I'm almost a full year in and I still have trouble with the "mental struggle picturing the year(s)". The years will pass regardless of if we are doing IP or not. Every little bit is progress to being healthier as they do pass. I just keep reminding myself of that. I've averaged a bit less than 2 pounds per week, but that has really added up. I'd rather be where I am this year than where I was last year, and if I stick with it, I can be even closer to goal next year.

I think taking an overall picture of how much we have yet to lose can be daunting. I'm trying to think of closer goals, so I feel a degree of success on the way.

My aim is to lose 10lbs per month. That's 2.5 lbs per week and less in the almost-5 week months. Should be totally doable if I'm good and stick to plan.

So far (and this is just halfway into week 3) I am not really tempted by sweet things so much as wanting a higher EVOO allowance and to have tomatoes and cookable red onions again. I make do with the onion flakes but it's not quite the same.

My husband started 4 weeks ahead of me because I was determined not to do a soy based diet, but his losses really made me rethink whether my prejudice was worth keeping hold of the weight. As there are two of us to cater for I am spending more time researching interesting ways to use the packets, whereas I may have just added water and the evening meal and called it good if it was just me.

He, of course, has a lot less to lose (damn 6'2 men with long skinny legs! LOL) but my longer journey may just help him adapt in maintenance.

I think of IP more as a learning experience than a diet, because I know the way I have eaten until now has to bend to how I need to eat to keep the weight from piling back on.

Love this thread, so glad you started it!

I, like others here, sometimes find it hard to relate to someone who only has 40 lbs to lose. It's nice to know there are others who are in it for a longer haul with me!

I second that! I've been at this for almost 8 months now and have a few more months left, at least (179 is not my ultimate goal). It is a different journey when you are thinking of a year or more to reach your goal, versus a couple of months. I get a lot of inspiration from seeing people succeed who started with numbers like mine.

Do y'all watch the videos? There was one in my first or second week, that talked about how phase 1 is temporary - it's not meant to be forever, just a means to get to your goal. One thing Dr. W said really stuck with me - he said to think about being pregnant and all the things you give up for 9 months (or longer) for the health of your baby. Now it's time to do it for yourself.

Hello,
I have 120# to lose, just started IP on 9/2 and fell off the wagon once last week.

i struggle as well to eat the veggies and to have a variety of meats i can stomach.
i never cooked, HATED it, still do
before this, i ate mostly carbs and sugars, now that i have to change my diet i see that now.

i was vegetarian for 15 years, and for the last 3 years i have been eating meat again.
i dont like much of it , so i am finding it hard to eat the protein, would rather have another packet option lol.

days like today, i want to run home and pop in a pizza, oh SO BAD. but as i think about it, my jeans roll down my fat roll and sit uncomfortably at my hips..
reminding me why im doing this.
and through the holidays no less.. god help us all on that one.

thank you for starting this thread , i will need you all so so much the rest of the year.
cant wait to see my toes when i stand up and look down.

Hey all. If you don't own the book The Beck Diet Solution, I suggest getting it ASAP.

We have a lot of mental changes to make and food relationships to break. Beck helps with a healthier way to look at food, dieting, and maintenance. Not only do we want to lose it but keep it off!

I'm still working at my first goal of losing 110 lbs. Then I'll see if there is more to lose.

Great quote and I would also recommend the Beck Diet Solution, really helpful challenging unhelpful thinking habits. Think about this IP diet as the beginning of a journey, the weight didn't go On over night and it will take time to come off. I started IP sept 9 2013 and started P3 today. Then you work hard at maintenance.

You all can do it, I look forward to reading about your successes

Me to! For being so heavy I don't have much in the boob department, so I'm looking forward to having more boobage than stomach when I look down. Then feet.

Ah the dreaded Airline seats! I am happy to report that I just got back from Florida and no seat belt extender necessary & I even had some slack in the belt. Also one of the arm rests was down and my hips did not keep popping it back up! It was a huge accomplishment for me...flying again in October to California and will have confidence although we are not in coach this time seat wont be an issue for 2 reasons though LOL...

I have trouble relating too, but I try to remind myself that is is a journey for everyone no matter how long it may be. That 40 for them is a daunting as the 100 for us...

Closet shopping for me this weekend and I am thrilled to see what I have. Hopefully I will have enough to get me to a point I can hold off and shop in "regular" stores. Went into Dress Barn yesterday just to browse and can't wait to wear some "cute" new things...

Off to work this AM. Just sipping my coffee and listening to the sounds of my quiet house. LOL DH & DS are sound asleep and the dog is snooring at my feet...AH the life LOL

Just wanted to drop in and tell all of you who have a large amount of weight to lose to hang in there! Knowing you're going to be on IP for a long period of time is a totally different experience than needing IP for just a few months.

As cliche as it sounds, I really found it useful to just not look at the big picture sometimes. I kept my mind on "I can control what I eat today" or sometimes even "I can control what I eat in the next 30 minutes." All those days or minutes add up over time and it's amazing how fast time goes.

I did a full year on P1 and if someone had told me I could do it at the beginning I would have laughed at them. But I did it and the weight came off!

It takes a lot of determination and strength - but you are all strong and can do this!

Thanks Ruth Ann

I also keep in mind that it I stay strong and stay the course, next year at this same time I will be in P4. If I can stay strong thru the summer which are the hardest months for me with vacations and BBQ's, I can stay the course a few more months. I love winters because I don't work late nights (Real Estate not easy to show in the dark LOL) so that means more time to prep for dinners and more experimenting. All good for me that it gets darker sooner....

Hooray for vacation time! My first day of a week's vacation is today. Hubby and I got the last of the tempting fresh fruit worked up last night at 9 PM (in the dehydrator or cooking down into fruit butter), so I won't need to be slicing and peeling anymore of it. I need to be cooking up some rhubarb with some WF strawberry jam for me today.

I too need to go closet shopping to find some of the clothing in my current size or smaller that's around. Sadly when I found some of the cloths lately they were already too large. Or happily I guess... but I could have worn them! Oh well off to the donation center they go. Losing and changing sizes now means I have less in the stacks/bags of clothing being stored. It's a very neat win to take back the storage space.

Have a great day all. I'll be around even on vacation. Supposed to be warm here in Washington State thru Monday, then looking at cloudy and possible rain.

Thanks for joining into the conversation, everyone! I appreciate that several of you offered thanks for starting this thread - and I did it for the exact reasons that a lot of you mentioned... the "100lbs+ Club" just seems to have its own set of obstacles and challenges that we can all work through together.

Unfortunately, I am only on the threads a few times each week, but I appreciate all the motivating comments out there for all of us on this big journey, and look forward to your continued posts.

I really like the pregnancy analogy that was mentioned... even at a rate of 2lbs/week, we could all be down 80lbs in 9 months. I know it took most of us a lot longer than that to put it on, and if 9 months of weight loss goes by as fast as 9 months of pregnancy, it will pass by before we know it.

I think I'll have to look into this Beck book a few of you are talking about!

Question for the group - what was your ultimate deciding point to lose weight? Ie. What made you decide "enough is enough" and take the *ahem* plunge?

You had said you were on an alternative? Is there fruit on that?
I miss fruit, and it's only been 2 weeks lol.

I in wa too, auburn