Friday Five - Weekly Update!

First things first, congrats on all the new posters about their weight loss, you guys are doing amazing!!! Now back to your regularly scheduled Friday Five... 1. What types of food did you eat this week? 2. What types of exercise did you do this week? 3. How much weight did you lose? Total loss? 4. What was your biggest challenge? 5. Are you receiving unwanted attention??? How are you dealing with it? *Fun bonus question: You're having dinner with a dead person? Who is it? Why? What questions will you ask them? Happy Friday, All! Amber

1. What types of food did you eat this week? All the normal stuff, chili, Tea Misto's, fruit, steak, pork chop, soups, turkey, shrimp, hard salami and cheese. 2. What types of exercise did you do this week? walking 3. How much weight did you lose? 3 pounds Total loss? 130 lb. gone forever!! 4. What was your biggest challenge? The Super Bowl Party I went to, I found myself falling back into old snacking habits. I didn't eat lunch or dinner, I ate from lunch UNTIL dinner! 5. Are you receiving unwanted attention??? None of the attention is unwanted yet! How are you dealing with it? I'm basking in it!!! *Fun bonus question: You're having dinner with a dead person? Who is it? Why? What questions will you ask them? Wow, I think it would have to be my best friend Judy that passed away last year. I have a million things I wonder about and I'd love to have the answers. Plus she was a big help in getting me to where I am today, as a Human Resources Attorney she had incredible knowledge and I miss being able to call her whenever I have a question.

Hi Amber! Hope you've had a good week. 1. Food: white bean/turkey chili (needed more non-dairy protein, so I whipped this up), taco soup, lf/sf yogurt, egg/one slice bacon, cheese grits, etc. 2. Exercise: I walked and/or did pilates four times this week, so far. Plan to do so again tomorrow. 3. Lost one pound...one little ol' pound, down to 217. (I know, be thankful for that one pound, right?) I've lost 87 so far. I'm still 67 pounds from goal. I guess I'll reach it in 67 weeks, at this rate. 4. Trying not to get discouraged by slow weight loss, like the rest of you guys. I mean, I'm working out, I'm eating well, though, admittedly, not getting enough water. That's a big challenge for me. Maybe I'll try an experiment: I'll commit myself to drinking at least 64 oz. this week, every day, and see it my loss is greater than a pound, like this week, and hopefully greater than 0 pounds, like last week. I'll let you know how it works. 5. Unwanted attention: No, not that I can think of. My girl friends are telling me that I look great, I'm the incredible shrinking woman, etc., but that doesn't bother me. Bonus question: Other that Jesus Christ, which is a given for me that I'd love to talk to Him face-to-face, I'd want to talk to my mom. She died 3 1/2 years ago (after battling her weight, arthritis, and diabetes for 20+ years) of a heart attack, at age 62. I would love to tell her what's going on in my life and my kid's lives, ask her what Heaven is like, etc. I'd also ask her for any advice she might have for me....what's really important in life, what should I focus on, etc. That would be fantastic! Have a good weekend! Steph

1. What types of food did you eat this week? Cheese, yogurt, tofu, nuts, water, a half a sandwich 2. What types of exercise did you do this week? Trekking through airports was all I could handle 3. How much weight did you lose? Total loss? Nada this week! 4. What was your biggest challenge? Staying awake, eating well while running 5. Are you receiving unwanted attention??? How are you dealing with it? I noticed that I seem to be getting eye contact now. In addition I did have a guy chat me up while waiting for a place...not typical for me. *Fun bonus question: You're having dinner with a dead person? Who is it? Why? What questions will you ask them? My Dad. Hands down. Not one other dead person I would care for! I would want to make sure he was having fun, at peace, and keeping in touch I would also ask for some guidance. He usually knew best.

1. What types of food did you eat this week? Per my NUT at six-month followup, am to continue focusing on exclusively 60 gms protein daily (three up-to-one-cup meals), so have modified recipes for lean pork, chicken, fish, and ham. Made the most fabulous Parmesan Chicken with fresh mushrooms and spinach; also made crustless BBQ Chicken pizza; and ground-chicken pasta-less lasagne, using fresh spinach instead of pasta layers! For the first time since July, I tasted ice cream (ick--empty calories which will only land on the hips), tried popcorn (ish--wasted carbs). Going on seven months out, and still have absolutely no hunger nor cravings. 2. What types of exercise did you do this week? Yoga pilates, Pilates, lifting weights, and lots of lovin'. 3. How much weight did you lose? One Total loss? 88 4. What was your biggest challenge? Remembering to eat. 5. Are you receiving unwanted attention??? Oh yeah.... How are you dealing with it? I do not react at all, and find it disgusting that guys other than my boyfriend didn't give me the time of day when I was much more visible! *Fun bonus question: You're having dinner with a dead person? Who is it? Why? What questions will you ask them? My maternal grandfather, who was 69 when he passed in 1975. Would ask many questions about his three-year term as state senator, as my grandparents were very close friends with Hubert and Muriel Humprey and President and Mrs. Kennedy. I was just way too young to really 'get' it, much less ask intelligent questions as a child back in the sixties.

Patti, Can you post your recipe for parmesan chicken with mushrooms and spinach? Sounds wonderful. Your grandfather sounds like he was a very interesting man....what a life he must have led! I've often regretted not appreciating my grandfather more when I was little; we just didn't know better! He was an amazing man, one whom I would love to spend hours with now. Thanks, if you have time to post how you made the chicken! Steph

1. What types of food did you eat this week? The usual, but I tried a new chicken & black bean quesadilla that was yumm-o. I made some SF Chocolate Pudding & Strawberry pies as well. Add honey roasted peanuts to my addictions category, ugh. 2. What types of exercise did you do this week? I went to the gym a couple times and ran on the treadmill, did crunches, and biked for 8 miles yesterday. Lifted weights at home. 3. How much weight did you lose? Total loss? 1.5 pounds. I'm at 212 now. Only 12 pounds till Onederland and the Century Club. Wahoo. 4. What was your biggest challenge? Not weighing myself. I get so frustrated with that damn scale. I need to throw it out. 5. Are you receiving unwanted attention??? How are you dealing with it? It's starting to happen. I'm getting looks from guys and I'm feeling a bit weirded out. A friend of mine keeps telling me how sexy I'm looking and I'm really uncomfortable. I'm just trying to say "Thanks". *Fun bonus question: You're having dinner with a dead person? Who is it? Why? What questions will you ask them? Marilyn Monroe. I'd like to know more about her, Find out what it was like to live her lifestyle, find out how she really died, and why.

1. What types of food did you eat this week? The usual but I have added pork into my diet. I made a boiled/baked bbq pork that was awesome with rice and broccoli. I've also eaten pork ribs but that's a little difficult because it's fatty and I have to try to get to the meat. A lotta work but worth it cause the meat is GOOD. I've also gotten really into raisins. 2. What types of exercise did you do this week? I haven't exercised... I fell off a horse and had terrible back pain and this week I'm sick, so it's been about two weeks since I've done formal exercise. I shopped on Sunday for 8 hours though so that was a lot of exercise. 3. How much weight did you lose? Total loss? I didn't lose any... total loss is still somewhere around 90 lbs since surgery... a touch over 100 since the beginning. My monthly visitor came so I'm expecting a bigger weight loss this week. I weigh on Fridays only so we'll see.... I lost a notch on my belt this weekend! 4. What was your biggest challenge? Pain from the horseback riding accident (better now) and being sick. 5. Are you receiving unwanted attention??? How are you dealing with it? I'm receiving a lot of attention, but it doesn't really bother me. I actually find the looks and attention to be confidence boosters. I still don't SEE myself the way I really am. I see myself as still being bigger - not as big as I was, but bigger than my new size 10 frame. I'm having a hard time understanding what everyone else sees so that attention actually helps me with that. *Fun bonus question: You're having dinner with a dead person? Who is it? Why? What questions will you ask them? My dad who died when I was 4. I'd like to meet him. I don't really remember that much about him but have been told my whole life what a loving and wonderful father he was to us. I'd like to ask him ALL kinds of questions about who he was, what heaven's like, etc. I'd also love to tell him all about me, my growing up, who I am now, etc. Maybe he already knows...?