So funny! I must say that I really enjoyed my four weeks of training with my first trainer. Oh my! It was difficult not to drool. When he would help me up off the floor, I almost went flying. He was very strong! I certainly didn't miss any of his sessions. Talk about motivation. Too bad he moved! My husband would tease me after every session. He knows he's tops in my book so he wasn't worried about Mr. Muscle as he called my trainer. Thanks for the laugh! Hugs, Stephanie

Nice job! You look great. Keep it up! Hugs, Stephanie

Is water wonderful? Almost every article I read about weightloss and weight maintenance mentions the importance of water. I'm amazed by how much more water I drink now than I did before surgery. It used to be difficult to get in even 24 ounces of water a day and now I wake up wanting water, water, water. I use crystal light sometimes if I feel like I'm getting bored but more and more I just want plain, cold water! I also used to dehydrate very easily. At least four times a year I would catch a bug and become so dehydrated that I ended up in the emergency room with an IV to replenish fluids. I'm happy to say that hasn't happend since surgery. A definite benefit in my book! Monday through Friday, I try to drink two of my Nalgene water bottles between 8 and 5 which is my miminum of 64 ounces. I don't do quite as well on the weekends. What do you do to make sure you're drinking lots of good water? Any helpful hints for us? The article below reminds us of the health benefits of water consumption. Here's to a wonderful, water-filled Wednesday! (substitute water for the beer!) Hugs, Stephanie ***************************************************** Weight Loss Benefits of Drinking Water Drinking water and losing weight! "Drink 8 glasses of water each day" is what we hear all the time but what weight loss benefits do we get from drinking water? All functions within the body require the presence of water. A well hydrated body enables these functions to occur quickly and efficiently. All chemical processes involve energy metabolism and drinking plenty of water will make us feel more energetic and boost our metabolic rate. Water makes your metabolism burn calories 3% faster. Drinking water is important if you're trying to lose weight, some studies have shown that thirst and hunger sensations are triggered together. If there is a slight dehydration the thirst mechanism may be mistaken for hunger and one may eat when the body is actually craving fluid. As most food contains some water, if one doesn't drink much they may be subconsciously driven to eat more to gain the necessary water supply however, you also gain the undesired effects of increased calorie consumption. Drinking more water can help to prevent overeating and benefit weight loss. Importance of drinking water in the modern diet So many new food product created today not only contain high amounts of energy from added sugar and fats, they also contain very little water. Foods today need to be stored for longer periods and foods with a high water content tend to spoil much faster, think about milk, yogurt, eggs, fruits and vegetables. It may be great to think that we can stock our cupboards full of all these tasty foods that last for months, trouble is, it means less water consumption from foods. If a weight loss diet doesn't allow much food or if food consumption is mainly in the form of processed, TV dinners it may be necessary to drink even more water to help stop strong cravings for food. How Much do I need to drink to benefit losing weight? For the average person experts suggest getting at least 64 ounces of water daily or eight 8-ounce glasses. If you are on a diet to lose weight it is more important to consume more and keep drinking water throughout the day, unless you have any medical condition that doesn't allow much water intake. A good guide for daily intake is to drink 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds of body weight. A 200 pound person should be drinking around 100 ounces (12.5 cups) of water in order the gain the benefits of increased energy and metabolism. If exercising is part of a weight loss program a bit more water should be included to account for water loss from sweating. Drinking water before, during and after exercise will keep energy levels high and help recovery after training. Many people don't like drinking pure water. Gaining water from eating fruit high in water content is a great way to boos****er consumption without drinking it directly. Fruit will also help fill up the stomach with low calories and gain tons of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to increase vitality. In fact any food with high water content can boos****er consumption, most foods high in water are naturally occurring, healthy foods, another reason to eat a healthy diet! Try adding flavors to your water for a better tasting beverage! Health benefits of drinking water: regulate appetite increase metabolism boost energy levels less water retention alleviate some headaches help reduce blood pressure help reduce high cholesterol ease joint pain decrease in risk of some cancers less chance developing kidney stones release toxic waste products improves skin

HA HA!!! 63 pounds would put be below goal...maybe I need to order this diet!!!! Thanks for the laugh.

Stephanie, Thanks for the tips. It amazes me how different everyone is and their tastes are also so different. I have never had a problem with proetein shakes. I never liked cottage cheese before, but now I would choose that over ice cream. I mix yogurt in my cottage cheese to give it more flavor and I can only stand the small curd type. I mix hard boiled eggs with my tuna and mayo and have that over salad for one of my meals when I am working. It is quite filling and tasty. I also have peanut for my snack. You are doing great keeping us going. I think you would make a great cheerleader. Have a great day (what is left of it). Rick