer and then it's all about lounging on the patio and enjoying it.

It was not a great weekend food wise. I think I let myself get too hungry on Saturday and ended up over my calorie goal both days. Oh well, it happens. I can't beat myself up so I'm just going to chalk it up to another lesson learned and move on.

Will try and get back later for personals, but until then have a good Monday!

April Renaissance - Fighting Complacency:

At or under Calorie goal: 4/30

Exercise Goals:

Saturday - 3 mile minimum walk DONE
Sunday - Rest Day NOT DONE yard work
Monday- Cardio/Weights/Stretch (Rest day)
Tuesday - Yoga
Wednesday - Cardio/Weights/Stretch
Thursday - Pilates
Friday - Cardio/Weights/Stretch

@Laura …congratulations on the 5K. I’m so proud of you for doing that successfully. :flowerforyou:

@Robin…my birthday is today and I am 41 and proud of it. I don’t mind getting older. I am in better shape (and a lower weight) than I was at my 39th birthday and hope to keep it going. My kids keep me young. Looks like you had a productive Sunday.

@Jeanette…I wish I had a Meat Farms with a clearance rack like that. While you have to be careful, it sounds like you were and they were great. I’m also not opposed to the day old rack of breads/donuts etc. Usually a 5-10 second zap in the microwave softens things up and day old bread is still good and if it’s a bit hard, use it for other things. I’m very proud of your 5 month progress – you look great!:glasses:

@Amanda…yes, the yo-yoing (is that a word??) is frustrating but glad you are back at it. If we don’t give up, our bodies have to eventually let go of it right?

@Kaye…isn’t that the truth. I remember being at 140 when I was in high school and feeling bad about my weight (well, being called Thunder Thighs in HS didn’t help). Oh well, can’t change the past, just can focus on this now and work my way (weigh) down. Hee Hee! :laugh:

AFM…Friday was an errand day and the worst one was taking my daughter to get a mole removed on her hip. If you’ve had it done, you know the worst part is the numbing process. She needed two needles to get the whole area and I know it stings, but man she had her arms wrapped around my neck and she apparently needed her nails trimmed (I have the marks to prove it) and my right ear may never be the same. While I was holding her head so she wouldn’t look, I was faced toward the process but wasn’t looking. :brokenheart: I opened my eyes at the exact moment that she was transferring the flesh to the container for a biopsy. Gross!!! :sick: She has about a 3 inch stitched line on her leg. Poor baby! She’s mad too because they told her she cannot go to PE class until 4/14 (hopefully she continues to love physical activity her whole life – my goal is to become a good example of that).

I had a busy, fun weekend. Not the best food/drink choices (I still need to go back and log yesterday as I didn’t get to it at all) but I only turn 41 once, right? I’ve decided that I’m going to give it a try and post a weekly plan. This is going to encompass quite a few things and if I don’t get them done, go ahead and scold me. Doing this personal training has made me realize what a competitive person I am and don’t want to look like a total wimp in front of the trainer. And then when I do the workouts later, I realize I need to bust a move because next week, the session will be even tougher. HA :noway:

April Goals:
30 Day Plank – 7/30 (up to 30 seconds)
Remember why I want to do this!!!
Drinking my water – 4/30 (gotta bust a move)
Calorie intake – 5/30

This week’s activity goals:
Monday – Cake Decorating class
Tuesday – Gym with Trainer
Wednesday – Water Aerobics
Thursday – Cooking and Serving at The Banquet (I’ll be on my feet from 1-7:30 --- I think that’ll be enough)
Friday – Gym with sister
Saturday – Cantata practice, Jacob is at a music festival and then I’m helping with an Easter event at church…no time for a formal workout
Sunday – gym with sister

My goals for today:
Buy water – still can’t stand the taste of Bismarck water (even thru my Brita).
Drink my water
Stay in calorie goal
Put away all the clothes that got cleaned yesterday
Clean my bathroom

Good afternoon everyone!!!

Hopefully I will eventually associate names with post. I did a 24 minute work out this morning which didn't amount to much. I did a lot of cardio boxing and strength training. My work outs at home bore me half to death. So I am going to hopefully do 2 classes a week of dance starting this week with 1 dance class. I also have my bike tires aired up so I will be ready for a bike ride hopefully to start this evening. I stopped smoking 3 years ago and that has helped me tremendously with my breathing during exercise. I did keep my challenge of logging all weekend.


My major goal this week is to get back into my Salsa Dance class, it is kind of like Zumba I guess but all latin style. It is a good hard work out 40 minutes long with about 10 minutes being stretching and cool down. I sweat in this class it is a hard one, I don't know any of the typical moves either, but I just try to push along... but I look forward to getting back in it with a friend of mine. We used to do it religiously but my hours changed at work and had not been able to make it. I WILL make it this week.. Wednesday is my start day.

I am pms ing I hope I can at least drop a few lbs by next week! My years of yo-yoing and fad dieting have my metabolism all messed up, then only way to move it is to get moving on a consistent basis.
Have a great day, I will try to get back as much as I can...

Good Monday morning friends. I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine wasnt to bad. I got in a couple nice low key walks with the dogs. No challenging hikes for a couple more weeks yet. Want to give the ankle plenty of time to heal. I started putting in my garden on Saturday. I put in snap peas, green beans, beets ,greens, carrots, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussell sprouts so far. The rest cant go in until May according to research mom and I did for our area. I am so excited. Hopefully everything comes up well and I dont kill it all:laugh: Today is extremely nice out sunny and up to 70 but I am stuck doing the housework I put off yesterday because it has reached the cant stand to look at it stage. Oh well all the windows and doors are open so bringing some of the outside inside:happy: My eating over the weekend was kinda hit and miss and I didnt get any of it recorded but I am hoping to do better this week. I am trying something I read and am trying to make sure I pair carbs and proteins together every time I eat. For breakfast I had my fruit and veggie smoothie and a single serving of nuts to go with it. I have to admit I was wasteful with money when I got groceries last time. I picked up some single serving 100 cal packs of nuts. My mom asked why I didnt buy them in a larger container and make my own packs. The truth is when I do it myself I see how small the packs are and then I feel deprived but if I buy them that way I dont think about it. One pack is a serving and thats all I need. Dumb I know but thats the way my brain works

Robin congrats on the nice tax return. My hubby and I are discovering how having the kids grow up puts a serious hurting on the size we are used to getting.
Ushkii you are doing so great. I wish my hubby was more on board with me though after his last bloodwork he now realizes skinny doesnt necessarily mean healthy and he is paying a little more attention to what he eats.
Rain super congrats on the 5k. I bet you were fine with waking up sore after such a super accomplishment:bigsmile:

Well as usual I forgot the rest so everyone else have a great day and dont let anything stand in your way.:flowerforyou: :drinker:

Good evening everyone. Thank you all for the kind words on my progress pictures. The scale finally moved this morning and I am officially in the teens. I weighed in at 218.8 this morning. Wahoo!!! I feel like I have been waiting forever for this moment.

I made the gnocchi yesterday and it came out absolutely wonderful! I plan on putting the recipe up on my blog eventually. I made enough for 4 servings. Brian and I both ate all the left overs that were meant for lunch for us this week. :blushing:

John came today to start on my floors. Right now he is working in the bathroom. Everything has been removed. The toilet bowl is in the bath tub, the sink and vanity are in my foyer. He said this should take 2-3 days to complete. It is coming along though. The bamboo floors have to wait until next week due to them needing to acclimate to the temperature to prevent buckling. In the meantime he will grind down the floors and fix the walls that the plumbers had to cut.

Riiseli - Welcome. Your dog in your profile picture is beautiful!

Robin - Thank you so much for your kind words. LOL. I never though of it that way before. I should definitely call food a hobby of mine. I am obsessed with cooking. Glad to hear your migraine went away after a few hours.

Hansea - Thanks. I am very proud of myself. I was looking at my pictures more closely and compared every line. I am very excited about the changes I see.
I agree with what you said about WW. It wasn't for me either. I know a lot of people who rave about it. I joined years ago with a friend and for me it wasn't worth it. Years later my bestie told me about MFP and I joined with her. I have been a fan ever since. I think it is so fantastic that it helps you to track what you are eating and is free! It really doesn't get better than that! You are doing such a great job. Keep it up!

Skinny - ROFLMAO. I love what you said. I told Brian and he laughed too. Wahoo for getting the taxes done. Too bad you were a bit down though. That stinks when that happens. That is great that another coworker wants to get some fitness in during your time at the rally. I hope it works out for you.

KJefferies - I spent the day in the gardens yesterday. I was amazed at how much more energy I had than last year. Though last night when I finally sat down for the night I felt it in my legs. My muscles were aching from all the crouching to weed. Thankfully it went away rather quickly. Thanks for the kind words on my loss! I am a vegetarian and have my diary open for my friends. Feel free to add me if you want some veggie ideas. Sometimes I post some vegetarian recipes on my blog too.

Rain - I need clarification, you did the elliptical after your 5K or the following day? The Tough Mudder sounds scary. I give you a lot of credit for wanting to give it a go. I am curious to read your final decision about it when you make up your mind. I finally got the scale moving again. I shrieked when I stepped on the scale this morning!

Kaye - Sounds like some great walking this weekend! We had a beautiful too. I really enjoyed being out in the fresh air.

Lives - I love weekends like that when I get a lot accomplished in a short amount of time. I especially love it when I am ahead of schedule and have free weekends due to it!

Kah -Thanks. The scale is being my friend again. I guess it is a love hate relationship that I have with it. Right now it is in my good graces. I hope yours cooperates with you soon.
I always send my bestie pictures of my Meat Farms finds. She gets jealous and says the same thing about spending $1.49 for one pepper. You have to see the quality of the stuff too. If you hit it just right the stuff looks really good. There have been occasions though where I see some less than desirable things. My cousin actually turned me onto the rack there. She used to have a tortoise and would buy lettuce and other veggies off there. She would use some for dinner and the rest for her tortoise. You were right to go back into the store and have them correct their error. That is a nice chunk of money that can be used elsewhere. I agree that teenagers don't always have value of money. I think back to when I was that age and I definitely didn't have a good grasp of money compared to now. I treasure that clearance rack and finding great sales.

WOW to the 30 foot ceilings. We have cathedral ceilings but they are roughly 14-16 feet. It certainly was not fun when we painted. Brian had the job of climbing to paint the higher parts. Being that I am accident prone, I stayed on the ground and was in charge of the lower parts. We both agreed next time we decide to paint we will hire painters. :laugh:

tlh - Happy Birthday!!!
They have some baked goods in that area too but I have never bought any though. Usually it is come type of desert that would cause me to over indulge. But I wouldn't be opposed to buying day old sandwich rolls if they ever had them. I like to watch Rachel Ray. She often suggests buying day old loaves of bread, cutting them up, season and bake to make your own croutons. Maybe one day I will do that. I am definitely intrigued by the idea.
I have never had a mole removed but gosh from what you described it doesn't sound like a pleasurable process. I hope the biopsy comes back fine and your daughter can go back to PE class in no time!

jtconst - I am jealous that you got some things in your garden. I cannot plant yet because the temperatures are still dropping too low in the evenings. Next week I want to start to work on hardening off my plants. I figured it would be a good time to start the process since I will be on vacation. I am planting brussel sprouts for the first time this year. Have you ever planted them before? If so, do you have any tips for me?

Tanya - Congrats on the NSV. I am a carb girl, I couldn't imagine not having my pasta Sundays. I have quite a stock of pasta in my cabinet. LOL What a great idea for freezing the yogurt in muffin tins for smoothies. Thanks for the comment on my photos. To make the collage I use a free site, save the photo collage to my computer then upload to photobucket to post here. It's fairly easy to do and fun too. Here is the link if you are interested. http://www.fotor.com/ Boo to your BFs scale.

tlh- Happy Birthday- Best wishes for the year ahead.

Nettie- I love your photos. You can really see the difference between the pictures. Congrats on reaching the teens.

Karen- Have fun at your union meeting. I hope you can find some down time to exercise or at least go for a walk.

I had an okay workout tonight with my trainer. She had me do my least favorite exercise since it involves jumping up on something. Thank God she did not go supper high but it was high enough. She had a different approach to the jumps but I still DON"T like to JUMP. My new goal is to run every weekend or at least right before my session with her. Yes, I can be sneaky especially since I really don't like jumping. Part of me gets bored, the other part does not want to fall flat on my face. The worst part is that they are suppose to be good for you and help with strengthening leg muscles, endurance, agility and something else. I can do my best to avoid them. YES, I really don't like anything that has to do with jumping and quite frankly I don't see the point in it. At least I was able to row at the end of the workout so that made the workout a little better.

Tomorrow, I am not suppose to run- All I can say it is a good thing that I am not doing that triathlon at the end of April since I would not be ready to run. Now, I am not sure what I will do instead- either try a different pool or go to the gym. I also want to socialize tomorrow night. Yes, I still need to work on building a social life and establishing local friendships.