Good Morning everyone!

Just a few minutes to keep in touch here... South Beach Diet, Sandy, is the diet where you cut out alot of carbs for the first two weeks and then slowly begin adding whole grains and complex carbs back into your diet. It is also low saturated fat--but allows things like olive oil and low fat dairy. It does make alot of nutritional sense--but does not allow table sugar. That is where I seem to have a problem. Splenda does make it somewhat easier though.

Today is my weigh in day...but to be honest, I am afraid to get on the scale! I haven't been walking much this week--weather has been cold and rainy and my friend's dog had surgery this past weekend, so she hasn't been able to go. Poor thing has got drainage tubes in until Sat., and they have to keep an eye on her--and she can't go for walks with us. She is a beautiful pure bred golden retriever (or as my youngest calls her--a golden achiever!) And, I haven't been motivated enough to hop on the treadmill. I also have TOM. Bad this month--heavy, crampy, and bloated. So, maybe I will just be good all week and weigh next Thursday.

On the issue of holidays...I think if we just keep reminding each other how important it is to eat well and exercise--yet if we slip up, not to punish ourselves--just go on--it will help. So, all confessions can be made here. Purge ourselves of the guilt, and move on. Also, maybe planning to cheat would help. Like say, " tomorrow at Thanksgiving dinner, I will have a small portion of mashed potatoes and a small piece of pie--but no other cheats." Sometimes that works for me. I say to myself, "hey you could be having nothing right now." And, lets not forget about all those in this world that are less fortunate then us, then try not to make gluttons out of ourselves by overeatting. And finally, when we are not really hungry--don't eat or when we are full--stop and realize it is ok to say "no thank you" It may seem like we are being rude, but in the longrun we are being kind to ourselves and our bodies and the hostess will get over it. Ok--enough said here.

Well, everybody have a healthy day and don't forget to do one nice thing for yourself today! Renee

I agree Renee. We have to keep on reminding each other. This is one time of year that I really dislike. Things get so stressful for me and I tend to want to eat when I get really stressed. I have been pretty good about that lately but time will be the teller.

I don't know about everyone else but life has been pretty hetic here lately. Work is about all I get to do anymore. Talk about needing a vacation. Could really use one. I guess that I am getting one in a manner of speaking. Corey has to stay with my mom til Sunday, due to my work schedule and I can actually sleep in on Friday morning. Look out world!

Bed is calling and I must listen to it.

Catch everyone later

sandy

Hi Girls!

Sandy, I'm a stress eater too. Boredom eater. Celebrating eater....I don't have to be hungry to eat. Christmas time is the worse time for me. I get stressed over trying to buy all that needs to be bought and all of the places that we have to go. I am so relieved when it's Christmas morning, everything is bought and it's time for just Gary, Jordan and myself to enjoy.

I'm planning on what I will do Thanksgiving. I think I will miss the chicken a dumplings alot so I'm preparing things to take that I can have. A veggie tray, slaw, and a sugar free banana pudding. I think if I have turkey, veggies, green beans, slaw...those types of things then I will allow myself to have a small spoon full of dumplings and a half cup of pudding. There are alot of things served that I don't like, dressing, sweet potatoes and so on so I think I will be fine.

Everyone ready for Halloween? Are your children trick or treating? Jordan has gotten out of it and we live in the country so we get 4 or 5 trick or treaters and that's about it. I'm going to buy a small bag of candy, make individual bags and be done with it. This way I wont have alot here to tempt me

Have to go to the grocery today and wal mart, an every Friday thing. Sure would like to have that money in my pocket!! I have a scrapbooking class tonight. It will be lots of fun.

Hope you girls have a great weekend!

Hi gals!

I am so with all of you about the holidays inducing mega stress! I always seem to set unrealistic goals for myself and then procrastinate! A sure recipe for overeatting!! I am also, I hate to admit it, a bit of a scrooge. All I can think about when decorating is how much work it is going to be to take it all down! I didn't used to be that way, but keeping up this 3,00 square foot house can be a chore and it makes it even harder adding stuff on. Heck, I am lucky if I can keep up with all the toothpaste the kids seem to get everywhere (behind the door???on the ceiling???) in their bathroom upstairs. I am not balking about all the room we have, just being the only person who cleans it!!

And then there is the stress of making sure we devote equal time to both DH's family and mine! It is just endless...

We live in a development with lots of kids, so Halloween is busy. Last year, I actually ran out of candy. This year, I bought 5 bags--but like you Sharla, hope there isn't any left. Oh, and I hope that I can keep my grubby paws out of the kid's loot. They always get so much--as the homes are fairly close (each lot is about a 1/3 to 1/2 of an acre). Jacob has finally decided to be a CSI, so I have to get his costume together this week.

Sharla, sounds like you have a great plan for Thanksgiving. Honestly, that is half the battle. Never go into battle without a plan! My hardest thing is going to be staying away from the dessert table. I usually make an aray of cookies and pies. My family has come to expect it. My brother will probably come home from New Jersey--so I try to make the meal special for him. Although he probably cares more about the company, than the food. If I do Thanksgiving--i will keep that in mind.

Sandy, hope you are enjoying those few extra minutes snoozing this morning. Soccer season is finally over and this Saturday will be free! We are going to a clambake though. I am planning on cheating just a little. Atleast clams are OP! I love shellfish!

Kevin, where are you?? Missing you bunches and hope things are going well. Hope you log on soon!

have a great day gals! For dinner, I am planning on serving the homemade tomato sauce I cooked from the tomatoes in the garden. My first attempt at it. Since I can't have pasta like the rest of my family, I need to get to the store and buy some eggplant and zucchini to grill and serve with it. The sauce came out pretty good--but spicy. I went a little overboard on the red pepper flakes!

Renee

Good morning all!

Sharla, sounds as if you have got yourself a plan for turkey day. I have to work and I will probally end up at my mothers house! Oh what fun that will be. People tell you to eat this and that. Which this year I have no intention of doing. I am however going to allow myself one slice of pumpkin pie. Sharla when you make the bananna pudding do make the kind that has creme cheese and cool whip in it? Don't know if you do but I do and from experience I have found that the ff creme cheese isn't good for it the 1/3 less fat works better, but using the rest of the indegrents ff, sf works good. As for trick or treat Corey says that he isn't going to go but I am hoping that he changes his mind. He is only 7 and this is suppose to be a fun thing for them to do. As for candy I am not going to be home to give out any so I don't buy. No temptations here!

Gotta get moving time to shower, get in my ab workout, and get ready for my busy weekend. What a life, where else can we work ourselves to death and get nothing accomplished. I guess that the weekends are getting to me where I have to work both jobs during them. Everyone have a great day.

sandy

Hiiiiiiiii Sandy, Renee, and Sharla!

Wow, I sure have missed alot! My days have been dwindled to nothing. Work has got to slow down some so that I can have some resemblence of a life again lol. And it doesnt help with the fact that Hubby is home 3 days out of the week, ALL DAY, and does nothing. So when I come home I have laundry, cooking, ect, yall know the routine. I make sure MY walking time is still available, even if it is in the dark. Im down this week to 168. I think I weighed that 15 years ago, in my 5th month of pregnancy with son #1, lol. 3 days this week I managed to jog 3 miles each time. The young woman I walk with occassionally, was astounded that I could do it. My son told me last night that my legs sure were skinny now. I asked him what about all of me. He said he wasnt looking at the whole picture, just my legs. LOL. Gotta love em!

Ahhh, the Holidays. I love em (at my house). Im a very pickey eater, (Renee ) so all I usually eat is the turkey and dressing and veggies. If the dressing has celery in it, then I just do turkey and veggies lol. Celery, YUCK. The only prob I have with Holidays, is my Hubbys family. For 16 years, I have dreaded going to his family for Thanksgiving/Christmas. He has 2 cousins, who in turn, have 2 HORRIBLE wives. You know, size 3, blonde, Gucci wearers. And they have always looked down at me. I have heard them whispering in the dining room many times, about my weight, hair, makeup, etc. Never mind the fact that they have both, surgically modified their bodies, have had affairs, have had addictions (alcohol/prescrip drugs), but Im the one who is pitiful. Sigh. . I usually sit outside in the garden and do nothing. And pray for hubby to come and rescue me and take me home!

Halloween. Im sorry to say, we dont do Halloween. Our small town is not a very good place for it. Mostly older people, not many children, young enough, to enjoy. The houses are decorated, but no candy is given out. Most of the people here, have parties and invite everyone. The kids still get to dress, along with the adults, and they have a blast. You just hop from one to the other. Its nice.

Sandy, what is the recipe for banana pudding using creme cheese??? I would like to try that one.

Ive rambled on enough. Everyone have a wonderful weekend. Take care and Ill try to check in again later.

Hi ladies!!!

Kevin, you are doing so good!!!!! I'm so glad you are getting skinny legs!! My dream!!!! I have the hugest thighs...let's not talk about that anymore!!! As for the 2 horrible wives, I have some people like that in my family and I guess it must be hard for them to be so perfect.....yeah right!!! I just use my big butt to root them right out of the way!!!

Sandy, I don't use that recipe but it sounds real good and creamy if it has cream cheese. my recipe is just sugar free vanilla pudding, fat free cool whip and bananas. Can you pass the recipe on please?!

Girls, I'm not too worried about Thanksgiving but Christmas will be a killer. Ever since I got married and had Jordan it has been my tradition to make Christmas cookies, fudge, peanut butter balls, mashed potato candy, the whole nine yards. The family has come to expect this along with the guys Gary works with and the school bus driver!!! I don't want to stop doing it so I better start working on a plan now!!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

Good Evening!

Mashed potato candy??????? Fill me in with more details on that one please. Ive never heard of that.

I dont bake many sweets or cakes. I will for Christmas, but its usually only hubby and the kids some sugar cookies. They usually have them eaten before I can get them all cooked. So I never get a chance to have one. One of my coworkers, Ms. Charlene, now she cooks sweets EVERY DAY! She brings in something different each day with her lunch. She eats more dessert than she does lunch lol. She will be the first to say, she loves her sweets.

Well, just wanted to check in and see how everyone was doing. Take care all and Ill check in again tomorrow! Night.

Just checking in real quick and Kevin! Wow! that is about all I can say...you are doing so well!! I cannot wait till I see 160 something on that dreaded scale!! You continue to be an awesome inspiration! Way to go!

Hope to check in sometime tomorrow. Take care everybody!

Good Morning!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

It's cold here this morning! I had to turn the heat on for a bit.

Kevin, mashed potato candy is soooo good! You mash up a potato with a fork and add powdered sugar. It gets like dough and you roll it out, let it dry, spread peanut butter all over it, roll it up and slice it.

We went to Sam's club yesterday and I bought dressing, nuts and laundry detergent and so on. I like to go there and bulk. Grocery shopping is not my favorite thing to do!!

Have to go to the jewelers today to orer Jordan's Jr. High ring. I had not herard of such a thing. When I was in school you didn't get a ring until high school. The things they come up with to get our money!

Have a great day

THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
I WILL FOLLOW MY CALORIE LIMIT TODAY OF 1200
I WILL NOT EAT ANYTHING WITH SUGAR ADDED OR FLOUR
I WILL EXERCISE 30 MINUTES TODAY
I WILL TAKE MY MULTIVITAMIN,CALCIUM,B12 AND ALL FIBER PILLS TODAY.
BY FOLLOWING THIS PLAN POUNDS WILL DROP AWAY.
FOR EVERYTHING I COMPLETE I WILL GIVE MY SELF A POINT. ONCE I REACH 49 POINTS I WILL REWARD MYSELF!!!

Afternoon ladies!

WTG Kevin, you are doing excellent. Keep it up. I just wish that I coould get off of this dang plaeatu(sp). I guess that the good thing is that I havent gainned any! I have been getting in my ab workout(except weekends) and sticking pretty good to my plan. I thought and thought about starting the south beach thing but I am not ready to give up my fruits and dairy. I guess that I will have to try to increase my exercise and such.

The bananna pudding that I am talking about uses cool whip, cream cheese, sf/ff pudding, van. waffers, and banannas. Don't remember how much of everything I just fix it. Same way with making corn flake candy I just make it.

Work has been getting the best of me lately. Too many hrs and not enough down time. That is the reason that I don't do the abs on weekends. Last sat. I started work at 345 am and got home after 10pm. Then it was up early again on sun to get it all finished. Corey is gone with the school on a trip for the students that have completed their reading goals for the month and wont be back until 730 pm. I know that I really should rest but I have to go and clean a bathroon and other things with this free time. Just wanted to check in and see how everyone was doin so far today.

catch everyone later
sandy

Kevin, as for the 2 wicked witches from the west I would just flaunt myself in front of them this year and watch them turn green with envy. Now watch someone try to fix that color!

Happy Halloween!

Just have a few minutes here. Looks like everybody is busy! I know things will quiet down around here once tonight is over. Then shortly after that it is that holiday rush!

Sandy, is Corey going out tonight? Weather here is just wonderful for trick-or-treats today. In the 70's. No rain.

I have really been trying to eat well and stay away from that candy. I am feeling so bloated lately--and the other night had an epiphany about all that hard work I did to loose the weight that is no longer there and not wanting to waste all that I have invested.

I hope you all enjoy Halloween and don't get too spooked! Talk with you all soon!
Renee

Good Morning

We didnt have anyone stop by our house for Halloween. I rode thru town and there were hardly any children out. Lots of at home parties going on though. We didnt do anything. Me and the family sat and ate supper and were lazy lol. I made Hubby and sons Halloween pumpkins filled to the rim with candy and goodies. They loved it. I also made one for my neighbors little girl.
That was the extent of Halloween here in this small SW Georgia town.

How is everyone doing? How did your trick or treating go? Kids safe and well I pray. What did the kids wear?

Things here have been rather dull. Not alot to report on. Work, and more work. I am so ready for the year to end. I dont know why though lol, its still gonna be the same! I desperately want to take a few days off, but cant fit it in anywhere. I had 30 vacation days and 12 sick at the beginning of this year. I have 28 vacation and 7 sick left. . That means I loose 13 vacation days at the beginning of the year. We can only carry forward a total of 30 per year. That really bites the big one.

I have continued to walk/jog each night. Darkness and all. Its quite nice actually. The stars are out and its been clear. So my son and I look at the stars and talk about them. He is sooo interesting to listen too. Very smart and inquisitive. Im glad he and I have that time. My youngest is like his father though. Mr Couch Potato. I cant bribe him out there or anything. I do think we are going to a little country fair today. It should be exciting. He said there were all kinds of booths and exhibits.

Well, I better get moving. Got a few chores to conquer. Everyone is still nestled tightly in their beds, but me of course. Everyone take care and Ill check in again later.

Have a great day!