Echobaby, at the top of the Message box is a little paperclip (aside of the smiley face). Click on that and walla, you can upload docs. Or, is it too big possibly?

Ok, I dunno. I scanned it from her physical paper list into our copier and emailed it to myself. I can't figure out how to attach it, and if call the I.T. guy in here, he'll be in here explaining stuff to me for 2 hours. All I hear is blahblah 67 gigabytes blah,blah corrupt file jpg. blah port distillation.. Are they all like that? Yikes. Ogdog, could I email it to you and see if you can post it?

So I started this last Saturday with my daughter, she ended up in tears by Monday and quit. She said she never realized how much she took oranges and apples for granted. I have to admit, this has been very hard for myself as well, I am wondering why everyone else is doing so good? I know I have lost weight (closet scale jumper) but my kidneys are killing me and I have no energy. I am thinking I am doing something wrong, but determined to do my best with this, especially since making such a large financial obligation. I am thinking I need to get the bars and shakes and try that for awhile, as I am just not that great at trying to change things up and have to cook. I am traveling alot right now and my hotel room had no refrigerator or microwave, I was stumped, hmmmm. Will see this through as long as possible!

It goes against everything we've heard all our lives, but when they say you need to use copious amounts of sea salt, they mean that it's for a MEDICAL reason. The diet is so low in potassium(which is necessary for proper kidney, heart, and blood pressure function...probably every organ) that it has to be supplemented. You will not retain water, or swell up. Just eat/use/lick off your hand a LOT of sea salt, and I bet the initial fatigue, and especially kidney pain will go away. Hang in there. Maybe you'll be an inspiration for your daughter to try again when she'd ready.. And it's not forever. Best of luck!!

Also, if you're kitchen-limited, by all means use the bars and shakes until you can get home. Whatever works.

Jordanna
That makes me feel better!! Just towards the end of the day I get really tired and moody! and I definitely have a headahce! Keep me up on how your doing! I love it that we are starting around the same time so I can have someone to talk too!
Good luck!! Thanks
Byrdie!

I remember my kidneys killing me the first week or so, but I also went from drinking about three glasses of water a week to three quarts in a day, so that's what I attributed it to. You might want to add more sea salt than you are right now, and take an extra potassium pill for a few days to make sure your electrolyte balance isn't too out of whack.
I place my success on this diet on the amount of research I did beforehand. My mom knew someone on it, and since I'm in pharmacy school and studying health, she wanted me to look into it for her and make sure it would be safe and effective. I studied this diet inside and out to see if it was, and I was very impressed that the biochemistry of it was presented fairly accurately, not as a bunch of hand-waving. So I knew exactly what I was getting into. I knew what I was going to have to give up, and what alterations I was going to have to make in my lifestyle to accommodate these changes. It helps me to think that everything I enjoy that I can't eat right now will still be around once I finish the diet. Apples and oranges will still be there, and I'll be able to happily munch away wearing size 8 pants again.
I'm also an incredibly stubborn person, so every time I think I'm at my wits end, I mentally kick myself and say, "You've graduated with a degree in physics, worked in a quantum optics research lab, started pharmacy school, and you're complaining about not being able to have a cookie? Mind over matter, you big baby!"
If your daughter is serious about losing weight and succeeding on this diet, maybe she should start by taking "baby steps." I don't remember who it was, but someone on this forum started by voluntarily getting rid of things she knew she wouldn't be able to eat on this diet a while before she started it so it wouldn't be such a shock once she dove in.
If you're traveling, can you take a little cooler with you? You can buy all sorts of pre-cut veggies at grocery stores, they even have "steamer bags" that you can just throw straight into the microwave and cook there (not that I really like cooking things in the microwave, but it is better than nothing).

Sorry I have SO many questions... but do you have to eat the snack after dinner or can you eat it before?

Hi! I'm from Texas, too...north of Houston. Where are you from (if you don't mind sharing, that is)

Debbie

The weather here is gettin a little better, so I thought I would start walking a few times a week. I know you are right about the resistance workouts, even with just a loss of 21lbs, I'm seeing some loose skin on my arms and legs.
I can't believe you are quitting smoking and staying on maintenence! That seems so hard! But with all you have already accomplished, you can do it!

I picked up my starter pack today but can't begin the program until Thursday - scheduled for a colonostomy so gotta live off of water tomorrow. Weighed 191.5 (heaviest I've ever been). The coach said I could have raw peppers, that the folks have decided there isn't enough of a carb difference to matter. She also said I could have gum if I rinsed it off first. Said it's coated in something full of carbs. So...here goes.

Thank you Echobaby, I will definately try more salt, I can honestly say I probably haven't had enough salt (wish it too came in a pill).

Elishatamar I know Liliyta gave up her evening cocktails and some foods prior to starting this program. My daughter and I went in cold turkey. Interested in where you are going to pharmacy school, my daughter is a sophomore in college majoring in biochemistry and so I know she knows how much this makes sense and how she had to do it 100%, she just had an unsupportive boyfriend and apparently wasn't ready. I on the other hand, almost quit myself, but I really would love to get under 200 pounds! Thanks for the advice, and I have to say this forum really does help.

Byrdie,

My coach said we can have our snack whenever we need it, but that it helps for our bodies to have protein in the evening for our body to process overnight. I sometimes have a big bowl of romaine lettuce & cucumber with WF Balsamic dressing on it to get me through to dinner time

I think every coach has different rules though...

My consultant said that there is natural sugar in the green bell peppers (and other peppers) that breaks down when cooked, so they're okay to eat that way. It's the same reason (in reverse) why onions need to be eaten raw instead of cooked; they're more sugar-laden in their cooked form.

A lot of people have different perspectives on this issue. Like Jordanna, my consultant said to have it in the evening so that our bodies would have protein to "eat" during the night so that it wouldn't steal from the protein in our bodies. I can usually make it from lunch to dinner, but when I can't I eat a salad in the meantime. My boyfriend is NOT a salad person. His lunch is at 11, and we don't eat dinner until about 6, so worked it out with our consultant to eat a half a bag of the soy puffs as an afternoon snack (even though they're restricted now, she said they used to not be, but people would eat them too many times in one day). He still has a full protein item in the evening. Hope this helps!!

Yet another post...

So, I had my second weigh in this afternoon... down another 4 pounds! That makes 8 pounds lost total so far! I've also lost a couple of inches in my chest and waist. Unfortunately, my hips and thighs haven't budged too much, and that's where I would really like to see (and feel) it. My boyfriend lost 6 this week, so he's up to 11 pounds lost... I know guys lose faster, so I'm not letting it get me down, even though I am a little jealous! I actually look forward to Wednesdays now. I can't wait to see what kind of progress I've made next week!!