Theresa - ditto on what was said above. Don't be so hard on yourself. At least your acknowlegding what is happening and thinking about why you may be doing it.

I'm okay today. I'm not really working on losing weight right now, just trying to eat healthy, not binge, and be kind to myself. It's really hard for me when I start dieting to actually live my life... my whole life becomes my diet. So, I think I'm just going to try to work everything slowly into my routine. Sounds like a good idea, I think. Or is it denial?

Hope everyone is having a good night!

Thanks for the much needed cheer, Sandi!

Uncovering, I think you are doing the right thing by making healthy lifestyle changes in your life instead of just going on another diet. A diet should never be your entire life...you'll always fail that way because at some point real life has to go on. It should be a part of your life, but not all of it. Making permanant lifestyle changes will help you in the long run. Do what is right for you and it will all work out. And of course, we're here for you.

WHERE IS EVERYONE ELSE???? Come on guys, let's not tire out now! We've all done so well, let's keep together!

Today is a new day, yesterday is gone, and I am just moving forward.

Theresa

Hello
The last few days have been pretty miserable , dealing with my misbehaving son. His wife is staying at her mother's. I stayed over his house last night, after my son, my dh, my new daughter in law and her parents tried to work out some of the issues in this 4 week old marriage. Of course the same issues were there before the gigantic wedding, but they thought marriage makes things better. Ha. We came to some peaceful terms and a plan to get help, but I am not totally confident that it will all work out. They both know how to make the other one nuts and they both do their numbers, but I'm pretty sure they love each other, but she won't come home till she feels he willbehave better towards her, so we'll see. I feel like I'm in a soap opera.
So-re food, I had one really bad moment where I grabbed 2 slices of bread and butter and some nuts. But that was all. I haven't however been able to plan ahead for the last 5 days because of so much disruption. I don't know if I stayed within my calorie goals and I'm too exhausted to try I figure it out. Added to everything else, I had to report for jury duty yesterday, but luckily at the end, they pulled numbers to get 23 jurers from the 40 people who were there and Iwasn't picked. They can't call me again for 6 years.
This is a selfish post. I'm not responding to any of my fellow chick's needs. I'll come back later. I really missed being here.
Laura

cadwell~ i had to stop reading your post when I got to fajitas and margaritas....mmm, margaritas! I think I might try to make a LF fajita dinner tonight..maybe put it on a salad instead of tortillas and rice? With all these tomatoes floating around now, I should put them to use in a salsa!

sandi~ i'm so sorry to read your health news. i hope those side effects from your meds start to fade off soon. i hear you on the diet "research"--i'm amazed at the vastness of diet information, at how much money the industry generates yet nothing seems to work...nothing except real work, that is. I really like reading through diet cookbooks, though.

uncovering~ I agree with Theresa on choosing a lifestyle over a diet. As much as I pay attention (obsess?) to weight, I think my truer goals are more fitness related--what I can do without getting winded, what kinds of activities can I be comfortable with...I just can't get excited about trying to stay on a "diet" if I can never have another margarita! But I think too that we are in the process of re-educating ourselves on what really is good for our body and what true portion sizes are. Especially if binge eating (or even being nervous that you might binge eat<--totally me) has been a problem, just working on that aspect can make a huge difference. What I consider a binge now is nothing compared to what I was doing to myself before. Every day is progress--or at least a chance for progress! You'll get there!

And Theresa: I'M RiGhT HeRe!

Hey laurab--big hugs to you. I'm sorry you have to deal with such drama right now...I hope those two figure out what they want and what they need to do to get it. If you need help with the meal planning, I've got a three week menu with shopping list and all I could e-mail you as an attachment. It might need some modifications for your specific plan, but I've used it a lot when I'm too busy or not creative enough to plan meals on my own.

Hi everyone!

I have also been wondering where everyone else has been. Seems like it's been quiet the past few days, but I know everybody is busy w/school starting back up and all the extra stuff that goes along w/that.

I went back to work Thursday and yesterday but now I think I'm done until I go back to my regular hours next Tuesday. I love having summers off but I'm always happy to get back to work in the fall, and I do miss having a paycheck in ths summer! So I have a few more days off and then back to the State Fair and then back to work.

I've been doing good staying on track w/food and exercise. Yesterday I had a hard time getting all my calories in because I don't really eat much when I'm working, and then I came home and had a plate of fresh watermelon and pineapple and wasn't very hungry for supper. My calorie total ended up under 1000 and that was even with counting ALL my fruits and vegetables which I don't usually add in.

Sandisuze...sorry to hear about your health problem and sorry that the meds are making you feel so yucky. Hang in there...you can do this even with the extra hurdles! It is so great that you are making the lifestyle changes necessary to get healthy. I hope that you are adjusting to your meds and starting to feel better. I'm glad you have a good doctor that you trust.

Kristen good attitude about the fried dough. It's not so bad to have a slip-up if you can put it behind and move on without letting it turn in to a binge.

Cadwell the free day doesn't work for me, either. I can have a planned splurge on something that I've been craving but a whole free day makes me feel yucky and it's so hard to get back with it afterwards.

Congrats on the loss Theresa! Don't beat yourself up about having a bad day. I know what you mean about sabotaging yourself, but at least you recognize it and can do something about it. I have a hard time with that as well. I haven't seen most of the people at work for almost 3 months, and now when they see me they are all making a big deal out of my weight loss. The funny thing is, I would feel bad if they didn't notice and say something, but on the other hand all the attention makes me wish I could hide in my former self. I know it doesn't show here but in RL I am extremely shy and prefer not to draw attention to myself at all. I think some of my weight problems stem from that shyness so I'm really making an effort to work on that and trying not to be embarrassed when somebody compliments me.

Welcome back, Melra! It's great that you got so much exercise on vacation. And even if you didn't lose anything...it's still an accomplishment to stay the same or only gain a little when you go on vacation for a week! I was thrilled just to maintain when we spent a week in Colorado in early July.

uncovering that is the best thing you can do for yourself. Find a healthy lifestyle that you can live with and stick to it. You don't have to stress about it or go on an actual diet to lose weight and get healthy. Just slowly make healthy changes and you will see results.

Laura it sounds like you really have a lot going on right now. You are doing great to stick w/your eating plan at all through all of this. That is awesome and you should be proud of yourself for stopping after the bread and nuts. I do hope they can get things worked out soon. I can't even imagine the stress.

Well sorry for the long post! Hope everybody is having a happy and healthy Tuesday!!

MELRA--I see you! I see you! Glad to have ya back around.

Laura--do not feel bad if you aren't in that mood to respond to everyone. We will all have our selfish days and venting is necessary on those days. It amazes me how people go through with a wedding thinking all their problems will magically go away after "I do." For a lot of women, they just want that big wedding and they don't think about anything else...like what comes afterwards! They will figure it out or get an anullment (or divorce, whatever the laws are in your state). If they do stick together they should both grow up with time. Give 'em a child or two LOL that's what made me grow up REAL fast.

I am doing excellent today, back on the ball after yesterday's fiasco. I have decided just not to weigh myself until Wednesday, so i can't go off on that "now I lost and I have to eat to undo that" tangent. I never weigh after I have eaten something, so I will make a point of eating something right when I get up lol no, it won't be that hard for me. I just need to focus on the plan during the week and worry about weight only Wed. morning.

Theresa

KayElle, I am SO like you with the shyness. It's horrible, but when I meet new people in the real world I can't think of a single thing to say. My mind just goes blank, I just am like in a knot inside. I hate for any attention to be on me at all or I get so embarrassed and nervous! Even when I get a story published, I only tell my husband and mom and don't want them to tell anyone else. My mom tells the rest of the family and they call and I just am not comfortable with that attention. I get all quiet and start playing it down like it's no big deal at all...when I've been giggling and dancing all day over it. With the weight, I don't want to be looked at so it's easier to make myself ugly. Thankfully, my hubby likes me just as I am...though I know he will be happy as I shrink down as well. Glad to know i"m not the only painfully shy person in the world. I'd much rather sit in a corner than have people look at me.

Theresa

Glad to know you are feeling better Theresa! Just put it behind you and keep on going..
Uncovering- so doing the right thing! when I think geee I am on a diet I panic and want to binge.. When I stop and say to myself ,no you are eating healthy to : help heal your body from liver disease, diabetes, heart disease I feel A LOT better about it all.
cadwell: Loved the wrap for lunch- hubby even took one today
LauraB - I hope all will get better.. You are not selfish Just stressed. sending lotsa hugs your way too .
Hi To everyone else...
I don't even tell people I am on a diet- when someone says why all the water, I say things like the dr. said it would be good for my _______ (insert word) that way I don't get any unwanted advice, or make others feel weird. OR hurt feelings..

I said I'd never be able to give up diet soda and teas and coffee...it's been almost a month w/o soda, and all of the above and I have done good so far.. 1 week till weigh in..I told my hubby i wanted drum rolls please LOL
got to get a scale this weekend though- hubby was hiding ours for me, dropped it and broke it.. that's one way not to be able to weigh in LOL

Must exercise though.. I have been slacking on that and need to get BUSY
feeling much better today and getting in good foods and LOTS of water..
Tonight will be rough as I am making spinach stuffed shells for family and friends, and yes, serving garlic bread. I will chew gum during prep time and will NOT eat the bread. I am making a big salad with lots of chunky veggies and sneaking Skim ricotta in the shells and the spinach will help too- more spinach - less cheese ..
My one boss came in with a double order of biscuits and gravy this a.m. and he's, "come on have some .. sure you don't want some???, I'll give you half " I told him to STOP tempting me or I would put his project on the back burner and although it smelled SO good I knew I'd have to account for it somewhere.. (here! LOL and feeling UGH after eating it) after looking up calories and fat:with the eggs it would have been: 710 calories, 46 grams of fat ARRGH! I though how can someone eat that???
Glad to see everyone around !
Sandi

Sandisuze
Agood thing to do with shell stuffing is to mix spinach, eggs lf ricotta and some grated cheese and some onion and bake it in a pie plate at 375 and you have stuffed shells without the shells. Lots of spinach and work out whatever fits into your calories for cheese. It's reallly good.
Laura

sandi~ I just love your mention of chewing gum during dinner prep! It's so simple...why hadn't I thought of that before? It is just too easy to take little nibbles here and there for me--both during prep and during clean-up.

If anyone's interested, I wanted to post a really good salad my husband and I threw together last night. It was so good, I put another together for my lunch this morning!
Fresh spinach, plus broccolli slaw (dry--we can buy it in a bag here, or you can just use grated broccolli stems and grated carrots). Then we added some cherry/grape tomatoes, a couple of canned artichoke hearts (drained and cut up into bite sizes), some sliced turkey pepperoni (17 pcs for 80 calories, but sodium is high), a sprinkle of grated parmesan and basil, a few baby carrots and a drizzle of lf balsamic vinagrette. It was so very good--the bulk of the calories is in the turkey pepperoni, parmesan cheese and dressing, obviously, but I ate a good entree sized salad last night and still estimated it to be under 350.

After all the good reviews for caldwell's wrap, I'm putting it on my list for the next grocery store trip.

Laura that sounds really good- I was going to put my filling into a "shelled" tomato or do spaghetti squash and bake for a few.. I will try your idea..

everyone has SUCH goood recipe ideas.. I am so loving this

Melra - I like the salad Idea.. I use broccoli slaw for lots of stir -frys and for salads too.. lots of CRUNCH! I will have to try it out.. Not big on Pepperoni- turkey or otherwise...

I either chew gum, pop in a SF lollipop or make sure I put out celery /carrot sticks to nibble on or I will eat dinner and then eat dinner AGAIN -If you all understand that.

Just had a conversation with a lady who is in week 3 of adkins- I just don't understand giving up fruit.. or whole grains for fiber.. she has lost and gained over 75 pounds at least 10 times.. she looks ok- but I worry long term effects of that diet.. I was told no way to do adkins cause being type 2 it would kill my kidney's.. anyway the point I am feeling is she may be losing weight faster than me But I feel I can keep it off and be happier in my weight loss struggle than she is right now.. she was craving an apple, But felt it would harm her efforts.. she was very critical of my lunch ( )
I had a FF beef hotdog with 1 slice of lite lo-cal - hi fiber bread, a nice serving of salad with lite dressing, and instead of eating chips I am now thin slicing an apple to replace chips..again CRUNCH factor- I think she was grumpy cause she wanted my apple LOL .She ate chicken and cheese..I ate more, for less calories.
Gotta run to walmart and post office - I am trying to do all my running in 1 day as gas prices are gonna not stop going up. We are at 2.65 for unleaded yesterday they were at 2.53. welcome to the "sunny" Florida- 1 hurricane happens and gas will be 3.00 a gallon. even milk has gone up to 3.50 a gallon..gonna be looking for sales LOL
Have a good day all
Sandi

Theresa...yep...that sounds EXACTLY like me when I meet new people. I'm definitely happier to sit quietly in a corner and watch everybody else have a good time. I always feel like people must either think I'm really dumb or really snotty when I first meet them because I never say anything. It takes me soooo long (years, really) to really be comfortable around somebody new. I am really lucky also to have a husband who is patient and loves me no matter what. I KNOW that I can overcome this problem, though. I work with high risk teenagers and I absolutely have to be very assertive in my job. It was so difficult for me at first but it has gotten easier every year and now I really don't even have to think about it anymore....but it just hasn't carried over to my interactions with adults and I am still as shy, nervous, and embarrassed as I always have been. I never have a thing to say and then I see how it's so easy for some people and I just wonder why I can't be more like that.

Sandi it sounds like you are doing terrific! I guess your husband wanted to make sure you didn't find the scale and cheat so he broke it! Too funny! I don't know about Atkins either. I know it seems to work at least temporarily for a lot of people, but I know it wouldn't work for me. I need a lot of carbs to not feel deprived and I MUST HAVE lots of fruit for my sugar cravings. I don't go by any plan, I just experimented until I found a lifestyle that works for me, but from what I've read about the different plans it sounds like the way I've been losing weight is very similar to the Volumetrics plan.

The recipe ideas all sound great! I thing the wrap sounds really good, too, but I don't think I could find that sauce or that bread around here. I've never seen them before (never even heard of them to be honest). We are pretty rural here...anything "different" is impossible to find. Maybe I can make some substitutions and come up w/something similar.

I don't cook much but I did find a recipe for whole wheat oil-free pizza crust made in a bread maker. It's my favorite meal and I look forward to it every weekend. I use fat free cheese & pizza sauce and lots of fresh veggies and I absolutely love it. I know a lot of people can't stomach the fat free cheese but I've learned to really like it...my kids won't eat it though...we have to make theirs separately and put regular cheese on it. Anyway...if anybody is interested in the recipe for the crust let me know and I'll put it up. It's really easy to make and high in fiber and I love the wheat flavor.

Well...must go scrub kitty litter boxes...UGH....one of the only BAD parts of pet ownership...

Sandi, our milk is close to $4 here in NC, has been that high for at least several months, I think longer even. My sister came down from Ohio and cringed when she saw that! I know a place that sells it for $3 but it's a bit of a drive for me. Walmart seems to be lower sometimes, but just as high other times, can't figure that one out. Gas, I have stopped looking at what I"m paying lol I just don't want to know, because I have no choice but to buy it Our little town has absolutely no public transportation and we have to drive to other towns for practically everything. Everyone was so excited just to get a Taco Bell a couple weeks ago lol Now McD's has competition, those are our only fast food restaraunts.

SandiSuze...how do people eat that? When they don't realize what they are eating! I used to think if it was chicken it was good for me LOL then I saw what was really involved in those fast food chicken sandwiches....anything but healthy once they dress it all up. People just don't realize and many don't care. I used to be one of those people...but never again! I think this is a big difference in my weight loss this time from the other times. I never actually researched or found out the facts on anything. I just tried to force myself to eat "good" things to be skinny. This time I went after the facts, found out why those things are so bad for me and I don't want them anymore. Just knowing how many calories and grams of fat are in some things is enough to kill cravings. Plus, finding subsitutes for things I like has gone a long, long way.

Theresa

blech-late afternoons are so looong! I've already gone through all of the planned snacks for myself and I'm feeling really peckish right now. I can't wait to get to my workout (if I don't fall asleep first!)

My husband has agreed to train with his friend and his wife for a half marathon in Nov. Of course, all three look at me like I'm going to join in too. I mean, there is no way. Even if I really pushed myself, I couldn't do it. I've set a Labor Day goal to be able to run (okay, jog) 2 mi continuously, and I felt like that was a good goal. I was all proud of myself b/c I'm doing a 5k run in early October and when I mention this, they were like "great practice"! They have no idea how hard that 5k will be for me, how long it will take compared to them--and how sweaty and red faced I will be when I finish. I really don't want them to do the 5k with me b/c I don't want to make those comparisons at the finish line (by the time I finally get there!). On the one hand, I feel flattered that they sincerely believe I could keep up with them, but on the other hand, I'm pouty because I feel like my own goals are being undermined.

This couple, by the way, is the same couple we are weekending with in October--there will be a hot tub involved and I know it's vain, but I have set a goal around that hot tub "revelation" (I'll have to buy a new suit anyway) Now, of course, with everyone training to be some sort of super runner troupe, I'm feeling all nervous again about being the only flabby one in a hot tub.

Actually, I suppose it is a very good thing that I have health-conscious people around me for both motivation and inspiration. I just really don't want to embarrass myself while I'm trying to get to their level. (i'm so vain!)