Originally Posted by ShineOn:
I read her my letter to myself from my first week on program and we both got a little weepy. I’m working on another one so I will remember what it felt like to get to my goal weight. She was very interested in the peer inspiration class too – sounds like she might start one in Bellevue! I used to use the word “freakin” a lot and then one of my clients said I can’t believe you just dropped in the F bomb – she knew me well and thought it was funny. I realized I had to cut that word out fast! Congratulations on the size 8’s!! That’s freakin awesome! ;)

ShineOn: You have done so well! I know you will be able to make the transition to stabilization and maintenance. Sure hope your center adds a peer inspiration...you'd be an excellent choice for sharing your story. :hug:

Originally Posted by MrsPhibes:
It's been almost a month since I posted and left for my trip and some of you "older" members may remember me and gosh, there are so many new people and postings. I know I will never catch up.

Welcome back! We missed you, but what a fantastic trip you were able to take. I bought a bike helmet after first reading your posts, but have yet to "take the plunge" and get on the bicycle. :o

Originally Posted by shenanigan:
Well, Im off to WI later today after a morning of committee meetings. I am worried about getting a HNS in before 5 hours. I just ate bfast and they will only have candy snacks (they always do!). I guess I can take my water bottle and put a HNS in it. I don;t want those people knowing what I am doing-at least not yet. People always say, "Oh you look fine. Why are ou dieting." I just don't wan to have to explain myself so I will have to "hide" the HNS I guess.

Wish me luck. i must say I like having more food choices! Those first 4 days were brutal!

Shenanigan: Good luck on the WI. One of the things I do is buy the little 10 oz. waters, then save the bottle. I mix my HNS up at home, fill it to the top of the label on the bottle with water (8 oz.), then take it with me. You can step out into the hall or use the restroom to drink it if you want to avoid questions. Or you can smile brightly and let them know it is an energy drink. Everyone will think you are into fitness (which you are!)

Originally Posted by stuck in grad school:
I am on my third day of small daily weight gains...Help! I am 2 1/2 months in, so could this be another plateau? I was down to 189.0 on Monday and today I'm up to 191.4. I have been on plan, except for sushi at lunch yesterday, but I only had the standard salmon/tuna/snapper sampler (no avocado, cream cheese, or other delicious sauces), but I was already in this gaining mode before I had the sushi lunch. I've made a point to get at least 96 oz of water, but maybe I need to try to up that? I don't want to make more of it than it is, but is there any chance the tetanus booster might be making me retain water?

Stuck: It could be extra sodium in the preparation of the sushi you had. I can't imagine a shot would make you retain water, but look how surprised I was to find out people really do excrete whole vitamins! (Hope the visualization of that won't make anyone sick.)

I've got my size 8 capris on today! I've pranced by every mirror in the house all morning, admiring my silhouette!

Have a great day, everyone.

Judy
Gma to 4

Originally Posted by MrsPhibes:
It's been almost a month since I posted and left for my trip and some of you "older" members may remember me and gosh, there are so many new people and postings. I know I will never catch up.

To fill you in. DH and I went on a cycling trip to France for 2 weeks. It's a good thing that there was a lot of activity involved or I would have certainly gained back some weight. The French don't believe in low-carb, substitutions on a menu, or artificial/low-cal/sugar-free anything. It's all full-fat and high-carb. After the first day I threw caution to the wind and just ate what was served. Of course, I stressed about not eating what I was taught and gaining weight but I figured that there was enough exercise involved that it would offset some of this. We cycled about 50 miles per day and on our off/rest days we hiked 7 miles or so.

Some of you newer members may not know that one reason I wanted to lose my weight was to be able to bicycle up hill better. It worked!!! Lugging 25 less pounds helps tremendously. Out of 34 people on the ride I was not even close to the slowest. On the hills I found it hard but didn't walk a single one (even though there were some that were long and steep). I felt very proud to be able to do this and not shy in front of the cameras. Many photos were taken and cycling lycra doesn't leave much to the imagination.

When we returned I was tired from the 7 hour time difference. It took a full week to feel human and not wake up a 3am. Finally went to WI Monday. Guess what? I only gained 1 pound. I was amazed. Granted when I came home I went right back on maintenence plan.

My next reason for inspiration is my 40th high school reunion. It's coming up in September.

Anyway I wanted to let you know that I'm back and have been thinking of you all.

Bonnie

Welcome back, Bonnie! Sounds like you had a wonderful time & definitely burned off all that fabulous food I'm sure you were eating. Hope you had an extra croissant & cafe au lait for me!

Originally Posted by stuck in grad school:
I am on my third day of small daily weight gains...Help! I am 2 1/2 months in, so could this be another plateau? I was down to 189.0 on Monday and today I'm up to 191.4. I have been on plan, except for sushi at lunch yesterday, but I only had the standard salmon/tuna/snapper sampler (no avocado, cream cheese, or other delicious sauces), but I was already in this gaining mode before I had the sushi lunch. I've made a point to get at least 96 oz of water, but maybe I need to try to up that? I don't want to make more of it than it is, but is there any chance the tetanus booster might be making me retain water?

Some of your gain could definitely be water retention from the sushi. And it's possible that the tetanus shot (not to mention stress from that whole incident) could also be a contributing factor to water retention. Just keep on keepin' on & it'll come off. You could slip in an extra B6 for a day or so if you want to help flush it out.

how long has it been since you've seen your husband?
tracy

the "how long has it been since you've seen your husband" was to momofboys

Originally Posted by strawberryrhubarbpie:
You all crack me up. I actually never cuss, not even when I'm by myself, I just never liked how it sounded out of my mouth. But I don't care if people around me cuss. I used to work with a bunch of guys - a vehicle shop in the Air Force - and so working with them got me really used to it lol.

Exercise *sigh* Just about every day I say to myself, 'self, let's go to bed early so you can get up at 4:30 am (instead of 5 am) to get a nice brisk walk in before going to work'. *sigh* :kickcan:

NSV (I think) -- I passed up free Famous Daves today... they had it catered in for lunch, my team won some decorating contest... I was so proud of myself passing up those corn muffins, and they even had brownies for desert.

momofboys, I would also like to know the details of the metaquick, as my trip to see my mom is coming up fast. OH and that reminds me, I have another question about that - when you guys talk about the meal replacement shakes, are they the ready made ones, or are they in powder form that you add with water? Was wondering 'cause I have some of the ready made ones so I would like to use them for metaquick.... I guess I can ask the ladies at the center, but I'm afraid they'll just tell me I shouldn't be doing it.

my center only has the powder metaquicks (you mix with ice and blend it into a shake.

MrsPhibes Welcome back Bonnie!!! So glad to hear you had fun! :hug:

jstuckly "can you go faster"....? oh gosh.... they have no idea what they were saying.... they are lucky you couldn't move any faster or if would have been ON! :tantrum::club: haha!

shineon You are AMAZING! I'm so excited for you! :hug:

shenanigan I thought Judy had great ideas about you taking the small water bottles and just excusing yourself to drink your HNS.... she's BRILLIANT! :book2:

stuckingradschool it could be another plateau but I really think it was that sushi.... just stick it out... give it a couple of days, and you'll be fine. just stay with it.;)

Judy I'm so excited about your capris in size 8!!!! I love it! I think you should come to class tonight and show them off!!!! ;) Also, I agree... let's get an acronym thread going.

Rocki Stabilization!! WHOA! :carrot: Can you believe it! You've done it! :hug:

Sandy I just love a colorful vocabulary! :D I'm glad the "issues" you were having are no over! I've found with MQ that I've lost more than normal weeks, but a couple of times I've had slower weight loss weeks that followed.

Jennifer Congratulations on passing up on the famous daves!!! That is a NSV! :carrot: About the MQ shakes, the ones at the center are powder.

Originally Posted by Rocki:
Well, I made it a week and a day and then slipped up last night. I made my girls dinner and had my dinner planned out as well (ground turkey, cucumber and flat bread). Well, while the kids' quiches were sitting on the counter (looking VERY inviting) I caved and ate two of the "four cheese" quiches. Then I looked at the box and it was like 115 calories, 7 grams of fat and 9 grams of carbs just in those TINY 2 quiche bites! UGH!

So, that's not bad enough right? I ate my dinner as planned. Again, ground turkey (w/light taco seasoning), 8oz of cucumber with no dressing and 2 of the 25 calorie corn tortillas. I did only 2oz of the turkey so I could have 1 oz of cheese on it. I know, NO CHEESE for dinner, but at least I measured it out well:). I then had my HNS.

Well..I then decided that I should eat a few teaspoons of ice cream b/c my pills got stuck in my throat and what better way to dislodge pills than to eat Chocolate Trinity SINFUL ice cream?? I only had two small bites. Well, the carton was almost empty and it was screaming my name. I ended up eating the rest. It was probably only 1/2 cup, but I'm sure that 1/2 cup was FULL of fat, carbs, calories and all that other stuff I shouldn't be having! UGH!

Now today I'm back up about a 1/2 lb from yesterday AM and still no BM. Of course, it's TOM this week (probably why I caved to the chocolate ice cream), and that usually stalls me as well.

Well, today is a new day. I had my 1/4 cup of oatmeal and 4oz of cottage cheese along with my coffee and water. Now I need to drink my HNS and take my pills. Fun, Fun. I'll try not to choke again!

I am with you Rocki! It TOM for me to. I had a bowl of choc ice cream w/ Peanut butter added to it last night. I have a food hangover today and am right back on track.

Originally Posted by Gma to 4:
You all crack me up! I'm trying to inconspicuously read these posts in my office over lunch at my desk and am LOL. Someone just popped in and in my hurry to minimize this page, I spilled some of my HNS on my keyboard and of course let out with a string of curses! The other two in our office barely say "darn" or "crap", so I sure keep them entertained. The worst part is what a poor role model I am as the boss. On a really bad, bad day, our Finance Officer (mennonite woman in her 40s), let out with a "crap", then turned beet red, when I started to clap. :yikes:

I do avoid the F bomb...must be because I'm from an older generation. I think about letting it out every once in awhile, but it would really take something truly remarkable and upsetting to set me off that badly!

Maybe we should share our favorite curses??? I sure use "that really pisses me off!" quite a bit, as it is one of the mildest I can get away with at work.

You had me LOL. I too am reading at work. I like to say "mother jumper" so I don't say the real thing. But then when I get really frustrated I end up saying "mother f***ing jumper".

Originally Posted by Gma to 4:
I might not use the "F" word, but I'm rather partial to nuts, bolts and screws! And I use the generic "A$$ hole" for all the idiot drivers out on the streets....

Anyway, I had a great NSV tonight. Went shopping at Kohl's for new capris/shorts, tried on 10s but WHOA!!! they were too big. So what did I end up with? A pair of capris and a pair of bermuda shorts, both size
"8"s!!!

:carrot: :carrot: :carrot:

Guess the inches lost do mean as much as the weight, as I started in a size 16 in March and am now down to a size 8. i did a fashion show for DH when I got home. He was pretty impressed!

FABULOUS NSV!!! Congratulations

Originally Posted by MrsPhibes:
It's been almost a month since I posted and left for my trip and some of you "older" members may remember me and gosh, there are so many new people and postings. I know I will never catch up.

To fill you in. DH and I went on a cycling trip to France for 2 weeks. It's a good thing that there was a lot of activity involved or I would have certainly gained back some weight. The French don't believe in low-carb, substitutions on a menu, or artificial/low-cal/sugar-free anything. It's all full-fat and high-carb. After the first day I threw caution to the wind and just ate what was served. Of course, I stressed about not eating what I was taught and gaining weight but I figured that there was enough exercise involved that it would offset some of this. We cycled about 50 miles per day and on our off/rest days we hiked 7 miles or so.

Some of you newer members may not know that one reason I wanted to lose my weight was to be able to bicycle up hill better. It worked!!! Lugging 25 less pounds helps tremendously. Out of 34 people on the ride I was not even close to the slowest. On the hills I found it hard but didn't walk a single one (even though there were some that were long and steep). I felt very proud to be able to do this and not shy in front of the cameras. Many photos were taken and cycling lycra doesn't leave much to the imagination.

When we returned I was tired from the 7 hour time difference. It took a full week to feel human and not wake up a 3am. Finally went to WI Monday. Guess what? I only gained 1 pound. I was amazed. Granted when I came home I went right back on maintenence plan.

Bonnie

Bonnie Welcome Back! We have missed you.

WELCOME BACK BONNIE!!! Glad your back.

GMA-AWSOME!! I am so happy for you, A size 8 is great!!

Working mom - You crack me up with the mother jumper...lol

Originally Posted by shenanigan:
Well, Im off to WI later today after a morning of committee meetings. I am worried about getting a HNS in before 5 hours. I just ate bfast and they will only have candy snacks (they always do!). I guess I can take my water bottle and put a HNS in it. I don;t want those people knowing what I am doing-at least not yet. People always say, "Oh you look fine. Why are ou dieting."
I just don't wan to have to explain myself so I will have to "hide" the HNS I guess.

Wish me luck. i must say I like having more food choices! Those first 4 days were brutal!

If you have some kind of a thermal mug, you could mix up your HNS ahead of time, add a little ice & take it into the meeting with you - no one would know whether you had coffee or tea or water in it. Too late for today, I'm sure, but might be a thought for next time.

I know what you mean - I had lots of people telling me I didn't need to lose weight, but I knew I did - I didn't feel right physically, I didn't even walk like "myself", if that makes sense. I just wasn't comfortable. And I wasn't at a healthy weight - looks definitely aren't everything, and for me it definitely wasn't just about how I looked.

Judy OMYGOSH--Size 8's!!!! What a totally awesome NSV!!!:carrot::carrot::carrot:

Bonnie Good to see you back and hear about your trip, which sounds amazing.

stuckingradschool I agree with the others--it was probably the sushi. Can you up your water intake at all for the next few days?

auntsandyrules Thanks for the scale advice--I bought the same one that you did at BB&B and LOVE it! Congrats on the Size 10 dress, even if you didn't get it!

Shineon What a great manager you have--she sounds super supportive.

Rocki Wow--you are starting stabilization--that is terrific news! Congrats!


I had my WI today and am down 2 so still slowing creeping to the 170's :)

Hello everyone - I just wanted to share my amazement with you. A while back I bought a bottle of those "keosis" sticks(or however that is spelled - as you can see spelling is NOT my strong point :)) So I could check for myself to see if I was in fat burning mode or whatever. I guess I was still skeptical about the whole "cheat & knock yourself out of fat burning for 3 days thing" - I guess that is appearently the truth. I cheated Tues night and I'm checking daily to see exactly how long it'll take me to get back.....but I just thought that was interesting, and I guess I also had to "see it for myself".

Shenanigan-I buy a box of the concentrate HNS - it's easier to mix in a bottle of water , or you could just "shoot" the pouch by itself if needed. (I've never don't this myself, but my center told me you could)


GradSchool - are you sure they got all of that pin out of your foot....I'd blame Target for everything, even weight gain! :)

Judy - I'm just sitting here smiling thinking about you "prancing" around in front of mirrors - heck I would too! :)

tvmitche - Hubby left the 1st of June, and I started MRC 3 days after he left - so he will be surprised. He knows I'm eating better, but he has no idea how much I've lost. And if he doesn't notice I'm not bringing him home from the airport! :) Thanks for the tip about the ice with the meal replacement shake - I tried one and had a hard time with it since it was so think....but now that I think about it...DUH - shake....ice....DUH!! :)

I had something really yummy for dinner last night and thought I would share.

I bought some frozen Turkey Mignon's at Sams. They are individually packaged thick turkey breasts wrapped in bacon. I thawed overnight in the fridge then sprayed the foreman grill with olive oil spray and cooked. I didn't have to add any seasoning at all. Once they were finished cooking I removed the bacon and tossed it. They were delicious. They come in a box.:)

Originally Posted by Finz:
I had my WI today and am down 2 so still slowing creeping to the 170's :)

Great job!!! WHOA!

Originally Posted by Finz:
I had my WI today and am down 2 so still slowing creeping to the 170's :)

Finz: Way to go! Only 2 lbs more to the 70 lb board. Wow! :cheer3: