Never too late and Welcome selway! If any "diet" can do 16lbs, its def Atkins . . . and I've been on them ALL! I'm on Induction too (for the forseeable future.)

My Mom developed an allergy to "sulpha drugs" in her 50's rho . . . one Dr. thought that the Wellbutrin allergy is a pre-cursor to me developing the same allergy . . . one ingredient in it is some kind of cousin to sulpha . . . so I have to avoid those kinds of anti-biotics now too. Mom's sister led an alllergy free life too until her 60's - then TOMATOES got her. . . beyond weird.

Things are beyond stressful in the 'Paud household . . . just. beyond. I'm determined to roll with it and treat myself WELL throughout this period . . . I'm reclaiming my old mantra of "This Too Shall Pass" . . . and being mindful that bread and noodles are not likely to help the situation!

Thanks for being here All . . . it really helps.

Thank you for all of the welcome wishes!

Checking In. I love reading everyone's posts. Keeps me going.

Welcome Selway! If you do induction by the book, you are going to have a great loss.

Steph, it is great that you have supportive family. It makes a huge difference.

Globe, you seem really determined, I think you are going to make it.

Aud, noodles never solved anything. But alcohol sometimes does. LOL. Just kidding. sort of. I haven't had any alcohol even though we are allowed on OWL.

Rho, feel better.

Anybody I missed, Keep on doing it.

Rho, sorry you're sick :-( I had to take sugary cough syrup and lozenges over the last few weeks while I was sick but as soon as I stopped and went back to induction I got into ketosis pretty quick so I think you'll be ok too. I don't know about you but I think they taste icky so I was glad to be able to give them up again. They thought I had whooping cough!

meeeeeeeeee! I totally agree Steph, it's great being a bigger group though it moves fast now, if I miss a day we've definitely moved on a few pages.

This made me laugh out loud.

Back in induction since last week and I've lost 6.5 pounds!! 177.1 this morning, my lowest in ages. I need to update my ticker. Plus I feel really good and I love that ketosis appetite suppression feeling.

globetrotter, I think they just got tired of me bringing my own food! They kept insisting I have what they made and I kept explaining why I couldn't. Now they ask before they cook. I tell them not to worry about me and I'll bring something but they want to help out too

My father in law is funny, he's like 'so... you can't have pasta right?' Geez! :P haha.

Anabee! That's really good! We've both had a good week back on induction, that's so awesome

I know what you mean about thte appetite suppression, I could probably go to bed without dinner most nights but I make sure to eat so I can get my calories and more carbs in. If I'm not careful I undereat, that's why I weigh and write down everything.

Today I made a big pot of chicken soup - legs and thighs, some broth to speed it up mushrooms, a little onion, carrot slivers, celery, a little sherry and garlic - - hubs is sick too so we will be eating on that for a few days at least he is set to go to the doctor on Friday. Doctor said to take Claritin D between now and then for him - between that and chicken soup we will keep him going. At least he is sleeping good once he gets down wish I could say the same lol

glad it turned out because I sure didn't feel like making it half hour till I take my antibiotic - ugh... But I do feel a little better today so it's worth the 6 days of ugh ..

I agree it is so great to have it be so active here - and welcome to new folks you will do great!

Stephan its so great your in- laws are trying so hard for you - remember you can have zucchini julienned and sauted in garlic and olive oil or butter as a pasta base if they want to make something for you ... I love it that way. I've done LC meatballs and used a sauce that was 4 carbs for a 1/4 cup and had a wonderful spaghetti dinner.

Aud do you knit or crochet - I knit a bit and I find it is a great thing for stress - I do toe up socks or a simple shawl all in garter stitch and the repetitive and meditative quality of it are great when you are feeling stress. It's enough to occupy your mind but not too much to stress you out more if that makes sense. My other great stress reduction is shooting - I know I know if you don't shoot you don't understand that you are so focused on what you are doing that everything else goes out the window for awhile.

AnaBee I got sugarfree cough drops so that helps a bit .. Thanks I can't wait to feel good enough to look forward to planning and cooking again.

Everyone keep up the great work.

Steph, I'm so glad to be back on proper induction and I'm glad you are too - all these months I've been reading your weight loss and wondering why I couldn't but really, I wasn't being honest with myself about what I was actually eating.

I hear you on having to remind yourself to eat, I've been careful about making sure my calories are up. I've solved my dairy dilemma by cutting one of those cream cheese blocks in half (it's a little over 4 ounces each) and I can have that half however I like during the day. I often have half for breakfast and the rest as a snack after dinner. It's working great as it keeps it portion controlled but it's flexible. I'm going to work on cutting it into 3rds (that's what I'm on today)

So sorry to hear you're both sick now rho! The soup sounds yummy though and will keep you guys going and you on track. I hope you both get better really soon.

Off early tonight - have to get up at 6am and drive into "the city" for some stresfull unpleasantness (know that's vague, and also an understatement, but don't want to turn this thread into Dear Abby) Stayed OP today - have a tendency to UNDEREAT (like you talk about steph) when OP & during stress - just not hungry - but then binge eat. My new plan is working - which is eating my usual supper right before bed. It's nuts, I know, but has been keeping me from carb-loading. Tonight I had hot roast beef with spinach that I sprinkled just a bit of feta cheese on - YUM!

I should be home early afternoon, and if I get a nap I will try to go in for the nite shift. Just will see how it goes . .. taking a choco-protein shake for morning madness . . . determined to have a salad if I end up eating lunch out. I know this all sounds obsessive, but trying so hard to be aware of what I've done for so long and determined to change this UP!

Talk to you all later - tx for listening!

HI! I would like to join. I actually started Atkins on the day you started the challenge but didn't find this group until yesterday.

Memorial Day is my first mini event goal date. We go to an annual family picnic and would like to feel more self confident.

KIindly,
Melanie

Aud - sending good thoughts you way to get thru the day and staying with your plan. You can do it!

Welcome Melanie - you will do great and it makes it so much easier to be working towards a goal with others who are doing the same thing.

Steph - would it help if you printed out a list of Atkins approved foods to give to your in-laws .. Do the OWL list and they will see that you can eat tons of great foods and it will help them with ideas -- I think most people are surprised when they see the list of veggies we can have because they think it is all meat all the time.

I found that putting mushrooms in the chicken soup makes it so we don't miss the noodles - I think it just gives it a mouth texture similar to noodles so you don't think about them not being there.

AnaBee. That is a great idea with the cream cheese - these are the tips I love hearing -

Wow, great to hear that Induction is going well for all of you! Today is my second day and I am not going to get on the scale until day 7. I am terribly addicted to the scale and a gain can impact my whole day (irrational I know, but true).

Feel better all of you that are under the weather!

Welcome Melanie!

So this is my first post, first challenge. Of course - I am with the millions that have struggled to lose weight & keep it off my entire life. I am trying a new approach - eat healthy, exercise, feel better, fingers-crossed-that-I-will-lose weight approach. Not counting calories for the first time in my life.

Anyway - to the challenge. Goal is to lose 7 pounds in 7 weeks!

Gocrissygo,

You can do it!

Welcome Melanie and Chrissie! We can do it!

About the undereatting -- on the other Atkins BB I read that if you are on OWL don't worry if you under eat, because since you are not supposed to be counting calories, the ketosis cuts your appetite, so you might eat 1,000 cals one day and 2,000 cals the next and it will all even out. I find that if I stay OP with the carbs, everything is easy to do. But as noted, I have to watch the cheese too.

Going to the store to stock up on my staples. If I run out I turn into a lunatic The other day I knew I had my 1 cup of strawberries left, that I was going to eat for my snack after my walk. Went I went to eat them, all that was left was three puny ones. grrrrrr.

Keep on doing it.

183.0! Whoo hoo! I keep mentally preparing myself for the stall that has to happen at some point, but this is my 9th day back on and I'm still heading straight down. 1.2 lbs to get back to my lowest weight that I have seen this year. Going to the in laws for dinner again, they have also offered to have me stay over on the weekend so I'm not alone with the baby all the time. I'm thinking it would be hard to stay on plan while staying there unless I bring all my food. I'm going to ask MIL if she will just take Sloane Friday night. That way I can just have a quiet night and a break. Maybe I'll have a whiskey and diet coke as a treat for doing so well Those don't seem to stall me.

Anabee, it's important to be honest with yourself! I actually charted my weight each day and you could see where it would spike it up it was always the weekends when I would eat at the in laws. I write everything down and if I'm done for the day but end up having something extra, I mention it in my notes the next day.

Rho, my MIL actually has the book! Her sisters lost a ton of weight on it and one has kept it off for years now, she is absolutely tiny! My MIL isn't big at all but she wants to lose weight as she has always been pretty petite and with age she's finding it harder to keep it off.