Focus and Drive Begins

Thanks for everyone *****sponded. I had an idea that I wasn't alone in this struggle. First let me share what my surgeon said yesterday. (I'm just sharing as your surgeon is your guide.) I had gained 2 pounds. I was honest and told him I was grazing and scared. We went through what I had been eating. He was searching for the refined carbs. Pretzel sticks, sugar-free candies, cereal based protein bars, bread, too many nuts all made the hit list. He told me to get South Beach Meal Entrees which had high protein/carb controlled portions and use those along with Lean C and W****chers meals with less than 32 carbs. In addition add a granny smith apple in the afternoon around 3 pm. No food after 7 pm. Increase walking to 45 min. a day and track everything. On the positive, my hemoglobin was great, Peanut butter intake was okay as that will cut hunger, extra protein was fine, cool whip lite fine, etc. I had lost 125 pounds since coming to him. Since I was asking for help he wanted to see me in a month instead of 3 months. Oh, nothing to drink 30 min. before meal and at least 30 min after meal. What things besides real honesty, do you think we need to include in our accountability to each other? Email suggestions as this is "our design". Post ideas today or e mail and I'll combine results back to everyone by e mail by Thursday. Weigh today and measure to get your baseline. My goal today is to follow the drink and food rules. Brainstorm strategies, read each persons' profile, and start an email list for us. Oh, I'm going to walk for 30 minutes at lunch. Out success or failure will be based on each choice we make each hour of the day. I am really excited about starting a mini support to-the-finish group. We can do this today! Have a great day!

Hi Kathy, I'm thankful for you and the others who will be part of this "to-the-finish" support group! We can do this, we have come this far, we can go all the way! I'm going to suggest that we nip the grazing in the bud and agree not to eat closer than 2.5 to 3 hours from the last time we ate. I also like the nothing after 7 pm rule. I am already in the habit of not drinking around my meals so that one will be easy for me, the not eating will be harder to break. I usually eat several times a day, but I need to stop eating very small amounts all day...grazing. Today I weighed 153.2...bad me, I've never measured...my goal weight is 134 so I have 19.2 pounds to go! Let's do this thing!!!! Cindy 234/153/134

Great informative post. Thanks! Kathy O.

Kathy, Great Post. I too am stuggling to reach goal. I want to make it to 155/150 and I am 182 right now. The weight loss has slowed. I only lost 5 lbs last month and I too am stuggling with grazing. Same old story as everyone else. I love the way I feel but I really want to make it too goal. I really enjoy all the support that we get as well as give her especially in our June group. Please count me in as part of the refocus group. I need to cut out the grazing and up the exercise. Thank for helping us up the accountability. Lynn

Thanks for your hard work & support! I will have to wait to get my "base" weight until I get home from travel (for my job... NOT fun) tomorrow, which means that I will get on the scale in the a.m. on Thursday. I agree with all that you suggested... it will be REALLY hard to not eat anything after 7 p.m., but I will try... my schedule gets pretty hectic at times. I think that I, too, have been eating too many carbs and especially nuts. My most favorite meal/snack these past couple months has been to crunch on a sweet but tangy apple at the same time I'm munching on lightly salted mixed nuts. I just LOVE the sweet and salty, crunchy combination. I was wondering if it was causing me a problem! My other "easy out" is to eat a meal replacement bar... whether it's a Strive Bar or South Beach Diet. One thing that I definitely know, is that the sugar free "goodies" have to go (since I can't seem to control them!). Thanks again & I'll look forward to our support network!!!! Karen

All very good suggestions!! My work schedule -- which is 4 ten-hour days -- gets a little crazy. Some days I don't even get a lunch brea****il after 2!!! This makes some sort of controlled in between meal eating a necessity for me. And, since I don't get home until nearly 7pm, I'll have to make it more like 8pm for my evening eating to end. But all of this is still what I was doing whenever I was losng the weight the fastest and easiest. I agree that I have to quit with the sugar-free goodies as I just can't stay in control when they're around! And I know that I've let myself start having too many carbs. Egads!!! Connie 410/347/230/135

I want in! I've been getting frustrated because of the slow pace, and I know i've been bad. I've even been looking into DIET products to help! Have I learned NOTHING? I'm pretty good about not drinking around meals, but I like to eat something, like a 1/2 banana or some cheese, every hour and a half to two hours instead of real meals during the day. Especially during the work day, if I don't get a chance to eat, I'll get very light headed. I'm not really good at getting enough water, either. So many things to work on! I don't keep up a profile, and I've not measured since I started on Adkins years ago. That was mortifying to see those numbers and have never done it since. I'm still OK with my exercising. I'm trying to schedule more in, but I can do an easy 5 miles in an hour. Kristie

Hi Everyone, Wanted to chime in and say YOU ARE ALL AWESOME...The road is different for all of us, but the destination is the same...Some twist, some turn, some skid and slide off the road...If you're in a ditch this group can be the people who stopped to help pull you back on the road...I've reached the destination, you will too - you've called for the tow truck... Mostly reading your responses reminds me, I too still have to worry that the road is no straight from here on out - I hear your words - I too find myself grazing, like my nuts, pretzels and (oh yes) sugar free Russell Stover's call my name...I'm going to keep looking in on you and waiving the finish line flag...