Good morning! Happy Saturday.

Sheri, it's good to see you. Regarding learning languages, I'd have to agree with Blue's assessment. I recall learning French in grammar school. We had books and we had recordings. I can still remember the phrases from those recordings that we would repeat. Those stuck far more than anything we read. I also know that I will "pick up" language tidbits from hearing friends/colleagues who speak other languages. I think this is why an immersion teaching technique works so well. And, people who go to other countries can learn the language living among its speakers.

I forgot to weigh myself today. I don't know where I'm at on the scale, but maybe I don't want to know, since I ate the dried fruit yesterday. I'll work toward a clean day today and see how things look in the morning.

Blue, glad you are feeling better today and have the good weather to support that. Congrats on the big loss! 2.6 lbs is a lot. I notice that I will have higher b.g. in the mornings sometimes, as well, than after eating. I tend to think it could be an excess of insulin following a meal that lowers the b.g. more than would be expected. That's always been my theory, anyway. While I'm not diabetic, a fasting insulin test showed my insulin to be on the high side of normal on some scales and the low side of high on other scales. So, I think I probably pump out "too much" when I eat, especially carbs, pushing the b.g. lower than it would be when I haven't eaten for a little while. Now, when I fast for a few days, my b.g. will typically be consistently around 60. Makes sense, since there's no food to push/keep it up.

So nice to see you Sherri! I think it's awesome that you study Spanish. When we first returned to Italy my youngest brother was only 3 and it was incredible how being immersed in the Italian culture for 2 months had made him fluent in Italian, so much so that the first weeks back he continued speaking Italian to the bewilderment of his English speaking buddies

Lab, you are so right in saying we can continue where we left off. I have to keep reminding myself of that too. I have gotten in so much trouble in the past, thinking " well I've fallen off now so I may as well continue down that slope" Well, NO, I don't. I can get up and continue where I left off.

Blue that is great, down 13 tads is well deserved! I was down 2 tads this morning and my heels seem slightly better, except when I first get up in the morning.....or after sitting a bit,then ouch does it ever hurt. Oh well, I think it may take a bit.....threw those darn flat shoes in the trash.

Glad your family arrived safely Susan and hope your day went well.

Kathy, hope you can pop in to tell us you are down a tad or two too ☺

Buona Notte......ciao for now

I appreciate the shout outs to the lurkers (me) and know that I should pop in here and there, but I just haven't had the heart. Here is where we post about our "up a tad" "down a tad" victories or gains.

I have had no victories, only gains and this issue is getting quite tiresome for me. I have gone so low carb it's practically no carb and I get on the scale each morning and each morning shows a gain. I am up to 206.4 this morning!! The highest I've been in 5 years!! I have been more active lately and everything!

And honestly, I know every low carb tweak in existence (how long have we all been at this now?) that I am not asking for any tips or advice and please don't take this the wrong way but I really don't want to hear them. It's partly why I haven't posted because some very good and kind-hearted person might say, "Well Kathy, have you tried xyz?" and all that will do is make me feel even more frustrated because most likely, yes I have. Let me correct that, it's not most likely that I have, it's most definitely. I've tried everything in the book and everything not in the book. lol So, it's been easier for me to just stay away. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by saying this so please don't take it the wrong way. You all are so incredibly supportive and right now the kind of support I need is more of a nodding in agreement that you get where I'm coming from.

Also, what is so upsetting is that fall is approaching and I know how my body acts as cooler weather approaches...it stores fat! Rrrrrrrrr! I can't win. I am not throwing in the towel...I love low carb so much. I don't know why, low carb doesn't love me. Well, weight wise anyway. I do feel much better eating this way compared to how I ate before. I'm making it about my health.

So, there you have it. My absence explanation. Bites, doesn't it?

As far as languages go...I'd love to check out that Babbel site for German. My German is eh! lol But, I'd love for it to go from eh to woohoo!

Hi Lab...it's good to see you!

Blue, glad you're feeling better.

Kathy

Aw, Kathy sorry to hear .....but definitely nodding my head in agreement that I get where you are coming from.......

Thanks ronchin.

Mornin', Kids.

I am so swamped this morning I'll have to give y'all a wave and come back later.

Kathy....what ronchin said. I have more to say and, NO, they aren't suggestions.

What a freakin' day! Just what a freakin' day.

Later 'gators. Keep the faith, keto on, and remember, this is a judge free zone. By the way, I'm up 7 tads. Hmmph.

Good morning. I am up a few tads, as well (2 lbs.) I didn't eat right over the weekend. My dad surprised me with a visit and we all went out for dinner. I indulged. Ah, well.

Kathy, I do get where you're coming from, as well. I'm sorry you're having to deal with all that frustration. I have to admit that I've always had an attitude toward the folks who act as if "all you have to do is drop the carbs! I did it and now I'm a skinny b----!" Yeah, well, glad it worked that way for some folks. That's not everyone's reality. Drives me crazy when people don't get that.

It's been a crazy morning, but finally seems to be calming down. We're still recovering from some issues, but seem to be getting on the good side of it.

Thanks Lab, I know the peeps in this group get it. That's partly why we all booked from the OC.

You know, I am even hanging out with all the cool LC kids on the block, Jimmy Moore (his wife, Christine, has become an amazing friend to Shelton and me), Dr. Westman, Dr. Eenfeldt, Jackie Eberstein herself (and herself is quite awesome), etc., etc., etc...

Jimmy and I were talking (when he grabbed my hand and "encouraged" me to finish that last lap of the 5K) about this very same issue. How we are doing everything right and yet the weight is stubborn. Jimmy, of all people, gets it. Fortunately, for Jimmy, he never gained all of his weight back and has managed to come back down to a weight he's reasonably happy to live with. But, I am a mere 5 pounds away from where I started 5 years ago!

I often wonder if I had started low carb when I had originally reached 180 if it would have made a significant difference in how I maintain. I honestly believe my body is trying to get back to the highest weight it once was...that it's comfortable there. So, if I had started at 180, even if I gained some back I don't believe my weight would go over that. Does that make sense? But, since I didn't even really understand what low carb is all about until I had gotten up to 212, I feel I will be in a constant battle to stay under 212 for the rest of my life! There are times that I am ready to fight that battle and other times when I just want to say, "Screw it! I'm tired." One thing that I am grateful for is that Shelton has been able to do so well. He's the one that's had a heart stent so for his ability to maintain, I am happy.

Afternoon, Kids.

I'm not one to complain about Mondays as a rule but this one kicked me square in the can. Things have settled down but I swear it was National Aggravate Blue Day. It wasn't good. Fires are out except I'm still smoldering a bit.

I don't know what to do about this anti-inflammatory. I feel good with it except I retain fluid. I may take it every other day to see if that helps. Of course the double bourbon neat I had last night before dinner didn't help a dang bit......but I enjoyed it. Every last bit of it. I did that to myself and I own it.

What matters, to me, is the connection with those who understand this journey. It doesn't matter if one is losing, gaining, or futzing around like I am. That's all part of the journey. Who else can we commiserate with? And we learn things. I learn from you all for which I'm most appreciative!

I SO get the temptation to say "Screw it! I'm tired." Do I ever. That is the battle I'm currently fighting. I can lose if I get back into determination mode. I'm stuck in apathy mode which actually annoys me because I'm a "just do it" kind of person and I'm flopping around in the muck.

I don't know what I'd do, Kathy, if I were in determination mode and still didn't lose. There are no instant answers or "just do this." Just know we all get where you're coming from and are here to lend support. You never know when some bit of information will come along to help.

I wonder if we have food allergies that do this to us. We may not be aware of how our body reacts to certain foods but maybe it reacts by gaining or not losing. I've been pondering that about myself lately.

Hang in there, Toots.

Thanks Pat! Support is the best I have to go on right now.

What is so crazy is I continue to preach this WOE and I know people are looking at me like, "Seriously? You've gained all of yours back!" Oh well, call me crazy. I still believe in it.

Just please understand if I vacate every so often. Sometimes I just need to clear my head and not be constantly surrounded by reminders that I'm trying to lose weight. I know this group isn't just about losing weight, we are also good friends. However, it is primarily about our low carb lifestyle and even though I am a staunch low carber, sometimes I just need a break from talking/reading about it and just live it. I hope I am making sense. I know what I'm trying to say, I just don't know if it's coming across.

Thanks for all of the feedback, y'all!

Kathy, you make total sense to me. You are writing "out loud" things that I often think. You talked about the improved health, and that's a big deal, too. Even when I gain weight, or don't lose like I want, I feel better than I did before choosing a low carb plan. That's worth so much right there, especially as I get older and deal with more aches and pains in general. At least I don't have the constant gut aching and burning that I used to have every single day of my life. I am glad for that.

So, after just a few days of chillaxing and doing what I know best and eating as I know best, that nasty 206.4 is down to 202.2 today!!!

Now, to get get to under 200.

It's been vewy quiet around here...everyone okay?

Happy weekend.

*Note, I said I may vacate here and there...did not say I'd disappear. You guys are stuck with me!

Must say I haven't been lurking, I haven't been on here all that much this week. I have been doing a lot of fabric painting. I don't feel like I have accomplished much, although I have stayed very busy. Busy is a good state for me, I like to stay that way.

I have been below 160 for over a week now. I even hit 158 for a couple of days, but now back up to 159. I have had grumpy gut, (this is my word for my IBS-D type symptoms) for over a week, don't know if it caused by stress or something I ate, or both. I don't feel stressed but I do let myself get that way sometimes. I am actually having fun with all the projects I work on, but I do create a stressful atmosphere by doing everything at the last minute. I know I do it, but I don't plan to change because that is the way I work. I don't feel like eating vegetables and salad when this is going on so I have been eating creamy cheese soup and cream of cauliflower soup, I made up the recipes. Yummy.

This Sunday is our 10 year celebration of having our pastor here. We know she is too humble to want a big to do about her personally so we are incorporating a celebration of the church and a renewal of purpose. The theme is Yes! she said yes to our call, and we said yes to her and we are celebrating all that has been accomplished in those 10 years... all that all of us have said yes to. This theme was the brainchild of one of the committee members and I love it.

Kathy and Pat, I hear your frustration. Don't get down on yourselves or the process. Keep on keeping on.

All right everybody where are you?

it got hot here today after a week of much cooler temps.

I have been bouncing a little bit lower the last couple of weeks even getting down to 158 one day. The back up and today back down a tad. I guess it is all good.

I am managing to be busy with things that I have agreed to do or want to do. Maybe a little busier than I like. But busy is good. Trying to get some sewing done and a project for the church and planning my vacation. Maybe not in that order...

Last week I did a lot of fabric painting, always one of my favorite things to do.

I've been lurking, but wanted to stop for a minute and say 'thanks' for all the motivation. It's great to listen to people who are working through the challenges of weight loss and being real about it. Happy Tuesday evening -

Louise