Theresa -How awesome! that was so nice to read. Thank you!
Melissa- congrats on the bike! and i am sure you will share new recipes with us??? ;) I looked up an old ww one with the angel food cake mix and pumpkin and decided it was going to be made this weekend.
I finally got my baked apple tonight it hit the spot -I found a recipe for crustless apple pie and I will look into it.
melra- I have been on Flax seeds- (my hubby's coffee grinder hasn't been the same) and I do the oil in salads and I also have to take fish oil caps - in 2 months my triglycerides (sp?) have dropped by 200 points. I just got blood tests back and except for the liver all looks alot better- it's a pain in the butt- in order to get better I have to lose weight but it's almost impossible to lose when you have a fat liver. :(

((( HUGS)) to you ice- what a rough time you are going thru
Kayelle- Congrats- I am in awe of you- seeing this makes me know that it can be done and it's not hopeless. Thank you for inspiration.
Candace- my daughter and you are soulmates- anything red and with glitter is her fav. she double hearts glitter.

I find when I add protein to a carb- like chicken in salad or tuna or egg whites I do better too- Lots of fiber too- arrgh balancing protein,fiber, carbs... I need to be careful or I will stress over what I am eating.
I growled at a boss today when he was looking at my apple :p
I did the scary monthly trip to walmart tonight- the two carts of tp, paper towels etc.. Publix has chicken breasts on sale for 1.79 a pound so I am buying as many packs as I can- I will bone and skin them myself for 1.79! But i couldn't handle wallyworld and publix all in 1 night.
I am off to bed- ya'll have a great night!
Sandi

Yummy, I might have to try a baked apple. 2 points for it and it would feel like a real treat too. How long do you bake it for? You aren't going to believe this. I had a call come in through my intercept saying they were Washington State Dept of Revenue (it is one of the debts from my ex) Well I didn't get to the phone in time so I called Mary my gal and she said it wasnt' her. Then I started thinking about it and she doesn't come in through the intercept but Dennis's girlfriend does! What is up with this guy???? He is now resorting to fraud to try and get through to me. Now I am glad that I didn't make it to the phone in time and I also think I am going to talk to Mary about it and see if they can be in trouble for representing themselves as a state agency. I know you can't say you are a cop if you aren't-he is going to wind up in some serious trouble if he doesn't stop. I did document it though. That cake is calling me but I have told it no yet again. Soon Amanda will go down and I can do some cross stitch since Odessa passed out at 6 and is in bed now. No idle hands here!
Melissa

Melra people tease me that I could open my own petting zoo. Between cats, dogs, horses, pygmy goats and llamas it stays pretty intertesting around here. Hubby keeps telling me "NO MORE ANIMALS" but he really just hasn't learned how to say no to me yet. Poor guy. Not sure if he knew what he was getting into all those years ago when he married me. Our vet bills are as high as our doctor bills and our animals are as pampered as our kids.

I started changing my habits on Jan. 19th of this year. Our school was involved in "Lighten Up Iowa" where we had to keep track exercise and fruits/vegetables eaten. We didn't have to keep track of anything else, and the goal was to take 10,000 steps and eat at least 5 servings (perferably more) every single day. When I first started that's all I did but when the pounds started coming off I started counting calories and cutting out everything that was high in fat or sugary, and adding more strenuous exercise. I've lost big amounts of weight twice before, but I've always been starved the whole time and just couldn't keep it off. The reason I seem confident and relaxed this time is because I feel so different about it. This is a way of eating that I can live with forever. I could not live with feeling hungry all the time. Some people do better with portion control but that just isn't an option for me because if I get too hungry I grab the wrong things and eat them until they are gone. Also, I have a much better support system this time between you all and the people I work with. You and everybody else here will be able to say "I did it!!" before you know it...it's just a matter of figuring out what works for you and sticking with it no matter what. Everybody is doing great...you're here and you're not giving up, so that only leaves room for success.

Theresa I'm not going anywhere! I know you all will keep me in line and get me back on track when I slip up. Maintenance is what's been hardest for me in the past so I'm not about to give up any support that I have. Also...great list!

Ice...good luck with your appt. on Thursday and I hope it eases some of your worries...sometimes life does just suck, you are right, but things will get better. I hope your WI went well today.

melissa...happy birthday to Odessa!! Too bad your dinner was a flop but I can really relate to that one. I am such a bad cook that when my 2 year old niece saw me at the stove making mac & cheese (mac & cheese is just about the extent of my abilities) for her one day when they were visiting, her eyes got big and she went running into the next room yelling to my sister "Kay's cookin'!!"

Yikes...I hardly ever have time to post but then when I do it's a long rambling novel. Sorry about that gals...I really need to keep up better....

Hope everyone is having a great night...I'm off to have some pineapple & then go to bed.

I just 10 miles away from finishing milestone 5!!! That is so exciting, I've been on this one for so long. I'm going to try and get in a couple workouts during the day, and hopefully finish it TODAY! If not, I'll just leave a little for tomorrow. I did 9 miles yesterday, in 3 workouts, to get this close and I just want to be finished with it.

I can tell today that I went over calories, just don't feel as light. But that's okay, back on the ball today. I did get in tons of water and all that exercise it's not too bad I guess.

OKay what about you all? What are you going to do today to make yourself feel good? It's mid-week, so let's give a good push toward our goals ladies!

Theresa

i really need to get my own scale. the one i use at the gym is acting up again. yesterday i tried the one i normally use and i could tell it was off because i didn't balance at zero, and the other one said i was 160. that sounded a little low to me, but i figured maybe the other one has been off for awhile, you know? today they were both messed up. i figure 160 is the most reliable number right now, but i still wish i had a digital scale at home. i have never had a problem with those before. grrr.
i did ok today calorie wise. i was doing great until dh brought home some beer for us. oh well. at least it was light. i am hoping for the breakthough into the 150s will come soon. i bet i weighed more than that in middle school :lol:

I would die if I didn't have my own scale! Go get one candace-they aren't that expesive really. I think I got mine for like 14.00 or so and it is digital. Ok for this week I am going to stay totally OP and get on that bike every chance I get. I am not sure I did the full 15 minutes yesterday but I sure felt what I had done. I will have to work my up. We are quickly approaching the midway mark for the month and I still have a ways to go to make goal.

SIL is in town again too waiting for his team driver to get here from Oklahoma so he will be up to visit the kids.

Melissa

theresa, you're quite the little cheerleader lately! I love it!

kayelle, I can't believe you've come so far in less than a year. Really amazing.

melissa, You keep it up with the bike! I'm so excited for you that you have one! I started running again not too long after getting on this forum and I know that my total minutes were nothing to brag about--I think I started at 8 min. I was totally excited when I was able to run 18 min continuously and I was seriously winded after that. In less than 3 months I am up to 45 min of continuous running and it's just because I've been doing it 3-4 times a week. I also increased the # of pushups I can do in a row from 3 to 20 in less than 3 months and I don't even do those regularly! (i should though--I've been slacking) Measure out your progress and keep posting on it and I think you will be amazed at how quickly your endurance level rises. Push yourself a little bit more once a week and then try to maintain it and don't worry if you don't make it at every workout.

I had a bowl of fiber1 with a banana and skim milk for breakfast (~300cal) and that has made a world of difference today. Still not at all hungry. I brought a turkey sandwhich for lunch--whole grain roll w/ turkey and yes, a piece of cheese (~340cal). Grapes and yogurt for a snack (~100cal). Baked chicken and brocolli for dinner, maybe something else in there as another snack? Not sure. I went over my calories last night by waiting too long again for dinner and then overeating.

My WI today was 161 and when I tried to change my signature, I messed it up entirely, so now I have to figure out what to do with it. I am bummed that I am so far away from my mini-goal. It's totally on my eating, I know.

My computer crashed yesterday morning and it took till now for DH to get me back into the world. I really missed this site last night. The support is so terrific.
We are traveling tomorrow thru Sunday pm for work so it means lots of eating out, 8 times and sometimes in nice places with people we work with. I am determined to stay OP and choose food that I know is ok. 2 appetizers instead of an entre is good, and so is a salad. It's bread that usually messes me up in a restaurant, and there can be no desserts even if something sounds wonderful.
I went to look at clothes yeaterday cause everything I have is kind of baggy, but I decided it's silly to spend money on pants that will be baggy soon (I hope). So I bought 2 inexpensive tops, and I will wear my best baggy pants which I am washing in hot water right now.
Everyone sounds so good. I love Theresa's list. You said it all. I just got a new used small car to save gas, and it's hard wiggling in and out, especially since my thin DH pulls the seat forward.
Melissa-I'm glad you got your bike. I bet you can warn silly chippy that the FBI is recording your phone because of some silly calls from someone. That should make her miserable.
Laura

You can stay OP Laura and enjoy your trip too! I think I am just going to change my phone number and then I won't have to deal with this stupid junk anymore and I will make sure it is unlisted and there is no forwarding to it. It costs about 40 bux to do it though so I will probably have to wait until after the holidays to do it. I have been on my bike twice and I ride until I feel rubbery legs. Thanks for the encouragement Melra cause talk about feeling like a wimpy ol' lady on that thing. My son has been on it alot and rides circles around me. I know it is bound to get better though.
Melissa

Do what you can to stay op during your trip Laura!

I just went out to buy a new swimsuit. I've needed one for a couple of years and I was waiting until the last minute b/c I had really hoped I would be closer to my goal of 155 by now. grump. So of course I could only go to a swimsuit boutique and had to spend twice as much as I really wanted to on this suit. It's the most flattering one I've ever owned though, so at least I'll feel a little better when I'm around our friends this weekend.

Melra- You've done so good and a good bathingsuit can make you look 10 lbs slimmer. A nice sarong works well as a cover up. You can tie it many different ways so it's most flattering to you . You will be gorgeous anyway with all your new muscle.
Laura

Melra, you'll be just fine in the bathing suit! Part of it's in the head..if you walk in confident and head held high others will follow that with positive views of you. Don't go in sulking and hiding, it will be obvious. Just have FUN.

Melissa you will work up your strength on the bike, just keep going. When I first started exercising the 1 mile WATP exhausted me, now I have to carry weights with the 4 mile and still it's too easy. It didn't take no time at all to pick up the miles, just had to keep to it every day, and soon the 1 mile was easy, then the 2, then 3....on ya go.

Laura, good luck on the trip. Just keep putting it in your head that you can and will make wise choices. If you know some of the restaraunt names you might look them up online...depending if they are online or not, i have found even some small local places I love are even online now so ya never know. That way you can plan ahead some.

I'm going to be very busy tomorrow: Alllie's eye appointment, grocery shopping, and then halloween costume shopping. So if I'm not around, that's where I am. Allie wants to be Barney of all things for halloween :rolleyes: so I'm hoping we can't find that costume and she'll have to pick something else.

Theresa

I am with everyone else. Dollars to D word it is a smaller size than you were and you have made yourself some new muscles. Stand tall cause dawling you look mahvolous!

I went out today and got some project things that I can do even if the girls are up cause I know I need to stay busy-boredom is NOT a good thing. I have two shoe boxes full of pictures so I got a memory book today and will start getting that mess cleaned up. I think I still have 3 rolls I need to develope too lol. Man I am bad. Both girls are sleeping for a change so I am gonna go ride till rubbery and then start cleaning out pictures.
Melissa

Oh geez, I just went through massive pictures and I can't believe how FAT I am in those pictures! It almost made me depressed. I have pics with me and Odessa when she was an infant, and there is hardly any room for her on my lap. Ugh! Just makes my resolve stronger to keep doing what I am doing that is for sure.
Melissa

Oh melra- You will rock the place in your bathing suit!
You will look great! enjoy yourself for all of us w/o hot ;) tubs

Theresa- THANK YOU for all your great motivational words that so help with the "i don't wanna's"

Have a nice trip Laura!

Melissa- I remember posting in here that I couldn't even do 3-4 minutes on my bike and now I can proudly do 20 before rubber legs - I look forward to the day I can do an hour before i turn into gumby. I microwaved my apples- I cored it and sprinkled cinnamon and splenda on it and then covered it with plastic wrap and gave it about 3 - 5 minutes -I guess it depends on how mushy you like your apple.

I am SO close to 165 it isn't even funny- all I want to see is that scale hit 165
so I am stepping up my exercise. I do think the careful attention to food and portion sizes is helping ALOT. I kept saying well gee you know what to eat and how much and then I thought well how honest are you being? so for right now i am being anal :lol: about measuring and weighing. after a while i will be "trained" to really KNOW serving sizes. That way I will be able to work portion sizes on turkey day and holiday parties. I am getting into oatmeal- the real stuff- I never thought I'd say that! EVER- me eat real oatmeal?? I would have been :rofl: 3 months ago if you had told me that.

Everyone have a great night and thank you all so much for kindness and caring!