I just love these boards! I am so thankful for all of you who post such motivating and positive messages. I have not posted much, but I read everyday and I wanted you all to know how much you have helped me. I can always come here and find someone struggling with similar issues to mine and find such wonderful and motivating support!

Lisa....love your post! I don't have many urges for nonIP food anymore, but next time I do I'll ask myself who's in charge of my food today.

Stargirl....4lbs fantastic! Have fun with your mom this week.

Thanks everyone!!! I really appreciate all of you, Liz and Rainbow I know you posted back too! Thanks!!!!! you are all so special to me!

You're all right. We can do this, we can make the choice, no one puts the food in our mouths but us, we have to go get that food it doesn't get us!! I'm deciding to stay 100% through the holidays! Onward to a fresh new day!!! I want under 250 soooo bad!!!!!!!!

My Christmas wish for mompattie is to be under 250 for 2013!! That would be a great number to start 2013 from.

I want to hit my half-way point so bad! We are each 5 lbs from those goals.
We can do this together.
5 lbs to our next milestones!
100%
We got this.
Christmas is in 10 days. New Years is in 17. Whatever it takes to that goal.

for you too! Wishing you to your half-way and beyond...!

Way to go, Stargirl on that great loss! Wow, wow, wow! Your coach will be so impressed.

And I am just like you with the carbs. Addicted like crazy to them. It scares me about maintenance, but I'll just really watch and add carbs slowly, and pray all goes well. When I see sweets or someone mentions donuts or something, I have a reaction, where I want it, but I know it's not going to do me any good, so I don't go there. I think the craving goes back to wanting that quick shot of happiness, and how as a child, sweets were always a reward/part of my happiest memories. I hope someday, I won't have that reaction, but it's been in me since i was a young child, so I'm not sure it will.

I am hoping to be 60+ before DEC 28th when my parents and my sister show up to visually show them I can do this. Want to not be the smart, successful, but FAT sister anymore!! My sisters are all pretty, I included a pic The two on the ends have lost weight too since this picture, one with exercise and the other with IP.

Lisa your words are always inspiring you got this.

Day 3 of 28 where I pledge to be 100% OP

I'm 5 lbs away from the half-way point, too. 100%! We've got this!

I love you gf!!! Thanks!!!!

We're in this together. You can count on me. I am in for 100% all the way. My New Years wish is under 250!

You are all beautiful!!! We're in this together!!

Half way here we all come!!!!!! 17 days and counting until holiday temptations are over!
***************
I've got my IP travel bag ready to go. I bought a $14 make up bag from Walmart like rainbow suggested. It's smaller, I can fit about a weeks worth of packets in it. I've got davinci syrup in one bottle, instant coffee in another bottle (for my mock iced Capps), my vits in the soap holder, and mio water flavouring as well. Inside the main compartment is all my silver foils. I'm making up a couple batches of IP frozen bark to take along for the holidays. It feels like a real treat!! Just how to keep frozen when travelling without packing a cooler. LE sigh. My car will be loaded to the nuts. Maybe DH will have to ride on the roof!

Does this all SCARE YOU sometimes?

I just went through 3 boxes of clothes I had stored in my closet. Last time I went through there, I found a few things that fit. I wish I would have gone through them before I went shopping......I have LOTS of pants now!!!

Now for the scary part: getting rid of the clothes I've been wearing. I folded them up, added them to a growing donation pile, and got a "twinge". The only way I can describe the twinge I felt is fear.

Remember, I'm the girl who lost 100 lbs on Atkins and gained 80 of it back over about 8 years. I'm the girl who has struggled her whole life with weight and body image issues.

I think I scare myself.

I guess there is a part of me who feels like I don't deserve to get rid of those clothes b/c I might fail again (I'm really close to tears as I type this).

Starshine said that maintenance scares her. It scares the living crap outta me. I tell my coach that all the time. Last time I met with her, we discussed spreading out WI days to every-other-week (if I can take it...seeing all of you weigh in & I don't...). I got this P1 thing right now. I'm feeling good. She is subscribed to my My Fitness Pal account so she can see it anytime she wants. I print it to bring in for WI.

BUT

When I get to P3 and beyond (I'm not even worried about P2), THAT is what scares me. She keeps trying to make "light" of it. She is thin. I don't think she gets it.

There is another coach (who kinda bugs the crap outta me right now) at that clinic. She has a huge weight loss ~ 80 or more lbs ~ can't quite remember. I'm thinking she might better understand this fear.

And I KNOW any of you with BIG weight losses or BIG goals have fears. We just don't get to be morbidly obese without having some big issues with food and body.

And yes, I'm happy about the clothes that fit. There were a lot of happy dances going on...

I think this is the first time I've realized how FAST I'm really losing weight and I'm really feeling a little

Thanks for listening. I don't really need any reassurance or a pep talk. I just need to know I'm not alone.

Lisayou are not alone!! I am afraid to donate my cloths because .... I don't know why. But it does scare me. I did like what one poster said. Get rid of the old cloths so you have no excuse to go back there again. I never want to go back there again, but the worry of failure is always there.

Yes, Lisa, not alone at all! It took me until I was in 16's to finally donate the 22's and 20's. I didn't part with the 18's yet.

I agree, those of us who were morbidly obese know that this will not be an easy road and we do have body and food and for me self esteem issues, among other things. I just hope it gets easier as time goes by, and my cravings just stop.

I was out walking my dog and she was just having so much fun in the snow, and I thought now this makes me happy--walking and watching her have fun. But then in my mind I thought of the happiness that a big bag of M&M's would be (and instantly I got a craving), and I thought this can't ever match that. It's not the same type of happiness. The candy is more hyper happy, while my dog playing is feel good, smiley happy. I just need to come appreciate that kind of happiness more than the hyper happiness of sweets.

It's a journey.... And I hope I'm strong enough to make it. I never want to have weight issues again. I've fought that all my life, and I'm just done.