Dr G is great. I really like her. I think its great to start learning healthy habits early on, but it's so easy to drink the shakes and not have to think about anything or count anything- and know that you won't be hungry. It's going to be tough to have to be so responsible. As I said in another post, I lean strongly towards impatience. I'm still trying to understand how I lost 4# a week on Weight Watchers, while basically eating junk and 1000 calories a day, and now I'm consuming all of this healthy stuff, working out daily and only taking in 760 calories a day and I'm still only 4-5# a week! I don't get it!

The good news is, I'm at -17. I'm also taking your advice and preparing myself to learn patience and to be proud of each pounds as it comes off, as I've WORKED to earn it! And not to be discouraged when it doesn't come off in my time frame. With effort and smart choices it will ALL come off... eventually.

Not bad for losing 19 pounds. I'm getting there- but have 70-80 to go. The ponytail picture was taken last December. The other two are today in the same clothes. If I walk in these jeans, they'll quickly end up around my ankles! The weight loss is less noticable on top, but my tummy is much smaller and my face is a bit thinner too. So for those just starting, it's amazing what you might see (or no longer see! ;-) ) in just a month!

Thanks, Julie! I'm minus 20 now. My weigh in is changing to Monday, so I'm a day short from last Tuesdays weigh in which had me at -17. I'm pleased with the 3 pounds considering it's water retention time and I'm eating a meal a day now.

minus 23! I wasn't sure how eating a meal a day would affect my weight loss, but so far, so good! I usually have a salad with lowfat sharp cheddar cheese sprinkled on it and a sliced hard boiled egg. Then I have a side of meat, usually chicken, sometimes beef or pork. I don't weigh, but usually eyeball measure a deck of cards or the palm of my hand to check portion. I save my protein bar for an after supper snack, usually around 8pm or so, when I'm watching TV and wanting to nibble.

I had bought two pair of jeans a size smaller- about 3 weeks ago. The difference in brand sizes meant that the one pair fit great when I bought them- a wee bit snug, but wearable, while the other pair was uncomfortably snug, so were tucked away for future use. I'm happy to say that the future is NOW. The 1st pair I can now take off and on without even unbuttoning them. A couple more weeks and they'll be back to the goodwill store for the next person. The uncomfortably snug pair are a perfect fit! I love shrinking! I wish I would shrink more on top- I carry so much of my weight there. But my tummy has definitely deflated noticibly, and my face is thinner. I bought a tee shirt at the Def Leppard concert last Sunday- a MEDIUM. My college also gave our class free tee shirts this week. I took a MEDIUM. Now I anticipate shrinking into them!

That's incredible, Julie! And that means you're out of "women" sizes and into regular sizes. For me, that's the first goal- getting under 200 and into those "normal" sizes. I'm nearly there. I'm wearing a size 15 in jeans, but still a 1x on top. The size 18's are getting bigger, but I can't squeeze the upper half into a 14/16 yet.

I'm nervous. Today I go in for my first big checkup since I started. I'll get measured and put on the scanner and who knows what else. I'm excited to see how my weight loss translates into inches. I'm also disappointed that weight loss isn't as quick as I'd like it to be. I think I'm only down 2 pounds this week. I'm following the diet pretty precisely, but when you're also eating a meal, it can be sometimes be difficult to judge what is too much. I might have to get precise with measuring things instead of "eyeballing" it. I'm still flabbergasted that such a low-cal, low-carb, low-EVERYTHING diet, also with plenty of exercise can only translate to a couple pounds a week. It just seems like such sacrifice should mean more pounds off! I'm trying not to be frustrated, but I am.

Thanks Julie!

I was put back on the scanner two weeks ago. My doctor wasn't thrilled to see I had lost more muscle than she likes. She said a little bit is normal, but my percentage was slightly higher than "normal". So I was put on a protein powder to mix in with my water (it's good, tastes like crystal light only without the heartburn). She also told me to kick up the exercise, doing a lot more resistance work. I'd lost about 15" total, most of it around my hips and tummy. She scolded me to eat fish at least once a week and expand my variety of veggies. I've never been a fish eater or a veggie eater. I'm very routine and boring in my eating, so this has been tough. I find I like raw veggies much better than cooked. So I've been trying zucchini and cucumbers (my fave so far), broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts (not a fan of bs). I've been trying to force down some chicken of the sea tuna or salmon once a week. But I do have to force it, it's a chore for me.

Weight loss continues to be slow, but it does continue. I'm down about 35 pounds. My size 15 jeans are getting baggy so hopefully I'll be in 12-14's soon. Shirt sizes are slower, but I am transitioning out of womens XL (was originally womens 2x) and into regular XL's, so it's exciting to NOT BE in plus sizes anymore, woot woot! Better yet is that my BP meds have been knocked to half a dose and my pressures are still quite low (around 102/64) so it might be getting knocked to a fourth tablet soon. Exercise has been slow this week due to lightheadedness. Usually I work out for an hour 4-6 days a week. This week I worked out twice.

I'm still working on my impatience. I was sure I'd have lost closer to 60 pounds by Thanksgiving, but at this rate, I'll be lucky to be at 40#. I tell myself that's still amazing, I'm getting nice and healthy and losing it slowly, which makes me more likely to keep it off. I'm under 200 pounds for the first time in a decade and a half and I've lose enough that people are noticing- and not just in my face. But this is a long road, longer than I expected, and I've really been fighting cravings HARD. I think I'd commit a crime for a baked potato smothered in butter, cheese and bacon!

I also have to confess that my husband made tacos the other night. I wanted a taco- SO BADLY! So I did take a tablespoon full of the taco meat and sprinkled it over my salad the last two nights so I could feel like I was having taco salad. It was so good! So I might be in for another scolding at tomorrow's weigh in... But it was either that, or I feared I would crumble completely and make a taco.

How are things with you? It appears we're the only ones here anymore...