MadCat! I'm right at 156 (I'm 5'4") right now. We're heading in the same direction. Good luck with yours!

Di - I agree that the very best *second best* I can think of for water would be Crystal Light. It does have the nutrasweet - but if you drink the fluid you're doing your body a favor. Water can tend to get booooring.

What I do all day with the water is keep rotating full water bottles into the freezer and as soon as I finish drinking one I take another partially frozen bottle out of the freezer - bang it on the counter to break up the ice - and put another bottle of water in to take its place. An hour or two makes the water icy cold and the ice usually lasts to the bottom of the bottle. Travels good, too, when you go out for a ride.

Why does water taste so much better cold - like cheap wine? LOL

Here's what I've been doing with the Crystal Light. I've been using Lemonade, Pink Lemonade and Grapefruit flavors. I dump a mixed quart into the blender and toss in orange/lemon/grapefruit sections and blend the heck out of it. Then I put the blender jug into the freezer for an hour and then blend it again. I toss in a couple ice cubes, puree, and then pour it into yogurt cups and freeze them.

These turn out as hard ices - you need a cup of sugar (770 calories) for soft ices - but I pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds when I want one and they are spoonable and very satisfying. One hint I read calls for 1 Tbsp of vodka for each quart to make the texture less icy. It lowers the freezing temperature and you can't taste the vodka.

I also make Creamsicle ices this way - with 6 oz frozen OJ concentrate, 8 oz of non-fat milk, 8 oz of water, 1 Tsp of vanilla and 8-9 ice cubes. Blend and pour. Freeze or eat. Awesome.

(I use 1/3 C of dry nonfat milk and 7 oz of water for the non-fat in the recipe.) I get a half-dozen 6 oz cups out of this recipe and it works doubled, too. I think it's about 58 calories per serving.

Good morning all. I ahvn't given up yet. I have just been dealing with an eating issue of mine. I am still reading all of the posts but I feel a little wierd telling everyone who is doing so good how aweful I am doing. I amd going to talk with the hubby about helping me but of course he didn't come home from hunting in time for the big talk. Now I have to reschedule it for tonight. I guess it is still ok b/c I still have no idea what to say to him.

Good Morning everyone, I havent been able to get in here and read all yourposts until this morning! We have been painting the inside of this house and fixing minor things here and there to get it ready for Open House. There is also a couple very interested in the house and they've only seen the outside! I am beyond tired, I am in pain from my neck to my calves. I mean everything feels soooooooooo soar! SO no gym for me today! We're also getting ready for a big New Year's eve party at my house. We are roasting a 36 lb pig the old fashioned way! Outside ! So this should be interesting lol. Those of youthat posted any weightloss...congrats! Please save those totals until next Saturday. I will add SuzQ,MADCAT, and Laney1733 to the challenge! Welcome!


ttyl,
Gen


194/129/Goal...maintain forever!

Hi everyone. I sure had a lot of catching up to do this morning. Kempy, I'm so glad you popped in. I know how weird it feels to come in and say I'm eating too much, I'm excersizing too little, etc... All I can say is, most, if not all, of us have been there. My food was totally out of control for the week leading up to Xmas and beyond. Finally I had a decent day yesterday. I can't seem to drag myself out of bed to excersize, though. I figure I'm going to try in the evening again. That's what got me into getting up in the mornings before. I just need to get started again.
Last summer, after losing 12 pounds, my eating go nutty and I quit walking everyday. I ended up feeling so ashamed, I quit posting and eventually quit showing up at all. Naturally, I gained back 10 pounds. Whatever else happens, I need the support I get here even when I'm not doing well at all. I sometimes feel envious of those who are continuing to lose or have lost so much, but I know I can do it to if I work just as hard and stay just as committed as they have. That's called inspiration, I guess!

Jen
238/231/140

Hi guys!

Yeah, Kempy, I know how you feel too. I think when stuff like this happens is the time we should all make a bigger effort to post here. This is the one place where none of us have to feel any shame for having a slip-up. Or even a prolonged slide. Who better than the women here know what THAT is all about ?

I've had a couple of rough days lately and I'm just as happy to be back at work and back into a "routine". I've had worse years than this one.

But as we come up to a new year, it's a good time for a fresh start!

Thanks guys! I really needed to know that I am not alone. I feel like I am alone while I am sitting at home eating everything that doesn't move. I really noticed it Thursday. I know better than what I am doing but I really didn't think I had a problem until I was standing over the sink shoving cakes and cookies into my mouth for no reason. It just hit me that that I am doing something terrible to my body.

Hi, this is my first time doing this quick reply so bear with me. I'm taking the challenge. I think I'll go for 5 lbs. Actually, I'll be happy with anything because the reason I'm here is that my weight has been creeping up instead of going down but it's my own fault. Now I'll get real with myself. Love ya! ...Musicgal

Glad you could join us Musicgal! You will get all of the motivation that you need here.

Rusty- thanks for the recipes can't wait to try them!
Choci- I'm glad you liked the other brand, I saw that at our local grocery store Wylers is almost 1/2 the price with all the same ingredients, so I'm thinking of giving it a try
Kempyd- I guess a lot of us have been where you are. It's strange to look in your hands and realize what you've just done. It's like waking from a bad dream. The good thing is you realized it and you wanted to do something about it. It sucks that sometimes food can just control us without us even realizing it. I hope your talk with your husband goes well. Remember you have everyones support here
Musicgal- Welcome to the group
Well I hope everyone has a great holiday Gennel hope your soreness goes away before your party! Take care all and have a safe New Year's Eve. Di

Hi everyone!

Rusty, those recipes sound excellent, I can't wait to try them.

Kempyd, you are definitely not alone. I have hardly exercised and have eaten more chocolate than I like to admit...and ladyfingers (the really big, soft kind, sort of cakey) and and and - well, plenty more really. And I know I need to go pop in a Firm tape or something but...not yet. Next week, I promise! The holidays are tough. And when I went shopping today all the candy was on sale - looking very good too!


Gennel, have a great party! Where are you roasting this pig - outdoors I guess? On a spit, or what? It sounds amazing...

Hi Musicgal, and welcome!

Hi Jen, I could totally relate to what you said - after I lost about 10 lbs last spring, I thought I was pretty clever and just stopped my food diary and of course I gained some of it back, but it wasn't until August that I weighed myself again. I would feel scared about it and then push the thought out of my mind. Now I weigh every day so that I don't get scared and out of the habit again...

Lidian

Kempyd, I'd also like to offer my words of support to you in your struggle. Most of my teens and twenties (OK, and a wee bit of my 30s! I'm only 32, so...) were spent in anguish over my relationship with food. It was either that I was on a diet, or not being on a diet and completely letting go, usually in "defiance" of dieting and myriad other reasons. And those times were the worst... I felt totally out of control and it was scary.

I'm not even sure how I got through those times, to be honest. And I don't know how I am doing what I am doing now, except that I was really scared about what I would be like in ten years if I continued on the same path. I think my body hit critical mass and... I just knew I couldn't live like that anymore. I don't know how much you weigh, but for me finding myself at 310 pounds at 5'8" was the clincher. It's too bad I had to get to that extreme!

Anyway, it's awesome that you recognize that you have hard issues with food and that you are taking steps to correct it. And we are here for you whether you are achieving your goals or not, so never ever be afraid to "talk" about it. You *have* to talk about it. Friends are there through thick and thin, right?

Good luck with the talk with your husband. If he's a good guy, he'll want you to be healthy and will do anything he can to help you. In the meantime, I will send some good vibes your way. You can do it!

I have decided to stay home and be a good girl tonight. I got on the scales this morning and it showed a 1 pound loss and that was all the encouragement I need to not screw up. I want to be thin so bad that I can taste it and it tastes way better than all of the junk food in the world!!
I am going to make a pumpkin parfait for dessert like I did on Thanksgiving and watch some movies with my family.

I hope everyone has a great night and make sure you all stay safe.

Hey Everyone! Just wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe New Years. Remember tomorrow is the start of a whole new year... Let's make it a great one!!!

Welcome to all the newbies.

and...


Happy New Year!

We are off to the ranch to ring in the new year with the rest of the family. Talk to you all in the new year.

Kina

Happy and safe New Year's to you all!

We are just hanging out in front of the TV with a little sparkling wine, and I have put the cashews far away after having some. DH has got chocolate liqueurs in but they are not very good quality so I have only had 1 out of a large box - and since I want to maintain (at least) until the girls are back in school and life's back to normal...he can have them!

Angie, way to go! That is fantastic to lose during the holidays!

Kina, have a great time at the ranch!

Madcat, Rusty, Choci, Grizzlyschick, Kempyd, Jen, Gennel, Musicgal - have a wonderful evening and New Year's Day!

Lidian