Hi Guys. I'm bummed. Went to Ortho but no cortisone shot. He wants to do an MRI first because he's afraid to let too much time go by because it was a car accident. He wants to document it as soon as possible if there is a tear. So why didn't I have the MRI 2 months ago before PT? Who knows. I HATE the thought of an MRI. I'm kinda claustrophobic. They say it isn't a tube but there is a top cover. I'm trying to get them to give me drugs which they say they will do. I have to go Thursday morning. Jim is being supportive as always but these things don't scare him so he doesn't understand why I'm so freaked. If there is no tear then I can get a cortisone shot. He said the shot would mess up the MRI and potentially cover up a tear if there was one. I'm just tired of hurting and want this to be over.

We didn't go in the pool tonight because we are both emotionally tired. It's 90 degrees here and I know we should swim but my arm hurts and I just don't want to be bothered. I hope I'm not whining in about a week about this day that I missed. I could have used a pool party!

Jim has jury duty on Wednesday in a very rough neighborhood where no one ever wants to have to go for jury duty. Terry would know where it is. So we took a trial drive there today after my Dr. appointment so he would know where to go on Wednesday. He feels a little less stressed but I'm still worried about him because he gets lost kind of easy. So now I have to worry about him on Wednesday and me on Thursday.

All I want to do is eat Popeye's chicken. Jim just went out to get Chipotle for us. I'll make my brown rice to go with it and be a good girl but the stress monster is out in full force.

I admire all of you Moms. I don't know how you do it but I have complete respect for you. I try never to be the grumpy woman looking at the kids who are screaming or misbehaving. Sometimes there are just things you can't control.

Sandra, sorry to hear about your feet. You must feel like I do about my elbow. Get better already!

Sorry, I'm not very supportive or upbeat today. I'm sure I'll feel more myself tomorrow.

Vickie I am sorry you are feeling down, it is soooo not like you, but you have two good reasons to feel as you do...........just know 'my' thoughts are with you Jim both.
What did you just tell me the other day about feeling 'stressed'
Please take it easy and exhale.......((hugs))

Too much to read since this morning right now, and I am mentally wiped out....which did not help my eating plan this evening...... so I will wish everyone else a good day tomorrow....and let's keep on keeping on......Linda

kathy, i'll bet that white chili is good. i'll go get a copy of your recipe. thanks for posting it.

melissa, i will definitely participate in the exercise challenge. i may have to modify but i'll do it. thanks for posting it for us.

frouf, i haven't been exercising lately either. i absolutely lose better when i do. pool party at vickies? what a fabulous idea!

angela, i am sorry but i had to laugh at your shopping experience. bless your heart. i'll bet you could have told that "friend" a thing or two.

melissa, i don't make guacamole, but can't it be made by mashing an avocado with a little lemon juice and then adding a little ff mayo, chopped onion and chopped tomato? maybe add some salsa? all those ingredients are core.

vickie, you and i need to get together. i may have to have an mri on my tootsies, too. my doctor went the shot route first. isn't it odd how they are doing things in opposite order? i haven't had pt either. i hope your aches stop soon, too.

linda, i hope you aren't stressed tonight. is there a bubble bath in your plans?

well, i'm going to watch "the scholar" tonight. ya'll have a good evening. i'll catch you later.

Hi chicks! I have thoroughly enjoyed my day off, even though I didn't get as much done as I wanted. But I did rest, so that's good.

Vickie, :goodvibes: I'm so sorry that you have had a rough day. And I'm sorry that you have to have an MRI. I had one about 5 years ago. I just closed my eyes and tried to relax. But I am not severely claustrophobic, just a little bit. It was pretty quick. I hope that they can get you figured out soon!! It is so hard not to do emotional eating when you've had a day like yours.

Linda, I hope that you have a good evening and that tomorrow is better.

Sandra, hope you enjoyed "The Scholar". We didn't watch it tonight. Terry posted a recipe for guacamole so I think I may try that one of these days. I've never even purchased an avocado. :o

Well we should have an interesting week. We are hoping to hear about the church job on Thursday. DH's current job has gotten changed to second shift so we will basically not be seeing each other for the next couple of days. :( Hopefully we will hear about the job soon and he won't have to do that for very long.

I made Mexican Lasagna tonight. It was pretty good. DH said that he liked it but that it had "a funk" to it. :lol: I think it was because I used soy cheese. Well, I used half soy cheese and half 2% Milk cheese. I thought it was good. And DH must have liked it pretty well, b/c he went back for seconds and is having it for lunch tomorrow. I think it would be really good with burger, too.

Well I gotta tend to some laundry and visit with my DH!! :D

melissa, i've always avoided guacamole because of the high points on flex. now i may need to give it a try as it's core.
your mexican lasagna sounds good.

i'm off here now to go watch the scholar. it's about to come on. i'll see ya later.

Sandra, I forget that you are an hour behind us, I guess. The Scholar is going off here. The lasagna was good. I always avoided guacamole too, but now I am looking forward to diving into some! :D

Speaking of that, I saw some Dean's guacamole today at the store. I almost bought it but couldn't decide whether or not it was Core. I guess its safer just to make it myself.

BTW, does anyone have an opinion about the couscous I mentioned earlier? I am confused about it...the regular Near East couscous wasn't checked core in the CFC either. I don't know of any other kind! So confused. :dizzy:

Melissa, Near East makes a plain couscous because that's what I buy. I'd stay away from the kind that aren't checked Core but I don't have a good rationale for it. You can do the same thing with plain couscous as brown rice. I cook my rice and my couscous in chicken or beef broth and then add spices. Having said that, I would still use the box you bought, I just probably wouldn't buy anymore. I don't even know if WW has a rationale but I'm trying not to stray too much from their plan as described. I'm guessing they tried to stay as low sugar as possible. Even though the herbed one only has two grams of sugar, it's still double the plain. That's my best guess.

Well, I ate Core for dinner but it isn't what I wanted. I'm very tired and I'm going to go watch TV and look forward to my Pistachio Pineapple Lush.

Talk with you all tomorrow!

Linda, what a party you and I could have together tonight.

You are all SO sweet. Don't know what I'd do without you.

I just reread your post, Melissa. I'm sure the regular Near East is Core. I'll go look in my CFC too. Be right back.

I have the corrections to the CFC printed from WW. It removed all flavored couscous that is checked Core in the CFC. It didn't add any couscous that wasn't listed. It isn't as if Near East original/plain is listed and NOT checked. It's just not listed at all. WW mistake. When I can't find the brand listed, I usually go back to the front to the general listing. It says regular couscous is Core. I'm back to my original idea which is that the spices have sugar/oil and that's why they're not Core.

Thanks Vickie. I really appreciate your help. I am still trying to figure all of this out. I must have misunderstood what the CFC said. I will probably do what you said, eat the box I have but not get it anymore. Thanks again.

i am hungry for guacamole. oh, well, guess i'll go to bed.

Morning Ladies!

You all move quickly on this thread!!!

I posted my profile on the profile thread too....

Question: In the old days....a few years a go, I used skippy whipped peanut butter. I bought some again - 3 points for 2 T and I usually only use one T - as it's plenty and count it as 1.5 points. That's still ok, right?


I have an event at work today, so won't be around. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Good Morning Chicks! I'm still in a funk but trying hard to get out of it. I have a cut and a color today so I need to get cracking if I'm going to get my exercise and a shower in first. Also gotta get breakfast and lunch in before I go too. I didn't sleep well. I think all that is going to help is for Thursday afternoon to arrive with both Jim and I safe and sound.

Cindy, PB is still ok as long as you count points for it. Enjoy.

Everyone have a great day. I need to go call the insurance company AGAIN about some bills they haven't paid from the accident.

Angela, I've searched all our boards and can't find that great website you shared with me that has the interpretation of cholesterol numbers. It included advice on how you could lower/raise each subcategory (ldl/hdl/trigycerides). I want to give it to my Sister and BIL but can't find it now. Do you have it to give to me again. I should have save it on my favorites but I didn't. Sorry!

Melissa, I just looked up the herbed chicken couscous in my ww Complete Food Companion and NO it's not core one cup is 4 points. I would say that due to the sugars and other additives, that it's not core. It's probably not an unhealthy choice, but not core. I'm learning too and if you don't have the Complete Food Companion, I highly recommend buying it as it has all the brand names.
When I was on the CORE plan before and dropped it (have really reconsidered and am trying it again now) I wondered why certain things were NOT core when I thought that they just had to be. I was told it is the additives that makes a difference.
I wanted to use pre-cooked boneless chicken breasts in a recipe and asked if they were core and was told no as they are "injected with stuff" even though I was thinking of them as "just chicken". It really made me do some thinking about the purity of what we all eat and what it is that we are really putting in our mouths.
What seems to be perfectly "OK" has tons of stuff added to it. I liked the suggestion Vickie had (hope you are feeling better by the way) about making your own.
Why not use chicken broth/stock to make your own couscous and add a pinch of herbs, perhaps varying the herbs each time and coming up with a new flavor. When you make the plain couscous, it says you can add butter or olive oil and of course we should add oil.
Maybe you could even mix cook couscous with crumbled ff feta cheese and spinach and add a dash or oregano to add a nice Greek flair, throw in a few diced tomatoes and you have something that is tremendous.
I keep canned diced tomatoes in a plastic container in my refrigerator all the time and toss these into all sorts of recipes, eggs, and other things when needed. They are so convenient.
I also find some of the FF cheeses to be pretty bland, but the FF feta is very flavorful and I can't really tell it's FF from it's taste and texture.
Linda in NH