Serial Starters

Monday morning

It was such a busy weekend I barely looked at my computer and didn't get to check in. Just caught up on the posts! Whew!

Sara and GemWolf - Congrats on your losses! Way to go, ladies!

Lana - glad to hear you're feeling better!!!

I had a good weekend. Not the best eating, not the worst. Got in 18,500 steps on Saturday. It was a beautiful day at DS's college. The leaves are at peak and the colors were amazing.

A friend who has recently lost a lot of weight has challenged me to quit the pop (even diet) and sweets. I told her I would do it from now to Thanksgiving. So, here I go again! Today is Day 1 of 38. (what a weird number, but that's how many days there are from today to the day before Thanksgiving.)

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I'm stressing a bit. We are invited to my step-sister's for the holiday. It could be a nice time although we're really not close. They are a nice family. My dad and step-mom didn't really do anything to try to help us have relationships with each other when we were growing up. To be fair, we only visited my dad one weekend per month and my step-sister is several years older than me. At any rate, what really stresses me out is that she and my step-mom are so skinny! I always feel like the beached whale when we go there. We haven't decided what we will do. Our other option is to spend it with my in-law's, which is okay. I'm the skinny girl there. But my FIL and SIL always get so crabby for these get-togethers that it makes it kind of miserable.

So, hoping a 38 day challenge of staying around 1200 calories a day and really cutting out sugars and artificial sweeteners will at least help me drop a couple of lbs and help me feel a little better about myself.

Have a good day! Will BBL!

177.8 Highest Weight Ever
152.2 (WI last Friday)
148.8 - lowest weight so far this calendar year, 4/8/16
145.0 - lowest weight achieved with WW - July 2014
140.0 - goal weight

Sara - I am really excited for you about your weigh in and your numbers. This is a cool mini goal to go for: getting to that Thanksgiving Number of 2 years ago. Go team!!

Some people are just completely thoughtless. They are in their own world altogether, and they have NO manners or consideration for other people. She has the car; she's done. Who knows - she was dropped on her head as a child, and now she's a brainless fool......

Annie - Any way you can just do Thanksgiving at your own home, by yourself (your immediate family)? No time like the present to start new traditions. If that's not possible, then go where YOU will be most comfortable. Two weeks later, no one will care where you had Thanksgiving. Why be nervous or uncomfortable?
Volunteer someplace that day and then go out to a Chinese Restaurant.

Gem! So glad to hear you are improving! Can you post a photo of your three cute ones? I missed it if you told us you were getting a third dog. I'll look back.

Dawn - what is up with your technogadgets!!! I hope MFP gets fixed for you.

Waves to Ammey and Sam and Jen and Chamie and Liz~~

Welcome to any lurkers or visitors~~

Lana

Thanks, Lana. Believe me, DH and I would rather host. We used to host my siblings and their families for Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve pretty regularly. But now my brother and his wife have a very special needs child and it's much easier for them to host. All of his medical equipment, etc., is at home and that way they don't have to pack everything up. I don't mind going there - but they are not part of the equation for Thanksgiving.

I have basically said I won't host my in-laws ever again. I have hosted things in the past for them (i.e. Thanksgiving and Christmas). Then a few years ago I invited them for Mother's Day and got turned down. The statement was, "We have all the toys and stuff here." Meaning they have old toys from when DH and his sister were growing up. And a box of toy guns. And they have a trampoline and a golf cart. Never mind my kids might like being at their own house where they could go play in their rooms with their own toys. And go down to the family room and play video games with their cousin. (SIL only has one child.) Never thinking it might be easier for the people with kids to be at their own house. I felt very slighted by it. My impression was our house wasn't "good enough." Basically, they only like being at their house for any holiday or get-together. I think if my MIL can't be busy cooking the she doesn't know what to do with herself. Neither my MIL or FIL, or my SIL for that matter, seem to like to chat, share about work, other relatives they have talked to, etc. I have to constantly ask questions to get them to share anything in an attempt to have a conversation. So, we no longer offer to host for them. And we usually keep our time at their house short because the kids are getting older and they get bored. At least last year we did pull out some board games and card games to pass the time.

I will host my dad & stepmom, but have never thought of asking to host the step-siblings. I would not be comfortable with that at all.

This is why I'm excited to fly down to GA to spend Christmas with my mom. I know we'll still have to have Christmas with all the others either before we leave or after we get back, but the actual holiday will be just DH, my kids, and my parents (and me!) No rushing around. It's going to be so nice!!!

Tuesday

I have a cold that is kicking my butt! Started with a tickle in my throat last Friday. Sunday I woke up with a very sore throat and no voice. The cough became more pronounced yesterday. Still no voice. Headache. But not sick enough to stay home from work. And there is an important meeting today for our team to discuss concerns with our new supervisor. (Our team came into being after a re-org in July and there are a lot of concerns about what is being expected of us that maybe shouldn't be...but supervisor doesn't seem to want to discuss.)

Today is Day 2 of 38. I made it through yesterday but honestly, went over a little on calories. I think I was eating things looking for the flavor I wasn't getting from pop or candy. Concentrating on cutting back today.

Had wanted to get on the treadmill last night but DD's homework took 2 1/2 hours. She didn't even get to do everything she should have done. It took 2 1/2 hours to finish a double-sided worksheet for US History and she was so spent by that time there was no way I could ask her to study for her science or language arts tests. She wouldn't have gotten anything out of the studying at that point. But it's very frustrating that one teacher expects so much in one evening. To be fair, we have no idea when that homework is/was due and so we are sure to get it done the night it comes home just in case it is due the next day. I have requested assistance again from her special ed case manager regarding due dates, especially for this class. The teacher does not use the online system to post assignments and DD does not write due dates in her planner, no matter how much we encourage her to do so. It's a struggle.

Good plan for the day. Meeting tonight for a committee I am on for a local community theatre, so that will keep me occupied. Which only makes me worry more about DD's homework for tonight. But we will do what we can do.

No decisions on Thanksgiving yet. DH has not given me his thoughts or opinion.

Did receive some good news yesterday. There is no sign of cancer in my dad's bladder! Yahoo! He does not need to go back for another follow-up for 4 months.

Make it a great day! Will CBL!

Annie


177.8 Highest Weight Ever
152.2 (WI last Friday)
148.8 - lowest weight so far this calendar year, 4/8/16
145.0 - lowest weight achieved with WW - July 2014
140.0 - goal weight

Lana and Gem- Thanks for the advice. I won't turn it down in the future, but since she had already given me a probable cause, and I wasn't sure I could afford an EKG, I didn't want to go through with it at the time. Seemed like a lot. I've done them before, though. Had heart palpitations in high school and since I was on amphetamines I had more than my fair share. Haven't been dizzy since that day, so whatever was causing it has passed.

Also, Gem, what a sweetheart of a puppy! Give her extra pats for me.

Annie- Congratulations to you and your father! I'm sure that's a huge weight off your mind.

Haven't checked in in a few days because I haven't been counting, and thus, haven't been trying.. it snow-balls. Money stress is the real issue, but it's my boyfriend and his twin's birthday so I'm going to treat them to dinner tonight. Shouldn't be too big of a hit to my wallet, I hope.

I keep hoping some sort of magical progress will just show up on the scale one morning. But I know I actually need to try for that to happen. Might get a nap in after work, before everyone comes to my apartment. The puppy won't like it, but I'll give her some raw cow knuckle to chew on to distract her for twenty minutes or so. Usually works.

Time to go survive the last two and a half hours of the workday. See you on the other side of the war, friends.

Wednesday (which is really my Thursday this week...I'm taking Friday off)

This morning brought joy at the thought that it was the last morning for this week that I had to get the kids up and out the door for school. After today, they are off school until next Monday. This also means we do not have to worry about homework tonight!!! Yippee!

Today is Day 3 of 38. So far, so good. Although was quite hungry by bedtime last night and also hungry today. I've been very bread-hungry and indulged too much yesterday, although my total calories were fine. Trying to stay away from the bread today, at least until supper. Put on a pair of jeans that are snug and this helped remind myself of why I need to track and stay away from the pop and sweets.

We have decided to go to Thanksgiving at my step-sister's. She is planning a noon meal. DH and I decided we can stop by his folks' house later in the day. I'm hoping he doesn't agree to eating a Thanksgiving meal at their house, too, but won't fight it if he does. Trying to remember it is important to his mom to feed us! (even if we won't be hungry.)

Thinking the treadmill may be a possibility tonight...

Sara - thinking good thoughts for you on your mini-goal!

I've considered choosing a goal weight to be at by Thanksgiving since my 38 day challenge goes until then, but I think I mostly just want to see a lower number. If I could be back in the 140s by then, that would be fantastic.

I'll be back later.
Annie

177.8 Highest Weight Ever
152.2 (WI last Friday)
148.8 - lowest weight so far this calendar year, 4/8/16
145.0 - lowest weight achieved with WW - July 2014
140.0 - goal weight

Not going to lie. Hungry day. Ate my normal breakfast and snacks, but stomach was growling loudly this morning with a long ways until lunch. Broke down and ate a couple of fun-size candy bars. I tracked them and as long as I stay on plan for tonight, I'll be just a little under on calories, just a little over on carbs, and still under on sugar. Not proud.

But I liked what Lana wrote earlier - Do little things. One thing at a time. Don't try to be an "A+ or nothing" weight loss person.

And I still haven't had any pop!

So, still feeling like Day 3 of 38 will be a "WIN" in the end. And will plan more healthy snacks for tomorrow in the event of another hungry day.

I'm finally poking my head in after several days of absence... Made some oopsies and ate too much, didn't track, etc. Gained about five pounds as of Monday; haven't dared to weigh in since then (usually weigh in every day). Ugh. On the bright side, I did get a lot of stuff done over the weekend and beginning of the week, since I'm motivated to get them done before my vacation so I can relax. But in the midst of accomplishments, I took a spill in the parking lot at work and now can't put weight on one leg. You win some, you lose some, I guess.

I'm going to give myself a little break with eating/exercise now through the end of my vacation next week, partly to help my leg heal and partly for some mental rest. I need to read through some of the posts I've missed on here, though! I've been falling behind!