good morning everyone!

I haven't been 100% OP since December 10th and when I weighed myself this morning, I am down 1 lb since my last weigh in OP! it's really hard to believe because I have been eating whatever... literally.

I had high hopes of starting back OP on boxing day but my whole family had an awful flu... it was disgusting... nothing worse then cleaning up puke when you are sick yourself. My stomach is finally starting to feel a bit better this morning. I have pushed back my official re-start date to Jan 2nd (I prefer Monday starts).

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! :)

I decided to spend the day working at home. I spent some time working on wedding things which was fun. The rest of the day... until dance that is.. will be cleaning mixed with chilling.

I just made a huge pot of my "chili" which is on plan. I'm not going full force back on just yet, but truthfully, it's not my cooking that gets me off plan... it's my laziness and emotional eating. That's going to be my focus for the next few months.

Hi! Can I join y'all?? You can read my siggy to catch up but basically I've had past success but couldn't figure out maintenance. I started running (YAY) but eating too much and things I shouldn't (BOO). Being that I'm insulin resistant, I packed on tons of weight really quickly. With all of that said, I'm pretty disgusted with myself and completely out of clothes (I gave them all away after the weight loss) and I started Phase 1 today. I've "re-started" many times knowing that I was just going to do it for a week or two until the next thing I had going on. Now, I'm really back and I set my goal lower and I am going to do this!! I'm also doing lots of reading and researching on emotional and binge eating. I want to work on the mental side of this weight loss and weight maintenance battle.

I've been terrified to come back and admit failure but I'm now ready to lay it all out there and start fresh. So if you'll have, I'd love to join the daily convo around here. Thanks!

Linden _ Get Well Soon!
thanks Marion, I will be on here every day, it's what keeps me honest.
Ash - join the club, we are all back on the wagon :)

Welcome! Don't be afraid to admit you messed up. We all do it! I think it's when we try to ignore it and sweep it under the covers that it causes big problems. I think it's a great plan to look at emotional eating and the things you can do to find other ways to satisfy your emotional needs. This is a challenge for me too. Since you know that you are more carb sensitive, it would also be good to start thinking about how you will eat when you aren't on IP. IP is a great short-term fix, but if we don't figure out the life long eating plan, it's easy to keep needing to come back.

I'd love to know your chili recipe and, to be honest, I'm not sure you're chilling. Well, maybe in your own way. ;)

Thanks, Bella, I'm bound and determined to get better. But I've been saying that for days, it seems; taking the stuff the pharmacist gave me; and popping vitamin C.

Mom of 3, I SURE hope you and yours are doing better. Yech. Starting and sickening isn't nice.

Ash, no lingering guilt here. You are ever so welcome and, well, we're all in this together so please join AND do well. I read some interesting stuff today about insulin resistance and potassium/sodium balance. You might want to Google that? I've been seeing for some time that 4,700 mg of potassium is now the recommended daily intake but I'd never seen the research behind it before. If you're doing alternatives this info might be really useful.

Welcome to our little group Ash825! Linden, hope you feel better soon. Glad to see everyone else back too!

I have decided tomorrow is the day. Headed to town to get the official bad news on my weight. It's not going to be pretty. I called our friends that we usually spend New Years Eve with and told them I can't put off my diet any longer and I won't be going out for the night. I feel like a stuffed sausage. Pants are tight, butt feels like it wiggles when I walk.

I'll post my weight tomorrow after weigh in.....I may have to shut my eyes while on the scale :( It's that bad. Dang it.....what was I thinking!

Hehe, you may have me figured out Linden!

So, here's what I do for my chili...

I begin by sauteing an chopped onion in about a tablespoon of coconut oil.
Then, I add a chipolte in adobo chopped small and some dried jalepeno. (I like it hot but not so hot it will singe my lips.)

Next I add my meat. Usually, I use lean ground beef, but today, I used the leftover turkey. When I add the meat, I look at the weight and shoot to have enough for about 5-7 meals which is at least 2 lbs, but I prefer 3-4lbs.

Season with chili powder and salt to taste.

After the meat is cooked, or very close to it, I add veggies. I used approximately 2 cups of raw veggies for every serving of meat. My choice for veggies is usually zucchini, sometimes mushrooms. Depending on the quality of vegetables, I might add a can of Rotello tomatoes which is basically tomatoes stewed with green chilis but since tomato is an occasional veggie, I don't always do that.

I just cover that with stock (watch ingredients) and/or water because I like my chili thick.

Once those have cooked down a bit, I add a box of fresh spinach. I think it's probably 4-6 cups and let that cook down the last few minutes. I don't eat a lot of lettuce, particularly when it's cold and my coach had told me I could swap spinach for lettuce anyway. I'm certainly not sweating the extra carb or two it might add.

There are people that would die to think I call this chili, but it works for me. It's unusual if I don't have this in my fridge---especially when it is cold out. When I make this ahead, it's easy for me to take it to work for lunch or have in the evening if I'm tired. If I crave something crunchy with it, I will top it with a few of the Southwest Cheese Curls.

Iowa, just remember that it's a number. It doesn't define you. You know how to lose weight and will do it.

Thanks Marionm:hug:

I may have to try your chili.....it sounds wonderful!

Wow! You took all the words out of my mouth! I lost 25 pounds at the beginning of the year and then slowly gained it back. In October I started again for a month a lost about 15 pounds and just gave up with Thanksgiving and holiday parties and then Christmas. I have come to realize that 1. I have to be committed 2. I have to phase off properly 3. I have to get into a workout routine before phasing off.

I have my sister's wedding in June and best friends wedding in September. In addition i want to be healthy for my son and hopefully try for baby #2 this summer. I am ready to start the journey again and be 100% op. I will be starting the 2nd when i will hopefully have my
products! I am excited to start eating healthy again and getting back to reading these boards!

kbkwright
KB, Welcome. It's a great time to restart, but really, any day is the right day to start making better choices. My daughter is getting married in August and my husband and I are dancing a routine in March so, I know the feeling of wanting to be in shape for a deadline.

Many things mulling through my brain this morning...let me go see what the orthopedic doctor has to say this morning. Have a great day!

:) I just looked at this thread and the last 6, now 7 posts (including this one) are from Iowa people. I'm headed in this morning for my weigh in. A new start! Today is the heaviest I will ever be. Down from here out. Lesson learned.

Before I head out the door, I'm throwing out all the bad food in the house.

Good for you!! And thanks for the good wishes. Right now IP is kind of the last thing on my mind. Just trying not to be ill and get dehydrated. If I had the energy :( I'd be angry about not starting full swing, after waiting around to do this for what seems like eons. Ah well, maybe the new year will look better.

Yuck! Feel better now! (Let me know if that works...:o)

Orthopedic doctor was fine. He took x-rays of my hips and back and the good news is there's no real sign of arthritis which makes me happy. There's a small cyst in the bone, but probably nothing to worry about. This means the diagnosis continues to be bursitis. Since I've had some improvement with just physical therapy, he's going to have me continue that and take a different anti-inflammatory med for 4 weeks. If I'm still having pain then, he'll do the cortisone injections which will should give me 6 weeks without much pain to practice for my showcase. I'm please with this outcome.--Actually, I'm really thrilled to not have arthritis in my hips!!!:carrot:

My ankle is improving slowly. That's a work comp thing so it's more complicated, but it will all work out.

Praying that as each of you is ready to begin again you will be blessed with commitment and dedication!