[2cute2Bfat]

WELCOME

We are a group of people who are working together to lose our excess weight.
We are on different plans and are of different sizes.
We want to invite everyone to join us in our journey.
We share laughter and tears.
We share what works for us and what doesn't.
We recently started a Topic of the Day.

Monday........Motivation Monday
Tuesday.......Tuesday Tips
Wednesday.....Wednesday Weigh ins
Thursday......Thankful Thursday
Friday........Friday Facials, Fingernails and Fun
Saturday.......Sit-up Saturdays - any physical activity
Sunday.........Soup and Salad Sunday - recipes

These are not required topics ...just ideas to share. We have found them very helpful. We also share heartaches and fears...joys and celebrations.

Please feel free to jump right in with us.
And be sure to check if there is a second page. We don't want anyone to miss any posts

[2cute2Bfat]

It is great seeing so many faces in our group.

I am babysitting their other daughter who is only 18 months old. I forgot how many times a toddler can ask "What's that?" LOL. It must have been a ZILLION !!!! LOL LOL She is a darling. As cute as a button and smart too.

The new baby is soooo swweeeeet !!!!! She is so healthy looking. Already can see a difference in personalities from their first baby. LOL. I got to hold her for a longggg time yesterday afternoon.

We have never had a red head in our family before. Her other grandpa is red headed and he REALLY wanted a red head. He is sooo proud.

The toddler is spending the night here till momma goes home and she keeps me hopping. She is sooo curious. She wants to know everything... and gets into everything to check it out.

Sounds like many of you are doing great... keep it up.
And to those of you struggling... DON'T GIVE UP !!!!
The reason we always failed in the past is because we gave up and gave in too easily.
This is OUR YEAR. WE ARE NOT GIVING UP.
A new you in 2002 !!!!!
Just as a logo says... READY TO TRY AGAIN !!!!

[Jehari]

Hello again!

I woke up at 4am so I am a bit grumpy today. Not feeling motivated to get OP today, but am doing it anyway. I have gained back all the weight I lost being sick, so i have to get with it. I started back on the pills this morning. I am only taking half doses until I see how my stomach is going to react. After my daughter is done watching her video, I'll do my Tae Bo.

I HATE THE SCALE!! I really have to stay away from it for a while. It's so depressing and self destructive.

Anyhoo, like I said, I'm kinda bummed today. Think I'm PMSing.

Talk at ya later,
Jen

[Grannie39074]

Hello all I'm back I found some chips today They are called Skinny natural corn chips they only have 60 cal. and 1 g.fat for 1 cup they taste great. They were a little high in price but it may be worth it.

[thinthinker]

Hello everyone! This is going to be a real challenge, trying to go from page 1 to page 2 to this thread to try and do responses. That will teach me to miss a day!!!

Food has not been wonderful. This has been my dinner jobs out every night week and it's getting the better of me. I had Magic Chili for lunch to try and contain some of the damage.

I agree with the virtual model website. I think it looks like we would with some toning exercises, what do you think??

Jen: "maybe that is just an excuse" boy, that about sums it up for alot of us!!! * Sounds like you just need a little discipline to grab the right things to eat rather than the pills, but that's just my opinion. You can eat an awful lot of low WW point foods in a day before you reach your total for the day. I don't think you do WW, I'm sorry, that's the only way I equate things these days. But if you're into the sweets, the recipes I posted are all very light. All the veggies are very light. Fruits are light. If you're into salt; light popcorn, ff pretzels, WOW chips, all very light.

Flumper: Funny where the name came from and funnier how men think!!!

Tina: Your comic about friends and a good bra was hysterical!!! * Isn't it nice when 'surprise' money shows up??? Must mean WW was meant to be for you!! * Don't worry about what the WW scale said, sometimes it is a shocker. Why home scales are never right is beyond me. I started at 374# so I still beat you. We're still gonna do this. It's our year!!!

2cute: Oooooo, you sweetie! You got the yummy smilie added to the list! Woohoo! Congrats on the new grandbaby! What's that about us being 2 peas in a pod? I'm a new auntie on the same day you're a new granny! I have a new grand nephew born at 10:55 PM yesterday. His name is Blake Alexander.

Andria: I'm glad you're good to walk. Sorry it hurts so much, but you'll get stronger every day!

Mary: I bet you're really busy with running the DAR meetings and being sick. Hope you feel better real soon. * The piece you shared on water was really good.

LuckyLadyBug: You'll fit in those jeans before you know it.

Malia: I guess I missed it, where are you going and when? * See, measuring is a positive plus. Good for you on the loss.

Katrina: That sweet and sour chicken or pork chops is so quick, it doesn't really need a crock pot. I'll post the recipes again at the bottom because I don't think they'll fit on a PM. * WOW, the heroine addict made a far too real analogy, didn't she??? Yikes! We are definately addicted!

Michelle: Get here more often! You WILL get back under control!

Lynne: Good for you, walking 2 out of 3 days! Sounds like you're getting back with it.

Somebody asked awhile back about how many calories in a WW point. I don't think it got answered so here's my best shot at it. A point value is determined by calories, fat grams and fiber grams. Soooo, something with 80 calories and 1 gram of fiber and 0 fat grams is 1 point. But....something with 30 calories and 0 grams of fiber and 9 grams of fat is also 1 point. So.... you can probably figure about 50 calories for each WW point on an average.

Somebody also asked about how to do size and color and stuff all together. The best way I found is to make yourself a cheat sheet of all the colors and sizes and fonts. Then you don't have to go through the goofy pull down menu each time. Then when you get them altogether all you do is line up all the codes at the beginning and all of the 'ends' at the end of what you want to say.

Size small is [SIZE=1]
Size large is [SIZE=3]
Size huge is [SIZE=4]

So to do something red and huge you would type [SIZE=4] and then [COLOR=red]and then type whatever you want. At the end of what you want to say you have to do the /SIZE /COLOR (only you have to put the brackets around each of them), I can't do that or it would just write it and not give you the directions.

If that explanation pans out and makes any sense to you it will be a miracle!!!

Pistachio Fluff

1 can crushed pineapple with juice
1 small pkg. sugar free, fat free pistachio instant pudding
1 8 oz. tub fat free Cool Whip

Mix together thoroughly the crushed pineapple with its juice and the pudding powder. Fold in Cool Whip. Chill.
1 cup = 1 WW point
I add a little green food coloring at Christmas just to make the color more festive.

Orange Creamsicle

1 small package sugar free, fat free orange jello
1 small package sugar free, fat free vanilla instant pudding
1 cup boiling water
8 oz. Fat free Cool Whip
1 small can Mandarin oranges, drained (reserve juice)

Add 1 cup boiling water to orange jello. Stir until dissolved. Add water to reserved juice to make 1 cup. Add to jello. Beat in pudding powder. Add mandarin oranges. Fold in Cool Whip.
Makes 4 cups. 1 cup= 1 WW point

Pumpkin Mousse

2 boxes sugar free, fat free vanilla instant pudding
2 cups skim milk
1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 - 8oz container fat free Cool Whip

Beat the pudding, milk, canned pumpkin and spice together. Fold in the Cool Whip. Chill for a couple of hours.
Makes 5 - 1 cups servings. 1 WW point per serving
You can use this in a Reduced Fat Graham Cracker Crust and serve as a pie. You will have to add 2 points per 1/8 of the pie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok girls, this novel has gone on long enough. I hope I got to everyone, if not, please forgive me. I've gotta go run and do a quick job. I'll talk to you all later.

"One can never pay in gratitude; one can only pay "in kind" somewhere else in life." - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

[katrinabgood]

Thank you thin! I'm off to make "Orange Creamsicle!"

later, dudes...

[SusieH]

Hi all,

Well, it is official. I start my new job on Monday!!!!! I am so excited. Today was my last day at work and tomorrow I am going shopping!!!

I have been doing well OP this week and am hoping for a 1.5 pound loss. I just need to get through tomorrow.

I don't have time to respond to everyone, but just wanted to say Congrats 2Cute!

By the way, I went to the Lane Bryant website and ordered a "Big Girls Rock" t-shirt. It is pretty cool and only $15 (includes s&h). Check it out. I plan to wear it to my WW meetings.

[LuckyLadyBug]

Kat This is profound. I have thought that many times myself that addiction is addiction. Of course, food is somewhat different in that we can’t quit it all together.

I walked for my second day in a row. Not a huge accomplishment but I have decided to take it slow and easy. I usually do the exact opposite and fail....NOT this time.

[QueenB]

Well, first off I'd like to say.....this is my 2nd day OP and I am flying high! I have been so good and staying within my points. I really love the WW program because it doesn't say NO to anything. It feels good to know that I can eat a ton of food for 15 points and at the same time, if I'm really having a craving for a Big Mac that I can have it. Although it will cost me the same number of points!
Also wanted to tell you about a book I just read. I've had it for awhile and have read it before, but have just recently re-read it. It's called "Diary of a Fat Housewife" by Rosemary Green. It spans over several years of yo yo dieting and she is brutally honest and I believe so many overweight people can identify with her and it's a good read for people who are not overweight so they might understand the plight of the overweight. Here is just one entry in her book:

Thursday, June 18, 1987
239 pounds

Let's be honest. Extremely obese people either have a humongous rear end, thunder thighs, or a never-ending stomach. Some, sorry to say, have all three! After the poor body has enlarged itself as much as possible in a vaguely human way, there is no place to expand but downward. Gravity takes its toll. The body erupts further, in an elephantlike way--with the fat hanging in layers. Just hanging there! Horrible, disgusting fat! Well folks, when fat people try to run or exercise with all this elephant flab, look out! They discover whtat self torture is all about! I nearly beat myself to death---with the fat from my own body--when I first started to exercise. Jumping jacks are difficult to describe. The noise alone is repulsive. Jump-slap-jump-slap. My fat stomach actually spanks the top of my legs. Ouch! How did I ever do this to my body, to my life? Can you imagine how good it felt one day to realize the "slapping" sound was less intense! It felt great!

And so on and so forth. When I read that part I cracked up. I can totally relate. It has it's highs and lows and really makes you look at yourself as well as being inspirational at the same time. You can get it at Amazon.com for a real reasonable price and from your local bookstore as well, although they may have to order it because it is fairly old. Ok, on to other things.

Jen: Sounds like your having a bit of a hard time, but keep your head up girl. I'm sure you know we ALL have been there. Sometimes you have to crawl out from under the rock to see the sunshine.
Mary: The water thing was great. I certainly need to be inspired about water. It is my downfall. I also hope you are feeling better and I can't wait to get some of those chips.
TT: I don't have enough room here to thank you enough for all your inspiration. You are the best! And thank you for those oh so cool recipes. Can't wait to try them!
Ladybug:Jeans? What are jeans? That was from highschool. Will have to look up a picture in the ol' yearbook to remember what I looked like in them.
Kat: Your analogy really hit home with me and at the same time made me realize my problems aren't so bad. Thank you for the visual.
Susie:Congrats on the new job. I know you must be really excited.

Well, I certainly didnt think I would write a book, but you know how it is. You just get started and you can't stop. I hope each and every one of you have a terrific evening.

[Jehari]

Well.....

For not having started out being a good day, it turned out great!! For the first time in ??months?? I have had an absolutely successful day back OP. I did the Tae Bo and everything!!

TT: No. I don't do the WW. My mom has been on-again off-again with it for years and gave me her points counter and shopping guide and some other stuff. My problem was that counting points in everything I ate and planning what I could eat REALLY had me obsessing over food. I was always thinking, what can I eat, when can I eat next? After a zillion years of dieting, I just know what I should and shouldn't eat, and I know how many calories are in the foods I have in the house all the time. I had my most successful weight loss when I just kept an eye on my calories and portion size. I know what I can and can't eat, I just have to gain the SELF CONTROL!! Easier said than done. For example I just say, I can have 300 for breakfast, 300 calories for lunch, 500 calories for dinner, and 100 or 200 in snacks. Just having that in my head and sticking to it works pretty well, when I'm putting my mind to it. I don't seem to obsess so much that way. But we all do things differently and different things work for all of us. That's why there is no one "miracle diet". By the way....Fat Free Pringles are delicious!! Even my kids prefer them over regular chips now.

QueenB: Good for you!!! It feels so good to achieve a great OP day!! Thanks for the encouragement!

SusieH: The shirt sounds cool!! I am miffed at Lane Bryant, and I've gone off on this before. Their catalog makes me SO MAD !! This is a store that is supposed to be catering to plus size women. WHERE ARE THE PLUS SIZE MODELS??!! Those women are twigs!! We know the clothes look good on skinny women *DUH*!! I want to know what it looks like on me!! I want to see models in a size 24, 28, whatever. Ditch the twiggy chics! WHEW!! I'm OK! Calming down now......

Anyhoo, that is it for me tonight. Hope to have another wonderful day tomorrow.
Jen

[prism]

Hi

Thank you for the words of encouragement. I was OP today. I've been dealing with PMS the past week and have been going through my ups and downs. Also, exercised to RS sweat 'n shout and have journalized.

Katrina, your words about addiction were very true. It's an obsession. Next time, I'll... At times we need to realize who's in control here. Our safety director collapsed today at work. He was either in a diabetic coma or had a heart attack. He was under cardiac arrest and turned blue. It made me think of my dad's experience with diabetic coma and how I vowed after his death in July of being healthy. Months have passed and I have forgotten what my main goal was. Thanks for the light bulb.

Lucky, size 20 jeans. Congratulations. How much weight did you lose so far?

QueenB, the excerpt was right on. Nothing like the sound of your bust and stomach flapping about.

Thin, my mom and I are going to Europe in October. We'll be away for 23 days to about 9 countries. I wanted to celebrate my mom's 80th birthday and my 40th one (or 39th hurrah). It's an ideal incentive to lose weight and shape up. Slow start. Our reservations were confirmed today, dog hotel was confirmed, and my vacation was approved. Now I have to do my part. My year is turning out more exciting than last year (confusion, sorrow, anger). Sometimes we need to look forward to something.

TGIF,
Malia

[Grannie39074]

Morning all I have several things I am sending may have to do it in stages. I get a Healthy living newsletter everyweek. These are articles out of this weeks.
I still feel yukky.
Check out this site for the skinny chips and other low fat type snacks www.givemefood.com

Carmelized Garlic Chicken
(adapted from Pillsbury Fast and Healthy Cookbook)
Serves 6

3 teaspoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, pressed
6 teaspoons brown sugar
6 boneless skinless chicken breast

Heat oven to 500 degrees. Line shallow roasting pan with foil,
lightly grease
the foil with a little oil (not included in the above
measurement--just put a
little on a paper towel and rub on the foil)

Heat oil in small skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Add garlic
and cook
1 to 2 minutes or until garlic begins to soften (DON'T let garlic get
brown!)
Remove from heat, stir in brown sugar until well mixed. Set aside.

Place chicken breasts on sprayed foil-lined pan, spreading the garlic
mixture
evenly over chicken.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices
run
clear.

SERVING SUGGESTION: Baked potatoes with all the fixin's (if you
like--a
little butter, sour cream), baked butternut squash, steamed
broccoli.

Per serving: 295 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (16% calories from
fat); 55g
Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 137mg Cholesterol; 155mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 7 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0
Fruit; 1/2
Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

[Grannie39074]

here is #2


How to Lose a Few

I finally finished my newest book, The Frantic Family Cookbook:
(Mostly)
Healthy Meals in Minutes and I did what I did with my last book,
Healthy
Foods. I gained weight! Not five pounds either--a hefty fifteen!
Enough to
make me look for the stretch pants in my wardrobe.

I'm almost certain I gained the weight from EATK--Eating at the
Keyboard. And
what I ate would make you toss tomatoes at me (but can you wait until
they're
in season, please?). Being a nutritionist doesn't make you immune
from such
stupidity--it just makes you guiltier.

So, now that I have admitted it, here's what I'm doing about it. I
know I
have company when I gripe about my weight. Here are some great hints
to stop
the belly aching and start losing the belly!

--Drink Up. Water is great--it not only helps your body to metabolize
the fat
better, but it's a great appetite suppressant and your skin looks
prettier,
too! At least 8 glasses a day--more if you can.

--Put it Down. You'll automatically eat less if you put down your
fork
between bites. Go ahead, try it! It's hard!

--Gimme Ten. This one is SO true. Wait ten minutes if you THINK you
want
seconds. It takes that long for your stomach to finally signal to
your brain
that you've had enough. So don't say no to seconds--just wait it out.
You'll
change your mind.

--Double it Up. Eat double the amount of veggies and salad than you
would
normally. (not slathered in fatty sauces or dressings though!)

--Divide by Two. Take the heaviest part of your meal and eat HALF of
what you
would normally. This way, you don't have to "diet" per se and can eat
what
everyone else is eating. If it's already lean, try eating a little
less and
saving what you don't eat.

--Burn baby, burn. Just a little exercise steps up the metabolism.
You don't
have to belong to a gym--you can walk or do something. Even if you're
physically disabled, there is something you can do. Ask your
therapist or
doctor.

--Stay the course. Just because you pigged out for one meal, doesn't
mean
you're doomed. Start over the next MEAL. Don't wait till Monday,
don't wait
till tomorrow. It's about a change in lifestyle and this time, you
can do it!

[Grannie39074]

Here is #3

Off My Noodle: Thoughts on Feeding a Finicky Family
Amazing Phenomenon: Woman Diets, Husband Shrinks!

I've been dieting like a maniac for about six weeks now, and so far,
my
husband has lost two pounds. Doesn't that just figure? Serves me
right for
marrying a man who is about as indifferent to food as I am to a sale
on
two-by-fours at Home Depot. My husband, God bless him, is the kind
of man
who might not notice if no one ever offered him dessert again for the
rest of
his life. The only thing he might notice is that if his wife were
similarly
deprived, she would be stomping around the house in a militant mood,
pawing
through the freezer in search of a hunk of old birthday cake with
freezer
burn.

This isn't to say that my dieting has gone without its own, modest
rewards.
Today, for example, my friend Denise told me that my face looks
thinner, but
I think this is just a haggard-looking condition brought about by
chocolate
deprivation. But when I put my watch on this morning, darned if that
thing
didn't start jiggling around, along with my wedding ring, now making
dozens
of circuits a day around my finger. So okay, even though my face,
wrists and
fingers were not exactly my biggest problem areas, I suppose we all
have to
start somewhere. If that creeping gobbler under my chin is next to
go, I'm
happy.

I have discovered the answer to why even though I'm the one measuring
out
non-fat cottage cheese in a cup and exercising like a woman
possessed, it's
my thin husband who's getting thinner. I read it in a diet book, so
it must
be true. If this explanation doesn't make your blood boil over, you
have no
right to call yourself a Woman. See, in prehistoric times, when
famines were
frequent, women with padding were seen as more important than men
since then,
as now, we make the babies. Therefore, through evolution, we learned
to store
our fat efficiently for child-bearing! Thanks a lot,
great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great Grandma! This
explains two
things: First, we understand why women can sweat ten hours a week on
a
Stairmaster and live on rice cakes and celery soup and still barely
lose two
pounds, but a man who just says the words "Make it a Bud Light" drops
twenty.
Second, we also know why marriage and family therapists will always
do a
brisk business.


Hip Tips

*If eating smaller portions is hard for you, use a smaller salad
plate. Put
the smaller plate right on top of your dinner plate when you serve
the
family. Then you won't feel out of sync with everyone else.

*Don't fool yourself. Saying, "Just this once" and eating junk or
cleaning
off a child's plate because you don't want it to go to waste, will
absolutely
ruin your efforts. It will go to waist all right--not the kind you're
thinking about,

[katrinabgood]

Hi gang!

Quick post...lots to do today, no sleep...oh well! I'm just so happy that I'm off for the next three days!

Mary, you've been busy! That chicken recipe looks great! Have you tried it? I just ran to the fridge to pull some chicken breasts out of the freezer...I know what I'M making tonight! Thank you!

Jen,,,good for you!! You've inspired me to go find my TaeBo tapes...

Lucky...two days in a row! Atta girl!

Susie, good luck with the new job...I had the classifieds out last night, looking, looking, looking. The problem is that I have been doing basically what I do for the past...ulp...I'm a little embarrassed by this...26 years! Isn't that just the ULTIMATE lack of ambition??? Of course, I did meet my husband there, my mom worked there for years, best friend worked there for years...it just kind of grew on me! But now they are all gone, (not working there any more) and I'm still there... At 44 years old, I just feel like, "Do I really want to start all over again?"

YES YES!! A THOUSAND TIMES YES!!! I've got to do something new!

Thank you, thinthinker, for posting the recipes again!

2cute is busy going "goo goo ga ga" over her little bundle...have fun!

I'm falling asleep as I do this, must grab a quick nap and then do my errands! Better set the alarm...

Hi to everyone else...what's on for Fun Friday?? We have tickets for tonight to "An Evening With Edgar Allen Poe," a one man show, starring John Astin...(You may know him as "Gomez Addams") It looked different, thought the kids might like it...I'll let you know how it turns out.

See you all later...hang in there!