Here we go my "steadies." Post away.

Bandiva - stopping lurking and join in!!! We love ya! And I'm so proud of you - making it to onerland and holy cow 85 lbs lost!!! Thats great!!

So I just tracked my calories from the weekend - it wasn't AS bad as I thought it was going to be. (unless I've forgotten a 1000 calories some where) I had close to 1500 on Saturday when we went to the fair - one corndog and a 3 deep-fried oreos - Sunday was actually pretty good and I feel like I'm back in control again. I had seriously thought I might be needing a fill - but I think I'm ok.

WTF are the calories in a deep fried oreo??? I am so curious. I love me a corndog. I haven't had one since pre-band. I joke that I have tastes that very on the extremes..from gourmet food to trailer trash food. Nothing is sacred. Give me beef tendorloin in a port wine reduction and some of that yellow government cheese on the side. hahahahahaha.

WTF are the calories in a deep fried oreo??? I am so curious. I love me a corndog. I haven't had one since pre-band. I joke that I have tastes that very on the extremes..from gourmet food to trailer trash food. Nothing is sacred. Give me beef tendorloin in a port wine reduction and some of that yellow government cheese on the side. hahahahahaha.

OK I am more concerned with the fact that they deep fry oreos! lol...thsi truly truly concerns me. It is no wonder Americans are all fat! lol...

Sorry Steph to pick apart yuor Oreos, but they sounds good in a bad way to me....lol...

oh Boo they are so good in such a bad way!!!

To answer your question Kay - 98 calories for one. I ate 3. 300 calories just wasted on junk like that - and yes Boo that is why we are fat in America! To top it off when I searching for the calories I found the recipe for them on the Good morning america site! How crazy is that! And me too Kay - I love the finest of the food (which is available way too much of working at a private club with a chef there everyday) and I love the junkiest, corndoggest foods too. Ugh! I've found out that the better the food, like the stuff our chef makes is usually WAY fatter then you would think. Theres not a whole lot of food I can eat that he makes, he'll say you can have some but I'll just warn you its made with heavy cream - so I usually pack my lunch or eat a salad. How mad do you think he gets when I whine that theres nothing good to eat here!?

So we had another YOUNG friend die yesterday - he had ALS (Lou Gerigs), he died on his 53rd birthday. WTF! I just can't believe we are at the age when our friends are dying of natural causes. I mean accidents are one thing but to start having friends your age pass from disease really sucks.

To top off my day I made a cake. Its the "best damn rhubarb cake" ever. Quick recipe. Yellow cake mix, follow directions and pour into 9x13 pan. Sprinkle 3 cups chopped rhubarb over top, sprinkle 2/3 cup sugar over that, pour 2 cups heavy cream over the top, bake about 45 min. at 350. It makes a custard on the bottom, and you don't really have a strong rhubarb flavor. The guy I work with was just telling someone about 2 weeks ago that I make the best rhubarb cake, and I said I haven't gotten any this year but if I find some rhubarb I'll make you a cake. So true to my word, I made the damn cake! I will try my darnest not to eat a piece tomorrow but it'll be hard to resist. Charlie is one of the few who know at work that I'm banded and he says just bc I'm banded doesn't mean he has to suffer for it.

Its off to bed. Love ya girls!

I think its probably a good thing that i've never had a fried oreo! I love them 'au natural' enough as it is....that just sounds dangerous!!

So I've set my goal for the end of the year I want to be down for a total of 80 pounds. I'm hovering around 60 now, so I have 20 more to go. I know it's doable, but i've really got to get my ass in gear....not very easy to do when you're depressed and freaking out about being unemployed.

The good news is my neighbor noticed my weight loss! I saw her as I was walking the dog yesterday and she said "are you losing weight? you look good!" LOVE the positive feedback!!!

Ok, back to job hunting...will catch you all later.

The fried oreo saga continues - this morning on the radio they had a huge discussion about them! Too funny! DJ1 said why would you want to eat something thats full of trans fat into batter, lard, fried and smothered in powder sugar, DJ2 said bc they're good! He then went on to say I really don't think eating them once a year at the fair is going to kill anyone... it was just funny that we were talking about the greasy little buggers and then they were too.

VA - wtg on the nsv!! always nice to hear it from someone else. I'd like to lose 30 lbs by our 1 year bandversary - but dang I need to work harder at the calorie count.

Back on my bike today ladies.... rode her to work and remember how much I loved riding. my body NEEDS it. I plan on behaving this weekend and really getting my body back in good condition. She needs to sweat out all of the crap i've been subjecting her to - the past few weeks.

Banannie!!! I saw you down there lurking in the "now viewing" (YOU've BEEN SPOTTED!) hehe. how are ya doin' girl??? Wanna start a BIKING challange with me??? Or are you too busy racing those cars?? I am so freakin jealous of THAT. I wanna race. It is a dream of mine!

Steph - ha. about the oreo's -- i cant believe they ARENT worse than that. Have you heard of the deep fried twinkie's?? Well, they've gone a step worse. NOW, they soak the twinkie's in Pepsi (and some other sweet stuff) FIRST -- THEN, they deep fry them... it adds about 600 calories per twinkie! So, it wasn't bad enough to eat the twinkie. It wasn't bad enough to deep fry it. Let's see how can we add 600 MORE calories to this heart-attack-waiting-to-happen?

ha! what will they come up with next!?!?

So sorry about losing your friend. It is amazing how many we lose along the way. It is horrible but, I've lost 6 classmates since 1998 when we graduated high school. (not that long ago) I can't believe how many are already gone. It sure doesn't get any easier. At least you are ensuring your own good health and that of your family. It is good that we are here turning that around for ourselves.

Claud -- I will be thinking about you in Chicago girl! good luck with EVERYTHING!

Vaband - Awesome compliment from the neighbor! Doesn't that help make this so much more worthwhile? I still have such a hard time seeing things for myself. I know there are some changes, but I certainly do NOT see them the way everyone else does.

So, glad your hanging in there girl. I know it has been rough. Any good job prospects yet??

bkwalling - how are you holding up girl?? I've had you, your husband, and your children in my prayers.

bandiva & kaydot - you are like me. I come here just to laugh sometimes. We are some funny damn ladies!

hey guys, crazy week! My shin splints are worse. I guess I did too much still. I've been walking my 4 miles and I also did aqua jogging, like water aerobics in German. so that's fun. I skipped soccer tonight because of the shin splints.

I'm so depressed over this crap. I was doing so well jogging! why a set back.

On a higher note. Next weekend we are going to beautiful Bavarian in Garmish Germany. It's right next to Austria. On the way there we will stop at the Neushwenstein castle, the one that disney modeled the cinderella castle after. then the next day we just explore the Bavarian. I'm so excited! It is the most picturesque place you could ever imagine! Nestled in the Swiss Alps.

so i have sort of a NSV. I ordered new jeans from Aeropostale which runs a bit smallish and a few shirts and they all fit! and are super cute and even a bit big. size 13 in jeans and a large in shirts. so not where i hoped to be by now. but still feels good to be able to shop at a cute store.

Brandi--glad you are back to the bike! I did 15 miles today on the stationary. It is so damn hard to get goign on it, but once I do I am happy. I have a hard time stopping then! :girl_hug:

Va--good for you girl, enjoy it! And good luck on the job hunt, not that you need it you smart cookie!

Claud--have fun without us! lol..

Sweet--do you need a chaperone on your trip? I am more than happy to sacrifice my time to help a friend! lol...enjoy the trip! Congrats on the NSV. Doesn't it feel great?? I hope the shin splints get better soon! Ugh, I remember those damn things, they are killer!

Steph--get off the oreos...lol...step away from those evil thoughts and leave the dark side! :Banane42:

I got my new corset today for the phot shoot, damn it is hard to breathe in that thing! lol...but I look damn good, the girls spill right over the top!

On the homefront, I am trying, but I am miserable. :girl_hug: I hate it. I love him but it is just not the same. Can it be fixed?????

BMAN....good for you for getting back on the bike! I actually went to the pool today and swam a few laps, and I've been walking the dog 3x a day since I can't afford my dog walker anymore :girl_hug: So I'm hoping that is enough exercise to burn some calories!

SWEET...sorry to hear about the shin splints....i've had them before and they are a Pain (literally)! Hope you feel better soon!! Congrats on the jeans too! I bet that felt great!

STEPH.....yeah, step away from the oreos and send them to me! LOL just kidding of course....but I have to be careful of my stress eating...ugh!

On the job front....had an interview yesterday, think it went well, but I should know tomorrow if I got it or not. Other than that I have several prospects, but no interviews set up, so we'll see.....I am just trying to have faith that things will work out. It isn't easy...

BOO...are you gonna let us see these sexy pics once you take them?? I'm curious to see how they come out of course cause I am thinking i'd like to do them when I get to my goal!

As for the homefront....sorry to hear things aren't great. Are you in counseling to figure out if it is able to be saved?? Unfortunately none of us have the answer, but maybe a professional can help you decide? You know we're here for you either way!!

BMAN....good for you for getting back on the bike! I actually went to the pool today and swam a few laps, and I've been walking the dog 3x a day since I can't afford my dog walker anymore :girl_hug: So I'm hoping that is enough exercise to burn some calories!

SWEET...sorry to hear about the shin splints....i've had them before and they are a Pain (literally)! Hope you feel better soon!! Congrats on the jeans too! I bet that felt great!

STEPH.....yeah, step away from the oreos and send them to me! LOL just kidding of course....but I have to be careful of my stress eating...ugh!

On the job front....had an interview yesterday, think it went well, but I should know tomorrow if I got it or not. Other than that I have several prospects, but no interviews set up, so we'll see.....I am just trying to have faith that things will work out. It isn't easy...

BOO...are you gonna let us see these sexy pics once you take them?? I'm curious to see how they come out of course cause I am thinking i'd like to do them when I get to my goal!

As for the homefront....sorry to hear things aren't great. Are you in counseling to figure out if it is able to be saved?? Unfortunately none of us have the answer, but maybe a professional can help you decide? You know we're here for you either way!!

Of course I will show my girls my pics! I am hoping there will be one in there that I can use for the cover of the book! WHICH I am still trying to work on, ugh! lol...

He won't go to counceling. I know what I want....

OK, so here is the deal.... I have a question and feel like I might be walking into a bear trap (if I decide to do this).

It is completely innocent BUT I know how these things can go.

Story: I have a very good friend I work with that always asks for my help with things. Yesterday, her husband needed help creating a new resume. So, I went over and spent the evening with them and created a new one.

Well, her husband is a body builder. He takes protein, trains daily -- well, he kept commenting on how good I looked and was asking a ton of questions about how I ate and how I worked out. He seemed pretty impressed by what I knew. I knew all about how to eat, suppliements... so he was excited another person could "talk shop" with him.

Of course I was asking him a TON of questions because I had an encyclopedia of workout/nutrition information standing in front of me. So, he and I talked muscles/nutrition/weightloss/plastic surgery for about 2 hours straight.

His wife pipes in and said suggests that we should be come "work out buddys" since we have so much in common. He was talking about having me meet him at his gym everyday and he would help me out. Or he said he could even come show me how to do work outs at home and I could come run with him for my cardio.

It seemed like a great idea, and still does in many ways. BUT I just dont think spending 2 hours a night with someone elses husband is a good idea. regardless of WHAT you are doing. He and I get along really well as friends... BUT I don't want my girl-friend sitting at home one night and suddenly thinking, "wow... those two spend alot of time together"

Which to me... would happen eventually. She is sitting at home with the 2 kids and her husband is off with some other some other woman sweating the hours away, "checking out her muscle groups!" hahaha

I know she suggested it. BUT I still feel like I might be walking into a bear trap. They are a very happy couple. I could be way off on this one. BUT I could just see it becoming a problem one day, (even when it truly isn't) and I don't think she is thinking about that right now. If they had a fight one night, and off he goes to the gym for 2hours with me the next day... she could start to look at thing differently and I DONT WANT THAT!

So, even with completely innocent intentions... I just feel like I would be naive to not be wary.

BUT I would so LOVE to have someone like that to be my personal trainer! and he is offereing FOR FREE! I would be Xenia Warrior Princess over here!! hahaha This guy is hardcore! This is exactly what I need!

I got sent home from their house last night with samples of protein shakes and all kinds of exercise advice. He was WAY pumped about talking to me about it.

What would YOU think about your husband spending that much time and attention on another female. Even when it IS innocent? I just dont think it is the same (in a wife's mind) as a man spending time with other males doing the same thing.

Boo- Totally, if you want to come to Garmish with us, you are welcome to come!! All of you are welcome to come to Germany and see the sights and stay at our house for free! We have been here a year and have had no visitors yet. Our families are not interested at all. so we have a guest room complete with a full size bed and never a guest!

Brandi- Ok, I have to say that I respect you 100 % more than I already did and you know that I think highly of you already. She is very very lucky to have a friend like you, who is selfless.

I think that you are absolutely right, spending 2 + hours a day with a friends husband, whom you have a lot in common with, is probably a recipe for disaster. Of course you can 100 % be trusted and so can he, but sometimes an emotional connection can happen without it intending to be.

You're absolutely right that eventually the wife would probably become a bit jealous especially if they ever get into a rough patch. Maybe you could meet just a few x's a week and he can get you on a workout plan and started with supplements and you check in with him on it. I would make sure that his wife is always ok with everything and kind of include her as much as possible. ( i know she isn't the workout guru, and he is)

Anway, shin splints are feeling a bit better today. I think i'll be able to back to jogging by monday. I'll take it easy for the weekend, and continue to do my weights and crunches ect.

Wish me luck, I have to teach the lesson in church on sunday, I'm so nervous!! I'm teaching about improving your marriage through faith and prayer. good stuff. boo if you guys were a religious couple i could give you all sorts of advice. so sorry to hear that you are having a tough time. It seems to be the trend among my friends lately. Just when my marriage is stronger than ever it seems others are beginning to crumble. Cheating, verbal abuse, man it goes on and on. I wish there was some way that i could make a difference, but other than being a good example, I don't know what to do.

bkwalling—I’m so sorry to hear about your foster kids! Not everyone who gives birth makes a good mother. It’s a shame no one thinks about the importance of the children having stability in their lives. Parenthood shouldn’t be something you can drop and pick up whenever you feel like it! My heart really goes out to you! :think

Kaydotrn—Welcome back! I feel your pain! I just took two horrible exams in June and July. So glad that’s over!

VABandster—Hi there! Thanks for the input on the Virgin Islands, but I don’t think I can swing it either. Thanks for mentioning your goal for the year…that reminded me to share my new goal so you folks can hold me to it! I’m really glad your neighbor noticed your weight loss! I’m so happy you felt good about your interview—even if this one doesn’t work out, the right job will come along! The practice will build your confidence even more.

StephC—Hmmm…I wonder if I could even eat a corn dog…I think the dough would get stuck! I’m not so sure about frying an oreo. What did it taste like? Just curious! :evil:

sweethot143—shin splints are the pits! I’ve never been to Europe before, so that trip to Garmish, Germany sounds divine! I bet it’s absolutely gorgeous! By the way, great job on those size 13 jeans! That is outstanding!!! :clap2:

beversman—Pretend I’m the robot from the old “Lost in Space” television show. “Warning! Warning!” I yelled. That’s my take on the “workout buddy” idea. :car:

Well, here’s what’s new with me. I went for my weigh in on Wednesday and I found out that I lost only 8 pounds (I know—“only” 8 pounds is a lot better than gaining 8). I was hoping for 10-12 pounds. C’est la vie!

The doctor and I talked about what I need to do to reach my 50% weight loss goal by my one-year bandiversary. It looks like I need to weigh about 210, so I have to lose about 32 pounds by then. I just counted it out and I have about 16 weeks to get the job done, so that means I have to lose two pounds per week. It sounds a bit ambitious, but if I really work hard I think I can do it! No fried Oreos for me, I guess! "Step away from the Oreos, ma'am!" said the Food Police.

I took tomorrow off because I haven't had a real vacation all summer. That'll give me a four-day weekend. I want to go do some fun stuff with my son before school starts. The only thing we've planned so far is to take a boat ride out of Hampton, VA on Saturday.

Work hard everyone!

Ladies thanks so much for the well wishes for my husband and I and the prayers it is working

EAch day gets easier

I hope all yall are doing well and will write more later bye for now

Bk--I am still praying for you, I am glad to hear things are getting a bit better. I know it will never be the way it was, all time do can heal!

Transformer--8 punds is good. You can make it to your goal of 50% in a year, we all believe in you. You know what to do girl!

Brandi--I agree "Danger, danger" HOWEVER, my suggestion would e to offer to pay, so that it does feel more like on a professional level. But maybe that is not ideal either, but it is an option!

Sweet--I would love to go to Germany! I also have a place waiting for me in Australia! I will pack my bags and get away from here. I know what you mean about if we were religious. I have been praying but when you are married to someone that tells your children there is no God does he even listen to you? Maybe I am pryaing for the wrong thing.

I am off to spend a weekend at the campgrounds so Iwill miss you all! I will try to pop on if I can the laptop online there. Have a great weekend to all of you!

Hugs