Welcome to the Protein Power Pals daily thread. All are welcome who are using, considering or curious about this WOE. We also welcome friends using other LC WOEs to drop by for some friendly conversation and a large glass of water.

Good morning! I don't know what's worse: trying to find time to post while in the office, or trying to type with two kittens rolling all over the keyboard!

Now I've forgotten who mentioned the dog eating from the cat "buffet," but there's a solution you can get at the pet store. You put a couple drops in the food, and the "end result" becomes extremely unpalatable. I think it's made for dogs (to put in their own food so they don't eat their own), but I don't see why it wouldn't work in the cat's food also.

OK, since everyone seems to be confessing their "sins," I'll join in. I can't quit having my 2 glasses of wine or whiskey every night. How dumb is that? The liquor alone is not that bad. It's just that when I have a drink, I start eating crap. I do so well during the day, and then get home, have a drink and then start eating Ritz crackers. And, to top it all off, lately I get a headache every single time I have 2 glasses (of whatever).

So the other night, DH asked me if I wanted a glass of wine. It was near the end of the bottle, so I said ok, but just one glass because the second one always gives me a headache. So instead of giving me the wine in our regular-sized glasses (like we normally use) he gives it to me in a huge goblet! He said that this way I get the same amount of wine, but only one glass! And guess what -- no headache! If I can have only one glass of wine a night, let me pick the glass!

Funny, but stupid, too. I just need to cut it out all together.

I've wasted enough time. I can either do this or not. If I'm not going to be serious about this, why waste the time and energy?

Elaine, a quick question on Fitday. I've turned on the "view meals" option. Is there any way to make it default to keep the meals open rather than closing up all the time?

Oh, and by the way, EWWWWWWWWW! I just typed in "eggs" to save me time looking it up, and the default came up "brains and eggs, fried"

My menu was somewhat unusual again yesterday - am concentrating on getting back to my usual veggies, fiber and regular meals - today is the first day I have not had a blistering headache and nausea since last Saturday. The menu is way high on fat and calories, but good on carbs and protein. I'm going to get the calories back down today while keeping the veggies in the menu. Forgot to weigh again this AM. Also going to be watching my calorie per pound intake for a while to see if I can't get things moving again. I'd like to drop another 5 lbs or so before the serious hiking season begins (about March 15 normally)

Total calories: 2390 Calories per pound 2390 / 176 = 13.6
Fat: 203 gms 1823 cal 76%
Sat: 83 gms 744 cal 31%
Poly: 38 gms 342 cal 14%
Mono: 55 gms 493 cal 21%
Carbs: 47 gms 148 cal 6% ECC: 37 gms
Fiber: 10 gms 0 cal 0%
Protein: 106 gms 424 cal 18%

Breakfast:
2 large sausage patties with 2 slices of American processed cheese
30 ozs coffee

Lunch:
2 cups full-fat spinach salad with 4 ozs lean ham

Dinner:
8 ozs sausage with 1/2 cup peppers and onions and 1/2 cup french onion dip
1.5 cup broccoli & cauliflower mix (steamed) with 2 ozs velveeta and .5 T half & half

About 67 ozs water & 30 ozs coffee

Whoever needs to protect the cat buffet: Be sure to read the warnings on the dog food additive -- cats' systems are very sensitive. Also, the additive may make the food unpalatable to cats.

What I've done with big dogs and cats - buy a plastic laundry basket - the kind that are long and wide instead of tall - cut a cat sized hole in the side - put it over the cat buffet. Put something fairly heavy on top.

Hi all, glad to hear Orang is returning to her feisty self

Bawdy, no it doesn't keep the meal view open in Fitday. I may email Russ Determan and ask if he could put a "Save your Settings" option on the wish list for the next rollout.

Did you type 'eggs' or 'egg'?

Did 10 min of stretching and ab crucnhes on the stability ball this AM. Also did a 2 mile WATP last evening. Still not dropping any weight, though.

Good advice, Renee. I didn't know this.

Eggs. And I got "brains and eggs, cooked."

Elaine, don't know what to tell you except that I did a full 12-week Body for Life Challenge and didn't lose a single pound. I gained a lot of muscle, and my clothes fit somewhat looser, but not that much. I lost inches, I think, but only in places that don't necessarily get measured -- like the pooch between the bottom of your boobs and your waist. My earlobes and toes seemed a little thinner, too!

good morning all!!

simplydawn: i have a catbox with a cover on it, that way doggie can't get at it. i have a big dog though (black lab newfoundland mix) so depending on how big your dog is that may not work. also the extra carbs on the ice cream is probably some kind of sugar alcohol that they subtract with fiber to get net carbs.

orang: thanks for looking at my fitday and making suggestions. i know butter is better for you, just like the ease of the tub margerine for veggies and i think it is more flavorful for some reason. i did take your advice though and last night used butter. maybe i will try using less margerine till i run out, and then just not buy anymore. if it is not in the fridge i won't use it!!

i have been enjoying my fruit this week, i like having it more than once a day and not feelig guilty. it has been surprisingly easy to keep my carbs at/around 30. it is also a little more mind easing to not be eating so much fat (i like 1/2 and 1/2 in my coffee and with atkins felt like i should be using heavy cream, and it feels like breakfast sat a little better with some egg whites and not so much yolk). i know we should not be afraid of it, but i can't help it.

i am feeling better today, i think i am on the upward swing with this head cold.

hope everyone has a great day!!

Good Morning!!


Seems like the only time I can post is on my day off!! I gotta get another job.......UGH!!

I am down another 2 lbs And still no exercise Ok I know I need to......

Does anyone know any good baking mixes , muffin mixes, etc?

Robin

Hi, Robin! Good to see you again. I know what you mean about work. It seems the only times I can post are the days I work from home and on weekends.

No clue on the baking mixes. Just not interested, I guess. I have made the Dobie muffins a lot, though not recently. When I was going through my old Fitday records from when I was in the low 150s, I saw I was eating Dobie muffins fairly frequently. I don't ascribe the weight loss to the muffins, but I do know that they really fill you up so you're not hungry even after several hours. I have to run some errands today, and I plan to pick up some flaxseeds to make some this weekend.

What is it you want to make? I might be able to guide you in the right direction if I knew what you were hungering for.

Acipenser (can we call you by a regular name? this one is so hard to remember, and I'm having more and more senior moments lately!), we seem to be going in different directions. You're lowering your fat intake, and I'm increasing mine! I love heavy cream in my coffee!

As for the butter, why do you like the tub margarine better? I love the taste of butter. I also so subscribe to the notion that butter goes bad at room temperature. I've never had it go bad. I leave the stick out all the time, even in the summer. Of course, we do go through butter faster now than we ever did before! I'm amazed sometimes at how fast we can go through a stick of butter!

Good day everyone.

I'm down another 5 lbs. I have 15 more to go to reach my first goal. That equals 35 lbs in 36 days. I have noticed it’s starting to slow down and I’m glad. My body needs time to adjust to what I’m doing to it.

This past week I have been thinking about what's next. Let’s say a person reaches their goal weight, then what?

Does one simply continue on with their life the way it is or does that person also have to make environmental/life changes as well?

Such as if a person at the starting of this woe were a couch potato does that person continue to be one? Some have very little <10 – 20 lbs> to lose so exercising may not be something they “have” to do to lose the weight, maybe it’s just changing the way they eat.

Some of us have a tremendous amount to lose so at some point exercising becomes part of the equation to lose weight and tone up or bodies.

But then what? I’m stumped. If a person does not make these changes do they gain back what they have lost?

Do we change jobs and “finally” get the one that we couldn’t because we were passed by on the way we looked? Do we drag our families or ourselves out to the mountains every weekend? Boy that wouldn’t go over well for my husband, the couch potato of all times.

Does anyone know what people do after? Could you share your thoughts and or stories.

Thanks and I hope this makes sense.

Acipenser - I understand, I think it is the spreadability that makes tub margarine more convenient. I found a solution.....LandOLakes makes a spreadable butter. It is made with butter and canola oil and is free of transfats. We use it all the time and it tastes great.

Smooth - In order to maintain your weight once you achieve your goal requires more effort than getting there. Some may not agree with this but if it were not true.....so many of us would never re-gain the weight. Studies show that no matter what WOE you follow and 1 in 5 will be sucessful at maintaining their weight loss. I decided back in July that I was happy with my loss and decided to maintain for awhile. It has been a daily struggle to eat the right foods and exercise. I did gain a few pounds between Nov-Jan, I just know that my some of my clothes are not quite as comfortable as they once were. I can't seem to get it together. I know I am eating to many calories to lose but can't seem to get it under control for more than a day or two. Like Bawdy, I can be so good during the day and blow it as soon as evening hits. I hope this answers your question

Hi all.

Smoothblu quothe, "This past week I have been thinking about what's next. Let’s say a person reaches their goal weight, then what?"

Swing by the Maintenance Forum and find out.

Truthfully, I'd have to guess that we all have to continue to fight on some level, even after we hit goal. Look at Bawdywench's signature. I'm an example, too - I'm simply impulsive when it comes to food, and I always will be. It's just something I have to keep in check if I want to remain healthy (and slim, but the healthy takes priority.) Kinda like cleaning your house. It won't stay clean very long if you don't tidy up every now and then.

I am a mouse potato. I haven't walked for more than a kilometer or two in months, and that's only to the grocery store or work and back. I'm not getting enough exercise. It's not good for me, but no, you don't have to turn into a mountain hiker or triathlete. You just have to be a little more aware of boredom eating. I have to make a little more effort to wait until I'm hungry to eat.

Hope that made some sense.

I'm about to put an APB out on Lisette (Shelley). Has anyone heard from her? The weather in her area has been brutal and I'm concerned.

And then there is the missing Yeti... Rob, how about sharing some of the how to be a bachelor on this WOE knowledge you've got with Keith? He's hurting for ideas.

Keith - great to see you here - try stir-fry and wraps for variety.

Re: butter management
I have butter in a one of those cups used to separate broth from fat - looks like this without the top:

It lives on the counter next to my stove and also has a pastry brush like the one above - I just cut a stick of butter in half and add it when it gets a bit low. I can pop this in the microwave (sans pastry brush!) for 20 seconds and have melted butter that will pour into a measuring spoon and then over veggies or can be brushed on hubby's LC toast. I also use the brush to drizzle butter when needed.

I too have never had butter go rancid out of the fridge - it doesn't last that long around here. The grandkids love real butter.

Smoothblu:
Congrats on the loss.

Some really good questions - Wendy, our missing member is at goal. She is now very physically active and has a 'friend' that I imagine takes up much of her time. She so busy, we rarely hear from her.

For me, I have became more active as I have lost - it is far easier to hike while carrying near 50 lbs less... you haven't seen me discuss this because I recently had surgery and the doc won't let me do much.

Charran:
I left you a message in your journal.

Robin:
Great to see you! Congrats re: the loss.

Afraid I don't know much about the baking mixes. I think Elaine does.

acipenser:
Great to hear you are feling better and the WOE is going well.

Re; butter flavor - are you using salted butter? I have some margarine in my fridge - have one grandkid that eyes the butter suspiciously - like I'm trying to poison her . She gets margarine - the others love real butter. I also keep a small tub of fat-free "I can't believe they are trying to pass this off as butter" for my s-i-l - she has serious gall bladder problems and is on a really low-fat diet for that.

Bawdy:
The comment about skinny fingers and earlobes

Elaine:
The exercise - that almost sounds painful. But keep it up - you too can have skinny fingers and earlobes.

Thanks for the responses and I'll check out that thread you mentioned.

To work so hard to have it come back isn't something I want to do, so I will formulate a program to hopefully not allow that to happen.