Oh I wanted to add. I haven't started exercising yet! I have Beach Body Insanity 30 min program so I'm going to start that, but for now I want to focus on my eating and not make too many changes at once.

Trish, thanks! Your menu for today looks really good!

PrairieQueen, I am so jealous! I want an Instant Pot! I'm a huge fan of slow cookers and have 8 of them now of various sizes (all of which I get going for Christmas dinner) and that's after getting rid of 3 I rarely used when I recently rearranged my kitchen, lol! I did have 9 briefly because I got an Ohio State one for Christmas but I had to return it because the ceramic insert was cracked and they didn't have any more in stock. Needless to say, the Instant Pot is right up my alley and on my wish list, lol!

UpandAway! You are doing phenomenally! Chili is the best. I think it makes a great breakfast food, full of protein to start the day off right! But then, I eat a rather late breakfast, usually around 10 am, which is not far off from lunchtime. It might not taste so appetizing to me at 6 am, lol! I stay motivated by seeing and feeling the positive changes in my body and my energy level. Also, with my family history of diabetes, I am highly motivated to do what I can to avoid diabetes. That is actually my greatest motivating factor. When I was younger, I just wanted to be thin, but now, although seeing the numbers go down on the scale is fun, thin is not my priority. I really am doing it for my health now. And it took me 54 days to get below 200. I think you are smart to take this journey one step at a time. I don't know how many times I tried to do everything at once and burnt out. (Until the Slow Carb Diet, I was a classic yo-yo dieter.) So I think focusing on your eating to begin is a smart move!

Jacqui woot! Woot! On staying at 167.....that is fantastic i can't wait to get to my goal.

Patty, Love, Rennie, SMF, Trish, Up hope life is treating you well

Carol Sue it sounds like you get similar weather to ours just a day later/earlier.

Today's yummies....

Break - McD's sausage burrito, ice tea w/stevia
Lunch - veggie/beef soup
Snack - skinny caramel latte
Dinner - linguini w/macadamia nut pesto and chicken
Snack - ???

Thanks PrairieQueen! It is pretty exciting to be this close to goal!

Hi Everybody! It was a very busy day for me. It must have been for y'all too! I miss all the chattiness that sometimes goes on in here! EDITED TO ADD: Oh, I guess it's tomorrow! It's after midnight, lol!

Week 34: High 170.5, Low 167
1/3--169.5
1/4--169.5
1/5--170.5
1/6--170
1/7--169
1/8--167.5
1/9--167 Carb Day

Week 35:
1/10: 169.5
1/11: 168.5
1/12: 168
1/13: 168
1/14: 167
1/15: 167.5
1/16:

Today's Meals:
Breakfast:
2 fried eggs
2 slices of bacon
Fage yogurt with Mio
Mio water

Lunch:
Protein bar
Mio water

Snack:

Dinner: @ local sports grill with friends
Large salad with chicken, craisins, and ranch dressing
Water with lemon
Hot black tea

Today's Exercise:
No time today

Woohoo! I lost a lb overnight and weigh 166.5 today! That is an unreal number to me! It's been a long time since I've been here! That means according to the BMI chart, I am only 2.5 lbs overweight! That's great news! The not-so-great news is now that I'm so close to normal weight and see where I am, I know even if I lose 2.5 lbs, I'm still overweight. It was a long time ago, but I was normal weight for years, and this is not it for me. The problem is I am medium-boned, not big-boned, and the BMI chart is not taking that into consideration. So this morning, I decided to do a little research and see what is considered the ideal weight for a medium-boned 5'8" woman. I found Fitness Magazine's website (http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/healt...hts-for-women/) and an article which showed me how to determine if I really am medium-boned, and I am. My elbow measurement is 2 3/8" and the ideal weight for someone my size is 132-147, which is exactly the range in which I used to fluctuate before RA and anti-depression meds helped me put on 50 lbs in 6 months. (The additional weight in the years after that, I take sole credit for, lol!) I no longer want to be on the low or even in the middle range of that. I want to have a little more (but still healthy) weight on me. I'm going to be 55 this year and, frankly, I think older women who are too thin look older than those with a little more meat on them, so I definitely want to be on the high end of "not overweight," lol! So, I am changing my goals to reflect this newfound information! My bonus goal now is going to be 147! (Wow!)

Week 34: High 170.5, Low 167
1/3--169.5
1/4--169.5
1/5--170.5
1/6--170
1/7--169
1/8--167.5
1/9--167 Carb Day

Week 35: High 169.5, Low 166.5
1/10: 169.5
1/11: 168.5
1/12: 168
1/13: 168
1/14: 167
1/15: 167.5
1/16: 166.5 Carb Day

Today's Meals:
Breakfast:
2 fried eggs
2 slices of bacon
Fage yogurt with Mio
Mio water

Lunch:
Mint chocolate candy (lots)
Diet Dr. Pepper

Snack:

Dinner:
Pizza (lots)
Mio water

Today's Exercise:
None today--stayed busy

Way to go Jacqui! You've come such a long way! I have full confidence in you to reach your bonus goal!!

Today's weight: 214 (down .3 lbs from yesterday)
I'm feeling kinda bored with my food. I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow so I have to think of ways to change things up and make it exciting but still easy to follow. Open to suggestions!

Just got back from the Rusty Keg Tavern, and I'm so full even after bringing part of my food home. I'm sure I will pay tomorrow .... The scale is not going to be kind.

Break - chicken/cheese burrito, a Coke Life
Lunch - Leftover chicken pasta
Dinner - wings and part of fried appetizer sampler, lite beer

upandaway42 I'm sorry I missed you joining us. WELCOME!!!

Jacqui_D CONGRATULATIONS!!! So great you are almost there. Great job!!!

Just checking in. Still OP and all is going well.

For the first time in a long time I stayed on plan the whole day yesterday! I usually start out good and screw up somewhere along the line. I hope to make this consecutive days.

Jacqui, congratulations on the great weigh-in. I'm so jealous, but you have stayed the course and earned it.

Chili for breakfast. DH feels that certain foods should only be eaten at certain times of the day. I can eat any food at any time. Breakfast for dinner and vice versa.

So how do you find your bone structure if you have so much fat you can't FEEL those 2 bones! LOL I did find them, and I am on the low end of medium boned. I will never weigh the recommend weight for my height, but I hope to get to the weight that I feel comfortable with.

Prairie Queen, Rusty Keg Tavern sounds like it would be my kind of place. LOL If you enjoyed yourself that makes up for any indiscretions.

UP, I tend to do much better with my food if I limit the variety. It makes it easier for me to stay on track if I eat the same foods over and over, things that I like and know are within my plan. This is actually one of the points of the Slow Carb diet. I don't follow that plan, but it is one of the things that help me.

Trish, good for you finding a plan that is working for you. That's half the game.

Hello to any newbies and missing indians.

Okay, I am jumping in. Some of you already know me, to those who don't; Hi, I'am Sum or Kristiina.

I broke my back about a year ago, and it has been downhill since then. I have gained about 30 pounds. The back healed, but I have not been able to get OP.

On the 15th of this month, I hit my all time high weight 173. It was a wake up call. Year ago, I was wearing size 6/8, today my 12's don't fit me, I do not own any clothing in size 14. -- Those who know me, know I am kinda of a clothes snob So this is killing me.

Therefore, I am starting with Whoe30. It is a paleo type of plan. The intial 30 days is quite strict, but it is just to jumpstart your healthy lifestyle.

So hiiiii! Looking forward to chatting with everyone; and I LOVE to chat

Plan for today:

Meals

B-Fast
~ Egg "muffins' w/veggies and turkey
Lunch
~ Salad w/baked chicken, veggies, applecider vinegar and olive oil for dressing
Dinner
~ Zucchini pasta w/avocado sauce
Snacks
~TBD

Exercise

Walk 4 miles
Weights 30 min

Jacqui that is fantastic! Hi Carol Sue, Sum, Patty, Up, Rennie, SMF and everyone else.

I can't seem to get motivated to get up off the day bed in my back "parkour." The fire is going, radio on, kitties next to me, and loads of seed catalogs to peruse. And it's snowing.

As predicted, the scale was not kind this am to me and the hubs (he's decided he wants to improve his health as well).

Ive been sucking sown the water, but I've been grazing and can't seem to get satisfied. I may have to eat those leftover wings soon! We'll see how long I hold out.

Sum38I'm new here myself, but WELCOME back. Glad your back has healed. Sorry about the 30 lb gain, but I think under the circumstances, you did well keeping from gaining more. I don't know why it is so hard to get back on low carb once we get off as I've had a difficult time getting back on. Whole30 is a good plan. Not for as I knew I couldn't follow through. I know myself well enough not to even set myself up for failure for trying it. So I commend you for doing it.

While doing my modified version of South Beach Diet has become just SBD with no modifications. I have eased into Phase1 and I am really enjoying it. I don't eating high fat so I think that is why it is easier for me. I still eat bacon, but I cook it in microwave and have learned to cook it so that it has no fat when I'm ready to break it into my eggs. I don't eat it everyday as I've acquired a taste for the Canadian bacon. I'm enjoying learning to make up some of my own little low carb/lowfat combo snacks even desserts.

Found one of FB using NSA fudgesicles, ricotta cheese and cool whip to make a dip of ice cream. I got home from the store and had forgotten to get the fudgesciles so I just added a Tbls of unsweetened cocoa to the other ingredients and ate it without freezing it. Weight is with ticker and blood sugar is coming down.

P.Q. DH wanting to eat healthy will be helpful to you. I try to cook healthy because of my DH health issues he has had over the years. It actually helps me to keep trying to keep us both eating healthy. Perhaps it will help you too. Your snowy day sounds like a day to relax and stay warm.

SMF, Jacqui_D, Carol Sue, Rennie and everyone.

All of you in the cold and snow, stay safe and warm.

Y'know, Jac, the walls around your track need some nice, big, colorful vacation posters...or some hunky men posters...let's objectify them for a change, huh?. Nah...kittens would be better...Goodness! Where do you keep all those slow cookers??...I was wondering if your goals would shift now that you've reached a new low...

Sum and UpnAway! Your plan sounds similar to what I'm doing...focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables, staying away from processed and prepared foods and complex carbs. My plan is my own little experiment; plus daily exercise. I don't plan for cheat days, and like WBH, my meals tend to be the same things over and over. I've also adjusted my sleep/wake schedule and "close the kitchen" at 8pm.

PQ..."Rusty Keg" tavern Your day yesterday sounds like heaven...if only there were no jobs to worry about, and houses to clean, and kids to feed...

PattyGirl--You Go! Stay on plan!

Been feeling wiped out this weekend, and barely got my exercises done, but the RA meds started kicking in this afternoon, and I'm finally more energetic. I'm still having oatmeal for breakfast, but starting to get tired of it. Maybe I'll make an egg bake soon. I worry less about the carbs in the oatmeal and more about the high cholesterol that sometimes goes along with RA. Striving for a productive week.

CW 168.2

Meals

BFast ~ Sausage and butternut squash frittata
Lunch ~ Tomato/avocado/onion/cucumber salad
Dinner ~ Sweet Potato Hash with ground Beef
Snacks ~ TBD

Exercise

4 mile walk