@ Harold: You do deserve it. Your conviction and dedication to your health was tangible and contagious and your willingness to help the rest of us and have a consistently good attitude was inspiring :) @Marita: I'm in S. California. I try to eat meat in the morning. Leftover steak or chicken and my carbs for the day. Lately I've been eating a veggie burger for breakfast. It's easy, quick and delicious. Oatmeal and cereal don't stick with me long enough. I like my egg breakfast too: Four egg whites: 64 calories 1 C Spinach: 7 cal 1/2 C chicken (or steak/pork/whatever leftover meat I have from dinner the night before!!): 116 cal 1/4 C tomato: 8 cal 1/8 C feta cheese: 50 cal 1/8 C onion: 8 cal Total: 253 calories I saute the onion in some spray olive oil (0 cal!!), then put in the spinach and chicken until warm and just barely wilted, add the tomato and egg whites, and fold until cooked. Then put the feta on top (I use Spike seasoning) and let sit for a few minutes until the feta kind of melts. That leaves plenty for a slice of toast, some fruit slices, etc. And it's a LOT of food for so few calories. But meat chunks, cheese chunks, bread chunks in the morning are good too. It gives me good energy and fills me up, and I can kind of much for a few hours on that. I don't eat at home, I can't eat in the early morning, so I pack my breakfast and eat at work. This morning it's two scoops of chocolate protein powder 260 cal with one frozen banana 80 cal and 1/4 cup plain yogurt 38 cal. Total 378. Kind of a lot, but it's in two containers so I can ration it out for a meal/snack. I love fish too. Costco has great frozen fish (mahi, salmon) and I can just defrost one piece at a time. They also have good salmon patties- quick protein, low calories. Wodka, I can't imagine losing my home, community, way of life let alone dad and sister. I'm so sorry for your loss. I have empathy... I gained 10 lbs from July 09-March 10 after losing 28lbs from Feb 09 - June 09 with HWW :). I blamed it on the heat, losing my grandpa, family issues, etc... So, I've taken pro-active measures. I joined a gym (combating the heat issue) and am focusing more on strength than weight loss this time. Strong body, strong mind. I'm glad you joined us!! Use that $40 for a gym membership (and still have $$ left over!) or join some club that makes you feel good about yourself. It's easy for me to care about me and take care of me if I'm feeling good emotionally :) Have a great day everyone!!!

Good Morning, As the kids used to say- "Go Jasmi, Go Jasmi, It's your Birthday"!!!! 'Slim in 6' sounds like a killer that just may work if you can hang with it without getting hurt. I can't wait to break into the 150s. We've moved DH's 76 year old aunt in with us. She has no children, has gotten her finances in a mess, and is getting feeble and forgetful. It is hard on me because she has been alone for quite a while and doesn't want me out of her sight. She walks slowly with a walker and wants to sit and talk all of the time. I've got to carve out time somewhere in the day to get in my treadmill time. I had to go to the grocery store late last night after DH got home, dinner was over, and she had gone to bed. She wants to eat all of the time. YIKES!!! But, she is sweet and has been very good to me in the past. So... life goes on in the wierdest way. My scales said 165 this am. I hope it is true. Come on Ek, get on those scales. It can't be that bad. We still love you! Take my advice and throw that carrot cake away. She is not too dear if she is giving you carrot cake when you are trying to diet. Wish we could get more garden planted. DH tried to plant tomatoes Sat and a storm started before he could finish. Sounds like you have a great one going. Maybe I can get a nice fall garden going this year. We are zone 7 and can extend it into early winter with some protection (according to the books!) I really need more green leafy anything and groceries are REALLY getting expensive. Helen, I love retirement. But, I have been busier than I've ever been since I retired! Have you found that to be true also? I know what you mean about thunderstorms. Last night when I went grocery shopping the sky was lit up continuously with lightening and it started pouring before I could get back home. Crept the last 4-5 miles straining to see through the wall of water. I backed the car right up to the deck steps and carried all of the bags I could get on both arms in at once. The rest stayed in the car overnight. DH brought them in this morning before leaving for work. The driveway has ruts washed in it from the storm. Bummer. Where are you, Harold? Have a great day, Betty

Good Morning, Soooo sorry I'm late to the party. First, WELCOME Beth! The more the merrier on this journey together. We encourage and lift each other up as we are heading to a healthy weight. Tell us about yourself. I woke up one morning and while getting ready for church I started having the worst pain that started in my mid-back and came straight through my body to my heart and up the left side of my neck. That was classic female symptoms of heart trouble and it scared me plumb to death! That was my wake up call. I started that day to watch what I ate. It took me a week or so to get to the store and buy a set of scales. When I weighed the first time I was 180. I think that was sometime in March. Basically, I'm trying to stick to a modified version of the South Beach diet. That works better for me than any other diet I have ever tried. I say modified because I've got lots of allergies and can't eat onions, garlic, and most cheeses(due to the naturally occuring mold that happens in the process of becoming cheese). The SB diet has those as well as lots of fish. I HATE FISH!!! The real secret to the SB diet is low carb and heart healthy eating. It works for me. OK...... I have a confession to make, guys. Monday was my 55th birthday. We also had a Lady's meeting at church. Pastor's wife made these decadent mini-cupcake type thingies with melted dark chocolate poured over them. I ate one as well as LOTS and Lots of fruit INCLUDING watermelon. Y'all know my weigh-in day is Tuesday. I got on those scales Tuesday and it said 164lbs. I wouldn't log on and report that number because it would give me a 2 pound gain. I was ashamed and embarrassed. Yesterday morning I was back to 162 and would have come here and reported that number, but it was such a busy day and everytime I came near the computer there were people in the room. And y'all are the only people in this world who know how much I weigh. They say confession is good for the soul. I know I've felt guilty ever since I wouldn't come tell y'all the truth. So... there it is. Just like you, Harold - it is what it is. This morning I got great numbers, but I will stick with the true number that was there Tuesday morning and share the good number next Tuesday. Thanks, Harold for being honest. It really helps me to be accountable and true to myself. I got fat by not being honest with myself about my weight and what it was doing to my life and health. I don't want to go back there. I hope everyone had a great Holiday weekend. Lots of stress here. Still haven't made time for the treadmill. Swamped with paperwork trying to get DH's aunt's finances in order since we moved her in with us. Too many bills and not enough $$. The extra mouth to feed is hurting our already tight finances, too. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel which we may get to in about 4 months, but the stress getting there is much greater than I thought. Every day brings more bills in the mail that we didn't know she had and she either forgot or just doesn't want to face. I'm a stress eater, but she is labor intensive and I think that has helped me to keep a lid on the overeating (execpt for last monday night!). I missed logging in and spending time with y'all during the week. I will try to do better this week. Everyone except Harold and me had a good week weight wise. Keep up the good work. Silver, you have set such a good example with your diet and exercise for us all. Don't wait too long to get motivated again and backslide on us. GREAT numbers for you both Ek and Jas!!!! Helen, A loss is a loss and you had a loss! I'm PROUD ;~) Have a great day, Betty

Hi hi hi hi hi!!!! So sorry guys. Last week just got a way from me. We're going crazy yard work at our house and I've been exhausted. Still have not exercised since returning but have done lots of heavy lifting, pushing and bending. I figure shoveling dirt for 6 hours should count for something, right? :) EK, I knew what you meant... no retraction necessary :) And maintenance is on my mind... Weight = 131 155/24/? I'm actually pretty happy at 131. I know I said 125, but this is feeling pretty good. I'm still watching what I eat, and want to exercise more, but for now it's about toning rather than loss. I fit in my size 6 pants. I fit in my size 6 dresses. I feel good taking pictures. Actually, it was the wedding pictures that made me feel pretty good about myself. When I saw how I looked (and we all know what the camera does!!!) I realized I don't really need to lose any more. I don't want to be (s k i n n y) if you know what I mean. I want to be fit and lean. I need to post some befores and afters. remind me, ok? Happy birthday to all birthday people. So proud of Ek for the BMI/15lb milestone success!!! WHAHOO!!! Betty, I know what your body was lacking....FOOD :) Harold, I love couscous too!! Everyone is doing so well... so glad to be a part of this team. Have a good week everyone!!!