Great Day!!

[lfingers11]

Well, I am happy that my total weight loss has been 30 pounds in 2 months. I am really excited about that. My total inches so far are 20.5 inches which is totally unbelievable. I have went from a 10/12 down to a size 6 sometimes 8. I have went from a XL shirt and now down to a small/medium. This is so much fun.
Ok. Now for the honest part. I went three weeks and was totally in a plateau. In three weeks I only lost one pound. Shasha is this normal? I was being bad and weighing myself once a week. I am kind of glad because it made me think what am I doing wrong when following the plan 100%. I decided last week that maybe my salt intake was to high so I measured it out in my hand first. I am also cutting out at least 2 fruits and 1-2 crackers a day. Between these two things and also being 100%on plan and positive I dropped 7 pounds in a week!!!
I am kind of bummed that I will not complete the program in the 12 weeks. I don't really see myself loosing 25 in 4 weeks. I wasn't able to do that the first month so I am preparing myself. I am just hoping that I will be off for thanksgiving/christmas.
Ok, I LOVE the comments I am getting. It seems as though I get them daily now. I still have a little of my prego belly left but it is slowly going bye-bye. My hubby is noticing me a lot more:) I know this is to much info but things are definately been alot more fun!!:innocent4: People usually ask how much, what diet and how much more are you planning to loose. I tell them 25 more pounds and then three people have said "that's to much for you to loose". Urrr..... I sat down with my hubby and he said that he would let me know if I was starting to look bad but he thinks this is great and I look amazing. I don't think he likes the attention I am getting from men though!!:party1:
Last bit is max started preschool today. Today was the first time that I trusted total strangers with him. Oh, it was so hard. He never cried, gave me a kiss and said bye. Oh, what a big boy. He was in a great mood when I came and got him and he said "I had a great time!!". Makes me feel so good. He said he loved music class which is cool since I sang and played the piano for junior high choir (and some yelling:) the whole time he was in my tummy. He does have a good voice though!!
Well, I am off to get my lunch. Made it between my meals only eating 2 saltine crackers. Yummy lunch here we come.
Take care,
Pam

[Lauren]

Hey Pam!

That's GREAT! Good job! I'm so happy for you! I think it's possible you'll be done before Thanksgiving, although there's a chance you could be on refeed at that time, so just mentally prepare yourself for that. But you'll for sure be done by Xmas--no problem. And what a great Xmas it will be!!! Good for you! Don't listen to people--people will always say that (maybe they're trying to be nice too), but just stick to your goal and people will be amazed. You want some wriggle room anyway for those holiday dinners, right? I love hearing about your boy starting preschool. That's great he didn't cry! Did you? :) I would!

[PosterGal]

Pam -

That's sooo great - keep up the good work!

[Mei Mei]

Pam,
That is so awesome! Keep it up.
Mary

[UnspeakableJoy]

Congratulations!!! 30lbs in two months is simply astounding!!! You deserve all the attention you hot momma you!

[MIMI]

Awesome Job!!!!!! Mimi

[lfingers11]

Well, I am having such a bad day. It has been raining all day, the boys did not take a nap and someone in my life is driving me completely crazy!! The last two days all I can think of is food. I think of cookies, spagetti and pizza constantly. I am not hungry but all I can think about is food. So with all the stress today all I want to do is cheat. I have been doing this for two months and it just does not seem to be any easier. I won't cheat but I am so upset and unmotivated. Sorry to b**ch. It is just a bad few days.
Pam

[PhyllisRis]

This one will get ya.....
This afternoon when I left school I opened the front passenger door of my car to put my computer on the seat. I glanced down at the ground and there were 2 large pieces of CHOCOLATE BROWNIE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING lying on the ground!!! ARGH...that was definitely one of my downfalls...in the past! I think the Devil planted it there to tempt me!!! It looked so good, even though it WAS lying on the pavement! BUT....I used one of Shawn's techniques and pretended/visualized it was dog poop!!! That really helped! I made sure I didn't get any of it on my foot as I kicked it out of the way! LOL
Phyllis

[SPDeRosa]

LOL Phyllis that's awesome! THe funny thing is I've still not made the brownies that I thought I was craving and just before reading your post I was contemplating whether I wanted to make them. Now, there's no way I'm doing it tonight --- all I can think of is a pan of poop. Ewwwwww :)

[Lauren]

Hey Pam,

I'm so sorry to hear you're having such a bad day. Hang in there! I know exactly what you're talking about--not being hungry yet all you can think about is the foods you can't have. I really think when we are emotionally stressed, that adds a lot to those cravings. All last week was like that for me--I was kind of bummed out, but these last few days have been super easy. Of course, it was my TOM last week, but again--it's all about whatever stresses are around us. Hopefully your life will ease up a bit and so will the diet. Just hang in there, though--you're doing so great! You wouldn't want to throw it all away by cheating even once. It's so worth the struggle! (And really, the struggle isn't all that bad, because the food we get IS good.)

[pumbza]

Hi to ALL the DIET buddies hope YOU are all Well!!Hi lfingers11 you are really doing well and remember its not JUST about weight YES its NICE to lose weight but YOU are LOSING inches which is JUST as EXCITING and PEOPLE are NOTICING and isn't it JUST GREAT to HAVE a JEALOUS HSUBAND especially JEALOUS of other GUYS paying attention to YOU is that NOT A GREAT GREAT encouragement!!!!Ha Ha!:innocent4:I think one thing we will always have or for a long while is we have been use to thinking and doing food for many years and over night we expect to forget it that won't happen its going to take a LONG time to get USE to ignoring BAD food and substituting it FOR GOOD FOOD and it will take a lot of PRACTICE thinking of Poop and things to get it out of OUR minds!!!But with patience it will happen it will become a GOOD HABIT but it will take some time!!!I look at FOOD now as my MEDICINE and I think about the way I will modify recipes so I can fit my favourite foods from the PAST so that they are better for me in the FUTURE I am already mapping out my MEALS for in the FUTURE to stick to DR COHEN's!!!Ha Ha!!Congratulation's on MAX going to preschool isn't it amazing how they can't wait to get out an meet new kids and new teachers and as much as they will always love YOU they will love to socialise with kids there own age and they are now discovering the exciting worls and the things they can do like music etc its JUST so WONDERFUL to be a KID again!!!Ha Ha!Have a LOVELY DAY and things will come RIGHT and I know YOU can DO IT!!!:innocent3:

[lfingers11]

Well, my boys decided to get up at the crack of dawn. I am so grumpy! I love them but they are driving me crazy. Doesn't help that my TOM is here. I am very intrigued that I am not all bloated this time. I might be but I am not noticing it. I haven't gotten all my water in the last two days so I need to work on that today. I know I need to so please no lecture. LOL!! I have had a nagging headache for the last three days.
I took Cayden (2 years) to the mall with me the other day. I had to run into a store really quick to get something. I only had 20 minutes because I had to pick Max up from preschool. Well, I decided to pick him up and carry him fast the whole way. Half way through the mall I was starting to get REALLY tired. Well, when I got home that day I remembered the last time I weighed him he was 29 pounds! I have lost 30 so carrying him around the mall is what I had to deal with until I lost all this weight. How in the world did I do that daily? Wonder why I felt like crap and needed naps everyday. So I guess when I loose 42 pounds I will write you guys and tell you how hard it is to carry Max around!! Hope you all have a great week!! take care,
Pam

[Lovinlife]

Pam,

I haven't had time to post lately but I just had to say that I loved your analogy about "carrying" around your son in your weight. It's so true! Hannah is 2 and about 26 lbs. She's heavy and big! And I have probably about 50 more to lose! (My 4 week weigh in is next week) So I need to lose the equivilent of 2 of her! That boggles my mind! I thought I was carrying alot when I was preggo with each of my kids! And they only weighed about 8 lbs! Great stuff. Thanks
Nicole

[Lovinlife]

Pumbza-
You are a great inspiration to all of us! Thanks! Congratulations on losing that 99! I'm really hoping to get my husband on this diet as he has about your amount of weight to lose, I think. He wants to lose weight but he's a really easy going guy and very busy with work and to try to concentrate on losing and work is hard for him. In his eyes I think it's too much trouble. I'm willing to cook for him but he also eats ALOT at a meal and if I cook something healthy he'll add a tortilla and mayo and whatever to bulk the meal up. Plus eating at night is his way of winding down.

I guess what I'm asking for is the guys viewpoint of this diet. It's such a little amount to eat. I'm fine with it but how does a guy who is a big eater handle all this?? How long does it take to get into the "zone"? I really want to encourage him to do this but I don't want to nag about it or have to be the "jailer" throughout it if he does start it. I want it to be his thing.

Does this make any sense? I know I seem to be rambling but I hope you get what I mean. (I'm not real good at expressing my thoughts).

Thanks,
Nicole

[SPDeRosa]

Nicole,
Here's my take on it -- from an Italian who ate REALLY big servings. If he wants to lose the weight and improve his life he will. There's nothing you can do to help him along or discourage him until he makes that decision.

Big portions is a guarantee to add on weight and take off years from an early heart attack or stroke. Eating at night is a bad habit of "winding down." Food is fuel, not a process of relaxation. So either he recognizes he's slowly killing himself by packing on weight in an unhealthy manner and chooses to do something about it, or he doesn't.

For me, I was hungry the first 3 days and just had to "man up" and deal with it. After that, it wasn't so bad. Within two weeks I had no problems being around people eating because I was "satisfied" but never full. I could almost always choose to eat more, but instead I chose to follow the program and stop eating when I ran out of my allotted amount of food. I always kept fruit on hand just in case.

I know of another guy on the program (not on the boards) who needed to shed quite a bit of weight and I'm told he feels the same way -- small portions at first, but your body quickly adapts. The rest is just mental.

So again, it goes back to whether he really wants it or not. Your weight loss is encouragement enough. If you keep nagging him about the diet there's no way he's going to do it just because of male stubbornness. Either he wants it FOR HIM and is willing to put in the work or he doesn't. It's really that simple because as I've said many times, this diet is more mental than anything. The hard part is making the choice to start or to stay on plan; the easy part is eating.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

[Lovinlife]

THanks Shawn, it does help. I feel the same way about not nagging him. I just mentioned that it would be fun to do this together and left it at that.

It's just good for you to share a male point of view with us. That's the perspective I needed. I think it will have to be a turning point for him. That's what I'm praying for. He's such a great husband and father and friend. I want him around for a loooooong time.

Nicole

[lfingers11]

Nicole,
He might come more around after a couple of months when he sees that you are loosing a ton of weight. I think America as a whole is tired of all these diets that just don't work!! Instead of calling this a diet, I call it a "plan". This is my plan of action for now and the future. I was the same way with my sister. She is more overweight than myself. She kind of blew me off. Once she saw that I lost 30 pounds in two months and she also knows someone at work that lost more than 100 she said she wants the site and she has decided to do this!! I am hoping she does because she really does deserve to be happy, healthy and skinny. She is pretty but she was so gorgeous when we were kids. Crossing my fingers that she and your husband will sign up soon.
Pam

[Sexymama]

Pam, I had that realization the other day! My daughter is 2, her name is also Hannah. She weighs 27 lbs. I have now lost more than she weighs! Doesn't it blow your mind!!! My son will be six in 2 weeks and he weighs 55 lbs. When he falls asleep in the car he always wants me to carry him into our house. I can hardly do it! He is sooo heavy to me! I can't wait until I'm down his weight!!!

Nicole, when is your daughters birthday? My Hannah was born 4/6/06.

Shawn!!! I love it! You are so right!! My husband has 30 or 40 he wants to lose. No matter what I make he always get someting to eat, or nibble on after dinner. I used to say "Why are you eating? Are you hungry?" NO!!! He is eating to just eat!He will one day decide when he's ready. I know he sees my loss of 32lbs and is amazed. I'm hoping he will decide soon!!! Making seperat meals is hard! Especially on me! You have done such a great job and I love all of your pictures!
Julie

[Lauren]

Shawn--that was so well-put. I think that also goes for us women. My husband is a big late-night snacker. He swears he wouldn't be able to fall asleep if he felt remotely hungry, so he usually eats something right before bed. I think that's so terrible! I can't convince him to stop. He's never even tried to go to sleep hungry! He's been trying to lose weight these last couple months while I've been dieting, though. I'm really his motivation. If I cut loose and want to party, he does the same and we both gain weight. But if I get my ethics in and take care of myself, it motivates him to do the same, so the best we can do is set an example and hope others will follow. But Shawn is right--they have to be ready to do it themselves. This isn't the type of diet you could make anyone go on, especially since it's mostly mental.

[Lovinlife]

My Hannah was born 8-22-06. Don't you love the name?:) I think it's sweet that we both have Hannah's the same age. My friend who lives in Bolivia just adopted a Bolivian newborn girl and named her Hannah, too. We are always talking about our Hannahs. I get clothes for my Hannah and then send them off to her Hannah when we're done with them. Such fun!

Nicole

[Lovinlife]

I so understand that my Hubby has to be ready to do something on his own but, Lauren, I can so relate to your frustration. It kills me at times to see him making bad choices but I keep my mouth shut. It's really his decision.

Nicole

[lfingers11]

Well, yesterday I did something crazy!! :party1: I was at Old Navy and decided to try on some clothes. I am still passing on trying on some tops because I am still top/tummy heavy so I tried on a ton of shorts. For a giggle I decided to try some 4's on. I could not believe that they fit!! They were a little tight but I am now easily fitting into a size 6. I still can't imagine that I keep shrinking weekly.
I have been good and not weighed this month. I did get out the tape measurer though, which Shasha said we could do weekly, and I was down another 4 or 5 inches in two weeks. As I get closer I am getting a little itchier for this to be done.
I had someone at work, that hasn't seen me for 2 months, stop and talk to me about my weight loss. She wanted all the info and was very curious. It would be awesome if she decides to loose weight to. My sister is suppose to be signing up soon. Crossing my fingers still!! I worry about her health. Heck, I was starting to really worry about my health before I started.
Off topic ~ Max feel off his bike at preschool today!! I was pulling in and saw it happen. I felt like crying because we are not suppose to interfere so I sat in the car and felt horrible. When I went in to get him about 10 minutes later he was perfect and had to show me him 2 boo-boo's (as he calls them). He was very excited to get bandaids:) He is doing so well and the teachers really seem to enjoy him.
I hope you are all doing well. Pam

[lfingers11]

Question to everyone that has started refeed. When was it that you started to get a little hungry again. How many pounds before refeed? I am probably 15-20 pounds away from refeed and the last few days I am starting to get hungry again. I am eating all my fruits/crackers and now drinking a cola or two a day to make it through. I am taking two vitamins a day now too. I am just hoping for the next month or two I am not going to walk around hungry all the time.
Thanks,
Pam

[SPDeRosa]

Pam,

For me, I think I started getting hungry about 8-10 lbs above my goal weight. Once I ordered the Refeed and read the guide, I got even MORE hungry, but I think that was because I was thinking constantly about food in preparation for refeed.

Shawn