Evening friends!
How has your day gone?
Yesterday went well... thanks for asking.
Have you been successful today?
I ate on plan and did a full 60 minutes on the TM complete with sprint intervals and 5 pound hand weight work during the slower walking portions. I got two loads of laundry done, beds made, some picking up done, plus a few pages completed for a scrapbook. Overall I would call Thursday a successful day!
Have you been kind to yourself?
I guess that hour on the TM while watching Survivor was kind enough!
It's not too late! You've got a few hours left until bedtime to make good choices and get in a little exercise if you missed it earlier. Heck, if you even take a few minutes to plan your food & exercise for tomorrow you are ahead of 98% of people!
I didn't write it down, but I did mentally plan my foods for today. I usually allow myself a few carbohydrate splurges on Friday and/or Saturday. This morning's splurge was a half a light wheat cinnamon raisin english with 1 tsp. of Simply Fruit blackberry spread, in addition to my cottage cheese and fruit. MMMMM!
Pamela, your daughter sounds so polished and cute!!! Hope you enjoyed the day to yourself and got alot accomplished.
She did look polished and cute!
Today was a bit less polished (slept an extra few minutes, so no make-up or hair straightening), but still cute!
I did my 45 minutes of cardio at the Y after work and unpacked a few more boxes. Tomorrow our storage items come and I have to take the day off work to receive them. I hope we get alot done this weekend. I don't like living amongst all this mess. I'm tempted to just rush through putting things anywhere I can find a space in the house and then going back through rooms later to fine tune them. DH is not giving my much help - he keeps saying none of these things are MINE! Yea, you don't use dishes, towels, sheets, pictures, rugs, have a son, etc. ARRRGGGHH
Sounds like most of us are just chillin this weekend. I'll be back on in the morning for the QOTD. Have a great evening!
S.S.
Unpacking sounds like plenty of cardio work to me! Plus 45 minutes at the Y!!
DO NOT give in to the temptation to just put things anywhere to have them out of the way! FIND A GOOD HOME for everything the first time around. Sure, there may be a few things that you end up moving, but TRUST ME, start out right!! I swear.... there are STILL things in stupid places around this house and we have lived here for 17 years! It seems like once something gets into a spot, it doesn't leave!! I GET the stress from the mess! Messes make me NUTTY!! But do it right the first time to save yourself grief in the long run!!
I'm off for the long weekend. I swear this felt like the longest week ever.
I am planning a food and clothing drive at the elementary school to benefit the local homeless shelter. So many people lost everything and those of us that didn't can certainly spare some of what we have. I feel better being proactive in the solution. Tomorrow Nick and I will volunteer in one of the hardest hit parts of town. It is less than a mile from my family's camp. My Dad and SIL went today and they said that there is so much more that needs to be done. This weekend we will most likely volunteer as a family. I guess I will get plenty of exercise.
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DANG IT! I literally took ALL of DS's school clothes from last year to the Goodwill on Wednesday!!!

I would have been happy to bring them up to you!!
I will definitely look around and see if there is any more I can dig up around here. Let me know when the drive will be and if there is ANY WAY I can bring stuff, I will!!
Walked 1.5 miles at the track with Brian tonight while Izzie practiced soccer. Met up with a mom of one of our former players and I may tutor her child in math. Took her to a tutoring company that charges $50 an hour and they want to see her 4 days a week! I offered to tutor for half of that! Looking forward to checking out the new math series the schools are using!
Gotta get back to helping Ash refresh her memory on the flute!
TTFN
Tutoring money would be great.... it would be nice to have the extra$$ and you would be doing the family a big favor, I'm sure!
The farmer's market was a let down. There weren't a lot of booths, and we got there an hour into it so a lot of the good food was gone. I did get a bag of mixed fruit with apples, plums, and peaches. I asked for pears but not nectarines but they gave me the nectarines and no pears.
Sorry the market didnt work out for you. I'm planning to hit our little local farmers market when I pick up DD today. Hopefully I can find some squash and cukes (stem borers got our plants
) and some local peaches and pears.
The bad thing about only having internet in the living room is that I just keep running to the kitchen and eating. We also got chinese for dinner before the farmer's market.
Congrats to all the losers!
Move away from the kitchen!!!
Wow!!!!! My week has been up and down I ate a little too much two nights in a row. Does ovulation make you hungry? It sure made my belly hurt.

I am not exercising enough, but do run around a lot at work. I work in a very large power plant with lots of floors and elevators that are known for breaking down. LOL Still trying to push down enough water. It is all I drink except for the occassional Skinny Vanilla Latte and a Fuse now and again.
I really appreciate the support here. This site rocks! I also met my goal of getting into my Tigger Jeans and Shirt and my Alice in Wonderland pants in time for Disney. 10 days left!!!!
Not sure if ovulation makes me hungry, but it makes me pretty miserable, so I can sympathize.
YEAH on meeting your goal!!
I didn't participate in any of the "Clean up the Clutter" posts during this challenge, but better late than never, right?
I'm thinking ahead to the fall/winter and suspect that most of my clothes from last year will be too big and I'll be making some bags up for Goodwill. (I'm down over 20 pounds and about 10 inches since last Winter.)
Here's the problem - I always tend to buy too many clothes. I am guilty of finding something I like and buying it in EVERY color. I also buy too many things that are very similar to other things I own.
Since I am going to be almost "starting from scratch", I'm curious as to what your opinions are in terms of what makes an adequate wardrobe. (How many pairs of jeans, sweaters, etc.)
(Keep in mind that right now I am out of work, so I'm not factoring any work clothes into the mix. Once I am working again, I'll deal with that based on dress code, etc. )
I also hope to continue to lose weight, so I don't want to buy a lot of things - just the basics and/or things that I can still wear while losing.
Curious as to what you guys think.
Well.... know you got a few good responses, but I'll chime in here.
First of all.... if you are still a few sizes away from your goal weight, I would consider thrift stores and consignment stores for a wardrobe. I've had to "start over" with my wardrobe a few times in the past few years and I've found the Goodwill to be a great resource. But you really need the time to pick through and time to try EVERYTHING on. But there is plenty of good quality stuff out there if you look (Gap, Coldwater Creek, Ann Taylor, Talbots, etc).
If the nearest Goodwill/thrift store isn't great, move on to another one. Check the yellow pages for thrift stores and consignment stores near you.
Don't bring home stuff that is stained or needs repair.... chances are the stain will NEVER come out and, unless you are very handy, the repair will never be quite right (the exceptions to this rule are missing buttons and hemming). If it IS missing a button or the hem is coming down and you still want it, point out the defect and ask for a discount. Usually they will discount it 50%, but it is considered a final sale.
Check EVERY zipper/button/snap/hook to be sure they work properly. Look everything over carefully for stains, rips, etc.
If you are starting from scratch, try to buy basics (as others pointed out) and make OUTFITS right from the start. It is okay to buy just a piece here or there if you are trying to fill out an existing wardrobe, but if you are starting fresh, you need outfits.
I consider bottoms BASICS.... I can get through an entire season with one pair of black pants, one pair of tan or khaki pants, one pair of brown pants, one pair of navy or grey pants, and two pairs of jeans. If you want/need to wear skirts, then one black, one brown, one grey/navy/green whatever, and maybe one denim??
I also use LOTS of plain t-shirts/jerseys (long and short sleeve.... Old Navy is a great resource for these) and I layer them with vests, jackets, blazers, cardigans, button-down shirts, scarves, etc.
One good basic plain dress in a dark color is handy too. I have one that is sleeveless in black and a 3/4 length sleeve in a deep plum. I can wear them literally ALL YEAR ROUND (by adding a jacket or cardigan in the winter). They've come in handy for funerals, meetings, parties... you name it! And I probably paid about $30 each for them at Target last year. I can dress them up or down, depending on the jewelry, shoes, etc. But a basic black knee length skirt could do the same I suppose.
Round out this wardrobe with a few basic jackets (I prefer the "denim jacket" type style) in some basic colors and a few fun colorful scarves, necklaces, pins, etc.
If you add just a few real "statement" pieces to this (printed tops, bold necklaces, funky shoes), you should have enough to really get started.
It is a LOT LESS painful to get rid of stuff that you paid $5 a piece for when you get too small for it. Have fun!!!
- Laura
Good morning LOSERS and welcome to FRIDAY


Quick QOTD and then I'll be back on later.....
QOTD Friday Sept 2, 2011:
With the Fall TV shows starting up in a few weeks, do you have a new show you are interested in checking out? An old favorite you can't wait to start back up? Or, are you not a TV watcher?
I can't wait to see BL

and I think the Pan Am stewardess show looks interesting......
Make it a great day and I hope to get a chance to come back on later today
S.S.
I don't watch a ton of TV, but I do love reality TV. I cannot wait for the new Survivor.... been a fan of that show since day #1!
Also looking forward to this next Biggest Loser and Amazing Race. And, once I finish watching season 2 on DVD, I am looking forward to Glee. DD got me hooked on that through Netflix this past spring. We watched The GLee Project, this summer, so we are excited to see Samuel and Damian on the show this year! THat's it!
oops..............forgot to say CONGRATS to all our biggest losers and to Santori for winning the Summer challenge
Laura, for a basic wardrobe that did not require work clothes I would start with
-2 pr jeans
-1 pr khakis
-1 pr dress slacks
-5 blouses or tops
-2 sweaters
-1 versatile jacket
-1 nice dress or skirt (This could come from thrift store as needed)
-workout clothes!!
This would be about the minimum I could get by with. However, I'm like you and tend to overbuy. It would be hard for me to only buy just these pieces.
It seems like clothing is so cheap now compared to what I grew up with and there are always sales and coupons. Hard to resist. I buy in multiple colors too when I find something I like.
But since you are still losing, you are smart to just buy what you can get by with for now.
Be back later taters
Your list is a great place to start. I too tend to buy multiples if I find something I like (usually something like t-shirts at Old Navy). In fact, I just bought the same shirt in two colors at ON this week.... and wouldn't you know.... Kate Gosselin wore these same shirts on her show (Kate plus 8) this past Monday!!! Who knew she was an ON shopper? (But I bet I paid less!)
Laura, I liked Shawn's list and I'll make a couple of comments below. Do get rid of your larger sizes when you are able so you have nothing to go back to. That was one of my problems this summer.

I have nothing but smaller sizes now.
I agree with this! As you outgrow it, get rid of it!
Also, sign up for promotional emails and/or on Facebook from stores that you like. You'll get emails all the time for sales and free shipping. I just bought 3 long sleeve tshirts, 3 short sleeve tshirts, a running bra and a running skirt for $90 and free shipping from JC Penney. I am so excited because
they were regular sized clothes, not plus sized!
WOOHOO for regular sizes!! I get coupons all the time from Victoria's Secret (yeah for free panties) and Coldwater Creek.... and now I've signed up for Kohl's email alerts, so I've been getting coupons from them. And I don't use my ON card much, but I got a $5 reward from them this month as well.
I like your list here,
Shawn. 
I would add a couple of pairs of black jeans. Also, a few long sleeve tshirts and turtlenecks. Ribbed turtlenecks can be dressed up or down as needed. I find the workout clothes are taking up a larger part of my wardrobe these days.
Have a great day all!
OOooh. I agree with the black jeans. THey are comfy, like jeans, but look much dressier.
I must disagree with the turtlenecks though. I think when I was heavier, the t-necks always made me look like I had no neck and was just a big pumpkin head on my chubby torso. I think v-necks elongate your neck area and really slim you down (ooohh.. do I sound like Stacey and Clinton???) Just MHO though.
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Morning friends! The scale was NOT my friend this morning, but since I KNOW in my heart I had a great week, I"m trying not to dwell on it. Other than my dinner on Saturday (burger, pasta salad, dessert) I had a GREAT week! And I hit the TM really hard three or four times. And TOM is nearly gone, so all together, the scale should have been GREAT this morning. But I'm moving forward from here.
I've had a nice productive morning. One load of laundry folded, both kids fed and out the door, trip to the dump with all of the trash and recycling (plus a few boxes that have been lingering in the basement). Nice healthy breakfast made for DH and myself. And I've read all my emails and caught up here. So far so good!
Robotics team meeting here today. FLL is releasing the rules/regulations/points for this year's competition, so today will be exciting as the kids find out this information and can REALLY start programming the robot and planning for the missions!
Just found out that DS's first soccer game is next weekend, out of town, at exactly the same time as DD's tri-athalon. Not sure what we will do yet. I did tell DS he will have OTHER games, but the tri is only one day and not to be sad if we miss his game (he could get a ride there and back with another family). But of course, we will be so torn. Plus my parents were coming up to watch the tri and THEY will feel bad too if they have to miss his game. Dang it.... I hate it when this stuff happens.
Well.... the sun is coming out, so I will get my load on the line....

I wasn't sure about it cause the day was so cloudy to start.
Gotta get the kitchen floor mopped and the downstairs vacuumed before robotics today too.
TTYL......................P