Hi everybody...

I got back from Vancouver yesterday, but was much too tired to post. I had to work last night, and felt like I was going to fall asleep there......

It was a great low carb dinner...4 courses...a different wine with every course...I definately want to attend more of those! And it was nice to meet some regulars on this board. Dh was pretty well behaved, although I don't think he is completely convinced this should be his WOE.

I have not weighed myself for the past couple of days...I am afraid to, because I am soooo tired. I also have not been getting adaquate water, so I don't feel enthused about jumping on the scales and seeing water weight. I will weigh tomorrow, after a good nights rest.

Wow! I'm NOT crazy!!!! Thank you Sonja for all of the information about the neck pain. I have never been much of a technology person, but I found this forum and spend more time than ever in front of this screen. I have to reach to use the mouse. I'm going to try putting it in my lap. It is SO nice to be able to put a cause to that aggravating pain. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

I haven't exercised yet today (other than running around all over the place at school). I will put some time into it tonight.

IT'S THE WEEKEND!!!!!!

Have a relaxing one

Kathy

I had typed this in my journal and thought I should also put insert it below here. I am really not trying to brag, and if I come across that way I am truly sorry. It's just that for me not to cheat when I am stressed out is unusual, and I am glad I have this No Cheat Until Halloween Challenge to help keep me from stuffing my face with cereal, icecream, and other "good" stuff.

I had somewhat of a stressful afternoon. I had a "frank" discussion with a family member - and afterwards I wanted to go to the store to buy a dozen donuts to inhale. But, instead, I did go to the deli section and purchase two chicken drumsticks. Brought them home and scraped off the breading and ate both of them. For some reason chicken drumsticks don't do the job that a dozen donuts would have done, but I am pretty happy that I didn't buy the donuts. I am thinking that the No Cheat until Halloween Challenge had a lot to do with my not justifying I needed those donuts.

I am so glad for these boards & threads. You are all so awesome.
Roche

I did my weekly weigh in this morning and I was pleased to see that I have reached my orginal weight loss goal. I started LCing on August 8/02, so that is 15 pounds in 8 weeks. I have adjusted my goal weight another 4 pounds lower. I hope to reach that by Halloween - 1 pound a week.

I have done some sort of exercise every day this week including yoga, pilates, cardio, step aerobics and weights. I will have to get my son to take some pictures tomorrow so I can see the before and after.

Way to go Roche!! You did great passing on the doughnuts (chocolate or jelly filled!?). I personally think stress is our toughest challenge. When I am upset, I want doughnuts or Baskin Robbins jamoca ice cream. You are doing so well. Congratulations!!!

Have a great weekend (you already are!!!)

Kathy

************Happy Birthday Maggie!!!*************

Kathy, I LUV any kind of cream filled chocolate covered donut, you know, the type with custard or barvarian cream inside? I once went to Krispy Kreme donuts to buy a dozen donuts for a neighbor who had helped me out with my yard while dh was out of town - I devoured six donuts before reaching home and boy did I feel like puking! The gross thing is - even though I felt like puking- I could do it over and over again! I once polished off a whole box of chocolate zingers and I don't dare buy any kind of chocolate chip cookies or oreos for my family. I am determined (or at least I "think" I am - to not let myself succumb this weekend to those donuts! We'll see what I post after this weekend!

Thanks for your supportive words! Roche

Guess what I just saw in Walmart! A great big Michelob Ultra - Low Carb Beer display. HELLO! And here in Nowheresville Idaho! WOOHOOO! I think that says A LOT! I love that the LC side is getting a little publicity. And having it be a main display! That's great!

I too was eyeing doughnuts today too! I made that LC pumpkin "pie" yesterday and I think it threw me into carb cravings. I even stayed within my carb limit. I just can't have anything sweet it seems. I did have a taste of something naughty today, but just a taste and I won't do it again.

Thanks for all the support!!! I love this place!
Carianne

You totally just gave me flashbacks of how I use to eat when I was single (for all those years!). There was a place called Daddy's doughtnuts where I use to live (in St. Petersburg FL) and it has the most moist iced strawberry cake doughnuts in the world. oooooo! And they had a drive through, so I could get them and flee with the goods quickly. I always waited to get home so I could eat them with my milk! Gotta have the milk. oooooooo!

But yikes! I use to eat mac and cheese for dinner a few times a week. I was poor and that's a staple being poor. I graduated to Stouffer's TV dinners and I'd always have Checkers burgers, fries and Dr Pepper on Friday night before I'd hit the town. OH! That seems so foreign now - THANK GOODNESS! So sickening too! Funny how I remember all the food in my life, but not the great memories with friends and family as well. HMMM.
I guess that's a whole other thread!

Carianne

Wow...I had a victory week this week.

Tuesday night weigh in, I gained 1 & 1/2 pounds.... I know, I know...where is the victory in that??? I'll tell you, after weigh in I went to another meeting I attend and the desert was carrot cake...one of my favorite things in the world. Wednesday... a few people had birthdays at work, up front in the file room, they had a chocolate cake... I didn't touch it..and in the back qc hallway one of the xray techs had candy...didn't touch it...up stairs in the transcription office, one of the girls invited me up for the favorite carrot cake.... I'm being tempted!!!!
Then Friday at lunch...pot luck for a welcome back to a girl I work with who had her leg amputated earlier this year and is back to work. I had to smell and see all that food during set up. When it came to dishing up, I had salami and cheese, salad with blue cheese, a few cherry tomatoes, baked chicken phillipino style and a very very very small piece of cheese cake for desert...and didn't eat the crust.

Usually a gain at my TOPS meeting would cause me to get depressed and eat and eat and eat that week...but not me, no not me!!! I'm so proud. I woke up early today and put a big package of chicken in to bake. Yep I poored salsa on it again, but I will limit how much of the salsa I eat. I will cut the chicken up and put it on lettuce with a little sour cream for lunch! YUM!!!!

I will show a loss this Tuesday night... I'm still down over 6 pounds almost 7 since I started this WOE on August 30th!!!! Yippee!!!

I saw in our Autum thread that we hit over 50 pounds lost for the month of September...lets keep it up with this thread...
I'll go back on the thread and see how many people we have on it.
Good luck everyone...lets keep up the hard work!!!!

Just popping in to say....I'm In For the Halloween Challenge.

I'm counting my new low of 164.5 as my starting point for this challenge and I'm hoping to see the 150's by the end of the year.

Feeling great and really starting to see my muscles popping out. It's been 9 months that I've been working out and doing cardio and I have to say that it's been worth every minute of it. I feel like a changed person in a completely new body. If this is what 52 can feel like...I say bring on the 60's!

Marlaine

Today, there are about 35-40 people who have volunteered to come in to test a software product that we are developing. In addition to testing, I am responsible for getting all the food. Although I am LCing, none of the rest of them are, and I bought things that they would like to eat. My strategy (which appears to have worked) was this:

I ate breakfast before coming to work (cheese omlette). On the way in, I picked up breakfst for everyone else (bagels and cream cheese, croissants, cinnamon crunchies (loaded with sugar etc), OJ, a full dessert platter ... I'm sure that you get the picture) ... the only thing that I could eat was the fresh strawberries (had about 6 over the course of the morning. Lunch was pizza or subs with cookies for dessert. However, when I picked the subs up (they don't deliver), I got a roasted chicken salad for myself (the advantage of being in charge of the food). My only weakness has been a couple of glasses of diet pepsi, which at least is LC.

So, right now I feel as if I have the willpower of 3 people .

Great to see you here Marlaine! You are such an inspiration!

Carianne