2007 Annual April Fool's Challenge--come on in!

[chicagobeth]

Hey all-

It does seem like this has been a quiet challenge! Hopefully everyone is just busy doing their thing. It is C-O-L-D here in Chicago, around 30 degrees but no sun so it feels bitter. I think we've got several more weeks for spring to arrive.

I have a great dinner planned - a tuna fillet, sauted spinach and leftover spaghetti squash. What is everyone else having? I've also been very in love with tortillas the last few weeks making pizza and quesadillas filled with all sorts of Core goodies.

No exercise in the cards for me today but tomorrow I do Week 6 Day 3 of Couch to 5K which is a 25 minute straight run - I am scared!

Hope everyone is hanging in there.

-Beth

[Wildflower]

I feel better today. I can't believe how sugar makes me so sick anymore. I felt like crap, my back ached terribly! Not to mention that my mental attitude was PSYCHO!!!!

I think the scale went back down again this morning, so maybe I have a chance to at least break even at weigh-in tomorrow.

I KNOW it's not worth it...but I end up doing it anyway. Now what kind of an idiot does that? Is there such a thing as a CORE birthday cake? lol

[Wildflower]

My new grandson, KAI ALEXANDER MAEDA...be sure to turn on the sound.

grazierphoto.com/SlideShows/KaiMaedaFeb2007/

[mightycore]

Congratulations on your new grandbaby, Sandy!!
I have been eating core foods, and have had no sugar, but I'm slacking a little on the ghgs and aps. Busy busy this week. But I'm down 2.4. Things will be calmer after Thursday.

[Wildflower]

Hooray for you Mighty CORE!!!! Lost 2.4 lbs.!!! Never to return!

[katelight]

Good job Mighty!!! You are strong and Mighty
Sandy congrats on your grandson. (I have dial up and couldn't see his pics )
I'm continuing to struggle... down right self sabatoge (sp?) as I'm putting junk into my mouth, I'm thinking I shouldn't be eating that and do it anyway. What's up with that? GRRRRRR. I've got to get myself back into control.
HIHO everyone
Katie

[geha]

Question:

I have been thinking about joining the challenge but the more I look at the foods in the grocery store locally the more frustrated i become when thinking of doing the CORE program. I want to have cold cereal, for instance, and find no fiber one or other legal type cereal available so that means I must rely on oats or other uncooked grains. There are few if any nonfat cheeses, few if any diet products and it all seems to be less easy locally. I have considered doing it anyway or perhaps combining the local foods with CORE and the old EXCHANGE program I once followed...but...wonder if CORE can be done without having all the stuff available that others in the US might have.

Anyway...am going to commit to SOMETHING as of Monday morning but...haven't been able to quite yet.

KUDOS to all doing the program successfully and doing this challenge in particular.

Cathy in Fih,Lebanon with a cat on my lap and husband down trimming grapevines

[Wildflower]

Hang in there Katie!!!
You can do it!

to CORE Cathy and the Kippy's Challenge Bunch!

Don't get frustrated about what you CAN'T have with CORE, just get started and begin to think about what you CAN HAVE. You'll be amazed.

Really, you can do great with hot cereals if they don't have any cold CORE cereals. I eat Shredded Wheat 'n Bran--do they have it? What about eggs? Eggs are CORE, and make a great breakfast. Or, how about combining eggs and whole grain cereal?

If you are in Lebanon, I am sure that a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables is available, as well as wonderful whole grains. These are the foundation of the CORE program, and a whole world of foods you never even tried is waiting for you.

The whole idea of CORE is not to count points (or exchanges...or whatever) but to listen to your own body signals.

You can eat to satisfaction at your meals if you make some basic changes to WHAT you are eating. Your body is HUNGRY for a good wholesome meal.

I have a little theory, that once you start giving your body what it NEEDS, it begins to say [glow=yellow,2,300]"THANK YOU"[/glow] and feel satisfied.

Start with a good CORE breakfast for a week, and then once you've got that comfortable, move to trying a CORE lunch, and then dinners, in the same way.

Don't try to change everything at once--change over gradually ...gradually...gradually.

If you don't have a whole lot of diet products available--then I say that CORE is definitely a better choice for you. I would say that the only "diet" foods I normally eat are soy cheese (which really isn't a diet food) and non-fat milk and yogurt--oh, and a little bit of "Splenda" once in awhile.

I use extra virgin olive oil, and occasionally real butter. I eat lots of tuna fish...oops and I use non-fat mayonnaise with that.

If you don't have non-fat salad dressings, just make your own--using your 2 tsp. olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and some spices.

I like popcorn for an evening snack, or an apple. And I KNOW you have the most plentiful of diet products around---WATER!!!

We'd love to have you join us. You can get daily support right here.

Okay Everybody...let's give Cathy some ideas...what are some of your favorite CORE meals that she might be able to make in Lebanon?

Right off of the top of my head I'm thinking Kabsah...do they still make it over there? The Middle Eastern students used to make it for us--it was their favorite dish.

Brown chicken pieces with onions and green pepper, add tomato paste (and/or fresh tomatoes) and brown rice and salt and pepper, with enough chicken broth or water to cook the rice. Cover and cook just until the brown rice is done, but not mushy--do not stir the rice.

They always served this with freshly sliced cucumbers and thin-sliced onions with a yogurt and lemon juice dressing...YUMMMM!

[girliepurple]

Sandy -- that was the most beautiful video I've ever seen!!!!! How gorgeous he is - and your SIL and daughter too -- and I think I saw an older brother in there? Where did they get that done - excellent!!

Mighty - congrats on your loss!!

Katie - HIHO girl - do you hear me??!!

Cathy from Lebanon - so glad to hear from you again! I don't know what kinds of foods are available where you are, but I'm sure you've seen our recipe threads and can find something? I like the fact that you have grapevines, that means wine?? ;D I know, not Core... remember you don't have to have "breakfast food" for breakfast, any leftovers will do. Eggs and oatmeal can get boring but you can add veggies to eggs and lots of stuff to oatmeal too. There is a Fall Muffin recipe on the board that is great for breakfast. Good luck!

Tonight I am weighing in to see where I am....send positive skinny vibes, thanks!!

[xenagoddess]

Sandy Congratulations on they new grandbaby! What a beautiful video! We watched it twice. It was put together in such a moving and thoughful way.

Kai reminds me a bit of my son when he was born. That lovely mix of ethinicities. My son is Chinese/Japanese (my partners side) and German/Norweign (my side). I love those hapa babies. He was also born with a full head of hair.

Love to your whole family.

I will update everyone on food tomorrow. Have to go take care of my son...he's seven now...time flies.

[geha]

Thank you Sandy and Cathy for the welcome. I have done CORE here in Lebanon before and been successful but seemed to stop after about a month. I know that I have an event on Sunday evening that will not be CORE so could ulse points for that if I start before that event is finished.

I agree that thinking of what is available is a good idea and since we have fruit trees on our land that produce fruit throughout the year, fresh vegetables in abundance, nonfat yogurt and condensed yogurt life should be okay. Breakfast cereals...there are no processed cereals that come in a box at all...fiber one USED to be available but all bran or bran flakes are the only healthy cereals other than whole uncooked grains that I have found. We do have chickens and ducks so eggs are definitely a breakfast option and getting fresh meat, fish and poultry always an option...so...as i type...I CAN do this and will commit to it having as many core meals as possible until Sunday evening and really CORE after that

Thanks for the pep talk Sandy!

Cathy in Fih, Lebanon

[Wildflower]

Well I'm glad to hear that, Cathy! It sounds like you live in the Garden of Eden for CORE. Can we come over? There again, think about what you DO have...it's all there.

I've often thought about the different "ethnic" diets I've tried being friends with people of many different cultures--Middle Eastern (my old college boyfriend), Japanese (my son-in-law), and Mexican (my 2 brothers married Mexican girls)...

They all were CORE...really. And my daughter just took a trip to Brazil last year--same thing, fresh fruits every morning. CORE is really about keeping it simple and cooking from scratch--to me.

It just takes a little breaking away from the fast-food mentality. Even the cold cereal can be a crutch. I limit myself to 1 box a week--I could live on shredded wheat if I let myself.

I boil a dozen eggs and keep them for salads and sandwiches and I treat myself to good salad veggies and whatever fresh fruits are most plentiful--right now it's apples. I can't wait for watermelon and berries to come back in season.

When I travel, I even carry along some whole grains with me. I think they're my "security blanket".

Thanks everybody about the little movie of KAI. I've played it over and over...sure wish I could just rock him and hold him. I'll be going back next month...my daughter is moving to NYC & I am going to help her. Her husband got a better position there and the good news is that she's going to STAY HOME WITH THE BABY!!! They're in love, of course! So the good Lord works everything out.

This time goes by so quickly and you just blink your eyes and they're all grown up. KAI is my first "real" grandchild, you've all seen photos of my other 9 (steps). My daughter is going to be 35 this month, so we've waited a whole long time for this "Rainbow Connection".

Oh...I almost forgot...I lost .6 lbs. yesterday at weigh-in!!

[sulee]

greetings friends,

I've been one of the missing but i'm trying to get back up to speed and feel like a challenger once again. I bought You On a Diet just to get my mind back toward a weight loss plan... not a I'm too overwhelmed to think about losing weight plan... which is more where I've been of late.

Congrats to Karen and Sandy on their losses, Huzzah to Beth on the 25 minutes running. Hang in there Katie on the struggle front. You will find your way again. Oh and Sandy, Kai is SO DARLING! what a great slideshow!! You are a lucky grandma (and he a lucky grandson!!)

We've just got to keep on keeping on!

sul

[xenagoddess]

Well I weighed in and I am exactly even with where I started a few weeks ago. NO great mystery why though...

I am at home with my son today who woke up with 103.5 temp last night. So today is a good day to eat core.

Geha: It is always good to see you posting!
Sulee: Welcome back. I also read the You on a Diet book and found it quite interesting. I like the idea of eating the same meals every day for breakfast and lunch. What did you think of it?

[geha]

Thank you all for being so kind

I am just back from Beirut and...well...though breakfast was fairly on program i sort of lost it when it was lunch time and almost time to head into the city...and the buffet IN the city didn't help. I know WHAT to do but think I need to get some foods prepared in advance so that if I have to eat in a hurry there will always be something to eat.

Sandy - Your ideas for the boiled eggs reminded me to boil the duck eggs I have been collecting. They seem best boiled and there are at least a dozen ready to do something with. Living here is divine...we even make our own wine from grape picked from our vines and what is not okay for wine goes into arak or even vinegar. You and anyone else are welcome anytime to come and visit...would love to show you the sites and we have lots of foom in our house! I can relate to various ethnic foods having loved Mexican while living in Sunny Southern California and still hankering after that food almost daily. I believe many ethnic foods ARE healthy and it is the civilizing of nations that make a mess of things.

Cathy - Thanks for the encouragement...sounds like you are doing a LOT better than I am!

There were others that posted...need to get a handle on all of your names...hope you are doing better than I am right now on CORE!

I just thought I would fess up to the fact that it is looking like I won't be fully into the challenge till after my Sunday evening dinner but...will be doing my best to eat as many CORE meals as possible till then. And, since bulgur is a staple in my kitchen...might share a recipe or two

I will say that traffic on roads that are being repaired from bombing last summer and filled with people that are eager to get home at the end of the day made me a bit nutso driving home this evening. I am sipping some wine and nibbling on nuts (not from our trees but could have been) and am currently thinking of reading the new WW magazine purchased while in Beirut earlier to read during an all Arabic YMCA year-end general assembly. I did not read the magazine (thought it might be rude) and twirled my cyrstal beaded necklace trying to stay awake while sitting in the audience.

Anyway...more than you wanted to know, I am sure!

Have a good day/afternoon/evening...I am closing down my day as you are earlier in yours!

Cathy in Fih, Lebanon

PS - What type of recipes would you like to have me put into the files from this part of the world?