Hope you have a great time. . .

Hi Jen - CONGRATULATIONS! I'm very proud of you! 10 pounds is a lot - it's amazing how the 1 and 2 pounds start adding up - good job at sticking at it.

And I hope you have a great time in CA with Robin Ann . . . enjoy!

And, I signed up at Curves today - I made the plunge. So we'll see how that goes starting on Monday. I like the idea of it only taking 1/2 hour . . . which helps with having a little baby to take care of . . . I'm thinking I can find a 1/2 hour to go and Santi is willing to watch Nathan for a little bit at the office while I go and do Curves . . . so that's also a plus (hopefully his work doesn't mind him doing it - hee, hee!).

And Kristin - great job on your progress too - I totally admire you being able to find time to exercise with two little guys at home still. Keep up the good work!

We have a four day weekend starting tomorrow - tomorrow is the official holiday and then the president made Friday a holiday and turned it into a 4 day weekend! So we're going up to Tulcan to visit Santi's mom!

Later gaters . . .

140!!! WooHoo! California Here I Come!

I was so happy to see 140 on the scale both yesterday and today. I am officially down 10 pounds from when I started the Band of Sisters Blog. I'm so excited! Thanks for the words of encouragement in regards to my trip, Kristin. I'll try to be relatively good...again to make lifestyle choices and you know, sometimes you just need celebrate life and if food is involved, all the better!!! I'll be back to Weight Watchers and Blog posting on Tuesday morning! Happy weekend to everyone!

Have fun Jen!

Have a great time together Jen and Robin Ann! And remember...nothing tastes as good as thin feels!

April 28

Hey, great to hear from you Kristin and great job on getting into the 140s!!! I'm glad you feel inspired again. I am pumped. I've had a great week with Weight Watchers and exercise and the scale showed it today with a weigh-in of 141 lbs! I'm so excited. I leave Thursday for Los Angeles to visit Robin Ann so I'm hoping to get to 140 which would be right on target with my goal of losing five pounds a month from when we started to May 31! Yeah! I just have to be careful not to totally blow it in California...how bad can you be in four days!!! I finally feel like I'm in a good eating pattern and not totally thinking about "cheating" all of the time. With the sunshine finally out here, I'm motivated to get some color on my skin and be ready for summer! So, thanks again ladies. For me personally, this blog has been a great motivator. I was looking at the scale this morning thinking it's been more than two years since I've been at 140 and it feels great. I do think this will be a "hump" to get over because 140 is a weight my body likes so the last five pounds will be harder to lose. We'll see. And so, we journey on...in our own ways, on our own paths, yet with a band of sisters spurring us onward!

Goals

Hey there ladies (or only Jen?)
Well, I'm happy to report that I finally weighed in today and I'm down to 148! Yeah! It's great to be back in the 140s! That makes me really happy since I haven't been exercising, and my dieting hasn't been that great. I am motivated to start exercising again, and not going crazy with food either. The weather is beautiful here, so I'm excited to run outside. Unfortunately, I can never get away from my kids while it's light outside. Hopefully as the days get longer that'll change. So, I still need to lose 3 pounds by May 19 to reach my goal. This now seems totally doable, but I need to make it happen! My exercise goals are not as on track as I'm supposed to be up to 5 miles by the end of April, and I haven't passed 3 yet. I need to work on that this week. Thanks for keeping me motivated Jen! I'm really happy William shows no signs of weaning because there's no way I could eat only 20 points in a day right now. You're the weight watchers queen! Keep it up ladies!
Kristin

April 25, 2008

Just realized I have only 6 days to lose four pounds to be on target with my goal so I'm trying to at least be really good for those six days. Today I did 25 min on the elyptical machine and ate 800 calories for 16 points...I'm still planning on having a snack now while James and I watch Season 4 of "24" for a few hours! So, I'll say 20 points. Overall good...I'm really determined to get down to my goal by the end of May. Have a great weekend!

You're not alone Jen!

Well, maybe you are in the fact that you're probably the only one losing weight. I STILL haven't stepped on the official scale at the Y, so I have no idea how I'm doing. I am not doing well with points. I haven't really been keeping track. However, I haven't been going too crazy either, so that's good. Usually I'm totally extreme. I do really need to get back to exercising, especially now that the weather is nicer. I'm so jealous you got to sled! Calvin hasn't even really seen snow on the ground. Poor deprived kid. My goal for tonight is to exercise! Maybe I'll even weigh in. How are the rest of you doing ladies?

April 21 2008

Hi ladies. Well, today I just feel like a bear in hybernation...it is freezing cold outside with a foot of fresh snow. How happy am I to be headed to Los Angeles to visit my best friend in 10 days!!! With the cold outside, I have just felt like cuddling up with a book and snacky foods. I've refrained but it's going to be really hard for the evening! My progress towards my goal urges me onward. Today I weighed in at 143 and still need to loose just over a pound a week to get to my goal by the end of May. Today I ate 1100 calories for 22 points. I did 30 minutes on the elyptical machine while doing arm weights at the same time! I always dread doing exercise, but feel so great when I do it. My exercise for yesterday was hauling Gracie up the huge sledding hill in town and sailing down in our tobbogan to the bottom screaming at the top of our lungs over and over again. It was a great work out and great fun! That's one thing that I find so important in all of this...to stay healthy so that I can have fun with and keep up with my kids for years to come.

April 17

1184 calories for 24 points...20 minutes of Pilates...I am so not wanting to exercise this week. I'm ready for Spring already...we've got a weekend of snow forcasted here. Enjoy your weather all of you down south!

Good Job!

Keep going, Jen - you're doing a great job with sticking with it! I'm totally impressed! Today, a friend offered a copy to me of a Yoga DVD and said that it wasn't what you typically think of as Yoga - but rather a toning workout that makes you really sore! It made me think of the one that you mentioned doing - I'm going to try it out - and then I can relate to your soreness! I probably won't even be able to move, but hey I'll give it a shot!

Anyways - keep up the good work - I can't believe you only eat a little over a 1,000 calories a day! You go, girl!

April 16

Short blog tonight because I've got to go to bed. I ate 1100 calories today for 22 points. I did not fit exercise into my day...we did take a walk as a family after supper, but I didn't exert myself much!

April 15 update

Hey, great to hear from everyone again! I know this journey is very different for every one of us and I in no way want this to be a guilt trip. For me, it's just been encouraging to walk alongside you for these weeks and I'm going to continue through my goal date of May 31. Write when you can, if you feel like it, just know no matter where you are, you inspire and encourage me, dear sisters. Today I ate 1046 calories for 21 points and did 25 minutes of pilates. I felt great today. Phil 4:4-6 "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

I'm Back!

Hey all! I'm so sorry for not being more faithful Jen! I closed the window on my computer, and then didn't know Ryan's login info, and then just gave up pretty much, but I'm back now! Needless to say, I have not been doing well with dieting. The trip to Washington really threw me for a loop. I ate terribly there....just way too much, and didn't exercise. Then when we got back, I was exhausted from the trip. Then about a week and a half later I started to think about exercise again, and I stubbed my toe really badly, and might have broken it (this is where my excuses begin, by the way), and then 2 days ago, I killed my back, and could barely stand up straight! I was doing ok with points when we got back from WA, but then I made cookies to take to some friends' house, and that did me in. I am trying to get back to doing it strictly this week, and I must get to the gym! I have no idea what I weigh. My clothes are still getting looser though, so hopefully continuing to nurse has saved me from my poor decisions. I need to go back and look at what my goals are though to know if I'm on the right track. Thanks for hounding us Jen! I need motivation! I'm so excited James got his visa!!! That's awesome! We have to get together sometime once we're both in the U.S. Ok, baby crying...gotta go. I promise to do better!
Kristin

PS

I forgot to mention - CONGRATULATIONS for James visa to the US! That is so awesome - I'm so excited for you guys and since Indy is one of our main bases for us when we go to the US, it's very possible that we'll meet up! I'm sure you're glad to have all that paperwork and stress behind you! We're very happy for you!

Here I Am

Hi Jen -
What can I say!?!? I've been lost I guess. I do want to congratulate you on your progress, determination, discipline and desire to succeed! It's not easy in this day and age (just watching TV makes me hungry sometimes with all the food commercials and Rachael Ray recipes! smiles). Keep at it, girlfriend! I know you will succeed!

As for myself . . . life has gotten a little out of hand, I guess. As of the 1st of April, I started back at teaching at the CCC two days a week and trying to start doing work for ER from home and being part of a Member Care Task Force at HCJB with Santi (a one-month project that Graham Bulmer asked us to take on to try to find ways to better things).

Somehow, I'm trying to find a way to balance life, baby, work, hubby and time for self. I'd like to say that it's going better than it is - not that it's bad, just that it's really taking adjustment for me - more than I imagined. And one thing that I have learned in my life is that in order for me to eat well and exercise like I should, I need to have structure, schedules and orderliness. I just don't have that right now - yea, it's probably another excuse but it's how it is. And at the moment, I'm making bad food choices and not exercising.

I was doing well with walking and getting myself into a routine and now with all of the above, I'm finding that I need to work at it again. So . . . . here I am back at square 1 I guess. Hence, not much of a desire to write on the blog, as there's not a whole lot to write about!

But I do still look and check your progress, Jen, and am proud of you! Keep it up - I keep hoping that some of that discipline and determination will rub off on me! And you are inspiring! Thank you!

And where are Kristin and Robin Ann and Janine these days? Hope all is well!
Toodles from rainy, cloudy, cold Quito (another excuse for me not to find time to walk! GRRR)

A Lonely Sojourner Traveling Solo

So, did I garner any pity? Where are all of you? Oh well, after two not so great weeks I'm starting this week with new found determination. I weighed in this morning at 144 lbs again, but after all of the times we ate out last week, I'll be happy with staying even. I tracked all of my eating today and ate 1104 calories for 22 points. I have to lose almost 2 pounds a week now to make my May 31 goal, so I've got to crack down a bit more than I have been. I did 20 min. on the elyptical machine today. I just wish the weather would get nicer already so I could exercise outside...especially ride bike. Anyway, hope you're all having a lovely start to your weeks.

April 9 Update

Hi all. Today was a huge day for our family as we found out James was approved for a green card so we will be relocating to Indiana in July. I did keep track of my points and food today...I did NOT exercise. Spring break make routine go out the window! I ate 1100 calories for 22 points. I would sure love to know what's happening with all of you. Come on ladies...we can do this!

Where is everyone???

Well, I've been awful at blogging and thus not so great at meeting my goals, either. I did loose a pound last week so I was at 144 lb. yesterday. I'm aiming for 140 by the end of April. I've done good at exercising this week...Yoga yesterday and elyptical machine today so that's good. The kids are on spring break and our schedule is out of whack so we're eating out more in the past few days and I've gotten lax with keeping track of points and keeping track of everything on fit day. I'm committing to starting that again tomorrow. I hate to have come this far and quit! The stress of the last two weeks has been enough to make me want to eat everything in site and not care a bit about the effects! Still have this nagging guilt that has kept me from doing it...thanks ladies! I'd love to hear what is happening with all of you. Busy days, I'm sure. Know that I appreciate you all very much.

I Lost 5 pounds!!!

Did I get you? It is April 1 after all. So, what's up ladies? Actually at weigh-in yesterday I stayed at 145. A little bummed, but not bad considering that I wasn't great with points all last week. I'm really trying to do better this week. I did exercise yesterday, but looks like it won't happen today. I got up too late this morning. I did good with points yesterday and am on a good track for today. So, I'm hoping to lose again this week. Well, I've got to run. If you think about it, pray for our family this week. One week from today James will fly to Montreal Canada for his interview for his U.S. resident visa which would allow us to move to Indiana in July. We're crazy busy pulling together paperwork for that. We are really hoping he gets it since we're ready to be done with transition and settle down for a while. How are all of you doing?