PTZers and Friends from around the World!

[tangotori]

Hi STACers!

I've created this thread as a place where STACers living in the Pacific time zone (PTZ) can connect in something closer to "real time". My thinking is that PTZers may - at times - feel a little disconnected from other STACers around the world. I know that I've been making an effort to get up early so that I can post to role-call before heading to work, but if I'm looking for a response I don't post when I'm at home in the evening (unless I'm happy waiting for a response on my next day). So I thought I'd create a place where my neighbours and I could reach out when most everyone else is getting ready for bed!

BUT... as you can see from the name of this thread, I don't for a minute want to alienate STACers and other Forum members from reading and posting in this thread!!!!! Please, please join us!!! All you have to remember is that in this thread, we're working on Pacific Time!

I'm looking forward to connecting with my geographically close neighbours and worldly friends! I hope you join me!!

Vickie

[SoccerMomof5]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Thanks for starting this!!! I live in Washington state and would like to have support in "real time". I am afraid that if I need someone quick, there might not be anyone there because everyone will be asleep.

[Grant]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Well Tangotori is in Vancouver BC, Soccer Mom is in Washington. I'm in Oregon. Following this progression does that mean that the next person to post will live in California?

[tangotori]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Yes, Grant... we need someone from California!!
But let's not stop there !!
Vickie

[tangotori]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Hey All...

I've had a great day and I hope you have too!

I'm not much of a breakfast eater, but I know it's the most important meal of the day so I ate some sausages. Lunch... yummy salad with tuna! I use this tasty dressing from Kraft with only a few carbs - roasted red pepper & parm. So tangy and makes my salads delicious!! I really recommend it. Dinner was broccoli with one of my favourite and EASY chicken dishes. Ask me about it sometime and I'll share the simple recipe .

I love eating this way... I just wish I could have kept at it last time. I fell off the wagon a little over a year ago and gained back the 45 pounds I had lost! I tried several times to get back on track, but just couldn't seem to do it. I can't say for sure what prompted me to start again - there's no doubt that I was sick and tired of my sore knees as I climbed stairs, I hated discovering that I had moved into a size 20 and of course I was missing the looks and compliments I received from my husband... I'm sure it's all these things and more. All I know for sure is that I woke up one day and said, "This is it!" And I'm glad I did - I'm more then 2 weeks in, I've lost about 10 pounds and I'm going strong!

I'd love to learn a little about the people who visit this thread - please share!

Chat with you all tomorrow,
Vickie

[Evermind]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Ok,I'm in California!

Hadn't perceived a need for a separate thread, but what the heck.

Have a good day,everyone.

[tangotori]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Hi Evermind... glad you're here!

There likely isn't a real need for a separate thread, but I've always enjoyed reading the Kentucky thread (seems to be a bit regional) and thought it might be fun to identify some ADBB friends that might be on-line when I found myself on the board at 9pm. I certainly don't intend on staying away from roll call or participating in other threads... ... the more friends the better!

Have a great day!!
Vickie

[SoccerMomof5]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Good Morning PTZers!!

Today is the first day that my kiddos are home for the holiday. Since they are still sleeping ~ with the exception of my almost 19 month old.

I went to the gym last night and walked for about 35 minutes. So far I have been doing cardio for 3 days. That seems to be the highlight of my day ~ since I know I am doing something for myself.

Well, have a great day and I will check in later!!

[AlaskaGirl]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Hi PTZ'ers,

I am from Eugene Oregon currently residing in Anchorage Alaska. My job brings me to Seattle and Portland occationally. I also usually take a week or so to visit family in Eugene every few years.

I am actually 1 hour earlier than you folks but still Pacific.

Julie

[partytrouble]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

hi yall,
i'm in arizona. thanks tangotori for starting this thread, i also sometimes don't get on to post until after work. good idea!

[apple]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

I'm 40 minutes from the PacTimeZone....does that count? I should add that I'm in mountain time.

[tangotori]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Apple said:
"I'm 40 minutes from the PacTimeZone....does that count? I should add that I'm in mountain time."

I don't know, Apple... that one hour difference could really cramp our style... kidding!! The more the merrier; Welcome!!!

Well let me tell you about my thoughts this afternoon - no problem, but definitely something I need to think about... and it would be great to get some input from the you guys...

Not that I should complain too much about this, but as you've all experienced, I'm not too hungry these days (2.5 weeks into plan). For breakfast I had some left over chicken from last night's dinner - I ate about 1/3 of a chicken breast (with a mayo/parm coating - yummy!) and was full. I packed the remainder of the chicken for lunch at work.

About 1pm I start to feel a "mite peckish" (as my Mom would have said ), but I have to go to the post office before lunch (gotta get those Xmas cards off - they're late!). The post office near work is located in the 7/11 store - so there I am in line and smelling all the fast food they sell and looking at the donuts and other baked goods (my vice). My stomach starts to rumble a little. Don't get me wrong - I wasn't really tempted to cheat on any of these things, it was just a reminder that I needed to go and pick up my salad from the salad bar and eat my yummy chicken. I did find myself thinking that going out hungry like this wasn't a good idea if I was in a different frame of mind!

Anyway... I gather a good variety-filled salad - perfect size for plan - and sit down to eat. Two jumbo olives in (mmmmm - the most wonderful treat!) and I'm full. I sit there and stare at my scrumptious lunch and wonder how I'm going to eat it all (not that there was all that much!).

So here's the thing... I make myself eat my lunch. I didn't eat everything, but now I feel yucky. It's not that I feel too full, I just feel like a pig. But you know... I NEEDED to eat lunch!! And I know that the lunch I ate was good for me and on plan. I didn't over-eat. If I had pushed my lunch away after two olives... that wouldn't have been a healthy way to lose weight! If I don't eat, I'll go into starvation mode. So... my rational mind is telling myself all of the above, and my not-so-rational and self-critical mind is telling me I'm a pig for eating when I wasn't hungry.

I felt this way a little at dinner last evening and I hope I don't feel that way tonight.

Okay... that's my concern... share what you think!
Vickie

[apple]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Thanks for letting me play along...even with the 40 min difference...lol....

What you're going through, Vickie...is a normal feeling. Eat until your full, and not past. And remind yourself that you can save it for later and eat when you're ready. In the past 3 days...I've eaten 4 times a day. It's helped me get through the rush of life and fuel to burn when I'm exercising. And I ate because I was hungry...I need to buy more veggies today, but I ate.


How's your exercise going?


I did 5.5 miles yesterday and I'm struggling to even think about getting in my 2 miles in today with so much to do. I have toget past the pain I have in my thighs...lol....it'll all work out.

[tangotori]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Hello Apple... thanks for the pep-talk!

I definitely make an effort to eat until I'm comfortably full and nothing more. In my past, I would eat until I was stuffed and then feel gross for hours after... I believe it was my way of establishing "proof" that I was "disgusting". I know... harsh... but that's how I would think. This "Pig" feeling I had yesterday was similar - only I wasn't stuffed and I wasn't being a pig. It's all just negative self-talk. I've worked hard to STOP doing it, and for the most part I don't. But every once in a while it rears it's ugly head!

If it's all right with everyone here, I think I'll post when ever I find myself thinking negatively... I believe it would be an excellent way for me to process - seeing my negative self-talk in writing will be good for me

So you asked about exercise... I'm not doing much right now (bad me!). To be honest, I'm having a tough time fitting it in. I know... sounds like an excuse... but between long commutes to and from work, long work hours and the work I'm putting into my home renovations, time is hard to find. My husband and I go for long walks several times a week so that's good. There's a pool near home that has aquasize classes that I want to join - I have to go and purchase a bathing suit and re-check the class times - but I'll commit to all PTZers that I'll do it!!

I've had a good day so far... had to host a pizza party for my students this afternoon, but had my snack-sized can of tuna and my bottle of water handy!

Hope everyone is doing well, too!!
Vickie

[hopejoy]

Re: PTZers and Friends from around the World!

Hey Tangotori,
Another California girl checkin' in! I may be in the same time zone technically, but working evenings... makes me out of wack with everyone... I just got home, and eating a little califlower casserole... I asked my dh to hide the chocolate balls and the sugar free ice cream... I've been feeling a little guilty not making any junk for my family... so when I was at trader joes I bought them some ginger bread men (4) and some baklava... I was putting it into a nice glass platter that has a lid and was so tempted to eat some but I didn't. now I'm okay. But anyways, now we have some festive food for them and I didn't have to bake it! ha! Noone around here is that excited about cookies and crap anyways... so thats good. I would be the only one who would want to eat cookies... They will like the ginger bread men though and they'll love the baklava... and being that the baklava is made with a lot of nuts and honey... somehow, it doesn't seem as bad... (for them, not me... I won't eat it.)

Anyways, More holiday faux guilt... so dumb! I also bought them some pomagranate juice/bubbly for a non alcoholic drink for Christmas morning... that stuff was so good last year when we had it.

We usually do Eggs Benedict Christmas morning which is legal for me except for the English muffins... which won't be hard to discard. I think I'll make myself some spinach to go with it. Eggs, ham (turkey ham) and spinach with hollindaise sauce. Yum... My recipe is so good and atkins friendly for the hollindaise... egg yolk, butter and lemon juice...

I'm on call Christmas eve and Christmas day... but I will probably get called in around 5pm or so... that sucks but it could be worse... at least I get most of the day with my family.

Anyways, I am super chatty after work... there is noone up to talk to... so I guess, I'll just talk to cyberspace!

Oh, About not wanting to eat much... that's a natural phase of the Atkins diet... enjoy it! and don't make yourself over eat... when you get hungry again, eat again. It works itself out.

liz