Pauley..I am going to Seattle next weekend and will go to a Dim Sum restaurant. Did you find much of a weight gain after you went? I cannot think of any low carb dumplings to choose from the trays except to stay with shrimp or steamed..This is going to be hard as I love that stuff.

Thanks all of you for such interesting information! I have had a couple of bad days since my weigh in on Wed. It seems that since I am doing water aerobics I am hungrier at the end of the day. Now, this has got to be mental as I am not working that hard!!!!! So back to some phase one days to get my belly flat again. I too think finding alternatives that work as well as IP is hard. I live in a small town and can't find the EAS ready to drink, so I bought ATKins drinks. They are more calories but better than nothing.

Maille, I know what you mean worrying about your son on private insurance. My youngest is 29 and I was so happy when his rock band quit touring and he got a job with health insurance. He is type 1 diabetic and is now doing what he needs to do to stay healthy (blood work every 3 mon. , going to the doctor, etc.) He wasn't able to do that without insurance.

Cap, I accepted your invitation on FatSecret, thanks!

Have a good day.

I am cracking up over the greased pig going to bed! Heading to do my shopping today with weird oils on my list. I will be that greased pig tonight!

Love the jail metaphor also. You guys have me laughing this morning.

Jelly - yes, Danita is my coach and she is the best! I miss going in every week. Are you going to support group this month? I plan to. Maybe I'll meet you!

Itsabouttime - like Maile, I try to keep it low carb most days. I track everything I put in my mouth on MFP and keep it under 1330 calories per day unless I run, then I bump it up accordingly. The math works out to continuing to lose slowly. I plan to stop somewhere in the 150's and try to stabilize.

Maile - dim sum is about the carbiest meal you can have! I didn't even try to eat sensibly. I just ate it all and Phase 1'd all week since I'd indulged the night before as well. Have fun! There are so many good Chinese restaurants in Seattle.

I'll be in Seattle next weekend too! Have a great time. I love dumplings too,but what about the flour wrapping? Can we manage the carbs in those? Or make it part of free day? I'm going to look up a serving and see what the numbers say.
Either way there's so much great seafood and fish out there...I hope we have some decent weather, which would be surprising for January! Enjoy :0)

I finally found this thread, halfway down page 2. Bumping back up.

Our thread does seem to keep working its way down. I guess there are a lot of new folks joining and posting. January is a great time to start a new diet.

I did the greased pig thing last night and went to bed smelling like a Pina Colada. My skin does feel nice and soft this morning. We'll see if it helps! If not, I will have a vat of coconut oil to cook with! Still have to find the post pregnancy cream.

A friend showed me how to "plank" last night for core strengthening and tightening up the tummy. I'll be trying that too.

Sunnymae..Let's hope for no rain in Seattle!!!! The dumplings have flour and I cannot see anyway that they will be low carb. I am just going to have a free day. I also love the seafood there. We are celebrating my son's girlfriend getting her degree and going out to dinner.

Pauley, Thanks for the info. I fear you are right..just consider it a Free day and enjoy it!

What is planking?

Well yesterday was a mixed day. The good news is that I need new cross trainers and have decided to buy a bright colorful pair. I am heading to Niketown next weekend! Of course I haven't seen the prices yet!!!!!!

Then I decided that since my pants seemed loose I would try on some new ones. I really do fit a size 6. So I am excited..but then have these fears..What if I buy these and I can't fit them some day as they are very fitted? So I tell myself to believe in myself and buy them.

I still am learning to trust myself and this weight loss.

Sandy..I know what you mean. My sons are covered in college while they are teaching, but are not covered when they are not teaching. It is scary. I am glad your son has coverage. I am still looking.

Your metabolism should be up due to your water exercise!!!!!!

At this point? I'd go for both. You've earned them, and then some. About sons and insurance, I'll bet you can guess how I felt when mine gave up tenure at Stanford to free lance in Europe. Biggest gulp I've ever taken then kept my mouth shut.

Hi Maile...first of all, size 6!!!!! Take a breath and just take that moment in!!!!
Secondly...I totally relate to you on the fear of committing to the new size in clothing and wondering about the future. I think we've all been thru that.
When I got to size 4 I freaked. When I went to Old Navy who runs large, and needed a 2 I almost passed out.
I kept my one size up, which for me is a 6, so if I go up in weight (which I did by 8 lbs) I can gauge myself by having to wear the 6's and making my way back to a 4. I still look mighty fine in a 6 and I'm sure you look just as smokin' in an 8, even if you go up a few over the next year. So keep a few pair of your favorite 8's.
I think what a bunch of us are doing (the January maintainers re-boot) should be like a family reunion. The time we all take to re assess our needs and take the appropriate actions to get back to our goal weights or
whatever makes us feel "right" It's so different for all of us, but we're in some way all on the same page, however we get there.
So...enjoy your new clothing and how wonderful you feel. Set your max. weight gain and/or size allowance and you'll be fine. BTW...I'm lookin' in the mirror at myself as I say all this. I always need to remind myself the same thing. Keep believing. You have done an awesome job!

As a follow-up to the argan oil discussion.......

I got this in a email today and thought I'd pass it along. Excellent way to get introduced to a few products for a decent price. I have a GIANT bottle of her 100% Argan Oil that I use. I also use the color stick on my cheeks and lips.

http://www.sephora.com/browse/produc...89846:33482308

Note: a little oil goes a very long way. My giant bottle will last me YEARS. And that's a very good thing.

Maile- a plank is a push up without the pushing up You just stay in the 'start' position of a push up (usually your hands are a bit closer together as well than is typical of a push up hand set) for anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Or you can do it resting on your forearms and toes. There are many variations but they are all quite effective for the core...
I went to the 'fitness sampler' at my gym yesterday. They were doing abbreviated versions of 4 classes that they offer and you could try any or all of them. I was interested in one of the strength classes and I'm definitely feeling it today so think I'll take the plunge and sign up for it.
Pauley do you want to do the challenge with us? If you do sign up at fatsecret and I'll invite you...
Wildflower- I don't envy you your predicament. Being pregnant and trying to watch your weight is incredibly difficult. Near as I can tell you'll probably have to forgo a free day as you will not be able to balance it with a phase 1 day. Probably will have to follow maintenance style eating with the odd indulgence and keep up with exercise as that is what will help the most. Pre natal yoga and swimming are both pretty good...

I missed something! Are you pregnant wildflower? Or were you just talking about the stretch marks you developed during a past pregnancy?