Originally Posted by Rocki (Post 4113524)

Good luck bigdog.. I DO really like the chocolate truffle. It's like chocolate milk. I only do about 4-6 oz of water. I think it would taste watered down if I did the full 8oz. I'm not sold on the fuzzy navel. The reviews were really good, but I'm not that crazy for it. It tastes too "diety" for me, and it's VERY sticky. My daughter spilled some and hubby was like "what's in this crap?"..it was really gross. oh, and it bubbles up a LOT. I have to let it sit before I drink it. I think you'll like the chocolate though. Did you get the chicken soup from Diet Direct also, or do you get that @ the center?

Originally Posted by Rocki (Post 4113532)

my oh my there are some nasty family members to our great ladies here! I don't know how you all deal with that. I've had a couple of aunts say I was getting too skinny (when I was down to 124 a few years back on MRC), but overall everyone was VERY supportive. I can't believe someone took pics of your butt bigdog and emailed to your family. How horrible and onebighog..omg..what a horrible time with your mother. PLEASE don't let her derail your progress. Eating "like normal" again will be very difficult to come back from. I totally understand you wanting to not let her know what you're doing, but don't sabotage yourself because of it. This is SO hard, just try and do the best you can! Make the best choices you can with the food being served. It's SO much easier said than done, I know. I'm HORRIBLE about doing it. I totally cave and eat a TON. I'm very worried about Thanksgiving, but I'm really hoping I'll have lost more weight by then and it will be motivation to keep at it and not go overboard! The best thing is we're going out to dinner and will have no leftovers here at home. I am, however, going to Orlando Tuesday-Thursday and will have to stay strong. We'll have a fridge so I'm going to take salad fixings, cheese and hard-boiled eggs. My mother-in law is bringing a small microwave so I'll take my chicken soup mixes as well.

I hope you all have an awesome weekend and great week ahead.
I just got a postcard from my center today and it says "Returning clients - lose up to 30 pounds for just $59". I made an appointment for Monday AM to "possibly" sign up. I just had the push on pills. I'll have to stay strong on that point. I think the accountability will help and if it's just $59 it's not as much money..We shall see!

Originally Posted by Rocki (Post 4113558)

Bigdog (what is your REAL name?)..When you mix the diet Sprite with fruit and HNS it doesn't fizz up b/c of the carbonation? I have a single blender called "Shake & Take" and just made a blackberry, vanilla pudding HNS smoothy. Would love to mix some diet soda into the fuzzy naval..that would be good. Also, that is just crazy about your sister! OMG about her hugging your hubby and telling him you weren't ready for marriage. How long have you been married now? And do you buy your chicken soup @ the center?

Originally Posted by bigdog (Post 4113500)

Family!!! right? don't get me started! at my heaviest, my oldest sister who has always been jealous of me (can i help i'm the youngest girl and was my mom's favorite? get over it already!!!) LOL! but i do credit her with me starting this diet..she took horrible photos of me backside, bending over in June and emailed them to my entire family, cousins, 2nd cousins, aunts uncles.. i was horrified!!!!!!!!! i did notice that earlier this month when i went home to visit, not ONE photo was taken. hmmmm...and i was looking good! :-) anyway, if i was in your situation, i would eat small portions and if there are veggies, pile them on your plate. if you are taking a dish, make it veggies. you can always lie and say your doctor said your sugar was high and was concerned about diabetes so has you watching your carb intake. in my case, when people p*** me off, it makes me more stubborn to do what i want to do and focus on my goals. the h*** with them! i understand completely...my dad would say...don't get rid of your fat clothes you know you'll gain it back. my aunt would say, when i die, i'd leave you my clothes if you weren't so big (i used to tell her if i smoked cigarettes and drank coffee all day like she did, i'd be dead so what's the point?) my mom used to ask me before Christmas, what size do you wear now? i'd be like, just get me shoes, ok? anyway, this is what i have to say. just repeat after me, this is all about you and no one can make you eat anything or do anything that you don't want to do. and think....ME, ME, ME, it's all about ME!!:goodvibes Congrats on the 9 lbs lost!!! thats incredible!!!!

Originally Posted by Rocki (Post 4113532)

my oh my there are some nasty family members to our great ladies here! I don't know how you all deal with that. I've had a couple of aunts say I was getting too skinny (when I was down to 124 a few years back on MRC), but overall everyone was VERY supportive. I can't believe someone took pics of your butt bigdog and emailed to your family. How horrible and onebighog..omg..what a horrible time with your mother. PLEASE don't let her derail your progress. Eating "like normal" again will be very difficult to come back from. I totally understand you wanting to not let her know what you're doing, but don't sabotage yourself because of it. This is SO hard, just try and do the best you can! Make the best choices you can with the food being served. It's SO much easier said than done, I know. I'm HORRIBLE about doing it. I totally cave and eat a TON. I'm very worried about Thanksgiving, but I'm really hoping I'll have lost more weight by then and it will be motivation to keep at it and not go overboard! The best thing is we're going out to dinner and will have no leftovers here at home. I am, however, going to Orlando Tuesday-Thursday and will have to stay strong. We'll have a fridge so I'm going to take salad fixings, cheese and hard-boiled eggs. My mother-in law is bringing a small microwave so I'll take my chicken soup mixes as well.

Originally Posted by ggoddess (Post 4105861)

To bigdog and camaswa......looks like we're pretty close in height, weight and goal weight. I started in mid-August at 192 and today at home weigh-in I was 174. Haven't seen those numbers in a while. My clothes feel ever so much better! It also appears we have similar off program choices. For example tonight is the Oregon/Stanford game....I'm a huge Duck fan.....so I will be indulging in vodka and seltzer water. I also work out a lot so I make sure I plan a good workout session if I'm going to have a healthy cheat or two. :-) It seems to be working okay. I'm losing each week, slowly but surely, and that was always my goal. 3-5 pounds per week was never realistic for my lifestyle.
I also find it a bit humorous when I show my food log and they call me on small things like a couple carrots or salmon for lunch (too much fat for lunch they say......really? A few carrots and salmon? If they only knew........anyway, it is a great program and it has definitely worked for me. Like you say, it's OUR journey, not theirs and we have to do what's best and what works for us.
Sounds like you both have it figured out and are doing great. Congrats! Bigdog....Enjoy the oysters...yumm! I see a chicken wing in my future. It is game day after all!

Originally Posted by bigdog (Post 4113426)

that's why i don't tell people i'm dieting - they are so critical and probably a little jealous which i think is crazy. maybe i'm weird but i am thrilled when someone is successful at losing weight or whatever their goal is in life...not envious. one of my "friends" last week kept encouraging me to eat more and asked if i was on a grapefruit diet? what i find myself doing also is when i'm out and eating and if the food isn't worth the calories, i don't eat it. i'm not obsessive but it's like, this isn't really that good so i'm not eating it. With the protein bars, i do have to put them out of reach and out of mind at home. i put one in the pantry a day and that's it. the rest are kept in the bottom of the china cabinet out of the way! and sometimes i'll take a bite of one when i'm craving sweets and put it back in the fridge. try to limit myself to one a day. On the road they really fill me up. i keep them in the car too. i also buy that double chocolate cake from Diet Direct that you cook in the microwave...at first i thought it was awful but added strawberries on top for lunch and a teaspoon of lite cool whip (a no no! but it's like 5 cal.) i really don't think i got fat on lite cool whip? :-) the bars are better though. what HNSs do you use? i'm trying to lose 2 lbs by Wed. (my next weigh in.) i seem to be stuck on 177. BTW, i was blaming my weight on menapause and my doctor said women don't gain weight on menapause, it just accumulates more around the waist area when you gain weight...so i stopped using that as an excuse. my weight gain came from eating the same stuff as my DH, nachos, buffalo wings, hamburgers, pizza, popcorn and eating the homemade pies and cookies he was bringing home. yikes!! good to be back to eating what i used to eat before i married him!! :-)

Originally Posted by camaswa (Post 4113665)

well, guess what Bigdog: I'm down a pound since yesterday. It WAS water weight. I'd really like to see another vanish by Wed. just kind of a mental victory before the big weekend ahead. Its fish all weekend! My favorite HNS are green tea, pomegranite/cranberry, and surprisingly - grape. I got that one day by mistake and thought i would hate it but I like it! Its kind of a little kid taste :) I just got home from a 1-hour walk in my neighborhood, which is very hilly. Good for the butt. Now its off to the fabric store for something to keep me busy tonight!

Originally Posted by bigdog (Post 4113861)

that's fantastic!!! and good job on the exercise. i need to step up my activity. i walk 30 -40 min. every am but need to start lifting weights again and riding my exerc. bike.... dang, now i have 3 more lbs to lose to catch up w/ you :-) and i just got back from an oyster roast..... had a few lite beers so will be drinking water to get rid of the water retention!.... small bowl of chili, few steamed oysters and a hot dog w/ no bun...very full. guess the veggies were the jalepenos and onions? :) i have lunch w/ the in laws tomorrow and will def. have to have a cajun bloody mary to get me through that. HA HA...will count as a couple veggies :-) prob have steamed shrimp w/ hot sauce and celery..,,for lunch and will def. be drinking water all day tomorrow.

Originally Posted by camaswa (Post 4113885)

I just love you! I've always considered bloody marys a vegetable. Too bad we live on opposite sides of the country. HaHa. Seriously, though, you guys eat great back there: oyster roasts.. shrimp.... Of course my husband is out salmon fishing right now, so i cant complain!

And yes, you should start doing the weights again! I love it. When you stick with it, it makes such a huge difference in how you look. It is just hard to get started.

Originally Posted by nwcgina (Post 4114590)

I also think I'm dealing with a little constipation...any advice on what to do to stay regular...with all the protein...let's just say my body doesn't keep it moving. Also chugging down the water today...and an interval workout tonight.