Good morning
TEAM MICKEY!
It will be fun to have a little mini-BL meet at PCC soon,
Tracey and
Liz!
Well, here is something I haven't said in a very long time:
I think I drank too much!!! 
Sounds like a promising smoothie to help keep you full in the morning.
Yes, I'm feeling a bit unmotivated, like some others. BUT just because I'm feeling that way, doesn't mean I'm acting that way.
Way to keep on keepin' on, even if you aren't feeling it,
Linda! 
Or as my friend,
Rose, says "fake it 'til you make it baby!" I saw an article on NPR or someplace this week that said you can make yourself feel better just by smiling.
Melinda, great job on the more intense workout!
It's good to have people to help give you a little nudge -- otherwise I would have a tendency to rest on my laurels.
Did you see the aurora borealis at your house this week?
I saw a newsclip that was from your neck of the woods. We occasionally get them here but I've never seen them -- it's usually too cloudy on the good nights.
So how do you get back on track schedule wise but still put you first in terms of your workout and weight loss goals?
I don't really have an answer, so I'm looking for guidance!
Me neither but here is an excerpt from a sparkpeople article that might help called "Is Your Weight Loss Puzzle Missing a Piece?"
When it comes to succeeding at weight loss, knowing what to do is only half the battle. The real challenge is sticking with your healthy lifestyle in the midst of all the other responsibilities you have on your plate. Even with hard work and self-discipline, it's easy to get tripped up by pitfalls like emotional eating, waning motivation, and erratic weight fluctuations without a good game plan.
On your road to weight loss, you will encounter a few major triggers that I like to call the three Os
overwhelm, overload, and overeating. The first two Os-- overwhelm and overload-- both create incredible challenges for new habits and lifestyle changes by triggering the third O--overeating. When you are stressed, your biochemistry makes you hungry. When you dont take the time to care for yourself in other ways, food can tempt you as an easy-to-reach stress relief, or a way to energize and keep going.
Heres what you need to know.
Having a food or fitness plan is not enough. If you dont address the three Os, you are setting yourself up to fail at weight lossno matter what plan or approach you choose.
Regardless of how motivated they are, many people fumble a few weeks into their weight loss plans because they are missing one crucial component. There is a strategy that can help you get right to the source of your weight problems, and as an added bonus, it addresses those pesky three Os that can make everything else seem like too much work.
The ingredient that may be missing from your weight loss plan is called self-care.
Self-care is not a luxury: it is a crucial part of the weight loss equation. Self-care nourishes and soothes your soul and your spirit in a way that carbs never will. Your self-care goes far beyond good nutrition and includes adequate sleep, support, time for comfort and relaxation, physical activity, stress release, and maybe a shoulder to cry on after a tough day. Self-care is usually a work in progress, and for busy women who expect a lot of themselves, it often gets neglected.
Big mistake.
Self-care is essential. Like an athlete preparing for a major race, you need to be in prime form, especially when life demands a lot of you while you are taking on challenges like weight loss and lifestyle changes.
Ignoring self-care (or letting your needs fall to the bottom of your priority list), doesnt mean your needs go away. Instead, it means that you are very likely to try to tend to them in ways that dont really fix the problem and may sabotage your progress.
How often have you reached for food when what you really craved was some other nourishment for your spirit? Emotional eating includes eating due to stress, boredom, or as a reward for a job well done. Emotional eating (which can be a big cause of overeating, weight gain, and diet failure) is really an ineffective (but tempting) substitute for self-care. It can take over your life big time if you are overloaded and overwhelmed. If you are committed to creating peace with food and want to achieve lasting weight loss, make a commitment to self-care and start taking these doable steps to put yourself on your priority list.
Quick and Easy Ways to Jump-start Your Self Care
I know you are busy. Dont worry. Self-care doesnt need to take over the rest of your life. In fact, when you give yourself what you really need, you are likely to be more energized and productive.
You can start spiffing up your self-care routine today with three simple acts.
1. Create a habit of checking in with yourself. This is how you will stay connected with yourself and start identifying the care that you really need. Journaling is an excellent way to do this. If writing just isnt your thing, schedule ten minutes at the start of your day to sit or walk quietly and reflect on your needs and priorities. This may not come easily at first, but gradually, you will become more aware of what you need and how you feel. Self-care means paying attention to your needs and addressing them directly, instead of avoiding them or resorting to habits like overeating or procrastination.
2. Start putting you on your priority list. Dont add more stress. Take small steps. Put yourself on your calendar--plan and commit to meeting your needs. Set a goal of doing one lovely thing for yourself daily. It doesnt have to be major, just something that works that self-care muscle. Put flowers on your desk, take a short walk at lunch, or make time to call a friend and share a laugh.
3. Give yourself time to get comfortable. Dont feel silly if self-care doesnt come naturally at first. Many busy people have more experience taking care of others than they do with taking care of themselves. Dont let guilt stop you. Make a list of all the ways you function and serve the world better when you give yourself what you need. Learn and tweak as you try things out.
Self-care is an ongoing process, and as you get better at it and start really meeting your needs, some of those vices like overeating will have much less power. You'll find the three Os showing up less often, and when they do, you'll be better able to respond effectively. That's the real key to making changes that last.
Here is a link to the whole article if you are interested.
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=is_your_weight_loss_puzzle_missing_a_crucial_piece
Oh and don't forget your weigh ins today!!!!!!!
Thanks for the reminder,
Buffy! 
Yes! I am so looking forward to this challenge, even if I am doing it solo....
Jeff Galloway was great, there was only a handful of us at first - there was a pre-seminar run. And he asked if we had any specific questions. I told him I thought Disney should have more stuff for the 5K during Marathon weekend - no shirts or anything...but then my mom brought up my bra issue....he pretty much referred to his wife on that one - LOL!!
And well, I don't think he has a STRONG accent, but yes I hear southern accents often. But I work for a global company, and am surrounded by northern accents, french accents, indian accents and even some chinese....
I like Barbara Galloway, too, she is very nice and knowledgeable. The bra thing is a trial and error one I'm afraid. I have the very expensive Enell but it is not my favorite. I rotate and use a lot of Body Glide. I'm hoping as I get closer to my goal it will get easier. I also really like the New Balance tops with the built in bra -- just be sure you get black and not white.
We don't hear so many accents in our neck of the woods so maybe it is more noticeable to me.
Every race I've run has been by myself so I know what you mean. It's nice to have only yourself to depend on and not worry about holding someone else back. As you do more and more you will feel more comfortable. If you can get yourself used to the Galloway "run happy" idea right off the bat I think that would be very helpful.
A lot of my running at first was scared or freaked out and trust me it was no fun at all.
That actually sounded good until you said spinach! I may have to try it though, need a new blender first.
ITA I'm not too excited about drinking bright green stuff.
Susan, glad the new scale and new skateboard are working out. It is a process figuring all this stuff out for sure!
BRB trouble with the smilie police.
Just don't have the time to catch up on quotd's though.
I hope you have a big, old whoosh soon! 
The really good news is that ONE-derland is literally right around the corner. Apparently I need another few days to contemplate this big milestone I've been longing for forever! 
Sending her lots of 
and good thoughts for a speedy recovery! 
