Fluidity of Life

Change Change Change -- always changing.

Sister moved across town.  Great view from her parking garage.

I am happy for her, but going to miss having her one block over.  Life is always changing, but that is not a bad thing.  I am always amazed at how God provides exactly what we need at just the right moment.

Puppy to Dog -- growing up.

Her first  photo:

My first ever puppy, inside dog, cuddler -- Ginger.

She's great, except when she is chewing.  Puppies really do chew EVERYTHING.  

Finally found a chew bone and toy that she loves better than my feet and hands.

And finally ... the diet.

My weight is up a little because my attitude was down.

Now my attitude is up a lot, so I fully expect my weight to go down.

I am very blessed and grateful.

I am very happy and thankful.

Sometimes what I think I need or want is NOT beneficial for me.

This time last year I thought I wanted something that was not in God's plan for me.

I was pursing a direction that was toxic and obviously (now) upside down.

Everyday I thank God for keeping me safe and protecting me from harm.

Great to be awake and alive and back to the things that REALLY make me happy.

Blessed.

The Gods of the Copybook Headings - Rudyard Kipling

FAVORITE POEM (The "copybook headings" to which the title refers were proverbs or maxims, extolling virtues such as honesty or fair dealing that were printed at the top of the pages of 19th-century British students' special notebook pages, called copybooks. The school-children had to write them by hand repeatedly down the page.)

The Gods of the Copybook Headings - Rudyard Kipling

As I pass through my incarnations in every age and race,
I Make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market-Place.
Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all.

We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn
That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn:
But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind,
So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind.

We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace,
Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market-Place.
But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come
That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome.

With the Hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch
They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch
They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had Wings.
So we worshipped the Gods of the Market Who promised these beautiful things.

When the Cambrian measures were forming, They promised perpetual peace.
They swore, if we gave them our weapons, that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us bound to our foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Heading said: "Stick to the Devil you know."

On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life
(Which started by loving our neighbour and ended by loving his wife)
Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "The Wages of Sin is Death."

In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "If you don't work you die."

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew,
And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four —
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.

* * * * *

As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man —
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began —
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire —
And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!

Change is Good Bulletproof Style

First here is the official information - http://www.bulletproofexec.com/bulletproof-fasting/

And some of Dave Asprey's information --

14 Steps To Eating The Bulletproof Diet

1. Eliminate sugar (including fruit juices and sports drinks that contain HFCS, honey, and agave) .

2. Replace the sugar calories with healthy fats from the Bulletproof Diet such as grass-fed butter, ghee, and MCT or coconut oil.

3. Eliminate gluten in any shape or form. This includes bread, cereal, and pasta. Do not make the mistake of resorting to gluten free junk food, which can be almost as bad.

4. Remove grains, grain derived oils, and vegetable oils such as corn, soy, and canola. Also remove unstable polyunsaturated oils such as walnut, flax, and peanut oil.

5. Eliminate all synthetic additives, colorings, and flavorings. This includes aspartame, MSG, dyes, and artificial flavorings.

6. Eat significant amounts of pastured, grass-fed meat from big ruminant animals such as beef, lamb, and bison. Pair this with fish, eggs, and shellfish.

7. Eliminate legumes such as peanuts, beans, and lentils. If you must have your beans, soak, sprout (or ferment), and cook them.

8. Remove all processed, homogenized, and pasteurized dairy. High fat items can be pasteurized, but they should be grass-fed. Full fat, raw, whole dairy from grass-fed cows is okay for most people.

9. Switch to grass-fed meat and wild caught seafood. Eat pastured eggs and some pork, chickens, turkeys, and ducks.

10. Switch to organic fruits and vegetables. This is more important for some plants than others. See this site for details.

11. Cook your food gently, if at all. Incorporate water into your cooking whenever possible and use low temperatures. Do not use a microwave or fry.

12. Limit fruit consumption to 1-2 servings per day. Favor low fructose containing fruits like berries and lemons over watermelon and apples.

13. Add spices and other flavorings from the Bulletproof Diet. Favor herb based spices such as thyme and rosemary over powders. Use high quality ones, recently opened.

14. Enjoy your food.
And GREAT charts here.  Eat on the "green side" -- http://www.bulletproofexec.com/the-complete-illustrated-one-page-bulletproof-diet/

Sample:



I just spent 3 days listening to Dave Asprey and I was amazed and overwhelmed.  His storage bank of information is incredible.  There is still SO MUCH I do not know.

I love Atkins, Low carb, and LCHF - but I am very happy that there are a lot of variations out there.  One size does not fit all and sometimes it is just good to shake it up a little bit.

In 3 days I have already dropped 4 pounds. :D  And getting my energy back.

I must say that there are a few minor changes.  I do not have my official "Bulletproof Coffee" yet (ordered a small bag) so I am just using what I have.  Also, I have added organic coconut milk to my coffee.

Here is a typical day for me:

6:00am - 8 oz coffee blended with 1 tbs butter, 1/2 oz coconut milk, 2 tsp stevia/erythritol (Swerve), and 1-1/2 jigger of MCT oil.

10:00am - another BP coffee at work

2:00pm - Lunch - Meat, Fat, & veggie -- Usually in that order.  I am NOT a big veggie eater, but I am trying.  I am excited for colder weather to get here because I bought a Vitamix and can make some awesome hot soup!

6:30pm - Dinner - Meat, Fat, & veggie - Favorite is just bacon and eggs. lol

NOTHING between 8pm and 2pm.  THAT is the "fasting" time.  I did not die for putting off lunch. hahaha  Actually felt pretty good.

Yay! So... that is what is happening.

I have a plan.  I have focus.  I am working on dropping my last "binge weight" before the holidays get here!

And besides, I have some really cool clothes that I don't want to outgrow!

I take NO CREDIT for this information.  Everything can be found at www.bulletproofexec.com

Combo Check In

Just checking in with the Blog.

Doing fantastic.  Blood ketones were 1.9 today - in ketosis.  I have increased my activity thanks to a "jawbone" and the UP app -- https://jawbone.com/

Enjoying the challenge of trying to get more activity.  Cooking more.

My weight climbed 15 pounds (all my fault for eating bad) but now it is going back down.

I am happy and just plugging along.

I am thankful for my friends who are always just a phone call away.

And I am especially thankful for my family who always encourage me.

It's all good.

How to RESTART - Set a Date, Make a Plan!

First, "restarting" is NOT failure.  It is success.  Restarting should be a regular part of your diet journey.  It is NOT an excuse for going off plan.  NO EXCUSE!  However sometimes our mind and our body just takes a break - planned or unplanned.  It is important to create a 'marker' or mental note that D-Day is coming when you will do a clean sweep and hit it again.

Bathrobe Breakfast on the Carnival Magic -- Susan, Nickie, Shari, and Mandy.  See more cruise photos in the private Facebook group - Low Carb Cruise Group.

I had a GREAT cruise with some wonderful people.  The Low Carb Cruise is the highlight of my year.  I found myself very relaxed and refreshed with great memories.  After I got home I found myself eating more nuts, dark chocolate and dairy than I normally do.  I splurged on a few higher carb foods (onion rings, for one).  The month of May was more vacation than I expected to take. haha.



So I set my mind on "June 1".  Restart day.  And I do NOT want to step on that scale -- waaaaa -- but I will.  I know I am up about 5 lbs, because I can feel it.

Knowing that my body will go through a slight detox as I get my ratios back together, I am starting with very high fat to keep the hunger and cravings down.



Today I will have:
1 bulletproof coffee
1 serving of Shirataki "mac" and cheese (goat cheese, coconut cream)
1 serving of Avocado Deviled Eggs
1 oz macadamia nuts
1/2 oz pork rinds
Bacon and eggs w/ Kerrygold Butter

That is 1,040 calories (however, calories do NOT count!! )

THIS does count! -- 84% / 13% / 3% -- that is 84 percent fat, 13 percent protein, and 3 percent carbs.

Shirataki "Mac" & Cheese from The Fat Fast by Dana Carpendar (can be purchased here -  Fat Fast Cookbook)

So here we go!  Ready, Set, Diet!

Me and my friend and diet buddy, Kim Eidson.  Kim has lost over 200 pounds.

Great products for a low carb lifestyle:

2013 6th Annual Low Carb Cruise Report

We are back but way too soon.  Time flew by!  

As usual there were so many cruise guests that I never got to speak with and get to know.

 

There was a wedding,

... and ziplining in Honduras,

 

…and cave tubing in Belize,

… and meetings on the ship,

… and food,

… and fun.

AND... I've seen the question asked around the web, "Where was Robb Wolf?"  (Most are meant as jabs at Jimmy Moore, but we do not care.)

A few days before we sailed Robb Wolf contacted us and said that his mother was in the hospital with pneumonia and in a semi-conscious state.  He had to back out at the last minute to take care of her.  Family is more important - always!

Join the Low Carb Cruise Facebook page for more information or on twitter @lowcarbcruise,

2014 plans are in the works!  Hope you can join us!

DUMPING DAIRY: Are you really unwilling to at least try it?

I had an interesting “posting” duel with someone on Facebook recently.  It is not the first time I have run into this issue.  It started with the suggestion of dropping dairy from the diet.  There are quite a few of us out there who have stalled, dropped the dairy, and started losing again.  It was not an easy thing to do at all but the results were worth it.

Here is sort of how it went --

Problem:  (violins in the background)  I am stuck.  I am stalled.  I cannot lose.  Nothing works.  Waaaa.

Suggested solution: Try dropping dairy.

Problem:  I love dairy.  That cannot be it.  I have already given up too much.

Suggested solution:  Just try it as an experiment and find substitutes.  See if the weight starts dropping again.

Problem:  Well, that is easy for young people, but I am over 50 with way too much weight to lose. Time is running out.

Suggested solution:  I also am well over 50 and had almost 100 pounds to lose.  This really did work for me when I stalled out, but YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)

Problem:  I do not like experimenting with my food like that. 

Suggested solution:  Look at the word “experiment” as just a temporary thing as opposed to the word “failure” which can derail us.  Try to have faith to persevere.

Problem:  I am an atheist and I do not have faith.  I also have no friends or family.

Suggested solution:  ….. speechless …..

You won.

I will always wonder why people ask questions but refuse to hear the answers.

And of course, I also wonder about all the other issues this poor person is dealing with.

CRUISE PREP & HOMEMADE MAYO

Hey hey!  It is about that time!  Getting ready to sail on the Magic.

Suitcases are out and half packed!

Made a trip to Galveston just for fun.  The weather was great.  Got a little sunshine Vitamin D.

So about the diet and ketones.  I am still loving Low Carb/High Fat.  I do not measure my blood ketones every day, just a couple of times a week.  I fluctuate between 0.6 and 1.5 on the meter.

I had gained a few pounds over the last several weeks, but have now dropped those pounds.  It is very true that the closer you get to your goal the easier it is to maintain it.  Easier, but still a slippery slope if not dealt with promptly.

 So I am still looking at the elusive "last 10", HOWEVER I have prepped all of my meals for the next two weeks and have added the walk of torture - the treadmill.  AND just as I feared, one day I was distracted and stepped wrong and yes ... did the quick step dance, allbeit not quite as graceful as this couple.  But I was able to recover before I received a treadmill rash. hahahaha

(video not visible on some phones)

THEN I did this:

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AND came up with this:

However it took me 3 different tries with other recipes.  Thanks to my friend JoAnn Paxson for sending me this link!  It was so quick and easy.  I used a combination of olive oil and mct oil.  The flavor is amazing and it does not contain all of the bad stuff that regular shelf mayo has in it, especially soy!

Life is very good and I can hardly wait to see all of my dear low carb friends!

Blood Ketones – Follow Up

Sometimes it can take weeks or months to become "keto adapted" (see previous post about this), so just for the record I have been semi-eating this way for a couple of months BEFORE I started actually measuring my blood ketones.  I have also measured my blood glucose and it stays between 80-95.  IF you want to try this I recommend reading the posts from Jimmy Moore's blog on his N=1 experience (see previous post about this).  There is a process that your body must go through to make adjustments to becoming a fat burning machine (keto adapted) - a "well oiled" machine.

WEEK ONE GRAPH

Typical Ratio - 1,200 - 1,300 calories per day based on my height/weight/BMI

 Breakdown – 80-85% fat / 15-18% Protein / 5% or less carbohydrates

(charted with myfitnesspal.com app)

MY TYPICAL WEEK DAY

I wake up between 4:30-5:00am and make a cup of coffee.  To the coffee I add 2 rounded teaspoons of erythritol, 1 ounce of MCT oil, and ¼ cup of coconut coffee creamer.  Most of the time I add a tablespoon of Kerrygold unsalted butter, but sometimes I do not.

Recipe for Coconut Coffee Creamer:

1 can of organic, unsweetened coconut milk, shaken

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla (or other flavoring)
1 tsp cinnamon

Place all in the blender and beat until frothy.  

I pour all of this in a shaker container (made for smoothies, 

with the wire ball) and store in my fridge.

I enjoy my quiet morning sipping my coffee.  Sometimes I walk on the treadmill, but most of the time I just catch up on the news of the day.  While I am getting ready for work I take my thyroid meds, my multi-vitamin, and extra vitamin D and have my first glass of water for the day.

Then I pack my lunch which is usually about a cup size portion of protein.  It could be egg or tuna salad, sometimes homemade chili, or any leftover from other meals.  I make a second cup of coffee to take to work with me (using the same ingredients as listed above).

I always get hungry around 10:30am – it is a mental habit.  I have done this for YEARS and blame it on Weight Watchers and the thinking of always needing a mid-morning snack.  NOW I just have my second cup of coffee around this time.   Now this is when the fun begins because I usually forget to eat lunch until 1:00-2:00pm, which is totally fine.  I will also have another bottle of water.

I might have a snack around 4pm.  For snacks I have either pork rinds or Alouette cheese blocks.  I am very careful with dairy because I seem to be a little intolerant of it since I have gotten older.  It was a very sad day of realization. Sigh.

Then I LOVE the evenings when I can enjoy my very favorite meal of the day – breakfast for supper.

Depending on how I feel and what I have on hand it is usually around 2-3 eggs and 2-3 strips of bacon.  I fry the bacon until crispy.  I pour off about ¾ of the bacon drippings into my bacon drippings jar. Hahaha.  I add a tablespoon of butter in the pan, break my eggs into that… and away we go!  Then sometimes I have a steak or pork chop, depending on my mood.

Before bed I take two Carlson Cod Oil Capsules, magnesium, and potassium tabs.  Last night before bed I was craving something – perhaps to relieve the stress from a hard day at the office – so I had a heaping teaspoon of cream cheese.  It hit the spot.

The ONLY exception to this routine is the weekend.  On the weekend I usually eat a little more variety probably because I have more time to cook.  I might add a salad with olive oil, or roasted asparagus or cauliflower.  I MIGHT add these if I feel like it.

Did you know that your body can totally survive without carbohydrates?  Yes it can.  Did you know that your body can create carboydrates from protein? Yes it can – gluconeogenesis.  Did you know that your body CANNOT create the fat and protein and that it NEEDS to survive?  Yep, it must be from what you eat.  Sort of make you wonder about vegetarians, doesn’t it?

Anyway, I keep it simple, boring, and predictable.  This is for weight loss after all and not entertainment.  Food is fuel and I am trying to reach my goal.  Don’t get me wrong.  I LOVE this way of eating, but realistically in order to lose weight I have to keep it very simple.  Otherwise I get off course very quickly.

RESULTS – 1 week of high fat and ketone testing = 2.8 pounds lost

Energy is up.

Cravings are down.

Attitude is up.

Weight is down.

Testing Blood Ketones

There has been a trend lately  - Fat Fasts & Blood Ketones.  Being a trendy gal, I am following this protocol because I still have that stubborn "Last 10" to wrestle to the ground. (and perhaps an extra 5 lbs lingering in the wings.. HAHAHA... the wings!  Get it? (the dreaded bat wings) sigh... anway...

1.  Here is the book that started Low Carbers looking at Blood Ketones - The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance by  Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney.

2.  Dr. Robert Atkins, the originator of the Fat Fast would certainly endorse my good friends at CarbSmart - Dana Carpender, Amy Dungan, and Andrew Dimino - Here is the $4.99 book -- LINK TO BOOK  Has a LOT of good information about the Fat Fast and measuring Blood Ketones.  The recipes are fantastic!

3.  My dear friend Jimmy Moore, always blunt and always honest - he has shown us the way.  Here is a link to JIMMY'S BLOG  Having started this phase of my diet it is very understandable why Jimmy was hesitant to post his food logs.  It is very strange to most people to eat a diet of 85-90% fat - butter, coconut oil, mct oil, avocados, etc.  I'm just thankful he made the public aware of this adjustment to our low carb lifestyle.

Recently I strenuously dieted for 2 weeks and dropped 4 pounds of what I had gained over Christmas.  Yay me!  THEN for Valentines I baked 2 dozen sugar-free, low carb cookies and ate 1 dozen.  Gained all 4 back in ONE day (and NOT  temporary gain.  It stayed for 4 days, until I started the Fat Fast).

So I ordered the meter.  I chose the Precision Max - Amazon Link to Meter

AND I ordered the pricey Blood Ketone Test Strips - Link to Amazon - Blood Ketone Test Strips

I searched high and low for the best prices on Blood Ketone strips (NOT the same as Blood Glucose strips).  They can run anywhere from $2 to $5 PER STRIP.

I bought one box of 10.  I figured that at least gives me 10 days to monitor my eating and see what tweaks might be needed.  For example, following Jimmy Moore's lead when he discovered that he was eating TOO much protein (not optimal for being "keto adapted").  

I have NEVER professed to being a perfect "low carber".  I have my moments just like regular folks with food addictions.  However, I am closer than I have EVER been to reaching my goal.  EVER!  So, the day before I tested my blood ketones I had a Girl Scout cookie - yep, just one - but sugar none the less.  (In case you didn't know it, I am a SEVERE sugar addict - even so far as having my own bakery for 3 years.)

I test in the mornings when I first get up, before I have my Bulletproof Coffee.

Day 1 - 0.1

Day 2 - 0.3

Day 3 - 0.6

(According to the book, optimal levels are 1.0 to 3.0 - expecting 1.0 in a day or two)

Ooooooooo.... this is exciting.  Even better than the stupid scale! hahaha  AND yes, 3 pounds gone in 3 days.  

So WHY do this?

High Blood Ketones (caused from a "High Fat / Moderate Protein / VERY low carb" diet) can put you in a state of being "keto adapted".  I am not scientific in thought, and always prefer the "Cliff Notes"! lol.  ONE thing I DO know about being "keto adapted" is that a person is NOT hungry, NOT craving, AND losing weight.  :D  There ya go - the Cliff Notes, or "Ketones for Dummies".

Update for the Curious Seekers

Hi -- guess what?!?!?  I survived! lol

I can adapt and adjust and redefine my life at any given moment.  Yay!  I am proud to say that there is very little that can get me down.  I credit my creative side to being able to recreate the atmosphere around me.

Diet?  Been hard lately because of facing the "Final 10"!  sigh... up down up down up down.

Life?  Wonderful.  There had been enough activities to keep it interesting and fun.

Food?  Always an adventure.

FAT BREAD - the best low carb bread recipe ever!  Link here -  FAT BREAD RECIPE

Friends?  I love my friends.  As time goes by I find out who my TRUE friends really are.

BEFORE

AFTER.....the best is yet to come.

Family?  Good.  I especially love my sweet sisters.

Yep... these are my sisters.  They  are wonderful and joined me on several cruises!

Yep... just keeps getting better.

Too bad some people never realize what they have until it is gone.

Defying Negative Projections

Recently I have had several encounters with people projecting untrue ideas or beliefs on to me. The words "negative projections" kept running through my head. At first I was like "absolutely rubbish", then I decided to examine the words a little closer to make sure I got the meaning and to see if there was any validity. Only one sentence applied, but the rest of the points were assumptions, judgments, and PROJECTIONS.

Here are a couple of thoughts found on the internet about that:

We project our own perceived shortcomings onto others. We say to others what we should be saying to ourselves. When we judge others we are judging ourselves. If you constantly beat yourself up with negative thoughts, you will either beat up on the people around you - verbally, emotionally, or physically - or you will beat up on yourself by destroying some area of your own life.

and

When we make negative projections, we rarely recognize the seeds of those qualities in ourselves. Painful or incompatible qualities get projected onto another person, and that person ends up becoming the target of our wrath.

But by ALL means, listen to what is being spoken OVER you by others. Accept and change what is true - and wipe out the "false"! Do not accept every judgement that comes your way. Be who YOU are at ever stage of this journey.

Another thing about those negative projections -- They are not you. ;)

I was accused of being unhappy -- I'm actually very happy which is part of what a healthy, creative mind will do for you. lol I think the person who accused me of that has an issue with happiness.

I was accused of being afraid to be alone -- How can I explain that being alone is totally ok. Being lonely is not. I love to spend my alone time doing absolutely nothing, but also love my time with my friends. It is all in balance. Afraid? Absolutely not. JUST because I enjoy being social does NOT mean that I am afraid of being alone.

I was accused of being afraid of growing old -- HAHAHA.. Sorry.. that really does make me laugh. Growing old is inevitable. However, feeling old is not. Resistant to feeling old? - guilty as charged! Afraid to grow old? No, that is an accepted fact of life.

You have to FIND ... WHAT ... WORKS ... FOR ... YOU ... And then DO IT! Never give up.

Here are some better ones:

   

I am me. (non food post)

I love this and it is so "me"!!

I am basically a very happy person.

I have been misjudged many times, but it is just because they didn't really take the time to know me.

lol

I am also pretty funny.

Enjoy!

Simple Plan: The Hard Fa(c)ts!

(Added a couple of pages - "Before/After Photos" and "Menus and Recipes".  See list on right side column)

THIS IS MY USUAL DAILY GOAL:

This consisted of slightly over 1,200 calories, 50 grams of protein, and as you can see, a LOT of butter.

Breakfast: 1 egg with butter, coffee w/ erythritol & coconut cream
Lunch:  Steak with butter, green tea
Dinner:  Beef Chili with tomatoes, red peppers

When I got snack hungry later in the afternoon, I ate a few pork rinds.

It is important to keep the fats high.  That is very hard to do unless you have butter and/or coconut oil at every meal (or other equal quality fats).

And as usual, you have to find what works for YOU and do that!  I am not a fan of exercise, so I have to watch my food quality and quantity very carefully.  If you exercise, perhaps you can up your carbs a little (ala Paleo), but whatever your method the important thing is to keep trying and never give up!

One of my tips is to narrow your list of foods to those that you really love and keep it simple, fresh, and real. (Just Eat Real Food).  Make it easy!  I save "extras" for special treats and dining out.  For example, I love eggplant.  It is higher in carbs so it is not something I would have every day.  So when I go out to eat, specifically at Carrabbas Italian Grill (Link to Carrabbas), I will order the grilled eggplant!  Yum.

I'm knocking on the door of my goal weight!  And feeling pretty sassy!  The LAST 10!!

I am now ... officially ... in ... CRUUUUUUUUISE TRAINING!!! wOOhOP!!  Let's DO IT!!

And a very special thank-you to my supporting cheerleaders:

Several of my very best friends in the world -- Kim Eidson, Ailsa Washington, & Debbie Hubbs
Through thick and thin! ... and on every cruise!  

AND one last photo of another true friend who is an inspiration, source or information, and just a lot of fun! ... with an awesome blog (and in the top "Low Carb" blog lists!!)  Anne aka Carb Tripper -- Link To Carb Tripper's Blog.