I've hit a plateau and so haven't been excited to post. I'm holding steady at 32 pounds - up one then down one each week. I can't complain about the program though because I haven't been following it. It's all me. I stopped writing it all down, stopped counting points, etc. Even the exercise has lagged. I can look back at the past 6 weeks and know that I just got too comfortable with where I was! It was so good to be fitting into clothes and even buying a few new things. The success should have motivated me to keep working but instead I just sat back and enjoyed it.\ I had a couple weeks of business travel then a family vacation since I last posted too. That really made it hard and I missed a couple meetings because I was out of town. I guess I should be glad that I didn't gain a bunch of weight during that time! But the good news, for me, is that I got serious last week and feel much more on track. I started back with the homemade and point-conscious soups on Tuesday. This morning I did a 2 mile walk around a local lake, stopped at a farmers market on the way home and stocked up on good veggies, then came home and worked in the garden for a while. (After that I lounged in the pool for 2 hours, finished a book I haven't had much time to read, and am now on my way to a neighbors for late-afternoon mojitos! Didn't want you to think I had turned into a saint or anything!) Finally back with the program, I'm working hard to drop another 13 pounds by the end of June. On the 4th of July I want to be able to say I've lost 45 pounds. I think I can do that if I stay serious. Congrats Happy Girl on reaching goal and staying there! Kate

Kate, I lurk over here once in awhile, and happened to see your post. I do smoothies in several ways. Recently I've bought some little push-up containers for freezing and I'm making popsicles that are 'the bomb' - excuse the pun. I'll start with two recipes for popsicles that were given to me 30 years ago, and they easily converted to sugar-free, fat-free. The first is for fudgesicles. Mix a 3 oz box of instant sugar free chocolate pudding mix according to package directions, using nonfat milk. Then blend in a ?13 oz? can of nonfat evaporated milk (not the sweetened kind, just plain evap milk. If you're not watching your fat grams, regular evap milk makes a creamier fudgesicle, but these aint half bad.) Pour into molds and freeze. (If you're not on a diet, a cup or two of brewed flavored coffee and a can of that sweetened evap milk, frozen, is also yummy. But I digress......) The second is for dripless popsicles. It calls for a 3 oz box of any flavor Jell-o, mixed according to package directions. Do not chill. Instead, add a can of evap milk to make a "Dreamsicle", or 2 cups of mixed fruit, (mashed or pureed). Pour into molds and freeze. Now, for what I call a "milkshake", soften 2 tsp. of unflavored gelatin in about 1/2 cup water. Then place this in the microwave until the gelatin has melted and the mixture is kinda like eggwhite. This takes only 30 seconds or so. Into your blender, place whatever kind of fruit strikes your fancy. I like peach, banana or strawberry the best, or a mixture. Maybe about a cup. Add about half cup of water. If you want it like a smoothie you would not add dry milk, but I add 1/3 cup dry milk because I like it better that way. Start the blender, and while it is whirring, pour in the hot gelatin. Then start dropping ice into the blender until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth. Pour into a glass and eat it with a spoon. If your fruit is not sweet enough on its own, add some artificial sweetener or sugar. Smoothies can be made with all kinds of different fruits, and lot of times I just throw frozen fruit into the blender in lots of different combinations: plum and banana with some frozen apple juice concentrate. Canned pineapple and frozen strawberry with some frozen orange juice concentrate. Something tart with something sweet, you know? You can leave out the gelatin if you don't want to go to the trouble, but I like the smooth creaminess it gives to the finished product. You can make a very nice 'cheesecake' by using the gelatin, fat-free cream cheese, some dry milk powder and lemonade concentrate. Of course there's sugar in the lemonade concentrate. You can also make a 'chocolate shake' by using the gelatin mixture recipe, replacing the fruit with 1 cup water and another 1/3 cup of nonfat dry milk powder, and adding maybe a tablespoon of cocoa. I like to go to Allrecipes.com and I notice they're featuring a lot of smoothie recipes there. So if none of these appeal to you, try there. They have a search function you can use, just search on 'smoothie'. I'm not connected to them in any way, I just like the site. Oh, and BTW, lots of things can be frozen and eaten without thawing (besides cookies, but I'm digressing again...). Grapes are delicious frozen, as are blueberries, peaches and apple slices (dip the apple slices in salt water, drain and freeze, 1 tbsp to a gallon -- do the math for smaller quantities, you don't taste it and it keeps the apple from turning). Bananas can be frozen in the skin, but not for a very long tine. To eat, run water over the skin to thaw it a bit, score it down the length of the banana and pry up along one edge. It will peel right off, usually in one piece. The skin will have blackened but the banana inside is still yellow and creamy. My kids used to call frozen banana 'ice cream'. LOL You must eat it while it's frozen though because when it thaws it's not a pretty sight. Watermelon and cantaloupe make wonderful popsicles. The trick is to puree them first. Cantaloupe is wonderful blended into apricot jello for popsicles. I think they have watermelon flavor jello now but I haven't tried it. There are all kinds of possibilities for smoothies, and any smoothie can be made into a popsicle. If you're interested, I bought my popsicle push-up molds at organize.com (not affiliated with them either). They're called cool cones. I like them very much. They don't leak out the bottoms so when I freeze them I set them upright in the freezer and let the 'stems' hang down between the wires of the shelf until they're solid. I hope this helps! --Ilene

I've been a member forever, but have not done the program in quite a few years. As far as I know, the eating plan is healthy and provides structure if you need that. Also, some people are helped by knowing they need to weigh in at the meetings so it helps keep one on the straight and narrow. But of course you do not need to fear anyone saying anything if you pick up a few pounds in a week. It happens. I've found the presentations fun, interesting and educational. I remember a man at one meeting saying that since he had lost weight, he was able to give up his diabetes meds. That made an impression on me. It would be fun to do it with friends. If you're not a joiner, maybe it's time to "step outside the box" and try something new with buddies. You could learn a lot. Back when I was a member, WW sold all kinds of measuring spoons, gadgets, magazines and other paraphenalia to help. Unless you see something you feel sure would help you, I'd pass on most of that stuff. That said--I've recently lost about 10 lbs. just by eating mostly what I want but just much less and reducing carbohydrates somewhat (not completely). Also, no cookies, candy or other sugary treats, and of course no sodas at all. I'm also walking every day. Whatever you decide, best wishes for success.

dotties weight loss zone is a goon one, there are forums, recipes w/ points, and restaurant points info. Good luck! Lose a few pounds for me :) Here is a link that might be useful: dotties weight loss zone