Anne -- I don't know if others will read your last post from last week, but I have discovered I love pork tenderloin. We usually add a little olive oil and then a seasoning rub on it and just grill it!! YUM!!

Yesterday it got above freezing and we celebrated by grilling chicken, peppers and onions and having fajitas! I have really missed our grilled meat!!!!

I am hoping this week is a little less busy for me than last week was!

Heather - I wasn't paying enough attention - I should have started the new thread. I'm going to copy in what I had posted. If I do the same next week I'll start a new thread. We still use the bbq, but Fridays are hamburgers and Sundays are steak and at the moment that's enough outdoor grilling. Once the weather is nicer I would probably do the pork on it as well.

Ruth - have you ever tried pork tenderloin as a protein source? I hadn't eaten it in years, but I'm surprised how much I enjoy it. I marinate it overnight in a couple of different things and just roast it for 35-40 mins at 350F. It's just a nice change from chicken (although I eat a fair bit of beef as well). The current favourite is 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, a couple of cloves of chopped garlic, and 1/8 - 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes. Drain marinade off and sprinkle with salt and pepper before baking. If I'm feeling ambitious I take a tsp of oil and cook some onion, then add the marinade and 1/2 cup chicken stock until it's reduced.

(the old post)

I'm around today. I think I just got busy starting on Thursday and it's carried over to Sunday. I try and post in both of the main threads here, but sometimes by the time I catch up on the other one I don't have time here. It's kind of like people who make the most noise get the most attention.

I did lots of baking on Saturday, making three different kinds of biscotti, using an old Emeril recipe I had. I'd originally avoided it because how many of his recipes are low cal, right? Actually I was wrong when I went looking at it. There was less sugar in his than in the one I'd been making. And the number of eggs were the same, which meant the dough held together better. I was so happy when I made the first batch that I just kept going with different ingredients. I also made them slightly smaller than the original recipe, which helped even more with the calorie count. I made Chocolate Almond Cherry (49 cals), Cinnamon (31 cals), and Lemon Ginger (30 cals). They aren't that big, but it's okay to take 2.

I was actually making them to take some of them to a party being held yesterday. It was my mother's 80th birthday and I had been told (on pain of death) that there was to be no party. So, one of the neighbours had it instead. The only thing I had to do was get her over there, so I just told her we were going out. It worked out quite well, and as I knew, she enjoyed herself.

From a food standpoint I did very, very well. I took a protein shake about 10 minutes before going, and found that I really wasn't that hungry. So I made good choices and even with a glass of wine my 'lunch' was actually slightly less than I would normally have taken. Of course I managed to stay away from the birthday cake, knowing I could have some of my own biscotti helped.

It was interesting though, watching other people eat (not judging). Also, thinking about how much I would have probably eaten at other times. Not so much more, but taking more of the higher calorie options. I know I would normally have taken the cake. And what was more interesting is that the lean meatballs (really small) were 160 cals for 6 of them. I'd taken less, but counted a little more to cover the sauce.

I'm also up a pound for today's weigh-in, but not really surprised. My TOM started yesterday and for the first time in a long time I really feel like I'm retaining water. Also, I know I didn't gain three pounds in two on plan days, so I know it will come off in a day or two.

Other than that I don't think there's much going on here. I finished lunch a while ago and will hit the treadmill later for my last 30 minutes. I hope everyone is just busy, but in a good way.

Take care all,
Anne

Good morning:

Anne, I love pork but since I have high bp I tend to stay away from it if possible.

Not much going on around here either. Have a wonderful op day....Ruth

I hope Terri's okay! And Val, and Angela, and all the others...

I feel like I'm clawing my way back to better habits. Last night I finally went to yoga for the first time in a month!

I'm here! I'm alive!

Sorry it's been so long since I popped in, but it's just SO busy! Work is a bear, then this weekend I went to a medieval event on Saturday - Sunday I sewed - Monday, back to the bear of a workplace, plus I had a meeting to go to and shopping. I have SO much going on right now I barely have time to breathe.

Food = BAD
Exercise = BAD
Sleep = BAD

I just REALLY am looking forward to that week off that's coming up...but I need a vacation to recover from the vacation preparations!

I'll try to get back and really read posts soon and do some replies.

Okay, I'm replying to myself!!!

Where on earth is everyone these days? I know I'm swamped, so must be everyone else is too! Terri? Angela? Valerie?

Helllloooo!Helllloooo!Helllloooo!Helllloooo!

Well, reporting in that I actually did force myself to do 20 on the IM today, am eating better (although still fighting the munchies) and I'm still incredibly stressed out and overworked.

That being the case, I best get back to work!

Hello, still here, but barely.

I'm feeling completely dragged out the last couple of days. It could be because of my TOM but I don't usually think it does this to me. I don't feel ill, just like I have zero energy. Monday wasn't so bad, but yesterday afternoon I just couldn't face the treadmill, so I decided since I'd done my 60 mins I'd just leave it there. This morning I did some push-ups/sit-ups and worked with the weights (total 1/2 hour) and almost couldn't find the energy to get on to the treadmill. Because of that I forced myself to do an hour and decided to rest this afternoon.

Hopefully it will pass, but I can feel that I'm struggling with just doing minor things. The only good thing is that I'm not hungry.

Hope everyone else is just busy (ie. not unwell).

For the first time in two months, I am caught up in my grading!! It's like a miracle (but really lots of hard work!).

So, I am taking a night off from work! I deserve it!

I'm definitely up several pounds -- I mostly have things under control, but can't string together more than a couple of days where I want them to be in my head. At least I seem to have halted the upward movement!

Lilion -- Way to go on the IM!!! every minute counts!

Anne -- I hope you recover your energy!!

Hello all,

I'm not sure that my energy is up, although I'll probably get 90 mins in on the treadmill before I stop for lunch (2pm). I'm pushing myself a little today as I know that usually breaking a sweat will eventually give me more energy. My mood is up though, as its official - I'm going back to school!

I got a letter from one of the colleges yesterday, telling me that I hadn't met the entrance requirements (which I knew was wrong), and that I needed to schedule a mature student appointment. It did add that if I thought this was incorrect I could call the admissions advisor for my program. So I left a message and I heard from her this morning. Now, this is where I love the new electronic age. She didn't have my transcripts (any of them). Now, Ontario has a new system in place for school applications. You apply through a central agency, pay a fee, and they collect and send the transcripts to all of the schools. Anyway, I had attended this college years ago, so I was surprised when she couldn't find any information for me. Turns out that the old system of grades won't transfer into the new system. So she manually looked up my grades while I was on the phone and transfered them into the new system. She looks at my grades (between 77 and 93) for the courses I was supposedly not meeting the minimum requirement, and tells me that I will definitely be getting an offer in the next few weeks.

So, even though it's not set, this raised my spirits. Then while I'm checking the central agency (which claims they sent everything out Feb 1st and 2nd) I see that I got an offer from my second choice college. Although I'm not sure in the end if it might not become the first choice. I don't have to respond until May 1st, so I can wait to see about the other two I applied to. Yay me! I don't think I was worried until I saw that my high school grades weren't as impressive as I thought they were. I think back in my final year of high school there was a tendency to slack off once you got your college/university acceptance. My midterm grades were pretty good, but my final grades slipped (since I don't think I attended very much in the last few months.

Well, that's enough yakking for now. 45 mins down, 45 mins to go.

Heather - I'm glad you halted the upward movement. That's the one thing I know I'll have to watch eventually. My last stop started a slow climb up and I just tuned out. It's good that you're keeping it under control. You do know that you are so inspiring to the rest of us, right?

Lilion - I admit that I miss the overworked feeling. When in that situation I know I always said I hated it, but I think I thrive on it. The first time I was losing weight I was so busy and it seemed to make it easier. It was later when bored with work that I ate more. And it got worse when I went to a job that I tried to avoid. All I need is 12-hour days and I could be thin. Well, not quite....

Hi, all
Hi, Lilion! I'm here. I'm alive - well, sort of...
Well, I've been OP whether I wanted to or not - I've been hit by that nasty flu. It came on gradually - first a head cold, then yesterday the chills, aches, and fever. So last night I went to bed at 7:30 and today I'm staying in and sipping chicken soup all day in between naps. Don't feel like doing much of anything. I have the flu shot, but this strain was not accounted for in the shot and I've in contact with too many kids etc. Drat ! At least I'm not too sick - just feel yucky and tired. Most people get over it in a day or so and I hope that's true for me. The good part, if there can be a good part, is that I don't feel like eating much, so I'm just taking it easy. Also I'm not going out even to get the paper - it is bitter cold here. Where is spring!
Anne, good luck with the college stuff. That's great that you're doing that. But paperwork is a .... well we know what paperwork is. Hope all goes smoothly.
Well, it's off to the sickbed.
Bearcub

Anne -- Good luck with college! What made you want to go back?

I spoke too soon about halting my upward slide. I have discovered over the last couple of years I'm a stress eater. Today in a stressful meeting I ate a piece of danish and three pieces of a pound-cake like ... thing... in less than 10 minutes. ugh.

That's the beast I have to tame next!

Bearcub - that's the only good thing about being unemployed this winter - not working with a whole bunch of people with the flu. Hopefully it's a short illness - get well soon.

Heather - I think it started with being unemployed (by choice). I could have gone back to the job I had (they offered me a leave of absence), but I was becoming more and more disillusioned with it. I like working in the manufacturing plants, but I like process improvement more so than quality. It probably didn't sink in because in my last three jobs there were people who included me in the process side a lot. In fact at my previous job the plant manager was more likely to come to me / listen to me, than the process person. He was the one who said I'd probably be happiest on the process side. My education is (mainly) a 3-yr diploma in computer systems from well, 20 years ago. Although I've taken a number of courses (quality ones) and certified as a quality engineer (with the American Society of Quality), it seems to be my lack of technical background that most potential employers highlight. I've had some offers, but either I don't want them, or they're too far away. At the moment I don't want to move out of the area. So returning to school and (hopefully) moving more into an area that interests me sounded like a good idea. It's a co-op program as well, so I'll have some more recent experience when I'm finished. Right now it sounds like a good plan. Remind me of this when I'm *****ing about homework.

Meetings are horrible. Especially lunch meetings, where there is usually nothing that any reasonable person could eat. I admit I used to take my own lunch in and eat it, something that I thought would embarrass me, but I got used to it. Sitting far away from the bad stuff usually doesn't help, since someone invariably thinks you're suffering and slides it towards you. Or perhaps they are just sliding them away from themselves. I have confidence you will tame the beast. Identifying a problem is the first step into fixing it.

Howdy Bearcub! Glad to see you and too bad you've been sick! Some of the nasty flu bugs going around are knocking people for a loop! I hope you get better soon!

Anne, good for you - going back to school! My DH is a student now, on top of his job, doing mostly on-line courses, although he does take some night school classes now and then. He regularly kicks himself for waiting until he was almost 40 to start when he could have gone right out of the Marines at age 22 and been done and paid for. I'm different than you, all overwork does for me is make me NOT want to cook, but DEFINATELY want to eat! And salads are not on my cravings list very often. (Unless they're smothered with cheese and creamy Italian dressing!) Stress is not kind to my diet-mode.

Heather, Office munchies are often my downfall. I have a real passion for donuts and other cake-like objects.

And it shows. I'm ending the month exactly where I started. Still at 246.5. It's getting incredibly old. At this rate I'll reach my goal....well...NEVER. I've just GOT to get back on track and stay there. It just seems that when I'm good, very good, I still don't lose. Could three more years of age really have that big of an impact? This seemed a lot easier back in 05.

Hi, all
I am crawling slowly out of the flu valley. Although I was never totally blown out by it, I did have aches, fever etc. I stayed in totally one day, went to the doctor and got medication for secondary sinus infection the next and then have stayed in two more days because the fever keeps spiking again in the evening. Not a lot, just enough to keep me in.
On top of all of this, I received word that a dear, dear friend has died suddenly. She passed in her sleep, peacefully but totally unexpectedly. She was in her 80's but seemed to be in great health and had been up and doing things right till the end - even had a trip to Paris coming up this month. It was a great life for her, but devastating for those of us who thought she'd be around forever. Now I'm trying to be well enough to go to services later this week.
I also have question for the group - my sister is contemplating lap band surgery. She is the one who has had such terrible health problems last year and needs to lose the weight. She has really tried but can't seem to lose enough on the conventional WW and other programs. She exercises and eats healthy. So now she's thinking of going into debt for the lap band. I worry because I know there can be complications with any surgery and i don't know if the lap band really works well enough to be worth the money and the risk. She has a tendancy to get MRSA infections rather easily. Do any of you know anything about this procedure?
It's getting a bit warmer here, so does that mean spring is on its way? I hope so. I've had it with winter.
Heather, i'm surprised in this day and age that they didn't have healthier choices at the meeting - like grapes or other fruit or something like that. If they are going to have food, at least they should provide healthy choices. At least that way you can eat and feel righteous. I hate it when I go to a meeting and all that is there are donuts, cupcakes, cookies etc. Don't these people read or listen to the news anymore? This stuff is killing us. Don't feel bad about falling into the trap - it's too easy for all of us. When I have to go to meetings anymore I take my own snacks. I don't trust them anymore. I think they are trying to kill me off so they don't have to pay benefits! LOL Fooled them! I'm still here.
Bearcub