After a couple of months of half-assed atkinsing it is time to get serious again.
My challenge is no alcohol and caffiene till November 1st and the goal is to (hopefully) pick up some speed on the weight loss and or shrinking. (fill in the blank with your own goal and challenge)

Then on November 1st and 2nd, it is time to party.....with my loved ones who have died. In short, Dia De Los Muertos is a celebration and remembrance of your loved ones who have died. Two to three weeks before 11/1st build an altar for your loved ones, including photos, toys, flowers (traditionally Marigolds) or anything special about each loved one. Then on the nights of the 1st and 2nd drink, eat, and be merry in their memory. Make a favorite food of the loved one, set a plate on the altar for them, step outside and imbibe in your or their favorite adult beverage, for every drink you have, pour alittle on the ground for your loved one.

(and if the challenge goes well, reintroduce your skinnier self to them in case they can't recognize you :lol

Good luck;
domus

Hey there Domus!

I Studied HighSchool in Roswell and went to college in Santa Fe!!
Great to see a New Mexican in this forum!!!

El día de los muertos suena muy bien.
Me apunto!!!

Weight as of today - 222
Mini goal 1st of November - 210

Hi Becky160;

What brought you to Barcelona ( aside from the beauty, sea, food, people etc.....)? Or should I say what brought you to NM?

I haven't spent much time in Roswell, just passed through. I keep meaning to hit the alien fesitval. Santa Fe however is familiar stomping ground. When were you there?

Buena suerte....adios a la 12lbs!!!

Domus

I was born in Mexico city, MEXICO. but at the age of 17 I was sent to A military Institute in Roswell. It was only going to be for one year, but I ened up studying there for 3 whole years. I loved NM so much that I decided to go to College in Santa Fe and get my BA degree. So I lived for 7 years in the USA.

My parents where living here in Bacelona, so I got married in Mexico and my DH and I moved to Spain. We have been living here for 5 years.

tell me about yourself. are you married? Do you have any children, pets, why did you decide to start LCing?

Wow NMMI! I bet you have some stories.

My family most recently is from Chicago (dad's dad side) by way of Saltillo, Mexico; (dad's mom side) by way of Andalusia (Seville I think) and Montevideo UR, mom's family is Western European mix stateside since the 1700's. Just your average Hienz 57.

Married, with pets. We just bought a house and are settling in. Alb is not my first choice, but could be worse. Kerem (DH) is from Turkey so we get over to Istanbul every couple of years. Since we bought the house his family has decided to come to us this year, YIKES! They are wonderful, just overwhelming. Turkish family is similar to Mex/Span family, gregarious, food, food, food, drink, music etc!!

Nice segue into LCing-college and grad school added about 30 lbs, being married to the bottomless pit with the metabolism of a butterfly added another 30 lbs. So here I am. My boss started Atkin's first and we travel together alot so I noticed he was eating differently and asked. He was getting good results, eating in a way that didn't seem unbearable difficult to manage so I thought why not. I've definitely tried wierder things.

I've been on again off again since May 2003. Overall I think I've lost probably 40 lbs with a couple of backslides and currently am 26 lbs lighter from where I topped out. Latest breakthrough is I have started thinking more in terms of life long eating plan than diet. Since that mind set I've been less focused on the weight coming off and more excited about permanent changes in eating habits. Same with exercize, not losing weight and shrinking but quality time with DH and our four-legged family.

Whew - that got wordy, your turn.
Domus

okay... im in. I really need to get serious because I have noticed I am no longer really counting carbs and just hoping the last 8lbs drops off by itself. So this will work. Are we all aiming for a specific amount of lbs. lost? Will we weigh in once a week? What do you think? At the Mexican embassy last year they had a wonderful exhibit of Dia de los Muertos altares, I am hoping they have it again this year.
Last year my friend made dia de los muertos pan... mmmmm, warm fresh out of the oven... oh well, this year I guess I will eat flax???

I am looking forward to this...

hugs,
Judi

Hey there JUDI!!! Welcome to the thread!

Domus: I see you have a nice mix of blood there....I think that now a days we all do. My mother is French, my dad is Mexican, and I live in Barcelona with my DH, and I also have 3 four-leged sons : Odie - Samoyedo Roxy - who knows
and Tina - Italian Pointer.
I feed 4 female cats every day. They are adorable...but then 2 of my neighbour's cats come also at night when they think I don't see them.

I forgot!!! I have a new pet! His name is Raton Miguelito. He is in my computer room, and lives here since about 1 week that I herd some plastic bags moving!! Yesterday we met. I left a cookie under my bookself, and I could hear the "son of a !"·$%" biting the cookie and pushing it around 5 minutes later! I grabbed my husband's hand lamp, I kneeled, and there he was, all cute, Little Stewart eating.
I love animals, and I will never do any harm to them.

I will write more in a little while... See ya!

Hi- glad you are here, the more the merrier. I'm not in it for a specific lbs loss I'm aiming more for shrinking, but once a week weigh ins (I'll throw in measurements too) are fine with me.....Becky?

So, what is your story Judi? What brought you to Berlin, lcing, any interesting tidbits you'd like to share with the group? Good luck with the final 8lbs!

Welcome to Miguelito - my DH has an irrational phobia about mice, rats, (anything small and furry with a tail) so we compromised and have a guinea pig named Lucy

Domus

Ok. every one Weighs in on monday, but I found a thread where they weigh in on Fridays. Let´s do it on Fridays. What if this friday we post our first weight?
I also completely agree with you to post our measurements, just the basics :
Hips, belly, waist and breasts....? Hope to hear from all of you.
I will try to recruit more losers so they join us.

Take care.

XOXOXOX

I am happy today, because I am finally back in ketosis PURPLE. It took me 4 entire days!! Next time before I cheat, I will think twice about it, or more!!!

I have been waiting for two months for a mayor event this weekend. I am going to a BBQ and see all my Ex-collegues from Nestle. They know that I have been on a diet, but they do not know that I have already lost 9 kilograms since the last time they saw me (18 of july). Hope they notice my weight loss.

Othe thing that happend to me today, is that for curiosity, y grabed a long sleeve shirt that I had hanging all summer and tried it today...I could botton it!!! Plus, it wasn't tight at the bottom....I am soooooo happpy!

Hi!
Can I join in on your challenge? Dia de los Muertos is a good goal day. I usually go to the Mission in San Francisco. (also, of course to the cemetary) Oh man, I just thought of something. No polverones this year! Crap!
Well, anyway, I need to apply diet to grindstone, here and get some serious shrinking happening.
Hey I have never done measurements so I don't know if posting them will do any good, but I DO know that I have been able to fit into a tiny T-shirt that I haven't worn in a year, so I guess the inches are going. I have a lot coming up in the following months, wedding, parties, travel, (it's all in the journal) so it'll be good to have someone(s) to report into. I'm excited! Can we also include exercise goals as well as no alcohol goals?
Jasmine

Hi Jasmine!!!!

Welcome to the Thread!!!
No Alcohol and More exercise sounds go to me also. Let see what the others think about it. Which is your starting weight for the challenge? Which are your goals?

See ya ...I`m really hungry I'm going off to prepare my breakfast...

Hi Jasmine welcome to the challenge. As far as I'm concerned any goal/challenge you set for yourself is fine, I'll support whatever you decide to do! I think I will also try and get in some regular exersize in but focus mainly on the no caffeine/alcohol. (One challenge at a time for me seems to be all I can handle)

congratulations on the loose clothing ladies!!!!!!! Today I am retiring a pair of jeans that I was squeezing into last May that I can now pull on zipped and buttoned over my hips and trunk!

Weight 9/26= 175lbs
measurments 9/26 = couldn't find the tape measure this morning best guess is
Chest= 40"
Waist= 36" completely relaxed/33" sucked in
Hips= 41"
Thigh= 26"

Good luck this weekend
Domus

HI!!!

Ok so here are my stats:

weight 9/26 - 223.3 lbs
Chest= 47""
Waist= 42.5"" completely relaxed/41.5" sucked in
Hips= 50"
Thigh= 42.5"


See Ya later, .......

OK, I must be doing something wrong, here on week three because my weight is going up. So, at least I now, have a goal.

9/26

weight= 164.5
chest= 40"
waist=36"
hips=40"
Thigh=24"

so, I guess my goals would be A) get below 159! B) stop gaining weight. C) exercise 5 times a week instead of 4 D)stick with WOE even during fancy Vegas Wedding week.
--jasmine