I am back from my crazy vacation and have a new mission. That is right Kelley and I decided to try out for Biggest Loser Season 9. We are making a video and will be attending the live auditions in San Antonio on July 11. Any advice? I have been reading on-line tips from Holland. I really want to make a funny video. Thanks, Kristie

Well - I have been off my routine and totally stressed and I still lost. It was only .4 pounds but I will take it. 231 - SOOOO close to the 220s. I am going to weigh in again on Tuesday to see if I lose the last pound this weekend and maybe (fingers crossed) lose more than a pound and get into the 220s. I am going to the park, to walk and then to Austin to carve pumpkins (yes pumpkins) for a charity event and hang out with mom since dad is out of town. Taking my walking shoes and going to use their workout room that I hardly ever use when I am there. Not sure why I can't seem to fit it during my visits. Gonna get my mom on the pool to workout as well. I was thinking about what I was going to take to Florida and starting getting out healthy snacks. Not my usual for vacation but I was pretty impressed with myself at how much I wanted to have the healthy alternatives. My friends are junk food aholics so I will have to be careful and make sure I don't subconsciously start picking up their snacks. Off to "work it" Kristie

Hours of time wasted, over 1,000 down the toilet. For what? Stupid letters I wanted to add to my lousy resume. I took a class, I got the study materials, I studied and took practice tests. They changed the exam. I thought to myself, ok I know the old material, that should be enough to help me eek by. I was so wrong. Now I can't take the exam until December, have to buy new study materials and start from scratch. Breathing, breathing, breathing.... Failing gave me the energy to go walk 6 miles so there is some upside to this. OK no, I can't even put a positive spin on this. Kristie

I don't know why I do this to myself. A HUGE exam this Thursday and I find myself frantically cramming for it. I am a nervous wreck. I paid 615 just for the luxury to take this test and I CANNOT blow it. I only have to make 70% to pass. The problem is I signed up to take it in December and did not. I still have the study materials BUT they added new labor laws to the exam - for India, China, the EU and the UK. Hello....I don't work there. So, I have to do really well on the other parts to make up for the materials I don't have. Did I mention I was STRESSED? What does this mean? I was so on a roll last week with exercise but my backside has not left the books in days. I really wanted to kill it this week but I can't be out the money. I will pass, I will pass, I will pass. I will lose anyway, I will lose anyway, I will lose anyway (heck it is worth a try) Kristie

Boom Boom Pow! I LOST!!! 2.4 pounds. I am now 231.4. I sooooo want to be in the 220s by vacation. I have 12 days to do it. I need it, I want it, I can taste it. It is a holiday weekend which usually involves food. I have to have portion control and HAVE to work out. HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO. It is the key in my world. Luckily my vacation is in Florida where it is hot. I generally don't eat as much when I am hot for some reason so I just need to stay away from the AC and I will be fine. I told my friend who is driving and doing the shopping not to worry about me for snacks. I can't wait until next Friday's weigh in!!!!! Everybody have a rocking weekend. BOOM BOOM POW, how do you like me now? Boom Boom Boom..... Kristie

Hanging true with my NO EXCUSES vibe I have been walking all week in my back-up tennis shoes. My friend did not send the shoes like she said (again) so I have been trudging forward. I can barely walk tonight. I had to use first aid creme with lidocaine just to bear it. I am sure I will be fine in the morning but tonight I am not a happy camper. BUT - I walked a 10K today and weigh in is tomorrow. I just know I lost this week, even if just a pound. It will be worth it, blisters and all. I just hope the fluid in the blisters isn't adding poundage - LOL. Maybe I will rupture them (OUCH) before I weigh in. I will have to break down and buy some new tennis shoes this weekend. I just can't bear the thought of breaking them in though. No pain no gain! How many calories are in tequila? I will post my weigh-in results manana. Kristie

I went I don't know how long without logging or doing any exercises. Good grief. I went today to the park and walked 3 miles. I paced myself behind someone who passed me early on and stayed with her the whole way. For some reason when I got home my neck was killing me. That is what I get for being lazy. Suffer the consequences! I am back on track. I lost back the weight I had gained and am maintaining my whopping 7 pound loss. I am doing better with my food as well. This isn't the only area I suck in. I have a certification exam coming up on May 28 and I just can't seem to get myself to study any more for it. I paid 500 bucks to take this exam and can't get motivated?? Jerry said something on the BL finale that stuck with me. Let your mind go and everything else will take care of itself. My mind (me) is holding me back. I translate that to GET OVER YOURSELF. No excuses, no being lazy - JUST DO IT! I am so glad they are shooting BL 8 right now. I wonder when it will air. This fall I presume. YEA! That's all for now. Kristie

I am a yo-yo. What is going on with my weight and workouts? I lose, I gain, I lose, I gain. I haven't ended up where I started but this yo-yoing is nuts. It is my own fault. I have been yo-yoing with my diet and exercise so this is what I get. The important thing is not to give up. I am there. I need to get in a groove. It will be a total waste if I don't use this spare time to work on this. When else am I going to have free time? I had to force myself to go to the gym today and yesterday. Yesterday I didn't feel any better afterwards, but today I did. I was jamming to my tunes and totally feeling the workout. I just have to remember how much better I feel when I work out. I have said it before - just need a reminder today for some reason. I also need to remember how I feel when I don't eat well for a couple of days and then how I feel when I eat right. KRISTIE - HELLO??? anyone home? I think Tara will win Biggest Loser. Helen may grab it from her - but she is such a crybaby I hope not. Mikey is not focused enough yet. He is still young. I know some people don't like Ron because he was playing the game so his son would win. But it is a game and I am impressed that he stuck it out AND did the marathon. That is shear will power. I need some of that man. 3 weeks to Florida! I have that dress out on my couch where I watch TV and it reminds me to workout. Thanks for that Corey. I will wear that dress! Music makes the world go round. Kristie

I have 4 1/2 more weeks until my 15 day vacation and I just ordered a size 14 (W) dress to wear on it. I sure hope I can pull it off. The pressure is on now. It is so cute (on-line). It would be a shame if I couldn't pull it together enough to wear it. I mean, I don't have a freaking job or kids or a husband, pets or a house. WHAT IS MY EXCUSE? Well I am pretty lazy. But how lame is that? I have been out of work for 2 months and have lost 7 pounds. 240 was my biggest ever, you would think I would lose more quickly. It is supposed to fall off sort of easily in the beginning. ARGGHHH. I am so mad at me. I am blowing it. I will wear that dress, I will wear that dress! And have it fit. Time to start sweating my ass off, literally. Kristie

I knew I would. I could so tell. 2.6 pounds! whoo hooo! Yea me! GO Kristie, GO Kristie! No seriously - GO TO THE GYM. This week I was really good with food - next week I am going to rock the gym. I know I will lose again next week. Goal = under 200 by vacation in June. It is a lofty goal, but one I really want. BL comments - when did Helen turn into such an emotional wreck? I don't remember that from earlier. I guess all the diet and exercise can break your psyche a little. I love Kristin so I am glad she stayed. I loved how cocky Mike and his dad were about winning, but I think he has a big target on his back. You have to think and really believe you are going to win in order to win. Time to start exercising. (maybe after The View). Kristie

Of course I didn't figure out that you were supposed to ADD them to what you were already doing until he put up the 2 mile challenge. I thought 2 miles was way too easy. Well duh! It was time for Laura to go. Not sure why people were trying to pick off Kristin, she never has really lost a lot of weight and the skinny you get, the more each pound counts towards percentage of weight loss. Poor Matt. I bet he feels totally left out. Even his mom is skinny. And there is no quick fix for his pain. He can't just change and be like everyone else. Maybe it will be a wake up call and he will start to do something, even if it is small. I am a little afraid to weigh in this week. I was not good this past weekend. But it is what it is. I have been staring at the scale every time I go into the bathroom. Kristie