My Weight Loss Journal

Meal Replacements and Weight Loss

2006-10-28T12:45:00.000-04:00

Peter A. McCullough, M.D.
Division Chief,
Nutrition and Preventive Medicine,
Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan

Many patients may develop heart blockages because they have carried excess body fat for years, which contributes to the cardiovascular risk factors of high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated bad cholesterol, depressed good cholesterol, and increased levels of inflammatory factors in the blood. The Beaumont Weight Control Center has featured the use of meal replacement shakes, bars and entrees for many years.

Have you ever wondered what scientific evidence is really behind these products? Despite the popularity of this approach, until recently, there has been a relative lack of randomized prospective trials comparing meal replacements to conventional food diets. This is primarily due to the fact that when patients are at the point of using meal replacements, they have exhausted all attempts at food diets. Thus, conducting trials on this population has been difficult.

In the April 5th, 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Pennington CALERIE Team from Baton Rouge, LA, reported the results of a randomized trial comparing four treatments for 6 months: control (weight maintenance food diet); calorie restriction (25% calorie reduction food diet, no exercise); 12.5% calorie reduction food diet with exercise (12.5% calorie restriction plus 12.5% increase in energy expenditure by structured exercise); and a meal replacement program (890 kilocalories per day until 15% weight reduction, followed by a weight maintenance diet-similar to the Beaumont Diet). Patients were mildly overweight to start-averaging approximately 180 lbs.

The meal replacement approach was clearly superior to food diets. In addition, some blood chemistry tests associated with longevity (living a longer healthier life) were improved with weight loss.

Another interesting finding was that those with the higher lean mass (more muscle) burned more calories during the night while sleeping. Collectively, these data suggest that meal replacements (shakes, bars, and entrees) combined with aerobic and strength exercise training to build muscle mass represents the most effective pathway to achieve substantial and sustained weight loss. Moreover, this weight loss method was the only intervention that simultaneously improved multiple cardiovascular risk factors.

Our bodies, our landfills?

2006-09-27T23:26:00.000-04:00

By Francesca Lyman
MSNBC contributor

Two recent studies cast dramatic light on the extent to which Americans are absorbing toxic chemicals in their bodies as part of everyday life. They present a striking picture of Americans riddled with low levels of chemicals, the vestiges of eating, drinking, breathing and touching the synthetic products of the industrial world. Given how common these chemicals are, can personal actions and better choices reduce one’s level of exposure in a toxic world?

Click here to view the entire article.

Delicious Discovery

2006-09-26T23:23:00.000-04:00

I picked up a pecan pie LÄRABAR when I was out at Earth Fare last week. It has only 3 ingredients in it - dates, pecans, and almonds. Since I never really cared for dates, I was a bit skeptical on whether I would like this or not, but wow ... I love these things. They are simple, nutritious, and absoulutely delicious. Who knew!

LÄRABAR is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices. Made from 100% whole food, each flavor contains no more than six ingredients.

1 1/2 SERVINGS OF FRUIT * NO ADDED SUGAR * UNPROCESSED
RAW * NON- GMO * GLUTEN FREE * DAIRY FREE * SOY FREE
VEGAN * KOSHER

No added sweeteners, no added fillers, supplements or flavorings ... just real, whole food loaded with nature's own minerals and vitamins.

All of the vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, good carbohydrates and healthy fats are derived exclusively from the whole, raw food.

Uncooked and Unprocessed. The essential enzymes, which are necessary for the digestion and utilization of nutrients, remain completely intact in their natural state. A diet abundant in raw, unprocessed foods is important for health and longevity.

LÄRABAR Site

Ann's 1st 9 Day Results

2006-09-25T12:34:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to share my new friend, Ann's 9 day results. Another unbiased testimonial as she is not presently working the business ... just a very satisfied customer! I'm excited for her! She's doing great with this.

Hi Rhonda,

Just wanted to let you know my results. I lost 10 1/2 pounds on the 9 day program. I am so excited!!! I did go off program yesterday because it was a Jewish holiday for me but I am right back on again today. I am going to do another 9 day program because I have another Jewish holiday in 9 days that I will eat on and then after that I will go into the 30 day program. I am very pleased with the results so far. Now I have 40 more pounds to go!!! Hopefully by the end of January because I will be 40 in January and my goal is to lose this weight by then. So just wanted to give you an update.

Take Care,
Ann

I went on to ask her how she felt overall, and she replied ...

...I feel wonderful. Once I got over the first few days I started to feel great!! (She had experienced some fatigue on her first cleanse days, but I let her know that it's normal, and it's just her body letting her know it needs some rest to help with the detox, so if it's possible to get some rest it would be beneficial to do so.)

Unbiased Review of Isagenix

2006-09-21T17:42:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to post a testimonial that was shared today on one of the forums I frequent:

Hi folks!

Many of you here know that I have a background in health and nutrition, and that I have owned my own vitamin and herb business (Shepherd's Naturopathic Explorations) selling locally from home for over 15 years now. I am always researching and investigating new things, and came across a system here that I just had to try for myself.

Over the years, I have both used my knowledge of health and nutrition and thrown it aside at various times. I have indulged and succumbed, and gotten back on the right path time and time again. Recently, I had been "off the good nutrition wagon," so to speak, and gained more pounds than I like to admit.

When I began seeing the results folks were having with Isagenix, I took a back seat, and let the information pour in for a while. Then, I decided to try them myself.

I purchased the 30 day cleanse system. After the 9-day cleanse part of this, I had lost 10 lbs. and 15.5 inches all over my body. These are pretty good results for 9 days. I have done many cleanses, fasts, etc. and probably the most I have lost in this time frame was about 6 lbs. With the Isagenix, I had energy -- lots of it! I did not feel weak, like I have with other cleanses. I think that because it is such a nutritionally supportive cleanse, the body does not have these issues. I was only slightly hungry a couple of times on the first day, and it passed quickly as I ate a few of their snacks and drank more water. The most important thing for me was that I did not have any cravings right from the start. I had gotten in some bad sugar & junky carb. eating habits, so I was really surprised that this was so easy. I have never not had cravings during at least the first several days of a fast, cleanse, or diet change before! This was truly exceptional to me!

I am doing well with this. My energy levels are great. I feel great! Anyone who is considering doing this, anyone who has any sort of health issues that have not been fully addressed to your satisfaction, anyone certainly who needs to lose weight, this is a healthy and nutritionally supportive program that will get you what you need. I obviously highly recommend this program!

If anyone has any questions for me, feel free to ask!

To Your Health!

Carla
www.earnvacations.com/cshepherd

Rod Lost 100 lbs in 6 months!

2006-09-20T09:23:00.000-04:00

I just have to brag for a moment about my friend Rod. He lost over 100 lbs in 6 months! How awesome is that! He is such an inspiration to me and so many others. He is also using the Isagenix program to lose weight, and he's doing incredible as you can see.

Here's an excerpt from his blog about his progress so far:

Sunday...September 10th...exactly 6 months from start!...

weight = 209.6 Pounds!

yes...I am now UN-officially a new member of the 100 pound club!

Started March 10th at 310 Pounds!

His blog is linked under the heading Winning By Losing over to the left. Be sure to check out his progress pics too which he has linked on his blog. He looks fantastic ... like a whole new man! Congrats to you Rod!!!

TOXINS & OBESITY: Connected at the Hip

2006-09-19T00:57:00.000-04:00

Can cleansing your body shed unwanted pounds?
By Cherri Gann

Why are moe and more Americans getting fat? The lastest national Health and Nutritional Examination Surve (2003-2004) by the U.S. Centers For Disease Control indicates that an estimated 66% of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese, but other studies say that number is as high as 80%. Either way, excess fat is a huge problem in our society, and, according to the studies by the US Department of Health & Human Services, in spite of efforts to turn it around, more Americans are tipping the scales higher each year.

Environmental Effect

What's the cause of all this excess poundage? Is it because we have become couch potates, eating too much and moving too little? Is it the restaurants tempting us with jumbo servings of high-fat entrees, or the fast food joints with their greasy fare and convenient drive-through windows?

Consider also the construct of our "mobile society," which requires us to drive long distances- instead of walking- to work or to go shopping. Due to laziness or time constraints, we literally have anything and everything done for us, which also contributes to our lack of activity.

But what about the people who exercise regularly and try to watch what they eat, yet the pounds still won't budge? There's another complex issue at work here - environmental toxins. We're talking about toxins associated with processed foods, unfiltered water and air pollution. Household chemicals and cosmetics are also a factor. We are assaulted each day by poisons in our air, water, food and homes.

Here is a partial list of toxins found in everyday life:

--Trans-fatty acids (from fast foods)
--Chemical additives in prepackaged food
--Insecticide residue
--Prescription drugs
--Alcohol
--Cigarette smoke
--Formaldehyde (from new carpets & processed wood furniture)
--Hair dyes, cosmetics and deoderants
--Gasoline
--Chlorinated water
--Home cleaning fluids

Toxic Traffic

What does all this have to do with excess weight? It's the key to the obesity epidemic, because these toxins reside in our fat and interrupt our body's natural processes.

In The Body Restoration Plan: Eliminate Chemical Calories and Restore Your Body's Natural Slimming System, Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton argues that our natural weight regulation systems are being poisoned by the toxic chemicals we encounter daily, which make it harder for our bodies to maintain proper weight. These toxins hamper our metabolic and appetite-regulating systems.

For example, livestock headed for market are injected with estrogen to fatten then up and fed pesticide-laden grains. We ingets the meat from these animals, and it affects our metabilism by making it harder for us to realize when we're hungry or when we need to burn off the calories we've taken in.

Even if you're not obese, without a nutritional diet that promotes the cleansing of these substances, the body will lose its strength and vitality. The immune system will become suppressed, contributing to illness and disease. An article in Alternative Medicine Review suggests a toxic system has been associated with several chronic diseases, including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Parkinson's Disease, and Cancer.

Our bodies protect us by using any nutritional substance they can find while eliminating dangerous material. Often, this system becomes overwhelmed, and the body's general response is to encase toxic material with mucous or excess fat, some of which people carry for years.

Many people suffer from diseas, sickness and pain because they aren't properly eliminating poisons, chemicals, preservatives and environmental toxins from their bodies. Years of bad eating habits, low water intake, low-fiber diets, sedentary living and other lifestyle choices slow the sigestive processes.

Clean it up

You can cleanse your system back to health. Cleansing your body by nutritionally supporting your body's organs to rid themselves of impurities and toxic materials is essential for good health.

Cleansing is the way to begin to address these problems. Cleansing can help the body naturally remove harmful substances and return its natural balance with good immune and eliminative functions. some experts believe cleansng can help overcome food cravings, re-establish natural hunger and restore our appreciation for healthy foods.

The physical manifestations of cleansing include increased energy, better sleep, clearer skin, sharpened senses, a cleaner body and increased relaxation. The mental and spiritual aspects include greater creativity, self-confidence, motivation, optimism, and improved mental clarity.

But the positive effects aren't just physical. When the body has eliminated the buildup of harmful substances, we feel healthier, more energized, and better equipped to enjoy life's posibilities.

Article featured in Your Business at Home Magazine
Volume 1, Issue 7, October 2006

Eating-Out Tips

2006-09-13T16:48:00.000-04:00

Here's how to keep your diet on track in any restaurant

by Linda Gassenheimer

With many of our meals eaten out, it's hard to maintain a healthful lifestyle. Here are some eating-out tips that can help.

1. Have a snack beforehand: It may seem counterintuitive to have a small snack before going out to eat--after all, you may be going to a restaurant because you want to spend a night out of the kitchen or your cupboard is bare. However, going to a restaurant on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster. Eat a small piece of low-fat cheese or a few whole wheat crackers before heading out the door, and you'll find it's far easier to make wise choices once you're looking at a big menu.

2. Don't go out for drinks on an empty stomach: Drinks are called aperitifs because they increase your appetite. One drink will make you hungry, and you will probably eat the first thing that you see. Also, if it's going to be a long cocktail hour, start with sparkling water or a diet drink before ordering a glass of wine or a drink.

3. Delay the bread: There's nothing wrong with enjoying the bread basket--the problem is that it's so hard to resist eating all of it at once. Ask for the bread basket to be brought to the table with the main course. This will keep you from nibbling while you wait for your order.

4. Order wisely: Instead of an appetizer and main course, opt for smaller portions by ordering two appetizers instead. Plan to share an entrée with your dining companion. Likewise, order one dessert and share it with the table. And when at fast-food restaurants, opt for the salads or grilled meat or fish. Ask for salad dressing on the side. Dip the salad into the dressing or spoon a tablespoon of it over the salad.

5. Start with a doggie bag: Often restaurant portions are so huge, it's easy to feel satisfied even if you only eat half of what is served. Ask for the doggie bag to arrive when your dinner is served so you can set some of your meal aside.

Link to Prevention article - Reprinted from Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes by Linda Gassenheimer © 2006. Permission granted by Rodale Books. Available at www.dinnerinminutes.com or wherever books are sold.

Quick Update

2006-09-11T02:28:00.000-04:00

Just a little update of my progress. I'm down to 212 now for a total loss of 8 lbs so far! Just 4 lbs left to be back to where I was before pre-binge. Saturday was a big time cheat day though. John, my hubby, and I went out for his bday, and we had some mexican food and a couple drinks. It was a much needed night out. All is well though, and I'm back on program anxious to see the final results of this 9 day!

Definitely On My Way!

2006-09-06T09:17:00.000-04:00

Well, I wasn't going to weigh-in until after my 2nd cleanse day, but just for the heck of it I decided to weigh this morning just to see what, if any, progress has been happening with the scale. 215.5 - I'm down 4.5 lbs after just my first pre-cleanse (aka shake) day! My goal is to get back to my pre-binge weight of 208 by the end of the 9 day, which would of course be a total loss of 12 lbs. Definitely on my way to do that! Now, I'd be completely open to losing more than that, but that's my goal. What an awesome program this is!

It's ON!

2006-09-05T22:43:00.000-04:00

Well, as I mentioned before today was the day to get back on program with a 9 Day, and today was pre-cleanse day 1. So far so good! My starting over weight is, 220. Yes, I gained 12 lbs being off program for about a month. Keep in mind tho, as I said before, I didn't just go off program and make healthy choices, I went way off and ate like I had before I began the program. Let me tell you I wasn't feeling very good about it all either. I could definitely tell a difference in how I felt overall being on and off program, so it was a learning experience for me. I much prefer how I felt being on the program, and I will continue to be on it even through maintenance. These products are awesome! I can't promise that I won't mess up anymore along the way, but I refuse to quit. I will make it!

So here we go ... onward to a thinner, healthier me!

Learning From My Experience

2006-09-04T14:20:00.000-04:00

I've learned a lot from my experience falling off program. I realize that I have more of a problem than I thought with my emotional eating, and I need to work on getting that under control.

I've been under a lot of stress, not getting enough sleep at night, and just being depressed about all that in general, and I turned to food (really bad food) for comfort. I know it doesn't really help to do that yet I did it anyway. The thing was that from being on the Isagenix program for so long, I didn't even have the cravings or the taste for the things I ate. I forced myself to eat them. I sabotaged myself. I went through a period of not caring. Except that I did care, but that ended up just being a nagging voice in the back of my head ... too quiet to be effective.

Being off program, I truly realized how great I felt being on it. It's a bit difficult to describe, but I had more energy and overall I just felt so good and alive! I'm back to not having much energy, wanting to sleep all the time, and just feeling like crap really. I don't like it, and I want back what I had before with Isagenix.

I know I need to have portion controlled meals otherwise I have a hard time not finishing my plate just because the food is there. Leftovers need to be put away by someone other than myself for a little while at least, and I need to not go for seconds just because there is just a little bit left. Food has always been a weakness of mine. You could probably say it could go as far as being an actual eating disorder, although I have never admitted to that. I'll go into that further in another post because I would like to address the subject of eating disorders further.

I had allowed all of this to be greater than me ... to be greater than my goal and my determination to succeed, and it eventually took over again. No more. I know I have to take steps, and I may have to work on things harder than most people, but I'm up for the challenge. I've learned a lot from my recent experience, and I will go forward from all this.

I'm excited and a little nervous about getting back on program again, but tomorrow is the big day, and I'm not looking back! I'm going to beat this!

Plan of Action

2006-08-22T10:30:00.000-04:00

I'm still around, but I haven't exactly gotten back on program yet, BUT I do have a plan. A few friends and I will be doing a 9 day starting Sept 5th. This is motivation for all of us to get going and lose the weight and feel fabulous! So that will push my weigh-ins to Thurs for the time being, although on Tues the 5th, I will post my starting over weight. Not going to be thrilled with the numbers because I have gained some weight back, but it's only a temporary set-back. Now I just want to note here that it wasn't because I went off program that made be gain back some weight. It's the fact that I resorted back to my horrible eating habits. So it's like I'm starting over again, but not from square one though because I've still come a long way, and I'm still in my 16s no problem, so I haven't gained enough to change the size clothes I was wearing last time I weighed-in, so that's a plus. I just have farther to go to get as close to a 14 as I was before. That's ok though. I'll get there. My goal now is to be in ONEDerland before Thanksgiving, preferably 175 or 180 by then, but I'm not pushing it.

So anyone who has been considering doing the program come on and join us on our cleanse! The more the merrier :).

What Happened?

2006-08-04T09:28:00.000-04:00

Perhaps there are some wondering where my weigh-in was for the week. Well, I have no loss to report this time around. I've gone off track, and I need some time to pull myself together and get going in the right direction again. Sure I have my reasons aka excuses on why that is ... and they seem like big obstacles to me, but I still could have overcome them, but there were times I didn't even resist. Not making sense? Well, it doesn't all make much sense to me either. I was doing really well. I'm not perfect, and I certainly have demonstrated my lack of perfection the past couple weeks. I don't know what came over me. Well, ok perhaps I do. Stress, lack of sleep ... which leads to more things that I'm not even going to take the time to go into because really it's all excuses. Funny how they seem like real justifiable reasons to the person who's going through it though. Perhaps that's just what I have convinced myself of.

Am I quitting? Heck no! My plan is to be in ONEderland by the end of the month. My course may have changed and lengthened my trip, but I'm still going to get there. Failure is not an option because I'm not going to quit. I'm going to convention next year, and I will be in the 100 lbs losers club onstage with my friends and many others who won the battle of the bulge.

I've come a long way, not only by already losing over 50 lbs, but because I'm not allowing a setback keep me from reaching my goals. Many times before I would just quit, and say well I screwed up, might as well just quit now ... what's the point? The point is that it's not over. Making mistakes isn't the end of the world. It's human nature. We all mess up sometimes ... even at things we're really great at.

It's hard to share when I do mess up, but I have to because I want people to know that I go through struggles sometimes too. As I said, I'm not perfect, and they don't have to be either. There are people that get on this program and are extremely disciplined and have no problems. That's not me. Would be great if it was, but it's not, and I'm guessing that would apply to most people. Now whether or not they choose to admit it that's another story. Then again, I could be wrong though.

So ... I'm working on pulling myself together and getting back on track now. I'm trying to catch up to the wagon right now to get back on it. That bump that knocked me off was a real doozy. It ain't over 'til this fat woman ain't fat no more! I have my 10 year high school reunion next year. I have the bridge run. My goal is to be around 150 by my bday next year. Granted I may decide not to lose that much, but for now that's my goal. It may not be smooth sailing the whole way, but I'm going to make it happen regardless!

Week 16 Weigh-In

2006-07-26T10:22:00.000-04:00

Weight (pounds):

SW: 263
CW: 208
GW: 150

Last Week: 209.5
Current Loss: 1.5
Total Lost: 55

Ok 1.5 lbs may not be that impressive, but it's still a loss nonetheless, so I'll take it lol. 55 lbs down now - woo hoo! I haven't been exercising much at all lately. It's not easy to find the time, but I'm not even going to use that excuse because I could find some time somewhere to get some in, but I haven't been doing that. Needless to say, I need to work on that.

I also need to work on getting more sleep. Lack of sleep doesn't help with weight loss, I'll tell you that. I wasn't a coffee drinker until I started working overnight. So confession time ... I either drink a Starbucks Double Shot or a large cup of coffee with lots of cream and sugar when I can't have the Starbucks. When you're about to fall asleep at work well you do what you have to do with what you have available at the time to make sure you don't.

So that's my update. Sharing joy and dissappointment this week. I'm glad to have seen a loss all things considering, so I am happy about that. I'll keep working on it!

Goal for next week ... lose at least 2 lbs and get in some more exercise!

Week 15 Weigh-In

2006-07-19T09:29:00.000-04:00

Weight (pounds):

SW: 263
CW: 209.5
GW: 150

Last Week: 213
Current Loss: 3.5
Total Lost: 53.5

Back to losing again ... woo hoo! Found out that that my pics are gone *sigh*. I managed to find one before pic to use that managed to be saved on a disk. The rest that I was going to use somehow disappeared when my husband transferred the hard drive over to the new computer. The folders are all there where the pics are supposed to be but many of the folders are empty now, and we don't know why. So that's very disappointing, not just because my pics are gone, but because many are gone, and of course pics can't be replaced. He tried to burn a cd of them before the switch, but the computer wouldn't recognize our cd burner. We've had some major issues with the computer here lately if you couldn't tell. As I said, very disappointing, but unfortunately there's nothing I can do about it.

On a more positive note ... getting closer and closer to ONEderland *yay*. In a few weeks I should be there!

Week 14 Weigh-In

2006-07-13T05:04:00.000-04:00

Weight (pounds):

SW: 263
CW: 213
GW: 150

Last Week: 213
Current Loss: 0
Total Lost: 50

I weighed in yesterday, but I didn't get around to posting it then, but here it is now.

I maintained this week, and I'm actually very happy about that. It was a rough week, and I went way off track, but I got back on track at the end of the week and did 2 cleanse days to help get rid of all the nasties I put into my body. That helped a lot, and I managed to not gain any weight, which I have managed not to do any since being on this program. This is only the second time in 14 weeks that I have only maintained, and both of these times were around PMS or that TOM. Those are the most difficult times for me, and this past week it really hit me hard, but I still came out alright in the end. Next week I'll be a loser again, I'm sure :).

Week 13 Weigh-In

2006-07-05T20:50:00.000-04:00

Weight (pounds):

SW: 263
CW: 213
GW: 150

Last Week: 216
Current Loss: 3
Total Lost: 50

Chocolate Lovers Endulge!

2006-07-01T04:39:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine was telling me one day about this product called VitaMuffins which is supposed be some great tasting muffin packed with loads of vitamins. So I went to company website to find out more about this VitaMuffin, and here are some things I found:

Taste - winner of the American Tasting Institute's "Award of Excellence"
Nutrition - fortified with 15 vitamins and minerals
Control - only 80-100 calories per 2-oz serving
Health - high in fiber (4-7g), with fat-free or low-fat... and they're kosher
Satisfaction - leaves you feeling full and satisifed
Peace of mind - all natural; no artificial additives or preservatives

Four varieties choose from: BlueBran, CranBran, MultiBran, AppleBerryBran, Deep Chocolate, Low-Carb/Sugar-Free BananaNut and Velvety chocolate, VitaBrownie, and Double Chocolate Dream.

Alrighty, well that sounded pretty good, and hey they even tell you about how great they taste and there are even some testimonials about them, but the questions was ... would I like them? I had to see for myself. Oh let me add in here now, I am not an affiliate or paid anything for sharing this information.

I did not order from the website, I found a store locally that sells a few of the products. I decided to give the Deep Chocolate Muffins a try.

Some facts about these particular muffins (2 oz Deep Chocolate):

* 100 calories
* 6g fiber
* 4g protein
* 98% fat free
* 15 vitamins and minerals
* eating 2 a day provides 100% RDA of 10 vitamins and minerals!

And guess what ... they are delicious! I didn't expect them to taste as good as they do, but I love them. In fact, I had my 2 today, and I quite enjoyed them, and they are surprisingly quite filling for their size. Plus, this is a healthy way to satisfy those chocolate cravings and get those vitamins in that your body needs. In my opinion this is a great addition to the Isagenix system.

You can order these products or check for a retailer nearest you by going to the VitaLicious.com website.

Week 12 Weigh-In

2006-06-28T09:39:00.000-04:00

Weight (pounds):

SW: 263
CW: 217
GW: 150

Last Week: 220
Current Loss: 4
Total Lost: 47

I haven't been posting as much lately, but I'm still hanging in there. My goal for next week is to lose another 3 for a total of 50 or more lbs lost. I think it's very doable! I'm extremely confident that I will reach that goal considering how my weight loss has been going so far.

Today is my anniversary ... been married to my hubby for 3 years now. Not sure what the plans are to celebrate, but we'll figure something out I'm sure.

Next week I may be pushing my cleanse day to Weds and weigh-in on Thurs since the 4th is on a Tues (my normal cleanse day), and the family is planning a cookout that day and some fireworks. I may or may not be able to go. If not then it will be a cleanse day as usual.

Another great week though! Woo hoo, closer and closer to my goal. Right now I'm getting really excited about how close I'm getting to the 100s again. When I hit 199 I'm going to be thrilled because it's been many years since I was that weight. I gotta say though that losing inches is great too lol. I don't think it will be long at all before I'm in a 14. I'm top heavy though, so I'm bigger up top than I am on the bottom. I have a short torso and long legs. So my shirt size goes down a bit slower it seems than my pant size. I'm getting there though!

Next week sometime when I hit the 50 lost mark, I will be posting some pictures. So stay tuned!

Week 11 Weigh-In

2006-06-21T09:40:00.000-04:00

Weight (pounds):

SW: 263
CW: 220
GW: 150

Last Week: 223
Current Loss: 3
Total Lost: 43

Things have been a bit crazy since I started a part-time job working overnight. I eat and sleep at different times during the day now, so it took some getting adjusted to. Plus, it's been more difficult to squeeze in some exercise, but I try to make up for the lack at work. Since it's not very busy at night, I walk around the store. Not really the same for me as taking an actual walk because I when I go for my walks I tend to throw in some jogging which I don't do in the store of course lol, but it's still moving and walking. Calories are still burned so it counts for something.

Anyway, not a bad week at all! Woo hoo ... 21 lbs from ONEderland. It's getting closer *cheer*. BTW I can't remember if I mentioned in a previous post what ONEderland is, so maybe I should add this to the sidebar info, but all it is basically is just getting back into the 100lb zone. So I'm 21 lbs away from 199 and getting back into the 100s. As I get closer to my goal, my actual goal weight may change, but for now 150 seems reasonable.

Those that are reading my blog, and following my story that have been debating on whether or not to give this program a try ... I really encourage you to contact me. We'll go over any questions you may have, and see if this would be right for you and your goals. Keep in mind there is a money back guarantee, so there is virtually no risk involved, and hey you may very well love your results as I have. It's not just weight loss for me. I feel wonderful on this program, and I highly recommend it based on my own experience with this. It's been a blessing to me.

Another NSV

2006-06-20T08:44:00.000-04:00

Well it's official ... I'm now in a regular 16. I knew the 18s were getting somewhat baggy, so I figured I was in a 16. but I wasn't sure until Sunday when we went to Target and I tried on some more jeans. I don't buy many new clothes when I need a smaller size because I don't intend to stay in them that long ... I would like to go down to at least a 12. I was a 12 probably sometime in middle school. I was in a 16s and 18s in high school ... 18 when I graduated. Then it just went up after that. So it's great to see the sizes go down now - woo hoo!

Anyway, I'm overly tired so no ramble session this morning lol. Was just very happy to be in a regular 16 now .... YAY! *cheer*

Week 10 Weigh-In

2006-06-14T03:17:00.000-04:00

Weight (pounds):

SW: 263
CW: 223
GW: 150

Last Week: 227
Current Loss: 4
Total Lost: 40

I'm reporting very early in the morning because right now my hours are all out of whack and so is my schedule of when I eat and such. So it's 3am and I decided to go ahead and weigh-in. I'm pleased to report that ... I DID IT! Even though I majorly goofed this week, I still reached my goal of 223 to be able to report a 40 lb loss in 10 weeks *cheer* ... I'm excited, and I'm feeling great!

Confession Time

2006-06-11T08:58:00.000-04:00

Well this is very difficult to write here, but I said I would be totally honest in my postings, so here goes. I was absolutely horrible last night. I didn't just cheat, I gorged, and I'm very disappointed in myself. Yes, I've been a little bad here and there, but I still had some control over myself, but last night I just lost it. I had a goal for next week, to be able to report a 40 lb loss in 10 weeks, and I was on track for that. I don't report mid-week totals or anything because my weight can fluctuate, but I was down to 224.5 ... this morning I was back up to 226. How could I let myself do that? It's like for brief moment ... I just didn't care. I try to stay positive, but I have been under a lot of stress lately on top of PMS (which I get really bad), and I haven't been getting much sleep the past couple weeks either. As I've posted about before, I'm and emotional eater, but I've been doing a lot better with it, until recently. It's almost like I blanked out and went on auto-eat. I feel like crap this morning too. I haven't eaten like that in a long time, and I feel disgusting right now. Anyway, various things are just going on right now ... don't really want to get into details on that, but I'm trying to get everything under control. I really didn't need my little "episode" on top of all of that because it certainly didn't make my stress level go down - it just added to it.

My body certainly noticed what happened, and it doesn't like it at all because I really do feel gross this morning due to all the horrible things I ate ... the peanut butter wasn't that bad ... sometimes I crave that for some odd reason, and I had calories to spare for that last night before everything else, but then I had to move on to some of the grits my husband made with lots of butter (Smart Balance Light, so it wasn't the worst thing in the world there) ... then onto leftover chinese food (egg roll and chicken pancit which was my husband's food from the night before). Anyway, I was stuffed with all that nastiness. Then I went to bed shortly after. Late night gorging is never a good thing. I think I had something around the vicinity of 3600 calories for the day yesterday ... egads!

Last night is done and over, and altho I've gotten a lot better about getting over it and moving on when I have gone off track, but this time it's harder to shake that awful feeling of failure. I know I've been doing very well so far, but I thought I had better control than that, and for me to have just lost it like that ... *sigh*.

Ok, I have 3 days left in the week before I weigh-in on Weds, I can turn this around. I may or may not be able to report that I've lost 40 lbs in 10 weeks, but even if I lost just a lb, which at 226, I'm still showing a an overall loss for the week so far, I've succeeded even just a little given the circumstances. 3 lbs in 3 days ... can I do it? I guess we'll see. If not ... that's ok too. But I've got to get over this negativity. I've come too far to let something like this keep me down, and I'm not going to allow this temporary setback keep me from reaching my goals because I will make it. I haven't failed until I actually quit, and quitting is not an option. I CAN and WILL do this! I'm NOT an awful person for what I did last night. I had a moment of weakness and caved, but that's DONE and OVER now. Time to move on, and get back on track because there's nothing I can do to change what happened last night. I can only do something about what I do today, and today I'm back on track, and my journey continues.

How To Have MORE Energy Without Harmful Herbs

2006-06-08T22:44:00.000-04:00

Will drugs or diet pills help you lose weight?

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