Okay, I admit I got cocky. I'd been losing weight steadily and decided I did not need to keep track of what I ate anymore, not even carbs. After all, I can only fit a teensy amount in the pouch, right?

Wrong, wrong, wrong! It's not the amount, it's what I eat! Sure, I stay away from the starchy foods still. (Oh potato, I barely knew ye!) However, I've been very naughty on the sweets. The methyl-ethyl-bad stuff for a diet sweets. Yeah, I'm a junkie who backslid.

I haven't gained a pound, but I stopped losing. :thumbup: I deserve to be flogged!! I'm printing out my log sheet and I'm back on the wagon. I probably have a few days of carb withdrawal ahead of me. This is gonna hurt, but I did it to myself.

Lena

The problem with your NO-CARB diet is the minute you eats carbs, you will stop losing weight and then gain it back. What youre doing sounds like the Atkins Diet. My doctors and nutritionists told us not to follow that diet because it not the right way to eat. We were told to eat low-carb, low-fat, ans high protein. I cant change my weight loss ticker, but since starting the pre-op in June up till now I have lost almost 50 lbs AND I eat carbs, like whole wheat bread, potatoes, rice, etc. I'm not perfect and have fallen off the wagon and have eaten anything I want in moderation and still lost weight. I dont keep track of anything. I just try to realize when I've had enough and if I dont, I go right back on track the next day. It makes me feel like a "normal" person when I dont have to scrutinize everything I eat .. I just got my 3rd fill and this is the first time I've have had significant restriction to where I really have to chew, eat slowly, and slow down. Since my fill on Wednesday, I have lost 4lbs. Maybe you also have hit a plateau. It happens, especially if you have been losing steadily all along. But, good luck. I know its rough, but you look fabulous! Great picture!

did myself in at a bridal shower, first time out as a bander......and I finished all my plate. I was so bad, I kept on eating...skipped breakfast...not good.....I fell off the wagon. I will get back on track, go see doc this tues, hopefully first fill will make the difference! Good luck Lena, and thanks for all the imput you give us, good recipes too!! Patti

Food journals are said to be key in this new journey. I pfft'd the idea at first but for kicks tried it for a few days. We were given a list of free online journals and I'll share them with you www.thedailyplate.com or www.fitday.com I have journals on both taking them for a spin to see which one I like best and which is more user friendly. I find it very convenient and I'm not Pffting the idea anymore. When I'm out of calories I stop eating for the day and start drinking more water. It amazes me how hard it can be to get in 1200 calories each day. I would bet that two weeks ago that number would have been 4000+ per day easy...

Thanks for all the great recipes, you rock and yeah a cookbook is always awesome :thumbup:

At this point I rarely count calories, or such. I eat my protein first, then fruits/veggies. Im just trying to stay aware of what I eat and avoid those things that "call out my name" such as sweets,etc...., I just eat healthy and normal. I do carbs. I just try to be sensible about them. I have had a consistant steady loss and am about 10lbs from goal.

It's not a No-Carb diet lipstix64, but it is very low carb by order of my doctor. He insists on all his patients staying below 30g of carbs a day. It's difficult, but not impossible. Like JustMel1957, most days I eat the protein first, then the veggies. I do avoid most fruits, but I figure they're better than snarfing down chocolate.

I love sparkpeople.com for my online journal. I am nursemom05 on there if you want to check it out. I agree it is the second best thing I have ever done for my weight loss journey.

Now lipstix...I agree that No-Carb is not the best way. Carb-lite is a great way to eat. I stay away from startches. No bread, potatoes, rice or pasta. Nothing wrong with that and yes I stay away from sweets too. Keeping these out of my diet or Far away keeps my blood sugar levels from rising. Now I am not a diabetic. The more carbs and sweets you eat the more glucose you have have in your system. When that spikes your body (if you are not a diabetic) naturally reduces the glucose by releasing insulin. That drops you blood sugar levels and then...CRAVINGS!!!

I basically live without having horrible craving because of my diet and how I eat.

You may know all of this and you may eat something differently, but carb control is good. Most people I talk to say they have been told to eat solid protein first then they veggies and such. This is a carb control diet.

I have posted my bandster guidelines on my blog.

Anyway if you are eating healthy and it is working for you then keep it up. If you are wavering then maybe you needed that less productive week on the scale to get you back on track. I had that 2 weeks ago myself. I use every weigh in (daily) as a learning experience. What did I do right? What did I do wrong? What will I do today?

Thanks for the encouraging words, Julie.Ann. I checked sparkpeople.com, but I've already been using another log and was reluctant to switch. Maybe I'd better reconsider.

I DO watch my carbs, that part of how we lose weight, but I dont drive my self crazy if I want to have whol grain bread, brown rice or a potato. I lose weight steadily every week and eat the way my nutritionist suggested, just like you said- Proteins, then vegetables and then carbs. Sometimes I dont eat that way and I still lose weight. Its important for me to feel like a"normal person" when eating not like some prisoner of food. This is what works for me, everyone is different. Good luck, all.!