Hey Everyone!

Hee hee. 1200 calories worth of bananas... That would be a lot.

Wow!!! Eleven miles!!!!!!!! Rock on! Ennay that's awesome! Are you by chance training for anything? A half-marathon perhaps? Man I wish I was back in half-marathon shape... Not going to happen any time soon though.

I worked today, and I just can't shake the munchies right now. I don't even know what exactly I'm craving, sugar? Salt? Buttery-goodness? I just don't know... So I'm chewing a piece of gum until I figure it out, or get over the Craving Wave Crest.

I can't believe tomorrow is Sunday! Me and my roommate are having a bunch of friends over for turkey dinner (I won't eat any turkey, as I'm a vegetarian...). It's all of the people who are stuck here studying and can't go home. It'll be fun. My roommate is really excited to try cooking a turkey. I think she's nuts.

IN other news my ribs are feeling better! YAY! It's just a little less painful, but still any improvement is awesome.

You're all welcome for the crab cake recipe. The calories are definitely right, give or take 5 calories per serving (assuming you use mayo that is 50 cal per tbsp); I'm a freak about this stuff (surely I'm not the only one) so I double check every recipe in an Excel spreadsheet. They are definitely hors d'oeuvre sized, though. Probably only a tablespoon or so per crab cake. But that makes them perfect to bring to a party. Also, chop up the peppers and onions as small as you have the patience for; if they are too big, the cakes don't hold together as well.

It doesn't look like I'll make it to church tomorrow, but thanks for the encouragement Clytemnestra. I've lost the urge to go. Now I'm thinking that if I wake up early, I'll get my run out of the way. If not, I'll enjoy a leisurely breakfast and go for a run later. If I go for my run early, then I can have two cups of coffee with breakfast --you'd be surprised how motivational that is. But I got up early today and went swimming, so I'm not going to force myself to get up early tomorrow. If it happens, it happens.

I'm supposed to be getting the melon and pepper seeds started tomorrow as well, but my heart really just isn't in it. But if I don't get them started soon, we'll be behind on the summer veggie garden. The nursery already has all it's veggie plants out, so we're actually already behind.

Ennay, 11 miles is awesome! You go girl! That calls for a broccoli and a bunny!

Yuppiegirl, Mmmm, banana bread! It sounds like you did great at the party and like it was a lot of fun.

Susan, was that 6:15 AM that they called??!! That is woeful indeed. I go a little nutso if the phone rings before 11:00 AM (but then I have weird phone issues).

LOL: A 1200 calorie banana would be a BIG banana! I'm just imaging the banana bread you could make with that thing.

Has anyone been given Easter chocolate by loved ones? I'm going to try to give the rest of it I get today to the food bank. Couldn't keep my mitts off the Belgian chocolate bunny my sweetie gave me last night. Will lock everything I get from his sister (visiting today) in trunk of car until I can get to food bank on Tuesday.
Mudpie

Yeah, I have a half-marathon coming up on mother's day weekend, then another one in June (which I have GOT to register for before it fills) and then Hood-to-Coast Relay in August and hopefully Portland Marathon in October. That's the plan anyway!

But my overall "life long plan" is to stay in half-marathon shape. Just always be at that 10-14 mile level. It was AMAZING how much better I skied this year even though I hadnt been skiing in over 2 years, just because I was in that kind of shape.

Cat- glad your ribs are better, I had a dislocated rib once...owwwweee

I have to go back and copy down that crabcake recipe, I love crabcakes. I might try making slightly larger one for an elegant dinner sometime.

No, but I am a compulsive "buy treats for OTHER people" person, so I got both dd and dh a dark chocolate bunny.

I'm also like Yuppie, I like to bake cookies and other really rich stuff to take to parties and stuff. I really LOVE baking and never get to do it because I dont want to eat it.

So; here's a random question. I've started doing table like charts again to track weight and other things as well (activity, fiber/protien, water, alcohol and feelings as well as calories) and I wish I could put at least the weight numbers on a graph.

Anyone know of a program that does that? I have a MAC and have xcel and powerprount and microsoft office - I just can't seem to figure out where to find such a thing!

I'm looking forward to easter dinner today at 2 - have to get in the shower. Spent this morning baking chocolate rum pound cake, 80 calorie rolls, and a mostaccioli spinach pasta bake - all from cooking light - to bring this afternoon.

Probably I'm looking forward to it b/c I had a very small breakfast, and am drinking water between now and then it'll basically be my only "meal" of the day and it is actually going to be ON PLAN!!!!! EEEEEEE I'm so excited

Off to beautify myself... I'm excited to see what my weight does this coming week, since I've added basically six -seven hours of aerobic activity to my life this week ... it should be a good week!

Yuppie - you can make charts in excel.

Fitday - at least the downloaded version - you can track most of that stuff and it will chart it for you.

dd is so funny, I put dove chocolates in some of those little plastic eggs and when she would open them she would hand them to me to put in the cupboard where I keep treats. She was thrilled the easter bunny brought them, but just assumed they had to be put away!

That is so cute; you've trained her well!

I've been doing this long enough that my SO knows not to buy me food as treats. There was a fiasco with a Hickory Farms gift pack two Christmases ago and he hasn't bought me any food since then. I do often buy food treats for him though. In fact, sometimes I buy him stuff I'd like to eat myself. It's like I'm eating vicariously through him.

Cats, I'm glad your ribs are starting to improve. That must be a huge relief!

Happy Easter everyone.

Barbara-that is so funny. I also buy food gifts for people (or bring to potlucks) that I'd like to eat myself. Then I just don't eat them

I got home from work at 11:30 am and took a 1 1/2 hour nap. We are just getting ready to eat then I'll go back to sleep later tonight for work.

Hope everyone has a great day. Jane

My boyfriend did buy me treats - but bless his heart one of them was a hershey's hundred calorie pack. It was so cute how he presented it though. Now, would I have liked a gift certificate for a pedicure or something instead of that candy? You bet. I'm going to find a way to give away the candy. It honestly doesn't tempt me at all. I may keep the 100 cal packs around though.

So; the big meal is over. The only good news about the big meal today is that I didn't eat breakfast, dinner, or snacks, only that meal. The bad news is that that meal was literally my calorie alottment for the DAY. I did eat a bunch of salad, and had my cooking light recipes - I figure the following:

2 rolls - 200
pasta bake - 400
cake - 400
asparagus - 300 (had sauce on there)
3 glasses wine - 400
a coconut thingy - 300

Get the picture? I am guessing at 2000 for that ONE meal. UGH. At least I was planning on having today be an off plan day and have been doing really well generally speaking otherwise.

It was a SUPER fun easter - us and three other couples, and we played trivial pursuit after dinner, which was awesome, and hilarious as people were getting drunk from all the wine - my BF included, since he gave up beer for lent, he was drunk about 3 beers in haha.

The plan for tomorrow:
water aerobics in the morning (since I can't make my night class)
on plan for breakfast and lunch as well as snack - but lower calories throughout the day since another couple is having us for dinner. I need to save 1/2 my daily calories for that meal if I'm going to stay OP for tomorrow.
That, and the exercise will keep me OP.

*PS - the cake and the pasta from cooking light were HUGE hits - no leftovers of either of them - I told the boys AFTER they were raving about them both that they were really diet friendly hehe

Hi all,

Thank you for your good wishes. I weighed myself again yesterday, and am still at 140lb (ie, 6 lb down from the start of Lent), which is fine. I've decided to continue with the Weightwatchers-type eating (lots of veg, no desserts, no snacking) and have wine one night a week - maybe make it a DVD night, or a date night with DH. Also, increase the exercise - increase the walking but also start strength training.

BlueToBlue - I don't think you were the only one who "lost the urge" to go to church yesterday - it was very quiet at ours for Easter! Must have had something to do with the gorgeous weather!

So funny about the baking for others. When ever I make a cake now, someone (kids or DH) turns up at the kitchen door and asks plaintively "Who is that cake for?" Makes me feel so guilty!!!

Have a great day, all!

Oh my dears! My internet was down! I have so much catching up to do.

Hi all:

Got on the scale this morning after my bad eating weekend (see confessions for details)! 150.2! I'm refusing to move my ticker, claiming water bloat! Is it really possible to gain 4 lbs in 3 days? I think I have some serious water retention issues going on here.

micheline~most of it HAS to be water!!! I'm kind of in the same boat. I was 138 for 2 days so I changed my ticker. This morning, I came in at 139.5 Ugh.

michelin: It's mostly water . I'd bet money on it. After I've had a bad eating night - even just a couple glasses of wine - the next day my weight can be up by as much as five pounds! But the day after that, it goes back to whatever I though tit was - usually within 1/10th of a pound. Hang in there, have an OP day, and see what the scale says tomorrow

I'm a full pound down from where my home scale said I was at yesterday! I just weighed, so that isn't even my "morning" weight, which is always my lightest. The great news is that I k now today's weight is a bloated weight, after the sugar and wine yesterday. I'm excited to see what my home scale says tomorrow - and that will keep me eating reasonable portions tonight at dinner as well.

I don't use my home weight for my ticker weight - b/c it's always a good five pounds over what better scales (at the Y & at my doctor - and recently even at my BF's home) say. I get about 148 at home, and between 143-144 on all the other scales (later in the day - and when I'm clothed). It could also be that my only hard surfaces at home are ceramic tile, which isn't even/level so that could be making the difference. I still track my home weight on my chart though.

I go back to the doctor on April 25th, my new goal is to be 140 or break 140 on that scale by then. I know I can do it!!

My question shouldn't have been about charting - it should have been about graphing. I literally want to make a little line graph so I can watch the line go down even slightly. I may have to make it by hand, I can't seem to find a place to graph. I use word to make my charts. It's super OCD of me, I know.

Back to my OP day! YAY!

My new wine/alcohol plan is for weekends only. I'm finding I'm using too many calories there, as I track it

I am back to 148 today...so I probably did really gain a lb from all the bad eating! I am keeping my ticker as motivation to get back down to 147 though