How big of a bag? That doesn't sound too bad to me - too bad I'm not a Costco member. My grocery store had a 1 lb 10 ounce bag for $11.00 or in the bulk section it was $4.00 a lb. They were out of white quinoa in the bulk section so I got red. I want to try the white too.

Hi Everyone!

About the quinoa, don't you have to rinse it before you use it? I think it has a pesticide on it. I know I have read that some where. I have bought quinoa before, but it was a mix. It had seasonings, etc and it was already rinsed. I think if the package doesn't already say so, you should rinse it. I want to bring this up in case some people are want to try it for the first time. I think quinoa is the only grain that's a complete protein.

Dream When are you leaving for Denver? I would like to visit Colorado one day.

Veil Hi It's nice to see you. Great job on the size 14 jeans. It sounds like you are a busy lady. You are welcome to jump back in here when ever you want.

Abidabbi Great job on the 12 miles. That's awesome. I would like to try something like that one day. I would want someone close by that I could call if I needed a ride back, though. I don't know if I could make it.

Vixsin It's probably just water weight. I agree it can be very disheartening to see. We used to eat Oriental type foods at least twice a week. Now I try to only have it a couple times a month, just because of the fluid retention from it. Makes me nuts!

Roxanne I try not to keep foods in the house that will cause me trouble. I have also gotten to where I only cook enough food for that sitting. These types of changes have been helpful for me.

Raven Great job on your .8. You are doing awesome!

Jer It will take some tweaking, but you will figure out the right combination for your body.

Penguin German Chocolate Cake, Yummy!

Lauren It sounds like you had a great weekend. Good luck on your weigh in.

Blueridge It sounds like you are in a "good place" and everything is coming together for you right now. I know you will enjoy your trip this weekend.

Shells Great job in getting your exercise in & your loss.

Sigh You guys make me feel so loved! You guys make me happy.

I have really been irked by this gain. I know it's water but it's really been bugging me today. Thank you for the kind words. I will NOT let it get me down. I WILL stay on plan!!!!!

Lauren: I would love the recipe! That sounds super yummy! I loved the couscous that I made and I just added some garlic and black pepper to it.

Diana: I'll tell ya, I think I am going to try and experiment and see if I can go til the rest of this month without some of the foods that are causing me problems. It seems to me that it's the "bad" carbs and higher sodium. Therefore, no more pizza (unless I make it on whole grain crust), tortilla chips, etc. I think I am going to really watch my white flour/processed carb intake. Hey, it can only help, right? I've heard numerous times that losing weight is really just a guessing game and how can you keep your body guessing in this way or that way. Is that what you found in your journey? I ask because you have recently achieved one of your biggest goals in reaching onederland.

Hey all

Hope everyone had a great weekend

B: Bowl fruit and fibre, low fat yoghurt
L: Brown rice risotto with tomato and mushrooms
D: Green leaf salad with 10 small paprika cheese chunks
S: Some popcorn

Exercise - 30 mins treadmill & 40 mins exercise bike

Have a great evening!

Back up to 139, boo Better get swimming!

Anyway, today:

Breakfast: Oatybix with fat free natural yoghurt and maple syrup.

Lunch: Leftover stew made of lamb, butter beans, tomatoes, carrots, and stealth-courgettes that are so named because my mum sneaks them in to look like onions so I'll EAT them, along with broccoli and cauliflower.

Dinner: Gluten-free pasta with tomato and mozzarella sauce.

Not feeling too bright today, there's a bug going round the office knocking everyone down so I've probably got it. Wonderful.

Vixsin Complete and total honesty here . . . for me it has been all about consistency. I don't know what it will be in the future, though. It has been about getting my exercise in every day and staying in my calorie range. It has also been about trying to get the most bang for the buck with my foods. My meaning behind that is trying to get 1600 calories worth of protein and veggies (foods that work for me) vs. 1600 calories of whatever I can put in my mouth. I really think consistency is the key. I don't like set backs. They do happen, but they feel like a waste of time.

Since hitting 199, I have felt like I have been in the middle of a major set back. I am still doing the same things I was doing before, exercising every day and eating right. My weight has been bouncing all around.

Shells - You are doing great, keep it up

Kris - I'm not sure the weight of the bag. It is white Quinoa, I have never tried the red, how is it??

Diana - You are absolutely right! Quinoa should be washed before you cook with it. I would recommned buying organic as well.

Vixsin - I sent you the recipe, let me know how it goes for you

Cardboard & Wysteria - Hi Glad to see you posting and keeping yourselves accountable

Just stopping in quickly between classes. Remember last week I was talking about salad dressings and I was dubious about trying a low fat version of blue cheese salad dressing, well I tried it and LOVED it! I was so glad. I'm still gonna branch out and try a couple others as well with lower calories but it's nice to know I don't have to give up a favorite.

I did pretty good this morning. Couldn't face eating cereal so substituted with low fat/ low calorie yogurt. Made my tummy much happier. Cut out quite a few calories as well.

Lauren I am looking forward to that recipe as well. Anyone got any other favorite low cal recipes they wouldn't mind sharing? I want a low cal cookbook. I'll invest in one soon.

I told my boys to eat the chips for lunch today so they will be gone by this evening and won't have to worry about them anymore. And I am going to tell SO that is he wants chips fine, but he needs to get the one serving size from now on that is gone before he crosses the threshhold of the house! lol

Ok, back to studying for me.

Roxanne

Came back from Cincy yesterday morning and then worked a full day at my part-time job.

I'm slammed with a cold today and stayed home from my "real" job.
Still managed a high-calorie breakfast (comforting I guess)... 2 home grown eggs with red peppers, onions, spinach, biscuits, veggie sausages (Morningstar, pricey, but I love them), strawberry jam.

Late lunch was some chinese, chicken with white rice. It came with fried rice which I didn't want so I made my own basmati rice.

About to take a nap now, but wanted to check in. Calories were okay yesterday and scales were at 243 this morning. Still journaling every bite.

Lauren ~ I have never had the white Quinoa so I don't have anything to compare it to. It was okay, but not anything great, but I didn't try to make anything great with it. I boiled it and ate it like you would hot cereal, with a little bit of cinnamon and sweetner.

Diane ~ You are right. You are supposed to wash the Quinoa before you use it. It says to put it in a strainer, but unless you have a very fine strainer I think it would go right through it. I used a sifter (with the screen-type material).

Hi Everyone! We made it though Monday!

Total Approx 1460 Calories

Breakfast (365 Calories + coffee)
spritz olive oil in pan
egg 70 cal
egg whites from carton 60 cal
Handful of spinach
2% Reduced Fat Cheese 40 cal
high fiber English muffin 100 cal
1 teaspoon jam 20 calories
coffee w/sugar and cream
juice 75 calories

Lunch: (360 calories)
Earth Grains 100% Whole Wheat Thin Buns 100 Calories
1 slice Reduced fat cheese 60
4 slices Hormel Natural Choice Cooked Ham 60 Calories
Romaine Lettuce Leaves
Grey Poupon Mild and Creamy Mustard 0 Calories
Sliced Apples 40 Calories
Cape cod reduced fat chips 100 calories

Dinner (735 Calories)
2 Grilled Mahi Tacos w/lettuce & tomatoes 600 calories
Sauce 100 calories
snack pack of raw carrots 35 calories

Exercise:
~TF Fire 55 EZ

1516 calories today; 45 min strength training, 3 min elliptical, 25 min walking on treadmill (3.5 mph), 24 min running on treadmill (4.2 mph), 10 min walking outside (3 mph)

Hope you all had a good Monday

Here was my day:

Chocolate "Mounds" Shake
Vanilla "Cheesecake" shake
Chicken Creole entree
Chocolate "Cheesecake" shake
Cup of greenbeans with fake butter spray
Mushroom risotto entree

Total calories: 840

PA: 30 minute walk this morning, 5 minutes on elliptical, 25 minute walk late this afternoon

Diana--Yum, those Mahi tacos sound delish!

Dallas, Wysteria--Ugh, feel better soon.

Roxan--Yay for finding a lowfat dressing that you love! I love blue cheese dressing too. I'm painting my son's room a blue and then a darker blue for the ceiling. He wanted a space room, so we're following Behr's Disney Buzz Lightyear room. It's going to be a fun room!

Thanks, Lauren! You're doing an awesome job too!

Cat--Great job on the exercising!

Vixsin--You can do it...you WILL do it!! Keep up the good work!

Raven--Yay for your loss!!

Blue--Thanks for your advice on my knee. I'm keeping an eye on it and will definitely do as you suggest.



Well, I've signed up to do the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in our town. I'm so nervous that I won't be able to keep up, but it's for such a great cause. My husband's employer has a team going and I'll be going with them. It's 3.5 miles. The walk is on Oct 17th, so I have a month to make sure I won't be huffing and puffing and trailing behind my team. But, I'm excited to walk for such a good cause!

September 13,

coffee50

Cracker Barrel Apple French toast 500?

Olive Garden
˝ Pork Milanese 750
breadstick 150
salad 350
1100

4 cookies 340

cake 200
milk 200


Total = 1,840

Exercise
Ped =10,097

Weight,
214.2 up 1,2

Roxanne, Whole Hog is a chain of resturants. There’s only one here in Memphis.

Kris, I’ve tried quinoa a few times. I like adding veggies and soy sauce to make ‘fried rice”.

Diana, My package of quinoa does say you have to rinse it but its not because of a pesticide. It has a bitter ‘shell’ {or something like that} that tastes funny if you don’t rinse them.

Vixsin, I have some ground flaxseed I keep in my freezer {keeps longer in there}, I like to add it to baked goods, especially banana bread. It has a nice nutty flavor.