I totally understand where you're coming from regarding the pictures. But as someone else said, don't let that destroy what you've accomplished -- the run itself, the fun experience of it, as well as your success with IP.

I'm relatively new to the board but just from reading your posts, I've pegged you as a person with a lot of positive energy and a side of pizazz. I hate to see you derailed. That picture will be history this time next year; it doesn't deserve the importance you're giving it.

Everyone has given lots of great advice. The one thing I'd add as a minor side note is that you can change your security/privacy settings on FB so you have to approve of any tags in order for them to appear on your page. Although you can't prevent people from posting the pictures or naming you, you have the choice re: whether or not to approve the tag.

Congrats on the results, and keep up the good work. It's all worth it. (Pay heed, though, to Liz's advice re: exercise while on Phase 1.)

Ipeeps.... I just woke up to theses posts on my thread after a post race nap.

You're absolutely right, every single one of you. I can't tell you enough what it means to have your support and hear your experiences with this.

I wanted these photos to mean something more than they are, to reveal how I am feeling so far on IP, and that's not realistic. It's just a stepping stone/milestone in the direction I am going.

I'm learning that loving yourself is no easy task, but I can't wait to do that until I hit my goal weight. I have to start loving who I am now to appreciate how far I have come and what I am doing.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond here. I can't express enough what all of your words mean to me. It's seriously what I need to shake me out of my pity party. No more wasting time being a sad girl.

Thank you so much. I love this forum.

This really hit home for me. It took almost 100lbs (4lbs away yay!) of weight gone for people to really start noticing (except a few who noticed before). Sometimes I can see the big change in myself, and sometimes I still just see a little change (I guess because now I feel more "normal fat" than "obese fat"). Just gotta focus on where you are headed since you can't change where you started. Congrats on the run though, I'm definitely jealous!

SFNinerGirl thought about you when I saw this.....great video! Reminder that some of the "struggles" we deal with are a "good" thing

http://idealcoaching.tv/wp/archives/1124

Oh Honey, you need to adjust your thinking in a MAJOR way. You are about a half pound from your NORMAL weight range by the AMA!!!! OMG what I would do to be able to say that!!!! U are BEAUTIFUL as well. You are getting married? Make this the happiest time for you. I still have 30lbs to go to be at the highest end of my AMA approved range. Put everything in perspective!!!! Start writing down 5 positive things about yourself EVERY day and it will make a big difference in your life. AND congrats on the 5K !!!

Thank you, that was a great video to watch. Indeed, there are some things to put into practice here while on IP.

Well I weighed in today. I only released 1 pound but many inches.

My water retention went up from +21 to +27. My coach is said this is due to the run and I would have lost more weight if I was not retaining this water.

I'm going to stay OP 100% this week and not do any more running. Hoping to shed all of this extra water weight I've been carrying for 3 weeks.

Awwwwww. You should be SO SUPER PROUD of yourself for running! Don't get down on pictures! I do the same thing. I think I look so great & feel so great and then I see some dumb picture on facebook that makes me look AWFUL! I finally have convinced myself to not let it bother me. The imperfections we see are not what everyone else is seeing. We are being way more critical of ourselves then the rest of the world. So keep on running and don't let the pictures get you down!

I have been wanting to do a color run.... there is one coming to my town this fall and it looks so fun!