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649848 tn?1534633700

Sunday Weigh-In November 11, 2018

Good morning everyone.  First off, a shout out to all the Veterans out there - those who have served, are serving and will serve.  Thank you for your service.  

It's still early here so the sun hasn't gotten up, but a quick look at the forecast says we're in for a clear day, close to 80°, so it should be a fine day to get and do something fun.  For everyone who is stuck up north in cold snowy weather, you're welcome to teleport yourselves down for some warmth and Vitamin D... lol

There hasn't been a lot happening here.  We did finish with the cabinets in my workshop.  For those that might not have read last week's weigh-in thread, we'd found an old entertainment center that we rebuilt to make a hanging cabinet and also a lower cabinet, both with doors and shelves - the lower one even has one pull out shelf and I'm planning to make another pull out shelf/drawer.  The biggest problem with them is that, apparently, the people from whose home they came, were apparently, heavy smokers and the smoke smell is thoroughly embedded.  I'm  still trying to get that out.  

AnnieBrooke, I did see your comments last week about checking Craig's List.  I kept meaning to go back and respond and didn't ever get it done, so I'll do that here.  We did do that; unfortunately, there was nothing there.  We even went to a couple of Habitat for Humanity stores and I also put an ad on another neighborhood forum I frequent and had no luck there either.  Of course, if I hadn't been looking for cabinets, I'd have found a ton of them.   lol

In addition to adding the cabinets to my shop, we found some really reasonably priced LED lights and got those hung, so now I can see what I'm doing.  My husband also machined some more needed equipment for my pen making hobby, so I'm ready to get back to work with that again. The only thing I really need to do now, is replace my broken scroll saw, but I'm not sure I need to do that right at this moment.  The only thing is, we looked at Lowe's yesterday and the one I want is on sale.  Do I or don't I spend the money for it?  

I had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday.  I have officially (according to the doctor's scale), lost 4 pounds since I saw him in July.  The kicker is that if my appointment had been in the morning, the count would have been 5 pounds.  lol  Anyway, I'll take the 4 pounds and be happy.  It's not a lot over 4.5 months when a lot of people are able to lose a pound/week and keep it off, but for me, it's pretty awesome because I've struggled with my metabolism for 10 yrs and for most of that time, the trend was only up; now, at least, it's going the right direction, even if it's slow going.

It was obvious that my ankles (especially the left one) were swollen and when I mentioned that my weight had been a pound less that morning, the doctor acknowledged that it was obvious it probably was.  Unfortunately, they only record what they see. That's why I like morning appointments.  lol

Anyway, we all know that even a small success is encouraging and helps motivate one to keep trying.  I think the fact that I've been spending so much time in my shop and less time at the computer (standing vs sitting) has had a lot to do with being able to start losing again.  My neighbor has gone back to OR until January and I haven't been motivated to walk by myself again like I was before the time change.  I was enjoying an evening walk but now that it's dark so early I don't seem inclined to go out and do it.  At the same time, I keep looking at my treadmill resting quietly in the guest room and feeling guilty about not using it.  I'm actually considering selling it, but keep trying to convince myself I really will use it again...

Okay - so that's my story, or part of it... what's yours?  How have you done this past week?  What's helping you or hindering you? Be sure to let us know what, if anything we can do to help you with your weight loss journey.   Whether you need tips, support, motivation or just want to blow off steam, this the place to do it.

~~Wishing everyone a wonderful, successful week~~
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168348 tn?1379357075
All is going well here.  Smaller portions are key for me -- when it comes to snacks and desserts.  Even passing them up at times is a better choice.
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1081992 tn?1389903637
Barb, going from memory (and I haven't been to any fast food place in a long time) a  Whopper with Cheese was around 750. So two of those with onion rings was maybe 1800. That's a big volume of food for me to handle. I once computed that stuffing myself at a Chinese buffet, with no rice, was well under 2,000.

I suppose to get over 3,000 for the Christmas meal you'd have to have an awful lot of dessert. Or add a quart of eggnog at the end.
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495284 tn?1333894042
Well, i am still lacking in the B12 dept, thank god it wasnt my sex life!!!  
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Whew... aren't we happy about that?  If you can pick something reasonable out of the above, run with it... but talk to your doctor first.  lol
1081992 tn?1389903637
Yep, Barb, that country by country analysis was interesting, though ~3300 kcal.seems like an awful lot. I wonder if they mean throughout the entire afternoon, rather than just the formal sitdown period.
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The article says: "With this in mind, we thought it might be interesting to take one serving of the traditional Christmas lunch (or supper, where appropriate) from several countries across the continent, and see how these stack up against the UK’s classic festive spread in terms of calories."  

I take that to mean the single meal, depending on when one eats the festive meal.  My family has had "Christmas dinner" on Christmas Eve, the day after Christmas or even the week after or we've had to wait until New Year's depending on schedules and when we could get everyone together.  Whenever we do have that meal, it's always the same calories, though.  lol

I can't pork down 3300 kcal in one sitting, or even one day, but I've seen people who I'm sure do.  Just think when one goes to McDonald's and get a quarter pounder on a bun, with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, mustard, and ketchup, large fries and a soft drink, they have close to, if not over 1000 calories.  That's almost a day's worth of food for me - though it's not going to be the only food I eat that day because if I eat that I'll be hungry again later unless I eat it at night, then I'll be sick.  :-)  

When I look at the Christmas feasts I grew up with, in comparison to a standard McDonald's meal, then think about some of my family members fixing plates at gatherings, considering what and how much they were eating... yep, I'd say they were easily putting away 3300 kcal at the one meal.  
I was just stating that i was low on B12.  I didnt mean for it to become such an issue.  I buy my vitamins  from either my chiropractor or my doctor so i know they are good.  As for what i am going to do?  Never mention it again for starters.................
1081992 tn?1389903637
Paxiled said to Barb: "I'm also hoping you meant the best form of B12 supplement is the methyl-cobalamin, not Methylated B12".

I've never looked into B12, but it only took one minute to find that the very famous supplement company Jarrow uses the term in exactly the same way as Barb used it.
https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Methylcobalamin-Supports-Lozenges/dp/B0013OQGO6

Right on the front label, it says "Methyl B-12" and "Methylcobalamin". The same goes for the Supplement Facts on the back. That's referring the same single ingredient, not to two ingredients.

So does NOW brand and many others:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node%3D3774741&field-keywords=methyl+b12

Paxiled, you contradicted Barb's saying "It will say Methyl B-12 on the bottle". Will you also contradict all those companies?
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Methyl B12 isn't the same as methylated B12.  I was warning about methylated B12.  I actually have met Mr. Jarrow, who founded the company, but he sold it many years ago to a conglomerate.  It is a discount vitamin company, though it didn't start that way.  I like many of their products and use many of their products.  I probably wouldn't use their B12 if I needed to take it, as it's not their forte, but I'm hoping the company has not suffered by being owned by a very large corporation, as I do use their products because I don't have a lot of money.  As I said above, it is the most reliable of all the vitamin discount companies.  NOW Foods is the least reliable company that discounts vitamins.  It's better than it used to be, the plant is no longer covered in -- well, enough said.  The stores I managed didn't sell NOW vitamins, as they failed too many random tests.  This has nothing to do with what you're saying, this is for those who read this forum but don't participate.  Be very careful who you buy supplements from.  Don't buy them from Amazon.  Buy them from an online store that only sells supplements.  Amazon sells from their marketplace, and they don't police that marketplace because they lack the expertise to do so.  If you don't know anything about supplements or which ones are respected by those who work with them, go to the best health food store in your area and see if there's anyone there who can talk to you.  Don't go to GNC.  Again, not anything to do with the difference between methylated and methyl-cobalamin.  And again, you've made it clear this forum is not open to me.  I'm fine with that.  All the best.  
This forum is open to everyone, and no one is saying otherwise.

Let's remember the goal here - we are helping people with information and support. This thread is chock full of some of our most supportive and informed members, so please do what you do best and leave the personal stuff out.

Thank you so much, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving, if you celebrate it.
Hi, Emily.  Haven't heard from you in a while.  I hope you have a great holiday.  As for the rest, if you only knew.
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
Sorry, Sarah, I was typing on my phone last night and my comment above regarding the B-12 should have said: "B-12 only comes from animal sources, such as meat, dairy, eggs, etc, with the best being liver etc. Most/many people can take a supplement and do okay if they take the right type - one that's more absorbable. Did your doctor suggest trying that before starting shots?"  

I see Paxiled has already contradicted me, which is not a surprise, even though it's a waste of time to try to use spirulina and chlorella as sources of B-12 since as he noted, they aren't absorbed/used well by humans.  I also wouldn't recommend soy, even if it were a good source too, because that's a goitrogen and even if you don't have a thyroid issue, it could contribute to one because in susceptible people it can inhibit the production of thyroid hormones.

Although it's true that most people do okay on supplements (provided they get the right type), it's not true that only those with intestinal issues, etc need shots.  Some doctors prefer to start patients on shots to get their levels built up more quickly, then they can transition to supplements.  Very few people who really need B-12 get that much of an energy buzz from it.  Trust me, I've been doing weekly shots for 11 yrs and I have yet to get a buzz from them.

Most of the inexpensive B-12 supplements are cyanocobalamin, which the body doesn't use directly; it has to convert it to a form that can be used.  The best type of supplement to take is a Methyl B-12 because that's one that is already in a form the body can use.  It will say Methyl B-12 on the bottle.  A sublingual or liquid is usually the best if there's any chance you might have trouble absorbing it because those are absorbed under your tongue rather than via the stomach.  Methyl B-12 is a little more expensive than cyanocobalamin, but it's worth it.

Of course, your doctor will be the determining factor in whether you need shots.  If s/he says that's what you need, then by all means, that's what you need.
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Barb, don't get it -- wasn't contradicting you at all.  Look, this forum used to be a pretty freewheeling discussion of different supplements, diets, foods, etc.  I've been contributing to it for a long time, mostly adding in things from my experience managing health food stores for a ton of years.  I saw a lot of different people who had a lot of different theories, including health and nutrition professionals.  I pass on some of this info.  Not everyone on here eats animal food, so I was suggesting that there are other places to go for B12 if you're not B12 anemic.  If you are anemic, as I said, you have to supplement in one form or another.  When I said most people who get shots get it for the energy boost, it's because it's factually accurate -- they often do it with nutritionists or even in health food stores -- here was a story about that in Florida recently.  I'm also hoping you meant the best form of B12 supplement is the methyl-cobalamin, not Methylated B12.  The latter form can be dangerous for those who don't have the genetic condition that prevents B12 form being absorbed.  Chlorella contains B12 that is in the proper form.  Spirulina does as well, but I was saying that because that's a very small amount compared to the large amount of unusable B12 in it that can also block the absorption of the good stuff in susceptible people.  I'm also going to say that the anti-soy movement is not a fact, it's a theory that, and most people don't know this, was started by the beef industry.  Mostly it's because of it's perceived estrogenic qualities.  If you have a thyroid problem, there are certain types of soy you might want to avoid, that's something you know a heck of a lot more than I do.  What I do know is most humans on the planet, which means most of Asia, lives on soy and none of the problems associated with soy have prevented those countries from becoming the most populated and healthiest and least obese on the planet.  Somehow China got a billion mostly healthy people eating soy at every meal in one form or another.  Again, reality often comes up against theory, and until theory overtakes reality, one does have to question this anti-soy movement that again initially grew out of a campaign by the people who brought you those "Beef, it's what's for dinner" commercials -- a combo of the US gov't and the beef industry.  They were becoming very concerned that people were turning away from eating beef in favor of more vegetarian meals, and that often meant soy.  Now, clearly, nobody on Earth has to eat soy to be healthy.  There are plenty of other foods to eat.  But it is a very good source of plant protein for those who, again, choose not to eat animal food, and since most of those people do not have thyroid problems or B12 synthesis problems, there are non-animal ways of getting it.  You can even get it by eating fortified products in the grocery store, but then you have to eat that kind of food and most vegetarians and health conscious people probably don't.  They have other problems, including using the wrong form of the supplements they use.  So I agree with everything you said in both your posts -- if you're not able to utilize B12, do what your doc tells you to do.  If you don't have that problem, there are ways to get enough without eating animal food for some people but as I said in agreement with you, not in contradiction, that this is a reason I am not a vegetarian.  That's agreeing with you, not contradicting you.  So, given I'm now getting creamed on here no matter what I say, has this forum been changed to one that just includes a small group discussing their home life and weight concerns, or is it still a forum about health and the search for truth?  If it has been changed by MedHelp, I am willing to disappear, but that will mean that those who read this stuff might be misled by false information that is put on here occasionally.  So for anyone who wants not to eat animal food, search NIH for a pretty good article somewhere on it that has studied the question of plant food and B12.  Peace.
Jarrow is one of the most popular manufacturers of Vitamin B-12 and they consider methylcobalamin as Methylated B-12.  
https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Methylcobalamin-Supports-Lozenges/dp/B0013OQGO6

MedHelp is made up of "communities"... a community is designed for people to come together to ask questions and discuss various topics, whether that be their home life, work, family, or whatever.  These things all play a part in healthy living and when things aren't going well, they affect every aspect of our health.  No one is obligated to disclose anything they aren't comfortable disclosing... that includes you; however, those of us that choose to discuss our personal lives are free to do so.

You're always welcome to disagree with anything that's posted here, however, in the future when you choose to categorize anything I've posted as "misinformation", I'll thank you to please post links to credible sources proving it.  
Again, just for others on here, Jarrow is a vitamin discounter.  It is probably the most reliable of the discount vitamin manufacturers.  Unfortunately, Jarrow is no longer owned by Jarrow and hasn't been for many years -- it is owned by a conglomerate that bought the company years ago.  I buy several products from Jarrow and there are others I wouldn't buy from them, and I can only hope they are still the company they were before selling the business.  Methyl-cobalamin is not the same as methylated B12.  It is a better absorbed form of B12, but has not yet gone through the methylization process the body uses to produce energy.  You won't find those supplements on a normal store shelf, you usually get them from a professional, and they should be used with caution.  The same goes for methylated folate and methylated B6.  The three go together.  If you take too much of any one of them without good reason to do so, you can throw off the others, which can result in high homocysteine levels which are thought to be a cause of serious heart problems.  Al;so, folks, be careful about buying supplements from Amazon -- they might not be as advertised.  There are many online supplement stores that are much cheaper than Amazon and not subject to using suppliers as Amazon does that you know nothing about and Amazon knows nothing about.  And this, folks, is my last post on these challenge threads.  Best of luck in your weight loss and health goals.  
1081992 tn?1389903637
If you burn the Christmas turkey, the family can go out for Chinese food instead. Can anybody name that movie? Buehler? Ralphie?


Here's an article which breaks down calorie consumption by country:
https://www.treated.com/blog/which-countrys-christmas-dinner-packs-the-most-calories-find-out-with-our-heat-map-of-europe

US and UK are at the top at ~3300 kcal. Then there is this surprising bit:
"A KFC box meal has been the Christmas custom for many in Japan since the 1970s. A meal rather than a feast, this fast food staple ironically places Japan’s meal as the least calorific of the countries observed."
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"A Christmas Story" and it was Ralphie...
The restaurant scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTq20prt0K8

That's an interesting article.  Where were you when I needed you in the Holiday challenge post?  lol

495284 tn?1333894042
I did just find out i am low on B12.  They have shots for that at my doctors office.  My hubby gets one.  The doctor said we could give each other the shots if we would like.  I told her that wouldn't be a very good idea given the fact i get queasy looking at bandaids!!
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I do my own B-12 shot once a week.  It was a pain in the butt having to go in to the doctor's office once a week to get it.

B-12 only comes from animal sources, such as meat, dairy, eggs, etc, with the best being liver etc. Most/many people can take a shipment and do okay if they take the right type - one that's more absorbable. Did your doctor suggest trying that before starting shots?
There are vegetable sources of B12.  How reliable they are is a problem, as they vary.  Spirulina, a blue-green algae, contains a lot of B12, but only a small amount of it is in the form humans use.  The other form might inhibit B12 in some people.  Chlorella, another algae, does contain a fair amount of usable B12, but again varies by manufacturer.  I've always preferred spirulina as a food to chlorella because chlorella has to be messed with a lot in order to be edible, but it is incredibly nutritious in many ways along with the B12.  Shittake mushrooms contain B12, but again, the amount will vary.  Certain varieties of nori seaweed contain B12, but only, again, certain varieties.  If you're vegan and don't want any animal in your diet, if you combine enough of these types of foods and you have a healthy digestive system you can get B12.  You can also use fortified foods, although most vegetarians and vegans don't do fortified.  And you have to make sure the B12 added is the right form.  But one food vegetarians do eat a lot despite being fortified is nutritional yeast.  Tempeh and some other fermented soy products also contain B12, but again, not in the same amounts each time.  If you test fine for B12 you don't have a problem and can do it this way.  If you're B12 anemic, you can't.  Most people do fine on supplements, though, and only those who are severely depleted and can't absorb B12 due to poor intestinal health or a genetic disorder that prevents the usage of B vitamins would need shots.  Most people who get shots get them because of the energy buzz; a much smaller number need them.  Your doc will let you know which category you're in, or a nutritionist.  It's very different, again, if you're anemic than if you're just trying to get what you need.  It does reinforce, for me, why I've never been attracted to vegetarianism, though, despite being surrounded by them during my career managing health food stores.  This diet can also lack methionine, an essential amino acid.  This seems to be a signal, no?  But I also don't see why killing plants is any kinder than killing animals, and anyone who has ever been involved in farming or selling food knows that those of us who do that do a lot of the killing of animals, especially insects, that spare vegans from having to do it themselves.  Peace, all.
1081992 tn?1389903637
In "Scrooged", Bill Murray was always drinking vodka and Tab. Do they still make Tab? I suppose that they do still make vodka.

That might be as low cal as you can get.
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My mom used to drink Tab all the time.  I forgot about that pop!  I always loved Fresca.
495284 tn?1333894042
I hate nuts!!  Thinking about them almost gives me the dry heaves!!  The one thing i did pick up from the above posts is you all have teeth to chew them!!  lol  I will be losing the rest of mine and replacing with a new "grill"!!  Guess that is the word nowadays!!  lol

I am down a 1/2 lb.  During my weight loss i broke down and bought some yoga pants.  I have a hard time with those as i see some who really shouldnt be wearing them.  It looks like they are smuggling turkey's in their butt.  I didnt want to be that person but i wear them anyways.  I was walking into the grocery store one night and this fine woman behind me says to her husband, oh look, another methhead.....The one drug i DIDNT ever do so i looked back at her and said really lady?  I wanted to just throttle her between the eyes.  Years back i would of.  Had i not been taken by surprise i should of shown her the fruit and veggies section.  This sort of thing happens quite a bit around here.  If you lose weight they immediately think you are doing meth.  There is a big difference between someone who has been dieting compared to meth.  Hopefully at some point she will decide to take care of herself as it will catch up to her.  That is the only nice thing i have to say about that.

Please remember me in your bedtime prayers.  I work retail and the holidays are upon us!!!!
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Sheez, she said that? That is cruel, stupid, wrong, rude, and outrageous. You should have told her your daughter had cancer and you have been really stressed, maybe that would have shamed her. Probably not.
Sarah, I started losing my teeth when I was in my 20's - I was lucky enough to lose my 2 bottom front teeth to an abscess that resulted in a partial so I didn't have to run around with no front teeth; I've lost a few more over the years and had to get a different partial that the could add teeth to... I lost all my uppers when I was in my 40's and have had a denture of some type ever since.  The only reason I'm putting all this out there is because I eat nuts of all kinds... My teeth, or lack of, don't stop me from eating anything I want.  The only thing I avoid is hard candies, etc because they're really hard on dentures if one decides to try to "crunch" on them, which I tend to do... If you get a well fitting "grill", as you call it, you should be able to eat anything you want, including nuts, if you like them.

I'm with you on the yoga pants and I really hate going out in them, but sometimes I don't have a choice (for a medical reason); when I have to, I wear a long oversized shirt so no one can tell "what" I might be smuggling (lol)... I always hope that more "oversized" people will take lessons from me.  lol  

That said, I can't imagine anyone would say something like that to you in the grocery store.  It was beyond rude and cruel and I'm really sorry that happened to you after all you've been through with your daughter and everything.  People who make ignorant comments like that have never been through hardship and have no idea what they're talking about...
1081992 tn?1389903637
Btw, specialmom, I think that's a great story about how you discovered how to handle the walks in the cold. It's almost like an adventure story. Imagine doing that on Christmas Eve night, eh? :)
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That could be the start of a good book  . . .  then I will have a famous holiday story made into a hallmark movie!  I'm ready to take that on!!  
SM, you did really well at 12,000 steps and kicking butt like that. If you did that 3-5 days/week, you could drop some weight pretty quickly, especially is you're watching what you eat at the same time... go girl.

Just think about that Hallmark movie - it started right here in our Weight Loss & Dieting community... we'll really be famous then!!
Hallmark movie plot:

Someone out walking on Christmas Eve and really booking, because she has to walk really fast when exercising or she winds up in the hospital with, um, Slow Walker's Syndrome that causes really painful toes. She walks by someone's house and gets hit by a falling Santa Claus in a wind gust that a cute guy in a flannel shirt and macho jacket is putting up, and lo and behold, she gets painful toes from the Slow Walker's Syndrome, but he takes her to his old family house, where Grannie puts an old family recipe on her toes and they are ALL WELL AGAIN! Did I mention that the bed she is in at his mother's house has a patchwork quilt? And her hair is perfect, both when she is running and later while Grannie and the whole family heal her toes? And when she goes to get checked out at the hospital the next day to get checked, who should be the doctor, but --- THE HANDSOME GUY! who is only biding his time at the hospital until he can open a clinic specializing in helping orphans who have attractive, solvable medical conditions, nice clothes, and two concerned parents. And -- WHAT A COINCIDENCE! she knows that population of orphans because she is the local CASA case manager. (Oops, Debbie Downer to mention CASA. The courts don't exist in Hallmark movies.)
1081992 tn?1389903637
"I was huffing and puffing and in 30 degree weather was full on sweat."
Yep, once your internal furnace comes on, you can handle the cold easily. It can be exhilarating, even at below zero. Except you have to be careful of the wind.
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1081992 tn?1389903637
Now that you mention it, specialmom, the nut cracker and bowl was kind of like a... what's the word, something like an idle past time or something. You'd have two or three, that's it.

If they were already shelled, they could probably all go in 10 minutes :)
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973741 tn?1342342773
So, I feel pretty good today.  Yesterday I walked with a friend.  She's younger than me, in better shape and wanted to do a long walk but had limited time.  So, we booked it and did a very long walk at high speed.  I was huffing and puffing and in 30 degree weather was full on sweat.  12,000 steps taken quickly.  :>)  Then we ran out of time with dinner before I had to go up to my son's school for a program and when I got home, I did dishes and fell into bed. Didn't over eat!  Maybe I should weight myself TODAY after that?  :)))
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1081992 tn?1389903637
The Adventist Health Study showed a very large benefit from eating nuts weekly, as far as living longer. The same even applied to peanut butter.

(btw: nutcracker... sweets... get it? suite. Okay, no more hidden jokes. Maybe.  :)

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ha, got it. I do enjoy low sugar peanut butter with celery sticks!  That's a good treat for myself.  
1081992 tn?1389903637
As a kid, they were always called filberts, even on the bag of mixed nuts that they came in. The bag would be emptied into a wide, low Christmasy dish that also held a nut cracker (but no sweets) and a 'nut pick' or two (for walnuts and Brazil nuts). There was some kind of tall handle in the center of the dish.

Filberts were always my favorite, and I believe that's because they have some nutrient that does me good, more so than other nuts have.

I think that it's fairly well accepted that nuts don't usually cause weight gain, especially if you don't grind them up very much with your molars and eat them fairly quickly. Not a lot of the calories get absorbed that way - as opposed to say... nut butters.



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Hey Ken - thanks for joining us...  You're right about filberts being called that on the bag of mixed nuts they came in.   We had a wooden type bowl that we emptied the bag of nuts into, and you're right, it had a handle type thing in the middle and there was always a nut cracker (sometimes more than one) in the bowl.  We always had another bowl sitting nearby to put the shells in, but there were always some that got spilled on the floor - I know because I had to clean them up.  lol

I'm glad you say that about eating nuts because filberts have a variety of nutrients, including manganese, copper, vitamin E, B vitamins, potassium, and zinc. They're also good sources of protein and mono and polyunsaturated fats, along with oleic acid.

Other nuts also have a variety of nutrients, along with their healthy fats and shouldn't be overlooked as part of a healthy diet.  For instance, Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium, which is necessary for proper thyroid function.  Even if one has proper thyroid function, without maintaining healthy levels of various nutrients that function may not last forever.

Let's all go with Ken's assessment and eat the filberts this year instead of the sugar cookies... lol
I do enjoy a good nut bowl with the cracking tool in it when I go places.  I tried to recreate that at home and it was a headache with the kids between having to help them and shell pieces everywhere.  When they leave for college, I'm getting a bowl of nuts out again!  lol.  But I like a bowl of assorted nuts unshelled and we put that out at different festive events.  Glad to know I'm not going to change my pants size again because of them!
973741 tn?1342342773
Update on the filberts . . .   I went to the local country produce store here and bought myself some filberts.  (had to tell the manager they were hazelnuts as he looked at me blankly when I said filberts).  They were not in a shell.  I ate them raw.  Tasty.  I toasted them with a little bitter and salt.  (tasty)  They are a good snack. But I have that same thing going on in that I need like 12 handfuls to feel like I'm full and satisfied.  That can't be good. lol
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Can you try eating a few then stop and wait to see if your brain's message center catches up in a few minutes? Sometimes it takes a few minutes to feel full; that seems to be why I over eat sometimes... If that makes any sense.
I wonder if they were from this year's harvest. If they were pretty soft, then yes. If more dry and hard, then eh, maybe last year's or maybe from Turkey. (Even in Oregon, a big filbert-producing state, we see Turkish filberts at other times of the year besides fall.) Anyway, I was serious above when I offered to mail some to you. The "Ennis" variety is the most delicious, and the sweetest. :)
Incidentally, not because I'm being careful, I did wind up eating a few, stopping, and then eating a few, when I got a package of them over the weekend. It does work for me. I still want my D.P., it's no panacea, but I really think I snacked a lot less over the weekend.
They are fairly soft.  They were expensive so I hope they were fresh.  lol  I guess I should look at it this way, if I snack on these and eat too much of them .  .  . at least it is healthier than other snack choices like left over candy, chips, and other forbidden yummies in the frig. I do eat a handful, walk away and come back.  I put them in the dining room that I don't walk by as much like I do the counter bar in my kitchen that I pass 22 billion times a day.  That has helped a little.
20856219 tn?1541792336
So I have no actual idea if I've lost anything. My weight seems to go up and down by a pound or two daily, so I guess now I'm just trying to figure out an average, and go from there. The scale says I've lost 3 lbs, but it was up 3 lbs yesterday, so yeah, no idea.

I'd guess I haven't, since I have changed absolutely nothing except weighing myself. Oh I got more stress added to my life in the form of car repairs - that should be really helpful. I've decided this is the last money I'll put into this car, so now I get to look for a new car.

I"ve heard of filberts, but never knew they were just hazelnuts. Learn something new...
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Are you into salt?  It sounds like your weight might be fluctuating due to fluid retention.  Mine does the same thing.  I can weigh one thing when I get up in the morning and by the time I go to bed, I've gained 4 lbs (or more).  All I have to do is think about what I've eaten through the day... it's either salty stuff or things with flour (bread, crackers, etc).  

I weigh myself every day and write it down.  Sometimes, when I get frustrated with the fluctuation, I'll average the week's weights and see what I come up with.  I often find I really did lose a little bit.

Aren't you the lucky one to get to deal with car repairs?  We've been having some issues with our van, too, but my husband is dead set against getting a different vehicle so here we are...  :-)  I hope you have good luck finding something.  

More information about filberts/hazelnuts - the fat in them is the healthy type.  I don't feel bad about eating it, but I do have to limit the amount.
Yeah, I'm sure it's fluid retention. Salt and I have a really strong relationship - we're besties. Oh interesting about the flour - I eat a lot of that stuff, too. I should pay attention to that.

I hate cars. Giant pain in my butt right now. I'm sorry you can't get a new one. I'll be getting a used one, but it will still be better than what I have. I'm not ever accused of being frugal, but I hate that cars are so expensive. Why are cars what annoy me when other things are also expensive? No idea.



Ah yes, someone after my own heart - besties with salt and flour products.  lol   Of course, we all know that salt causes fluid retention, but think about what's in those products with the white flour, as well.  It's usually salt and sugar, along with some unhealthy fats.  Bread, crackers and all those things are exactly what bloat is made of.  I recognize it well.  

I've pretty much given up most things with white flour, since I had a bout with H. Pylori a couple years ago and my gastroenterologist convinced me that my health depended on keeping my gut healthy, but there are still a few things I indulge in, though I feel miserable afterwards.  I just polished off some fresh homemade banana bread... yummy, but ugghhhh!!

Cars can be a real pain.  I don't worry too much about not getting a new car - well, it wouldn't be new either (I have an aversion to paying more for a car than we paid for our first home... lol).  Anyway, my husband is a mechanic, so he can fix most of what goes wrong.    I think the price of vehicles is outrageous.  Even used ones aren't cheap.
On the other hand, I've seen some good used cars lately. People aren't keeping their cars until they are total beaters any more, the way they did when I was a kid. So there are trade-in cars relatively moderately priced out at the lots where we went this summer to get our new car.
I've given up most sugar (the obvious kind - cakes, cookies, baked goods, DONUTS - I had a relationship with donuts), caffeine, smoking. Now I need to consider white flour? Bleh.

I totally get the bloat though, and the feeling awful after eating certain things. I need to pay better attention to that. You have a good gastro though - I had bleeding ulcers a couple years back (too many NSAIDS, not H Pylori), and mine didn't mention a thing about gut health.

I need to get through the holidays before I really look at a car. Well, that's what I have in my mind anyway. I've gone without a car payment for a long time, and I just don't want another one, but it's going to be soon.


There are a lot of books out about gut health and how we don't/won't feel well if our gut isn't healthy.  The first, and most impressive, one I read was "The Missing Microbes" by Dr Martin J Blaser (I think that's his name).  It gets right down to talking about how we even benefit from eating dirt and how babies born vaginally are more healthy than those born via Cesarean because they pick up beneficial bacteria in the birth canal... pretty heavy stuff, but very interesting and enlightening!!

And let's not forget that flour, along with the sugar that accompanies it in most/many recipes, is a simple carb, meaning that it's turned to sugar in the blood very quickly so it spikes blood sugar (glucose), which prompts the pancreas to produce insulin to lower the blood glucose.  Insulin is known as the "fat storage" hormone because whatever blood glucose isn't used for immediate energy (as when we exercise or work it off), is stored as fat.  That was definitely my problem.  I ate foods that contain flour, sugar, etc then didn't work them off like I did when I was younger and/or I could when my metabolism was normal so insulin stores them as fat.  I do have, both, pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome and it's only with hard work that I can keep them under control and keep my pre-diabetes from becoming full-blown type II.  

Unfortunately, I keep the numbers just within the normal ranges to keep the doctors happy, but what happens in my body isn't necessarily what I need in order to lose the weight.  I have to walk a pretty tight rope in order to accomplish both.
Annie, you're right about cars; there are some pretty nice, low mileage ones on lots now, but some of them have prices equivalent to new ones - at least in my area.  If I have to pay the price of a new car, I might as well have a new one; at least then I'll have the warranty, etc.  Occasionally, though it's possible to run across a good deal on a used vehicle... we did on the van we have now, but that was a long time ago; now we need to find another deal... lol
973741 tn?1342342773
so, I lost a pound.  Not huge but moving in the 'right' direction.  Been stressed which definitely helps the diet.  But it is now harder to exercise as it has turned frightfully cold and it makes walking and my outside exercise less desirable.  I'm going to need to transition to the winter routine (that is not made up yet).  
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Safe weight loss is 1-2 lbs/week, so you're doing well at losing a pound.  It's not really good to lose it when you're stressed because that often means you aren't eating well, but if you are eating well, in spite of stress, go for it.

Winter is notorious for shutting down exercise programs for those in northern climates.  Do you have some work-out DVD's you can rock to while the boys are in school or can you go to the "Y" some days or something?  I'm sure you'll figure out a winter routine...
134578 tn?1693250592
Probably your friends in Oregon call them hazelnuts because that is the more common term in other places besides Oregon. (This would be similar to how I call Dr. Pepper "pop" here but would call it "soda" if I were talking to friends from New York.)  They likely use the word filbert when talking to their nut-farming neighbors. :) How nice that they would send you a sack of them when they were fresh. When I was a kid, my mom would roast them in butter and sprinkle them with salt, and set them out in bowls for party snacks when adults came over, one bowl of those and one of butter mints next to each other on the side tables. I would sneak out and steal the filberts and ignore the mints, despite loving butter mints as well. I can get filberts year round here, but often they are farmed in Turkey if it's not the autumn, and it's simply not the same.

And as to the name, here is from the story of St. Philbert: "Philibert was buried at Heriou, but in 836 the monks of Noirmoutier abandoned their home, finally settling with the relics of Philibert where the great church of St Philibert at Tournus still stands. His feast day is 20 August. The filbert, or hazelnut, is said to have been named after him, since it ripens about August 20 in England."

The first non-native population in Oregon to be here in any number and with intent to grow things was not Catholic nor French, but British, well before the Oregon Trail arose. It would have been both logical and easy for the Hudson's Bay Company factors to bring in nuts to start trees, or even seedlings, so perhaps that is why we got the English name for the nut despite later American settlement.
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That's an interesting story about the filberts... I've never heard of St. Philbert (or is it Philibert?)  

You could very well be right that the nut farmers refer to them as filberts when talking to other farmers or people they know.  I was never very familiar with hazelnuts until we met these people (they're actually friends of my winter neighbors, who commute back and forth between Florida and OR).  Until I met them, I'd always known the nuts as filberts because my parents always used to get a big bag of mixed nuts at Christmas time when I was growing up.  I actually thought filberts and hazelnuts were 2 different kinds of nuts.  I was never fond of them, then, but I guess our tastes change as we get older or perhaps the nuts we got from our friends were a lot fresher...lol   But then we never got them roasted in butter with salt on them either. lol   (btw - they're also yummy roasted in butter, with cinnamon and sugar).

Ironically, August 20 is the birthday of one of my brothers... nope, his name isn't Filbert.  :-)

I hadn't realized that the first non-native population in OR in any number was specifically British, but of course, that makes sense and also that they would bring in seeds or seedlings to to start trees.

History lesson in Weight Loss & Dieting - how cool is that?  :-)
Yeah, Britain claimed the area, and the Hudson's Bay Company had forts and small settlements. Look up Dr. John McLoughlin if you want to see a tremendous face.
I managed health food stores for many years, and when we bought them for sale in bulk they were always sold as and called filberts.  Customers, though, almost always called them hazelnuts.  Can't remember what we put on the bins to label them.  I used to have a great book a journalist wrote that went into the history of food and why it was called what it was called, but I never looked this one up.  
AnnieBrooke - I looked at several photos of Dr. John McLoughlin - he had no sign of a smile in any of them and his eyes are very sinister looking.  I'd hate to meet him in a dark alley... lol

When we visited our friends in OR a few years ago, we went to one fort, but I'm not sure if it had anything to do with the Hudson's Bay Company.  I'll have to look that up again.
Who knew about filberts?  Oh, okay,  Everyone but me.  In ohio, we call them hazelnuts.  LOL  And let's see . . . coffee?  That's how I think of them.  I'm not sure I've eaten them just 'as is' and now want to try them. Have I missed the boat in terms of when they are good?  
You should be able to buy them in the stores about now.  We can usually buy them during the holidays and if they're from this year's harvest they'll be good.  You should probably plan to pay quite a bit for them, though and sometimes, we can only find them in bags/cans of mixed nuts, not by themselves.
Special or Barb, pm me your mailing address and I'll send you some of the fresh ones.
134578 tn?1693250592
I'm down .4 of a pound, another slow creep but downward which is of course what I'm after. This would mean a good five pounds lost, from the start of the challenge. (I can't remember the exact point of a pound when I started, but the pounds were well over where I like to be.)

I did some reading up on the best practices to divest oneself of a tummy, which is the part of me that makes me annoyed. (Some of it could just be the skin that stretched out when I was pregnant, but it's pretty undeniable when I look in the mirror that some of it is fat.)  Everything I read pointed to carbs and sugar, sugar and carbs, which makes it even more of a total no-brainer about what I have to do. It's just doing it that is difficult. But the other night, we went to dinner, and I piled on everything else I like that is not sugar or carbs. I think that overeating slightly on meat, fish, cheese, salad, veggies, etc. is the only way I'll fob off my sugar cravings. If I'm not hungry, they aren't that noticeable. I need to break through to the point where I don't desire my dear Dr. P.  

Some pretty fall days (today is one), we drive down the Chehalem Valley to the nut farms and get super-fresh filberts (hazelnuts, but in Oregon you definitely call them filberts) in big sacks. If I had those in my house all the time, I could fend off the Doctor, though I have to be careful how many I eat, because for some reason they also give me gum boils if I over-indulge. I might suggest a fun family drive today.

Anyway, I'll shift over and post on the holidays challenge. I managed to remember my start weight for it down to the .01 of a pound, so I'll know if I get that last five pounds off or not. (If I do, it had better be all tummy fat, though -- wouldn't it be disappointing to lose one's last five pounds and come out with a flat butt and no boobs and *still* have tummy fat? lol)
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You did well with 0.4 lb, even though I know you wanted to drop more. As we're all too well aware, it doesn't always work out that way.

I think you're on the right track with eating more meat, fish, veggies, etc.  That's what I had to do, also.  The only way I can lose weight is to add more meat and veggies, along with more healthful fats, like avocado and coconut and olive oils, nuts, seeds, etc.  The extra fats fill me up and keep me from getting hungry between meals so I don't crave snacks.

I didn't know they actually call hazelnuts, filberts in OR.  We have some friends who have a nut farm and they do call them hazelnuts instead of filberts.  They've sent us sacks of nuts, also... yummy.  I'm jealous that you can just take a drive and go get them.  :-)

I don't know if you're using the weight tracker here on MH or not.  It's a good way to keep track of your weight and you can set it so you're the only one who can see it.  That way you don't have to try to remember your weight from one point in time to another.  

I've lost my lower tummy, but not the upper part.  I can't blame it on pregnancies since my kids are both in their 40's and it wasn't there when I walked out the hospital with babies in my arms... lol   When I lose weight, I do lose boobs and butt, but not my saddle bags, which is what I really "want" to lose.  I hope you have better luck than I do.
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