That is great Jeri!

So how is everyone going to stay sugar free this Halloween? We haven't bought any candy yet because I don't want it around! Too tempting! I'll probably buy it next Wednesday afternoon!

But I always struggle with the bags the kids bring home...not that I would ever steal their candy (wink) but when it's lying around, it's hard not to notice.

I'm wondering already because there are various Halloween events this weekend. And I don't know about you, but I find any kind of special event difficult, foodwise, usually. I confess: I need willpower support!

I hate thinking about food all the time. Sigh.

Hi Sass...
gotta say, that as you stay on the low carb way of eating, you truly won't be tempted. A chocolate bar (pint sized as it is) could derail a week of work, knock you out of ketosis, and leave you hungry. Most low carbers look at stuff and say, "nah, not worth ruining my momentum"
I think that's the best reason why this works for me. I can stick to it because of fear of ruining my hard work. WW and others, a little cheat here or there, and you plunk it in your charts for the day and think, oh, I'll just skip such and such... then you've eaten sugar or whatever and you're puzzled why you want to binge.

That said, however, if it's a problem for you and you know it is, buy something you can pass up easily, and only buy enough to fill the average amount of kids who come. If you have leftovers, bring them into your office and let the carbies gorge away and sit there with a smug look on your face knowing you'll look better at the Christmas party!

I always buy things I hate to give out at Halloween...all those sticky, sour things that the kids seem to love so much! Anything that I can resist is what goes into their goodie bags. As for DD's treats that she collects, I tell her to keep them in her room ( out of sight, out of mind). I usually do break down and buy myself some SF chocolate as that really is my downfall and it doesn't seem to matter how long I LC, the craving for it is always there.

You're right, Penn, I don't want them, I just get into this weird spiral of I Can't Have That / So Now I Want It in my head. (Honestly, I don't even like chocolate...just obsess about it because of what it represents, I suppose.) LOL at the idea of feeling smug as the carbies chow down, tee hee! And Char, that's smart, to buy something unappealing to diminish the temptation. Then that's decided...my husband will just have to deal with the fact that we're getting sour and colorful instead of rich and creamy to give out this year...something we can ignore but the kids will think it's fabulous!

Sorry to be posting again so soon, but I just realized that I can wear my "regular" (fat) pants today (rather than legging thingies, which I've worn for like, four years straight now, through pregnancy, postpartum, and back again). I am so excited to have some freakin' pockets again...ever notice that maternity clothes don't have any? What is that about?

I get the sf chocolate too! WTG sassafras that is great! I hadn't noticed that about maternity clothes. I made a great casserole tonight, and a yummy dessert (recipe is in my journal). One thing I love about this WOE is that it gets me to cooking creatively. How is everyone's night going?

I just looked at your recipe--am soooo making that for Thanksgiving! Thank you for the sharing, Kelley (and btw, you are doing such a wonderful job!).

You are welcome. And thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I meant to ask you before but forgot because that pie was so cool, but what was your casserole? And where are you finding recipes, or are you creating them yourself? (If it is the latter, I am bowing down to you right now...I have kitchen issues, myself...I am truly clueless in there). I do own about five LC cookbooks, but all I do is read them, for some reason, and never get around to purchasing the ingredients required to actually make things.

WTG on the pants Sass! It's such a great feeling to get to wear something different!

The casserole was sausages called cajun grillers (my butcher makes them), grilled and sliced in rounds, added to a head of cauliflower that has been boiled along with a small onion, about half a cup of sour cream, and a stick of butter all mixed well. Topped with mild chedder cheese baked until the cheese is melted.

I come up with the recipes myself. I love to cook, and find that eating LC requires I be creative. So what I create either turns out being really really good, or seriously unedible . There is no happy medium.

I've now lost 10 lbs!! In many ways this is the easiest "diet" I've ever been on. I'm not hungry, minimal cravings, and I feel really good.

I bought Halloween candy last week but I'm not tempted by it at all. Only bought one big bag. If we run out, I'll turn out the light and call it a night. The kids will bring back tons but we'll sit down and get rid of stuff they don't like and can't eat (braces on both) and then I'll start throwing a handful away each day when no one's around. I do that every year so that's no big change.

Hope everyone has a great on plan Friday!

Congrats on the first 10, Jeri! That's great!

Kelley, that sounds wonderful. Will have to be more adventurous (though right now, I'm about at "wow, melting cheese on top of something makes it fancier..." speed, ha!).

I'm a Mom, too! I'm 32. Two kids - one 7 and 1 just about to turn 2. We homeschool. My highest was 330, and that was 3.5 years ago. It's been a journey. I've never gotten under 250 in the last decade. I'm commitment phobic when it comes to a diet. LOL. I do think I've found my magic bullet though, I'm doing Induction with Intermittent Fasting. This latest phase restarted 2 days ago, so I'm only on day 3. We'll see how I'm doing at day 93 - I've never gone more than 3 months on any plan. Now - I do have 3 CAD days planned already, my sons' Birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I'm going to try to make them as legal as possible for myself. Once the holidays are over, things should be easier. I would really like to be under 275 by the end of the year. Only 12 pounds to go and I'll make it. <crossing fingers> I just need to make it through the mine fields of the holidays.