boards have changed...........

[abbys mom]

Brandon,

What a nice picture!  How long did it take you to lose the weight?  I know I never posted any "before" pictures but frankly I never thought that I would succeed with this.  To my amazement, I am also down about 60-65 lbs.  I don't get on the scale very often, as I just go by how my clothes fit.

Anyway, good job!

Kathy

[witheraway1]

Kathy, Nice picture..........You look great, you must have reached goal, you look so small.......nice to see you!        Wither

[w8Less]

Thank you Julie, Kathie, and JF for the kind comments.

JF - we're certainly hoping to see you (and everyone else) in the Keys next year too!

Kathie, I find it absolutely easy to keep the weight off since I continue to stick with the LDL way of eating.  No doubt if I went back to my old way of eating, I would be fat and lethargic again in no time flat.  Unlike the many diet's that I've attempted previously, I've found LDL very easy to integrate into my way of life without much thought or effort - it's just so simple and I love it!  As far as life changing for me, well, my energy has shot through the roof, I can keep up with my 8 year old and 1 year old now (no small task), and being able to lean forward and tie my shoes (as well as being able to SEE my shoes without leaning sideways - lol) is a huge plus.

Also, although I wouldn't have admitted it before, my self-esteem took a beating while I was fat, especially since I grew up skinny.  There's something debilitating about seeing someone you haven't talked with in several years, and have them barely recognize you because of all the weight gain - you can see the look of shock (and many times disgust) in their eyes.  The bigger I got, the more I dreaded going out in public.  I wore black most of the time to try for the "slimming effect" as they say, but as you can see below from one of my before pictures, it didn't have much effect.



Fortunately, I don't have to wear black or try in vain to "suck it in" anymore...and it feels GREAT!

Brandon

[w8Less]

Thanks Kathy!  Your picture looks great as well.  That's a lot of weight loss - congratulations!

To answer your question, I began LDL on 11/28/09 - two days after Thanksgiving.  I reached my goal around the beginning of this month.  You can see my timeline information below.



Brandon

[MsHeirloom]

Kathy and Brandon- You two are such an inspiration.  Congratulations.  Pam

[SweetRose]

Kathy and Brandon,

All I can say is WOW! Such great-looking people! Am wondering; in your quests to lose weight did you do any fruit and soup flushes? Did you skimp on LDL food on any days when you thought it may expediate your weight loss? During your weight loss jouney did you ever eat something that was not LDL but still lost?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am SO IMPRESSED by you both that I want very much to find out every detail- and have the same results! Of course, I know all bodies are different in the way they react to to a certain WOE.

You both are so inspiring!

SweetRose  

[julie409]

HI Kathy,

You look terrific as well. Congratulations on reaching your goal! 

Brandon and Kathy, I hope you gave your before/after photos and your success story to Roger. He would be very happy to have them, I am sure.

Julie

[crickadoodle]

RT is so right.  You can choose to read whatever you want on these boards.  If you don't like what you are reading, go to a different thread.  I for one will miss CQ if she really stops posting.  I've learned a lot from the things she's shared. 

Brandon and Kathy, ditto what everyone else is saying.  Your pics are terrific!  LDL definitely has made a good difference in you two -- and all of us!

Niki and Mary, I'd have loved to be a part of those humorous posts from the earlier days of LDL.  Everyone needs to relax and laugh.  It is so healthy to do that. 

Let people be themselves and have a place to vent, or laugh or share information.  I love these boards and appreciate the variety.

[abbys mom]

Wow, lots of responses and I thank you for noticing!

Julie - I have had non-stop company for 6 weeks so I don't have both pictures on one computer to send to Roger but I intend to.  Hoping to look on my old desktop computer for a picture that would be good for the before and now I have the "during" or close to "after" photo. 

Crick - Thanks also for the positive comments

Sweet Rose - Followed LDL pretty much to the T but sometimes went off base but with the great food and options it isn't hard to re-focus.  I am not perfect and have slipped up and notice my appetite coming back when I do.  I also felt REALLY lethargic when I do!  I do walk/run for about 30 minutes about 4-5 times per week.  Even with the MN snow, I managed to at least get out a couple of days a week and then did the Wii Active to do some toning on the other days.  I can definitely say that I do eat a lot of food but at least I KNOW what the ingredients are in my food and it is healthy.  I have found to love Sugar Snap peas and can eat a whole bag.  Same with blueberries, I eat a container of fresh ones in one sitting.  I started with the First magazine article in May 2009 so my weight has come off just steady and probably could have been better if I had made some better choices.  I firmly believe the scale is just a number, it is how you feel and how your clothes fit and feel.  I was fortunate that I was a saver and saved clothes from an 18 down to my current 10s.  Now I am finding it is time to finally buy some clothes.  While I was losing, I would go to the basement storage containers to look for a new wardrobe and luckily I found stuff I was hoarding.  But now that they no longer fit, I chose to get rid of them for good...no turning back!


Brandon - I thought I was the only one who tried to wear black all the time for it's slimming effects~

Anyway, didn't mean to be long winded.

Abbys mom (who still gets tired keeping up with a very active 6 yr old~)

[niki]

But most of my coworkers (yes, they have been reading the boards) and I have pretty much had enough of Lets Do Lunch and feel it's time to move on. We all agree that we have enough stress in our lives with our jobs as it is and really don't need anymore added to it with all the bickering about what should and shouldn't be allowed to be posted.

If they had had a problem then they should have sent me an email directly to explain how they felt and why. That would have been the adult way to handle it. And, if they had, then they would have known why I posted it.

NO......NO......NO......i do not accept your resignation as c.m.o(chief medical officer)of significant information for the new millennial woman....

LISTEN, no kidding....we were cracking up in the aisles having SO much fun....i'd be laughing at my own response while i'd be typing...........and, when this member(who LEFT the boards right after she created that BIG commotion)started protesting, i felt like a five year old that had been sent to the corner and given a time out.......STILL, i didn't leave the boards until someone accidentally deleted my account...i took THAT as goodbye......STILL, 6-9 months later, i came back............

NOT for the rude people that look to make other people miserable so their misery has company.........BUT for ALL of the people to whom YOU have made a difference...........isn't that why we go the extra mile?.....to make a difference?................so, i'm going to e-mail you now and ask you privately as well as publicly to stay.............a LOT of people here really care about you, cq..................aren't these boards a lot like life?......there are rude people THERE, too........but, do we close ourselves in at home and defer contact with the world?....no, we stay around and associate with people of good character.......................SO, consider sticking around........please? 

[crickadoodle]

AMEN!  Thanks Niki, for wording it so well. 

[witheraway1]

Well, some are still trying to stir the pot........My post well proven,  theres  a little evil in all of us. We have to be the bigger person.We all need to show a little love, and whoever these rude people are ,lets not stone them to death.      to all my freinds      Wither

[Joyful Friend]

Abby's Mom, You look wonderful!  You, Crick, and Brandon are so blessed to have found LDL at a young age.  Just think, you will be healthy right through your aging.  I'm glad that I found it, because my golden years are brighter.  My daughter, Country Girl, is Crick's age, so she is benefiting so much from LDL. She wore a size 10 instead of an 18 for her son's wedding.  Her hubby took 30# off, then had knee surgery. LDL has been great for our family.    I feel so good and look so much better in my clothes.  Country Girl and I have followed the LDL Red Book principles; however, my weight came off faster, so bodies are different.  To all newbies, don/t ever give up, because it will happen.  It has been so easy to do.  Every day, I enjoy cooking great foods or choosing good foods in restaurants.  Those snap peas and fresh fruits are delicious.  I am a volume eater, so have no problem ever being hungry on LDL.  It is wonderful reading the success stories.  Brandon, your little girl is beautiful-- What beautiful hair!!!  and    JF

[Karen Weeks]

Well, I love reading what everyone has to say, I like all the help I can get, and if it is constructive criticism I am ok with it.  I need all the help and prayers from all of you.  I just don't write alot because I feel those that write on the board back and forth are close friends, and I should know that most haven't even met each other, I just didn't want to intrude, but I love reading every thing that everyone writes about  Thanks for all your help EVERYONE Karen

[LINDA RN]

Please intrude, Karen and be our friend!
Seriously, we love hearing from you.

[cameron]

For sure Karen, as Linda says, please keep posting. Lots of great frienships are formed on the boards, and many may never have the chance to meet each other.The day that the convention comes to the PACIFIC NORTHWEST will be a happy day in my life!!!!!!!

[wendysgoodnews]

I agree with that Cameron, Northwest would be a beautiful perfect place to have a convention.
Karen,  yes please write and let us get to know you better, we love adding to our family.

[Joyful Friend]

Karen, please write.  Some of us have met in person, others only on the boards.  I really feel as though I know them.  Most generally, people give positive feedback.  We're all in this to help each other succeed, and I feel that has happened.  My health, energy, and weight have improved.  The grand folks on the boards have given me advice, recipes, and encouragement.  Join us.  Joyful Friend (JF)

[julie409]

HI Karen,

Please write as often as you wish. I have not met anyone in person. I only got to know people thru their posts.  We can all benefit from caring interaction.

You are almost halfway to your goal so I am sure you have great insights. You could also help some lurkers out there who may be on the fence.

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM - I used to post a topic asking for all lurkers to come out of the shadows every once in a while.  I think it may be time to do that again    I wonder who's out there.

Julie