Its not too much a craving just a want I would say. I love chocolate, combos, cheese doodles, and chips and stuff like that. I have a 3 year old in the house and I try not to buy the junk but sometimes I do and if i go nuts on it I don't buy it again. Also with Easter he got a lot of chocolate and I am finding it hard to stay away. Dr Phil says take it out of the house and I know that but its hard. I started eating a turkey sandwhich w/saurerkraut and french dressing crisped on the stove in a teflon pan for lunch and I notice that I don't snack as much during the day as I did. I was finding myself snacking while making dinner. I guess I should have veggies or fruit out at that time instead. I have to be careful on the fruit I bring in because my son is sensative to the nantural sugar in apples and pears and he will eat them anyway. I am not a big veggie eater just the old fashioned ones which are carrots. I do drink coffee in the morning with equal and whole milk, can't drink it with skim or lowfat.

Its obvious that we all know what we should and should not eat. I was always a yo yo dieter since 12 years old. But sometimes our thinking gets clogged by all the things we know we should not have and have anyway. if you kinow what I mean.

I have to say since joining this group my old weight watcher ways of loosing weight is coming back to me slowly and I kneed to supply my house with the good stuff and I will. I don't want to diet anymore. I want to be able to live and enjoy life. See food is not my problem as I said, its snacking which since being home for 3 years that all i did all day long. Let me add that my hubby woirks about 16 hour days so I don't do alot of cooking. I was eating what my 3 year old wanted (which is not exactly healthy), I can't have fish or seafood so that makes it harder. I am going to add protein like you said and see if it helps along with fruit and veggies and see how I do.. wish me luck..

Karyn, I know what you mean about snacking more when you are home with the kids. I can also relate to your husband being gone so much that you don't want to cook. My husband has been working and living 3 hours away from us for about a year (long story) and I got so I would just make easy stuff and keep lots of snacks in the house for the kids. They were healthy snacks for the most part, but I wasn't ready to be serious about my weight, I guess, because I didn't watch how much I ate. Even when I prepared healthy meals, I ate 2 or more servings, just because it was there. For some reason, I just wasn't ready to control myself. And because we are on such a tight budget, I couldn't pay anyone to watch the kids so I could excercise. I started getting pretty depressed about the extra 20 lbs I added to my already overweight body, and I felt like I would never do anything about it. I tried a few times, but didn't stick to it and didn't make a total effort like I am now. I'm not sure what the difference is, but I feel so positive and motivated now. Thank goodness.

I do think I was doing something right during that time that is actually helping me now. I prepared and ate healthy foods for the most part. I ate way too much of them all, of course, and I ate other junky stuff on top of it, but our diets were, for the most part, well rounded and full of nutrition. I like eating that way (alot!) haha Anyway, it's been pretty easy for me to eat the right things since I started this, and not feel deprived nor have a bunch of cravings. All I've had to really focus on is how much I eat and when I eat (I tended to eat a whole bunch after the kids went to bed), and for some reason it hasn't been all that hard. I think because I am mentally ready now.

Good luck with getting back on track--sounds like you know what your issues are and what you need to do. It helps to have other people to do it with, though I think, so you are in the right place. I started this with a friend, but she has backed WAY off, and didn't really have the same goals anyway, which is why I joined this group! I like sharing successes and hearing inspiring stories daily. Very motivating! Again, good luck!

Karyn, I wanted to say something else about Easter chocolate. I had a bit of difficulty with that too, especially since I got my husband a Dove Chocolate Bunny, and he LEFT IT HERE! I decided to just eat a reasonable amount each day (if I wanted to) till it was gone. I figured out how much was reasonable for my calorie and nutrition goals for the day, and I ate that amount when I really felt the urge to get some. Sometimes I ate a bit more, but it was never a huge, unreasonable amount. And I savored it in quiet enjoyment, instead of wolfing it down mindlessly. I guess my point is that I try to keep the junk out, but I don't make anything completely off limits, especially things I really like. I just watch my overall calories and nutrition. I won't be happy about eating a half-pound of chocolate, if I can't eat anything else for the rest of the day!! I sure felt happy when that darned bunny was gone, though! hehe

I'm a newbie here, I have 2 daughters 16 and 6 and am happily married. I need to lose about 42 pounds to get to a realistic goal weight of 128. I look forward to getting to know you all. I live in NH

Glad you're here dmb! I just joined this group recently, and it's fun to have others to share your successes and frustrations with. Good luck reaching your goals!

Karyn, I'm about 3 minutes from the New york border.
I am hoping to get to my goal of 165 for my yearly trip to Wildwood Crest in Sept.

It is pouring again here today but I started out for the gym this am. I had to turn around though because the road was flooded. Not worth damaging the van just to go to the gym for a couple hours! Then I wouldn't be able to go at all!
I can't wait for summer! The road out of town has never flooded!

Well at least my intention was to go!

We've had nothing but rain for a couple of weeks, and had a sudden torrential hail storm yesterday--typical for where I live actually. The famous Pacific NW rain was noticeably absent for much of February and March, though, and now it seems oppressive to have so much again. I want to take a walk on the beach or take a hike on one of the trail around here, but I am stuck inside. Oh, well, at least we won't have the projected drought condition all the weather forecasters were prematurely predicting back during the unusual dry spell! This summer will be beautiful as usual!

Aweighstogo, sorry you couldn't make it to the gym. Count it as a day of rest after your big workout yesterday...or just put on some good music and dance for 30 minutes with your kids! Um...I forgot their ages, but mine are little and love to boogie with me. I suppose if you have teenagers, then they would just roll their eyes and be mad at you for embarrasing them!

Anyway, good for you for trying!

Andrea thanks for the encouragement you gave me. Your story is my life, how scary is that. My hubby started a busines 2 years ago and this year we have no money for the bills and i am looking to go back to work which i really don't want to put nicky in childcare but he is 3 and i think he will love being with kids. Anyway I was trying to get pregnant since last June and nothing is happening and its proberly because of eating sugar and not exercising. I am now focusing my goal on my weight and eating right and I am sure after loosing 20lbs I will get pregnant. We are going to really start trying around june/july. My son was conceived in April and was born dec 27..ugg.. don't want to do that to another one. You have motivated me to go to the store and buy salads and fruit and to THROW OUT THAT CHOCOLATE and carrott cake that is in my refrigerator from Easter. I am having my sisters and all over next Sunday so if I can stay away from all the bad sturff this week and do some exercise (even small amounts) I can have a taste of some of the desserts (which I love) but that is my goal for this week to save up for Sunday. Anyway I am going to the supermarket today and buying some good stuff. any suggestions on that?

Aweightogo what is your first name? Anyway how funny is that, we are going to wildwood the first week in August. We went last year with our friends, they have 3 kids 13, 4.5, 2 and mine is 3.. We had a ball so we booked the condo again. We stay at a 3 bedroom condo with a full kitchen for the kids. its awesome. we had an awesome time and had a pool. I want this year to look better in my bathing suit so that is my goal too (unless I get pregnant before that) but looking good is still the goal..haha..

Sorry about all the rain. We got clobbered too. it doesn't help that my yard is like a sideways hill. all my pavers are covered with dirt and i am tired of diggeing them out between the rain and my dog!

Welcome Dmb. What is your first name? I just joined this group this week and I think this is the best message board I ever found! I was always looking for moms who wanted to loose weight and are stuggling. now i found it. I was on one board of lossing weight a year ago and alls they did was bash people stuggleing so i never looked for another one. anyway.. welcome...

karyn

Well, I got up and did my 45 minutes of yoga this morning (4th morning in a row--yay, no skips in awhile!), and I feel all warm and relaxed and aware of my body in a good way. I like that feeling. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Also, last night I tried out my bellydancing dvd again, and it was slightly easier than when I tried several months ago, but I'm still quite uncoordinated about it, and can't even figure out how they are doing some of it! I've never been good at following choreography, darn it! I feel so goofy trying, too! Even though I can dance pretty well on my own, trying to follow what someone else is doing makes me feel like a doofus. I'm going to keep on trying, though, since maybe it just takes practice and I'll get better. In any case, I spent 30 more minutes than usual working up a sweat and burning calories...and that's the goal right!?

I ate 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with 1/2 cup of pineapples for breakfast. It was yummy, but I was sorry I didn't make any bread yesterday, because I really wanted some toast with breakfast this morning. I didn't buy bread when I went grocery shopping day before yesterday, because I was planning on trying to make a loaf of good whole wheat bread myself--figured it'd taste better and I'd get some exercise kneading it! I'll have to do that today. (I will do it, I will do it, I will do it...)

Karyn, I'm glad you felt motivated by something I said. I can go on and on, in case you haven't noticed! But, you know, I have been coming to 3fatchicks on and off for a couple of years without posting at all--just looking for the right group and for me to be in the right frame of mind. Now that I feel like I'm ready and have found a good group, I'm very enthusiastic! I'm wondering, though, where are the original posters that started this thread? I miss them. Where are you partyof5 and others? I'm glad you are here, though, Karyn, and also aweighstogo. Oh, and I would like to know your first name, too, aweighstogo and dmb!

Karyn, you asked for shopping suggestions. Well, I can tell you some things that I buy regularly for me and my crew:

~whole wheat tortillas
~cottage cheese
~Pineapple chunks
~tuna (I make a pretty good pasta salad with garden pasta, tuna, peas, ~spinach tomatoes and olives and a balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing combined with a little mayo--my kids love it)
brown rice--I get a large 20 lb bag for $12 from the Korean store in Portland, OR
~lots of veggies for stir-frys and soups, etc...--broccoli, collard greens, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, yellow and orange bell peppers (they are beautiful and yummy in a stir fry!) , asparagus in season, etc...

~Apples ( I keep lots on hand as my kids LOVE them and I peel, core and slice them and serve platters of whole wheat crackers like triscuits, cheese, baby carrots and almonds. I eat this too, though I watch my portion size carefully and I have a special favorite cheese that I treat myself to--Dubliner Irish cheese! If I'm eating a snack, I have only 1 oz of it, but if I'm having crackers and cheese and fruit for a regular meal, I allow 3 oz of the cheese. YUMMY! and easy, too!)

~Bananas and lots of other fruit--usually what's on sale.

~I try to buy some fish of some kind each week. It's can be expensive, especially my favorite, salmon, but it's so good for you, and I like it. Keeps me happy to have this nice treat once a week. I really love little bay scallops rolled in flour and sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic and served over brown rice. DELICIOUS!

~I love soups and stews, and there are some really, really good ones in my Moosewood Restaurant Lowfat Favorites cookbook. I use it often. It also contains one of my favorite meals: Garlicky black-eyed peas and collard greens. It's just like it sounds and is served over brown rice. I am from South Louisiana, and I love black-eyed peas...and collard greens for that matter.

~As a matter of fact, we tend to eat a lot of bean and rice dishes. My husband likes them as much or more than I do. I am not a vegetarian, but I don't eat meat of any kind that often, sometimes going several days without it. Beans, cheese, and nuts comprise much of my protein, but I'm trying to cut back on cheese.

~Oh...almost forgot...I have recently started buying frozen chicken breasts so I can thaw one, cut it up and use it in the stir-frys I've been making lately. I really like doing this. It's an easy, healthful source of protein, and I get a large amount of veggies, too!

Well, this is getting long. Hope some of this is helpful.

Good luck!

Just thought of another couple of favorite regular dishes:

~Linguine with feta cheese and garlic, along with diced tomatoes and fresh spinach thrown in at the last minute. We always have a big garden salad with this and many other dishes.

~Angel hair pasta and clam sauce. EASY and delicious:

Put the water on to boil. Sautee some garlic (3-4 cloves, or to taste) in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan, then add 3 cans of minced clams and some chopped parsely. When the pasta is done (angel hair goes fast!) just spoon the light sauce over the pasta and garnish with diced roma tomatoes, capers and parmesan cheese. I LOVE this--an all time favorite, especially in the summer when something heavier is so unappealing. This seems very gourmet, yet is so simple--great to serve guests, providing they like clams.

Hi all. My first name is Joan. My kids are 1, 3, & 8. My kids will dance around with me but instead of dancing my oldest and I decided to wrestle on my bed. She can't believe how strong I am now. She used to be able to pin me down pretty quick! But not anymore!
She does get embarrassed though everytime I mention that I am going to go bellydancing! All the more reason to go!!!
Than I took a nap! I am pretty tired after my workout yesterday. A good tired though. An honest tired from being active! I used free weights in addition to the machines yesterday and I am so SORE! But I finally saw a tiny indentation that one might call the start of a waistline! So i guess it is all worth it!!!

I can't wait to go to Wildwood at goal! I see family that I only see at that time. I can't wait to see their faces. Or to go clothes shopping for the trip!

I am so glad that I found you guys. I need the support to keep going!
It's hard being a Mom and finding the time/energy to take care of ourselves AND everyone else! When I start feeling stressed I just come to this thread!

Thanks you guys for all your help and support!!!

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortantly I can't eat fish. I can have tuna maybe 1 time a month but not in large portins. Anyway I printed your suggestions so I can look over them again.

I did go shopping today. I bought lots of veggies and fruit. I already made a fruit salad in my refrigerator. Lots of lettuce and some chilcken short cuts to add to it. At checkout I picked up the new shape magazine and womens world which was on dieting and receipes. I also printed some from the 3fatchicks site. I am going to try it. My first time making my goal weight I made stir frys all the time and I will get backt o that. I always keep frozen broccolli and cauliflower and carrots in the freezer. Anyway I bought a big bag of carrots to put on the counter while cooking to keep me from snacking on junk. thats one of my downfalls. I am very proud of my shopping trip. No cookies or candy made it to my court.. yay. Tonight we had tacos from the taco kit but I made a large salad with it and chopped up fressh tomatoes. I noticed I ate less of the tacos oh and i always use 93% or higher lean meat. After diner I ate my last piece of carrot cake and threw the rest of it in the garbadge along with the chocaolate.

The women in the 30-something group are great, most of us are moms as well. Feel free to come join us!

Karyn, I've skimmed over most of your posts, so forgive me if I missed something key here. But I found I had to breakup with food, atleast for a long time. Most of my cravings were based on memories, not on the food actually bringing me any satisfaction at the time. I'm down 20# since January and am amazed by the freedom I've found, I've yet to feel a sense of depravation, which is amazing because before the breakup, I didn't know it was possible to lose weight and not go crazy. Anyway, good luck!

Hello everyone!! I'm so proud of everyone here, it sounds like everyone is staying so positive and doing so well! Speaking of yummy food I just made a really good recipe that was in the SB diet cookbook. I'll post it if anyone is interested. It is a wheat pasta dish with meatballs and veggies!!! It was really good. I too had a little bit of trouble with Easter. I'm totally a chocolaholic. I found a sugar free chocolate bunny and bought that for myself to help (of course I ate it for supper along with some salted soy nuts). For exercise I replaced the inner tube in the back tire of my bike and rode it for a while with my youngest Seth. I didn't get any exercise today really. It was one of those days were no matter what I tried to do it just didn't work out for one reason or another. Actually I take it back, I did mow most of the lawn with the push mower (the riding mower had a belt off) and I have a huge yard, so that was some exercise. I still haven't started doing anything in the morning yet I just can't get that motivated. I hate getting out of bed in the morning!