stacy-

They might think you're weird, but who the **** cares? I take my LA salad dressings with me wherever I go-I'm not proud! Anyway-a salad is a good option-if they have a regular salad on the menu that isn't like their house salad with the dressing all mixed in.

Although their house salad with grilled chx breast wouldn't be that bad would it? You could count the dressing as your fat-it's just a vinagrette.

Okay-so I just checked out their recipes-they have some yummy grilled selections, and under "Garden Fare" they say you can request low-fat dressings and veggies instead of potatoes, etc. I think you can make some decent choices there. Just make sure the breadsticks aren't left in front of you!

Stacyj - I always bring my own salad dressing. All my friends and family wouldn't expect anything different because I've been doing this for a long time, even before LAWL. The waitress may look at you a little funny, but who cares? This way you know what you're getting and that you'll like it!

Wow - I can't even imagine not weighing for 6 weeks - but I can give it a try - .......I will definitely commit to 3 weeks

HeatherPP and Kristi - I will weigh at the end of the 3rd week - that's May 15.

Thanks guys for posting about Olive Garden....I really don't want to go because if I am going to eat out and even accidently eat off plan, I would rather eat somewhere I enjoy more, you know? I'll just wait and see if I feel like going on Monday.

good luck to you all!! I feel really good about this challenge. I wish I would have found this website earlier-it seems that I am much more "into" it since I found you---I feel more accountable!
THANKS!!

This may be a dumb question? But...I was looking at the back of one of my Lean Pocket Ultras and here is the info:
Cal 200
fat 6
sodium 540
carb 19
fiber 7
protein 24

On the Slim Fast shake:
cal 180
fat 6
sodium 200
carb 25
fiber 5

Is drinking the shake a lot better than the lean pocket? I wonder why our weight loss is better if we drink the shake rather than the lean pocket for lunch?
Just curious...

Carmen- The finger wrist thing is not accurate with your own fingers. Sounds like you are like me. I wear a size 9-10 shoe and can also palm a basket ball. If your bones are long and skinny you are going to be able to get your fingers around your wrist. That measure doens't take into account the LENGTH of your bones. Our dietician at the hospital is the one who also told me measuring the distance between your 2 elbow bones is most accurate of frame size b/c of the long bone thing I was talking about. My index finger and thumb actually overlap each other so I always thought I was a small frame. The dietician said NO WAY and told me about measuring the elbows. My rib cage is so big that my ribs poke out (even when I was overweight) and I have to order dresses at least a solid size too big and have them tapered every where else. If that isn't big bones I don't know what is. You can have long bones and not super thick bones. My elbow bones are almost 3 in apart using a caliper. I'll try to find the link to the site that tells you exactly the measurments for each bone size. It also takes into account if you are pregnant or breast feeding and lots of other stuff.

stacyj - looks like the lean pocket has a good deal of sodium
probably why you see a better loss with the shakes.

I wouldn't know - boohoo - I just seem to gain these days:(
I know I'm being a real whiner - but I am generally 80-90% POP averaging the 100% days with the 75%.
Definately not going to make the Apr 30th goal of 142!!

-S

Carmen- The site is www.healthstatus.com Just click on the calculator tab and it lets you enter your info there. Now, I don't know how correct it is. By my wrist circumference I am a small frame but by my elbow width I am a large frame. Go figure.

Stephanie - Thank you. I already do know my wrist circumference (it is odd that I keep a tape measure in my desk drawer?) The site says I have a large frame. I am going to go back and try some more of the calculators tomorrow. For now, its off to scouts for me!

Kristi and HeatherPP - tomorrow I start the shakes! I am planning to have mine for breakfast.

Have a great evening everyone!

Carmen- another site that has a table of ideal weights for each body frame size and explains the elbow thing and gives measurements is www.med.umich.edu/1libr/primry/life15.htm

Good morning chickies!!! Well today is the first TO day for me!! I'm pretty stoked!! I went and weighed this morning - so I could get an official "before challenge" weight - I'm so excited - I go to work with my personal trainer today and then again Friday!! I'm going to be so ready for those bathing suits - I bought two new ones about a week and half ago - can't wait to feel good around the pool once again. I will be taking my before and current pics now - then I will take another at the end of the challenge - hope to post them soon!!!

oh - I hope I didn't cause controversey about the wrist thing - that is just what the lady told me?? sounds like you girls have much better and comprehensive info and websites!!!

Well TO is officially over, and boy am I glad it is. I did okay last night, despite youngest DS popping popcorn to take for his snack at school today. I did have my shake for breakfast but I thought it tasted funny, but that could be because of the toothpaste, it was the first thing I had today, even before my water and bp meds.

I no longer have much angst to keep my strong, because my DH wrote me a letter apologizing for putting the ashes on the money in my ashtray even though he saw all that change in there. I was mad when I thought he DIDN'T see the change and he just thought the ashtray was empty - I didn't know he saw it and still did it. I'm starting to get mad all over again. BOY I cannot wait until his car is back from the shop.

HeatherPP - :goodluck: on TO. :hat: About the personal training session, I would say to do what your body tells you to do. If you're starving by the end of the day, go ahead and have the lite. I think its awesome that you're working with a trainer. Does (s)he have you doing cardio too or just resistance training?

Stephanie - thanks for the additional site info.

[QUOTE=BTW - Am I the only one who started yesterday? What happened to Heather PP and Shari?[/QUOTE]

Hi Chklitthunder -

Here I am ... I was catching up on all of the posts since monday. I will go and weigh in today... i guess i am modifying the challenge for myself... i just did not feel lile doing the TO on monday ... so i have just doing the substitution for lunch with a LA slimdown shake and veggies. I started doing the challenge on Thursday April 20th... I still might through in a TO to mix things up in the middle... I have a jar of juice at home.

I have been trying to follow what my counselor told me at the center: (I'm on the purple plan)
B - fruit, starch, dairy
S- 2 fruit
L - protein, starch, 2 veggies
S - LA Lite
D- protein, 2 veggies, 1 fat
S- LA Lite

You all have been doing so well.... I love ALL the inspiration!!! I will let you know what my WI is today... tomorrow will be a week for me :-)

Wow Shari you've been doing great. :goodvibes for WI today!