I posted this in the other forum but to show you how bad I feel I'm just copying and pasting here

Hi all - just checking in - had my best ever day Monday then by Monday afternoon was sick sick sick (guess it wasn't just a reaction to the smoke from the brush fires) - the worst sore throat ever followed by coughing my lungs out and gurgling.... Haven't stepped on the scale since - and worse yet gave in yesterday and had a Big Mac - hubs was getting ready for a weekend trip and it was fast and easy and would fill up the empty from not eating all day. Yesterday I had a few minutes of feeling better then feeling really crummy - and coughing so hard I threw up...

I haven't done any walking in place and even though I need more water I havent been drinking as much as usual --- so all in all I'm scared to even look at the scale as I walk by it ...

I'm so disappointed in myself it was the first Off plan meal since last Year..... Food delivery today and will make Chinese Chicken Soup to have over the weekend.

Rho, take care of yourself. I live on LI also, though western LI. Don't beat yourself up over the Big Mac, you might not have gained any thing, and if you did, it is probably just water weight from the bread that your body is not used to. I hope it rains out there soon. We have had no rain here all week even though they keep on forecasting it.

Jansusan: I have the same problem, I did really well when I was making the time to prep salads and other stuff but if I don't have it prepped it's a lot easier to grab something on the way to work, usually fast food (though I try and get a low carb burger or salad)
Rho: don't beat yourself up, slip ups happen and after being sick it is easiest and at least for me more sane to eat something quick even if it isn't OP. Just drink lots of water, that helps me flush it out quicker.
I started taking Wellbutrin a couple of weeks ago for my anxiety and upped my dose this week and suddenly I haven't been hungry, I realized today that is most likely the reason for it. Now that I know I am going to try to be more on top of my eating and working on eating multiple small meals a day.

Hi All and think I'm getting some steady results too mino . . . 233 today . . . amazing what staying OP will do for the scale lol . . . my DD did my measurements the other day and now I can't find where she wrote them down dangit . . . hope this weight lifting doesnt bulk me up toooo much? LOL! Think I'll re-measure at the end of the Challenge?

We really are surrounded by carbs . . . and not the "good" kind . . . I constantly have to adjust my mind set that I'm really not being "deprived" of anything GOOD. Getting better at it but its of course, a struggle. Hope you're not beating yourself up about that big mac rho? Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things and you've accomplished so much already . . . hope you're better soon!

Gonna look for that yogurt serenity . . . used to love Blue Bunny low carb but getting harder and harder to find stuff like that. DID find the LC sweet relish and pickles for all the egg salad I ate... did you ever make any globe? . . . think "I'm good" til next Easter.

Totally forgot I wanted to check out the metabolism pills air0...can you post the name of them again . . . I remember talking about them in the Easter thread.

I think exhaustion is my #1 daily enemy, but stress and hospitals are right up there janS . . . hope things calm down for you on that front - hard to battle with all that going on - but you can do it!

We must've posted at the same time air- . . . not trying to be a Thread hog here, but just want to share that I have clinical depression (like Mom, Gram and 1 sister) and have battled it since late puberty . . . the ONE AND ONLY drug that ever helped me was Wellbutrin! I had energy and optimism and clarity . . . with no side effects EXCEPT:

I have NO allergies (knock on wood) . . . never have . . . used to rub poison ivy leaves on my legs and arms on dares as a kid . . . I can snort pollen, dust, cig smoke . . . well you get the idea . . . so yeah, I'm loving Wellbutrin, but a couple of months (I think 4) into taking it, I started feeling hot/flushed . . looked in the mirror and had these crazy hives creeping up my throat/neck/ears. Never proven Wellbutrin, but taken off of it as a precaution and they vanished.

FForward about 6 years, and a variety of failed meds . . . my doc did a bunch of research and thought that maybe the hive thing was an allergy to the coating on the pill so he ordered a "plain" form of it and equipped me with an epi-shot thing . . . this time it was only 3 days until the hives came . . . I'm just so furious at my body for this cruel joke--whatever is in that stuff is definitely the chemical my brain is missing . . . so its the ONLY substance that causes an allergic reaction in my allergy-free life?

Yeah thanks Mother Nature!

The doc researched further to find that Wellbutrin is the ONLY anti-depressant that works on those certain brain neurons/deficiency/whatev . . . the closest thing he can find to it is some kind of ADD med that may work since I don't have ADD . . . but haven't really got on board with trying it yet. Hope you have great success taking it air0 . . . and am sooo jealous lol!

Sorry folks - din't mean to write a novel . . . just re-did my measurements (gave up on finding those from a week ago) . . . not sure if we did them right but guess the most important thing is to do the same place each time?

This thread moves fast - I'll try to check in more often. Hi everyone!

Aw Rho, don't beat yourself up. You haven't eaten much so calories wise you won't gain, might just retain a bit of water. You'll get right back on track. You've been so succesful and learning how to deal with a slip is good practice (as Aud I'm sure will agree with me!)

Serenity, I'm in Australia. I'm sort of familar with Memorial Day (there was an episode of the West Wing with that title that was set in May!) but I get really hazy on when in May it is . Here the weather is still really nice but it's getting dark earlier and in general it feels like winter is on the way. Which is cool as it gives me lots of time before beach time again.

I'm back on strict induction and FINALLY feeling good about it again. I was hovering in the 184s and now I'm back down to 179.8 this morning, oh, joy at seeing that 7 again. I swear to god, I've been through the 180s and the 170s so many times, this is the last time!

Happy Saturday!

I love the fact that we have buddies in not only North America, but Europe and Australia also. The power of the 'net. I was never that good with geography/climate (product of the NYC school system, but I'm guessing that our May is the same as Australia's November (six months opposite).

Aud mentioned that we are surrounded by carbs. Yes, we are, and I have started reading the nutrition labels to look at carbs, and OMG, the carb content in what you would think is "healthy", is ridiculous. For instance, I was thinking maybe I can have some vegetarian frozen meals on hand for an emergency. I looked at the lowfat broccoli souffle, it listed 42g of carbs. Hellooo, that is more than my daily allowance. Oh well. Processed foods are not good for you anyhow. lol

Talk to you tomorrow. Stay 100% and keep on doing it!

Hey guys I'm back again!

We ended up going on a spur of the moment trip down to visit my family as my husband didn't have work for 2 weeks. We stayed with my mom and I figured even though I couldn't do Atkins while there I would just try to eat as best as I could. Well my mom basically had no food in the house! She left us a bunch of cupcakes and cookies she baked, and a plate full of easter chocolate and chocolate bars to eat. We ended up eating out a lot because of this.

Before the trip I got to my lowest weight this year, 181.8. I went back on plan after Easter and this time I was up to 187.8! I've been back on plan for a few days and I'm down to185.4 so that isn't so bad I'd like to be in the 170's by the end of April. No more breaks, no more cheating, I'm going all the way!

I looked up Memorial day and see it is May 28th. I'll set a goal of 175 for then, aiming low since my weight loss will slow at some point.

Glad to see some familiar faces and some new ones My husband is going out of town for 6 weeks so I'll be taking care of house and baby alone, but I'll try to check in more often!

LOL @ Serenity OMG is right. I stop looking at vegetarian meals awhile back just for that reason they often have a lot of carbs in them..low fat foods are often the same, low calories but high in carbs..

heyy step welcome back for sure you didn't gain 7 pounds, that is definitely water etc. from the excess carbs.. your goal seems attainable and like I posted earlier even if I lose 2 pounds a loss is a loss in my book..

congrats for getting back in the 170s you are doing good just keep on going..

Aww rho don't beat yourself up. I've been there a few weeks back when I ate some pringles and the sad thing was they wasn't even that great and made my stomach hurt.. I bounced back and you can too. Even if you gain a few pounds you know there is no way you put on weight unless you ate over 3500 calories and didn't move or do anything.. just start back over like you did and you'll be fine. the key is starting back and not staying off plan for too long..

Hey globetrotter!

Yeah, I think it is mostly water weight, maybe a little real weight too though. I ended up eating a fair amount of chocolate since my mom thought it was appropriate to give a 3 month old an Easter basket full of it. My husband has taken the chocolate away to eat himself so I'm not tempted anymore. 2 and a half lbs since Tuesday tells me this is mostly water weight.

Before I made my goals too large and I think making something more attainable will keep me realistic and I'll feel prouder about myself if I'm not lowering it later on.

LOL Step not sure what your mom was thinking as well because a 3 month old has no use for chocolate LOL is this her first grandbaby?

I agree in choosing a goal attainable, then if you lose more that is a plus..

definitely water like you said unless you did eat over 3500 per day without doing nothing but sitting down..

Hurrah for new numbers anaB, I love when I reach a set! Our returning steph is right behind you! I havent broke the 230 barrier in a long while, can't wait/weight to see that 229! One of my first memories is visiting cemeteries with my Gram and her sister for "Decoration Day" . . . they never converted to what is now called Memorial Day weekend . . . which has become basically a 3 day weekend to kick off summer with barbq's etc and little to do with graves and remembrances.

(Brought to you by America's Unions)

I suck at geography serenity (product of rural MO otherwise good school system)...but in the 70's there was this push for "Social Sciences" and geography went out the window . . . I tried to catch up in college, but world maps just don't compute in my brain . . . which is a long way of saying I love the internet and 3fc posters from around the country and around the world! Just awesome and interesting to me.

(I love emoticons too)

"Recovering" from slip ups has been my best accomplishment since returning to 3fc/atkins/these forum challenges Jan . . . the support and understanding here is just phenomenal and hope I can help all of you just as much! Was hoping to see rho here and hope she's busy having fun, not still sick.

I've got quite a few atkins staples/groceries on hand . . . but I somehow keep forgetting to have a bowl of tuna salad in the fridge (and really to eat fish in general) . . . I DID get some more of those "Clouds" made up and in the freezer - so good to have on hand on weekends - knowing I won't be "deprived" while everyone else has ice cream.

PS: FINALLY got back on the bike today - thunderstorms all morning - then gorgeous high 60's spring afternoon - trail ride with both DD's . . . we made it the whole 6 miles . . . and then add the 6 hilly blocks to the river and back. They're off to see "American Reunion" now . . . I was going with them if we could see "Cabin in the Woods" but was already sold out(????)

Weight was the same today . . . waiting for a Whooooosh . . .

ETA: CLOUDS recipe: http://genaw.com/lowcarb/cream_cheese_clouds.html