BigViffer

@@OutsideMatchInside & @@OKCPirate - tell me about this Ice coffee concentrate for Protein drinks please. I go to Trader Joes all the time, but mostly for their hummus and yogurts. Does this concentrate have caffeine?

I just went to The Vitamin Shoppe and they have a huge section of clearance bars for $1.50 and under. They are ones that are nearing their expiration date. I have found many with calories around 200 and Protein of 20g. Sometimes they taste like cardboard, other times they are delicious. I started doing this to try and find bars that I liked, but now I just do it because I am cheap. I do want to try making my own, but I need to get the wife on board first.

Don't even try to eat one. No matter how bad the urge. They clump up something fierce and get stuck right that the top of your stomach/bottom of your esophagus. Sure fire way to throw up. Don't ask me how I know. I don't crave tortillas anymore though. And that is something considering I am married to a Costa Rican that likes to make her own!

lol, I never thought of being a straight Hoosier as a deep dark secret!

I have replied to several women's only posts when on my mobile. It does not always show that it is gener specific. And CowGirlJane is not known for being a troll, so I believe her. Not that Pirate was accusing her or anything. Just letting the OP know that it happens on here frequently. To the OP's question, it really does boil down to your level of confidence. But how do you gain confidence in an arena that you have no experience? This is merely my opinion; so if you don't like it or agree with it, that's totally cool. I have no credentials as a couple therapist nor a matchmaker. Don't go looking for a date yet. Don't go looking for a woman to complete you just yet. You are getting ready to make a big change in your life. Embrace it and be a little selfish for now. Is there something that you always wanted to do that you were just too shy to do? Like take a dance class? Or maybe Judo? Learn the piano? Is there some club that you always wanted to join but just not confident enough in yourself to try? Do that now. Then you will start to meet people that have similar interests in what you have. Maybe you will meet someone in that class/club/lesson and you will have a natural opening line or at least an easy conversation starter. If nothing else, you might make a couple friends. Then they will perhaps say, "I've got a friend/relative I'd like you to meet." OKCPirate has said several times that it's a numbers game. The more people you meet, the better chance you will have of meeting the one you are looking for.

I only get the hiccups if I eat too fast or too much. Are you taking enough time between bites?

I've got one that gives me the chuckles now, but horrified me at the time. The story has a long setup, but it has a payoff. This was back when I first moved to Ohio from Solitude, IN. Needless to say I was a country boy out of place in Dayton, OH. I was in college at the time and working as a manager at a Blockbuster video. (That should tell you how long ago it was!) I rode a bicycle 6 miles one way, 6 days a week, and weight lifted for about 1.5 hours a day. I had no social life since I was so new to the area. Not to be narcissistic, but I was a damn good looking 220lbs. At Blockbuster, It was common for people to rent a tape (yes, a VHS tape) at one location and drop it off at another. So every shift, you would go through the drop box and weed out the other location tapes and call the location to let them know to come pick them up. I established a rapport with a woman (Karen) at the nearest store and we would flirt outrageously over the next few months. One evening, she told me that she and and an employee (Todd) were going out after they closed and would I be interested in joining them? Sure, why not! Now, as I mentioned before, I was a young man from the country. Not worldly in any way. Bigotry and prejudices were rampant in that area, so everyone I ever saw was pretty much just like me. So forgive an ignorant young man for the next part. They swung by my store to pick me up and we went to a bar called 1470's. Dance music was playing and there was a huge crowd outside. As we get out of the car and start walking towards the bar, this 6 foot... thing... walks in front of me in a black lace clingy "dress" with red hooker heels, long blonde hair and a 5 o'clock shadow and hairy arms. I stopped in my tracks. I lean over to Todd, full of fear, "Todd... did you bring me to a *derogatory name for homosexual* bar?!" (Remember, young and ignorant at the time. I am no longer like this.) Todd looks at me with one eyebrow cocked like Mr. Spock, "Duuuhhh.... I'm gay." Now I lean over to Karen, "Karen! Did you bring me to a *derogatory name for homosexual* bar?!!" Karen looks shocked, "Aren't you gay???" My mouth drops and I hit a high pitched frantic voice, "No I'm not gay! I'm from Indiana!!" As if that would explain anything and everything all at once. Needless to say, I set out to prove to my companions that I am indeed hetero by not only flirting outrageously with Karen, but I stepped up my game and we ended up making out. Passionately. That should let everyone know that I am indeed a raging hetero and obviously insecure young man. Karen however loved every minute of it. After we left the bar, we talked a bit, she apologized for not telling me it was a gay night club and also for thinking I was gay as well. (Evidently, every male that worked for Blockbuster in the area was gay. shows how astute I was at the time.) She did however say she would love to go out on a real date. The next weekend we do a pretty generic date. We didn't do coffee since we had been talking for months and also had already kissed. We had a casual dinner, saw some forgettable movie, and then went to a bar for a drink and conversation. This is where she tells me how she had a great time the weekend before and now that it is done, it is actually pretty funny. She asks about my plans for the future, what my family is like; she tells me about her family, how she wants kids, how her father and I will get along famously, and her mother will love having me for a son-in-law, and how cute our babies will be, we should have a May wedding since June is so cliche, but it will have to be two Mays from now since her husband still lives in her house... At this time, all blood has drained from my face. My heart was thundering in my chest. She wasn't joking. I mean, there was no hint of a jest. Her smile now appeared to be a rictus that would be at home on a crazy clown or maybe the Joker. Oh, and she was my ride home. How in the heck to I get out of this?! I couldn't just anger her and make her mad me, I had seen Fatal Attraction. I know where that leads. I had to drag this out over days. Forgetting to call her back, taking her husbands' side in whatever disagreements they were having... anything to make her see that I was not the one. It worked eventually, but the scars of that experience will last me a lifetime.

I saw that article as well. I did not find it sad per se, but I am not an empathetic person. Ordering a pizza while staying at the hospital was monumentally stupid. The part that has me the most dumbfounded was the dad. He said taking his son home was a death sentence: There is no way that man is going to be going up and down the stairs to raid the fridge. If it is a death sentence, it's because the dad is the executioner. Only take him what he needs to survive. If he calls and orders a pizza, don't take it up to him. I get it, I really do. I love food, I love being lazy sometimes. But to exist for the sole purpose of eating just is no way to live life. Right now, all I see is a person that is a burden to all who have to suffer him. I know, I know... I'm heartless and caustic and yada yada yada. I just cannot see the point in spending so much time and money on someone who obviously doesn't want to change.

My wifes aunt died shortly after surgery from ARD (Acute Respiratory Distress) To the layperson it would just be called pneumonia. That was 10 years ago.

I've gotta tell you, I am totally intrigued by this. I don't think I could be more astonished by the thought of beets being eaten any other way. It's almost as if someone is telling me packing peanuts are edible and delicious in a salad. Mark my words, I will be trying roasted beets soon.

lol, I just finished my lunch and was browsing the forums listening to my stomach gurgle when I came across this thread. Yes, it happens all the time now. After every bite, every drink, and when I am hungry.

I've had the chickpea pasta and I couldn't tell the difference between the whole wheat pasta I used to eat. It also has a crazy amount of protein in it. Only had it once though because I just don't crave pasta anymore.

Oh man, I used to be able to destroy a bunch of sprouts! Now I can only manage to bully about 4 ounces of them.

lol, oh man... pickled beets and eggs are a special treat to me! No one else I know other than my parents like them though. I have just never heard of roasting them, it sounds... alien to me. I don't even know if my grocery store has raw beets. Going to have to look for this.

Roasted beets? I like beets, but they are almost always pickled. How do you prepare these beets? Is this a reciepe you found and tried out or is it an old recipe?

Honestly, I'd rather have the natural sugars than the sugar alternatives. My blood sugar levels are great with the reduced amounts I am taking in.

I remember the first salad I had, it was decadent! Though I no longer eat lettuce salad. I only have so much room and lettuce has no real nutritional value. Almost all my salads are kale now. Make it and eat it the next day after it has softened.

I was coming in here to comment, but there is some information that I have heard for the first time. I don't know why I haven't thought to check my blood sugar since coming off Metformin, I still check my blood pressure all the time. I get dizzy all the time like the people above me. Lots of fluids and I had to increase my sodium intake for the first time in my life! Powerade works well for both of those issues. I naturally tend to avoid sweets, but now I wonder if my blood sugars are also low. Time to break out the meter and find out. @jhclikesshopping - did your doctor tell you how long that condition lasts?

I eat hummus almost daily. My favorite combo is horseradish hummus and roast beef. I love horseradish personally, but don't like the creamy mayo-esque Arby's crap. There is really no nutritional benefit to regular horseradish either. The horseradish hummus gives me a added does of Protein with my roast beef. It may be a little early yet for lunch meat, but it is something to consider. There are so many flavors of hummus that I use it in place of just about every condiment I used to use. If you really end up using it like I do, learn to make it yourself. You'll save a ton! Oh, and pork rinds go well with hummus too. and protein chips. And veggie straws...

I know this is going to sound crazy, but try pork rinds. They have a ridiculous amount of protein for the serving size. An ounce has about 18 grams of protein. Believe it or not, my surgeon recommended them to me because I am having problems with low blood pressure. The higher sodium content and high protein count make it a good snack. I use hummus as a dip. I have even used peanut butter. Weird I know, but it goes together pretty well.

I still look back on my "last meal" fondly. My wife made my favorite, hot breakfast sausage I made from a pig I had butchered, gravy, and scratch made biscuits. Oh, and a fried egg on top of the biscuits, but underneath the gravy. I could probably eat the sausage gravy now, I always made it lean. But the flour for the gravy would have to be coconut flour. And the biscuits are out of the question entirely. But honestly, I don't miss it. It was a great thing for that time of my life, but it is not something I will need. I have watched my kids eat it right in front of me while I ate a one egg omelette with spinach or ham. I love the appreciation they show my wife for making it and that is good enough for me. I think that was why it was so special to me. My wife is hispanic and this was something that she never made before me and she only made it because I liked it. It was just another way that she said I love you without words. Now she measures out portions and it has the same feeling to me. She wants me to succeed and that says I love you more than the food ever did.

Fage plain yogurt (not vanilla) and mix it with a bit of any sugar free coffee syrup. Caramel and/or coffee liqueur are my favorites at the moment.

Damn! I was just going to recommend that! That is my new favorite flavor too. It mixes awesome with yogurt too. If I can't find plain fage at the store, I will by the next best plain yogurt and add that to the container. Freeze it and you have awesome "ice cream".

Those starkist tuna packets are excellent for storing in a purse or gymbag. Lots of Protein and low calorie. I love peanuts, so I always have some of those on hand. Jerky was my best friend for months when traveling. Otherwise deli meats and hummus are my mainstays. Oh, chili for tailgating!

Wow... I mean just wow. I am very impressed and totally envious! That gym looks awesome! Oh, you look good too dude.