Well ... I have ALMOST all of my Christmas decorations put away. I still have a few angels and nick nacks to pack and some stuff in the basement. I have a huge, deep closet in my basement that goes all the way across one wall and I have a whole side in it given over to decorations and wrapping paper. Don't know what I'd do without my basement! Hubby is putting new tile in the bathroom and utility room down there and he has one huge mess, let me tell you. It's so bad, I called piano students and cancelled this week. Couldn't get it cleaned up enough for people to come in down there!

Joanne, I'm with you for crawling into bed for a week, it's supposed to rain solid here for the next 4 days and, you know that truck that hit Anne? well, it got to Canada by way of Tennessee ... it got me first! But ... I have a friend who's having back surgery early tomorrow morning so I have to get up at 6 and go sit at hospital all morning!

Mima ... everytime I say I'm saving money by buying something (especially at Wal Mart) hubby just laughs out loud!!! For some strange reason he thinks that's really funny!

Good morning. I am starting to feel like I belong here. It has been a desire of mine to go to art classes here and they have them on Mon and Tues. Don't even have to leave the park. We have to put up some kind of lattice work to accomodate our love seat-room has 2 wide openings -no t enough wall space. It's a nice open concept but not good for furniture. Going to a 75th bd tomorrow-I made him a bib!!!!I hope he gets the joke. Have to go to camper today and get some more things and get tickets for Gaithers. We also are going on a mystery train ride with friends in that park. Hope everyone had a good weekend. I saved money at Walmart because I bought meaterial to make curtains instead of buying. Mima

[FONT=Georgia]Hi, I am new to dieting in this decade. I'm a 41 y.o. Mom of two beautiful skinny daughters and have a hubby who could loose 15 lbs or so. I need to loose 50 and really lower my chloresterol I tried in November and fell off the wagon in the second week of the South Beach diet. I am a small time caterer. I was done in by the third batch of creme brulee in one unusually busy week. I cater mostly chocolate and sweets so this is gonna be real hard. I gained the wieght by eating large amounts of my own food. I don't have a big business because I'm too sick to make much of it. Just a few bucks a month.

Now I really have to get to it. I also have Fibro, OA, Psoriatic Arthritis, non-diabetic lower leg neuropathy and a blood immune problem that makes me more likely to have strokes and heart attacks. My chloresterol is 324. I need some help here. I hate so many recipes that I see for these diets. I'm hoping to find someone who is a chef or caterer or just a good cook to pair up with. I also need some help from you ladies at the fibro board. I like this site and hope I can become sucessful here.

I am very confused by all the diets. My Dr. ( a friend who says her office has tried them all) said to try the third phase of the South Beach Diet. I started the 1st phase because I wanted to see the quick loss. That's where I failed last time. If any of you are following a particular diet, I sure would like to hear about it. I usually eat leftovers for lunch, not prepare a whole meal for just me.

Any help would be appreciated!

Dedebe4 - 2 kids and a lot of things

Hi Dedebe (I hope you have another name easier to type ) Had me all confused in all the d's and e's. Welcome. I hope you like it here. We are not a big group, but some of us have been here for about 4 years together, others have joined more recently. There is always room for more.

The South Beach diet is supposed to be good. My Dr. just finished recommending it as a matter of fact. I had a problem with it last time I tired it, as by day 3 my heart was skipping beats and this went on for 3 days. I do have Atrial Fibrillation to begin with. The Dr. said it is a condition found in lots of people with Diabetes called Acidosis - well I DON'T have diabetes. I am starting on this again tomorrow, when life finally gets back to normal. My cholestrol was up a bit and I have NEVER had high cholestrol before. The Dr. said to lay of carbs, as they also turn to cholestrol when they break down. That is why he recommended the South Beach Diet. Said Atkins was right all along, but his diet is too strict. I will see what happens this time.

My brother and SIL are on it now, as my brother had a mild heart attack in October. He likes it. He also said, that the reason for the irregular heartbeat was lack of carbs, so he told me to add a carb when it happens and see what happens. So, I shall try it. Also, my SIL was told by her Dr., that once you go through menopause and are short of Estrogen, Cholestrol goes up. So what is a body to do about that????

Ok, enough already. I will go on this with you and we can share recipes.

Hi everyone,

I was on 3FC up until the middle of the summer and I just got really depressed and in so much pain. In November I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and I'm still learning about it. I'm also in a major depression. I felt well enough to come by the message boards today and I saw this thread and wanted to say hello and hopefully will be back. I sure could use the support.

Hope everyone had a happy New Year,

Cassie

Hi Cassie, welcome to you too. I hope you do come back. We can give you the support you need for dieting or for FM. I have been in a flare the past few days, and hopefully will be leaving it behind - very SOON!!!

Meme, you tell your husband that I agree totally with you about saving money when you buy things at Wal-Mart.

Mima, cool about the Gaither concert and the art classes.

Dedebe and Cassie, welcome!! I'm relatively new here myself. I started South Beach a year ago. The first couple of weeks were hard. I had severe headaches at times. I did lose weight on it. The year before, I had joined Curves, and also lost weight by exercising and watching what I ate. I'm really not following any program now, although I know that I should be. Since Nov. 2003, I've lost 45 pounds (up and down between 45 and 49 for a couple months now). It has been slow, but very steady.

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia the beginning of September. Up until March 2004, I really had little if any of the symptoms. I had a fall on the ice in March, and all **** broke loose with my body. In fact, the end of Feb. last year, I chaperoned our HS band to Disney World. We're talking an 18 hour bus ride from Ohio, and then out and in the parks every day until who knows what time. There is no way that I would be able to do that now. I'm coming to realize that I just need to take one day at a time. If it is a good day, I thank God for it. If isn't so good, I thank God that I'm still alive, but ask for a little less pain. lol

This is a wonderful group of women that I am coming to know. Hope the two of you will be equally as comfortable here.

By the way, I made it through the first day back to school since Dec. 17. The kids were very subdued which was nice! It has been raining all day, so it was inside recess. THAT isn't fun.

HI DEDE and CASSIE.......there is no quick fix or cure for over weight with Fibro! Just take it one day at a time and try to eat pretty healthy...supposed to make us feel better! I am on WW at home and have been at goal since 2001. I thought losing all my weight would make me feel a lot better but it doesn't...yes I am healthier and look better and can get around easier but the pain is still the same! Poop!!!!!! Meds ahve alot to do with the weight too....so I refuse to take a ton of them

Got up feeling really bad but made myself go to the store since we have an ice storm coming. Not feeling any better either. That pelvic pain is back and I still think it is a nerve in the low back that is aggravated but the doc (that is stupid says no)....laying on my back with my feet up helps. So I got some steps in today too.....and my hips didn't like it either! Lugging groceries around is not one of my favorite things to do! Good thing I do not have a WAlmart next door.........I would be sleep walking there!

Good morning! I hope you are on a cholesterol reducing med, Dede. I have had problems with chol since I retired. I followed the WW diet and also read Dr Phil's bok.
Cassie-you need to find a rheumatologist to treat the fibro-depression goes along with it but I am on a low dose anti depressant to sleep at night. Helps!!
Candice-I thought I had a UTI but culture negative. I have had a lot of pressure to go and I read about instid.....????cystitis on the internet and it shows the symptoms I have-type in cystitis with negative urinalysis. See if it shows your pain. It's a bit like IBs-worries me-need to find a doc to talk to. Maybe , I will call the one at home.

Ok-I didn't go to Walmart, but to Beall's outlet where I get 15% off on Monday-got 2 lamps and a metal table for 47$. Looks very nice. We ahve been going to thrift shops and consignment shops for our bedroom but no luck. I hate to pay full price when it's so easy to buy consignment here. Just keep calling. Welcome new people -we are a nice group-Hi to all. Mima

Mima- Rooms To Go have discount stores. Usually scratch and dent. My son found some nice things there. The price makes a scratch go away.
Welcome Dedebe and Cassie... We are a good group.. We try to support each other in many ways.. I went to WW almost five years ago and lost 60 lbs. I later joined Tops for a support group. I have lost 14 more.. It can be done.. Like I tell everybody that have temptations . Put on the Blinders.. Tell yourself No. And get out and move. I walk.. I have sorta slowed down in the past few months due to illness. I am much better and trying to get back into my routines. I will be 72 years young in March.. Don't let anything get in your way.. You are important..
Happy- I hope you will be feeling better soon..
Hello Everybody.. Joanne

Hi Cassie and Dede (hope it's ok if I shorten your name). Welcome to the Fibro board. I won't get on a soap box or bore you with my weight loss plan or routine. In a nut shell ... it's no diet - I eat when I get hungry and stop when I'm full and I eat only what I really want, not a bunch of other stuff just because it's in the bowls on the table or what somebody else THINKS I should be eating. That way, I don't feel deprived and I haven't eaten a lot of calories and still feel the need to eat. Now, don't get me wrong ... I eat good food. I'm anemic, so see, I eat a lot of meat and salad ... but luckily for me I love steak and salad and even some types of liver. But, if I'm craving a certain food, I try to have that food and not substitute something lowfat in it's place ... that just made me feel deprived and then I would wind up eating everything in the kitchen. The trick is to STOP eating. There's always tomorrow and next week and the rest of your life. Food is always there, you can have more later if you want it. You don't have to eat the whole bag of cookies today (Candice). Candice is our resident cookie monster. I'm 57 ... 5' 9" and right now a size 10/12 and holding.

I'm really hurting ... wet here! Been in bed most of the day and that's something I don't usually do.

Hi Dede & Cassie - Welcome. I'm sort of on this board by proxy or something. I don't have fibro but the ladies here invited me to join in - I do have RA and sometimes think I have fibro because so many of my complaints are the same. Have been posting with them more than two years but sometimes off and on. I haven't lost much this past year because of some medical and medication problems but had lost about 45 lbs the year before. Have started anew, of course, with the New Year.

I'm 67 with two grown kids and two gorgeous granddaughters. Married to a fellow w/health problems that keep me busy. And determined to enjoy life for all it's worth!

Candice, hope you are feeling better! pain is not good.

We're expecting ice later tonight. Hoping for a delay in the morning for school!! (I know, we just went back!!)

Hi everyone,

thanks so much for the welcomes! I am a little overwhelmed today, had 2 doctor appts and spent 3 hours in the one office :P

I have been struggling with depression and anxiety since I was a teenager and have been off and on meds for many years! After Big Rich died, I just stayed on the meds. Recently was switched from paxil/klonopin to prozac. I'm in this depression drug study ... or was.

I've been having pain but it just got really worse and worse since a car accident/emergency appendectomy. I thought I had arthritis! Went to see a rheumatologist for the first time in Nov (duh!) and found out I have fibro. He says I should take ultracet.

So even if I lose weight I'll still have pain? Nooooooooo ...

well, the dr said it wouldn't go away all together but it would help me to lose.

How do you guys motivate yourselves to exercise if you are in pain and don't want to?

thank you!!!!

Cassie

Cassie Grin and bear it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL A good sense of humor helps with this fibro thing!

Made a big pot of veggie soup tonight and topped it with some lowfat cheese, yum! Had a slice of Whole wheat bread and a bowl of fruit with walnuts....how is that for heathy eating! All for 5pts!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I am having a cookie later with a cup of tea or hot chocolate...........not many cookies left I delivered the last of them to friends