Orchids&Dragons

Roasted carrots or butternut squash Grilled yellow squash, zucchini, bell peppers Raw tomatoes, sugar-snap peas Steamed broccoli, cauliflower, spinach Sauteed onions & peppers with mushrooms

Wow, you just really want a body transplant! 😁 I just keep putting off thinking about this until I see where the skin ends up after the last 10-20 pounds. I've still got a little apron left, just enough to cause a bulge at the side of my hips and along the bikini line. Not sure if Spanx would help. A tummy tuck is a definite possibility after delivering 35 pounds worth of babies in 3 pregnancies. I don't think there's any hope for my thighs. Some things you've just got to accept.

The carb-heavy sweets are all sliders so, by definition, they go down easy, especially if you have anything to drink with them.

So you have a heating pad?

I think you just do the best you can. I haven't tried in years

And not very well since one of my incisions is still open. Maybe some tequila would sterilize/cauterize it? Nurse told me today I can try pouring peroxide into it to dry it out

That's wonderful! Along a similar vein - I'm Catholic and haven't been able to genuflect for years, too much knee pain. I think I'll go home and practice (it requires a certain level of balance, so I want to make sure I won't go @ss-over-tea kettle in church) but I think I should be able to do it now.

Maybe wiser, but a lot less fun. I haven't had anything to drink since I was in Tampa. That seems like ages ago! Miss my baby girl! Yeah, certain personality traits should be kept in the closet until the relationship is rock-solid! 😁

Gee, I'm doing this all wrong! We went to a Mexican restaurant after church yesterday and I had sauteed tilapia and mixed veggies with water to drink. I need to go be a third wheel with Kitty and Co! Oh, yeah, and 1/2 a chip 😳

The conversation with the doc was several months ago. I'm thinking maybe it was a study to see how much liquid members of the military need, but I'm not positive on that.

Walmart carries a line of non-colored Mio-type drink flavorings 😉

Oh, my!

I found out last night that I could eat an entire chicken thigh in one sitting. In October, I was thrilled because I could finally eat a whole leg! Yikes! Well, Kitty moreso than me. 30 years of marriage does tend to reduce the cardio frequency 😉

I'm with you this week, too. Craving anything and everything. Hot herbal teas help me somewhat, at least while I'm drinking them. Current fave is Peppermint Bark by Bigelow teas with a little stevia and milk. I do think your brain would just rather eat than do that darn paper. I get that way at work when I'm doing quarterly reports or other fun stuff. Get all sorts of visions of sugarplums dancing in my head. Enough to make you want to scream! Good luck!

Actually, it felt great, much better than being unsupported.

Thanks, what an inspiration! She definitely knows how to reach for the stars!

Are you limiting yourself to 64 oz? You can drink more if you can handle it, just don't gulp. I was over 80 oz. at a week and drink way more than 100 every day now.

Never crossed my mind . . . hmmmm

Stunning! No one would ever guess you used to be overweight!

I'm so sorry you've had to deal with all that, both personal and professional issues. I hope things are leveling out for you now.

Checking in: Challenge Starting weight: 168.8, now 161.4 Current weight lost: 110.6 Losing or maintaining weight: losing Fitness/exercise goal: To get back to walking 7 days/week Total weight loss at the end of challenge: (Post January 1st 2019): ??? Check in: Tell us how you are doing - (How is your diet and exercise plan going? Any struggles? Stress level? What have you overcome? Any strategies that have helped) Lost about 7 lbs since the challenge started. Wish I could say it was because of my excellent behavior, but no, just sick as a dog all Thanksgiving week. Doing better now, but mother-in-law arrives for one of my twin's college graduation on Friday. She'll be staying 5 days. Pray for me!!!

Wow, you look amazing! Congrats!

Wow, look at you go! Lookin' great!

I think my issues are mostly so "squirrelly" that they would just confuse other people. Like being afraid to try solid foods after being on liquids/soups for 9 months. And having to drink with meals, and having an anorexic string bean of a sleeve instead of a banana, etc. You guys already know I'm weird 😉

No, just that I'm panicking that I've lost my control mechanism. Kitty and I had a really sweet deal with the super-restrictors! Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this one. 😯