Debi and Debbie - I so miss our veggie garden. Two years ago I canned 144 quarts of homemade salsa - all with home grown tomatoes, garlic and peppers - I did purchase the onions. These pups love vegetables - ripe or unripe - we didn't have to deal with that with our old girl. I am going to try to do a few tomatoe plants in containers on a taller retaining wall. We have grown tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, brussell sprouts each year - we've tried other things over the years but those were our standbys.

Heatherdw - I will echo what Battle said - everyone is trying to help each other here. We all rant periodically but also we all learn and progress. You hold the key here - What do YOU think you should do?

Debi - glad to hear DH is starting to get some rest. Any difference yet?

Annie - I think you should celebrate you each day!

Hope all are doing well. Hugs to everyone.

Carol

Hi peeps,

I envy all of you with vegetable gardens. How great it must be to taste the freshest of fresh, all done as a result of your work and care. I have a great excuse--I live in an apartment--but the truth is I cannot keep anything alive, and I resent having to try. Which is why it's good that I don't have children. :-)

Today was a rare day that I couldn't believe how much I could eat and still stay within my calorie range. The foods I chose for today were mostly low calorie foods, and I kept eating and eating and there was still room for more in my plan! Well, until I finally hit the limit. It was kind of fun.

I was getting tired of the same old foods, so I bought some new things at the store to try and they've all worked out. Normally the whole grain bread I buy has 100 calories a slice. I'm very picky because I won't buy anything with preservatives, so a lot of the light products don't qualify...well, except for Laughing Cow cheese, which I am now officially sick of anyway. I found whole wheat pitas at Trader Joes calories that are just as satisfying for 130 calories instead of 200 for 2 slices of bread.

I also found a great salad dressing for 20 calories for 2 tablespoons that I like just as much as the higher calorie dressing. It's a pomegranante blueberry dressing.

I'm going out in a little while to see what other new foods to buy to incorporate into my eating to keep it interesting. Any suggestions?

Debbie and Annie: I'm right there with you, thinking about all I'm flushing out of my body. Anything to put a positive spin on going to the bathroom a lot, which can be quite annoying!

Julee and Catherine: I agree about how sad it is that so many girls are made, or make themselves, into commodities.

Heatherdw: I hope you do what is best for you, whatever that is. I think if your decision is to open yourself to the input here, it is possible that you will find helpful wisdom and support. But, everyone's different, and you know best.

Annie: Big congrats on your loss. I hope you can adjust your eating to where it needs to be with not too much effort. Eating more is always good, in my book. hehe

Bernice: Hope all is well in your home now, whatever was going on to make your life stressful. I find that high fat and low quality foods upset my stomach now, too.

Johnnie: Oh my gosh, you are so close to the big milestone. That was my most favorite milestone so far. I'm sure you'll be reporting in very soon with good news.

Julia: Great going! I do find that my moods and general outlook have improved since improving my diet. Still have some bad days, but overall there has been a huge uptick.

Debi: How exciting that your youngest is about to graduate from high school. Soon your job description will change!



Have a great evening and weekend, ladies.

battle_ your so right about my job changing.I want my old job back!!!I loved it when my house was full of kids and teenagers. I am having a hard time learning to cook for 2 instead of half the neighborhood. I told hubby its time to buy meat and break up the packages like my mom does.GOSH i feel OLD!!!!
I will be a grandma in a few months..she is 14 weeks pregnant now.
You crack me up about keeping things alive and not having kids.

carol_ please share your salsa recipe with me. I love salsa and had just told hubby we ought to make some if our garden produces like it did last year.

Sorry. If I can't speak freely here about my weight loss issues, there really is no point in being here.

I don't understand how wondering about why I stop losing when I exercise is somehow offputting to others. I've been on this site for years and this is honestly the first time I've had to leave a thread/forum.

My parents are coming to visit this weekend. They should be here around 11 or noon this morning. This meant lots of cleaning over the past few days, but it also means free labor! hehe, my father can replace our leaking toilet for us, which will probably save us about $200 for a plumber. We will also be able to take advanage of their SUV and go pick up the new toilet and the new over-the-range micriwave we want to install, and maybe even a set of patio furniture. Jeff and I both drive Civics, so we always have to pay extra for delivery, not to mention having to buy from a more expensive place to begin with since many discount places don't offer delivery.
I don't think it's a matter of you wondering about your weight loss stall; rather, it's a matter of you repeatedly wondering even though others have offered insight. I know "be patient" is difficult advice to accept, but, unfortunately, it really is the best answer in this battle a lot of times.

No one wants to see you leave. We are all here to offer and accept support and advice, and equaly as important as offering is accepting :^:

hello my Peeps!

I'm on my way out the door to meet my big sis in Atlantic City for her Bday. I wanted to re post a link that I think is very very important to all of us, but especially to dwHeather. Sweetie, I'm hoping you are still lurking and reading!

Why the Scale Lies http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspart...ight/scale.htm

Why is it important? It reminds me of the daily fluctuations the scale makes, even when exercising. dwHeather, no one wants you to leave ... everyone wants you to succeed! In order to do that, the folks who have gone before us by reaching a happy weight for them tell us that we are in it for the long haul. While we battle daily with our choices for food and exercise, the results are slow and gradual. I can gain so fast or seemingly on air (like Catherine's low sodium broth), but losing is slow.

When I get that feeling of despair because I've been playing with these same 4 lbs since Dec.... that's when I stop and see that the good news is that I didn't gain 40 lbs over that time (yes, I can easily do that). I still struggle with binges and poor choices, but the amounts are less and less. I still struggle to get my happy tailend out on my bicycle or to do DDR (both exercises I love to do!!). Motivation doesn't come easily when I overwhelm myself with the road ahead.

Anywho.. I hope I didn't rant too long and something made sense!!

Hugs and Luv to all,
Ratkity

I don't think anyone meant was for you to do this. I think what everyone wants you to understand is....

losing alot of weight will take time.....we have to find a plan that works for us and stick with it for a good length of time so that our bodies can adjust to the changes.....

If we say we are doing one thing and keep looking for that change to happen in the first few days or weeks even then we will be disappointed. The ladies on 3FC that have been here for awhile and have experienced large weight loss.....are here for US.....they will tell us what worked for them and we need to figure out if it works for us.....by changing what we do every week or every day is not going to get us the results.....

what I think (with my weight loss) is that although I want to see a 5lb loss each week.....I know that if I do that it will be hard to keep it off in the long run. I know that as long as I don't have a HUGE gain from my bad choices....I will be happy each week. It has to be YOUR desire to enjoy your change in eating and YOUR fulfillment of knowing you did the best you could that week....even if you have a gain. Changing plans every week is not going to get what you want.....read the advice the "PROs" here give you.....but you know your body.....I would hope that you stay around on 3FC. Instead of trying EVERYTHING the girls tell you.....try one thing first.....set your calories and work on making the best choices to fill those calories each day. You need to research for yourself the benefit of different nutrients your body needs to live. I have learned fiber is KEY in my diet so I try to increase that each week....I know that protein is important for ME.....so I watch what I eat attempting to eat things high in protein and low in fat......I know that I swell easily if I consume alot of sodium rich foods so I watch the things I eat for that......I know that if I eat one meal and replace my other meals with a shake my body doesn't feel satisfied nor do I get EVERYTHING my body needs.....this is from listening to information and tips the girls here have given me as well as my own research and listening to my own body.

I encourage you to try making one concrete decision and sticking with it for a month and see how you do with that....then evaluate how your body feels and what more you can change to build a healthier body.

Bernice

Hey all,

I'll be back later to post personals. The rain we were supposed to get isn't here yet so I'm going to go outside and try and finish the task I was doing yesterday when I got rained on. So I'll catch up in the afternoon when it likely will be raining.

Nobody has said you can't speak freely about your weight loss issue. It just hasn't seemed to change in the months I've been here. If I remember you're down 18 pounds over the last 3 months. That's around 6 pounds a month which is well within range for a healthy weight loss. Yet if you haven't lost weight in a 24-hour period you're not happy. My own daily weigh-ins are all over the map (up, down, in fact rarely the same), but the overall trend is down.

I seem to think that you're looking for someone to say 'do this and you'll lose weight every day'. I don't think anyone here has that secret. The real secret is to pick a plan and follow it. Don't worry about if you see an instant result, because you likely won't. Although I like to see big losses I know that when I see them it's almost certainly going to be followed by either a very small loss or even a small gain. Nobody loses 4 pounds overnight without gaining some of it back. So many people have tried to give you advice, but unless you lose instantly on that advice you figure it's not working and try something else.

Your walking is a great start, and is a great addition to any healthy lifestyle. So is eating a well balanced diet full of fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains. They aren't going to get you daily weight loss, but they will get you a new sustainable lifestyle that will lead to weight loss. Lots of people have given you advice, but Bernice's is pretty much spot on.

I'd add a few things to that. I think you were eating around 2000 cals, so let's try this.

1. Eat 2000 cals a day, try to make as much of this from fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains... and dairy. (I always forget to say dairy because I'm pretty much lactose intolerant to more than a small amount of cheese.) Track it in detail, make sure that you're eating within no more than a couple of hundred calories under or over. Track every bite that you eat. I've found in the past that we don't count the little things, and they do add up.

2. Walk and/or exercise for 30 mins at least 3 times a week. If you're going to exercise strenuously consider taking a small amount of food extra. However, strenuously means likely 45 mins to an hour, with copious sweating. An example - I do a lifting routine 3 times a week that my heart rate monitor tells me I burn 500-600 calories during. I follow it with a slightly higher afternoon snack (about 200 cals more than normal).

3. Drink plenty of water. If you're exercising and sweating, drink more. It should mainly be just plain water. Even artificial sweeteners seem to increase appetite, and (for me personally) cause water retention.

4. Hide the scale in the trunk of your car for a month. I really don't think that the daily weighing is giving you any benefit. It's adding to your stress level, and high stress levels will also affect weight loss.

Stick to this plan consistently. Don't do it to lose weight, do it to improve how you're living. Take measurements before you start, and at the end of the month. Sometimes our body changes and we don't actually lose weight. It's unlikely that some gentle exercise will do this, but you don't know.

5. 30-days later step on the scale and see how you've done. Then consider adjusting your calorie level and/or exercise routine based on the results.

Battle -- I have a favorite whole grain bread that's 100 calories/slice. I adore it and have to freeze most of the loaf when I buy it or run the risk of eating it much too fast! But when I make sandwiches now, I use only 1 slice of this bread rather than 2. It's my compromise to have the bread I love but not overeat.

Heather -- I think you've received a lot of good advice here over the past few months, and no one wants you to leave, or even to stop talking about your struggles. But I think you can see that there is a perception that you aren't really listening to advice about being patient and not worrying about daily fluctuations. So while any individual post isn't whiny per se, I think people feel like they give you the same advice repeatedly only to hear you have the same questions a few days later.

I understand that you might not want to hear that, and might want to leave. You may even want to step away for a while and then come back. Those are your choices. As the moderator here, I would like to see us keep the drama to a minimum.

Yes less drama more fun! I get enough drama at home with my "challenging" DS who is almost 12. And cant decide if he is mentally 3 or 33!

Catherine, how did the house rearranging go?

Julee, are the new Fitflops getting those legs in shape? How do they feel?

Johnnie, 2-town is just over the hill!! I'm sure you're going to be there by next week.

Annie, hope you get the pedal fixed so you can ride all over the place!!
The weather here is beautiful so hope you're getting it too! It's yardwork for us!

Bernice, hope things have settled down for you. I know how upsetting things can be in they're out of sorts. Did the tummy settle down?

heather dw, I don't think you should leave, just maybe be a bit more positive in your posts. We all struggle and come here for strength. If you change something such as exercise or what you eat, give it more than a couple of weeks to work. Sometimes the body goes into shock and holds on to the fat for it's dear life. Take care in whatever choice you make.

Julia, did you get the new bunk beds put together? I'm sure you'll make that Mother's Day challenge with no sweat.....well, with exercise sweat maybe..:lol:

Debi, congrats to both of your daughters!!! That's wonderful news about your oldest getting in to such a prestigious group. I'm really happy for you that the youngest is going to stick around for a while. It's hard when they leave the nest.
I'll let you know how the veggies go once we get them outside, which is going to be soon I think from the way they are growing inside.

Carol, Wow, that's alotta salsa!!!

Battleax, whether the veggies will be edible or not remains to be seen here. It's our first year growing them. We have the problems of bunnies, moles and birds to deal with. The poor veggies will be kept all netted and fenced so much I'm hoping the sun will still get thru. :rofl:

Jilly, that's great your parents are coming and they will be able to help you get things to your house. Those little civics are a blessing right now with the way gas prices are.

Ratkity, you made perfect sense. Did you go out on the bike today?

Today we get to work out in the beautiful sunshine!! The lawns will be mowed, dirt moved for the garden and weeds pulled in the flowerbeds. But for right now, I gotta go have breakfast!!!!
Have a great day ladies and drink, move and be merry.
Debbie

Well those bunk beds have caused some minor drama. Took out the old metal ones around dinner time last night and the boys were going to sleep with thier mattresses on the floor. !2 yr old DS who hates any sort of change had a fit that he was not going to sleep on the floor. Guess hes not camping this year LOL. Then as I was assembling discovered peices missing! So couldnt finish. Store has extra parts. So I have to go and get them. I am curious why these tasks can not be more simple. So I spent the morning carpet and upholstery cleaning. Then showed the kids what the cleaner sucked out. They were grossed out by the gallon of black water! Then we did the lesson about why we take off our shoes in the house, eat at the table etc. It could have been a recording straight out of 1978 from my mothers mouth!

julia_ dont you hate sounding just like your mother...i even have my mothers hands now. I swear when I point my finger it looks just like my moms hand on my arm. LOL
hope everyone is having an awesome day.
debi

Well both DH & DD had 2lb gains today.....they seem ok with it...I know later this week it will start to hit DH....I tried to explain to him what I've learned through you "gurus" about water retention from exercise....he walked an hour thursday night on the treadmill....and then walked from our house to my work on friday both of these were 1 hour and they were both 3+ miles each.....I told him he needed to increase his water.....

DD was going to have a party this evening however her three of her closest friends aren't able to make it and several of the others she invited have either not confirmed or have said they were in trouble and couldn't come. So DH said we would take her and her sister to the movies instead.

I think I may pick up a bass book for her to learn more techniques. She knows how to play basics.....but wants to learn more and get better at it.

Well so far eating has been good today. Older daughter just got here and we are suppose to run to the store.....I swear I think I live there! LOL

Julia-I need to shampoo my carpets again.....my toy poodle must have a small tummy LOL he has a hard time holding it all day while we are at work.....there is most days a small "present" by the sliding doors LOL I love having a shampooer of my own and not having to rent one or higher someone to come in and clean my carpets!

Debbie- Yeah tummy is better! thank goodness! I had some chamomile tea last night and that settled it. Things are still kinda up in the air.....but better. Hopefully next week will be calmer!

Debi-I want my own garden!!!! we have a forest in our backyard and it would get no sunshine! so I go to the farmer's stand on the side of the road! LOL its definitely cheaper than wallyworld! I just picked up a huge head of cabbage....two baskets of tomatoes, zucchini squash, pears, vidailia onions and oranges !!! YUMMY!!! Love summertime out here lots of fresh farm grown veggies!
If you like salsa & seafood you need to try that Ceviche recipe I uploaded on the recipe forum its really nice on a hot summer day!

Last night we took DD out to eat for her bday (Red Lobster) I tried for the first time a baked potato topped with Pico de gallo sauce! I love both but NEVER thought to put them together LOL it was fabulous!!! everytime I think of Pico de gallo I have to laugh......that literally means the peak of the rooster .....my mom use to say you know the rooster's little red thing hanging from his chin....
LOL why oh why would someone name it that? LOL

ok sorry for my silliness! LOL

ttyl
Bernice

Updates:

1) FitFlops...yes they are a miracle..after 2 days I have the Buns of Steel I always wanted. Ok..not so much. They are comfy though and I have no problem walking or standing in them for a while. And they are silver..and shiny :)

2) Car...picked up car today. Car goes back to shop on Monday night for another repair on Tuesday. They fixed absolutely everything else beautifully...but lo and behold the compressor is now shot and the A/C blew hot. They added freon, had us take it to a parnter shop to check it out..and it's the compressor. SO...he is doing us a HUGE favor and not charging us for labor on that. DH and I will swap cars for 2 days and it will all work out. Oh...and while DH was driving the rental yesterday someone hit him. It's always something isn't it. Lessons for the day: get the coverage from the rental place even if you have comp/collision that covers short-term rental. I'm out $500 now for the deductible until we find out whose fault it was.

3) Salsa & Baked Potatoes...YUMMMMM I also happen to like salsa on my salads as well. The fresher the better...it enhances what is already good and yummy without covering it in goo. I'm also a big fan of cocktail sauce as well.

I'm now going to toss in my 2 cents worth on what has been going on. Weight loss is a brutal journey. It is not fast, easy or pretty. It is not fair or nice or just. It is 2 parts science and 222 parts patience. It's accepting that you have to make changes and stick to them for an extended period of time to see results. It's understanding that instant gratification is a myth and that the biggest victories have nothing to do with the numbers on the scale. I am yet to see anyone on here offer up advice to the contrary. I can be pretty sure in saying that those are the same types of statements that will continue to be made. Nobody wants anyone to leave, censor themselves or not vent when they need to vent. HOWEVER...the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

To see results, you have to commit to doing something over a period of time and stick to it. One trial run does not give you all the information you need. There are pills and potions and other solutions out there than can provide some of the quick-fixes we'd all love...but once the quick fix ends...it's back to square one again. Weight loss is one objective that falls under the long-term goal of better overall health. To be frank...this is not the forum for people looking to drop a few and call it a day. The women (and men if they are lurking) on here are marathoners...not sprinters. We're in this for the long haul..some longer than others. Our paths may become derailed at times and some days it's easier than others to start fresh. I'm in this for life. But that's just me.

End 2 cents here.