[Medeis]

Michlove, look at that ticker sig, awesome! Glad to hear you are feeling better too, that should help keep you on plan as you go forward. You are keeping hydrated, right?

Sandy I hear you on the salt, yes, my weight fluctuates too from that. Also, I try to drink all my water during the day. How do you manage your water intake?

Today I weighed 195.4. Yay! I am not really going to celebrate this weight until I see it again though, lol, but I will update my ticker. Yes!

[michlove1980]

Sandcar150- Thank you so much for the garlic advise I will def. look into it!
Medeis- I drink alot of water through the day. I can always stand to drink more though. 195.4! Congrats!!!!!

You know I get so bloated immediately from salt. The bad food I mentioned when sick was fast food(salt) and immediately my hands swell. The water retention prior to period also will cause weight gain and sometimes randomly throughout the month.

I am going to do some exercise today (Dance Dance revolution) in an attempt to not have gained from the excess food this last weekend. I will also be walking the block at work. We shall see. I will weigh myself on Thursday at home. Oh lordy.

[sandcar150]

Woo hoo, Medeis! I'm so happy the scale is moving down for you.

I'm still the same weight. Water is no problem for me. I drink at least 3, 32 oz cups of water daily, plus I get in 5-6 cups of green tea each day. Let's just say my toilet paper bill is almost as much as my mortgage each month. lol

[michlove1980]

Ok so... good news I didn't gain any weight during my 4 day eating crap to feel better diet. I need to be happy about that! I lost a pound so I'm 15 lbs down from 11/30/13. I am so looking forward to below 200. I don't ever want to go above 200 again. Denial and emotional eating and binges brought me to this point so I am going to still tackle those issues daily just not with food.

[Medeis]

Hi there Michlove, that is good no weight gain, I am glad for you and down a pound that is excellent. I know how you feel about the magical 200, don't worry, it will happen. And yeah, you are right about emotional eating and binges but most of all denial...for me it was really really difficult getting over denial. And I am still not over it. Noooooooooooo!!! *covers ears and closes eyes*

Sandy may I ask what kind of green tea you like to drink? I am just wondering about the properties, I heard it is really good for you, but I am vague about that so will have to read up on it.

Do either of you do any cooking or baking? I think you don't do weekends, Sandy?

As for my weight, well I have fallen into a habit again of checking it every morning. How not to do that, I wonder? I was down a bit at 194.8 I think and was pleased but also I know there are risks to losing weight too fast. I have to look them up specifically. But if I average it out it only comes to 1.5 lbs a week and that is acceptable. There are going to be plateaus, like that really long one I had, that almost 3 week long plateau. Anyhow, going to try not to weigh tomorrow.

[sandcar150]

I'm so proud of both of you. You are doing so well!

Medeis, unfortunately, I do not like to cook, which is why I think I love Jenny so much, but I know I'm going to have to start because I can't live on Jenny foods forever. I'm glad my husband loves to cook or we'd be that couple that goes out to eat all the time. lol Don't get me wrong, I do like to cook once in a while...I just wish I had a passion for it like some people do. I have more than enough cookbooks on healthy eating and should really start to dig those out and look through them because my weekend eating is so routine and bland. I want low-cal foods, sure, but they don't have to be boring either.

As for the green tea I drink, I have many that I love. My favorite right now is the ones from Yogi (Blueberry green tea) and Numi (Gunpowder green tea). Both are very mild in flavor and the Yogi teas are already slightly sweetened with stevia, so I don't have to add any. The best prices I've found for both are on Amazon, too.

I was only down 0.2 this week, but considering I had a really good loss last week, I was expecting it to be minimal today. That's okay because I know these last few pounds are going to be the hardest to get off.

I'm happy about one thing, though. I talked my sister into walking with me again in the mornings for an hour a day, Monday through Friday. At least until the Valentine's challenge on the JC forum is over. Walking is not my favorite form of exercise, but when we do it together, the time flies by and we get to spend some quality time together, plus burn some calories. A win-win for both of us.

I hope where ever you girls are that you are both keeping warm. It's not really cold here in CA. Today it is supposed to be 68 and people are complaining about it being cold. PLEASE! Have they not seen the below 0 temps in other parts of the country?

Have a good day all!

[Medeis]

Hi Sandy, wow, yes, it was zero here yesterday I think and just 20 today. But hey, that is warmer than the day before!

I am so glad to hear you get to walk with your sister. I would like a buddy to walk with but the weather here is either too cold or too hot and muggy to be outside. But that is going to be some of the best kind of exercise you can get, I have read.

Isn't it great to have amazon! Green tea and anything you could want, I love that site, I have to stop ordering stuff lol. But I know I have had green tea before and I thought it was good. Thanks for the name, I'll have to try some and great to know it comes with stevia in it. Is stevia your favorite sweetener?

I don't cook either, hence my reliance on Jenny Craig too, just like you. However, I may have mentioned that JC is not really diabetic friendly. So I have been learning a few dishes to cook (I mean I REALLY did not know how to cook before, even to boil eggs). My friend is teaching me. It's nice knowing I have some alternatives, but I am so new at it that I am hesitating a bit on my next meal to make.

Anyhow, congrats for your weight loss, hey every bit counts right!

[michlove1980]

Hi Ladies!
I am in California so I am loving the weather. I like cold but not too cold. Zero Medeis! Oh my! I can cook but I love fast food. I have come to realize I love things ready to go. No thought. So Jenny has always worked for me. I guess it is true I just can't trust myself to weigh and count and be good. I hope I will get there. Sometimes PMS throws it out the door or other situations. I don't smoke anymore so not to many vices except my journal which helps.

I also calculated the cost of all the eating out and binging I was doing and Jenny saves me money. I tried Nutrisystem before and hated the food and lost 0 in the month I did it. I thought maybe because of all the preservatives.

As far as Amazon I was on there today! Oh boy. I really love this hair product (I have super dry hair) HSI Argan oil. So I like to load up because some are triple the price as others.

I weigh in tomorrow again at Jenny- it will be my lowest loss since I didnt weigh in last week. But I will explain to my beloved Couselor that I was sick and Jax curly fries saved me.

[Medeis]

Jax curly fries, lol. That is nice you are in CA. I was born there but events took me across the country.

I agree with you about Jenny food. That is the huge blessing is that we don't have to think about the size of the meal or if we are too tired to cook, or any of the other myriad excuses one might make for splurging. I had JC pancakes for breakfast, yum!

I have heard of that argan oil product. My hair is unfortunately very thin, though it is healthy and I have to use volume-increasing products. I just got highlights done yesterday and so that will help give me some volume too.

Michlove I hope your weigh-in went well.

Today I hit 193.0 for the second time so I am going to call my new weight as 193. I can't wait to get out of the 190's.

[sandcar150]

Wow! I can't believe it's been 4 days since I checked in here. I could have sworn I posted on Friday. Well, not much is happening scale wise. My weight is bouncing between 157.6 to 158.2, so I feel that I am due for a good whoosh on the scale soon. My sister is in the same boat and was frustrated about it when we first started our walk this morning. I told her to try concentration on all her NSVs (non-scale victories) because she did say her energy was increasing and some of her clothes were fitting better. She did seem to cheer up by the middle of our walk.

Medeis, I'm so happy that the scale is moving down nicely for you. Before you know it, you'll be in your 180s!

And funny how you asked if stevia is my favorite sweetener. It is because it is natural. But this past weekend I read about and bought another natural sweetener called Monk Fruit and was lucky enough to find some at Target in the little packets you can take along with you in your purse. Like stevia, it's totally natural and calorie free, but it doesn't have that aftertaste that some people complain about with stevia. So I bought a box (not cheap) to try. I like it, but it's much sweeter than stevia, so if you decide to try it, use is very, very sparingly at first.

Michlove, I always would tell people that when they complained about the cost of Jenny; that if they added up all they spent on groceries and meals out, they would figure out that they were either spending just as much as they would on Jenny, or maybe slightly more. But you are getting more than just food from Jenny. Unlike NutriSystem, you are getting that one-on-one support from a consultant. For me, it's so much more than the cost of the food. I feel like I have my life back.

I hope you had a great weigh in on Saturday.

Have a great day all!

[michlove1980]

Hi Ladies!

Medeis- Great Job on your loss! It's so crazy I have thick as heck hair my mom has thin hair and I volumize hers, and thin mine. One of my daughter's has oily hair and Argan oil or oil of any sort is not an option. I literally can soak my hair in it every day and wash only 3 times a week no problem.

Sandy- You are at my goal weight! And it looks like very near your own!
I remember all throughout my life I was always 157 and I am big boned so it looks good. I can only look forward at this point to below 200. I lost 1.5 during the 10 days without weighing and being sick. I should be happy I didn't gain (Curly fries etc...)

Even when I gave birth I was below 200 (all 4 times!). I have been feeling a little down about the number (224lbs). I always would go by sizes before but My body needs to know the number because I am a size 14 stretch and 16 regular (baggy in some) whereas my mother is a size 20 and same weight and height. I guess we all distribute differently.

I guess I would rationalize if I fit in something I was ok but no. I like denial and like to not have to monitor myself. But I have to. I can't let this happen again. It seems so far away but if I get fully back on track with Jenny 100% I should be averaging my 2lb loss a week and should be below 200 soon.

One day at a time right?

[Medeis]

Sandy you are doing so well, I remember when you were in the 160's and now you are in the 150's...that is so inspiring! I hope you get your "whoosh" soon!

Monk fruit...why is that ringing a bell...that is awesome to have found another sweetener you like. I have not been able to use stevia it just does not sit well on my palate. I wonder if one can cook with monk fruit sweetener. I'll have to look into that.

Also I agree with you about Jenny, considering what I used to spend...sheesh, this is a lot better!

Michlove I am sure you will stick to the plan. I have heard that if you fall off the wagon and get back on that people who do that tend to keep getting back on that wagon until they achieve their goal. Also, are you exercising?

[sandcar150]

michlove, yes, many people on the Jenny forum who re-commit say that the first 2-3 days are the toughest, then it's like their minds are back in the game again. You can do this!

And I hear you on the numbers. Just yesterday I walked in the living room and my husband was like, "Whoah!" He said it like he saw a ghost. I asked, "What?", and he said, "I know I see you every day, but you suddenly look so skinny." That made me smile because I had been feeling skinny lately. I then told him that I would sometimes think to myself that maybe I should just stay around this weight. He replied, "I know you, honey, and as happy as you are now, I know you'll be thrilled if you reach your goal weight you set for yourself. You've had that number in your head for so long (heck, it's even in my username )." He's right of course. I think it's just because I've been doing well on my dieting and now exercise and have been bouncing between the same numbers for a while. But I KNOW I won't be satisfied until I see 150 on that scale.

I guess I should be happy about that, because not too long ago my goal weight was 130, which I did hit once but looked almost sickly. I even had some people ask me if I was ill. I had no butt, barely filled my B-cup bra, my face lost its radiance and was fitting into my 14-year-old daughter's size 3 jeans. In my mind, I thought I looked good. But it was a struggle to keep my weight there. I was barely eating. Then when I decided to go back up to 140, it took me all of a week to get there! Those last 10 pounds probably took me 2-3 months to lose back then, but only a week to put on? That shows you how out of control my eating habits were. If I wasn't starving myself, I was binging.

Now, with Jenny, I feel like I'm losing at a healthy rate of around 5 pounds a month (a little slower now that I'm almost to goal) and eat healthy foods in the right portions. I no longer fear food like I used to and feel that I can control myself around sweets now and have a small portion of it and feel satisfed.

Now that my new goal is 150, I feel that it won't be as difficult to maintain that weight. I just have to learn patience and that I WILL get there within the next couple of months and I'll bet they'll go by faster than I think they will.

Medeis, I copied this post about baking with Monk fruit...

Can you offer any baking tips for Monk Fruit In The Raw?
In recipes for sauces, dressings and beverages, all the sugar can be replaced with Monk Fruit In The Raw. However, recipes for most baked goods require sugar for proper volume and texture. For best results, experiment by substituting half the amount of sugar in a recipe with the sweetening equivalence of Monk Fruit In The Raw. It's heat stable, so it is perfect for use in cooking and baking.

So, it looks like you can bake with it, but you still need some sugar for volume.

Hope you ladies have a great day. I wonder where Lyn and Lemondroplet are. Hope they check in soon.

[Medeis]

Sandy your husband is amazing and what a lovely spontaneous comment! Maybe one day my husband will say the same, lol. I am glad to hear you have been feeling skinny lately, I think your story is inspirational. You are going to reach 150, obviously, there is no doubt about that. Wow, to be so close to goal and to know your goal is reasonable (since you raised it up from 130). We are the same height, but I have large bones. I was shooting for 150 but then decided on 145 since 150 is still overweight for me but 145 ducks under the line. I was surprised to read about your really really skinny (130lb) story. That is something to think about. I would love to be 130, it is the weight I was at all through my 20's. But your story makes me think about that and how important it is to be healthy first.

Jenny does allow a healthy weight loss. 5 pounds a month is a really good amount to lose! I hope I can do that. Idk what I am losing but it is about 1.3 lbs a week so I think that adds up to 5 lbs/month. There is no doubt that eating JC has allowed me to understand portions and to be able to say "no" to what I should not eat. I am actually cooking a lot more now and only eating JC once or twice a day at most, however, without JC I would not know my portions.

Glad to hear monk fruit is heat stable. I understand that it would need some volume, sure that makes sense. I'll look for online recipes using it. Thanks for the tip about it!

Michlove I hope you are doing well today. Yes I miss talking to the others too so I hope they drop by.

[sandcar150]

Good morning all!

Another low loss for the week...0.2, but a loss is a loss, right? So I'm a happy camper.

Medeis, I think the reason I set 130 as my goal weight a few years ago was because that was my weight in my 20s as well. I thought I looked pretty good back then, so I went by that. But, being in my 40s when I got back down to 130 seven years ago, that weight just looked different on me then it did in my 20s. Plus, the thinner you get, the more your wrinkles become pronounced once you pass 40. Now that I'm 51, I need the higher goal weight for that alone. lol

Hey, I see that you've dropped even more weight. I am thrilled for you, hon! You are going to be in the 180s in a week or so at the rate you're going. Woo hoo!!!

Have a terrific Thursday everyone!