Very sorry Jen! My hubby & I had brother and sister kitties who we loved so much. The boy had feline leukemia and we had to have him put to sleep @ 10 years old. The girl was 18 and we just lost her this year. It's very hard b/c they're like our babies. I'll be thinking about you and hoping for your miracle!

Jen - sorry you are going through this difficult time with your cat. Rocki is right, they are like kids. Enjoy the time you have left with her and cherish all the wonderful memories you have made.
The weight will come off and you will be at goal very soon. Keep up the good work.

So sorry Jen.. I will pray for a miracle also.. Have been where you are right now and I know what it feels like. And never think you are rambling on, as we are here for you at any time.. I have done the Meta Quick one full week when I had a family emergency, and it worked well for me .

I had maintenance weigh in after the two parties and gained one pound, which is fine by me, as you recall I took an extra pound off intentionally before the parties that made me 6 pounds under goal. Well, today I am 5 pounds under goal.. I will go back to my maintenance eating now, until closer to New Year's Eve... Will report Friday weigh in if I add anything else new to my diet. I love that I have made it to maintenance.. There is nothing I cannot eat in moderation.. So, I am missing nothing,unless it is a trigger for me.

So many people have opted out getting weighed in during the holidays. Center said this happens every year.. People have lost all this weight and doing well, and want to take this holiday time to just get off program and eat and drink whatever they want, and they come back in January and have gained most of the weight back.. This to me is so sad... Some people go away and that is different, but this to me is just an excuse not to diet.. But again, this is only my opinion. Center this month has been almost vacant compared to a full waiting room.

Wishing you all a great weigh in week.

I hope Candi is ok.. She had so much on her plate and was doing so well.

Patzi

Jen-sorry about what you are going through.

Patzi-I don't go to a center (I call in), but I was guessing right now is pretty scarce but come January it will be packed...I sometimes work at a fitness center (and definitely workout there)...right now it's free reign over any of the equipment...come January everything is packed! (Come March it is back to a little more vacant). That mindset means its not a lifestyle change. I love hearing how you are doing maintenance...enjoying most foods, using the metaslim plan to get back on track, and back to your maintenance eating. Can't wait to get there...my goal is March 1 to get there!

Taking my too big clothes to consignment tomorrow. I have a tote full. I figure I am NOT going back to that size and the one I'm in now will be too big in about another month. Some really cute stuff in there that I hate to get rid of...but I"m not going to wear it again and can use the money to get something else nice.

@bigdog......this sounds like you are describing me! Never used to be a pear shape until I got into my 40's - then my waist went bye-bye. Wear black always, lost and regained the same 25 pounds SEVERAL times (WW, So. Beach, Slimgenics, Fat Flush, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem - this is over a 25 year period!) I don't wear heals anymore though, switched to dansko's or clog type shoes.

@Patzi........it's great that you keep posting here now that you are in maintenance. I find it very inspirational. I have lost and regained weight so many times and reading your posts reminds me that it is a lifetime change. That I can manage maintenace - I just need to be mindful if what I am eating and not go back to bad eating habits.

I just did 4 days of metaquick (not sure I can handle more than that!). I am going in today to get weighed and keeping my fingers crossed that the number on the scale has moved in a downward direction!

As for dieting during the holidays - I am actually happy that I decided to start before the holidays, that way I won't gain like I usually do. I am committed to go to the center twice a week, even if I have eaten off plan. I figure I still need to face the music and get back on track.

I just went to WI and was down another 3 pounds. That means I'm 2 pounds away from my Christmas goal of a total of 40 pounds lost since I started. I also tried on clothes and was fitting into a 14 which was shocking to me. I have been wearing mostly the same clothes since the beginning and they are 18s. As long as the pants don't fall off I have been wearing them. I don't want to spend a lot on clothes when I'm only half way to my goal. I think I'm going to have to get a couple of pairs of work pants though. I had a coworker tell me last week that I was wearing saggy butt pants.

I am so happy for you.. What a great feeling, eh ? Be proud of yourself, you deserve an applause...You will make your goal.. You are on the right track.

Patzi

Way to go, Y!! You will totally make your goal of 40 by Christmas!

Hey, everyone! I'm feelin' fabulous and skinny today but I didn't make it to my usual Tuesday morning weigh in because I had a dentist appointment. I'm going to try to go once I pick up a couple of kids from school.

Jen, sorry about your cat.

I am new to MRC and went through my pre-conditioning last week which was really hard at first but got better toward the end of the week even though I was traveling. I officially started my first week yesterday and I feel ridiculously full today. I could barely eat my entire lunch. I felt like I was going to throw up after eating that much. I am also really bloated and gassy. I am drinking all my water but wondering if I am retaining a ton of water for some reason and that's what's causing this problem. I am just wondering if anyone else had this problem when they first started and what to do to make this feeling go away. I am eating more on this diet than I did before I started, but I am eating better food. I used to skip breakfast and/or lunch every day. If I was busy in the eve's I'd sometimes skip dinner too or grab something from fast food or snack when I got home after the kids went to bed. All really bad habits I KNOW!!! I'm trying my best to see this through to the end and would love some feedback.

Thanks,
Darcy

Welcome, Darcy.

It depends on what food plan you are on and how quickly your body is adjusting to more water, etc. i was on the meta slim yellow to start and I was always hungry. If you are eating more veggies than you were accustomed to, that can cause bloating/gas.

Wow! I haven't been here much of late and am impressed with how well people are doing. In body AND mind. So inspiring. I only have a minute (on the train) but wanted to say that I am actually surprised how much I like a MetaQuick day or two now and then. I feel much more satisfied that I thought I would. The trick is I have to be really busy. At home, I probably wouldnt stick to it. I don't think it is really affecting my loss, however. I've been going off at night. But that's another story. Today I have been 100 percent on plan and there are turkey meatloafs waiting at home. My train stop is next...

So it's the first day back at work since I got the suggestion of chewing sugar free gum to help with the temptations. It really did help with the smell of cookies baking, but it sure as heck didn't help me with their chicken and dumplings. All I can say is it was a kinda seperate thing. It had steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots (no carrots for me) and then you put the sauce and dumplings on top. Had a smallish scoop of the dumpling part and a medium size of the veg. It was soooo good, but the kicker was the buttermilk biscuit that I was just going to eat half of the top...yea...it's all gone. I really need to kick up my weight loss, but I keep going off plan and I can see how it affects me. I did lose 2 pounds this WI, but I was hoping to hit my first milestone. Still workin on the ten!!

Hi Darcy!
If I remember correctly, you're eating 6 oz of protein and 4 oz (cooked) veggies at lunch and dinner, right?

I struggled to eat all of my food, too, when I first started (and I used to skip breakfast all the time before I joined MRC). I think part of it was because even though I used to eat a lot in one sitting at times in the past, it was usually all carbs--which don't make you feel as full. The veggies fill you up, and the protein keeps you feeling full and not hungry for a longer period of time.

Eventually you'll get used to the amounts of food and be able to eat it all. Just try to eat as close to all of it as you can, and soon you'll be able to eat it all.

The gas and bloat is totally because of the addition of vegetables to your diet. Veggies and fruit = lots of natural fiber. Fiber sweeps our intestinal tracts clean and--when your body isn't used to it--causes gas, bloat, and more frequent bowel movements. It took a few weeks, but once my body got used to the extra fiber, the gas and bloat went away.

Also, traveling usually causes water retention. When I got back from our 10-day trip to Alaska last June, I weighed in as having gained 3 lbs. About 3 days later, I was back down the 3 lbs, as it was water weight.

Jen, sorry to hear about your cat. our first GSD that we rescued was disagnosed w/ pancretitis after she got into our trashcan and ate all kinds of crap...they had her on IVs for a few days then she was ok...it was a misdiagnosis - hope it's the same for you!

Faerychick - i have lots of heels but love my Danskos!! especially the sandals in the summer - they have small platforms but sooo comfortable. i'm in sales so always "walking the streets!" i bought some of the leopard clogs this year - my dad in law says they look like bedroom shoes :-)
i had to buy a cute brown sweater to go w/ them

ynapier - way to go on the weight loss!!! woo hoo!!

Camaswa - DH grilled some chicken tonight - i was ready to make the turkey meatloaves - guess i'll wait till tomorrow. worked late as usual so glad he felt like cooking and also made a huge salad. YAY! when i attempt to cook, he'll be like ..what are you doing? :-) wait till he sees the little meat muffins...

Funny Story. had some LL bean cargo pants on this am walking the dogs and they almost fell off!!! they were dragging the ground and i kept tripping on the dang things!! so donating them to Goodwill - they slowed down my walk trying to keep them up! haha