Melissa - hold to your guns! You don't need the bars - what they will do is up your program to the next higher level (probably red). . . The food on the program is expensive - all that chicken!

Okay, I'm not sure about the skin - that's a new one - I've heard one about muscles. . about the skin - if you've got a lot of weight to lose, it will take time for the skin to return to it's original shape -alot of that depends on your age(at 19 you should have terrific skin elasticity!) and if you exercise, etc. . . several of the chickies use various creams. . .

The other thing, is that the 50% rebate seems to be tied to the bars - if you don't get the bars, you are not eligible for the rebate.

Also, remember that the counselors work on commission - if you don't buy their products regularly and often, they don't make as much money.

I bought the bars in bulk at the beginning of the program - I'm not sorry, because they are yummy - but they ARE expensive. Don't feel guilty if you decide to put your money into other things - like your mortgage!

Someone else on the thread is doing the program without bars, and hopefully, they'll catch your post and give you more encouragement.

Hugs (and you're doing terrific!)

Julie

Oh GOD, another one to add to the list of LAWL Made-Up Theories to convince uneducated clients (all those out there not smart enough to come HERE and get the low down! ) to buy stuff they don't need!!! Didn't someone else on here get told that the bars will help skin shrink back? That's the biggest load of HOOEY I think I've ever heard...no, wait, not as big as being told the carb enders turn carbs into proteins.

Sorry, Melissa, I'm NOT laughing at you! I just can't believe some of the stuff these counselors will say to get people to buy stuff.

Julie is right on all counts. Look at it this way, you'll spend about three or four times as much on bars, over the course of your program, as you'll get back with your rebate. Not to mention NEVER cheating and NEVER skipping a weigh in...in theory it sounds like a great deal, but real life often has different ideas, doesn't it? I think you're making the right decision!

Fiona

p.s. I think I've been shorting myself of dairy the last few days - haven't actually been measuring the cheese I put on my salads - I'm just CRAVING cheese right now! I'm trying to decide whether to go with my appetite on this one or not... It's not like fighting a craving for ice cream or cookies, cheese is actually good for you, right?

May I ask what COD is? Center of Doom? Cave of Dread?

I'm Robin, BTW, and on the Gold plan I got from a friend.

Thanks!

Got it in one - Center of Doom is our "pet" name for the LAWL centers. Although I like Cave of Dread too!

Fiona

Thanks, Fiona! Mine will be the BOD, I guess. My scale is in my bathtub until we move next month because my bathroom floor is carpeted. (c:=

Robin

Melissa: I too had an episode with the bars, it was me who said that they told me that the counselors said it would keep your arms from getting flabby. I have some bars, but I did not buy them in bulk because of money. I know some of the girls including myself have substituted them with LUNA bars, you can buy them at the grocery store for about 99 cents. Just don't write Luna Bars in you journal I always put LA lite, I think Mandy had also told me that she substitutes string cheese for the la lite. I think the center just wants you to have the protein, protein does build muscle, but I don't think it can shrink your skin, maybe it will help a little? I think I have also heard you can subsitute yougurt. I am on the red plan, with bars which is one of the higher plans, but because I exercise a lot. I have heard of people being put on this plan becuase they have refused to do the bars.



Well today was COD day, and of course TOM day so it showed me up a little, but I know that I lost since saturday because my scale at home always ways me pretty close to COD, so although they say I am up, I say I am down. I am going to try really hard this week to be POP and show that COD that TOM is just visiting. I am mad at TOM though, because it keeps wanting me to eat bad things.

Well they say it is the soy and whey that helps with skin elacticity. But I'm replacing remedying that by having soy milk sometimes instead of regular. The whey on the other hand I looked on the internet for and it seems to be a protein used for bodybuilding because it builds muscles. They said nothing about tightening skin. The thing that gets me is that the first counselor I talked to said I needed the soy for the elacticity and the second said I needed the whey for that. Sounds like they say anything, but it still is hard to disagree with them when they give you that speech.

You said people substitute with luna bars. Sounds good at 99 cents each. I can handles that. Half the price and I can buy them at leisure when I stop in a store. But wouldn't I have to tell my counselor. They originally had me on purple when I went in friday and changed me to red when I refused the bars. Wouldn't I have to go back to purple if I add bars to my diet. And are they equal in proteins and calories? Just wondering.

Other than my episode with the one counselor today everything seems fine, though I realized that when looking for a pound or two weight loss at a time clothes can make a big difference. I went in and got weighed my first time in a flimsy skirt and shirt and went in next time in a shirt and heavy jeans. The scales are saying 1 pound loss but I figure with the weight of the jeans its probably more because my home scale is saying 3 pounds.

Went for weigh tonight.. 184 ...I am happy with that...and the DH apologized tonight and vowed never to be insensitive again...so I forgive him..I love him so I have to Well goodnight Chickies talk to you all tommorrow!!!

Well, my fiasco of a banquet last Thursday and my lackadaisical approach to my weekend didn't sabotage me as badly as I thought. If I could get the 10ths of pounds to work on my ticker, I am actually down a pound. Yay!

Melissa - I had a similar experience with my first counselor when I went to the second meeting and turned down the lites. You would have thought I had committed a cardinal sin! I swear I almost saw a very evil glare for a split second! Now I am into my 5th week and most of the counselors are pretty cool...well except for one who blatantly refuses to pick up my chart.

OK...I am off to read. Couldn't sleep last night and trying to deal with the sale of my old house in CA (means enduring my ex!). Keep up the good work...you are all my inspriration!

Hi ladies:

I'm going to be very busy today and the next week or so, so I will post and read while I can. Went to the appt to sign up my aunt for medicaid (the sick 1 that needs nursing home facitily). I thought that I'd be done after filling out the form and the appt was over. WOW, was I wrong. Now the work begins. Has anyone else ever expericenced this? I thought that I'd hand over her assets and they would take care of the rest. That's NOT the way it works. Now I have to prepaid her funeral arrangements and head stone, locate more (tons) of paperwork. Any transaction she's made in her savings/checking accts over $500 has to be accounted for (have to go back 3 years). Man, and after all of this - the application is only good for 60 days so I'm hoping they free up a bed for her soon! I'm going to be stressed to the max as I'm leaving for vacation on Friday, May 13th and need to get most of this done between now and then. Wouldn't be so bad if I didn't work a hour away from Syracuse as I could get some of the stuff done on my lunch hour. Fiona, maybe the stress will get me to my goal. LOL! I have to find something to laugh about because I'm feeling overwhelmed at this point. I just have to keep reminding myself to BREATHE!

Welcome all the newbies, and congrats to the losers.

Julie: I'm going back to last month's post to get the link you entered for the POA as I think I'm going to need it to get this stuff done. Thanks for the info.

Melissa save yourself the money and go to walmart, If I had found this place first I'd have $1500 more to my name right now.. I did the bulk pkg for the lites and their good but I don't think they should make us buy them all up front to get the lower price. You pay for the program all up front so its not like your going anywhere!

Melissa - You don't need the Lites and they don't make flabby skin go back in place. At my age, that is called plastic surgery Try the Luna bars, they are the same ingredients and cheap. My personal favorite is Nuts Over Chocolate.

Solo - If you want to show ounces in your ticker go to http://www.tickerfactory.com/ezticke...r_designer.php. Make your ticker copy the url codes and paste in your signiture on 3fatcks.

Went to gym this a.m. - it was cardio day. Tomorrow is circuit training.

Today is DH's birthday. I got him a card and a gift cert for an hour massage. I will also take him out to dinner at some romantic spot (that serves on-plan food).....

have to run and do some work......later chicks.

Good morning chicks!

The scale is still not friendly today, and TOM is still not here, but I will go to COD today - just because it's better if I go at least once a week!

Welcome to all you new chicks! Glad that you found us.

Sy -that info was posted by Melissa/videochick I think about the POA? BTW, My aunt had to do the same thing for my Grandmother - so that she could register for medicare when all her assets where depleted. To help that my aunt was allowed to pay for all funeral expenses from the assets so the family wouldn't have to come up with the $$$. It is a B*tch - and I wish people knew about these rules so they could prepare better.

Fieryredhead- I do substitute lunas for lites often - the thing is the lites are part of my daily calorie requirement - and they are looking for them in my diary. If you go the no-lite route, the lites are not part of the program and you'd have to adjust your intake back to purple for those days when you eat lites. (does this make sense?) -- if you want to do luna's, could you do a bulk purchase of lites for a few weeks, then stretch it out with lunas? It is still a fair amount of money - I think Haylo said she got 5 double boxes for about 135? (Haylo correct me if I'm wrong?) Your otehr option is to say that you bought the lites of ebay to save money. This won't make them happy, but I don't think they can do anything about it.

And the lites do have a fair amount of protein in them and keep the diet a little balanced. One thing for sure, I am past the point of wanting to binge on chocolate!

CAthy, good luck with the house sale!

Irish - glad that your DF is coming around!

Star - Hi!

Hugs to all,
Julie

Hello Everyone!

I asked the doctor about my skin elasticity and stretch marks. He told me that diet and exercise was all that I could do to help, unless I wanted surgery. He pretty much told me to deal with it, part of motherhood. I have horrific stretch marks on my stomach. I am extremely embarassed so no matter how skinny I get, no two-piece bathing suits or belly shirts for me

Cathy, what is this about a counselor that refuses to pick up your chart? Why?

Good Morning Chicks,
I'm back... and I get to start all over with my diet...How wonderful..
I tell you one thing. It is impossible to be on a diet at Talladega. Someone is always cooking something all day long.
But anyway, we had a pretty good time. The weather wasn't that great (except for Sunday) We had alot of rain, storms, wind and it was cold. Not typical Alabama weather at all.
I haven't had a chance yet to read the posts but I will throughout the day and try to get caught up.
So, I'm back OP as of today, so we'll see how it goes this time around...
I gained it all back plus 1.6 Hopefully it will come back off pretty fast since the gain was all in the days I was gone...
Ok chicks, Just wanted to let you all know that I was back. I'll check back in later.