It's been a lovely day. Washed some fresh picked cranberries to dry and then I freeze them. Got them last weekend at a u-pick farm not far from here. Some are still ripening on the kitchen table so I pick out the really red ones to freeze.

Got in a couple of good walks which I enjoyed - even with a light rain. Did well today with my portions.

How are you doing?
Cheers,
Peggy

Hi again Peggy and thanks for reminding us to wipe our slates clean.
I had not only the peanut butter cups, but I HAD to have a piece of my grandson's birthday cake! :( I have decided to eat healthy 90% of the time, but enjoy life at the same time! I'm not beating myself up over a piece of cake!

I have a very busy week at work this week, so I doubt I'll get much walking in. but I do have a really good 15 minute power walk video that Chris Fretag from Prevention magazine put out. I do that every night so at least I get a little movement in.

Don't know how much checking in here I will get to do in the next couple days. I will be at work 12 hrs a day on Wed & Thurs and probably Friday too. Have a great week!

Good morning Juellie,

Just keeping putting one foot in front of the other. I think you have a great grasp of where you are going. Having a piece of cake or treat here and there is part of life. I don't believe in any weight loss journey being just diet. That is not living. What matters most is sticking with it - always like the turtle and the hare race. I am a very happy turtle. If we all stick with our journey and keep coming back to it by this time next year we'll be very pleased with ourselves.

Even though I ate my max yesterday it was a great day for healthy food choices. My weight is starting to move again - a wee bit but moving nonetheless. Any ounce I find encouraging to carry on. But it is becoming more and more everyday of just enjoying food again. Tasting different flavours other than starch if you know what I mean. I am really enjoying the variety too. Today I am making a pot of lentil soup with some of that mega zucchini I got from a friend which I plan to shred with an onion added of course. And then in another pot I'm going to make my basic zucchini, onion and carrot all shredded with chopped chicken and I think I'll toss in a can of chick peas. I'm really getting more and more into soup everyday along with more beans in my soups for protein. Great for the fall, filling and healthy. Oh, yesterday did include a slice of an ice cream log but in a smaller portion.

Drop back when you can - just remember to take a few moments to yourself when you can. I love the walking.

Let's all just do our best today and move forward. Yesterday was yesterday. You're here with me now taking care of yourself. You matter. Many of us spend our time taking care of the needs of our families, parents, work and forget to about ourselves. Don't you deserve a little focus at least? Your well being is important too - especially at this time of year when we are shifting gears.

I'll be back here frequently because this is my life - my TV, my socializing, my reference library, my news source, my ticket to the world! We don't have a television and don't miss it either. I enjoy connecting. Working in the computer industry I'm always online unless there is a power interruption.

Drop by when you can. Do your best and keep putting that foot forward. No regrets. Just keep coming back and you will be just fine!

Have a happy day today!
Cheers,
Peggy

Started the day out great, but for whatever reason made cinnamon rolls this afternoon. I ate one and thinking about bringing the rest to my neighbor. I need to get them out of here!

Tomorrow I am making a big pot of low point minestrone and a pan of oven roasted veggies with garlic and herbs. I use the veggies to make egg white fritattas in a muffin pan or just to snack on.

Good morning everyone,

Yes, it's 2:25 am ... just woke up, too warm, then I had to go to the loo, pet my cat, give Andy treats, wanted a coffee....and here I am. Yeah, I'm in the change of life early stages. Things are outta whack. A steady rain outside to help you sleep but I'm awake. No doubt I'll crash and burn again in a few hours - I just roll with it.

Stacey you are doing great. Walking, weight lifting. Breakfast is an on going argument in research studies. I feel having it makes a difference, sets the pace for the day. Fiber intake is vital to help flush our systems along with plenty of water. If it works for you go with it. I love walking too. Dieticians are a blessing. Having access to one helps you fine tune what is right for you. So happy to hear you are having success - however small in the long run they all make a difference. I started over a year ago with minor changes and I started losing slowly. Nothing major, just minor while I was not up to a full weight loss journey yet it still helped set the stage for today's efforts. Glad to read your post.

Matti, I know where you are coming from. And I do the same thing - I share my baking sometimes for the exact same reason. Some times I can handle my urges and I freeze stuff but when I can't my friends are there to help me out ;) - especially with a cuppa tea too. A couple of weeks ago if it moved I slapped peanut butter on it and it was toast! Much better this week. I'm also making soup today - a great way to get plenty of nutrients, water and enjoy the fall veggies that are out. It's reported that people who have soup with their dinner consume few calories because it fills them up.

Hopefully you are all having a great nights sleep. I'm going to surf the news, finish my coffee and who knows what other quiet mischief I can get into...

Talk later,
Cheers
Peggy

Yogurt Chicken Salad

1 cup zero fat vanilla yogurt - ww 1 pt / 130 cals (or peach zero yogurt)

1 chopped celery - free

1 chopped medium apple - ww 2 pts / 75-80 cals

1 chopped chicken breast cooked (2.5 oz) - ww 2.5 pts / 141 cals

1 c chopped mandarin orange - ww 1 pt / 103 cals
OR
1/2 cup drained pineapple pieces - ww 1 pt / 45 cals

Optional - sprinkle with roasted almonds or chopped walnuts (about 1 tbsp) - ww 1 / 50 cals

This makes a great low fat lunch - excellent for work if you can store in a fridge or to use up left over chicken. Even better on a bed of crunchy lettuce.

You can half this into 2 servings. The taste/satisfaction value is great!

mmm...LOVE chicken salad! I usually use a little honey in mine, but with all that fruit, who needs it!

Home for a quick lunch. A black bean & corn quesadilla on a CORN tortilla and some roasted carrots leftover from dinner last night.

Now back to my very busy day! :(

Thanks for the recipe, I love chicken salad!

I ended up throwing away the cinammon rolls. My neighbor wasn't home and I needed to get those things away from me. I am not a wasteful person, but they had to go!

I made soup today and also my roasted veggies, so I now have go to foods and no thinking involved. I also put together the 2 cake mixes for my 3-2-1 cake that I have for dessert. I add fresh or frozen berries with it. I think it's 3 to 4 points.

Peggy, I sympathize with you on the sleepless nights. I was so tired during the day. I still have hot flashes and those wake me, but less and less. Such Fun :(

Matti,

Last week you mentioned adding weights to your routine. Do you do them on your own or go to a health club? I have found some videos on YouTube that look interesting but I wonder how effective they are.

Sleep is another one of my problems since menopause began ruling my life. Last night (or should I say morning?) it was 4:30 when I finally fell asleep and I have been dragging all day. I can barely get out of a chair let alone exercise.

So today I had cereal and 2% milk for breakfast, turkey, dressing, turnip greens and grits for dinner. So why have I gained a pound???

Sorry for the rant.

Linda

Good morning everyone,

Linda, I don't know why you have gained a pound. I am fluctuating too. Yesterday morning I was 2 1/2 pounds lighter than this morning. I am now 30 days since my last period (starting to change last two years) and I ate properly yesterday. I am staying the course no matter what because I feel great about being able to control that much in my day. It feels right for me to eat healthy. My body will sort itself out and I am sticking with this. Linda you can rant here as much as you need to. We are listening and understand your frustration. (((((((Linda)))))))

I slept last night without any help, yesterday afternoon I crashed too. Being the fall I just roll with it as much as possible. Thank heavens for the internet when insomnia hits.

Matti - I've done that too. I'm not wasteful either but sometimes you have to do these things for your health. I am with you on that action.

I'll be online this weekend too. I am taking apples with me for snacks when I go out, packing water and planning to stick to my guns with portion control during our holiday meal. I don't enjoy stuffing myself.

How do you deal with family pushing more food on you? Here dear - you should have a piece of this too or more of that. Have a piece of pie - one more won't hurt you.

My favourite response to pushy people is this one:

Thank you. I enjoyed our meal together but I am pleasantly full right now and don't want to ruin it.

The word pleasant is not a unusual term so it catches people off guard and they respond to it. My message is clear - I am comfortable. I don't enjoy feeling stuffed at all. More effective than I saying you are on a diet because there are those who like to sabotage efforts because they have their own issues to deal with. This throws them off to. Everyone wants to feel good. So I use this psychological feel good word that everyone can relate to. I have found this to be most effective.

Stick with me - we can do this. Follow your dream, take care of yourself because you deserve good health. You deserve to take care of yourself for a change.

I hit a lower weight yesterday so I know my body is heading that way. I am sticking with it this weekend. In the meantime while the scales dance around my body is changing.

Let's all not go past the "pleasantly full" when eating. You'll thank yourself later.
Have a great day my friends!
Cheers,
Peggy

I like the term "pleasantly full." It says it all - not hungry, but not over-stuffed either, more like a neutral position. Must remember that.

Still staying on track, weight down a bit again. Small steps. I love watching cooking shows on TV, but very dangerous for me, just makes me feel like eating. I will have to be mindful of that in the future.

We are eating at a restaurant for Thanksgiving this year. If I cooked this big meal for us, we would have lots of leftovers, which normally would be a good thing, but not now. So we will indulge for one meal only.

Happy Saturday!

Yesterday was a heavy food day. Dinner with family turned out to be 2 light beers late afternoon with 2 small pieces of pizza. I had a lovely green salad. Honestly afterwards I felt like a sitting lump of cheese. Wasn't my choice for dinner but we are visitors this weekend. Today I am happy I brought my breakfast foods and snacks. Water, zero fat fruit yogurt with a cut up fresh apple.

It's turkey dinner tonight. Yes there are pies for dessert - I am not planning to have any pie at this point in my day. And I am eating light during the day, drinking my water. I will cut back at dinner this year - I'm skipping the stuffing, only a small bit of gravy, lots of veggies and a controlled portion of potato. I am planning to keep my portions in mind when I have my meal so I don't feel bad about it afterwards.

My plan and goal is to be "pleasantly full". It's a lovely fall day here - we are getting out for a bit as a family. Buying a bushel of fall apples to put in cold storage when we get home. Later I plan on going for a walk before dinner and probably after dinner.

It's all about family this weekend. We all have our health goals in mind so no one pushes the food anymore. Thank heavens. My other favourite get out of Jail free card is -

No thank you for the pie - I would not enjoy it at this moment. If it's alright with you I may have a slice later when I don't feel so full. That way I have not declined completely and for myself I have not committed to it either. It's another tactic I have found gets people to stop pushing their food. Stay firm with your responses while letting your host know you are pleased with the meal and feel quite content at the moment.

I don't know if this helps - but it's part of my "toolkit" for dealing with meal events.

Let's have a wonderful day today. Life is great. We are so fortunate to have the choice not to over eat while many do not have the choice to eat at all. I am grateful to be here with you, grateful for all the great things I have in life. In that frame of mind I am grateful to have the choice to take care of myself and my loved ones.

Make the most of today. You deserve to be happy with yourself.
Cheers,
Peggy

Happy Saturday to you Peggy!
Well, yesterday was of course Friday and if you've ever lived in Wisconsin, you know what that means. Friday Fish Fry! Varies from place to place, but most have delicious deep fried cod, haddock, and/or perch.

I've learned to order baked fish when we got out....sometimes! ;) But we took it to go since it was granddaughter #3's 1st birthday. Had a piece or two, which isn't exactly on my program. But, ya gotta live once in a while!

Tonight we go to a wedding that isn't a dinner, just an appetizer buffet. Hopefully there is something that isn't deep fried or loaded with cheese. :) Hate to be that person that b*tches about the food, but I really am being more careful these days! Yay me! :)