Good Morning, Wish I was camping with Ekl. I bet she would really push me with that paddle. Reminds me of the time year before last when DH and I were camping and decided to float/paddle down the river. About halfway through, the sky blackened and I could hear thunder in the distance. I am terrified of lightening, especially anywhere near the water. Have had, locally, on 2 separate occasions in the last few years, a young boy struck and killed by lightening, near water. I grabbed the paddle and let me tell you I had an upper body workout that day! I think DH got a real kick out of watching me kill myself trying to get down river and off of the water before the storm hit. It wasn't a bit funny to me. Thank God, the storm turned and didn't hit us. I never could have out paddled it as far upriver as we were. SS, Thanks for the vote for the award. But remember, I only lost 5 lbs last week. The other 2 were from the weeks before. I've also found a big difference in weight with different times of day, different clothes, and after meals. I only go by 1st thing in the morning weight in my nightgown. Counting calories would be too hard for me. I am so lazy. I have found it easier to just forget the bun completely at BK and have the meat in a dish with lettuce, tomato, and mayo. I have to have my mayo. I've never been big on bread anyway. Lots of meals I cook I just forget to fix any bread. Drives DH crazy because he feels he has to have it. But, he will settle for WW sliced bread with butter spread on it when I forget! Harold, How are those eyes doing? Can you see us yet?!?! Sorry we are confusing you with the multiple weigh-in days. Weekends aren't good to me, so it is best to have a day to get back on track before posting an official weight. 48 lbs lost! WOW! Such tenacity! If I can hang in, that would put me right around my goal weight. I shall set my sights there. Peg, 3 lbs! Great job! I can't wait to get below DH in weight. I HATE HATE HATE weighing more than him. That's why I get discouraged when I only lose 1 lb a week now. I think he hangs around high 150s -low 160s. Once I get below him I will be ok with "slow and steady wins the race". Can y'all tell I'm from the "I WANT IT NOW" generation? That's how I got so large. I wanted those 2 big bowls of chocolate ice cream everyday while I forgot veggies and exercise. Now I'm paying for it. Those chest pains were my gift from God to wake me up. It worked! Karen, I'm glad you held steady while being sick. Are you feeling better? I bet you are weak as a puppy. Take it easy 'till you get some strength back. I know what you mean about night snacking. DH eats stuff every night after we get in bed. Can't fall asleep because of all of that eating noise on the other side of my bed! Some nights it's peanut butter crackers, others it's 2 peanut butter sandwiches, chips & dip, whatever he can find in the kitchen. If I can't resist, I will do celery with a very little PB, or 15 or so pistachios (sp?) shelled and eaten very slowly while he pigs out. I try to resist "Roseanne" that is giving Silver such a hard time!!! Helen, Everybody needs some fun with friends occasionally. And to still lose a pound, how sweet it is! Jas, About the WW. If it helps you get where you are going sooner, it is worth the $8 weekly. I did WW for a while once. My meeting was about 40 miles from home, so I quit going. Being right at work would really help you. My friend does it and it has helped her. It's just about finding what works best for you. If you have friends who are doing it at work with you, that would really help you stick to your diet. Nothing like having that up close and personal encouragement. If it would still be you working alone and you can get yourself kick-started, Save the $8 to use at the grocery store on healthier foods and spend the time you would spend at the meetings working out, walking, etc. Check in here more often for encouragement and our tried and true diet tips that have worked for us. As you can tell from the length of my posts, I love to talk. I can talk until you beg me to shut up!!! Have a great day everyone, Betty

I stepped on the scale this morning early since I was up and waiting for the coffe maker to finish gurgling that delicious brown liquid of life and I had a lovely loss. I am not telling how much, but it is really a nice one. (Hugging myself here and grinning like the Cheshire Cat !!) We attended the funeral and it was huge. There were so many people that they had to park on the lawn surrounding the funeral home and on down the street. The chapel was filled and lots of folks standing. This boy was truly loved by one and all. The boys parents (divorced) hugged each other for the first time in years. Everyone came together in a bond of love for one another and for the boy that died. It was a beautiful service and the day was beautiful as well. Sunshine and 85º and big billowy clouds in the sky and a breeze blowing. Perfect weather for a perfect send off. Helen

Good Morning, I didn't even get on the scale yesterday. Was busy from the time I hit the floor 'till I hit the bed. Dstep-son is moving back from Fla. He arrived night before last and I had about 8 for dinner. Lots of talking and music. Everyone in DH's family plays some kind of musical instrument. When I weighed day before yesterday I showed a large gain, so I was scared to weigh yesterday, even if I had remembered to do it before I ate breakfast!! This am I'm at 163. Man, that was close!! Must have been some water retention as well as that chocolate ice cream Sunday night. Gotta get my low carb cookbooks back out. I'm bored with the same old - same old. Silver, we want details Girl! How was the wedding? Did you knock them down with the new you? What did they say? We've been waiting a week for this. Spill it all!! Helen, I'm with everyone else. A loss is a loss and I would be happy to get it. I bought the old type scale and can't see it too well in the mornings, so I just go by pounds. But, I would gladly count .s if I could. After all of that pampering from Hubby I would have lots of + .s!!! Is that foot all well yet? Ek, those scales are going to make you beg for the 130s! Don't ya just hate having to kick and scratch for each new goal. I about passed out when I saw that big jump on the scale day before yesterday. I had only eaten a few fried apples (sweetened with a little splenda) and a large helping of lima beans for dinner the night before and couldn't believe the jump. The limas must have really bloated me up. Thank God it went away! Talking about thighs. UGH!! With the weight loss my thighs keep moving even after I've stopped moving! Gotta start those dreaded thigh tightening squats soon. Jas, It is so great to hear positive comments from others to spur us on when trying to lose weight. Especially when we hit a little bump in the road that tends to depress us. That bump can't stop you now. Gotta run. Have a great day, Betty

Hi everyone!!! I didn't step on the scale this morning...oops. Will do it when I get home. But just wanted to say good morning to you all! Still not back on my diet, or exercise regime. But worked in the yard for 12 hours on Saturday and 14 on Sunday. Yes, we finished at 10pm on Sunday...had the spotlights out and everything! I figure pushing a wheelbarrow full of concrete for two hours should be better calorie burning than anything else I could do!! Will weigh tonight :) Skinny (goal-jeans) are still able to be zipped and buttoned but are not comfortable. Still want to target my hips/thighs area. But, all other clothes are fitting great, which I feel is the real testimony to weight loss rather than the actual poundage. Also, many are recognizing my weight loss. And they want to know my secret... LOL! 1. Eat fewer calories (not less food!!!) 2. Burn more calories Of course, it can't be that simple, but it is. One of my office mates started her low-carb diet at the same time, but does not exercise very much, and deprives herself of food so is hungry and binges. Also, does not count calories... hmmm... six months later, she's still the same weight. She offered me her low-carb cookbook, but with recipes in there that call for six tablespoons of butter I declined. :)