Group LLC Holiday Challenge!

Hi Everyone! Seems like you are all doing pretty well! I am busy now, so when I'm busy I don't eat. I am working a lot, which is a good thing, since I didn't think I'd have any work! I am sticking to my goal of planning the meals, and exercising. So far, so good! You know, it makes me feel so much better. So why don't I do it all the time??? I guess that's the big question.

JOY - I think there should be an entry in the exercise database for chasing around an 8 month old! Wonder how many calories that will burn, LOL?

PROFJAN - I always do better when I'm busy too - I do know that I'm a bored eater -when I get bored, I want to eat.... How do you find the time to exercise???

MARIE - I might have to try some greek yogurt - there is a brand at Walmart called Oikos - I think I'll get some this weekend. I use a little bit of plan NF yogurt (1/4 c) in the mornings in my breakfast shake. Maybe I'll switch it up. I'm going to check around here to find some Oolong - I think they might have it in the organic section of my local grocery store, I think I've seen it there.

Made a lovely stir-fry tonight, used Birdseye Oriental frozen veggies, cooked a couple of frozen ribeyes on the George Foreman, and cut them up and put them in w/ the stir-fry veggies in a big skilled - with a little Teriyaki sauce. yum! Now I'm going to have jello and whipped cream....

Tomorrow is hump day - then a downhill slide til the weekend! Y'all have a wonderful evening - puter battery is low, need to plug it in! G'nite!

To the pretty lady with the pretty hat..... Res........ . My walmart has another brand out and is only 2.98 for 16 oz. It is called Athenos. plain greek strained yogurt. nearly all of the greek yogurt just have 5 g. of carbs Non fat. Its really good with berries. and low sodium too. But fruit is not on my list now. It will be awhile. That might have been a sale price Cottage cjheese is real high in sodium. Marie

Res. it came out in the women World magazine a souple weeks ago. i read the article and decided to go for it. I never did beleive in ll the fat in adkins so never went on it. This seems pretty simple and I like all foods. Will stay on it unless for health reason it does not agree with me. ?But so far OK. Just wish I can get my HANDS ON ONE OF HIS BOOK.tHEIR ARE SO MANY ARTICLE ON THE WB SITE eVEN FOUND SOME ON FACEBOOK. Canada is coing out with an english verson Have my name on the waiting list.


http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781444710328/The-Dukan-Diet

Everyone is really doing well! I like the positive energy. I try to exercise when I have any free time. I usually do it when I get home from work (if it is early enough) or just whenever I feel a little motivated. If I wait too long, the moment has passed. Basically, I try to get it out of the way ASAP! Bad attitude toward exercising. I should work on that. Happy Wednesday to all!

OK LLCers - I'm in a funk and I'm getting annoyed!!!!

I have been living the low carb lifestyle for years, though I wasn't totally low carb. In the past few months I renewed myself to the low carb lifestyle and have stuck to it. One of my huge down-falls is sweets, but I have maintain my strength and have resisted. I exercise daily for at least an hour. Some times I walk and jog in the park, other times I put in a DVD and work out. I walk on my lunch hour on most days which includes climbing the steps on the Arch grounds (57 steps down and 61 step up)!!! Why in the name of all that is good I haven't lost any weight since August 22!?!?!?!?!? As a matter of fact - my scale is saying that I have gained weight. It's like a roller coaster and I'm tired of the ride.

Usually I don't have a pity party but I'm feeling pitiful today. So this morning I wanted to eat foods or food like substances that I have deprived myself for over a year.

Can anyone give me some suggestions as to what I may be doing wrong?
I keep my carb intake low, I drink my water (though I don't always log it), I exercise. WHAT IS WRONG!?!?!?!

Reading Res earlier post, maybe I never went into ketosis. That's a thought.

VJ - I agree with what Savery said, definitely. If you're still doing low carbs, like induction of 20 NC a day, this may be your body telling you it's time to move into Phase 2 - OWL, where you add in some additional carbs, certain types of food each week, as listed on the ladder in the OWL chapter of the book.

Savery's also right about re-reading the Plateau section....

Also, here are some interesting posts I found about plateaus on the Atkins website...

"PLATEAUS: Nutritionist's Blog from Colette:

Areas to Explore if Your Weight Loss Has Stalled
It’s perfectly natural for you to lose weight in fits and starts. Usually, if you stick with the program for a few more days—or even weeks, in some cases—weight loss will resume. You may just need some minor adjustments to get the scale moving in the right direction again. Here are some trouble-shooting questions that should help you get back on track.
1. Have you altered your activity level or made any other significant lifestyle change? Non-exercise activity is the not-so-secret ingredient in ongoing weight management. If you've decreased your activity level, you may have noticed your weight loss has stalled. Simple lifestyle changes are a great way to speed things up. Increasing your activity will jumpstart your metabolism and will also allow you to consume more carbs without gaining weight. Simple changes that include taking the stairs, avoiding moving platforms, parking far from your destination, pacing while talking on phone, fidgeting while sitting at your desk, and the utilization of exogenous weights, such as ankle and wrist weights, during activities of daily living will help you burn more calories.
2. Are you taking in more grams of net carbs than you’re aware of? Carbohydrates are a component of so many foods that it’s easy to surpass your recommended net carb level. Don’t forget to count artificial sweeteners (see No. 8 below). Be sure to read labels; salad dressings, condiments, sauces and other convenience items vary dramatically in carbohydrate content. Always select the lowest carb version of a food.
3. Are you consuming excess protein? Keep your portion sizes reasonable. You should feel satisfied, not stuffed after a meal. Try this: Don’t eat as much as you normally do at a meal or snack. After 30 minutes, if you’re no longer hungry, you’ll begin to recognize the difference between habit and real hunger. You’ll then be able to stop eating when you’re full, which promotes weight loss.
4. Are you eating at least three meals a day? Skipping meals will cause your blood sugar level to drop and may slow your metabolism. You’ll be more apt to overeat at your next meal. One of the benefits of the Atkins program is its ability to stabilize blood sugar and control appetite. Don’t skip meals!
5. Are you drinking enough water each day? In addition to helping prevent constipation, water helps keep your body functioning properly in other ways. On any dietary regimen, a minimum of 64 ounces, or eight 8-ounce glasses, of water per day is the usual recommendation. Many people suffer from inadequate hydration, so it's important to be diligent about drinking throughout the day. Water consumption will also help flush toxins from your body and combat bad breath. You're also better able to discern true signs of hunger when you’re hydrated.
6. Are you constipated? Be sure that you’re taking in at least 12 to 15 grams of net carbs in the form of vegetables, and not using most of your carb allotment on other foods. After the first few days, your body should adjust and constipation shouldn’t be a problem. When you begin to add more carbohydrates as you advance through the phases, your first choices should be more vegetables, followed by seeds and nuts and then berries— all good sources of fiber.
7. Have you started new medication? Talk with your doctor to find out if any of your medications affect weight gain or make it more difficult to lose. Medications can alter appetite, metabolism and water retention. If this is the case, work with your doctor to find possible substitutions.
8. Are you overconsuming artificial sweeteners? Try to limit your intake to three or fewer packets of sweeteners a day. Count each packet as 1 gram of net carbs. For some people, using artificial sweeteners makes it more difficult to break the carbohydrate addiction.
If these suggestions aren’t enough to get the scale moving, you may be stranded on a plateau. A plateau—meaning an inexplicable pause in weight loss that cannot be traced back to dietary misdemeanors or lifestyle changes—can happen in the later stages of weight loss, after the first, “easy” pounds have slipped away. Fortunately, plateaus are seldom permanent and usually yield to certain strategies. First, figure out if you’re really on a plateau.
What Is a Plateau?
To be a genuine plateau, the pause in weight loss must meet the following criteria:
• No weight loss or loss of inches for at least four weeks.
• You haven't altered your exercise regimen or made any other significant lifestyle change.
• You’re not taking any new medications (including hormone therapy) that may be interfering with weight loss.
• You can honestly say you’ve adhered to all aspects of the program.
How to Handle a Plateau
First, stay calm. Don’t give up and return to your old way of eating.
Remember two things: First, your body is not a machine. Nor is it a clone of anyone else’s body. It has its own system, its own agenda and its own timetable. In the long run, your body nearly always responds to sensible management by the person in charge. That’s you.

But in the short run, your body may decide to go its own way, for its own reasons that we may not be able to understand. Don’t get mad at it—or yourself. It’s a good body or it wouldn’t have gotten you this far. Be patient; you can afford to outwait it."

Thanks guys - I will take another look at the book and re-examine myself. One change I have to make immediately is reduce the sweetener. I am using too many. I like my coffee and I like my sugar free hawaiian punch but if those "luxuries" are sabotaging me - then they are gone!!!

I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

WOW! Such great information here!! Thanks!

I'm about to call it a night! On track today and feelin' good about it. This is a great, supportive bunch of people -- thanks! :bigsmile:

Do you think bringing your own meal to a bbq would be rude ??? This weekend it's my nephew's birthday and they are bbqing and of course it's hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, chips, beer, soda!! And I was thinking of bring a salad along so i stay away from the other foods they will have there. The burger won't be bad since i eat those plain but im worried about snacking on chips and eating junk. But i didn't want to be rude towards my sister if i brought a salad and maybe some baby carrots to snack on .. What do you all think ???