BLITZ XII Jan1 thru March 31 2013.

[flatferenghi]

i am enjoying the cold weather, though. i have a paor of fur-lined speedos in my carry all (it is NOT a purse! it's EUROPEAN!). I figured it will cover me for all weather possibilities. Good soup weather though. F-23 days to go-F

[Gibby]

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr, Abi, that sounds cold! And, I know 70 sounds warm, but isn't.

ff, fur lined speedos?! Conjurs up quite the mental picture

Today, we are breaking another warm temperature records - 83 is the projected high. Brother!

Tony, Jen, Jennifer, Vicki, Artie.....where are you????

Hey, if some of you aren't posting because you haven't stayed on plan, I have totally gone off the wagon this week - Mexican food, Chinese, Italian...I just went berserk. Now, back on plan....

TTYL

[flatferenghi]

i am not as structured as i would like to be, but staying lc and watching portions. they are not as skimpy as the WW people would like, but not in the binge mode either. AND, my pants are getting looser, so i know i am doing something right. Once i retire, i will have more time to fine tune my plan and enhance my cooking skills. there are so many sweet and savory lc recipes in LCFs food porn area, i would need a dozen lifetimes to try them all. FF

[Abigale]

FF, I am also happy not to be in the binge mode. Had that scary weak session earlier in the week but seem to be back in lc mode.

Need to leave early today because I have to get gas. Hope everyone has a great Thursday!

[flatferenghi]

i hope Tony's doing all right. i will be able to exhale when he checks in with us again. Ditto with Artemis and Vicki. Let us all be well, and stay in the loop. F-22 more days to go-F

[vli1127]

I am here, not on track. Packing more this weekend and students are doing great.

[Abigale]

FF, I am worried about Tony also. I am hoping it is just computer problems and he does not have the flu or something.

Vicki, hope you are not getting too worn out with working and having to pack too! It is such alot of work to pack and move to another location. How far is it from your old house to your new house?

This bitter cold is really getting to us all in my area. Noticed a can of diet soda that was in our mudroom that we use as extra frig space in the winter had exploded last night. At least sweeping up frozen globs of sugarfree soda is not as bad as sticky sugar soda would have been!

Glad it is Friday! Hope to hear from the rest of the Blitzers today!

[Gibby]

I'm also worried about Tony. His last post was his concern about the weather and flying to Nashville. I sure hope we hear from him soon!

[tony8]

Hi kids, sorry to worry everyone...I have had almost no Internet access this week and couldn't post when I had it...I am sending this from my Nashville apt complex's office area...

Due to my fear about the weather Monday night, I changed my flight to Monday and flew a non-stop out of Boston early afternoon...no issues and it has been a good week here although the weather has been cold and sometimes rainy...I fly back into Manchester tomorrow afternoon....

Happy to see you guys posting and staying on plan...just think about how happy we will all be if we look better in the spring when we start shedding clothes...ahem!... :-)

Happy I missed the extreme cold up there this week...

I have been very much on plan this week, although I've enjoyed a couple of goodies like fried chicken and Italian food...I continue to walk better and have been exercising every other day....today is an off-day and I will get up early tomorrow to get in my workout before I take a cab to the airport...no one down here can believe the positive change since my surgery...I feel better overall right now than I have in twenty years...

Hmmm...speaking of Artemis, I forgot to pm her my cell number...sorry, Artemis!...hope she is okay...

Hope everyone has a great Friday night....I will check in either tomorrow night or Sunday....stay strong!!!!

[flatferenghi]

i assumed you were more than a computer away. But, with family...one worries. I was off today...my LAST day off. Now I can enjoy my coffee. F-20 days to go-F

[Abigale]

Phew, Tony!! We were so hoping it was just a computer problem. FF, you are like me. When I am worried about someone I can't enjoy even a nice cup of coffee. Yes, we are family here for sure.

We had a water issue in our garage yesterday. We have a hot water heater that is no good but it froze and there was quite abit of frozen water on the floor of the garage when I went to go to work. The rubber seal strip all across the bottom of the automatic door was totally frozen to the floor and I could not get the door to open. DH got up and worked on it some but no luck. I felt like I was in a prison! Finally I poured road salt all along the bottom of the door, let it sit for about 5 minutes and then took a dinner knife and did like little pry motions all across the door under the rubber strip. Ahhh, it broke free and up the door went. People probably think I'm a nut for getting to work so early everyday but it is for unforseen problems like this I start out early. I was still at work 15 minutes before start time. By the way, I am a nut as you all know. lol

Trying to think of a couple of things I can bring to my brother and sister in laws next Sat. for their snow shoe party. I am thinking of making these cheese rounds. I don't have a muffin top pan but could form the dough into wedges and call them cheese scones? What do you all think?
Almond Cheese Rounds-Low Carb Recipe - Food.com - 82984

Will check back later. Have a great Saturday Blitzers!

[flatferenghi]

i believe that my eating patterns and eating choices were as a result of compensation for just getting thriugh the work day. As a child (when i got here from the home world), my (earth)mom allowed me snacks, but severely disciplined me if I SNEAKED food. (earth)bro, however had carte blanche with the fridge. Then, when I became a working man, I tried to compensate with food, the traumas of the daily grind. Now that all of that will be behind me in a few weeks, I wonder if having things my way almost all the time, will redress the balance, and CONSISTENTLY make better food choices, and not have periods of ON PLAN & OFF PLAN eating. Time will tell. F-19 days to go-F

[Abigale]

FF, it seems I always have my most temptations on Friday nights for the same reasons. I bet you will do very well when you are semi -retired!

[Abigale]

Tried the recipe above for cheese rounds and was not crazy about it. Found another one that I liked quite well.

Nacho Cheese Chips (using almond flour) | Comfy Belly

The thin chips taste like cheesits and my "bread stick" innovation tastes a little like a "cheese straw" recipe. So this is a keeper and I will probably do a batch of the sticks for the party. Sil is making chili so the cayenne bite will go well.

[Abigale]

Forgot to post the pictures.

[vli1127]

Dag nabbit, I broke down and joined Weight Watchers . . . again for the umpteenth time. Although, I haven't belonged in quite a number of years nor have I done it LC. I am not too keen on counting points and so on, but I will give it a try. I figured if I paid $$ and weighed in weekly for accountability, it would help me get going.

[flatferenghi]

Eat nothing that u do not like. It is not a diet. Although I am not attending meetings, I am still following plan. PORTION CONTROL is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing. So, see to it that your portions are most satisfying. That's the ticket. FF

[Abigale]

Vicki, use whatever works for you! Being accountable every week and not wanting your hard earned money to go to waste may be just what you need to get back on track!

[Abigale]

4 degrees here this morning! Can't wait for this cold snap to be gone. Forcast says the highs for the next 3 days will be Mon. 28, Tues. 45, and Wed. 52! Yea!

Tony, how were things in Nashville? Did you and Sarah get together alot? Hope your meeting went well.

Marilee, what's on the menu for today? I will be starting with bacon and eggs. After that I don't know.

Wonder what Artemis and Jennifer are up to?

FF, what are your plans for the day? Listening to something lovely I'm sure.

Will check back later to see what everyone is doing today. Have a wonderful Sunday Blitzers!

[vli1127]

ff, thanks.

It is a sheet of ice here and we didn't go anywhere this morning, may churches cancelled. So, we packed and hauled boxes from the basement to the main floor. My knees and body ache too.

[tony8]

hey vicki, i am so proud of you for giving ww another shot...it's great that you are looking for a way to get back in the groove, and i believe that once you do, you're gonna lose a lot of weight this year!...

ff, i can't believe we are less than 3 weeks away from your retirement!...does it feel like it is flying by to you too?...i have no doubt that you are gonna get to goal after you retire and can take the time to exercise as well as cook good, on-plan, food for yourself...sorry you were worried about me, but i do appreciate it! :-)

you too, abs...and yes, you are a nut!...i can picture you on the floor chiseling that ice...did you try pouring pans of hot water along the bottom of the door?...btw, those snacks look sooooooooo delicious!!!...omg, i want some!...

saw sarah on monday, tuesday, thursday and friday for dinners, which was nice...she came by for takeout on monday and friday, made me dinner at her place on tuesday and i dropped her off some takeout on thursday after having dinner with a buddy (sarah was too tired to join us) take out...it was a good trip professionally as well...met with a publisher who said he loved my stuff and he passed my songs along to other top publishers in town...now it is wait-and-see if someone calls me to set up a meeting...it will all depend on the quality of my songs and that is for the pros down there to judge...i'm so grateful i have gotten this far!

had a good day today...went to the gym and it felt really good to sweat again after a week off...i did exercise in nashville, but just what i could do in my apartment...and then did the circuit weight training...took dw for her first time and she did well too...

today:
b: greek yogurt with blood orange
l: skipped
d: chicken, spinach and sausage risotto - didn't eat much of it...

[vli1127]

ff is retiring??? Guess that is what I get for staying out of the loop.

[flatferenghi]

saw 2 episodes this evening. very recommended. going to bed very soon. FF soon.

[Abigale]

Vicki, I think FF started his retirement countdown about 3 years ago. lol Can't believe it is down to 3 weeks now! So FF, you will have about a month of total retirement until the part time job for the foot Dr. starts up? I've heard the Downton Abbey is a great show but have not seen any episodes yet.

Vicki, what day of the week will you be going to ww?

Tony, so excited that your trip went so well and wonderful your publisher liked your work so much! One of these days at work when they are playing country one of your songs will come on and the gang will be singing along and I'll say "I'm friends with the guy that wrote that song!!" They will all be so jealous and ask me to get your autograph. I'll say, that is going to cost you! Ha Ha


Wishing all the blitzers a great Monday!

[flatferenghi]

why wait for the last minute? I will have a great time enhancing my kitchen skills. Yesterday 1/27/13 was Mozart's birthday AND the restitution of the roman republic by Octavian, who was then voted a very large province, and a name change to Augustus. I am very late woth the celebratory refreshments. i will be going to SHOPRITE tonight to get sdome cookies and popcorn FOR THEM (my colleagues), NOT FOR ME! F-incl today 20 days to go-F

[Gibby]

Good morning!

I'm a "dang it", too. I'm thinking about going on WW or back on Nutri-System, or something. MF works, there is no doubt, but I miss food. I just get the one "lean and green" and the rest is their packaged foods. Vicki and I got caught up by phone this weekend and I shared with her that I struggle with any eating plan that won't let you eat fruit. I realize fruit is sugar and to not go over board, but seriously, is one apple a day going to make a person gain weight????????? I think not.

Oh, well.......

ff, I've watched Downtown Abby a couple of times. It is a very good, well produced show.

TTYL

[flatferenghi]

either fresh, or packed in water-NO fruit juices. one must remember. do not eat fruit WITHOUT a protein and fat. Otherwise it is too great a glycemic load. Whenever we eliminate a food or food category from our plan, it becomes a FORBIDDEN FRUIT, and we are more likely to binge on it. Because fruit is such a turn-on for me, I will not bring into the house more than 1 portion. I can eat acres of the stuff. FF

[Gibby]

Yep, fruit with a protein is perfect!

[vli1127]

Abi, Saturday morning is the WW meeting I will be going to probably. It is in a different town, but I go there on Saturday morning anyways. If I switch to the meeting in my town, it would be on Thursday evenings.

Marilee and ff, and any others. I found this thread interesting concerning apples.

Can I eat an apple?

[flatferenghi]

i usually have 1/2 or 1/3 of an apple as 1 portion , again with a fat and protein. as regards WW, i completely disregard their low fat approach, and i informed my leaders of this. they were fine with it. I DID keep an honest WW point AND carb gram list, though. FF