Sparkle: A little tweaking I'd do for you menu..

First check the bran flakes' ingredients to be sure there are no hidden sugars and switch brands to Kashi if you already haven't. I'd also switch to Splenda and half n half in the coffee and add at least one fruit to your breakfast, preferably two.

I'm not sure about the cupcake. I would have an apple with it

PB&J can be legal if its on WW bread, NSA peanut butter and SF jelly. Again, have it with some fruits or veggies. Water would be way healthier than Diet Dr Pepper.

What did you end up having for dinner? The two main flaws in your menu are no fruits or veggies and way too many grains. The ideal basic meal plan for every meal is two fruits or veggies and a protien...such as a breakfast meat with cantaloupe and/or berries for BF...a sandwich on WW bread with lots of lettuce and a slice or two of tomato for lunch...dinner, maybe a big salad with a slice of chicken breast. Snacks might include another fruit or some nuts or a yogurt (checking first to be sure it has no hidden sugars). Keep the grains healthy (WW, stone ground, oatmeal, etc) and limit them to one or two servings a day and make sure to drink your water.

I feel hypocritical critiquing your menu because I'm the worst at staying on plan. Getting on plan is a hard thing to do, but once you're on it, you'll feel so great and healthy.

Keep posting your menus! We'll only steer you in the right direction!!

Whew it's Monday - did not do well Friday night or Sunday - suprisingly I did awesome Saturday and Saturday night which is my binge night usually....

I have been doing some really deep thinking and I think my issues with food and behaviour just don't make sense to me anymore.....it's habit at this point and I need to know myself now - it's just ridiculous .......

* in terms of NO SUGAR - I just don't eat it except when I have my "moments"
*Exercise - I love what it's doing for me inside and out
*eating plan - I love that too

My eating has been most of my life about sport or hobby - it's just food for poop's sake

Need more of a connection and support here - so if you can for now please respond - am feeling very down today but not give-up-kinda-down - just raw.........



Ray xo

Good morning everyone. Stayed up late last night and didn't hit the bed till about 1:00 or after so I slept in this morning. I did pretty good this week end except I got a hold of some Kashi cookies and ate them. I'll never have those in the house again. Somethings I'm weak on and just got to not have them in the house. I also had a hard time with Steve eating all night. Usually I could care less but I was hungry and having a hard time and there he was eating popcorn and stuff. I got a little snappy.

Ray- I'm sorry this is an off day for you. I really enjoy your posts and think you're doing so well. We're just about the same weight. You're a little lighter than me. Some times its good to think your food issuses out. Put them where they belong. You're doing this girl friend. You're strong and good.

sparkle- I agree more fruit and veggies. But you'll get the hang of it. I have an awful time getting my veggies in. I'm not much to knaw on raw ones either.

Gym- Good thing the week end is over and now we've got a new week. We can do it. You didn't get this way over night.

Tech- Doesn't that feel so good to get the your bedroom in shape! I swear you can sleep better. I hope you get the rich and famous in your shop and they love your haircuts and come back lots. Yum your steak dinner sounds so good.

chrgrl- Oh I'm so glad you got your total gym. I still haven't got my treadmill out of the mess in the back room. I hope you ate more I'd be starving on what you had.

Monet- I think your stuff at etsy is wonderful. I love the platter and that white mug is really different. I love my tea mug. I think everyone spent they're money at Christmas. Now they should be ordering for Valentines Day.

Bob- I loved the Amazing Race. Who did you want to win? I thought the girl on the couple that won came a long way from trying to milk a camel. But I was kind of hopeing for the Father and Daughter team. It was exciteing. Can't believe its over. What the heck am I going to look forward to on Sunday night.......

Thin- Congrads on the two lbs. You can do it. Just one day at a time.

Well guess I'll sit here and finish my coffee. Can't believe its already 11. Have a happy day.

YAY! I have my Etsy store set up. I know I'm not supposed to link it, but if your interested in seeing my TWO items for sale, go to Etsy.com and search either Green Bay Packers or New York Giants. My sweater and hat sets should show up.

Have to take Shelley to the doctor...she may have an ear infection. Just what I wanted to do on my day off...I'd rather play Nancy Drew with her. Last time I had a Monday off with the kids, I had to take Kyle to the doctor. I love winter...

Hey Toni and Monet - thanks for the supporting comments!!! Sometimes that's all I need......I can be going along so good and then I get bonked on the head for some reason.....it would be so nice if I could climb up into someone's lap and have them stroke my hair saying "it's going to be o.k." but who the heck does that unless they are a perv. Monet that really is a bummer about your husband being laid off - I'm sorry to read that.

Toni thanks always - it's just crazy - alcoholics and druggies get to stop ingesting their addictions - we don't - we gotta eat - it's got to be the toughest thing.......

Ray xo

Weekend was ok. Eating was pretty good. Maybe a little more wine then I was supposed to have. Scale was up this morning, but I have been in the bathrooom all day. I'm sure it will be down tomorrow. It is so cold here. Today is was 11. I'm ready for Spring.
Sorry, replies will be short, I am swamped today.

Monet, great going on the 4 lbs. Bet you were excited. Sure glad Kaeleb wasn't burned. Kids are so funny. How is Tom feeling?


Carrie Ann, nothiing better than the clothes falling off. Keep up the good work.

Toni, I hope you are all bundled up. it sure is cold.

Ray, congrats on the loss. Good job. Yes, got colour, red. It is bright, but will fade out in a couple days to a good colour. Hang in there girl, we all have our ups and downs. Just gotta make more ups. You can do this, one day at a time.

Gymrat, those muffins look ok to me, we need Monet's opinion. If you can't find ww bread crumbs, here is what I do. I throw all my heals, low loafs, etc into the freezer. When I have time, I toast them in the toaster and throw them in the blender. Wall-la, ww bread crumbs, Keep them in an air-tight container and they last a long time.

Heart, how was your weekend?

Snaps, hope your mom is getting better.

Bob, Come on girl, I'll take 40 any day. Try my 11 degrees. I'm not feeling sorry for you.

Thin, congrats on the 2 lbs. That's what was on your plan, so that is great.

Sparkle, welcome to our group. I looks like you are doing great with this WOE. We used tohave a big time nursing home volunteer on here. She will pop in sometime.

Chrgrl, glad you like your gym. I think I will be using mine tonight as DD was off today and went to the gym and DH is down in his back. I won't want to get out in the cold by myself.

Tech, I like Bret Favre too, but I line the M anning boys like Bob. That would be exciting to have a star come into your shop.


OK, I hope I didn't miss anyone. Got to get busy here. Have a great OP evening

Hummus
1 can garbonzo beans
1 tsp. peanut butter
1 T. lemon juice
salt to taste
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. cumin

Drain beans, reserving liquid. Place drained beans and remaining ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth, adding small amount of reserved liquid from bean, if needed.

Does anyone here bake whole wheat flour shells? What temp. do you bake them at. This was a great snack.

Hey everybody! Yep, the ole menu needed quite a bit of work this morning, but I was running a little late. I am not as strict on the plan now as I was a year ago. There are very few veggies that I like and even those have to be cooked until all the vitamins and minerals are out. I can't stand crunchy or raw veggies.

Gotta buckle back down a little bit more, gettin too lax here.

Holla at y'all later!

BOB, i'm up here in michigan...brrrr.

breakfast:
steel cut oats with butter, cinnamon, splenda, blueberries
1/2 cup cottage cheese (1%)

lunch:
romaine salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, bleu cheese crumbles, ranch dressing
when i got back to the office they were having a taco pot-luck so i had a little bit of ground beef on lettuce with salsa and a dollop of sour cream

snack:
sweet cherries

dinner:
morningstar veggie burger (no bread) with one slice cheese and low carb ketchup
sweet potato with lite butter and seasoning

tomorrow we're having friends over for dinner and i'm making Toni's stew!

today for exercise i played DDR for about 45 minutes.

Good Evening...!!!

Today was much better than yesterday. I was technically off, but i worked my part time Job to avoid being bored and eating too much. The menu was pretty simple

B-1/2 c Egg whites scrambled
S cottage cheese (ff) and applesauce with Cinnamon
L-PB&J on sprout bread with cucumber slices (1 whole)
S-1/2 c fiber 1 mixed in strw/ban ww yogurt and 1oz Chicken for protein
Dinner was fun..I actually cooked. I sauteed scallops and shrimp in olive oil with Mrs Dash and lemon with Green beans and put it over noodles. (WW) I know I had 1 to many carbs but I really wanted noodles with my dinner.

BOB thanks for the recipe update. I will keep that in mind.

Toni-Your 100% right..It took my whole life to add this weight up..so expecting it to fall off or change all things that quick is unrealistic. Im like you, I know there are some food I have no will power over so I can't even keep them around. CHoc coved almonds is my downfall. I used to go to Trader Joes and that night the whole container was gonezo. I haven't cheated so Im happy but everytime I go to that store they call my name.

It is beyond frigid here also. Thank gosh i go to the gym in the am..The last time it was this cold and I went at night my sweaty hair froze..NASTY. LOL

I also Tried to get creative with my evening beverage. I used a lemon for dinner so I put it in a cut and added boiling water and a tea bag for some fresh lemon tea. I hope it tastes good and doesn't sour itself ..that be my luck.

Y'all look at this and see what you think could be used instead of sugar:

TANGY BROCCOLI SALAD

3/4 cup Miracle Whip Light Dressing
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp vinegar
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets (6 cups)
6 slices Oscar Meyer Bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled
1 small red onion, chopped

Mix dressing, sugar and vinegar in large bowl. Add remainin ingredients; mix lightly. Cover. Regriderate at least 1 hour before serving.

Substitute Splenda for the sugar? Just wondering how that would taste.
Trying to work in some more veggies here.

(recipe from the current issue of Kraft Food & Family)