Believe it or not mette, this past weekend was more relaxing and fun then any weekend this whole spring. Sometimes sitting on my butt is overrated. btw - I weighed in at 185.0 this morning, a loss for me of two pounds I think. I guess I just needed to be patient (maybe not eating much this weekend and exercising a lot helped too ).
The garden is a quarter of an acre and growing. My BF keeps buying more seeds! We have about 350 tomato plants (just to give you an idea). My BF cooks and we are going to sell the veggies at a stand on the farm and to local restaurants. We are starting to pick so we'll see how that part goes soon enough. Keep your fingers crossed for us because we have invested a lot of time (and money) into this. I will make the stir fry a goal starting this week. The wheat grass was a fluke (never had it before). I have never seen my BF drink it before, but there it was in my hand when he got back to the farm with my snack/lunch. I don't really know anything about it though - maybe good for cleansing your system someone said. I think he worries that I am in the sun too long without enough fluids and good food. He is always telling me to drink more water while I am out there. It's nice to have someone worry but I get stubborn (no hat, tank top, tanning skin, etc.) and stupid.
I think I hide behind my looks (or lack of). I guess I would hate to think that I may be alone forever because I am not a 'good person'. Are you actively looking to date? What do you think is your biggest obstacle? You are obviously smart and a very nice person - my guess would be that there are a lot of men out there who would want to date you.
Congrats on another pound lost mette! Slow and steady...
I like to read but don't make enough time for it, particularly during the summer when I would rather be outside. I am a big Stephen King fan and read some other self help stuff too.
I guess I should try to get some work done. I am starting a new experiment today so I get to be in the lab and not sitting at a desk. Yeah!
Either of you have plans for after work? Going to exercise?
I'm glad everyone had a good weekend. The kitty is doing fine. Too well, actually. I'm supposed to keep him calm so he doesn't rip out his stitches, which has been impossible. He's more fiesty than he was BEFORE his surgery! I don't know what to do. We locked him in the bathroom last night because he wrestles with the other male orange tabby and I'm scared he'll hurt himself. I'm hoping it just takes a while to get the hormones out of his system and that he'll calm down soon. Sheesh.
Shyangel: I will post what I eat today tonight when I get home. The good news is, I'm considering what I'm doing eating normal, just a lifestyle change. I know there will obviously be times when I eat more, perhaps unhealthy stuff, but I'll deal with those times when they come. A month ago, if you put a doughnut in front of me, I'd eat it. If you put three in front of me, I'd eat three. I really didn't control myself at all, so I guess I've just been using this time to buckle down, be strict, and develop good habits. I keep seeing that it takes 3 weeks to develop a true habit and I'm on my third week now.
Your garden sounds wonderful! Just to have the space to do something like that; that's one of the evils of living in southern CA. Space is so limited, I consider myself lucky to have a balcony! I am thinking about starting an herb garden out there, though, since I've gotten into cooking lately it would be nice to have fresh herbs for recipes. It also sounds like you had a really productive weekend. You fit so much activity into you're day, you're right on track with that. Good for you! i think the stir fry is a good idea, as well as mettes idea for soup. Last week I made a big pot of "cabbage roll" soup. I made so much of it, Mike and I were able to eat it for a few days. It made a really good lunch, and reheated, it tasted almost better than it did the first night. It had cabbage, carrots, canned tomatoes, onion, celery, ground turkey, and lots of spices.
You're right about the body fat testing. I have the scale, and I think it's so darned sensitive to how much water you've had, it can vary widely during the day. I think it might be a good tool just to compare weekly when weighing at the same time each day. I need to get a tape and do my measurements. That's a really good measure, as well as how clothes fit.
I can relate to hiding behind the "fat" and "lack of looks". I think it is so easy to limit yourself and blame it on how you look, or how uncomfortable you would be if you did x, y, or z. I think confronting these defenses we use and why will be the only way we are successful in this effort.
mette: I love to read too, although lately all I've been reading are internet articles and books on weight loss. Here goes the black and white/all or nothing thinking again! lol~ I started "Shogun" after I saw the movie "The Last Samurai". I will make an effort to get back into it this week and let you know how it is. And your point about self-esteem; I think we need to cultivate that independent of our weight. I still am unsure how to do that, but I will make it my persoal goal to work on it.
Got to get ready for work. Have a great day, girls! I'll post again when I get home tonight.
Hi guys – congratulations on loosing 2 pounds, both of you!
Ang – your garden sounds absolutely fabulous! Very nice that you and your BF are doing this together (at least he’s not afraid of making commitments with you, huh?) Good luck on sales and everything – I guess that if you find out that you don’t like your job, you could become a vegetable-farmer fulltime instead??
(And hey – I’m with the BF: you shouldn’t stay in the sun for hours without any protection or water to drink!) It’s nice to be tanned and everything – but sunstroke or burns are not nice. (Don’t you get burned without protection? And that hurts like h***!!! (pardon the French and everything…))
You’re in the lab? What kind of experiments are you running?
Jessica – good to hear the kitty is fine. He’s probably having aftershocks from surgery, if he’s behaving strangely, don’t you think?
And it sounds as if you’re having a really good philosophy when it comes to eating. Remembering that it’s a lifestyle change, that it’s about establishing new habits, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by goofgirl
Last week I made a big pot of "cabbage roll" soup. I made so much of it, Mike and I were able to eat it for a few days. It made a really good lunch, and reheated, it tasted almost better than it did the first night. It had cabbage, carrots, canned tomatoes, onion, celery, ground turkey, and lots of spices.
Mmmmmmm! This sounds really yummy! (And soups are always better the next day!)
Yes, it is easier to hide behind the fat isn’t it? I wouldn’t want to believe that nobody wanted to be with me because I’m not a good person either. And thank you for your kind words Ang, and I certainly would like to think that I probably could find somebody to date if I wanted to. As for now, I’m not looking to date at all – and I’m mostly surrounded by people ten years younger than me (fellow students). And even if some of them are great boys/men/guys, and a few have become very good friends; I’m really not looking to date someone that young. (heh!)
But I’ve been very happy being single for the last years. My life is filled up with friends, study-projects, and other stuff. And that is the truth: my life is good and I like the quiet – I had some turbulent years before I came back to study: with a lot of traveling, living abroad, busy jobs, emotional drama, and lots of stress.
But – like everything else – it doesn’t come down to one simple feeling. In there somewhere is the need to hide, to protect myself from getting hurt again, to not having to do things that scare me – like actually open up again.
In relationships it takes me forever to feel secure and safe, so the idea to go through that whole process of getting together with and getting to know somebody new - is completely daunting right now.
I think I’ll attack one thing at the time! First: loosing the weight, feeling comfortable in my own body again, getting used to having a smaller body again. That's enough for now I think!
Today – since the weather isn’t that good – I’m watching DVD’s and eating fresh strawberries. What are you guys doing?
Hope everyone had a great Monday! Mette, your day sounded wonderful! Did you know that I live in the strawberry capitol of the world? Yup. And lyma beans, too. Yuck! lol~ Work started out better this week, I hope it holds out. Eating was pretty good today, a few too many carbs, but all comlex, whole wheat, etc. Here's my list for today:
Breakfast: ww english muffin and 1 hardboiled egg
Snack: 1 nectarine and 1 protein bar
Lunch: 1 ww tortilla w/ leftover black bean and zucchini cake w/ dollup of nf sour cream and hot sauce
Dinner: 1 bowl of butternut squash and lentil stew (see recipe below, it was wonderful!!)
Snack: 1 sugar-free fudgecicle
Total calories: 1290
How was that? I didn't get my salad for my afternoon snack because it got really busy at work, but I feel really full.
The stupid trainer from my gym didn't call today. I'm getting frustrated with myself because I keep saying I'm going to go, and then really don't make the time to do it. It's hard because I get off work at 6 p.m., come home, rest for a few minutes, start making dinner, next thing I know it's almost 8 p.m. by the time we eat... I'm thinking about trying to get up early and go before work, but I've never been a morning person. As it is, I'm up at 6:30 or so, have my coffee, check my e-mail, shower, dress, etc. at work by 8 a.m. Does it sound like I'm making excuses?? ha ha... I know how much I love to exercise, maybe I just need to finish adjusting to the eating and then move on to figuring out my schedule to work out. When I get discouraged, though, I need to remember what my life was like a month ago and how many changes I've already made. I need to not start being hard on myself. That's when I get tempted to give up. Any suggestions on the exercising thing would be appreciated. Anyway, it's getting late and I'm pooped. I'm posting that recipe for you guys. I have about two lunches worth left for the week, so that's two fewer meals I have to prepare. Yay!
Butternut Squash and Lentil Stew
(The recipe indicates you can serve this over rice or pilaf, but we just had the stew)
Ingredients:
1 can (13 3/4 to 14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
1 medium butternut squash (2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, basil, or parsley leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Directions:
1. In 2-quart saucepan, combine chicken broth and enough water to equal 3 cups. Stir in lentils and bay leaf, heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in butternut squash, chopped sage, salt, and pepper. Cook, covered, 15 minutes or until squash is tender, stirring frequently.
3. Stir lentils with any cooking liquid into squash mixture. Discard bay leaf. Stir in tomatoes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, 1 minute longer.
Each serving: About 255 calories, 12 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate, 5 g total fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 750 mg sodium.
Talk to you soon! I hope you both have great weeks.
Jessica: really? Strawberry capitol of the world? That sounds great - are there any benefits? Fresh strawberries all year?
Your eating yesterday looks very good and OMG: you eat proper, homemade food at lunch! Excellent!!
I'm trying your stew recipe this weekend btw, it looks absolutely delicious!
Are you happy with your calories? Is the 1200-1300 range OK for weekdays when you're working, and doing day to day stuff?
Sorry about the gym - I know it's hard to fit those things in sometimes. Jogging in the morning works for me, but I can see that it's not for everybody.
The strangest thing has happened to me since I lost some weight though: I wake up earlier in the morning - I don't know, it looks as if I don't need as much sleep anymore? Have any of you noticed anything like that?
You definitely must remember and appreciate the changes you've made, Jessica! No thoughts about giving up! You'll figure the exercising part out too - just as you've figured the eating part out!
What if you try to exercise at home for a while? If you have dumbbells and a mat you can do weight lifting at home 3 nights a week for a while? (Try Krista's program for dumbbells - it's very good and very effective! I have muscles in my arms now!! Really!!! ) Other things you can do at home with a mat is yoga and Pilates.
My evening yesterday was really good: the strawberries were sweet and the movie funny! I was watching "Love actually" - and I wanna go to London!!!!!
Have a nice day everybody!
I'm really lucky to live really close to my office, so I just come home everyday and heat up leftovers or prepare something quick for lunch. It's the best and I don't think I could ever commute again. I don't feel like any job is worth losing an hour or more of my life a day driving. In so Cal, it seems like everyone commutes at least 45 minutes one way. Yuck. I don't know if there are any real advantages to living in the "strawberry capitol"... We have lots of great strawberries in late spring, early summer, and working at city hall, someone usually brings a few flats of berries for us to share. We also have a strawberry festival in May, and I've never been! I've heard it's just really crowded, overpriced, etc. I will go someday just to see it for myself.
As far as my calories, according to the Discovery Health website, if I'm not exercising I need about 1100 a day, exercising moderately, 1400, for maximum fat loss. Since my exercising is kind of sporradic, I think 1000-1300 is probably a good place to be. I sit most of the day at work, but do get up and move around, stand at the counter, etc. throughout the day, so I'm not totally sedentary.
As far as exercising at home, I do have a yoga dvd, tai bo videos, a yoga mat, no dumbells. I'm really limited on space and having the kitten around, I'm afraid he would just drive me nuts, but yes, it's a really good suggestion for when I can't get to the gym. I think it's a case of that all or nothing thinking- "if I can't get to the gym, I can't exercise." I know that's a load of sh**! lol~
Congrats, by the way, on losing another pound! I was reading back and realized I'd missed that. You're doing really great. The more I get to know you, the more I admire what you've accomplished!!
Have a great day. Hope shygirl is out there and will give us an update?
I'm here and reading all of your posts I realized I missed so much. I apologize in advance for not commenting on everything. In a way I don't even know where to begin.
jessica, it sounds like you really are getting off to a great start with your cooking. Your food for yesterday sounded seemed good to me. A healthy amount of calories and a good variety of food. Keep up the good work. Thanks for posting your food and recipes. I am hoping that reading what you eat gives me ideas so I will start cooking too. Unfortunately these days I am so busy with the garden and other things that I almost have to force myself to stop and eat. Of course I am hungry so I don't always make the best choices. Yesterday I think I was tired from working out so much over the weekend, but I read it as being hungry and ate when I got home from weeding. I felt REALLY guilty about it later but in the moment I just don't stop and think. I feel like I counteracted all of the good I did by exercising and today I feel like a big uncomfortable blob. Sorry but I just got overwhelmed yesterday with everything. btw - I only tan and don't do it on purpose. I am just stupid and stubborn - the tanning is just a consequence of that.
From what I have heard, body fat testing is best done in the morning and should definitely be done at the same time during the day at each measurement.
The experiment I am doing is looking at people's gait when they approach a hazard. Next time you walk and want to avoid a puddle or something notice how your walking changes, this is what I am measuring. It is interesting but right now there are a lot of things to work out with all of the equipment that we need to use. We are also measuring muscle activity using electromyography so the subjects have a lot of wires on them. We have another pilot subject tomorrow. Today I am supposed to be catching up on the other stuff I need to do for my job - like writing.
mette - I agree with you that dating young men might not be the best idea. It is great that you are happy with your life as a single person. I think one of my stumbling blocks is that I am not so it sabotages some of my efforts to lose weight. I like your approach of tackling one thing at a time. I think I should do that too but don't know which thing to tackle. I guess in a way I have chosen exercise and am leaving the food until later. With the good weather it is easier to improve on the exercise.
Jessica - how about walking in your neighborhood when you can't get to the gym? Could you stop at the gym on your way home? I am not a morning person either and find it almost impossible to workout before work. You could even walk at lunch? Do you live close enough to work to walk home for lunch? Luckily my running club helps get me out a couple of evenings a week. One of these days I will also make time to lift weights. I have a basic bench and dumbells just calling my name. mette, you are lucky that you can get up in the morning and run. I bet it makes you more consistent with your working out.
mette - I don't sleep that much either. I wake up after about 6.5 hours. I'm not saying I get out of bed, but that's a different problem. I like to think that exercising helps increase our energy levels. Eating better may also help with energy. I know that sometimes if I eat 'bad foods' I can feel sluggish. How much sleep are you getting? If you wake up early to run your body may also be getting used to that routine.
Jessica, you are doing awesome. If you ever forget that just let us know and we'll remind you. I really admire your eating habits. Try mette's idea with one thing at a time if you have too. Exercise when you can for now. Maybe try 10 minutes. I play this trick with myself and it works. If you plan on working out for an hour it just may be too daunting right now.
Sorry for being all over the place with this post. I hope you are both having a great day. I can't tell you how thankful I am to have found this site and to have both of you writing here with me.
I joined 3FC yesterday and I felt the same way. I was scared to jump into the current discussions, so I decided to start my own thread and just put myself out there like you did.
Two members responded right away and made me feel so good because they welcomed me with open arms and gave me lots of hope and encouragement. I wanted to respond to let you know that you're not alone, that we're all here to help and support each other and that we're here for you if you need us.
So welcome aboard, and I wish you much success on your journey!
Thank you so much Epiphany. It is definitely easier to battle issues when you have support. Everyone here has been great. Feel free to join in our discussion if you would like. I know there are so many good threads out there. I wish Ihad more time to read them all.
Thank you for inviting me to join your discussion group. Here's a little more about me: I'm a single parent, my son Brian is 14 and just graduated from grammar school last month. I also participate in the thread for dieting with health problems because I have a serious, chronic back condition that I've been dealing with for three years now. I'm single, never been married, but would love to meet a wonderful man that I can have a loving, committed relationship with one day.
For now, my focus is on getting well and being healthy. But I've always got one eye open because it's hard and it's lonely to be sick and alone. But who wants to get involved with someone who is sick AND fat? Most of the women here in Chicago are overweight and are married or in relationships, so being overweight isn't the reason that I'm alone, but love had eluded me for some reason. My last relationship ended two years ago, and I've been by myself since. I'd love to go out, but how can I when I'm in pain all of the time? I'd love to have a date, but no one asks me out. I feel like a whale because everything I put on is too tight or shows my cellulite and stretch marks. I'm sick of support bra's and girdles!
But, in the back of mind, I know that God isn't going to send me my soulmate until I've gotten myself together and I'm finally happy with who I am. Relationships are hard enough as it is without adding baggage. I can't expect a man to love me if I don't love myself, so I'm on a journey of self-discovery and I intend to find out what I want and how to get it. Once I'm secure with who I am and how I look and feel, then love will be welcomed in. Until then, I'm hanging in there and trying not to be depressed about my situation. . . .
Epiphany - are you getting treated for your back? Is it something that will get better? I can't imagine how hard it is to lose weight when you are suffering. Are you able to exercise at all? I understand what you mean about clothes. I feel fatter now than I did a year ago because my clothes are tighter now. At a larger weight I wore baggy stuff but after losing some weight I bought new clothes that 'fit'. After gaining some weight back the new clothes don't really fit, reminding me every minute of the day that I need to lose weight.
I applaud your attitude. When you figure out how to do all of this stuff will you please share with me? I could benefit from figuring out who I am and where I want to be. It's hard to get somewhere when you don't know where you are going. Do you have any short term goals? Do you know what your first step will be now that you have found some support?
Thanks Shygirl. I call this point in my life, "My In Between" because I'm not where I used to be (Thank God!) but I'm not yet where I want to be. There is a book that I bought that totally redefined how I look at myself and relationships, it's called, "In The Meantime" by Iyanla Vanzant.
If you get a chance to get to a bookstore or if you shop online, I HIGHLY recommend this book to you and anyone else out there reading this who wants to change their lives for the better. THe author has several books out there, all of them good too. But I suggest you start with this one. Reading that book was like turning on a light switch in total darkness. She has a way of explaining things so that they make so much sense and you wonder to yourself why you didn't understand it before. If you do get the book, please let me know how you like it. Trust me, it's GOOD!
I am getting treatment for my back, and have been for the last three years. They are still having a hard time treating it because I several things wrong with my back: I have degeneration in the discs in my lower back, I have one disc that's bulging out and pressing on my sciatic nerve, I have arthritis in my lower back and the muscle in my lower back keeps swelling up and getting inflamed. For the last two years I've been going to the hospital for outpatient surgery every few months for a LESI (Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection) which takes all of the pain away for a few months and then I'll have to go back and have the procedure done again. I had a second MRI on July 8 and will be meeting with a new neurosurgeon that I've been referred to, to see what the results of my MRI are and where we will proceed from here. I currently take Vicodin for pain, Ibuprofen 800 for the inflammation and Cyclobenzaprine which is a muscle relaxant and that's all I have for now until they find something better.
I'd like to have artificial disc replacement surgery since it was FINALLY approved by the FDA last year, but my doctor said that he doesn't think that my health insurance will pay for it because the procedure was only approved last year and there are millions of people in the US waiting to have this surgery. I don't care; they ARE going to let me have this surgery and I'm going to fight them every step of the way until they let me have it.
I'm too young to be practically bedridden and in so much pain all of the time, but God is keeping me on my feet and I thank Him everyday that I can walk on my own without crutches, a walker or a wheelchair. In the meantime, I have to deal with it . . .
Ang and Jessica: I’m so thankful to have found this place and you two! You’re really wonderful, nice, smart, funny and supportive girls (or is it women? ).
Jessica – no commute is truly wonderful, I agree. Where I live the campus is in the middle of town, and I walk there in 15 minutes. Very nice.
About exercising at home: do you like your DVDs with yoga and tai bo? I’ve never done exercise by DVD, but I see that a lot of people use them – and find them useful.
And Ang’s idea to walk in the evenings and on your lunch break is also good. You could perhaps break up your exercising in small potions – doing a bit here and a bit there.
Ang – maybe you need to use a couple of minutes out of your busy day to start planning and preparing your eating better? You seem to be busy and stressed and making bad food choices? I also have that thing where I mistake every bodily sensation for hunger – even when I’m tired and need to rest, or thirsty and need to drink – I want to eat. I mistake anything for hunger. It’s like my brain reads the signals wrong – maybe because I’ve eaten as a response to everything and now my brain is conditioned that way?
I hope you find ways to take care of yourself in your busy life when you’re feeling overwhelmed, Ang. And about your job: I love all sorts of experiments, measurements, and trying to figure out how to measure things. Maybe it’s because I’m a bit nerdy, but I think your job sounds very interesting.
I think we’re all starting to realise that the changes we’re making are going to last for a really long time – so there’s no hurry. If you can start with exercising, then that’s wonderful. If Jessica starts with eating well, that’s wonderful too.
I struggled with my motivation to exercise for a long time. This week is still only my fifth where I exercise every day. (But I think it’s really great –before this I didn’t even get through a whole week!)
It will sort itself out. And even if you’re not eating all that well Ang: try logging it just the same! It’s not about having your faults and bad eating exposed – it’s about collecting data on how you do things, so that you can start working on how to change them later.
And yes, it could be that the energy levels are improving with exercising and good eating – I don’t know – but I like to get up early in the morning! I go to bed somewhere between 11 and 12 and have no problems getting up at 6:25 to go jogging. I never used to get out of bed this easily before!
Hi Epiphany1968, and welcome to our little thread! I have actually talked to you before – I was one of the people who answered your post yesterday, and welcomed you to the boards! It’s nice to see you here!
The discussions we’ve been having here have centred on how the three of us are trying to figure out how to eat, exercise, and lose weight. And we’re getting to know each other too – that’s an extra bonus – because they’re really wonderful girls! (or women!)
Like Ang said: you really have an admirable attitude. I look forward to getting to know you better!
And with that – this very long post is done! See you guys tomorrow!
I've really been enjoying our posts as well! It's doing me a world of good as far as my program goes, and it's really nice to have people to talk to who are experiencing the same things I am and who are also trying to better their lives. Thank you for all your encouraging words.
Epiphany: I'm so glad you posted to Ang in our thread. We check in with each other sometimes a couple of times a day, and we've all been helping each other out with many of life's little issues, eating, exercising and beyond! Welcome to this site, it's really been useful for keeping me focused on my weightloss goals. I know a few people who have dealt with back pain, admittedly your situation sounds really severe in comparison. Insurance companies can be SO difficult. Just keep pushing for what you want. I have a feeling eventually they will have to give in. The book you recommended sounds really great. It's funny where we find our inspiration, and what causes the "lightswitch" reaction in realizing we have to live our lives now, not tomorrow, and take care of ourselves.
Ang: You didn't really miss a whole lot! The nice thing about my life is that it's relatively low drama, grumpy people at work and all. The trick for me is to spend my time wisely so that I can do all the good stuff for ME that I need to do. Like mette said, these are changes for a lifetime, so there's no big rush. I will work on restructuring my life one habit at a time. Maybe that's good advice for all of us.
mette: I used to be someone who could sleep until noon, no problem. I'm definitely getting more out of my days, and I have noticed a huge increase in energy since I've changed my eating habits. The most notable would be the fact that I don't feel like I either need to take a nap or have something sugary around 3 p.m. I attribute that primarily to eating breakfast and eating foods that don't throw my blood sugar into a tail spin.
My meal plan today is:
Breakfast: 1 protein shake w/ tbsp. almond butter
Snack: Whole grain oatmeal w/ cinnimon
Lunch: Bowl of leftover lentil and butternut squash soup
Snack: 1 green salad w/ sliced turkey, egg and blue cheese
Dinner: 1 sm steak, steamed cabbage and cauliflower "mock mashed potatoes"
I just finished lunch, so hopefully I'll stick with the rest of the day's food. Hope everyone has a wonderful evening and I'll talk with you all soon!
Hi guys -
Heh. OK. I agree with Jessica: "Women" it is! (much better than "girls"!)
Epiphany1968 - it's like Jessica says: the greatest thing about this place is that it keeps you focused on our weight-loss goals. I have friends in RL that I talk to often and a lot too: but if I spent this much time taking about food, eating, scales, exercising, loosing weight, emotions linked to body/weight/weight-loss with them: they'd start avoiding me or gagging me (I suspect the latter!).
It's so great to have weight-loss-partners here to talk with!
Jessica - what kind of protein shakes are you drinking?
I haven't really looked at how much protein I'm eating, but yesterday I sort of stumbled into a local health food store and I was just browsing (and buying really dark and sugar-free chocolate! It's dark and bitter, and once in a while I get these huge cravings for that kind of chocolate. Normally I eat sweet chocolate (but I always prefer dark), so it's a bit strange). But anyway - I digress: there were shelves full of protein shakes/drinks, and I thought I could try one and see if I liked it, if I could supplement breakfast once in a while, etc. I just have to find out where to start.
And I really like how you eat Jessica: lots of vegetables, good carbs and lean protein. Well done! I want to use more lentils and beans in my cooking - and I'm starting off with your "Butternut squash and Lentil Stew" this weekend.
I guess I just needed to be patient (maybe not eating much this weekend and exercising a lot helped too 
).
As for now, I’m not looking to date at all – and I’m mostly surrounded by people ten years younger than me (fellow students). And even if some of them are great boys/men/guys, and a few have become very good friends; I’m really not looking to date someone that young. (heh!) 
Sorry but I just got overwhelmed yesterday with everything. btw - I only tan and don't do it on purpose. I am just stupid and stubborn - the tanning is just a consequence of that.
