Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Canada	Moving furniture and car across the border??	Since there is so much knowledgeable people on here with so much experience in various cases in regards to immigrating, I thought I would place my question here. When I move from Canada to the U.S, I plan on driving a Uhaul truck with furniture and towing my vehicle behind. Does anyone know how this works? Is there paperwork that I would have to fill out ahead of time? I know that I would have to change my Canadian car tags eventually, but will they even allow me to cross with it being towed? Thanks in advance.	Mrs. P	Female	Canada	2011-01-24 14:38:00
Canada	Just When You Thought Canada Was Done With Silly Things..	....honestly, William just doesn't have all that hair...it must be an idealized portrayal...	mikey78	Male	Canada	2011-04-07 21:44:00
Canada	Tax 2010 for Canadian wife	1. Read the instruction for the form 2555EZ. In a nutshell, under your circumstances if she was in Canada for less than 330 days last year, she can not exclude. 2. You can take either foreign tax deduction or foreign tax credit ( the latter is _generally_ more profitable ). So, on the federal level you'll avoid paying taxes twice, but on the state level - yes, you will be double-taxed. I was planning to apply as "Married filing jointly" with Candian wife as US Resident. Questions: How does she meet the criteria for "Foreign Earned Income Exclusion" Form 2555 or Form 2555EZ? If she does not meet criteria, does that mean we end up paying taxes in Canada & US? Double jeopardy!!! Thank you for above answers...!	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-02-08 20:38:00
Canada	Tax 2010 for Canadian wife	1. You can do both. Generally, filing jointly is considered be more beneficial financially, but in some situations there is really no big difference. I calculated both scenarios for us for the previous year - almost even. One thing that many people forgot - STATE RETURN. In most states, there is no such thing as foreign tax credit. So, if you aren't able to completely exclude your wife's income - and you probably won't be able to do thatbased on what you're saying - your state will happily tax your wife's income as well as yours. Consider that when deciding between MFS and MFJ. 2. If MFJ and treating your wife as resident - yes If MFS - no 3. No. 4.Yes 5. Canadian SIN. Kindly help me out with the following questions I have about filing taxes. Me US Citizen. Wife Canadian. Married August 2010. I-130 applied for and pending. Wife lived in US part 2010/ did not work in US - otherwise lived and worked in Canada for rest of 2010. I am filing our US taxes as "Married filing jointly" and claiming wife as exemption. Filling out Form W-7 for her ITIN. Questions: Should I be filing as married filing jointly or separately? Do I have to include wife's Canadian income in my US tax return? If yes, do I need to send her T4 along with my tax return? Does she have to file Canadian taxes too for 2010? Form W-7: Item 6b - Foreign tax ID no - what do I enter in this section - Canadian SIN? Thank you	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-02-07 23:49:00
Canada	Postponing Interview/CR1 Issuance	I think, you're forgetting about one more way to get extra 6 months. You can go through the process, enter the US, get a GC stamp (I551) in your passport and RETURN BACK TO CANADA. Up to 6 months out of country wouldn't jeopardize your status. So, the timeline might look like: July '11 - interview January '12 - entering the US with IV January '12 - returning to Canada July '12 - coming back to the US When you husband is returning from the mission?	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-03-19 17:15:00
Canada	Driver's license after arrival on K1	California only please. For K1 newcomers at what point can fiancee apply for CA driver's license? How long can she drive on her own license? What is needed? AOS package sent? SS#? Technically, there is a limitation on how long people can drive using foreign licenses, in the reality I've never heard of any state actually enforcing that.	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-04-07 01:37:00
Canada	pregnant Canadian wife - any loopholes?	Rika didn't suggest that, I don't know why you would get that impression, her post was quite clear. There are some insurance companies that do cover non residents, but it really depends upon your employer and the insurance company. My insurance company does cover things like that. But I also realize that this is a function of my employer as well. They pay higher amounts so that we can add anyone as a "spouse" or "partner" onto our plan, no verification needed. Sorry if I've got wrong impression... since nobody objects OP's conclusion that there isn't enough time for him to process the whole immigration paperwork for his wife, the only way for his wife to come to the US for a childbirth would be as a regulat Canadian visitor, that was my logic. There is some confusion probably since we're discussing the situation involving 2 problems: 1. immigration 2.insurance coverage. As to your second point - just curious: usually such a provision means that the insurer will not check marriage papers but are you sure you can add to your plan A PERSON WITHOUT SSN?	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-03-29 18:38:00
Canada	pregnant Canadian wife - any loopholes?	OP - can you re-negotiate your employment date? If not, what is the wait to get your wife onto new medical insurance - you can check with Human Resources at the new job, they should be able to provide you with some info. Many HRs are nice and could help you with getting the best deal for your pregnant wife. So, is your idea for OP's wife just to enter the US as a visitor? I am not sure whether even the generious insurance plan would cover NRA spouse without SSN and legal US residence... leave alone potential issues with pre-existing condition exclusions since she's already pregnant.	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-03-28 12:07:00
Canada	Canadian filing taxes for the first time in the US!	Also, the terms of the U.S. Canada Tax Treaty overcome those directions. The terms are as follows: 1. For the purposes of this Convention, the term "resident of a Contracting State" means any person who, under the laws of that State, is liable to tax therein by reason of his domicile, residence, place of management, place of incorporation or any other criterion of a similar nature, but in the case of an estate or trust, only to the extent that income derived by such estate or trust is liable to tax in that State, either in its hands or in the hands of its beneficiaries. 1. Subject to the provisions of Articles XVIII (Pensions and Annuities) and XIX (Government Service), salaries, wages and other similar remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of an employment shall be taxable only in that State unless the employment is exercised in the other Contracting State. If the employment is so exercised, such remuneration as is derived therefrom may be taxed in that other State. To sum up, income that was earned while a resident of Canada is only taxable in Canada and therefore must be excluded from taxable income in the other state. I have some doubts that the person filing as a RESIDENT ALIEN, can claim tax treaty benefits as a resident of some other country... Also, looks your conclusion contradicts the fact that the US puts a limit on how many foreign earnings can be excluded from US taxation, even if the income was earned in a tax-treaty country. And the last - do you agree that the OP, under given circumstances, does not meet the bona fide Canadian residence test for the purpose of 2555?	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-04-12 16:14:00
Canada	Canadian filing taxes for the first time in the US!	She qualifies under the bonafide residence test for the 2555. Canada was her bonafide residence when she lived in Canada. The bonafide residence and substantial presence tests for the 2555 is based on 12 consecutive months. It is not based on a calendar year. So if you enter the US in January 2011, the time period is January 2010 through January 2011. If she meets the tests for that period one can exclude the income up to January 2011. Sorry, I think you're wrong. Bona fide residence test IS BASED ON A CALENDAR YEAR. The instructions clearly say: "bona fide resident of a foreign country, or countries, for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year (January 1–December 31)"	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-04-11 18:05:00
Canada	Canadian filing taxes for the first time in the US!	Actually she can. You can use the 2555 to exclude the income you earned in Canada, since she would pass both the substantial presence test and the tax home test for the time she was resident in Canada. Canada was her tax home before she entered the US and she has to live in the foreign country for 183 days of the previous 12 months. It is not based on a calendar year basis. Hmmm... That's interesting, Mr. Tax Man. I presume, the OP does not qualify under bona fide residence test, right? So, are you saying that the 12 months for physical presence test can be selected arbitrarily? Please correct me if I am wrong.	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-04-11 00:21:00
Canada	Canadian filing taxes for the first time in the US!	You do file jointly with your husband as a married couple. You DO have to report your Canadian income though. You can use the Form 2555 Foreign Earned Income Exemption, to remove it again so you don't get double-taxed on it. The Deluxe Edition of Turbo Tax can do a 2555 or a 1116 (Foreign Tax Deduction) for you. The 2555 is a better deal: it subtracts the foreign income right out of the earned income. The 1116 only gives you a tax deduction of some percentage of the foreign tax you paid. Use the 2555 if you qualify. Any competent accountant should be able to parse the instructions on those forms, and Turbotax can do it for you as well. Under the described circumstances the OP IS NOT ABLE to use 2555. The only options are either tax deduction or tax credit for Canadian taxes accrued/paid. By the way, 1116 is used for foreign tax CREDIT, not for the DEDUCTION.	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-04-08 05:29:00
Canada	April Montreal interviews	Ours is on April 20th at 8am.	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-03-25 19:29:00
Canada	Flying from Toronto to Montreal?	You might want to check viarail, thats how I'm going. It leaves from union station and drops you off at Montreal's central station. It takes about 5 hours but its more roomy that a plane, it has wi-fi, you don't have to go through the hell that is Pearson airport AND most importantly its $155 roundtrip per person. So MUCH cheaper than flying! Good luck! My interview is on the 28th,so nervous!!! Me, my wife and my stepson will be driving from Toronto to Montreal this upcoming Tuesday. Even cheaper than VIA Rail... not to mention the Canadian airfares and airport taxes that are just outrageous...	M&Pooh	Female	Canada	2011-04-14 04:45:00
Canada	AOS'rs...	Just had my interview today, thought I would share my experience since I have been away from here for so long!! Our interview was at 10:45am, but weren't called till 11:15am. She was friendly, and the whole interview was more like chatting than an interview, here is what we talked about: How we met When did we start dating How he proposed Our financial arrangement (we don't have joint account, but we showed her our bank statement to prove that he gave me "allowance" haha since I don't have my EAD yet) Our wedding (showed her pictures, she asked why our parents weren't there we explained that they are planning something in Asia in July, and showed her our plane tickets) Who is the better cook other documents we have to prove relationship (we showed her car insurance, health insurance, phone bills that have our names together) She didn't ask for anything that are on the appointment letter, we even offered to her but she said she didn't need to see them. Eventhough she didn't quiz us, but I think she was paying attention to how we interact with each other instead of what paper we have. Then she went throught the list of questions like being a communist or terrorist. She was going kinda fast and mummbling, maybe because she knew it's standard proceedure and people just say no anyways? So at one point I didn't realize she had finished asking one question that I didn't reply no right away (I think it was about exporting drugs or something, really couldn't hear her well ...) Hope that's not a biggie. At the end, she said that she need to review the file more, if we don't hear any request for info within a week, then we can assume that we are approved. So guess still need our fingers crossed!! Hope this helps Edited by jessiewu, 18 May 2010 - 06:42 PM.	jessiewu	Female	Canada	2010-05-18 18:38:00
Canada	AOS'rs...	This may be a stupid question, but I was wondering -- since I'm already approved for a Green Card but don't actually HAVE it in hand, would I still be able to travel to Portland to Vegas on a plane using my Canadian passport? I'm not too sure if I'll be getting it yet (I received a notification that it's being produced, but I don't know how long that is going to take) but since I'm only traveling in the US, would it be okay? Within US is fine. We were told today by USCIS that for international travel if green card is in production, I have to wait to have it in hand before leaving the country even if I have AP, so annoying!	jessiewu	Female	Canada	2010-05-18 18:14:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Woohoo the thread's resurrected! Missa, I have totally lost track of my "weight loss journey". I was really good up until May -- wasn't exercising bec I got really busy with work, but I was pretty good with the eating and I actually lost weight, even during vacation. Never really weighed myself but my clothes fit well, and I looked thinner in pictures. But lately I have been so busy with work. I teach lectures and labs every morning and twice a week at night, and between that, writing a lab manual, carpooling, dealing with the social aspects of work (I am working closely with a nutcase, literally), Ive been just eating what I can eat -- ie. chocolate, chips, eating at 9 pm after night class. My diet resembles that of my college nutrition... I feel so awful. I dont have as much energy and I do feel fat even though I dont think I gained so much weight. And I havent found the time to exercise (I know its my fault). We did sign up for CSA and have fresh produce delivered every week. I have began cooking with those veggies (actually cooking again, haven't done much cooking since I joined the work force) and Im hoping that by making sure I pack lunch and have breakfast, I dont eat the wrong foods when Im in a pinch. My goal is to eat healthier and go back on the exercise wagon by the end of the summer. And hopefully lose 5 pounds by then!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-06-27 14:33:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Guys, what happened to our weight loss thread??? Where are my peeps fighting off the ugly lb's with me??? And while Im typing this, Im wondering where the baby thread is too Anyhow, finally got my exercise routine back. Been running 5k 2-3 times a week and have started running 8k on Saturdays. I wish I can improve on my stamina though... it takes me an hour to finish an 8k run as I lose wind by the 6th kilometer. Ive also started attending the weekly weight classes offered at work. I havent looked at any scales but notice that I have been fitting in my clothes better!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-03-24 20:47:00
Canada	Weight loss support	I have been meaning to attend this weights class during lunch hour and I finally did it today. God, am I sore. I accidentally picked up a 15 pound bar and used it for what she calls "hinges" in the class (bending down and bringing the bar up to your chest, etc) and I can barely move my arms. We also did so many frigging lunges and that on top of running has caused my thighs to be so sore! Well, no pain, no gain!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-03-15 18:57:00
Canada	Weight loss support	darkchilde, you are tiny! If you're fat, then I'm obese. And I just found out, after swearing off chocolate...my skin cleared up. I want chocolate. =( Oh Bern thank you I DO think I need to lose weight. And I am fat for my size, Im only 4'11! (or 4'10!) If youre gonna have chocolates, have the really good kind. The regular chocolates now (even Lindts and the high end brands) have so many additives that can cause break outs. I think Godiva might still be good, but its super pricey. However, there is a lot of sugar in chocolates and that can cause skin problems too! Im so glad the weather's been really nice this week. Tonight the hubby and I are gonna run in the park for the first time since moving in our neighborhood. Hopefully good weather like this would encourage us to be more active... being in the gym is kind of boring	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-03-11 15:27:00
Canada	Weight loss support	You are not fat! I saw you last night! I've seen fat people, and you are not one of them! Aww you are so sweet My BMI does say I am fat. And I have to attend the witch's wedding in June, not to mention go to Florida in May, so I just have to look hot! I havent been very careful about eating. I have been running a minimum of 3.5k every other day. Once I get the exercise set, I am going to start paying attention to what I eat.	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-03-11 08:06:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Well, my trick is very simple imo. I cut fast food, and eating out of my diet completely. You'd be surprised how fattening eating out everyday is. Then I cut all kinds of unnessacary sugar, like chocolate, candy, etc. And I replaced all beef, with chicken and salmon. It works! Haha UGH Ive already cut down on all of those and Im still fat! SIGH. I guess the only solution is to exercise *shudder* or eat salads every meal *SHUDDER*	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-03-07 15:29:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Diet soda is just as bad as regular soda. I think the chemicals in diet soda essentially give the spare tire fat around the belly. I hardly have soda anymore, but I remember having so much abdominal pain and have a hard time sleeping taking soda -- caffeine free or not. I think the sodas now a days are sweetened by HFCS which is so bad for the body. Id rather take tea and sweeten it with maple syrup or sugar than HFCS Huggles -- if you like soda but want to lessen drinking it, one thing you can do is make carbonated juice or something. I use carbonated water and make iced teas or lemonade... or even hydrate concentrated juice! It might give you the same sensation as soda but not really all the junk that comes with it! Sapphire -- I always find that the first two-three days are the worst after cutting sugar. But after, youd feel really good and not crave it at all! And guys, if you fall off the bandwagon, the most important thing is climbing back on the saddle and going back to the healthy food choices and exercise. I lose a lot of weight really fast by dieting, but I find I can never maintain the limited diet I am in when Im on a diet. I would give up after a week of no carbs or whatever, and eat everything I limited myself to in one sitting! However, I also find that if I allow myself treats once in a while, I am more willing to eat healthy for lunch or dinner because I know I can have half a cup of ice cream or something. And though the weight loss is not as fast, I dont end up binging and undoing weeks of work! Oh yeah, one thing I always do when I eat out is cut the food into four portions -- I always end up eating more than I should when I eat out, and thats an easy 1k-2k calorie meal! So I cut things into 4's and if I eat 2 of those 4 portions, the max damage I did was 500 calories... and I have lunch the next day!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-03-05 19:47:00
Canada	Weight loss support	I decided to step things up a notch and I'm cutting out any white/refined grain and sugar in general. From now on I'm only going to eat whole grain pasta, brown rice, whole wheat breads and I've cut out every beverage except coffee, water and green tea. I'll also let myself have wine once in awhile. This is what I did last year to lose weight and it worked really well for me. I think my body reacts really quickly to sugars. Especially my midsection! Sapphire -- sugar is the number one cause of belly fat! I read it somewhere but I dont remember why...	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-03-03 20:32:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Where we live has TONS of parks and trails and stuff! I'm going to like it MORE actually, no city and tons of people in the way of my walking/running/cycling solitude! You is wrong, DC, I am going to love it even better than I do now! No city!!! just trees and park and fields. yay!!!! AAAHHH!!! Well, yeah lots of parks around here... but I totally miss walking from one joint to another. Back in TO, I walked to subway, to destination, to pubs, to mall, to EVERYWHERE. Here I sharpen my PARKING SKILLS!!! My a-s-s is so worked out from sitting	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-25 18:15:00
Canada	Weight loss support	My friend gave me a pedometer yesterday -- today doing all my errands and such, I apparently took 11000 (i rounded up to that as it wasn't exactly that number, but very close to it like 10897) steps! Woohoo! I am a natural born walker and I love it! I have always been curious as to how many steps I take on a normal day of running around. Now I know... Walking is a very underrated form of keeping one in at least some form of shape! just thought I'd share. Girl, youre gonna miss walking here No path to walk to! But you can always visit my hood, we can walk everywhere!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-25 18:09:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Also, discovery health or discovery channel (cant remember) has those 1 hour work outs in the morning. And you can go to your local library and borrow work out videos for free! Wasnt trying to say Wii fit isnt good as well. I mean, if it makes you move 100% more than you normally would, thats better than none at all!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-25 16:27:00
Canada	Weight loss support	I'm personally not convinced that the Wii fit is really that much of a weight loss stimulator. I mean, it definitely gets me up and moving, but it's nothing compared to how I sweat when I'm on the Elliptical or Stairmaster. It's really about your heartrate though. If it's getting your heart rate up, then it's probably helping you, but it might not be enough. I think the programs that really help with weight loss with the Wii fit are the two running programs in it... so you essentially are doing stationary runs... which really you dont need the Wii fit for Hubby says that your HR should be between 140-145 during your workouts, so if you are able to get your HR that high and keep it for 45 minutes, thats awesome. Other than that, its not gonna help much.	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-25 16:12:00
Canada	Weight loss support	I've heard the same thing about diet pop. And, I stopped drinking diet this past weekend and have been drinking exclusively water, coffee, tea and my mid-section is already a lot slimmer than it was. I don't even crave it anymore either. I'd rather just have juice if I need something sweet. Me too! Its definitely the chemicals in there. I used to have allergies all the time, I always had a cold and my skin gets blotchy and bumpy. Then I just made a conscious decision not to eat anything thats pre-made (boxed dinners, boxed foods) and lessen my processed food intake. Now I hardly get sick (knock on wood) and my allergies are gone! I would have the sniffles here and there but not need to live beside a box of tissue each day. I think that because we all process things differently, that maybe the reaction of some people to chemical is weight gain and the others just illness. I truly worry about the quality of the food that we have now a days. If you look at the ingredients of food from pop to frozen french fries, theres so many chemicals in them! Ive seen EDTA as a preservative in some grocery items. In lab, we use EDTA to open cells up to purify DNA. Imagine, in very minute concentrations, it destroys live organisms. And then we eat it. I suppose that is why its used as a preservative... Anyway sorry to sound preachy -- that wasnt my intent!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-25 14:05:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Duuuude pop is so bad for you. A former coworker of mine gave up pop for real and lost 20 pounds in a year. You are better off drinking maple syrup because at least its got some nutrients in it!!! Even the diet kind has so much chemicals that in some people cause them unnecessary weight gain (or the "tire" waist). I dont know the biological explanation behind why it happens... but if you consider that these chemicals "mimic" food, then our bodies probably absorb them thinking they are good nutrients when they are not. And when absorbed them, they stay in your cells and wreak havoc!!! Hehe, sorry dramatic, huh? I hardly buy any pop anymore, except when we have guests. Ive also started making my own iced tea and though it will never be as good as those canned Nestea ones, its so much healthier!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-25 13:18:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Just a suggestion, if you can afford it maybe you should look into getting some dumbbells/resistance bands for your house. When I had a gym membership I always went directly after work and tried to bust it out there but I've noticed after getting all the weights and stuff at home I have MUCH better workouts. There's something about being able to relax in your own environment and push yourself without having to worry about people looking at you or needing to talk about proper form that helped me a ton Lol. Good luck to everyone! Agreed! While in school, I had access to the gym for free, but never really made it. So what I did was invest on a good pair of running shoes, some outdoor running gear and an iPod shuffle and would do short runs during the week for cardio. Unless it rained or snowed, I had no excuse! And I could choose to run a short distance only and be back at home in half hour or so if I didnt have much time	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-25 11:05:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Aww Autumnchik thats tough! Its really hard to make time for yourself when you are the primary person to care for things while your SO is pursuing school, etc. And when you do find time, you prefer to do something relaxing and for yourself! Maybe you can set just one day for you to ensure you do some work out and for now that would have to be enough! Good luck! I too am struggling to get my butt in the gym!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-24 21:11:00
Canada	Weight loss support	I find that when Im stressed, I just want to eat all bad junk. When Im not stressed, I control my food well, or can say no to myself when I want to eat something bad. Lately Ive been stressed and been eating badly	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-24 20:38:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Sapphire, I think the best part is when you start feeling "tight". I know that when I run a couple of times a week, I start feeling really "tight" around the middle and around the bum area. Of course, its not feeling pained or cramped or anything. Its totally the opposite of what I feel when I binge on ice cream on Friday nights	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-24 07:28:00
Canada	Weight loss support	I havent been following the thread because Ive been busy... so I am replying base on the posts now. But its best not to look at the weight loss through pounds but rather in inches. You essentially can gain 3 pounds of water one night and lose it another, etc. I think you should look at your actual inch loss -- see if clothes are loser. Also, after months of working out, you will also gain muscle mass. And you would drive yourself crazy weighing every day too!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-23 19:41:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Oh Huggles *hugs* Dont worry hon, you can teach yourself how to cook! I never learned how to cook until 2 years ago I taught myself slowly by watching lots and lots of food shows. They REALLY help. I just started with lots of easy recipes and pretty soon I was making cakes and throwing dinner parties. It does get overwhelming at first, but eventually you'll get the hang of it! Plus, you'll lose weight when you cook your own food! I always lose weight when I eat my own cooking. Not that its cause its sooo bad hahahaha, but because I control the ingredients. And I think your husband will eat better when you guys have moved out and the only things in your fridge are fruits and vegetables My hubby doesnt get to eat junk unless we are at his mum's house, just cause I dont keep chips or treats at home	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-20 21:14:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Sapphire, same thing here! Haha, my husband barely ate vegetables or fruits before we lived together. And now he'll try some vegetables for lunch (Ill cut up peppers or pack baby carrots for him). I also hardly buy any sodas or chips anymore... and if I want treats (cookies, cakes), Ill make them from scratch. At least I can sneak in some "healthy" ingredients while having my treats (ie. chocolate chip oatmeal cookies!). My goal now is to try to buy natural or organic foods as the chemical burden on natural/organic animals and produce is less. I also think that the chemicals in the food also contribute to weight gain... The only time the husband and I eat out is when we're craving for Chinese, as its the only thing I cannot really make (the unhealthy ones, ie. General Tsao's chicken, etc). Other than that, home cooking is so much nicer!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-20 19:38:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Man, just imagine how much money you would SAVE not eating out. Seriously! The biggest reason why I cook most of our foods is not because of health issue but because it cost so much less! Since I moved here in November, I've pretty much kept our grocery bill to 35-60 dollars a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Granted, my lunch is usually left overs and I pack my hunny a sandwhich, but it's still pretty good value! Because we havent been home, my hubby and I ate out about 3x this week and spent our grocery budget on three mediocre meals	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-20 14:36:00
Canada	Weight loss support	tysalanna and necrotica -- thats amazing! Good job guys! Huggles: I can totally relate! Ive basically been eating horribly and not working out since the snow storm and working. Because of the snow storm, hubby and I have to go home before 6 pm so we can park Before, we'd run twice a week but we cant even do that. And because we were at his parents' for two weeks, I havent been able to grocery shop and been living on pizza and chips! Adding work to the mix, I'm just buying my meals all the time now and I can just imagine the excess calories Im consuming! Well we've moved back home now and I really plan to get organized and get back to the saddle. Ive recently picked up a Saturday teaching slot, so Id rather much go home after work instead of work out since the past two weeks were super hectic. But once things settle, I will definitely go back my healthy ways!	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-20 14:24:00
Canada	Weight loss support	Yay Peachey for starting the thread! My short term goals: 1. Lose 15 pounds before vacation (May 13) and DEFINITELY before the WIL's wedding 2. Have sexy, toned arms because they are not sexy at all Long term goal: MAINTAIN the weight that I lose -- I lose weight easily and put it back on just as fast, and even more Right now Im eating normally but Ive basically cut off processed foods from my diet (well, I have pigged out since getting stuck at the in-laws' due to the snow in Baltimore). I also try to run a total of 8-10 miles a day. Ive slacked since the snow storm, but Im going back on the treadmill tomorrow! My work also offers fitness workouts for free, so I want to add those on top of my regular runs. And when my chiro clears my neck injury, I am definitely going to lift weights again. Edited by darkchilde794, 16 February 2010 - 09:06 PM.	darkchilde794	Female	Canada	2010-02-16 21:05:00