Esther, Annie is having problems posting so she asked if I could explain things alittle. I am so computer illiterate so if I mess up, someone please correct me. At the top of the screen hit profile, then hit signature. Put in what you want in the gray box. Then go to preview to see if it is the way you want it. If it is click on the "save change" (or whatever it says). This challenge does not have alot of rules. Annies recommendation to write someone a letter sounded fun. It's exciting to receive mail other then bills! You know what is best for you. You choose the person, write the note and send it directly to that person. The other part of the challenge is to try and loose 4-8 lbs. This was our Sept. challenge and we were able to average that loss. It is attainable and not overwhelming. We also decided to do inches lost since sometimes we can stay the same weight but loss inches due to exercising. (We are doing bust, waist, hips). Many of us personally measure other body parts but we wanted to keep it simple and fun. Some of us have our own personal weigh & measure day but we just let everyone know our changes on Monday. It is not necessary to post our total inches just the loss. Annie tried private messaging you (pm) but it wouldn't go through but I see you are under 25 posts. Just 3 more to go. Let us know more about you.

Alexa, what # anniversary is it for you. Ours was yesterday #23. I was overwhelmed that my DH came home today and took the kids to the apple orchard so I could rest. He is even making dinner. It is so sweet of him.

Tashi, you have been officially added to the list.

If I don't list you when posting a message don't you dare think I don't care about you. You all continue to be in my prayers. You are the reason I feel motivated and don't want to quit. So thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Blessings, Maureen

MAUREEN: 1ST-260 9/30-245
ANNIE: 1ST-211 9/30-181...10/6: 179 (down 2#); 1st measurements taken 10/6
SUSAN: 1ST-175 9/30-150 10/6-148
DENISE: 1ST-175 9/30-160 10/6-159.6
TERRYLYNN: 1ST-298 9/30-262
ALEX: 1ST-200 9/30-189
FISHBURG: 1ST-275 9/30-241 10/6 - 241
KAREN: 1ST-257 9/30-239 10/6-239
HEATHER: 1ST-190 10/1-134 10/6-134
VIRGINIA: 1ST-255 10/1-166
MDKLIMESH: 1ST-177 10/1-161.5
SHEILA: 1ST-233 10/1-172.5
TINA: 1st-251 10/2- 234
DSTAR: 1st- 187 10/3-165
MEG: 1st- 190/152.5
ZULEKA: 1st-186 10/3-174, minus 3.5 inches
TASHI: 1st-250 10/1-243 10/6-243 total lost 7 lbs.

Hi all! :)
No pounds lost here . :thdown: But a total of 1.25 inches. :thup:
Thats me slow but sure.
Hopefully better next week. Tina

want2bfit:
17 years and counting! #23 doesn't sound too far away anymore. I remember when 20 years sounded like forever. The hubby and I are amazed that the time went by so fast and that the kids are getting so tall! (And we're getting so old! "Remember when..." is getting to be an all too common phrase in our conversations.)

Well, here is the scoop on me. DH has been off all weekend which is bad eating wise for me. I love him getting off work but he is such a bad eater. I didnt go off the wall or anything but I did have peanut butter candy and pizza.

I can sqeeze the tape measure to 33 inches now, it was 34 other than that I cant really tell my measurements. I am back up to 174 which is good considering I ate all that bad stuff.

I had a bad night Sunday. I went to pick up the pizza and the starter went out on my car. Now was that telling me something or what. It cost me over 100 to get it fixed and that was cheap because my DH and BIL fixed it.

DH is on dayshift this week which is good because that means we will actually have supper and then it will be nothing else afterthat. So, I should see a result this week.

When someone gets the time, could you do an update on the weigh in list. Thanks so much.

Also I wanted the ones of you who weigh everyday to weigh in the nighttime and then in the morning and see how much difference there is. I weigh 6 lbs. different and was wondering about the rest of you.

I wrote my letter to my aunt and gave it to her at church Sunday. She was so pleased with it. She is always helping out to anyone and everyone who needs it. She kinda took over when my Mom passed away and has been so good to me and my family. I just wrote to her telling her and her hubby how much I appreciated her and loved them. She called me later that day and thanked me and told me how much it meant to them to get something like that. She lives an hour away from me.

Well, enough jabbering, talk to you guys later and congrats to sticking with it for another week.

Thanks...does phoning someone takes the place of writing? My mom is in Jamaica and I will call her before this week is out....

I am a born and raised Jamaican. Left Jamaica after high school in 1982 came to NY and went into the militar in January 1984 stayed in for 4 years where I met my hubby of now 16 years.

I have a 13 yr old girl, Kirsten and twin 8 yr old boy Timothy II and girl Tiphani (pron tiffany).

Just relocated to Ohio from Hampton, VA, before there we were in Panama City, Florida, before that Augusta, GA

Hi everyone,

Last night: Walked for 10/Ran for 20/walked for 5 and then did upper body weights

Today's food: seeds, cheese, stuffed cabbage, salad

Have a good day!

Good morning, gals!

Maureen, happy 23rd anniversary. We celebrated our 22nd this summer (while the girls and I were stranded in Munich, and hubby stranded in Atlanta...LOL). Thanks for adding Tashi's name to the list. Each time I did (about 3 times), it disappeared when I previewd it! UGH!

Welcome, Tashi! We're so glad you are with us! :sunny:

Esther it is so nice to have you in our little group. Little? Are you kidding? It's growing by leaps and bounds!

Esther thanks for sharing about your family. You sound like one awesome wife and mom! (What do you do in your spare time, I wonder)!

Denise, you inspire me girl. I do not know how you can exercise so much. Doesn't that sound like I'm a lazy piece of flab? Me, miss former track runner!
I am very impressed. Please do not stop telling us about your workouts.

Fishburg: How is your week going? I'm so glad you're with us as well!

Stacy: You sincerely touched my heart, friend. I loved hearing about the letter to your aunt. Did you feel good, or what, when they called to tell you what that letter meant?

Anyone else have anything special to say about letters written?
Esther, we don't have a lot of rules here. If you call your mom, who in the world is going to argue that one!! I bet she'd also love something she can read, in addition to your phone call, something she can read over and over again. You are one terrific daughter too, btw.

Addicted: WOW! See? it pays to measure, doesn't it? I love having this as part of our challenge. I am so proud of you!!

The New Me: Great job in staying the same weight. I cannot fathom being as skinny as you are right now, because that is the weight I was for so long until daughter number two came along. But you worked hard and you must feel and look like a million bucks. Good job!

Terry: Great job in staying the same, too! To have TOM and not gain is awesome. Watch something melt away next week!

Susan, you are down 2# like me! WOO HOO! Some would think it's only two pounds (maybe people on starvation slimming diets). But we all know otherwise. Gone forever, baby!

Meg according to your stats, you are down 38.5 pounds since you started LC"ing??? WOW. Don't forget that. One of our readers here reminded me that although I didn't have a good September, overall I still had lost around 30#. So we have to remember what we were when we started, and remind ourselves how beautiful we truly are.

Alexs: How is your family? Tried any new recipes lately?

DSTAR, Zuleka, Heather, Meg...how are you all doing? Maybe I missed your posts, been busy lately. Let us know how you are and how we can encourage you in your LC"ing.

Virginia: Wow. I see your stats and I think, how much better you must feel. Do you feel like a new person or what? Keep it up our friend!!

If I missed anyone at all, please forgive me.
I will not always mention each person's name, and most of us won't. So if you are new to this thread, please understand that sometimes a certain person comes to mind. We may just simply acknowledge them, with no intent to "leave anyone out".

More about me
 

Well, estherm here. In free time, I enjoy time with my hubby and kids. My hubby is a preacher also. I attend strayer university online doing my masters degree in human resource management.

We use to travel extensively, but I'm scaling back on that now--a major culprit in my weight loss effort...eating fast food, eating late, after he'd preach they'd want us to come eat the "feast" they prepared.

I love the Lord and has been a christian since november 11, 1986.

Night time weight
 

Stacy,

Interesting question. I only weigh 1.5 lbs more in the evening. I know I'm losing weight if I only add .5 lb more at night, or I weigh the same as in the morning. I guess I don't retain much water weight. How about everyone else?

Hi Everyone,

I just stopped in to check on everyone!!!

This week is extremly buzy!!! I am packing for my Girl Scout Trip - which also includes all our (girl scouts) cooking supplies, food, calling all the girls to make sure that they have everything, making reservations (hotels, cabins and whale watching), and having everything approved by the council office!!! We leave at noon on Thursday and will be returning on Sunday (late).

Then to add to everything my father inlaw is in the Hospital (we still do not know how bad). His cancer is spreading. My hubby will not let me cancel the trip. I feel a bit funning about leaving - but without me the girls can not go.

Well I have to go now and pick up my eldest from Cross Country pratice now. I will try to check in again before I go.

Happy Low Carbing All!!!

fishburg, have a great time with the girls. The last year of juniors we took the troop up to Cape Cod and went whale watching. The other highlights for them was the candy shop in Hyannis and packing 12 girls into 1 hotel room. Thank goodness the mgr. allowed it.

stacy, the difference for me at night is 2 lbs.

Annie, did the flower thing at the store again but this time I asked her to give it to the meanest customer. Hopefully it will brighten their day.

I'm suppose to do jury duty Thurs but can't since the treatments go into Nov. so they rescheduled me for April. This cold is wearing me out alittle but trying to stay focued on the blessings I have.

I just want to thank everyone for all your posts here. You just wouldn't believe how much I feel accountable to you all.
Drum roll please :wiggle: :hyper: ................ :hyper: :wiggle:Today I did the 3 (do not adjust your screens) mile WAP tape. That's 45 minutes of exercise. These tapes are awesome. I can't believe I just said that since exercising is right up there with toilet bowl cleaning.

Hope you all have an awesome night. Hugs, Maureen

Hi All... just popping in to say hi. Doc says my thyroid is overactive... have an appointment to find out what's next... (oh well, the good news is the hyper thyriod is causing me to age quicker, but lose weight). ;)

fiona mck: I have something called hyperparathyroidism, it is different than just regular thyroid. It takes the calcium from my bones and distributes it to the rest of my body instead of taking calcium from the foods i eat. It doesnt matter how much calcium I consume it still does it. My dr. says I am one of the youngest cases he has seen. Good news is that my bones scans havent changed in 2 years and I attribute that to lots of walking and water because it builds up the bones.

wanttobefit: I have an very old walking tape and it is good exercise. Mine is 30 minutes but it doesnt tell how much youwalk. My Mom had it about 15 years ago.

fishburg: Please dont beat yourself up about going off while fil is in hospital. Its a long story but when my Mom had cancer I had just got married and my brother was older than me, he still lived at home and was working full time. He got laid off after she got sick and never went back to work so he could stay home with her. He lost everything he had and went so far in debt trying to pay his bills with credit cards until things got better. He did everything he could do and he still thinks he didnt do enough. Seems like everytime he would go out to get a breather thats when she would get bad off and he felt like he should have been there. You just cant. You have other responsibilities too. Let some of the other family help while you are away and dont be so hard on yourself.

about the weight change, I wonder why mine is so much different than the others. Mine is 6 pounds, every night. Do you all drink alot of water? I drink at least 14 to 16 glasses a day.

I do have a little good news today. The tape measure stretched to 32 this morning. Yesterday I had to stretch it to 33. Whats up with that, one inch over night? Is that possible, of course it is, lol. Ill take it anyway it decides to go.

Talk to you all later. Have a good day.

Sheila

Hi there, haven't posted in a couple days. Going through a "down" period, but working to snap out of it.

Still hovering around 155, but after 8 lbs of water and several inches from different places from Thursday to Saturday my body is probably like, "well, you can wait for another drop." ;)

Right now I'm just trying to motivate myself to do my morning exercise! The mountain is covered in mist, and I no longer have 2 hours at my disposal so 200m intervals will have to do.

I'm pretty confident I'll see at least a 4 lbs loss for the end of the month if I cut dairy and follow my plan to the letter.... Anyone have tips on how to stay out of the fridge in the evenings? My only problem is the evening. I can go all day doing anything - even the most extreme restricted diet (ok, unless I'm major PMSing), feel great, have loose pants, and then blow it in the evening with as much calories as I ate during the day.

Keep at it everyone so we can feel good about this an join another challenge once we're successful with this one!

Meg

Stacysheil

That is great advise...
I am with you, I'll take any weight loss there is...my weight fluctuates also, but overnight i can gain about 2 lbs.

Anyway, since yesterday I have been very hungry in the AM...I am wondering now (after reading NAT and Annie-Pie piece) if I am eating enough fat..

Come to think of it, when I wasn't working and made bacon and eggs for breakfast, I used to have to remember to eat something in the afternoon...

Think I may have to start getting up and making breakfast before leaving home at 8:15 AM for work...because I have been eating some deli slices of chicken or turkey with a smig of mustard for breakfast w/decaf herbal tea and equal...

That must not be enough...I have just been so afraid of eating so much fat...going against the long time "mental programming" of cutting out the fat...

Because I had lost 13 lbs without even exercising, just eating the scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast and salad lunch time and a broiled steak w/salad for dinner....

any advise, suggestion ladies?

Hi Meg....my problem is the morning...

Anyway, what I'm mentally doing is figuring out why the morning crave and how to make myself realign...because this can potentially ruin my program...

Have you noticed a "time" frame when you have the urge? or noticed any "emotional" urges?

When I used to have a evening problem after kids were in bed and I'm watching TV to unwind or my hubby likes to snack (he's slim as a stick-eat all kinds of junk and will loose before he gains) that used to get me to go to the fridge...

What I do to help me is chew gum...or drink water slowly (sip on it) or eat a salad or just go to bed...

When it use to be really bad I'd eat a small piece of whatever real slowly.

It is miserable for me when it seems I'm about to mess up my plan....like now..this morning craving has got to go...because I have at least 10-15 more lbs to loose before end of October...

my goal is 23 lbs down by october...I started at 223, now at 210 and I've got to get a handle on this AM thing or I'll gain those back..

Meg_S, I'm sure you'll see a drop soon..

Keep up the good work...

hi Meg: I have the same problem as you. I had done real good yesterday and we went to the auction and got home at bedtime. Well, for some reason I thought I had to eat something before I went to bed. I should have just went to bed. I only had a spoonful of peanut butter (which has not effected me yet, thank goodness) but still I would have been much better off just going to bed because I woke up starving this morning.

estherm: I also had your problem too when I first started this woe and I still do sometimes. I was so scared of eating too much fat and then afraid of not eating enough fat. But you have to even it all out for this to work. Try tokeep around 70% fat. It does work and it will also keep you from getting so hungry. Do you like deviled eggs? That should be a good snack to keep your protein and your fat. Hope I helped. Have a good day.

ya it's strange how once good things start to happen ie: fat loss, something subconscious seems out to sabotage the efforts so you can't get past a certain point. At least that's how it is for me. I travel a lot, and am usually at my best when I've been home and able to concentrate on things for a few weeks. I will ALWAYS plan ahead on how to do things "right" while on vacation and somehow it never works. I always give in and eat - I don't even necessarily eat a lot, but just eating a little of the wrong things is enough to send me backward.


I think I'll do the gum and water thing, or tea or anything other than food ;)

take care everyone!

Meg

Hi everyone! It's Wednesday,

Tomorrow I am only working a half day so that I can go to the chemo vet for my Golden....We are not going to do the chemo, just want to get as much info on Bandit's cancer as I can and then I'm going to get copies of his medical records and then we are going to see the holistic vet. It's going to be a long, hard road, but I am going to extend his life as long as I possibly can.

Then Friday, I am taking off work and we are going to central Florida to camp and ride our all terrain vehicles. I can't wait to get out into the country and leave this city life behind. :yay:

Annie: I am glad that I inspire you to exercise. I think it is essential in moving my scale along... My letter writing hasn't gone too well as I guess I have been on my own pity trip. I did however write a long letter to my fiance about our Golden Retriever and how we will make it through this together....

Alex: Sorry, but mentally I cannot handle weighing myself at night. It's enough to send me over the edge. I think I'm about a 5 pound difference by 4 p.m.

Fishburg: Sorry to hear about your FIL. I will keep you in my prayers. I hope you have fun watching the whales...

Maureen: I loved your idea about having the flowers given to the meanest person in the store! That's quite a hoot! I think I will do that but it will be for the person with the most kids in line with them.. I really feel for them too!
45 minutes of exercise! You are really progressing girl!!!!!!! YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW PROUD OF YOU I AM!!

Sheila: Regarding your question about measuring tapes and checking on the inches....This is why I just can't measure. First of all, you really must know how to measure correctly and I just never learned how to do it. Secondly, when I have tried to measure before, it was never right to begin with and I never saw any inches disappear therefore I knew it was me and not the tape.

Estherm: Yes, eat fat! I eat fat all the time and lose weight faster when I do.

Meg: Nightime eating is hard for me too. I try and have SF jello on hand at all times. This way, if I have the urge at night and I eat my jello, it is VERY low in calories, fat and carbs. I know we are not counting calories or carbs, but when you eat late at night, we should be!! If I eat the SF jello at night, there is no change in the scale. Anything else, forget it, the scale moves up the next day.
Otherwise, I have to just go to bed early... I also exercise every night pretty late, take a shower and then I just don't have much time to snack.

Susan: Glad to see you have a nice side effect to hyper thyroidism....Losing weight at your rate is quite spectacular!

Hi to Karen and everyone else I may have missed!

Last night: Walked 10/ran 20/walked 5/Kickboxed for 10/Lower Body weights and ABS for 20/Vacuumed and Mopped entire tile floor of house. I was a bit tired after all that!

Food today: cheese, peanut butter, steak and salad

Hi Everyone,

Gosh I haven't been here for a day or two and how our little group has grown. Welcome to all you new members! I am very busy at work and don't have a lot of time but I wanted to check in with you guys.

I will try to post better tomorrow.

Hugs

Karen

Hi again everyone,
I try to check in often if I dont seems like I miss commenting on someone.

No annie it wasnt a horse auction. We go there friday. We bought a Tenn. Walker Mare a couple of months ago so we could breed her with our Tenn. Walker Stud. Well, come to find out she was already a month pregnant when we bought her so now we just have to wait. We dotn know what she is bred with right now, but it will be here in May or June I think.

Denise: You need to come to my part of the world, lol. We go riding all the time. I live up a holler that is half a mile long and parts off into so many different directions you can ride all day and never ride in the same place.

I found a new snack or lunch or whatever you want to call it today. Someone suggested I use low carb tortillas and turn it into pizza since that is one of my big weaknesses. So I did and I love it. I just made it like regular pizza and rolled it up and ate it. So good.

Hello ladies...I enjoy reading all the happenings.

Meg that Jello things does sound good..I use to make jello, but the kids don't want to eat it and I threw it out after a while..

Thanks for the eat fat advise...I will go shopping for I'm out of eggs and bacon...the kids wanted pancakes and bacon for dinner last night...they don't eat eggs-allergic.

Well great evening to all....

Wanted to say, I look forward to a prompt each morning in my email..it sets off my day...

Thanks you all for being great and for being there!

How do I change the option to have private emails?

Hi Stacy,

Yes, I have heard about the Hatfield/McCoy trails near you. I would love to check them out!! Where we ride in Central Florida, we have 40,000 acres of private land-not open to the public so I know what you mean about riding and finding new places and seeing new wildlife. I love it. I just might take you up on that!

Just wanted to say Hi to all.
I bought a new scale today, it's alot easier to read.
I differ in weight at night from 2-4lbs , usaully depending on my daily intake of food & water. I drink tons of water.
Made a pumpkin pie for the Hubby last night. Used Splenda instead of the 1 1/2 cup sugar.
I had a very small piece with no crust. Not sure on the carb count because of the Splenda. With out it , it was about 3.875 per serving (w/o crust).
I'll have to sit down and figure it out later.
Well I wish everyone the best.
Happy LC wishes to you all. Tina

Tina,
You oughta be congratulated for taking the pie thing serious enough to count the carbs. How much splenda did you use? 1/3 cup = 27 pkts, which equals 27 grams. But remember that's for the entire 1/3 cup.
You reminded me of a recipe I made last week. Got it off the Atkins site I think--pumpkin pie mousse. Sprinkle a pkt of knox over 1 cup cold water. Set 5 minutes. Mix a small can of pumpkin pie mix with cinnamon, spices etc with a couple eggs and splenda, I think. Don't quote me. Use the recipe on the site!

Family was nice enough to eat it. As I did after-dinner clean-up, I noticed the pot of water/knox on the stove with the pumpkin pie spices... DUH I had forgotten to add it to the recipe. BLEGH no wonder it didn't taste all that great!
LOL

Annie

radioactive iodine therapy for my hyperthyroidism
 

Hi All... sorry I haven't been here much lately. Hope everyone is doing ok. I saw the specialist yesterday and it's a done deal. I am having my thyroid destroyed on Tuesday because it's gone hyper again. I'm freaked out because I am taking radioactive iodine and then I can't touch anyone, have to sleep alone, etc etc for 4 days, but my doc says he fees 3-4 weeks! anyone have any experience with this? I guess my easy weight loss will soon disappear. Thank God I'm almost there!!

Susan

Hello! This morning showed a positive result.. the scale was on the UNDERSIDE of 155 even though I am swollen from it being the week before TOM. I actually expected to see at least 157-8 this morning just from how I feel.

I got some japanese noodles yesterday called konnjaku. They're incredible, I got the ones that look like glass noodles and these wide flat ones. The texture is amazing, they have no taste, when you fry them they take on a meaty texture. And they have 0 fat, 0 protein, 3 carb (which are all fiber) per serving. They saved my butt yesterday at dinner. I had used most of my calories for the day (yes, calories are restricted) and was fretting about what to eat. Even a tiny portion of 1 hard boiled egg with 1tb mayo and 1/2 oz bacon is a lot of calories...... VOILA! Noodles fried in 1tb coconut oil with some prepared curry sauce added. WOW.

I also made a vanilla pudding using stevia and this "gum" flour that the noodles are made from, 1 tsp is like 10 tsp of corn starch in terms if thickening power so I was able to use water and cream and a couple eggs and am very happy with the results. It won't kill me on the calories either. This means I will be able to make thick vanilla/chocolate shakes with very little effort ;)

Just happy about my new found food tools!