New and would like a buddy

[Denise78]

Of course after I hit send, the dr calls with my lab results.

Anyway, my chol level went from 154 to 145. My tryglycerides went from 216 to 145. He said that was a great drop and definitely due to my diet & exercise. My hdl was at 36 and he said that is low -- should be around 50 -- but he said if I up my cinnamon doses to 2000-3000 units daily, that will raise that number, rather than go on a cholesterol med. My sugar levels were 101, so that was good too.

T, unfortunately I don't have a thyroid problem. So now what can I use as my excuse for all the yelling and screaming I do??? Darnit, I was counting on that one.

[Teresa3]

See now, D, you don't have a thyroid problem because you DO feel free to scream and holler! it's those of us who have been too quiet who now need to be more loud!

D, I am totally amazed how you could type 100 wpm and a detailed post after drinking a number of mai tai's! Where were all the slurred words? It's hard to go to sleep after having so much fun, so we benefitted from your being jazzed! Loved hearing about all the decorations, costumes, games, and the food, of course. What an amazing party! I have never been to anything like that in my entire life! No wonder you got elected pres. two years running! Thanks for letting us in on it!

I tried the protein shakes a few years ago, but they did not satisfy my hunger, but maybe they are more filling now. I think the ones I tried maybe had too many carbs in them. But anyway I am trying to learn to stop eating when I feel satisfied, and cut down on my portions. Also, although I am staying basically low carb, I am actually adding some veggies and cutting down on protein a bit because I think in the long run it would be healthier for me. I figure if I just try to fill up on veggies more that I will lose weight eventually and I will feel fuller. I hope.

Yeah, Y, I did run down in the am in panties only to weigh before I got dressed. There was more than one occasion where dh raised the garage door and I was standing there on the scale with folks walking by!
I'm not weighing, but I am using the tape measure. Just couldn't let it go altogether! This will tell me if my plan is working even a little, but won't freak me out as much as the scale. It's going to be a long time before I can wear those Elie Tahari's so I've got to have something to go by in the meantime!

22 laps is great, Y! So swimming doesn't bother your back at all? Where is bf that you were left all alone to watch movies? And with descendents of Willard in the neighborhood! Cracked me up with that one! Your menu looked great yesterday--congrats on not running out and getting the KFC. That used to be one of my weaknesses, too.

Now D, remember the camera adds width! So don't be dismayed. You did awesome to resist all the extra food at the party and eat only the healthy things. And congrats on losing a bit more this week, you deserve it since you stayed true to the plan throughout your recent stall. Also, big thumbs up on your wonderful stats from your tests! Do you take cholesterol meds? And how 'bout that blood sugar! You're doing fabulous!

I did well yesterday. Ate like I planned, and rode the bike again after dinner. (It's a stationary bike, Y, in front of the tv.)

B - egg yolk, halibut salad, spinach
L - salad, 1 shrimp & 1 carne asada enchilada (no tortilla)
D - halibut, eggplant, asparagus
S - string cheese, almonds

Have a lovely evening, T.

[yellowhair11]

Never liked diet soda for some reason-tried quite a few-ive been on the crystal lite and getting bored with that-maybe ill try the wylers. I know what you mean about looking at pics of yourself-I avoid the cameras like the plague but your motivation got pumped up so thats a good thing. Great lab results, id like to get my choles. down some more-I keep forgetting to take the cinnamon pills. I dont know if i need the high dose of prozac but i wont know i guess until I see how I feel in a week or so, im sure the outerspace weirdness will subside in a few days. Maybe im ok with the lower dose -who knows-just have to try. Do you listen to classic rock from the 60's, I just love that music.

Just realized Monday is a holiday. BF and I used to take alot of weekend trips but s3 is draining me financially so times are tough, s3 has so many expenses and no job but i got to stop as its killing me. His work came to a halt with the economy and he claims he's looking but I dont think very hard. Just to keep his car on the road is like 500 plus a month without gas. He has that blow device once a month 100 the supervision appt 100 car ins. payment 300, and then all the gas money, food money, fun money, maxed out c. cards 15K....If no car-then no job. I keep telling him I can no longer do this and asked him to move back to his fathers ( who threw him out and he ended up here )
Well enough of that.

Im all thumbs when it comes to a tape measure T but good luck with that. More veggies sounds good to me - oh yeah, the witch at work must be on a diet now because everyday she has a can of green beans for lunch. I am getting tired of the green beans too as I am always opening a can for myself while the guys are having spanish rice, potatos, etc. Thats great you got a bike in front of the tube T-here I thought you were out on your Schwin I dont think the pool hurts my back but I dont feel its enough unless I wear the exercise fins and gloves so that makes it tougher. I dont do straight swimming, its on the back, with kickboard, side stroke, waddling, I really mix it up to get thru it while I count the laps, I stop and do little exercises too. BF works 1100-800 M-TH so I never see him until the weekend, by the time he gets home im sleeping and he stays later often. Im 5 hrs into my work day by the time he starts. So this is a good thing. So did you stop the neurontin (sp) yet ?

Thurs.
am-grapefruit and strawberries
lunch-salad w turkey breast
dinner-hamburger patty and gr. beans
snacks-ice cream, sourdough pretzel, fruiti, 100 cal. snack pac.

[yellowhair11]

PS: Yesterday I ordered Curves toning shorts and the arm bands on ebay, I figure I can wear those when cleaning the house or even at curves in hopes of burning more fat, I have some neoprene shorts but they are too big.

[Denise78]

Isn't it a great feeling to have a pr of shorts that are too big on you, YH??

Wow, are you forking over all that $$ for s3?? Yikes. That is a lot. What does s3 do for a living?? Can't he flip burgers till he finds another job -- at least pay part of his way even if you help him a little. You've got to stop paying for everything at some point I guess, otherwise he'll never get it together if Mom continues to foot the bill. Maybe tell him you are cutting out the $$ and just providing him a place to live. That will surely make him get a job to pay his own way yet still give him a roof over his head rent-free?? Or is he working now and paying for part of those things? Treading water is a good workout too. Like walking in sand, makes you use some muscles! I figure any exercise is better than none at all.

I'm getting burnt out on the broccoli but I hate green beans so I got into some cauliflower yesterday. Getting bored of the same old, same old.

Yesterday's menu:

B-coffee
L-1 pc kielbasa, 1 burger patty
S-drink potion
D-chicken, cauliflower
S-1/2 protein shake, chicken, 2 bran crackers w/WW cheese

I think I snacked moreso because I was bored, not because I was hungry. Dh never made it home for supper and didn't get home from work till after 11 pm. It was a long day/night for me with no kids around either.

T, have you checked out the South Beach diet? It almost sounds like you'd benefit more from that than Atkins. Not knocking Atkins, but you seem to love your fruit & veggies and you can have more of them on South Beach than you can on Atkins. Their Phase I list is really long and has lots of legal things on it but you really do lose the weight with it. Maybe you need to change things up a bit. You've been doing Atkins forever, maybe you need something different to keep you going. SB is also geared more to Diabetics so it probably is healthier for you. It actually is very similar to Atkins, just less fat and protein so sounds like you are probably pretty close to following it now anyway. I think you'd find the reading interesting because it does talk a lot about which foods raise/lower blood sugars and how the combination of some foods or the time of day you eat them affect weight loss, sugar levels, etc. Maybe you can pick up a copy at the library or bookstore or even go online and read about it there.

No, I don't take cholesterol meds. I lowered my numbers with diet & exercise alone. Dr says that plus the cinnamon pills are doing it for me, so I don't need prescription chol meds.

Glad to hear you are riding your bike more, T. I need to get more exercise in me too. With all this rain the past couple of days, my treadmill has turned into a flower stand. I should clear it off and get back to using it on the days I don't go to Curves, but my footsies have been hurting too bad lately to do that. Maybe now that my running around is slowing down, I'll be able to get back to walking a little on it, we'll see.

I love 60's music even though I really grew up as a teen in the 70's (was born in 1960). I have the Sirius programs on Dish Network so I just turn the tv on and listen to the 60's music channel all day.

I've been telling dh for days that our dog looks like her mouth is swollen. Today he says, "hey it looks like her mouth is swollen." I think men have selective hearing and unless they hear...beer, sex or food....they tune it out. I just called the vet and they can see her at 10 am. Think if my friend can go to Curves, we'll just stop at the vet on the way and Hannah can come to Curves with us afterwards and just wait in my van. It's a rainy day so she'd probably rather go for the ride than sit outside anyway.

Ds1 should be home tonight. Tomorrow is his 21st . We already celebrated last week since I'm sure he's celebrating with friends tomorrow, but I'll stop at the store and pick up a couple of sm steaks so dh can at least make him steak & eggs tomorrow, his fav breakfast.

I hope the sun is shining where you gals are. Have a great day! D

[Teresa3]

Hi, gals--

Well, the sun is trying to shine through the fog and all the smoke we're having from a big fire in the mountains nearby. My eyes are stinging and dh and I are coughing, even tho the fire is not immediately close to S.C. there's still some particulate matter in the air that affects sensitive people. It's freaking me out to see huge plumes of smoke in the distance and all the emergency vehicles coming and going on the freeway. I'm claustrophobic and hate traffic jams. Was supposed to go up to Scotts Valley for dreamgroup today, but called my friends and said I couldn't handle going. Now I feel bad; I know I am being overly anxious. Usually I tough out these anxiety situations and do what I have to do. Hate it when I freak out and disappoint people.

I have cut down on the neurontin, Y; maybe that's what's making me feel more anxious. and my legs were burning bad last night. I really want off the stuff, but now getting off it seems problematic. Hope the Prozac side effects go away, Y, and you start feeling better. I sympathize with all the problems you are having with s3. I don't see how you can go doing this, either, Y. who could afford all those expenses in addition to your own? Looks like you are going to have to put your foot down. Even if he has to work minimum wage, it's a contribution. This is hard, Y. You are doing amazing to lose all this weight through this situation--you are incredibly strong, girl!

Looks like you inspired the witch to lose weight! It's funny--I was thinking of trying to only eat a can of green beans at lunchtime--filling and low calorie! I couldn't handle that though, too addicted to real food and can't stand to starve.

D, I did try SB a couple of times. Lost 2 lbs. to begin with, then nothing after that, frustrating! But that's when I was able to eat beans and yams, etc. which are allowed on that diet. The first two weeks are pretty much like Atkins, but I think the vegs are unlimited nonstarchy, which is similar to what I am trying now. My tape measure is not indicating that I am losing even tho I have cut down. But at least I am not gaining and I'm eating healthy, and have got my blood sugar way down. Last night it was only 98 two hours after dinner.

D, I think it would be very hard for you to use a treadmill for exercise with your foot problems. Can you ride a stationary bike, or do you have knee troubles? It's great to just hop on for a few minutes two or three times a day while watching tv or listening to music. Fun to rock out to the 60's! I think I will try riding more frequently for maybe just 5 min. at a time and see if that might get my metabolism up.

Swimming is a great calorie burner, Y, that's probably helped you lose so much weight so fast. And I think it's relaxing to be in the water. If I didn't have so many skin problems I would do it. Y, does the prozac make you sleepy at all? I'd like an anti-depressant that made me feel more energetic, but I know it would be great for you to be able to get more sleep. So you don't care to spend a lot of time with bf? Even if no problems with ds? I get time to myself going out to lunch alone. Dh works at home, is home all the time. One reason I go out to lunch a lot!

D, your sons are so lucky to have a loving mom who does so many thoughtful things for them! Steak and eggs sounds sooo good! Haven't had that for years, but used to be my favorite breakfast. Do you tend to stay away from red meat, D? I don't think I've seen that on your menu too often.

Well I guess I should quit babbling and get on with it. I called my friend and told her I was feeling better about going to dreamgroup. The sky had cleared up a bit, she offered to drive, and we can go the back way to avoid the most traffic. So I guess it's all going to be OK, although I still feel as jumpy as a bunny! Here's yesterday's menu, and TTYL! T.

B - egg yolk, sausage, spinach
L - Greek salad, moussaka (no potato)
D - mediterranean chicken salad, coleslaw
S - string cheese, almonds

[yellowhair11]

I never thought of those shorts being too big D ! You have a point. Yes, forking out all that dough-no retirement at this pace-I am going to tell him about the roof over his head, but he does not hear me. He was in deck construction with another guy but there is no work - slow. He would commit suicide before he flipped a burger, now I just got a call that he needs a tire and it will not be cheap, ughh. I have to cut him off I know but it will get real ugly. I know D - I get bored with my food too - you got the broccoli and I got the green beans. Ok, what happenned with Hannah at the vet and her mouth ? I hope she is ok.

Glad you are getting to the dreamgroup T. BF said you can't lose a pound with s3 here but I proved him wrong, now I probably cant quit smoking with him here. The prozac has the opposite effect - im more awake - no drowsies at all - I get enough of that with the back pills. I like BF T - its just he complains so much about s3 that I can't stand it as of late. And I must admit I like my alone time too. I cant get nothing done when he's home. Im glad you can do the bike T - I tried it twice at the gym and then had a knee problem so ive given up on that. I was thinking it would be really hard to gauge your weight with the tape measure, I would have to use a black magic marker on my body to make sure I measured right.

No clue as to dinner yet. Big rain is coming.

[Denise78]

I'm sitting here laughing out loud, visualizing YH with all these black magic marker lines drawn all over her body!! Too funny. I need the scale, can't give it up. It's too bad you couldn't just weigh yourself once a week, T, just so you could record your successes!! But I understand if it drives you crazy too much. I am obsessed with my scale but I can't get rid of it, it really keeps me in line.

I just came home with Hannah. Poor baby. We are to give her penicillin injections for the next few days but they also drew some blood because her liver is enlarged and her lymph nodes are swollen. Vet said it could just be an infection or it could be cancer so we are praying it's the former. They sedated her and scraped her teeth, said the plaque was building up and maybe that caused the infection, plus he wanted to get in there and look around. She is still pretty groggy and I had a hard time getting her in the house. She couldn't do the steps but fortunately I have a ramp on my front deck (this used to be Max's mom's house and she was in a wheelchair the last couple yrs of her life) so I got her up the ramp and had to keep encouraging her, because she was wobbly and kept laying down. Vet said to keep her inside till it wears off so she doesn't hurt herself outside. I can't even think about her being really sick, it would just devastate us all.

Went to Curves but almost didn't get to. Friend was supposed to call me and then we usually meet at 9:30 to drive the hour together. I kept calling her all morning, no answer. Finally at 9:40 her husband came in the house and answered the phone and said she was still asleep. He woke her up and she scrambled to get ready and met me at the vet's a little after 10 so we could still go since the vet wanted to keep Hannah for a couple of hours anyway. We really got motivated and played the music extra loud since we were the only ones there, so it was a great workout.

Glad you are going to your dreamgroup, T. I think it's good to face your fears and overcome them. Good for you!

YH, I love dh but can't be around him all the time either. When he got this big promotion, they told him he could work out of the house. That lasted all of 30 min and I was telling him to go to work. So now he does his Monday morning conference call at home and goes in late that day but does all his other time at the office. We do a lot of things together over the wkds but we need a little break now and then or we would kill each other.

T, I eat more red meat than I probably should. Dh loves it and doesn't really like chicken or fish all that much. So we eat a lot of red meat and also compromise by eating a lot of pork. Ya know, the other white meat.

Well I guess I better get the groceries out of the van. Dh said I should make lasagna for him and ds1 tonight. Ugh. This little grocery store in town does not carry zucchini or eggplant so I can't make a veggie lasagna for myself. I'll have to figure out how I can make a low-carb dish for me and still feel like I am eating what they are eating. Maybe I will just layer the cheeses, sauce and hamburg without the lasagna noodles in a small pan for me. YH, I thought of you today at the produce counter. I bought some corn on the cob and even though I know it's way too high in carbs, I did buy myself 2 ears because I have been dying for it ever since you mentioned having some.

Geez, I am too obsessed with this board. Imagine leaving my groceries in the van while I came in to check up on you two. Better get at it. Have a great afternoon/evening gals!!

D

[yellowhair11]

I said a prayer for Hannah D, I sure hope she is ok. I think of my Ginger all the time but she lived till 17. How old is she again ? Thats nice you have a ramp, everytime I look at homes in east TN on the internet every one has steps going up to the entrance and really not sure why and I always think what if I cant do the steps. I love when I have Curves to myself or even just a couple people, I do this thing in my head that I have to do so many reps before I move on and I can only do that if few people there, I think the timing should be double really but then that would screw up the "30" minute workout campaign. Did you ever find the etching on the machines that say how many reps are beg, intermediate, advanced ? You really have to look or maybe its not on your machines. I am hoping to visit a Curves when im up north-there is one a couple miles from my brothers. I had BF put 4 boxes of clothes in the living room so it is a super disaster, this way I figure ill have to go thru some stuff this weekend, I should just toss everything that is too big but its really hard for me, I keep thinking what if I gain it back, get sick-gain, quit smoking-gain, new meds-gain. I know I have stuff that is too small too-why am I keeping micro mini's for petes sake and other stuff that is just too young- leather outfits-I even ran across a paper dress, 60's mini shift dresses -I hate getting old. The 60's mini shifts are back in style. I have this fear I will be poor and have no money to buy bigger clothes too. And all the dresses I use to wear ! I bet there is 400, hard to say, I will never wear them to work and people dress like slobs there and ill never be promoted so ill have to dress nicer. Now I really dont care whats in style so thats not a factor. So anyway, thats the plan to attack some of this stuff, between all the boxes, BF's hoarding problem, and S3 taking my living space its bad, I never have anyone over or if someone does pop in I say I have an ebay business. I dont have time to sell on ebay, been there, done that. If I did not work I would do it. I forgot the name of the tv show that comes and cleans your place up and revamps it-that would be good. So enough of that, now wouldn't you know im thinking of one stinking outfit that I would like to wear up north but have no idea which box its in There is no storage area here either and dont want to pay for one. I dont want to do a rummage sale, parking issue at condo, on busy street. Ok, im done. Had to get that satire off my chest-like C would say beats reaching for the Blazin Dorritos.
I feel like I did not do great this week - ill wait a couple more hours on the scale.

Fri
am-cantelope and red grapes
lunch-salad with turkey breast
dinner-lean cuisine 320 cal. chick. parmesan entree
snack-fruiti-2, 100 cal. snack pack-2 - The snacks have to go, why cant I just have an apple or pickle and be content, mad carb craving in front of tube. I may look for those almonds this weekend-all I saw was almond slivers but im sure im blind.

[yellowhair11]

Weight loss for week is a big zero - no change.

[Denise78]

Vent away, YH. I know how frustrating it is -- my house is always a mess. I killed myself to clean for ds2's party and so at least you can see my couches and floor now but I still need to work on the kitchen counters. Not enough storage or closet space in this little house so nothing really gets put away and it always looks very cluttered. Oh well, such is life.

I know you don't like not losing but hey, at least it wasn't a gain, so that's good. I think the lack of exercise is stalling you a bit but you can't help that so don't get discouraged! You've just gotten back to some exercise so I bet you see a good loss next week. I'm waiting till my coffee kicks in before I get on the scale but I don't foresee a big loss this week either. Was on the go too much and didn't get to drink as much of that potion as I would have liked to. I feel like I am retaining fluids. Even my face feels puffy.

Another storm last night so dh is going into work this morning. He put in a a lot of hours this week -- should be a good paycheck. First he is making ds1 a b'day breakfast of Eggs Benedict. The store didn't have any steaks yesterday so this is his next fav breakfast. I told them I would eat the eggs & ham only, no English muffin or hollandaise sauce for me. Last night I made them lasagna and I made myself a "fake" lasagna. I layered cooked cauliflower and spinach in a shallow pie plate and topped it with ricotta cheese mixture, hamburg, sauce and mozzarella cheese and baked it till golden brown. It might not have been real lasagna but boy was it good. I didn't feel deprived and I didn't touch one bite of the real lasagna at all plus I didn't snack later either.

Yesterday's menu:

B-coffee
L-salad w/diced chicken
S-1 string cheese
D-low-carb "lasagna," sf jello cup


Hannah seems to be coming out of the sedation finally. She is 9 or 10. We rescued her from the pound 8 yrs ago and they thought she was about 1 or 2 then. She was still so wobbly and groggy last night, just laid there and couldn't even raise her head, poor thing. When ds1 came home, she did manage to get on her feet to greet him but then laid right back down again. We let her outside finally this morning and now she won't come in even though it is still wet and rainy. I think she missed her freedom -- she hates being indoors. We probably won't hear anything about the labwork till the end of the week because of the holiday but I'm praying she will be okay.

I say get rid of the fat clothes, YH. Keep a couple of "just in case you get sick" outfits but get rid of the rest. If you gain a few lbs, don't give yourself that excuse to keep the weight on. If you don't have much clothes to wear, you will make sure you don't gain it back, right?? My problem is I have too many sm clothes, hoping that some day I will get back in them. But like you said, they'll probably all be out of style by then so I am going to just toss them. What am I really holding onto them for anyway?? If...WHEN...I lose all this weight, I am going on a clothes-buying spree and treating myself to all new outfits!!!

T, how are the wildfires?? I hope the air is clearing up around you. We get fires out here too, such a dry grassy area we live in, and we get strong winds a lot. Very scary when it gets near your house.

Sounds like you are still playing with your meds. That gets frustrating too but remember that it takes a week or 2 for some meds to really start working and your body may be adjusting to the lower dosage still. Keep at it and don't you get discouraged either!! My dr wanted to put me back on another Diabetes med but I refused. It was one that caused me to gain weight and I'd rather keep my sugars lower by cutting back on the carbs than adding the med. I really need to focus on my weight loss. The extra lbs are killing me but if they go, I'm thinking a lot of my other problems will too. It's hard to tell sometimes if my health issues are from the MS or obesity or a combination of both.

I will be back later with a weigh-in. Have a good holiday wkd ladies!

D

[slendercate]

Hi, ladies,

I've been missing in action this week as one colleague was off, boy did I do the overtime. Oh, well, I am thinking what I can buy with the extra money.

I loved reading the posts this week.

D, congrats on the lab numbers. I have never heard of cinamon, I will try that. Wow, you have so much energy! Parties, etc. This past week, I went home showered & went to bed I was so tired. Will keep Hannah on my prayer list. I know how much we love our pets and how they become part of the family.

YH, wow, God bless with your son. I have really had an emotional roller coaster with work and our DH getting ready to move in June. He just doesn't get it, we are not footing the bills for he and the girl living out of state.
Don't feel too badly about not losing this week. You will catch up.


T, have you thought of trying Protein Power? It is alot like Atkins, but is more generous with the carbs, they have two levels, 30-40 gms/day and a 55-60 level. You might check out there website, www.eatprotein.com/forums to get a synopsis of the plan and read about them.

The scale hasn't been kind either this past week. From my lowest weight Thursday week ago, I have gained back the 4lbs I lost this year.
I sucumbed to "carbage" eating one day and I am back up again.

The next time I feel stressed, I am going for pure protein or maybe I will do some toning exercises.

Oh, well. Back on track today. Will post my menu later. Accountablity. What I need.

[Denise78]

YH, the almonds should be in the aisle where all the canned nuts are but some stores don't carry them and they are a little pricier than peanuts. Pistachios are good for dieting too, but again, pricey.

[Teresa3]

Happy Weekend, Gals--

Dh and I just got back from lunch and the gym; had a good workout. I'm going to try going to the gym a couple more days this week and try some new exercises. My upper arms are so flabby I want to try a couple more things for them, and hopefully won't get too sore. the nice thing about not weighing now is that I'm not worrying about how exercise is affecting me so much. In the past, extra exercise seemed to make my weight go up rather than down, I think because of the added stress to my body.

I wore a pair of my size 14 jeans that were too tight the last few weeks--still tight, but stretch, and could wear them all afternoon, so was happy about that. I have a couple of pairs of 14's that are smaller than what I've been wearing but bigger than the ones I'm trying to get into, so I'm using those as an intermediate goal.

Y, good for you to get those boxes of clothes out. If they're in your living room you're more likely to go through them cause they're in your face, and
maybe that dress you're thinking of wearing will be in one of them. Do you have any second hand clothing stores you could sell them at? Retro clothes are very popular in Santa Cruz, but we have a lot of students here. Garage sales are really popular here too. What is bf hoarding? Maybe you two should make an agreement to have a cleanout and sale or go to the goodwill. I think D has a good idea about getting rid of the old stuff and treating yourself to new things, only saving a couple of the larger sizes for an emergency so you won't feel free to indulge!

There's nothing wrong with staying even, Y! That's an accomplishment in itself. I know you feel like you didn't have a great week, but you really didn't overeat, and you did exercise when you could. I know you want to lose more, but I think you must look pretty sharp at 5'4" and 141!

D, that "fake" lasagna dish does sound delicious! And easy to fix--makes me want to try it. So sorry to hear about Hannah; hope she is OK. And, good for you to say no to your doc re going back on a med that you know you probably don't really need. Over time, eating low carb and losing weight is going to keep improving your sugar levels, which you already know from your experience.

Thanks for the encouragement to get off the neurontin. It's really annoying, but I am hoping that it is my body having some withdrawal symptoms that will get better after I've had some time to adjust. If not, I guess I can go back on it, or try the other stuff.

Good to hear from you, SC. Sorry to hear you had a regain, but congrats on getting right back on track. We all suffer from the emotional eating, and so far I don't know of a cure except to not beat yourself up over it and just pick yourself back up and get back on the plan. If you try a day or two of eating pure protein, let us know how that goes. Oh, I did try Protein Power a few years ago; that's what actually led me into Atkins. I lost a few lbs. then stalled, so went to Atkins and lost more. I think it's a good plan, but my metabolism is a little shot right now I think. So I think it might be a little better for me to not eat a whole lot of protein right now, and add more veggies for fiber.

Did fine yesterday; rode bike after dinner.

B - egg yolk, sausage, spinach
L - salad, chicken breast, cheese
D - 1/2 rib steak, broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper
S - string cheese, almonds

Hope you're having a great time at your cousins, C!

Hope you all are having a nice Saturday evening. T.

[yellowhair11]

Well, I should have never started the box fiasco because now my back is out again. I think it was from moving some boxes and from trying on alot of stuff. I got so overwhelmed at one point that I filled 2 giant garbage bags and threw them in the trash, I was not making progress making fat boxes. Then BF was yelling why am I throwing out all those clothes but I just told him to shut up. Now my back starts up so my project plan has come to a halt and the place is really a disaster but im afraid to do anything now. So I went to bed at 200pm and just rested till now. I hate to go up north with a bad back as there is lots I want to do there. Then I think when im lying around that im not losing and gaining weight-so frustrating. I think im going to throw everything out like D said because its making me crazy. I tried the consignment deal once but was not worth my time - and no one helps me with the lugging.

Glad your getting to the gym T - the underarm flab is tough - im trying to work on that too - I think the machines at Curves are good for that - I also have a dvd thats called "8 min. arms" - its only 8 minutes and you can do it with soup cans, I have not done it recently but it is a keeper. BF is a true hoarder-part of his obssesive compulsive disorder-nothing will work-I sneak things out little by little and dump at work - I got caught once as he went thru the garbage here. It sounds like your sz 14 plan is working Those sizes are so strange and vary so much-I have 14's that fit and then I have
8's that fit so to me sizes mean nothing unless you wear the same brand.

Good to hear from you SC, sorry about the 4 lb gain, I believe this can happen from one day as that has happened to me in the past, you work so hard for a couple of pounds to come off then bam. Doesn't make sense. I ordered the whole protein power kit once but never looked at it - in a box.

We get the fires too in the Everglades, there were warnings all week about smelling smoke and staying inside. I hope Hannah is feeling better today D. Your fake lasagna sounded darn good. I have to grocery shop today which will be difficult and ill checkout the almonds-I would probably eat too many and they are high in fat I see. Hope you lost some weight.

Oh yes, I tossed some small stuff too, I found 22 bikini's in one box, the thong ones too it was a heartbreaker and I know ill never get into a bikini again. Then all these stretch mini dresses that were maybe 12 inches wide ! The senior Canadian tourists will still wear a bikini even if their 300 pounds and the guys in their speedos, bless them.

[yellowhair11]

Sat.
am-yogurt and cantelope
lunch-slimfast
dinner- WW entree
snacks- 2-fruiti and 1-100 cal. pack

[slendercate]

Hi, y'all,

Thanks for all the kind words. I am feeling better today.
Scale says I am down 2lbs, that makes me feel good.

Yesterday, I started my no fail exercise tapes, the killer ones that work for me. Callanetics & Body Flex. I am going to do them daily for a week or two to give myself a jumpstart.

YH, I, too, struggle with underarm "goosh". Your 8 minute tape for arms sounds great, who is is by? I'd like to purchase it since you said it was a keeper.

Saturday:
3 egg omelet w/ ham, cheese, mushrooms, 1/4 c. hashbrowns, (DH'S), coffee
cup cottage cheese w/ tomatoes, few green olives
1/2 c. lc sf ice cream
cup lc milk, Hood carb countdown

alittle short on protein, not enough veggies either, but will do better today.

Have a great weekend.

[Denise78]

Good morning ladies!

Sorry to hear you threw your back out again, YH. Okay, strict orders from me -- stay away from lifting ANYTHING till you have gone on your trip. After all your hard work to lose weight and buying airplane tickets, etc., you don't want to ruin everything by being in pain the entire time!! Those clothes will be there when you get home, so don't worry about it. Is bf going to the wedding with you? If not, how will it be with s3 and bf living together without you there to referee???

Of course when I went to weigh myself yesterday, the battery died in my scale. By the time we got to a store later in the day (because although I have piles of batteries everywhere, I didn't have a 9 volt) it was too late in the day to weigh in. Got on the scale this morning and geez, I stayed the same. I don't know what's up with that. I was down a couple of lbs all week long. I did eat a lot of salty foods yesterday so maybe I am retaining water. Or maybe those Mai Tai's have come back to haunt me. I think I may check again later, after my water pill has gotten some of the swelling out of me.

Yesterday's menu:

B-2 poached eggs, ham, coffee, drink potion
L-2 hamburger patties, 2 sl WW cheese, sauerkraut
S-protein bar (2 carbs)
D-scrambled hamburg and cabbage
S-4 olives

Today dh & I are taking ds1 out to this really neat lodge for a belated b'day dinner. Not good for PETA enthusiasts (sorry YH) because their walls are adorned with every kind of stuffed and mounted animal you can think of -- mostly all big game as the owner used to hunt in Africa -- plus they have this giant full-size stuffed polar bear. It's a hunter's dream come true and both ds1 and dh love that kind of stuff. The food is very good -- mainly prime rib and steaks but I looked up their menu online and found a grilled chicken breast with steamed veggies and a salad so I already know what I'm ordering!

Ds2 is going tanking down a river today with his wrestling team mates and former coach. They use these giant metal round tanks, fit about 6 ppl to a tank sitting on little benches, and float down the river, armed with big squirt guns to "attack" the other tanks. They usually stop 1/2 way to swim. We did it the past couple of yrs with dh's work group as their summer outing and it's a blast. Tonight ds2 moves out to the ranch and will live there this summer. He'll come home Sat nights and go back Sun nights so I won't see him much.

Dh's sister and husband will be here tomorrow morning. We all go to the Memorial Day services at the cemetery together every year. The American Legion puts on a little ceremony every Mem. Day for the war vets. Both dh's parents are passed away and his dad was a vet so we always bring a couple of big tubs of flowers and stay for the ceremony and then SIL and husband come back to our house for a little cookout and spend the day. They live 2 hours away and we don't see them as often as we'd like due to all our busy schedules, but they are good ppl and fun to have around. SIL is about the closest thing I have to a mother-in-law as she is 8 yrs older than dh and his only sibling. Dh's mom died 3 months before we got married. I had only met her a couple of times since we were living long distance from each other at the time.

Hannah is perking up and the swelling is going down a little. Which is a good sign because that means maybe it is an infection and the penicillin is working??

Congrats on fitting into the size 14 jeans, T. If you can believe it, I wore a size 14 when I married dh 9 yrs ago. And a size 8 when I married ex-husb. Geez. How did I let it get so bad over the yrs??!!! Anyway, glad they are fitting you now -- keep up the good work!

Good to hear from you again, SC. Sorry to hear about your 4 lb gain but good you are getting control of that now. Yes, I think you should post your menus (and more often!!). It keeps me accountable when I know I have to post my menus here. YH will kick my butt if I get out of control with my eating.

Well C, I hope you are having a fun vacation. I think you said you will be back tomorrow, so that went by fast! Am anxious to hear all about it and to see if those jeans still zip up.

YH, 22 bikinis??? Wow, you go girl. But sadly, I do agree that when one reaches a certain age, you must pass the torch on those thongs and speedos.

Have a wonderful day ladies! D

[Denise78]

P.S. You must have posted while I was still typing, SC. Congrats on the 2 lb loss.

[yellowhair11]

SC: .08 MIN. ARMS ( Jamie Brenkus ) It comes on the same dvd as 8 min. abs. There's a whole series, buns, abs, legs, and arms ( as seen on tv).

[Denise78]

Okay, jumped back on the scale and I am down 1.5 lbs this week. Not as good as I had hoped. I need to get stricter and hopefully since the boys won't be living here during the week, it will be easier on me.

Just had some corn on the cob for lunch. Mmmm. That was a nice treat. Haven't had corn since January.

Hope everyone is enjoying the wkd. It's gorgeous weather here.

[slendercate]

Thanks, YH, for the info on the tapes. I am going to look for them.

D- congrats on the 1.5lb loss. Yum, corn on the cobb.

Today:
link sausage, tomato slices, lc regular milk
hebrew national hot dogs, with cheese, tossed mixed green salad w/ lc dressing, few raw cherries
baked chicken cordon blue, (stuffed w/ brocoli, ham, swiss), tossed green salad w/ lc dressing, sf jello, strawberries w/ whipped cream

[Teresa3]

That's quite a delicious sounding menu, SC. It's good to have a treat like strawberries and wh cr so you don't feel deprived and go off on a binge. And congrats on getting back on track and getting off 2 lbs.! I guess all us older gals have saggy arms, huh. If you get the dvd, let us know how it goes.

Thanks, Y, for the tip on the arm dvd. I have to be careful how fast I add an exercise or I get too sore, so have to start slow. Hey, congratulations on getting rid of all those old clothes! In symbolic (and practical) terms, that signifies a readiness to let go of the past and make positive changes, move forward. Of course, you have already done that by making positive changes and losing the weight. For a lot of people, they might have had to start with throwing out the clothes. You're doing the more reasonable way, I think. Anyway, this is major and so freeing--as D says, You Go, Girl!
If bf doesn't want you to throw out the clothes, tell him he's free to take them and try to sell them or give them away! He's probably worried you're going to make him clean up his old stuff!

Do rest and take care of your back Y--we do want to see you have a good time at the wedding!

D, I also love those old hunting style lodges. It is sad about the animals, but their presence feels so stately and powerful and magical. Good thinking to check out the menu ahead of time and know what you're going to order. I'm sure your ds is going to love his b'day dinner!

Your family has a lot of fun things to do in your area. The tank thing sounds like a while lotta fun. Nice way for ds2 to get ready to go off to work for the summer.

Congrats on losing another 1.5 lbs.! Seems like it's coming off pretty steadily now.

Sounds like you are going to have a lovely Mem. Day w/your sil and dh. Sad to hear about your dh's mom. Are you cooking dinner or going out?

We went to the Greek restaurant as usual today; then I went up to the arboretum and went for a little walk. Am going to go in and ride the bike for 10 min. then again after dinner for 10 min. I think my jeans zipped up a teensy bit easier this morning! Yay! Here's what I ate yesterday:

B - sausage, egg yolk, spinach
L - salad, pastrami, beef brisket, strawberries & blackberries w/little wh cr
D - leftover 1/2 rib steak, veg stir fry
S - string cheese, almonds

Have a nice holiday, everyone! T.

[cleverchick]

I'd be happy to be your buddy. Send me a message and I'll send you my email address. Maybe we can check in every day?
Hugs!
Heidi from Kentucky

[Denise78]

Just got home and boy was it a long day/night!! Dh is on-call this wkd. He worked at home most of the day and so we kept pushing off going out to dinner later and later. He finally had to go to one of the offices (an hour away) at 3:30 so then we had to wait for him to come home. At 6:30 I called him because that lodge is close to 2 hours away and it closes at 9 on Sundays. He didn't think he could make it afterall, so ds1 and I started out alone for dinner. Dh then called and said he'd meet us halfway. We got to the meeting place and he was still 30 min behind us. So we waited and waited. Finally he caught up and he got in with us but we were running so late, we didn't know if we'd make it to the lodge before their kitchen closed for the night. It was a long drive and I wouldn't be happy if we were too late. We finally got there at 8:45 pm and the owner said we just snuck in and they'd serve us even tho they were closing in 15 min. Whew. I ordered my grilled chicken breast, steamed veggies and salad. I saw other ppl getting their food and it wasn't steamed veggies, it was green beans. So I asked the waitress for cottage cheese instead, which is fine but not the broccoli or cauliflower I was looking forward to. The chicken was just a plain skinless boneless breast seasoned only with pepper and just a little bigger than a deck of cards, but that's what a portion is supposed to be and it was a lot lower in fat and calories than the huge steaks that dh and ds1 got, so I can't complain.

Ds2 had called when he got home from tanking and said he was headed out to the ranch, which is a 30 min drive from our home down an isolated one-lane country road. It makes me nervous having teens drive those roads, especially where ds2's friend ran off a road like that last year and her parents were out for the evening and didn't realize that she had never made it home and they found her 5 hours later, dead. So I made ds2 promise to call me when he got to the turnoff for the ranch. He doesn't get cell signal at the ranch and there is no phone in the bunkhouse that he sleeps in, only the main house. Anyway, he never called and I was a nervous wreck because he wasn't answering his cell phone. It was 10 pm and I didn't want to call the rancher that late at night, knowing they go to bed early, so ds1 called a friend of his who lived nearby (we were still over an hour away) and the friend drove all the way to the bunkhouse to check to see if ds2 had made it there safely. Thank goodness he was okay. What a good friend to do that for us. I know I am a hovering mother but ds2 is only 16 and driving on a fairly new license so I do worry, especially given what happened to his friend last year.

I tell ya, T, there is absolutely nothing to do in our neck of the country. We have to travel far to find fun things but I guess we are used to it. Imagine driving almost 2 hours just to go out to dinner. It took us longer to get to the restaurant than we were actually in the restaurant!! But that doesn't stop us. We had a nice dinner and ds1 ordered a beer and guess what? They didn't even card him. Here he just turned 21 yesterday and was so excited to order a drink and no one even asked to see his i.d. Too funny. I'm sure it was because he was with us old folks, ha.

Today's menu:

B-1/2 protein shake, coffee
L-2 turkey burgers, sauerkraut, corn on the cob
S-pepperoni, WW cheese, 2 bran crackers
D-chicken, cottage cheese, salad

Okay I better stop chatting. And I didn't even drink tonight!!

Have a good night ladies! D

[yellowhair11]

Geez, what an ordeal to go to dinner at the hunting lodge D but those lodges are kinda cool. Tanking sounds like alot of fun. And congrats on the 1.5loss ! Enjoy your day at the Memorial service. Keep up the good work T and SC ! I dont have much to say as all I did Sunday was grocery shop and then back in bed with the back. Its not any better so today will probably be the same. I really planned on doing alot this holiday so very frustrated. Im trying to sleep so I dont eat so much.

Sun
am-1 sl turkey breast
lunch-shrimp cocktail and apple
dinner-rotis. chicken and gr. beans
snacks thruout day- 2-fruities, ice cream, 2-snack packs,pretzels

[Denise78]

I'm sorry to hear your back is still hurting you, YH. Do you have muscle relaxers or some kind of pain pills you can take? Or maybe a long soak in epsom salts. Take it easy today and I hope you're feeling better soon.

Your menu looks very good! Shrimp and rotisserie chicken. I always have the best losses when I'm eating those. Will have to pick some up at the store tomorrow. Dh wanted hamburgers and polish dogs for our cookout today. I do have turkey hotdogs but they are kinda yucky tasting. Wish I had bought some chicken to grill. Anyway, enjoy your holiday and rest up!

T & SC, what do you have planned for today?

Glad those jeans are zipping up easier, T. It won't be long before they are too baggy on you!

C, are ya home yet?? We miss you!

New week -- let's get going here, gals! Happy Memorial Day!! D

[Teresa3]

We never do anything for the holidays. Dh is not feeling well anyway. He's either got a cold or the particulate matter from the fire irritated his sinuses and/or respiratory system. He coughed all night. I think it's from the fire because I don't have a cold and I always get his. Hope he gets over this OK. I think it looks like they must have gotten the fire mostly under control because I don't see much smoke from it. They were thinking they'd have it out by Friday.

I went to the gym today as planned and tried some new arm and hip exercises. Using different muscles, I could tell I have soreness in my ribs and right side and back. Hope I can keep up the extra exercise because I enjoyed it. My feet got too sore walking just 15 min. up at the arboretum Sunday, so I have to find other ways to exercise. I'm happy that I am not feeling so tired this week. I think stopping obsessing about the scale and eating more vegetables has been better for me, healthier mentally and physically because I feel more energized. Hope so!

Dh roasted a chicken this afternoon so that was the big excitement for the day, other than going to the gym. There's a nice memorial park along the road that goes to the gym, and when I drove by I saw it was plastered with flags, large and small. A bit overdone, but a striking scene for sure. There were lots of people visiting, so I sort of felt I had a taste of the holiday there.

We started watching the movie There Will Be Blood last night. It's rather intriguing, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it will end up. Kind of a long one, over 2 1/2 hours. There's one you might like to watch, Y, while you're lying in bed healing your back. Hope you feel better soon!

Well, D, the lodge didn't turn out to be all you had hoped for, it sounds like! At least for you. But it sounds like the guys had a couple of good steaks. I don't blame you for being worried about ds2. I would be too, and what if something had gone wrong. That's what friends are for, bless him!

C, we look forward to hearing all about your trip!

Yesterday's menu:

B - egg yolk, sausage, spinach
L - Greek salad, moussaka (no potatoes), lc choc
D - sea bass, zucchini, crookneck squash, couple pecans
S - string cheese, almonds

Take care, all! T.

[MI CHICK]

Well ladies we are home. When I got in I had a message from a client that she'd had a mild heart attack & to call her at the hospital. So I spent the first hour I was home on the phone w/her & other clients balancing out this weeks schedule in case she needs me extra. So that was some welcome home. Back to crazy everyday life huh! Then had to clear out the car & call my mom & say we were home. Finally I could come & read everyones posts...read 'em all pretty quickly but think I got the general idea of how ya'll did w/o me

We had a good time. Didn't do as well w/the eating as I had hoped. Did ok on the road w/ just us. But at cousins she had cooked enough for 2 visiting families not just 2 single adults...geez! Dh is really sensitive about not making any ripples w/family (with his family anyway ha)so to pick around all the food was not acceptable to him. And I didn't want him on my case about hurting Doris' feelings.....family dynamics....what a pain! So I tried to have just a bite of all the many dishes & then claim to still be full from the previous meal. Which actually was the case after the 2nd day. Never had time to get hungry in between. But I could still zip the jeans & breathe on the way home. So here's hoping that it's just a few days of bloat.

Congrat's on the wgt lost D & SC. YH it's always best to not loose than to gain--you've lost so much in a few months your body would probably be slowing down no matter what.

Sorry that your back is bothering you again YH. I gave away all my larger sizes when I lost the wgt 4yrs ago & it was ok. I think if I was you I would pick out the few good quality outfits that you liked & keep them. It was just certain outfits I really missed when I put it all back on. If you can't drop 'em off at the Salvation Army or Purple Heart or whatever you have in Fl they will come get them. You don't have to fold 'em or anything, just have the guys push the boxes into the livingroom & they will pick them up when they come. If you can't do that just throw them & your guilt out! D is so right, if you get down to the smaller sizes you are not going to drag out dresses that haven't been in style since the 80's when you were 30 & dressed up for work. I did a consignment shop once & only made a few $$'s so now I throw 'em in the trunk & pull up at the salvation army door & some one comes out & takes 'em out of the trunk.

I am going to buy the protein powder tomorrow & give it a shot. Had some protein bars left from the trip but we'll have to see what kind of shape they are in--thought dh brought 'em into his cousins house w/ all our other stuff but he didn't so they laid in the car in the heat for 3 days...were kind of soft so I tossed 'em in the fridg when we got home tonight. Will check them out tomorrow.

Yeah these chicken wing arms of the 50yr old women is the pits Good thing I can't wear sleeveless cause of my skin cause them days are so gone!

What an ordeal for the 21st birthday dinner D....bet dh was too tired to enjoy his dinner by the time he got there!
You did good w/ your food--a steak would have been ok & probably more satisfying than plain ck breast. We go to a place called Bear Lodge w/db & sil every year up in the Big Horn mts. Good food & great views. The animals don't really bother me. Animals have been hurt much more by us taking away their environments than by the few hunters that actually have good enough aims to shoot them.

Enjoy that overtime SC! Something special for you is certainly called for. Life is stress ya know--if it's not work it's our kids or our mates or our in laws or the hang nail on our left big toe....I'm trying to make that sink in enough to realize that it's too everyday to keep eating my way thru it all! As D said you look back & think how did I let myself climb to this size????

T I tried measuring in the past but think that unless I drew on permanent lines like YH said I would never get it straight. Never quite knew if I'd lost or was just measuring a inch higher this time LOL!! When I use to hop on my air walker several times a day for 5-10 minutes a shot it really helped. The one I have now squeaks pretty good & I have to have the volumne up pretty loud on the tv so doing it in the evening when dh is home is a problem. So I need to try & do it during the day now that I have some days off. Course I seem to have been doing a lot of ripping an running so far on my days off...but w/growing gas prices I'm going to try & curtail some of that.

Well I guess I should get off here & get the stuff from the car drug to the appropriate rooms so that I can put stuff away pretty quickly in the morning. Think all I have to do outside is buy the protein powder & go by the bank.
Sleep tight

[yellowhair11]

Sounds like you have a nice visit C, did you do anything special ? Im sure you are fine since you were able to zip the pants up on the way home. Thanks for the kick just to get rid of these clothes, good point about fitting into the dresses when I was 30 - no one wears dresses to work anymore. Sorry to hear about you client, will you be working more hrs. now ? Did not understand why you cant wear sleeveless-a skin condition ??

You sound good T - and the gym again - those machines will help the arms for sure, just be careful with the diff. weights and doing the right seat adjustment. I saw There Will be Blood-great movie. Sorry dh not feeling well.

How did the cookout go D? Yeah, I took pain and muscle relaxants all weekend, feels better right now-so I hope that was it. No exercise and too much food all weekend, ughhh

Mon
am- fruiti, rotis chicken, green beans
lunch-nothing
dinner-pork chop,green beans
snacks thruout day - fruitis, pretzels, 2 snac pacs, ice cream