LA Weight Loss - Friends and Losers Nov. 3-9

Good morning ladies!!

Let's start off the week in the right way..

What are YOU going to do for yourself to stay on plan?

I'm going to focus on green veg, as I seem to have gotten away from it a bit..

Had a great night last night.. Went to a friend's house for a sushi party with several other couples. Liz is really the sushi fan, but there's enough of the cooked stuff for me to like..

We were treated to copious (sp?) amounts of fresh sushi, prepared by my friend Karen's mom, who is Japanese and, in fact, used to own a Japanese restaurant in New York City.. So you KNOW this stuff was authentic..

Probably had a bit too much rice, but at least the rest of the ingredients were healthy.. Lots of veg, shrimp and fish...

Good stuff!!

Oh, by the way.. Are any of you on Facebook? I've been addicted to the site.. I've been able to catch up with a lot of friends around the country and it's a lot more user friendly than Myspace... If yer on and want to connect there as well as here, drop me a private message and I'll send you an email invite..

Have a great week!!

good morning everyone. an exhausting weekend has left me even more exhausted today. ugh.
the kids had a blast trick-or-treating--there's a pic in my profile of them in their costumes! :)
my brother's wedding was in NE this weekend, so we drove there late friday night and didn't get in until midnight. saturday was a looooong day. i ate a bit too much cake at the wedding and a bit too much candy that was all around my other brother's house for the kids. and i know i didn't drink nearly enough water, so needless to say i'm feeling a bit puffier than normal..even with my prego tummy. :) so today, i'm going to be drinking quite a bit of water to flush myself out.

so, yeah. other than that..i'm doing fine. just still pretty tired. going to be starting on the elliptical again this week. tomorrow actually. still debating between getting up around 5am (instead of my normal 6am) to do it or doing it later at night...it'd either be at 4pm or 6pm depending on if the kids are over that night. so we'll see. either way, i've gotta start back up. otherwise i never will and that won't be good for me when april comes around.

hope everyone had a good weekend as well...and didn't eat too much candy.



PS--dan, now i'm craving sushi! that party sounds wonderful!

Happy Monday all-

Today I am going to try to sit down and try to make out my menu for the rest of the week so I can stay on track.

I got on my elliptical last night for the first time in a couple of weeks because of my knee. I started out with 6 minutes. My knee ached for a while, but not too bad. So my plan is to get on there every day and increase it by one minute every day. When I get to 30 minutes then I am going to increase the resistance and incline every week and get stronger that way.

Dan- sounds like a fun night. I never have had sushi.

Jillian- Glad you had fun and you DB wedding. the kids look darling in their costumes.

Have a great POP day!

Morning all! We had a fun Halloween too. On Saturday my clinic hosted a free Reiki clinic in a cool little coffehouse. It went really well. We did 10 treatments, and 3 of them signed up for classes with us. We are going to continue doing the free clinic on the first Saturday of every month there. Very cool.

As for the diet, I have finally realized that I love being thin, so that is what I am striving for from now on. I am back to healthy eating, lots of water, and yoga in the mornings. And I feel so good!!!

Dan- Hmmm, I am afraid of sushi, lol.

Deb- Great job on the eliptical!

Jillian- Sounds like the weekend went well. The kids are cute in their costumes!

Hi everyone! Glad to see everyone made it through Halloween – my weekend was ok… a few tastes of the candy, but nothing out of control… I’ve changed my habits in the sense that if I don’t like it, I don’t eat it. Used to be that I’d open a pack of candy and have to finish it all whether I liked it or not. Now I don’t feel bad about throwing it out.

Friday I did have 1 chili dog and 1 frito pie, but I starved myself all day to be able to eat that… I knew I was not going to win over that craving, so I just drank, drank, drank (water!) and ate very little throughout the day – celery, carrots, and a couple of fruits. On Saturday we went to lunch at a burger joint – I had a veggie burger, but they didn’t have whole wheat buns… I tried to eat lite the rest of the day and for dinner I had some V8 butternut squash soup. Sunday we went to the movies – overdid it on the popcorn and had veggie pizza for dinner… so this week it is back to the grindstone for me! I’m only up 1lb, which I usually am on Monday’s anyway, so it could still be a favorable week… I need to be at 134 at the end of the week to stay on my goal (1lb a week).

Went shopping on Friday and bought a size 4 jeans:) Also, this weekend my DH said I looked “tiny” – I LOVED THAT COMMENT! I told him, on a 5’0” frame, I am supposed to look tiny!!!

Omg! You guys you have to try Sushi! It is soo wonderful and there are many different kinds to try you are bound to like something. Especially if you like Crab or shrimp those rolls are some of the best ones.
Halloween weekend wasn't so great for me. But it's new start this week. Our boss brought in food today it was just subs and chips and salsa. But still not so great. I used to have such great self control. I don't know what happened.
Jillian the kids look so cute!
I will post a pic of thing one and thing two for you guys to see. It was soo much fun!

Hope you guys all have a great day!

I hate you, Julie........:lol:.

I was a size 4 once..................but anyway...........hello everyone ;) I have been very busy trying to catch up on my housework. I had a long weekend with company....and the beast known as laundry is kicking my butt. I really don't mind too much today though..........CNN is my best friend today. I am a political junkie, and I just love this $hit.

Anywhoo, I am going to Texas one week from today, and I am not very much lighter. Oh well. Noone is perfect. I do have to get some dress pants soon though. Anyone ever shop at Lane Bryant? I was checking out their site today, and they have some cute stuff.

Ok, I will check in later :) Remember to vote tomorrow :)
XOXO

hey nicole--i heard that lane bryant now has maternity clothes. i wish they would've had them with my previous two pregnancies..since i was needing size 2x and 3x stuff...which is hard to find in maternity stuff.

about sizes...... my daughter is the same exact size I was when I was her age..... well in so much as..... she is 5' 7" and weighs 120. I was also 5' 7" and weighed 120 when I was 16. .. She is a size 0.... in 1984 when I was 16 I was an 8. that is how much sizes have changed. I got out some clothes that I had packed away. She put on a mini skirt that said size 10 on it. and it fit her. Those manufacturers are messing with our heads!!!!!!

Nicole and Letty- don't hate :)

size 4 or not, my DH still said I looked Tiny - he can't take it back now :)

Hey everybody!!

I didn't do too bad for halloween but then again I don't have a big sweet tooth so I didn't have hardly anything and I only had 11 kids. So the chips and rockets are going to slowly get taken to work for others to eat.

Dan - I am also addicted to facebook. I have found so many friends from as far back as elementary school and been able to catch up. Unless I am out of town I basically check it at least once a day. Feel free to add me - I'll send you a PM. I ain't got nothing to hide!!

3 more days this week and I am off for a week and a day. I am not going anywhere. I just have vacation time to use and I just need a break.

Guess thats about it for me...Have a good night everybody..

Hi everyone -- ok, I am pretty new to the fun side of this computer stuff. Dan and Alannah, how does this Facebook stuff work? You go in and sign up and then put someone's name in to search? What if they have gotten married since we last saw them?

And, yes, sizes have definitely changed. I remember reading an article in some magazine several years back. The fashion industry is messing with us.
This is one reason Chico's does so well -- the only sizes are 1, 2 and 3. Anyway, that is what my boss tells me -- his wife loves it.

Karen-when you sign up you can put in your maiden name too-to aid in others searching for you.

Dan - Yum. I love sushi! A friend of mine is Japanese and I used to beg him to make some to bring to work. I've gotten a lot braver in my old age.

Jillian - the kids look cute!

Deb - Take it slow on the elliptical, but good for you for getting back on the horse (so to speak).

Katie - the Saturday clinics sound like a great way to drum up business. Good luck with that!

Nicole - You love politics? Ugh. I hate it - I think because I work with politicians all the time (before working in schools I was the Finance Director for one of the cities up here... ugh). Now I am just way too cynical - noone really wants to help make anything better, they just want to make their opponents look bad and take all the credit. I really can't wait until tomorrow when I don't have to see any more political ads.

Tiny Julie - Congrats on the 4's. I hate you too! :hug: (in a supportive, green with jealousy way)

I made a turkey breast in the crock pot Sunday, and am now going to peruse recipe's for something to make with the leftovers. Any suggestions?

Hey, folks. Still lurking, not ready to come back yet. I am only entering 4th week postpartum. Halloween candy is kicking my butt. I am falling into the same trap as last time; eating candy late at night when the kids go to bed. Tonight, it stops!!! I will try to be POP for me, anyway, tonight. Waters drank, etc. Salad for lunch, frequent meals throughout the day!! Still nursing my little one and don't think I am eating enough. Yikes. Would love to see the scale move some numbers! Hot lemon water for me tonight! Does anyone know when I should officially start the 'breastfeeding plan'?? I have all of the portions and think I know how much of each food group I need. Anyone wanna refresh me? TIA

morning everyone. i sure hope today is a better day than yesterday. DS refused to nap at all yesterday and by the time 4pm rolled around he was an absolute nightmare. so please cross your fingers and hope that he decides to nap today. ugh.
still need to get his bday stuff planned. i've got all the presents bought (and even got all of DD's xmas ones and a few for DS for xmas bought already too!) i'm constructing a train cake. 3D of course complete with a track and everything. hopefully my ideas pan out well. DH will be drawing it all up and helping me do the building and then i'll do the rest. his bday is on the 12th and his party will be on the 15th.

almsthere(can't remember your name, sorry!) i think you're suppose to wait until you're at least 6wks PP before you start back on any type of plan. that's what they made me do when i went back after having my DS in 2005. but then again, i wasn't breastfeeding either...so not too sure about that. at any rate, congrats on the baby and it's great that you're getting back on track too.

kim--i don't have too many ideas for the turkey..maybe a turkey soup with a few egg noodles and lots of carrots, celery, low sodium broth, and a few lentils? :) i'm totally craving thanksgiving dinner...and pumpkin pie! i think i'm going to make that pumpkin fluff when i go to my parents for the holiday..instead of eating naughty pie. it's a great alternative!

ok. i must go. DS is tearing this house apart. btw, he's been doing so great with the potty training! the pooping part, not at all, but at least the pee part he's got pretty much down. yay!

Hello everyone,

I have been really bad and fell back into the old habits. The weight has started coming back on and I am determined to stop it. The sad part is this is my one year anniversary of starting the program and instead of being down where I should be. I am only 18 lbs from when I started it a year ago. The saddest part is I had lost 45lbs. That is so depressing.

But I am doing the fast burn today and tomorrow and starting back on program. I have gotten to where I can't breathe and I am miserable. So, I hope that it is okay if I come back here for my support. My center closed in September.

I will check back in later and thanks to you all for always allowing us to come back.

Have a great day.

Dionne - welcome back. I'm with you on the losing and coming back to plan. It seems that it was so easy coming off 2 years ago when I first started and then I cheated on plan and now I'm trying to get my mind around the fact that I shouldn't cheat. It's been hard and frustrating.

What I need to do is get my rear in the gym at lunch time and quite talking about it! Next week I will be scrapbooking for 4 days at a cabin with 16 other ladies for our annual weekend. I can't wait, I'm going to try to be really good and drink a lot of water because I know there won't be that much healthy food. I do plan on bringing vegies for me to eat and the lites for in between instead of snacking on junk food.

Best of luck to everyone that has been "haunted" by the candy - I hear it calling in the back of my head too. If only I wasn't such a sucker for the Reese PB cups :(

Hey Guys!

I too HATE ploticis and am so happy it's election day today! The majority of it will be over...

I am obsessed with Facebook and MySpace. It's the first things I check everyday, even before my email. I have found so many lost friends on there, including my husband! We had worked together in 1999, and we met up again on MySpace...

I am at my in-laws all week down in VA. I am trying to catch up on my book for bookclub. I am hosting our first meeting next Tuesday and I aooarently picked a real loser book! So, no motivation to read it!

Dionne- don't feel bad! I lost about 45 pounds too the first time around and have gained it all back plus 25! I have tried so many times to go back on it, but found myself STARVING. Then I realized that I wasn't on the right plan. This time around is the lucky one- let's keep each other accountable.

I take it we might not see Nicole today... WAY too much election coverage!

Jill- what's the recipe for pumpkin fluff? I LOVE anything pumpkin. Don't eve get me started on the pumpkin lattes from Starbucks!!!!

hey amy! :)

the pumpkin fluff is a recipe that i got while i was doing WW years and years ago..here it is:

1 can of pumpkin (not the pie filling)
1 pkg. sf, ff vanilla pudding mix
1 tub of ff cool whip
pumpkin pie spice

mix the pumpkin, pudding mix packet and cool whip all together and then add pumpkin pie spice to your taste. refrigerate covered for a few hours and then serve. you can serve it with a few graham crackers too, if you'd like.

i think that Julie on here, put it in a pie crust and won a prize for it! :)

i'm going to make it for thanksgiving instead of eating pie. i've totally been craving pumpkin pie and this is a great sub for it.

Morning everyone! I did great yesterday, and today I have had a healthy breakfast and done yoga. So far so good!! Now to get busy with the water!!

Nicole- I am a political junkie too. I can't wait to go vote when I get off of work!

Amy- What is the book you are reading?

Dionne- Welcome back, you can do this. Just start today, now, and get busy!

Kim- Not sure how you would make it OP, but I love to chunk up turkey, mix with a can of r/f cream of chicken soup, pour into a cassarole dish, and cover with a box of dry stuffing mix. Pour about a cup of hot water over the stuffing, cover, and bake on 375 for 30 minutes or so.

Jillian- I am going to make that too. It sounds really good.

Nicole- I am a political junkie too. I can't wait to go vote when I get off of work!


On my way to the polls right now :)

Julie Marie, thanks for the info on Facebook. I'll have to go give it a try. I have lost touch with so many people over the years, it would be fun to try to find them.

One more week for our center, and it will be closed. I just got my paperwork to go with LA on the go, or something like that. I will email my info to a counselor each week, and she will call me at a predetermined time each week.

I, too, hate politics and will be glad when this is over today. I'll be voting right after work -- and then running home to watch the numbers on tv. It has just been a long haul, and I am so tired of all the political commercials, etc. We are having a pretty hotly contested Sheriff's race here in our county, and it looks like our incumbent may get ousted. This will be interesting to see what happens with that.

Oh oh, I think I used the pie filling. Where is regular pumpkin at in the store?

cecilia--it should be in the same spot..at least it is in my store. the pie filling stuff has tons of sugar and stuff in it...the regular pumpkin only has pumpkin and nothing else.

Katie Weaver has voted!!

Ok. I hope I had bought the right stuff I don't remember now. But it was really good! Thanks again Jillian. I had my family and co-workers try it and they all loved it!

good for you Katie, Oregon is 100% vote by mail, and I submitted my ballot over a week ago. You'd think in a state where 65% of the registered voters had already voted that the political ads would start to taper off, but no. I just can't stand to see any more negative ads.

I'm on my 4th day post Halloween candy melt down. I feel normal again, and I've come to some conclusions on why I slipped so badly, as I always try to learn from my badness instead of just punishing myself. I don't do well on plan 3 with no lites. I don't know if I haven't quite mastered balancing that food throughout the day, or just 4 starches is enough to send me off into some sort of carb eating cycle. So I went and bought some luna bars and am back to my old Blue plan which has served me so well. I did try substituting one starch for a fat, and I did better at that too, so I'm thinking that 4 starches just makes me behave in bad ways. I'm such a starch addict.

Dionne, Good to see you back. Hey you are almost 20 pounds lighter than you were a year ago. That is still a victory. You know what to do, as you were so successful. It is easy to let life's problems distract you from making positive changes and taking good care of yourself, but hopefully you are ready to get back to being good to yourself. Whatever weight you have gained you can lose again. Don't psyche yourself into believing that you can't do it or that you are a failure. If we didn't live in a world where being heavy was much, much easier than being healthy, most of us would not have gained weight in the first place. It takes a real desire to change to really lose it and keep it off. You just have to ask yourself, how bad do you really want it. More than cookies and chips? When asking myself do I want to be healthy or to eat potato chips, well for me the answer was a no brainer, and it really is mostly that simple.

Hi Dionne - welcome back! No finger pointing or judgements here, I think we have all been there - just jump back on the wagon with us.

Jill- thanks, I cannot wait til I go home to make this... I LOVE PUMPKIN!! I am actually drinking a cup of coffee right now with Pumpkin Spice creamer in it... it's my little splurge!

Katie- The book we're reading is by Donna Tartte, The Secret History. I read in Real Simple magazine in an article about book clubs that this book was amazing.... not what I have heard from the other girls!

no problem amy! i love pumpkin stuff too. so much that i add pumpkin to my pancake batter with a bit of quick oats (to make them more filling and for texture) and serve them with homemade cinnamon apples. DH loves those for sunday morning breakfast!

What would you all count the pumpkin fluff as, like if you mixed it all up and served it on a RF graham cracker crust? Do you count the pudding as anything being you're not adding the milk? The receipe sounds really good!

You don't add the milk? Oh man I really messed this one up. So it is the just the pudding mix FF SF along with the Pumpkin from a can and whip cream FF. And Pumpkin spice? Is this correct?

When I made I made the pudding mixed it with the pumpkin and the whip cream and added the spice. It was really good, but I guess it was wrong. OOPS!

Could we count the pumpkin as a V?

I heard the pumpkin was a veggie. And probably a condiment. Maybe a dairy if you use milk.

I guess I'm not sure about the milk...Jillian??

Yes, I do believe you're right about the pumpkin being a veggie!!

I love sushi but no idea on how to count it on plan?

Yup, my chocolate addiction has been replaced with Facebook. I think that's more healthy? LOL!

Went crazy with the Halloween candy for 2 days but have been POP since then so I am where I was previously.

I really need to get moving as my goal date is Dec 12th. I know I won't lose 12 lbs by then but I aim to get as close as I possibly can. I will go back to the COD next week after a long time break..

I bought a pair of capris in size 4 this weekend though they were Roots brand and obviously lying. I'll take it.

I hope the USA election turns out in a way that favors your country in the most ways. I know I can't wait until ET has more Britney Spears coverage again. ROFLMAO.
Tan

I hope the USA election turns out in a way that favors your country in the most ways. I know I can't wait until ET has more Britney Spears coverage again. ROFLMAO.
Tan

:rofl:

cecilia - you are cracking me up with the pumpkin fluff! Glad everyone liked it, hopefully they will like the even healthier version next time!

Dawn - I still used caution when eating this, I think I calculated all of the calories by adding it all up and then dividing it by the number of slices and it was under 200 calories.

Dionne - so glad to see you back! Stick with us here! Can you share any details of how some of the weight came back? I feel like it could definitely happen here, little bites of this and that add up. Luckily I still have it under control throughout the week, but even thought about doing take off every week to try to speed things up... I have to keep telling myself that the program works if I just stick to the rules, I don't know why as soon as they said they were closing I felt as if I've got to try different things?! It's crazy...

Wow I went to my centre and I am supposed to be at a goal of 150 next week. I weighed in at 161 so I am 11 pounds off my goal. I am not using any of their products so I am thinking of trying it on my own without weighing in. I like going there fo accountability but I don't know if I want to pay them just to weigh in. What do you guys think??? HELP!!!

Kim- I only had 4 mini chocolate bars. I know you said to stay away from the candy but c'mon!!! I went for a run the next day and worked it off!!! haha

Zambejaly5- Sorry, don't know your name. I think you are totally right about eh Manufacturers messing us up with sizes. So does that mean I can be a 5/6 instead of a 10???

Julie- Way to go girl....size 4...yippeee for you!!!!

Well I hope you are all going to vote today. I am in Canada but I have been following the Presidential race....its been fascinating to me!

kim- Here are some recipes using cooked turkey

Easy Turkey Bake
Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups hot water
1 package (6 oz) Lower-Sodium Stove Top Stuffing Mix
5 cups chopped cooked turkey breast
1 bag (14 oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup, such as Campbell’s Healthy Request®
1 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add hot water to stuffing mix, stir just until moistened. Set aside. Mix turkey and broccoli in 13X9 inch baking dish. Combine soup, milk & cheese; pour over turkey mixture. Top with prepared stuffing.
Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Makes: 6 servings
Serving size: 1/6 recipe
LA Exchange: 1 Protein, 1 Vegetable, 1 Starch, 1 Dairy, 1 Condiment

Remember Cassi's leftover recipe:

Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

Ingredients:

2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 (12 oz) can evaporated skim milk
1 cup water
1/4 tsp Morton Lite Salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp light butter
1 cup finely crushed lower-sodium stuffing mix, such as Stove Top Lower-Sodium
2 cups cooked, diced turkey or chicken breast
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes (made with skim milk or 1% buttermilk & light butter)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over low heat. Blend in the flour.
Slowly stir in evaporated milk and water, then season with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Stir sauce over low heat for 5 minutes.
In a separate saucepan over low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Blend in the dry stuffing mix.
Place the turkey in the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce over turkey, then sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Spread mashed potatoes over cheese. Top mashed potatoes with the stuffing mixture.

Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven.

8 servings
Serving size: 1/8 casserole
LA Exchange: 1/2 Protein, 1 Starch, 1/2 Dairy, 1 Condiment


Turkey Pasta Primavera
Ingredients:

1 package (9 oz) refrigerated fettuccine or linguine
2 tbsp Italian dressing
1 bag (1 lb) frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower, thawed, drained
2 cups cooked & diced turkey or chicken breast (no skin)
2 large tomatoes, seeded, chopped (2 cups)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley


Preparation:

Cook and drain fettuccine as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, heat dressing over medium-high heat. Add vegetable mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.

Stir in turkey, tomatoes and salt. Cook about 3 minutes or just until turkey is hot. Spoon turkey mixture over fettuccine. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley.


Makes: 6 servings
Serving size: about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups
LA Exchange: 1/2 Protein, 1 Vegetable, 2 Starches, 1 Condiment


Turkey Tettrazini
Ingredients:
7 oz spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
3 cups cubed cooked turkey breast
1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup skim or 1% milk
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 (2 oz) jar chopped pimientos, drained
1/4 tsp Morton Lite Salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Preparation:

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.
Transfer to a large bowl; add the next 10 ingredients and mix well. Spoon into a 2 1/2 quart casserole coated with cooking spray.
Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until heated through.

Makes: 8 servings
Serving size: 1/8 recipe
LA Exchange: 1/2 Protein, 1 Starch, 1 Condiment

You don't add the milk? Oh man I really messed this one up. So it is the just the pudding mix FF SF along with the Pumpkin from a can and whip cream FF. And Pumpkin spice? Is this correct?

When I made I made the pudding mixed it with the pumpkin and the whip cream and added the spice. It was really good, but I guess it was wrong. OOPS!

sorry cecilia--i probably wasn't clear. you don't add the milk to the pudding mix. you just add the packet of mix to the pumpkin and cool whip.

kim- Here are some recipes using cooked turkey


Turkey Tettrazini
Ingredients:
7 oz spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
3 cups cubed cooked turkey breast
1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup skim or 1% milk
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 (2 oz) jar chopped pimientos, drained
1/4 tsp Morton Lite Salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Preparation:

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.
Transfer to a large bowl; add the next 10 ingredients and mix well. Spoon into a 2 1/2 quart casserole coated with cooking spray.
Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until heated through.

Makes: 8 servings
Serving size: 1/8 recipe
LA Exchange: 1/2 Protein, 1 Starch, 1 Condiment

Cool Deb - Thanks! I'm going with the tetrazzini, although pasta petrifies me as a starch (as in I'm afraid if I eat it I will never stop)

Deb - thanks for all those awesome recipes. Now I won't be scared to take some home. I usually get sick of eating it in sandwiches because of not having good recipes that are on plan.

I'm thinking of making the pumpkin fluff for an appetizer at my DHs Aunt's on T-day with graham cracker sticks. I won't tell them it's a diet dish and the kids will probably go nuts over it.

morning everyone. another day..hopefully it will go by fast. i'm just worn out and would just love a week break from everything. DH will be gone for the majority of the weekend for his drill, but this one is longer because they're preparing for their 2wk drill coming up in january. but it's suppose to start snowing tomorrow/friday, so the weekend will probably be spent inside with a good book.

not much else to report. i've got another dr appt next friday afternoon. and DD has an eye appt then too, i think she may need glasses, but we'll see.

be back later. enjoy the day!

Morning ladies...

for some reason, I'm REALLY hungry today.. I had some egg beaters and a slice of lite toast for breaky, but by the time I got to work, I was already into my lunch...

Maybe I'm pregnant.. :lol:

Morning ladies...

for some reason, I'm REALLY hungry today.. I had some egg beaters and a slice of lite toast for breaky, but by the time I got to work, I was already into my lunch...

Maybe I'm pregnant.. :lol:
:lol:

hahaha dan! this is my DH's first pregnancy, so he's all weirded out by all the sympathy stuff that's happening to him. he got a zit on his chin, back ache here and there, hungry, nauseated, ect. it cracks me up! poor guy.

Morning everyone! I did yoga again this morning, which makes 3 in a row. I did great on plan yesterday, but maybe did not get all of my water in. Man, I feel so much better not being a slave to carbs!

Deb- Mmmm, I am gonna have to try some of your recipes!

Achennen- Thanks for the welcome back.
Amy- Congratulations on your wedding!! I will definitely be here to help with accountability.
Katie- Thanks for the welcome back.
Barbara B- You are always so inspiring. Thank you.
Kim- Thanks for the welcome back.
Julie- Thanks for the welcome back. I fell back into the old habits of eating to many carbs and not as healthy. When my husband lost his job at the end of May things got tight and I used it as an excuse to not eat correctly. There is one thing that I have learned and that is I definitely I use food as my comfort. Let me tell you it is not comfortable to gain this weight back. Watch out for those little bites and keep yourself in check. You can do this it just takes a lot of self discipline. Oh yea, WAY TO GO on the size 4.

I did the Fast burn yesterday and finishing it today. I was so sick last night. My head hurt all afternoon and night. I got sick twice and almost fell off the plan already. I just got a hot bath and climbed in bed. I am feeling better this morning. I just hope the headache and nausea go away. I hate going through detox. I am determined to make this stick this time. I will check in later. I hope everyone has a great and on plan day.

Dionne - what is fast burn? sounds awful!

Good morning everyone. I forget which forum I read this on, and I wanted to be sure to thank the person that said this -- your comment made a huge impact on getting my head back to where it needs to be to lose weight. Paraphrased, she said "I have to remember that I enjoy being thin more than I enjoy eating. I really, really enjoy eating -- that is what got me to where I am now. However, I really do enjoy being thin more -- that said, I am ready to get back on plan and "getter done"

Oh, thanks for that Karen. I like that quote a lot. I have decided that rather than focusing on hating being fat, I will focus on loving being thin.

I fell off program. Gained 2 lbs and am feeling pretty lousy about it. I got my wisdom teeth pulled and ate whatever I could without being in too much pain (alphagetti, mac and cheese ect....) I haven't been able to rebound from it. I had McDonalds, chinese,candy, ice cream cake, burgers....just this weekend. oh god I feel like I am confessing my sins. I am on program today and am working on keeping it that way.

I also haven't been to the gym in 3 weeks, at first because of the surgery and now because I am lazy and out of routine.

We are moving on the 15th and our new landlady has bought all new paint, floors, baseboards and hardware for us provided we do the work. So we are working all day and painting all evening, makes it hard to eat on plan. An excuse I know. Tonight I am going home first put a chicken boob on the george and making a wrap to go.

Okay enough about me! I have been reading all th posts even though I haven't been posting and it is quite a busy little place lately. It is nice to see! Hope you all have a wonderful POP day :)

Julie- It's take off. And it is horrible. But, I guess it just shows how far off program I actually got. I hate caffenine headaches. I am feeling better at the moment and the scale was down 6.2 lbs this morning. I know this will vary but it makes it worth it.

I had to take my drivers license out of my wallet to vote yesterday, while I was in line I just kept looking at that picture of me at my heaviest - I just look so UNCOMFORTABLE and I could actually remember how I felt at that weight. At that weight I felt unattractive and generally depressed. Everything was such a hassle, even daily tasks annoyed me. Events were the worst thing ever - I even dreaded going out, especially when my husband would say "please make sure you have something nice to wear"... I felt like crap in anything that I put on! When we would go places, I was always looking forward to what we were going to eat.

The difference? Now I feel so energized, I approach each day with optimism, getting dressed in the morning is so rewarding! It's almost as if I can't wait to look in the mirror to see myself after dressing in the morning - even if I've worn the clothes several times already! I FEEL GREAT! And I'm not even at my goal yet! My husband thinks I look good in anything I wear now, he doesn't tell me to make sure I have something to wear because I can put on a t-shirt, jeans, and flip-flops and he thinks I look great! I still worry about the food at events, but I'm not anticipating the eating, I am trying to plan how to fit the food into my day.

Last year at this time I was nearing 190lbs, I was kidding myself that my clothes were shrinking and it wasn't that I was getting bigger... I have now promised myself that I will pay attention to my clothes and the way they fit as an indicator of weight gain.

TO/FF/fastburn.... whatever you call it, it's torture for me too! I get nauseated and awful headaches too. I just keep dreaming about the normal food I am allowed to eat once it's through, and what my weigh-in will be.

Just stopping in to say hello, and I am off to start reading my book for bookclub!

Speaking of Facebook, there is so much drama on there about the election! AHHHH!!!

Julie- that was very motivational, and DEFINITELY the best part of losing weight!! Besides all the compliments!!

THose of us just getting back on, remember them! You lose 5-10 lbs and people notice!! Let's do this!!!

Dionne - you always do so good on take off! I've never lost that much on take off! That's great! Keep it up now - stay on plan:)

Dionne nice to see you! Welcome back! Great job on the Take off you are a trooper! It's tough when you are having all those side effects. But sounds like you got through it! You Rock!

Julie- You are smart to let your clothes be an indicator. My jeans that I had been wearing for a little while starting getting really uncomfortable and then I felt like I had trouble breathing even if I was just sitting around in stretch pants. I realized that I had gained more weight than just a few pounds and I was back to feeling miserable and not wanting to go anywhere. One of the worst parts for me besides feeling so bad is seeing people now that knew I lost weight. I miss the compliments and wonder what they are thinking. But, I am back on plan now and going to make it through. You will do fine about not falling back into old habits as long as you stay focused and determined.

Amy- You are so right we can do this.

Cecil- I love your avatar pic and I am glad to see you are maintaining well.

Thanks Dionne! Believe me everyday is a constant struggle. I have to tell my self to behave more often than not. But I am trying to always stay accountable. I started writting down what I was eating again because I got out of the habit and I was eating like crazy! Writting it down again really helps it puts the food in perspective.

I have been there the whole time you have been on this journey, you are one the strongest people on here and I know you can do this. You have already put your mind to it so you are on your way!

The avatar is our Halloween Costumes! Thing one and Thing two! Soo much fun! Actually a little too much fun! ; )

Just checking in to say hello! Well we got snow today so I guess our winter is off to a start. I haven't had to warm up my car since last year. It's time to book another vacation......or have hot drink and suck it up.
I always seem to work harder when the weather is bad, i don't know why. Today I am running around the office like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get this place orgainized. Maybe I can lose a few calories in the meantime eh!
Anyways, have a great day everyone!

Joan

Hey ladies...

Just in case there was some confusion from my earlier posts.. I was only joking when I said "Maybe I'm pregnant" because I couldn't stop eating.. I realize now that my statement might have been misconstrued as a sneaky way to say that Liz was/is pregnant..

She's not..
(and for obvious reasons, neither am I.. :lol:)

Just wanted to make sure I didn't throw anyone off on the wrong track.. :lol:

Hey ladies...

Just in case there was some confusion from my earlier posts.. I was only joking when I said "Maybe I'm pregnant" because I couldn't stop eating.. I realize now that my statement might have been misconstrued as a sneaky way to say that Liz was/is pregnant..

She's not..
(and for obvious reasons, neither am I.. )

Just wanted to make sure I didn't throw anyone off on the wrong track..

:rofl::rofl:
I know we are prone to jump to conclusions Dan, but I didn't think that Liz was preggo. I did think that you might have been, so thanks for clearing that up!

Oh, and Erin - Tonight I am going home first put a chicken boob on the george and making a wrap to go. - thanks for the laugh! How was the boob wrap?

Dionne - Wow - great results on TO, despite the side effects. I hope that the withdrawal headaches go away today.

Joan - Ah, the having to warm up the car in the AM - I'm not in the habit yet either, although it has been unseasonably warm here the past few days. It won't be too long before I'm shoveling too. (You're right - extra caloric burn!)

I have been slacking on my water - I am going to hit my full allotment today if it kills me (it won't).

Cecil- Thanks for the compliment. It helps a lot.

Well, I made it through the take off. And the results on the scale have stuck. I only have a small headache today and I hope that it goes away today.

It is warm here today. So, I hope to go for a walk today.

I hope everyone has a great on plan day.

I love sushi but no idea on how to count it on plan?

Yup, my chocolate addiction has been replaced with Facebook. I think that's more healthy? LOL!

Went crazy with the Halloween candy for 2 days but have been POP since then so I am where I was previously.

I really need to get moving as my goal date is Dec 12th. I know I won't lose 12 lbs by then but I aim to get as close as I possibly can. I will go back to the COD next week after a long time break..

I bought a pair of capris in size 4 this weekend though they were Roots brand and obviously lying. I'll take it.

I hope the USA election turns out in a way that favors your country in the most ways. I know I can't wait until ET has more Britney Spears coverage again. ROFLMAO.
Tan

I love sushi as well and when I do order I try to order the one's that don't have tempura in it or deep fried rolls. My safety is a California Roll which I count at (1P, 1S, 1FAT) for a roll. Stay away from any rolls that contain the mayo. Another one I choose is the Salmon Roll or the Spicy Tuna roll.

Evette - I count it the same also, I do struggle to stay away from the deep fried rolls - usually I'll convince someone else to order that one and then just get one piece! I usually only count a fat if it has cream cheese or avocado - or both.

Hay ladies. So I have a question. I am thinking about buying some more weightloss weeks. Right now they are on sale for $4.50 a week. I was thinking that I would only need about 20 weeks which won't be that bad. What do you guys think? Then I would be able to take off about another 20 lbs. Which would put me at 150 because lately I have been weighing in at the center at about 169. The hard part about this is I don't feel like I am completely ready to jump back in yet but she said the sale on weeks is over tomorrow, of course. I hate that! Let me know what you gals think I would really apprectiate it!

Evette- Good to see you around!! How are things going? You are looking superb.

Cecilia- First before you buy more weeks, ask at you COD if they are going to close anytime soon. I was told by the manager of my COD that all LA centers were closing and going to the LA to go. Ours is closing next week. The second thing is that if your head isn't in the game, is it going to be a waste of money for you. I only got more weeks because they gave them all back to me for free, I wouldn't have paid for them right now, because I can't seem to get myself 100% commited to the program.

Dionne- Great results from the TO. Keep up the momentum

Erin- Just get back on the wagon. I’ve done the same thing and have been lazy the last couple of weeks. Today I went through all the food I have and made up a menu for the next week and then prepped fruits and veggies and cooked up a bunch of chicken, so I am more prepared. It really helps me. Good luck with your move. I certainly don’t envy you there.

Jillian- You getting snow yet? DH’s aunt and uncle in Custer are getting it pretty good right now I hear.

Kim- The tetrazzini looked good to me too. I am going to make it with spaghetti squash or maybe even the shiritaki tofu noodles since I am the same way with pasta.

Hoochie- You could go in and say that you are done and want to start maintenance and at least get all the paperwork for that and then go the last 11 lbs. on your own. You can do it.

Where is everybody at today???

Hi everyone! I sure enjoy catching up will all the chatter... I only have a moment but wanted to let you all know I was still around and to encourage you all to keep up the hard work and choose the best for you! Here is a big *cheers* to ya'll... (drink water....) :) *hugs*See ya soon!

Cecil - I wouldn't buy more weeks. Like Deb said about all the centers closing, I agree with her totally. After I found out some of the centers here in Minnesota were closing, I called my center yesterday to find out what the scoop was and they of course denied that they were closing but that some others were. Now today when I went to weigh in I asked to talk to the manager, her name is Pam, and the girl that helped me never even hear of "Pam". I had never seen this girl before and when I asked who she was she told me she was just filling in. She was the only person working there and she could care less about seeing my diary and I’m pretty sure she would have just given me bars when she asked me if I needed anything. I don’t know! It’s just getting strange. Now that I think about it I haven’t seen the manager in a couple of weeks and I’m supposed to only meet with her because I’m a “problem costumer” as I call myself. Also like Deb said again, if your head isn’t into it, then it’s going to be a waste of money. They seem to always run deals on the weeks so if your COD is one of the centers that remain open, I would just wait it out until you’re ready to recommit.

Deb-
What kind of paperwork would they give me for maintenance? Do you know?
I am in the same boat as Cecilia as they want me to buy more weeks. They just didn't tell me how much it would be. Part of me thinks it would be good for accountabilty. Oh I just don't know.

Can I do it??? hmmmmm

I know what you mean Hoochie. I think that it would be good for me. But then again I am also thinking am I going to buckle down? It's definately not as much money as I spent the first time so they money thing would be a factor but not as big of one. I have one day to decide so far I have 2 no's. And my friends all say " You can do it on your own, you know how to." But they don't understand the whole one on one thing.

Hoochie- Yes, you can do this with or without the center.

Cecil- I agree with Deb and Dawn. I would make sure the center is staying open before giving them any money. Also, if your head is not really in it you may only be wasting money. You can do this without the center. Besides you have all of us to hold you accountable.

I have been on plan today and I am so happy. However, I am really hungry. I have a protein, two veggies, and a fruit left. I am trying to hold off for supper. I don't remember being this hungry starting out before.

I hope I started on the right color plan. I am at 176 with a goal weight of 125. When I was going to the center I was on Purple until I reached 170 then they switched me to Gold. I have put myself on Gold because I am close to the 170 mark and not to mention once they switched me to Gold I had a hard time loosing. If anyone thinks I should be on a different plan please let me know. I looked at the chart and it says ideal weight +60 "purple" ideal weight +25 "gold".

Let me know your suggestions.

Have a great afternoon. It is time to go get DS from school.

a late check in for me today. i decided to run a few errands today...before the supposed snow hits. already on the western side of the state they have 32inches in some places and it's only going to get worse. ugh. glad we're on the opposite side of the state, but still. it's going to snow..it's just a matter of how much.

i haven't even bothered to call my COD to see if they're closing or not, since i can't do the plan right now. so i guess i'll drive by there after the baby is born to see if they're still there or not. we'll see.

hope everyone is having a good day/evening.

Hey all..

Just to let you know that Liz is once again gainfully employed.. She interviewed for a job this afternoon at 1 and by 3:15, they had called and offered her the job!!!

Time to celebrate!! Normally, this would call for a trip to Olive Garden or someplace like that.. But tonight is our "Sweet Tomatoes" salad bar night.. :lol:

Yahooooo Liz!!! Plus, the relieving news that Dan is not pregnant, you guys have a lot to celebrate right now!

Evette- So good to see you! How is your pup?

Elizbeth- Hi! to you, too. Keep up the good work.

Deb- We got about an inch a couple of nights ago. It is dang cold. Good job getting prepared for a few days. Very smart.

Jillian- Have fun with the snow!

As for me, I am continuing to fight the good fight. I did yoga again this morning and I am eating well. Has Nicole already gone on her trip?

dan, tell liz congrats! :)
evette--good to "see" you again!
katie--so proud of you! you're motivating me to get on my elliptical tomorrow! thanks!

here's another picture of me and my growing tummy--15wks!

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e161/hotwife1221/15wks.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e161/hotwife1221/img1511.jpg

good morning everyone - we're just getting the snow here in the Twin Cities. It made traffic really fun for the morning commute and I get to work by 7 am. I've had a couple of days here where I haven't been totally on plan and it's driving me crazy. It's so hard when I feel the center is closing, work is crazy busy and I can't seem to have time to myself. It becomes really hard to make the right choices - as I sit looking at my Caribou Lite Cooler cup. Oh well, there's always the rest of the day and tomorrow and tomorrow ...

Jillian – cute pics :)
Dan – YAY for Liz, I’m sure she is feeling so much better now!
Dionne – don’t forget to add some “lites” in there – I’ve been using the South Beach bars – they are easy to find, cheap, low in calories, and high in protein. This always helps with my cravings! I’m actually trying to wean myself off of them now rather than dropping to the dreaded plan1.
Cecil and Hoochie– don’t believe anything they say at the COD about closing – I asked the question point blank every time the staff changed and they all claimed that the COD was not closing and gave me every reason in the book as to why it wasn’t… when they did close it happened so fast I just got lucky to go in the same day that the manager was leaving and she was more than happy to give me all the materials I needed for the rest of plan. Sure they say they’ll support me over the phone and send me materials as needed, but I feel better having it in my hands already…

I haven’t seen Nicole… I wonder if she’s in my ‘hood already…

Anyway – today I forgot all my food – cross your fingers that I make GOOD choices :)

Hay There ladies! Hope all is well today.

Thanks for all of your input I really appreciate it. I think I decided to skip more weeks for now. I did recently join a gym and if I am able to maintain by weight before working out I would think I would be able to lose by maintaining my eating habits and working out 3-4 times a week? Maybe?

Hochie, I definately think you can do this without COD, since you have decided to, now you just have to be accountable to us.

Dan, that is great about Liz and the new job! I am happy for the both of you! What a relief!

Jillian Cute belly pics! Love um.

Katie. Great job on the yoga! You are on a roll lady!

Julie, that is a good question I bet Nicole is in TX. It sure is lonely without her.

Hope you all are having a great day!

Hey gang..

Well, the drama continues regarding Liz's job situation.. But in a good way..

After she got off the phone, accepting the job yesterday, she got a call from another agency she'd been working through to find work and they had an interview set for her.. She declined the interview because she had accpeted the other job..

She told me about it when I got home and I strongly encouraged her to see if she could still do the interview.. The job would have been permanent and closer to home.. I told her she shouldn't discount it just because she had taken the other offer.. She was kind of grumpy about it.. After all, she'd been working so hard to get the other job, but said she'd see if she could still interview..

Turns out they were still eager to interview her and basically the owner offered her the job almost as quickly at the other place had made her an offer yesterday... So while it's not quite as much money, it's a permanent, full time job and much closer to home.. And yes... She admitted I was right for suggesting she take the interview (score one for me!! :lol:)

It's been quite a week....

Thanks for all the enouraging words and positive vibes!!

Hey guys!

Jill- you're so adorable! You look so happy!

Katie- congrats on keeping OP and the yoga! What type/style of yoga do you do? Do you use a tape? I actually have a Christian yoga DVD that I like to use, as I always felt a little funny with the Hindu/Eastern themes with it.

Dan- I understand hte ups and downs of job hunting. My DH is looking for a job up here in Jersey and it's a roller coaster ride! Ups and downs constantly!

Funny thing, I started reading the bok for my book club and I am more than half way through it. I LOVE it. Well, ok maybe not LOVE, but it's pretty good. Just had a lot of background to get thru in the beginning.

I start officially tomorrow OP with walking and the water! I am really excited. I am shopping tonight after my DH leaves for VA.

Hope you're having a great Sunday!

Hello everyone! I'm new to 3FC and have been mostly chating with the 30-somethings but since I'm following LAWL plan, I thought I'd say hello. I joined LAWL in 2005 and lost 85 pounds before getting pregnant. Since then, our center has closed down :( so I'm doing my plan on my own. I'm on day 13 and have lost 11.2 pounds (3.4 this week) so I'm feeling optimistic about sticking with it.

I'm looking forward to seeing the recipies posted on here to get some new ideas.

Hey Michellelee! Welcome!

We have similar stats, and you're definitely an inspriation! What plan are you on BTW??

Thanks for all of the nice greetings!

Katie: The pup is doing well. I will try and send you some pictures!

I guess I forgot to mention in my intro, I'm on Red Plan with no lites. I'm not sure if they still do the plans by color, but this what I was in 2005-2006.

dan, tell liz congrats! :)
evette--good to "see" you again!
katie--so proud of you! you're motivating me to get on my elliptical tomorrow! thanks!

OMG Jillian!! I didn't even recognize you. You look wonderfully pregnant! You're looking so good.