I'm glad you checked in this morning Rennie. Now we need to hear from our 2 other Carolina residents. We got a storm overnight, but on the news they said the south got hit much worse than we did.

Rennie, when are you due for an A1c check? I am curious to see how it is. You HAVE lowered your BS a lot, even thought you get those ups and downs. You have done very well on your weight loss, and your exercise is good too. You might not be spiking much after meals, so it might be better than you think.

I got my body shapers from Dream Products online, but I checked yesterday and they don't carry the ones I bought anymore. They did not roll, but sometimes the top slides down and the bottom slides up. I think that's from age. They didn't do that when I first got them but I think that came from washing them. I have had them a couple years. I have another one that I bought at Kohls on sale. It doesn't have a bra, but it has straps that go around the bra area. I haven't worn it yet. It's a little tight, but the price was right and I figure I can wear it as I lose a little more weight. The ones without a bra or pants are very hard to find, expecially since I don't want to spend a lot of money on them.

Shannon, you are not losing weight because your body is adjusting to the initial rapid weight loss. That was a shock to your body. Don't get discouraged. Keep doing what you're doing and it will start coming off again, albeit more slowly.

Shannon, okra is a southern thing. You rarely see or hear about it up north, except from people who moved here from the south, and they are complaining that they can't get it up north. Some stores do have it. When I make vegetable soup, I think it should have okra in it, so I have found a store that sells corn, tomatoes and okra together in one can and I add that to my veggie soup. My step son and his wife pick it out of the soup. I have never had it breaded and fried. I probably would like it, but don't want to add any more breaded and fried foods to my diet! LOL

Trish, I am reading the book by Michelle May, Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes. It reminds me so much of you. Like you said, it is about IE, especially about how to keep the foods you love in your diet without going overboard. I like the references to what actually constitutes a portion of carb. Much smaller than most people serve. I am hoping that I reach the point where I can add small portions of carbs, but I'm really not there yet. I need to lose more weight and get my bs stablized before I can do that.

Last night I made stuffed peppers. I bought 2 big peppers, one yellow and one red. My protein was a mixture of ground beef and hot sausage. I added some sauteed onion and canned tomato sauce, salt and pepper. I had 1 cup of cooked rice, but I only used about 2/3 of it, so my portion contained about 1/3 C of rice. I filled one pepper for DH then I added some black beans and chopped spinach to the filling and stuffed mine. There are so many ways to add bean and veggies into your meals. I poured additional tomato sauce over them and heated them in the microwave, since everything was already cooked. It was delicious and I felt completely satisfied. Before dinner I tested at 99 and afterwards I tested at 117, so no big spike from 1/3 C rice. Before bed, I had some ice cream, and that was my downfall. I don't usually do that but DH left a small amount of ice cream in the carton and I didn't want to waste it. I would have been better off wasting it. My weight is still down this morning. I'm back to 194, but probably would have been lower without the ice cream. It's gone now, but I wish I hadn't eaten it.

I am trying a different bread, too. I always bought that Nickles 35, but this time I bought Sara Lee multigrain. It is 45 cals per slice instead of 35, but it has more fiber and protein than the Nickles. I put it in the freezer, and on those days when I really want a slice of toast with my eggs, it's there. I forget it's there. Out of sight, out of mind.

In the Michelle May book, she says to decide if you really, really, really, really want the carb you are about to eat. It must pass the "4 really" test.

It also tells the story of a woman who was craving the cookies she had made for her kids. Instead of eating them, she ate something else. Not satisfied. So she ate something else. Still not satisfied. In the end she did eat the cookies, but realized that she would have been better off eating 2 cookies with a glass of skim milk in the first place. She would have had what she was craving but not all the extra food she ate trying to avoid the cookies. This is why I like to eat real food instead of trying to substitute. There area some substitutes that satisfy me, but others leave me still craving the original food, so I'm better off to "eat what I love" and try to find a way to fit it in.

LOL DH is watching Let's Make a Deal. This one contestant was really energetic and Wayne Brady asked her what she contributed it too and she said "Thanking God every day." Another woman stood up and said "Prunes!" LOL

Good morning Carol Sue! We are alive and well too. Our new weather radio woke me at 5 with a tornado warning in Rennie's area and I couldn't get back to sleep. 30 min later it went off and had expanded the warning to my area so then I was really awake. Finally got back to sleep an hour later but the little one was up not too much later. It will be a long day, lol!

Fortunately the scale dropped today but I agree, the more I thought about it yesterday the more I realized my body probably needs a "pause" to adjust. I'm just dreading when my journey reaches the point I have to count anything or follow an actual diet vs just cutting out the higher carb foods. Counting and diets (following specific guidelines) are historically bad news for me. My eating disordered behavior (binge eating disorder) is triggered when I feel I have failed or when I try to do something perfectly and cannot. I've had years of counseling and have worked through these mental issues mostly but it is still a trigger with diet/exercise. When I count I become hyperfocused on the numbers and if I go outside what I'm supposed to be at it really affects me. If you read any of the posts over in Chicks In Control (esp the Intuitive Eating threads) you will see many others who cannot "diet" for these same reasons. I have spent years starting a diet only to realize a week later that it was doing me more harm than good and quitting. I have restarted at Weight Watchers so many times I've lost count but tracking just undoes me. It's kind of hard to explain because frankly, it sounds kind of dumb but the brain of someone with an eating disorder just sees things differently than what common sense might say. So, anyway, all that to say, I am just hoping to get further along and feel more confident before subjecting myself to plans, counting or recording food.

The roasted okra is not breaded or fried. It is drizzled with olive oil and salt/seasonings then cooked at a high temp like other roasted vegetables. It was really good! In a previous job I had colleagues in another office in NJ. One of them worked closely with me and I found out he was from the south. He paid me to pick up and ship him jars of pickled okra! Personally I don't like it pickled, thought it was really funny that he did.

I'd like to know about your A1c too Rennie!

Loveb ! Fab results overall.

Shannon : Just say safe, and be prepared, enjoy a cozy night in with your family.

Feeling a little odd today, not sure if I have a burgeoning infection or if my body is reacting o an increase in whole grains. my energy levels are fine i just feel slightly uncomfy internally if that makes sense.

Drinking lots of tea and I am going to try and figure out where I can scale back, i know I ate too much yesterday.

Sounds like an interesting book. We start going back to the library regularly for storytime when preschool ends so I will look for it. I have, so far, been enjoying my substitutes. I am trying lots of veggies that I never gave a chance before and I really love the sugar free, wheat free cookies I make each week. Regular cookies never satisfied me and I would eat way too many (like half a pkg at a time, 10+ cookies!) but these wheat free cookies are much more "dense" from the fat in the almond flour. I really can just eat 2 or 3 and they taste good. I don't feel like I'm really substituting, just acquiring a new taste.

Great minds think alike, stuffed peppers are for dinner here tonight!

Thought of you gals when this canned tuna recipe showed up in my blog feed today!
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/04/c...a-ceviche.html

Thanks Shannon I owe it to the consecration

ON THE SUBJECT OF MY A1c - I have not had it checked in awhile thanks to no insurance. My husband started the process but has not finished (WHY? I don't know). I do have kit to send in I just haven't done it. (WHY? I don't know). but I will do it in the morning so that we know. My fbs have been in the 130's.

Thanks for checking Carol Sue, I have two that are the body suit type that were extremely tight. I wore one on Easter and it wasn't that bad and it held they belly in pretty well I like the idea of eating what you really want and that is what I have been trying to do within reason. Yesterday I wanted chocolate chip cookies (which reminds me I forgot to add them on MFP) but we went to Aldi before the gym and I got the cookies. I ate 3 and I was done for 160 calories. They weren't bad and the 3 weren't enough I could have definitely ate more but I didn't (pat on the back )

Shannon if everything is going well for you the way you are doing it I wouldn't track. But I think you said you actually hand write some things out, right? The only way for me to stay OP is for me to record my food before hand. If I am left to think it out during the day rest assured the day is gonna be a fail. I am not disciplined enough to eat like I am supposed to. With carbs I haven't had any rice, pasta or white loaf bread since before January 2 of this year. I don't think I would have an issue with the pasta but rice with butter is heavenly to me (I'm like Carol Sue with butter and bread). The Healthy Life bread that I buy I store it in the freezer and take it out as I want it which is not that often because it's not that great IMO. Potatoes I like any kind of way they are prepared. I was gonna make Au Gratin potatoes for two of the kids and my husband last night and quickly changed my mind because I would have had at least a saucer full. Fries I can eat in moderation if cooked at home, take out is a whole nother story . I'm saying all of this to say do what feels right for you. When you think you are going to do something against your plan send me a message ... we can talk it down together just don't wait is what I have learned the sooner I talk about it the less likely I am to mess up I don't know where all of that came from but sometimes I need to see my flaws (mishaps in black and white ) Shannon did that down pour just come through there? Oh my goodness I could barely see out of window, just like at 5:10 this morning.

Thanks silentartic hope you feel better soon

Trish where are you?

Oh and someone was saying they gave up fried food. My son fries chicken at least two-three times a week. I eat my 4ozs of boneless skinless lightly battered chicken thighs and I have no problems at all.

it has been a good day. My husband and I went to the gym I burned 300 calories so I'm happy

I am fine. We didn't even get much rain, but we are supposed to get rain tomorrow and Friday. We'll see. Hope everyone is safe. Really bad storms all across the country.

I've been here trying to get my head on straight. I know I have to low carb and I guess I've been fighting it or maybe I should say fighting through these crazy feeling. I got my newest Atkins book out to do some reading hoping it will help me get back on track which I am actually on track so far today. Wednesday is usually a tough day for me, but it actually worked itself out. I made tacos for lunch and talked myself out of eating the tacos. I made a big tacoless salad by making my usual salad and just adding the taco fillings on top. The neat thing is that I could not eat it all so I saved it to eat when I get home from church tonight.

I know I have to do the low carb because it is obvious that it is the way for me to keep my fbs under control. Just a few days of eating carbs and my fbs was 158 yesterday and and 144 today. My weight jumped up to 227.8 a few days ago and is back down to 225.6 for the past 2 days. These results are just not acceptable. So I'm eating lower carb again but not back down to induction, because I am eating small amounts of beans each day to get some fiber.

Rennie You are having great results. I am so happy for you.

Shannon You have done great and now your body is just trying to catch up to the weight loss as it gets ready for the next round of weight loss. Wonderful. Thanks for the tuna recipe, looks good so I printed it to try it. It will be a nice change.

Carol Sue I am convinced that if we would eat what we crave that we probably would be satisfied with a smaller portion. I know when I don't listen and give my body what it asks for that by the time I do cave in and give it what it wants that I overdo and end up almost making myself sick. I'm also sure that if I would do it that I could use IE rules with low carbing. Now to just do it. Thanks for sharing from the book.

Silentarctic Hope you feel better soon.

Ruthie Always good to hear from you and glad things are getting better for you.

Just been staying busy around here. Heading to IN in June and then on to TX to see my family so lots to do. Spending lots of time on phone calls with my kids and DH DD is trying to make her way back into our lives which I'm kind of the go between with her and her daddy. He is pretty hurt by the way she has done him and some how I have to help them mend their differences. I'll try to check in even if only to say hello.

Y'all have a good evening.

Thanks for the recipe Shannon

Trish glad you checked in I want tacos every time I hear someone mention it. I personally think you and Shannon are doing well My fbs is interesting also, not crazy high but after seeing 108-111 I'm a little disappointed seeing the 130's but like Carol Sue said they aren't in the 200's anymore, thank goodness Hoping things come together for your husband and his daughter

Trish, we all have to work through this and learn what is going to work for us. I am like you that I know that low carb is what I need to do, but I am not always good at sticking to it. I've done a lot better in the past 2 months than I have for a long time, and my BS shows it, just not my weight.

This morning I ate 2, not 1, english muffins. I knew it would spike me but I ate it anyway and had to take a glimiperide to counteract it. I was not hungry at lunch time so I didn't eat til dinner. I felt very shaky, so I tested and was at 85, so the pill and my afternoon exercise did the trick. For dinner I had chicken cacciatore, with grilled asparagus. I still didn't freeze my Sara Lee bread that I bought so I ate of slice of that at dinner. It tastes much better than the Nickles 35 bread. I have now put the loaf in the freezer so I won't eat another slice today. I didn't take a pill at dinnertime because when I do that, it seems to bring me too low near bedtime and I don't want to have to eat again to counter-act it.

Shannon, I saved that tuna recipe in my online recipe file. I never think to put all those different things in my tuna.

I read the Chicks in Control sometimes and have posted there a couple times. I think I also have binge eating disorder but have never been in counseling or actually gave it a name. My main problem would be I wanted to finish off all the "bad" food because I was going to start my diet tomorrow. I never connected it with emotions, I just wanted to eat, and it was always carbs. No wonder I became diabetic.

Artic, I hope you feel better!

My daughter picked out a recipe for me to make today (and her to help). It was complicated but yummy. Gluten free, low carb Strawberry Hand Pies

That's sweet Shannon, I love the Mommy and Me time How's your brother and his wife today? I'm gonna have to meet you in Brier Creek for a sweet care package

I saw those kits when I was at Walmart one day and wondered about them. You can be my guinea pig! We didn't have insurance for a month when my husband was laid off earlier this year and I got two sinus infections and my daughter got an ear infection. Three trips to the dr. Really? One month??

I am not writing anything down right now other than weights and measurements (of me, not food!). As long as I am losing I intend to keep it that way. I just figure at some point I might have to get stricter to continue losing. But, we'll see. I got nervous when the scale stopped that the time was now but honestly, TMI, I think it was potty related. I have been having some bathroom issues but they see, to be moving along, pun intended, lol.

Here it thundered for several hours and then finally poured for a while but then it was over. Thank God! I hope that is the end of it. I have been sneezing all day like I'm getting a cold so I just drank a cup of Emergen C and I am going to bed early. I have to volunteer at preschool tomorrow. Hopefully I can up early and get my eggs in otherwise I am going to be super hungry.

LOL! The reason you love it is bc your daughter is old enough to not destroy the kitchen while helping you! It took me hours to get my kitchen back together! It always starts out fun and ends up with me fussing at her and feeling bad :-( I have signed her up for a week of half day camp at the Y in June that is preschool cooking. She will love it!

I did not talk to them today but they were both back to work. And yes, I would love to share my goodies. No one else really eats them here so you would be doing me a favor!