20 to go!! I need some saucy, supportive, soul-sisters!!

I'd like to start an intimate group with people who have a GREAT sense of humor, can be honest without being snide, don't mind divulging their ups and downs, and have some inspiring words of wisdom and support to share.  I am looking for a few online accountablility pals to help me get over this last 20 pound hump!!  I have lost 38 pounds.  I know I am going to make it, it's just nice having some "slimming sisters" who have "been there" and are "going through that" to share the journey with.  What do you say...are you up for the challenge??? 

Hello Everyone,

I would really love to join if that is okay.  I am in Australia - you won't hold that against me will you?  Okay so I was CC for about 4 months and stoped in May.  I lost 19.6 lbs.  I put on 6.2lbs over the following 3 months and in September decided to get back on the bus!  I have since lost about 7lbs in the 2 months which is REALLY slow going but I am determined to KEEP it off this time. 

I am trying to make more lifestyle changes then "be on a diet".  I think this is a better way to tackle this life long journey.  So as of Monday this week I weighed 137.5lbs and my goal is 121lbs.  I am 5ft 2" and 30 yrs old.

I just got married and have just come back from my 2 week honeymoon in Indonesia and managed to only gain 1.1lbs so I was pretty happy about that!  Must have been all that rice and... um...excercise   Sorry to rub it in Cinfuldiva lol

I think I am not doing something right as the weight loss is really slow.  I aim for 1200 - 1300 cal a day and I walk 3 x a week for about 1 hrs each time.  I also do 1.5 hrs of yoga a week.  I am looking to start incorporating weight training also (hopefully soon).  Does this sound right to you all?  I have gone on numerous calculators to work out my cal needs and my BMR ect and they say anywhere from 1200 - 1350 cal a day.  I really want to maximise my loss cause I fear if it keeps going slow I am gonna loos patience and stop again.

Anyway, I better get back to study - I have an exam next Thursday (algebra & Calculus 2) Oh the joys... such riviting stuff!

JBoise, you don't have to ask if you can call her queen (forgot to capitalize the Q), so you don't have to ask if you can call Cindy "Queen", she demands it of me--I don't know about the rest of this group, but I let her think she is Queen and that keeps her right within my universe.  Glad you're back and didn't get frightened off by the rest of us nuts!  I honestly like writing more here than in my own journal.  I have to keep my mouth clean there for the most part, and I'm afraid of offending some of the meek and mild.  JB, beware, the sexy new parka is just the beginning!

Now I have to read her  "the Queen" posts to the tune of "Hail to the Chief"; before it was "God save the Queen".  I'm confused, she's schizoid and were both still overweight, but laughing our asses off (at least I am)

Okay, I took your advise and had 5 chicken nuggets body parts at Wendys yesterday.  Something to scare my system into submission.  Well, this morning I had gained 1.2 lbs, thank you very much. .  I decided to solve that problem by today eating whatever the hell I pleased.  However, it didn't please me to think about eating more bad stuff.  Those nugget parts yesterday didn't sound too appealing today.  So when I went shopping I saw this sign on the olive samples that said "help your self to a sample", so I did, and I did, and I did.  Thank God there was some pickled garlic in the display, so at least I could justify eating all those olives swimming in oil. because the good of the garlic would override the bad of the olives.  I came out of that mess, only slightly embarrassed by my gluttony because I had used a toothpick and did not use my fingers.  Now in reality, I know the olives did not kill me calorie-wise.  I only had 3 (really).  The oil they were swimming in probably was a "good" oil,and you guys all know how much I am trying to get things moving (ahem!)  from within. 

Queenie (oops, only her hubby calls her that), forgive me please.  So, I thought about the Dairy Queen Medium Extreme Chocolate Lovers Blizzard that you said worked to kick your 2nd plateau in the nuts.  I don't have a car...(well, too bad Tonnie, not all of the world needs one and that includes you!), I walk and ride our city Bus (BAT-Bend Area Transit), so getting to the only DQ where I live is a healthy jaunt--sorry; not that motivated.  So I am substituting that chocolate free-for-all with M & M's.  There, I've said it.  I ate a half bag of plain chocolate M & M 's today.  Now I'm scarfing down one square of Lindt's 85% cocoa, extra dark chocolate.  I've read other's post about eating this dark chocolate stuff and saying it's "not too bad, once you get used to the lack of sugar"--bite me!  And especially after you've eaten M & M's.

I have posted my "size 12" pictures as promised earlier.  If you check my gallery, they are the 3rd & 4th ones down on the left side.  Yvarner, do I still look darling?  I felt darling.  I even asked my friend Karen if I looked darling.  Sometimes she's brutally honest (she's never been overweight in her life and I hate her), and she said "Tonnie, you're not the "darling" type.  You're more seductive and sensual when you try."  (Now I love her)  Then she went on to say how proud of me she was (something I'd expect my mother to say) and blah, blah, blah, about my fashion sense.  I'm pretty sure she was giving me an back handed compliment

One final thought to you, your Majesty, you signed off with a "kiss, kiss"--well I don't know where your kissy lips have been, so I'll just say G'nite to all.

Moochew, welcome to this thread.  Antagonizing Cinfuldiva (the Queen) is part of my my routine here, and she makes me laugh!  Your accomplishments with weight loss and returning to school are admirable!  Ahh, the joys of being a newlywed (ha!).  Keep checking in on this thread.  You can "tag it" as our Queen hasn't made it a group yet.  I don't know what her problem is, (well, I do, but don't want to overly embarass her in front of her followers).  It's not like she has to hold official meetings.  It would just be easier for her servants to have a "Group" to flock to.    ~Tonnie

Tonnie~I most certainly think you look darling (but the more I think about it I do think of myself as a southern belle and perhaps darling is just one of those words I cant shake)!!!! But I understand your hesitation to embrace the term. One of my other overweight girlfriends hates when I tell her she looks darling...but I only say it when I mean it! 

Moochew~WELCOME! I think for your size you should aim for 1200 on most days and the days you workout you can allow yourself more calories. I also would recommend finding ways to burn more calories. It could be that your body is in need of a serious shock because your body is so use to your "regular workout." I think weight training will be good for you as the muscle will help burn the fat more quickly!

Queen~WoW...no you know what for 4-6 weeks...I dont have any advice for that and I understand the gynecological need to abstain while your body is healing but good grief!!! I dont really know what to tell you (I know that sounds sarcastic and for the most part it is, but I really wish there was some good I could see coming from this as that would make it easier for me to offer some conciliatory remarks).

 JBoise~I acutally thought Starbucks was going to be my weakness...but so far so good. In the past there wasnt a thing on the menu that I had not tried and LOVED!!! But now I go for a tall, nonfat, no foam, sugar free, cinnamon dolce/caramel/vanillla (pick one flavor) latte. Honestly, it makes me just as happy. Of course I must admit that it is starting to cool down where I am (Washington, DC) so the warm drink soothes my soul, and I might have some problems come the spring and summer when I really crave a strawberry or caramel frap!

ALL~I have to LOL at the comments regarding form-fitting vs. oversized fleece. I dont know where I stand on this issue. I hate seeing big people wear big clothes in hopes that no one can tell how big they are (I tell one of my girlfriends that it really only makes  her look bigger and sloppy might I add). But on the other hand I hate to see some squeeze into something 2 sizes too small (because they are in denial of what size they really wear) because I think that makes you look big and sloppy as well....where are all of the people seeking a happy medium?!?!?! Now that I am off of that soapbox, I am a little nervous b/c I am suppose to weigh in tommorrow and I have been so caught up in all the election hype that I havent worked out all week ! But good or bad I'll let yall know how it goes!

I'd love to join too if it's not too late.  I lost 45 lbs in the past year and a half, then gained back 10.  So now I need to lose 20-25 - it is sooo hard!!  I need some hard honesty and to be accountable and will do so in return!

That's okay Yvarner.  Really, I took no offense to the word "darling".  You're right, it must be the geographical terminology.  It does make me laugh!      

  We have an absurd number of Muffin tops around here.  That is soooo disgusting to look at, and I've heard the words "gross" and "you gotta be kidding me",  and the snickers (didn't mean to mention candy) from some of my male friends.  There's also some grunts and guffaws that I don't know how to spell.  I've been meaning to mention to you that when I got my first job in Washington, DC and lived in Alexandria, VA for almost two years.  It's strange when you think about it, but if you go for under aged drinking and drugs of your choice, then DC is the place to be.  Or used to be.  I was 17 at the time, and while I never did the drug crap, I was into the "Disco" era and could get into any bar I wanted to while I was still a minor.  Donna Summers, Village People, Bee Gees; the list goes on and on.  Fortunately for me I moved on and grew up. 

scarter 17--you certainly were a beautiful bride!  I looked at your gallery of pictures, and you are just a naturally beautiful person.  I welcome you with open arms (if they're open, then their not full of food).  Please feel free to add your insights and opinions to this thread.  The more, the merrier!

I have a new "recommended by Tonnie" kitchen gadget to add to my list of favs.  It's made by Ziplock and it is for storing your food.  I try to buy in bulk when I can.  Wrapping things in foil is expensive when you want to freeze them.  There are two of these gizmos on the market right now.  One is the one I bought from Ziplock, and the other one is a spendier unit made by Reynolds Wrap.  The concept of both is to suck out the extra air that is left in the bag when you seal it up and freeze, therefore preventing freezer burn.  I do have a full size vacuum sealer that I used to use all the time.  So why switch to these knock off things?  Good question.  My roommate is a pig.  I showed him how to care for and reuse the spendy bags necessary for the Vacuum sealer (as seen on TV!).  He was using the food inside, but threw away the opened bag.  In order for you to reao any sort of savings, you have to re-use these bags right down to the very last sealable increment.  That's okay if you want to seal up a book of matches for camping, but don't try to put in soup.  (Trust me on this one , it's not pretty.)  Once I had gotten him trained to saving the bags, he kept cutting off the wrong side to open them.  You cut off the end that has the writing on it you idiot!  When you reuse the bags, there's no writing on it to cross off.  Just like new, except smaller.  You don't cut off the sides either because they won't reseal with a vacuum.  He's got this standard phrase that he uses:  "Oh, I didn't know that."  Even though I had been through when I explained the money saving concept more than once to him (please, please, someone out there tell me that there is a man that actually pays attention when you tell him something; please?), it is now obvious that I won't let Norm play with my toys anymore.  Take a deep breath, Tonnie, you're starting to hyperventilate.............................

Then I saw the advertisements for this new, more economical way to store foods, I checked it out.  I bought the less expensive of the two (my cheap thrifty bad self is showing)  This one uses a hand pump.  It should be called a de-pump or un-inflator.  Because it does suck out all the excess air.  And if bone-head can't figure out how to open a ziplock bag, then I'm in more trouble than I ever thought.  The Reynolds brand has a battery operated version, which I see as only inflating the price and requires batteries to operate.  The bags are not interchangeable as I learned, but they are comparable in price. 

I am on a fixed income; my roommate isn't.  He was starting to eat my foods.  I don't mind sharing mustard, mayo, etc.  It's the meals that I've put together for myself with all the calories calculated are a different story.  I had made a cranberry/oatmeal dessert for myself, and had it frozen in portions.  Healthy and tasty snack for me.  Four days ago, I got up and saw in the refrigerator a bowl of something that I didn't recognize right then.  It was early morning and BU had let me know she was ready to be fed.  Later on that day I was grabbing a yogurt and I noticed this bowl again.  Hmm?  It wasn't wrapped, and it looked all dried out and yucky.  Then I realized what it was supposed to be (my dessert!) that I had portioned out for myself.   I can't believe he opened it, didn't eat it and left uncovered.  Now it is just a bowl of grossness taking up space.  Yes, I was angry.  .  Luckily for him I went to the store yesterday and bought more food for me, and some new bags for my Ziplock AND some stickers that I used to mark my food.  I told him the foods were for MY diet, and not for his laziness or convenience.  The pre-made meals that I also marked contained laxatives (lie) and estrogen (another lie), and other hormonal drugs (yes, another lie).  I had a hysto in May, so the estrogen and hormone drugs were believeable to him.  I did tell him that I "was concerned" (4th lie) about his eating these foods and didn't wan't him to get sick from it (geeze, another lie).  His reply to me was "Oh, I didn't know that."

I sure hope that this solves the food non/sharing issue that I've had.  I've heard that people have killed for less..  Don't worry, I'm a lover, not a fighter, but sometimes I just want to slap that man.  Can you tell that he irritates me?

Welcome, Moochew and Scarter! These folks are wild!

OK, I admit it: DH & I shared a bottle of champagne last night that we were too tired to open up on election night. It was good. I had to go run like an antelope this morning (on the treadmill) to try to counter it. Note to self: Easier not to put it in your mouth in the first place...

YVarner: Oh, I've scaled down the Starbucks. Can't do milk any more, so my drink is a tall soy latte. When I feel perky I get half-hazelnut flavoring.

Hoping to keep myself losing this week...despite knowing I am bad...

jboise - I know.... don't you LOVE it!

I love reading these posts… god they make me laugh!  Said in the most loving way, your all a bunch of idiots… and I love it.  Well I just opened up our mobile phone bill and needless to say I am now drinking a barcardi!  We set it up for global roaming when we went over to Indonesia so I could call my daughter every 2nd day.  WELL….. $550 peoples!  The phone company is gonna hear from me cause there is a call there for $140 and there is another call there that went for the same time and is only 23 cents!  I smell a rat my friends!  I am not sure what the telecommunications companies are like over there – but here they stink!  Scammy little so in so’s.  Got to watch every bill for errors – same with our electricity companies.  And now to top it all off they are making me drink!!! Sabotaging my weight loss efforts – humph!  Okay, okay so I can’t really blame them for me drinking, I’m just feeling a little guilty is all (she says as she sips on her second now)

Well in my defence I need to get my calories up today anyway   I know it still isn’t good but I am trying to make myself feel better okay!  Which brings me to my next piece of info for today.  I haven’t eaten much as I have been out picking up a BRAND NEW CAR for my husband… no not me   It is his new work car.  He is starting a job on Monday (Friday here now) working as a geologists assistant out at a mine in the middle of Queensland.  He will be gone for 2 weeks then back for 2 weeks.  It isn’t so much the 2 weeks away I am worried about… more the 2 weeks he will be HOME under me FEET lol.  Nah just kidding – after 2 weeks away it will be nice to have him home for 2.

Tonnie – Thanks, yes I’ve tagged the thread and will be back often!  In regards to your roommate – why don’t you turf him out and get a new one?  Although selfishly I hope you don’t cause I will miss the stories   Love how you “embellished the truth” to put him off stealing your food.  I wish I could be that creative!  I would have put cat food or pee in some samples just to get some self satisfaction that he ate something gross lol.  Okay maybe I wouldn’t have brought myself to pee in some food but you get the idea.

My fav piece of kitchen equipment is the slow cooker.  When I am cooking dinner I sometimes cut all the veges and meat up at the same time for the next night and put it in the fridge.  That way the next day all I have to do is put it in the slow cooker in the morning and then at dinner time you dish it up.  No mess and no fuss.  What I really want to design is a self cleaning floor…. Any thoughts ladies?  I would rather clean 100 toilets then do my floors.  Mind you I have a HUGE home.  4 Bedrooms 2 bathrooms 2 lounge rooms 2 sleepouts (WAY too excessive for a family of 3).

Scarter17 – After reading Tonnie’s post I went to your gallery and had a look.  You have the most amazing smile!  Truly beautiful.

So now I have made some USA friends – does anyone know the difference between our clothes sizes?  I hear a lot about being a size 4 ect over there and frankly our sizing stops at size 8 then goes into girls sizes (I don’t shop at any boutiques so maybe it goes lower in those shops – not sure).

The illusive STARBUCKS!!!!  I hear sooooo much about it but have never had the opportunity to try it (as we don’t have them) until Indonesia.  Let’s just say the Indonesians need to learn a thing or two about coffee making!  Order Nescafe and your right (most places only have ‘bali coffee’ – some will have nescafe).  I ordered bali coffee from a restaurant and I swear it was like drinking warm water with sand in it!  So anyways there was a starbucks around the corner I had eyed off the previous day as we came into Kuta.  Off I went and I can now proudly say I have had a starbucks coffee.  It was good, a lot like the coffee we get in our coffee shops/cafes (I only have 1 coffee a day anyway - but it HAS to be GOOD).  What I am really annoyed at is that I have heard a lot about Krispy Kream (however you spell it).  I hear and even READ about this in books.  I have wanted to try a donut from there for SO long!  My sister in law tells me the night before we fly out that there is a Krispy Kream at the Sydney Airport now… well wadda you know… I am going to stop at Sydney airport on the way to Indonesia…… But no…. DIDN’T GET TIME PEOPLE!!!!  the connecting flight was so rushed I didn’t get time to have my beloved donut (probably better for my thighs anyhoot)!  Sydney is an 18hr drive from where I live so I don’t think I will be having one anytime soon!  Something I am just gonna have to live with.

Okay well I think I have rambled for long enough!  Better go start dinner.

Moochew--gotta love the roommate.  I can't boot him out (I would if I could), his Dad owns the place!  Finding affordable housing in Bend Oregon is next to impossible, so I'm lucky to have what I do.  Unfortunately it comes with this Norm person.  He does make for some great comic relief.  There's practically a new Norm story every day around here.  As far as embellish; not hardly.  I wish I would have thought of peeing in his food!  That would have been priceless.  I'll have to keep that one in mind for the future.  I wouldn't do that, but it sure makes me want to try it sometime! 

I would just die if I ever got a $550.00 phone bill.  I hope that can be resolved, because there does sound like some monkey business (or should I say koala) going on there.  Can't insult the monkeys all the time!  Damn them all to hell for making you drink! Bastards!  Isn't it enough to struggle with losing weight and now they are compounding your woes with their exuberant bills practically forcing you to drink!  I might have to go buy a bottle and help you share your misery.

I love my slow cooker too!  I use it so much; it is a friend of mine.  If you ever do invent the self-cleaning floor, let me know.  I find all kind's of glops and blobs in the morning from Norms cooking adventure from the night before.  How hard is it to see a spaghetti sauce spill on the floor and just bend over and wipe it up?  Aparently it's impossible for Norm, and jelly seems to out-wit him too.  The closest thing I can comp up with is to get a dog.  I think he knows that I will clean it up.  So, maybe he's smarter than I think, because who's doing the cleaning?

I can't help out on the differences in sizings because I rarely wear anything that has remained the original size.  I am a seamstress, and I "re-style" my bigger clothing to where they fit me now.  In my Gallery is my before picture where I was wearing a Women's size 22 and men's jeans size 42.  Also in that gallery is a picture of the same clothes "restlyed" to fit me then, I think after losing 20 lbs.  I'm not used to going to a rack of clothing and buying new things yet. I have to laugh at myself because I still go to the XL end of the racks.  I guess that's why I made a big deal about the size 12 shirt that I could wear and took the picture of the tag and put it in the gallery as well.  I don't buy "new" clothes yet, because they will be too big (optomistic) in a short while.

Starbucks--hmm.  Over-rated.   Over-priced.  Too "hoity-toity for me.   I prefer to go to the little Mom and Pop coffee shacks that are popping up on practically every corner in town.  They "take care" of their regular customers and don't look at me over the tops of their noses.  Maybe that attitude is just here in Bend.  I want to nominate us as "Snob City, USA."  There are definate cultural cliques that separate the masses.

I've got a 'Holiday Craft Bazarre" to help out with, and my ride is coming early.   It's only a bit after 5 a.m., but I still need to fix some food, then dress as stunningly as possible.  I'll be seeing many people that I haven't seen in at least a year, some even longer and no one knows about my weight loss.    You're all going to have to get along without me; it will be tough, but I have faith that you can do it!  ~Tonnie

Mommakitty and moochew - thank you so much for the kind words, they really did make my day.  As i Squeeeeezed into my jeans this morning cursing myself for the two glasses of wine and salsa chips from last night, (and yes, I feel like I've got a muffintop going on here - though I do well to wear long shirts and jackets to keep it hidden) it was really nice to read what you both wrote, because we should always try and remind what we like about ourselves, such as a nice smile or your eyes, sense of humor, a great laugh - whatever it may be!  So thank you.

I think that so often it's too easy to beat ourselves up and focus on the weight and what we'd change, and are struggling to change, that we forget about the weight we've lost already, no matter how small or at least the positive changes that we're making daily.  I just ate some M&Ms, I could beat myself up about it,  but you know what, I didn't eat the whole bag, I only had a handful.  So I think that we need to pat ourselves on the back, even if just for making baby steps.....Now, I just need to learn to heed my own advice because I feel like a bloated-muffintop today!!

Tonnie - Okay well yes... kind hard to kick out the owners son!!!  Well it is good to hear we will be getting more stories  I simply love them.  I have to wait to ring the phone company on Monday.  No doubt you will all get to hear the outcome.  Feeling terrible for drinking 2 glasses of bacardi last night... made me feel icky too for some reason. I checked out your gallery photo's... girl you looking GOOD!!!  I love the shirt in photo 4, did you do that one as well?  Your so clever being able to sew - I wish I could but I am missing that gene.

scarter17 - That is sooo true.  We really do need to hear our good points more often.  I always try and do this for others cause I think it is so important.  I'm glad the comments made your day!  They were all true!

I really need to learn how to not be so hard on myself.  Even tho I lost all that weight earlier in the year and was on cloud nine feeling great - I now feel like a porky pig again. 

Get this tho.  On Thursday I up'ed my exercise and the next day I was up 1.1lbs.  Then the day after I was still up 0.7lbs, so it isn't like it was an error.  What the hell is going on people?  I am really confused and am planning a trip to KFC to carm my nerves.

moochew:  So sorry to disappoint you.  No new Norm stories today.  Since I will be long asleep by the time he gets home from work and has to fix his own dinner, it will be a surprise to me at the condition the kitchen is in tomorrow morning.  Now, if I'd have known you were going to look at my gallery, I wouldn't have added another picture tonight that was taken today with my friend, Karen.  I think #4 that you referred to is still in the same place as it was yesterday.  In that case, then yes, I did restyle that.  However it started off as a pillowcase that I got at a 2nd hand store for 50 cents.  Um-hum.  I AM good at sewing.  I'm also good at making do when I have to.  And I have fun in the process.  I did think of your question about what size you might be, and I know that when patterns are printed there is a U.S. guide on the left side and a metric conversion on the right side of the back of the pattern envelope. 

I did have a couple of 3 telephone bill sympathy drinks for you tonight after the Craft Show that I helped with today.  I raised my glass in a toast to my Australian friend and no one knew what or who I was talking about.  And it didn't matter, they toasted to the fricking phone company too!  It was so good to see people that I haven't seen in 15 months.  I got SO many compliments; and some envious looks (ha, ha, ha!!) from some of the women, and lusting leers (o-la-la!) from some of the men . That gave my poor old battered  ego a kick in the ass.  Tomorrow I get to go do it again.   It's hard to be a goddess in my universe.

scarter 17:  What I said about you smile is true.  Learning to deal with what we have because of what we see is "perfect" on TV  (size 00-get real!)  I'll be estatic getting down to a size 8.  My first goal in clothing sizes was to get off the XXL down into a 16.  Done.  Now it is to get into a single digit.  Right now, I do like myself.  That's a lot to be said about the changes that I have made since I started CC back in May of this year.  I still don't feel comfortable in shorts in public and I need to get over that.  At least winter is coming and I won't be the only person in long pants as I was this summer. I WILL emerge this spring as someone that was bundled up for the winter, hiding in my winter coat.   I need to make that attitude adjustment in MY eyes.  I see progress, but not total success.  I am just a cranky old broad wanting to look "Hot" by her 50th birthday next summer.  I will be there.  You guys, help me through this.  I'll be there to cheer and laugh with you.  You might want to reach through the internet and choke the living **** out of me, or slap me silly.  That's okay; I'm slapable.  I'm resiliant and I'm worthy of being slapped verbally or other wise by women like you that need to slap someone besides their men.  --Okay, the cat BU woke me up at 2 a.m. and right now I'm sounding stupid to my self.  Was it the rum and coke?  Was it the lack of sleep.  Am I still writing because theres nummy food in the refrigerator and I'm trying to keep my hands occupied until this feeling passes...................Okay, I'm better now.  Fed the cat, started the dishwasher, took off the eye candy (make-up)  BTW moochew, do you fard?  Have a great evening.  ~Tonnie   

WOW... a pillowcase!  Who would have thought!  I love my op shopping - you can pick up heaps of great bargains there.  Being a full-time student $ are very lean here so I also have to make do and recycle.  It is kind of fun tho - lets you unleash your creative side  Still wish I could sew tho - at the moment I take all my sewing stuff to my beautiful mum.

Thanks for toasting me and going out in sympathy for me lol!  Sounds like you had a ball.  I am trying for the life on me understand what you mean by "moochew do you fard?"  I have googled it and still to no avail... what is fard?

I have come to the conclusion that it is a typo and you either meant "do I fart?" = yes  or "do I fast?" = hell no

Moochew--I should let you stew on that "fard" question.  I just wasn't sure how closely related terminologys were between Australia and England.  I heard a recount of a British news broadcast about a woman that caused an accident as she was driving her car while farding.  Think about that for a moment.  The act of applying makeup in England is sometimes refered to as farding.  If you didn't know better and heard that wouldn't you think that something else had been said?  I had no Norm stories to tell this morning, so that had to suffice.  I guess if you don't know if you fard or not it would be hard to answer the question.  I must go now and take a shower and fard, because I have another day at the Craft Show, which I am looking forward to.  Especially when it's over for the day and I can relax in the company of handsome men We'll have to find another to toast to this evening tho.  I'm sure we'll find something to toast to!  I'll check back in tonight when I get home.  I should add that my 3 drinks didn't hurt as I weighed 1.6 lbs less this morning than yesterday.  However, that's still 3 lbs over what my lowest weight was that started all this plateau **** in the first place.    (If you still don't know what farding is say that word 3 times really fast )

HOLY COW!!!!  I've been pouting and sulking and licking my wounds for the past couple of days.  I've been in a FUNK and didn't want to permeate this hilarious thread with my pissy mood!!  (I'll go into detail later.)  I haven't logged on to this thread in a couple of days and WHAMMY!!!!  There are a ton of posts!!  SWEET!!!  As I sat here reading and catching up with all of you, I was laughing my ass off!!!!  First, I'm giggling, then I'm belly-laughing, and finally I am so hysterical I'm actually crying!!!  I had to get up to catch my breath before I could finish!!  Thanks, girls, I really needed that!!

Jboise ~ You can call me anything you'd like, love, as long as it doesn't contain an expletive.  That honor is reserved just for Tonnie!!  You had champagne, Moochew had rum, Tonnie had some unspeficied libations, and I had 3 light beers...we're just a bunch of boozers!!!  I always regret it the next day because of the bloat and water retention!!  DAMN!!!  

Moochew ~ Welcome to the WILD side!!!  How's the land down under???  The KEY to maintaining weight loss (which I have YET to master) is making it your lifestyle!!!  I've always thought, now that I'm at a weight I can tolerate I can go back to eating what I want!!  That's what made me such a FAT-ASS to begin with!!!!  DUH!!!  I am determined to keep it off this time, too!!  I canNOT go through this AGAIN!!!  (I'm the classic yo-yo dieter, but have never lost this much - 44 pounds!!)  Gee, thanks!!!  Go ahead, rub in all that EXERCISE!!!  Karma will come back and bite you on the ass!!!  (Tee!!  Hee!! )  Be CAREFUL, I've heard some foreign countries can charge even thousands of dollars for long distance calls because there's no regulation on their fees and charges!!!  (Oddly enough, I JUST got an e-mail about this!!)  Dang, girl, your hubby is a geologist's assistant?  What kind of "stuff" does he do??  Speaking of favorite pieces of equipment, I keep mine in my night stand drawer......OH!!!  Were you talking about "kitchen" equipment??!!??    Your hang-up is floors, mine is my obsession with my WEIGHT!!  I want to design a device to SHUT MY SCALE UP!!!  Every morning I wake up to hear this snide hissing from beneath my bed, "Psst!!!  Hey, Porky, come here!!  Hop on fat ass!!  Come on, I dare you!!"  At which point (AFTER squeezing every ounce of pee out of my body, of course) I have to slide my cruelly taunting scale out from under the bed, strip down to my birthday suit, expel every last bit of air out of my lungs (because all that hot air might add a fraction of an ounce to the malevolent number that will inevitably determine the mood for my day), and finally I gingerly step onto that wicked, contemptuous scale.     Starbucks ROCKS (Peppermint mocha), but Krispy Kreme does nothing for me.  It's a doughnut, big deal.

Tonnie ~ Sorry the little "splurge" didn't have good results for you.  BTW, my lips have been more places than most people I know!!    But don't you worry, girl, these luscious, lacivious lips are only spreading love!!!    All this damn talk about muffin tops is making me HUNGRY!!!  CUT IT OUT!!!  Oh, sister, I LOVE the 70's and 80's music!!  Add to your groups the Gap Band, KC and the Sunshine Band, Lips Inc, etc... and I want to bust our my dancin' shoes!!!  Your stories about your roommate are killing me!!!  I nearly hyperventilated just reading them!!!  (BTW - a couple of drops of Visine causes tremendous diarrhea!!  Just an FYI kind of thing. )  And about the "Farding" thing...OF COURSE she fards!!!  EVERYBODY fards, especially after wolfing down a bean burrito!!!  And, like snowflakes, every fard is unique in its own way!!!  

Yvarner ~ Tell me about it!!! 4 to 6 weeks????  Who's he kidding????  Let me just tell you, my thighs and ass are KILLING me!!!  NOT because I violated the doctor's orders, but (and that 's a mighty big butt) because I went to a "Body Pump" class where the instructor had us do 1 entire song of squats, 1 entire song of dead lifts, and 1 entire song of lunges!!!  Speaking of violating Doc's orders, hubby and I found a loop-hole in the law laid down by Doc.  He said no SEX (which according to Bill Clinton is actual INTERCOURSE, not any of the other naughty "options").  ***TMI ALERT***  Ya-da, ya-da, ya-da, with that frisky itch being scratched, I am feeling much better!!  

Scarter ~ Welcome to the WILD WAHINES!!!!  You'll find love, LAUGHTER, and lots of sarcastic ladies here!!  It's a BLAST!!!  I have to agree with the girls, you're a beautiful bride!!  So, come on in, sit right down, and join our band of merry maidens!! 

Okay, as if I haven't written enough, here are the gory and RIDICULOUSLY PETTY details I promised you earlier...)

   I have been doing these monthly weight loss challenges here on CC for the past few months.  I find them to be very motivating.  I never expect to be to "biggest loser," I simply love the inspiration and competition.  Well, I posted for my last October weigh in (which the leader had set up to fall 3 days before the last day of the month), and then the leader posted that she would post final weigh in results after the last day of the month.  Well, as luck would have it, I lost another pound in those three days, so I posted it.  (I was FREAKISHLY excited because for the FIRST TIME EVER, and COMPLETELY UNEXPECTEDLY, I actually had the highest weight loss of the group with 11 pounds for the month!!!  I was thrilled, filled with pride, and down right OVERJOYED to think I actually earned the prestigious honor of being call the "biggest loser" - in a good way, this time!!)  Well, she replied saying that since I had already posted a final weigh in weight on the actual last weigh in date, she couldn't count my additional loss, but she was counting the people who DIDN'T post for the OFFICIAL last weigh in because they were waiting for the last day of the month to post.  (I didn't realize that was an option.)  Because of that, I didn't win the weigh in, which threw me into a tailspin.  I actually gained this week for the first time (aside from the week of my surgery) in months!!!  I am eating things I know I shouldn't and I just don't care.  I've lost my OOMPH!!!  I know that sounds PETTY, and whiny, and down right silly, but I can't help it.  I'm really bummed.  I wasn't expecting it, but when I thought I had earned it, my hopes skyrocketed only to be dashed.

Well, there it is.  Thanks for listening.  I'll come around sooner or later and get back on the wagon.  I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!!

Kiss, kiss ~ Your Cinful Queenie Diva 

Well, I was beginning to wonder when you would grace us with your presence again, your Magesty.  It has been hilarious without you, but always nice to know that you haven't abandoned ship.  I do hope your funk has abated as to restore you back to your normal awe-inspiring dribble words of wisdom. 

I'm patiently waiting to hear from yvarner.  She had said that I looked darling in one of my pictures.  I just wanted her to know that yesterday at the Craft Show, someone that I hadn't seen in over 15 months told me I looked "adorable".  Quit laughing, oh Queenie.  I am no more adorable than I am darling, but I do take these both as compliments as much as the person that said I was stunning, and the other one one that said I was radiant. .  I didn't have to pay them to say that either!  jboise, Scarter17 and moochew all seem like reasonable idiots to have an entertaining conversation with.  

Yes, I did have 2 days of libations.  They were for medicinal purposes (that's my story).  I was toasting the phone company on Friday in honor of moochew (I'm afraid to ask our new friend what that means; will you?), and the second night was because.........I forget because I had one or two more than the previous night.  I still claim for medicinal purposes tho, as it didn't hurt me and I actually saw some downward movement on the scales.  Even though on Thursday I was up 4.4 lbs from when I first declared my earth shattering plateau, now I'm back down  to only 1.6 pounds above the original weight when I joined this thread!

I have to 'fess up right now.  I was not loyal to this thread.  I peeked in on another one discussing their plateaus (oh wah!) and made a comment about my horrendous situation and got a reply from some 17 year old bean-pole person that told me I needed to up my calories even further to around 1700.  I'm sure that her "vast" experience in weight loss at that ripe old age qualifies her to give me the gleaning of her experiences.  Go play in the freeway, child .  Come back when you have a decade or two of life to contribute some real-world knowledge from.  Was that pissy?  It was meant to be.  I did up my calories though, however it was for medicinal purposes as I previously stated.

Oh God, TMI from the Queen.  Putting these three words (night stand, equipment and favorite) only leads me to one conclusion:  You have a spare alarm clock hiding in your drawer)  Was I right?   I think I can answer for moochew when you asked what kind of stuff her husband does:  Duh!  He assists the geologist!    Doesn't take a brain to figure that one out! :>)

Were you suggesting giving the Visene to Norm?--That would cause him to call in sick!  CAN NOT DO THAT.   If it was meant as a solution for my weight loss woes, then you can go to hell, girlfriend!  I've got enough flax oil, fish oil and olive oil flowing through my veins as it is.  My farts are now stinkier and more embarassing than ever.  Several times at the Craft show I had to run to the exit before someone called 911 to report "something toxic" was leaking in the hall and the ambulances and firetrucks came to the rescue with breathing aparatus followed up with the local news station to report for the nightly news.  They'd probably bring in the blood hounds to sniff me out; to which there would be no hiding or pointing fingers in the opposite direction or to some poor innocent senior citizen who'd you expect that from, or the guy that ask you to "pull my finger".  Where's your brains today? !!

I think our scales are related as mine calls out to me also.  Besides the exhaling, I make sure all the cat hair and lint is brushed off as well.  I do have some inspiring food news to relate--Yesterday at the craft show I knew there was going to be donuts there.  I planned to have one, so I logged it before I even left home.  We don't have Krispy Cremes here (I understand they can be dangerous), but the local bakery does an outstanding job as well.  The sign said "day-old", but I bought one anyways.  I had been drooling about having one without having the guilt since the night before.  After taking a couple of bights and chewing, I realized that there was a greasy film on the roof of my mouth.  Yuck!  I made the ultimate donut sacrifice and sent it to the big trash can in the sky. (I threw the rest away).  I don't ever recall having that sensation after eating a donut before.  It didn't taste as good as I thought it should have.  This was truly disappointing; but my mood brightened up as now I could adjust my non-used donut calories into the booze catagory for after the Craft show.  Am I a genius, or what?  Not only was the booze for medicinal purposes, but it was also for therapy as well. 

I hear sounds coming from the very still lump of useless flesh laying on the livingroom floor.  Norm must be waking up.  He must have had a very strenous evening last night with his internet gambling and drinking.  It can be exhausting I'm told.  Especially when you keep up the pace night after night.    He still can't figure out why his wife left him.  When she came to bring his daughter for a visit this summer, she asked me if he still did this, so this is nothing new for him.  Now I'm being judgemental, and I'm sorry.  I really have considered talking with his family about possible intervention, but I guess they've been down that path before with no lasting results. 

Well, that was depressing.  I've got stuff to do that can't wait!  It's lunch time!!  I had bought some spaghetti squash and will probably make something with that.  I've found a ton of recipes and most reviews are raving about it's taste and versatility.  If I can make it taste like lobster, I'll let you know.  Have a great day.  Queenie, or is it Porky now (I'm so confused!)  I'm going to check out the weight loss challenges.  I don't know why I haven't before.  I'll get back to you on that.  ~Tonnie

Tonnie, dearest, you had me practically spewing coffee at the image of dusting the cat hair and lint off the scale before getting on. I'd never thought of that! No wonder my scale is saying I gained a pound!

I aim to please jboise!  Now, I have a question for all of you.  Have I missed the boat on using spaghetti squashed?  No matter how much I sat on the box, I don't see how it would reduce the calories.  Help?

Okay, okay, that was bad.  I did cook my first spaghetti squash today.  I am not seeing the wonderfulness in this as I had been led to believe it would by other posts.  I have a mess equaled to one of Norms, and I don't think I got the yeild that I thought I would.  So, tonight for dinner I'm going to sautee some stringy and healthy spaghetti squash (but questionable in my brain as to taste) with some onions and garlic, but using bouillon instead of oil--wait, wait, I have been told to use EVOO when cooking, so I will.  I'll add the boullion granules too for flavor (sodium be damned), and add 3 oz shrimp.  Somewhere in that mess I'm going to add 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar, trying to give it an oriental flair.  This should produce a mountain of food which I'll either eat half or throw half away if it's barfy.  I can also be a good roommate and leave it for Norm just to see if he'll eat it.  (Somewhere down the road I must tell the Pork Chop story about him and leftovers.)  My crappy donut incident at yesterdays Craft Show proved to me that I can be discriminating.  And don't have to eat the whole fricking plate.  Just in case it is yuck-o (opposite of Rachel Rays Yumm-o, btw, that woman annoys me as does Paula Dean).  Back to the subject at hand.  Spaghetti Squash.  Any one have any better ideas?  For those of you that are jumping up and down about the bouillon I will combat that with 2 T of cider vinegar with 2 pkts of sweetener and a mug of hot water so I don't retain water.  If I had lemon juice I could replace that for the vinegar.  At one time 20 years ago I paid $96.00 a week to attend "The Diet Center--now defunct, to get that weight loss tip.  But it does work, as the vinegar or lemon juice works as an antioxident combating the big bad sodium machine.  You will hardley ever here me whine about "water retention".  The only wine I want to hear about better be served with cheese.  ~Tonnie

Well, with spaghetti squash, I just bake it, shred it, and make a rather meaty spaghetti sauce to go over it. It doesn't have the same taste as actual pasta, of course, but it is a nice vehicle for meat sauce, is filling, and has far fewer calories than pasta.

I had been very good about my exercising--until yesterday. I just didn't get out to do it. It was rainy, and DH & I went to see "Dr. Atomic" broadcast (opera--I love it and now the Met does live HD broadcasts to theaters, even in Boise) so a lot of the day was taken up with . . . sitting. I was supposed to do 50 minutes of cycling! I've been trying to follow Hal Higdon's training program to run a 10K race, which I thought would be easier than it is. But I forgot that it was fifteen years ago that I ran marathons, and now I am old & slow! So what's the saying, get right back on the horse? Today I ran four miles on the treadmill and was so red in the face it was embarrassing. I feel like a wimp.

I had my first "Coke Zero" today, and really liked it. Anyone else tried it? I usually don't drink diet sodas but I had to go in to work and the machine in my building was all out of H2O.

And cinful, I don't think your feelings about the challenge were whiny at all. That's one reason I don't like the challenges so much -- I've been on two, and both were not so helpful. This place is so much better!

duplicate post (sorry!)