[Marie]

Hi everyone,

DD is getting better daily. I have concerns of how much recovery can be done in the next 10 days (how long till I get to blessedly leave Thailand). I had nightmares about leaving problems last night so I'm tired today. I've worked out every day except DD's surgery day. In the evening I've been using the pool I found a kickboard so I just kick since my wrist is still broken. I'm glad I declined the cast as having 3 good braes means I can wear one in the pool. I am so clever...

Food, I actually made it to 1400 cals yesterday. Closest to my usual goal since I got here. I'm starting to get used to hunger. That would be a cool thing if that stayed upon my return, but i'm guessing once a foodaholic, always a foodaholic.

Judy, enjoy your reprieve from traveling. I truly don't know how you can stand it.

Penny good for you on returning to Curves. How about not overdoing it this time? I don't now if you've noticed a pattern but you usually get gung-hoe about it and end up with problems. I know, to pushy I am. I just don't want to see you hurt anymore. Plus you'll be needed for your garden. So easy does it, right???

Auntie, good luck finding your wagon and getting back on. It's not easy, that's for sure.

Marie

[penpal]

Marie - I'm glad your DD is making progress after the surgery and hope she'll be well enough to travel in 10 days. It's good that you have a pool and exercise facility at your hotel. Exercise is such a good way to relieve stress and I know how much you love to swim. I hope your wrist soon feels better. It must be hard for you to get food you like over there. My DH and I love Thai food but I can understand how hard it must be if you don't enjoy it and there's not much else to eat. I didn't go to Curves today as I'm dragging a bit feeling like I'm coming down with something. I may work out tomorrow morning instead. I'm taking it easy, especially on the arm exercises. I've just signed up for a light yoga class starting in June. I'd like to get back into that again as I found it very relaxing.

Auntie - I hope you'll soon be able to hop back on that old wagon! I'm trying to stay on track too but the tracks seem to keep moving .

Judy - I hope you enjoyed your day at home. I think being a 'vegetable-tarian' is such a good idea. I think I'll give it a try too - I've been craving veggies lately as I've been eating some non-nutritious foods lately and I'm feeling it - blah and bloated. Let us know how it goes at Curves - maybe you can have a trial visit to see what the atmosphere is like. I think the management makes a huge difference as to how the place "feels".

My DH brought me home some wonderful Swiss chocolates from the very best chocolate shop in Zurich. I'm savoring one a day to make them last. He also came home with an awful cold so I hope I don't catch it. I'm coddling him with chicken soup, herbal teas and vitamin C drinks - poor guy had a rough trip home but at least he has the weekend to recover before getting back to work.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

[cacmsc54]

Sounds like everyone is quite busy me too. I have been making jewelry for a friend whom is getting married in July. The shower is on sunday and of course I made it with silk thread and knots, pearls and swarovski crystals. It just wasn't how I wanted it in the end after many many hours of work. I took it apart yes I did and remade it. Well I am now pleased with it and made a bracelet to go with it that is a wire wrap with the beads throughout it. I will post a picture. Her wedding colors have lavender color so this will work out nicely. I hope she loves it lots of care and hours went into it. If I didn't count the first time around it would be less thats for sure. When I am busy my dietary intake is so much better. Well I have been busy lately work has been off the charts. I am working on trying to get my own office. That way if I am to be a trainer for new folks it would work out nicely. Yesterday I took a day off only had to take 4 hours as I worked quite late 2 nights. It was a nice day off I did take my 87 year old mom to the doctors. She is a bit off I noticed saying some strange things like she saw this person or that person last time she was there. Mom never was at that office before. Also how do they do a blood test? She has had many over the years. I must say I was concerned. I will go to the primary doctors with her on the 4th to raise my concerns with the doctor in private before he see's mom. Oh life isn't so easy sometimes I know she is 87 but always was on the ball this is just new guess time for me to take a bit more time with her in the future before I don't have that opportunity. I think stopping to have dinner with her once a week will be a start. Well thanks for listening I needed to vent I guess. We did take a trip to the health food store. I purchased organic cinnamon and am starting a new thing with 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon 4 times a day added to my coffee or food to lower chol. and tri. my friend had supper results and also brought down his sugar levels too. Worth a try I say! Marie glad you are taking a little break for yourself to swim. Helping with your DD is so nice of you. Penny I like the soap idea is it hard to do? Judy hey your back in town again. Wow you are a busy lady. How do you like your new home? I read your food thoughts. I like to put fresh oranges cut up into cottage cheese over lettuce. Well girls we are having a super record heat today of 85 degrees crazy huh for New York in April. I am off kayaking this afternoon and might even throw my pole in to see whats out there. I am also looking forward to my trip to Boston its only a one day bus trip. But heard alot about Quincy's market Judy you must of been there before? If so is it like Pikes Market ? Can't wait!
Have a good day and do something special for yourself today. I am kayaking thats a me thing!!!

[cacmsc54]

Good morning all. Well the bridal shower was nice. I ate this wonderful salad and am waiting for the recipe to be emailed to me. Then I will see how good it was for me. Time will tell. My friend enjoyed her party and loved my necklace and bracelet I made her. I actually picked up 2 more parties to do over the next couple of months. Guess maybe its time to look into getting my license for my small business. After the shower my daughter, friend and I stopped into this higher class shop which was having a lovely 70% off sale. A lady approached me and said I love your earring I smiled thanked her and said I design some jewelry on the side. She went on about the pair I was wearing. It was nice my daughter said see mom you need business cards. I laughed. Anyways that hobby keeps my hands busy and food out of my mouth. I am doing better and feel and upswing is on its way. I am enjoying my organic cinnamon added 4 times a day to my food. It is actually pretty tasty. Maybe is curves my urges a bit. At any rate I feel good this weekend not so off with the health stuff. Better choices that is a good thing. Grilled last evening and the hubby and I had a quiet weekend SIL was away not that she is a problem just one less around to cook for etc. Penny I have enjoyed my spring flowers they are just beautiful this year. I think I will pick some for my desk again today since I have so many. Nice to brighten up my yukky office space. Hope all is well and that everyone had a nice weekend. We are to hit 90 today very off season here at this time of year. But I only have to work til 1:00 today. Then have an appt. for SIL at the kidney drs. We will stop after pick up some fresh veggies, chicken and then will grill it for dinner tonight. Well I am hoping for a very productive week in the dietary part of my life. Working on increasing my exercise, better food choices. Oh the hubby hated the steel oats. Thats okay cause I can make them and split it up into sizes I need and it will be ready for my breakfast. I had it for breakfast today added my dried fruit and nuts which I measured out.
Have a good one!!

[auntie g]

Monday, Monday... Another new week, another fresh start. OK, so I took my first step toward the wagon yesterday- it was a little shaky due to a Chuck E. Cheese b-day party, but not too bad. I have high hopes for today.

The temps hit 90º for the past 2 days, and it's supposed to do it again today, to make our first official heatwave of the season. Kinda crazy for April, but it did make me get out the summer clothes, which is a great reminder to get myself under control! So here goes...

Marie, I'm glad your DD is recovering and you've got yourself a pool to entertain and exercise you. And I guess it's even good that there aren't a lot of good food choices there to throw you off track. Imagine if you were spending 3 weeks in Italy! Mmmmmm...

Penny, I hope you and your DH are feeling better! And oooh, Swiss chocolates... Yay for you, eating just one a day!

Carol, it sounds like your jewelry is quite a hit! Congrats! And congrats on making better food choices, too. That's what it's all about, right?!

Judy, how's the vegetable-tarianism going? I wish I'd get on that! If it weren't for tomato products and mushrooms, I don't think I'd have had any vegetables at all for months. Ah, but summer makes it much easier...

Have a great week, everyone!

[judydc]

Hi, chickies--a quick hello. I'm at a conference in PA, but just overnight, I'll be back home tonight. On Saturday I got my hair done, bought a new suit and saw a play. Sunday was a travel day. I had a bag of M&Ms in the hotel room last night, but otherwise I've been making good choices with food, I think. I haven't worked out since Friday, though. I was gone from sunup to sundown both days, and this morning I'm scrambling to complete the presentation I have to give.

No time for personals--Happy Monday!

judy

[penpal]

Carol - It sounds like you are enjoying some nice weather. I hope you had a nice time kayaking. I'm sorry to hear your Mom isn't doing so well. I can sympathize as my Dad is also quite ill. Sounds like you are a perfectionist with your jewelry - I'm the same about my soaps. If they don't turn out just right I scrap them and start over. The embedded soaps are fun to make and I'm finding lots of interesting things to put into them like the sparkly stickers you can get at the craft stores. It's a bit tricky getting the soap temperature right, but they are turning out well now. I just made some for a girlfriend with puffy gerbera daisy decals in them and they turned out really cute.

Auntie - I hope your week is off to a good start. I've been pretty good and eating more veggies again. I had some homemade fruit salad with yogurt mixed with pureed mangoes for breakfast and that made a nice change.

Judy - I hope your trip to PA went well. It's nice you had time to get your hair done and buy some nice clothes - those are good things to do for yourself - a little pampering goes a long way.

Marie - I hope things are going well in Thailand and that your DD is feeling better every day. I'm sure you'll be so glad to get home.

My DH is still sick after catching a cold/flu in Europe. It's a good thing he didn't have the worst of it when he was over there - it was just starting when he came home. He says it's the worst cold he's ever had. I sure hope I don't catch it! I'm taking lots of vitamin C, etc. It's cold and rainy here again - yuck! I'm ready for some nice weather.

[Marie]

Hi all from Bangkok. Things are going pretty good. DD is recovering steadily. No fever which is a good thing as they wouldn't let us on the plane on Monday if she still had a fever. Traveling with the Swine Flu thing going on is a little scary.

I just was at the pool and soaking up some rays with SPF 55. It was quiet. First really quiet day since the surgery over a week ago. The clinic has a nurse coming o the hotel for the aftercare. That's when I went to the pool. I will be so excited to return home to my real exercise program. I am very sick of Walk Away the Pounds. That's my only "real" exercise as I can't swim. I use the kickboard. My wrist brace protects my wrist but I can't pull water with it so swimming is out. I did just learn it's still broken and very painful. I took a shower, dried off then took off the brace (it was wet and the dry one was out in the room. I figured I could put my shirt on without it. What a mistake. It's still throbbing 20 minutes later.

auntie, good luck on the new start. I hope it works. I love summer for the fruits. I LOVE fruit!!!! I'd rather be in Italy. I could make good choices there. Here I have to find something that won't make me throw up so bad choices seem to be the norm. I just have really small portions of KFC and McDonalds and Pizza Company. I want real food!!!

Judy, hope your trip went good.

Carol, congrats on the jewelry boom. Before you get your small bus. license, makes sure you really want to take your hobby to that level When I did it with stained glass, I ended up hating doing my favorite hobby for several years. Since I'm back into it, I've been contacted for some contract work and I always turn it down. I never want to lose that love again.

Penny, I hope your father stabilizes and recovers. DH said this morning that it was snowing 15 minutes before I called. As it's 95 and humid, it's hard to fathom. but man, I'd take the snow at this point.

Time to call McDonalds for DD and my lunch to be delivered. Ah, the wonderful food choices there.
Marie

[cacmsc54]

Just lost my whole message dang!
Oh well gotta go to work now. But all is well got some sores on my feet due to no socks at work while out for my 30 min. walk. I sure learned a lesson would of been better off no walking I guess. At any rate wearing clogs today no walking today! On task with my healthier choices but messed up with too much whole wheat bagelette bread. Next time I will cut portions and wrap and freeze for other days. Not to smart of a move but it was healthy untill I overate it. Guess its a learning thing I will not let it get the best of me. Forward I go better choices to make today. I am doing well with my cinnamon intake and kind of enjoying the taste. Oh has anyone ever had orange zest olive oil? Really tasty in cabbage salad or regular salad and great to saute veggies and chicken. Ck it out!

[judydc]

Marie, I'm glad that your daughter is doing okay. I know that you'll be glad to get home to your pool and your doggies!

Carol, I've never heard of orange zest olive oil...but I will certainly try it. I'm sorry to hear about your mom.

Penny, the daisy soaps sound beautiful.

Auntie, I have bad news: tomatoes are fruits

And now--ANATOMY OF A CARB MELTDOWN. My trip to PA was fine. I got home late Monday night. Tuesday was my first official day back in the office post-vacation, although of course I was at work for part of three days, and at a conference for two more. Besides the piles of work and prep for two big meetings this week, my key staff person has been out a lot dealing with her mother, who is gravely ill. I worked late, and didn't feel hungry or like even making a salad, so I had a bowl of cereal w/soy milk. Then I had a pear and yogurt. Then I had a mini-bag of popcorn....then two 100-calorie ice cream bars. This was the clearest connection yet to stress and eating.

judy

[auntie g]

I'm still on track - yay! Otherwise, things are taking a turn for the worse again, but I'll save that for another day. Today I'm trying to keep hope alive.

Judy, your carb meltdown sounds delicious. I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted! And yes, sometimes I know that tomatoes are fruit - and I guess I should remember that since that's the only FRUIT I've eaten in months. So my veggie list goes down to just mushrooms. That's pretty bad, isn't it?! Eek!

Penny, I hope your DH is recovering! Congrats on eating your fruits and veggies! I've got myself so brainwashed with WW points, I hate to waste points on fruits since they never make me feel satisfied. That mango/yogurt mixture does sound interesting, though...

Marie, glad things are going well for your DD, and I sure hope that wrist heals up magically! McDonald's delivers there?? Wow. Good thing they don't do that here!

Carol, I'd never heard of the orange zest olive oil either, but it does sound like it would make veggies more interesting! Don't worry about that extra bread. It could always be worse! Keep up the healthier choices!

Have a great Thursday, everyone!

[penpal]

Marie - I'm glad your DD is making steady progress. Don't be too worried about the swine flu when you're traveling. It looks like most people are recovering pretty quickly. I read that every year 36K people die from regular flu in this country, so maybe the media is hyping it up a bit. Sorry to hear your wrist is still so sore. Maybe you'll need to get a cast to immobilize it so it can heal properly when you get home. It sounds very hot there - it's been unusually cool here but it may warm up a bit soon.

Carol - I haven't heard of orange zest o.o. either. It must make a nice dressing. I guess you could grate some zest into regular o.o. too. I've been taking cinnamon in my ground flax seed for quite a while now, so it will be interesting to see if it's made any difference the next time I get some blood work done.

Judy - Your 'carb meltdown' wasn't so bad. It could have been a lot worse. I've been craving carbs more lately with our return to winter weather. I'm so looking forward to summer salads. I have been eating lots more veggies and fruit though, so I'm definitely eating healthier.

Auntie - I hope things are going better for you. I know how hard it is to stay focused when we're under stress.

I just got back from our local asian market (it's a huge store with every kind of oriental food and wonderful fresh produce). I bought some baby bok-choy, ginger, green onions, shiitake mushrooms and chicken won tons to make some won ton soup. We really enjoy this soup and it's very filling with very few calories. I've been making lots of soup lately and made a fantastic minestrone the other day. I have about 6 frozen portions left. It's nice to be able to grab something from the freezer for a quick meal. I also made an Indian spicy lentil soup (Dal) which was very tasty.

[Jennco]

Hi, I'm new to this Forum and just wanted to say hello. There are lots of members of 3 Fat Ladies on a Diet , just wondered how to keep in touch with everyone 'cos I'm sure everybody must have lots of different tips, advice and secrets for weight loss. Can't wait to read them all. Can I join this thread too? Heard from a guy who said that every time he gets a craving for his favourite foods he picks up a book to read or switches on the TV. The cravings go!. It works for him. The ads are ALWAYS about food though aren't they?
Looking forward to reading lots of tips and hoping to contribute too. Everyone sounds to be so friendly.
Speak again soon,
Jen
x

[penpal]

Hi Jen, nice to meet you - welcome to our thread. Distraction is a good idea when you're thinking of caving in and going off-plan. Like you said, reading a book or watching TV (no snacks of course!) can help keep us occupied. Manicures and other beauty treatments, gardening and walking are also good ways to "change the subject". Good luck in your weight loss journey!

[judydc]

Hooray, it's Friday! I'm looking forward to...cleaning up my apartment, woo--hoo! It was so nice a few weeks ago, but now it looks like a gangs of monkeys have ransacked it. I'd pulled out my clothes to do the seasonal switch and never finished putting things away or sorting thru the trash-or-donate piles. A friend may come over on Sunday to help with my half-assembled file cabinet, so now I have to make things look presentable!

Welcome, Jen! I'm looking forward to getting to know you. I don't try to follow many threads anymore. But if you do, the best way to keep track is to use the Thread Tools that link threads like this one to your User CP (Control Panel).

Auntie, I love fruit--and most veggies, too. It's my only saving grace! Thank goodness most of my overeating lately has been "healthy" food, or I'd be a lot closer to my highest weight by now. I hope you're hanging in there with whatever is troubling you these days.

Penny, I thought of you the other day. On NPR, the Diane Rehm show discussed the British "obsession" with gardening . Hope your hubby is feeling better.

I'm still in a sluggish place, mentally. Based on how my clothes fit, I'm almost afraid to step on the scale. I didn't overdo the evening munching last night. It helped to share it with you chickies. I haven't refilled some of the supplements I'd gotten from the dr for the adrenal issue, because it's so expensive and I was feeling much better. But I guess I need to re-up--my energy level crashes around 11 AM, and I'm not sleeping as well.

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

judy