Morning all! (Well, late afternoon in my neck of the woods, but we'll not split hairs! )

Regarding Chromium - I've been taking it, and I've definitely noticed it's suppressing my appetite. BUT I'm also a trifle nervous about its safety. I did a little googling, and I understand it's been associated with DNA fragmentation and some scary-sounding stuff. Anyone know anything more about it?

http://www.supplementwatch.com/supli...asp?DocId=1081

Way to go for everyone that is seeing a downward spin on the scale!

The very, very early bird. It is 3:45 a.m. here. Of course I went to bed at 8:00 last night and here I am bright eyed and bushy tailed. I guess I just needed 7 hours of sleep last night or...maybe...my mind is trying to tell me to grab some alone time because this week will be hellish.

Bouncy: I hear you about the deer but here in Fair Oaks it is the kamakazi squirrels that drive me nuts. I swear I feel like they purposely run in front of cars. I've come close to smacking my share of deer in Nevada City (where I grew up). It is so bloody scary when they just come out of nowhere.

A fresh new week of low carb heaven. Since the scales seem to be doing what I thought they would do (freak me out more than keep me focused) I'm going to avoid weighing this week if I can. I will probably skip next week as well because TOM will be arriving about then. My sticks are turning pink or purple and have since day two of the plan. (That is a little wierd. I think that after awhile they are supposed to stop turning color aren't they?). Maybe that is a clue as to the resistant nature of my body.

Oh well. I'm enjoying the third day of having real coffee again and have made myself a cup here that has my famous unsweetened soy/cream/hazelnut sugar free syrup in it. Yum. I missed it. This non-induction luxury (the 1/4 cup of unsweetened soy) is going to be permitted by me this week and I think that I will indulge myself in a couple of squares of DH's dark Chocoperfection bar on Valentines day. What a wild woman. Other than that I will be staying on plan as usual.


Thanks for the supplement advice from all. I am taking the chromium picolinate along with the L-Carnitine, CoQ10 and my multi-vitamen. Since I have never had cravings in my life before I'm gonna assume that I was getting a lot of hidden sugars in my former life (since I don't like sweets and never really ate them) and that my peri-menopausal monster is helping to bring them along. I certainly should be long past the sugar addiction detox stage of Atkins so the hormonal issue is really all I can think of.


Bouncy: We sure have had beautiful weather here this weekend huh? I don't think I'm ready to conceed that winter is over yet though. Sometimes we get that rain and stuff all the way through May. When is the official start of spring anyway? I can't remember.

Well. I guess I will go put together lunches for myself, DH and DD today. I have a meeting tonight so I won't have the pleasure of getting home until around 9 or 10 tonight.

Have a great day everyone!!!!

Peace Out
SC

Joyce: Per your questions from the former thread. I got the liquid sucralose at Bodybuilding.com (or maybe it was bodybuilder.com). I get DH's Chocoperfection bars from Netrition.com (he only likes the dark chocolate and is not fond of the choc raspberry or milk chocolate ones). I know you like a little bit of sweetie now and then from your posts. I also got DH some low carb hot chocolate at the netrition site. Both places (Bodybuilding and Netrition) ship your goods immediately by UPS so you get then in about 3 days.

OMG, Holy Crap, just filled in my food on Fitday and I am APPALLED!!! Gak! 32 freaking net carbs!!!

!!!!!

I was at TEN carbs when I got home from work, and then I only had half an hour to put together some dinner in a hurry before dashing out again to audition for a play* - I fried up some ground beef, realised I hadn't gotten around to buying any tomato puree yet, looked dubiously at the ingredients on a couple of cans of soup (contained noodles or potatoes, so I put them back) and eventually decided to use up a can of bolognese sauce. 2% sugar, it said, so I thought - well, not good, but I'm trying for a high-protein meal in a hurry here, and I'm not serving it with rice or pasta or anything, just beef in tomato sauce - how bad can it be?

Oh, foolish Fay.

(I threw in some asparagus that needed using up too.) According to Fitday's best guess, that can of sauce alone was MORE THAN MY DAILY ALLOWANCE OF CARBS.

I am IN FREAKING SHOCK HERE!!!

I mean, okay, yay - it's all used up. But - crap! AND I didn't go to the gym! Gak!



* I got a part in the Fringe, incidentally, the thing that I auditioned for the other day - but it's a really wee part. It's going to be fun, but it's only a really wee part. So I really really hope I get a part in this thing tonight (Neil Simon's 'Rumors'), but the competition was VERY STIFF INDEED, so I'm trying to be philosophical about it. There were only 4 female roles, and more than 4 VERY good actresses. Still, fingers crossed, eh?

Welcome back Bouncie! Congrats on 5 (now 6) days on program! I totally know what you mean about not being that excited over food. It's great...isn't it! I personally love the feeling of being in control and not feeling like to slave to food. Also know what you mean about those damn annoying "deer". I used to live in PA (Poconos) and would have 30+ in my backyard eating all my fresh tomatoes...ughhhh!

StayinCalm - Thanks for the links. I heard liquid splenda is supposed to have less of an impact on blood sugar than the powdered form. Anyone know if this is true? Also, I think that is a great idea to drop the scale for a little while...it can truly drive you crazy! To answer your question about the ketostix (since I still them), as long as you are burning fat instead of carbs, the sticks will turn. If your getting a purple reading (moderate to high) that's great!!! That's means your in strong Ketosis and although the scale is not reflecting it...you are losing fat!!! Wouldn't worry about the soy so much as long as it doesn't contain any "sugar". Fruit is "non-induction" and I have oranges, lemons, cherries, strawberries, and sometimes grapes...and stay in the purple. Which to me, tells me I'm doing induction right...cuz my pants fit looser, the scale eventually moves and I see a skinnier me in the mirror. However, whenever I add these "non-induction" items, I always make sure to work-out that day. If I don't, I may or may not come out of ketosis, but only for that day. Well...enjoy your day and your hazelnut coffee...I'm drinking mine right now....yummmmmm yum!

Aud - Howyadoin this morn??? I didn't work out yesterday...sad face...I was too sore. I'm actually more sore today...but I'm gonna do lower body if it kills me!...and cardio too. Can't wait till this sore feeling goes away. I know I've gotta keep doing it...maybe I'll take a jacuzzi bath today after my workout...that is...if my crazy hectic life allows it! Greatly stressed out this a.m.

Boyfriend....driving me nuts. We work together and he just puts soooo much pressure on me to make everything right at work. It's tax time and my home office is completely out of control and all of "my affairs" need organizing so that my brain can function organized. It's crazy, but I get scatter brained, when things are out of order! This is my valentines goal...to get organized...fu*k the chocolates!!! Joyce

Hi everyone!
It´s my first day in a low carb diet! I´m so motivated!!!
I´m started Atkins, although I haven´t been able to find the book here in Chile (as I posted in another thread) I´m starting with the info I´ve gotten from an Atkins forum chilean "atkineans" have lol!
I´ll keep looking for the book though cause I know it´s really really important!

Well, I have to go now, but I´ll post later!!

Good morning. I wasn't on the computer all weekend, but I've spent a while catching up on the threads. It was house work weekend for me. We did some yard work on Saturday (pretty day!) and reorganzing on Sunday. I'm such a pack rat, that I make all this work for myself moving all my junk around! But I can't seem to help myself. I'm still working on getting DS20's leftovers put away. I had the guest room closet stuffed with the stuff DD22 left when she moved out of the house, so when DS moved, I just put his stuff in boxes in the middle of the guest room. Then we moved DD15 downstairs and she was the final recepient of all the toys that her big brother and sister out grew, so that was a huge project. We got her moved into the basement bedroom before Christmas, and re-did her room into a home office, but I never did clean out the guest room closet. So that was my Sunday. If I could only throw stuff away, I wouldn't have to reorganize it every couple of years!!! But I found "Baby Too" in that closet. She was the "lifelike" doll we gave to DD22 when her brother was born. She used drag it around for years.("I have a baby too") I can't get rid of Baby Too! So then I had to keep DD15's Bouncing Baby, because I didn't want to play favorites. And I have an entire storage bin full of Cabbage Patch stuff because my mother used to make both girls doll clothes. How can you get rid of something like that? I drive myself crazy.
I didn't have any formal exercise, but I think between the raking and the lifting (of boxes) I got a work out in.

Faye, I've done that same thing — looked up something after I ate it! Not a good feeling, but what can you do? Just move on. Good luck with the audition.

I live in an area where we're always dodging deer-mostly in the fall, right before hunting season. For some reason, they seem to leave my yard alone, although all the neighbors have trouble. I guess the few plants I manage to keep alive in the summer don't taste good.

SIC, I can't give up coffee either. Especially now that I'm using real cream and splenda. I could give up the old Fat Free Coffeemate easier than real cream. I should cut way back though. Today I had four cups, which is too much! I was just kind of sleepy.

Lily, it sounds like a broken bone to me. I broke a bone in my hand way back when I was in college and the knuckle of that bone has never been right. Sometimes it aches in cold weather. It might be worth an X-ray. Of course you'll give the x-ray techs and the doctors a good laugh when you tell them how you did it.

Hey All,
Thought I'd join in.... I have been doing so good with my eating until an unfortunate binge yesterday that just sent me crashing in a downward spiral.

I'm back on steady ground today and moving full speed ahead I am so mad at myself for losing control like that.

I am going to make out my meal plans for the rest of the week, I need to pick up a few things from the store then I'm all set.

Can't let that big mishap happen again!!

Happy Monday everyone! Hope it was a nice weekend for you. I had a great weekend, my shows were way above average which is awesome! I have stayed OP, and have been trying to eat more often, which is tough, not ever hungry. But DH packed me a goodie bag for the trip to my show yesterday (3 hr drive one way), so I was able to snack on a cheese stick here, and some celery there, had some turkey, and some almonds.
And today for lunch, I had a yummy meal. I cooked a hamburger patty and melted a slice of cheese on top, then to that I added a fried egg to the top and put it over a bed of lettuce and tomatoes with some mayo. Oh it was good! I do so love LC!
Went to the gym with trainer Sat. DH and kids went too! I was stoked, DH has not been to the gym in over 10 years! He is on LC too, and has lost over 20 lbs. Doesn't that just burn your biscuits that men lose so much faster!!
Anyway, she had me doing some torture squat machine, and after the first set I was like, "I don't think I can do anymore of these!" She pushed me to do more, and it made me so weak, I was not able to do much more after that. And my upper thighs were so sore yesterday, walking to restroom at gas station bout brought tears to my eyes! I am still walking like an old man! So no gym today either, but am going tomorrow, even if it just light cardio on the treadmill. My gym has a toddler tumble class that my 5 year old will love, so that is motivation to get my butt outta the house. Hopefully walking will not be painful tomorrow!!

K- Don't be too hard on yourself. Slip ups happen, you just gotta get back on the horse. Guilt doesn't help ya!
You can do it!!

G'morning ladies. Glad to hear I am not the only one having scale drama. I had a 'dubya-tee-eff' weekend. I went out to dinner Friday night and I knew I was going to be a little bad (sangria!) and that I wasn't going to beat myself up over it and I didn't. So, come Saturday morning I weighed in at about 2 lbs more than the day previous - no biggie! Saturday was completely on plan with the little snafu that I didn't eat anything until after 4:30 pm. Sunday morning - up 1lb?!?! I didn't stress and I ate OP all of Sunday. Monday morning - up another 1lb?!?! NOW I AM STRESSING. What gives? TOM isn't due for another 2 weeks. Anyone else have this particular problem?

bambifox - I know how you feel about tax time. I haven't worked on my own yet, but I have finally finished the office taxes THANK THE LORD. My boss can be sooo disorganized. It is a miracle they got finished! Oh... and thank you for the wonderful compliment last week BTW I have family down your way in Chester.

Rafaella - WELCOME! Best of luck. There is a wealth of information to be found among everyone on this board.

Fay - I bet you were fantastic! I have my fingers crossed for you!

aud - I have a 14th goal and I am only a few lbs away. If I can get past this snafu I know I will be okay.

Just checking in quickly. I just heard the school bus and me and the girls are goin to the gym. I'll catch up more later. My hand feels fine today and I can now lift stuff without pain.

CrabbyC - Alcohol kills me!!! I remember from way back in the day...doing Atkins about 9 yrs ago after child #2, I could be perfect on Atkins staying within my 20 grams and all that...no cheats...then one drink and BAM!!!....weight stalls, gains... It took me about a week just to come back to the weight I was before I had that one drink! Crazy...I know...but true. That's why "NO ALCOHOL" for me!!! It's just not worth it....there are other natural herbs that are just as relaxing without the side effect (ifyaknowwhatimean!!!!) smile... Joyce

Joyce: I want some herb.
Crabby: I'm right there with ya girl. The only thing that I can say that is encouraging (maybe) is that PMS begins with attendant water retention two weeks before the first day of your period. That is what all the articles say. I was also up another pound this morning ( I was not supposed to weigh but I could not resist this morning. Big mistake. I cried in frustration). Since I have been using fitday I'm really aware of what I'm puttin' in my mouth. Especially for the last two weeks or so. Between 1350 and 1500 calories a day. 12-20 carbs. Fat between 65-70% of total calories, Protein between 30-35% and carbs 5% or less. Hang in there.

Lily: Glad your hand is better!
KBoogie - Keep on keepin on.
Amy: Can I have your life?
Fay: I hope you get the role you want!
Raf: Welcome!
Lynn: I'm tired just reading about this!

Best to all today.
ox

SC