Epixi: Quinoa isn't a favorite thing of mine, but I do like it better when I use either a veggie, beef or chicken broth. When I buy it, I buy the plain and then add garlic and other herbs to MY taste.

Annette: You are one busy lady! I couldn't keep up with you if I wanted to!

Debbie: I feel you on your breakdown of appliances and dealing with testing for learning disabilities of your child. Been there myself in the past.

Jennifer: If you lost only a few eggs and bunnies, you are indeed one to be applauded! I wouldn't even try it! I know I couldn't do it! Chocolate is a weakness of mine.

Lisa: Medicare and insurance can really be confusing at times. Just glad that it looks positive for you getting the treatment you seek!

Allergies still rampant--this morning my eyes were almost swollen shut. My eyelids are red and very itchy. I've bathed them in cool water several times today but they're still giving me fits. Allergy cream really stings! I had my eyebrows waxed yesterday but they aren't even sore. I told my hubby my eyelids must have thought I waxed them instead of my eyebrows! Vicki

Ahhh -- everyone is sleeping. While the house is quiet, I am going to do a little catch up!

I don't have a color code system.....I had a few minutes today to get my information typed in. I had a little helper who thought I should use Christmas colors- - so that is what I did. I haven't gone back in to change it yet.

I have read the gummy reviews on Amazon. They are pretty funny. Last summer, we were in St. Louis and there were Haribo reps handing out sample packages. There were only 3 or 4 in a package but it still caused a lot of conversation and laughter from those who had read the Amazon reviews.

Annette your camp sounds really neat. I have never heard of anything like that. Good luck!!

Hope I am glad you feel the interview went well. I hope that the right job comes along for you.

Debbie-- hang in there!! It all seems to happen at once!

Thank you all for letting me join in on this motivation thread. It has only been a few days but it does motivate me.

Life is handing my family some tough, cruel blows that I don't know how we will survive. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go out and buy food.


:(

Update: I know that getting a shake wasn't going to help my situation, but it was the comfort I needed. But now I feel guilty that I did it, and the anxiety & depression is still there. It's the same thing every time, and you'd think I'd learn by now.

I'm stressed beyond belief.

Lisa, I wish I could do more than just say, "Hang in there, it'll get better". Coping with depression and anxiety is tough enough without adding in outside stressors.

Vicki: Thanks for the suggesting of using broth for quinoa. Hadn't thought of that. Sorry to hear about the seasonal allergies. I have them, too, although for the last several years, they haven't been too bad. I don't know why, but I'm not complaining. I heard pressing wet teabags on the eyes helps. I never tried it because, at the time I suffered with allergies, I wasn't a tea drinker. Now that I've become a tea drinker, I don't have the allergies. Go figure.

Jennifer: I'm so glad you decided to join us here on the thread -- the more, the merrier! And now I understand about the color scheme. Christmas colors -- cute! Gotta love those little helpers :).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Strategy for the Week (March 30 - April 5):

• 7-day Rolling Average calories = 1200-1300: 1328, 1328, 1313
• 7-day Rolling Average water/tea, minimum 2500mL (10+ 8oz glasses): 3899, 3899, 3966
• 7-day Rolling Average sodium = 1000-1500: 1340, 1335, 1404 <--- getting too close to upper limit for my comfort, rein it in now
• Extra Credit -- 7-day Rolling Average Sat-Fat = under 15g: 15, 15, 15 <---feels like I'll never get this one under control
• Extra Credit -- 7-day Rolling Average Fiber = 15g or greater: 23, 22, 18
• Extra Credit -- 7-day Rolling Average Net Carbs = under 130: 134, 138, 139 <---fiber and net carbs, the double whammy team of diet destruction :mad:
• Extra Credit -- 7-day Rolling Average Protein = 50-75g: 67, 66, 62
• Explore! Try something new or do some nutrition-related research at least 2 times:
  • Monday: Did some research on batwings, since it looks like I'll probably have them for the rest of my life. *sigh*
  • Monday: Tried a new brand of (low sodium) jerky.
  • Wednesday: Bought and tried matcha (yum!) and quinoa (meh)
  • Wednesday: Read an article on orthorexia
  • Wednesday: Researched Japanese Tea Ceremony
  • Wednesday: Tried to find out why a butter pat is called a "pat" (no luck; I found a few theories, but I still don't know for sure)

Boosting fiber seems so at odds with keeping carbs low. Especially when I have to marry it all with things I actually *want* to eat (I'm so picky!). Take something as simple as an apple (oooo soooo healthy! :rolleyes:). It only offers 4g fiber and is bundled with 25g (!!!) carbs. Bah. This is so complicated. And let's not even talk about my other least fave nutrient, sat-fat.

Oh well, whatcha gonna do, right?

After waking with more swelling around my eyes down onto my cheeks, I decided to go see my MD--I now have 'pink eye'! I've lived for 56 years and this is the first time I've ever had this. Mine is caused by allergies, so it isn't contagious--which is good, since company's coming for the Easter holiday!

My MD was pleased with my weight loss of 83 pounds since my last visit. I also found out that my MD's scales weigh me 1# less than my home scales do.

Summer is here in LA--87 degrees! So glad for the light breeze and low humidity! Vicki

I'm soooooo far off track again that I can't even see the rails!! So glad the new challenge is starting Monday because I need a do over. I completely failed at my own Easter Challenge. Planning to turn things around....yet again...sigh

http://www.searchquotes.com/sof/imag..._lesson_02.jpg

Vicki: Gah, pink eye! I got it once as an adult, too (mid-40s, if I recall correctly). How did we skate though our childhoods without getting it? And if it's so miserable for us, just imagine how bad it is for the kiddos. On the positive side, 83 pounds?!? I had no idea -- that's awesome!

Debbie: Don't sweat it! You've been doing really well. Suddenly, you have a lot going on and I'm sure your priorities have shifted, at least temporarily. Totally understandable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Strategy for the Week (March 30 - April 5):

• 7-day Rolling Average calories = 1200-1300: 1328, 1328, 1313, 1284 <--- whew, back to blue.
• 7-day Rolling Average water/tea, minimum 2500mL (10+ 8oz glasses): 3899, 3899, 3966, 3966
• 7-day Rolling Average sodium = 1000-1500: 1340, 1335, 1404, 1470 <--- getting wayyyy too close to upper limit for my comfort -- rein it in now
• Extra Credit -- 7-day Rolling Average Sat-Fat = under 15g: 15, 15, 15, 14 <--- BOOYAH!!! First time ever under 15! (Hehe probably won't last :))
• Extra Credit -- 7-day Rolling Average Fiber = 15g or greater: 23, 22, 18, 15 <--- eek, just *barely* hanging on...
• Extra Credit -- 7-day Rolling Average Net Carbs = under 130: 134, 138, 139, 136
• Extra Credit -- 7-day Rolling Average Protein = 50-75g: 67, 66, 62, 60
• Explore! Try something new or do some nutrition-related research at least 2 times:
  • Monday: Did some research on batwings, since it looks like I'll probably have them for the rest of my life. *sigh*
  • Monday: Tried a new brand of (low sodium) jerky.
  • Wednesday: Bought and tried matcha (yum!) and quinoa (meh)
  • Wednesday: Read an article on orthorexia
  • Wednesday: Researched Japanese Tea Ceremony
  • Wednesday: Tried to find out why a butter pat is called a "pat" (no luck; I found a few theories, but I still don't know for sure)
  • Thursday: Read a scary article about a man who developed kidney stones. It is suspected the stones developed because he drank too much TEA. Great :rolleyes:. Now that I've adopted the tea lifestyle (it's so healthy!!!), someone finds a gotcha about it. As Roseanne Roseannadanna would say, "It's always somethin'".

Pretty uneventful nutrition day. Can't complain.

Message to Self:
Today will be better. Better outlook, better eating. Life knocks that "hit like a bitch" (thank you Debbie) will not keep me down. I am a survivor. I am a fighter.


A good thing I did today was schedule an initial consult with a Lap Band doctor for next Wednesday. I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say.


Food hasn't been great. My weight is creeping upward. I think a lot of it is sodium and water weight, but a lot of it too is coming from soda. I haven't been tracking my calories or weighing and measuring my food. Need to get back into some good habits.

Have a happy day.

Rough week here. So glad March is gone and so far April has brought better weather. Made some poor decisions this week - was a Birthday for one of the girls at work and they got a cake ( one of my favorites) and it was in the office all week. I managed to maintain only by not eating dinner as I had used up all my calories for two days. Not the best choices.

Hope- those jobs sound so interesting. I think it would be fun to be a tour guide but it would be a lot of walking and talking.

Lisa- that is super great news about the insurance. Hang in there. Hopefully talking to someone will help. Stress is one of my triggers also to crave comfort foods.

Epixi - so glad you tried quinoa. You always find such interesting things to research. I also like tea cold with lemon. Would Match be good cold?

Jennifer- glad you had some fun while filling all those eggs. I'm not a chocolate fan- but love the jelly beans. If I was surrounded by them, I'm sure more than a few would have escaped- lol

Annette- my you have some work planned- you would not need to walk after doing all those chores. I love to be outside and doing things in the yard.

Vicki - so sorry to hear about the pink eye. I have had eye allergies and they are no fun. Hope you get some relief.

Debbie- so sorry you had such an trying week. When it rains it pours. I hope your daughter is feeling better. Great quote - get right back up!

Going up to our club tonight and then planning on spending some time outside if weather cooperates this weekend.