HI Everyone, Happy Monday!
I am so happy that we have all found our way here.
![hug *hug*](./images/smilies/kissing.png)
I believe in the power of prayer and the power of groups. We can support each other and give each other tips on things to try that work for us and most of us we can make this a place where we all know we can say anything and it will be heard with love.
![love *love*](./images/smilies/kiss.gif)
(Sort of like Switzerland
![laughing :laughing:](./images/smilies/laughing.png)
)
I think there is a special mindset you need to keep moving toward your goal when it is a significant one - like a 100 or 200 lb loss. I know we can all reach our goals but it takes a different kind of fortitude and like Jess said, hearing about losing 40 lbs may not mean as much to some of us bc WHO HERE HAS NOT LOST 40 lbs over and over again?
![blink :blink:](./images/smilies/blink.png)
The trick for us to to reach a place in our minds that will take our bodies where they need to go.
I started LDL on May 25th - like Pam.
![hug *hug*](./images/smilies/kissing.png)
I am grateful to have the blessing of travelling with her and now to have all of you.
![angel :angel:](./images/smilies/angel.png)
Like Sicilian Mama, I am of Italian heritage and tend to speak to it as I am strengthened by that connection. I was so happy to hear all your stories and also sad to know some of the health challenges you have had in the past and are dealing with at this time. I have some health issues but nothing as severe as they could have been had I not found LDL. I have been researching on the internet since I have not been satisfied that my doctors are as aware as they need to be regarding nutrition and the affects of food on the body. Where I landed was having a belief that a lot of our disease and discomfort and weight gain comes from keeping our bodies in an acidic condition. The way to counter that is to eat more alkaline foods and thankfully, LDL has helped me to accomplish that. It fit beautifully with how I wished to live for the rest of my life ---- with whole, fresh and nutritious foods. I needed a way of living that would not end when I reached a goal for therin lies the
![evil *evil*](./images/smilies/devil.png)
and all sorts of uncontrollable cravings.
![stop :stop:](./images/smilies/stop.png)
I have hypothyroidism and Epstein Barr and Rosacea (which has a lot of food triggers) and some food allergies and sensitivities. With these conditions it should be very difficult for me to lose weight, but it's not with LDL. When I started, I set my goal at 137 lbs which is a weight I cannot ever remember being in my adult life, EVAH! That gave me 100 lbs to lose but I am letting my body take me where it wants to go. On this I am relinquishing control. I have lost 54 lbs to date and would love to reach goal by my birthday on April 9th - but if it happens late --- ok --- but I will reach it.
I am a Brooklyn girl - born and bred and now live in NJ. My kids are grown - boy Paul and girl, Dina. Dina has blessed me with one grandson Zachary, 5, who loves to cook with me. Being Italian, most of our traditions center around food and I am trying to make it more of a focus on the company and the freshness of the ingredients than the quantities. Pam. you did so fabulous at your family Christmas celebration - but then I never doubted you would
![kissed :kissed:](./images/smilies/kissed.png)
S Mama, Sorry - I was one of those that slowed down my weight loss. I notice that it happened to a lot of us around the 40 lb mark. Some do it consciously and some unconsciously. I think sometimes you have to give your head a chance to catch up with your body. We all know how to be heavy but some of us may not know how to be thinner. I still lost but not at the same pace as before. It was a little scary when a pair of pants that did not fit one week, fit the next and then were too big the week after that. I also reach a point --- as I do when I reach this weight where my body gets really scary looking. Because I have been overweight all my life, my skin is completely stretched out and it looks terrible. I have exercised my whole life as well but that has only served to make me as healthy as I can be at this weight but does nothing for my skin. What usually happens is that I start to gain again but not this time. I am committed to taking this to the end and then I will deal with whatever I have to do to feel good about myself - like plastic surgery. (Any suggestions would be most welcome!)
I am honored to be here with you all and look forward to learning from you and being here to cheer you on. I do have one piece of advice that may help. If you can keep a daily food journal - that is extremely helpful. You can go back and see if your eating habits have changed if you should encounter a stall. If you do stall, please consider that there are several reasons that members have found may contribute to this:
Too much corn (corn thins, corn on t he cob and pop corn!), Too many beans (yes this can happen), & Food Allergies, to name a few.
OH, I do have an LDL vice. I am addicted to my scale. I make it work. I don;t get discouraged by it, I get mobilized if I don;t see the results I want and try to figure out what I can change. shhhh! don't tell roger (but i am guessing he already knows.)
Julie
![rose :rose:](./images/smilies/rose.png)