Thank you!

Has anyone found the FlatOut wraps? I dragged my poor boyfriend to SuperFresh (I was visiting him in Philadelphia at his school and was determined to stay OP) and the produce was MOLDY! Thank God there was a Whole Foods right across the street. Anyway, it was not a total bust since I found the coveted Weight Watchers cookies (AMAZING, but deadly) and the FlatOut Wraps which are also amazing. I just spent an hour looking for them here in NY (figured my best bet was Waldbaum's since like SuperFresh it is owned by A&P but no dice) and ended up settling for similar wraps which are also 1 point. They're made by Master's Choice, which is A&P's brand.

oh, faerie, i am very much in a similar position -- with my relationship busting up, i have to find a place, and i am worse than broke (debt debt debt...) so i'm not sure what i'll do. ugh i am stressed just thinking about it. and yes, home to mom and dad is a possibility for a temporary fix, but the more i REALLY think about that, the less I think I could handle it.

anyway, this roomie sounds like the pits, and good riddance! totally understand feeling unhappy about all this now, but it sounds like there's a light at the end of the tunnel waiting for you...
S

Hi All,
I'm new here. I've been on Flex since Jan/08. I've lost 15 lbs so far. I'm feeling good. Sometimes I get a little discouraged that the weight is coming off slowly but then I just tell myself that this is a lifestyle change and to be patient. I want the weight to stay off. So, maybe it needs to come off slowly in order for that to happen.

I look forward to getting to know you all.
http://3fatchicks.com/diet-blogs/debbie

Truelies - We've gotten the coupons for the FlatOut wraps in meetings, but ya know, I have yet to actually see them in the grocery store.

Lizzy - Thanks, and to you, too. It's a tough situation, to say the least. We'll both pull through! Even if it means ... -_- living with our parents...

Debbie - Hi there!!!! Welcome to the Flex area! Congrats on those 15lbs, that's great And just think, you are closer to your goal now than you were in January. And if you keep losing at a similar rate, by this time next year you'll be at goal and then you can maintain and be at goal forever! Definitely keep posting around here. We'd love to get to know you!

---

I was angry last night, so of course what I need to do is go to sleep, but because I'm all riled up and grrr that I can't sleep! I was more angry that I couldn't get to sleep.

Anyway, I finally did fall asleep. So, this morning I'm feeling a little better. Things are a little more "up". More sleep tonight should help. I also felt a little better because I paid some bills for the month. Now I just have to do my taxes...

Food-wise... I'm hilarious, because I had to force feed myself all my points last night. When I'm angry, the last thing I want to do is eat. Gee, if I could be angry all the time then I'd be a size 2! But, I kept thinking "It's unhealthy not to eat."

My fiancé actually drew up some financial comparisons between the two B&B's that we're looking at, which was very sweet of him, because I was quite frankly far too emotional. Making plans helps me feel better, so I believe I will spend the next week making some solid plans.

Work will keep my thoughts occupied for the time being. I hope you all are having fantastic days!

institches - WTG staying on plan! That's fantastic!

dawn - Good for you being proactive about the scale instead of sitting by letting it do its own thing. You're on the right track, the scale will follow. Oh, and I'm getting my master's in English literature (oh so useful, I know). The thing I'm preparing for is my culminating oral exam. Bleh.

free - Haha, I hate theory & criticism too, though this one piece of "discourse" I have to read is actually kind of fun because it's written by an early 18th C satirist, and it's mostly just a big letter about how awesome his patron is (read: give me more money, sir!). So it's not so bad as a lot of the stuff you're thinking of. But theory & crit is one reason I'm totally leaving academia, I can't stand the stuff and it's EVERYWHERE.

and...... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

free & faerie - re: almond milk - I feel exactly the same! I can't imagine going back to fluid cow's milk for any reason anymore. Almond milk is just so good, and I love the nutty flavor it has over the weird dairy aftertaste. Actually, I'm starting to feel like I ought to officially give up dairy for realz. I've been noticing lately that shortly after I have something overtly dairy, I get itchy eyes and a runny nose and a thick coating in my mouth that's hard to get rid of. Isn't that weird? I started putting it together yesterday (that one follows the other) and might have to experiment with the no-dairy thing to see how I feel. I might actually have developed an allergy to it! :/

Nikki - Welcome!

Sonja - At least you know what you did wrong this week. Not quite as frustrating as those times we do everything right and *still* gain, huh? You know what you gotta do! And TOM could always be an unhelpful element, part of that gain could totally be hormonal. All you can do is stay OP and wait and see! And you and Faerie should just move in together (matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match! Find me a find, catch me a catch!)

Faerie - I'm sorry to hear you're having those issues!! Money is tough to worry about, and obviously so is the prospect of not having someplace to live! I hope you can find something. Hopefully around May there should be a bunch of places opening up if you live anywhere even moderately populated by students.... Good luck with it, and lemme know if you want "something" to "accidentally" happen to your roommate in the night Glad to hear you're feeling better about it today, too. Sleep & the passage of time help with these things.

Aero - I'm not sure what you posted (I'll go check it out) but believe me, NOTHING you could say about what you've done in the past could change what we think about you now!! And sometimes newbies do need tough love, you know. Besides, you can always trust that if the mods think someone came down too hard the post will be removed I wouldn't worry about it, I think the important thing is that you gave your input and shared something difficult about yourself.

truelies - I LOVE Flat Out wraps. I found them in the grocery store once, bought them, and was immediately hooked. And then POOF, they disappeared! I couldn't find them anywhere, so I went on the FlatOut website and ordered direct from them. The funny thing is, they have a minimum order requirement of 7 bags, so I have a freezer full of flatout wraps They're so handy though, I eat them all the time!!

Debbie - Welcome! You've done amazing so far, keep up the good work!!

---

Whew, okay, I think I got everybody! (You all were chatty yesterday, huh!)

Yesterday I went a little overboard on the remaining WW ice cream bars in my freezer. They're gone now and I don't plan on buying them again any time soon - I bought them because they were on sale, but I should know I have very little restraint when it comes to yummy things like that in my freezer!! I'll stick with the fruit popcicles, thanks. Ah well. At least they don't pack a big points-punch.

Like I said above, I think I'm developing (I've developed?) a bona fide dairy allergy. Like beyond just lactose intolerance. It's the weirdest thing. I can't be sure as these things are notoriously difficult to pin down. I was reading some stuff about dairy allergies and it seems the best way to find out is to eliminate all dairy for two weeks, then add in about a cup of dairy on day 15, then go back to no dairy for two days and see if you have any symptoms, then keep repeating that trying different types and amounts of dairy until you're satisfied about the feedback you're getting from your body. It shouldn't be too difficult, though I have to go look at all my bread products to see if they contain dairy (that's about the only processed food I regularly eat). I'm not big on cheese and I can do without yogurt & cottage cheese (though I'll miss the protein, will have to eat more eggs! and I'll miss the fun of making yogurt if it turns out I really am allergic). Anyway, this is all just guesswork, but I feel like I need to explore this before I can rule it out. I've said it before and I'll say it again: bodies are such freakin' complicated things!

Again, not a ton of time, as I'm still working on my presentation about addiction...ironic, because my own addiction to this site is preventing me from getting started!
Suite -- totally not weird to get those effects after dairy!! I used to be off dairy, spent a few months not eating ANY dairy (ie, label reading for anything milk related) because i have nasal allergies and asthma, and I'd heard that dairy could effect that. I did some research on it, and dairy releases histamines in your system, which effects things like mucus production. So I thought, "I'll just see what happens if I get off dairy for 2 weeks, see if it actually helps," (this was soon after failing on Atkins, you can imagine how much dairy I had been eating for that horrible diet), and it did! Now you've got me thinking about it again...just be forewarned, if you stop eating dairy, beware the effects if you "cheat," (our American digestive systems are used to dairy, so we don't all have the stomach effects that people in Asia have, but once you stop being used to it, and then have a milkshake, it can be pretty bad news! I speak from experience!!)

Wow i said a lot about that.

Man, I gotta go. I can't wait till this week is done!

S

Suite - You're a doll! I don't think I need any "accidents", but it's always good to have a backup plan! No cheese?! Seriously, though, I hope you can get through the weeks dairy-free & that you feel better if it is indeed an allergy!

Lizzy - I think you & I must have caught a very addictive & contagious bug from this site! Work to do, and yet here we are ^^

I wonder, if one were to cut out much/all of the dairy in their life, but then use a lactaid pill before consuming any dairy like a milkshake if it would help...

The lactaid pill would help, in theory, if lactose were the only element of dairy that one is sensitive to. I've known for years I have a degree of lactose sensitivity, but it's not too bad unless I eat large amounts of ice cream or cheesy pizza. However, I think the thing that I'm dealing with now is related to other elements of milk, triggering the histamine response that shrinkinglizzy mentioned (my sneezing, itchy eyes, mucous-y mouth, runny nose). Milk is one of the most highly allergenic foods we eat (along with wheat), I think there are 20 or 30 different aspects of milk that one can be allergic to (if I remember correctly).

I've been doing my reading this morning

Wow Everyone was here Yesterday Hi to All

Faerie, Yes being on that challenge, I sure will keep me motivated to get in my daily exercise. Good Luck to you, you are doing fantastic Sorry that your roomie is a knucklehead, and I do hope you can find a roomate that is more considerate, of you and your feelings

freedom Hope it's wonderful

truelies-I've found those flatouts at Super Walmart, but they do sell out quick, so when I do find them I buy alot, I put parchment paper between them and freeze them. Love the garlic and herb, had an egg wrap this morning

lizzy-I know what you mean, I can't wait to finish my exercise tape so I can get on the computer, I'm totally addicted, but it's a Good One Good luck on your report.

Suite-doesn't sound like fun, hope you find out if it's dairy thats making you feel so yucky now silly question how would you get in your daily dairy, if you were allergic?

Debbie-Welcome, hey believe it or not, it's better for the weight to come off slow, but 15 gone for good!

Dawn-Hi, saw your other post, WTG for your daughter and Hubby, that's terrfic that you all are in this together, it really helps to have that support! WTG on your activity plan

Have a Great Day-

Institches - The dairy requirement is really a simplified calcium requirement. We get calcium from many sources other than dairy, like dark leafy greens and milk substitute products that are calcium-fortified. That's how I'd do it

And how are you doing, hmm? You are so wonderful to take all this time to respond to everyone and you don't even talk about yourself!

Suite: my boyfriend's dad has a lactose allergy as well. He can't drink milk at all, he has to buy the lactose free milk. When he does eat other dairy products, like ice cream, he can only eat a little bit at a time or he gets sick.







~well as for me, I haven't been up to much. I haven't worked out yet this week because I have been busy with school and work. I am going to go tonight after my night class. I hope I can get in 4 workouts this week!

Have you guys ever tried the Dreyer's Loaded ice cream? It's low fat, only 3 points per half cup serving, and it's true to its name, it's loaded with candy! The cookie dough one has WAY more cookie dough than any other ice cream I have had. I just tried the cookies and cream one, which uses oreos, and it's good!

Well, that's all for me today!

vday - good luck with the gym! I'd be a hypocrite if I told you to make time for it so you get your workouts in, I haven't been exercising nearly enough and have basically said to heck with it til after my exam next week I tried the Loaded Butterfinger one once, and remember being slightly disappointed that there wasn't more ice cream in it I think we expect different things from our ice cream But 3pts for a 1/2c is decent for as much candy is in that stuff

Thanks for the warm welcome guys, and the encouragement.

I've seen those Flatout wraps at our Safeway. I thought I calculated the points to be quite high. Maybe I'm wrong, though. Does anyone know what the points are for those?

Interesting what you said about anger, Faerie. Unless I'm really angry, I'm pretty sure eat with that emotion, too. I recall having an argument with husband and straight afterward looking around for something to shove in mouth.

I use to drink when I was angry!


Now I don't because of the points!

Now I rarely ever drink, so it's the other way around. I get angry when I drink! Well not really...just at random strangers at bars...

Okay confession time: I didn't go work out. I changed to work out and everything and then realized that they close the gym on tuesday nights for yoga class...

And I probably won't work out tomorrow or Thursday either because I have a night class and work...

So that means I will only be working out 2 times this week!!! So that is bad....my body is so sensitive...if I am not working out 4 times and being completely on points, it gains! We will see how this plays out...I feel pretty lazy about it but what a ya gonna do