Wow, Noel! You ARE doing so good! How's the little man doing? Just reading your posts, I can tell you are really emotionally invested in Thanksgiving Dinner this year. I'd love to be a fly on the wall, watching the new Noel with her cute little boy, all dressed up and looking nice at the holiday dinner!

Since my Aunt died almost 3 years ago, things just haven't been the same in our family. She was the "Matriarch" of the family and she kept us all in touch with one another. Now we are kinda scattered.

I'm ginving some "preliminary" thoughts to doing a low carb dinner and NOT telling anyone it's all lowcarb. That cheesecake is so good, they'll never know! LOL! And of course, turkey is lowcarb, my greenbean casserole isn't too high in carbs, so I just need one more side dish......SALAD! Something marvelous like broccoli, cauliflower, and some carrots for color with some really good lowcarb dressing on it. MMMMMM!
What all are you thinking of doing?

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Noel--YOu are doing great--I find too that if I get a full 100oz inimum of water each day I can guarantee at least a 1 lb loss each week and for me after 65lbs gone that is a big deal. I am within 35 of my goal now and it is getting slower and more difficult. Anyway, back to my original point--take that pair of pants and hang them somewhere you can look at them every day--try them on once a week on your weigh in day or whatever and as soon as they fit--find an occasion to wear them--if you leave them boxed you may be surprised that on the day you intend them to fit they won't--too big--I did that with two of my favorite pairs of pants--never got to wear them again. . . so now I try the tihngs that I am working on getting into each week. I can almost wear my pink suit (hot pink) and my winter dress. I did get my white pants on today(flat front button fly jeans) but they are still not quite there. But as soon as they fit nicely with minimal rollover at the waist--I will wear them because I only get a few weeks at each size so I don't get to wear them very long for the most part. Get that pedicure--give yourself permission to have someone watch the baby for a couple of hours just to pamper yourself. . .it is sooo worth it and it feels great! You are worth the babysitting fee as well as the pedicure fee--every time!!!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

Well, that 371 was fleeting. Now back to 372.5. Which is still 2.5 down from last week and I think that is my true number for the week. I'm happy with it.


I was talking to the lady at work and said something (I don't remember what now) and she said "well don't get discouraged". I may not remember what I said bit I know it wasn't that I was getting discouraged because I remember replying "I'm losing and feel great, I'm not discouraged". I think she thinks I'm going to quit trying after a while. It annoys me but I know how she is so I just tell myself I will soon be home away from her and her negativity. No matter if she means it or not, sometimes I can't believe the things that come out of her mouth. She was going on about her "fat" granddaughter again on Thursday. I told her if she pushed her in a negative way she would just push her into eating more like I did with my dad. I feel sorry for her grandchildren.

So, I haven't decided about Thanksgiving. I'm sure my sister will have dinner at her house. But maybe my aunt will. I would love just to veg at home and watch football but I'm sure I'll have to socialize. My aunt always has non-family over, including a woman that I don't care for. So if anything I am going to my sister's. Then Xander can play with his cousins.

You know I think I will take out the pants from the box. Then I can try them on so I know when they will fit. They did fit once after I had the baby. So I know it should be possible soon.

I took Xander for a long walk last night. I need to keep it up for four days in a row to get back into it. He enjoyed it and I felt great. Today I am planning to walk to Hollywod Video which is about 1/2 mile away. It's going to be a beautiful day. I just have to figure out when to go. Baby is sleeping now so we'll see when he wakes up.

Xander is doing great. He's so precious. He really keeps me grounded. I can't wait for Halloween he's going to look so cute in his giraffe costume. I may even pull out a costume of my own. We're going to my friends for the afternoon. Then I don't have to get candy. Xander won't eat any either. He's too young to get hooked on that. He doesn't really like sweets right now. He only ate two bites of birthday cake. Though he did eat some ice cream. He won't be deprived but I am also not going to give him soda. I can't believe these parents that pour soda down their baby's throat. Well, I should say let the babies do it themselves. Not that that will keep him from having a weight problem. I didn't have soda as a child or even store bought white bread until I was older. But we did eat a lot of good high carb foods.

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Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

I'm posting twice today because I just watched Radio and am just so overwhelmed with emotion. I knew I would be. I'm glad it did make me mad as movies often do.


I was holding Xander as he was sleeping through the last 30 minutes of the movie and when it was done I just cried and cried and squeezed him tight. If you haven't seen it you should. And it has a happy ending. The movies that make me mad are ones with awful endings like Mystic River. Don't get me wrong it was a god movie and life doesn't always have a happy ending but I think they intend to make you mad so they did their job.

Anyhow, I thought I don't want to leave my baby alone in the world. OK the situation is totally different but it still made me think that. He's why I started this. I need to be healthy to see my son grow up. It's not a question of fitting into a pretty dress of wearing a swimsuit without a cover up. For me it's a matter of life and death. People over 300 pounds don't live very long, that's a fact, and people at 400 die even sooner. And that was were I was headed, 10 pounds from 400. My goal when I first started was 200 then I thought no that sounds fat still and I should want to get to a size 12 or something like that. But honestly if I could just get to an 18 and maintain and be healthy I would be happy. If I could just get my cholesterol down and my blood pressure under control I would be happy.

What am I looking forward to the most? Living.

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Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

I read your journal(yes the whole thing!) and I am so inspired by you. You just keep setting goals and reaching them and you make it "real" for other people so they feel as if they can do it as well. Great job :jumping: and good luck in the future!

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Megan Rose
"The question is not how far. The question is, do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far is as needed?"
259(HW)/233.6(Restart)/224.0(CW)/205(GW1)/175(GW2)/150(FGW)

NEXT GOAL WEIGHT

Thanks for the kind words, Megan. I don't usually feel like much of an inspiration. I'm just struggling to get by. Though I am proud of myslef for sticking with this WOE for 6 weeks now. I did cheat twice within days of each other. But now I know, when I cheat I can't make up for it by eating less calories as I have in the past on other diets. When I cheat now I really throw my body out of whack and all the cravings come back making me want to cheat more.


Last week I had reported I was at 371 one day, then back to 372.5 Saturday. When I was chatting Saturday I said I feel like TOM is coming tonight and it did. So now I feel yucky. Not as bad as I use to get (after being pregnant they have gotten much better) but I didn't feel up to my walk yesterday. It was all I could do to get myself to church. Today I am feeling much better. If it doesn't rain I will be out walking when I get home with DS. I took the stroller out of the car or I would go for a walk straight from daycare to that park. Anyhow, I am hoping for a whoosh back down below 371 when TOM is over. I am really staying the course. The first TOM I had was during my phase 1. That was tough, I still got the chocolate cravings. This time I don't have that. I now want iron-rich red meat. Which is just fine. I made myself a burger of the Forman grill. Boy I do love that thing. Really lean ground beef is so dry and I don't want to use to regular stuff and let is sit in it's grease, so I buy the regular and use that and all the grease just drips right off. I love it for beef or sausage but not so much for chicken. How's that for getting off the subject? Now back to what I was saying I am hoping for a whoosh, but if one doesn't come that's OK. I'm just so excited to see a new decade. I was thinking that my Thanksgiving challenge goal was beginning to look impossible and unrealistic but if I can stay the course and keep up the good work then I could possibly reach it. When I set it I thought I would lose more in the beginning. I should have started on Atkins. But that's OK. I've been doing well each week and that's what is important.

Well, I have so much more to write but I have run to get DS. Maybe I'll finish my thoughts later tonight when he's in bed.

__________________
Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

Boy do I feel crappy today. TOM isn't giving me problems but I do have a bad cold. I've been taking my cold snap, which has helped some with the runny nose but my head just feels yucky. I have the chills and have resorted to turning on the space heater at work. Everyone else of course is fine with the temp since it's ... 72.5 inside by the clock/thermometer combo on the wall. I haven't gotten out to walk. Though last night it was raining pretty heavily. Even if it hadn't I don't think I would have felt like it. I feel like a bad mom because I just want to curl up and do nothing. But I did read Xander his books and play with him for a while on the floor. He's got a cold too but isn't so miserable anymore. I feel like a lump. And now Raeann and Ed from work are leaving tomorrow for a cruise so I will have to work late for the next two weeks. :( Which normally wouldn't bother me but when I'm sick I just want to go home. You know I have never taken a sick day here and I've been here for two years. Of course when I worked for Chris I only took one in 3 1/2 years and that was because I had food poisoning. Otherwise my record hasn't been so good. When I know someone will cover for me I have no problem taking them but when I know my work will be waiting for me plus the next days work then I can't do it.


I'm figuring up what I ate yesterday on fitday. I went over on my carbs. Bad monkey! Well I wasn't way over I guess. Adjusting for fiber I was at ... oh wait I was subtracting wrong. I was right on, 36. For some reason 50-14 in my sick mind was a lot more. I try and stay under 40 but with good veggies will sometimes give myself to 50 once in a great while. My calories were actually pretty low for me though. 1302, I try and keep them up around 1700-1800. I think I do better with a consitant number. Not too low and not too high. Thinking back I think I am at about half of what I was eating before in terms of calories. Scary thought. I am sure I was getting in about 3600 or more a day.

Tonight I am going to be making some noodleless chicken soup. I've got some good organic chicken broth left over from when I made a turkey a while ago. And I have tons of canned veggies. I don't usually use canned veggies but I have a bunch and soup is really all they are good for, otherwise they are too squishy. I think it'll make me feel better anyhow.

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Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

Today is a much better day. My cold is going away. Now I just have to deal with the drainage issues that always come up at the tail end. But at least my head is getting clearer. I still have the space heater on but not as high as yesterday. I actually used it all winter last year so now it's probably not the cold but just me. Ever since I was on fen/phen I can't take the cold. I've been checked, I had an echo last year and my heart is fine, I just get chilled easily.

I wrote a seperate thread regarding this but I must proclaim it again. A skirt from the "too small" box fits! I was squeezing into this one at the beginning of the summer but then there came a time when even that wasn't happening. Following a suggestion, I got out some of the clothes from the box, and while the pants that I am longing to be in are still a few inches away from working the skirt fit perfectly. Not pulled or stretched in any way. While I was in the box I pulled out my favorite bra and it fit too. Yea! No more nursing bras. Now I can put them away forever. They'll make a good before and after thing to have. My 52DDD nursing bras. Of course when I was nursing the cup size went up a lot. I always felt like I had a couple bowling balls in my bra if I went to long without emptying. The one I have on now is I believe a 48 DD. I even have some smaller sizes I have kept through the years so when this one gets bigger I can get into them. Pretty bras is one thing I look forward to down the line.

This Saturday is a free day at the zoo. It will be the first time I have taken DS to the zoo. I hope it doesn't rain. A mid 60's day would be perfect, we could bundle (again with my chills) and in the cooler weather the animals would be out. I'm glad my energy level is so much better. It's a big zoo and I will be doing plenty of walking. It looks like rain again today. I'm not complaining about the rain so much as I am about me not getting out to walk. I get too afraid that if we head out it will rain on us. Which if it would be just me wouldn't be so bad. Monday I thought I'd go then it started sprinkling and stopped and I thought "oh lazy girl get out there" but then 15 minutes later we had a downpour. I have become lazy though regardless of the weather. I could do indoor exercise. Walking is just so nice and I do enjoy it when I get outside. I need to motivate. I'm not buying myself that treadmill until I can prove to myself that I'll use it.

Speaking of treadmills, I was looking at one the other day on line and it said mayimum weight 250. Which I took to mean: if you're REALLY fat you can't use our product because we didn't want to spend the extra $20 on reinforced steele. I'm sure there are some out there that I could use. I'll just have to be sure to read the instruction manual before I shell out any money.

I've decided on my various "rewards" for different milestones. I am still looking to the pedicure every 20 pounds. With this time being the exception since I just cut my toenails. So this time when I hit 20 I am going to buy myself a water soaking foot massager. I saw one in a circular and thought that would be a good thing and it's about the same amount as a pedicure and I can take it out after DS goes to bed. At 100 pounds I am going to the hairdresser and getting highlights. I have done them myself beofre but I want some professional ones. Oh, yeah I am also growing my hair out again so by then I should have some good length. At goal I am going to buy myself a new wardrobe. I will of coruse up to that point have to buy new clothes but I'll do mostly thrift store stuff and clearance items from Target and Wal-Mart since I'll be shrinking. First I'll be sure I maintain for a sufficent amount of time then I'll go shopping. Of course I'll still hit the clearance rack but at places like Foleys and Neiman Marcus. They really do have some good deals sometimes.

Now I know this is looking way into the future here and it may take years, but hey, it's something to look forward to. I'll have new clothes for my class reunion in four years.

At least I can look back at this journal down the line and say "see, that is what you are working towards". Besides the good health, new clothes!

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Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

Noel,
I look back at my first few entries often--my first one expecially--I am coming up on 9 months total on the 5th of October--lots of reflections and lots of changes happening in the last 9 months--but the most important is how much better I like me now! Keep working on those that too small box and the rewards will keep happening--I have a stack of clearance pants on my shelf in my closet now waiting til my backside fits into them! It is almost there! Keep up the good work!

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Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

I didn't have much to do today at work so I read about half of the New Revolution. I had already read about a quarter of the way through so I am actually almost done. I had read the book before but an older version. I bought this one a couple weeks ago and finally got around to reading it. A lot in the beginning was the same but more had changed. Now I can say I have oficially switched to Atkins from Curves. And because of that I am going to be making some changes. First I realize that in my situation I should have stayed in my induction phase longer than two weeks. Atkins says a minimum of two weeks. But sometimes longer is recommended for people like me. I can't go back and change that but I am going to cut back on my carbs. I am still losing (I think, it's been six and a half days since I weighed myself *gasp*). Anyhow, I am going to cut back. Not to the induction phase. That ship already sailed. I never went through the Atkins induction but Curves and it was way different. I don't have the cravings and I lost the initial water weight and enough weight the first two weeks. I am placed in the average metobolic resistance catagory based on the weight I lost. Which is good that I am not in the high catagory or it would be tougher. Anyhow I am going to cut back to about 30-35 carbs a day right now. So just two steps up from induction. I was doing about 45-50. I have been doing around 35 this week. But I had jumped up too quickly before I think. I had dropped quite quickly in the amount I was losing. Now that I have read the updated book I feel I have better knowledge to understand this WOE.


I printed out a bunch of recipes today. I am going to make some of them so I can figure out what to bring for Thanksgiving. Side dishes and dessert. I may make my own stuffing to bring. So if I eat too much at least it'll be low carb too much and I won't throw off a whole week. Of course if I eat too much of a 5-10 carb item that will be pretty bad too.

I was thinking of skiing today. I haven't been skiing since I was a kid, a fat kid at that and hated it. I want to try it again. I mean I am so close to all this great skiing and want to let DS learn if he wants and I don't want to be sitting on the sidelines just watching. The same with ice skating and roller skating. There are so many things I missed out on as a kid being so heavy. Maybe I can relive my childhood with DS.

Tomorrow is the zoo, maybe. I found out I have to work. So we'll see how late I'm at the office. At least DS will be there with me to keep me company. I do want to do some grocery shopping tomorrow too. There is so much stuff on sale right now as far as fresh veggies go.

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Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

cushieb...
ya know.. i read the book.. and for quite a while (maybe 6 weeks or so.. i read it all DAY long.. it kept me motivated.. i seemed to notice SOMETHING new everytime i reread it..
keep that goal in mind as you go through this.. picture yourself skiing... and then.. when you can DO IT!
when i first started walking i felt a bit self conscious that i looked ridiculous..*L* but now... i feel great walking... i feel like people will look at me and say.. HEY.. she looks like she is out having a great time walking.. NOT that "she looks like she NEEDS to do some walking" *L*
i used to like to do a bit of cross country skiing when i lived in oregon... i didnt like the way i LOOKED in ski bibs... but hey... this year i may just try it again..
thanks for the inspiration!
kim

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kims SECOND journal is HERE
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KIMS BLOG !!
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Oh I ate way too many calories today. I know I shouldn't worry about them as much as my carbs but I just figured the day out on fitday and I am way up from normal. But still below my alotted daily total. I had to eaat out for breakfast and lunch. Which I never do. I can't make this a habit that's for sure.


I actually stayed off the scale all week. I'm so proud of myself. I got on this morning and was happy to see I broke into a new decade. So I'm at 369 today. Wow that looks good to me. I am going to weigh tomorrow an dmake Sunday my official day though. I was off last week because TOM was starting so I weighed early. Just think if I had done my exercise I probably would have been down more but I'll take the 3.5 pounds. I guess dropping my carbs a little really helped. Today I was at about 30 carbs, I looked through my fitday and for the last week I have been at about 25-30 carbs a day. But like I have mentioned before, after reading Atkins again I am rehtinking everything and keeping my carbs lower.

I pulled the exercise video out yesterday. Now just to get it started. I at least started on the crunches again. That was tough. Doing 45 like before. I wanted to quit at 30. Hey, 45 is a lot for me. I did a lot of walking today so I am not going to be doing the tape tonight. It's been so long. I'm just going to do the slow part or I'll keel over from a heart attack before I can even lose the weight.

I wore my mother's day skirt on Thursday and it fit just right. In fact I had to keep pulling it up in front. The buttons had been pulled so tight this sumer I had stopped wearing it. I can't wait to get into more clothes.

__________________
Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

This morning I felt fuzzy. Have you ever had that feeling? I used to get it sometimes and blame it on low blood sugar, good excuse to immediately eat a candy bar. Well I had a good breakfast, steak and eggs, so I know it wasn't that I hadn't eaten. Of course I had a headache and took some excerdrin, maybe the caffine was screwing with me since I don't generally have any anymore. Anyhow now I am better. With the headache and my stiff neck I of course think I have west nile virus. Of course I don't and a couple little headaches don't mean a thing. I am just being a hypochondriac.

I defended my way of eating proudly today. I had a know it all try and tell me you have to have carbs, well yes but you don't HAVE to have white, sugar, white flour, etc. I told him I was eating 5 or more servings of fruits/veggies a day. Much more than I had (darn I should have said "is that what you get"). I also told him I felt better than I have in a long time. This lecture from a full time smoker. HA! Then I discussed my WOE with a lady in the office I hadn't before and she said her daughter did LC and has for 3 years and has loved it. Finally, someone that knows the benefits. Then I moved on to the skeptic from before. And gave her my "don't have to have" speech and she was supportive this time. I think people are seeing my commitment to this WOE and that I am bringing veggies and berries to work and it's not all meat and they are coming around. Now if Smokin' Joe sees progress he may change his mind about things too.

I found a great new store. Well, new to me. I bought a ton of veggies and the Atkins ceral with blueberries and some carbsense hot cereal it has a ton of fiber. I also finally got the Splenda. I had the hot cereal but I made a whole serving which was just too much for me. It was pretty good with strawberries and Splenda. I am going to bag up the Atkins cereal into baggies measured into serving sizes so if I want a snack I can quickly grab one and not worry about going overboard. Then I can keep a couple at work. I hope this doesn't make me stall. We'll see what happens this week. I realized that I was eating a few too many carbs so now that I have backed down on them and gotten back into a good pace if a switch some things around to eat the cereal I should be able to gauge if a slow down occurs.

I was thinking about the amounts I have lost each week. Last week was 3.5, which was great considering TOM was here. The week before 2.5, awesome. Before that was my bad girl week, but still 1 down. That's eight total. I don't know what happened before that. I could easily find out by checking on the Thanksgiving challenge thread but I think I'll leave that and just start writing down each week the number of pounds and if I decide to add a new food I will be sure to document it like the cereal. This way I can keep track of what is affecting me. Which is in part the reason I started this journal.

Ro said today I hadn't mentioned my son in a while. That's a lady at work. I guess there's nothing exciting going on with him so I don't bring him up like I use to when there were new milestones every week. Is it weird that I still have a hard time saying "my son". Not really that I have a hard time but it just feels odd. I can say "my baby" easier. I guess I'm not use to being a mom yet, even though it's been over a year now. I guess I just never thought I would be so it's hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that I have this beautiful baby boy. And I'm a GOOD mommy. Maybe not perfect but hey, who needs a Stepford mom!

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Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

Show me a perfect mom...they don't exist. We can just do the best job we can. From what you have said, it looks to me like you are a great mom!

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Started Atkins-1/2/04
174 lbs at heaviest



5'0 154/136.5/130

Today is a good day. It's nice and quiet at work. I had a nice lunch. Chicken breast chopped up on a nice green salad. :fork: After work we are going shopping so I am making a list right now. Well, of course I took time out to write this. I'm anxious to get several items to start trying some of the LC recipes. I am getting a turkey to cook over the weekend so I am definitely trying the stuffing. If it's good I will take a little casserole dish of it with me for Thanksgiving. I still don't know what is going on for Thanksgiving. Last year I had it at my place but who knows about this year.

I have put the scale away for another week. I was weighing myself too often. And while I still need to do weekly weigh-ins, I really don't need anything more than that. I am just excited to have gotten to 369. Once I get into the 350's I'll be thrilled. That's about where I hovered for the last two years. Then I'l be so close to my first major goal. Which was 10%. I read an article that said something about just making a 10% goal. Something easy to attain. Well when you weigh almost 400 pounds 10% is a lot more than for some. But I'm halfway there. I can see victory on the horizon. Hopefully I'll reach it by Thanksgiving, then I'll make my goal for that challenge. Probably not, but I'll get darn close. I know I'll make the Halloween one so that is good. When I go to Nancy's on Halloween it will be the first time I've seen her since DS's b-day party. So I will be about 25 pounds lighter I reckon. That will be nice. She's one person that will notice the change. It's always good to see someone that notices and is proud. It just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Shirley brought me some LC russel stovers yesterday. She's the one who's daughter has been LCE for 3 years. It was on sale at the russel stover store down the road so she went and got some for when her daughter comes back. I absolutely loved the pecan treats. I read the package and thought "maltitol, now what were they saying about that again?" Well, it was too late when I got back on line and read the horrors. But luckily I did not experience the numerous bathroom trips others had. I was just really gassy. And DS didn't seem to mind and I had no company so that was no big deal. Of course I probably shouldn't have eaten the pecan and the dark chocolate. :o If I get some I am going to have to keep them at the office and have them sparingly. I do much better leaving stuff here than having it at home with me all weekend. I still haven't touched the candy jar that's on my computer desk. Before Raeann left she filled it with Milk Ways, Snickers, 3 Musketeers and Butterfingers. It's been almost two months since I have been into it. (The chocolate indiscretion a few weeks ago was at home with some leftovers from the DS birthday party.) Anyhow I think I will get some of the candy and then I can keep one at home and the rest here in the freezer. It's really cheap right now so that's why I want to stock up. And so then like when I go out for Halloween I won't feel so deprived. I'm going to try and limit to a couple a month, most likely during the dredded TOM. Needless to say, my fitday was all out of whack yesterday.

On a good note I took my Atkin's cereal, dumped it into a big bowl and bagged it into 2/3 cup individual serving sizes. Now I can just grab one when hungry for a snack and I know exactly how much I am eating. All the little bags even fit right back in the box. I was feeling quite proud of myself for this clever idea. I'm going to get some Hood milk today and see if I can stomach it, I've heard good and bad, and if it's good then I'll bring some to the office andhave yet another quick breakfast for those days I am running late.

I hate to admit but just to make note. I'm still quite lazy when it comes to starting on the exercise video. Still crunching and moving around a lot more than I was but I need more. Instead of a movie I need to start doing this after DS goes to bed. Argh! Someday I will post that I started. Maybe tomorrow I will write about getting it done tonight, after Nip/Tuck of course.

__________________
Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.