Just had to pop on and comment on what Yiscah said. Isnt it funny what we rationalize with ourselves when we are still half asleep and the alarm clock goes off, the Ill do it later "ya ya that sounds good" or the well I promise I ll go to the gym etc etc.. I am sure we all have a ton we have told ourselves and they always sound like a good plan then but the day gets going and I think what was I thinking I have all this to do now I have to fit in a workout!

A friend mailed to me this article from Sports Illustrated.  It's short, but very inspirational.  I hope you all will take a few minutes to read it.

19 points???  Are you 4'11" or something?  That seems rediculously low but I am a "big" person at 5'8" so it may be just my perspective from up here - seriously, 19???

Colleen - 'Us' short people don't get many points...especially when you are short AND old!  LOL.  When I am in losing mode, I only get 18!  That is the minimum you can go - at least on maintenance I get 23!!!  I haven't had those ice cream bars but after hearing about them - they better stay at the grocery store.  I still love the Giant Latte Bars for 1-point and always think of Melanie when I have one.

Company started to arrive last night so we are in holiday mode around here - heading out to do my short run of the week so I'll wave at my polar bear (he is my turnaround point for short runs).  Then I have to get back here and start getting my shopping list together to make my BBQ fixings.  I'm making the Layered Mexican Bean Dip along with the American Potato Salad for sure - I served those last year and they were a definite hit.  More company arriving later tonight and we are going to watch the fireworks (Chicago does the city fireworks on the 3rd so the suburbs can do theirs on the 4th) tonight on a boat in Lake Michigan.  I LOVE fireworks!

Anyway - when I was running yesterday I had a thought - amazing, I know - but anyway...here it is:  Exercising is a lot like losing weight...if we wait until the right time to do it - it will never happen.  How many times do we tell ourselves (me included) that it is too cold, too hot, too wet, too early, maybe the moons aren't aligned right.  It reminded me a lot of my weight loss journey when I kept telling myself that when the kids were in school, or we weren't planning a trip or yadda, yadda, yadda.  It then dawned on me that these things were always going to happen and it was up to me to be accountable for my actions.  Huh - big revelation for me!  It was my motivation to go to my weekly meeting regardless of how I did that week. 

Anyway - Mr. Polar Bear is waiting for my morning visit...Have a GREAT day and enjoy all those APs you are earning!

Shout outs to everyone - we are really global now, aren't we?  Oh - Shannon...I'm from Chicago and a 54-year old (yup, old) massage therapist.  I ran my first marathon on May 17, 2009 and lost 42# and just celebrated my 3rd anniversary at goal on May 18th.  (Ran a HM on the 18th of May in honor of my anniversary).  I'm currently training for the Chicago marathon and will run the R&R HM with StillPluggin and Life on August 2nd. 

~Darlene

I thought I would post a 'cheat' sheet I gave to members this week - maybe it will help with your 4th of July BBQ's:

Typical BBQ Menu

Hot Dog, 5 pts.

Hamburger 75% lean 3 oz,

Buns, 3

BBQ Chicken w/ S&B 4 ½ oz, 6

BBQ Chicken leg & thigh w/S&B,7

BBQ Ribs 4 4", 8; 6 ¼ oz, 18

Pork BBQ 1 c, 8

Corn on the Cob 8", 2

Butter 1 tsp, 1

Potato Salad ½ c, 7

Cole Slaw ½ c, 4

Pasta Salad ½ c, 3

Ice Cream ½ c, 4

Cookies, 2-4

Soda 12 oz., 3

Fruit Salad 1 c, 2

Macaroni & Cheese 1 cup, 9

Baked Beans ½ c, 5

Potato Chips 14, 4

Vegetables & Dip (2 T) Veg. 0 / Dip 5

margaritas 4 oz, 5

Apple Pie, 1/8 of 9", 9

Strawberry Shortcake 1/12 of 9",7

Bratwurst 2oz, 5

Cup cake with frosting, 5

Deviled Eggs 2 halves, 4

Beer Regular 12oz, 3

W.W. BBQ Menu

80% lean hamburger 3 oz - 5 pts.

95% lean hamburger 3 oz - 3

Hotdog Fat Free - 1

Portobello mushroom - 0

2 oz shrimp - 1

4 ½ oz chicken breast no Skin & yes Bone - 3

Light hamburger bun - 1

Light hotdog bun - 1

Haddock 6 oz - 4

Tossed salad 2 cups - 0

Vinegar & 2 t. olive oil - 2

Grilled veggies 1 cup - 0

Corn on the cob 7" - 1

Potato chips 11 baked - 2

Lettuce leaves - 0

Tomato slice - 0

Ketchup 1 Tbsp - 0

Mustard 1 Tbsp - 0

Salsa Fat Free ½ c - 0

1 Tbsp light butter - 2

Watermelon 1 cup - 1

Cantaloupe 1 cup - 1

Angel Food Cake 1/16 - 2

Diet Soda 12 oz - 0

Iced tea w/sweetener - 0

Beer Light 12 oz - 2

Have fun - whatever you choose!

~Darlene

Melanie, that run sounds like fun actually! Messy, but fun lol.  I ended up in Oz after meeting my husband online, just over years ago. Back then it was nearly unheard of. We chatted for ages, then he flew to the US on business and we met in NY.  Spent the next few months going back and forth from US to Australia, then finally packed up and moved. Been here 8 years now.

Darlene, I completely agree about exercising being like weight loss in that regard.  I too, have put both off for far too many years. There's a lady on our WW board that says, "Losing weight is hard.  Being fat is hard. Choose your hard."  For some reason, that really hit home for me.  I've chose my hard now

That typical bbq menu has my mouth watering haha! I've always loved the 4th. My uncle and his brothers usually get together the night before, drink far too much and cook a pig in a pit. It makes for such a good meal the next day!  I would toss some kangaroo sausages on the bbq in lieu of the traditional 4th eats, but its meant to be 13C (55F) and rainy here today.  I found a chickpea and sunflower seed burger over here this past summer and it became a weekly staple in our house... so tasty! I don't think I actually ate a meat based burger all summer.

HappyPenguin, that's great that you're going back to school. I've been tossing around the idea of doing that too. I think a lot of us who lose the weight feel like we have something to offer other people in our shoes.

Your spinach pesto appetizer sounds interesting. I had a similar problem with a springform once, but I didn't realize it wasn't locked until all of the red velvet batter was stuck to the bottom of my stove lol.  What consistency was it meant to be, do you know?  I use a similar mix to stuff portobello mushrooms and roast them, but substitute the cottage cheese w/ low fat feta and usually break up a slice of soy and flaxseed bread in the mixture so soak up any moisture. It's yummy!

I have W3D3 to accomplish later today. I'm already nervous about moving onto week 4, but I was about moving to week 3 as well lol. I'm guessing this will be what it's like at the end of every set.  I need to bite the bullet and move it outside as well. I know putting it off is just going to make it harder to transition.  I live in a very hilly (like, you need a 4WD to get around, hilly) neighborhood, so when I started, I stuck to the treadmill. I was also a bit worried about how my knees would cope, as I'm still quite overweight. I've since found a walking trail however that goes to the next suburb over and is relatively flat. Concrete, which I've read is not the best running surface, but it'll have to do.  I'll take some pictures of the roos out in the evenings when I finally make it out there.

I've been struggling for about a month with 2kgs that just don't seem to budge. Not sure if I've hit a plateau or not. I track daily and I believe I'm being honest in my tracking .. I still weigh everything on the kitchen scales. As soon as these 2kgs move, I drop down a point, so I might go ahead and do that early to see if it helps.  I know that plateaus happen and being 7 months in, having lost 50 lbs, I'm due for one, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating lol.

I went roller blading yesterday as my active recovery (then did pilates). First time in years (the last time I tried, I fell in the park and ended up with a bulged disc and a fractured coccyx). It was soooo much fun and I could tell that my daughter was impressed that I was one of the few parents not sitting on the sidelines

Okay, it's official - I talk too much hehe.  Have a great 4th weekend everyone!!

I never can seem to get to bed early the night before a race.  I'm so not tired.

So, Happy Independence Day! I feel like this holiday has a new meaning for me in my life.  Over the past 2 years I have really shed more than just pounds.  I have lost a person weight wise and gained a life.

I weighed in today.  I lost a pound for the week making it a total of 149.8.  So close to the 150.  Next week.  I was able to celebrate my 6th 10%! It felt great and now I have another celebration to look forward to next week.

Best wishes to all of you who are racing this weekend.  Have fun! And go for the orange slices/bananas instead of the bagels!

Rachelle

P.S. If you haven't had time to read the article I posted earlier please take a minute to do so.  It really is inspirational and in light of the holiday we are celebrating, quite thought provoking (and sentimental).