Buena sere, ladies! I am back from two weeks in Italy, the second of which was a hands-on culinary tour to bakeries, cheesemakers, wineries, salami makers. OMG. It was simply outrageous. And if you think you are gonna eat low-carb in Italy, Well... it ain't so. I suppose if it was just my husband and myself, being moderate would have been easier to manage but as part of a group both weeks, it wasn't. They really do eat pasta everyday! There were days I didn't get a single fruit or vegetable - it was all starch, fat, meat. Oh, I forgot sugar and wine. I actually felt sick a couple times. And we didn't walk nearly as much as I would have on my own - way too much time on busses.

But it was an unforgettable trip. So beautiful and the artisans were so happy to welcome us into their kitchens. They each prepared lunch for us,which was always two hours with course after course.

For once I am afraid to face the scales. I sensed my pants being quite tight and i did measure my waistline last night when I got home: 2 inches! Even though I don't feel great on it, I'm doing the green menu till wiegh-in on Friday. That's the best I can do. Lots of water too. After 10+ hours in economy class, I'm surely holding a lot of fluid. My feet felt like lead when we got off that plane.

But there I go complaining again. It was Fabulous! I just didn't have a bit of restraint. Today is a new day. I'll be posting a lot for a while! I will need the support! and wasn't I glad to be starting that trip at 162 rather than 185, which was what I wieghed the last time I went to Europe!

camaswa-the trip sounds simply divine and worth the pain of going back to the green plan for a while.

Need a maintenance pumpkin dessert recipe if anyone has one .
Thanks
Patzi

Weighed in and lost 1 1/2 pound , making me 6 pounds under goal. I am trying to lose a couple of more pounds before holiday parties start.. Me losing that much weight is unheard of, but I will take it gratefully.

Patzi

WOW patzi! Do anything different?

Patzi,
Skinnytaste.com has some great pumpkin dessert recipes. Usually when I make her dessert recipes, I will substitute half of the sugar with stevia or splenda to make it even lower in calories/carbs/sugar.

Hello ladies:)

Just checking in, although I do that often without posting sometimes!

Plucking along...oh the joys of Maintenance!! lol Difference at the moment for me is a more positive attitude. I am still maintaining, not losing the few pounds I had gained over the summer...but am optimistic that I will. This time of year, I would normally be freaking out, but instead I am not going to let the holidays and upcoming trips intimidate me.

Something my counselor and I noticed recenlty is that I had pretty much gone off HNS and supplements completely over the past couple of months. For a time, I am going to re-introduce HNS to my diet...fiber drinks, etc...there are SOO many tips over the course of this program and there isn't a "one size fits all" approach in Maintenace that works for everyone. I am having to identify what works for Tami...and that is kind of hard! Some days I feel like I have a handle on it..then others, I don't:0

Well...the bottom line is to never give up and I am not. Great job Patzi on staying below your goal...any tips would be much appreciated!!! You all are wonderful and very inspiring...Love that I can refer to this board to find support!

Patzi-you asked about some pumpkin recipes. As I smell some yummy pumpkin cookies baking, I'll let you know the few I have.

3 ingredient pumpkin choc chip cookies: 1 box spice cake mix, 1 15oz can pumpkin, 1.5 cups choc chips, mix, drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet, bake at 350 12-15 minutes. My recipe made 40 cookies, making it 70 calories a cookie. Without the choc chips it was 40 calories a cookie. I think you can use the same recipe and put them in muffin tins for muffins. I'll try that after we move and I actually find my muffin tins.

Crustless pumpkin pie-I use the MRC recipe for a single serve pumpkin pie with a few changes. I use ricotta instead of cottage cheese, use regular pumpkin instead of spagetti squash, use vanilla extract and no HNS. I 4x the recipe and put in a 9" pie pan. Sometimes I'll have 1/4 of the "pie" for a meal, which is about 170 calories. A little fat free cool whip (or a lot:) for about 200 calories. If you need a more specific recipe I can dig it out, most of my stuff is packed right now.

I also make a pumpkin pie smoothie...1 cup pumpkin, 1 c milk, a few shakes of pumpkin pie spice (to taste) and splenda to taste. If I'm not having any other carb I add in 1/4 c dry oatmeal. Blend. Yum.

How's everyone doing? I had been maintaining eating around 1600 calories give or take...then I felt like I "should" lose another 5-7 pounds, so I went down to 1300 calories and constantly felt like I was starving...which made me snitch, which made me not lose...which made me frustrated...you see how this is going. So I decided the only reasons I felt like I "should" lose weren't really that compelling and I really just need to make it through the holiday season without gaining. And to find that sustainable spot...eating without starving and without gluttony...exercising without becoming obsessive or letting it run my life. So I'm going to go back to 1600 calories a day, 3 days of running, 2 days of strength training (1 day intense and long, the other shorter and less intense). See where that takes me. My contract with MRC is up in 2 weeks and deciding if I want to buy some product just to have on hand...but I think I will just hold off. I want to be able to do this without being reliant on a product.

Thanks Natalie.. I will look at the site.
Patzi

Thanks Gina...
Patzi

Gina, I think what you outlined sounds perfectly reasonable and do-able. and I can totally see how 1300 would not be enough for you. I would stay at 1600 and try to get through the holidays sanely.

I'm not really feeling under control from my trip to Italy just yet. I caught a cold and have moped around, hadn't planned meals, no exercise, etc. I did finally weigh one day last week and was pleased to see no real gain, but like you, I was thinking I should go just a little lower. But the better emphasis should be on getting my routine back. I shopped this weekend and this morning am up in time to exercise (if I would get offline!), and my cold is much better,so today is a new day.

And, big news, I'm not planning to go back to MRC. I got an email from the counselor I really liked saying she was no longer at that location. I am not clear if she is leaving the company or what- I think she manages all the metro centers. Anyway, I am NOT driving 30 minutes to meet with a skinny little thing who is only 3 years out of high school, or one of the clueless others whose first suggestion is always a supplement. It's time to test my own motivation and discipline! Now, excuse me, I have a date with a treadmill.

As Tami said... Plucking along.. This week gained 1 1/2 lost last week. No reason, no change.. Just trying to stay on top of it all and yes, it is a challenge.

I am weak.. I need to go to center to get weighed in.. I know myself, if I did not have to account to someone, I would not make it. Pathetic, I know, but
MRC works with me being confident if I gain, I will work to get it back off.

Wishing you all a maintained week.

Patzi

Stabilization
 

What happens when you start stabilization? I was told today that next week they will set up my appt to start? thanks:):)

I weighed in this week and lost 1 1/2 pounds. This is what I gained last week. Just call me YOYO.. LOL.

Patzi