[2cute2Bfat]

WELCOME

We are a group of people who are working together to lose our excess weight.
We are on different plans and are of different sizes.
We want to invite everyone to join us in our journey.
We share laughter and tears.
We share what works for us and what doesn't.
We recently started a Topic of the Day.

Monday........Motivation Monday
Tuesday.......Tuesday Tips
Wednesday.....Wednesday Weigh ins
Thursday......Thankful Thursday
Friday........Friday Facials, Fingernails and Fun
Saturday.......Sit-up Saturdays - any physical activity
Sunday.........Soup and Salad Sunday - recipes

These are not required topics ...just ideas to share. We have found them very helpful. We also share heartaches and fears...joys and celebrations.

Please feel free to jump right in with us.
And be sure to check if there is a second page. We don't want anyone to miss any posts.

[2cute2Bfat]

Hello everyone.
I am happy to say that the fish fry was OH SO DELICIOUS !!!!
Everyone said it was the best ever.
And I am even MORE happy to say... I stayed on program !!!!
I fixed lots of no no's and didn't eat any. I can't believe how easy it was. I feel like I have "really" accepted this new eating plan as a way of life... not a diet. It is soooo awesome. I have NEVER been at such peace with my food.

I also got my kitchen clean AGAIN too.
That is a major victory for me.
I am going to fold clothes as soon as I get off here (I do that in the kitchen.. grrr) and put them away TONIGHT !!!!
That is another problem I suffer from. Not completeing what I start. I fold them and then leave them till I HAVE to put them away. I am such a procrastinator.
STOP !!!!!!!! I "was" such a procrastinator. I am determined to change that about myself too. The first step in my victory over food was to stop bad mouthing myself. To FOCUS on my progress... and accept progress over perfection. GOOD was good enough.
Well... now I am going to focus on my progress with this procrastination. I DID GOOD TODAY. And good is good enough. I am going to be proud and take it one step at a time. Just as I did with my food. This could become a habit.... I like that idea. LOL

Don't forget to post your opinion on should we start a new thread after 14 posts.... or... should we continue with 25-30 posts on a thread and use 2 pages. I see the pros and cons of each. I am going to have to think about this one.

I guess that laundry isn't going to get folded unless I end this... so .... good night dear friends. tomorrow is Motivation Monday.
I am reved up and ready to tackle my guest room now.
I feel.... M O T I V A T E D !!!!!!

[2cute2Bfat]

I found Malia's post on the old thread. I have moved it over here. It is also her picture I am going to post. It is soooo pretty.

I have to add also that Syn and I both have a post on page 2 of the old thread. I just don't want to bring them ALL over here and Syn's and mine are sort of related so I left them both. Syn has a great recipe you all need to go and copy.

Here is Malia's post
_______________________________________

Hi everyone,

Great weekend. I cleaned the yard on Saturday. Stopped midway to cut my hair again. That tallys to a $50 haircut. Could I have some of my hair back? I did go to a professional. First thing he did was show me the back--right side was cut, left wasn't. A three inch strip on the back of my head. It's evenly cut, even though it's an inch and a half on the top. What a nightmare this has been! I colored my hair, it's dark brown inside and red outside in the sunlight. Hot tamale. I stayed up last night until 1:30am and watched a meteorite show in the sky. There was a huge streak in the sky. At first I thought it was a rocket. It streamed green in its wake. Wonderful sight. It was worth the four hour sleep I got last night. Tonight I'm going to watch it again. When it streaks across the sky, I'm going to make a wish. It'll be my birthday. 39 years. It flew by so quickly. I don't regret a moment for I lived every one of them. Although this weight thing has been hanging over me since I was 14 years old. Crushes your youth and makes you old before your time. I try my best. Well back to the weekend, I went to a craft fair today and bought a few Christmas presents. It was fun. I got my friend a koa wood (cherry wood color) hot plate holder. A hand sewn insulated cover for a water bottle for my other friend. I love to look at the handcrafted work. It gives me incentive to start new projects. First project: sew Christmas curtains. I also saw the Harry Potter movie. It was well made. I read a third of the book and saw they spent money to make it close to the book. It was good versus evil. Some people are against it because of the witchcraft. But I've watched Star Wars, Wizard of Oz and bewitch which is the same basic storyline. It's basically about friends, courage, and good winning over evil.

Tomorrow's the b-day. I don't think I'll do very well in the eating department. However, I will start my day with Richard. I'm off to groom the brows and paint the fingernails.

Here's to imagination.
Malia
____________________________________-

I apologize for no picture. I was submitting this post and picture when the electricity went off at my house. I figured it didn't post any of this but it did get the letter just not the picture in time. I tried to edit and re-add the picture but you can't add pictures when you edit. Sorry Malia. You will have to add her to your next post. She is sooo pretty.

[2cute2Bfat]

I really tried to wait and let someone else post but no one showed up and I have an important song to sing.

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Maliaaaaaaa
Happy birthday to you !!!

I am sooo happy for you. I think back the last 11 years and I think that is how much extra true living time you will have being thinner.
But I am not going to let another 11 years go by with me weighing over 300lbs. 2002 is going to be MY YEAR !!!!!!
I feel it in my gut. I am truly determined !!!!

I am embarassed to say I never made it to that laundry to fold.
I got on another site I post in and got filled up with even MORE motivation. I am just full of it today. (I see a few of you snickering and saying "she sure is")
It is good to be able to laugh at yourself.

I am sooo motivated I am off to go do my swimming. Then shop for thanksgiving. My guest room is going to have to wait a day or seven. LOL

[MichelleK]

I am cooking my lunch in the micro right now but I wanted to pop in and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALIA!!

I'm NOT going to sing because I don't want to scare you all away! And thats the truth!! You would be holding your ears begging me to STOP!!!

I have been comtemplating quitting my job and staying home with my son and doing some daycare. Does anyone have any comments, ideas, horror stories etc to share on this subject?

My lunch is calling...I will be back in to check on you all afterwards!

Chow for now! Michelle

[thinthinker]

My post is gone again and I AM NOT HAPPY!! I guess I will have to start writing off-line too. Just the end to a PERFECT day!!!! I don't have time to recreate it all but I can't miss this:

Malia: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MALIA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Also had the recipe saved so here it is:

Peanut Butter-Fudge Cups
Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Crust:
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
3 Tbls. brown sugar
2 Tbls. chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 Tbls. corn syrup
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teas. salt
3 Tbls. cold water
Cooking spray

Filling:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbls.unsweetened cocoa
2 Tbls. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbl. butter
3 Tbls. 1% low-fat milk
2 Tbls. all- purpose flour
1 large egg
2 teas. powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To prepare crust, place first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Lightly spoon 1 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour and salt to peanut butter mixture; cut in flour with a pastry blender or 2 knives until combined.
3. Shape mixture into 24 balls. Place 1 ball in each of 24 miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Press dough into bottoms and up sides of muffin cups.
4. To prepare filling, comvine 2/3 cup brown sugar and the next 4 ingredients (2/3 cup brown sugar through milk) in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook 3-4 minutes or until smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons flour and egg until well blended. Divide chocolate mixture evenly among muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until the pastry is lightly browned; cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Run a knife around outside edges of cups. Remove cups from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 24 cookies. Serving size: 1 cookie = 2 WW point

Nutrition info: 92 calories, 3.4g fat, 1.7g protein, 14.6g carb, .5g fiber, 13mg chol, 0.6 iron, 48mg sodium, 13mg calc.


Gotta go. Love to all!

"The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind." - Maya Angelou

[Syn]

Howdy!

Happy Birthday to Malia...Happy Birthday to you!

2cute..you are so cute..love your enthusiam! I am so happy for you, and so glad we have you in this group! What would we do without your spirit and spunk?

I am still doing reasonably well staying OP. but should have been doing far better than I am by now...way to much procrastinating..been messing with the same 10-20 pounds up and down for months now...at least it isn't an over all gain from when I started, but it sure isn't a loss either....Gotta make some promises to myself and keep them here! I'd bend over if I could so I could get my butt kicked...

I am sorry I can't remember all the stuff I was going to add..just know I am thinking of you all...Gotta run...catch you later....

[prism]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your best wishes. My day started splendidly. I woke up at 5:30am, a little too late for exercise. I took the dog out and managed to see a falling star or meteorite. Perfect. I did an abbreviated version of Richard about 35 minutes. It felt wonderful. It's time to open the presents. Thank you once again.

Sweet dreams,
Malia

[prism]

Here she is the birthday fairy.....

[2cute2Bfat]

Good evening or morning... It is just past midnight here.
I can't go to bed without checking in here.

My oldest daughter is home tonight for Thanksgiving break. I will have her almost a full week. My youngest daughter will be home tomorrow night. So I won't be in here as much. Well.. maybe I will... you know me.

Prism...I am so glad you had a good birthday. That fairy is just sooo pretty.

Thinthinker... I feel so sorry for you losing your post AGAIN. I seem to do that in spurts too. I have learned if it is going to be long to either do it off line or save after each person I reply to. It has saved me a lot of heartaches.

Syn.... you are hanging in there with us and that is GREAT. Keep focusing on gratitude for not gaining all your weight back.
Remember.... when you focus on the positive, the positive increases. If you focus on the negative, the negative increases.
You are taking a postive step by posting in here again. Pick one small thing to improve on... such as drinking 10 glasses of water a day or not eatting seconds. Any small step is a beginning. Then sing your own praises when you accomplish it. It is OKAY to be proud of yourself. I took me a longgggg time to learn that lesson.

Michelle... I have owned my own home day care for many years in the past. I also worked in and director for a day care center. Plus I worked as a bookkeeper and now a house wife. I have sooo much to share with you on this subject. Pros and cons.
I am going to have to write it off line and email it or PM it to you. I don't want to bore everyone with all of my opinions. LOL BUT... it will have to wait till after the kids go back to college. Next Monday probably. I have written myself an email so I don't forget. LOL

Since most of you will read this Tuesday I will go ahead and do my Tuesday Tips.

1... Think Positive !!! Our minds play a VERY BIG role in our success... or failure. Focus on your positives. Raise yourself the way you want your child raised. Tell yourself... "there won't be any of that kind of talk in this house" if you start bad mouthing yourself.

2....Accept progress over perfection. Trust me... no one is going to be perfect. But we can make progress. As Suzie always said... baby steps. She has lost tons of weight with baby steps. Babys fall down... and then get back up. Babys accept falling down as part of the learning process. We can learn a lot from babies.

3....NEVER GIVE UP. Boy am I glad I didn't give up. I continued posting in here even as I GAINED weight. It is hard to do. You feel so unworthy. But I found people who were successful and kept reading their posts and finally said to myself... "IF they can do it... so can I."
I had NO REASON to believe that... I had tried and failed for nearly 50 years. BUT... I did belive it. "I CAN DO THIS !!!"

I never intended to type so much. I just seem to get carried away.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday. I am spending the entire day with my daughter. We are going to go see Harry Potter and out to lunch. Then to do a little Christmas shopping.
Love to everyone.

[prism]

All is quiet today...it must be the holidays have arrived....yippee...
Careful of food intake. this is the test of our willpower. I flunked yesterday with chinese food and cake/icecream. I will knowingly flunk today--left overs. I did okay during the day. Ate a salad for lunch and fruits. Didn't so well with the water intake. Keep trying.

2cute, how was harry potter? It must be exciting having your daughter home. You're so faithful to this forum. I look foward to your positive comments.

Keep on the wagon train.
Malia

[2cute2Bfat]

I had a wonderful day today.
I slept in till 8:45... that felt good. My daughter and I just sat and visited till 11:00 and then went out for an early lunch. I did great at lunch. Then we went to see Harry Potter. It was very good. Be sure you get in on time. The first 10 minutes tells you a lot if you haven't read the book. It lasted for almost 3 hours but it went by so quickly. I never wished that it would end soon.

I just found out that some of my Thanksgiving guests are spending the night too.
Now I HAVE to clean the clutter out of the guest room. See why you should never procrastinate. Why oh why didn't I do it the other day when I was soooo hyped.
Live and learn.... or... just watch me and learn. LOL
As you can see I am going to be very busy Wed so I will wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving now in case I don't make it back in here.

Wed Weigh-in.... let's weigh my progress.
I am improving my food choices.
I am improving (ever so s l o w l y) my procrastination.
I am improving my positive attitude.
I am improving my determination.
I am improving my forgiveness of myself.
Yep... I have gained this week. LOL

[2cute2Bfat]

I stole this post from another thread. I would love to take credit for it... I agree 100% with what it says. The woman who wrote it has lost OVER 125lbs. Read this tomorrow morning before you start your day. It may just save your life.
_____________________________________

Please, please don't let yourself fall into this trap.
It starts with the holidays and geez, afterall, they only come once a year, right?
What could it possibly hurt to try some of the stuffing or a little more pie?
It'll just be a little... and again, it's only once a year.
But then tomorrow there'll be leftovers, and then starts the office parties and all the goodies the different people will bring by.
But what the heck, we all know this is a way of life, which means we'll be making good and bad choices, right? So what if I make a bad choice today? I can start fresh tomorrow.

Only tomorrow never comes, and before you know it you've regained all or most of the weight you've worked so hard to lose. I know. I did exactly that, and it took me almost a year just to re-start.

Please don't let this happen to you. They are years wasted that I can't get back and neither can you. Take care and let's all be winners at being losers.
________________________________

I hope you were influenced by this as much as I was.
But then... that is what happened to me too. A bite here, a taste there. I will only eat it today... but then comes tomorrow and "I might as well finish this and get it out of the house."
We all know this story. This is how we all got here.
Let this be the year of the new and improved us.

[MichelleK]

Sorry I didn't get here yesterday...I was at a meeting most of the day in Lahaska, right across the street from Peddler's Village. All I could think about was going shopping! I love that place!

2Cute...I would love to hear about your day care experience. I am really seriously considering it. After paying taxes and daycare myself I am really not bringing home all that much money even though I do get paid very well in my job! John is very supportive of this endeavor!

I haven't been totally on program this week...I am doing the best I can but its hard for some reason! I am losing my motivation because I am stuck at this 26 lb loss and can't seem to go forward consistently. If I could just get off 4 more lbs and make it 30 I think I will be able to move forward easier! I know...whine whine whine!! I need to get off my pitty pot!

Thin thanks for the cookie recipes....I am definately going to use these recipes in my cookie baskets this year!

Malia...Happy Birthday...sorry I missed it!

Syn good to see you posting again...we need everyone here during these holidays whether we are doing good or bad...if we are here then you will be more aware of what we are putting in our mouths !! That way we won't be gaining huge amounts back...

Jen, Susie everyone else out there...come pop in to say hi!

I have to get to work now...talk at you all later!

Michelle

[thinthinker]

Hi everyone! Hope all is well at your end the day before Thanksgiving. I am busy, busy, busy trying to get the house whipped into shape, but just couldn't miss the opportunity for a break to visit with you for a minute.

Syn: I'm glad you're back here. Posting really helps, even if it's only a few words. I'm just getting back to it myself and am finding life better already!!!

2cute: Your tips for Tuesday were wonderful! Have a wonderful visit with your daughters for the holiday. My youngest will be home later this evening. It will be nice to have him home for a couple of days, even though most of what he does while here is sleep!!! * The piece you posted from the other thread is so very true. It's not just one day, it's the rest of our lives we're struggling for. Why blow it all for a holiday? Thanks!!!

Malia: Glad you had a wonderful birthday! Sounds like it was great from beginning (meteor/shooting star) to end (cake and ice cream).

Michelle: Glad the recipes will come in handy for you. I'm still looking for more. This has been a good exercise for me as well. I haven't baked in a few years because everything I had was loaded with fat. Now I have a batch of recipes that I can actually have around the house too.

Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies

Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teas. baking soda
1/4 teas. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) 70% buttermilk-vegetable oil spread, at room temperature
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large egg whites
1 teas. pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups dried cranberries
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat baking sheets with nonstick spray.
2. In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In second medium bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat vegetable oil spread until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in egg whites, one at a time, until well comvined. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir by hand until flour is no longer visible. Stir in cranberries and oats.
4. Onto prepared baking sheets, drop batter by slightly rounded teaspoons, spacing them 1 1/2 inches apart.
5. Bake in 350 degree oven until light golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 days.

Nutrition info: 50 calories, 1g protein, 2g fat, 8g carbohydrate, 43mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol

Thinthinker's note: This recipe did not list fiber grams so if you are on WW, check the ingredients and add up the fiber grams so you can calculate the points better. With the nutrition info I had, these are 1 point cookies. Also the recipe did not say how many it makes.

Gotta run. More cleaning to do. Talk with you all later.

"People create their own questions because they're afraid to look straight. All you have to do is look straight and see the road, and when you see it, don't sit looking at it ----- walk." - Ayn Rand