My motivation is probably myself as well. My lowest weight was 110 (when I finished growing - about 15-16 years old), I'm 18 now, and my highest was probably 145. I'm a very short girl, so when I saw old pictures of myself back then it was upsetting.

I was a gymnast, so during that time I was about 120 (with muscle) and I stopped so I gained a lot of weight, fat. I was so upset. I used to eat a lot and never gain weight and I guess it finally caught up to me. I just miss being small again. =\

Week 2 Newbie
 

I also started on 5/18, had my first WI today and was disappointed by the 3.2lb loss at first. Now, I'm hoping I'll just be a steady loser instead of a big peak at the front and then less after that. We'll see next week. I pre-primed myself starting on 5/14 (weighing 168) by giving up pop (Regular Coke :o), and starting high protein low carb with the EAS ready drinks and detour bars. My official start day with IP and weigh in was 5/18 (weighing 166). My ultimate goal would be to be down to 130. I know I am comfortable there (although its been about 6-8 years since I've seen that number). I think I will shoot for 140 by July 26 (the day we leave for the Bahamas). But I'd like to keep it up through and after that trip until I reach my goal.

I am doing this for me, I am tired of my clothes not fitting or not wanting to wear something because it shows the "muffin top, love handles, bra overhang or belly rolls what every its called". I see myself in pictures and my face looks round. I hate that. I used to run, but haven't had the energy to lately. I need to carve out me time and I really don't have an excuse not to. My kids are fairly self suficient now that i can leave for an hour run or something.

I look forward to taking this journey with you all!
Shawna

My motivation for this diet is to get off of the dieting treadmill and to stop the mental insanity of: wanting to be thinner, comparing myself to others, and not feeling good enough. I want my the mental chatter to be cleared so I can make room in my head for more important things.
Physically, I want to move better and feel more comfortable in my own skin and clothing. I want to not crave junk food. I want to understand my body better, and fuel it with the proper foods.

I agree 100%! It has only been a week and I swear I am not craving anything. My 14 year old made a big pan of brownies and they have been sitting on the counter for days and I have not even had the urge--this is new for me!

It must be the diet because although I'm motivated I did not even have a slight desire to eat any????

I have struggled with my weight for my whole life. I got down to a healthy weight doing atkins after my daughter was born in 2002 and felt so good about myself. I did well keeping it off but I have SUCH issues with weight gain during pregnancy and when I got pregnant with my son in 2008 the weight just piled on. Literally my OB yelled at me the entire time about my weight gain (which is super helpful let me add) but I ate sensibly didn't go overboard my body just packed on the pounds with all 3 of my kids. Literally for the first 3 months I was sick 24 hours a day and still gained weight. Crazy. Anyway ... I had complications delivering my son and needed to have a hysterectomy and it has been all down hill since then.

So my motivation? I want to feel good about myself again. I want to take pictures with my kids and not jump out of the way of the camera because I am embaressed by how I look. I want to fit into my cute clothes again and stop being the frumpy mom in sweats because thats all that is comfortable. I want to wear shorts in the summe instead of sweating at six flags in a pair of jeans because I don't have any shorts that don't fit ... or make me look like an oompa loompa.

Honestly finding IP and this forum has been the best thing that has happened to me. I have tried MANY things over the past few years but this is actually working. Officially I am down just over 20 pounds ... I am wearing a pair of jeans today I couldn't fit into a few months ago. But even better - I feel so much healthier. I am proud of the choices I am making and I am starting to incorporate what I have learned into how I feed my family which will benefit them as well. :)

And I think I am stealing the charm bracelet reward idea ... it is perfect to keep focused :)

Couldn't be better said!!!!!

My Motivation
 

My motivation is freedom.

Freedom from lack of confidence
Freedom from aching joints and muscles
Freedom to climb mountains
Freedom to bike with my husband on the weekends
Freedom to buy clothes with my friends and family without going to a different section of the store
Freedom to play and frolick
Freedom to live a healthy life

No more being a prisoner in my body. I want to Hike the Costa Rican Rain Forests, enjoy a walk on a hot summer day, all those things that I've always wanted to do and haven't because I've kept my true spirit a prisoner in my body.

Freedom to live.

Well, I made it through week one….
Lost 7.2lbs & 9''!
Motivation is stronger then ever!

my motivation is to wear the clothes in the closet (size 12/14) and not buy the bigger sizes (18/20) in the store.

I'm 180 lbs. right now and my goal is to get down to 135, which is what I weighed when I first got married (28 years ago). My motivation? To be a healthy, slim, and fit example for my teenage daughter. I would also like to get back into running and hope to run in some 10K's again!

JackBsMom...Great job on your loss!!.. You and I have very similar goals..I just started a week behind you...will be great to venture this journey along with you!

Hi Lisa4025 - we are in very similar boats, even the same height! My goal is 130!

My short-term goal is to get under 200 lbs by the end of summer, my long term goal is to get down to a 150-170 range. I'm 242 right now and in my first week of Ideal Protein. I can't tell you how encouraged I am that I have not felt hungry, I have NEVER felt like this before and I'm just starting. I have tried many diets and it feels good to know it wasn't my lack of willpower, but the other diets were just not the right ones for me. I have been out of control and hopelessly watching myself gain more and more every year, giving up on myself and giving up doing things I love. My motivation is to be kinder to myself, a better role model for my kids and to feel less self conscious with my husband. Just to feel like myself again!

Okay Newbie Thread..prepare to be posted on!

So, I have "struggled" with weight most of my life; I say that with quotations because of my genetics. As a born and raised Russian, my family has never had the luxury of being rail thin, no matter how healthy. I assume this is due to centuries of ancestors before us that had no other choice but to pack on every extra ounce of fat and sugar for winters etc. Funny, like bears I suppose.

Anyhow, this tactic has proven extremely counterproductive in this day and age, society and country...I have been wondering recently, if it was the apocalypse, would the pudgy ones be better off? lol

No but really, I have always been an athlete and at my full grown age of 15 with 2 water-polo work outs a day, I was 135 lbs. I consider that to be my absolute minimum adult weight...

Well, it went downhill after the sport decreased and I moved closer to my university. I had no time for exercise whilst trying to complete a physics degree. I was lucky however, as UCSC is hilly as heck, and walking all day everyday kept the weight gain at bay.

Through college my diet was never ideal and I believe graduation 2 years ago to date had me at about 165. Although, I looked good, at that time, I was already dissatisfied with the number. Surely after college life, my daily routine became much more sedentary. With my parents' divorce soon after that and a terrible addiction to drinking, I gained weight at an alarming rate. I eventually hid my scale because I knew that every time I got on the number staring back at me was worse than the previous and the amount of clothes chilling in my closet that hadn't seen the light of day brought me to tears daily.

Somehow, I found myself above 200lbs, 208 to be exact. Never had I ever thought it could get that bad.

Someone earlier said they want to be free of that nagging voice in your mind, constantly comparing you to others and hating the reflection in the mirror. That would be a HUGE part of my motivation. I am doing this mostly for the health and to be the person I know I am supposed to be; the real me under all this extra weight and fat. But am also dying for the confidence and pride to look DBF's (dear boyfriend) mother and sister in the face knowing that I am worthy of their (skinny) family's respect.

So my first goal, is to weight less than him; 171lbs.

My complete goal is to be around 140.

To all you newbies and vets! May we all get that confidence, pride and ultimately happiness back!

I am definitely not new, as I have been doing ip or maintaining since feb 2011.

I was always thin. Then, after 2 kids, I slowly started gaining. I took a year off work when they we're 2 and 4 and that year I wore yoga pants all the time.

When I went to return to work I was shocked! I had gotten up to 181 pounds!

For the next few years I tried many different it plans and started exercising. Many weeks I would exercise for 10-12 hours. I would lose a little, but was stuck in the 175....very fit, but still fat. And I thought I was eating well, brown rice, lots of fruit, low fat...

My friend started ip and lost immediately. I thought this was too extreme, but vanity won and I started ip too.

Within 6 weeks I went from a size 12, to a 10, to an 8. By April 2011 I was a happy 6!

My original goal was 140. I decided to maintain at 145 as my body fat has dropped down to 16% and I struggle to get any lower. I still exercise every day. I never stopped during ip.

Maintaining has been more difficult. I usually return to phase 1 during the week to keep the weekend weight gain in check. I still don't eat grains, bread or fruit. I love how I feel on low carb.