First I will start by saying Rasberry Ketones SUCK! DO..NOT….WASTE….YOUR…. MONEY!!!

I saw them on the Dr. Oz  show (am I the only one that thinks that man is manic and expects you to remember a million and one things?) They are supposed to ‘excite’ fat cells and make them shrink, go away, or something like that. I have been taking 2 a day for several weeks. NOTHING. While I am , in full force, back on my iodine (and the little bit my thyroid had grown, it is now shrunk again), I still maintain iodine is the best bet over all for boosting the metabolism. But for the love of all the Saints and Angels, I cannot figure out what is going on with me in the here and now.

So, I am starting back to the basics when I had my RNY. Four mornings a week I am doing smoothies. The other three I will do my famous pepper and onion scramble with turkey breakfast sausage (does not taste a BIT different from real sausage and only has 120 calories for 3 links / 2 patties)

With that a high fiber low fat english muffin (100 cals, high protein and high fiber).

Sometimes I make a sausage sandwich out of the english muffins and turkey sausage. I also use a little REAL spreadable butter for a softer and tastier muffin.  For lunch either a pepper onion stir fry on a whole wheat tortilla, a whole wheat tortilla pizza, etc with a small bowl of cottage cheese and fruit. Lots of fresh veggies and fruit and a lite, healthy dinner. Back to basics! Portion control will be very strict. I am starting my walking…. or at least giving it my best shot. If I am in the middle of a big fibro-flare I feel like I have been beat with a baseball bat. If I am in the middle of a funk, which of course makes one want to eat more and increase the appetite, that also makes things challenging. But I am aware, very aware. This must be how it starts for people who gain some of their weight back.  A little of this, a little of that. Five pounds here, Five pounds there. Well this has reached a  S*T*O*P!Let me put this in perspective. I am getting compliments. LOTS of compliments as I had fallen down the rabbit hole way too far. I looked bad…. really bad. When I was ‘movie-star’ thin, I looked like I just walked away from a concentration camp.

Now, I have been writing this in spurts. As of today, I am down to ‘only’ needing to lose 7-10 lbs at the most. It got BAD but this morning I felt ‘lighter’ and I was! So getting back to basics must be doing good! 8-D  Plus it is payday which means we are low on food and I go grocery shopping. But I will be GOOD with the things that tempt me.

Exercise. With warm weather coming the pool is opening soon! 🙂 But alas, I sit and bake more than swim so here is what I am going to do. Twice a day4-5 times a week I am walking. The first time will be around the beautiful grounds I live on. If I go around twice it is about 1/2 a mile. Then in the evening, Paul and I can go walk a mile by the river.

Water. I do not drink enough. I never did and it is a struggle for me to drink enough water, but I am going to be aware and try to drink as much as I can. I do drink a lot of iced herbal tea (de-caff) in the summer and I know that counts for some of my water but that is still not enough.

So the battle for 10 lbs is still in play. Gahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!