Aww, thanks! It's hard for me to get photos of me! I'm usually being Momma alone, the hubby has work and school. My last photo was at the baby's birthday party, when I shoved a camera in everyone's hand for the event, LOL! Mostly it's me and my girl, and I can't get the hang of those pictures you take yourself with the camera at arm's length!

You look beautiful in your profile picture! I know you don't have much to lose, but none of it shows in your face that's for sure!

And thanks for putting a smile on my face tonight!

We keep cross-posting, LOL!

Check out the coconut oil bark recipes, they will be something you can have in small portions! And I can understand trying to do close to zero carb, I really do. I have done so too.

I wonder, though, what the foods you love best are? Because if you like veggies they are so doable, and more sustainable once you get off Induction. It might be slower losing, but if you're miserable on meat and eggs, maybe better to get more variety in!

And just so you know. I've never tested if I was in Ketosis or not. Not even once.

FYI to all: Thank you everyone for giving me so much information. I am not totally sure the reason for this -- maybe just that I've now been doing this "way of eating" for 8 days or so, or maybe that I have watched my carbs SOOOOO carefully, or maybe eliminating certain "kick-out" foods and chemicals, but I just scored actual "SMALL" reading on the Walgreens/CVS Ketostix (same company, Nipro Diagnostics, makes both) and a "Moderate" reading on the Bayer sticks. So, it is actually happening -- FINALLY! Whew!

So, let's see where I can take it from here, and see whether the more intense "rating" results in better weight loss. Of course, it is the weight loss I care about, more than color of the dip sticks. However, I was worried that once the initial "water loss" phase ended, I would need to be in ketosis for weight loss to continue. And how to monitor the extent of the ketosis would be really important when it came to trying to introduce some low-carb veggies.

Ha, ha -- Watching those sticks turn pink was a fantastic Christmas present!

Thank you, LZ -- I took that last April with the camera on my computer. IT was the "Photo Booth" program. It has just the right amount of "blurriness" in it! Ha, ha. Doesn't show the wrinkles.

The shadows help, too!!! I stunned myself, actually. I think it was just a stroke of luck. I thought: "Not bad for a 64-year-old." Ha, ha!

I want to lose 30 pounds. To me, that is a lot, though I realize it might not be so much for you when I think about how much you have lost!!!! I am that much over what I was in my 40s. My normal -- when I feel like ME and am not so worried about losing -- is about 133 - 135. When I weighed THAT, I actually thought I was fat. But I would be happy with that now. I have a sort of naturally slender frame. Being so much over is probably why I have high blood pressure.

It is harder to lose, though, the closer you get to your goal, I think. I have had trouble with snacking and various temptations and self-sabotage. I think one reason this diet might work well for me is because I know how hard it will be to get back onto it if I go off of it. And people here caution that if I succumb to "temptation," it will be DOUBLY hard to resist the NEXT time I'm tempted.

So, those things motivate me NOT to cheat. I have this image, now, in my mind of how slender I used to be.

The other reason that I am, truly, grateful for, is the fact that -- with the exception of bit of a bigger belly than I want -- the fat is proportionately distributed on my frame. Fat is never attractive, but it could really be worse if it was all in my stomach or all in my behind, or my legs. Luckily, it is evenly distributed.

However, I want it gone and I need it to be gone for my health. So, now I am committed and it WILL be gone. I can feel the momentum building up and the commitment. I will try that recipe you suggested, too!

As for checking the ketosis sticks, I think that is part of being compulsive. I want to be sure I am "IN" ketosis and how FAR AWAY from being "OUT OF" ketosis I might be so I know how many carbs I might be able to have. So that I can, more or less, regulate the carbs so that I can "stay in" ketosis. It will give me more control over the rate at which I am losing.

And I have trouble gauging amounts. I tend to be an obsessive/compulsive eater. I can't just have one little dish of Jell-O, for example. I have to drink two cups of it. And then, later in the day, have two more cups to drink.

If I like something or want it, then I have to have a lot of it! I am not satisfied with just a little. That is a sure recipe for weight gain. I'm hoping this will teach me to be more moderate. And knowing how deeply I am into ketosis should help with that.

You are very welcome for the sharing of my information. No problem! I also suggest you check out the recipes in this forum, there are snacks and things that are "legal" to help you get through the holidays that are coming up. I think it is important to get through the holidays without cheating, or only cheating, or what I call straying, once during the holidays. You might get away with one,, but more and it is a slippery slope until you learn how to handle it.

One thing that is VERY important to learn, later for you, is how to eat 90% good, and still come back to this way of eating after the stray. This is a way of life, and we do have times we will eat off plan, so learning how to work them into our healthy lives is crucial.

You will lose slower than some, you are close to your goal, but do not lose faith!

PS, as you go on, the sticks will not register as much, you are creating different ketones and not peeing them out. You will stay in ketosis if you stay under 50 net carbs a day. I like to stay close to 30.

I can understand the obsessive thing, so you keep doing what works for you!

Also, you lucky lady, having evenly distributed fat! I did my first time down the scale, but after having Sadie, it's all in my belly! Not quite sure what to do about that except keep trucking and hope it goes away! LOL

~ I will definitely check the recipes, Aradasky, and your thoughtful remarks!
Running out today and gone much of the day, but had to get back before I left.
I'm so eager to look to see what good things there are that I CAN eat and enjoy!!! I need some diversity!

~ LittleZu: Thank you so much for all of the compliments. This morning was not a good one, so it is nice to hear sweet happy thoughts when faced with more challenges.

LOL! I wouldn't had figured out the link to Monica & the 'blue dress' if you ladies hadn't mentioned it. It most definitely represents the later which you got spot on, Malibanne. The only thing is, unfortunately, I no longer own it. I haven't worn a dress since that blue, elusive one and I can't wait to feel confident and thin enough for the next one.

You asked about the weightloss ticker, like the one I use, all you have to do is click on mine and then make your own on that site. Then, once you're done, copy the link of your ticker, come back to the forum, click the link above where it says "user CP" (on the green bar, high on the page) then click on "edit signature". Then you paste the link from your ticker into the box by using 'insert hyperlink'. Then save.

Malibanne, stop posting here and go start a journal. Put this thread URL on the first page so you don't lose the information. We expect you to be here a while. LOL

Blue Dress! You said spot on.... Sorry I feel a little childish this afternoon!

And the light dawns on Marblehead

Bwahahaha! I snorted water out my nose reading that!

The links to the meter and strips have been posted elsewhere... hmmm... I'll try to dig it up again when I have time.

LOL!! Opps!!! Great catch!

~Metagirl -- You are having too much fun. OMG!!! That is too much. Too funny. (So, sorry Blue Dress -- No offense intended toward you at all. I still love your name. Somehow, neither Red Dress, Yellow Dress, Green Dress, nor Black Dress -- and especially not White Dress -- convey the same gentle and romantic spirit that "Blue Dress" does. Too bad Monica had to mar it for some of us. But you can't deny that Metagirl recognizes a bad pun when she sees one. And it is funny in a gross way, even though I know you never would have intended it that way.)

~Aradasky -- What kind of interaction do you get with your journal? Not a bad idea, but I discover that the idea of talking DIRECTLY to potential "helpers" seems to inspire me to share more than just recording yet another case study. I came here because I had no idea why I apparently could not "get into" any real state of ketosis. During this time, I have succeeded and gained a number of insights and ideas that convinced me to continue rather than to give up. The feedback was what did it! I really needed that. While I do believe I could write an entertaining blog, or journal, my initial reason for doing this was purely selfish. To get help. Sometimes in the process of sharing your own problems, others are helped. I don't mind actually writing something. That's enjoyable, too. But I'm too consumed with pressing urgencies at the moment to record thoughts that aren't as likely to bring back swift answers to me. My guess is that the journals have "lower ratings" in general than the chats and dialogues. And probably fewer comments and responses. Who out there actually wants, or has time, to read anymore? You have to WANT to read more than a few lines at a time to invest in going to a blog page. Reading is out these days, right? And there are many intelligent folks out there who just don't have time to read people's journals, or blogs, I fear. Now, convince me that I am wrong! I would love to be convinced.