I started an alternative IP and quit a couple weeks ago because I was having all these parties at my house. Well today is my start over and my husband's dr told him he needed to join me. So we are doing it together. We went grocery shopping last night and I found WF salad dressings at Walmart!!! I was very happy to see that. One of my coworkers had this oatmeal packet that's comparable to the IP oatmeal (I checked the ingredients as well as the nutrition info) she said she found it at Big Lots. I will be looking to see if I can find it because the box says it's only $1 for five packets. How cool is that??!! So far today I had my EAS Protein Drink. I have a salad for lunch and my WF dressing. Looking forward to some great progress since I don't have to cook separate meals for the family. Our little girl will eat what we are eating for dinner because she has her lunch and snacks at the daycare.

Have a great day!!

Congratulations on getting to phase II! I was told that phase I was until you have achieved 80% of your weight loss (or until you only have about 5 lbs left to go), so this is probably the right time for you (you know best)! Phase II will get you the rest of the way! It's wonderful about your clothing size too! Congratulations!



...and I hope you feel better soon! It's miserable (rainy & cold) here too...

Back from WI 11 and only down 1.6 pounds, but I'll take it! It's my TOM starting today, and I feel huge and bloated. It's weird -- I don't normally have these icky side effects. Guess it makes me appreciate that all the more when I have a week like this.

Don't apologize! I need to get my act together and plant our tiny little garden plot... Definitely going to be growing a ton of IP friendly veggies... And tomatoes. I have to grow tomatoes. I'm hoping my toddler will start eating them soon.

Hello Juice,
I am relatively new to all of this. I'm on week 4. I am curious about what is your own version of the program. Care to share with a newby?

Thanks and congratulations on your weight loss.

I follow IP protocol. I just used protein powder from GNC and pure protein bars from Walmart occassionaly.

I can't remember who told me about calm but THANK YOU so very much. It is the only thing I found that works. I feel so much better! I am into week 10 and this has become my way of life. I have lost 27 lbs. I have 40 more to go but now I have the confidence to continue.

Way to go, juiceman, getting back down to your IP weight so quickly... I knew you could do it... I'm so glad to know you understand what happened while you were "on your own" & didn't panic!.. you're still an inspiration... are you still using whey protein?.. I've been using it from the beginning & am seeing some (TMI) "gastrointestinal" annoyances getting steadily worse, & can only assume my lactose intolerance is beginning to loom its ugly head... so I'm going to try switching to egg white protein powder... just have to wait & see how it goes...

Congrats to ALL for your many SVs & NSVs over the weekend... I hope everybody has a MAHVELOUS Monday!..

hugs

I enjoyed your post so much! I wish it would be possible to send some of that cooler weather and rain down here. We need rain so badly in central Texas. In April we were already on phase 1 water restriction and we've already had days of 90 degrees!

I, too, have the same problems you described regarding eating. I am listening to my body and am finally able to begin distinguishing between physical hunger and my inner child hunger-- what you call emotional/boredom/stress hunger. Yes, there is such a thing! I know it well! The interesting thing is that because I've been so content on this program that I have not been eating enough! I know it may sound crazy to some, but I was wondering why I felt so good, was on 100% protocol, but wasn't consistently losing weight. Then I decided to write down the actual calories, carbs, proteins of what I was eating. Lo and behold, I discovered that I was consuming less than 900 calores and an extremely small amount of carbs every day! My body was in starvation mode!! Imagine me at 276 pounds!! In starvation mode!! What a laugh, I thought. So... after going through the products I was eating, I decided to add 2 hard boiled eggs to the mix to up the calories a little. BINGO! I got off my plateau (in all fairness, it was the 4th week plateau that so many talked about here) and now I'm on my way to losing weight again.

At this point, I'm also learning what you mentioned about eating slowly, taking small bites, and enjoying the journey. I look forward to reading your posts. You are so positive. Thanks.

Thank you so much. You were the one who turned me to look into whey protein powders. Thank you for your help in the early beginnings. There is no need to panic on anyones part. You have to be able to live life and understand everyday is not going to be perfect. Each week is not going to be the same. Your weight from month to month will change up or down. Who cares, we all know now how to keep it from skyrocketing and making better choices. I just want to shred the last little bit of fat and move on.

I do not experience too many gastrointestinal problems with Whey protein, but I have always taken a fiber suppliment regularly. No real issues. Hope you are doing well, good luck with your switch!

Your garden is HUGE!!! Now if I can only get my hubby to make a smaller version of this, I would have to make so many trips to the grocery store!

Can you share the name of the oatmeal brand?

Hi All. Hope everyone had a great weekend.

I have spent the morning thinking about the mental benefits of weight loss. Its funny, I have only lost a fraction of the weight I want to but I feel so much better about myself than I did 3 weeks ago. As a result, I am dressing better for work, carrying myself with more confidence, and in general feeling good about life.

I don't know if it is so much about the weight loss as it is about having a goal and sticking to it for a time. It is good for the brain.

Happy Monday all! Today is my official weigh in day and I'm down another 2 lbs..total of 15lbs in 3 weeks

NSV: Yesterday I went and bought a swim suit, because my kids are definate water babies..and will want to be swimming very very soon. Well..even though I wasn't happy about how I looked in a swim suit..I didn't hate me! I didn't leave the dressing room all depressed, and I managed to find one that fits, and won't be too hard to alter, if I choose to let it shrink with me this summer!

It was a bit pricey to start up and create and will be a significant amount of work to upkeep, but I enjoy the building of it and taking care of it. If you have good soil, you do not have to make a raised bed and just put it in ground level. You need more space than you think once you start putting in all the vegetables you want. I ran out of room and I have 400 sq feet!

I know what you mean! I just recently started having my nails done again... something I had given up on long ago because it was too much money and time/effort. I am also buying clothes (within reason) when I need them and actually got myself a yoga pant track suit for my tap classes, which I just resumed last week too. I even hired a sitter to make sure that I can actually go to every tap lesson (or almost). Now, I finally somehow got it into my head and heart that I am worth it! I usually put everyone else first but now I am taking care of my own wants and needs too and it feels good! ...and it hasn't taken away from my family one bit. I am reasonable and am not putting us in debt to indulge in luxuries. Just reprioritizing things/expenses!