Your Doctor is going to be very impressed... and oh new flavors can't wait to see if I can get some... though not a big orange fan.. scales are so finacky, I kept my instructions but they didn't help very much. Keep up the good work Cat.

OH I am finding it so much harder.... I can still walk by sweets and junk food it is just pb that is my issue. There was a going away party and 2 different cakes, I just went in to smell the cakes as I was wanting a piece but knew if I started that would be it. It was more about the retirement celebration I had to remind myself. I smelled them and walked away. the biggest thing to remember is one day at a time and if can't be done one hour at a time.

you still have to phase off properly which is 2 weeks on phase 3, you can shorten phase 2 one week but that is it... Good luck.

Lynsey, after gaining so fast I have come up with a few truths about myself... number one I can never stop tracking what is going into my mouth... sugar is evil as I get migraines from it now, and carbs are not my friend. Now it may be just the carbs I tried, had potatoes, no pasta or rice, and bread only at breakfast but still had issues with that. I think we have to know our body's and what it needs to function. I am now finding low carb recipes to prepare me for when I return to maintenance. I hope to reach my goal this time and maybe 5 lb under just to be on the safe side.

Jelly - how is the snow? I imagine it is different in seattle to have that much snow fall all at once. You will do fine, just have to get your snow legs going and you will conquer the bad old winter.

Today it is -32 celcius suppose to warm up to -27, too cold to walk and red dog is kind of going stir crazy...

Have a good day all.

I had 2nd WI today and down another 4.2 YAY!!! We had Snow in eastern SD again last night. We only got about 1/2 - 1 inch where I am at but it is -10 today with wind chill. I think I have turned into a MAJOR wuss this winter after all the nice days we have had. It feels like it is -40. The fireplace will be going tonight for sure

Has anyone else ever noticed the amazing effect 1 or 2 little baby pickles have on a pissed off growling stomach?? I had 1 baby pickle yesterday between lunch and supper and it felt so much better! 1 baby pickle! AMAZING!

Ok everyone....

I need to be honest....all this talk about difficulties staying focused is making me quite nervous about my trip to Mexico....

I've read and re-read JennyDoodle's vacation thread, I've re-read the book, I'm going to write down all the reasons why I decided to take this journey, I've asked support from my friends around me...but...


....there anyone out there that has taken that little break and found themselves back on the wagon immediately?

I think most of us took some sort of break at Christmas and most came right back. Now I know you and you can do this, you take your trip to mexico, eat salads and good breakfasts then indulge at night... don't go mad about it but have fun, you booked this vacation as a vacation. Vacations are for not worrying (though most of us worry anyway) Now what do you have scheduled to do? are you going swimming? snorkeling? walking? just tourist stuff? Where you can walk, enjoy your time. Not sure where you are going but if you go to visit the ruins there is lots of walking there, lots of outdoor markets to walk around and enjoy yourself. If your going to sit on the beach, drink two bottles of water for every drink you drink..
and
When you come back we will all be here to get you back on track.

Oh Ishbel! Look at all the hard work and will power you have and to get as far as you have come! You will be able to do it. You are such a inspiration!

I took a little break in late Sept only meaning it to be a 2 week break but we had some financial issues happen that made it impossible to start the program again. I would have been back on in a heartbeat if I could afford it at the time. I was so excited when the end of the year came and I could go back on.

I think that just knowing how far you have come and how little you have left compared to where you started will be motivation enough for you to jump back on Relax and ENJOY your vacation. You deserve it for sure!

Good afternoon,

Brrrr its cold in my office..my hands are always frozen! Its been snowing all day so more shoveling tonight...good thing i like it!

So i was calculating my BMI yesterday (someone put the calculation method) and i saw that i went from 49 to 34.4...now i know its still super high but i was still pleased to see that. Btw, I still think that what you should weight to be in the normal range is way too low and wouldn't use that to decide on my goal weight.

Not much else going on...very hungry today...was almost drooling at lunch looking at everybody's food and can't wait for dinnertime, lol.

Ishbel...i have NO doubt that you will do great...you are so focussed that you wouldn't let this diet kick your butt and give you a hard time

Hello Everyone,

just sent my daughter back to Cali , I enjoyed her visit this past week soooo much. I am also restarting Phase I, I have gained a couple since phasing off, but I think they will be gone the first week back on 100%. Good to see my old Ipeeps on here. I am going to Ireland at the end of March, so I am going to stay OP and hopefully be down at least 10 lbs. ( I am a rather slow loser). Keep posting, it is so inspiring!

I have to say, my 'little break' threw me off course for 4 weeks. 4 WEEKS! I will never, ever do that again.

Funny thing is, prior to that I went on a trip and did just fine, never cheated, stayed OP, and lost 4 pounds that week.

Stay focused on the prize, not what's in front of you at the moment. Whatever you want - alcohol, food - will be there when you're done with the program. I promise.

Good to see you back! You are an inspiration to so many.

Exactly the same here! I intentionally decided to take a break over the Christmas period thinking I would go back being OP the 1st day of the year, but it was not until the 15th of January which is only yesterday that I was able to do a full day of 100% OP, for a reason, I was not able to, I would try in the morning, be ok until the afternoon and then in the evening I would blow everything by eating carbs and more carbs, I got so disgusted by my behaviour, but still I was doing the same over and over again! I lost two weeks, and now I don't dare to know how much I weigh, I would weigh myself this Thursday which is my official weigh-in day, but I don't have high hopes since it would only be 3 days for me being OP, nevertheless, I am sure that once these 3 days will pass, the next week will show a big loss on the scale and I am so hoping that by then I would reach onederland.

I hate scales.....I would much rather go by how I feel and how my clothes fit but the world wants to define us by that number on dial....and we let it!

Be glad to send you some MIO...just let me know. I just sent some to Ishbel in exchange for chocolate chai. I might be become addicted to it as an after dinner treat.....you might need to send me some too!

Agree...Sugar and carbs are evil. I will be in a battle with them for the rest of my life.

Stay warm!

Way to go...send those pounds a packin'. I love your reference to a pissed off stomach. And yes, pickles are the bomb. I sometimes have 2 petite pickles and two eggs whites in the afternoon. Happy tummy!

Agree with everyone else...you got this! I got real nervous last year before my beach trip with my best friend. Beach + best friend + alcohol + munchies = lots and lots of fun. When I told her I wouldn't be drinking onthe trip, she told me it wouldn't be as much fun.......hurt my feelings a little but boy was she proved wrong. I was mentally and physicaly prepared, stayed OP except for a few almonds here and there and had the time of our lives. We participated in so many more activities just BECAUSE we were having libations on the beach. I lost 4 pounds that week!

Don't be nervous. Make your mind up and stick to it. Step outside the box...its very pleasant out there. And have the time of your life....as a skinny woman!

Many of us have done the same thing. We ALL became complacent with our thinner bodies and that little bit of freedom with our food choices. Many of us struggled to get back to 100% OP. I started back on Jan 3rd but it wasn't until this past Sunday that it finally totally clicked in my head. I wasted almost two weeks of being wishy washy with my daily diet....and it got me nowhere. Once your mind is in the game, the scale will move down quickly!. You'll get there....just make up your mind and stick to it just like you did when you first began. Decide what you want and be proud of yourself. That self-sabotaging behavior only make it worse for us in the long run...and that's when those evil carbs take control of our mindset. Don't let them in, they are not our friends. Good luck!

Oh ! Thank you very much for these encouraging words

Well checking in for the day... Our snowmageddon has arrived. The Seattle area is being socked as we speak... So I'm sure they'll cancel work. But I have to wait another hour or so to get the for sure!! Anyways. Been OP. Looking forward to some nicer weather so its easier to drink all this water!!

I want a snow day! It's below zero here and I hate going out in that crap. We havn't even had an inch of snow all winter and we are usually past the 20 inch mark by now. Crazy!