I'm with you! I phased off around 145 lbs. I went down to 143 lbs in phases III & IV and now, I am up to 148 lbs, perfectly normal, but it feels so wrong and I am so panicked about it and I know that I shouldn't be!

I'm there, too! So what's the answer, girls? I hate that at 50 years old I'm more obsessed with body image than I've been in my life! I know it's because I've worked so hard & focused on this but im not liking it. Chris, when you get that mental adjustment tweaked, pass it on please!

I am glad to know I'm not alone. I never really FELT alone, but it is nice to hear from you guys... I'm sitting at my desk at work in size 4 capris and I'm feeling fat. Honestly I feel like I did in January before I started. GRRRR

I need a hobby. I was so obsessed with IP that I didn't think of much else. What will the next obsession be???

Hugs,
Chris

Yeah..let's keep tossing this around and try to figure it out. The last thing we all need is to panic, spike cortisol levels which produce fat in the middle, and let our minds start to psyche us out. This is nuts!!!! Any shrinks out there
Thanks for sharing everyone

One of my work friends is starting IP in a week or so. I told her about my mental image 'issues' and she said she was wondering how you decide you are ready to 'stop' once you start down this road. I still don't know the answer to that, but am planning to just keep working on it.

I'm going to make some changes starting this weekend/next week. (My Mom is visiting from out of town right now, so I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing right now...) I think I am going to go back to a phase III mentality for most days. I've slipped a little more towards my old habits recently. Luckily the scale hasn't reacted to it yet, but I know it is a slippery slope.

Hey- does anyone in maintenance know if when you are doing your phase 1 days if it is OK to have more than one restricted item? I know when we're doing phase 1 'for real' if you do more than one restricted it can kick you out of ketosis, but when you aren't in ketosis to begin with, does it matter???

Thanks,
Chris

Well, I'm thinking that it doesn't matter. Even with 2 restricted, you're still getting way less carbs in a day than you would eating a normal, healthy diet. But, hey, what do I know? I'm not exactly the poster child for perfect phase 4!!

Seriously, am I kidding myself when I think that this will be easier when it's not summer/party/vacation time?

Had a great weekend celebrating our son's engagement (BBQ for 40 people), and getting to know our new daughter-in-law to be, and going to the lake for a few days this week. Here's hoping I don't do too much damage before it's all over. Well, gotta get off my butt and get to yoga class!

Let me know how your phase 1 goes. I'll be doing that when we get back. How long do you plan to do it for?

We're headed out of town this weekend to our friends' ranch to float a river, celebrate birthdays, etc. so I figured I'd do a modified phase 1 / phase 2 Monday thru Friday this week. No alcohol in preparation (my liver will thank me later) and phase 1 unless I have lunch meetings (like today). I expect it to be an indulgent weekend.

I'm glad the BBQ was fun. How do you like your future DIL? It was the first time you met her, right? Does she fit in well with the family? Enjoy your week.

I don't think this is going to get any easier in the fall, but I'm hoping it does. I've been sick for a while so I haven't been working out. I'm planning to get back to it after work today. That will help me feel better.

She seems really sweet, and its great to see them together. She's Swedish, so when she goes home in less than 2 weeks, we will maybe see her once before the wedding, which will be in Stockholm next summer. So, we'll make the most of our time together at the lake, and I'll be skyping more! Really excited to be planning a trip to Europe!!

Well, hope you have a successful 'prep' week, and a super fun weekend!!

Bump

When I was at the gym today, the two women who have both completed this diet were there....and they convinced me to do it....and they both have put weight back on. One has put on 10 pounds and the other nine. Yikes, I'm so scared of doing that!

The one that put ten pounds on said that she knows she's drinking too much and not eating right, like too many nuts and fruit, but the other one was so upset...pissed really. She didn't say what she's been eating and I don't know how closely she's sticking to maintenance. I didn't want to ask because she was really upset and the class was about to start.

I decided when I was starting maintenance to stick with phase 3 because carbs, alcohol, chocolate and nuts got me in this fix in the first place and if I start eating them again, even in small doses, I know eventually I'll go overboard and start gaining again.

I'm realizing that this is gonna have to be for the rest of my life if I want to keep the weight off and I'm just gonna have to be very vigalent about it. It was just scary seeing both of them gaining weight back after working so hard to lose it.

I will be starting phase 2 'officially' next week although this week my coach recommended I do half phase 1 half phase 2. I'm thrilled with my results from following IP and terrified of going off phase 1. I've just become so addicted to going down pant sizes and losing weight every week and being on the diet doesn't even feel like a sacrifice anymore as the only thing I miss is being able to have a drink now and then. I finished Dr. Tran's book not too long ago and started looking at the posts from this thread at the same time and had a little break down at the thought of regaining any weight. But I have confidence in my ability to follow maintenance and reading RockyMonarch's post in a different thread that she has been maintaining for over a year sets it in my head that such things can be done. Dr. Tran also mentioned the cyclical gain and loss of weight throughout the year- that we have a tendency to put on weight in the fall to prepare for winter and that these 4-5 pounds that we may gain can be dealt with by going through phase 1 again. So... I hope it's okay that I'm posting here and I look forward to maintaining with all of you!

What a GREAT POST. Post away.

Losing weight is as addictive as carbs!

I am lucky to have a couple of friends that have completed IP and are still successfully maintaining to observe and follow their example. With any diet there are people who don't keep it off. I know that I can never go back to mindlessly eating, I need to write it down and have structure in my diet. I have developed so many new eating habits over the last 6 months. I am nearly done losing weight but my journey will continue. I have to maintain these habits for the rest of my life. It will take work and commitment. I will be starting my maintenance program in a couple of weeks! I look forward to maintaining with you too!

On a personal note, Day two of Phase 3 and I am down a lb! I hope this keeps up!

Thanks for posting Brandy and Linden. Brandy it's good to know we will be maintaining together as we have similar lifestyles with three little ones under foot. I'm happy to hear that you're still losing even in phase 3... I've had a girls weekend planned for awhile now that will be coming up the weekend after next- smack dab in the middle of phase 3... was really hoping to phase off prior to it so that I could use the 'cheat' day for the bevvies that I know are going to take place...