becajoy: Welcome!

wghtloser: You don't have to report every single day, it's whatever you want it to be! A lot of us report every day for the motivation and to keep up with each other. Your report is looking really great! Keep it up!

Cassie: Hahaha, I just hate seeing the crusts sitting there, all delicious and not-eaten. I definitely usually only take BFs if he's eaten up to it, but at lab there are two people who never eat the crusts and pull them off before they eat the rest of the pizza (they eat pizza with knife and fork - whatever works I guess) and so I don't feel weird eating those crusts if I have occasion -- but I didn't this time! And YEAH GO SOX! They swept the Yanks last night, how sweep it is! Tonight is the Bruins! Go B's!!! I'm glad the scale is nudging downwards for you, your goals are great this week and it's paying off!

Main80: I would not suggest exercise at 11:00pm, for the record I'm glad I did it, but my body was not happy with me. GREAT JOB on finishing your report!!!

Hope: Sounds like good adventures in fried chicken with BF; he does sound like a generally good guy.

I can't give you too much advice on the sleepover, not being a parent, but I will say this -- if "stuff" is going to happen, it's going to happen regardless of whether or not there is a sleepover. I personally didn't get intimate with a guy until I was 20, but I know that my sister started in high school, and she wanted to do so - it was her personal decision. No matter what restrictions my parents put on, she figured out how to have guys over or get to them (one went so far as to shimmy up the drainpipe into her bedroom). You might feel like you're enabling with allowing a sleepover, but if DD is going to do things with him, she'll figure out a way regardless, and putting restrictions on her might just make her want to do it more.

You know her; trust your instincts as the others have said

quinn: LOL. I do have crust issues. I need Crust Eaters Anonymous

Thursday Report Card

Fitness and Lifestyle Goals:

1) Achieve a 7,000 calorie deficit M: -841 T: -932 W: -858 Th: -1,095 (Week Total: -3,726)
2) Weekly average of 1200-1300 calories (not to exceed 1450 on any given day): M: 1,346 T: 1,255 W: 1,335 Th: 1,088 (Week Average: 1,256)
3) 30 Day Shred every day M: yes T: yes W: yes Th: yes
4) 2 "extra exercise" days of cardio M: No T: No W: no Th: no
5) Weekly Average of 50% or less carbs M: 53% T: 32% W: 37% Th: 41% (Week Average: 40.75%)
6) Weekly Average of 30% or more protein M: 25% T: 32% W: 31% Th: 23% (Week Average: 27.75%)
7) 120 oz. of water daily M: yes T: yes W: yes! Th: no (112)
8) Multivitamin and Fiber pills every day M: yes T: yes W: no Th: yes
9) No ice cream M: yes T: yes W: yes Th: yes
10) Do not weigh until Wednesday, for the sake of my sanity. M: I'm changing this goal to Wednesday -- forgot it's TOTM week, Friday's weight will be wonky. T: No weighing W: Weighed for 179.4 Th-Sun: N/A

Other Life Stuff:

1) Prep for interview Monday and Tuesday night M: I forgot!! T: yes W-Sun: N/A
2) Work on Powerpoint presentation; finished by Friday M: a little T: no W: No, I really need to do this Th: Ugh, no
3) Finish laundry M: no T: good chunk W: no Th: no
4) Buy green things for the apartment M: no T: no W: no Th: no

Happy to report I only had one piece of pizza yesterday AND did not steal crusts It may have had something to do with where I was positioned at the table... it went something like this: All the undergrads nomming on pizza --> MY BOSS --> me. So, I had a "boss buffer" and thus didn't reach across to anyone else's plate (she was eating a nice salad). I should do that more often!

I tweaked my left quad yesterday during squats on the 30DS. It feels ok this morning though I still feel a burny sort of pain if I squat down (though it's fine for walking etc.). If it keeps up all day I may skip the 30DS today and go to the gym for some straight cardio -- we'll see, I had been planning on today as a "both" day but I can always push that back for the sake of not injuring myself. Since it's burny pain and not sore pain, I may have just aggrivated a nerve or gotten it out of whack.

I really need to hunker down on my presentation today, so that is what I am going to do. Laundry and dishes are also calling my name at home. Happy Friday?

Oh! And to answer Cassie's question about celebrity bodies -- man. You know, Fergie (from the Black Eyed Peas) is in gorgeous shape. I'd love Fergie's body

~Terri

Celebrity bodies... hmmm...

I'm pretty happy with my body now, in general, with the exception of my legs. I've always wanted long, toned legs. So, if there's a way to transplant Jennifer Lopez's legs onto my body, that would be awesome!

I've been nuts busy and in a slump diet and exercise-wise. The exercise does not really concern me, gardening is enough of a workout that I'm really not behind, but I shouldn't let the garden be an excuse either. I put in a 2 acre garden many years running and for most of those summers I weighed 200+lbs. So I've promised myself that I'm back on the workout routine bright and early (well early anyway) Monday morning.

It's finally raining today, so gardening is a no-go, finally I have a moment to read and post. Good grief I've been off a couple of days and had to read like 4-5 pages to catch up. I'm not complaining mind you, I needed the motivational boost big time.

Terri I'm like you, I gain in the summer too. Partially from swelling, but mostly from over-eating and all the social things that are going on. Between Mother's Day and Father's day there are 5 birthday parties in my family alone. In July we attend 2 week long county fairs, where pretty much everything edible is deep fried and smothered in gravy, ketchup or frosting. Then in August there is usually a family camping trip or two, which for me is filled with all my favorite camp foods (plus stress eating driven exponentially by the number of in-laws attending). And then summer is over and it's harvest time...

I'm glad to hear the weight-gain-swelling issue is not just in my mind. Okay I'm not glad that many of you have the same issue, just to know that I'm not a complete freak because for some crazy reason I'm up a couple of pounds. I've eaten a little extra this week, but all the calories I've burned gardening should have countered it some. It's cooled off today so maybe I can look forward to getting back on the scale rather than dreading/avoiding it. I've not been really good about my water (because there is nothing quite like an ice cold diet soda to cut the dust of gardening out of your throat). Also my parents keep their fridge stocked with it, whereas at home I know better.

Canary I don't think kids would agree on the benefits of all the gardening I've had them doing. They would love to be totally screen dependent, and the minute we're home and my back is turned that's exactly where they are. Although I think even they would agree that taking them to the farm everyday is beneficial. There is lots of room to play outside and lots of things to do, and all of them are getting brown as beetles in the sun plus freaky-monkey-strong with all the swimming, weeding and tree climbing. Today I bought them a 12' trampoline for home. It's a b-day gift for the youngest 2, and they were totally cool with sharing it. Although I will tell you that every adult I discussed the "trampoline idea" with tried to talk me out of it, DH included. My kiddos love to jump on a trampoline, plus it's actually a really good workout. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger right? I'm hoping they will spend hours and hours playing in it.

On what to do about DD's BF and BFF, my suggestion would be to very carefully go over sex, consequences, safe sex, etc. etc. with your DD and then arrange for her to babysit a colicky baby for a couple of days (and nights) and I suspect that should keep you from becoming a grandmother prematurely. He might be a nice guy and all, but he is after all male and prone to being ruled by his junk.

I'm cracking up about cankles, because there are days I wish I had them. You see, I have very beautiful ankles, they are thin and delicate looking. A century ago I could have had legions of men at my beck and call by just strategically peeking them out from under my skirts. So in and of themselves they are a real asset, until you stand back and realize just how thunderous my thighs are in comparison! So the next time any of you have cankles, just stand back and think how thin they make your thighs look. LOL!

Well I gotta go, the littlest one is up from her nap (right now she's brushing my hair, or more accurately she's using a brush to make snarls and then rip them from my scalp) and I need to go clean the kitchen. Middle DD is having a slumber party this evening, and the kitchen is still a disaster. Oh dear Lord in heaven why did I agree to a slumber party? And I know you're thinking "why would I clean beforehand?". I'm just hoping to lessen the debris field left in the aftermath.

*Friday*

Food and Fitness:

1. 1200 calories/day average. Not going to even try to figure out. 880- can't eat when it's this hot. 1075. 1092. 1103

2. Walk two miles per day minimum, weather permitting. 1 mile. (back issue) 2 miles. 1 mile. (Weather not permitting.) 2 miles. No, raining.

3. LOG EVERYTHING! No. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

4. Take multivitamin, flax and vitamin E daily. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Personal Stuff:

Be patient with our new family schedule with daughter home for summer break. Be flexible. Remember that the house isn't going to stay picked up and perfect... it just isn't. (What's the saying... "It is what it is"? ) Yes. It irritated me today, but I kept my mouth shut. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

I need to buy a new pair of walking/running shoes... anyone have any new ideas? I need something that has good shock absorber qualities for my spine when I'm on black top/concrete surfaces. Let me know if any of you have found anything that you really like.

Having a pretty good week with the exception of walking/hiking. Got lots of exercise in other forms, though.

Went out to dinner tonight and kept my calories under control although there is a container of red pepper hummus that keeps calling my name. Still have a few calories left. Looks like the appetite is returning. lol

I don't have any specific recommendations, but do want to comment that last month when my husband and I went to a store that analyzed the pressure patterns of our feet and our strides, they were able to put us each in the perfect shoe. There was no charge for the analysis, only to buy the shoes, and we tried several different brands each, so there was quite a price range.

Congrats on such a successful week!

Ladies I just wanted to share some good news, or just new in general. I've been taking it easy this week. I've only worked out once and I'm trying to get in some R & R. I'm not feeling any better but I can still tolerate the pain. I did traction twice today and my brother brought over his inversion table that's been collecting dust. I've been on it 3 times already for about a minute each time. It's kinda bulky and it's in my living room so that's not too good. Check this out... my Chiropractor brought me one to his office. It looks like a tripod, it's light weight, folds up easily and he prefers it over a regular inversion table. Best of all he told me to take it, use it, if it takes me a week, month or 6 months, just let know when I'm though with it. How cool is that? I told him that I'd use the inversion table over the weekend and if it's not doing the trick, I'd come get his Monday when I go come in for my appointment. He did say that if I'm not ~75% better in a week to 10 days then he's going to refer me to get an epidural. I guess that's good news, but I'm not quite sure...

How about some really good news? (At least I hope it's good news.) Remember the "tumor" that Chloe' had on her hand? Well she licked, and licked, and licked... and licked it off. Then she had a bare spot, well now all the hair is growing back, it looks normal and it doesn't bother her. Maybe it wasn't really a tumor??? Well we heard from Chloe's aunt (yes I said aunt... it's her sister's mom, I guess that would make me her sister's uncle??) and she said that Chloe's sister, Molly, has had the same issue for years and nothing has ever come of it.

So life is good. Chloe' is feeling better, I can still walk and tolerate the pain. I'll have a nice check coming when I get paid, I think I'll pay off my two uncles, Uncle Sam and Uncle Bobby (Jindal). It'll be nice to get those two monkeys off my (sore) back.

Mike, I'm glad to hear that you and Chloe' are hanging in (literally, in the case of your inversion ). I hope you both continue to improve. I have a friend at work who got great relief from an epidural; I hope if you end up going that route, it has the same benefit for you.

Well, I had a miserable night last night, food-wise. It was kind of like the perfect storm. I let myself get too hungry, I had been grocery shopping and made a whole bunch of new "finds," I was irritated that things at home weren't going as planned, and I hurt all over and thus decided to take a night off from exercising (my quads were killing me from the tennis and a run on Wed., and I've had low-level but constant aching in my shoulder and elbow from I don't know what. I saw the chiro yesterday and will go back Monday).

At any rate, that set me up for a big fall. All healthy food, but way too much, and way too many carbs.

And now I can add to my list of foods I probably should not keep in the house unsupervised .

Recovery day ahead!

Was it a "chain" store? Something that I might have in my area? Sounds like a great idea!

Mike,

Happy to hear that you have had some good news!

Mine was local, Big Peach Running Co., but you may want to check a chain called Fleet Feet...I think they're nationwide.