My rings aren't quite big enough to make resizing worthwhile, I might just get the rubber tubing to use for now. But I did almost lose a ring a week or 2 ago. I was in school and when I got back to my seat my neighbor asked me if the ring she found was mine. It has slipped off my finger and was on my seat. It was cold in the class and my fingers were smaller than usual. I was so lucky she was the one who found it.

When you know you're losing weight, buying clothes is a real challenge. You want to make sure you have clothes that fit, because hanging onto and wearing clothes that are too big is not great motivation. But at the same time you have to make sure what you buy will transition from where you are to where you will be in 25 lbs. I really try to limit myself. I've gone clothes shopping twice sicne starting my journey. The thing I've had to buy the most of however is underwear. I can deal with a shirt that is too big, and even pants if they have belt loops. But undies that are too big is not much fun at all.

That's all I've got for now. I'm not really feeling like myself today. I'm sort of out of it. I didn't make it to aerobics class this morning or my Geography class. I really need to get to Philosophy and Math, but school is not on my mind today. Wish me luck in getting through the day and taking care of my chores, my classes and myself.

I'm sorry you are having an off day. I hate those! Hopefully you get some of the things you want to done and that your day ends better than it started. How is your eating? Is it getting any better?

I didn't get enough sleep last night and feel like I am paying for it today. Only thing keeping me going is knowing that little one gets picked up in less than two hours and I don't have to go teach tonight. Of course I will have baby and class the next two days, baby Friday as well as a cake to be done Friday evening and a Demo at the store Saturday afternoon. So I'm going to enjoy tonight as much as I can because my next free one is days off.

I haven't really worn my rings in two years. But then I'm not married, so no wedding ring to deal with. I'm also not an every day ring wearer, so after I got tired of putting tape on them to keep them on my fingers when I did wear them I decided I'd just wait. I have two sets of rings, silver and gold and have a good 5-6 in each color that I trade around.

The first time I lost weight I wore the same jeans until they were all but falling off of me. I borrowed a pair of my mom's jeans until I could fit into the next size down. I don't have a big variety of (nice) pants right now. Two pairs of jeans, a pair of black slacks and now a pair of kaiki pants. Skirts I have cause I knew my mom could alter those later. I do have those comfortable elastic wear around the house pants though.

Last month I had to go buy some kaiki pants for work, since they went to uniform. I ended up having to get a pair that was too big since the next size down was too tight. I really hate the in the middle size. I'm hoping by next month I can get into the next size down and I will pass the larger ones down to my mom.

I'll wear the smaller ones until I can't any more then will have to buy another pair. Same with my jeans. I'm hoping to bypass a few sizes along the way if possible.

One thing I know from before, when you do get to where you can buy smaller clothes, box up most of the other stuff. Having all that stuff boxed up and out of my closet from the last time is one of the reasons I was really promoted to do something about it this time. My jeans were getting too tight since I was starting to steadly gain weight back and I really did not want to go get those boxes out again. If they would have been in my drawer I would have pulled out a too big pair and would not be trying to lose weight now.

Every so often you just need to clear out the shapeless stuff and buy a few things that make you feel better about yourself and that you look better in.

Eating is still being a challenge, but I'm hoping to see improvement tomorrow. I had a root canal this morning, so not sure how much I'll actually try to eat today. I have jell-o and yogurt just in case.

I got a call from my endocrinologist and it wasn't good news. My A1c is up this time. That means my sugars are doing weird things when I'm not checking them. I try to check at least once if not twice or 3 times a day, but test strips are expensive. they want to do a CGMS which is a continuous glucose monitoring. It usually stays attached for 72 hours and they can track your glucose every 2mins during that time. They also said that although my HdL and LdL and Triglycerides are all in "good" range, my overall cholesterol went up 3 points. What!!! *boggle* So she wants to talk to me about a statin (sp?) drug. I will refuse that for as long as possible.

All in all medically it's not a fantastic week.

Regarding clothes, I bagged everything. I am going to either sell the stuff I can't wear or donate it somewhere. I am not even going to keep boxes of the really big stuff around. I don't want to be tempted to try and wear them again. =)

I am teaching course 1 tonight. It's the last night for it. I'm excited but hope my face isn't numb by the time it happens. I'm redoing my Course 2 sample cake, so I'll take that in with me and hopefully use it and motivation to get the girls to sign up for Course 2.

Hope all ladies in chunky monkey land are doing well.

love,
Deb

Deb, sounds like you need a hug.

*HUGS*

Good luck with class tonight. I have Course 2 Lesson 2 tonight. I had to cancel it last week because of that stupid virus. Baby and me are in a mood again today. I'm so ready for 9pm when I am done 'working' for the day.

Before adding any new meds I'd probably talk them into giving you a little more time and then retesting.

Just out of curiosity, what is a normal (like there is ever a normal day) food day like for you guys? Mine starts with a banana and vitamins at home, then oatmeal and coffee when I get to work, A sandwich or salad or soup or a bit of all 3 for lunch, yogurt or almonds for snacks and then a fairly large meal in the evening--now it's based around a protein of some sort (not red meat though) and veggies, salad and WW pasta or brown rice. A lot of times this meal is different for me than what the rest of the family may be eating...I'm still trying to clean out the pantry of some less than nutritious stuff so it's a process.... I have just felt so blah today and I don't know if it's because I skipped my usual morning coffe or because I am just flat out exhausted--tired from not sleeping well at night...I really think I'm going to go home and take a nap before I start making cakes for this weekend's wedding cake......No energy at all--hopefully not tied to my new eating plan, although today I messed up due to a work dinner. Sorry for the rambling, but I really would like to know what everyone's eating like these days!

Deb, I forgot to add, the clothes I have boxed up are hard to get to. They are in the back of a closet with all my holiday decorations in front of them. It would be a major production to get to them. Thankfully!!

I keep meaning to have a garage sale (one of those one day things) and when I do what is left I will find somewhere to give them to help other people. I figure I'll have more clothes to get rid of on the way down.

Mencked, I'm still working on getting better about eating. For breakfast I often have cereal, oatmeal or toast with peanut butter and banana on it. I'm going to add in some low fat yogurt or low fat cottage cheese mixed with fruit.

Snacks are fruit, boiled egg, and single servings of low fat cheese. We have some sugar free pudding and some 100 cal snack things when something sweet is needed.

Lunch right now is kinda what ever is left over from the night before or what I can find to eat. My plan is to start eating healthy soup and/or salads at lunch.

Dinner is kinda our 'classics'. You know those family things you have always made. I figure if I watch what I eat during the day and cut back on how much I eat at night I can still eat some of that stuff. And when I cook I am trying to add in something cooked more healthy or an extra veggie.

My guess is that the lack of caffine and the not sleeping good is the problem. But if you are worried about your diet, you may want to check to see that you are getting enough protien through out the day.

Hope you had a nice nap, found some caffine and had a good evening.

Last night I had some stuff to do at home (treadmill is at my mom's) so I skipped out on it. Instead I did the arm exercises I have been doing, 2 different types of crunchs, and some leg stuff, squats, calf raises and step ups. My legs are really hurting today! HeHe.

I haven't gotten back into routine of walking yet. I have walked every other day since Saturday. Sigh. I'm trying not to beat myself up about it too much, but I do want to get back into doing it daily. I feel better when I do, even if it is just the challenge of doing it.

I've also decided to start a journal so that I can keep track of my progress, what is working, what isn't, and what I want to try. Not to mention the emotional rollercoaster I've been going through.

I really think this process is more emotional than physical.

Is there room for one more chunky monkey? lol

I am 25, 5'2", about 185 lbs, married with a three yr old little boy. I really want to lose weight. I've had fluctuations in my weight all of my life from 102-190lbs. However, I gained 55lbs when I was pregnant with my son and he didnt take any of it with him when he moved out! Since then I havent been able to lose the weight (3 yrs!!). I am very busty since his birth (went from 34B to 38DD) as well as hippy (went from 8s to 18s!). Despite all of this I still have an hour glass figure, its just for a few more hours. lol. I am a pasta, potato, cheesecake girl. I bake and decorate as often as I can come with an excuse to, but I rarely eat cake (i like it, but just never seem to eat it lol). Im a huge procrastinator! i never find time to work out, despise working out alone, and cant afford a gym. I completely gave up drinking soda 4 weeks ago (used to drink about 8 pepsi a day) and switched to tea (yes its sweet tea, but its got to be better than pepsi, right??)

When I try to talk to my hubby about how disgusted I am with my weight he just says "Honey, I built you the way I wanted you. If I wanted a toothpick then I would have picked one." lol sweet, but not very encouraging for weightloss. The rest of my family is overly obnoxious about telling me i need to lose weight, so much so that I get fed up and dont even try.

I want to be able to shop for clothes without a headache or feeling depressed again. I want to feel sexy and have more energy. If I could get back down to at least 125 then I think I would be happy (though if i got down lower than that i wouldnt complain!). Sorry this was so long. I am really looking forward to the support you all share so warmly. Thanks so much, I'm starting to feel better already knowing I'm not alone out there.

~Teena~

PS. How do I get one of those tickers, maybe seeing it every day will encourage me some.

Welcome! We always have room for more here.

First, I think you need to sit down with hubby and have a serious talk with him. I have a few guy friends that tell me how pretty I am now, and they say it as if I'm not going to be pretty at a smaller weight. Tell your hubby that you appreciate and love that he loves you for you and doesn't expect you to change. Follow that by telling him YOU are unhappy with your weight and YOU want to do something about it for YOU. Tell him what you told us here. And if you aren't aiming to be a toothpick, point that out to him. "Honey I'm not trying to be super skinny, I just want to be healthy. I want to feel better about myself and by doing that I can be a better wife and a better mother."

Point out that you want to try to eliminate health risks that come with being over weight so that you can be there for your son and be an active part of his life while he is growing up. And if that all doesn't work, then you repeat this to him "I want to feel sexy and have more energy" and point out how this will benifit him as well.

Just remember, it is your body, you don't need his permission to lose weight. And chances are, he will get on board when he sees that you feel better about yourself.

Second, family and friends mean well, even if they say things that come out bad. I rememeber when I lost my first 25lbs. My parents felt the need to tell me everywhere I was losing fat. "Oh your arms are getting smaller. Your back doesn't have as much fat on it." It was like what the hell did you think about me before. Since I use their treadmill I get asked if I walked if they don't see me do it. And don't get me started on eating with them. I feel sometimes I'm always on the defensive because it's always pointed out that I need to lose weight, when they too are over weight.

I think it's human nature to tell other people what they need to do. What they don't realise is that they can't tell us anything we haven't said to ourselves, many times, especially when we are standing infront of a mirror.

Where working out is concearned, you will never find time to do it. You have to make time to do it. I promise you if you say well if I have an extra 30 mins today I'll work out, you will never find that 30 mins. You have to just schedule that 30 mins in and make it important to keep that meeting with yourself. I can't afford a gym either and working out alone does seem daunting at times. Once you get into a routine though, and see the effects it has on your body and your over all being you will probably get into it more.

Do you have a friend you can go walking with? What about putting your son in a stoller and taking a trip around the block. You can make it seem less like working out by talking to him through out it.

Exercise comes in many different forms so keep trying until you find the one that fits. And until then, put on some silly music and dance around the living room with your son. In the beginning it is just about getting up and getting your body moving more than you have been. Every little bit helps and adds up.

Now for the food. Congrats on the no pepsi! Have you seen a lose since you stopped drinking them? I lost 3lbs just from eminating cokes from my diet. As far as your tea, instead of using sugar have you tried Spenda, Sweet n Low or Equal?

Depending on how much sugar you put in the tea and how much tea you drink a day that sugar may be adding up more than you realise. One cup of sugar is 774 calories. When we use to make sweet tea we always did one cup of sugar to the two quarts of tea. If you are drinking the whole 2 quarts of tea a day with the 1 cup of sugar, that is about the same amount of calories as 5.5 cokes.

You can still have your pasta, just switch to the whole wheat or multi grain ones and pay attention to how much is a serving. With potatoes and cheesecake you just have to learn to limit yourself to them. You don't have to give them up completely. For baked potatoes cut back on what you put on them. Or find healthier items to use. Low fat sour cream and cheese, light butter. For mashed potatoes, ditch the grazy. You can use garlic, chives and/or other herbs to flavor them up.

I so have a weakness for cheesecakes. I think that is one of my fave desserts. If I make it for a holiday and we have leftovers, I will end up eating what is left. This is why I don't bake them often. Maybe you can find a light recipe or a reduced sugar recipe, so you can still have it and don't feel so bad about eating it.

Cakes for me don't really play into my bad eating habits. I was heavy long before I started doing cakes, so I can not blame my weight gain on them. While I like cake, I'll often choose other desserts over it.

If you want to do them, but don't want to have them around the house, pass them on to other people. I love to bake, so I'll make chocolate chip cookies for my brothers or take my dad's office blue berry muffins. I'll keep a few, then get the rest out of the house. Because if it is there, I'll probably eat it, even if I don't really want it.

You are not alone. Many people struggle with their weight, that's why there is such a market for the quick weight loss products and diets out there.

Just remember, you did not get to the weight you are over night and you will not lose it over night. It will be work, but well worth it.

Diets don't work. You can't take weight off AND keep it off with just a diet. You have to make a life style change and change your eating habits.

You have to be doing this for you and find your motivation. We can offer lots of support and understanding, but we can't eat better and work out for you.

Good luck! Once you set your mind to it you can do anything, even lose those extra pounds we all hate!

Helloooooo Teena (said with a Mrs. Doubtfire accent!) and welcome! So glad to have you with us--what fun to have a 3-yr-old little boy--my "little boy" is now 19, 6'4" and just started college this fall so truly, even though you may wonder if you will ever have another minute to yourself some days, cherish these days--they will absolutely fly by!! And as for the weight loss info that TS just gave--Amen!! I've started to lose by changing what I eat and how I eat--in a nut shell, no white sugar, white flour, milk, pork or beef--instead I'm eating whole wheat everything, grains, veggies, fruit (but not after 4 PM), yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, turkey, fish----and believe me, I've always been a meat, potatoes and cheesecake kind of gal!!! Now everybody has their own way of losing the weight, I'm just mentioning what's working for me this time around, and lord knows, I've tried nearly everything there is. It's working though! If you go to tickerfactory.com, it will lead you through setting up one of those ticker deals--it really is kind of a great reminder to see it there in front of you everytime I'm on CC! WELCOME and go Chunky Monkeys!!!!

Hey girls I got some time tonight. They are starting to let one extra person off per night and I got picked to be off tonight. Hubby usually controls the laptop when we're off so I'm taking advantage now.

After 2 weeks agos gain (that sounds weird) I maintained this Monday. Then I've ran only one day so far and I sneaked a peek at the scale and was down from 148.4 to 146.6! Let's pray that I can keep it there. Tomorrow we're going to play volleyball so that will be fun!

I eat like crap and I'm just gonna admit it!!! It's VERY VERY VERY hard to eat well here. When I'm awake, the chow hall is not open. When it's open I'm at work and only 1 person goes to get chow for everyone. I'm VERY picky so I usually end up with 2 grilled ham and cheese on wheat and some chips, top it off with 2 scoops of cookies and cream and we're good! Most mornings (aka my night time) I got to breakfast and I eat cottage cheese and fruit, sometimes a bagel. I usually only eat once or twice a day, I know it's bad. But I try and keep apples and banana's from the chow hall in my room so that I can snack healthy. I can't WAIT to get home, besides the obvious reasons, but I can't wait to buy and prepare my own meals. I have no say in what is served here and there aren't many healthy choices. So that's what I eat, I'm amazed that I see any loss at all. Especially since the recent dust storms have left us with less choices it's been ectra hard. But I do drink LOTS of water which helps.

Deb~ I would LOVE to meet up with you! Thanks for the Thanksgiving invite but we will be going home (Kokomo, IN) for the holidays. I will be sure and let you know when we are back!

To all the other Chunky Monkey's I love you all and you are always in my thoughts and prayers. To the newbies WELCOME!!! You have found a great place for encouragement, tips and friendhsip. Keep up the good work ladies!

GO CHUNKY MONKEYS!!!

Thanks so much you all for making me feel welcome!

Today I did something I dont normally do, i ate breakfast! (cheese grits, probably not the best choice but oh well lol) Sounds silly, but I just dont like to eat in the mornings. Then usually by the time I get off work I am starving and come home and scarf down food. I noticed I had a bit more energy today and wasnt nearly as cranky as usual. Plus when i got home I didnt scarf down my food, I had a small portion and ate it like a normal human being lol (pasta with butter and parmesian cheese, again probably not the best choice). I got quite a workout at work today, i do shipments at a retail clothing store, and there were only 4 of us doing it, so i got to move all 174 boxes myself lol. I kinda splurged with dinner tho, my aunt made meatloaf with mashed potatoes and peas, just couldnt help myself. (*note to self* Will have to work harder on strengthening my willpower) Then of course my aunt asks me to make a cheesecake, which I of course did, then couldnt resist a piece... with cherries *sighs*

I have been thinking of giving up the tea all together like i have the soda and switching to water, but I have a concern. Since I gave up soda I have been having sweet cravings like crazy. i even wake up in the middle of the night with very powerful sweet cravings. (never had this before, even when i was pregnant) Anyone else have this? and if so, whats a healthier way to appease that craving without breaking into the chocolate chip cookie dough? Also, I had massive migraines when I gave up the soda, is that normal and will it happen again if i give up tea?

I usually get the white wheat bread, but i have never tried the pasta, though it is on my grocery list now I always have fruit in the house when i can win a battle with my son over it. lol. I dont have any friends anywhere near me to work out with, but I'm going to start taking my son for walks in the evenings when its cooler out. I am always dancing around the house listening to music. (hubby laughs at me cause i dance while i clean) I used to swim every day but I stopped after my aunt was always making comments like "go for a swim, you need the workout" etc, doesnt sound mean, but its definately the way its said and how often it is said.

Couple of questions.. is milk actually good or bad for you when you are trying to lose weight? same for juice.. also, does anyone have some good tasting healthy recipies I could try? (nothing complex! i really suck at cooking, i can only bake lol) and what are your alls tricks for handling stress so that you dont turn to food?

Thanks again and sorry this was so long

Not long at all--milk itself isn't all that great for you, the dairy products that are and that help in weight loss are the ones with active cultures in them (yogurt type products) I've been going to a doc who is a naturopath and as the sister of an MD doctor, I'm among the most dubious, but I'm seeing the results and although there's been a real push through advertising to sing the praises of milk, I really believe its best to get those milk servings through yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. Another thing my doc says s to stay away from the lo-fat, no-fat products or anything with sweetener (aspartame, splenda-type products)--use honey--tastes great!!! (wonder if it's less filling too ! HA! I truly don't mean to sound like a crackpot, but it's really working for me!! more later--time for work and getting my daughter to the bus....

Krystyne, look on the postive side, you know that your eating sucks. Even if you can't fix it now you can soon. When you come back to the states have a healthy eating plan in mind and put it in place. Congrats on the maintain! How many more days?

Teena, until your post is longer than mine, you have no reason to be sorry. Coming here and 'talking' about it helps. Sometimes just seeing what you are doing written out helps make you more aware and helps you figure out ways to help with the areas you are struggling on.

Now I want you to repeat after me: "I am human and I will fall off track. That is normal and okay. I will not beat myself up when I fall off the path. I will instead pick myself up and move forward.

You have had many years to get use to the way you eat now. You are not going to wake up and change that complete in one day. It takes 21 days to make something a habit. Give yourself time.

Also I am a firm believer in babysteps. Pick one thing on your list of things you want to change, and work on that. It is less overwhelming and gives you time to focus on that one thing and improve it.

The nasty headaches from quiting cokes is caffine withdrawl. You may have some if you stop drinking tea, but it shouldn't be as bad. Water is really good for you, but it is okay to have tea. I would look into reducing how much you have or how much sugar you put in it or switch to a no calorie sweetner.

Since I don't get alot of caffine any more, just from diet green tea and a glass or two of ice tea, I can only handle about one and a half cups of coffee. Any more than that and I get all shakey. You should see me on a venti Starbucks, it's scary! Good thing I don't drink coffee that much.

Eating breakfast is very important. Aim for three smaller meals and snacks inbetween. This keeps your blood sugar level (less mood swings) and keeps you from getting overly hungry and stuffing yourself.

After I made a better effort to eat more through out the day I could really tell a big difference in my moods. I had a day where I didn't eat that much and was putting off dinner. I was in such a crappy mood and when I finally ate it get much better.

Sweet tooth helps for me are sugar free puddings or the 100 calorie snack packs. It gives you something sweet but keeps it low in the calorie department. Alot of fruits are sweet too, so they can help.

From what I have read in several books (one from Dr. Oz) that milk and dairy are good for you. But you want to choose low fat or skim milk and low fat yorgurts and cheese. They can have ALOT of fat in them which is something you want to reduce.

Low-fat or fat free foods doesn't mean you can go hog wild with them, so make sure you look at the other numbers. Something can be low fat or fat free and still have alot of calories or nothing nutritional in them.

Think less fat, and more protein, fiber and/or vitamins.

With juices you want to look for real fruit ones. Watch the calories, though since they are usually pretty high. You want to limit it to one serving (usually a cup) a day. I've been getting Minute Maid's Light OJ and it only has 50 calories per serving. Avoid fruit "drinks" that don't really have any juice in them at all.

I have a healthy soup recipe I made this afternoon that I will type up tonight for ya. I have another one I am going to try this weekend. I'm looking for soup and salad recipes for lunch so I can give myself a few more calories at night when we good 'regular' food.

When it comes to emotional eating it is best to figure out what is causing it and tackling that problem if you can. If you can't, then you need to find something that can occupy your time so you don't go searching the fridge. The answer is never in there.

Mencked, I'm glad you have found what works for you. I'm not sure I could give up my beef and pork. Actually I know I can't. I crave it if I haven't had it in a while. I also have a hard time limiting food after a certain time mainly because I either eat dinner after 9 on class nights or I starve before bed and wake up in the middle of my night with my tummy growling.

Garden Harvest Soup
10 servings (about 1 cup each)
176 calories per serving

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Medium onion, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
4 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 quarts (8 cups) low-salt vegetable or chicken stock or broth
1 can (28 oz) Whole, crushed or diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups Water
1 Small head cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Optional garnishes: Chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil, then onion; cook 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Stir in carrot, garlic, and bell pepper; cook until tender. Add stock/broth, tomatoes, water and cabbage; simmer uncovered 20 mins. Season to taste with hot sauce and salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with parsley or cilantro if desired.

Total fat: 4g
Sat fat: .8g
Healthy Fats: 2.85g
Fiber: 3.6g
Carbs: 15.9g
Sugar: 4.6g
Protein: 7.1g
Sodium: 374 mg
Calcium: 73 mg
Magnesium: 35 mg
Selenium 5.6 mcg
Potassium: 631 mg

This recipes is from: You on a Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management. By Dr. Roizen and Dr. Oz.

Like most recipes I try, I change things up a little. Instead of the chopped carrot, I used about two handfuls of pre shredded carrots that I ran a knife through it to cut them into smaller pieces. I used minced garlic, from the jar, since we always have that on hand and I forgot to get fresh garlic. In place of the 28 oz can of tomatoes I used two 14.5 cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes. I also cooked it longer than 20 mins to soften up the cabbage some more. I got more than ten 1-cup servings.

After three of us ate I separated the rest into (9) 1-cup portions, putting it in zip lock bags that were labeled with what it is, how many calories, fat, protein and fiber. Those went into the freezer for future lunches.

With it I made a Citrus Spinach Salad. It was okay. I didn't care for the grapefruit, but did like the orange and the walnuts in it. The dressing also needed a little something too.

TS that soup sounds so good--I'm making it tonight! The only thing I stop eating at 4 PM is fruit, but I have found that if I can eat dinner earlier at night I sleep better and feel better--you know, that's probably part of getting older --I remember my friends telling me how much harder it is to lose weight as you get older and I just thought, yea,yea and kind of shrugged it off, but it really is!! I remember the days when I could lose 10 lbs in a week, now I'd jump for joy-- and that would be a site, I'm tellling you , if I could lose 10 lbs in a month!
One thing I really want to share with everyone is something I've been learning about for the last couple of years. Aspartame is really a horrible thing!!! I know it sounds wonderful to eat things and consume so many less calories than the food would have in it if it were made with sugar, but those aspartame-laden foods do horrible things to your food consumption. I've read several studies that show that the aspartame you take in makes you convert the food you do eat more efficiently. In other words, the aspartame has a metabolic effect that makes you convert the food you take in into additional weight. It doesn't necessarily make you put on fat or muscle, it makes you put it into wherever you gain weight--for obese people, that wold normally mean fat. In fact, some livestock producers have experimented with adding it to their animal feed to make their animals gain more efficiently. I can't caution you enough to avoid that stuff like the plague!! There are also studies that say it effects memory loss, joint pain--and I could remember the rest if I hadn't eaten so much aspartame in my younger days !! It makes so much sense to me now though--I mean how many skinny people do you see actually drinking diet soft drinks? NONE!!! OK that's my rant for the day--now I have to go finish up a wedding cake and groom's cake that my husband can't help me deliver because it's Dad's Day at my son's fraternity and those suckers are heavy!! That may be my workout for today!Happy Saturday Chunky Monkeys!

My food habits, in response to Diane's request.

Breakfast - I eat it. Sometimes it's leftover dinner, or an egg and some salsa with cheese, or protein drink, or home made protein smoothie.

Lunch - Toughy. I eat it. Usually it's soup, or left overs, or sometimes a small can of tuna (or half a large can). When it's tuna it's just tuna maybe with pepper or dill relish. I don't mix it with mayo or make tuna salad out of it. Sometimes I'll take cream of something soup and dump a can of tuna in it and have it for 2 or 3 meals. If I didn't have protein drink for breakfast and I'm in a hurry or my tummy is being fussy I'll have protein drink or protein smoothie for lunch.

Dinner - Very small portion of whatever I fix for hubby. Chili is a fave of mine. I can eat it usually and we love it. Sometimes I make faux chinese with pork or chicken and steam veggies and white rice. We have a dish we call Green Eggs, It's green chili sauce (by Stokey) warmed up then we poach a couple eggs in it and have it with a tortilla. However, since April I very rarely have the tortilla.

Basically I don't have anything "typical" in my diet. Mostly because I'm not on a diet. I read labels ALL the time. I try to pick the best choices. I prefer foods with carb and protein in equal amounts, lower sodium and less than 200 calories per serving. If I'm getting something with no protein, I try to make sure I have some kind of meat to have as the main course. I don't count fat really, but I almost always choose low fat sour cream and cottage cheese.

I've been buying the Dannon Carb Control yogurt lately. They are in spoon and drinkable versions. Very nice snack or breakfast treat with very low carb count. I always have shreeded cheddar cheese in the house to sprinkle on mashed potatoes or in soups to add a touch of protein and calories. I don't think I get enough calories in since the surgery so I'm always conscious of making sure I have at least 1200 calories, even if that means a few extra fat servings.

I haven't any regular soda in over 10 years (except for sugar emergencies). I haven't had any diet soda since March 2008. I NEVER deny myself ice cream but I really limit myself in the quantity. Instead of having a bowl full, I use my tiny little salsa cup and have a small scoop. If we get icecream somewhere other than home I get a kids scoop or junior scoop.

I'm not proof reading this, so sorry if it's a bit disorganized.

OH, BTW, I'm below 300 again. This time I think it's sticking. I've been below 295 for almost a week. Today the scale showed 290 for the second day. But officially I'm claiming 295. I just need to update my ticker.

GO Monkeys. I love you ladies.

Couple things I forgot to mention.

Sugar Free Jell-o is a must for sweet cravings that require chewing. I always have powder mixes to add to my bottles of water because I can't stand the taste of tap water. I buy a 12 pack of water or tea then re-use the bottles until they are destroyed. I can add the powder to a plethora of flavor options. You have to watch for additives, sodium and calories. But Crystal Light is AWESOME!

Sugar Free Pudding is a great way to get calcium and sweet, but they have 10grams of carbs in one little package so I don't eat them as snacks as much as I use them for breakfast sometimes.

Hey ladies! It's my down day and I was able to pry the hubby away from the laptop for a few.

So I've done my official weigh-in and the 146.6 has stuck! YES!!!! Now to keep on the downward spiral...

Teena-The headaches are because of the caffeine withdrawls but if you ween yourself they won't be so bad and will stop. I use sugar free drink mixes to add flavor to water if I need some flavor. Crystal lite and propel are great choices.

I've recently become a cottage cheese lover. I hate milk so I feel that the cc gives me the calcium I need, along with the ice cream LoL No but really I try to eat well, and TS you're right at least I know I eat like crap

I try not to deny myself anything because that leads to bingeing but I do limit my portions of things. I also try not to let bad meals ruin my day. It's easy to give up for the day (which lead to giving up for the week then your diet all together) when you eat a bad meal, just look at the next one as a new opportunity to make better choices.

I love you guys!!! We're doing this!!! Keep up the great work ladies!

GO CHUNKY MONKEYS!!!

Deb, I agree about the no diet thing. I'm not on one either. What I am doing is trying to eat more healthy and and eat less. These last two weeks I have come to the conclussion I have to do more than just eat less. You can eat less, and still not be eating the right things that your body needs.

I have another soup recipe for everyone. Tried it for lunch today and it got the thumbs up. It's 200 calories per serving and very filling with a salad. I have a little one that keeps climbing in and out of my lap, so I will type it up later after she goes home. I also have a salad recipe that we tried to share.

Today was weigh in day for me and according to the scale I lost 2.2 lbs. I should be jumping up for joy, but I really have mixed feelings about it. The last two weeks have not been the best for me exercise or eating wise. First with me being sick two weeks ago, then this last week battling to get back on track. Had fast food or take out 4 times last week, sigh. Last week I only walked once and did work out exercises one night.

I don't know if the scale was just being overly nice this morning or if it was just working on momentium from before.

I'm clawing my way up this week though. Yesterday I ate really well and walked for the first time since last Monday.

Started my day off (late, since I slept in so it was a cross between breakfast and lunch.) with two scrambled eggs mixed with some sauted onions, an orange, and a serving of tator tots with a little ketchup. The tots were my make shift hash browns and I did bake them instead of fry them. Had some yogurt with blueberries and raspberries later in the afternoon. For dinner we had steak, baked sweet potatoe, broccili and cheese, and a new cucumber salad. I skipped butter on the sweet potatoe and just added a little sugar and cinnamon. And by little I mean probably 1/2 teaspoon (if that) of sugar. I figured that little bit of sugar was better than butter, and I didn't miss it at all. I was full before I had eaten everything on my plate so I see that as a good thing. I did have a chocolate chip cook late last night htough.

Today, so far I am doing really well with eating. Yorgurt and fruit with a piece of toast with a small amount of butter for breakfast. Lunch was a Minestrone Soup and a spinach salad with strawberries, oranges, walnuts and a vinagrette dressing. I will probably have a sting cheese before class to help me from getting starved before I get to eat dinner.

Won't be able to walk until tonight after class, but I will do it. I have got to get back into the daily thing agian. I will get back into walking daily.

I'll have to go to the store for some more fruit and maybe stuff to try out another new recipe. One thing I have noticed is that with the healther foods I am eating less, feel full, not tired or sluggish after eating and am not hunting out more food before I should be.

Also something I did last week to help me from over eating when I was tempted was to just get up from the table and leave when I was done. By sitting there and visiting it makes it easier to get another spoon of this and/or that. If leaving the table isn't possible (when you have slow little eaters) you can leave the food in the kitchen instead of bringing it to the table. If you have to get up to get seconds it helps you think about what you are doing and if you really need/want them.

Something I will have to work on is doing well through out the day and not so good at night. Does anyone else think to them selves, "well I ate good today, I can splurge on..." While I think it is okay to splurge every once in a while I am finding myself doing this every other day or so. It was like that with the cookie last night. I don't even know if I really wanted it. I mean it sounded good, tasted good, but I could have easily done with out it. But I was thinking, well you ate good today so you can have it.

I love the flavor things for water! If it wasn't for those I doubt I'd get as much water as I do. I love the Fulfill brand because they are clear. There are some Crystal Light ones I like, but I hate that some come in red and stain your lips and tongue sometimes. I do like their white and green tea though. I also have found some Ocean Spray ones that are Cranberry Flavors. There is an off brand, maybe it is the Great Value Brand that I like there apple and lemonaide. I also get the Green Tea or White tee ones from Lipton (in the Tea Aisle). All of the ones I get are usually 0 to 10 calories per bottle of water. Watch out with the Special K ones cause they are 30 calories.

Hope everyone has a good and healthy week. WE CAN DO IT!

Hi ladies! We just finished our Wine Festival and I'm exhausted. I really didn't get to work out but I did move 4000 cases @ 40 lbs a piece by hand. I'm hoping to get on the treadmill today and just relax.

I'm so with everyone on the "diet". As soon as you tell me I can't have something, whether I want it or not, I will crave it! I think it's something hardwired in my head. I won't eat a candy bar in 8-9 months but as soon as you tell me I can't have one, then I will think non-stop about having a candy bar. It's crazy!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and healthy week and I promise I will be keeping in touch more often.

Hey everyone. sorry i havent posted in awhile, things have been crazy here. i have been trying to limit the portions i eat some. and last night when a sweet craving hit me i got a small glass of milk and one of those individual portions of cinnamon applesauce and that seemed to take care of it. i havent weighed myself to see if ive lost any weight yet, because if i see no difference then im afraid i will get discouraged. i will give it a few weeks and try to keep up with adjusting my portions and try not to turn to food when i get stressed (which is really dang hard btw!).. gotta run baby woke up talk to you again soon

Ladyellam, I hope you find some more you time now that the festival is over. Sounds like a ton of work, and by all means count all that lifting and moving as a work out.

Teena, I'm reading a book about lossing weight and I'm just getting to the chapter on stress eating and emotional eating. I'll see what tips they suggest.

Here are the recipes I promised everyone. Let me know if you try them and what you thought. If anyone else has any healthy recipes (don't just have to be soup or salad) I'd love to see them.

Tuscan Minestrone Soup
The Best Life Diet, by Bob Greene

This classic calls for a classic topping: a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. But if you want to reduce the soup's already low calorie count even more, leave off the cheese - the soup will still taste rich and satisfying.

Serves 6

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 in slices, about 2 cups
1 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2 in slices, about 2 cups
1 large carrot, finely diced, about 3/4 cup
1 small onion, finely diced, about 3/4 cup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 cups all-natural reduced-sodium chicken broth, such as Health Valley fat-free chicken broth or Pacific Foods low-sodium chicken broth
One 15-oz can diced tomatoes
One 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup whole wheat Barilla Plus or elbow pasta
3 fresh thyme springs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil, cut into strips

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, summer squash, carrot, onion, garlic and Italian seasonion to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 mins. Stir in the broth and diced tomatoes, cover the mixture, and bring to a boil. Add the beans, pasta and thyme, and cook, uncovered, at a low boil until the pasta is done, about 10 mins. Remove the thyme springs, and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Serve in individual bowls and top each with the Parmesan cheese and basil.

Per servings, about:
Calories: 193
Protien: 10g
Carbs: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 6g
Total Fat: 7g
Sat Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Calcium: 130mg
Sodium: 516mg

Again I made some adjustments based off what I had or didn't have. Instead of the diced carrot I chopped up some shredded carrot. I just used Racheal Ray's Chicken Broth. It is low sodium, but not all natural. Replaced the diced tomatoes with fire roasted tomatoes. Used Ronzoni pasta instead of the whole wheat, since I had a coupon for that brand. The store was out of fresh thyme and we didn't have any in the garden I left that out. I also left out the basil because it wasn't very pretty at the store, and I'm not a huge basil friend. It is one of those a little goes a long way for me. We felt with the Italian seasoning that there was plenty flavor in it with out the thyme or basil, but you can always add what works for you there.

Seasame Cucumber Salad
You On A Diet By: Dr. Roizen and Dr. Oz

2 servings
187 calories per serving

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1/2 bunch chives, minced
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Combine vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl; mix well. Add cucumbers, chives and sesame seeds; mix well.

What's in it for you?
Total Fat: 6.8g
Sat fat: 1g
Healthy Fat: 5.3g
Fiber: 3.2g
Carbs: 29g
Sugar: 8.2g
Protein: 6.2g
Sodium: 180mg
Calcium: 90mg
Magnesium: 85mg
Selenium 18.2 mcg
Potassium 750mg

This isn't a salad I would want all the time, but now and then it would be a good something different to add in the way of salads.

Teena, this was in one of the emails I get from [email protected], and when I read it I thought about you. Of course it can help all of us, since alot of people are emotional or stress eaters.

Beat Stress, Eat Less
When stress is literally eating at you, try these four strategies to beat emotional eating:

1. Get out of the kitchen. Make a list of things you can do besides eating, such as taking a walk, journaling, or talking to a friend.

2. Eat regular meals. Getting too hungry can trigger a bout of stress-related eating.

3. Point out the positive. Jot down a list of things you've achieved so far and put it somewhere you can see it. The reminder can be enough to counter stress eating.

4. Seek support. Find a community, like the Best Life message boards, where you can share your struggles with others in similar situations. Or, enlist the help of a family member or friend.

that makes a lot of sense! i dont eat regular meals like i should and then when i get even a little to stressed im looking for something to eat because i am suddenly ravenous. Usually what I pick to eat is something that is really unhealthy because its quick and I dont have to actually cook. I truly hate cooking. If I didnt have a hubby and kid to feed then I would never cook lol. i'd live on salad or something that i can make a big batch of every few days to limit my cooking as much as possible. Really strange huh? I could bake day and night but I dread doing even a simple dinner each night.

HA, so funny Teena_Marie,

I'm not fond of cooking or baking but I love decorating. My problem though is that I don't like cleaning up the dishes or the mess. If I had magic helpers do all the cleaning we'd have much more prepared food and less mix and match of stuff in cans, bags, or other containers.

Eating regular meals helps with alot of things when it comes to dieting. If you eat regular meals (healthy snacks are allowed) it keeps you from getting over hungry too. So you make better food choices and you will eat less when you do eat.

Also because I have been eating regular meals when I do feel hungry I stop and ask myself if I should be. If I just ate two hours ago, then I shouldn't be hungry. Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger. So I'll drink a bottle of water instead. Also when you feel hunger and you shouldn't if you go for a walk or do a little exercise that can help the feeling go away. Plus it gets you away from the kitchen.

I love cooking, so that isn't a issue for me. I just wish I had more time for it. Something you may consider is making a cooking day, like Sat or Sunday. You can freeze alot of things to pull out later in the week. Or you can do something like grilled chicken breast one night and then later in the week make a green salad and add strips of grilled chicken.

The soup recipes I posted froze very well, so they can be pulled out for dinner with a salad. I have found alot of the casserole dishes I grew up on freezer well. Meatballs freeze nicely. My freeze is stocked with some single size portions of alot of things because it is easier for me to pull out what/how much I need and then cook. It saves prep work and makes for less dishes when you do cook during the week.

When I went to the store today I got some cottage cheese (which I love and will eat as a snack) and i was looking at the yogurts. I saw one of those weight watchers yogurts that was cherry cheesecake, so of course I bought one to test (hopefully it will taste good and help appease the cheesecake desire, gonna try it in a bit). it says its only 1 point, i dont know how many points you are supposed to have in a day but one doesnt sound bad lol. anyways ill let you all know what i think.

It has been one of those really busy weeks for me. UGH!! I have had the baby close to 48 hours this week. Plus around 12 hours of class time, since I get there early and leave late. I am soooooo glad the weekend is here and I don't have to do anything during it.

Walking has been going okay, but not great. Did skip one night because it was just a really long day and I didn't have the energy for it. I also only walked 1 mile instead of 3 a couple of nights because of time/energy issues. Because the the treadmill is in a unfriendly kid room I can't do it when I have baby. After she leaves there usually isn't not enough time before I have to get ready for class. I keep telling myself I'll walk during nap time, but those are the days she decides she only needs a short nap. I really have to get on schedule with that.

Eating I did pretty well this week. Yogurt or cottage cheeese with fruit for breakfast. Had soup and ssalad every day but today, and we still had a healthy lunch today. Tried another new recipes I'll have to share. Small healthy snack before class. Did have take out from resturaunts twice this week, so I'm guessing they may cancel out my good eating a little. But it was better than last weeks eating. I really didn't mind the soup and salads at lunch. Need to try a few more so I can have some variety, but they filled me up and kept me full for a while, which is great.

My nephew is spending the night tonight and requested mushroom burgers, so he picked something pretty healthy with out me asking him too. I'll make him something for dessert, but I think we are gonna go with a low calorie fruit something or other. He did ask for pancakes in the morning, so breakfast may not be my best meal tomorrow. We shall see.

I posted a new thread for recipes and healthy eating ideas, so feel free to add anything you want to it. I just figured it would be easier to have it all in one place, rather than digging through pages here.

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6116610.html#6116610

Have a great weekend everyone!

Ok, one more chunky monkey on board here. Wow, I can't believe that this is the first time I've seen this thread. I'm so excited. I'm looking forward to talking with everyone here and reaching my goals with everyone else. I've been on a yo yo cycle for years now and I'm REALLY ready now to lose the weight and KEEP it off. I still have about 21 pounds to lose to reach my final goal. I'm looking forward to sharing our ideas of how we are going to accomplish our goals. Great thread!!