Beginning of a new year
 

OMG congratulations, and everything else. You look amazing!!! You will be my inspiration for 2013! I have got to get back to the 130s or even 140s... Thank you for your inspiration!!!

Hi everyone,

I have been around for a couple of weeks, but haven't formally introduced myself!

I started on IP at the end of November and have lost 23lbs. I knew it would be hard to start right before the holidays, but I was up to the challenge!

I live in Ontario, Canada, in a very small town. The nearest mall is about a 4 hour drive. However, I am very lucky that the local pharmacy has IP and is providing me great support and coaching.

I have 2 daughters who are 7 and 9. One of my main goals is to be able to do more with them. I have already noticed a difference in my mobility and energy, and actually went snowshoeing with then yesterday. They both love figure skating, and hope to join them in family skate one day!

Thanks for the welcome, and I look forward to the support from this site, and to hopefully provide others with support too!

And Wuv, you are an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your journey.

Great idea, Wuv!

Hi, all! I am Elizabeth from Illinois. I started IP in late July and lost a total of 56 pounds by Nov 26. I am currently in maintenance (phase 4). Not sure I could have done it without all of the wonderful people here. :)

Hi everyone,

I started Nov 12th and have dropped 25 so far. Love the diet the first few days were rough but once I saw my first wi it was all worth it. The holiday was tough but taking it one step at a time. I hope to at least drop 100 pounds.

Welcome & good luck

Hi everyone, I have been around for almost 2 months now, My husband and I started November 7th and we have both lost almost 40 lbs each (next weigh in I should be at the 40 lb lost mark!) Oh and we are from Iowa!

I in total want to lose 107 lbs. Some days are better than others, especial with 4 kids and sickness going around, some days the stress wants to make me fold but I haven't yet and it's the best I have ever done losing weight.

It's so worth it!

Hi! My name is Holly and I started IP the last few days in April. I have lost over 60 pounds and phased off early this month. Now I am back on IP 100% because I lowered my goal weight and I want to lose the 5 I gained over Christmas. Welcome to EVERYONE! This program is truly AMAZING, the only program that has worked for me. :)

Hello everyone, this is day 4 on IP for me and it has been difficult. But finding this website is a big help. I have used some of the recipies and am looking forward to the new year and reaching my goal. I like this newest thread and appreciate your being so active in this endeavor. I weighed in at 190 and already weigh 180. My goal weight is 130. Thanks for so much.:^:

new kid on the block
 

Hello everyone, this is day 4 on IP for me and it has been difficult. But finding this website is a big help. I have used some of the recipies and am looking forward to the new year and reaching my goal. I like this newest thread and appreciate your being so active in this endeavor. I weighed in at 190 and already weigh 185. My goal weight is 130. Thanks for so much.:^:

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!! I have been on IP since November 30 and have lost 20.3 lbs and 17.75 inches. My advice to the newbies - hang in there the first four days really suck but I promise you it does get better!

Hi everyone - glad to find this forum. I started on the diet on the 26th and it's been a little rough due to morning nausea, but I'm hanging in there. I'll look for threads on how to best deal with it. I started at 220 and this morning my scale had me down to 212 (Goal is 150). I'm thrilled at the loss, but almost seems too fast. I've read a lot of posts and it doesn't seem unusual so I won't worry as I'm sure it will slow (and then I'll be bummed;) A Happy, Successful New Year to All!

Thanks, I needed that!

Hello & Welcome! My name is Cindy and I started IP on May 25th, and have lost 55 lbs & 41 inches. The support here on 3FC was instrumental in my achieving my goal! I recently moved to Phase 4 (maintenance), but probably should have waited to do so after Christmas. Like Holly, I'm back to P1 for a week or so to lose the few lbs I gained back.

Hang tough through the first few days, and you will be amazed at your first WI!

Hi everyone. My name is Faye, and I've recently started Maintenance after having lost 53 lbs. I've been dieting using the IP protocol, but using alternative products, since late March. I'll be 62 in February, and my weight loss was definitely slower than some, but I'm thrilled that I got to my goal and am now following the maintenance protocol. I have to give a shout out to everyone here at 3Fatchicks.com... I seriously don't think I'd have met my goal without the support and reinforcement available through this site. Coming here daily definitely helped me stay motivated and focused.

Happy New Year, and new you! :)

I started IP proper at the end of July 2012 (switched to alternatives 10 weeks in), and I'm going into the new year 60lbs lighter, looking towards maintenance and the rest of my life! This site is invaluable for the information, but even more so for the amazing men and women that inspire, encourage, dish out the tough love, and cheer you on!

My one piece of advice to new folks - do NOT let yourself be talked into falling off plan just because of an event that involves food. I got through Thanskgiving, my 20th High School Reunion, Christmas (lost 3.4lbs that week!) and countless trips to restaurants and dinners at other homes - all without ever going off plan. And I'm nothing special! If I can do it, anyone can!!

Hi everyone,

I am Shannon and I am starting IP on Jan 3. (App. is on Jan 2) I am nervous as well as very excited. I am 22 years old and I am from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. (Canada) It will be a new journey for me and I know I can do this. My weight before Christmas holidays was 265.. but that has probably changed! I know I will have about 100 lbs to lose but I will just take it one day at a time. You all are very inspirational! Good luck to everyone in the new year! :)

Hi everyone! I just started IP on Dec 28 and so far so good! I have been lurking for a few days here and you are all great inspiration. My mother-in-law has been on IP since October and has lost nearly 40 pounds. Her sister has been on IP a bit longer and has also lost a huge amount of weight. After seeing them this Christmas I was convinced to begin my IP journey.

2 years ago I started Weight Watchers at 195 pounds and lost almost 40 pounds. Over the last year I started to be a little too relaxed with my eating habits and I have managed to gain back 25+ pounds. Ugh!

So here I am on day 3 and feeling pretty motivated! Can't wait to get to know everyone here and hopefully share my own weight loss story!

I'm new too but saw your post about nausea, it may be the multi vitamin. Make sure you eat food with it and if it still persists try switching it to nighttime.

Hi everyone,
I just started on the 26th. I'm having a bit of hunger, but I keep drinking my water. I know I want to lose about 25-35, not real sure. I've been having a hard time losing this past year due to peri-menopause.
It's wonderful to hear all the wonderful success stories and also the stumbles (which keeps it real). I'm from Mass.

Hi everyone,

I started IP on July 20 and have lost 60 pounds. This is the first diet that has worked for me in the last 14 years! And I had tried every diet out there, short of gastric bypass. So if you're older like me (I'm 51) and/or have hypothyroidism, you should be able to see good results with IP.

I never had the bad symptoms at the beginning that some people have talked about like headaches or dizziness. The worst thing for me was that I was really hungry the first week as I had to get used to eating way less than I was used to. My coach told me that if I was hungry I could just have a fourth packet for the day. Once I got past the first week, the hunger went away and I have found this so easy to stick to. Seeing great results on the scale is what has kept me motivated. It does take a lot of commitment to plan your meals, and at first for me especially getting all your veggies in. I was NOT a veggie eater before so that was big change but I read through all of the great recipe threads here and have come up with so many different ways to eat veggies and to also try new ones that I had never eaten before. Now I actually look forward to my veggies each day and some days I wish I could have more!

Good luck if you are just starting out! Come to this board often to get great tips, advice and motivation!

Hi!

I am on day 4 and so far so good. I am 59 and my goal is to lose 35 pounds, and even more importantly, avoid starting on a statin to control my cholesterol counts (my doctor seemed to think losing this weight might lower my count).

I waited until my daughter and her boyfriend returned back to NJ to start the diet. She thinks the diet is a bit drastic and that I could lose the weight by watching what I eat more but my husband who lost 30 pounds the HMR program last year is encouraging me to try IP. My doctor also said eating healthy at the dinner meal might benefit my husband as well. IP would not work for him as he is not a vegetable eater.

I live in Baton Rouge.

I am curious about how long y'all think it will take to get to phase 2.

Also, do you know whether it is ok to switch the dinner meal of meat and veggies to lunch time and do an IP packet for dinner?

I am glad I found this website. I have learned a lot already, and the support is great!

Thanks.

I believe there is no problem switching the dinner meal to lunch time. Sometimes I also split the protein amount between the two meals (e.g. 3-4oz of chicken at lunch and 3-4oz steak at dinner.

I vehemently disagree!! YOU ARE INDEED SOMETHING SPECIAL !!!! Very special!!! :hug::hug:

I'm Pattie. I started IP May 8/12 and have lost 85 lbs (20 lbs lost before I started IP but I include them, they count too! LOL!). I took a week off for Christmas as mentally and physically I needed a break, but I've hopped right back on P1!!!

IP is easy. The hard part and the work is all in your head! Don't eat for stress or emotions. Feed your body fuel and learn to feed your soul something else other than food! YOU GOT THIS!!!!

Hi! I did IP about 2 years ago and hit my goal and lost 20 lbs.... BUT, without phasing off, I left on a week long trip to Mexico and just couldn't get back on the wagon! Now I am trying again! This time I have a little more to lose (30lbs) but I know I can do it!!

Today was my first day and I think I did okay... stayed with it 100%. New Years Eve will be hard but I just figured there was no sense in waiting until after New Years because I will always be finding some excuse to wait... may as well jump in and just start!! Wish me luck!!

Hi Everyone!

My name is Allison, I'm 27 years old and I'm hoping to begin IP in the next couple weeks. I recently visited my family on the west coast and my grandmother shared her experience on the program with me. She was dangerously obese and has lost 50lbs in about 3 months. It was a great inspiration to me and thus I'm going to give the program a shot.

I am about 215 lbs (I went from 160 to 215 in 2011 and have been hovering there for the past year) I would very much like to get back to 160 and then hopefully down to 130 after that!

On another note, if ANYBODY has any suggestion as to where to go in the Philadelphia area for the program I would greatly appreciate it. I'm having the toughest time finding a center!

Here's the the New Year! 2013 is going to be amazing!

Great thread Wuv! thanks.

My first thought on reading your post was that you'll have a long drive to find all the new clothes you'll need to buy after losing weight on IP.

My name is Kim and I've been on IP since mid-January 2012 except for a few weeks phase off for a vacation in the fall. I've lost 97.5lbs to date and have another 8-18 to go. My first target is 179 but if I feel okay about it then I may go all the way to my original goal of 169. I have a lot of leftover skin to deal with so I need to account for that in my final weight.

I'm Barb. I've have lost 107 lbs since the end of June 2012. I am using alternative products (not IP branded) except for potassium tablets.

I started on December 6 and have lost about 10 pounds so far. I wanted to get started ahead of the holidays and be where I wanted to be early in the year. So far it's working. :) I've made it through a 5 day out of town trip early in the program, and have been in the Caribbean since December 22 and made it through Christmas with the family and lots of restaurant meals on IP. Once I get through dinner tonight and a party our neighbors are having I figure I'll be home free! :lol:

I'm very glad to have found this board and all the great, supportive folks here!! (And, needless to say, I'm *very* glad to have found out about IP! No other diet was working for me for years!)

Welcome to all the new people! And what great inspiration all of the people who are using this diet are! :)

I started this diet in August of 2012, and I've lost almost 80 pounds so far. I really love this diet. I'm a Vegetarian, so it was tough going at first because of the protein choices, but I'm so glad I'm doing IP. I never thought I'd see myself putting on size 10 Levi's again, but I did that this weekend (still tight, but I could zip and button them). I was a tight 22 plus size in August and now my 12's are getting loose.

I am a serious carb/sugar addict, and this diet has corrected that in me. Although I still crave the sweets when I see them, it's easily controlled. Even after just a week or two, my carb cravings were gone; my mind was cleared, and mentally and physically I just felt so much better.

I feel like myself again, and IP is responsible for that. And thanks so much to this forum. I do this diet without a coach, and this forum has taught me everything I need to know about the diet, and the support here is tremendous.

And I love that there is a maintenance plan for this diet. This diet has a road map to eating well for the rest of our lives, and that is just a god-send.

Hi! I'm a "try again" newbie. I started IP January 2011 and in 6 weeks had lost 40lbs and felt so good that I decided to quit and do it on my own...nope. So 3 weeks ago I started again with those 40lbs back on plus an additional 10 or so. Tomorrow is 3 weeks and I'm down 20 pounds! I know I can get it off for good this time and I am confident that I have chosen a goal weight that is both attainable and maintainable forever! I love reading about the successes in loss and the successes in maintenance on 3FC!

Hello!! I started IP in early October and have lost 37 pounds so far. The first 3 days were a little difficult (hungry, headache) but it all worked out. I have felt great since then. This is the first time I have been able to go to parties and not even be tempted to sample a little of everything.

I came off IP for Xmas eve and Xmas and truthfully I felt really lousy. I happily jumped right back on board on the 26th and feel good again. I love the support and advice offered on this site, I visit at least once a day (tend to lurk and not post too much). I have started combining IP with alternatives for the past month or so and have had no impact in my losses.

Welcome to everyone starting new or rejoining us! Ask questions, read often and learn from people who truly understand what you are going through.

Welcome to all the newbies.

My name is Mandy, and I'm in Illinois. I started on October 1st of 2012 and have lost 46 pounds in 3 months! The first four days of the diet were terrible (carb withdrawal), but after that it has been smooth sailing. I use all alternative (non-IP) products other than the potassium supplements. I've never been to a clinic and am doing this with the wonderful support I found here.

My best piece of advice is to not compare your losses to others. We all lose the weight differently.

Hi. I am Dee from Laplace, LA. I started IP in late June ‘12 and have lost 54#, 7 before IP. Weight loss has been a little slower for me than some, but this is the only diet I have lost consistently. I have hypothyroidism and have no thyroids, just take medicine for the hormones. 3FC site has been a life saver. Everyone contributes great ideas, recipes and inspiration. No one is alone in this journey. Looking forward to reaching goal in 2013.

Haha! So true. I am skilled at shopping online! However, I have usually been ordering the biggest size available at most plus sized stores, so I may have to make a special trip to actually try some clothes on in a few months.

Your weight loss is amazing, by the way! So inspirational. Yo are so close to 100 lbs lost. I imagine that's going to be a big celebration! Any plans?

Hi all! I'm Jessica and I mostly lurk. I started on 9/22/2012, and I've lost 44 pounds. I live in sunny south Florida, and it sure is nice to be more comfortable wearing less clothing! My advice is to make sure that you try different food items until you find what you can stand. Not everything is going to be tasty, but food is fuel!

Welcome to all the new people!!! This is a great site and will give you encouragement whenever you need it! IP has been amazing for me. I am learning so much about me and how IP isn't a diet but a lifelong lesson on how to eat correctly. I started dieting in mid sept and lave lost 50lbs which was my goal by the end of 2012. Lots of recipes in the threads that have saved me when i get bored and have learned to try many new veggies!
I have moved to alternative products because IP was killing my budget. Again, a bunch of threads on alternative products!!!!
BTW - WUV, SCORBETT and HALFAGAIN are inspirational!!!

Happy New Year and happy new you to all the newbies! I'm Leona fron Montana. I started IP in June. I have lost 27 lbs and have 65to to go. I have had lots of weeks with low or no loss, but I believe in this program. For the first time I can actually see myself reaching goal.

Best of luck to everyone just starting, and to those of you continuing from last year...may we all be successful this year!

Welcome all the new IPeeps and all the reboots!

I have been on IP since the last week of July 2012 and have lost over 50lbs. I started the week before my school reunion. So I have followed the program through all types of get togethers big and small. This includes friends birthdays, BBQ's, anniversaries, formal parties etc. This program can very easily fit in to any occasion. You just have to accept the fact that you can[t eat everything; that is important to know during and after, because the before is what brought us here. YOU can do this!

Best wishes and stay in touch for mutual support!

:wave:
Hi everyone! I'm Lisa from St Louis.
I've been on IP since the first week in August and (I think) I've lost 55 lbs.
I'm on vacation in FL and I can't WI til I get home so no ticker changes til then (the scale here said I gained SIX lbs so it isn't calibrated anywhere NEAR the scale at my clinic -- nothing to stress over...I've been OP...learning delayed gratification by being on a long-term weight loss plan anyway)

I'm another "been overweight or obese my entire adult life"
Even when I wasn't fat (early teens), I thought I was (self-fulfilling prophecy)

In 2002-03, I lost 100 lbs on Atkins but never got to goal (took a "break" to "maintain for a while"-ha!). Now, 10 years later, with an 85 lb re-gain, I'm back doing it again. IP is easier for me than Atkins (limits choices) but I know the inner carb addict is only on hiatus while I'm in ketosis and I'll still have to deal with learning to maintain, after I reach goal.

One step at a time.

I chose IP b/c I thought I needed the structure and the maintenance support. I never paid one-lick of attention to the Atkins maintenance plan, I just used stretches of "induction" to help maintain/control my weight for a while. True maintenance will be learning to eat within the boundaries my body can handle, without having to return to a diet plan all the time. This will be a lifetime issue for me but it is one I'm ready to tackle!

I don't have a weight-loss "resolution" for the upcoming year, but I DO have some organizational issues I need to get under control at my house. Getting to goal and maintaining thru the rest of the year and tackling the boxes of stuff that need to be tackled are my focuses for 2013.

And, although I won't be at goal yet, I'll be a whole lot "fabulouser" at 50 in March than I was at 49 last March!

Welcome to all the newcomers,
:newyear:
And know I couldn't have gotten this far w/o the support of 3FC-IP
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