I could not agree more with you on this and like you I watch the scale and reboot when necessary. Right now I am on a 30 day phase 1 to kick off 6-8lbs gain and hopefully go down a lower goal...not to mention do some palette retraining. You are right about it not being easy BUT it is worth it. I have been looking at photos this week for a work project and man, I cannot believe how I let myself and my health go. I wish I would have discovered IP years ago when the weight gain began.

Yes, looking at your stats I'd say you are doing MORE than ok! What fantastic losses, you must be so proud! Thank you all for your words of encouragement and understanding. My coach is very...not nice...so I didn't even put my transgressions in my journal and have been trying to think of lies in anticipation of my lack of loss at my next WI. I realize THAT'S no way to approach a coaching session...but honestly I get WAY more support on these boards than I do from her.

I'm going to have to disagree with the bolded part. Slips can and do occur and no one should feel beat up about it. Instead they should be encouraged to get right back OP and strive to not let it happen again.

But there really is no "wiggle room" if you want to achieve the best results on this plan. That kind of thinking is what led most of us to gain weight in the first place. I know there are people who modify the diet to suit themselves and that is fine - if they are okay with slower losses, they are adults and make their own decisions and I respect that. But the thought that "oh, just a little won't hurt" can lead to some very bad results.

Part of P1 is to learn to moderate and be mindful of what you are eating. Learning good habits now will help with maintenance in the future. Discipline is a key component of learning how to eat for the rest of your life.

It is hard. We all have our challenges and things we have to deal with. How you deal with those things now is important. When I had to go on a low fiber diet prior to surgery I just about cried. I thought about giving up but instead made it work with IP. If you consider every challenge as an excuse for wiggle room exactly what are you learning as far as eating habits go? The time to think about what you are eating is before you eat it.

I'm not a perfect person, but I have managed to stay OP for 10 months. For the first time in my life I am in control rather than the food being in control.

Sorry for the long post.

So, not having a loss in one week isn't really a stall. A true stall would be 4-6 weeks (or more!) with no changes in scale or measurements. Remember that weight loss isn't linear. We can do everything right and our body can hold onto water weight or whatever that particular week. It is all part of the process. You're doing great! 20 in 6 weeks!

With less weight to lose than many other folks here, you simply cannot compare your rate of weight loss to that of other.s How much have you lost in 2 weeks?
If you're having your 3 packets, 4 c veggies, oil, water, salt and 2 salads/day then I say you're doing great. Some folks find they lose faster if they include those salads daily.

Okay, enuf! Get yourself back in the 100%ers thread for support. You're there today. No need to dwell on the weekend. It was several days ago and cant be changed at this point anyway. No need to confess further, just move forward
Congrats on the saggy pants (lol...I work in the inner city where all the men wear those silly saggy pants...I bet it isn't THAT bad!)

Lisa, RuthAnn & All, thank you so much for your encouragement and support! I know it's unrealistic to expect huge losses overnight and the important thing to focus on is that the scale IS going down every day. I'm not sure of my measurements and inches lost, but I do know my jeans are feeling less tight. Five pounds in two weeks is nothing to feel discouraged about and I'm determined to keep up with this plan!

I wholeheartedly agree RuthAnn. When I first started IP, I compared the tickers of the people tweaking the program to suit themselves and the tickers of the 100 percenters and I made a choice for me personally just as everyone else has to make their own personal choice... but I thought the tickers spoke for themselves and that's why I try very hard to stick to the IP "rules" and stay OP!

MntRose,

Sorry to hear about your health and that you are struggling. I hope you find some resolution for your pain. Wishing you

Ok - so this is the first time since July (and starting IP) that I want a drink. I won't have one because I remember what they said at the orientation that you need to consider that going off program will cost you one week in food. Also, I have been 100% OP since the beginning and if I let myself cheat, I am afraid I will never go back 100% OP.

I am going to dinner with a friend tonight and he won't pressure me to have a drink I know that. But it is just weird that after all this time I have a desire for a drink. It would be a celebratory drink (I am pretty sure I will be promoted in April) as well as a "I've had a hard day drink."

I will settle for water with lemon and then just chalk it up to a NSV.

Thanks for letting me vent - it took away some of the desire for a drink getting it down in writing.

Congrats on the possible promotion! How exciting. I completely understand where you are coming from. I have had urges to drink here and there but have not done it. Like you, I think about wasting a week worth of food. Great outlook as having it as an NSV! My birthday is tomorrow and a few of my friends want to go grab drinks tomorrow night and I keep thinking....I don't really want to go to a bar to get a club soda while yall drink in honor of my birthday. I'd rather be out to dinner where I can hear all of you, eat something on IP and enjoy myself! It's tough not drinking. Not matter the celebration. Our society just looks at it as a tool in celebration. I wish we didn't.

Well, I finally did it, I got myself a coach. I think he will be worth every penny.

After reading the posts so far today I do have some comments. First, I have not lost more than 3 pounds in any one week. So those of you that are struggling, just hang in there. It will come off. Some suggestions my coach gave me were: 1) Eat a head of Romain lettuce every day...one half at lunch and one half at dinner. He said it would speed my weight-loss. I think Lisa also mentioned that. 2) 2 cups of vegetables isn't always 2 cups of vegetables. I've seen a post where someone said if you cut it smaller you can get more in the two cups. He said 6 ounces is what I should be eating. I have a food scale so I've made that adjustment and it is helped me. I'm thinking this may be my biggest weight loss week yet based on what I've seen so far. (Yes, I step on the scale every morning.)

Just some ideas. Maybe these will help some of you if you choose.

Congrats to those of you with great losses and all the NSVs.

The lettuce thing is interesting as is the two cups of veggies idea. I too have though about how cutting can make a difference. Something I will be "chewing" on. LOL

Congrats on the coach - it cab be really helpful when you get a good one!!

sounds like you got some good advice... However, if you weigh veggies, you need a conversion "chart" which I think AVALON posted once awhile back... Six oz of cauliflower/broccoli vs six oz of spinach/field greens is WAY WAY different. Pretty much everyone here (and even the coaches) use cups for veggies and weigh meat (both raw). Meat has somewhat similar density compared to veggies.

I am pretty sure what Avalon posted gave weights for each different veggie as to what equals a "cup." Maybe she will read and chime in!!

Yes, thanks. I believe i do have a good one.

Regarding the veggies, yes, I agree. When I do spinach, I stuff it in a measuring cup, but broccoli, green pepper, cucumber, onion… everything else other than leafy greens, I will be weighing. I have chosen to heed his advice on that one.

Good, that could help with the weight disparity! Enjoy having a coach and getting great feedback and guidance!