Thank you all for your support! My son has been in California since January (the last time I saw him) so I really won't get to see him again for close to a year from now. He'll get 30 days leave when he gets back from Iraq and is planning a trip home then. That's why I thought I had myself all prepared for him going to Iraq...I was telling myself that it's just a few more miles between us, but there really is more to it than that. I'm trying hard not to dwell on his deployment and to focus on other things and I'm trying really hard not to try to make myself happy by eating! That's what I did when he first joined the Marines...it didn't work and I packed on 25+ pounds! I sure don't want to do that again!

suzymc~what a mix of pride and anxiety to see your son shipped out...i can't imagine. rant or ramble all you need in here to stay focused.

kayelle~thank you for your post on new feelings about eating. I feel like i'm doing really well since i found this forum, but i still obsess on it. Now I'm just obsessing on calories and exercise minutes. So it's a comfort to know that at some point it will just stop being so important...and i can't wait! Most of my friends are not overweight and they don't even think about food unless they're hungry and I just want to get to that level.

Some of you guys are really putting me to shame on the exercise minutes already! wow! I am stoked b/c I made labor day challenge goal which was to run 2mi continously--it took me 23minute and i felt like I was pushing myself, so i'll use that pace as a measurement for other runs. I've got a 5k run in early Oct so that's my ultimate goal.

I feel like a spoiled brat lately when I think about my calories or getting all my water after watching the news. The level of desperation down there is heartbreaking--and it's infuriating that there is nothing I can do to make these gov't agencies respond more efficiently. They've known for years that the systems keeping N.O. from flooding needed to be updated and funding kept getting cut. It just drives me crazy that anyone who promotes responsible environmental management is labeled, mocked, derided or ignored. I don't understand why it has to be a partisan issue! ARGH! Can someone just take some food and water to that Convention center for goodness sake!? I haven't watched the news yet today so I'm hoping more has been accomplished. Had to vent (like everyone else!).

Does anyone have some good breakfast ideas? I am sick of eggs lol even though the girls can't seem to get enough of them.
Melissa

melissa, for breakfast i have been loving cereal or granola with yogurt. usually i use 1 c plain nonfat yogurt and use reduced-sugar jelly to sweeten it. usually 1/4 c granola, but right now i'm having one cup of kashi go lean with lite peach yogurt. i like it so much better than cereal with milk.
but there are also many ways to have eggs. if you are getting tired of plain old eggs, you could make bagel and egg sandwiches with ham and cheese. i guess i would use those really small bagels, and microwave the egg in a cup. veggie omelets are good too with egg whites.
well the possibilities are endless. breakfast is my favorite meal. actually my favorite breakfast is egg and veggie scramble, cheese grits, and bacon. can't have it on the diet though. not to mention biscuits and gravy, my other fave. grrr.

Yeah that is where I have been having a hard time-never have been a breakfast fan but I am eating it now since I started this. I like breakfast food at dinner time lol. Might try turkey bacon as it is lower in fat than regular. Thanks for the ideas-think I will get myself some yogurt and Kashi-I like that Kashi and it is really high in fiber and I believe really low in points for me too.
Melissa

****BIGGGGG HUGGGGSSS****

I cannot imagine the feeling of sending your boy to war. Hang in there and do the best you can. How long will he be over there....or do you not know?

Theresa

Suzy-please let us know if there is anything we can do while your son is away. And please feel free to post away as needed. I agree that food isn't the answer for dealing with him so far from home.
Melissa

Melra-Environmental management is a partisan issue because it costs money. You can't cut taxes to the very rich and spend money to save a wet land at the same time. Science has to be respected and people have to understand how it all works before they support green initiatives, so education is also vital, not nonsense like no child left behind, where teachers teach to the test, but real hands on learning about our good earth. I guess you can guess my politics and this isn't the forum for this so I'll shut up now.

We are going out to eat tonight. I don't like to say no to my DH when he wants to go out with friends, so tonight is another challenge for me. Usually we do alot of sharing with these friends, a bunch of appetizers for the table, and then several desserts at the end to share. I would rather stay home tonight and make something, but he worked all day and then cleaned while I was out. So I will be a good wife and go. I must keep my resolve.
I have jeans that I only wore for one day 3 years ago and I would like to fit into them again soon. That's a goal too.
Laura

Laura, just keep thinking about those jeans and that when they fit again you can wear them out to eat with those friends fitting the jeans will be so much better than the food!

Theresa

no exercise today--I've spent all day (almost!) working on stuff for my entry in three art shows coming up. I'm hoping to make some money to redo some stuff on the house, but it will probably just go back in to supplies. Pretty sedentary day, but my calories were okay.

Breakfast ideas that don't include eggs--I never have any time or interest in making eggs unless it's on the weekend. So, during the week I end up having random stuff for breakfast and sometimes just a smaller leftover portion from dinner, unless it's a salad. Here's some stuff though:
1.whole wheat english muffin with peanut butter ( i use organic b/c it has no trans fat and no added sugar) and some fruit
2.trail mix-i mix it myself so i know what's in it
3.steel cut oatmeal
4.lowfat cheese and tomato on toast-broil the cheese on top, and fruit
5.my fave b/c it's so filling: whole wheat mini bagels (about 110 cal) w/ low fat cream cheese, a slice of deli turkey and tomato
6.whole grain triscuits, lowfat cream cheese and lox
7. cheese and fruit
8. lowfat muffins--i use a mix and substitute flax meal for the oil to add protein and fiber and i make the muffins a little smaller for about 125 calories and eat and apple or something with it.
9. yogurt and anything-fruit, granola, etc. I've also made quick smoothies with frozen banana pieces, yogurt and a shot of o.j., but that's when I'm not running behind, which is rare!

Also, the best granola I've ever had I found in the organic section of the Hyvee here called Flax Granola with pumpkin seed the box is mostly dark green--it is awesome and not nearly the sugar as some of the others and the flax seed has omega-3, so even though the fat content is still high, it's the "good" fat. I had it for breakfast this morning with strawberries--it is too good and y'all should try it if you like granola!

hi y'all. well i had to skip the gym again today but hopefully cleaning the house provided some exercise so i don't feel too bad about that. i was totally jazzed today when i found some low fat (but real!) bacon on sale for two dollars at the grocery store today. 50 cals per serving. awesome. definitely going to the gym tomorrow and monday. no excuse since i don't have anything going this weekend except church. always a challenge to get dh to go though (hate going alone). he's busier than i am, and not trying to lose weight

well i am not impressed with the bacon. it's only lower in fat and calories because it is that much smaller. grr. still tastes like bacon though.

Thank you everyone for the breakfast ideas. Gives me alot to work with. Hard to do when you have never really been a breakfast person. Sorry to hear the bacon wasn't that great.

Mom found joshua shirts for 2 bux a piece yesterday and brought them over. I was thrilled and I took Josh for his haircut this morning and he did super! The gal who cut his hair was so good with him. I am never sure how he is going to respond to people so this was really great. Broke my heart that my ex came by at 11a to pick him up and we weren't here-NOT. He will never give me a time for pickup and just shows up whenever and I am tired of it. So I had stuff to do and went and did it. He never did pay his support last month or even ask what Josh needed for school. Ok enough crabbin' lol.

Got into stuff I shouldn't have yesterday. I need to figure out something to replace that when I am stressed out-something I can do right away. Maybe I should invest in a punching bag that I can go smack till I feel better. Something to ponder about. I am back OP today though and no more slacking here for me.
Melissa

Melissa, you might try keeping some fresh veggies, already washed and cut up, in the fridge for those stressful moments when you need something quick. Nothing quicker than pulling out the bowl and going at it, and they are healthy for you. I have baby carrots and cucumbers in the fridge right now, have to eat them before they start going bad now that I think about it!

I got 3 miles in last night, 6 miles on Friday. I have some personal goals for each area I'm working on for September, and here they are:

1. Exercise every day, even if it's just a quick 1 mile.
2. Finish milestone 5 on virtual walk = 112 miles.
3. Meet mini goal of 10 lbs.

I'm not sure about #2, but will be trying very very hard. This milestone has 167 miles in it and I just want to finish and move on already!

We had breakfast at MIL's this morning and she made scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and homemade biscuits and gravy. I had some eggs and that was all. When I got home I heated up a Lean Cuisine. It was easy since I knew the gravy was made from the bacon grease and I am still off the red meats. I don't think I want to cut out chicken and turkey so will give myself another month off the red meat. I feel SOOO much better without that, I might not need to take out the chicken. Really, I have only been eating it when we go out and I have few options, so that's not bad.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend!

Theresa

I've been trying to do the same thing Melissa. I just try and do something...anything to keep myself out of the kitchen! Clean, run the vacuum, work on a craft project, check 3FC for new posts, go for a walk, anything to keep yourself busy so you can't eat!