Oneuh1 and sgrealtor1

I, too, am in for the long haul! We are all approaching 50 down...I would love to get there this week, but after two weeks of big losses, this may be a week of consolidation. Perhaps by Thanksgiving. 3FC/IP has been really helpful to me - for information (I have a very inexpereinced coach), for ideas and recipes, and mostly for inspiration! I am looking forward to an on-line virtual party next July when we are all in maintenance.

Loser - looking at your stats you've only got about 2.5 pounds to go - I'm sure that will be gone by turkey day! :)

Down 1.6 this week, total since July -49!

50 gone by Thanksgiving - here we come!

Started end of July. Down 29 pounds. 9 to go!

Well July Starters I hit my 50 down yesterday :carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot:

I had changed my goal from 50 by Christmas to 50 by Thanksgiving and I hit it early....Next stop for me is Onederland.... :D:D:D:D

Since my next goal seems so daunting (31lbs) I think I need to break that up a bit. Will do some thinking on this today LOL... Would love to be there by the end of the year but don't think that is realistic as my losses have slowed down...I think my body likes this weight LOL.... Its ok I will push thru...I have 50lbs in my rear view mirror and I keep driving further and further away.... I will never eat the way I used to .... I am also giving away all my big clothes so that I don't have the option to get back into them. :o

Congrats, Sue!!

I am right behind you. I am hoping to get to onederland by the new year too, though it would be a great christmas gift too.

Given the fickle nature of the scale, I am also setting a non-scale goal. My non-scale goal for the holiday season is do more advance planning. I am following the program 100% and using the journal every day, but many days I don't think through all my meals in advance, so I occasionally have too much or too little food to get through by the time dinner (or after dinner snack) rolls around. With holiday events and treats all around, its time to strengthen the planning muscle. My specific goal is to post my daily plan on the "What are you eating" thread at least 4 days a week.

WTG!!! :hug:

I haven't posted in a while, but I've still been reading everyone's comments. Just wanted to pop in to say that I've moving on to Phase 2! I'm still a pound shy of my goal but I'm struggling to stay on program so I decided I'd rather move to Phase 2 and hopefully lose that pound than stay on Phase 1 another week and start cheating really bad (and potentially gain). So Phase 2 here I go!

A non scale goal is a fantastic idea.....why didn't I think of that...lol. I have a pair of jeans size 16 that I dream of wearing...I bought them years ago at marshals and the tags are still on them. They were goal jeans for me once before and I never made it. That will be my next goal! Getting them on...

Good luck in phase 2! I have read of people continue to lose in 2 & 3 so hopefully that happens for you. Keep us posted!

Just catching up on postings from our group over the last ten days or so - everyone seems to be doing so well!

And I too have made it through my halfway mark! Not sure I will make the 50lb loss by the end of this month, but I think I should get there the first week of December.

Takers - congrats on evolving to P2 - and I see you are down below goal so it must be working out ok so far. Please hang in here with us and tell us about your phasing off experience. It will help those of us who still have pounds to lose to understand how it works and prepare for a successful phase off when we get there.

Sgrealtor - I am sure you will enjoy getting into your dream jeans -- I actually wear a brand called Dream Jeans that I got from Norm Thompson and some from Sahalie over the past several years before I ballooned up to my all time high weight. Both online retailers are within the same parent company and carry this brand - I love em - my all time favorite jeans.

In July when we began this IP journey I could only get into one pair - size 18W (Women's size, aka Plus). Today I can get into my 14 Petites! (of course, I have passed thru the 16P's during October). And one more part of the NSV is that I can wash my jeans and put them in the dryer instead of drip drying them to prevent any shrinkage.... I have room for a bit of shrinkage now! It's a magnificent NSV!!!

Let's hang in and support one another thru the holidays, July Starters!!! We have made it this far and we can go the distance!!!

You are 2/3 of the way to goal!
Your progress pix are so inspirational - thanks for sharing them with us. I love before and after pics!

Oneuh2 - we WILL make it through the holidays together!:yes::yes::yes::yes:

I know I can do this as frustrating as the last few WI's have been I have come too far to give in now and blow it for any holiday meals that I know I can work around...I have a plan for Thanksgiving and it will work. After that on to making a plan for Christmas and then New Years Eve. I have made it thru many occasions without the wine / champagne already so sparkling water with lemon or lime in my fancy wine glass will be fine...lol.

I have no problem passing up the drinks and alcohol any time, holidays included... to be honest, I would never waste my calories on drinks... especially when I could spend them cookies and ice cream! Those will be my nemesis thru Thanksgiving and Christmas beyond New Year's...

Fortunately, I really like the bars and brownies from IP or some of the alternative brands, so I will be relying on them to help me make it thru the tough spots. Like you, I am planning and preparing and I am dealing with this season just as a time to pay close attention and keep my wits about me. I hope it works!

Ugh! Just got the evite to my girlfriends annual cookie exchange...I knew it was coming as we have done it for years and she is one of my closest friends and I see her almost daily so I have to go.....Ugh! Need to find a ones that I don't like to make so I wont be tempted LOL....my son will have to be my taste tester....Here comes first big challenge for me..the cookie exchange is Dec. 19th. Following that will be challenge #2 my Italian Knot Cookie bake. Love those thing...but I will not eat them...I would almost not make them, but I give trays of cookies to some of my elderly neighbors as well as cheesecakes every year....so I will muddle thru and make them.

WI today....according to my home scale I am another 0 week....Ugh! Lets see what the clinic scale says.... this is getting seriously frustrating. Not going to quit, but come on body give me a break!:?::?::?:

Sue - I've had a couple events that did not support IP in my journey and my coach talked to me about giving myself permission to skip them this year. Next year you will be at goal and can do all these fun events. I think it's okay to skip this year if it is too much temptation. The holidays will be hard enough as it is without tons of cookies in your home. Sounds like a dear friend is hosting and I am sure she knows your journey and would understand. Just throwing another option out there...

Have you talked to your coach about your stall? Are you journaling your food? When I felt like it had some weeks where I was stuck, journaling helped my coach tweak a couple things to get me rolling again. Including adding walking.

I know how frustrating this is for you. You can break through this plateau!! Best wishes!