Hi everyone!

I've gotta take care of a bank situation today, so please wish me luck! Today, I will eat two bananas with 20 nuts, meats with stew and drink a gallon of water. What's your day shaping up to be like?

Good Morning

I'm going to drink water before every meal, focus on getting all my food groups in, and walk at least a mile.

I'll restart the picture project and get some other paperwork caught up, too.

Right now coffee awaits.....

Have a great day everyone!

It's a very windy and snowy Monday morning here. We had our first snowstorm of the season yesterday that virtually shut everything down, and we had to cancel our dinner plans, but it's giving me an extra day off.
I'm feeling especially snug and cozy curled up on the couch here with my coffee while listening to the wind gusting and howling outside. I think this is how I'll spend most of my day. Especially with our power flicking off and on.

Okie, good luck getting everything straightened out at the bank today, and I sure hope you are including plenty of vegetables in your meal plan for the day!

Good morning right back to you, Debbie! I am going to remember your resolve and have a big glass of water before every meal, too. I am awful about drinking enough water, especially during the cold months, but your idea is a good way to remember to drink it.

Hey, could we send some of that steam up here? Maybe it will melt the snow. My exercise today is going to be shoveling, lots and lots of shoveling. That should kick start the upper body work on my New Year's To Do list.

Okie - Good luck at the bank

Debbie - I made a huge pot of the secret vegetable soup yesterday. It's my go to trick when I really need to get back on track. Just a big pot of low salt veggie broth with cabbage, zucchini, greens, celery, onion and diced tomatoes. I like spicy so add nsa chili sauce to it. Then I have it with a veggie burger for lunch and a bowl with dinner before the main course.

Cottage - I hope your power stays on. We did all the running around last night charging everything, checking batteries and filling containers with water. Do you still have another day of this storm?

Today's plan was house cleaning, movie watching, exercising and relaxing. The weather will make darned sure we stick to that because we aren't going anywhere. I'm cooking and freezing dried beans and stews too so when work kicks back in I have a little cushion. There won't be any shoveling until the wind settles down out there. No point in moving snow around when the wind will just put it right back.

If you are in the land of blizzard stay warm and safe. For everyone else hope your Monday starts the week slowly and gently.

Today is my day 1 of SBD. I have to run to the grocery store to get the rest of the foods for the week, and some more veggies. I made chicken salad last night and chopped up celery, onion and red peppers in it. So that will be lunch today, with a few extra pieces of celery. Breakfast will consist of a hard boiled egg and coffee. I need to try drinking some decaf tea cause I'm a cofffee adict and use way to much cream in it. Dinner tonight i'm going to make italiange sausage with peppers.
I'm going to pick up garbonzo beans when at the store to try roasting those for a snack and see how they turn out.
Other then that i need to stop at the book store for my copy of the book and start reading it today, along with laundry and cleaning floors.

Good morning! Would, you believe this old Hen had to look up the McSteamy reference? McDreamy, I know. Okie, I hope you win the tussle with the bank today and, as Cottage says, eat some veggies with that menu!

Debbie, I am trying to re-focus too and will join you in finishing projects, food planning, paperwork and water. I definitely will get back to the gym next week and am planning some treadmill and WATP this week.

Cottage, I imagine you snuggled into that cozy house. It's so nice to have visited each other and know what our houses ate like. Please stay home today!

Juliann, a big to The Beach. It sounds like you have a plan for a good start. As Cottage says, the book is important to help you understand the "why" of this plan. Another very important thing is to check in to the daily every day, whether perfectly on plan of not.

Lovely day at my son's house yesterday. Despite my worries their dog was not too hyper and Disney put her in her place when she got too silly. Jazz was just his usual fun and cuddly self. I swear he will be a puppy all his life. We all had a nice relaxed family day and Tayler and I played with a lot of her "stuff" including a cotton candy machine that works with sugar-free hard candies! I was home before pitch dark, lit the woodstove, had a decent supper and fell into bed for nine hours.

My friend Shirleyanne and her DD Andrea the Gorgeous come for lunch today. I have some stewed beef which I'll turn into an SBD-OK stew thingie. They are bringing good bread from the city which I'll try to ignore and I am making a dessert with ricotta and some dried fruit.

Tomorrow I'll be back to "regular" life and shift gears. I even have a meeting at 7 PM.

When you go about your tasks on the third day of Christmas, try not to trip over the three French hens.

Cyndi, I missed your post. It sounds like you are going to hunker down and stay safe but still get things done. Pass me some of that secret soup, OK? I have a veggie soup in the freezer that is not great but may jazz it up with some beans and salsa. Stay cozy and warm and don't even think of shovelling until it stops!

Good morning!

Okie, t's a McSnowy and McWindy Monday here. We've got power but according to the TV many don't. It's an awfully cold day to be without power but luckily most around here have wood stoves. Good luck at the bank.

Hi Debbie, Linda and Cyndi, it's great to have a week day at home, eh? I know I'm sure enjoying it!

Welcome Juliann! Have a terrific first day on plan!

Ruth, I'm glad your day was such a nice one yesterday. And how lucky Tayler is, I imagine she'll always remember you playing with her and checking out the new toys! My kids seem to be in no hurry, but I look forward to having grandchildren to play with.

My eating and exercise haven't been terrible but I don't expect I'll get 100% back on plan until after my daughter leaves on Wednesday. We're staying away from the candy and pastries but I'm eating more grains and fruits than usual and we're eating so many sweet potatoes... they're Beth's favorite and she doesn't cook much in Houston.

Today is going to be a cooking/cleaning/crafting day here, too, with some shoveling thrown in. Beth is helping me make ladybug magnets for my classroom chalkboards (I use them for display space, so many kids are bothered by the chalk dust these days) and a few other little things. She's very creative, like my mom and sister. We're going to make some sweet potato chips with the dehydrator she gave me for Christmas. We did kale chips on Friday and they were wonderful, better than the ones I do in the oven. I'm going to do some more beans in the pressure cooker too. We've still got leftovers but I'm anxious to use this new toy while I'm in no hurry so that by the time I get back into busy mode I'll be quick and confident with it. (Cyndi the pressure cooker is from Target, it's a Demi 5 quart.)

Enjoy your McSteamy Monday friends!

Good morning. Feels like the weekend still here since there is no school this week. Taking both boys to the dermatologist today for mole checks. Elliptical. Getting caught up on some reading. Drinking a lot of tea. Grocery store. Eating OP. Boring.

Okie - Good luck.

Debbie - I am a weather wimp - don't like to walk or bike outside if it is "cold."

Linda - I was glad to find out my son left his car in the one covered parking area on campus! Glad to hear you are snug and cozy.

Cyndi - Be careful you don't hurt yourself shoveling! I'm thinking I need to stock the freezer too.

Juliann - Welcome! Yep, reading the book and meal planning are both great things to help get you going.

Ruth - Oooh - I love the McD doctors I didn't start watching until several seasons were past and I kept hearing everyone go on and on about that show. I got the old episodes from the library and caught up.

Heidi - I love sweet potatoes and can easily overdo them. Yum. I've been meaning to try kale chips in the oven but maybe should go for the dehydrator instead?

Have a great day all.

Okie, have a great OP day and I hope your banking gets straightened out. As a former banker, I can suggest that sugar works better than salt. Rev up your sweetest voice and satiate them with kindness.lol

Linda, sorry your dinner got cancelled but enjoy your day off.''

Cyndi, your soup sounds fab! Enjoy your day and take care with the shovelling.

Juliann, to the beach. Have a great day! Make sure you let us know if you run into any problems.

Ruth, I googled, too. Aha! Now I know why you are having wine with lunch(read the OP thread first). Have a nice lunch with your friends.

Heidi, lol for a McSnowy and McWindy day! Glad to hear your DD is visiting for a few more days.

Karen, your day didn't sound too boring to me. I guess my day must be more boring than yours.

Ok, my body is telling me it's breakfast time. Fortunately, with the vitamix it's very fast.

to all out later posters! I'm headed out and many times don't get back before my internet gets either too slow or nonexistent.

Good morning everyone! I am not officially back at it just yet (lots of leftovers to eat up) but am going to be better than I have been the previous week, if that counts for anything. Made out like a bandit again this Christmas, including the Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout for the X360 Kinect.

Thought I would be all kinds of awesome this morning and while Anna was still asleep and with Chris at work, put the game in the 360. Everything is done with motion (YOU are the controller) so I started going through the setup and planned on getting a quick workout in. HOWEVER... when someone is stubborn and wants to play with her toys right in front of you, the Kinect thinks her TAIL is your HAND, so it gets all screwed up. It took me 15 minutes just to enter my weight because every time I held my hand over the little arrow, Voodoo's tail would swing, and the Kinect went HUHHH? Sigh. At least I finally got it set up so I can work out when Chris gets home tonight.

Otherwise, glad to not be in a blizzard, for SURE! We got 4-5 inches between the 23rd and 24th, and I still haven't even brushed my car off. Going to head to the store to pick up a few things today.

Cyndi - your soup sounds yummeriffic and will be a staple for me next week.

Well to all in their Winter Wonderlands, stay safe and keep warm. To everyone else, hope you have a fabulous day!!!

Lisa

Incidentally, got the chance to try out my new Biggest Loser Kinect game, and it is AWESOME! It's like having a personal trainer. It tells you if you're doing something wrong (i.e. "raise your leg higher" or "dip lower.") Very cool. Already feeling a little after-affects from it but think I am going to thoroughly enjoy this game!

Afternoon, ladies...hope you are all doing well!!! OMG, I have been completely miserable the past few days. I feel absolutely disgusting after my Christmas-time indulgence and am SO glad to be back on track today. Please remind me next year that indulging during the holidays is SO not worth it!!! I'm sure it doesn't help that it's TOM, either, but I know a lot of this water retention has to do w/ the absolutely horrid way I've been eating this past week. YUCK YUCK YUCK!!!

Okie - By now I'm sure your bank situation is all resolved...or at least I hope it is!!! I need to remember to call my credit card company tomorrow and see if they'll forgive me for forgetting to pay last month's payment. Somehow it just completely slipped my mind...OOPS!!!

Lexxiss - Drinking water before every meal is supposed to be one of the best things you can do to help w/ weight loss. We all should be doing it, really, but I just haven't made myself. Kudos to you for resolving to do it...let us know how it goes!!!

Cottage - Yay for an extra day off...although I'd venture to say this isn't the way you wanted to get it, huh??? I would love some snow, but not the "shut down the city and threaten a blackout" kinda snow, LOL

Cyndi - It sounds silly but while you're gonna get your upper body workout in w/ some snow-shoveling I'm going to try to get mine in w/ some leaves-raking. But I'm still waiting for the last of our leaves to fall!!! CRAZY!!!

Juliann - Welcome to the beach!!! A lot of people really like the roasted chickpeas but I personally wasn't a big fan of them. They were "okay" in my opinion...but I seem to be one of the few that thinks that way, LOL Feel free to ask any questions you have...the ladies here are a great help!!!

Ruth - Yanno, I saw the title and I was thinking that I'm pretty sure we've had this one before, LOL I could be wrong, though. I was never a Grey's fan, anyway...LOL

Heidi - Mmmmmmm, sweet potato chips sounds heavenly!!! I don't have a dehydrator, though, so I guess I won't be making those, LOL Let us know how they turn out, though!!!

weezle - LMFAO...I got a good giggle out of picturing you trying to set up your Kinect only to be completely flustered w/ Voodoo and her waggy tail trying to do your job for you. And I'm betting it was so darn cute you just couldn't be mad at her, LOL

FINALLY...I got personals in!!! LOL As for me, there's a been a lot going on here lately. Jersey (new roomie) flew home to New Jersey for Christmas last week and is now stuck there. She was supposed to fly back in to Atlanta at 1030 PM tomorrow, but now she's stuck there until Sunday w/ something like 23 inches of snow. CRAZY!!! My younger brother left his wife this morning. They've been having trouble for a while now, but this morning was the breaking point when she refused to stand up to her mother and then slapped him across the face for asking her why she refused to stand up to her. Then she broke his cellphone in 2. I picked him up and he's now staying w/ us. It's hard on him b/c he does love her but he seems to be in a good place and has made his decision. He went to work w/o his wedding ring on.

Anyway, that's enough about me. I hope you ladies are having a fabulous day and I hope that you had a VERY Merry Christmas!!!