Hiya Umpa!  I'm thinking of playing with some of the recipes in the bakery book but have a couple questions.  You use Xylitol almost exclusively in your baking.  What would you recommend as a substitute for that?  I'm trying to cut back on my Splenda usage and am eagerly awaiting my FTS sweetener.  However my husband is incredibly sensitive to the Xylitol and any little bit causes him rather major intestinal upset!  Is there a way to substitute in stevia instead?  If so, what do you think the ratio would be?  Thank you!

Hi y'all!  I know I haven't been around much lately.  I'm at my 1 year anniversary now... Down 40#, apparently my body is REALLY happy at this weight right now    I won't lie, since all my health issues back in Nov/Dec I have been completely stuck.  I am happy with the loss, don't get me wrong but I'd hoped to be further along by now.  Four months now bouncing the same 3 lbs.  I've revisited the book, cut back on portions, cut out sweets....body's not budging.  However I'm still confident I will at some point break through! 
  I still check in all the time, I just haven't been saying much.  I have to say sometimes I feel like I'm failing although I know I'm not!  Love you all!

Welcome to the family!!  I'm pretty sure there's not many people on here who aren't chocoholics!!    I love the OMM with chocolate added in, sometimes I add coconut, cherry flavoring, etc to change it up.  What's even better; you can have it for breakfast!!   I know the Bakery Book has tons of options for you; I have tried some of them with good results.  If you are lazy like me, Amber Lyn Chocolates are a life saver.  Some Costco stores and Vitamin Cottages carry them but you can get better pricing on their website.  Their Dark Chocolate Mint truffles are to die for!    Enjoy your chocolate!  In fact, I use Hershey's SF chocolate syrup with Almond milk sometimes (I find it tastes better and is lower carb than the chocolate almond milk).

Hey Alicia!  My total cholesterol was 300 in March of last year!!  I then started FTS and in August (6 months later)  I had dropped it to 239.  My good and bad are still off (good is too low, bad is too high) but both had improved quite a bit.  I would say give it a few months and have your numbers checked and see where you are at.  I eat EVERYTHING that typical "low cholesterol" diets say not to - cream, butter, red meat, etc. 

Hi all!  Back from vacation in the deep south!  Didn't do great, I'll be honest - up 2.3#.  Back to square one for me.  I'll be shopping today so I can get back on track and get through detox again.  And, TMI for some I apologize, my digestive tract does NOT travel well, guessing I'll lose some of that once it starts working again!    It's definitely interesting to travel through some of these VERY rural areas; is it just me or does the obesity issues seem to be worse there?  I also drank (way) too much one night out with my sister.  Remembered why I don't do that anymore     All in all, it was awesome to see my sister and my parents, I miss having them nearby already.  And I got to go to the beach!   I'm not a big water person, don't like to be in or out on it; but I love to be near it.  Hope everyone is doing well; it will take me a bit to get through all the posts.  Happy Sunday!

Oh Alex, you're such a good girl.... you shared!!    Doin better than me, I'm still working on that! 

Had a scare last night!  Woke up feeling like my whole body was on FIRE!  Ran into the bathroom and turned on the light and I was bright red head to toe - looked and felt like a second degree sunburn!  I was sweating more than I did in Las Vegas in July, then I collapsed on the floor and was too weak to get up.  Ended up in the ER this morning and finally figured it out...  I'm thinking I'll try something besides Slo-Niacin for lowering my cholesterol!!!  My Dr. recommended it during my physical last month and I finally bought some and took my first dose last night. 
  Ya know, when they say "niacin flush" I figured that meant you know, you got a little red and flushed.  Not burn alive and collapse on the floor!!!  The ER doc said that severe of a reaction is rare, but does happen sometimes.  And Slo-Niacin is formulated to be controlled release and less reaction....good thing I didn't take immediate release!