hello, i am 26 years old, and have a 8 month old daughter. I have been overweight most of my life, due to being a sick child. My pre pregnancy weight was 240, i am currently 198#, and i would like to be between 140-150#. my problem is whenever it gets near "that time of that month" i crave chocolate and salt and could eat more than my husband!! and i dont know how to handle these situations. i try avoiding them for the days when i am craving, and in the end, i end up eating a ton of stuff all in one night, and feel guilty. I am steadily losing about 1to 2 lbs per week. so, i decided to try this forum for some online help and maybe to be able to encourage others as well. that's me in a nutshell.

Hey Jellybeanz, I'm from southern Alberta - and I too am addicted to chocolate - although it doesn't matter what time of month it is!! Congrats on the 42 pounds lost - that is awesome!! I just started doing one of the Firm videos this evening and am recuperating from getting my *** kicked! I actually had to stop a couple of times and rewind it to see what the moves were - and I still have no idea!

hey, i have the videos walk away the pounds, first video is 15 mins, 1 mile walk. second is 30min 2 mile walk, and 3rd is 45min 3 mile walk. it's not toooo strenuous but you get a good work out even with the first video(that's the one im one) i just up the tempo a little bit faster than the girl on the video. and having an 8 month old, the 15 min video is perfect, because i need to get stuff done while she's sleeping!!! good luck on your own weight loss.

Hey! Newbie from Ottawa here...
Also bad with the Monthly chocolate and salt...
But also bad with the eating carbs when its cold (I live in a house that is "early Reno" with insulation that leaves something to be desired..)

I've been doing Oprah's Boot Camp Challenge for 2 weeks now and have lost 5 lbs. It's kinda strict but it's getting easier and easier as the days go on.
No carbs, and no sugar. Only whole wheat bread, pasta etc and can have them only 3 x once a week. No eating 2-3 hours before bedtime, exercising every day, drinking 6-8 glasses of water every day. I haven't had bread in 2 weeks and I'm not craving it. I haven't had a potato in 2 weeks and not craving that either. I eat alot of salads, tuna, grapes, grapefruit, fat free yogurt, chicken, lots of veggies and believe it or not....I'm not craving all those carbs. And I soooooo love my carbs. I'd eat 2 bowls of pasta....2 sandwiches....huge baked potato etc. When I make dinner and I make carbs for my dh and kids..but I just make extra veggies for me.

How did everyone do over the weekend?
Us Canadians need to stick together! Looking foward to learning more about everyone here.

hello nice to see l'm not the only canadian on this forum l live in Claresholm Alberta,
l joined a little while ago .... still stuggling with ups and downs..... l think the cold weather makes us crave sugar l've been bad this winter to with wanting sweets. l find chewing sugarless gum helps it takes a few minutes to take gum out and put something else in your mouth. it works for me any how l wish you all the best. Jo

You know how some people can't eat when they are stressed? Not me! Just skidded my way into work in the snow - and I'm ready to shovel everything that comes along into my mouth as a passifier. (sp?)
One of those giant PC choclate bars would really hit the spot right now - does anyone have a substitute? I've tried drinking straight Cocoa for choclate cravings, and it kind of helps, but drinking something isnt the same as eating something.

How about a chocolate fat free pudding? I had sugar free hot chocolate the other day and man did it ever taste sweet. Just between me and you though...I put some marshmellows on it! LOL
You'll have to find some low fat, low cal chocolate recipes. Keep them on hand for times like this.
Did you folks get more snow dumped on you? We did. Started late yesterday and is still snowing this morning. I'm sooooo sooooo tired of all this friggin snow. I can't wait till the warm weather comes. It feels like winter is dragging on for ever. I'm dreading the thought of having to go outside and shovel the blinkin driveway and sidewalk. I know it's classified as exercise but still.....I know when I'm done I'll be all sweaty and sore and frankly....I'm not looking forward to it! Man....I need to get myself a 4x4 and a plough!

Hi here is a recipe i got somewhere off the site. I to am a chocoholic. I really enjoyed them. I did find that you need to use a blender or one of the hand mixers to get out all the lumps. I also used 2% milk instead of the skim, but with my popsicle things I got 5 instead of 4 so it worked out to be about the same number of calories. Also I am not a big fan of splenda and the like so I used stevia instead (each brand is very different and you really have to get used to the amounts, you need very little stevia to equal the amount of sugar you would have to use) oh and I also added more cocoa to mine.

Enjoy (they are obviously not a chocolate bar, but when your really having a fit they help)

Chocolate Popsicles

1.25 cup skim or 1% milk
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 packets Splenda

Mix until smooth, and pour into popsicle molds.
Makes 4.

35 calories each

Humm... chocolate popsicles, that I will try! Especially if it EVER warms up!

Yep, got snowed on but good yesterday. I figure one more snow storm before spring. I can't wait, it is so much easier to exercise in the Spring than in the Winter - for example, I can pop out and do 20 minutes of gardening, rather than spending 10 min struggling in and out of winter clothing for 10 min of winter-stuff, which just doesn't seem worth it.

My grocery store used to carry PC chocolate-soya puddings that were pretty good & relatively low fat, although about as much sugar/calories as a yogurt - but I havn't seen them on the shelf for a while. Are these still around? If yes, maybe I can nag the store into stocking them.

hey, i found a good chocolate by nestle, it's a crunch bar, low carbs, no fat, and diabetics can eat it. it's ok..not big enough though!!! The weekends seem to kill me. I am pretty good all week, but come friday that's it. Sunday we eat out, and i just cant justify paying 8 bucks for a salad ( i know, i should buy it anyway) but i figure, im spending 8 on a frickin salad, i might as well spend 12 and get something that i actually want!!!

Crunch bar could be good...
I hear you on the $8 salads. Especially since so may restaurants put 3 pieces of iceburg on a plate with a slice of tomato and a piece of cucumber and call it a salad.

Sometimes when you crave something it's better to eat a little of it than try to eat more of a substitute. Why not once a month got to Godiva and treat yourself to a dark chocolote truffle and savor it slowly. That won't wreak havoc with your diet and will satisfy your cravings. What's the name of that Nestle's bar. never heard of one with no fat.

Jellybeanz and tjl...where abouts in canada are you folks?

I'm all about us Canadians sticking together...we are a...what's the word...minority group here.

I hear you!
Nothing against Americans, but sometimes the grocery suggestions just arn't available at the IGA.