Weight Watchers - Counting down from 250 and above - Sept. 30 downward

Hello! Thanks for coming by and joining us -=- we wanna be here for your ups and downs, the good days and the bad ones. Stop by and chat -- you'll be glad you did!!!!

I've been havin' a strange problem lately -- about a week or two ago I began cooking every meal (just about!) in. We usually eat two "meals" every day and do a lot of grazing in between. Here's the thing though -- I haven't been able to eat anything like all my points in a single day since. I'm just plain not hungry enough. I think part of my problem is that I'm using a LOT of low/no point items in meals (so I'll make a small piece of chicken and serve it on a giant bed of fresh garden greens) and so even when I cound my 0 points as 1 point ('cause they all have calories whether they have points or not), I'm coming up short. Today, for instance, I've had about 15 points so far -- and its darn near bedtime for me! I'm about to retire to my bath and book with some water, some fat-free pudding (another 2 points worth), and a Slimfast bar (for another 2 points) of the sort I really like. I'm still shy quite a bit! How worried should I be about this? Should I assume my appetite will return? Should I be sneaking extra points in to my meals? (Like, should I have buttered my corn with dinner this evening?) I'm not hungry ever anymore (that's a great plus, I think!) and can't seem to come up with what it takes to eat all my points.

(Don't hate me 'cause this is my problem, okay? ;) )

Good Evening:

It has been a marvelous weekend! Warm with an Autumn breeze. We took a walk tonight and you could smell the leaves on the air. Still a little warm....but, who's complaining. In Oregon you don't complain when its not raining. It is so very hard to believe that in such a beautiful country we are at war.

Bunny: Can't say I have that problem of not being hungry at all. I am still in the shrinking my stomach faze.:^: I would like to know what athletic shoe you wear for all your walking though.

Made the Blue Cheese dressing recipe tonight. Very yummy and my husband even ate it. I cut the fat more by using fat free sour cream & cut the oil in 1/2.:D Now I have to find a scone recipe that has low points. My husband says he eats so much better when I am trying to lose weight. This is probably so true since I am trying different recipes all the time.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

ttfn
ssdiane








:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Morning, ladies (and lurking gents)! I'm about to head out the door for a morning in Asheville with my best friend. We try to get together at least once a week and haven't been able to put it together this month (er, last month?) so this is our first girl's day out in a while. I've been up for hours in anticipation.

Ssdiane -- Actually, I walk in Birkenstock sandals (with socks when its snowing) all the time. I keep meaning to buy a pair of Vasque hiking boots (they have a style that would offer me the ankle support that I so desperately need) but never find the time/$ to pick them up. The Birks are two strap with ankle surround, so they stay on and are cool and comfortable. It makes me nervous when we come up on snakes (we passed a 3.5 foot long yellow timber rattler a couple week back) but not nervous enough yet to save up the $ for good shoes. My teen walks in her old Adiddas tennis shoes (purchased used at the flea market). What kind of scone recipe are you lookng for? Here's classic scones for 1 pt each wedge.

1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp table salt
1/2 cup(s) low-fat plain yogurt
1 large egg(s)
1 tbsp margarine, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, egg and margarine. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just blended; do not over-mix.

Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. Roll out dough to a 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness. With a sharp knife, cut into 12 wedges and place on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

-----
Hope you all have a great start to your week!!!

Hi everyone!
I am feeling a bit better today, although not totally mended. What a virus I have had....:( it is now 2 weeks since I started feeling all achey/flu-ey. I thought it was just a cold, but now its settled in to some sort of chest infection. But its not just me, and several people I know are also suffering - one has come out in hives....so it could be worse I suppose;)

Upshot is that I have cancelled my trip to France :( but am going to go to Cornwall instead :) (that is the far south west of britain). I have been a lot before - it is rugged, with great cliff walks etc. I have booked a self catering cottage so i can take my own food, and therefore see to the points.

Bunny, I have also had that problem with not getting enough points. I think it could be a problem if your metabolism thought you were starving and stopped your weight loss for you. It is also important to get enough fat or your hair will all fall out. Cant have that.

What I do is try to have as many 'normal' meals as possible - ie the sort of things I would eat if I was not on a weightloss programme. The idea is that when I finally come off the weightloss programme, my eating will not change dramatically. Therefore I have the odd creamy sauce, made with normal cream not fat free etc. Or I have some cake - and count the points. Or I fry some potatos - but of course, count the points. I think this is the most sustainable thing to do really.

And it really goes to show what rubbish we eat when we go out to restaurants. It is a wonder to me that they can get quite so many points in to quite such an unfulfilling and dismal plate of food! :lol:

I have never seen a snake, except in the zoo. My dad saw one once, in our garden, in about 1952. Not common here in Cool Brittania. I did have a kind of 2.5 inch wasp thing in my honeysuckle the other day, which I think might have been a hornet, but I am not certain. It did not look very friendly, so I did not invite it in for tea. One's hospitality can extend just so far, I find, and I am currently full to the brim with harvest spiders (which I kill on sight, but they must be pretty stupid, or have a pretty naff intra-species communication system, because they just keep on coming........)

I have no idea how my weight loss is going at the moment. I last weighed in 2 weeks ago and I had gained .5 but I had not had a good week. Last week I did not weigh because I was at the theatre. I have stuck more or less OP while I have been ill, but I have been right at the top of my points and maybe straying over by 1or 2 a day - I have not been as strictly watching my portions. Cant be bothered. I will find out tomorrow. My waist is 2 inches smaller though! I am very pleased about that.

And today I have been feeling like thinking about portions and OPness generally for the first time in days. I can forgive myself about this. I have so much to lose that a few days of laxity is not going to throw me off. And to be honest, it has only been a few extra points here and there - its not as if I went completely AWOL (which is OK too of course).

I am looking forward to getting some walking in when I go to Cornwall (I go thursday). I have been so couch potato-ey. yesterday I lay on the sofa and watched all three (count them, three) Star Wars films. By myself. Fantastic.

They dont call me Jedi-Lilac for nothing you know.......:cool:

Well, must go - laundrey to finish, light-savers to polish, you know how it is
love
Lilac

Good Afternoon everyone!!

I am home on Mondays usually. I work 4-ten hour days. I love the Mondays off but by Friday afternoon I am really exhausted. I also watch my 3 year old grandson on Mondays for my daughter so she can save on daycare expenses.

Bunny: Great scone recipe I think I will try it today. I am trying a Beef Tortilla Casserole tonight. Using some leftover Roast beef.
I have a gardner snake (I think that is the spelling) in my garden. I swear it is the same one every year. He suns himself in between the beds. He scares the hec out of me sometimes. You can just see him start moving out of the corner of your eye.:eek: I think I would have to give hiking in the wild a second thought if there was poisonous snakes around. I have a pair of strapless Birkenstocks & they are not too good for long walks. I have been wearing a pair of Cobbie Cuddler walking shoes. They are fine, so far, but I feel the same about ankle support.

Lilac: Great you are feeling better. I envy you because you seen to do so much. We have a small theater in our little town & I do visit them as much as possible. They always have a great Holloween play. Very Scarry!!! Also, once a year try to get to Sylvia's dinner theater. This is fun too...eat pasta & watch a play. The last one I saw was "On Golden Pond". It was actually quite good. I know I should go into Portland more ofter because they have great theater. Did not know about the hair falling out thing and fat. I too try to limit fat. Your attitude about what you eat is great. I get a little anal about this. I should not be so black & white and do gray sometimes.

Gotta Run my Grandson got outside & is running around the yard in his socks.

ttfn
ssdiane

Just checking in with you from Edinburgh, Scotland where I and my older daughter are visiting with my younger daughter and her hubby . We've been here just over a week and have had a ball exploring all the historic sites here. This last weekend we went to Oban, on the east coast (quite a tourist town) and stayed at a B&B. Get this, I had to climb 39 steps to my room!! Actually, it wasnt too bad. Maybe after all the climbing at Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood and all the walking, my legs are getting stronger...I hope. We took the ferry to the Isle of Mull on Saturday and a rainy morning turned lovely and sunny and we enjoyed picture perfect views all over the island. I wish I could have stayed longer, it was so beautiful and peaceful.
Back in Edinburgh now, because of course, Lisa and Greg had to work today but on our way back we visited Stirling Castle, a magnificent ediface with yet MORE stairs and hills to climb, but I gritted my teeth and did it all and it was well worth it. The views in every direction are incredible and the castle itself very interesting.
I've been trying to keep track of my points and, so far, I believe all the unaccustomed exercise I've been doing has balanced out the few extra goodies I've enjoyed (yummy scones with cream and strawberry preserves). At Oban I had the most delightful seafood dinner and had no idea how to count it as there was a cream sauce but I think I've either held my own or lost. Sure hope that isn't just wishful thinking.
Today I stayed at the kids' flat and did laundry and made a roast leg of lamb which Lisa had purchased before we arrived. I've never cooked a leg of lamb before but cut slits in it and inserted slivers of garlic, rubbed it with herbs and roasted potatoes, onions, carrots, turnips and parsnips around it. It all turned out wonderful. I was quite amazed at myself. Shelley made a delicious Greek salad to go with it so we were all quite satisfied.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, we hope to take the bus to the Royal Yacht Brittannia and on Wednesday we have booked a bus tour to Loch Ness with stops along the way, returning the same evening. Hopefully the weather will improve.
We'll be returning to Canada on Friday so I'll report back to you then.

My father sent this quote along to me and I couldn't remember if I'd posted it here. I found it comforting, thought-provoking, as I struggle to regain my footing and perspective follwing the terrorist attacks here.

No man is an Iland, intire of itselfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee. -- John Donne (1572-1631)

Today has been a nothing day - quiet and uneventful here. I've got dinner planned (the Artichoke and Tomato Pasta recipe on my week 11 WW card) and have nearly finished the laundry. My husband is working hard to clear out some back stock in order that we can make what we need to this month. :) My older girl is sick (a cold), the younger is pouting because that means she has chores today and the older doesn't. So it goes...

LindaBC -- isn't it marvelous all the walking and climbing you've done? I mean -- know you can do it -- wow!! I love that feeling when I've walked further than I ever thought I could and then I'm there and its stupendous!

Ssdiane -- I'm not a big fan of snakes -- but I find its just something you have to get used to in the wild. Most snakes are more afraid of you than you are of them -- and they leave the path post haste if you come upon them. :) Once in Florida when I came home, I opened the door, walked in and glanced to my side as I was doing so -- and there at eye-level was a tree snake that had climbed my house and was perched on my house numbers!! I slammed the door, opened a window to tell the girls to go around the back of the house, and then called a friend who likes snakes to come save me. It was a sight -- because this friend was on her way to the opera and came in full gown and beaded glory to remove my snake. :)

Lilac -- I'm glad you're feeling better. Indeed, I'd say that your newly thinking about portions and on-programness is the best sign that you're on the mend, eh? When the Star Wars Episode One was coming to the movie theatre here in the States, my husband and I sat in front of the theatre for 36 hours to get tickets. He saw the first showing (at midnight), my kids and I joined him later in the day for a different showing. We're dedicated fans, too. My favourite Hallowe'en memory is of costumes my father made for my brother, sister and me -- it was just after the release of Star Wars, and I was a sandperson, my brother was a Jawa, and my sister was R2D2 (complete with working lights and all!).

Good Evening Everyone!!

Yahoo, I had WI tonight and I am down 2.50 lbs. Got a very red book marker for making it to a 5lb weight loss. In the whole scope of the weight loss adventure it is a small dent. But, a dent none the less. :spin: I love the leader and I am kind of bummed out because she is a fill-in until they get another. She gives out these corny stickers and stars and I love it....what a little girl I am. I can only hope that the next leader will be just as good.

Has anyone else saw the messages about this website being in financial trouble and asking everyone about donating a $1 a month to keep it going? I checked around the website and did not see any notice from the 3fc people.

Hey Bunny: I tried the scone recipe. I think I did not put enough flour in it because it was like a soft biscuit? I did not have plain yogurt so I used lemon & then put some grated lemon peel in it also.YuMMMMM!! Loved the quote. How true it is. We are all just one big family. On one of your postings you addressed it also to lurking Gents. Does that mean a lot of weight loss type guys that just don't want to join in or weirdo type guys?

LindaBC: What a cool trip. Eating good food and being able to walk it off.

Gotta go getting late. Will check in tomorrow.

ttfn
ssdiane

272/266.5/under 200

hi

Well, what do you know? I got on the scales at WI last night and am down 7.5lbs!!!!!!! :dizzy: To be honest I think a lot of it must be to do with being ill - as I said in my post the other day I have been just over points - although maybe I lose better at that end of the spectrum? They do say that you have to move around until you find what suits. 7.5lbs! It is for two weeks - as I did not go last week. That makes my total loss to date 19.5lbs. 104.5 to go to goal....!

Canadian - Brenda - Hi there! :wave: :wave: :spin: :wave: :wave: How great to see you? How is it going?

ssdiane - 2.5 is brilliant! I like things like little stickers and stars too. My leader wrapped up an ordinary house brick in wrapping paper and passed it around and we had to guess how much it weighed - it was 5.5lbs. So at my meeting now we are all aiming for 'a brick a month'! Well, some are aiming for more, but I am sticking to a brick a month.

Bunny - I bet you were great as a sandperson.

Linda - Scotland sounds completely wonderful. i am going there in early April next year for a long weekend. All that exercise too! Holidays are interesting times really, as it is easy to eat a bit extra, but also it is easy to do lots of extra exercise without really noticing. As I said, I am off to Cornwall for a few days at the end of this week, and I expect to do quite a bit of walking (although I am not sure I am quite up to my past form of 9 miles along the cliffs.....I used to do that with a very eccentric friend of mine who would sing hymns loudly as she went - she did it for pure joy. )

Oh well - onwards and downwards, as they say. I have some cold trout and rice for lunch - the trout has been hanging around in the fridge for a few days so I hope its ok....:p Then this afternoon I am off to see my clients, and then off to college for the evening.
Love to everyone
lilac

Good morning ladies,

Just wanted to drop in and say I'm still alive and kicking. This is my really bad week at work as I'm going in early and working late. So no time for individual posts. I have been keeping up with you all during my lunch and it has helped me keep away from the junk food during this high stress time. The last two days food has been very good. And I've gotten my dog walk in each night. Buts its TOM and I forgot to take my BP meds yesterday so I have water weight haunting me.

I've been thinking about my progress, or lack there of and have maybe reached a couple of conclusions. One, weekends just do me in. So I'm switching to Thursday nights and starting my week's journal/point talley on Friday mornings. I do well during the week or at least the first several days of my week. So maybe that will help me get a grip on the weekends. The other is that I think I need to step up my exercise. I've been walking about 30-45 mins almost every day since the end of July and I think my body has adjusted. So I'm going to have to find time to slip in a tae bo or step or exercycle session a few times a week to see if that doesn't kick up my metobolism a bit. And lastly, I really need to crack down on the portion sizes.

So having said that, I best jot it down for me to keep with me and make these my personal goals. I've been stuck at this same weight range forever it seems and need to shake something up to get past it. Very frustrating and discouraging to be yo-yoing the same darn pound.

As much as I'd like to hang out here at home all day, I must get the dog up and then get myself dressed.

Keep up all your great work and great attitudes. Love reading what everyone is doing.

Take care,

2fatchicks does need our help. Here's the link to the "Please help support 3FC" message:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/3fc/support3fc.html

I've sent them some $ (and will send more as I have it available) because I find real value in what they've provided here. When I buy books from Amazon (which I do regularly), I always do it through the 3fatchicks link here as they get a "kick back" from Amazon for purchases made through their affiliate program:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/books/bookstore.html

I figure I'd struggle more in my weight-loss journey had I not found this site -- so I'm not gonna let it go down without a fight, ya know?

determined to succeed -- way to live up to your ID here! I think the hardest part about losing the weight is being able to recognize where your "issues" with food or weight loss are -- and then address them. Bravo for you!!!

Lilac -- My goodness! 7.5# -- WOW! At least you got something outta being sick, eh? :) Though in truth you know the weight is more due to your own perserverance than any bug you caught and tamed. ;)

Canadian -- Hello! Hope you come back to see us again soon. We're a friendly group -- truly!

Ssdian -- about the gents? I just assume there must be men who read here too - and some of them will be lurkers waiting to see if the waters are friendly enough to dive in -- so when I remember, I address our lurking gents too. :D Silly but there you have it. I'll try to find another scone recipe for ya. I usually make scones only once a year -- Christmas morning -- so I need to find a low-fat recipe I can use by then, too!

***

Hope you all have splendid days today! Mine's off to a good start already -- good food, I'm not sick (yet!), and I got a present from a friend in the mail today. Wheee!!!

I printed the thread so that I could catch up with everyone.

SSDiane - Congratulations on your 2.5 gone and getting your bookmark. Milestones are so wonderful. Don't feel silly about the stars and such. You need to celebrate your accomplishments and feel good and those little stars help!

Bunny - I concur with Liliac on getting your points in. I think the main thing isn't so much the number of points but the variety so that you get all the vitamins, fats, sodium, etc. to keep your body in balance. You may find that you stall out and need to work in more points on some days. Your body may just be going through some phase and hunger will kick back in. I have days where I can eat less than my min and not be starved and then there are days when I'm ravenous and have already eaten my max. Richard Simmons lost all his hair when he did a real strict low calorie diet. :eek:

LindaBC - Your trip sounds fantastic and what great exercise you're getting. Did you see the monster at Loch Ness? :D The food sounds great too.

Lilac - Glad to see you're feeling better and what a wonderful gift the scale gave you. Hmmm, cold trout hanging around. That conjours up all kinds of silly images!! Are you studying at college or did I forget something (entirely possible for me these days)?

I'm wiped out and need to go see what DH is doing.

Have a good day tomorrow!

Evening ladies.

Well, I'm stuck again. Lost 7, gained one, lost that one again and today stayed the same. Tis rut is getting DEEP! Terri, I too have to watch my portion size closely. I know they've been creeping up. Time to get out that food scale again and regulate my "eye" for the amount of food on my plate.

I finally broke down and got new, light-weight hiking boots from Landsend. They are soooo comfortable. I do have to waterpoof them this weekend tho. I love them when I'm walking in the woods with the pointer. Ankle support is a big thing to me. Comes from having enough stainless steel in one of my ankles to set off airport alarms <G>. The moral of this story: Don't slip on ice and crash your whole body down on to one foot that's ended up tucked under you .... bones DO break.

Back to jogging in the pool 2 nights a week and plan to start swimming laps on the weekends starting this week. I need much more exercise than I'm getting.

BRENDA: HI back !!!!! We miss you.

BUNNY: Yep, I agree with everyone else. You have to eat up your points and you have to vary your diet. As i look back on ast week I found that I'd stayed within my points but WAY too many were carbs. I know I've gotta eat more protein and fruit and less pasta and breads. (Darn!)

LILACGLITTER: See what being sick can do for you ... WOW 7.5 lbs. Almost make it worth feeling like #### doesn't it? Enjoy Cornwall and report back to us about your trip. Take it easy. Hope you feel better soon.

DIANE: Next time you're in the grocery store pick up a 5 lb bag of sugar. You'll be even more proud that you aren't carrying it around with you any more. GOOD START! Congrats!!!
I used to do the 4-day work week thing too. Just during Daylight Savings Time tho. I didn't like driving home in heavy snow on the nights I worked late so I went back to regular hours. Now I go to, and come home from, work when he school busses are on the roads. That way they are usualy <G> plowed. I did enjoy those long weekends though.

LINDA: Hope you have a safe flght home. Don't forget to check in with us on the weekend.

Off to get out the food scale and pack lunch for tomorrow. Y'all be good, hear?

Good Evening!

I am a little tired tonight but wanted to check in and read everyones posts.:yawn:

Bunny: Thanks for the info on the financial thing. I am sure I can help too.

Terri: Ditto on the weekend thing. I am so good during the week and then along comes the weekend and my brain seep out of my head. :devil: I really need to evaluate like someone mentioned & see what is triggering this. I have a feeling it is because I think I have been sooo good during the week that I can justify a little cheating.

Lilac: I had to drag out my world atlas to see where Cornwall was. Sorry, geography is not my strong suit. I love the British [prime minister Tony Blair. I listened to a speech of his this morning. All I can say about your weight loss is :Cool...Cool...Cool :cool:

Jo-ann: I think the hardest part of this whole process is going back every week even if the scale is not cooperating. Hang in there Girl!! Your hiking boots sound fantastic. I have been checking out all the foot options.

Finally have to retire for the evening....

ttfn
ssdiane

Morning, folks!

Terri -- the hair loss thing is scary. I actually do try to get in all my points -- I understand how important it is. Its just daunting when I reach the end of the day and realize I still need to eat 8 points, ya know? Last night I made my dinner with full-fat Swiss cheese instead of no-fat, just for the extra calories. I hope I go back to being hungry again soon. Its easier somehow for me to choose low-fat options all day than it is to have to remember to pump some calories into my meals. LOL! Kinda funny when you consider it was (in part) those extra calories that got me here to begin with. I think what I'll do is try hard to remember that when I'm choosing an afternoon snack I should look at where I am so far points-wise and then consider what I've got planned for dinner so I can choose a higher or lower point snack as needed.

J-ann -- portion size can definitely be a killer. On the boots, ya know, I've always been afraid to order shoes online or through a catalog because fit seems so desperately important. Does Land's End make returns easy? Or do they have retail stores where you bought? Or, um, something else? :) I'm hoping that we'll end up getting me hiking boots this winter. Last winter the snow hiking was a bit much sometimes in sandals. :lol:

ssdiane -- you'll find this site addictive, I'm sure. Even when I can't post for a couple days, I tend to drop in and make sure I'm keeping up with everyone's progress, good times and bad. I find more inspiration here than I do locally I know. :D

Off to the (rat) races! Y'all have a great day!!

Went to WI tonight and am fighting being very discouraged, mad and frustrated. I've been stuck at the same point for a few weeks and haven't been able to get past this point is a year. I keep going up and down the same five pounds. I know all the things to do so why can't I get it together consistent enough to get past this point? I need to keep in mind the things I had already thought about. Its also kind of makes me wonder about WW staff when they see someone stuck in the same point and never say a word. Just weigh me, write it down, hand the stuff back without any kind of concern. That's why I have gotten so discouraged in the past and quit, many times. So I'm having a major pity party and will try hard not to take it out on food.

The other thing that makes me discouraged is that we're going to a big family reunion this weekend and it will be nothing but loads of country food. Starts Friday night with a fish fry and ends Sunday afternoon with some kind of lunch.

J-Ann - I understand too well about that rut. Good for you for stepping up your exercise. Apparently we can't let our guard down with either portions or exercise.

SSDiane - Hope you got some rest.

Bunny - That is weird about your body and not being hungry. Sounds like you're doing all the right things and as long as you're losing at a healthy pace and feeling good then I'd keep on doing what you're doing.

Well folks, seems like I should say something more but I'm exhausted from the week and my brain is overloaded. I'll be AWOL for a few days as we're leaving tomorrow afternoon and not back until late Sunday.

Have a great weekend and be strong!

Today was given over to work -- trying to make up the losses our business has suffered still. :( But on the plus (or minus, depending on your view) side, I had weigh-in today -- and I'm down another 1.5# for a total of 25.5# lost. I got a magnet! Very cool. :cool:

No time to chat more now -- back again soon.

Hey Girls!

Feeling much better tonight. Thought I was coming down with something. Just think it was allergies or something.:)

Last night I brought home a cooler full of salmon. A co-workers husband went ocean fishing and had extra. I am grilling one tonight & cut and wrapped the rest & froze them. I would of smoked one of them but did not have time. My husband and I try to get to the coast as much as possible. Not only is it beautiful the sea food is abundant. Yum Yum.

I am a little bit anxious lately because my grandson who is 3 is having his adnoids out and his third set of tubes put in his ears on Monday and I will be there with my daughter at the hospital. I know the surgery will go fine. But, because he has done this before, the crying starts as soon as he hits the hospital doors. It is just so heart wrenching. Sooooo I am dreading it. :(

Bunny: WOW WEEEE... 25.5 lbs gone. How very proud you must be.!!!!!! I can't wait til I get that magnet & I will invite everyone over to look upon its magnificence. I was reading an article in Prevention Magazine and saw an article about a walkers rally 2001 in Ashville NC. It is over now because it was from Sept 23-27 at the Grove Park Inn Resort. But, the scenery pictures were beautiful. CANT EVEN imagine how it would be to have to work at getting enough points in. Maybe you could bank yours for me. Do you think that would work? Hey what are diet buddies for anyway? ha ha;)

Terri: Your breaking my heart sister. I know what you mean about the no concern at the scales. I have been there in the past where all I got was" you will do it next week" and having them say the same thing week after week. Sometimes I think they should say "lets meet after class and go over some things that may help". I have a co-worker that was going to Jenny Craig and actually was gaining weight instead of losing. She said she was following the diet to the note. But, for some reason the scale would not move, or it would go up. Believe it or not they basically fired her. Told her she was not taking the weight loss effort seriously enough & told her not to come back. Whats up with that. Are your incentives gone? Are you happy with yourself just the way you are? Would bringing a friend help?

Well, my family wants me to get off the computer and come have dinner so will have to say goodnight.wave: :wave:

ttfn
Sherry

Morning, folks!

We slept in this morning -- mostly I think because my husband kept us both up all night with his allergies. He finally got to sleep around 6 am when the rains began and the pollen levels fell again for a bit... then it was up at 7 am and off to the flea market. We didn't really find anything terribly interesting -- but I've begun to collect Christmas and Winter themed coffee mugs because one of the gifts we'll be giving this year will be Mugs with the ingredients for "Snowman Soup". :D

SNOWMAN SOUP

1 package hot chocolate mix
3 Hershey Kisses
15 miniature marshmallows
1 candy cane
Put items in colored plastic wrap

The Poem (Put on paper and give with items in a mug!):

Was told you've been real good this year
Always glad to hear it
With freezing weather drawing near
You'll need to warm the spirit
So here's a little Snowman Soup
Complete with stirring stick
Add hot water, sip it slow
It's sure to do the trick


Terri -- I know how frustrating this must be for you. Indeed, when I last left off my weight-loss journey, it was because I'd stalled for several months -- and I no longer seemed to remember why I was losing weight. I started again (down from where I first began, but up from where I'd left off) when I could again remember why I was losing the weight. Its not about designer jeans or cat-calls when walkin' downtown -- for me its about living longer, living better, hoping that I'll escape the weight-related illnesses that have plagued my family for generations. Remembering why you're working towards being a less-weighty you may help...

Sherry -- I haven't been to the Grove Park Inn -- but we have driven by in the past. Its beautiful. Actually, you can get a good look at the grounds of the Biltmore Estate when watching Hannibal -- as the estate in that feature was filmed here. I'm hoping my husband is well enough that we can hike some next week. I'll remember your grandbaby in my prayers. My daughter had her adenoids removed when she was 7. It was hard on us all -- mostly because my family has a history of bad reactions to anesthesia (rare, rare, rare!!). I'm sure all will be well -- but how heart-rending to listen to the cries of child who is afraid... :(

Now all we need it Geri... :lol:

Good health, good thoughts, and good fortune to you all this weekend!!

Hey Hey Everyone:

Good weekend to you all! I have company tonight. My niece stopped by with her new husband. What fun. Made some three bean soup in the crockpot, and homemade french bread in the breadmaker. We all sat down to a very delightful dinner & good conversation.

I made the soup very low cal and noone seem to notice. The bread only had 1 T. oil. Today I have made a big effort to keep on track with points. Even though my weight loss is only slightly over 5 lbs I am less tierd. Probably because I am not loading myself down with fat.

Bunny: Did your daughter benefit from the adnoid removal? We are concerned that it will make no difference & he went through all that trauma. We are also concerned about the anesthesia because the other two times he had a bad reaction afterward & got really sick.
I liked your mug idea. I am still trying to figure out how to print things out without getting the whole thread page. My husband and I also love flea markets. We do that and Antique stores as well as thrift stores. My mom and sisters maybe once every couple months go what we call thrifting. We all jump in the car and go to as many thrift stores as we can stopping only for lunch. Great girl time even if you come back with nothing.

Have to baby sit so will say good night.

ttfn
sherry:D

Just a quickie here --

Sherry -- to print only one thing, use your cursor to "highlight" the text and then hit the "Print" button within your browser. At least when I do this in my program, I get just the part I highlighted and nothing else. :) For my daughter, the adenoid removal made a world of difference. They were removed because they were blocking more than 85% of her breathing passage (!!!) -- the surgeon said he's never seen a set of adenoids to enlarged before. She was a different child afterwards, truly. I hope the surgery does equally good things for your grandbaby.

Good Sunday:angel:

Just a short check-in....Busy today... but try to make time.

Thanks for the info on the adnoids Bunny!!!. I also tried to print out that recipe by hilighting and selecting the print button. But no good. I was going to get 15 pages again . Also tried a few other things with no sucess. Will have to write it down or have my daughter look at it for another opinion. I have MSN. I am glad you try to post every day or else I would be reading the same message for a few days. Thanks!

I am listening to an inspirational tape that Oprah made with her trainer Bob Green called Making the Connection. Really not bad at all. Kept my attention so far. I purchased it for $1 at a used book store. Well worth the investment for me.

See ya...........................

ttfn
ssdiane

I read the book "Making the Connection" by Oprah and I found it to be informative. I like the idea of motivational tapes.

Sorry I've been away for awhile. My schedule has been a bit hectic. I don't have the time to catch up with everyone, but I have been reading. I hope everyone is doing well. I just wanted to say that this week I made it below 250 at weigh in and that was a high point for me. I am now down to 249.5#.

I hope to keep this momentum going. Have a good night all, I need my sleep.

:) Melissa

Good morning! :wave:

I'm back from our family reunion weekend. What a great weekend. We had the reunion at grandpa's old house (he died in 1981). It is the house where my mother was raised along with 9 other siblings. A three room house with no indoor toilet and no paint ever on the outside. Since Grandpa passed away, the house was kept in the family but had been falling into total disrepair. Over the last year, my uncles have stripped the inside and put up new walls and electrical and brought it back to life. We started with a fish fry on Friday night, some people camped at the farm, then a country breakfast of pancakes and sausage, and lunch of lots of good country casseroles. More food Saturday night, Sunday breakfast and lunch. This family does EAT. The men cooked sorghum from the cane grown. Others sat around and talked and the kids played and played on the hay bales. We had gorgeous fall weather. It felt so good to have the family together again like when we were so little. It seemed like grandma and grandpa should walk through the door at any time. So needless to say, there was no way I could count points. The only thing I can say for myself is that I took a small plate and did not go back for seconds. Plus I walked the dog around the farm each day.

Thanks Sherry & Bunny for the kind words over my pity party. I could think of all kinds of excuses and blame. My DH is not totally committed to losing weight and couldn't care less if I lost or stayed the same. He thinks saying he loves me no matter what size helps me feel better. And then wants to eat steak and fries three times a week. He doesn't want to eat a lot of things I would if I were still single and trying WW again. He doesn't hold a gun to my head and make me put the food to my mouth but it sure makes it easy for me to fall off program. The main problem is that I have been trying this for so long that my body has adjusted to my 80% healthy eating habits and the level of exercise and that is why it isn't budging. What's hard is getting back to 95% eating good and stepping up my level of exercise to challenge it more and make it burn more calories. Staying vigilant is so important and falls by the wayside so easily.

I'm ready to keep trying, thanks to friends like you. I better get the dog up and myself ready for work. I've got my mind set on the challenge this week. Have a great Monday!

Terri -- about your husband and steaks... wow! That reminds me utterly about my husband and his (evidently) conflicted views of my weight loss when I began this time (he was down right sabotaging me the last time I lost weight... LOL!). What happened here was that I finally "confronted" him about the issues I had with his eating habits and how they impacted on my psyche. We were on a road trip in Tennessee and eating at a Taco Bell. He'd just eated a Polish Sausage while we were out and shopping, and now was eating two double decker tacos. I'd ordered a Steak Taco. He knew that what he was eating had been something I dearly enjoyed ... but that now the points simply made it impossible for me to eat that way and still continue to lose weight. (Sorry to be so long setting the scene LOL!) Anyway -- while we were eating I said, "You know, I think what makes watching you eat so hard for me is knowing that I can't eat that way anymore -- ever. Its not just now, its a forever change in my habits." "Well," said he, "I'm not losing weight so you'll just have to get used to it..." "Yes," I agreed, "I will. Its not your problem at all. I'm just trying to help you see why it is that this is hard for me, why it is that I struggle more in reaching a goal that matter a lot to me..." He actually looked thoughtful at this but we didn't say much more on the topic. I made a point of eating my sugar-free Jello treats at rest stops while he munched on candy bars... and at dinner he ordered a single burger, a soda, and told me he'd try to be more considerate in his choices. He said he hadn't realized how had his eating habits made my choice to lose weight for me. He said he loved me just how I was -- but that helping me succeed mattered a great deal to him because it mattered to me. I think (yikes!) what I'm trying to say is that its always possible your family just doesn't understand yet how hard this is for you, how much it matters to you, and how much harder it can be when they make poor choices. This time as I lose weight, my family is traveling the same road to health with me. I try to make sure that my cooking includes healthy answers to unhealthy meals (we have burgers and baked fries regularly here, steak hits the table at least every couple weeks, etc.). I hope you have luck helping your husband help you, you know? :) Congrats on staying focused in a very high point environment this weekend. Now that's success even if it doesn't always show at the scales!

Melhoward -- WAY TO GO on making it below #250!!! That's my mini-goal right now. :D

Sherry -- if you have a word processing program, you might try just copy/pasting the part you want into a new document and then printing the document. :)

Hope you all have a great day today! And thank you again for all your friendship and support -- for me, this makes a big difference as I walk the walk.

Hi! :wave:

Gosh, we're missing a few people - Cindy, Brenda, Geri, Lilac - we miss you and hope you're doing well!!

I had a good food day. I journalled and was careful. I need more fruit and veggie in my plan. After dinner, I took the dog for his walk and added four city blocks. Then I did a few minutes on the airdyne followed by a few situps on the big blue ball. I had planned on doing some tae bo or step but had to go shopping for DH's birthday present. Instead of taking him out to a big meal, he's going to get big shrimp and baked potatoes to enjoy a quiet evening at home. Better for our budget too. For some reason I didn't go a good job of getting my water in.

Has anyone purchased a pedometer that counts your steps? I just got one and it counted 2202 steps during a dog walk. Since then I forget to put it on to count my steps in a day. Is it better now to count steps during the day instead of mileage?

Bunny - Yes, DH and I have had several conversations where I explain how important this is to me and that my reason is so that I am healthy and fit. I love feeling sort of athletic when I'm tromping through the woods or riding my bike. And he promises to help me and then forgets. He doesn't mean to sabotage but has his own problem with enjoying food too much.

Mel - Congratulations on your milestone. I too have the Oprah book and loved it. It certainly gives you things to think about. I could never get up early enough to do my exercise that early in the day as it suggests.

Sherry - I too have not been successful with printing only a portion of the thread. It took me a while to see the printable version option that didn't print all the pictures!! Hope you're doing well.

I should get moving. I'm really struggling with wanting to go to work. Last week I decided to take two weeks off over Thanksgiving so of course I want it NOW. Have a great OP day!!

I was enthralled with the overseas posts and then to find an Oregon poster, too. I live in Baltimore, MD, but I'm originally (a long time ago) from Oregon and I still love the place. I've always wanted to go to England and Scotland, but so far we've only made it to Germany.

I have a lot to lose and I desperately need help to stay on the program. I've been off and on it for a long time, but some major health problems dictate that I have to lose <whisper>close to 200 lbs. :( sooner rather than later. I, too, work four 10-hour days, with Weds. off so that I can have a mid-week break. Although I'm old enough for grandkids to chase on my day off, my two sons haven't accommodated me yet. Actually, one is getting married 11/17 and if I haven't lost at least something by then I'm going to refuse to be in any pictures!

Although I'd love to be able to walk the dog again (it's not possible right now), I settled for buying the tapes for "Chair Dancing." Now I just have to get well-motivated enough to do it on a regular basis.

I hope to keep up with this thread and not lose the motivation I've read in the reports so far. Oh, yes, my husband of 37 years (still my best friend) is laid off and home way too much. Unfortunately, he doesn't like to cook any more than I do. So, he eats a lot of frozen meals that he likes and sushi (yuck) and I tend to grab sandwiches (bad, bad!). I do take WW dinners to work for lunch and when I did journal two weeks ago I lost 10.2 lbs. :), but I haven't been good ever since then.

Since my sons left, I adopted a corgi that is my 2nd best friend. I adore her and she gives me so much love back that I wish fervently that I could lose enough weight to walk her.

That's enough about me. Please keep up with the wonderful stories, especially the ones from Oregon.

Hey Hey Everyone!


Loved reading everyones posts!!. I was absent but you were not forgotten. My grandsons surgery went well & I was exhausted that day. He, again, was sick from the anesthetic(won't give any further description) at the hospital and in my car eeekkk:^:
I stayed home with him today so my daughter could go to work. She has missed so many days of work she is a little worried about her job. I, on the other hand, have worked for the same medical practice for 19 years. I have more sick time. We are all praying that his health improves now.

I made the mistake of not eating before we left for the hospital & by 2pm when we left I was bouncing off the walls from coffee & famished. My daughter wanted to stop at Burger King for a shake for my grandson(which later ended up all over my back seat). Anyway, I had a cheese burger and fries, and of course I had to be good and have a diet coke. Let me tell you it was sucked up fast... I can't remember if I ate the wrapper.

When I read the posts about the husbands I wondered if my husband had been cloned. He is so dear, but has lousy eating habits. But, the past couple years it has been catching up to him & he is getting a little tummy. A couple days ago I told him his stomach was starting to look like my butt. He was a little shocked since I usually make no comments about anyones weight.

MELISSA: : Below 250... really cool. I can't even tell my sisters or best friend that it is my first goal. I can't even go shopping with my one sister because she still shows me size 16 to try on and says "this has to fit". Also, I have not finished Oprah tape but glad to know it's good.

TERRI : Ditto on the husband thing and the reunion sounded fun and yummy.

marridy: Welcome, have you been here before? I know the lose" by the wedding" syndrome. My daughter was married in August. We had photos and video tape. I wont comment on how I thought I looked :( . I live up by Mt Hood in a little town named
Sandy. We love it unless we get a rainy spell.

bunny: I'm back!.. and I am going to try your printer suggestion.

This is getting way too long even though I have more to say will sign off for now.:(

ttfn

ssdiane

Don't post here, go to new thread!