Sugar Busters Weekly Support Board 4/23-4/29

[Debelli]

This is the SUGAR BUSTERS WEEKLY SUPPORT BOARD where all of you who are following this WOE, or are thinking about doing so, are welcome to come join in and be a part of our wonderful group.

Other than finding support and friendship on this board, we also try to do something during the the week to add a little difference to our board.

MONDAY-MOTIVIATIONAL MONDAY
TUESDAY-TUESDAYS TIP & CHAT AT 9:15PM EST
WEDNESDAY-WEIGH-IN WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY-THURSDAY RECIPE DAY
FRIDAY-FRIDAY FITNESS

Please visit our NEWEST BIO BOARD where you can learn more about everyone who is on this board:


http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?postid=34143#post34143

Please make sure you post your BIO on the NEWEST VERSION of our BIO BOARD everyone!!!!


Our APRIL 2001 RECIPE BOARD can be located at the link below:


http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=3775

We have FOUR INFORMATIVE BOARDS!!!! Please take a few minutes to visit them! New information is continually being posted, so please make sure you visit them often:

THE RECOMMENDED READING BOARD:


http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=2342

THE TOOLS & TIPS BOARD:


http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=2344

THE FOOD INFORMATION BOARD:


http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=2365[/url

MOTIVATIONAL & INSPIRING THOUGHTS BOARD


http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=2359

We also now have a SB WEEKLY EXERCISE BOARD that you can log your daily/weekly exercises on:


http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=4528

WANT TO POST YOUR WEEKLY WEIGHT LOSS INFO and BE COUNTED in our weekly totals of pounds lost?? Go to the WEEKLY WEIGH IN BOARD BELOW to post your stats!


http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?postid=44401#post44401

NEWBIES! (aka new members) If you would like to REPLY to any of our threads, please hit NEW REPLY NOT NEW THREAD then type your message in and hit SUBMIT REPLY. Also, when the board gets to the 2+ pages, sometimes, it may take a little longer for your message to appear, you can refresh your browser, or wait, but it will show up! If you need to edit your reply, just click on edit located in the body of your post and make changes as you need to, then hit SUBMIT NOW.


WELCOME! :D

[Debelli]

GOOD MONDAY MORNING EVERYONE!:wave:

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!:)

Just a quickie, will write after I get back from taking the kids to school and getting in my walk.

It's MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY and here's my contribution:

BELIEVE IT

It pays to be a little skeptical in a world where people are constantly making all sorts of fantastic claims.

You certainly cannot believe all you read, or hear or see on television. Get-rich-quick schemes, miracle weight loss products, hot stock tips and other such things promise to quickly and easily solve problems with little or no effort. They seem so enticing, yet they usually turn out to be just enticement and nothing more. A healthy skepticism can save you from a lot of pain and disappointment.

When it comes to yourself and the possibilities for your own life and your ability to make those possibilities a reality, however, set your skepticism aside. What you believe is possible for your life, is possible. What you believe about yourself, is who you are. What you decide to accomplish, you will accomplish.

Allow yourself to believe in yourself. Allow yourself to believe that the best in life is possible for you. Let your belief infect, infuse and empower your thoughts, your actions, and your expectations. In your belief is the power to overcome whatever obstacles may stand in your way.

When the world promises you something, it's just common sense to temper your belief with a healthy skepticism. Yet when you make a promise to yourself, believe it with everything you have and you'll find a way to keep that promise.

-- Ralph Marston
**************

Will check in later! Have a wonderful day and a fabulous week!

Debbie
194/???/129
SB since 3/22/00

[SparkleScamp]

GOOD MONDAY MORNING TO YOU LOVELY LADIES!

(at least, it will be Monday soon)

I’ll repeat, these days I always look forward to Mondays ‘cause it’s the start of a brand-new week and life is WONDERFUL!

Quilter/Kim, thanks for sharing the story of the chick who lost 100 lbs. That was really motivational. We have been trained to believe that over 90% of “diets” “fail” but since finding this board I’ve learned that there are a lot more successes out there than I would have thought possible. A few months ago I met a chick at OA who was anorexic. After talking to her I found out she used to be about 180 – 190 pounds. She certainly hadn’t conquered her eating disorder (just switched to a different one) but what impressed me was that her arms were extremely thin and smooth, with no trace of stretch marks or saggy skin. Since I’m rather obsessed with the skin issue it was good news to me that her skin was able to recover. (Of course she WAS pretty young.)

I loved the bike rider gif too. It’s my favorite of all the images I’ve been scoping lately.

You’ll be in the 160’s very soon! Having dipped into the 150’s I’m quite eager to stay there but the scale is being bad. I just need to stop being so eager, things will happen naturally. Thanks for the yoga links; must admit I wasn’t intrigued at this moment but I’ll get to reading it, however I enjoyed browsing Thrive Online in general.

Karen, Green Tea recipe: BAH HUMBUG. Celestial Seasonings puts out something called “honey lemon ginseng green tea” and I’ve been drinking it straight. It’s excellent.

Deb, so glad to hear you’re down another half pound! Probably will be another next time you post! Yes, I’m sure the tea must have had caffeine, but I usually have healthy doses of that drug anyway. Trying to cut down to so-called “natural” sources like coffee and tea.

Oh Deb, I didn’t even know the “tips and tools” and “motivational thoughts” threads were there until a week or so ago. Duh. Very enjoyable! Thanks to all of you!

Ashley, thanks for the insight on colds/allergies. Yes, please keep me informed. Don’t beat yourself up over the brownie. It’s a victory you were able to stop at one. I can understand that even the taste can be enough to throw you off though. But remember the big picture!

BOB, sounds like you are well on your way to making NON-SMOKING a habit. Did you know even tobacco is cured with sugar? And that sugar-cured tobacco (sugar speeds up the process) may contribute to lung cancer more than natural, air-cured tobacco.

Lisa, your Relay for Life experience was so moving! As for eating, you’re getting there! Sounds like you’re doing really well making what amounts to a drastic change from the way most Americans eat.

Beachfan/Anna, good for you for preparing ahead! I must say, beer is just about the hardest thing for me to give up, after Diet Coke and ice cream. I am not permanently eliminating any of these foods from my life, but abstinence seems the best thing for now.

Rhonda, BLENDER STUFF: although I’m cutting down on the iced foods now, I enjoyed my smoothie run. I always add some protein like (almost) pure protein powder, almonds, or fresh-ground peanut butter. Soy milk, (regular milk tends to bloat) frozen strawberries, blueberries, marionberries, carrots (I know illegal), frozen bananas (I know illegal)...some combination of those and a little bit of ice. Yum. Some things I haven’t tried but I’ve heard are good: celery, bell pepper and flaxseed. The idea is to mix fruits and veggies together...frozen strawberries are a good base for just about anything. You can add a little Splenda if you like.

I really need a food processor...tired of chopping onions!

Cheri...good for you on giving Sugar Busters a fair run! Bariatric surgery is stomach stapling? I’ll bet you will do fine in the next six months! And for the rest of your life, without sugar.

Rosalie/Marie, yep, I figured the “creamy wheat farina” was too good to be true. I will keep looking for the “Wheatina” stuff. Meanwhile I didn’t buy much of the cream of wheat (as we shall call it) and will probably go ahead and eat it in moderation.

The rest of the weekend

The bbq with friends today proved to be a challenge and I (with the anticipated support from all you girls and the help of higher power!!!) pulled through with flying colors!

The minute I got to my friends’ house I could tell there were going to be ticking time bombs everywhere. I was immediately offered beer and rum, of course, and here I couldn’t even ask for Diet Coke. I asked for water and that obstacle was hurdled. The appetizers were nachos and tortilla rolls with spinach/artichoke filling. Everybody was raving about the latter so I “couldn’t” pass them up. I carefully scraped the filling (which was good) from the inside of one and had one bite of beans/meat from the nachos. Next was the special wild/white rice blend that my friend (who is an excellent cook) made.

I passed that up with nobody noticing, and had bbq chicken (three small pieces) and LOTS of salad I made with green leaf lettuce, fresh basil, big chucks of orange, and walnuts (inspired by the strawberry salad that somebody, I can’t remember, posted about). The dressing was orange peel, lemon juice, and almond oil. Very fresh and clean tasting. I did have a very small spoon of fruit flavored cottage cheese but it was nasty so that was no temptation.
Preached a little bit about how my headaches have nearly disappeared since letting go of sugar, but otherwise tried not to be too obnoxious.

The other news is that Saturday night, I OFFICIALLY removed the ice cream maker from the freezer, where it was taking up space and ready to go for another batch! Also ate the last of my “stash” which is a good and bad thing. I stored the machine away and am ready to remove that obstacle from my life. I will eventually re-incorporate sf ice cream, but for now it’s full speed ahead and NOTHING, I mean nothing, is going to get in the way of my reaching my goal.

Regarding my problems concentrating at work, I have a partial solution. I realized that I was spending way too much energy being angry that things like the filing weren’t getting done, and then of course doing them out of anger. Well, I realized that the situation is totally my fault for letting my priorities get out of order. My job is to do sales and if the filing doesn’t get done, it’s somebody else’s responsibility. Affirmations have also proven powerful in the past and before I go to work, I’m going to spend a few minutes going over what my priorities are and sending those positive thoughts into my brain that I CAN do it. I’m making the transition from admin support to sales and that means I have to think on my feet and be totally self-motivated...I’m not going to change overnight and I’m trying not to be too hard on myself.

Have a GREAT week everybody, and I shall see you Tuesday night!

Love,

Chris

164/160/130
03/26/01

[SparkleScamp]

Good health . . . the best gift you can give to your kids

America today drugs her children with sugar and distracts them with toys ever more complicated and expensive.

Video games are mind-boggling in their sophistication. Television is carefully designed to be addictive. Parents truck their children to school in sport utility vehicles and mini-vans because it’s “too dangerous” for kids to ride their bikes these days.

Billions of dollars of marketing and product development go into creating hybrid products that are half food, half toys. My favorite is a hollow chocolate ball filled with sugar candies, produced by chocolate giant Nestle. They tried to fill the ball with little plastic toys, but that product presented a choking hazard to young children and was recalled. Snack foods and even TV dinners come in cute animal shapes.

What do these toy foods contain? Normally, they are highly processed and contain ingredients adults can’t pronounce. Food additives created a major scandal back in the early 1900s, when food manufacturing was becoming a major industry in America. Today, everybody knows about food additives and no one cares, so long as they have been sanctioned by the FDA.

The result: Children are faced with the “double whammy” of not enough exercise and too much processed foods. They may turn into chubby little creatures and get teased by their classmates, which damages their already fragile self-esteem. A combination of many factors can cause these children to become very obese adults. However, when they are young, they may be able to avoid this fate unless they are genetically predisposed to obesity. The real damage occurs later in life.

How many of you are, or know, women who were slim until they had a couple of children and then suddenly ballooned? No magic: a change in habits and body chemistry combined so that the body is no longer able to handle an overdose of sugar and other processed foods. People of “normal weight” usually don’t change until they get start to get fat or are faced with other health problems caused by of out-of-control nutrition. Even at that point, many don’t have the discipline to turn their lives around. They run the risk of becoming unable to care for themselves, and a burden to their children, in addition to passing on atrocious eating habits.

Even if they do change their eating habits, it’s too late for THEIR children, the next victims of a downward spiral that gets worse with every generation. The children have been raised to expect sugar and processed foods. Mommy goes on a “diet” but “depriving” the children of sugar is too much for her to face, so she cooks separate meals for the little darlings. Her real motivation is that she is unable to handle the children without using the mind-numbing drug they have become accustomed to.

How many of us “try” to maintain a sugar-free lifestyle while buying ice cream, cookies, candy and muffins “for the kids?” How many of us “follow the plan” while bringing donuts to office gatherings and chocolate cake to picnics? How many of us ban sugar from our mouths and yet see no problem poisoning others?

As a child I thought myself disgustingly fat at four years old. From the age of 9 to 24 I suffered from the worst acne you can imagine. I would have done anything to be rid of it. For most of my teenage years, I was constantly sick with colds and the flu. In my early twenties, I was so depressed over my weight and other things that I ate myself up to over 215 pounds and became suicidal. Ironic that when we are depressed over weight we eat to make it better!

A big part of my depression was that I believed there was a lack in my moral fiber that caused all these problems. If only I had known that it wasn’t entirely my fault! Because I was overfed sugar as a young child, my body chemistry was so out of whack that I craved sugar all the time. When we were very poor, I would eat a mixture of butter, powdered sugar and peanut butter, or even Crisco and powdered sugar, by the cupful. When my grandmother in Hawaii would send up chocolate covered macadamia nuts, I would eat the whole thing with no regard to my younger brother and sister, from whom I was stealing. My mother’s friend bought my sister a box of Whitman’s candy once, and although I knew I shouldn’t do it, I ate the whole thing. The friend was furious and bought my sister a silver jewelry box to make up for it. When I made my own money I bought boxes and bags of candy to support my habit, eating up to a pound a day, but usually a quarter to a half pound.

If I had known that simply eliminating sugar from my life would cure my uncontrollable cravings, cause me to melt down naturally to my ideal weight, cure my severe acne, and dramatically lessen the number of days I spent sick with viral and bacterial infections, I would have saved myself years of agony and severe, chronic depression.

My children, when I have them, will be raised without sugar from birth (if I can keep them away from my mother!) I can’t protect them from everything, but they won’t experience the pain I went through as a sugar addict.

All of you love your children and would do anything for them. Instead of giving them all the “toys” money can buy, give them the gift of good nutrition and an active lifestyle. Children develop healthy self-esteem when they are good at something...be it soccer, track, ballet, acting or playing the piano. Help them to find their talent.

At the same time, take care of your own health so that you will be strong and healthy well into your golden years. You children won’t have to take care of you. They will be proud of you. You’ll be a good example to them.

It is a great blessing that I have found support for a sugar-free lifestyle at the age of 27, when I am still relatively young and healthy and haven’t had kids yet. Yes, my teens and early twenties were agony. But by changing course now, I’ve saved myself from the effects of years of yo-yo dieting, including ravaged skin and an out-of-whack metabolism. I now have the energy to achieve great goals in life instead of spending all my time being obsessed with my weight.

~ written by Chris

[SparkleScamp]

Although (so far) Sugar Blues does not specifally recommend eating fruit alone, this passage sheds some light on the logic of eating fruit alone, as Sugar Busters recommends. It also explains the discomfort experienced by some of us when we do “slip” and eat sugar:

From Sugar Blues by William Duffy, page 182:

Sugar of all kinds – natural sugars, such as those in honey and fruit (fructose) as well as the refined white stuff (sucrose) tends to arrest the secretion of gastric juices and have an inhibiting effect on the stomach’s natural ability to move. Sugars are not digested in the mouth, like cereals, or in the stomach, like animal flesh. When taken alone, they pass quickly through the stomach into the small intestine. When sugars are eaten with other foods – perhaps meat and bread in a sandwich, they are held up in the stomach for a while. The sugar in the bread and the Coke sit there with the hamburger and the bun waiting for them to be digested. While the stomach is working on the animal protein and the bread, the addition of the sugar practically guarantees rapid acid fermentation under the conditions of warmth and moisture existing in the stomach.

One lump of sugar in your coffee after a sandwich is enough to turn your stomach into a ferment. One soda with a hamburger is enough to turn your stomach into a still. Sugar on cereals – whether you buy it already sugared in a box or add it yourself – almost guarantees acid fermentation. Since the beginning of time, natural laws were observed, in both senses of that word, which it came to eating food in combination. Birds have been observed eating insects at one period in the day and seeds at another. Other animals tend to eat one food at a time. Flesh-eating animals take their protein raw and straight.

In the Orient, it is traditional to eat yang before yin. Miso soup (yang-fermented soybean protein) for breakfast; raw fish (more yang protein) at the beginning of the meal; afterwards comes the rice (which is less yang than the miso and fish); and then the vegetables which are yin. If you ever eat with a traditional Japanese family and you violate this order, the Orientals (if your friends) will correct you courteously but firmly.

END

[The Quilter]

Good morning everyone!!!! Hope everybody is up and fresh as daisies. (How fresh are daisies as opposed to other flowers?????)

Weighed in this morning at 171. So I’m up one pound, but that’s okay. It’s TOM, so who knows what will happen. Hopefully, it will be back down on Wednesday for the official record.

LISA---Thanks for the report on Relay for Life. How wonderful for you all to be a part of something that makes such a difference. I did have to laugh a little when you said you were making grocery lists in your head. Have never done that, but will defintely try it the next time I need to take an emotional breather. How clever you are. I’ll bet Ross was in his glory getting to be the one to cut the ribbon. As always, sending good thoughts and prayers your way.

BEACH---Way to go on the big furniture sale! WOW!!! Did you make more money than the woman having the sale?????

RHROO---Sounds like a busy “day of rest” you are having. DH and I started riding bikes last summer. I really like it, but only when there are NO hills. LOL!!! That yard work will really firm the butt all that bending and stretching!!!!

CHERI---I’m so happy to hear of your commitment to six months being 100% on program. It sounds like you have been giving this a lot of thought and that you are really ready to get to work. Thanks so much for asking abou Jackie. What a good memory you have. And how sweet of you to remember her. She is doing okay. Had a Chemo treatment this week. Has had a few side effects, the biggest one being that it’s doing a number on her immune system. She had to go and have shots to boost that back up. She has two weeks on treatment and two weeks off. The off weeks was when they saw the immune ssystem bottom out. She said that she felt okay during all of that. They are telling her to keep very aware of germs and keeping her hands clean. Stuff like that. She has four kids and I pray that none of them bring home anything contagious. At least they are all old enough to know about keeping their hands clean. Good luck at the OA meeting. I’ll be interested to hear what you think.

ROSALIE---Yes, we heard about you and Deb not getting to talk last night. Paul and I were both online. I could not get DEB to come through on my machine, but was able to talk to her on Paul’s. I think there is a problem with my machine. (Guess who’s got the faster better newer machine at our house????) Anyways, hopefully when we get a free moment and Paul is available we can try to figure out the problem. I think now that you have the newest version of AIM, you should not have any problems from your end.

CHRIS---Glad you benefitted from the story about the woman who lost 100 pounds. I wish you all could see how great she looked. She had this huge beautiful smile on her face. And that face was true happiness because she was now healthy. That’s what it’s all about. Getting healthy and truly taking care of our wonderful bodies!

Take care everyone. Hope this turns out to be a great week for everyone and that we all have BIG losses on WIW!!! I’ll be back later this evening for a check in.
Kim
185/170/139
Since January 2, 2001

[gardengirl]

Good morning Everyone.

no I have not disapeared I am just trying to recover from the move on the weekend. It went well though I am a little sore. We went out for dinner on Saturday.I was not great but it could have been worse. I did not gain anything . The move and all the gardening had to have helped. I was outside for hours yesterday. THe gardens are starting to look pretty good.


I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how many threads there were since early Saturday morning.You people are very dedicated which is what I need. Some other threads people donot reply for days.

Today I am truly motivated. I have been in a denial mode. And I think that is what has caused the 4 pound weight gain. The alcohol is a killer for me, which suggest that could be a problem. Which it really is not. So no more wine until it is a special occasion. I love hearing about all your successes. It really is motivating. It makes you realize that you can do it .

So anyway thank you. I am ready to go. The exercise has never been a problem for me. I am very active. Which has probably saved me over the years.

I will check in again later on today
Have a super day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

190/178/165

[Sasahm]

Hi gals!

I haven't posted in awhile...been real busy around here. Plus, my e-mail has been down and the computer giving me fits, so I've been avoiding it altogther, rather than letting it frustrate me.

My journey through this "fat fog" is just getting better and better. I have something that's been weighing heavy on my heart and would like to share with ya'll. I hope ya'll don't mind. When I got back on the weight loss wagon, I was so tuned in to what the scale was telling me, that I was despondent if the numbers didn't read like I wanted them too. This all came to a great big head 3 weeks ago, when after a week of not weighing, at my husbands request, I had not lost, but gained! I fussed, cursed, complained...much wailing and gnashing of teeth! Well, my husband pointed out something to me that I already knew, but wasn't applying, You see, I am a christian, and I know that I have to trust in God's perfect will for my life. I know that He want's me to be in the best health I can be, and to gain that good health, I need to remember to put Him before anything else. I had basically been putting that big scale on a bigger pedestal than I had God. I was eating everything "right"(with the exception of my little excursion to the hamburger joint that gave me a terrible sugar hangover!), exercising "right", but I still put my faith on those numbers the scale showed me. Well, since that revelation, I have tried my very best to keep God "in the loop", so to speak, and I've given the glory of every ounce, every pound lost, to Him. When I got on the scale Saturday morning, I had lost 7 pounds since my hissy fit at the scale that fitful morning 3 weeks ago. In total, since I began in January, (with probably 1 month or so "off" program, before and after our move), I have lost 20 pounds!! And I have gone from a size 20, into 18's comfortably. I even SQUEEZED into a pair of 16's of my 15 year old daughter!

I spoke with a good friend back in Texas yesterday. She has been way overweight for all the 12 years I've known her. I haven't seen her since her daughter's wedding back in August of last year. She has lost 40 pounds since Feb. 3!! I was/am so excited for her! It sounds like what she is doing is basically SB. It is a program called the Prism...anyone heard of it? I think it has a biblical approach w/ counseling that goes w/ it. I'm just tickled pink for her! She had terrible ankle problems that prevented her from being very active, and now she is walking 3 miles daily!

Anyway...I know I don't post very often anymore, so I hope no one minded my little testimonial. I just really felt that I needed to share the secret to my success! oH, and I'm also changing my goal weight! I'm not stopping when I get to 160! I'm going all the way!

Sara
233/213/135

[Debelli]

It's me again!:wave:

Kids are at school, I got my 4.5 miles in between taking the two to school. Good walk, a bit muggy and overcast, but better than the blistering heat we're going to have soon!

Happy to report I'm down another 1/2lb making me only 1.5lbs from my goal:D I've been more conscience of drinking my water and eating enough fiber lately. Not sure if that's helping, but it sure can't be hurting! When I look back on my WC program, I see that I really have only lost 2.5lbs so far this month. It's coming off very slowly now, but still, coming off. I realize that to lose a pound after I reach my goal may now take me 2-3 weeks-not too bad.

I received an e-mail from a woman who had a Dr. recommend SB to her and she found our site. She noticed I was in Miami, where she is as well. Just got an e-mail from her, she lives about 3-4 miles from my area, I think. BIGO, she quit smoking about a year ago, I believe and is now ready to work on losing the 30lbs she gained. I told her about your quitting and she said she'd love to speak with you, so if you want her e-mail, just let me know! She was a smoker for 42 years she said, and quit with the help of a internet support board. I told her to call me since she's local-so I could be of some help:)

SPARKLE, you were right, I am down anothe 1/2lb! Make sure you check out the FOOD INFORMATION BOARD as well. All the board links are always in the very first post of the week. Have you ever seen the ZYLISS food choppers? I love mine! I chop all types of things with it. I thought about you when I got a new book that has a couple ice cream recipes:o Thanks for the article on kids eating, I should show my kids that one-they'd probably toss it in the trash though. Your insight was much like my own when I was growing up. Thanks for the Sugar Blues excerpt as well. Loved you fairy gif!!!

QUILTER, got your e-mail and will contact VIV. I'll respond to you on the board about the cake. Since starting SB I can tell you that I have had 2 Weddings, 2 Bar Mitzvah's, a Baptism, different Showers and countless birthday parties, all having what looked like delicious cakes. Not one of those cakes, no matter how beautiful and/or delicious they looked, tempted me at all. I want this weight loss more than I want any cake. There will be other times in the future that will allow me to indulge if I want, but not at this time. I don't feel for one second that I missed out on anything by not eating any of the desserts I possibly could of over the past 13 months. I have learned that it's not the food that makes you have a good time, it's the people. I'm sure as you are around all your family and friends at your nieces wedding, that's what you should focus on, being with them and having a great time-not on if you should eat the cake. I'm sure you'll get through it fine, and if you do eat some, it won't be the end of the world!:) Oh yes, at this moment, I'm not smelling like a daisy, more like a rotten fruit!:eek:

GARDEN, glad you have a nice weekend, though being sore doesn't sound fun. The board is a bit slow on the weekends, but we still have many people post. I personally would have withdrawls if I didn't post all weekend. I don't know what I will do should I ever go on vacation and not be able to post while I was away!!! That's good you are making wine available for special occasions-I'm sure you will see better results when having it just from time to time. Hope you have a good week!

SAS, glad to see your wonderful loss since January-that's a great amount of weight-I've only lost 14 pounds since then, so you are doing well. Wherever you find your strength, keep finding it. We all do something different, but we are all going for the same results. Never heard of Prism, though I'm sure you may be able to find info on it on the web.

It's SHOWER TIME for me! I'll check in with you all later on. Tomorrow is TUESDAY TIPS so if you have any interesting and/or helpful tips you'd like to share with the board, please, try to post them tomorrow!

Also, DON'T FORGET-TOMORROW NIGHT IS OUR WEEKLY CHAT AT 9:15PM EST!!!!

Have a great day!

Debbie
194/130.5/129
SB since 3/22/00

[amseraphim]

Happy Monday Morning.........

NOOOOO, we didn't win the lotto:lol: BUT, DH is finally getting back his racing "mojo". He was runner up yesterday - WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!! 1500.00 isn't too shabby for 4-5 hrs work. We were to the point of frustration with how the race car had been performing etc, and we were about to hang it up. All the money spent on parts and entry fees with no wins starts to wear us down. Thank the Lord for taking the monkey off our backs.

Sara - I want to thank you for sharing your story. We humans tend to have a problem with turning things over to the Lord. By nature, we just seem to want to control everything and work it all out ourselves. As your testimony shows, releasing that control always pays off with blessings.

Well, as I find myself still trying to get caught up from a few unfinished projects fromm last week.......This week is a fresh NEW week filled with opportunities to tie up those unfinished matters. With that said, I am going to get going and complete one of the projects :eek:

******************************
From time to time,
we all feel a little disappointed with
our lives and perhaps the people in them.
We start questioning our daily routines;
a sense of loneliness touches our hearts,
and we wonder what life is really all about.
When you reach this point in your life,
take a moment and forget about
what has gone before...
and start believing in
what you really want today.
It is by redirecting our lives that
we can keep ourselves headed
in the right direction,
and it is by standing still that
we allow time to just pass us by.
It is looking at a sunrise or a sunset
and appreciating its beauty for ourselves
that enables us to understand
some of life's mysteries.
No two people see the world the same
way, nor do they think or feel or even
experience things around them
with the same exact perception.
Don't try to mold yourself or your life
into a design that isn't you;
rather, paint your days
with all the colors you so desire
and enjoy the artwork that
you alone can create.

[Rhroo]

Just a quick one!!! (ya right!) I just did my Firm tape pant pant!! I am going out to rake up some leaves then comming back in here to fumagate! LOL Did well this week end i guess! stayed with my point range (for WW) had some run ins with chocolate but not gonna kick myself. I have had my "friend" so i am blaming that! Hope it leaves town before wendsday i am counting on antoher 1/2 lb! :lol:

Deb-yeah!!!!!!! your soooooo close take what you can get while you can you know how your body is!!! I have read alot latley that when you can't budge those last lbs maybe that should be your goal weight! i am soooo proud you didn't give up and I AM NOT EITHER! people have told me i look good enough-they just don't get it! I saw a woman at the supermarket (an older woman) who knows me from sports she goes for her grandson-anyway she said "oh my i almost didn't recognize you" "your still walking i see! You must have lotst 20,30. lbs?!" i told her noooooo 59 she was shocked!!! i felt good too! I also used to see her on our bike path here!! those complements keep me going!

Sparkle-You mentioned kids and sugar before and i ment to reply to it! You are soooo right. My hubby has a BAD habit of buy candy for my kids (less latley) well when i took my 5 yr old to the dentist 2 weeks ago and she was poking around i got nervous. Not to mention an 11 yr old who i have to nag to brush. My 14 yr old has braces and all his adult teeth and NO cavitys soooo this sugar stuff gets me going. Yes i did fill their basket with sugar (bad me) I do buy the treats for their lunch but they take gogurt, applesauce, slim jims, pudding -this stuff still has sugar but i think its less than some other stuff out there. I am on a Soda (pop you might call it) kick too. I started to try and get them totally off it. they drink tons of water, fruit juice has just as much or more sugar than soda which makes me mad what else are they going to drink? I switched to diet soda and they don't mind. They are i noticed drinking less though. I also buy the flavored water at walmart which is more expensive but makes me feel better. My two youngest do have my fat gene!!! so i am hoping this will help!!! I also agree that you need to start when they are babies! i guess we all live and learn!!! don't get me started on cereal!!!!!! thanks for the info!!

SAs- Miss ya!!!! are you adjusting to New england? Hubby is soooo right!!! I am a Christian also where do you attend??? I grew up in the Church of Christ. Keep it up!!!!! 130 here you come!

Amser-sounds like a fun week end!!!! glad hubby had a good race!!

Gardengirl-come plant my garden!!! after i get the leaves up!!! Alchol is a killer!!!! Beer is a NO NO! i think in the book it says not to touch the stuff when you start Sugarbusters. It is hard to do sometimes we just have to deal with the gains when we indulge! keep up the good work!!!

gotta go out side before i lose my oomph!!!! keep up the good work!!

Rhonda
201.1/142.5/135-hmmmmm

[gardengirl]

Hey Rhonda

Thanks for your support. I just thought that I would say quickly that I am concerned about giving your kids Aspartame. If you are in the USA you can buy Diet Rite which has Splenda in it and it is so much better for you. We cannot get it in Canada which is really hard . Whenver someone goes to the States they get it for us. I was addicted to Diet Coke. I was having night sweats anxiety attacks , general poor health,. I was also putting Sweet and Low in my coffee and tea. I quit cold turkey aspartame. Boy was I sick. All of my illnesses vanished and I feel great. After feeling better I started to diet and I have lost some weight.

Anyway just so you are aware. I do not mean to lecture. There is some interesting reading on the internet about aspartame and children.

Anyway
sorry for babbling

[Fillise]

It is nice to read all the successes on the board this morning! That, by itself, makes for a pretty motivational Monday!

I'm slow getting started this morning. Hope to increase the energy when I go to the gym at lunchtime.

Cheri--I'm so thrilled that you are going to committ to SB for 6 months before trying the surgery. I think you will be pleased by the results. Having your family's support will be really helpful too! Remember that we will alsobe here for you every step of the way!

Debbie---Wooo Hooo! Only 1.5 to go!

Sara--Wooo Hooo to you too! It always helps to get your priorities in order!

I'm hoping that we get to hear from Star this week. I know You've been traveling--but I miss hearing from you!

Susan
300/250/150
July 10, 2000

[viv]

Hi Everyone...
Deb said I should just get on and say a quick hello which is against my nature, but here I gooooooo...I really prefer to answer people...

I have no time for anything now,. and I am trying to arrange to get to CA to see my father....so even more stress than usual. He will hav ea lobectomy, which is removal of one of the lobes of the lung.

I have been totally OP for 4 days now altho the weight is till 2 lbs more than when I left for FLA. I think exercise will help....but that is coming last nowadays...I did get upthis AM an dwalk before I got ready for work. Let's see how long I can keep that up.

I have been getting on and reading the board and want to say Way TO GO for the continued commitment!

Back to work, sorry....
Viv
Simsbury, CT
2/1
146/135/137/128/???

[RodeoMom]

I have just a minute to say hello and wish everyone a GREAT WEEK! Hopefully, I will get to go weight and I will let you know.

Sara: Your post really meant a lot to me. I tend to want to do everything "myself" and I love it when I get reminded I can do nothing by myself. It really helps to know that when I am struggling I can turn it over. Thanks again!!

Davenna

[karen3000]

Gardengirl - I'm afraid to drink much while I'm trying to lose weight. I think of all the drinking I did in my younger days and really don't miss it that much, especially when I remember the dumb things I said or did while drinking. But there's a lot of reports out there that say moderate drinking is good for the body. For now, though, I think it's best to have as little as possible.

Sasahm - Way to go on the 7 lbs - you're doing great! Your comments helped me refocus a little bit. Wow, your friend losing 40 lbs in 2-1/2 months is pretty awesome! There's some inspiration for us!

Deb - finally--going in the right direction. You sure know your body and its cycles well. I should keep track of that but . . . . How exciting to be so close to goal! YOU GO GIRL!

Amser - You guys must be floating on clouds after the race! What kind of cars does your DH race?

Viv - you and your dad are in my prayers. I hope the arrangements to get to CA don't leave you too stressed so that you can make the most out of your visit when you get there.

Not much going on with me except being busy this week. I'm OP, but just eating way too much. I'll blame it on TOM, since I never am sure exactly when it will come. I figure it's a good EXCUSE, though, for at least 2 weeks! ROFL

Have a great week, everyone. I'll check in when I can

Karen
207/188.5/?
since 1/23/01

[GloryBI]

GOOD MORNING LADIES:)

Well ladies it's got to be a better wk than the last one. I have to say that I love the motivational thoughts that you all post. I know I never post them but I sure do love to read them and they really help I just don't seem to find the time to go looking for these to post. So those of you who do, please know your appreciate by those of us who don't.


Sasaham: Woo Hoo, size 16 jeans, you just tell that daughter of yours to move over, You'll be shopping in her closet for your outfits in the future. you go girl I'm proud of you. I keep telling my 15 yr old daughter that when I get down to her size I'm going to hang out in her closet she has a lot more close than I do.:D

Deb: Your so close girl, You must be getting excited, How are you going to celebrate when you get there. I'm really excited for you.

Ann: I loved the motivatonal thoughts but your bunnies really thrilled me. you really came up with a good one.

Rosalie: Thanks for the support. But I have to say that this wk is not starting much better, I've been on program all wk end except for the orange juice and the scale says i've gained 5lbs. WHATS WITH THAT :?:
anyway it can only get better from here.

Well love to all have a good wk love Glory :wave:

[SparkleScamp]

Quickie! Forums seem to be very slow loading. Is it only my computer?

Anyway, just HAVE to report that I am down 4 pounds to 156!!! I couldn't believe it! I haven't been starving myself by any stretch of the imagination...the only thing I did differently was...

replace Diet Coke with green tea.

Go figure!

Happy happy happy happy dance,

Chris

164/156/130
3/26/01

http://www.millan.net/anims/giffar/smileyhug.gif

[iceskatefan]

Hi
Really a quick hello. I had good moments and not so good moments this weekend. But, today even though I forgot my lunch at home, I ordered out from a restaurant that has SB approved meals. I even splurged and got a FF/SF dessert! I am motivated to go through detoxify. I really want to feel better...
I read the post about aspartame, and have been trying to cut back...I guess the DIET COKE will have to go next!!! I am going grocery shopping today, and will look for the Diet-Rite Cola sweetened with Splenda.
Congrats to all who are losing weight, and exercising.
When my GYN told me to go on SB he told me it would be a lifetime commitment. I guess since I haven't seen any positive results, yet ( I was faithfully on plan from last February until this February: Mardi Gras really threw me for a loop) it has been hard these last two months to get back on and stay on track.
For me, it isn't for weight loss-so it's hard. I really have no goals to reach.
I have systemic yeast infections. The "yeasties" have been plaguing me for the past three years on and off-mostly on. So, you see, even when I have been following the plan faithfully I still haven't been able to kick this thing. My motivation is at an all-time low. That's why I came back here.
I have read, The Yeast Connection, Schwarzbein's Principle, Dr. Crook's Yeast Book, Atkins' Books, and of course, SB (This is what my GYN told me to change my WOE to). I feel yucky both emotionally and physically. And you can guess what my romantic life is like...What romantic life!!!
So, I am trying not to be depressed or stressed- that can also cause this...
BTW, yes I have been checked for diabetes and I came out fine...BS 81l.
Thanks to all of you for being here, and being so inspiring.

My little bit of motivation:
Even though the sun sets...it rises again the next day...sometimes even brighter than the day before...


Oh Deb, I checked the last option for this week's poll. I would love to go to Las Vegas and meet all of you, but the months are all wrong for teachers, and I'm not sure I could swing it financially, but I am going to be envious of those of you who do go.

[Debelli]

Hey Everyone!:wave:

Thought I better get on the board before I have too many posts to answer-you know how hectic it can be!!!

AMSER, congrats on doing well enough to make some cash$ at the race, I'm sure that made your weekend! Thanks for the nice inspirational words, I liked reading that-and I loved your gif at the end-mind if I use it too?

RHROO, it's possible that my body likes where I am, but I'm hoping it will go down, not ready to throw the towel in yet at this weight, I'm still losing, just have to be patient at this point and see what my body decides to do. I too hope you get your 1/2 pound loss or more this week!:)

GARDEN, I too quit using stuff with aspertame, the only thing I have it in is when I eat Fiber One, which is maybe once a week. I haven't had a lick of soda since June of last year.

FILLISE, hope you had a good workout at the gym today.

VIV, good girl, see that wasn't so bad to get on for a few minutes:) Keep us informed on what's going on, with your Dad, you, etc. {{{HUGS}}}

RODEO, have a good week and let us know how the scale treats you this Wednesday!

KAREN, yes, finally, it's going down. I do keep track of my weight daily. I have the WEIGHT COMMANDER program and have been using it since April. I have a weight chart that looks like peaks and valleys and I have a notebook in there as well to log different things about my body-it's been really helpful and well worth the $10 price to download it.

GLORY, thanks-I'll be looking for you and everyone else to be doing a happy dance with me when I hit goal. When I make goal, I will make a new goal of 5lbs more, once I hit that goal I want to go out to one of my fav. restaurants in Marco Island, but for long term, I'm planning on a face lift (more like a neck lift) and I'd like to go to Canada and go to the Edmonton Mall on a shopping trip for making goal and my 40th b.day!!! I'm having to wait until Oct. for this to take place.

SPARKLE, WOO HOO-Congrats!!!!

ICESKATE, I don't know if you saw my post above, but I haven't had soda or Crystal Light since mid-June-I don't miss it in the least! Trust me, it's easier to do than you think.

Gals gotta run and make dinner!

Be back later!

Debbie
194/130.5/129
SB since 3/22/00

[gardengirl]

Hello everyone.

I am really intersted in this green tea thing. Today no coffee or cream. I have one reg tea and two green tea which by the way I never thought I would drink or like. But it looks like it really helps . When I see my fellow Sugar Busters friends do well with it, I figure it has got to help. I really hope so.

Deb I have totally re-organized myself and I am back on track. I was being totally lack so I guess I was not in a stall. Oh well. It will be hard but it sure will be worth it.

Anyway I have got to fly the girls have their swimming lessons in 45 minutes. Yikes I had better get this butt into gear. Have a great night everyone.

[beachfan37]

Happy Monday Everyone:)

Here is my motivational thought for the day:" You have a greatest gift, that is life, so live it."
--- Copyright © 2001 Edward J. Adams


Debbie: Congrats on getting so close to goal. I told you the scale would move!

Sparkle: Congrats on the weight loss. Green Tea is great. I found that diet cokes made me retain water.

Quilter/Kim: Yes I did make more that the person having the garage sale. I gave her a percentage because I felt so bad! I read about your friend who lost 100 pounds. I lost 82 and that is not what matters but the feeling healthy is what matters. You are right that is what this is all about.

Fillise: I know Auburn is beautiful this time of year. Are you glad when the students thin out over the summer or do you miss them?


Glory:HI:D

Rosalie: You amaze me with how well you are doing and the activities you are in.

Well have to go.

Anna
222/139/140

[Frog Lover]

Had a busy weekend with continued home repairs and cleaning, etc. Will not be home for the next two weekends so I neded to get BUSY in this house!

Am about to go out to get a Secretary's Day gift and return some pants that I bought about 2-3 months ago (for the Spring) that are now too big! YIPPEE!

Hope all of you are doing well and are not insulted by my short posts and lack of presence lately. I will not be on the board much for a while because of vacations and prep. It'll slow down some after Memorial Day.

I will be at the chat tomorrow night and will try to post more later.

Peace,
Frog

[SparkleScamp]

Short on time but I have a burning desire to address something:

Originally posted by Rhroo
Sparkle-You mentioned kids and sugar before and i ment to reply to it! You are soooo right. My hubby has a BAD habit of buy candy for my kids (less latley) well when i took my 5 yr old to the dentist 2 weeks ago and she was poking around i got nervous. Not to mention an 11 yr old who i have to nag to brush. My 14 yr old has braces and all his adult teeth and NO cavitys soooo this sugar stuff gets me going. Yes i did fill their basket with sugar (bad me) I do buy the treats for their lunch but they take gogurt, applesauce, slim jims, pudding -this stuff still has sugar but i think its less than some other stuff out there. I am on a Soda (pop you might call it) kick too. I started to try and get them totally off it. they drink tons of water, fruit juice has just as much or more sugar than soda which makes me mad what else are they going to drink? I switched to diet soda and they don't mind. They are i noticed drinking less though. I also buy the flavored water at walmart which is more expensive but makes me feel better. My two youngest do have my fat gene!!! so i am hoping this will help!!! I also agree that you need to start when they are babies! i guess we all live and learn!!! don't get me started on cereal!!!!!! thanks for the info!!

I hear stuff from this board and other places but no way am I ever going to believe ANYTHING unless I try it for myself. Reinventing the wheel and all that jazz. And one of the things I'm learning is that diet soda is a serious obstacle to weight loss, health and well being.

This "experiement" this weekend, switching diet coke (of which I was drinking 2 to 6 cans a day) to GREEN TEA and thus effortlessly losing 4 pounds while eating as much or more than usual, had a profound effect on me. I am still rather in shock. Of course, we have yet to see if these results continue!

Getting children off sugar is a complicated and delicate process and can't be done overnight. Sounds like you are on the right track for starters. Children are way smarter than we are and subtlety is required. Your children (and Debbie's I think) are old enough to be concerned about their complexions and that may be a huge motivating factor. I will post more suggestions as I have time to type them up.

The fundamental idea that is an obstacle here is that children "NEED" something sweet. Who thought of that idea? If sugar is bad, then chemical sweeteners are okay, we seem to think. Are they? Almost all artificial sweeteners have been proven harmful. We are not yet sure about Splenda (and although I love the stuff I'm scaling back) or stevia root. But regardless, we are still "hooked" on sweetness.

No, it's not easy to change your children's habits and darn near IMPOSSIBLE to do anything about those men! ;) While you can't BAN children from eating sugar, we don't have to provide the supply lines. We don't have to be sugar-pushers.

Of course all this is easier said than done! I'm still working on the people around me, as I said, it's going to be the hardest challenge ever. I can't make them do anything, but there is no way that I would buy sugar to bring home or to bring to a social gathering, EVER AGAIN.

Good luck!

Love,

Chris

[cheri45]

Hi everyone!

Kim: I'm glad to hear that your friend Jackie is doing ok. I know it must be hard for her to try to be so careful not to catch anything. It seems like just when you least expect it there's someone around you with a cold or the flu or something. It's great that she has friends like you and a great family to support her in this. It sounds like you are doing great. Even though you are up 1 lb this week, you are still op and you are still exercising. It must be great to have a supportive husband to go through it with you too. Yesterday, I noticed that you were on IM and tried to send you a message but I had problems. By the time I figured it out (I think I figured it out) you were not on line.

Sasahm: I'm sorry to hear that you have been having trouble with your computer. I hope it's all straghtened out now. Also, thank you for your testimonial. I think it helps us to put things in the correct priorities.

Debbie: I am so glad that you are down another 1/2 a pound. It sounds like you have some great things lined up for Goal Time.

Garden: Glad that you had a good weekend and the gardening is looking good. We finally have the beds cleared on the patio and will be putting in some annuals for this year. Next year we can be a bit more creative.

Amser: Congratulations on the win! $1500 is nothing to sneeze at.

Rhonda: It's great that you are getting so many compliments on your weight loss. You are so very close to goal too. I hope that you don't have too much of a struggle getting there.

Susan: Thank you for your kind words. It will be a lot easier with family support. I know that I will have success with this woe. Especially with so much support here.

Viv: I hope that everything turns out well for you and you get your trip to California arranged with no hassles. Your dad is in my prayers.

Karen: I know what you mean about never knowing when TOM will come. I used to have that problem and wanted to eat everything in sight. I had a hysterectomy a couple of years ago though and don't have to worry about TOM. But it's really wierd, once a month I do still get some cravings, usually for chocolate or chips.

Glory: I hope that your week gets better. I love reading all the motivations thoughts too. They are very uplifting.

Chris: Congratulations on the 4 pound loss. I really need to cut out Diet Pepsi. I did start buying Diet Rite for a while and it really helped as far as my water retention went, but I felt the best when I went for a couple of weeks without any at all.

Iceskatefan: I hope that you start feeling better soon. This woe should help your condition a lot.

Everyone have a great evening.

Cheri
287/277/145

[amseraphim]

I guess most of you have noticed that I haven't shared my eating habits of late. That's because I am struggling a bit. I know, I know, I shouldn't let it happen. I am just in one of those funks some of us find ourselves in. I am happy to report that today I have been 100% OP. Now, if I could just get committed to my TM again. I felt such a difference a month ago, then the sh*$ hit the fan - the wedding, then getting sick. I just don't feel completely recovered yet. I am forging on. I am not giving up.

Deb - By all means, you may certainly use that gif!!! I am glad everyone liked the motivational thoughts. And I am SO HAPPY FOR YOU, DEB on another loss. It's great when we reap our rewards from hard work and dedication.


Karen - DH drives a "modified" '69 Camaro with a BIG engine in it, and uses nitrous so that it's like having over 1,000 horsepower. He dragraces... two cars side by side, an 1/8 or 1/4 mile depending on the type of race. He has been racing since he was 15-16 yrs old. Thanks for asking.

Glory - I am glad you liked my bunnies as well as the motivational:) Are you drinking plenty of water, Glo??? That 5 lbs is temporary, I am sure.


Chris - WAY TO GO on that 4 lb loss!!!!!! I am dancing with ya, girl:lol: I just loved your huggy smiley at the end of your post!!!!!

Kim - WAY TO GO on your loss as well. I am just wondering if I got you correct email addy.... I sent a couple of emails, have you gotten them????



Thanks to everyone for the congrats on DH and doing good at the races. I am also appreciative of the information I am always learning on here. I am going to be thinking about this aspartame thing. I may be back later. If not, have a good night everyone, and a terrific Tuesday.

[The Quilter]

Hello Everybody!!! Hope you all are well.

I had a pretty good day. Eating was fine. But I have to say . . .I bought some of that uncle Sams cereal. Well since it said “natural laxative” on the front I was a bit leary. (I don’t EVER need a laxative . . . yes, I’m one of the lucky ones!!) Anyways, I just mixed 1/4 cup with some puffed kashi and yogurt. Yesterday, no problem. Today at 3 o’clock . . . . LOOK OUT!!! That is POWERFUL STUFF!!! While the whole situation wasn’t necessarily fun or pleasant or convenient, I must say I can’t wait to weigh in tomorrow. That stuff must be battery charged or something. I pity the poor person who downs a whole cup of it and isn’t properly prepared. Geeeesh!!!

GARDENGIRL---Hope your aches go away real soon. That moving can be a real pain in the “you know where.” I think your decision about the alcohol is a good one. I used to have a bottle of wine here at the house all the time, but really saw that it slowed the weight loss a lot. Now, I don’t buy it for home, but just have some when we are out. It really makes all the difference to drink it only once in a while. I’ll be interested to find out if the same thing happens for you.

DEB---Way to go with another half pound off your bod!!! That’s so awesome. You must be feeling great!!! I am SOOOOOO happy for you! And many, many thanks for the serious cake talk. That’s EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I know that week will be super busy and I won’t have much time to check in. So I think I shall print out what you just wrote and carry it in my purse until the time hits. I think you are right. The wedding should NOT be all about eating or not eating cake. If I’m as strong then as now, it won’t be an issue. I’ve just GOT to be prepared and take a bunch of my own food over there for that whole week. Lucky for me, SIL and BIL are so supportive and want to make sure there’s the right stuff for me to eat. I am really hoping they will take on this way of eating. I know right now, they can’t even think in SB terms. But hopefully, they will one day see the benefits of healthy eating and eliminating all the sugar.

SAS---Good to hear you back on and GREAT to hear about your big loss. I have lost 15 since January, so you are still ahead of me. (Even though I know we’re not keeping score or competing.) Keep up the good work. If you are still going to the gym two times a day, you will keep dropping.

AMSER---Wooooohooooooooooo on the BIG win. That is fantastic. You must have been jumping with joy. Been meaning to ask you . . . do you change tires and do things in the “pit” that we see happening on tv. If so, you go GIRL!!!! Glad to hear that you did a 100% day today. That’s great!!! Sometimes that’s all you need is one good day to get you going for a lot more good days. I wouldn’t push the TM thing until you know your body is over the sickies. Take care. BTW . . . I responded to your email on Friday. Didn’t you get it?

VIV---Got your email. Will respond soon. Glad to see your post. You know you are in my thoughts. I’m looking for a good joke to send you, but am coming up dry.

KAREN---I am right there with you on TOM. Sometimes I think I could eat the bark off a tree I am so hungry!!! Last week I realized I was doing so VERY dumb things . . . like eating things (Triscuits mainly) right out of the carton. I finally had to tell myself to STOP and do the portion thing. I was also taking way too many triscuits for lunch. Kind of like NOT counting and filling a baggie. I found this cute little plastic container that will ONLY hold 7 triscuits (1 serving) and that’s what I use now to keep myself in line. So I am crossing my fingers for you in hopes that you have a really great WIW. Let’s kick TOM to the curb and have a big fat loss!!! Okay???

SPARKLE----Congrats, kudos and well done on the big loss!!! That is so wonderful. Yes, let’s all raise a glass in toast to green tea over the evil diet coke. I see a big difference when I get my green tea in every morning. I am really believing the whole metabolism theory. Good going!

ICESKATE---It was good to see your post. I’m sorry you are going through such a tough time. I had a couple of years where I had stupid yeast infections one after another. I got so sick of going to the dr for my usual vagistat and a prescription of dyflucan. They always came back. I think mine were from my birth control bills. I’m sure you have already been told this, but I was told to eat yogurt every day and take acidophilus pills inthe morning. That seemed to help for awhile. Then I think my doctor put me on a different pill and they’ve really never come back. Mine were annoying, but didn’t ever make me so sick I couldn’t function. One of my girlfirends had them so bad that she would frequently have to miss work. She couldn’t sleep because of them. I truly hope that you get a miracle and those stupid things go away for good. It must be hard to keep your chin up, but I’m commending you for getting on the board and sharing all this with us. You know we are all pulling for you. Hoping that you get better really soon!!!!

FROG---Glad to hear you are well. I’m glad you checked in with us. Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses every now and then!

CHERI---Sorry I missed you on IM. I would have loved a good chat with you. I must confess . . . sometimes I am logged on to IM and forget and leave my computer for hours at a time. So if this ever happens, please don’t take it personally. I am probably just out doing something else. I try to remember to put up a note, but that only happens very infrequently. How are you feeling? Up to walking yet??? Be sure not to push it and listen to what your body is trying to tell you.

Well, that’s it for me for tonight. My Penguins are on tv and I’ve been doubleteaming the computer and the game. Wouldn’t you know the “bad guys” just scored to tie it up. Bummer. Looks like overtime and I have to see that part.

Take care.
Kim
185/171/139
January 2, 2001

[SparkleScamp]

Kim, I think you have a great attitude about weight. You know that it’s about a lifestyle (such an overused word) and not a number. My best friend and I were having a conversation on AIM today about the madness we go through with weighing...like I used to be able to weigh in shoes and clothes and record that weight, but now it’s undies or nothing or NOTHING! If you want to eavesdrop on some more weight madness:

What’s been going on with me (http://www.atforumz.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44384)

Deb, I spent some time today browsing the Tips & Tools, Motivational and Food Information threads. Wonderful information! thanks so much for being the “motivating force” there and to all who posted.

As for your kids, like I said earlier kids are real smart and subtlety is needed! More like guerilla tactics if you ask me. But it can be fun...more later.

Iceskatefan, seems like this woe will help with the yeast infections but I don’t have any personal experience there. Does anyone else? Also maybe something acidic, like lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or unsweetened cranberry juice (tastes like liquor) might help. I found something called Hansen’s “natural” diet soda sweetened with Splenda in fruit flavors at Costco. Was all excited, but it had a chemical taste and I didn’t like it. Oh well...I just kicked my MAJOR Diet Coke habit and I’m quite exciting weaning myself from sweetened (and even iced) drinks altogether.

Gardengirl, it’s easier to wean off cream by switching to tea if you don’t like the taste of black coffee. There are some quite exciting flavors of tea. I tried green tea and didn’t like it ages ago, so I started off with the green tea mixed with other flavors. Today I got brave and tried the plain green tea with one packet of Splenda, and it was quite good...I even found the sweetness a distraction.

Beachfan and Cheri, thanks! As I said I’m still amazed over the results from dropping diet coke like a hot rock.

Froggie, miss ya girl! But I definitely understand...self-control is a good thang.

Ann, thanks. As long as you are going two steps forward and one step back, instead of vice versa, you’re doing fine!

****

Started off the week right with a disciplined run. I didn’t even try to go too fast, since I didn’t exercise on the weekend, and I didn’t have enough time to let my breakfast settle. But still did a respectable 32:48 for three miles. I see reaching my goal of < 30 min by Friday, as long as I don’t skip days.

I have posted before that I’m having major trouble concentrating at work. Well, today was/is really bad as I could barely stay in my seat. But I wanted to apply the same discipline to my work as I have to exercise. So I made a goal of finishing this particular stack of data entry (so boring) that I have to do quarterly, before I allowed myself to eat lunch. You ought to have seen me plugged into my music with headphones, shaking like an alcoholic going through detox. Just couldn’t sit still. But I made it! Now I’m doing the last stack and ahem, well, it’s kinda boring. ;) Will finish by the end of the day though.

I feel like I’m nearing the end of a very difficult adjustment to sugar free eating and everything is falling into place. I see there are certain things I’m going to have to curtail or let go of until I reach my goal, and I’m at peace with that, because it’s not forever. I don’t mean never ever take a bite of these things, but generally keep them out of my way:

Alcohol of any kind
Ice cream, even sugar free
Whole milk
Cheese (limited)
Diet soda of any kind
Artificial sweeteners (limited)
Red meat (very limited)

Oh, I have a question. I came across a salt substitute called “Nu-Salt.” It is potassium chloride and contains no sodium, and about 500 mg of potassium. It takes salty but doesn’t seem to do the trick when cooked. I noticed on the label it says that people with heart trouble should be careful with it. My question is, is salt substitute really any better for you than salt? Is there one kind that is better than another?

I just read Debbie’s post about the stuff that pours when it rains, and was amazed to find that it’s processed with sugar and contains other poisons. What a shock! That stuff is going out the window! I have tried sea salt and find the taste to be objectionable. So I’m searching for alternatives. We have something called Hawaiian rock salt here that might not be processed like ordinary table salt.

Tonight is my OA meeting. I still haven’t had time to rally members with phone calls but there is another thing that bothers me about OA, although the 12 steps have helped me GREATLY. That is, every time I feel good about the organization, some “old-timer” gets upset because I’ve broken one or another “rule.” I was really upset about something that happened last week but talked to my sponsor and got good perspective on it. So this is another storm that I am riding out, knowing that 99% of success is showing up.

Lotsa love,

Chris
164/156/130
3/26/01

http://www.millan.net/anims/giffar/women.gif

[lamap]

Good Eveining to all

I figured it was time to check back in and not just read and run. I have been reading all the posts and I am amazed on how many poeple are here now. Things here are going well, I guess. I have just finished two very busy weeks at work, plus some very stressful and mentally draining at work. If only people can mind their own business. But I think I have gotten things put back in perspective and I am ready to get busy worring about me and my wiehgt loss again. After all that is all that really matter- that I am doind this for me.

Will, I wish each and everyone of you a very happy and healthy Tuesday.

Laurie
350/294/170
Sb since 10/27/00
Port Charlotte, Fl

[karen3000]

Quilter - Please don't take offense, but I just had to tell you that I had a great chuckle from your response to Iceskate where you said that you thought your yeast infections were from your birth control "bills" (I know you mean "pills). I guess I have a really twisted sense of humor, but that typo just tickled my funnybone. Thanks!

You are sounding so positive and committed lately - keep on being a motivational cheerleader for me!

Karen

[The Quilter]

Well, the alarm clock did its thing and here we go ready for another great day!!!

Weighed in this morning at 171. Would have liked to been down to 170 again. But will not sun where I am because that would still me a loss for the week if it shows up tomorrow like that. I'm honestly having doubts about the reliability of my scale. Ha!!!! Maybe it's broken and it won't go past the 170 point. LOL. That won't keep me awake at nights.

KAREN---That is so funny what you wrote about my typo. As you can tell I didn't proofread and now I'm glad I didn't if it gave you a good chuckle. Hey, I never said I was a good typist!! LOL Keep up the good work, chick. We're all in this together, right????? That's the very first time in my whole life someone has referred to me as a cheerleader. Hmmmmm. Feels kinda weird.

Chris---Thanks for the kind remarks. Just doing what I can to help the cause.

LAMAP---Glad to see you posted. I was wondering about you and how you were doing. You know we'll always be here and we'll always have something to say, right???? Hope your life calms down and you can enjoy some "Laurie Time" really soon. Go pamper yourself. Oh and BTW . . . just for the record . . . people will NEVER mind their own business. Just wanted to share that so that you wouldn't get your hopes up. JK. Hope who ever is driving you nuts gets a grip and leaves you alone.

Here's my TUESDAY TIP:
DON'T EAT ANYTHING OUT OF THE CONTAINER IT COMES IN!!!!!! Give yourself one serving or two servings or whatever, but don't keep putting that hand into the box/bag and grabbing for satisfaction.

Must run (not literally) . . . my hair is starting to dry goofy. HOpe everyone has a great day. I'll see you on the chat tonight. Let's have a good turnout. Ok?
Take care.
Kim
185/171/139
Since January 2, 2001

[The Quilter]

I need to stop posting so early in the morning. I just glanced at the above and found about 2 billion mistakes. Hope you all are good mindreaders!!! LOL Oh well, guess I needed a humbling experience today! LOL
Bye
K

[Rhroo]

Lets hope i think of a tip before my post is over!!! Lol Well yesterday i did well-they had a bake sale at work and i just looked and walked right by it!! I said "i don't need it" (or want it) and thought of hubby and said "he don't need it either!" I was proud of myself! except that people keep bringing in easter junk!!!!! those little chocolates add up and i don't need them either! I blow a whole day at night!!!! I can get over this i know i can i have my bag with sugar free candy that i try to turn to but i can smell that stuff everytime i go up to get more work (they keep it right there on the table where ya go! Pushers!!!) I am a grown up and should be able to control myslef! :nono:

Quilter-I do have to say that i was getting a vision!!!! i :lol: when i read your post!! Keep up the good work! LOL Sorry the scale didn't agree with the defecit!

Deb- :wave: keep it up girl!! I guess we have our whole life time to keep working on these bodys right?? I feel like now that i am focusing on the health issue not the vainity of it all i am happy with my loss and want to keep it off which is more important than getting to a number (HA!) I want the number though!!! Just to say I did it!!!! i am keeping my fingers crossed for 1/2 lb but 141 would make me :D

Garden-thanks for the soda tip!!! i guess the real thing is better in that sense, but it really is killing me latley the ammount of sugar in stuff!

Fillise-viv-rodeomom - :wave:

Karen- i think we should blame our TOM for everything!! those portions can get us!!! just keep starting over what do ya have to lose right?

Ice- Glad your diabetes test cam bak o.k. SOrry about the yeast thing i never had a problem (knock on wood) funny how stuff we put in our face controlls our body. I just started with a real bad case of exzema which i feel is from stress. I never had it before but last fall i had such a bad case and had to go to a dermatolist ect. Hope that this WOE helps! I guess just giving it a try won't hurt! I feel any eating plan is a life time commitment not just Sugarbusters! Arn't dr's funny!!! keep up the good work i will be watching for your sucess!

Sparkle-WOOOOOOO HOOOO 4 lbs you rock girl!!!! thats sooooo awsome. Thanks again for your thoughts on kids and sugre. To tell ya the truth you really got me thinking -AGAIN i am going to revamp the snack too!!! They don't need it!! There are sooooo many other options out there for them and my kids like the healthy stuff. I bought 2 lbs of strawberrys on sunday 1 1/2 are gone i have to hoard what i want (they eat them if i wash and cut them up but hey it works!) I also always have string cheese in the fridge for my middle son but the all consume it! I need to check out the yougurt. My oldest loves it, but i can not find a sugar free one in my area. I will check out Trader Joes in a couple of weeks when i go (its 45 min from me) Anyway thanks again!!!!

Cheri- thanks for the congrats!! This is a lifetime struggle for me sooo ...i guess i can hang in there for 7 more of those stubborn lbs!!!! You can do it we are here for you!!!!!

Amseraphim- How come i have a hard time typing your name?!!!! Glad you confessed to us!!!! LOL we are here for you-your a human being not perfect (if you are your god!) don't beat yourself up its not worth it. Just keep getting back on and starting over! what do ya have to lose -if only a few Ounces or maybe a pound!!!! Don't give up keep looking into the future!

Lamap- Glad your ready to hop back on the wagon! we are here for you!!!! SOmetimes "life" has to be the priority!

Well gotta gooooooooo-going to try to jump back into bed! (that O.t!) Well that is my tip for the day! Even if you fail one day just start over the next then the next then the next!!!!!! what do ya have to lose???? bye!!!!!!

Rhonda

201.2/142.5/135-i might see it!!!!

[BOBatwork]

QUILTER: I EAT A CUP OF UNCLE SAM'S EVERY DAY (except this last month)
I love it...once your body gets in gear with it, nothing
"pushy" goes on...10grams of fiber per cup!


OK, the cravings are gone and I'm ready to start again on this WOE...I weighed on Sunday and came up with
7.5 lbs in just this short time! Too bad I wasn't on a cruise, at least the food would have been better...I've got to start from scratch! WHAT DID I CRAVE??? CHOCOLATE ! and a lot of it... (oh yea, and three bags of maple nut goodies) I've got Rhonda beat by a mile! SO, I'm working on my menu and ready to report my "trials and errors"
UNCLE SAM'S IS MY FRIEND....the dookie police report for duty every day....those of you in need? GET A BOX!!
OH YEA I've not had any milk (except cream) in a month...the bloat is definately under control...what should I buy to eat with my UNCLE SAM'S? SOY???RICE?? etc??????
BACK TO WORK...I will definately be in chat tonight!!
What's this about LAS VEGAS???

BOB

[Fillise]

This will be quick as I have to meet someone in a few minutes.

Who was it that was wondering about Yeast infections? I'll tell you my experience. I'd never really had a problem with them--began this WOE in July--no change there. Then over the Christmas holidays I got lax and let some sugar creep back into my diet--Let me tell you I got the yeast infection from hell. Got the sugar back out of my system--yeast infection all gone. I know that the diet for people with yeast allergies is very similar to SB--so there must be something there!

I'm still thinking of a Tuesday tip. I'll try to log back on this afternoon.

Susan

[gardengirl]

Hello everyone.

I am still anxiously awaiting a drop in my weight. I know I have to pateint , however, that is definitly not one of my best vertues. I have only been really serious(again) since Monday . I had a good day yesterday. No coffee, cream or wine. Yeah. Guess what? It did not kill me either. I had two green teas and a regular tea and lots of water. I even made my lunch last night so I wouldn't have to do it today. Veggies and dip and tuna. Apple for a snack. I had ham for breakfast. We are having chicken and salad for dinner with broccoli. So I think I should be able to stay within all my guidelines.

Viv I hope that you and your dad are doing well.

Sparkle . 4 pounds you should be soooooooooooo happy . That is what I need to lose to get back to where I was. Soon very soon!

Quilter I love your typing and spelling. I had to laugh. At work my saying is . " If I could type I'd be dangerous"

Rhonda . I know that chocolate is hard to resist, but great about the bakesale.

Deb. You must be so happy that you are almost at goal. you are certainly motivating for me .

Everyone else. I hope that you all a have a great day.

190/178grr/165

[Debelli]

Good Tuesday Morning Everyone!:wave:

No time to post, running out the door with Eli-will be on later today to reply to all:) Fell asleep last night, why I wasn't on later in the evening.

I'm up today, have 3 things to contribute that, definitely drank more water than I put out yesterday-had 4 helpings of Eli's wonderful eggplant dish (I'm such a pig with that stuff) and my TOM is coming tomorrow! Not worried-patience Deb, patience!

Just a reminder about TONIGHT'S CHAT AT 9:15pm EST Please try to join us!!!

Later

Debbie
194/132/129
SB since 3/22/00

[amseraphim]

I didn't get your email :( Did you send it to amseraphim@aol.com......... or amseraphim@yahoo.com??? Maybe I have your addy down wrong. I have mail controls set up on aol. Oh well, we will get this internet nonsense figured out!!!!!
Have a great day, friend.


I will be back later to post more. Keep on keeping on, everyone.

[sonjia76]

Good morning everyone!

I had my weekly SugarBusters meeting last night and told everyone about this support group. They wanted me to ask you all a few questions, if you don't mind.

1) Is Diet Cokes unlimited? I noticed some of you are trying to quit drinking them.

2) Do you all take potassium pills?

3) If you get to a standstill, what is the best way to make the weight start coming off again?

We would really appreciate your opinions.

I am going to increase my calories this week like you recommended. Hopefully, that we make the weight come off. Thank you all for you advice. It is much appreciated.

Sonjia
212/207/150

[RodeoMom]

As I sit here sipping my second cup of Green Tea, I am wondering if I should buy some Green Tea Stock.........

If word get around about Sparkle's 4 pound loss we may have to dump the Coke stock and head for Lipton!

Congrat's on the loss Sparkle! It's amazing what our bodies will do when we quit putting that nasty stuff in it.

I did try something new this weekend called Whole Wheat Flat Bread. Kinda a tortilla, but a little thicker. Cathy had the idea to make a mini pizza out of it, which I think will be great! I'll let you know when I try it. But this weekend I mixed some Cream Cheese with some green chilies and olives for a spread and then put a little turkey on the flat bread, folded and cut in half. Made wonderful sandwiches for the rodeo and VERY FILLING.

And I do have to brag...Katie won 1st place in the poles Saturday nite...... her very first WIN!! I made her take the trophy instead of the money!! There is always money, but your 1st - 1st place is special. She did come in 2nd the barrels and she took the money on that one!

It has almost been a month since I started this WOE. I can't tell you how much better I feel. I am still exhausted after a long day, but I have more patience with people and get so more accomplished in a day. I also don't get very hungry. I can only assume that when your body is getting the proper foods, that it is more efficient. Whatever it is, I love it!

Okay..off to work have a GREAT DAY everyone!!

Davenna

[gardengirl]

Rodeo mom

Congrats on your daughters win. My daughter also rides. She just started , she rides English though. When I used to ride when I was young. Wow that was years ago we did some Western events, very fun. You are right about the trophies they are special.

Anyway just thought I would say hi.

[Lisa_A_A]

Hello everybody! :wave:

I haven't posted in a couple of days because life has been busy, busy, BUSY! Once I get on the computer, I seem to stay there for waaaay too long surfing. Hmmmm....maybe I've gone from having a sugar problem to an online problem!

I've been basically OP for the last couple of days, with one exception. I ate a Wendy's roast beef yesterday.....I was out of town and stuck in the car....it seemed like the lesser of two evils (I could have gone to McDonald's).

Glad to hear everyone is doing well....I hope tomorrow shows some results. I think I've lost about 2 lbs. so far. If so, that will make 10 for me. YEAA!

Ross has another baseball game tonight, and I think he is going to be the starting pitcher. I'll be sure to let everyone know how he did tomorrow!

Here's my tip for the day, even though I actually haven't started doing it myself yet (but I will :) ) Fill a pitcher of water, maybe put a few lemon slices in it, and drink it all by the end of the day. I have a hard time keeping up w/how much water I've drank during the day, and I think this will be an easy way to make sure I get enough.

Have a great day! :lol:

Lisa
215/207/140

[GloryBI]

HELLO LADIES :)



Well it's a beautiful day here in the pacific northwest, we are suppost to have sun for 3 days in a row. Woo Hoo, Lawn mower here I come. I love being out side when it's nice. We live in the country so We have a big riding lawn mower, I get on that thing and when I've done ours which takes me about an hr I sometimes go over and do the neighbors or just go down the road for a neighbor visit on it. It's great fun.

My tuesday tip is the following: When you eat sit your fork down between bits and take a sip of water. You will fill up faster and appreciate your food more as well find yourself requiring less to fill up. This works for me (when I apply it :o ) that' my tip.


Deb: I too love to go to Canada to shop We have gone to a big Mall in Victoria that has riding carts so I'm able to get around to the whole Mall with no difficultie, The family just has ahard time keeping up. That sounds like a great way to celebrate. I may try something like that too. I know right now that when I do hit that 100 lb make which is still 5lbs away. I'm going garage saleing for a new wardrobe. I love to bargain shop. I already have the new panties now hubby says I have to go to walmart and get new bras. I think he's tired of looking at them sag. I thought about taking the bras in but he said no. So guess I'll have to buy new.

Beach: :wave: back at ya, I was just thinking of you, gator and BOB , missing your sports up dates. What do you girls do durning the off time. For sports that is, I know your a busy lady.

RodeoMom: Wow First place, that's great i'm sure your very proud of your daughter and have every right to be. How exciting. don't we just love to see our children succeed at what they do, I to think we need to invest in Tea stock. I think it's going to go up with all us SB.

Sparkle: You have really helped me, I'm goin to kick the Diet Coke and Do the Tea Thing! as for what kids can drink. My daughter loves the Diet Snapple (peach is her favorite) It's a good subsitute. for soda and sugared juice.

Cheri: I wanted to say Your right, I don't know what your right about. you see as I read the post I make notes to write to everyone in regards to there last post to me . But I forgot what I agreed with you on and won't know tell after i'm done with my post so just letting you know I agree with what you side.

Ann: Water is one thing I love, and no I don't drink enough, but betwe the Tea and Water that's about to change and maybe those darn lbs will come off easier.
I'm giving up Diet Coke for good. I think it was you that mentioned a concern about aspertane, I have found a sugar subsitute that I use. it's put out by the diabetic fondation It's called DiabetiSweet can be found at Walmart Pharmacy, or KMart Pharmacy, It's expensive and has no Aspertane in it. It's really great the portion are the same as regular grandulated sugar, and you can cook with it. I use it for my family and company and no one knows the difference.

Quiler: I was thinking about picking up some Uncle Sams as I've never tried it before. Now I know I'm definately picking it up as I need the fiber. And I agree that you make a great motivational cheerleader, We are very fortunate to have a bunch of great motivational cheerleaders among us and your right up there at the top of the list, you go girl.

Rhoo: You know girl, Your doing great with all of this candy stuff. When you have to eat your SF candy and smell them eating that other poision, just remember in the end your creating a better body and Eating habbits for yourself. Your the greatest, you go girl.

BOB: You tickle me with your dookie police, You need to send them to my house.

Well really I've over extended myself and must get off now have a good day everyone. Love to all Glory:wave:

[GloryBI]

Just a quickie:


Karen : I reread Your post and found out what it was that I agreed with, We really do have some great motivational thinkers here on this board they find the best thoughts to share with us and I really appreciate them. So now you know what I'm agreeing with :o

Take care Glory :D

[Fillise]

This is a hard one for me, but I found I do better if I follow this:

Try not to set goals that involve losing a specific amount of weight during a specific amount of time. This almost inevitably leads to a sense of failure and inadequacy. Think about it, we decide to lose 10 lbs before a wedding, or vacation, or just by the end of the month. If we only lose 8--then we beat ourselves up for failing--when we lost 8 lbs! How smart is that? I'm learning more and more about my body as I pursue this WOE. One of the things I have learned is that it works on its own timetable. A long as it works--and the weight keeps coming off--then try to be happy with your success!

Susan

ps--think about me tomorrow when I see the surgeon about my knee. I thought I was getting better until I went to see my physical terrorist yesterday and now I can barely walk. Yesterday he had me walking backwards on the treadmill for five minutes--sometimes I think he dreams this stuff up on the spot.

[amseraphim]

WHOOOO HOOOOOOOO...... I finished planting the rest of the veggie plants. Now I need to get busy with some flowers that I bought last week. I hope to get those planted today too. If only I could cut my head off and still function, I could move moutains!!!!!! These blasted sinuses/allergies:rolleyes:

Glory - I hope I didn't come across as preachy about the water. That is something I am struggling with too.....and guess what else????? I am a Diet Dr. Pepper addict :eek: There, I said it!!!!!!! About the aspartame, someone else posted some good info about it along with a website too. That's why I mentioned maybe me working on that too. Oh.... Glo, I love my riding lawnmower too. I have about 1 1/2 acres myself, then I try to keep the lot nextdoor cut, which is prob another 2-2 1/2 acres.

Susan - I admire a sense of humor..physical terrorist. Walking backwards on a TM, I would have to argue that one. Was that good for the ole knee??? I will be praying you have a good visit with the surgeon.

Lisa - Good tip about the pitcher of water!!!!! Good luck to Ross and the game tonight.

Rodeo - A big congrats for Katie and winning 1st place and trpohy, and 2nd place and $$$$$!!!!!!!!
Yippy ki Yayyy.....

Gonna go much of some veggies, and try to get back out and plant those flowers!!!!!! Hope everyone is having a good day:)

[cathycathy]

By the time I get thru reading all the posts - well - then I don't have time to post myself. :lol: But I have been trying to keep up with everybody.

It is great to read how well everyone is doing and I especially love getting ideas to keep me on track with SB!

Yesterday after reading that Chris had lost 4 lbs in a week and the only changes she had made was that you cut out the diet coke and started drinking the green tea - well I made a run to Walmart during my lunchhour and bought all the green tea I could find :lol: well almost anyway. Had my first cup this morning and it is great - I love it! I think I will replace my morning cup of coffee for the tea and try to drink it once or twice more during the day and see what happens - sure can't hurt.

Davenna! you did not tell me that she got 1st place! Of course, our phone conversations are always made in such a hurry because it is always while we are at work - but AWESOME - WAY COOL! I'm so glad you made her pass on the money and take the trophy! That's why we have wise mom's around - to make sure we make the right choices! ;) Can't wait to see how many lbs you have lost - sure hope you get to go weigh in tomorrow!

I have found a new thing that I like on top of my triscuits (it was Davenna's idea actually) - I take a little fat free cream cheese and chop up some olives and smash them into the cream cheese and then I spread a little on my triscuits - it is yummy good and so easy.

Also found out I do not care for Zapp's Sweet Potato Chips too much and at 150 calories per serving they are definitely not worth it.

Thanks for the tip Deb about Walgreens having their peanuts on sale - 2 jars for $2.99 - great deal. I ran and picked up 2 jars after reading your post.

Sara - really appreciated what you shared about turning all this over to the Lord. I can totally relate! I am trying really hard to just eat healthy, drink my water and exercise and try to be content with myself at whatever size I am. But it is so hard sometimes when I want to be thinner and comfortable (you know able to bend over and ties my shoes) and nothing seems to work for me. I struggle everyday with leaving all this in God's Hands and just accepting myself.

So on that serious note - here is my motivational thought for today .....

"To dream of the person you would like to be is to waste the person that you are!"

Have a great day gang!

cathy :wave:
195/193/150
04-02-01

[BOBatwork]

CATHY: try making your sweet potato chips yourself.
79 cal per 1/2 cup...slice them real thin and do them in the oven...yummmmmm

GLORY: We are resting up for football season...we get so worked up from Sept 1 thru the big bowl games that it takes us the rest of the year to calm down.
Get ready cause September will be here before you know it and we'll be back to our old selves...

BOB

[SparkleScamp]

Hello dear ladies!

Iamap/Laurie, good luck on your work situation. I have various dramas going on in my life too and have found that being sugar-less has helped me cope with stress. Am naturally easily excited though, and have a long way to go.

I accidentally jumped all over one of my best friends for saying that with finals she was too stressed out to be worrying about eating right. I got hot under the collar because I wanted to share how much this WOE has helped me deal with stress. (Now she’s mad) But that got me to thinking: the absolute most stressful time of the year in my business is the two weeks before tax day. Between getting people to contribute to their IRAs before the deadline and cranking out tax reports that people wait to the last minute to ask for, it’s a mad rush and something is liable to fall between the cracks. Well I started SB 3/26/01 which means that my period of adjustment coincided with that mad dash. While I certainly felt the stress I do feel I had the energy to cope with it a lot better. Not to mention the underlying confidence of being in control gave me an edge. (Then there was/is the inability to sit still but that’s beside the point. ;) )

Rhonda, I’m glad for your kids! I will have more info on kids and sugar as time goes by. Now that I’ve stopped blaming myself for being so fat, my growing anger at those in charge of my food supply when I was a child is a new issue I have to work on through journaling and sharing with others. Those feeling are even LESS productive than the feelings of guilt and low self esteem I have struggled with all my life.

BOB, I believe I posted before that although rice milk tastes better to me, soy milk is more nutritious (going by protein content). Watch the sugar grams. I have found brands of soy milk with as few as 4 grams per serving and as high as 19+. Even the “plain” flavors have added sugar. The brand with 4 grams of sugar was clearly marked “unsweetened” while the others were “original.” I really like the taste of whole milk but after getting used to it I like soy milk better. There is also such a thing as almond milk but the nutrition value was even lower than rice milk so I didn’t try it yet.

Maybe I’m just too demanding in regards to my regularity these days but I’m not quite satisfied with the ah, plumbing these past few days. The “natural laxative” effect from Uncle Sam’s cereal is due to the flaxseed. Due to the exorbitant cost of US, I got a big packet of plan flaxseed and am trying to figure out what to do with it. My boss tells me you get the most benefit from the seeds when they are crushed, not whole, so I’m working on getting them in that state, and perhaps mixing them with my health-store cream of wheat which I accidentally bought and don’t want to eat without jazzing it up.

Gardengirl, sounds like you’re doing really well with the liquids and getting rid of cream. I’m pretty anxious about my weight too but being too eager is working against me as not only does the unnecessary stress cause me to want to eat more, but I feel like I’m running a race when really it’s a style of eating that is going to be for the rest of my life. I think it’s going to take time for BOTH of us to chill out about that nasty little number.

Sonjia,

1) Is Diet Cokes unlimited? I noticed some of you are trying to quit drinking them.

Diet Coke causes water retention. There is some evidence that aspartame actually slows weight loss. We don’t know if it causes or contributes to cancer yet since it hasn’t been on the market that long. The isolated caffeine has a greater effect on the body than caffeine that naturally occurs in coffee and tea with other substances. Diet Coke contains many other chemicals that may have an ill effect on the body. The artificial sweetness masks the taste of real food and may set up cravings for more sweets. I DID quit drinking it for at least 5 days now and have seen DRAMATIC differences in my weight and how I feel. I also have less craving for sweet food.

2) Do you all take potassium pills?

Nope...by being sugar-free, my body is slowly gaining a natural mineral balance and my blood sugar is more even, causing me to have much more energy and a more even temper. However I still have a long way to go.

RodeoMom, big congrats to Katie!!!! Whoo-hoo! I wouldn’t worry about Coke stock going down. My roommate was giving me this big, puffed-up argument about how Coke doesn’t even need to advertise. Well, I don’t know this for a fact but I believe that Coke spends MORE money on advertising than other company. I do know they are the largest industrial consumer of SUGAR (second is the tobacco industry). I have been noticing, since I am watching a little TV now, that Coke ads are the most prevalent and subversive in the industry. WHO decided that Coke is “the real thing?” It’s a joke if you think about it. While marijuana and other drugs are carefully suppressed by the government, somehow Coke grew to be a powerful entity and a national obsession. And a LOT of that has to do with advertising!

Can you believe it’s been a month since we started already??? You know, in 6 months or a year, we “newbies” are going to be seeing DRAMATIC results, TOGETHER. This is the exciting beginning of the journey!

Lisa, I can understand about online addiction, especially when something (like this board) is new and exciting. Going through that right now. Sounds like you have gotten some good results since starting. Keep up the good work!

Glory, I love bargain-hunting too. ENJOY buying new lingerie, don’t think of it as a chore. Get some in black and racy colors, maybe even leopard print, DON’T get just plain white! Try different styles than what you are used to buying. Even Wal*Mart has some pretty things. Your hubby is going to be real happy, but more importantly, YOU will feel lots better! I have a rather severe underwear fetish from my traumas as a teenager. I have 50 pairs of panties and a nice collection of bras that stand at attention without me (the boobs have disappeared alarmingly since losing weight). I wouldn’t be caught dead in saggy bras or underwear with holes. (Although the other day, I unwisely wore a nearly new pair that was stained from rollerblading in the rain and didn’t realize until hours later that I was wearing them while standing on the scale in front of the entire locker room! AAARRRGGGHHH! I know. TMI.)

Fillise/Susan, sending you lots of good wishes for your knee surgery. I hope that your recovery is swift and complete (or at least complete!) You are right, our bodies have their own timetable for losing weight. All we can do is stick to our guns, day after day.

Cathy, I think we are going to start a national green tea craze! I for one would love to see it happen, although the Sugar Kings are pretty well established (see above post to your friend RodeoMom).

Costco has an olive spread that seems to be made of chopped olives and oil. It has a strong flavor and is VERY good on toast. Plus there is little danger of my eating too much of it.

"To dream of the person you would like to be is to waste the person that you are!"

I LOVE IT!!!!

QUESTION FOR YOU GALS

Would you recommend a particular machine, or brand of machine, for making nut butters? Although somebody suggested it to me long ago it just dawned on me today that I could save a sh*tload of money by making my own almond butter. Plus I would like to grind up flaxseed. I looked at a coffee grinder and it said in the instructions, “Do not even think about doing what you’re thinking about doing, you silly goose!” The only nut grinder I have seen is the 3 ½ ton monster at the health food store.

ANOTHER QUESTION

Lately since I have so much energy I find it nearly impossible to sit in my office chair all day long. I read in Shape magazine about a chick who sat on one of those big exercise balls, the ones you find at the gym, for six months and developed killer abs and improved her balance. I was even having fantasies of rigging my desk so that I could stand up and work on the computer! Do any of you have advice on how to make sitting down in front of the computer all day a bit easier, be it a different kind of chair or posture, or something else?

TUESDAY TIPS for runners and walkers:

I read somewhere to exercise in the mornings before breakfast so that the body doesn’t have a carbohydrate store and will burn more fat. After making myself very ill, I learned that running on an empty stomach doesn’t work. Moderate or anaerobic exercise burns more fat and aerobic or cardio exercise burns more carbohydrates. What matters is not the type of fuel burned, but the total number of calories expended. Running burns more total calories than walking for the same time period, obviously; therefore, running is better for shedding fat than walking. I’ve found out if I’m going to run, I must eat something beforehand, or I won’t have as much energy. If I run anyway, I get very ill. I’ve found a small, complex carbohydrate meal eaten at least ½ hour before running works best. That gives me steady fuel (unlike the old sugar breakfasts) but digests more quickly than protein.

If you run on a treadmill, always set the incline at “2” or greater to simulate wind resistance. If you walk on a treadmill, made best use of your time by setting the incline as high as possible. Start with “5” (30% maximum) and work up to maximum.

Although most of us aren’t used to spending much money on good clothes, proper running shoes are essential for any high-impact exercise. Instead of keeping track of the number of miles on your shoes, just replace them when they show visible signs of wear. Invest in cushioned replacement insoles ($15 to $20) as the insoles in even expensive, brand-name running shoes are made of Styrofoam.

Set goals for yourself. As your body gets used to your routine, you have to work harder to burn the same number of calories, so setting goals makes sense. Participate in organized runs, which keep you focused and support various charitable organizations as well. You can pick up magazines that list a comprehensive variety of events at any running store. As you train, set a goal for each session that slightly surpasses the one before. For example, you could try to finish one minute or even half a minute faster than you did yesterday.

Happy running!

~Chris

164/156/130
3/26/01
3 miles: 31:37 today

http://www.shapeshakers.com/prettychild.gif

[THE BIG ORANGE BABE]

EVENING EVERYBUDDY :D

SUSAN get that knee working girl....it's only four months till football season....YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO JUMP UP AND DOWN WHEN A TOUCHDOWN IS MADE! I'll come up there and help you work it!!!

Has anyone heard from Annette? or BARB???? I'm sure that Barb is lurking somewhere, and who knows...she may have taught Annette how to do it properly :lol:

Sparkle GOOD GRAVEY GIRL I'm sure you did post about the milk in the past, but I do good to remember what happened at 4pm....Thanks for the tips.
I've missed my Uncle Sam's...I love the taste!

Cheri I have a friend at work who has asked me to go to OA with her. She is a complusive eater and has done time in a 28 day program. She has lost 178lbs in
18 months. She looks great..she has such an addiction that she has to go to AA meetings a lot because there aren't enough OA meetings going on for her. Have you gone to your first meeting yet? let me know how it goes
when you do. You can do this without the surgery. I had the surgery, and while I didn't have any problems, I was also 31 yrs old. I had such success with the procedure, but I have "rethunk" my willingness to do it again...We can do this...we just have to buckle down and DO IT

Ladies...I'm going to lurk a little..and try my best to get to chat tonight..

LATER

BOB

[Rosalie]

Good Tuesday evening everyone :)

I didn't have time to post yesterday, but did manage to read some of the posts while I was at work. This morning started off bright and sunny so I thought I had better get out and clean the inside of my van. I've been thinking about it long enough. It was clouding over so thought I had better get on with it before it rained. So far it has remained dry but it has become very windy. Hope we are not in for some bad weather.

I've been neglecting my exercises lately, haven't done anything since I played badminton on Friday. I find it hard to get in exercises when I am working. By the time I have free time in the evening I am pooped. Tomorrow I should be able to get to badminton. I was supposed to work the evening shift but cancelled it and will work Friday instead. I am not looking forward to WIW tomorrow. I am still 2 lbs more than my lowest of 2 weeks ago. It's been up and down the last couple of weeks (unfortunately more ups than downs).

Chris - You mentioned the forums taking a long time to load. I think it has to do with all the pictures and animations. This seems to slow things down. It's good to see the determination you have of reaching goal. That was a very good post you did about children and sugar/processed foods etc. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and descriptions of your childhood and younger years. When my kids were growing up they weren't fed too much sweet stuff, although they did get their share of candy at holiday times. I very seldom bought pop, except at birthday party time, and they had very few desserts apart from fruit, ice cream and custard. I have to say I was a little guilty with the grandchildren, as I would always have a supply of candy and sometimes pop. Candy was usually one of the first things they asked for when they came to visit. That has changed, I just don't buy candy anymore (except for their Easter bunnies). I know my daughter doesn't give her kids too much sweet stuff. I wish I could say the same for my DIL.

Well ladies, I was planning on responding to some of your posts but have decided I should get off my butt and go for a walk. The sun is shining again and the wind has dropped a bit so I want to get out there before it gets dark. I might also manage to go for a swim this evening. I have to make up for the last few days.

Hope to get back to you all later. Will see you on chat if I get back on time.

Bye for now. :wave:

Marie.

[Rosalie]

Chris - I have an electric coffee grinder which I bought to grind up spices and it's great for grinding flaxseed.

Marie.

[MargaretA]

Hi Peeps,

I can't even remember the last time I posted. I have been doing okay with the food but not with sleep or keeping up with routine chores. I hate it when I get off schedule and feel all out of kilter. Haven't been to the gym for two weeks either.

I went to New Orleans for Easter, had fun telling my son I was getting married. My other son approves also, so that made things very happy. Steve has told his three and they are all happy...especially the girls. I am so lucky! We have been to the travel agent's working on honeymoon plans...Maine! How does that sound to those who have been there? I've never even been to the East Coast except Florida.

As a teacher, I'm swamped with end of the year stuff at school. Even though there are 6 more weeks, it feels like the end. I am in charge of Awards Day, and working on that.

I quickly skimmed yesterdays posts. I like the article about kids and sugar. We never gave candy or sweets to our first and he still doesn't care about anything sweet. He likes Reese's Cups okay, but isn't that interested. The younger one was given candy and cookies for some reason, and he is overweight and loves sugar to this day. I truly believe it's a learned response.

I am motivated to get back on routine and read the posts here daily. I haven't read anything for a while and will go back tonight and catch up. I want to read more about the green tea.

[overcome]

Hi all...
I'm swamped with stuff to do and not feeling myself today. Too much on my mind. Just wanted to say "hi" I'm still here!!

Sparkle..loved your sugar/children "essay"

Sara..loved your personal account of turning things over to God instead of the scale!! :) It was a lovely reminder. Thank you for sharing.

Deb....you are so close to goal (yippee). I know you are going to lose a bit more as a cushion, as I did. Just a warning. That low number on the scale starts to look pretty darn good and when it goes up, even though its your cushion, it does funny things to your mindset!!! Does what I'm trying to explain make sense? Your cushion starts turning into your new weight and you don't want to let it go!!! Just so you are prepared, cause I know you're gonna be there one day soon!!!

I am at my all time low with my weight (I think the scale is back on track now!). I feel so good but don't know what I'm going to wear in this warm weather as everything is too big. I think I am doing a good job maintaining, but I am still finding my way!! Its not as easy as you would think!!

I'm kinda keeping up with the posts...Hopefully things will calm down soon and I'll be able to post more often!

Ashley

[Debelli]

Hey Everyone!:wave:

Just got home and knew I better get on the board and on the ball and post before it got any longer-then I'd never catch up!!!:eek: Please pardon my short posts to everyone-want to get this up before the chat.

We went out for lunch to Sweet Tomatoes, a salad buffet-no my idea. It was okay, but most of the stuff other than salad I wouldn't eat. I had a salad, and had some chili which I picked the beans out of-that was it.

Like I mentioned in my morning post, I am back up again, but not trying to worry about it because I KNOW it's just temporary. I keep saying "one step forward and two steps back, this shows how right I am. Our bodies are such funky things, aren't they?

GARDEN, glad to hear you are on the right track. You'll be fine-you seem to be in the right direction now:)

BEACH, okay, so the scale moved and then it moved the other way:eek: I HATE when this happens, but again, what can I do more than be PATIENT?!?

FROG, quick hello's are better than none:) HELLO!

CHERI & AMSER, can I keep the congrats on the 1/2 pound even though I'm back up?:^:

QUILTER, glad the "cake talk" helped, it's really how I feel. Just keep it in mind, or copy in hand-I'm sure you'll do fine!!!

SPARKLE, feel free to add info to those boards where you see fit, you can run it by me first if you'd like:) I use REAL SALT, it's great, from a salt mine in Utah. I may have a link to it on the food info. board, if I don't let me know. If you grind the flax seed, it MUST be refridgerated I heard, because of the oils and them becoming rancid. Nut butters-easy to make in my little food processor!

RHROO, I'm going to get you a set of blinders so you can stay FOCUSED on that goal of yours!!!!

BIGO, why don't you try the Lactaid skim milk. I bet you'd be fine using that. I need a visit from the dookie police, would you send them here?

SNOJIA, you can have diet coke, but it truthfully isn't good for you. Plus, it has caffeine, which isn't so great for you. Many people drink it in place of water-and that doesn't count as liquid. Personally, I don't drink any soda anymore due to the aspertame. I don't take potassium, but a multivitamin is always good to take. At a stall, see our TIPS & TOOLS BOARD or the RECOMMENDED READING BOARD, forgot which one, but there are some tips there.

RODEO, let us know how the flat bread pizza comes out. Lots of other things you can do with it-it's yummy! Tell Katie CONGRATS and that we hope she brings home many more trophies!!!

LISA, I know EXACTLY what you mean about surfing the net. I haven't made a dime of money this past year because of the computer-though this must change-I'm feeling like a pauper! You can waste away hours so quickly on this contraption. Let us know how Ross did tonight!

GLORY, I had to laugh about your sagging bras and how you need a new one, you should see my girdles that I have retired to use when I walk, they are hysterical-holes, elastic hanging off, holes in the crotch-they are a sight that I hope no one will ever see. Gosh forbid one of those cars make contact with me and an ambulance has to come and they need to cut my clothes off, I'm a gonner for sure, they'd take one look at that girdle and die laughing, they wouldn't be able to save me!!!!

FILLISE, great tip, thanks for sharing. I died laughing, physical "terrorist!" Does he know you call him that? You should make a shirt up for him! GOOD LUCK!

CATHY2, glad to see you too are jumping on the green tea wagon. Celestial Seasonings is another great tasting tea I drink-and Tazo's new orange tea is to die for. Many gals make little nachos from the triscuits-have you tried that? Glad you got some peanuts-wait til you taste your homemade REAL PB!!!

BIGO, I'm not sure if Barb is lurking or not, she's been having computer problems. She called me last week, all is fine there-all but the computer. Haven't heard from Annette, forgot if she was on vacation or not-few others, like BEE haven't been heard from either.

ROSALIE, just a quick hello! Hope you got in your walk!

MARGARET, glad you have everyone's overwhelming approval and best wishes on the upcoming marriage. Maine is GORGEOUS! You'll have a wonderful time, no matter where you go!

OVERCOME, thanks, and yes, I do understand and you are probably right that I will focus on the new goal rather than as a cushion. It's going to b