How is everyone doing? Do you have any plans for the upcoming holiday? Do any of you have anything special to wear now that you've lost some weight?
I've been ordering things online, not clothes because I'm still losing weight, but accessories and shoes :o Yesterday I received my shoes, I bought me 5 pairs this time ( last time it was 4 pairs, which they're still in their boxes, and 2 of those are new snow boots)
so, I bought me two pairs of designer flat shoes, some cute and fluffy slippers, and 2 pairs of 5 1/2- 6in pumps, they're gorgeous! My mom told me that she was worried I would fall and break something, and I was worried too, but I didn't let her know that...I told her that I don't plan on using them till the summer, when I'll be like 50lbs lighter, then she asked me why did I buy them now then? ...Good question, ma! :D Well, I bought them because they might not have this style later and they were on sale. I should stop buying things, but I can't seem to stop! I also bought me a coach purse because it was on sale and I purchased the new IPhone 6 plus last week..Could it be that I'm substituting my bad eating habits and my smoking (I quit on July 1st and haven't had a smoke ever since) with shopping? :?:

Hi All! Doing really good and feeling confident going into the holidays. I recently went away for the weekend with my DH and stayed 100% OP! Congrats everyone on the great losses!

Yep, it sounds like displacement. I used to be a chronic shopper when I was compensating for doing a job I hated, but the money was too good to quit it. :)

Ariel- Do you ever just go window shopping? I know you don't want to put down money on things you can't keep in your closet... but sometimes it's helpful just to go out and try things on. It can help keep you focused, gives you a reward besides what the scale is giving you. It seems reasonable to think you are wanting to reward yourself, but you can't do it with clothes and are replacing it with things. As to the compulsiveness of it...yes, it could very well be you are using your time for shopping rather than eating. I think we are all guilty of a bit of compulsiveness (or a lot ;))... come maintenance the healthiest thing to throw this onto is exercise... being as you're kind of 'stuck' right now... it may help to consider positive uses for extra time... a hobby/ activity or volunteering. It is proven you are more likely to maintain a weight loss when you have something in your life that is not weight related that gives you satisfaction & validation. Now may be the time to start considering what might fulfill this...:hug::hug::hug::hug:

WI is tomorrow and I think I am moving to Phase 2...I am 2.2 lbs away from my goal...so hopefully will be 1.8 away from it tomorrow...I lose about 0.4lbs a day....My coach recommends two weeks on Phase 2. First week to get me to my goal...second week to lose a little more because Phase 3 will see a gain of a couple pounds...Anyone else have Coach recommending similar plan. Will be excited to be in Maintenance for Christmas....hoping to be able to not to much damage on my Black Friday adventure this week....plan to eat right food...just worried about funky hours.
Ariel13...why not take up a hobby that keeps your hands busy (so no snacking or online shopping)...like knitting, cross-stitch...

Hi All, well on Monday I had to go to Toronto for a team meeting. I work in as part of a 'geographically dispersed' team so we only see each other when we get together about 3 times a year for meetings. So since the last time they saw me, I've lost 34 pounds and got my blond long straggly hair cut real short and dyed red with highlights. I also got eyelash extensions just before I went. OMG! People didn't recognize me, did double takes, raved about my new look, but I have to tell you, the first few minutes when I met my closest friend/teammates for breakfast it was fun. But then it became embarrassing. Like we're in the middle of a meeting in a boardroom and someone knocks on the door to come in for a second, looks around and then squeals 'OMG Look at Jackie'. Very embarrassing. It got tiresome real fast.

Nice to have lost the weight though. Nice to get the compliments. I guess I'm being ungrateful but I was embarrassed and tired of it after a while.

But I have to say the best part was that I was perfect while I was gone for 2 days! In fact, I ended up taking my food and will only have to claim one meal - a good thing because our expense reports are always challenged and it's a major pain.

Good going on staying strong, Jackie. Being good at home is one thing, managing to stay OP while away is another entirely. :)

Thank you so much Briael, RefreshingMe and mommymeg for your suggestions, I really would like to go window shopping, but I dislike crowded malls, specially right now around the holidays. I am very busy, I wish I could take a knitting course ( I don't know how to knit) but I don't have the time. Ever since starting IP I've had tons of energy, so I joined 3 clubs/groups before and after school, and I enrolled in graduate school, taking classes in the evening, that besides the work I bring home from work. Since I work on the computer, it is very easy to just start browsing away! :( I still have Christmas shopping to do, and after that, I'll put away my credit cards! ;):carrot::carrot:

Oh before I forget, I want to announce that I am officially a resident of ONEDERLAND!!!! :woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::cheer3::cheer3::woohoo:
:cheer3: I'm SO, SO, SO, SO happy and wanted to share it with you! Thank you for your constant support!! :carrot::hug::hug::carrot:

Ohhhhhh congrats Ariel13 .. that is wonderful news on Thanksgiving. Enjoy it. :)

OK Augustans .. where did you all go? I know Thanksgiving was a time of kicking back, but we've got to get our engines revved up to lose, lose, lose before the new year! :)

Thanks Briael! :hug: I know you'll come join me in Onederland in no time! :D

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I really didn't suffer, the only thing that I craved for like last than a minute was my mom's yummy pineapple pie, so I just remembered how it tasted, and the craving was gone, it was nothing out of control, everything went well, everyone ate and drink. I enjoyed everyone's company, and I had a great time staying OP (my mom made me some delicious chicken with veggies) and I had my usual chocolaty brownie for desert :D The best thing about staying OP was that after dinner I was feeling satisfied, and everyone else was so full. bloated and felt uncomfortable for overeating. I then also remembered how I would eat till almost exploding, and how uncomfortable that feeling was, and I was so thankful that I didn't feel like that anymore. :dance::carrot:

I can't wait for Christmas! :santa: I really need a vacation :beach: This weekend was not a break for me, I've been doing school work, presentation and I have final exam this week. :book2: After this upcoming week is over, hopefully I'll have a bit of time to relax and sleep...Oh, how I miss my pillow! :cloud9:

Gosh, I am so proud of everyone here! You all are doing fantastic with great losses since August. (And a big shout out to those making it to "onederland" -- such a big milestone!) Keep it up!! It's really fun reading all your posts and participating in your journeys from afar.

I couldn't find a September starters thread, so I hope you all don't mind if I glom onto your August thread. I was just 1 day late technically. I wonder what it is about certain months that get a lot of "starters". August seems to be a real trigger month for starting IP. As a matter of fact, I had my first go-round with IP over a year ago, in August 2013, and lost 76 pounds in 4.5 months. Then stopped IP and proceeded to gain all the weight back over the next 8.5 months. Then did an IP restart on 9/1/2014. I do feel much more laser-focused this time-around not to backslide. Maybe the second time on IP will be the charm for me.

Here are my 3-month Weight Loss and Measurement Loss charts. I have had some really nice weight loss in this second go-round with IP. It's interesting that the marked change in my weight loss slope occurred on Oct 24th, when I increased my exercise adding a 3 mile morning walk.

https://mindstar.com/scratch/WL_2014_11_30_2Line_Sm.jpg

It's cool that I am starting to get a tiny bit of an hourglass figure back.
When I started IP, my waist was my biggest measurement, now it's my smallest by nearly 2"

https://mindstar.com/scratch/ML_2014_11_30_Sm.jpg

Thanks Ariel ... I am *so* hoping to be in Onederland next week, but you know how it goes. The weight will go when it goes. I'm sure I'll be in the 1's by new year anyway, and that's good enough for me. :)

On the subject of Thanksgiving, I'm actually lucky. Being British I don't actually celebrate it so it wasn't going to derail me. Hubby is retired military so he is used to being deployed for most of the holidays and is also doing IP, so we lucked out. :) Did you know that Britain doesn't have Thanksgiving? The closest thing is Harvest Festival, normally the week after the farming community hauls in the summer crops. It's not widely celebrated because most Brits aren't churchgoers - which is sad considering how many beautiful parish churches there are.

Best of luck in your final exams. I remember exams being a stressful period, so make sure you touch base with us to keep you focused on your good habits (including sleeping!!!) as well as your studying. :)

Maybe August is a popular starting month because the kids are all back at school and life has become more stable again after the long summer holidays - and people have indulged while the sun shines? You are always welcome in August. We're an equal opportunity month. ;)

It IS interesting that you should be seeing a change in loss pattern to an increase in exercise. I am wondering how much of your loss is actually a muscle gain initially, and that then driving greater loss as you progress.

Hubby drags me to the gym for some machine resistance and free weights training twice a week, and I notice that I have marked losses two days later. I am constantly amazed by all the things our bodies do, completely quietly and in the background to our obvious emotional and mental states.

I remember a health company advert from years ago saying we were amazing machines, but we take it all for granted until something goes wrong. I've never forgotten it, and now it seems more relevant than ever. I am loving this weight loss journey, more so now I spend time researching HOW my body works rather than accepting that it just does. I'm hoping this will be the difference I need to stop the weight bounce cycle. :)

Have to admit that I love my morning walks, too, and I also like to get in 3 miles when I can (often hindered when hubby wants to join me, because he doesn't like to go so far). It's a great way of getting rid of stress and clearing the head. Some days I take the iPod, other days I just stomp along in the sunshine that west Texas is blessed with.

Avalon, I have to say that I love your weight loss chart tracker. Do you use a program for that, or did you create it yourself? SparkPeople have one of their own, but it is very basic and certainly doesn't allow pattern tracking like yours. Your loss seems very consistent, too. Was it like that the first time round or is this exclusive to the reboot?

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This week sees my 50lb down mark. Another 7 lbs and I'm halfway through my journey.

Hubby is determined to test my resolve .. we went to World Markets last night and he picked up TWO tins of my favourite chocolates in the world (Quality Street is a milk choc assortment of toffees, soft centers, solid chocolate, pralines and nuts) and has put them in the "naughty cupboard" along with four boxes (not packets) of Haribo candies. I haven't felt tempted before, but this may be the tricky part to IP compliance. :)

Looking thru all your losses is incredible! I started august 28. I started losing very quickly, more quickly than most, however about 5 weeks ago it slowed. I believe its because my body doesnt like to go above or below 225, as every time i have lost or gained weight, i usually stop there for awhile. (A blessing when that scale is going up, and a curse when its going down).

However the last time i lost weight by exercising and a diet that wasn't IP, it took 3 months to get past rather than 5 weeks, so I'm learning to put things on perspective.


Congrats to you all on your successes! And for making it thru thanksgiving -- which i didnt. :-(.