Support Groups - Herbal Magic #6

Tamara,

just noticed we started at the same weight....okay I know you "know what I mean!" lol-
Peggy

Hi Peggy!

Welcome! We did start at the same weight and looks like only about 2 weeks apart. I love the program and the girls at my center are really great support.

I just hit 179.4 today and I almost can't believe it!

Do you have Facebook? I check in there daily (a few times) but not on here nearly as often.

Are you enjoying your program? Are you still on QLP2 or have they dropped you to QLP1? It was a bit of an adjustment for me to drop to QLP1, but it hasn't been that hard. I love to cook so I've experimented with loads of things trying to make healthier alternatives to my favorite foods that I can use moving forward. What about you? Got any yummy meal ideas?

I look forward to hearing more from you as it's neat to have someone to talk to that has such similar stats!

We're off to the lake for the weekend and I have my whole meal plan done for the weekend so I should be able to stay OP the whole time and ideally be down a little more on Monday with all the activities we'll be doing.

Cheers,
Tamara

Just stumbled upon this thread!

I'm doing the herbal magic program too. I started on May 26th, 2010 at 229lbs and have lost 19lbs and 22 inches so far. I really enjoy the program and the support staff at my centre. I'm currently on the QLP2 - but looking forward to QLP1 because I find it a little difficult to get in 3 proteins each day!

Which products does everyone take?

Hi Stella4! Welcome!

You're starting pretty close to where I started and are doing really well! Good for you! I also had a hard time with the three proteins, but the drop to QLP1 was still an adjustment. It was hard to cut that one fruit and one veg!

I take the following supplements daily:

2 WM2000 x 3 (before meals)
1 Chromagic x 3 (before meals)
1 7001 Daily x 1 (morning)
1 Acidophalus x 3 (before meals) - helped big time with regularity
2 CLA x 3 (before meals)
1 EFA x 3 (before meals) - I don't eat fish so it's the best way for me to get my Omega 3/6/9
1 Vitamin D x 1 (at bedtime)
2 Calcium + Magnesium x 1 (at bedtime)

I also won a contest and received four boxes of the cellulite treatment, but I'm saving it for my "little black dress" for the holiday season when I should be at goal.

It's amazing how much of a difference 50lbs makes in how a person my height looks and feels! I have a thread posted in the mini-goal photo albumn. I think the thread heading is 50lbs gone - halfway to goal. Check it out!

Glad to see this thread is getting some use again. Everyone have a great day and I'm wondering if anyone is interested in exchanging some recipe ideas?

Cheers,
Tamara

Wow! That's a lot of supplements.

From herbal magic i'm currently taking:

Chromagic 3 x daily
F/B's 6 x daily

And on my own I'm taking:

2 tbsp Udo's oil (counted as a fat) for omega 3-6-9
And today I just bought Metamucil for regularity (tried Soft Cleanse and Nutra-Lax but they didn't work)


And your down 52 inches since March?! That's incredible!! What do you think of the CLA? Did that help you lose weight around your mid-section? Do you mind sharing what your typical day (meal-wise) looks like? Do you exercise?

I was taking many of those supplements before I started HM.

I was already taking a multi (7001), Cal/Mag, D, Omega 3/6/9 (EFA) and chromium. I don't use only the HM brand as they're quite expensive compared to say a health food store.

My mandatory products are the Chromagic and WM2000. I started taking the acidophalus because it helped big time with regularity. I also log everything into Livestrong and try very hard to make sure that I get AT LEAST 25-30 grams of Fiber every day.

I started the CLA six weeks ago and in that time I've lost about 11" overall. Yesterday was measurement day and I hit 58" total loss since March 17/10. I don't know if the CLA is making a difference or not as I am averaging about 15"/month. I have never used the F/B's but I do have a bottle of S/B's for nights when I'm going to have a few more drinks than the single allowance.

I don't really exercise that much. I do walk my dog for about an hour most days but other than that I have been a lazy girl for the last few months.

Here are a couple of typical menu days for me on QLP1:

Breakfast:
1/2 Cup All Bran (1 starch)
1/2 Banana (1 fruit)
4 Oz Skim Milk (1/2 dairy)

Lunch:
2 Slices "diet bread" (1 starch)
2 Tbsp Avacado (1 fat)
65g Fat Free Schneiders Lifestyle Turkey (1/2 protein)
1 Slice Fat Free Cheese (1/2 dairy)
1 Cup Shredded Cabbage (1 vegetable)
1 Tbsp Calorie Wise Coleslaw dressing (1/2 free exchange) yes I know it's supposed to be fat free, but whatever!

Dinner:
6 Oz Beef Tenderloin on the BBQ (1-1/2 protein)
1 Cob Corn (1 vegetable)
1 Cup Steamed Broccoli (1 vegetable)
1 Tsp Margarine (1 fat)

Treat:
1/4 Cup Rolo (no sugar added/low fat) ice cream (1/2 free exchange)
1 Cup Strawberries (1 fruit)

OR:

Breakfast:
1/2 Cup 1% Cottage Cheese (1/2 protein)
3 oz Non-fat yogurt (1/2 dairy)
3/4 Cup Raspberries (3/4 fruit)

Lunch:
2 Cup Spinach (2 vegetables)
1/2 Cup Blackberries (1 fruit)
2.5 Oz grilled Chicken (1/2 protein)
1 Tsp Olive Oil (1 fat) + Rice vinegar to taste

Dinner:
5 Oz White meat grilled Chicken (1 protein)
"My Favorite Rice"
1/4 Cup Brown Rice (1 starch)
1/4 Cup purple Onion (1/2 vegetable)
1/2 Cup Chopped Green/Red Peppers (1/2 vegetable)
Dash of low-sodium soya sauce to taste
1/4 Cup Canned pineapple tidbits (1/4 fruit)

Treat:
2 Slices "Diet Bread" (1 starch)
2 Tbsp Sugar Free Jam (1 free exchange)

I have loads of combos like that and have managed to make delicious tortilla free tacos, pasta free spaghetti, bread free chicken salad/egg salad wraps. I've gotten fairly creative in the kitchen and while most of the time I end up cooking different food for DH & DD I don't mind.

I'd love to share some more meal / recipe ideas with you all as I'm always looking for new ways to make this lifestyle change interesting.

Cheers,
Tamara

You're doing great! This is so inspiring.

I also wanted to ask you how you chose your goal, or if they chose it for you. I started at 230 also, and set my goal for 175 (goal date November), but I told the girls at my center I would re-evalute my goal when I got to my goal weight to see how I felt at that time.

On Wednesday I was switched to QLP1. Not a huge adjustment as I was having trouble getting in all the foods before.

Here's my typical day:

Breakfast
Smoothie (1 cup stawberries, 1/2 banana, 1/2 tsp peanut butter or 2 tbsps Udo's oil, 1/2 cup skim milk) (2 fruit, 1 fat, 1/2 dairy)
3 Lifestyle bran crackers (1 starch)

Lunch
1 cups mixed greens (1/2 vegetable)
1/2 cup cucumber (1/2 vegetable)
2 slices 'diet bread' (1 starch)
2 eggs, 4 fat free turkey deli slices, or 4 oz chicken (1 protien)

Snack
1 oz almonds (1 fat)
1 yogurt (1/2 dairy)

Dinner
4 oz chicken, fish or 2 eggs (1 protien)
1/2 cup broccoli (1/2 vegetable)
1/2 cup sweet potato (1/2 vegetable)

Snack
Thinsations, Smart Pop Popcorn, Skinny Cow (1 free exchange)


It's usually something like this. Any thoughts?

Stella4: I noticed a couple of things that are a little out of whack. Maybe check your quantities on the following:

Breakfast: 2 Tbsp Oil? Not sure if UDO's oil is different, but 1 fat = 1 TSP Oil, not TBSP

Snack: 1 fat = 1/2 OZ of almonds, not 1 OZ

If you're taking too much fat it may be hampering your efforts!

Lunch: You're shorting yourself 1oz of chicken, a serving of white meat chicken is 5 ounces! Don't give yourself too little!

Dinner: 1 Veg = 1/2 Cup Sweet Potato or Yams, but you have 1/2 cup listed as 1/2 serving. Because of the starch you get less!

If you love squash, try butternut as it is 1/2 the calories of sweet potatoes and tastes almost the same. I use 1 cup of butternut as 1 Veg, but with sweet pot/yams I only use 1/2 cup as a serving which is what our books say for serving size.

Do you find that you're hungry often? Are you enjoying your meals? Do you find yourself getting bored?

I chose my goal out of thin-air (no pun intended). Most BMI charts tell me I should range between 110-140lbs. I chose 140 as that puts me at 24.0 and anything over 24.9 is overweight. I wanted to be in the "normal" range on a standard BMI chart. The girls at my center asked me if I didn't think that was too much as they think I'm already looking much better than I did at 220, but I'm determined to get to 140. I may even decide to go lower, but we'll see when I get there. I was 230lbs on January 1, 2010 and that started me on the journey I'm on now.

I had a bad weekend camping this past weekend and feel like crap because of it. It's the first time since I started March 17/10 that I've cheated like that and really feel like I've cheated myself, but I'm back OP 100% and plan on getting back on track and doing loads of exercise this week to compensate. I'm camping again the next two weekends, but I'll stay OP (except for drinks, but I'll have the light Mike's Hard Lemonade or Vodka & Diet Sprite) and be down on each Monday!

How was your weekend?

Tamara

Hi Tamara,

I was just reading your last tag....also looked at your stats. I think its kinda funny were in the exact same boat. I started at 230 and im at 190 right now. My goal is 150 though. Considering all we've been through and the transformations that have taken place I know I'll be happy once I reach that 150.

Just wondering how your finding clothes fitting? And not to be too nosey, but what dress size are you now? I find it varies from store to store? It's fun to try on new things though!

Hope to hear from you, Peg:carrot:

Keep up the GREAT work!

oops! Just noticed your 51 pounds down...wow! AMAZING!

Hi Peg! Nice to see you back.

I have consigned most of my wardrobe and use the credit from selling my size 14 - 20 clothes to buy things that fit me now. I will continue to consign down to a size 8 and then we'll see.

I'm currently in a size 12 in most shops and even bought a dress at Ricki's week before last in a size 8! :carrot: It's a beautiful fit and definately fits large. I'm in a Large still in most things, although have found that some things look better in a medium (I'm just used to hiding my body so sometimes it's hard to accept that the snug fitting medium is better).

My DH has started telling people that I'm just slimming down so I can buy new clothes! *Ha! I've always loved to shop but I find it much more fun now that I can shop in "regular" sizes and am not at the highest size. Even my feet have shrunk which is a real bummer as I have some really beautiful designer shoes in a size 8 that I can't wear anymore...now I'll have to go buy them in a 7.5! LOL

Here are my starting measurements as of March 17/10:

Neck 15"
Bust 47"
Shoulder 53"
Ribs 40.5"
Waist 39"
Abdomen 48.5"
Hips 50"
Arms 13.5"
Thigh 27"
Inner Knee 16"
Calf 17"
Ankle 9"

Here they are as of August 4/10 (week 21):

Neck 13" - down 2"
Bust 38" - down 9"
Shoulder 44.5" - down 8.5"
Ribs 35.5" - down 5"
Waist 32.5" - down 6.5"
Abdomen 38.5" - down 10"
Hips 43" - down 7"
Arms 11.5" - down 2"
Thigh 22.5" - down 4.5"
Inner Knee 14.5" - down 1.5"
Calf 15.5" - down 1.5"
Ankle 8.5" - down 0.5"

What about everyone else? Do you find the inches are sometimes coming off faster than the pounds? I have found that the CLA seems to be doing what it claims as sometimes I have 0.8lbs loss and 2.5 or more inches! I've thought about trying to find a less expensive source though as HM's products are more expensive than in most health food stores.

What exercise/activity does everyone do? I really want to start a boot camp but am a little worried about the cost vs. the benefit. DH says go for it! We'll see.

Still looking to see if anyone is interested in recipe exchanges/meal idea exchange as I'm always on the lookout for new and great things I haven't tried yet.

You're all doing amazing!

Tamara

Hi Tamara,

Im glad to be back. I posted replies in July but then nothing really happened...lol...so I guess I just stopped checking in. It's a wonderful feeling (at least for me) to no longer have to pick up the XL or walk into the plus size section. I've always been a larger girl my whole life and this is going to take time getting used to...however, I'm LOVING IT!

Went in for my weigh in yesterday and just under 190 (literally just under :D) but I'll take it...another mile stone! Slow and steady we can all win the race!:cheer:

It's too bad about your designer shoes...:o but like you said all the more reason to go out and shop some more.

I know that you are looking for some new recipes, but was wondering if you've ever picked up the Herbal Magic recipe book? I have volume 2 and I really enjoy using most of the recipes. For just under $30 this book will keep you busy. Also wondering what type of food you enjoy? Ital., Asian., etc.
I have a good recipe for a Italian meat sauce that I enjoy with no oil/fat and I usually add chicken to the sauce rather then lean ground meat (for a better choice of protein) Just let me know if you'd like it...It always makes me feel good when I eat it because its so tasty....not just another bland meal;)

Anyway, hope to hear from you again, Peg

Oh and about workouts....I just started the Jillian Michaels video 30 day Sculpt ( I think thats what it is). I am in complete pain right now, but I know that will pass. Just need to tone things up. It's great to lose the weight but then what? Kinda feel mushy ;)

But wondering also what others do for exercise? I usually go for a 45 minute intense walk/jog everyday and now trying to add this workout video (as soon as I can move normally again :dizzy:)

Good Morning!

Peg: I would love your meatsauce recipe! I love to make all kinds of foods. I’ve experimented with variations of Italian, Asian and Mexican. I also eat A LOT of BBQ’d foods. I have both HM recipe books and my BFF just bought the BBQ book. She’s still got a few months on maintenance and she’s a lot more aware of what she eats now then she used to be. I guess when you spend the kind of money we all have on this program you want to make sure that it’s a long-term lifestyle change. More on the financial stuff later…

I know it’s terrible but I don’t really exercise! :o I know that’s bad but it’s hard to get motivated when the weight comes off regardless of activity. I know I need to start working out cause the flab monster is looming and I don’t like him at all! I just bought the Ab-Doer twist and I’m going to get serious as soon as it gets delivered, I also have a recumbent bike at home that I should be using! I also have the Beachbody Yoga booty ballet DVD’s but haven’t even unwrapped them! I’m SOOOO bad! :devil:

So I realized that I needed to stock up on my supplements soon and decided to do some research as the cost can be fairly high at HM. Here is what I found!

HM – CLA (42 softgels ) – 14 days @ 1/day $42/bottle
Jaimieson – Slim Down CLA (45 softgels) - 15 days @ 1/day $17/bottle
* Was taking 2 softgels 3x/day, but have decided to drop down to 1 softgels 3x day

HM – Calcium/Magnesium (60 tablets) – 30 days @ 2/day $16/bottle
Jaimieson – Calcium/Magnesium (200 tablets) – 100 days @ 2/day $5.99/bottle

HM – EFA (essential fatty acid) (? 30 softgels ?) – 10 days @ 3/day $26/bottle
Jaimieson – Omega 3/6/9 (180 softgels *special, usually on 150/bottle) – 69 days @ 3/day $12.99/bottle

So as you can see I won’t be buying any of HM’s supplements (except my mandatory ones) anymore. I’ll also check the Acidophilus and Vitamin D when I get close to running out. I’ll bet they’re much less expensive at the drugstore/supermarket as well. I’m also going to check and see if I can come close to replicating the S/B and F/B products with less expensive alternatives. The S/B product is mostly ginseng I think so it should be easy. Not sure…will let you know.

Anyhow that is what I’ve found and since I know that these products work for me I’m very glad that I’ve found them for far less money. DH is very happy too! Does everyone know what this means?

MORE MONEY FOR SHOPPING! :carrot: LOL

Have a great day!
Tamara

WOW I'm back! Wedding planning takes so much out of me! But it's so exciting. On a side note, we booked our honeymoon to Cuba, we leave on the 30th of August for 8 days. Can't wait.

tamaraj, thanks for looking at my meal plan, I didn't realize I was definitely consuming too much fat. I'm also going to try butternut squash instead of sweet potato too.

I looked over your measurements, AMAZING! I find the inches dropping way more faster than the pounds, but my mom is doing the program too and she finds the opposite so I guess it's different for everyone.

For exercise, I have a membership at a gym that is very close to my house. Right now I've been going twice a week for aqua pilates (which I absolutely love) - it's an hour long class and very high intensity. The instructor claims we burn approx. 800 calories. Other than that I take my dog for walks, but I really should get to the gym more.

Thanks also for comparing the prices for HM products and Jaimieson. I want to try the CLA. I've heard a lot of good things.

Right now, my weight loss is on hold... I have two weeks until my wedding and if I lose any more weight my dress won't fit. I'm not suppose to lost anymore than 5 pounds (since the beginning of August) and I'm already down 3 pounds. But the girls at my center were understanding, but disappointed because I was doing so well. I'm still going in 3 days a week, taking supplements and following the program, but just monitoring.

Keep up the good work, ladies!

Hi ladies,

Tamara- here is the recipe you said you would like. It's really simple and you can either make it with lean ground meat or chicken breast. I usually use chicken.

It adds up as 1 protein, 1 starch, 2 or 3 veg (depending how much you want to put in) 1 dairy (if you add cheese at the end) and 1 free exchange

In a pan add 1/2 cup onion, 2-3 cloves of garlic, a chicken breast cut up in pieces, and water (maybe 1/2 cup or a little more)

Let that boil together until the chicken is cooked. Then add all your veg. I usually like to add red and green peppers, mushroom, tomato, but you can't go wrong with whatever you like. Then add tomato sauce (1/2 cup of Healthy Choice).
Then last add the seasoning: 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. Basil
pinch of chili flakes
Black pepper to taste
Mix is all up and let it cook on high heat (with out the lid) until thick. (might splash a bit ;))
Then add your cooked pasta into the pan and turn off stove... (but let it sit on the burner for about 10 minutes)
Add cheese before serving if you like!
(***if at any point the sauce is sticking to the bottom of pan just add some water. I don't use any oil in this recipe to avoid a fat and you don't need it)

I hope someone tries it out....I know I like it alot!

LOL! Where did everyone go?:carrot:

Hello everyone. I have never blogged before but I came across your site and it is just so inspirational that I couldn't help myself.

I joined Herbal Magic (QLP4) on July 26th and my starting weight wss 169.5 lbs. I hope to reach my goal of 130 lbs before December 14th.

So far it has been slow going and it didn't help that last weekend my niece got married and I gained back 3lbs of the 6.25lbs that I had lost thanks to a few drinks and a piece of wedding cake.

Being a "newbie" I am still finding it difficult to eat all the food that they have allotted me each day. It is going to be really difficult because I have never believed that you should eat unless your body tells you it is hungry. Does anyone else feel that this is just way too much food or is it just me?

Hi Girls:

Peg: Here I am! LOL Sounds very similar to one I make now but I'll try it!

valleygirl123: Welcome! I started at QLP2 (219lbs) and when I started hovering around 190 and not moving they dropped me to the QLP1. I don't find it's too much food but I also find that I've NEVER hungry! I eat three meals and two snacks most days and it is working great for me. Everyone is different and if you're finding it too much food maybe consider going for the more dense foods. For example 1 Veg = 1 Cup broccoli or 1/2 Cup squash. 1 Dairy = 1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese (but it's only 1/2 a Protein if you use it as a P). What category do you find you're having the hardest time getting them all in for a day? We can probably all make suggestions to eat less and still fulfill your plan.

Stella4: You must be getting so excited about your wedding and how awesome will Cuba be! Lucky Girl! I hope you have a wonderful time and don't worry too much about your plan...you just get right back on track when you get home. It will be much easier after all the social obligations that go along with a wedding are over.

I had my WI today and am only down to 177.6...I'm hoping for the 160's by the end of the month but we'll see. Maybe my birthday on September 11 is a more attainable goal, have to wait and see I guess.

We have a concert on Thursday night (Buck Cherry) and then leave for camping again on the weekend. We haven't planned any camping trips yet for September, but we camped twice last year after Labour Day so it's hard to say what we'll do. I've got my weekend planned and other than drinks (of course) things look good.

Everyone have a great day and I'll try to check in again before the weekend.

Tamara

valleygirl123: Welcome! I started at QLP2 (219lbs) and when I started hovering around 190 and not moving they dropped me to the QLP1. I don't find it's too much food but I also find that I've NEVER hungry! I eat three meals and two snacks most days and it is working great for me. Everyone is different and if you're finding it too much food maybe consider going for the more dense foods. For example 1 Veg = 1 Cup broccoli or 1/2 Cup squash. 1 Dairy = 1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese (but it's only 1/2 a Protein if you use it as a P). What category do you find you're having the hardest time getting them all in for a day? We can probably all make suggestions to eat less and still fulfill your plan.

[Tamara[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the advice Tamara. I'm having the hardest time getting all my veggies and starch in. I've never been a great fan of veg so I have a very limited choice of veg that I enjoy eating (a girl can only eat so many salads before she turns green lol). I do enjoy root vegetables like sweet potato, yam, turnip and carrots so I will give your idea of using more dense vegetables a try. My favorite veg are red, green and yellow peppers so I try to add as much of those as I can into my pasta sauces, wraps or salads, grilled on the BBQ or raw as a snack or with hummus to use up a starch and a protein. The hardest is only having 1 dairy - mmm I love cheese and yogurt and it's hard to choose between the two.

My other problem is that I commute and my husband gets home much earlier than I do so he does the largest majority of the cooking. I'm having the hardest time getting him to discuss with me what he has planned for dinner so that I can plan my breakfast, lunch and snacks accordingly. It never fails that if I have cereal for breakfast and a wrap for lunch - he makes potatoes for supper. UGH! As a result I usually avoid starches all day and then I spend the evening trying to make them up "just in case".

Because I commute 3hrs/day, I use to keep snack bars in my purse for days I got stuck in traffic and needed something to hold me over until dinner. I find the HM bars taste like cardboard. Does anyone have any suggestions for portable snacks or bars that I can keep in the car for emergencies that are still on program?

valleygirl123: I almost always split my dairy into two.

3oz Yogurt
1 slice fat free cheese
1/2 oz shredded low fat block cheese
1/4 cup cottage cheese
4 oz Skim or 1% milk

all of those are only 1/2 dairy so I can take two a day. The dairy limitations are definately one of the harder things to adjust to. I can't wait for stabilization to get another dairy! LOL

I do all the cooking so I can plan sometimes an entire week in advance. I would ask your hubby if he's making potatoes with dinner to make you yams/sweet potatoes and then you can use them as a veg and make up the starch later with something yummy like popcorn or 1/2 bagel.

I really like the HM bars that count as 1 Protein. Maybe you can use just half of one? Also, it's amazing how 1/2 oz of Cashews or almonds can calm a girl's hunger and many of us are always trying to figure out how to get two fats in a day.

Just some suggestions...maybe others have some ideas!

Hello? (echoing) Is anyone else here? LOL

I had a great weigh in today and was down to 176.2. I won't make the 160's by the end of August but I will by my birthday for sure I hope!

Tamara

Sorry I haven't been around much, I have wedding on the brain! 7 days to go!

I was also wondering if anyone found a protein bar that is equivalent (or better than) the Herbal Magic ones. I like the taste of the Caramel Nut one and the Coconut one isn't bad either. But they are soooo expensive! Sometimes I don't have time to plan a meal and I like the option of grabbing a protein bar, but the Herbal Magic ones aren't very sensible.

Limiting my dairy intake was the hardest for me when I started as well, but I agree with splitting them. It feels like cheating.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Hello everyone. I had my wi today and I'm down 8lbs and 9" since starting 4 weeks ago. I feel great and people are starting to notice which feels wonderful.

I've taken your advice Tamara and starting snacking on 1/2 oz unsalted nuts. It's surprising how filling they are and they really help with nasty constipation I've had since starting the program. You would think that all the fibre in the veggies would keep things moving!?! I haven't had to use a softener since adding the nuts to my daily regime so it has been a great help.

Thanks again for all the great ideas.

Valley Girl

Good luck on you big day Stella. I just know you will look amazing.
Valley Girl

Sorry for not checking in for so long...busy girl am I!

Stella4: I hope your wedding was amazing and you're having a terrific time on your honeymoon!

Valley Girl: I'm glad to hear that the nuts helped moved things along...LOL I have nuts at least 5-7 times a week and find that they help alot to tide me over when I'm feeling hungry between meals and don't have a planned snack.

I'm stuck at 174.6! Haven't moved in a week! Oh well...still lost 1" at yesterday's WI so am down 62.5" which is awesome.

We bought a new truck and trailer on the 27th of August and took it camping that weekend. We're off again tomorrow afternoon for the long-weekend. Hope everyone has a nice three days off.

Tamara

Hi
I am hoping somebody will tell me about H Magic. I don't have one close to me so I was wanting some information about it before I make the trip.
What is the plan? Are you really limited to what you can eat?
Do you have weekly meetings?
What are F/B's and S/B's? and can you buy the chromagic in stores? Are they supplements to speed metabolism?
What makes this work? I see alot of success here :)

thanks,
salsa

Hello everyone....Where is everyone lately?

Had my wi in last night. Down 11lbs and 13" and got my magnet WooHoo:carrot: Even better than that, I'm am now well below the obese category for my BMI. Doesn't overweight sound so much better than obese??lol

Salsa: I know it's frustrating when deciding if you want to sign up and you can't get the cost of the program out of anyone. The truth of the matter is everyone is different. Different goals, different health concerns different amounts to lose so as a reasult the cost is different for everyone. You really do have to go to a consultation (it's free) and have them review the program that suits your needs and tell you the cost. As for food limitations, you will hear that "it's not a diet - it's a lifestyle change" and that's the absolute truth. You eat your own store bought low sugar, low salt foods. They give you a very helpful book that explains how much protein, starch, fruit, vegetable, dairy, fat and free exchange (your treat) you should have each day. For the first couple of weeks you spend a lot of time weighing and measuring your food (ie 4 0z chicken = 1 protein, 1/2 c sweet potato = 1 veg, 1 small potato = 1 starch, 1 banana = 2 fruit). After a while it just becomes routine and you don't really think about it any more. I never feel deprived, I can even have a glass of wine on the weekend (my free exchange). In fact, I must have been starving myself before because I now eat more food than I ever have and am losing weight. I guess my metabolism needed the extra food to give it a kick in the butt.

Well I hope my rambling made sense to you Salsa. There are a lot of more experienced people on this blog that could give you more info than I can (My start date July 26) but I haven't heard much from them lately. Good luck and let us know how your consultation goes.
Valley Girl

Hello Ladies!

So long since my last post...things have been so hectic.

We're camping again this weekend...in the mountains, brrr! LOL

I hope everyone is doing great! I'm a slight 2lbs away from 60lbs! I'm really excited about it and have just purchased a weider home gym (on kijiji) and a bunch of exercise dvd's. I'm pretty sure I'm going to see a drastic difference once I get active. I've been talking about it for so long and have done really nothing about it. Now is the time! I just had my birthday last Saturday and had a not great food weekend, but still managed to maintain. It's amazing what HM does for a person's metabolism! I'm determined to hit the 160's by next Friday, despite camping this weekend.

My goal is December 22 and I'm determined that 2011 will be the first year in my adult life that my goal WON'T be to lose weight! I have lots going on over the next month but will try very hard to keep up with everyone on here!

valleygirl123: You're doing amazing! Let's hear how everyone else is doing as well.

Cheers, Tamara

I'm back!!!

Wedding was amazing! Everything went great and it was so much fun! We went to Cuba for our honeymoon and had a blast! Swam with dolphins, snorkeled, swam everyday... it was paradise.

Gained a little bit of weight while I was away, but it was so worth it. Finding it a little hard to get back on track, but I just have to adjust my mindset.

Hope everyone else is doing well! Congrats tamaraj on being so close to goal!

Im new here, My names Kelli, Im 24, Have a 2.5yr old son and I weighed 220lbs at the beginning of the week. I am now down to 211 so Ive lost the first 9lbs this week!! Yay me.

I joined Herbal Magic because I am a diabetic and I have PCOS. Weight loss even with exercise has been near impossible, but here I am finally losing!

I joined because I have 100lbs to lose and my friend Sarah lost 100lbs and has maintained it for over 2yrs now.

Im 5'5 and was recently in a car accident so exercise isnt even currently a real option... So far Im feeling positive :)

I only wish this was a private forum so we could share pictures.

Gosh I feel like I'm a deserter! Sorry I haven't been around...so much going on!

I'm still sitting at 170lbs (down 60lbs) but this morning my home scale weighed me at 169 so I'm excited to see what I'm at tomorrow at HM as their scale generally weighs me lower!

Stella4 So glad to hear that your wedding was great and you had a good time on your honeymoon!

BabeKins Welcome! Sounds like this may be just the plan that will work for you! You're doing amazing so far and I can't wait for an update from you to see how things are progressing.

I had a fabulous time in Mexico last month and then came home and had my back tattoo done (reward for losing 60lbs). If anyone wants to see it just look for me on Facebook (Tamara Jansen). BabeKins if you add me we can share photos there!

I've had my goal revised and my new goal date is April 6, but I'm determined to get there by mid-march (1 year anniversary at HM). I'll get back to bootcamp after the holidays and should be in good shape for summer this year!

How's everyone doing?

Cheers,
Tamara

Sadly my update is both Happy and sad...

After I posted the Green Tea supplement I was taking caused my Liver to start failing... Apparently I am Green Tea sensitive, which sounds ridiculous to me but the hospital trip after collapsing was very scary.

I took about a month off the lifestyle and then went into my Centre and spoke with my consultant. I had had phone conversations with them leading up to my return. They checked everything over for me and revised my plan.

I am now on QLP D4 and taking Vitamin B fat Blockers, Grape Seed and Chromium.

I am Blogging My experience, and it's helping me stay accountable to myself.
I have fallen off the wagon for days 2&3 but tomorrow is a new day and I look forward to it.

I failed to meal plan and so tomorrow Im going to ask for help doing so.

Im starting at 220 again but I know I'll get back down again :D

Tamara Jansen ... There are SOOOO Many people with your name! I have no idea how to find you.

Kelli O'Ceallaigh... Im probably easier to find.

Well... Happy New Year everyone. I'm here...I'm back...and the results aren't great.

I stopped HM in April 2010. I was very active until Feb 2010.
I torned ligaments in my hand and couldn't do kickboxing (which I was doing twice a week), stopped my yoga (couldn't use my hand for support),... I continued running for a while...until my mom moved at my house when my parents separated at the end of April.

My life became a turmoil...very emotional... unstable... and I turned to my best friend - food. Then came August and my grandma fell and was hospitalized for 1 month and had to be cared for for another 2 months at home. Again, I forgot myself and simply wanted to eat...

I had gained only 10 pounds...and then 15 pounds... but now, I fear... that I'm close to 30 pounds...

I can't beat myself up...but I can open my eyes and SEE...

It's been a hard year for me...but this year will be a year of new beginnings!

Hey Everyone,

I'm new to this all and just trying to figure out how to get around! Thought you sound like a great bunch for support, hope you don't mind me joining! Just started HM Nov 29, so far so good, but hitting a rut for meal ideas and need some extra support with others that are on it. Thought this place would be a good ideas!!

Welcome CLD :)

I bought Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cook Book when I got Bored of the HM Cook books. Btw we have roughly the same states so we should be pretty awesome support for one another :) My Goal weight is really low because Im 3 inches shorter & have had the benefit of a Bone analysis (ie. I sadly know how small my bones are and how much fat Ive allowed to pile on them :()

I'm struggling with being very ill for the last Month... it's been brutal. I can barely keep anything down and being diabetic Ive had to keep my sugars up.

I am Mentally getting more and more prepared to kick up to a very intense serious level, this is usually how I work for some strange reason, I commit half a** to things physically at first then when Ive mentally prepared, I nose dive full out into it until I reach my goals. It seems to work so I hope it works this time.

I am noticing that fast food makes me sick which oddly enough makes me happy, Ive been addicted to fast food for a while now because it's quick and Im soo busy I never have time.

I am beginning to enjoy cooking but I have a suspision that a dish washer may be the key to me eating full time at home LOL!

How is everyone finding the New Year as far as Support goes?

We're on Page 20... Does Anyone Else think we may benefit from a Fresh New Year Start with a new thread?

:)

Good morning girls!

I'm back...again...LOL

I've gained 8lbs over the holidays (totally eating off plan) and I QUIT SMOKING! I'm very proud to say I'm now a non-smoker and I'll take the 8lbs gain if it means I can never smoke again. An extra couple weeks to reach goal is worth it to quit that nasty habit that I've engaged in for 25 years!

I'm back on plan now and still hope to be back in the 160's by the end of the month. I'm doing workouts at home, bootcamp twice a week and hot yoga...so every day but Sunday I'm active and am hoping that will accelerate me back to where I was before the holiday and by holiday I mean (cookies, ribs, candy, chocolate, wings, pizza, peppermint lattes, donuts)...LOL

Hope everyone else is feeling committed and we can totally do this!

Tamara

Hello All,
I just started HM on Jan 21, and just wanted to join a support group for extra help along the way.

Welcome Bringingsexyback22: Congrats on joining HM! It's a great program and while I've been off plan for the last six weeks or so (boooo!) I'm back at it and determined to lose the weight I gained over the holidays and while quitting smoking!

What program are you on with HM? I'm on QLP1.

How's everyone else doing?

I am on QLP2 and according to my home scale, Iv lost about 4 lbs in the last 2 days. Im thinking that it's all water weight right? lol! How long was it for all you you gals to start seeing a difference in your clothes? Or other ppl to start commenting on your weight loss?
Thanks!

I just looked back at my journal and I lost 10.8lbs and 8.6" in my first week! So even if it is all water weight...who cares...loss is loss and inch loss is much more noticable than scale loss! I learned to really focus on the inch loss instead of what the scale says. Even with my gain over the holidays and quitting smoking I only gained back 1/2"...Yeah!

I believe that 8-10lbs is a clothing size so I started seeing a difference almost right away and had to start buying smaller clothes (the old ones started to look ridiculous) at about 6-8 weeks into my program. I went from a size 20 or 2XL down to a size 12 or medium tops/large bottoms in most things. I even have one dress that is a size 8 and fits awesome!

You may notice the difference in the fit of your clothing long before anyone comments on your weight loss. Some people are hesitant to say anything unless they are aware that you're make a change and others simply do not notice as they see you every day.

I'm determined to be at goal and into a size 6/8 before my wedding anniversary on June as I want to do a boudiour photo shoot for hubby!

I was on QLP2 as well but once I hit 190lbs I quit losing and they dropped me to QLP1...it will happen to you as well and boy did I miss that fruit/veg/protein in the beginning! LOL

Tamara

People who have the idea that low fat or no fat diets help you lose weight are proud members of fat loss 4 idiots. Truth is: the human body needs fats for tissue repair, energy and for the transportation of certain vitamins throughout our body like vitamins A, D, E, and K. We need calories to get energy for us to perform well. The ones that we should be avoiding are trans fat and saturated fats, as these are the ones that are harmful to our health.

Hello everyone,

Hope this group is still active. It is so nice to have somewhere to bounce ideas and feelings off someone. I started HM in Sept and lost around 20 lbs and 17 inches. Unfortunately, my mom passed away the end of November and that shook me. I weighed in today for the first time for quite awhile and have gained I thnk 7 lbs back. Hoping to start fresh in the morning and get some lbs and inches off before spring arrives. I know if I don't I will really regret it come summer time!! Good luck and good work to everyone.
Hope to chat soon

I have read most of this and the previous postings #5, #4, #3
this conversation either dwindled or another thread was started.
I am very interested in being supported and providing support to anyone doing herbal magic. (No I am not an employee) :)
IS ANYONE OUT THERE on the same path???
lets help each other!
Healingjourney