W 208.9 today. (down .6 from yesterday)
I'm really feeling the cravings, but trying to focus on how proud I feel that I've been eating so healthy for almost 4 weeks now.


Trish awesome drop! keep it up!

Jacqui I think that's a great idea. And yum! clementines and blueberries are delicious.

PQ I'm glad they found a better place for your brother! And wow you've had a busy week. Hope you get some time to relax on the weekend and hopefully celebrate a nice whoosh.

Carol Sue I'm sorry to hear about your knee. I hope you feel better soon. Have fun at the casino!

Hi Sum, SMF and Rennie! Hope you have a good weekend!

TGIF! Hope everyone's having a great night :) I'm feeling so up today. Bro LOVES the new rehab. He got there before dinner yesterday and has already had his first meal in eight weeks! It was just pudding but he said it was fantastic. The last I heard, two students were there to take him to check out the NASA-created equipment they had on the premises. He said he may never leave...he said it was the country club of rehabs.

Today's menu....

Break - 2 boiled eggs, ham
Lunch - 2/3 portion of chili spaghetti
Snack - skinny popcorn
Dinner- homemade mariachi chicken pizza, lite beers
Snack later - cranberry water

PrairieQueen, what a different a day makes! Glad to hear that bro is in a much better mood. I remember that pudding was all I was allowed to have the day after my heart surgery. And I hate pudding. The next thing I was allowed to have was clear soup. That was much better.

I had a great time at the casino. I couldn't lose to save my soul. I won something on every machine I played and came home with $700. DH came home with $30. It's usually the other way around.

My knee feels a lot better, even walking around the casino didn't bother it. I put some Biofreeze on it again at bedtime even though it wasn't bothering me. I bought 2 new knee braces to see which one I liked. One at Walmart and one at Target. One was too big and the other was too small. I will take them both back and get a smaller size in the one from Walmart. It was very comfortable. I want one that I can wear when I go somewhere if I need it.

Carol Sue you were so right about the long-term/insurance thing. Something else I learned yesterday was that before the first rehab had received all the insurance confirmation paperwork, my stepdad had to agree legally to take financial responsibility for up to a year if something fell through, got cancelled, not covered before they admitted him.

PrairieQueen, years ago there was a hospital in a nearby town that was notorious for keeping patients much longer than they needed to be hospitalized. It was a private family owned hospital, and word was out to make the trip to a hospital a few miles farther away rather than go there. I had tests done there a couple time because my doctor scheduled them there and they always wanted to admit me, but I always refused. Needless to say, that hospital went bankrupt, and is currently being demolished. They got greedy.

I think your step-dad should wait until the need arises before agreeing to financial responsibility from now on!!

Up stay strong! You're doing such a great job (and how I know sticking to plan is a job).

Carol Sue glad that knee is feeling better. Two friends friend of mine have had replacements. One was a textbook recovery; the other one not so much. its been two years and she still has swelling and pain that comes and goes. Hopefully, you'll never have to have surgery.

Stepdad knew he had insurance and was covered for the new place because he's the one that's been dealing with insurance through all this....they've actually been great. sure his premium was paid and called, etc. to verify. since he's beehospitalized. Anyway, he's out of there :)

Pizza again tonight. I used my leftover yogurt whey for dough liquid and it is the best crust I've made...def going to continue using it.

Break - leftover mariachi chicken pizza, ham
Lunch - salad w/chicken, pineapple
Snack - skinny popcorn
Dinner - sausage/turkey pepperoni pizza, lite beers
Snack - cranberry water

I made some frozen blueberry yogurt but didn't have any.....saving my calories for the pizza :)
Dinner

Oh my goodness, everyone has such great news! How fun it is to come here and see all the happiness! UpandAway lost weight, PrairieQueen's brother is doing wonderfully now and is happy, and Carol Sue couldn't lose at the casino (WOW! I'll say!) and her knee is feeling better! I don't have anything nearly as exciting to report but today was Carb Day so my good news is I've been filling up on my favorites: pumpkin doughnuts and mint chocolate cookies and M&M's, lol! Oh, I'll pay tomorrow. I've had so much! :ink: I was already up today. I was down yesterday morning to 165, but I didn't drink enough water yesterday at all and woke up to 166.5 today. So tomorrow, I'll probably be 168! Oh well, I've had a yummy (in my book) Carb Day, and tomorrow I'll be back to the grind! It will all work out! :yes: I am SO glad you all are doing so well! Makes me happy! :D

Wow, PQ...sounds like The place to be...your bro might be getting some company!

What beautiful, sunny days we've been having, but I've been spending all my time working indoors. It's been a struggle to find time to exercise and I guess I'm stressed 'cause the RA exhaustion is kicking in. Way too many bizarre and extra-stressful dreams keeping me up. And the owls. (lOVe the owls hooHOooo) The owls are real, ha. And too many calories today... pizza at work :( 'cause I forgot my salad. But I did get some exercise in. Overall, too many calories today, for me....well, obviously, I don't know what to say...just checking in...sounds like everyone here is doing well....oh I missed Jac's post...you sound happy, too, and wow! I don't know how you can eat those sweets and still lose. Wish things would work that way for me :(, but the wt is coming off so yay! k i gotta get some sleep now...

Jacqui, the one Carb Day a week has worked so well for you because you are able to do it without falling off the wagon for a week. You've done amazing and have a right to be proud.

I have discovered the glitch in my program. When I first started this current eating plan, I was eating a salad every day, and I've stopped that. Now the weight loss has stopped too, and I am no longer feeling "good" the way I was at first. I don't feel as though I'm filling in with other foods, but I must be. So I guess the key is to have that salad every day. If it works, it works!

I haven't exercised since my knee issue. I usually only exercise M-F so I plan on getting back to it tomorrow, but I'll start out at 20 minutes and go from there. I can always do some weights. Today at Goodwill I bought a new pair of gloves for use with my punching bag. They are well padded and I won't hurt my fingers, they are Everlast, and look like new.

Funny, CarolSue, I've had that same superstition...that I Must have a salad every day in order to lose. 'Cause when I don't have a salad, even if calories are very low, I've noticed I don't lose. Having salads every day means I'm organized, so that prolly contributes. Or extra fiber (prolly not). And it's salad at lunch that does the trick, so it's prolly a signal to my brain. Good thing I like salads!

Carol Sue, SMF I've been loving the salads too this weekend. The fiber is good and I topped mine with leftover mariachi chicken from Friday nights pizza.

Downton Abbey then bed.....work tomorrow :( the weekend goes by so quickly.

Menu...

Break - leftover pizza slice, 2 pieces of bacon
Lunch - salad w/chicken, pineapple
Dinner - beef roast cooked on wine, green beans, mashed taters
Snack - cranberry water

Why do you people eat things that I have to google to know what they are? Mariachi chicken. Mariachi chicken pizza. I found a recipe for Mariachi Chicken which is a filling made from cream cheese and some other things like spices, spread on a pounded chicken breast, then rolled up, rolled in cracker crumbs and baked. I want to try that one. Then I wondered how it could be pizza, and found that that is just chicken with some mexican spices, as a pizza topping. Both sound very tasty to me, but I cannot eat pizza so I can't try that one.

Carol Sue I am such a foodie as are my kids. I'm always trying to recreate something I've had out or seen on telly....it's healthier/less calories when I make it myself. I love pizza and can have an extra piece when I make it.

Today's menu....

Break - egg/bacon wrap
Lunch - chili spaghetti, white grapes
Snack - baby can of v-8 juice
Dinner - walnut chicken/brown rice (it has a sweet chinese sauce made with condensed milk)
Snack - cranberry water

Oddly, I've had the idea that I too lose better when I'm eating salads! :hungry: The thing is, I feel like they make me colder in the wintertime, so I don't eat as many until it starts warming up again. In the colder months I want hot comfort food, unfortunately, lol! :dizzy:

Carol Sue, thanks! Some days it's more of a challenge than others, but so far so good! :D Did you get your exercise in today? How did your knee hold up?

SeeMyFeet, hang in there with the RA! I know it can be really exhausting, and I'm sure the stress of work is just making it worse. Take time for yourself whenever you can! :hug: I don't know how I get by with eating so many sweets and still losing, lol! But then, it's only one day a week, and calorie-wise, it probably doesn't add up to more than a regular day of meals...I'm guessing! :shrug:

PrairieQueen, I have to catch up on Downton Abbey! I've missed the last two Sundays! I've just been exhausted at night and don't even bother turning on the tv. I think I'll try to catch up tonight. :corn:

UpandAway, Trish, Rennie :wave:

DH and I had to leave very early this morning to drive down to the river (farthest Southern Ohio for those not from around here, lol--the Ohio River). We have a house down there, and our renter moved out so we had to go assess the damage. Yikes! So now we have another thing on our plates to do. We have to bring it back up to nice, so we can either rent it or sell it. How can people mess up a nice house in a year's time?! And why do they? Don't they want to live in a nice home? It never fails to amaze and disappoint me--the EXTENSIVE stains on the carpets, the holes in the walls and doors (why?), the layers of dirt in the house and trash in the yard, how completely they mess up the paint jobs, the destruction of appliances (this time we get to replace the stove). We lived there for years and it never looked like that! And the thing is, we always rent to people who seem like nice, normal, decent people and come with references, so I don't get it! It's exhausting. Anyway, we rushed out this morning and I forgot to weigh myself. We ate out for every meal today so I imagine I'll be up on the scale tomorrow. I weighed 167.5 yesterday, so I can't afford to go up too much more or I'll be back in the next decade! :eek:

I dunno, Jac...when you get all the people figured out, let me kn....on second thought, find a way to just fix them! Sounds like they turned the place into a frat house. Ugh! I'm so sorry you have to deal with that. Did they at least leave a renter's deposit you can dip into to help with the repairs n appliances?

hooooowweeee have I been hawngry today! For the first time in weeks n weeks, I had some fruit at lunch, pre-lunch actually. With an extra cup of coffee. Talk about crash and burn! I can tell I'm more sensitive to salt and carbs; though my carbs are not particularly low--80- 140total carbs usually.

Had my salad today. Hoping for a good scale surprise tomorrow.

Hi all you crazy rabbits :carrot: :broc: !

Sounds like everyone is upbeat and keeping on keeping on. Same here.

Today's menu...

Break - egg salad/sausage wrap
Lunch - 1/2 walnut chicken/rice
Dinner - grilled wings, lite beers, three bites of hubs pub fries (so good, but sooo bad)
Snack - cranberry water

Bro update: meals are all plated food (puréed/mashed) but still getting nutrition via tube to gain weight. They're saying home in a couple of weeks :)

SeeMyFeet, yes, we do have a deposit, which they won't be getting back. Unfortunately it's not going to cover it I'm afraid, but at least it helps! :dunno: I hope you get a good number on the scale today! :crossed:

PrairieQueen, that is such great news about your brother! :dance: Did you remember to say rabbit-rabbit-rabbit? I remembered at about 10:50 pm on Feb 1st, lol! Since you're supposed to say it upon waking, I'm going to have to count that as a miss, again! Maybe next month, lol! :dizzy:

I have to get serious about eating salads again. I am relying too much on protein bars and I think it's triggering my hunger. They are too sweet with too many carbs I guess. I don't think it's the fruit that is doing it. I keep forgetting that I have fruit, since I haven't eaten it in so long. Since I bought it, I've only had 3 clementines and today was the first morning I remembered to add blueberries to my yogurt. No, it's the protein bars. I bought them for convenience for when I was on the run, but I've been eating them at home just because they are quick and easy, not to mention they taste like candy bars. That being too lazy to prepare a good meal is taking a toll. I am still up at 167.5 today and since I haven't been eating off-plan foods, I know it's just that I haven't been drinking enough water and I've been eating protein bars as lunch and usually again as a snack. I usually don't eat snacks, but my hunger is triggered and then I'm eating too much for dinner also, because I'm hungry. Yeah, I'm going to have to go back to eating protein bars only in the event I'm out and about, don't have time or opportunity to sit down to eat, and need something to keep my blood sugar from dropping. That's too bad. I really do like that they taste like candy bars, lol! :nono: But ever since I made goal, my weight has been creeping up, so I have to buckle down! :yes:

Hi Carol Sue, Rennie, UpandAway, Trish! :wave:

Week 36: High 168, Low 164
1/17: 167.5
1/18: 166.5
1/19: 168
1/20: 166.5
1/21: 165.5
1/22: 165.5
1/23: 164 Carb Day

Week 37: High 167, Low 165
1/24: 166
1/25: 166
1/26: 166
1/27: 166.5
1/28: 167
1/29: 165
1/30: 166.5 Carb Day

Week 37:
1/31: 167.5
2/1: DNW
2/2: 167
2/3: 167.5
2/4:
2/5:
2/6:
2/7:

Today's Meals:
Breakfast:
2 fried eggs
2 slices of bacon
Fage yogurt with Mio and blueberries :T
Mio water

Lunch:

Snack:

Dinner:

Today's Exercise:

PrairieQueen that's great news, glad to hear :)

Jacqui, 164 YOU ROCK! you'll get back there, this is only a hiccup :hug:

Hi all!

Jacqui I could never eat those bars, because they do same thing to me. T seems they make me hungrier.

Break - egg salad/sausage wrap
Lunch - 1/2 walnut chicken andrown rice
Dinner - beef fajita w/sour cream
Snack - cranberry water

Please, all of you, pray for my 57 year old niece. They have been trying to get in touch with me for 2 weeks but she is the only one who had my phone number. She had a series of heart attacks and is in intensive care on life support. I am heart sick and will probably cry myself to sleep. They were going to do heart surgery but there is too much heart damage. Her brother called me. He is going through cancer treatment and is the one we were all worried about. He is talking about how long her recovery is going to be. I am wondering if she is going to make it, and what condition she will be in if she does, but didn't tell him that. I am just in shock.

Thanks Rennie! :D Glad to see you! :hug:

PrairieQueen, now you tell me, lol! :lol:

Seriously, I feel so much better today! I don't know if my more sensible menu will be reflected on the scale tomorrow morning, but my hunger was back under control today and I'm so much happier! The protein bars are definitely the culprit! :devil: Now if I can just drag myself back to the gym, even though I don't feel like it! That's going to be harder. :yes:

I wonder where the rest of our gang is! :?: I hope everyone is doing well! :grouphug:

Edited to add: Oh Carol Sue, I am so sorry! I will certainly put your niece and nephew in my prayers! :hug:

Oh Carol Sue! That's awful. I know it's the worst feeling. I have hope for your niece. Miracles do happen. I am keeping her and your family in my thoughts and being positive.

Hang in there, Carol Sue....hoping for the best.

Thank you all for the prayers. She needs them. PrairieQueen, I keep thinking of your brother's miracle and hoping for the same for her. Either way, I just don't want her to linger for years in that bed, and she wouldn't want that either. I'm trying not to be negative.

Carol Sue :hug: sending prayers for healing to them both. :hug:

Carol Sue you have to be positive. I never let the negative take over and get in the way of hope. Sending my good vibes to her.

Evening all. Long day today, parent/teacher conferences. At least they provided a great dinner (tasty and healthy).

Menu....

Break - egg salad/sausage/bacon wrap
Lunch - beef fajita
Dinner- 1/2 chicken/bacon wrap w/avocado-lime dressing, corn salsa
Snacks - cranberry water, lite beer

Bro is scheduled to go home Tuesday (11 weeks and one day after being admitted)! He'll still have some home health care, and mom is making arrangements to get him "fitted" for his teeth. He can't wait to have some chicken wings and fried gator tail :)

Got a call this evening that Nancy is improved today. Still on respirator. She forgets to breathe. Thank you for the prayers and well wishes. They are working!!

Originally Posted by PrairieQueen:
Carol Sue you have to be positive. I never let the negative take over and get in the way of hope. Sending my good vibes to her.

LIKE

Carol Sue I am so so sorry about your niece. I will say a prayer for her and your family tonight. I absolutely believe in miracles. My 19 month old son has had medical struggles from birth and would not be here today without the grace of God. I have faith that God is with your niece.

Hi everyone! :wave: It's been a busy busy week. I'm hoping things calm down so I can get caught up with the threads. I hope everyone is doing well! :)

Caro Sue great news! Keeping the positive vibes going no her way.
Rennie, SMF, Jacqui, Up hey there!

Fly by tonight....

Break - McDonalds sausage burrito
Lunch - last beef fajita
Dinner - homemade pizza w/turkey pepperoni and bacon, lite beers

I went to Costco after work today to stock up on chicken, cheese, hot sauce, and cat food. I also bought one if their rotisserie birds to make a buffalo chicken dip tomorrow. Then I have to make our traditional chicken wings for Super Bowl, even though we don't watch it all......Downton comes first. Going to have to get a lot of steps in to counteract all the snack food, so I'm off to the outlets in the morning. I only have two work dresses and one pair of dress pants that fit properly now for work (but two pair of jeans). My medium tops still fit, so not buying any new ones until spring.

Night,
Tamms

Originally Posted by upandaway42:
Carol Sue I am so so sorry about your niece. I will say a prayer for her and your family tonight. I absolutely believe in miracles. My 19 month old son has had medical struggles from birth and would not be here today without the grace of God. I have faith that God is with your niece.

Hi everyone! :wave: It's been a busy busy week. I'm hoping things calm down so I can get caught up with the threads. I hope everyone is doing well! :)

LIKE

upandaway All praises to Him for our children :hug:

PrairieQueen your menu made me hungry ;) have fun at the outlets :)

Little did I know when I woke up this morning that we would be buying a new car. I don't even know how this happened. I blinked and we were driving it home. LOL 2015 Impala. Probably one of the last 2015s around. Now to pay for it.

Oh Carol Sue! That's how it always happens at our house. Enjoy :)

Break - piece of leftover pizza
Lunch - buffalo chicken dip and crackers
Dinner - ham, sprouts, and potato pancake
Snack - going out for drinks and music so I'll put myself down for two (or three) light beers)

Hubs and I went to outlets and I got a few goodies....boots, flats, pants/shirt, dress, two cardigans, pink jeans. I'm not shopping again until spring arrives! Hubs got a hat that makes him look like an old Brit off of Last of the Summer Wine. It actually looks good on him.

Carol Sue, oh I am so glad to hear that your niece has improved! I will continue to pray for her and her brother! Woohoo on the new car! Impalas are SO nice! :yay:

PrairieQueen, how fun to get new clothes! :cp: I'm with you on watching Downton Abbey over the Super Bowl, lol!

Hi Rennie, SeeMyFeet, UpandAway and Trish, :wave:

I seem to be stuck around 167 right now. Oh well! Today is Carb Day and I'm enjoying it! :D On non-Carb Days, though, I'm really going to have to reign it in. Thoughts even fly about cheating on the wrong types of foods but I absolutely will not allow myself to go there. I KNOW the outcome of that! That's what happened to me last time! One cheat for me leads to many cheats for me, and I refuse to open those floodgates. :nono: But I do need to be more careful about how much I'm eating. It didn't help that the last couple of days when I didn't want to rely on protein bars, I ended up having to rely on protein bars. I need another quick, healthy, and less triggering food for when I'm on the run! :yes:

Pink Jeans. Prairie Queen, I want to see a picture of the pink jeans. I have a pair of pink jeans and also purple ones. Both are in my box of too small clothes that I would wear again if I ever get thin enough. Back in the 70s I had a pair of orange hip hugger bell bottoms. LOL I loved them. They disappeared one day. I think I left them in the washing machine in the laundry room at my apartment complex. Whoever found them either kept them or threw them away. I never saw any of my neighbors wearing them.

I never ate protein bars, but I used to buy Fiber One bars. They gave me an excuse to eat something sweet and chocolaty while at the same time feeling that I was eating healthy fiber. Then I quit craving sweets and gave them up.

Nice Pants, Carol Sue! Wowza! Oh no, not Fiber One bars!

Crazy busy with work, feeling HAWNGRY and exhausted, and fighting an RA flare. I've been staying the course, menu-wise, but not getting much real exercise, and not losing. Last week, I reached the point where I just did not know what to do: Exercise more? Rest? After working yesterday, I forced myself to rest, and feel better today.

I've been sticking with my breakfast oatmeal and salad for lunch. I added oranges as a snack for the folic acid and vitC. Total carbs have been less than 150, and calories low. (I won't say how low, Jac!)

Hope you're all doing well...

PrairieQueen yay on the new clothes :) My husband just told me I need to clean out the closet to get rid of all of the clothes I can't wear. If I do that, it will look like I have nothing. :( but I honestly can't wear those clothes they're too big). I just gave my daughter a bunch of wishful thinking tops that I bought year before last :)

Originally Posted by Jacqui_D:
I seem to be stuck around 167 right now. Oh well! Today is Carb Day and I'm enjoying it! :D On non-Carb Days, though, I'm really going to have to reign it in. Thoughts even fly about cheating on the wrong types of foods but I absolutely will not allow myself to go there. I KNOW the outcome of that! That's what happened to me last time! One cheat for me leads to many cheats for me, and I refuse to open those floodgates. :nono: But I do need to be more careful about how much I'm eating. It didn't help that the last couple of days when I didn't want to rely on protein bars, I ended up having to rely on protein bars. I need another quick, healthy, and less triggering food for when I'm on the run! :yes:

Jacqui this is so me!

Carol Sue I think you told me about the fiber one brownies :drool: so so good :)

LOL SeeMyFeet, :) Jacqui will certainly tell you about the low calories, that's a definite :nono: LOL, SeeMyFeet on that link :lol:

I'm doing good for now. Today has been a struggle ... I just want to eat and eat ... calories are good, sodium is off the hook. Trying to get a little more water in before I go to bed :crossed: I ate some asparagus also :)

Rennie I have stacks of clothes on a bed in a spare bedroom. My mom took most of the shorts at Christmas and a winter coat for her visits. Most are three sizes too big, some two sizes, and I still wear the one size too big. I also have a load of stuff in the wardrobe (sweaters, flannel shirts) that I still wear around the house. I'll put them in a stack in the spring :)

I really over did it tonight. We had our traditional wings, fries, and bleu cheese dip for dinner plus a beer and carrot sticks. I don't think my cals are over what I burned, but they're def not at a deficit today!

Break - fried egg and ham
Lunch - buffalo chicken dip and crackers, cran water
Snack - grapes, cran water
Dinner - fried wings, fries, bleu cheese dip, carrots, beer

Edited to add that the morning-after scale reading was pretty ugly. So ugly, that I'm not even going to the "February Weight Loss" thread today. I'm blaming the large portion of homefries and salt and lack of water intake. Lesson learned.