[ECmom]

Welcome !
You have come to a thread full of encouragment and fellowship as
we walk with the Lord in our desire to lose weight!

Please go back and read CE'ers thread #127 to catch up on the latest postings.

I just left a long post there, and will not bore you with all the details here. I hope that you are all doing well.
See you tomorrow!!
Ginny

[ECmom]

Good morning!
Just thought I would check in and wish everyone a wonderful day.
I am off to work today. Dd seems to be feeling ok and no tummy ache. Breakfast stayed where it should too!

I got a quick walk in (20 min) and am off to a good start eating and with my water. Gotta go get my Bible/prayer time in.
Have a great day!
Ginny

[sami]

Blessing today!
I got a New Year supprise yesterday. I was able to put on a pair of pants a size smaller! It made me brave enough to get on the scale and I have lost 10 lbs! It is from all that extra phyical work I did at work! I am going to start working out even if it is just for a 15 mins. I feel like I can do it!

Metoo-Wow what a busy person! What is your major? You will make your goal! You are an outstanding example to me going back to school couldn't be easy but you did it! I want to go back but I am waiting for my youngest to go to school full time. We have about the same amout to lose in about the same amount of time so we can encourage each other!

Pravda-Heredity plays a big factor in our lifes! How is your DH doing now? The dr thought I have PCOS at one time so I did a lot of reading on it. It will be a challange to lose weight with PCOS but you can do it just don't give up! I took glucophage for awhile but it was real hard on my tummy I am glad you are doing well with it. I am looking forward to learning more about you. How old were you when you came to the US? And I hope this doesn't sound dumb but what does MK stand for?

Judy and Sister Joanne -Praying for you to have an OP day!

Wilma-I am going to the store and buy veggie soup stuff every since you posted about veggie soup I have wanted it!

Ginny-Thanks for starting a new post. I know it is not easy to say NO. I always told my daughter just tell them your Mom said No and I am the bad guy and all your friends will feel sorry for you because your Mom is so mean! You can't trust that just because there is adults there that they have the same moral values you do. My DD was at a friends house for a short time New Years eve and she let it slip that there was drinking and the parents were home. None of the kids were of age to be drinking they were 19,20. My kids tell me all the time about how the parents know the kids are having sex and the parents just say you better not get pg! And parties with drinking and drugs. (my kids hear about it at school they don't get to go). I will pray for you the next few year will be tough. Being a teen now days is not easy nither is being a parent to a teen!

Blessing today
Sami

[metoo]

Sami- Great to hear from you. My major is Office System Technology (Administrative). Right now I am on school break and will start back on Monday. It has been nice, but I am ready to go back. It has been hard sticking to my diet at home, and I am so depressed about my weight. Do you have any advice that you can give me that works for you? I ashamed to say I have a membership to a health spa and don't even go. I am going to try to go through those doors next week, when I go back to school. I use to love to go, but since I have gained all this weight I just want to hide. But I have ask God to give me the strength to stick with it. I know prayer is the key to all things.

I am looking forward to talking with you more, and helping you in anyway I can.

Blessings to you
Metoo




Ginny- Sounds like your day was off to a good start. Do you put anything in your water? I am having a hard time trying to drink it. I would appreciate any help you can give me.

Blessings to you
Metoo

[Gutchie]

Hi everyone!

I too have trouble getting all the water down.
A couple of hints that work for me are to add some lemon or lime, and in the evenings I purchase caffeine free/diet flavoured water.
Here in Canada the grocery stores carry the brands Fizz (Master Choice) and Our Compliments Sparkling water. This water is sweet like soda and assists with the sugar cravings.
Today I've been OP, yippee!
(After all, I must meet that challenge of 5 lbs. by Valentine's Day!)

This Christmas I was given a good book girls, entitled:
Quilted with Love ( Discovering the Patterns of Life's Grace & Beauty) by Debbie Salter Goodwin. I'd love to learn to quilt, my late grandmother used to host quiltingbee's when I was a teen.
God & Quilting an interesting book indeed.
To grow spiritually, to lose weight, and to learn to quilt the aims of 2002 for Gutchie.

God Bless!
Sister Joanne

[sami]

Blessing this wonderful day!

I went to the store yesterday and they had lean cuisine on sale for 1.33 each so I stocked up! I have to take my dinner because I work 4:00pm-11:00pm. I am motivated to loose this weight!

Metoo-The hardest part is the starting part! I do better if start on one thing at a time. Like for me it was not eating out for my dinner. And since I sit in the office all afternoon I started getting my work done faster and helping in other areas so I became more active. I have found that the only time I have been real successful is when I cut out fast food and drank at least 8 glasses of water. You diet has to fit your lifestyle like for me to buy a lot of salad stuff or foods that would take a lot to prepare I wouldn't have time so I wouldn't stick to it. So something that is easy like a lean cuisine works for me. Also what you drink makes a diffrence diet rite and diet fago has no sodium! or cal. I hope this helps.

Sister Joanne-The water thing makes a diffrence. I have been buying the bottled water so it makes it easy to just grab. My grandmother use to quilt I have tryed it but my love is the scrapbooking!

Have a blessed day!
Sami

[metoo]

As I started this day, I reminded myself that I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This is what is going to get me through the day. Maybe it will help you. to.


Sami- Thank you for the advice. I drink alot of hot tea with surgar and caffine. I heard about a sweetner called Splender and went to the store and bought me some for my tea. I have not yet switched to caffine free yet , that will be my next step. And I am going to have to work on the water. I don't drink water at all, but I am going to try the lemon and lime.
I have never tried the lean cuisine but that was a good deal. The next time I go to the store I will pick some up, along with the diet rite.

Sister Joanne- Great Idea, I am going to try the lemon and lime in my water. I will try anything that will help me get it down. It sounds like a great book you recieved, and to grow spiritually is the best thing for anyone.

Have a Great Day!!
God Bless
Metoo

[wilma12]

Wow! It's been busy here! This is great! We really need the support of each other and the more the merrier. I also like the challenge of losing 5 lbs. by Valentine's Day. It's certainly achievable. I just need to get moving. I think I gained about 5 this Christmas and now I need to get it off.

Metoo: WTG on making changes in your diet. I love to drink water and find that my body craves it. I drink it now instead of pop at meals or in the evening. The lemon idea is wonderful. Also, drinking things with caffiene in it dehydrates your body so you have to drink more water to counteract it. Just a thought!!

Sami: Sounds like you're really on a roll! 10 lbs. Wooohoooo! I'm still working on that soup. It was a big pot! I'm also going to stock up on veggies to take to work when I go back next week.

Gutchie: Great to hear from you again! I'm so sorry about losing your grandpa. It's so hard to lose someone who's so close to you. We're kind of going through a tough time in that way also. My DH's uncle who he is really close to is dying of cancer. It's also a matter of time and the fact that he's 78 means nothing to us. My condolensces to you!

Metoo: Sounds like you're a very busy lady. Make sure you take time out for yourself!!

Ginny: Sounds like you've made a great start to your new year. Let's get this load of weight off!!

Pravda: Heredity plays a big part in our lives doesn't it? I hope you and DH have a great, healthy year.

Well, I've been here long enough. Talk to you tomorrow!!

[ECmom]

Good evening!!!
I am not sure how I will fare responding to each of you- but I will give it a shot.

First of all, my two cents on the water issue. (but mind you, I enjoy drinking water). First thing in the morning, and I mean first thing, I drink a glass of water. Yes,it is almost a guzzle- I just figure that it fills me up immediately and gets me off to a good start. And then there are certain times that I insist that I have a glass of water. One for me is when I am on the computer. I make it a water time for me and will have at least one glass. I also drink a glass before I walk and another right after. (so, on a typical day, I am already 4 glasses into the required 8!) Sounds silly, I guess so. But for me, the water is needed and helps keep me sane. (Opps, another time I have a glass is just before I begin cooking dinner- so that I feel a bit satisfied and do not snack).See if you can come up with a similar system for yourselves to increase your water intake.

Wilma- glad that you checked in!!!! Great that you are joining me in the Valentines Day challenge. (I need some inspiration and it will be great having you to kick me along here!) Hope that you have a great weekend.

Meetoo- the Weight Watchers meals are also good, and from time to time go on sale for around $1.33also. I like them because then I will find the WW meal similar to what I have made for my family (on one of those nites that I am making something that I can't really make a "low fat" version and get away with it for Dh.
Then I do not feel deprived,and still get to eat real food. Start out slowly with the return to the gym. (don't want to see you get hurt or discouraged) Be a optimist! So what if you are not as svelte as you would like to be. Then when you begin losing, it will be all the more dramatic!!!!!!! And like Wilma, I have heard the same thing about caffiene- it is a good idea to wean yourself off it a bit.

Sami- do you have a favorite lean cuisine meal????? (just being conversational here, I am not obsessing on food!) You had some great advice too for Meetoo (giving up the fast food!). I know from looking at the WW points,that there is so little on the fast food menus that is not loaded with points. And I always feel wasteful throwing out those fries! (but I have given them up for months)

Joanne- Good for you!!!!! Quilting has been something that I have wanted to do for years, and never got a chance to do.
Last year in a magazine I get they had a quilt made from pieces of kids clothing and I got inspired. I have made dresses for my girls, and thought of doing a quilt from the leftover fabric from each. (some of the dresses became so dear to me,this was a way to keep the dress alive even after it was outgrown). Well, I never got around to it
but still have the directions. It was a beginners quilt, easy to make.

Today my eating was bad again. (stress, stress, stress) I did get a short walk in, I guess short is better than none!!! I pray that tomorrow I will be able to control my eating. Praise God we get a new start each day (and His mercies are new every morning!)
Better get some sleep. Have a great nite.
Ginny

[metoo]

Joining all of you has been great! I get up in the morning, and I can't wait to get on the computer and check in. I know this was a possitive move for me. Thank you all for such a gracious welcome. Today I will have a busy morninig preparing food for my pastors house. Our pastor's mother-in-law died yesterday. Please pray for his family.
Thank you

ECmom- Love the way you schedule your water intake. I am going to see if I can work something out that will work for me. And no nothing you said sounds silly. And I will take it slow at the gym. I don't want to over due where I can not move the next day. This week I am going to try to get away from the caffine, I don't want anythnig to stop me from losing weight.

Wilma 12- I am going to work on getting off that caffine. My goal for this week will be to inprove my water intake. I was told that drinking water through a straw would help you get it down. I have got to get those straws.

Thanks a bunch,

God Bless
Metoo

[wilma12]

Good Morning! It's a bright lovely day here in Sunny Manitoba. My dh and I are getting ready to go to town to get groceries. I am stocking up on those veggies!!

I was tempted a bit by those ads on TV for weight loss products. I was going to buy a can of Slim Fast and then thought about the meals I would be replacing with it. The two meals in which I eat what I'm supposed to. My biggest problem is around 4:00 and in the evenings. I'm going to keep rice cakes and veggies on hand for when those munchies hit. Popcorn is really good too.

Gutchie: I love quilting! I'm working on my 4th one. I've done one patchwork and 2 whole cloth. Right now I'm doing a queen size one for my in laws. It's ivory on ivory with a pineapple/dove design on it. I have 2 winters to finish it. Come to think about it - if I worked on it in the evenings I wouldn't be in the food.

Metoo: Keep us posted on how you're doing with the water intake. It's hard at first - especially with those trips to the bathroom but that slows down after a while. There are flavoured waters you can get. Can anyone give her brand names in the US?

Ginny: I love your idea for a quilt. My grandma made one for me that used old clothes. Brings back so many memories.

VALENTINE CHALLENGE BEGINS TODAY!!!

Have a super day!!

[ECmom]

Good evening!
Wilma- how do you find time to quilt!!!!!!!! Maybe if I did not spend so much time on the computer......... (really, I am usually on for much less than an hour a day) Did you end up getting the slimfast? I have trouble with it- oh it tastes great and does not bother my stomach- but I find that I want to drink it too quickly and am looking for another. (so I am better off without it). Glad that the sun is shining in Manitoba! Way to chase away winter blues. And thanks for reminding me of the Valentines challenge.
I will weigh in Wednesday to give myself a starting point.

Meetoo- you are welcome a bunch!!!!!!!!!!
I love this thread too and I am glad that it is a blessing to you also. I know what you mean- I can't wait to read who has checked in! I will pray for your pastor's mother in law. This was some week for deaths- we had two in our church. Today's service was a very comforting one- and we sang some of the old mainstay hymns , which were I am sure selected for those hurting families. You are right, water in a straw helps (but I no longer use one) and also cold water goes down easier.

Well dear sisters, I am tired and need some rest! (it looks as though the kiddies will be home tomorrow- it is snowing!).
Sleep well and see you tomorrow!
Ginny

[ECmom]

Good Morning!!!!!!!!
We woke up here to a winter wonderland!!!!! So far it looks as though school is on a 2 hour delay, and personally I think they will close and are using the 2 hour delay just to buy time. I will check back in later to see how everyone is doing. Have a great day!
Ginny

[sami]

Good Morning!
I am sorry I haven't posted in a couple days but it was my weekend to work and boy was it a rough one! I started fri when one of the employees who was temp promotion through christmas (we temp promote up to 3 people because we are so busy we need extra help and it wouldn't be fair to have someone do the work without getting extra pay!) Claimed he didn't know it was only temp and became very angry He verbally attacked me ( and I have nothing to do with the temp hiring) And he ended up walking out. When I got home fri my head was pounding and blood pressure was high! I just started taking a new blood pressure med and one of the side effects is a cough and I found out I have another side affect that only a few people have my face and neck started swelling I felt like someone was choking me. So I will be calling today and starting a new one! I have to run school starts today! YEAH!!!!!!!!! Will post more latter!
Have a blessed day and remember 5 before heart day!
Sami

[wilma12]

How's everyone doing this morning? It's still sunny here and only 2 degrees below melting point. My ds is praying for snow and it sounds like some of you are getting it. Send it here. It's his last winter at home and he really wants to snowmobile.

I have packed a healthy lunch and am off to a good start today. My water bottle is filled and next to me. I did not buy the slim fast. I decided that I would just try to eat healthy instead. It's much better for me.

I think my scale is dying. I weighed a couple of times this am and it showed a range of 15 lbs. I'm not sure what I'll do about that but for now I took down my measurements and hopefully next month I'll see a change for the better.

Sami: No wonder you have high blood pressure! I hope things have settled down for you a bit and that relationships at work are better. What do you do to de-stress? I find going for a walk when I'm angry releases it. Much better than those chips!!

Ginny: It takes me a couple of years to finish a quilt. I do it when I have spare moments - usually in the evenings. I find it relaxing. I don't have it on a frame so it doesn't take up room. I do lap quilting which is using a large hoop. It makes it easy to pick up and work on even for a couple of minutes.

Metoo, Gutchie and Pravda: Waiting to hear how you're doing.

Have a great day!!

Valentine challenge!!!