FRIENDS FIRST - Desperately Need a Diet Buddy #23 - 2005
 

:hat: !!!HERE WE ARE!!! :hat:

Hope everyone makes the jump to our new location - our new SPRING CLEANING location!!!

It's Spring :flow1: - time for new beginnings and fresh starts!

To any newbies, we are formerly "Desperately Need a Diet Buddy" buddies and we've been around for several years now. Please feel free to jump in and introduce yourselves.

And already we're on the second page :sp:

C'mon girls, some of you guys must be out there somewhere :flow2:

Here's a question for you - what are you old reliable, never fail and still healthy recipes? Or even basic favorites that we could help each other alter to fool the fam?

Hello, Since I see you are slow here today, I'll jump in and say hello! I'm Melissa and had been posting on the moms losing weight page for almost a year now. It's gone a bit wacky the last few months. We had a huge influx of newbies and then poof everyone seems to have dissapeared. Anyway, I'm always looking for a buddy. As for the question about recipe's ........hmmmm well, off the top of my head. I have made baked ziti, which is so bad, but the kids like it, so what I've done is put less pasta and I shred carrot and green squash/zucchinni and mix it in. They eat and and don't realize there are veggies in it. Unless you have a super super picky one. I have one of those, but he's too young to notice that yet. My bigger one just think's it's seasoning if she seas any green. Anyway, I live in Northern Jersey and have two beautiful children almost 5 and 2 1/2. Stats are at the bottom. I was working out like a crazy woman for 5 months and somehow through life events, I have fallen off the bandwagon. Any suggestions? Per Nicoles thread comments, It's spring and time for a fresh start. I agree.

Hello "Friends" ... I found us!! :D This is going to be a great new beginning for all of us ... I can feel it in my bones ... well, I did say I was 42! :lol:

Melmcc ... Welcome to "Friends First" :) We're a bunch of girls who have been around for ... errrrr, quite some time :sssh: ... No worries that we're going to disappear ... We're all in it for the long haul :) You'll get lots of support and encouragement here, hope you enjoy it!

Brandy, you've put me on the spot there a bit ... recipes at 9.30am :dizzy: ... let me have a think and I'll get back to you later :)

Did you PM any of the other "Buddies" to let them know we've moved? I guess they'll find us from the link on the old thread anyway.

Well, here's to a new beginning for all of us :cheers: I just know we're going to be successfull! :)

Nichola

Morning all!

Sorry about asking you to think of food so early in the a.m. Nichola, it does seem a bit unfair. I think the others will find us from the link. I'm not sure they really check their PMs anyway (I know if I have one, it can go weeks without my taking notice :o ). If anyone seems missing, we'll start a search party soon!

Melissa! Welcome! I'm ALSO in Jersey. Small world!!! Congrats on your loss, btw. Good job! Thanks for the ziti idea. I don't have kids but I have an unbelievably picky husband. I honestly did not know people could make it to adulthood being so choosy and "eeew, green stuff" about food :dizzy:

As to me, I am full of allergy meds today and preparing to WATP in a few minutes.

Hope you guys have a great day (the weekend is almost here!),
B :flow1:

Thanks for the WElcome Nichola. Looking for to knowing all of you!

Nicole, where are you in jersey? I am in Bergen County. Anyway, thanks for the welcome, hope the ziti recipe helps some. My father is like your dh, he it's NO greens except Iceberg lettuce, the whiter part, which has no nutritional value really. Other than that, he eats corn on the cob and sweet potato. That's it for anything vegetable. I don't believe he likes fruit either. PICKY aren't they. Luckily, my dh LOVES just about anything. have fun with Leslie!

Again, thanks for the welcome gals!

No exercise for me as of yet. I am planning on doing some lunges and crunches today, I don't know about cardio. It's been a crazy day already!

Hi Girls,

Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday with any recipes ... been up to my neck with household chores :mad: I've so much washing and ironing to do since coming back from hols ... just can't seem to get on top of it all!! ... The more I do, the bigger the pile in the washing basket seems to get! :?:

It was my first weigh-in today since starting afresh and I'm very, very pleased to announce that I've lost 4lbs ... yes, 4lbs!!!! :cheer: I'm quite surprised really as I must confess that I haven't been writing anything down, just being careful to eat healthily and watching my portion control ... it seems to have worked! :D

Melissa, no exercise for me either the past couple of days ... but I guess ironing for hours and hours counts for something right?? :^:

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

LORRAINE, RAFF, JO ... is there anyone I've forgotten?? KELLY, DANIELLE if you're still around .... Come on down!!! "Friends First" are waiting for you!! :grouphug:

Nichola

Nichola, WTG on the 4 lb loss. You must be thrilled!!! What a nice way to end the week! I know what you mean about the laundry, it's just keeps on coming! I guess you and I both need to move our rears a bit today then since we haven't done any formal exercise in a few days. Anyway, I have 4 loads of laundry to fold and a closet to clean out today....YIKES... Have a wonderful day ladies. bbl

Nichola- congrats on your four pounds :bravo: that's REALLY great!!!

Melissa, I'm in Jersey City. We moved here a few years ago and plan to move AWAY at some point in the future.

As for me, I could not tell you what I weigh. I am doing my best to get back on track and just haven't worked up the nerve to face the scale yet. I'll get there sooner or later.

Have a great weekend,
B

Brandy, go for it ... go get on those scales right now and make that fresh start ... the longer you leave it the more difficult it will be, and the quicker you do it, the sooner you'll be back on track and heading in the right direction. Make today count ... go on, just do it :goodscale You'll feel better when it's out of the way and not in the back of your mind worrying about whether or not you've gained ... and so what if you have? Make today the first day of a fresh start :)

Well, I intend to make the most of this weekend ... back to work on Monday :( I don't mind going back to work but I'm not looking forward to the early morning get-ups!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Nichola

Well, I had a look at my weight and it's NOT PRETTY :( I'm still working up to typing it out loud. I'm just going to deal with it and get going.

My game plan is pretty simple - WATP + WW. That's it. Nothing fancy.

Happy Monday, guys :D

B :flow1:

Brandy, good girl for taking that step and getting back on those scales :) Your plan sounds pretty good to me, the less fancy the better I say ... Have a great week! :)

Started back to work yesterday and can't get over how exhausted I feel already ... feel like I need a holiday! :lol: ... only 12 weeks until the schools break up for summer hols ... yippee! :D

Nichola

Hi Chickies! I tried posting a few days ago but they were working on the website. Wish they would have told me that before I typed up the message. :lol:

Things are good with me. Still eating good and weighed myself this morning and the total lost is 9lbs. Yipeee! Finally! Except I started losing in the oddest place: my ***. I usually lose in the stomach and face first. (shame I have to say "usually", shows I'm a serial-dieter ;)

Nichola - Congrats on the loss! You are doing great! You asked for some recipes and I think that was a wonderful idea. I love getting new recipes.

Cavatelli With Spinach
---------------------
3/4 cup cooked cavatelli
1 cup cooked fresh spinach, chopped
1 large garlic clove
1/2 - 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil

While pasta is cooking, place spinach in bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Don't let the leaves wilt entirely. They'll do that later when you mix them with the pasta.

In small pan slice fresh garlic and oil. Cook garlic on med to low flame until you can smell it. Don't overcook the garlic because it will tasty nasty. Nast-E!

Add spinach to oil to coat and remove from heat. Add to boiled, drained pasta. Salt and pepper to taste. Yum!

Love to everyone else! Hope you are doing well.

Take care,
Raff

Raff, 9lbs lost ... That's fantastic!! :bravo: Whatever you're doing, keep on doing it! :D

Like the sound of your recipe ... simple and tasty :T ... that's my kinda cooking! I'll definitely be giving it a try.

We're having a few problems with our computer ... again!! ... so if I disappear for a while, that's the reason why! Hopefully Nick will get chance to look at it tonight or tomorrow and be able to sort it out.

Nichola

Hi guys!

Raff, what an excellent (and uncomplicated!!!) recipe! Thanks! And congratulations on your nine pounds, that's excellent! As to me - the LAST places I lose weight are my stomach and face. Which SUCKS. I am such a friggin apple.

Nochola, let the countdown begin. Summer is almost here. Well...kinda. You'll be out for your holiday before you know it. Spring term always goes so fast.

As to me, I've managed to exercise TWO WHOLE DAYS in a row. Hoping to go for three. Maybe four, but let's not think too far ahead ;)

B

Hi all.

Well I'm just kind of hacked this morning. After a really good week (exercised every day, drank lots of water, balh blah blah) I have lost...NOTHING. And gained half a pound. This had better be PMS related. At my weight, it should be coming off pretty fast.

I don't know what has happned to me. I sort of "rested" at 238 - 242 for a WHILE and even kind of got really lazy and messed up quite a bit and then it seems like I wooshed up into the 260s overnight and I can't get back out again. SO FRUSTRATING!!!

Send me good vibes, y'all, I need them.

B

Brandy - I'm sending you some sunshine :sunny: and positive vibes your way :goodvibes I wouldn't worry too much about the weight loss. It's too soon to tell. One of the things I've learned from my recovery group is to weigh myself once a month. At first I thought they were nuts, but I found it much easier than getting on the scale and watching the numbers yo-yo.

Raff, I agree with your adivce about not obsessing over the scales. I normally weigh myself once a week, but a few months ago I became obsessed and started weighing myself every day for some reason. I became depressed everytime the scale didn't move in the right direction or I'd gained ... but as we know this is quite natural. I'm now back to once a week and feeling much better about it. I'd like it to be once a month but I know what I'm like and I'd probably think that I could eat whatever I want for 3 weeks and then starve myself for 1 week in the hope of not gaining!!! :o

Brandy, just keep at it! I myself weighed in on Friday and haven't lost an ounce! I know why though ... didn't write anything down again and it's so easy to kid myself that I've eaten less than I really have! So fingers crossed for a better week this week :crossed:

Nichola

Hi Guys! I'm not really a scale obsesser, but I do weigh myself every day (one time, first thing in the morning, no one-and-off, no scooting the scale around, none of that ;) ). If I don't, I sort of just go into denial and that's how I end up gaining 30 pounds in three months and not knowing just how it happened. At the same time, I don't expect the scale to move every day and the little ups and downs don't really get to me. I only really "count" losses from week to week, so if it's up and down all week but at the end of the week it's down - that's kind of what I take as "official." I understand that the daily ups and downs are controlled by like a million and one things. At the same time, at my weight - I should be losing pretty fast on a reasonable diet. I know that weight loss is slower as you get closer to your ideal weight but I am FAR FAR FAR from that. Blah blah blah, anyway, I'm not TOO down about it, it's just frustrating as I have so far to go.

Hi all. You guys must all be very busy!

I now have two whole weeks of daily (week day) exercise behind me and I'm so proud of myself. I've still only lost about two pounds in total and I have no clue why but I guess I'll just keep at it and working on it till something happens. I'm confused and sad about it but there's not a lot more I can do really.

Other than that, not much going on with me. Hope all is well with all of you guys!

B

Hi All! Still chugging along here. It's TOM so the past 2 weeks have been really tough with the food. I've had cravings for the oddes things and have been hungry all week. And I mean with a capital H.

Brandy - Great job with the exercise and the weight loss. Wish I would exercise but I'm so damn lazy. ;) Have you thought about seeing a doctor? Maybe your thryoid is a little slow. Sometimes our bodies change and we can develope hypothyroidism.

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

Take care,
Raff

Hi Girls,

I'm still plugging away at it but not getting very far! Yet another week of staying the same! Raff, I know what it's like when TOM hits ... it was my turn last week and I couldn't stop picking!! At least it wasn't a gain!


Brandy, very impressed with your exercise routine ... I too wished that I could get motivated to do some. Raff, I'm like you when it comes to that department ... I need a good kick up the backside!!

Have a good week.

Nichola

Hi All!

Well, TOM FINALLY arrived. I was WAY late, but still having PMS symptoms so I think any weight loss was masked by water retention. Whew!

I'm still doing WATP, even tho I am vv tired and blah (thank you TOM) - it's one of those things: I KNOW that when I exercise, I don't get the horrible cramping and muscle pain that normally goes with PMS/TOM and yet often I slack and don't make myself do it. Then I DO exercise through and am once again amazed by how much better and more managable my symptoms are. I am so hard-headed!

Speaking of, it's time for me to go WATP now! Hope you all have a great day! Take care!

B

Oops :o

Looks like I fell off the 3FC wagon again.

Currently going through Uni **** at the mo, so I hope I can be forgiven. I complete my degree a month today!!!! I have one essay to write this weekend, and two exams the last week in May and THAT'S IT!

Of course the reality is that I'll still only be halfway on my quest to be a lawyer, but wow, hasn't time flown...and you've been here, with me, the whole time. :cb: I don't know whether I ever told you, but I've decided what law I want to specialise in (if I can get it)....I want to do mental health law. There aren't too many options though, so I may well end up doing divorces instead. :^:

Won't have the graduation ceremony until I think February, as they have to hire I think the Symphony Hall in Birmingham to host it.

I've not been doing well diet-wise, with the stress of everything. In fact, I've gained so much I'm refusing to step on the scales. I went to the docs two weeks ago for my 6 month check....and he went mad at me about my weight gain (14lbs up since October) but understood why it's been hard. They had to increase my meds from twice a day to three times, because I'm not handling my diet the way I should (but told me I have to turn things around by August when I go back). With the stress I've had my first ever Psoriasis break out this week, and am itching so much I must look like I have fleas or something. Will head to the pharmacy tomorrow to see if I can get something without having to go see a doc (as I know too much sweet stuff, combined with diabetes and high glucose levels can cause psoriasis...and I don't want another lecture!).

Anyway I need to go get organised. Working in the law firm tomorrow (audio typing, woohoo :dizzy: )

Love to all
Jo

Hey!

Where'd everybody go?????

:wave:

Still here. Chugging along. My foodplan is going well and I'm at 312 from 325 so I'm happy about that. I'm only weighing myself once a month so I won't know until June if I've lost anything else.

How is everyone else doing?

Jo - congratulations! I can remember when you were just THINKING about going back to get your degree and now you're done! That's wonderful!!! Now (putting on my stern lecture face), you take care of yourself! It's no good getting a degree and losing your health! TAKE CARE!

Raff, so glad things are going well for you!

Things are just not moving along at all for me. I need to take a break and get my head on, I feel like I can't organize myself to get going - which makes NO sense. Send me good weight loss head-getting-on-straight vibes PLEASE!

b

Just starting my crusade for the billionth time.
 

I am very happy to have found this forum. I am a 30-year-old with an office job (I think it is in the job description to eat at your desk for your whole 8-hour shift. :moo: :comp: Anyways, I have found some great advice in your column so far. I need to get myself on the top of my priority list in order to unload some of the 'junk in my trunk.'. It is a pleasure to be here.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/weight-tra...2/190/282/.png

Im also a coffee junkie
 

:cofdate: I love coffee. Starbucks' Mocha Grandes haunt me but the sugar and fat and calories are HUMUNGOUS. I like sweetened coffee (with tons regular sugar, switched to Splenda...but can't seem to use just 1 package). Does anyone have any ideas on what are good sweeteners for coffee that are not quite as bad as my heaping sugar scoops? I am trying to wean myself down, because I am a cubicle coffee guzzler. Any ideas appreciated. Thank you. :)
http://www.3fatchicks.com/weight-tra...2/190/282/.png

I would try out Honey instead of Splenda. I think you can use less of it and it gives tea a whole other taste. Try it out and see what you think!

Welcome Looking2Lose! You'll like it here. We're a good bunch of gals from all over the globe with the same goal in mind - to lose weight. I'm a coffee lover as well. I occasionally like flavored coffees but mainly stick to my homemade cappuccinos. Since I no longer use sugar or sweeteners in my coffee I sometimes add a little cocoa and cinammon on top.

Jo - You are almost done! We are all so proud of you. I know the gain is frustrating but you have to keep in mind that you are juggling a lot of things: kids, family and university. I'm sure you'll get back on track once things settle down.

Brandy - These vibes are for the both of us because I'm stressin' and I feel like my head is on backwards. :goodvibes

Talk to you all soon.
Love,
Raff

Welcome new people!

I have cut back to one coffee drink about every other day (there's a Starbucks across the street, I'm doing the best I can). I usually have a toffee nut latte, soy, no whip. For coffee and tea at home, I usually us real sugar or honey. I'd rather have a little of the real stuff than a ton of the fake, but if I'm sick or it's cold and I'm drinking a LOT of tea then I'll switch to Splenda.

Raff :goodvibes right back atcha! I THINK I'm starting to sort things out. I'm just one of THOSE people :dizzy: when my house is out of order, my life feels out of order. It's time to clean out closets, get rid of the winter stuff, let go of the unused/unworn clothes and just start OVER. I don't know how we accumulate stuff so fast (I lie, my husband is a packrat and an impulse purchaser and I know it!).

Anyway, I'm back on WW and trying to walk every day. I don't know what else to do. The weight just won't budge so I'm going to have to try something new and SOON.

B

Hi Girls,

Sorry I've not been around for a while ... darn computer problems again!!! This is going to have to be very short as Tom is waiting to use the pc now I've managed to get it up and running again ... but for how long I can't say ... we seem to have probs every other day!!

Jo, sending you good luck wishes for your exams ... Tom is stressed out at the moment too, revising for his GCSE's which begin next week ... although he seems to be stressing out ABOUT revising and not ACTUALLY revising if you know what I mean!! God, it's so difficult to get a 16 year old to understand how important these exams are. Nick and Tom have been at each others throats for the past couple of weeks about Tom's lack of commitment when it comes to studying, but Nick went to London yesterday on business for a week so we can all breath a sigh of relief that things and going to settle down for a while ... hopefully I can coax Tom to do some work!

Brandy I'm in the same position as you ... Out of order! I really must try to get myself together!!

Welcome to the newbies :)

If you don't hear from me for more than a couple of days it's because the computers not working again!!

Nichola

Hi Chickies! I'm doing good here. Still following my foodplan but have noticed something recently: I'm eating a lot of Chinese ribs. At least 3 times a week I'll order a small portion of ribs which really isn't small because you get 6-7 meaty ribs. :D At first I couldn't understand the recent rib fascination, because I never eat ribs, and then I realized what it was. Ribs are hard to eat. It takes a lot of tearing and chewing and I'm taking my anxiety out on the ribs. Sounds weird but I think that's it. My husband is overseas and I am under a lot of stress trying to handle the homefront without him. And it's hard to contact him because he's in the mountains of Yemen. So I'm anxious and I'm using the ribs to temporarily relieve some tension. Funny, but sad.

I hope I didn't bring anyone down with post, but I just needed to share.

Love,
Raff

Ok, guys. I've recommitted. And I've done well this week. I even updated my sig to admit to my weight when the week started (I'm trying to think about how that was a 28, yes that's twenty eight :o pound gain in the past eight months. It's past understanding). I have a lot of motivation going for me, not least of all that my clothes from last summer - which were too big when we went on vacation in September, are nowhere near fitting. Not even close. I saw this ad with a woman running and it says something like, "I'm doing this for my skinny jeans" and it just kind of clicked with me. I don't even HAVE skinny jeans. I'm doing this to get back into my REGULAR clothes. So wish me luck :goodvibes

Hope things are well with the rest of you!

Raff, maybe you can find some bubble wrap and go to town on that!

Nichola, hope you get those computer problems sorted.

B :flow1:

Thanks Brandy! That's a good idea. I'll take a trip to staples and get some.
I think it's great that your starting over. That's the great part of a new day: you get to start over with "clean page". And I wouldn't worry about skinny jeans, we expect you to look like a woman - not a twelve year old boy.

Hope everyone else is doing well and I'll talk to you soon.
Love,
Raff

Hi Girls,

Well, the computer is now working again but I don't know how long for! We keep having problems with viruses ... amongst other things! I've contacted a guy who comes to sort it out for us every now and again but he's been busy lately and Nick is away in London until Thursday, so I've been coping with it the best I can!

Confession time!! I've been awful lately!! Not able to stick to any kind of plan at all, just can't seem to stay motivated. I had a good week a while ago and lost 4lbs, then went totally crazy ... again!!! I just don't know why I can't manage to stick to it. It's not as though I'm trying to do some silly plan that's impossible to stick to ... it's just supposed to be healthy eating and watching portions ... I'm just totally greedy ... there, I've said it, I'm just a pig! :ink:

So, here I am in the middle of May, and the date my friends are visiting is getting closer and closer! I will die if they have to see me looking like this, but I know that there simply isn't enough time left to do anything that's going to make a real difference.

Brandy, I have the same problem ... none of my clothes from last summer fit me anymore and I'm getting more and more depressed about it. Why the **** can't I just do something about it instead of keep talking about it!

I really do want to do it ... it's affecting so many parts of my life, my happiness, my health etc. I can't keep doing this to myself. I'm sick of talking about it and I'm embarassed by the fact that I've told people that I'm trying to lose weight only to find myself gaining instead!!

So, here's the plan ... I'm starting off afresh ... I'm going to re-weigh and update my weight tracker ... I'm not going to mention to anyone I know (except you girls of course!) that I'm trying to lose weight ... I'm not "going on a diet" ... I WILL write EVERYTHING down that I eat ... and I WILL walk EVERY DAY!!!

Ok, so now I've got that off my chest!

Brandy, glad to see that you've recommitted too :) Forget about the gain over the past few months, just concentrate on the present.

Raff, how much longer is hubby away for? Nick's only away for a week and I'm already missing him :(

***Slight pause whilst weighing-in***

Official weigh-in on this day, Sunday 8th May ... 179lbs ... again! I'm now going to update my tracker and hopefully this will be the last time it says 179!!!

Sending good vibes to everyone else :goodvibes Have a great week!

Nichola

Can you believe it? I'm actually here. Ilost the way, but found it again! LOL

Weight loss is out the window. I'm fat and sad and ugly and fat and obvioulsy having a pity party here. LOL Sounds like the rest of you are trucking along though! Good for you!

Will do my best to update far more often. I missed you guys!

Lorraine
(Yes, that's right... I am actually posting! )

Perk up, Lorraine, and time to send the pity party home. I was just there and it sucks. I sort of thought - jeeze, it would be easier to diet than to feel like this. Hee. So, I'm doing my best. I'm sure by now you are too :dizzy:

How's your re-start going, Nichola?

How's it going with you, Raff?

I'm trying to decide if I can drag my allergy medicated rear end up long enough to do even the one mile WATP. Wish me luck!

B

Brandy, my restart is a bit slow getting started if you know what I mean!! :( TOM is due in a few days and I'm wanting to munch on anything and everything right now! :mad: But I'll persevere and I'm sure I'll get started everntually.

Nichola