I guess its time for me to take account of the horrible summer I have had. Didn't get laid off when everyone else did they actually brought me back for 5 weeks after I was healed from my surgery and then laid me off, that was 2 weeks ago. 4 of the 5 weeks I was working I was doing a job I hated, so anyway stress built up and I ate, then the lay off and I ate some more, hubby not working, problems with one of my teenagers amongst other things and I ate even more, I am guessing I am up 10 lbs since my last weigh in, will know for sure come Monday when I will do my weight and measurements again and readjust my signature. I am back and more determined than ever to get back on track. Hubby has a final interview for a new job next Wednesday, I have a really good chance at my dream job, its amazing how things work out when you know the right people. The teenager is smartening up (at least I think he is) and I am enjoying the spoils of my veggie garden so the eating is getting better. Stick with me folks I may need a shoulder to lean on every once in a while just to give me a strong talking to if I fall again.

Dee, I know how you feel. I have been posting this on the other thread, but I had a week of vacation and a week of being sick and I'm up a good solid seven pounds and that is after a week of "recovery" which I just blew again today. With state budget cuts my work referrals have really trickled off and it's been a concern. But neither one of us can give up; you and I will both get ourselves back into good situations. I'm making some job changes too; I so know what it's like to have the hubby looking for one, and I am ready to get back on the disciplined eating starting tomorrow. My teenager just started high school and I'm loving how responsibly he's handling it. So you and I are pretty much on the same track except I don't have a veggie garden ;).

Let's get this turned around together, shall we? If you need a boost, post it up, and if you want some personal attention, send me a private message; they're working now!

Thanks Cassie, and Yeah for private messages working. My boys don't go back to school until Sept 6th so we have started as of today getting them prepared by getting up earlier (instead of noon) My youngest is starting highschool too and I think he is a bit nervous, he chose to go to a different school than most of his friends, 2 minute walk as opposed to a 20 minute walk, which at this time of year isn't bad, but when there is a foot of snow on the ground will make a huge difference. Of course he chose the 2 minute walk, also his brother is at the same school, not sure yet if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I actually started eating better a couple of days ago but now I have the monthly bloat so lord only knows what the scale will do to me in the morning. Only thing I can say is I am still wearing all the smaller clothes I was wearing at my lowest, they are just a little more snug now. Good luck with the job search, I am in the same boat, I am not telling anyone yet about my dream job as I don't want to jinx things, and I probably won't know anything definate for at least a month. I was also sick for a week this summer and lost a few pounds at that time, but was so darn hungry after I was better then I went wayyyyy overboard.

Good to see you back, fingers and toes crossed for weight loss, job, kids and anything else you need support with.
I'll be around next week then I'm off, looking forward to the vacation but worried about the eating, oh well guess i'll just have to eat smart when i can.

Well I have revised my signature and I didn't gain 10 lbs I gained 10.5 and I have been eating really good the last 4 days so I don't want to think what that number might have been on Thursday. I can't find the tape measure to do my measurements so that will have to wait. Work (the guys who laid me off) have asked me to come in and work the next 2 nights and as its local I agreed so I will be here at some point just don't know when and maybe not until Wednesday, when I hope to have some good news regarding hubbies job prospect.
I am going to start treating my weightloss like a 12 step program, and though I know being fluffy is not the same as having an adiction I think the idea might just work. I need to focus more on one day at a time and not on the big picture. I love reading the 7 day motivational thread and love the idea, but for me it has to be one day not 7. So my healthy promises to myself today are as follows:

1. Journal everything that I eat (Done)
2. Walk to the grocery store instead of drive (Hubby went so I didn't have to)3. Clean out the fridge and set up moms healthy food drawer (this is the one spot in the fridge that holds things that I like and my kids wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole) Example: Humus, fat free cheese etc (Done)

Now the other part of this is going to be what I call my work agreements, these are agreements I make with myself of things I have to do today to get the rest of my life, house etc back in order, because unfortunatly when I am stressing and therefore eating a lot of other things get neglected.

1. Take son to orthodontist (Done)
2. Strip the beds and wash the sheets (Done)
3. Find my kitchen table again (it is the dumping ground for anything that comes in the front door, mail, newspapers, groceries that didn't get put away. (Done)
4. Take both boys bikes in to be fixed (they both blew tires last week) (Hubby did this one too)
5. Nap this afternoon before work (Wasn't long enough noisy teenagers)6. Pack a healthy snack for work tonight (Done)
7. Clean out trunk of car and repack with all my tools for work tonight (note to self... charge the batteries for both drills before work) (Doing the batteries right now, trunk done)

Dee Hope today is going well for you, I think the one day at a time is a great idea. If you can make it through each day eating healthily it will soon add up and before you know it you will be on your way back down.

Thanks Lizzie, I miss your pick me ups. I will get it done and I have given myself until Christmas Day, if I can do it Hubby is buying me my tatoo for Christmas, so there is my incentive, just gotta keep a slow steady pace, and I really do have to try to excercise, though not sure if I really want to. I wanted so badly to start running again, but my foot is too messed up after my surgery, I still can't wear running shoes comfortably. That was really disappointing and I can't afford a gym membership unless hubby gets this job, but then if I can't wear running shoes how can I do aerobics or dance fit, or any of the other classes they offer. Have to come up with something that won't make my foot swell up.

Sorry to hear your surgery didn't go as well as expected. Hopefully this will settle with time. What about yoga? You can do this in your bare feet, I know it isn't aerobic but lots of people swear that it keeps them toned, or pilates. I'd love to have a lifestyle where I could start the morning with some yoga, do some lengths in my own private pool , obviously in a warm country and then take a dance class before my chef served me upma delicious healthy meal. Some hope eh? Back to the real world, have a good day.

Lizzie I am moving in with you when you get that dream lifestyle happening. The surgery went great, my foot looks lovely, I still don't have feeling in most of it and any time I wear shoes for more than a short time it swells up again.
Worked last night, slept for 2 hours this morning but I don't have to go back in tonight so I am up and moving already today. I even stopped at the grocery store on my way home from work this morning. There are so many things on 50% off at 6 in the morning.

So here are my healthy plans for today
1. Journal everything I eat, even the home made peanut butter cookie I ate when I got home this morning.(Done)
2. Plug in the ipod and go for a walk later today (my foot is already swollen from work last night so no more damage can be done) (took a nap instead or I wouldn't have been able to stay up and watch AGT)
3. Walk to the store for the milk I forgot to pick up this morning(ended up carrying 2 very heavy bags of groceries home)


Work agreements for today:

1. 2 loads of laundry washed and hung outside to dry(actually did 3, great breeze for hanging laundry)

2. Clean the bathroom (my least favorite job) (Done)

3. Try to make some sense of the mess that is my vegatable garden(Done)

Have a great day!!

Slept so good last night didn't get out of bed til 10 am, needed it after the lack of sleep the day before. Beautiful breezy day outside, definatly a good day for going for a walk. Hubby has finished his job interview, it lasted an hour, and I have no information until he gets home and he is making a pit stop at my mothers before he gets here to install her router. Maybe I will go for that walk now so I am not sitting here wondering what is going on.

Healthy plans for today

1. Journal everything I eat (Done)
2 Stop putting off the walk, I know the foot will hurt but I have to move (Happy to say done 5 km or 3.5 miles for you in the US and I ran half of it)

Work agreements for today

1. Remove all the furniture out of sons bedroom ready for rewiring and painting(Took everything apart, need help to lug it down to the basement)

Hope the news from hubby is good. Way to go on the walk, I still haven't found my iPod, guess it's a goner. Need to look at getting a new one or my walking will stand still ( pun intended). Also glad you managed to get a sound sleep, they say that not getting enough sleep can actually have an adverse effect on your ability to lose weight, go figure.

Hubby will have an answer in the next 2 weeks, they ended by saying if they decide to hire him he will have to get a police check, a drug test and a physical, he might not pass one of those and it isn't the police check or the drug test. If they decide to do Xrays they will see a past back injury, he hasn't had any problems with his back in 10 years, but on an Xray it shows up as a dark spot, this has bitten him on the butt with jobs in the past so now we are worrying again.
That was enough to set me off, after having my walk/run yesterday and eating great all day, everyone went to bed and I sabotaged my entire day. I have to find a better way to deal with stress than eating. Anyone have any suggestions?
Well its nice and cool out this morning after the horrible storm we had last night (tornado warnings) so I will put my goals for the day up later, right now I am going to throw on some sweats and get my butt out the door. Maybe I can undo at least one of the bowls of cereal I shoved down my throat last night.

Back again and did 5 km today and ran half of that, my thighs are burning but it feels really good.

So the only healthy goals I have for today are:

1. Journal all food
2. No late night sabotage (find an alternate plan to eating)

Work agreements today

1. Bring the furniture out of son #2's room
2. Take son #1 to get eye glasses
3. Take out the garbage to the road
4. Vacuum the basement (kids game room)

I am very impressed with your running. On the sabotage front I have no easy answers, sometimes I know I am doing it because I'm upset or angry so I put some music on and try to drown out my feelings. Other times I just feel the need to stuff my face, usually after a glass or two of vino, and not much will stop me. However these days it usually only lasts for a day as I don't let myself dwell on my slip ups.
I'll keep everything crossed for the job.

Well I did everything on my to do list yesterday except vacuum the basement, I made the kids clean it as its their mess. I may have over done the running yesterday, I can barely walk today my thighs hurt so much. I didn't open a cupboard or fridge last night except to get out a diet soda. So for today my healthy promises to myself are:
1. Journal everything I eat
2. Go for a walk to stretch out my legs (no running today)
3. Walk to store to pick up sons glasses
4 No night time eating

Work agreements for today
1. Work in garden pulling out any plants that are done, unless it rains which it looks like it might, in that case I will start taking off the baseboards in sons room ready for rewiring

I have been doing really well with the night time binges, which is surprising as hubby found out Friday he was not being considered for the job he thought he was a shoe in for. I have been journalling everything and have done great with my eating. I can't wait to see what the number is in the morning, on a guess I would say 3 lbs this week. Gave myself the weekend off from walking/running as too many bits were hurting, will get out tomorrow for sure. I am even looking forward to it.

Well I did lose this week but last night I also managed to sabotage what I had been doing so well at. Everyone was in bed except me and I just couldn't stay out of the damn kitchen. Anyway today is another day and I am down 2.6 lbs. So as soon as I finish my wake up tea I am going to get dressed and go for a walk/run. I have no set plans for the rest of the day, once hubby is up we will figure out what we are doing, probably yard work as it is a beautiful day out there. Boys have to register for highschool this week and I am working 1 day(Thursday) Have a wonderful day all.

So sorry about the bad news on Hubby's job. It is so difficult for many people at present finding work, but I'll keep on hoping for you both to get something that suits. Dealing with pressures like that can make anyone cave in and turn to our preferred solace. Like you I would hunt the kitchen just to find things to put in my mouth and when I've been really low I'd keep on eating even when I was starting to feel ill and I'd eat things that I didn't even like.
However you did manage a good weight loss, looks liKe you're back with a bang, keep it up and when I get back from hols and check in I want to see some more lbs down, I know you can do it, and I also know it must be hard for you at the moment but this is one area of your life that you can control and think how you'll look fit and healthy at any interviews.

Thanks Lizzie and again have a wonderful holiday. I went for a nice long walk this morning and ran even farther than any of the jogs last week. I might be ready for that half marathon next May after all. If it wasn't for the burning in my lungs I could probably run forever, the legs are feeling better and better every time I go out. Going to have to keep my eyes open for a used treadmill so I can continue once the snow starts to fall.

No night time snacking last night so I am high fiving myself. Dinner is already in the slow cooker, so I am heading out for my morning walk before it gets too hot outside. Taking the boys school shopping this afternoon so lots of walking getting done today.

I walked for an hour and a half yesterday did around 8 km, maybe more I would have to drive the route to be sure. I actually ended up with a blister on my heel, so not walking too far today. I have to work tomorrow so will get lots of walking and excercising done at work. Another night with no munchies, I just have to keep myself busy, ended up on the phone with my mother for an hour before I went to bed so that kept me out of the fridge.

Ended up working 12 hours yesterday so that was all the excercise I needed, today my body is aching as a result of yesterdays work so having a ME day, no plans to do anything except hang around the house maybe get some laundry done. I haven't done any late night snacking so I am feeling really good about that. Kids go back to school on Tuesday, youngest is feeling better about it as one of his friends is in 3 of his 4 first semester classes.

Got a little waylaid over the weekend, not with the eating but with reporting on it. My stepfathers oldest grandson was found dead, he was only in his late 20's but has had a rough life. So anyway spent the weekend dealing with family stuff and of course getting the boys ready for school today I have been a little swamped. I did weigh myself yesterday as usual and dropped just over 3 lbs this week. I am sure the stress didn't help and that number will not be the norm but I will take it.

Condolences to you, Dee. I'm sure that was surprising news that threw your family into some upheaval. Take care of yourself. Hope your younger one's first day went well! We just did that here three weeks ago; I'm glad he has friends in 3 of his classes. That seems to make a big difference in the anxiety level.

Thanks Cassie, I am closer to my stepfather than I am my own father and it was awful the hurt he was going through, I hadn't seen his grandson in a number of years, as I mentioned he had it pretty rough growing up, through a lot of it was no ones fault but his own. My daughter was really shook up about it as she and A. were really close when they were younger, she idolized him as her big cousin, he was 3 years older than her. Day 2 and my youngest has already decided they aren't going to teach him anything in highschool so he shouldn't have to go any more. Not surprised by this as we have had the same conversation at least once a week for the past 3 years, at this point I think its more of a game to him than anything, I always have the same response which is "its against the law for you to stay home and I am not going to jail because you are already sooooo smart and won't learn anything"
It appears this is going to be my 3rd night in a row with insomnia, I got 1 whole hour each of the last 2 nights, and before anyone makes any suggestions I have tried everything except prescription sleeping pills. No caffiene after dinner, tried over the counter sleeping pills, herbal teas, nyquill, travel sick pills and Neocitran, none of them make me in the least bit tired in fact they seem to wire me up rather than knock me out. These phases usually last 5 - 10 days then I will want to do nothing but sleep for a week.

Hi Dee. So sorry to hear of your family troubles, it's always sad when a young person dies no matter whether or not they contributed to it themselves.
Hope you ge some sleep as well. It'll takecme a day or so to catch up with the posts.