Up at 4:00 am again today. Looks like it's going to be a nice day, if a little breezy.

Today the only things on the agenda are to weed the gardens (I'd rather get beat up) and feed the birds. On the other hand, a local group is planning a yard sale and they need donations. All the money collected goes to a good cause (though I'm not sure what it is). Maybe I'll get rid of some things. I could just box them up and leave them on their porch. That would help me out, and it would help them out.

Have fun today!

Hi there.
OK, PP induction was good until 5 PM. Needless to say, I am back to START this AM. I will spare you the details. I took medicine for my back yesterday after a walk and it did weird things to my appetite.
Maybe it was that d~#m vitual picnic food

I'm sitting here listening to some downloads of Pink Floyd live from the 70's on the computer while I am writing this. Man, we had the Renaissance; today's kids have Etch-A-Sketch music.OK, old fart sermon is over.

I've actually been reading some of Dr Phil on his website regarding the emotional issues around food. While I don't normally like this guy, he has some interesting things to think about.I got the link from the bottom of someone's post on the Darkside.It may help with the stress eating I'm doing. It's not all carbs,etc with me, it's quantity too.

Anyway, the sun's out, Floyd's on and I'm getting my butt up to do some exercise and cleaning.
Elaine

Good morning Bawdy and Elaine, and to all who follow. I have done a very good job this weekend so far staying on plan, but the main reason is that I have no gone out to eat. Normally, my BF and I will go out to eat once, if not twice, each weekend, and that is my downfall. I usually make decent choices while ordering, but then always end up eating to the point of being painfully stuffed, and ordering or sharing a dessert when I don't really need or want one. I feel kind of bad saying this, but it's been kind of nice eating by myself the last two nights, b/c I could eat what I wanted, and in healthy amounts, and not be tempted by the restaurants goodies. I have expressed to my BF in the past that I would rather eat out less, for several reasons: it's cheaper and healthier heading the list. He has no interest in staying in. He rarely buys himself groceries, and goes out to eat at least 5 nights a week in some way or another. He says that it is a wonderful pleasure to go out and have someone cook for you, and he enjoys the socialness of it all. He has no problem blowing 50 dollars on a meal for the two of us, and he never lets me pay. So I feel guilty b/c he spends so much money on me, and I get frustrated b/c I know I would make better choices staying in and cooking. I don't even mind cooking for him. I like putting the effort in. I just can't handle going out to eat as much as I have been since dating him. Eating out should not be stressful to me, but it is. I will go online and look at restaurants and study their menus ahead of time, and decide everything I will order. Somehow I still leave the restaurant feeling overfull, gross, and almost always see a gain on the scale the next day from either too much calories, sodium, carbs, or MSG-act-alikes. It's just getting really old having to relose the same couple lbs each week, you know? Does anyone have any advice on this situation, or fool-proof menu options that I will not be punished for afterwards for choosing? Thanks for letting me vent about this today

Bawdy-Sounds like you have a fun-filled day planned It's always good to get rid of things that you don't need anymore.

Elaine-I don't normally like Dr. Phil either, but since his area is psychology, he probably has some interesting things to think about or questions to ask yourself in terms of the emotional aspects to eating. Don't you wish we could just eat like a normal person, and not have food rule our lives? I guess that is what separates us from people of normal weights who don't have food issues

I have been very busy and healing from an allergic reaction with nuts all week, then the week before my R knee was swelling. The rash that I had made me feel depressed for 2 days which I do not want to feel that way again. I go back to see the Dr this week, then I'm done with the medication. I've been busy exercising, cleaning, comparison shopping with coupons, attending workshops for coupons and vitamins, attending classes at the Adult Center. Busy, busy, busy! I've been doing this for the past 4 days because I was unable to walk for 12 days, and everything was falling behind. Now, everything's good, so far.
As far as the eating part, sometimes I did forget to eat lunch or dinner or couldn't eat. Now I'm back on track, but I really didn't lose much either, maybe a pound or two the past 2 wks. I hope to come to this board everyday to post a message and see how everyone is doing. I'm praying to help me remember and stay strong and positive.
Have a good PP day!
Cindy Q

Good morning all!
Bawdy, Good luck with the weeding, We have a lovely weed around here called kosher weed, THE WORST THING to invade your yard!! I spray and it will knock it back alittle then up it comes, I spade it and pull it AND IT KEEPS COMING!!! (EEEEEEEEEKKKK!!!) I see a bad B movie in this!! Today the wind is whipping 25+ so I am using that as an excuse not to get myself out back out there! I think that I am going to workout instead on my treadmill, skipped last night because I got in so late from farming, I wish that farming would burn something, but I am just sitting and rocking out to the tunes I have playing!

Elaine,You are so right about some of the oldie/classic rock, they were the originals and it seems like so many artists today have either remade things or are just not with it, I do like alot of the new things BUT I to do love my moldy oldies!! I was excited to hear that Heart was ACTUALLY going to be in my state this FALL! I AM GOING!!!!!!!
Oh and to answering about your 5:00 indiscression..... Well as I have been doing, The next day is a new one, just start anew!! Oh BTW, Could you put up that website to Dr Phil, I would like to see that and share it with my sis!

Wendy, It sounds like you are on the right track, make a game plan ahead of time then you will not be as tempted to eat impulsively!! That is one thing that is nice about living here in the boonies, we only eat out maybe once a month (if that) so I have PLENTY ot time to have a meal plan! Well your countdown to the end is near and next week you will only have 4 days! How have the kids been??? My ds is finally out, and I am enjoying not haveing to drive so much!!! Next year I am more optimistic, He has a great teacher lined up so This will be a pleasant summer with no worries!!!

Well the old treadmill is calling,I better go and do something good for the old cardio!!!

Have a good Sunday!!!

Renee, to you!You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers! MISS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A BIG WELCOME to our New ones HERE!!!!!

I'm having a motivation problem today. It's sunny here and in the low 60s, but very windy so it feels cold. I even have the heat on in the house. Ended up taking Shelby out for our 4-mile walk. Actually, it's about 3.75 miles, but it's very hilly around here (not just a little up and down -- the grades are so steep you end up leaning way forward and really working). So I call it 4 miles. Anyway, we did it in around 50 minutes, which is the norm. Then we laid down on the bed for an hour!

Think I'll wait another hour or so to mow the lawn. I'm so darn tired of being cold.

Elaine, just hang in there. Do the best you can. You'll get there. Your body is still healing.

Wendy, sorry but I have no advice on the eating out problem. I find it odd, though, that he eats out so much. That does get costly. A lot of people do, though. I've heard on news reports and read in magazines, etc. that the average person eats out 3 to 5 times a week. Geez. I eat out 3 to 5 times a YEAR!

What do you typically order and what types of restaurants do you frequent? There are so many wonderful salads. I love a good chicken caesar salad. Or order a sandwich minus the bread. There are usually some great-sounding chicken sandwiches with cheese and bacon. Have a side salad, and you're set.

Maybe you should stay away from Chinese for a while. Every time I have Chinese I gain 5 pounds of water overnight, and it takes several days to lose it again. Maybe you guys can save that for special occasions, not every week.

Another trick that I've read about is to ask for a "doggy bag" right at the start of your meal, and put half of your food in the bag before you begin eating. Then you won't be tempted to eat it all.

Cindy, sounds like you went through some rough times. Glad to hear you're more on track now. Join us every day.

Lissette, we have a weird weed here, too. It comes up looking a little like asparagas spears, and then turns into something that looks like a baby bottle brush. Not spiky, soft. Can't get rid of it. The root system is just so invasive. It typically grows in soil that's a bit more sandy, but can also thrive elsewhere. I hate spraying the weeds, because of the pets and all the other animals around here. Also, spraying doesn't seem to help. The plant you spray will die, but one will sprout up right next to it.

Maybe I'll just curl up with a good book.

I've decided I need to bring veggies back into my life. Trouble is, nothing sounds good. I was thinking more of a veggie salad for summer, so I went on the Atkins Center site and printed up some recipes. Next time I go to the grocery store, I'll pick up the ingredients. If they turn out well, I'll post the links to the recipes.

TaTa for now.

EDITED to add: I just posted the links to the recipes in my journal, if anyone is interested. Let me know if you can't open them. I'm having trouble, but maybe it's just me.

good morning.

i ate well yesterday and drank my water and was rewarwded with a 198.0 reading on the scale this morning.

i tried a new recipe last night. halibut. i usually eat salmon (cause that is what everybody fisher for around here and always have some in the freezer) but i was at the grocery store last night and got hungary and didn't want to thaw anything out so i bought some fresh halibut. i used lawreys 30 min marinade havana garlic and lime, and but it on some tin foil and grilled it. WOW very tasty. i think i will have to look for halibut sales.

it has been a really overcast, cool weekend here. kinda reflects my mood also. i didn't go to the gym yesterday like i had planned and instead rented some movies ane read my book.

today i am planning on cleaning up/organizing/prepping our new trailor for camping next weekend. i made reservations up on mt hood.

wendy-- i eat out at least once sometimes twice every weekend also. as you can see from my last 2 friday posts i have trouble also. but it can be done. i know you are doing CAD, but for me the big thing for not feeling over stuffed is not to eat the starches. no bread or potatoe or dessert. then i feel fine afterwards. seems like the best places to go and the best things to eat are the grilled meat and veggie places. outback steakhouse is one of our favorites. you can get steak,chicken,fish,or porkchops with veggies. another fav is the mongolian grill where you put your meat and veggie choices in a bowl, mix some sauce into it and they cook it all on a big grill for you. on the other hand, if it is really stressing you way out, and the bf really cares about you, maybe he could be talked into you cooking dinner for him once a weekend????? a little compromise perhaps??? good luck!!

bawdy and lissette--weeds, ugh we have blackberries taking over our backyard. they surround us on 3 of 4 sides!!! we live near a creek and also have animals so i don't want to spray. every couple of years we have to take the bulldozer to them and push them all back. (i love picking them though and haveing a freezer full of blackberries all year!!!)

waterangle-- welcome. we look forward to your daily visit!!

elaine-- hang in there. i LOVE pink floyd!! they were actually the first concert i ever saw!! actually i have only been to a handful of concerts in my life.

have a great sunday everybody!!
where did the virtual picnic go? i though it was a weekend event. i still have some sf margaritas going!!

Lissette,here's the Dr Phil link:

http://www.drphil.com/weightloss/we...subsection=Tips

When I had my house, it was built on an old orchard. We used to have orchard grass coming up in the gardens that had roots that the first families of the US would have been proud of.

I hauled myself out to the pool for 2 hrs to veg and read. Kept me out of the kitchen. This is a good thing.Did drink my water while I was out there.

Bawdy, I will have to catch up with your journal. I take it the green newcomer with horsepower has been named Liam?

Elaine

Hello Everyone!

It's a little chilly out today, but a beautiful day.

My dh took me to Sugar Factory Barbecue last night. We hadn't been before. It was kind of different, you went up to the counter, ordered what you wanted, then they put it on a plate and put the plate in a big metal oil pan. The oil pan was a tray. Then you dished up your side dishes and paid. They brought around bread to the tables. I had pulled pork without barbecue sauce and smoked sausage with veggies and a salad. Mmmm, it was so yummy!

We're waiting for a pork roast to get done so we can eat dinner. We're going to eat out on our patio.