Posts by marks1009

Forum	Topic	Date	Replies

Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Feb 05 2008 14:51 (UTC)	1,041
CHALLENGE? I LOVE a CHALLENGE!!! So we try to walk 100 miles...adding up the miles every day until the first one reaches 100. The PRIZE is the admiration of all who gather here, and the knowledge that we CAN get out and MOVE toward a goal! I'm in...have to measure the little bit I walk from the subway to the office every day...bet it'll add up fast! Sunday was BAD for me. Went to a Super Bowl (can you say STUPID BOWL) party, and drank, ate everything. I couldn't sleep from the sound of my too rapid heartbeat in my ears. The alcohol, sugar and salt really make my blood pressure and heart rate go UP UP UP. Ate tuna and yogurt yesterday and feel much better today. Think I'll wait until Friday to weigh in, hoping I can get back in balance this week. Well -- back to work -- take care everyone! Anna
Foods	Your low cal snack choice?	Feb 03 2008 17:55 (UTC)	11
Just developed this recipe for my fav snack of 'frosted' mini shredded wheat cereal -- used Splenda for frosting! 3 Cups mini shredded wheat cereal 2/3 cup Splenda 1 to 2 TBSP skim milk pinch salt if desired Line pan with foil, preheat oven to 300. Spread cereal in single layer in pan. Measure Splenda into a small plastic ziplock bag. Add 1 teaspoon milk and mix by massaging the bag -- push the powder into the milk. Add milk a little at a time until you get a thin icing. Snip the corner of the bag to make a tiny hole. Drizzle icing on cereal, getting at least a dot on each square. Add a sprinkle of salt if desired. Put the pan in the oven and TURN OFF the oven. Remove when the oven is cool. Repeat to use the whole box of cereal. Store in airtight containers.
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Feb 03 2008 17:37 (UTC)	1,052
OK -- OK -- one more post and I'll STOP!!! I'm so excited! I just figured out how to make my own 'frosted mini-wheats' with Splenda! I LOVE to snack on that high-sugar cereal...my sister-in-law got me started when she put out a whole box of it as a snack. I can't take all the sugar, so I vowed to figure out how to make it with Splenda. 3 cups mini-shredded wheat cereal (plain -- NOT the frosted kind) 1/3 cup Splenda sugar subsitute (the kind that measures like sugar) 1 to 2 TBSP skim milk pinch of salt (if desired) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with foil. Spread the cereal in one layer on the pan. Measure the Spenda into a small zip-lock plastic bag. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time. Use your fingers on the outside of the bag to push the Splenda powder into the milk to mix it up. Keep adding milk a little at a time until you get a thin icing. Make sure all the lumps are out. Snip the corner of the plastic bag to make a TINY TINY hole, so just a thin stream of icing comes out, like you'd use if you were writing on cookies. Slowly push the icing through the hole, to drizzle it over the cereal. Try to get at least a dot on every cereal square. Lumps will spurt out -- just stir the cereal to spread the blobs out. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt if that's your idea of a snack. Put the pan with the cereal/icing into the oven and turn off the oven. Let it sit until the oven is cool. Repeat to use up the whole box of cereal, using the same foil (no need to replace every time -- it's just for easy cleanup). Store in airtight containers; divide and take as snacks. The fiber is great, the sugar is gone, it satisfies my craving for a sweet, crunchy (maybe a tiny bit salty) snack -- what's not to LOVE? Enjoy!
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Feb 03 2008 16:38 (UTC)	1,053
Hey Lora and Donna -- Since I've been gone a while, I went back and read your posts around Christmas, about family going 'elsewhere', and you feeling low. Our preacher told a story once that comes to mind every Christmas. A little girl was trying to learn the Lord's Prayer. Instead of "...forgive us our trespasses..." (and after a stressful family Christmas with high expectations and big disappointments) she said "...forgive us our Christmases, as we forgive those who Christmas against us." I've had many holidays where I felt there were those who would 'Christmas against us'. I repeat the little girl's version of the Lord's Prayer, chuckle to myself, defuse my own anger, and start forgiving those who would "Christmas against" ...
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Feb 03 2008 16:07 (UTC)	1,054
Hi Kids! Got a friendly reminder from KansasGal, so thought I'd check how y'all are doing. Thought I'd throw some random stream-of-consciousness thoughts into the mix! On menopause: Sitting here in the middle of a hot flash reading about post-menopause weight gain. It's a very real thing! Started at 8, stopped last Sept, and started hot flashes in Nov at 52. Very weird cycle in cold weather: uncover for hot flash, start freezing when it's over, cover up, repeat. Have to be careful to wear removable layers to work! I'm taking 'Herbs for Menopause' that someone gave me to see if that helps...not sure yet...will post if anything good happens. On carbs: Sugar/carbs ABSOLUTELY affect everything about your health: metabolism, insulin production, fat storage, heart health, blood pressure..you name it! My dietician friend says that sugar (and salt) would be controlled substances if discovered today. Sugar was a rare commodity until about 200 years ago -- a mere blip in the history of humanity. We crave sweetness as a quick source of energy, and we store it whenever it's in abundance. The trick is to convince your body that the sugar is gone, and the old sources of energy (fat) have to be used. I followed the 'phase 1' recipes/menus/regime in the South Beach book for two weeks as recommended there, then went on for another two weeks. Figured I could do anything for a few weeks! Lost about 30 pounds by eliminating white sugar, white flour, white rice and regular pasta: anything that is over-processed to look pretty and cook quickly. I read labels and anything over 10 grams of sugar per serving gets put back on the store shelf. If there's a no/low fat option, I buy that. If there's a whole grain option (pasta, rice, bread) I buy that. Not 'multi-grain' -- not the same thing; go for WHOLE GRAIN as the first ingredient to get fiber with the carbs. On motivation: It's NOT a 'hardship' -- you're NOT 'giving up good stuff'. You ARE making an informed choice to substitute one chemical (like Splenda) for another (sugar). You want sweet stuff? Think 'sweetened', not 'sugar'. You want cheese, sour cream, dessert topping? Think 'skim milk', not 'whole milk', and buy the low fat option. It's all about choices...make good choices to treat yourself to what your body needs (less sugar, less fat, less salt, more protein and fiber). I found that my motivation comes from not wanting the food manufacturers and their advertising agencies to get the best of me! So I outwit them by really reading the labels, and not falling for the jargon. 'Low fat' often means 'high sugar'. 'No carbs' can mean 'all fat'. A 'big glass of fruit juice' is all the sugar and none of the fiber -- when would you eat 12 oranges? Why would you drink the juice of 12 oranges without the pulp/fiber to go with it? They know what makes our mouths happy. WE have to make the right choices and not be fooled by the advertising. On snacks: buy skim milk cheese sticks, and BabyBel lowfat cheese mini-rounds for protein. Buy roasted, no-salt almonds for fiber. When you HAVE to have something, eat a cheese stick or a handful of almonds. Have a cheese snack in the morning around 10AM, and almonds in the afternoon around 2PM. Plan ahead, keep YOUR snack choices on hand, and beat the snack-machine by not feeding it your money! See -- motivation comes in weird ways, like saving money, and feeling superior to the snack manufacturers! Remember, THEIR motivation is to take your money and make you want MORE, so they will say anything to make you think you can eat their junk instead of real food. Look at the labels on most 'energy bars'. It's all sugar, and if you're overweight, that's the last thing your body wants or needs. Don't fall for it! OK -- random thoughts aside -- hope everyone is keeping warm, spending time doing what you love with people you love, and snuggling with spouse, kids, cats, dogs every day! Hugs to all! --Anna
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Nov 05 2007 01:34 (UTC)	1,378
Hello again everybody! Now that I've binged on the Halloween candy for three days, I've GOT to get back into the swing of drinking water, walking and NOT EATING SUGAR!!!! We had a bunch of Trick or Treaters this year -- a result of the 'tear down and rebuild' trend in our neighborhood. Lots of new families moving into GIANT houses with lots of little kids. Where DO they get the money to pay $5000 a month mortgages??!?!?! MAN OH MAN!!!! My new goal is to fit into a size 16 dress at www.coldwatercreek.com. They have SUCH beautiful clothes, and lots of pretty dresses for the holidays now! About 15 pounds to go, and I can wear one of those dresses to our Christmas party this year, huh? Thanks for the tips and inspiration...hope the horses, buses, grandkids and wedding plans are all doing well. ;-) Have a good week! Anna
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Oct 12 2007 02:14 (UTC)	1,449
Hey kids! Sorry for disappearing the last couple of weeks. Started the new job last Monday. It's pretty cool, interesting, and I'm walking several blocks every day back and forth to the subway, so getting a LITTLE exercise I otherwise would never see. Need to start taking lunch, to avoid the high prices and high calories downtown! Lora: Was reading your post about 'being normal'. Now you listen to me!!!! Time to rethink your definition of 'normal'. Forget the idea that somebody else's metabolism and eating habits could EVER be normal for you!!!! YOU are a special, unique individual, and NOTHING that anyone else does or says will ever change that! If you're of Northern European descent, then your 'normal' (as far as your metabolism) is to thrive on protein and green stuff. If you eat fat/sugar/carbs, you'll produce LOTS of insulin to compensate, and start the spiral of eat/insulin/eat/insulin that leads to diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure, etc. Your body is programmed from 50,000 years of ancestors to save calories as fat, unless you're walking, working, and moving around hunting or gathering food 24 hours a day. I know...I'm exactly this way. When I figured out that sugar, flour, potatoes and rice are just PURE CARBS, I realized that all my body was doing was storing those calories for a rainy day. My mouth is programmed to crave fat and sugar (since 50,000 years ago those things were in scarce supply), and to eat all the fat and sugar I can get if it's available. Only trouble is, 50,000 years ago fats and sugar were not in ready supply -- we had to hunt for them and spend calories to get those calories ("Look Ogg -- a honey tree. Start climbing!!!"). Now, with all the fast food and convenience packaging (read 'pre-cooked' and 'pre-digested') we don't have to work for the calories at all, and we can get as much as we think we want. Our Ogg-brains only stop when it's all gone, and we're miserable, both physically and emotionally. (The emotional baggage came MUCH more recently in the timeline!) Point is: 'normal' for my body is NOT eating cookies (sugar and fat), potatoes (pure starch/sugar) and sweet fruits (exotic sugar-rich bananas and melons). NORMAL for my body is small amounts of cold climate fruits (apples, pears), nuts, whole grains, protein, and greens, since that's what my ancestors survived on 50,000 years ago as they hunted and gathered food across Europe. For that matter, didn't potatoes come from North America, where people hunted and gathered, up until Europeans appeared? Picture Native Americans walking many miles every day to find small amounts of food -- potatoes were perfect for THEM and TERRIBLE for us! But my Ogg-brain DOES love 'em! I'm not sure where those people who can eat cookies all day and not gain weight came from...I'm thinking they're aliens from some other planet. Or they have so much nervous energy (addicted to running and exercise...go figure) that they burn off sugar calories more efficiently. Maybe they don't digest protein and complex carbs. I don't think THEY are normal at all!!!! Look at the people in your local burger joint -- eating all those fries and pies. Most of them are overweight because they come from ancestors whose bodies learned to STORE those easy calories that were in such short supply (read "NOT NORMAL sources of food" for them). So -- what's normal for your metabolism? If you binge on sugar and fat, then feel rotten afterward, those foods are probably overloading your metabolism, so for you, that's not 'normal' food for your body at all. At the very least, if you want cookies, get the no-sugar ones! Say to yourself: "Those high fat/sugar foods just don't agree with MY normal metabolism, so I'm going to opt for the ones with less sugar, which is the RIGHT mix of food for MY body." Next time you see a donut think "poison for MY body", and walk away feeling like the highly superior person you are! Love ya'! Anna
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 30 2007 04:05 (UTC)	1,492
Donna -- Yep...they were my 'kids' until I quit that crazy job last November! While you DON'T get to pick your family (sigh), you DO get to pick the people you associate with. My Mom is very negative: the first thing she says about any situation is "WELL...the WORST thing is..." then goes off onto a rant about how awful everything is. I started saying "OK...now tell me the BEST thing about it". You have two choices with your negative 'friend'. Tell her off and make her just go away out of your life, or tell her you're sorry for her troubles, you'd like to help her, so you want her to think of something GOOD that happened that day that made her feel happy. Chances are, she thinks you're SUCH a good friend that you WANT her to share all her woes, and it might come as a huge surprise that you think she's a 'downer'. Do you not cook any more because you feel you can't cook anything that's good for you? We love to buy new cookbooks, and find new recipes that are low-cal, low-carb, and taste really great. Splenda has a dessert cookbook out (the Flourless Chocolate Cake tastes like it came from a really great restaurant). South Beach Diet has a cookbook with great meat and veggie dishes. Check Amazon.com for cookbooks and see if anything sparks your interest. You can get used books from Amazon pretty cheap. Maybe you could try some new recipes, different techniques (saute not fry?), experiment a little, and get back into the "joy of cooking"? If you're having fun with low-cal, low-carb recipes, you're changing your focus from 'food obsessed' to 'gourmet chef'. What did you paint? Sounds like you need a backrub and Ibuprofen! We cleaned house for company coming Sunday, including using the new carpet cleaner in our bedroom and all the area rugs. AMAZING how much exercise vacuuming can be -- I was dripping wet when I finished cleaning all the cat hair off the sofa & chair in the living room! Think I'll ask my cleaning lady to come back, now that I'm starting the new job on Monday. Or maybe I should clean like that more often...I can sure use the exercise! My hubby makes a GREAT pizza using the ready-made whole wheat crust (like Boboli -- we get them at the grocery store). He sautes onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, leftover chicken, whatever's in the fridge, in a tiny bit of olive oil, spreads that over the crust, then puts some olives and lowfat cheese on top and broils until the cheese melts. All the ingredients are lowfat, and the whole wheat crust is much better than regular pizza dough. I call it "Charlie's GOURMET Pizza"....we fight over who gets the leftovers for lunch the next day. Guess that's why/how I can resist the 'pizza joint' ads -- the one we make at home is so much better! Take care all! Have a lovely Sunday! Anna
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 28 2007 21:52 (UTC)	1,498
OK...what's wrong with this picture: we're all trying to get our eating under control and lose weight, and what's the ad flashing on my screen right now? Pappa John's PIZZA, for cryin' out loud!!!!!
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 28 2007 21:50 (UTC)	1,499
Very true comment about planning for social eating. I used to manage a group of 25 people, including vegetarians, vegans, and just simple picky eaters. Whenever we planned a 'pot luck' at the office, it seemed like I was the one worrying about if Mr. E would have a piece of chicken instead of beef, or Ms. R would have enough vegetables for a good meal. Weird thing is, they seemed to think it WAS my responsibility to make sure THEY had something to eat. I finally called a meeting and told them that if any of them had special dietary needs, then it was up to THEM to make sure they brought something they could eat, and enough to share. It made such a difference! The Veggies started getting together to plan their contributions, so our group lunches became more and more interesting and varied. Sometimes we'd end up ALL veggie, which was probably better for all of us, and the variety of foods from different cultures (India, Russia, China, Cuba...) was really cool. I've applied this to my own 'regime'. I had to learn how to anticipate the 'bad situations', and plan for them. Sounds like "KansasGal" did the right thing. Maybe eating a big salad ahead of time, drinking a big glass of water, or even taking a salad to the event would have been good. If going to the nursing home to visit was the purpose of joining the cook-out, then taking a big bowl of salad to eat and share seems like it would have been welcomed. You can always say 'hot dogs aren't good for my complexion', then change the subject away from food, since you already ate your 'good' lunch before you got there. That's one of the hard things, huh: Avoiding situations where other people decide what you'll put in your mouth, and being strong enough to eat the right stuff while everyone else is eating whatever they want. So ditto on the congrats, KG -- you done GOOD, 'Girl! :-)
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 26 2007 16:51 (UTC)	1,512
Hey Ladies! Spent some time this morning reading to catch up. The article about the high-glycemic foods really hits home. I'm trying to follow that kind of system now: no white rice, no white flour, no white sugar (no sugar of any kind). I have developed the shopping tactic of not buying any prepared foods that have sugar content over 10g per serving, or more sugar than fiber. When I do backslide (like lasagna & birthday cake at our friend's 50th party last Saturday), I can really feel the difference -- I feel really BAD. I just think of flour, rice and pasta as sugar, since the processed starches turn to sugar when they hit your system anyway...and sugar gets stored as fat in your body if you eat more than you need for energy. I think stevia is just another sugar substitute -- they're all pretty much just different chemicals that taste sweet to us. The talapia recipe sounds good -- with just 2 TBSP of olive oil divided among 4 people, it's not significant enough to leave out, and olive oil is the best kind of fat you can use. Hey Jen -- Welcome! Hectic around here -- company coming Sunday and new job starts Monday. Kitties (4) are going to miss me when they have to be alone all day. I've been gathering up clothes to take to the women's shelter downtown. They work with battered women to get them out of the 'victim mentality'. Then they help them get jobs and apartments. Oddly, they never have enough 'plus size' clothes, especially business attire. A few more pounds, and I'll be emptying my closet for a good cause! Take care all -- Anna
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 21 2007 21:12 (UTC)	1,554
Anna here! There's a fine line between 'enough' water and 'too much' water -- 8 glasses a day at 8 ounces each is 64 ounces (what's that in quarts?) More than that can cause us to waste minerals (thanks for the potassium warning -- I only take the diuretics when my ankles swell while travelling). When you 'tinkle' it should be the color of lemon juice. Darker yellow means not enough water; paler means too much water and wasted minerals. I found that having one of the big plastic jugs they hand out in hospitals (complete with top and plastic straw) keeps me drinking. I fill it up at least twice during the day -- gets to be a good habit, and keeps me away from the coffee and snack machines, especially now that I'm going back to work. I read somewhere (here maybe?) that we often confuse thirst with hunger, since none of us REALLY know what hunger is like, so when we're thirsty, we THINK food will satisfy the need. That's the trick to 'being hungry' -- drink a large glass of water first and see if you were really hungry, or just thirsty. And eat your snacks on time! That handful of 15 almonds or walnuts goes a long way toward keeping the binges under control. We also get 'string cheese' (mozzarella sticks) and BabyBel cheese (little wheels of swiss cheese) for snacks -- one of those keeps me from eating the whole box of crackers before dinner is ready. About the Air Race photos: you may need to download the Adobe Acrobat reader to see the pix. They don't have 2007 race pix posted yet. My hubby is in this photo from the 2006 Pylon Racing Seminar (practice for the races in September) http://www.airrace.org/gallery/web/prs2006/17 june/0624-_y3g9303.php. He's toward the back left corner of the group, in front of the white plane, standing just to your right and in front of the guy with the white beard. OK OK OK -- he's the ONE in the light blue shirt with the navy hat on! HAHAHAHAHA Silly picture, huh? Can't tell who's who any way! 4PM: 2 cups of coffee today, nothing to eat, weird that I'm not hungry. Guess I'll go get a bowl of cereal so I don't pig out for dinner. Still pondering what I'm going to wear to this new job, since all the suits are too big now. Y'all take care! Anna
Games & Challenges	Change 1 letter Only Game	Sep 19 2007 22:59 (UTC)	4,284
musk
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 19 2007 20:28 (UTC)	1,570
Finally -- back online after a week out of town! New job starts Oct 1, so now I have to get clothes ready for the 'executive floor' (sigh). One good thing: old suits just HANG on me now, so I'm going shopping this week! I LOVE Coldwater Creek clothes! We went to Reno last week for the National Championship Air Races (Go Fast -- Fly Low -- Turn Left!) My hubby is an aviation nut, so we go every year and work our butts off for the Air Race staff (we're volunteers; they get paid). I got nominated as "Golf Cart Queen" this year, so spent 7 days in a shop behind a hangar, checking carts in and out, getting guys to change tires, pumping gas -- TOO much fun! Got to eat lunch with and drive around with Dick Gordon (Gemini/Apollo astronaut). SUCH a nice man! We lost 3 pilots during qualifying, so the week started out pretty low, but Saturday and Sunday were great days of flying, racing and hanging around with some great folks. Check out www.airrace.org -- I'll try to find us in the pictures! I was so busy I was able to turn down all but 2 of the DOZENS of donuts everyone offered, but the heat, sun and no sleep made my blood pressure go up and swelled my ankles beyond recognition. Need to remember to take the diuretic pills next time, huh? I started last year doing what I call 'couch potato exercises' when I'm lying on the couch watching TV. 1. Start on your back, and lift each leg straight forward in front of you 20 times to warm up (start with 10 for the first 2-3 days and work up to 20). 2. Turn on your right side and lift your left leg to the side 20 times. Turn on your left side and lift your right leg to the side 20 times. (I turn to the side away from the TV during the commercials). 3. Turn back to your right side, and do 'fire hydrants': Bend your left leg so your knee is in front of you, rotate the leg with knee still bent, so your knee is straight over your hips, straighten the leg up and to the side, then bend the knee again and rotate it to the front again. Think: FRONT, SIDE, LIFT, DOWN, FRONT. Repeat 20 times on each side. This last one really works the muscles in your hips, and if you're doing it right, you'll 'feel the burn'! Keep your tummy tight, and remember to breath on every other lift. Don't KICK -- LIFT your legs and use your muscles. 4. Do 'belly dancer tummy rolls': lie on your back, and tighten the muscles in your lower abdomen first, then relax those muscles while you tighten the muscle below your ribs, then tighten the musles across your ribs. Breathe in as you tighten the lowest abdominals, and breathe out as you tighten the upper abdominals. Practice 'rolling' the muscles up and down the front of your body. Probably not as good as 'crunches', but a whole lot more comfortable and DO-able.
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 07 2007 15:26 (UTC)	1,627
On a roll today -- one more thought (to add to the list of 100 reasons): 101: So I don't have to explain that I was not a fat child, I never had kids making fun of me for being fat, you can't assume that I had a miserable childhood, I have not been on a diet my whole life, and I'm not on a DIET now. I'm changing my lifestyle to better my health and live longer, and that involves making better choices for less sugar, less fat, more water and more fiber.
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 07 2007 15:08 (UTC)	1,628
Way to go, Sue (edit: called you Kris...brain dead today)!!!! I only dare weigh myself every 3-4 days...you're brave to check the scales every day! HOLLY: are you going to open a 'bed and breakfast' now that you have the house to yourself? Can I come visit? :-) Anna
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 07 2007 15:01 (UTC)	1,629
Talking about the food obsession....here I go: If you think about it, any diet REQUIRES that kind of focus (we'll call it FOCUS, not obsession, from now on, OK?) It's just a different kind of focus, since for a good regime to work, you have to plan ahead, prepare dishes you can eat on the run or warm up quickly (read "fast food"), get your snacks together so you don't hit the machines, and really THINK about drinking water, eating fiber, cutting sugar/starch, etc. Change your focus from the totally reactive mode of "I haven't eaten in four hours, and I'm so hungry now I'll eat a whole bag of Oreos" to "HHHMMM...it's 10AM, I haven't eaten since 8AM. If I eat a snack now (slice of skinny cheese or small handful of nuts) I won't be so hungry at lunchtime. I have a YUMMY lunch waiting for me, so I don't even need to walk by the machine today!" Having prepared snacks and meals in the 'fridge can give you that same sense of plenty that you might get from knowing you have a whole bag of potato chips waiting for you. So change the focus from REACTIVE binging to PROACTIVE planning...same amount of energy and thought, but MUCH better results. Remember: FAST FOOD isn't just a matter of grab and go; fast food means the manufacturing process has taken all the nutrition and fiber out of the product, so it not only cooks quickly, but digests quickly, and gets stored as FAT FAT FAT. Read the label on white bread. "Enriched flour" is the first ingredient, which means they took EVERYTHING out of it, so had to add vitamins back in so they aren't just cooking it with sawdust (which actually has more fiber). A friend told me about a diet group at her church, and how they started their quest to conquer food: Go without food for an entire day. Drink lots of water, but no food (if you can do that without messing with your health too much). Pay close attention to your body's signals. When you feel 'hungry', distract your mind by thinking about what it's like to really be starving. Substitute compassion and prayer for food for one day, and you'll find out how millions of people feel every day all over the world. Think about how much food Americans throw away every day, and how much YOU 'throw away' by eating calories your body does not need, and simply stores as fat you aren't using. Learn to recognize REAL hunger, as opposed to just wanting to keep your blood sugar too high. Learn to recognize thirst as opposed to real hunger (always drink a glass of water first if you think you're 'hungry', then wait 15 minutes). New vocabulary: 'DIET' is now 'REGIME'; 'OBSESSION' is now 'FOCUS'; 'HUNGRY' is now 'THIRSTY'...can anybody think of more life changing word substitutions for us?
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Sep 07 2007 14:32 (UTC)	1,631
Hi Kids...Anna here! Miss me? WHEW! It's been tough getting over this cold! Still sniffling and coughing, but better today. Lost 5 lbs in the last 2 weeks or so since I went back on South Beach phase 1 'regime'. Probably cutting out the martinis and wine did the trick....sigh.... Welcome Holly! YOU are AMAZING! Sounds like it might help for you to add to your list of activities: "...and I spend an hour a day working on HOLLY, planning meals & snacks, watching what she eats, doing yoga or pilates to stay limber, drinking water, ...". My personal theory is that you can't look out for others if you can't move around, breathe, and fit into your clothes, so schedule that hour a day for yourself to make sure YOU get taken care of, too! Latest job hunt news: went on the interview last week, then got called back for a 2nd meeting TODAY (WOO HOO!!) They're saying I'm the top candidate, so next time you hear from me, I may be back among the working! I was craving something chocolate this morning, so made the South Beach ricotta cheese dessert from 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese, 1 TBSP Nestle's "No Sugar Added" Quik, 2 drops vanilla extract, dash of cinnamon, dash of salt. Sounds weird, but tastes wonderful, and gives you calcium too. You can add lemon or lime zest and Splenda (1 packet or 1 TBSP of the 'measures like sugar' kind) to the plain ricotta, or just vanilla or almond extract and Splenda for other flavors. I add that tiny dash of salt for a little extra flavor. It's a much better dessert than that slice of pie I REALLY wanted, and satisfies the chocolate/sweet craving. Take care all....Anna
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Aug 31 2007 17:14 (UTC)	1,655
I'm coming back in my next life as one of MY cats....boy to THEY lead the life of luxury! Bday is Oct 9. I 'retired' from the rat race of managing a software development group for a BIG corporation. My team (the only part I miss!) wrote and maintained the software to pay commissions to 6000+ sales reps. Had a few really stressful years with constantly changing higher management, bankruptcy, mergers, you name it, and just couldn't work up any enthusiasm for another year of the same. OK...I ran away...was very blessed that my hubby was willing to be the sole bread winner for a while, so I can decide what I want to be when I grow up. I still see 'my guys' all the time...they all want me to come back. NO WAY! Interview yesterday went well. They called today and want me back for a second interview next week! WOO HOO!!!! Fingers crossed, prayers said, good thoughts on radar please! This company is putting in software tools for financial audits, IT governance, and system controls all over the world, so should be very interesting work! It's located downtown, but I can take the train and not have to park, so that's cool. No idea what it pays....guess I should find out, huh? Cold and sore throat still dragging on, even with using Zicam for the last two days, so I'm going back to bed with 'kitty nurses' all around for comfort. :-)
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Aug 30 2007 18:44 (UTC)	1,661
Job interview went well...went out to lunch afterward and ATE TOO MUCH while yacking with my friends. Will hear next week if I get a second interview. Thanks for the good thoughts, y'all! Sore throat & feeling cruddy today -- going back to bed now. Have a good day all, and drink LOTS of water like your Momma Donna said! :-) 1. Calorie Count Name (user id): marks1009 2. Name you prefer to be called in discussions: Anna 3. Age & Sex: 52 F 4. General Location: North Georgia 5. Married? Single? married 24 yrs 6. Kids? Furbabies? no kids -- 4 crazy cat FREAKS rule our house (aka "The Kitty Spa") 7. Favorite color? yellow 8. Favorite movie? none in particular -- like Sci-Fi and history flix 9. Hobbies? travel, cooking (hence 100 lbs overweight) 10. Favorite Snack? anything chocolate 11. Favorite Beverage? Cosmopolitans 12. Biggest Obstacle to Getting Healthy? LAZY LAZY LAZY 13. Weight/Fitness Goal? lose another 30 lbs; lower blood pressure 14. Least Favorite Household Chore? cat boxes 15. How did you find Calorie Count? surfing 16. Anything Else You'd Like To Share? tried to retire, got bored, now trying to get back into the job market after 6 months out.
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Aug 29 2007 03:17 (UTC)	1,668
Hey -- it's ANNA -- Got a call today...I have a job interview tomorrow! YEAH! Spent most of the day online researching "Governance, Risk Management and Compliance" YUCK! Tried to retire last November, and I've been SO BORED, so now I'm working with a recruiter to find something I want to do, close to home, making the right $$$$. It's taking longer than I thought it would, so interview tomorrow is exciting. Hope the job will be too. Trying to lose weight to make a better impression in the job hunt! I succumbed to the dreaded mashed potato monster tonight, though. Hubby made me one of his great hamburgers, and the pile of potatoes were calling my name. Worst thing I can eat, huh? We need rain here...been in a drought for a couple of years, and no rain all July/August. My roses are pitiful now. Take care all....I'll let you know how the interview goes!
Games & Challenges	Three word story.... (new game)	Aug 28 2007 16:31 (UTC)	9,120
gumbo. When he
Games & Challenges	Change 1 letter Only Game	Aug 28 2007 16:25 (UTC)	5,586
OH...forgot the word: gale
Games & Challenges	Change 1 letter Only Game	Aug 28 2007 16:23 (UTC)	5,587
HOW ODD! A week shy of a year, 4690 posts later, and back to the same word that started it....has that happened before?
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Aug 28 2007 00:58 (UTC)	1,673
Hey KansasGal -- Another easy one is 'AntePasto Salad' -- ingredients follow. Drain everything, cut into bite size pieces where needed, rinse anything with a strong vinegar marinade. Drizzle with olive oil so it's 1/3 of the way up the sides of the bowl (a clear plastic bowl does best here), and let soak for a couple of hours or overnight. Stir a few times to distribute the 'dressing'. Serve alone or with salad greens....the dressing is good over the greens alone, too. This assumes the jars and cans are about the same size -- the goal is to get about the same volume of each ingredient for a good mix of colors and flavors. Our COSTO warehouse store has almost all of the ingredients all the time. We keep this stuff in the pantry so we have an instant party dish. You can also take the jars/cans to the party, drain everything in the hostess' sink and make it on the spot! 1 can pitted black olives &nb sp; 1 can green olives 1 can/jar sliced hearts of palm 1 can/jar roasted red peppers cut to bite size & rinsed 1 can/jar marinated artichoke hearts 1 can/jar marinated mushrooms rinsed You can also add a jar of marinated baby ears of corn cut to bite size & rinsed, a couple of tablespoons of capers, and bite size mozzarella balls. Add extra olives to stretch it further for more people. Everybody likes something in this mix, and the best thing about this: NO SUGAR!!!!
Motivation	I'm hungry - only 500 cals left for the day, what should I eat?	Aug 27 2007 16:28 (UTC)	8
Hey Lorraine -- Try keeping low-fat mozzarella cheese sticks or those little red-wrapped 'Baby Bel' cheeses on hand. One of those is a whole lot better for a snack than the sugar in a candy bar. The sugar makes your insulin go up, probably more than is needed to digest that one candy bar, so you end up with extra insulin with nothing to do but make you crave MORE sugar. If you HAVE to have a candy bar, eat one with lots of nuts that give you something besides sugar to digest. ...another suggestion...throw your spare change in a sealed jar every night. If you don't have change at the bottom of your purse, you can't feed the candy machine! :-) BTW: a snack of low-fat cheese or a small handful of nuts is far better for you than popcorn, which is pure sugar in starch disguise, and does nothing for you but crank up your insulin level to start that deadly spiral once again.
Motivation	Let's Geturdone- over 50 +	Aug 27 2007 15:54 (UTC)	1,677
Hi there -- new here! I've had a bit of success, so will share some thoughts today: On my 50th birthday, my DAD gave me a copy of the South Beach Diet book. Cried....read the book....started implementing the changes....lost 30 pounds, and I've kept it off for a couple of years now. I'm going back on the strictest phase now to jump start another 'reduction'. Some positive ways to change your thinking: 1) Think in terms of percentages, and strive to lose 10% of your total weight as your immediate goal. It's really hard to imagine losing 100 pounds when you're at 250, but losing 25 pounds (10% of 250) is a much more obtainable number. Doctors say losing even 10% of your body weight can help reduce many health risks. Go for 10% at a time...it really feels great when you achieve success! 2) Think in terms of 'substitution and replacement', not 'do without'. Sugar in the form of refined white sugar, refined starches like white bread, instant rice, white potatoes and white flour pasta are some of the biggest contributors to weight gain. Substitute another chemical for dextrose and sucrose. Substitute flavorful herbs for butter and salt. We threw out the white sugar and replaced it with Splenda that measures like sugar. We use it for everything. My husband is a really good chef, and has found he can use Splenda in everything except recipes that call for melting sugar to make caramel (few and far between, huh?) Replace white rice with brown or Basmati whole grain rice; replace white pasta with whole grain pasta (not 'multi-grain'...make sure the words 'whole grain' are the first ingredient). 3) Educate yourself, so you know what different foods actually DO to your metabolism. Be smarter than the fast food 'pushers'. If something is 'quick cooking' or 'instant', that means they took all the fiber and nutrition out so it would cook faster, and they added lots of sugar and salt to cover the bland taste. In your stomach, those refined starches convert INSTANTLY to sugar, which jumps up your insulin level, which makes you want more sugar, and so on. Try whole grain, nutty breads -- savor the flavor and textures, KNOWING you're outwitting the white flour refineries! Try different olive oils instead of butter or margarine -- teach your tongue to enjoy subtle, light flavors instead of that heavy slam of animal or exotic fat. READ THE LABELS: if a serving has more sugar than fiber or protein, that tells you the food has little to offer you but empty calories -- the kind that hit your hips without giving you any real nutrition. Make your body work for those calories -- make it grind through the fiber and protein to get to the sugar inside. It's all in your attitude, as I see a lot of you know from the ideas you have posted. I look at a doughnut or a baked white potato now, and just think 'poison', since those things make my insulin, blood pressure and heart rate go up, up, up. I satisfy my sweets and chocolate cravings with fat and sugar-free chocolate pudding and sugar-free gelatin. I eat sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes; grilled chicken with lots of herbs instead of chicken fried in salt and fat; grainy, nutty brown bread instead of sticky white bread. ...I could go on and on....best suggestion is to at least read the parts of the South Beach Diet book that talk about insulin, the Glycemic Index, and refined foods. It's a real eye opener! I'm not trying to push this one book/diet. It just makes a lot of sense to me, and helped me to change my lifestyle and eating habits to lose that first 30 pounds.

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