[Bobbolink]

Zenor... Fitday has a paid version of the free one, it has a recipe builder on it which works great. I use it daily and the paid version is pretty cheap. I can't remember how much, I think about $20.00 but worth it. You can't add that Fitday version to our post on 3FC, but they're working on it. That's why I post my menu's on this thread.

I FINALLY got the gist of fitday and will now be recording my food in there. It's really time consuming right now because I have to put in all sorts of custom foods. Does anyone know of a site that lets you input your own recipe and it'll calculate nutritional info for you? I cook a lot and I'm always adjusting recipes to suit us, so I have to guesstimate calories most of the time.

Karen... Here's the recipe:

Ranch-Style Beef Bones
Makes a dark, textured, crunchy, meaty-flavored biscuit.

1lb. lean ground beef
1 eggs, beaten
3 cups all purpose flour (I substitued whole wheat)
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1 cup water (I don't add all this, it gets too sticky)
It doesn't call for garlic powder but I always add a dash.

1. In a blender or food processor, combine beef and beaten eggs until well blended and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and rolled oats. Gradually mix in beef mixture with your hands, until well blended.
3. Add water and stir to form a sticky dough.
4. Divide dough into 2 balls, so it is easy to work with.
5. Knead each dough ball on a well floured surface, about 2 minutes, adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
6. With a rolling pin, roll dough to between 1/4" and 1/2" thickness.
7. Cut with Biscuit Cutter and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
8. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees
9. Cool on a rack and store, at room temperature, in a container with a loose fitting lid.
Now don't laugh but I tasted these, not bad. The garlic improved the taste, not that Charlie cared. He loves them. Below is a picture of him with his favorite bone. I call it his peanut butter bone because he always picks that one out of his bucket and brings it to me when I'm on the computer. I spread it with peanut butter when he does this. "Charlie" is a two year old English Setter.

[Karen31]

Hi Bobbi,
Thanks so much for the recipe!! I'm sure Ginger and Sissy will love it!! Now I'm anxious to try it. I've already got hamburger out of the freezer to thaw!!

Charlie is a good looking dog! My Uncle many years ago use to raise the English setters back in MO. They made him good "bird" dogs. I know what you mean about their "favorite toys" Mine always leave me alone for awhile when I'm on the computer but if I'm on what they figure is too long--- I get poked!! Then have to go and spend time with them and they get their treats.

Here is a picture of mine.. Ginger is the red one and she is 4 years old. Sissy is the Sable and she is 2 1/2 years old. They were both rescue puppies!! But they are sure spoiled now!!

Thanks again for the recipe and I'm sure they are going to love it. Have a great weekend. Karen

[walking2lose]

Hey all --

Well, apparently I should have taking Justme's lead and tried on some skinny clothes before going to the baby shower. I did ok with sweets and avoided both cake, some berry cobbler thing, and cheesecake, but the hot brie/artichoke dip did me in. It was sooo good. I'm going to enter in fitday and see what kind of damage I did. I'll have to guesstimate.

Zenor -- WAY TO GO!!!! Keep up the excellent work! In answer to your tanner question, I actually have a funny story from childhood. My dad was in the military and when we lived in Germany, we traveled a lot. We took a fantastic trip to the coast of Spain (Barcelona and that area) when I was maybe 9 or 10. So this would have been in 77 or 78 or so. Well, here we were, a bunch of pale pasty Americans on these gorgeous Spanish beaches surrounded by olive skinned Spaniards. So one night at our bungalow, my dad whips this lotion from his 'dop kit' that he says will make us instantly tan. I believe it was called QT (Quick Tan). We should have known better because it was all orangey around the top where it had been used. Yep, we were a lovely rusty orange color... it was pretty hilarious. Turns out my dad had that stuff left over from his last tour in Vietnam, which must have been in 1971!!! Thanks, dad, we really fit in much better now that we're bright ORANGE!! Mom didn't use any, so she was very entertained to see her husband and three blonde kids turn streaky orange.

Bobbi - I love that you have a tatoo, and what a great story. Any chance you'd post a pic of it??

Lara - your story of the torn out wall is what I'm scared of. I don't want to bite off more than we can chew. I think we will do a little painting this spring, but my husband reminded me that it's time to start the garden. We have a veggie garden, separate herb garden, and flower beds here and there. So, it's time to focus on that now that it's warming up. Good luck getting your project done. Aphil, sounds like you've gotten your house in great shape. Even with a new house, there are endless projects, aren't there?

Jman - glad to hear from you. What kind of beers did you have? Sounds like you are doing a great job.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!
Claire

[srmb60]

I've had one of those inexplicable coupla pounds swoosh gones this week. So (as is my want) I did some studying. In two months, I have lost about 9 lbs, averaging just over 1500 cals per day.
Just about textbook. Ya know ... what they say about calorie counting just might be true

[walking2lose]

Excellent, Susan!!!! It is exciting to see your ticker go down! You are my inspiration this week.

[srmb60]

Oh dear, I'd better finish my walking then

[littlered]

Susan


just one more person for me to try and follow in your footsteps!
So many here.


I am drowning over here. I just looked to see how much water I had today! I'm just finishing my 11 th. glass. Not including my 2 glasses of v8.

Lara,
we did some work 2 years ago... Tore out the whole bath room, What a chore. Even took out the sub floor. and put in a new shower.
Took us most of 2 weeks. AND we only have ONE bathroom. we just about took on more than we should have, with no real experience.

Claire,
love your tanning story..too funny.

[CoolMom75]

I made it through my first week of calorie counting. Many, many weeks to go, but the getting started always seems to be a big hurdle.

A little over 1100 cals so far today. I'll need to eat something later, to reach my 1700. Its so strange to not be ravenous all day like I was my whole pregnancy.

1763 total today, after dinner.

[littlered]

Total for today,
includes 11 glasses of water, 2 tea and v8 juices.


Total:
cal: 1540
Fat:23%
Carbs:56%
Fiber:72
Protein:21%

good night. sleep well.

[jamsk8r]

Congratulations on the weight loss this week, Susan and Zenore!

It is good to be back on track with the calorie counting. I feel so much better eating right, though it took me until yesterday to really get back in the habit of eating every few hours and getting the calories right again.

Yesterday's final count was 1708, with 2 hours of actual "workout" skating.. I was beat!

Today's count so far is 1438, so I'll be right in my 16-1800 goal by the end of the day. Did some stairstepping today, as it was cold and raining outside, and I needed something for a workout. When I finished with that, I needed something else to do, so I checked the printout of the C25K workout which had been gathering dust on my desk for a few weeks, and did the first one, running around the house like a dork, lol. When I finished that, the rain had let up for a bit, so I took the bike out and got in 4 miles before it started pouring again.

Still fluctuating between 224 and 221 on the scale, but hopefully now that I'm eating the right foods, I'll be able to get the scale going the right direction. Forgot to weigh in this morning before I ate, so I'll have to do it tomorrow and call it official.

Cheryl

[srmb60]

We're having weather like that too Cheryl. Right now, it's foggy as can be.

[zenor77]

Wow! I think I overdid it tonight.

Calories for today (Saturday): 1818

I was fine until dinner. We went over to a friends house for dinner tonight. She's pregnant and was apparently craving southern food (she used at least one Paula Dean recipe.) There was so much food! I took small portions and I didn't stuff myself at all, but I think it was all a bit more fatty than I'm used to. She actually apologized for not having anything healthy; it was sweet of her to worry. It could have been a lot worse (must stay positive), so I'll just try and make up for it by walking more this week.

Goodnight everyone!

[rockinrobin]

Susan, you have done just incredible. It really is something to see.

Saturday's calories - yup, you guessed it, another 1200 calorie day for me. Got in a nice amount of exercise too. I NEED to get out of the 180's. Tomorrow is weigh-in day, we shall see.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend ladies.

[GrammyL]

The self tanners made me chuckle. My Mom accidently bought it and she put it on like she did regular lotion and she was orange. My Mom burned easily so she always put it on thick. HEHEHEHE!

Bobbi ~ The story about your tattoo is very special. I was a hammy down girl also and it did get old. I did have a white summer dress that had little red cherry's on it and shoes to match and really liked it but didn't put it on often because I was a Tom boy. Both my girls want them so I don't have to worry about them asking me to hid them. DH so wants a nice bike so we can cruz but until we can get our girls off our payroll we are stuck. HEHEHEHE! We pay for most everything for DGS. Don't want him to go without.

Zenor ~ My Mom swears by liquid vitamins. Her body doesn't obsorb nutrients very well and she was to the point the doctor told her she had to switch.

Claire ~ I do get irritated with the project but just keep reminding myself it will eventually get done. I definitely can't drywall however. We have to wait until everything dry's up around here to start our garden.

Alphil ~ Better to take things slow with decorating so you get it right the first time. I found themes that I can add to as I see fit. I wish I could have a nice new house but I am not willing to move either. HEHEHEH! Can't the house just come to me?

Susan ~ GOOD JOB! Same thing happened to me this week. I didn't realize how much I actually lost until I looked back. Yes, it seems to go slower but I am enjoying what I am eating and doesn't feel like such a diet to me. I can handle eating this way the rest of my life.

Cheryl ~ It is hard getting back on the ball after you have been off. Keep up the good work. Sounds like your doing everything right and the pounds will start coming off.

Zenor ~ Paula Dean cooking, YICKS! I love Paula but I really couldn't eat her recipes. She jokes all the time about how she adds fat to everything. It all looks good but I think my system would go into shell shock and I would be sick.

I was naughty yesterday and ended up calories: 1870. DD ordered cheesy french fries while I was bowling and it is my favorite food on earth I do believe so I couldn't resist. I did limit myself but it did add up quick and I went high on everything. Today is a new day and I am down a little this weekend in weight which is something I haven't seen happen since I don't know when.

I think I am going to go buy a carpet cleaner today. We have dogs and this time I year I just know the carpet has to be dirty. So I thought I would check them out since DH has been working lots of hours we should be able to afford one instead of borrowing from others.

Well I better get going because I have to go feed the horses. Lucky me its raining out.

[cablgurl]

i have not posted for a few days but the calorie counting has been going good. I have stayed under 1400 every day for the last 3 days. Have not spent any time on the eliptical but I did walk home from work on friday, and did alot of house work yesterday. Today i think i may go outside and clean up as the weather network says it is going to be sunny all day.

It is great to see that I am not the only person living in a construction zone! We bought our house 3 years ago, a month after moving in we tore down a wall to move a staircase and it has been a work in progress ever since. The staircase is nearly done (still need to stain the wood, finiish the railing and install a carpet runner), we have refinished the hardwood floors, installed ceramic in the kitchen, laundry room and main floor bathroom, built a closet in the front hall, built a front hall to put the closet, refinished kitchen cupboards, painted all rooms on the main floor, installed new furnace and central air, replaced a few windows and almost all interior doors, built a new front porch and extened the deck in the backyard and did some landscaping in both front and back yards.

We had no idea what we were doing in the beginning but we are getting pretty good at this home reno stuff, The only thing we hired someone to do was the furnace and central air install. We have not done much upstairs yet just demo. once we have the main floor done we will move upstairs (hope to start up there by july).