I've got my 2nd day almost licked on the juice! I waited a little longer to start eating today, because of what happened last night with the stomach pain! Not eating in the morning doesn't usually bother me, so I started on my juice then @ 11a ate my first LA lite, now I have lunch in the oven (chicken tenderloins 2 and my 1 cup brocolli). This really hasn't been bad. With last night, the extra bar, sk. milk and tsp PB, I may not do as well but at that point I could have done worse! Anyway!

Congrats on your weight loss Sara and Tami! I agree with Sharon, the southern cooking got me too! It's hard to eat without all the grease and fried stuff. That's why my tastebuds are so screwed up I think!

OK, going to take a shower while the lunch is cooking! I'll keep you updated! Incidentally, Sharon, I haven't gone crazy on the juice yet! (HA)

Janie

Tami,

It is a shame that you feel you have to lie in your journal. sometimes I review my Journals when I am feeling weal, to lie in them wouldn't be very motivating!!!! Is there another counselor or another center nearby for you to switch to? You need the encouragement or you won't go back. It seems that the rebate criteria are very strict, you can't have cheated and have to have followed the program completely correctly. You also have to weigh in that stupid 3x week. It does make you more accountable, but doesn't allow for normal fluctuations and can make you crazy too. The counselors at my center are realistic most of them are on program or were on program and are struggling along with us. I am usually harder on myself then they are. They call me when I haven't been in for a few days and encourage me and have useful tips. I'm sorry your center sounds lame......
Sara

Sarah,

You're right about keeping an honest journal....and I've always been completely honest, but I'm tired of feeling like a kid going to the Principal's office. I suppose I should just say, "hey, just forget the guarantee--I'll forfeit it!" just so they'll back off and be realistic (& supportive!). I just don't feel like this is what I signed up for. And if the guarantee is just a selling point that ends up putting the staff in a confrontational mode with clients, then in my opinion they shouldn't offer the guarantee in the first place.

And, yes, there are other centers, but they're across town, and just not convenient at all.

My daughter is in the kitchen making me a snack--we bought one of those electric ice shavers at Walmart ($21). Great with a little Crystal Light or diet soda. I even took a bowl of plain shaved ice to the movies last night! That's my favorite new gadget--well, maybe tied with my George Foreman grill!

Tami

Hi Tami,
Do you cook alot on the foreman grill?
What are some recipes that you use or do you just put the meat on it and cook it plain?
I am looking for more ideas.
Just found out Saturday that there was a card with suggestions on it from restaurants and also for frozen food which they really don't advise using the frozen food. But I guess if I really wanted pizza I could get healthy choice if I was despirate.

Maybe we could start a thread with ideas for eating with the grill or any other advice like the shaved ice. I also shave ice and it is great.
00000000000000 calories.

Hi everyone
I had posted the other day--but, my AOL logged me off before it totally went through. I had spent a lot of time writting to everyone---so, this one is going to be quick.

Tami---I do the same thing you do. I sometimes feel like I am going to the principal's office. I jsut don't want to hear--you shouldn't have eaten this or that. I know I shouldn't have and don't feel like being "repremanded". ANyway, I really like the manager in my center. She is GREAT. Bela can vouch for that (she used to work there) There was one time I ACTUALLY wrote down what I ate at a party (it was BAD) the manager couldn't believe it!!!! I told her--look-I could have lied and then you wouldn't have said anything--I am only fooling myself. I used to write down BIG slad and one of the anorexic looking counselors (I'm serious) said--well, how big--make sure to measure---give me a break. It was the only veggie I had listed for the day--so, now I just write salad. In the beginning, when I wrote details, McDonalds salad with fat free dressing--a counselor told me--be careful with the FF dressings, there is a lot of sodium---well, let's see--I COULD have had a Double Cheeseburger and French Fries!!!!!!!!!
Just make sure you TRY to stay on track. You have to realize that you are human and we ALL make mistakes and if we were perfect, we would not have gotten the way we are. It is totally unrealistic to think we can NEVER have certain things. We know that eventually, we will have them. We all know how it is--if we deprive ourselves of something, sometimes afterwards, we eat something later that is actually worse than what we originally wanted.

Mom--have a GREAT time--you deserve it!!!!Glad to see you back!!!!!

Bela----great work!!!!!!! Did you know that the Scarsdale office is moving? Theyy moved this weekend--a little further up Central Ave--next to Funcraft (past A&P)

Wil let you all know how I do tomorrow at weigh in. I went lst week-and lost 2 pounds (had gained one lb on Monday--down 2 Wed)= 1 pound lose for the week. Total weight lose---- 46 lbs!!!
My jeans are getting lose on my waist!!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!! I am able to wear a pair I had bought before my trip in March (haven't really lost anything since then) and they now fit GREAT!!! Maybe I am losing inches!!!!!!!!!

Talk to you all tomorrow!!!!!!

Margaret

Sharon,

I looove my George Foreman Grill. I do mostly chicken breasts, some fish (found some wonderful individually flash frozen orange roughy fillets at Target), and occasionally a hamburger. I made up a Mexican seasoning blend from the LA WLC cookbook that I use a lot: Mix the following together in a shaker: 3 T. chili powder, 2 tsp. ground cumin, 1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 3/4 tsp. dried oregano, and 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper. Absolutely delicious on chicken, grilled, then thinly sliced and served on lettuce...then I cheat a teeny bit and add some picante (I know...sodium...but darn it, it's calorie free!) For the fish, I sometimes just add a good squeeze of lemon & some freshly ground pepper.

You mentioned that "they really don't advise using the frozen food." Do you mean the frozen prepared meals like Lean Cuisine? I'm sure they wouldn't recommend those because of the sodium. Also they tend to be a bit low in protein. BUT....sometimes the convenience is worth the trade off in my opinion. And I've got issues with the whole sodium thing anyway. By the way, I actually wrote a letter to a couple of manufacturers of the low-calorie frozen meals asking them to offer some with higher protein and lower carbohydrate portions. Would be helpful for all those folks on Atkins, the Zone, etc., too.


Maggie---

You know, I can understand the counselors pointing out program deviations to someone brand new to the program, and especially someone brand new to dieting. Beyond that it's nagging. And we should feel comfortable listing everything we eat for our own use--for encouragement when we need it, or to look back and say, now what might have triggered me to eat __________?, and what can I do next time differently?

Measuring your salad...LOL....been there, heard that!! Yes, I too had to explain that my normal salad is more than a cup of lettuce.

Boy you really hit one of my hot buttons about mistakes and getting right back on track. If I could learn one skill in this quest, it would be to be able to have a small amount of a "forbidden" food, and yet not have it trigger a binge. So far I've been able to do just that....but it's always a risk. I know from previous experience that small slips can soon to big slides. Have to take it a day at a time. Congrats on your success! 46 lbs & loose jeans = heaven!! Now go reward yourself with a manicure, not a sundae! LOL

Tami

Hi gals, ok here is my book. One day I went into lawl and i had put down salad and the gal goes now is it just lettuce or is it just mixed veggies. Now to me veggies are veggies. I DON'T sit there and measure my lettuce because there isn't anything to measure I just don't get it. and then one gal told me to drink only 64 oz of water even if you have worked out. I have heard that from another gal that I can have more then that. Then one gal told me that I should concentrate on my weightloss and not so much my toning. Now I thought that was part of this whole thing. I am NOT going to wait until the very end to start toning my flabby skin I feel that they have a lot of miss comunication going around there. One person tells me one thing the other tells me something else

As far as the cereal bars I was told that you could have only one of those a day. I love those things maybe I should have two a day. Buy your right everything there is so expensive. I had to buy renewal weeks and they asked me if I wanted to bulk on the bars and they gave tme the price and I almost fell over dead!! The gal said but you are basically getting two for free!! as it is it's like $28 something for 2 boxes and they last a week. But if it works then I will just keep buying them.

Karen M

I was talking about the frozen prepackaged food.
Did you see the brochure of the lean Cuisine and the Healthy Choice meals we can have, but they don't advise it. Why did they make up a listing for them if we are not suppose to use them?
I think Healthy Choice has less sodium of the two.
I have to weigh in tomorrow.
Sharon

Karen, I had a similar experience with the exercise issue. The counselors told me that they had a cabinet full of folders of people who had lost weight and then exercised and toned, that is the way to do it. I outright told them that there was no way that I was going to stop the weight training, that I enjoyed it, I am seeing the results and to lay off. They put me on the red program, because supposedly I was exercising about 5 hours a week and that was the policy. I lost nothing on red, went back to gold and told them I cut back on the exercise. I have in general, now I exercise about 3 hours a week. Anyway, my point is, that this is a lifestyle change, diet and exercise for the rest of our life!!!!!! You go and exercise tell them that there are studies out there that support exercise and dieting for those who don't exercise usually gain it back!!!! If it takes 6 months to make new habits isn't it more productive to use the six months to diet and exercise and not just wait until the end? These are the things that annoy me about LA weight loss. I go and take out of it what I need and let the rest go in one ear and out the other.
Sara

I did it! I did the two days on the juice and didn't cheat (well except when my stomach was dying, I had to drink some skim milk) but hey, if that's the worse I do then I'm not too worried about it! Yesterday I weighed in and I was still at 229.5. She said I should see a loss this week. It's given me a new motivation though. I'll be happy to see my fruit today. Never thought I'd say that but I feel like it's a long lost friend. The starches didn't bother me.

I don't know if I like all of these "tricks" to manipulate your weight loss and some of them can be expensive. The counselor yesterday was telling me that she had hit several plateaus and was telling me all these things she has done to manipulate her body into starting to lose. Oh well we'll see, I may be digging in my bag o' tricks soon too! Hope not.

Girls, I've been known to lie in my diary too, just to keep from getting chastized. Man, I feel like a kid answering to my mother!
Lately I haven't been keeping my diary and gotta get back on track with that too!

I need to get me a GF grill! You girls really are a good advertisement for them! Maybe this paycheck!

Gotta run! Congrats Maggie on your jeans getting loose! That's an awesome feeling. I was so excited when I got on some jeans that I hadn't worn in two years. Everyday I'm finding something in my closet that I haven't worn in a while. It's awesome!

Have a great day!
Janie

mom, I agree with you 100%. I think that it was wrong of them to tell you that you are woking out too much.I don't know how many hours I work out (somedays it seems longer then others
) but besides the point they say that muscle burns more then fat anyway. So I don't know were they off saying that you need to quit working out so much. My theory is that they want you to work out less so you don't make your goal on time and you fork out more money to reup on it. Thats what I think and I FELL FOR IT When I told them that I was having a whole bag of lettuce a day they almost fell over. they thought that was too much. I did cut that down to half a baf but now I am fighting the hunger thing. I don't know if it's because of the fact that I have also started to limit my carbos again or the fact that I am on that tri-max. What do you think??

Karen M

Just got home from weighing in.
I talked to the counselor about gaining last week
and I forgot about taking muscle relaxers can make
you gain, or should I say retain water.
I have been having back treatments and sometimes I take pain relievers if it bothers me too much.
I lost a 1/2 pound today and feel much better. I have not cheated, so hopefully there is a big loss somewhere coming up.
I didn't know we could go to other centers and have our papers faxed. I think I may have already told you this is what I want when I go to my Moms at the end of the month.
If I get her to join, even if she is out of state, I will still get $20 toward products.
Great.That is not why I want her to join, for her health. I thought we were going to lose her when we found out she had cancer. But looks like another chance for her.
Sharon

Hi guys
Weighed in today--bad news--gained 2 pounds. I know why--but, I can't understand why my pants are getting lose on me. Maybe, I am losing inches, and not wiehgt. Anyway, I think I will get myself measured one day this week when I know the manager will be there (I like my manager and I think it if good to be measured by the same person--measure at the same spot) I haven't gotten measured in over 2 months--at that time, I had lost 30 inches!!!!!! I am sure more, if they measured my arms. Has anyone had their arms measured? Maybe I'll ask her to do that. They moved into a new office this past weekend. I like the other one better. Not only is this one just a little further away, but, everyone can hear what is going on in the other room.

I am so determined now. The counselor gave me a new journal and said to start fresh and new. I WILL use it. I think I am going to go out in a little while with my son--him on the bike--me--walking.

Talk to you all again later in the week. Hope you are doing better then me. By the way, I haven't brought my journal with me the last few timws. Why bother writting grilled chicken and salad everyday (when I know that was not what I ate)

Take Care
Maggie

Karen, I don't know why you are so hungry, actually the trimax seems to quelch my appetite a bit. I don't think a whole bag of lettuce is that bad. It is only lettuce for pete's sake. I would increase my water intake a bit. I sometimes have weeks where I am starving and others where it is sooo easy to follow plan. I can't figure it out, and have stopped trying. I am trying to listen to my body and only eat when I am hungry. I know that afternoons are a tough time for me, and I tend to nosh. So I have to find something to keep my hands busy that doesn't involve eating. Typing at this keyboard is helping by the way!!!!
Sara

Hi all! I'm new to this post! I've been on LA and love it! I'm frustrated now as I haven't lost weight for weeks! Going thru menopause and my GYN put me on the pill to stop my periods and while taking the pill I got my period....while taking it! My weight loss has stopped! Thank goodness my clinic has put my program on hold til things get moving again! It's very frustrating! Has anyone gone thru this? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! thanks.....
tosca