Readytolive -- every one needs a starting point and you had yours. Celebrate each and every pound. 200s are not that far away from you now! You already know you've been the heaviest you've ever been and have past that by = first mini-goal accomplished! You're doing great!

Question for the 100% who may have been in this position before:
I work a 12 hr shift and have gotten very good at planning my meals. Namely, if I didn't pack it, I can't eat it.
Well tonight, we were so busy that I never had time to eat my 3 pack. I didn't even think about it really. So here it is 10:30 at night... Would you eat the 3rd pack this late or not? I obviously need to avoid this in the future but just looking for advice.

I'd make it one of the 80 calorie fruit drink mixes and call it a night

My coach said even if I'm crawling under the sheets if I realize I didn't have all of my packs (she has me on 4 and then if I hit a stall we'll take one away) I need to go get it and eat it. It's crucial to protect lean muscle mass. Being 100% isn't just about not going beyond the IP rules (cheating) but also about not doing any less. All of the vegetables and packs and lean protein are equally important in their scientific purpose to be 100%.

My two cents, but per my coach :)

readytolive - sounds like you have found your determination muscle! You know, every time you stay 100% the easier it gets. Not always easy, but sooooooooooo worth it!

And you weren't at the most you've ever weighed - you were at the most you will ever weigh! Keep the positive thoughts going.

dangeron - I'm with the others, you should make sure you get all the food in. IP has way to few calories to be missing any.

I work over dinnertime (4pm-9:30pm) and often have to have a pack late b/c I can't eat while with a client.. It's a challenge and part of why I ended up overweight in the first place (can we say McDonald at 11pm?)! I do go for a lower carb choice of packets at 10pm...bbq chips or mango/peach. GL!

Thanks everyone! I did eat my 3rd pack last night. I'm going to pack a RTD shake every shift from now on. That way I can take a few sips between patients and run :)

It's hard when you work odd hours or don't really get a meal break. I know some people have kept bars in their pocket that they can just take a piece of now and again when they get a chance. RTDs should work well too.

So excited! Was perusing the meat department and found fresh chickens on sale for 49 cents a pound! Haven't seen that price for a long time. I bought 6 - so glad we have a big freezer.

Funny the things I get excited about now - used to save that kind of excited for stuff like frozen dinners. Boy have my tastes changed!

LOL, Ruth Ann. You are a transformed woman! I can relate -- I look forward to jicama like I used to look forward to candy. Crazy!

Wish I'd find some .49 chickens. These days, if I can snag one for under a buck a lb., I am pleased.

Need to talk this out . . .
 

Okay, everybody, I need to talk about this and settle back down . . .

Ttoday was my first P3 weigh in and I am up 2. I'm trying to keep perspective and all of that, but I would not be honest if I said I was just going right along.

I am worried that these breakfasts are already too much for me and that I will be stuck in a phase 2 1/2 existence if I want to maintain. I know it is too early to know that. I know this could be water retention or glycogen stores or just one of those weeks . . . but this was a really bad week for this to happen. I have been feeling "guilty" about the breakfasts as it is, like I'm overeating. And, my husband and son will be out of town all next week. I am afraid about being home alone all week . . . that used to be a big eating event for me. I could have really used a good weigh in to bounce off of next week. :(

So, I wanted to put this out there and retrieve any feedback you might offer. I am worried now about having jicama for lunch. On the other hand, I should be able to have jicama. Right? It's unrestricted. I keep thinking, "That's it, nothing but cucumbers this week." But this is the kind of extremist thinking that has gotten me into trouble in the past. :?: I have trouble -- and, in fact, have never experienced, maintaining a healthy diet AND enjoying my food at the same time. I don't want to live in deprivation forever -- nor do I think it is possible.

Isn't it wonderful how things have changed? I was really worried that starting to maintain would cause me to lose control now that I can pretty much eat anything I want - but it hasn't. All the stuff that was around when I was losing is still there and I really don't want any of it.

Roast chicken w/roasted cabbage. Yum!

Okay - first take a deep breath and relax! Totally normal to go up 2-3 pounds when starting P3 - your body is not used to a lot of the food and it's an adjustment time. Give yourself a break, you've done so wonderfully so far and it sounds like you're right on track in P3.

And eat the jicama! It's unrestricted for a reason and, besides, it's really yummy. You have discovered yummy food that you can enjoy, so enjoy it.

Don't think of the future as deprivation - you can eat healthily and still eat really good food. Look at all the stuff you've enjoyed in P1, you will learn to adapt your new habits and tastes to maintenance.

Really, nothing's broke, you don't need to fix anything. You're doing great! I think you're having "pre-maintenance jitters"!

Ruth Ann Your are so great at calming the fears that come with losing weight and maintenance. I started IP on April 16 and follow your posts as a source of confidence and motivation. So I want to say thank you.:hug: You have rocked this plan and you are rocking maintenance!!

Hello! I just started IP today after spending the last year trying to recreate the plan using regular food and failing. So after my first meeting last night, I have a better understanding of IP and why I need to follow the plan. I found out that I was just doing a bunch of stuff wrong. So here goes it!