Great job nifty! Keep it up...

Everyone already gave great advice about your questions but I just wanted to add one more thing.

8 oz of lettuce is a LOT! If it's too much for you right now try adding some of the heavier salad vegetables like cucumber, celery, broccoli or cauliflower. It helps when you are feeling it's just too much food!

Well, my stomach was gurgling this morning and there was a little relief but not what my family is now calling "waiting on the mother load". So Britt, you may have a silly husband but my entire family is now involved and silly! My sister in law came over last night, she was on the phone with her sister talking about it. I'm sure, by the end of the day, Benton County Arkansas will have heard the news.

With the lack of movement - I took 1 Cascara Sagrada (it's a natural herb that my consultant recommended). That was around 7:20am. It's close to 11am and still nothing. The pain isn't as severe, which I'm thankful for but I just want to go! Is that too much to ask?

I'm thinking I'm going to go home at lunch and eat a big salad! And I know I've been drinking plenty of water... I'm up to 120oz. per day. Another interesting fact I learned from MRC - did you know you should stay within 8oz. of water intake each day? So if I drink 120oz. one day then 100oz the next day, it's not a good thing. That was according to another consultant and I hadn't been told that before. Not sure if anyone else has been told this.

Alright.. gotta go concentrate on work

candi, I'm sorry this problem is continuing for you.

You know, it's weird--I have IBS and the first time I went through MRC I had to take a stool softener once a week instead of going 8-10 a day. That alone was enough to make me stay OP!

Now I have diarrhea immediately after drinking my first liter of water and then no more problems for the day.

I think the difference this time is that I'm exercising and last time I didn't at all. I'm a nurse so I'm sure it go back to the old theme- mobility = bowel motility.

Seriously, I know you're getting a lot of advice but when people came to the ER with this problem we'd recommend Miralax, a stool softener (Ex-Lax causes too much cramping), a little caffeine, fruit, and a brisk walk. Then wait patiently.

Once you get too worried about this it becomes a psychological issue and you "hoard" because you think it will be too painful to move your bowels.

After a few days you might request a simple xray. They can show if you're full of poop or just have pressure that makes you feel like you have to go. Frankly, I'm surprized your doctor didn't do a CT if he thought you had appendicitis. Blood work is not sufficient for a diagnosis. But you're still with us (thank the gods and goddesses) so it's not that.

Good luck, candi. I'll check back to see how you're doing.

Nifty! You're melting! Isn't it great?

janet, I am so happy for you. You are going to do awesome!

My doctor did an xray yesterday, urinalysis and the blood work. The pain isn't as bad so I think something that I'm taking is working.. but just not enough to get everything out. And I'm feeling SO bloated! I know I can take an extra B6 for that.. but until I get the constipation issue taken care of, I don't want to add anything else.

Oh - and I know what you mean about the IBS - I have that too, along with a spastic colon. So this constipation thing is completely new to me!

I'm heading home to eat a salad and some turkey along with an apple and then take some more miralax.

Hope you're having a great day!

Hi..
Congrats to all that lost, and welcome back to members that have returned.

I weighed in today and lost another seed.. I lost .1, and I am delighted with that , as that went .1 point under the 3pound under goal that I want to stay at, and the foods that I added in on maintenance did not make me gain.

I made the Ranch style chicken fingers and they are awesome. Hubby loved them. Thanks for posting the recipe.

Hope everyone has a pleasant day and all have a good weigh in.

Patzi

Congratulations on your loss during maintenance....I'm so glad you liked the chicken fingers. LOL...I'm having them again tonight.

Hoping you get some relief soon...Oh I ate my filet and didn't have any problems so far...and it was so good. Thanks for the info about it.

Oh yes, I like that...melting. THanks so much for the encouragement.

Hi Janet and welcome...
I love the kiwimelon too especially the liquid concentrate to pour over shaved ice. YUMMY

Great job! I can't wait to join you under that 220 mark!

Mariah

This is great advice. I did become an expert in the beginning on what veggies weighed more (it has to do with their water content). Cauliflower gets very heavy when cooked (so you eat less). Large slicing tomatoes weigh more than roma or grape tomotoes, cucumbers are very dense, etc. I typically use 1-2 oz of lettuce and/or spinach and then use heavier veggies for the other 6 oz.

Mariah

Hahaha. that's what I did in the beginning, too. I even bought a bunch of different veggies so I could weigh them all at home and figure out which were the heaviest. Now I don't care--I'm not sure if it's because I've just gotten used to salads, or if it's the warmer weather (I always crave salads in the spring/summer), but I've been eating a ton of salad lately.

And pooping a lot because of it.

You are doing such a great job figuring out what your body needs on maintence and are a real inspiration and example of why it is important to continue the program into maintenece and not just stop once we hit our goa weights. Thanks for sharing.

Mariah