I had a long, lovely Easter weekend. I wasn't "OP" Saturday and Sunday, but I didn't go batwing nuts either. I had reasonable amounts of candy (including some of my homemade peanut butter eggs! thinthinker - I couldn't resist!), but only candy that I actually liked and enjoyed. No jelly beans (I had sf jello beans for that) and no mediocre chocolate. I didn't gorge myself either. I'm not feeling guilty at all. I also ate plenty of veggies and exercised both days. On Sunday, I made an absolutely divine hollandaise sauce, although in making it I almost wisked my arm off. One of our dinner guests tried to tell me an "easy" way to make hollandaise, but I didn't listen. Lalalalalala. If it's very hard, it will remain - as it was meant to be - only for very special occasions, in this case, only for Easter. Easter dinner was great - asparagus and hollandaise and homemade bread. I didn't eat any ham, because I'm mostly a vegetarian, so the "bad" was all from the hollandaise, which was plenty bad but also divine and quite special.

I didn't bring any candy home - not even any of my special peanut butter eggs - and made yesterday a mini "induction" day to borrow a term from all the low-carb diets out there. I made a big pot of lentils for dinner and, well, being single I'll have lentils almost all week - but I do love lentils, so... yum!

I started writing this reply while listening to AI, then switched to watching the Amazing Race (my favorite show!), and planned to finish after TAR, except it was a double-episode. Talk about a television overload.

Clothes: I'm short so I have to hem all my pants. I don't worry about the skirts, I just live with them long/too-long, and instead of hose I wear opaque tights from Catherine's. They're comfortable, and they last for a long time.

Last week, I think Lilion and someone else mentioned that they felt hungry all the time when OP - after eating a Lean Cuisine or something similar for lunch. Did I imagine that? I could go back and check but I need to get to bed soon. Anyway: I was wondering how much fiber you're getting? Have you considered adding more veggie protein - whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, whole grain couscous and/or pasta) and legumes? I think they tend to be more filling both immediately and long-term than lots of other sources and could help with the afternoon hunger. I eat mostly vegetarian, so I eat lots of whole grains and legumes, and I don't really get hungry except at appropriate meal/snack times.

Lean Cuisine has a pretty good beans and rice dish; or you can make a healthy one at home and pack it up for the week for lunch. I like Lean Cuisines on occasion, but I rarely finish one feeling satisfied. Anyway... I hope you solve your hunger problems. It's much, much easier to manage staying OP when you're nice and full.

Angela - I know you asked me last week what "my secret" could be, and I don't know. I'm afraid to say "this is it," because I don't want to get cocky, but it really feels like this is it. I'm happy with what I eat, I'm trying things I never tried before and feel comfortable cooking them and - honestly - really enjoy eating them. It's hard to believe that I became a vegetarian when I was 15 or 16 and cooked lentils for the first time in... January. Of this year. Honestly. I didn't know what to do with them, and then I just had to learn what to do with them, and I did.

I have some things easy: no roommates, friends, or kids to drag fast food/convenience foods into my house and tempt me and I moved last year - I think changed circumstances make it easier to change ingrained habits, like eating habits - and, when I started this, I also made a committment to, uh, watch less television. Not only does that mean that I have to move more and do more things that I actually like to do, but it also meant that - when I had a crisis (a series of them) and needed comfort... I let myself break the tv rule rather than the food rules. It helped bunches in January.

When I did watch TV and even when I went shopping at the grocery store, I put myself quite deliberately into defensive mode. I don't do it so much anymore - I don't really need to - but sometimes I still pull it out. With food ads, I do self-talk: I remind myself that the food is NEVER as good as it seems on TV, that they have food stylists to make it look better, and that it NEVER makes me feel as good as I think it will. I like what I cook better than whatever the corporations are cooking, for the most part, and I can't let the ads get to me. When 3 Musketeers claims to be 45% lighter, I ask myself "than what?" When TGI Friday's advertises whatever special they are advertising or some other chain shows off its Bloomin' Onion, I do the same thing. I like potato skins, but they are never as good as they "should be" and they always run out. Grocery shopping involved similar self-talk, along the lines of "you're on a mission, in enemy territory, your goal is to get food that is good for you. That display of Doritos is dangerous. Doritos are the enemy, they aren't real food" all in my head. Who knows, I might've spoken aloud on occasion and looked like a nitwit, but the end result is that I don't even think about looking in that aisle anymore: healthy shopping is second nature to me, now. Four months ago, I couldn't imagine not having at least some portion of a bag of chips in the house in case I got "hungry." Now, I can't imagine not having salad fixings and raw veggies and fruit around in case I get hungry, and I'm working hard to make sure that that mindset is completely permanent.

Okay, way too late for me, but I'm going to read another chapter of my book and head to bed. Night ladies!

Oh - btw, I looooooooved the dog pictures. I only have cats, I'm not sure I have enough time to care for and train a dog, but I wish I did.

Okay, it's really! goodnight this time.

QueenB: My thoughts will be with your family! Glad to hear the biopsy came out normal. I know that has to be an absolute relief. And by all means, do voice your concerns with your doc - it never hurts to be on the same foot.

My sister found out she had a blood clot in her calf on Friday. By Friday night, it had gone to her groin area. Scary enough as it is, but she's also 33 weeks pregnant and just found out she's a gestational diabetic. She went into preterm labor, and then Saturday, the clot had gone to her lung. Today, she's stable and doing well. She'll be on blood thinners for the rest of her pregnancy. Baby is doing fine, and they were able to stop her labor. Thanks for the good thoughts!

Julee – I never thought I would ever see me in a skirt. But I sucked it up and bought this cute flowery skirt. I’m a tomboy, I guess I’m finding my feminine roots heheheh.

Shopaholic – HEY! That’s where I got my skirt from LOL! They had a really great easter sale going on. I bought some really great dress pants at 80% off. Yes I really like Catherines, great store when they got sales going on. I am a clearance shopper LOL, so when they have sales, I go straight for the clearance stuff first grin.

Miss Meliss – Another great store, The Avenue. I also shop at Fashion Bug.

Brandnewme – My thoughts and prayers are with you. Please let us know how your sister and her baby are doing.

Good night everyone… sweet dreams.

Sue…

Yeah, Sue, I know, what it's like to shop at a bunch of different stores. If you shop at different stores you get better deals, and better clothes for your (our) sizes.

I was bad and had candy tonight. I clocked in at 1985 calories but I'm going to go exercise, because I was bad...candy...bad bad Rach.

Ediets told me I should be eating 2,100 -2,200 calories. Some nights I have a hard time even hitting 1,800. Not only that...some days I just don't feel like eating many meals in a day.

Shop - I was told to maintain my weight I would need to eat 3200-3400 calories. I cut back to 2400. Sometimes I too cannot eat that much. Just think so, if you are suppose to 2000, and one day you can't go more than 1800, that's 200 less that you didn't eat. So Like tonight, 200 can go towards the candy you ate that took you over. I did the same thing... candy candy candy. *big hugs*

Sue...

Well, I'm of the frame of mind that 1,800-2,000 is ok. Ediets told me 2,100-2,000 for a diet (as in, to loose weight). Everyone is going to have a different total for me. I just eat til I'm full (Some days, when I've eating typically LOW calorie food all day because that's just what I want, I only hit 1,400, like sugarfree jello, and salads) but I get like SmartOnes, Healthy Choice, and Lean Cuisine because they have the veggies in there and prepared so that I'm full and I've had veggies as part of that total.

I used to eat like so horribly to get this weight, as in a whole Box of Rice o' Roni with ground beef and like two cherry cokes and candy, etc etc for dinner. In fact, the first time I tried counting calories, I was so ashamed of how much I had eaten that I gave up counting fullstop. I'm so happy just to have changed the way I eat now by simply counting calories and sticking to it. And I don't give up the next day just because I binge, or have eaten something bad. And this place, honestly, really makes me want to stay on program. I don't know how you all do it except coming in here "prepares my mind for the game" and puts me in a diet/exercise frame of mind. Not only that, but knowing I've committed myself to loose 2 pounds in 2 weeks really keeps me OP. I think the more I learn, and the longer I stay here it'll make it easier to diet.

Even though I had candy today, I didn't count it as being non-OP as much as I consider it as eating bad food. My diet doesn't strictly forbid candy or soda as much as I don't want to waste the calories. I'm babbling because I'm distracted, I believe. Anyway, theres my babble-babble.

I think I'll go bike now because all those blank spaces next to exercise on my calorie chart look horrible and I feel REAL guilty.

Good morning chickies , So many posts! I don't think I can reply to all of them this morning, but I wanted to come and say hi!

About the clothes...I am a shorty too, as broad as I am tall! Well, that may be a little exaggerated, but you get the picture. Everything that fits my butt is way to big in the waist and the sleeves on shirts are to my feet also. You would think the clothing industry would figure out a way to make clothes for every body type wouldn't you? On the necks that are too big..I do the dart thing, that is the only way that I can stand them. I also have to cut off and hem pants and sleeves on most things. Might as well make them from scratch! The down side of that is that I hate to sew.

Leanne,

I was so OP yesterday! It makes me proud of myself, cause I was really wanting to nosh on something and I don't mean carrots! If we are going to lose that 300 by the end of this 2x2, I am thinking we had all better be on our best behavior Whatever it takes! Speaking of which, it is time for me to move on to exercise. See you later! Iwillbe

Hello everyone! I'm Arcayne and I post over at the Sugarbusters support board, but this one really has been pulling at me the last few days. So, here I am I'm almost 36, I've been overweight all of my life, I managed to lose almost 70 lbs last year and put at least fifty of it back on, which sucks. So, I'm off again, doing water aerobics and eating a low sugar diet. I felt pretty good last year, now I have sporadic knee trouble, I get out of breath too damn easily and I'm in back agony after a quick run through the Wal-greens or grocery story from being on my feet. This is no way to live!! I live in the Great Smoky Mountains and when my sisters take their munchkins to Disney, or brings them here to Dollywood, Auntie wants to be able to play too. I'm the only adult in our family who LIKES the rides

Wow! I'm gonna have to catch up when I get home from work, I just wanted to come in really quick and let you know I'm reading your posts, and you're all in my thoughts today!! Have a great one ladies!!

:waves: Melissa

I know everyone is tired of my saying I'm back, but I'm trying! Life is still hard around out place, and I'm letting other things get in the way of my weight loss efforts. I'm not promising I'm going to be perfect, but I am going to be better, I promise ME

My clothes gripe these days is finding a knee length skirt. I am so tired of everything being down to my ankles or look like shorts (not that I'd wear one that short, but it's all I can find) I guess I could cut them off, but, yes, I admit it, when I'm home I'm so tired I don't want to do anything else but sit in my chair.

The weather is beautiful here today, I might have to put the top down on the old mustang, or the newer mustang to be correct.

I'm now on asthma medication and high blood pressure meds in addition all the other stuff I take, so I'm having trouble getting used to the new stuff and I feel terrible today. Getting old is the pits!!! And being old and fat is a double whammy!! So all you young ones, get busy and get the weight off while you are younger.

I'm setting here debating whether I'm going to water aerobics or not this morning, I really feel bad, and I know I have a busy day at work.

Well, I'm off to fix some breakfast, have a great day everyone.

Hi everyone...Just a quick check in before work (actually I am at work...ssshhhh )

Did my watp tape this morning and had an OP breakfast...day is off to good start...

Have a beautiful SUNNY day!! The sun is shining here after a week of rain...so noce to see it!!

Greetings and Good Morning!

And what a beautiful, sun-shiney morning it is in our lovely state capital! I have to enjoy it while it lasts...they're calling for storms the rest of the week! It was 75 here yesterday and today is just perfect spring weather. Definately going to take that walk when I get home...maybe at lunch too! Racketball ain't gonna happen tonight...DH and I haven't spent much time at home the last two days and we NEED to be home and getting stuff done there!

Wow! The number of posts amazes me. Not going to try to do a lot of personal replies...but I'll hit a few of you.

Arcayne: Welcome! Always glad to see a new face (or name).

Tina: Argh! That's just got to have been awful the past few months! Aunt Flo has always hated me I think. I even went on Depo shots after DS was born, and for most women, they stop having periods after the first couple of months...NOT ME! Nope, for me it was a continual dribble, just enough to be REALLY annoying. And recently they've been all over the board and lasting forever! There was a short time there when AF and I were getting along fine, but no more! I had a blood clot in my groin when I was 22 and on the pill and smoking. Today I have this horrible varicose vein there....yuck! But my doctor has me on the progestin only pill now. He wouldn't consider anything else. Of course, they don't help your period, so they won't be right for you. I think you definately should voice your concerns to the doctor about the risk factors though.

mnemosyne: I was the one that was starving last week! I swear, I was hungry for 2 1/2 days and then it just went away. I have decided it was definately PMS since AF has finally arrived. If it happens again next month, I'll know what to look for. I was eating plenty, so I can't imagine what caused it. I'm very glad you didn't have those peanut butter eggs around me! I can usually resist candy, but homemade...forget about it!

Shopaholic: I know exactly how I used to eat that got me this fat! I love food, fast food not the least. Those double cheeseburgers from McDonalds, Breakfast burritos from Sonic, taco anything from Taco Bell, and KFC and Meat Lovers deep dish pizza were all regular staples in our diets. And for special occasions, Olive Garden...anything with alfredo sauce and Longhorn or Outback Steakhouse ...anyone for a 16 oz porterhouse? God, just reading over this...it's no wonder I weigh 300+...how could I not! Makes me kinda ill to think about eating that stuff now. (Except the alfredo sauce...I could live on alfredo sauce ) I honestly think DH weighs less simply because he's a man and he has a job that keeps him on his feet all day while my ample behind is stuck to a chair!

BarbG: There really are a LOT of younger ladies on here, aren't there? I guess since I didn't hit 300 until after 35 it never occured to me there would be so many young women are in my boat! I agree...lose it now before it compounds the problems age brings naturally!

I don't really know how I feel about my food this week. I suppose I've been OP - I stayed under 35 pts on Easter. I ate right at 35 points Monday and again last night. With 6:00 meetings it's been hard. At 8:00 last night we only had 25 points and were wanting something to eat. We actually had KFC...by my WW books, a breast with the skin removed is only a 3. So that and a piece of bread and butter was about a 5. So I shouldn't have been over 30 last night...but I still feel like I cheated by eating the fried chicken...

I've spent a ton of time lately trying to come up with a taco salad that doesn't break the point bank...I finally came up with a 12 point salad...that's dinner tonight! Yum! I've been wanting one ever since an office friend asked me to go out for lunch to Taco Bell. I turned her down and looked up their "new" fiesta salad. Something like 870 calories and 45 grans of fat! Don't you love how they always have these perfect skinny women in the commercials eating these horrendously fattening meals? My favorite has to be that stupid one with the black guy in the cowboy outfit singing about the tender-crisp bacon cheddar ranch sandwich...which acually mentions ladies with "a great caboose". God, there should be some truth in advertising! But I assume no one would eat them if they had warning lables..."Warning, Excessive consumption of this product will cause your butt to balloon to gargantuan proportions."

Okay, I'm clearly rambling at this point and trying to avoid doing any real work...and I'm about to be late for my 10:30 hearing, so I better move it!

To everyone I missed: I'm thinking 'bout ya!

Later ladies!

Lilion

Melissa... your post drew me out to say hello.
I too want everyone to know that you are in my thoughts today.

Barbg... I am never tired of hearing you say you are back. It is music to my ears .... and yes... getting old is NOT FOR SISSIES. Ladies do it NOW don't put it off a another day.

Tina... I am so happy your tests turned out okay.

And to everyone having problems or families are... you are in my prayers.

Hi Gals!
Just a quickie HELLO to all my friends. There is so much going on here and at home and work that I just don't have time right now to catch up as much as I would like.

I do have to say....JEN ---- WELCOME BACK! I am so happy our dear Thin pulled you out of hiding. I looked at your pictures...Let me say, Chickie --- you look AWESOME. That new belly of yours...WOW!!!! I'm so proud of you!

Have a wonderful day. Talk to you later.
Barb

Sorry I haven't been able to post much lately. Just wanted to let you know that I am officially the leader at TOPS . Also I lost 1/4lb. Which I was happy about Now I am 301lb. So just a little bit to go and I will be under 300. I just hope it doesn't take forever Work is absolutely crazy. But I am staying OP so I am tickled pink.

Hope everybody is doing well!

Scooter