Hi all - apparently, the walking I've been doing has been what my body needed to break the couple of months of plateauing (electroplate, I promise shall not doubt you again ;-)

Went to the gym this morning after doing my 15.7km walk on Monday, and a 9km hike out in the bush on Tuesday, figuring that I probably wouldn't see much movement on the scales because of the way I ate over Xmas & Boxing day, and I would have been good with that if it had happened.

But I stepped on them, bracing myself for a potential slight gain... and discovered they now say 87.6kg (192.7lb). So yay - I am feeling like a happy wee Starfire at the moment.

I have always been an extremely confident woman, even more so when I finished my undergrad degree and got into Notre Dame.  As of late, I've had a hard time with my confidence level and I believe it is directly tied to my weight.  Currently, I am about 245 lbs. and I am 5'2 and this is the largest I have ever been.  The main thing in my mind is that I have to do this for the right reasons and not to look a particular way.  I need to do this for my health and longevity.  I have the following health issues: ventricular tachycardia, hypoactive thyroid, major depression, hypertension and anxiety disorder.  I have a feeling that the majority of these things would be helped/eliminated if I lost a bit of weight and brought my body back to a healthier state.  I also, recently had a child which is a whole other kettle of fish.

My plan is to begin eating healthier at the first of the year.  The beginning of it all will be a detox fast for about a week, just to work the majority of the toxins in my body out.  Since I am a stay-at-home mom, I can probably get in an hour of working out every day.  To be honest, I think I need to lose about 50 lbs.  I would be ecstatic to get down to 195 since I haven't been that small since high school.  If I make it to this weight, I would prefer to tone things up afterward.  I have decided not to give myself a hard time frame in which to do this, we'll just say roughly July-ish.

It would probably be a good idea to take a picture of myself once a month to track progress and changes since it would be easier to see change that way than just looking down.  I find myself looking at pictures of similarly built women who have lost 50 pounds or more and it seems like SUCH a huge undertaking, but I am ready to get my weight and life under control.

Has anyone had high blood pressure through out the pregnancy that was NOT pre-eclampsia related? What did your doctors do/say to you? I ask because my BP has been a little high (mid 130s-140/80s) through out most of my second and third trimester (I am now 34w4d), and I even got my blood tested for pre-eclampsia once around 25 weeks (which came back neg).

I seriously hate getting my blood pressure taken cause I always get nervous and then a look from the nurse (not always the same every time) after she takes it, and a "Have you been feeling okay? No headaches? No blurred vision? Your feet are swollen" and I'm like, "yes I'm fine..no, no headaches, vision is fine, yes my feet are swollen, but I'm a teacher on my feet all day and I'm not able to always sit with them raised."

I went last week on the 23rd for a UTI very last minute and the doctor who I was able to see with short notice, who I have never seen before, was *surprise surprise* worried about my BP. She said that she wants to give it a week, and if it's still too high, I need to get blood work done again. I mean, that just stresses me out even more which probably isn't good for my BP!!!! So I have the regular 2-week check up tomorrow and I plan on lounging around the house all day (yay winter break for teachers) and just sitting with my feet up, eating NOTHING with salt (sooo hard) and just hoping for the best!! But is it possible, just maybe possible, that I just have high blood pressure and that's it? I mean, my appointments are always right after school after working all day with students that can definitely stress me out. I should also mention that pre-pregnancy my BP has been normal.

Any thoughts?

Okay. So. Being a teacher means that through the school year, I do exercise videos at home, then get a gym membership during the summer. That's how I did it last year, at least, and I really enjoyed it.

Which means I'll have a gym membership in June.
So. I'm thinking that in April, I will start the C25K program. My goal is to be 231 by my birthday in May, so I'm hoping that by mid-April I will have lost enough weight so that jogging will be easier on my knees. That way, the 9 week program will have ended in time to start back with my cardio classes at the gym. =)

I like my plan.

WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.



wow..... was surprised to see that little sticker on the back of a keychain i got as a christmas gift (crowded teeth brand from hot topic, i assume). what does this mean for the future of product labeling and safety? what are the guidelines that these warning label follow?

thoughts?

I sent my husband to the store to get me a mullein tincture for my cough. He misunderstood me and brought home a mullein flower ear oil. I already opened it so I can't take it back.

The ingredients say mullein flower extract (1:4) and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (that's it). It seems like I could still take it for a cough, but I'm not sure what kind of dosage. Anyone have any guesses?

I am tired. I'm not depressed or otherwise mentally incapacitated and I want to do more, but after I get home from work, I could do nothing and be happy.

I've been to the doctor twice about this, and always the blood work comes back without any problems.

I think excercising would help tremendously, but I don't have the time to go after work and getting up early enough to go feels like I imagine "hitting the wall" feels like to marathoners and leaves me exhausted for the rest of the day.

I don't eat processed foods, but probably eat more white rice and pasta than I should. I don't drink soft drinks or eat much sugar because eating sugar and processed foods leaves me feeling icky (other female relatives in the family are diagnosed with hypoglycemia, and I have a sneaky hunch I'm border line, even if the bloodwork comes back showing nothing).

I know that a fairly significant lifestyle change is needed, but how does one make a lifestyle change when doing anything is so dad gum tiring?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make getting up early to go to the gym less of a midevil torture, so that I can start making a habit of it a few days a week (which will hopefully grow into more days a week?)

I'm not looking for a "magic bullet", but some things that might help out enough that I can start helping myself.

I'm a 26 year old female, not pregnant, and otherwise in good shape.

Thanks for the input!

I searched to see if this was asked before and I found nothing. I was also hoping someone would touch on this subject, but no avail! So here I am with a dying Christmas tree next to my carport. I really want to do something useful with this thing and I have been keeping my eye out on local news and such to see if anything pops up. It hasn't. I know a couple years ago I heard you can donate trees for beach erosion?? I can't find any info on this! I just don't want to chuck it to the landfill! Can anyone help? :(

Does trying to find/digging out your car under 2 feet of snow count as exercise?  I know you are not supposed to count everyday tasks as exercise but oh man. Phew!

Anyway, my point of posting is that Edy's Creamy Coconut fruit bars are deliciouuuuuus like a giant candy bar only 120 cals.

So I want to buy this from ModCloth (I'm thinking it'll look shithot with a dyed red bob with bangs!), but I'm in the UK and I've no idea what these size charts are telling me; I'd love your help.  

It says they're laying the garment flat and measuring things that way, in inches, so I assume if you double those figures, that'll be your waist/bust/whatever?  I've measured my waist and it's 34 inches, so a Large by my reckoning would be 35.5 and a Medium would be 32.5.  I'm thinking of buying a Medium as a motivational item.

Am I on the right track here, and do you think this is realistic?  If you're in the UK and have bought anything from ModCloth, I'd love your input.  Say, what size you normally are over here, and how you have found their sizes to fit?  Specifically, are they skimpy on the arms?  >_<

Thanks, guys!

Seriously I can't do anything right... I was supposed to be sick for the first few months but NEVER was, I figured "yay I'm a not-sick pregnant woman!" Then suddenly when I hit 12 weeks I started getting occasional waves of nausea. Not often, every five days or so, and usually if I'd been bad about eating & let my stomach get empty. Then "every 5 days" turned to "every 3 days" and so on... now I'm at 16W4D and it's happening more than once a day.

I'm usually up moving around doing something, and suddenly I HAVE to sit down, get a drink of water, breath deep because it hits me like bricks. I start coughing and my mouth waters and jaw tenses up and I think I'm gonna yak, but I usually don't. Oh until today in the car, we were rolling along the highway and it hit me and there was no water to drink and the road was bouncy and no deep breathing helped. Good thing I was in the passenger seat because I just lost it. I felt terrible, and now some poor highway worker is going to find a lot of vomit on the side of the road... husband had to pull over, partially because he thought it was a good idea and partially because he was gonna throw up too just listening to me. sorry if that was totally gross. Anyway after that I felt pretty good, we still went to the health club to work out as intended.

But I'm totally confused by the timing on all this. I lost weight my first trimester because I just couldn't keep up with my metabolism, now I'm just getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight and my appetite has actually decreased because eating a big meal makes me uncomfortable. Maybe I was just supposed to be sick the whole time? I have a family history of late babies... maybe my morning sickness is a month late because the whole baby is gonna be a month late? oh who knows. even if you don't have advice I'll take sympathy comments.

It would appear that our new puppy came to us bearing a fungal gift!

Does anyone have any suggestions of a really good natural way to treat Ringworm on a dog? I have been thinking Tea Tree Oil would be best.

I just feel hesitant to use the anti-fungal wash prescribed by the vet as I am 8 months pregnant and don't like the look of the chemicals on the back! My husband isn't home often enough to wash her three times a day so it's down to me!

Any suggestions or experience treating this sort of thing? I don't want to be stuffing around with natural treatments if they aren't going to work as I'd like the ringworm gone before baby comes!

What would you do if you were me?

i have a pair of leather boots that i'd like to waterproof. i know i can buy all sorts of mixes, but i'd like something that is more natural, even if i'll have to apply it more often, unless 'more often' means every time i wear the boots in snow or rain. i read that lanolin is one possibility, are there others?

x-posted to thetrail

Hi! I'm new here... and I'll start off by telling you a little bit about myself.

The picture I am using for my icon was 2 years ago...

I have always been bigger... however, I was a size 7/9... about 4 years ago.

Then I went to size 11. I didn't think it was a big deal. I'd like to be here by next summer.

And now, I am 22 and size 16.

I weigh 226 lbs. I am 5'3. I am told I should be about 125 lbs...however, I know that's simply crazy. I'd look like a pencil.

My husband struggles with his weight too. Before I met him he was 6 ft and 270 pounds. He's now 185. And looks amazing.

I want to lose 50 pounds by July (big family reunion at a beach)... I'd be in a size 11 or 13 by then, I think... and I want to lose 70 pounds by next September (my first wedding anniversary)...and would like to go to Hawaii for our Honeymoon that we never got to take.

I lost 3.5 pounds in the last few days simply by playing the Wii Fit and cutting 500 calories out of my intake. I now only take in about 2000 calories. I also only drink water or tea, and sometimes coffee...I got a Gourmet Brewer for Christmas, so I have to use it!

Pretty much, I'd like to be where I was when I met my husband... in a size 11 and about 155 pounds. I'll never be super thin, but I liked the way I looked then. I was happy with myself and  I was confident.

Any advice would be great... I need the motivation!

I'm spending New Year's Eve in a hotel that, thankfully, has a kitchenette (fridge, sink, microwave, coffeemaker).

I'd love to bring along a few made-in-advance appetizers. Any suggestions? We can warm stuff up in the microwave but I'd prefer not bringing along any extra utensils or small appliances.

So far my menu is as follows:

- homemade guacamole and corn chips
- tortellini, cherry tomato and bocconcini skewers with homemade pesto
- pumpernickel bread and spinach dip
- antipasto platter
- pizza delivery for the smelly teenagers

Of course, there will be a variety of chips, dips, chocolate, candy etc.

I was wondering does anyone have any recipes for a soup that will keep well? I mean, that'll last for around a week if I don't freeze it. I'm not particularly fussy about ingredients, although I'd prefer it not to be cream-based as I'm trying to lose the Christmas weight! Basically, I just want an alternative lunch to sandwiches, that I can make on Sundays and eat throughout the week, the more unusual the better! I've never made my own soup before, so I'm really excited to try!

Thanks!


Edited to add:

Thanks so much for all your replies, you've all been really helpful. I can't wait to try out the recipes!

Hubby's church runs a weekly free lunch. I'm the designated baker and I need ideas of what to make. We're serving 40+ people / week so it has to be fairly simple and economical (food bank contributions won't kick in for a while and even that will only be some help). I also prefer to pack in as much nutrition as I can (via fruit / nuts / etc.) while still keeping it tasty and dessert-like.

Things I've made:
apple and almond spice cake
banana chocolate chip cake
chocolate cake
pumpkin pie (a special request for Christmas week)

Next on my list is carrot cake

Then I've got nothing. Maybe a pineapple cake? Any other ideas? Recipes?

Thanks!

I served this on Christmas Eve ~ and yes, despite the grainy 1960s nature of that picture above, it was only taken last Thursday evening :P

Champagne & Cheese Fondue ~ adapted from The Fondue Cookbook

1 c. mushroom caps
2 c. champagne
4 c. grated Swiss cheese (I used 3c Jarlsberg & 1c Gruyere)
2 TBS-1/4thc. all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon cream (I used half and half)
salt & pepper to taste

Place mushroom caps in a pot with just enough water to cover them and bring to a boil. Cook for five minutes. Drain – but reserve 1/4th of the water. Slice the caps very thinly, set aside.

Heat champagne slowly in the fondue pot over the stove. Stir in the cheese, melt and sprinkle the flour in slowly to use as a thickening agent. You may need more/less than called for. Stir constantly until completely melted & smooth.

Combine egg yolk, cream, reserved liquid and sliced mushrooms caps and stir into the fondue. Do not bring to a boil!

Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Transfer mixture to the table & burner.

Dippers: French bread, medium cooked shrimp, cooked asparagus tips, raw broccolini, cucumber, small cooked potatoes, baby carrots, salami, mushrooms.

For a bonus recipe & notes you can check out the full post in my blog