[EZMONEY]

Christian Encouragers

You've found a great place to come
and vent, share or ask for prayer support.
This is a great group who will be very
encouraging, caring and loving....
....anyone is welcome to join!

A Servant's Prayer --

Jesus, My Jesus....How marvelous are your ways....
Far more splendid than my mind can envision.
What an honor to be chosen by you.
A lowly child I am, but empowered by the Holy Spirit
to fulfill the great hope to which you have called me.
I give myself totally to you, Lord.
Take my imperfect heart and make it perfect.
Peel away the hardness.
Close the doors I have opened to the temptations of this world.
Gently remove the roots of painful memories, sins, doubts and fears.
Discard anything that separates me from you.
Lord, fill the emptiness with the light of your love
that I might be a beacon calling the lost back to you.

To love as you love.....
To serve as you serve.....
To forgive as you forgive.....
Always mindful of my nothingness while doing great
and marvelous things in your name and for your glory.
This I pray, Jesus, in YOUR name ...
Amen.

[bargoo]

Welcome to 2012 , may you all have a Blessed New Year.

[EZMONEY]

HI GALS ~

I am so sorry for not getting in here to post. I have the best of intentions, I really do. It just seems sometimes that I have nothing to say but the boring same 'ol ~ same 'ol stuff. And other times I want to post a lot but by the time I have time to do it then it's time for bed!

However, I am here now

Angie is getting her chicken all cut up for her chicken cacciatore. The kids are all coming over today, first time they have all been able to get together, for our personal family Christmas. My son and dil were in Florida with my granddaughter to see her side of the family.

We had a great Christmas Eve with church and then 23 or so of our extended family and friends over. Angie made some posole and split pea soups while I made a chili and a chicken, spinach and wild rice soup. Delish!

Christmas Day it was just Angie and I so we walked the beach with our dogs then went to the beach cafe for breakfast. For dinner our favorite Mexican place was open so we went there.

Last night we went to our favorite Italian place for New Years Eve dinner, our tradition if we don't have people over. My step-daughter and her boyfriend joined us. After dinner we went to a new microbrew that opened in town. Very good. Had a drink then Angie and I headed home before 8

Work has been real good lately but we will be slowing down in my area soon. I will be laying off guys next week, at least we gave them a good run this fall through Christmas. We have worked signed for the future but it will take a while for my part to come up. My boss seems to think I may not miss too much.

ROSEBUD I am glad to hear your DH is remembering better Also happy to hear your weather s decent. It is in the 70's here today. I had a wonderful walk with my mutts wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

KAREN I am sorry to hear about your grandson situation and also the bummer about the new house. A roller coaster on house over the last few years

BARGOO That would be crazy about what is going on with your son but it happens all the time. Prayers all will work out as he sees it.

BOOTSIE It is so good to see you back here. Prayers for warmer weather and enough rain!

MISTI Good to see you back too. Prayers for your situation.

WILMA Good to see you pop in too! Yes, we both have added to the families. I just love my granddaughter to pieces. I spent several hours playing with her yesterday. She was 9 months old on Christmas. She is a busy girl! My daughter is expecting next March as well.

Well Ladies I better hit a few more threads here to catch up then get ready for the kids.

See you soon!

I promise

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

HI GARY ~ glad you & Angie & family had a nice Christmas & New Years. The food sounded healthy & yummy. Thanks for your prayers & well-wishes for DH & I; he's already conked out today -- we had lots of ***** fall today with +2 C (above 0) temps -- I think the snow looked pretty, but DH was the one who had to move it around. Not to worry, he takes his time and does only a bit at a time.


We had a quiet New Year's Eve: just talked to family on the phone, but we had a nice surprise today -- some friends came over and brought dinner with them. That was very kind of them & we had a nice visit; plus the fella helped DH put a ceiling panel back up in the basement while he was here. See, blessings have already started for this year.

Have a great week everyone; and keep warm ...


....... .......

[KMme]

Hi everyone! First time posting to this forum although I have read through previous posts and feel like I know you all! My weight has gotten way out of control and so I'm starting today to change it, one day at a time! I'll be checking in here periodically with my progress and to get (and hopefully give) some inspiration!

[bargoo]

KMme, welcome and good luck !

[wilma12]

I agree with Garry in that my life is sometimes a little boring and don't have much to say. I guess that's a good thing too.

We had a wonderful new years eve get together with friends. What a nice way to bring in the new year. I also got to spend extra time with our new grandson. He's starting to giggle and really respond - so much fun.

I have decided to start the new year with more exercise and less sugar. It's time my calorie content went down. I am not enjoying the way my clothes fit and need to actually do something about it. I've been doing a lot of reading about what to do and now is the time to actually do it.

Welcome KMme. This is a great place for support. I know that I have been helped in the past and we will be here to help you also.


Have a great day!

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

KMme ~ good luck with your challenges -- exercise & bathing suit for your trip to Hawaii in June ....


WILMA ~ I find the toning exercises are really helping with the inches & clothes fitting better. I use clothes to help me know when I am losing more inches off my tummy. My winter coat fits me better this year; which is a great NSV for me.

[Bootsie]

Wilma you and Gary need to get yourself a goat or some sheep and life would never be boring! You just would not have the time then!
We were given a surprise 40th Wedding anniversary about 75 people were there! I thought since my husband took 3 days off that he was gonna surprise me and go see our daughter and family but since we did not then i thought it was the same thing throw a New years dinner for the family and friends. Gee never had no idea till Saturday when he was acting strange that something else might be going on. It was so nice never knew anyone cared that much about us.
Warm weather here, cold at nights but that is good for sleeping , My lamb is still going strong one of the triplets and her Mama does not want her because she is white is all I can figure out. Her other two or brown all or girls and i think Mary is gonna out grow her sisters. She had triplets before and raised them with no trouble at all. Even though her Mama does not want her she sleeps and runs with them any way ,sorta like, I am your born and rather you want me or not your stuck with me!

[EZMONEY]

LOL BOOTSIE!!!

but I have a new GRANDdaughter that takes any free time I can get!

And congrats on #40!!

Tomorrow will be Angie and my 16th Anniversary...and we will babysit GRANDdaughter!!!

Perfect!!

Be back soon. Love you all!!!

[bargoo]

Congratulation Gary on you and Angie's 16th anniversary.

[wilma12]

I agree Gary. I don't get to see my grandson as much as I would like but soon I'll be taking him to the park and hopefully getting some gramma time with him. Happy Anniversary.

And Bootsie as much as I like animals I can't see my neighbours enjoying the bleating of sheep in my back yard! Happy Anniversary!

I've done really well with my eating the past few days. I feel like I have some control which makes me feel really good. I'm trying to eat smaller meals more often during the day. My biggest challenge is after work. I've tried to eat a smaller meal and then have a snack if I'm hungry later in the evening. Last night I didn't even need the snack.

When I was at my Dr's office yesterday that everyone should have 9 handfuls of fruit and veggies each day as well as 1 handful of nuts and grains. I found this an interesting way of putting it but I'm going to try to balance my diet better with more veggies and fruit. Now just to find some interesting ways of cooking them!

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

YES, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to both GARY & Angie; and to BOOTSIE & David -- congrats to you all!

WILMA ~ ya, that's a lot of fruit & veggies each day. I love eating lots of veggies & salads, as they are very filling. You know, some say to cut down on fruit, but others say to increase it. I try to have at least one apple a day, plus a banana or other fruit in the early AM. My last doctor was a big advocate of having fruit for snacks and/or desserts too; and it has been working for me ...


I'm glad for you that you have a doctor that you can talk to about your eating plan; my last doctor that I had for about 10+ years was like that. You could talk to him about anything; and he was very helpful. My present doctor doesn't believe in diets; says they don't work; says most people regain; and all that is true ...

HOWEVER, he only touts surgery for weight-loss (and the most risky one of all, to boot). That's where we part company in our beliefs. He knows we don't agree about this topic; and so he just pats my hand and says, "I know; I know". No, you don't, DOC ... he said you don't have to diet with surgery.

I told him that he was very mis-informed becuz not only do you have to diet, you have to almost eat nothing before & for some time after surgery. You have to go on a meat & veggie diet for 3-6 months, then a liquid diet 3 weeks before, then water only during and right after; then back on the liquid diet; then soft foods diet (baby food); then eazy-2-digest foods diet (more baby food) for quite some time, if not for the rest of your life. You can never eat regular food again without some digestive issues cropping up.

Everyone that I have met in person that had that kind of surgery eventually gained it all back, and has spent their lives with their face in the toilet and/or ill. One lady friend of mine, even passed away from the side effects of a botched surgery (her surgeon even admitted that himself & he was very upset about it all too). She had to have re-surgery to fix the problems, but they were too severe and she passed away. I'm not trying to scare anyone, but just telling it the way my friends experienced it.

I am disappointed that I don't have a doctor that I can discuss my health issues with (esp this subject); in his opinion there's nothing to discuss. As much as I love our healthcare system in Canada, the one draw-back in isolated areas is the lack of choice of healthcare options, esp concerning doctors. I inherited this doctor when my old one left. Now, he is a nice man; and cares about his patients, but I feel we should have the right to choose what kind of care we get; and without outsiders interfering too (as we have had some privacy violations here in the past).

So, I just have to take the stand that we agree to disagree, and that's that; and that's not ideal by any means. I hope to show others that they can lose weight, and lots of it; and keep it off by natural means -- without having to risk their lives to do it. I have lost this weight on my own, and kept it off for several years now, and I'm still losing.

Some people think that I'm not losing it fast enuff for their liking. I have some extended family members who don't want to mind their own business. They are opinionated, interfering, obstinate people; and they mouth off to the point of rudeness. Since they don't respect my privacy and my personal rights, I am just going to ignore them from now on. In one ear; and out the other ...

It is an added stressor that I don't need in my life; as my health issues and DH's Alzheimers are enuff for any one person to deal with, but GOD will be my strength through it all, just as HE has in the past. I appreciate your prayers too; as I know they help a lot. GOD hears and answers all prayers; and He will answer mine too -- in the best way possible for both DH & myself.


I apologize -- I didn't mean to get off on a tangent (or rant) here, but the topic just morphed somehow ... I am praying that GOD will be my strength in these matters. I believe HE is healing me, slowly but surely; and the victory & the glory will be all HIS -- and I hope others will benefit along the way too.

[wilma12]

Rosebud: I agree with you that surgery isn't an option unless nothing else has worked. I also agree that dieting doesn't work. Eating healthy does though and is more maintainable than being on a strict diet. I think you're doing it the right way and who cares what other people think. So there!

Oh, minor victory at lunch today. Someone had brought nanimo bars (that's New York slice to my my AMerican friends) to work and they are my weakness. I had only one small piece and resisted a second one.

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

Eating healthy does though and is more maintainable than being on a strict diet....

Yes, I agree with that too; but it's hard to get people to listen to this idea (including my doctor). You'd think that it was some kind of radical thinking or something. They just can't get their heads around it; they won't listen; they won't even consider it at all. So many people are brain-washed with one idea: that you must use a starvation diet to lose weight; but the real problem is that they are hard to maintain long-term, and they won't help you keep it off ...

We know more today than in the past -- we have had years to watch how very strict diets fail people. DId you notice how I said that the strict diets failed people? Not the other way around. People didn't fail on those diets; they succeeded over & over again. The diets failed them: becuz they were unsustainable long-term, and then the weight is re-gained over time.

I recall reading an article that a food scientist from New York wrote some time ago -- he felt that if you ate a balanced & reasonable, healthy diet using your goal weight calories (i.e. 1800 or 2000), that you would eventually reach your desired weight. It might be slower, but it would last. He believed that the average, moderately active woman would need between 2000-2100 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight, so recommended starting there. It is interesting to note that suggested daily servings are always based on a 2000 calorie diet.

NOTE: when they talked about "diet" above, they didn't mean severely calorie-restricted fad diet; they were only talking about the over-all food plan you chose. People often get these two confused becuz of the terminology used. That's why I prefer to use the term "eating plan".

The newest popular fad is to use a form of IF (intermittent fasting) to maintain weightloss, esp if you can't stick to a set plan or amount of calories. The theory is to eat only 1-2 meals a day plus maybe 1 or 2 snacks during a certain time window of the day (i.e. eat from 12 noon to 8-10 o'clock at night). Some people have always eaten this way; they say they would gain weight if they ate more than 1 or 2 meals a day.

Some just delay eating their breakfast (I do this often now as I'm not always hungry when I first wake up). So, I have a piece of fruit & a coffee at around 9-10 am; then have a very small breakfast between 10:30 & 11 am. I often delay lunch til 1-2 pm and so on. We eat dinner between 6-7 pm. I usually have a small snack @ 3 pm and 9 pm in the evening, i.e. fruit or chz & crackers.

YES, I am using a healthy, balanced style of eating that I created myself of portions/calories. I get to eat foods I love & enjoy life too. It is working for me, so why change it? Doesn't make any sense to me ...


BTW ~ congrats on passing up those bars at work; that's a NSV in my books ...