Maintainers Chat: March 3 - 9
 

Good morning! :coffee:

DH's alarm went off an hour early, so here I am, trying to prop my eyes open and get ready for the gym. We're supposed to be above freezing with :sunny: for one day, then back to snow on Wednesday. Maybe I can even open the windows a bit and pretend it's spring?

:coach: Calling all members of the Red Line Club! How's it going? I had a great week exercising but realized that my scale hasn't budged because I keep adding about 500 calories a day (of healthy food!), but still 500 calories will keep me from losing the pounds that I want to. So my goal this week is to keep the calories in check and get the scale moving again.

My gym goal is seven days of cardio and five days of weights. I'm focusing on building upper body strength this month and mastering overhead squats (a totally new exercise for me). It's a fine line between pushing hard on upper body and making sure that I don't damage my repaired shoulder, but I back off as soon as I feel a twinge. And I know what exercises to avoid forever! (evil upright rows :devil: )

What are your goals for the week?

And how are our moms to be? :hug: How many days, Anne? (not that you're counting, of course :lol:)

Stop by and say hi and tell us what's going on in your world. Everyone is welcome and we :love: newbies! :)

Good morning folks.

Good luck with your fitness goals Meg. I have no doubt you'll meet them. They are quite intensive and I envy you. I could surely use to crank that up a bit. I'd love to strengthen my lower body. Those stupid knees of mine hold me back.

Well this red liner is still above her red line. Like I reported in last weeks thread, Friday and Saturday were very good. But, sure enough - I messed up on Sunday. LATE Sunday. Yuck. Nothing awful, but certainly not good enough for weight LOSS. I am trying hard not to dwell, I screwed up and would just like to move on. So moving on I am. Thank goodness for Mondays.

Busy, busy day today. Early appointments and then more work later. Have a great day everyone.

Ok, I'm starting off another week with every intention of keeping up with this thread!! I've been skimming the thread, but I haven't been posting. It's hard to keep up!

Good morning Meg and Robin and all the other maintainers! I'm doing well so far with the pregnancy, feeling better lately, but gaining lots of weight already. I knew I would gain it quickly (I always do anyway, but going from running all the time to the occasional slow walk will make a difference), but I really do need to keep it in check. Haven't been able to yet. I have an OB appointment Thursday, so I will talk to her about my weight, among other things.

Hope everyone has a great Monday!! :)

Morning everyone.

I feel about as sharp as a wet sack of hair. I had major league headaches all weekend due to lack of sleep probably, and they were so bad I ended up on narcotics to deal with them. The last thing I want to do today is go to work, and somehow I need to find a way to manage it. I just feel like I'm starting to break down, physically and mentally. I've now been pregnant almost 44 weeks in the last year, including the ones that didn't end well, and I don't do pregnant well.

So waa, waa, waa, I feel like such a whiner. I'm so ready to start feeling like a person again, and not a walking uterus. I'd kill to go for a run, or lift heavy. Or just have something longer than a 30 second attention span. The spirit is willing, but...

106 more days to my EDD, Meg. That's 99 until my c-section. Double digits.

Anne

Good Morning everyone!

It was a really LONG weekend here. My parents and I drove to Memphis Friday night(With a slight detour and stop for dinner, it was a 7 1/2 hour drive), got up Saturday morning and spent ALL day looking at apartments. We only got to see 2 units! They were both in old restored buildings. One was a 1920s building and I liked it a lot. However, the just had a large studio and a 2 bedroom open. I need a 1 bedroom. I can't so a studio---I can't sleep with my bed out in the open, does that make sense? Like, when I go to bed I shut my bedroom door and closet door.

The second was built in 1939 and it was a one bedroom and it was ok. Nice hardwoord floors and cute kitchen. But very little closet space. And I really don't like that utilities are billed on square footage, not usage. Especially since the heat and range are gas(same in the other one).

So it was a bust. We drove BACK Saturday night(only 6 hours this time) and I still don't have an apartment. I was getting really frustrated. My dad thought those buildings were dumpy and didn't understand why we couldn't find complexes like what I lived in in B'ham. The problem is location: I will be working in downtown Memphis. I could live downtown, but it would be expensive. And while it is convenient to bars and restaurants, I would have to drive a good bit to a grocery store/Walmart. Whenever I apt hunt, proximity to something like Kroger is very important! And parking downtown sucks. I'd pay upwards of 80 a month to park in a deck, and the bf would have to pay everytime he came over.

So I'm focused on Midtown and the apartments there are normally in older, restored buildings. I do like the character of those buildings, but the utility thing gets to me. If the 1920s building had had a 1 bedroom, I probably would have gone with it.

So I started looking at complexes like my dad wanted me in. But those are, at least the ones in "good areas", a good 20+ mile commute into downtown and traffic is horrible.

BUT! I got an email from a leasing consultant at a place I loved online but dismissed because I thought it was out of my price range. It is a brand new(well, 4 years) complex in Midtown and they have a 1 bedroom loft for 775 which includes water and basic cable. All electric, W/D hookups(plus laundry rooms on site), and only 2 miles from work. Seriously. I'm calling the consultant today and basically saying I want it. Problem is, I start the 17th and it won't be ready til the 25th. I'm going to see if it is possible to be ready before hand.

Sorry that was so long!

I'm guilty. I haven't weighed myself, minus the other day on my mom's new scale, since I moved home. But when I did weigh, I was at 115.8 which is fine by me! This weekend was no good food-wise. I'm getting back on track today.

Have a great day everyone!

Good morning maintainers!

Meg, your goals sound great! I can't wait to hear how you do!

Lisa, here's hoping you're able to feel good about your weight. The best I felt during pregnancy was my second, when I worked out almost every day. I listened to my body and did what felt good.

Anne, hope that headache is banished forever! I totally hear you on feeling like you've been pregnant forever. I've haven't been pregnant or nursing for only five months since January of 2001! Oh my word!

DGA, I hope that apartment works out for you! Sounds like the perfect place!

I'm ready for a week of being on plan here. I stepped on the scale today and was at 135. I don't know why. My eating this weekend was very good and I got in all my exercise. I did do a long run yesterday so I might be holding onto some weight to repair from that? Who knows. Anyway, I'm sticking with the plan and will weigh in again on Friday. Hopefully it goes down!

Kara

Well good afternoon everyone. I'm still on sick leave (or should I say 'again'?). I knew something had to give on Fri/Sat, but now it's a given, insomnia has really kicked in. Whee. Gotta 'love' that vicious circle of stress/doesn't sleep because of it/tired/stressed more/doesn't sleep... rinse and repeat. I must've slept like 1 hour the past night. Wonder why I went to bed to start with. And it doesn't even make me sleepy, you'd think I'm a chihuahua on speed. Well, a fat chihuahua. :p At least this midget has done her housework, so it had one positive outcome.

Those little white pills had better work as intended tonight, because the usual chamomile and other stuff sure doesn't anymore.

Hi everyone,

I had a nice weekend. Enjoyed the opera with friends Friday night, but got home really late and my body wouldn't let me sleep in Saturday. I made a birthday cake for a friend's birthday, and I didn't eat half the batter, and had one piece that night at the party, didn't drink, stayed OP with food, and it was not torture to do so. Hooray! Got in a great weights workout Saturday and a nice 20 mile bike ride in the sunshine Sunday.

Saturday was my 3-year maintenance anniversary. Even though I'm 6 pounds above my red line, I'm feeling decent about my body right now. I feel as if I've gotten my food back together in the past few months, cardio is consistent, and I've really been enjoying my new NRLW weight routines. Even in the 1 1/2 weeks since I switched BC, my stomach is already flatter - less water flub there! I feel like I've shed a second skin. I'm reflecting on what I've learned in the last year - but right now, my brain is quite fuzzy, b/c yesterday I came down with a cold that feels like it might be the flu! I tried, I really did, but I'm about to leave work to go home and lie down in bed. All I can come up with for 2007 is that I learned that nuts are not my enemy, and in fact, I can enjoy them, but I'm sure I've had some deeper realizations than that. :dizzy:

Kery, I hope you get some sleep. I can relate to being stressed about not being about to sleep makes it even harder to sleep - and it really stinks. I'm sorry. :hug:

Kara, I'm sure it's temp. water flux. Don't worry about it! Way to stick to plan!

DGAdDawg, sorry your apt. hunting didn't go well. The e-mail you got sounds promising!

Anne, :hug:. We'll be counting down the days with you until you little bundle of joy arrives!

LisaMarie, glad to hear that you are feeling better!

Robin, well, you're right - today is a new day. You can do it! :carrot:

Meg, sound like some good goals! Makes me think about what I need to continue to do to get below my red line. I'm thinking that I need to face the reality: more HIIT is in my future. Good luck with those overhead squats!

Have a great day everyone. I'm going to go home now and let my fuzzy brain sleep... sweet sleep... ;)

Happy to say I am two pounds under goal., maybe I can make maintenance work for me. I am following the advice of those that have maintained a significant amount of time and it works.

Red-liner checking in here . . . I was still at 139.8 on Sunday morning, but this morning I was at 142.4. Fingers crossed that it's all water weight and the fact that my body is still processing last night's dinner. Either way I'm still way over my red line of 135.

Meg - I had to respond to your question last week about New Mexico! I went to Carlsbad Caverns when I was a kid (maybe 6-7 years old). It's really pretty awesome. The funny thing is what I remember most about the trip are the fried chicken restaurant at the very bottom of the caverns, and the fact that the bathrooms down there were also caves! Watching the bats come out at night was pretty amazing too.

Megan - get some sleep and drink some OJ! Hope you feel better.

Anne - :hug: At least you're in the double digits now!

Lisa - glad to hear you're doing well.

Kery - Insomnia sucks. I hope the pills will work for you. My doc recently gave me a prescription to handle the insomnia that was being caused by my other prescription and it's worked really well so far.

Kara - Great job on the birthday cake!

Robin - I messed up Sunday too. It was a planned mess-up, but it was still a mess-up.

DGA - if they can't make the apartment ready earlier, can you maybe stay at a hotel for a few days?

Last night we hosted our dinner meetup group's meeting. It went really well! The recipes were all good. A couple favorites -- both from cooking light -- the lamb and apricot tagine, and the mashed zucchini salad ("ajlouk qura'a"). You can find them on cooking light's website. Funny how my favorites were also the cooking light dishes. In any case I ate a bit too much and drank a couple glasses of wine, so we'll see how the calorie tally comes out. I do think most of my gain this morning is water weight though.

We had a beautiful 60 degree day yesterday! DH and I went for a nice walk. Saturday we went for a hike in a park, but it was much colder that day and we had to be careful because the trails were covered in ice.

I was afraid to take the medicine my doctor gave me to help with the insomnia the Cymbalta was causing, since I feel like I'm taking too many drugs already, but Friday night I think I got a total of about 3 hours of sleep, and Saturday during the day I kept feeling really exhausted, so I took the medicine Saturday night. And amazingly, it worked wonderfully. I think I only woke up once, and I went right back to sleep again for a total of 12 hours sleep. I still need to catch up on some more of last week's missed sleep, but I'm already feeling better.

Hello to everyone, I'll catch up later. Just popping in quickly to let you all know that Fiber One Cereal is on sale this week, 2 boxes for $4.49 at Rite Aid Pharmacies. I don't know if any of you have one in your neighborhood, but I thought it was worth a shot to let you know. That is a GREAT price. So stock up! I walked out with 8 boxes. They wouldn't let me take anymore. But I told them - I'll be back! Lord knows what they must think of me. Especially since I also bought some of their other sale items - Charmin toilet tissue, a 24 pack no less, AND 8 boxes of Kleenex tissues.......... :o

Another red-liner checking in. I was again at 146 this morning, but feel that the number of restroom breaks already done this morning will put me back to 145 by tomorrow. Where does all that liquid come from anyway? I hope to be under 140 by the end of the month. Getting back into running and walking will certainly help.

Here's a note: Use it or lose it. While visiting my parents (ages 84 and 86) it dawned on me that you really have to keep moving or you will lose it. Granted some of it may be arthritis or osteoporosis, but both of them are so limited in their ability to move some body parts--it really made me think that a sedentary lifestyle is just not healthy at all.

Megan -- Oh boy, yes, it stinks. >.< If it wasn't for that, I'd be back to school by now, instead of being both exhausted and yet unable to sleep no matter how hard I try. (Wow, I've juste realized... this means another week spent alone at home and feeling like eating just because. Yuck.)

Jessica -- Thank you. I'm going to head to bed very soon and see if that medicine works well. If I did my research well, it's the French equivalent of Ambien. I have no idea how Ambien works, but I hope it's efficient.

Allison, you just pinpointed one of the big reasons that I'm in the gym every day. As my parents have gotten older, I've noticed that around age 70, older people split into two groups. There are the active seniors who are walking, golfing, working out, traveling, socializing, and enjoying an active life. And then there are the semi-invalids, the ones who are housebound and sedentary and just putting in time until they die.

Heck, I'm seeing it happen to people my age (50s)!! We have friends who can barely walk up stairs, don't travel because it's too hard to get around, are crippled by their weight, and whose social life consists of eating huge portions of unhealthy food at restaurants, then dragging themselves home to park in front of the TV.

One day when I was at the gym, I saw an older woman who reminded me of my grandma. She must have been mid to late 70s, with gray pincurls and that powdery grandma complexion, straight out of Norman Rockwell. And I thought to myself, "Aw, Grandma's at the gym, doing a little walking and maybe some pink dumbbell exercises. How sweet."

Well, Grandma got down on the floor and started pumping out men's pushups and made it to 15!!! :eek: :faint: I stood there with my mouth open and decided then and there that I to be just like her! I want to be a little old lady doing squats and pushups when I'm 90! She's my new hero (and I told her that). :D

You're so right, it's totally use it or lose it. And once lost, it's very, very hard to get back when we're older. I lift weights, but it's not for pretty muscles (well, just a little :o ). It's because I want a body that works the way it's supposed to! When I'm 80, I want to be able to tie my shoes, walk up stairs, stand up from a chair without pushing off, live in my own house, and be independent and active for the rest of my life. Yeah, I have arthritis and other assorted issues, but I'll be in the gym every day until they carry me out of there feet first. :lol:

So I calculated the calories from last night's dinner . . . Assuming my calculations are correct, over the course of Sunday I ate a whopping 2600 calories! :o :o :o The previous six days were 1500 or below, and I'm planning on 1200 today, but still. Talk about a "cheat" meal.

I only had 3-5 days of over 2000 in February. Hopefully I will have fewer in March.

:wave: maintainers!

Count me in on the red line gang. I wanted to be comfortably under 135 by the time I left for my vacation (a week from tomorrow -- eek!) but I guess I didn't want it enough.

The good news is that instead of throwing my hands up in the air and saying, to heck with it, I might as well eat cookies, I *will* eat clean the rest of the week. :club: Even if the scale doesn't budge, I know I'll feel better about taking a break from the gym whilst on vacation.

FYI, I'll be in the middle of nowhere in southeastern Arizona, enjoying some :sunny:, the spring bird migration, and desert wildflowers. No gym access, but plenty of hiking, I'm sure. And, if I carry all 46 pounds of Boy on my back every once in a while, that counts as weight lifting, no?

DGA: Apartment hunting is such a drag from a distance. Hope the Midtown place works out, if only to prevent you from having to make another trek!

Meg: I'm with you. My parents are in the first category -- they're in amazingly good shape for late 70s -- but didn't get there by being sloths. They're constantly diligent about getting exercise, being outdoors, eating right, the works. (Though my mom semi-jokes that at their age, they eat two pieces of birthday cake ... and don't buy green bananas. :dizzy: )

Jessica: not just "hopefully" you will have fewer >2000 calorie days, you *will* have fewer >2000 calorie days! Positive thinking, girl, positive thinking!

Kery: I missed the post describing your current health troubles, but I certainly hope you feel better -- and get some sleep! -- soon. :getwell:

Have a great week, everyone!

Kim

Hi everyone,

Megan, I'm with you. I'm sick. I canceled my afternoon class and have come home to sleep and recuperate. I'm now lying in bed with my laptop. :) The back of my throat feels like someone scoured it with steel wool. Argh. I hate being sick. I pride myself on being healthy and strong, but I feel like I've been out of sorts one way or another for ages now.

Kery, :hug: I'm sorry you're having such a hard time at the moment. I'm thinking of you. Don't let that fat girl get the better of you: she doesn't exist anymore except inside your head.

Allison, Meg and Kim: I see it with my grandparents. My grandpa always was an active guy and he is still active and mobile and playing golf and traveling and taking care of himself perfectly well even though he's in his mid-80s. My step-grandfather is the complete opposite. He's not sick but he barely functions, is very weak, can't do anything for himself, etc, etc. Neither man has ever been overweight, so it's not about diet, but I think it is about activity level and perhaps also about commitment to making the most of one's life?

Anyway, I haven't been on the scale since Friday and I'm nervous about it again. I've been feeling sick all weekend and also craving cigarettes quite alot this weekend. I keep telling myself, 'if food is not the problem, it won't be the solution', but, truth is, when the solution involves happily chain smoking myself to death, the extra food doesn't seem so bad. But then, I don't like my flabby tummy either. <sigh> I've been eating healthily for the most part, but I've also been eating rather constantly. I'll weigh in tomorrow and see where I am with my red line problem....

Count me in on wanting to have an active life as a senior (officially in 2 more years :fr: ) and not like my parents and in-laws were. :)

It's Monday, so I'm busy. We have a management meeting every Monday at 10, and today it went til 12:30, groan, and often we department directors use the time right after to consult on various interdepartment issues. I was starving when I got back to my office, having eaten nothing since 7 except a ff latte. I made chicken soup yesterday, and it was delicious! And knowing it was here waiting made it easy to pass by all the food places. I have another meeting at 3, so I'll be having my yogurt at 4 ish before I head to the gym sometime after I get off at 5 (very ish though) :lol:

I am currently experiencing the 'if you don't use it - you lose it' at this very moment.
Today marks six weeks of complete inactivity (broke my leg six weeks ago)
I went from running/skiing 3-4 X/wk....to veritable couch potato.
I have cellulite on my cellulite - yeesh!
Good news is - my rehab is coming along at a respectable pace. I am walking, wearing BOTH shoes, and driving.
I almost broke into a run this AM, but my leg reminded me that it is not quite ready.
I have left my red line in the dust, so I am with you all in reigning things in and getting back on track.
Motivational boosts are greatly appreciated.
-S

:hug: Kery! I hope you can get everything back in sync this week!

Megan, congrats on your three year maintenance anniversary. I'd be willing to bet you'd be way over 146 if you hadn't made that commitment to be healthier, so keep plugging away at it and keep your head held high. You rock!

Bargoo, you are doing so well! I can't wait to be at 128 (or 126) with you!!! Good choices every day, right?!

Jessica, sounds like there's a mean scale monster running around to all of our houses and setting the poundage up one or two! What's up with that?!

Robin, thanks for the sales notice! I can picture you walking out with armloads of goodies!!!

Allison, thanks for the perspective. You're very right. Stay active, all!!!

Meg, I so want to meet Grandma now! I wonder what she did back in "the day"? I wonder if she was on one of those WWII women's baseball teams or ran college track or something!

Kim, keep up the good work! I'm sure you'll get to 135 soon!!! All that hiking (and yes, carrying children on your back DEFINITELY counts as weights!) will do you good.

Baffled, you're doing so well!! Keep up that attitude. I bet those cravings will get less and less every day! Hope you feel better!

Pat, did you make it through your day?! Man, that's a tight schedule!

S, glad to hear the therapy is going well. Baby steps, OK? You don't want to land yourself back on that couch again!

I did well today. Made brownies for my in-laws and didn't eat any. Not even to make sure they were OK. (Do brownies ever NOT turn out OK?) I actually made my own bean brownies, which I worked down to about 150 calories each, and had one after dinner, so I felt indulged. I'll probably be a bit on the stinky side tonight, but as the other half of my bed is still empty and the baby doesn't care too much (or hasn't told me she does :lol:) I don't feel guilty.

Kara

Good morning maintainers. :) It's still early here, but since I went to bed early yesterday and the medication seemingly worked, it's probably the first time in months or even years that I've slept for... uhm... 10 hours in a row? Phew. :D

Meg -- What you said about the seniors. That's precisely one of the reasons I like being active now, even if I'm not 30 yet: so that I also like being active later on, and do it. I see how my mother is already so very sedentary at 58, and it's too bad (I really don't want to see her walk with a cane in a couple of years, seriously :(). And my grandma (well, she's 84, alright) can barely walk by herself now due to arthritis and not having moved enough, like the doc had told her. This affection is a plague, but inactivity is probably an even worse one...

Pat -- I bet you'll be a very healthy senior. :)

Kim -- Thank you. It's mostly a problem of stress, anxiety and insomnia right now (vicious circle making it impossible to sleep and to recover, so I had to resort to heavier means than chamomile tea :lol). It's crap, but I should've known better and known it'd happen, I suppose, given my crazy life of school and work. Oh well.

Baffled -- Oh that's sweet, "she doesn't exist anymore except in your head". That's true! It's not easy to get rid of her, but it's true nonetheless. (And being physically down always seems to enhance negative thoughts so much, doesn't it?)

Sznn -- I hope all of this will be over soon for you. The body is a wonderful machine in its own ways; it probably can't wait until you can walk normally again. :)

Kara -- This past night already helped a lot. ^_^ And this afternoon, I'll probably start hunting down classes notes. If I wait one more week until I'm back to school, I know I'll be stressed over catching up on everything, so it's not a good idea to let this happen.
And congrats on the brownies! They're not my favourite treats, but I'd be like many pople in that regard: fresh ones would go in my stomach as well just because they're here. :lol: How tasty are the bean brownies, by the way?

Kery, I am so glad to hear that you had a good night's sleep. That is a big thing! Hopefully you will begin to feel better. :hug:

Allison, that line "use it or lose it" really got me to thinking. I see it's got everyone here thinking as well. I so badly want to be one of those active seniors. My parents are not at all. They are so sedentary. My parents are in their late 60's and do so little, it terrifies me. In fact last week my dad, who has been in agony recently, was just diagnosed with terrible arthritis - in his back of all places, I didn't even know it went there. He's in physical therapy now 3X a week and on meds. I hope this helps. I know arthritis has a genetic component, but I can't help but think had he been more active, this could have been way less severe.

Megan, congratulations on your 3 year maintenance anniversary. :carrot:

Okay, Kara, taking advantage of the hubby being away now aren't ya? ;). I'm glad you enjoyed the brownies. I personally could not keep it to one, not right now anyway. That's why I haven't made Meg's muffins just yet. But I'm getting there.

This red liner had a great day yesterday. Oh, it's NOT the weekend. So it's not that big of a deal or a surprise.

Anyway, hello to the rest of the maintaining bunch. Have a great day. :)

:lol: Robin, the threat of gassiness keeps me honest with portion control with these brownies!

Kery, I've been tinkering with this recipe for about six months now and I've finally got it so they taste less like beans and more like chocolate. I'm very proud of myself! They also have no flour in them, which was a personal thing I was shooting for. I have issues with wheat flours causing carb cravings for me. I love to bake and I'm proud of myself for being able to figure this one out!

I'm up to another beautiful day! Well, it's a bit cloudy, but the temperatures are spring-like, so that gives me hope. Nine days until Tom gets home! :woohoo:

Kara

Morning Chicks, quick fly by for me, very busy at work but I am trying to keep up here (it is what keeps me honest and on track!).

I want so much for spring to get here so I can get out moving again. Yes poor excuse I know but I still haven't gotten that gym membership.

Well shucks, work calls already, gotta run!

I want to be an active senior too! One time when DH and I were out for a walk in a park, we were walking around a lake and saw an elderly couple holding hands and walking laps around the lake. We decided we want to be just like them when we're old!

I only have one remaining grandparent, and she is 91 years old and very sedentary. She has really bad arthritis and congestive heart failure. Actually, here is the funny (well, sort of) thing. She had had arthritis for years, and it seemed to be getting worse, such that in the morning she couldn't get out of bed, and she could barely lift her arm. Well, she recently spent a few weeks in a rehab center, and they did some blood tests and sent her to a rheumatologist, and it turns out she has polymyalgia rheumatica but had just figured "it's arthritis" and never gone to a doctor! They put her on prednisone and she is now able to lift her arms all the way above her head. She still can't do much because of the heart failure though.

My other grandmother was relatively active until she hit 88 or so and started having more health problems. One of my grandfathers died when I was very young, and the other I never really knew since he lived on the other side of the country and was in a nursing home starting from when I was about 10 or so. My own parents are trying to be more active though -- at least, my mom is, and she's been working on getting my dad out more. After my mom got diagnosed with type II diabetes, she really made a lifestyle change, lost weight, started walking, and changed her diet. My dad also has type II diabetes, but has little interest in losing weight, changing his diet, or getting exercise (he doesn't need insulin or anything, his is managed essentially by switching from sugar to splenda in his coffee and tea).

DH's grandparents have always been really active. It's only changed recently because his grandfather has Parkinson's disease, and isn't able to really do much anymore. His grandma still goes to water aerobics classes and does yardwork and housework all the time.

Kery - I'm so glad the medicine helped you sleep!!! Aim for 12 hours tonight!

Kara - can you post your recipe for bean brownies somewhere? I'm really curious now! LOL about the scale monster. Today I was down to 141.2. I'm pretty sure it's water weight still and will go down another pound by tomorrow.

Pat - your job sounds really busy! It makes me feel like a slacker for things like checking 3FC while I'm at work. ;)

I hope the sick people feel better soon! There's a bug going around my office too. Hopefully my immune system will fight it off though. Since losing weight and getting active (and eating more fruits and veggies) I barely get sick anymore . . . I used to be sick several times each season.

Totally missed even getting on the computer yesterday so hi all.
Preggo ladies-hang in there. It'll be worth it.
Kery-I really hope you feel better soon.
Jessica-bad for the calorie count but the cooking club sounds so fun.
Megan-congrats on that anniversary
sznn-I hope the rehab goes well

As for use it or lose it, my 80yo dad is proof of that. The man gardens, hunts, fishes, and could work me into the ground. I need to work on that area more. At least my ticker is down 2 more pounds. Yeah!:carrot:

Hi ladies,

I'm still sick this morning, in fact I feel more congested today than I did yesterday, and my throat feels about the same. But I slept in a little bit this morning and I don't have to teach today, so, I can go to the gym and then head over to my office and work in peace for a while.

I must, must, MUST have an on-plan eating day today. You can all call me Fatty McSnackikins and it has to STOP or I'll never see that red line again.

:wave: to everyone.


.

Baff~I'm not feeling all that great myself this morning. I'm getting a sore throat which is getting worse by the minute. I don't want to be sick! I hope you feel better.

I went for my run this morning. I should have gone Saturday, but since I had taken a week off, I eased back by walking 2 miles (fast walk) both Saturday and Sunday mornings. As I left the house this morning, I wondered if I would have the stamina to make my whole 2 mile route. I DID!!! And it felt great! Now I need to sign up for my next 5k (end of March).

Take care everyone and USE IT OR LOSE IT!!!

Allison, great job getting your run in! Hope you feel better soon!

Baffled, healing vibes to you, too!

Joy, you're halfway through your ticker! Woohoo!!!

Jessica, here's the recipe for the bean brownies:

1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
about 1 t vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 c nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup sugar-free caramel syrup (Target brand)
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped fine (I think it would be better with sugar free chocolates, chopped - I'll have to look harder for those next time.)

They took a little over a half hour at 350*.

My goal was flour-free and sugar-free, but you could substitute whatever sweetener you want for the 3/4 cup that's in there. I know some of you don't care for sugar-free sweeteners. I can't remember exactly, but I think they came out to about 142 calories (if cut into nine pieces) each with 4.5 g of fat, 6.5 g of fiber, and 8.5 g of protein per piece.

Kara

Hi :wave:

Speaking of low calorie sweet things, here's a recipe for chocolate cake I got from a friend, with the disclaimer that I haven't tried it yet myself. (We both did WW, hence the points reference) I'm sure the pieces are small, but if you just need a bite of something....

2 C. flour
1 C. sugar (or Splenda if you use it)
1 T. cornstarch
1 T. baking soda
1/4 C. cocoa powder (a Superfood!)
1/2 t. cinnamon
salt
1 20-oz jar unsweetened applesauce
1/2 t. vanilla

Sift the dry ingredients together and mix. Add applesauce and vanilla and mix until just moistened. Bake at 350 in sprayed 9 X 13 pan until a toothpick comes out clean (about 40 minutes in my oven). Cut into 32 pieces (8 by 4).

Each piece is about 40 calories with the sugar, or one point. Even less with Splenda.

Jessica - my job is much much busier since the city's departments got reorganized, and I am now a director with several departments to manage, rather than just the library (which is one of them, and where I still work in the same office). And I do manage to check 3FC on my lunch hour. :)

Well, it warmed up last night and today. It was 40 when I went to bed, but it was horribly windy all night. There is something just so wrong about a weather forecast that includes the words "winds diminishing to 50 mph"

I am hovering right around my own red line but I'm keeping things mostly in check. I have to focus on the positive which is that the last few weeks is the first time in more than a year that I'm floating around 128-130, instead of 130-135.

Went to the gym today :carrot: and thoroughly enjoyed my power yoga. I'm really liking it more and more each week. It's not easy but it makes me feel great and I absolutely feel like it's making me stronger.

Kara/Pat - Thanks for the recipes. I am always looking for a sweet treat and wouldn't mind making my own instead of all the processed junk I tend to gravitate toward. I know low fat doesn't mean healthy! ;)

I actually have the ingredients for Pat's recipe in the house so maybe I'll try it. I'll keep you posted if I do but I'm afraid that if they're actually good, can I not eat too many? I think if I cut them up and put them in the freezer that might help.

baff - I hope you're feeling better soon! Everywhere I go people have been quite sick for most of the winter. I have no idea how I've managed (knock on wood) to avoid it! by the way, there are many days when I call myself Fatty Fatty Fat Fat, so I feel your pain Ms. Fatty McSnackickins.

Can you believe that we're supposed to get another dumping of snow tonight?? Sucks and I've had enough.

:D

ETA -Pat - I took a quick look at the recipe you gave and calculated the calories online. It looked to me like it was about 75 calories a piece (with the sugar). Still good but I'm not sure if I did anything wrong. If anyone else has a recipe calculator and wants to try, let me know. And there's no eggs in the cake...is that weird?

I'm gonna fess up. I was a bit indulgent today. I didn't eat anything off plan; I was just generous with my measuring. Tomorrow I need to get back to level cups instead of heaping ones.

Just had to clear my conscience.

Kara

Kara- Thanks for posting the brownie recipe. I've seen a similar one, but lost it. Have you tried ground oatmeal instead of flour for baking? I can't use wheat, rye or barley and have lots of alternative recipes.

Hope all the sickies are feeling better soon.

Count me in on the staying active to keep moving crew. Although I sure have a lot of exercise induced aches and pains :dizzy: I'm sure I'm fitter and more active at 53 than I was at 40. Healthy food, less of it, and a lot of exercise has made that possible.

I'm hovering a half pound over my red line. Humph. I've been stress eating and I know why these pounds are sticking to me. I know better and am going to have a better week even though the stress is the same or worse. Peanut butter only adds to my stress- it's never solved a single problem that I can remember.

Kery- I'm glad you got some sleep! Since I've been taking cymbalta, I wake more frequently in the very early morning, but I'm usually able to get back to sleep until its cardio time at 5:20 am. Yay for sleep!

Mel

Thanks for the advice, Mel. I actually have a bit of experience in alternative-flour baking as my oldest had many, many food allergies that were diagnosed around ten months of age. Since he was still nursing, I cut all of it out of my diet as well, which meant no wheat, rice, soy, green beans, turnips, grapefruit, vinegar, cinnamon... He's weird. But I did a LOT of oat flour and potato starch baking. I actually found this recipe when I was doing the first phase of the South Beach Diet back in the summer and have been tinkering with it since then to try to come up with something I liked better. It was kind of a challenge for me to stay within those Phase 1 guidelines. We are huge fans of oat flour, though. I use it for pancakes, cakes, quick breads...pretty much everything I'd use regular flour for. My husband won't eat a "regular" carrot cake or oatmeal raisin cookie - has to be my allergy-adapted recipes for those goodies!

I'm off to bed to see if some sleep can tame the devil in my head trying to persuade me to eat all of the chocolate in the house. I wish I could kick that guy out. He's clogging up the works up there! I have better things to think about than chocolate.

Kara

Can oat flour really be subbed 1:1 for all-purpose flour?

This is my new mantra

:D

Hmmm, I've been stress eating for a couple days - nothing awful, just more than I should. The event that was causing the stress - an annual evaluation of my most difficult employee (that I got dumped on me with the city's reorganization). Well, it's over. I feel better, though I know she's feeling like I am a total b**ch. Oh well, it's why I get the big bucks! :rofl: if only..... Suprisingly though, peanut butter never entered the equation for a change. Red wine, now, that's a different story....

Tonight though I made a spinach chickpea pasta recipe that came with my CSA box (which included lovely fresh spinach). It was good, and I ate my measured portion along with 2 oz of salmon. DH drowned his in fresh-grated parmesean, and while it looked good, I didn't indulge. :) This was a non-cream dish, btw, only a little olive oil, some garlic, thyme and lemon juice. Very tasty and light.

Yep. Oats still have the gluten that wheat does so you don't have to add any xanthan gum or anything to it. I think the technical substitution is 7/8 cup of oat flour to a cup of wheat flour, but I sub 1:1 and never have a problem. Don't try to sift the oat flour, though. It's just not worth the trouble. You can also throw rolled oats in a food processor and pulse until they're powdery and that serves the same purpose. Just measure after turning it into flour!

Kara

Pat, do share that recipe, if you get a chance! I love love love spinach and chickpeas!!!

Kara

Hello everyone!

Just call me McSnacky...I keep snacking all day long! Its like, I walk through the kitchen, grab some triscuits. Repeat w/string cheese. Repeat with(this is the bad one) Dark Chocolate Chex Mix. Ugh...I think it is b/c I hang out in the living room all day and it is right next to the kitchen. I'm thinking of shifting to the basement just so I don't walk through it all the time.

Man, I feel LAZY. I've gone to the gym everyday, but thats all I do each day! I'm moving next weekend, but we're buying furniture up there. I don't know what to do with myself.

Have a great day everyone!