Sugar Shakers - Sugarbusters Weekly Support Board 3/21 - 3/27

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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-TASTY 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

Look for our QUARTERLY RECIPE BOARDS to post your favorite recipes and to see the most recently posted recipes. Recipes from the quarterly boards will be archived in proper categories at some point.


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?p=802547#post802547


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

Thanks Monet for starting the boards. Guess I'm the first one here. But its only 6:30 am. Well hope the week is good for everyone. I'm off track but trying to get on. Seems I've had a year of just struggling with my weight. But will hang in there and keep trying. I'm proud to be drinking lots of water. The Grandsons will be here Friday with my DIL, with my son could make it but he's busy being a drill sergent in South Carolina right now. But I'm excited to see those little boys. I get to make their Easter baskets and help them dye eggs. Then I'm having Easter dinner here Sunday. Well I'm rattleing on, so I'll just wish you all a happy day..

Hello everyone!

Monet--Happy Birthday! (OK, so I know I'm a day late, but I hope you had a great day being the birthday tyrant!:D ). Did y'all do anything special or was Tom too pooped after you made him wait on you hand and foot?

Jackie--Spring is here, but unfortunately the weather hasn't changed a bit! It's still gray here and cool. Arrgghh! Congrats on UK making the sweet 16!

BOB--I was gued to the TV yesterday watching BB! My NC State upset U Conn and made the sweet 16! Susan was a very very happy camper yesterday!

Gator--Sorry about UF. I know how heartbreaking it is.

Ok--must go for more coffee.:coffee:

Have a great OP day everyone!

Susan

Toni--Glad to see you here to be the first to kick us off! Enjoy the grandkids. I will see one of my nieces this weekend for Easter and I can't wait. The other will be in Rome for Easter! She is going on a school trip for spring break. Enjoy them while they are little--when they get older somehow they want a life of their own!

Good Morning Ladies.

It was a beautiful first day of Spring yesterday. Got some things done in the house and tried to get out as much as possible. With the ballgames, it is hard to leave the TV.

It's going to be a crazy week. I have Easter at my house so I need to get to the store and plan my menu. Plus I am all out of food to eat. I hate that.

Cindy, sending prayers for your dad. Hope he is better soon.

Gator, sorry your team lost. I was shocked that KY won. I couldn't even watch it. Now it will start getting tougher. I can't get over the upsets. My sheet is a mess.

Tech, Congrats on your new ticker :dance:

Bob, hope you rested your arm this weekend and are feeling better today.

Susan, What an upset NC State was. They were awesome. I love this time of year. I can't get away from the TV.

Toni, sounds like you will be having some fun this weekend with those kids. Kids make holidays so much for fun.

Monet, Happy belated birthday. :hat: :balloons: :hb: :gift: Hope your birthday was a special as you are.

bf: 1/2 ww bagel with peanut butter
snack: maybe some cheese or an apple
Lunch: corn beef and swiss on ww, orange
Dinner: roast, rice and veggie

Got to run. Have lots to do today and I have to leave early for a dr appt which I forgot 3 weeks ago.

Have a great day.

Good afternoon, everyone! I am taking a lazy day, aka a Mono day... I got a book I wanted for my birthday from James, so I am spending today reading it.

Lunch was peanut butter and a green tipped banana. I have not had wheat for three days now, and I think it is helping who I feel.

Not much going on here! Hope everyone is well!

:hb: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONET :hb:

HOPE IT WAS AS FANTABULOUS AS YOU ARE!!

I'll be back later for Monday afternoon blurbs and musings...just had to be sure and get that out!!

Happy belated birthday Monet! ((Hugzz)) I hope you are enjoying your new book. Today is perfect weather for it. At least here, it's cool and rainy.

I totally regressed this weekend but back on track today.

Praying each of you has a GREAT on plan week.

Love and hugs,
Crystle

Hi guys...I don't know if I am doing this right..but, here goes.

I am new to SB!

I have been ill and usually I watch very closely what I eat/exercise..but, for the last 2 weeks, I have been ill (bad cold, conjunctivitis, bad ears etc..miserable!)

Today is my first day on SB!!!!

I need all the help I can get..support will get me through the tough times.

My stats: 26 yrs, female, 140lbs, 5'1" -- name: Sarah

I will check back frequently...I am glad I found this board.

Good afternoon everyone. Can't believe the day is nearly gone. The board is sure slow today. Can't believe we didn't get off the first page.

Sarah- Welcome to Sugar Busters. This is a great place to be and I'm sure you'll enjoy it...

countryMom- I with you about my eating this week end. Its good we have a new week.

Tech- Howdy gal!!

Monet- sounds like you're really enjoying the day. I love to get a new book and just take the day off.

Jack-K- I've got to plan my Easter dinner to and have no clue what I'm having. Hope you're having better luck than me.

Fillise- Wow Rome wouldn't that be nice. Enjoy your niece...

Hi everyone. Well better late than never. Its kinda hard to have web time with a 6 week old and a 3 year old. Did lots of painting with my little guy today. Can't wait for this weather to break so we can get outside!!!

Ok, well not so great on program today. I guess I got a little frustrated this morning when I weighed in and I was only down 1 lb from last Monday. Oh well, slow and steady is best, right?? I pacified myself with a bowl of granola! Got back on for lunch tho with some low fat cheese and triscuts, and almonds for snack.

I desperately would love to hear what ya'll eat for lunch. Lunch seems to be my toughest time. I have the SB Cookbook and those lunch recipes are just too much cooking for a busy Mom during the day.

Hoping I get out for a nice walk tonite. I don't think I mentioned this yesterday but I live at the beach in South Jersey so walks are quite nice/quiet this time of year.

Monet, Happy Belated Birthday! Sounds like you had quite a nice day.

Sarah, Welcome...I just joined yesterday so you and I can learn together.

I'll give my stats.

42 years old
5'4
163
live in New Jersey
SW: 170
CW: 163
GW: 130-135

Small goal is 150 by 4/30/05

Oh how do you put your Fat Chicks weight ticker on the bottom? I like how it shows your progress.

Thanks. I'll check in again when the kids go to bed.

Charlie

I am happy to meet all of you. So far today I have done quite well with this WOE..yes, first day though. I have had some s/f items--making sure they had completely no sugar...like pudding and a protein bar. I hope that is okay? I would like to not "need" even that anymore either...but...

My goal is: 110lbs...because I am so short.

I hope to do well with this board and this WOE.

Take care everyone!

Sarah

Hi everyone. Mondays here all over again. The weekends sure go fast. We are up to the 40's here so maybe thats a good sign.

Monet- glad you had such a nice birthday !

Hi Sarah. Glad to have you here with us .

Catchinup- I do alot of leftovers or salads for lunch.

Mondays menu:

b- 1 cup kashi cereal, 3 bacon, 1/2 cup strawberries
s- plain yogurt with 1/4 cup blueberries
l- Turkey sandwich on ww lc bread, 1/2 cup LF cottage cheese
s- orange
d- 4 oz steak, large romaine/spinach salad with diced brocilli and lf ranch
s- 1/2 cup lc icecream
s- 1/2 oz almonds

Toni: Hiya!! :wave:

Hi Charlie...Welcome aboard!! I think you were asking about lunch? Are you a stay at home mom? So am I...to 4 year old and a 10 year old...who is off to school..BUT, I do pretty well at lunch... These are some things I'll eat:

Turkey on WW bread with mayo and sliced green peppers....this can be tricky because you have to really look on the ingredients to see if it is truly WW. If the first (or any) ingredient says enriched, it's not true WW. Your best bet is to get your bread from your grocery store's bakery where they bake the bread on site. They may list the ingredients and I get 7-grain or sourdough bread from here...they are both legal, but with all 'starchy carbs', you need to keep these to a minimum.

But, back to what I eat for lunch...today I had a turkey burger patty with sour cream on the side and made a smoothie, which included 6 crushed ice cubes, 1 cup of plain yogurt, 2 capfuls of vanilla, 1 hefty spoonful of Splenda , 1/2 cup of skim milk and six strawberries. I will also have a can of tuna and an orange if I'm in a hurry OR a salad with leftover meat from the night before's dinner...today I had salad with cut up, re heated steak!! YUM!! If I think of anything else, I'll let you know...

Sarah: Welcome to the group!! I like your goal weight. I'm short, too (5'2") and my ideal weight is 120-125. Unfortunately, I haven't weighed that in a looooong time! You can do it!! Start a ticker! If you go to UserCP, you can click on the sample orange ticker, set your's up and then copy/paste the string they give you into your signature line. Compllicated at first, but you'll get it and then it's snap! Welcome!!

Gotta run...I'm watching Legally Blonde with my daughter...which is pretty much a movie about me if I'd gone to law school when I was 22ish. I used to think Private Benjamin was a movie about me till I saw this one!! I love Reese Witherspoon...

Bye guys!! Kris :cb:

Well, it is almost that time of day that I will be getting home from work (yeah, I work late on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays) and eating dinner. I know that this is a little "off program" in the time thing...but, I adjust my entire day for this. I work 2-9pm on Monday, 2-8 on Tues and 2-8 on Friday. I am getting really hungry!!

I will start posting a journal if there is a journal forum?? Maybe people can critique my eating habits...

Nice to meet you all!

Sarah

Flying by before I run over to the grocery store. I finished my book. :) It was really good! I love this author...and I have every book she has written. I understand this one is part of a series...I hope she hurries up and finishes the others! :)

Dinner tonight was filet mignon, broccoli, and lentils. I am continuing my no wheat and no dairy and it seems to be working. I feel much better!

SARAH: Welcome! We are glad you are here! I hope you find all the support you need to succeed here! Its a great group, and very helpful. Jump right in! I hope you feel better. Sounds like you have had a rough couple weeks healthwise!

CATCH: One pound is good...don't fret about it. I suggest you only weigh once a week. We do weigh ins on Wednesdays if you want to join us. Painting is fun! I have a degree in art ed, and did lots of creative stuff with my kids when they were little. All three of them are pretty artistic now that they are grown. For lunch, I often have a problem too. The best thing for me is to have leftovers from the night before. I often go out for lunch for meetings (I am the head of a ministry team for church) and I tend to end up struggling to stay OP. An open face sandwich is good, a big salad, and I have even found brown rice and buckwheat instant ramen noodles at the health food store. I throw in some chopped up veggies and poach an egg in the broth when I have them.

I will check in later and finish up my replies! I need to run to the grocery store before it gets too late! :wave:

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONET!!! It's me, Arcayne, off my lazy eating everything in sight and not exercising butt. Went back to water aerobics last week after buying the new swimsuit I needed and admitting that I would only feel worse if I kept putting it off. My knees aren't so good but low impact exercise seems to keep them from getting stiff on me. And I watched SuperSize Me the other night, which I've seen before. But this time, things really hit home. If I don't get my act in gear, I'm going to die young, and..well...screw that, babee:) BOB still driving the wagon? Honey, slow it down and let me hop on up, I'm back:)

Just a quick question. My son was on the computer yesterday, yes, he's only 4, and managed to move my task bar (you know the thing along he bottom that has the green Start button to the left and the time, etc on the right?) all the way to the top of the screen. I've been poking around here for a half hour and can't for the life of me figure out how he did it or how to get it back on the bottom!! Any suggestions?

Hi Arcayne!! Welcome back on the wagon!! :D

Good Morning! I slept like a log last night...only one potty trip. The kittens had surgery yesterday, and had to be seperated, so one is in my bathroom. Its annoying. I am not dealing with things too well because I have a splitting headache. One of the others is in the office across the hall from my bedroom. The whining mews are in stereo....

ARCAYNE: Welcome back! Listen for Rocky Top...BOB will be by ASAP! You know you want to do this...and watching Supersize Me was inspiring for me too. I have not wanted to touch a french fry since I saw it. I FEEL better eating healthy stuff. I bet you see good, steady results with eating right and doing the water aerobics. Getting weight off will definitely help your knees. Thanks for the birthday wishes. It was fun, but I just can't believe I am another year older! :yikes:

TECH: Right click on the task bar, and open up properties. I believe you will find options on where it resides. If that doesn't help, I can ask my son for you. (he is an IT professional and sets up systems for people...he also did helpdesk work for years) I bet your son had a blast clicking on stuff and exploring! He will probably be really proficient with computers by the time he starts school. Its amazing how kids pick it up. By the time he is a teen, he might be a super hacker! :)

I am off in search of coffee. I am hoping it might help my headache....

Monet, this is for you since you love bananas.







This must have been put out by the Banana Grower's of the World.

Ready to go Bananas?


Bananas: Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the USFood and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austriafound pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in "The New EnglandJournal of Medicine, "eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say,
"A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

You might want to pass this tidbit to your friends!!!!

Now for some replies.

Not that I'm a big banana fan, but it seems they are so good for you why can't we eat them? I know b/c of the insulin rise. I really miss pineapple.

Great night of exercise. Did 17 minutes on the TM and 30 minutes of wts and then we walked outside for a mile. DH said it was going to be the only nice night of the week so lets get out.

Monet, what's the difference between lentils and beans?

Monet, I can't beleive you finished that book already. At least the kittens are fixed now. Surely they will stop meowing soon.

Countyr, those weekends are my downfall too. I end up gaining all I lost during the week back on the weekend. It is a vicious circle. Ugh! Hang in there.

Welcome Sarah, This is a great place for support. Most people post their menus so maybe you can get some ideas from that.

Toni, did you get your menu planned? Mine is pretty easy. It never changes. Ham, green beans, mac & cheese, deviled eggs, some type of potatoe, probably a salad. My sister bring desserts and all the nieces bring appetizers.

Catchinup, My lunch is usually a salad. I do open faced egg salad a lot, ww pizza, leftovers from dinner. I think lunch is the hardest.

Cindy, the older we get the quicker the weeks go by. Why is that?

Arcyane, welcome back. Bob is still driving the wagon and at times it is really full, but always room for one more.

bf: 2 eggs with cheese, 3 strips quick bacon 1/2 c oj.
lunch: ww pot pie, orange
dinner: meatloaf, butter beans, another veggie, probably mixed.

Got to get busy. Be back later.

JACK: By George, I am going downstairs to eat a banana! (green tipped of course!) Thanks for posting that. Too bad bananas have sucrose, which raises blood sugar levels and creates an insulin response.

Ok...breakfast was one green tipped banana with peanut butter, coffee with cream.

I am on my second cup of coffee, and its helping the headache, but the cream is upsetting my digestive system. What a coil! I really need to learn to drink my coffee black...(shudder)

:wave:

Hey, Jack!! Wow...everything I wanted to know about bananas and was afraid to ask!! That's really cool about the mosquito bites!! I'll definitely have plenty of opportunies to try that one out this summer!! LOL

Monet: My son literally freaks me out sometimes at how smart he is...I know, every mom things their kid is a genius, but my son, at age 4 1/2, last night just started reading Dick and Jane primers!! I got them for him for Christmas and hadn't read them to him for a couple months, then last night I got out Volume One and opened the page that simply said "Look!" and he said, "Look!", so I turned the page and he read "Look, look" and the next page he said "Oh, oh, oh" and then, well, I'm sure you all know how the Dick and Jane books go...but he ended up reading the whole entire book with very little prompting! He knew words like 'see' and 'Jane', 'Dick' and I had to prompt him on 'funny', then he knew it for the rest of the book and when I promted him once on a word like Mother and Father, big and little, he didn't have to be prompted again and ended up reading "Oh, look, Jane...Look, Dick, look...Sally is big...Tim is little...Big, big Sally...Little Baby Tim WITHOUT BEING PROMTED!! It really freaked me out. My mom and dad's names are Dick and Jane (no, I'm not kidding!!) and I can't wait for them to come home from Florida and have DS read them a Dick and Jane book. They don't even know he has any yet!! Anyhow, I talked to the remedial reading teacher at school and she said that he couldn't possibly even know all of his letters yet, which he's known since he was 2...lower case and upper case! She also said that I should be putting out large pieces of paper for him to begin working on the curves and lines that he'll be using when he draws letters...but he already writes out the abc's and has nearly as good penmanship than my daughter. Trust me, I'm not pushing him, he's just sort of taking off on his own! My daughter went to first grade and couldn't read yet. I'm really proud of him and I don't think I should hold him back from learning...but the teachers seem to either not believe me when I tell them or think I"m pushing him too hard. But, regarding the computer, he LOVES the computer and he's good enough at it that I let him belly up to it anytime he wants to and I've taught him the proper way to open the cd drive and put in his games and he waits patiently for the start up screen to open and he clicks play and goes about his merry way. He knows he's not allowed drinks at the computer and he follows the rules so I supervise him less and less...hence, my task bar is now on the top of the screen. I right clicked on it and didn't find a menu that helped me out. I, too, worked on a computer help desk for about a year (LOVED helping people for a living!!) and I seem to remember this type of thing happening to someone and the cure was to click and drag it back down, but that was Windows 2000 or 98, not XP. When I click and drag this it just stretches to about half way down and that's it. What a bummer...I hate it being up there!! Oh, and by the way...my daughter is a master reader now. She got a 4 in her ELA, which may be a NY State thing so not everyone will know what I'm talking about, but it's English Language Arts and a 4 is the highest score you can get! I'm equally proud of her because she had to come from behind to get that score!! YAY!!

Anyhow...I'm rambling on and on about my son instead of making breakfast!! Yesterday I had a really yummy giant WW pancake and added a handful of fresh (from some foriegn country...not my backyard!!) blueberries and topped it with unsweetened apple sauce!! It was so good, I think I'll go have that again with some breakfast sausages. And I'll have that be my only bread-like substance for the day. I over indulged last night in popcorn while watching the movie with DD last night...no weight gain, but none lost, either. I'm sure glad I'm over that plateau!! Have a happy morning, everybody!! Kris

My girlfriend called about an hour ago and woke me way before time to get up...LOL But with the sun shining so bright and hubby making the wonderful sounds of a freight train going back to sleep was not an option. :) I had the best tilapia for dinner last night. I poached it with this wonderful garlic lemon spice and served it topped with pico de gallo....hope that's spelled close. I've never liked fish any other way except fried but have fallen in love with tilapia. I like it sauteed or poached.

WELCOME Sarah! I'm glad you found this board. The ladies here are awesome. Of course after almost 4 years I'm very biased when it comes to this way of eating. It's the best. :)

Catchinup...lunch is usually a salad or a pack of tuna. I love the flavored ones that come in the pouches pre-drained. They are kinda high so a rare treat. The other day I sauteed a portabella mushroom and served it with some feta. It was a really nice treat. I even plated it. I told my hubby I always take time to make their plates so I took the extra time for myself. It was nice to sit down to such a pretty plate.

Monet....yucky on the black coffee...LOL I gotta have my splenda. Lately I've replaced my evening coffee with tea. But I can't seem to give up my morning cup. Poor little kitties. I hope they feel better soon.

Jack-K..I think this weekend was worse because we were on vacation last week. All week I stuck to my guns...then well, you know CHIPS..agh..LOL

WELCOME back Arcayne! You can sit by me on the wagon. :)

Tech...it's great your son likes to read. As long as he is having fun I'd let him learn all he can. It can be hard on teachers when they start school and already know the lessons. Hopefully your school will offer some advanced classes. We homeschool and my youngest has really taken to math. He just turned 8 and will be starting 4th grade math in about a month. His other lessons are 3rd grade.

Bob....I saw a blockbuster commercial yesterday and I thought about you. How are you doing?

Toni...Is it still pretty cold where you live?

Well ya'll, it's that time. Better get moving and start the coffee. Hope you all have a super day.

Love and hugs,
Crystle

TECH: Oh, boy. I am climbing up on the soapbox, so watch out! First off, the reading specialist must be on crack. Many kids who are unusually bright, and motivated in language, can write all their letters. I have a friend whose daughter is a certified genius. The daughter taught herself to read before she was 3. They could not believe it, but she read them new library books when she was 2 1/2 acurately, never having seen them before! If you want to help your son, PLEASE, teach him phonics. It will give him a good solid base that will help his English skills for the rest of his life. My sister is working on her doctorate as a reading specialist, and this is one area we disagree on vehemently. When I was in first grade, they had just introduced the Dick and Jane readers. In addition, we had a traveling teacher who came into our class and taught us phonics, because our school system was not entirely convinced that sight reading was the way to go. I am SO thankful, because knowing phonics has been a great foundation for me, and my language skills are much better than some of my peers, who did not get phonics. My sister was in an earlier class, and she also got the phonics, but I can't make her see that. My mother totally agreed with me, and told me not to listen to my sister when she told me I was wasting my time teaching my kids phonics! (I homeschooled all three of mine for a number of years) If your son is eager to learn, I say encourage it. Find him things to challenge him that are in his area of interests. For instance, if he likes machines, get him the techno legos, with the motors and such so he can build technical stuff with them. I do agree with the reading specialist on the paper, but not for something so insipid as learning to draw curves etc. Let him draw whatever he wants. Give him lots of art supplies to stimulate his creativity. Talk to him about stuff you see, and read him more info on anything that interests him. If he likes boats on the river, pull out a map and show him where they go in both directions. If you can see a foreign flag on them, show him the country the boat came from. Does he like math? Let him stand on a chair and play in a sink of water with a set of measuring cups and spoons. Show him how four 1/4 cups fills the one cup, etc. Kids who play like that learn fractions much better. Jigsaw puzzles develop eye/hand coordination, as well as spatial development and problem solving. Raising bright children is challenging. All three of mine are bright, and how I wish I could go back to when they were three or four and do it over again...the right way. They all three might be doing so much better if I had known what I know now. Instead, they are all underachievers, and its frustrating to watch them struggle. Never believe what the 'experts' tell you about your child. Every child is different. My son started talking at 8 months and said his first sentence before his first birthday. People don't believe me, but by the time he was 18 months old, he babbled on about Imperial Stormtroopers, clear as could be. People would stare at him and ask me HOW old is he? (he still can talk...oy vey!) Ok, I will get off the soap box now.... :)

Monet: Hi again!! As far as art goes...who needs paper?? We have walls!! :lol: One of my favorite things in my house is in the corner of my living room where ds drew a really cute smiley face behind the end table about a year and a half ago. I LOVE it!! The best was when he tried to blame it on "Mr. Nobody" AND, close off my front porch just after Halloween and then reopen it as the weather warms up again. Well, two years ago, I opened the front door and every single color in the crayon box was scribbled on the porch side of the door. I died laughing because I could just picture him hiding behind it like some crayon junky that couldn't find paper. He just HAD to get those scribbles out!! He really does love art and coloring and all that. I have to confess to not giving him as much paint as I could because of one too many water spills, but I think it's time to revisit watercolors. I hadn't really thought about math except teaching him to count...which he gets to twenty nine and then yells 100!! But measuring cups...I never thought of that one! I got him a 35 pcs puzzle when we went to Vermont and he put it together with no help in about 15 mins. You could see his brain working behind his eyes, loving the challenge, so next time I'm at Walmart, I'm getting a bigger puzzle with more pieces that we can work on together. It's funny you should mention ships because the St. Lawrence Seaway has a website that marks with red dots the ships going one way and yellow dots going the other way (I forget which one is which), so when I see a ship is coming, we walk to the water, which is about three village blocks away, and watch it go by. Now, you've got me thinking about the flags, etc. I'm thinking it'll be cool to get his binoculars (he has his own pair for watching birds that are little to fit his head...so cute!) and have him first see the name of the ship coming on the map, then see the name on the bow of the ship! Who knows? Maybe I have a future ship captain on my hands!! I just got a chill!! I would be sooo proud!! AND look up the flags!! AND look for the country on the map!! What a cool idea!! I can hardly wait!! The ships should start chugging through any day now!!! One more thing to look forward too, Monet!! Regarding phonics, I WAS (and will continue now) showing him flash cards that I made with things like AT and then the letter C, B, S and other letters that, together make words and he was soooo getting it. I put it away, though, because of course, he 'isn't supposed to even know all his numbers, much less what sounds they make' and he was also getting a bit distracted, so I decided to wait till another day...which is today, by the way!! :D You know, my husband and I are really on a fence of whether or not we should home-school him, but he just loves being around other kids his age and there are NO kids for him to play with in our neighborhood, I'd hate to deprive him of it. You know, I'd hate missing the school concerts and the award ceremonies they have every month for the kids' achievements. But, then again, my husband and I are almost concerned that they'll have him regressing or push him to the grade above and then he'll be the youngest, littlest kid going to middle school and high school. Hmmm...so much to think about. You know, I don't feel like I"ve really worked with him exceptionally hard or anything...but I do read to him every night for about a half hour and point to the words as I read them and point out words like 'the', 'and' and 'was' and have him look for them on the page and he would point them out as I read to him. I guess I didn't realize he was paying as close attention as he was and it has taken me a bit by suprise!! In a GOOD way!! Onward and upward!! Sometimes I think he's an old soul...if I believed in reincarnation, I'd be convinced he had been around a few times... ;)

Running late this morning. I shouldn't have went back to sleep this morning and then didn't want to wake up. I haven't even eaten breakfast yet. But think it will be peanut butter toast. I'm thawing a roast out for dinner to put in the pressure pot. Lots of wash and stuff to do cause of my company coming. Will be back later....

Hi all!! Thanks for all the kind words of welcome...I will try to keep up on posting, but DH and DS are off this week (my hubby is off work on vacation and my son is on spring break) so, I will probably be busy..haha! Still can't hear out of my right ear..but, the other problems are getting much better. I just don't have balance yet (ear).

I had a good SB! friendly breakfast this morning..after having to fast for a blood test...it was spinach, 3 (yes 3) eggs..hungry..some mozzarella cheese and some hot sauce..I made it into a "breakfast scramble" type thingy...I hope the cheese is okay? It is reduced fat Sargento's mozz.

Hubby and the kids had pancakes...and they tried and tried to get me to eat them..but, they were laden with flour etc. I only keep whole wheat flour in the house and s/f syrup..but, still...I was a good girl and ate my breakfast. It didn't bother me too much. My DH wanted me to get some "regular white flour" and I refused..what is the good factor of "regular white flour??" I think it is icky!

I am having a HARD TIME with the Easter candy laying around...what is a girl to do?? I haven't eaten any..but it is killing me!!

Talk to you all later, I will check back.

Keep your fingers crossed for warm weather. I am in NE Ohio and it is around mid 40s today...would like those 50-60-70s at least.

See ya,
Sarah

Checking in again... My gut is not well today. I think it was the half and half in my coffee! So, I had a can of chicken noodle soup for lunch. I am eating a brown rice cake too. I hope it helps.


JACK: Lentils are a legume, but small, disc shaped and very high in protein. They are common in middle eastern cooking. Esau sold his birthright for a serving of lentil stew.... I find organic lentils seasoned with herbs canned at Whole Foods. They make a tasty, fast, healthy side dish. Lentil stew made with a ham bone and some carrots and onions is really good.


TONI: Do I need a pressure cooker? I have been toying with getting one. Do you use yours much? What kind do you have?

TECH: Are you teaching him the sounds the letters make? I used a program called Sing Spell Read Write to teach my kids reading. It was wonderful...there are songs to teach them the letter sounds, a series of books to read that re-enforce what they have learned, and games and visuals to make it fun. I can sing that basic phonics song still...a a apple! b b ball! There was a chart with all the letters, and the key word for the sound. My kids loved it. As for homeschooling, if you feel like it would be good for him, do it. If you homeschooled him for kindergarten and first grade, only, he would be fine when we went in for second grade. At that point, its easier for the teacher to deal with differences in abilities. When they are learning to read, and you have one who already does, it is a bit harder to manage. If you want to investigate it further, I would be happy to give you all the ideas and resources I have. When I lament that I was not good at it, and did not do as good a job as I could have, my husband points out that while I may not have done a great job academically, they were better off emotionally for having been at home and out of the peer pressure stuff at school. Have fun! The ship stuff will probably be a blast for a 4 year old boy! They are such dreamers! Get him some books on shipping and ships. You can teach all subjects using an area a child likes. For shipping, you can teach him history- show him pictures of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, and tell him about Columbus, Geography by showing him on maps where the ships came from, and where the river goes both directions from where you see it. Show him other major rivers. Language arts by having him write about ships, art by having him draw the ships, math by counting the ships, estimating their weight, etc. Learning like that is effortless and fun. Country homeschools..she will probably be happy to share her opinions too! :)

COUNTRY: I like tea a lot, and often drink it instead of coffee. Tom made me some espresso Sunday morning, and I had a second cup of it. The amount of caffiene in it is probably why I had a headache! I only drank tea yesterday... I used to drink black coffee, but I just can't do it anymore! I have to have cream and lots of it! I love tilapia too! I saute it in a pan with seasoned salt or lemon pepper on it. Yum! The Chinese poach fish, and boy is that good. I did not like fish until I was in college. Now I love it, but only in small doses. :) I still don't like a few types, like salmon. I don't know why..I just don't!

I think I will go take a nap, and hope I feel better. Will check in later! :wave:

Gosh Tech, what a smart little guy. Any other suggestions?? I have a 3 y.o. who is pretty smart but not nearly that far advanced.

Not much time right now since its so close to lunch time. Still have decided what I will have for lunch but ds is having a pb&j...oh how I miss those! I think I'll have my leftover spaghetti squash. Breakfast was a lite/whole grain Thomas' English muffin w/ Brummel & Brown spread and 2 cups of coffee w/Equal. I think Equal is much better then Splenda. Doesn't have that bitter taste that Splenda has. Oh well!

Once again no excersize for me. I think I'm going to order the WATP dvds. I just don't find the time at night to get out and walk so I'll do it while my little one is napping. Has anyone tried them?

Does anyone know if we can eat sugar free products. I"m assuming we can as long as they don't have the refined flour in them??

Hope everyone is having a great day!

charlie

SARAH: We were posting at the same time! Good for you passing up the pancakes. Tell your hubby he needs to eat healthier too, so the white stuff is OUT! As for the Easter candy...just fight it like a tiger. You will get to the point that it will not even be attractive to you, but it does take a week or so to get rid of the cravings. When your family tries to get you to eat stuff you are not supposed to, look at them sadly and say, "Don't you want me to be healthy and live long and well?" That usually works well. My family is the other extreme...if I go to put anything in my mouth that is questionable, they say, "Should you be eating that?" Sometimes, it drives me crazy! :)

CATCH: And WE were posting at the same time too! As for your three year old, read to him, and if he is interested in something, use that as a tool to stimulate his intellect. The measuring cups and spoons for fractions is very appropriate for a three year old. Legos help with spatial and problem solving development. Lots of paper, crayons, and watercolors help keep the creative development going. Now, on PB&J..you can have them! Just get natural peanut butter, and Polaner all fruit jam, and use whole wheat bread! If you want to keep your starch servings down, make a half of a sandwich and only use one slice. I used to eat them all the time, until I decided I probably have Celiac disease and need to lay off the wheat. Heartmom uses the WATPs. Someone else does too, but I can't remember who it is. Hopefully, Heartmom will be on and see your question. She is really into exercise, and teaches classes, so is a good one to ask. On the Equal, you would probably be better off with agave, or granulated fructose. We use the fructose in our coffee. I use agave in my tea. Agave is kind of hard to find, but there are a number of health food stores around here that carry it now. Its completely natural and low glycemic, so safe for diabetics and legal on SB.

Just checking in.

My pot pie sucked for lunch. I think it had been in t he freezer too long. The orange was good.

Monet, I love coffee black. Aren't beans legumes? I t hought you were staying away from dairy? Why the cream?

Tech, how fortunate that you have a child that is educational motivated. I hope it continues. I guess he gets his intelligence from you??? Kidding aside, that is great. I think it is wonderful when kids like to read. Congrats to your DD too on her reading.

Country, I think I need to try Talipia again. I had it once and it reminded me of the texture of tuna. Everyone I know raves about it.

Toni, sounds like a busy day planned. Come on to my house when you get finished.

Sarah, we are practically neighbors. Sorta. I am in Louisville. I am looking for some warm weather too. Just tell yourself losing wt is more important than eating that candy. You can do it.


Got to do some work.

CATCH: Sugar free products are ok as long as they don't have refined flour in them. Do check and see if they contain sugar alcohols though. They can really do a number on your digestive system! I can barely tolerate a small piece of candy with them. It gives me gas and diarrhea. A couple pieces of it, and I am in agony! Its really a good idea to try and avoid all sweet stuff until you get rid of the cravings. Then you don't want it anymore! For a chocolate fix, I just have a square of 70% cocoa solid chocolate. Lindt makes a bar, so does Rapunzel, Valor, and a number of others. Just read the label and make sure it says 70% cocoa solids on it. SB says this is ok as an occasional treat. Other than that, if I am in need of something on the sweet side, I have a piece of fruit.

JACK: Forgot to answer you in my previous post...yes, beans are legumes. So are peanuts, and lentils, and chickpeas. Just different types. Lentils are not as gasacious as other beans are, and higher in protein than some other legumes. They also cook a lot faster than other dry beans. Try them! I bet you like them! :)

Catch: See, I'm different when it comes to Splenda...I LOVE it, whereas Equal and all those leave me with that icky aftertaste. I guess Splenda does, too, if I get a little unhinged with using it, but I LOVE it in my coffee/tea with half n half.

Regarding reading, I spend about a half hour reading to DS every single night...I look forward to it, it gives me a chance to sit down and relax and I MISS those days so much with DD and know how fast they go by until their reading their chapter books and are too big to be read to. But, when I read to him I keep a variety going...some are early reading primers like the dick and jane or Dr Seuss books and some are from a five-minute story book or from the vast collection of kids books I've collected over the years. BUT, I remember DS in kindergarden had things called 'star' words, which were words that show up a lot in the English language, like 'the', 'and', 'I' or 'a'...that type thing and I have him look for them on the page while I'm reading and point them out. He's known his abc's since he was about 2 because we have the colored magnets on our stove and he has puzzles with the letters on them, like the wooden ones with the pegs on them and we'd go over them all the time...he LOVES puzzles. He learned to count to 14 really fast because that's how many stairs we have and we'd count them every time we went up or down stairs. And, I have to admit, he's learned a ton from TV...you know, it's friggen cold up here for a looooong time. There's not a lot to do when its 30 below for weeks on end and eventually the TV wins out when we run out of things to do. But Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer are his favorites and they've helped him learn a lot, too. He also loves Reading Rainbow with that guy from Star Trek that had the banana clip on his eyes...forget his name. We also take every-other-week trips to the library. We're lucky because it's only about three blocks from our house, and we take out about six books at a time to keep a variety going. And it's added insentive to get him upstairs to go to bed to read our new books! But, yeah, my DD didn't read this soon...not even close!! She went to kindergarden in Rochester where they still had half-day kindergarden, then we moved here and the kids in her class had full day and she was really behind...could not read anything. I thought she WAS reading, but it turns out my babysitters were helping her to memorize the books she was reading, not the words, and she'd bore through the books for me and the teacher and had us convinced she was a reader, then the K teacher here analyzed her and said he'd have to put her in remedial reading, which turned out to be a good thing because she was the 'new kid' and the remedial teacher here was also new that year, and is very quiet and kind and DD loved to go to her classroom to work with her, she made her feel very comfortable an that was nice.

Sarah: I had pancakes this morning!! I get a buckwheat pancake mix, check the ingredients to be sure the words 'white' or 'enriched' are not in the ingredients, and they're legal...in moderation, at least. I add a handful of blueberries and either top it with sugar free appelsauce or sugar free, low calorie syrup. SOOOOO delicious and definitely satisfies the sweet tooth!! I almost feel guilty after eating it!! I also have a few breakfast sausages with them and maybe a half a grapefruit. I always try and have at least two servings of fruit and/or veggies with everymeal. Liek the blueberries and the half grapefruit, or a salad with romaine and various veggies. Or if I can't think of a second veggie to have with dinner, I have some cantaloupe slices to replace the place where the potatoes used to go. The key for me is to have two fruits/veggies and a protien with every meal, which can be jsut about any kind of meat or cheese. Of course, stick to lower fat versions of these, but feel free to have some bacon at breakfast with your eggs!! And don't forget the fruit!

MONET: You are ON to something with the Vitamin C, by the way. I have been taking a 500 mg vitamin with just about every meal and then before bed and I feel GREAT!! I haven't been losing like crazy or anything, but my wedding rings are getting looser, whereas they usually took loads of soap and a really sore finger to get them off before. Don't know what it is about the VC, but I LIKE IT!! Thanks for mentioning it!!

Menu today: Big WW blueberry pancake with three sausage links and sugar free syrup...coffee, coffee, coffee. I somehow forgot lunch what with playing with DS today and cleaning the house, so I had some cheddar cheese and an apple when I got home from picking up DD after school. Dinner will be leftover chicken breast cut up over a yummy salad with blue cheese. AND, I've been walking every day this week (wow...two whole days...). The sun has been shining and even though it's only 40, the birds are chirping and there's actual puddles! The snow is all melting...some remains, but it's just about history. I cannot wait to start digging my garden in the sunny part of my yard behind my barn. Fresh beefsteak tomatoes are going to be the first things to go in!! I can almost taste them now!!

Okay, off to crack the whip for the homework girl!! Fractions...grumble, grumble...

Hidee ho all! Well, I havnt been losing pounds as of late ( just the same couple over and over,) but I am losing inches again. Finally ! The thighs and hips seem to be the spots losing which suits me just fine :)

Tech- did you fix your taskbar yet? If not heres what you do. First right click on it and make sure the "lock task bar " is not checked. Then just click once ( left click) holding it down and try dragging it real fast to the side then to the bottom then you can put the "lock task bar " on.

Monet- what book were you reading?

Catchinup- I have a large collection of the WATP and Love them ! Ive done them for about 13 months now. I recently got the walkblaster which is the newest one. But dont recommend that if you are "new" to exercising. But all of the others are great !


Tuesdays menu

b- blueberry smoothie, 1 slice wwlc toast
s- 3 celery stalks with 2 tbl pbutter
l- left over lamb about 3 oz, 1/2 cup cottage cheese
s- apple
d-1 lc tortilla with 2 oz chicken breast, sprinkle of cheese, 1/2 avacado, twice baked califlower, 8 soy teins.
s- 1/2 oz almonds

CINDY!! IT WORKED!!

And you know, that's what I used to have people do on the help desk I used to work on, but I don't remember having to do it fast like that, but voila!! It's back on the bottom. That goodness...it was driving me NUTS up there!! Thanks!!

Kris ;)

update: you know what I was doing wrong, was I had the cursor at the top edge (was the bottom edge when it was on the top of the screen) so it turned into a line with two arrows and it would just stretch the task bar to half way in the middle of the screen and then stop. Oh, well...all's well that ends well... :lol:

GOOD TUESDAY EVENING ALL YOU BUSTER BUDDYS!!


I'm still pinched and can't sit here too long, but I wanted to drop by and say hello to everyone!!! :wave:

I'll get back when I can

BOB

Well, I am checking in..briefly...at work...

I had some lunchmeat and cheese for lunch and some s/f pudding...does that sound okay???

For my snack here at work, I had a small apple and a stick of cheese.

Dinner sounds like it is going to be salmon...my DH is cooking. I get off here in about 1 1/2 hours and I am ready to eat!!

I think I may work out tonight. Since the mega-illness, I haven't worked out and I feel like a bum!!

I will check back later. I am sorry I am not posting "to any of you" but, don't have much time to customize right now.

You are all so nice and I am (again) very glad to say I found this support board.

-Sarah

Hi Bob!! :wave:

Sarah: I'm not positive, but I think the SF pudding is a no-no. If you look on the ingredients, one of the first items may or may not be corn starch...which is a product of corn...which is illegal. I went to look on a box I thought I had, but I'm pretty sure that, although it's sugar free, it's still laden with illegal stuff...check it out. Also, you need some fruit or veggies with that lunch. Your snack sounds great...I had the same thing!! :D Salmon or fish in general, is one of the SB Power Foods. It is so rich in so many good things. Have you tried mashed sweet potatoes? They are legal AND a power food. I'm not sure if I'm using the right term here in Power Food, but if you've read the book, you know what I mean. I peel a sweet potato, boil it and then mash it with some butter. It's more like squash than potatoes, but it fills the spot the potatoes used to have on your plate rather nicely...and it goes really well with steamed broccoli! Sweet potatoes count as a starchy carb, though, so skip a slice of bread and butter with a meal you have them with. BUT, don't forget your fruits and veggies with your meals AND a protien to offset the insulin uppage from the natural sugar in the fruit. Watch ingredients for hidden no-no's and you'll be on your way!! It's all a learning process for the first few weeks and we're here to steer you in just the right direction!!
:bravo:

Kris

Techwife, glad to hear it worked ! :)

Good evening everyone. Thanks Tech and Monet for the recommendations with my ds. I have to say that I do most of everything you have mentioned. Monet for Phonics, I really like the Leap Frog products. My ds is learning his alphabets and their sounds without too much help from Mom and Dad. I'm amazed at how well he does with the educational toys. Thanks again.

I did really good today. For lunch I ended up having a leftover salad with chopped up roasted chicken and lite dressing. Dressing was only 2gr per serving. Also had some grapes a few almonds. Dinner was baked Talapia with a parmesan crust and shrimp baked in the oven, broccoli and string beans! I did have a Slim Fast Low Carb snack bar, I know its got the sugar alcohols but their soooooo good and really curb that urge for dessert. I think my only starchy carb for the day was my english muffin.

Well once again didn't make the walk. I've been dealing with a sore throat since last nite and just didn't have the energy after giving my ds's baths. See that is why I need 'at home' work out tapes. Thanks Cindy, I think I'm going to order them from Amazon, they have them cheaper, used.

Ok, time for bed. Hope you all had a great OP day. Talk to you tomorrow.

PS: Is anyone from Vegas?? Trying to plan a trip in Sept and looking for some pointers.

charlie

So much for the self-analyzing last week, can someone please send the wagon my way?!! My big butt may cause a flat. When will I ever get my arse in gear and STICK WITH IT?! Okay, okay. Tomorrow is a new day. Anyway, someone mentioned SF pudding. Yes, it is legal, but only in moderation, so don't go eating the box(which I've done :o ). The new Jello SF cups(in the fridge section) are really good, but boy did they give me gas! Well, as you see, my eating has sucked! I keep doing this, been months at it. Gaining and losing the same pounds over and over...and over. I just want to get back on track and be able to STAY, ya know? I just got thru scanning some more pics, 9 in all. So here goes...okay, it'll only do 5 at a time. The first 2 are Ashley and Boogie with Spiderman. The third is the castle at Magic Kingdom. The fourth is me at SeaWorld. The fifth is the kids at the Nemo pic site.

Here are the other 4. We got the kids with Shrek and Spongebob. Shamu, and the Pirates Caribbean.

CATCH- I just saw your question about the WATP. I've always recommended those to people, especially if you are new to exercise. I first got mine from Walmart about 2 years ago, I think. I stayed at the 2 mile for awhile and then moved it up a notch to the 3 mile. Did that one the most. Mine came as a 3 set with resistance bands. I've been thru 2 or 3 resistance bands, they keep breaking, so now I use 3 pound weights in place of the bands. Last year, they came out with a 4 mile Express. So I got it, too. I don't do them as much as I used to, simply because I've been doing them for at least 2 years. But I alternate them according to how I feel. I do the 3 and 4 mile ones when I have more time and want a good workout and I do the 2 mile when I'm pressed for time, or just don't have the energy to withstand a longer workout. I recommend them because they aren't complicated and easy to follow. I hate buying a new video and it ends up being too complicated for me to follow. I just wasted my money on a step video that is just too complex, too much variation for each move,etc...

Laurie: You are my true inspiration for sticking to this diet! If I didn't see your ticker, I would never believe you once weighed almost 300lbs and now you look like a supermodel!! Truly!! Thanks for sharing the pics...you all look like you had a fantastic time!!

WIW reveals no change on the scale for me today. BUT, I feel like I'm loosing bulk anyhow. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to get my wedding rings off for any underhanded reasons, it's just that my fingers have always been really skinny and I'vehad a hard time keeping rings ON. My ring size was typically 4 1/2 on my ring finger. When I had my gallbladder removed two years ago, they told me to take off my wedding rings and I panicked, thinking they were going to have to cut them off (they are a size 5 or so) because they wouldn't budge without great effort and now they come off with just a little wiggle. So, that's kind of a little weight loss triumph and now I can take them off to put on hand lotion and to clean them once in a while. And that's nice, I think. :) And my size 16's are becoming very, very loose, but my size 14's are wearable, but still a bit uncomfortable. All in all, since Nov., I've lost nearly 15 lbs and that makes me very happy.

BF today will be a grapefruit half and some breakfast sausage. I'll probably have a salad for lunch after walking to the store to buy some lettuce and dinner will probably involve some sort of chicken and broccoli..you know, something different... :p I really need to comb through the recipie section and get some new ideas...

Well, happy WIW...hope we have some big losers today!! :D

Kris

WIW was not a good one for me. I had really expected a loss, but instead had a gain. I am pretty sick of this up and down and no progress. I feel like a beached whale. I have plans to do something very different, and will post about it when I have finished the plans.

I am heading down to the farmer's market today with one of my young friends. I am going to her house (she lives really close to the market) for lunch, then we are going to the market together. I am looking forward to the trip. I plan to stock up on fresh veggies and fruits. They also have great organic meats there, so I will probably get some of them too.

The kittens are doing well, and should be able to be put together tonight. Yay! I am not happy having one of them incarcerated in my bathroom. If you go in to use it, she is SO happy for the company, she gets annoying! It sure is not easy to sit on the pot and hold a kitten in your lap!

Breakfast this morning was three eggs, fried, brown rice leftover from last night, and hot tea. As much as a love coffee, I am very afraid of the half and half now!

I will check in later! I need to go do some chores before its time to leave! :wave:

Monet: Glad to hear about the kittens! And I'm sorry you're having a 'fluffy day' as I call them when I'm feeling a little puffy and not proceeding with my dieting. By the way...why are you afraid of half n half? I just got all used to it and I'm pretty much attached to putting it in my coffee.

Kris

OMG! The sun is out--It's going to be in the 70s today, my azealas are about to burst into bloom (one more week, I think). I think we might have turned the corner!!!!!!!

I got up early and did three loads of wash today!!!! It's the first day I can hang stuff out on the line with a reasonable expectation they will get dry!!!!! (I don't have a dryer at my house). That's three loads of clothes that are no longer on my bedroom floor!!!!! That alone is enough to lift the funk!

I don't have time to respond right now, but will try to get back on later tonight--busy day today!

Susan

TECH: I LOVE half and half...but its dairy and I am reasonably sure I am allergic to milk or have lactose intolerance at the least! I am going to have to try and find a non dairy way of lightening my coffee. Unfortunately, I am not interested in non dairy creamer...the chemicals in that stuff scare me!

FILLISE: I agree, yay for the sun! When are you coming to Hotlanta? I am heading down to the DFM today, and I always think of you when I get to the NSA jams and jellies. You were the one who found the NSA McCutcheons apple butter....

HEART: Great pix! Thanks for sharing. You look wonderful at Seaworld...

More replies later....

Gotta go! :wave:

No time for replies at the moment...just popping in to post this link to a REALLY CUTE EASTER BUNNY SONG/VIDEO. If you've got kids, they'll LOVE this and adults will, too. Check it out!! Easter B rapper link (http://www.grayace.com/dex/bunny.html)

Happy WIW, everyone. I'm not going to weigh in until next Wednesday, as I just got started this weekend:)

TECHWIFE: I know what you mean about little things and bulk loss:) I was so excited when I was losing before, I'd lost enough to have "wiggle room" in my tub. Actual proof that those numbers on the scale meant something to this big ol' girl, because I sure couldn't see them.

MONET: Had a kitten that used to follow me everywhere, including the bathroom. I feel your pain;) because you can't just IGNORE the little critter!

HELLO to everyone I knew from before and to all the friends I've yet to meet!

Hey, guys. I screamed in horror when I got on the scale this morning. I knew it was going to be up, but this is just about unbelievable! It's up 10(TEN!!!!!!) pounds from just Friday!! Gee whiz! I'm hoping that I will see a dip in it tomorrow, or I'm going postal! Today, I'm really watching my food intake, have no choice but to.

TECH- That's so nice of you, thanks. As much as I screw up, I somehow always manage to get back on track, I guess that is the key to it. I just wish I would get my act together and start losing again, instead of giving in to temptation. I'm still able to wear my shorts from last summer, which isn't good. I should be down at least a size this Spring..if only I had done better with my eating. But...it is still only March, I could get some weight off in the next couple months if I get my butt in gear. Boogie loved the Bunny link, he was dancing to the beat. As for the rings, I have big fingers, but no longer fat fingers,lol. At my biggest, I was a size 11 on my ring finger. I stayed in a size 10 for awhile, it kept getting loose, so I bought a ring guard, but then it got where it was still falling off, so I took it last year to the jeweler and it was sized to a 7. They took 3 sizes off, and if it's a thin band, I can wear a 6 1/2. That's a good feeling. Now I want to be able to see my pants getting loose. It's been so long, that I've just about forgotten how exciting that can be. First, I got to get back into my pants I was just wearing a week ago,lol.

Alright, here's my menu...it's a little light, but I gotta do this for about 2 days to get things moving along..

BF- eggs with veggies(1 egg yolk and 4 whites scrambled with spinach, onion, and tomato)
Snack- yogurt
Lunch- bowl of cabbage(had a little bacon grease in it)
Supper- will be beef stew(meat, cabbage, onion, tomatoes, green beans, okra, butter beans)

I need to get off this computer and do my workout for the day..
Congrats to the losers this week, but if you weren't one, hang in there, and you will be next week.

I am back from the farmer's market. We were pressed for time, so I did not get the chance to look at the cheeses carefully, or the fish or meats. :( I did get a lot of fresh produce though. They had beautiful pears, and apples, I got plums, peppers, and some Chinese veggies, too. I bought oat bran, cashews, almonds, and some canned stuff. I got olives, and a few new 70% chocolates to try. I am munching on a brown rice cake as I am typing. Life is good, but I have no idea what I am going to fix for dinner. I better get off here and go see what I can rustle up.

Hello again. Add a navel orange and yogurt to my menu, just couldn't hold out until supper. I'm still cooking the stew. DH is suppossed to bring home some rice for the rest of the family. If he had his way, we would have cornbread or rice every night. But I'm usually in charge of that department. Well, I really don't have much to say, just checking in.

Hello everyone.
Im not weighing until the morning so Ill post that tomorrow.

Heartmom- Thats great with your rings. I think soon Im going to have to have mine resized they are awfully loose.

Monet- sorry about no loss for you this week. I know how that is. Ive been seeing the same 2-3 pounds come and go for a bit now. But I am finally starting to see some inches go down. But I know how discouraging it is. Hang in there GF!

Wed menu
b- oatmeal, 3 bacon
s- lc yogurt
l- romaine/spinach salad with diced brocilli, 3 oz turkey breast and LF ranch, 1/2 cup cantaloupe
s- 1/2 orange
d- baked cod, twice baked califlower
s- 1/2 oz almonds
s- plain yogurt with 1/4 cup blueberries

I started to eat dinner, then just decided I was not hungry. I guess the couple rice cakes I had and the handful of cashews were enough. I ate a bite of rice, one shrimp, and a couple olives. I tried stuffing an olive with Maytag bleu cheese, and it was really good. Oh, and I had a glass of port.

James just gathered up the kittens and put them all in his room. yay! He feels like they will be ok together now. They don't usually fight, so there is not a lot of chance that they will do any damage. (they are all from the same litter, their mother was killed by a car and he rescued them)

CINDY: I meant to reply to your question about what book I was reading. It was Loretta Chase's new novel, "Mr. Impossible". I like everything she has written, and it was fairly good. Not her best, but entertaining.

HEART: I like the new avatar!

ARCAYNE: I always feel guilty when I don't want to interact with the kittens. Sometimes, I just want them to leave me alone! :) All three of the girls are rather affectionate. The one I would love to be affectionate...the older boy...has no interest in being affectionate with me. He is with others, but not me. I think he must know, and is being obstinate!


You know, I have not seen Pancho for a few weeks. I hope all is well with her. Rosalie resurfaced, then disappeared again. Haven't seen Kengjw on for over a week. I keep hoping to see SEF on again...

And of course, I wonder if Debelli will ever make it back....

Wow I'm getting on so late tonite. I was to the doctor today as I've been dealing with a sore throat for a few days and this morning I just knew it was more serious. Turns out to be the starts of Strep. I hope I got the Zithromax in time. I can't say that I actually stayed OP today. I have not been hungry but when I did eat I tried to make good choices. I had beef barley with veggies for lunch and I think that barley is not legal. I don't care though since it just made my throat feel better.

Laurie and Monet sorry about the lbs climbing back on. In not time they will be history. I think certain times of the month make us weigh more anyway. Laurie thanks for the tip on WATP. I decided since I won't be getting out to a gym or out of the house too much it would be something good to get me moving. Thanks for the recommendation.

Off to bed and hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. Sorry so short.

Charlie

Good Morning Ladies,

Sorry I couldn't get here yesterday. I was at a meeting until 2, then the rest of the day was busy. Went straight to the grocery last night after work. Gee is it good to have food. Veggies and fruit and salad. In fact we got a big salad at Krogers off the salad bar for dinner. It was soo good.

Not telling what the scale said today. It is down 6 since Monday but still up. Did not get to excersie last night. Don't know if I will tonight due to the ballgames. I may try to do weights at lunch.

Having a pretty legal Easter dinner. I got a veggie tray and some wheat crackers and cheese and will have ham, green beans. Sister is bringing eggs, and a potatoe dish (which I will not eat) Niece is bringing mac & cheese (which I will not eat). I am making a sf key lime pie for dessert. Niece is bringing a bunny cake and cheesecake (which I will not eat) My only concern is the potato chips I bought. Got to stay away from them.

Monet, you probably know this, is unbleached wheat flour ok? I found some sourdough/jalapeno pieces that are awesome (I love anything hot) and they were made with unbleached wheat flour. Wasn't sure about the word unbleached.

Also, will someone please give me instructions on how to do a ticker? I saw them earlier, but can't find them now.

Tech, I think reading is so important. I always try to give books to kids at Christmas. WTG getting you walking in this week. 15 pounds is great. It is always great to get into a smaller size clothes.

Cindy, I'll take losing inches over pounds any day. At least your clothes look better.

Bob, hope your arm gets better soon. We miss you.

Sarah, try to add some veggies to your lunch, maybe veggies and dip and some fruit. It will fill you up better.

Catchinup, I have used the WATP tapes and really like them. I have the 3 mile and it is a great workout. We went to Vegas and some friends just returned yesterday. We stayed at the Barbary Coast. It is was nice and it was very reasonable, plus it is right in the middle of the Baligio, Paris, Ceasars. It is small, but not too small. It was great for us first timers. Hope your strep goes away quickly.

Heart, enjoyed the pics. You are so pretty. I couldn't see your arse, but you look pretty thin to me. Hang in there and take it hour by hour. Don't go postalyet. I also saw a 8 pound gain on Monday. Luckily 6 of it is gone today. Just got to get through the weekends without putting it all back on.

Monet, Don't keep us in the dark, what are your secret plans?

Susan, cook a little extra, I'm on my way. Sunshine? I don't know what that is and I am willing to go anywhere to get some.

Arcayne, here's hoping you see a loss next week.

BF: 1/2 ww bagel with peanut butter, 1/2 oj, decaf coffee
lunch, salad, strawberries
dinner ?

Got to get busy here. Hope to be back later.

It worked, I can't beleive I figured it out.

JACK: Unbleached white flour is NOT legal. If the items are true sourdough, they are ok though. Something about the little beasties in sourdough lowers the GI of the stuff. As for my 'secret plans' I have pretty much decided to go on an extended fast, with only fresh juices, and water. I am waiting on the juicer, and trying to determine the best time to start. I am researching different methods, like the Lemonaid diet, or Master Cleanse, and Juice fasting and detoxification. I don't want to become a raw foodist, but they do have some compelling reasons to eat raw. Its inspired me to eat more raw foods than I have been. I will keep you posted on what I find and decide, so you can laugh at me, encourage me, or fuss at me! I need them all...

JACK: I decided to have a premeditated cheat on Sunday and have scalloped potatoes. I know I should hang my head in shame for it, but some traditions I have to take a risk on :D Potato chips would definitely be a huge weekness for me if they were available. They just look so innocent and you think, oh..I'll just have one...then...oh, what's one more gonna do?...and then before you know it you've had half the basket! Also, I'm pretty sure UNbleached is the key word you're looking for in flour and WW is definitely okay. It's bleached and white that have the red flags attached to them. Regarding tickers, I'm pretty sure if you click on anyone of ours, it'll take you right to the place to make them...copy and past the url they give you into your signature and it's done!

CHARLIE: I wouldn't be worried about being on plan when you are sick...taking care of yourself is more important. Hope your throat clears up soon!!


MONET: I wish I had a market like you go to in my vicinity. You should just see the produce at the local grocery store this time of year. Completely pathetic. They actually cut the tops off asparagus and sell just the stalks because the tops weren't too pretty...at full price! I usually wait to get to Watertown to by much of anything other than milk and eggs. And your poor kitties...I didn't know they were orphans!! How nice of your son to scarf them up and take them in! I'm so glad (for me) that half n half is still legal and I'm sorry for you that you are afraid to use it. I just love it now that I'm used to it. I'll try and think of an alternative for you, but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to come up with anything you haven't already thought of yourself.
:grouphug:

LAURIE: Isn't it funny...I bet neither one of us thought when we decided to loose weight, "I just can't wait to drop a few ring sizes!!" My feet and fingers have always been small...in fact, my feet are the only part on me that I didn't go up a size in...still a 6.5 or 7. From the ankles down, I'm just where I want to be!! LOL It's everything from the ankles up I'm working on!! :lol:

ARCAYNE: Its so nice to have you part of our group. I'm so proud of you for taking on your weight loss and we'll all be here to keep you on the straight and narrow! It's so nice to see forward progress, isn't it? And so worth the sacrifices we have to make to get there...

Well, DD is home from school for the long weekend. AND she came home with a history test she took the week and got a 97!! I was so proud of her!! It was on the Revolutionary War. Next they learn about the civil war, which I hate because it's all so sad. So, it appears her test anxiety issues are only regarding math. Her teacher says he's dealt with it before and knows what to do...I just haven't heard what the strategy is yet.

And I'm off today to pick out a STEPPER!! My husband got a kind of bonus and said, to ease his guilt (sort of) for buying himself a router table, that we could all have a nice new toy. My daughter got a mini iPod (can you believe it?) and I'm getting a new stepper!! I'm so excited. I hate my bike and whenever I've belonged to a gym, I always belly up to the steppers and hardly ever used the bikes...they hurt my fanny too much. I'd rather stand and step any day. So, I'm going to go look at them today. My son...well, he got a new bike (a Schwinn chopper...with training wheels!! So cute) for going poopy on the toilet (I thought a pack of M&M's would have sufficed, but it was in DH's control), so we decided that would carry him over for a while.

Well, off to get changed...I've been typing this for over an hour!! Distractions!!

Kris

One more thing...SPRING IS HERE!! THE SHIPS ARE MOVIN'!! I'm right across the river and a few islands from were Kingston is and we just had a ship go by. Check out the link!!

:dancer:Ship Activity (http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/R2/jsp/R2.jsp?language=E&loc=VT00.jsp) :dancer:

The yellow dots are the ships going northeast into Canada and the blue dots are the ones going southwest toward Lake Erie.

Monet, it was unbleached WHEAT not white.

TECH: That map is so cool! Are these those HUGE ships that look like floating apartment buildings?

JACK: Wheat, white...no difference. Its not legal. It just refers to processed flour that is not bleached too. If it were whole grain, they would not specify bleached or not. It never is.

MONET: Oh, yes...these are the huge frieghters, like 225 meters long and 23 meters wide, and soon they'll be coming from all points around the world. The best is when they pass each other and blow their horns, which they don't do as much as they used to when I was a kid. They mostly carry grain and steel, but some carry oil and that can get kind of risky. An interesting thing about our river is that this area was really involved in the war of 1812 and there are shipwrecks all over the bottom of the river from then and even more that date even further back than that. Scuba diving is really popular here because of it. I've never been, but I'd LOVE to someday! It's pretty expensive, I'm told. AND, I'm glad you cleared that up about the unbleached WW flour. I would have bought and eaten bread made with that, but now I know...thanks, man.

Just had breakfast late, one slice of 7 grain toast with two poached eggs, three sausage links and half a grapefruit.

GOOD MAUNDY THURSDAY ALL YOU BUSTER BUDDYS!!!


Thought I better get on here while I can...dont want to jix myself, but I'm not numb yet! BUT...I am trying to catch a cold...hoping that it's just allergys, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the latter....

Still haven't heard from the Worker Comp people yet...I'm going to give them a few more days before going ahead with the MRI order that I have from my Medical Doc...I have an appointment with the Pain Management Doc on the 6th, and I wanted to have the MRI and get the results for that appointment.


ARCAYNE...I'm so glad to see you back on here again! We've missed you.
Keep us updated on your progress...

JACKIE...sounds like a big family day at your house on Sunday...enjoy yourself! Kate is getting revved up for the games to start tonight...Are you tuning in?

SUSAN...when are you leaving for Wilmington? Is MS BELLE going with you?

TECH...It would be so interesting to watch those big freighters...I know you're glad that Spring is here...has it quit snowing up there? My Neighbors are from just outside Boston, and it's still snowing there...they are in no hurry to go home...Can't say that I blame them!

LAURIE...GREAT PICTURES of the KIDLETS!!! I know they had a great time as I'm sure you and DH did too! Good going on the rings...

MONET...I believe I remember NAT saying that she was going to not be around very often but checking in every now and then...I'm sure she'll be on to give us the run down on the Kids and their Easter celebration...
Are you cooking on Sunday?

CHARLIE....{{{{{WELCOME}}}}}}}}} I know this is a little late, but I've not been able to get on because of my arm...We're glad to have you on our little corner of the board!

CINDY...we're still waiting on those pictures of the Happy Couple
Any big plans for Easter at your house?

I'm off for now...I'll try to check in a little later!

BOB

Flying by...I have an arts team meeting here tonight and I am making hummus, pita chips and kibbeh balls. I ought to make tabouli too, but I don't want to over do it! :lol:

We have a Seder dinner tomorrow night at church, so I went and got my leg of lamb to fix, and a few other things. I will have to pack up the dishes for it, and carry them to the church. Its a lot of fun...we sit on the floor for it.

I need to run, or I will never get the kibbeh balls done on time!

:wave:

Pictures..oh my gosh I totally forgot. Im so sorry. Here they are and ill do my daily post later.
My dd and her new hubby (http://www.81x.com/Authors/ckbuchanan/linny1.jpg)

Me, my dh, my new sil, dd, ds and dm (http://www.81x.com/Authors/ckbuchanan/linnny2.jpg)

my ds, dd, dsil, dm (http://www.81x.com/Authors/ckbuchanan/linnny_3.jpg)

Today is my Friday and am I glad. I had tomorrow prescheduled off and i really need it. Have had a situation at work thats been very stressful this past week and then with still having my dad in the hospital. Im hoping he gets to come home in the next couple days.
We are either going to a Easter Brunch or over to my sister in laws for Easter. My dd and her hubby are joining his family for Easter dinner .

Monet: Ive never heard of loretta Chase.. what type of writing does she do? I love to read, usually have 2 books going at a time.

Catchinup: Hope your feeling better soon.

Thursdays menu
no Loss on the scale.

b- 2 eggs, 1 slice wwlc toast
s- 1 cup cantaloupe
l- turkey sandwich ln wwlc bread with one slice swiss, 1/2 cup LF cottage cheese
s- apple
d- pork chop, romaine/spinach salad with LF ranch

EVENING EVERY BUDDY!!!

CINDY...Your daughter is beautiful,and they look really happy! Thanks for posting the links. Best wishes to them for a long and happy life together!

I'm geting ready to climb up in the 4 poster...I've taken my medicine and expect to be asleep pronto! I've set the VCR to capture what I already know that I'll miss!

Have a good rest of the evenig EVERY BUDDY!!!!

BOB

Meeting is over...the kibbeh balls turned out good. I made tabouli and hummus too. Too much work! I was so late with dinner. It was good though! I did eat some, which means I had some wheat tonight. Its hard to avoid it entirely!

CINDY: Thanks for posting the pics! Your daughter is beautiful, and I can see she favors her mom! Loretta Chase writes Regency romances, and historical romances. She is not your usual bodice ripper style writer...her character development is very good. If you can find it, read Lord of Scoundrels. Its really good.

BOB: Sweet dreams, dear! I hope the pinched nerves are better soon!

Ok, I need to get some stuff done. :) :wave:

Hey, guys. Just checking in. The scale was down 4 from yesterday this morning. I've had a legal day, but I went overboard at supper. Cooked a turkey breast in the crockpot that ended up being absolutely delicious. I was starving by the time supper came around and I ate 2 sandwiches with mayo and cheese AND about 3 huge chunks of meat to boot. I'm still stuffed. As for the rest of the day, I had a protein bar, grapes and yogurt, and a Wendy's large chili. I was doing good until supper, at least it's legal. Oh yea, the kids and I went to a Easter party this afternoon at Boogie's Speech clinic. They had all kinds of goodies just begging for me to eat, but I stayed away and didn't have the first bite, guess that's why I overdid it at supper. Oh,well. We got invited to dinner Sunday at my friend's Mom's house. They always have nothing but starches and sweets, virtually nothing else. I'm doomed for staying legal that day BUT I have control over how MUCH I eat of it. So that will be another HUGE test of my willpower, knowing when to stop when I've had my fill. That's my biggest problem. Tomorrow, I'm going out with some girlfriend's from church for supper. Don't worry, I'll keep it totally OP. We usually go to Lapinata's and I order the chicken fajitas with all the toppings, just pass on the tortillas and chips. I'm waiting on the news to come on, they were filming us at the party. Just great. I was in my slouchy exercise(and non-matching)clothes with a hat on. Maybe they won't show me. I appreciate the compliments guys. I've been really feeling unattractive and just fat lately, you guys helped me feel better. I need to go.

Jack-k- You and I really have a problem with fluid retention. I knew that when the scale was up 10, it just couldn't possibly be all fat, no way. I wonder why we're so easy to retain and others don't? Especially, when I eat less salt than others and drink LOTS more water than others...I've tried to get fluid tabs from the doc, but they say I'm "too healthy" for them. Whatever.

Monet- Hang in there, several of us are battling these stupid returning pounds. I would love to see a week where we ALL loose a minimum of 5 pounds,lol.

BOB- I thought you said DEB would be returning? When you talk to her, let her know we want her back!

Talk to you guys tomorrow...

Happy Friday! :wave:

We didn't go out to watch the games last night so I got in my treadmill and 30 minutes of wts. I got up at 5:30 this morning and got my treadmill in too. Makes me feel better about myself.


Bob, maybe your arm is getting better if it wasn't numb at that point. Sure hope it's allergies and not a cold. I'll be tuning in tonight (If I can stay awake). It is Kaorke night so I will be running into the bar to see the score. It's better that I don't sit down and watch the whole thing. Makes me nervous.

Cindy, great pics. What a handsome couple. Best wishes to them. Your DD and SIL look like brother and sister. Hope your dad gets to come home soon.

Heart, WTG passing up that candy. I heard onthe news today that they found a finger in Wendy's chili. Don't know whewre it was though.


If I don't get back, Everyone have a happy and blessed EAster. Stay out of the candy. Eat the eggs.

Laurie: I know I used to retain what seemed like gallons of water with both of my pregnancies. I used to talk to the doctor about a) what kinds of seemingly harmless foods may cause water retention and b) what kinds of foods work as natural diharetics, like asparagus. Or maybe if it's getting hot where you are or humid, that might add to it. I'm glad we could help with your down mood. We all get that way.

On that note...I'm feeling pretty good today! When I first started SB, just after my 39th birthday in November, I had a crying jag in Old Navy when I bought a pair of size 16 jeans that were too small, but I needed new jeans and refused to buy a size 18 and go up one more size. So, I've kept the jeans with the tags on them and tried them on this week and they were pretty comfy, if not loose! So, I returned them last night for a size 14 and I'm wearing them right now...and I'm breathing!! ...and quite comfortable!! Size 12...here I come!! :dancer:

Happy Good Friday and Easter if I don't get back on the boards this weekend!!
Kris

Morning! (notice I did not say good)

I slept terribly last night. I woke up at 2 or 3 with the worst headache I have ever had. I drank over a quart of water, went potty, and tried to go back to sleep. I slept in fits and starts all night. The headache is better this morning, after I finally took three ibuprofen, but I still feel like crap. My fingers are all swollen too. I think the headache was a detox one, since I have eliminated some stuff from my diet lately like dairy and wheat. I did have some wheat last night, but not much. That might have caused the headache too. It could have been from lack of caffiene... I just hope it doesn't come back again. I am going to be a zombie today from lack of sleep and we have the Seder dinner tonight. I have to cook some stuff for it, and pack up the dishes we need to use. Its a lot of work...maybe a nap this afternoon will help!

I will be back later to do some replies. Right now, I am going to go make a pot of tea!

Here I am back again before I take my shower...

MONET: Headaches are the WORST...especially the kind you described. I get those sometimes during the time of the month and used to get them frequently when I was younger. Pitch darkness and no sound (except my Barry Manilow album very quietly) with about three Tylenol was the only cure for me. I hope this doesn't happen to you often and you get through your dinner tonight.

JACK: I heard about that finger on the news, too. :eek: Oh...I can't even imagine...I'd have such nightmares!! I can't believe nobody noticed part of their finger was missing!! That tops them all for me!!

Cindy: I forgot to mention...very nice pics of the family!! Thanks for sharing!!

OKAY...its off to the shower for me and then off to the mall again. We went last night to get Easter clothes and I guess we're a little late. And my daughter is in a weird size...in between little girls clothes and the Juniors Department. So, we didn't have much luck last night. Talk to you guys later on!!

Hi guys.

I am a big failure...and I feel like a loser! I have decided that I am putting my all into this on Monday (after Easter) because right now, I still have no willpower, before a holiday. And, if I start on Monday after Easter, before the next holiday I will have already gained a bunch of willpower to say no to other temptations. I had a doughnut last night and a horrible (it didn't even taste good) cheeseburger from McDonalds...we went to my grandmother's to color eggs for the kids....and oh yeah, I had a beer. Not too bad for the "standard American person" but, for me...I feel like I let myself down.

So, I am going to probably be posting a lot more...a lot more frequently...come Monday. I need this...I read the book again last night (actually, skimmed the important stuff) I also have the book "Winning the Sugar War" and I just bought the shopping companion to SB!--looks good...read through all of that. What I don't understand is that you can eat carbs...grains...it is so foreign to me.

Sorry for rambling. As you can see, I have a bit of a guilty conscience. I won't probably post until Monday (now that I have said that....I will probably post later today, lol!!!)

Please, find it in your hearts to still have respect for me.

=Sarah

SARAH: Don't beat yourself up, please! We ALL fall. Frequently. There is not one person on here who has not found themselves in the same situation you are in. We are human, and this is one of our weaknesses. If we were not weak in this area, we would not be on here! Don't go hog wild over the weekend, thinking you have until Monday to pig out. No reason to gain weight just to have to lose it again! Maybe if you knew a bit of our stories, you would feel encouraged. I struggle all the time. I have insulin resistance, and hypothyroidism. Losing weight is almost impossible for me. I will go for a while being really good, then I just get mad! Mad that its so hard to lose, mad that I never see any results on the scale, mad that its such a struggle, mad that I have not made any signifcant progress in so long! Being mad is dangerous, because I often end up eating stuff I should not! Then I am mad at myself! What a coil! :( I had lost 50 pounds, but I had surgery in October and gained 30 back that will NOT budge. Now I am back up to having 100 to lose and I hate it. But, you just do what you have to do. Life isn't fair, but you make the most of it that you can, and keep on. :)

The headache is coming and going in waves. I think I will try laying down for a bit. :wave:

HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY TO ALL YOU BUSTER BUDDYS!

I only had to work half a day so I'm home and (knock on my wooden head) everything is feeling ok...I did find out today that OAK, PUNK and GAWD knows what else is blooming and that could be my problem...I'm taking my allergy pills so hopefully, eventually they will help!

SARAH..don't worry, it will click for you, and when it does, you will get to the point that when you eat something that isn't on plan, the guilt will get you.
I'm that way with chicken...if I don't get my bird fix I don't feel satisfied and I start hunting for food....bad food...that's why we're here for every one...We all support one another here...WELCOME AGAIN...

MONET...got any camphor? If so, rub it on your temples...it will help that headache! Sorry you're not feeling well...

LAURIE...I tell Debbie everytime I talk to her to get her arse back on the board...Maybe one day...Hope the MUNCHKINS have a great Easter!

TECH...Good luck at the mall...you're a brave woman to go out there! Have wonderful EASTER!

JACKIE...if you're peeking in, have a WONDEFUL EASTER!!! Enjoy your family!

CINDY...same goes for you...HAVE A WONDERFUL EASTER!!

I'm off to do a little laundry...I'll check back in a little later.

BOB

Okay, so I said...I wouldn't write again today..I LIED!!

I am all set to go on Monday. I have decided that I am taking my family down this road too.. We will shop the perimeter of the store...we won't get any bad food...we will do this full force. I am tired of being bogged down...and, Monet...I agree...I won't go "hog wild" this weekend because I am starting on Monday. I am still watching...but, I have decided I am sick long enough and I am going to start working out again on Monday too. Eating well, working out..I will win...I will not let this conquer me.

I really like you guys...I am so glad I found this board!!!!

-Sarah

Oh, boy. The tables tonight will be set on the floor and we sit on the floor. Just kind of fun... The tables are six foot round ones, and good for about 8 people. Well, instead of eight, we have eleven now at our table! :yikes:

The matzo ball soup is done, as is the charoset and I am about to go put the lamb in. I also made mint sauce for the lamb. I have the dishes stacked and ready to be packed, and I need to get the glasses counted and packed. So much to do, and Tom wants to go for a walk. sigh. He is right of course, but I just feel so tired, headachy and pressured with stuff to do. Once I get the lamb in the oven, I guess I will feel more like it!

BOB: No camphor, but thanks for the idea. I will get some next time I go to the drug store. I am glad you are feeling better. I don't know what the deal is with Deb. She told me she would be back on as soon as she got her computer fixed, which she SAID she was going to have done the next week. That was months ago. Its been over a year since she disappeared... Michael will be home for the summer soon, then she will not be able to get on because he will monopolize the computer again. :shrug:

am a big failure...and I feel like a loser! I have decided that I am putting my all into this on Monday (after Easter) because right now, I still have no willpower, before a holiday. And, if I start on Monday after Easter, before the next holiday I will have already gained a bunch of willpower to say no to other temptations. I had a doughnut last night and a horrible (it didn't even taste good) cheeseburger from McDonalds...we went to my grandmother's to color eggs for the kids....and oh yeah, I had a beer. Not too bad for the "standard American person" but, for me...I feel like I let myself down. >>

Dear Sarah,

You are not a bad person!! Don't let this set you back or make you feel bad about yourself. This time last summer, I was on my way to my lowest weight in years, and here I sit having gained back almost 60 lbs. I feel angry at myself and disgusted, but if I keep beating myself up, I'll be diving right back into the secure comfort of food! So, for me, I put on my new swimsuit and tell myself that I may look like **** in it, but I look like royal purple **** and I'm moving my butt in the pool doing water aerobics. And then I congratulate myself for not buying the honey BBQ wings when I'm starving and they are on the way home.

Give yourself generous praise for starting this, and for everything little thing you do right! And come here, we'll praise you too!!!

Hugs,
Arcayne

Thought I would check in for a quickie. Didn't feel like working. The sun is actually out for a while so I am anxious to get outside.

Bob, I'm jealous, I could really use half a day off today. Glad you are having a good day. Hope it continues.

Tech, WOW 2 sizes in jeans no less, :dance: that is awesome

Monet, hope your headache is better. Maybe that walk will help it.

Sarah, Don't kill your self. Everyone has been in your shoes. Just get a good start on Monday. One piece of advice. Commit to not cheating. I went for almost 1 year w/o a cheat, once I did, there is no going back. It just gets easier and easier to cheat. Plan and ahead and be prepared. it is great your family willd o this with you, makes it a little easier. Ask anything you don't understand and someone will help out. Just a little advice.

Arcayne, :wave: glad to hear from you. have a great day.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!

You guys are the greatest. I look forward to learning a lot about everyone on this board...and in turn..I will make you all proud of me. I really feel like I have a family here. Is that silly??

I may have a lot A LOT of questions...about the book...the WOE and the WOL...but, it will be MY WOL!

Will check back later...

Anyone have neat plans for the weekend???

=Sarah

Sarah...you know what I did to help out in the beginning was to keep a journal. And it's just to write down what you've eaten...everything you've eaten, even a passing potato chip. AND, your exercise. This way during the day you have your journalin the back of your mind saying, "am I going to be happy putting this in writing at the end of the day?" One day at a time, 'm dear...one day at a time.

Arcayne...Have a great Easter and dig your heels in on MOnday and we'll be here watching those 60 lbs melt away! And then it's upward and onward from there!!

Monet...are you a professional chef or something? The dishes you seem to effortlessly whip up are staggering!! Things I've never heard of you seem to prepare with as much effort as frozen french fries!! I feel fancy when I put a real garlic clove through a press and add it to my broccoli when I steam it!! LOL Or when I marinade my steak before I broil it!! Good luck sitting on the floor tonight!! Sounds like fun!!

Hi BOB! :D

Okay, I might have to go BACK to the mall and I think I have to go to the store because I kinda forgot to do that to buy ham, etc for Sunday. Grrr...I WAS murder out there and the mall is about 35 mins from my house...so no small task!!

C-ya!! Kris

Just got in from a one mile walk with my dear pushy husband. God bless him, he is so good for me, but so annoying at times! :lol:

The lamb is in the oven. It smells pretty good. I am not much of a lamb eater, but the fresh rosemary and garlic smells nice. It will be quite a feast tonight! The wife of the couple assigned to our table that we did not know called. Come to find out, her husband was a missionary in Ecuador and knows some old friends of ours! Small world, isn't it?

TECH: I LOVE to cook. Its something that comes easily to me. My mom, aunt, grandmother...they were all cooks too. My daughters both love to cook...its in the blood! AND, my older daughter married a chef! See? Its a family tradition! Unfortunately, having so much time revolving around food, its preparation and consumption, makes it awfully hard to diet!

SARAH: We have no special plans. Tonight, we have a Seder meal at church, which is a lot of fun. We divide up the dishes for the meal for each table, and everyone brings something. We have all the traditional and symbolic foods, and drink all the cups of wine in accordance with the Passover meal. I am the designated driver for our family! :lol: It will be my husband and I, and our two grown kids who still live at home, so the three of them will be drinking a lot of wine. I will limit what I drink. Years ago, when the kids were younger, we always decorated eggs, and hid them- repeatedly! I miss those days! Maybe someday there will be grandkids to do that with, but my only married child tells me not to expect any grandchildren other than her eight cats, the X-box and the Gamecube! Do you have any plans?

JACK: Happy Easter to you too! Enjoy the sun shine! Its beautiful here. I am so excited! We have actually had two days of sunshine and NO rain! Woo hoo!

ARCAYNE: I am so proud of you going back to water aerobics! I know how it feels to put on a swim suit and feel like you would rather not go anywhere public in it! I have an in ground pool and I never wear a swim suit when we have company. I only swim when its just family. Silly, huh? Lets kick these extra pounds to the curb! I am so tired of having the extra back on, I could scream!

BOB: Thanks for the wagon welcome, did you play that round of Rocky Top just fer me? I hope your allergies get some relief, I never think about how bad the pollen is here in the Smokies during springtime. I keep trying to get my mom to fly in, I'd better check and see if she is allergic!!

JACK-K: Thank you!! It's good to be back on the board and back doing healthy things for myself. All this support really helps:)

SARAH: This really is a kind of family, just look how open they are welcoming back this prodigal:) I recommend this group to anyone thinking about trying SB. Hang in there, we'll stay on track together. Shopping the perimeter is a wonderful way to do it, my housemate and I were talking about that just the other night. But, we're so anal, we have to do it in the right direction.

Does anyone NOT start their shopping trip in the produce aisle? LOL!!

TECHWIFE:Thank you for the good wishes. I have had my fill of Easter candy, thank goodness, in the last few weeks and when I stopped at the Walgreens for some nuts last night, it didn't really tempt me. You're right, first goal is getting the regained weight off! Then, next goal will be to get to 399 and out of the 400s forever:)

MONET: I'm very lucky, our aerobics class is incredibly supportive and friendly to large women. Even from the younger male lifeguards, I've never had anything but polite welcomes and when young men have taught our classes, they have been encouraging and supportive without fail. It helps when I go with my housemate, we're about the same size and can encourage each other, but I'll walk out there in my great grape ape suit knowing that at least my class and the staff are all rooting for me and glad I'm there. ::sigh:: I'd LOVE to have my own pool you lucky duckie!!

Well, plans for Easter are as follows...

Tomorrow my mother and my kids are making a cake (yeah, don't scream at me...I didn't say "eating a cake") a bunny cake..it is cute...we have done it before, the kids love it (I have a 3 1/2yr old boy and a 2 yr old girl)...then after my hubby gets off work, we are going to his parent's house for a little dinner...I dread that because my inlaws and I don't get along well. Long LONG story...

Sunday we are going to church with my parents (my poor dad has to work the whole day, but gets to go to church) -- we want some warm weather..warmer than it has been...my little girl has a dress that is sleeveless..but, it has a coat that matches...it will be worn all day, I am sure! Then, we are making a ham and other sides to take to my grandmother's house. My grandma has been in and out of the hospital with pneumonia...so, it has been really a hard season for her. We decided to make food and take it. Last night we colored eggs over at her house...it made her happy!

It is nice to hear what everyone else does. A Sedar dinner, sounds great. Has anyone ever been to a Good Friday mass? (I am Catholic...) it is really haunting...no music...all dark...everything covered...strange...makes Easter seem all the happier!!

Talk to you all later,
Sarah

Has anyone ever been to a Good Friday mass? (I am Catholic...) it is really haunting...no music...all dark...everything covered...strange...makes Easter seem all the happier!!>>

::waves hand:: I was raised Catholic and went to a Catholic high school, so I've been there. It's so odd to see everything shrouded, the incense always smelled stronger in the dark. I loved Midnight Mass at Christmas, when they snuffed out the candles and we were all in the dark for a long moment... and then everything was relit and the bells were chiming, people were passing lit candles through the pews...to a child it was magical.

Evening all.
Todays been a good day. I had a nice day off of work. Got alot done. DH is working right now some more on our tile in the kitchen. We went and got a new dishwasher ( but it doesnt come in until Thrusday). The one we have is only 5 years old but was put in by the builder and was not the best quality and my soap dispenser door hasnt worked since day one. So we figured since we are pulling it out and tiling under we might as well just put a new one back in and got something "we" picked out.

Monet- I absolutly love Lamb. My most favorite thing at the Outback resturant was the Lamb but for the past few months it hasnt been on the menu , so Im hoping it comes back. One of the grocerys I go to has lamb racks quite often and recently they had a whole case out. Ive bought quite a few packages and made a couple racks last weekend. Mmm its wonderful. Just wish it were cheaper.

Fridays menu
b- blueberry smoothie
s- 4 strawberries
l- 4 oz turkey breast, 1 slice of swiss, 1 tbl LF mayo
s- 3 strawberries ( I bought two huge tubs. Have you seen the berries? Oh MY they look awesome here)
d- LARGE ( and I mean HUGE) Italian salad with oil & vinager
with diced red peppers, 2 small slices of sourdough (opps-this was planned though ).
s- just had somemore strawberries :)

Hey, guys. Just winding down before bed. Another OP day under my belt, yay. I've been testing my willpower the past couple days. Yesterday with the Easter party, then this morning I actually popped one of the kid's pieces of chocolate in my mouth, realized what I was doing, and immediately spit it out. Today, I had a navel orange and yogurt for BF, had some leftover turkey breast and cheese for lunch, and supper was at Lapinata's where I ordered the chicken taco salad(instead of my usual fajitas), I ate all the inside and didn't touch the shell. It was pretty fattening though, loaded with LOTS of cheese, but yummy and legal. I wanted a candy bar soooo bad afterwards, but stuck it out and didn't give in. I just hope I can watch my portions on Sunday. Oh yea, the scale was down 2 from yesterday, I'm at 164, which is still up 4 pounds from just 1 week ago! You would think that would be enough to keep me from bingeing again.

Monet- You feeling better?
Sarah- Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm notorious around here for falling off the wagon and climbing back on. It'll eventually stick.

Cindy- What is the walkblaster and where do you get it? How much?

Alright, that's it for me!

Hey everyone! I just got in from the Seder dinner. My leg of lamb turned out really good, even if it was lamb! ;) I had a terrible time getting down and up off the floor. By the end of the meal, I could hardly stand up. Tom tells me I need to exercise more. He is probably right...I hate feeling so stiff and old. The group at our table numbered 11. They drank three bottles of wine- two of them were large bottles too! I only had one glass, as I was the designated driver. After the dinner, we stood around and talked for at least an hour. Its a great night...I just wish they would let us sit in chairs!

I hope the weather holds another day here, so we can get a walk in tomorrow morning.

I am going to drink a glass of port and crawl in bed soon. The kitchen is a disaster, and I just can't face it tonight.... :) Tomorrow! I will deal with it tomorrow!

Good night all! Sweet dreams!

Oh, and my menu tonight: roasted lamb, matzo ball soup, spinach salad, parsley potatoes, almond orange torte, wine, and matzo with bitter herbs and charoset (apples, raisins, agave, cinnamon and walnuts chopped to look like mortar)

Happy Easter, Everyone!

I am so glad to see the board back up and running! Yesterday was spent pruning roses. We went out to our favorite Mexican restaurant last night and I had poblano chili rellenos with beans and guacamole. I did not eat even one chip! :)

We went to the store last night, so I could get something for dinner today. I had a roast, but it was too small! I ended up with a ham. Its in the oven. So dinner today will be ham, baked sweet potatoes, and collards.

I hope everyone is doing well!

:wave:

HAPPY EASTER EVERY BUDDY!!!


I slept until noon today!!! Couldn't believe it...but I must have needed the sleep!

I'm in the midst of cooking dinner, so I can't hang around...

Hope everyone had a great day!


BOB

Happy Easter. Im glad to see the board up and running also.
I had a pretty good weekend. Stayed on plan . We worked mainly on the kitchen floor. Have one more weekend to finish it up though but we got the majority of it done.
I am lowering my carbs for the week to shake things up so my menus may look a bit different.
We did not have any special meal for Easter today, just normal eating.

Heartmom-Here you can watch a preview of the walkblaster walkblaster preview (http://www.collagevideo.com/cart/hpdispatch.aspx?Cart=XRE40EV)
and here is where I ordered mine walkblaster purchase (http://www.walkerswarehouse.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=SRCH&Store_Code=002)
You can order it at either place but the walkerware house was a bit cheaper.

Sundays Menu
b- protein shake, 4 bacon
s- 2 strawberries, 1/2 oz almonds
l- protein shake
s- 2 triscuits
d- baked pork ribs with carb options bbq sauce, romaine/spinach salad with diced red pepper and oil and vinager
s- lc plain yogurt with 2 fresh diced strawberries

Just got in from church. We went out with a small group for dinner after the service. We went to a Mexican place, and I got tortilla soup, and guacamole salad. I did not eat any chips again! Yay me! I was so pleased with myself. :dance:

I need to go fix Tom's lunch and smoothies for tomorrow, so I better go. I will be back on to start the boards in the morning! :wave:

We had family in this weekend, so we went out to eat twice, but I think I made some good choices. We went to the Gondolier (italian) on Friday, but they didn't have whole wheat pasta. Usually I would get a sub and fries and one of their heavenly thick stacked fresh baked dessert, plus a Coke. Fresh cheese breadsticks. (I'd get the dessert to go). Instead, I had the chicken parmigiana with three cheeses, but didn't eat the pasta or the breadsticks. I drank water with lemon and didn't have dessert. then Sunday we went out to Shoney's for breakfast and I got the breakfast bar, eggs and bacon with orange slices and some cheese. Lots of water:) The deep fried french toast sticks looked sooooo good with that hot syrup....but I believe that I've already lost weight this week so the heck with them!!

I've got to shop tommorow, I didn't freeze my stew beef and it got old fast, plus I'm almost out of fresh fruit and nuts. Gotta have my snacks, I'm a nibbler. One largish meal at night is fine if I can have my mini meals during the day.