Congrats Melra- I know for me I am very curious to see what I really look like. It has been so long. I know we have several veggies here and I made Eggplant Parmesen tonight and my almost 2 yr old not only ate hers but her sisters too. I thought it was very tasty so here is the recipe.

3/4c plain dried bread crumbs
1 1/2 oz freshly grated Parmesen cheese
2c sliced pared eggplant (1/4" slices)
2 egg whites, lightly beaten with 1T of water
2t olive oil
1/2 c minced onion
2c crushed tomatoes (no salt added)
2T fresh basil
1/4t salt
4 1/2 oz skim milk mozzerlla cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. On sheet of wax paper or paper plate, combine bread crumbs and 1 oz of the Parmesen cheese. One at a time, dip eggplant slices into egg white mixture, then into bread crumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Transfer eggplant to prepared baking sheet; spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes; turn slices over. Bake 10 minutes longer, until golden brown and crispy.

3. Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, heat oil; add onion. Cook over med-hi heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes, until softened. Add tomatoes, basil and salt; bring liquid to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes, until mixture is heated through and flavors are blended.

4. Spoon half the tomatoe mixture into 11x7 baking dish; top with eggplant slices, then remaining tomatoe mixture. Bake covered, 10 minutes; uncover. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella, then remaining 1/2 oz Parmesen cheese; bake, uncovered 5 minutes, until cheeses are melted.

4 servings
283 calories
6pts for WW people

Heat Wave
 

Good Morning!

I was wondering if everyone is having trouble with the heat like we are. Yesterday it got to 103 and that's not including the heat index. At 5pm it was still 100. My gym has air and fans but it doesn't seem to compensate very well. I try to go early but sometimes even that doesn't help. My DH has been working on mowing the lawn for the last week. He can only stay outside for about 1/2 hour at a time. Being stuck inside so much is boring and when I'm bored I eat. I did buy some of those 100 calorie snack packs for the crunch factor. So far I've been able to limit myself to 1 pack a day, so I guess that's not too bad.

Anyone have any tricks for drinking more water? I can only manage about 40 oz then my attention wanders :lol: Also any ideas on a small packed lunch for a 2:30 AM dinner break? :?:

I just want to say how wonderful I think everyone in this group is. It's nice to be able to say things without worrying about being judged or ridiculed.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, as for me, this is my "tough" weekend---40 hours in 3 days!!!! Back to bed for me!!!

Good morning
I'm so pleased with our wonderful group and having a place to go each day for encouragement and exchanges. It got me thinking about some of the dumb things I've done cause I didn't want to face calories in, calories out, no tricks, gimmicks etc. The very worse thing I ever did that had to do with overweight and weight loss was so stupid, useless, painful, embarassing etc. I went to a diet "doctor" and let him shoot a staple in the cartiledge of my ear. The staple ws supposed to touch some point which controlled appetite and if you wiggled it before you ate you wouldn't be hungry. I actually beleived this nonsense cause I was always looking for the quick fix and not dealing with the problem.
It really hurt, for a few hours. Of course it didn't work, and I couldn't go back to this quack to get it out so I had to go to a friend who is a surgeon and he got it out for me-(very embarassing cause he didn't know Iwas an idiot)
I can't believe I was ever that screwed up. Naturally, when this failed, I felt totally hopeless re weight and food and ate even more.
Anyone else ever do anything stupid or useless?
Laura

I can remember sending away for this lose weight fast thing once. I took some little white pill and I have no idea what was even in it and then I had to soak in a really hot tub like two or three times a day. I wish I could say I only put a staple in my ear. You know overweight is such an emotional thing and all these fads ect prey upon that and people's desperation to get rid of the weight quickly. I see commercials all the time on tv for products-oh it isn't your fault take this and eat what you want. I have bought pills and patches drops-and about all it ever did was get me so flippin jittery I couldn't function and blew my bp into orbit.

mistydreamer~ since I stopped drinking soda regularly, I have found that I really like drinking water. I keep a pitcher of water in the fridge and I always have a glass beside me. I know a lot of people use a slice of fruit in their water for a bit of flavor and some people find that drinking from a straw helps them drink it down. I also make sure I drink a full glass of water like a half hour before every meal and snack or I drink an ice cold glass as soon as I get the first craving or hunger feeling and that tends to delay my eating for 15-30 minutes. Crazy sounding, but it works pretty well for me. As for your 2:30am meal--any special considerations? Last time I was up at 2:30am I certainly wasn't eating anything good for me! :o For me today, I am having a mini bagel sandwhich--whole wheat bagel 100 cal, 1.5 g fat with lf cheese, lite turkey, lots of spinach and slice of tom. and some baby carrots on the side. later I'll have a 1/2c lf cottage cheese w/ pico de gallo. I really like salads, so when I want to take a salad with me, I will mix up the "toppings", like red peppers, flax seeds, cucumbers, chicken breast and dressing in one container and then take a second container with the greens. This is the only way I could keep from having a soggy salad by the time I ate it. btw-I have found that I can make a 400cal or less salad version of almost all my favorite things --pizza, tacos, gumbo etc. Lots of spinach will really fill you up!

Laurab and neo~ I still feel embarrassed thinking about how gullible I used to be about weight loss! When I was a teenager, I sent away for a spot reduction gimmick, of all things. I think I was 13 or 14 and I didn't even have enough nerve to get a money order b/c I thought that someone in my small town would find out. So I mailed cash. Well, my mom worked for the post office and one of her co-workers found my cash envelope and gave it to her and then everyone knew I was not only desparate about my weight but also pretty naive as well. And my mom didn't give me my cash back. It's still sometimes hard not to get optimistic about some of the "products" that are offered. The marketing is so slick that it (almost!) penetrates my hard cynical little heart. :tantrum:

With weather as hot as you are experiencing, it is really important to up your water so you don't get dehydrated. When I get bored with water, I put a slice of lemon in it-makes it more refreshing for me. Personally I would be dieing in that kind of heat. I live in Washington state and we get to like 85 here and we all act like we are melting-LOL

Originally Posted by macdeez:
... what do you all plan to do once you reach goal? Will you reward yourself with a trip perhaps? Or a day at the spa? ~mel

I am going to get a tattoo :o across the bottom of my back, you know that sexy part that shows over those low rise jeans that I will then be able to wear. Hubby's best friend is a tattoo artist-- a VERY good one--and he does all hubby's tattoos free. Everytime we see him he says "Theresa, when do I get to permantly scar you?" kinda puts it in perspective there lol thought it's not necessarily permanant these days. I don't want to get one at this weight, especially in that spot, plus I wonder what the shrinking skin would do to it?

Also, I have some loose skin on my tummy from all the weight I gained when I was pregnant with my daughter. It's not fat, it's just skin and it's GROSS and I think the only way to get rid of it would be to have surgery. I'm waiting to get down to goal weight and get all toned up, then I will see if I need surgery or what. I hate the idea of surgery, but we'll see.

Theresa

Five inches, Melra! That is wonderful, and you were so excited in that message you got me all excited now and I am ready to go workout. I was reading these messages partly because I'm way behind and partly because I was putting off exercise...but now I am ready to get moving after reading you so excited. You are inspiring, so please hang around here forever and ever lol

MistyDreamer, a snack that I love is to take a cheesestick or chunk of LF/FF cheese, and wrap LF/FF lunchmeat around it. It's really good and my children love it as well. I got this from my South Beach days and we still do it for snacks. You can also take fresh veggies sliced. We had cucumbers and green peppers in large slices yesterday and it was so good. Dipped in FF ranch if you don't like it just plain. You could always whip up a good fruit sald as well. I just put in lots of fruits that I like, with a can of fruit cocktail in juice or water (harder to find in water) as the base. If you can find blackberries, they turn everything purple, even the juice and it tastes so great...just doesn't look as nice.

I have to say I have never had staples shot in my ear (OUCH!!!) or soaked mercilessly in a hot tub to lose weight, but I was addicted, and I mean a literal addiction, to diet pills and laxatives (6-10 box a week habit) back in my college days. Oh, the weight did come off but I was sick and miserable and just like a druggie though no one seemed to notice. I was complimented on the weight loss and how great I looked all the time, but no one knew what I was really doing. Thankfully I got pregnant, which I thought was the end of my life, but it ended up saving my life.

I went to my daughter's preK orientation last night and really like her teachers. The room is so cute with the itty bitty desks and chairs, and they had the names out so we will know where our litte ones will sit and meet the parents of the kids sitting next to them. It was adorable! I have to take her next Friday for her first official day, and I think I am going to be bawling all the way home! We are going to take pics of her in her desk, introduce her to the teachers, show her the potty, then leave her...leave her all alone. Okay, I'm a big baby lol but she's my first to start school and she's always been home with me 24/7 so it's a big letting go thang.

I have to go exercise while everyone is napping, or I might not get to today. I want to go to Golden Corral tonight because I want a real big yummy salad and dont want to make it myself LOL

Theresa

I am having problems with my home computer I tried to post last night but I don't see it anywhere so If I double posted this I am sorry..I am putting in a new hard drive tomorrow.. YAY!

Originally Posted by macdeez
... what do you all plan to do once you reach goal? Will you reward yourself with a trip perhaps? Or a day at the spa? ~mel

I want to buy a pair of pants that ZIP up and fit in the butt, hips and legs
instead of Zip up pants that are too tight in the waist and too big in the butt and legs..
I also would like to be able to wear a tank top and jeans during bike week next year.And look good in them.. not all lumpy and dumpy.. that's in march 06 so maybe?? :crossed:

Heat index today is 110 temps are 99-101 ya need lots of water- I add lemon or lime and a straw .I have even bought those long picks/skewers they use at bars for fruit in mixed drinks and make my water look all fancy by making a fruit skewer in my water. I know it may costs more but I do buy bottled water and keep in the fridge. That way I have no excuses when i say ooh i don't have time to get ice and a cup etc.. I can grab a bottle..
I think it would take too long to say everything I used to do for weight loss- my list seems to be endless. Never did a staple- but went for accupunture and spent $$$ on hypnosis and was NOT impressed ( i gained 15 pounds LOL)

Had a really rough lunch out - I had a small salad while everyone else had cheeseburgers and fries and steak sandwiches.. I would have tried to work out a better meal than just a lettuce and tomato and cuke salad but the waitress wasn't at all cooperative and we only had an hour.. Why do I feel I have to apologize for or feel guilty that I have to eat differently than others -I guess it's me being silly again..

I am off to pick up kids and thinking about the egg plant recipe.. Tonight we are having the pizza recipe .
Have a good day all and wow everyone is doing really GREAT! :bravo:

Ps. Theresa-I get all silly when my kids go to the next grade -I guess I realize that they are growing up.. it's so hard..

theresa~ aw, shucks girl you're gonna make me blush! :o :D I bawled all the way to work for my baby's first day of kindergarten and my coworkers just smiled and patted me on the head. Just seeing her little hand wave to me from her classroom window... :stress: This week she just started second (!so fast!) grade and she was all "geez, mom, bye already!" And then after school she practically tackled me when she saw me! I just love that little booger. :D

sandisuze~ I know the feeling at lunch. The places I met up at for lunch had salads on the menus, but they were salads with only iceburg lettuce and cheddar cheese on them with like breaded chicken strips so where are my choices? :shrug: And if I didn't want fries they would substitute chips. sigh. I don't even eat out much anymore--more for $ reasons really, but it does seem like some places make it hard to be healthy!

today I am craving sweets. I made a cup of vanilla almond tea with 2 splendors and a bit of milk. It's very sweet, but I really want Ben and Jerrys chunky monkey, so I'm going to the movies so maybe I won't think about food.
I also want a gorgeous black leather fitted 3/4 jacket when I reach my goal, so no ice cream for me.
Laura

I want all new clothes that aren't in plus sizes, cute little hip huggers, short shorts, all the cute little summer dresses, little slinky shirts, strappless shirt, ( also getting breast redution, PERKY PERKY) Seen a surgeon on Tuesday he said lose as much as I cna first cause they do a lift at the same time whoo hoo, but I also have to quit smoking or my nipples will die turn black and fall off OMG, gotta quit. It will be nice to wear nice non-plus size clothing and feel great and look great, I have worked out at curves 3 times this week and went for one walk going to walk again tonight. I can feel curves working cause a couple of the exercises kinda hurt, not lots but I can tell they are doin somthin. If I can keep up daily at Curves and walking I will be well on my way. I have also stared drinkin my 8 glasses of water. I bought this water jug at Walmart and it holds your 8 glasses, ( its a little big ) but I have drank my 8 for the last 3 days cause of this bottle. I freeze half the bottle full of water then fill it up in the morn and im good for the day. I found trying to drink the 8 glasses any other way was to hard and I wasnt getting my 8 I thought I was but wasn't, you know a glasss here a glass there dosen't add a up to 8. So this way I know for sure. I figure I'm on a good track so far, just hopefully the track doesn't get bumpy, LOL well talk to you ladies later.

I am with you ice princess-I can hardly wait to shop in a "normal" store. I know I am saving my pennies for surgery when all this is over and put things back to where they belong. I can't believe the difference in how I feel in just a couple days of eating again OP-house is shaping up. I do recommend the eggplant parmesen. It is really tasty and you feel like you are getting something yummy. I was astounded that Amanda ate as much as she did. She likes obscure veggies like cabbage and eggplant. For Odessa it is cucumbers. Finally got Joshua to eat lettuce but that is all he will eat but I figure you have to start somewhere. He figured out that I won't tell him no if he asks for fruit so he is eating that for snacks now. He is sooooo fussy when it comes to food it isn't funny. He used to only eat macaroni and cheese, top ramen and eggs and hotdogs. Talk about mealtime being an issue.

What kind of tattoo are you getting Purple? I was supposed to get the ugly one I have on my arm covered while the kids were done but my ex didn't have the design ready for me yet. Probably now won't be until Nov or so since he is going to California in Sept to learn how to do cosmetic tattooing. Have to be certified for that. Upside is I get my eyeliner done for free-just need to make sure he isn't mad at me when he does it so I don't look like Cleopatra or worse yet Alice Cooper. Glad to be back in the saddle again.
Melissa