Well, good morning and I think we needed to start a new thread today!
Welcome to anyone who would like to join in.
A few of us started chatting together and have been doing well by offering each other support on our weight loss journey! We've had our ups and downs and we are working hard.
The support and encouragement, combined with sharing recipes and what we gain from our ww meetings are bringing us all towards the goals we have!
Linda in NH

Good Morning everyone!

Yesterday started great! Got so much done, met with one of my CEO's who had nothing negative to say, all positive... then Mom called with the dreaded 'We're getting together at your brother's house for dinner, would you like to come?' I hadn't seen the boys since Friday (They are like parts of my soul and I miss them when they are gone) and I was lonely - the hardest part of being single is that 'family time' at the end of the day, so I say 'sure!' Off I go- had a huge dinner, didn't go over my points, but I've been trying to eat my biggest meal in the middle part of the day and having just a light snack in the evening. Oh well, it should all work out. I did get all of my water in. I did get to spend time with people I love. Which ultimately I think is the most important thing of all.

Today will be a busy day. Have to go IN to the office to work (the nerve!) - at least for part of the day. Was up most of the night with calls and the pager going off, so I could really use a nap. Going to dinner with my best friend.

Anyway, hope WI goes your way Linda!

Make it a good day!

Well, just a quick note from me to celebrate the new thread!
My tooth aches a lot, and my WI is tomorrow. That's all the news I have right now actually... Take care of yourselves ladies!!

Hello. I wanted to post last night, but my PC would only let me read and shut down when I tried to post. I can’t wait until Christmas. I’m getting a new PC!! (Again, yes, I am spoiled)

Eek! I’m wearing a new sweater and it is starting to itch!

Warning: Did not like Butternut Squash Soup. Ick! DH liked it okay, but I didn’t like it at all. And, the worst part is it took FOREVER to get that squash peeled, seeded, and cut up!! Oh, well. I learned.

Couldn’t believe it when I woke up an hour late this morning! So, no exercise for me. I’ll try to do a video or something this afternoon. I think DH is working late, so I should have the house to myself.

Linda – I hope the WI goes well. I know it has been a while since you saw a loss. Hope Jamie’s is good too!

Natalie – Yikes! Hope the tooth stops hurting soon.

Angela – I completely understand the “family” stuff. I can remember one time, the day after a breakup, I stopped by my brother’s house. I just about lost it when I saw my niece come toddling up. I wanted to scream MY TURN!! Mixed in with the happiness to have my family and see my brother do well, was a 42’ green-eyed monster. It’s hard. And, it’s great. I’m glad you have that family there for you!

I totally agree with the other posts that we really should take care of our bodies – not just so we can look good on the beach. Sometimes, I just thank God that I have the ability to work and drive and jump. I can tell a major difference in the way I feel since I put down that 40# weight I was carrying. I am now able to wear heels for long periods of time without it hurting my knees. I definitely have more energy. But, I have noticed that when I’m ready to sleep, I need to find a bed immediately. I don’t have many degrees of sleepiness anymore.

Well, I’m going to have my crunchy granola bar for breakfast. I’m wearing black slacks and a black sweater. It’s not going to be a pretty sight. I hope someone finds me under the crumbs.

Finally! I'm down 1.5! New total loss is 14.4 pounds. I think switching back to flexpoints from core made a difference, even if I went away and indulged over the weekend!!!
Angela, at least you have your family near you. I wonder if you could adopt your own child? Take in a foster child? What about the mentor type of programs like "big sister"? Just because you are not in a family position in your life, it doesn't mean that having something special all your own is not possible! Think about it!
I wouldn't give up on Butternut Squash soup Melania, but I would definately use canned squash another time.... it's all cooked, pureed (sp?) and so very easy! I use canned squash and pumpkin for recipes all the time and it saves so much time. I have had a butternut squash/apple cream soup in the past that is out of this world. It's made with chicken broth, I think??? It's at a lunch place my friend and I got occasionally. I should try to make it and see what I can come up with - but a ff version!
Natlie, what are you doing for this toothache? Are you having your wisdom teeth out? Hope it's soon if that is what will happen, then it will all be over with!
Don't know if Jamie will be going to ww and weighing in today, she went to school and I already had to go pick her up as she got sick to her stomach at school. She's laying on the sofa feeling a bit "low". Hope it's not contagious!
Linda

Yah! For! Linda! I bet you were well "chuffed" as someone on here would say. I have just about given up on weighing myself at home. I have no idea what it is going to be in relation to the "official" scale. I don't know why I even bother anymore. But, you were right earlier. I like to WI of the mornings just to see the number go down. So, when we know it is a fluke and oddly low - why do we get upset with it goes back up?? Hmmm??

I think I will plan out the exact points for the day so I can decide if I want to bake some cookies tonight.

Hope Jamie starts feeling better.

Hi everyone, wow, loads of posts to read tonight, its always the same when I've been out at work all day and haven't been able to check in for hours.

Anyway, linda, hi, thats great news on the WI, I'm 'chuffed' for you too (glad the dialects rubbing off on you Melanie!). I think the flex points system does seem to work better for you doesn't it? Maybe its just that you have known it for so long and can control it better. Some of us need to have precise control of what we eat in order to lose weight. I am a total control freak - only where food is concern I hasten to add! - I plan every meal virtually, days in advance, and know exactly what points will be coming from where. I know that if I didn't have a plan it just wouldn't have lasted on this programme as long as it has. Sorry Jamie is feeling poorly, I'm sure she will feel perky soon.

Angela, glad your monday in bed worked out so well for you! Sometimes you need that time to recover, even if you are working at the same time. My great grandad was a carpenter too, but we only have one piece that he made in the family. Most of his work was within some local architecture, which unfortunately is privately owned now and we are unable to see it. It must be a great comfort to have your Grandads stuff around you now when you most need it!

Melanie, HI, Bake me some cookies too please. I couldn't possible manage to come up with my own, and if I did, I would for sure eat them all myself before anyone else got a look in. I too like to WI first thing in the morning, no clothes and no food inside me yet. I've got a bad habit of keep weighing throughout the day when I'm at home, so it's good when I'm at work (it has to be good for something!) but I've just weighed myself again this evening and the scales say 2 pounds more than I wanted - thats 2 more than they would have said this time last week, so I'm not impressed. Especially when I've been good all week, even with the big meal out, not including the one glass of Baileys which did put me over, but surely that can't have put me 2 pounds on, can it? I've exercised, had loads of water, not too many carbs, not too much sodium, plenty of dairy, a bit of fat, so who knows what I've been up to. Well I've 24 hours to go to the official WI so who know what will happen before then, I could cut off my hand or something, that may help perhaps. Only joking. I too think we should look after our bodies. Even our hands. Even when desperate to lose a pound or two.

Well I guess thats another day gone, stir fry with chicken for dinner tonight, and maybe a glass of wine to use up the excess points - any excuse!!

Back tomorrow, take care girls.

Hi all, I had a great day, I went to WI thinking I had to have gained because I was less then good this week , and ended up loosing another 2.8lbs. I am SO happy, I hit my first goal of 10lbs.

Well I have to go to cheerleading so that my daughter can quit, so I'll come back later to post more.

TTFN

Good job Bella!
Dawny, hope your wi tomorrow goes well!
I guess you're right about the flexpoints thing. I feel badly about "desserting" the Core thing, though, as I thought it was an incredibly healthy diet, but I lost control????
Maybe I wasn't doing it "right"?
So, now, we all need to give thought to the next week, after our respective weigh ins. What I mean is that we need to brainstorm about what challenges will come up and how we will deal with them!
Linda

Hi! Just a short post. I made a list of things I want to accomplish tonight. Including, cleaning out my closet. I want to get rid of the majorly baggy stuff so I can actually see what I have to wear!

Dawny- hee-hee. I'm picking up a few good habit on here. We should all be chuffed for our accomplishments! I hope you do better at WI than you expect. Surely that one drink didn't do too much damage!

Bella - Congrats on the WI! You must have not been too bad last week.

Linda - Don't feel bad about switching plans. Think of how many diets there are out there. Most are healthy if you follow them completely, but no one plan is for everyone. If Flex works best for you, that's what you should do. But, we really must incorporate lots of Core foods to have a loss. Veggies rock. BTW, I tried another soup recipe tonight. Autumn Vegetable Minestrone. Yum! Much like the Garden Vegetable, but using the crockpot so it is even easier and just 1pt per cup. I'll pass it along if anyone is interested.

Well, off to the closet for me!

Morning all, well my scales did not look good this morning. They were showing me as being the same as last week, which is ok, except that was with no clothes on and before food water etc. I keep forgetting that I am working for the afternoon today as someone is off on holidays, maybe I'll burn off a few cals there - though thinking about it, as the boss is off (again) it could be quiet and I may have nothing to do, so I'll just have to wait and see. Not looking forward to WI though still, I would be pleased with a 'maintain' this week.

Hope you are all ok, gotta fly for now, its still early and AJ needs assistance! Back later.

Good morning everyone. I have a few challenges to share this week. I am working it out in my head in terms of how I will deal and what I need to do to get through and still have a loss at next week's weigh in!
First... today is a "big" eating day. I have plans to lunch with my friend Carol. Carol and her husband Dave (both originally from the UK, Dawny!) are our dearest friends and we've known them for 20 years! They are moving away on Nov. 10th. They are quite busy with the move. Dave's company was purchased and they have two choices, either be unemployed of move to NC. So, off they go, and quite sadly. Carol and I have enjoyed shopping trips, museums and that kind of thing together and always have nice lunches on our trips. We are getting together today for what may very well be our LAST lunch together (sadly). So, I am hoping to stay in control, but really enjoy our last lunch. Carol (who is rail thin) will want a glass of wine and dessert.... I'll plan ahead to pass! I hope a vegetable soup and salad will be my best friends. Tonight, I have a meeting and my husband will be travelling, so I promised the kids (before I remembered that I was having lunch out) pizza for supper. I will probably order a salad and have ONE slice???? A hard day for me.
Then, to top it off, our friends that are moving will come for dinner on Saturday night, probably our last dinner together. We've always had elaborate dinner parties with them and I want this last send off to be special... but not add special pounds on my hips! So, am busy contemplating really NICE stuff to serve that does not have the "look and feel" of a ww meal. We'll see how it goes!
Lots of activity points are certainly going to have to be part of my week.
Linda

Finally! 2.6 lbs down!I am a bit chuffed although I'd be even happier if I hadn't gained the past two seeks. Anyway, better than nothing I suppose. Congrats on everyone for the great losses, sorry for the short post, I'll come back later!!

Congrats Nat on your loss, we knew it would come eventually after a couple of dodgy weeks, but I'm so chuffed for you(glad the word is spreading across continents!) especially knowing you've had a tough time recently what with feeling ill, the tooth and all. Well done.

Linda, sorry to hear your friends are moving away. I remember you mentioned that it was a possibility a few weeks ago, you must be quite sad to see them go. One good thing is that you are still sounding optimistic about the days ahead, despite a few good meals to come, that's always a good start, and I'm sure that your loss this week has helped you get in that frame of mind!

I am convinced that I will have gained now for WI later. I'm not a happy bunny. Not at all chuffed!!! And don't even know why really either. Maybe this 18 points a day is not working for me, maybe it really is too low for the moment. I'll have to see what my leader says later.

Anyway, got to fly, off to work shortly, have a good day folks, I'll try and check in later if I can. Take care.

Well hubby and I had a long talk last night and he is very happy as I, with my progress. It's nice to hear that from him. The one who thought this was not going to work. I was telling him my long term goals and the time I'll get to them. I just can't wait till summer comes around again and I will look better in a swim suit. I just can't stand it. I know that's a long way away, but this program just fits. I have never been on a program where I felt so good all the time and still lost weight. Every other one had something I could not eat. And none seemed like something I could do every day for the rest of my life. This is something I could use for the rest of my life.

Ok now that I have had a happy vent, lol, I'll finish.

Natalie: I hope your tooth is feeling better, I have one that needs worked on, but it's going to cost SO much, I feel like letting it get bad eough to just have it pulled. Isn't that horrible! Also great job on the weight loss!

Melanie: now I know you don't like the soup, lol, but do you like the squash? I love the squash, but not so sure I would like it in soup form, lol.

Linda, congrats on your weight loss as well. Your doing great.

Dawny: I hope wi goes well for you, I thought for sure that I had gained, so maybe you will have a positive outcome not matter how much it is! I have my fingers crossed for you!

Blessings all,