Julie: My only suggestion for the tofu is the 'trash'. I like just about everything, but in my book - tofu weights up there with liver. I know it's good for you, but what the heck do you do with it?
JulieMarie and Julie: I'm right with you guys and the carbs. Saturday I had a small slice of cheese pizza at the mall for lunch. I was starving after eatting it and could have ordered a whole pie and eatten 1/2 of it. Glad I got out of there before I changed my mind. Pasta is the same way, how can anyone eat 1/3 cup and feel like they've had any (even the whole wheat variety). I find that I do better with carbs that are pre-measured for me. A slice of diet bread, a 4" pita, and I can even do a 1/2 of baked potato since being on LA. That is a major accomplishment for me.
Went to the COD last night and I was up again. What the heck is going on with me? My slacks are tight. The counselor I wanted to talk to wasn't in last night, so I'll talk to her on Friday. She may be right, I may need the Blue or the Purple Plan in order to see the scale move down. I have increased my exercise (from the summer months), been sticking to plan.
So, the girl last night gave me a Plateau Breaker to follow, it will be 3 days by the time Friday comes around, and I'll see if it helps any. Geesh!
Here is the Plateau Breaker:
Days 1 and 2: increase water by 2 glasses each day
Days 1-3: no dairy
Days 1-5: no fast food, no frozen dinners, no free foods (no condiments), no carb cravers
2 LA Powders (no bars)
Fruit choices: only eat grapefruit, canteloupe, pinepaple, berries, kiwi or cherries
Anyone ever try the powder stuff? I selected Strawberry since was the only kind they had that I thought I would like. I forgot it today, so did eat a LA Lite this morning, this evening I will do the powder drink. I had a fresh pineapple, and had chicken and dry lettuce for lunch. I'm doing okay with it so far, baby steps - it's only for 5 days.
Sy, good luck on the buster. I'll have to remember that plan, because I'm sure I'll have that problem some time. I can't really call mine a plateau since I haven't really lost anything, but I'm been stuck at this same weight for two years now.
I tried the hot chocolate mix that was pretty good. I had a free sample, but I might get them for those cold mornings at work. Looking forward to seeing your success!
I read somewhere that you can sub Knudsens breakfast blend juice for the take-off juice. Do you dilute that with water like take-off or drink it straight?
I do dilute mine, just because i feel like it is more of a treat having more of it, since you really don't get any juices during take-off, but i know others have said they drink it straight.
If you drink it straight just remeber that it is only 16 oz of joiuce per day.
Sy~ I had the poweder and it tasted "powdery" to me. i'm not sure if you have ever had the flavor-aid brand of kool-aid, but it tasted like that to me. I could stomach it down knowing it was just twice a day, but I couldn't drink it just because.
Let us know if it really works
I just finished lunch and I ate my mushrooms and onions, it can't kill me
What is up with those of you who are having to do take-off again or, for Sy, a plateau buster? Why is that necessary? I'm really new at this and that sounds kinda scary to me - I swore after those 2 gosh-awful days on LA Express that I would never do that again!
Even after 10 days with LAWL, I can see that there are a few kinks that need to be worked out. Monday, when DD & I went, they had hired a new girl. She's really nice but very ignorant of the programs. I am new and I knew the Red plan and Orange 1 plan better than she did. She also was curious as to why I was on the Red plan rather than the Gold mentioned on the top of my chart. I pointed in my chart to the prior Thursday night when they switched me. She just seemed flustered and a little overwhelmed. I don't think I should be the one teaching her my program, though. It really should be the other way around.
Another thing that I don't really like - they need to quit messing up my diary! Now, this is really wierd - is it less wierd if you know you are wierd? I keep my LAWL diary a certain way. I write all my food out and then put the portion in parenthesis: 1/2 bagel, toasted (S) cream cheese, 1 T (Fa) (as an example). For some reason, the counselors like to fold my page back (I have to ask them not to do that! ) and then get out a highlighter - or worse, write in my journal bearing down too hard or using terribly large, messy handwriting.
Okay, call me Monk, but I really don't like them doing that. I don't mind being reviewed - I welcome that. BUT, I like to keep my diary neat - not like a "sloppy copy" of a term paper that needs grading. DD says I am too wierd about it (she doesn't like them messing hers up either, but she's 14 and feels like it would be impolite to say).
Oh well, now I've embarrassed myself!
Mary - the pita is a fantastic idea!! Thanks! And, yes, I do get 3 starches. Problem is, I am hoarding them for some reason. I think it is a holdover from my WW days of hoarding points. You never knew when you might need them for a little light snacking!
Shennie - good luck on take off! I hope I don't have to ever do that again!
Britt - sounds like you are busy. Take care
Sy - your plateau busting sounds like it will work to really melt weight off. What happened to make them do that, though?
Sorry for still being so confused. Hopefully, after a few more weeks, this will seem a little more normal!
I used to hoard my starches too . . . .but then would get to dinner and need to use them all up. Just relax and let it go . . .I never go to bed hungry. And anyway-we shouldn't be afraid of getting hungry-it means we're burning calories.
Re Take Off- it's a 2 day program you can do up to once every two weeks. It helps to shake up your system a bit cuz your body can get used to the routine of how many calories you eat-and "hold" onto the fat.
Question for you Take Offers-I don't dilute the Kndusens because it's not as concentrated as the TAKE OFF-but I drink the full 32 oz a day. Otherwise the calorie count for the day would be scary-low. Has someone compared the calories in 32 oz of diluted Take off vs 32 oz of straight Knudsens. 32 oz of Knudsens has about 560 calories.
Andi - You are too funny - you little neat freak.......
About the change of (counselors) at COD (center of doom), well they come and go pretty fast. Chances are you will know more than most of them, but it's their job to try and help us You'll learn all the quirks of the plan and deal with them. Seems to me you are speaking up faster than most....You will have a red mark on your folder, meaning (to the ) watch out - this one asks way too many questions, call nutritionist
And along your journey you will give all the rest of us much enjoyment
LAWL has alot of turnover and some centers even share counselors. Some times they just need to be reminded of your plan, they do have many other clients. Once they learn you, it will get better.
As far as them writing in your journal, some do-some don't. Some counselors need to mark the entries to be sure that you are eating correctly, some don't. I always kept my diary very neat, and most counselors wouldn't mess it up too bad. Some would even intital each day that they checked. Some would remark my circles. What I really hated was when they would write my weight in the book. The older books had a place at the top for that and I didn't like it because anyone could see it as I was writing in it.
I would just get over and used to it. Remember, you are paying them to check after you. Think of it as if you were taking a college course and the instructor marked up your papers so when you took a test you wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
Actually, I think the whole thing is something I'm just having to learn to get over!!
You know, it is unlearning one way of doing things and embracing another way.
On WW (I'm even sick of hearing me remark on this! ), I was always hoarding points because I needed to make sure that they would last me all day. Of course, at the end of my weight loss week, I would find that I had quite a few FlexPoints left and then would have the "fun" of eating those. One of my laments, however, was the feeling of not getting to eat "enough" because I was always having to be so careful.
With LAWL, some of the flexibility is gone. However, I always have plenty to eat. I don't have to be a squirrel! I even noticed yesterday, when I was reaching for an orange as a snack, how healthy I feel about all of this. In the past, I would not have chosen an orange (1 point) over 5 cups of microwave popcorn (also 1 point) - especially if I had already fulfilled my required 5 servings of fruit/veggies. So, this is building really good habits into my life that I love!
So....I'm going to work those starches earlier into my day and see what happens!
Karen - How exciting and I'm so happy for you.......This is your wedding and you should have whatever you want. Including the kids in on the honeymoon wouldn't be in my plans, but everyone is different.
For out wedding (second for both) we got married at the Pistons basketball game, mass wedding then we just had a reception later on in the summer at a hall for family and friends (no gifts)...it was great....
Ofcourse first off you want to invite all of your LAWL chick friends....lol...lol
I guess you got some serious thinking to do girlie......good luck, keep us posted...
Andi - How much did you lose on WW and how long were you on it? I must of missed that part of your story somewhere back there. I'm sorry I have been side tracked with stuff.......You must of been on WW along time becuz you seem to be at home with it.......Glad your finding LA alittle more healthy...even with the quirks......
I'm glad to see that everyone is still motivated and pushing on to greater things. I won't try to comment on everything since the last time I was here, cause I have only read today's posts. Must thank the new person and daughter(wtxchick - I think) who told of all the goodies she got when she signed up. I went back to COD today since 9/19/05 and mentioned a few things. My COD happens to be corporate and have never heard of anything but the scale. They were surprised that I had not received one when I signed up the first time. Needless to say, today, I received the scale, recipes for Fall, a 10 visit/month card for discounts, and was put on the blue plan because I exercise 3 or 4 times/week. I exercised more than that when I first signed on. Let's see if I can lose on this plan. I get the 1/2 protein back, don't particularly care about the starch since that's my downfall. Amazingly, I only gained 2.8 lbs. since the last time that I was there.
Julie, I can't help you with the tofu because I buy it and it usually ends up in the trash after stinking my frig up. You know how you have the mystery odors and can't find it even after washing the bins and shelves. Just because something has never been opened, doesn't mean that it can't stink to the high heavens.
The counselor I wanted to talk to wasn't in last night, so I'll talk to her on Friday. She may be right, I may need the Blue or the Purple Plan in order to see the scale move down. I have increased my exercise (from the summer months), been sticking to plan. 
) and then get out a highlighter - or worse, write in my journal bearing down too hard or using terribly large, messy handwriting. 
(counselors) at COD (center of doom), well they come and go pretty fast. Chances are you will know more than most of them, but it's their job to try and help us 
more than that when I first signed on. Let's see if I can lose on this plan. I get the 1/2 protein back, don't particularly care about the starch since that's my downfall. Amazingly, I only gained 2.8 lbs. since the last time that I was there.
