Hi guys
I'm so impressed, wow! You're doing great! Is there something in the air or so we just spit on each other?! I'm actually down 5 lbs and have some great momentum going too. I have finally stopped searching for the sweets after my meals too which is making a huge difference. On the weekend, I told Mark to get me some vegan ice cream "for a rainy day" and he forgot and I haven't missed it or felt like it anyway. What the heck?! (Don't shame for my non-compliant ways! Hahahaha).

Man Carla I'm so sad about your friends and their animals. I hope your aunt and cousin is okay. I actually can't imagine leaving animals behind but I recognize it's obviously not like bringing a cat on your lap. Just so sad. I remember how traumatizing it must have been for people in Alberta leaving their homes and not being able to return for so long, not knowing what they would find when/if they did. I read this horrifying article on climate change (and how much worse it is than popular opinion thinks) and it made me so depressed. Also, I started watching the Leftovers while I'm feeding Edie. That doesn't help lol.

Mihani, omg you are a greens machine!!! How do you feel? I thought I had mega increased my greens but nothing compared to you. Woohoo!

Hi karrie!! How are things going for you?

I went to the gym two days in a row. Last night to swim and use the whirlpool in peace which was amazing. Today Edie gets her first round of shots... wish me luck. I'm so nervous for her!

Congrats on the 5 lbs, Lia! Your swim & soak sounds so good. Hope Edie did well with her shots!

Mihani, your food is so good! You're really rocking the plan, even with a cold.

Last time we got a watermelon it was taking up way too much fridge space. The texture on a watermelon has to be just right for me. I hate any mushiness in any fruit. I have peaches and nectarines etc all just barely ripe so they still crunch. Anyway, Joe loves watermelon so I asked him to start picking up the baby sized ones. That way if they aren't firm enough he can finish them off himself easily.

Yesterday I kind of punked out on the plan. I didn't eat anything off-plan, but I also didn't get close to my greens count for the day. I just heated up some leftover chili for lunch with tofu, and for dinner we did pretty much the same. Leftover chili with sprouted grain bread. No salads at all yesterday and no greens other than the bits in the chili.

Today, I'm having bean burgers for lunch on the side of a huge salad with gg dressing. Not sure about dinner but Joe and I both want to boost our veggies today.

CarlaEnsink wrote: »

what I really need to find is yoga for the unfit and barely motivated.

Make that exercise for the unfit and barely motivated, and I'm in.

I see a few of you are doing the 6 week plan... and everyone seems to be doing well. And Mihani still works 8 or 9 days a week, so the earth is still on its axis.

I am doing my own 'homemade' diet... I call it the Raisin Bran Diet. It doesn't have so much to do with Raisin Bran, I just like the name. I am pretty sure I'm not cut out for ETL, although I still believe in it, in principal... I'd like to get back around to the "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants" principal.

I think around New Years, I can't remember... I started having a Booster Juice smoothy for breakfast near every day, and Wendy's Salad every work day, and / or Raisin Bran. I've been on night shifts for a couple of months now ( that's an entirely different story ) and I work 12 hr shifts, 4 on / 4 off. Every work day, I have a Booster Juice Strawberry Storm, before work, and one meal of Wendy's salad, and one meal of a huge bowl of Raisin Bran at work. On my days off, I eat 'what I want...' but try to maintain some kind of control, so as not to blow the entire thing.

I set my goal here, for a 'modest' loss of 1/2 lb per week. I figure that the work days ( nights, actually ) are a bit more of a deficit than that... and I try to stay around goal(ish) or not go astronomically over on days off. I've lost around 15 lbs, and do tend to lose a good 1/2 lb a week, at least, I'd say. I try to weigh just once, each cycle of days off.

I could just as easily name this diet, The Strawberry Storm Diet, The Wendy's Salad Diet, or Gawd forbid... 'The Moderation Diet.' My other favorite name for it, is the Intermittent Diet, because it's vaguely similar to Intermittent Fasting... although there's nothing close to fasting about it.

I just happen to like eating the same foods a lot, and it's easy to regulate, that way. One of the main things I've noticed since I started this tomfoolery... ( which appears to be a word, just the way I spelled it ) is that I haven't been binging. I eat a couple cookies after dinner, and don't go back for 10 more. Which astounds me.

I haven't exercised in quite awhile. I had a super-sore back a couple months ago, and it's down now to mostly just stiffness, and seems to be getting better over time, so it should be back to the pool, maybe gym soon.

I'm feeling pretty decent about this 'plan,' it certainly seems to be working, albeit, slowly... but for me, it's easy.

I kind of want to write a book about it. I have a lot of ideas in my head, and while it's 99% just a rip-off of the general MFP philosophy... I figure I could stir up a bunch of 'em anyhow... with my 'woo inspired' ideas, like, eating the same thing all the time, not weighing food, and not even counting calories.

I hope everyone continues to do well.



I just like to post pics, and this girl and her notoriety amuses me no end... If you know who she is, you probably watch too much daytime TV, or spend too much time on the internet. Google:
Danielle Bregoli

Hi sloth! You could still go to the pool with a stiff back if you modify your swimming a bit. Grab a flutter board and do kick on your back; that should be ok. Make sure you're laying flat; your ears should be in the water. And just do flutter kick. Nothing too fast. If you're feeling good with that, you can also try a slow freestyle stroke; in this way you could actually stretch your back and get rid of some of the stiffness if you concentrate on a good reach and shoulder roll (consider it drill swimming and don't go fast at all - you're simply practicing reach and roll in slow motion). Might actually make you feel better!!

I kinda miss the pool right now; but the kids and I will be going 2 or 3 days/week in September for speed swimming again, and then my DS will be going an extra day per week for water polo. He's my water baby... I might take them a couple of times to a family swim just to play; they always enjoy that. I chase them around and then they ride on my back for dolphin dives. They're getting a bit big for it, but they still enjoy it.

Going to the lake tonight for the weekend. On Sunday I'm going to meal plan again; I'm trying something new this time; I plan to eat the same meals for 2 days in a row so I only have to prep once every 2 days. That'll make it easier for me to stick to it, I think, since I really don't enjoy standing in the kitchen for hours and hours every single day. I usually only last a week when I go full out like that. So maybe I'll last 2 weeks this time.

Oops! Here too late to edit my post...the recipe has the wrong oven temp! yeesh. here's the link. I dont trust myself anymore: http://www.themicrovorediet.ca/single-post/2016/05/07/2-Ingredient-Quinoa-Bread-Microvore-Recipes
(heat oven to 425)

Sorry for babbling about my Raisin Bran Plan so much, since it's not likely something any of you are going to try anytime soon. :huh: But, I felt I needed to add... I do eat a 'Booster Bake' from Booster Juice, as a snack at work, as well... I'm not sure what it is... since it's called Very Berry, it certainly sounds healthy. it's like a flat cake / cookie sort of thing. And, instead of Raisin Bran, 2 nights of my 4, I mix up a smoothie, with cranberry juice, frozen strawberries, protein powder, and a banana. And I don't even like bananas. I started making that concoction, when my godmother was in hospital, and hated the food. Anyhow, I think you're totally up to speed, now.

The (ex) neighbor brought over her little dog for us to watch over the weekend, she seems to enjoy terrorizing our bigger dog and generally looks like she gets the best of any scraps they have, which are thankfully, few and far between. Anyhow, she brought brownies, as well. So, much for the Raisin Bran Plan today.

Here's my little growing baby!