TIME FOR SERIOUS FUN #34

We are a thread dedicated to making losing weight a pleasant experience. We laugh, cry and talk together. We have challenges, points for staying on program, drinking our water, and exercising. We have a daily topic to join in. Our only focus is to help us realize that dieting and all that goes with it need not be unpleasant, but can be fun. Come join the fun here at Time for Serious Fun! Everyone is Welcome!

TOPICS:

Monday: Mission Monday New mission each week
Tuesday: Target Tuesday We target something to work on
Wednesday: Wednesday's Woes Our day to complain about anything and everything
Thursday: Time for Us Thursday The day set aside to pamper us!
Friday: Fabulous lbs Down Friday We get to crow about loss or ask for help
Saturday: Sunny Thoughts Saturday We share stories and jokes to help us smile
Sunday: Silly Poll Sunday A new poll to give your thoughts to every week


POINTS VALUES:

STAYING ON PROGRAM IS 2 POINTS
DRINKING YOUR WATER IS 1 POINT
EXERCISING IS 1 POINT

CURRENT CHALLENGE IS UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST. TO LOSE 30 LBS BY THEN.

POSTING A WTG: A WTG IS WHEN SOMETHING NON WEIGHT LOSS HAPPENS TO YOU LIKE A NEW DRESS IN A SMALLER SIZE. TO POST A WTG, USE ALL CAPS AND POST IT IN PINK. FOR EXAMPLE: WTG: I rode my bike 2 miles instead of one today.

LBS DOWN FRIDAY : POST YOUR LBS LOST FOR THE WEEK ON FRIDAY AND I WILL COMPILE THEM AND POST THEM TOGETHER WITH OUR LBS DOWN

SUNDAY: Silly Poll Sunday. Today's Silly Poll:


A generous benefactor gave you several million dollars to create a charity. What would you call it and what would it be benefiting?

Thanks, Sandy for you sweet thoughts. I took sleeping pills last night and got a better night's sleep, but the neighbors got into it this morning and have been yelling to high heaven for the last 1/2 hour so I got up. I laid in bed this morning talking to myself (in my head) and I ask myself what do you really want? Do you want to be able to eat whatever you want and go back to where you were (that met with a resounding NOOOOOO!) or do you want to work hard again and begin to see results. I will only get out of it what I put into it and I HAVE to put everything into it. One big thing with me is that I am a huge worrier. I worry over everything and I don't handle disappointment well. Between money being tighter than usual because of this electrical thing that we had to have done, not being able to find a job, being tired from not sleeping, and dealing with the difficult child, I am kind of tied up in knots. I have to let it all go and know that it will all work itself out. I take EVERYTHING personally and I have to quit doing that especially with the job thing and the dopey dd. Money is going to be tight through the end of the year with the holidays, and several birthdays and anniversary (our 31st is next month). Anyway, I am going to work on letting things go and concentrate on leaving the food alone!


As for my charity, I would start a year round camp for adults part of the year and kids another part and families the third where they could come and enjoy themselves while losing weight. Not really a weight loss camp, but a camp where they can be themselves and have a good time, wear a swimsuit and not feel embarrassed and eat foods that are good for them, with the side benefit being that they would probably lose weight. Have an amusement park with rides they can fit into, upbeat seminars, during family months, workshops for family that are not overweight to help them understand it and help instead of hurt, honest information about weight loss programs and how they can benefit or be detrimental to them, entertainment with concerts and such, great hotel style housing instead of cabins and the like. I think I would call my camp, Camp Free Yourself.

Well, I am going to get up and get going!

Faye

Good Morning Lovelies!

pts for Friday, all 4, and 3 pts for yesterday, no formal exercise, but I was on the move! (with all the wedding festivities).

Faye, you are an amazing woman, you have lifted my spirits more times than you could EVER imagine. You have cheered me on, you have consoled me, you have guided me, and you have made this a place where we can all come and just be ourselves. You are one of my the best friends (even though we have never met, I feel like I have always known you), and I am so grateful, and love you so much (as we all do), whatever struggles you are experiencing right now, you have so much strength of character!!! Look at from which you came, and look at where you are now!!! That is fantastic, and you will come out of this. You deserve it. I know that it is difficult at times, it is for all of us, and our heads start playing all those old tapes, and soon we are sucked back in to that old life, spiraling down, and we feel like we are never going to make it back up again...so, whatever you do, just know that we are all here for you, and we would do anything to help you that we could. I love you girl! Hold on, and keep posting! (I know you will)

The poll, Faye, you would be so good at that! (ever thought about getting a grant????) Seriously, there is not a doubt in my mind that you could do it, (internet is full of info of course!! on grant writing and proposals, and $ resources), Phillip Morris Co, does a great deal of that kind of thing....you could have a great one Gal!! I would come! I'd be doning that bathing suit and getting into that pool so fast it would make your head spin Oh, one more thing, there are many organizations to help women (as a minority, a minority, huh?????????????), one of them is Women's Small Business Development Center. (If you want to pm me we could do some brainstorming)..you never know. I honestly think that is your calling...."this is your calling", to help others who struggle with food issues, you are my mentor, as you would be for all others who visited your camp, and one more thing, you would no longer have to look for a job!!!!!

The Wedding was beautiful yesterday, and I was good girl, no cake for me, I could smell it though, and knew it had buttercream icing, and I could recall the taste , grooms cake was some kind of Chocolate Decadence, and it was pretty!! the rest of the food was finger food type things, and I behaved myself, besides the plates were those small dessert types, guess it was a good thing..uh? And...I LOOKED GOOD! Felt so wonderful to dress up and wear my jewelry and my make up, I had forgotten how good that use to make me feel. When someone complimented me, I just said thanks, imagine that??? Did not feel as if I had to qualify it with a "yeah but" statement. Know what I mean?

Okay chicklets, gotta get off line here now. Have a healthful day! love and hugs to you all

Morning Ladies!

Gee, the blahs seem to be a theme here lately. I'm right there with you all. I'm eating "just a bit more than I should" or exercising "a bit less". Just can't seem to pull it all together at the same time. DH seems to think that it's the change of seasons. We are in a transition period where we are genetically predisposed to "STORE" fat for the winter months. STORE STORE STORE, MOVE LESS MOVE LESS HIBERNAAAATTTEE!!

I think he may be right. The only way I can think to get out of the funk before the holidays get here and really mess things up is to alter the plan. Either shock your system by trying something totally new......a new sport, a new walking route, a new way to move. If you've been working out alone, find some friends to do it with you. In my case, I'm honoring my body's need to slow down a little and am doing extended yoga sessions for my exercise. I'm also trying to do more work outside, just to get the UV exposure I need so desperately this time of year. Once the snow falls, I'm hittin' the trails with the cross country skis! I can't wait!!!! We have new friends close by who know all the great places to ski and what to do with the kids while we're out there.

Anyway, to Faye and everyone else....just know that nature is slowing down and you are a part of nature. You can't help it, you can only ask so much of your body. Maybe you need to give yourself permission to have the blahs for a week, but no more than that! Then take that week to pamper yourself and really feel goooood. Give yourself some extra looovvveeee. That's what you should be doing this week anyway, Faye, in preparation for next weekend's walk! Maybe you're stressing a little over the walk? Not because you think you can't do it, but just because you've never done one before??

As for the job thing, Faye, I meant what I said about you being too gifted for secretarial work. (And please, I am NOT slamming secretaries! I happen to love being a secretary when I have a boss who just leaves me alone to get the work done! Those bosses are few and far between, unfortunately) Pam has a great idea about getting grants to help people with their food problems! You could do so much for people....you already do it here everyday!!! You are knowledgable, compassionate, loving, and best of all...you're going through it all yourself. The internet is full of people who are "online counselors" and "life coaches". They don't even have offices, just do everything by email. One of my dancers' husband is an online life coach, and he's NOT a licensed therapist or anything. He just started helping people and it grew into a business. I'm really not sure how it worked, but he says that God just made it happen. Maybe you need to pray and listen for what you are MEANT to do, instead of what you think you are SUPPOSED to do? It may take years to develop, but you are going through this process and you have every ability to help others go through it too. Taking everything personally is part of what makes you such a great motivator...you KNOW what we're going through and you want us to get through it as quickly as possible.

Geez, I guess I've rambled on long enough! I got points for water and op for Friday and water and exercise for Saturday. Maybe I'll finally get a 4 pointer today.

Hang in there everyone! And when you get down, you know you can always come here and bask in the looovvveeeee

Big Hugs to all today!
Julie

Oh, for the poll.......I'd start an adult dance camp for ex-child dancers or adult who never got to dance as children. So many adults WANT to dance, their bodies crave it......but they don't know how or they feel too inhibited to do it. I'd offer belly dance, ballroom, tap, Irish, Broadway, MTV styles, Contra (English Country folk dance)......ooohh, all kinds of stuff! What a blast! Maybe I'll do that someday anyway!

U LADIES ROCK!!! I just love coming here everyday to get my dose of love and friendship. Faye I agree with Pam and Julie... U can do this... and be a huge success. When i get these blahs... another thing i do is keep saying over and over to myself... be true to u... be true to u... I truly and honestly believe that if we stay true to ourselves we can accomplish ANYTHING! i think i got the blahs outta my system last night... didnt eat much yesterday but i had too many beers... but DH and i laughed and just sat and talked... it was a MUCH needed night for the both of us. I have a headache to remind me of it too...LOL!! Oh well.. today is a new day... i feel better emotionally and physically. I can do my yoga and my iron horse today. Havent been able to the last 2... But thats taken care of as well. I am back on my bcp so NOOOOOOOOO more bad cramps and heavy bleeding days. I did redo my kitchen table yesterday... sanded it down... primed and repainted it. It looks wonderful!! I am going to redo the chairs as well... i have some wonderful fabric to recover them with... maybe not today but this week for sure. My mom and my aunt are coming to visit me this week... Thursday thru Saturday... I am sooooooo excited!!! My aunt is like a buddy... shes such a wonderful lady... and a wonderful friend... Ok... the silly poll... I would invest the time and money into Faye & Julies camps... because they would help so many people and would be such a huge success we'd have to open more and more of them around the country... and eventually the world. I love you all with all my heart. Take care of u today...

Sandy

Faye - big hug for you . I feel for you sweetie! I understand what you say about being a worrier - me too! I have found that since I have found God, things have been better - I have had a terrible couple of years workwise, but God has always provided for me. It sounds like you are the sort of person who is so caring towards others that you don't look out for yourself enough - so are in danger of 'burning out' - lack of sleep probably makes your worries seem even bigger. We love you so much faye - you look after us so well - maybe it's time we all look after you for a bit!

'Therefore do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or your body, what you will put on . Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?.Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?..... Seek first the kingdom of God and his Righteousness, and all all these things shall be added to you.' (Matthew 6:25-
33)

That passage always helps me when I worry.

I got 1 point yesterday - the meal I went to was lovely (need I say more!)

Love Amanda xx

BEAUTIFUL MARVELOUS WONDERFUL POINTS!

FRIDAY:

Pam
Julie

SATURDAY:

Pam
Julie
Amanda

I cannot thank you enough for all the things you said. Let me tell you a little story that would make you understand all my "intuitiveness" so to speak. I have always been able to empathize and for some reason God thought I was good at listening and giving advice and I desperately wanted to be a school teacher growing up. I was even going to Indiana University with my major being English when Jack and I married instead. By the time my children were old enough for me to go to college, I was 38 and the schools scared the behooties out of me so I went to Memphis State (now Memphis University) with my major being Psychology and my minor in Social Work. I wanted to do therapy work, but I didn't want to be what most therapists were, wishy washy. I only went 2 years and Jack retired and we moved to Indiana and because we needed the money I went to work teaching developmentally disabled adults and never finished school. I enjoyed that, but because I could handle them, I was always placed with profoundly ******ed and you can BURN OUT really fast, which I did and that is how I eventually ended up in the law firm. I know you are never too old to finish or go to college, but if I ever do go back, it will have to be when I am a normal size. I couldn't fit in the connected chairs they have. It was hard way back in 1988 and I was smaller then. I remember being in an auditorium Psychology class and not being able to pull the side table up across my belly so I would have to sit alone so I could use the one next to me to take notes and tests! Anyway, that is where all this kind of comes from.

I talked to Jack today about the job issue as there are pros and cons on both sides. I am going to continue to keep looking, but not stress out about it.

I am doing really well today and feel better than I have in quite awhile. I went and walked 2.5 in the mall today and am staying OP so far. Maybe I am over the hump. I sure hope so!

You girls take care. I have to do some searching for some stuff I need to do oh and Julie, you are right about the walk, I am nervous! All I want to do is walk across that finish line having done 3.1 miles! I need to just relax about it because I can do it and I can do it at my own pace and speed. I am not doing it for competition but accomplishment!

Love you all!

Faye

YUMMY RECIPE!

CHICKEN AND GREEN CHILE CASSEROLE

2 4 ½ OZ BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS
½ CUP UNCOOKED RICE
1 CAN LOWFAT (98% FAT FREE) CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP
1 CAN CHOPPED GREEN CHILES (GET THESE IN THE AISLE WHERE YOU FIND TACO SHELLS)
1 SMALL CAN BLACK OLIVES
¼ C GRATED LOWFAT CHEDDAR CHEESE

HEAT A SMALL PAN OF WATER TO BOILING. IN A BOWL PLACE SOUP, GREEN CHILES, DRAINED OLIVES AND RICE. ADD ONE SOUP CAN OF BOILING WATER TO THE MIX AND STIR UNTIL WELL BLEND. PLACE IN A ROUND CAKE PAN SPRAYED WITH PAM, PLACE BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS ON TOP OF RICE MIX AND BAKE FOR 35 MINUTES. REMOVE CASSEROLE, SPRINKLE CHEESE OVER CHICKEN BAKE REMAINING 10 MINUTES.

BAKE AT 400 DEGREES FOR 40-45 MINUTES. REMOVE CHICKEN TO A PLATE AND STIR RICE MIXTURE AND SERVE.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS 545 CALORIES/140 FAT CALORIES PER SERVING

I was having chicken breast, baked potato and frozen corn for dinner tonight but it sounded boring so made UP this recipe. It came out really good and the rice mixture makes quite a bit so it is filling. Hope you enjoy it! I really liked it, but I really like green chiles. Oh and for those of you who don't know, green chiles ARE NOT HOT AT ALL! They add flavor is all.


Talk to you tomorrow!

Faye (I stayed OP today! yahoo!)

Faye...I just want to say that I love you and the Idea of you having such a great camp would be so like you,and you would be so sucessful with it...you REALLY NEED TO LOOK INTO SOME OPTIONS on making it happen...this is your destiny,and there are ways of making it happen,even through personal supporters,and I for one would be willing to help in this matter...this can be done by community interest as well as far away ...you can make this happen....this is just what is needed...start out small and build on it...it just seems to fit...I am in the process of checking into getting something here in this little town that I live in,we have to travel so far to all the gyms and there is absolutely nothing here for the ladies...there is a small workout room that is run by men and attended by men....don't let go of this Faye...this has really set off a lightbulb in my head for you...I wish that we all lived really close and could do this together...but Faye as I said this is YOUR destiny...GO FOR IT!!! GOITA GO AND GET THE KIDS OFF TO DREAMLAND ..WILL CHECK IN LATER...love ta all...Joy

Hello Lovelies... Well back on track today... YEAH!!! All 4 points. Stayed under my calories even. Its sooooo nice to feel normal again... i wont ever go off my birth control again...lol
Hope you all had a wonderful day... i will check back in the morning dearies... love you all

Sandy

Good Monday Morning Girls,

pts for yesterday: 3- 2 for program and 1 for water. 0 activity. But this is the beginning of a new wk for me, and I am getting back to my usual 6 days of some kind of exercise, have been slacking this past wk or so with 3-4 days. But, I am re-affirming it...I am NOT willing to spend the rest of my life fat, I AM willing to do WHATEVER it takes to be the fit and healthy person that I DESERVE to be! (can I get an Amen Sisters?)

Been up since 4 am doing some major house cleaning, Faye you would be so proud! Wanna come help? You could be here in about 4 hours, come on whata ya say??? uh uh??

Joy, so nice to find you on line when I logged on this am, great chatting with you. Hope to talk with you again soon

Amanda, Cherrio ole' chap! May be selling a house soon, and you know what is first on the agenda?? Coming to England Ireland and Scotland, would love to meet you! The house belongs to Jane 3/4 of it, and a 1/4 of to her aunt. Jane's neice the one that was just married Saturday and her husband have done some remodeling to it already, and she is going to speak to them about buying it outright instead of paying rent. so........if all goes well that trip we have always wanted to take will just become reality! Again, I would love to see you, will keep you posted.

Well girls, my work awaits. Talk to you later

MONDAY: Today is Mission Monday and our mission this week is going to be a toughy! I want each one of you to stand in front of your mirror EVERY day this week and say audibly "I AM BEAUTIFUL!" If we want others to think we are attractive on the outside, we have to believe it too and we are!!!!!

This idea came about from a young girl that posted about the new show that is on called Beautiful Girl I think. She stated she was not pageant beautiful but had other beautiful qualities. She then listed internal beauty. I told her she was dead wrong and WE are too when we don't see ourselves as beautiful. We are, we are, we are! I truly, truly believe in the quote at the bottom of my posts. There are no outward ugly people only inward ugly ones and the inward ugly ones we have allowed to control this old world and make us think we are outwardly distasteful!

In this day of "perfect body beauty" we forget that Bottecelli painted and sculpted chubby bodies, or that in times past, women wore bustles and hoop skirts that made them "hippy" on PURPOSE! They wore dresses that pushed up and accentuated their boobs to be more prominent and larger. Even today, women try and find ways to show off their ample cleavage and behinds by squishing themselves into clothing that do just that. So, the next time you start to say to yourself, "I look disgusting, I am fat and ugly, etc. remember I am standing behind you saying, WHAT DID YOU CALL YOURSELF?"

**AS FOR THE ACCOLADES ETC ABOUT THE CAMP AND SUCH: Julie spurred an idea in my head as I didn't know there were any such things as life coachs. I looked them up on the web and even looked into courses for life coaching. I talked with Jack about it yesterday and am honestly looking into doing it with an emphasis on Weight loss and surgery people. There are probably tons of people who have had weight loss surgery or have lost the weight and are putting it back on simply because they don't know how to handle their new bodies, people who can't handle who they are as fat people and the like. Anyway, it is a seed that is forming and I want to thank you all for it!!!

Last but not least:

I GOT : yesterday!

I need to get up and going so I will go for awhile and check in later!

Faye

Morning Lovelies!

I AM BEAUTIFUL! (There, I said it Faye..... ) and SO ARE ALL OF YOU !!!!!

Faye, I'm SOOOO glad you're looking into the life coaching thing!!! I just know in my heart this is the right direction for you. If you feel a little lost, just follow your heart. Start slowly and just see where it leads you. Don't start out saying "I have to make XXX amount of money or I'm a failure"........I think if you just start out saying "I want to help people", the money and success will come. I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!! AND I know you're gonna just ROCK through those 3.5 miles on Saturday!!!

SO, for myself, I did get all 4 points yesterday thanks to dh wanting to go on a long walk through the woods. We all put on our boots and blaze orange (it's nearly hunting season here, and folks are notorious about not "quite" following the laws) and set off down an old atv trail. It wasn't exactly a marathon run or anything, but it was a good hour of steady walking with the whole family.

Feeling really good today, and have a ton of stuff to do before dance class........so I'll talk to you all later!

PAM--I'm sooooo jealous of your trip!!! We want to go back to England so badly we can taste it! We took advantage of the post 9/11 plunge in airfare prices and went for a week, but it just wasn't enough! Our finances are really tight, but I'm starting a secret fund for a trip sometime in the next couple of years. I want to surprise dh with the tickets in hand!

Bye for now,
Julie

POINTS POINTS POINTS!!!!

SandyB: for Sunday
Pam: for Sunday
Julie for Sunday

Hey, maybe I should combine life coaching and teaching people how to clean! I am superb at that......

Well, I got out and blew leaves out of the flower strip and deck this morning and then swept them all together at the corner of the garage so they can be cleaned up by the lawn service when they come the next time. I have one tree, but the neighbors have 3 and I get most of their leaves too so I have to try and keep up. I didn't last year and Jack and I almost killed each other cleaning up the deck last fall. He does it half a#$%^ and I am a perfectionist. I finally told him to go in the house and I would finish. This year I got smart and am just doing it myself while he is at work!

I better go and get a shower and get out in the beautiful sunshine!

As for me, MY BEAUTY PUTS THE WORLD'S SUPERMODELS TO SHAME!!!!!! (I promise to do it in front of the mirror out loud too!)

Faye

I AM BEAUTIFUL!!! Faye i got all 4 yesterday but only 1 for Saturday. it was my blah period... LOL Anyway... i have already done my morning round on the iron horse and once is get DS on the bus i will do my yoga. Its a beautiful day here so i am trying to figureout what i am going to do... maybe i will paint my dresser... its nice enuf and its a good workout to sand it all down. Hope u all have a wonderful day. Take care of U today

Love and laughter,
Sandy