Tuesday July

Haven't been online much. Been a busy summer, visiting my parents in Charleston, then came home to a teenager! Long story short, a friend's daughter was in an exchange program where her accommodations fell through. So we are having her stay with us for the summer. She arrived the same day we got home...crazy.

weight is ranging between 137-142. 141.7 yesterday, I always seem to spike up after a hard workout...so fine with that.

did my first obstacle run on Saturday (foam fest) and now I'm hooked, doing mud hero in August and looking into the zombie run in September.

The whole family did foam fest and we had a blast!

You look great and very fit!

Thanks Liz, I have to say I was surprised when i saw the photos, that I looked like that. but also was surprised that the 5k was much easier than i expected, given I didn't train. it has motivated me to start training for them.

TravelHer ... you look wonderful and, as Liz said, so very fit. What a cool thing that all your family is having so much fun being active together. Those are beautiful photographs of you all.

Come around more often. :)

Thanks Ann,

I loved that it was a group activity. I've already signed us up for next year. Am dragging my husband along for the next 2 over the summer.

The kid is turned off by getting muddy so he's skipping MudHero.

whistles Travelher you lookin good girl!

Weight: 166.6

Like Ann, my weight is the same. Unlike Ann, I'm not happy it's consistently staying this high. I mean, it could be worse.

Isn't that a terrible theme? It could be worse? Complacency creeping in.

Still thinking about what I need to be doing. But like Nike I should *just do it*. Alcohol is a problem for me. Not as an alcohol problem. But my evening glass of unwind wine usually leads to more...either another glass of wine or more food. Of course I love that! And I'm not even one to think a glass of wine a day is a bad thing. Especially when you finally get a baby down to bed and have "me" time. But it is a bad thing when I'm trying to lose weight. Not only is that 120 calories out of the gate...but often it can add snacks and desserts and another glass and become 500 calories. So I think I need to institute a no-alcohol-except weekends policy. Ideally only Friday and Saturday allowed. But occasionally we entertain Thursday or Sunday so those are maybes and on a case-by-case basis.

Also, snacking is a problem for me. I can entirely get around my sleeve restriction by snacking. But sometimes it's necessary. I think part of the reason I don't normally overeat at mealtime/don't stretch out my sleeve is because I know I won't have to go hungry. But hunger isn't so bad. Ugh I just love food and there's not enough hours or calories in the day to experience it all. I need to come to grips with the fact that in order to lose weight, much less just maintain a lower weight, I will not be able to eat all that I want all the time. PERIOD. END OF STORY. That can mean eating more frequently out of a "diet" food list. Or eating less often off a more varied food list. Much like I need to start teaching Becca the skills to cope with self soothing and sleeping through the night (and it's hard at first), I too need to relearn how to be hungry, or at the very least not full. And how to be okay with food as fuel occasionally. This doesn't have to be forever. But I do need to get okay with eating less.

As much as I'm saying this aloud and it sounds great, I'm sitting here resenting the fact that I cannot eat all that I want, like a spiteful little toddler. NO!

On another note...since I overshare here anyway...DH got a message from someone at a company that she "hadn't forgot about him" and they were about to "get the ball rolling" and he would "hear from them soon." I'm trying not to get my hopes up but of course they are. I yearn for stability. In the meantime DH is thinking this consulting thing is pretty cool. Great money, but even that cannot persuade me to thinking it's great long-term. I mean, he's away half the time :( I'm sending out fervent prayers and strong laws of attraction vibes that this other job becomes an offer and is a no-brainer.

Greetings Tuesday Tenacious Ones

Still hanging at 150. Don't know why I expect that to change without me taking any steps to make it do so.

Travelher, the foam run looks like fun! And you look like a teenager! Great that you found some family activities.

Carbon glad the kids are good and fun. Well behaved kids are such a joy. And poorly behaved ones are such a nightmare. Like Cecily's aunt.

A new roof Ann! Midwestern hail is indeed a beast. I remember a storm so bad the hail was about a foot deep in the street. I got a new roof out of that one. Glad you had a good trip to the big city. You so seem to have this maintenance thing down. Note to self: be like Ann.

Diane O good on you for walking with the *****ly mayor of the military base. Frog indeed but a frog who loves dogs. I'd like to think all our aging veterans have such a good living situation with help from people like you and Sadie. Take a mist sprayer and spray Sadie's belly to cool her as you walk. And we have a sign on our front door that says "Beware of Attack Frog".

Shel I am sure your presentation was excellent. Glad you know how to download those maps. Another thing I don't know about my Apple gadgets. I still really like paper maps and the bigger picture they give you. I still keep a road atlas in the car even though it has a screen with all the bells and whistles.

More banking today. I seem to spend a lot of time standing in line in banks. I need to figure out some sort of exercise I can do while waiting in line that won't look too weird. Maybe up and down on my toes or subtle stretching. And yeah, I do on line banking as much as I can but I have to do a lot of cash deposits for the galleries and its about the only way.

I spent a bit of time yesterday looking at before and after pictures of spiral thigh lifts. Many were of people post wls and OMG some of the before pictures were truly startling. One reason I don't walk and exercise more is that my upper legs hurt. I think its because I have loose skin (plus a little new flab) that I can feel flopping around with each step I take. It occurred to me that getting rid of that thigh skin would be useful. But I also could just go to the gym and work on those leg machines and build some muscle.. Anyway, as saggy as my skin is, I am no where like some of these people are so grateful for that.

Hey Peps, theatre arts is good prep for dog shows as well as teaching. It is a big drama and performance. We need a puppy picture fix please.

Not much to say about intuitive eating except its sort of what I am doing these days and its not effective. I really need to push more protein. (ever hear me say that before?)

More studio time today and my studio mate has some guests. Or will if they make it down from Oregon - fires there. Wishing rain to everyone who needs it. Diane S

Diane, I'll take some rain. I need it!

hey all,

Quick drive by... Home Depot beckons...Already dropped the car off, stopped in at Peet's with Ron, made us a nice breakfast of turkey sausage and eggs. He had his maple scone from Peet's along with the eggs and sausage. I had two little Aussie bite like things I found in the freezer that my dad brought some time ago. They were good. I noticed that Ron is able to eat double or more than double that I am. I am full, full from 2 sausages, the Aussie bite things and one over easy egg. He is not close to over full. Good to keep in mind when I think about my sleeve being to large.

Weight is stable - Still higher than is comfortable, but one day at a time, right?

Dammit. I typed a novel detailing this morning's big fight and lost it. I haven't the energy to type it again! Long story short, she's horrible. The end.

Food isn't great. I'm stress eating.