brenty

Don't be nervous. There really is a great community here to support you!

Soup it where it's at! I miss soup. The downside of living in a warmer climate now is that soup is off the table most of the time. This is brilliant! I'd wager that most of your friends would be thrilled if you brought something to the party. And this way, you can make sure that there is something there that will work for you. Just make sure you bring enough! This is me. I let myself have these snacky things on occasion, but I know how hard it is for me to stop myself at one (or two, or ten...) so for the most part I don't give myself the option -- even if someone else does. "Know thyself".

It looks like the forum saw 'vomit' mentioned and decided to get in on the action.

I usually use vanilla Protein drink mix and add frozen berries (straw, rasp, and blue). I am not a fan of bananas. That usually tides me over til lunch, but I tend to need a snack before dinner. Soy nuts, anyone?

Judy, I think you'll find that you'll see a lot of variation in your metabolism over time as you progress. This is only natural, as your body tries to adjust to the New You. Just keep it up. Don't get discouraged and stay patient. I think you'll be surprised by how resilient your body is in the end -- Atkins or no.

Awesome posts, you guys! I think my wife and I are on the windy side of the results here (fingers crossed!) We make sure we get enough protein to support our individual bodies' musculature, but we don't limit carbohydrates. I am SO not giving up pizza again!

Agreed! A lot of canned/packaged fruit is 'in light syrup' or something to that effect. I would venture to say that if the syrup is 'light', you might be okay eating just the fruit and tossing the syrup...but it does soak into the fruit itself, so it can be a lot of added sugar. Our favourite has been a 'tropical fruit' with pineapple, papaya, and mango without syrup...but since moving we can only find the 'light syrup' variety at our local stores.

I used to have something like that periodically. Turned out it was a pinched lung. Stop reading our replies and go see your doctor! Better safe than sorry! /hugs

That makes me sad! Some day, Karen. Some day. Maybe try 'sneaking' it in in small amounts, blended in smoothies as Karen mentioned, and go from there. It's all about baby steps and learning what works for your body.

Vary your diet and your caloric intake throughout the week. This keeps your metabolism from getting complacent and comfortable. And avoid going shakes-only! shakes are great, but using them as a supplement to whole, colourful meals (unless your doctor prescribes a liquid diet) is best because it varies the sources of Vitamins and keeps your digestive system healthy. I know it is confusing after getting results by working so hard to limit and organize your diet, but experiment to see what works best for your body. Don't feel guilty, and only pass judgement after weeks -- not days -- of trying something new. Snacking on anything (within reason!) is fine in moderation. It keeps the metabolism going and curbs appetite so we don't eat too much in one sitting! Just make it the exception, and stick to the rule of healthy meals. But you know all that. You've come this far, so just keep it up!

My wife and I love Herbalife shakes. The Formula1 shakes that you mix with milk come in an allergen-free version (no soy, dairy, or gluten.) There's instant version that you mix with Water. But the Protein Drink Mix that you mix with water sounds more like what you're looking for. None of these use whey. PDM is actually my wife's favourite overall, since it has more of a thick, rich consistency. ...okay, time for my snack.

We take everything. Multi 3 times a day, and extra D. We are phasing out the D now, though, since it is so sunny here. We really needed it in Vermont before. Additionally, my wife takes extra calcium 3 times a day. I have been as well, but I am drinking soymilk daily now so I won't be needing it going forward. Going to re-evaluate then and see if there is anything else we need to add to our regimen.

So, after trying way too many Protein Bars, my favourites are from Powerbar and Herbalife. They both have amazing dessert/candy type-bars (Powerbar Pria, Triple Threat; Herbalife Deluxe Citrus Lemon, Peanut Butter.) We prefer those (for obvious reasons,) but my wife and I actually eat PowerBar Harvest Apple bars the most since they don't melt in our pockets on the go. They do, however, turn deliciously soft and moist! Amazon is your friend. Awesome prices, great service, and free shipping (over 25$ or 2-day if you have Prime). And a lot of protein bars are eligible for Subscribe and Save (which gives an extra 15% off). I tend to eat the big Powerbars half at a time, too. They are pretty filling, and splitting it into two Snacks keeps my metabolism going and doesn't overfill me. Having half at a time to bridge the gap between meals is perfect. We did it. We got popcorn at the movies last month as a special treat since we NEVER do that, and I have to tell you...we learned our lesson! It was delicious, but we both felt awful for at least a day afterward. So much fat, sodium...and just plain unwholesome. And I LOVE salt, so for me to say that is telling. We won't be doing that again! cheese is high in protein, but also fat. The 'light' string cheese Sargento makes is actually really tasty though!

Agreed. After a point, if you take off more clothes, the police come. o.0 They've actually been on the mild side the last couple years overall, but just the constant cold punctuated by the bitter teeth of windchill. Yikes. So yeah -- now we're glad to bask in the temperate, year-round 60s-80s of southern California. My wife, however, still puts on her jacket and flannels when it dips below 75...

Thanks for the info, Cordelia! The immune system does this in a lot of instances: allergic reactions, illness, etc. As a lifelong allergic asthmatic I am unfortunately well acquainted with this phenomenon... It's just a setback. Just keep it up and you'll get there!

Herbalife Allergen-free shakes are dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free (they are made with pea, sesame, and rice protein). Full disclosure: I am an Herbalife distributor. My wife and I love the stuff, and the discount is fantastic!

Oh wow. I can't believe that never even occurred to me. I just thought my wife and I were getting old! We actually just moved to southern California because the Vermont winters -- though beautiful -- were cutting right to the bone these last few years. And now that you mention it, it really started to get to us after losing weight. Granted, there were other factors, too. I got some serious 3rd degree sunburn a few years back, and that same year I ended up having to walk several miles to get gas on a windy -30º day. My tolerance for the cold has been on the decline ever since. But on the plus side, it is much easier to pile on more layers when it's cold than it is to strip them off when it's super hot. There's a limit, when it comes to decency. All in all, being more comfortable in the heat and less in the cold is still a good tradeoff I think.

The best thing about soy is that you can do just about anything with it, so you can probably find something you like no matter what your taste. My favourite soy 'meat' products are Tofu Pups, Boca Burgers, and Smart Tenders Savory Chick'n (which is great in a salad!) Tofu is even more versatile, since you can get it in all sorts of consistencies (silken, firm, extra firm, etc.) depending on how you want to use it. I like silken for making smoothies, and extra firm for grilling or stir fry. It is really neutral, so you can make it taste like whatever you want. Curry, teriyaki, and even tofu parmesan -- just experiment or find some recipes online that appeal to you.

I think there is a fine line between obsessing and being aware and mindful of your body (what, when, and how much you eat; how your metabolism works over time; etc.) It is so incredibly helpful to pay attention to the data to get useful feedback about what works for you and what doesn't, but fixating can be counterproductive -- and reductive. My wife and I always have to remind each other that it's the trending averages that matter, not a few pounds gained or lost here or there. After literally years doing this though, we have a lot of historical data to go back to. Think like a scientist. Jumping to conclusions is almost always a bad idea. Keep an eye on your test subject (yourself!) and log changes over time. Stay detached (I know, easier said than done!) and focus on the patterns established over weeks and months, rather than day to day, to see what the results are. On the flip side, the ultimate goal of weight loss -- I think -- should always be to improve health and well-being. If you aren't gaining more energy and a happiness, it may be time to make some adjustments. I lost over 120lbs the first time more than 10 years ago, but I gained it ALL back over time since I had deprived myself of not only good nutrition, but also the foods I loved. And I wasn't healthier, happier, OR more energetic. It sounds like you found what worked for you, Jacqui! Cheers!

I do. I am not SUPER strict about it though. I estimate as best I can, but I have other things to do with my time, too, so... http://www.loseit.com/ is a huge help in this area. They have an enormous food database. Honestly, I can't stand warm cheese...which is good, because if I could take it everywhere with me I would eat it way more than I should!

Some, depending on the state of digestion...but you also lose enamel from your teeth and the lining from your esophagus, so anything you can do to avoid having to throw up regularly is good, I would say. I try to read ingredients, but I am super bad at that when I am super hungry, so some times I end up with traces of things I am allergic to. Yick. :/

I have found that regular exercise gives me more energy and I sleep better, but I made a deal with myself: I won't add anything to my routine that I am not willing to sustain over time. That is to say, no weightlifting or non-recreational exercise. I want to keep it fun and short enough that I will be able to keep doing it, rather than just busting my butt to reach my goal and then stop doing it. That's a recipe for disaster.

Absolutely, you guys! It isn't an exact science, but...frankly, that's why it works. Your body doesn't know what to expect, so it is 'at the ready'. And mainly, so long as you are -- on average over time -- taking in less than your body burns for fuel, you'll get there. Hey, whatever works!