guysis

Quick note:............I'm off in a 1/2 hour to Palm Springs! I told you I was "out of it".............I'm probably the only person in the USA or elsewhere that has never watched "Friends"...........why, I don't know???? I guess I need to rent them to see Phoebe! How about the rest of us walk while they run (am I the only one that doesn't run? Remember we're going to meet here - I have that great guest room and lots of couches and the Northwest is so beautiful......I'll be a great tour guide. Of course, I'll meet up wherever, but truthfully think about this summer or fall????

Dear Boo..............sure wish I would have found my band and this group when I hit 175 the first time! That was back in the 60's when I was preggy with my first child! Of course I hit it several times again, with the 2nd and 3rd and then again and again until finally - thank goodness I had a finally! Yeah for all of us! OK, I'm out of it - who is "Phoebe" - one of my dogs is "Phoebe" and you have it right - she runs very weird due to a birth defect (poor baby)????? Amourette, since I am a later joiner - I missed why you wear a uniform and why you are in Japan when you live in New Zealand (is that right)? I'm off to the gym this morning for my usual. Going to Palm Springs tomorrow morning with my Mah Jongg group for a tournament..........6 of us are flying from Portland, OR and then my baby sis (the one who just turned 50) is driving up to Palm Springs from San Diego to join us. She won the tournament last year - so it was so much fun cheering for her. It's at a hotel right near the "main downtown drag", so I plan on getting some good early morning walks. There is also a casino right behind the hotel so I can practice changing "one addiction for another"! Just kidding! I'll be home Sunday eve............all have a fun, healthy, active week-end. Thanks Julie, I'll try that later when I get a chance..........send pictures when it's all finished. When are you moving in? As you can see my weight loss has stopped! I've been jumping around 2 or 3 lbs up and down...............so, I'm sure the bp meds where a big factor - but, I'll take what I can get. This week-end will be a challenge, but I'm up for it!

Oh Kat - what a sad tragic story..............your brother and family should be so happy to have you there for them all. You remind me of my grandmother - always there for us all! Today was my "catch my breath" day. I vegged. Alan got stung by a bee yesterday (don't know what a bee was doing in his car yesterday in the middle of January) and this morning he was really swollen and so we just went over to Kaiser to check it and yes he just needed to take an antihistimine................so, we never got to our walk to Breakfast. Julie, you must be busy getting ready to move? So exciting! I'd love to see pictures - that blue sounds so pretty. My house needs painting, might copy you.

Kat, What a frightening experience with your hubby. You guys have had enough of this stuff. Hope all is well from now on. Don't want to scare you but a very horrible thing happend this past week here in the Portland area.................a man was towing his little 9 year old on a inner tube (during our snow storm) in an open field and the little girl was thrown into a brick wall (that was obscured by the snow) and she was killed.............horrible, horrible. Well, I'm down another 1 1/2 lbs again today..........but, just realized why all of a sudden this has happened to me. I started a new blood pressure med last Friday and that surely has contributed to my spectacular weight loss (for me) this past week. I'll take it anyway! Hope it doesn't come back as my body adjusts to the meds. I went off bp med about 4 or 5 months ago, but alas (pissed because this should not be happening with all the exercise and weight loss) my pb is up again - tho not as high as before.......you know they now want you in the 120's or lower. I actually tried to do a marathon gym day today, but since I had not had anything to eat except for a soy latte - it was not a wise idea...........did my NIA class and the 1/2 hour of core and then tried to do another hour of strengh conditioning and almost passed out! Also probably because of the new meds - never do that again without enough food in my bod. Hmm, Roberta I went for a bone density test a couple of yeas ago and was good - the weight loss issue is something to think about - thanks for the heads up......will have to ask my pcp next time if I need another test? Did make another pot of that turkey chili........anybody interested it's: Throw all in a crock pot - chop up onion, green and red bell peppers, mushrooms.......a bag of frozen small kernal white corn, a couple cans of diced tomatoes with chili seasoning, a couple can of pinto Beans with chili seasoning, a can of black beans and some ground turkey breast (or sometimes I use turkey sausage - does have more fat though)........cook till done (5 or 6 or more hours)......soggy and just great. Just realized I made the challenge today! Horay!

Well Roberta, my secret is guess what..............I have been sweating up a storm...............and.............I made this big pot of turkey chili last week in my crock pot and I had it for lunch/dinner, lunch/dinner, lunch/dinner for about 4 days - that must have done the job!......and also ate just my three meals a day..........wonder of wonders - it works! Will see how long I can keep this up??? Have found the secret Julie and Dawn and the rest of you guys have - restrict food and work-out like a fiend!

I don't know what I'm doing different, but I'm down another 1 1/2 lbs ("overweight" here I come).......I guess that plateau I was on for a while fooled my body into thinking ok you can start losing again! Whatever, I'll take it and I'm off to the gym! Can you tell I'm so excited, maybe I will after all get into that 10/12 some day! Updated by exercise total for today because I promise to go and I'm going to be busy getting ready for my support group meeting when I get home..........gotta do some last minute cleaning...........who has time to clean with all this exercise we're doing????

Roberta, Don't beat yourself up about meeting/not meeting the challenge - your first priority is your health. Hope you are feeling up to a little more each day. Asthma is a bitch, my brother and mother both had bad asthma and I remember how hard it was for them. Hopefully today there are more medications to help you along. Just remember - whatever you are able to do is great...........so much more, I'm sure then before we started in April!

Just got home from my NIA class............feels so good to be back the past couple of days! Roberta, Happy to hear you were able to work out today. Hope you continue feeling well enough to continue! Plan on going again tomorrow morning and then in the afternoon I'm having my local bandster monthly group support meeting here at my house. It's a very nice group of local bandsters (also an online group thru Yahoo..........OREGONBANDSTERSUPPORT).........we do a bandster friendly potluck and sit around and gab - sometimes with a planned topic and other times just let it flow. Sometimes we meet in restaurants, other times in each others homes. This month our topic is "How our sig others can help/hinder our progress".

Bluehill, 100 lbs - I'm so excited for you...............oh my! and Dawn - 150 lbs - what can any of us say! The two of you along with this whole group are so inspiring............what else can we do but push ourselves. Isn't this group just so great for all of us - I'm so happy we found each other.

I finally broke my plateau and got below 180 this week! 4-3: JenRN - 263/257/223/150 - 40 total 4-3: jenn28 - 282/265/229/165 - 53 total 4-3: Picardy3 - 298/300/257.5/150 - 42.5 total 4-3: tipper - 300/290/259/165 - 41 total 4-4: Sugar1 - 311/289/231/150 - 80 total 4-4: DeltaDawn - 358/209/179 - 149 total 4-4: Dak – 255/251/205/150 – 50 total 4-4: Angels - 264/255/235/? - 29 total 4-4: Harpseal Al - 327/295/220 - 34 total 4-5: Boo - 208/203/169/132 - 39 total 4-5: siestaqh - 180+/177/128/110 - 52 total 4-6: Disneynut - 290/287/260/125 - 27 total 4-7: Guysis - 234/176/134 - 58 total 4-10: JulieNYC - 358/227/180 - 131 total 4-11: Vickie1177 - 320/297/267/137 - 53 total 4-11: tellymelly - 240/235/152/140 - 88 total 4-11: Fel0816 - 307/284/265/to get under 200 - 42 total 4-11: dsrjrr - 231/230/210/130 - 21 total 4:11: truckinmama - 262/234/160 - 28 total 4-13: Nursekathy2u - 358/356/335/175 - 23 total 4-13: NJgirl - 248/230/206/140 - 42 total 4-13: Miper70 - 217.5/187/145 - 30 Total 4-17: Amourette - 22.5 total 4-17: Jeepergurrl - 242/192/140 - 50 total 4-17: MelAnne - 245/207/150 - 38 total 4-18: KAYBEE-284/198/180 -86 total 4-18: Danaclark2 - 270/260.5/245/150 - 25 total 4-20: TrustUfirst - 210/205/177/135 - 32 Total 4-20: Omamoon - 220/211.5/179/130 - 41 total 4-20: KimInMD - 288/288/228/156 - 60 total 4-21: Yoda - 273/257/212/150 - 61 total 4-21: kristielynn - 310/302/237/150 - 73 total 4-22: alisonb - 286/270/176 - 16 total 4-24: Eficka - 125/117/98/69 - 27 kgs/59.4 lbs. total 4-24: Ceparano- 255/270.5/205/170 - 65.5 lbs. total 4-24: Kat - 289/281/210.5/165 - 78.5 total 4-24: hlj25950 - 262/257/206/160 - 56 total 4-25: momof2boys - 270/266/237/145 - 33 total 4-26: Bostongurl - 264/244/189/150 - 75 total 4-27: tinaj - 226/221/210/150 - 15 total 4-27: lookingout - 185/178/165/101 - 20 total 4-27: flowergoddesstn - 214/204/190/130 - 24 total 4-27: Dimples0323 - 284/284/241/145 - 43 total 4-28: Susan4794 - 283/267/237.0/140 - 46 total 4-28: bluehill - 333/233/145 - 100 total 4-28: Irish Girl - 225/214/158/135 - 67 total 4-29: Momofsixkids - 238/188/140 - 50 pounds total

Dawn, you are awesome! That artic air must be pushing your metabolism to the hilt...................give me some of that (just kidding - you know I'm a wuss). I don't know what I'm doing but,this week I've lost 5 lbs (was 181 last Friday) ..........."common baby" - keep going! Off to the gym.

Julie, just saw your addition to your post from yesterday..........I did the same thing a couple of weeks ago.............years ago I had "fakies" - nails that is..........and the past few years I really wasn't into taking "care" or caring..............boy are we changing! I keep mine short also, don't like those fangs that some wear. Roberta, yes we braved the weather..............it actually got warm today......got up to almost 40 deg and the snow is melting off fast. It was pretty, now go away snow............I need to get to the gym.......no problem I'm heading there for my 4 day Fri,Sat,Sun,Mon stint of NIA - can't wait since I haven't been to the gym since Monday and miss it.

Boo...............oh my............borderline "normal".............we have a "normal" amoung us...............I am so excited for you!............gives me such hope that I can do that also.........you are so right with your comment to Miper (where are you Miper?) this group is the best we could hope for in inspiration and support. I for one owe my "push" to all of you! I was doing maybe 3 times a week before joining this group........now if I miss a day I feel I'm letting myself and all of you down! Plus, plus, plus I think I actually like it??? Just got home from our walk to breakfast - we did it with tons of snow on the ground (it is melting tho)..........so proud of myself - braved the cold....never could have done it without you all!

Just did a 45 min dance exercise video on the on-demand channel........not much fun, but I did sweat a bit! Can't wait till this pretty stuff melts off - we actually just got home from the grocery, drove slow and all was well - stocked up just in case we get some more snow? I know, I know - Dawn and Kat are laughing at me! Hopefully I can get back to the gym on Friday. Alan and I are going to brave it tomorrow morning and walk to breakfast. Guess what Alan is doing to me...........I'm getting close to his weight, but the nasty guy is losing weight on me........he was 176 a couple of weeks ago, but this morning he weighed in at 171.5 (he gave up his non-fat evening ice cream - wish it was that easy for me)..............we shall see, he usually maintains right around 175..........see if he can hold it.........his goal is to get into the 160's..........I'm "routing" for him (but not too hard).

Miper - 30 lbs less is 30 lbs less...................yeah for you! Join us in our exercise challenge..............we'd love to have you along for our healthy life style change. Boo..............yeah for #1 in reaching "overweight"............we're all right behind you..........keep it warm for us! Well, that pretty stuff is now sitting on the ground freezing and I don't think I'm going to make it to the gym any time soon..............will have to improvise with on-demand TV exercise classes! I'll see what I can find for today. I don't even own any shoes that would work to go outside and walk...........even if I wasn't such a wuss about the cold.

Eficka, So happy to hear you're feeling better and are back on the "bandwagon"! I went off my antidrepressants about 3 months ago and just started back also................in just a week I'm feeling so much better......guess I won't fool around with them anymore. I got off all my other meds and just thought it would be nice to be med free...........didn't work so good. I started posting just about the time you went away from the group - welcome back - you look wonderful. Julie, 169 is my mini goal (I think????) for now..........that will get me out of the obese catagory (I hate that word)...........and I'll only be overweight (that does sound better)...........then will decide from there where I want to be.............as you remember, just last week, I was thinking 180 was it................who knows how I'll feel next week? I'm getting on the scale everyday now and the downside is that when it goes up I get such a downer feeling.............but, I've decided that for now it is the best way for me to keep "with it". So - know how you feel about that lb up.............poop! Today is a beautiful winter wonderland in the Portland, OR area.......we've got about 4 or 5 inches on the ground. It's so pretty..........and since we're retired and don't have to go out in it - no problem for us.........but, I'm going to be upset if tomorrow morning it's icy (we don't have 4 wheel drive) and I can't get to my NIA class. Today I think I'll kick back and just enjoy how pretty everything looks (you've got to remember I'm a transported So. Calif. girl and this is exciting to me).

Dawn, You are so close to "onderland" and then after that your goal is so close - bet you'll make it very soon............onederland and your goal! I'm a shrimp - 5'3" - don't look bad at the moment, but 20 or so more lbs and I'll be happy. It's certainly been many years since I've been able to make that statement.

So nice to see everyone checking in today! Just got back from a marathon morning at the gym..........did 1 hour of NIA, 1/2 hour of core, 1/2 hour of strength training...........this old grammy is pooped! But, out the door to pick up a grandaughter to go on a shopping spree for her Birthday present. Check out the weight change..........I'm so excited, the scale is starting to move again................guess what it takes - NOT EATING MUCH and lots of exercise! SURPRISE! Kat - your grandaughter's room sounds adorable. Julie, so exciting to own your first home............get ready for company.........we're all coming! Dawn, how do you do it............it's in the 20/30's here and I'm frozen. Roberta, keep up the great work.

Ah, Julie, from your lips to G..'s ears.............light as a feather! Blue is my favorite color...........my house is a combination of all kinds of blue and white................."tiffany" box blue..............sounds so gorgeous! So tell us more about this NY apartment of yours???? So exciting - new bod, new house, new guy? Off tomorrow morning for my 4th NIA class in a row!

When I said I was just stickin around the house this week-end I forgot we have tickets to the symphony this afternoon! Gonna miss the only playoff game that I'm interested in - the San Diego Chargers (my old home town) - will have to tape it! Got my NIA in this morning. That's 3 days in a row for me.......and yeah, also...........the scale went back into the 170's (just) this morning.........hopefully, I'm on a roll!

Just foolin around this week-end, watching the games (not really my thing, I just peek occasionally)..........got my NIA class in the morning. My son and a couple of my grandkids are coming over to sleep here tonight - the big sister is having a Birthday party sleepover at their house and they are escaping to Grammy's!

Julie, the lbs are just falling off of you! Wow, you continue to be so impressive. I know you are not perfect, but you obviously stop at a handful of M&M's and don't do it very often. I think our occasionaly "slips" make for a more normal event (this weight loss journey)...........before, it was all or nothing for me............as soon as I slipped with some forbidden fruit it was all over. That has changed this time around for me and I would guess for the rest of you all. Roberta, hope you are feeling better........good health is really all that matters. They've added a new NIA class on Sunday, so, I'll be at the gym first thing on Sat and Sunday this week. You'd think I'd be tired of the the NIA classes after all this time, but the instructors are so great and they always change the workouts..........so each day is a new experience.

Made up with my friend...............agreed we were both jerks....hugged and kissed and put it behind us! Weigh-in Friday - still maintaining my 181 lbs!??? Eating too much, my exercise is good tho! I have decided to go for a fill within the next couple of weeks...........have to travel 2 hours. Did my usual NIA class today after a 2 day no exercise span...........enjoyed it so much.

Kat, you are an old fashioned wonderful daughter/mother/grandmother! Your family is so lucky to have you! I love doing all the caregiving things with kids, grandkids, but lately have been feeling the years a bit.......If I do my exercise and do the things around the house I poop out.........been feeling a little guilty lately about my degree of involvement in the kids lives since I've had my band and have been so involved with myself. Went thru some old boxes with pictures that I've been talking about putting into albums...............found some before pictures that really made me stop and realize how much 55 lbs less means on this body! One of my Mah Jongg pals yesterday asked me if I realize how great I look...........I really don't realize the difference until I get reminded by a picture or see myself sometimes in a mirror.........I still feel fat most of the time.........don't know if that will ever change.........do you think? I think this also goes back to the question Julie asked a few days ago about feelings as you get near to goal. My original goal was to lose 100 lbs and be 134 lbs..........don't think I can achieve that nor do I think I want to at this point.............lots of flabby stuff hanging around now and I will not have PS at my age and so I think I'll actually look and feel better at a higher weight. New final goal is around 150 lbs. Since, I am and have been maintaining for a couple of months that also may change. It actually feels good to be where I'm at, however, I'm feeling pressure (from the head) that I "should" lose more.......because I still weigh 180 and am 5'3" and that still makes me a chub on all the charts. How do we change our mindset? Still thinking about going in for a fill (why am I afraid?)............I think I've been able to enjoy food a bit again without having many problems and still maintain...........and I like it! In order for me to lose, I have to be so restrictive with my intake and I guess I'm just tired of it. Sorry for the downer post..................I've just gone back onto my Prozac the beginning of this week...........quit for a few months when I stopped all my other meds and maybe that was a mistake...................had a little disagreement with one of my friends yesterday and I completely blew it out of proportion and have not been sleeping well and so, and so and so...............hope the pills kick in soon.............I was a jerk to stop. I don't take them for depression, just sort of anxiety.................dopey because right now my life is the best it's been in years..............Alan and I are so healthy.............................think it's just an accumulation of stuff the past few months, stress from this banding, stress with my son's surgery, getting to be an old poop, etc! I know what it is.................I have not exercised in 2 days...........getting back to the gym tomorrow and plan on a NIA class on Friday, Sat, Sun and Monday....................that should help!

Had a rough day slinging Mah Jongg Tiles! Kat, this is a different game from the computer Mah Jongg.............sort of like rummy with tiles......hard to explain in 10 words or less, but fun...........I've been playing since the 60's (1960's that is!). Julie, too tired to attempt to answer your questions about what it feels like to be 20/30 lbs away from goal tonight...........will try tomorrow! You made me think! Have to collect my thoughts for you - as well as for me.