Hi All. I weighed in yesterday and was up 2 pounds from last Wed.I don't think I've been eating badly but I know I have been eating bigger portions and a few more carbs than I should. I hope this is a wake-up call. I really don't want to slide back into old habits and I know it is so easy to do! However I'm feeling good in spit of this weight gain and hope to have it off by Friday as that is my last weigh in day before holidays. Sy - you are truly fortunate to have a hubby who likes to cook! Re: food sensitivities, I really do believe some of us are more sensitive to certain substances than others. Also, over the years I think your body may change. I know I can't eat garlic like I used to and I love it too. Diane, the smoothies sound good. We just got the puddings here but I haven't tried them yet. Congrats June! TTYL
Beachlover

Good morning everyone. Here is the post that I created yesterday and forgot to post.

Mel – I’m hoping that your on vacationing in Maine enjoying that yummy Lobster Fest that you were going to. I haven’t have lobster at all yet this summer. It’s making my mouth water just thinking of it. Nothing like a Maine Cold Water Lobster!

June – Congrats on sticking to the take-off and I’m so happy it worked for you. If TOM does not arrive soon, I will be doing it this week. (I keep saying it but haven’t done it yet). I also agree with you that I don’t think it’s the ‘salt’ that bothers me. I know that I can’t do the Morton’s Lite Salt or Dannon Lite-n-Fit yogurt as when I do, I feel like a beached whale. I know that both have potassium in them, maybe that is what my system can’t handle. I knew there was a reason why that Crytsal Light was still in the cupboard but it tasted so good for a change. I got rid of it, gave it to my Mom as she always has company so she will use it. Not that I have been eatting this stuff OP, but I can eat bacon, or Virginia Country Ham (which salt cured) and neither have bothered me in the past with feeling bloated or hands/feet swolen

June, I have tried a similar herbal tea item – I’m too sensitive to that stuff as I could get addicted as normal for me is every 3 days. But, I have been more regular since going to LA. Must be eatting less is all my system needed, or the fact that I’m drinking a lot more water?

As far as weighing in, I don’t go more than twice a week after the first time I posted a gain. Got to freaked out and decided that it wasn’t worth it. Also, as far as the LA Lites – I would never purchase the huge 52 week plan. My budget just couldn’t afford it. The most I have ever purchased was the 10 box bulk, it gives me 5 weeks of the bars and don’t purchase again until there is a special. Should be one coming up as there is normally specials near the Holidays.

Okay, it’s been bothering me that I haven’t done that great lately. Remember a few of us wrote previously about the mental block at getting to a certain weight. I have to vent, as hopefully after typing it – I can get it out of my head and move on with my progress. You all know that my sisters are also doing the LA plan. My younger sister has lost the most weight. Most of the lost is due to coming to LA, some is due to the stress and being in love. After she lost about 30 lbs, she said that losing the weight gave her the confidence she needed to get out of her marriage that she has been unhappy with for a few years. She made a phone call to her first love, he left his wife that day, and she told her husband that she wanted a divorce shortly after that. So, it seems like since that has happened – she is doing great and I’m not losing weight. Couldn’t it be that I’m a little afraid that something like that could happen to me? Am I not allowing myself to get to my goal because I fear that this will happen to me? Overall, I’m happily married, but after 23 years – you tend to daydream about others when things aren’t as good as they could be, but that is life – isn’t it? Now she has one hassel after another. Could it really be that I’m afraid that I may start looking for something new once I get to my goal? I need a swift kick in the butt here, so I can move on with my progress. If anyone has any thoughts on this, please let me know.

Beach, I know that I'm very lucky that my husband enjoys cooking. We joke about it, and I told him that if we ever get divorced - I will have to find someone who likes to cook because I'm spoiled in that area. :lol: You know, I have only cooked for company once in 23 years - it was Thanksgiving dinner for my family and it was the last (I think everyone agreed - :lol: ). I don't even know how to make gravy if you can image. I do cook during the week for myself, you know the chicken and stuff to stay OP, the rest is up to him. :o I do the grocery shopping, I'm a good prep cook, and I have cleanup duty - and if you can image, most times it's a bigger job than the meal itself when he's in the kitchen (but I'm not complaining!).

I also agree that after being OP for a while, our eyes do get bigger when it comes to portion sizes - that is when I have to re-adjust to the scale and the measuing cups to see what's I'm really eatting. I also tend to over size my portions at times. Your doing great and I'm sure it will be off by the end of the week.

Still TOM has not arrived, and I'm going to the center on my way home from work - so, hopefully I will have some of the 3 lbs off that I was up last week.

Have a great day everyone!

P.S. Beach, when you say you'll be on holiday. Is this when your going to North Carolina? Whatever you do, have a great time.

P.S.S. Today, on NPR radio the guy said that in the US we tend to go crazy when it comes to summer and vacations. It said that we have summer homes, we have summer vacations, they seem to think the reason why we get so excited about this is because in the US we have very little vacation time. In other European countries it's a government rule that everyone get 5 weeks of vacation/holiday a year. Man, what would that be like for everyone here? LOL

Good morning everyone!!!
I look forward to reading the post every morning - it is really helping me!!
SY: In response to your thoughts on fears and mental blocks - they make perfect sense to me. i do believe our attitude and mental state have a great deal to do with our health, etc. - and yes gaining and losing weight. It sounds to me like you have a wonderful husband. A man that can cook is a great asset. My husband can't do anything beyond making coffee!!! I do think your daydreaming etc. is very normal after 23 years of marriage - I never read romance novels until very recently!!! But there's a lot to be said for a relationship that has lasted the test of 23 years - it's something worth holding onto. I haven't been married quite as long, but i can relate - i have learned (or at least have made a valiant effort) not to "sweat the small stuff," and to try to realize that what i am complaining about sounds kind of silly! Thanks so much for all your encouragement, and try not to stress. You have done really well on the program and have a good track record - I am sure that you will be seeing a dip in the numbers on the scale soon. I was so worried because I was new to this program and really not sure it was going to work for me. I am the ultimate skeptic. I don' think I'll really be convinced unless I make my first mini goal of a 10 net loss in the next 10 days. I am down .5 on my scale this morning - but that's really in the noise - so we shall see. I said that I would weigh in again on Wednesday - and I am going to try to stick to the 3 weigh-ins per week until I start back to work in September. They tell me that they are trying to desensitize us to the scales by making us come in that often so that we don't flip out by seeing fluctuations - personally I don't think any amount of desensitizing is going to work for me!!!! (By the way, thanks for the info about LA sales etc. I can't possibly afford to buy everything right now, so if I make my minigoal and stick with this program I think that I will do a 10 bulk like you do, and then wait for a sale.)
beach: Try to remember it's only two pounds - and you've lost so much more weight than that while on program. When I get like that I try to set my mind into fighting back and work harder at "being good" in terms of food choices and excercise. Do you work out at all? I like the Easy Steps tape - have you tried that? Enjoy your vacation - sounds wonderful! I would like to go away for a few days, but am afraid to risk it right now - my weight loss is too new, and it would be too easy for me to lose ground right now. Maybe after I have lost some more weight - I'm trying to devise "treats" for myself in terms of making certain goals - a pedicure or a movie or something small like that.
Have a wonderful day everyone - and good luck to all!! I'll check back soon.
June

Question about Frozen Foods
 

Hi, All! :coffee:

This is such a healthy thread! I've been lurking through the last two threads and have really enjoyed all the posts.

If I might, I do have a question -- my center gave me a Frozen Foods list. When I took it shopping, 2/3 of the items are not carried any more. In checking the Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice websites, many of the products are no longer available. They have loads of new products -- how am I to tell what I can have and what I can't have, and how often? My center says they don't have a newer version (I'm in a small town in Tennessee) and I wondered if anyone could shed light on my dilemma?

Normally, I don't eat the frozen foods, but DH is also on the program and he does...they're nice to have in a pinch. He loves to cook; I am not fond of it.

Thanks and happy losing to all!!

Hi Waterbaby, nice to meet you. I asked the same question about the frozen food items that are listed in the fast tracker. So far I have only been able to find a few of the Lean Cuisine items listed, but they work well to add some variety to lunch. I asked my counselor why the Weight Watchers meals were not included on the list, and she told me that LAWL approached WW for permission to be included in the list but they declined. She told me that if that Weight Watchers meals are fine, and to count them as one one starch and one protein, and to stick to meals that were 5 Winning Points or less - the Winning Points are posted on the front of the package. Don't do a meat or pasta item twice in the same day, or two days in a row. That's the info I have - does anyone else have anything?
June

Waterbaby,
After I made the post I realized that I should have been more specific. By meat I meant beef or pork items. Even if they are included in a meal that is 5 points or less on WW, they are limited to three times per week, never two in the same day or two days in a row.
June

Hi Ladies:
Claire most of the time I just count the frozen dinner as a protein and a starch, but then I don't have them every day.
Beach watch those portions I am guilty of added extra also. At little here a little there adds up at the end of the week.
Sy whats really bothering you? Sy I have to get back to you my niece is bathering me for the computer.
Diane

Thanks so much for the clarification and advice. I truly appreciate it.

I'm not much into the frozen dinners, but they're nice to have around in case I don't feel like cooking, or got caught short of having all my food. :dizzy:

Truly enjoying your threads. Sounds like everyone has a realistic view of what this program is all about -- it works, and it's also about commission sales, and -- it works.

I don't eat the bars (sugar sensitivity to the max), but DH does. He usually has a Clif Black Cherry Almond when he needs his LA Lite.

Hi everyone, and welcome waterbaby. Well, went to the center yesterday. I'm down 2, still need to be down another 2 to make up for the gains I've had at the last 2 weigh-ins. Ugh! Still no TOM and it's driving me crazy. I use to be so regular with that, every 28 days no matter what.

Diane, I'm not sure what is really bothering me, but thanks for asking me because it has me thinking of what is the real source of my feelings. Hopefully I will get over whatever it is so I can move on with my weight loss. ;)

As far as the frozen dinners, just wanted the newbies to be aware of the sodium content in the frozen dinners, especially the WW brand. I use to hear about that all the time at WW meetings. I purchased 2 frozen dinners at the beginning from the list and both have been sitting in my freezer since. I know that they are there if I need something quick. We have 3 different grocery stores in our area, and there is 1 named P & C and it has many more choices from the list than the other two stores.

Today's goal is to write down and measure everything that passes these lips. And, no more tastes of anything that are not OP. Back in the WW days, they use to say - NO BLT's (Bites, Licks or Tastes).

Have a great day and I'll check in later... ~Sy~

Good morning again,
I am going to weigh in again today. I think I am down. There is also a 15% coupon for Slim-Down, so I may take advantage of that.
SY: Congrats on your loss!!! That's wonderful!!!! I am sure the other two pounds will come right off as soon as TOM is over. You have probably lost more than what is showing on the scale right now. I remember that when I was on WW, when I hit 30 pounds down, I had some irregularity problems with TOM. I think the weight loss shocks the body and has its momentary effects. But they run their course. Hang in there!!! Also, thanks for pointing out the sodium issue with the frozen meals. I forgot to mention that. I did question the center about it, and they told me that the nutrionisits have taken it into account, and that's why certain meals are limited. Also, if you look at the portion sizes in those meals, they are way smaller than the portions allowed OP if you are cooking for yourself - so it made sense to me. That's also why they told me that if I did a WW meal as a lunch replacement to stick to the 5 Winning Points or less - the sodium count is lower. Anyway, I only do them once in a while for a change of pace at lunch, and I've actually seen a weight loss the next day - so I guess for my body chemistry it's okay - but everyone is different - as I found out with my adverse reaction to the LAWL Take-Off drink - I felt like such a failure after those first two days - but now I understand that it was the fact that there is grapefruit juice in it, and I'm not supposed to have that. They put it down under the allergy list for me, so we'll be replacing with cantaloupe if I do "juicing" again.
Well, I'll check in later after I weigh-in to let you know what the scale says. Wish me luck. Only two more pounds in the next 9 days to reach my first mini-goal. Have a wonderful morning everyone.
June

Hi again,
I just got back from my weigh-in, and yay!!! I am down 1.8 pounds since Monday!!! So, as of today, I my net loss is 9.8 pounds since July 15!!! My first minigoal is to be down 10 pounds by August 19th, at which time I would sign on for the full program since I am only on a 5 week trial program right now. I am scheduled to weigh in again on Friday - I'm just hoping that the losing trend continues, only .2 pounds to go just a little over a week. I am feeling so much more inspired since I found this site and would like to thank all of you for your support, advice, and inspiration. I can't put a pricetag on that!!! I did by some Slim-Down since it was on 15% discount special. I am going to try it for lunch today with a salad, and see how that goes. I think changing things off helps for me. More good news - the counselor that I didn't care for was fired. I probably shouldn't say that's good news because I'm sure she doesn't feel that way - but she was the only person in my center that I didn't like - I weighed in with her a few times and she was always more concerned with inventory and selling products to me than with how I was actually doing on program. When I weighed in with her last Wednesday there was no loss between Monday and Wednesday, and she told me that the enitre 8 pounds I'd lost to that date was all water loss and nothing more. She also argued with me about the fact that I had been switched to the Red Program from the Gold Program and insisted that was not the correct thing to do, even though the change was made after the center's manager called one of the corporate nutrionists (my center is a corporate center, not a franchise) and the nutritionist said that the reason I'd only lost 1.8 pounds on the Gold Program was that I didn't have enough food for the amount of time I was working out (I walk 3 miles each day and do the Easy Steps tape workout). I pointed to the numbers and told the counselor that as soon as I switched over to the Red Program I started to see better losses (3.4 pounds in one week). After that she switched over to trying to sell me all the bars up front, as well as the supplements, and couldn't get it in her head that I simply couldn't afford that kind of upfront cost. I never complained to the manager - it's not my style - I just decided that I would simply avoid weighing in with her in the future, since none of the other counselors gave me that hard sell, and really did seem to be more concerned with "me" and how the program was working for me. Apparently this counselor that I didn't like treated all the other clients the same way, and they complained to the manager - so today I found out that she had been "let go." The reason it came up in conversation with my counselor was that she was the only one in the center this morning and Wednesdays is the day when both the manager and this other counselor are there all day. Today the manager was alone, and she was gracious enough to explain the situation to me - at which point I told her my personal experiences with her. I didn't want to be the one that cost this woman her job, but I'm not sorry to see her go. Oh well, enough about me. How is everyone else doing? Again, congrats SY on your loss. Big hugs to everyone. I'm going to go for my walk now, but will check again later for posts - I have become addicted to this site. Have a wonderful day everyone, and I look forward to reading everyone's posts!!!!
June

Hi Kris and welcome to the board. Man, a lot of newbies here - we love the different input from everyone. Kris, I don't have an answer to your question, but Diane may know and I'll wait for her or someone else to post the answer. I'm curious to know as well as I have been OP since April 1st, and I know that I'm behind a little because I put the program on hold while I was on vacation. I would image that they could swap some of the maintenance weeks for weight loss weeks and then you could add the maintenance weeks when they had another special? Sounds logical to me, but I do NOT know this for a fact.

Wow June, your doing great! I don't think it's a fluke about the weight loss and we are all routing for you! You go girl! Normally, I would agree with the person about the 8 lbs being water weight, but when I started I lost 8 lbs on the 2 day thing - it hasn't come back and it didn't come back when I was on vacation. Besides that, prior to LA I was going to WW so if I lost any water weight - it would have been at the beginning of the year when I started with WW. Glad your center does take action when others are not happy with an employee. Your probably not the only person who is glad that person is gone from your center. I won't be going back to the center until Friday. I'll check back later, and I'm hooked on this site as well. I check several times a day to see what's going on with everyone. Take care, Joanne



weight because I lost 8 lbs in 2 days when I started and it hasn't come back when I was on vacation

Opps, forgot to check below my post as I was editing while going along. Ignore that last line... :)