This is so kind of you. But the truth is I'm a bit limited unsophisticated (and somewhat reluctant to improve) as far as spicy foods are concerned. But to add insult to injury, I'm so allergic to eggplant that it tears the skin off the roof of my mouth. So I thought I'd send my son the recipe then remembered that we can't use cilantro here unless we grow it and I'm out of seeds until the spring. Boy, did I luck out. BUT, I'm told that the chocolate zucchini bread was stupendous. I'll get to taste it one of these days.

Paintlady, yesterday my doctor gave me a prescription for Biotin that contains 100 mg of biotin, 12 mg Vitamin E, 2 mg of Beta-carotin, and 420 mg of evening primrose oil. The reason I mention this is because much of what I need a prescription for here is OTC in the states. So if this is a good combination and effective, as she seemed to think, maybe that can help.

Lynn- yay!!! You are still around! Is your phase 3/ low carb suiting you? I found lentil chips and thought of you. They are quite good...

Yum!! Where did you find those? Is there a brand name?

I'm here and I'm doing just fine. Sorry for being MIA. I have been traveling since Tuesday (another trip to NYC), and I just haven't had time to be online. I think I am doing ok. Haven't stepped on the scale yet. I have been doing mostly low-carb, but it's always a little scary to be eating out 3 meals per day and not knowing exactly what you are eating. I'm SO looking forward to getting back to my schedule. Tomorrow is PILATES! Tomorrow is sensible at-home breakfast. YAY!

I promise I will catch up on everyone's posts tomorrow. As for now, you made me smile when you said "where is PXL?"...

Cool. So glad to know you are ok and will look forward to your posts which are always so sensible.

Maile...I just love all your posts and the way you cap things up with all the tidbits of conversation we have going. Hope you got home alright from Ice City!

I have been stuck at my brothers up in Magnolia for 3 days and will try to make it over to my daughter in W.Seattle tomorrow morning. Hope the W. Seattle bridge is cleared up. Only worries are the steep hills, of course. It's been nuts here...but beautiful. Did get to hike thru discovery park since I'm a block away, so I got some good exercise out in the fresh air. Helps with the maintenance, but now I want to see my kids!!! Wow...this town just gets paralyzed. In NY...we'd have been dug out the next day, but we've got hundreds more plows, salt and sand trucks out than these poor guys. My nephew loved having almost a whole week off of school though :0)
Maintenance is going pretty well and I will be able to see if I'm right on that, when I weigh in on my daughters scale on Monday.
Have a great weekend everyone and thanks everyone for sharing what's going on with you. It helps SOooo much.

Hi gang! I'm back from losing my way over the holidays. I thought I would do a reboot in Jan, but it's just turned into a sloppy, directionless, made-up low carb diet. Some days it's Phase 2, some days it's just low-carb. I haven't had any grains or sweets in a week and a half though. I'm losing weight very slowly, but I am within 6 lbs of my all time low and 3 lbs of my normal low. However, I feel FAT! Trying to decide if I should actually pay for products for 2 weeks to do a disciplined reboot, or just keep trying to do Phase 2 until the weight comes off. Also, I'm exercising for the first time in years, so need some energy for that. Glad to see you all diligently posting and working hard on your lovely selves!

Lee

Ok..Snowed in or should I say iced in again..no work. Good luck on those hills over there Sunnymae. You are right Seattle does not have enough snow plows as it rarely snows. Your maintenance seems to be going well.

I am going through gym withdrawal.I am doing dance tapes at home because the roads are so bad. I miss my elliptical!


Cap and Woolberger: you can find Lentil Chips on Amazon. They are good..comes in a giant box

Woolberger..I love your comment on every pound loss being maintenance. It is so true.

Lee..To be within 6 pounds of your all time low is amazing. It is interesting how you can be 3 pounds within your normal low and feel fat. It is so nice to have the energy to exercise.

Pixl..glad to know that things are going well with you..

Linden: sorry about the eggplant. Hope the biotin helps you. My son is finishing off a frozen loaf of xmas zuccini bread.

If anyone wants more tea varieties..go to Steepster.com..They rank teas. I am now carried away with 52 teas and exotic flavored teas like pina colada and mayan chocolate.

Hi everyone... I'm finally getting caught up on posts and am working from home today. I've had too many travel days the past two weeks, and I really need a weekend. I had a hard time sleeping last night, and really just need a sleep reboot to feel myself again. Stepped on the scale this morning and it was a scary number. I think it was the little bite of bread here, the tiny bite of someone's dessert there... I just didn't have the willpower this trip. Not sure what was going on. That, and the lack of sleep, which is never my friend when it comes to my weight.

I don't think I'll be back in my weight range tomorrow, but I'm allowing myself a date night tomorrow regardless. I haven't been to dinner with hubby in a long time, so we are going out.

Wow. Enjoy the snow days... I saw pics and it looked really icy. That looks dangerous to me!

Way to go! Yes, yes, yes... I do so well when I have classes that I've signed up for and someone is expecting me to be there. It must be harder in a rural area. We can keep you honest, though. Just make sure that you are accountable to us.

I sometimes do this, but then I give myself a break and realize that it's not me, it's the carbs that are addictive and making me that way. When I avoid carbs (even for a day), I feel much better and much more in control. Don't beat yourself up, but DO realize that you can control how you feel by controlling what you eat.

Yes, this is the most important thing... get back on the wagon!

I have to go all out, otherwise I have a hard time the next day. I find myself saying things like "well, I only cheated a little bit yesterday, so this won't hurt." If I go all out, my thinking is more along the lines of "that will have to wait until next Saturday... I had enough fun yesterday."

Yep, just busy.

I've heard such great things about Zumba, I need to check this out...

Pxlkitty- It's great to read a post from you again. It must be nice for you to finally have a moment to do so. I love your line "you can control what you eat and that will control how you feel". Enjoy your date night- Phase 1 is always waiting if you need it...
bigpassport- great to see you on here again too! I know you're doing the challenge with us as well but still great to read a post from you! If you are within 3 pounds of your low- you're doing very well and I'm sure you know that. I can totally identify with it still being bothersome though. I didn't have TOM while I was on IP because I had a Mirena in. When I started losing all my hair I thought the Mirena was the culprit and had it removed. Had my first cycle last month and the second one is looming as it is expected Wednesday. I'm eating as I normally do but am up 2 pounds from my normal and 4 pounds over my low. Phase 1ing it today as the past couple days of Phase 3 type eating did not help. Like you, I understand that it is only a couple of pounds but I don't like being up and will attack it until I'm somewhere I do like. I find Phase 1 with packets to be the simplest and best method for me. I know the rules and it is easier to be strict with myself because I know what would be 'breaking a rule'. It's pretty black & white. Which I need or I'll convince myself that a bite of this or taste of that doesn't matter. Even though it does.
Woolberger- I found the lentil chips at Superstore. I don't know if you have those down there but they are from their 'blue' line which is the healthy line they produce.
Maile- love the imagery of you swimming away in tea. I was at west Edmonton mall last week and discovered a place called David's Tea. I bought pumpkin chai, mint chocolate rooibos, toasted walnut & chocolate chai. They have all been fantastic. I went in there because I was intent upon finding a tea my mom bought for me called 'Hawaiin Sunset' it is a chocolate coconut and oh so yummy. I am having gym withdrawal/ cabin fever as well. I want to be where the people are . There's only so much staring at the wall while running I can take... Thank you for the meatlessmonday site there are a ton of recipes on there I want to try out.
Sunnymae- good job on keeping up with the exercise even while away from home! I hope your scale rewards you for it!

Thanks! It is a lot of work, but consistancy is the key (not perfection!)

Hey ladies- Happy Friday! I have been a bit MIA as I have been laid up in bed the past 2 days. Today was the first day since Tuesday night that I have had the energy to move.

All the sudden I just got whopped with a major case of a head cold / sinus infection / flu. I am not really sure what I have, but my head feels like it weighs a ton and I have a low grade fever. Luckily, most of the congestion has dried up, but now I am just left with a lot of sinus pressure. I have been taking Sudafed, on a recommendation from the Pharmacist. The low grade fever has definitely dimished my appetite, but I have been forcing myself to eat healthy and to eat lots of soup (chock full of chicken broth and veggies).

So, I believe I am on the mend, but definitely looking forward to a weekend of relaxation. My weight has stayed the same, but not working out for a week has left me feeling "soft" and I can't wait until I can head back into the gym.

I have been reading all the posts, just haven't had the energy to type! This one really wiped me out!

So, I designated today to be my fun day. I had a girl day with my mom and my sister. We went shopping and ate lunch. For breakfast, I had an EAS shake, since I was on the go. For lunch, I had grilled fish and broccoli. My husband and I are taking the kids out to dinner tonight and I chose the mexican restaurant in town because I really want their grilled shrimp skewers. Seems like everything I've craved today has been phase 2 OP. Oh well, that's a good thing, right??!! Looks like I won't have to do phase 1 tomorrow. Yay me! I think it's a huge accomplishment that I chose what I did for lunch with the whole menu wide open. I hope these choices continue to be as easy as it was today. Oh, and I bought three pairs of pants to help replenish my shrunken wardrobe. All were comfy size 8's, despite the mother of all TOM's. I guess it really was a "fun day" after all.

For those of you who aren't feeling well, I hope you feel better soon.

Happy the weekend is here. Fast paced week. Will miss the structure, but looking forward to a pause from work.

My son receives his first communion tonight, so busy cleaning and preparing for gathering to follow at our house. In the middle of a renovation project, so it's a bit more work than usual, not to mention I have four teens/tween. Once they are off to wrestling/dance I'll hit it hard!

Started today with Jillian Michael's shred... Totally surprised at what I'm able to do on day seven of level two, recalling how afraid I was to try it. Makes me feel ready to try level three in a couple days and looking forward to day seven when the initial aches and pain wears off and your body surprises you again with "we've got this"

Hope everyone is having a healthy, easy day!