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I have a little bit of time on my dh's work computer as he's working on trying to fix mine.Poor guy! He came home from a business trip to spend the whole weekend working on my computer! Apparently, I got a really nasty virus from somewhere. I don't know where ...I haven't done anything unusual online. He really doesn't know if he can fix it, and if anyone can, he can...I sure hope so! I feel so out of touch without my computer!

So, weighing in this week, I only lost .4 pounds, but honestly, I was just waiting for things to slow down a bit. I haven't ever lost weight this quickly before, so it was strange--welcome, but strange. It makes perfect sense to me that my body is catching up with itself.

I feel great! I'm right on track with my eating. I didn't get outside for as many walks this week because the weather turned cold again, but I did get my exercise in...just not quite as much. I'm sure this had a bit to do with me not losing as much. Also, my schedule was all wacky because my dh was out of town on business all week last week and at the same time, my ds was on spring break. I'm looking forward to getting back into my normal routine tomorrow.

I've been thinking about what I'm serving for Easter. I've decided to make several different salads and have a luncheon after church. My ds is getting baptized in the service, so we've invited family and friends to church and back to our house afterward. I want to keep things really simple. I think I might have done a brunch in the past, but I just couldn't pull off a vegan brunch with our omnivore families successfully. In fact, when I told my MIL about my menu she insisted on bringing a spiral sliced ham because it wouldn't be Easter without a ham...oh well. I'm not going to argue with her, and I know others will like it. But, I'm making all the sides completely vegan.

I'm especially excited to try these salads:
Asparagus Edamame Salad
http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blo ... Venture%29

Kale Waldorf Salad
http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/hap ... salad.html

And this one I've made before and loved:
Asparagus Pesto Pasta Salad
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2009/07/as ... salad.html

Edited to add:
Instead of this, I'm going to make the Asian Rice Salad I found listed in the recipe section from the McDougall 5-day email I just received...I have the Q&E cookbook and found the recipe on page 28. I think it will be better than having two dishes centered around asparagus, and probably more popular with the kids.

I'm also planning on serving a large veggie tray with hummus, a fresh fruit platter and whole wheat rolls. I'm toying with an idea for a carrot-raisin salad, but I haven't found the perfect recipe yet-I may have to combine a couple different ones. I'm still tweaking...

Edited to add: I found a GREAT carrot raisin salad recipe from Rachel Ray of all places. It looks wonderful, and got great reviews. I think it will be perfect for Easter!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rach ... index.html
(I will be omiting the brown sugar and adding a dash of ginger and cinnamon to this recipe.)

I'll be having 20-25 people, so I'm hoping everyone will be happy. I know I will be!

Hopefully I can post with my newly repaired computer tomorrow. I have some more thoughts from THE LAST ADDICTION that I've been wanting to share...we'll see!

GUESS WHAT?????? HE DID IT!!!!!! My wonderful husband completley restored and de-virused my laptop!!!!!!!!! What a guy!!!
It took him all weekend, and the virus was really scary, but he did it!!!!

I don't know where I got that virus, but it disabled all of our anti-virus programs and downloaded malicious trojans and key-stroke trackers and totally took over our computer. My husband is a genius! I'm so grateful he was able to get everything back to normal. As far as I can tell from checking all of our financial information, whatever this was didn't get a chance to steal any of our personal information, but wow! That was scary!

It feels so good to be back in touch with the world!! I have a lot of catcing up to do!!

I'm leaving now to go to my Pilates class...so nice to have ds back in school and be back on a normal schedule!

I hope everyone has a GREAT McDougally Day!!!!

Today is youngest b'day! We're goingt to Flat Top Grill to celebrate! It's our absolute fav restaurant, and soooo easy to stay MWL compliant! I can't wait. I haven't been out to a restaurant in a couple months!

It's a beautiful day here today, so I'm going for a 5 mile walk at the lake with a friend...rewarding myself with a walk, how's that for real change????

Happy McDougalling!

I know what you mean about "treating" yourself to exercise. I do that too. I think, "ooh, maybe tonight I can mow the lawn since it's so nice out and I don't have a run scheduled." Funny. Have fun at the bday celebration!

I treated myself to a 45 minute brisk walk at lunch time today. It was fantastic! It was a real treat to go outside and walk in the beautiful sunny spring day.

I did it! I officially weighed in this morning at 155.4 pounds! I met my goal of losing 100 pounds by Easter, and I couldn't be happier! Boy, it sure will be easy now to turn down all the non-MWL foods that people will bring to our Easter dinner!!!

1/06/12: 189.0
1/13/12: 186.6
1/20/12: 183.4
1/27/12: 181.4
2/03/12: 183.0
2/10/12: 180.8
2/17/12: 177.4
2/24/12: 172.0
3/02/12: 169.8
3/09/12: 168.8
3/16/12: 164.0
3/23/12: 158.2
3/30/12: 157.8
4/06/12: 155.4


I promised to post a before and after picture once I met this milestone, so here it goes:


My dh took the "after" picture of me after a bike ride this week and submitted both to bicycling magazine to enter me into a contest to win a new bike! They will notify the winners by April 20th...wish me luck. The submission required 150 words explaining where my bike has taken me and why I need a new one, so I thought I would share what he wrote. He titled it "ALMOST THERE." It made me cry (I've been doing that a lot lately! ) :
Two years ago, I began the journey of a lifetime. As of today, I've travelled away from 100 pounds, diabetes, high blood pressure, morbid obesity, high cholesterol, low energy and low self-esteem. I’m a different person and I’m becoming the real me for the first time in over 20 years. At 255 ½ pounds, I wasn’t doing very well. Now, at 155 pounds, I’m energized and ready to reach my goal of losing half my body weight by summer. My Pacific Mirage has been a trusty partner on my journey to health and freedom, but I need a bike that works with the new, smaller, more fit me. I need a bike that helps me go further, higher and faster, instead of one that’s now holding me back.

I am indebted to Dr. McDougall for teaching the TRUTH about health, and making all of the tools we need to acheive it available FOR FREE!! Right here on this website!! His generosity is remarkable!!Thank you to all of you who have been cheering me along on this journey and journeying with me every step of the way, so many of you have inspired me and spoke truth to me when I needed to hear it!...there have been many ups and downs, and I suspect there will be many more! I know for certain, that this community has been a vital part of me reaching my goals so far. I love all of you, and I know that together we can all live the life we were meant to be living!

I'm not there yet, and I know getting the rest of the way will be a challenge...and I am so grateful that I don't have to face that challenge alone!

YES!!!!!!
Just look at you. I am doing the happy dance in my chair for you. OMG, you are AWESOME. You look amazing. That bike pic looks like you are a fitness model, no lie.

Time and adherence, at its finest, in action.

Happy Easter, indeed!

Now I'm in tears! Those are amazing pictures, and you look wonderful -- I hope you win the bike, and I am confident that you will reach your goal by summer. Thank you so much for your openness and encouragement on this board.

Easter blessings to you!

WAY TO GO!!! You look absolutely healthy and amazing!!! I sure hope you win the bike. HUGS!!!

YOU ARE SOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look at how TINY your waist is. You are truly an inspiration!!!!!!!! Congratulations on 100 pounds. That is so phenomenal. Yay!!!!!!

Wow wow wow!!!! Sooo inspirational!!! You look amazing!!! You must feel soooo good!!!! What a blessing this way~o~eating truly is!!! I am sooo happy for you!!

Congratulations!!! You look ah-MAZING! I really hope you win the bike. I get that magazine and would love to see you in it!

WOW! How fun it is to come back here and see all the responses! Thank you!! Thank you for your encouragement, your tremendously kind and generous words, and your excitement! It means so much to me!!

Rosey, you were right, having the two pictures next to eachother is helping me with my body image...helping me wrap my mind around what I really look like.

I was talking to a friend the other day who encouraged me to make peace with the woman in my "before" picture. This was a really interesting thought to me. She said, I'm still me. I've changed, yes, but I am still me. I have to give that one some thought. I don't know. I feel like in so many ways, I AM a completely new person, and yet, I understand what she's saying. On the other hand, I feel like I have to be different at the core to have gotten from there to here and to be able to stay here. Anyway, she's never struggled with her weight, but she has been one of my best friends for 22 years, and she's been with me through all of it...I don't know what I think, but I do know, I like the "after" and I'm never going back to "before."

Congrats on making your goal!! Have a great Easter!! Your pics are amazing!! Keep up the good work!!

Congratulations Kirsty, on your 100 lb. loss.

I hope that you win the bike, too. But even if you dont, you are winning the weight loss battle. You look amazing. Too bad that the new book was published a little too early because you would have been a great inspiration in it, as you are to all of us.