Carol, I may have a gain tomorrow and it may be my first one. I am just retaining water because my mother-in-law's food is not on program and I had some of her meat and it was oversalted. Plus last week I had to weigh in the morning, and tomorrow I go back to afternoon. Afternoon weigh ins are tough.

I just figure it will show the next week.

Hi Carol..welcome to you.

Please remember the scale is not the only valid vote on how you are doing. Does your coach take any measurements? The scale and a tape measure are usually not in sync. It is not unusual to lose pounds...and nothing changes in your clothing. What the heck!! That is only SOO good up to a point. Other weeks the scale is a quiet participant..but holey moley!! You find the seat of your pants getting lose...and your measurements changed since the previous time. Also..your blood work may be improving which as an overall health indicator, is worth a lot more than the rest as you work to get healthy.

DO NOT get scale obsessed. It will ruin your overall motivation. You need to put all these indicators on a level playing field. May I suggest you start a chart for yourself and keep track of things the coach is NOT!! Clothing sizes... how many flights of steps you walked up this week...how many days you were 100% compliant. What are you thinking about looking forward to in a few months...and how close do you get to each one... each week. This is about your new life. The new Carol in 2014. Happy New Year!

The scale is not queen...YOU are!!!

65X65, all your points are very true and good reminders. Thank you. My coach does take measurements every week (except last week as there was a SNAFU and no coach was there - but they did weigh me). I am trying not to be scale obsessed. I have gone from a 20-22 to a 14/16 and from a 3X to a XL, so there are definitely victories. As far as compliant, I am 100% compliant every day. I don't cheat for several reasons: 1) The cost is a real motivator - if you fall out of ketosis then you have basically wasted a week of food - which is $90; 2) I'm concerned that if I "fall of the wagon" I might not get back on, and I am only a little over 1/2 to my goal; 3) I have convinced myself that if I did become non compliant and fall off the wagon - those foods will make me feel bad.

Thanks for the pep talk.

I will post this afternoon after my weigh in.

Well whatever that scale says, you are doing fabulous!!

Thanks. I appreciate that.

65X65 You make many valid points regarding the scale and its validity as a measurement of our success or lack thereof. Although I do weigh frequently, I now know that it is only one of the things to which I pay attention.

For me, clothes and the way they fit, has proved to be a pretty accurate measure of progress. A little tightening on the waistband is a sure signal to check what is going into my mouth!

Clothes are also a great motivator and reward for progress because for me there is nothing so exciting as getting rid of clothes that are finally too baggy and picking up something better fitting. The ladies at the thrift store smile at me....drop off a bag at the donation, head inside for shopping..

Having had a challenging holiday season, I am in a fight to get out of my current 3 outfit set of clothes and move on! Gym 6 days a week is helping my psyche and I am still aware that I do not have the food issue totally down pat. We have one month to get our house ready to go on the market and we just cut a huge hole in the downstairs ceiling to try to locate a leak from the shower above. Argghhh

Schenectady, how do you find your energy with doing the gym almost every day? I'm planning to start doing some exercise and I know it's not really recommended during phase 1, but I want to start toning up a bit. Do you find yourself getting really tired during or after workouts? Even light ones? Our calorie counts are so low in phase 1! Just wondering what your experience has been, and others who are exercising regularly feel free to chime in too!

You look FANTASTIC! Congratulations - you really ARE a poster child

I swim 10000 yards a week(2500 * 4) and lift weights 3 times a week. Up until week 4, I ramped down intensity. Now it seems fine and is actually easier due to the weight loss. I just listen to my body. My coach told me to add some eggs to breakfast or chicken to my salad at lunch if I feel I need it due to the exercise, but since week 4, I rarely do that.

Schnectedy...I am so happy for you! The struggles you had getting to your current place not withstanding you are an inspiration! The regular workouts are a real necessity in preparing for the future. You are making all the right decisons.

PS..good luck with a hole in the ceiling...YUK!

Lighthouse.. There is really no evidence that working out in P1 is not recommended later in P1 once your body adjusts. And it will.. The caution is true for the initial weeks for sure. However; if you need to be on this diet for a while...it is important to begin adding exercise. Light to moderate exercise did NOT slow me down. It was in fact crucial to my overall success. I am going to be bold here...and say there are a lot of excuses about why/when/if overweight people don't exercise. It needs to be a lifestyle habit you adopt and sooner is easier than when you are transitioning. There are a lot of decisions, and psychological barriers that appear as you approach maintenance. Exercise is a HUGE change. It is unwise, in my estimation, to try adding that when you are phasing and entering a very large change in getting to your diet for life in place. The book low carbohydrate living addresses the myth you need more calories/carbs in your diet to exercise, especially moderately. If you have a lot of weight to lose you are going to be one unhappy camper when you have a lot of excess skin that will probably be difficult...if at all possible to get toned. Your clothes will not fit the way you want them to, and if you are still not "fit" you will probably start gaining immediately. Exercise alters your BMR.... for the better. It also gives you energy and is credited with increasing endorphins...you know...the happy hormone! I will never get an exercise high...but certainly do feel now, the importance of doing this 6 days a week. I began exercise just under 10 weeks in and it will be a year April 1st since I began. Some of my older posts have some good links to external articles on circuit training and how to gauge what constitutes light to moderate cardio for an individual.


Good luck in your journey..
kathie

I'll be watching for your next post! You need to do a chart with stars or checks...you are doing a LOT right!!!

Ok today I am retaining water like a sponge. We were up in the Twin cities and went to our fav. place and picked up some gyro and rice, grilled chicken and fries (all of these came with a TON of grilled veggies which I ate) yesterday afternoon.

Dh and DD ate the gyro and Ds#1 and 2 ate the chicken (well most of it) I ate the grilled veggies and a 2 small sliced of gyro and 1 chicken tender. The gyro (I know NOT on IP what so ever) was so flippin salty OMG>

So my sodium intake was off the wall yesterday = me gaining weight thanks to the water. I am trying so hard to counter balance by guzzling water today and watch my salt intake. I hope to shed the water weight so I can get below 200 again

Any tips for losing water weight other than drinking more water?

I just came home from my first weigh-in after completing week 1. I had no idea what to expect and was just hoping it was 4 or 5 pounds. Well....drumroll....

I lost 9 pounds and 6 inches!!!! I am beyond thrilled!!

Now to go finalize the plans for week 2 so I can lose a bunch more. I'm thinking realistically it won't be the same number, but I'm hoping for another great week!!

That is SUPER week 1. Don't expect the same type of loss after week 1. They say average is 3-7, but the 7 is more for men. I would say realistic expectations for weeks after week 1 would be in the 2-5 range. I know that when I have a big loss that the following week is not as large of a loss. It's like my body is "re-adjusting". As 65X65 pointed out/reminded me about in her post above, set other ways to track your progress - inches, how you did on plan, etc. I know the weeks I have a lower loss, the inches add up.

Great job and keep up the good work. It's a marathon not a sprint.

Way to go!!!