Hi Everyone!! Happy Mother's Day! I'm going to my Aunt's to celebrate, and she is pretty health conscious, but usually has a huge spread of cheeses, salads, spreads, ect. I can manage not indulging for the appetizers, but I'm nervous she's not going to have anything IP friendly for the main meal. I hate sticking out at social functions. What do you all do when it's really not appropriate to pull out a packet, but you're expected to participate in a somewhat healthy meal, which isn't IP friendly? The worst is my mother, who pretends to be supportive, but weighs 103 lbs and freaks out when the scale reaches 105. She rolls her eyes at me when I'm dieting. She thinks I should just be able to do it like her and my sisters (both thin as well) and I've never been able to. I don't want to stick out today, and I don't want to cheat. Thoughts??

Good Day everyone - and Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers on here. Hope you all have a great day.

Cadu - read your comments about in the past not feeling as heavy as you actually were. That describes me too - I was always surprised (unpleasantly so of course) anytime I saw myself in a picture. I haven't yet lost enough for it to be really noticeable to anyone else, but I do see a major difference in certain of my clothes. I put on my favorite cotton 'lounging' set today, and it pretty much hangs on me these days. Still comfy though.

BTW - I too wish I could be a fly on the wall at the brunch today. I'm sure your SIL will be very envious of your new look!

I've read everyone's posts from earlier today, and want to congratulate everyone for staying OP and doing so well. I'm doing well, staying OP myself and just 'marching forward'. Today will be a fairly quiet day (I'm not a Mom - so no celebrations for me)... I'm actually going to look for another good 'diet related' book to read, and emerse myself in that.

Yesterday I did get my balcony cleaned up in readiness for planting in a couple of weeks. Here in Ont, Canada it's best to wait until after the May 24th/Victoria Day weekend to make sure there's no more frosts. It was a fairly big job yesterday, as this year I needed to totally replace all the soil in my containers (and I have quite a few)... had to empty them all, and put that old soil in containers that were a manageable weight for me to walk with, and haul them all over to a nearby vacant lot and dump it there. I wasn't looking forward to the job and I am glad to have it done... now the much more fun part of bringing in new soil, and the actual seeding and/or planting can soon begin. I have a couple of aches and pains today that probably come from that activity yesterday.

MooseLover - I really envy you your greenhouse btw! And all those wonderful rhubarb plants! (also so glad to read recently that you've been feeling better lately).

Everyone have a great Sunday. Stay OP. Cheers for now.

I sorry You will get through today! Let's see, you could make up a shake in advance, put it in the fridge to stay cold, and pour it into a empty Starbucks bottle (the ones you get at gas stations etc.?) and pretend you're just drinking that...or, slice about 5 cucumbers and make a "Mothers Day" veggie tray out of them, broccoli, cauliflower etc. and bring your WF dressing to sneak and put on your plate instead of the "actual" ranch in the veggie tray? Take that bar you mentioned, chop it up into 1/2" x 1/2" pieces and put it in a baggie of some sort so you can "snack" on something that doesn't look like a protein bar ... um ... aside from that? I got nothin'. My mother in law is like your mom, but she has to fight to keep weight ON, skinny thing freaks out and stops eating when she gets stressed, drops under 100 lbs and then we make her start eating.

Thank you Kaypix. I like the Starbucks idea...that would definitely fly with this crowd. I think the key is to not be hungry there, so I'm not tempted and to just take a normal seeing of food and kinda leave it on my plate. I'll let you all know how it goes!!

MooseLover - I really envy you your greenhouse btw! And all those wonderful rhubarb plants! (also so glad to read recently that you've been feeling better lately).

Everyone have a great Sunday. Stay OP. Cheers for now.[/QUOTE]

I will have to post a picture of my greenhouse. It is amazing and huge for just a personal one. And its heated!!! We just have the heat on 55 at night. It gets plenty warm in there during the day. I am feeling much better this week. Thank goodness!!! That 28 day TOM about did me in...

Ok, here is a view of my backyard greenhouse and garden. I love this <3

Good morning everyone! Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms!

It is a beautiful day here in my part of the woods; it may get up to 80* which will be the hottest day of the year so far! I am going to son and DIL's to see my favorite (only) grandchildren. Just going to take my IP lunch and fix them a ham an veggie crustless quiche. It will not bother me today to watch them eat; I will enjoy the kids!

I am at week 4 and struggling a lot! I sure do appreciate being able to come here and get encouragement. Friday was an extremely hard evening any several of you really helped talk me off the ledge of a cheat; thank you so much. I love this forum and all of you here to support on another! My big thanks!

Sometimes when I look in the mirror I don't recognize myself. I looked in the mirror this morning and my collarbones are starting to poke out. I don't EVER remember seeing those things, I didn't think I had any....lol....I am glad you started taking your monthly pictures, it makes a difference!

A year ago, I wouldn't go anywhere with my boys, they are 20 and 23, they knew it hurt me so much to walk. Now they tell me I walk to fast...lol...I am like keep up....lol. Its great to be able to do the things we couldn't do before. You have the self confidence you didn't have before losing the weight you have so far. Be very proud of yourself and you strut your stuff at the water park. You are just showing people that no matter what size you are you can be proud of yourself. I have never had a problem going to the pool even when I was bigger, but now I am like HA....I look good in my suit AND I am smaller than some of them there. Flaunt what you got I say.....lol

Start taking pics of yourself so that you can see the difference. Take that step, you will be glad you did right Cadu?

Like proteingirl said you will gain 10lbs!!!......haha....NAHHHHH....don't worry, you will be fine. You didn't use enough of it I am sure to do any harm. There is no need to freak out or be bummed. It's life, sometimes there are things out of your control and you just have to deal with them as they come. Drink lots of water and stay OP, no worries

Good morning everyone, Lots of great NSV and WI's this week. I went to a party last night and saw a guy I used to "talk" too. He didn't know it was me...haha.....I went up to him and said HI, I haven't seen you in forever. He looked at me puzzled and said Lisa?....I just laughed and said yup its me. He said if it wouldn't be for your eyes and smile I had no clue who you were. Last time he saw me I had really short hair and of course was much bigger....He said we need to get together sometimes....I said sure just let me know, cuz you are dating someone, not me....hahah. There was nothing I could have there, but they did have burgers so I had a pattie wrapped in lettuce. A few people looked at me like I was crazy but I was like yup that is right I am eating....lol...and of course drinking my water while they were all drinking daquari's. I think I was the ONLY one not drinking which was fine by me cuz they were all being fools, so I got a good laugh watching them.

Hope everyone as a great day!

Happy Mothers Day to us moms! My special Mothers Day meal will be DH and the kids taking me out to a Mongolian Grill restaurant. Turned out the kids got a little sniffly this past week once again (mostly the youngest is showing mild sickness) and FIL has auto immune problems that would prevent the normal celebration, so I got to actually pick where I'd celebrate this time! What better place than the low carb paradise called the Mongolian Grill. I can load up on meat and OP veggies, I'll have to watch my seasoning sauces, stick with water with the meal or maybe splurge on ice tea if they have Splenda packets at the tables. And I really doubt any of the Mongolian restaurants have quite the pull for Mothers day celebrating as the standard type or major chains. What could have turned into a really awkward day of me saying firm NOs to cake and starchy dishes is turning into a day that I don't have to hide and I can just be OP! I think once I have losses that are a little more noticeable (like closer to 20 lbs) it'll be easier to reinforce my points at these gatherings.

I have total garden-envy! Oh my gosh! What do you all grow in it?

Glad you made it through Friday, and HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

Wuv-You make so much sense sometimes! I was considering taking photos every week, then though "nah that's nuts" so I'm taking one every 10 pounds instead, figured it's less photo bucket editing I'll have to do at least. And seeing former flames, friends etc. is so motivational when you see their faces right??? I was skinny-ish-athletic in high school but people saw me balloon up over the last decade. The reunion is summer 2013 and I want to go back and blow them all away Big goal for me.

Le' Yum! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY and enjoy your mongolian grill

What a great idea! Mongolian Grill is one of my favorite places to eat when we go to Yakima. Here in E'burg, my fav is the Pita Pit (I do the salad).

Lot's of love & good wishes to everyone for Mother's Day!

I love going out on the Chena! What kind of boat do you have?
Lol we have been consumed by yard work here for the last week as well, it's funny... After the long winter and dirty (long) spring we just want the yard to look nice!
I was driving up Chena Hot Springs Road yesterday and everything was so green, there were leaves everywhere.
You are a lucky lady with that set up!

I agree with Chloe222, you look amazing and you are going to knock her socks off!

Greenhouses are wonderful. I just gave mine away about a year ago after 15 years. That was our first step towards clearing everything out here in Georgia to retire in Michigan. I never did anything with veggies, but started with orchids. The surrounding trees grew over the years and shaded it too much and I gave the orchids away. I also had about 20+ citrus trees in pots. That was fun getting lemons and oranges, etc. from them. They went with the greenhouse down to Florida. The trees are very happy now planted in the ground and my ex-boss' wife if thrilled with the greenhouse. I do miss it, but I will hopefully have a new plant growing life in Michigan. We've already started rhubarb and asparagus there.

As things grow in your greenhouse, please post pictures for all of us to see.

Thanks for sharing, Molly

WHAT a great mothers day this is, I jumped on the scales this morning and yippee I am in the 180's (189.7), I haven't been that weight in years. Just need to lose another 1.5 for 20 lbs. gone, hopefully I can do it this week. I would like to wish all mothers a very happy mothers day,and hope that the whoosh fairy visits you all.