Hi. My name is Deb. I'm from drought stricken North Carolina, which is a beautiful place to live even with the drought. I am an English instructor at a local community college, and I love what I do. But I am busy, busy, busy. I have been heavy all my adolescent and adult life. My lowest adolescent weight where I felt comfortable and "almost normal" was 180. So, I'm trying to get back there. My heaviest weight has been 347 (I swore I'd never get to 350, but I almost did!) and I've currently lost 57 pounds over the past year and a half. It's been slow going. I am diabetic, which makes it hard and easy in so many ways. In June, I decided, after reading about the Kimkins diet in Woman's World, to join there. I didn't start the diet, though. I love vegetables and fruit. I control the amount of fruit I eat because of the diabetes, but the lower carb veggies are my mainstay. I had already cut a lot of extra fat out of my diet. So, losing cookies, candy, pies, cakes and the like and then watching carefully the rest of my carb consumption, I lost some weight. I wanted something that worked better and faster, though, so in August, I went back to Kimkins and found a challenge that I liked, and I started there. I've lost 12 pounds doing that. But I wasn't strictly Kimkins. As I said, I love my veggies. And a couple of times a week, I want to have a bowl of Kashi Go Lean cereal with some fruit and 1% milk. My modified Kimkins was working. It was so modified, though, that it was really not Kimkins at all. My great support group dismantled, and now I find myself here. I really don't think I'll ever stick to low carb (below 20 carbs a day), so that's why I answered "careful carbs" when asked what kind of low carb diet I am doing. I guess that's as good a name for it as any. I'm just doing what works for me and what I know I can stick with. After all, this isn't a diet; it's my way of life. I just joined Curves and will have my first workout on Monday afternoon. I know I will get support there. I hope I will get support here, too. Because that's what's given me the incentive to think for the first time in my adult life that I might reach that 180 again. So, here I am, and we shall see. I have a lot of faith in myself, a wonderful, caring, and concerned doctor, and some greatly supportive friends. My weight journey continues.

Doing it Ryme's way,

Deb

Good morning Deb and welcome. I too came from Kimkins where I also modified. The support was fantastic over there, in fact it was the best part. It will not take you long to find a challenge group to join here.
Here is a link http://www.lowcarbdiscussion.com/index.php?act=SF&f=32&
Best of luck to you and let me know if I can help. Feel free to PM me anytime with concerns or questions. Best to you!

Hey Ryme!!! It's Paula! Good to see you here.

Hi Deb!! North Carolinian here!! Welcome to the group!!

Congrats on your success so far, Deb. Sounds like you have found an approach that works for you, and that in and of itself puts you in the game.

One piece of advice: Be VERY careful with carbs. If you're like me, you will reach a point when you will have to suck it up and just do Atkins. Continue doing what you're doing until you stall. Being very overweight (for a long time) AND diabetic, you already know you have a serious problem with insulin resistance, so the reason your weight loss is so slow may be that you are being too loose with the carbs. 20 may not be sustainable for you, but make sure you're doing a number that will actually result in weight loss. Eating some fruits and mostly non-starchy vegetables could still take you upwards of 50-75 (or even higher) carbs, depending on the amounts you eat. Also, you might want to consider adding a little fat for satiety.

If Atkins isn't for you, you might want to consider one of the other great low carb plans out there - like South Beach and Protein Power, to name just two. Focusing and structuring your efforts may result in better/faster results.

Ryme,

Hellllleeeerrrrr, didn't I tell you that you'd be welcomed with open arm here.

Melodie was one of the first ladies to welcome me also~~and I'm sure before the day is thru~~that Handsome Rascal Jimmy will poke his head your way, Too.
He's so Awesome~~you'll get alot of support here.
Sure no Bright Yellow Tanktop~ But you can make up your own siggy box to look as good as it did on the Hill.

BTW, Ryme~~I emailed you. Hope it helps you sort things thru.

Hi Ginger, heading over to your Journal now.

Su

Hey Deb! I'm "that handsome rascal Jimmy" that Su told you about here to welcome you to my forum. I'm happy to see you here. I'm actually just down the road from you in South Cakalaka (that's Carolina for all you non-Southerners!) in the town of Spartanburg. Make yourself at home here and let us know how we can help you along in this journey to better health!

RYME, you're here, yippee. I really didn't know that you were willing to leave KK, so when I heard you were here I just about fell over. So welcome, and kick back and start reading. You'll do great. It was the support that made KK great, and the same support is here. Here's to making it to goal Ryme

Thanks for all the welcomes!

I do feel at home here already. Great to see Halsangel, Rainy, and Ginger here. I don't know why you are so surprised to see me leave KK, Rainy. I was more attached to the people than to the site. And I definitely was "cheating" on the plan. Too severe for me. But I was losing, and I like that. And I'll keep on losing. I'm being stubborn about counting carbs and measuring things, but maybe eventually I'll have to get more rigid. I'm just not a rigid kind of person. I've been off sweets entirely for about 9 months now. I have seen much better weight loss since I laid off potatoes, beans, rice, bread, and all those things, too. So, I'm doing low carb, but my own stubborn way.

I will keep posting my success here, and when I get the chance, I'll buzz over and check out everyone else's posts.

My hubby is making loud remarks about how he needs the computer for his online class although until I got on it, he was happily watching football.

So, I'll be talking to all of you. Glad to meet another North Carolinian, too! And Handsome Hunky One, thanks for welcoming me. I'm going to enjoy being here.

Deb

Ooooh, I like you already, too, Deb!

Sweetie, now you've got it~

Learn what works for you as Celly is (diet fanatic) and you'll do great !
We're all different & need different plans.

We'll all get the support, encouragement and cheering from all the wonderful people her.
I know you can't see me ~~ but I'm doing the happy dance right now.
I just wrote in my jouranl about losing another 3 lbs. since going back on Atkins.
Yet, I have been recieving alot of emails from those KK die hards on the Hill about how they can't even think about doing anything other then KK and how can I even
Think about eating All the "Fat" that Atkins promotes.
I do believe I'm not the ONLY person doing better away from KK Land, so the Proof is in the Pudding (sorry for the food pun, but I'm a Cook) and we will all reach our goals here, & in a Healthier way then we would have if we stayed at KK.

See ya later, Su Go 49'ers !

Well, it's Monday, and it's going to be easier to lose weight again. Weekends are tough for me because I have family around wanting me to cook, but I still managed to eat healthy all weekend. I'm not gonna weigh on a Monday morning, though! It's so much easier for me to be more structured during the week because I always take my lunch to work and eat at school. I pack lettuce with crab meat and cukes today. I don't eat dinner with my hubby until Thursday night because he works or I work at night Monday through Wednesday. I have class on Wednesday night, and when I'm at the college all day long through dinner like that, I take both my lunch and my dinner. It's so much easier for me to have my lunch and dinner prepackaged and just eat what I have, and then there is no more!

Also, today I start my Curves. I have an appointment at 5:00 to get my first training on the circuit. I am so looking forward to that.

But I need to go do my morning routine on my Body by Jake machine. I love listening to the fast tunes I've collected on my MP3 player while I do that. It's hardly like exercising at all. That's another thing I loved about visiting Curves on Friday: the music rocks!

Well, I better get going. Hopefully by Wednesday, I'll have a weight loss to post!

Deb

hey ryme!

welcome and its great to see you here.

hope you have a great time at curves... is that like an exercise class?

enlighten the english girl!

XXX

Good luck with Curves. You will enjoy it and after the first week or so most people report having a lot more energy. It really "puts a spring in your step."

Go get 'em, Deb! You can also download my podcasts to your MP3 player if you need some motivation while at the gym.

Deb, I'm not a mearsurer either, but I did spend my first week or so of dieting trying to mearsure all I could. After that I was more likely to eyeball my servings and make some pretty good guesses. I think that it can be quite easy to see how small a 1/2 c of anything really is. So if you hate to measure and can persevere with doing it for a little while, you'll probably be thankful for it.

Good luck at curves

Pretty Paula, Curves is a North American company that started gyms for women. It works on a circuit and you work hard on a machine for 30 sec, then get up and march for 30 more then off to the next machine. Basically everyone gets to know each other there because they are in one area. It's about a half hour workout, and feels great.

Deb,
I have to be completely honest here and tell you that I NEVER measure my foods.
I guess from being a Cook/Chef by Trade for 35 yrs. I know what they are~~although I haven't put them to use in the past or else I wouldn't be overweight.

For 1/2 cup~~it's an Ice Cream Scoop full. If you can go to a Store that has the Scoops by Numbers~~it's a #8.
While working at the Hospital being a Dietary Cook, we had to make sure every portion was controled, especially for the Diabetics & Renal/Kidney Patients.
So, a level scoop, (we'd have to scoop the mashed potatoes & scrap it against the pan to level it off before we puy it on the plates)~~is one serving.

I know what you're thinking~~if that's one serving, then we've been eating enough food to serve about 4 people when we scoop spoonfuls of food into our plates. Yup, that's how we gained the weight.
So, whenever a recipe calls for 1/2 cup (or even a cereal size) Think Ice Cream Scooper !

I lost another lb. so now I only have .5 to lose to get to where I was before I went to Hanford for the week.

My jeans are loser and my face isn't so puffy that it looks like I'm trying to smuggle walnuts in my cheeks like a Chipmonk~

later, Su

Congratulations, Su, on taking off the celebratory weight!

I know enough about measurements to eyeball it, too. I've seen more than one nutritionist in my life who pulled out the plastic food and showed me how little I'm supposed to eat compared to how MUCH I do eat! Or I should say DID eat. I've learned to eat a lot less over the past year. And you're right. It's amazing how much we think we need to eat and how offended we get when we don't get huge whopping servings at restaurants.

Pretty Paula, I'm glad you got your question answered about Curves already, but I'd like to ask you one. Is it true what I've heard that in Europe, the serving sizes are much smaller at restaurants than they are here in the US? I guess Americans have a problem with expecting much more than the rest of the world anyway.

Well, I survived my first day at Curves. I consider it a success that I made it around the circuit 2 1/4 times. They recommended that I only do 2 times around the first time, but I wanted to say I could do the whole 2 1/2. Well, I probably overdid it, but I didn't die! I did almost faint when I was getting out of my car when I got home, though. As the instructor told me: I don't have to prove anything to anyone or even to myself. Just take it easy! And in time, I will be able to do it with no problem. I am so proud that I went and lived through it. I'm going again tomorrow after work. I can't go on Wednesdays, or I'd wait until then and do it Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Instead, I'm going to do it Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday because that's when I can. I may work up to doing it on Fridays and Saturday mornings, too, in time. I exercise every morning, but I don't push myself as hard as I did today. So, I'm sure it was very good for me in every way.

I better go scramble up some dinner. I have some chicken already cooked and some cabbage,too, so that's good. I don't think I could cook anything tonight!

Deb

I am sore this morning, but not that sore. I'm going back to Curves today!

I couldn't resist weighing in. I just felt thinner, but the scale is the same. So, I'm just going to try to resist weighing in tomorrow morning and wait until Friday. I'm bound to see a drop by then.

At least I know I'm doing the right thing, living the right way, and doing what's good and healthy for my body. Maybe my body is just in shock from all that activity yesterday. I surely did sleep well!

Off to work with loads of papers that need to be graded during my breaks today, and then off to a pharmaceutical company where I teach a technical writing class for their technical writers! And then on to Curves.

Up and Atom, Atom Ant. (I actually watched that cartoon last night!)

Deb

Good Morning Deb,

Even with those Video exercises you've been doing every morning, I kinda thought you might be a little sore today. You used muscles yesterday that you haven't been using, so I'm sure you ache in places you never imagined~

Yes, you are doing what's right for your body now, I recieved an email from Red44 (Erin) and she said she went to the Dr. yesterday (she fell on the stairs & hurt her tailbone) While there she showed her Dr. KK's WOE and the doc said she was surprised that Erin didn't have more health problems then she had already, as the plan was too strict. Erin says she was feeling dizzy & had Blurred Vision while on KK.
I also had the vision thing as well as the hairloss problem, but it's cleared up since going back to Atkins.

So, the Dr, is happy she's OFF KK !! Aren't we all !!!

I didn't realize what a Smart lady you are ~~Wow, Teaching a Technical Writing Class at a Pharmacuetical Co.~~Wooohooo, Brainiac on board !! I'm impressed indeed~~and here I am Just A Cook/Chef~~you go girl !!! I'm so Proud of you.

Su

My second day of Curves and oh my goodness, what doesn't hurt? Still, I made it one station further than I did yesterday, and it didn't take me as long to recover before I stretched, nor did I feel faint when I got out of the car as I did yesterday. So, progress, not perfection! I can't go tomorrow because I'm teaching a night class as well as my day classes.

English instructor is just what I do for a living. I'm good at it, and I enjoy it, but it doesn't make me a braniac! LOL

One thing I volunteered for today that I really don't have time to do, but they needed an advisor, and I was the only one who agreed to help: a support group for gay and lesbian students on campus. I hope they know what they're doing because I can sit there with them and give them moral support, but I am no expert about this. I hope to learn a lot from them. And they promised me it would only take an hour per month of my time! We shall see! LOL

Heading to bed to rub muscle pain ointment on my knees and anywhere else I can reach. So what if I stink? Hubby and doggy can just deal with it!

Deb

Hurts so good, though, Deb! You're gonna feel absolutely FANTABULOUS soon enough!

Stink !!!!! Aren't you using Aspercreme, it's Odorless & works great !

Deb,
Jimmy's right~~heck, at the very latest you won't be hurting by the weekend~~just keep moving and warming up your muscles~~it's when they tighten up that you get the pain.
Doing your video's and stretching will really make a diffeence.
Congrats~WooHoo, I am Sooooo Proud of you for going further & NOT feeling like you're going to faint.
There is a fine line between Pleasure & Pain~~you'll cross it soon and as Our Wizard just said~~it hurts so good.
Although I have to admit I've never used that expression for exercise before, if you know what I mean~

I Know tomorrow is your Looooong Day~~so please pace yourself, but with your new found energy, you might not have that prob. anymore.

About your new volunteer work~~
I'm very interested in it and hope you'll let me know how it goes. If not here then thru emails. I know it caused a big debate on the Hill & is one of the reasons one of the Ladies left~~but, I do believe a person is born that way~~for two reasons:

1. With all the people being Murdered for being Gay, why would someone
"Choose" to live that Lifestyle.
2. My oldest brother was Gay & I saw the daily Struggles he went thru, he said he knew when he was 5 that he was attracted to males not females.
He was very rugged looking & had women chasing him all the time~~
He just wasn't interested in them.

I have alot of Gay & Lesbian friends and I respect them so much for wanting to live their lives the way they're meant to. Isn't that what we all want~~
For people to just let us be ourselves & live our lives and they can live their's.
How many of us would stand still and allow people to not only Judge Us~but try to TELL us how to live OUR Lives.
They wouldn't stand for it, yet they do it to others.
We are all God's Children and Sister's & Brother's.
Live & Let Live~as long as it doesn't come into your home & affect your Life.

I do, however feel that Bi-Sexuals, choose it just for Variety !
You're born either one way or the other.

I know I can get very Opinionated about this subject, because I saw what it did to my only Big Brother. He died in 1978 of a Massive Heart Attack at the age of 33 yrs. old & I miss him so~

Okay, I'll step down from my Soap Box now~~end of Sermon !

Luvin` Ya, Su

Thanks for the pep talk, Su and Jimmy. I got up very sore this morning in the backs of my thighs and did my Cardio Cruiser, even kicked it up a notch, and my legs feel better already. I couldn't resist getting on the scale, though, and it still stands still. In fact, it was up just a little this morning. I try to keep away, but I want to see pounds falling off! I do know this. No matter what the scale says, if I just keep doing the next right thing, then I'll be okay, and soon enough the body will have to let go of a few pounds.

I watched The Biggest Loser last night, and I saw how disappointed those people who had huge weight losses the first week didn't lose much the next one. I imagine their bodies are in shock, too. So, I have to feel this is normal and I will see a drop soon. Right?

Better go get my boiled eggs and get this show on the road.

Deb

Good Morning Deb,

Yeah, I felt for those contestants on B.L. too~~
But what everyone needs to keep in mind is: When exercising, You're Building Muscle Mass & muscle weighs more then FAT~~
Are you (or Curves) taking your measurements ? Because as my siggy says~when the scale needle doesn't move the tape measure will.
I know a gal that joined the Gym in Hanford where I lived & worked out, in the 1980's.
She came in all excited & told Milt, the Owner/Trainer she needed to lose 20 lbs.
he weighed & measured her on her first day.
She worked out 3 to 5 days a week for 6 months, then he weighed & measured her again.
She had GAINED 6 lbs.~~~
But, streamlined her body, dropped her BMI and also DROPPED 4 SIZES !!!

So don't get discouraged about the scale not moving down or even showing a small gain. Go by how you feel & how Loose your clothes are getting.
That's why I usually only weigh once a week~~I refuse to "Bow Down to the Almighty Scale God" everyday.
I also refuse to allow him the opportunity to tell me what kind of day I'll have:
A Good day if it says I lost & A Crappy day if it shows a stall or gain.

Always Remember~~and Never Forget~~
You're Eating Healthy & Exercising, so you're doing everything right !!!!

Su

Hi Deb, it's great to see that curves is going so well. Soon with some more muscle mass the weight will fall off even quicker than before.

The things that you are involved in, in school, really do sound incredibly interesting. As long as you enjoy getting up and going to your job or carreer, then you are doing what is right for you.

Keep doing all the great work, we're all here cheering you on. have a lovely day Deb.

Welcome Deb,

I'm so glad to see you here. I really have missed everyone on the hill. Like you I was tweeking my diet but it worked for me and that is what I am doing here. I can do without KK but I really miss the friendships and support. So I'm really glad you've decided to join us. You could not ask for a more welcoming group.

If you get a chance you can visit my journal (Red's Fantastic Journey) I would love to hear from you.

Take care and have a great day.

Erin

Hi, folks. I'm sorry I haven't posted lately. I've been a little under the weather, and I've been trying to keep up with adding Curves into my already frantic life. I've done well, though, because I went 3 times my first week, which is what I committed to. I'm very excited about that. You don't know how hard time 3 was to work in! But I did it, and I'm getting better at handling it. I know it takes a month to make a habit, so I'm still just trying to do it. I'm sure before long, I will come to love it. I already do love the way I feel when I complete a session. I'm tired and my old body hurts, but it's so encouraging to see people larger than I am and a lot older than I am doing it. If they can do it, then I can do it, too!

I've decided that although I've been trying to read a lot of different journals, I've had no time to respond to them, so I think I'll just keep posting in my journal here. I look forward to reading any replies to my postings here, but that's really all I'll have to do. Thank you for being my support. I really appreciate it.

Well, I've been losing and gaining the same 4 pounds over and over for the past two weeks, so I'm going to get serious about losing that 4 pounds for good. I was so excited when I got below 300. I swore I'd never go back. I've gone down another size, and I've sworn I wil not go back to the previous size. So, I need to just get determined and do it!

And determined I am. And with your support, dear friends, I will go even further on my weight loss journey.

Deb

Wecome back Deb,
I thought that you just Melted away from us~ ~
What with Low Carbing, Curves and your Exercise Video's~~lol

I understand you NOT having time to go searching for all of the Journals from your Sister KK & Hill Family and I have no problem coming over to your place for a cup of coffee or tea to catch up on your progress.

Maybe some night during the week you won't be too tired to post, except on wednesday's as I know that's your 12 hr. day.
It'll be nice to hear from you again and read your very funny & enlightened words.

I'll let the other former Hill resident's know what time to meet~~right here from now on~~

Luv Ya, Su

Hi DEB!! wishbone here, and I'm taking / listening to all wishes!!
Saw over in Lorraines , or was it su's? , journal that we are meeting here for coffee.
Good deal. My time is kind of sporadic to. Somedays, I can post a lot, somedays, not so much.
I tryed the curves thing once. I just couldn't make their hours of business work for me. They always closed after lunch for at least 3 hours. That was the time that I could get there. I have ended up investing in home equipment, piece by piece. It works better for me because I really do use them every day now.
Well, I got to check on some other posts and go read today's paper. (never know what's on sale!)
Jan

Hi Deb!

I'm very proud of you joining Curves and going three times last week! I know how busy you are and I think you fitting that in is wonderful.

Keep up the good work!

Paula

Hi Deb,

My name is Robin and Su told me I should come on over and introduce myself. I was on KK for about 4-5 weeks before all of the controversy started. I found this forum and joined on 9/3/07 and couldn't be happier! I am looking forward to getting to know you . . . . . Su said you are an awesome person and she seems to be a great judge of character (and people).

I am a Curves member; I go 3x a week most weeks. I really like it . . . I need to find something I like as well for the other 3 days a week (with 1 day off! )

Jan, did you find any good sales?!

Paula, I'm a dork! I just realized your name was Paula today . . . . all this time I thought it was Ginger!

Su,

I really appreciate y'all coming over to my place to encourage me and hang out for coffee. Today, I work from 9-4:30, and then I go to Curves and then home for dinner without hubby. He teaches on Monday and Tuesday nights. I teach on Wednesday night. Sometimes I wish I could eat all my meals alone. I would do much better if I didn't have to cook for others and watch others eat! But I enjoy being with my husband and having my son over on Sundays, so I just do what I need to do for me, and let them do what pleases them. Yesterday, I ate spaghetti with the guys, so of course, my weight was up again this morning. But I made the choice to cook the spaghetti. I did use the whole grain pasta at least. I take full responsibility, but it's time to get serious and just quit this up and down stuff and lose another ten pounds! So, that's what I'm gonna do.

I cooked yesterday so I'd have good lean protein choices for lunches and dinner this week. Also, I plan to go to Curves on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and perhaps again on Saturday morning. I enjoyed that Saturday morning workout. There were lots of people there, and that sort of motivated me to keep going. I saw a woman I haven't seen in years and she is younger than I, but not that much younger. She was so lean and muscular. I probably won't ever look like that, but I can certainly look better! So, building that muscle is part of my plan. I believe in progress, not perfection, so today and this week is all about progress!

Su, Wednesday morning will be the first activity of the club I told you about. Even though they have another advisor, I promised to support them as much as I can, so I'll be there for their prayer service for unity and support at 8:30 on Wednesday morning. I may just be one more person standing with them, but one more person is worth standing with them. The club's name is NCLASS: Nash Community Lambda Association of Students and Supporters. I am interested in finding out why they chose that name. I'm looking forward to attending some of their meetings, too. But I'm really glad as busy as I am that I am not the main advisor!

Well, I'll see y'all tomorrow. And I hope I can report a drop for a change!

Deb

Good Morning Sunshine Lady,

You'll be fine Deb~sure the Spagetti isn't an Atkins food, but as you said "You used whole grain pasta" so it wasn't toooooo bad.
There are some days when we feel the need to sit down with our family and eat exactly what they are.
We feel more Bonded to them and more like a Family.

I know how determined you are (by going to Curves) and I know you'll get those 10 lbs. off soon.
I'm glad Robin (she's awesome) dropped by to see you as well as the x-hiller's, I told her ya'll might have a few things in common~I guess one would be: Curves.

Looking forward to a little report of sorts on your first group meeting wed. morning~I too, would be interested in the origin of the name choice.

Hope you have a good day & we'll see you again tomorrow morning for a Curves update, some general chatting & snacks (I need more then just coffee, lady)~lol

Luv ya, Su

Su, the Lambda comes from a national organization. There goals are the following:
Our Philosophy
In pursuit of its mission, LAMBDA focuses on support, education, and advocacy through three main strategies:
INFORM: To organize the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to provide a source for accurate information about and within our community. To improve the public's awareness and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by providing technical assistance, seminars, workshops, and public education campaigns.
CREATE CHANGE: To empower, reduce homophobia, and expand understanding of sexual orientation and related issues by working with GLBT and allied organizations and individuals. To create coalitions and collaborative efforts to maximize resources and efforts at creating change.
SUPPORT: To recognize, reduce, and respond to the effects of homophobia, prejudice, and ignorance by designing and implementing educational, advocacy, outreach, and other supportive programs

So, I suppose our students chose to join the national associaton and become a local chapter. I'll let you know how the flagpole prayer service goes.

I hope this is well-received on campus.

Deb

I LOVED THAT~~YOU REALLY ARE A TEACHER AREN'T YOU~~

REPEAT THE IMPORTANT THINGS AT LEAST TWICE IN ORDER TO GET THRU TO THE ONES THAT WEREN'T LISTENING THE FIRST TIME !!

YOU ROCK LADY ~~
I wish I was closer so I could go~~Maybe I'll Google and find a Chapter around here~~
I'm waaaaay into Equal Rights ~for ALL of Us~ Children of God!

Su

Hi Deb,

I just wanted to stop by real quick and welcome you. I've missed reading your post on the hill. I'm glad to see you've joined us.

I am really swamped at work and have to leave early to take William to the Doctor. He hasn't really been eating the last week or two and I'm starting to get alittle nervous with him just having surgery last month. So being the mother that I am, I can't let it go.

I hope all is going well with you. I will read some of your post later if I can. I am so glad you here!!! You couldn't ask for a more welcoming or supportive group of people. They have welcomed all of us and it has really made the difference. Now if I can just get my bum back on track I'll be great.

Have a good day!

Erin

Thanks for filling me in on all your lives. You're all so busy, and still finding time to live the vida low carb! And, you know, it does take preparation. Yesterday, I had enough time to fix myself an Egg Beaters omelette with green peppers and deli ham and top it off with salsa! Yum! Today, I ate a cooked lean hamburger patty in the car on the way to the prayer assembly at 8:30 a.m. So, you do what you have to do, but I was just glad I had precooked those beef patties on Sunday, so I'd have them available. I just remembered that once when I was living low carb, I would make turkey sausage patties from ground turkey mixed with lots of sage and red pepper flakes and garlic salt. Then I would freeze some, and I would precook some. They were an easy choice for breakfast when I was in a hurry. Of course, I know you can buy turkey sausage already made, but I enjoyed making it.

By the way, the prayer for unity service was wonderful. It wasn't that well-attended, but still there was one more faculty member besides me, and one staff person, and about 20 students. Two students led the group in songs that I didn't know, but I enjoyed very much. The whole ceremony was very nice, and it made me feel good all day. I wouldn't mind starting my day that way every day. I will confess that I don't attend a church regularly, but I am a very spiritual person and have a living relationship with God. There was one girl there who had a tshirt that I wish I had. On the front it said this: Don't go to church. I thought that was kind of an odd shirt for someone to wear to a prayer ceremony, but then when she turned to leave, I saw the back of her shirt, and it said this: Be the church. I love that. I guess that's my philosophy. I know I probably should attend church more than I do. But I do try to be the church every single day.

Anyway, I was down another pound this morning! Yeah! So, now I am back where I had gotten to before I started gaining and losing this same 4 pounds over and over. May I go down, down, down from here on out!

Deb

Hi Deb,

Just poppin' in to say HI! I haven't been to Curves since last week! If all works out I am going in the morning.

You are one busy lady! Congratulations on neing down another pound. I'll take a lb at a time, even 1/2 a lb at a time . . . . . hec, I'll even take .02 down from the day before as long as it keeps going down!

Robin

I'm with you, Robin. Down .02 pound is an achievement. Going down, down, down is the goal! I hate those plateaus. And I especially hate when I cause the plateau or even gain back pounds because of my own choices.

Going to Curves again today. And...dum ta dum dum!...I'm down another pound this morning. I don't have time to update my weight tracker, though. I'll get around to that one of these days!

Deb

I did take time to update the weight tracker, but in doing so, it lowered my goal weight to 167. Weird. Oh well. I know what's going on even if the weight tracker doesn't.

Let's see if this worked better.

Good Morning Deb,

Nice to see your smiling face again today.

CONGRATS ON LOSING MORE WEIGHT~WOOOHOOOO YOU GO GIRL~

I love coming over for coffee & chatting with you and the other ladies that keep coming thru the door. Thanks for inviting us over every morning.

So~~~how was the Gay & Lesbian meeting, or have you gone yet?
If you can't give details here or don't have time right now~~

YOU NEED TO EMAIL ME ABOUT IT~~Sorry did I say that outloud !

I'm just so dang interested in the subject AND I'm Nosy,too (or is that~Nosey)
Whatever~you know what I mean~

Luv ya, Su

Hi Deb, Sorry I missed you. Life can get so hectic. The organization you mentioned sounds like an awsome one to get involved in. Haveing people like you around helps the world stay peaceful. I hope you have a great day. and Take care.

Su, the unity prayer service was co-sponsored by the Gay/Lesbian/Transgender (and whatever else they choose to call it) group! They haven't actually had their first meeting as a group together, though. But as soon as I hear when that will be, if I can, I plan on attending. I met the president of the group, a transgender student here. I told him that I was interesting in supporting, so maybe he'll be in touch. Or, I'm sure the advisor will let me know. And as soon as I go, I'll let you know! I'm just all for everyone being accepting of everyone else and getting along together. I think this will be a good opportunity for me to hear some of their specific concerns, and anything I can do to promote harmony among my students is worth my time.

I just finished my cukes and vinegar and my hamburger patty here at my desk. I still have the taste of that vinegar in my mouth, and I'm not enjoying it. They're so much better fresh than after they've been sitting in the vinegar for several hours.

Tonight, I eat my first meal of the work week with my husband. It shouldn't matter, and tonight, I don't think it will. I insisted on eating at home tonight. He has to grill the London Broil while I go to Curves! We've been tending to eat out on Thursday and Friday nights, and that's just too much temptation to overeat to me, especially since we end up going to buffets. So, I'm glad I prepared for tonight's meal at home. I have been marinating the London Broil for a couple of days now. It should be tender and delicious. I'm so glad my hubby likes to cook.

Now that I'm down on my weight again, I'm not risking anything. I may just forgo my dinner out tomorrow night, too.

Do any of y'all have trouble with eating out?

Deb

Wow~~
A good man & he likes to cook!
Sounds like a keeper to me~~hold on tight Sweetie, I'm sure
there's alot of women out there looking for a man like him.

I always have trouble going out to eat if it's a Buffet, although even at those kind of places you usually can still order off the Menu.

Ask if you can, and if not~~then just stick to the Low Carb Meal Plan, as closely as you can.
Whatever you do~~~~

STAY AWAY FROM THE DESSERT BAR !!!!!

Or, You'll HATE yourself the next weigh-in day~for sure!

Luv ya, Su

Oh, don't worry. I don't do desserts. I am just tempted to eat too much. I stick to the low carb menu. I just have too much. I really do best when I pre-package my meals and take them to work with me. I can't have anything else because there IS nothing else!

I had a stressful day today. I didn't get to go to Curves because it was so late when I finally got home that they were about to close by the time I changed into shorts and tshirt. Still, if I had hurried, I could have done my 30 minutes. I just couldn't seem to make myself hurry. I'll go tomorrow. And we'll probably go out to eat at a favorite Chinese restaurant. I'll eat the stir fried veggies and salmon. I love their salmon! I actually did very well the last time we went out to eat there. They had the fake crab wrapped in bacon, which is pretty low carb. I had those for an appetizer instead of the fried stuff like the spring rolls or the crab rangoon. Sometimes they don't have the fake crab in bacon, though. Anyway, I can do okay. I just have to keep thinking of the pounds I've lost this week, and remind myself that I don't want to go back up again!

Tonight, we had the lean London Broil cooked on the grill and I cooked broccoli in the microwave. If I weren't eating low carb, we would have had a potato, too. My hubby is very supportive. He was happy to go without the potato. It's not that he can't have the potato. I have cooked baked potatoes for him and my son and done without, so it doesn't bother me. But I did the grocery shopping last week, and I didn't buy any potatoes!

Well, I'm going to go chill in front of the TV. And then early to bed. It's been that kind of day.

Deb

Good Morning Deb,

It's FRIDAY and I bet you're Happy about that, huh ?

I wish I didn't like sweets so much~~they are my Downfall!
So I know that I have to stay away from them COMPLETELY or I go into a Feeding Frenzy like a Shark after a Surfer!

I sure hope you have a great weekend and either check back here later on or I'll "talk" atcha thru emails.

Luv ya, Su

Well, it's Friday night, and it's surely been a long week. I have this class that I'm teaching for Continuing Ed in which I try to help engineers write better as technical writers. I don't understand what they do (it's a pharmaceutical company) and this is not the kind of teaching that I normally do. I'm way outside my comfort zone here. But I'm being a trooper and doing it. It's taking a lot out of me, though. So, I've just decided to have fun with it. For heaven's sake, they aren't going to fire me. They are daggone lucky that I haven't quit already! So, why not teach the way I enjoy teaching. Something about being in that huge facility with all those stern engineers working on writing that I barely comprehend is getting to me. So, to preserve my sanity, I'm going to do what I already did a few times: bring in cartoons that make fun of their seriousness and tell jokes and do fun activities at the beginning of class to loosen them up! And there's this one female who sits in the back of the room and rolls her eyes to the point where I don't know why she doesn't have one of them just come loose and fall out. I'm positive she'll be rolling them even more when I come in Tuesday with my lighten up activity. But that's okay. Let 'em roll, sister, let 'em roll!

I've done well with my low carb eating this week. I am the same weight today as yesterday, which is good. I went out to eat Chinese with my dear hubby tonight, and I had a moderate portion of baked salmon and broccoli, and I did NOT overeat! Yeah! I also went to Curves this afternoon, and I'm going again in the morning. So double yeah!

And listen to this: I lay down on the bed earlier (naked) and for the first time in a long time, I felt the end of my sternum and my lower ribs. I asked my hubby what that bump was sticking up between my ribs, and he said, "That's your sternum." Well, halleluiah! I had forgotten I had bones under all that tummy!

I'm gonna head to bed. I hope y'all have a great weekend. I've got tons of essays to grade, but I think we'll probably go to a movie tomorrow afternoon. We haven't been in quite a while now. May as well spend that extra money I get paid for teaching the engineers!

I'll check in later over the weekend or on Monday.

Take care.

Deb

Hi Deb,
It's sunday night and I know you probably won't check your Journal until monday morning. I will be busy during most of the morning so I wanted to say that I'm thinking about you.
Isn't it amazing to feel &/or see body parts that you haven't in years!
I know the first time I could feel my hip bones while laying flat on my back~~I knew I was losing weight. I could tell by the Scale BUT~to actually feel a bone that I hadn't in 30 yrs. ~was awesome!

Your plan to put Humor into your Teaching sounds like a great idea~Learning while having fun~~Hmmmm, good idea.

Talk to you later tomorrow~~
Su