***Christian Calorie Counters (CCC) Continues***

Greetings to all. This thread is being started to continue, not to abandon, the old thread, Christian Calorie Counters. Thank you Danceswithforks for that wonderful thread.

This thread is for the purpose of lifting up our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and in doing so, encouraging and motivating one another on their weight Loss and weight maintenance journey, and encouraging each other in life itself.

So please come and share your needs, share your successes, encourage one another, and help us motivate each other, all in the love of the Lord.

There is an ongoing challenge if you would like to participate. It starts on the first of every month and ends at the first of the next month. On the first of the month, you come to this thread and post your weight and your 3 core measurements (chest, waist, hips). Then throughout the month you collect points for different categories of the challenge. Each week you post your points for that week. The points are then updated on the thread:
Christian Calorie Counters Challenge Roster & Updates. You go to that thread just to view the list, but stay on this thread for the purpose of posting stats and points, and above all - fellowship with each other. You do NOT have to take part in the challenge in order to be a part of this group.

For October's Challenge, this will be the point system:

• Spiritual Food: 1 point per day for time spent in the Word of God
• Exercise: 1 point for every 15 minutes of exercise
• Pounds Lost: 1 point for every pound lost
• Inches Lost: 1 point for every inch lost from measurements of Chest, waist, hips
• Fruits/Veggies: 1 point for every 1/2 serving of fruits and veggies
• Skipping Dessert: 1 point for every time you skip dessert (up to 1 point per day)
• Water: 1 point for every 8 ounces of water consumed
• Outside Relaxation: 2 point for every day in which you spend at least 15 minutes In the SUNSHINE, relaxing outdoors.

Notice that the Sunshine is now 2 points per day that you spend at least 15 minutes in the sun relaxing. Notice there are two components to this: It must be in the sun, and it must be relaxing. Working in the sun doesn't count, and sitting and relaxing under a shade tree doesn't count either. We have changed the point value for this category upon the request of Dances, the winner of the September Challenge. November it will change back to one point, and the winner of the October challenge may select whatever category they would like to increase to 2 points.

Points for pounds or inches lost will only be added at the end of the challenge.

Again, you do NOT have to participate in the challenge in order to be a part of this group. Fellowship is the main purpose of this thread.

Hi Pam.  I'm caught up with you!  whew, that was close.....

I Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

 

I'm trying to remember that this weekend.  That's when temptation is the worst. 

 

This is awesome! I'm so glad I found this thread - way to focus our lives back on GOD, rather htan diets, calories, exercise, etc - BAH! I really need tihs because I am struggling with BED, and focusing on God - and relaxing in the sun :) (I LOVED that when I read it) are great ways to help me see that life is more than just being out of control with food, obsessing about the binges and counting hte calories several times over, and then exercising too much to try to make up for it, gah!

Life this summer I was so close with the Lord, adn that's when I made the most progress, so that's back where I want to be. I am tagging htis thread for spiritual direction and encouragement, and asking all for your prayers when you see this! I need them DAILY! thank you sooo much for being on here :)

Hey Agent 7 - Glad you found us here. Great scripture! Appreciate that you shared that. What did you mean by " Hi Pam.  I'm caught up with you!  whew, that was close....."?

Sarah - I'm really glad that you found us here too. I pray that we can be a blessing to you through all we say and do. Please let us know how we can help you and feel free to join in anytime. We are here to bless the Lord, and to edify one another. That's the bottom line. Glad you joined us.

Where oh where are the rest of you?
Dances? Angie? Sherry? Eric? Kim? Kat? Nat? Mark? Molly? Sue?

I lost you, then I found  you.  That's what I meant.

Goooood Evening, my fellow CCC'ers!!!

Once again, I got creative in the kitchen this evening and created Turkey-Portabella Tacos! Yep, that's right ... tacos made with ground turkey breast, plus portabella mushrooms, onions and garlic. Then, of course, we added some shredded cabbage, diced fresh tomatoes, and some fat free cheddar cheese! Yum, oh Yum Yum Yum!

10 oz. of Ground Turkey Breast (300 calories)

4 oz. of diced portabella mushrooms (25 calories)

1 diced red onion (46 calories)

6 fresh garlic cloves (30 calories)

Taco seasoning (30 calories)

Fat Free Cheddar Cheese (60 calories)

1 diced red tomato (22 calories)

3 Mission brand yellow taco shells (150 calories)

TOTAL CALORIES: 663

*** I should note that I ended up not actually trying to fill the taco shells, I just broke them up and piled the rest on top ... like wonderful nachos. If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably save some calories and use less ground turkey, and I'd probably look for some low fat or baked tortilla chips instead of the crunched up crunchy taco shells. But the ground turkey cooked up with the onions, mushroom, garlic and taco seasoning was WONDERFUL!!!! You could make some awesome taco salads or nachos or burritos with this nifty combination.

** Ground Turkey ... when shopping for ground turkey, keep in mind that Ground Turkey BREAST is lower in calories than regular ground turkey (which includes more dark meat).  If you're really wanting to save calories, go for the (pricier) ground turkey breast.

* Very lean ground beef could be substituted in this, just be sure and adjust the calories.

HAPPY EATING!!!

=^..^= MOLLY

Dances - We'll be glad to see you whenever you can come. Happy packing, and moving. But remember to take breaks and sit out in the son with the Word and drink your tea. :>)

Molly - Thanks for that awesome meal plan. That looks delicious. I think personally, I would just eat it all without the taco shells or tortilla chips. It sounds wonderful.

Agent 7 - That's what I thought you meant, just wasn't sure. Just needed clarification.

I pray that everyone of you are doing well this morning. I have to work all day today and do not have access to a computer, so I will see you all later this evening. Have a blessed day!

oh wow.  Dances, you shocked me this morning. I came in here to find the CCC thread locked and saw your messages.  Best of luck to you with your move.  I know what a HUGE task that is as we just moved cross country last year.  It's a lot of work!  I certainly hope you still come in and visit us once in a while though.  You've been such an inspiration to me over the last couple of months!  We love you!!

Pam...thank you so much for continuting the the thread!  I'm still in the challenge with you.  Anyone else want to join the challenge??  It's really not a competition.  Just a GREAT way to keep yourself accountable and learn how to keep on track with the healthy eating plan.  The Lord is in control of our lives and we have to remember that to succeed!

Molly...now that was creative cooking.  Turkey and mushroom tacos!  I'm not sure you'd find that in any cookbook!  :)  It does actually sound really good though (just like everything else you make)  :)

Sarah...so glad you found us here.  Looking forward to chatting with you.  This site has been such a blessing to me and I hope it will be for you too!

Good morning to everyone else.  Hope everyone will wander on over to this new thread and say HI!

Have a Blessed Sunday.  Will pop in later...

"Goood morning to youuuuuuuuuuu ..."

The birdies are chirping, the sun is shining, the kittens are scampering, and I am pampering!!! (Myself, that is!)  This morning's off-the-charts breakfast for me was a nice, big vegetable/onion/bacon eggbeaters scramble with a crispy, crunchy, buttery english muffin with blueberry spread. (happy, happy sigh!)

1 cup (4 eggs) Eggbeaters Garden Vegetable  (120 calories)

1 finely chopped medium onion (46 calories)

2 tablespooons real bacon bacon bits (50 calories)

Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb Blend Seasoning (0 calories)

toasted Thomas' light multigrain english muffin (100 calories)

Walden Farms sugar free Blueberry spread (0 calories)

BREAKFAST TOTAL: 316 CALORIES

(Veggie serving - one whole onion)

I really like the Garden Vegetable Eggbeaters ... lots of wonderful, colorful little specks of real veggies in there!  And the calorie comparison to four eggs is FABULOUS. (Eggbeaters 120, real eggs 300)  And I chopped the yellow onion last night and put it in a ziploc bag to make my scramble this morning! I then tossed the onions in the electric frying pan first (with butter-flavored cooking spray and the Mrs. Dash sprinkled on), then added the Eggbeaters, and lastly ... the cooked real bacon bacon bits! I try to do a special breakfast on at least one weekend day ... just a little treat over the ordinary cereal and toast breakfasts I have the rest of the week!

My DH Ron made himself a delectable scramble, too, this morning ... using last night's leftover taco-flavored ground turkey/portabella mushrooms/onion mix ... and he added some salsa for more of a southwestern flare. His looked absolutely scrumptious, too!

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

=^..^= MOLLY

 

Please help!  I would love to join the thread as well as the challenge.  How do I get signed up?

Hello Waytofat .... welcome to our cheery christian chat and fellowship thread. To join our merry band, you just need to do what you did .... start posting and be welcomed in the name of Christ! We are blessed that you've chosen to join us!

* Feel free to let us know how we can support, encourage and motivate you.

* Feel free to post prayer requests and to share praise reports.

* Feel free to share bible verses, scriptures, song lyrics or devotionals that have been meaningful, helpful, or encouraging to you.

* Feel free to add us to your Buddy List, and to check out our individual profile pages and journals.

To join the "CCC Challenge," just start keeping track of the points you earn each week for the items listed in Post #1 by humorpam .... and then you post your results once each week (I think you post on Sundays or Mondays, I'm not sure ... but humorpam can confirm!)

You will also find an "October VEGGIE Challenge" thread in the Motivation forum ... which is a daily challenge to "Eat your Vegetables!" Every day that you eat veggies .... post and tell us what you ate! And it's a great place to get inspired about new veggies that are out there!

By the way, I'm Molly .... and I tend to post my menus and cooking experiments and calories of my various meals ... just as a way of reminding people that eating on a diet doesn't have to be dull and boring! I'm having fun trying out new foods and new combinations, and I just like to share.

((( hug ))))    W*E*L*C*O*M*E!!!

=^..^= MOLLY

 

Welcome waytofat! Do you want to be called that or something else.  :)  I feel like I'm talking to myself!  ha-ha. 

Seriously though, I'm SO glad you found us here and want to sign up for the challenge!!  Our wonderful friend Pam is the leader and keeps track of our progress for us.  This month's challenge we report our weekly points by Monday to her.  Let us know if you have any questions about anything.  I have just been keeping track of my points in an excel spreadsheet I set up so it makes it a bit easier to track.  Some people just write them down, whatever is easiest for you!  I just think it's a great way to be held accountable for what we put into our bodies and staying focused on why we are doing this.  :)  However, if you don't want to do the challenge feel free to come in and fellowship WHENEVER you want to! 

ps. I had a look at your profile pic.  ADORABLE!  4 little girls...that must be SO much fun!  :)

Hey Everyone and welcome Way.

**sniff**  So sad the old thread closed

**Happy dance** A new thread opened!... Thank you Pam for committing to the responsibility of this thread.  It really is a ministry!

I plan on enetering the challenge tomorrow.

 

I am thrilled to see my old friends wandering in after finding this new thread, and all my new friends I haven't met yet who have found their way here. Waytofat, I want to welcome you as I see the others already have. To participate in the challenge please start off by posting your stats - your weight and your three core measurements (chest,waist,hips). Refer to either the opening post of this thread or post #1, (I can't remember which) and it will give you the point system. Come back each Monday and post your points. Please use the following format:
Spiritual Food - _____Days - _____ Points
Exercise - ______ Minutes - ______Points
Fruits/Veggies - ______ Servings - ______ Points
Skipped Dessert - ______Days - _______Points
Water - _____Ounces - ______Points
Sunshine - _______ Days - _______ Points

Molly - Great breakfast plan. I'm gonna have to try that one too. I love that kind of breakfast. I just didn't know that I could have it with that few calories. Super!

Molly and Sherry - Thank you for both doing such a great job as welcoming committee. I had to work today, and it's nice to know that I don't have to worry about people getting lost here, because of such a wonderful group of people!

Mandy - We're still the same people. Just a continuation with a new thread. It had too many posts on the other one anyway, so it was causing quite a delay. Thanks for moving here with us.

Tonight, I made the best pumpkin "dessert" ... and I ate it for DINNER!!! (I know, I know ... but pumpkin is a VEGETABLE!)  Anyway, you take a can of pumpkin (no salt added) .... NOT pumpkin pie mix, just pumpkin ... and you place it in a bowl. Add some "pumpkin pie spice" and some cinnamon and some artificial sweetener. Stir in 4 tablespoons of fat free Cool Whip, then add 1/2 cup of Kashi Go lean cereal. Zap it in the microwave to get it nice and warm ... then just dive in! It's like eating a pumpkin pie for dinner!

SCRUMPTIOUS PUMPKIN WITH CRUNCHIES

one 15oz can of no-salt-added Pumpkin (145 calories)

4 tablespoons of Fat Free Cool Whip (30 calories)

1/2 cup of Kashi Go Lean Cereal (70 calories)

Pumpkin Pie spice (to taste)

Cinnamon (to taste)

Artificial Sweetener (to taste)

TOTAL CALORIES: 245

Note: This is a HUGE serving .... if you are having it as a dessert, you'd probably want to divide this into thirds .... but it makes a wonderful cold-weather comforting main dish!!! 

PUMPKIN ... Pumpkin is a member of the squash family and is related to zucchini. Pumpkins are orange because they contain massive amounts of lutein, alpha- and beta-carotene.  These nutrients turn to Vitamin A in the body. Pumpkin is very high in dietary fiber, high in potassium, low in sodium, very high in iron, very high in Vitamin C and very high in Vitamin A. Pumpkin also helps prevent arterosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which can lead to strokes and/or heart attacks. A study by the USDA indicated that diets high in pumpkin as a fiber source tended to curb the appetite, yet provided more food for the same calorie count. The subjects in this study also absorbed less fat and calories from their food.

EAT YOUR PUMPKIN, PEEPS!

The rest of my dinner was equally scrumptious, if absolutely UNRELATED to all that pumpkin! I had 5 oz. of tuna sashimi (153 calories) and 2 cups of cherry tomatoes (54 calories) for a total for dinner of 452 calories!

=^..^= MOLLY

 

Molly, I had some lowfat pumpkin ice cream this weekend!  I know it wasn't nearly as healthy as your pumpkin dessert but it was yummy!! :) On another squash related note...we had spaghetti squash for dinner tonight.  I have not had it in years but wanted to try it after reading the "molly's diet rants thread" squash suggestions.  It can totally be subsituted for real spaghetti noodles.   We just cooked it at 375 for an hour and scooped out the "spaghetti" like strands.  Served with pasta sauce, spinich and some low fat mozzarella.  Very yummy!

Pam...here's my points for the week. I hope my math is correct.  It's late and I'm tired :)

Spiritual Food - ___3__Days - __3___ Points
Exercise - ___30___ Minutes - ___2___Points
Fruits/Veggies - __32____ Servings - ___32___ Points
Skipped Dessert - __5____Days - ___5____Points
Water - __416___Ounces - __52____Points
Sunshine - ___4____ Days - ___8____ Points

Total Week 1 = 102

Weight = 250  (looking forward to seeing the 240?s!)  :)

Good night all!

Spiritual Food ? 5 Days ? 5 Points

Exercise ? 0

Fruits/Veggies ? 75 Servings ? 75 Points

Skipping Dessert ? 4 Days ? 4 Points

Water ? 640 Ounces ? 80 Points

Sunshine ? 0

Total Points Week One: 164

Total Points for October Challenge so far: 164

Sherry - I got your points, thank you.

I have updated the list with points for:
Sherry
Pam

Dances - If you are still going to do the challenge, I need your points for the past week please.

Anybody else want to join the challenge today? Need your stats and points from last week if you kept them. Otherwise just your stats.