Beautiful and practical tablecloths

These are lovely and very practical vinyl tablecloths that look like lace.

http://www.marlbil.com/G/index.html

More success

The author of French Women Don't Get Fat recommends using a "zipper test" to gauge success on an eating plan. When I began trying to follow the FWDGT lifestyle in early November, I chose a pair of jeans that I've had for months and hadn't been able to wear. I could barely zip them, and only for an instant -- way too tight. After the first week, I could zip them easier and I thought I could perhaps wear the pants for an hour or so -- but not too long. Over the next weeks, there didn't seem to be much change in how the jeans fit (I try them on once a week), and some weeks they seemed as tight as ever.

Today I tried them on --- and I'm still wearing them 6 hours later! I am ecstatic! So, only five pounds lost, but my shape is changing and I have an incentive to keep the portions small this Christmas season.

"French Women" diet progress

I've been trying to follow the French Women Don't Get Fat book for about six weeks. I've lost five pounds. I've stopped snacking in the morning, and I snack on yogurt in the afternoons. I'm down to two cups of cafeinnated beverages a day (actually none at all the last three days), and I feel happy with my progress. I bought a pedometer and I've been walking about 2 miles a day.

My new favorite online shoe store

I just bought the coolest shoes from jadeboutique.com. I'd been coveting red shoes for about a month, since I saw a woman wearing red shoes with a black dress; she was at the French bakery and I think she was one of those elegant French women you read about. Anyway, the shoes arrived in less than a week and they are fabulous!
There is a promotion at jadeboutique.com for free shipping, so that was a nice bonus. And in the shoe box was a card saying, "We would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" followed by "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14" I don't know anything about this company, but I found that interesting in our era of "Happy Holidays." I was impressed, and I'll definitely order again.I think I need brown shoes now...

progress on my new eating plan

I joined this forum last week: www.frenchwomendon'tgetfat.com, and I've been reading the book of the same name. The author of the book is active on the forum.

I don't have the eating plan all figured out, but I am encouraged by my first week. I only lost two pounds; on any other diet I would feel like that wasn't enough. But the French Women Don't Get Fat book is written in such a positive manner, it encourages me to think positively and to see the successes rather than the failures.

And I can see that I have actually made a huge change -- I'm not snacking in the afternoon! My lunches are big enough that I don't have to! Sometimes, I admit, I've saved my fruit from lunch and eaten it an hour or two later, but I'm not adding extra food in the afternoon. Or the morning either, now that I think about it.

I tried on some jeans that were terribly uncomfortable last week ... and this week I tried them on again. I feel like I could actually wear them for an hour or two if I wanted to.I love the fact that the book encourages you to make changes gradually. This seems healthier and more sensible than the "start Phase 1 tomorrow and eat this really strict diet for 2 weeks" idea of other plans I've looked at or tried.

Paisley Pashmina Shawls

I bought four pashmina shawls on ebay yesterday!
(Here's one: (http://cgi.ebay.com/Stunning-70-Pash...QQcmdZViewItem).
I bought a silver one, a black one, a denim-blue one, and a green and black one. All have a bit of a paisley pattern. (I adore paisley in any form)
Now I just have to figure out how to wear them when they arrive! I think they'll be really practical for our moderate weather here in Vegas. And I'll feel like a regency era heroine (they were always wrapping themselves in pasmina shawls...).

Eating Plan

http://www.frenchwomendontgetfat.com/home.asp

It isn't really a diet; it's a way to enjoy great food while remaining healthy.

The two books are French Women Don't Get Fat and French Women for All Seasons.

Dh and I are both trying this way of eating. It's similar to the dinners we eat anyway. Eating breakfast and lunch this way is really helping us to stop snacking.