Often you are the only one making healthy choices (or you feel alone because you are turning things down), but usually you are among the thinner people when you do. It takes a lot of work to maintain a lean physique!

Ishbel Congrats on 6 months.

Me too! Although he doesn't follow low-carbing as strictly as I do (because quite frankly, he doesn't have to), he completely gets it when I say I am having a "no-carb" week. Or if he asks me if I want to get something carby and I say "no, the scale is up, no carbs". It makes life so much easier!

Jenny: I do the same thing...if the scale is up I say to my DH, it is fish taco night. My husband also eats low carb now and it is much easier. He also is loser than me, and nibbles on chips or popcorn now and then.

Momto2cs: I probably also am the most food obsessed of people I am around...always trying to eat low carb. I definitely feel different and am often the only one not eating something..I have a baby shower coming up for a dear friend..I know she will not be happy that I am not eating her custom order monkey cupcakes. I am glad DH has joined you.

Locopollo: I am surrounded by people who are overweight at work. You are right..often the thin ones are the ones who make healthy choices.

Healthyangle: Do whatever works the best for you. I did not a strict Phase 4..somedays was Phase 3 with no night time carbs. Hope you feel better after Phase 1.

I agree with what you are all saying about being the "different" person at a gathering / meal, however, I do have a select group of friends that are all health conscience, so eating out with them is much better It also helps that the girls in this group are like models and even with all the weight I lost, I am STILL the biggest one in the group. How's that for a kick in the teeth?!?! So it is pretty easy to eat healthy with that group, everyone else is ordering the same kind of dishes.

However, with other groups, I am certainly the odd man out. Even at work I am always eating different. Whatever. I actually feel empowered by it. Is that weird? I kind of feel superior about it, even though that is probably not something I should admit . I look at what people are eating and it is just horrible junk. I know that my choices make me FEEL good and is going to give me energy and help me look good.

I work in schools to like you, but actually up to 5 or 6 different ones each week. They are all carb infested!

Once I got onto following this plan without trying to figure if I could have a taste of this or that I noticed something. Many people try everything.But a good number of people don't take much of anything. Some people do partake of treats and are not overweight but they are way more physically active than I am so things balance out for them.

I hadn't notice before that lots of people don't eat mindlessly the way I used to.

I had a few too many fun days this week with several outings with friends. My pants got tight very quickly so having a very strict phase 1 again until they are comfy again. But just wondering how on earth I used to wear size 16 to 18 and think I felt fine and now that my size 8s are too tight I am conscious of that fact all day.

Also getting dressed in the morning used to be so much quicker when it only was a matter of what would go around me. Now I change a number of times until I feel comfortable with the way things fit.
I guess it is a good thing I gave away all my larger sizes as it would be easy again to be not noticing steady gains when there is more room in your clothes.
Pat

Patns: That is too funny and too true about carb infested schools. That is the truth!!!! I used to wear size 3x..yuck. I also spend more time getting dressed for work. I am still not sure of how fashion works..as I spent so many years hiding in dark large blouses and sweaters..I also have to test various combinations to see how they work.

Jenny: You are lucky to have a group of healthy conscious friends!!! My friends are fairly health conscious..but they do not understand low carb eating..but are supportive. You do feel a sense of empowerment..that you are not eating those foods that others are..especially the ones that led to you to being overweight.

Good news..I have been accepted as a member of the National Weight Control Registry! It only took 3 months to get in!!! I have an hour long online survey to take. I will let you know what it asks.

I made my decision to go back on Phase1 to get another 5 pounds off. I am at the high end of my "range" and I don't like it. So, I will be back on phase 1 tomorrow morning. Luckily I don't eat much sugar or carbs now. I just don't feel good when I do. But I will miss my fruit. Hopefully a week or 2 will do it.

Congrats Mailie on the registry acceptance! Thats fantastic and so proud to have an IPer represented!

Mooselover, i have been toying with a week or 2 of P1 as well to give myself a little cushion. I have been able to maintain, at 143 this am, but that is at my highest end of safe. I want to have a do-able weight though, and the past few weeks have been pretty stressful so i may wait for things to settle down before i make any decisions.

On my way to a wedding this weekend, going to see folks i havent seen in a LONG TIME. Interesting to see what reactions i get, sometimes i forget what changes my outside has gone through, then i see my IP before & after pic and it hits me in the face again!

I took the morning off to spend with my son...I MISS HIM!!! This new schedule of his speech therapy & my working late is tearing me apart. I want to quit and devote myself to him full time, i am feeling like he REALLY needs me now and could care less about my income. Hubs is not crazy about the idea, this may be a knee jerk reaction to a hopefully temporary problem. I am definitely giving 100% when it comes to my son, but feel like work is really suffering, not to mention my exercise!

Mooslever, I did that last week too. I wanted to lose 3 pounds. It came off in just 3 days, so I went back on 4. I dont eat a lot of carbs. but I did miss my yogurt and fruit. But it sure did not take me long.

Liz, I understand completely! My oldest has had speech disfluencies since he was 3. It has been a struggle for the last 7 years. I debated quitting my job as well but wasn't able to do it financially. The good news is even though he is on an IEP for a learning disability, he is now on only a consult basis with his speech therapist because he is PHENOMINAL and has made my son so self aware of his disfluencies and how to handle them. My son has received the therapy he needed and it was quite intense for a few years and is now learning how to deal/cope on his own. My son is very confident. It is SO HARD being a mom sometimes. Your son knows you love him and that you are there for him.

I have started lurking here in the maintainers thread because I am so close I can taste it! You all are inspiring. Thank you for sharing!

Hi everyone! I believe that I will be starting Phase 3 tomorrow. YIKES! I read through this thread...it was very inspiring. I am terrified and excited about P3. I would love to hear how your bodies reacted to P3. P1 and P2 have been so easy. I worry about how I will feel when I am no longer in ketosis. (I am confident that my pancreas is ready to rumble!) I am VERY carb sensitive....this will be interesting.

Yay Holly and NewPath!

Wow - so many going back to Phase 1. I was going to wait until January to do that but I'm thinking maybe I'll take the plunge for the first few weeks in November. I'm assuming our losses won't be so large the first week but I was going to try for another 10 lbs to see if my body likes it or not. I'm not even a full week into Phase 4 and I did a day of Phase 1 already, not because of a cheat day but because I felt bloated. 1 day did the trick ... Hmmmm ... maybe I'll join you guys after this weekend. Having sushi for the first time in months and I REALLY want that!!!