Blast away the Blubber cruise!!

[travelwith2]

We are on this cruise with you. Congratulations on the no pain and getting back on your weight loss plan. I myself would like to lose a little more before our trip....but I love ice cream... I have lost 8 pounds since the first of the year. We live in NW GA and received the snow too. I'm over this weather. In the last two weeks, our kids have only went to school twice... There is talk of extending the school year, but we leave for this trip the last day of school...so if they extend it....our girls won't be there. Anyway, I'm sure we are all ready for some Caribbean sun!

 

[lmhall2000]

We are on this cruise with you. Congratulations on the no pain and getting back on your weight loss plan. I myself would like to lose a little more before our trip....but I love ice cream... I have lost 8 pounds since the first of the year. We live in NW GA and received the snow too. I'm over this weather. In the last two weeks, our kids have only went to school twice... There is talk of extending the school year, but we leave for this trip the last day of school...so if they extend it....our girls won't be there. Anyway, I'm sure we are all ready for some Caribbean sun!

YAY!!!! So excited to meet you and will pray your daughters will be able to make it! That is not fair to plan and not bring the kids...maybe they could give up Spring Break so they can end on time CONGRATS on the 8 pounds! That is wonderful!! Save up on that ice cream craving for the self serve ice cream counter on Fantasy Then, eat all you want..you'll be walking MILES! We ended up with 6-8 inches of snow and tried to build a snow man but could not lift the balls onto each other...so we had to improvise

 

[travelwith2]

That is AWESOME! You guys are creative. We couldn't even get a snowman built today... The kids are definitely going on the trip. I meant they wouldn't go to school if it's extended. We are hoping they add time to each day like the past two years instead of adding days. Our oldest is beyond excited. This is our fourth Disney cruise, second time on the Fantasy. I haven't seen her this excited since her cheer team competed at nationals.

 

[lmhall2000]

That is AWESOME! You guys are creative. We couldn't even get a snowman built today... The kids are definitely going on the trip. I meant they wouldn't go to school if it's extended. We are hoping they add time to each day like the past two years instead of adding days. Our oldest is beyond excited. This is our fourth Disney cruise, second time on the Fantasy. I haven't seen her this excited since her cheer team competed at nationals.

Ha!! I'm glad I mistook it and your kids will skip school and not the cruise! HA! We are twinkies!! This is our fourth cruise and second time on Fantasy Too cool! My girls don't cheer but they compete at Irish dance and understand how much commitment it takes to get to Nationals We've never cruised any other line, not sure we would ever want to...but Disney is awfully close to pricing us out of their cruises Excited to see you all and sail the Caribbean!!!

 

[sager1969]

What an awesome snowman! I am glad you are able to train again. I have not been able to run for two years, but I am almost able to walk for awhile again. I damaged my right foot after surgery on my left. But, I have finally found a treatment that is healing. I am able to get on an elliptical again after 8 months. Hoping to get to train to run Castaway Cay 5K in August. That will be a goal. You are an inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

 

[lmhall2000]

What an awesome snowman! I am glad you are able to train again. I have not been able to run for two years, but I am almost able to walk for awhile again. I damaged my right foot after surgery on my left. But, I have finally found a treatment that is healing. I am able to get on an elliptical again after 8 months. Hoping to get to train to run Castaway Cay 5K in August. That will be a goal. You are an inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

Oh! So sorry for your injury, they are debilitating on so many levels...but having it lead you to an elliptical could be the best thing ever! I can't even last more than 5 minutes on that, it works all your body parts! Such a great workout..wish I had one My Dad said a man at his work gave him his for free and he loves it! This is from a man who used to run 5 miles a day but at 72 his joints started hurting...he said the elliptical is an awesome workout and he has worked up to 30 minutes which is about all he needs to keep everything running like clockwork You have a great deal of time to train for August...know that you can accomplish it and even if you run half/walk half..you can still complete it!! I'll be pulling for you!

 

[lmhall2000]

What a Fool Believes!

I have 24 hours to decide if I want to cancel the 8D or try and risk getting a lower cost with GT pricing...so far NO GT rates have been released for the May 1 cruise so I don't have apples to compare here. But based on my tracking for Feb/Mar/Apr Fantasy cruises...I've broken down the potential pricing...

IF IGT/OGT/VGT all become available at some point for May 16...these are looking like my best fares:


Two inside $5500 (Best possible $4527)

One inside/One Oceanview $5707

Two VGT $5819

I honestly would not want two Inside...my claustrophobia trumps my budget a little bit, but if the savings were almost 2k..I would suck it up and do inside. There is an off chance we could get that $4527 rate...it popped up in March and lower ones have popped up in April on the Magic...but it's a long shot. More than likely it would be the 5k and up range...I really would not want to pay 5500 for two IGT and have claustrophobia...never had the inside porthole...that might help a little, but now sure how much I can control that...if I could have an outdoor shot 24/7...And honestly, unless they were connecting it would put a damper on our trip. The whole point is to have a family vacation...we love spending time together and having re-cap conversations. If they are in their own room, and we have ours, it'd be a lot of knocking on doors..tracking down...we love ordering room service at night (usually Mickey bars/chocolate chip cookies/milk) and rehashing our day and adventures...some of my best memories! I'm not sure I can put a price on that..

So, I'm guessing we'll stay with the Oceanview, hope that by some fortune we might be pixie dusted to a Vgty and can enjoy some night time star gazing as a family. The 18th is a New moon night..so the stars should be brilliant if no clouds...hoping the captain or someone on that ship has a cool telescope we might be able to view the night by...I think that would be a cool 'event' I would even pay for...to hear about navigating by the stars (I know it's all electronic these days) but surely these navigators have to know a little something about it

Decision reluctantly made, a sigh of letting go of this control factor...now on to save $$ to afford this trip! Eating a good deal of soups/salads the next 75 days which should help my diet I stunk it up yesterday royally...did GREAT for breakfast (boiled egg/pineapple/strawberry/coffee) lunch was a slice of pizza and a coke! EEK! Then had Chick-Fil-A on the drive home...I always eat poorly when we travel (Irish dance competition). I did have an amazing 2 hour discussion with a fellow traveler in the lounge at the Hilton (I got the room free from doing a vacation deal with Hilton in December and it also afforded us Executive Lounge benefits)...he had just come off a flight from the Middle East...that intrigued me b/c I run a debate club and our policy is towards Middle East this year...he was an amazing man helping the girls think through some policy issues. At the very end of the conversation, I realized he was one of those special ex-Navy Seals who 'takes care' of a lot of our problems over there. He had lost two men in an ambush in December but he keeps going over there to do his 'work'...I thanked him that I was free because of the efforts he is making to keep peace in this world...I just don't see how those special men do it. He was headed out to drink right after...I'm guessing that's a part of it for him. God bless him.

 

[RooRach0906]

That is an awesome snow dragon!!!

Sounds like a good plan to stick with what you have. That would be cool event if they did something like that.

Depending on what you ate at ChickfilA it may not have been that bad. I normally get ChickfilA at least one a month and it hasn't killed my diet yet. (In fact I had it this past Wednesday)

Hope all is going well!

 

[lmhall2000]

Le Freak!

I realize I bring it on myself. I could psychoanalyze and think back to key episodes in my life where $$$ impacted me so negatively (or lack of it):

- the first and only time I bounced a check. I wrote a check for 89 cents in college for a cup of frozen yogurt. Yes, it bounced...the fee was $20...the fear/embarrassment of having to deal with my first bounced check and spending 20x what the yogurt should have cost left me with shallow breathing and weak knees.

- working so hard to pay for my first overseas trip (college spring break) by waiting tables at Pizza Hut in unforgiving brown polyester uniforms...landed roundtrip airfare from Atlanta-London for $149!! Booked a flat in London and rented a car with four of my friends for 10 days. I had my last paycheck coming to me that would provide spending/food money. There was a mix-up and my employer forgot to submit the check...I had NO money and the flight was the next day!!! My parents could only wire me $100 (money was tight and that was very generous!)...I had to travel to England for my first trip and manage to live on $100 for 10 days...luckily I had friends who would split a bowl of pasta with me I had to stretch every dollar of that, I remember splurging and buying a meal at McDonalds and I love ketchup, I had no clue they charged you 2-3pence for each packet!! That about tanked my shallow breathing and weak knees.

So when I'm faced with the opportunity to potentially save $$ I double/triple think it, I simply freak out. I was all resolved to keep our room, then MTO and FL rates popped up for two early May cruises...that made me start thinking GT would pop up for mine...I freaked out and called our travel agent..he recommended going with the sure thing (our existing reservation)...but for the hour I had to run all the scenarios in my head I freaked out.

I finally re-committed to our room..sigh. Now, I can't help but check daily for GT rates just to know how much I could have saved! It's insanity. I'm sure my poor TA was at a loss as to how to advise me.

I am also psychoanalyzing my eating, such a stress eater! Had a trifecta of stressful events hit this week..being able to just eat a slice of pizza is somehow soothing when the world around you is blowing a sloppy raspberry at you. So, the challenge continues...to pull back on that habit and build new ones. And let go of the fact I'll likely lose money on sticking with our 8D I'm quite okay with that, I'm peachy, I'm quieting the inner squeal that is irrational thinking

 

[RooRach0906]

Im sorry your having a hard time with the rates. I always just pray that I am making the right decision. (Nothing is to small for God.)

I can understand the stress eating I do it too. I hope you can eat some of your comfort food without gaining a pound.

 

[moko]

I can relate to the savings stress! For myself, I find that once I've booked, it's best to stop researching. It can be fun to find the best deal but sometimes sanity is worth more. It's almost like the work in planning is what makes me need a cruise!
Thanks for sharing your PTR! Can't wait to read more.

 

[ForMyBoys]

I enjoyed reading the report. The cruises help me lose weight too! We just got off the Fantasy and booked another 7 nighter for 11 months from now. My goal is to get to goal weight by then, which means I have to lose 46 lbs. In the past month I've lost 10. My DH and I have both been getting up at 6am and we do Jillian Michael's 30 day shred. It is 27min from beg to end including warm up and cool down, so very doable. But trust me I'm sweating bullets by the end and was very sore the first few days. Now its way easier and we have worked up to the second level.

Our last disney booking was VGT, but mostly because we decided in December to cruise in Feb and they were already released. Otherwise I need to know my rooms and prefer early dining so the savings are nice but its also nice to have control of the resi.

By the way, which cruise are you on and what is the itinerary? We just did our own "excursions" on St. Thomas and San Jaun so I can share what we did and the cost. Not sure if you have the same ports

 

[lmhall2000]

I enjoyed reading the report. The cruises help me lose weight too! We just got off the Fantasy and booked another 7 nighter for 11 months from now. My goal is to get to goal weight by then, which means I have to lose 46 lbs. In the past month I've lost 10. My DH and I have both been getting up at 6am and we do Jillian Michael's 30 day shred. It is 27min from beg to end including warm up and cool down, so very doable. But trust me I'm sweating bullets by the end and was very sore the first few days. Now its way easier and we have worked up to the second level.

Our last disney booking was VGT, but mostly because we decided in December to cruise in Feb and they were already released. Otherwise I need to know my rooms and prefer early dining so the savings are nice but its also nice to have control of the resi.

By the way, which cruise are you on and what is the itinerary? We just did our own "excursions" on St. Thomas and San Jaun so I can share what we did and the cost. Not sure if you have the same ports

Congratulations!! 10 pounds and really doable goal by your next cruise!! You must take pictures and share your journey before the next cruise! I think I may do exactly that, I'll get within 40 pounds of goal and book another on board for next April (daughter will be a senior this year) so that I can have a 'goal' to work towards! This has been a rough go, normally I stay focused and knock the weight off, but with the injuries I just have struggled so!

Yes! I love all Jillian's videos!! All the Extreme ones and I do work up a sweat! I need to pop those back in, the last trip I did a different each 30 days and it really helped melt the weight off. We are on the Western that goes to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. I would love to see San Juan! The cruise next year if we can do it would be Key West, Grand Cayman and one other...on the Magic..hoping it will give GT rates, that one we might have to wait for GT rates unless onboard booking helps us.

Keep up the GREAT work!! Keep me updated, it inspires me!!

Im sorry your having a hard time with the rates. I always just pray that I am making the right decision. (Nothing is to small for God.)

I can understand the stress eating I do it too. I hope you can eat some of your comfort food without gaining a pound.

I always feel guilty for having such a hard time with these silly little things, I guess it's a detractor from bigger things I'd just rather avoid...so in that case, maybe a much needed diversion I am pretty sure I put back on a pound with this week, but I am so excited to start anew today...this week was rotten for eating...

I can relate to the savings stress! For myself, I find that once I've booked, it's best to stop researching. It can be fun to find the best deal but sometimes sanity is worth more. It's almost like the work in planning is what makes me need a cruise!
Thanks for sharing your PTR! Can't wait to read more.

I need to chant this 3x daily...STOP LOOKING at the rates!!

 

[lmhall2000]

If You Don't Know Me by Now!!!

What a week, what a week.

We had another 'winter storm'...that wrecks my eating, I had no good groceries, just mac/cheese and potatoes...totally got sidetracked and thought it really wouldn't be bad so I missed my grocery run, we didn't have milk or bread. It was a challenge. I honestly did not overeat those two days, but just not the best options for weight loss.

Then I had the day from somewhere really hot and uncomfortable yesterday. Can't go into details (it would either bore you or leave you more angry..and neither I wish to do to anyone) but it was just one of those human communication days where tears, frustration, outrage, sadness, befuddlement, exasperation, 'OH Really?', despair, hurt, and incredulity seemed to repeat. Honestly, we humans can be so blindsided by our fears/expectations that it skews our perspective in a rotten way. I was the recipient of some very deliberate 'calling out' which was unwarranted and based on their hurt. I like to think I have an acceptable manner of communicating, but each time I tried I would be the receiver of some stinging poison darts. I think I can make an allegory that might help...

Minnie Mouse has been with Daisy Duck for several years in a cookie factory. Things have not been so easy, but Minnie is generally pretty forgiving and likes to whistle while she works. Daisy is consumed with a heavy load of responsibilities and lets the cookie factory be managed by Ursula. Minnie tries to love Ursula, but knows it just won't work, but she tries to avoid Ursula and just make the best cookies she can. Then one day, Elsa and Anna decide to make their own factory, they know that Minnie has struggled and ask Minnie to come to their factory. They are going through the motions to secure the new factory. Minnie decides she could make cookies and enjoy a bit more peace. Daisy finds out because Donald Duck's nephews are chattering that Minnie is leaving. Daisy fires off a 'good-bye' letter to Minnie before they know if the factory would be available. Minnie is hurt after making cookies for so long and thanks Daisy but then Daisy fires off many angry words saying Minnie had planned all this herself and was aiming to take all of Daisy's workers with her. None of which was true. Minnie tried to explain, but Daisy was already too hot.

All this to say I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies and I ate four of four them and one spoon of dough.

I was only going to eat two, but Grumpy was taking too long in the shower and I ate his. Yes, I am a stress eater!
It did get better, after hours of back and forth, Daisy realized she assumed too much and apologized. It was just so hard on Minnie to be misconstrued so negatively.

Now that chapter is over, I feel more motivated to get back to losing the strong way

 

[ForMyBoys]

Congratulations!! 10 pounds and really doable goal by your next cruise!! You must take pictures and share your journey before the next cruise! I think I may do exactly that, I'll get within 40 pounds of goal and book another on board for next April (daughter will be a senior this year) so that I can have a 'goal' to work towards! This has been a rough go, normally I stay focused and knock the weight off, but with the injuries I just have struggled so!

Yes! I love all Jillian's videos!! All the Extreme ones and I do work up a sweat! I need to pop those back in, the last trip I did a different each 30 days and it really helped melt the weight off. We are on the Western that goes to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. I would love to see San Juan! The cruise next year if we can do it would be Key West, Grand Cayman and one other...on the Magic..hoping it will give GT rates, that one we might have to wait for GT rates unless onboard booking helps us.

Keep up the GREAT work!! Keep me updated, it inspires me!!

Well I have pics from our cruise that just ended on 2/14 so I'm calling those my "before" pics. Maybe in another 10-15 I'll post a status update, but I'm really hoping the 2016 Fantasy cruise will capture all of our "after" pics then we can post those. My hubby also has over 50 lbs to lose. Our 2016 cruise is out of Port Canaveral and goes to Cozumel and Grand Cayman. If you are making it to Jamaica you be laving out of Miami right? I would love to take the kids on that one but they HAVE to HAVE the Star Wars cruise!

 

[lmhall2000]

Well I have pics from our cruise that just ended on 2/14 so I'm calling those my "before" pics. Maybe in another 10-15 I'll post a status update, but I'm really hoping the 2016 Fantasy cruise will capture all of our "after" pics then we can post those. My hubby also has over 50 lbs to lose. Our 2016 cruise is out of Port Canaveral and goes to Cozumel and Grand Cayman. If you are making it to Jamaica you be laving out of Miami right? I would love to take the kids on that one but they HAVE to HAVE the Star Wars cruise!

Can't wait to see your pics in your next loss headed to goal! Awesome!! My husband is half motivated, he has been on the treadmill this week with me, so that is good! Hope you and dh can enjoy next year's cruise at goal!! We sail out of Port Canaveral, it goes to Falmouth, Jamaica. Are the Star Wars cruises all on Fantasy or are some on Magic? I would like to take April 25th cruise next year, it's on Magic, just not sure if it's SW or not

 

[ForMyBoys]

I've only heard of Fantasy Star Wars cruises so far, but if its popular enough maybe they will expand? My best friend is also going with us so it will be a great trip. We should start a weight loss support thread

 

[lmhall2000]

I've only heard of Fantasy Star Wars cruises so far, but if its popular enough maybe they will expand? My best friend is also going with us so it will be a great trip. We should start a weight loss support thread

YES!! I used WISH for most my weight losses, I think there is a cruising weight loss thread, maybe we could make a GOAL Disney cruise weight loss...I won't make it to goal by this cruise, but hopefully by next April! I need all the encouragement I can get, and it helps me to stay focused when I have a team of losers needing to see it 'CAN' be accomplished It's easier for me to lose if I know I'm helping someone else than myself, if that makes any sense!!

And so fun to go with your best friend!! We are bumming big time because dear friends we made on our last cruise won't be able to come on this one, but we're planning on joining them next year..it will be AMAZING!!! Friends make life soooo 'special' + 'precious' + 'AMAZING'

 

[lmhall2000]

DANCING QUEEN

One of my all time favorite songs and a big reason getting this weight off is a challenge, but one I plan on defeating! For over five years, both daughters competed in Irish dance, this year our oldest hung up her softshoes to focus on her writing and helping me train the horses. The youngest has stuck with it and is going for the upper levels so that means more practices, dedication, events, etc. We travel about 8x a year to competitions, 2-3x a week to her classes (about 2 hours away), and around St. Pat's Day, the list grows long...if I only danced as much as she did, this weight would have been off years ago. I am hoping when I get within 20 pounds of goal, I'll put on my own softshoes and try the adult classes, such a great form of exercise, but tough on the knees so until I get some weight off...it'll be low impact There is a 75 year old dancer at her school that inspires the who out of me! She's just amazing! However, I am just not great with travel food. I have three travel events happening between now and the cruise...my goal is to stick hard and fast to my eating plan in spite of it. There are options to eating on the road that are healthy, and most hotels have treadmills..so I know it 'can' be done, but my history has been poor eating at these events.

I still have not weighed...it's a mind game. Once I am securely below 200 I know I'll weigh weekly but until I reclaim that I just can't go there. I have made good eating choices about 80% of my days the past 2 weeks...and for sure stayed under 2000 calories on the bad days...but I know to lose consistently, I can't have fried chicken fingers even if it's on a salad...need to stick to grilled or broiled. I have managed a minimum of 5 hours of workouts in the past two weeks, so that is a good trend! I did a 2 hour hike on Saturday up a mountain, (well, it's called a mountain, but probably only gained 800' in the climb), okay looked it up and it says the elevation is 1,495 feet...so maybe I climbed 1200 feet...the trail only went to about 200 feet from the top, and I being the 'adventuring' mind thought it would be cool to go off trail to reach the summit...I did that for about 150 feet and it was so steep I could not go further, so passed my phone to the dancer and let her legs carry it up to get pictures Going down was harder! Lots of sitting/sliding on rocks and holding onto trees! But I definitely got a workout!

Still no room assignment, I check weekly, I also have caved and checked GT rates weekly. Had we been able to go on the Magic like we thought before son's rowing schedule hiccupped, the total cost for OGT would have been 5k. No IGT yet for May cruises but VGT for the first three, none for the 16th yet. I know we did the right thing by not booking GT this go round, but still can't stop checking!

The highlight of this month was dancing daughter performing on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry! All that hard work really inspires when they achieve experiences like these. Of course, it was for their St. Patrick's day performance.

I will be trying to dance some of these lingering pounds off these next 8 weeks!!

 

[RooRach0906]

I haven't been doing as well lately but we both can do it! We can and will get back to our plans stick with it and lose the weight.

I love the idea of doing dance classes. I am hoping to do this same this fall when DD starts school. I was hoping to do barre classes tho.