only worked 4 hours today at the church and I could eat everything in sight right now!  I need to practice my piano and don't want to.  I need to finish sewing projects in my basement sewing room and I don't want to.  I sound like a child and if I give into my food craving right now I'll be behaving like a child.  Why is my inner child such a brat?!@#  Why won't she just grow up and act responsibly and with some self-control$%*  Can anyone else relate? 

13 pounds in 8 weeks!  The best I've done in two years.   I joined a weight loss group a while back and it took me 6 months to lose 22 pounds.  After every meeting everyone went out to eat!  And most members of the club 'took the day off.'  Well, I kinda took our weigh-in day off and allowed myself a few beers at a party.  Didn't go off the health food when I ordered baked fish and steamed broccoli so I feel o.k. about my night out.    Thanks for all the hugs and kinds words on Saturday.  luv 2 u

Played hookie today from the church.  I stayed way past quitting time on Tues and most everything I wanted to do was done anyway.   Got some pretty scary news yesterday!  An ill relative will be coming to live with us the first week in April.  She's as hard to live with as I am and I will have to practice restraint every MOMENT!  But the good news is usually when I get emotional I try to feed good feeling into my body.  This time I just pouted in a closed room until the storm scared me and the dog.  Looking forward to going forward.....   Can't wait to do the weigh-in on Saturday.  Good news or bad I've made some changes that are sticking.  Had a lot of 'bench-time' during March but feeling stronger every day that I remain determined - - no matter what happpens.   luv 2 all of you and our celebrity writer Karin.  I knew from the beginning she had talent.  Good for you Karin....

Made it thru another weekend.  Can you believe how fast this month has gone?  I used to start my diet every January 2nd and soon started saying "Well, I've wasted January!" That would be followed by "Well, I've wasted February!" and so on.  I don't have to say that this year.  I'm actually aware of what I want to accomplish.  Taking slow and deliberate baby steps can create habits that can last.  Hope I've lost weight at the end of March.  That would be a positive I'd like to sustain.    

Feeling much better this am.   Kept myself quiet and drank lots of herbal tea and plain water!  I can handle that...     Hope everyone is having a better March than I am and can't wait to see everyone again one week from today...     luv 2 u  '.'

Happy St. Patrick's Day a day late.  I had a really wet celebration and I'm suffering today.  I'll probably suffer at next Saturday's weigh-in (Mar. 26th).  I haven't been the stellar example of someone trying to get healthy.  Not food consumption either.  I'm letting my yesterdays ruin my todays.  I even woke up feeling like crap!  Have to cancel today 'cause I just don't feel well.  My whole body is out of kilter and I must stay close to the bathroom!   Does anyone else do this?  Self abuse is just as addictive as any other drug.   Must blog tomorrow or Laura will kick my you know what!   

Great earth quake and Pacific coast tsunami..!!  This terrible news is on all channels this morning and it makes our snow storm look like a beautiful fun winter day!  The leafless trees in our back yard woods have been painted white with snow.  They're so pretty they belong on a Christmas card.   Every time I compare something in my life with someone else's life I come out the loser.  However, today there's no comparing my snow covered skylights, which make our home so dark and gloomy (we have 11 skylights in our house), to lost lives is just stupid!  I can handle anything sent my way today even though I have tears of sorrow in my eyes.   Prayers and needed all over the world aren't they....  Lighten up everyone!

I'm in a funk!  Anyone else?  Yesterday we observed Ash Wednesday at our home and church.  A time of reflection, self-examination, and sacrafice.  I feel I need to do more of the 'self-examination.'  Why can't I sustain "being a better me?"  Does anyone know what I mean?  I hears 'sitting on the bench' at our last weigh-in and I thought "How can you do that when a lot of people are following Lighten Up in the N-H?"  Now I know.  I'm starting to put of getting a grip until tomorrow and already in March 10 tomorrows have past!  Hang tough everyone and DO ANYTHING BUT DON'T CAUSE YOURSELF GRIEF.   We have strong minds.  We can do this.

I went to a celebration this week.  We all sat all around the snack table and I came away satisfied.  Not because I endulged in the snacks before me but because I did some self-talk before I went to not eat anything before the planned meal.  And that's what I did.  I didn't over react to 'words' and I came away the victor.  Food is a powerful addition and unless you have experienced an addition you can't imagine the amount of power that addition has.  It is your best friend, comfortor, confidant, enemy!  It allows you to vent out loud and it doesn't tell you what a turd you are.  It never tells you to change while everyone else stays the same.  It never tells you that you are the one out of step while everyone else is marching to the beat of the band.  Well, my self-improvement goal is to realize that family and friends really, really do care.  I don't need food as a substitute for love.  Sorry I sound so maudlin this am but winning is something I'm not accustomed to. 

Weigh-in on Saturday brought a lot of giggles and grins.  Since then I've been a little more careless with my healthy eating but today begins a new week and a  new month.   I'm ready to focus my eyes on the 'prize' - to reduce my weight by two pounds a week.    I didn't waste February!  Every New Year's Eve I'm determined to start my diet tomorrow and before you know it February is gone and I still haven't lost weight.  But Lighten Up got my attention.   I am keeping in mind that losing even two pounds a week isn't always easy to do as time goes by.