@MusicCandy @SadMe70 A place to communicate

Donuts - I only like Krispy Kreme and I can eat about a whole box of glazed - especially since there is a store near my house and they turn on the "hot" light. There is nothing quite like them,but I do try to stay away. Good for you. I'm not looking forward to the holiday treats that will be all over the hospital break rooms soon. I have no plans of how to manage it with working 16 hour shifts. I am just gping to stick with the protein shakes and hope they will fill me up and satisfy the cravings. I'm going to cut way back in wine too. I know I can do it now.

Indian food is the only ethnic group of foods I don't care for - curry just doesn't apply to my taste buds - but I do like pretty much every other spice and spicy food. There are so many, probably hundreds -of restaurants in the Richmond area and I rarely eat out except very special occasions. But you definitely deserve dessert after abstaining from the candy. Is that 301 bridge the HIGH one? I unexpectedly came up to that when I was taking a direct route across the VA line and I almost died. I have severe fear of heights and especially high bridges. I honestly don't know how I managed to drive over it and I had to get out as soon as I made it to the other side, shaking. But - I hope you had a nice dinner and relaxing time. I did have 2 shakes and I am here at work until 7 AM - feeling pretty good so far.

The next 2 weeks at work will definitely be harder than this last one. I am taking my standby snack with me every day, whole raw unsalted almonds mixed with juice-sweetened cranberries. I like them and they are filling. I try to grab a few handfuls of those when the candy looms large. I made yogurt smoothies for breakfast for the last two days, threw in almonds for more protein, whatever fruit was handy, and a little spinach. I like sweet potatoes and ground flax in there too but am out of both. Take yourself some snacks during your long shfits. Can you take a shake along and put in a fridge there or do you have to eat them right as you make them? In addition to the note I've been carrying in my pocket, I added one in my lunchbox that says "Stay strong!" Stay strong my friend! You can do it!

I have done no actual "exercise" since Thursday but have been very active this weekend so at least I'm not sitting around doing nothing.

I ate a ton of food on Friday night but it was all fairly healthy stuff. There are lots of spices that can be used in Indian food besides curry and this restaurant makes some amazing food. The spice blends are so complex and there are so many things to choose from. If we meet one day I will take you there and we will get multiple dishes and find one you like! We love taking people there and introducing them to this food we love so much. The owners are extremely nice people and love to help people pick dishes as well.

Yes I am talking about the high bridge. I was terrified to drive over it when we first moved here 20 years ago. For me it was not so much the height as how close the walls are going as such fast speeds.

PS On the Indian food, I cannot eat really hot stuff, and they can make many of the dishes mild.

I'm so glad you had a nice dinner. That bridge scared me so much because I couldn't see over the top when I got close - I had a real panic attack. I can "ride" over it pretty well if someone else is driving . So never again- and no roller coasters or stuff like that. I am open to trying almost any cuisine and I actually do like hot and spicy. The only way I can eat "some" sushi is with wasabi - and Latin food also has to be with hot peppers. I am sure there are some Indian dishes that I would enjoy, and I will remember your invite if that becomes possible. I take a tumeric capsule, for cholestrol or inflammation, I forget which. My favorite overall food is Greek and mediterranian.

I take premade shakes to work, Slimfast and Atkins are good brands. I have to grab one when I can. I do take healthy snacks too. So we will hope for the best for both of us. Today: I had one shake and plan for a hearty warm soup later. I did exercise too. I Hope you have a happy Monday start to the week.

Ok, so Sunday my meals were not so good. Ironically I spent the day cooking so I'd have future stuff. Made and froze chili and a soup. Put some meat in marinade for Monday night, and made a tofu dish for tonight or tomorrow. Then I made some candy out of goat cheese that I had made the day before, for a Christmas gift, but I snacked really heavily on it as I went. Then I was exhausted and we had crackers and cheese (and a few pieces of raw veggies) for dinner.

Yesterday meals were back on track and I finally got to the Y for my weekly session with my trainer.

Last night I spent about 10 minutes stretching and foam rolling before bed. I need to do that a lot more often and for longer at a time! This is my next mini-goal. My body is tight and this will help me feel better!

I didn't snack on junk at work though, a six day streak of that, woo hoo!

I forgot to say that I also like Greek and Mediterranean food. We have been a few times to Greek on Cary, and my husband liked a place called Athens Tavern that we went to years ago but since closed. Do you have any other Greek or Med restaurants in the area to recommend? My son loves Thai Top Ten in Carytown, but the two times he was going to take us there it was closed because they close mid-day between lunch and dinner and that's when we managed to arrive both times.

Crazy Greek - I'm pretty sure there is a location in the Fan, and one on southside that I go to that is near me." Mama" runs the kitchen and she sometimes has a fresh warm pan of flan - mmm . I love spanokopita - my daughter and I make it at Christmas. When she was oungs, her friends turned up their noses at the spinach- which she said was fine so there was more for her! A lot of work, but worth it. I also love baklava but I'd never make it or I would eat the whole pan at one sitting. The Greek festival is the very best time for home cooked dishes, all kinds. Plus dancing and entertainment.

Good for you keeping the no treats at work goal. I have had up and down days with the shakes, but have exercised every day. I did have some wine and went to my weekly limit that I set before my "off" week. So no more for me until Sunday night.* No scuses Candy*.

You can send me some of that goat cheese candy - I've never had that but I love any cheese, any time.

Well- Wed. night I worked a double shift I was just "on call" for- and I was not prepared. so Thursday was tough- just trying to get through what I had to do and nap in between. I don't even know what I ate, and I did a little exercise and had a glass of wine, and bedtime snacks- basically off my routine and a mess.Today was a little better. I exercised strength arms, and had 1 protein shake. Now I am stressed out because I have way too much on for next week - the preschool Christmas program, and I pack lunches at church every day for the homeless( it's our week). I still have 40 hrs of hospital shifts this week-end - I didn't want this all to be the same week but it just is.

I ate pizza at work and now malted milk balls - one after the other. I'm going to stop now though and have a cup of tea. I think I am not going to worry too much about food and drink until after next week. I hope things aren't that chaotic for you, but I'm here to hear your news. (deep breath..)

Hi! Sounds like you will have a very challenging week! Stay as strong as you can but don't beat yourself up if you slip! It's the toughest time of year. You are involved in some great things!

Malted milk balls are a tough one for me too. They are just so little you can't stop popping them in over and over. I made a second batch of goat cheese candy, mint choc this time, and again ate too much of it as I worked but not as bad as the first time. I have a little filling left over of each type and some of the chocoloate, so there will probably be a Round 3 this weekend.

I made it through a second week of no extra snacking at work though. On Friday, the principal and vice principal came around with a cart with boxes of amazing cupcakes with icing about 3 inches high. I did not take one even though they urged me to! One little victory anyway! I wish I could be as good at home! Drank too much wine last night also, sigh.,

My husband bought a new kitchen toy, a gadget that cuts veggies into thin spiral strips. Last night he made zucchini "noodles" topped with homemade pesto and halved cherry tomatoes. It was very tasty! The gadget came with a cookbook and I hope we will make more stuff out of it. This meal was not really filling enough to be a main course but I think if we threw in some chickpeas or something with some protein, it would do the trick.

I made 3 trips to the Y this week, plus yoga once. My various physical problems hold me back from getting any decent workouts, but at least I am moving!

Good luck this weekend and during the coming week! I'll be thinking of you!

So good to hear from you, and good to hear your victory with the cupcakes- those can be tantalyzing. I'm not sure I would have resisted- but you did make that a primary goal, so good for you. That goat cheese candy still sounds good. I know your friends are pleased!

I have done pretty well this week-end, exercised as usual and didn't eat too terribly. I had one glass of wine each day, but just one. I got everything done that I needed to for today and really only 3 more tough days to go. I will work both holidays since they come on the week-end, that happens every so often. I don't mind it so much since my kids are grown and I can still go to church Christmas morning. I scored 3 tickets to the Nutcracker ballet and orchestra on craigs list for my daughter and boyfriend and they can treat my Mom- she will love that. I have been several years but it just won't work out this year - still nice to be able to treat them. Abi and Mark will treat my Mom like queen for a night.

As for the veggie noodles - thay are fun to eat- just like spaghetti. Our new Wegmans makes them packaged - squash and so on- and it is so easy to sauce it up and enjoy carb free. I hope you had time to make your meals for the week - I know that works for you.

Have a marvelous Monday- the kids will be wild for Christmas as we know - hang in there.