I have not read this whole thread, but enough to know that this is exactly how I feel. I lost nearly 110 pounds with IP and was almost to goal (most friends and family thought I was at goal and wanted me to stop). I needed a break and phased off properly, with the help of my coach. I slowly crept up, but nothing like the last couple of months when some very hard times when I have been hit with serious health problems of my family, me being the caretaker. THEN my husband and I went on a cruise, just returning Sunday. It was ridiculous that I ate everything that was't nailed down. I am a small framed person who can gain at an alarming rate.

I am back on IP as of Tuesday, and my official weigh-in that day on our doctor's scale we have (I am doing it on my own and not at the clinic with alternatives and a couple favorite IP products from eBay) showed all told I gained back close to 40 pounds. :( Which means I am still more than 70 pounds less than when I initially started, so why do I feel heavier than I was then?? I donated so many clothes and I was down to Mediums mostly and size 10-12 in pants, and I can wear the 12s and all the 14s I still can find, but they obviously don't look good (and some need zipping up as I lay on my back on the bed :lol: ), and I wear the loosest tops I can find. But when I look at myself, I think I am at size 22 or 24. I did have a few things I found that were larger sizes in a closet and they are way too big on me, but I think my psyche is all screwed up right now.

I am bound and determined to get over my shame at this whole thing and get back to feeling better physically and psychologically. I have my favorite veggies prepared, and have no problem getting back into the IP eating. I had a bad headache for Day 2 and 3, but that is gone, so I hope I am into ketosis and can cook along. I know the losses won't be like the first time, but I am determined.

Thanks for anyone who read all of that. :) I appreciate this forum, and love seeing some of the people here I have admired in the past, such as Scorbett and Lisa here.

Lisa-- thanks for pointing out that the successful maintainers adopted a lifestyle change. I agree.

And, when I am at a goal weight I always think I will do that too and I do watch what a I eat. Then I slip some, then more, more and boom....gotta go back to strict eating. I re-gain fast.

NSV- last night I went out with some girlfriends and had a great time. I drank ice water and they drank wonderful looking cocktails and ate yummy smelling food. I was offered sips and bites which I declined. I acknowledged to them that I was really okay and I am really committed to my eating plan. There is an awkwardness to being a complete non-joiner. I know I could have a different kind of drink but I either wanted to drink alcohol or get my water intake.

lisa, shasta, and workingit ... yes, good comments! I agree it has to be a lifestyle change or all bets are off.

That's what I've been thinking too. It will always be a diet. When I look at people who are thin (and I assume naturally, but you can't tell from like looking), they seem to eat more restrictive than I'd have thought.

I'm writing this from my phone and it sucks!

I wonder how many people on this forum are first time dieters?
My guess is that at least 8 out of 10 have lost weight and regained it before, at least once..... maybe with IP, but if not, most of us have lost weight with some other diet program. (For me, it takes more than one hand to count all the diets I have followed, lost some weight, and regained all that I lost, and gained extra each time.)

My point is that many of us have lost and then regained those lost pounds, and everyone of us who has, has felt the shame and self-blame that accompanies watching ourselves balloon back up again.

Overcoming that shame, and dealing with the feeling of having thrown away all the hard work we put in to lose those pounds in the first place is a HUGE obstacle to deal with.

I cannot pass up this opportunity to commend everyone who has signed on here and taken steps to face head-on the challenge to lose the weight again. It takes courage and persistence to do this. Let's pat ourselves on the back for committing and taking action to lose weight again, and let's really work to apply the lessons we have learned so we might avoid making the same mistakes again.

Just like Lisa's closing quote says...

Well said!!

WOW, wise words....when I think about its true we are realizing our weakness with food, and facing it and turning it around......that takes guts and grit!! Its hard to face our problems in the face sometimes, but I think that is what will make us stronger to get over the bumps along the way.

I remember before how great it felt when I lost like 50 lbs....I am trying to focus on how that felt, and it was nice not to wonder if I was always the biggest person when ever I went out....

I have a new boyfriend, well one year, and I cant wait till he sees some of the results. He is very supportive but told me he loves me as I am....I told him but I need to love me too.....and feel good. As humans we have so many areas to make us complete.....My son also has just me, so I want to live healther and be there for him as long as possible. His father died young from cancer, so I want to be my best for the future.

All of this is so true:

I was heavy all through my 20's (had my daughter at 19) and gained up to 275 then I did a weight watcher type diet at age 30 and lost to around 210, maintained for a little while but over 5 years gained to 245-250, then just stuck there for 3 years until IP, I did IP 5 years ago and lost to 175 and maintained at 180ish for 3.5 years and then last 10 months shot up to 209.8.

I did a video for myself to remind me how to maintain. For those 3.5 years I revisited the four phases over and over and kept the weight off. As soon as I stopped rebooting, bam! Weight starting coming back on. I am less than 1 pound away from the 180's and feeling great. Back into my size 10 pants and large shirts...now to get back to the 8's and mediums.

Great job Darbs!!! :carrot:

I see we are still on this march together...I am about a pound behind you. But I am phasing off December 15th for 3 weeks. So that will not be a loss period. Just maintain hopefully.

I plan to start back again January 3rd with phase 1 for 4 more weeks. I hope that gets me between 165-170. Then I have a ton things planned (a cruise in February, a major conference at a casino in March, and a week off in April). I hope to maintain well through that time period and then try phase one again from mid-April to mid-May to get to 155ish. But no matter what phase 4 by Memorial Day.

What a good idea to do a video! I wish I had thought of that when I first started, when I was so truly miserable with my size, with my swollen ankles, unable to fit in anything but plus size 2X, and too embarrassed to really leave the house to go anywhere but to work...

Since I am only halfway to goal, maybe I can do an effective video even now though. It would be great to have something to view periodically to remind myself of the work it is taking to lose the weight -- something to strengthen my incentive when I am in maintenance.

Haha, thanks - I am not a doctor. I used to babysit 3 children as a teenager and the 8 year old girl had a super imagination and came up with that one (my name is Stephanie).

No need to be embarrassed. I got down to the maintenance phase and failed. I thought if I became a "runner" that I wouldn't have to worry about what I ate and that maintenance wouldn't be hard. Ha! Here I am, rebooting, trying to shed the 22 lbs I put back on while training to run 10k. I knew what I was doing was foolish but I knew I'd jump back on the wagon once I reached my 10k goal.

For some of us IP won't be a one time fix. I know now that I'll have to work hard every day to be successful in maintenance. One fun day a week has to remain ONE DAY and not turn into 2 days, a long weekend, a whole week etc. Always easier said than done of course.

I did not do a video 5 years ago when I originally lost the weight, nor anytime since. But this reboot being 39 pounds...my biggest fall from grace...it was a must.

Make yourself a video now...don't wait another minute

I also want to make a video when I can wear my 8's again, to remind myself anytime I think it is only 3 pounds...5 pounds...8 pounds....10 pounds...IT is TOO MUCH!

Good luck

Ha! Leave it to an 8 year old to come up with that!

Wise words about dieting.

Interesting about your running -- I would have thought that might work as a maintenance trick.

This 2nd time on IP for me I feel EXTRA DETERMINED not to fail in maintenance. At least I know the drill in P1 and I know this way of eating WORKS for fairly rapid weight loss.

Morning everyone! I have been on and off IP for a few years now. For about the 4th time I have 20 lbs to lose. I can usually get to goal within 2 months, but then within a month or two I gain half of it back if not more and start all over again. I'm sick of spending the money to constantly do this over and over again. I'm meeting with my coach tonight to get product again.
Starting before the holidays may not be the best time, but I'm hoping to be almost at my goal shortly into the new year and then have a few more months of learning to properly maintain when it's still cold and quiet here in Canada before all the social events pick up again.
Anyone else trying again for their second or third... or how n-th time around?

LOL there are several of us on a repeat visit with IP :) We got this!

Me. I am about 10 pounds heavier than my before picture. And in on Day 10 of Round 2 (though I've tried to start many times). And I lost only half a pound last week, so it might take awhile to get back to 130 or wherever I end up.

I have a mix of IP and alternative products. I was going to do IP, but my office moved, and now it's hard to get to the clinic. Harder to eat too as I used to go home for lunch. Now I can't cook an omelette!

My coach switched to Pro-Energy this past summer. She's always been such a supportive coach and I've gotten to know all her staff too so I am going to try Pro-Energy this time around. It sounds very similar to IP with a few differences, all of which I'll know after my consultation tonight. The biggest thing is they want you to work out on it (not sure how much though). Since I was last on IP I've become a gym rat and really enjoy working out surprisingly, unfortunately I've learned that it doesn't matter how hard you workout, if you're not eating healthy, you're not gonna keep the weight off, so hear I am again. Wanting to get back on track, but not give up my workouts.

Your comments about your wacky thinking (okay I know you didn't say wacky) really hit home with me. As the risk of sounding really really stoopid, I've been having some wacky thoughts and I think they are causing me to struggle and feel like just having a big honking muffin.

Last night I measured myself for the first time and the numbers shocked me. I feel like I've been losing - okay I know I've been losing - and fitting into smaller clothes and getting good comments, but those numbers seemed so BIG! I mean 39 inch waist. I would have thought it would be less by now. I'm a big SquarePants - a big rectangle.

And then I started poking my fat and feeling the bones not that far underneath and starting thinking that perhaps I won't lose anymore. Okay and then this is where I got really really stoopid. I started wondering where the fat would go? How would my inches go down? Perhaps they can't go down much more and I'll always be big and rectangular. Where would my stomach and boobs go? Would I just become like a deflated balloon?

My coach has a big plastic fat thing to show how much you actually lose when you lose 5 pounds and she showed it to me the other day and said I had lost five of those. I can't even understand that. Where did it go and how could I have had those five big fat things on me?

I am at the point where anything I lose now will take me to lower than I've been since the mid-1970s. I can't even imagine what I will look like because in 1979 - when I weighed more than I weigh now - I had a breast reductin and in 2008 I had both knees replaced with new ones that weigh 3 to 5 pounds more. So for me, any number on the scale from here on out is going to be a totally new experience and I'm having trouble imagining it and believing that it's possible.

That may be why I'm struggling right now not to give up. That and the fact that I lost only .4 lbs last week.

Does anyone else ever have those really stoopid thoughts?

knm, let us know how it goes!

Jackie, that's not stupid! That's getting in touch with the new you!

okay ladies 6 weeks down...21 pounds gone. and the best wine and cheese once a week

JackieGee I totally understand what you are saying and it is not stupid. I'm going through the same thing. Same thoughts about my measurements, being at the lowest weight I can ever recall etc. You can do this and together we can break through to a new, low weight and have a new "story". At this point I am seeing the scale bounce up and down by .5-1 lbs daily and then "whoosh" ....I get a good loss. It is hard to stay motivated when there is a few days/week of bouncing up and down. I believe it is our body getting past old "set points." Almost like our body has to adjust to this new idea of being thinner than ever too!!!! Good luck. We can do this.

How are you doing? Are you still going strong. Hit 188 this morning. I think I am going to stay on this through the holidays...If I do should hit high 160's by end of January. Then I have to phase off for a cruise.

Morning everyone! Today is day one for me, for probably the twentieth time! Haha. I met with my coach last Thursday and got all my products and had a quick meeting to learn the difference between Pro Energy and Ideal Protein. Seems fairly similar with just a few minor changes. Pro Energy actually gives you a bit more lee-way but I think I'm gonna stay slightly more strict since I'm used to IP anyways.
I'm looking forward to getting rid of all this water weight I can tell I'm carrying!
Hopefully everyone had a great, on program weekend!

Good luck and remember to stick with it. I made myself a video so I would remember to not quit. Week one was an awesome reboot for me...I lost 10 pounds of water weight. Hope yours is good too.

Hey all......I'm actually typing this on my flight home from WDW!! Hubby and I (and friends) did a 4 day adult getaway this weekend and sadly now it's back to reality! :(

Darbs I was 187 when we left on Friday morning lol, but I'm not weighing myself again til THIS weekend! :o. We did a TON of walking, but didn't stay OP, so we shall see how it goes! We tried to make good food choices as if we were in maintenance.....was tough but always learning along the way!! The couple we were with always eat healthy so it was eye opening to see how "normal" people eat compared to what our choices might have been had we not eaten along side of them LOL!!

I like ur plan of staying on thru the Holidays!! I'm on board with that!! LOVE starting the NEW YEAR feeling fabulous! Our next trip isn't until April so hoping to be back in "lifetime maintenance" FOR GOOD by then!! :carrot:

Hi knm!!! :wave:

lol, Isn't an 'adult getaway' at Walt Disney World an oxymoron? Unless you are a 'roller coaster & rides' buff, I suppose?
Liana

Love me some roller coaster rides!!!:carrot:

So jealous!! hope you had an amazing time :)

Glad you had a great trip (I am not a ride person, but this time of year less crowded, great food and drinks, I am sure was a blast).

I agree, if I have a little extra, I just stay off the scale a few days and then when I do step on it is down and I feel great. I am going to Foxwoods casino for 3 nights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday next week). I will be perfect Tuesday not arriving until late. Going to have some wine and meatballs with cheese for dinner Wednesday and then perfect on Thursday.

So glad you are going to stick on with me through holidays. We should be really close to 170 by the New Year. I plan be more Maintaining from 20th of December to 2nd of January (I will have extra fat and wine, but stay in ketosis). But hope to still lose at least 1 pound during that time. I am starting phase 3 on January 25th to be fully out of ketosis for my cruise on February 14th. I hope to be around 168 at the time.

I have the cruise, then my husband's annual convention in March (I attend, great meals out on company), then my April school break, then on April 13th I am going for 4 more weeks to get to 155 (scary).

Morning everyone!
Darbs - that's awesome to hear you have such a set plan for the next few months. I think that's a huge must when you have so many events to work around.
I made it through day one yesterday with no issues. I found my noon workout a little tough, but honestly I think it was all in my head. I've worked out at noon before after only having a protein shake for breakfast and have been fine. Today my workout isn't until after work, so that might be a bit tougher since I'll be exhausted/lazy after a busy day at work. Oh well, we'll see how it goes! After the gym I have to run home for dinner and then out for a night with some girlfriends. I find it necessary to stay busy my first week just to keep my mind off of my usual cravings!

Thanks OhZoe, I was thinking weird for sure. And probably because yeah, I haven't been lower than this weight since the mid-70s. I'm afraid I'll blow it now. But today and yesterday I'm 100% OP and feeling really motivated again. I even took all the clothes off my stationary bike and rode it for a while last night. I lost 2 lbs. last Saturday and only have 16 more to lose by Christmas to reach my goal. And even if I even lose 1 lbs a week until then, I will still be lower than ever before. It would be fantastic if I got into the 150s by then.

Hope everyone's having a great day so far!
Day three for me and so far so good. No cheats, no major headaches or lack of energy, and so far no real cravings. I can tell the water weight is already coming off. Just need to stay focused through the weekend, that's always when I struggle the most!
JackieGee - keep up the good work! Christmas will be here before you know it!

Completely off course
 

I'm discouraged and disappointed to be posting on this thread so soon into my IP journey. After about 7 weeks on IP and 11 pounds lost I went on vacation in October. Despite my good intentions, I went completely off plan and have reverted to all of my unhealthy eating behaviors for the last 4 weeks or so. I've gained back all I lost so far on IP and probably a few extra too, though I've not gotten on the scale yet to know for sure. I do know that hardly any of my clothes fit me, I'm totally annoyed with myself for making bad choices that undid the good work I had started to do with the IP plan. I was reading the Beck book and checking in regularly on the IP forum prior to going off course. I just have been putting off getting back on track and my weight continues to climb up and up. I do hope this is the week I can make better choices, but lack the motivation to do the hard work that I know is involved. Honestly my main motivation at this point is that I literally have next to no clothes to wear, though I have a closet full of clothes that used to fit a few weeks ago. Feeling down and out. :(

Rough week ladies, that time of month only second time since I started. (1st time was in beginning and I still lost a pound). This week every day either even or up .2 or .4. Yuck! Just started cycle today so hopefully the water weight disappears in the next day or so.

Don't sweat it darbs.....you know you'll have a whoosh!! Just give it a couple days!!!:hug:;)


Relieved to report that I have recovered from my WDW getaway last weekend. Had gained 4 (when I stepped on the scale on Tuesday).....lost those 4 plus another 1!:carrot: Guessing all the walking last weekend saved my #%^....along with depleting my glycogen stores again (I'm guessing?).
Was back on track Tuesday.....need to stay focused for the upcoming Holidays!!! :dizzy:

so awesome! congrats! I am desperately trying to push through today without cheating. Between stress and my cycle...it is a battle.

Good for you... flights always add a few lbs since the body will hold on to water from the extreme dehydration of the cabin air. It's actually drier than the desert.
excerpt from a pilot's website: If passengers have one very legitimate gripe, it’s about dryness. Indeed, the typical cabin is exceptionally dry and dehydrating. At around 12 percent humidity, it is drier than you will find in most deserts. This is chiefly a by-product of cruising at high-altitudes, where moisture content is somewhere between low and nonexistent. Humidifying a cabin would seem a simple and sensible solution, but it’s avoided for different reasons: First, to amply humidify a jetliner would take large quantities of water, which is heavy and therefore expensive to carry. Humidifying systems would need to recapture and recirculate as much water as possible, making them expensive and complicated. They do exist: one sells for more than $100,000 per unit and increases humidity only by a small margin. There’s also the important issue of corrosion. Dampness and condensation leeching into the guts of an airframe can be damaging.

The Boeing 787 has the healthiest air of any commercial plane, thanks to filters with an efficiency of 99.97 percent. Humidity too is substantially higher. The plane’s all-composite structure is less susceptible to condensation, and a unique circulation system pumps dry air through the lining between the cabin walls and exterior skin.

Interesting site on its own merit - http://www.askthepilot.com/questiona...n-air-quality/

Liana

Lucy, you have done it before and you can do it again. You already know the ins and outs of the program so it will be easy to get back on track. Just take it one day at a time - maybe even one hour at a time until those hours and days stack up and that weight will be coming off. IP is not a one time cure for all of us. Maybe start slow with Phase 3 and work your way backward through the phases depending on how much you want to lose. You can do it and we can help! <3

Interesting info Liana!! Thank you for posting!!:smug:

Lucy, I'm sorry I didn't see this post sooner!! :hug: Please remember most importantly that WE LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES!! :hug: Look back over the past few weeks and try to recognize WHY you went off track. Are you using food as a stress reliever? Or maybe something's been bothering you that you just can't put your finger on? I think sometimes when we're restricting ourselves (IE: being on IP or ANY weight loss plan) the emotions come up stronger....and that's when we need to learn to deal with our emotions mentally, instead of pushing them back down with food. This has been MY experience anyway. I find when I'm stressed out and want to reach for food, I speak to myself out loud..."ok, why am I feeling this way, and why do I feel food is going to help me feel better?" I'm really trying to work thru my emotions, and solve unresolved issues. When I'm upset about something, or at someone, I work thru it, or TALK to that person. I'm finally getting a VOICE.....I'm JUST AS IMPORTANT AS ANYONE ELSE AND I MATTER TOO (sad that it's taken 50 years of my life to understand/accept that concept)!
Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is treat every day as a learning experience and slowly get to know yourself and why you do the things you do. Most importantly love yourself and NEVER beat yourself up for making mistakes (again....a.k.a LEARNING EXPERIENCES)! Learn and move on.....YOU DESERVE TO BE THE BEST YOU CAN......AND YOU'RE AWESOME!!!!:carrot:

Best wishes!! :hug:

PS: Hey Darbs!! Hope you're waking up feeling refreshed....you made it thru yesterday.....iand today's a NEW day!! WOOHOO!!!