LC Chat: 1/21 thru 1/27
 

Hi LC'ers!

Getting ready to hit the hay but thought I'd start us up - Have got soooo many things started around here . . . very few finished. Really glad I'm off tomorrow - gotta get 'er done.

PC was inop most of the weekend - but got the new tower installed (FINALLY) and am just loving how FAST things are working and all the colors are different. Just having a ball with it - PLUS got the audio back so have been youtubing it quite a bit (LEAVE BRITTANY ALOOOOOONE!)

Enjoyed catching up with the Chat . . . ttyat . . .

Hi there!

Victory is mine! For I have found a sucralose sweetener! I remembered a little grocery on the other side of town that stocks imported stuff, and I thought - what the ****. And I have found some sucralose thing! It is neither Stevia nor Splenda, but frankly at this point it could be called Dirt (tm) and I'd be delighted. I also found sugar-free jello! It was the only sugar-free or carb-free thing in the store, so I bought it on general principles.

...course, the not-so-virtuous thing is that when I FINALLY made it home, having done two hours of trudging around shops straight after work, the prospect of going to the gym just made me shudder. I cooked dinner straight away (chili beef stir fry, with mozarella and fresh rocket - jings, I do LIKE cooking, it's a damn shame it takes something like this to make me do it) and am now sitting and eating and filling in my Fitday thingy. Possibly after dinner I will go to the gym - although, to be honest, I'm not very hopeful about my likelihood of going to the gym Once I Have Sat Down.

otoh, I was planning to start my go-to-the-gym-every-day thing today. It's not good to flunk out on day 1!

...I'll see how I feel after eating. (All I do is the treadmill, so I figure it's not unreasonable to go after dinner.)

I sneaked another peek at my scales after I got home, half-expecting them to have shot back up - but no. Slightly UNDER 232, it looks like - which is awesome. Low Carbing rocks!

Good Morning :coffee:

Fay~ sounds like you are doing good!! Dontcha love fitday!?!?!?!

I climbed on the scale this morning.....I almost didnt get on it. It is too flippin cold in the house this morning to take all my warm fuzzy cloths off just to get on that sucker! :p Well, after I stopped shivering, I was rewarded with another 2.5lb loss :cb:

There is my positive for the day :D

Have a great day ladies, Im off to get ready for work. :wave:

Good Morning Ladies:)

Up early as I had to take my Fosamax this morning before eating breakfast. The temps up here is 16 degrees.and the winds are a blowing.

Nothing new, are you gals weighing-in today. I peeks on the scale and I stayed the same,but I have 2 days to work on that.


AUD-Thanks for starting us up.Do I know about PC.s so we changed to Mac.,No more:comp: woos.

BaB-You have a good plan all around and that 236 will be down soon.

ROBIN-Big congrats:carrot: on your 2.5 weight loss. Hope that happens to me this Wed.


Going to have my breakfast I starving,see you guys later

Hugs :) BB

Good morning all!

I'm going to try to stay on top of the weekly chat better - it's so active that I find it hard to catch up if I am away for more than 2 days. Which is great news, since there are so many new(er) members...welcome :hug:

Beach - I couldn't figure out why it was so cold in the house this morning...until I went outside and saw it was 15 degrees! No wonder.

But..it's 9:20am, I've already been to the gym, I have the day off from work, am meeting a former co-worker for lunch and the Patriots are going to the Super Bowl :D I think I'll treat myself to a manicure!

WWWwhhhhaaaa I want to stay home today!!
 

Up and at'em. Or rather, sit on largish rear and check 3FC site while one should already be pulling on woolies and grabbing car keys. I'll rush in a few minutes. It's wrong that I should have to toil today but alas, I must. :s:

I with you on the mani.

Fay: Yahoo about the sweetener. Hey, maybe you can order some of the low carb dry essentials over the internet? Lordy though. I always order stuff and click on US. Never thought to look for Thailand. Maybe I could send you a big box of Splenda? Just your luck customs will pull it aside and arrest you for white powder. Maybe you need a care package with sugar free pudding too. Sorry, they don't make sugar free Cadbury but there are delish sugar free Chocoperfection bars that rock.

Aud thanks for starting the thread this week.

Now I know about the turnips I want to try parsnips. NO! I won't. I can't really have them until later on the diet anyway. I will only be torturing myself.

Sounds like the group is doing smashing with the scales so far! I might hop on tomorrow. I'm off the hook today. My scale is in the Master bedroom and as soon as I woke up DD crawled into my warm spot with her doglies so I can't (read won't) turn on the overhead light. (Yes, of course the digital scale lights up...but don't ruin my excuse).


Well, I'd better hop in the shower, grab my lunch and get out the door. Check in with ya later.

ox SC:dance:

Hi I'm back again:)

Changed my menu around as I'm not going out just to buy ready made chicken when I have reg in the freezer. When I made up my journal last week I thought I take the day off from Cooking supper on MLK birthday holiday.I was being lazy,so I'll make my home made nuggets instead.


LAURA-I had the same problem last week ,the chat went up to 10 pages. If I can only stay warm today,tomorrow they are saying at the Cape will be back to the 40's again. Going to do my exercising tapes instead of walking outdoors.

SC-I love turnips and my mom would never cook them for us as she had too many when she was a kid.So until I met my DH I didn't know how wonderful a turnip taste. I think that L/C Luxury web site has a turnip French Fry recipe that would interest you.

* 8 medium turnips (about 2 1/2 pounds)
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon Splenda
* 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon salt (sea salt works best)
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* Olive oil spray
* Lime juice

Pepper Turnips and Roast Peel the turnips with a vegetable peeler, slice and cut into 2 1/2-by-1/2-inch sticks. Pour 1/2 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and place the turnip sticks into the cream. Fill bowl with cold water until the turnips are completely covered. Add 1 teaspoon Splenda. Swirl a bit to mix and allow to sit in cream mixture for 10-15 minutes. (This cream-soaking step removes the "bite" flavor of the turnips, leaving them with a milder, more potato-like flavor.) Rinse in colander with cool water and pat dry.

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Combine turnip sticks with the nutmeg, pepper, sea salt and Parmesan cheese in a large plastic (Ziploc-type) bag. Seal the bag and shake well to coat the turnip sticks.

Spray 2 large baking sheets lightly with the olive oil spray. Spread the turnips in a single layer on the sheets and spray again with the olive oil.

Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes. Turn the fries over and continue baking for 15 minutes, until the fries are tender and golden in color. Serve hot with a sprinkle of lime juice.

Makes 8 servings. Approximately 4.5 carbohydrate grams per serving.

Hope I can Post it..I love making these when the rest of the family have the reg ones. Have a good W-I tomorrow. I W-I on Wed.


Have a great morning


Hugs :) BB

BB: Thanks! I'm turnip obsessed.


ox
SC

Hello,
It took me my whole lunch hour to catch up on the board since I didn't go anywhere near the computer over the weekend. That's O.K. though. I think a busy board is fun.
I'm dreading my next WI on Wed. I checked this morning and haven't lost a thing this week except for losing the one pound I regained after eating Chinese last Thursday. I know from past experience that the third week on any diet is hard. I always lose a chunk of weight the first week and then a decent amount the second week, but I think by week three my body has figured out what's going on and goes into the "OMG, she's going to starve to death" mode which means it processes five or six calories out of every one I eat and stores them all as fat. So the weight loss slows just about the time the menu gets boring and the family starts complaining and it gets easier and easier to "compromise" and eat off plan... But I really feel like this is my last and best chance to make a change. I need to keep focusing on the picture our friends took in Mexico last fall. It was one of those, "who is that fat woman in my bathing suit?" type moments. I WILL do this!!!
Lily, sore muscles retain water and that affects your scale! I'd bet on it!
Fay, you make me wish I had chosen a completely different career and lived abroad at some point. Internet shopping may be the way to go for LC products.
Everyone else, I can't imagine liking turnips. I like lots of other veggies, but to me turnips are those weird things my mother used to try and force us to eat. When I add more carbs I might have to try them — but only if I can figure out how to peel them.
Lynn

YAAAY & Hi to Laura!!! Been loving the Chat but checking in more often myself!!! So many Great Posts!

Made a Thread about turnips around Txgiving, I think scalm - got like 20 #'s of the suckers at a Country Church Booth - went late & they were closing - lil ole lady & lil ole man gave me almost ALL of what they had left! I turnipped out and forgot about them - but oh, soooo goood! I made the french fries for sure . . . can't remember anything else standing out - but remember getting various recipes from Linda's Low Carb per usual. My Gran - (who died oh so long ago in 1972) - always had turnips in her garden - & always also had rutabaga growing right outside her back door - along with asparagus . . . *wistful sigh*

Tx also for Posting all the things you are making to BE PREPARED, scalm! Already getting a head start on what I think is going to be the key for me in my journey DOWNWARD on the scale! Stocked up late last nite with some OP groceries - gonna get to cooking here in a bit.

I want to be "whole foods" when I grow up Fay . . . sounds like you're getting 'a taste of that when you shop w/o the lc convenience there in Thailand!

WTG on your loss robin!

Didn't mean to send the freezing weather beachie - hope you & leo are staing warm!!! Drive careful!!! (I know you will) . . . my Mom took fosamax for many years - always was careful about staying upright as well. No sign of osteo problems for me yet (knock on monitor) . . . my Mom was already getting what was called a Dowargers Hump at this age . . . my bone density is off the chart youthful (but otherwise am identical to Mom) . . . I credit dabbling on & off with high protein since being a teen in the 70's.

Hiya lynn! We must've Posted at the same time! I like the idea of parboiling the turnips to get them tender and also to lose some of the turnipie taste that scalm did. I miss white potatoes more than I do sweets so willing to trytrytry anything, ya know?

While I'm back on here wanted to say - Hang in There lilyb!!! I know EXACTLY how ya feel with the weight loss part - but agree with everyone that you are gaining lean muscle mass!!! Reading about your work outs has been so inspiring to me - headed for the Y after I finish this latest round of projects and gonna try to get as sore as you, GF!!!

I also agree that you should (if you haven't) do your measurements . . . bet your proportions are really changing in a GOOD WAY!

(I think I'm keeping mine in the '08 Goals Thread for safekeeping! *scared to look* ROTF!)

More projects to finish - bbl . ..

O.K. Sleeping child be darned. I dragged that scale out this morning in the dark and hopped on. If ya'll remember I was a bit freaked on the 17th when I weighed and had gone from 222.5 to 225. It was down to 222 this morning but still waiting for TOM to land. It could be anywhere from last Saturday to Wed. of this week. I've upped water to 128 ounces a day and have only eaten meat today to try to shake things loose. I think I will actually go to the gym tonight and walk around like one of those bad art wide eyed children and maybe get my guts up enough to try some strength training equipment (provided it does not look like a Lunar Shuttle).

SC:)

Hi Chicks,
Sort of depressed today, the scale hasn't moved in 10 days despite being on plan. I know it happens, but it's still depressing to work so hard to avoid temptations and see no results.
On another note, my BF and I have been arguing about the marrige question again. I say we've lived together for 3 years, get along great, all the reasons to get married. He says why change things now? Everytime we bring up the subject, he says we wants to get married, but because his first marriage ended badly, he's afraid. I say, what the **** will change? Sigh . . . I don't want to spend my life being known as his "Girlfriend".

Hi everyone,

My girls were out of school today so we spent the day at my friends' beauty salon and all got our hair cut, styled and hi-lighted. I actually wish I had been brave enough to cut more of the length off mine. Oh well, maybe next time.

Last night it was so cold and I was in the mood to bake. So, I made my first ever home-made apple pie. I had just a taste and it was very good. The family ate the rest of it.

Robin, WTG on the 2.5 lbs. that is awesome.

SC, WTG on your scale moving down.

Lynnar, I agree that I'm sure I'm gaining muscle and retaining some excess fluid in my muscles. I didn't go to the gym tonite cause I feel like I have pulled a muscle on the inside of my right thigh and it hurts like the dickens.

CT, I'm in the same boat with you this week with my scale (actually worse, I'm up a lb.). But, I've worked my butt off at the gym and eaten OP so I know I'm doing all I can. Hoping next weeks WI will be better for us both!

aud, you must've sent the freezing weather to me too. It's 20 degrees here with rain and sleet mix. TV reports wrecks everywhere around and for us to stay off the interstate. I'm gonna stay home where it's cozy and warm.

BB, hope all is well with you and Leo.

CT, hope you can work things out with the BF. It's not really an issue that can be compromised on. I was engaged the first time for 8 frigging yrs. So I'm not one to give advice. We eventually had a baby together and split up without marriage. Actually it was his loss and I'm better off without him.

Evening All: 6:30 here in California so later for you midwest and east coasters and even later for Fay. Got home and DH had grilled some New York steaks (since he and DD were home all day). The good news is that made it easy to finish off the meat fast today. The bad news was that he broke into a special gift box of very special, very expensive custom cut steaks that I picked up for a gift for my best friends parents! He about crapped himself and so did I when I found out where he got the steaks. Mind you I have 4 perfectly good fillets in the kitchen freezer he could have used. Instead, he violated the sacred garage freezer where forbidden goodies, the gift steaks and several weeks of low carb meals are stored. I would have enjoyed it more if I had known I was chowin' down on 6 oz of meat that cost $40.00. (each steak was $40.00) Same for him. Worse still, I told him he now has to call the butcher that I got the gift box from (30 miles away) order the same custom cuts and pick up a new box of steaks for me to deliver. I was going to drop them off tomorrow so now it will have to be later in the week. He's like, "Oh, well we're kind of short on cash". I say, "Too friggin' bad. I bought the gift box in December right after I got my Christmas bonus...figure it out". WORSE still...now I have 4 remaining steaks obtained at a horrendous cost that we are going to eat. I would never buy something that expensive for us to eat! Look at me *****ing about having to eat steak. I need to be slapped and sent to bed without a snack (please). Speaking of smacked. My HR employee came in today ecstatic because she had dropped the final four pounds of her 60 lb baby weight. She brought her Spanks (sort of an uber girdle for those of you that don't know what they are) and we lit them on fire in the parking lot and while they burned sang, "Spanks for the Memories". It was a hoot.

Ladies, you have sent the cold weather mojo here. It is windy and cold (o.k. cold for California). BBBbbbbbrrrrrr.

ox
SC

PS: RE: The one day meat fast. I will be weighing officially on Wed. BUT I will tell everyone that as of this afternoon my ketostix were very, very, very dark purple and same tonight. I wanted to try doing a meat fast for one day only every few weeks to try to keep my body fooled. I will let you know if it makes a difference. Meat only (except for my one morning coffee with some almond breeze unsweetened almond milk, dribble of cream and splenda) and about 140 oz of water as opposed to my normal 120 oz. water.

OMG, I do love this place! Apropos of nothing, just - needed to be said. Because in my corporeal life I am surrounded by thin people - not just at school, but THE WHOLE CITY IS FULL OF THEM!!! Which - you know, I knew that would be the case when I was thinking about coming out here, and I don't mind it so much - I mean, ironically I think it's actually harder for the skinny Western chicks who are used to being hotties, and who find themselves suddenly reduced to the status of wallpaper - and find themselves feeling suddenly really fat, and have the all-new experience of not being able to find clothes to fit sometimes. I'm already used to that crap, you know? But still - it does get a bit wearisome, being a source of innocent hilarity to total strangers. It's very nice to have a virtual space where not only is the weight thing not some sort of freakish aberration, but it's actually something that y'all understand, and that we're all working on, and that we're CHANGING, damn it! Love that!

Mmmmmmmmmm, turnips! Yummy goodness! (I've said it before, but I'm saying it again!) I just double checked in Dr A's book, and was delighted to find that parsnips are permissible in the pre-maintenance and maintenance periods. Awesome! Christmas without roast parsnips would be a sad thing indeed.

CT, I wish I had some helpful advice for you. It's a tricky one; but it sounds like to you, marriage is an important confirmation of your commitment to one another, whilst to him it's NOT important - even it feels like a jinx. Do you think it's a deal-breaker for you? Would you rather be married to someone, than be in a non-marital relationship with your BF? Or do you suspect that his reluctance is a symptom of some kind of deep-seated lack of real commitment on his part - that this is sort of a thin-end-of-the-wedge thing?

(Oh, crumbs. That phrase took my treacherous mind straight to cheesecake. I'm grateful that, by and large, cakes are crap here in Thailand*. Baking isn't a normal part of their cooking, you see, so Czech desserts tend to be jelly-type things. Or perhaps crushed ice with syrups and a mixture of kidney beans or sweetcorn or cubes of tamarind jelly sprinkled on top. In my mind, dessert isn't dessert if it doesn't involve flour and/or cream.)

I want to be "whole foods" when I grow up Fay . . . sounds like you're getting 'a taste of that when you shop w/o the lc convenience there in Thailand! It's great, actually, Aud - other than the lc thing. But this is how my mother mostly shops back home anyway, and in Egypt there was much less in the way of convenience food/Western imports than you can find here. And to be fair, you CAN find a pretty good array of imported things (****, there are 7-elevens EVERYWHERE, and of course there's the ubiquitous McDonalds - but also things like Subway and Sizzler and so forth )- just not the more specific niche things like LC stuff.

*of course there are exceptions - and I know where they may be found. But I'm avoiding these places like the plague, understandably.

Fay: You GOTTA try the jello sugar free cheesecake pudding made with unsweetened soy milk and cream. It really does taste like cheesecake. Especially when you have been on Atkins for a week, or two or three.

p.s. My husband is 1/2 Japanese. I always tell him, "Thank God its the top half". His mother is Japanese (and yes, certifiably TINY), his father Texan. Go figure, he looks Hawaiian.

SC

Sounds yummy, SC!

Oooh - does your mother-in-law make yummy Japanese food? I heart Jeapanese food! (Actually, anyone know if Miso soup is allowed on Atkins? I've stopped drinking it to be on the safe side, as I don't know the carb content. Although - o kay, fitday can probably tell me, right?)

Meanwhile - sweet weeping mother of God, a parent has just had a Swensons Chocolate Cherry Icecream Cake delivered for someone's birthday.

God. This cutting-up-and-distributing is going to be hard

(...okay, much time has passed and this window has been sitting here all un-posted, type of thing.)

Once again, not only did I cut up the cake for 20 kids, I didn't even lick any of the melted chocolate off my fingers. And it looked REALLY yummy. And there were kids saying "I don't want my chocolate covered cherry" and I was all "aaaargh!"

I have a renewed sense of respect for those of you with kids. I don't know how the **** you manage to do the diet thing with small people munching down on non-Atkins foods around you all the time.

Hate when the scale doesn't move most of the time cabogirl . . . actually hoping it doesn't move this w/i tho'!!!

Maintaining my most recent gain is about all I have to look forward to - tres pathetique, eh?

So sick this morning, I don't really care. If I don't get much better, will have to take tonight off. Also just re-read my jury summons . . . must call tonight to see if I'm on for tomorrow - which would be exciting (never have served b4) if I wasn't so BLLLLEEECCCHHH.

2 cents on the marriage question: Anyone reluctant to marry you for whatevah reason is a gigantic red flag - be glad somehow that you got the message and think about moving on, girl! Marriages are tough (is it a 50% divorce rate?) when BOTH people are wild about the idea, ya know? Think of the last 3 years as a learning living together experience and run don't walk.

Sorry to be so blunt caboct - like lilyb - I was "engaged" for 7 years one time with the same results she had - wouldn't trade the experience (altho' would have cut it off much sooner) but also wouldn't repeat it - LOL!

Just had the third barf scare of the morning . . . hope this is a quick bug.

Too sick to even sip coffee - now that's sick!

WTG slicing and dicing that cake fay! Just love reading your Posts!!!

sux about the $$$ steaks scalm - but hey - you're worth it!

Speaking of hair color . . . still loving my new short do . . . altho' if I keep gaining weight, noticed I'm looking more and more like dh's ex wife - YEEEEOW! Now there's a motivator, eh???!!!

Didn't get the sexy boots . . . BUT DID get a pair of gigantic gorilla fuzzy slippers that we've named "Phil & Phillip" (after Beloved Stuffed Phil The Gorilla @ the St. Louis Zoo) DD keeps stealing my "Phil's!" Couldn't find any boots that I liked well enuf . . . altho' a boot cut pair were cute, I really wanted the tall ones so will keep shopping.

Did anyone get some?

Hmmmmmm, a mac beachie? I've got a good friend that swears by them! If this sucker goes down, I'll definitely be looking into!

Good morning,
It's icy here so my usual 30 min drive (inc. school drop off) became 70 mins. I hate wasting time like that. So naturally instead of jumping into work, I get on the message board. Oops.

I've been cooking more high carb food and not eating it! Sunday we wanted the 20 year old to come home and fix the new T.V. surround sound system. (It's like programming a VCR-only young people can do it). So I made him pasta Alfredo and shrimp, but I kept the shrimp separate and also grilled some chicken for myself and that worked! I didn't have any pasta.

The harder thing was when the 15 y.o. made herself macaroni and cheese and left a bowl on the counter for her dad, complete with a fork in it. I was hungry and walked by that bowl about five times. It would have been so easy to just grab a forkful (I love Mac and Cheese!) but I resisted.

I think I could resist ice cream cake too, Fay, but then I don't have a big sweet tooth. I also stayed off the scale this morning in the hopes that tomorrow's weigh in will be a pleasant surprise! Hoping realy hard!!

Stayincalm-I've never had a purple keystick reading! The most I get is light pink and lots of times when I'm pretty sure it should be pink, it takes some imagination to make it that way. I guess everyone is different. I wish I had a more decisive reading so I could figure out exactly how many carbs I can add back. I'm still trying to stay at induction --actually a little less than regular induction because I think I'm "weight loss resistant"-- but I've learned the hard way that I need some fiber in my diet. I'd like to move up to two big veggie portions. Now I just eat one salad and only the stray carbs in cheese, coffee cream and lately some celery sticks. But that's just me. I wouldn't recommend to anyone else that they go lower than the Atkins book induction and I will always recommend some fiber!!

Hi everyone, we got lots of ice last night. The trees and fence sure look lovely though. Supposed to get even more tonite and temps staying below freezing for today. Don't know when the roads will clear so I can get back to the gym. I took my dogs out for their mornin walk (actually they drag me) and was so thankful I didn't fall on my keister.

DH heads back to work this morning. So, back to singledom for another week and I don't mind at all, LOL. His new payraise was on today's check and it was quite handsome. Joy, joy, now I can spend the evening paying bills.

calm, I hope them steaks were fantastic. Eat them with enjoyment, you deserve to get to have some expensive ones too.

aud, you and I really do have a lot in common. This particular SOB that I spent 8 yrs. with kept sayin we'll get married after college, then we'll get married after he finished medical school. Turns out we parted and he married a nurse he'd been screwing with about 6 month after we split up. Oh well, they are miserable, have separate bedrooms and just stay together so he doesn't have to split his fortune with her. I'm better off without him.

No sexy boots yet. To bad they don't make Spanx for calves. Maybe then I could zip some up. I actually have a pair that will zip up (Everyone, Target has strechy ones) but the truth is that not only do the heels hurt right now due to my heft but I think the tightness around my lower leg cuts off my blood supply and makes my feet numb. Between 20-40 pounds ago I wore sky high heels all day everyday with impunity. One of the things that made me go on plan was the fact that it used to be that no matter how fat I felt, I could buy a cute pair of shoes. Now I find myself looking for shoes like the kind I used to see my grandmother wearing.

Chilly Willy for some of you folks out there!!!!Bbbbrrrrr. It is raining like the dickens here and cold (for us anyway). Cold here is between 30-45. I think that might be a summer's day for some of you folks. I have to drive to a big site and do some things before I head into the office so I'm trying to wait for the rain to ease up.

Commitment phobe boyfriend. Gee. I don't have any straightforward advice on that one. An ultimatum probably won't work(and who would want to have to give a potential lifes partner one...kind of sucks the joy out of it). If you live together you are talking about shaking up your entire life (breaking up) based on the fact that you want to get married and he doesn't. I think there is something to say about that no matter how much we all think you deserve to get what you want. Is the only problem you are having the fact that he does not want to get married? If there are other things going on then I understand why you might want to break things off but part of me says, "hey don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." Besides that. I think if you have had enough and wanting to married becomes your top priority you will probably wake up one day and the decision will be fairly easy. That happened to me with someone in the early 90's. I woke up one day and decided that I wanted to be the number one priority and so we broke up. I got married to someone else (an old boyfriend that I ran into on the street outside of a club where I would not have been going at all if I were with my ex BF!). That was 15 years ago. In 2003 the boyfriend who I did not stay with had been through a bad marriage and actually hired a private detective to find me. Can you imagine my shock when I was picking up voice mail one day and I heard this voice say, "I just wanted to hear your voice". I knew who it was instantly. He called me one day and I picked up the phone and we talked. Lordy. Talk about a bad romance movie recapp. Got to hear all the affirming things we think we want to hear but now make no difference, "It was the worst mistake of my life. You made me feel so god about myself. I was a complete idiot. I have thought about you everyday for 13 years. I stood at the alter getting ready to say vows thinking "the wrong woman is standing here with me." We actually became better friends than we ever were when we were lovers. Not that it wasn't a struggle. He spent about a year dropping, "I love you" bombs and struggling with unrequited love issues. He got over it though and now is very happy and has been with a young lady who he seems to adore for two years. A couple of times in 05 he flew up here just for lunch which was a hoot. His marriage was sssssoooooo bad he doesn't want to get married again. So he says. Every now and then, when we are chatting, I say, "Don't be a moron. Just because it sucked the first time does not mean it will suck if you try it again." I think he is wavering now.

I wish I had some better more concrete advice for you. Maybe the answer is to try to enjoy the people we have in our lives the most we can for as long as we can until you reach your drop dead tipping point. Then decisions seem to be easier to make. :(

LOL about the Spanks fire!!!

Colder than heck here too. I got my Diamond Springs water delivered yesterday ( I LOVE WATER and go to the extra expense of having the dispenser and deliveries, cuz to be honest I am kinda anal about how tap water smells!)
and it froze before the DH could get home to lug them inside!

G Whiz!!

Having a friend over for dinner, the first since I have been back on the plan. But am not worried. I am making tacos, a true favorite of my kids. In fact, every day for the past week, my 5 year old has asked, "is tonight Taco Night, Mom?"
So anyway, I am fixing the regular fare for them, but instead of having tacos, I am having a taco salad (minus the shell of course!) Looking forward to it! Hopefully my pal will not want dessert, cuz it ain't happening right now! LOL

Hi Ladies:)

I'm going to make this a fast post,just to report in. I have to go with Leo shopping as we didn't go out yesterday,the temps were to cold to go out for us.

I was on the phone this morning that my friend Pat in still in ICU[1week] after having a 2 valve replacements in her heart. PLEASE PLEASE PRAY FOR HER. We're ally worried,as we never heard of people being in ICU that long.

Sorry to bump my feelings on you guys,but I can't deal with this anymore.Don't need this anguish,that I had for the last 3 months of losing my friends.

Glad we got our shopping done this morning as we expecting some snow showers this afternoon. Is Spring Here Yet?????


Tomorrow is W-I and I scared to get on the scale. I think I was over loading on grain carbs. this last week,especially over the weekends.

LYNN-You me both I weigh-in tomorrow also.
Everyone is different when it come to dieting some people find there balance and lose 2 lbs every week and some have to struggle week after week. I'm on low carbing for now 2 years and I still haven't found my ideal grain carb intake. I have to stay away in order for me to have a good W-I. Hope you find your lose soon,but whatever DON"T GIVE UP.


AUD-No, you didn't send the freezing weather our way.It was coming,and now winter is here.In the future I will not go out doors if the roads are icy.No one in my family has the Big"O",but with the help of Fosamax I'm hoping that my bones won't deteriorate.I'm having another bone density test along with my mammogram back to back some time in March.We never have problems with the Mac. We bought a DELL vista and it was a disaster ,than we but a small desk top Mac and it was great with the dell Monitor & keyboard.Hope your feeling better,soon. Good luck with you jury duty.


SC-Good for you seeing a maintain on the scale than a gain.Stay op as much as you can,with extra water intake will move that scale downward. Hope your TOM shows up soon,so you can get back to your regular routine.


CT-I don't know why our bodies act like that when doing everything rights and no seeing no results. Did you try a tape measure and see if you lost inches instead of pounds. I know I cry when see that stupid scale give me a number,but forget the loose slacks on my waist. Hope you can resolve your wedding plans with your DBF.


LILY-Leo & I are well, just cold. You baking that apple pie must have put some delicious aroma in the air. I love apple pie.I have some canned apple filling in my cupboard,just itching to be used. I think I make the pie about Valentines day instead of chocolate candy. You'll lose that one lb. ,it has to be water retention that in your joints with all the exercising you done.



BaB-Never had Parsnips as a veggy before. I had turnips and leeks but never had the parsnips. Are they like a potato????I guess we'll have to wait until near our goals to have them.



Have a nice afternoon


Hugs :) BB

Hey Beach Bum
I am so sorry to hear about your friend, Pat. She is in my prayers.

Ugh, I am in such a B*TCH mood today. I'm pretty sure I am about to throw myself on the ground and have a tantrum if carb free chocolate doesn't magically appear on my desk within the next two minutes. I wish Aunt Flo would just arrive already. Today was supposed to be my official WI, but I have a feeling the scale wouldn't survive my wrath after I hopped on. Better luck next Tuesday I hope.

Did someone say SEXY BOOTS??? (ed: I tried to post a link but apparently I do not have enough posts yet BUT for those looking go to Torrid dot com and look at theirs. They have great shoes and boots for those above size 0 :D )

stayincalm - yikes about the steaks! That is exactly something my bf would do. Also, where do I find this magical cheesecake pudding stuff???

aud - I hope you feel better! I have a feeling that your gorilla slippers will do wonders!

lilybelle - Can I send my bf to work with your hubby. I could use singledom for a week. Mine makes me NUTZ sometimes!

HELLO to everyone I may have missed. I am trying to make this a quick one and get back to being a royal B ;)

amy on a missions-Thanks:thanks: for the prayers I really do appreciate them for my friend.

CrabbyCakes-Sending :dust: for your next W-I. I don't have to worry about TOM or Aunt Flo,they left me years ago, but I do have problems[Hormones] get that scale to move downward,now that I'm on Post post menopause.


Hugs :) BB

BB: I'm sending my prayers out to your friend. :angel:

Crabby: I'm so with you on Aunt Flo. I know she is close because I am unreasonably cranky and have developed the dreaded "dropsy". I become incredibaly clumsy when she arrives. I was hoping she would land today so I could feel reasonably comfortable about WI tomorrow. Oh well. I'll do it anyway and see what happens. Since I went up to 225 last week and then down to 222 yesterday I am down a whopping 1/2 pound. Suckorooni. Better down than up though.

Amy: The water froze? That is frickin' cold!!!

Lily: I'm thinking I might like that week off from being wifey thing too. Maybe not though. I'd have to take out the trash and clean the litter box (his chores) ugh.

It is still raining like **** here. I was going out to a basketball game with a client tonight but I begged off. I want to go home and cozy up with a glass of wine. My only delimma is that Real Housewives is on tonight and if I drink a glass of wine I won't want to get on that exercise bike. I don't know if I can wait for that little glass of heaven until after the show tonight though. (If I watch the show while I am working out I work out for longer.)

Geez. I'm such a whiner!!! I hope everyone is having a great afternoon. Fay, hope you are having a great evening. :rain:

BB~ lots of thoughts and prayers for your friend :hug:

Im doing alright....but Im tired and cranky :( Its too early to go to bed, and I know if I head off to bed to read for a while, I'll fall asleep. :kickcan:

......anyway, food is good, water isnt as good today, and Im not going to work out either. How's that for a sucky attitude :p :lol3:

I need to pull myself out of this slump!! Gotta wear my sexyboots on thursday! :carrot:

Stayincalm... I know right!!!

OKay I have some so great news to share!!! Are ya ready? Huh Huh Huh? Okay sorry been around my 5 year old all day!

Anyway...
Today for the first time in years ( and I mean years) I ran. Yes I RAN!! I got on the torchermill, er I mean treadmill. And am just tooling along at my brisk walk listening to my iPod when a great tune comes on and I said heck with it let's got for it. And I kicked up the speed and was a chugging. And instead of instantly going "Whoa girl slow it down", and meekly turning the dial back to brisk, I kept it there. And I ran hard for 2 minutes, then slowed down so as not to die in front of my 5 year old. Then after another 5 minutes or so, I pumped it up again and did another 2 minutes. I did it 3 times. And it felt great!! Baby steps ya know, but my dream is to one day run. Just run for fun, when it used to be the only way you would see me run is if I missed the ice cream truck. LOL I want to run with my kids, not just walk fast and pant the whole way.

I feel like queen of the world tonight. And the best part is when I started running, I am smiling and just chugging it, and I look over and see my little 5 year old daughter, self proclaimed Mom's coach, giving me a huge bustin grin with 2 thumbs up, just a jumping up and down and cheering. It brought tears to my eyes and still does to think of it.
I can do this.... I can beat this hold weight and food has had over me for so long. I really believe it now.

Long winded... but so great to share!

Oh Crabbycakes, I am so smelling what you are stepping in girl! Hate Aunt Flo, just finished with her, with a 2 lb gain that took me 3 days to get rid of. Gotta love that water weight!

Take a nice hot bath and read something steamy. LOL Feel better!

Beach Bum... Love the willpower dust! I may be calling on you for some of that from time to time!

Good for you Amy!!Hold onto the high. I was virtuous and feel quite superior to DH and DD who are now curled up in the family watching that show from the Devil...American Idol. I do not know how they can stand it. I get so distressed for those people that have no talent. I can't bear it. I feel superior because I got home at 6:30 fed DD, fed DH and I, did an hour on the bike, jumped in the hot tub for 15 minutes with DD, to her dried and hair brushed and braided to avoid hair drama tomorrow and NOW, I'm sittin here with my lusted after glass of wine. I might even have another when the season finale of Real Housewives comes on. But then again...I don't want to cram all of my fun into ONE evening. It is so wrong that I cancelled on a basketball game with a client for this. I'm loving it. I typically love going to pro basketball. We have a fancy schmancy dinner ususally at 5:15 (NO LC EXCUSE BECAUSE I COULD JUST ORDER STEAK AND BROC IF I WANTED), cruise over to the game, get cocktails and have fun. For some reason I just couldn't face the crowds and noise tonight.

Love to all. Swweeeetttttt Drrrreeeaaammmms. (God help me I can hear some poor Bas*&&d on that TV carrying on in mulitiple octaves and he thinks he sounds good). As my granny would say, "God bless him the poor sod."

Living on Diet 7UP and did get some chicken soup down - gosh this is awful. Bad headache with it all & exhaustion to boot.

Slept on & off - not real familiar with actor Heath Ledger - his death all over the news this evening. Remember him in Brokeback Mountain.

I DO have to report for jury duty in the morning - can't find the summons anywhere.

WTG taking a run Amy!

. . . saying a prayer for your friend Pat, beachie - off to bed.

Crumbs, BB - your friend is in my thoughts. All the best to you and her.

(On a more trivial note - parsnips are sort of a cross between a potato and a carrot, is the best way I can describe them. Roasted, they are sweeeet and delicious! ****, just boiled or steamed, they are yummy, but roasting - mmmmm! Like sweet potato, a little, but - not. They have their own subtle parsnipy flavour that makes them be not-sweet-potato. Totally recommend them if you are at all fond of root vegetables.)

Speaking of which, I just made the cauliflower puree thing that Dr A suggests as a mash potato substitute?

Holy COW! Instant comfort food! Awesome! Didn't have any leeks, but I blitzed said cooked cauliflower with about a tablespoon of whipped garlic cream cheese and sprinkled liberally with my garlic/pepper mix from the grinder - and, holy mother of scrumptiousness, that was a very pleasant surprise! I'm seeing shepherd's pie - or at least cottage pie - in my immediate future.

If I can have gravy too, then I'm all set for comfort food, actually.

...meanwhile, though, I could do with some advice. On Friday we're celebrating International Day at my school. This means that lunchtime is going to be a great big International Buffet, with parents providing dishes from their home countries. It's going to be a feast. There will be a plethora of cakes and suchlike, but it's the Indian food I'm already salivating over - we have A LOT of Indian parents, and, God, I do love Indian food. (I mean, I'm British, you know? Our national dish is Chicken Tikka Masala!) Samosas. Paneer. Delicious sweets made from milk and carrots and nuts and honey...gah. I know that this is going to test my resolve. AND of course the parents are all very eager to share the food with you, and one doesn't want to insult them any by refusing! But I'm going to have to, and I'm thinking that if I go with "I'm on a diet - and OMG, that looks unbelievably tempting, and I bet it's absolutely yummy - and if I had just one mouthful I'm sure I'd have to eat a plateful, so I'm going to be good and not have any" or something like that, so that egos remain unbruised and all that.

But...Gosh. Already tempted just THINKING about it.

Any suggestions for how I can bolster my resolve here? Because I don't want to go off-plan, definitely. I want to move into a world where I can actually consider buying something other than flat shoes - where sexy heels become a realistic option, rather than an instrument of unspeakable torture. (I'm 232lb and I have quite small feet. That is one **** of a lot of pressure to exert on a few square inches of foot.)

Amy, that's fantastic! Have you considered doing the Couch-2-5k program? Sounds like you're more than ready for it! (I'd like to do it myself, only...not ready. Even slightly.)

...today I did NOT walk in the flat, drop my bag, get changed and go down to the 6th floor to use the gym. I faffed around. Then 2 hours later I got changed and went down...and found it busy. So I waited outside. And was plagued by mosquitos, flying ants and moths, until I was frantically flapping my arms and jumping and trying to brush crawly things off me - I hate insects, and unfortunately it only took 10 minutes or so of flapping and jumping for me to think "Bugger this!" and come back upstairs.

Bad Fay. No sticker.

However, what this teaches me is: I need to go to the gym STRAIGHT AWAY when I get in. Not fanny around.

AF finally made an appearance today, you know, conveniently one my way to work and of course tonight I am starting my new part time job ohhh JOY! I'm going to be a real peach to be around. Oh well, c'est la vie!

beach bum - Thanks for the dust, I need it! Lucky you not having to deal with AF! Mine just seems to be getting worse every month.\

stayincalm - dropsies huh? I am always clumsy so I don't think I would even notice if I got clumsy around that time. Hope you had a good night with your wine and tv. That sounds soooo nice. Unfortunately for me I have sworn off alcohol until next Tuesday (you know, if I don't die before then). Of course, we're having the bf's kids this weekend so a drink may become imperative!

Amy - good for you on the running! I need to get on that myself. Running gives you such a high.

BAB - oooooh Indian food.. so yummy, BUT step away form the eeeevil! Just keep thinking SEXY SHOES! SEXY SHOES!

Hope everyone has a wonderful, OP day!

...oh, and is it just me or is there just waaaay too much crying on The Biggest Loser, I mean really?

I hear ya about the Biggest Loser, ccakes . . . I dozed in & out of that show last nite - seemed like everytime I focussed somebody else was a'bawlin' on there . . . take yourselves waaaay too seriously, much?

I STILL want to be Jillian when I grow up tho'!

Not sure if I'm peri or post menopausal - just sure that I'm nuts w/o Estroven. I miss Aunt Flo - but only because over my menstruating life - I always got a HUUUGE sense of relief when she came, ya know? With menopause, it's like the week b4 at times, but w/o the dayung relief.

EvAH.

Perpetual.

The International Feast sounds tuff Fay . . . maybe you could sample stuff that looks meat or chees based & just suck the innards out of the carb laden shells?

Or maybe you could just remember the grossed-out sentence I actually just typed about "sucking innards" and completely lose your appetite? LOL!

I do best when I don't think of LC as a "diet" - but just the way it is for me.

I'm still sick as the proverbial dog . . . the vomiting passed yesterday - still have just an awful yucky sick feeling with fever - chills then hot. Eye sockets feel like dry burned out . . . . what? Yuck, I guess. Worrisome headache is gone tho'.

Settled in for jury duty with a Stephen King paperback ("Blaze") . . . took about 2 hours to assemble us b4 the judge came in to tell us that the parties had settled. Closest I've ever come to serving and will be on call til June . . . the judge thanked us all profusely - saying that something about seeing a jury being impaneled is a great impetus for the parties to settle so don't feel like we showed up for no reason etc. I STILL get the night off work which most don't - guess that's why I didn't mind as much as some grumblers there?

Trying to decide whether to work out or continue resting . . . Caught part of the OC Housewives/Wedding . . . if the replay comes on - may do my floor exercises to it . . . *guilty pleasure*

Hi everyone,

Aud, I've had a horrible headache for 2 full days now. I very rarely get a headache. I'm craving water like crazy so that much is good. Tummy upset too. I have diuresed off that 1 lb. gain that I had last week though. I am so miserable that I haven't made it to go get groceries. I'm out of low-carb food, so just trying to be careful and not overeat til I feel better and go shopping. It's 17 degrees here and just stepping out to walk my dogs gives me a horrible brain freeeze and makes my head throb even more. I figure this is a viral illness cause Shelbey had a horrible headache for 3 days last week!

Lacy is home from school and sick at her stomach today. Gosh, I'll be glad when winter is over and this family all gets well.

My son dropped by for a visit last night and to shower and grab clothes to take back to his friends. Come to think of it , I don't think he lives here anymore, he just hasn't told me yet. LOL.

AMY, WTG on the running. I do the same thing, just run for a few min's, then walk, then run again on the treadmill. The better and louder the music, the more pumped I get. So, cute that your DD was cheering you on. LOL, my 15 yr. old DD is quite the opposite, she'll yell from the living room "mom, slow down, you are drowning out the TV".

Crabby, I usually have to take my own trash out and change the litter box, so it doesnt matter if DH is home or not. He's basically a slug when he's home anyways. He will clean the bathrooms if I ask him.

Later today when Lacy gets up, I'm gonna have her post our little video of my grandsons. Everyone be sure to watch it if you get the chance. LOL.

stayincalm, count me in as one hooked on American Idol. I've loved it ever since our friend Carrie Underwood won. She went to school and was a cheerleader with my oldest SD and used to spend the night with us quite often. I also love to see the silly auditiions and see what the judges have to say.

Good morning, It's WI day and I'm down (drum roll!) eleven pounds. I figure if I can average 3-4 pounds week, I can stay on induction forever! the only problem I have is the social stuff. Like when you're with a group (like last Friday!) and they all want to go somewhere that has no LC choices (cheap Mexican with rice and beans on everything!). For 3-4 pounds a week, I can stay home or go and watch everyone drink beer and eat chips. For 1-2 pounds a week, my will power is less powerful. I know, I know, "You didn't gain it all that fast." and "slower losses are healthier" But I also know my limitations. If I can keep a good rate of losing, It'll be much easier to say "Just water for me, please."

Fay, I know the feeling with pot luck's. It's tough to tell people no when they've made their specialities. I'd use the diet thing. Even though we're not on a diet we have a new way of eating, I'd still say "Oh I wish I could but I'm on a very strict diet."

Amy, Running? I've always wanted to be a runner! I wish I could do even 2 mins on a tread mill! I always thought I'd start running as soon as I lost the weight, but now I'm thinking I may be just too old! I'm somewhere between Peri and post menaupausal too. Too bad I can't spell it.
Gotta go get back to work. Hi to everyone else. Lynn

Hi Ladies:)

I have great news about my friend Pat, The operation was successful. Shes coming out of ICU shortly and will be in the cardiac section of the hospital,until she stronger and able to go into a reg room. We[breakfast club]are every happy this morning.Thanks for your prayers gals,there you come though for me again. I really appreciate being with such a loving & caring woman of this thread.Thanks again.

My second news I lost :carrot:1.5-lbs :carrot:this morning at weigh-in Just changed my ticker. Wow this WOE is great I lost 3 lbs in 2 weeks. I think changing my WI day is the main factor. Being on a Sat the weekends just became a big eating party,and now that I changed to to Wednesdays,I tend to eat just a little over,but nothing I can't handle,plus I think watching the BL on Tues motivates me.


ROBINI went to bed last night,after the Biggest Loser and I was don't stairs in 1 hr. Couldn't sleep. I never do that, I'm going back to my reg time for bed.Thanks for the prayers.


SC-For some reason I don't like the taste of wine to drink and its so good for you heart,but I do use it in cooking sauces etc.Never got into Desperate Housewives either,I watch the Biggest Loser instead,as that show is my biggest motivator. Thanks for the prayer,they worked.


AMY-You did fantastic running on your treadmill,plus getting great music on your ipod. Anyway that gets you going with activity is a great job WTG.Any time you need the Dust I will post it for you.


AUD-Thanks for the prayers,there working as I posted above.Hope you got a good night sleep,for jury duty.That happened to me,when I was called for jury duty.I was waiting int he jury room and the girl I became friendly with was picked and I had to go home.How could you doze off on that show,Now I see you exhausted from the jury duty.Wait until next week the show should be better. Don't like all the commercials,as I think they do that on purpose to put them on more so during the W-I.


BaB.Thanks for the good thoughts for me and my friend Pat,and for explaining what kind of veg a parsnip is. I have to buy and cook them up as I like carrots and they would be good together.

CRABBYCAKES-You more that welcome,I send out dust to any one that needs them. I had lots of problems with Aunt Flo. I Finally had to get a hysterectomy because of her. Let say if was a #@&#@ mess.Happy about that part of my life ended. I don't like the black team on the Biggest Losers.I was hoping the yellow team could knock them off but they won immunity, Hope next week they will be eliminated.Yes this season the couples are cry babies but wait until next week when the couples are going to be separated and they one there own. That should be fun.


LILY-Sorry about your DD Lacy got sick, this it the time of the year. My DGC are getting that from school also.Love to watch grandchildren videos,and the kids get a kick out of watching themselves being their selves.


Hugs :) BB