Ok... I really hope you guys can hear me giggling all the way over here.  The imagery around here this morning is HILARIOUS!!  Sorry it alarms you 2BB.... but Jella, that's too funny!

Jella...  Congrats on the near miss with the skirt.  I love moments like that.  Several pairs of my work pants are getting that way.  I think, however, that my hips will hold them from falling off completely.  Keeping my fingers crossed that you get good news on your weigh in and so do I.  I'm not even going to do measurements at this point.  Too much muscle increase in some places, I think it would depress me.

KK...  7 hours for a meeting??  Good grief woman... do you work with radio people???  I kid you  not, the longest meeting I ever went to was a staff meeting at a radio station.  Three people and it took three hours.  We never had another one!  Learned our lesson on the first try... LOL!

So, here's my oops for this week.  Yesterday I was speaking to step-daughter and told her that we'd sent her $100 for her birthday which is next Monday.  Suddenly, out of the blue, I remembered something REALLY important.  Her father, my husband, to whom I am married... has a birthday THIS FRIDAY!!!!!  GADS!!!!!!  How does one forget the birthday of the person they live with??????  Thankfully, I remember before Friday, rather than after.  WHEW!!

You're a good sport,2BB!  At the least, I think you should consider that billowing apron with a big 'S' across the chest!

Jella, since we have co-workers across the globe, we have to schedule our meetings to accomodate their schedules.  It was really funny today when, at Noon our time, our German co-workers informed us they were heading out for some beers.  It was 7 p.m. their time!  We all use our laptops to view the meeting material online but half the time we're sending each other goofy AIMs.

Most of our meetings are the standard one hour but this was our quarterly review/update.  ZZZZZzzzzzzzz..............  Actually it was quite interesting and I'm very blessed to have such a great job with fantastic benefits. 

Later.

Ok Gang, this is getting really scary!  I had to go to page 3 just to find the Hall this morning!!  Please say we aren't losing each other!!

So, today, as I promised, I did my weigh in.  AND... drumroll please....the official verdict is in.  Weigh in this morning was 194.6!!!  I made it below 195 which was my goal for July.  I'm pretty pleased with that really, since my weight had nearly gone over 200 again after coming back from vacation.

I am up to running nearly 5 miles now, and I just raised the weigh level I am using for strength training.  I train 3 days on, one off, then start over.  Guess we'll see where it takes me by the end of August.

Hope all of you are well, wherever you are!!  Come back soon, 2bb, KK, Forks, 4sq, Greeneyes, Di_p, Lady, Boots... and whomever is lurking about!!

Sending out a big cheer for Vstar for not just getting below 200 again, but for breaking 195!  WOOT WOOT!!!

Your workout sounds much more reasonable now.  It's important to let your muscles take a break every two or three days.  And running five miles?!!!  I'm envious!  I just can't get this body of mine to run.  The best I can do is a sprint every few blocks.  I guess as long as it increases my heart rate, it's a good thing.

Forks, come back!  Breaks over!  We miss you!  Missing quite a few of you.  I'm being optimistic and blaming it on summer.

KK....  Thanks for the cheers.  I have to be honest though, just to lessen the impressiveness.  The 5 miles I "run" is on my elliptical machine.  I cannot, owing to old injuries, actually run.  Matter of fact, I can't even jog across the street without looking like a total goof.  But, I do get between 4.75 and 5 miles on the elliptical machine, so I still feel pretty good about it.

Here's a cool thing for today.  The law firm I work for has a HOT case in court right now.  I've been doing lots of research and the like.  One of the attorneys just asked if I wanted to go observe in the court room this afternoon!!  YAY!!  Like real law and everything!!  WOOHOO!!

Congrats Vstar on the small but amazing victories. Loved it when I use to accomplish goals. I haven't been able to do that for tooooooo longgggg.

Good Morning Gang!! 

Last day of July and I am feelling ready to recommitt.  I am tired of all the negative energy around me.  So as of today I am going to push it away and do only good and positive activities.  Going to create a new work out schedule and count my calories again.  I was sort of doing that but not consistently lately.

Vstar - Congratulations!!!!  Great Job on achieving your monthly goals and getting into that law case.   I can see you are very passionate about your work.  You are lucky.  I need to find something new work wise to get me feeling that way. 

I am also not a runner, but can sure can walk fast and when the weather gets not so sticky I plan to go walking again.

It sure has been quiet around the G4G Hall, but I have a feeling we will perk up soon!  I'm sure our Super Hero 2BB has something in store for us!!

May you all have a happy and healthy day!

AAAAHHHH!!!!  I was just in the middle of writing a fairly lengthy posting and the bloody computer froze on me and insisted on shutting down out of the internet so I lost all that fine eloquent prose. grrrrrr! 

Actually vstar - your lucky- I gave you a pretty heavy lecture about avoiding the tape measure for fear of what it would show!  Not going to repeat it all - but, I'll give you the nutshell version.  I used to let the fear of knowing the horrible truth be an excuse for disengaging with reality and ignoring my body and health.  Never again! For too long I avoided the scales, the tape measure, bathing suits and cameras because i didn't want to know the truth.  Learning the truth disgusted me but helped me start this journey.  Even now, after a week of overindulgence, it can be so hard to step on the scales - I know that I'll show an increase and be disappointed in myself - but I still force myself to step on and read it.  For me knowledge is control.  Vstar, you're fearing that extra muscle has led to an increase in measurements - that may or may not be true - but if it is, shouldn't you be prouder that those muscles are there where there was previously only fat?  Preaching aside, CONGRATULATIONS, VSTAR, ON DROPPING BELOW 195 - that's awsome!!!  I'm making that my August plan - to drop below 195 and stay there.  August dawns tomorrow for me so the tape measure will be coming out!

4sq - I love the spotted knickers!!!  Much more zany than the plain old blue lycra and red undies that I was imagining... giggles...Cindy Lauper rocks and is a bit zany like our friend 2BB.

KK - your job sounds so cool!  How is your work challenge going???

greeneyes - I'm cheering you on!  It is so great to hear that you are remotivated!!! 

* High above the Lovely Going for the Gold world, something is zipping by in horrendously fast circles and wild loops... a small child and his Father watch in amazement, shading their eyes from the sun...

" WHAT is THAT, Dad...???"

Dad pushes his cap back to the back of his head and scratches his scalp thoughtfully... Shaking his head slowly, he cautiously answers, watching intently, trying to guess...

"Don't know, Son... never seen anything quite like it... But, did you hear that, Son...? It sure sounds to me like distant screaming...!"

While high above-- too high to SEE! Thank Goodness!-- 2beittybitty keeps circling and screaming... afraid of being seen in her wild new SuperWoman outfit...!!!!!! *

{{{Laughing!}}}

I couldn't go online yesterday-- rain upset the DSL lines...Grrrrr!!! Sorry to miss everybody...!

 Daughter came over and canned Tomato Gravy and made cornbread, while I cubed deer meat for canning a favorite gravy recipe today-- gonna' be very busy with twice-as-much Tomato Gravy again, today, as well as a LOT of my Deer Gravy, too...!!! We are emptying freezers by cooking and canning what is stored in them-- some things are quite old and need to be used-- the tomatoes are about 5-6 years old, and the Tomato Gravy was a Great Success in trying to use them...

So... we'll make more today and use them all... one item gone!

Turning off a freezer or 2 of the 4 that I own, would help the power bill here in our hottest month of August... so I'll keep canning! We have 2 big chest freezers and a large upright, with a small chest freezer as well... turning off the biggest chest and the smallest would be wonderful!

Welcome back, Forks!!! Do you want to Celebrate?

I'll be thinkin' about it.... between screams and flying loops... Outer undies, indeed!!!

GOOD MRN-NIINNNGGGG/EVE-NNIIIINNNNGGGGG, G4G GANG!!!!!!!

WOW!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS VSTAR!!!!!!

Oh, oh....! Rain again...

Pouring down now... back when CAN...!!!

OMG!  Popped in on lunch break to lurk and saw lots of activity and..... it's our lovely FORKS!!!  So good to hear from you even if only briefly.  And to hear that you went below 200!!!  You did it!  We told you that you could!  That has to have you feeling so good.

Jella, I could give you a giant hug for your 'truth' comments.  When it comes down to it, that's the secret to my success..... finally facing the truth and continuing to be honest with myself.   Denial is an easy place to go, especially when the truth is so ugly.  If I'm going to win my battle, then I have to constantly face the truth and consequences of my actions.

So much more I want to chat about, such as, what is tomato gravy, 2BB, but I have to get back to work.

Later gang.  So good to see so much activity today!

Forks!!!  Hooray!!! Good for you!  200 is a huge pshcyological barrier and it feel so brilliant to drop belew!  Now, you know that you can keep on going with patience and determination!!!!  Very, very proud!!!

Gosh, we go from no activity to LOTS!!

Forks...  Good to see you, and excellent work on going below 200!!  WOOHOO!!

2bb...  Busy busy busy.... I still like the superhero outfit...LOL

Jella...  Your points are well taken.  I am not certain I AM honestly afraid of the numbers at this point, or if I've just reached a stage where I don't care so much.  I can tell by my clothing that alterations are taking place, and for the moment, I'm good with that.  Matter of fact, I put on a pair of my size 16 jeans this morning and they are nearly to the falling off stage now.  So close to my goal at this point, I feel more that I need to progress to a sustainable lifestyle without the worry of numbers of all sorts.  Although 175 to 180 seems like a lot of a lot of you, I have to remember that I'm 5'11" with a relatively large bone structure, and I really do not want to become waifish as hubby wouldn't like it.

Good to see everyone else around.... so much activity and positive thought process!  We can make it happen!  So, do tell..... Goals for August??

Hello?????? Echo echo echo!!

Wow Vstar - i kinda lost track of how well you've been going - you are incredibly close to goal!  Well done!

August goals - I want to get below 195 (and stay below) by the end of August.  I am revisiting my old goals of lotsa veges, fruit, water, sleep plus plenty of walking.  I have fallen out of the habit of logging foods so I'd liketo try harder at that this month.

I'm looking forward to a vacation goal.  In October, I am flying down to Brisbane with school students for a week long excursion.  My mum and extended family all live there and haven't seen me since January.  They know that I have been dieting but haven't seen any pictures, so I hope that they'll be suitably impressed.  I leave in about 9 weeks so I want to be as focussed as possible during that time to try to get the best result possible!  I would love to get down to 85 kilos or 187lb by then - a pound a week will do it... here's hoping!!!

Jella, excellent goals and great motivation!  I'm sure your mother will be pleasantly surprised by the healthy(ier) daughter she sees.

Vstar, if you are feeling good and are comfortable at your current weight, then I'd say you are a true success.  I hope you feel comfortable in doing maintenance now and, if you should happen to lose a few more pounds/inches, then that's just a bonus!  The key thing is to be healthy and happy.

I had another one of those AHA! moments yesterday.  I ran into one of my good highschool girlfriends in a clothing store yesterday.  This gal was one of my 'skinny' friends.  She still looks fantastic and is as tall and trim as ever.  We were standing at a rack of clothes and she was showing me a dress she wanted to get but they didn't have it in her size.  It was a size 10 and I commented that she could easily fit into a 10.  When she told me she couldn't get into anything smaller then a 12 my mouth dropped open.....  I WEAR A 12/14!!!  She and I are nearly the same size now!  I still think my hips and legs are too heavy but this was still an affirmation that I'm at a size (if not the weight) that is pretty decent. 

My goal for August:  To continue with my good habits and to see the proper physicians and specialists to determine my true BMI, and to help me assess what to do with that nasty excess skin (ick!).

Bravo, KK!!! Loved that!!!

I've been off-line due to rain in my DSL lines... and up all night with a complicated canning recipe... gonna' crash soon! Back later...

Jella...  I think that you have excellent goals in mind.  I'm certain your mother will be impressed by your progress.

KK...  I love your AHA moments!  I have those myself once in a while and they are so much fun!  Honestly, I am not yet entirely happy with my body.  There remains a bit of a tummy, and I can see fat still sitting in a few places.  However, I now eat at a maintenance level for sendentary, and any deficit I have is through exercise.  At some point, I'll get to where I'm going through running and weights and then I'll just need to adjust calories up to cover the extra workouts, because I don't intend to give them up.

It is Saturday morning here, and the "drama" with my elliptical machine continues.  The annoying clunking noise is still there.  I tried calling the company again this morning and their call volume was so high they were only taking messages.  Is it just me, or is that a bad sign??  So, I left a message... and we'll see.  Otherwise, I'll probably go through the store where I bought it and get them to do something.