New and would like a buddy

[MI CHICK]

Good evening gal's!!
Finally got some rain here today but the humidity has been terrible!! Between the heat & being super busy all day long I didn't get into trouble. Had dinner at a friends house & they always eat pretty healthy so it wasn't really a problem. Had a half of a red pepper that she had stuffed with a chicken mixture & a cucumber tomato salad with an Italian dressing. She had rice & corn. I had 2 bites of the corn and passed on the rice. They made an offer of a dish of ice cream & I just said no thanks and that was that. It amazes me sometimes how things aren't an issue...maybe alot of times I told myself it would be & caved cause that's what I really wanted.......
Teresa remember to eat a totally decadent legal meal so that you will be able to honestly say I'm so full I can't eat another bite when it is dessert time. Mainly enjoy your weekend--that's what our lifes are about and it seems you & your dh do a lot of fun things together. Maybe your feet will hold up better on this trip with the progress you have made. Mine are doing a lot better & I've only lost 7lbs. So there is something in this woe that effects that problem. Don't have a clue what??? By the way I love chamber music!
Yup I sure enjoyed the fact that I weighed a lot more than folks knew Kathleen--was so in my favor--until this last 20lbs. I crossed a line of some kind where I do look over weight to folks plus it was 20lbs that my body just didn't want to carry and starting giving me grief. Making those sub sandwiches would give me a dickens of a time as I love sandwiches. Hope your rev roll does the trick.
Here's to a good Wed!! I have eaten my prepared stuff but tomorrow is my late day & I can get some food together in the morning.
Todays menu:
B=tuna w/mayo & sugar free relish
L=chicken w/mayo & celery and about a half cup of blueberries
D=stuffed pepper & salad
S=roasted mixed nuts, had more of this than I should of but was hungry & didn't want to be tempted at friends house so I ate a 2nd round from the can while driving to there place

[rican3]

Hello Ladies,
Well yesterday was not too bad. I did have about 2 oz of potato chips (maybe yesterdays post was trying to tell me something) and 2 spoonfuls of stuffing last night with dinner. I had made the stuffing for my dh and could not resist. For some reason I was just craving those things and I figured better to "taste" than binge on stuff I really didn't want, so I gave into temptation! All in all I did not over do it and hopefully it won't have that bad of an effect on me. I am realizing with this woe if you want to succeed, you have to want it for yourself. I know I cheated but, I did not go to the extreme side of cheating which is what I would have done in the past. I knew what I was doing and had controll of it by allowing myself to have that taste of those things. I said ok you got a taste now stop.............I am so proud of having that controll. It is like a huge breakthrough for me. Do you understand what I mean?? I said it's ok but don't overdo it!! And I didn't!! Corrisann I think you did the same thing by eating the nuts before you went to your friends house for dinner. You were planning ahead so you did not over indulge! Aren't we learning???
Teresa I hope you have a great time while away. Corrisann is so right for telling you to have decadent legal meals!! That way you won't be hungry for dessert! Enjoy your time away. We will want to hear all the details when you return!

Todays Menu
B-coffee w/cream
Pork chop
L sandwich in pita bread w/mayo
D-Meat loaf and vegetables? maybe some squash or salad
S-cheese ball w/cucumber slices

Have a healthy day!
Kathleen

[MI CHICK]

Way to go girl!! Yes we are learning & that is the key to our success!!! We can't have a measured "taste" everyday while losing but maybe in the maintance phase of our lifes we can have 2 bites a day of something. And you know truthfully it's those first couple bites that are so good anyway! When I'd get carried away & eat the whole thing so many times at the end I'd think boy that didn't even taste all that great.....but I sure kept shoveling it in....that's the behavior we must master.
Tomorrow is my day off & I'm taking ds to EMU campus to select his housing. Suppose to be furnitured so hopefully it will only need a microwave/dishes/towels/sheets. And that we can pull together from extras at home & the Salvation Army stores. Being a guy he doesn't care about matching anything....LOL!!
When does school start by you Kathleen? Have a couple friends that subbed & they found they could work almost every school day of the year.
Yes I was very hungry on the way to my friends after work--my stomach actually growled...imagine that, ha!!-- & I was worried about blowing another day during the last hours of the day so I "thought" instead of "just acting" & stopped into a store & bought a can of mixed nuts & a diet pop. Not a stop at the drive thru of Burger King to get a Whopper/fries. These are huge successes for us!! I am so proud each time I read one of our posts telling how we kept control in a situation
Today's menu
B=coffee w/ cream 6 sl ls/ns bacon 2sl cheese
L=chicken wings
S=1oz mixed nuts raspberries w/splenda
D=round steak lettuce w/ranch dressing

[MI CHICK]

Hey Kathleen!!
Been having fun looking thru all the stuff on Netrition.Com. Found a few things that I will
order when we've gotten over our hump. Course
the reviews on all the products sound great...but
I'm bought enough speciality/diet foods over the
years to know lots of 'em are nasty. What were the
items you ordered? Seems like it was pita or other
bread items. I can buy almost everything locally but
since the LC trend has ended it's harder to find the
special items without driving all over. And at todays
gas prices I don't want to do that. I did find the Russell Stovers LC candy at Meijers & bought a bag since it was
$1.89. Figured our budget could handle that. LOL!!!
Matter of fact I've bought enough LC products that I'd
say ask me for a review before you buy, ha! Still have
my flat bread in the fridg. Am going to eat it now I
think. Have stayed in the induction phase since I started in June (on the days I wasn't messing up) and I think
I need to move on since this is forever. I know I'm in
the ballpark again as I'm starting in with the charly
horses in my legs at nite....have to take my Potassium
before bed tonight.
Well this is all over the place--you can tell I was talking
to dh & ds while typing!!
Hope Teresa is having a good time, & behaving herself!
Off to pack hubby's lunch for tomorrow. I'm off but am
taking ds to campus to pick out his housing & finish up the final paperwork.
corrisann

[rican3]

Corrisann you sound busy, busy! I bet getting your son off to college is both heartbreaking and a proud moment for you and your dh since you did so well with him!! I was so dissapointed when my girls did not go on to school. I am hoping they will change thier minds as they realize how hard it is to make a living without an education. My oldest has been out of school 3 years now and it sounds like she is starting to look into the possibilities.........one can only hope.

The items I got at Netrition were: xanthum gum, pita bread (very good) tortillas (ok) and Spagetti sauce (not bad). All in all the things I bought were very helpful to keep me on tract. Since getting them I did see at Walmart they have the bread items. Have you ever tried the Dreamfields Pasta?? I love it! That keeps me sane..........I portion it out and then sometimes use it for my veitnamese soup too.

Todays Menu
B-Ham & cheese w/lettuce and tomato and mayo on pita
coffee w/ cream
L-Hamburger /salad
D-Meat Loaf w/ veggies

Can't wait to hear about Teresa's trip!!
Later, Kathleen

[MI CHICK]

don't give up hope Kathleen--my son is 25. He worked a variety of jobs including owning his own painting company. he learned you have to work very hard for very little money. so he decided that he was ready for college.
there is a whole catagory when you're enrolling that is for the returning adult student, ages running from 25-28. made it pretty easy for him to get the student loans that he needed without having to involve his dad & I. so just keep quietly encouraging your daughter.
was a long & busy day but I got in some good walking around campus! son is 6'6" so his regular walk is quite the stride for me...lol!!!!
we have a bbq tomorrow but I should be able to have salad veggies meat I think. Sunday we are doing a joint
birthday dinner at my moms & that will be harder. she won't make a big over done spread as she's 79 but most of it won't fit in with lc. but being my moms meal I will eat whatever she puts on the table. you never know at her age how many more meals you will get with her & lord knows eating meals with my health conscience mom is not what made me fat!
but I do feel good & I want that feeling to last until we weigh in on Mon so I'm going to try really hard to eat the correct foods.
Which brand pasta sauce--Bella Vita? Dreamfields was new when I did lc 4 years ago & there was a big hulabaloo
over whether or not it was legal for lc folks. I tried some & we liked it cause we always liked the whole wheat versions of everything even before lc days. gave my son bowel issues but I think it's cause he would will eat a large bowl of pasta with just a little plain sauce on it--too much fiber I think. I'm still using the X-gum I bought then, using just a eigthth of a teaspoon most times doesn't use up much...lol! seems to still work fine. Which brand pita & how many carbs??
well need to get a move on. wonder on Teresa's trip went. Hope they had a good time!
corrisann

[rican3]

Ladies, ladies, ladies,
Yesterday my dh decided we should go crabbing again. We got to the spot and before we could get all our hand lines in they started biting!! We ended up with 19 beautiful crabs in an hour and a half! They were practically jumping out of the water!! I haven't moved that fast in ages. Needless to say my menu got totally thrown away as my dh decided to make a boil with shrimp, crab, sausage, corn on the cob and potatos. I even added mushrooms with it so I could have a veggie too. We invited the kids over and pigged out. I did stay on plan. What a woe !!! I love it!
We sent most of the leftover crab to our other daughters house but I did keep 4 to make something out of or just to have lunch!

My parents are comming from out of town (Kansas City) for about 2 weeks. They are going to stay at my sisters house so we will be doing lots of get togethers over that time. I am determined to stay on plan as you are Corrisann. We know what we are allowed to have and if we stray we just have to remember not to overindulge!! I am sure we will be BBQ ing a lot so that should not be so hard. I will make sure to bring fresh veggies for the grill or salad and that way there will be more than just the meat!

Back to some of the low carb stuff fron Netrition......the pita (Toufayan brand) was 7 net carbs but I always only eat 1/2. and the tortillas (Mama Lupe) are 3 net carbs. I did try the Bella Vita pasta sauce. It is ok, anything Itialian can't be bad in my book! I have had very good luck with the dreamfields pasta. They are loaded with fiber somehow but they aren't brown like wheat pasta. They look and to me taste just like regular pasta! they even have a lasagna noodle!! I bought some, but haven't made any yet! I thought about doing a lasagna roll-up to just make a small amount.
If you want to pm me I can send you a dollar off coupon. That is how I justify buying that brand at all times. I am always looking for ways to cut back also. Especially now, my husband is out of work and the business is a little slow to get started. I picked up a part time waitress job for the weekend just to hold us over in case he dosen't go back to work soon. His company is not doing well. I think it is the management. Lord knows the oil field business is doing great. But I am hoping he will go back to school for safety or inspection so he dosen't have to use his back so to speak. He is not getting any younger.......He is doing some things on the side also to keep things going. Thank god is is a resourceful man! He just went to pick up some pipe to build some BBQ pits with a friend. BBQ and Smokers are very big in Texas. You can't just have a Webber down here.

Well I have rambled on long enough. I hope you gals are going to have a wonderful exciting weekend! Teresa we are looking forward to hearing about your trip! Polly if you are reading along please drop us a line............we miss you.
Todays Menu
B-meatloaf
coffee w/cream
LCrab and salad
D-BBQ something and veggies
S- cheese ball and celery

Till later,
Kathleen

[Teresa3]

Hi, Girls--

I had a very nice trip; missed you guys--it's good to be back because I probably would have put on several lbs. if we'd stayed any longer! I did great on my eating the first day, but after that I'm afraid I went off the wagon.

The first night we ate at a Greek restaurant, which is great because they have a lot of meat dishes, and I had eggplant and mesquite grilled lamb chops, which were deelicious! I was able to resist the bread, and only had a few bites of my favorite dessert, molten chocolate cake. The bad thing was that I took the rest of it back to the room and ate all of it the next night! I paid for it with a stomach ache all night.

Next night we ate at a fabulous French restaurant where they bring you extra courses like fancy appetizers, morel mushroom consomme, and homemade sorbets compliments of the chef. And it was a set menu so we had about 8 courses all together. The portions were small though. I had a hamachi salad with heirloom tomatoes and watermelon, a filet of baked, smoked monkfish with crab foam and fresh peas, then roast squab with curry pistachio (sp?) encrusted foie gras on a fresh roasted peach. Dessert was strawberry panna cotta with homemade jelly and cookie, and then they brought out different varieties of housemade candies! Lordy, lordy!! It was just incredible; it would have taken someone unhuman to be able to resist!

Then of course there was the breakfast buffet at the hotel! I won't even go into that! The amazing thing is that I'm only up 1 1/2 lbs.! But I am paying with pain in my shoulder and arm from eating too much starch and sugar. So there are definitely other reasons to stay with this woe for me!

The music was really nice. Tuesday night we heard Schubert lieder, The Miller's Daughter; and Wednesday night we heard some Scottish songs and then some Copeland and Ravel. How did you get into chamber music, Corrisann? It's not popular with most people. I got into it when I was a student at Purdue and they had free concerts for students. My husband and I met at a chamber music concert in Berkeley, so we keep up our interest. Every March we go down to Tuscon for their annual chamber music festival. I love it there!

Can't believe how many crabs you got, Kathleen! Guess that was your reward for being so persistent and going in after them last time! What a feast! How nice you are going to get to visit with your parents for a couple of weeks. Mine live in Indiana, and I don't get back to see them as often as I would like.

I enjoyed reading all of your posts--y'all have a great day, and I look forward to getting back on track with you. Cheers! Teresa

[MI CHICK]

Teresa you are right, it would have taken someone not human to skip that meal!!! And gourmet meals do serve small portions so that you can enjoy all the different courses. That cake would have done me in that first nite!! Sounds like you guys had a very fun trip & that's what really matters!!! Wonder why eating that way gives us the body aches?? Out of all the things I've read over the years I can't seem to find an answer for that. I got into Chamber music in college thru my dh who was my boyfriend then. He's never liked any music but classical--which sure seemed odd to me as a 19yr old LOL!!!! And yes the chamber groups did seem to perform quite a few free concerts or their ticket costs were something we could afford. Our symphony orchestra (DSO) used to do their practice sessions at the state fair grounds band shell on Sat nites for free & it was great to sit under the stars as young lovers & listen to the music. Of course all that stuff costs now & costs big $$'s so a lot of us middleclass folks have been priced out of concert attending market After 31yrs of marriage I've gotten so I enjoy quite a bit of classical music. But my favorite is all the old Motown stuff!! It was all a few years before me but living in the Motown area it was always big. I liked rock n roll but never could get into the heavy metal/acid rock stuff. When it sounded like they were just screeching into the mike I didn't like it--even at 17, ha!

19 crabs in an hour and a half??? Is that some kind of a record Kathleen?? I still can't imagine dropping anything into the water & pulling out a crab.....never seen a crab that wasn't on a plate....LOL!!! It's amazing how someone can live only a few hundred miles away & have such different life experiences!! Think that's great. Did you use to live in Kansas City? Glad you are getting a 2 week visit with your folks!!! Meals should be ok--especially if you get crabs & do a boil with them. Hope no one has a special family dessert that must be made & brought out of tradition.....grandma's rhubarb/peach/pecan cake/pie/cobbler can sure be ones undoing.... waitressing is hard on ones feet, hope you've
got a comfortable pair of shoes!! What is the business that you've talked about starting up? People are having to start putting their income together thru dibs & dabs from here & there now a'days. Talked to a friend last nite & she was saying she'd done this side job & that side job plus 12hrs at her "actual" so that she'd have the money for her car note this month. Up till 2yrs ago she worked a management job for a # of yrs & made big bucks. Her husband is head CPA in a hospital & he thinks he maybe losing his job in the future. So in MI at least the job market has gone nuts.
Today the dh & ds are off to the IL'S to do some electrical work and I will be busy all day pulling extra dishes/towels/sheets etc out of the closests & basement to see what all we can piece together for ds college apt.
Thank heavens he's not a girl who needs things to match & look cute!!! We will still need to buy a few odds & ends I'm sure and of course buy lots of canned goods for his little kitchen.
My eating yesterday was good but way too much. And I can feel it today. So I'm going to just eat some protein today to keep me going till we go to this BBQ. It's bad when you wish your social calendar was blank for a few weeks so that you could just do day after week of no slips...LOL! Had so wanted to have 20lbs off by the time we went on vacation the end of Sept....started 6/18 and so far I don't even have 10lbs off....Kathleen are you still trying for 20 by your birthday??
Well I must get a move on ladies. Have a great Sat & get right back on track Teresa!!
corrisann

[rican3]

Well Ladies aren't we a diverse group!! You gals enjoy chamber music and I like Jazz, Motown, some Country and Rock n Roll. I'm with you Corrisann on the screaming stuff! Never did go for that. I never had the pleasure of listening to classical...........

OMG I forgot how old I was. I waited tables for the first time in 10 years and I feel like my grandmother!! I told my friend who works there I don't know if I am cut out for this anymore. She told me your doing fine but she did not know what I FELT like. I have done it all my life on and off and thought I could jump right in. I can jump with my head but not on my feet. I made it through a few hours and they let me go early since it slowed down and I was forever thankful!! I go back again tomarrow for a few hours ........I applied for an office job for the Navy (through a contractor ) and I sure hope they call me! I'm afraid I won't last long here! Sometimes you gotta do whatcha gotta do! I am hoping we get some welding jobs for our business soon! We have been promised some boat work and that would be about 3-4 weeeks of steady work but we have to wait for the boat to come back into the area. I am a patient (sp) person. Good things come to those that wait!

Teresa your meals on your trip sounded incredible. I have never had foie gras. Is it good? Is it goose liver or patte`? I think I have seen it on the food channel. It sounded delish! I am glad you were able to have such a wonderful time and all those gourmet meals!! How lucky are you!! My husband isn't much for fancy food but every now and then he will take me somewhere different for a special meal. That is a real treat!

I did not grow up in Kansas City. I grew up on Long Island in New York, in a small town called East Patchogue. We lived by the water there too. My parents moved to Kansas when I was about 19. The jobs were getting scarse for my Dad and my brother had recently moved out to Kansas so they went to visit him and decided there were better opportunities for them there so they moved the rest of the family out there. My one brother and sister still live in Kansas and my other brother and sister live here by me. I came here and they followed! I am so lucky to have family right here when none of us grew up here!

Well todays menu is going to be
B-Meat loaf (last piece)
L- Pork chop and salad w/ dressing
D- Ribs! with coleslaw
S-strawberries with whipped cream

I was really craving some fruit so I picked up some pretty berries and I hope they taste good. Sometimes they look great but they don't have a lot of flavor. Hope your day is great! Glad to have you back Teresa. Corrisann cleaning out those closets can be fun.........making room for new stuff!! HaHa I know you wish it were so easy! Like you said be thankful he's not a girl!!!

take care,
Kathleen

PS I am still shooting for the 20 lbs by my bithday!! I am trying to be really good.

[Teresa3]

Hi, Gals--

Well, looks like we're having fun this weekend amid the challenges. I feel in sympathy with your feet, Kathleen! I hope you get that office job! My first job was waitressing, and I did it thru college, then worked in a couple of offices until I met my present dh. Loved waitressing more than paper work, but it is for the young and hardy!

When is your birthday? You only have 5 lbs. to go, right? You just might make it!

Where are you going on your vacation in Sept., Corrisann? Must be somewhere special since you want to get the 20 lbs. off by then. You could definitely get close to that by then.

I want to lose 20 lbs. by the time we go to Sedona, AZ the first week of Nov. If I can lose 1 lb. a week, I could make it by then, but I'm having a hard time just accomplishing that--maybe we should put on a bit of a push the next few weeks and see if we can get closer to our goals? I have to make up for what I put back this week, and I'm being slow to get back on track! I think I'm going to start a notebook and really, really focus! I either have to go back to induction, or do the semi-fat fast again.

Kathleen, I like jazz, too! And Corrisann, I also love Motown! The 60's were just a great decade for both. Didn't you just love to dance to those tunes when you were a kid? Wish I could dance now--it would probably help the weight come off! What kind of jazz do you like, Kathleen?

B - egg, sausage, spinach, tea w/cr
L - salad w/beef, turkey, chicken, whipped cream mousse
D - tuna, green beans, chard
S - pecans, cream cheese

P.S. I think the foie gras is goose liver. It's very buttery and just melts in your mouth! But I believe it's not PC to eat it now because they force feed the geese to get them to have fat livers! Sounds like what I've been doing to myself! T.

[MI CHICK]

Well it's midnight so this will be short but I always have to check in to see how you gal's are doing!
Teresa you are right about focusing--we've all been doing good on attitude changes & refocusing and I am proud of us for that!! But there are still goals to be met & as much as we shouldn't push ourselves to the point of nuttiness
(is that a word??) we also can't just say I hope to be at goal before I die or we will eventually give up!!! Was already thinking this on the way home from our bbq as I had done alright but could have done better "again"....too many of these happenings over the past 3 weeks! Then got in & read you thinking the same thing. So that re-enforces my mind set to buckle down & toe the line hard until I see some real weight come off!! Writing it all down & weighing & measuring every carb helps make us accountable & keeps things happening. We all hate to do it but I do know that for most of us it really does help!!
Think I will do the meat fast tomorrow to set me up for a new week.
Kathleen you are cracking me up over the waiting tables!!! LOL!!! That's what I thought when you said you were going back to it....I could hear my feet screaming just at the thought of it......hahaha!!! I'm on my feet all day without the weight of the trays of food & my feet surely are begging me to get serious about getting this wieght off!
We are driving out East to New Brunswick. Will enjoy all the nice fall colors across the states as we go. Really looking forward to it! And sure would like my size 18's to be loose & comfortable.
Well I could chat on some more but that will have to be tomorrow as my eyeballs are crossing
corrisann

[rican3]

As I sat down to write this, this morning I saw the most beautiful and vibrant cardinal outside my window. My computer room window overlooks out to the back yard where we have a bricked BBQ area. That wonderful creature was just strutting his stuff all over the brick!! I just had to share because sometimes we don't stop to see the beauty around us. I just sat here and watched him for about 5 min. until he flew off. We get a lot of birds down here through out the year and I once told my husband I am going to take up birding. LOL He told me I wasn't getting him to be like these old geezers looking through binnoculars all day!! We will see as we progress in age..............


Well it's off to work for me...........I hope I survive LOL. This morning I am looking for something to hold me over until I get off and will probably have some sausage and eggs for breakfast. My dh wants ham and green beans for dinner. I hope it dosen't make me hold salt for tomorrow. We will be seeing my parents at my sisiters this afternoon (after work) and I hope she will have something I can eat. Even if only lunchmeat w/lettuce! That would work fine. I am looking forward to tomorrow since I have really been trying this week. I hope I am not dissapointed. I also keep a diary of what I eat and it really does help me not only stay on track but also when you think you have been good and don't loose you can go back and look at what you have eaten and how it affected your weight loss. I really like having it for my own accountability!

I will write more later. Hope your Sunday is pleasent and without worries!
Kathleen

[Teresa3]

Greetings!

Thanks for writing about the cardinal, Kathleen--it does brighten up the day to hear a pleasant story with a beautiful image. I think it would be a wonderful thing to take up birding! Think of all the lovely places they hang out that would be fun to go to!

Hope your feet are holding up OK. Maybe the extra activity will help the weight come off easier, although it sounds like you've had a good week.

Corrisann, what on earth are you doing up at midnight, Girl! Did you have to work late? If I don't get enough sleep I'm always hungrier the next day--hope that doesn't happen to you! Yes, maybe it's time to buckle down a little bit. I'm going to go for 4-5 lbs. in the next two weeks (don't laugh!). I know I can do it if I really apply myself.

Your upcoming trip to New Brunswick sounds absolutely beautiful! I miss the autumn in Indiana. That's why I usually try to go back in October to visit my parents so I can see it again. I was back there last Fall but I don't know if my feet can handle it for this year. Maybe if I can get some more weight off; they do feel less painful than 10lbs. ago. Hope your feet continue to feel better as the weight comes off, and yours, too, Kathleen! My foot doctor told me for every lb. you lose, your feet think you've lost three! So there's motivation for all of us!

See y'all tomorrow morning. T.

[rican3]

Good Morning Ladies,
Today is going to be a great day. I can just feel it. I am cooking for my parents today, grilled marinated chicken ,the eggplant w/tomato, onion and mozzarella cheese and flavored rice. I will probably have a small shrimp cocktail also. I always try to make a special meal for them. Something they don't usually eat or make themselves. I always look forward to this.

Yesterday was not as bad as the first day at work. Maybe I was just overwhelmed. I've got it going on now! Not that I wasn't tired, I just felt like I had it more together. I got up this morning and my feet are just fine. I really think it is due to this woe. They have been much better these last 2 weeks. Having then not swell is such a wonderful thing!!

Well here are the stats for our weigh in.

Todays stats
All time high (2007)- 273
Start date June 18, '07 - 273
Last Monday - 258
Today - 255-1/2
Goal - 175 to start
Height - 5'7
Age - 50

I am so happy. 2-1/2 lbs gone!! I wasn't going to list the 1/2 but that is incentive to get the other 2-1/2 off by the 28th!!! I may just make it!! As long as I do a little pre planning and have the right foods around I feel like I am in control. Thank goodness I don't have the cravings anymore for the starches. Not to say that I can stay away if I see them, but I am not CRAVING them!

Ladies I hope the scales are good to you also. I know we are all working towards the same goal. Getting healthy, feeling good and proud of who we see in the mirror! With our support of each other I know we will succeed! You have both been an inspiration for me and I hope the same for you. It is much easier to travel this road with friends than by myself.

Todays Menu

B-(2) Ham and cream cheese roll ups
L-Ribs and salad
D-Shrimp cocktail, Grilled Chicken, Eggplant "Parm"
S-Strawberries or coleslaw

till later,
Kathleen

[MI CHICK]

Way to go on the 2 1/2lb drop Kathleen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course that half lb counts!! Your dinner for your
folks sounded very good! Glad your feet were better
this time around and hope your tips were good! I would
think waitress work would help burn calories--but then
again I'm on my feet all day & it doesn't seem to burn
an ounce.....pooh!
I got into bird watching a few years back thru a friends
back yard....LOL! Thought like your husband that I was
too young! But it was so relaxing to watch them at the
feeders & they actually are pretty entertaining....so one thing lead to another & I have several bird stations in my
yard & own a pair of binnoculars...hahaha! DH & I enjoy
driving to different nature centers/preserves on weekends & taking pic's & hiking around. Very relaxing & the walking is healthy.

all time high 249
start date 6/18/07
today's wgt 241
last week's wgt 242
goal 160
5'6" 53yrs old
Have absolutely no idea how I am down a lb....we've been eating so strange. Am thinking maybe it's cause I'm eating less as there's less food to be eaten... ds & I took all the food out of the cupboards & lined them up on the counter to see what we could make for the next few nites. That was fun actually. We really aren't poverty stricken gal's it's just that the only thing in one's budget that you can actually stop for a while is shopping. Dh is paying the full amount of each extra big ticket item we've had. So I wanted you to know I'm not living in a hut at the edge of town...LOL!!! And we do have food but we are down to the starches & I have no choice--I can't go buy special food for me while I'm giving them green beans & boxed
macNcheese. Even though we finished the tuna & green beans today Teresa, ha! So I don't know about next week as the line up is plain pasta with plain tomato sauce for a couple nites and then we have soups for another couple nites (actually these are Progresso Low Carb that a friend gave me) and the wrap up will be the macNcheese for the end of the week. I've eaten all the protein out of the house. Oh well life will go on--would rather break my pattern then to have bill balances hanging over my head.

How did you do Teresa? Expecting big things out of our selves is not a problem. If you are in that mind set right now I say go for it. Do the meat fast for 3-4 days. Actually if you make sure & change your selections each day & take your fiber and potasium pills it's a great way to give yourself that emotional boost. That's my main concern with having to eat starches for a week--don't want to start the cravings again.

Well it's almost 11 so I need to get off here. Just had to get on after they finished up with all the maintence work on the website.
good nite
corrisann

[Teresa3]

Hi, Ladies--

Way to go this week, Kathleen on your 2 1/2 lb. loss, and on your 1 lb. loss, Corrisann!!! That's great! Kathleen, you've got 2 weeks to lose another 2 1/2 lbs.--you can do that!

Corrisann, isn't it great when you lose without suffering! Yeah! I hope having to eat starches for a few days won't throw you. Maybe you can eat the low carb soups and feed the pasta to everyone else. Drink lots of liquids to stay full.

How lovely to have bird feeders and go to nature preserves. I hope to do more of that someday, when I can walk more. We had a bird feeder for awhile, but the starlings came and chased the cute birds away; and then the pigeons came and chased everybody away! And started pooping on our deck! We had to get rid of the bird feeder.

Kathleen, how great that your feet (and the rest of you) are adjusting to your new job! It sounds like fun. Your menu for your parents sounds deelicious! I love eggplant with tomatoes--had some for dinner tonight. Seems like a pretty good diet food, too.

Well, I was amazed to see the scale be back down to where I was last Monday before we went out of town and I overate. So ,even tho I didn't make progress, I'm happy to have broke even this week. But now the work has to begin, even dh says so! I told him I can't keep eating out and lose weight, so he has to sacrifice too!

All time high - 175 (1998)
Start date - 6/6/07
Last Monday - 158
Today - 158
Goal - 125
Height - 5'2"
Age - 58

B - sausage, egg, spinach
L - salad, shrimp enchiladas (no shell)
D - tuna, eggplant w/tomatoes, zucchini, mayo
S - almonds

[rican3]

Good Morning,

Congatulation ladies!!!! You both did very well considering the pitfalls you were both facing last week! Corrisann sometimes less is more!! Not having all the choices sounds like you chose less!! And Teresa after the gourmet spead you must have really cut back when you got back home to come in so well! This is a long journey and we will get to the end!! The best lesson about last week is if you fall, get right back on!

Well lasts nights dinner was a success! Both my parents loved the eggplant! We had a great visit and then the great grandchildren showed up. My grandson is teething right now and he was a little fussy, but I just took him outside and he loves it there. We watched the seagulls in the field behind us and he was content! My grandduaghter was the little actress. She was pretending to be shy around her "Pop Pop". But she did give her "Mom Mom" a kiss goodbye! My Mom just thinks they are beautiful..........so do I.

I think I am going to get some binnoculars so we can (I can) start watching the birds. We are on the "Birding Trail" and get so many down here. I was thinking it could be something to teach the grandkids about! Something that would really carry with them.
Where's Polly when I need her advice on a good birding book? I cracked up when I read the part about the pigeons Teresa!! They can be a horror story. I hope that dosen't happen here with the seagulls!

Todays Menu
B-Bacon and eggs
L-Rev. Roll with chicken salad and coleslaw
D-steak and broccoli w/ cheese
S- strawberries w/cream

Corrisann, I am with Teresa, eat the soup unless you are the type of person that dosen't like to eat soup in the summer. I can have it anytime. In fact there is a recipe for Southwestern Taco soup that I may try this week. Ground beef and spices(cumin, chili powder) and rotel tomato and broth. Sounded good. they said you could also use poultry instead of beef. Then the topping is avacado and sour cream!! Who wouldn't like that??? Sorry I should not be talking recipes when you are cleaning the pantry. I did not think you were in a hut by the way, you do have a computer!! HaHa!! We all go through times when we have to tighten the budget. We might be eating out of the pantry next week around here! LOL

talk to you later,
Kathleen

[Teresa3]

Hi, Gals--

it's a lazy afternoon here, perfect weather, about 72 and lovely, beginning to feel a little like fall already. We're roasting a chicken for dinner, dh usually does that once per week, then we eat it all week long. I cut back today on lunch, so I hope I can keep it under control tonight.

Kathleen, your grandkids sound adorable. I imagine they will love to learn about birds, most kids do. It's a great way to sensitize them to nature, and appreciate animals and beauty. One of mh's sons did that with their kids and they both enjoy birds and nature as a result. They're not so 100% into TV and videos; they like to go hiking and camping.

My older daughter stopped by on her way back to San Diego from the mountains so I got to see my two granddaughters, ages 4 and 7 on Monday. They used to live here, but she moved to get work. I really miss them. It's so nice you get to see yours often.

Glad you are having such a nice time with your parents, and your dinner turned out good! It's so great you're able to entertain and stay on the plan!

Corrisann, how's the cupboard cleaning going? You've inspired me to look in and see what I've got when I feel like going out because I don't want to cook. I just sauteed some sausage with a can of green beans the other night instead of eating out and had a great easy dinner, and my weight was down the next day.

B - lox, cr ch, egg yolk, spinach
L - salad, chicken breast, turkey
D - roast chicken, green beans, chard
S - almonds, cr ch

Hope you guys are having a beautiful day! T.

[MI CHICK]

Today has went pretty good as far as eating goes. Friend I visited after work is trying to loose the last 10lbs from her pregnancy last year. She was real careful & only put on about 35lbs so she's almost back to pre wgt. She's Japanese & always eats real healthy anyway. So we had white fish & steamed veggies. So funny--her baby is 8mos & she started her on some foods last month (still nurses her along with it) and she's feeding her the Japanese way; so she's had plain boiled rice, tofu, seaweed, a couples kinds of fruit & some other veggies like peas. She's healthy & happy as a baby can be. What a hoot.
Glad you got to see your grandbabies Teresa!!! With my son just going off to college I can kiss grandbabies off for quite a long time!!
Think you will be amazed at all the good food you have tucked back in the cupboards & fridg Teresa. We actually ate well until the last couple days. Wasn't all lc but was good food. I should eat the soups you're right. When I shifted all the bowls of stock in the freezer in the garage I
found 1 12oz bag of salmon fillets & 1 chicken
So I will roast the chicken tomorrow. Love roast chicken!
And then can give the guys the salmon. Salmon & pasta...strange combo. Not sure what I will have with the chicken.....
Well have a good nite girls!!
corrisann

[rican3]

Good mornig ladies,

Have you seen on the news a tropical storm is comming right at us!! They said it will be 60 mph winds. We will be getting everything that is not tied down in the workshop. We don't want any damage from our own flying debris.
This is just the start of peak storm season. Maybe if we get this one all the rest will leave us alone! It is the ones that actually form in the gulf that we
are most threatened by. If they come out of the atlantic/ carribean, they seem to turn north and miss us.

Well ladies I have good news. I got the job I wanted!! It pays well and it is only 4 miles from the house, so no gas expense!! No more sweat hog waitressing!! I am thrilled. It comes with a full benifit package with 401k and everything! I start tomorrow morning and work 8-4:30. I also get all those federal holidays. (I call them bank holidays since they seem to be the only places closed Ha Ha!) Down here in Texas the dress code is casual attire (capris and sandles) so I don't have to worry about fancy clothes either!! Don't get me wrong, I like to dress nice, but when it is so hot all the time no one wants to have to wear hose. I have great casual office clothes for this position. Can you tell I am excited!! I will have to get a lunch box or just drive home so I stay on plan. I will probably do better not being at the house all day.

I am so glad you got to see your grandchildren Teresa. Kids are so precious at that age. I bet you miss your daughter too. I can't believe your weather is so cool already. We are in the worst part of summer right now through the first of October. HOT HOT HOT & MUGGY, MUGGY, MUGGY! I can't wait for it to cool down, although this year was not too bad due to all that rain in July.

Corrisann do you not like salmon?? I like it broiled with lemon and butter. You could do that and make a garlic and olive oil or butter sauce for the guys for thier pasta. When we were growing up we had some italian freinds that called it something like allioo' (?). I always loved it because I love garlic!
Roast chicken is one of my favorites too. I always try to have one on hand for those week moments when I just need something! How's the soup holding out?

Todays menu
B-Chicken on Rev rollw/lettuce, tomato and mayo
L-Southwestern soup w/avacado and sour cream
D-Steak and salad
S-strawberries amd whipped cream

Well I am off to do errands on my last official day off! Talk to you later,
Kathleen

[Teresa3]

Hi, Gals--

Well, congratulations Kathleen on getting the job you wanted! And getting to start so soon, that's great. And it's good you can either take your lunch or come home, so you will have an easier time staying on plan. Things work out, don't they!

Sure hope that storm slows down a lot before it hits your area! I forgot we're starting to head into tropical storm season for the South. We don't start getting rain here until Nov. or Dec. It's unusually mild now, but we will get some pretty hot weather in Sept., most likely.

Corrisann, sure glad you found a chicken to roast! We did ours last night, and will be eating it for the next three I imagine. I love the roast bird, too, never get tired of it. The perfect diet food too! Here in California pasta with salmon is a menu staple, either with olive oil and garlic, or cream sauce. Sometimes served with greens or mushrooms as well.

I was down 1/2 lb. this a.m. so I am happy today. Hope I can keep it up!

B - bacon, egg yolk, spinach
L - salad, 1 shrimp and 1 beef enchilada, no tortilla
D - roast chicken, chard, green beans
S - spicy almonds, cr ch

[MI CHICK]

Hey ladies! Typed a nice message before I went to work today, hit the send & it went off into outer space somewhere...hate it when that happens!!
So the short version is congrats on the job Kathleen!! Benefits package too, boy is that nice! I always take my lunch, just hate to use such a large portion of my check to eat out each day! Use to go out on Fri's with the other gals at the office & 4 times a month was enough out of my budget, LOL!!! Most places have a micro so you can have just about anything. Gave up going home cause I found I would be inclined to toss in a load of clothes or pick up the livingroom etc and loose my time off to housework, ha!
Great news on the half lb Teresa!! Was thinking today how few days I actually have till vacation....& at the rate I am going I will either be going with 2 pairs of jeans & 2 tops or having to buy something larger......
Think I've got 5 weeks & even at 2lbs a week that's only 10lbs---my other clothes will just button & feel uncomfortable plus I'll look like a stuffed sausage!!! Boy I started out on June 18 thinking I could have 20-25lbs off by our vacation......aaauuuugggghhhhhh I am so frustrated!!!!!!
Just got in from work & it's my late day so I'm tired & crabby....will leave you ladies in peace
corrisann

[rican3]

Ladies, ladies, ladies,

We must not beat ourselves up!! Corrisann I want you to remember this!! We did not put it on overnight. This is why we call this a woe. You can do this!! Look at the fact that you have lost some weight! That is so much better than gaining. If you had not started this you might be the same or more!! Think positive!! As you continue, you will loose more before you go on vacation. Even if it is only a portion of your original expectations it is better than not losing it at all. My doctor told me 10 lbs of fat loss is a great help to your body. Keep up the good that you have already done and please don't give up.

Teresa you must really be doing well to have already lost a half lb this week!
congrats to you. I am still the same this morning, so that is better than going up.

I didn't have to start work today due to the storm. They closed the bases except for essential personnal and I will start tomorrow. So today I am trying to line out a plan that will work for me and getting back to a routine for next week. I haven't worked steady in over 2 years except for subbing at the school and I wasn't on this woe then so this will be my new challenge. I think since I have been at this almost 2 months it should not be a big one. I to be able to handle this.

I made the southwestern taco soup yesterday and it really was quite good. The cream cheese was a thickener for it. I used ground beef, onion, rotel tomato, and beef broth, cumin, chili powder cream cheese and cream. These are staples in my home these days!! It was spicy but hearty! the brand of tomato I used were called Hatch and said they were 0 carbs but I don't know how that could be Anyway well worth trying! I even thought it could be a great sauce for over dreamfields or califlower for a spicy dish.

Todays Menu
B-lettuce wraps with Ham and mayo
L-Grilled chicken on rev. roll w/mayo, lettuce and tomato
D-Steak and Salad
S-Teresa's Almonds w/ cream cheese!

Hope your day is a positive one!!!

Kathleen

[MI CHICK]

Yes you are so right Kathleen. I was almost this fat my last 2 vacations so what is one more. I'll work out something re:clothes. It was nice to hear about the 10lb drops and also the foot facts with 1lb=3lbs to your feet.
Thanks for that info Teresa.
DH gave me the go ahead to spend about $40 so I stopped on my way home from work. Tried to get something for each of us that we really wanted---son got cucumbers & Italian dressing, flour shells & mexican cheese, dh got cereal & milk plus I got ingredients to make his favorite salad & some flour & eggs to make zuchinni bread w/ zuc. I had from my moms garden.
For me I bought a bag of chicken wings & some brautwurst & some LSNS bacon. Ta dah--there went $47
Today's menu actually worked out pretty good until I ate 2 slices of the warm zuchinni bread.....
Hope your job & the storms aren't interferring with your visit with your folks Kathleen!!
Still eating that roast chicken Teresa?!?? Don't know how you make 1 chicken last for a few meals when it's for 2 people....course portion control is a problem for me after so many years of overeating.
That soup sounds great! Will most certainly have to make it up when the weather cools off. DH likes spicy!
Midnight so I best head off to bed
corrisann

[Teresa3]

Hi, gals--

I'm up a little late tonight; had a busy day today. Went to the gym, so that was good because I was tired and didn't want to! My weight was down another 1/2 lb. this a.m. But it's been so long since I've actually lost anything, it's about time! I didn't eat that much yesterday, and I kind of overate at lunch today, so I hope I'm not back up tomorrow--this has been such a struggle!

But Corrisann, we know Kathleen is right on, this is better than eating unhealthy and gaining! I think so many people quit trying because we've been led to believe you can lose weight faster than is realistically possible. But you know, time passes, and as Kathleen says, even getting a little closer to our goal is a very good thing. A little here, a little there; we will get closer and closer, maybe just not as fast as we hoped! Enjoy that good stuff you got today--and at least zucchini bread is healthy! Re the chicken--we had it for the third night in a row and still have some leftover! Dh is not a big meat eater, gets a big chicken, and it's just the two of us plus the dog who gets some bits too!

Kathleen, I read about the storm hitting Texas in the paper. Thank goodness it slowed down, but you must have still gotten a lot of wind and rain. Does it make you nervous during the season? I'd be worried all the time! Hope you are able to safely weather these storms! The spicy soup sounds really yummy--who would have thought of using cream cheese in soup! I love it, so will have to try that sometime. I got some spicy jalapeno almonds and they are really good with cream cheese--going to go have my bedtime snack now! See you all tomorrow. T.

[MI CHICK]

Good morning ladies!!!
Ok it's a new day & a fresh start! I slept well & amy ready to get it together today. Have my chicken out thawing to roast after work tonight. I have dinner at my moms tomorrow & Sun is my first Euchre club of the year. One of the gals has a pool & we have the first one at her place & have bbq and then play cards. We meet once a month Aug thru April. This is our 14th year. So much fun!! But the food each month is always so good & we always eat too much so that's always a huge challenge!!! Been thinking how I got thru them 4 years ago when I was losing all the weight. DH walked into the bedroom last nite & announced in a happy voice, only 35 days until vacation.....actually I can't wait. Kathleen is so right that I am not going to let weight wreck my once a year vacation!!!!
What's the weekend look like for you 2?? Kathleen I know you will be busy with your folks. DH doing a boil for them maybe?
Good deal on going to the gym Teresa!!! That should balance out the larger lunch!!
B=eggs & bacon
L=tuna w/mayo
D=roast chicken & green beans
S=??
Have a great day!
corrisann

[Teresa3]

Happy Friday!

Corrisann, sounds like you are just going to have an outstanding weekend! How nice you get to go to your mom's for dinner and don't have to cook tomorrow--does she cook lowcarb? And I know how much you must be looking forward to getting together with your card club--that sounds like a blast! I love to play cards, but dh doesn't; so maybe I should just find a club to join or start one myself. I went to dreamgroup today, and a few friends from that and I have lunch after; that's always a lot of fun. If you indulge a bit, just cut back on Monday! Have fun!

I was down another 1/2 lb. this a.m. It's got to be because we're staying home for dinner and still eating that chicken! I've cut back on my portion size for dinner, so lunch is my biggest meal now. Sure hope this keeps up! I really want to lose 2 lbs. this week because I've been stuck at 158 for about three weeks, I think. Got to get off of that #! We're going to a friend's 50th birthday party tomorrow, so I'm really going to have to watch it. I've decided I am absolutely NOT going to have any cake, not even a bite, cause I know what that will do to me. Wish me luck!

Kathleen, hope you are going to have a fun weekend, too, and are not floating away in rain!

B - 2 egg yolks scrambled w/cr cheese and bacon, spinach
L - salad w/mushrooms, red bell peppers and fried striped bass
D - chicken breast, cauliflower, chard
S - jalapeno almonds, cr cheese

[love-to-eat]

Hello,
I would like to have a good pen pal. I could use a good friend and all the support I can get. I just started yesterday and am new at this. I just don’t know if I can do this or not. Hope you can help me out. I need to do this for me. I do know if I had the support I could do it but with out it I just don't know if I can do it.

[rican3]

Welcome Love to eat! You will fit in here since we all love to eat also!!. We give each other encouragement and support and hopefully we can do the same for you. If you WANT to do this you can. DON'T DO IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE. DO IT FOR YOURSELF. YOU DESERVE IT!!

Congrats to you Teresa for another 1/2 lb!! I know you are beamming from ear to ear! And Corrisann you should be proud of yourself for sticking with us!! I was afraid you were about to give up last week! I am glad you got to get a few of your favorite foods to help you along this week. It is aways easier when you like what you are eating

Ladies, the storm brought us just a smidgen of rain. It really hit above us so we actually had a pretty day that day! These forcasters can be off a little and it is mother nature! They really got hit again in Houston and San Antonio where they did not need anymore water! We are now following Dean and I hate this time of year!! It looks to be a powerful storm and if it continues on it's current path we will board up and leave. It is a very sickly feeling when you leave all your stuff and don't know if it will be there when you return...
I have been here 27 years and been very lucky.....every year folks say we are due..........

On a more cheerful note, we are helping with a big fundraiser benefit today at the lodge. We are raising money for three very sick children. Two babies have brain cancer and a young girl needs a kidney. I am looking forward to be able to help these families.

My new job is going to be fantastic!! The small office has 2 other people that I work with and they are very nice. My good friend works next store so I have someone to eat lunch with! They have a lunch room and we don't so that worked out very well. Our offices connect at the back (they are Navy contractors also) We do have all the usual stuff, microwave, fridge, coffee pot ,sink. So this way I can bring lunch and stay on plan!! I took Teresa's almonds with me for a snack yesterday and that was great! See how we learn from each other! I had a salad with grilled chicken and everyone was jealous. Planning ahead is going to be the trick for me but really we plan ahead now so it should be ok.

Well Iam off to the lodge. Pray the storm turns during the night!! I will be back tomorrow!! Kathleen

PS Todays Menu

B-Steak and coleslaw
coffee with cream.
L-brisket and salad
D-Hot wings and Brocolli w/ cheese
S- Drinks at the lodge. I have to be honest!! But it will be with diet soda