I am not sure that the previous Augusters is closed since I think I just posted on it?

Anyway, since this is the newer, I will just repost here?



I am so proud of all who have stuck by this August group! There have been ups and downs and some who have incredibly stuck straight through this many month process. Kudos to all.

What is important is that we are all still here, still trying.

What am I most proud of? Yes, the weight loss, but getting to the gym everyday takes the cake for me. I have never been a gym person, always felt like a fish out of water. I can't say I love going but I love the fact that I DO go! I know I feel better and I know my body is getting healthier, so I am good with that.

So, Augusters, of what are YOU most proud?

I am proud of my determination to see this through, especially with some negativity or disbelief from people. I am proud of hubby, who has journeyed with me to a healthier life. In fact, it was his idea to begin with.

I am proud of the 3FC'ers who have shared triumphs and struggles, who have boosted each other up and also administered tough love and hard truths when needed.

~Renee

To avoid confusion, I've requested the duplicate thread be closed. This is not the duplicate

Renee - this is the part of your entry that resonated most with me. I, unlike you, do not have a supportive DH, although I think he may be coming around a wee bit. He has been spotted in the gym, although not with me...by his lonesome self.

Therefore as a empty nester, I turn to the lovely people on here for support and I have never been disappointed. When I got through the tough times, there is sympathetic support and encouragement. When I am doing well, I get lots of those dancing veggies and fairy dust - I love it!

Today marks the first time I have lost weight from the very lowest weight I was a month or so again when I went off track. So I managed to get back to the lowest and now, get going again. Feels great!

I am now approaching the lowest I have been during my marriage. I was 9 pounds less 20 years ago so I have a real goal. After that comes the weight I was when we married, and that is only 14 pounds away......it is nice to have some measuring sticks against which to measure progress.

My doc did run a complete thyroid panel and everything checked out fine. Right now I am too nervous to try anything until the hair loss stops. I have really thick long hair (thank god) and it is getting so thin!!!! I am trying to get the last nine pounds off by adding in the exercise and continuing to eat well. So far so good.

I am losing a lot of hair too. Thankfully I have a lot so I'm not completely freaked out yet. But I'd like to start phasing off soon and hope that it will abate at that point.

Hi Augusters: just checking in. Just weighed in for Week 21. I am getting a little antsy to move into phase 2...but I'm also nervous. I think I'm antsy because I've passed the original goal the clinic set but I'm still not where they think I should be. But they can't really tell me what that is...other than looking at my bmi/fat %. To be honest, I want to be a smaller size in clothes. But I also want to be a size I can maintain. Not sure what that is.
Of course I'm also worried about the phases and maintenance but I'm trying to remind myself that this process works so I just need to keep on keeping on and trust it to continue to work.
Lots on my mind!

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. IP POWER to you!

Best of luck with your phasing onward! You could still lose a bit more, so get to where you are comfortable. You CAN maintain it. You have the tools. Just be very vigilant, and you know what you can do if those numbers start to creep up.

Thinking of you on this journey!

If you're still wanting to lose a little more, go for it! I set my goal a little lower than where I think I'll end up in maintenance because I know there's sometimes a gain of 2-5 lbs after phasing off as your body replaces its glycogen stores. I figure if I set my goal a little lower then I won't worry about the slight regain if it happens.

I am plain just going to wait before I truly set my final goal. It is has soooooo long since I was anywhere near what I "set" as my goal that I do not know how I and my body will be when I reach it.

The goal I set was the lowest I was ever as an adult, but it was also more than 20 years ago and my body after that time and 2 children is not the same. My regular doctor said it would likely put me on the edge of a normal BMI but he is OK with that, particularly compared to where I have been.

Since that conversation, I added the gym because I wanted to make my body more fit for whatever weight I carry. I have dreams of hitting my goal and thinking "hmmmm..maybe I will keep going until I get where I feel smoking hot". OK, kidding about the smoking hot bit, but I am curious as to what life looks like below 160. I think the charts show I should be closer to 145.

Hello my August friends! I hope you are all well. I see we are still here, and doing it together! I am getting ready to start pahse 2 in a week or so! I am not at my numerical goal weight, but darn, I feel and look better than I ever thought possible. I truly wish you could all feel this way too! My self esteem is through the roof, and I feel invinvible!

It is my hope to gwet to the end sometime in March. I have another dive trip scheduled for June in Mexico, perhaps I wil buy another bikini??

Cheers!

Dive trips and bikinis... LOTS of inspiration to stay on target

I'm so happy to see that IP has helped your feelings of self-esteem. I can feel that changing in me as well...ever so slowly. I'm excited to feel better about myself. I think we get into a rut sometimes when we're overweight where we feel somehow "less than". It's not true for everyone but has certainly been true for me.

You go MidgieMoon! You are awesome!

Also glad to hear that this is happening for people. I'm not there yet - too many years of abusing my body and disliking the result and myself for it to undo in just a few months! I'm working on it though, and hope I can feel the love soon!

Lighthouse - you probably are not alone in the feeling of dislike that can hang over after so many years. I know that in the first months of IP, I was not convinced of where I was going and where it would take me.

An aha moment finally changed some of that for me. I tripped across an old friend who I would periodically see in town. She literally did NOT recognize me at first - I had to say who I was. She was stunned.

That was the first real moment where I felt and knew what I have done and where I am going. I went home and cleaned closet and was also stunned by how many clothes no longer fit me - some I had never even worn because I never thought to try them on for size because I did not think they could possibly fit.

Fingers crossed that maybe a big aha moment will hit for you, too, and you can enjoy the wonderful big sunshine that brings into your life.

Thanks, schenectady, and also for sharing such an amazing NSV! I know you are a big supporter of exercise and I have recently started adding some in too. I'm hoping that will help - just being grateful for having a healthy body that can do lots of wonderful things.