Just starting thread....brb....

hey there Wendy! I guess we are both up early! My dh is going archery deer hunting so he has to get to the tree stand in the dark, I usually shoot one with a rifle, I already got one mulie, and have a white tail tag still, the deer get so thick here that shooting a few never hurts the population, besides if you get to many deer in one place they get disease and we run out of feed, we keep one corn pile open for them and some prarie hay, but fence in our alfalfa ect...
Did you hear the latest bnl's song chimpanzee? funny!
Well Hello to everyone else! Have a good morning!

Today I want to stop and reflect on how far I have come in the last 19+ weeks. I started measuring 19 weeks ago (weighing came later, but I do it daily now). I'm a bit nervous to post my starting measurements, but I think it is important to show how far I've come, especially to myself, so that I never let myself revert back to my old self.

So here are my starting measurements/current measurements/total inches lost:

Above chest: 36.5/34/2.5" lost
Chest: 41.5/38.25/3.25" lost
Below chest: 35.5/33/2.5" lost
Waist: 34/30/4" lost
Lovehandles: 38.5/35/3.5" lost
Hips: 41.5/38/3.5" lost
Thigh: 23.75/22/1.75" lost
Upper Arm: 13.5/12/1.5" lost

Wow, that's a total of 22.5 inches lost! And that's only counting one of my arms and legs It's so hard to see the results on a week by week basis, but this really shows how far I've come. I am at my initial measurement goals for every body part except that I am currently hoping to lose an additional 0.25" from my chest, 2" from my waist, and 3" from my lovehandles.

I've also tracked body fat using the PP formula. In the same 19 weeks (just under 5 months), my body fat has gone from ~32.5% to ~25%, for a loss of ~7.5%. According to the PP ideal weight calculations, my ideal weight is 142-154, and I am comfortably in that range. Yesterday I upped my calories to my next level, 1300 (and ate 62g carbs), and was up 0.5 lbs today, which I expected. I was at 151.5, which is comfortably in the ideal range, although my ultimate goal is to get to 145.

I feel so in control of things right now, so motivated, so encouraged to keep monitoring how I am doing and not let myself down. You guys have been such an integral part of my success. I don't know what I would have done without you. I started out just hoping that I would stop bingeing, and I did. Then I started to measure myself. Then I got over the phobia of the scale. These have been major issues in my life, and I have conquered them all b/c of you wonderful, compassionate people.

Almost on a daily basis people are now commenting on my loss, which is finally becoming evident to them, which is the best feeling in the world. I have already given away some clothes that were just too big b/c I don't want to keep them as a crutch "just in case." There's not a single pair of pants or shorts I own anymore that are too tight, and I am wearing things I haven't worn since I started college. Yesterday I retried on a bunch of other clothes and there's even more that look ridiculous right now, and I plan to go shopping today. I haven't been shopping in a couple months and I think it's time to reward myself and truly acknowledge the progress I've made. It's so nice to concretely see the results of your hard work. And, like I said, I want to thank each and every one of you for helping me, which each of you have in your own way. I hope that my excitement will refuel the drive inside of you to succeed if you have been frustrated lately. As Renee has said so many times before....it's not what you do one day that counts, it's what you do over the long-haul. I've had minor slip-ups, but overall, I've been true and am on a path for what works for me, which I didn't think would ever happen. Spending 2 years on Atkins with ZERO progress had me very down last spring, but I finally get it. It's now my turn!

Have a fabulous day everyone!!!!

Lissette-Good morning to you! Yes, I love the song "Chimpanzee." It's hilarious. There's another great goofy song on the new cd, which I highly recommend. The song is called "Shopping" and it is about how shopping just makes everything alright It's my motto for today. Have a super wonderful day.

Wendy, you're amazing! I remember how you were struggling when we first met, and it's so heartening to see things working out for you now. Your attitude is contagious! At least I hope it is. I need to stick to plan and make this work.

Tell me, though, you say you're now eating around 60 carbs a day. What is that made up of? All veggies? A little fruit? How about posting one full day? I'm doing less than 20 grams of carbs per day, lower fat and protein (but still around 100 grams of protein). Calories are still around 1100.

The other day, DH wanted me to make him some peanut butter cookies. "But NOT low-carb peanut butter cookies" he tells me! So, I made him a batch right from the Betty Crocker cookbook. Then I made another batch using the same recipe, but with LC ingredients. Here's what I did:

Regular Recipe..........Low-Carb Recipe
1 1/4 cups flour = 1 1/4 cups almond flour
1 egg = 1 egg
1/2 cup butter = 1/2 cup butter
1 tsp baking powder = 1 tsp baking powder
1 cup SF peanut butter = 1 cup SF peanut butter (SF was the only kind I buy)
1/2 cup sugar = 1/4 cup Splenda
1/2 cup brown sugar = 1/4 cup Splenda

His tasted good (I had one to compare), and mine tasted good. Because of the almond flour, though, mine were a bit crumbly. I even cut the sugar in half in my version, and they were plenty sweet enough, even though the peanut butter was sugar-free in both versions.

They ended up being 1 or 2 carbs each, which isn't bad, until I figured out the fat and calories. Each tiny little cookie was over 100 calories! Yowsers! I don't think I'll make them again any time soon.

Oh, and by the way, while it is wonderful to have our Yeti back, was MY starting post yesterday not good enough for you???????????

Bawdy- you can take some comfort in noticing that threads I start only rate 2 replys

Actually, I started composing the post yesterday, and was afk for a few in the middle of it..didn't see yours when I started & couldn't get the delete thingy to work... Sorry

Just rattling your chain, Rob! What a weird expression. Or is it "rattling your cage" or "yanking your chain" . . . ? Anyway, it's good to hear from you again.

I just made a huge blunder. A while back, I bought some perfect fabric to recover two ottomans I have. I was planning on doing it one way, and bought plenty of fabric. So then I decided to do it another way, and was convinced I had enough fabric. Let's just say I hope the store still carries the fabric.

My new dining room and chairs (and "impulse" couch) are being delivered on Thursday. I was really starting to sweat it a little. I gave away my old table and chairs (my mother's set; I think I mentioned this) to a friend of mine. So, I was left with no place to sit down and eat. Now that we've decided to stay home for Thanksgiving, I was worried that we'd have to eat Thanksgiving dinner in front of the TV.

Today's a shopping day for me, too. Yes. AGAIN! DH wants to buy me a nice anniversary gift, and who am I to let him down? We're leaving later this afternoon, and then meeting friends of ours for a nice dinner and a restaurant I've never been to before. Tonight was supposed to have been our anniversary dinner, but the friends were free tonight so we invited them to join us. We can go out fancy another night.

So here's a stumper for you. (Why do I get in these moods some days when I just jump from topic to topic with no apparent rhyme nor reason?) Either our dog or our cat is suddenly having "bathroom" issues at night. It's typically on a rug, so we've now taken up every rug in the house. So last night, yet again, there was an accident on the oak floor in the family room.

We really can't figure out if it's our 2-year-old dog or our 16-year-old cat. Each time I'm convinced it's one, the other one does something that makes me think it might be that one.

We let the dog out right before bed and leave her out until she's "finished." It really shouldn't be her. But the cat has never done anything like this before.

So if it's the dog, how do you break a dog of peeing in the house at night? I'd hate to crate her again. We've been trying to lock her in our bedroom at night. It's carpeted, but she doesn't seem to have accidents (if it's even her) in there.

Ideas? Both have had urinary tract infections in the past. I'd try to get a sample to take to the vet, but then still wouldn't know which one to medicate.

Hi all.

My internet access is screwed up right now, so I haven't been around... but I'm taking advantage of it and getting lots done around the house.

Wendy, ain't that the best feeling in the world? Enjoy your much deserved shopping trip! Congratulations and keep up the good work.

Bawdywench, I've made plain almond and butter cookies that are pretty nice. A little lighter on the calories, if I remember correctly... I'm not a huge fan of baking with splenda, though. I seem to be really sensitive to the bitterness. Yuck.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Speaking of hopping from topic to topic . . .

Remember that guy from work who had the gastric bypass surgery? He's now lost 115 pounds! Unfortunately, he also just lost his wife of 4 years. She's taken up with a guy where she works (married, 3 kids, wife 8 months pregnant). She's recently lost about 50 pounds on Atkins, and told my friend that they guys at work are really starting to take notice, and she just feels like maybe there's something better for her out there. A married man with 3 kids and 8-month pregnant wife is better for her????? Apparently the affair has been going on for months. Lots of "working late" and overnight "business trips."

They decided to seek counseling to try to save the marriage. At one of the first sessions, at the insistence of the counseler, she looked him in the eyes and said that she swore on the life of their child that she was no longer seeing this guy and would not see him again. Come to find out, she was still sleeping with him, and is to this day. How awful! She admits that she's "the crazy one," and that she just needs time to get over this. She says she'll probably "be back" this summer. She thinks he's going to put his life on hold so she can get a few flings out of her system? There are words for women like her.

He's going ahead with the divorce. Full speed ahead. Right now she's being very reasonable about splitting things up. They already found her an apartment (Monday) about a mile away from his house. The boyfriend has already spent the night. I told him to get the divorce over as quickly as possible before the boyfriend starts pressuring her to "take him for all he's worth."

She's the one who moved out, so there shouldn't be much of a problem. They've agreed to joint custody.

So he's telling me all this, matter-of-factly, and I'm standing there in his office bawling my eyes out! It was so awful, I hardly knew what to say.

Who needs cable? We have the PP thread

Wendy, you shame me! I am SO delighted and happy and proud of you, wish some of it would rub off!Anyway, enough about me, girl- you are in the spotlight and it is time for you to shine!

Bawdy, Orang may have the best pictures but you have the best stories!

Hi Shelly!I used to belong to a rod and gun club in the Poconos when I was married. I just fished, never got into the hunting thing though.At least it sounds like you know what you're doing!

OK, I answered Rob's thread yesterday, does that make me a Yeti groupie??

Food is still not great right now only cause I am still getting over whatever this is I caught . I hope to start working out again tomorrow-I still have a pretty deep cough today.

Later, guys.

Just got back from shopping round 1. Spent toooooo much money, was having so much fun. I decided to try something crazy and try on size 10 jeans. I almost bought a pair. They felt fine, but weren't entirely flattering yet. It was still fun. I also bought several shirts I already had, just in the next size down. It was weird b/c they "looked" too small, but fit when I tried them on. Obviously I haven't adjusted to my new exterior as of yet. Grady, here's my menu from yesterday:

B: 1 t. coconut oil (eaten directly from the measuring spoon); 1/2 small apple chopped up, put in a bowl, add a bit of water, 1/2 t. cinnamon and some sugar-free syrup, nuke for a minute, stir in 1/2 c. LF cottage cheese (soooo yummy!); 2 slices lean turkey bacon; 12 almonds; 26 blueberries
S: 1 HB egg, 4 almonds
L: 3 oz roast beef lunchmeat, 2 c. romaine, 1 serving homemade blue cheese dressing (made with yogurt), 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 green pepper, 4 macadamias
S: 1/2 c. LF yogurt; 3 macadamias
S: 1/2 c. LF cottage cheese
D: 3.5 oz bagged salmon, 1.5 T. LF yogurt, 1/2 T. mayo; 1/2 cucumber; 1/2 green pepper; 30 chile-lime-flavored pistachios (found at Trader Joe's, yum!)
S: 2 slices turkey, 1 light string cheese stick

This sounds like a TON of food, doesn't it?

It was 1300 cal, 69g fat (48%), 62g carbs (14%), 17g fiber, 125g protein (38%)

Remember, I was eating ~1000 when I was trying to lose weight. Then I spent last week at 1150, but still lost 2 lbs. So today is my second day at 1300 calories. I am hoping to be able to get up to 1450 without gaining, and then will do weightloss again.

Gotta go clean out my closet and do some more shopping

Good Evening Everyone!!
Today's numbers come in at:
Fat- 52%
Protein- 42%(223gm)
ECC- 14gm
Calories- 2184