The weather has changed for the better. It's more like fall now instead of summer. Sunday was our last warm and humid day, our transisition day was yesterday. It's supposed to be in the 70's the rest of the week.

I'm up earlier than usual this morning. I had to decide whether or not I wanted to joing WW today. There are a lot of pros and cons, but the pros won out. If I have to face that scale each week and be held accountable I will stick with something, and I really, really, do want to lose weight. The only problem is, WW advocates a low/no fat woe, but my bloodwork is excellent by eating a higher fat/low carb woe. So, I can use my pts. on higher fat foods and tweak the rest.

judi, I'm sure you will do very well on your exam later this week. At least with your DH gone you'll have plenty of time to study. I wish you luck. When DH is away I usually curl up with a good book and I can read to my heart's content, and I can eat on my schedule when I'm hungry, and I just pop a frozen dinner in the microwave for dinner, and have a glass of wine. Do you have a curio that you could put your dolls in? I collect Boston Terrier figurines (sp?) HMMMM, I wonder why?? I have the breakable ones in a curio in the den. The rest are scattered throughout the house. Some are as big as her nibs.

ledom, how was your kayak trip? Hope everything is going well with you.

Enjoy your day!

judi, good luck on your test. You're studying so you'll do well, I know what you mean though - who wants to study when you could be doing something else?!?

Alice, WW will be a renewal of your commitment to lose weight. You just have to shake things up evey now and then.

Hey, we are having fall weather too!! Everyone is so happy and energetic - low humidity is a cause to celebrate around here. This week we are in 70's to 80 degrees.

kayaking was fun as always. I explored a new area. The fall flowers are in bloom now and I have added a couple new ones to my list. Not new, but spectaular, is the Cardinal flower. Just the prettiest red spike and it grows in wet areas so the banks in some areas are just covered with them.

Have a good day.

Hi! Well, I am STILL studying...I will give myself one more day (I mean how long can one study "air brakes" at one sitting???) and go in and write in on Thursday.

Alice, Good FOR YOU!!! I will START to count points again tomorrow. Really, it is the best way. I have been stalled in my attitude and going nowhere fast weight wise. I have been too complacent. Now I feel like beginning again. Fall is a good time.

Ledom, your kayak adventures sound so wonderful. What a good thing getting that kayak was!!

I spend a lot of time reading too when I am by myself. I love it. I also eat just whenever.

You collect Boston Terrier figurines Alice! I bet they are cute. No alas I don't have a curio cabinet ... and no place to put one...the house is crammed. I have furniture pieces that belonged to my grandmother and mom etc. I like to be surrounded by things that were in ALL stages of my life. Though it makes for a lot of dusting

Is there anything you like especially to collect Ledom?

I had a nice day today. Went into town and had lunch with my D.

OK tomorrow diet wise...we will really step it up!!

Well, I did it, I joined WW yesterday. It's a nice small group, about 14 people. I'm kind of excited about it. The funny part is, I met an acquaintance of mine there that had joined last week. Like judi, I am going to start counting my points today.

ledom, the fall flowers must be beautiful. Every day I see more leaves starting to turn. It's funny though, usually our weather people start sectioning off the state as to where the peak will be at certain times in Sept/Oct but so far there has been nothing. Are you expected to get anything from this hurricane aka tropical storm that's supposed to hit the gulf coast? They say we may see something when it breaks apart and gets caught in our jet stream by the weekend. I hope we do get something because we still need the rain.

judi, that's so nice you have things from your mother & grandmother. I don't have much from my grandmother. After a bachelor uncle passed away, who lived with my grandmother, a cousin clean out the house. He never asked any of us if we wanted anything, he kept all the good stuff and sold the rest. I've finally gotten over it. Glad you had a good time with your D

Take care and enjoy your day.

Maybe some of your good habits will inspire me Alice and judi. Yesterday may have been my worst diet day ever. I just couldn't stop eating, hopefully today will be better. I have a big hike planned after work and it is hard to hike on a bad diet so I'll think about that when I get tempted today.

LOL about collecting - I'm just a pack rat in general! If anything though I guess it would be old platters. I stopped shopping at yard sales and flea markets a few years ago because I need to get rid of things instead of aquire them, but if I do run across an old, interesting, and cheap dish I can't resist.

Yes, we have chances of rain starting tomorrow from Isadore. Right now it doesn't seem as if it'll be a lot. We too need more rain.

Sigh, well I am alone at home now. D comes home on weekends and I think she will for a while. I am still trying to figure out what it means to me. During the school year I am so busy I don't have time to get lonely or think about it a lot, but I do consider how narrow my aquaintances outside my professional life are becoming. My group of friends are wonderful, but I would say we have been drifting apart for some time now. The thing is, I am content to spend lots of time alone, but sometimes I worry I will end up being really lonely and alone. Maybe that is something everyone grapples with?

On a more upbeat note, I am visiting a state hero tomorrow. He was a major basketball star here in the 70's and has become a major collector of African American art. The chair of my dept. and I are going to go look at his collection tomorrow in anticipation of his lending us the collection for display in our gallery. This would be the first "big time" show for us. I was able to hear about this collection through a friend of mine and pursue the possibility. We are looking at a year and a half before we would have the work, we are going to use this as leverage with the admin. to upgrade our exhibition space so it is all very exciting.

Ya'll have a good day.

Nah, Ledom...you will never be alone...Alice and I will be here
I find more and more though as I am getting older I really cherish the time to be by myself...to read, to think. reflect etc.

I had a good diet day, this was my menu:
Breakfast:
omlette with 2 imitation bacon slices
lunch:
bagel & cream cheese
a fruit salad (1.5 pt)
supper
1 sm. cheese wedge
2 packs crackers (saltines)
bowl or corn chowder.

If you girls want to put down what your eating (just on a good day..I wouldn't want to horrify anyone with one of my bad days!) that would be great because it would give me an idea of what to try.

Glad you like your WW group Alice! That is SO good. You will do geat!! My WW friend is getting me the journal to record stuff in.

Ledom, it was all that kayaking and work that has probably made you more hungry than usual. Your over all good habits will more than compensate for that day.

Guess what! I passed the air brakes certification test I went and wrote it today, I just couldn't have it hanging over my head any longer and now I am FREEEEEE

Yesterday, I had lunch and saw a movie, The Banger Sisters with my GF. The movie was a HOOT. We enjoyed it very much.

DH & I bit the bullet, so to speak, and bought a new computer. We've had 2 new hard drives put in and it started doing its old tricks. DH is going to set the new one up tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed everything will go smoothly.

ledom, judi is right, we'll be there for you, so you won't be alone. I also like to spend more time by myself now that I'm older. Good luck with the African American Art collection. Some days you are more hungrier than others, you do have good eating and exercise habits, so I wouldn't worry about 1 day of eating a lot. We are supposed to get some rain from Isadore starting tomorrow.

judi, congratulations on getting your air brakes certificate . That must be such a relief now that it's over. What did you do to celebrate, or will that wait until your DH comes home? That's a great idea about telling each other what we eat.

Ok, here goes......

Breakfast: 1 cup cheerios w/ low fat milk 4 pt.
Snack: 1 cup grapes 1 pt.
Lunch: 4 oz. hamb. w/cheese & bacon...no bun 12 pt.
salad w/ 2 T. lite Italian Dressing 1 pt.
Dinner: 1 cup minestrone soup 2 pt.
Snack: 1/2 c. s/f pudding w/cool whip 2 pt.

Take care and have a great day.

You are both so sweet. Boy was I dipping into melancholy or what? I am the same, I enjoy being alone, I enjoy kayaking alone, I enjoy coming home and doing what I want. Sometimes I think I should make more of an effort to be social.

judi - first congratulations on your test. Whooppeeee, I know that is a relief.

I think it is a good idea to write down what we eat - I'll start tomorrow.
The only thing I did yesterday that was in the least bit impressive was go for a long hike. I'm not sure the distance but it took 1 1/2 hrs, probably about 4 1/2 miles. Climbed the little mtn. twice on that trail, I called one of my friends and we did it when I got off work. We are going to try to do it once, maybe twice a week so that is a step in the right direction.

Today we are getting the rain from Isadore, but not as much as they originally thought , but we'll take what we can get.

DH is installing the new computer later this morning

ledom, sometimes I get melancholy too. Your hike sounds like you had a great deal of exercise. Good for you!!! DH & I haven't walked in awhile, and we were doing so well too. I want to start in again, so decided to take Lacee for a walk yesterday....not the brightest idea I've ever had. She was so awful I had to turn around and come home

judi, are you enjoying your quiet time?

Here's what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: 1 c. cheerios w/1 c. low-fat milk 4 pt.
Snack: 1/2 cup grapes.....1/2 pt
Lunch: 1 cup tomato soup w/ low-fat crackers 4 pt
Snack: 1/2 cup grapes......1/2 pt
Dinner:
3 oz. turkey burger w/ 1 slice l/f cheese....6 pt
1 cup broccoli/cauliflower mix w/ 2 T. regular salad dressing..4 pt
1/2 cup green peas.....1 pt
Snack: 1/2 cup chocolate pudding w/ 2 T. Cool Whip.....2 pt

Have a great Friday, and have a fabulous weekend!

Alice, the rain from Isadore that we were supposed to get yesterday just hit the eastern part of the state, he's unpreditable!

My boss and I had the best time yesterday looking at the art collection. I somehow had not caught the fact that our basketball player had also played for the NBA. His collection is astounding - I never met a serious art collector before. It has been a long time since I saw so much good art in one place. It is a real coup for us to have the collection come to our gallery It will be a year and a half to two years before we get it but there will be a lot of preparation before then to make it really special.

Yesterday was a better diet day but not where it should be.

Breakfast - Oatmeal
Lunch - Ham and cheese on whole grain bread and chips (there gone now)
Snack - Oatmeal
Supper - Black Beans and Brown Rice with salsa and lowfat sourcream
No exercise

Yep, it's friday - I have a lot to do today but it IS friday.

Have a good day. Hope the computer installation goes well.

How is your weekend going? Mine has been pretty good and I have been doing a LOT of thinking, plotting and planning this weekend as well. I have been doing just horribly on the diet, just haven't been doing it. I have a good week every now and then, but it has been slipping away for a while. My clothes are starting to have that tight uncomfortable pinch. I have gotten rid of a lot of my "fat" clothes so I'm stuck with what I have and I don't want to buy anything new for a while. I don't want to give up or give in. SO, in order to motivate myself I have been spending a LOT of time lurking around on 3fc this weekend. There is a thread on the general diet board about what to do about "loose skin". That is the most positive, inspiring bit of 3fc I have read in a long time. There are several women who have lost 100 lbs. that have posted there. And ladies, if I am honest with myself. I am in the category of needing to loose 100 lbs. at least. I'm never gonna make it the way I am going. WHAT to do? Lurking around a bit more - I have decided to really give Body for Life a look. I bought the book yesterday. I feel inspired and gung-ho at the moment. I am trying to start it today. I don't have all the elements in place as far as cleaning out and organizind my weight bench, weights, etc. and shopping for food but I plan to work on it today. I ate a BFL breakfast and will kind of patch along today and see if I can't get started for real. I guess I just don't want to wait until tomorrow to start. So - that's where I am.

OK - I have a question. We have such a lovely thread and friendship going here. Plus the fact we are almost at the #100 PMD thread which I think is a bit of a milestone. On the other hand, none of us are doing PMD per se, though I think all of us continue to use elements of the diet. I still think it is the best, most practical, real life way of eating, I have found and I kind of like putting it out there for people to check out. What do you guys think? Do you think we should find a different format, place to post on the 3fc board? Or do you think we should continue as is? If you do think a different thread title, etc. would better reflect what we talk about - do you have ideas and/or suggestions?

Well, here is to WW, BFL, PMD whatever each of us is doing. I think we are all feeling the need to shake things up a bit!

This week and weekend (so far) have gone well dietwise. Weekends are usually my downfall, but since I have to face that scale on Tues., it gives me the motivation to keep on track. Today is DH birthday, so I know in advance that I will have a piece of cake, plus some champagne. For the cake, I go to the grocery store and buy 2 slices then it's gone. I think I have enough points banked for this indulgence.

Our new computer is up and running. The new one takes a lot of getting used to. We each have our separate e mail accts. and access to the internet, so we have to remember to log off when we're done. There is so much to remember. But, I've heard it's good to learn new things, it helps the gray matter from stagnating.

We did get a lot of rain from Isadore, and it certainly helped.

ledom, that is a good idea about trying something new to shake things up a bit. I find that I get bored if I stay on something for any period of time, but doing something new I really get gung-ho about it. What is the BFL program all about? Good luck with your BFL plan. I agree, we do have a lovely friendship going here and I look forward to "talking" with the both of you. Since we aren't doing PMD 100%, and if you want to change the format I'm all for it. I haven't seen anyone post inquiring about PMDing in a long time. I'm really not very clever on picking a new title for our discussions.

judi, I hope you are enjoying your weekend and are doing well counting your points.

Have a great day.

Hi, about changing the thread I am with whatever you girls decide as long as WE STAY TOGETHER doing what we are doing. I try to be guided by PMD food principles in my choices of what to eat in the week but I find if I eat six meals I tend to overeat so I have been having 3 meals but a snack if I am hungry like an apple etc. The other night I was just starving at midnight so I had a pb/scone and the scale still showed a dip. I also try to quit eating by five for the day. I am getting used to not eating after five and it is getting easier all the time. I find I need more than is allowed at the one of the six meals of PMD otherwise I feel like I am just snacking all day. Yesterday I only had 2 meals but was totally fine all day.

Last night I tried the McDonalds veggie burger and California Greens salad and those 2 things are pretty good allowing us to have the occasional junk food experience...which I avoid but do miss.

That is great about getting a new computer ALice, that is always exciting. I hope all systems are up and running. Happy Birthday to your DH.

I am doing something novel to keep from eating what I shouldn't ...I will give it a month and then IF it is working I will tell you. No sense sticking it out there yet because as you both know I have had a zillion "new" beginnings and not one good end yet...so give me a month. Then I will tell.

let's just continue as is for now. We can be PMDers in transition. After the 100th thread maybe we will have a more clear idea if we should change anything.

Happy Birthday Alice's DH. I hope you enjoy your cake and champagne.

If you look on the BFL thread and open the BFL stickie, there is a brief rundown on what the diet is all about. I have many questions already. The thing I do like about it is that is still 6 small meals a day which works for me.
The big difference is that it requires more protein and beans are considered a carb instead of a protein. Weight training is a huge component of the diet. I do feel comfortable with that as I have lifted weights (albeit realitvely light ones) off and on for 20 years.

judi, I know what you mean about talking about trying something new. I started something new today too (besides the diet) that I'll talk about when I think I have suceeded. It is something really huge though!

I'll start the new thread.