Sorry I didn't respond, have never used the powders so I didn't know. Was hoping someone else had and could give you some info. About the hot flashes, it makes sense to me that it is diet related. Our fat cells store hormones and when we are losing weight and releasing that stored fat, the hormones come out as well. For me, I went several extra weeks w/o my TOM. Then it lasted almost 2 weeks when it did show! Others have had other disruptions in cycles. So, since hot flashes are hormone induced and now you are having a flood of hormones from the weight loss, I think it could be connected.

Lori, this makes sense to me. It's so nice to have you and Karen with such great medical expertise on here....it really helps....plus you don't charge for your advice....I do like that!!! But then you know, you could bill be anytime you know.

You earn your keep by keeping an eye on us! Went out and got the bellydancing dvd and this cute little belt with all the coins to shake during the workout. I guess this is where the phrase shake your moneymaker comes from! I tried on one of the full outfits and think I want one when I reach goal. It was really cute.

Bellydancing -- how fun!

Has anyone tried Zumba? I keep hearing about it and it makes me want to go try a class. I love to dance!

So... I was wondering if anyone on here has ever tried spaghetti squash with some butter buds & splenda. It is yummy and an easy way to get your veggies in.

yeah---I like that. I didn't try it w/a sweetner, though (I use Stevia instead of Splenda). Maybe I'll try that next time. I have some spaghetti squash in the fridge.

I tried the tuna casserole in the MRC cookbook tonight!! Yummy!!! Highly recommend it (I did miss that taste of cream of mushroom soup and eggnoodles that usually go w/tuna casserole, but it did the job)

I too have the bat wings... They wave at me when I raise my arms, never thought I would have these but I do, I'm hoping these will continue to improve, ofcourse I need to add some tricep exercises to help it along :0) Truthfully, I kind of amused by these, I've never been skinny enough to have it before so it's almost a happy thing to see. I agree with the always insightful Namaste, it's apart of me and the journey I've been through. It reminds me of where I came from and where I never want to go again.

Hmmm... never thought of that... might try it...

I have not but have always wanted to. I've heard it can really kick your butt but is a ton and a half of fun, fun, fun!! Hope you try it..

You are so adventerous these days! Sounds like alot of fun and alot of belly trimming movement ... let us know how it goes :0)

i am having a rough week this week, guys. between the forced off-plan moments this weekend and having my lady visitor, i feel like a giant! i'm up a pound or two, despite drinking a TON of water so far this week, and i am feeling super discouraged.

has anyone ever seen the never ending story? i feel like artax, giving into the sadness and sinking into the mud hehe... (man i just revealed what a gigantic dork i am)

You have to share where you got your dvd and belt. I've always thought belly dancing would be fun.

At the Chapel Hills Mall in Springs there is an Everest Tibet Imports store. They have all kinds of neat asian items. I saw a video there once but didn't think of it until one of the nurses I work with was talking about the class she took. So she told me to start working on my core by doing figure 8's with my hips and not move the upper part of my body. Well, before you know it, here were all us night nurses gathered at the desk trying move our hips in a figure 8. The night nursing supervisor thinks we're nuts. Probably not far from the truth!

I am picturing this with a smile!!! Good for you...go for it...I'm sure you are sexy doing it too.

Leahruthie, hang in there. Blame it all on TOM!!!! It will soon be over and you will have a nice loss. It just takes awhile, I'm still fighting my two week set back....it really can mess you up. But we will get past it and start to have 2-3 pound losses again. Besides, the inches are showing it....just keep remembering your "small jeans" you got into....that was your motive!!!

I went to WI today and had a nice long chat with the counselor about my loss being so slow. We reviewed everything. My food sheet, workout routine, menu, everything. She thinks I need a jumpstart. So we got my doc to sign off on the All Day Weight Loss and I’ll start that tomorrow. She also switched me to the Meta Quick menu for 3 days and I also got some Liquid Minerals. I can use the Meta Quick menu a couple of days a week after this if I choose, as long as I don’t do it more than 7 days in a month. I really like the option of having a shake for lunch instead of having to plan and bring my lunch to work.

With all this I am really hoping to rev up my metabolism and start seeing better loss numbers on the scale. I was only down 1.5 lb total this week.

I dropped a boat load of money on all this (ADWL, Liquid Min, shakes, HNS), so it better do something!

LOL, that cracks me up...figure 8's at the nurses station...I love seeing others having fun and might of joined in if I rounded at your hospital, ofcourse my rounds are at 7 am not 11 pm! I think that would be a fun way to work on those abs, better than those darn crunches I did last night!!

funshine, I'm going to ask to do the Meta QuicK too. Can you do it for seven days in a row or just a few days?

I know people have had variable results with it, but it sounds appealing to me.