hi everyone
i started the program on 09/02/09 and i am looking forward to have a success story as i have read all yours and its quite inspiring and supportive towards my goals.

Hello Rhenea ~ Welcome to Motivation 301 ! This is a group of fantastic ladies that have truly given their hearts and souls to each other in support ! We have been through our ups, downs, heartaches, and glorious triumphs. We have daily struggles, just as you will, and come here for support or just a chance to "vent" to our gals about work, spouses, kids, leaves, mice....well, you get the picture ! Here is a list of abbreviations that Miranda posted and I saved in the "My Controls" section. Whatever you do, don't hit the print button... you won't have enough paper.... ha-ha ! Just copy and paste it to your notebook or Word AND THEN print it out ! Anything else we can help you with...just ask !!!



WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME and good luck on your journey with Jenny Craig !

JC ABBREVIATIONS
Onederland: when the scale finally reads in the 100's
BTW: by the way
DH: dear/darling husband
DD: dear/darling daughter
DS: dear/darling son
DSis: dear/darling sister
DP: dear/darling pet
DEF: dedicated exercise fairy
DHF: dedicated housework fairy
EOP: eating off program
HET: housework excuse trolls
IMHO: in my humble opinion
JCC: Jenny Craig consultant
LMAO: laughing my a$$ off
LOL: laugh out loud
LC: low calorie
MOMO: meal on my own
MOMOM: making our meals outstanding memories
NG: no guilt
NSV: non-scale victory
OMG: oh my god/goddess
OP: off program
PM: personal/private message
RF: refusing food
ROTFL: rolling on the floor laughing
ROTFLMAO: rolling on the floor laughing my a$$ off
TMI: to much information
TOM: time of month
VBG: very big grin
WTG: way to go
WTMI: way too much information
WG: weight gain
WI: weigh in
WIn: weigh in with loss
WL: weight loss
WLF: weight loss fairy

Rhenea Big Welcoming Hello's to you hope you enjoy sharing with us

and I also hope All are having a good Holiday long weekend? I went to weigh in this morning and i was up a bit , but not so bad....... +.7 so that's OK......... I had a few struggles this week but I am hoping for a more 'focused' week ahead.

I WILL say I don't think that Whopper and Fries I had on Tuesday was really worth the gain so there you go............... we need to ask ourselves at the time " Is this REALLY going to be worth it?? " ...... if the answer is yes? then go ahead and have it and feel no remorse. If the answer is no!!? well then. LOL..........

anyway, onward we go. This is " Life" and it's never easy or perfect so we just trudge along, .......

Good luck tomorrow Lisa.

Sorry I have been MIA.

The inspectors were from our corporate office. The inspection was a little touch and go for a while, but went very well. A few adjustments have been made, but that was all that was all that was necessary.

Then, I found out yesterday that they are adding a new project that will turn into another department for me to run. I jokingly asked my CEO how much of a raise I was going to get for all of these added responsibilities. But I wasn't joking. I will make sure I am clear on that next week.

Welcom Rhenea. This a great group to be part of. Everyone is very supportive.

Lisa, I'm thinking of you on your run tomorrow.

DD is ready to leave for to yet another pageant, so I will check in later today or tomorrow night. Gotta go to Mom's tomorrow. Dad is back in the hospital. Hopefully just long enough to get some blood and home in the morning. Just don't know how much longer he can last. 9/24 will be their 60th anniversary. Hope he can make it to that milestone for Mom's sake.

I'll be in touch.

Hello Ladies,

I see everyone is around here and there! I am still here but busy...We finally knocked a wall out last week sometime and I am finally get caught up in the cleaning..DH set me soem shelves in the kitchen and the Utility room (temp) until we can afford to build some cabinets....But at least I have room to store things now so i am happy...I cleaned the main part of the house today from top to bottom just for DH to mess it up with the shelves but thats ok cuz its worth redoing it now for that ehhe...

I havent been following Jc very well..I start out great all day and then evening I have to eat what DH wants and its usually ordering out....chips pizza beer that kind of thing...and then I am bloated and so swollen but I still do it and I dont know why....I will get there eventually I know I will...

ok well off to finish oh and ill post a pick of my baby girls (nephew's daughters)...

HUGS~

Terri

Just popping in...
Had a great day with the youngest DD [teacher]. We took her shopping for "school clothes". Does that ever end?? I thought that when they had a full time teaching job you didn't have to do that anymore ! LOL... actually I through more stuff in the cart than she did. If she tried it on and we both liked it [her the style, me the price] then it went into the cart ! I know that she is just making ends meet because the boyfriend has been unemployed all summer. They finally called him back. He's a bricklayer, so when he is working, he makes good money. It's just that no one is building and jobs are few and far between.

Marcia - Honey, I am so sorry about your Dad's failing health. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. It would be so wonderful if he could hang on until the anniversary, but sometimes everyday seems like a lifetime and you just have to reassure him that you will take care of mom and it's o.k. to go when he is ready. I know that that seems like a strange thing to say to a parent. When I said it to mom, her response was, "I love you"! That's all ! I crawled beside her in bed and stayed with her for awhile and then I had to report to the Youth Camp. I was the medic and it was check-in day. Mom was in a nursing home. Dad helped her with her dinner and she ate the whole tray, laughing and conversing with Dad. Dad layed her back and was watching t.v., holding her hand, when something funny happened on t.v.. He laughed and said, Honey, did you see that ? She had a smile on her face and she was gone. I was at peace with it more than the rest of my family because I truly knew that she was tired of the pain and suffering that not only she was going through, but what she was putting us through. You always want to protect the ones you love and relieve their pain and suffering. That day we did it together, and I think THAT'S what gave me strength for my Dad. I even did the readings at her Christian burial, because I knew that the greatest gift that I could ever give my mom was a beautiful beginning to her new life. We will keep you in our prayers and please know that we are always here, whenever you need us !

Love & Prayers !

"RELAY OF REMEMBERANCE"
SEPTEMBER 6, 2009

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'

You say you will never forget where you were when
You heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
With a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
Held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
Peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
Is OK..I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed
Breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
Tried to understand his words and as she realized
He wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
Woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
Knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home - only
Believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest
Ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
Heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
With every prayer. I was with the crew as they
Were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
Believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
Faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan .
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
Every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me
For the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
Smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... This way... Take
My hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
May not know why, but I do.. However, if you were
There in that explosive moment in time, would you have
Reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
For you . But someday your journey will end. And I
Will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
Be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.










Lisa,

Thinking of you and your family..You are in my heart and prayers..
Love, Terri

Mornin ladies,

Got some good and bad news lol...Son is officially leaving for another tour in Iraq in Oct...prolly the 27th.. Good news is I just booked a flight to go spend 2 weeks with him and bridezilla, hope I can make it that long!!!!! with her its hard tellin ya know!

anyways hope everyone has a good day!

HUGS~

Terri

Good Morning Ladies,
Just catching up on the posts from Friday night forward.

Colleen, your idea of the Relay of Rememberence was and is just beautiful. It's wonderful to see our "team" participating. Reading about your Mom, you just amaze me with your words. You are such a remarkable person.

Lisa, thoughts of you today! Hope you have a beautiful walk.

Deanna, so great to see you post. Back to your question about my finger. He first sprayed it with this very cold numbing stuff, then he injected it in four different spots and then he pulled out this electric thing w/a blade that cut & burned (ewwwww, burning skin stinks) that he slowly cut/burned around it and then popped it out. he touched up one end with more burning, put some gel on it, gauze and taped it up. (That's why it was so hard to type on Friday). The tip of my finger was a weird tingle that night but never really any pain. Even yesterday, I could touch the hole and it doesn't hurt - just doesn't look so pretty right now.
I took the band aid off last night to let it get air and it looks pretty good already.

Also, I see your loss - holy moly girlfriend - 3 pounds!! Awesome!

I was down 2 pounds yesterday and so happy with that. Wanted 180's but I'll get there this week.

Miranda, you are so right about deciding if something is worth it. Isn't it funny how at the time, it's SO worth it (even when I think about it) but then I eat it and all of a sudden it wasn't so worth it? That has happened to me so many times. Now, I just try to think about how awful I'll feel and that seems to help.
You can do this and have a great loss this next week. I'm right there with ya'!!!

After the faire, we went to BW3's for dinner and to watch the Badger game. By this point, I was HUNGRY!! I had a 6 piece wing appetizer and the southwest chicken wrap. Not great but I'm ok with it. My splurge meal for the week and now it's back at it.
The faire was fun but dummy me wore awful shoes for walking. What was I thinking? I guess that I wanted to look good and didn't think about my poor feet at the end of the day. Which still hurt. Dummy, dummy, dummy!!!

Terri, sorry to hear about DS having to go back to Iraq. I'm glad you'll get to spend some time with him before he leaves.

Marcia, I may have missed something, but I hadn't realized your Dad was ill. I do hope he makes it for your parents 60th Anniversary - that is a very long time together. My thoughts & prayers are with you during this emotional time.

Rhenea - welcome aboard. Wonderful group of ladies, we are all at different stages of the program here to support each other until goal and through maintanance. It's a life long journey we are on together.

Hope I'm not forgetting anyone - have a beautiful Sunday!!

Lisa ~ Have a wonderful walk and remember that we are with you in love, thoughts and prayers !

Your "Sisters" of JC Motivation 301




Walk With Me
by Munda
Walk with me, the path of life,
to explore every bend of the road
Enjoy with me the beauty of life,
along its wonderful way

Find comfort with me, in each other's arms,
when grief crosses our path
Find strength with me, in each other's strength,
when despair lies in wait

Laugh with me, a single true laugh,
to enlighten another's distress
Cry with me, a single true tear,
to understand true happiness

Cherish with me, the wonders of life,
as they need to be preserved
Rejoice with me, in the mysteries,
of what is yet to be

Find peace with me, in each other's souls,
when the world has gone insane
Find love with me, in each other's hearts,
until this life has been fulfilled

And when the path comes to an end
I hope we can say from within
We've known the beauty of true love,
our love came from within

Good Morning Beautiful Gals !

Boy, what a bunch of LOSERS !!! Way to go Deanna & Tammy!!!!! FANTASTIC !!!!

Terri ~ So sorry about your son being sent to IRAQ. I'm getting ready to send a package to Afganistan to one of my little? day care? boys ! He's 23 now ! His grandma is the 77 year old that I take to little shows with me and his brother is the one who just started as a Junior at Western IL University. I hope your visit is good with them ! You deserve the time away for awhile !

Tammy ~ Too bad that we weren't playing football against each other THIS weekend. It would be funny watching you "flip-off" your own team... LOL ! Sorry...had to do it ! I really wish I was as awesome as you think I am, but honey, I am no where close ! Just ask my DD! I thought she was going to strangle me yesterday. And I really don't know why??? The waitress offered me a drink at Red Lobster and I said, No Thank you, I'm driving. So then she told me that I could have a Virgin Drink and I answered by saying, Honey, I haven't been a virgin in so long, I'm certainly not going to try it now! WHAT??? It was the truth!!!! Then we were in Macy's and they were having a shoe sale. WELL ,YOU KNOW ME AND SHOES ! But it was a mess. Boxes everywhere. It was terrible. This young college boy was attempting to sort out the mess and had his hands full of boxes and I picked up a LID and said, Honey, do you have the box that goes with this lid??? WHAT??? I was just helping!!! DD grabbed my arm, apologized to the boy, and drug me down the aisle. But did it end the shopping trip... of course not. I have to come up with a better strategie!!!

Love to everyone else !!!

I'm Off ! Have a great day everyone !

Colleen, my daughter is ready to strangle me on a daily basis and vice versa. Not the way I want it, but it is what it is!! I have a friend that was at the Brewer game last week when we were, she brought her daughter. SAME THING, everything my friend said or did, was wrong in the eyes of her 24 year old. Oh well!! Such is life, right?

We play you guys on Sunday the 13th!!! I'm SO excited for football, real football - not exhibition football. I hope it's a great year for the Pack and very much looking forward to 10/5 - playing the Vikings. Can't wait (except DH will be in Myrtle Beach then - I hate when he goes away). I'm already dreading it, for months in advance. Oh well. I'll put my big girl panties on and be just fine.

I don't feel like doing much of anything today, just playing on the computer. I need to start studying soon. I have to take my AIC exam in January - 2 books of studying, a review book and a workbook are staring at me right now. Fun, fun, fun (NOT, NOT, NOT)

Hi everyone

thanks again for the wonderful welcome and support i am so new to this and glad to read that everyone shares the same struggles that i have felt after giving birth 7years ago and my weight balloon to 218lbs i was able to shed 14lbs and would love to get below 200lbs by the end of october.
this first week has been over-whelming but i am continuing this venture and i see i have lots of support.
dolly i am learning all the abbreviations thanks for the help
sept 11th is upon us and we must never forget and thank god for our troops

peace and love
rhenea [b][/b]

Rhenea ~ It's o.k. to feel overwhelmed at first. We all did... heck, at times we still do. It's a lot to adjust to. Acutally, my name is Colleen, but I went by Dolly for a while at first to find out if these gals were nuts or not. Well, I found out that they ARE, and I totally fit in with them...LOL !

Do you like to exercise? I don't. In fact, I hate it !!! BUT the girls have turned me on to a fantastic idea and once you get situated in your budget, you may want to try this. There are fantastic DVD's made by Leslie Sansone. They are "Walk at Home" DVD's. You only need enough room to walk forward 2 steps, backward 2 steps, and to each side 2 steps. It only takes 12 minutes to walk 1 mile in your home. I usually walk in my jammies, take a shower, eat breakfast and start my day. It's really easy !!! My DVD is "5 MILE Fat Burning WALK" with mile markers that let you choose 1,2,3,4,or 5 mile walks. I bought mine for $14.99 at F.Y.E., but the other gals got theirs at Target, Amazon, EBAY, etc. She does different DVD's for what parts of the body you want to work too. I just bought a PILATES DVD from Marshalls for $2.99. Still haven't opened it yet, but looking forward too soon. According to "Legally Blonde" excercise releases endorphens and endorphens make you happy ! I actually BELIEVE it works because I am so darn happy when I'm finally done exercising !!! IT HAS TO BE THE ENDORPHENS, Right ??? LOL !!! No, really, I can tell by the way the gals post if they have exercised or not. Well, maybe it's "Mother's Intuition" too, but they seem to be more at peace with themselves.

Hang in there gal ! Your doing great ! If you need us, we're right here !!!

Rhenea ~

Want to make your page more personal? Maybe I can help…

Copy, Paste and Print these directions
Select “My Controls”
Select “Personal Profile”
Select “Edit Signature”
“Your current Signature” is now blank
Click in the area of “Edit your Signature”
This is where you can put your First Name [if you wish]
Write any personal challenges
Keep personal tally of what you lost/gained every week/month
Post a Ticker [keeps track of your weight loss]
(All of these things are changed only by your control only, not automatically)

KEEP THIS PAGE OPEN & MINIMIZE IT.

OPEN A NEW INTERNET PAGE

Creating a ticker
Go to www.tickerfactory.com
Under “Weight Loss / Fitness Ticker” select “Weight Loss”
Select a “Ticker Ruler”…. There are 16 pages to choose from.
Select “Next”
Select a “Ticker Slider” ….There are 10 pages to choose from.
Select “Next”
Fill in the information under “ Configure your Weight Tracker Ticker”
Write your password somewhere. It may ask you again on another page.
Select “Next”
Cut the “bb code” and Paste it in your “Edit your Signature” section
Select “Update my Signature”

You can play with your signature page with font size and color. Just click on
The Update my Signature section and review your changes. If there are letters
Or symbols that aren’t supposed to be there, just delete them in the “Edit” section
And “Update” again until you get what you want.

You won’t have to go to all this again to update your ticker. Just click on it
From any of your pages and it will take you right to your page. Use your password
And make the changes that you need.

Let me know if this helps and if you have any trouble, I’ll check back now
And again to help you out !

Colleen thank you so much for sharing those very private times with your Mom......... I know that meant the World for her......... The BEST gift you could have given her I think.

Thanks too for the beautiful Verse....... and Terri also. That was lovely.

Another week unfolds before us. The days slip by don't they? ........ trying to keep my Focus here. Wishing everyone a nice weekend.

Terri that will be great for you to go and spend some time with your son. I hope things will go well.............. Good that you will be able to get that much time off work too.

Hi ladies,

Terri, I loved the poem you posted- it made me tear up it was so moving. Sorry DS has to go back to Iraq for a second tour. But I am glad, glad, glad you will get to spend 2 weeks with him. Can't wait for the Bridezilla stories I do hope she behaves herself so you and DS can have a good visit.

Colleen, you crack me up you had me in tears too- but from laughing so hard. I love your posts... the description of your shopping trip w/ DD was too funny! And the warning to rhenea about not using your real name until you found out if we were nuts or not.. love it! On a serious note I too love your idea of the "Relay for Remembrance", 9/11 is certainly a day none of us will ever forget. I'm sure Lisa will be very touched.

Speaking of Lisa, how was the 5K? I am sure it was very emotional but also very heartfelt for everyone. I do hope you got to have a little fun in NYC while you were there. (((((hugs))))) to you too!

Rhenea, welcome to Motivation 301. Yep, we are all a little goofy but that's why we are such a great fit to support one another on this journey. Colleen said it all very well. Check in a lot and we will help and support you all we can.

Tammy, the procedure for your finger sounded like great fun... not! I can see why it was hard to type. Glad it is feeling better now. Big congrats on those two pounds. The 180's are calling your name for next Saturday. Glad you had a good time at the Renaissance Faire, sorry about wearing the wrong shoes though. Ouch! I love reading how although you went off plan yesterday you did it knowingly and you are NOT beating yourself up. You have come a LONG way girlfriend

Miranda, that was just a little gain, heck probably a cup of coffee (or tea or water) -lol! I know you can do this and I have every faith that you will. We all take small steps backward on this journey, yet we keep marching on! (((((hugs))))) to you

Marcia, it was good to see your post. I am glad the inspection went well. Now you can focus on "you" again!

So DD dragged me out shopping yesterday. We didn't leave until 1:15 or something and I had only eaten my JC breakfast stuffed sandwich and an iced nonfat latte... We went to Target and Sears and both tried on lots of clothes. I ended up with 2 tops from Sears. At Target I ran into a woman I used to work with and haven't seen in years. She is so tiny now after losing 80 pounds, that I hardly recognized her. She said the same about me although I did NOT feel tiny next to her. We were standing in an aisle chatting away when who should stroll by but a guy that used to work with us. He was with his boss to buy stuff for the new childcare center he works at. He looked us both up and down and said "what happened, you are both half of yourselves". It was pretty funny.
About 4:30 DD says let's go to Costco. I said I need to go home first and eat LUNCH. We zipped home and I ate my Beef & Barley stew, a little salad and off we went. Good thing I ate because Costco was a zoo! DD paid for a slice of pizza when we checked out. She then stood in line at the pick up window of the snack bar for 20 minutes before they told her there was NO pizza and wouldn't be for at least 20 minutes. Let's just say she was "mad" to put mildly- there had to be at least 20 people in line and no pizza ready or being made. I think they were swamped by it being a holiday weekend as well as the day before their coupon book expired. Must say I saw D in a different light- lot's of rage and cussing- not because of no pizza but because no one said anything in 20 minutes. There were many pi$$ed customers. Then they all had to go to another register to get a refund- ugh! For a measly few bucks, but she did it "for the principle of it" she told me, but I think it was so she could complain some more My day wasn't 100% POP but pretty darn close. I did eat a Kashi Trail mix granola bar while out (and starving) but then did not eat my JC Cheesecake. DD also bought a Costco rotisseried chicken and I had an ounce of a breast when we got home. Again not too bad but not POP Today is a new day and I am doing great! I had a wonderful, awesome, totally relaxing massage at 11 am. Loved it! Then I went to Marshall's to look for a new bedding set (comforter, sheets, shams, etc.) didn't find anything I couldn't live without but did buy The Flat Belly Diet book for $6.99 and a Kathy Smith "Tummy Trimmers" dvd for $3.99. I need to work on my stomach, "menopot", muffin top- whatever you want to call it. I also need to use heavier weights and try to tighten up my flabby arms.

So I am onto Week # 2, 1200 calorie planned menu. I'll be eating a lot of food I haven't tried in a while (lasagna, turkey chili, blueberry pancakes, rotini)- I will probably remind myself why I stick to my favorites most of the time. I pretty much did week #1 last week so now it's week 2. Last night was the Chicken Carbonara- sure seems like there is less sauce in the foods these days- I noticed the same thing with the Salisbury Steak. I added, 2 cups of broccoli, sliced mushrooms, sun dried-tomatoes and red pepper flakes to the carbonara- it was pretty good. Today I had the Blueberry pancakes for breakfast and the fajita salad kit for lunch (I kinda like the fajita salad kit but loved the old hawaiian chicken and turkey cranberry kits more. Dinner tonight is the turkey chili- I think I will do it Tammy's way

Yesterday at JC my guy rang up my food and it came to $149, I said wow! that's a lot (cuz I had figured it out at home to be about $95), he said its because of the extra mac & cheeses (I got DD 4), vitamins (bought 4 plus the Protect plus, I said did I get my discount... yes. Anyway, after he ran my debit card and I signed I looked at my food list upside down and said, "Uh-oh look", He had typed in 22 omelets instead of 2! It was then pretty funny. Anyway I now have a $52 credit for next week Then I got home and NO, none, zero omelets!!! That too was funny, called him and headed back to pick them up when DD and I went shopping. I packed 2 ice packs in my insulated lunch bag, put the omelets in between the ice and they were still frozen solid when we finally came home 3 1/2 hours later.

I better get moving, its almost 3 pm and I haven't worked out yet. DD is leaving to go babysit so I will have the house to myself. Today I think I will do The Firm's Cardio Party and then maybe try a little of my new dvd.

Tammy, my battery is finally pooping out in my Polar Watch. Did you take yours to an authorized dealer, a watch repair dude or change it yourself?

TTFN,
Hugs to all,
DEanna

"RELAY OF REMEMBERANCE"
September 7, 2009

You are all so wonderful. I am running to Yankee game (go Jeter on breaking all time hitting record.) Will tell you about the 5k later, but I DID IT is 44 minutes. Not too bad!!! A little sore with blisters today.

But here is the really big news. Went to WI 8 and

I LOST 5.8 this week for a total of 25.8!!! Woo Hoo!!!

Will check in later with all the details.

Thanks to all my new best friends. I feel like we are family!!!

XOXOXO for honoring Andy the way you have. So proud to be American!!!!

Relay of Remembrance from Wisconsin

Two Thousand One, Nine Eleven
Written by:
Paul Spreadbury, York Beach, ME

Two thousand one, nine eleven
Five thousand plus arrive in heaven
As they pass through the gate,
Thousands more appear in wait

A tall bearded man,
wearing a stovepipe hat
steps forward and greets them,
Then says, "Lets chat".

They settle down in seats of clouds
A man named Martin shouts out proud
"I have a dream!" and once he did
The Newcomer says, "Your dream still lives."

Groups of soldiers in blue and gray
Others in khaki, and green then say
"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine"
The Newcomer says, "You died not in vain."

From a man on sticks one could hear
"The only thing we have to fear.
The Newcomer says, "We know the rest,
trust us sir, we've passed that test."

A man with a twang from New England shores
Then proclaimed in a voice they had all heard before
"Courage like yours does not hide in caves
You can't bury freedom, in a grave,"

A silence fell within the mist
Somehow the Newcomer knew that this
Meant time had come for her to say
What was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day

"In the land of the living, we wrote reports,
Watched our children play in sports
Worked our gardens, sang our songs
Went to church and clipped coupons

We smiled, we laughed,
we cried, we fought
Unlike you, great we're not"

The tall man in the stovepipe hat
Stood and said, "don't talk like that!
Look at your country, look and see
You died for freedom, just like me"

Then, before them all appeared a scene
Of ruined streets and twisted beams
Death, destruction, rubble and dust
And people working just 'cause they must

Hauling ash,
lifting stones,
Knee deep in ****
But not alone

"Look! Blackman, whiteman, brownman, and yellow
Side by side helping their fellow!"
So said Martin, as he watched the scene
"Even from nightmares, can be born a dream."

Down below three firemen raised
The colors high into ashen haze
The soldiers above had seen it before
On Iwo Jima back in '44



The man on sticks studied everything closely
Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly
"I see pain, I see tears,
I see sorrow - but I don't see fear."

"You left behind husbands and wives
Daughters and sons and so many lives
are suffering now because of this wrong
But look very closely. You're not really gone.

All of those people, even those you've never met
All of their lives, they'll never forget
Don't you see what has happened?
Don't you see what you've done?
You've brought them together, together as one.

The man named Abe stood and said
"Welcome my friends," and from there he led,
five thousand Newcomers, all heroes to heaven
On this day of our Lord, two thousand one nine eleven.

Tammy, That poem was so beautiful..I cant express how much that has hit my heart!

Lisa, glad you did the 5k, cant wait for details and in 44 mins..wow thats great...and 5.8 lbs **** thats good...

My JCC and I came up with a plan...I am gonna buy cans of V8 low sodium and take them to work with me and every 2 hrs or as close as possible ima drink one, that way my metabolism stays up and maybe just maybe I wont be starvin when I get home and can stick to plan...we shall see...gonna be ALOT of V8 juice but maybe switch off and on with water? or soemthing..I am willin to try anything really...

Ok ladies...I am off here gonna finish my breakfast...yes my breakfast..I slet until 10:45 today YAY me....LOL

Glad everyone is working it...I am startin fresh today, I am gonna work out today and hopefully everyday Mon-Fri and see what happens..I HAVE to get back on this darn train once and for all...day #1...

HUGS~

Terri

Good Morning Friends!
I had to get that post out here before I did anything else, including eat breakfast. Terri, I also slept late and wonderfully last night (Thank you DH for not snoring all night long!). I volumized the breakfast scramble and it's quite delish!! Lots of garlic, but I love garlic.

Lisa, so happy to see your post. Can't wait to hear all the details!! AND, OMGosh Girl, SUPER loss this week. That's great!! Keep it up (not 5.8 pounds a week, obviously), but keep up the great efforts. Your results are amazing!

Terri, I drink a low sodium V-8 every afternoon around 2 with some baby carrots. It's a great filler to hold me over to my smoothie. I buy the soda can sized ones, they also have the small 8 oz cans, I think it is. I think it would be cheaper to buy the big plastic bottle and take it in a container of some sort, but I tend to go for convenience - if there's work involved, it usually rots in the frig (sad, but true).

Deanna, I love reading your stories. It's like I see it all happening. I can see your DD livid about the pizza and getting a refund for mere principle. Hate to say it, but I'd probably be the same way BUT, I wouldn't be ordering pizza in the first place, RIGHT?
Also, thanks for your comment about coming so far. I guess I hadn't thought about it, but you're right. Remember how I used to beat myself up for the whole entire week because of one meal? Obviously, you do, otherwise you wouldn't have pointed it out. I had no regrets, no remorse. It was good and forward I go. Got up yesterday and was POP except for 2 glasses of wine w/DH last night. Again, no regrets, I work so hard all week at eating right and working out hard that if 2 glasses of wine stop my losses then I'm in big trouble. It's all about moderation and not eating chips & salsa after that wine or any other snack. By George, is it possible that I might just be getting this whole crazy thing????

As for my polar watch, I never ended up doing anything. It was a one time glitch and has been fine since (knock on wood). I don't know what I would have done, I don't know how you find a polar licenced dealer. I probably would have googled it and then called their customer service. Let me know what you end up doing.

How is everyone doing today? I was a sleepy head and off to a slow start, but I will do my weight training work out and study chapter 2 of my AIC course. I had terms floating all over my brain last night.

Miranda, how did yesterday go for you?

Rhenea, when is your weigh in (sorry if you've posted that already, we move forward so quickly, it's hard to remember)? Hope you are having a good week.

Marcia & Debbie - where are you Gals?

Colleen, what are you up to today? Baking any last minute goody's for anything today?

Hope you all have a Wonderful & Safe Labor Day.

GOOD MORNING BEAUTIFUL GALS !

Wow, that weekend went fast ! I just woke up. Must be a good day to be layed back. DH went to his brothers to help paint his house. I think I'm just gonna jel today.

Lisa ~ OMG ! WONDERFUL !!!! Down 5.8 # ! That's incredible ! I knew you could do it...GREAT JOB !!! Can't wait to hear about the 5K. Enjoy the game today !!

Marcia ~ Still keeping you in my prayers. How is your dad today?

Terri ~ I'm so glad that your ready to commit ! It's so easy to get off track. I'm there right now and can't figure out why. Maybe because I'm finally in smaller clothes that I can buy anywhere and I feel good. That should be an incentive to move forward, but for some reason I'm content right now. At this point I won't meet my 150# goal by November 28.

Tammy ~ That was a beautiful poem ! My SIL's Sister went to the Faire this weekend too ! Now I'm really jealous !

Deanna ~ 22 Omelets ??? OMG ! And then to forget to pack them ! Don't you read the receipt as he is packing your order ? That's what they do in Joliet. They go and get the food in baskets and then hand me the list and as I read it off, they pack my bags. I was thinking of you today as I looked outside and the trees are starting to turn color a little. You'll be back to raking before long...LOL ! I'm sorry, I still love the Magnolia Tree ! ()

Miranda ~ How are things today friend ?

Debbie ~ You must be busy ! Haven't even seen you much on facebook !

Kriss, Angie ~ Hope things are going well !

Vgtigger, Rhenea ~ Are you still plugging along ? You can do this... one day at a time !

Hope everyone has a wonderful "No" Labor Day ! Sit back, put those feet up, and enjoy your day ! Tomorrow we go back to reality !

Real quick, then I'm off. Just had daughter drama, again. She's so sneeky and sly and it just gets the best of me. This time, DH stepped in to say if it doesn't stop, he will get involved. She's crying. I have been trying and trying and trying and she's still doing her thing. Just had a long talk with her after DH said something and tried to explain my point to how she is always ready to jump on me, I'm always wrong, etc. Oh boy, parenting is so fun!!

Popped on to comment on Deanna's omelet issue. 22 omelets and then to get none. Crazy. My center used to do it the way Colleen pointed out. Need to go back to that because more often than not, there is a mix up. This week, I got a stuffed meatball sandwich in place of my BBQ meatloaf - go figure. I'm sure there is a hefty $ difference in that one, so I called and they will give it to me next week. But, 22 omelets, that didn't stand out at all? Jeepers.

Allright, my mood has been altered from today's drama. This too, shall pass.

Hi ladies,

Tammy, so sorry about the DD drama. It does kinda "knock the wind out of your sails doesn't it"? Get those endorphins going and you will feel better-lol! So glad you didn't cave and emotionally eat- that's usually the first thing my head says to do after tension with my DD. WTG with the studying

About those 22 omelets.... I did ask as to the price when he told me the bill amount. But I didn't catch the goof until I had already paid and looked at the food list upside down. The 22 was rather glaring-lol! It turns out he punched in the code for the omelets as 2232 (instead of 223) and the quantity became 22 instead of 2 as the extra 2 from the code moved to the quantity column. Next goof was mine. When rattling off the food from the list as he bagged it I was busily flapping my jaws ... the omelets were the last frozen item BEFORE the dry goods, guess I just missed 'em. Not sure how he missed pulling them too! Oh well, its over and done, no biggie

Still haven't exercised... I've been busily typing in my week 2 menu into myfitnesspal. Feeling a tad lazy so do need to get moving. It's just about 11 am and DD is still in bed!! guess I'll wake her up with my Leslie-ing. I am still determined to dig out my treadmill today.

Lisa, 5.8 lb. loss is awesome. Wow! I wish... Hope you enjoyed the game. I too am looking forward to hearing about the race.

Colleen, good to hear from you today. I am enjoying my 3 days off. We get a 4 day weekend at the end of the month (Sept. 25-28)- that will be nice. There are "some" advantages to working for a school district . Regarding those dammnable magnolia leaves- I never stop raking those babies up-lol! These trees constantly lose leaves, plus, its been windy so there are even more Hey, you can come rake anytime!

Terri, glad you got some sleep this weekend. You are very busy fixing up your house- tearing down a wall and all- where oh where do you find the time (and energy)? Hope the ls V-8 works.

I got my reminder call to go for my head MRI tomorrow night. I am very anxious to get to the root of my twitching - just hope I don't have to wait too long for the Botox clinic

Waving hi to Debbie, Marcia, Angie, Kriss, vgtigger, rhenea and my girl Miranda. I 'm hoping you all are busy, happy and healthy this weekend.

Okay, I MUST get moving my hiney... Leslie, here I come... gonna do some weights today too!

Hugs

Ok so I worked out right..I did the 2 mile with leslie hip and thigh DVD...My 9 yr old nephew did ti with me...It was a sight for sore eyes watchin him tryin to do it...let me tell you..nothing short of laughter thats for sure...

I guess we are havin a "get together" with DH's "family" ugh ya Its here at my house and I am doing the "work" I made a pasta salad that is sooo good LOL...just took some pasta, ranch dressing "light", parmasan cheese, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes and home made bread and butter pickles and mixed it up and tossed in frige...it isnt too bad for a fast throw togetehr LOL....We are having deviled eggs, hamburgers, hotdogs baked beans and home made dill and B&B pickles....I think that should work..I might get out my corn on the cobb and cook it also...and a veggie I can have hehe..

Well I just wanted to report that I did work out and tis the first of 5 I hope...I will post later if I get the chance and I survive the "get together"LOL


HUGS~

Terri

Hi again,

Terri, great job doing the hips & thighs dvd. Your menu for the get together sounds delicious. I 'll be having JC Traditional Lasagna-lol! So sorry the family get togethers are always more work for you. I hope they appreciate all you.

I did Leslie's 3 mile power walk... definitely was feeling it Also did a few minutes of hula hooping and now I am going to check out The Firm dvd called "Jiggle Free Abs" (yep, I've been checking out my stash of older dvds). This one uses the "TransFIRMer" you know the "step".

DD got up late so we are not going to The Cheesecake Factory. That's okay by me. She is actually starting to clean out her back room so the stuff in my guest room can be moved back in. Wonders never cease- there is hope yet.

Miranda, what are you up to today? How is your garden? I got a good sized cucumber out of my little patch last night also some red cherry tomatoes, yellow pear tomatoes and a few yellow squash. Needless to say I don't have space like the rest of you so can't can or "put up" anything (like I'd know how anyway... not).

I better scoot I have spent way too much time on the computer today... bet I check in later though

BIG BROTHER ALERT.... Tammy don't read if you haven't watched Sunday's show yet...




Tammy, I was so sad to see Jeff go on BB. Wasn't surprised though. That Natalie sure is a good liar- must be that poker face Poor Jordan is all alone now... I do not want Natalie to win.

Deanna, thanks for the **Warning ** ** Warning** We have NOT seen last night. Will do that in a bit.

Eating a VERY late lunch and quite hungry after a TOUGH work out but man, do I feel strong. I did the strength work, up'd my weights to 10 pounds in a couple exercises and I feel lean. I feel so different in just the couple of weeks I've done this. It truly is amazing!! I burned more calories today, but I also added 12 minutes of hooping in there. Showered and as soon as I'm done eating, I'm heading to the grocery store for fresh veggies for the week, stuff to whip up a batch of salsa and the Tuscan soup I want to try.

We are grilling out burgers, w/corn tonight too. I switched a supper for a lunch so I'm grilling my turkey burger, salad and corn on the cob - just one, I know it's a starch and that's ok too. I'm also going to start adding a small glass of milk to my dinner at night. With this intense working out, I need it.

I don't think I remembered to post this, Friday night, I woke up STARVING, I mean famished. I've never been a middle of the night snacker (just love my sleep too much) but I literally woke up with hunger pangs. I didn't give in because I had w/i the next a.m. but I know I should not be waking up starving. I'm really watching calories out versus calories in. Some days, I'm close to burning half of my calorie intake. I just need to watch it.

OK, I'm saying tootaloo, just had to post about the intense work out. To raise my arms to wash my hair, I felt it in the triceps. Those darn push ups KILL me. I smooshed down to the ground again.

DD & I are fine. She is SO temperamental and SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO head strong that at 13, she knows EVERYTHING. It just wears on me until I snap AND she doesn't stop pushing until I snap. God grant me strength to make it through these teenage years.

Thank you all so much for asking about my Dad & for the prayers. He is much better. He has pre-leukemia, so his body no longer produces red blood cells. On top of that he had a stroke several years ago & is basically paralyyzed on his right side.

After getting 3 units of blood Saturday, he was almost energetic yesterday! He has been too weak to walk since he was hospitalized 2 months ago. Yesterday he was much stronger and walked through the house! His speech was stronger.

I think I am going to go back to JC Tuesday. I didn't do so well the last of the week. I don't need to back slide, too far, so off I go. Not sure yet if I will do another 20/20 or if I will scrape up the $500 for the full program.

I have had a completely non-productive labor day. I took a long nap this afternoon. I just hope I can sleep tonight.

Have a wonderful rest of the day everyone.

Marcia I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad's illness that must be a huge concern for you and the rest of the family. I hope that he is able to be treated successfully.

Deanna Holy CoW 22 omelets! well I DO like them but not sure if I like them enough to have 22 of them ' on hand'. Mind you? they are a limited time only so maybe LOL>

Tammy sorry to hear about the Trials and Tribulations of coping with a Teenage daughter these days. I have raised FOUR daughters so trust me! " I know where of you speak" ......... and now? I see ' issues' here and there ( lots of sighing, lots of eye rolling etc etc ) going on between MY daughter and her now 14-year-old DD ) it's a process getting thru these years and there are good times as well as not so good times but in the end? I'm sure you will both look back on THESE times and sigh a huge sigh of relief that WHEW! we survived and look what good friends we are now (((((hugs)))))

Terri I think your Hubby and his family should give you a Medal. I can't begin to count the number of times you go " Above and Beyond" for them......... I can only hope that they appreciate it and in some small way? will return the kindness and abundance that you offer to them (((((hugs)))) you are a Sweetie and they are sooo very fortunate to have you.

Hello's to everyone else out there? how are things. Lisa I hope the Run went OK for you? lots of emotions I'm sure......... this will be a really tough week for you I'm sure.........

Colleen you did well going to Costco after having lunch. I know here, especially on Weekends? they offer so many 'taste tests' that you could literally " eat your lunch" just by going from one to the next......... EEEEK ....

I have been doing OK with my program. My focus this week is being watchful of how I 'feel' as i eat and after I eat? I have a good 'grasp' of what things to add to Volumize meals etc...... lots of salads, lots of veggies, raw and cooked. I like Terri's plan of having a low sodium V8 juice too. But I want to be 'aware' of what Full feels like? and learn to stop eating before i feel TOO full? yes the veggies are unlimited but you still don't need to eat until you need to undo your pants LOL ...... don't think that's what they mean LOL
so i want to eat slowly and allow my 'body' and 'brain' to register that " Ok you have eaten ENOUGH and time to STOP " ........
I've stuck to program pretty well and still feel way too full sometimes so I want to have that be my focus.

Another Weekend at Stock Car races..... I was going ZoooooooooomRound&Round in my Sleep last nite LOL....... not to mention all the dust and fumes I must have inhaled ! Splutter coughchoke!. It's a dirt track and even tho it's packed down a LOT there is still dust by the end.
I DID enjoy a nice Hot Chocolate tho -- it was windy and REALLY cool last nite. It was somehow also 'laced' with some Baileys' and I have no idea where my DH and our Friend ( these 2 guys went down to buy them from the concession stand and I really don't think they were handing out the option of Bailey's there? but maybe they were!!? dunno ) .... they both just played Dumb when I asked them!?!?
I have a short week before Weigh in as I switch to Thursdays now but I am just going ' day by day' and we'll see what happens.

Relay of Remembrance ( From Canada for you Lisa )

I will post a tribute for Lisa this evening if that's OK? Tuesday the 8th is My day but living in the West? I often don't get 'here' early and I wanted to have it posted for those who are from East to West as well.

anyway, thinking of you Lisa and remembering ........ and of all those whose lives were sacrificed .........affecting so very very many people, families far and wide.



9/11
9-11, emergency some will say,
but no one will forget that September day.

When the strongest people and the bravest souls
risked their lives to go below.

The crashing towers falling down
spreading sadness all around.

We felt bravery for those who knew the cost,
and we felt sadness for all the ones we lost.

But out of the rubble rose wings of Hope
maybe someday we all will cope.

But until that day we all will grieve
and deal with a memory that will never leave.

For our answers we look to the heaviness
and deal with the pain of September 11th.


By: Jammie Howard 12

Hi friends,

Miranda, what a nice poem- especially since it was written by a 12 year old! I was glad to see your post. It sounds like you are being very mindful about the JC program- what a great idea to monitor your hunger and awareness of feeling full. (Gee, aren't we all supposed to be doing that as part of the plan??-lol!) I know I eat way too fast and don't often recognize my point of fullness. So you were breathing car fumes and dust again this weekend, huh? I can tell from your post you had fun! And hmmm.. Bailey's & Hot Chocolate sound good to me

Terri, I hope all went well with the family get together. When do you go to see DS and Bridezilla? (shame on us for calling her that-lol!)

Tammy, glad things settled down with DD. Believe me, mine is 28 and is still headstrong and oh so knowledgeable about everything- she thinks. I guess some things never change.

Boy everyone was BBQing today... I had great smells wafting through my doors and windows. For dinner I had the JC lasagna on a bed of steamed zucchini and added a grated light mozzarella cheesestick to the top (have you tried to grate string cheese??? it's not easy-lol. I do feel full and satisfied. Saving my cup of sliced strawberries and 1 T of cool whip for dessert.

Gotta go- I have been on the computer for hours and hours today... bad, bad me!

Tomorrow is already Tuesday, let's all go out and make it a great week. Tammy I challenge you to a POP rest of the week!

TTFN

well so much for my POP#1 under my belt...I was so POP it ran out the window...No body helped me cook, and no body helped me clean up..infact I had to Bit** to get anyone to coem get their plates and the rest of the food cuz I wanted to go to bed...no thank yous or anything...not even from DH...I asked him to put away the remaining of the food since I put it all on plates and covered it....he did but you can tell he didnt liek it...oh well...

so look..I am gonna start from scratch today...I didnt weigh today ill wait a couple of days lol....I did workout yesterday and plan on working out mon-friday and off sat and sun...well see..I am gonna start a journal and try to post alot but we shall see..I need soemone to keep me accountable and so far its been just me...I have to do this....I need to do this..no way i am goin back on diabetes meds...

Deanna and Tammy, I didnt comment on your omelets and DD...LOL thats alot and tammy, I just went through what your going through and all I can say is good luck...hope you do better then I did....

Miranda, love the poem its so pretty...Hi's to everyone else...Marcia sorry about your dad..hope all gets better..

gotta run or ill be late.. wish me luck...

HUGS~

Terri

Hi Ladies. Hope you all had a nice Labor Day celebration. Having laptop troubles and Best buy is no help even though I purchased the Black Tie coverage when I got it in May. Not in a very good frame of mind to even go into it right now so maybe later.
Got some beautiful days coming up so I m thinking "Road Trip".
All the poems you all have posted have really touched me. Just hope I dont let you all down come tomorrow and find a moving one also.
My DGD started Kindergarten last week but darn I just dont know how all of you get pictures and images to post.
Deanna - Dang straight!!! No Pudge Brownies!!!! Thats gotta be the most important one on the whole list. Thanks for all the work you did for me with the TJ list. 22 omeletes!! Sorry that one would not have gotten pass me. How is school going so far?
Colleen - Girl you are so funny. I find myself ROFLMFAO. You sure know how to keep our spirits up.
Marcia - So sorry to hear about your Dad's failing health. I am sure he and your Mom will be celebrating their 60th. I truly do. When my mother was ill they gave her 2-3 months and she fought on for 22 months. Going on to celebrate their 60th also. I will never underestimated the power of the human spirit.
Terri - Sorry to hear of your sons return to Iraq. My nephew is there for is 2nd tour right now having left a couple of months ago. He does border patrol but is able to converse with my Niece via Internet. She was diagnosed (sp? - wheres spell ck when u need it?) with MS shortly before he left and has been having a rough time of it.
Tammy - How's the finger coming along? I feel for you as far as DD is concerned. So remember the trials and tribulations of raising a teenage daughter.
Lisa - Havent heard how your run/walk went. And a 5.8# loss!!!! Whoo Hoo Girl!!!!
Rehnea - Welcome to our group. Post often and let us know how you are doing.
Miranda - Stock car racing? I am so jealous. I love all car racing but I guess NASCAR is tops on my list. Maybe I will join you sometime. Save a Bailey's and Hot Chocolate for me.
Well Angie havent heard from you in awhile. Hows it going?
vgtigger and Kriss - Whats new with you both?
Well gonna check out for now as this is not my computer. Enjoy your day all.

Good Afternoon Ladies,
It's been a crazy, fast morning.

I was up early, even before the alarm from an AWFUL nightmare that was so darn real it was unbelievable. Got up, did traction and got on the treadmill. Had the worst run/walk in awhile. Still trying to figure that one out. I'd run for 30 seconds and then I was exhausted like I couldn't go another step. Ended up not running any of the 3rd mile, but walking at 3.9. A little promise I made myself when I started was that if I only wanted to walk then I would walk. I had to respect that this morning. My best guess is that it has something to do with the salt on the corn yesterday, I don't know. But, my fingers were like stuffed sausages when I got off the treadmill. the other strange thing was I could not cool down today. Washing my face, I used cool water because I felt over heated. My shower was cooler than normal. I always get my hair re-wet because it dries before I'm ready to dry it. I used cold water. Putting on my make up, my forehead was dripping. I was so hot all morning and just couldn't cool down - not sure if one had anything to do with the other.

BP & everything was good at the dr exam this a.m. so that's at least reassuring.

Deanna, I gladly accept your challenge to be 100% POP from now (Tuesday) until weigh in Saturday. We can do this!! I challenge you to stay off the scale until Saturday I weighed at the dr's office, it was scary, but I was dressed, I had 40+ oz of water, cup of coffee, breakfast and still bloated from salt - it was up 5.5 pounds from Saturday. YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terri, jump in on this challenge. Lady, I am going to scold you in my most loving voice STOP doing for these people. Do for Terri and let them fend for themselves if no one wants to appreciate your efforts. Seriously, if no one can say thank you, screw them and cook healthy for Terri. If I recall, you had nothing to do with planning this get together, so why did you have everything to do with cooking and cleaning up. Only you can stop this! I'm not trying to be hard, this is said with love and concern for YOU!!

Miranda, you want to jump in on our challenge to stay POP for 4 days. Come on Girlfriend, you can do it with us!! You are definitely thinking deeper into things. This program (compared to WW for me) has caused me to learn so much more about me in those regards. I also eat rather quickly. Fortunately, the tummy does tell the brain before too long and I feel content. It's only if I let myself get too starving that I really have problems.

Marcia, hope your Father is continuing to do well. Glad the blood transfusion has helped.

Hi Debbie, Glad to see you post. We've missed you.

Gotta run, phone rang and I have to handle it.

Tammy I HATE those bad dreams that are so very real ..... they can carry forward into the day and leave us pretty shaken up. I wonder where they come from?? Your Feelings on weakness and HEAT!! not liking sounds of that...... if it continues don't hesitate to call the CLinic about it....... hopefully all is well but you never know.

Terri I ECHO what Tammy has told you. Have you ever watched Oprah? or heard Dr Phil? or anyone else who might have said this " You teach people how to Treat You" .... well, out of caring for you the way that I do *I* am going to say it LOUD AND CLEAR!!! for you Terri....... you continue doing and doing and doing for ' those people' and clearly they don't appreciate any of it, don't offer any help for you, don't have any manners or courtesy towards you. In my opinion? this all comes down to " Respect" and from my viewpoint? NONE of them have any respect for you whatsoever, including your hubby.
I'm not trying to be rude here, but I have read enough of your reports that this sort of stuff is really getting me riled up. You are SUCH a caring, giving person Terri and you give and you give and you give!? for what result? you get Nothing back from any of them so in 'MY Opinion' .... it's high time to STOP!!........ tell yourself and tell them.......NO MORE...... people can't trample all over you unless you give them permission to do so , so please Terri.... (((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))) in order to be able to feel good about yourself, and concentrate on YOUR health and your well-being......... STOP doing everything for all of them.........
my apologies if you feel I am overstepping here but you are just too important to me to see you treated in this way and not step up and say something. ( stepping off the Soap box now )

Tammy - sure I will join in with the challenge...... love to. I will be 100% POP for 4 days....... yesterday was day #1......... so today will be day#2........ felt good at end of day yesterday. Not too full, not craving things......... it all went fine

Great Miranda, glad to see you joining in. That's right, you changed weigh in to Thursday's.
I forgot to comment on 4 daughters, you are a Saint. I can not imagine going through this with more than one. She's plenty for me. I love her so much, I find it hard to be too strict, but I know it's for her best interest to be firm. I'm trying. I think I finally opened her eyes to a few things because she even commented "Mom, I didn't know you felt this way about . . .". I said, "Of course you didn't because I don't throw it in your face, but it does hurt to have you defending your dad to the bitter end when who is always there for you? Mom, who made sure you had new clothes, Aeropostale yet. You think your dad would do that? School supplies, everything, I made sure you were all set yet you feel the need to glorify the man.
She also told me that he wants her to bring her violin to his house, he hasn't seen her play, ever. Well, he was offered to contribute back when I got it, he couldn't so NO he has never been invited to a concert and she is not allowed to take it there. I told her that if he has a problem with that, call me that I didn't want her in the middle. DH thinks I'm wrong. Well, this is a person that has never done more than he has to for his kids so wrong or not, it's how I feel.

UGH, they made popcorn again today. It's a daily ritual around here. I just finished my cheesy enchilada with homemade salsa and am TOTALLY satisfied. Amen for small favors.

Miranda, I really don't think there is anything wrong, I just don't get it. I had a really strong work out yesterday and to feel so pushed today was rough. I don't know if there is any connection of sodium/salt to this. Not sure. I over heated for some reason, I'm cold now - of course I am, I'm at work The move, you ask? Yeah, who knows!!

I really wish we had ONE more day off.

Howdy hi girls,

Gosh, I just hate it when work interferes with me coming out to play here Now I am home and have a few minutes before I head off to Curves.

Terri, Now hear this... hear ye, hear ye: I, Deanna, 110% agree with the soapbox stance of Miranda and Tammy when it comes to Terri's ungrateful family! I couldn't have said it better! I'm sending you hugs as well my friend.

Tammy, Miranda- whoo hoo we will be POP through Saturday! Terri, anyone else want to join us? And Tammy I accept your challenge to stay off the scale until Saturday I have successfully stashed all of DD's snack foods into a "green bag" and into a corner of the guest room. Out of sight out of mind works for me.

Debbie, good to see your post. Where are you heading on that "road trip"? Have fun! HAve you tried teh No Pudge brownies yet? Yummmmmm.....

Tammy, what's with the nightmares? Must say I don't have them very often- quite rarely actually.

Where is Colleen today?

Marcia?

Kriss?

Angie?

vgtigger?

rhenea?

Lisa? Heck I know where Lisa is... she is recovering from her busy, busy weekend.

Did I miss anyone? Hope not!

Okay I better scram and head to Curves... they better have the air conditioning going or I am going to make some noise. - polite noise of course

Later I get to go get my head examined!!! Love saying that Actually my head MRI is at 8:15 tonight. They called me for my Botox appt.- they had 11:45 next Tuesday, I said no can do I'm working and can't come before 3 pm. Now I have to wait another week but that's okay... I go Tuesday, September 22 at 3pm.

I really have to go now, besides if I sit still too long I won't go! I'll check in later....
Hugs,
Deanna

Deanna, good luck tonight. 8:15 that is late, 10:15 for me so I will be sleeping while you are getting your head examined

I turned DH down for a walk tonight. My hiney is an aching!!! Chalene does these bowler lunges that kick my patoony!! While you are down in the lunge (in the bowling stance) you do a row, so kind of her.

Terri, please know we are not yelling at you we just want you to take care of you because no one else even thinks about you. (((HUGS)))

I'm done eating for the day, 100% POP!!! One down, three to go . . .

I'm going to check out for the night, tootaloo my buds!

I'm here... just not writing, just reading ! I broke down and ordered the Muscle Relaxant & Pain Pills... you know, the ones that made me gain all that weight ! The weather has changed here drastically and my poor back is saying JTH is going on ??? I am totally zoned under these drugs so I never know what's going on from minute to minute, let alone, text to text !

DH on afternoons [4 - 12] and family went to the White Sox game. House has been wonderfully quiet. I watched Dance your a$$ off, ****$ kitchen, and next up will be More to Love. I love the DVR !

I'm off for tonight. The heating pad is calling me. Just took my night dose of meds, so I'll be in La-La Land in a few and it would be in my best interest to have a bed under my bottom when that happens.

Hope everyone has a short week ! Tomorrow is "Hump" Day ! Yeah !!!

evening all and morning to some. i may be off here for a couple days as may go see ed. the trip is 3 hrs longs and up by seattle washington. believe you me it is worst than LA i kid you not. let me tell you that GPS sometimes has a mind of its own. we will see.
not sure if i will as it would be my first trip and i am so chicken of getting lost. plus meeting all the family. 9 bro and sis on his side and 8 on his deceased wife's side with whom he is close. plus a lot of kids both biological and foster that i break out in a sweat just thinking about it.
Deanna - havent gotten back to TJ's yet but yo can bet i will soon. keep us posted as to what they find in your head!!!
Terri - please listen to everyone else. you just cant let ppl keep using you. stand up for yourself and learn to so "No" Me first for once. Srry for being so harsh. But just my feeling.
Colleen - Honey u take care of yourself too. Hate to hear about you using all those meds.
Tammy - You are so strong turning down all that work food you have to deal with. So glad those days are behind me. I just couldnt do it.
Everyone here is saying Hi and giving my support.

A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

WHAT NOW? by Ray 2003

The ninth month brought the end to many,
The eleventh was a day of testing
Nine one one a call for help from any
It left no time of resting.

True warriors dressed in red suits
Navy blue or yellow
They called in all the recruits
to rescue ailing fellow.

What senselss acts of violence
Rain down on us today
what path will cross with terror
and cause us great dismay?

This is the world our children face.
Their lives are being molded.
The acts of hate, time won't erase,
Like a shroud it has enfolded.

What can we say? What can we do?
As time whirls swiftly by
Let love be instilled with a family view
So our values never die.








What now? by Ray 2003

The ninth month brought the end to many,
The eleventh was a day of testing
Nine one one a call for help from any
It left no time of resting.

True warriors dressed in red suits
Navy blue or yellow
They called in all the recruits
to rescue ailing fellow.

What senselss acts of violence
Rain down on us today
what path will cross with terror
and cause us great dismay?

This is the world our children face.
Their lives are being molded.
The acts of hate, time won't erase,
Like a shroud it has enfolded.

What can we say? What can we do?
As time whirls swiftly by
Let love be instilled with a family view
So our values never die.

"RELAY OF REMEMBERANCE"
SEPTEMBER 9, 2009

Debbie ~ Really nice poem... Thank you !!! Have a safe trip to see Ed ! I know what you mean about the GPS having a mind of their own. We have a magelline and I call her Madeline... LOL ! She is not very swift when I'm in Chicago. I do love her though ! She's always polite. Never once has she said "Turn this POS around, you dumb a$$." We take her everywhere and throw her in the suitcase if we are flying and then getting a rental at the airport. It really helps !

Deanna ~ Your in my prayers tonight ! I wish you could get immediate results ! I think the stress of waiting for results is worse than anything else. I am always "diagnosing" myself until I get the results and by then I'm dying from some rare disease. LOL ! Hope your results come in fast and negative of anything serious. Personally, I think you were winking at someone in Colorado and your "winker" got stuck ! Remember... WHAT HAPPENS IN COLORADO, STAYS IN COLORADO ! Wait... that's Las Vegas ! LOL ! Good Luck !!!

Tammy ~ Sorry you have a PIA !!! LOL !!! Great job passing the aroma's of the "Diet Devil" !

Terri ~ When do you leave ? I'm sure you wrote it somewhere, but I forgot to jot it down !

Hello to everyone else ! I need to get back to bed. My back is killing me !

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone !!

ok its gonna be a rush rush here!

Colleen I leave Oct 4th and return oct 18th..

I am gonna start from scracth with this way of living thing...I get my new shipment today and I speak with my JCC on Thursday so ima start on Friday...

I am gonna come home tonight take a nap (was up til 1am mind racing) and then start a journal and begin gettin ready!

I do not think anyone is yellin at me...I believe everythin each and everyone of you are sayin and I appreciate the fact that I mean so much to all of you to speak up like you have...Friday is gonna be the beginning of a new me all the way around...Ill need help ladies but I know an do this...



Gotta run....before I am late



HUGS~

Terri

Good Almost Afternoon, I've been trying to post this for what seems like hours. It's been a busy day!!

Deanna, I have the one day under my belt - how about you? Miranda, what about you?

Terri, best news I could read is that you are going to take care of you!! You need to! Your health & well being concern me if you don't. It saddens me to see someone so wonderful treated so disrespectfully. I wasn't respected by DH's son or daughter and guess what, I do NOTHING for them. DH & I rarely talk about it because those are his kids, but if I am not respected, I will not go out of my way. Easter, my DD gets a basket, I don't do a thing for them. Christmas, DH usually gets their stuff, I usually wrap it with no extra effort. It may sound harsh, but it hurt too badly when I did let it get to me. This is/was my way to handle it and make it most comfortable for me.

Colleen, sorry to hear that your back is giving you trouble again. Hope that changes real soon!!!

Debbie, have a great, safe trip. Beautiful poem, thank you for sharing.

I slept so well last night, I felt great when I woke up. Skipped working out, one - I needed that extra sleep and two, DH & I will be walking our four mile walk tonight. I'm still a little tender so taking it a little easy, letting the muscle heal and I'll have at it again tomorrow a.m. and Friday before the big weigh in on Saturday.
I vow to not peak before then. Hopefully, I'll have good news and another good loss to post!!

Almost time for lunch, good thing, getting hungry!

ugh, week 3 weigh in I gained 1.5 lbs!! and i really cranked up the activity.

9/1 Tues. water aerobics
9/2 wed 20 min weights, 30 min treadmill 12% incline
9/3 thur 30 min treadmill 12% incline
9/4 fri 30 min cardio workout
9/5 sat 30 min weights/ 40 min treadclimber
9/6 sun 40 min treadclimber
9/7 mon 30 min weights/30 min treadmill incline work

Tues 9/8 weigh in Gained 1.5 lbs!!!!!!

vgtigger,

Do not give up! The scale is a bad way to measure your success. I'm posting a few articles to help you understand. Here goes:


Measure Progress Without the Scale
An Arsenal of Tools for Your Motivation
-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer
SparkPeople Sponsors help keep the site free!

Frustrated. Disappointed. Hopeless. Skeptical.

Whichever you choose, these emotions are enemies of people trying to lose weight—especially when you feel like you have done everything right. For many trying to shed pounds, the elation from that initial weight loss is brought to a screeching halt when the scale stops moving. But instead of viewing this as a setback, look for other ways to measure your progress besides the scale. After all, good health isn’t always measured in pounds.

Losing weight usually involves a relatively simple calorie equation: burn off more calories with daily activity than you consume through food. So what happens when these numbers indicate progress, but the scale doesn’t? Before the aggravation sets in, consider why this might be the case. If you’ve been hitting the gym on a regular basis, participating in both cardiovascular and strengthening exercises, then chances are good that you have shed some fat. But the scale might not indicate this because you have also been building lean muscle. Since muscle is dense (a small volume of muscle weighs more than the same volume of fat), the scale might not reflect your hard work.

4 Non-Scale Signs of Progress

1. See results by taking a trip to your very own closet. Take out a pair of pants that fit snugly before you began your new, healthy habits. Are you able to ease into them, when before you had to sit (or lie) down and yank them up your legs? This is a sure sign of progress toward a leaner you! What about an old shirt? Is it now a little loose around your waist or arms? Also look for improved muscle definition when you check out your body in the mirror. There are many everyday indicators that you are firming up your body, from how your clothes fit to sitting more comfortably in a booth or small chair.

2. Aside from weight, use other numerical signs of progress. When you first start your program, take measurements of your waist, arms, neck and hips. Even if you are not losing pounds, you very well may be losing inches all over your body as your figure slims down and tones up with muscles. Measuring your body is more reliable than the scale alone. Other numerical indicators include a reduction of blood pressure or cholesterol, heart rate, and body fat percentage.

3. Monitor how a healthy diet and regular exercise affects your energy levels. Not only will you be able to work out for longer intervals of time, but everyday chores will also become easier. Whether cutting the grass or simply walking up the stairs, these behaviors will come effortlessly. Think of all the daily activities you could use more energy for—grocery shopping, house cleaning, playing with your kids, and more. Pretty soon you’ll be training for your first 5K!

4. Lastly, be conscious of how you feel emotionally. You’ve been working hard to reach your goals. Hopefully, the hard work will come with a boost in self-esteem, confidence, and happiness. Are you beginning to feel more comfortable in your own body? Work to build a positive vocabulary to stay motivated.

Just because the scale has stopped moving doesn’t mean that you’ve hit a plateau in reaching your goals. Don’t give up out of frustration—all healthy behaviors are well worth the effort. Whether it’s better sleep at night or more energy throughout the day, start listening to the signs your body gives you that all of your hard work is paying off!


AND

Why The Scale Lies


by Renee Cloe,
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
We’ve been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can’t resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can’t bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence it’s readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.

Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body’s water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don’t understand what’s happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it’s water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water.

Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it’s easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn’t have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That’s why, when it comes to eating, it’s wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.

Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it’s packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it’s stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it’s associated water. It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you’re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it’s wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It’s the actual weight of everything you’ve had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you’ve finished digesting it.

Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it’s not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, it’s likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it’s only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it’s physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you’re really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.

This brings us to the scale’s sneakiest attribute. It doesn’t just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you’ve lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you’re just sitting around. That’s one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.

Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn’t differentiate between the two. It can’t tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat. There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current.

If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry. The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don’t be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride. It’s a matter of mind over scale.

Deanna

Hello all,

I must be getting old- the days are zipping by and I am coming home from work pretty worn out!

But, I must post to my girls so I can say BRAVO to Tammy and Miranda for succeeding thus far on our POP 5 day challenge! I'm doing it too and it feels good.

Terri, I am so glad you have a plan for taking care of YOU! It's about time my friend! We will be here to support you every step of the way- never fear, I can be quite the nag when necessary (just ask my DD)

Colleen, I hope you are feeling better today.

Debbie, have fun on your road trip- be safe!

Waving hi to all the rest of you, I need to skoot and go work out. It's already getting late (6 pm here).

Heat wave coming back tomorrow- yippee.... not!

Hugs
Deanna

vgtigger don't be upset about having that gain. From your account? you may not be eating enough? you have been really active all week and maybe your body is saying " Hey! I am hanging on for dear Life to whatever fat I can find" OR it may be fluid that has been created because of the activity and just needs time and lots of water to flush out all the toxins. Give it another week of doing program, drink lots of water and see how that goes. Perhaps your JCC might need to adjust your program to increase the Calorie level for you?
Deanna that was an excellent article you posted. Thanks very much for that.

Deanna tough to get back to the grind after summer I'm sure. I will wait for the results of your MRI report...... and yes, the waiting is really hard I think .

Colleen sorry about your painful back. Nothing worse than constant pain that will not let go......... hopefully your meds will help you. (((((hugs))))

Terri I was SO pleased to read your post of course you have all the support from us here that you need. You are NOT alone........ if I could reach out somehow and take you hand I surely would (((((hugs))))) You CAN do this . I know it!! look at all the things you do for everyone else constantly. Forget them and turn all that energy back for yourself. I KNOW you can do it......... and yes!! yes!! " the Beginning of a New You " ... I like that...........

Tammy glad you had a good sleep. Makes all the difference doesn't it How is your dad doing ? any new reports?

and Marcia too/ how is your Dad? and how are you as well. Are you doing Ok Doing things at home on your own. ?? stay in touch with us. I think it's help to share with others.

Hi's to everyone else and sorry If I leave out some names......... hope all is well for everyone.

I have had another good day today........... 3 days of 100% POP and I feel pretty good. I go to my first Thursday Weigh In in the morning so I will see if I got rid of that silly half pound gain from last week. Hope so.

Have a great day everyone.