Hmm. We generally shop at Safeway (cheaper and they have our stuff, whereas QFC is psycho-organic and basically doesn't have -real- food, and Albertson's is too expensive in general). I'll hafta check out Al's & QFC to see if they have any whole wheat pastas. It'd be better than the semolina penne I regularly get.

Thanks for the tip, partytime!! Also.. *Drool* at your icon. YUM.

Quick peek in: I did ok with the luncheon- I had about a 3"x2"x2" square of baked ziti, and 1 single chicken tenderloin-sized piece of chicken parm that I pulled the breading off. 1 single teeny square of garlic bread, and 3 glasses of water. Not bad at all, considering.

I was back here for about a half hour...and now it's time to leave. LOL. I'll check in later, but wanted to celebrate being as in control as possible given the choices- I am way under, but I am starving- all those empty carbs! Gotta go with a filling dinner tonight- maybe soup & a part of a sandwich....fill up the void

My favorite chickies!

well Stef, I don't know, all I have ever heard about is, the label needs to have the words whole wheat as the first ingredient listed.
but if I can find out more I will tell you..
and you are sure right about the garlic bread with the pasta...

and your very welcome lameducklucy, such a cool user name you have..

Jennifer and friends~ I must leave you girls to do the Challenge alone. Not good news at the eye Dr today and PC time will be limited. Soooooo gotta leave you to it. Thanks for the welcome and the support and I will continue on my plan too. I need to cut time is all. Lots of luck, love and HUGS to all of you and Hope you all have a WONDERFUL EASTER!!!! Take care~ Mel

Hi guys!! I had a good day today. I drank my water, ate my WW points, and moved around outside, but haven't done a formal "workout". I have such cramps!! Goodness, I am so bloated and feel icky! I'm sure tomorrow will feel much better.

Mel - I wish you all the best. I was sorry to hear your appointment was not positive . You take care, chickie!

Jennifer - Way to go at the luncheon. I knew you would do fine!! Hope your afternoon was good!!

Julie - Hope you had a good afternoon too!!!!!!

It seems kinda lonely here on the forums tonight. Probably everybody is exercising !!! Since everyone else is.....I guess I need to get on that bike!!!!

Have a super evening!!!

O.K. -I'm back. I just did 40 minutes on the exercise bike. I am really encouraged. I just feel like crying with joy! That I was able to exercise like that.... well I know I have said this a million times, but this time last year I was barely able to walk!!! I kept thinking as I was riding, that it is such a priviledge to be riding the bike. Not a chore, but a gift. Exercising felt good. It felt good to be in control of something. I am going through a time in my life in which so much feels out of my control, and it feels nice to take charge with something. Because, I do control what goes in my mouth, and I do control my exercising. Sometimes I think external forces really sway my decisions, but I am ultimately in charge of my behavior. Wow...I am really getting deep in thought tonight!!!

I am not sleepy - I'm off to read a bit. Good night!!

Good morning chickies!

Sorry I missed posting yesterday! I was just feeling awful. But I feel much better this morning, however no exercise this morning...another late morning! It's raining here this morning...or at least it was. We are planning an Easter Egg Hunt at my work for the residents today, so looks like it will have to be inside! Oh well! They will enjoy it either way!

Yesterday, No exercise! No excuse, except I felt miserable last night and really didn't feel like exercising. Today I will when I get home...30 min on bike for sure...haven't beenon the bike since Sunday...I'm sure it's missing my butt! LOL!

Food yesterday was ok! Up until lunch I did well...then three choc chip cookies jumped into my mouth...just like that! Well, actually I didn't eat them all at once, but they wanted me to!!
Supper was comfort food: Grilled turkey & Cheese & chicken veggie soup! So not too bad. Not enough water yesterday either! Everything was making me gassy yesterday, including the water, so I drank a glass of 7-UP (diet, of course) last night and that seemed to settle in ok! But I am thirsty this morning!

Today my plan is to stick with my plan! LOL! REally! I need to NOT let myself get hungry so I will plack plenty of snacks to take to work, since we are having lots of chocolate around!

I will post later tonight to let you all know how I did!

You chickies are doing so awesome! Hope Today finds everyone doing as well!

Hugs!

Partytime - at your penguin! I love that!

Mel (if you get to read this) - So sorry about your news , I hope your eyes get the rest (and whatever else) they need. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Jennifer - good going on the lunch

Julie - Glad you're feeling better today... Ignore the chocolate

Lameducklucy - I hope your Dr.'s appointment goes well. You're doing awesome in spite of what you've been going through.

Lisa - WTG on the exercise!

I still haven't gotten on my treadmill yet. I was going to last night, but shopping took a lot longer than I expected. I also ended up with a bag of someone else's groceries - when I got home and unpacked my groceries, I found a bag of (get this!) chocolates and cookies. How cruel is that? Now I need to return them to the store.

I'm not sure yet how exercise is going to go today - I won't have a lot of time for it, unless I decide not to work tomorrow. All the employees have tomorrow off, but of course if I don't come in, I'll be missing another day's pay. Always a trade-off. But otherwise, I know I won't get much exercise all weekend, with my sister's family staying with me.

Well, I hope everyone has a great day and a wonderful Easter weekend!

Good morning. Hope everyone is well. I have been doing my journaling. This is a first for me. So this is actually day 4 of my new and improved diet plan. LOL Seems like I've all ways been on some diet plan. Hope Mel is alright. And thanks about the info on the whole wheat pasta, will look for it. Whole grains are better to help with blood sugar too. I am off meds for two weeks and then I start a clinical trial for Advandian. My sugar was 151 this morning with no diabetic meds since sunday nite.
Love and luck to all. Lady

Good Morning! Just a quick post...wondering if this is a result of the crappy lunch yesterday, or what- scale was up .4 pounds this morning. This is enough to make me nuts. Didn't sleep well last night- hubby was up a lot during the night, I tossed & turned, and somehow, he turned the alarm off on the first rings, so I never heard it. Woke up at 7:15- and I have to leave the house at 7:40- no exercise- barely had time to shower, dress & throw breakfast & lunch in a bag.

I'll pop in later & write...ugh- I need that diet coke in the worst way this morning!

chickies

Hi!

Lucia - Are you singing "Rain rain go away...." ? Actually, sometimes a rainy day is nice for me, because I am forced to address laundry and stuff like that!! Have a great day!

Julie - Hope the hunt is fun. Have a terrific day! Watch out for those jumping cookies, now! If you see anything that looks like it is jumping for your mouth, just run!!!!! Seriously, have a terrific day!

2sw33t- Hi!!! Maybe you could walk for 10 min. in the morning, and 10 min in the evening, since you are pushed for time? Sorry to hear about the grocery mix-up! That is sorta cruel to be stuck with the chocolate bag!! Have a nice day!!

Ladyrose - just think of how much better you are going to feel when you start the new meds. plus doing the new eating!! Good job!! I hope your day is awesome!!

Jennifer - Sorry chickie!! I HATE to start my day out in a rush like that. Go get some diet Coke!!!

Hope you all have a good day, and I'll check back in later!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

235/220.5/215/150ish



Thanks so much for helping me to stay accountable this week, I have actually lost 10.5 pounds since I went to the doc last Tuesday. I have not been able to lose weight or follow any sensible eating plan in quite some time.

YES! LISA GIRL, it does feel good to be in control for a change!!

Jen, Hope your day gets better!

Mel, I am sorry, and wish you the best. My prayers are with you.

Hikein2005 It's raining here too, but much needed. Glad you feel better!

Now all of you who are making excuses or questioning the ability to get the exercise in...HELLOOOOOOO...you are going to have to make time for it and JUST DO IT!!! Some is better than none, and you'd be surprised what just a tiny spark of creativity can do to help you figure it in somehow. If you don't have an hour block of time, do a few minutes here, and a few there. Do floor exercises while watching TV. March in place while doing laundry or dishes. I do a few extra squats while picking up toys, sprint up the stairs into the house several times a day, toe raises while I cook Anything to rev up my heartrate a little and burn extra calories. I have also decided to limit my computer time more, as this is the one downfall I have that can ruin my day if I let it. The less time I sit here, the more time I have to do something else that is more physical. IF i can do this, anyone can! You sometimes just have to think OUTSIDE the box.

So grab some water and get physical!! I'll be watching

Since there are a LOT of names to congratulate, and my hands are sore already... YOU GUYS ROCK!!! !!! WTG for all of you who've overcome the obstacles, lost weight or inches. WAY TO GO!!!!!!

I feel SO GOOD. Yesterday, I didn't think I'd be feeling very awesome, because my bike hath died. It hath gone to bike... um... netherworld, I guess. Maybe bike heaven, since I beat on it so much... it lived such a hard, good life!! Ok, sorry. I am a huge dork.

BUT ANYWAY... before I go off on some stupid path, here... I was upset because I just had the stepper, and I was like, how the heck can I do cardio now?!
And then it occured to me.

I put it down on the lowest resistance level, and went hardcore on that stepper for 25 min. OHHHHH my poor legs!! They are SOOO sore... That's GOOD!! ****, that's better than good. THAT IS RAD!!!!!! (Yes, I am a child of the 80's). hehe.
Then we went on a nice 1.5 mile walk last night with the dog, and we ran for about 1 min of it. Of course, at the end of the running, I could hardly breathe... not a good idea in the middle of spring, Jess. You dork. You have allergies AND athsma? What the **** were you thinking?! But I did awesome anyway.
Then we went and got some movies after the walk, and I was craving the ice cream sooo bad. I asked the hubby to stop at the DQ to get me some ice cream, and he said "No. You didn't go down the aisle in the store, so you don't need it now." Which was true -- I don't need it. I just wanted it. (Jennifer, aren't you proud?!) But that's okay. When we got home, I made a giant bowl of sugar-free jello (to curb those sweet cravings with 5 cal a serving!), and had a little popcorn and a few peanuts while we watched the 3rd Matrix (which is ok, but not as good as I'd hoped).

So overall, I did really well yesterday. Today, I am doing even better.

My meal plan is done, and with everything I've put down, my calories are just over 1015!! Which leaves a lot of room for snacking with veggies inbetween meals, and even enough for some popcorn and jello after dinner -- it'll fill me up, and shut my stomach up, but not pack on the pounds.

Speaking of pounds..... *swears* I hate my stupid scale. First off, the dumb thing always weighs ANYONE 10 lbs more than they are -- I've tested it against doctor's scales, even!! So it's auto set at 290 instead of 0, because it's off 10 lbs, and I'm bad at math. (Yes, that bad at math). So today was technically my weigh in day, but I kinda weighed myself yesterday and Monday, too... so I know what I was. I was at 161 yesterday, and then today, my stupid scale says 190? Yeah. Let me tell you. I totally gained 30 lbs in 18 hours. UH-HUH. And I'm a freaking Mouseketeer!! BAH! So that's a big load of crap that I can't trust at all, anymore. Psh. Stupid thing. I wonder if it had something to do with my TOM stopping and starting at random intervals for the past week? Probably, but I still did not (could not, according to the laws of physics) gain 30 lbs in 18 hours. That's nuts!! My scale is possessed. Bah. I'm gonna throw that stupid thing away, anyway.

Sooo food today, now that I'm done ranting:

B - 2 rice cakes, 1 Nutrigrain bar, a few celery sticks, 1/2 cup sf jello, and 2 cups of coffee w/ ff creamer.
L - 2 rice cakes w/ plain tuna, some pickles (0 cal), and some celery (0 cal). And WATER!!!
D - Mexican food! WOOHOO! Mexican rice, veggie refried beans, taco meat, salad, salsa, and some ff sour cream. Woohoo!! I am definitely looking forward to this. AND I'm scrapping the flour tortilla for the mexican food, which is hard for me to do. Bah. I don't NEED it. I can fill up on the meat (good), the beans (good), and the veggies (GOOD!)

And if I need snacking after dinner, I've got yummy grapes, a bunch of pre-cut veggies, and some popcorn to use, too. I am so proud of myself.

Even without trying, my diet is mostly low-carb anyway. A lot lower carb than it used to be. I used to eat 2 slices of toast & some top ramen or something liket hat, for breakfast. Nothing for lunch, and then pasta of some sort (usually w/o meat) for dinner. I basically lived on starch & that's about it. Blech!! (This was when I was really sick w/ IBS -- not the C kind, unfortunately. I'd have killed to have that!) It was so ahrd to lose weight on that diet. No wonder I rarely lost a lb!

Now... off to do my workout!! Being able to wear my rad size 11 pants in public, here I come!!!!!

I hope you guys are all having an awesome day. It's so beautiful and I hope everyone is having a totally positive, OP day!!

Yay for Lucy and Cindi!!!!!!!!!! I had a big ole post typed up, and I got kicked out of the website!!! We have a virus scan protection thing on our computer, and it kicks me out of everything!! Grrrr.....

Lucy - It's nice to hear you be your energetic self!! I am proud of you!!!

Cindi - Way to go!!! You are on a roll girl!!! Yahoo!!!!