More then 50 pounds to lose, and less then 20 to go
 

I saw that our other thread got locked, so I hope it's ok I start a new one. I am so close to that 20 to go..I can almost taste it!

So many of us are closing in on that final stretch, and I definately think that this thread is beneficial to us all!

:hug: Love you girls! :hug:

Hey there. I hope you are doing better today. Thanks for starting this new thread...

I am meeting with the doctor next Monday. I'm going to talk about my goal weight and discuss moving to Phase 2 after I am at 155. I think I'm going to make 150 my goal. I'm definitely feeling diet fatigue, and want to get back into working out a lot more than I do now.

Thanks for starting it. also, thanks everyone for the kudo's. I truly appreciate al the support. This is the 14th day of over 100*, the only day in the next week that it might fall below 99 is next Thurs. We are in a statewide burn ban, and a lot of counties have restrictions on outside watering. I sure hope it doesn't happen to me! I have my garden and pool to deal with.
I realize it's all just a bunch of whining compared to all the flooding devistation throughout the midwest.
I know you'll get to that -20 lb. mark in the very near future. Who would have ever thought that we could have achieved so much in sure a short period of time. WE ARE AWESOME! WE HAVE GREAT WILLPOWER AND DETERMINATION. YEAH US!

They've told me to take it 5lbs at a time, but we haven't yet discussed me moving to another phase. I almost feel like I need to bring it up. I'm starting to feel like, even if I tone, I won't go do another size. I might go into a 6, but I think I will still be able to wear size 8 bathing suits, etc. I want to buy some summer things now since they are all on sale, and I just bought 3 bathing suits at Lands End because they have a huge sale today... So... I'm starting the investments in clothes and really want to work out. I will let everyone know how the conversation goes with my coach/doctor next week.

Isn't it a great feeling to be almost done?

Have fun clothes shopping! It makes you put a huge smile on your face when you rock a small size doesn't it? Enjoy the whole experience.
I hate to admit this, but I haven't been to the clinic to weigh in, in over a month. Mainly because I can't afford to purchase any of the food and I feel guilty about that, but I'm going to go this week because I really want to get measured + I'm at the goal they set for me so I can bow out gracefully.

I'm so happy the site is back up this morning, I went through withdrawls last night when I couldn't get on! Has anyone considered facebooking each other so we don't lose touch with our IP special friends when our jourey is complete?
Mary

This year the weather has been totally weird. The farmers Algamac said that we would have a wet HOT summer, well they have the wet part right but it hasn't been over 80 yet this year. Next week it should get there. I feel for all that are in a heat wave, if I could I would take some of your heat and send you some rain. Thunder showers today again but then the weekend proves nice. Still have the mosquitos though, saw them carry a shetland pony away yesterday.... watch out for the small dogs...
Mary you are such an inspirations you keep up the good work.

That is a good idea I would like to facebook you all if that is okay?

Minewgoal - I hope things are looking better for you and I am so happy you are near -20. I snuck on this thread cause I missed everyone, still have 35 to go but I thought since I quilified for the -50 it was alright and the ladies here are so great they do not mind...I get so much more information here.

Pxlkitty - I think you have done so great, I am sure they will put you on phase 2. I really like watching how you are doing as we are close in size and goals though I still have quite a ways to go... and the 70's are just about killing me... but I will get past it.

Question for all you knowledgeable ladies - my friend has started using Agave Nectar instead of sugar. Does anyone know anything about it? I know it isn't IP but thought I would ask as she is curious what my diet plan would say. I have heard of it but that is about it. Would this be something to look at for phase 4? Thanks you guys make my day and I enjoy all of you, and couldn't have done this without you. Keep it going:hug::hug:

YES!! So excited! (Though I know it will be a journey in maintenance too)

I'm still determined to get 1 more size down but we'll see. I feel pretty darn good right now but have been dreaming about being a size 8 for a long time. My 10s are getting loose so almost there. :)

I love the idea of having an IP "stay in touch" page on Facebook. Anyone techy enough to figure that out?

mini diet fatigue over
 

Hi,
Phew, I finally made it to this thread. IP official 50 lbs lost as of Tuesday 7-12-2011. Since then I have been so fired up, I have lost another 3 as of this AM.
When someone said diet fatigue on here, it hit home. That is what I had for about 1+month, and I slowly was adding creative ways to cheat, basically, and fell into some old food comfort habits. IT DID NOT CUT THE MUSTARD. First I got physcially sick from it and then I was in denial that eating badly was the issue so I tried another week of some poor choices. Then I got sick again, this time it turned out to be the flu. Coincidence? I don't know but I took it as a sign from the "food fairies" to knock it off, plus eating like that not fill the bill emotionally like I remember it doing before, .....or so I fooled myself into thinking.
IP and this site are the best things added to my life in the last 7 months. I am now back on track and am on a mission to roll through for the next period of time.
THANK YOU to all who post here, the support and info is priceless. Love, and summer :dust::beach: to all, Carol

if it makes you feel any better, i have had a summer of 50-60 degree weather and tons of rain. that is basically the same as our winter. so i have had 7 months of winter so far. it's 53 degrees today and will probably rain again. i would love a couple days in the 70s!

was hoping to see the 140s today, but i stayed exactly the same at 150.1. it's coming soon... i can feel it! maybe tomorrow...

You are defintely going to be in the 140's tomorrow, and I for one and so proud of you and so mad that I took that week off or I'd be right here with you. Drink a ton of extra water and visualize those fat cells floating away.
I'm going to try that too.
I just had homemade veggie soup with canned chicken broth so I need to flush the sodium out.
turkey legs marinating in the frig just waiting for the grill for later.

You can do it, think positive! Let me know as soon as you jump off tha scale in the morning. I'll be thinking good thoughts for you.
Mary

I know how you feel on this. my coach never set a goal weight with me. I brought it up once and she asked if i had a size in mind that i'd like to be in. well, that size was a size 8, but i wear size 6 now. the next time i brought up changing phases, she told me to just let her know when i feel that i've had enough/ happy where i am. my original goal was 160, but i wasn't happy there so i changed it to 145 thinking it wouldn't be possible (5 lbs away now, but it still might not be possible!). here's the problem though... i'm not going to phase off as long as i am still losing at least 2 lbs a week. this could be a very bad thing for me. i don't want to get too skinny. since my coach isn't holding me to any goal, and she isn't bringing it up in the meetings, it is going to take at least 2 weeks in a row of losses less than 2 lbs before i decide to go to phase 2. i lost 3 lbs this week. technically i should be in phase 2 now because i am at more than 90% of my goal, but as long as i keep losing i'll stay in phase one. on the plus side (for me, at least), this means that it's possible that i could even get down to 135-130 as long as the weight keeps coming off each week. but i, like you, am getting very frustrated with still being on this diet, and i also want to work out to tone up all this gross, floppy skin that i have hanging off my arms and around my belly...

i am FB friends with Mrs. D. I never see her on the boards anymore, but i see her FB posts so i know what she's up to. i think it would be a great idea to have a FB page dedicated to our little group - especially since we are all so close to being done. i'd love to keep in touch with all of you because it really has been such a long journey, and i don't really see myself posting on these boards much anymore once i'm off plan.

Carol congratulations on getting over your fatigue... and recommitting... sometimes I think it would be easier if we could change how restaurants and manufactures process and add to their foods it sure make us a lot healthier country. Have a great weekend and thanks for sharing.

I wish I could give you some real feedback on this because it is weighing (pun) on my mind. I think IP does a great job of giving you the tools to get the weight off, but I really think they need to work on helping us figure out some of the other pieces of this self image puzzle. If you told me I'd be in size 4/6 clothes, I would have told you that was perfect-- exactly where I should be. (Who wants to be a size 2 with a big 'rack'? :o ) But now that I'm there I'm having trouble visualizing the success. My brain hasn't caught up, so I'm still hyper critical.

I think you need to take a breath and think about what will be sustainable for you. Are you happy with how you look? Just because you are continuing to lose weight doesn't mean you should continue losing. I really believe the IP coaches should insist that we pick a number or size or BMI or whatever and help us stick with it. We can always go back if needed... it is a HUGE adjustment going from phase 3 to maintenance and IP really doesn't have any 'tools' for managing the change. Two weeks on phase 3 flies by and then you are out there in the real world with no coach and no regular weigh ins, etc.

I think phase 1 becomes a comfort zone and a crutch after a while. We don't have to think about what we're eating because it is defined for us. I think getting off of phase 1 is really important. I think we get so focused on getting as small as we can so we have as much 'wiggle room' as possible that it becomes a mind game and unhealthy in itself.

Right now I'm wishing I had lost 5 pounds more because in my mind I wouldn't have to 'think' as much about food if I had that wiggle room. But the fact is (and it IS a fact) I would be doing the same thing if I were 5 pounds lighter.

Just my two cents... Be careful. It is a slippery, slippery slope. :hug:

(And don't anyone think that this post is implying that it isn't worth it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat... I just I wish I had spent more time visualizing the endpoint while I was doing it.)