Hi all!
The day started out rough (had to fast overnight to get my labs done, so no breakfast or coffee , and the dog was not feeling well and left "presents" beside my bed when I got up), but it dramatically improved throughout the day. Work was intense, but productive. We took "MOM" to a local coffee house and wine bar for dinner and a wine tasting. She had never done a wine tasting before. Then, we went to the park to hear a local band, which she really enjoyed.

Hope you are all having a great day!

Laurie

Hi Laurie and Jay

Anyone heard from Linda? Wonder how she is doing these days?

I am at work and we have been sooo busy for the last couple of days. It rains after a long dry spell and everyone drives into each other.

Did not make it to the gym today as I had a doctors appointment but will go back tomorrow.

I would like to know where I can learn some self discipline around the junk food at work. I guess I just have to keep trying harder. Like it is the most unhealthy food too. Hydrogenated everything!!

How are you guys doing? Laurie sounds like you are feeling the extra work with having your mom there. Life just gets more complicated.

Jay did you get to the doctor yet?

Rainy here today but the claims are slowing down. Thank goodness.

Have a good evening.....Jude

Hey Jude!

No, I haven't gone to the dr. yet. I have an appointment for near the end of the month. This isn't a critical emergency. But, I did get the paperwork for me to fill in as a new patient today. Many pages... and questions... some of which I think are nobody's darn business!

I don't know how Linda meowee is doing... but another post from Ruthxxx in the Diabetes group indicates she's been around, just not posting. I hope she's feeling better!

Gosh Jude, you used to have discipline at work... Do you take your own snacks? That can sometimes help delay things if nothing else.

Laurie, I hate those early morning tests. I take coffee with me so that the minute they are through drawing, I can suck some down.

Anyone else doing anything lately? Trips? Excursions? The wine tasting sounds enjoyable, CD--I used to like going to wine tasting events, but for all the wrong reasons. Obviously they now bore me completely...

I have been so hungry lately! It's really strange. I am going with it (that is, eating at a higher calorie level, but nutritious foods--not bad stuff). I figure staying just below maintenance level can't be a bad thing.

Hey! We are planning to go to Berkeley, CA, to visit my bicycle-riding friend, in the fall. It will be nice to be back in the SF Bay Area--I haven't been there in, gosh, 14 years? Too ridiculous to be away so long.

OK, see you folks later...

Jay

Jude - this may sound simplistic and silly, but it worked for me. I made a rule - absolutely NO FREE FOOD AT WORK. I don't care WHAT the food is. I don't care WHO brought it, donated it, sent it as a gift - NO FREE FOOD AT WORK.

That being said, I keep a drawer of healthy snacks so that I can socialize and enjoy the birthday celebrations etc. with everyone else. The first couple times were awkward - now, no one even notices.

Jay - I'm envious! I don't know when we will get back to SF - DS1 has hinted that maybe Thanksgiving will work.

I think you need to listen to your body - being hungry is something that is not normal for you. I'm glad you are seeing the doctor, but in the mean time - continue to use some common sense. I know you are dedicated and working your plan, but obviously something is awry.

Keep us posted - you are in my thoughts!

We have a trip planned for August - another Trader Joe's run downstate. We have several hiking trails that we hope to do as part of the trip. Then, in October, we hope to do another Upper Peninsula trip - lots of hiking, waterfalls, and local haunts. SF in Novemeber (most likely) to see the kids. Then who knows?

Actually, Jay - thanks for asking. Work is ugly right now and thinking about getting away has improved my mood

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Laurie

Good Evening..

Well another good day at the gym. I am trying to up my cardio to 45 mins a day from 30 mins. I work out on 3 different machines and today did 12 mins on each. Works for me cause I like the variety and the gym can be boring. There was a great Sculpt class on but it looked too hard for now and when I was leaving there was a spinning class on. That is a real calorie burner.
Again need to get a few more pounds off before I get into that.

Not much else is new. Laurie I am using your mantra "no free food at work. There are donuts today but I am staying away.

Laurie what do you buy at Trader Joe's. We do not have that store in Canada but there is one in Bellingham WA. I have been there once and it was a quaint little store.

Jay I have some time off in August and hope to go away. My brother might come out but I may go and visit a friend in the prairies.

Cheers.....Jude

I haven't been too active recently. Took me over a week to get back to the gym after our last trip, then we went out of town one day again and so I've only been back that one time. Hope to go tomorrow though.

I got a new computer and that has kept me busy for seveal days now.

Jude - my TJ trips usually include

~soups and broths
~fiber and other cereals
~sauces and spreads (eggplant pepper spread, aoili garlic mustard, 5 spice Chinese, other Asian sauces, etc.)
~unsalted cashews
~Two buck Chuck (which is $3 in MI)
~WW couscous
~quinoa
~harvest medly grain mix
~frozen veggies
~cheese
~Greek yogurt (for starter for mine)
~Marsala veggie burgers
~dark chocolate bars
~whatever else strikes my fancy

I live in a small town with a natural food store (expensive) and two big box grocery stores. Finding natural ingredient foods can be challenging. Whole vegetables are easy, but finding prepared items is tough/expensive. Thus, I LOVE TJs.

Mary - glad you are back! We missed you!

Busy day ending a busy week here. I met a friend after work, and she had some sad news about potentially ending her marriage. Looks like I may be putting my counseling hat back on for a while. Time will tell ...

Hope you all have a fun weekend!

The jazz concert last night was GREAT!

Laurie

Hi, I'm new here.

Counting, when did you hit your goal? Congrats! I'm with you on the food at work. We have WAY too many potlucks. Today I turned down ice cream cake and lemon cake. Unfortunately, our potlucks are delicious but horribly fattening. There are about 20 young girls (and a few middle aged women) that work in my area, and I would say 18 of them qualify as obese, 4 morbidly obese. Two have had gastic bypass and gained all of the weight back. It is so sad. These girls, in their 20s, are around 300 lbs. Our next potluck is next week, and I declined to participate. Too much temptation. The girls all think I am an old fuddy duddy, but so be it!

Sending supportive thought to all who battle FREE food at work. It haunts me regularly. I have to run out of the mail room holding my breadth when there's a choice spice cake calling my name.

Hey! Happy weekend, everyone!

Yeah, that food at work thing... I used to work at a place where there was a lot of free food in the coffee room, and parties out in the courtyard every Friday afternoon with free food AND free drinks--company paid. I sure had a hard time there when I quit drinking... but mostly I would just not go to the party, or if I did, I would get a soft drink really fast.

Is it any wonder I gained weight during that period, though?

When I have to participate in a potluck, I'm the one who brings salad. (It used to be caesar salad, but not anymore.) It's amazing how quickly the salad disappears, too. Oh, and green beans, with a little bit of olive oil and dillweed.

Of course, I work at home now, so the only temptation I have is food in my cupboards and fridge. Most of the time that's OK.

Gosh, I've never been in a Trader Joe's. And there's a good reason. There are none in Florida. Sigh...

Hey, I bought a glucose test kit yesterday. I was just curious about my blood sugar, so I thought I'd see. I have a doctor appt., as you all know, but I was too curious to wait. Plus Walgreens had one that cost $10 and came with a $10 rebate--so, a free blood test! I'm happy to report that my fasting BG is 92, quite normal. And I have several more tests strips in this kit if I want to repeat it. It's so interesting that these days you can buy these things (and blood pressure meters) over the counter!

Hey Mary, welcome back! And Late to the game, Hope to see you posting often!

Jay

Late to the game - I hit my goal in July 2008 (53 weeks after I started my journey)

Congrats - potlucks are really hard, because everyone brings something that is their specialty - which means LOTS of really tempting food! Stay strong! You can do this! Were in CA are you? My kids are in Oakland.

Bill - I'm not a cake fan - but spice and carrot cakes seem to have a special power

Jay - I'm the same. I always bring something vegetarian and healthy to potlucks and parties. It has saved me more than once! with the BG - good number!!! Keep us posted on the results from your doctor visit.

My labs came back normal, so once I get my "smash and squash" test done (Monday), I'm good for another year

We went to a wedding today - which was quite nice. DH was working, so just Mom and I went (family friend of Mom's). It was definitely a NSV for me - work has been so busy, that I didn't have time to even think about this weekend. In the past, I would have fretted over what to wear for weeks leading up to the event. I would have been grouchy about seeing people that hadn't seen me for a while - not wanting to admit that I really wasn't happy with my weight.

So - today, I grabbed a beautiful black and white lace dress from my closet, slipped on some black and silver heels, wrapped a black and white shawl around my shoulders and went off to have a fabulous time. No frets, no worries, no regrets, no trying on 15 outfits to find the one that I could tolerate - no food is worth going back. No potluck, no donuts, no cake, no pasta, not one food is worth it.

I sure wish I had figured that out a long time ago!

Hope you are all having a great weekend! Stay strong!

Laurie

CountingDown! That means you've been maintaining for.. A YEAR!!!!



Everybody, come on over to the new thread and congratulation Laurie!

Jay