Hi, i am new on the website. Is there somebody here who is 40 and + ?

I am 40 years old, 5"5 and 148 . My goal is 137 and i  should be 137 by July. Would like to find  somebody to do this together, to support and to help to reach goals.

have a great day , everybody

Hi Lori,

Well, yes, we went back home to visit my family 3 times and stayed there for couple weeks each time. First time i went after two years being here and that's because i was waiting for all my papers to be done. I missed my parents very much, i am an only child. So it was hard for both me and them.  It is different here, i mean everything is very different: life style, traditions, cuisine, relationships. First big difference was that i had to use car to go everywhere. In St.Petersburg i used to walk all day long and was using buses, metro and was walking a lot. I still miss it here and try to walk where i can. There are a lot of differences between life here and in Russia. Food is a huge difference. There is no fast food in Russia actually originally. Now of course there are McDonald's, Pizza hut and so on. People mostly cook at home, bake a lot, eat a lot of meat and a lot of vegetables. I don't like fast food, don't like McDonald's, prefer to cook at home and love it. Of course i cook a lot of Russian dishes and my husbands love it.  If you want i can give you couple recipes of Russian dishes. Cakes and pies are so different here. In Russian food there are more natural ingredients and less sugar and preservatives. I don't eat store bought cakes, pastries here i prefer to bake by myself and i also like European cakes. Ice cream is so rich here, don't eat it, instead prefer frozen yogurt with less fat and sugar. Or i also buy Russian ice cream in the stores here. There are couple Russian stores here where you can buy Russian food, books, cd's, DVDs. Best chocolate is Russian, it is natural and there are no a lot of sugar. Candies are very good, pastries too. But for Americans, Russian cakes are not sweet enough. Isn't it funny? I bought couple pastries and cakes for my husband's family. They didn't like it, too light

As for weather, there are all four seasons in St.Petersburg. Winter is very cold and long, starts in November and ends in March. Spring is beautiful and cool, summer not very hot, fall is just amazing. It used to be my favourite season of all. Summers here are too hot for me, and i can't used to the climate. I don't feel really comfortable when it is hot. St.Petersburg actually is on North-West , so it is very close to Europe. Finland is 4 hours away from the city.

I know about the weight jumping forth and back, i remember that you were talking about this. That's why i am not so worried about it. I just keep eating my calories and that's it.  It was really hot this week-end, 93F. Tomorrow it will become cooler, in 70 and it will stay this way for a while. I am still wearing short sleeves.

I am glad you enjoyed your week-end with your son . I had a nice week-end too. We were relaxing at home,didn't do nothing special.

talk to you soon

Leila

Wow very interesting, thanks for sharing. It must have been hard at first with all the differences.

Had a nice time with my tow sons around all weekend, the years fly by to quickly. It seems like they were just playing with toys such a short time ago, now one is in college and the other is going to be a dad any day now.

Last night was very sad, had a celebration of life for my previous patient, that passed away last week. Also had many good laughs and memories along with the tears. Life is short we have to remember to enjoy every day we are here.

My grandsons will be over in a few hours, they are at the Children's museum in Boston now, but I will have them after, so my daughter can go to dentist to have her teeth cleaned.

I just tried making French onion soup for the first time, without the bread and cheese. So pretty much plain onion soup, and I am surprised, it is really tasty.

Yes I would love some of your recipes, as long as they are not very high in calories lol  I love trying new things.

Lori

HI Lori,

Well, it was hard in the beginning,mostly because i missed my family so much. I was lucky having my husband's support and his family's too. They all were very nice and friendly from the beginning.

I know,, time is flying by very fast. Having such a busy life we really don't notice how days are passing by. Sometimes there is not enough time to stop, relax and think about life.

You know, two years ago my husband went for a business trip to Boston and i flew to him to spent a week-end there. We loved Boston and it was not enough time to see everything we wanted too. It was in October and the weather was just like in St.Petersburg. It was raining, the wind was blowing, you could smell the crisp in the air. I was surprised how much Boston reminded me St.Petersburg. We hope to go there one day again but for a week or so.

I wll try to find some recepies for you. All russian dishes are pretty much high in calories because of the sour cream and cream sauces. There are many vegetable dishes that you will like.  For example here not many people like red beets. There are couple dishes with red beets and the are so good. I will sent you them, but i will need to translate them first.

It's is cool here, windy and cloudy. I really like this weather, i am so tired of the heat.

have a nice day

Leila

HI Lori,

I hope everything is fine with you, didn't see you for couple days. Well, i didn't go to the gym this week at all, was really busy. I weight in this morning and i am 138 today. That's good considering i didn't exercise but i was eating as always a little under my calories.  I will translate some recipes for you this week-end so you would try them. Maybe you will like any of them. They are not high in calories because there are mostly vegetables.

It's nice and cool here, i hope it will last and we won't have hot days anymore.

How are you doing? 

Leila

I gained almost a pound this week, not happy about that.

Sorry I have not been on, I have been so busy all week. Had a wake, then my cousin came up from Fla yesterday for another wake. Last night my granddaughter arrived, she is a little peanut 5 pounds 13 onces. My grandson that is 3 months old was born at 9 pounds 2 ounces. It would take one and a half of her to be his birth weight.  I am sure you can understand why I have not been on here. Now things should calm down a bit, and you will hear from me more often.

It is very cool here this morning, have to wear a sweater. 

Looking forward to the recipes, I love veggies.

I'm hoping I can get back on track with the weight, going up in weight makes me feel so sad.

Have a great Friday!

Lori

Hi Lori,

I understand you were really busy. Congratulations on your new granddaughter!!! She is really tiny little thing.

Don't worry it will go down again, that's the way it works. It is important that  that weight would go down slowly. That works for me. I am really busy at work today, so it is short.

have a good week-end

Leila

Hello Leila,

How was your weekend? Mine was very busy with back and forth to hospital to see the baby, but very enjoyable.

Haven't been doing so great with the calories, running down to the cafe to eat. I haven't been going over limit, but not eating the greatest foods.

The weather was perfect today, but I spent most of day inside hospital. Tomorrow it is going to be really nice as well, so we a planning to go on the motor cycle for a few hours. Baby will be discharged from hospital in the afternoon, so I will go see her when she gets home.

I'm hoping I get back on track with eating healthy tomorrow, I've worked so hard to lose the weight, I want to keep it off.

Hope your weekend was nice.

Lori

Hi Lori,

My week-end was really busy,i didn't have time to go to the gym too. I was cleaning on Saturday in the morning and after lunch we went out to run some errands and then went shopping.  The weather is really nice, it's in 70s, cool and sunny. Sunday  was busy too,i needed to put away all summer stuff, shoes and clothes. But of course i didn't have enough time to do everything. I usually cook on Sunday and it takes time. By the way about cooking, there is a red beet salad that i made on Sunday. I think that you will like it if you like red beets. I put the recipe to the analyzer and it showed me 90 calories. I think that it's about right. It's very easy. Depends how much salad you want, i was making just for myself for couple days. So i took: 3 red beets,3 carrots, 3 potatoes and boiled them in their skin. It takes at about 2 hours to boil vegetables,so i do this beforehand. You need to peal and dice vegetables. Put them into the salad bowl. Then you need to dice one onoin and 2-3 pickles ( Kosher pickles would be great), and add it to the salad. Mix everything good, add salt and 2-3 tb.sp vegetable oil.At first try oil on a little bit of salad to figure it out how this or that oil will taste.

Then there is another salad: Olivier. I don't know how many calories in there  but it is also vegetable salad plus mayonnaise.  3 carrots, 3 potatoes,2-3 pickles, 1 big onion, 3 eggs(hard boiled), 2 chicken breasts poached,1 cup of sweet pea. Vegetables, chicken, eggs should be boiled,piled and diced.  Everything should be mixed together in the bowl. Then you add couple spoons of mayonnaise and salt.

This week will be really busy too. Every year we sent my parents presents for Christmas in the beginning of November. It takes a month for the package to get to St.Petersburg. So we looking for the presents at the end of September beginning of October. Christmas is not so far away and it means to buy presents for everybody.I don't really like Christmas shopping but i need to do that anyway. Usually i don't start until the end of November. But my mother in law starts now and in November she is done.

Have a nice day, Lori. Let me know how did you like salads.

Leila

I love beets. I put up a post a couple of weeks to see if anyone knew how to cook them. I always loved jar and canned, but never had fresh. Now in the last two weeks I eat them all the time. I will try both salads and let you know what I think. Thanks for the recipes.

I have to do some Christmas shopping early to, my mom is only in Fla, but I like to buy, wrap and them them early. This year I have three grandchildren to buy for, so I better get started soon lol I hate doing any of it last minute with the crowds, I usually have all my shopping and wrapping done by end of November.

Boy I was surprised at how chilly it was today when I woke up.

I'm tired so I'm going to shower, have a snack and relax and watch tv.

Have a great night.

Lori

HI Lori,

Oh, really, that's surprising. I know couple people here who doesn't like beets and don't know how to cook them. But i love them. Besides this two salads you also can cook borsh ( it's a beet soup). You can cook it vegetarian just with vegetables ( onions, cabbage, beets,carrots,tomatoes) or with meat. There is Ukrainian style with adding tomato paste and a lot of tomatoes and a lot of fat. I don't like fat at all so i usually just make my families version vegetarian or with mean, adding just tomatoes and tomato paste without any fat. You should eat soup with a  table spoon of sour cream. My husband didn't like beets until he tried beet soup, now he loves it and eat only with sour cream. I will give you recipe later. I also like beets boiled,shredded with garlic,walnuts and mayonnaise. It is so gooood......So for now just try these two recipes.

I started Christmas shopping yesterday, found couple things no line for my parents and aunt. So i guess i have early start this year. I don't like to buy presents at last minute with all these crowds. Last year and bought couple things on line  in December because i didn't want to go to the store. It was last minute additional presents.

It is getting very cool here too, nice.

have a nice day

Leila

Beet soup sounds good. Do you put the sour cream in the soup?

I did a little Christmas shopping tonight, felt good to get some done so early. Got the 2 year old gifts, bad move I know I won't be able to wait until Christmas. 

Enjoy the cool weather I know you love it. I'm missing the hot days already.

Well, I have been doing good with the calories so lets see what Friday will bring for a weigh in. Still not hitting the gym much.

Lori

Hi Lori,

Yes, you put a table spoon of sour cream into the soup. It tastes so good, yum!! There is one thing i forgot to tell you about Russian beet salad. In Russia we usually eat it with herring. But i didn't meet a person here who would like herring. Even my husband doesn't like it. I buy it for myself in Russian store. I am sure that you probably don't eat it too. But it's just so you know it. Who knows maybe you will decide to try it

I went to the gym last night and spent an hour on elliptical. I love it so much, it's my favourite machine now. I am planning to go on Thursday again, but you never know. Something could come up..... I am good with my calories,but on Monday we went to Italian restaurant "Carrabas italian grill" to celebrate my husband's new job. So i ate 100 calories more my limit, but everything was so good, just unbelievable. I was really good, i mean i had grilled salmon in butter sauce with capers  and grilled asparagus. Before that was House salad but that was sooooooooo good and easy. Just  lettuce leaves, olives, carrots,onions and very good dressing. When i asked waiter what kind of dressing is that, he said it's a secret of the House. And of course we shared dessert,it was Tiramisu, but i had just 4 forks  That was unbelievable!!! So i guess the sauces and dessert gave me this extra calories. But you know, i don't regret, i really enjoyed every bite.

Yes, i started to think about Christmas too. It will be here in no time, it always does. Besides it's a season for boots  and i am big shoes and boots lover. Now when i lost weight i can wear what i couldn't before, leggings with boots and long sweaters, tunics.

Oh, yes Friday weight in, we will see what it will bring. I am sure you burn a lot of calories when you go shopping, spend time with your grandchildren. So you just go to the gym when you have time and energy.

I enjoy this cool weather so much, don't miss heat at all.

have a nice day

Leila

I love all seafood, so I would try it with herring.

Your dinner out sounds like it was very good. Cograts to your husband on his new job.

Keep enjoying the gym, I will some day lol

I have a question, have you ever eaten papaya? I never have, but I bought a very large one. I was surprised when I cut it open and there was a lot of little seeds. I don't even know how to eat it. I put up a post in the food section, hope I receive some suggestions. I don't know if you just eat it plain or you are supposed to put something on it.

I  have my two grandsons today and my son is bringing the new baby over later. We will all have dinner at my home tonight, I am so excited.

Hope you have a great day.

Lori

Oh, great. YOu are the first person here who didn't  tell me that i am crazy when i told them about herring. By the way i put into my recipes on CC Tomato and bean soup, that is 129 calories.  I don't know if you can get to my recipes, i don't know yet how it works.

Thank you, my husband is very happy that he has got this job. He was without job for 3 months. Dinner was fantastic!!!

I am going to the gym today, i am  planning to. Today there should be showers and storm, so if it will be really bad, i probably won't go. I really enjoy going to the gym lately.

I have eaten papaya, you should take all the seeds out and eat it. No, you just eat it like any other fruit, banana or cantaloupe.

Oh, i imagine you are excited,you will have all your grandkids together. Nice...

Enjoy your dinner and have a great day

Leila

I'm not sure if I can get to your recipes, but I will try. Seems that I would like everything that you like.

I ate some of the papaya yesterday, I did like it, but not as much as watermelon. My daughter really liked it a lot, she said she is going to start buying them lol

Yesterday was a nice day with all the kids and grandchildren, but I am very tired now. I wish I could sit around and relax all day today. I have the dentist for a cleaning this morning and a few other things I have to get done. I was happy about my calories yesterday, I made a nice big home cooked meal and managed to stay under my limit.

Gloomy here this morning, and we are supposed to get rain for the next two days. Maybe tomorrow I can stay in and relax all day, I hope so anyway.

Well don't ask me how, but I lost over two pounds this week.  I really wish I was going to the gym, because I am losing the weight, but not getting toned and firm.

Hope the weather for you will be better than here this weekend, enjoy!

Lori

Well, i  reached my goal !!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy about that! I already put another goal of 5 pounds. The only problem i have it's my clothes, i need to buy new smaller size clothes. I decided to put away everything that is too big for now.

There should be way for you to get to my recipes. I will try to find out how. I ordered recipes analyzer on Amazon. I can't work with the analyzer they have on CC. It doesn't give you exact calorie value. I can't cook many recipes because i don't know how many calories is it. I can guess but not exactly. I can't wait to get it and use it. I have got a bread baking book and want to try to bake some breads from the book.

I couldn't go to the gym yesterday because it was raining so hard. Maybe will go tomorrow. It is still raining today and the wind is blowing. I like this real autumn weather, just like at home. You know when i refer to home, i mean St.Petersburg. Although i live here for 5 years, i consider having two homes.

have a great week-end

Leila

I am so happy for you Leila, reaching your goal is a very exciting day. I knew we could do this together. I am very proud of you, wish we lived close to each other, we could go do something fun to celebrate. Ask hubby to give you an extra big hug from me, way to go girl!

Pouring here and the weather man says it won't stop until Sunday morning. I am hoping to stay in one day and get a lot done around here. I hate to put summer clothes away, makes me sad that winter is on the way. I think the snow is beautiful, but I hate the cold.

Don't put a way clothes that are to big, give or throw them away, you will NEVER need them again. It was hard work to get where we are, we have to keep it off forever.lol

Have a very happy night, look in the mirror and tell yourself how proud you are for reaching your goal. I'm not crazy, I just think you should make a big deal of it, you deserve it. Congratulations!

Lori

Thank you so much, Lori!!! I am really proud of myself, to tell the truth i didn't think that i could do that. I was struggling with weight for a while and it was very lucky day when i found CC website. I was thinking about it and i agree with you,i will give it away. Oh, Gosh, i wish we lived close too We would definitely celebrate this day.  So tomorrow i am going shopping to get some new clothes, i am excited !!!  My husband told me this morning that he is very proud of me, although i look beautiful for him always. Isn't that sweet!!! It is a big day for me!!! Thank you for your support, Lori. I wouldn't do that without you.

I need to finish putting away summer clothes and shoes too. I don't feel sad, i am so tired of the heat. I have read in the weather forecast that we will have really cold,wet winter with a lot of snow. So, we will just get ready for the winter when time will come.

It is raining all day here, it is cool, in 60s. Week-end should be sunny but cool and windy.

Enjoy your week-end,Lori.

Leila

Leila did you ever have curry paste? I love spicy food, but most Mexican food is high in calories. I had a dish in an Indian restaurant once, and it was made with curry, and it was very spicy and tasty. Also the owner of a corner store near me is from India and she brought a couple of things for me to try, I think they also had curry paste(very good). So today I went to a store that sells spices and things from many countries, and I got a couple of different kinds. People working at store could not really help be, they didn't speak much English, but they did tell me to mix coconut milk with the curry. I tried it with chickpeas, onions and green peas, it was really good, can't taste any coconut but I guess that is just to make it more of a gravy texture.

Sorry this was so long, just wondering if you ever heard of curry and if you use it.

Yes, i cooked couple times with curry paste. I love indian food because of the spices and the unusual taste. I tried couple recipes from Food Network Website. I don't know if you used it  before, but you should try it. Go to Food Network.com and in the search line put curry paste. It will show you the recipes that they have. Besides that you can read comments of other people who tried this dish and this is really helpful. Chicken is very good with curry, this is their special dish.

let me know how did it go

Leila