01gt4.6

It looks like a lot of success is going on! Just a quick update, my food and water has been eh today. I did work on the house, so that's one thing I can knock of my goal list!

rosabella2012

Bea: I'm a night owl married to a morning person! I worked nights as a nurse for way too long to wanna get up in the morning. Kudos to you on getting exercise in early!

Mern: I used a low-carb pita pocket last week to make a personal pizza for a lunch with leftover low-salt ham, marinara, chopped veggies and cheese. Toasted it in the oven for the cheese to melt and it turned out really great. Glad you've got a restaurant nearby to go to if there's nothing you can eat at the birthday party.

Lisa: You did great on the off-plan calories!

Annette: You so rock on doing your walking!

For all of us: Glad to be here--glad to see all the challenges met and encouragement given! Vicki

simplybea

I don't work until this afternoon, but was still up at dawn's ass crack.

Around here stores don't open until noon on Sundays and I work at 2. I need to make a hasty run to the grocery store. Old Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, has nothing on my cupboards and fridge (But I do have coffee)!!

Mern

The sight and smell of pizza at the birthday party was more than I had the fortitude to fight. I caved and ate a slice of pepperoni pizza, a small bread stick, a small piece of cake about 2 1/2" square, and a 3 oz. cup of ice cream that was not heavily packed--kind of airy. There was nothing else served--no veggie tray or salad. I did think about our group here when I reached for the slice of pizza. Without your encouragement, I'd have decided to indulge to my stomach's content. I bypassed a beverage because they had only full sugar soda/pop/soft drinks, figuring doing so was a symbol of the self-control I possessed to not go back for seconds of anything. I came away from the party still very hungry, but since my husband had eaten as much as he wanted, I told him we didn't need to stop at that healthful eating options restaurant on the way home. At home I had a low sodium ham sandwich with low fat Swiss cheese on half a low carb pita smeared with just a little mayo and some almond milk.

In order to keep myself from beating myself up after a cheat (like I used to) I keep in mind the words of my family physician: "You don't have to be perfect--just better than you used to be." And with her help and supervision I lowered my blood sugar and cholesterol to normal and maintain them at normal now through diet, fish oil capsules and red yeast rice supplement that one should take only with doctor approval. But she also added last year, "Despite your obesity, you can be proud that you are otherwise remarkably healthy, requiring no medication except your eye drops."

Roxy, we start a new motivational thread each Monday morning. Look for the dates in the title. Also, our moderator Mike, makes each new week's thread a "sticky," listing it in bold type toward the top of the Motivation and Support forum.

Debbie, kudos for finding the time in your busy Saturday to post. It's wonderful that your kids are physically active, too. What did you build with the Kinex set? Your graphics are awesome--they perked up our thread.

Lisa, I'm so happy you experienced that whoosh of water weight loss. Sure is good validation for all your efforts. Your oatmeal packets are a great idea. My "cereal" is un-rehydrated TVP (soy textured veggie protein) or flaxmeal to which I can add strawberries and almond milk. It's tasty. Mmm, your chicken dish sounds yummy. My thought is that half and half may work better--thinking maybe half 1% milk may make the sauce a little too thin in comparision with full cream.

Bea, you poor dear! Quite a long work day with no break! As long as you enjoy working seven days a week for your ME cause, that's OK--as long as it's not too physically taxing for you. My 20 year old granddaughter worked 7 days a week at two different jobs to save up for a good downpayment on a brand new car. She could quit the second job now since she can afford the car payments with her manager salary, but she chooses not to because she loves her second job as a sales associate. Also, since her full time job is as executive manager of a Burger King restaurant, she is able to set her own shifts. So she works the 5AM-2PM shift there so she can work 3-8PM on her second job two days a week. Getting off at 2PM gives her more time with her 16 month old daughter. You are wise to have kept peeling those potatoes. I hope you have time to get all you need at the grocery store. When I was a kid most stores were closed on Sundays, then they started opening at noon, and now we have grocery stores that are open 24/7, closing early only on Christmas day.

Mike, that's great you got to work on the house. Better luck today on the food and water.

Vicki, thanks so much for your post to me! I have everything I need on hand right now to make a yummy low carb, low cholesterol, low sodium pizza. A lot of people don't know that healthful pizza is just as delicious as a high calorie, high fat version. I'll make myself one for lunch today--thanks for the suggestion!

rainbow24

So, I walked yesterday morning, even though I didn't feel like it. I drank my water, which is good because I would have been dehydrated without it. I am glad I made that veggie soup because without it, I would be having trouble with the vegetable servings.

I didn't walk this morning after last night's party.

There was alcohol, but I don't drink. There was a table filled with every imaginable delight. The chocolate and strawberry covered cheesecake and the cappuccino coffee cake were tempting, but I reminded myself that I was already on antihistamines just to be at the party. I had good conversation and water.

I was still out late.

I held my own on the scale this morning.

LHall1965

Hi everyone! Thanks for letting me join your Easter Challenge to help me with a specific goal. I have been trying to lose weight and now it is effecting my health (knee issues) and since I am now 50 really need to get serious and make some lifestyle changes. Today I am making a huge pot of veggie soup - every low cal veggie that I can find goes in from Kale and Okra and more. It have that for one meal a day and it helps keep me full and lots of good healthy vitamins.

Next step will be to add in some light exercise this week.

Everyone have a great Sunday!

libby135

Welcome Lynda. I have been here for a while now and I can tell you that you will never find a more dedicated group as this. Friday will be our next weigh in and I hope we all do well again.

Mern

Annette, kudos on your walk, water intake, and veggie soup. I make homemade veggie soup a lot with whatever I have on hand--just dump and taste, no recipe. OMG! MAJOR KUDOS on your restraint at the party! Good conversation and water is AWESOME. What a role model you are! I'm hoping by Monday my scale will show I either maintained or lost a tenth of a pound over the weekend. Who's that little cutie in your picture? Your grandson? How old is he and what is his name. The thumbnail below is of my 16 month old great-granddaughter Camden aka "Cami" Christmas day riding (with my daughter's help) her 10 year old uncle's scooter he got as a gift--all through the main floor of my house. I am fortunate she lives only 4 1/2 miles from me and I am fit enough to babysit her-- usually twice a week.

Lynda, hi! I'm so glad you decided to post with us here as well as in the Easter challenge. I commend you for making lifestyle changes now. Wish I'd started that a good 18 years ago. I was just telling Annette about my making veggie soup, too--with whatever I have on hand. My healthful way of eating is low carb, low cholesterol, low sat fat. I am a greens lover--have spinach, collard greens and mustard greens in my freezer right now. I also love kale. I love veggies in general--just avoid the starchy ones. Best wishes on your exercise. Look for us to start a new motivational thread tomorrow dated January 12-18. Our moderator puts it at the top of the Motivation and Support forum in bold type as soon as he can.

Libby, hi. I'm motivated to show a loss on the scale Friday despite my controlled cheat at the birthday party yesterday. Being part of this group motivated me to control my cheat last night and get right back on track as soon as I got back home.

rainbow24

Hi Mern,

Before you think I'm some kind of "wonder woman" understand that I have severe food allergies. I probably could have eaten the meatballs, lasagna, potatoes, and salads loaded with oils and creams, but everyone's kitchen is a danger to me. I took antihistamines just to stay at the party.

I have three grandchildren. I looked after them one evening early in December and it was all I could do to keep up while cooking dinner for their variety of allergies.
The little one, Corran, is 7 1/2 months old. He is still in the food trial stage of eating.
Evelyn is 2 1/2. She is allergic to beef, mango, and eggs.
Elizabeth is 18. She is gluten, egg, dairy, soy, mango, strawberry, banana, peanut, tomato, and shrimp free, with a bunch more foods that she has to be careful with.
Despite my heart, I can handle them.

Mern

My crockpot pork shoulder roast came out perfect--moist and tender. One of the best I ever made. I'll add some of it to the pot of homemade veggie soup tomorrow and some will go to fajitas if I remember to get some low fat sour cream. I've got low carb tortillas, and DH bought himself an avocado of which he ate only half.

Annette, I did indeed think you were a superwoman with your restraint at the party. I hope the antihistamine is helping. Next time just take the kudos, smile, and keep mum. LOL I'm sure it's difficult trying to cook while watching Corran and Evelyn--been there, done that myself. It's great that you have recovered to strong enough health to babysit them. I'm so sorry to learn of all the food allergies of you and your grandkids! I can imagine that's hard for Elizabeth to deal with at age 18. I've never heard of anyone being allergic to beef. But I know one can be allergic to anything.

I'll have my great-granddaughter Camden to babysit three days next week, so it'll be harder to keep up with our group's posts. I miss her when she's not here--she's such a fun little girl and very docile.