I'm hanging in there as well. I will check my weight tomorrow. Yesterday and today have been pretty good P1 days, so I am happy about that. I am starting to re-think trying to get lower, but for now I am still going.

I ordered (and received) the Carb Sensitivity book we have been discussing in the maintenance thread. I just started reading it, and I might give that a try once all of my packets are gone.

My only criticism of the CSd book is her criticism of red meat and saturated fat. I see no real studies that support limiting either. I think she missed the boat there...

Ladies I am here all summer long...it is my way of not going higher again...I was up 15 pounds....now up about 5 pounds. goal is to stay steady and then take on 6 weeks of phase 1 in September. I just have so much fun in the summer...I want to be in maintenance.

I am very committed to a lifelong change so I do not see this has failure in any way...this is my reality and what will work for me. I plan on having more than 1 phase 1 day a week to help me stay steady.

I am 100% committed to the 6 week reboot in September...it is my most boring time of year...I start back after Labor Day....so my plan is Labor Day to Columbus Day (ish).

But I am sticking to this thread because I feel like my life is a reboot and I never want to be up 15 pounds again.

I agree Mom, but I really like the swapping of carbs idea to see what REALLY affects us. I love red meat too much to ever give it up I know grains affect me bad, but I would like to see how badly (or if at all) other carbs do.

darbs- DEFINITELY NOT FAILURE! This is all a learning curve for all of us. We are all just trying to figure out how not to gain back our weight. It is a life long battle. I know I will never be one of those people who can eat what they want whenever they want. Every meal, every bite is a choice and one that I will need to determine if it is worth it. It will always be that way for me. Coming to terms with that is 1/2 the battle

I am definitely going to be giving CSP a shot, probably starting next week. I need to finish reading the book and then stock up. I am going to try to use up as many packets as I can and then start my transition to real food. I need to lose my dependancy on them. I never ate that stuff before IP and I need to go back to real, wholesome foods.

Definately about "COMING TO TERMS" with quite a bit

the scale

the weight

reality

always thinking about everything we consume without becoming obsessive

that is my next goal....after I get rid of all the chemicals, junk, and pesticides I consume.

Hi all. Sneaking in to say hi. We bought a camper and have been completely obsessed with camping, figuring out what sink is the perfect one to replace the terrible one it came with, etc.... All things told, I am doing ok. I might consider a reboot, but last I checked I was still 5lbs over goal and my body just seems really happy here. I rarely ever eat bread, but do indulge in a few corn chips here and there, wine from time to time, and chocolate. I've stopped eating packets for the most part, but still have one from time to time.

Glad to see everyone here, and good luck to all on the reboot.

Good to see you Pxl. This reboot business is no easy task.

My body seems to consistantly settle at 135, so I think my body likes this weight too. I go up after free days, etc... but I always settle back at 135. I think I just need to learn to be happy with that. Not that I am truly complaining (especially considering where I came from) but there is always that little bit of vanity that gets me thinking I can get lower. This needs to be my focus of something to "come to terms" with

I really do want to transition to all real foods. Before IP, I never ate any fake stuff and now I depend on it. It is time to finish up most of my packets and make the switch and get back to whole foods eating.

I am not on an official reboot any more, but I feel like I will be on a reboot forever...that is the only way I can keep close to goal. I was about 3.5 pounds away from my goal and then when I transitioned back off...2-3 seem to be back. I agree after my Saturday cheats that involve alcohol...the scale is up until Wednesday and then I am back to my new settling weight (about 5 above goal). I still plan to do a fall reboot, but summer reboot...nope.

I leave for Vegas on June 23rd and return on July 3rd so I will be good for a week then.

I am pretty determined to get the chemicals out of my life so I will replace a packets with 2eggs OR plain greek yogurt with berries (shake) OR nuts (for restricted snack) when I do phase 1 after I return from Vegas.

IT is a battle ladies, but we are winning.

I think we all have to celebrate how far we have come and we know we won't go back.. the weight is creeping in on me but I still do phase 1 most of the time. I have way to many slip ups so I start over but I am dedicating that I will lose the extra 20 lb that I have gained and be happy that I wear size 8, am healthy and that is what my goal was. I have a lot to learn and IP gave me the start but I have to continue on and try real food and lose the dependancy for it. I will continue to be here and probably always will but not as active as during phase 1 just because I have things to do now and they are outside my door and not on my computer... winter is different will be on more but for now, the weather is getting nice and I can walk barefoot again I am a happy camper.

YES YES YES....I need to learn to celebrate my success and that I am so far from where I was....thank you thank you

I am just kind of curious what people find to be the biggest downfall once you are in maintenance mode. It sounds like a lot of people who have lost and are to their goal weight kind of move in and out of Phase I at times. I guess I am thinking down the road and wondering if a person just really watched the carbs/protein/fat intake and how they are combined and allowed themselves the once a week off-IP day a person could maintain. I know for me my biggest challenge and what I miss right now is the snacking on things like cheese crackers. I am not that big of a candy or chocolate person but I love having popcorn or crackers as a snack and I am going to have to figure out how to not do that once I am at my goal weight. I have WI#3 at home tomorrow and am anxious to see what the scale says...a bit nervous too but have resisted the urge to weigh myself throughout the week. Our grandson turned 3 this week and we went to his birthday party and while the cake looked good I didn't have any and was imagining my Big Mac in a Bowl that I was going to have when I got home for dinner...it was awesome.

I do not know your stats....especially how much you want to lose but.....

for me I am thrilled I am down from a size 18 to a size 8 and 75 pounds (was down 80). I am 3 days away from being in maintenance for one full year.

The hardest part is not letting old habits come back.....I am very diligent about low carb 80% of the time....Monday-Thursday....my carb count is around 30 or less (no carbs at breakfast or dinner like we can have)...then fridays I may add a little carb.

I take Saturday from noontime to Sunday noontime off completely. I also drink alcohol on Saturdays so that creates a ton of fluid issues for me. I am willing to live with the 5-7 pound up as long as overall I am down 75 pounds.

Not sure where you are at in your journey....but maintenance is about balance, control, and twicking to fit your life and needs.

Good luck to you

Thank you, your post makes a lot of sense. I have lost 11 pounds and have WI#3 tomorrow. I am doing this on my own after not having much input or guidance from the IP store in my town. I am 5'10" tall and last week I weighed 157. I would like to get down to 150 and then see if I can maintain it. I will turn 53 this summer and am post-menopausal as well. I have learned a lot in this short time about the foods I am and am not eating. I know at some point I need to be able to find that balance. I have never been terribly overweight but for the past 3 years felt like I have fought the same 8-10 pounds. I have done WW in the past and liked that and found it easy to follow but IP appealed to me because it was something new for me and I have also gotten back into my walking/running routine that I had let get sloppy. I feel pretty good right now having lost 11 pounds and hopefully a few more this week, will find out tomorrow morning when I weigh myself. I haven't found this terribly difficult to follow although I did not care for the IP soups at all. I like the herb/cheese/omelet and the vanilla and chocolate drink mixes. Right now I am using mainly alternative products and also WF dressings for my salads. I have to travel a lot this summer so I need to be able to figure out how to eat the IP way without the packets and I wasn't willing to pay for them anyway, way too expensive. I know some people say they save money because they aren't eating out as much but we don't eat out much at all and I never go out for lunch at work except for maybe a few times a year so the packets were just too spendy. I appreciate your response a lot. Thanks.

All right let the long weekend begin....small cheat tonight and small cheat tomorrow....big cheat day sunday...Italian dinner reservations at our favorite restaurant at the Turning Stone Casino....with some yummy martinis....then I am going to try to go 13 days of good