[NotCoolEnough]

I have two NSV for today! The first isn't actually about me at all, but my wonderful boyfriend got a job! He's an elementary school teacher but didn't have a contract for the coming school year. He's always done public school - and that's what he still ideally wanted - but when the interviews weren't coming in he applied for some private school jobs and got hired at one of them. I know it isn't totally ideal for him, but I am just so glad he'll be helping with the bills and my wallet can breathe a little easier.

The one that's really about me - those awesome jeans I mentioned a little while ago that were soooo close to fitting but still a little too snug to be comfortable fit great this morning when I tried them on, even though I feel crazy bloated (and my scale agrees I am)! I realized they will probably never fit better than they do right now. I was sad I had to take them off to go to work, but I may lounge around the house in them tonight!

[kissi]

Originally Posted by pishposhappelsauce

I've struggled a lot with setting a goal weight (as many on here have read before). My current goal weight is 8 pounds above a normal BMI for me. But, I have a pretty heavy lean mass for a woman (about 130 pounds), so I have to take BMI with a grain of salt. It's something you have to play by ear as you get closer to goal I think. I've been toying the idea of adjusting my goal down to 155, but my weight loss has seriously slowed (fully expecting a 0 loss this week) so I think I'm getting to the point where I'm supposed to be, and P2 may get me down to that normal BMI anyway. Evemomma posted about this recently too.

It's a tough call, especially if you don't have a point of reference for your "lowest weight" and that realistic body image factor hasn't really caught up yet. But I think focusing on other factors than just the number on the scale, like how you feel and how clothes fit will help you decide as you get closer.

Pishposh, I'm the same way as having a heavy lean mass. My whole family carries weight like this - we way A LOT more than we look like we do. My baby brother is a college football offensive lineman and weighs 300 lbs but is built of mainly muscle (and he's 6'5). A lot of people couldn't believe I weighed what I weighed when I was at my heaviest (or they were just telling me that to be nice), but I can still see my muscle definition under my fat. I was very athletic in high school and although those muscles haven't been worked a lot and aren't in prime shape like they were when I was 17, they are still there, under my fat.

[Eamherstpat]

Starting Monday, after I take my daughter to college for the first time! Had my consultation, bought my food, ready to go. Have 75 lbs to lose. My goal seems so far away...

[MarcusBrody]

Today is my first day of Phase 2 and I'm so excited! I have stopped and started IP many times over the past four years and FINALLY committed to "finishing" the program about four months ago.

Thanks to all on these forums for the great info and motivation!

[oneuh2]

Originally Posted by GraceRev

Have a scale victory to report today! Made it to (and past) my mini-milestone of 75 pounds down! I'm going to the store this afternoon to buy a new bead for my charm bracelet! I am hoping to be past 90 before I leave mid-October for a long trip. One pound at a time. :-)

Fabulous accomplishment! And getting a new bead is a great reward - after you get it, wear that bracelet often and every time you see that bead you can bask is the joy you feel right now and the confidence that comes from knowing that you CAN do it!!!

[jemma51]

Originally Posted by GraceRev

Have a scale victory to report today! Made it to (and past) my mini-milestone of 75 pounds down! I'm going to the store this afternoon to buy a new bead for my charm bracelet! I am hoping to be past 90 before I leave mid-October for a long trip. One pound at a time. :-)

That is exciting news!!!! congrats

[pishposhappelsauce]

Originally Posted by Eamherstpat

Starting Monday, after I take my daughter to college for the first time! Had my consultation, bought my food, ready to go. Have 75 lbs to lose. My goal seems so far away...

Welcome! You're in the right place! This forum makes it so much easier to stick to plan and to make the time go by. Breaking up your goal into mini goals makes it seem less overwhelming too.

Originally Posted by kissi

Pishposh, I'm the same way as having a heavy lean mass. My whole family carries weight like this - we way A LOT more than we look like we do. My baby brother is a college football offensive lineman and weighs 300 lbs but is built of mainly muscle (and he's 6'5). A lot of people couldn't believe I weighed what I weighed when I was at my heaviest (or they were just telling me that to be nice), but I can still see my muscle definition under my fat. I was very athletic in high school and although those muscles haven't been worked a lot and aren't in prime shape like they were when I was 17, they are still there, under my fat.

Same! I've never been particularly athletic, but people never believed I weighed what I did.

[jemma51]

I think this is another NVS. I have spent the last ten years or so Never drying my shirts in the dryer. I always hang them to dry for fear of them shrinking. I have now become an expert at trying to shrink my clothes. It is still really hot here and this year they are allowing us to wear bermuda shorts to work. I have two pairs to alternate. By the time I get off work they are so saggy I have to wash them in hot hot hot water and dry the heck out of them. My tops are so long now they need shrinking too.

I too can relate with having a heavy body mass. I am pretty muscular and way a lot more than women who wear the same size clothing I wear.

[TBCourt]

Well, I smooth moved last night so that took care of my current C problem. And my weight this morning showed... im closer to where I was last week. I just hate feeling like I am dependent on the tea or a laxative or something. I'm going to up my water this week and see what happens. Thank you all for the thoughts on the Big C! Glad I'm not alone but don't wish anyone else had it at the same time. It is even more annoying when my boyfriend, who is also dieting, is the OPPOSITE of constipated. He can't eat w/o having to go right after. it is sad to say I'm jealous. Anyway, good work everyone and have a great weekend!

[oneuh2]

Originally Posted by Eamherstpat

Starting Monday, after I take my daughter to college for the first time! Had my consultation, bought my food, ready to go. Have 75 lbs to lose. My goal seems so far away...

I have 71lbs more to lose - and that is just to get to some thing near my desirable goal weight. I think 140 is more healthy than 150 for me, but I will see how I feel about that when I get closer to my current goal.

This forum is a great place to hang out during our journeys -- so many on Ideal Protein who frequent this forum have successfully lost and are maintaining even more than 75 lbs. We CAN do it!

[Kellyc14]

I just want to say, if you are feeling discouraged because you are losing slowly or because you have "only" lost 1 lb for a few weeks, don't be! If you are following the protocol 100% the weight WILL come off. I have definitely noticed a trend in my losses. I tend to have a big loss and then a few slow losses and I am OK with that. I know that I have been 100% OP so I am quite confident that the weight is coming off, no matter what the scale says on any given day. Sure I'd LOVE big losses every week, but that's just not realistic. I'm happy with the way things are coming along. It's a learning process and a reteaching process. I am learning how to eat properly and for the right purpose, to fuel my body.

Keep it up ladies, we are doing a great job!!!

[nat1015]

Originally Posted by jemma51

I think this is another NVS. I have spent the last ten years or so Never drying my shirts in the dryer. I always hang them to dry for fear of them shrinking. I have now become an expert at trying to shrink my clothes. It is still really hot here and this year they are allowing us to wear bermuda shorts to work. I have two pairs to alternate. By the time I get off work they are so saggy I have to wash them in hot hot hot water and dry the heck out of them. My tops are so long now they need shrinking too.

I have that same issue. I can only wear my shorts/capris straight out of the dryer (which I dry on the hottest setting) and they are falling off of me by the end of the day. I really need to go shopping but I don't want to buy new clothes with every size drop so I try to shrink everything. LOL

[catlady1981]

Originally Posted by jemma51

I think this is another NVS. I have spent the last ten years or so Never drying my shirts in the dryer. I always hang them to dry for fear of them shrinking. I have now become an expert at trying to shrink my clothes. It is still really hot here and this year they are allowing us to wear bermuda shorts to work. I have two pairs to alternate. By the time I get off work they are so saggy I have to wash them in hot hot hot water and dry the heck out of them. My tops are so long now they need shrinking too.

I too can relate with having a heavy body mass. I am pretty muscular and way a lot more than women who wear the same size clothing I wear.

Haha! I've done the same, with practically all my clothes. But now, in the dryer they go. But I'm tired of feeling like I am wearing clown pants. So...I am dragging out the sewing machine this weekend and doing some alterations. I found a great site that shows step by step how to do the alterations and I'm going to give it a try. I can't really wear the pants now, so if I completely botch it, it's not that big a loss.

About BMI, for years I have reported my height as 5'3". Last night I got curious and measured myself. I came out at 5' 1 1/2". So now that makes my BMI/weight for my height go to 24.9/132. My lowest weight ever when I was keeping track was 120. I just don't think at my age that 120 is maintainable. I'm going to keep going to 145 and see how I feel and how I look in my clothes. I can't imagine being on P1 for another 31 lbs! Maybe I'll be like evemomma and Ruthann and loose more in P2 & 3.

Schenectady: Go for a cute mid-length cut. That's what I did. I wanted to go shorter but my stylist said it would be too "old lady". She was right. I love my hair at it's current length.

[oneuh2]

Originally Posted by jemma51

I think this is another NVS. I have spent the last ten years or so Never drying my shirts in the dryer. I always hang them to dry for fear of them shrinking. I have now become an expert at trying to shrink my clothes. It is still really hot here and this year they are allowing us to wear bermuda shorts to work. I have two pairs to alternate. By the time I get off work they are so saggy I have to wash them in hot hot hot water and dry the heck out of them. My tops are so long now they need shrinking too.

I too can relate with having a heavy body mass. I am pretty muscular and way a lot more than women who wear the same size clothing I wear.

Been there with the need to shrink clothing -- for myself after prior dieting experiences, and then for my husband who went from 230 to 125 over a period of about 3 years.

But don't ya love it? To actually try to make favorite pieces come down in size so you can still wear them? And to be able to put clothes in the dryer without fear of shrinkage is a nice side benefit of losing the weight... No need to gather the right kind of hangers and set up a good place to hang the items for what we used to call 'drip dry' (my guest bath shower rod is my usual location).

Regarding heavy body mass... I have large features in my skeletal frame - biggest ankles and wrists on the planet, no matter how much weight I lose. But I always carried my extra weight well until I hit 60... skin elasticity changed, and I had crept up over the 200 mark... those two factors combined to take away some of the capability to carry it well.

[nat1015]

Does anyone know how much weight a beef tenderloin steak would lose after cooking? I planned to have my son's leftover filet as part of my dinner tonight but weighing it cooked obviously doesn't give me the info I need. Wasn't there a percentage?