Here we go again:

Woo hoo!

fiona

Kristi,
Being on the Blue Plan I was allowed 1/2 ffpb too. I loved it on my toast, but I had a hard time with the 1/2 portion. I too love PB.......Just don't eat the pbj sandwich and the cereal on the same day, right? Yes, that's the right kind of jelly.
Oh no, did we release the monster from within???
Well chicks it's time for me to go play in traffic, talk to you tomorrow.
HUGS

Kristi - when you go PB shopping, read the labels! Sometimes the lower fat is offset by a higher sodium content. Enjoy!

Fiona

On LA you can only eat Reduced Fat Peanut Butter. Like I told the guys at work when I use to eat the Lean Cusine, LA doesn't care too much about sodium, if it's on the list I just eat it.....lol

Hi everyone!
I've been lax in posting, but the rest of you sure have been busy! Lots of interesting stuff - anybody tried possum yet??

Well, the popcorn weight from my "bad" weekend finally came off plus some! I can't believe it - I dropped 1.8 from my last weigh-in! I am at 14 lbs. and only 1 more to the 15 lb avatar!! Yahoo! I love the avatars - it is like a goal to shoot for. Five lbs at a time is much easier than thinking about all the weight I still have to lose.

I swear I have learned more from this group than at the center. They are pretty friendly there and are not pushing me to buy the lites. I am using 1 Luna or Pria bar a day for a treat. The Pria's have only 110 calories and are really yummy.

I missed the Biggest Loser, but will have to try and schedule it in.

I have a new challenge ahead. I am trying to become part of a research study and am going off my hormones for a while. I hear all of you talking about TOM, which I don't have to worry about anymore, but I am not looking forward to hot flashes! If I get accepted for the study, I will make enough to pay for my LAWL plan. Of course I may end up in the placebo group and not have hormones for 3 months - yikes! But it is worth a try. Hopefully I won't get too moody and chase away the any men that come near.

I will try and post my picture after I post this. It will be great to put a face with your name.

Okay, I uploaded my picture. This was taken at party for work 1 week after I started LAWL. Can't wait to see the rest of you! (Star, you're gorgeous!)

Hi,
Thanks for the info on the Luna Bars. Do you take them as you would the LA lites? If not how do you count them? ALso what is Carb Cravers?? And where do you find it.
WI tonight and maintained again. Down 9 lbs in 4 weeks a little disappointed, but I have not been POP. My daughter is down 13 lbs. I spoke to a different counselor and she said to get some exercise, even if we walk 20 min a day. Different advice then the other counselor. Maybe I would do better if I did exercise. Do any of you ladies live in the Houston area?? Would love to hook up. Where are you all uploading your pictures??
Keep up the great work.
Laureen

I've had such a busy day...finally have some time to give you guys an update. Went to WI last night and to talk w/ the manager. Well, the only counselor there was the one I had my last appt. with, so I really got nothing resolved since I didn't feel like talking with her. My WI was up 1.4; I really didn't have a good feeling about it since my previous one was in the AM, and I am TOM. I have been doing very good on the program (which reminds me, what does POP mean? I keep trying to figure it out, but just can't get it! Can someone please fill me in!).... anyways, I have been doing good except for tonite I was having some major cravings and gave in. But tomorrow's a new day and I am getting right back on that wagon. I would say the hardest part of this, or any eating regime is that I eat out everyday for lunch. My coworker and I work in a closet of an office and we really find that we need to get out for that break. We have tried so many times to bring our lunch and it only last for a couple weeks and we're right back into going out. I have been keeping to eating grilled chicken and vegies, or a chicken salad w/ oil & vinegar, but it gets boring, and with the colder weather coming, it's harder for me to eat a cold, crisp salad...I want something warm like soup. The even harder thing is that she has never had a problem with eating whatever, and I mean whatever she wants without gaining weight. Her typical lunch could be: a whole basket of bread and butter before the cheese ravioli with baked cheese on top...or 1/2 basket of tortilla chips before 2 cheese enchiladas with rice and beans...or cheeseburger with french fries. She never eats fruits or vegies...she will pick any sign of vegies off a sandwich. It sucks to sit across and watch that, and then for me to have to be so specific with what I put in my mouth...if I divert from any eating plan it shows almost immediately!

Anyways...I am sooooo rambling and venting right now! My name is Amy, and I am a vent-a-holic. Sorry ladies!

Hope everyone has a good day! I am trying to get to know all of you and I hope to start posting more and more specific to everyone! Thanks for everyone's input!!

Star: Thanks for starting a new thread. I’m in Fiona – it was bugging me but not enough to figure out how to do it!

Kristi: My younger sister started doing Carb Cravers (CC) while she was in weight-loss. I think she only did they once or maybe twice a week. She needed a change because she ate exactly the same thing every day. She even boiled her chicken breast – something that I just can’t do and be expected to eat it. I don’t think that she goes to LA much anymore – she does looks awesome. She is careful what she eats. If she eats something that she feels is a cheat – she cuts back before or after – so she is still using her planning skills. I know that I will need to go in and weigh-in at least once a week once I get to goal to be sure that I’m doing things right on stabilization/maintenance. I like the fact that they hold me accountable. I also like the fact that we paid for that stuff up front. Then I won’t have an excuse not to the center once I reach our goal.

To all you peanut-butter lovers (myself included) – be careful. Star is right, for me – it is like releasing a monster from within. I’m telling you, it tastes so good to me, even the Low Fat that I try not to have it in the house.

Kristi, you can use the sugar-free jam, but with the CC – you can actually have the ‘all fruit’ jam – I think Polaner has several different types. I think it’s sweetened with grape juice instead of sugar – and probably tastes a little better then the sugar-free version.

Hey everyone, I figured out where you all were posting your picture. What a beautiful bunch of ladies. I’ll have to have a few shots taken of me, or maybe I’ll find a decent one that I can scan and post.

Dawn: Your doing great, and happy to see your down. I totally agree that I learn more from this board than at the center. I think the people here are the losers who need more information than the centers will make time for us. It’s a great group. Good luck with the hormone study – if your not in the placebo group – what will you be taking that is different than you take now? I’m interested in anything your allowed to share on that if your accepted into the group. I’m not there yet, but it’s getting close – I can tell. I would say that I’m more in the pre-stages.

Dawn, I agree – Star’s is gorgeous (could be why I have to look for a better picture to post). LOL!

Laureen: I don’t eat the Luna Bars, but others have substituted the Luna’s in replacement for the LA Lite bars. 9 lbs in 4 weeks is great. Just think, if you were doing WW – you would probably only be down 4 lbs (if that). I do exercise at least 3-4 times a week. I do between 40-60 minutes on the elliptical at the gym. I cut back on the weights until I get to my goal because they never suggested changing my plan (to allow for more exercise), and me being on the GOLD plan – it’s too hard to exercise anymore and not be hungry.

Amy: POP for Perfect On Program, and OP for On Program. I hate getting weighted when it’s TOM. Sometimes I stay the same, but normally I’m up. If you stick OP you will most likely be down the 1.4 + more – and weighing-in in the morning and evening does make a big difference. I’m always hungry during TOM. Drives me crazy. Do you only eat grilled chicken because it’s the only thing you like? You can have turkey, low sodium tuna, 1% cottage cheese, eggs, pork, beef (some are limited choices). You can also have Carb Cravers – ask for a sheet on that if you have not received one yet. You’d be surprised at the choices, you just have to use your imagination. A local store has recently started selling turkey ‘steaks’ (breast meat), and then thinner slices. Also, the grocery stores have been having whole turkeys for .19/pound. They are smaller turkeys. I got one so I can make it one day when I have some time. I don’t like ground turkey that much, but mix the ground turkey with ground chicken and make a ‘meat loaf’ – I’ve posted it a few numbers back. What you could do for lunch is to order a salad and bring your own meat. Hey, what about shrimp? You can use cocktail sauce (catsup and horseradish) for dipping (free food). You can have low sodium chicken broth, so you could make an on program chicken soup with some veggies. I have 2 sisters that are OP. We exchange recipes all the time. What color plan on you on? My sister on the Purple plan can have more of some stuff than me (on Gold) so I can’t make some of her suggestions (as I don’t know how to count them on my plan). I does suck that others can eat what they want while most of us have to stick exactly to plan to lose weight and/or stay the same – but that is why we are here. We have to learn to live with it and find ways not to get rope’d into following their lead. This may sound crazy to some of you, but have you even noticed that some ‘thin’ people who can eat what they want and know that your dieting – will make more of a big deal about eating then if you were trying to stick OP? Almost like showing off that they can eat more. I have seen heavy people (who don’t care what they eat) do the same thing so I shouldn’t have made the statement about ‘thin’ people. I don’t know if it’s consciously or subconsciously?

Have a great day everyone, I'll try to get back to the board at lunchtime. Sy

P.S. June, hope things are going okay for you and that DH make it out of surgery okay last week. Thinking of you and wondering what's going on. Sy

Sy - I will be using a topical gel instead of pills. The gel is on the market now, but they will be testing a different strength. I'm not sure how this will affect me because I never really got to the hot flash stage, but I did have night sweats. I was having other problems, so the Dr. put me on the pill, then I had a hysterectomy a couple of years ago and she started me on hormones. I'm only (only!) 49, so she said I should stay on hormones for a few more years before I tried to go off but it's up to me. For this study I have to have 7-8 hot flashes a day before they'll accept me. Today is my first day off, so it will take a few days before I start feeling the effects.

By the way, I use the Polaner Sugar Free jelly and it's very good.

Hey Girls,

Well I was gonna come in,breeze thru the posts and then get to work like an employee. BUT when I saw all the great posts, how could I

Kristi, you skinny little know it all I'm sorry about the remark about the RFPB I stand corrected. I guess it shows that I never made it to stabilization yet huh So how was that PB/J sandwich???

Dawn, Nice picture and it met so much to me that your were toasting us as we came to meet you I knew you were a fun girl from your first post! And who is that man all over you at that office party? Sounds like you are doing good, you go girl I also had a hysterectomy in 95 (cancer) and so I can't take hormones. My doctor says I'm fine and just keep up the exercise I hope you get picked for the study, the cash would be awesome! Oh, I've also had the Pria bars and I think they are the best by far. When I used them, I counted them as a replacement for the LA Lites.

Laureen, So you live in beautiful Houston? I lived in Katy for 16 years and my second son is a tall lanky Texan. Still have relatives and friends there. Every winter I wish I was back there About exercise, I have dieted with and without. I have learned that it always works best with exercise, even if it is walking, it helps burn calories and speeds up your metabolism.. it will also tone and shape those muscles...

Amy, The problem with eating out everyday is that it all adds up. My advice to you is to ditch the skinny freind and make an effort to bring your lunch, even if you take it somewhere else to eat (park, mall).

Sy, You and I are the same with the PB, can't control that monster
Get that picture up there,I want to see what such a smart chick looks like
You always give the best information and advice, are you sure your not a plant from LA (If you are, you have your hands full with this bunch

Okay, NOW I am gonna and do some work....

HUGS

If I offended any (or all) of you, I'm sorry and I apolize
Come back and play and I'll be nice.....

Star, you are hilarious. :

Fiona