Sugar Shakers - Sugar Busters Weekly Support Board 10/28-11/3

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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 TIPS & FACTS & CHAT AT 9:15PM EST
WEDNESDAY-WEIGH-IN WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY-THURSDAY RECIPE DAY
FRIDAY-FRIDAY FUNNIES


Please take some time to check out our extensive recipe boards. Our RECIPE BOARDS can be located at the link below:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=89


We have SEVEN 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 boards are listed below as well as the link that will take you to the boards:

THE RECOMMENDED READING BOARD
THE TOOLS & TIPS BOARD
THE FOOD INFORMATION BOARD
MOTIVATIONAL & INSPIRING THOUGHTS BOARD
MY FAVORITE SB LEGAL FOODS
SB 2002 BIO BOARD
SB 2001/2002 PHOTO ALBUM BOARD

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=87

We also have a SB WEEKLY EXERCISE BOARD that you can log your daily/weekly exercises on which is located on our weekly support board:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21409

Then there's our latest addition to the SB BOARDS which is called OFF THE EATEN PATH This board is for everything NOT related to SB. You can use this board to post questions or comments on just about anything (okay, within reason). A book you recommend, a cleaning tip, a great website deal, etc. etc. Here's the link:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=90


NEWBIES! (aka new members) If you would like to REPLY to any of our threads, please hit POST REPLY not NEW THREAD, then type your message in and hit SUBMIT REPLY. 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

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GOOD MONDAY MORNING EVERYONE!

Will post my usual morning post sometime later, but wanted to make sure I got our
MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY done early in the morning, so here's my contribution for MM, there are two of them today. :)

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CALM DETERMINATION


Just imagine all the great things you could do if your were calm, peaceful, and relaxed while at the same time being highly determined and persistent. Though we often think of determination as stressful, anxious, hard-edged and even painful, it does not have to be. In fact, calm determination is every bit as effective as frenzied determination -- in most cases even more effective. And it is a whole lot more enjoyable.

With calm determination you don't get drawn into a lot of useless battles. With calm determination you don't waste time and energy falling to pieces after every setback. With calm determination you simply pick yourself up and get moving again, steadily toward the goal you have chosen. You'd don't have to be witty or clever, you don't have to have the right connections, you just have to keep going, and anyone can do that.

There's no need to give up your serenity for the sake of determination, or to give up your ambitions for the sake of serenity. The most powerful, effective determination is calm, peaceful, relaxed determination, for it is also the most genuinely confident kind of determination.

When you're following a purpose that you know is yours, enjoy the journey and bring power to your efforts. See the big picture, move ahead with calm, relaxed determination, and you'll find it to be an irresistible force.

-- Ralph Marston

**************

THE MIDDLE GROUND


There's more to climbing a mountain than reaching the peak.

In between any desire and the fulfillment of that desire lies a vast middle ground of focused and consistent effort -- much of it tedious, some of it painful, all of it necessary.

No matter how strong your desire, just knowing where you want to be will not get you there. You've got to cover that middle ground between where you are and where you're going.

Before you can climb the mountain, you must first reach its base with the training, the resources and the energy necessary to make the climb. Then there's the climb itself.

Success comes from doing the dirty work, having the patience, getting yourself prepared, being disciplined, staying committed, doing your homework, accepting responsibility, and continuing to take action.

Winning comes not from crossing the finish line, but from running the whole race.


-- Ralph Marston

***************

Have a wonderful day, and a fabulous week!!!!!

Debbie
194/1??/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Okay, let's hope she makes a BIRTHDAY VISIT to the board this week because it's SOLSHINE'S BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK!!!!

She celebrates her birthday on WEDNESDAY, OCT. 30TH!:gift:

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Good Monday Morning to all! I see the board was slow over the weekend, I wonder if we were all off eating good or bad things? :eek:

I myself did have a visit to the chinese buffet because yesterday was my youngest son's 4th birthday. I ate it all and loved it. Mind you, I only ate 1.5 plates and was stuffed. In the old days I could have went back for 3 or 4 plates! :eek: So I guess I did much better. However, the scale told me this morning of my indiscretion and I am back on the wagon as planned. Every week I seem to have one day of Off Plan eating but during the week overall, I always lose. Takes me a couple of days to recover then the rest of the week I lose...I think that is a pretty good deal!

MONET-Wow, mono, huh? At least they identified the problem and I hope you get better soon. Six weeks of being waited on? Hmm, I could handle a few days of that!

MELF-Yes, being so close to goal feels awesome!! My only problem is what I stated at the beginning of this post. It is so tempting to eat off plan once a weekend because I am doing so well. I guess special celebrations don't help but I have decided I won't live in a complete state of denial for all foods my whole life. I will have some things from time to time but try not to make a habit of it. I guess once I get to toning things will have to get stricter again but I am really enjoying myself now. I am actually feeling *thin* again.

LDBLOND- Sorry to hear about the meds causing weight gain. Nobody needs that additional burden when trying to lose! I hope you can find answers on the net to help you out. But try not to be discouraged, your health is the first issue and the weight will follow afterwards once things are sorted out.

MUSICTEACH- Glad you and the kids liked Jonah. We love all of their stuff too, it is so much fun for kids and adults alike.

That is about it for me. I am off to make some goodies for a funeral. I won't eat any though because I got it all out of my system yesterday.

What a weekend. I totally blew it for eating. I am sure it will show up on the scales in a couple of days. It usually does. I hate that I eat the bad stuff knowing that it is bad and that I am not going to lose.
This week is going to be a hectic week. I have a big party on Friday and Saturday for work. We are having a big celebration for the 50th aniversary of the Sidewinder Weapon. We (China Lake) designed and built it here. There will be about 750 for dinner on Saturday night. By Sunday I will be in the loony bin or bald. My DIL is an massage theripst and I know she'll be here sunday doing her magic.

BOB - Deb said that you live near St Petes??? I have a conference there in March. I am the chairman for our local Combined Federal Campaign ( Kinda like the United Way but for federal employees only) and we have a conference there. Not sure where in St Petes I will be staying. If you live near it would be great to get together while I am in the area. Let me know.

Deb - As I told BOB I have a conference to go to. Not sure if I can get in early so I can pop over and visit. I will see what I can do. I read that you are having problems sleeping. Can't remember if I read why. I have had some problems sleeping and tossing and turning since I had my surgery. I use a mild sleeping pill. It seems to help. Not addictive at all. Wouldn't take it if it was. It helps me get into a routine of sleeping. For me it seems if I can get my body to know it is supposed to sleep all night it will. Make since?? I sound like I am rambling. Although I have been going to bed at 8:30 and sleeping until 4:30 lately. It feels like I am going to bed with the chickens.

Melf - Did you daughter find a place yet. I know what you feel like with all the extra folks in the house. Ed and I went though that off and on over the past two years. We get used to the quiet. How is the clean up going with the rest of the folks. I am sure it is like here when we have earthqukes. It seems to take forever for it all to get back to some kind of normal. Prayers to you all for strength to get through. Oh ya.... Ed will be coming out again for a class in LaPlace next year. I will be coming out again with him. Can't remeber when but will keep you LA gals informed. May maybe???

Monet - You take care. Six weeks of rest sounds good although when you start feeling a little better than you do right know you will have to be careful not to over do it. I know when I was recouping from my surgery this summer as I felt better I foound myself doing more than I should have. Do what the Doc says.

LDBlond - Sorry to hear about your meds. You are in my prayers. I will send you an email today so we canstart chatting about when we can get together.

gracious - I noticed that you took your children to see the new veggie tales and Jonah. How young are they? I have a 21mo DGD and I was wondering if she would be interested in them. I am starting to do my Christmas shopping. I only wish that I could go op once in a weekend. I tend to tell myself it is ok and eventually it is several times. I know that is why I can't seem to get past the 155 mark. Have a good week.

Wow I just looked at the clock. Got to run! Everyone have a great day. I will try to get back on to post later.

Cyndi

Hey, everyone! Thanks for all the good counsel about the starchy carbs, gracious, Deb, and Rosalie -- like you said, the idea is to do what works best for me and when I quit losing like I want, to try dropping the evening starch. That will be hard for me -- for some reason, I look forward to a starch with my evening meal.

Monet, sorry you have mono...but please take advantage of this time to take it easy and relax. I think mono is one way our bodies sometimes tell us they need a break from the wild schedules we put them on. Get better soon!

Heartmom, so glad to hear from you and that Joseph is doing pretty well. Please keep us posted on his continued progress. He's been through so much!

Gracious, I am so glad you didn't give in last week when you were tempted to eat something off program...and you see, you were rewarded by weight loss...twice!!! Only 8 pounds to go to goal! Wow!!! Way to go!!!

Deb, you are melting away, girl! Congrats on your continued weight to go below your goal! That's fabulous! And don't you feel great?!

Thanks again for all the support we all get together here on this Board -- like my question about the carbs, answered by gals who have been there and know the straight of it! I haven't finished the book by Montignac yet but I'm really enjoying it and recommend it for further confirmation of all the SB principles.

My desk is piled high as it always is Monday mornings so I'll scoot for now but be back later.

Good Monday Morning Everyone:wave:

Just got in from my walk/jog, it was brutal. We are having near record highs down here and it's just not helping. Once again didn't sleep through the night, though, not as bad as some past nights. As long as I started my week out right doing my 4.5 miles I'm off to a good start. Took me 53:52, better than yesterday but no medal.

Happy to report that the scale is down again to 126.5:dance: I'm just hoping to get in that cushion once again, and soon! Then focus on staying there. I just can't believe how well things are going! When I really get focused it makes things happen on the scale as well as the way I feel:D

This weeks poll is the same one I posted last year, thought it was worth doing again. Would like to know how you all are going to handle Halloween as well as the upcoming holidays. I've posted things in the past how to handle them and staying OP in the past, will have to dig them out from the archives.

Wanted to tell you about this book I found in the library that I'd like to recommend to read. It's called WEIGHT LOSS by Burton Goldberg. It's not a diet book, but it has a lot of good and interesting information about diets and stuff related. I think everyone would find something interesting that pertains to them in there. I've learned a few things and haven't even finished the book. If you can get a copy from your library, do get one and read it.

I am going to see my friend Gail today, going to walk the mall a little. She had the gastric bypass surgery a few weeks ago. I haven't seen her in months and didn't even know she had had the surgery. Was surpised she did. So, since lunch is out of the question with her, we're going to the mall and probably the HFS just to spend some time together.

ELI was off just until 3pm yesterday so we went up to Broward to OLE OLE for lunch, it was sooo yummy! We stopped at Penney's to p/u my ring that had to be sized. Thank goodness the sizing was right. I was going to have them do 5 3/4 but kept it at 5 1/2 and was glad I did, it's perfect. He told me not to lose any more weight otherwise it will be too big-yeah, right, like that would stop me? :s: Since I've been back on track I haven't gone for any Carbolite. I think I was over-indulging on it a bit.

MICHAEL has his pinning ceremony on Wednesday night at school. Will be a busy evening. On Halloween both kids have plans and then have friends spending the night and Friday there's no school down here. The end of the week will be busy.

Spoke to DARAMUS on Saturday, he's having a tough time but hopes to find his way back OP today. Hoping he'll find his way back on the board as well. VESNA called me yesterday, she's having a tough time as well, lost her job teaching due to some immigration stuff. She's thinking about possibly moving to Toronto, but nothing concrete yet. Got a nice call from SERENE too. Busy on the phone during the weekend!

MELF, if you give me your info on where you'd like to fly out from I'd be happy to see if I can help you locate a cheap fair BUT I would love it if FRUIT, SEF, BETH or any of the other Southern Belle's would caravan with you! Though, flying is a lot faster. I didn't realize it was such a long car ride from there. Maybe you could fly out of somewhere else where it may be cheaper?? The more the merrier (would say funner, but I just don't think it's a real word!). Hope things dry out for you there!

MONET, glad to hear your home and doing better. Boy, if I were told to stay in bed and be waited on hand and food for 6 weeks, I'd probably milk it for all it was worth! :s: So answer BOB'S question, who the heck have you been kissing???:love: LOL!!!

LDBLOND, there's lots of medications that will cause weight gain. With most, there's just not much you can do about that, but you CAN continue eating OP and feeling the best you can possibly feel under the circumstances. Just because one gains weight from meds doesn't mean they can't continue to lose weight, it just may be a slower process. You can make it disheartening if you want, but what good does that do? Remember the saying, when you are given lemons, make lemonade!!!:D

GRACIOUS, HB to DS! Sounds like you enjoyed your meal at the buffet and now are back OP. Are you still not eating any carbs, or just not starchy carbs? What are you going to do to celebrate when you reach goal???

RED1, that would be great if you were able to come in earlier than your conference. Maybe you could see if you could fly in to Miami and then maybe I could make a trip to St. Pete and take you there and visit BOB at the same time? We have time, but do keep it in mind. The sleeping, this happens sometimes with me, my body get's use to getting up at that time for some reason. It's outta whack but I'll get it back in sync. It also has to do that I've been downing more water than I usually do, so getting up means potty calls:^: Hope you enjoy your busy week, don't let your eating get too out of hand, you know how it's already made you feel from last week.

LKF, thought of you as I read the book I mentione above and there they say eat the starchy carbs at night - so yes, do what you find works best for you. I think when you find you need the sustanince of those starchy carbs to fill you, when you are craving them the most, that's when you should eat them, but then again, what do I know? :shrug: Thanks for the kudos, you sure got it, I feel great!!!

Time for me to hop in the shower (please, don't try to visualize that!). I'll check in with you all later.

Have a wonderful week!!

Debbie
194/126.5/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Happy Monday Gang :wave:

Man I didn't get to the computer all weekend and I'm way behind. Took me a whole hour to read them. Busy weekend, but pleasant. Cleaned out closets and switched witner clothes around. Had 8 bags of clothes for the charity pickup today. Got rid of everything old in there. Now the closet is bare.

Went shopping Sat. Bought a couple tops and a pair of jeans, size 10. Best of all, I bought a pair of slacks, size 8. I didn't care if I liked them or not I was buying them just because they were 8's. I'm nuts I know. But it felt good.

Need to get busy here, so I will attempt to catch up on posts for the weekend.

Bob, Sorry you had a bad week. Hopeyou got some rest over the weekend. I'm sure you spent most of it in front of the TV. Great deal on the bear. They are so precious. Sorry about the VOLS. You weren't alone. Cats left after first half.

Monet, How awful. Sure hope you are feeling better. Mono, oh no. You had better rest and do like your told. I don't know about the "one thing" but kissing is definately out. :nono:

Gracious, Good job! Yeah on the 1 lb. * to go" :bravo: Sounds like you have a plan for the cheating. Hey if it works, go for it. As long as you can control it that's great. I think we really have to learn that. There will be times when we want to or have to eat off plan and doing so and getting right back on is somethign important to learn to do. WTG

Heartmom, It is so wonderful to hear from you. We have been onpins and needles wondering how it went. Glad things resolved themselves. Glad you are home and all is well or at least getting there. Still sending prayers. Take care of that precious angel and yourself. Yeah for you being an "oficial" size 20. You're right, 2lbs at a time.

Music, You cleaning fool. it sounds more like a quick sugar high. But yes we do have more energy with this WOE. Good going. WTG on passing up the chips.

Jred, Good hearing from you. Sounds like you have been busy. Those kids grow up fast don't they. 18's a pretty big day! My baby turns 20 on Dec 6.

Deb, Hope you got some rest. Great bargains as ususal. I hate this time change too.

Red1, Glad you are back on board. We have missed you. You definately need the lime juice. Triple sec is loaded with sugar so I left it out. Sat I put frozen strawberries in them. Pretty good. I also used lime juice in the bottle, you don't need near as much, it must be concentrated. Not bad though.

IDblond, is there any other meds they could change that won't cause you to gain? Good thoughts coming your way.

Gator, Hope your back is better.

Fruit, try the ritas, pretty good. Where's there a will, there's a SB way.

Melf, How exciting that you will ge to join the girls in Orlando afterall.


Hope everyone had a great weekend and are ready to jump back into this week ready to shed a few pounds.

Jackie
257/165/145
10-10-01

gracious
I feel as you do. I plan to eat this way for the rest of my life. I honestly don't think my body will let me eat crappy again. My daughter feels the same way. She's only 15 and started gaining around age 7. She was a HUGE potatoes and white rice eater. She's been SB for about 2 months and went down from a 22 to 18. She doesn't eat a lot of veggies yet but she sticks to the rest of the plan great.
We both eat legal all the time but if we want to we will have a piece of cheesecake or ice-cream. It works for us. I cannot say I'll never have those types of foods again because I enjoy them. I just look on them as a big treat.
And my portion size is puny now!! I eat half of what I used to eat! I'm stuffed and wonder how I ate so much before.

Hello all! This will be quick--After November 5th I should have lots of time to catch up with everyone.

Last week was insane! The President was in Auburn on Thursday and we were going 24/7 to get ready. I was helping to distribute tickets to those who wanted them--about 300 more people than I had tickets! But it was a great event and I'm sure it will help with the campaigns.

I tried to catch up with reading the board--but can't respond to every one--just a few.

Missy--Um, I think our teams were switched in the middle of the night! We played like you==and you played like us! I will say that I had a ball with the LSU fans that walked by my campaign tailgate in the rain. They were really nice folks--and FUN!

BOB--I was counting on your boys!!!!! AARRGGHHH! (which I'm sure is much nicer than the words you were saying!):s:

Jack-K--I thought y'all were going to play UGA close for a while. Oh well.

Gator--are you getting geared up for the big cocktail party?????

Heartmom--I'm so glad to hear that Boogie came through his surgery and is on the road to recovery!!! :cb: We were keeping you both in our thoughts and prayers. I know it is nice to be home and to have the stress of worrying about the surgery behind you. And it sounds like you did well with your eating. :bravo:

Monet--did I really see that you were headed for the hospital???? I hope you are on the road to recovery by now. Please take care of yourself!

OK back to work. Have a good week everyone! Even if I don't post, I'll try to read what is going on each day. I need to maintian at least minimal contact with my SB sisters!

Susan

It's a little chilly out there this morning. A little below normal temps for us. DEBELLI--Too bad we can't swap a little weather and make a happy medium:cool:

Well, I'm gonna try to get to the board more often than I have been. Since feeling sorry for myself on Friday I have kept mostly OP. I did 100% up till yesterday afternoon. We were at a party and I indulged in a bit of cake and some pineapple (at least it was fruit :^: ). Otherwise there was lots of legal stuff to eat and I had a plateful. Made that my dinner. I did get hungry later on, so instead of eating a whole bag of oat bran stix, I made a sandwich on legal bread. I find eating proteins (the meat and cheese in my sandwich) keeps me from feeling hungry for a long time.

I told DH I was feeling down on Friday and he agreed that we would police each other. He doesn't need to lose anything, but he said he would eat SB legal to make it easier for me. I did catch him sneaking chips and pop, but he took it and ate it away from me.

So, I'm feeling better today and plan to stay OP. The scale hasn't moved, but TOM is due in a day or 2, so I figure that's why. I'm at 169, so at least being under 170 is giving me a psyche.

MONET--glad you didn't have to stay overnight in the hospital and that they figured out what is wrong. As others have said, do what the doc says and rest!

HEARTMOM--Happy to hear the good news about Boogie. WTG with the loss, especially under such stressful times.

JACK-K--I'm going to try to come here more often. As mentioned above, the scale hasn't moved, but I know it will come.

TRANQUIL and FRUIT--Thanks for sharing with me. I know I feel better when I stay OP and I find I can get back into this WOE easier and easier after I fall off the wagon. I'm persistant.

DEBELLI--I too am trying to get back to all my water. I keep forgetting though, how often I have to make pit stops till my body gets used to drinking so much.

Well, I better go. I've got mountains of laundry to do (I HATE laundry) and a few other things. Have a GREAT day everyone!

RED1- My youngest turned 4 yesterday, the others are 6 & 8. I think that 21 months is pretty young to take to the theatre. I don't think a 21 month old could sit through a full length movie without getting distracted, bored or otherwise. Mind you, that is speaking with the experience of my 2 boys who I know couldn't do it but my daughter might have. Girls are definitely different!

LKF- If you read my last post I did give in on Sunday! But I loved it and went right back on plan so I am not worried about it. I am still grooving along. :cb:

DEBELLI- I am still not eating carbs of any kind, except for my little buffet experience there. ;) When I reach goal I will probably go shopping to celebrate..I am a true woman through and through!

JACK-K- Thanks for the encouragement. I think that the cheating plan is good on occasion but I will certainly have to make sure I don't give in too often.

CHERYLCO- Wow, your daughter has done wonderful. She will really appreciate this as she continues to get healthier. I know when I struggled for a time as a *fat kid* I really had heartache over it but all my family did was tell me I was fat and criticize. I think that you are doing a great job with her. {hugs}

Good Monday morning.... Well glad the week-end is over and its on to a good week. I had a birthday party for my DH. My niece brought wonderful snacks and nearly all of them were legal ones. My sister brought a beautiful chocolate cake with a mtn. of buttercream frosting that I did not take one taste of.. I did really well and am pleased with myself. I'm trying to have my starchy carbs at breakfast now instead of durning the day. I think thats working out better..

Debilli- I really liked your motivational on calm determination. I really agree with this. Thanks for posting it. What changes did you make to make you start losing again and do so well? You sure are going great guns!! Congradulations......

gracious-Glad you survived your chinese food and are back on track.. It seems to be working if you're losing every week.

Red1- Sounds like you're having a busy and hectic week. Good luck at the party, hope theres some OP stuff there to eat. Hop back on the wagon and make a good week of it...

LKF- You know after reading your post last week about starchy carbs and started eating mine at breakfast. I now look forward to some toast with my eggs or a good bowl of cereal or oats. And I'm really not missing them in the evening. So I guess its what ever you get used to.

Jack-K- Congrads on the great size on those jeans... Thats such an inspiring thing to do is clothes shop when you don't have to go to the full figure dept.!! How tall are you?

cherylco-Good for you and your daughter. Its great that you're such a good influence on her. And its nice to have someone to do SB with....

Fillise-Good to see you posting. Sure miss seeing you on the board but sure can understand being so busy...

Zanne-Hang in there gal you can do it..... Sounds like you have a sweet hubby there.. Post lots....

Well time to get my shower and ready for the day.... Will try to check in later...

213/163/130

Good Monday Morning!

First thing first....Hope you have a wonderful birthday week SOLSHINE!

Gracious, Way to go on the weight loss! Your well on your way to goal and with the right attitude to boot!

Red1, Look forward to hearing from you, incase you need it here's my email ldblond@hotmail.com. You had asked Gracious about Jonah and Veggie Tales. Not sure if your almost 2 year old can make it through a full length movie, but the videos are terriffic! We started watching them several years back (at least) they focus on one major them like for instance lying and use a Christian Biblical message all the way through, my kids have many of the tapes. They are fun to watch, but be careful....the songs are addictive...I think my DH and I have them all memorized and we sing right along with the kids :)

Deb, Thanks for the MM and the personal one too...I'm working on the lemonade, sorry my post was so bitter yesterday.

Jack-K, At this time, the med that causes the weight gain is the one that seems to be keeping the RSD from progressing further.
Cheryl, you and your daughter are true inspirations.

Hi to everyone else. Sorry my post was so bitter and full of feeling sorry for myself. I think it stemmed from my DH saying, just get used to the gaining and buy bigger clothes. What a help he was! Deb is right, it's about attitude. I need to accept that it's better to maintain then gain, so that's what I'm going to try for, if I get weight loss I will be delighted.

Thanks for your support! Prayers for all!
Lara

Hi Everyone! I have been relatively good, slept most of the morning, and stayed in bed except to check email, and I am sitting then, and while getting something to eat. My daughter and her husband, the chef, are both off today, so they are coming over to fix dinner tonight! Hooray! I told them to make it soft! My throat is still sore.

BOB and DEB: The only person I have been really KISSING, is my hubby. Honest!

FILLISE: Yep, I was in the hospital. It was a first for me...the only other times I went were for labor and delivery, which is much different. Just a week until the elections! I know you can wait! You deserve a break! I would have loved to have seen the pres! I saw his daddy here in my hometown many years ago, when he took that whistle stop train campaign trip. It was great!

ZANNE: I did spend the night in the hospital. I am glad now I went. I feel much better than I did before I went. I am very anxious to get better, so I am planning on being obedient. It doesn't come easy..I may be resting on the outside, but I am running on the inside!

GRACIOUS: What great news, that you are whittling that last ten off! keep up the great work! Do you think it is what you are using now? Happy birthday to your four year old! Enjoy them! Next thing you know, he will be looking down at you asking for the car keys! :)

TO those I missed: Forgive me...

Gotta go nap again! I am enjoying it more now that I can breathe! ;)

A quick post to say hi!!:wave:

Iam still around and on plan. I was swamped last week and will be this week also at work. I will try to get here as often as I can. I really miss you guys. I'm still reading the board when I can.

It's a little slow now. I just wanted to report I am down 2 more lbs. I have now lost 30 lbs since I started SB in June. The support here is great. Like I stated before I have read some of the post and I still get encouraged.


Monet- I hope you are better soon.

Gracious- Congrats on almost reaching your goal.

Debbie- It was funny what you said about the pantyhose A size Q woulf probably swallow you.:lol:

It's a rainy, messy day here in NETX.:rain: The weather along with Halloween coming up makes for some wild kids.:yikes: I'm taking the day off tomorrow. Sarah's grade - 3rd- has a field trip to Tyler to the planetarium. That's my home town so I'm taking the day off and will go by the planetarium and picnic with them then go by and check on my mom. My eating has stayed good but Halloween really scares me. We won't buy any candy for the house, but the kids will come home with tons of it from the Fall Festival at church.:eek: I'll tell Dennis to hide it.

MONET: Take care of yourself. Hope you're better soon.

LDBLOND: You are so right about the Veggie Tales songs being addictive. Our favorite is The Pirate Who Don't Do Anything.:) Although I am partial to Barbara Manatee and The Song of the Cebu. We have all the videos and the kids loved Jonah. Sarah has the soundtrack to the movie and all three kids sang along with the movie.:lol:

TONI: WTG on passing on the cake. That would have been a hard one for me. I'm trying to get in my starchy carb at breakfast too. We'll see what happens.

GRACIOUS: I agree that no 21 mo old little boy could make it thru a movie. I know James would not have been able to at that age. Maggie on the other hand used to watch the Wizard of Oz start to finish and never take her eyes off the screen. When Dennis started having dreams about flying monkeys we said no more.:lol: I didn't remember that our kids are right together in age. Mine are 3, 6, and 9.

JACK-K: Sounds like you went on a cleaning spree this weekend too. WTG on size 8's. I'll never see that size no matter what I weigh. Not being a pessimist, I just know how I'm built.:shrug:

DEB: WTG on moving on down the scales. Glad the ring was just right.

Must go check in with Dennis. He left out about 2 this morning in the big rig. Check in later.

Fillise--Well, I'd be gearing up for the world's biggest cocktail party already, but I'm actually not going this year. :(
My DD and I are going to the Women of Faith conference here in Orlando and I ordered my tickets before I realized that it fell on the same day the the Gator-Poodle game. My DH and DS are going up with some friends. The game is at 7:45 pm. so it will be almost midnight before it ends. Yuck! They will be getting home near 3 am.

BOB--Hope you are doin' OK. I empathize with your emotions about Ewe Tea this year. They're doing the same kind of stuff the Gators have done this year, just some bad mistakes and some dumb stuff. I feel for ya and know how frustrating it is when you know the potential is there. For years Gators have said "wait 'till next year, Gators." So the Vols can borrow the same mantra= "wait 'till next year, Vols."

I was happy to see that I am not the only Halloween "grinch." Several years ago we were out of town for the " world's biggest cocktail party" in Jacksonville (the UF-UGA game) and missed Halloween here completely. When we saw that our house was still intact, we decided to just forego the whole thing and not put any candy temptation in our way. So we have been turning off all our lights, inside and out, for 2 or 3 years and letting the little darlings go past our house. Easy, cheap and no candy slip ups to deal with. :)

MONET--Get well!

Debbie--congratulations on getting below 129. Welcome back to the weight you love!

My back is a lot better. I took real good care of it the rest of Saturday when the stabbing pain kicked in, and iced it during Sunday. I felt great today and actually went out and played golf on the par three near here. It was fun and I played 18 holes so got my exercise in on the links. I was tired when I got done.

Gotta go. Take care and everyone have a great week.

Happy Birthday SolShine.

Thought I would catch up for the day ends.

Heading home to grill some fish. Yummy. Can't wait. I hate this time change, we will be grilling in the dark and walking in the pitch dark. I guess I will have to start walking as soon as I get home at 5:30.

Deb, We were posting at the same time. Man you are all that and a bag of chips! 126.5 how great is that. :bravo: You are truly focused. That's what it takes. How many Monday's did I ever start a "diet"? everyone! But this time I guess I was focused and stuck with it. You feel better about yourself and let it show. Good for you. Glad you got your ring. I have always worn a 5 1/2. I used to stay that was the smallest thing on my body, my ring finger. Of course as I "grew" I couldn't budge them. I agree with you on the Carbolite. I finally quit buying sf ice cream. I could not control it. So no more sf ice cream for me until after the cruise.

Cherylco, How exciting for your DD to go from a 22 to a 18. She must be so pleased with herself and you so proud. Being overweight at the age is so hard. Kids can be so cruel. Tell her congratulatioons for me. I am amazed at how little I eat before I gt full. I guess we were just a bunch of :ink: before.

Fillise, Well, spill the beans, did you get to meet HIM? I think UK went home at half. Hope your week isn't too hectic.

Zanne, Your DH gets a gold start for policing you. :cp: Being in a new set of numbers is great motivation. Keep it going, down that is.

Toni, :bravo: to you for passing up that cake. Aren't you just so pleased with yourself for doing it? I try to have my carbs in the morning and lunch. I can't do a way with lunch because I can't eat salads everyday. Sometimes I need a sandwich, but then I only have a half as I try to only eat 2 starchy carbs a day. I am 5.5 3/4.

Idblond, I hope you smacked your DH when he said that. Men are clueless. Maybe you could adjust your starchy carbs and that would help a little. Keeping drinking that water. Yes, a great attitude is best. But I understand maintaining can be a let down. How much do you want to lose?

Monet, Glad you are feeling better. How nice for your SIL to fix dinner. Get some rest and take care of yourself.

Mercy, Nice to hear from you again. Wow 30 lbs is great. :dance: Keep up the good work.

Music, Tell your kids & Dennis, NOT to let you have any of the candy. Tell them to hide it. Believe me, it's not worth it. :nono:

Gator, Good idea on the Halloween. It would be a lot cheaper. But candy is not my problem. I keep a bowl of hershey kisses etc, on my desk. Have so since the day I started SB, just doesn't bother me. I would hate to see all those little cuties that come by. I buy stuff that I don't like. Glad your back is better. Don't overdo.

Have a great evening everyone.

Jackie
257/165/145
10-10-01

I found a interesting article on Ediets that I thought I would share
for MM.

Women: listen up! Men: take heed! Science is learning what we have known all along... NOTHING beats girltalk. Now, science backs up our need to have that mystic get-together, that wild and crazy girls’ night out, that non-stop talkfest.

A UCLA study suggests that friendships between women are special. (We needed a study to tell us that?!) "Our female friendships often seem like the only anchor in the insanity of our daily lives. “They shape who we are and who we are yet to be. They soothe our tumultuous inner world, fill the emotional gaps in our marriage, and help us remember who we really are. But they may do even more. Scientists now suspect that hanging out with our friends can actually counteract the stress most of us experience on a daily basis."

The UCLA study suggests that women respond to stress with a cascade of brain chemicals that cause us to make and maintain friendships with other women. It seems that when the hormone oxytocin is released as part of the stress response in a woman, it encourages her to tend to the children and gather with other women. When she actually engages in this tending or befriending, studies suggest that more oxytocin is released, which further counters stress and produces a calming effect.

This calming response does NOT occur in men. (Finally, justice among the sexes. So, men, you may be able to eat more than us, but you can't beat this!) The reason for this is because testosterone, which men produce in high levels when under stress, seems to reduce the effects of oxytocin. Estrogen seems to enhance it.

It may take some time for new studies to reveal all the ways that oxytocin benefits us, but the "tend and befriend" notion may explain why women consistently outlive men. Study after study has found that social ties reduce our risk of disease by lowering blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol.

In one study, for example, researchers found that people who had NO friends increased their risk of death over a six-month period. In another study, those who had the most friends over a nine-year period cut their risk of death by more than 60 percent!

Friends are helping us live better. In fact, the results were so significant, the researchers concluded, that NOT having close friends or confidants was as detrimental to your health as smoking or carrying extra weight.

As you read this article, realize that you have the ability to change the direction of your life. Make yourself your own best friend! Treat yourself in the same manner you would treat a dear friend... with kindness, respect and care. Now, do your health a favor, pick up the phone and call a friend. Make plans to walk together, go to the gym or enjoy a bike ride.

EVENING EVERY BUDDY!!!


I'm right there with Debbie on the not sleeping...the past weekend has been pure ****!!!
Friday night I went to bed at a decent hour, but could not get to sleep...I got up several times and got back on the computer, watched TV...turned the light out and the TV off at 5 a.m. :eek:
Saturday night, I got to sleep a little after 2 a.m. :eek:
THEN..last night when I really needed to get to sleep for work this morning....the light didn't go off until after 2 a.m. again :eek:
I even took a sleeping pill last night, but it just didn't kick in!

RED1...I'll be glad to meet up with you in March...maybe we can even get Debbie to motor up for the day...Just let me know in plenty of time in order to maybe take the day off unless it's a weekend..

GATOR...I don't have to many nice things to say about my team.
I along with a LOT OF PEOPLE are very frustrated with PHAT PHIL and his insisting on keeping Clausen as the QB...We'll see about next year...I think we lose our line this year...that's bad!

MONET....Keep those LIPS ZIPPED!!! and GET BETTER!!!
Since you'll be resting Saturday....turn on that TV in your bedroom and watch the COCKTAIL PARTY them
DAWGS are gonna do it...I just feel it!!! then it's over to ATLANTA for the BIG game in December!

SUSAN...I didn't see you on TV....weren't you around The Big Shrub? Did you get to meet him? Come on...spill the beans!!!

I put some steaks on the grill so I would have something to take for my lunch this week...I just had one and they are MOLICIOUS!!!!

I've got to get my Mom's clothes in the washer....she's about to run out! Kate streaking is not a pretty site....believe me!!!

I'll check in later!

BOB

HiedieHo All!

BOB: Have to tell you, your "Tough Questions" provoked a good discussion this morning at the NH. They really got into it! Thanx!

DEB: Thanx so much for your call. You are truly a caring person. I made your Quiche for the NH, they loved it!

I know I've been remiss in getting to the Board but I sort of felt like I had made "The Trip (or was it Journey?) To Bountiful". You know, the lady wants to see her old home one more time before she dies, or something like that!

Last week I felt like I was going to die, well maybe that is an exaggeration, I was sooooo tired. When I came home, the first week I had so much to do to get caught up with everything, I ran on left over adrenalin. Last monday I went to the NH and made supper that night. The next day I didn't even get dressed and spent most of the day sleeping; told my GD they'd have to get their own supper. That was pretty much my week. I did go again to the NH on Thursday morning, but was tired afterwards. I didn't even go to choir! It is so very hard to go gangbusters for over a month. I had bad days on my trip, but kept smiling and doing in spite of pain!

At an rate, I feel better today and will try to get into things gradually. You all know I have a problem pacing myself. No one is going to say I rusted out! I will probably keep pushing and paying for it but what can I do? I can't twiddle my thumbs.........not that co-ordinated anymore!

I do have something for MM:

I believe-
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe-
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I believe-
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I believe-
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. _Same goes for true love.

I believe-
that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. _It may be the last time you see them.

I believe-
that you can keep going, long after you can't.

I believe-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe-
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done,when it needs to be done, _regardless of the consequences.

I believe-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe-
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I believe-
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe-
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe-
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe-
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. _Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe-
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. _And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I believe-
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. _It could change your life forever.

I believe-
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe-
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I believe-
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you
you will find the strength to help.

I believe-
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe-
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

GRACIOUS: I don't know how you manage a day off OP! I find it so hard to get back on track!

MONET: I see that you have mono, the kissing disease eh? What have you been doing?!? Years ago I had to sit on a satin pillow and do nothing! I thought it would be great, I could read, watch TV, boss people around, the whole nine yards. Believe me it palled quickly! If you're not used to sitting you get bored! I don't envy you the next six weeks!

LDB:OND: Weight gain from meds? I should be so lucky to have that excuse!

RED1: Your own massage therapist! How lucky! I'd get along with my DIL for sure! You have the week tp prepare yourself for the celebration! Steel yourself! Make up your mind to stick to it! Of course if I could follow my own advice........

HEART: Glad to see things are going well.

Hate it when the time changes! Dark so early, throws me all of whack. I don't go by the clock at home just by instinct, I never set an alarm no matter what time I want to get up. and it takes a while for me to get in sync.

Plan to be back again thanks for all your caring!

sef

Evening All:wave:

Have to make this quick, I asked Michael for the computer for a few minutes so I could copy the board and try to get in a post off line. He told me when he got in the car from school today that he is going to be needing the computer all the time for the next 3 days, that he has a ton of homework. So, I begged him for 15 minutes so I could check my mail and the board. I'm not sure when I'll be able to do the post, but will try my hardest before I get too far behind. Hopefully I'll get it done by tomorrow morning. Coffee Man is off tomorrow and wants to sleep late, so hopefully after my walk/jog and while he's asleep.

Enjoy the evening!!

{{{HUGS}}} :grouphug:

Debbie
194/126.5:D/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

BOB--LOL!!! My DH has had trouble sleeping for the past several years. It's one of the unpleasant facts of getting older. However, if you think about it, getting older is better than the alternative. LOL

I've always felt that the fortunes of a team rested on the OL. A good one will bring a good season. So, next year might be a long one for UT, eh? I, unfortunately, think that you might be right and that the Poodles will win. Hopefully Zook will surprise us all and that new group of coaches will get their act together and start coaching for a change. Even with a win, UGA has to lose to another team to blow their SECC chance.

Sorry I dont have time to post. I have to get DS off to school early today, and will be this way from now on....as my grandmother is unable to take care to see him off in the mornings anymore. This is a new leaf turned in our lives, and right now I feel pretty shaky. I know many single moms leave their kids at bus stops or drop them off at school early or even let them walk to school - but I worry TOO much! So, he will be doing the Breakfast Club in the mornings....

I am down to 247.5 - which is a good sign of better things to come. I eat chicken salad, tuna salad, and whole wheat - even found some brown rice cakes to munch on....I find I am definitely eating less and losing - and this is a good thing as I was really pigging there for a while.

Well, I will hopefully write more later, but wanted to just let you know I am alive and still on program.

Sabrina
272/247.5/157

TRANQUIL- I hear ya! I worry about my kids...I don't like to use the word worry but I am very concerned for their safety in this world. God is sovereign but we want to be responsible parents. I hope you can get your mornings worked out. This morning I found a huge lump in my son's mouth on his gum and I immediately started having visions of cancer and other scary things. It is probably an absess but a mother is a mother and her instincts all cry out for her child. I have an appointment for him to see the doctor tomorrow and I will be more than happy to get it checked. Meanwhile, I have prayers going up for him and that gives me a peace that I otherwise wouldn't have.

SEF- Nice to see you posting again! I wondered if you had recovered from your vacation or not.

MUSICTEACH- Yes, I forgot our kids were the same age too. Read my above comments to TRANQUIL and please pray for my son. I know you can fully relate being a Christian mom and all. {hugs} Thank you. We don't do Halloween either but we have Reformation Celebration...it was Oct 31st that Martin Luther hung the 99 Thesis on the Wittenburg Church Door and sparked the Reformation! We do games and crafts and end up with a bag of candy too. I am slowly dwindling the size of the bags down smaller and smaller every year.

We have a funeral to go to today and a lot of running around with kids, piano lessons and such. I am off to get my housework done before it all starts. Have a good day everyone!

...but COOL.

Well, I had another OP day yesterday. I'm doing it one day at a time. I actually realized that I wasn't eating as much as I could have. I stopped when I was full and just listened to my body when it was hungry and had a wee snack between meals. I did have a moment where I thought I wanted chocolate, so I brewed myself some chocolate flavored coffee instead. That seemed to get rid of the craving.

Surprisingly the scale is down a pound :yes:, but I don't know how long that will last with TOM lurking. I'll take it anyway!

I put DH to the test last night. He brought his chips down to eat in front of the TV even while I was there! I asked him where my chips and pop were . He pointed to my pot of green tea and said "there's your snack". Actually, I really didn't want any chips or pop!

TONI48--Ya, I've got a sweet hubby. He WILL police me. If I had asked him to not eat his snack in front of me he would have put it away or gone somewhere else to eat it. He's a good guy!

IDBLOND--Don't worry about coming here feeling sorry for yourself. I did that the other day and got great support! That's what we're here for-to support each other. Keep up the great attitude that you have now.

MONET--Sorry! I guess I read your posts about you going to the hospital and coming back home on the same day and never read what time/day you posted them. I know it's hard to take it easy when you're used to doing a lot of stuff, but try to follow doctor's orders so you can get better quickly.

MERCY--WTG with a 30 lb loss!!!! That is amazing!

JACKK--we must have been posting at the same time yesterday morning. Hooray for you for fitting into the size 8's. It's a great feeling.

SEF--Glad you're feeling better now. It's difficult for anyone to be "on" all the time. We all need time to decompress every so often. Thanks for the MM. Those points are sooooo true.


Well, I better get going. Got a few chores to do including carving our pumpkins with DS! Mmmmm, and roasting the seeds--that'll be a good snack.

Have a great day everyone!

What a busy Monday both at work and on the board. DH didn't feel good last night and still didn't when he got this morning. I am praying that what ever he has I don't get. I don't have time to get sick this week. LOL!! Well the Pres isn't coming to town but you would think so by the way everyone is acting. It is only 5 more days and it will be all over. YAHOO!!!!
Also with all that is going on at work we are trying to find our daughter a car. Please pray that a good, inexpensive one will come along and fast. Because of her situation with her soon to be ex hubby she is going to lose her car and she needs one to get back and forth to work.
I read the post but will not be able to answer back to each one. I will try to get back later tonight. Maybe I can make chat. Who an I fooling. I haven't made it yet. HA HA.
Everyone have a good day.
Cyndi

Good Tuesday Morning Everyone!:wave:

Got in from my walk, had no energy or leg power or even the desire to run today, it's still so hot here, in the 90's!:flame: I walked with my POWERBELT today, gave the arms a much needed workout. Took me a lot longer than I thought, an hour and 30 seconds.

I think ELI is still asleep, haven't checked in on him, don't want to wake him if he is. We'll be headed up to our home away from home today, BROWARD. Since I don't have to come back and get the kids we'll probably catch a movie somewhere along the way, though not sure what we'll see.

Forgot to tell you about my bargain on Sunday...found the SNYDERS ORGANIC PRETZELS at this store that sells overstock and damaged goods and found them there for .69 cents a bag, well, Coupon Cathy here had just the coupons for them and ended up having to pay...only .19 cents a bag! I got 8 bags, 3 of other varities and 5 of the oat bran-good until January! Not too shabby, eh?

Well, I want to try and get a few replies, if not all, in before I'm told to get in the shower...

JACKK, I had to laugh, your weekend of switching clothes is foreign to me. I couldn't imagine having to pack away summer stuff and pull out winter. Heck, I couldn't imagine having to buy 2 "sets" of clothes. I don't even have any winter clothes. It's rare to even have to don more than a sweat shirt down here. Kudos to you on buying those size 8's. I've done the same thing. Just yesterday I tried on "the jeans" just to see if they still fit. Here it is 7 years later and they still have the tags on them. :^: I think I could of gone with a size 5 ring now, but will leave it, just in case I pack on a few pounds and it ends up all in my finger! I use to say the smallest thing on me were my feet, size 7, 7 1/2, but I guess now my finger may just be a bit smaller.

CHERYL, it's so wonderful to see such a great attitude, but even nicer to see that your DD is doing so well. I WISH my DD would do something as she's headed down the same weight road as I traveled. Tell your DD we are all proud of her on the board!:D

FILLISE, thanks for checking even though you are running around like a chicken with it's head cut off-that's true dedication! Did you get to meet El Presidente?

ZANNE, CONGRATS on being down another pound, keep up the great work! Don't I wish we could mix airs! I see it was 39 up in Montreal, can't be much different where you are I'd imagine. Don't want it THAT cold, but mixing air, it would be perfect! Kudos to DH for trying to do SB just to support you better-even though he doesn't need to lose, just following the plan, he'll be feeling better than he already feels. I'm sure you'll be downing that water moreso now, when you are more aware of things you can easily focus better on them. I can't believe myself how I'm drinking it more lately. ME!?!

GRACIOUS, my ultimate shopping spree is to one day go to the mall in Edmonton/Alberta. I said when I got to goal I would go but alas, I haven't made it yet. One day I will though! So, what is it that you are going to buy that you've REALLY been wanting? Are you not eating the carbs to get to goal faster and then once at goal start again-you're not eating any fruit??? Sounds like you are doing full force Atkins, but doesn't even that diet allow you some carbs??

TONI, you should be proud of how you handled yourself at DH's party! Kudos to you! After having that dinner at Carrabas and feeling guilty for it (though I didn't and still don't for the first meal we ate there earlier in that week), and having the scale be up and not moving even though I thought I was doing it all right I decided to be more than 100% OP. Even though I was journaling, and the foods I was eating were OP, I was eating too much of these foods. For instance, even though I was staying within my carb range I was eating too many starchy carbs a day. I wasn't drinking my water, there would be days I would go with hardly a drop. When I would eat say a piece of SB LEGAL CHOCOLATE, it wasn't just the 1/2 ounce, it was the whole bar. I just was sick of seeing the scale up and all my good efforts seemed to be getting thwarted, so just go back on the ball and cut out all the odds and ends and viola, it seems to be working!:D

LDBLOND, I didn't find your post bitter, not at all. We all go through rough times in one way or another and if you can't discuss your feelings among friends, than what good are we??? It's not just about SB, you know;) How I wish NANCE would figure this one out.

MONET, glad to hear you are feeling better every day. Okay, so how the heck DID you get MONO? Hubby didn't get sick at all, esp. since you've been kissing face? How was the gourmet meal last night?

MERCY, CONGRATS! Another 2lbs is awesome, thanks for coming on the board, even though you're so busy, to let us know things are doing well with you. Hope things settle down soon, we miss you too! That was hose size B, but really, I do believe Q would be a lot more comfortable, seriously, those B's were terrible, and to think, I have to wear them tomorrow!:eek:

MUSIC, enjoy your day off today and with being with the kids at the planetarium!

GATOR, thanks, I am happy to be back down below my goal weight again, funny how those numbers can make or break your day! Glad to hear your back is better.

SERENE, loved that article, thanks for sending it as well as posting it on the board. See how lucky you and TRANQUIL are to live so close!!! It's more than friendship! It helps keep you from going insane! So what else is new with you???

BOB, last night was able to sleep, that was until I kept hearing a search helicoptor running around at 3am, that woke me up, not the bathroom (though I took advantage of being up to go). Hope you did better than I did in the snoozing dept. That would be great if we could plan a day with RED1 in March, I'd try to come up for a weekend if possible, haven't been to Sarasota, at least that I can remember.

SEF, glad to see your post. Sorry I wasn't able to talk a bit longer with you the other day, my cell phone battery was about to die. I think it's dying anyhow, doesn't seem to hold much of a charge lately. I hope you'll slow down and let yourself re-engergize, I always tell you that you do so much. I don't think I could do half of what you do! Loved the MM you posted, thanks for sharing.

TRANQUIL, kudos to you on dropping some more! Keep up the great work. What's going on with GRAM? All of a sudden you don't have her to help with Zach in the mornings? Will call you soon!

RED1, good luck with the car, I'm sure you'll find something, just try to give yourself time if you can and let a good mechanic check it out beforehand.

Well, that's it, I'm caught up-YIPPEEEE!!!

Please remember,
TONIGHT IS CHAT AT 9:15PM EST!!! I will try to be on line, but it all depends on the kids and their needing the computer. As I mentioned yesterday, Michael has already told me that he's going t be using it a lot since he has a lot of homework the next few days.

Also, just in case you forgot, TOMORROW IS WEIGH IN WEDNESDAY and with that, I wish us all good luck on the scale tomorrow!!

Have a wonderful day!

Debbie
194/127/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Happy Tuesday Gang! :wave:

My computer is locking up so I need to post this so I can reboot. Argh, computers.

Had a busy nite with just "stuff". Getting ready for this cruise is killing me. I'll be ready for a vacation that's for sure.

Bob, Man get some rest. You have got to be a zombie. Have you altered your routine or eathing soemthing late to keep you up. I like those tylenol p.m.'s. They help but don't make you a zombie. Is your mom doing better?

Serene, Thanks for the article. We al lknow that, but it helps to justify why we like our girl talk. I'm calling a friend to "do" lunch as we speak.

Sef, I hate that you are feeling poorly. You really need to take it easy and not push yourself. I know that is falling on deaf ears, but sometimes we need to come first. Ease back slowly. Loved the MM. I have sent it to my DD. Kids need to be reminded of this stuff.

Tranquil, it's funny how our whole world can change in an instant. Your DS will be fine. He will probably like the independance. Try not to worry (from one mom to another, we know how hard that is). Hope your gram is doing ok. Yeah for you on the new wt. You are doing great. It will happen. Just believe in yourself.

Gracious, I am the world's biggest worrier. I make up things to worry about. My mom in her later years developed the attitude that she was not going to worry about things she could do nothing about. I am slowly trying to adopt the same attitude. it's hard. I just have to do some hard talking to myself. Prayers for your son.

Zanne, :bravo: another day OP. You can do this. See how great you felt when you resisted the chips and pop and you even found a substitute for that chocolate craving. That is what this is about. Finding substitutes and being prepared. DH is due another gold star for not letting you cheat.

Red1, Stay away from your DH. I know what you mean about catching it. We have a guy in the office with the flu. I am waiting on him hand and foot just so he doesn't touch anything and leave germs. He finally went home. Sending prayers for your DD not only for a good car, but her situation too.

Have a great day. Be back later.

Jackie
257/165/145
10-10-01

Its Typhoid Monet checking in...

I slept really badly last night. Everytime I got dosing off, my airways would close and I would choke. The swellling has obviously gone back up. I am so out of it, I can barely think, and feeling really frustrated about it all. I want so much to have a bit of encouragement of my throat getting better. I feel like I can't stand this pain any longer.

My son in law, the chef, came over and made me a huge pot of chicken stock, and left a huge mess. It is so hard not to get in there and clean some, since I can see how the frustration of all that has to be done is getting to my husband.

I feel very antsy today. I will blame it on the drugs and lack of sleep.

Diet wise, I am just eating what I can get down. Mostly chicken soup, and a bit of oatmeal. I have little appetite. Maybe there will be good news from all this on the scale.

I think I will go get in a nice hot shower. That sounds soothing. Hope everyone has a good day!

I posted this article back in April and thought with all the talk about carbs and when to eat them, I'd repost it for TUEDAY TIPS, was well as stick it on the RECOMMENDED READING BOARD :D

NUTRITION CORNER:

Reduce Starchy Carbs at Night

For most, starchy carbs make up a substantial portion of their evening meals. Pasta, rice, potatoes… these are nightly staples in the standard American diet. Steak and fries, spaghetti and meatballs- what would dinner be without them?

The trouble with starchy carbs is that they are readily transformed to fat when eaten before bedtime. The reason for this is simple: The primary function of carbohydrates is to supply short-term energy for your daily activities. If carbs are not used immediately for fuel, they have two possible fates; they either are stored as glycogen in your liver and muscles or are converted into fatty acids and stored in adipose tissue as bodyfat. Since activity levels usually are lowest during the evening hours, there is a diminished use of carbs for fuel and therefore an increased potential for bodyfat storage.

In general, the best time to consume carbs is early in the day, when your activity levels are at their peak. This will allow your body to utilize a maximal amount of carbs for energy and minimize the potential for fat deposition. Breakfast, in particular, is an excellent time to load up on complex carbs. A large bowl of rolled oats or bran cereal will set the stage for fueling your daily activities and keep you physically and mentally fit throughout the day.

On the other hand, it is best to limit your dinner fare to fibrous, vegetable-based food sources. Fibrous vegetables tend to be extremely low in total calories and, because of their bulk, are very filling. For supper, consider eating a meal consisting of lean poultry or fish combined with a large bowl of salad greens. Other vegetables (i.e. broccoli, string beans, cauliflower, zucchini, etc) also make fine nighttime carbohydrate choices, and will reduce the potential for unwanted bodyfat storage.

I don't know how many of you ever go read the RECOMMENDED READING BOARD but when I went to put a post I saw this that I had posted a little over a year ago and thought I'd re-post it today:D

That Stupid Bathroom Scale!

"For a man is slave to that which has mastered him!"

Imagine. You wake up one morning after getting the best night's sleep you've had in too long of a time. You feel well rested and your face shows it. In fact, you are pretty sure that you have never looked better (at least not as far back as you can rummage to mind at these wee hours). You got a raise the day before, and a promotion to go along with it. As far as you are concerned, if the Grinche stole Christmas this year, you probably wouldn't even blink twice. Your bills are paid - a month in advance, your entire family adores you, and your friends are fighting over your free days, (o.k., I may be pushing it slightly!). You walk into the bathroom to brush your teeth, when your eyes catch a glimpse of the bathroom scale. Everything is going so great; you can not help but wonder if your luck will continue straight down into the depth of those tiny numbers. What the heck! You pounce onto the scale, this in itself being a major step. Usually your one-toe, followed by the next-toe, followed by the whole foot process takes a good ten minutes! You look down. Wait! Screech! Another screech! This cannot, this mustn't! After all, you hardly ate a thing yesterday. You step off the scale and run over to the toilet, empty your bladder, take off all clothing, even your rings and bracelet. You try it again. You hold your breath this time, thinking that the lack of oxygen will tip the scale in your favor, hopefully before you tip yourself onto the floor! But, it is the same! You step off of the scale, look in the mirror and suddenly your heart sinks, straight into the depths of your stomach. Where did those five extra pounds come from? And as you stand gazing at your naked body in the mirror, you wonder why your stomach looks flatter even though the scale says that you are heavier. That just can't be right! There has got to be something wrong with that stupid scale. After showering you begin trying on clothes for the promotional ceremony being held in your honor. You go through about half of the clothes in your closet, feeling certain that nothing fits right, before setting on something that won't draw too much attention to your body. Gone is the feeling that "you've never looked better;" it has been replaced by a feeling of "life can not get any worse than this!' You consider the option of a sick call, but you somehow muster the strength together and head for the car. You skip breakfast, telling yourself you'll starve your body into submission. By the time you get to work, your head hurts (the effects of a painstaking hunger), and you r mood has been set for the forthcoming day. You are bummed out, so to speak, and low and behold, the first person you see is the skinny little receptionist who smiles ever so sweetly to you from behind the desk, and asks, "Did you do something different to your hair?" You smile smugly, and tell her, "No," but you are certain of what she really meant to ask: "Did you gain weight?" Can you relate to this situation? Although it may not be identical in detail, the feelings described in the opening paragraphs are most likely ones that you have experienced. Why? Because they are commonly felt emotions and feelings! It is important to note that there are millions of people addicted to their scales. They can not let a single day pass without finding out what the little flat box has to tell them. You know you are addicted if you are unable to let a day pass without weighing yourself. Or, when visiting a doctor's office, you ask if you may remove your shoes before weighing in. Chances are, after weighing yourself, this little infamous device determines for you not only what you will or will not be eating for the continuation of the day, but also, how you will feel about yourself. Let me ask you a question. After weighing yourself, has the scale altered your mood, diminished your confidence, or affected your self-esteem? If it has, then GET RID OF IT! Would you stay around a person who made you feel this way about yourself? Hopefully, not for a long period of time. If you can not bring yourself to get rid of the scale, maybe you need to re-think its power over you. "For a man (woman) is slave to that which has mastered him." The scale is similar to a hungry piranha in that it is never satisfied. If it shows a "loss," then it is never a big enough loss. "Just one more pound, or ten more pounds!" On the same hand, if it shows a "gain," then it eats away at your self-esteem and confidence. My friend, how will you ever learn to be happy and content with who you are, if someone or something is always shoving you back down, never allowing you the satisfaction of being, well, satisfied! I've got good news! You do not have to be a slave to your scale any longer! If you feel the need to lose weight, or to get in shape, then great, good for you! Those are positive factors in one's life. And in addition, you have come to the right place, because we want to help you reach those goals. But you must first learn one thing. You must use your clothing, not scale, to gauge your losses. It is up to you to make the decision not to permit the scale to sit crowned as the reigning master over your life.


GET RID OF IT! AND GET FREE!
- You, Too, Shall Overcome

And of course, I have to follow up with this one, posted almost 2 years ago!



Why The Scale Lies

by Renee Cloe,
ACE Certified Personal Trainer

We’ve been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can’t resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can’t bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence it’s readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.

Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body’s water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don’t understand what’s happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it’s water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water.

Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it’s easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn’t have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That’s why, when it comes to eating, it’s wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.

Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it’s packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it’s stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it’s associated water. It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you’re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it’s wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It’s the actual weight of everything you’ve had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you’ve finished digesting it.

Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it’s not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, it’s likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it’s only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it’s physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you’re really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.

This brings us to the scale’s sneakiest attribute. It doesn’t just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you’ve lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you’re just sitting around. That’s one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.

Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn’t differentiate between the two. It can’t tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat. There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current.

If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry. The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don’t be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride. It’s a matter of mind over scale.

Jack-K, congratulations on that size 8 pair of pants! Wow! How wonderful you must feel! Now those, you MUST take along on the cruise! You can prance all over that ship and feel so sleek!

Gracious, I'll be praying with you for your son and that lump in his mouth. Please let us know as soon as you get back from the doctor what he had to say about it, O.K.?

As I continue to read Montignac's book, I have another question that relates to crock pots. Montignac talks about the amount of cooking time affecting many foods' glycemic index. The more you cook some foods, the HIGHER its glycemic index becomes.

Does this mean that it is a bad idea to cook in the crock pot? I have begun starting the crock pot on my way out the door to work some days so I have a ready-to-eat meal when I get home. I hate cooking week days when I come home from work.

I realize there are certain things that nearly disintegrate when you cook them all day in the crock pot (like Basmati rice and durum wheat pasta) and they certainly shouldn't be cooked in the crock pot all day but what about vegetables and meats?

I sure would appreciate input on this 'cuz I sure do love my crock pot!

Good Tuesday morning. Just did my time on the treadmill. Would like to start working with a little weights. Wish I had a diagram to tell me what to do. Eating has been good. Split a steak with my DH last night for dinner last night along with a salad and green beans made the meal. There still is a nice chocolate cake sitting on the counter with butter cream icing, I'm wishing my DH would hurry and eat. But I think he's getting the losing weight bug...

Serene-Love your article. It makes me want to go out with friends and have a really good gab fest... Thanks for posting it. How are you doing?

Bob- Sorry about the sleeping... I just hate when that happens. How is your Mom doing? Yum those steaks on the grill make my mouth water...

Sef- Your I belive was beautiful. Sorry you've been feeling rough. Yep sure sounds like you're pushing yourself lady. Hope this is a better week for you....

Debilli- Sounds like you need another computer...... Boo hoo its in lock down!!!! Oh wow you're on the computer this morning. I think I need to watch that I'm not getting my servings bigger too. You're doing so good its a real inspiration. Wow did you get a steal on the pretzels. Not only can't I not get those around here you find them at such a bargain. I'm JEALOUS!!!! Thanks for the article on the starchy carbs. I'm trying now to put mine at breakfast and leave them off at night.

Gatorgal- Howdy there! Hows it going?

Tranquil- AH that has to be so hard getting your little one off to school and trying to work. I admire the working Mother so much and to do it single handed has to be double hard... Wish I had a menu of yours. Sounds like you're doing just great... Keep up the good work.

Gracious- Prayers for your son. Hope your day goes well, sounds like you have a busy one planned...

Zanne-Hope the pumpkin carving went good. And yes those seeds would make a great snack. Just read another good article on green tea yesterday and started back drinking it. I get out of the habit and then something like the article will remind me how good it is for you. Good for you staying OP. Sounds like you're doing it right, one day at a time... WAY TO GO.....

Red1-You sound awfully busy lady.. I hope you find your DD a good car that is in a great price range. Oh I don't envy you looking...We need a truck to replace our old piece of junk four wheel drive. Hope your DH gets to feeling better today and what ever bug he has passes on by. You sound like me whenever someone gets sick around.

Jack-K- Ah quit that complaining about getting ready for a CRUISE or I'm going to have to go in your place.... LOL.... You lucky duck... I can't wait to hear all about it. How much longer now?

Monet- Prayers for you to get well... If I was near by I would come and clean your kitchen.. I hope you get lots of rest today .....

Guess its time to get busy and do some breakfast fixing and cleaning.. Hope everyone has a great day...

213/163/130

TONI: You are my friend for life...anyone who will come and clean for me is immediately my best friend! ;) Thanks for the prayers... Good for you on the treadmill! I can't wait until I can get back into the swing of it! I have to wait six weeks until I can do the treadmill again. Once I get to that point, you will have to keep on me about it, ok?

LFK: Use your crockpot for meats and veggies, and don't worry about it. The GI on them is not going to be that much effected like rice or pasta would be. I love using a crockpot too. So easy! What's your favorite recipe right now?

HiedieHo All!

It is defiintely not a lovely day in the neighborhood! Rain, rain, rain heavy at times and more predicted as well as winds. The nice side? Looking out the window everthing is pretty and green.

TRANQUIL: I often say that I am glad I am not raising my kids in this day and age. When my kids were growing up it was safe to let them walk to school and later to the bus stop. In our town everyone knew your kids and watched out for them. If someone reprimanded our kids we didn't holler "SUE!". Nowadays, a term we old timers use, it is a real worry everytime your kids walk out the door. Even here in our development. A couple of years ago my GD was waiting for the bus about four blocks away, no one else had arrived yet and this pickup kept circling the block. She came home crossing peoples yards close to the houses. I worry even when she's in school, so much happens. Yes, I'm sure lots of mothers drop off kids here and there but I would hope not without concern. You have to balance concern with common sense. A thing that blows my mind is that parents now make "play dates" for their kids! Kids have lost freedom of spontaneity. Sorry, was the above a soap box thing?!?

GRACIOUS: Hope son's mouth is okay. You were right to make an immediate appointment for him. Will keep him in prayer.

ZANNE: That's what I try to do, one day at a time. If I look at the long range it seems overwhelming!

RED1: Car hunting is not as easy as it seems. Hope you find what you are looking for. You will survive the week, but am sure the best part will be when it's over. Usually as long as I keep going I can keep going! The problem is the stopping, then it hits me I shouldn't have kept going so long! Hope you can squeeze some rests in your busy schedule.

DEB: That sounds slightly like a defeatist attitude: "Just in case I pack on a few pounds", tsk, tesk. tsk!

JACKK: Gee, it's even work to get ready to have fun isn't it? You will certainly need that cruise to rest up from the getting ready! Like your Mom I find as I age I have set prioritites that are a lot different than when I was younger. The Serendity Prayer is my mantra.

MONET: The cleaning will wait! Feel better first. Hope you will begin to see some progress in your recuperation.

Sorry I can't answer any more, am tired of sitting. Hope you are all enjoying better weather.

Shirley sef

Monet, thanks for the encouragement to go ahead and use the crock pot for meat and veggies. It made sense to me to do it but I sure don't want to do anything to screw things up...there's so much to learn. How are you feeling this morning? Right now, my favorite recipes in the crock pot are round steak and turkey breasts but I have tried so many other recipes and every one I try is wonderful! I think cooking dried beans is probably O.K. in the crock pot, too, since they still hold a firm consistency after cooking all day, so I'll try those, too. Feel better, Monet!

Today is sooo boring- I overslept and I'm just in a " I don't wanna do anything" mood. So I guess I will stay at home and be lazy. I'm the only one who voted for the straightjacket,lol. Chocolate candy bars are my weakness. I really hope I will stay strong and away from it! I don't want to do any damage since I've been doing so well lately. The scale said 215 or 216- my digital scale drives me nuts. Hopefully, it will stick with the 215 tomorrow for WIW. Boogie is doing well. We have to go to Jackson Thursday for an Xray and labwork. Hopefully, his pleural effusion will be gone this time.


236/216/170
HW:270(almost 1 1/2 years ago)

Stay away from the candy, heartmom! Boredom is a sure sabateur to your SB eating! Do something to end your boredom...fast! So glad Boogie is doing well. I, too, pray his pleural effusion will be gone when they x-ray him this week.

Good Afternoon,

Just finished my lunch of baked fish and brussel sprouts. The fish was delicious. Then we did a 30 minute workout for lower body. Now if it will just quit raining so I can get my walk in when I get home.

Deb, we keep posting at the same time. Enjoy your day in Broward and movie. I'm with you on cutting out all the extras. I'm not eating anything between meals except a piece of fruit and nothing after dinner but watr or juice. What a deal on the pretzels. I bought a bag probably 6 months ago and half of it is still there. I have used them for crust for the cheesecake, but don't like to waste a carb on them.

Monet, I feel so bad for you. Maybe you should call the Dr again. I would think your throat would be getting better by now. Get some rest and don't worry about the kitchen. It's good for the men to have to do it sometimes. He'll appreciate you more.

LKF, Good idea about the pants, I'll probably wear them on the plane. Hopefully I won't need long pants there. I think the crock-pot is fine for meats and veggies. I really need to use mine more. I'm like you, hate to cook after a long day at work.

Toni, Only 12 more days. Yeah! I just read that 2 cups of tea is as good for your bones as 2 cups of milk. Black or green. I love ice tea and hot tea too. I could fax you one of the routines my trainer gave me for weights. No pictures by directions. Let me know if you want them. If DH doesn't want the cake, throw it away. Don't tempt yourself.

Sef we are having 2 days of rain here and much colder temps to follow. The high this weekend is in the 40's. I'm ready for summer already.

Heartmom, Ask yourself, is the candy bar worth undoing all the good you have done? If you answer yes, then eat it. But I'm betting on you and your sucess will win out. You may want it bad at the moment, but don't let it ruin what you want the most, THIN. Hope Boogie gets a good report. Will the kids get to go trick or treat?

Later,

Jackie

Jack-K, you are a hoot! I noticed that when you finished your lunch, you spoke of how delicious the baked fish was but NOT A WORD about the brussel sprouts! They aren't real tasty, are they?

LKF,

No they aren't. My DD loves them so I have them for her and that was what was left over. I normall only eat about 4, but I finished them off today. The things we do to get thin.

Jackie

I can't believe your DD loves them! Good for her! I think I'd rather eat any other vegetable before I'm willing to eat those bitter little things. BTW, remind me of where you are going on your cruise and how long it will be now before you get to go!

Brussel sprouts- you would love mine! In fact, we had some for dinner last night. Cut up some onion in them, use some Tony's and some garlic. When they're thru cooking, drain the excess water and put chunks of velvetta(light) over them and let them melt, so yummy.
For Halloween, Ashley is going as a witch and Boogie a cow,lol. Not much selection in the costumes, I had to go out and get Boogie's since I didn't know if we would be home or not for Halloween.

Well! Thanks, heartmom, for the recommendation on how to prepare brussel sprouts! Jack-K, think we would like them better this way? Heartmom, does it take that bitter taste away? And what is "Tony's"?

hmmm... don't know. They definetly taste better, cause my kids will eat them this way. Tony's is a seasoning. The regular version comes in a green bottle/can and the one I use(salt-free) comes in a white can. It's in the seasonings isle at Walmart near the salt. If you don't like cabbage then chances are you won't like brussel sprouts.

Heartmom, thanks for the scoop on Tony's. I'll have to look for it. Oh, and I LOVE cabbage. To me, cabbage doesn't taste anything like brussel sprouts but maybe it's just my taste buds.

LKF, They say anything with cheese covers the taste. Guess we will have t try it.

Heartmom, So glad Boogie will be up to going out. I hope they have fun.

I'll take pics of them Halloween and post a couple- plus I need to get the 4 rolls of film developed I took while in Philly.

Here's my TUESDAY TIP!!!!


Dear Family and Friends: I thought there were some great ideas here.
See what you think. I thought they were clever and maybe they would stop
all
> the mail and unwanted phone call solicitations.
>>
> I suppose some degree of commerce would grind to a halt if telephone
> solicitors weren't able to call people at home during dinner hour. But
that doesn't make it any more pleasant.
>
> Now Steve Rubenstein, a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, has
proposed
> "Three Little Words" based on his brief experience in a telemarketing
> operation that would stop the nuisance for all time. The three little
words
> are "Hold On, Please." Saying this while putting down your phone and
walking
> off instead of hanging up immediately would make each telemarketing call
so time-consuming that boiler rooms would grind to a halt.

> When you eventually hear the phone company's beep-beep-beep tone, you
know it's time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently
> completed its task. This might be one of those articles you'll want to
> e-mail to your friends. Three little words that eliminate telephone
> soliciting.
>
> GOOD IDEAS:
>
> When you get ads in your phone or utility bill, include them with the
> payment let the companies throw them away.

> When you get those pre-approved letters in the mail for everything from
> credit cards to 2nd mortgages and junk like that, most of them come with
> postage paid return envelopes, right?
>
Now this is GREAT!! I didn't think of this!!!

> Well, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these
> cool little envelopes!

> Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express. Send the
> pizza coupon to Citibank.
>
> If you didn't get anything else that day then just send them their
> application back! If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your
name isn't on anything you send them. You can send it back empty if you
want
to just to keep them guessing!
> Eventually, the banks and credit card companies will begin getting their
> junk back in the mail. Let's let them know what it's like to get junk
mail, and the best of it is that they're paying for it! Twice!
>>
> Let's help keep our postal service busy since they say e-mail is cutting
> into their business, and that's why they need to increase postage again!
>
BOB

EVENING EVERY BUDDY!!! :wave:

BOB had a GOOD DAY AT WEIGHT WATCHER'S :jig:

Not only did I lose the 2 lbs that I put back on last week, I went down another .4 of a lb! IF I hadn't gained last week, I would have been at a 15 lbs loss for the month....my GRAND TOTAL FOR THE MONTH...... 11.8 lbs!!!!! I'll take it....hands down...:bravo: :cp:

For all that have asked...My Mom continues to improve and still is adamant about staying until she can walk out of there. Her good attitude about her therapy is still hanging in there.. She got her first shower today and when I got there...she was feeling quite frisky!

Slept better last night..but not as sound as I would like to have.
Maybe my body is trying to start adjusting to less sleep...when I'm not as heavy, I'm asleep no later than midnight and up with the chickens...I find I'm so sluggish when I gain weight...so what have I done????? I've gone and confused my body clock!!!!

I'm off to get some work done before my TV starts!!!! I'm thinking about all of you....just don't have the time right now to direct those thoughts individually!!! ;)

BOB

It's 9:56 pm. and no one is in chat. :( Did anyone show up?

Here it is 2:30 and Typhoid Monet can't sleep. At least I started out the night in a normal position, and will hopefully continue that in a few. I think my body has just decided it deserves a chicken noodle soup break at 2 am now....see how easy it is to establish a bad habit? Why aren't good habits this easy???

I have about decided that one of my medications is messing with my mind. To try and get it figured out, I am going to stop taking three of them tomorrow and see if my head clears and I stop having weird dreams and waking up feeling paranoid.

Ok, time to try the bed again....nightie night!

HEARTMOM- Good to see you back and that Boogie is doing well!

MONET- You poor dear. Try to get some sleep woman!

Thanks for the prayers for my son. We head to the doctor's office this morning. I will keep you posted.

DEBELLI- Oh yes! An American in the Edmonton Mall gets everything HALF PRICE with the exchange...that is awesome! I am not even doing Atkins, I am doing something even more ridiculous. I am simply eating just protein. I know it is bad, but it is working and I need it to get to goal. Once there then I will add carbs back slowly until I am finally doing SB again to maintain.

ZANNE- Thanks for the tip. I want to join but you can't through the website. Do you know where that banner is? That is the only way they let you join.

Happy WIW Gang! :wave:

Hope the scale is good to everyone today. For me it is finally down 2 pounds: dance: after 3 weeks of staying the same. I have quit buying the SF ice cream and the only between meal snack is fruit and I eat nothing after dinner. Last nite around 10 we were watching TV in bed and I told DH that I was starving. He said I don't know what to tell you. So I just went to sleep. This morning, I was really hungry. Don't know why I was so hungry. We had fajitas for dinner and even though I hated eating the ww tortilla in the evening I did. But all night I kept wanting something sweet. Like a cookie. I got some tea but it never satisfied the craving. So off to bed I went.

Didn't make it to chat last nite (apparently neither did anyone else). We had disconnect the computer so we could get our carpet re-laid and I didn't feel like fooling with it last nite.


Bob, :bravo: for you. 11.8 in a month is fantastic. Keep up the good work. Glad your mom is doing so well. Attitude is 90% of recovery. Thanks for those tips. Good ideas.

Gator, I couldn't make it to chat. Our computer was disconnected due to getting our carpet re-laid and I just didn't have the energy to go down and hook it all up. Sorry no one was there.

Monet, be careful stopping some of yur meds you might need them to recover. Yu might want to chec with your Dr or pharmacist first. Feel better.

Gracious, Sending prayers for your DS Dr visit. Keep us posted.

Hope we see lots of losses today. Good luck. :lucky:

Jackie
257/163:)/145
10-10-01

BOB, congratulations for your fabulous weight loss!!! You have done SO WELL this month! Could it be that having to run around taking care of your mom might have run off some of the pounds? I am so glad she is doing well.

Jackie, I am so proud of you, too! See, you were so upset that the scale hadn't moved...it was just saving up for this week! Honestly, if we keep at this WOE, it's gotta come off -- but sometimes, it takes its time. I think it's a good idea to cut out the sf ice cream for now -- too tempting. I think the more we can curb our desires for sweets, the better. According to Montignac, you can't fool the body -- if you put something in your body that has artificial sweetener of any kind in it, he says the body "prepares" for it as if it is the real thing and excretes the insulin anyway! If that's true, laying off all things even resembling sweet would be the thing to do. He sure has some revolutionary ideas!

Gracious, we're all anxious to hear how your DS does at the doctor so let us know when you get back...meanwhile, all of you feel our prayers.

Hello all! I am so far behind reading posts. Please forgive me. I had a mini vacation at my mom's. We stayed up late...ate too much and just had a blast. A friend came over Sunday night and we had a few drinks..first time in about 6 or 7 years. Which is why I'm sure the scales are up 2 pounds this week. Better than the 4 they were the other day...LOL But you know what..for me it was worth it. We had gumbo...I did at least have it over brown rice...and only a table spoon of potato salad. These are dishes from my childhood. There was no way I was gonna talk moma into using WW flour in the roux...:) But since then it's been back on track. I NEED to walk. It's been about 2 weeks. After 8 days of rain the run finally came back out yesterday. So hopefully the road is dry enough I can walk this afternoon.

Have a GREAT day! Be encouraged...be blessed...and know you are loved.

Love,
Crystle

235/154/140

Country, good attitude about what you've done with eating and drinking with family and friends -- you did it, you are glad, now you're back on track...and look where you've come from! You're only 14 pounds from goal!!! Wow! Can't wait until I am in your shoes!

An OK WIW for me. Still at 154 but I've been OP for the last 10 days so I know it will come on down. Had a great time on the field trip yesterday. Went by and picked up my mom and met the kids at the park. My sister and BIL and their two kids still at home met us at the park. Mini family reunion. Fall Festival at church tonight.:eek: I am not going to touch any of the candy tho.:nono:

MONET: Sorry you're still not feeling better. You're in our prayers.

BOB: WTG! You've done great this month. :cb:

It's going to be a wild and wooly day here at school. The halls are decorated for Halloween and the kids are hyper. I'll try to check in later. Hope y'all have a good day.

You're right, music teach, it WILL come off if you stay OP...and good for you being determined not to touch the candy at the Fall Festival -- you didn't, huh? VICTORY! Glad you enjoyed the mini reunion.

Well, Same weight, different week. Oh well! It is better than a gain.

I'm making a new commitment to post more often than I have been. I've been staying away from the board, mostly because of things going on in my life that I've let get me down. However, I know that "hanging" out with my friends on the board not only helps me feel better emotionally, but also gives me the support and encouragement to keep on with this WOE. From now on I will post more often, even if it is just to say hi. So, please help me remember I said that, if I should forget again.

Guess everybody was busy last night. I went to chat at 9:20 and waited until 9:45, but no one ever made it.

heartmom - It is great to hear that Boogie is doing well and to see you back on the board. Can't wait to see some Halloween pics of the kids. I've never liked brussel sprouts but I'll have to try the way you prepare them. They sound edible that way.

Jackie - Great on another 2 lbs. You must be one fabulous looking babe in a size 8 pants. I hope you will want to post a picture for us too see in the near future. You just keep on inspiring me with your success!

Monet - so sorry to read that you are sick. I'm sure your DH is glad to know that he is the only one you've been kissing. Sending you get well wishes and hugs!

Deb - I'm so happy for you being closer to your cushion weight. WTG! You asked what is new with me? Before this week, my answer would have been nothing, however, things do change quickly. My ex-2-b has been asked to resign from his job as of this week, so that is a concern you can relate to. Also, I was planning on moving out my 17 y/o, Joel, next week when he
turns 18. As it turns out, I will have to give him a reprieve. He needs surgery next week. He has a severely pinched nerve in his left elbow. The insurance won't cover him after he is 18, so the doctors are working quickly to get it done. Guess I can't kick him out until after he recuperates from that. Things just never go like we want them to it seems!

BOB - congrats on your fabulous loss of 11.8!

Sorry I can't post more right now, but I have to leave for a doctors appointment. I will pick up where I left off when I get home.

Take Care,
Wendy

Good Weigh In Wednesday Morning Everyone!:wave:

Just got in from my 4.5 mile walk. Thought I could do some jogging and tried, but just didn't have it in me. It's 91 degrees out there already!:flame: Doesn't Mother Nature know it's suppose to be fall and a little cooler? Was tired too, once again I woke up, 3am this time, and didn't go back to sleep til after 5am, then up before 6am to get ready to get the kids to bed.

So, who do I find up and watching TV with lights on in the house at that time-no other than COFFEE MAN!!! Unfortunately, during his day off, he had to go to work and since he so loveeessss his job, he stayed even longer! Gawd forbid he should come home at a decent hour. One of his shift supervisors called and couldn't come to work because her sister went in to labor and she had to watch her nephew, so of course, we have to rush home, during rush hour from up in Broward so he could work her shift AND THEN SOME! I swear, when the man dies, if I don't go before him, I'm burying him with coffee beans in his casket!

We did have a nice day until that point. Stopped at WHOLE FOODS for a few things, went to lunch at OLE OLE, went to the produce market and got a few items there and then went to the movies to see SWEET HOME ALABAMA, it was cute.

Okay, so I'm happy:goodvibes: to report that I'm at 126 today.:cloud9: Actually, I was a tad below, but I'm making it 126. That gives me a loss of 4lbs since last WIW. Geez, it sure it amazing waht I can do when I set my mind to it! I haven't let one little thing deter me, I have been so focused, just as when I was went I started SB over 2 1/2 years ago. Like a rejuvination!

I'm sorry I wasn't able to get to chat last night. Michael was on the computer when I got home and Lauren was on the main line so I had no way of getting on. Since there was absolutely nothing on the boob tube, I went to sleep at 9pm, and thank goodness I did, considering my sleeping patterns as of late.

Tonight is Michael's pinning ceremony. Have to get dressed up for that. I am NOT going to even touch any of the food there, nothing. I'm doing too good to screw it up now!

LKF, I wouldn't worry about cooking in a crock pot and the length of time, it's really what you are cooking. Remember, the GI is just a tool and isn't the only factor. Yes, cooking does raise the GI of some foods as well as the more ripe a fruit is can raise it's GI, like bananas, but remember, unless you are eating a high GI food by itself, you really don't have much to worry about, esp. at the low temp it cooks on. This is just my thought as I don't think there's been any experiments or tests done on this. There is no rating for meats, so don't let it bother you.

TONI, if no one is eating that cake, give it away, throw it away, don't let it sit there. Good going on the TM and now the weights. Keep up the great work!

SEF, you had me running back to re-read my post. Oops, what did I say that sounded like a defeatist attitude, gosh only knows! :shrug: Hope you got a little rest and didn't do too much yesterday. Do you think there is any way you could come down in Jan to Orlando for the get together?

HEART, chocolate is my weakness as well, but this will be my 3rd Halloween on SB and I haven't indulged in any Halloween candy, though before I got back on the ball this month I did have some peanut MnM's:^: I'm sure you'll be fine. Just think, another pound or so and you'll be under the 215 mark, you don't want to go in the other direction. {{{HUGS}}} to you and BOOGIE! Hope all improves daily for him, keep us informed.

JACKK, CONGRATS on your 2lb loss this week! The changes you've made seem to have gotten you back to losing. Keep up the great work! I do eat between meals, if I'm hungry, I eat. I don't find that bothers my losing and thank goodness. I fill up fast but get hungry again fast, guess it's due to the stomach stapling of long ago. Brussel sprouts, that's true fart food if I eat it! I'll eat them if given at a restaurant, I tried making them recently, but once again, my culinary efforts sucked!

BOB, CONGRATS on your loss this week girlfriend-you rock! Keep up the great work! I've seen some of those tips and some I hadn't-going to try the phone one next time-that's a hoot! Glad to hear DM is doing better. Feeling frisky is she-hope she doesn't grab any of the male orderlies there! LOL!!

MONET, geez, if I knew you were up in the middle of the night, I would of called to chat! :lol: LOL! Seems sick or not, quite a few of us are having sleeping trouble. Gosh knows I can't let this continue! I need my beauty rest! How are you feeling today?

GRACIOUS, ONLY protein? I don't know about that, what good is it to get to goal so fast? What's your hurry? It seems those numbers are more important than your health and what you may be doing to yourself trying to get to your goal weight so quickly. Just be careful you don't have a reprecussions from doing this.

COUNTRY, sounds like you did have a wonderful time! Sounds like you had some delicious foods and good for you for not feeling guilty, as you said, this was something you hadn't done in years and now you are back on track. You're getting so close to your goal weight, any plans when you hit it?

SERENE, as you said, staying the same is better than a gain and still deserves praise! Oh yes, I can relate to the job trouble with the ex-2-b, as the kids Dad did indeed lose his job. Maybe I should trek over to the welfare dept?!? Boy, Joel sure knows how to keep his foot in the door. So after the surgery and recuperating, does he know his foot and the rest of his body is leaving? You're right, it's always something!!!

Well, it's about time that I close this up. I have lots of housework to do today:fr: Michael wants to have a party for a friend at our house on Saturday-need I say more???

Will check in later today.

Have a wonderful day!!!

:queen: Debbie
194/126:/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Just in case SOLSHINE shows up on the board....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONYA!!!!

http://members.aol.com/eldemila/birthday_bear.jpg

Deb, you are just doing so well with your weight! Those three pounds below goal should be good padding for some flexibility. Congratulations on such determination -- what an inspiration you are to us all!!!

And thanks for the recommendations about the crock pot. I needed to hear that from all of you, especially you, one who has been with this plan for quite some time. I love that crock pot and am glad I can still use it.

Is DH in coffee? What does he do? Such a devoted worker he is! Maybe a little too much?

IS YOUR COLON YOUR BEST FRIEND OR YOUR WORST ENEMY?


About your colon...... What is a colon and why is a healthy colon so important? This is a question a lot of us have started asking ourselves. The colon is the last 5 feet of our digestive tract or large intestine. It’s a hollow tube-like organ made up of muscle structure that moves waste along by its wave-like motion, known as peristalsis. The primary functions of the colon is to absorb water, electrolytes, and minerals, as well as preparing fecal waste prior to elimination. The colon, along with the skin, kidneys, lungs, and liver, are the major organs of elimination of toxins and waste. The skin is the largest elimination organ. If bowel movements aren’t regular, the waste products and toxins accumulate and can compromise our health.

The average person carries several pounds of dried fecal matter impacted in the colon as a result of eating flour, fat, meat, dairy products, sugar, alcohol and preservatives. Average food transit time in a healthy colon is 18-24 hours. Some individuals have bowel movements as infrequent as every 2-7 days! Even once a day may indicate constipation.

A healthy elimination should be within 1-2 hours after eating. If you are eating 3-5 times a day, your bowel should move accordingly. Bowel movements once a day, or every 2-3 days are considered normal in America, but are insufficient to maintain good health. Foul- smelling stools, gas, and a darkened stool also can be danger signs. A dark stool is caused by a longer transit time in your system with residue lying in your colon for more than 12 hours. The result is that the colon
will distribute the poisons into your bloodstream and every organ in your body., which is called toxemia or autointoxication.

Imagine a kitchen sink stopper, when the basket is clean, water quickly drains. After a messy load of dishes, it is filled with food particles. Water still drains, but much slower. Imagine a stopper
uncleanedfor more than 20 years! The food particles would be hard and encrusted, bacteria ridden and foul smelling. Little water could get through. It is the same with the colon, fewer than two bowel movements daily means food residues are fermenting and putrefying in the colon, increasing the likelihood that pathogenic bacteria and toxins are entering the bloodstream, and poisoning our body just as mentioned earlier this process is autointoxication.

Over $400 million is spend annually on laxatives in the U.S. Laxatives weaken the colon muscles, which create dependency. Every year, 140,000 Americans are diagnosed as having colon rectal
cancer, which is the #2 killer after heart disease. At least 2 million suffer from colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis. Periodic colon cleansing could help to prevent stagnation and minimize
cancer risks.

Three habits that work against mother nature:

1) Eating refined and processed foods that don’t provide quality energy to our cellular structure.

2) Neglecting to stop everything we are doing to answer the call of nature.

3) Not drinking enough water. We should drink water equaling half our weight in ounces daily, one-half-hour before meals or two hours after eating not during meals. Drinking during meals dilutes the digestive juices needed to break food down for proper digestion and absorption.

Eeeeeeooooooooooooooh, Debbie!

Since many of us have had some trouble sleeping lately, thought this article was good to post.

Sleep Better Without Pills

Insomnia is the new epidemic of the 21st century. In today’s overdriving, overproducing, pedal-to-the-metal, Starbucks-fueled society, insomnia is a symptom of life out of balance. Our ancestors rose with the sun and slept with the stars. None of them ever dreamed of doing exercise, because strenuous physical activity was a part of their everyday life. Ever since the days of Thomas Edison we have steadily lengthened our days and shortened our nights just to keep pace with the modern world. The advent of cell phones, email, laptops, palm pilots and red-eye flights have only compounded and magnified the problem in an exponential fashion over the past decade.

Of course it’s great to be productive, but this hectic pace has not come without a price. Rates of obesity, diabetes, cancer and autoimmune diseases are all at the highest levels ever in history. And yet drug companies are actively researching medications that would allow us to do without sleep altogether, or at least to minimize our sleep requirements. For now we can only guess what the health effects of such a pill would be.

Even now, Americans are grasping at anything that might help them sleep soundly. Americans currently spend $2.4 billion on prescription sleeping pills and hundreds of millions of dollars on nonprescription remedies such as melatonin and others. These pills and remedies would be acceptable if they were safe and effective, but unfortunately they are neither.

Regular use of sleeping pills has been associated with higher death rates for a number of reasons. People taking a sleeping pill daily were much more likely to commit suicide than non-users. Also, sleeping pill users have been shown to have much higher rates of hip fracture and other fractures (from falling after getting up at night while under the influence of these drugs). Death rates from common ailments such as heart disease, cancer and stroke may also be higher in regular sleeping pill users. The sleeping pills, of course, may not have been the cause of these deaths, but people who regularly use sleeping pill are in a higher risk category for death.

Aside from the health and safety issues, regular use of sleeping pills is also not an effective way of improving sleep. All of the sleeping remedies have the same problem – tolerance. That is, when these pills are used on a regular basis, they lose their effectiveness – they stop putting someone to sleep or fail to keep them asleep after just a few nights of regular use. It’s a very similar process to the tolerance that develops quickly to alcohol – after just a few nights of drinking it becomes much harder to get drunk. The same occurs with sleeping pills.

The temptation is then to increase the dose of the sleeping pill in order to get the desired effect – people often find they need a second pill or they won’t fall asleep. This leads to the dangerous but well-known cycle of dependency, tolerance, addiction and withdrawal. The phenomenon of tolerance is not restricted to one or two different sleeping pills, but to these drugs as a class. All of the prescription sleeping pills (known as the sedative hypnotic class) exhibit the same problem with tolerance. This includes common prescription sleeping pills such as Ambien, Sonata, Restoril, Xanax, Ativan, Halcion, Serax and others.

Side effects of these medications include drowsiness, memory loss, dizziness, loss of balance, depression, confusion, liver dysfunction, reduced sex drive and even insomnia! Insomnia itself is a side effect of regular use of sleeping pills. Why? Because once the effect of the sleeping pill wears off in the middle of the night, then the process of withdrawal begins – this withdrawal causes arousal, which wakes us up. At that point there are only two options – lay awake, or take another sleeping pill, which aggravates the cycle of dependency, tolerance and addiction.

So is there a solution to this dilemma?

Of course. For starters, don’t get caught up in the unsafe and ineffective habit of using sleeping pills on a regular basis. If you have been prescribed a sleeping pill, it’s best to use it seldom if at all to avoid tolerance and dependency. Next, you should reprogram your sleep habits.

As surprising as it may seem, sleep is largely a learned behavior. Our sleep habits are conditioned, very similar to Pavlov’s dogs. Our bodies learn the pattern of our sleep and then “practice” that pattern each night. In order to restore normal sleep patterns, we need to retrain our bodies to learn new habits. As with learning anything new, practice makes perfect. It takes a diligent effort to retrain our bodies to sleep well again.

Here are ten steps to help retrain your sleep patterns:

1. Maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. This begins to teach your body the timing of sleep and arousal. Try not to deviate by staying up too late every few nights and sleeping in late on weekends. Don’t nap during the daytime if possible; this disrupts your body’s internal clock.

2. Don’t read, write, watch TV or talk on the phone in bed. The goal here is for your body to learn that your bed means sleep, not staying awake doing something else.

3. Keep your bedroom absolutely dark. Research suggests that even tiny amounts of light (such as from a nightlight, or a crack of light through a door) may be enough to disrupt chemical signals in the brain such as melatonin that regulate sleep.

4. Turn your clock away from your bed. If you do wake up during the night, you shouldn’t find yourself staring at your clock. This only causes arousal, which will make it more difficult to fall back asleep.

5. Practice a ritual relaxation technique. Before going to sleep, practice a simple relaxation technique. Begin by briefly writing down anything on your mind at bedtime so you can clear these thoughts and concentrate on sleep. Practice a brief relaxation exercise, whether this is a short meditation, listening to calming music, doing a stretching or breathing exercise, praying or reading (not in bed). You could also take a hot bath with soothing essential oils or have a cup of warm herbal tea. Once in bed, begin by relaxing each body part from your toes up to your face in a sequential fashion until all of your muscles feel fully and completely relaxed. Don’t forget your shoulders and face (where tension often resides).

6. Exercise regularly during the day. Regular exercise has a number of beneficial effects. Exercise certainly makes you more tired when you go to bed. But exercise also lowers levels of stimulatory hormones including adrenaline and cortisol, and exercise also helps to improve melatonin levels. Melatonin is one of the hormones made in our brain (by the pineal gland), which helps to keep our bodies’ internal clock. Try to exercise in the morning or afternoon, rather than in the evening right before bed, when exercise can be stimulating.

7. Avoid stimulants after noontime. Stimulants such as caffeine in coffee (even decaf), tea, soft drinks, or over-the-counter medications (Excedrin & others) can disrupt your normal sleep-wake cycle.

8. Limit or eliminate alcohol. Alcohol has an identical effect to sleeping pills, that is, it also causes tolerance, dependency, addiction and withdrawal. Although that glass of wine seems to relax you and make you a little groggy, it is also the thing that’s waking you up at 3 AM when the effects wear off and your body arouses from withdrawal from the alcohol.

9. Eat calming foods at dinner. Calming foods include some form of carbohydrate that temporarily boosts the brain levels of serotonin, a brain chemical involved with sleep. If you’ve been cutting down on carbs to reduce appetite or lose weight, dinner is the best time to re-introduce some carbohydrates to help with sleep.

10. If you do wake up, try and stay in bed until you fall back asleep. Getting out of bed only reinforces unwanted habits; so if you do wake up, don’t get upset. Just relax your body again from the toes up and drift back off to sleep.

Because there are several health conditions that can cause insomnia, it’s important to tell your doctor about your sleeping habits. Your doctor will be able to rule out serious causes of insomnia such as sleep apnea, hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, mood disorders (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or others), restless leg syndrome or other medical conditions that might require specific therapy. You can still follow the ten steps above, but for better sleep for a lifetime, avoid the sleeping pills!

Kids are busy doing a disaster drill so I've got a few minutes to check in....

DEB: I agree with LKF-YUCK! I'm one of those many people who suffers from diverticulitis tho. I do much better on this WOE and when I take a daily fiber supplement. I have not been taking the fiber the last few weeks tho. I ran out and just never could remember to get more. After reading that tho, I'm heading out at lunch to stock up again.

Goal...what am I going to do? You know..goal seems so far away. The last 10 months have been so slow loosing. At this pace I still have a year to think about getting there..or more. *smile* But seriously, I would like a pair of cruel girl jeans. That is something special I would like to treat myself with. And of course I have a food treat in mind also...boudin...with a few crackers. One of my very favorite things that I haven't even tasted in the last 18 months.

LKF..I love my crockpot. I didn't really start using it till about 3 years ago when we moved out here and the stove wasn't hooked up yet. But I can't think of an easier way to get meat tender and tasty without heating up the whole house. And trust me. Here in Texas most of the time I have no desire to heat up this house. Except maybe this morning...there is a slight chill in the air...burrr. :)

Deb...sorry that you still aren't resting well. You are doing soooo good with walking/jogging even when you don't feel like it. Boy is it hot where you live...I KNOW how hard the heat makes it. Keep up the good work. 4 pounds in one week is an awesome weight loss...especially this close to your goal. It's so much harder the lower you go.


Serene...(((((HUGZZ))))) Glad you are back posting so we can send some love and support your way. Hang in there woman..this too will pass...he'll be healed and on his way.

Jack-K...forgot to say congratulations on the 8's!!! Woo Hoo! I know that has to feel good. Don't look bad either. :)

Gotta run, the monkeys are getting up from their school. Always testing..gotta love em.

Love,
Crystle

Country, you'll get there...I know it feels slow. So many of us have experienced that but stay faithful to the program and it has to budge! Those jeans sound perfect for something to look forward to, even if it is a year away. That's at least where I am! It will take me at least a year, and probably a year and a half to get to goal. But I'm in this for the long haul (LIFE), so however long it wants to take, let's just enjoy the process. What more fun could we have than enjoying all our friends to encourage us here? Debbie must feel that way -- she's at goal and still with us strong!

Oh, and thanks for the words on the crock pot. I love mine, too, and am so glad it's O.K. to use with this eating plan.

YUK!!!!!!!


THANKS A LOT DEBBIE!!!!! I was finishing up my breakfast when you decided to give me a visual of DRIED FECAL MATTER!!!!

BOB

Good morning all. I'm doing the happy dance cause I lost 1 pound. I know its not a great big loss but as long as I keep going steady I'm pleased with it. Having my starchy carbs at breakfast if possible. It seems to be working pretty well for me. Walking on my treadmill everyday too. Had a doctor's app. yesterday and the doctor is really pleased. I've lost 51 lbs. and have 32 to go. Slow but sure.

Monet-Hope you were able to get back to sleep and are now resting. The medicine could sure be causeing you problems. Ut oh you might have to change to chicken broth instead of chicken noodle. But when you're recovering your body is under stress and needs a few extras.

gracious-How close are you till your goal?

Jack-K- Jumping up and down for you!!!!! Congradulations on your loss, I know you needed this boost too.... And good for you not getting out of bed and eating last night. Bet you craved sugar cause of the ww shells with the fatijas.

CountryMom- Good for you having such a great time with your Mom. Theres to few of those in life when we get older. Glad you're back on track and going strong. Next week should knock those lbs. back off especially if you can walk some.

music- Hope you survive the week all in one piece!!! Ooooo eeee kids on candy!!! Great that you're OP and bet next week you really drop... What a nice little family reunion you had...Makes a nice fall break..

Serene-Its so good you're posting again. Wondered where you were. And it sure does help to come here and hang out a bit. We're all pulling for you. The weight will sure come off and please try not to get discouraged about it. Now don't you forget!!!!!! Hope your doc. app. goes well.

Debelli- Its like 46 here this morning. Damp and cool. We have our wood stove going. Its so hard to imagine 91 degrees this time of the year. But I'll dream of that when its snowing here. Its probably making your sleepless nights. Really sounds like you had a pretty good day yesterday. Its hard on "them" wives with worker bee husbands. Lucky you going out for lunch. It sounds like such a treat. Wow and wow on your weight girl!!! You are doing it. Congradulations!!!! I'm so looking forward to being at goal some day and hopefully under it.

LKF- Okay now gal give up some idea's for the crockpot. I forget to use mine.

Time to go cook breakfast... Everyone have a great day..

213/162/130

Bob- Opps missed your post and sure want to say congradulations on doing so good. When you set your mind to it you are one strong determined lady... So glad your Mom is doing well.

Heartmom- So glad to see you're here. Missed your posts.

Just catching up a little. Our DSL line keeps going out so thought I had better post this while I can.

LKF, I really want to read that book. I will get it after our trip or after the holidays. How did you do today?

Country, don't worry, those 2 lbs will be gone soon now that you are back on track. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. Glad you have fun at your moms.

Music, Hang in there, I had to wait 3 weeks for the scale to move. It will eventually. Patience!

Serene, Keep OP and that number will budge. I had to wait 3 weeks. It's tough I know. My heart goes out to you. That must be so hard dealing with your DS. Sometimes it takes tough love to solve the problems. Hope the surgery goes well and he recovers quickly. Keep on the board, we are hear for you, not only your weight loss issues but all others as well. That's what friends are for.

Deb, What a bummer about Eli having to go in to work. At least it sounds like you had almost a full day of fun. WTG on the 4 lbs. :cb: It is possible you are focused. It's great that you have that rejuvenation back. It really helps. What a yucky article. I was going to eat an apple, but not now. LOL. Man I'm in some big trouble according to that article.

Country, Those last few pounds seem to take forever. Just hang in there. You'll get there before you know it. :flow1:

Toni, Wow 51 lbs is awesome. You were supposed to wait for me. I just got to where you were. Just kidding. I'm happy that you lost a pound.:dance: We're hanging in there together. You're probably right about that craving being due to the shells. I'll be in trouble tonight too cause I'm having pita pizzas. But I have a busy night so I should be ok.

Saa ya later

Jackie

Toni, are you kidding?! Anything you would do with the conventional oven, you can do with the crock pot! For starters, how about getting a nice lean piece of round steak (cut it into serving sizes and dredge it in a couple of tablespoons of ww flour)...beneath the steak, add a can of mushroom pieces, a whole stalk of celery cut up, and a cup of beef bouillon. Start her cooking for 8-10 hours and when you get home, YUM!

Another idea is to go to WalMart to that little book rack usually up front and look for a book called "Fix It and Forget It" -- it is nothing but crock pot recipes to die for!

Jackie, I weigh Friday, 11/1. Sorry I couldn't weigh in with y'all today but I'll let you know how I did for October weight loss after I weigh the the first. Thanks for asking!

LKF, I forgot you only weigh once a month (you are smart). I'll keep my fingers crossed for you to have a great loss.

Jackie

Jackie, I'm counting on you and thanks A MILLION. What a great friend!

It's tempting to weigh more often. I actually had to move the scales to the basement guest room closet to keep them inconvenient! It worked!

Hey All:wave:

Going to get ready to go get the kids from school. Have a few minutes to post before I go. I doubt I'll be back on any time later today.

Got a few things accomplished in the house, but not all. Will work on things tomorrow morning, have no plans to do much, if anything. Need to focus on the house a bit more. The dining room would be done if we didn't have all this stuff in it. ELI uses the table as a desk, so there's stuff all over, toys for the upcoming toy drive, just lots of stuff. Can't wait til it's all cleared out. I have a decent size house but it seems not enough room to store all the stuff I have in it - isn't that the same with everyon???

LKF, yes, ELI is definitely in to coffee, he manages a STARBUCKS You can see, he loves his job (yes, maybe too much!). A little grossed out I take it, from my colon article - remember, as I always say, this is a learning experinece! Good luck to you on WIF!:D

MUSIC, maybe yuck, but it got you thinking...

COUNTRY, what's cruel girl jeans??? Also, what's boudin??

BOB, see, you could possibly lose a good 10lbs just getting your arse cleaned out! LOL!!!!

TONI, CONGRATS, another pound down the drain, WTG!:D Youre Dr. SHOULD be pleased, you're doing wonderful.. Keep up the great work! Don't you fret, you'll be at goal in not too long.

JACKK, if you learn anything from the article, than it served it's purpose, as gross as it may be. I wonder just how much "crap" is in me, that may be a few pound loss there! As I always say, whatever way you can get it, as long as it's healthy! Hey, apples are good for you, why wouldn't you eat it?

Okay, I'm outta here. When I get home, have to make the hummus to take with us tonight, get in the shower (actually going to blow dry the hair tonight-oye vey, the roots are shocking!:eek: ) Mom is coming with us, so she'll be here a little later. Not sure if Lauren is going, she has nothing appropriate to wear. Eli is meeting us there (let's see if he comes on time) and I think that's about it.

Will see you all tomorrow morning!

{{{HUGS}}} :grouphug:

Debbie
194/126/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Deb, I missed something! where are you going tonight? And what is hummus? Whatever you are doing, it sounds like a big deal...have fun. Tell DH I love Starbuck's coffee but I insist that he put his job in perspective and spend more time with you and the family! Enough already!

Let me see if I can explain Boudin...it is a mixture of rice..pork..liver..I think gizzards...spices..all stuffed into a casing. It's cajun and delicious. Kinda like a rice sausage. Now a days it's usually gummy but you can find a good one every now and then. We use to drive from NC to LA to visit my grand parents and get it from this one special store. Now we just get it in the grocery store.

Cruel Girl is a brand of western jeans. They have a very slim cut and you can get them in extra long. They make you look long and lean...I like the western jeans because I wear them snug and they hold it all in place...:)

Have a great day. I've got to try and make that hummus again sometime without using all the extra lemon...my stomach still crys when I think about it...ugh..LOL

Love,
Crystle

Well ,we are back from the doctor's and the *lump* burst. It has some long confusing name but it basically is not a big deal. One of the glands in the mouth got infected and filled up then burst. The lump left there should shrink but may leave a little bump. This condition often recurs he said but it is not a tragedy. I feel so much better now that I have that official word. Thank you again for the prayers. Isn't it amazing how Christ can unite complete strangers in such a thing as prayer?!

Boy, that's wonderful to hear, gracious! I'm so glad it was nothing serious. And you are right about prayer! Praying together changes us from being strangers to being best friends!

Just a quick WIW post and a howdy to everyone!

I did manage to get rid of that 3 pounds that I found last week. I've also noticed that a pair of pants I have on today seems a little looser. This is my 2nd week at Curves and my neighbor and I have been walking 3 miles about 4 times a week. I hope that all of that is going to kick start things going again.

Jack-K - Cruise advice from the veteran: Don't overpack. Everytime I say I'm not and I always do. When are you leaving? Email me if you like and I'll be happy to give you all kinds of little pointers. Cruising is my favorite thing!

Well, Seth did make the choir. They must have needed more boys, LOL!

Gotta run,

Trish

Glad everything is okay Gracious. That had to be very scary. Amen on the prayers.

Way to Go Trish!!!!!!!!!!! I am so proud of you. You are working so hard toward your goal.

Hey check it out ya'll...I actually got off my duff and out the door this afternoon. It was BEAUTIFUL out there. The mid 70's sun shining. Couldn't have asked for a nicer day. Jessie (my 9 year old) and I walked about 35 minutes. He tends to cheat a little but I think he makes up by having to run and catch up. You can't blame him though....what could be more tempting than a few zillion pools of water to slow a youngin' down. :) He made me a super salad last night that I didn't eat so I had it for lunch today..boy did it hit the spot.

Love,
Crystle

I'm Back from my appointment and got a fairly good report.My doctor was so pleased with the weight I have lost this year and went on and on about how wonderful I've done. My cholesterol is much better than it was 3 mos ago also. The LDL(bad cholesterol)and Triglycerides(fat in blood) are much lower,and the HDL (good cholesterol) is higher. She was also very pleased with this and wanted to know what I had been doing. Of course I told her that I had just been staying on the SB way of eating. She said it had worked better than any medicine would have to lower my cholesterol, and to keep on doing it. She was going to put me on medication if it wasn't lower this time, so I'm very relieved. She also changed my meds to Paxil, which I was hoping for, but had to increase my blood pressure medicine.It was 199/89, last time, and 149/83 today. Lower, but still not enough. It really felt nice to get so much praise from my doctor today, which only inspires me to keep with this WOE.I told her I would be below 200 when I see her again in 3 mos, so that is my new mini goal.

Deb - it is still pretty warm in N. Fla also. We are supposed to get some cooler weather this weekend, so maybe it will filter down to you soon. That is wonderful that you have lost 4 lbs since last WIW. Congratulations! I might have missed something,but what is Michael being pinned for tonight? Looks like Tranquil and I need to come visit soon and get Eli home to cook for us, huh? You can always call me if you are awake in the early morning hours. I'm one of those with sleep problems also. I have a prescription to take that is very strong, but non addictive. The only problem is that is makes me feel hung over the next morning and I don't like to take it.

Country - thanks for the hugs and encouragement. Yes, it is true that problems always pass - and then something else comes along. LOL Really, I am hanging in here OK. Boudin is a very interesting combination. Ya'll really eat some unique things there in Texas. =)

Toni - I think losing 51 lbs in a wonderful accomplishment. Nothing wrong with slow but sure, that is me also. Congratulations! I feel much more encouraged since my doctors apt. today, thanks!

Jackk - Thanks so much for your encouragement also. I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful group of supportive friends. It is very frustrating trying to deal with a 17 like mine. He is abusive, especially verbally and we've had physical confrontations also. He is hesitant at laying a hand on me now because he has been arrested for it before and knows I will hit back. I've let him know that he will still be going out the door after he is over the surgery.

LKF - The "Fix It and Forget It" books sounds like a good idea. Thanks! I will have to go look for it. I only live a mile from a Walmart - not always a good thing for me. LOL Hope your weigh in on Friday will be a happy one for you.

Tranquil - I know you are busy at work with the usual end of the month closings. It was nice to come by your office yesterday while the good looking computer guy was there. Ooh la la - he is a hot one! I'm sure Zach will do Ok with getting to school and home. He is a good kid with common sense and this will be a time of growing for him. You know I will be around to help if you need me.

Yeah, the week is almost over!

Wendy

Wendy, congratulations all over the place on your great doctor's report! I am so proud of you! What fabulous news and what incentive to keep on keeping on with this WOE! It's encouragement to us all! The authors of the SB book said this would happen and you are living proof! Thanks for the good wishes for Friday's weigh-in. Can't wait to let y'all know!

LKF - You are always so sweet and encouraging to everyone. Thank you! I will be looking for your good weight loss report on Friday morning.

Take Care!

WIW- I'm at 216 this morning. Boy, am I hoping it will say 215 in the morning. I can't wait until the scale says 199! What a victory that will be.

236/216/165-170

Can't complain about WIW I'm down 3 lbs this week. This week is a rough one, with dr. appts and such. Monet - hope your feeling better, Gracious-glad it's good news, Bob-good to hear your mom is doing bettet, HeartMom-hope your appt goes well today, Solshine-Happy B-day.

That's all I have the energy for....love ya' and hope to see you in a few days.

Lara
171/165.5/165 (almost there!)

Serene, you are a blessing to me, too! Thanks for the encouragement YOU give ME! I need all the encouragement I can get for this Friday so I'm especially grateful.

Wow, Heartmom! You've lost 20 pounds! And maybe it will be another pound down by tomorrow but just remember, if we do what we ought to with this eating plan, it will come off -- when it is ready to. So stay encouraged! I am a LONG wait from the 200's so you will certainly get there long before I do!

Idblond, CONGRATULATIONS on a 3-lb weight loss this week! Wow! That's a fabulous weight loss!!! And only a half pound to go? Oh, girl, you'll be there next week if not before!!!

Hi Gang!

Solshine, HAPPY BIRTHDAY if you are lurking. :hb: :gift: :hat:

Deb, I can't stand anything laying around the house. Md DD puts EVERYTHING on the kitchen table. I just pile it up in her place. Have fun tonite. Congrats to Michael.

Country, I bet you will look HOT:flame: in those jeans. You go girl. Yeah for you on the walking.

Gracious, So glad to hear the lump was no big deal. I know you are relieved.

Trish, I will email you. I have no idea what to take. I imagine with all that exercise you will be dropping the weight very quickly and more so the inches. Congrats on the the 3 lbs and the loose pANTS.

Fruit, Self & Melf. I heard on TV this morning another tornado touched down in LA. I hope not in any of your areas. Just checking on you.

Serene, WTG :cb: on your Dr's report. Maybe next visit you can get off the BP meds all together. Keep up the wonderful work. Prayers for you and your situation. You better leave that computer guy alone.

Heartmom, WTG on the 216. Before you know it it will be 199 and that is a wonderful feeling. Keep up the good work.

IDBlond, Congrats on the 3 lbs. It is coming down. :dance: Bet you get that 1/2 lb by next week :lucky:

I'm off to get my hair colored and trimmed. Got a lot to do before hand, dinner, walk, workout and fix lunches. Have to hustle.


Have a great Nite.

Jackie
257/163/145
10-10-01

Helloooooo!!

Sorry i haven't posted in a while. Been very busy, plus i went to the UT vs Bama game in Knoxville and that totally wiped me out!! WE SUCK!!! my hubby is very happy though!!

WIW--i'm still the same, haven't lost or gained which is good since i'm around all kinds of junk with the tailgating and stuff!
Glad to see everyone is okay!!---I'm here, just lurking--debyj:D

Hi, my name is Denise and I'm new to this board and would like to introduce myself. I live in Fort Lauderdale, FL, 39 YO and a single parent of 15 yo daughter.

My stats are: 175/165/140 5'6"
Busting since 9/1/02

Have been stalled for weeks....Not focusing on the scale anymore on a weekly basis. I've decided to only weigh in on a monthly basis on the 1st of each month. Therefore, I will let you know how I am doing on a monthly basis. I have been working out, lifting weights now since I've stalled which may be muscle building and water retention. I would rather maintain and get firm then lose and get flabby...Since this is a slow weight loss, it doesn't really make sense for me to weigh in every week. My goal now is to lose 2 pounds of weight a month. (That's 2 pounds of fat-not muscle and not water) Therefore, it will take me about a year to take off 20-25 pounds and be at my ideal weight. (Someone with more weight to lose could probably go for 4-5 pounds of fat a month) Anyway, that's more realistic to me and that's what I'm doing now. Trying to get at least 20-60 min of exercise everyday and eat healthy. It will come off in time...It took me 30 years to gain and keep all this fat on my body therefore it will take quite awhile of healthy eating to take it off. Since this is a Way of Life, I have to look at the long term and not the short term losses on a weekly basis. Anyway, the scale can really affect my mood and I want to concentrate more on transforming my body and not so much gauging my success on the scale anymore.

Anyway, with my new goals, I feel rejuvenated, happy, and sane again. I am forever grateful that I found this WOE and I will keep on truckin'....

LFK- It's been 20 pounds with SB. But close to a year and a half ago, I weighed 270 pounds. So I'm still counting like I've lost 50 something pounds,lol. Now I only have 45-50 to go. Not for sure if I should be 165 or 170? I'm tall, around 5'9" and have a large frame. Anyone know of where I could find out my ideal weight for my height and frame(online)?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOLSHINE!!!!! :hb: :cp: :gift: :hat: :chockiss:


BOB

Hi Everyone! WIW was pretty nice...I am down about 5 pounds from last week. I am not surprised, and I hope it stays gone, even when I move on to more interesting foods than chicken noodle soup!

I finally talked to the doctor. He and the pharmacist agreed that it was the steroids that are making me nutso. He gave me an anti- anxiety drug to use for two days until I am off the corticosteroids. Hopefully, this will do that trick. I was feeling really weird. I actually rode over to the store with my hubby to pick up the new prescription. It was nice to get out for a bit. I hope I did not over do it. I feel pretty tired, but that may be the anti anxiety drug starting to work too...

I actually slept about 3 or 4 hours in the recliner today, watching a movie. Well, I didn't watch the movie, but it was still a nice treat.

Monet--I had to take some steriods for bronchitis a while back and they made me nutso!! Very flighty and insomnia---BTW--
Debbie---good article on sleep and sleep hygeine--debyj(sleep technologist)

HiedieHo All!

Too busy to get on Board today. Hd to go for blood work, then went to chuch and did some work, then went to thrift shops looking to see what's available as I will be needing some pieces when my DD gets a house.

LKF: I love the crock pot. Usually do meats, chilies, sauces or soups. It's an easy meal. I tried a turkey breast and didn't like the way it turned out. Any tips?

HEART: Think you deserve a "don't wanna do anything day!" Will have to try brussels your way.

JACKK: Love brussels, family doesn't. I just like them boiled with salt. pepper and butter. I like the cooler weather. 40' isn't cold! Tornado was over Covington way, a good half hour from here. Just had heavy rain here and winds.

BOB: Glad to rad that Mom is doing so well. Give her credit for determination.

MONET: Amen on the habit thoughts. Continue to pray for recovery for you. I'd be careful about stopping meds, may not be the best idea.

GRACIOUS: Glad son is okay.

COUNTRY: Cheats can be fun, but I find it hard to get back on track.

SERENE: You are right. The friends we have here are such a source of comfort and advice. I am so glad I found this place. When it rains, it pours and our plans need to be changed. When things get down they have to go up sooner or later, so just wait, the sun will xome out tomorrow! How's that for old saws? At least doctor visit was good.

DEB: You said something about getting your ring a little big "in case you pile on the pounds", I think that's being a wee bit defeatist or pessimistic. I really don't think I can make the trip. Always our teacher, even about our colons. Thank you.

DENISE: Welcome. I have not been a fast loser and am satisfied. Nutritionist said slow is better and not to worry. You will this Board a big help. Lots of encouragement.

Okay have sat long enough!

Take care all, see you tomorrow!

Shirley sef

Its time for Monet's insomnia check in. But hey, listen to this! I got in bed, and fell asleep almost sitting up, and was so out of it when my hubby got home, I incorporated his getting into bed into a dream! But I felt so comfortable being there, I actually tossed off the extra pillows, and snuggled down and went back to sleep. All in all, I slept about 4 hours in bed before I woke at about 2, and couldn't sleep. I got up and have wandered, hoping that in a few, I can go back and snuggle back down and sleep some more. The anxiety drug helped a lot!

DEBJ: The doctor told me this was a common reaction..to feel anxious. Some people he said feel really up...now why couldn't that have been us, huh? :)

SEF: I did not quit any essential meds without talking to the doctor first. The anti viral was a crap shoot...there is no studies that show it is effective for mono anyway. The others, pain pills, and the sleeping pill I refused, are non essentials. I appreciate your mentioning it tho...I am usually very careful about meds!

Ok, I am getting sleepy again! Hope I can get a few more hours in .

Thank you so much everyone, for all your encouragement, and kind words. It means a lot....

I hope everyone stays away from that Halloween Candy today!!

IT'S HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE! THAT MEANS CANDY WILL BE EVERYWHERE SO BEWARE!!! Don't fall for it! Love feeling good and heading down the scale more than the temporary taste of that piece of candy and you'll do fine!

Good morning everyone!

Well, so far so good on the Halloween candy. I only bought stuff that I wasn't crazy about (no chocolate) so hopefully I can stay away from most of it. Of course, as I sit here typing, one of my co-workers just sat some candy on my desk. Yikes!!

Denise - Welcome. This is the greatest board. The support you get here is terrific! I agree, slow is the way to go. The most important thing is that you're embarking on a journey of a healthy lifestyle. Boy was that profound or what!

LKF - Just wanted to echo everyone else's sentiments about what a joy you are to have on this board. You are always so positive in your comments to everyone and it's obvious that you just love life! We're so glad you found us.

It got a little cooler here last night but the clouds are back. After 14 days of rainy yukky weather, we actually had 2 days of sunshine. Guess I had better get to work.

Have a good day everyone!

Trish

Happy Halloween:m: :chockiss:

Now let that be the only candy you get today! Everyone be strong tonight. No candy bar is worth a rise on the scale, a start of a big cheat. Think about your success. You don't want to have to take those pounds off again. It's not WORTH it.

Now that I have been on the :soap: , where is everyone? Sleepy heads today?

Realized last night that I wouldn't be able to walk with all the trick or treaters so I drug my lazy arse out at 5:20 and got my walk in. Actually I woke up at 4:00 and couldn't go back to sleep until around 5:00. Felt pretty good too. It was 45 and I ended up taking off my gloves and coat about a quarter into my walk. Very refreshing and now it's done. :dance:

Debyj, Glad you had fun at the game, even though UT lost. Jump back on here and you will feel better physically & mentally.

Denise, Welcome to our board. You will find supoort and friendship here. It is a great group of people. You have the right attitude and you should do fine. You exercising sounds great. We have a couple of people who only weight monthly. Myself, I only way weekly, but others tackle that monster every day. Again, Welcome and Good Luck. :lucky:

Heartmom, 50 lbs is awesome. :cp: Keep up the good work. Maybe you could go to WebMD and check in the weight topics for the height & wt chart.

Monet, Glad you got your meds adjusted and finally got some rest. That is the best thing for you.

Sef, GLad the tornado wasn't your way. Be careful and don't overdo again.


Have agreat Sugar Free day!

Jackie
257/163/145
10-10-01

This sounded good and pretty easy. For a crust I would either make one of grounds nuts and butter or just omit the crust all together.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Pumpkin Cheese Pie

Recipe By : Real Food for Real People
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts Diabetic
Fruits Pies


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces Lowfat Cream Cheese -- Softened
1 Egg -- or replacer
2 tablespoons Sugar -- or replacement
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Pumpkin, canned
2 Eggs -- or replacer
1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Pie Crust (9 inch) -- unbaked
1 cup Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons Sugar -- or replacement

For Cheese Layer:
Combine cream cheese, sugar or replacement, vanilla and 1 egg (or replacer)
in mixing bowl. Stir to mix well, spread in bottom of unbaked pie shell.

For Pie Layer:
Combine pumpkin, milk, 2 eggs (or replacer), sugar or replacement and spices
in a mixing bowl, beating to blend thoroughly. Carefully pour over cheese
layer.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 65 to 70 min or until knife inserted comes out
clean.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 275 Calories (kcal); 15g Total Fat; (49% calories from fat); 9g
Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 95mg Cholesterol; 400mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2
1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

@}~~>~~>~~~~~

*Note: Please forward this recipe post to as many people as you like. All I
ask is that you forward the entire message, and that you encourage the
recipient to subscribe. Thank you so much! Kaylin



Love,
Crystle

Trishaloo, thanks so much for your sweet words. I can't tell you how much I love being a part of the gang -- you can tell I enjoy us being together! Each of you are very important to me. I am so proud of you for buying candy for the trick-or-treaters tonight that you aren't tempted by! Brilliant idea! Now as for that piece a co-worker put on your desk, just get rid of it anywhere but to put it in your mouth! You'll be so proud you did!

My temptation will come when people begin to bring leftover candy from what the kids didn't get tonight to the break room I work beside here at work! They don't want it hanging around their houses tempting them so they bring it here!

Country, thanks a million for that pumpkin cheese pie recipe! I printed it out and will try it this weekend! YUM! Sounds delicious!

Good morning everyone and Happy Halloween..... Wow all that candy around.... I am a chocolate freak so if I don't have one piece I'll be fine. And my plan is not to even taste. We go to my niece's house and pass out candy while she takes her little girl out to trick or treat. We live way in the country and don't have kids come to our house, so its kind of fun to get out and see all the little ones.

Heartmom- Yep that 199 will be a great goal and you can do it.... Sure hope you can hit that 215 in the morning. You're doing so good with all the load you have to carry...So keep it up.... This is for you!!!

Idblond-Oh my gosh you are so close. What an inspiration you are...And what a great loss this week for you... Hope the rest of the week is a better one for you....

Jack-K- Hope your hair turned out to look great.... I get mine trimmed next Tues. Yea!!! Sounds like you have a busy day planned.

debyj- Glad to see you popping in. Yea for you staying the same. Sometimes that is great when we've been around allot of party foods.

Denise-Welcome aboard gal. Hope it goes well for you. Admire anyone that works out. This is a great board to be on with lots of support. And you're right SB is a great WOE.......

Monet-5 lbs. I'm doing the happy dance for you!!!! Way to go girl.. Glad you found out what was going on with the meds. They can sure make a mess of things while trying to help you. Glad you got some rest. Hopefully you can do a repeat of that recliner sleep today...

Sef- You sound like one busy gal. Hope your blood work turns out okay...

gracious-Howdy gal, hope you are doing okay.

LKF-Yep got to stay away from that candy.. Happy Halloween to you.

I'm off now...

213/162/130

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!!

I only have a minute to post, very busy today AND I'm back on the laptop computer-will explain later, you can't imagine the trouble I had with the desktop this morning.

Just wanted to take a moment and welcome
DENISE to the board now if I don't get on later today.
http://members.aol.com/eldemila/sb_sign4.jpg Glad you've decided to join us. I'm up your way usually twice a week! Glad to have another Floridian on the board. I'll write more to you later:D

Very tired today, didn't walk, just didn't have it in me. I shouldn't complain, poor Michael didn't sleep all night!:eek:

Will try to get on later today.

Hope all who have little ones going out Trick or Treating have a fun and safe time. Remember, STAY AWAY FROM THE CANDY!!!

HUGS:grouphug:

Debbie
194/126/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Hope everyone has a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

I sent my little one to school dressed like a scarecrow, because the entire Kindergarten was doing it... there's a contest, can't wait to see how he does :)

Well... I found out yesterday I have a mass the size of a LARGE grape just below my cervix (TMI... I know...LOL) and I'm going to have it removed and tested, but am waiting for them to call and tell me when my appointment will be! Everyone keep those fingers crossed for me and send up those prayers! :)

Well the scale is stuck at 177... it's been there for a few months! I was doing really well OP for about a week... and then when I didn't see the scale budge... I got discouraged and cheated... now I'm back to square one because there hasn't been a day this week that I have been completely OP! UGH!!!!! I need a good swift kick in the BUTT to get myself back in gear! I've already started today off badly... rice :^: BUT... it's never too late to get back on track... so I can start RIGHT NOW!
Candy and cupcakes are no problem to resist... I'll be fine tonight. Unless someone comes at me with some cheddar garlic mashed potatoes I'll be fine :) LOL

Well.. I'm off to prepare to face the wildness of 18 kindergarteners at a PARTY :) Gonna wear something dark colored and highly washable!! I'll post some pictures when I get them developed!!!

Have a Fantastic Day :) :wave:

LKF-Forgot to thank you for the oh so good sounding recipe for the crockpot....

Beth- Okay gal heres that good swift kick. Now back OP and here we go. I'm so sorry about your medical problems. I'll put a prayer up there for you... Hope your son wins the Halloween costume...

CountryMom- Wow the pumpkin cheesecake sounds so good... Thanks for the recipe..

Debilli- I'm on the laptop too. The modem is out in my computer and DH has sent for me one. Sure will be glad when its fixed.

Beth, feel my prayers for you about that mass you described. We will all be so anxious to hear that surgery is scheduled and pray that it is benign. Please keep us updated on this important need in your life.

Toni, glad to share it! Try it...and if you can find it, pick up that book at WalMart on crock pot cooking called "Fix It & Forget It." You'll love every recipe!

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome today! It's nice to find so many friendly people on this board...

Beth, I hope all turns out good for you on that mass they found.
I will add you to my prayers....

Can someone pls tell me what "OP" means? Thanks in advance.

My body fat % was down to 34% this am from 36% since I started in Sept. Yea!!!!

Denise, let me add my WELCOME to the others you have received! You're gonna love all your new friends! I just began SB (SugarBusters) in August and have found all the wonderful people on this Board have become dear friends to me. You'll feel the same before you know it. OP means "on program" -- we have a lot of jargon on the Board so feel free to ask...someone will always happily explain.

Again, WELCOME ABOARD the greatest WOE (way of eating) in the whole world and the greatest Support Board you'll ever see!

OK, everyone must be posting to keep from eating candy. :lol: That's great, keep it coming.

Trish, give the candy away to another co-worker. Let them know you don't eat anything with sugar. My boss brought Halloween cookies and gave them to everyone but me and said I knew you didn't want one. I appreciated that.

Country, thanks for the recipe. It sounds delish. I will have to try it.

LKF, you will be able to walk away from the left over candy. I have the utmost faith in you. You have such a great attitude I know you will succeed. I have to agree with Trish's post to you. You are so sweet and upbeat and encouraging. We are glad you are here.

Toni, don't eat the candy just keep telling yourself you can't have that and you will sabatoge yourself. Hey, if you eat that candy maybe I'll catch up with you. Now that should be incentive enough. :lol:

Deb, Hope Michael wasn't sick. Sounds like your not sleeping is contagious. Have a good day.

Beth, bend over and consider yourself kicked. Girl, you were doing so good. Get yourself back on track and quit looking at those scales. Didn't you have some pants you wanted to get in by Christmas? Hang them where you can see them. We still love you though, :love: Sending prayers that the mass isn't anything. Hope your cutie wins.

Denise, WTG on the body fat. :cp: I want to have mine done, but too afraid of what it will say.


STAY AWAY FROM THE CANDY

Jackie
257/163/145
10-10-01

Jack-K, YOU are the one always encouraging us!!! Look at what you just posted to me! And I see you so diligently posting to all of us daily...but then I love you that way -- not seeing how precious and valuable you are to all of us -- that means you have the gift of humility and meekness...oh, how we need your beautiful character traits with us day after day in this harsh world. We lean on you heavily, Jackie! And thanks for the vote of confidence about all the candy that will be around me next week! That's just what I needed!

Thank you LFK! You are SO sweet! and thanks for letting me know about "On Program"! :dizzy:

Jackie-You have made an amazing progress in your weight loss and it's quite stunning...I'm very proud of you too!!

:) (I have a scale that shows both weight and body fat) Nothing too technical...I've been stalled for so long that it's great to see the body fat move..

I live in a Condo that's mostly retired people so I don't have to buy any candy. I haven't had a trick or treater that I can remember in the past 5 years at least! So far, there is no candy here at work which is quite unusual...I'm really not craving it at all anyhow. YEA!!:dancer:

Happy Halloween y'all. Just got back from Maggie's party at preschool. Plenty of goodies there, but I passed on them. Had a no bread sandwich.:)

DENISE: Welcome aboard. WTG on you're body fat being down. :cb:

JACK-K: Another teacher came around passing out candy this morning. She thought I was nuts when I said no thanks. I'm just not really tempted right now for some reason. Not enough to give in anyway. Hope this keeps up.

BETH: Prayers for you. Hoping for nothing serious. Any news on the costume contest????

COUNTRYMOM: That recipe sounds WONDERFUL! I'm going to try it this weekend.

MONET: I hope you're able to get more rest now that your meds have been adjusted. I know steroids can make you crazy. Dennis has been on them lots of times for his asthma and other respiratory problems. I think the crazy side effect has hung on tho......And maybe spread to me.:s: Good news about the five pounds tho.

Back to the wild children.:yikes:

music teach, good for you passing up all the temptations at the party! I think once we do this a time or two, we become a little less tempted -- it makes us stronger! I AM PROUD OF YOU!!!

Getting ready to head out to get home before all the little monsters show up. :devil:

It is cold here. I normally sit out on the porch and hand out candy. I guess I'll bundle up or get up a thousand times to answer the door.

Music, WTG on passing up the candy. Don't you feel so gooood?


A little tip to avoid the candy. CHew a piece of sf gum. Then you will have something in your mouth and won't be able to eat the candy.

Good luck on being good tonite.

Jackie:chockiss: :m:

Not the best picture because my digi-cam sucks... but it'll give you an idea :)

Jack-K, good idea about chewing the gum. Sounds like you look forward to all the kids coming to your house tonight...bundle up good and have a good time.

Beth, the picture is precious! Looks like all that is needed is the trick-or-treat bag! Have a good time tonight with all the munchkins!

Thanks but that's not his Halloween costume!!! They were just doing a scarecrow costume contest at school (or so they said) So I made him that one last night to compete with... but hardly any kids participated, so they didn't have a contest!
His real costume is a TIGGER one I got from Disney last year, and it still fits. It zips up on him like a blanket sleeper, and covers his hands and has a hood on it (He has chronic ear infections) so that's what he's wearing tonite... it will only be about 45 degrees out!!!

He's my cutie no matter what he wears though!! :)

Beth, you are so talented!!! I couldn't put something together like that if my life depended on it! How disappointing that there was no contest -- he would have won if there were 100 kids participating! Y'all have a ball and stay warm out there! Be glad it's not Saturday night's temperature! I heard we will be dipping into the low 30's up in the Northeast Alabama mountains Saturday night!

Beth: Very cute picture. Oh, those were the days....Enjoy them. My daughter is 15 and as usual dressing gothic and will probably get into lots of trouble tonight. She was such a sweet girl until she became a Sophmore in High School and then I don't know what happened! LOL!!

Jackie: I wish you could send some of that cool weather down here. We are getting a cold front this weekend and that will put our temps in the low 80's...:(

Today it was almost 90 again. I'm so sick of this weather, I can't wait till some kind of change happens. Half the time, it's so humid, I can't even breathe outside.;)

Anyway, hope everyone has a happy halloween!!:)

Denise

HiedieHo All!!

I just lousy a whole long post. I can't sit here and type it all again! I even saved but lost my connection and somehow it all went byebye!

Basically, expressed concerns for Beth and Monet. Will try pumpkin recipe. Liked Beth's cutie pic! Thanked all for their warnings about overdoing! I usually don't know I've overdone until I've done it. I just keep plugging along, when I stop...wham! My head still thinks I'm young!

Can you imagine? Out neighbor has a Christmas tree lit up on his lawn on his lawn last night!

Getting dark already, hate the time change.

Went to NH this morning and then to Sam's for a few (there's a laugh for you!). My DIL only worked half day so she started supper, I have a day off. Was going to fix a lamb roast but it will do jusy fine for tomorrow/

I ground up WW breadsticks w/ sesame seeds and used it as bread crumbs mixed w/ a little parmesean cheese. Dipped skinless chicken breasts in milk, them the crumb mixture, baked at 400' about 40 minutes. Very good.

Sitting long enough. Take care.

Shirley

BOO!!!!!!! :fr:


BOB has tucked her tail and has run for the back of the house!!! HALLOWEEN is just not the same down here...and NEXT they will be decorating their houses for Christmas!!! CAN'T GET USED TO THAT EITHER!!!! I guess if I had never lived in KENTUCKY, where it's cool and the leaves are falling at HALLOWEEN, I wouldn't feel that way....AND C H R I S T M A S ...It's not cold here and no snow, so I just can't get into the decorating mode!
I don't even put up a tree anymore and have given my BIG tree to my nephew, because that's where we do our celebrating anyway. I'm not a SCROOGE , really I'm not.
Guess that even after 15 yrs, I still think of FLA as a vacation spot!

It was really cool over here today...clouded over all day, and is in the 70's now...

MONET....Hope you're feeling a little better...REST is what you need to battle this thing. Hope you're getting your DRUGS :eek:
straightened out.

BETH...Sorry about the cyst, I had a case just yesterday with the same thing! Let us know how you're getting along!

SEF...I put some really good cheesecake recipes over on the dessert board and I know you'll like them...
I'm getting ready to put something on that I know EVERYONE WILL DROOL OVER....

DENISE....{{{{{{{WELCOME}}}}}}}} to our little corner of the board.. We have a good time here, but the support is unbelievable and someone is ALWAYS here for you...

GOOD GOING TO EVERYONE WHO PASSED ON THE CANDY TODAY!!!!
We had all the LITTLE GOBBLINS
from both of our day cares today..They were so cute! The one who took the cake was a little guy who was THOMAS THE TRAIN.
He wore the engine! and had an engineers cap on...

AS PROMISED

CHOCOLATE KISSES

1 C heavy cream
4 oz. low fat cream cheese
1 pkg SUGAR FREE chocolate pudding
OPTIONAL 2 tsp nut butter of choice

With an electric mixer, mix the cream and cream cheese together, and then blend in the pudding mix. It should be very thick, like frosting.
Using a piping bag with either a large round tip (#12) or star tip, pipe the mixture into approximately 200 kisses, about the same size as a Hershey kiss, onto wax paper on a cookie sheet. Freeze until hard, then remove and store in a covered container in the freezer. YUMMY!!!!

OR

LEMON CHEESECAKE CUPS

one box SUGAR FREE lemon jello
16 oz light cream chesses
1/2 c AGAVE OR 2/3 cup splenda

cube the cream cheese and set aside
disolve SF jello in one cup boiling water
add cubed cream cheese and beat until the cheese is melted
add the sweetner and beat until very smooth
pour into a paper lined mini muffin tin and chill very well
REMOVE from muffin tins and store in a covered container in the fridge...
Should make around 30

AND

KEY LIME DELIGHT

1 large box SF jello..lime
3 C boiling water
2 C light sour cream
2 tbs lime juice
1 pkt splenda

Mix Jello with boiling water, add 1tbs lime juice and stir well till dissolved.
Chill for 30 mins (this is important or it will separate)
Mix into the Jello 1 C of the sour cream using an electric mixer
Pour into 6 small dishes.
Chill for at least 2 hours.
Mix 1 c sour cream with 1 tbs lime juice and splenda.
After the Jello sets, spoon sour cream mixture on the top.
Chill or serve

That's all for BOB :yawn:

Hi everyone! We had a thin crowd tonight for trick or treaters... I did not touch a piece of candy. Don't think I could swallow one if I tried! ;)

Finally got my computer fixed and on the network! Hooray! Now I can do my emailing and surfing right here, and not have to run down to my hubby's computer.

Well, I am going to prepare for bed soon. I only snoozed a bit today, though I mainly reclined on the sofa and listened to a friend of mine talk. I wanted to be tired enough to sleep tonight, and try to get back on a schedule. I may try a half of an anti anxiety pill before I go to bed. I have a sleeping pill, but can't bring myself to try it. Once the swelling goes down in my throat, this sleep problem will not be a problem anymore, I think.

Thanks everyone, for all your kind words are well wishes. It has helped me so much during all this...

Hi all, Just a short note. Is everone staying out of the CANDY :) I have to admit that I didn't. I love candy corns. I will have to be better tomorrow. If I make it through this weekend without putting on extra weight I'll be surprised.
We found a car. My prayers were answered. It is a nice car for her and the children. In the right price range too. I know everything is going to be just fine but I always forget and try to do everything my self.

If I don't get back, you all have a great weekend. See you next week.

Cyndi

Typhoid Monet's Insomnia checkin....

I know you all are going to be really sad about this, but I think this will be my last insomnia checkin. I almost didn't make this one. I was snoozing away, and everytime I have woken up, have had little problem getting back to sleep. This time, I decided my throat was getting pretty sore, and dry, so toddled down for some soup. Hopefully, by tomorrow night, the throat will be better, and I will be able to sleep easier.

Well, we made it through Halloween...probably the worst holiday for avoiding sugar.... Now we get to move on to Thanksgiving! At least Turkey and sweet potatoes are OP! ;)

Where can one find Agave these days?

Morning Everyone!

I thought I'd have more time, but DS just got up, so this will have to be quick.

I wasn't going to weigh in on Wednesday cause TOM came and I was soooo bloated, I knew the scale would be up at least 5 lbs. BUT I did weigh this morning and WHOOHOO! The scale was down a couple of pounds from a few days ago. So I'm happy today.:D :cb:

I am going to admit that I did get into the Halloween treats!:m: :chockiss: I had 5 little chocolate bars and 2 small packs of cheesies. For having TOM, that was pretty good for me! I still had munchies, but switched to eating my roasted pumpkin seeds and drinking water. So I am back on track--especially after seeing the scale DOWN.

DENISE--WELCOME! This is a great place for support from all the nice people on board.

BOB--Yummy sounding recipes. Thanks

GRACIOUS--Glad DS is ok and it wasn't something too bad. The banner for the site-- I saw it here--it was at the very top of the page but I haven't noticed it the past couple of days.

MONET--sounds like you're starting to get a little better. Keep resting and I hope you'll be feeling real good in a short time.

BETH--Keeping you in my thoughts and hope you get your appointment soon and that everything is all right.

Sorry I can't get to more of you, but I have to get DS ready for school.

BETH- Wonderful scarecrow outfit! He is such a cutie. I am praying about that mass you found, please keep us posted.

MONET-No more insomnia check ins? Bummer, I get up just to read those! ;)

Okay...who ATE CANDY???? I see all the people who DIDN'T but who DID? I did!! :eek: Bummer.

ZANNE-Yes, I keep looking for it but it is sneaky! I will keep an eye out though cause that is something that would be nice and easy to get myself a couple of coffees with!

Just a quick check in to say I DID NOT HAVE ANY CANDY!!!!:cb:
More later.:D

Good Friday Morning Everyone!:wave:

Hope those of you who like to celebrate Halloween had a good time, whether it was taking your kids out, party or just seeing the little (and sometimes big) one comes to the door. I have a ton of candy left over, I bought way too much, but still, we had about 55 kids come by. It seemed a little slower this year. I'll either try to take some back to the stores or just keep it for when the kids have a party here or out, something to take to share with friends. I didn't touch a single piece, didn't even cross my mind:D Carved a great pumpkin with a skull on it, very ghoolish! Parent's who had the courage to dress up with their kids didn't go away without anything from our house-had mini bags of Starbucks to give away, but only 2 parents got it.

Just got in from doing my 4.5 miles. Had a better time than I had in a while, but still slower than I'd like. It took me 52:08 today.

Still tired, but managed to get in about 5 hours straight sleep which is better than it has been. I could of crashed out earlier if I was able to do so but I had to go get Michael and his friends from a party at 11pm. Both Michael and Lauren had friends sleep over last night.

Yesterday I had a terrible time with my computer, I thought it was truly a goner this time!:fr: First off, Michael woke me up around 5am because he had been trying to get his homework printed on the printer and it wasn't working, so I had to come in the 4th bedroom half dead and see if I could remedy the problem. Little did I know what type of problem there was going to be! To make a long story short, I shut down the computer then tried to get it up again, wouldn't work, so Michael said the cable was loose, got it up and running BUT then, I get a blue screen and if any one knows what happens when you wipe out your computer and have to reload everything, well, that's what I was getting. Then I get a message to put the computer in SAFE MODE, it just got worse and worse. Tried rebooting and then see the blue scren and says MUCRO SOFT REGISTRY CHEKER, then BACKING UP SYSTEM FILES, then RESTORING then BACKING UP SYSTEM FILES again and then it froze! I got a message that kept scrolling along the entire left side of the computer that said FILE ALLOCATION TABLE BAD, DRIVE C-I was freaking! Well, don't ask me what the heck I did, but I somehow got it back to normal mode and things came back, seems I didn't lose anything. It's still giving me some trouble, like now, I can't save my mail in my file cabinet on AOL for some reason, can't open old stuff either. I'm sure this all has to do with the worms and virus I have running rampant in my computer.

Michael's pinning ceremony went very nicely. For those of you who've asked, Michael (and Lauren) goes to a magnet school in which he's in the International Baccalaureate program (Lauren's in the Visual and Preforming Arts magnet for drama). The pinning ceremony is for when the kids are now going for their IB Diploma, the first 2 years of HS is considered PRE-IB. The website at school gives this brief description of the program.

International Baccalaureate/International Studies Program

[b]What is the IB/IS Program? [b]

The IB program is a highly coordinated, rigorous course of study linking the Humanities,the Sciences, Mathematics, Languages and Community Service. The Curriculum of the IB diploma program incorporates standards that assume a high level of aptitude and achievement. The subjects studied are arranged according to six areas and the candidate is required to choose one subject from each area. The full diploma requires advanced international examinations in the six areas plus the Theory of Knowledge course, an extended essay, community service and extra-curricular activities (CAS)

They have a website if anyone is really that interested in reading more about it: http://www.ibo.org/ look at the DIPLOMA PROGRAM.

Anyhow, it's very hard, but he's doing great! The other night he was up all night long, no sleep, working on a project. Besides the curriculum, what I like about it is that Michael, once he gets his IB DIPLOMA (this is in addition to his regular one) he's guaranteed a 4 year school scholarship at any of the Fl State Universities. I just found out it also pays for their books, just have to pay for room and food and other necessities. Problem is, Michael wants to try and get in to Harvard or Johns Hopkins (among others) and I want him to take his undergraduate courses and use the scholarship and THEN transfer to wherever. I think I've bored you enough!

Kids are off from school down here today. End of the grading period yesterday, so it's a teachers work day. Not sure what they have planned. Not sure what I'll be doing. Eli's working, maybe something with my Mom and Lauren possibly. I think Michael and his friend have other plans, who knows:shrug:

Time to get in some replies, I'm so far behind...

LKF, hope I answered your question about where I was going the other night with my post above. Hummus is a middle eastern chick pea dish that's eaten with pita bread. Very easy to make, just ask BOB. Well, if we ever get to meet, one of the great benefits is that you get some SB COFFEE! :D Don't I wish he was home more, but this is the way he is, a very dedicated worker!

COUNTRY, I dont' mind trying new things, but when it comes to something like that I have to say, I think I'd pass. I know you'll look smashing in a pair of those jeans. The name CRUEL GIRL gave me a vision of me trying to get in a pair and not being able to go up past my ankles-cruel!

GRACIOUS, glad to hear the lump isn't anything serious.

Okay, this is going to have to continue later. My DM just called and said "what are you doing today?" Well, now we're going to schmize around (run around) together up in Broward, so I have to jump in the shower to go. I'll get on later and pick up where I left off.

Have a wonderful weekend!

{{{HUGS}}}:grouphug:

Debbie
194/127/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Hi ALL!
Sorry I have not been able to get to the board all week. It's hectic around here. Was reading & tring to do some replies Tues but had to leave suddenly & have not been able to get back since. That was page 4 & today it's page 10 so there's no possible way for me to even look at posts.

Wanted to let you all know that we are leaving today for a week. If possible, I will try to check in if we can get to the public Library like last year, but not sure. If not, it will be over a week before I can check back in.

Doing ok with my eating today & yesterday, but before that I was doing alot of stress eating. Weight is holding at 135 for now which is better than earlier in the week :yikes:

Hope everyone is doing ok & again, sorry to not be able to be a part of the ongoing activity here on the board, but I do think of all of you often & do miss hearing from everyone. Will be back!! :wave:

Well, I failed the Halloween candy challenge. Not horribly, but... I guess I'd give myself a D. I made it all night long, we sat outside with the neighbors and passed out candy. Then when Seth came in to survey his goodies, he had 2 small Mounds bars. He hates them and they are my favorite. So I ate them. Oh, well, I guess it could have been a lot worse. We gave out all the candy (the people that came by later got handfuls!) so at least there's none left in the house except for Seth's stash. We dole that out so that he only gets a little each day. He even had a couple of dollar bills in the bag.

Hope eveyone else did better than I did and has a great week-end. We're probably going to the high school football game tonight (Go Pflugerville Panthers!) and watch the Texas Longhorns tomorrow. See ya.

Trish

Happy Friday Gange :wave:

Boy I have been busy today. Letter after letter. Don't they understand I need to be on here. :shrug:

Got up early and got my walk in, it was a little chilly 43. Then off to church before work (it is a holy day for all you non-catholics). So got to work 1/2 hour early and ate my breakfast and then had an early lunch with a friend.

Beth, What a cutie. Shame they didn't get to have the contest. He surely would have won. I bet the Tigger is cute too and warm.

Denise, I am flying into Ft. L next Sunday. Have no idea how to dress. It will be freezing when we leave here and hot when we get there. BUt I love hot.

Sef, Funny you should mention a Christmas Tree, a man had his bushes all decorated with lights. They were funny colors so don't know if they were Halloween or Christmas. Guess I'll see if he takes them down. Take care of yourself.

Monet, Sounds like you are getting some better. Keep resting and take care. :goodvibes: My HFS carries agave unless they run out. He says it is hard to get in the summer.

Red1, Candy corn is my favorite candy. I was tempted to have 1 piece at a friend's house, but was afraid I couldn't stop so I didn't. I like to eat it in layers. So glad you found a good/reasonable car for your DD.

Zanne, WTG on the scale being down :cb: That is motivation to keep you on track. Hide the candy. :nono:

Gracious, Throw or give away the candy. You are too close to goal to mess it up.

Music, :bravo: for you on the candy. Doesn't it feel great?

Deb, Wow you were having some major computer problems. That's when I would have thrown it out the window. I think Halloween everywhere is down. Kids just don't do it like they used to. I'm with you on the candy, the thought never crossed my mind either. Boy full scholarship is wonderful. I can understand him wanting to go somewhere pretigious, but a 4 year scholarship, just hate to waste that. We have a KEES program here that the State pays kids for making good grades and high ACT scores. But you have to use it in an in-state school. It would a shame to waste that free money. But who know, maybe he will get a free-ride to Harvard or whereever else. Bob should have trick or treated at your house to get the SB coffee. :lol:

Melf, we have missed you too and will miss you while you are gone. Have a great vacation.


Hope to get back before I leave, who knows. If not, have a great weekend everyone.

Jackie
257/163/145
10-10-01

Hey guys, have any of you Louisiana gals tried making a gumbo that's SB legal? I assume you could do the roux out of whole wheat flour but has anyone tried it and did you have to change your amounts any. It's supposed to be cold and dreary this week-end so I thought about making some. Doesn't that sound yummy.

Trish

Afternoon y'all. Glad to see so many of you resisted the candy temptation. And for those who did not, it sounds like you didn't blow it too bad. We had potluck-beans and cornbread-for the teachers today. That means lots of goodies in the workroom. I had the beans with no cornbread and wasn't really even tempted by the sweets. I have had waaaay more nuts than I should have. Too much fat. :eek:

JACK-K: You're right. It does feel good to pass up the illegal stuff. It gets easier all the time. Good for you getting out for your exercise. I need to start back up.

TRISH: You didn't do that bad. Just 2 candy bars?? The little ones, right? That's not bad at all. Have fun at the game. I'm passing on tonight's game. It's too cold for me. HOOK 'EM HORNS!

MELF: Good to see you checking in. Have a good trip.

DEB: I'm like you on the candy. Wasn't even tempted. It hasn't showed up on the scales yet, but I know it will. I've got to watch my fat intake. It's been too high. I did go get my fiber supplement and am back on that. It takes a few days to really get things going tho. I know, TMI. My old high school has the IB program now. It's been great for the school since it's on the "wrong side of the tracks". Don't you just hate computers? Hope you figure out what's wrong and it can be fixed.

ZANNE: 2 lbs! WTG! :D

MONET: Glad to hear you're feeling better and able to get some sleep.

Well, Halloween was pretty uneventful. Not one child came by...My boyfriend(Gary) brought 3 bags of candy over just in case, but noone ever showed. (b/c I live in a Condo full of retired people)

About 9:30 p.m., My BF left and took the candy with him. I did not have one piece. Yea!!

However, I woke up today with pretty severe vertigo. I had to endure (2) spinning episodes today so far. (the entire room spins around. It's like being on a bad carnival ride and not being able to get off) I've had it since Feb and I thought it was gone, but I guess it never goes away...This past week, I have not been doing my head rotational exercises off the side of the bed like I am supposed to do everyday to prevent the vertigo symptoms. I am very nauseous and dizzy. Ugh!! (I guess I better continue doing these exercises the rest of my life!!) Vertigo is a really horrible thing and they don't even know what causes it as I just woke up with it one day. :(

Anyway, I must go on and try to go about my day and deal with it. My daughter (Amber) spent the night at a friend's house last night. I'm sure they had lots of fun! No school today for them.

I will be gone this weekend. Heading up to Northern Florida (around Lake Wales, River Ranch, FL) Gary and I have a camper out in the middle of nowhere on about 40,000 acres of land where we ride our all terrain vehicles. We dug up a water well, and Gary made a water pump therefore we have hot shower, toilet, and running water...We also bring the generator to supply us with AC and or Heat, lights, etc...I love it up there because I can get out of the city and really enjoy the outdoors and the wildlife. I made lots of homemade Chili, SGWW pancake batter, and homemade bar-b-q sauce for the chicken. I also brought some rib-eyes and one sweet potato. Gee, I sure don't feel deprived on this WOE! :lol:

Jackie-Wow, 43 degrees! That's awesome. By the time you fly in, it should be back to 90! LOL

Debbie-Your kids sound incredibly prepared for college and really on their way to great accomplishments. You should be very proud. My daughter attends S. Plantation H.S. and it's a pretty rough school. She's in honors classes and some AP college credit courses too, but so far this year it has been more of a social event then a learning one. I'm VERY upset with her and I don't know what to do. Her grades went from A's and B's down to C's and D's. She's listening to Zeta 94.9 music and dressing pretty weird. It's all very hard to take and I'm just beside myself.:?:

Trishaloo and Cyndi-Don't worry about it! It's all gravy...
(I do miss my candy corns!)

Monet-I'm new and not too familiar with your health problems, but it sounds like you are recovering slowly. I used to take an anti-anxiety drug called "Klonapin" for stress (heart palpitations, chest pain, etc) They do make you pretty tired. I also have a sore throat with one swollen tonsil that came with my Vertigo today. Yuck! I'm taking Tylenol Sore Throat. That really helps me a lot! Anyway, I hope you feel better soon.

Bob-Thank you for all the yummy looking recipes!

Melf/Mary-Talk to you in a week. We will talk more when you return.

Sef/Shirley-Thank you for the breadstick recipe for the chicken. I will have to try that.

Beth-hang in there. I have had cysts on my ovaries twice before. Both times, it was benign. Your mass will probably be benign too. Women seem to get this stuff often and it seems to be quite common. Therefore, don't worry too much until after your ultrasound and test results come back. Pls keep us posted.

Zanne-Congratulations on your weight loss of 2 lbs!! Aren't pumpkin seeds the best!

I'm leaving work early today to head out to Northern Florida. Thanks for letting me share and thanks for all your warm welcomes!!

Denise;)

YIPPEE! I survived Halloween without eating candy. Didn't buy any to give out so that was a big help. I've been on the emotional side this week, so knew anything chocolate would be too tempting for me. Tranquil came over for dinner and we had a delicious feast of rotisserie chicken, broccoli casserole, legal bread, and some apples that were cooked in the microwave with cinnamon, sweet n low brown sugar, and walnuts - Yummy!

Took my son to the surgeon today and he will have surgery next Tuesday. I'm so thankful we still have insurance for at least another month since my ex-2-b did lose his job this week.

Denise - Welcome! Nice to have another Floridian on board. I live in Jacksonville, and so does Tranquil, who hasn't been able to post this week due to being too busy at work. Looking forward to getting to know you better.

Deb - thanks for explaining about Michael's pinning and the magnet school. Having met both Michael and Lauren, you have all the bragging rights in the world. They are wonderful, talented kids and a lot of fun to be around. I can't wait to come back for a visit to see them, as well as you. Does Michael still have all those wigs so that we can have another party? And of course, I will need the afro one to wear out to the yard sales! Sorry you are having computer problems again.

BOB and Country - thanks for sharing the recipes. Can't wait to try some of them.

Jackie - If it is cold when you leave home for Ft. L., then I'd suggest you dress in layers. That way you can peel clothes off when you get to hot Florida next Sunday. You will sure be in the right place if you like hot. Is that where you cruise departs from?

Sorry I can't get to more posts, however, I have to leave for work. Hope everyone has a great weekend. The Dogs and Gators will be partying in our town this weekend so I hope to lay low and out of the crowded places.

Take Care,
Wendy

HiedieHo All!!

Just got back from church, been there since 8:30a. The PW is sponsoring the 10,000 Villages Bazaar. I just helped as cashier, others did the set up yesterday.

BOB: Recipes look good, expecially the chocolate kisses!

MONET: We had a sparse showing of kids too. Hope you get some sleep, loss of sleep can make you feel crappy.

RED1: Glad you found a car. I don't buy candy corn or I would succumb too! What is it about cc, it is so sweet it's terrible but I used to be able to sit down and eat the bag by myself! It's not like it's CHOCOLATE! So what's the attraction?

MELF: Have a good time!

DENISE: Sounds like you have most of the comforts of home at your little retreat. You prepared well food wise.

Seems everyone had less Halloweeners than usual. I think all that's happening with serial killers, crime, etc. has people thinking twice about sending their kids out. It's a shame, people have to make play dates for their kids! A kid can't just run out in the neighborhood and have a spontaneous game or anything fun. There's something wrong with this picture. I know, I know, it's the old timer saying "In my day...............!"

Supper will be easy. That lamb roast, mashed potaoes for family, a sweet for me.

Take care.

Shirley

Good afternoon, everyone! Its Friday, right? I can't seem to keep my days straight...no reason to for right now I guess.

Well, here is my official weight loss since a week ago Tuesday: 12 pounds.

I am sure it will not all stay off, once I start eating, but it looks nice so I am getting on the scale a lot to enjoy it. I have an overwhelming desire to eat something like BEEF. I think once I am over the worst of this, I am not going to want chicken noodle soup for a LONG time.

DENISE: Thanks for your kind words. Welcome, first off. I am not usually such a whiner...honest! After having a killer sore throat, that wouldn't respond to antibiodics, they put me in the hospital and found I had Mononucleosis, and not just strep. I have had symptoms for over three weeks, so I am hoping soon to at least feel better, even if I am still tired. I hope you can get your vertigo under control. My brother in law had that really badly...he was an Air Force pilot, and they found he had something called Munier's disease. He had surgery and can fly again. Is there anything they can do for you? Have fun at Lake Wales. Isn't that near Bok Tower?

Well, guess I will go and read and rest. I took a good hour nap earlier.

AFTERNOON EVERY BUDDY!!!


I'm loving this day!! It's rainy, gloomy, looks just like a cold leaf falling day!
Do one knocked on my door last night...and from what I've heard today, not too many gobblins out at all!

Monet...glad you're starting to sleep better...hope this night proves to be straight thru sleeping for you. Beef is good, but chicken is better to heal the body...

BOB'S FRIDAY NIGHT MOVIE REVIEW IS BACK!!! Tonight's picks are:

MR DEEDS

SUM OF ALL FEARS

WIND TALKERS

I'll let you know how they are....

YA YA SISTERHOOD comes out on TUE and I can't wait to see it...

I snuck out of work an hour early, and am snug as a bug for the evening..I'll try to check in later...

BOB

Just checking in before I head home.

Music, Man I would kill for some cornbread. I miss that more than any sweets.

Denise, WTG on no candy. I really don't feel deprived on this WOE either. Sounds like you have a fun filled weekend planned and you are so prepared with your food. That is the secret to this WOE I think. Good luck with your DD, just don't let her go off the deep end with the gothic stuff and music. I know it must be hard for you to deal with, especially being a single parent. Just don't let her forget you are the parent. Man you have jumped right in on this board and are doing great responding.

Serene, :bravo: for you on no candy too. Dinner sounds delish.

Sef, I agree with you, people just don't feel like they can let their kids out anymore. Not safe. Have agreat weekend.

Monet, Wow 12 lbs. Hope it stays off. Rest up. Sounds like you are feeling better. Glad to hear it.

Have a great weekend!

Jackie

Hey Trish..not from La...but a Cajun by birth *smile* Moma's from La...I made Gumbo this week with a WW roux and it was GREAT!! Didn't hurt the flavor at all. I served it over brown rice and it actually added to the flavor. Go for it..you will love it. :)

Love,
Crystle

Oh, boy, there is nothing like food after starving! My hubby made me his mother's recipe of stew beef...you just boil the beef in salted water with a cut up onion until tender, and serve it over mashed potatoes. Or rice or ww bread. Yes, I did eat the mashed potatoes. And a healthy serving of the beef. Today, I studiously avoided chicken noodle soup. The food was like heaven after a week not being able to eat.

Back to SB tomorrow. Now that I can eat more solid stuff that has to be chewed, I have no excuses. And maybe, just maybe, I can keep the 12 pounds off...or most of them anyway! :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

HiedieHo All!!

Already things are crazy. Spent morning going through old minutes of one of my organizations looking for something that wasn't there.

MONET: They don't call chicken soup "Jewish Pencillin" for nothing. Used to be an old wives tale but now it has been proven that it truly helps.

COUNTRY: Not Cajun at all but live in LA and love the food, I may be adopted! I've made the gumbo with ww flour and used brown rice. Yummy!

I missed FF yesterday here's my offering:


Dear Husband:

You, too, are 54-years-old and by the time you receive this letter, I
will be at the Breakwater Hotel with the 18-year-old pool boy. Being the
brilliant mathematician that you are, you can easily appreciate the fact
that 18 goes into 54 a lot more times than 54 goes into 18 !!!
Therefore, my love . . . don't wait up

AND:

The First Affair

A middle-aged couple had four stunningly beautiful teen-aged daughters. They decided to try one last time for the son they always wanted. After months of trying, the wife became pregnant and sure enough, nine months later delivered a healthy baby boy. The joyful father rushed to the nursery to see his new son. He took one look and was horrified to see the ugliest child he had ever seen. He went to his wife and said that there was no way that he could be the father of that child "Look at our four beautiful daughters .."_ Then he gave her a stern look and asked, "Have you been fooling around on me?"

The wife just smiled sweetly and said, "Not this time"

The Second Affair

A mortician was working late one night It was his job to examine the dead bodies before they were sent off to be buried or cremated. As he examined the body of Mr. Schwartz, who was about to be cremated, he made an amazing discovery:

Schwartz had the longest private part he had ever seen! "I'm sorry Mr. Schwartz," said the mortician, "but I can't send you off to be cremated with a tremendously huge private part like this. It has to be saved for posterity." And with that the coroner used his tools to remove the dead man's private._ The coroner stuffed his prize into a briefcase and took it home. The first person he showed was his wife. "I have something to show you that you won't believe," he said, and opened his briefcase.

"Oh, my God!" she screamed, "Schwartz is dead!"
__
The Third Affair

A woman was in bed with her lover when she heard her husband opening the front door. "Hurry!"she said. "Stand in the corner" She quickly rubbed baby oil all over him and then dusted him with talcum powder. Then she whispered." Just pretend you're a statue." "What's this, honey?" the husband inquired as he entered the room. "Oh, it's just a statue," she replied nonchalantly. "The Smith's bought one for their bedroom. I liked it so much, I got one for us, too." No more was said about the statue, not even later that night when they went to sleep. Around two in the morning the husband went to the kitchen, and returned a while later with a sandwich and a glass of milk. "Here," he said to the 'statue', "eat something. I stood like an idiot at the Smiths' for three days, and nobody offered me as much as a glass of water!"

The Fourth Affair

A man walks into a bar one night he goes up to the bar and asks for a beer. "Certainly, sir. That'll be 1 cent." "ONE CENT!" exclaimed the guy. The barman replied, "Yes." So the guy glances over at the menu, and he asks, "Could I have a nice juicy T-bone steak, with chips, peas, and a fried egg?" "Certainly, sir," replies the bartender, "but all that comes to real money." "How much money?" inquires the guy. "Four cents," he replies. "FOUR cents!" exclaims the guy. "Where's the guy who owns this place?" The barman replies, "Upstairs with my wife." The guy says, "What's he doing with your wife?"

The bartender replies, "Same as I'm doing to his business."


AND:

Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age _and start bragging about it.
_----------------------------------------------
_The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
_----------------------------------------------
_Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the_roads weren't paved. Also, there were times where I was put up wet.
_---------------------------------------------
_How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
_----------------------------------------------
_When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of_Algebra.
_---------------------------------------------
_You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.
_----------------------------------------------
_I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.
_----------------------------------------------
_One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such_a nice change from being young.
_----------------------------------------------
_One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.
_----------------------------------------------
_Yah, being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.
_----------------------------------------------
_Old age is when former classmates are so gray and wrinkled and bald,_they don't recognize you.
_----------------------------------------------
_If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to_laugh at when you are old.
_---------------------------------------------
_First you forget names, then you forget faces. Then you forget to pull_up your zipper, then .... Oh my goodness you forgot to pull your_zipper down!
_----------------------------------------------
_If you jog in a jogging suit, lounge in lounging pajamas, and smoke in_a smoking jacket, WHY would anyone want to wear a windbreaker??
_----------------------------------------------
_Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was_called witchcraft. Today, it's called golf.
_----------------------------------------------
_
Okay, I know, enough is enough!

Will check in later.

Shirley

. . . and--SB legal too! Yeeee haw!!!

Just a little note from soggy Texas to say Good Morning! Not much going on. With all the rain there has been no walking and I'm just too lazy to workout. So hopefully when we begin to dry out I'll get back into a routine of walking. Eating is okay..not good enough to lose but hanging in around 154...I'll take it. :)

Hope everyone is safe and well this weekend.

Love,
Crystle

HiedieHo All!

My the Board is SLOW!!!!

Went to church and that's about it. Stitched too long last night.

Our church did very well with the 10,000 Villages sale.

Dreary, dank day. No rain yet!

Shirley

Evening All:wave:

Please let me first start off by apologizing for not being on the board all weekend. It's sure not because I didn't want to. No, I've been fighting with the computer since my last post telling y'all what was happening with it. It just went from bad to worse and until we get a new desktop I am having to be on the laptop, which doesn't seem to be much better.

The desktop, I can't do anything but log on to AOL. I can't come to this site, or any other. I can't access most of my e-mail addresses, so I lost my most updated SB Addresses. My files I had in my AOL filing cabinet, lots and lots of saved information. Well, first most of Oct. just seemed to disappear, poof, gone! Now, this virus/worm has taken all of my files up until early June and even the ones that are there, I can't open them. I can only open stuff from March 2002 and older. All the work I was doing for the recipe boards and trying to update them-GONE! I tried putting a new version of AOL on to the computer, wouldn't do it, kept telling me all these weird messages.

I was able to get a virus protector installed which showed I have 59 infected files:fr: I haven't a clue which lovely household member downloaded this thing, lucky for them, I'd ring their neck! I quarantiened it, but it didn't seem to help, it seemed whatever is in the computer has gotten worse, which I don't understand.

With that being said, I hope you will all bare with me as I try to do as much as I can with what I've got in using the laptop (which ain't much). I've been sitting here now for almost 4 hours trying to get things ironed out and it just didn't work, and that's just what I did today, don't even want to think about how many hours I wasted the last few days.

I was able to read through the posts from the last couple days as I got on the laptop. I hope you don't mind if I just start anew tomorrow, I just don't have it in me to sit at this stupid thing any more today-I've had enough. I still have to get the new weekly board ready for tomorrow, so have some stuff still to do before I can sign off.

Well, I guess I'll be looking for a new computer!:shrug:

{{{HUGS}}} to you all!:grouphug:

Debbie
194/126.5/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Sunday evening

Boy the boards shure are slow tonite. I thought sure I would have tons to read., but only 1 page.

it has been the longest day. Got up at 8:00 for church and then took the girls out for lunch before DD headed back to college. Then we started putting our basement back together. Haven't totally finished, but mot of it is done. Went to a couple stores and then fixed dinner and then cleaned out my closet and bathroom cabinets. And it's till on 8:00. Oh well.

We went to a new restaurant for dinner last nite, Long Horn's Steak House. I hear they have them in Fla. It was the best steak I hav eer eaten. You could cut it with a fork. The steamed veggies were good and different.

Well, guess I will go do my situps and read a magazine. See you gals tomorrow.

EVENING EVERY BUDDY!!!


BOB's been out on a day trip with "the girls" today. We left early this morning and went all over the Tampa area shopping. Went to a 7000sf HFS that totally SUCKED!
Did BRANDON TOWN CENTER (mall)...went to the largest THRIFT STORE on the west coast of FL...THE FRESH MARKET!!!!!! :T :cp: :ink: Got my pimento cheese...some really hearty multi grain bread, some sand dollar size pita's, vegetarian gaspacho, OH DEB...found that spreadable cottage cheese...
A BIG BAG OF KRYSTLE HAMBURGERS for my Mom...
We went to dinner at a WONDERFUL Italian place and then on home! GREAT DAY!!!

I'm now ready for bed and getting ready to climb in!

NITE NITE

BOB