Sandy, will have to google Basmatti Rice. I'm not familiar with it. We ate a lot of rice growing up because it was cheap and fills you up, but it was always white rice and I never knew there was anything else. I didn't try brown rice until about a year ago. I didn't like it the first time I had it but I gave it a second chance and now it's my preference over white rice.

EDIT: I just googled and it sound like something I would like to try. Bob's Red Mill's has it so I will look for that in my store.

If you have an Aldi's nearby, they always have plenty of peppers. DH likes the green and I like the yellow and red. Another thing I never ate before is raw peppers. I only ate them cooked and stuffed, but now I'm starting to like cutting them in strips and eating them as a snack. They are very healthy. They are supposed to be bad for psoriasis but I don't notice myine getting any worse when I eat them.

Today I'm making hot sausage in the crock pot and I have some peppers cut up in the sauce along with onion.

Bobbi, I have a question about how you do Fitday. Under Weight Goal I see an optional section for setting up your goals for protein, carbs and fat. I have never done that. Do you do that or do you just enter your food and see what the values were? I feel that I am not taking advantage of all the features it has to offer.

A busy day....started out early getting my lab work done in prep for tomorrow's doctor's appt. My regular diabetes appt. Came home for a short time to get ready for dh's retirees brunch in Portland. Had a nice time, I ordered crepes...good tasting but too many carbs but carbs and eggs and bacon are all they have and I don't like their eggs and trying to stay away from bacon. At least I didn't eat it all.

Tried to connect with our dd to give her the things they left here (incl our gd (6)'s Chrismas gift) but she was in her Bible study and then shopping. We were far from her anyway so prob for best. So we went on to Costco and did some shopping there and also Home Depot. Now home, and I'm resting...dh wrapped up the Ring thingy had to run to post office to send it back.

Carol - I like Basmati rice although we don't often cook it...get it in Indian restaurants mainly. I enjoy Indian food. I like brown rice sometimes, but dh refuses to eat it. There was one kind he liked in a restaurant but we never could find it and now I've forgotten the name. We make our white rice in a rice cooker. Per one cup of dry rice, we use at least 2 c water. Recently dh has decided he likes it stickier so I've been adding about 1/4-1/3 more water.
I used to use 1/2 cup more water but it was so sticky I couldn't stand to eat it. Tasted like starch to me. Dh liked it but we have compromised on a little less water. I would still prefer only two cups water, but this keeps him happy and I can tolerate it. That's what compromise is about I guess. I usually don't eat much rice anyway. Your sausage and peppers dish sounds really good, we do that too only we stir-fry it...it's a favorite. We do not add oil though as then it tastes too fat, but of course we haven't done it with turkey sausage...that might need a little oil.

Sandy - I will try the Basmati BROWN rice...maybe dh will like that. Worth a try.

Carol - Two of my gk spend a lot of time watching Netflix movies on my computer these days. They aren't here often and don't know we have it on our TV yet. I noticed once they were playing a game too...and suppose they can do that on the TV as well or maybe would need a different controller:?: I think I'll keep them on the computer.

Barbara - Welcome to our little group..you are not so far from me...the great NW...I live in Vancouver, WA. The number of our group changes from times to time and right now we are smaller than we used to be but we still enjoy chatting. What we chat about varies all the time, whatever comes to mind I guess. Some of us have been dieting so long and this gives us a chance to talk of other things as well. I used to lose weight so easily, but now it's much harder. I am taking a med that has made me gain (known for that) even! When I had to increase it (doubled), it didn't seem to add weight but it did make it harder to lose, then recently I have had to increase it 1 1/2 times (and poss may have to increase it to double), and it has made me gain again! It is still possible to lose but I have to be very careful now whereas before a few slip ups didn't hurt much. BTW, there are getting to be more of us in our 70s now....I am going to be 73 next month.

Carol - remember how I told you I hoped I didn't feel ashamed of my sig again? Well once again eating no more than usual (still too much sometimes though), I have again gained (see above note to Barbara) and now I wish I hadn't added my sig back on! I am sure it is because of increasing the Amaryl. I have either got to be much more careful of my carbs or I may have to increase it yet again. I am usually getting one or two good readings but overall it hasn't helped much. He told me I could take 4 mg morning and night but because of the weight gain I have kept it at 1mg in the am and 4 mg at night. I had very little carb last night and it was over 225 this morning. Of course, not having enough carb can cause one's liver to release too much glycogen so that maybe what happened, who knows, I've tried so many different things and it is still high (although not usually that high) in the ams.

Karrine - Didn't your BlueRay come with it's own remote? If so that would be what you use to access Netflix. If your internet is connected just click on the Netflix icon...it will probably ask you to open an account. I don't know since I was already a member, but suppose you can open up an account on the TV. Sorry I didn't think about you being in Canada, I don't know whether you can still stream Netflix or not. I still get the DVDs sent to me. We just stream when we don't have one and want to watch a movie. Of course, we could use On Demand but we are already paying for Netflix so that's cheaper unless we download a free one from On Demand. If you can't use Netflix, you might like to try Roku like Glynne has or something similar...I don't know
whether they work in Canada or not, you'd just have to check the websites.

Well need to get busy. I bought some new cleaner to try to get the soap scum off our main bath shower door. Before my son moved in I had it pretty good, using natural cleaners and the magic eraser, but lots of work involved. This new to me cleaner (also by Magic) seems to work. I didn't even let it set, just sprayed and most of the scum came off even in areas around the door where it never did before! So hopefully if I let it set it will get it all clean.

Hope you all have a good evening.

Mary, do you take Metformin? Most with Type 2 do. I was having a lot of AM readings above 200 so along with cutting way back on starchy carbs I started taking my Metformin at bedtime and my AM readings are all below 200 now. A couple times I was in the 130s. I know that's still not where we're supposed to be but it's a big improvement. I have faced the fact that I cannot have starchy carbs, but I'm not happy about it. Every time I slip up I'm sorry about it afterwards. My doctor increased my RX to 2mg of Amaryl twice a day but I'm still using the 1mg I have on hand. I would rather not eat any starchy carbs than take more Amaryl, mainly because of the weight gain. If I can lower my A1c without using the 2mg I will be much happier. I have been taking 1/2mg in the AM and 1 1/2 at dinner.

Since I never cooked regular rice I have never had it become sticky. When I made that on Tuesday I hated to throw it out. I usually never waste food, but now I am learning that it's better to throw it out instead of forcing myself to eat something I don't like. I love rice and could eat it every day, every way. I would love to try Indian Food but I know DH wouldn't like it. His food choices are so limited. Once I got used to brown rice I don't like white rice anymore. DH would never eat stir fry. When I make these hot sausage links I simmer them in some water for a while and poke holes in them with a fork. That releases some of the fat and starts them cooking. Then I rinse them and put them in a crock pot with tomato sauce for several hours with the peppers and onion. DH would never eat turkey sausage either, but might eat it if he didn't know that's what it was.

We don't have a shower door, just a shower curtain, but I have to constantly clean the tub out because the body wash I use makes the tub very slippery. I continue to use it because I like the way it makes my skin feel. DH doesn't understand body wash. He says "Why can't people just use soap?" LOL He doesn't understand being a woman I guess.

RE: Rice. I certainly agree with Mary, a rice cooker is an excellent too. I've used one for decades. With Danny from Korea living with us for 3 years, he gave us one for Christmas many years ago and we are still using it. It makes the rice perfect. White Basmatti rice is 1 cup and 2 cups water. The brown Basmatti is 1 cup rice, 2-1/2 cups water. Cooker shuts off when water is gone.

Shower door scum. I finally convenced our family to simply wipe down the shower door and walls after each shower with a hand towel. Haven't had to clean shower in ages. Daughter didn't listen at first and had quite a job - her job on the shower she used. Ours was fine. Thank goodness for more than one bathroom!!!

Carol, I haven't been able to climb into and especially OUT of a tub in ages. I'm so thankful for the walk in shower in the Master bedroom. I prefer showers any how. I've never used a body wash. Sounds good. I do use lots of lotion when I've dried off before putting on clothes.

In this frigid weather, Snow covering roads now and temps below 20 deg, I made lots of calls to cancel our Prayer Chapel people who come for an hour each week. We close till after Mass on Sunday. Thank goodness most of them I can send text detailing the information. Had groups of 3 or 4 so I didn't have to constantly make calls. I asked each to text me back so I knew they received info. I'm concerned some may have asked for a substitute to take their hour and I have no idea who that would be. If someone is out of town and I leave message on their home phone, they probably wouldn't know to call their substitute. I worry that someone goes out into the slick weather unnecessarily.

DH and Pat call me a worrier. I am, but the idea of my actions causing another to take unnecessary risk is something that really bothers me.

Weight climbed for another number that I haven't seen for a long time. So much for trying to eat away from counting calories. Also I've spent more time sitting than usual. Can't breath in the cold weather so am stuck in the house. TV and books are way to enjoy the time indoors, but too much sitting. Treadmill calls me but I've ignored the call.

Raw Green Peppers. Aren't they great? We grow peppers mixed in with the flowers in the sunny areas because the foliage is really pretty. Eat them raw or scrambled with eggs lots. I love the red peppers raw, too.

Our internet service is slow, but promises to speed up as more people join. We are still waiting. Even U Tube takes forever to spin and let me hear what the people are saying. Netflixx would be a waste of money so far.

Today I begin again to move more and eat less. Pounds added are scary.

Sandy

Good afternoon everyone,
I went out for groceries this morning to two stores that had sales on. I am really into clementines for this past month and will be sorry to see them go out of season as I don't like peeling a regular orange...too lazy I guess. I also had salt delivered for my water softener this morning. Tonight I am having 3 or 4 oz. of steak; mashed potatoes and peas. I can't get over the high increases in price for just about everything due to our low Canadian dollar vs. US currency. Most of our fruit and veggies are imported and the cost has doubled and tripled over the past month. Good news finally in that my ankle is feeling a "tiny" bit better today. The stairs aren't as difficult.

Carol, Sandy, Mary - I see that you all eat rice either cooked; instant or brown rice. I seldom eat rice except for the odd time but need some kind of sauce to put over it. I also have never had a stuffed Green Pepper and can't imagine just eating a pepper all by itself. I only use peppers when called for in a recipe. I know....I am "weird" LOL.

Carol - sorry you are having such a struggle with your Alc readings. It is a real challenge to lose weight when diabetic and on meds.

Mary - I hope your doctor's appointment goes well. Please don't be ashamed of your ticker. With all the meds you take it is even harder to get those lbs. off.
Yes, I do have a BlueRay remote so I went to have a look at it and it does have a Netflix button on it. That button just never registered in my head before today LOL. There is a Canadian Netflix streaming service but it sure doesn't have the content that the US Netflix streaming service has. I am still looking into whether or not Netflix has a DVD delivery service in Canada. I don't think it does. Thank you ever so much for all your help and advice.

Sandy - sorry about your weight climb. I too, sit around too much during the winter months even when my ankle is ok. I don't have a shower door but I use a bathroom squiggy on the walls of my bathtub after each use and that keeps everything nice and shiny with no water marks.

Have a good day everyone,
Karrine

Good morning GG's,

It is overcast here today. It is 56* outside, but because the sun is hiding ~ it looks like it would be chilly.

DH is headed out soon to run various errands. I hope to maybe make some more progress sorting and organizing a stack of papers I started working on last week.

I did a stupid thing and the scale went up. DD brought a little box of left overs (I think chineese food) and a box of cookies from (I guess) a grocery store. The food, she said we could eat it if we wanted. It was some kind of beef, rice and broccoli with a little of some kind of sauce on it. I ate it for breakfast yesterday and it was pretty good. There was only a little bit of rice, so I didn't think it was such a bad thing to eat that. It was those darn cookies that got me in trouble. Sweets are my downfall. She didn't want them and said none of her family would eat them ~ they were some kind of coconut cookies. Steve loves coconut, but of course because he never messes up and has such great self discipline, those cookies being here was no problem for him. We were gonna give them to Jason ~ for either him or his girlfriend. Well, those darn cookies kept calling to me. I put them on top of the fridge where I couldn't see them, but that didn't work. Little by little over a couple days, and those cookies were history. I just hope DH doesn't notice. I can imagine the eye rolling I'm gonna get. I probably deserve it. He just doesn't understand how a person can do stuff (eat) they aren't supposed to. Story of my life and why I am in the shape I'm in. Sigh......

I confessed to my daughter about what happened to the cookies. She felt bad ~ said that it was her fault. I didn't tell her so she would feel guilty, but because I wanted to ask her to help me and please don't bring stuff like that here. Everyone's intentions were good, but I just can't handle having stuff like that here and be able to leave it alone.

Not moving very fast today. I do so much better when it is sun shiny. Guess I'd better get off here and try to get something done.

Hope you all are having a good day.

Went to my dr appt this morning..dh had an eye dr appt too so we went together as the buildings were within a couple blocks of each other. The doctor noticed that my weight went up and I told him it had just recently jumped that high and I felt it was the medication as I hadn't eaten anymore and in fact for about a week I ate less. He agreed it probably is. He wants me to watch my diet more closely though because overall my bs are still high. I told him I agree that is mostly my eating. He offered a referral to a dietitian but I know nutrition and feel it is up to me. He is so nice and takes time with me...I even shared my short-term memory issues. He gave me a three part test and I flunked one part. Still he said he didn't think it was so worrisome but to let him know if things get worse.

Carol - I used to like instant rice but dh does not like it at all. Occasionally I have bought a small pkg of instant brown rice just for me. Yes I take 1000 mg Metformin twice a day. I dropped the Farxiga though so it's just the Amaryl and Metformin now. Good idea poking holes in the sausage to release some of the fat.

Sandy - I make my own daily shower cleaner and dh and I use it diligently in the small bathroom, I made some for our son too but he would get in a hurry and forget it. I sprayed that shower door again and let it set but can't see any further improvement. Disappointed in that. At least it is better than it was. May have to remember what I used before that worked so well but also used quite a bit of elbow grease as well. I used to ONLY take tub baths when home...had to use shower in our RV where we used to live three months a year...then when our son moved in his bath had the tub and all my personal care items were in the other bathroom so I just started using the shower. Now that he's gone, I often take a "soak" in the evenings esp if I'm feeling cold as I take very warm baths..but then I get a hot flash and I'm too warm. I think I'm into the showers now so doubt I'll be taking a tub bath to actually get clean anymore. I love the body washes but don't buy them much anymore as we have so much soap we've gathered from our resort/hotel traveling. I only take what we started using there cause I think they will only throw it away. Sandy, sounds like your church activities/work keeps you busy...I think it's good to have something besides just the regular stuff to keep us active and mentally occupied.

I think now that our son won't be here often, I may slowly start transferring a few items back into the other bathroom. He never really filled the cabinets that full any way. It will be things that I can easily move back if necessary.

Good morning everyone,
So far this week I've been having good eating days so hopefully will lose weight this week. I'm having leftovers today but will be making a chicken tomorrow. I bought 2 chickens yesterday on sale and low and behold when our new flyers came to the house yesterday there is an even better sale on chickens starting on Friday so I'll head out early Friday morning and purchase 2 or 3 more. I'm eating a lot of chicken on this diet.

Gayle -- sorry about your cookie story. I hear you and have the same problem. I just can't forget about anything I have in the house that I shouldn't have until it is all gone. You are not alone so cheer up and keep trying ok?

Mary - isn't it awful when you have to eliminate even more food to lose weight because of the meds you take. I feel for you. So far I'm ok with my A1c but my own bs tests at home are pretty high. I hope it will be awhile before I have to start diabetes medication. I am prediabetic now and try to watch my sugars.

Have a good day everyone,
Karrine

Hi everyone! We got some snow last evening but it's only a couple inches and the roads are good already this morning. A bigger storm is coming Friday into Saturday but we are in the upper area and are expecting a few more inches. States to the south and east of us are going to get a lot more. This will be our first significant snowfall of the season.

I went off plan a little bit yesterday. I ate a sandwich bun. Bread is not on my plan. It raises my blood sugar too high and I wasn't hungry when I ate it. This new plan I'm on requires that I only eat when I'm hungry.

Karrine, chicken has always been my favorite meat. My mother even told me that when I was a little kid all I would eat was chicken and hot dogs. I make it often for myself as DH only tolerates it. He prefers beef.

What did your doctor tell you regarding your pre-diabetes? You actually have to watch more than sugar. All carbs, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, sweets, turn to glucose as soon as you eat them and you have to watch them too. I don't mean to be preachy, but a lot of people don't realize that when they are first diagnosed.

Gayle, I think it's best that you told your daughter not to bring food into the house that's going to tempt you. DH brings sweets home all the time and I have learned to resist most of them. Jelly doughnuts are particularly hard for me to resist. I just have to pretend they aren't there. He will not stop buying things because they bother me. We had that discussion. He says that he should not have to go without things just because I can't eat them. In the long run, I think I'm better off that I had to teach myself how to resist them. When I go out, there will always be foods that tempt me and I just have to say NO.

Sandy, my electric pressure cooker is also a rice cooker. I never cooked rice in it because we don't eat rice on a regular basis and when I make it I only make 1 cup or less for the recipes I'm using.

I never liked green pappers raw. I only ate them cooked as stuffed peppers. They made me burp. I recently bought colored peppers, red, yellow, orange and found that they do not make me burp and started eating them raw as a snack. DH still prefers green peppers so I use them when I make stuffed peppers. Last time I made a green one for him and a red one for me. I can eat just a stuffed pepper for my meal, but DH like potatoes with everything.

Mary, we have a tub/shower combination but no door. Just a shower curtain. I haven't taken a bath in years. I prefer showers, and if I sat down in the tub someone would have to come and help me out of it. I always tell DH he would need a crane to get me out. LOL I have tried several body washes but recently tried Aveeno and it is best for my psoriasis. But it's very greasy and makes the tub slippery. So I have to scrub the tub every time I use it or one of us will slip and fall.

Went to the gym this morning, did my usual, followed by some grocery shopping. Picked up some samples at New Seasons...a tiny bit of cheese, four or five corn nuts, and a small pc of chocolate covered toffee...it was very small and very good! So that was my morning snack. Took my bs when I got home (before lunch), and it was great.

My weight was up again to 176 though this morning. Gee I haven't seen that high a number in a long time, and I am definitely not eating more, so know it's the Amaryl. I mean 3# could be sodium but not all of it. Some of you may remember that my weight was 165 not so very long ago. That med does help my bs but I sure hate this side effect! :( I'm going to avoid increasing it again as long as I can. The doctor offered Januvia or one of the injectibles but I declined at this time. I'm doing better on my eating most days and seeing some lower bs so think I can wait a while and see how it goes. There for a while I was considering insulin, but then remembered that it causes weight gain too. :dizzy: Isn't it strange that so many of the meds made for diabetics who are being told to lose weight actually MAKE them Gain:?: I suppose it is because they cause the release of insulin but it really doesn't seem fair! Whine, whine, whine...

Carol - I can still get out of the tub but sometimes it's not so easy. It's my knees...I'm having more trouble rising up on them, even from sofa, and esp the floor! not just tub. Perhaps losing weight will help with that too. My dh is the same way as yours in regard to his snacks. I understand but it does make it hard if I know they are there.

Well need to get moving...have a good day/eve.

I changed my ticker to be honest with my weight.

Sandy, I hope you are not in the path of the big snowstorm that's coming. If so, stay safe and warm! I am on the edge of it and we are only expecting a couple inches of snow.

Bobbi, I have a Fitday CD that I ordered years ago. It's dated 2004, so it was the paid version from back then even though I know they have changed it since then. I just recently learned how to enter a custom food and where to see the vitamins and minerals that I'm taking in. There is a place where you can enter your own goals for carbs, fat and protein but I have never done that. I like it and would like to use more of the features it offers.

Mary, I agree with you that it doesn't make sense that some diabetes meds cause weight gain. Metformin is supposed to help with weight loss, and I did lose weight when I was first diagnosed, by the Amaryl causes weight gain and counteracts the weight loss. I am trying very hard to eliminate starchy carbs completely so I can get off the Amaryl and see if it makes a difference in my weight loss, but that is a very hard diet to sustain. I can't seem to stick to it for more than a couple days. I am so determined to lose weight this year. January is almost over and I'm only down a couple pounds, but I am trying so hard not to get off track. I find that I do so much better if I eat a lot of salads, but in the winter I prefer hot food.

Exactly Carol Sue ~ that is what I am struggling with. When we started this way of eating, it was June and hot weather. I did well with all the vegetables, salads and fruits through the summer and fall. But when the cold weather came ~ salads and foods that aren't warm, just don't appeal to me. This is not new with this way of eating, it is the same every winter.

I think Bobbi said that she snacks on that soup she shared the recipe for. I am wanting to make some of that, but haven't gotten around to doing that yet.