Hi All! Linda your Star Wars comparison was hysterical but very apt!

I'm doing better this week mentally. I'm doing Core but I'm journalling too just to see if I'm really doing ok with my portion control. So far so good. I've also increased my exercise to 30 minutes on the treadmill. I know it doesn't sound like much....but for me it is!

I have a recipe that calls for FF yogurt, SFFF butterscotch pudding, some skim and an apple chopped up. It is supposed to be a caramel apple dessert. I'll share the recipe if anyone is interested.

I, too, think that I can stay on Core....maybe for life. I'm facing at least two to three years of constant weight loss efforts to get this 150 pounds off. This is the first time I ever felt content and not deprived. WW may have really have something here!

Janette, congratulations on your 1 pound loss! I know it's not easy to lose a whole pound when you are so close to your goal.

Linda actually I've been losing weight for about 3 years now but I appreciate the encouragement! I've been averaging about 10 pounds a year. I started at 214. Sometimes I stop for a while when life is hectic. Sometimes I have to lose the same 10 pounds 2 or 3 times. The Core seems to be working really well for me though, although I may just try to maintain for October, which will be really hectic. I'm not actually too concerned about losing weight but I do want to be healthier and eat well. (oh dear, will you all kick me out now? )

Cheers and have a WONDERFUL weekend!

We'd never kick you out, Robin. You have great ideas!

Hi Vickie (and everyone else!),

Been lurking here for a week or so and love all the encouragement and ideas passed around.

Vickie I'd love to have this recipe. I just have to have something for my sweet tooth each day. Post away!

And does anyone know if Malitol is core. You find it in diabetic chocolate bars and things instead of sugar. Ross is one brand that I like and I was wondering if I'd have to use points for it. Any help would be great.

Thanks
Jade

Hi Everyone,

I haven't posted for a while but I have been reading all the posts. You ladies are on the right track. And I can affirm the fact that as you get older it does get harder to stick to any weight loss program. However, just three years ago at the age of 66, having been a lifetime member of WW since the 70's, I had to lose 55 lbs. to get back to my goal. It took a long time for me to make up my mind to do it. Well it took almost a year and a half but I did reach goal in October of 2002. And like some of you I have been battling with 5 to 7 lbs. trying to come back on. Had I not been successful to get rid of those 55 lbs. I am sure at 69 years of age I would be on some kind of medication. This is the main reason I am working hard to stop those pounds from coming back. I do enjoy the CORE program but I think one of the problems I am having with it is that I am eating too much food and I need to curtail the amount of food. I am also one of those people who hates to journal but from what I read here the ladies who are journaling seem to be doing the best. I am not going to give up because I have too many grandchildren whom I want to see grow up and have successful lives. Because I have kept off most of my weight loss, I am very active--I bowl 4 to 5 times a week and also go the gym and use the treadmill or I use my treadmill in my garage when the weather permits me to do it.

Thanks for letting me write these things down and hopefully it will give any older person who reads these posts that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to no matter how old you are.

I did experiment with fat free cottage cheese (which by itself I really don't like) I put a kiwi and some grapes in it and it was a very filling lunch. Today I substituted the kiwi for fresh pineapple. Try it, I am sure you will be surprised at how good it tastes and how good it is for you!

Take care ladies and keep up the excellent work!
Nita

LJ, I usually have either bran cereal/banana/milk or oatmeal/toast/milk for breakfast. Sometimes I eat ff yogurt with fruit salad stirred in or cottage cheese with whatever fruit I have around. I always get in a dairy serving for breakfast.

Spryng, I am going to try to use more of my WPAs this week. The problem is I tend to save them for Saturday (my wi day) and then we don't go anywhere and I don't use them. I must say I really enjoyed that slice of veggie pizza I had last week when I had lunch with my sister. I will probably eat more turkey sandwiches for lunch next week with a bowl of tomato soup. That is a really filling lunch.

Hope you ladies are having a good weekend.

Jade, here is the Caramel Apple Delight.

1 Box, 4 serving, SF FF Butterscotch Pudding
1/2 cup FF Ricotta Cheese or FF cottage cheese
1/2 cup FF plain yogurt
6 T nonfat milk
1 large apple cored and diced
2 packets Spenda (optional to taste)

In a bowl with a hand mixer, blend the first four ingredients until creamy. Fold in chopped apple and chill.

The original recipe said this makes 2 servings. I made 3 servings but it is so sweet you could make it be 4 servings. The original recipe called for FF cottage cheese. I didn't have any so I substituted FF ricotta cheese. I just had this for the first time last night and it was fabulous. Jade, this will really satisfy your sweet tooth.

Nita, it was very nice to hear from you and I hope you post more often. I haven't been able to get myself to eat FF cottage cheese but maybe I'll give it another go with fruit mixed in. I love all kinds of cheese but the FF stuff is a little tough for me. I'm the daughter of a milkman (insert joke here!) and grew up on all kinds of wonderful full fat dairy! I know, I know....get over it!

Anyway, the age thing is so true. I'm 48 and having a terrible time. I keep telling my Niece that she should get hers off before she turns 40. She'll be starting Core soon. As a matter of fact, she's the one who convinced me to do Core. I, too, struggle with portions and deciding when I'm satisfied. Full is a feeling I've loved all my life. My plan is to only journal after a small loss, or God forgive a gain, to see if my portion sizes are creeping up again.

Nita that's an awesome story. I'm glad you decided to get healthier for those grandkids. They are really lucky to have you as a role model. I won't ever have grandchildren but I sure do want to be healthy so that I can do the things I want to do when I retire and not be a burden on anyone!

cheers

Good morning all......well the good news is I am down 1.5 lbs my second week on Core so I guess I sticking with it again :-) Not too bad my past two weeks....2 last week 1.5 this, this is the aftermath of the !##!@!@# hurricanes that came into our area.Total loss the past 15 weeks 18lbs :-) I am proud of me for being so focused during what I considered an awful experience. Only been in SE Floirida 6 years and this the our first experience.
JANETTE I also have been doing the cereal thing too, I mix 1/2 c Fiberone (now that it's core) and 1/2-1C puffed wheat...with some of my FF milk. I really like it and again THANKS to you I think I may have become a fruit person :-) Picked up my portions for the week. Today I actually had 2 eggs cooked in Pam, and 1 lite muffin (1pt) it was such a great treat!! To have eggs and not have to count the points and NOT to have egg beaters for a change - was wonderful...........:-) Gotta love it!!
I am enjoying the FF PLAIN yogurt with 1-2 TBS of SF/FF instant pudding for my sweet fix. It works for me, and my choices are SO much better on Core. Wonder why I fought it tooth and nail, but I can only 'speak' for me! I actually thought of going back to pts today but I am not. I am happy with Core. I do, as I have stated journal everyday, the night before for the next day. I have to - I have to see what I am doing. I did use some of my WPA's and thank God for them. Mine were used for a couple of social drinks, measured jiggers of course :-)
If I use any during this week it will be used for my FF cool whip topping on my yogurt pudding. 36g = 1 Pt....WELL worth it, at least for me.
VICKIE I think I will be trying your receipe this week too....THANKS!!

NITA, glad to see you back here again.. Great story you too are an inspiration. Great job on getting back to what you worked so hard for in the first place. I know all too well about that last 5-7 lbs. I am FINALLY back at my WW goal but would love to get a few off for me!! What is the hardest for me is and was adding those 'extra' pts we are allowed...it's very scary, but maybe that is why I fell off the wagon...I didn't allow myself the chance to do that. WW knows what they're talking about so this time around I (just) might do that. Notice I put (just).... still a little scared :-)
I guess I can do that now since I am 'there' but...................
For me as well it is still hard to tell full from satisfied, but what I have been doing is having what the portion is on the package of meat and or barley, cous cous, etc.
Those seem to "satisfy" me.
I hope everyone else is doing well too. Meet you all back here tomorrow or Tues...till then, have a great weekend.....L.J

Ok, I think this thread is great but it's getting kinda long don't you all think? LOL... maybe you should start a new one with #2 next to it and start new ones every 3 pages or so so it's easier to keep up with. What do you think?

If someone does start a new #2, please let us all know. I've saved this link on my favorites so that I can come straight here. WW doesn't have a Core support board which is why I love this one so much!

Sunny, I didn't know FF Cool Whip wasn't Core. I haven't been counting points for it. Good thing I never use all my points!

Thanks Vickie! I'm going to get the ingredients tomorrow and try it out. It sounds really good. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Jade

Hi All......Vickie, here is the info I have learned at a meeting and took notes.
...FF half and half, FF Cool Whip and FF Cream Cheese are not Core Foods.
Core Foods are NOT 0-pt foods. If a food that is not a Core food is 0 pts, it does not make it a Core. Non Core such as Cool Whip (sad but true:-) even if it is 0 pts is counted as part of the weekly POINTS Allowance on the Core Plan. Use the calories, fat and fiber info to determine the PTS value for more that One Serving. So I use 36g of FF cool whip and have calculated it out.....1 pt but very well worth it for me.
Hope that helps....I will check back later. As for the new board if it is started please let us all know. I too have saved the last page of each of our postings in MY favorites, but easier to get to.....Have a good day, I see you all later........Linda(L.J)