Frannie, you smiling snowmen look GREAT! All 20 pounds of them! It's 7 degrees today in Chicago with a windchill of -13. It's cold but sunny. Hubby is out getting things for me to make for dinner today and tomorrow. Today will be Cola Chicken, baked potato, salad, and broccoli. Tomorrow will be my Chicken Fried Rice (with water chestnuts and pea pods) and a salad. Yum to both. Hubby really loves the fried rice. Very filling comfort food. I need that tomorrow with the baking.

Sounds like your kids have their heads on straight. I'm sure that's a tribute to your parenting. No Children for me. Just a Scottish Terrier and a Scottish Fold cat!

I'm really impressed with your exercise ethics. If I shoveled a driveway there is NO WAY I would feel I had to take a walk. But, it is a great way to work off your treats. If I wasn't exercising every day, I wouldn't be losing anything. I really dislike exercise and I've fought doing it for years. This is the first time on program that I've committed to it and it has a difference.

What's peanut butter? LOL!

Happy Sunday All.....

First and foremost I MUST tell you all that the Crustless Pumpkin Pie came out GREAT!!! I was impressed with how well I did on my maiden voyage, and so proud. As I said I can cook and bake - just don't like to.....but this was good for me to do. May make my weight loss journey and maintainence a lot more tolarable. It was sooooooo dee-lishh...Thanks Vickie I bought the fixin's for another one for next week, which I just may bring to our neighbors house Christmas Eve.

FRANNIE by all means, share the poem So glad you had a great day with your son....seems are just moving right along for you. Yup, the countdown has started....a bit scary but we CAN do this, and we will. As much as I fight it all, Core really is the best way (for me during these times)
Ahhh yes the bread, but hey if we figure right we can use our WPA...how's that Vickie....see I'm thinking and oh yeah what is peanutbutter??
Frannie...your 20lbs worth so Snowmen look great!!
Wow an "empty nest' pretty soon......it has it's "moments"
As for me, it was all of you here you have once again, knocked some sense into me. This is where I belong I know it...but I always have to put up a fight Have fun finishing wrapping. I am done but I will tell you all I have no patiences for that. Mu husband has all the patience in the world, he has to, look who he is married too Miss I change my mind every minute, no every second!! Right now he is wallpapering the Mst Bathroom, even though we just had it painted a few months ago....I don't like it anymore....
poor guy (hahahaha)
Anyway..........
VICKIE Glad the concert was good. He is such a wonderful singer, no doubt about it. I have a FAVORITE by him....did he sing. When I Am With You??? Just writing the title gives me goose bumps. I am also glad you are more in the spirit of things....and yes your car sounds beautiful.
Cola Chicken...hhmmm now sounds good..want to share??
Good luck on not picking on too many of the .....I truely know how hard that is, but take a longer walk on the treadmill and you'll be fine.
I am going to committ also to do some walking or my Leslie Sansone tapes. I believe that will and does make a difference - you are right about that.
For me, it's just plain laziness..no other excuse!!
KATHY (BINDY) How's it going for you.....when you do change from Bindy will you keep the rest of the info so we know it's you??
KATHY-in Vermont How are you doing?? and CAROL as well.
JANETTE- look forward to your post too. I have read and reread your words about stress several times....they are powerful.....now I just need to put them into action...the littlest things tick me off but I am try to work on that, because then that is what causes me to STRESS eat!!!
Well hope each and everyone of you at this board have or had a great weekend...I will be back later for my latest dose of Inspiration and Support..
Till then...enjoy your day.......it's warming up here in S Florida today but they say in the 30's tomorrow morning.......30's???? What's That?????
When we relocated here, I threw out all my winter clothes.....I mean after all we were moving to South Florida
In all honesty I miss the SEASONS but dont' tell my husband, it was MY idea to come here...........what was I thinking........
Till later......be well.......Linda

Linda, I have so much to say to you but I'll have to come back later to do it! I have to wrap. Haven't started yet....boy am I proctrastinating! I wanted to give you the Cola Chicken recipe. I know you don't like to cook but it is SO easy. I really like it because I always have what I need for it in the house. I don't eat it right before weigh in though because I'm pretty sure the ketchup has alot of salt in it. Now trust me....you do don't you? It sounds icky but it is so good you won't be able to believe it when you taste it. I stared at the recipe for a couple of weeks before I made it and now it is one of our favorites. It really requires little attention which is why I'm making it tonight while I'm wrapping. I serve it with a salad, veggie and baked potato. If I wasn't stress I'd make some core double baked...but not tonight!
Cola Chicken

1 1/4 cups ketchup
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash white pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 can Diet Pepsi
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 Teaspoon of garlic powder or to taste
Olive oil cooking spray

Mix ketchup, Worcestershire and peppers. Add cola and mix well. Set aside.

Dust chicken with garlic powder. Heat a nonstick skillet medium-high. I usually throw in 4 teaspoons of canola oil so I can get my good oil for the day. Brown chicken on both sides. Add cola mixture. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until juices run clear, turning once. Remove cover; increase heat to medium and simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened. Spoon sauce over chicken when serving. Works great with boneless skinless thighs too.

Vickie! That chicken sounds great!! I'll have to work it into my meals this week.

Linda -- man oh man, I would love it if I didn't have to cook every night!! LOL! Besides me and my husband, I have two college-aged daughters (18 and 21) and even though they both work and are usually gone with friends, they love to eat! Whatever I make, they usually heat up when they get home. I'm actually looking forward to the day when it's just the two of us.

I have done pretty well, considering. I think I've decided to just maintain for a while. Since I'm 5'7", I'm pretty happy with my tight 8's/loose 10's. If I can hold on thru the holidays, maybe I can get another 5 pounds or so off after that, but then I just have to maintain that (for the rest of my life!) ... people are starting to tell me that I don't need to lose anymore. I saw my parents this weekend and they said it was very noticeable that I had lost, and of course my mom said to stop it! Now SHE needs to lose around 50-75 pounds, and is diabetic and really should lose it for that reason. Oh well, everybody is in charge of themselves, right?

So I have my menus planned out for dinners this week, and for the things I have to take to work for various snacky events and lunches. You know how the week before a holiday is! No work gets done but the eating goes on and on and on....

I might not be on much -- I have to work four 11 hour days, so I'm thinking maybe 6 a.m. til 5 p.m. and I know when I get home I'll be dead tired. Plus my aunt is in the hospital again and I'm the only relative in town ... my dad (it's his sister) lives 2 hours away and my other aunt lives 5 hours away. The aunt in the hospital lives in an assisted living home because her husband died this summer and nobody knew it until after he died, but he had mortgaged their house and run up a lot of bills!! She didn't even know!! That's what happens when one does all the finances and leaves the other completely in the dark ... but what's done is done. Bottom line is she's lonely and pretty much broke, and now one of her old lady loser friends (this woman is crazy, I tell ya) took her shopping and she fell, but the friend didn't take her to the doctor. Instead she took her home and my aunt laid in bed all night until Saturday morning when I called. I guess she realized she was in a lot of pain, so she called the home aides on her little call button and a few minutes later, they called and told me to meet them at the hospital. She had broken her collarbone and ribs. Now she's in ICU and I hope that idiot friend of her feels like crap. I confronted her at the hospital and told her under no circumstances was she to EVER take my aunt out without a wheelchair and if the chair wouldn't fit in her car, then toooooo bad!! GRRRRRR! I get mad everytime I think about it.

Good grief, I didn't mean to write a book!! It has been a very stressful day though and I guess I just needed to vent. I'm glad you guys are here!!!

holy moly kathy, what a day you have had. i would have tuned in that other lady too and maybe asked her to leave while you were there.......talk about stress. i hope you aunt gets up and around real soon.

i just finished my 45 minute walk......man oh man was it hard.....too much snow but maybe i burned extra calories!!

it is getting late and i have lots to do

chat later, have a great CORE Monday everyone

Kathy, it's good for you to get all that stuff out. I used to make sure that my Mom was taken care of properly. First by me Niece who moved in with her and later at the nursing home. She had Alzheimer's. I was always worried that she wouldn't be properly cared for. I would have raised the roof as well. Good for you!

Well, I didn't cook. Hubby hunted and gathered and I had to use some points. I'm still wrapping. It's taking forever because first I had to find boxes and add tissue before I could start wrapping. Plus, I have gifts to wrap for 10 people. Next year I think I'll buy one box for each person! Well back to wrapping. It's 11:30 and hubby is sleeping on the couch. He doesn't like to go to bed without me so I may quit soon. Thank God I don't have to go to work. With the accident, replacement, and patio door I am SO behind.

Well, here I am for a visit. HAHAHAHA....I'm talking to myself. Isn't it funny how unbelievably busy we all are at this time of year?! I was up until 1:30 this morning wrapping and I'm back up at 7:30. Have to get done. Today was supposed to be my baking day but I'm not sure I'll make it. Gonna try though and I have to cook that chicken tonight. Don't want to throw it away. I'm too cheap for that. So I thought I'd respond to Linda's message and then eat breakfast and go wrap until I'm done. I've been watching Christmas movies and it is helping.

Linda, I am so glad you liked the crustless pumpking pie. I never feel guilty at all when I eat it because I know pumpking is good for me. Your Hubby sounds like a great guy...just like mine. Papering a freshly painted bathroom?! I hope you tell him daily what a great guy he is! Johnny didn't play When I'm With You but it sure is a beautiful song. I think we'd still be there if he had played all his hits!

Well, it's 15 degrees here today with a wind chill of 0. Linda, that's making your decision to move to Floriday look pretty good doesn't it? You can't possibly miss THIS season do you?

See you all later when I take a break. Hope you are all well and survive the holiday parties.

Sorry my spelling is so bad....I'm a little sleep deprived!

Good Monday Mornin' All...
Vickie I got a little nervous when you said "I have so much to say to you"
I thought I said or wrote something I shouldn't have, did I But your last post was about the pie so I felt a little better. I can't wait to make the chicken. The pie was great....maybe too Great!! I didn't eat it all, just two pieces the first day and breakfast the next. It's really very good. As for my husband, yes he is very good.....but I don't want to spoil him by telling him such things (hahaha)
I don't think I could do 15 degrees, I'm having a hard time with 40....but yes I do miss the seasons. The holidays just don't seem like the holidays in S.Florida. It's weird!! God bless you for still wrapping, I got all mine done is one QUICK swoop. I hate to wrap, but you guessed it my husband love its....he puts so much time and effort into it.....me,...it's cut the paper slap some tape on it and call it a day..LOL....Nah, I'm not that bad!!

Kathy I do cook, just don't like too Being on Core I seem to cook more and we are able to share more meals together. Glad you were able to come here to VENT, what a day you had. I would have for sure STRESS ate....it wouldn't take much, but I'm still learning. I had a very, very Good Core day yesterday, so content that I didn't even have a snack after dinner.....how 'bout that!!
Frannie you sholved and WALKED 45 minutes, in the cold.....God bless you, girlfriend......Wow, then what the heck is my excuse!! You are an inspiration to me!!
I am off today, and back to the grind tomorrow. Bad thing about me taking a day, I pay for it the next several days. Monday is the worse day of the week for me with Tuesday just as bad. My co-worker and back up is leaving for New York tomorrow for two weeks!!!!.......ughhhhhhhh. PLEASE help me combat the STRESS I know I will be feeling....I may just hear that Pie calling my name!!! No!!! I will not!! I can handle it!! Right???? I am back on track and feel good, can't be messing up yet again. 8.8 lbs to get to where I want to be, I am stronger than that. Look I'm freaking already, probably setting myself up.....Why do we make FOOD such an instrumental object in our lives???? I get stress and I think Food.........do any of you do that???
Well I am going to go have a nice cup of coffee and will be back later this evening for my next go round of inspiration........till then.....be well, Linda

Me!! I sure do!

Well I'm glad to know that you still cook ... I was starting to worry that I was the last one on earth who does. LOL! My friends at work have stopped, said people can just make themselves a sandwich if they're hungry. Um, okay!!

I didn't bring my lunch because I'm grounded. I grounded myself because I didn't do that well this weekend. Actually, it wasn't pretty at all. I really overdid it on my new "maintenance" philosophy, just let go and had a big ol' blow-out! I *might* eat a part of one of DH's sandwiches that I brought for him. He decided to go out for lunch (we work together) so there are two perfectly good turkey and cheese sandwiches sitting in the fridge. Delightful wheat bread (1 pt for 2 slices), turkey and cheese (don't know the points) but it shouldn't be too bad if I only eat half of one with mustard.

Other than that, not much going on here. I'll check back later too!

Sorry I worried you, Linda. I just meant I didn't have time to respond to your post and wanted to do so. Don't worry about the pie. There is nothing in there that can hurt you. Just try not to overeat it. It's ok to have it for breakfast if you like it. It's got dairy and veggies. It's good!

I just finished with all the boxes and tags and things for my hubby's stocking. Yes, we still hang and fill each other's stockings. Aren't we silly. No kids so why not! I still have to decorate each box with at least a bow. Some will get ribbon too. I wrapped 58 packages! Whew! Now hubby is in there wrapping his presents to me. I'm going to make a banana smoothie and into a hot bubble bath. Then I make my final holiday grocery shopping list. Hubby will go for me tomorrow morning. Tonight I'll cook him dinner poor guy!

Kathy, I cook almost every night. I'm only 48 but was raised by an older Mother from the old school where you cook for your husband every night. I worked for 30 years as many hours as my husband but still felt I had to cook because that's how I was raised even though he told me that I don't have to. So, he grocery shops and cleans up after I cook. What a deal.

We met at work, fell in love, and got married! For a brief couple of months I was his Manager (before we dated of course!). He didn't hold that against me and it's been happy ever after. We've been together since 1990. First marriage for me, second for him. So....we have something in common besides this weight thing!

Yes, we do! Like I'm also 48 ... and my husband and I met at work too. Hehehe! I was married before but he never has, and my kids are older so we won't be having any together. Sorta sad, really, because he's only 35, but says that's fine with him! We still have our dogs and cat, and the way we treat them, you'd think they were our kids!

I'll bet you're exhausted from all that wrapping! That's a TON!!!

Good afternoon....hey sounds like we three have a lot in common besides the weight..........
My husband and I too met at work but I knew him before that. No kids for "us" either, we have both been there done that.....no pets either.....just us...which isn't so bad
58 packages Vickie!!!! Good Lord! We had to do our wrapping when the other was out of the house. We do a grab bag thing, a tradition we started for each other..ahhh how cute!!
We write down 6 things we want and then we pick three each from a jar his and hers, but somehow there always seems to be many, many more gifts then the original three we're silly too....isn't it great!!!
I day went well today, I was off as you all know, but I did learn something...I eat from bordem too....OMG - trying to keep busy and NOT think about food...Wow that's tough. I did ok, though, I ate small meals, all Core, every three hours so far, and now the next time we eat, it'll be dinner....Gee did you ever wonder why guys (well at least mine-how 'bout yours) never really think of food? He is off today too, and has been in the Mst bathroom still finishing up on wallpapering not once coming out and wanting to pick.....boy that gets me I keep asking, "can I get you anything" his reply..."no thanks, I'm fine" urggggg. Me I must have been in the kitchen 17 times already. Felt like a kid opening the refrig and looking in. I did not waiver though, I have been very good. Boy kind of can't wait to go back to the stress and agravation of work tomorrow....then my tune will change to "this
!#!@#$$ !!@ JOB!!!
Vickie....whewww so glad I didn't say anything I shouldn't have...whewww.
Kathy all my coworkers tease me too about not cooking. They laugh. Because I am always saying "this cooking thing is so overated and too much like work" Where in the world do you find the energy to do all that after working the hours you do!! I am very impressed.
Vickie my husband would love that you still do as you were raised...working as hard and long as your husband and still come home to cook......He would say "you're his hero" He has a little more of a fight on his hands with me....and I was raised the ole Italian way, where Mama did everything...guess the buck stopped here
I'll be honest though, I think I can really get into it but it's just that I am so mentally exhausted at the end of the work day, I am spent.
Frannie how are you doing....any more snow??
Haven't heard from a few people out there.....how is everyone?? I have to come here at least twice a day for my fix, even if it is just to read. I need to remain focused and on program. Being home today was a tough one. Why does the refrigerator manage to whisper my name through the walls???
Well, it's 5pm here and an in hour we will be eating....see there I go again, I crack myself up....food, food, food, while my husband is still at it, putting his working stuff away...
By the way, besides me who else out there weighs on Saturday.....I guess I will be going to W/I on Friday.....I have a decent feeling though, if I keep up with the rest of my week, I'll be happy to stay the same or perhaps I may move down a bit. I have been bad so long a Stay The Same would be just fine because I know I am going to trend down these next few weeks.
I hope you all are feeling confident and that whenever your W/I are, they are what you want them to be. Let's all hang in there and be here for one another.....I know I need the support of this board now more than ever.....till tomorrow.....be well, and stay warm..... Linda

LOOK WHO'S HERE!!! IT'S KATPO!!

LOL! Now you guys have to get used to me having a different name! And don't call it "catpoo" -- it rhymes with Rambo and I just *know* Rambo didn't have a problem with people calling him Ramboo. It's my Jedi warrior name: the first three letters of my first name and the first two letters of my last name (maiden). Got it?

I'm out of control today, so you all might kick me out of the forum anyway. I had a poptart and a coke. Now I'm buzzing all over the place! LOL! I'll have to eat salad for three days to make up for it.

Hi,
I'm checking in to see how we're all doing. This is a great group. Lots of inspiration and people really pulling this together. Thanks!
I've had two great days. I'm working on not eating off Core each day until Christmas Eve. I am hoping to knock off another pound that I had put on recently. After all, we're supposed to be going downward, not upward.
Good luck to everyone.
Judy
234/214/thinner