I made up a new ticker just for the 15 Pounds by New Year's Challenge!

ohhh that's a great idea! I'm going to do that right now!

shrink, it's funny how I didn't really even pay attention to what you chose for your ticker or I forgot and then I ended up choosing a butterfly like you!

jumping on the band wagon! im restarting tomorrow

I'm glad we have so many people joining in! I think coming here often keeps me on track.

I'm thinking I should do good at Thanksgiving as this year my daughter will be at her dad's and I will probably have to work since I'm starting a new job next week and it's transcribing for a hospital account. That's really ok with me as I won't be tempted by desserts lol... Christmas is going to be my tempting holiday.

I feel stronger this time and feel I can really do this.

Thanksgiving is going to be a huge challenge this year. My hubby is going to make the turkey, which is good because I am a vegetarian. I have to make the dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and the yams. YAMS! Aaaaaa! (OK I will be struggling with temptation because of the yams, especially because my yams are grown in my garden.)

I am also making mashed cauliflower for myself, tofu turkey for myself and my son, low-carb cranberry sauce, low-carb dressing, and vegetarian gravy. That's a lot of cooking!

I may have to make a small yam side dish for myself. It won't be low-carb because yams just aren't. But it can be "lower" carb and healthy, right?

Count me in!! I am back on the band wagon and feel like I have had quite a bit success both with doing Atkins and being part of a challenge.

Today: 145. Goal 130

holidays are just hard!!! i think in the big picture. those couple of days wouldnt kill us to go off plan. and wouldnt make us feel left out.

I'm in! I started on Monday at 310.5 so 15 pounds would be...294.5? That would be a really nice number to start the year at!

Two things I make for me for the Thanksgiving dinner are 1) the faux mashed potatoes and 2) I make quiche and use celery, cut up pieces of whole boiled eggs, onion, ect ( stuffing stuff) and I season it with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. It tastes close enough to dressing that I don't feel deprived

Islandchick's Cauliflower Soup with Leeks

2 celery stalks...diced
1/2 c. butter
1 clove of garlic...minced
3 leeks diced (Use the white tops and about a third of the green bottoms.....minced. You can also use green onions instead of the leeks. If I do that, I use almost all of the green part as well.)
1 head of cauliflower (stalk and leaves removed; cut it into 4 quarters to help it cook faster.)
2 1/2 TBPS of olive oil
1 can of chicken broth
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 to 3 cups of water.
1 8oz bag of the cheese of your choice. (I use the finely shredded 4 blend Mexican cheese.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I put the cauliflower on to boil for about 20 minutes; leave it in quarters.
While that's boiling, I sautee the leeks (or onions), garlic and celery in the olive oil...takes about 10 minutes or so.

I drain the cauliflower but save about 2 cups of the water. *I put the cauliflower and the water I boiled it in into my blender and mix it up really well. The consistency should be like a watered -down mashed potatoes. I pour that mixture into the pan I boiled the cauliflower in. I add the sauteed veggies, the chicken broth, the butter, the extra water, the heavy whipping cream and stir. When it is nice and hot and mixed well, I add the whole 8 oz.bag of cheese. Since this is feeding serveral people, I don't worry about using all 8 ozs. of the cheese. I stir in the cheese until it's melted completely. I use salt and pepper to taste and add some additional garlic and onion POWDER to taste. You just won't believe how awesome this tastes on a cold winter day

*Note: If you have an immersion blender, it's made to handle hot foods. If you're using a standard blender, you may want to cool the cauliflower/water mixture quickly before blending it. I just set the pot on a layer of ice I've created in my sink for a few minutes. Sometimes hot liquids in a blender will "blow up," leaving you with food and liquid all over your kitchen.

So exciting to see so many joinng the challenge - I really feel that having this group is a big help for me. I hope it does the same for everyone else.

I'll be making my MILs jello recipe for Thanksgiving and bringing the fauxtatoes (cauliflower casserole/ mashed cauliflower) I'll be trying different recipes from now till then. I think I will resist temptation on the stuffing because it usually isn't the kind I like and if I have the fauxtatoes I will be good on the potatoes..

I've been surprised by a few things this time - which makes me feel that this is the time it will work and hold for me-- things that normally would bother me aren't bothering me - like Halloween candy and bread - I may have a momentary thought of how I would enjoy it but then it is gone ...

I do have to admit that I wish I were losing faster - I know I am doing great and my loss is actually right where doctors want it to be at an average of 1.5 a week - but dang I want to lose more and faster - normal I know

5 lbs at a time - I will are it... (I refuse to think beyond 5 lbs at a time so I won't get overwhelmed by the journey to come)

I feel like I'm cheating on this challenge, because I'm on induction! I am finally (I think) thhrough the withdrawals. Feeling much less fatigued today and no headache! Yay!

welcome all new people! this will be fun! I would love to start New Years off at a smaller weight and to get a jump start on my New Years resolution! haha..

I'm going to stay on induction for a few months with the occasional LC dessert to get me through those chocolate cravings!

I want to make it to onederland soon!

thank you for the ummy recipe, im going to try it today. Its been three days since my starting over and not feeling to bad. Still looking around the corner at the breads @@@@ good luck to all