Thanks, patns. This is helpful.

Patns...interesting...am thinking I need more fat also...I had horrible dry skin all last winter in spite of all the tricks, and it is starting again already. Come Halloween though will be starting P2 and am grateful to be able to legally add some more fat into my diet soon. There is not enough moisturizer to prevent my hands and face from drying out. Last year by Valentines day I could hardly do any sewing or card making/paper craft because the tips of my fingers were cracked, dry and bleeding! That has never happened before....and I see it beginning to happen again already this past week.

I'm 54, 3rd week on IP, and am sooooo happy my endo recommended I do this! I'm not only down 15+ lbs (on the way to buy fresh batteries for my scale!), but I am down 80+ units of insulin over the past 2 months!

This past summer, we took my son's family to Disneyworld to celebrate his return from Afghanistan. When I finally had to rent a scooter to be able to do the things my granddaughter wanted to do, I became determined to do something about my weight. A few weeks later, I was told I was not a candidate for lap-band. Another few weeks went by and my ortho told me very bluntly that I needed a knee replacement, but was too obese and it would be a "waste of time." I was furious at the time, but 2 days later my endo suggested I check into IP. I guess my journey to that point created a mindset of "I WILL do this!"

Sooo... Here I am. On a journey to a healthier, happier, smaller me! ...and very happy I found this forum!

Debbie

Hi Debbie

I can so totally relate to the determination you are reporting! IP WORKS!

Yesterday we talked about how "giving in" to such a restrictive program is just the sort of surrender we needed to completely change our lives.

Last year at this time I had been on IP for a bit but I still had no stamina. If I spent much time in the kitchen I had to rest. Today I'll be gone from home from 3 pm til past midnight for a World Series game. I couldn't have done this last year.

What a difference a year makes! I'm so thankful someone told me about IP and that I stuck with it NO MATTER WHAT.

All of the upcoming holidays CAN be done ON PLAN. I made it through every major holiday for an entire year plus my own 50th birthday. Nothing was deterring me. Nothing was enticing me except weight loss & sticking with it no matter what. It hasn't been easy (still isn't) but neither was the alternative. I was getting worse and worse.

I now say I have the disease of obesity and I'll have to treat it for the rest of my life, whether I'm currently displaying symptoms or not. One of our maintainers refers to herself as POW (previously overweight). I'm F-MOB (formerly morbidly obese). I never want to go back to where I was!

I'm here and thanks for what works and doesn't work for you. I do okay with a few more carbs as long as I maintain myself. I do a lot of low carb baking and didn't have any issues. Even got DH, who's never dieted in his life, to fall in love with some paleo chocolate chip cookies (not necessarily low carb with the chocolate chips, but no sugar or flour) and a low carb cheesecake. I have low carb cookbooks and low fat cookbooks. I've gotten rid of all my old traditional ones. I've amassed a lot of great recipes, about 500 right now. Have them all inventoried in a spreadsheet so I can easily find one that sounds good, tell what special ingredients and then locate it in the cookbook. Course we're stuck with carrying around two crates of cookbooks and three crates of foods when we travel. Worse than when on P1.

Molly

65, I am originally from the east coast of Canada, now on the Canadian prairie.

I never had trouble with dry skin back east, the air is so moist. Here the air is so dry it is an issue. Your skin must really be dry if you have that much trouble in the east.
I just remembered what I added while on phase 1 was krill oil supplements. I think they really helped and they don't have a fishy after taste. I must remember to pick some up at Costco again.

Molly, I hope I can handle the low carb baking when I get to goal again. My problem is falling back on my nibbling habit and not getting my protein in. Making sure I get enough protein seems to be just as important as getting fewer carbs.

Thanks for the hint patns...Do use a fish oil my husband thought was pretty good, but I possibly need to add something else, and will need to get more soon of something. The problem is likely somewhat hereditary, and also possibly a function of thyroid, which although the numbers say is controlled..may in reality still be a bit wonky after so many rears on replacement. I feel good otherwise and amazingly was not losing my hair as others have and on IP. Have been digging out all the hand lotions and skin stuff from last winter. There is still a long season of card making ahead of me and my fingers need to work! Haven't even started the Holiday greetings yet. By this time last year I'd not only nailed the design...they were almost 100% assembled and completed. (LOL...too much time on the internet ..AKA ...3FCs this fall!) Good luck with the baking...I miss it as I used to do a lot, and very special creative molded cookies esp for the holidays, but turned to inedible ways to be creative years ago...to avoid having the finished product around!

One of the many advantages of being 50+ is really getting to know your true self. I realize that I will gain if I eat the way that got me here. I cannot eat like a person who has never had weight challenges or the average American for that matter. I am EMBRACING low carb and high protein and making myself a priority. Have a good week lovely ladies!

....I'm right there with ya' sister....and ready to start my phase off!! It's actually exciting to incorporate all of this into my "new" life. Loving the clothes I can buy...Loving being able to clean my entire house, do yard work...shop, run errands with no aches and pains or feeling like I've had enough...when there is still more that needs done. WHY would I want to EVER go back to that life? It is still scarey to know the management of maintenance is all up to me...and the simplicity of the plan is going to be behind me...but many have shown .. it can be done.

Someone mentioned a book last week..."The Art ands Science of Low Carb Living"...and it just arrived!!

Fixing a nice hot coffee/IP capuccino shake and a salad for lunch...then settling in my fav chair for a quick look at it before hitting the rest of my today's to-do list!

I've just started using coconut oil for my skin and so far it seems to be making quite a difference. The first time I rubbed it on I thought...NO WAY I'll be able to do this!!! I don't like heavy, greasy moisturizers and this stuff felt like both. But by the time I got my nightly "getting ready for bed" routine over with I had no greasy oily feeling on my skin...just smoothness!!!

First winter on IP so maybe this and the fish oil I'm taking will be enough to keep dry skin at bay!!

Pat,

I think protein is a key. I find if I get all my protein, I'm not hungry and don't have an urge to snack or nibble. When I don't, I'm hungry in just a short time and then I want something and resistance isn't easy. It's just as importance in maintenance to keep the delicate balance as it was in P1.

My problem is I love to cook and bake and I find all these things to make, but I really don't need them around to eat. I need to be like the Amish around here and bake all week and then have a bake sale on the weekend when the "down staters" come up to "play." When I go back to work, it won't be as bad as I will not have time to bake.

Speaking of work. I need all of your good thoughts as I have a phone interview Thursday morning. I hate interviewing, so I need all the support I can get. Thanks.

Molly

Crazy...this thread was on page 3!!! Oh well, today is my last day of P1 for a couple of days. Will have a clear liquid diet tomorrow prepping for my 1st colonoscopy Tuesday morning...one of the joys of turning 50 Not worried about the procedure, but apprehensive about taking laxatives & miralax...I've heard good & bad. Hoping for good test results so I don't have to do this for 10 more years.

As always good advice Molly!!

...Best of luck with the tele interview! They should ask us...we'll tell 'em you're awesome!!

Thanks, 65

Unfortunately, you will have to postpone your good thoughts. At the last minute they moved my interview out to this coming Tuesday morning. PLUS, my current staffing agency has a position they just found out about on Friday with the place I just finished at. It appears to be with a different department and I don't know if they'll feel I'm even qualified, but at least I have a couple of their people who will recommend me. The toughest part of that job is they want someone to start a week from Monday and I'm up here in Michigan now. I so wanted to wait until December, but a jobs a job.

Keep those good thoughts coming.

Molly