Hiya ladies,

Doesn't it feel great to be taking our health into our own hands, and seeing an improvement daily?

Katy - with everything we've got coming up, I just can't afford another treadmill right now, because my next one will be a very good one. But I'll check out gijoes. Thanks for the tip. Way to go on the 2 pounds down!!!! That's just great, Katy!! I also make those muffins! I think it's the same ones, using raisin bran cereal, and eggbeaters, etc. I keep the batter for a while, but usually end up sending muffins to Neal's office. The secretaries love them. Haven't made them for ages, and don't even know the points.

Pam - 10 pounds!!! Like 40 sticks of butter, gone forever!! That's a lot of oleo, lol. This is the first year since I was in my 20's that I didn't gain any weight at all over the holidays. Feels great, and I didn't suffer a bit, lol. I would usually gain some, take it off in January and then give up on all the "old" pounds. Once again, bravo!

Cristi - having some protein at breakfast too really helped me. About walking, like you, I don't need a partner, either. Then I can go when I want and am not influenced when they skip out, lol. Be sure and write down your measurements. It's helpful (and amazing!) to see those numbers go down every month. I measured my bust, waist, hips, each thigh - they aren't the same, each calf, and upper arms.

Marti - hope you get all your info about the gym today. The first of June is 4 and 2/3 months away, so losing 10 pounds by then is doable. To me, June 1st says summer is here, even though the calendar disagrees, lol. Anyway, like I mentioned to Cristi, you might want to write down your measurements, especially since you're going to be working out in the gym.

I'm going to make a big pot of WW zero point soup today. I've kept my munching under control, but it's nice to have that in the freezer for when I need it.

Have an OP day!!

Jane could you post the WW zero point soup...or just PM it to me at your leisure, please? I'm on a soup kick...and I'm the only one in my house that likes soup so I like the idea of making a bunch and freezing. I made a bunch of split pea soup with no ham yesterday. I figured the points were just 1 per cup, which seems very low. But really the only thing to count is the split peas...everything else is broth, veggies, and seasoning. If I had left the ham in it would have been 4 points for one measly cup!

I am going to do some calculations on the refrigerator bran muffins to try to figure out the points, then I'll post it. Sounds like the one you make, Jane

Todays menu
B - steel cuts oats, 1 tb soy nut butter, sprinkling of cinnamon sugar 5 pts
l - 2 c. split pea soup, 1 bran muffin - 4 pts ( need to check out pt on muffin 1st)
snack - popcorn ( 1)
D - working on this one - I have to take the car in for a Lube/Oil/filter which throws off dinner time. I think I'll have some leftover homemade pizza, which is about 5 points. I will probably also cook up some frozen carrot coins

So far that's 15 points...so I'll get some more in there..have some fruit in the fruit bowl that needs to get eaten

And we're off!

Have a great day I'll try to get back to do some individuals later

You know what Jane? It does! I am down 1 pound this week and it felt sooooo good to see it gone. I was hoping for more but I will take what I get. But it does feel really good because I know this time I will keep going. I don't have a time frame for losing all the weight or for my mini-goal and maybe that is what makes the difference. Before I mad goals but added a time frame and when I didn't make those I always was disappointed in myself which made it harder to keep going. So thanks to the tip about not being in a hurry. I think the Spiritual Weight Loss stuff really helped also. Now to think of what I want to reward myself with when I meet my first goal. Anyway...Also thanks for reminding me to measure...I always forget that and will do it as soon as I go back upstairs. I am starting the Leslie Sansone walking program if you will. It was in Womans Day I believe and I tore it out so will follow it for six weeks. Today I am to walk for just 15 minutes and I will do that to her video-easy enough. Then I think for weeks one and two it is to walk a mile each day except Sunday. I need to mix things up with the walking as the treadmill gets boring at times. Really need to get a tv in there. The weather is awful so can't go out to walk yet. I really prefer walking outdoors and I have probably said this a zillion times because once you get out and start you have to continue-there is no stopping because you can. If ya want to get back home ya gotta keep on truckin'...

Marti~hey, 3 bottles of water is better than no water at all. I am still doing good on the 2 bottles a day. Making it a habit before I move on to 3 so you are doing a lot better than me on the water. And yes, 10 pounds by summer is definitely doable! We are here for you to help ya ake your goal so just remember that.

On with the day and week ladies. Hope this is a good losing/maintaining week for all of us!

Cristi - Yay for the one pound gone...never to return

Here's the recipe for refrigerator bran muffins. It requires a BIG bowl. It is my Grandma-in-law Ella's recipe and I wrote it as she had it, but made some notes at the end. If made as is they are 4 points each. But I stretch the recipe out to 5 dozen and I use cupcake liners instead of greasing the cups, so I got them down to 3 pts each.

Refrigerator Bran Muffins
2 cups boiling water
2 cups All Bran
3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 qt. buttermilk
5 cups flour
5 tsp. soda
2 tsp. salt
4 cups Bran Buds

Pour boiling water over all-bran and let stand until cool. Cream sugar and oil. Add eggs and buttermilk alternately with bran buds and remaining dry ingredients. Then add the all-bran mixture. Can keep dough in the fridge for up to six weeks. Bake in muffin tins @ 400 for 15-20 minutes. Makes 48.

My Notes: I shop at Winco, so I bought bulk bran flakes instead of all-bran. I also bought bulk wheat bran in place of Bran buds... and they turned out great. I also used dry buttermilk which worked well, but I know you can also substitute sour milk (milk with a bit of lemon juice), or you can you use nonfat dry milk. With the dry milks, I put the dry amounts according to the package then added a quart of water to the batter.

As I mentioned, I make them a bit smaller, so my baking time is right at 15 minutes.

This was a big hit at our house!


Stayed OP yesterday...
Today's menue
B - steelcut oats, 1 Tb soy nutbutter - 5 points
L - Progresso soup (2), spinach salad with chicken (3)
snack - popcorn (1)
Dinner - leftovers...probably 1/2 cup pasta alfredo 3, pork loin 4, some more salad

My exercise is to do some weights and yoga - about 25 minutes, also about 20-25 minutes on the stepper

See youlater
K

Katy, there are several variations of the 0 points soup, but here's how I make mine:

Garden Vegetable Soup

Boil for 30 minutes (or until vegetables are tender) the following:[/B]
30 oz. fat free chicken broth
30 oz can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1/2 head chopped cabbage
1/2 chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced carrots

Then add:
1 can (no salt added) green beans, undrained
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Simmer til beans are hot.

Some people add zuchinni, and other "free" veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, etc. I have been known to add corn or peas and add 1 point to each serving. Also an option is using tomato juice instead of whole tomatoes if you don't care for chunky ones.

Btw, Katy, when you have to be gone, like yesterday, you ought to try the crock pot Italian chicken. It is so good, and one of the easiest dishes to make.

Cristi - YAY for you losing the 1 pound!!! Have you thought of a reward for reaching your 1st goal? I've got a TV with no treadmill, and you've got a treadmill with no TV!! Too bad we aren't neighbors, lol. You'll be amazed at how fast the time goes when you have the tv on while walking. You could record Ellen and only watch it while walking.

Yesterday, I had a Tomato and Basil Pizza Burger, made by Morningstar. These are veggie burgers, and I used to eat them regularly, and sort of forgot about them. They are 2 points apiece and so good! Just wanted to share this!

Marti and Pam - how's it going?

Thanks, Jane....
I just bought some Carb-Option italian dressing so I could try your crock pot italian chicken recipe. How much dressing do I use?

I like veggie burgers...so thanks for the tip

Thanks for the recipes ladies, although I have the vegetable soup recipe in the WW little book I have. Completely forgot about it. Question tho...just wondering how good the soup is after it has been frozen. Does it still taste fresh like when you first make it? I am weird in that I don't like leftovers so to me making a batch of soup and then freezing it is the same as leftovers. I know some things kind of lose a little flavor so was wondering if the soup does.

Katy~I definitely will be making some muffins and I love that it can be refrigerated for so long.

Jane~no, haven't thought of a reward yet. I keep thinking what is something that I would really like to have and ya know? Can't come up with a thing.