[BellaLucia]

I'm lucky to have good friends like you! Things are taking a turn for the better and I hope it continues. I got back on track yesterday and I'm ready to do the same today! Have a good morning gang!

[Lexxiss]

Good Morning Okie

Good for you, getting right back on track! I am convinced it is one of the most successful strategies for weightloss success! After a blip in my SBD radar on Saturday, I am happy to report I am back on track, too. We went to bed early last night and I'm just up for a Rudi check and will try to head back to bed for a few hours. Who knows...I think I will have a cup of coffee as long as I'm up.

ETA-I thought I'd get to some personals from yesterday. My daily life is getting into full swing caretaker mode and my morning time is getting a bit more complicated with each day, it seems, right now.

ChicoryCat, a great motto "fail to plan=plan to fail". Planning is so important! I don't say I'm on a diet, either, but do just like you did, which is put out foods that I can eat, too.

Natasha, great job getting back on plan for the week, and congratulations on your 10 year milestone at work. I hope you got rested up!

fatchick123, nice to meet you!

Ruth, I hope you got your brakes fixed and you're up and running today. I noticed your planned meals on the OP thread. That's an accomplishment I really need to work on.

Twynn, I'm wondering if you're getting adjusted to the time change so you can sleep in this weekend.

Cyndi, it sounds like your training went well and that you are successfully videotaped, "just because".

wesley587, I hope your test went well. Great news on dropping scale numbers.

Linda(CottagebytheSea), I hope your Monday was as pleasurable as you had anticipated and that you're strutting with some fine hair!

Heidi, I hope you're getting caught up and that the effects of the Chinese buffet are leaving...I just don't do that anymore because the scale moves so drastically that it just isn't worth it, even though I know it's just that sodium thing.

BelovedK, I hope you're feeling better today!

Matilda(Mmc), I think some of your coworkers should enroll in drama school since they seem to like it so much! Glad it doesn't involve you!

Karen, I hope you got a bike ride in. I'm glad to hear you're feeling so much better with your good food choices. My bike is with me, but not moving. It's way too cold.

KimStar, I'm glad that the end is in sight with your classes. Eating out is sure hard when coworkers make bad choices. Perhaps you could put in you're 2 cents for a healthier option one night.

sophie, I'm so glad to hear from you. You are always missed around here. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you remain pain free and I hope to see you here more often.

Lisa(weezle), good to hear from you, too. Glad that you are "taking control".

Pearlrose, for day 11! Thanks for sharing that it is more important to take care of your health when DH is being a "jerk".

TallandThin, for continued walking! Me, too!

Rikki(RDW), I had a similar dinner last night. DH had tacos and I had what was OP. I hope you're sleeping in today!

chubbybunny, glad you are back and that cruise damage was minimal. I did wonder if you were on the CSplendor since we hadn't heard from you. :Yay: for water and veggies!

I think it's a YAY day! to all of us for continuing to strive for a healthy lifestyle amidst the daily complications of life.. I'm going get Rudi resettled and see if I can get some rest.

[Natasha1534]

Good morning, ladies. I just got home from the gym about an hour ago and I'm in the kitchen whipping up some SB friendly goodies for the week. I've got whole wheat brownies in the oven and I'm mixing up some whole wheat chocolate chip cookies right now. Next week I'm going to make up the pumpkin bread that's in the recipe section here for us to have on Thanksgiving. We've decided to go out to eat this year instead of mom slaving away in the kitchen all day to cook and me slaving away in the kitchen all night to clean up.

Anywho, just checking in. Hope you ladies are having a good morning!!!

[CyndiM]

Good morning

Okie, Debbie & Natasha - hope you are all sound asleep and enjoying lovely dreams now. Just the smells in Natasha's kitchen would give me dreams.

Sophie- Sorry to hear about the health stuff but really glad to hear from you.

well if things go the way I hope today could be my last full time day at the old job. I now have no desk and no computer so can't imagine I could spend that much time there. I am so ready to just move on completely.

Yesterday we got our tickets to NM so I guess it's really going to happen. The one piece missing is the hotel reservations for the week. Hope to hear that today so I know exactly where I will be. We are a bit nervous because we are flying through Midway again on the 20th. Last time we got stuck there overnight Super Bowl Sunday. Apparently that happens a lot in Chicago.

Now I'm going to go plan my meals for the day! That doesn't happen much because I'm on the road so much. Even when I can make good choices I often don't know what they will be until I get to the designated place. Some days I miss having a normal 9-5 job.

Time to refill the coffee cup. Can I pour anyone else a cup?

[cottagebythesea]

Good morning! The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup.

Okie, I'm glad to hear you've regained control of your eating, and here's some to help you through another successful OP day.

Debbie, I'm very impressed that you can reply to so many personals this early in the day, and it's even earlier for you! I hope today isn't as chaotic as yesterday was, and hope you were able to get a bit more sleep this morning.

Natasha, you're a bundle of energy too, but I have to remember that you're just getting home. Sometimes I wish that we could just go out for Thanksgiving dinner, but then it just wouldn't be the same. Even though I don't eat turkey, I'd miss the aroma of that plus all the other yummy smells coming from the kitchen. It is a lot of work, though, and I'm usually exhausted by the end of the day.

I may run over to Kohl's for another gift or two this morning. I have $20 in Kohl's cash plus a 30% off coupon that have to be used either today or tomorrow, and I want to take advantage of it. Then off to the farm where I'll find something to keep me busy until it's time to get the girls and take them to gymnastics.
It looks like a rainy day, so I'd better take my umbrella!

[cottagebythesea]

I'm ready for a refill, Cyndi! Thanks!

Sophie, I've missed you and am happy to see you back. That's scary about your stomach pains and that you had to cancel your trip, and I hope you never get them again.

Chubbybunny, welcome back and thank goodness you weren't on that fated cruise ship! You did very well keeping your eating under control, and that little gain will be gone in no time.

F.C., it's nice to meet you!

[Ruthxxx]

I'm running in overdrive.

[BelovedK]

Good morning chicks

I am feeling poopy, and I have to go to court, wish me well, and that they get to me before lunch. I have so much to do and then I am taxi mom. I might skip writing class tonight even though it is something I love.

I am feeling sorry for myself. I'm having thanksgiving at my house on Sunday, and I am busy all week ... AND DH has picked this week to paint the house. Chaos all around. Oh God help me get through.

[BelovedK]

Oh yeah, almost forgot, it is now my TOM, so I am upset in all kinds of ways also I have cramps and feel awful from that. ARGH! plus I haven't planned meal one. I may get brown rice sushi from a nice place in my area.

[Heidi58]

Good morning!

It is so good to be in my own kitchen again, in charge of what is served. There is no place in the world I would have been last week except with my family but I am very tired of looking for "the least damaging" foods on a menu or buffet.

I have got so much to get caught up on at school, but it was good to see the kids again yesterday. My colleagues were great, but it's pretty hard to talk about things without getting teary so I tried to lay low yesterday. I think people understand though.

Cyndi, hooray on the last day!

Natasha, I'm drooling! I hope your baked goods came out terrific. I can't do any holiday baking til we get closer to my family's arrival.... I just can't trust myself to leave things alone!

Debbie, I'm with you. I don't enjoy Chinese like I used to these days. We didn't stop for lunch and at supper time we were driving through a long stretch with no convenience stores or restaurants. It was the China Buffet or wait another 2 hours so I was glad to dig into my sauteed green beans and chicken with broccoli. I haven't weighed myself yet this morning but my rings feel better this morning so I'm optimistic.

Hey Linda, I wish I could head to Kohl's with you! I've been talking about going to Kohl's for a month but life keeps getting in the way.... I hope you find some great bargains today!

Good morning Okie and Ruth! (and those to come)

Sophie, I was glad to see your post in yesterday's thread but so sorry to read about your health problems. Welcome back!

Beloved, I just saw your posts. I'm sorry. I hope things go smoothly for you today and that you start to feel better very soon.

Have a great Tuesday friends!

[TwynnB]

Cottage - I used my 30% off coupon at kohl's yesterday myself!! Have fun shopping!

Just checking in. Have my lentil and smoked sausage soup I made last night packed up for lunch, and have Fiesta crock pot chicken cooking for supper tonight. I was not-so-good yesterday, but have better plans today!!

[WaistingTime]

Good morning ladies!

Debbie - I hope you are getting some time to take care of yourself too.

Natasha - I need to check out that recipe. I had planned to make the regular kind of pumpkin bread for everyone else and then just do my best to not eat it.

Cyndi - My DH and son got stuck in Chicago last year and I have since heard more stories about it. Hopefully you will just fly smoothly through it all.

Linda - I got a 30% off too! Hardly ever happens to me. I need to get over there.

Beloved - Yikes!

Hi everyone else

Nothing much happening with me. Hopefully another bike ride this afternoon. And I am trying out recipes for Thanksgiving; thanks for the input on that thread. Last night DH and I tried a quinoa dish that might make the cut. He is very into quinoa right now.

[sophie]

good morning,


o.k. so I lost my post. Here I go again.

Thanks to everyone for the nice welcome back.

FO - look at you girl, you have lost so much weight since I have been here, keep it up.

Debbie - see you are as enthusiastic as ever. Any knitting going on. I knitted several pairs of mitts for grandson and will knit some more for a womens shelter here.

Natasha - nice to give your mom a break and your whole wheat recipes sound so good.

Cyndi - NM sounds wonderful. Love the art shops there.

Cottage - have a good day shopping,

Ruth - still in overdrive, eh

BelovedK - today will get better.

Heidi - a belated hug

Karen - quinoa is liked here too. But I usually have it plain and DH has it with walnuts and raisins. I too got stuck in Chicago once overnight and my airline wouldn't pay for the hotel and since I was alone I stayed at one of the hotels right at the airport.

me - new interest here. While my three year old grandson was here, he wanted to know if we have forests, so we took him to a trail about 10 km from home http://www.seatontrail.org/. Really loved it so we bought walking sticks and have been going out almost every day weather permitting.
take care
Sophie

[TallandThin]

I can't believe I'm up this early! For the first time since we rescued our bulldog, he pushed the door of his crate open at 4:30 this morning and came and jumped on our bed. Thinking he had to go outside, I took him and he was so cold afterward that I let him return to our bed. Thanks to his snoring I couldn't find sleep again so gave up and got up at 5:30 which is unheard of for me since I retired years ago. It's amazing though how much one can get done in the early dark hours.

FO glad things are better for you.

Lex, Just wanted you to know that I found a great sounding pumpkin pie receipe on the Splenda website and will be making it for TG. Thanks to you, I won't be just watching others eat my favorite.

Nat, More power to you. There is no way I could cook those and not eat them before TG. Just not that strong yet.

Cyndi, NM will be a nice change in weather for you.

Cottage you are whipping out your Christmas shopping. I've just barely started and need to kick it in gear as I don't do shopping crowds well.

CB welcome home and you did great with that little weight gain.

Sophie, nice to meet you. I wasn't here when you were before. Sorry for your health problems and hoping they don't return.

Beloved, sorry for the stress, husband's timing for projects aren't always the best are they?

Heidi, I always feel better in my own home too. Bet the kids are glad you are back too.

WT - Enjoy that bike ride.

Well, it should be a quiet day for me. Will get my walk in this morning and then do some little chores around the house. Guess it is time to take down most of the bird feeders for winter. I only leave one out because our storms and wind would break my others.

Hope everyone has a great day on the beach.

[Randi34]

Good morning.

I got some good news for a change at the doctor today.

I am down 12 lbs since September 7 when I last saw him. My blood work is a lot better. I still have insulin resistance, but it decreases with every pound I lose.

He was very excited about my weight loss and even wrote down what I eat every day to share with his other patients.

I go back in February and his goal for me is to be down another 18 lbs, which would put me at 30 lbs total. He said that would give me some pretty good chances of overcoming my DNA.

There is a Chick-fil-a in the doctor’s office. I was thinking about, even yesterday, that as soon as I got done at the doctor I would go down there and get breakfast. I was dreaming of a big fluffy biscuit. But then I realized: Not even close to worth it.

I did go down to Chick-fil-a and get a biscuit, but I did not eat the biscuit, just the bacon, eggs and cheese. I substituted fruit for hash browns. I haven’t had any fruit for almost a month and the doctor said to start slowly adding that back in. Here’s the thing. I have GOT to stop rewarding myself with food. Food is to live. It is not a reward, especially for losing weight. I don’t “deserve” anything except to be healthy.