good morning everyone! martiniforme i noticed you plan your menu ahead is it hard to stick to it? im having a problem with that right now

Good morning ladies!! I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine was okay, pretty uneventful. I've lost my focus! Not good! I need to get that ol journal out and figure out why. Busy busy week for me!

Mia....failing to plan is planning to fail! Jasmine and Mande are pros at that planning and you'll see they are having some great success. I think the thing with planning is that when you make it...you've gotta stick to it! You've just gotta make that commitment to yourself and do what you set out to do. You are worth it!

Sharon...Congrats on 25 years!! What an amazing accomplishment! Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend, and deserved it!! Back on track today though!! You can do it!

Loveandlaugh...I dont think it matters how 'fast' you walk so much as when you walk that its at a brisk pace. And then for at least 30 minutes. The idea is to get that heart pumping. Even walking slow at least its moving and not sitting in the chair! Way to go on that 90 minutes!!!

Mande...you rock!!!! 4mph is cruisin!!

ennay...those 12s are yours!!! Way to go lady!! I used to really like Mervyns. We dont have them here but we had em in Phoenix...great sales when they had em! Way to go on that run!!! I'd say 10s by next summer for sure!!

Jasmine...I think I might try a little baking with splenda this year too. Still gotta stay out of it but I can make it a little healthier right! Do you use applesauce instead of oil or butter and all that too? Speaking of enchiladas I was supposed to make them this weekend and just didnt have time to...probably a good thing! LOL!!

Alright time to hit the showers. I got a perm this weekend and I can finally wash my hair today...styling it should be LOADS of fun...its way curlier than I'd hoped for. Ah the pains of being fabulous! LOL!! Have a great day everyone!

~melissa

Okay down two pounds today and am excited about that! Only two more pounds until I hit 150. My goal weight is to be at 135, but anything under 150 and I am feeling pretty darn good about myself! Had a pretty good weekend and even bought myself some new clothes, size 12 petites and they are a little lose, but the 10 petites were so tight. I just have a weird body. So I have a non-scale victory of sorts to share. The other day DH, I, and friends were hanging out in the front yard as they were leaving. As they left DH turned to me picked me up and gave me a kiss. Let's just say that DH has not picked me up in quite sometime and I am always over conscious about my weight. That was a big victory. When I said put me down I am too heavy, he said yeah right you are light as a feather. Okay I don't think so but it sure felt good coming from him though. Thought I would share because that made my workout on the treadmill yesterday that much more enjoyable, if it can be enjoyable.

Okay not a big corn fan unless it is on the cob and super fresh and sweet. I do like my g-ma's corn casserole, but with the sour cream, butter, cheese, and cream cheese not in my eating plan.

Hun.e.B: Having a good mindset about getting back on track is the right attitude to have!

Canuk4: Congratulations on the 25! Don't worry it only happens once and you deserve to celebrate! DH and I celebrate our 5th this year.

loveandlaughalways: Flag football sounds like so much fun! Isn't great when you exercise and don't even realize it.

ennay: you are really get in to the routine after the baby, way to go!

Will post personals later. Must get sleep. Wanted to share this.

Trans-Fat Facts .com

Check it out. I found it somewhat interesting. I found it while reading Consumer Freedom facts about PETA (gotta say, not overly impressed with them).

What I like about Consumer Freedom is that they're like Adbusters. They've got nothing to lose in uncovering the truth. They're like super journalists!

ennay:

Yes enjoy the lil one while you can! My youngest is Katy and she just turned 3 today! My bro just had a new baby last nite in N. Carolina(his wife) and I wish I was out there!! 9.25 miles of running? Girl that is awesome!!! I am lucky to run for brief spurts here and there. haha Glad to hear you got a few pairs of pants! That will give you incentive as well!!

miafluker:

Well I am not an expert so don't take anything I say as the gospel truth! haha I do try to research things and I do think that link on the healthy foods list has some great info so please read it and decide what is right for you. I LOVE corn too! So I will proibably add it back in a few days a week, cals allowing. Just be careful cause it does have like 170 cals per half ear! I also read what it said about how the nutrients in some "studies" it didn't look like it had many because they are a lil more complex and not easily readable. I think you know what I mean. Just read it.

This is the other "list" I go by, "the superfoods list" it also mentions corn as a sidekick to oats. I tend to trust these two list of foods and what I love most about the worlds healthiest foods list is it tells you exactly why! That was a big help in me intaking more fruits and veggies! I am the typoe I want to know WHY something is good for you!

The superfoods list with sidekicks (from Superfoods RX by Pratt - books 1 & 2)

Corn

I am reposting that link in case anyone missed it!

loveandlaughalways:

Do not get frustrated over time, as long as you are walking toward being healthy! I am a lil sad sometimes since this journey has taken me since the end og June 2005. But I remind myself that I have been making healthier changes slowly and the difference is they are permanent lifestyle changes! That is much better than someone who crash diets and eats healthy for a few months then goes back to pigging out!

The best thing to do first is to make it a habit! Be consistent about going and build up more days from there, then work on more time, then work on speed!! You don't want to wear yourself out! I have also heard that it does take a while of walking, like 30 minutes to get your heart really pumping to get to a higher cal burning level. But if you have to break it up thruout the day it is better to do that than not at all. Great job on all the exercise! Keep it up and it will pay off! It is very beneficial to your heart!
Thanx hun!!

Canuk4:

Congrats on 25 years hun!! That is great!! I am glad you enjoyed your anniversary. I sure would of to! It was only a few days though and now you can get back to work! We have to allow ourselves a break every now and then or we will go insane!

miafluker:

Good morning!

Hun.e.B:

Get out some pics of you thinner and focus on that! Think about all the health problems you can avoid by eating healthy and exercising!

Sounds good hun! I have been using extra virgin olive oil and had not heard of apple sauce, sounds good, tell me more!

Enchiladas...mmmm!! They are great when eaten in moderation. Have a cup of beans and spanish(brown) rice with it and that will fill you up!

A perm? Great! It will not be so curly soon!

dollypie:

Wow! That is great!!! You are doing wonderful hun!! I would be stoked about 150!!!

Great! You will get to the 10's soon!!

Awww so sweet! My dh always wants to do that to me too and I keep telling him wait til I lose more!!

I love corn on the cob and corn tortillas!! I did also read something that says to make sure it is fortified with lime to help get the nutrients! (not the fruit!)

I am feeling a lil blah this a.m. cause of my throat but wanted to say hello to everyone and good luck with exercising and eating right today. One more day til I hit the grocery store for the big shopping for the month so I will be on the bus alot tomorrow and maybe the next day. haha I actually like grocery shopping so that is a great thing!

Anyhow yesterday we had our red meat and potato day and I did okay on cals, walked 30 minutes AND did my pilaties for dummies and my 8 minute abs! I am hoping to be fairly good today and maybe even lose for tomorrow. Last month I told myself to wait til the end of the month for pizza, then my daughters b~day is today so I stretched it saying wait til that day. dh gets paid tomorrow so will probably have pizza tomorrow nite. I am also going to count that as my out to eat trip as well so I don't over do it this week.

I need to make a rough menu plan for the month, just what I need to get. I checked my deep freezer and surprisingly enough we still have a ton of chicken left from last month! I have 4 four pound packs of frozen breast pieces, like flash frozen, and then 4 packs of like 4 pound packs of the other. We also have two turkeys left! and one roast. This is probably due to the fact around turkey day we made two turkeys and have been having a ton of beans! For like two weeks! I think we have had chicken maybe twice in two weeks.

That is good since the kids are going to be home for like 2 weeks this month and 1 week next month! I am going to plan for lots of beans and rice. haha I also heard together they make a complete, protein something like that.

I should get them lots of oatmeal for breakfast! Cheap and nutritious!
Okay I am not an oatmeal lover so someone please give me the 411 on what kind to get that is good for you and doesn't have hidden bad stuff!! Thanx!

I am definately picking up the ground turkey for our chili beans and sphgetti. Yum!! I need to get more spices too.

Mande:I am going to look at that link. Thanx for posting it! I love stuff like that! Where is their "main" website?

Here goes the meal plan:

Breakfast:
3 lite sausage=120 calories
3/4 cup oatmeal with 1/2 apple=186 cal
1/2 large orange=44 cal
total of 350 calories

Lunch:
salad with 3.5oz fresh crab meat and 64g fat free italian dressing=130cal

snack:
1c fresh strawberries

Dinner:
chicken enchiladas homemade low cal no sugar
salad with ff italian
corn

You posted pics! So yummy!! We all need to post more pics of food! That is one thing I like is when a cook book shows a pic. I am much more willing to try it!

Just a really quick reply!

The Centre For Consumer Freedom

Ok, this is the big weigh-in day for me. Only one problem. My scale is old and not trustworthy. I used my 5 lb. plate to adjust it and then weighed myself. I've adjusted my tickers accordingly and I will be getting a new scale soon (just kinda broke atm). This is also why I measure myself. It's useful to be sure that I am still making progress (even if the scale doesn't show it) and fun to see the difference in measurements! I have surgery on my mouth today so I can't eat at all until after the surgery is over (and not sure what I'll be able to eat after it), but I'll try to control myself. I'm just so hungry! NO food and NO liquids. I don't think I can even chew gum! sigh, oh well! Christmas is around the corner and I really want to make it to 170 before then! anyway, I'll ttyl all and wish me luck!

Jasmine --oatmeal
Best - steel cut - be warned it takes a long time to cook. If you dont like oatmeal, you may like it better as it has a "nuttier" flavor, some like it soaked overnight to reduce morning cook time and make it more tender
2nd best - old fashioned rolled oats
3rd best - Kashi instant - instant oatmeals have less fiber, but this is kashi, so it has fiber and protein (and isnt JUST oats) it is sweetened however
4th best - instant plain. at this point you might as well eat cheerios.

there are some higher fiber instants now, fiber added back in, most either have a ton of sugar or a ton of splenda

HI gals, I'm not going to post personals today, I just feel terrible and I am going to get back into bed until the Ibprofen kicks in. Congrats to those of you who have lost!!! I want to kick it up a notch, I have a few new incentives but I have 26 pounds to lose before I get them (new sexy gifts from victoria's secret and a night alone with DH). I really want to get to that point by valentines day.

Ennay~You are in OR, Right?? Mervyns here in WA are closing as well. I went x-mas shopping on friday. I was excited because we spent $125.00 and SAVED $133.00 I hate that they are leaving, but the deals were great!! The clothes part of gifts for the kids are done!!!

Okay I am confused b/c my doctor says oatmeal is oatmeal, it is just a texture thing. I looked on the Quaker oatmeal website and found that steel-cut, old-fashioned, and quick cook plain oatmeal all have the same nutrition value including the amount of fiber. If I am wrong please enlighten me...because I am confused.


http://www.quakeroatmeal.com/qo_ourP...Oats/index.cfm

I hope you feel better Jeni!

Thanx for posting that ennay!

Dolly I know it can be so confusing but I did read something the other day when I was looking at the worlds healthies ....links, I read about how steel cut something or other, takes longer to digest, therefore it doesnot let your blood sugars rise as rapidly. (Kind of like simple carbs vs. complex carbs) DONT QUOTE ME ON THAT! lol I know I was looking at brown rice, maybe it is in that link

let me go look

I didn't find it yet but seen this. Buy organic brown rice! Sheesh! This is rediculous! How the **** can they even sell us all this stuff that is not organic if it is so bad for us!!!

Brown Rice