Some helpful tips:

Prepare your food at home, as much as possible.
This workes best where you are the queen in your little palace (called Kitchen by some humans) and I'm in charge!
Beside losing weight, you'll become a great cook... I can tell you people appreciate this a lot!
The food you prepare must be delicious, so you can eat it with pleasure. Plus, you won't feel the "burden" of a diet...
Not to mention you'll save serious money for cooking at home!
Cooking is great, can be fun! Spend more time with your family... Get some books, if you don't have any!
Don't give me the... "I'm too busy" line! We all are! Make time for your health!
• Be careful when shopping... because
YOU make the selections when you buy! Be wise! Have a shopping list prepared...
YOU might be tempted to eat whatever it's in the fridge... so be careful what YOU put inside...
• If you dine out... then YOU must make wise food choices.
Avoid junk food, don't give yourself excuses like "there was nothing else available".
Allmost all places have veggies salads, steaks, fruits, broths. YOU just have to order them.

Hi girls!! I am back at work and it's finally lunch time!! WW frozen cuisine for me!! I did sneak over to the snack bar and got a pack of chocolate - chocolate chip cookies--tom is the only time I crave chocolate!! Doing good on my water consumption!!

All this talk about soaps made me think back to the babysitter I had from 6 weeks old until I was 10 and could stay at the house with my 12 year old brother. Here goes from 12:00-12:30 it was the first half hour of Young & The Restless (side note on that one-my DH had a thing for Nicki), then at 1:00 the channel the channel turned to Days of Our Lives (side note--I had a thing for the original Dr Mike Horton who later played Jared on the Pretender Series) then on to Another World (my friend used to call my step mother Felicia Gallant--they could have been twins) and finally to The Doctors which was replaced later by General Hospital (loved Dr Noah Drake -Rick Springfield!!) My mom and brother tape Days of Our Lives to watch but I don't keep up anymore.

Welcome Trixie!!

Ginny--I am sitting here drinking a 20 oz water with Crystal Light Peach Tea to go and thinking of you!!

SuzyQ--my son says to tell you "to vote for Pedro!!"-- do I have that right??

Bep--I craved peanut m & m's when I was pregnant with my DS but could live without them at any other time.

Katy--VBS sounds fun, but I know it will make you tired.

Shawna--Hi there--Isn't Dollywood in Pigeon Forge? Kids used to go there with their grandparents in the summer.

Crisitina--where are you??

Sassy--did we scare you off??

Michelle ma belle--it's easier to say that we will not worry and be able to take a step back from a situation than to actually do it. I am a really big worrier--I worry when everythings fine and there's nothing to worry about.
Hope your Mom gets settles without too much more stress for you and your sister.

Bep--I sometimes wonder if eating too few calories is as bad as not enough!!

well I gotta go!!

Jules I am glad you are well enough to be back at work! Maybe it is the weather/ server /lightening problems that is keeping it so quiet today?
I like Y & the R too. I liked the Traci/Danny storyline. I wish they would have stayed together. I liked Noah from GH - I also liked Ray, the gangster that Bobbie loved....

Yes, Vote for Pedro! It is so funny when Napoleon asked what Pedro is going to do for the girl and Pedro replies " I am going to bake her a cake". ...haha, funny stuff - course I am warped.
Thinking of lunch and need to get up and walk. I sit too much...

catch you all in a bit!

There was also an Irish gangster type guy with slicked back black hair on GH--I can't remember his name but he was fine!! DS's girlfriend says each time they watch Napoleon it gets funnier.

Well DD and her friend got a place right off campus--they will be able to walk to school--now she will find out just how much her brother did for her letting her move into his apartment with no rent. All she paid was electric and phone. Now she will have half of everything plus her car insurance, gas and cell phone. DS's girlfriend moves in with him officially on August 1. They are going to stay in his place until they find something bigger that they can keep his cat. DD can take her dog to her new place--she's happy about that. One of DS's gf's friend may move into the second bedroom temporarily--will help DS & his gf to be able to save more. DS gets along well with her--she's got the same kind of quirky sense of humor both my kids have. He says as long as it's not Misty which is a friend of both his gf & my DD. We had the airheaded Chrissy Snow conversation and this girl was the one I was talking about.

Susan...that little innocent mcmuffin from McD's was 450 calories 28 grams of fat for the sausage one...300 calories 12 grams of fat for the canadian bacon one. I have this cool website I use to find the nutritional value of ANYTHING...http://www.nutritiondata.com/.

Trixie WELCOME!!!!!!!!! I pretty much hang out here on this thread so I don't know much about you. Would you mind giving me your 'story'? I thought about looking at your previous posts to get to know you better, but when I saw how many posts you have I decided I would never get through them all! If you have a link or don't mind copying and pasting to this thread, I would love to read your story!

Jules...I have to agree that not eating enough cals is as bad as eating too many. The day I dropped to 775 was an accident. 1200 is the minimum I am supposed to go. If I feel like my body 'needs' more (usually the day after having a lot of exercise) I will bump it up by 100 or 200 cals. If I don't bump it up, I will feel yucky and lethargic. I have been thinking of changing my 1200/day diet to a 1300 or 1400/day diet as the 'norm', but I haven't made up my mind on that one yet. Just something I have been mulling over lately. I just want to make sure that I am not trying to get an excuse to eat more cals. Anyway...just considering it.

Kate I have been thinking about growing garlic. Do you have to keep them in a different area from the other veggies or can they be right in your garden? Do you start from seeds or another way? I have never seen garlic in a garde before so wouldn't even know where to begin with that one. But I LOVE garlic!!!!

By the way Susan...I notice the healthy choice of avatars! I was just joking...you can put junk food in your avatar...but I am going to blame you for lack of weight loss!!! Oh well....ANYTHING is better than Nap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scorpio?? He was Australian though - hung out with Luke. Irish?? hmmm, Tony?? He was sooooooo cute! He went to Santa Barbara soap, I think he was Italian though. You have me stumped on an Irish one!
Your daughter sounds like she is going to have so much fun at school! My sis emailed me that they have internet access on campus while doing laundry - kewl....lol
k- going for a break!

Bep Were you around any of the lightening?? (yes, I will take this info and stalk you..lol)...ewww a little fruit bug just went up my nose....ewwww.
Anyway, thanks for the link! 450 calories?? It was really small....you sure?? It was sausage....28 grams of fat *&^%$ ok, I can deal. I enjoyed it if that is counting for anything! lol ok,,,,,,,that just stopped me from going to get a bagel...
I found this cute Nap avatar with a flashing GOSH with some tots....can I do that one?? It was kind of small though.....I love tatar tots....and so does my sweetie! lol
ok, now for something to munch!

Was lightening the reason that 3fc was down almost all morning long? I finally gave up trying to get on this morning. Yeah...I think just about everyone had lightening today.

Hello Ladies...

Busy day today...I so wanted to sleep in too! Maybe tomorrow...naw...if it's not raining I have to go for my walk at the park otherwise I turn to the dreaded treadmill. I like it, but it is too easy to quit in the middle of a walk. Anyway...got a lot done today and the day isn't over yet. Went for a walk, mowed the backyard for V (looks like it's going to start raining anytime so thought I would get it done before it does), went to It Figures and then went and bought groceries at Target. I wanted to wander through the store and look at things but ran out of time. Needed to get home and put the groceries up and get some laundry done. Now I am ready for bed! Can't though...when V gets home we are headed to Lowe's, oh joy!

SUSAN...WTG on getting a walk in! And a mcmuffin won't kill ya once in a while...just not too often. Thanks for the tips Okay, I know the apple is healthy but the drink was more pleasing to the eye, lol. How do you ladies remember all the people from the soaps? Geez, I remember some of them but others, no clue. Susan, the Edge of Night wasn't creepy. Maybe you are thinking of Dark Shadows...that one was weird but I do remember watching it, lol. That was a looooong time ago.

JULES...sounds like DD is doing good...glad to hear that. Hope she had a Happy Birthday, and glad that you are feeling better.

KATY...orange popcorn balls? And you didn't share with us? I've not had a popcorn ball since, I actually don't know when. Been way too long. I think I'll just call you and Bep Martha 1 and Martha 2. I would love to have a garden but we don't have a big enough yard. I did grow some tomatoes one year though.

BEP...good for you...there's no way I could keep candy around unless it is something I don't like, lol. I too like working in the yard but we don't have a lot. We like things kind of plain and simple. Although plain and simple still takes a lot of work, a lot of clipping and weeding.

MICHELLE...sorry about to hear about your mom. I do hope they can figure out what is wrong, and soon. It's hard staying out of it but sometimes you just gotta do what ya gotta do. And if it is really hard and stressful on you, in the end it will make it all worse. You do need to take care of you sweetie. ((((((HUGS))))))

WELCOME TRIXIE! Glad to have ya here and looking forward to getting to know you.

Hi SHAWNA!...you are one busy lady! Reminds me of DS when they had him going all over...he was doing things that the district manager was supposed to be doing but had him do. I don't think I would ever be a manager after seeing what he went through...all the hours worked, cleaning others messes, etc. That's why it has taken him so long to get his Bachelors degree...kept getting sidetracked with and putting work first.

Well, I had a stinking surprise visit from TOM! No wonder I was moody...haven't had a visit from TOM in ages and I was really liking it. Well, seems this one is going to make up for all missed, bummer. Can't remember the last time I had cramps like this. Another reason I want to go to bed. Anyway...better get going ladies. V will be home in about 15 mns and I need to get the clothes put in the dryer. I will try to get back on tonight but not sure.

Take care and have a wonderful day!

Bep I am in Oregon and I didn't have lightening. I think 3fc was directly hit and down for a couple hours....now back to regular programing. I haven't watched soaps for years Cristi. I don't know how I remember. I use to watch the whole ABC line up.....( I skipped Edge - though my sister liked it) Ryans Hope, All My Children, One Life and General Hospital. Wandered for SB and Y & R....oh! Days of Our Lives.....Tony was on that one...so cute. I think he was on GH too.

Anyway, I am failing fast, I am pooped. I have to go get the girls for an appt and the sitter is bringing Gaby in to town so I don't have to go out there. I had a cup of potato salad for lunch - it was in the fridge, I skipped the fried chicken!

Where are you Kathy?

UGH!!! No thanks on the Martha nickname! I have never liked her. Way too shallow with no personality. I have never enjoyed watching her even before her whole 'ordeal'. Maybe it dates back to when I was about 23 and bought a bunch of her nice towels and they fell apart. I had towel pillage all over for weeks until I finally threw them out and bought a different brand. They were so bad they even started getting threadbare in places in the few short weeks I had them. Frustrating. No...I didn't like her before that either. Hope any die-hard Martha fans out there don't hate me now. I think she is probably a brilliant business woman (despite what she did), but I would HATE to know her in person. I am more of the 'Rachel Ray' kind of person (even though I know she doesn't do all domestic stuff). Just more her personality type than Martha's.

Anyway...boy...that was quite a ramble. OK...you can pretty much call me whatever you want as long as it isn't late for dinner.

I know Bep but do you like Martha or not?? Kind of unclear...hehe.
I am doing my child support...seeing if I am getting a check...lala pressing 1 and pressing 1 again. Says I get $244 a month - haha.....pressing 2 now...last payment is May 24th amount is $15.00.....blah.
grrrrrrr.
ok, I need to go pick up the girls for *counseling* and get Gaby. Getting tons done so feel good about that.
Hope to get a walk in tonight.Need to work on more water intake though - lousy in that area.

to all!!

SuzyQ--I think the guy on GH I liked was named Duke--I could be wrong though but I think he and the Australian guy always fought over the same two women......

Bep--I like Rachael Ray better myself though my hubby thinks her voice is annoying--what does he know...he likes Martha better...well actually he likes the little Italian thing that does the Italian cooking show..you know the one that shows cleavage...hubby is such a guy sometimes.....

Trixie--I agree tell us more, tell us more...

Katy--I'd like to find a yoga class--you really seem to be enjoying yours and sticking with it, I am thinking I need to up the calories--what I am doing is not working!!

Michelle ma belle--hope your doing okay!!

Cristina--Your doing so good with the It Figures--I need to get back on track with my Slim-N-Tone. I've been really bad. I am so tired some nights I don't even sometimes even turn on the computer....

Hey Shawna--hope your not working too hard!!

A guy at work was really nasty today...hubby says he will go beat him up for me if I want...I said I want but he better not..hubby will go to jail and we will both be fired....

Jules I like watching Giada also. And Paula...and Michael...and Emeril...etc, etc, etc... I LOVE to watch cooking shows. I am a chef 'wanna be'. I love to create new recipes and experiment. I LOVE to entertain. If I didn't have children and I were 'out' in the working world, I would probably become a chef, start my own restaurant with items I create, or own a bed-n-breakfast and do most of the cooking. My family is my biggest priority at this point in my life. I do think ahead to when they are all grown and out of the house though...but I DON'T want to rush these precious years with my children. Whoa nellie...I seriously rabbit trailed again!