Welcome Angie! Join us on the Losers and Friends thread for most of our daily chatter. Jump in and ask us any questions you might have. Read the newbie thread for some help, and I would also suggest the "Thoughts on the Program" thread. For menu ideas, see our daily menu thread, and for additional inspiration, visit our daily reason thread.

Also... you can have eggs on your plan for breakfast! Welcome again.

Yeah Eggs for breakfast! the chicken/steak is a suggestion.

Hi Angie! Welcome aboard!!!

Hi Angie, good for you and welcome!!!

Lori

Hello! I am 33 years old and live in a small town near Raleigh, NC. I've been married 10 years, and we have two girls, ages 5 and 19 months. I work as a reporting analyst for a large telecommunications company, so basically, I sit on my butt all day. My weight loss goal is 33 pounds.

I joined LAWL last Friday because I was sick of not being able to wear any of my clothes, feeling like crap, and having fat hang over my pants. It was really an impulse decision, so I didn't do all the research I should have done until AFTER I joined, which was a mistake. However, now that I'm "educated", I know to expect the "sales pitch" next time I go in. I did my express on Sunday and Monday and just started the gold plan with LA Lites today. I go back Friday for my PSV, and I've already made up my mind that I will NOT do the bars. I like the taste, but they're just too expensive for our budget. I don't think I'll get too much flack because my center has been very up front with telling me that the bars are optional and that they will switch my plan if I decide against the bars.

I joined this board because it's one of the few places I could find where people are still doing the program, LIKE the program, and it is working for them. I decided to ban the negative opinions of LAWL, so that I don't doom myself to failure before I even get started good.

Look forward to getting to know all of you!!

Wendy

Welcome Wendy!

I loved having the steak for b-fast!

Hi, I have been reading posts on this website for the past week or so, and finally got around to becoming a member.

I am a 24 year old woman who just started LAWL last wednesday for the second time. I first joined during the summer of 2004 after I graduated undergrad. I was so upset about the college weight gain, I had to do something. So I joined with my mother, and needless to say we were each other's worst enemies. We would cheat together all the time. So when I left for graduate school. I decided to put my membership on hold, and kept telling myself that I would start again once I moved to NYC. And.... I did not.

That brings me to now, I joined again last week, after looking at myself in photos from the holidays. I was so disgusted! I use to be this beautiful athletic woman (never super skinny, but athletic build with curves!). This time I am joining for me, and not for what people THINK I should do about my weight.

I am very nervous to say the least, I do not want to be a quitter for a second time. I find it this time much easier, I think it goes with maturity and determination. But I am so glad I have this website for support and advice. I find it hard sometimes to talk to the people at my center.

Oh sorry for the quick repost, but I have a question for the women out there. I started my Take Off last wednesday. When I went to weigh in on Friday I lost absolutely NOTHING! I was pumped to get started on my Take Off too, I remember doing it 2 years ago and losing 5 pounds. How did I not lose a thing. I did everything with no cheating at all. I was SOOO good. But nothing!

My counselor asked if I was on my period, and I said yes, it just so happened that I started that the same day my Take Off started. She basically told me that this is normal since I was retaining extra water weight. I was so discouraged! She told me to come back in on Monday, which I did. And I only lost 2.4 pounds. I guess I was expecting to lose a lot more. Is this normal? Should I be expecting to not see a change weight wise during my period each month. How does everyone deal with this? I understand it is a natural thing, but does anyone have good recommendations for this time of the month?

Someone else can help with para two!! lol

I gained during the 2 day take off part as well. I stuffed my face with all the meat I could handle and threw in a few veggies as well. I found I was "bound" up for those two days...maybe that's why I didn't lose. Anyway, I didn't start losing until the take off part was over.

Curlyq...read up on some of the lemon water posts...that seems to help flush out the extra water, but yeah, I'm with you...I just did Take Off, lost 2 pounds, and then gained one back. How frustrating! But stick with it...it'll work in time, we promise!

And welcome!!

Welcome Curlyq! I know that some people don't lose during FF, and that is somewhat common. Depressing, but common. 2.4 since then isn't bad either. I agree w/Megan regarding the lemon water. Try the warm lemon water in the morning and evening for a few days and let us know what happens. Hang in there and join us in the Losers and Friends thread for some additional help with any questions you may have.

My name is Marianne. I am new to this forum but not new to LAWL. I have had success in this program. About 4 years ago my total weight loss was 30 pounds and I looked and felt great. So here I am again, but it is not so easy this time. As you get older, it gets harder. My daughter Nikki (truelies) 'dragged' me to this site to find encouragement and the inspiration to get back on track so I can achieve my goal.

Welcome Marianne! I too, am a LAWL veteran. About 3 years ago I lost 30 lbs, but found 20 of them since. It is coming off slower for me this time, too, but this site keeps me plugging along!

I'm sure Nikki has given you the rundown of this site, but most of our action occurs in the LAWL losers and friends thread, c'mon in and join us!

I am currently going into my second week of LA and so far even though my progress has been slow, I am determined and ready to make this a lifestyle change.

Prior to LA, I lost 100lbs in about 2 years and have since re-gained about 60 of them, again over a 2 year period. I was in denial over the past little while as I put the weight back on, and then looking at some pictures recently brought it all back! So here I am. The other diets I did were just that - diets - and very hard and/or next to impossible to keep up in the real world. I was sure I was NEVER going to allow myself to regain the weight but low and behold I did.

So that is what brings me here today. If you google "la weight loss" you will find a lot of negative information so that kind of turned me off in the beginning. Luckily I stumbled upon this site which finally gave me a positive image and I was also lucky enough to have a fabulous counselor on my first day who just got me so excited about the possibilities.


So here I am on the journey again...looking forward to reading all the interesting information and feeling the positive motivation.