Hi Turtles,
Tessa, that mother/friends/email drama is toooooo much. It's very easy to let something escalate into drama on the net, so I'm glad you were able to throw water on the debate and hopefully that's where it will stay. Enjoy the Zumba! My dd has a tape and the maracas and loves it. What fun! I've used applesauce instead of oil in baking cakes and banana bread, etc. but mostly I try not to even have those things around since I pick and pick and before I know it I've eaten a lot.

Mrs. Tho, how are you?

KimL, living at home is complicated. I'm glad you can give your folks a hand with the grocery shopping etc. And they are generous to not collect rent from you. It should be nice trade-offs all around and they seem to love your company. Good luck with everything you're doing.

Bandit, doing anything exciting this weekend?
Princess, how was your and dinner? My is coming up soon. Dh and I are heading out to a casino in a week or so. We really enjoy that type of entertainment. Weird, I guess, but it's a nice birthday present for me.

Cherry and Eco Nerd, Life4evr,and all the gals-----keep on posting, we're doing great.
Judy
234.6/192.2/170's

Hey everyone. Hope everyone is having a good day.

@Kim no the gym isn't happening today. Hasn't been a good day. I am feeling the effects of the not so good food choices. I am very very drowsy and sluggish. Not to mention just overall not feeling to good. Hopefully after a decent night sleep I wil be feeling better tomorrow.

Morning, everyone:

Yesterday I met with a weight loss coach and she said for me to lose
weight I need to have about 1300 calories and eat 75g of protein.
So that is next weeks plan & see how that goes.
Has anyone ever counted protein before? The calories equals approx 26 points. Also since I didn't go to trailer I went to have a walk/swim at my center and couldn't believe the pool was drained and closed until Oct 2 - but I did get in a 2 mile walk anyway.

Going out to dinner then off to dance tonight.

There are already so many leaves accumulating in my yard & drive, so today might get some raking done - it is nice and sunny up here.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Bandit, seeing a weight loss coach is a great idea. Isn't this a good time of year for you to lose weight? I usually do well in the fall/Christmas. I think all the holidays scare me so much because I could gain so much weight that I often really buckle down and "do it". Please let us know how your new eating plan works out. I know I'm ready for something new. I heard that WW';s is offering a new plan Dec.1, but I don't want to wait that long. I need to plan out my meals because what I'm doing isn't working. The hives are a complication, but I'm letting them be an excuse and that's plain stupid. I'm not putting what I want long term over what I want at the moment. I'll get it together, but now I have to do it. Baby steps have worked for me in the past, so I'll start there.

Bandit, have a great dinner out and dance. You keep nice and active! Raking leaves has to count for something too.

Everybody have a good on program day! : We can do this!
Judy
234.6/192.2/170's by 9/30

Hope everyone is having a good day. So today was weigh in day. I am down 1.6 lbs. Which is great for me. I have almost lost 10 lbs. So I am feeling good about that. I am going to hit the gym up later and then study.

Life4evr,

:
Weigh to go! You're doing great.
Judy

Good morning everyone and happy Monday!

Well the scale is way up for me right now but it is my own fault... between the meds and eating out of control I have NO ONE else to blame. Sigh... going to get back on track today and see how it goes.

Bandit: I sure hope you had a great time at the dance and with your friends! I agree with Judy, I would really like to see how this new way works for you and I am ready to try something else... the WW plan is just not clicking for me this time around... again, I know this is my issue and not WW. So did the coach take anything into the calculations when she came up with that number for you? Like current weight, etc. I have always wondered how they come up with those numbers... I have tried to look it up but just came away more confused.

Judy: Yes, you do alway seem to do really well over the holidays... me on the other hand, I have never met a Christmas Cookie that I didn't like... LOL! I am with you, I need something new!

All: Thanks so much for the birthday wishes! We had a really nice time when DH and I went out to eat and yesterday went to DS for a mid day meal and cake... it was a wonderful birthday! I have to run but will check back in later on. To all of those that lost - great job! To all of those that are struggling - keep at it, we will figure this out!

Susan

Hi Turtles,
Hey, WW online with e-tools has an interesting collection of zero point side dishes. The idea is to avoid boredom by adding these dishes instead of just steamed broccoli, etc. Check it out.

Also Princess, time is always tricky. You and I are rowing hard in this same boat. LOL. We know what to do. Hey have you had a chance to read the Geneen Roth book? Maybe there's a tip in there that might spark your program. We've had lots of social occasions here, but although my weight went up 3# again after WI, I've got a bit of that off. The idea though is to actually lose weight------not maintain what I've done. I really do have a goal of breaking 180#. It's just the time I give myself to do that keeps stretching. Ugh. Today will be a good day. I just made a couple of tomato sandwiches for dh and I have a pot of vegetable soup on the stove for lunch. Yum.
Hey, if you'd like a simple dessert, may I offer this?

Take 1/2pkg. of ff sf vanilla pudding. Mix it with 1c. ff sour cream or 1c. ff plain yogurt. Stir it up. In small parfait dishes, slice a strawberry or two in the bottom, next put a big dollop of the pudding/sourcream mix on top, and then top with either blueberries or any fruit you like. Right now we're using just strawberries because the blueberries went through the roof in cost. That's it! I pointed it out and if you stretch the pudding mix into 8 tiny parfait dishes, it's only 1point. It's yummy. Try it. This is the WW cheesecake recipe cut in half.

Everybody have a great day! Although today is rainy, I'm in a good mood and I'm wishing a good day to everyone.
Judy
234.6/192.2/170's by 9/30

Happy Monday all! (I know, those first two words should never be uttered together)

Just a quick check in to say

Princess, ug, gaining while you're not feeling 100% and on medication add in birthday celebrations... Here's to a healthy year and a clearly marked "back on track" for ya! I 2nd Judy's recommendation to read Geneen Roth's book - everyone should, it was life changing for me. Sounds a bit mellowdramatic, but seriously - that book flipped a serious switch for me and my relationship with food (and myself).

Kim, I'm doing ok with the water - not stellar, but better!!!! I actually have had to fill my mug today (instead of letting it sit) and my goal is to finish the one I have before I leave. (oh, wait, that's a glass of wine!) Sorry, I had to chuckle just a little with the visual of your dad not coming in from the raspberry fields. Totally brought back memories of my stepdad and how he'd hole up in the hot house for HOURS. I don't know what he was doing - workin' some mojo on the tomatoes I guess.

Judy, couldn't agree more about the email drama. For that matter, THAT is exactly my beef with everyone. If they're friends, then pick up the phone and converse! Instead of chucking accusations in an email... I hope your casino birthday trip all works out! Sounds like a lot of fun!

Bandit, I only started really watching protein once I started Zumba - once I realized in 3 classes I was earning enough WW points to essentially "undo" 3 days of eating I figured what I put in my body post-workout is probably important and should be quality fuel. I found some Clif bars that have 20 grams of protein - they're a meal replacement since I get home from Zumba too late for an actual meal (I'm up at 5am, so dinner at 8pm isn't gonna happen - can't sleep with food in me like that anymore). Or I'll have a protein shake (Jillian Michael's is good) which has 15 grams of protein - I'll have that and maybe a hard boiled egg, or cheese stick, or 1/2 sandwich because calorically the shake is pretty low. But protein in general I try to be mindful of because God knows I don't need any help getting in enough carbs!!!!

Life4evr, congrats on the loss! Hope you're still on the path to feeling better!

all!

Tessa

Good morning everyone and happy Tuesday... wish is was Friday!

Temps are dropping here and it is really very brisk in the mornings now - had to drag out a fleece to wear to work this week. Looks like fall is finally here.

Tessa: Yes - I need to pick the book up again and get it finished then maybe read it again. I have not read anything that clicked with me yet but maybe the more I get into it something will happen. You are right about the protein and working out... it seems to go hand in hand. When I work out a lot if I don't go heavy on the protein then I am always starving... LOL - even more then usual

Judy: Heres to a wonderful birthday celebration at the casino with DH - it sounds like a blast! DH got me a "nook" for my b-day - it is Barnes and Nobles E-reader - i am working on getting it set up but love it so far. I love to read and the ebooks are way cheaper so it will come in very handy!

Bandit: How are you doing? Is it getting cold up your way? We are dry as a bone down here and everyone is crying for rain but the temps are dropping at an alarming rate and no rain in sight... ugh. How did last weekend go? I have to read something/anything and present on it at a TOPS meeting soon - that is basically how they run their meetings... everyone takes turns doing a presentation of sorts... ugh - I am not good at public speaking at all and am not sure I am really qualified to do this but will do the best that I can.

life4evr: congrats on the loss! Great job getting to the gym!

Peanut: How are you doing?

Cherry: What is new with you?

MrsTHO: What is going on in your neck of the woods? Anything exciting?

Kim: How goes it with the cooking? Do you have slow cooker/crockpot? They are wonderful for busy schedules! I know that Judy and Bandit use them a bit during the cold months and I do to... let me look thru my recipes and see if there is anything that sounds good and I will post it.

Hope I did not miss anyone! Have a great day all!
Susan

Princess, you're so smart. You'll come up with a good presentation for TOPS.

Hey guys, I'm heading out the door, but I have a new recipe that I haven't tried, but a fellow WW at my mtg. thinks is really tasty.

Pulled Pork
2# boneless pork top loin
1 1/2c. chopped onion
1 can diet soda (she used Diet Coke)
1 cup BBQ sauce
Place pork in slow cooker. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and pour over pork. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or until meat is very tender.
Slice or shred pork, stir back into sauce. Serve on multigrain bun.
8 servings
4points for the pork mixture-----add whatever the points are for the bun you choose.

Have a great day. I ate well Sunday and yesterday, so I'm hopng to get this weight on the run!

: and to all
Judy
234.6/192.2/18 0's by 9/30

Princess, I WISH our weather would go back to Fall! We're back into the mid-80's. I'm headed to L.A. on Saturday and yesterday it was 113 there. No bueno!!!! It's supposed to cool down by the weekend but still, it's crazy hot still! Congrats on the Nook! Santa brought me a Kindle last Christmas and I swear it's the best invention EVER! It gets to go on its first plane ride Saturday. LOL!

Judy, thanks for the recipe, that sounds delish!!!! Thanks for sharing, it will be on the menu when I get home next week.


Peace, love & cookies....
Tessa

I'm here and reading and following along with everyone's progress.

For my weekend weigh in I was down and I finally cracked the 250lb mark which was a key milestone for me starting out. (I know it's not what WW recommends losing each week, but I'm also working with my dr for this weight loss.)

I found it easier to get my daily activity in last week too because the weather has been so beautiful! Yesterday we set record high temperatures (27 Celsius) and I spent most of the day outside with work.

DH and I are currently choosing a fitness/rec centre to join. We have a couple of city operated options, plus a YMCA nearby. We're looking to do that in the next week or so.

Have a great day everyone!

Peanutt, : weigh to go! Oh, this is so wonderful. You're doing great. Keep on doing what you're doing.
Judy