Gnildarts progress

[Gnildarts]

I just finished my first 4 weeks, so today is the first day I stepped on the scale. I lost 15.4 lbs and 3 inches! :jumping2: I was hoping to lose a little bit more than that, but I missed the first 5 days, so that is really what I lost in 3 weeks.

The biggest thing is that I feel great! I used to have headaches every day, terrible acid reflux all the time and I was extremely tired and lethargic. That has all changed already so I am super excited and ready to keep on losing the fat and getting healthy!:)

[OopsieDaisy]

Congratulations! You are doing a great job. Isn't great how the everyday is so much nicer just because you feel better? I am glad to hear that your headaches and acid refulx have subsided. Now it's time to grab a hold of something, the next four weeks will be here in no time. I can't wait to read some more about your progress :).

[Gnildarts]

Thanks Daisy! I was a bit upset this morning because I didn't think my results were as good as I wanted them and I havent' deviated at all. I thought I would have lost more inches for sure. My husband keeps telling me I am crazy and that 15 and 1/2 pounds is great, so I am trying to share in his optimism!

I have found that I am stronger than I ever gave myself credit for. I have had the strength to stand up to all the temptations so far. The hardest ones ar the social gatherings where everyone expects you to eat. Today I suvived the movie theater and the smell of the popcorn and yesterday I survived going to Olive Garden with a group of co-workers and only ordering water. It was frustrating because they all kept telling me to just try one bite of their food. I woud tell them no I can't eat that and they said just have some of the sald. Everyone freaks out when they I say no to the salad. "Surely you can eat salad" they say. It is hard to make some people understand.

It is nice to have this forum to talk to people who can understand and support you.

[apachejenn]

It is really hard to field those types of things. I've adopted the strategy of saying I can't eat something or can only eat something because of a doctor prescribed diet. Usually when they hear "doctor" and "prescribed" it answers some unknown question in their minds or lets them know that it's personal. If they continue to press the issue, you can always say you don't feel comfortable disclosing personal information.

Popcorn is the worst because the butter smell is sooooo strong! A coworker of mine makes popcorn daily. I've kind of gotten used to it though.

You're doing awesome, keep it up!

[Gnildarts]

I hate being sick! :sick: I have been sick the last several days and I haven't wanted to eat anything. I haven't wanted to drink my water either because I think it tastes funny because of my cold. Hopefully I will feel much better soon.

I don't know if it is because I am sick or if it is just a bad day but I feel really discouraged today. :( I feel like I am not making as much progress as I should be when I look at everyone elses progress. I know I shouldn't compare myself to others because we are all different and I don't usually compare so much. It must just be the end of a bad week. I know that I have been following my plan perfectly, so that is all I can do.

I have been waiting for a week to hear the results of my 4 week blood test. I keep checking my email hoping it will be there but it isn't. I want hear Dr Cohen's thoughts about my results and see if he needs to change my plan at all. Patience is not my strongest virtue!

Hopefully I will get out of this funk soon. {mood}

[mamaduckling]

Hang in there! You are absolutely right when you say you shouldn't compare to others, we are all different and lose differently. Just think about the fact that those 15 ugly pounds are gone, not to come back. I certainly can understand your frustration. I have reached a plateau and am having difficulty getting past it. But, I know this diet works, so I keep plugging on and staying dedicated to the plan. My 28 week weigh in is coming up Tuesday, so I hope I get to change my ticker some! You've already started to discover things about yourself, and you will make this journey. Hang tough!

[Gnildarts]

Thanks mamaduckling! I'm definately still motivated, it has just been a long week and I am anxious to hear back about my blood test. When it comes down to it I know I have done everything that I can, so I will just keep plugging away.

[Gnildarts]

Well, I finally got over my bad/funky mood and I am feeling great again.

Yesterday I walked 2 miles on the treadmill and I didn't notice being any hungrier today. I'm hoping I can do this a couple of times a week. I don't want to push it too much though. I know that there isn't enough calories in the diet to work out too hard.

One of my friends at work made my day today! She said that she is really noticing a difference in my face. Not just from losing some of the fat but that I am looking healthier and "glowing". That made me feel so good because I feel like a completely different person than I was a month ago. I don't see much difference in my face when I look in the mirror, because my face is one of the slowest places to lose fat. But I feel much better about myself and have more confidence and I know I am much, much happier that I was. It is nice to have someone else notice! :cloud9:

[apachejenn]

People have said that to me too (about the glowing thing) I have no clue what they're talking about though. Even when you're angry or sick or just having a bad day, people will say that! It's so weird. Keep it up!

[mommabear]

Yeah, glad to see you are back and full speed ahead! Keep up the great work!

[Kitty]

Gnildarts,
15.4 lbs is amazing!!! That is the weight of like newborn twins!! Or 15 lbs of butter...that one is not as clever but you get the picture. Yay you!! I am new, so I am more that a month behind you but when I looked at your ticker I noticed that our staring weight and end goal is really similar. I can't wait to see your eight week results.
Kitty

[Gnildarts]

I don't know what the deal was this morning, but I was starving!:hungry: My stomach started growling about an hour after breakfast. I ate my crackers after 2 hours and thought I would never make it to lunch. I drank a lot of water and chewed some gum to pass the time. It was very unusual. I haven't been getting super hungry very often. The only thing I did differently was add some kiwi to my mango smoothie that I have for breakfast every morning. I wouldn't think that would make much of a difference, but who knows. :thinking: Luckily I didn't have the same problem after lunch.

I have a couple of dinners with friends and family coming up this month. My birthday is at the end of the month and my family wants to go out to eat. Is there any good restaurants that anyone knows where you can order food that is on the allowance? I thought that if I take my scale and can order chicken and salad or veggies or something that would work it would be nice. If not I can just go and not eat. That is what I have been doing the past month. It would be nice if I didn't have to just sit there and order water, but I don't want to cheat even once, so if it isn't possible to find something I will just order water and enjoy the conversations.

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. It really does help!

Gayle

[Gnildarts]

Well, I survived another weekend and all of the social eating that comes with it. On Saturday night I went out with some of my friends to celebrate a birthday. We went to a Mexican food restaurant which was like torture. Mexican is my favorite food and the thing that I have missed most on this diet. I did great though. I took cheese, veggies and crackers and enjoyed it, but their food smelled so good! The funny thing is that my tastebuds have changed so that the food that I am eating on the diet tastes great, but all of the other food still looks good to me.

Tonight I had my monthly dinner with all of my family. That wasn't too bad until dessert. I was responsible for dessert tonight so I had to dish up and serve chocolate cake and ice cream to 35 people. It looked delicious but I resisted. My family is amazed at my new strength and will power. It feels really good to have control over your body. It is very liberating and empowering to realize you can resist temptations and cravings.

People are finally starting to notice something different about me. They can see that I have lost weight in my face, arms and legs. I went shopping with my friends and bought some great new heels on Saturday. I wore them today and received many compliments about my legs. That felt great!

The hardest part of the weekend was that one of my friends was not very supportive of the diet. I was trying to explain it to her and she kept telling me that she thought I should do this and shouldn't do that. She couldn't believe that I am not supposed to do much exercise and that I couldn't eat as many vegetables and fruits as I wanted. It was really frustrating. I finally told her that I was doing it and committed and that I knew people that were successful and changed the subject. It is really hard to talk to people about it that want to argue and criticize it. I really avoid talking about it to most people. Luckily I only see this friend every few months. I don't think I could put up with her attitude all the time while on the diet.

I worked in my garden for about 5 hours this weekend. It is a nice distraction from food and the munchies that come when I am not super busy. It is getting hotter though and not as fun to be out in the garden. I think I got a bit of a tan though, so that is a bonus.

This weekend I hit the half way mark of my first session. I can't believe that. It is going by so much faster than I thought it would. I am ready and excited to start a new week!

Gayle

[Kitty]

Gayle,
Good for you! It is hard to stand up for yourself especially with friends but you stood your ground. Awesome! And you got through family dessert time which is even better. I did yard work too this weekend but I found that I got really tired. I think my body is still adjusting.
About your birthday. I would avoid a restaurant like the plague and say something that you would rather barbeque some salmon or steaks as a family. Or just go out later for coffee or tea. Hope that helps.
Kitty

[Gnildarts]

Thanks Kitty! I was thinking about my birthday and agree that I don't really want to go to a restaurant. I have been going with my friends and co-workers and not eating anything, but that seems silly to do for my own birthday. I have been getting tired faster also when I work in the yard or do a lot of housework. I think it is just from eating so few calories.
By the way, congrats on the 11 lbs lost! That's great!

Gayle

[Kitty]

Thanks so much! I should come right out and say that Salmon is taboo! So BBQ something else. I made a careless mistake and didn't check my guide as well as I should have. Sorry.

When it is my birthday I am hoping for gift cards so I can buy new clothes--what are you going to ask for?

[Gnildarts]

Kitty,
I hadn't even thought about anything for my birthday yet. Gift cards sound like a great idea. I am going to be needing to buy new clothes pretty soon (hopefully!).

I have been really struggling the last two days. I am really tired and have no energy. I am also feeling really, really fat! It's weird that some days I really notice that I have lost weight and some days I feel like nothing has happened at all. I don't know what it is, but it makes the days tough. It might be because this diet has really messed up my TOM. I have been messed up since just a few days on the diet. It is driving me crazy and making me anxious. Has anyone else had this problem?

[I MUNCH SNOW]

Lucky for me, I started a few days after TOM. Thank God. lol. I will say that I have been moodier than normal. Tough to stay level headed about some things, some times.

I love reading your progress. You are doing fabulous! WOW! Your willpower is staggering! I just had my first social outing last week. Brutal. You are ablet o go to one after another! Sheeesh! Wonder Woman!!!!!

[Gnildarts]

I Munch Snow,
Thanks for the kind words! I really needed that today. I have been feeling discouraged, hoping I am doing this right and that I will keep progressing. The social outings can be tough. Some people feel uncomfortable when you don't eat, but I am determined and motivated and I am not going to give in. The food is really tempting and sometimes I think I torture myself. I will ask how good the food tastes and watch them eat, kind of living vicariously! But, my feelings right now are "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels". ;)

[Kitty]

Gayle,
It is so great that we are doing this together. I am sorry to hear about your struggle but I can completely relate to it. Sometimes I feel like a new woman and the next day I am back at square one. The truth is that we are all doing great and we are all getting thinner meal by meal, day by day. Keep up the good work I am cheering for you.
Kitty

[I MUNCH SNOW]

Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels is one of my favs. My other new fav?

Nothing will EVER change, if you don't change it. :)

[Gnildarts]

Kitty and I Munch Snow,
Thanks so much for the words of encouragement and support! It really gives me motivation when I am down. :comfort: Hope you both had a good day! {grouphug1}

Gayle

[Kitty]

My day is good but super cold. I am always freezing. I cant wait for summer to come so I can lay in the sun...maybe in a bathing suit. How about you?

[gmagirl]

Gnildarts,
You mention social situations where you don't eat when others are and it makes you uncomfortable. Why don't you bring your food and eat along with them? I made up my mind when I started this diet (for the 3rd time) that I would bring my food with me for any social situations that arose and if anyone questions me, I tell them I am on a restricted diet. I always bring my food already premeasured and in baggies or a container, including my fruit and crackers and I ask for a plate (or have someone bring a plate back to you from the salad bar) and then I transfer all my food to the plate and just eat along with everyone else. When I include the fruit and crackers, no one seems to question whether I'm getting enough food and they even remark how much I get to eat. Of course at home, I might save my fruit and crackers for in between meals. When eating out, I always make my fruit an apple because I can slice it in thin slices and fan it around my plate which also looks like more volume to others (gala apples don't turn brown as quickly as others when slicing them ahead of time). I also slice my chicken or meat in thin slices (ahead of time) to create more volume. Yesterday I attended a social dinner and the food was served buffet style. I didn't want to tease or tempt myself at the buffet so I asked my sister to bring me back a plate. By the time I placed my sliced chicken, tomatoes, green pepper, spaghetti squash, sliced apples, and crackers on my plate, it looked as though those at my table wanted to swap plates with me! If I go to someone's home, I always let them know not to plan food for me as I bring my own. For my bunco and card club nights, I slice 2 apples up in thin slices and munch on those throughout the evening while everyone else is eating the great food we all love to eat but can't if we know what's good for us. It takes a little extra time to put it all together and plan ahead but it has been my solution to not have to avoid social situations. Hope this helps. Carol

[Gnildarts]

Carol, Thanks for the suggestions. You have some great ideas and it sounds like you are really organized. The problem I usually have is that my schedule is often different than the planned social events. I usually have part of my 5 hour minimum b/t meals left so I can't eat my meal. Taking a snack is a good idea. That way I am eating something and not just sitting watching.
~Gayle

[Gnildarts]

Today is my week 8 weigh in. I lost 12.8 pounds and 10 inches!:party3:

[OopsieDaisy]

Congratulations Gayle! What at amazing accomplishment :). Seeing numbers like that really makes it all worth while.

[mommabear]

Yeah, Congrats! Keep up the good work!

[Layne5]

Gayle that's AWESOME!

[Gnildarts]

Today is the finish of my first 12 weeks. This month I lost 14 lbs and 9 inches for a grand total of 42 lbs lost! I am almost half way to my goal of 92 pounds. I was so happy with my results today. The last few weeks have been tough for me. I have been so tired of eating the same meals everyday, but when the results are in it is definitely worth it!

[I MUNCH SNOW]

Wow! That's amazing!!! I can't believe how great you're doing! It is worthwhile when you see results like that. I know you know there is a recipe section, but seriously check it out! It helps me from getting bored, even though I'm only on week 7. I'm so proud of all that you've lost! To think in 12 short weeks, you've turned your life around! Congrats on a stellar job! Keep it up! You help keep me motivated!

PS- We need pictures!!!! :o)

[Kitty]

You are doing so GOOD!!! It is exciting to be on this journey with you and to watch you lose the weight. Are you adding any excercise? Some people reccomended it to me but I am hesitant. I would like to yes ( I am a bit saggy) but I don't want to delay the finish line.

Here is a toast to you!!!!!! "May your next 40lbs come off as quickly as your first!" Hear Hear

[Gnildarts]

I have been so busy I haven't been on here forever except to update my ticker. My 20 week weigh in was last week. I am down 61 pounds with 31 to go. I have been slightly disappointed with my weight loss the last 2 months. I am only losing 10 pounds a month in my second session and I was losing 14 pounds a month in my first session. Oh well, I am following the diet 100% so that is all I can do.

I added exercise in about 3 weeks ago. I jog, swim and bike. It has made me a little bit hungrier but I have just added eating an apple everyday. I don't know if it will help or hinder, but I am racing in a mini triathalon at the end of October so I needed to start training. I am hoping the weight will come off a little bit faster but I don't know.

I am almost in size 8 pants and medium shirts so I am very happy about that!

[ppoyster]

Wow Gnildarts! That's great! I've heard 10 pounds a month is common after the first session. Try not to beat yourself up over it. Besides, what other diet can you safely lose even 10 pounds a month? :) Congrats on losing! You're over halfway there! :)

[Gnildarts]

I just finished my 2nd session and had my 24 week weigh-in. I lost 8 pounds and 7.2 inches this month. The progress is going slower than I hoped, but I am still thrilled with my results. In some ways it feels like this will last forever, but when I think about it I can't believe that I have been doing this for 6 months!

Next week I am going on vacation to Washington DC and I am really worried about it. I have a fridge and microwave in my hotel room and I am going to buy a hot plate and portable scale and do the best I can. I have google grocery stores near my hotel sothat I can buy my food. I have been planning it out in my head for a long time and think that I should be able to find a way to stick 100% to my meal plan. It will probably be inconvenient but it's inconvenient at home quite often also. Hopefully my husband will be just as supportive as he is at home and will help me do whatever it takes to not deviate. If anyone has any good advice for sticking to it on vacation let me know.

Gayle

[ls_dreamer]

I travel A LOT for work! You'll be good if you have tghe hotplate, fridge, and micro! I was actually in DC in July! I recommend also having a small icebox and taking your lunch with you during sightseeing that will make it less inconvenient. I have had MANY restaurants willing to micro my food for me, but in case they don't I make chicken and fresh cold veggies so I can eat the meal cold if needed! Or even my cheese!

You'll do great! I was even able to grab apples on the food carts around town when I was accidentally unprepared! Also you should try the "ziplock" steam bags. You can cook chicken and fish in the microwave...nice and fast!

Enjoy your vacation!