Today's weigh-day number, 167.5, is probably the result of skimpy eating yesterday and furious cleaning this morning. We had a sort of gathering and meal at work yesterday morning and I did my eating there. By lunch, not only was I too busy to get lunch but I was still full from the morning meal. I didn't eat again until close to 7:00pm and it wasn't much; white rice and pot stickers. I then allowed myself a few of my hubby's Salt and Vinegar Lays (which were divine) and a glass of South African Shiraz. It was divine, too. I love the after-taste or the flavors that linger on your palate after drinking Shiraz. I think it's my favorite red.

For the next few days, I'll be home and I'm thrilled! This morning, I've been cleaning like a mad woman. My house was, to put it frankly, disgusting. So, I vacuumed, mopped, polished, dusted and scrubbed. My house now has that lovely pine smell and my feet no longer stick to the kitchen floor. I've got a candle burning, so soon it will smell like spice and pumpkin pie. Tomorrow, I'll take it easy...expending my energy only on the dessert I will make and take to my mother's. Friends are supposed to be coming, so it should be nice; however, I'm worried about the state-of-mind my sister is in. She could destroy the day for everyone with just a word.

Finally, we'll be getting our tree today (probably from Home Depot) but I'm going to run to Tai Pan Trading to see if they have any worth looking at. I can't spend any money today (Unfortunately...fortunately). I just took a look at my account and it is beyond scary. If someone tries to cash a check, they're going to be in for one rude awakening. I hope our pay checks post tonight otherwise, I'm going to have to rob from my savings to save my butt from bounce heaven. Oh, the holiday shopping!

Well, pretty dang good if I must say so myself. I wore a size 8, black velvet dress to church yesterday, similar to the one on the right but with a much more flattering neckline. I was actually quite surprised at how well it fit. Of course, it is velvet and has quite a bit of give. The nice thing was that, even with the give, there weren't tons of rolls accentuated by that velvet. I was quite pleased. I even bought gel inserts for my goal shoes and wore them with the dress. I'm sure other people noticed, but no one really commented except my mother.

My weight this morning was 167 and I'm pleased but I'm a bit concerned about the impending holiday. I don't think that I'll gorge. We have outside guests coming and that always helps to put my eating in check. No one wants to look like a big sow in front of company. My plan is to weight train that morning...get my metabolism up running high enough to combat any extra calorie consumption for the day. Perhaps I should plan on an extra 15 or 20 minutes on the elliptical the day before, too. It couldn't hurt. I'm off that day and I think I can find something to amuse the kids for an hour or so.

My mother is currently in a six and is having a devil of a time trying to find things to wear. She doesn't wear trendy clothes, which is why it's so difficult for her. I hadn't even thought of that! I know Ann Taylor carries smaller sizes, but they're rather expensive. Macy's is good about tiny clothes and she's picked up quite a few things from there. I also suggested Ross Dress for Less and reminded her about that awesome discount she gets (senior citizen), but they tend to be a bit trendy too. Besides that, you have to sort of go in with the idea that you're going to spend some time there. You gotta dig for what you want.

I wondered, as she was telling me about her plight regarding the search for the smaller sizes. Will I have this to worry about in the future? I've never been a six (always wanted to be one, though) and I think it would be terrific to be able to get into things labeled small for a change. I don't mind the trendier stuff, as long as it's not too naked. Could I be one of those shopping at 5*7*9 or WetSeal in the future? Oh, yeah. They tend to be on the naked side of trendy.

There's a store in our local mall called Mariposa that has some of the cutest dresses I've ever seen, but I've always been to big to wear them (I think it's a teen store, but I can wear teen clothes when I'm this size and smaller). Perhaps that's something to reach for. Hey, I feel a goal item in the works. Which reminds me, it's time to do those again. My other goals are nearly reached and it's time to strive for even "leaner" and better things:

• 35lbs (159) - New Perfume (more KL or Caesar's woman) Goal! Thursday, April 10, 2008 - 159.2
• 40lbs (154)- Time for new pair of shoes - Mary Jane's or Steve Madden's
• 45lbs (149)- New dress from Mariposa (or some other shop for smaller folks)
  
• 50lbs (144) - a new bikini from Carabella

If I happen to go past the fifty pound mark, I'm thinking I would have earned myself a ticket to Lasix Land. My hubby shouldn't be the only one in the house no longer sportin' the spectacles.

The happy 160s are still here and the magic number on the scale was 169, so I wore my shoes...and they were too big. *Sigh* I still wore them and got lots of compliments and felt fabulous, but I'm bummed because they are in my size, they just fit a bit wide for me. I think if I put in an insert that will help but I can't be sure. I don't want to ruin the inside of my shoes if it's not going to make a difference in how they fit.

I worked out yesterday morning and did okay. I wasn't out of breath, like I thought I would be, and I kept it up around a half hour. I did the same this morning and am thinking that I might try my weight training on Saturday. I think that's what is making the difference in how I look and how things are fitting on me (I'm in a ten, by the way...and it's not strangling me or too tight). Hubby even said, "Hey, those are loose!" Who knew! I think it's all those lunges and "up and down" on the 12" stool. Talk about but-kicking exercises! Seriously!

Anyway, I am happy to be back in the 160s but, as they say, we're never satisfied. I keep thinking, This is where I got stuck the last time. Will I crest into the 150s or am I destined to stay in the 160s for the rest of my life? I guess time will tell. I haven't hit up my program with hubby yet nor have I changed my eating habits to that of a figure competitor. Phew! That's going to be rough when I do. I just can't get excited about tuna and oatmeal everyday. I suppose I have to change my thinking to that of food being for nutrition and not necessarily for pleasure. And, it's not forever. It's me attempting to reach a goal. If I do...if I do...when I do.

So, the 160s are mine...but I paid a dear cost to get them. I acquired strep throat again and, of course, you can't eat when your throat feels like you've been practicing sword swallowing. TOM also appeared, so it's doubly hard to tell if I made it on my own or through water-weight loss. TOM is so dang cruel to me when it comes to water. I hold onto it for dear life...not because I want to, of course.

I had almost completed a full week of workouts when the throat-closing-up thing started last Thursday afternoon (see my other post for the details of the sickness and it's progression). I'm glad that I'm feeling better now and I'm actually looking forward to working out. Hubby says I could try it tomorrow...gently. What does that mean? Fifteen rather than thirty minutes or half the regular weights I use? Oh, well. I guess I'll just listen to my body and try not to push it.

I'll post that wonderful number here (168), but the true weigh day is tomorrow. I hope the 160s are still with me tomorrow as well. I may very well strut in here with my fab shoes.

I've been hitting the workout out videos hard, as of late (the Firm Standing Legs and Upper Body, mostly). Not much change in my weight, but plenty of changes in my body. I know you're supposed to be pleased with body changes, but I'd really like that number to go down much further. Hubby says 80% of it is diet. I guess I'd better start tweaking that...and for me, that means eating more and more often (perish the thought!).

I am always transfixed by the statement above. A video instructor is huffing through the last set or the last few reps and exclaims, "You're almost there!" as if that's going to make getting through those last delt flies, squats or crunches any easier or faster. I suppose it helps some and there's the encouragement that you've nearly completed your exercises, I guess. I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that one out because I'm heading right into another set, just after I finish the ones that I'm "almost there." Can't they just say, "One more!" instead. (Oh, I guess they do say that.)

My water intake has been sporadic. Some days, I get in the whole 2.3 liters. Other days, it's half that or a third. I try to remember my L-Carnitine (which makes a huge difference) but I sometimes forget. I need a way to remember it, but I don't want to leave them here at work. I'm seriously in need of more. I guess when I buy more, I won't be so hesitant in leaving them here in the office where I can see them.

The goal shoes seem so far off, again. I'm not even bordering the 160s. I fluctuate now between 173, 173.5 and 174...depending on my water intake, the salt intake, what sort of workout I've done, etc.... I'm just not ready to start eating oatmeal, egg whites and tuna like it's going out of style. I suppose I better get ready, if I want to see the changes I'm after. I know I'm taking in way too much salt. Mostly because of the instant meals I eat for lunch and all of the prepackaged food we have. Gotta go natural. That's what my mother has done (although she's not inhaling egg whites or oatmeal) and she's down to a size four! Maybe I'll do a variation on what she's doing. She's eating lots of raw veggies (which I like), fruit (depends on what type) and very little bread (again, perish the thought). I'll keep working on it and maybe, just maybe I'll make a dent in those 160's yet!