Well I'm down 10 lbs which is great since it's that TOM again (lately I haven't been regular). Signing the 10 lb board was so great. I have to agree with what everyone says about what we hear from the counselors. There is some contadictions in what they say. But I do try to follow the plan as much as possible - about 95% of the time. The other 5% might be an extra ounce of protein or say extra veggies so. I feel that it's better to eat a little extra than to eat something I shouldn't.

texdoc2001 Thank you so much for sharing. This must be a very tough time for you. I'm so proud that you are honoring yourself through this, and your feelings. It's so much easier to eat or drink through something like that, then to really feel the loss (and all the emotions that come with it) but now you are and as hard as it must be for you please know that we are all here for you.
We love you!

Jant - I'm with you on the big time water drinking boat. I drank next to no water before plan, but now, just like you, I can tell BIG TIME when I don't drink my 100oz. Was you co-worker on Hoodia? One of my co-worker's girlfriend was on Hoodia and it freaked her body out like that...maybe she could back off of one thing at a time? (I'm sure you've had this conversation with her, but hey...just thought I'd throw that in).

donuts - Gazoo hates the kazoo! So I probably won't play while I'm with it (not to metion the fact that I'd probably fall off or smack myself with the handle). I plan (optimistically) to get up a half hour early tomorrow (thats 5:30am) to spend QT with Gazoo...I'm hoping to do that most mornings this week. I'm gonna try to settle into a routine this week and then (crosses fingers) hopefully stick to it. That being said...all last week my back hurt...like constant tension, it was weird. I haven't ever had back problems and rarely have pain unless something strange has happened. Well I couldn't figure it out until after I spent time with Gazoo...then I realized..I spent at least 2 hours getting on and off of different elipitcals and my back muscles were screaming at the workout Silly Me.

Hope everyone is having a happy Monday!

Whoosh, we are almost finished decorating the inside and outside of the house. The inside is 98% done. Outside still needs some extention cords, more lights etc etc, needless to say probably another day of work, but it started raining today, so not much the hubby will be able to do afterwork today. Aaaah, we have some out of town visitors coming on Friday, I want to have all of the decorating completely finished by then.

I think the Christmas holiday will be easier for me to stay on plan. Seems like Thanksgiving is more of a feeding frenzy. LOL So, I am thinking, for me, this will be a bit easier, except for those stinking mini candy canes that are everywhere! I had to slap my hand, when I was at a checkout in the store, and almost robotically opened one to eat it. Also, I am close to the 30 pound board, I'd like to be signing it by the end of this week, or on my next Monday wi! So no mini canes for me

Goal4Life: I am getting close to that 30 pound mark, too--- I wi tomorrow and since I missed on Friday, I am hoping for a big loss- my scale at home looks pretty good, so hopefully, I will be right behind you! This weekend went well- got most of our decorating done inside, still need to do outside but the weather is not cooperating.

Tomorrow is my daughter's 11th birthday and of course we have the dinner tradition, she gets to choose where she wants to go eat. I hope she picks somewhere that I can eat..... if not, I guess I could eat before we go.....not much fun.

Graduate, I hope you get to the board soon.. You are doing great !

Maybe have 4 good choice restaurant options that you know you can pick from, and have your daughter pick from the 4. She still gets the thought that it is her choice, but you get to put in choices that will be good for you also.

Goal4Life Great idea! I will do that, besides she is only going to be 11-- who's in charge anyway! Ha!

well, I had WI on Friday and lost another pound. I was hoping for 2 pounds so I could sign the 30 pound board, but alas I'm at 29 pounds. I think I will get it at tomorrow's WI. The last couple of months have been sooo slow for me. I hadn't been taking enhancer, so I got back on it and I think it has been helping. My DH hit 40 pounds at WI on Friday, so at least one of us got to celebrate. We're really working hard to get to our goals by the end of the year (and the end of our program), but if I have to add a couple more weeks on, no big deal. I've only got 18.5 pounds to go. I can do it!

to everyone!

I weighed in on Friday and I gained two pounds.
I don't know why, but it really bothered me. I knew I didn't do anything off plan, and it is almost my TOM but for some reason it hit me hard. I went home and had a pity party. It was a pretty boring party, no junk food and no other attendees(my husband and son refused to be apart of it), so unfortunately the party was a bust. I'm thinking that I was being emotional because of the whole TOM deal, but geez looking back.... WOW! I even cried! And, I might cry again at some point during a gain (likely)! I think I might just have another pity party too, even though it was really boring!
I'm just here to say that although I had a bad night on friday, and I was disappointed in my WI.... I did not cheat, as I would have prior to joining MRC, and I didn't stay at my pity party for more than an hour (ok, maybe two).
You all remain an inspiration!

Namaste...don't let it get to you. If it is truly the week that your TOM is to be appearing, then typically, your body holds onto about 3 pounds of water. Stick to plan, and if at all possible, you can wait to wi until the day after TOM begins, then you will notice a loss back down to your most recent weight. Also, if you want to prove that it is truly due to that reason, the Tanitia scale always read wacky during the week leading up. Drink lots of water, and get maybe a little extra rest each night, and you will be fine. Trust me, I know how you feel! Don't get discouraged.
I will send you some to keep you going for the week.

namaste - Pull up a chair and just let it out! We're here for you I remember my first gain. I was more disappointed than anything else. If it's TOM, then we can assume that you'll drop those 2 plus some more at a WI coming up. But either way...look at the positives...you've lost 26lbs in a little over a month! Thats awesome! Faster than I lost my first weight I think and we even started around the same weight. I'm glad you left the pity party. They're never worth sitting through are they?

The girls at work today declared that we're going to start a Biggest Loser competition here at work. I'm so excited! I, of course, won't change anything that I'm already doing. I know Donuts won a biggest loser challenge at his workplace sometime earlier in the year. I don't know if I'll win, honestly. We're going by percentage lost and while I put up steady losses, there are some others who might be right up there with me with a couple big losses. Anyway, there's a cash pot to win at the end (we have to put $1 in the pot for every pound gained during the challenge) so I don't see how it has a down side. I don't plan on gaining much if anything, so I'll never have to pay, but I'll have a shot at winning! Bring it on!!

NAMASTE Thanks for the earlier encouragement. I've gotta say, I think that the only thing we have control over is what we put in our mouths--not the numbers on the scale, not the speed of the process. But surely if we're faithful about what we put in our mouths, eventually we'll reach our goals. It's easier to say this today than on days when I'm really discouraged like last Friday, but I know it's true.

Thanks to all for your encouragement. I didn't fall apart over the weekend but did have red wine with a friend on Saturday (which, while still off-plan and not okay with me, is different to me than sitting at home drinking wine alone). Oh well. Today is a new day and I'm sucking down water as fast as I can. It's what I DO have control over, right?

NAMASTE: I remember early on when I gained and I cried on the way home. Felt so stupid..but when you are working so hard, it is very discouraging. I remember sitting at a red light the same day and looking over to see a woman just chowing down on a big ole' cheeseburger and thinking that will never be me! I have made a lifestyle change. Keep your chin up and your attitude positive, that ole' scale will move! Congrats on not cheating to make yourself feel better!!

Good Monday to all.....

Sounds like some of you had a great weekend and others not so much. A little insight, I was one who went in on TOM, I didn't gain but they did a full tanita scale reading and it showed how much extra water I retained, it was well over a pound. As hard as it is, be patient and do not weigh in until you are done. I learned that one too.

Went today and WI and lost another pound since Friday morning, so that was great.
Saturday night we went to a football party and you know what type of foods this entails, lots of salt and sugar.
The meat was brats, and I knew if I didn't eat anything I would offend someone so I drank TONS of water and tried half of a brat. It was so greasy to taste that it still makes me want to drink water just thinking about it. Anyhow, no alcohol, just water so that was okay.

I have to admit since starting the colored diet sheets (3 weeks and 1 day) this has went okay. I have to be honest I wish the weight would fall off faster. I have lost 9.5 pounds and 13 inches.

For my December goal I decided to that if I could loose another 8 pounds that would be great. Anyone else have goals to share?

Also, anyone taking non MRC hoodia? Any suggestions? 75.00 is way too much for a supplement that only has 180 pills. (Remember both my hubby and I do the diet).

Thanks so much**

You ALL are just the best. I just Love Love Love ya!

It was my first gain, and it was so discouraging after working so hard.

But, I realize that it happens to everyone and being able to come here and just put it out there (no matter how stupid I felt for doing it... the pouting, the crying) I would feel better afterward and I do so thank you!

I appreciate you all so much.