Thanks everyone for the great welcome! I must be fitting in really well, because I too have fallen victim to Aunt Flow. But good news...after my workout today, I weighed in at one pound less than I did on Tuesday. Considering I am carrying at least a couple of pounds of bloat, I'm hoping by next week I'll weigh even less!

Nancy Drew, I just wanted to let you know that those Oregonians do eventually give into our Southern ways! My dear BF is from Portland, and has lived here in Texas for 4 years now...his accent is now worse than mine! Except he still calls a grilled cheese sandwich "toasted cheese". He's so "cheesy".

Happy BD again, Tara! Good for you, being honest with lunch's calorie count. If it were me, I would have counted dessert calorie-free, fat-free, carb-free. Ya know, sorta like a present to myself. I'm proud of you!

I started the spring cleaning today, and boy do I have my hands full. Wish me luck!
Good night, ladies!

Stacia

Hello fellow April Chicks...

I have some news... and well... I hit bottom hard. Today and yesterday.... uggg, I really ate more than I should have. I mean I didn't pig out, but I went over my calorie limit. I know that I been doing the cycling but this was more than I really wanted to go over... Can I blame it on that monthly visitor? I been doing really well... then WHAM! Munchie Overload. Yesterday I had 2100 calories and today I had 1890 calories. My goal was to stay between 1600 and 1800 calories. ICK! I just hope that I can get myself back on track and hope I didn't gain everything I lost back in a matter of two days... *sniffle*

I gonna pick myself up and start all over...I had a moment of weakness... which is better than the daily moments of weakness I have had. I can do it, I know I can...

Sue...

sue dont be too down on yourself we all have our bad days just remember that you didnt get this way overnight and you sure as **** cant get to goal overnight either. after a bad day i just really try extra hard the next. each day is a new one and what you did yesterday is done and you just gotta start over again. you will do this and we are here to help.

i am so close to not using the 200 pound marker on the scale hopefully next week. i lost 1 1/4 this week.

Talk to you LIGHTER!!!
Peg

Happy Friday to you all.

Sue, listen to Peg, that was good advice. I hope you stay tough today and just visualize yourself lighter and healthier You can do it, I believe in you.

As for me, my diet is going pretty good. I lost another 1/2 pound, down total of 8
I, too, am about to start period and will have to brace for a gain, but will be positive about it.

I have a big challenge tomorrow. We are having friends over for a BBQ and I must not go overboard. I have been saving for Saturday as my reward day, but I am scared. If I go a little overboard I will just bust my butt on Sunday working extra hard exercising.

Going to huge, wonderful estate sale Sat. am and I am sooo excited about that. I will probably get in trouble when I get home for spending too much money. Last really good estate sale I went to I bought a beautiful 100 year old center table. Hubby went with back with me to pick it up and when he saw price tag I caught **** all the way home and then some. But now he loves the table.

Gotta run for now. Have a wonderful Friday morning

Well, I totally blew it! I feel poopy today because I cheated last night... I did so well at lunch and had a really light dinner, but then my best friend came over with a bottle of wine and chocolate and I went to town I blame it partially on my period--(the chocolate anyway) and then I excused the wine away with the 'ol birthday excuse...arghhh and I was doing so well...oh well, today is a new day and I decided to be really strict today and stay at under 1000 calories (just for today) to kind of balance it out...

Anyway, about boca burgers... I have been a strict vegetarian for about 8 years now and I love veggie burgers... I don't like plain boca burgers, I usually eat MorningStar Farms brand burgers, I love the "chick" patties, to me, they taste just like the chicken patties we used to have at school lunch---but I kind of forget what meat tastes like since I have been a vegetarian for so long. You just have to experiment with brands and flavors, some of them are really good---especially the MorningStar Farms pizza burgers and blackbean burgers mmmm...
Anyway, today is going to be a bit difficult because I am staying under 1000 calories but I'm sure I can do it.. I am also drinking TONS of water to both flush out the wine bloat combined with the period bloat...at least I got my chocolate in, so now I don't have any cravings... I actually felt sort of nauseous last night before going to bed from eating so much (not from the wine, I only had a few glasses)...so today I am going to be REALLY good...
Not all is lost!! Well, I'm about to walk to the store, which is bound to burn a few calories!
Hope everyone is having a good day--it's funny that all (or most) of us are on our period at the same time!!--I thought that only happened with college roomates...
Have a great day all!

Peg – Yeah, I was just rather down on myself because I was doing so good! But I am determined to get back on the program today. I’m blaming the cravings on my period. The funny thing is, I’ve never noticed how much I get cravings when it’s that time of the month… I’m learning a lot about my body I guess.

NancyDrew - Yeah, as mentioned earlier… was just upset that it went crash and burn. I appreciate the vote of confidence *huggerz* The BBQ was what did me in heheheh.

Tara – Ooh man! It is amazing how it seems like everyone’s time of the month is now hehehe. I want to blame my cravings on my period as well. I cannot believe how strong they are. I have had cravings before and have been good at controlling them, but man…it’s awful. I know I will be able to control it sooner or later. I have heard the longer you are on a lower calorie diet, the stronger you are against cravings and even you will have less. I’m waiting for that day hehehe.

I hope everyone’s day is going well. I’ve started back on the program after two days of going awol in a sense. Tonight I’m taking Brit and Isis (her friend) out bowling so we can have some fun. The kids want to learn how to bowl like James and I do LOL. So we gonna teach them the 4-step approach. Anyways, everyone have a good day!

Sue…

I feel bad i had mexican food however i didn't eat as much as i would have liked lol but i guess tonight it will have to be something very light if i wanna stay on my plan.....
I can't wait for my p**** to end grrrr...... (BAD WORD AT THE MOMENT FOR ME)

Hello, everyone, just checkin in, still doing good, it was sooo busy at my work today i didnt have a moment to stop, but thats ok, makes the day go by faster I agree with Peg, dont be too hard on yourself, Tara or Sue....you guys are doing great. Nancy have fun at your estate sale tomorrow, I love stuff like that flea markets and yard sales and all that stuff, but I am a packrat....i keep everything! he he he And Heather, a girl after my own heart (or stomach) I LOVE mexican food, since i am half mexican its probably natural........its what i miss the most, but if I go out with friends or family I just get something lean like fajitas (skip the tortillas) or anything with chicken........oooooh now I am hungry..... talk to you all soon, I think I will e-mail Diane cuz I havent heard from her in awhile...... Jamie

Afternoon Chickettes!

What a great weekend! So far...

We had a great time yesterday! James, Brit and I went out bowling togetehr. 3 hours and 5 games each... EEK! Was really good though, we had fun! I scored my high score of 190 and James got a new high score of 235 as well... OH! Brit... my goodness, she bowled her highest score EVER last night. She bowled a 133 LOL! She's only 11 and I'm so proud of her Her high score before that was 103. I had to get a print out of the score sheet so she could keep it and, I had to share it hehehe... I'm so proud of her



Oh and James and I made the papers this week for league scores hehehe, so I had to share that great news as well.



We had a really great weekend, at least so far. I just hope that it doesn't end with a bad BANG. Hehehe...I've kept on program, and I know i burned a lot of calories last night. Lets pray I can keep my calories down through out this weekend.

Now I just gotta get cracking my paper for class

I hope everyone else is having a great weekend as well!

Hugz to all
Sue...

Hey ladies...

I guess I'm an idiot, becuase I didn't read that last part of Heather's post saying to go to the new thread, 3 days ago....duuuuuuuh. I have to admit, I scan alot, when I'm not caught up, and I don't read all the signatures ever, and I thought the red typing was part of a signature.....oops :P

So, This has been such an emotional week, same problem as everbody else I guess. I have been a total wreck emotionally, and have really bordered on emotional eating this week. I haven't done too poorly, becuase I just don't have too many treats in the house, and who wants to eat celery when you're sad? right?

I have been beginning to think that my scale honestly does not give an accurate weight. I've been counting my calories and upping my activitys for about 3 weeks now, and according to this scale, I've only lost 2 lbs, which I gained back again the week before TOM and then lost at the end of TOM. I have kept my food diary online daily using fitday, and I have been 100% honest with myself about what I've put in my mouth each day. I'm really getting frustrated. BUT, my clothes are fitting better.....so this is why I'm wondering if the scale is just not accurate. If it is accurate, and the pattern I saw this month is the way my body operates, that means I will only loose weight 2 weeks out of each month, and be lucky to maintain the other two weeks....I'm SO not loving that.

I did not see a doctor before starting my attempts at weight loss, ( my serious attempts, since weaning gabe.) and I'm thinking I need to go see the Dr. and make sure everything is working just right. Maybe he/she will have a better plan for me. *shrug*

Well, I guess the good news is that I'm back down to my 165, but I was really hoping that by the end of my TOM I would see 163. I had really hoped that I wasn't seeing a loss due to water retention. ( Which I was retaining, I had hit 167 a week earlier). Now I'm really confused, frustrated, dissappointed, and all around upset. But who am I kidding, it isn't only about the darn scale, I'm just having a bad week, and the scale is just adding to it. I had set a goal for myself to be down to 155 by June 7th, and that's just not possible any longer, since I didn't lose anything for two weeks. To make that goal still, I would have to do a crash diet, and that's not safe, so I guess that's why I'm so upset, becuase I won't make my goal, even though it was a reasonable, realistic goal, that I have worked diligently to make. Despite my best efforts, I will not make it, and this really upsets me. I am like this with any goal, not just wieght. If I bother to set a goal, I totally expect to make it, and if I don't, I'm not a happy camper.

I know I'm rambling on and on and on, I'm really not feeling myself today, I'm very out of sorts, and feeling "jumbled-up" inside, and I just need to get some of it out. Today would be a good day for a journal entry I guess.

oh, I wanted to say a couple things re some of the other posts! SueMarie, yes, a Marine must have a high school diploma, or a GED, he or she must also be able to pass an aptitude test with an acceptable score. Does the school the young man attends have a Jr. ROTC program? Perhaps participating in that, or a local Young Marine's chapter would give him some motivation to get the rest of his school work done properly. And, if he wants to be anything other than a "grunt" he really ought to consider a college degree....officers have a much better quality of life in the Marine Corps than enlisted personnel.

And as for Boca Burgers, they may be the most "famous" vegetarian burger around, but I think they are the worst tasting. Somebody else suggested a different brand, I don't remember the name off the top of my head, but I recognized it as one I've liked in the past. Also, remember, if you're trying vegetarian to save on fat and calories, check those labels closely!!!! Many vegetarian options for meat substitutes are significantly higher in fat and calories than the "real-deal"...of course if you're going veggie becuase you've decided to no longer eat meat, you'll just have to find other ways of cutting calories.

Allright, I've taken enough space, time, etc. I hope everybody's having a good Saturday.

Lisa

Oh yeah! I did get one good thing done! I got my peppers and eggplants planted today! HOooray!

OOops, one other thing I forgot! Somebody mentioned they've been eating alot of licorice as a treat, since its low in f&c's , just wanted to add that if you'll need to add extra potassium to your diet if you eat alot of licorice, as it depletes the potassium in your body. Don't know why, just does. ( ever get feet cramps?)

Lisa

Hey girls, hope the weekend is going well for all. Sue, glad you had fun bowling and great job about making the paper. Lisa, since your clothes are fitting better maybe you are losing inches??? that could be the case, maybe your gaining muscle mass?? anyways, you are still doing great, maybe its just a bad week. you chickies have a great weekend, i will check in again soon, Jamie

Good Evening Ladies...

Lisa - I know the feeling, I tend to do the same thing.... stress eat, depress and eat... ugg, and with TOM here, it's been hard with the cravings. I really am having a hard time controlling things right now... but I'm doing my best and I am sure you are too... Have you seen the post in April Chicks 3 about the zig zag dieting, I may have posted some info on this one (#4) as well. Diane mentioned it, and I posted it in another forum and I got some more great info and pasted the rest in here. I know it started in #3 for sure tho. Maybe the zigzagging (calorie cycling) might help you?

I too am bouncing back and forth... specially after Mothers Day (eek). I had to start my program all over again... but its okie. At least I'm not giving up and it looks liek you aren't either. That's the most important thing! *huggerz*

About the Marine and having a diploma... yeah that's what I thought. I keep telling this kid if he wants to be in the Marines, or any branch of military for that fact, he has to be able to past school and the apptitude test, (asvab?) or something like that. He's going on to High School next year and they are going to have a MCROTC. I'm not sure if he's going to join, but who knowes, maybe he will and maybe it will straighten him up. If it's something he really wants. I am praying for the best for him. He's really smart, just has to apply his brain. He keeps telling me he was dropped on his head to many times... hehehe... and I keep telling him, now is the time to prove everyone wrong.

Eggplants and Peppers... yum! I make a killer eggplant parmesan but no one here will eat it LOL I make great roasted papers in tomato suace as well... goes great on the eggplants in a sandwich or alone... EEK okie, now I'm hungry LOL I gotta call my grandmother and see if she'll send me her recipe for her breaded asparagus. Suppose to be healthy I hear. She always calls me and asks me when I'm going to come out and visit her. She wants me to go pick eggplants and asaragus with her. Maybe I'll suprise her after I shed a few pounds... well alot of pounds... Thanks for the reply Lisa!

My day went well... I went shopping, bought me two cute summer shoes and then I bought myself a pedometer, even though McDonalds has free ones... they don't seem to have those adult happy meals available here yet and I was impatient *big grin* Anyways, I bought myself a set of work out weights, came with a set of 1 2 3 & 5lb weights. I also bought a video tape to work out with . Kathy Smith - Lifting Weight to Loose Weight. Man, I'm outta shape LOL I was hurting and I know I am gonna be hurting in the morning as well. It was a 40 minute upper and lower body work out. I got through all of it, but I had to some short breaks in there to make sure the parts of my body were still attached. Yup they all here! I also did about an hours worth of gardening. I had to prune my roses down and weed the front garden. I had a very good day today. I'm still trying to find my Richard Simmons Sweating to the Oldies video. It's somewhere around here! I'll find it sooner or later.

I hope everyone has had a good day... gonna go jump in shower and head to bed... catch you all later...

Huggers...
Sue...

hi all,
it is a sunny morning and very nice outside. supposed to be chance of storms later in afternoon. we went to the lake yesterday and hubby and son went fishing while me and daughter did all the yard work. hummmm something wrong with this picture lol. anyway it was a pretty nice day till about 3:30 then we left because of storm. fixed hamburgers, hot dogs, and smoked grillers for the family but i ate salad and carrots with ff french dressing for dip. yeah me!! well im gonna go out side and enjoy before it gets nasty later on.

Talk to you LIGHTER!!!
Peg

hiya ladies! Well, after having a very questionable weekend foodwise, I am back on the wagon again---I won't even go into yesterday!! I ate my heart (or stomach) out, but I felt really guilty, so I was really good today--i only atre about 1150 calories. I just found out that my best guy friend is getting married July 24th, so I really want to lose a good amount of weight by then so I can look decent for the wedding--thats 2 months so I want to lose about 30lbs before then... I know it's a steep goal, but I lose weight fast when I am this big, so that's good... I think I can pull it off...at least now I have an "event" to look forward to, and to think about whenever I feel like binging or going off plan...

I hope everyone is doing well, I didn't weigh myself this weekend because of my TOM and the fact that I went hog wild yesterday (pardon the pun)!
Anyway, take care and have a good night!
Tara