Gonna Take a Trip

First off, I want to say thank you to all of those who posted comments offering encouragement to me!  Thanks!  Thanks! Thanks!  This is a life style and I know that.  Being a person is very keen on instant satisfaction, not seeing weight loss is well, you, not instantly gratifying.  I will keep on keeping on and know that as long as I continue to make better (not perfect) choices in my life that overall I will be better.  An even bigger thanks to Stina for all her help and support and caring!  When we met eight years ago who could have know that we would go on to be such great friends and have so many wonderful opportunities to help and support each other?

In regards to my trip I am heading off to Washington to visit with my family.  I will be staying with my parents and sleeping on the couch.  That should be fun.  The up side is that my mother is one of the worlds best cooks, this is also a down side.  As Stina said to me yesterday, this would be a great opportunity for me to practice portion control.  In addition to that I will be going to a restaurant that I love, Taco Time.  This is a one time visit and I will not be eating everything on the menu.  I will also have the chance to visit with two friends that I have not seen in a long time.  One I have'nt seen in over 20 years and the other in over 10.  This should be fun and interesting.  With web access on my phone I will be able to keep in contact here on our blog.  Weight loss will be posted in two weeks.  I hope Fiona gets to go home with me, though Stina does take good care of her.  Remember, we don't have to be perfect, just a little better.  Carole

The great thing about Walking

Hello!
So I won for the week with a loss of 2.2 lbs. The competition will be partially on hold for the next week since Carole will be leaving to visit family, but I'll try my best to still post here and keep everyone updated.

Went for my usual morning walk yesterday, which is around 1.07 miles, and then when I got home my best friend wanted to go for a walk, so we walked another mile around our block in the moonlight, chatting. I love walking with friends more than walking alone, because when you have things to talk about the time goes by so much faster.

My bf and I had our picnic last Sunday. We had turkey cranberry sandwiches, fresh pineapple and canteloupe, potato chips (Mostly for him), and fresh strawberries with Fat Free Cool Whip. Yum! We didn't end up going far, just setting our blanket out in the shady lawn behind our backyard. It was cool and quiet and secluded, and we could look up through the pretty green leaves and see the blue sky. All in all very nice, we've decided to try to do it at least once more before the heat gets too much.

So thats it for now, I have to leave for work soon, I just felt bad for not posting in a while, so I'll try to do another post this weekend. Seeya!

Stina

Just a Little Sad

It's difficult to write when things are'nt going the way I want them to.  In the past two weeks I have gained 2.2lbs.  In spite of having increased my exercise and continuing to watch what I eat ( though not perfect about it).  I can accept that I can stay the same, but gain?  Really?  At times I just want to cry about it.  Perhaps that would burn a few more calories?  It is a struggle and it is hard and many times saddening. 
Many years ago my young nephew Jerry and I were at a drug store.  He wanted me to buy him a pack of gum and I told him no.  He told me that in that case he was going to have to be sad and I told him okay he would just have to be sad.  I think this is one of those times in my life when I will just be a little sad.  Carole

So Sorry for the Technical Difficulties... But I won for the Week!

Hello all!

Sorry to be posting so late, but Friday night we had an incident with our internet.

Namely AT&T shut it off for no apparent reason. I do have access to the internet at work, but my blog is blocked there, so I've had to wait until I was home again.

So I won for the week! Whoot! Fiona is miiine! I'm a bit bummed that I gained some of the 3 lbs loss from Sunday back, but I also know that a certain amount of daily fluctuation is normal. I'll keep eating healthier, working out, and keep losing weight.

Took some of your advice and took some pictures of my morning walk, around the office building where I work. It really is quite pretty with all the huge trees, and the weather since Tuesday has been gorgeous for walking. In October when the lease is out my bf and I will move about two miles away from here, and I'm hoping I'll be fit enough by then to walk to and from work. Yay saving gas and exercising!

I'll post again later tonight, hafta go to work now to get some much-needed overtime. Seeya!

Ways to Satisfy when 15 just Does'nt Cut It

Okay, its all good and well to implement the 15 minute rule.  (If you think you want something, wait 15 minutes), but sometimes even after 15 and yes I've even stretched it out to 30 I still want something.  The following tips are from Weight Watchers Tasty to Go Treats.  

Cappuccino Crispy Bars  (Points per serving 1)

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules    
5 cups oven toasted rice cereal (such as Rice Crispies)

1 tablespoon hot water                         
cooking spray

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (10 ounce) package jumbo marshmallows

Combine first three ingredients, stir well.

Place marshmallows in a 2 quart microwave safe dish, microwave at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until marshmallows melt.  Stir until smooth.  Add coffee mixture to melted marshmallows and stir well.  Working quickly, add creal to marshmallow mixture stirring to coat.  Press mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Cool completely, cut into bars.  Yield 20 bars.  Serving size: 1 bar

So that is one tasty treat!  Enjoy 

If you are in a hurry here are really quick tips!

1.  Indulge in a cup of flavored coffee or sugar free, fat free hot cocoa.

2.   For a quick sorbet, dump a 20 ounce can of pineapple chunks (packed in juice, no sugar added) into a shallow dish, freeze.  When your're ready for dessert, remove frozen fruit from freeze.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Place fruit and 1/2 cup water in a food processor.  Process until smooth.  Serving size:  1/2 cup.  Points value: 1 (This sounds really good!)

3.  Put a single layer of seedless grapes on a baking sheet, and freeze 20 minutes.  These treats are like candy!  Stina used to roll her grapes in sugar free Jello and then freeze them for an extra burst of flavor!  They are really yummy.

4.  For a strawberry-waffle shortcake, top a toasted low fat waffle with 1/2 cup sliced strawberries and 2 tablespoons fat free whipped topping.  Points value:  2

5.  For a miniature ice cream sandwich, place about 2 tablespoons softened light ice cream between 2 gingersnaps or 2 (2 1/2 inch) graham crackers.  Points value:  2

A treat that I like to make for myself (my weakness is crunchy goodies)  is to make fat free microwave popcorn, give it a spray or two of cooking spray then sprinkle on some taco seasoning.  This is way yummy!  

Now, if I only had some popcorn.

Remember you don't have to be perfect, just be a bit better!  Carole

PS:  Stina, I know Fiona is not sleeping well at your place, something about the rats squeaking in the middle of the night. 

Passing the Torch....err, I mean the Fairy

Today is Thursday, which means that Fiona is going to her new home.  Yep, Stina wins this week with a grand 1.2lbs weight loss.  I, on the other hand, managed to gain 1.5lbs.  Weight loss is a bitch.  I know that there is more to this journey than just what the scale says.  However, when I've had a great week and I go up its hard.  

Fiona will have a good home with Stina, though it will be a short journey, cause I want her back!

Congratulations Stina on your weight loss and here's to many more successful weeks!

You don't have to be perfect, just be a bit better. Carole

Stina- Mongolian BBQ is the Devil!

Well . . . not really.

Its actually not so bad, as long as you're light on the chow mein noodles and fatty meat, and heavy but reasonable on the chicken and tasty veggies. Add some sauce and voila! Mongolian heaven.

Rain cancelled my plans to walk outside today, so I'll start up again tomorrow morning. Did do some walking doing the grocery shopping. Bought lots of frozen veggies and fruits; we finally bought a second freezer (We share the main fridge/freezer with our four roommates.), so we wanted to stock it up. Yum!!

Well, I have things to do before I head to bed, so I'll post my weightloss history tomorrow evening. Seeya!

Stina