October Challenge--Atkins '72

[verbqueen]

I am down over a pound this morning, just ounces away from a new number! Now here's hoping I don't do yet ANOTHER "bounce up." I'm going to be cautious today.

Sounds like you will be busy, Darlene. Hope it's a great day. Everybody else, where are you??????

[verbqueen]

"All by myself, don't wanna be...all by myself any more..."

Today's menu:

B: leftover chicken casserole (it's finally all gone)
L: bunless burger with guacamole and jalapeno slices
D: trip tip steak with butter
S: 1 oz cheese stick

1300ish calories, 8 grams carbs

[verbqueen]

P.S. I took my "cheat free days" in my signature back to post-Vegas trip, since I ate some dubious stir-fry at the Asian restaurant at the hotel. Couldn't tell much about the sauce and the non-English speaking waiter couldn't tell me much about it. Then there was the oddly textured sausage at the cafe for breakfast the next day...

[dbglasgow]

Congrats Jessica

I'm stilling holding on to my 1.4 lb bounce up this morning... at least it didn't go up any higher. I ate a few nuts yesterday while we were traveling as well as had them for snacks over the weekend and I never seem to lose after eating nuts.. even though they were salted with sea salt.

Jessica, I don't know what has happened to everyone. I wish we would hear from Lee at least... just to know she is doing ok.

Yesterday's menu:

3 sl Bacon, 1 egg, coffee with VCO
nuts for snack (3 0z) throughout the day
5 oz hambuger patty, 2 oz smoked sausage

[verbqueen]

Hey, Darlene! Good to see you this morning! I, too, am concerned about Lee. I hope she's not ill. I'm also worried that she may have just gotten extremely discouraged and given up. Even if that were the case, she should come here and gather her energies for another try!

I am down a few more ounces, and have reached a new number! 32 pounds for me, today! It's my first new low in about 2 weeks, so I'm relieved not to be in a major stall. I can handle slow, I just really don't want "stopped."

Have a great day. Stay after the water. That 1.4 is just in there deceiving you, but it will come off sooner or later.

[dbglasgow]

That's awesome Jessica!! 32 lbs gone... that is exciting.

I've not felt well the past two days.. I think it's allergies. I took a nap today... which is not the norm for me but I just wasn't feeling well. I took meds and am going to bed early.

I know that eventually I will break through this stall or whatever it is... my body just refuses to go below 155 but I will not give up.

Praying for Lee and for Divine (haven't heard from her since her surgery).

Have a good evening... I'm off to bed.

[verbqueen]

Hey, Darlene. Sorry you didn't feel well today. I was having allergies too, but I took a Claritin. Hope it doesn't make me retain water. I hate to take anything for fear it'll interfere with weight loss!

I'll bet you're at a "setpoint," a weight you have previously spent some time at. I think I may be, too. We'll both get through it with some patience.

Today's menu:

B: tri tip steak
L: bacon, 1 oz cheddar
D: the insides of a shredded beef taco with lettuce and lots of cheese

Calories: 1100, carbs, 7 grams.

[verbqueen]

Morning, everyone. Ummm...was that an echo I heard?

Anyway, I'm down another .4 pounds today, so very close to moving down to another number! This seems to be my pattern now--a long spell of bouncing/gaining, followed by a few days of losing. I liked the old way better, but I guess I'll have to learn to live with this one.

I took my old cat to the vet yesterday, and learned what I already knew--his poor little body is failing, mostly his kidneys, and it's just a matter of time. However, the vet did say "today isn't the day," so they sent him back home and said "let him enjoy himself and eat whatever he wants." So he's waiting at my feet for the leftovers of my pulled pork breakfast. (I made it last night because I know how much he loves it. It's something we both can enjoy!)

Hope everyone has a great day. Darlene, feel better. Everyone else, COME HOME!

[dbglasgow]

Well, I'm up another 1.4 lbs today... that means a total gain of 2.8 lbs... so it should be time to start losing again. Today, I'm drinking lots of water so I'm hoping that helps. I have been taking zyrtec for the past two days and I have drank a few diet soft drinks... so maybe those small things have caused this... who knows. Today, it's very low carb and lots of water.

Jessica... great to see that your scales are going down again. I wonder if we can put some kind of search out on the message boards for all of our lost friends.

[verbqueen]

That's crazy, Darlene, and obviously isn't fat. That's just those fluctuations that us daily weighers have to deal with. I think taking ANY kind of medicine causes changes in our fluid balance, so it's probably the zyrtec. I took Claritin again today, so we'll see how that works for me.

Today's menu:

B: pulled pork (the cat is nice enough to share it with me)
L: chicken leg quarter, 1/2 cup cole slaw
D: sirloin tips in sour cream sauce, which I guess you'd call stroganoff, 1/2 cup green beans
S: 1 oz cheese stick

1200 calories, 9 grams carbs

[dbglasgow]

No change in the scales this morning. I was really hoping to wake up and at least some of that 2.8 lb gain would be gone.

Today is my official weekly weigh in day so I have to show a gain for the week. I did measure today also. I lost 1 inch in my chest (first loss in that area). All other areas remain the same or I may have lost 1/2 inch in my thighs. I need to go post everything on fitday to be sure.

Yesterday's menu:

2 oz smoked sausage, coffee with VCO
2 oz cheese
7 oz hamburger patty

lots of water and iced green tea

[dbglasgow]

Jessica... just to show you how much the scales can fluctuate... I got out of bed, went to the bathroom and stepped on the scales. It read 158.2... same as yesterday. Less than an hour later, I had a cup of coffee, went to the bathroom and for some reason decided to step on the scales again.. it now reads 157... so of course the gain is not fat.

I posted my measurements after double checking them and my last measurements were on Sept. 29th... since then I've lost 1 inch in my chest, 1 inch in my hips and all others remain the same. I need to go back and calulate the total inches lost. I think it's somewhere between 6 and 8 inches lost. I'm trying to focus on that and how my clothes fit rather than the scales. Most all of my size 10 pants are a little big now.

I also went back to post my food from yesterday so I could calulate the calories and carbs... it was 1500 calories and 5.5 carbs. I may have to reduce the calories to ever be able to get below the 155 lb mark.

Have a great day and still hoping that our friends will check in again.

[verbqueen]

I'm up a few ounces today--just a fluctuation, I'm sure. I'd sure like to move on to a new "big weight," though. Maybe tomorrow.

Nothing new going on around here. It's choir day, so I'll be leaving in a few minutes for my marathon day.

I'll post my menu when I get back tonight.

Pat, Divine, Erica, Lee, where ARE you???????????????

[dbglasgow]

Well, I reduced my calories today and I've drank lots of water so maybe the scales will move down tomorrow.

Menu:

4 sl bacon, 2 oz sausage, coffee with VCO
2 oz cheese
5 oz hamburger patty, 2 oz pork chop

1334 calories; 4.4 carbs

[verbqueen]

I haven't recorded my day's food on Fitday yet, but here's what I had today:

B: leftover beef stroganoff, decaf with CO
L: skirt steak sauteed with onions and jalapenos, 1 oz guacamole, iced tea
D: rotisserie chicken breast, green beans, salad

Lunch and dinner were both at restaurants, which doesn't usually bode well for the water retention department. We'll see how it goes.

[dbglasgow]

Well, the scales did finally go down 1.2 lbs this morning... that puts me at 155.8.. my lowest is 155.4.. so almost there. I just hope I can keep it going in that direction. I'm happy with the fact that I'm losing inches so I'm focusing on that.

Jessica, hope you have a great day. I will post my menu later.

[verbqueen]

I woke up TWO POUNDS up! I knew the two restaurant meals wouldn't do a whole lot for me, but I also think the fact that I got up twice during the night to take ibuprofen hurt me.

I dropped one of those big staplers, like the ones that are about 14 inches long that you use to staple booklets and large things, onto my middle toe at choir yesterday. It instantly turned all shades of black and blue, and the toenail lifted right up from blood underneath it. It was throbbing so badly last night I wasn't sure I'd ever go to sleep!

So I guess today I have to drink all kinds of water and try to rid my body of the sodium and the ibu.

See you later, Darlene!

[dbglasgow]

Ouch! sorry to hear that Jessica but I'm sure a day or so of drinking water will put you back on track. I know this yo yo thing is crazy but it's just what you and I have to deal with since we both insist on stepping on those scales everyday. Hope your toe heals quickly.

I got busy with the team this morning and completely forgot to eat b'fast so all I had so far today is a 6 oz hamburger patty with a slice of cheese. I had 32 oz of water already and working on the second 32 oz bottle.

[dbglasgow]

Menu:

5 oz hamburger patty
coffee with VCO
1 sl cheese
mayo
5 oz chicken cooked in butter
2 oz cheese

1660 calories; 5 carbs

Calories were high today because of the added fat in the form of butter and mayo. I had 64 plus oz of water today and a few glasses of iced green tea. We will be doing some hiking tomorrow so maybe the increase in activity will help shake things up. Have a good night. Jessica, I hope your toe is feeling much better.

[verbqueen]

I'm checking in kinda late tonight--went out for dinner with friends.

Today's menu:

B: leftover pulled pork
L: hamburger patty with cheese, jalapeno slices and 1 oz. guacamole
D: steak with chimichurri, slice of grilled zucchini

haven't added up carbs and calories yet

[dbglasgow]

I'm down 1.2 lbs this morning for a new low of 154.6... now let's just hope it sticks. It's crazy how we have to gain 2 or 3 lbs just to lose one.

We are taking the team on a hike through the rain forest today to swim at the waterfalls so I should be able to get in some exercise. We are then going to eat at one of the resorts but I should be able to find chicken or some kind of salad to eat.

Jessica, hope you have a great day.... sure wish we would get some word from Lee, Erica, Pat, Divine... anyone??????????

[The Bionic broad]

Here I am, coming up for air. Moving to a new school, with huge class sizes, and teaching straight English for the first time in four years, is kicking my heinie, time-wise. Aaargh!

Jessica, I'm so proud of you! You have such a fierce determination to do what's right, no matter what comes your way.

Darlene, I am a staunch believer in a set-point. Mine, before the HRT, was 180. Now, it is 190. Creeps me out.

My intake is so boring and predictable that I won't post it. *sigh*

[dbglasgow]

Pat... it's wonderful to hear from you. Jessica and I felt as if we have been left here all alone. Sounds like you have been busy...hang in there.

I'll check in and post my menu later today... off to the rain forest for now....it's very hot and humid today... so packing lots of water.

[verbqueen]

Pat, glad to see you had a moment to come up for air! Hang in there, girl.

Darlene, great news! Congrats on the new low!

My overnight gain is gone and I'm back to stats. I'd certainly like to move forward without any more yoyos.

Have a great day, everyone.

[dbglasgow]

Ok Jessica...we're doing great so let's keep things moving in the right direction. I hope I didn't mess myself up today. We went out to eat.... I ordered some chicken meal.. which was fine but it was served with Pita Bread and I ate it... the carbs were not too bad but I think it's causing my sugar to go up and that always messes me up for a day or so. I'll see what the scale does tomorrow.

Menu:
smoked sausage
grilled chicken; small piece of pita bread
smoked sausage and cheese

84 oz of water

[verbqueen]

I hear ya, Darlene. I ate one of those Carbmaster yogurts for breakfast, and a lot of cheese for lunch, so my carb grams are already up to 13 and I haven't had any dinner yet!

But I think ultimately it's probably for the best to vary the carbs and calories. We're both doing fine. Just gotta stay the course.

Have a nice evening! I'll post my food later. Off to play some bridge now.

[verbqueen]

No change for me this morning. I seem to be kinda stuck.

I have children's choirs singing this morning, so I have to scoot. Have a great day, Darlene.

[dbglasgow]

Well, according to the scale, I am up 1.2 lbs but I'm not paying any attention to that... I know that this is normal.

We did not have church service today... it's harvest time here which means that the schools and churches begin having our Thanksgiving Harvest Services... today the Village school is having theirs so all of the children are involved so we do not have service at the church. We had a thunder storm last night which really cooled things off... it feels great. It has been so hot and humid for such a long time... we really needed a break.

Not sure about my menu today... we loaned our car out for the day so we can't go anywhere and we forgot that we needed to shop... so we are really limited on what we can prepare. We have tuna, and some bacon and eggs so I guess that will be it for today. I had bacon and eggs this morning... some cheese and a boiled egg at lunch... I have a small amount of smoked sausage in there so I guess we will have b'fast for dinner today also.

Hope you have a great day Jessica, Pat... others?

[dbglasgow]

Jessica.. I wanted to let you know that I got an email from Lee. It came 6 days ago but I rarely check that email account. She said that she and many others have been banned from this site because they were posting on message boards discussing plans with "0" carbs. I have posted there also but not recently. I just never could stick with that kind of plan. She is posting on a different site now but just wanted us to know what had happened to her. I imagine that Erica was banned also.

Well, we got our car back late in the afternoon so I sent my hubby shopping for hamburger.

Menu:
4 sl bacon, 1 egg
2 oz cheese
6 oz hamburger patty; 1 oz smoked sausage, 1 sl cheese

[verbqueen]

Thank you, Darlene. That is a real relief to me--I was concerned about both Erica and Lee.

I have had a long, long day today, as my Sundays often are. Here is my day's menu:

B: Carbmaster yogurt, decaf with CO
S: 1 oz cheese stick
L: hamburger/cream cheese/Rotel concoction
D: beef shawourma salad (at middle eastern restaurant. It was mostly beef and lettuce, but it did have hummus at the bottom. No clue how many carbs it may have had. It was a friend's birthday party.)

I think I will probably NOT try to add up the stuff on Fitday. I'm pooped and it seems like too much work. But I probably wasn't VLC today.