In Chinese food, your enemies are sugar, lots of salt, msg, and plenty of low-quality, poor nutrition oil. That said, good for you for draining as much sauce off as you could and for making some veggie choices. In general, buffets and inexpensive restaurants depend on sugar, hidden starches, salt and cheap oils to make their food taste "good." You're smart to avoid eating out as much as possible in Induction; unless we cook it, we don't really know what's in it. I wish that weren't true; I love for someone else to cook and clean up for me.

Strangely enough, I do not worry too much about my sodium levels for the simple fact that I drink 18 glasses of water a day and am constantly "draining" myself. If I have a high day with something like Chinese, sodium wise, Im ok with that. Im just really nervous about hidden carbs and fillers. Its one meal out of several in a 7 day period so it shouldnt kill me, I hope. ;-)

Does anyone have any good snack suggestions? Ive read the Atkins website and several forums but I always like hearing what everyone else's opinions are. I am going to try and make cheese crisps later this week. Those sounds yummy.

Luckylindy, do you like buffalo chicken? I posted a recipe for buffalo chicken dip in the "what's for dinner?" thread, I eat it with celery sticks and it's delicious! It doesn't sound too good on paper but I haven't found a single person who didn't like it once they tried it. It's a popular superbowl snack eaten with chips but easily low-carbified.

I love that! Ill look it up. Thanks Linsy!

Hi Challengers - I'm still hanging in there - they've kicked up the OT here on nite shift - I've kicked up the exercise but still just maintaining (maintenance level carbs) Lovin my bike tho'! Just doin' a drive by - hope everyone is hanging in there!

Luckylindy- snacks that I make are usually cucumber slices w/dressing, sardines, microwave cheese crisps (cut 1 slice of DELUXE american cheese into 16 pieces and arrange on a piece of parchment paper on the microwave tray and microwave for 50-601the seconds- they puff and get crispy), cream cheese muffinsbaked kale vhips, deep fried jicama chips, deviled eggs..

Good morning,

I am down to 188.6 as of this morning. So excited! I have not been in 180s since 2008! I am now officially below my prepregnancy weight-my son will be 3 years old next month! My Labor Day goal is just 3.6 lbs away.
Just thought I would stop by to say hello to all of you. I will have family functions this week and will not be able to frequent this board as much.
Good luck to everyone and keep on truckin'!

Aud - Im impressed with being able to get the workouts in, the heat these days has been awful! I wont be able to work out tomorrow because I have a pretty full schedule but Ive got Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday down so Im doing well.

What is everyones exercise goals per week? A certain amount of minutes, days, calories burned? I shoot for 4 days a week for 30 minutes, not much but baby steps. I usually get 5 in so Im doing well.

Thanks for the meal ideas Tiff, they all sounds good. I need to make up some snacks during the weekend because I always seem to be short on time during the week. I havent cheated, but still. Something I ate last night and the night before is a quarter block of philadelphia cream cheese with frozen, splenda sweetend heavy whip cream - taste JUST like cheesecake. I need to read up on how much cream cheese I can have, does anyone know off the top of their head?

Summer - congrats on your milestone! That is AWESOME! I cannot remember what my pre-pregnancy weight was because well, that was 12 years ago, lol, and I really didnt have weight problems before I had my daughter - pffft, kids, haha - j/k. How much weight was that from the last time you weighed in? Are you consistantly losing weight? Have you stalled?

Im really afraid with my 10 pounds "whoosh" that I might not have a good week this week. I also seem to be A LOT more hungry than my last week so Im eating like a trucker, still eating Atkins but eating like a trucker, lol. Its also showing in my clothes. Nothing is loose, it still feels snug. How much did you guys lose before seeing changes in your clothing?

Woo-Hoo Summer! Keep up the great work.

Aud, great to see you! Hanging in there is awesome, better than throwing in the towel.

Lindy, I try to avoid snacks, because that it my problem. But around 3-4 I find I need a little something to hold me over to dinner. Celery with cream cheese, or some almonds are my usual go to snack. I also keep cheese sticks on hand for this.

I would say today is my toughest day since starting this weight loss program a week and a half ago. Not a "Im gonna give up day" but just a "I want to go to sleep and be done with today". I feel very tired and dizzy. I believe this is a result of me drinking a cup of black coffee, of which, I am not a coffee drinker at all but I was hoping it would held as a ahem, "dieretic".

Im also extremely hungry and did not pack any snacks today in my moment of daze this morning. Just struggling all together. I have a job interview tomorrow for a part time job, fingers crossed. I wouldnt be heart broken if I didnt get it because Im kinda afraid of trying to work 2 jobs while taking care of a family of 5 but my DBF was laid off and we are tight on money and this is only a seasonal job for Halloween, so I figure...Hey, I can do this for 6 weeks - I think. :-? lol

Good luck, Luckylindy, on your job interview. Coffee is, indeed, a diuretic but it can be hard on an empty stomach if you're not used to drinking it. Cream cheese is cheese on Atkins - maximum 4 oz. per day. I'm a big fan of 8 oz. cream cheese whipped with 1/4 c. heavy cream, 1/4 tsp. lemon extract and 2 T. Truvia or Splenda, a little freshly-grated lemon rind if you have a lemon. Chill and enjoy! I'm trying to cut way back on the cream cheese, but it's so delicious this way! If I eat it, I'm not eating cheese at any other time that day. It's hard 'cause I've always been a cheese freak. Two favorites: Havarti Cheese w/Dill and Havarti Cheese w/Jalapenos - they're so flavorful, you don't need but a little to feel as if you've had a treat.

Linsy, I'm going to post your yummy recipe on the "Recipes from 'What's for Dinner'" thread, so we can all enjoy.

My goal is to remain on Induction . . . been strict since Friday so waiting on the Whooooosh!

I started my "jump around in the pool" classes today. Really, it's a fusion of yoga and some very low impact aerobic exercise. I've made a promise to myself to either walk me and my giant German Shepherd or go to "jump around the pool" every day. Hey, it's better than sitting on me arse all day, right?

Hi guys. Yesterday I received very bad news. A good friend, 52 years young passed away in his sleep. I turned to the only thing I know how to cope, eating ice cream. It is a compulsion and is something I have to continue to work on. But being the whack job that I am, when I was in the store thinking about the ice cream I told myself if I bought the "sugar free" it wouldn't be so bad. Sad for my friend. Sad for myself for not having additional coping mechanisms. We have to work on that. Has anyone have any success in changing compulsive thoughts towards food?

Sandy - thanks for the yummy dessert recipe, Ill have to try that tonight. I eat cream cheese every evening with some splenda, so that will add a little more flavor. I LOVE your exercise goals, they actually sound like fun.

Aud - is your weigh in day tomorrow since you've been on it for a week?

Serenity - so sorry about your friend! I have not had to deal with any "hurdles" YET while I have been on the diet so I unfortunately do not have any good recommendations. Yesterday, I was tired and cranky and even though I exceeded my cheese count for the day, I had some cream cheese and splenda (taste like cheese cake) for dessert. So although I went over my cheese allowance, I didnt totally go off program.

I have to say....this is my second week on induction and I feel the first week was a lot easier. I also feel really tired for some reason, I'm not liking it one bit. I did make one little "promise" to myself. Do not go off this change of eating until you have removed all Atkins type foods from the house, and then I just keep buying them. So...its a little mind game with myself, lol.

On a super positive note...I GOT THE JOB. Its actually a second job for me because my other half was laid off but its a night job, so it will help bring in extra money. The double edge sword....I BETTER take off some weight in the next month because I am...duh, duh, duh...a shot girl at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.

Anyway, I just finished lunch and polished off more meat than I would like to admit to - half a pound of brisket - YIKES! But, my belly is full and I dont feel like going on a binge of stuff I cant have, so thats always good, lol.