~~Weekly Chat - August 30 - September 5~~
 

Happy Monday beautiful ladies!

Can you guys believe it's just about September? CRAZINESS!

I hope you all had good weekends!

I am super tired today, yesterday was a rest day from exercise and I was pretty tired then as well. Tried to watch a dvd in bed with my boyfriend but I was dropping off to sleep so we'll have to finish it tonight.
He made a huge bowl of popcorn but I restricted myself to 1 cup only - measured in my awesome brand new Matryoshka measuring cups! I'd seen them a while ago, but yesterday when I was looking for a birthday present for my boyfriend's mum, I found them for only $14.50 (NZ)! Amazing. I'm pretty excited to have my own set of measuring cups, I keep acquiring little things that I am excited about having when I move out of my house/my boyfriend's parents house!

As well as tired, I'm feeling a little bit dull and unmotivated. It might actually just be related to the tiredness. I'm not going to revert back to being unhealthy or anything, and I plan on exercising straight after work today, but I'm just feeling a little bit blah. I worry it's depression creeping back, but it's not serious enough for that yet so I'm just going to try to stay positive!

Does anyone else ever feel like they need something to look forward to? I go week to week waiting for each new thing to look forward to, whether it's as simple as going to a movie or a family birthday or just something where I know I have something to do or somewhere to be - if I don't have something like this present in my future, then I start feeling slightly hopeless. Oh man, I realise that must look really pathetic...but I've noticed it's definitely a recurrent theme in my life.
I'm trying to look forward to my birthday at the moment, but that is just a little bit too far off to get excited about just yet. I thought about looking forward to the 16th of September, which is when I will have been with my boyfriend 2 and a half years, but I know he won't want to do anything so it's kind of not something to "celebrate" as such.

Alright! Enough of my whining! How is everyone else?

I guess the kiwi always starts the weekly chat eh? ;)

I just finished a weekend in class and I am back to work tomorrow.

I find I am losing focus, just a little bit.

My lovely and supportive boyfriend has been great! I’ve only been with my boy for 4.5 months and he has been very supportive when I told him “this is what I am doing, you don’t have to do it. But he's been with me every step. Late June, early July was the third time I re-entered the 200s in about 4 years. My focus and perspective is better, but his damn cookies. He says to have self control and I am just telling him - just don't let me know they are there.

I don't keep or bake things like that for a reason.

So I am starting a challenge, for my self. From now until the end of September, I am going to try and see how many times I can eat 10 servings of fruits and veggies in one day. The idea behind is this. If I say "don't eat the cookies/sweets/etc" I am putting my energy on something I cannot have. If I focus on what I can have, I am hoping it will naturally push out the foods I should not be eating.

I will try and post daily what my servings are. Wish me luck!!!

Sharing something that has worked for me: I've served with depression/anxiety for as long as I can remember. Last December I got so bad, that I started medication. Determined to better manage it, I shifted my focus away from just losing weight but working out to support my mood.

A book that helped me is "Eat Your Way to Happiness". Its not a diet, but more guidelines and it has a list of superfoods that help support your mood. It has made a real difference.

The author has a nice saying or something (whatever you call it). My goal each meal is to eat 75% real, unprocessed food. Its a bit of a challenge some days, but it helps me to make sure I eat my F&V.

I am just relaxing before I cook. I will be making these amazing (and healthy) Blueberry Chia Muffins today (have you ladies heard of chia seeds!?!?!). Cannot wait! Those muffins are things the bf should make, not delicious and gooey chocolate chip cookies. I am hoping he is done for now.

Enjoy the rest of your sunday/monday!

Hey Risssa!

I only started the weekly chat this and last week, and it's mainly because I've become way more addicted to 3FC in the last few weeks and find myself getting to work on Monday morning and being like "Oh... well, it's a new week, I may as well start the weekly chat!" Haha. I hope it's ok for me to do it, I kind of just jumped in there last week and did it!

I wish you such good luck for your fruit/vege challenge! I am still a little bit fruit challenge, though I have made it a goal to eat at least one apple a day, at least when I'm working - still working on getting more fruits when I'm not at work. I'm fine with veges, have them usually at both lunch and dinner, but fruits - I just don't like enough of them. Actually I kind of only like apples...though I'll make a banana smoothie sometimes for breakfast.

That book seems like it might just help - I'm really happy with calorie counting, but if I can find a way to help those calories work more for me, then I'm all for it!
I have definitely noticed that my moods have been improved by exercise - I did 18 months on antidepressants over 2006-2008 and I can happily say that exercising now has made me way happier than I ever was then.

Also those muffins sound good, aside from the blueberry part. WHY must I hate fruits so much! What are chia seeds and where did you find the recipe? I allow myself things like chocolate and not-so-healthy snacks if I can fit it into my calorie count, but I would love to have things that are healthy and feel a bit like a treat!

My sister is always baking cakes and brownies and cookies, which is probably why I haven't seen her in a few weeks - not that she'd necessarily have them when I went around, but the just in case thing! I'd feel the need to work it into my calories and then I'd probably have a pretty under-nutritious day.

Obviously I am working really hard today - just spent over 30 minutes re-doing my signature haha.

Hey ladies, haven't popped into weekly chat since the end of last semester but now that I'm on a schedule again I may as well do so!

First off I want to rant and rave about how much I hate computers for doing anything but typing and research. I have this dumb GIS computer programming class that I am trying to take and the work is so difficult even in chapter 1. I really don't care about making maps on the computer and I never want to be involved in work where I have to make computer maps so to me it feels like a ginormous waste of time. Not to mention the professor is cracked and he hasn't explained anything in class yet. It's like a work at your own pace, but go sit in a dumb classroom for 4 hours a week anyway. Blah.

I've just been really angry today. Not sure why. It's over 90 degrees here, and that's probably the case. It's not supposed to be this hot in Michigan's upper peninsula that's for sure. I had a serious case of road rage earlier and I was getting frustrated with the kid I was working with because she didn't want to do anything today and I hate that when the kid is throwing a tantrum and the parents are right there watching and looking annoyed. It's not like I have any more magic than the parents in dealing with behaviors... sheesh. I have a cut on the bottom of my toe, and all I want to do is go home and dance but it's just too hot to do anything, and I have to force myself to do this computer work first.

In good news the weather forecast for my half marathon on Saturday is 65 degrees... please do not go up.

Okay this was a bummer post but I needed to get it out somewhere. Next one will be happier.

I'm not new to 3FC, but I took a siesta from it and just got out of the habit of caring about myself and my health like I should. The past most-of-a-year has been ok, I'm hovering around a weight of 150 and honestly, I'm ok with how I look even though I'm not at "goal" so I've really been slacking. I've had a boyfriend since November (my sister's early Christmas present to me was a blind date with this guy, har har). But that relationship's kind of falling apart around me, which sucks cause I really fell hard for the guy. So, I guess I need to re-learn (or did I ever know in the first place?) how to love me first, and take care of myself first. It's going to be tough.

Risssa and Rainbow, I notice you both talked about battling depression in some form. I exercise daily and that doesn't seem to be helping how I feel about my situation, but does the superfoods thing really help? Just curious, as only an hour ago I made the decision to find a counselor for my own emotional crap. [I have a master's degree in psychology. So admitting to myself that I needed to make that phone call was hard! Ugh!!!!!]

Hello Ladies! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. Mine was pretty laid back, which I enjoyed.

I discovered something new at the Farmers Market this weekend.. Sportea. Anyone else heard of it? I am in love. Unfortunately, I can not find anywhere in my town to buy it by the box, but there is a cafe close to my apartment that sells it by the cup. I ordered it at one of the vendors at the farmers market, the girl in front of me ordered it and I thought it looked good. Shortly after I finished it I had a bolt of energy like I just had an espresso or something. I felt great! (and no crash) I went home and googled it and discovered it is completely all natural and has no caffeine or calories. Here's the website: www.sportea.com]

So, I woke up with a terrible sore throat again today. I was looking forward to a nice jog today because the weather is amazing. But I feel like CRAP! This is the second time in 3 weeks I've been sick. I think it's because the weather is so dry. We need rain really bad.

Rainbow: I have struggled with depression as well. And I have also found that exercise really helps. The anxiety I deal with is a different story. I have to take medication for that. I completely understand feeling like you need something to look forward to. On Monday, I always ask the BF "Soooo, what are we doing this weekend?" (If he doesn't ask me first) Because, that's what gets me through the work week! UGH, that's kind of depressing just thinking about it.

Rissa: I also struggle with my boyfriend cooking things and bringing things home that I want nowhere near me. I wish "self control" was that easy. :dizzy:

Ever: Cheer up girl! Hope your week gets better!

Book: Welcome back! I hope things get better for you soon. I think it's great you feel comfortable at your current weight even though your not at "goal." It's just a number. How you feel, is what really matters.

Hey Everlasting, hope that you get a bit of time to yourself away from work/road stresses - that sounds like what you need!

brooksrm I don't know about the superfoods thing as I haven't looked into it yet - I kind of just assumed that because I'm making a conscious effort to eat things that I know are healthy, it's making a difference. I know for sure that for me, the exercise is definitely improving my moods - even on my scheduled rest days, I notice I don't get quite the same good feeling. I have even started to look forward to exercising, which is something I NEVER thought would happen.
As for the counselor, if you think that's what you need, I say go for it. The entire 18 months (and the 3 prior) that I was on antidepressants, I had a therapist who I saw usually at least once a week. I had a pyschiatrist I saw once every couple of months (just to check the meds were ok) and I don't regret the money spent whatsoever. I feel like going to counselling taught me to better deal with my feelings and notice warning signs of depression early so I can try to ward it off, or at least be aware of what is happening.

caseygail I hope your illness isn't too bad and goes away quickly! I would totally be the same with my BF if he wasn't so terrible at organisation/making plans - he literally won't commit to anything until like..the day before or the day it happens - it's like he always wants to leave his schedule open "just in case" - I find it pretty ridiculous, but I plan things for us anyway haha.

Rainbow, hate fruit? That I’ll never understand. I will post the recipe in my next posting (since I cannot post links). I hope you ladies are ok with that. I like to through in a little bit of chocolate chips in (except I could not find mine today!!!!!). I do enjoy having chocolate in my diet. I go for the darkest – I like to get the biggest bang for my buck.

I also like what you said “if I can find a way to help those calories work more for me, then I'm all for it!” That is a great perspective – making our food work for us!!!! I think you are on to something ;)

Green smoothies. Try them. Most people put fruit in the smoothies to counter act the green components of a green smooth (lettuce, spinach, argula, etc). But try making a green smoothie so you cannot taste the fruit!?! And a little cocoa powder does not hurt.

Chia seeds. Best advice – google them. They are great in baking because they allow you to reduce the amount of butter and oils (and hence calories) and they have a nice a filling effect in your belly. Try your local health food store. But google “chia seeds”!!!!

Chris, those days happen to all of us. To quote Aidan from Sex and the City “just breathe and reboot”. You might be upset about something else, or might just one of those days. Either way, its ok. And I am thinking nice, cool thoughts for your half-marathon.
Brooks. Yes!!! The key is consistency. Earlier this week (I found out my grandpa might have heard a stroke b/c he keeps passing out) I was still feeling depressed, lethargic and tired. I dragged my a$$ through my run that morning. I had to keep telling myself “this will help, this will help” even though in that moment it was not. I literally shoved health fruits and veggies down my throat even though all I could think about was soothing myself with yucky processed food.

I think the key is to throw everything at it – healthy foods, mood supporting foods, exercise, finding an outlet, seeking help (if needed), meditation, positive thoughts, daily affirmations, journaling, friends and family for support, etc. I make a habit on reading non-medication things that help depression and trying to incorporate them into my life.

I would recommend doing something active every day (even if on your “rest” days its just walking). Eat whole foods, and be consistent about the positive changes. And try and stay positive. There are days when I tell myself “this will pass, everything will be fine” and part of me is thinking “what crack have you been smoking”. For me, it is about wanting it and fighting for it. There are days when I fight for my right to be happy and there are days when I am walking on cloud nine.

We all deserve to be happy and we all deserve to do the things necessary to be happy. I don’t know what is going to work for you Brooks but try, try, and keep trying. I think it’s the synergy of all these things that work for me. Sometimes I get down, but I fight to get back up.

There are some quotes from Eat Pray Love that I’ll post (when I find them) that may help.

Also, you exercise daily. What is your intensity like? The higher the intensity, the better the effect. And congrats on deciding to see a counselor. I am on the list to get one. Still waiting.

Recipe

Blueberry Chia Muffins

anotheronebitesthecrustblog*com/2009/06/01/blueberry-ch-ch-chia-muffins/

Makes about 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I use regular whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp chia seeds mixed with 3 tbsp water
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup nondairy milk (I use almond milk)
1 cup blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine chia seeds in water until it forms a gel-like substance (let the chia seeds water mixture sit for at least 10 mins).

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. In a seperate bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Fold in blueberries. Bake in lined muffin tins for about 15 minutes. Enjoy your delicious muffins!

These are delicious and filling. And I guess you could sub in carrots or zucchini for the blueberries..... and chocolate chips never hurt (in moderation) ;)

Risssa: I think I kind of fear fruit in a way... all the seeds and weird textures and flavours. I will pretty much only eat apples and bananas. I guess I could try putting different fruits in a smoothie - a green smoothie sounds pretty weird, like.. a vege smoothie? But maybe if I put some peach or something into a smoothie..well even that sounds kind of weird but who am I to judge something without trying it?
My most annoying fruit-hate is citrus fruit. I really wish I liked oranges but I can't bring myself to do it. If I smell orange peel and the actual fruit, I kind of cringe. I have been trying to force myself to eat mandarins instead, but even then I kind of forget about them because it's not something I really enjoy and I literally have to force myself to eat it. I like orange juice but not with the pithy bits so I avoid it pretty much all the time as I see it as not something worthwhile if it's got added sugar etc (which most of the ones without pith here tend to have).

top of the morning to you all!
 

Hey everyone!

I am brand spanking new to 3FC. But I am really liking it! I guess a little bit about myself so you gals get to know me. I am a college student in Indiana trying to get into nursing school. It is damn near as hard to get into nursing school these days as medical school! I've just recently started living a healthier lifestyle. I hit the 190 mark and realized 200 is only 10lbs away. How many cheeseburgers and pieces of pizza do 10lbs add up to? I didn't want to find out.

SO, I am living with my grandma, and she bought me a months worth of nutrisystem to boost my weight loss program and get it started. So far I've lost about 5lbs in two weeks. Thats an estimation because I used a different scale from my starting weight to current weight. Furthermore, I have made myself a fitness goal: to run the disney half marathon in january. My mom is an avid worker outer, so she is helping me with this goal. I ran for thirty minutes straight on friday! So that's a big step for me. Granted in was on a flat treadmill but even this past january I couldn't run 30 minutes straight.

I am currently dating a most wonderful man. We have been together for about 8 years. He says 9 but his memory isn't so good haha. Hopefully by the end of the year will be moving out with him because we both have finally gotten to a place in our lives where that is feasible.

Well, I guess thats about me in a nutshell. I am working right now; I am a lifeguard and swim instructor. SO i hope you guys have a good day!!! :dancer::dancer::dancer::dancer::dancer:

Hi ladies!!!! Hope everyone had a great weekend. True to my word, I didn't do anything all weekend long, except for a friend's birthday party cookout on Saturday and watch the Emmy's last night, which was a great show. Jimmy Fallon did a great job hosting.

Today is my first day back at school after having the summer off and the alarm went off way too early this morning. We have meetings today and then the kids come tomorrow, but reality is setting in. And of course, the weather is going to be hot and humid and in the mid 90's all week long and my classroom is on the third floor with only two small windows. Bleh!

Happy Monday all!!!

I just had to catch up on last weeks thread and today's postings. Too much for personals.

I was only able to try one new recipe this weekend as we went to a friend's house at the last minute for dinner on Saturday. I made chicken marengo last night http://www.southbeachrecipes.com/diet-recipes/chicken-marengo It was okay, but kind of a lot of work. I think it would have been just as good to throw all the ingrediants in the crock pot and let it simmer all day. But then you might as well just make Salsa Chicken (chicken and salsa, thats it!)

We will be making Texas Beef Sandwiches tonight. http://www.southbeachrecipes.com/die...eef-sandwiches I'm pretty excited about these. Kind of like a healthy french dip (at least thats what it sounds like.)

Work today, then Jazzercise this evening. Down .6 pounds today. I input some of my days into thedailyplate this morning just to see where I am at. With today's meals, i'm only scheduled to eat 780 calories. So I will definitely need to add some snacks in there. I was really efficient last night. While I was cooking our chicken dinner, I also made a meatloaf and some meatballs to freeze. Both with ground turkey. The meatballs are a great quick protein for little one on busy nights or when we are eating steaks or pork chops (he can't eat those items yet.) And the meatloaf, he and I can eat for lunches over this week.

I went through all the clothes in my closet and in my dresser this weekend and threw out things that are way too big now. It was a garbage bag and a half of stuff. Now i need to find the money to go shopping to replace stuff! :) I'm at that in between stage where all of my clothes are too big, but I'm still 23 pounds away from my goal so I don't want to buy too much because it won't fit in a few months. I guess my wardrobe will be quite boring for the rest of the year.

Morning lovelies!

Today is my LAST first day of undergrad. Pretty excited.
Last week I lost 2.4 lbs, making it 9 total and hit my 5% goal.

Pretty busy, but will be popping in and out.

Have a good Monday!

Mondays = Not a fan. It doesn't help that I'm sick... again :(

There will be no working out for me today. As soon as I get off work I'm taking thera flu and going to bed. I will be sure to drink lots of water and stay in my calorie range though.

Ade: Congrats on meeting your goal! My goal for August was to make it to the 150's but I don't think that is going to happen. That's OK though, I just keep reminding myself, its just a number. My belly looked much slimmer from the side view in the mirror this morning so that made me feel good :)

Jenn: Congrats on your loss! I still have a plan to try one new recipe every week. I was going to do that yesterday, but I got sick and did not feel like going to the store OR cooking. So, I will be doing that this week!

Jes: :wave: Welcome! Yay for your Grandma buying you nutrisystem! That's a great way to jumpstart your diet. My dad, recently started the nutrisystem for diabetics and lost 10 pounds the first week :eek: I was like Holy crap Dad, it takes me like 3 months to lose 10 pounds! lol, I'll forgive him though because he has a lot more to lose than me, and I'd say a lot of it was water weight.

Thanks casey! I wish I would have lost 10lbs in the first week. But I will settle for small baby steps. and yes mondays do suck. I was up at 4am this morning for a 9 hour shift. I have another 3.5 hour shift to work at another pool oy!

ade: what are you going to school for? and congrats on reaching your goal!

Wow, I had lots of reading to do to catch up after not being around most the weekend.

Saturday I did indeed get to the gym and ate a big salad, bunch of grapes, and small slice of extra sharp cheddar cheese for early-ish dinner before going to a friend's house. Drinks were consumed, but I snacked minimally so I'm fairly satisfied with that. We went to the springs Sunday and another really good friend of mine was able to meet us there with his son, so between hauling around 3 kids all day and playing in the water I burned some calories. Coupled with an upper body workout at the gym the day before, it made for some seriously sore arms today, haha.

A friend texted me a bit ago to see if my husband and I were interested in dinner at a local buffet and I totally told her I pass in favor of a healthier dinner. She's trying to lose weight also so her response was encouraging, and I feel really great about making the right decision. I ate not so well yesterday, but there's always time to salvage that.

We're leaving for a mini-vacay Friday, so I'll be busy this week and trying to fit in proper workouts around animal prep, laundry, packing, shopping, and salon time. Oh, and classes started today so I'll be spending today through Thursday to get well ahead so I won't have to worry about doing anything while I'm out of town for four days.

Geesh, gone for a couple days and I have pages of reading to catch up on! :D Looks like you ladies were active all weekend. I had a very quiet weekend since my husband picked up some overtime and worked a second job. He went into work before I got up and came home well after I went to bed. :( poor guy.

Anyway, happy Monday everyone!

Urgh, Tuesday. I am feeling pretty lethargic and fatigued today, seems to be a trend this week so far.

jes Welcome!

CheleI hope your first day back at school was ok and not too unbearably hot!

JennDid you mention that Texas Beef recipe last week? I really want to try that one, you'll have to let us know how it is - I'm definitely seeing some cooking in my future since my boyfriend's mum is away for a week and a half so I'll probably end up cooking for him and his dad - which is great as it means I can control what I'm eating haha! Also I am really looking forward to being at a stage where I know I need new clothes! The only thing that is noticeably a little big on me are my jeans, but even then I can kind of just wash and shrink them a little.

ade Congratulations on meeting your 5% goal! I didn't even know about percentages of weight or whatever until I looked it up yesterday and found I'd lost 7% or something! I hope you are enjoying your last year of being an undergrad!

caseyI really hope that your illness isn't too terrible, and that you feel better soon! Last year I was sick literally... 5 times in the space of 2 months, it only went away for a couple of days at a time - it really sucks to be sick:hug: I know where you're coming from with Dads and diabetes - my Dad was misdiagnosed as Type 2 when he actually has Type 1, so in the space of 3 months he went from being 100kg to 66kg (220pounds to 145pounds) and I was in awe - we didn't actually know he'd been misdiagnosed til recently so kind of just assumed it was the change in his diet. My mum was jealous and I was a little too. But now he's being treated properly he's put some back on and actually looks a lot better - he got too small and weak and was all bone and no muscle as he wasn't exercising.

Amanda Go willpower at saying no to the buffet! I have texts at least once a week from my sister suggesting restaurants or icecream or other things I shouldn't really be doing on a regular basis, so I don't. It's also fairly dangerous going to her house haha! Your weekend sounds fun! And a mini-vacation sounds extra fun!

KayNicoleHopefully you and your husband get to spend some time together this week! For the next few months my boyfriend will be writing his thesis so spending very long hours at university - I basically only see him at bedtime or just before. I guess the overtime for your husband is a good thing though? Extra money is usually always needed right!

So Tuesday. As I said, urgh. REALLY not feeling it unfortunately. I'm wondering why I'm so tired and maybe wondering if I'm not getting enough of some vitamin or mineral or something. Right now the only thing I'm looking forward to is dinner. I know that is terrible, I tried to tell myself that I had to stop looking forward to food - but I know that's unrealistic as I really love food! And what I'm looking forward to isn't unhealthy, it's something I've been craving for AGES. Hopefully we actually have it - we're meant to be having baked salmon and something else. Not sure what else, some veges but the salmon is the main thing. I don't know why I crave it sometimes. I love baked salmon with a bit of lemon pepper and drizzled in fresh lemon juice.
I'm taking today off from exercise as there was no way I could get up early this morning before work to do it and I won't get a chance after work either unless I do it after dinner. But I'll still get in 5 days this week so it's fine to take today off.
My scale does not appear to be moving this week, which is kind of sad, but I still think I could have a loss, I just need to keep my weighing to once or twice a week, I am getting stupidly obsessive and will hop on all the time just to see what's happening. I did it last night after dinner which was ridiculously idiotic, of course it was going to be higher at the end of the day!
I think I've written another essay in here so I'm going to stop. I feel very whiny today and I really just want to go back to bed haha.

Congrats Ashely! My one year anniversary with my company is coming up in a few weeks. I just had a meeting with the partner of the firm I work out and found out what my new raise and bonus will be! I am quite excited. Due to the economy, the raise was not as much as it could be in our industry (it was 14%) but I am still happy about it!

Caseygail, Monday’s are the start of a new week! They are quite delectable. I thinking starting my Monday mornings with a gym session certainly helps!!!

Jes, that sounds like a long day!

Amanda are you a teacher?

Kaynicole, I like your mini goals there! I am going to incorporate some of them into my signature (once I am allowed a signature)!!!

The file I was working on crashed. Waiting for IT to fix it. I should start my accounting course during this down time, but for now I will just peruse the site.

The quesadillas and mexi-quinoa I made this weekend for lunch are both delicious and spicy!!!! And they were quick and easy and healthy!!!

Rainbow- I hope we get to spend time together soon. Our anniversary is Friday but I realized earlier today that I will spend most of the day alone! That will be weird but you are right, it is a good thing. He was unemployed for over a year and a half so he has some making up to do! ;) I hope your dinner is great! It sounds great!

Risssa- Thanks! It took me awhile to come up with them but I can't wait until I can say I have met every one of them! This next goal has been a long battle... still have 8 lbs to go! I am sure you will come up with some fun ones, can't wait to see what they are. :D

i have just destroyed my menu for the day.....for dinner i was supposed to have a nice big tuna salad from subway but instead i got a 6 inch cheese steak sub with tomatos, lettuce, onions, green peppers, PEPPER JACK CHEESE, MAYO, AND CHIPOTLE SAUCE ON WHITE BREAD, AND 3 CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES..............:?::?::?:......why did i do that....my day had went sooooo well :(

Rainbow ~ Today wasn't too bad considering how hot it was outside, but tomorrow is supposed to be at least another 7 degrees hotter which should be good times....especially when the kids are actually in the building so there's more body heat.

Risssa ~ Leftovers are awesome....especially when you're really excited about them!!!

Amanda ~ Good for you for passing on the buffet. Although I'm sure it stunk missing time with your friends, it's definitely a lot healthier!

My first day back was good. It was just teacher meetings all day long, but we were given a lunch break and we went to a local sub shop. I ended up making a salad and then had to splurge on a kiddie ice cream ;) LOL I made it up to NH afterwards to get my new glasses and I absolutely love them!!! They're very chic ;)

I feel like such a little kid....haha. I have my first day of school outfit all picked out and my lunch made and my bag packed. LOL

I attached a picture of my new glasses!! They're pink on the inside, which kind of makes me really happy ;)

do you ladies know how I can get a signature? Is there a time period I have to wait or a post amount I have to reach?

KayNicole Ooh your anniversary! Exciting! I hope you manage to get in some good quality time then at least and do something fun to celebrate!

Chele I can kind of sympathise because I know that I don't really like extreme heat - but right now I'm kind of sick of winter and would love for the sun to actually stay out and heat things up! I want Daylight Savings NOW - do you guys have Daylight Savings?

raznt Its ok! Just pick yourself up and move along. Acknowledge what you ate and why you ate it... and then keep going on your usual route! Don't let it fool you into bingeing on other "bad" stuff. Maybe you needed a bit of extra protein/fat or something. I'm not an expert whatsoever but I think it's ok.

Risssa I wish I knew! Have you gone to the User CP page and checked if the option is there yet? If not I guess perhaps you have to be a member for a certain amount of time or have posted a certain amount of posts - sorry I can't be more helpful!

My day took a dip, I started getting really grumpy. I was told by my manager that my earnings are now over the threshold where I have to start paying back my student loan so my tax code has now changed - which means I have money automatically deducted each week to pay off my loan. She told me it was 10% of my earnings per week and I basically freaked out and then phoned my Dad to complain (my parents paid all of my sister's university fees but I had to get a student loan, so he seemed like a good person to complain to). I then found out it's only 10% of anything over a certain amount. So I'm only losing out on $8-9 a week. It's still annoying but there isn't anything I can do about it.
I think that just compounded my already pretty bad mood. I am feeling a bit better now but have not eaten much today. Don't feel like eating my usual snacks so am low on calories, but still looking forward to salmon tonight so that's ok.
I just phoned my dad to apologise, I felt pretty bad taking out my frustrations on him.
I work 2 doors from a Starbucks as well and they have a sign out for Creme Brulee Macchiato - I WANT. But I can't have as I have no idea on the calorie counts. Starbucks here is pretty far behind Starbucks anywhere else I think in terms of informing their customers.

hey everyone,

been a bit mia but i have been kinda on track lol xD I went to my friends wedding on sunday and it was pretty awesome, but since then ive been finding it hard to get back on track and eat things i know are good for me, rather than just having my calories from less nutritious food stuffs :lol: But i have a plan and i'll get back to it tomorrow!

I want to do personals but i have to head off, so I will try in a couple of hours! When im trying not to eat myself out of house and home lol!

Ok. Sorry to have been absent and then come back with a me me me post! I am going to make my next post a reply post, b/c i have a confession and I might lose my nerve to share and i need to vent about it somewhere. I went on a horrid binge.:( Like I ate EVERYTHING i could get into me, ok ok not totally but i am pretty sure i consumed nearly an entire bag of chips among other things. I feel literally sick today, and of course mentally destroyed. I was also drinking, and drinking too heavily (kinda an issue in of itself). I had been doing so well, though I also am aware that how overly restrictive my plan is sets me up for this kind of behavior so I need to re-evaluate things. Yet I also know myself, and know most likely I will restrict my intake that much more to "make up" for the binge. I know better, but doubt I'll change anything with I get really pissed at myself for how much I allow food to control me. Arrggh.:mad:

It's odd, an email from my ex I suppose set me off. We had a particularly painful breakup, and I had not heard from him in well over a year, and never expected to (breakup my fault. well for the most part, its never totally one sided, but i was a raging alcoholic at that time. it took losing a lot for me to start to get my life back together which i am still in the process of doing, now just having to deal w/weight gain on top of it all) and he was really sweet. Just it made me remember a lot, and I hate myself for letting myself "go" like I have. So yeah, consuming a million calories really helped.:snooty:
It will take me nearly a week most likely to lose what i gained, not that i am weighing myself- i feel i'd totally break down if i did that. My weight loss has slowed a lot as it is, and I will lose valuable time undoing this damage and that is unacceptable. However, it is what it is and I can't take it back. I am so mad at myself.

If you read all this you deserve a gold star. I am really sorry to have gone on and on and on like that, it hit me how much I am keeping bottled up now that I don't really socialize/allow anyone to see me.
(another issue i need to deal with i suppose. though nothing will change it, and for the most part until i lose another 20 pounds I will battle constant anxiety doing everything b/c i can't handle my current size, and until i lose it all i'll still avoid old friends)

Rainbow - I did mention the Texas Beef Sandwiches. We made them last night and they were really good! The only thing that I would change about the recipe is the amount of onions. It calls for 2 cups and I think that was a little excessive. Next time i'm just doing 1 cup. They would be a great thing to make for yoru BF and his dad! Very much a man-type meal.

Jazzercise was a no go last night. I rushed home, got dinner ready for my boys, changed and rushed out to class ( a tad late), drive up to the center and there is a sign on the door that class was cancelled. Grrr!!! This means the only night that I can go this week is Wednesday. I hate that! So instead I went back home, ate a yummy Texas Beef Sandwich and played with my little man.

In the 10 minutes that I was gone from the house, my DH had taught Jackson the cutest thing. We call him Monkey, so he has a ton of monkey stuff. Yesterday he was wearing a one piece short/top outfit with a monkey face on the chest. DH would say "ooo ooo ooo" (like a monkey) and Jackson would stop what ever he was doing, bend halfway over and look at the monkey on his shirt then he would "ooo ooo ooo" back. That child is soo stinkin cute! I think his round little belly contributes to the cuteness.

Cataclysmic - I get a gold star! We are here for you to share those types of things. We want to support you in your efforts to get healthy, and that means supporting through the good and the bad. Let it out! We all have rough times, now you just have to pick yourself back up, dust yourself off and get back on track. Maybe the diet plan that you are using is not working for you. Can you explore other things? Such as if you are calorie counting, maybe try Weight Watchers instead. Or if the counting and tallying doesn't work for you, try something like South Beach where there is no counting involved?

rainbow stripe- I can't believe I have not shared yet with you my jealousy that you are a kiwi, I am obsessed with NZ!! I seriously can't imagine how awesome it would be to live there ( i actually have 2 friends that do. my dream is to visit before i turn 30, and well i am already 27). It seems to be such a beautiful (or more it is) country, where abouts do you live-sorry if thats too personal? Are you near the beach?
I need to have mini goals for myself, so i understand the wanting something to look forward to. Though i may take it a little too far in general, b/c i have an issue w/constantly planning out the future and not really living as much in the present. Err.

Rissa- Hello there! That's awesome about the supportive bf, always a major plus to have someone like that in your corner. As you can see by my above incredibly self absorbed post, self control isn't my strong suit. Hey, for the last 2 months i didn't have one day off plan, and i'm constantly surrounded by tempting food (live w/my parents. oh so sad) and didn't cave before, but it was allowing one bite of a "no no" binge food (pizza is a trigger for me) and all bets were off.
Depression and anxiety are SERIOUS issues for me (as in i've been hospitalized due to well, basically having a nervous breakdown for lack of a better word) so I understand that. I went off all my medication (and um ate my feelings to death-after not eating too much for many years) which wasn't exactly the best idea, but I'm dealing with it. I've been on/off meds since I was 16 (im 27) and I can definitely attest that exercise is probably one of the most powerful things to use to help yourself. So cheers to that. Eating well, is also incredibly helpful-food is a powerful drug in of itself (as i know on both sides of the coin). I'm actually a fan of green smoothies myself! I love fruit, but on my diet plan atm its something that I limit myself. I actually even love vegetables more, so its all ok. I have been waiting to see a counselor for awhile since i moved, I see someone 9/20. Kinda nervous. It's a shame how difficult it tends to be to get in to be able to talk to someone, its so frustrating.


everlasting- Wow, i'll keep my fingers crossed for all conditions that will affect your marathon, that's awesome your doing that!!!! I have actually ran 2, and am just now starting to run again after a near year long hiatus. My marathons were 4 years ago though, hopefully one day i'll do that again. I would be at a total loss for any computer programming anything-that stuff is a foreign language to me.

brooksrm- Sorry to hear things are going so roughly for you right now, you have some great goals in place though. Exercise and better eating can and will help battle depression and the like, but in plenty of cases that alone won't do the trick, as i'm sure you know all too well. Good for you for taking the first step in talking to someone, and don't belittle yourself for it! **** i've been in and out of therapy for good knows how long and I haven't figured out how to seemingly effectively battle my own demons yet. As a matter of fact in my most intense running days I was pretty much off my rocker. I literally was just trying to run away from my life i suppose. I finally am at a point (after literally screwing up life up totally however, so i suppose i'm a bit of an extreme ex and am never comparing myself to any of you all!) that I hope to tackle my problems head on and learn to accept myself. Best of luck to us both.


TBC, (have to get to class!) goodness takes me forever to write these!

cataclysmic: You're admitting all of that, and that's something. I've been in a similar position and I know how easy it is to lose control. Not socializing can have a big impact, because I've found the most important thing is to have a good support network.. so just make sure you talk our ears off :) Seriously though, feel free to message me anytime, sometimes a good talk helps tremendously.

Risssa College student. More or less... just a local community college for now, so I don't particularly count it :p

Thanks for the kudos on resisting dinner. I made a veggie-laden stir fry with wheat pasta and it was delish! AND, I felt about a millions times better than I would have after a fatty, calorie and sodium filled buffet meal.

Tuesday. Hmph. Monday went well diet-wise, but I totally skipped my planned workout. It became obvious yesterday as my to-do list increased exponentially through out the day, that it would be very unrealistic to expect actual workouts to happen this week. Classes opened yesterday, so I spent some of my time scheduling out my first few weeks of assignments so I could get everything due this weekend done before I leave. I tried to schedule in a to-do list including workouts, buuut.. I'll just play it by ear, I suppose.

I am so overly beyond ready to be out of town for a few days. Work is just BS the last week or two, and I need to get the **** away. I won't have a lot of time with the husband, as he'll be hunting, but I'll probably go out an afternoon or two with him. The rest of the time I'll be shopping and having girl time with my MIL, so that's perfectly relaxing as well :) Just being out of Daytona will relieve about a zillion pounds of stress, I think.

Hello! Yesterday was a great day of workout for me, but not so much with my eating. I need to keep myself on track and eat a bit healthier. I can't wait to workout today after class! CPR test first then work out time! :)

Good morning ladies!! So I have been on and off track all day for the past week and have only worked out once. But I have been so exhausted between work and the kids I feel like I'm gonna lose my mind haha.

So I am totally behind on any personals because I have been POed at 3FC lately for taking forever to load all of the pages. Thank god it sseems to be working normally now. I may catch up.

Will do my weigh in Friday morning...hoping to be down after I was back up.

jenn- Thank you so much. I have been thinking about where to go from here, and I think over-all the successes still far out weigh the negatives of my current plan so I think I'll stick to it- though its not any actual "plan" its just rules i made i try to stick to. I think eventually after I lose another 15/20 I might try sticking to phase 1 of south beach for the rest of the weight loss phase b/c of how much harder it will get to lose- though i am sure i'll always still to calorie counting b/c that's a pretty hard and fast rule I have that works for me. For awhile I was actually really just having protein shakes and one "meal". I think i might go back to that for a bit to get back on track. It's boring and rough for me, but if i seem to try to change anything/snack at all I apparently screw up badly. I am so all or nothing that I have to go to great lengths to stay where I need to be.
I love the things you post meal wise, thanks. I'll eventually incorporate them into my life one day haha. Always great to be able to get rid of clothes that are too big and will never fit again, but it sure can be frustrating when you lack clothes that fit at current weight. I have a great wardrobe of clothes that i honestly wonder when/if will ever fit again- and I am not about (or able to afford!) getting things that will fit currently when I'm not going to weigh this for long (hopefully, knock on wood!) so its the same few things i wear. Its not a good look to say the least!

ade903- I'll be an undergrad at over 30-yikes (as i plan to later go back for a full BS but ill be 30 before i even get the degree i am working on now)! Congrats for you are in order i see!! And in both life and weight, nice.

casey- Hope you feel better soon.

Amanda- Thank you as well, thats incredibly sweet of you- it really means a lot to me. I was such a social person, so its a major change. I think in the end it will be worth it, a lot had to change for me to have a shot at a decent life though i wouldn't advise anyone to go to the lengths i have to do so.
Oh mini vaca!! Awesome, glad you ahve that to look forward to.

Kaynicole- While I am sure its has it negatives to the amount of time you get to spend together (happy anniversary!) its awesome that he was able to get a second job for sure.

raznt- I feel your pain. All i can do is look back on my poor choices the day before and try to not let it happen again. so far so good today.

Ah, and i still didn't do all the replies i meant to. Wow i'm slow lately.

Last night, I did something different. When I finished my meal I was not “full” I was satisfied but felt like I could have another serving of veggies or some more quinoa. But I decided not to. Part of me felt like I was cheating myself. Another part of me felt like it was ok. And sure enough, an hour flew by and I realized I was not hungry – I did not want or need any more food.

Today is weigh in day. And I am down 2.4 lbs from last week! I am now 191.2. I am almost out of the 190s!!!

I am still surprised at times, how easy this round of weight loss has been. I just take it one day at a time and constantly readjust my strategy. Eating healthy and losing weight have never been this “normal”. There are times where, after the fact, I realize I ate too much or I should not have had the 4th cookie. But I think the difference now is, I adapt and make a plan to not make the same mistake. And if I consciously decide to eat that cookie, you better believe I am going to enjoy it.

My 10 fruits and veggies a day challenge. Yesterday I hit 7.5 servings. I upped the veggies in my smoothie this morning so I should be at 9 at the end of the day. The funny thing is, I remember 4 years ago when it was hard trying to eat 4 servings of fruits and veggies in one day. It’s nice to see to see how far you’ve changed in other ways besides the scale.

As Aristotle said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Cataclysmic: what happened, happened. You understand your trigger and that you need to improve. I read a quote that said if you don’t fail you are not trying hard enough. I know I’ve been on a food bender before and it always sucks when you realize what’s been done. As Doc Oz put it “take a U-turn”. Learn from this and keep moving forward. Japanese Proverb “Fall seven times and stand up eight.” You can do it. I understand how frustrating it is to be able to get an appointment. I am still waiting to see one of the discount counselors. Apparently I am at the top of the list.

Wonderball – don’t you love that feeling of looking forward to your workouts!!!

Just finished my wonderful green smoothie and now I am off to run errands on my lunch hour on this rain, gross, yucky day in Vancouver.

Cataclysmic Don't apologise for letting out what is bugging you and telling us about what's going on - that is what we're here for, to give support in good times and bad times. It's great that you can admit you did something you perhaps shouldn't have, and I think it's also good that you're going to re-evaluate your plan. Don't keep things bottled up with us! If you don't feel like you have anyone irl to vent to, you can always count on us here at 3fc.
Also, as for New Zealand - haha! I live in Auckland, between my boyfriends parents place and my parents place. At his place, I can walk to the ocean in about 5 minutes. At my place, I can drive to some of the best beaches in about 20-30 minutes. The ocean is never that far away, and that is something that I am really grateful for here in NZ...but I do think we lack a lot that the US and Europe/UK have - choices at the supermarket, choices for clothing, expensive to travel anywhere other than here or maybe Australia - but I shouldn't complain, it's a great place to live! Feel free to ask anything!
As for the mini-goals and things to look forward to, I'm still at a bit of a loss as to what to make as the goals and things to look forward to haha!

Jenn I may just make it for them! I love onion if it's cooked, so I might use as much as it says or perhaps a bit less.

Amanda I'm actually excited for you and your little trip out of town! I want to take a little trip out of town haha. My boyfriend is talking about going to "the snow" ie, somewhere with snow, for a weekend soon, but he really shouldn't with the amount of work on his thesis he has to do and I work Friday afternoons and Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, so that doesn't really leave much time for me to even think about going.

Risssa Isn't it so good when you get to that stage when you're really aware of how much you're eating and how you feel after eating a decently portioned meal? You know you could eat more, but you also know you don't need to? I LOVE that. Also, consciously making decisions to "eat that cookie" like - I love that I don't just mindlessly eat anymore! I think about the calories, whether I can afford them, whether there is something more beneficial for me to be eating, whether I really need to eat it!
I am still really intrigued by your green smoothies... are they.. sweet? What do you put in them?
~~~

Alright... so after yesterday was really ****ty for no reason and I felt so horrible all day, I came home and kind of just perked up a bit. The salmon was really good - my family had a salad but since I'd had a big one for lunch, I used a frozen steam pack of corn/carrots/sugarsnap peas.
I wish I'd gone to sleep a little earlier last night as well, but I didn't. I am feeling exponentially better this morning. I wanted to sleep in for hours, but decided to get up and get my exercise done before my dentist appointment.
I did 20 min turbo jam workout and felt really really gross and overworked and unwell sometimes - just goes to show that sometimes you think you are doing things with maximum effort and then when you actually do - well, I think this morning is evidence of what happens. I kept going but I was glad to finish, and even though it was only 20 minutes, it was RIDICULOUSLY intense. Had a delicious banana smoothie, showered, went off to my dentist appointment. I hate dentists, I am not going to go into it now it would make my essay more like a novel haha.
Now I'm just relaxing and trying to decide what to cook for dinner tonight. I'm guessing you all won't be around today, but if anyone is I would really appreciate recipe ideas! I have to keep in mind my dad's requirements, which is that he is Type 1 Diabetic and therefore has to be low sugar, fairly low sodium and not too many high Glycaemic Index Carbs (white bread, potatoes etc..) and my mum wants me to make something with chicken. I have no idea what to make, I was thinking of just doing something mexican ish with some salsa etc... maybe some wholewheat tortillas, kind of a twist on an enchilada or something...
Anyway, I won't ramble on any longer, I am very aware I write epic posts that most likely aren't read haha.

Jumping into the weekly chat late this week.... I feel dead already! x____x

It's my last week as a nanny for my two cousins, but I have a few other short-term jobs lined up for the fall (thank god, because I'm booked solid with traveling).

Today I have been working on my final website project for my web design class and allll of my energy went into it today. I literally just posted the project-in-progress in my lab folder in class.

I still haven't really gotten a solid workout in, except for hiking last Friday. And the heat spiked back up to 95-100 this week. (Fall, where did you go!?)

The good thing to report is that I'm getting my eating back under control! I still haven't started formally counting my calories again on sparkpeople yet, but I'm not the ravenous beast I've been for the past three or four weeks.

And now for some knitting and then sleeeeep!

Rainbow - see http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/bl...esadillas.html

I made these for lunch (I throw in some spices, because I love spicy food) and they are quick, easy, and delicious. I eat them with a side of mexican-quinoa (see below, I just use quinoa instead of rice).

closetcooking.blogspot.com/2009/01/mexican-rice.html

Both yummy, yummy, delicious, delicious, delicious!

Green Smoothies: It started with a 2 day cleanse and they had a berry smoothie. And then I figured "let's up the health content" and now, I have it for breakfast.

This morning I had:
-1 cup of frozen berries (I nuke them for 20 s so they are slightly melted, makes for a smoother smoothie)
-2 cups of mixed greens
-1 cup of spinach
-1 cup of almond milk (I don't drink milk or soy milk, but either would work)
-a dollop of organic french vanilla yoghurt (for flavour, its optional)
-2-4 tbsp of wheat germ (for mood support)
-sometimes cocoa powder.
-sometimes grapefruit (for something tart).

My bf says "it tastses like green". I don't mind the taste and by noon I had ~5 servings of fruits and veggies and good mood support.

Play around with different combos of fruit and veggies and mix it up. I assemble the smoothie in a container in the fridge the night before and blend it in the morning.

Anyone tried cold Swiss Museli before? I am thinking of trying some this weekend. I have a recipe to try.

On a diabetic note - cinnamon helps with insulin sensitivity!