[Slipfree]

All4me- congrats on your loss! The coach changed it to 160. The last 5 pounds have taken a long time to drop. I am determined to get to goal and stay there. I have an added incentive to maintain, my niece and God child is getting married in 1.5 years. There is no way that I am going to be fat for the family pictures!

[Slipfree]

Delicious dinner! Marinated flank steak (low sodium soy,rice vinegar, shallots and garlic) on a bed of arugula dressed with lemon olive oil and baked turnip fries with rosemary and salt. Felt like I ate at a restaurant, off program!

[Slipfree]

Good morning! I can here the echoes in here. Hope that you are all having a fun weekend.

[stephascope]

Morning Slip,

I'm enjoying my weekend. Went to sleep with a headache though and it still remains this morning. Used to get headaches all the time before IP and I definitely don't miss it! Going to Costco this morning to pick up my meat, veggies, and maybe some alternative bars. I need a lot of variety in my IP packets so I usually pick up 4 boxes at a time but that is getting far too expensive especially with buying their supplements too.

Hope your weekend is great!

[KookySuki]

Good Morning!

Slipfree- your dinner (as usual) sounds amazing. Can you move to my town and open an IP restaurant? Please? : ). Alternatively, I might be happy if you post the recipe for your steak marinade. I've become a better cook on IP, but I'm not experienced with rice vinegar, so if you could put approximate amounts of each item, I'd appreciate it.

Steph, glad you're having a good weekend, besides the headache. Hope you feel better. That will be good to get your shopping do do this morning before the crowds. I need to do some shopping today too.

I have been feeling rough this weekend with TOM. I've just been resting and binge watching Parks and Rec. Hopefully today will be better than yesterday and I'll feel able to leave the house.

[LUCCILOVE]

I am around. Going to some open houses today - we need to find a house by next Oct when our lease is up. Fun!

I always have with me in the car water and my garlic chips!!!

Also watching lots of the Olympics. Have a good Sunday everyone!

[Slipfree]

Steph, hope that your headache gets better. I had a daily headache prior to IP due to sinus issues. Obviously, I was allergic to something I was eating because I am much less congested, I still get my monthly migraine but I know the reason for that!

I am extremely lucky that my clinic lets me order individual packets because I do not like any of them enough to have every day. I feel for those of you that have to buy boxes

I need to get my act in gear and get to the grocery store today.

[Slipfree]

Kooky, next time I make it, I will pay attention to measurements of the soy and rice vinegar. I kind of wing it. Hope you feel better soon!

Luccilove, good luck on the home search! I have been watching the Olympics too. Which is why I did not go to the grocery store or do errands yesterday!

[want2bskinnyagain]

All4me: Great WI!! Glad to know the exercise wasn't an issue. I was dropping pretty consistantly before I started exercising and then I would have a great week then a couple of slow weeks, not sure if it is the exercise or not. But I am going to keep up the exercise, it makes me feel good.

Steph: Hope your headache goes away soon.

Kooky: Feel better soon.

Lucci: Good luck house hunting. I love doing that.

I have been around, just not having anything to say. Glad everyone is on track.

[KookySuki]

Slipfree and want2bskinnyagain- thanks! I'm feeling way better than yesterday and I'm going to talk to my doctor about how bad this TOM was. I wish BC pills didn't cause so much weight gain or I would be on them to avoid feeling awful 3-5 days a month. I would love to take them and skip TOM all together. That would be a dream, but I know it would affect my losses. It seems like every bc pill makes me gain 15-30 lbs within months of starting.

Lucci: hope you find a great house! I'm jealous about the garlic chips. My clinic has not gotten them yet. I wish IP would let us order products directly from their website. I'll ask my coach about ordering the chips.

[Slipfree]

Okay, sometimes life become a bit mundane and certainly this has been a winter that stretches the patience. I think most of us would admit that we love the results of IP, but it does limit parts of our lives.

1. What do you miss the most?

2. What do you find the hardest on the IP protocol.

3. How are you staying motivated?

4. How do you honestly feel right now, at 4. Something months in?


1. What I miss the most is being able to go out or have people in for a glass (or 4, lol) of good wine. I know it is worth it, but it has had an impact socially.

2. The hardest part for me is taking all the darn supplements- hate them! And the slow down on the scale while staying OP, is super frustrating,

3. I read and post here to renew my focus.
I have a visual weight chart to cross off the pounds lost.
I am trying to cook a variety of foods to stave off boredom.
I look for motivation on Pinterest.
I limit talking about IP in my "real life"

4. I am loving the changes in my health and body. But with the slow down, goal is feeling like a long way off. I am really longing for spring and some warmth. It is not the end of IP that I am impatient for, because I have realized that it never ends (maintenance) but I want that goal. I think that I have a case I of winter boredom. I recognize that I used food to get through it in the past. As that is not an option, I have tried to stay busy instead. I am looking forward to starting seedling next month for the garden, redecorated the living room, next- go through and organize my closet.

[KookySuki]

1. I miss being able to go out to dinner, get take out, or go wine tasting. I love good food and wine, especially together, and it's been a huge challenge to give this up.
2. The hardest thing is the lack of variety and no cheese. Also, I'm tired of having to eat so much meat.
3. I'm struggling with this today, but I motivate myself by imagining myself completing the program and being successful at maintenance.
4. I'm feeling bored with the food selection and frustrated with the restrictions this is putting on my social life. I definitely need to reignite my enthusiasm for the program somehow because I probably have 3-4 more months (if I keep the same pace) on P1.

[dlr9774]

HELLO I'M HOME!

It's been a while, as you know I have been in Mexico on family vacation. I took my WF syrpe and salad dressings (the individual pacs are fabulous for .85 cents Canadian.)
I did weigh in and gained 3.00lbs while away, Since being home, I have lost that 3 lbs, and have gained a new determination for IP and getting down before the summer.

Glad to be home, NOT, but back to routine, and to reaching my goal and the supports of 3FC and my fellow October 2013 IP starters.

[want2bskinnyagain]

Dlr: Welcome back! Great job on losing those 3lbs already, and only gaining 3lbs while away!! Any secrets you want to share? I am going to Hawaii in March and scared I will gain 10lbs!

1) I miss cheese and bread the most. And alcohol when we get together with friends.
2)I think the hardest thing for me is getting thru the weeks with a slow loss, my motivation goes out the window with a slow loss.
3)I read/post on here to stay motivated. I read a lot on pinterest. And my DH is on IP and we are about the same weight and I compete(for fun only) with him to get the lower number first.
4)Right now I feel like it is going to take forever to get to goal, but I WILL get there. When I try on clothes that I think are going to be too small and they fit I feel wonderful. I had to try on my bathing suit today and I could tell how much smaller I was in that, and we all know how unforgiving bathing suits are!!!

[stephascope]

1. What do you miss the most? I miss the convenience of eating out and not worrying about what I was going to eat. This doesn't mean I didn't worry about what I ate afterward though. I usually felt guilty about what I ate because I was overweight and felt bloated/overstuffed.

2. What do you find the hardest on the IP protocol. The cost $. I have lost weight through WW and a low carb diet on my own before but this time I felt I was too far gone to go that route. I needed something that worked fast and held me accountable (coaching).

3. How are you staying motivated? It's been hard to find motivation lately. I feel like I'm slipping a lot these days. 3FC has been great and I'm so thankful all of you are here for support!

4. How do you honestly feel right now, at 4. Something months in? I am feeling more comfortable in my own skin. I'm trying to focus on how far I've come vs. how far I have left to go but it's damn hard!