**Naturally Nutricious November for MWL**

[Fit2010]

Originally Posted by MaraMom

Only have a minute. Down ANOTHER 2.5 pounds for a total of 53 pounds lost in 16 weeks. Off for 10 days of vacation/visiting family and friends. Going to surprise my daughter who hasn't seen me this light in 20 years. Thanks all and keep up the good work. ALL of us!

MaraMom, Your numbers look so good, and in only 16 wks!! We are the same height and I see that you posted you are a grandma. May I ask your age and what you are doing for exercise? Congratulations on your success!!! I have 5 wks of graduate school left and I'm swimming in papers, projects, and head-spinning deadlines (amongst the holidays too....my courses go right on through til 12/26!!) I will be jumping back in to swimming in the POOL instead in January and get this regain off, I'm actually up to about 170 again and just cannot get myself to post that. Stick with it when you get to goal....this time last year I was at goal and loving it.....then the worse of grad school kicked in and my life has no free time. Please, just stick with it once you are at goal!! Would love to hear back from you

BTW, do you have photos posted?

Thanks,
Debbie

[jbjb93]

I made it through a family party yesterday - 3 different deserts! I had a piece of chicken with all skin removed and fresh broccolli. Did have a light beer.

Thursday planning on turkey and lots of my BIL's rutabega (sp?) which is great. Also green beans (which I'm making so no butter or sauce). I don't think I will ever eat a potato again unless it is once in a blue moon after losing everything!

I do miss wine - I wish there was a way to know carbs.

We are going away for the weekend after. Breakfast is harder when traveling (not many choices) but I have lunch and dinner planned. I'm thinking of taking Atkins bars (I like the 140 cal ones) and getting a boiled egg for breakfast. Family wants Italian one night so the bread with oil will be hard - but I picked a place that has fish! Then we are doing seafood - my pick!!

Everyone - plan your holiday. If you go in with the right mind set it really helps! When they did desert yesterday I sang Happy Birthday from the back and then sat in another room away while everyone ate.

[mzthang581]

I am on cloud 9 today!! I just got back from my first weigh in lost 7.2lbs and 6.6lbs was fat!! I cant believe it! I have been trying to lose that weight all year it seems like and in one week I have lost that much. I am so excited for what this plan has to offer me . And on top of that I get to eat veggies this week!! Happy Monday everyone!!

[Swirveegrl]

KUDOS to ALL of you staying the course, planning ahead, and dropping the LBS!!
My weight is still the same; however, I have started exercising more and I actually had to exchange some jeans over the weekend for a SMALLER size 8!
YES, I said 8.. I don't ever, never ever, even remember wearing a single DIGIT! THANK GOD

[Swirveegrl]

Originally Posted by Fit2010

MaraMom, Your numbers look so good, and in only 16 wks!! We are the same height and I see that you posted you are a grandma. May I ask your age and what you are doing for exercise? Congratulations on your success!!! I have 5 wks of graduate school left and I'm swimming in papers, projects, and head-spinning deadlines (amongst the holidays too....my courses go right on through til 12/26!!) I will be jumping back in to swimming in the POOL instead in January and get this regain off, I'm actually up to about 170 again and just cannot get myself to post that. Stick with it when you get to goal....this time last year I was at goal and loving it.....then the worse of grad school kicked in and my life has no free time. Please, just stick with it once you are at goal!! Would love to hear back from you

BTW, do you have photos posted?

Thanks,
Debbie

Deb thanks for sharing your story here. I know that weight gain is a very frustrating thing to deal with, especially after such a dramatic loss. I have been there and DONE that! I'm rooting for you! I know you have the tools to get back on board, to become in control, and to be the best you possible!

[Bre94]

Originally Posted by mzthang581

I am on cloud 9 today!! I just got back from my first weigh in lost 7.2lbs and 6.6lbs was fat!! I cant believe it! I have been trying to lose that weight all year it seems like and in one week I have lost that much. I am so excited for what this plan has to offer me . And on top of that I get to eat veggies this week!! Happy Monday everyone!!

Congratulations lady. That is a wonder lost

Did you include workout in the first week?

My weighin is this evening. Hope that I lose as much or close to that number.

Bre

[Bre94]

I was rushing this morning and forgot my meds. Grabbed my boiled egg and cottage cheese for breakfast and for lunch I picked up a Boost drink but when I got to work I read the label and 33g of carbs. You know that I'm running out today to find a skinless chicken breast or something else that is safe.

Bre

[hyonlyf]

Originally Posted by Bre94

I was rushing this morning and forgot my meds. Grabbed my boiled egg and cottage cheese for breakfast and for lunch I picked up a Boost drink but when I got to work I read the label and 33g of carbs. You know that I'm running out today to find a skinless chicken breast or something else that is safe.

Bre

Yeah Boost may not be ideal. You can usually subtract out the fiber and sugar alcohols from the carb count and that number is the net carbs that you would base your carb totals on.

EAS and Atkins make tasty protein ready-to-drink shakes.

[hyonlyf]

Originally Posted by Swirveegrl

KUDOS to ALL of you staying the course, planning ahead, and dropping the LBS!!
My weight is still the same; however, I have started exercising more and I actually had to exchange some jeans over the weekend for a SMALLER size 8!
YES, I said 8.. I don't ever, never ever, even remember wearing a single DIGIT! THANK GOD

I KNOW!!! I'm in a 6 today! I have never been in a 6 except maybe way back in jr high? Great job on the 8s!!!

We should have a clothing swap here among members however, I am a pessimist and am keeping all my old clothes. This weight loss almost seems too good to be true KWIM?

[mzthang581]

Originally Posted by Bre94

Congratulations lady. That is a wonder lost

Did you include workout in the first week?

My weighin is this evening. Hope that I lose as much or close to that number.

Bre

I have been working out since March with a trainer with really no weight loss. I have lost inches but not much. I was getting so frustrated and thats why I decided to try this program because I realized I was doing something wrong with my food. And just like that after one week I see incredible results! I am so happy! This community has been such a great resource too! You all have such wonderful advice, I know I couldnt have got through week 1 with you guys!

[Bre94]

7.5 lbs loss YAHOO

[mzthang581]

Originally Posted by Bre94

7.5 lbs loss YAHOO

congrats!!!

[Bre94]

Originally Posted by mzthang581

congrats!!!

Thanks Mz

[Bre94]

I am so proud of myself because everyone at work was invited to bring food in today. There is so much good food around this place and I wasn't tempted to eat a thing. YAHOOOO

Everyone have a happy Thanksgiving.

Bre

[Swirveegrl]

Has everyone devised a Thanksgiving plan for success? Mine is to just avoid Thanksgiving dinner all together, by going on a mini VACATION I am leaving in the morning for Orlando, FL to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter I hope it's nice and warm!!

[Bre94]

Originally Posted by Swirveegrl

Has everyone devised a Thanksgiving plan for success? Mine is to just avoid Thanksgiving dinner all together, by going on a mini VACATION I am leaving in the morning for Orlando, FL to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter I hope it's nice and warm!!

I turned down all invitations to dinner to stay at home and bake some skinless chicken breast and green beans.

Bre

[lolli]

I was wondering if any of yall have used the atkins bars? I bought a couple of the ones that are like a candy bar. They say endulge on them. Medi gave me the formula for net carbs. But I was wondering how these affect ketosis. There is a ton of sugar alc in these things. I am a little intimidated by them. But they look yummy!

[jbjb93]

I'm HAPPY! I passed the 40 pound mark today! You could not pay me to eat the wrong things today!

Especially happy as I had a very bad week at work - and managed not to emotionally eat! (reason I haven't been able to post in the last couple weeks)

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

Stick to your plan - nothing that is available today is worth it! If you really want it, tell yourself to wait until next weekend (or Sunday even). Then see if you really want to still eat that item. That takes the emotion out of it. You can do it!!

Hope everyone has a successfull day and weekend!!

[hyonlyf]

To enjoy TG I made and brought many "safe" dishes to the family dinner.

Oven roasted asparagus

Mashed rutabagas

"Sweet" butternut squash casserole

I will definitely go over my calories but will avoid all obvious carbs. It's TG and I am going to enjoy myself :-) but not over do it...

Good luck to all fellow MWL-ers this holiday!

[lolli]

ohhhh boy!!! I unexpectadley went off the plan. Ya know its tough when youre around all those foods that you love and it smells sooo good. I said what the hell its my bday next weekend so ill celebrate now. I kinda regret it but I kind of dont. My plan is to go back to week one for a whole week!!! Tomorrow morning i go to kick boxing class then saturday and sunday lots of cardio! Weigh in monday. Mid week shots tomorrow. I hope the rest of yall stayed on plan. and if you didnt i hope you enjoyed the feast!

[mzthang581]

I think I did pretty good? I had exactly one small spoonful of macaroni and one small spoonful of cranberry made with sugar free jello. I think I will be in ketosis tomorrow but I know I went over calories today. I know I shouldnt weigh myself midweek but I will definetely weigh tomorrow. Ill keep you all posted!

[Bre94]

OMG, leg crap and charlie horse foot. I need this leg and foot to hit the stores. Anyone ever have that problem?

[Bre94]

GM, Here's a little something that I discovered about myself for those Medi folks who get upset about being out of ketosis. I checked mine the day before my first visit (after a weekend of 3 litres of Faygo pop, candy bars, almost a whole cake, etc.) and then again on the 4th day as requested and the color remained the same. EverydAy that I have checked it, it stays the same color (2nd from the left) on the chart. I'm losing weight by following the plan and that's what counts to me. Just sharing

It makes me wonder sometimes about any test. Is it one size fits all and definitely not to my specific physicality? Here's another story. I'm told that I have early stage gluacoma and was given tiny bottles of med to drop in eyes every night. These drops made my eyes look like a monster, made my eyes itch, and also made me feel miserable. I believed them when I was told that I could wake up blind without any notice and I continued to go back and forth for the test and different prescriptions. I looked in my frig one day at the shelf with the little bottles of medicine that I couldn't use any longer and decided to look for a natural remedy. I found something on my internet search for a herbal (goldenseal and eyebright) eye wash. I made the tea and low and behold the fuzzy film that I originally went to the doctor about (that hadn't gone away) cleared almost instantly. I kept using the wash instead of the strong drops and went to my next appointment anyway because I didn't want to play with my vision. The test results came back that I was fine now and the deteriation(sp) had slowed and my eyes looked much better, but to continue taking those last drops prescribed and see her in six months.

Makes me wonder if the max had run out and we would start it again on the new insurance year.

I have paid out close to $10,000 for my portion of the cost this year (combination: heart, breast cancer scare, and lower back). Can you imagine people with a plan worst than mine or no plan at all? I'm just saying

Everything that has happened this year is motivation for me to become as healthy as I can. And, I thank God for all that I do have.

Thanks for allowing me to vent a little. this is probably not the place for it, but I haven't found another thread to vent yet.

Have a good day everyone, enjoy your day off, don't spend too much money(Black Friday), and continue to lose weight and get healthy.

Bre

p.s. Also can't get reimbursed for the Medi plan. I'm going anyway and paying out of my pocket for as long as I can afford it.

[suzanna1]

I hope everyone had a very happy, on-plan Thanksgiving! I stayed low carb, but ate too many calories yesterday. I made up for it with a 2 mile each way walk to a local Christmas Tree lighting.

I am up a few pounds today, that have been added over the past few weeks. I am starting 4 days of week one today. Who else is with me?

[Bre94]

Originally Posted by Bre94

OMG, leg crap and charlie horse foot. I need this leg and foot to hit the stores. Anyone ever have that problem?

This is what I found on WebMD:

What are nighttime leg cramps?

Nighttime (or nocturnal) leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf. But the muscle cramps can sometimes happen in the thigh or the foot. They often occur just as you are falling asleep or waking up. These painful cramps can last a few seconds to a few minutes.

These leg cramps are also called charley horses.

What causes nighttime leg cramps?

Though nighttime leg cramps are common, experts don't know exactly what causes them. But most of the time it is not because of illness. Some of the things that may cause leg cramps include:
Getting too much exercise or overusing the muscles.
Standing on concrete for a long time, sitting for a long time, or putting your legs in awkward positions while you sleep.
Not having enough potassium, calcium, and other minerals in your blood.
Being dehydrated, which means your body has lost too much fluid.
Taking certain medicines, such as antipsychotics, birth control pills, diuretics, statins, and steroids.
Having flat feet.
Having thyroid disease.

How can you stop a nighttime leg cramp when it happens?

You may need to try several different ways to stop a leg cramp before you find what works best for you. Here are some things you can try:
Walk around, or jiggle your leg.
Stretch your calf muscles. You can do this stretch while you sit or stand: While sitting, straighten your leg and flex your foot up toward your knee. It may help to place a rolled towel under the ball of your foot and, while holding the towel at both ends, gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight.
While standing about 2 ft (0.6 m) from a wall, lean forward against the wall. Keep the knee of the affected leg straight and the heel on the ground. Do this while you bend the knee of the other leg. See a picture of how to do this calf stretch .
These exercises stretch your calf muscles, and you will probably feel the leg cramp go away after a few minutes.
Some people find that a hot shower or a warm bath helps. Others get relief by rubbing the calf with an ice pack.

How can you prevent them?

Use these tips to help prevent nighttime leg cramps:
Drink plenty of water and other fluids during the day.
Limit or avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine. These can make you dehydrated, which means your body has lost too much fluid.
Make sure you are eating healthy foods (especially if you are pregnant) that are rich in calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
Ride a stationary bike to condition and stretch your muscles.
Stretch your leg muscles for a few minutes before you go to bed.

If you are taking medicines that are known to cause leg cramps, your doctor may prescribe different medicines.

If your leg cramps bother you a lot, your doctor may prescribe medicines that calm leg nerves or relax the muscles.

What if nighttime leg cramps keep coming back?

Talk with your doctor if you have muscle cramps that keep coming back, are severe, or occur in other muscles of your body. These may be symptoms of another problem.

Bre

[lolli]

Originally Posted by suzanna1

I hope everyone had a very happy, on-plan Thanksgiving! I stayed low carb, but ate too many calories yesterday. I made up for it with a 2 mile each way walk to a local Christmas Tree lighting.

I am up a few pounds today, that have been added over the past few weeks. I am starting 4 days of week one today. Who else is with me?

Im with you!!! I started week one today. Was up 3 pounds this morning. Yikes! I did a cardio kickboxing class and I will be decorating the christmas tree today!

[suzanna1]

Originally Posted by lolli

Im with you!!! I started week one today. Was up 3 pounds this morning. Yikes! I did a cardio kickboxing class and I will be decorating the christmas tree today!

Great! I started appetite suppressants today after a long time without them. I am feeling so jittery! I did a ton of Black Friday shopping online, lots of size 6 jeans, pants and dresses. If that doesn't get me motivated to take off the 9! pounds that I was up this morning, I don't know what will!

[lolli]

Originally Posted by suzanna1

Great! I started appetite suppressants today after a long time without them. I am feeling so jittery! I did a ton of Black Friday shopping online, lots of size 6 jeans, pants and dresses. If that doesn't get me motivated to take off the 9! pounds that I was up this morning, I don't know what will!

We can do this!

[mzthang581]

Suzanna1 and lolli you ladies really motivated to work out today! If I hadnt of read your posts I know I wouldnt have worked. Thanks for the inspiration!

[suzanna1]

Originally Posted by mzthang581

Suzanna1 and lolli you ladies really motivated to work out today! If I hadnt of read your posts I know I wouldnt have worked. Thanks for the inspiration!

great job, mzthang!