Ashley- You sound alot like me. I think the metabolism slows after 40. I'm trying to do everything possible to speed it up. I lost more than 60lbs. three times in my life. The first two times I was in my 20's, I could basically eat anything( even junk), just less of it. Now I gain weight just eating a little sugar. I had a binging problem too after I lost the weight this time. I learned how to stop that once a week habit, but now I tend to overeat in smaller quantities more times a week. I just want to eat like a normal person too, I say that all the time!

Waddle by post!

Hubby's colonoscopy came out with a good report! nothing wrong there.

Mirj, great picture!

Hi guys. I'm sorry, but I just cannot be rah-rah and all positive tonight. I am so NOT happy. These dental issues are about to kick my a**. In short, I am having a bridge put in. This entailed two crown preps and temporaries until the bridge comes in in 3 weeks. At the same time I had a partial denture placed on the upper to replace some back teeth I've lost over the years.

The plate felt so huge in my mouth and the dentist tried to buzz it down on the first day and I have been trying to get used to it since last Friday. Have trouble eating and talking properly.

Today the temporaries popped off at work. I had to take off work early to go get them cemented back in place. It was painful as the teeth under are basically down to the dentin and ....well it just hurt.

I mentioned that my tongue had been sore from the roughness of the partial plate, so the tech tried several times to get rid of the rough spots. I thought that maybe it felt better so she said to give it a day and see how it was. I could come back if it needed more adjustment.

I came home and ate supper. I went to remove the plate to rinse it off and take a break because my tongue really felt sore. When I looked in the mirror, blood was literally oozing from my tongue. No wonder it was hurting. So I put the partial away until I can get them to do something about it.

They said they would keep doing it until it is right, even if they had to make a new one. BUT HERE IS THE THING....I cannot keep leaving work for this!! I had to take paid time off (my vacation hours and personal hours) for the snow days we had recently and my time is dwindling. I want to be able to take some leisure time this summer. I am also the only person at the office who can do my job, so I've gotten the impression in the past that some of the doctors seem a bit put-out if I am not there. I need my job and I cannot jeopardize it by taking off for dental work every few days.

Sigh. Just so frustrated. I know it will all be okay in the long run.

After supper, I went and got some frozen yogurt. My tongue was burning and hurting so bad and it felt so good. I don't know what I am going to be able to eat tomorrow. I will take my oatmeal and some cottage cheese and banana. That shouldn't hurt too badly. I may try to get some yogurt at lunch, but that may be sour and burn. Fiber is a huge part of my diet and I don't want to go too many days without the amount that I usually eat.

All will be well, I know. Just venting. Thanks for listening.

Mirj-The original poster on the challah bread thread over at Discuss Cooking wrote this post tonight...

"Good Evening Everyone
Thank You for all your help with this, it looks like I will be trying many recipes to taste - as my memory remembers... or maybe even better

Today I printed out Miriyummys Challah, Cinnamon Buns and Lucious Mug of Coffee - I am looking forward to test driving all three...

Thank You again, Please keep the ideas coming - I am really enjoying this"

I told her you would be thrilled!!

Annie, your health issues sound like they can drag you down, but don't let them! I know it sucks having to take time off for this, but your health is the most important thing and you should take care of it. You're doing this whole "diet" journey to get healthier, don't neglect the other bits and pieces. And in the end, you need to take a "mental health" break, even if it mean ten minutes alone with some 80% dark chocolate.

Looks like that poster from your cooking discussion group really trawled through my recipes, makes me smile. I love sharing recipes, I guess that's why I started the blogging in the first place... well, that and the fact that I was home unemployed and about to shoot the neighbors.

I'm also finding it so much harder to lose weight as I get older. I remember being in my mid-20s and going back to New York to visit my parents for 5 weeks. I came home 22 pounds heavier, and it took me a whole month to get rid of it. Wow, I miss those days. In my early 40s I did the Sommersizing diet, and the weight came off well, slowly, but steadily. Now I'm in my late 40s and even those tricks aren't working. And lookie! I have menopause weight gain to look forward to....

It's 11 am here and I'm on my 4th cup of espresso, it's going to be a jittery day... Have a wonderful day!

Annie, hugs! so sorry to hear of your dental and work woes. Hope you have a better day and your toungue feels better. I will say a little prayer for you today.

Penguin - glad to hear your hubby's test went well.

I am on plan today and yesterday was good too, still dissapointed about walking at lunch as we are back to -20 and the ice is too much to slide on out there but will do my other route I found not as intense but good still and the sidewalks are cleared of snow and ice.

Good morning.

I'm down a pound this morning-- That puts me at -15 for the year. I have to focus on that and not on how much more there is to go.

Good exercise yesterday--two visits to the gym and I woke up sore this morning--and another good session this morning. Doing fairly well at sticking to the eating plan. Should be easier now that the evil (but delicious and relatively healthy) chips are all gone. Just need to not buy any more.

I, too, have noticed a definite slowing of the metabolism in the past year - year and a half. It is much harder losing the weight this time around.

PPenguin--glad to hear DH's test results are good.

Annie--Sorry to hear about your dental woes. Sore tongues are awful. I've suffered from canker sores much of my life, and sometimes they've been on my tongue. Makes eating very painful. At one point, I had to get a topical anesthetic to give myself some relief. Take care and I hope it gets resolved soon.

Have a good day everyone.

Yay Kittehmomma!!!! good for you- that is super!!

Annie - sorry - nothing sucks as much as dental work... ick... sorry..

got work out in this am - will walk today as well.. not feeling great...

but gona push through

Okay, I get to relax for a while now. I feel like I've been running since Sunday. I feel a day ahead again. Tues felt like Monday.

The GI place was shorthanded and they didn't call Hubby until 3 hours after his appointment time! We got there at 9am and didn't leave until 2pm! I was happy I had brougnt a shawl to knit or I would have run out of project! I only have a few more rows and I plan on wearing it tomorrow!

Kitteh, yay for 15lbs!

Annie, Hope your mouth situation is better.

Thanks for the kind thoughts everyone. I will be going in Saturday morning to have them look at the partial plate. I won't wear it until it is right. Mouth is still raw and sore so I am being careful what I eat today. Going to have a baked sweet or regular potato and a soft veg for supper tonight. Bought some fat-free vanilla yogurt and some Bran Buds....going to let them soften in the yogurt and have that instead of my usual cereal in the evening. Only thing about going to the dentist on Sat. a.m.....was planning on spending the weekend at fiance's. Now I will either have to drive back into town Sat. a.m. (45ish miles one way) or stay at my place and hope he will come spend the weekend with me. Hoping it doesn't ruin a good weekend.

Mirj-Hope the espresso didn't make you too jittery!

Ashley-Hang in there! Spring will be here before you know it!!

Kitteh-Fifteen pounds since the first of the year?? That is awesome!!

SILLYCAT-Good job on exercising, even if you didn't feel good!!

PP-Glad all is well with DH's colon!

Hey everyone. I'm finding this weight loss stuff is much harder now that I no longer live alone. This is probably one of those areas where I am most surprised about how much my life has changed.

Sounds like people had a good weekend. We went out to dinner-very extravagant dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak house. The food and the service are excellent but it is way overpriced-also not diet friendly. I was also on call this weekend too. I've been getting sucked into negative stuff at work again and I just need to find a way to not do that. It's not helpful on so many levels. Next week I'm on vacation but I have to take my psychiatry recertification exam-another one of those once every 10 years tests. I need the break from work.

I had my WW weigh in today and I stayed the same. I guess I can't complain about that this week.

Annie- hope you feel better soon!

Nice & sunny today, still 45 degrees though. My hubby always takes walks with me, but it takes him so long to get ready to go. So while I was waiting I rode the bike for 30min. Then we went for a 30min. walk, I got 60min of exercise in today. Being outside in the sun felt so good, tomorrow will be warmer. Had 1370 calories, ate more fruit. I was hungrier from all the exercise. I'm losing weight very slowly, this is fat not water weight. This is the third day of eating clean & no cravings, that's amazing.

Hi Petra!-Hope you enjoy your week off, even if you do have to take an exam. Ugh. I don't envy you at all.

Fruitlady-CONGRATS on staying clean for 3 days!! So happy for you! Maybe the spring weather can help you feel positive and ready for staying on plan! I know it has perked my mood up immensely.

Had a good supper. Baked sweet potato....yum! Even splurged and had 1 Tbsp of Parkay on tit. Sauteed some mushrooms w/ ICBINB spray and ground pepper. Had one small piece of leftover pork roast. Happy tummy!

Fiance wants me to come on out there and he will drive me back in town on Sat. morning to the dentist and then back out to his place. At least I am going to be able to be with him regardless. Hope TOM stays away. It was supposed to start last Friday, but has not yet. TOM has been more irregular the last year or so and I have even skipped once or twice. Not knowing makes me nervous.

Have a good evening everyone!

Good morning!

Petra -- I really hear you about weight loss being harder when there's more than just you to think about. I lost weight easily when I was getting divorced, my kids were mostly taking care of themselves in the kitchen and there was just me to think about, so I could easily stay on plan. Now that I'm married again and we're both doing the cooking, and having more family dinners during the week, it's so much harder. Then again, not being alone is nice....

I don't really get that jittery on the espresso. I find that if I drink instant coffee I get the jitters, but I can have lots of coffee made from freshly ground beans and it doesn't affect me all that much.

My not so wonderful review of the restaurant we went to over V-Day is up on my blog.

We had guests for dinner last night, my husband made spaghetti bolonese, heavy on the meat, light on the tomatoes. And there was my cherry pie and vanilla sorbet for dessert. I am avoiding the scale, big time!

Enjoy your day!

Good morning, everyone. The finger licker is ads ig zagin, do mh tping is no = svo good.

I'm down anoghrt poind. Yy, but dm lnowwy.

Okau, tim eot go--jud vant type.