I love baked sweet potatoes...

Ward - I thought about the apple crisp this weekend, my MIL made one in the 8x13 pan and it seemed way too thin. Glad you used 9x9, how did it turn out?

I thought it was pretty good, and my Mom said the recipe was a "keeper." And I didn't bring any home, so I would say it was a success!

Om nom nom sweet potatoes nom nom nom

I have been thinking about the apple crisp, but I know if I make a 9x9 pan of apple crisp I will eat half of it (I would eat all of it, but DH would gobble up the other half before I got there).

I tallied up my calories for the weekend and even with the restaurant meal I didn't do bad. Didn't even hit 1800 either day this weekend, even though I was expecting the restaurant meal push me over 2000. Lucky for me DH talked me out of getting dessert and we had a single square of semisweet chocolate at home instead.

Megan, my jawas are grumpy today too. I had a nice big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and I had my lunch, but I guess rice and veggies didn't cut it and they want more. Luckily I still have an apple, but I'm not sure how much energy I'll have for my run at this rate. I might need another snack when I get home.

It's not good when I'm avoiding this thread. Not good at all.....

I am so proud of all of your work and consistency guys!!! And well-fed Jawas....

As for me, bleh. That pretty much sums up my weekend mentally, emotionally, physically and foodwise.

Bleh.

Midwife - It just sounded like you needed a big squeeze.

Lori - there are brands of boots that have larger calves - it doesn't surprise me that FF isn't one of them! I have the same problem which is exacerbated by the fact that I have smallish feet (6.5 - 7.5 depending). I have found them in the past though, so be persistent.

I've been mostly on plan, but still bouncing around in the mid to upper teens. I'm not seeing a lot of progress this last couple of weeks. I have been really good at avoiding junk/candy and carb triggers, and only eating the "good" stuff, but sometimes just more than I should. So I'm not gaining, but not losing either. It's just darned HARD to keep much of a calorie deficit going when my BMR is around 1200 at most and a maintenance level without exercise of maybe 1500. I work out every day, and aim for at least a 500 calorie per day deficit (with exercise) which should theoretically net me a pound per week loss, but it's just never linear like that ... <sigh>

I really wanted to be in the low teens by mid-November (my first half marathon of the season), but I don't know if that is realistic now. I just get so darned hungry after those long runs. On the the plus side, I do see improvement in my runs just after losing the 4 or 5 pounds so far, so I have to focus on progress and not perfection.

MBN, I think you nailed it on the head! I know it's frustrating when you want to lose but can't, but as you said, you're eating very low calories, working out consistently, and running a lot. You need to feed that hunger or your body will shut down! Keep at it, you'll get there.

Midwife, have you been busy with work? Family? Other? Today is a new day - give those jawas some rest, good food, and a little exercise and they'll start to perk up.

Jessica, I hope your jawas settled down last night!

Mine were fine after those walnuts yesterday afternoon. I worked out and went to book club. I ate a little too much but definitely stopped when I could have inhaled a bunch more (but I was full, and just full, not too full at all). Our hostess made lamb gyros, roasted pita chips with hummus, and figs stuffed with goat cheese wrapped in prosciutto that was delicious! Today is my weigh-in and the scale read...159! 2 lbs lost this week! I've got to keep it up and not blow anything now!

Keep up all the good work ladies! We can do it!

midwife, just get back on-- think nike dude-- just do it. so much easier to say than do. I'm sorry things feel sucky. more hugs for you. hug hug hug.

I binged on frozen banana bread and cereal and milk and torillas and cheese last night. TOTALLY related to low calories during the day. no scale this am.

on the positive side, someone dropped off a load of halloween goodies and I stayed out of the goodie bag because I at least! did remember my pledge.

and more positive, I just had a lunch of miniburgers and veggies. plan to digest and go for a run.

let's hang tough chicks

Midwife -

MBN, good luck!

Megan - Great job!!!! Keep up the good work!

My jawas had a little meltdown last night. DH had to work late so we didn't leave work until 6, then I went for my run. I asked him to make dinner while I was out running -- a recipe that should have been 30 minutes start to finish. Well, I forgot that DH takes forever to cook. I should have asked him to make pasta, because I know he can do that quickly. When I got back from my run, all he had done was chopped the onion. He offered me a snack but I wanted to wait for dinner, so I went up to take a shower, thinking if I took a long shower, dinner would be ready when I came back down. Well, when I got back downstairs (about 25 minutes later), he had just finished putting everything in the pan, and it still needed to simmer for 20 minutes.

I kind of freaked out. I was super hungry. It was already 7:45. I'd had a snack before my run (around 6:30), but not much, and not much food before that either. I ran around the kitchen looking for a quick way to make dinner, yelled at DH for taking too long, then cried because I was so hungry and I felt bad for yelling at him about it. I ended up microwaving some frozen veggies to eat immediately, roasting some asparagus which was ready before the mole sauce (which is what DH was making) was done, and then having the mole sauce with some chicken and pasta. Ended up only 15 cals over my budget, but I have learned my lesson to never expect DH to spend less than 2 hours making dinner unless it's pasta.

Although admittedly maybe if he cooked more often he'd get faster at it, but I always cook since I'm impatient. Sigh. In any case tonight's dinner will be spaghetti and meatballs, which I can whip up in 30-40 minutes. Also we took separate cars to work, so if he has to work late again I can come home and get dinner started.

I'm falling behind on my accountability.

Monday:
Snacks: no, I had an extra tortilla since I was so hungry
Workouts: check, #1 for the week
HIIT: check
Calories: almost, 1417

Tuesday:
Snacks: no, I had some hot apple cider after dinner
Workouts: check, #2 of the week
HIIT: N/A, strength day
Calories: check, 1328

So, the dim sum dinner on Saturday turned out to be a breeze. I was super prepared, stuck to my plan. And it was even easier because the cart service didn't run, so the dim sum had to be ordered off a limited menu.

And the cake and ice cream dessert at home wasn't a big deal.

BUT, the party included a sleepover with late morning pickup. The plan was to feed the guests pancakes for breakfast and I didn't realize that would spell trouble (we make oat/whole grain pancakes and when I have one, I don't have too much of an issue with portion control). However, the pancake plan morphed into baked apple pancakes, full of butter, sugar, and white flour. Between an endless supply of those plus leftover cakes being brought back out...

That was Sunday. I am not quite back POP. Not eating badly, just not as well as usual (more like 1500 cals/day rather than 1200) and still craving.

So, my plan is to go back POP with food starting now.

Like midwife said, it's a bad sign when one is avoiding this thread, or 3FC in general. I feel your pain. But it's time move forward!

MBN -- congrats on your progress! You are right to focus on that -- goals just give us the right direction to aim, and if we move forward, we have won.

Megan -- congrats on the loss! Your brunch sounds delicious -- great job not over-indulging!

Paperclippy -- sorry about dinner, but you make a great recovery! I can't seem to deal with being dealt unexpected challenges, but you really rose to yours!

Congrats on the dimsum, yoyo!
Jessica, I think you made great choices while waiting for dinner. I know that when I'm starving---look out!

What's today? Wed? Thanks for all the hugs and support ladies. Sometimes things just get around here. I need a nap. I need a maid. I need a vacation! But, none of those seem to be materializing anytime soon!

Monday & Tues were POP. Today is looking good so far. Brought healthy food to work + my running gear and I'm looking forward to a run at lunch.

Yesterday was bad. I didn't go to the gym b/c I was exhausted, then ate way too much. I tried to get more sleep last night, though I didn't think I was particularly lacking in sleep yesterday, but hopefully that will help. Back OP today - got to make my 5 lb Thanksgiving goal.

Jessica, that sounds like many a dinner meltdown I've had too. BF and I finally figured out that when I'm cooking if he's not there when the food is done, I'm just going to eat and not feel bad about it! He does know to try and rush when he's cooking and it's late - also tries to feed me snacks while he's rushing if I'm complaining about being starving. It did help for me to sit him down and say, "here's the deal, I need to eat at 7:00, period." Luckily he knows not to take the "I don't want another snack, I need to eat dinner, !@#$% !!!" comments personally, he knows my blood sugar goes crazy.

midwife, enjoy your run! I hope life gets a little less crazy soon.

yoyo, great job sticking to your dimsum plan! The pancake brunch sounds like it would be a bad situation for me, too.

kitty, MBN, everyone, we can do it!