i agree too.. there is enough bad written about the other artificial sweeteners.

I am with sissie, too. I have used it off and on for 2 years, and just recently started using it full force, and I haven't had any side effects from it, either. Antje, it does seem like there is a report of everything and anything nowadays. Everything we put in our mouths is gonna be the death of us! lol

Hi everyone, I have a question for everyone:)
How would you feel about a weight loss challage here? I am thinking about something small to begain with:) They say (I don't know who LOL)that if you can do one thing for 30 days that it will become a habit. and I don't know about everyone else but I can use some GOOD habits!So I would like to challenge each of you to Drink at lease 60 oz's of water (or a mix of water & crystal light)for the next 30 days!!
Are you up to this challenge? Come on and join me in this new habit!! Today is Aug 1st we will go till Sept 1st. Lets help each other to keep on track and motivated. together we can conquer this weight!!!

Where do I sign up? lol Count me in! That's what we all need to be doing in here, lifting each other up, and supporting one another. Which everyone has been doing a pretty good job of, so far. lol

I also hear that if you incorporate milk and/or dairy products, all low-fat or fat-free, of course, the calcium helps you lose weight too. I can't really stomach mil, but I have been eating low-fat cheeses like, mozzerella, string cheese, provolone, and 2% cottage cheese alot. And I have also replaced cheese slices with fat-free cheese slices. Just something to chew on. No pun intended. lol

Great Scooby you are in! I have never heard that about calcium!! But I am also still in the early weeks of Aktins so milk is a nono:)

I have overcome the 2 weeks strict phase on southbeach, but I am still not allowing sugar, or whites of any kind in my mouth. I am still basically doing the strict phase. I have sort of made it a habit, lol As soon as I see a pound or two fall off, I'll ease up on myself a little. :)

Oh, and how would tea or mint tea be for a substitute? We have awful water here where I live, and I can stand to drink it when I make tea or coffee with it. No moola for crystal light or bottled water, either.

I have heard that the crystal light can be drank in place for part! of your water intake. so I am not sure and other drinks.

i dont think tea is counted, or coffee, first of all because of the caffeine, and tea isnt allowed in the count because it has a diuretic effect.
i dont know if i can take you up on that sissie, but ill try... staring today? ok.. 60 oz's of water.. and those who have taken up the challenge, must report if they didnt uphold it.. sort of a way of helping to stick with it!! ok?

LOL! I can do it if I can have a nice cinnamon bun along with it!!!

LOL Dolittle. i ate the last one, and im not buying anymore!!

notice the new moderator!! welcome to the job sissie44. if there is anyone else who wants to assist in moderating this board, we are planning to become more proactive here and would like 24 hour coverage if possible!

Ok everyone it is the end of day one!! How did you do? I did it! I just finnished my last bottle! So can you guess who will be up and good friends with the ladies room tonight? LOL

Antje you are right about the tea and coffee. The only things that I know of that can count as water intake is crystal light and flavored waters. But I still try to make at lease the 60oz of nothing but water. that way my crystal light is iceing on the cake! YUM YUM LOL.
Hope everyone has had a great day and on track!

but it isnt August 1 yet.. im starting that tomorrow!! (the 60 oz.'s of water)

i wish soda could count for the water.. ;o)

You know what!! You are right LOL I don't know why I was thinking it was the first all day today LOL Ok so today was my warmup!!

Hi folks..
The only way to count soda pop as water is to drink diet, decaf pop. So sprite, 7up, decaf diet coke etc are ok.. Dont forget you can count a glass o milk as one of your waters too!

THANK YOU ROSE!! You are my buddie now!! LOL LOL I did not know we could count soda pops as water.
Now how can we count milk? and I think you still have to have only a part of your water intake as these. you still need the water itself. does anyone know the right answer to this?

OK everyone now that I know today is Aug 1st!! HAHA It is day one!! Remember as you go though your day to drink water!!
We are all winners here we can do this yes we can!!!
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYONE
p.s. don't forget to post and lets us know how you are doing.

Rose would you post your info on the soda pop in our member diet group?

OK! here we go gang! Im going to start my diet today as well, no use putting it off any longer, just makes that much more to lose!!

having tea now (which doesnt count) and im surprised about the soda. i could easily do that if thats true!! switch to decaf diet is MUCH better than solid water. but im going to drink the water anyway, its better for you in the long run.
i thought diet soda contained sodium and therefore didnt count?

I lost 8 lbs since July 18th. I have been snacking on fruit and more fruit to offset hunger cravings. I am on diuretics so drinking more than 4 glasses of water daily creates a problem as my body retains water. There also is a diuretic in my blood pressure pills. I am not eating anything past 7pm unless I feel I am going to scream and then I eat some grapes. Lots of luck to you folks that are trying to drink 60 oz of fluid daily.

Evening everyone just wanted to let you know that I have made day # 1! With 40 ozs water and 32 oz crystle light. one down and 29 to go:)! Hope all of you had a good day also. and pray that we are all not up and in the ladies room all night! HAHA

well done sissie, i managed it too!!! the 60 oz's of water part anyway!! i try to get it all in by 6pm then i have less potty trips overnight. i try not to go more than 5 times overnight!! ;o)

Thats great Musiclover keep up the good work.

Foxy Lady, thanks for the encouragement. I blew it yesterday with 4 pieces of pizza so today I hope I am on course again.

Hello Music, Hope you day was on course:) I did good today also.

Just a quick report! I have day 2 in the bag with 80 oz's water! Now I will go spend the evening in my favorite room these days HAHA!!
2 down & 28 to go!

musiclover, you have done so well with your weight loss..that pizza probably didn't hurt a thing!!

Dolittle, I weighed myself tonight and I am up 2 lbs so it certainly did hurt!! All I have to do is look at food and I gain. LMAO Tomorrow I will really fill up on fruit and get back on track.

Musiclover... weightloss can vary from day to day....I have always been told to weigh yourself once a week at about the same time of day.... having eaten and drunk about the same too....
Idealy for me, I weigh in the morning after my first cup of tea!!!! lol (thats the time of the class I go to!!!!!) I have weighed myself a few days before.. and have seemed to of gained.... but generally I have lost!
I am like you, look at food and gain weight ......lol but if I eat the good foods I am fine :)

So true Chatty and if we just continue to eat the good foods, everything will be fine.
Musiclover, that 2 lbs could very well just be fluid retention! Let's have some more fruit!!!:)

and, the end of the day is the worst time to weigh yourself. since you are on diuretics, Musiclover, you generally take them in the morning i presume? thats when most of the diuresing occurs, so in the evening, youre retaining more water.. i bet if you had weighed yourself again in the morning, the 2 lbs wouldnt have been there!!!

You have a good point Antje and thanks for the info. I USUALLY weigh myself in the morning as I know I always weigh less than evening so don't ask me why I did it late that day.

I was Told once back when I was In weight watchers that it useally takes up to three! weeks before the food you eat today will show in weight! So that being said music You should be able to tell if the pizza hurt you or not in about three weeks:). so you have three weeks to really cut back and you will be in great shape:) Don't worry about one little slip just get back on the wagon as quick as you can! I always mess up my whole day if I eat something wrong because I don't get right back on the wagon! NO I always asume that if the day has gone wrong might just as well enjoy the rest of the day:) and yes I know this is WRONG but I can't seem to help myself!!

AUG 3rd:68 ozs water today!
Hey guys If you are not into doing water as your daily challenge then what would be your pick? What is the one small thing that you feel you need to work on eash day?

I'm into making my own flavored waters with oranges,limes and lemons.NO sugar. Now if this baby would get off my bladder lol.I'm into my 6 month and eating healthy but keeping my weight down.I find if i drink water with my meals it helps.I crunch on raw veggies at night for a snack.

how do you make your flavored waters? wish I could do the raw veggies I am agglurick(spelling:)to them!

Way to go Foxy..you are doing so good! You and baby will both benefit from that healthy diet. I like the fresh veggies too but always want to dip them in some nice ranch dressing...ooops!!

Sissie44, thanks for the info. I will wait 2 weeks. I do the same thing. If I mess up, I continue the whole day as I figure all is shot anyway.
Foxy Lady, I did not know you were pregnant. Congrats and diet or no diet, you have to drink milk for calcium because the baby takes so much of it out of your system. You should learn to drink skim milk; that's what I do. I know too many cases of women having trouble in latter years with osteoporosis and fractures because they did not drink enough milk during pregnancy.
Dolittle, I cannot eat too many raw veggies as I have diverticulitis. I have to steam them to cook them partially and save them in the refrigerator to pick on later. Raw veggies also give me heartburn. I wish my health were not so complicated but it is. My own fault for not taking care of myself properly the last 30 years. It all catches up; doesn't it?

Nothing to it,we have a home delivery for Spring water,we just cut up all the fruit and add it to the water.

Musiclover i drink 1 per cent milk and lots of it but i tend to go more for yogurt.
I use the yogurt for a dip so does my 6 yr old she loves it.I also freeze it for a cold snack.

Evening everyone, How was your day today? I was ok, got my water in but that is all I can say! I went way off the wagon:)
hope everyone had a better day than I did.

Cheer up everyone has a day they fall off.My day is gonna be Sunday were going to my Grams for dinner.That means Pasta,Pasta and i'm gonna eat it.
Just make up for it today and smile.

FL, nice to hear that YOU ARE getting enough calcium from 1% and yogurt. I simply love yogurt. Have a yummy time at you Grams for dinner Sunday and I will envy you eating all that pasta.
I have a lot of running around to do today so I will probably not play my games until late evening. I am trying to catch up on all the messages in the Fellowships and Discussion boards. Hope everyone has a lovely day.

Well, everyone, I have failed miserably on my water intake. Just thought I'd let ya'll know how it was going!

Now scooby you have NOT Failed miserably!! I for one am sure that you have drank something in the water line. and none of us are failures!! we just fall of the wagon sometimes!! Loo at me I did good just week with my water intake BUT failed miserably at eating!!! I even gained back three of the six pounda that I lost last week!! So Here we are:) I will get back on the wagon if someone will stop by and pick me up:) will you?!!
I hope everyone else had a better week than I did!! But this is a new week for me and I will do my best at loseing this three pounds again!!

Well i didn't pig out like i thought i was gonna.Guess just knowing i could of i didn't.My Gram had a huge Salad and a big veggie tray with yogurt for a dip.I did eat a cannolli but i'm not gonna beat myself up because of it.I'm doing good i've only gained 16 lbs. and have 3 months to go.
Doing great on my water but the more i drink the more this baby kicks lol.I should mention that dinner was today at my grams she has a chance to go to the casino tomorrow and play bingo.

That is great Foxy!! now what is a cannolli? when is your due date? my dauther is also due in three months! she is due Nov. 25th thankgiving day:) there goes my dinner LOL

Thank you, sissie, for your encouraging words. I just felt bad about it, because I was the first one to jump on the bandwagon. Felt like I had let you guys down, and wanted to be honest about my water intake, since other ppl were posting their progress! I am trying to do better. My eating habits have gotten worse, too. I am eating less, not more than I usually do. I forget to eat all the time. I have been lucky to get in one meal a day. I know it will catch up with me in the long run, though. I need to get back on the South Beach Diet, lol. I hope everyone else is doing better than me in diet land. :)