Sending you good writing vibes, Chunkahlunkah! Sometimes it takes the pressure of the deadline to get them cranked out, and i'm sure some part of your brain is working on it.
Oh I feel your longing for the Russ & Daughters smoked salmon.....and that's actually a healthy item, tho not budget-healthy. There are things in NYC that just cannot be matched anywhere else. It used to be the NYT, Nathan's hot dogs, etc etc. Now many of those things are available locally, but I know there are as many that aren't. My sibs, for decades, have discussed why NY pizza tastes so much better than what we have in CA. And NYC Chinese food is really good too, though it's also good here, just different. My parents were NY expats back to the 1950s. We would eat at one of 2 Jewish-style eateries in San Francisco, and they were invariably disappointed as were the relatives and expat friends.
Btw, do you like avocados? If so, I'm curious which type they have in Texas, and if they are cheaper there. I always preferred Haas to Fuerte. We pretty much have only Haas in my area.
What you said about the scale makes really good sense--thank-you for that. I need to make WW fit what works for me. I signed up for both online & meetings for 3 months. The meetings can be burdensome to fit into my limited free time. I love their online system now, and it provides the flexibility I need. As you said, as long as one's head is in the game.....there is no mistaking when one is on plan, how the clothes are fitting.
B coffee, lightener, egg scramble with cauliflower and MCT oil.
S Anjou pear
L Turkey roll ups with lettuce & mustard
S Fuji apple
D Turkey chili, salad of white sweet potato, egg, arugula, Dijon mustard
S protein hot choc
I hope the GERD pain is dissipating, Sundove. Has it been a problem for a while?
Your good vibes worked--paper # 1 down! Now I have to get started on the next one due this Friday. That's a more substantial one, so I may be MIA this week.
I feel your family's pain regarding quintessential NYC eats. Some items really are impossible to replicate elsewhere. I bet San Francisco has some amazing local cuisine!
I think I've only had Haas avocados. I love avocados! I even went through a phase in the mid 2000's when I ate one every day for a year. I actually haven't bought any since moving here last month. The prices haven't been great, but maybe a sale will come along. I do have some wholly guacamole snack cups on hand. They're decent but not on the same level as fresh guac.
Yeah, I'd probably find the WW meetings a pain to fit in. I'm glad the online portion is designed so well!
Go forth and write! I hope it’s stimulating. I get the sense you enjoy it, even with the deadlines.
Please do what you need to do, including using this site as it's most effective for you, incl just posting you day, just reading, or not even that. It's 100% ok to use the site to be accountable without replying. 100%. If coming on the site doesn't fit now, I'll miss your comments but totally get it. School is so demanding--there really is no boundary for free time, what with the constant deadlines, and demanding projects. Please know you have a tons of support here--whenever you post, and when you don't post.
PS Thanks for asking. Gerd pain so far so good. But I've just fastened myself for work I think it's been a few months--a dry cough. I know it's from the tight bra and probably also the wt gain. It's an effective reminder to keep my portions small, and no evening snacking.
Hey Snowdove and Chunkahlunkah !! So glad to read some of what you both wrote !!!!!!
What makes me laugh is that I was led to fellow Jews talking about food very close to Yom Kippur. Its kismet. I am a non practicing Jew. But was raised with all the great food etc. Born and raised Jewish. Grandmother's kreplach and potato kugel, an enduring memory Russ and Daughters Smoked salmon, I can only dream, lol. Deli and Chinese food every Sunday growing up. Yes indeed. Living in Vermont I do not have a lot to tempt me in those departments. Lovely trees. But Chinese and Deli, not so much. I too noticed that 3FC does not seem to like the word Ashke****. Perhaps its a swear word in a different language lol
Chunkalunkah Its GREAT to see you !! you are in school? I do not remember if you were in school when I last saw you. I think you were planning to go back? Maybe I have that wrong. I remember you were very good at something I think is difficult, What are you majoring in? I too went through a long period of time, maybe a year eating hass avocados every day. Because of the binge eating I got up to 2 per day. I would mash it up with celtic salt, onion and a bit of lemon juice. Then eat it on cucumber slices. DIVINE. You are in NYC now? If so, that must take culinary willpower. I would want to eat the city.
SnowDove Thanks for giving me the link. I hope I do not disrupt the flow of you both so awesoemly chatting back and forth. It was so nice to read. IDK if I would have started my thread if I knew you had this one.
I dont really eat all clean foods. I cannot afford to do it. But I do not eat junk. Fruit veggies and sadly still eating chicken. But I cut way back on it. I eat less than half per day what I was eating. I will never go back to eating more of it. I get my protein at lunch from low fat feta. Prob with that is I cant afford org. But its GMO free.
Chunkahlunkah mentioned that you had GERD? Glad you are doing better with that. I have it also. I hope things are going well for you.
So I am trying to lose 5 lbs before voting day, lol. I need to ever so slightly binge eat on that evening. I did the same thing 2 years ago. planned ahead to lose weight so I could. I have started planning the menu. Gluten free pizza for one from the heath food store is at the top of the menu. As it was 2 years ago. At least I am consistent
Today I ate more than ideal. But the anxiety was through the roof. So I had a bag of sorghum vegan cheddar puffs. TBH Sorghum is not comfort food But it is lower in calories, crunches and has salt. Need I say more?
I hope you both have a great Tuesday. Chunkahlunkah I hope your studying goes well.
<3 Pat
Tuesday Pat!
So good to see your smiling face here! I'm with you in spirit on any thread on which you post! I too have cut back somewhat on chicken, and eventually plan to eliminate it. That Feta sounds really good. You find the best low carb snacks--I hadn't heard of Sorghum puffs! I love reading about your garden, and cards. It sounds so beautiful where you live. I would trade food for trees!
I'm laughing to read about the Chinese food. We only do that on Christmas nowadays I'm not exactly practicing either, though I did take my mom to Rosh Hashanah Services. I would have enjoyed Kol Nidre tonight but it wasn't feasible.
I hear ya re needing to plan some comfort food for voting day. I'm counting down the days and will be a basket case that day. Fortunately I'll be at work. I binge listen to news shows now. I think it's interfering with my sleep. Or maybe it's just the nature of the news, 'nuff said.
Chunkahlunkah, Hope the paper-writing process is humming along. I found paper writing to be such an arduous process. Usually I required the adrenalin of the deadline, as in 'due tomorrow' to get me over my anxiety and perfection issues and get it done.
Tues
On a 2 day roll of sticking to my plan. Being busy helped a lot yesterday. I wasn't very hungry. OnceI start eating, I want more. But once I stop, it's easier to stay away from food.
Today will be the same yesterday, with Brussel's sprouts added.
B eggs, avocado, coffee with half/half & protein shake
L salad w chicken, pear (a perfect, crisp Anjou pear--yum!)
S cauliflower & egg
D
I'm not seeing much about water on the WW website. I'll try to get in1.5 L today. I weighed in and lost 0.4. since last weigh in 10 days ago. I'm in it for the long haul & very happy with fractions these days, as long as they have the minus sign
flower - It's so good to see you here! I think when we last spoke, I may have been finishing up my master's. I then had a year off after that ended. Last month, I started the PhD program I'm in now for English. No, I'm not in NYC, which is for the best bc it's my favorite place to explore. I'd be far too distracted! LOL at VT's trade off--trees rather than deli and Chinese. I know what you mean! I grew up in NYC and on Long Island, but before moving to TX last month for school, I was living in upstate NY. Different food scene from NYC! Great with its own specialties, but different strengths from NYC. Good luck with your 5 pounds! If I don't post much in the near future, please know I'm not running from you! I have a really busy week this week.
Sundove - Thank you for understanding!
I need to get started now on my assignment for what I consider my hardest class. We're learning to write code, which I'm brand new at. I'm way behind the curve with anything to do with tech and computers, so this class is frequently very frustrating for me. I'm hoping that once I make it through the steep learning curve, I'll feel less lost and even start to like it! This specific course wasn't a requirement, but it was one that I could use to meet a certain block of requirements in my program. Tbh, I regret selecting it. I think I might be a masochist to pick something I'm weak in! I can be so idealistic and view education as an opportunity to continuously learn and grow, but it would've been a much less stressful semester if I'd only selected classes that play to strengths I already have in place. Ah well, that choice is done and now I just need to keep plugging along!
ETA That assignment took a couple hours less than I'd budgeted for it, so I got to fit in a workout and then have a relaxed lunch. Now I can get a head start on tomorrow's reading before I leave for class this evening.
MON
B: Bran flakes with walnuts and milk.
L: My version of an English fry up: 1 fried egg, 1 sauteed tomato, 1 chicken sausage, Heinz beans, buttered toast. Tea with milk.
D: Zone bar.
S: Cookie and tea with milk.
Calories = high 1300's
Exercise = none
TUES
B: same as yesterday
L: same as yesterday
D: snack food during class
Calories = about 1080
Exercise = dvd
Last edited by Chunkahlunkah; 09-18-2018 at 10:43 PM.
Chunkahlunkah, So glad you got some extra time And for choosing a class that is out of your comfort zone
I stayed home today. I wasn't in pain from GERD but worried about doing permanent damage by wearing the too-tight bra. The ones I ordered will arrive tomorrow, but meanwhile I played it safe and bought one at a brick n mortar Macy's. I checked online and read that GERD can be controlled by, among other things, weight loss loose fitting clothes (check!), small meals, avoiding acidic, spicy, or alcoholic things yes, yes, & yes.
I'm glad you stayed home and are getting the bras that will help. I hope you start to notice the difference soon, both in general comfort and decreased GERD symptoms.
Good morning, afternoon.... SunDove I too binge watch the news I am guessing we may watch the same shows?? I try not to. But too often I do not succeed. I know its not healthy to do it. And yet I do. I can totally understand why it would interfere with your sleep. I fall asleep best while watching repeats of cupcake wars And yes, "'nuf said"
Funny how Jews eat chinese food on Christmas Are you fasting for Yom Kippur? I am neither fasting or repenting. But I did speak with my mother. You say you would trade food for trees. Do you not have enough trees where you live? Are you in the PNW? Or CA? I hope you get to go to the beach. or spend time with trees. I remember one time you went on a hike up a mountain. I was very impressed. My back yard is woods. If I knew how to post pics, I would show you. Thanks for mentioning my cards. I designed a new collection. They are the "enchanted trees collection" But some people like the old flower photo collection better. Lately I have been taking pics of interesting clouds.
Chunkahlunkah oh wow, Phd. Thats just so awesome. I am so impressed. Seriously. I live a short ferry ride from upstate NY. Plattsburgh. if I drive 2 miles west I can see the Adirondacks across the lake. Do you miss it? How are you doing with the heat in TX? Have you had good Tex Mex food? One of my favs. Although its off the charts fattening. Are you going to go back east for school break in Dec? I cannot imaging how challenging it is to learn to write code. What a useful thing to learn though. I can understand why you choose to take the class. And I can understand why you regret the decision. I bet that at the end of the semester you will be glad you did it. I am sending good thoughts for you during this intensive studying time. You ROCK !! You can do this. No worries about how often you post. School is of utmost importance.
Sooo I weighed myself on Tuesday AM. Big mistake. I was up 1.4 lb. Maybe thats the true weight and Monday was a fluke. Anyway, I had a bag of Bamba today. Bamba are the favorite snack food in Israel. The company that makes them now private labels for TJ's. They like cheese puffs. Only instead of the puffs being sprayed with cheese, they are sprayed with peanutbutter. They are more fattening than the now discontinued popchips (I grieved when they discontinued them. Then I moved on with courage and resolve). But still less calories than other snack foods. And the ingredients are few and clean. There is palm oil. But from palm tree farms. Sustainably grown.
coffee 150
bamba 480
peaches 200
salad 250
Asian chicken with vegetables 300
total for day 1380
I am SO glad I found both of you again at 3fc. I hope you both have a great Wednesday !! <3 Pat
Thanks Chunkahlunkah! The GERD is a gift right now-- it's reminding me to stay away from snacking Before, I believed that I needed those snacks but I can see that I'm fine without them.
I'm glad you got to fit in a workout. That is so good for sleep and stress management. (note to self).
Pat I live in northern CA near San Francisco. I love to watch birds and that is what made me appreciate trees. We have lost so many conifers here--millions & millions in the Sierra Nevada, and also right around me. I worry about the birds & other critters. How amazing to take pictures of clouds.
I remember seeing Bamba in TJs. I hadn't realized they discontinued Pop Chips. I have to lay off snack things like that--they just call out to me too much Did you ever try their low carb Cheese Bites? Those things are totally addictive!
No, I'm not fasting. I might next yr after retirement. I like the idea of introspection and renewal at this time of year, and the services are moving to me, esp the music.
Wed I've had 3 days of 100% on plan. I'm starting to get the feel of how to use the WW point system, ie, not hoard points or freak out from using higher point items here and there to make my food taste good.
Plan for the day
B avocado omelet, coffee with half/half, protein shake
S Anjou pear
L Turkey chili, ie ground turkey, tomato paste, red & green bell peppers, nopales, mild salsa.
D Last of the turkey chili; garnet sweet potato, braised Brussel's sprouts
S Anjou pear, coffee, lightener
I just did day 5 of my Headspace free trial and went ahead & subscribed. It's going to be something I look forward to in the coming season of dark mornings. I've wanted to practice daily for a few yrs. and had trouble getting started. It's very enjoyable.
SunDove Are you talking about the loss of Conifers due to fire? Those fires were painful for even me. And I live far away. The loss of all the trees. The loss of all beings who lived in and around the trees. You are smart to lay off of snack foods. I just do not have the willpower to do that. I have tried baked cheese bites. They are amazingly good. But the bag is so small that I just want more when I am done with them. Honestly I could not afford a larger size bag. And the calories would then be too high. The reason I buy bamba is because they are a dollar a bag. BUT I do make up for it the rest of the day. My meals are very low in calories. I plan to buy baked cheese bites when I am sprinting toward the goal. They are perfect for that. You wrote that next year you are retiring? Congrats on that. Something to look forward to. Awesome that you have had 3 days on plan with WW. WTG!! Great that you joined the meditation website. I hear ya re all that you said about it. I use a youtube solfeggio recording to meditate. But there is no guided meditation. Just the sounds. They seem to facilitate altered state for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgiDO62zqIQ I just have to be more dedicated to doing it every day. Because I do like the feeling.
Chunkalunkah great that you got a work out and relaxed lunch. Hope the studying is going well.
I just yelled at some critters in my back woods. One was attacking another one. So I kept screaming from my window. To try to stop the killing. I do not think I was successful. But I managed to give myself a sore throat.
the weight gain I saw yesterday Morning was back down this morning. Today was a rinse and repeat of yesterday. Still no sugar. So I am happy about that. Yes, again I had bamba. But that is my grain for the day Did I just actually try to justify eating them? Anyway, calories today will again be 1380. If you see that my words are missing the letter "L", its because that key is broken on my laptop. I have to fight with it to make a L. sometimes it may win out over my vigilance.
Great job with no sugar, Pat! Do you notice feeling different when you don't have sugar? If I eat sugar, I sometimes get joint aches. Bamba sounds more like kryptonite But you still managed to keep your calories low~ wtg
Chunkahlunkah You know enquiring minds want to ask you about your day, whether you got some time off for good behavior, your menu, how the assignments are going. But I am not going to ask, rather just send along good vibes. I know you'll get the papers and assignments done, so I'll wish you good sleep, a little time to fit in a workout or a walk, throw back a beer with a friend, and no stress about the end of BBQ in Texas Oops I didn't say that!
Pat Re the trees, since you asked I wanted to link a lovely Youtube clip that my friend co-created about forest fires. it might make you feel a little better, about the remote ones anyway. It was eye-opening for me, in an upbeat way.
What someone in the field explained to me is that the long drought in California caused the conifer trees to stop producing sap, that protects them from insects. A massive bark beetle infestation is what is killing the weakened trees. This, after Sudden Oak death took out a lot of Calif Live Oaks. Nature can heal herself if given a chance, and things do change. Still I miss the smell of pines in my 'hood. The trees are still here, but I don't smell them, and they no longer produce a dusting of yellow pollen in February. I hope this isn't a total downer--I like to understand what's happening. Sometimes I learn things aren't as dire as I had thought in the natural world, and I find out that smart people are doing wonderful work.
SunDove thank you for that AMAZING video. It was beautifully done, as well as enlightening. Personally I believe that Gaia knows what she's doing. Each fire, flood. Each volcano and quake. She is a higher intelligence who knows to bring forth what is needed. I still feel bad when these events happen. Just as someone will feel sorry for those who lose loved ones. Even though they know The one who is passed is usually doing well. This video gives clear information of the process of destruction so there may be reconstruction. And for that reason I want to post it in my fb page. It's a perfect depiction of not only the forest evolution of cycles of growth, but a prototype of the micro and macro of transition and transformation in all life. Okay, I hope I Didn't get too woo
You're welcome, Pat! I'm so glad you liked it. The people who wrote it are ecologists so they get the hard scientific data so that they can advocate to the powers-that-be for conservation measures. I am pretty sure they would also be right along with your words. The monkey wrench of course is us, homo sapiens.
Have a great fall day. Btw are the trees changing yet, or already? Vermont in the fall is a dream since childhood.
Thurs
B eggs, avocado, coffee: 1 cup with half/half, protein shake-cup & 1 cup with 2% milk & protein shake.
Plan
L Braised broccoli, protein bar
D Spaghetti squash and ground turkey/marinara
S garnet sweet potato, Fuji apple
I have been inactive this week and today I will increase my steps. In other news, I read that ginger is good for GERD. I drink dilute ginger tea instead of water, have done so ever since I kicked the artificial flavor enhancers. This morning I forgot to add the stevia drops and was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted--just the ginger tea. That's an epiphany! One more processed food I can live without.
Now I have to get started on the next one due this Friday. That's a more substantial one, so I may be MIA this week.
I actually haven't bought any since moving here last month. The prices haven't been great, but maybe a sale will come along. I do have some wholly guacamole snack cups on hand. They're decent but not on the same level as fresh guac.
I hope it’s stimulating. I get the sense you enjoy it, even with the deadlines.
It's 100% ok to use the site to be accountable without replying. 100%. If coming on the site doesn't fit now, I'll miss your comments but totally get it. School is so demanding--there really is no boundary for free time, what with the constant deadlines, and demanding projects. Please know you have a tons of support here--whenever you post, and when you don't post. 
lol
Pat! 
for choosing a class that is out of your comfort zone 
I am guessing we may watch the same shows?? I try not to. But too often I do not succeed. I know its not healthy to do it. And yet I do. I can totally understand why it would interfere with your sleep. I fall asleep best while watching repeats of cupcake wars 
Anyway, calories today will again be 1380. If you see that my words are missing the letter "L", its because that key is broken on my laptop. I have to fight with it to make a L. sometimes it may win out over my vigilance.
I know you'll get the papers and assignments done, so I'll wish you good sleep, a little time to fit in a workout or a walk, throw back a beer with a friend, and no stress about the end of BBQ in Texas 
Oops I didn't say that!