*Getting Healthy for Baby* April

[Stinkerbelle]

Go Amber for a LC Sunday!! You go girl!! Hope you had a nice breakfast with hubby..

DD is feeling very yucky this morning. I think the pain meds are making her sick. I might try to give her some Motrin to see if that helps instead of the meds.

Thank you about your responses about spotting. It has happened to me before- I guess anytime you see blood when it is not TOM, you get nervous!

BBL

[AsmallerME]

Thanks Belle for the cheers! Hopefully your DD will feel better if she weems off the perscriptive meds and gets on something more mild. Oh, I found that the flax muffins do not stall me. I'll post my recipe in a few minutes.

Nik - Phew, I'm glad you're a linguist and not a grammarian. Your menu looks great from yesterday. Sorry that you've been so stressed lately. Can you do anything to unwind? You're so close to onderland. Do you plan to celebrate once you get there?

Christina - did you change anything that you think caused you to lose 5.8 pounds so quickly? It's been less than a week and you're dropping the weight like crazy.

Andrea - I'm sure there have been tough times, but just looking at your numbers alone is amazing. It's been almost a year and every month you've lose 8+ pounds. That's really phenominal.

Actually, all of you girls are doing such a great job. I'm really so happy to be in your company. Today so far has been great. I woke up and cooked a sausage quiche made with pepperjack cheese. Ate 2 big slices and I'm imagining that I'll be full for a few hours now. I'm on my 3rd glass of water and feel so excited to get back into the groove.

I'm going to go and grab my flax muffin recipe and post it in a minute. BRB

[AsmallerME]

Okay, here's my recipe. I essentially took the 1 minute muffin recipe and tweaked it to make a batch of 12 regular sized muffins - I think the 1mm is too big to eat at once (at least for me). So here's my working recipe.

2 cups flax meal (golden is my preference)
4 teaspoons baking powder
5 packets splenda
5 eggs (large or jumbo)
3/4 stick of butter
1/2 cup pecan pieces

You can add cinnamon or some flavor to them to change it up. My absolute favorite variation on the above recipe is to make them chocolate chip muffins. I add:

5 teaspoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips

I found ghiradelli 60% cocao bittersweet chocolate chips in my baking aisle of my grocery store. A 1/2 cup is 5 servings (80 calories; 6 grams of fat; 8 carbs; 1 fiber per serving) = 35 net carbs. The recipe makes 12 muffins so it's slightly less than 3 carbs of chocolate per muffin. If you can limit yourself to one muffin as a treat per day then it shouldn't be too bad. I can lose while eating these. They also freeze well so you can keep 1/2 in the freezer and 1/2 in the fridge for the week.

I'd also think that the above recipe would be good with blueberries or some fruit added or just plain with cinnamon added or another spice.

[AsmallerME]

Oh, forgot to put the cooking info. I cooked them on 350 for 15 minutes. Again, I'm not a cook so there may be a better temp/length of time but this worked for me.

[Nik]

Amber: Recipe sounds great! I've been listening to 80's music while working around the house these past two days. I read with my kid this morning, and those things are releasing some stress. Thanks!

*I put a lamp and a few crates in my nursery today. Not much, but it's no longer so empty. Now, there's the ironing board, the crate "end table," and a flower arrangement.*

Today's menu:
B: egg cream
L: 1/2 tsp (yes, teaspoon-I just licked the knife) peanut butter, 1 pc dark chocolate, 1 mini rice cake (about 1.5 carb) and the rest of my egg cream from breakfast
D: Hmmm.... I'm thinking still; I'll let you know.

I was down 1.2 pounds this morning. Loving the egg creams!

GHB Board April Weight loss: 8/25 pounds

[Stinkerbelle]

Nik- you are wasting away woman! Glad you are feeling better..life has a funny way of making us slow down sometimes..

Amber- thx for the recipe- I am making those tonight. Might play around a bit and add some unsweetened coconut. Your breakfast sounds yummy. Do you go through the induction "flu" when you go back on LC? I did pretty good this time around. I find as long as I am still having my coffee it is not too bad.

I am just not hungry again- wacky... I will post my menu later tonight. My guess is I will be straving later!

I broke down and ordered the Magic Bullet! I found it on an informercial website for pretty good $$. $49.99 plus shipping- is that a decent price? I know they sell it for 99.99 on the MB web site.. I am excited to get it! Maybe I will start making those egg creams-

Okay, I am very tired today- taking care of DD has caught up to me and I am not looking forward to going to work tomorrow. Will BBL with my menu for the day...

[amm]

My nursery is a guest room/craft-sewing room right now. I have no idea what I'm going to do with all of my crafting stuff when it comes time to clear that room out! We have a 3 bedroom house, but the other spare room is hubby's... he uses it as a computer room, plus that's where he keeps all of his guitars and his toys... yeah, he's a big kid. I told him he can have whatever he pleases as long as it's confined to that room. I guess I'll be confined to a craft closet! It'll be worth it, though, to be able to finally turn it into a nursery.

[AsmallerME]

Andrea - my husband has the same rules with his "room".

Belle - I've been meaning to ask what the difference in the magic bullet and a regular blender is. Is it just that you blend in an individual cup? I think your price is good - I saw one at Costco last weekend and it was $49.99 and I didn't really stop and look at it though to figure out what the heck it is. Please share why I need one....

Nik - I'm really glad that you're having a stress-free weekend. I 80s music. I usually clean to it blasting in the t.v. room but my husband likes 90s alternative rock better. I love all music so I don't mind but 80s is always fun.

So far today:
B: sausage quiche
L: 2 flax muffins w/ a smidge of butter melted on it
D: veggies w/ ranch and a fajita salad

I can't wait to get to ketosis b/c right now I'm all snacky feeling. Oh, and yeah, I usually get ketosis headaches and things around day 3 but hopefully this time will be easier. Hopefully!

Oh, I was doing laundrey and ruined one of my new shirts that I just bought 2 weeks ago. I somehow got bleach on it and it stained the front of the shirt in a little area. I'm going to wait and see if it's still wearable once dry - maybe I can hide the area with a broach or wear it under a jacket? If not then it's in the trash to another good shirt. I have about 10 shirts I can't wear at this size but can wear in another 15-20 pounds so I'm going to focus on getting there to open up another part of my wardrobe.

Okay, I'm going to go and take the dog on a walk. I'm needing to get outside and it looks gorgeous outside today. I'll BBL. Hope everyone is having a great Sunday so far!

[Stinkerbelle]

Amber- not sure what the big difference is with the bullet and a blender. I like the idea that I can whip stuff up in it and pop it in the microwave. I have heard lots of great things about it...I will let you know after I get it! Stinks about your shirt...its always the new ones the get ruined.

I made your flax muffins- I added some unsweetened coconut and a bit of cinnamon. Looking forward to giving them a try! They smell delish...

Menu:
B- 2 eggs, keilbasa
S- iced coffee w/cream
L- 2 turkey slices rolled up with provolone cheese (not much of a lunch!)
S- 4 macadamia nuts, coffee w/cream
D- LC chili over zucchini strings, cheddar cheese, sour cream
S- I am thinkin one of those muffins!

Well, I am going to weigh tomorrow just because it will officially be one week and I am curious..

Have a good night ladies!

[Nik]

RE: Magic Bullet:

A) It's the best infomercial ever. I will actually watch it when it comes on TV for the joy of the program. The woman in the mu-mu with the fake cigarette: classic! I really think it could become a fantastic cult film, or at least the source of a great drinking game.

B) It's versatile. There are two blades. The whipping blade makes PERFECT whipped cream, especially if you chill the blade and the cup before using. The larger blade makes great smoothies and works moderately well as a food processor. (The food processing part took me months to master, but now I can handle it pretty well. There isn't a huge variety in the size of the pieces you can make. It's either minced or paste.)

C) It's user-friendly. The base really is the width of a coffee mug. The individual serving cups are fantastic, easy to clean, and more accessible than a blender. I hate dragging out the big blender for just one smoothie. It seems like a big ordeal. I never feel that way about my magic bullet, and I even keep it in a drawer!

D) It's a better designed blender. The inverted, bullet shape really does help to create a cyclone in the mixing cup, so you avoid the constant, annoying stirring that you often experience with blenders. If you're not getting the movement you need, you can simply remove the cup and shake it to redistribute the contents.

I love my magic bullet. I have had it for about three years, and I will buy another one when this one dies. Once, about eight months ago, I overheated the motor. ONCE. It has been working since. Just recently, the "tabs" on some of my cups have started to break. (You'll know what I mean when you get yours.) Still, I think that three years is great lasting power for a small appliance of this nature and this price point, and I use it so often!

Here's how I use it for egg creams:

I have decided I like these better hot, so I:
1) Boil about 1 C water in a 20 oz pub glass in the microwave for 3 minutes.
2) In the meantime, mix three eggs, 2 oz cream, and 2 oz SF flavoring in a bullet cup.
3) Add a coffee pod to my water, stir it a few times, then weight it down with a fork. (Folgers French Vanilla Pods)
4) Use the whipping blade to mix my eggs. I shake it two times during mixing, because I'm paranoid about egg chunks. I've never had a chunk, though. I mix it for longer than necessary to get it nice and frothy.
5) Reheat my coffee, stir and squeeze my pod a few times to get a nice, strong, HOT brew.
6) Pour the egg mixture slowly into the coffee. To me, it's the perfect temperature. Some people might want it hotter, and I think you could mic it for a few seconds at a time without getting chunks of solid egg. I tried it, but the froth went down, and I stirred it every 15 seconds to avoid solidified eggs.

And this egg cream totally filled me up today! I wasn't really hungry much, but I have snacked (since the lunch I posted earlier) on:

1/2 of Amber's Chocolate Flax Muffin (I made these after I read your post. Everyone in the house loves them!)
Another piece of chocolate
bacon and mushroom quiche (fritatta)

I won't be having dinner, but may have a fatty snack later on... maybe some chocolate mousse in my magic bullet! I'm low on veg and water today... I'll do better tomorrow.

[Stinkerbelle]

Thanks Nik- now I am SUPER happy I bought it!! You will have to share some recipes and ideas with me when you get a chance

[Stinkerbelle]

Just wanted to pop in and add the muffins came out good! They are so dense there is no way in heck I could eat more than one. I added a special treat- I put some cream cheese in the microwave just to soften in a bit and then mashed 2 big blackberries in the cream cheese. Used it as a spread on my muffin- yummo!

[AsmallerME]

Yeah! I'm glad you both liked the muffins. I think they're almost like a real bran muffin in texture and density compared to the fluffiness of the 1MM. I will sometimes split mine in 1/2 and then microwave for 15 seconds and melt a bit of butter in the middle - it's so decadent. I put 1/2 my batch in the freezer and the rest in the fridge for snacks this week.

So I may have overendulged today with too much cheese and veggies. I do feel better and know that I'll be in ketosis soon so I'll hopefully have some appetite suppession happening by Tuesday or Wednesday. Phew!

Alright, I'm off. Tonight is Big Brother and a whole bunch of shows I saw on the National Geographic Channel that I wanted to watch. One is called Population Zero and it's about what Earth would be like w/ no people. The other is about the Human Footprint and how much American consumerism is affecting our planet. I think the footprint one takes a special look at our consumption compared to the rest of the world's as well, which should be interesting.

See you all tomorrow.

[obraxton]

Hi, all, quick stop in, this is the first time in a long time that I've had DH the whole weekend. Since the baby, he's been burning the midnight oil at work. Now that's going to slow down with businesses not freely giving out OT in this economy...it was nice for him to turn off his cell phone and not answer b/c they're always calling him when he's off.

But I wanted to say hi, and I read quickly through the posts, I'm SOO proud and encouraged by you ladies! The weight loss has been incredible and the menus have been so tempting.

I haven't been following LC since PG. Meat has been a virtual enemy in the past few months. If I eat it, it's usually in a stir fry or mixed with something else. Every now and then I have a taste for steak, maybe 3 times since. I love fruit and veggies, and sometimes dairy. I don't really know what my WOE is now, it's usually whatever doesn't gross me out. If I have a craving, I go for it. My appetite is big until I start eating, I usally finish half of what I prepare, if that. The first 2 months of pregnancy, I gained weight extremely fast, like 20 lbs in 2 weeks! I was so afraid, but the doc said it was probably blood volume and other fluids for the most part, I was crazy thirsty and had a sweet tooth. Then afterwards, I think I've gained about 2 lbs a month. When I got pg the scales were climbing back up to about 200, and now I'm about 220 last time I was at the doc. Eating the fruits and veggies 3x a week helps a lot. And the baby has very active days when i eat that way.

Ok, DH's getting my stepson Isaiah out of the tub, so we're going to put him to bed and have some time together. Have a great night!

[Nik]

Stinky:
My favorite MB recipe is definitely the whipped cream. Super simple. I also love the smoothie, but you can use about any recipe with it. We can swap tips as they come. The best thing is that it IS perfect for mincing onions and other stinky things that you don't want to touch, but want to eat!

Amber:
Population Zero is awesome. I was absolutely enthralled in that program.

Girls, I need a hug. I just finished my taxes. I had been avoiding it because I had a bunch of stuff going on last year, with the purchase of the new house and all. Plus, hubby has been working a ton of OT to pay for the house, so I was super worried that we would owe. At one point, we were in the red, but the refund amount came up after entering the massive amounts of mortgage interest we've been paying. SO: I don't owe money to the government, my taxes are filed, and I'm letting go of some of my stress.

But Amber's post about the evening's programming reminded me that the season finale of Rock of Love was on tonight. Maybe I'll catch it later? (I'm not addicted, or anything; it's just like watching a train wreck.)

Hoping for a big loss tomorrow; but I'm off to bed!

[Stinkerbelle]

Good morning...

I was hoping to be able to add a loss to our goal but no luck. I guess that initial 5lbs in the beginning was my loss for the week.

I am very tired this morning- the weekend caught up to me and I do not want to go to work.

I will BBL..have a good monday!

[ArmyWife88]

Originally Posted by AsmallerME

Christina - do you have any rewards for reaching your mini goals?

apparently it is to fall off plan because that's what happened yesterday. I might have to ban Mac and Cheese from my house forever. It seems to get me EVERYTIME!!! I don't even normally eat but when I'm LCing it just so tempting....But I had myself back on track before dinner last night.

Have any of you experienced cramps 5DPO? I'm not sure if it was from eating the mac and cheese but i can't imagine that it was because it felt like AF cramps.

[amlundie]

Good Morning Girls,

Wow- What a busy weekend!

Sierra Kay- arrived Thursday at 12:34 PM. 8lbs 14oz. 20.5 inches. SO cute ( I know I'm biased) She is all cheeks! I didn't take my camera so as soon as my brother sends me the pics I'll post them.

My sister went in for the dilation meds on wed night. THey were supposed to give her 1 dose every 4 hours with a total of 3 doses. After 2 doses she dilated and went into labor, WITHOUT Pitocin!!! She progressed normal from there 4 hours of total labor, 30 minutes of pushing. And a BIG beautiful girl was born!

I have been on plan but maybe eating more than normal with the crazy schedule I have been on.

Here's my menu for the day
B: 4 sausage links
L: drumstick and mixed veggies
S: drumstick
D: not sure

Have a great day ladies!

[Stinkerbelle]

Hey Mel!! Welcome to the world lil Sierra Oh she is a big baby! My son was right around that size.

Christina are you doing SB? Would you post some menus? Last month I had cramps on and off from 5 DPO until AF time...not fun! But it could always be a good sign as well....

I did not love going to work today- I am very tired and then I didnt get to eat anything until 2:00..bad bad bad!

I think I am gonna go rest a bit- BBL!!

[Stinkerbelle]

So much for resting!! Busy as usual. DD finally was able to get up and shower. She is still having a hard time doing anything other than lay down. That is to be expected though. Not easy for an active athlete to lay around!

My menu is a mess today- not too bad but my eating schedule is a mess!

B- 2 eggs, keilbasa
S- 2 macadamia nuts
L- some buffalo chicken salad (chicken, mayo, hot sauce, blue cheese, celery and some shredded carrots)- I know carrots are a no no but there werent that many in there. Lunch was late- around 2:15 or so
S- iced coffee w/cream
D- havent eaten yet...I am drinking an orange cream soda (damn it)- it is diet tho. I will probably have more LC chili

How is everyone on this lovely Monday??

[AsmallerME]

Belle - OMG that buffalo chicken salad sounds heavenly. Can you post a more specific recipe? I'm going to definetly attempt this idea. You may still be able to add a loss before Wednesday. Plus you dropped 5 real quick so it shouldn't be too big a deal. Usually I drop the water weight quick and then have a mini-week-long stall and then start losing again.

Mel - I'm so happy that everything went well. Siera is a big girl and sounds beautiful. I can't wait to see those cute cheeks!!

Christina - sorry about the mac and cheese slip up. It's one of my favorites too - something about it is just too darn tempting. I'm sure you'll be fine weight wise since you got right back on track. Not to be a bummer, but I always cramp after O until AF. It could be a great sign but it could mean nothing. Just wait it out...only a few more days.

Nik - yeah for getting a refund!! You sound like me this year filing ours. I really thought we were going to owe big time and we started out real in the red. Slowly it got better until we got a measley refund check. Phew!! I haven't watched population zero yet - we opted to watch big brother instead. I did watch Rock of Love though already today. Did you watch it yet? I don't want to spoil the ending so I'll wait until you post about it!

Dessa - I've heard that people often like and dislike the exact opposite when pregnant as far as food preferences. It sounds like your weight gain is pretty reasonable and slow and steady. Thanks for sharing!

Here's todays menu:
B: sausage quiche
L: copied Mel and did celery dipped in 2T of organic p'nut butter; turkey meat rolled up with mayo and 1oz cheese
D: slice of quiche and 1 flax muffin
W: unfortunately I haven't had much - going to go drink a couple cups now...

Okay, I'm off. See you all tomorrow.

[Stinkerbelle]

Hiya Amber! I am afraid I get the buffalo chicken salad from the woman I work for. She runs a home cooked meal delivery service. She is kind enough to adapt some recipes for me to make them LC. Although, this recipe is pretty LC in itself (thats way I didnt ask them to take out the carrots) it is so yummy and creamy. I will see if I can get her recipe! I also got some stuffed mushrooms I am going to have for lunch tomorrow. Normally they add panko bread crumbs but they left them out of my order- only spinach and feta cheese. Wow-I sound spoiled!

Okay..over and out for me...see ya'll tomorrow

[Nik]

Congrats, Aunt Mel!!

Amber: I haven't watched it, but spoil away! I just want to know who won and Brett's basic rationalization. I'll catch it in reruns sometime when I'm totally bored.

Guys, the stress is back. The prospective buyers were trying to get our old house (that's been vacant since November) rezoned so that they can open a cell phone store in it. The home is located on a major highway, there's an insurance agency across the highway, and a Subway sandwich shop a block south of the house. We thought it would be a no-brainer, and our former neighbors (who are very close friends and our cub scouts leaders) agreed.

Well, the rezoning did not pass. Mostly because our former neighbors (who are very close friends and our cub scouts leaders) wrote up a petition, rallied the other neighbors, and spearheaded a debate at the area plan meeting tonight. I'm really upset. I feel I understand that not everyone wants to live next to a store, but wouldn't you at least be honest with your friends? I feel icky. Every bit of my menu for today seems to be crawling in my gut. Here's what's making the laps:
B: Egg cream
S: Amber's Flax Muffin
L: Leftover steak and greens
S: nuts
D: salmon, swiss cheese, broccoli
S: Chocolate mousse in my magic bullet (cream, cocoa powder, splenda)

[amlundie]

morning girls,

Nik- So sorry things are crazy right now, I ope things work out for you soon. I know it is h