Counting Down From 250+

Greetings. We are a friendly group who have a lot of pounds to lose and who gain support from the members of this thread. Feel free to join in for support, weight loss ideas and friendship as we all journey toward good health and a new lifestyle.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!

Just wanted to move us to a new thread. The old one was getting too long.

Have a lovely OP Sunday. I'll check back in later.

Top o' the mornin' to you, lassies!

(That was my best attempt at an Irish broque -- I'm sure it didn't work... )

My memory's shot, so I won't try to reply to the last things in the other thread (I'd just muddle it all, I know it).

Headed off for Mass in a few; the kids are all in green, I'm in green, hubby's still in bed (though the blanket is green, so I supposed he's in green as well). I have to change outta green later so the kids can pinch me.

I dug out my Incredible Sweater Machine last night. I bought it at the Goodwill for something silly like $5 but when I got it home it was missing an essential piece. So its been sitting in a closet for over a year instead of making sweaters like I'd intended (I still enjoy knitting by hand but thought this baby might make creating basics, like cardigans and scarves for the winter, easier). So I dug around online and found I can not only order the part I need to make it work for only $6 from the manufacturer, but if I wanna upgrade to the super-de-duper knitting machine, it'll only be about $40. Now its time for me to go all insane ordering yarn, I guess!

Hope your weekends are wonderful!!

Bunny, how lucky you were to find that part for your knitting machine. Sure wish I had one of those babies. It would probably just sit in my craft room lonely and neglected like my serger though. Too many projects, too little time.
Joyce , you were asking about Meridia in your last post and combining it with other meds. Well, one thing my doctor wants to keep an eye on is my blood pressure while I'm taking this drug. Normally, I'm about 130 over 80 but on the odd occasion it has read much higher so he's concerned about that. I bet your doctor wouldn't want you combining Meridia with blood pressure meds for that very reason. I'm combining it with Metformin for my diabetes and Synthroid for my hypothyroidism. So far I haven't exploded.
J-Ann , it's not very often that I'm somebody's inspiration but if my determination to get it right this time is helping anybody else, then I'm tickled pink. It sounds like you are getting it all together too which is great. We need more positive attitudes, I think. I tend to get down on myself which leads to binge eating.
Stasia, I think you have me mixed up with J-Ann. I'm Linda and I'm the one who has taken over 8 months to lose 15 lb. I just wanted to encourage you to hang in there with your butting out. I used the nicotine patch about 7 years ago. I used the patch for 3 months and when I got to the lowest mg available, I then started cutting the patches into halves and then quarters so I could really taper off. Then I realised that I really didn't need them anymore and that was it. It definitely was NOT easy. At first I felt that I'd lost my best friend (some friend!!! ) but I haven't had a craving since. My DH still smokes and it actually makes me feel nauseous if he smokes in the car now. So, it can be done. But, whatever you do, don't let the craving for cigarettes turn into a craving to stuff your face. I hate to tell you this but my lack of self control helped me to pack on a whopping 40 pounds in six months after I quit and I'm still working on losing them...on top of the 100 lb I already needed to lose at the time.

Today's Menu (Sunday)
Breakfast
2 slices h.f. bread
1 egg
2 oz ham

Lunch
2 slices h.f. bread
1/2 cup tuna with n.f. mayo, celery & green onion
salad with lettuce, tomato & gr. onion
1 tsp olive oil & balsamic vinegar dressing

Snack
Fruit & nf yogurt

Dinner
The last of the Seafood & Veggie sauce with leftover brown rice
Asparagus
Small dinner roll with Light Becel Marg.

Snack
Oatmeal with fruit & 2% milk

Should be about a 30 point day. My range is 29-34.

LindaBC

Well, today was very quiet. Went for a walk this morning, did some housework and went to the QVC site and bought a pair of Birkenstocks. I've been looking at them since last Fall. Linda's mentioning how comfortable they are pushed me into spending the money.

Here's todays menu:
Just about 30 pts.

BREAKFAST
6AM
1 Soft boiled egg on an Eng. muffin
Tea
1 C. OJ

10:30 AM

Dunkin Donut Glazed
Black Coffee

LUNCH

Where I decided to clean up the leftovers ...

1/4 of a Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza
I threw a roasted red pepper on top for extra veggie.
iced tea

SNACK

1C. Lite Lemon Chiffon Yogurt
10 peanuts

DINNER

Everyone else had corned beef and cabbage. Not me. YEECH!

4 oz, grilled Chicken w 1/4 tsp BBQ Sauce.
A med. Baked potato w/horseradish to zip it up.
1.5 C. steamed broccoli w/1 slice of Amer. Cheese melted on it. (What can I say, the chicken had been pre-cooked and in the freezer too long and the broccoli needed help.)
Salad w/imm. bacon bits and lite dressing cut w/redwine vinegar to make it go farther.

SNACK

2 tsp brown sugar (don't ask )

A small banana for later.

I've got almost all my water down. Will probably be up tonight since I drank most of it since 4 PM.

I bought a magnifying headpiece on Ebay so hopefully I'll be able to see a piece of cross stitch I started a few years ago. I really would love to finish it but it will take me a couple of hundred more hrs. I put it away when I couldn't see the stitches with just my glasses. A friend showed me her optivisor a couple of weeks ago and it's just what I need. Soon I'll be stitching istead of grabbing those peanuts!

Back to work tomorrow. Sleet and snow in the forecast. Should make for a fun drive to the office.

Keep plugging away at those pounds ladies. We're doing GREAT!

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Hi Everyone & Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I'm so lost with no old posts to refer to. Why, oh why, has my brain turned to swiss cheese since I entered perimenopause or menopause or whatever this now is?!? I don't know if any of you are close to my age (48) or are having any symptoms of the change of life but I hope this symptom really is related to the change of life and not a sign of premature senility.

Linda: Did I call you another name or make some other faux pas? I think I know you. You are a fellow Canuck, take Meridia, have some blood sugar problems etc., right? Where did I go wrong. Are you perhaps referring to the comment about admiring your perseverance? If that's it, then here is my explanation...I think it takes more strength to keep going in the face of slow results than it does if the scale is constantly giving you positive feedback. You have persisted. That's says a lot about your commitment and strength. BTW, thanks for the encouragement about giving up smoking. I do feel like I've lost my best friend. It has been exactly a week today since I gave up the evil weed. I'm just worried about what will happen when I stop using the patch. Actually I quit for eight months of last year but restarted at a stressful time in October. (Soooo stupid!) Now I'm attempting to fix that relapse. It never ocurred to me to cut the patch in half/quarters etc. Good idea. Makes the weaning process a little easier.
Bunny: I'm so useless at anything that requires concentration and fine- motor control that I have nothing but admiration for those that can do crafts of any kind. There is a craft store in Canada that I swear pipes something into their ventilation system that makes me believe I can do crafts while I'm in there spending money like Warren Buffet. Then I come home and harsh reality steps in to remind me I have two left hands. Needless to say, there are piles of craft supplies in my house and no crafter.
Well, here is my food journal for today:
Breakfast: W.Wheat English Muffin
2 Tbsp. Lite Cream Cheese
Tomato
Lunch: Roll
2 oz of Chicken
Honey Mustard
1/2 Tbsp. of Lite Mayo
Lettuce, Tomato, Cucumber
Dinner: Chicken Noodle Soup
3 oz. of Pork Tenderloin
1/2 Large Sweet Potato wi F.Free Sour Cream
Cauliflower wi 1/2 tsp. lite becel
2 C Tossed Salad with F.Free Dressing
1 C. of Watermelon chunks
Snack: Orange, F.free peach yogurt

Should be about 30 points
Stasia

Hello everyone

I just wanted to pop in and say hello and see how everyone's weekend was going. We worked in the garden today. Getting rid of weeds and getting it ready to till and plant soon.

Linda - Thanks for the information. I don't think my doctor will prescribe the Meridia. He's really funny that way. But it would not hurt to ask. I know what you mean about meds. I am on blood pressure, a pill to slow my heartbeat, thyroid & zyrtec ( I developed hives when I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism.) I feel like a walking pill factory. It's amazing how many things interact with these meds. OH WELL....hopefully if I get the weight off I can at least stop the first two.

Bunny - Knitting. That sounds like fun. I learned when I was much much younger (like teenager) and really liked it but have not done it for years. I don't even think I could remember. I used to crochet as well. It really helped me to not eat out of boredom.. having my hands busy and mind occupied. Maybe I'll get a book and see if I can pick it back up.

J-Ann - My daughter loves to do cross stitch. She is a 911 dispatcher and when her work slows down she does cross stitch. She made a couple of really nice Christmas presents last year.

Stasia - I'm 42 so I'm not far behind you.
Good luck on quitting smoking. I know it is very hard. But you can do it.

Have a great night and I'll talk with "yall" tomorrow.

Hugs,
Joyce

HI

Just stopping in for sec. Everyone's qui....et today.

I finally got up the nerve to log on from work so I could add an Avatar to my profile. (I post from MSNTV and couldn't get the Avatar to load.) I love this kitty. Reminds me of myself and looks just like my red & white kitty would look if we helped him tot reach his goal of becoming the fattest cat in Upstate NY.

Cooking a rolled turkey breast for dinner, and lunch, and dinner, and lunch for the next few days. House smells like Thanksgiving. I love these little guys. All white meat, no waste and low in points. The perfect WW food.

Got to go. Have to hit Sam's club to get the office some M&M's then off to my aquajogging class. Will try to get there early enough to swim a few laps first.

Have a happy, OP Wednesday. I'll check in after WI.

Stasia, I knew you meant me, even though you called me Ann. Not a problem. By the way, I just turned 59 and have been through the "mental"pause. Just keep telling yourself "This too shall pass".
J-Ann I don't recall saying the Birkies were comfortable. It's taking me a while to get used to the arch support in them, and to not gonig barefoot in the house, but I'm persevering because they are definitely helping the constant ache in my feet, knees and hip joints. I hope you like them too. What kind did you get? Mine have open heels and three adjustable cross straps over the vamp. BTW, do you think that magnifier would be of any use for plucking eyebrows? I've had to give up on mine because I just can't see the little suckers anymore. Luckily, I've never had bushy brows so it's not a major problem.

Today's Menus

Breakfast
2 slices hi fiber toast
1 tsp light Becel margarine
2 tbsp Light Philly Cream cheese
1 tsp jelly
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup strawberries.

Lunch
2 slices hi fiber toast
tuna salad

Snack
1 cup oatmeal
1 small chopped apple
1/2 cup 2% milk

Dinner
3 oz Chicken Breast
1 cup h.f. pasta
Sauce made with crushed tomatoes, green peppers, onion, mushroom and zucchini
grated parmesan cheese

Snack
Lemon Yogurt Fluff topped with Light Cool Whip

Hello ladies,

The week has been a bit crazy. DH and I added another member to the household. We got a 8 month English Bulldog female pup as a companion to Bear the rott. So its been a bit frazzling getting the two dogs to adjust to each other. I don't think she sits still for a second. Bear wants to chase her around the yard relentlessly. I'm hoping that wears off or she'll never make it. He doesn't want to be mean but he wants to play so much he can't understand why she won't run faster. Food won't be the first priority but am still walking Bear each night.

Our camper rental business is starting up again and our first camper goes out tomorrow. Won't be much time to sit and eat I guess!!

I've read everyone's posts and it looks like we're doing fairly well. Just hang in there and keep up all the great efforts. I hope to be less frazzled by the weekend.

Take care!

Just the briefest moment to post -- its been non-stop here for days.

This evening I got into an I-want-ice-cream-now blue funk, so I piled the kids in the car and we ...

...went exercising!!!

I'm all proud!

(I'll try to find time to properly chat at you all tomorrow -- my apologies!!)

Good morning, ladies!

Linda -- I'm queen of the neglected crafts! LOL! I have a spinning wheel, two sewing machines, (finally sold my serger 'cause I never, ever used it), several dressers filled with fabric, beading supplies, fimo and assorted tool, and more. My favourites these days are spinning, knitting, and (when the weather is cool enough) quilting. But I've all but given up a dozen other crafts over the years (only to pick them up again, usually just after I've sold off or given away the last of my supplies ).

J-Ann -- I think Birks are comfortable. I hope you enjoy yours! They require "wearing in" ... that's what tripped up my mom. She bought a half dozen pairs (we're a big time shopping family) when I told her how wonderful mine were. Wore them one day and declared them "horrible". It was months before she understood that I meant it when I said, "You have to wear them in, mom..." and she tried again. It was uncomfortable for the first week, but since then its almost all she lives in.

Stasia -- There's a phrase I've read somewhere recently that goes like this: "I thought I'd be much older than this before I lost my memory." That's my life! I'm always telling my husband that he'll never know when I get Alzheimer's 'cause I'm already sooooo bad at remembering things. I compensate by writing myself lots of little notes; this way I have evidence of my hole-y memory (one note utterly confounded me: "Berthingale Flats 5 am Tu w/show" Never did figure out what that was supposed to mean; it now is taped above my monitor to remind me of the importance of writing notes that make sense once you've forgotten what they pertain to!)

Joyce -- I've always wanted to learn to crochet -- my mother made me so many sweaters and ponchos and throws when I was a child so I see crochet'ing as very much a "cuddle and take care of" hobby. I do find that crafting keeps me from eating (I can't eat and knit with $10 a ball yarn, after all!!) and its productive too.

Terri -- Another dog, eh? Wow! When we added another cat to our mix, it was at about the point where I was ready to throw in the towel and admit it had been a mistake (and find a home for cat number 2) that suddenly they just figure out the dominance thing and began behaving like cats, not cats-trying-to-kill-each-other. I didn't realize (or remember -- it would just be the memory thing) that y'all had a camper rental business! We've always wanted to rent a camper and travel (actually, I'd like to buy a camper and just live in it and never stay anywhere long and always be on the road and... sigh ... dreams!).

Its been a good morning so far -- cool air, good Cheer-ios!

Hope your day is great!!

Hi everyone,
I haven't had a chance to post in a little while. I usually take a break in the morning or afternoon and get up to date, but it's been too hectic to do that.
I'm doing well OP and if that "Spawn of Satan" scale isn't lying - as it is prone to do - I'm down the two pounds that I gained since quitting smoking. I have been very careful with eating since I quit, hoping not to replace nicotine with food. I've kept myself so busy that some days I'm just making my minimum points (not like me at all!) yet for some blasted reason, I gained these 2 lbs. Well, they're gone now and may they be gone forever!
One reason that I would like to lose this weight so badly is that I have devoted so much time, energy and emotion to this battle over the last twenty years. Had that energy been better directed, I could have repainted the Sistine Chapel or revised the Oxford Dictionary. I want this battle done and to have food assume its proper place in my life - a source of fuel. For the very first time in all these years, I feel that this is possible - even probable. My new mantra is NO EXCUSES! O.k. I forgot my lunch, or everyone's having it, or it's my b-day, or tomorrow the world ends (alright, maybe not that one) but there are no excuses anymore. My road to **** has been paved with good intentions for too long and I intend to repave it in deeds. (why do I want a road to ****?)
You know, sometimes I get so carried away with this posting, I forget other people have to endure my ramblings. I feel that this is almost like a journal.
Linda a.k.a. Anne: Sorry about that. The brain is on hiatus.
Bunny: Nice to know my mind is in good company. I laughed at your indecipherable message because I have done that too many times. I jot down some reminder and it's like Egyptian Hieroglyphics (Spell Checker!) and the next day I have no idea what it means.
Terri: Those dogs sound a lot like kids. I don't have any pets. My oldest daughter who has returned to school lives with us and she is alergic to everything so we've never been able to have furry pets. We have had some fish, but it's hard to cosy up to a tank full of goldfish. Once the daughter goes, I'm getting a dog. They are loyal and never become teenagers.

Talk to you all soon,
Stasia

Hi everyone

Just popping in to say hello. We've been up and at it since 7:00 this morning. We had a bad storm go through last night with 70-80 mile winds and pea to marble size hail. I thought the hail was going to break my windows it was so bad. DH checked the roof and the shingles were okay but it twisted and took off one of the turbans. So we were off to Home Depot to get replacements. It knocked down one of our trees in the front yard too. It was bad. Our phones were out until this morning.

Sounds like everyone is doing great. I got on the scale today and show that I lost 1# this week. So far so good this week with being OP. I think DH has really been a big help to me.

Got to go. . I read everyone's posts but don't have time right now to reply to everyone. Have a great evening.

Hugs,
Joyce

Winter sure is having the last laugh around here. We've had four inches of new snow over the past couple of days and today the wind is blowing it all around. It's very unusual for us to have snow at all here, especially when we have daffodils and crocuses blooming. I'm not impressed.
Bunny, I cannot let you claim the title of Queen of Neglected Crafts. That is MY title. We should have a little contest here to see who has the oldest piece of unfinished work lurking around the house. Now, let me see, in an old cedar chest I have stashed away a tablecloth that I began embroidering the year before I got married so that makes it 1962/63 vintage. Can you beat that? I also have a crewel work picture that I began work on around 1980 but when we moved it got put into storage for ten years. When it was finally rediscovered the colors no longer went with my decor and I've been meaning to change them and have even bought the yarn but there it sits in the closet. I have a sweater with a Fair Isle pattern on the yoke and upper sleeves that I began in the mid 80s but I'd never knitted with more than two colors before so the first piece I knit is so tightly done you can hardly tell there's supposed to be a pattern there. Besides it's now about 4 sizes too small for me. WAAAAH! That's just a small sampling of my unfinished projects. In recent years, I've learned how to make vintage Santas and have boxes full of fabric remnants and ratty old fur pieces bought at thrift stores but never got past making 6 of them for Christmas gifts the first year. I have taken up toll painting and have a collection of wooden pieces that I bought on sale taking up closet space waiting to be painted. There are dresser drawers full of fabric scraps from various sewing projects (actually, sewing is one thing I always go back to), a huge bag of yarn to knit or crochet an afghan with but I no longer like the colour, containers under the bed with various other craft materials stashed away, never to see the light of day again. I think it's time I threw it all out.

Anyhow, now I've blabbered on so long I dont have time to say much else. Oh, I just wanted to tell you that today I will have an actual meeting with a woman I've met on a WW on-line support group. She lives in my area and has been to the States and brought me back a package of No Pudge Brownie Mix. Everyone was raving about these brownies so she decided she had to give them a try. Closest place to buy them was Washington State. She's stopping by my house tonight on her way to her WW meeting so I'm looking forward to meeting her.

Still staying OP but not getting much exercise. I really must do something about that.
LindaBC