Havin' regrouped with her inner thinner self by the conducting of an impromptu Sacred Ceremony o' the Golden Scale on Tuesday rather than waiting for Sunday, Am has decided to leave the draconian environs of the REALLY SCARY BOOTCAMP (they ordered her to eat VEGETABLES :help: ) 'n with apologies to all the gentle 'n kindly folk who posted missives to Am in that journal, she hath closed it. She has said a fond good-bye to those veggie lovin' bootcampers X-( 'n repaired to the Summer Diet 'n Fitness Spa for the rest of summer where she can pursue a more gentle version of her regime to reach her goal by August 31. She will repost her goals later 'n share the new weight after she has verified it on the doctor's scale at her appointment in a few hours. She is just now settling in her lovely spa casita near the ocean 'n looking forward to a delectible spa cuisine type breakfast in bed, mayhap they will have pancakes?

Wait, what are those VEGETABLES doin' on Am's breakfast tray! Waiter, come back here!!!! X-(:help:

Vegetables like tomatoes? :)

:tom1:Well, tomatoes are actually fruits, Ms. A, so they don't count until I get to the fruit challenge, which is coming up! My doctor thought my veggie challenge was hilarious and a good idea so it seems Am has been talked into keeping on that goal, even in this nice imaginary spa, which so obligingly prepares veggies with every meal, even though Am's plan requires ONLY ONE SERVING (we have to walk before we fly).

Ok, Am is NOT goin' to be so talky in this nice new journal 'n the upshot be that she's decided to go with the reality that she's dropped THREE pounds on her scale in two days plus the doctor's scale adjusted for clothing and that these things happen. She's going to use the new weight but continue weigh-ins on Sunday again.

Here at the spa, which is nice 'n all but has some surprisingly scary diet 'n fitness authority figures hangin' 'bout :keys:, Am will be focusin' on fitness, on inner peace (a component of fitness), on nutrition (better food so she won't fall in the street from lack of body cells) and calorie control.

ALL THESE GOALS ARE RELATED TO THE ONE ULTRA GOAL THAT AM IS INSISTIN' HAPPEN BY AUGUST 31: Reaching 125 pounds as she's tired o' messin' 'round here X-( ... oh, sorry, there's that angry guy again. No :whip: s in this spa, though ... oh, wait, what is that Bob/Jillian-like Fitness Fairie Personal Trainer carryin' ... aaack.

Ok, back now.

Here are the revised spa goals for Am's self-improvement project for the remainder of this week:

1) One serving of vegetables (not tomatoes) per day

2) 1500 calories or less per day, however, this is a NICE spa paid for by rich folk who are on waiting lists just to come here so no one will be sent to Diet Jail if an infraction occurs ... oh wait, where are they takin' that lady over there who ate the doughnut ... never mind, I'm sure she's going shopping with that nice Diet Fairie, they are handcuffed because they are such good friends, right?

3) No CANDY, no CAKE, no DOUGHNUTS, no ICE CREAM. Energy and protein bars are ok as long as they have 10 grams of protein.

Fitness plan is the same as before: circuit training (strength plus cardio, upper & lower) two times per week, abs twice a week, cardio (including walking and other) 6-7 times a week, avoid overtraining by varying FIT (Frequency, Intensity, Time) and the activity engaged in.

There is no penalty for noncompliance with the fitness plan as, again, this is a voluntary spa 'n diet/fitness rehabilitation center frequented by the rich 'n famous (like empresses) 'n they do NOT like to be told they must do things, so hey, free will, love, sunshine 'n roses prevail. :rose:

Oh, there's that Bob/Jillian person again. :coach: That's odd, oh well, time for a nap!

Oh Empress AM the SPA sounds wonderful and with ocean views I am jealous I guess that means just one thing I must call up the Capt. and see if he will take me to a nice french spa! LOL I love the new journal.

I am veggie girl you can do it I know you can! Congrats on the three pounds down! How fab for Empress Spa Girl AM! Your doing great. I am so proud of thee.

Hope you have an excellent week at the spa enjoying the ocean view and the breeze.
Oh and watching the sunsets! One of my favorite things on earth to do. :D

Ahoy, mate, She-o'-the-Sunny-Disposition!!! :wave: Yea, ye must indeed call the Cap'n forthwith 'n set sail for a spa. It is quite nice here in the spa, much nicer than the bootcamp, if only there were not all those veggies to get through. I am trying, actually, to use veggies that I dislike in hopes of soon finding them delicious. Today I bought collard greens. I am using frozen veggies because I believe they are more nutritious as well as easier to store and handle, so these are frozen greens. I am sure they will not be tasty but that's rather the point, I am trying to develop a love for veggies and then I will be a much better person and weigh 125 pounds. So your veggie support is welcome at all times, Suny! Huzz!

I am not having the same problem with fruit but have noticed that as I am eating the veggies, thoughts of eating more fruit intrude. Perhaps it is a disease.

Hi there Am! :wave:
I agree, this sounds like a much better place.
I am turning my message green, in honor of the new veggies in your life...

Huzzah, Aria! Thanks for the lovely green message!!!

But lovely though the spa is, things may NOT be as halcyon 'n secure-from-unfortunate-vegetable-events as they seem, suspecteth Am.

A rather unfortunate event occurred at breakfast, when a very severe looking elderly lady in a chef's hat came out to the table and introduced herself, seems she works jointly in the spa and in the Victorian Diet Correctional Institution for Young Adventurers.

"Just up there," the woman said, pointing to the dark mansion behind locked iron gates that could JUST barely be seen on the hill to the north of the spa.

The cook was pleasant enough and advised Am that if ever Am's inner child (Maisie) had as many problems eating vegetables as Am, they ALWAYS had a place for her up at the boarding institution.

She then placed a glass of nice soymilk on the table and a tray with two covered dishes that appeared to be made of solid gold, so Am was SURE there must be something really nice and spa like to eat under the covers.

She uncovered one dish. It contained a cup of cherries, lightly steamed, no additives. She ate the nice cherries but thought a doughnut would have been much nicer.

However, she didn't like to ask for a doughnut, noticing that her fellow guest who had eaten one yesterday and gone off for a "walk" with the Head Spa Nutrition Fairie had not yet returned.

She uncovered the second dish under the watchful eye of the severe lady in the cook's hat and what do ye think was in the dish?:O

No, ye would never guess, I'll tell thee, t'was a whole serving (that's a lot) of LIGHTLY STEAMED CHOPPED COLLARD GREENS! :help:

Well, Am said she was not going to eat collard greens (in fact, she's NEVER eaten collard greens), especially for breakfast and that the cook should bring something more suitable immediately!!! X-(

Then another in this series of unfortunate events occurred. "RIINNNNGGGG!" went the cook's cell phone. She answered it in a mutter and then looked at Am with a sinister smile, really it was quite sinister.

"Have to go," she said. "They need me up at the boarding school. See you at 10 for your lovely midmornin' snack, lass. Enjoy your breakfast!"

And before Am could protest, off went the cook, who strangely had started to laugh in a sinister cacklin' kind o' way, in a northerly direction :laugh: until she disappeared in a patch of mornin' mist.

Am looked at the collard greens 'n whilst she was contemplatin' 'em, along came the Head Spa Nutrition Fairie, talkin' to some other guests but Am could swear the Fairie was lookin' right at her.

So she ate the collard things.

Film at 11.

Goals, Week of May 25-3

1) One veggie serving :check:

2) 1500 calories or less per day :check:

3) No CANDY, no CAKE, no DOUGHNUTS, no ICE CREAM (ADDING NO COOKIES UNLESS A PROTEIN OR ENERGY ITEM WITH 10 GRAMS PER SERVING OR MORE). Energy and protein bars are ok as long as they have 10 grams of protein or more. :check:

Fitness plan is the same as before: circuit training (strength plus cardio, upper & lower) two times per week, abs twice a week, cardio (including walking and other) 6-7 times a week, avoid overtraining by varying FIT (Frequency, Intensity, Time) and the activity engaged in.

X=circuit training 30 min, 110 min walk :check:

I had a thought re my latest avatar as frankly the statute does seem to be carryin' a whip 'n a shield (I think it's a charioteer in battle mode, actually) 'n I found it amusing as I am determined this time to drive self forward FINALLY to my goal of extreme fitness (always in a healthy manner) and 125 pounds (don't ask, it's just a goal, it doesn't really bother me if I don't weigh that, it's just a goal and I like to reach my goals at some point or I get mad).

So I thought I might get rid of the avatar as sometimes on "diet" (sorry) forums these days people get the wrong idea and think one is having emotional problems when they are in a mode to cultivate the highly useful quality of self-discipline and consistency and just gettin' on with the job at hand.

But then I was looking at that avatar and think it that besides drivin' Am forth with a whip 'n protecting her from diet demons with a shield, the person is also dancing. She (think it's a she, probably originally meant to be a male but since it represents me, t'is female).

Yea, the person is throwing out her arms 'n dancing. If she is carrying a whip, t'is one of those colored paper things that children used to do dancey gymnastics with (maybe they still do, I have no idea).

So she has a more complex meaning. She's driving Am on to the goal, shielding her from diet demons (things that get in the way of a fitness program's success, or any program's success) and doing the happy dance 'cause AM HAS REACHED HER GOAL.

Makes sense to me.

:hijacked: Thread hijacked by entity known as "I." Pay no attention to her, she is a myth, only Am exists. ~ Signed, Am

Thought I would share one of the things I do to get in my veggies. I have a juicer and for instance I juice carrots and add an apple (red delicious one) for sweetness and it taste great. Then I use the shredded carrots that come out of the juicer for a salad later in the day. Must empty the carrots into another container before juicing the apple so the apple core stuff doesn't get on the carrots.

I juice all kinds of stuff I mean if Jack Lalanne (sp?) can be that fit at 90+ years doing it I figure it must be pretty good and I must admit when I juice regularly I feel so much better!

I also use lots of veggies like spinach, peppers, onions, mushrooms etc in omelets for my hubby that's a quick way to get him to eat them.

I like wise AM buy organic frozen veggies. They are quick to steam or add to soups etc.
I love soup!

Your off to a great start at the spa I noticed when I checked the spa web-site that you got 3 stars on your door for a great start. Have a great day at the spa.

Thanks for the tips and the juicing idea, Suny! I am definetely going to look into a juicer today or tomorrow. That's a good idea.

I occasionally make smoothies with just frozen veggies but the juice sounds refreshing and fun.

Sounds weird right now but I am looking this week for the least attractive means to eat the veggies I don't like, kind of shock therapy, exploring how really awful these things taste to me and seeing if that will reverse itself after I've made that exploration. It DOES sound punitive :whip: but it's more like an experiment (in Frankinstein's lab, I think :laugh: ). I really just need to eat veggies to get to my final leg of fitness.

I mean it is pathetic! Here is a list of the vegetables I will willingly eat if seasoned or semi-disguised: broccoli if it has 200 calories or so of cheese sauce, Brussel sprouts (I do actually love Brussel sprouts so they cannot be used in this challenge), artichokes if I have a cottage cheese dip (which is ok, not too calorific), tomatoes (a fruit, not eligible for this challenge) ... and yes, I'll eat soups and smoothies and probably will juice.

Ok, so this IS a litle weird for a challenge having to do with weight loss and fitness but for one thing, here we have VEGETABLES, one of the most appetite killing items on the planet, loaded with nutrition, the darling of our health care professionals, and they have few calories (my coworker won't eat 'em 'cause she says they have too many carbs; I have tried to explain that those are the carbs we SHOULD eat ... not that I do ... but the carbs get her ... btw, the collard greens were very low in carbs 'cause they had hardly any CALORIES ... truly, though, I'm not sure if I can eat these again ... but maybe yes, in an omelet after I get through the shock therapy :laugh: ) ... oh the list includes potatoes but they are not really vegetables, they are a starch item, ditto corn, which truly I DO love but modern corn is the glycemic equavalent of taking pure HFCS and injecting directly into your bloodstream ... it is NOT our ancestors' corn).

Thanks, always, for your support, Sunny Person! :wave:

Hmmm....I like vegetables, but my wife does not. Some of the things that I have prepared that she will eat may help? Let me see...


Stir-fry with very little oil or spray or sesame oil. She actually likes some things that she supposedly "hates"; like Bok Choy, Nappa cabbage, carrots, fresh ginger, super-fine-chopped bell pepper, snap peas, and spinach.
Edamame, or cooked mature green soy beans as a snack.
Snow peas in general.
Salad mixes with unusual greens thrown in like mustard or collard greens, water cress, raw spinach, lightly-blanched kale, Nappa cabbage greens, Italian parsley, cilantro, rudichio, etc.
Wassabe-coated green peas (yummmm).
Sweet potatoes.
LOTS of marinara-type sauces.


That is about it. Everything else that is green, besides salad and cole-slaw, she pretty much hates. But I work at making new stuff that she will try. She won't eat some things like broccoli or brussel sprouts, no matter what I do to them. No amout of cheesy or sugary terriakki sauce can bridge that gap.

Hope your week goes well. Take care.

I used to have a terrible time with a lot of vegetables. Broccoli, Spinach B Sprouts, Cauliflower....gag!!!!! Now I can handle Brocoli, Spinach and Cauliflower, I think maybe some of my taste buds have died off.

I love tomatoes even though there really is a case they should not be a vegetable. They have so many good nutrients in them and if you like them I would throw them in there.


Your co-worker is nuts, your right. The carbs n veggies (Broccoli, spinach and such) is impacted in so much fiber and the amount of calories in ratio to fiber is low.


Your always willing to give it a go it that is really important. I admire that. If something doesn't work out think it out , rework it and give it another try.

Am, don't you like onions and green or red peppers? :)

I'll have to send a few of my "Veggie Fairie" friends to visit you.

Is that like our Renaissance Faire here, JoJo? That sounds lovely. I will be ready for a new and happy slant on veggies when I get through with the shock therapy experiment. I do think collards are retired forever from my consideration as a proper vegetable, though. :laugh: I'll have to send a few of my "Veggie Fairie" friends to visit you.

A great list, Cfj!!! Thanks!

I like salads if they have big chunks of cheese, fried croutons and blue cheese dressing with more cheese on top! :)

See ya!
Hmmm....I like vegetables, but my wife does not. Some of the things that I have prepared that she will eat may help? Let me see...


Stir-fry with very little oil or spray or sesame oil. She actually likes some things that she supposedly "hates"; like Bok Choy, Nappa cabbage, carrots, fresh ginger, super-fine-chopped bell pepper, snap peas, and spinach.
Edamame, or cooked mature green soy beans as a snack.
Snow peas in general.
Salad mixes with unusual greens thrown in like mustard or collard greens, water cress, raw spinach, lightly-blanched kale, Nappa cabbage greens, Italian parsley, cilantro, rudichio, etc.
Wassabe-coated green peas (yummmm).
Sweet potatoes.
LOTS of marinara-type sauces.


That is about it. Everything else that is green, besides salad and cole-slaw, she pretty much hates. But I work at making new stuff that she will try. She won't eat some things like broccoli or brussel sprouts, no matter what I do to them. No amout of cheesy or sugary terriakki sauce can bridge that gap.

Hope your week goes well. Take care.

Thanks, Jump! I really appreciate your encouraging words. I am definitely trying to get a handle on this veggie thing. I think it is what is keeping me back from the fitness level I desire.

Tomorrow I am going to venture a little bit of seasoning on the good ol' broc/cauliflower/carrot mix I've been mostly using until I was so rash as to eat collards today.

And yes, coworker IS nuts! :) :wave:

I used to have a terrible time with a lot of vegetables. Broccoli, Spinach B Sprouts, Cauliflower....gag!!!!! Now I can handle Brocoli, Spinach and Cauliflower, I think maybe some of my taste buds have died off.

I love tomatoes even though there really is a case they should not be a vegetable. They have so many good nutrients in them and if you like them I would throw them in there.


Your co-worker is nuts, your right. The carbs n veggies (Broccoli, spinach and such) is impacted in so much fiber and the amount of calories in ratio to fiber is low.


Your always willing to give it a go it that is really important. I admire that. If something doesn't work out think it out , rework it and give it another try.

Aria, I do like all those things as seasonings in small amounts, but by themselves they make me ill. :laugh:

Where I live peppers are very prevalent and yes, I do think they are lovely. Eventually, I will put all this veggie cuisine together and be quite the veggie lover, hopefully.

Actually, I was a vegetarian for half my life and still hated veggies. It is amazing.

I think it is related to the "super taster" theory that I've read about, that some people have a weight problem because they are "super tasters," very sensitive to taste. I believe I am that way as I mostly overeat for two reasons: stress and taste. I am utterly in love with food that tastes good to me, forget gambling, alcohol or any other vice you can name, some food makes me crazy with desire for more and more of it ... while some food (mostly veggies, but also liver) turns me off so utterly that I can't function for hours (adding to list: collards).

It always amazes me that people chomp happily through plates of vegetables day after day.

Am, don't you like onions and green or red peppers? :)

Just thought incase you didn't know today is officially Suny Appreciation of AM Day!

SO I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST SAY THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP.
YOUR DOING TERRIFIC AND SUPER DUPER GREAT! YOU INSPIRE ME GREATLY!

Keep right on doing it all your way! Hope you have a fab thursday.

Well, ye inspire me greatly also, mate, so we think alike, as all great minds do! Huzz and you have a fab Thursday also. I know I plan on it! We will make it so!

Am, you are cracking me up with your veggie thingy.
I am so used to veggies that I can't have a meal without them, lol! :laugh:
For example, I am not working until later today (yes, I will be walking) and I am about to eat some concoction that I just made.
I swear I had nothing in the fridge.
So I mixed in a pan a huge onion, some leftover prosciutto, leftover whole wheat angel air, 1/2 can of tuna, some skim milk and cheese and warmed up the whole thing.
It tastes pretty good, but I think I need to go shopping now...

A mad scientist in the Valley of Lost Causes has been arrested for unnatural experiments involving the enticing of young diet maidens into eating vegetables before they were ready. Film at 11!

"I shall praise chaos now, but then the leaf." ~ Conrad Aiken

"I shall henceforth return to my normal way of interacting with vegetables," said Amarantha, "they are a seasoning, nothing but a seasoning. To try to make them a food is unnatural."

Calories for Thursday, 1440; X=2 mile mini hike, 40 min circuit training and yes that was a bit excessive and tomorrow we will only take one mild walk here in Amland! Film at 11.

I like your new avatar, Am. :)

AM I am certain that the veggie fairies will send thee some great veggies that thee will love and they will help thee reach ye final fitness goals.

Hope you have an excellent weekend.

Huzzah, 'n thanks be to Ms. Aria 'n Ms. Suny fer the visits 'n the good thoughts. T'is Amarantha's intent to have a good weekend, though, t'is a stressful work one. 'N ye, Sunny Lady, methinks there are some kind Veggie Fairies out there who might take pity on a poor lass such as I 'n send some recipes. Huzzah! 'N Aria, I love my leaf also, though it be vegetable in nature, mayhap I like veggies best in floral 'n greenery arrangements on a coffee table. Huzzah! I just got back from a really long walkabout (we walk early or find an indoor venue where I live as the heat mayhap be on its way, hasn't hit yet), and shall eateth breakfast, of sorts, no veggies. :laugh:

The entity known as "I" has decided to close yet another chapter in the ongoing angst ridden saga chronicled here, with again apologies to all who kindly posted herein. "I" doesn't like it at the spa, doesn't know where she wants to spend her summer fitness vacation 'n generally is goin' to start another journal for this last day in May. "So long and thanks for all the fish." ~ Douglas Adams :laugh: