Yeah nasty aunt flo is sneaking into my house this weekend I'm afraid, I thought she would be here earlier this week, but unfortunately she's just sitting there making me agitated. LOL LOL At least with me it's only 3 days, so I can hang a little bit. HEHEHE just wanted you to know your not alone!!

When I lived in Upstate NY I was near a City called Watertown, we were near the border of Ontario, so way East of Rochester, about 45 miles east of Syracuse, and YEP I saw many, many snow years where are house was covered by snow and we couldn't see out the windows, to much for me now, I would go NUTS!. LOL LOL

Hang in there!! Your doing such a wonderful job!! Have a good weekend and relax!
HUGS
Kim

Wowser! You look awesome!
I love the pic. Sorry I haven't been in your diary hun.
Been down and out. I think its from the break up, feeling bored, and feeling lonely. Haven't been walking. But you and Margaret inspire me so much!
You are both an inspiration to me! Sometimes the thought of you gals treacking makes me think "Man, I think I can do that too!"

Thanks for your inspiration and that picture is beautiful ..
Your doing awesome!
Congrats hun!

And you look like you are shining in that photo!

best wishes
always
love yas
natalie jo

Hi NJ thanks for stopping by my diary again! Sorry you've been blue. It is quite natural, after a break up. Do try and get more exercise; it is such a help when we're feeling down.

As for me,
I DID TOO go to my weigh in, Aunt Flo & all, and I even managed to lose! Well, I lost 2 ounces LOL Better than a gain, since I know I am retaining H20 at the moment. HOping for a nice big loss next week! Especially as I have now been camped out at 176 for 3 weeks! Phooey!

Tomorrow I will send DH & kidlets out to pick up our tree whilst I am hard at work at the hospital. Then tomorrow evening is DH's Big Party at a nice restaurant in town. Can't wait to wear my new SIZE 10 dress and brand new pearls! There is a story behind them, but I won't bore you just now. I guess Sunday afternoon the girls and I will trim our tree! Oh, the joys! I love this happy season.

Blessings
Janice

Hi Janice

A weight loss while retaining water is certainly something to celebrate. You will probably have a huge loss next week.

You deserve it with all your hard work.

You have some great plans for the weekend with a party and tree decorating with the kids. I am sure that you will have a wonderful time.

The joy at the scales and all that fun will probably chase half the crankiness away.

Take care
Love
Margaret

Christmas party was pleasant. I had my twice yearly alcoholic beverage (anniversary and Christmas), plus about 1 cup of fancy spaghetti, 1/2 slice garlic bread, small greek salad, and split dessert with DH (I had about 1/3 of it). Today I still feel nice & fullish, so haven't had any food yet. Obviously I will later, once hunger sets in!

I am debating getting on the treadmill after church, as I missed it yesterday. However, I usually don't like to do any "extra" work on Sundays, whether housework or exercise. I like Sundays to be relaxing & family oriented.

DH never did go get the tree, so I guess we'll do that today. Feeling perturbed with him at the moment, which is not all that unusual, I guess. There is something to be said for being a single person; I just could not enjoy it as I always wanted to be married! And now I just think how WONDERFUL it would be not to be responsible for or to any other human being!

Here is one of my favorite quotes from good ol' Dr. Phil:
"Yeah, the grass is always greener on the other side - BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO MOW IT!" So true. What we can't have always looks better, doesn't it? Time to count my blessings and rejoice in what I DO have.

It is snowing out, and they are calling for a massive dump of it right from the West to the East coast of . 'Tis the season!

*WHEW!* About 1.5 hours on the treadmill (I just looooove Star Trek Voyager marathons!) plus sit-ups and push-ups. Now I am going to have some ACV and relax for a few minutes. I weighed myself this morning, and saw NO loss from the last three weeks. My scale is not so fancy as to measure ounces, though. I am determined to bust through this ridiculous 176 lb plateau this week!

My emotions continue to be all over the map, largely due to stress with DH. I have pasted on my for the children, though it is a load of and what I really want to do is their Papa a few times! LOL Yes, it may be time to make an appointment with a counselor...For now, I just need to get through Christmas, which normally is my very happiest time of year. Things will get better eventually.

At any rate, tomorrow I am to deliver the eulogy at my neighbor's mother's funeral. Oddly, I never met the woman. However, I am quite sure I can read the kind words he has written (I've been practicing) without too much trouble. We do love our neighbors; I've known him since I was 14, and he introduced and married me to DH (Ummmm...thank you, I think?) 13 yrs ago. How time flies!

All for now. At least the exercise has helped with my mood some. I no longer feel a desire to plunge a sharp instrument directly into DH, nor even to hit him over the head with the shovel! It's just plastic, anyway...

cheers

True to form, this morning I feel quite sane and pleasant. In fact, by the time I hit the sack last night, I didn't even scrunch into a little ball waaaaaay far over on my side of the bed, as is my usual position when I am PO'd at dh. This up and down emotional bit has me wondering if my hormones aren't at least partly to blame. Aunt flo is still here for a couple of more days, and I usually am only on the emotional rollercoaster B4 she arrives!? Something is up, for sure.

FOOD
As for food, I (oddly) wanted a cookie this morning, but resisted. I would flip if my kids had a cookie for breakfast or anytime in the a.m., so I didn't dare have one myself. Cold cereal & my usual cuppa java had to suffice.

WEATHER
Warm temps and lots of rain has turned all of our beautiful fluffy white stuff into slushy grey poo. Lake-size puddles lurk everywhere. BEWARE of speeding vehicles, threatening to drown you in their wake! I suppose I will stick with the treadmill, since I don't own a lifejacket...

Even though I truly do not feel like exercising this early, I guess I'd better. The funeral is at 1pm, and then I'll head out for a few hours at work. I just KNOW I won't exercise when I get home, so it is now or never.

Cheers

HI

Ok how long on the treadmill? 1.5hours well done you!!!

Great restraint on the cookie i dont think i could be that strong!!! when i get something in my head its there and i have to have it!

I hope the funeral went ok

Sarah

Hi Janice

I am sorry that you are less than content currently. However we acquire our feelings they are our honest feelings and if they make us down then that is how we feel.

I know that I have spent many years on a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride - I have often used the term "living on a knife edge". I have experienced feelings of great delight or great despair. Things that rationally do not really matter have taken on the guise of being of great importance. Both my husband and I have tended to put all this down to my hormones. If Mrs Average can put her grumpiness and snappiness down to it via PMS - how realistic is it that ours will not be messing us around something chronic. Our hormone levels are so much higher than theirs.

And we have every right to feel "picked on" as it really isnt fair the things that happen to our bodies.

My husband is convinced that I have become much more tranquil since I started doing the excessive walking. I certainly feel calmer. Quite why and how and whether it makes sense - I do not know. This would tend to indicate that you are doing exactly the right thing when you go for a walk.

Whatever the origin of your feelings - I do not think that it will do you any favours to ignore them. Seeing a counsellor may well help. It may also be a good idea to speak to a doctor about your hormones and any effect that they may be having.

I know that you have moments where your marriage appears less than the good idea it once seemed. It may help to remind yourself that your children would be very different people if they had a different father. I know how much joy your children bring to you - and this concept may make a difference to how you feel.

You have done well to maintain your control of your food and continue exercising while you felt down.

Take care
Love
Margaret

Hey you!
I am sorry you have been so down... I just read through ...

Did you end up getting the tree yet?

We bought our tree about two weeks ago ...
It was fun ..all women's work ... we met my step father on top of the hill with the tree ..he was shocked.. lol
do you cut from a farm?
or do you cut from the woods?
or do you buy from a person who pre cut them?

Anyway .. I love our tree this year ... I put new decs up ... bright azul and hot green snowflakes ...

I thought of you today and than went for a walk!

You got me motivated! lol and I was thinking of Margaret, Sarah ..

I just wanted to thank you for inspiring me so much ...


thanks!
Hope you have better days to come hun

love yas
always
natalie jo

Hi all!
THanks for the pats on the back and hugs and good advice!

MARGARET:
I am quite certain that exercise makes a great difference in helping keep my moods stable. Truly, this past month is the first time in about half a year that I have had trouble; since starting my WL journey, I have been (no joke) ecstatic most of the time! It just feels so good to actually LOSE weight, shrinking down to a healthier size, one I feel better about.

NJ:
Yes, we did get our tree on Sunday! A beautiful, aromatic, fluffy tree - with needles that are so painful, none of us wanted to put more than 2 ornaments on ! LOL I have no idea what kind of tree it is, but I surely do not recall real trees being so painful! So, come boxing week, I will be looking for a good deal on a fake tree, I think...

RAH:
Yes, I am really spending lots of time on that treadmill! The trick is to put it in front of the tv, with a really good, engrossing show on! Mine is pretty rickety, and I have it on a very steep incline. I keep my water right at hand, and also my kleenex - since whenever I really hoof it, my nose just pours! it is disgusting! Why does it do that? I also keep my remote close by, since you just know those commercials blast your eardrums!

My treadmill workouts are quite intense; by the time I stop, I am literally dripping in sweat - just like the folks on The Biggest Loser! Then, when I can't take another step, I start my sit-ups and push-ups. I can't do very many yet, but I try to do another couple every day. Afterwards, if there is another good show on, I am just as likely to get back on the treadmill for a nice *leisurely* stroll.

Hope you are all well. The funeral was fine, I felt glad for my friend that so many folks attended to help send his Mom off with good memories. But I am glad it's over - giving a eulogy is a little nerve wracking!

cheers

Hi Janice

I see a great deal of similarity in how we speak of moods. I use the term "great delight" whereas you use the term "ecstatic".

I am convinced that our hormones are involved in this.

I certainly know that I get more from my walks than the weight loss alone.

Are you doing as much walking as ever now that you are pretty near goal weight?

Do you keep records like I do of how much exercise you do each day? It could be worth analysing it to see if there has been a reduction that could be having this effect.

I know that your illness and lesser illnesses in the family will have diverted you from your exercise routines - and indeed the extra work involved with Christmas will be doing the same.

I would certainly be trying to do a little extra walking and seeing if that made a difference. After all - it may help how you feel and can only help your weight loss.

By the way - I am pleased that the funeral went well. It is always good to get these things behind us.

Take care
Love
Margaret

Hi Margaret
Lately I have been doing much more walking than usual, on my treadmill. The roads were just too icy or the weather too frigid to walk outside, so it has been indoors. I work much, much harder when on the treadmill! I do think a big part of my moods is hormonal, though there are other factors involved. But the extremes are hard to bear, for me and DH I am sure! How I can go from this to this is beyond me!

I definitely will keep up with the mega treadmill workouts, for both of our sanity! (ewww - poor English, but you get my point!).

Tomorrow is weigh in day. Though I have worked out lots this week, and my clothes feel looser, I don't hold out much hope that I have broken the 176 barrier. Will let you know.

Hey Girl I'm such a bad supporter!! I don't make it in here as often as I would like to... You'll get thru that plateau soon enuf, just push a litttttle harder. And by the way- your picture looks great! Good job chica

Hi Janice

Good luck at the scales. I hope that you break that plateau. You deserve that weight loss. Be sure to let me know.

As far as the work-outs go - all I can say is keep on walking. I am off out for walk #2 of the day in a minute.

I hope that everything gets more tranquil for you soon.

Take care
Love
Margaret