Supporting Each Other on Our Weight Loss Journey

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  • This is a great thread for those who want support, helpful hints, friendship and a great bunch of people to communicate with. This thread has existed for a long time and I keep re-starting it whenever the old one gets too long. Feel free to stop in and chat, we are not a "closed" group and welcome newcomers. Some of us have been together for well over a year, some only a few days, but we care about each other. We offer tips, we share, we pick each other up of the floor when we've had rough times and we applaud when someone does well.
    So, please do stop on by and share a bit, support is what it's all about! We can really do this together!
    __________________
  • I restarted as I see that Briza has been having problems posting because of our long thread again. And then when I restarted the thread, it froze and freaked out on me. So maybe it wasn't the long thread????

    Oh well, I'm here - my well laid open house plans went semi-well. I wasn't too far out until I started having the Smirnoff Twists and now I think I'm done on my 35 optional pts for the week. Going to stop by the grocery store after I leave work this afternoon and pick up some chicken breast to grill and not sure what else. I'm not even certain my children will be around today for Father's Day.

    As I left the open house yesterday, I was handed a bowl of broccoli salad. Is this a regional dish or has anyone else had it and tried to point it out? It has broccoli, pineapple, raisins and a light sweet dressing. No nuts in this one or sunflower seeds. I may have to call the hostess (who is a WW leader) and ask her what she thinks

    Have a great Sunday everone. We drastically need rain so I see myself doing a lot of watering this evening.
  • Well I hope everyone is having a good day.

    LJ, Derry: After posting that info. about my salad I just sat in aw and though there is no way but I just went with it. There is a sight called calorie king and it has a lot of information on it so sometimes I like up the calories, fiber, and fat of certain things and then plug it into the WW info. I don't know if ya'll have seen it but it can be helpful. That is where I got the points for the salad the resturaunt I went to was in there. Oh yeah and the best part is that it is free so you can look up tons of stuff it's kind of light Dottis weight loss zone except sometimes I think it has more. I know a lot of people use it who are calorie counters.

    Derry: I am a speech therapist and I work in a school so yup you guessed it that's why I have summer off. I am actually supposed to be working with one of my mom's friends son's over the summer and I am meeting up with her tomorrow so that should give something to do. In the past I was always in school so my summer were consumed with going to classes so this is a little different. I do get bored, but at the same time it's nice to relax. I am also planning on tagging along with my parents on a couple of trips. Well see.


    Newlifestyle: I am hoping to get some steps in. Today is my mom's bday as well as father's day so were are probably going to go eat and then I am going to a concert but it's outdoors and there is plenty of reason to walk around there so I too will aim at getting 10,000 let see how it goes.
  • Odd thing. I just went to read our thread and found the thread closed????
    I'm wondering what's up with that?
    Paige, hope you found a good pancake recipe that works for you. I'd dearly love to find some kind of CORE pancake substitute.
    I also hope you have found something interesting to keep you occupied today, boredom can be hard.
    I echo Ann, and hope Erica is back with us and up to her usual self soon. I have had my ups and downs with this stuff and you just have to keep at it and not give up.
    Laura, I just moved back to the main WW "general" section and found your post starting the new thread. I hope everyone finds it OK. Usually it's a good idea to post a link to the new thread when you start it, but if it all froze, then, who knows? Personally (no offense to the wonderful people at 3FC) I think their new server is quite possibly worse than the old one? What do you all think?
    Haylo, I see what's happening and I hope you figure out some great summer plans. I think you should come to NH and see the lovely lakes and mountains, personally. I should be a tourism spokesperson, I guess. I just love my state and can't ever imagine living anyplace else. We often talk about that if we won the lottery (don't I wish!) and had the ability to choose to live anyplace in the world, we would still pick NH!
    Well, I survived the weekend away, I've still got something like 18 flex points left and I am eating out tonight, or at least getting take out food if my son is not feeling well enough to eat out. He's pretty miserable, just sleeping and coughing. I hope I don't get it, summer illnesses can be such a drag. It's 86 degrees here and we have a fair amount of humidity right now, thank goodness for air conditioning!
    Well, I'm off now to clean the kitchen and clean out/empty all my cabinets in preparation for the new kitchen counter tomorrow. I'm psyched!
  • Hi Everyone!

    Laura-thanks for starting a new post! hopefully this one will work better.

    Linda-I am glad that you had a good weekend away-did well eating and have pts left over to go out to dinner!

    My weekend was good-actually made it to the gym Friday morning! Wahoo! I think if i leave 15 mins later then I will be fine because it is light out. Thank you so much for everyones support on my problem-I really appreciate it and I will keep you all updated.
    I have been eating a lot...I saved all my flex points for the weekend and I am not going to come close to using them all. But I just feel like eating and eating and eating...at least I am eating all healthy foods but it still cant be good?

    Hope everyone is enjoying the remainder of the weekend!
  • Real Quick...Linda why don't you use some WPA for the pancakes instead of looking for a substitute. Don't deprive yourself of what you would like to have.
    It has taken me 4 weeks to understand that even on Core we can have anything non core but need to account for it.
    Have the real deal, and walk 2-3 miles on your treadmill and that will take care of that or some part of the pts. Enjoy Core because it really is enjoyable with so much at our finger tips to eat and not worry about the pts. So go head ENJOY the pancakes. Have them on the day you start your new week for breakfast, or as a family breakfast on the weekend, with some canadian bacon and eggs.
    Just a thought
    Look for the pt. value on page 64 of the complete food companion.
  • Briza, just stay safe and keep your eyes open. I have never been attacked at all, but I almost could guess that an aware individual is less susceptible than a preoccupied person. If you are poised to defend yourself at a seconds notice, you will be OK, I'm sure. Looking strong and confident is probably half the battle?
    I'm glad you could post as well. Are you on a high speed connection or dial-up? I am sure that makes a difference. If any one of us has trouble posting, just re-start the thread so you can keep the conversation rolling.
    Thanks, LJ, on your pancake thoughts. I'm not climbing the walls looking for them right now, but it would be wonderful to have something that could work. I'm looking for something sweet for a breakfast treat, I think? I keep sugar free maple syrup in the house and if I do break down and make some real pancakes, I think I will follow your advice, LJ, and have them on the day after weigh in. I also reserve ham or something high sodium, like taco mix, for weight in days - in the evening.
    Well, the kitchen is all packed up and I am ready for the guy to come and install the counter tomorrow. I can't wait. The color is called butter rum and it's the color of butterscotch candies, sort of, but marble. It's going to be a such a change from the ugly old Formica that has probably been here since the 1970s with it's stains and chips. I'll bet my cooking will improve as I will be inspired!
    Have a great evening, everyone,
  • Opppsss, Sorry Linda - I missed a step. But I do know that Mauv is pretty good about locking up our old threads when a new one gets started. I was just tryting to help Briza out to come and post. I'm usually pretty laid back and let someone else take the lead. (mental note to put in new link if I start a new thread again)
  • Good morning everyone.
    Laura, thanks for starting the new thread. I think it will make it easier for me to post.
    I hope that everyone has a wonderful Monday. I am busy once again today. It is the end of the school year and for some reason that has been busy. They do so much at the end. (Field trips and social things).
    My goal today is to walk 10,000 steps, run 5 k, and eat my running activity points.
    Have a great day and enjoy.
    Take Care
    Ann
  • Gooooooood Monday morning beautiful ladies! I'm feeling awfully chipper here at 7am! I was actually very surprised yesterday; I had the most wonderful day! Dh finished up working on the car (he actually still has to finish putting it back together, but needs to buy a part today from the dealer) but while he was working on it I filled up the kiddie pool for dds and let them go out in it. It was such a gorgeous day! I sat out in the lounge chair and worked on my tan (burn, rather! LOL!) and watched my little girls have fun. Dh joined us after he finished. We really spent the entire day out there! Since we were outside, I didn't do any snacking at all. For breakfast I had made pancakes (thanks, Ann, for the recipe...I saw it too late! I had found one on allrecipes and changed it up; they were really good and the only fat was from one egg. The recipe made a lot, too.) For lunch we decided to order out pizza, and I ordered a ham sub (I had them leave off any dressing and added ff mayo at home.) Then for dinner we used some of the steaks that came from the Omaha Steak stuff that came the other day. I don't know the points value for those, but each one is 4 oz, and they were quite lean. So I think I did pretty good.

    I realized something about myself yesterday...I believe that there is a direct relationship to how I eat and my self confidence level. It seems like the days that I overeat, I feel bad about myself...feel fat...just lower in general, like I have failed. But on the days where I have stayed op, I feel like I am full of self confidence. It's funny...back in the beginning of the year, one of my goals was to have lost a significant amount of weight by this week (we are leaving for vaca on Friday) because I was so worried that I would be "low" if I wasn't where I wanted to be. I was worried that I would be stuck wearing jeans and long sleeve shirts on the beach (LOL!) because I would be too self consious to wear shorts and short sleeve shirts. Well, so here I am...I am not even close to thinking about being close to my goal, but every day that I learn what it's like to eat like a normal person, I feel more comfortable in my skin. I have been wearing shorts and short sleeve shirts for awhile and have been completely ok. When I look at pictures of me, I don't think OMG!!!!!! YUCK!!!!!! I think, hmmm...ok, I'm not where I want to be, but that's ok...I'm working on it. I'm just not seeing myself in a negative light anymore. Some pictures I even think, huh...I don't look too bad! I actually FEEL thin. I think that is more incentive than anything to eat right.

    So as I mentioned, we are leaving for vacation on Friday. We have rented a house on the boardwalk at the Jersey shore (Point Pleasant) with MIL. She is taking this week and we are taking next week. We will leave on Friday and come back the following Saturday. I am so incredibly excited! The house we rented we have stayed in before; it is really nice. LOL...the owner had just told my MIL that he is selling it and he would take $1.3M for it. She was like, uhhhh yeah, let me just run to the bank. It is literally right on the beach; 4 bedrooms...the master takes up the entire upstairs front of the house and has windows the whole length and side, so every morning you wake up to the ocean. It's just beautiful. It has a nice little kitchen, so we won't need to eat out. I'm already planning runs/walks on the beach and boardwalk and I've also found a WW that is 3 miles away, so I won't miss a meeting. I figured, too, that planning in a meeting will keep me more accountable. I told dh that I am so much more excited about this vacation than I was about our Disney cruise that we took last year. Our little one is older, so I think it will be more relaxing. I definatly think that she and older dd are going to play nicely on the beach and I'll be able to sit and maybe actually read a book (that is if I remember how to! LOL!) instead of chasing little dd around like I did on the cruise.

    Anyway...I have chatted away this morning. I am going to the gym this morning, so I need to get myself and dds around. I'll check in later! Have a beautiful day everyone!
  • Good morning everyone,
    Ok, I think I'm back now... I went for a long walk yesterday AM and did some soul searching about all of this, where I'm going, where I want to end up. For one, the lack of serious exercise in the past almost 3 months has really had an effect on me and all of my efforts. So I put my new pedometer on yesterday morning (Thanks Ann!!) and I got 19,700 steps in. I already this morning went for my walk and got 10,159 steps in. I completely stayed within my points yesterday (and even had 3 light beers!). I can't remember when the last day was that I was completely honest with myself about everything and stayed within my points. I also gave myself 2 more points for each day. I had been staying within the old point range, and I think it was really wreaking havoc with my mental state of "I'm running out of points way too soon each day".

    Paige-your upcoming vacation sounds so nice, I'm jealous! A couple of years ago we rented a house at Cape May, that was a lot of fun. The house you rented sounds awesome, and to be right on the beach like that.... Those to me are the best vacations, where you just pick your family up and move into another home for a week. Sounds like you've really got your week planned out WW wise, that's awesome. I really like what you were saying about feeling good about yourself, and that you are a work in progress. You have such a confidence about the fact that you WILL reach your goal, that it's just a matter of time. That's how I felt back around the holidays when I was in hardcore losing mode, there was nothing (not even a picture) that could stop my positive attitude.

    Well thanks Ann, Linda and Paige for encouraging words to come back, it helpped and I'm here!
    Have a great day everyone!
  • Erica-I am so relieved to see you back. I was just about to send you a PM today; I was getting really worried about you!

    This is such a journey that we are on. I think I was where you had been right before I started back to meetings this time around...just in a limbo. It's like your brain is just fighting with itself! You know where you want to go and how to get there, but your feet are just stuck in the mud. Losing weight is a true learning experience, in the sense that if we do it "right" we learn so much about ourselves and how to be a better person. I have always said, "Why do I have to be like this?!" Maybe this is just one of the struggles in life we have to deal with so we can understand ourselves better. Maybe we'll come out better people for it?

    Anyway...I have got to get going now or else I'm not going to make it to the gym. *sigh* LOL!
  • Linda-Yep-I defiantly think that being confident and aware is half the battle. I think if I leave about 15 mins later when it is getting light out that will make a big difference as well. I will feel a lot safer.
    I have high speed internet and I tried at work and at home on two different days so I am not sure what the problem was.
    I will look to see the pancake package that I have home because I know it is low in points and it’s very good! If you put bananas, a few choc chips, or strawberries and fat free cool whip they are extra delicious! Also, I am not sure if anyone has ever been on the Hungry Girl website. She has great ideas for new ways to make common foods healthier. And her recipes even include WW points! I know she has a few pancakes recipes on the site. You can check it out at:
    http://www.hungry-girl.com/

    Paige-I am glad that you had a good day yesterday and learned a few things about yourself! Your house sounds awesome at Point Pleasant! I am jealous!!

    My weekend was good-I was proud of myself because I felt like eating “bad” but I didn’t. Saturday night I really wanted cheese fries but I made my own French fries at home from a ww recipe. I went a little over board yesterday, I didn’t eat anything bad at all but too much food!! I am not worried about it though because I had all of my flex points saved for the weekend and I only ended up using 18. So not that bad.
    I didn’t make it to the gym this morning-I was up too late watching Entourage-So I am determined to go after work! Even if its just for 45 mins of cardio.
    This week I am going to try to eat more protein, less sodium, and less picking!

    Quick question-might be silly but what does the DH and DD stand for? I see a lot of people using these abbreviations but I have no idea what they mean.

    I hope everyone has a great start to their week!!
  • These are not core, and the points are not caculated for them or anything like that, but what do you all think?? It would be easy to modify it and make it core. Plus, leave out higher point dried fruits, subbing fresh berries and leave out the nuts.

    Guilt-free Oatmeal Pancakes

    These pancakes have little oil or sugar, and you may omit one or the other or both if your diet requires it.

    Ingredients
    4 cups rolled oats
    4 cups skim milk
    4 eggs, lightly beaten
    1/8 cup canola oil
    1/2 to 3/4 cup dried fruit, such as currants, chopped dates, cranberries, or cherries
    Chopped nuts are also good in these 'cakes (optional)
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    2 teaspoons baking soda
    1 cup flour
    2 Tablespoons sugar
    2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    Mix oats and skim milk in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

    The next morning, preheat a pancake griddle or skillet. Then stir eggs, oil, and dried fruit of choice until well blended. In another bowl mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add to oats mixture and mix. Batter will be thick. Drop by large cooking spoonfuls onto griddle. Serve with warm maple syrup or your favorite fresh fruit topping.

    Egg substitute has been used for even lower cholesterol presence. Rolled oats from health food stores have a slightly crunchier texture.

    Serves: 8.
  • Good morning everyone. I'm right there with Erica, struggling. And the bad eating only compounds the feeling bad. I agree with Paige that it can be a self esteem issue. I'm in the "let down" phase after the busy, busy, busy and I'm preparing myself for a lifestyle change with all my kids out of school. I wonder sometimes if it's my own mind telling me I can't do this. I knew I could do it a couple months ago, what changed.

    I keep coming here and reading. I know that it will click again. Keep posting. I taken a lot of thoughts from everyone's post