I got some different cough/cold medicine and it's helping. I almost feel normal except for the occasional coughing fit.

Welcome Sweetenuff. Good job with IP. We are all using varied eating plans here and like to compare results.

Trish, do you get WW magazine? There was a recipe in the current issue for Cabbage Rolls in the slow cooker. 2 cabbage rolls is a serving, at 7 pts. It shows a carb count of 33 gms, which I felt was a little high. I entered the ingredients in Fitday to see where the carbs were coming from and it was mostly from the vegetables, so they are good carbs. The recipe is for 12 cabbage rolls and uses 2 cups of cooked brown rice. When I make cabbage rolls I make 40+ rolls and I only use 2 cups of rice or less, so I would cut way back on the rice in this recipe. I never tried using brown rice but I will try it next time. I will post the recipe in the recipe thread.

So here's something to give you all a chuckle. I need something to get me back in the exercise mode so I ordered Hip Hop Abs. Can a 68 year old grandma do this exercise? LOL It was on an infomercial and it was reduced to $19.95, probably because they have come out with a new video and are pushing that one. Since my abs are my biggest problem I figure even if I modify it to my own intensity, it can't be bad. The worst that can happen is I will be passing it on to my daughter or daughter-in-law. They don't even need it. Maybe this cold med has me delirious! LOL

YoooHooo! Where is everyone? I am coming along slowly with the cold. My new exercise video hasn't arrived yet, and I'm planning on starting it as soon as it comes, so I will be exercising, cold or not.

I have not been eating my greens the past couple days. It's been comfort food all the way. And I noticed last night my back pain coming back a little. I'm convinced that the greens are what made my back and shoulder pain go away. I will make some today before they go bad.

Who watched Biggest Loser? So much talk about how bad the winner, Rachel looked. I think that was because they emphasize that $250K prize so much so she tried to lose as much as she could to win the prize. Now that the prize money is safely deposited into her bank account she can ease up and gain a little of that back. 20 lbs would do it. And we all know how easy it is to gain back!!!

Continuing on. Doing better with staying on plan, but definitely having problems with being snackish in the evenings, undoing my good day.
What are others doing to deal with the urge for sweets etc in the evenings?

Mad, it's a always a battle for everyone, I think. It seems that if you do good all day, you seem to think your deserve a little treat later on. What I sometimes do when I'm tempted is tell myself "If I don't eat that, maybe I'll be down a pound in the morning." And sometimes I am!

Since I've had this cold that seems to be going on forever, I get a little nauseated after I eat. Sometimes in the evening I go lie down in bed to watch TV, and I won't eat in bed.

Or, Make some sort of sign that says "Kitchen Closed." One you have cleaned up after dinner, put up the sign as a reminder not to go in there again. I just might have DH make a little sign for me. He needs a project! LOL

Carol Sue Sorry you are still sick. I sure hope that passes soon. Also, I forgot that you asked me about WW magazine. Yes, I do get it. In fact, somehow I ended up with 2 subscriptions because I thought mine had run out. So I get 2 of them and have been sharing one with my hairdresser.

Madeliene Since I've changed the way I eat, I actually don't get hungry for sweets much any more. I do like to eat at night so I've scheduled my plan to fit food into the evening so that I don't even need to snack any more. I hope it will stay that way.

Well, girls, I finally have settled into the way that works for me and I was rewarded this morning with what I think is my lowest weight in maybe 2 or even 3 yrs. I am down to 229.2 breaking out of the 230s. My FBS was 138 which is the lowest in a maybe 2 or 3 yrs. I am very happy with my progress and will continue eating the way I do.

I will not be doing WW after my subscription runs out although I'm still using the website for now. I've been comparing point counts with calorie counts and have decided that I like the accuracy of calorie counting better. So will be moving in that direction. I do not set a goal of how many calories that I will eat. I am back to eating the way I ate every time I was thin and maintained being thin. I am counting the calories as I eat a combo of Intermittent Fasting and Intuitive Eating. I have no hard fast rules except that I DO NOT EAT UNLESS I am what is called "Stomach" hungry. I'm having to relearn that one, but I am doing it. I usually do not want breakfast. Livestrong.com had a great article by a weight trainer that shared how she does IF and in the article... she ate the same way I did as a kid. I know that I a like to eat in the evening, so I schedule my eating time to be around 1 or 2 depending on activity schedule that day (whether going to doctor, shopping, etc). We don't eat out much any more. However, whether out or at home, I eat exactly what I am hungry for and enjoy it eating only as much as it takes to satisfy me. Since I don't like the "stuffed" feeling, I'm finding that I don't overeat. Besides, I know that if I want more later that I can have it again when I am hungry.

DH ate this way when we first married so we both are doing this together. Yesterday, he wanted a sandwich and I wanted a baked potato with veggies. So he ate what he wanted and I ate what I wanted and we both were satisfied. The way I do the calorie counting is... instead of having a set amount of calories that I'm allowed, I count the amount of calories that I actually use. I have found that some days I eat around 1200 calories and I have eaten as much as around 1700 calories. My doctor originally told me to go on an 1800 calorie diet. So far, I haven't gone over 1700. And I'm not even dieting, I'm just eating the way that is "natural/normal" for me.

I am doing my very own experiment. Since I've heard of people doing carb/calorie cycling to lose weight and I see this kind of happening with me, I decided to keep up with the counting the way I'm doing it and just see if maybe that if eating ONLY when you are hungry if you would automatically eat less some days and more others. I remember when I had child care in my home that I had a little boy who would not eat unless he was hungry. His mother and I were concerned for a while until we learned that if Joel ate good for me during the day, he wasn't hungry to eat good for her at night. However, if he wasn't hungry during the day with me, he would eat good for her at home. He ate Intuitively.

Babies eat this way most of the time. The cry when they are hungry. We feed them and most babies when they are satisfied will not eat any more until they are hungry again. I had a little baby girl that cried all the time. We thought she wasn't getting satisfied when we fed her. When taken to the doctor, he told her mother "She doesn't know when she is hungry so you are over feeding her". He had us put her on a schedule and she became a happy baby. I think we have lost the ability to KNOW WHEN we are really hungry. JMO But it is working for me and I think it is because that is the way I ALWAYS ate when I was thin.

I just thought I would share with y'all my experience, by no means am I telling anyone else what to do.

I won't change my ticker until Sunday which is my WI day.

Y'all have a nice weekend and I can't believe we are still having so much snowy weather. So all of you who still have the stuff stay safe and warm.

I had my week 3 wi on wednesday -2lbs!
15 lbs gone for good!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! on 2 more lbs gone.

I changed my Avatar and signature. It's still ME!



Congratulations Sweetenuf! Good job!

Trish, I think your WOE is what I call "normal eating." It is the way nature intended. The purpose of eating is to give your body the fuel to do it's job. Your body requires different types of fuel in different amounts.

With a car, the fuel gauge tells you when you need fuel. If you don't get that fuel your can won't run. If you put in too much fuel, it will spill out. Sometimes you get inferior fuel. Although your car might still run, it runs poorly and can break down. It needs "exercise" too. If you put the car in the garage and never drive it, it will deteriorate. When you finally go to drive it, all sorts of things will go wrong. It needs to run regularly.

How's that analogy? LOL

People who do not have a weight problem eat when they are hungry and stop when they're satisfied. And they don't eat something they don't like. They don't have to think about it, it's just natural for them. If they overeat at a meal, they usually aren't hungry at the next mealtime and don't eat.

So, although you were not asking for anyone's approval, you have mine. This is an eating plan that would fit into everyone's preferences, be it calorie counting, low carb, low fat, IE, IF, and everyone should be able to lose on such a plan.

I have always felt that WW was another form of calorie counting. When I was in the hospital recovering from heart surgery and also being diagnosed as diabetic, they put me on an 1800 calorie diet and I lost 25 lbs on that. Being in the hospital, there was no option to snack. I continued that diet for a while after I came home, but eventually got side tracked. I did not regain, but I also have not lost more. For the most part, I lose at 1500 calories per day. I know that since I don't weight and measure my food, I could be counting higher or lower on calories, but I'm in the ball park.

It is working for you, and that's what's important!

Carol Sue Your Avatar says "Spring hurry up and get here" to me. LOL Also I loved the analogy. A perfect example.

I saw something about this on Facebook so I decided to research it. It being on a diabetic site made me decide to share it with y'all. DH and I are going to give it a shot and see if it works. It is food and can't hurt. Also since I love okra any way, I will be adding okra to my list of foods to eat. I buy a frozen gumbo but will be looking for a recipe to make it on my own.

http://www.diabitieslife.com/diabete...with-okra.htms

I'm not sure WW is really for me. I've been comparing my daily point with my calories eaten each day. They don't come together right. I'm finding that when I'm eating 1200 to 1500 calories a day that I am going way over my daily points and using a lot more of my weekly allowed each day. Example, I've only had 674 calories today, but according to the WW calculations I've had 23 pts and I'm only allow 27 a day. If I use 7 of my extra weekly pts each day, I will end up going way over on WW. And if I eat only the 27 + 7 a day, I will be under 1200 calories which they say isn't good to do. So while I will use the site until my subscription is up, I think "for me" counting the calories is the best way. I'm in this to lose weight and be healthy, not to support WW. I'm not putting it down as it helps a lot of people, but I'm not one of them.

Ladies, you have been busy ... glad you are doing well for the most part and working out the kinks to find which eating plans/ways of eating work for you. As is always mentioned here on 3FC not every plan works for everyone and even with modifications what works for one may not work for the other. I have count calories no matter how I eat or what plan I choose. I have always liked calorie counting. What I find with low carbing is that my calories are usually low and I am not hungry. Like you said Trish with the WW points it just doesn't add up. Now if I eat what isn't good for me (things that will cause a spike in my bs) then my calories are where they need to be.

Madeleine, the only time I really have issues with snacking is at work. When I get home I can better control it but there I always want something and have a few times caved into the temptation. Today I want chocolate but the only thing I have is dark bitter chocolate so ... no chocolate for me

Carol Suehope your cold goes away soon and way to go on hip hop abs, I am afraid to try it it just seems so fast and I don't do fast

sweetenuf, good job on your weight loss 15lbs GONE

Trish, good job on your new low and on the bs number

I can't get below my 169-170 weight. I did see 168 that's what my ticker states but I'm gonna have to try something new to get there and go lower.

Rennie, I don't know if I'm going to be able to do this Hip Hop Abs, but if not, it was only $20 + shipping and I have wasted way more than that on other things. If not I will pass it on to my DIL. I will modify it a bit, I'm sure, going a little slower, not lifting my leg as high, etc. I can do a little bit at a time and work my way up on intensity. I bought a Walk Away The Pounds DVD and it is boring to me. Too repititious. I need something more exciting. LOL

Trish - One time I asked our leader how many calories equal 26 points and she said "Don't worry about calories, just follow the program." I didn't like her. They don't want you to count calories, they want you to need them and continue paying. I did like the pamphlets they passed out at the meeting. They had good recipes and pointers in them. But they weren't worth $43 per month. I know they have a lot of that stuff online, too. I think after your time runs out you will still be able to sign in for some things even though you are not still paying.

For the most part, if you are eating when you are truly hungry and stopping when satisfied, your calorie count should be in the ball park. I think you're doing good. If your weight loss starts to slow down, look over what you've been eating and see if you can see something you can change. And drink lots of water. Water does help with fat burning.

My cold is improving little by little. I feel very good when I get up in the morning, but it gets worse as the day goes on. I am free to take a little nap during the day if necessary, and if I'm tired, I go to bed early. I never had anything this bad or lasting this long before. Guess I'm really getting old. But every day I'm still here is a gift, and I want to make the most of it.

Hi to Sweetenuf, Mad, Ruth, Bonnie and all others who might be lurking!

Not really lurking - just a tad embarrassed about being so off program. I must confess carbs have done a number on me - the ticker is really lying and I've been remiss in taking my meds regularly and testing my blood. Part of this is being too darned busy and not making myself a priority.

That ends now!

As of today, I will plan my day's food and STICK to the plan. Tonight I have a Delta Family Dinner (DFD) at Heather's house. (That's a Sunday dinner with four widowed or divorced women and the assorted kids. We share the meal prep and plan on leftovers.) This month, I'm on dessert, alas! I will make a rhubarb/strawberry crisp and make mine separately with Splenda.

February to April is a really busy time for me with accounting and perhaps this will help me get through it. I may bore you to death with posting menus but I just have to do it. Three more pounds and I'll be back at the dreaded 200!

I am about to kill my ticker and resurrect it when it stops lying!

Oh, Ruth, I took my lying ticker down a while back. I too have been hovering in the low 200 range and can't get back. I am blaming my carbs on my darn cold....I want comfort food, but truly, it's just that I love my carbs.

You won't bore us with your menus. We may get some pointers and it might help keep us in line, too. So bring it on!

I'm making Chicken Caccatore for dinner tonight and hoping I can pass up whatever starch I make for my husband.

Oh, Ruthie, please don't stay away. We all go through what you are feeling from time to time. We need each other. And feel free to share your menus. Like Carol Sue said, we might get some good ideas from you. For example, I've always wanted to try rhubarb, but I'm afraid I won't like it. Welcome back, Ruthie.

Carol Sue My sister and her DH goes to WW, but I think his company pays for them to go. I've often thought that WW really doesn't want you to lose weight too fast so you have to keep paying them. A few yrs ago they had a perfect program that was working great for everyone and then they changed it to something new and a lot of people refused to go to the new plan. I did great on the old plan, but never could get any where much with the new one. I could go back to it, but now that the products have to put all the info on the labels, it is just so much easier to count the calories. You are right about when I stall that I will have to figure out why. I already know why I weigh more on weekends and I'm going to have to work on that one. I've got to figure out how to get more water in on those days. I get the fiber, but as we know if we don't drink the water then it just lays in our tummy.

I ended this week (Sunday being my WI day) with a weight of 230.2 lbs. till a loss just not the 229.2 I saw Friday. I think since I'm not going to be doing counting calories with IE that I will make Friday my new WI day since I don't drink as much water/liquid as I do during the week because I don't want to have to run to the bathroom at the store and at church. This just seems to slow my system down so that things don't move as much as they do other days, if you know what I mean. I'm just doing 4 days a week of formal exercise (my stationary bike for 3 miles each). I usually have one day a week when I do a lot of walking so I still count that as informal exercise.

Ladies, I've decided/learned one thing. We have to take this one day at a time. Do the best we can each day. Some days will be better than others and some not so good, but we ABSOLUTELY have to STOP beating ourselves up when we have bad days or moments. When we get down on ourselves, we set ourselves up to fail and then we begin to believe we are failures when we are not. We absolutely must realize that we are in this for the long haul... for life. We are in the process of changing habits/lifestyle so we can control our blood sugar and lose weight. WE CAN DO THIS!!! HOWEVER, IT IS NOT going to happen over night. WE MUST LEARN TO BE KINDER TO OURSELVES. We need to treat ourselves like we would treat our best friend.

That's my pep talk for today. LOL For y'all and for me. I need to remember these things myself.

Have a nice Sunday evening.

I probably should take my ticker down myself. My weight has jumped up. However, I heard something this morning on tv that makes me wonder if the ibuprofen I take is one of my big problems. They are doing research on meds like Advil etc because they think that NSAIDS (?sp) like ibuprofen may be bad for the heart because it causes fluid retention. Isn't that interesting? The doc I saw who was talking about this said people shouldn't run out and buy Alieve thinking it is better because they really don't know that either. However at this time, they do seem to think it is better to use it instead of NSAIDS (sorry not sure of the spelling) etc.

I have taken this medicine for my back and neck. Took it big time when I was down with my knee. I think that is about the time I started retaining so much fluid and sometime have a difficult time getting the fluid down even though I take a mild fluid pill. I plan to experiment with it on my own just to see if it makes a difference.

Still hanging into calorie counting and exercising. Not going to give up. I am determined to do this. Hoping that by giving up the ibuprofen will help. I don't take that everyday so the days I lose just may be the days I don't take them. I remember Drs. Hellers who wrote the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet books had a chapter where they talked about meds that interfere with weight loss. I guess they were right. I always did low carb because it naturally kept the fluid off, but suddenly it didn't do that any more. I'm actually glad to know that it might be the ibuprofen because that means that the low carb eating didn't fail me and I didn't fail on it. The ibuprofen was the culprit. Means that I just might be able to do low carb after all. I will have to see. I'm also wondering if those meds makes you hungry as I find myself hungrier lately. A real chore to keep from going on a binge.

We are getting loads of snow and are suppose to get it through Thursday morning so we are not going any where. A good day for cold weather foods such as chili. Got it in the crock pot and probably will be the last time this year that I'll make it.

Y'all have a nice day and stay warm and safe.