Can't believe its 10 at night and I'm just getting on here. Sounds like the board has been busy. How great. Eating has been pretty good today. DH made a pork tenderloin in our rotisserie for dinner and we just had some cottage cheese with that. Made a simple and yummy dinner. Plus I felt like a queen bee not having to do the clean up and stuff. We might get a little snow tomorrow. But probably just rain. We're hopeing for a white Christmas here.

NurseDee- So glad you're here. And what an inspiration you are. So glad you've got 4 good days in. You can do this. I've let myself slip through the year and am dreading ending it the same as I started out. I refuse to do this another year. So I'm going to lose!!! What I need in my life is some exercise. Or to just get moving. Hope you stay. This is a great bunch of women here.

Solly- We're alone this year. One nice thing is my DS will be home from Iraq next month. I'm so happy for him and his family. I probably won't get to see him for a few months. I heard you might get snow. Hope not allot. Now don't get to busy to enjoy the holidays.

Scrappinhut- Howdy gal. Good to see you posting.

What is WOE?

I have been SO busy forgot to mention that I started going to the gym. I made it 7 days in a row. Doing a minimum of 40 mins. of cardio each time and signed a 1 year gym membership today. Eating is pretty bad with the holidays but if I get the gym routine down pat right now I can fix the eating after the first when things slow down and there is time to plan and I have more control.

NurseDee, If you want cooking ideas, Ellen is the lady for you. She is a wonderful cook and always is cooking for large groups. You inspire me with how prepared you are and getting menues off the recipe boards. Once Christmas is over I am seriously buckeling down and losing this. We will all start posting our meals. It really does help.

Toni, Sometimes being alone is a good thing. We will have 25 this year and half of them little kids. By the time they leave I am ready for them to go. I'm so happy that your son will be home next month. Is that it for him, I hope.

Scrappinhut. Sorry, WOE is Way of Eating. 7 days at the gym is wonderful. The most I could ever do was 5. I will be back there hopefully the week after Christmas faithfully.

Got to get busy on this job. Have a great day

hi everyone,

just wanted to wish everybody a merry christmas and a HEALTHY slimmer new year! things are going to be hectic next week so i am sending my wishes now. this monday we are traveling with our church group to our sister parish in jackson,ky. we are taking gifts amd i am sure lots of treats, guess i will pack my own healthy snacks. visits to this part of appalachia makes you appreciate all the blessings we have here in cincinnati.

my weight is still slowly coming off, i am now a comfortable size 16, (much better than the 22w i was last christmas!) my sugars are coming down slower, will see the doctor after christmas to see if i need to go back on insulin until they are better controlled. as a retired RN i need to stop diagnosing myself.

welcome to the new posters, this plan does work, the support board is a big help, 5 years ago when i lived in florida we even got together for visits!

have presents to wrap, cards to mail and YIKES a few cookies to bake...

chris

DH and I stayed up late last night so we slept late today. So I'm getting a really late start. Haven't eaten yet so don't know how that will be. We're going to put a boneless turkey breast on our rotisserie today for dinner so we'll have lots of healthy meat here. Pair it with a salad and a veggie and we've got it made. I'll have to just do the best I can and hopefully when the holidays is over I'll be ready.

scrappinhut- WOE means way of eating. Like eating the right foods. Doing sugar busters. Good for you going to the gym. That's so great. I'd be glad if I was using my treadmill. Keep up the good work.

Solly- Lets just enjoy the holidays and plan for a good new year start. My gosh 25 people what a joyful Christmas. Looking forward here to a nice day with DH.

happynow- What a wonderful trip you have planned. Enjoy yourself and just do the best you can with eating but don't stress over it. You've done wonderful. Don't work to hard...

Talk about feeling guilty. I'm reading how good ya'll are being and I'm eating chips and salsa for lunch But nothing sweet so far so so good. I wish I could blame it on the holidays but it's plain old eating poorly for no good reason. Christmas dinner shouldn't be too bad because we are having fajitas. I use low carb tortillas instead of the whole wheat because they taste a little better and are lower in calories.

Welcome Nurse Dee. This truly is an awesome way of eating. When I stayed on plan I maintained for 4 years and when I went off it was a slow downward spiral. Initially I lost about 80 pounds. I've gained about half back in the last three years. Not the diets fault. All me. I hope you continue to have much success getting stronger and healthier.

Solly..I don't know if I mentioned why Robert is having surgery. He chopped off the tip of his finger. The infection is getting better and they have him scheduled for Monday. He is getting a skin graph to help the finger from hurting for the rest of his life.

Toni..I'm with you...We WILL do this. ((hugzz)) If I can get the emotional me in check I know the rest will follow.

scrappinhut...keep up the good work.

Happy Now...awesome on the new size. You are doing great.

((Everybody))

God bless,
Crystle

There you are Crystle. We can do this. We've done it before. This coming year is going to be great...

You are so right Toni. Just coming to the board with everyone here encouraged me today. Dinner was wonderful and legal. I made some chicken breast pieces in a tomato sauce with some jalapeno stuffed green olives over whole wheat pasta, a side of cauliflower and a green salad. The boys were a little disappointed that it wasn't chicken tenders but I knew that would mean milk gravy along with the tenders and mashed potatoes. That would be way too many goodies to ignore.

I may not make it to the board Monday but I'm going to try. If I can come daily I know that the accountability as well as the moral support will benefit me and I hope ya'll.

((Everybody))

God bless,
Crystle

Hi, everybody!

I really look forward to making my way to this board, early or late! Today was good - stayed on plan. I haven't touched anything illegal for 5 days now! My blood sugar shows it, too. I'm SO encouraged about this WOE. Now the weekend is coming and I really have to watch out. Saturday is weigh-in day, and I'm not expecting much movement on the scale. I ate so badly right up until Monday, using a LOT of insulin, that I'm sure I packed in a few pounds. So even if I'm up a little I will not let it get me down. I have been so inactive for such a long time (still haven't exercised yet) that I know it will take more time. I'm amazed at my current state of mind and don't know where it came from but I'll take it, thank you very much!!

I wanted to share an UNBELIEVABLE recipe I tried tonight. It sounded no better than "OK" on paper, but let me tell you it was phenomenal. I thought I was eating at Olive Garden! I'll post it in the next message in case someone would like to have it without all of my blabbing...

Tilapia Parmesan

1 lb tilapia fillets (I buy these at Trader Joe's)
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbl butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp mayonnaise
1 tbl fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp celery salt

Cover broiling pan with foil and preheat broiler.

In a small bowl, mix together everything but the fish! Next, arrange fillets in a single layer on the pan and broil a few inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes. Flip the fillets over, and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove from the oven, and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes, or until the topping is browned, and fish flakes easily with a fork.

There is so much more I'd like to say to you all - I like how you all talk with each other and no one feels excluded. I'm afraid I have to log out for the night, but I'll try to write more tomorrow. I'm so inspired by everyone's determination to address the "hard stuff". I had a great 5 days and I know I'll stumble eventually, so while I can I want to encourage everyone who isn't quite hitting the mark and feeling bad about it. For anyone who is struggling, do the best you can and forgive yourself and move on. Just keep coming back. As we all know deep down, this is THE way of life for most of us. Nothing else I know of can produce such results in such a healthy and manageable way. I strongly believe that this is a loving and supportive refuge for us all! Thanks everyone for the terrific welcome.

G'nite!
Dee

Wow are lots of people getting snow. I'm sitting here watching the weather channel. We had our roasted turkey breast with cottage cheese and applesauce for dinner and it was good. But I would much prefer a bone in turkey breast roasted in the oven. This was a three lb. boneless turkey breast we cooked.

NurseDee- Thanks for the recipe. I love new ones. I agree with you this is a way of life and I hate I fight it. Keep strong!

CountryMom-Your chicken sounds so good. I love spicey.... It sure does help coming here.... Guess everyone is busy busy.......

Have a happy day....

Good afternoon. What a blessing to come to the board and see postings on a weekend day. Nurse Dee I will have to try that recipe. I LOVE tilapia. This morning the challenge was not to eat homemade biscuits and sausage gravy with the guys. Instead I made myself a fried egg in a low carb tortilla with onion, jalapeno, tomato and half and avocado. Going the extra mile to make it a meal instead of jut a fried egg was worth it. I didn't feel left out or shorted. My hubby and I talked about how we are worth the extra effort.

Toni...I love turkey breast. We have a couple of whole birds in the freezer that I need to cut up and separate. Do find it more moist with the bone in or just better flavor?

We are heading to the grocery today so that we can get some more veggies. I may get a little fruit but I find I tend to waste it. Maybe now that I'm doing better it won't be so bad.

Nurse Dee...thank you for the encouragement. You have reminded me how much better emotionally things are with the sugar and starches out of my system. And I totally agree with you about the scales, you can't let the fluctuations get you down.

Praying ya'll have a WONDERFUL on plan weekend and if you get off a little just jump back on the wagon.

God bless,
Crystle

Hi ladies,

We had an ice weekend in Nashville. We did the mall for about 6 hours. The wheelchair really helped. I felt odd but it saved my feet and legs. Later, my DD's feet were hurting so I walked and pushed her awhile. I also wore my boot so that helped. Opryland HOtel is so beautiful this time of year. I enjoyed seeing it.


Chris, what a wonderful thing you all are doing. It is always good to see how little others have. Congratulations on being in a 16 this year. Just think what size you may be in by next Christmas.

Toni, I am planning on starting next week instead of the new year. I will be on vacation all week so I plan on getting back in the gym. My eating may not be 100% since we are on vacation and DH likes to eat out. We got a dusting of snow this morning just ont he grass. I am glad we are not up east.

Crystle, good for you passing up those bisquits and gravy. I don't think I could have done that. Theya re my favorite. Yes, you are worth the extra work.

Nurse Dee, congrats on being legal 5 days. I hope you made it through the weekend. That's my hardest part. Stay OP as much as you can b/c once you go off, it is so easy to keep going off.

Funny, I did not want to post today. I am totally bummed out. My hands are totally numb and it is so frustrating. Plus work is horrible. There is one guy (new young guy) that thinks he is the boss and so rude and arrogant. I can't stand him and we had a run in this morning. I have tried everything but I have never worked with anyone like him. It just makes me not want to come to work. But I am glad I did post, you all have given me a boost. You all are so important to me. I have been here for over 5 years and made so many friends. New and old, I look forward to everyone's post.

Got to run, even typing is painful today.