Three comments:

First, many congrads on the incredible weight loss! it sounds like you found the optimum plan for your bod!

Second, I had to laugh when you mentioned the stretching and skin pain. That exactly describes my experience through pregnancy! About the precise weight gain, too! Welcome to women's world, pal!

Third, a message to mom2-I second Lauras emotion. As a working mom with 2 under 2, I feel your pain. You need not only time off, but time to take care of yourself too, and go to the gym, take yoga, etc. Heck take time to just walk-sans children. Maybe you could get a job stroller and take the little one with you while he watches the older. Make him step up to the plate-you gotta take care of you, because life isnt sustainable otherwise. good luck.

Congratulations on your success!! I've been away from the boad for awhile and I'm just catching up.

I wanted to comment on something you said in one of your posts about thinking you need some carbs now and then to keep the process going. I'm beginning to believe the same thing.

I'm heavier, taller and much older than you are and I realize everyone reacts differently to these diets. I started mine a month after you did.

I pretty much have stayed on induction the whole time - it's just easier for me, I don't have any problems or (real) cravings so the only real issue is I may never be able to eat another egg....

I have fallen off the wagon very few times, and then just moderately (Thanksgiving and Christmas where I got the stink eye when I said I wasn't going to eat something our daughter had cooked...and mid Jan when my wife retired and her office provided goodies I really couldn't escape).

But other than that I've been good. So good in fact that I stopped attending my Friday 2 hour Happy Hour with my retired military buddies every other week. I only drink Lite Beer so I still stay within my carb limit - but I know booze can slow things down - so I compromised.

There were weeks I was happy with the weight loss and others where I was disappointed, but looking back it's been fairly steady. A pound here, a pound there.

Then came the last few weeks. We now are doing "wine Wednesdays" and "theater Thursdays" etc and I've probably had 3 large glasses of wine on each of the last 2 Weds - plus we had another bottle in between of which I drink 3/4th. Also had popcorn at the movies. We went out to eat with some friends and a had a small portion of pasta and 2 beers (Lite). The night before last I had a small red potato for dinner for the first time in ages. I also went to Happy Hour last Friday and had a few other beers playing cards with the guys a week or so ago. Blah blah blah I know - but it's all stuff I hadn't been doing while watching my weight go down a pound, or up a half pound.

During this past 2 week period (I only weigh on Mondays) I lost 2 pounds each week. I had expected to have gained when I weighed yesterday and was shocked when I saw the scale - got off and got on again :-)

So now I'm going to continue my 20 carbs a day (hardly ever have that many), but I'm not going to pass up a small "cheat" until I see the scale going the other way :-)

Gotta say how happy I was this morning - went to try on some old jeans because I wanted to order some new ones for a trip in May and my old ones were the kind I wanted - but I had long since outgrew them (they were 40x32 and in Oct I was wearing snug 44x32). When I put the old jeans on this morning they were loose!!!!

The process is slow - but it's worth it! Hope you keep at it!

40 lbs in 2 months is incredible. Congrats!

Thank you so much for sharing your story. Your honesty is helpful, and your success is inspiring.

Meg

OMG What a way to end the year.. WTG and keep up the good work

Just wanted to say I enjoyed reading your post! Congragulations on your success.