i finally broke into the 150s yesterday. today i'm still within the 159 lb. i think the 150s might be just as bad, if not worse than the 160s in terms of how long it takes to get through them. i am watching this come off ounce by ounce. it's frustrating, but worth it.

Great job on hitting 159....I am sad that I am not in the race with you anymore. But very happy for you.

I am having difficulty with eating more food....I am feeling guilty all the time. The scale went up that one pound last week and has held steady all week. I wish that I had lost 5 more pounds, but I am very proud of the 82 I lost and I don't want to minimize it too much in my head or I will defeat my pep.

Starting phase 4 in the next day or two....I will let you all know how it goes.

i was thinking today... does that last 5 lbs (or in my case, 14 lbs) really matter? we all look fantastic and feel great. all of our health has improved tremendous amounts. we fit into small clothing. no one would ever consider us the fat girls anymore. i think i obsess over numbers. honestly, will i be happy when i am 145? probably not. i'm sure i'll still want to lose another 10 lbs. will all of my problem areas be gone at 145? no. weighing 145 isn't going to turn me into a 5'11" model. my body shows how i have abused it over the years, and those things will probably never go away. and you know what? that's ok. maybe it will serve as a reminder to not abuse my body in the future. maybe it will remind me that i'm not perfect and no one is. i am very proud of all the work i've done. i'm very proud of all the amazing things that all of you have accomplished. we are gorgeous, healthy women. and though i'll continue to try to get thinner, and obsess over how much weight i lose every week, and freak out when my weight loss slows or stalls, i need to remember that we have already won. i have a healthy BMI. i am no longer overweight. AT ALL. that is amazing!

we are all amazing for doing what we have done!

Bravo bravo bravo....nicely said.

I think I am sad because I am not at a healthy BMI.

But I know others who weigh less than me and are a size 12 or 14 so I won't complain. My weight is what it is.

One of these days I will get a body fat percentage done so that I can at least feel good about that.

Your words are why I decided to move to maintenance. I am sure I haven't stopped losing, just moving to a different phase.

I am very convinced I will see 149-155 sometime before 2012.

Congrats on your loss and your wonderful attitude.

Well said, I agree with everything you said my goal weight is 140 and why? I don't know because I can't remember ever weighing that, is it realistic we will see I am still at 180 now and wearing size 12 and that makes me happy, I also look at myself and go holy you have a lot left to to lose, look at that fat here and there. It doesn't matter what other people say it is your own image of your body. I know I am way better off then I was 60 lbs ago but I still feel 40 more isn't unreasonable... But like I said today to someone...we will wait and see, maybe when I get to 150 I will decide that is enough... who knows I just know I am not there yet.

Longdivision - you look so awesome right now I believe what you say. You are great and should be very proud of yourself.

Darbs you have done so great, I always look to you for a great motivator.

You make me laugh....I was just thinking I need to take some progress/current photos. I am going to post them this weekend -- I think I just need a lovely, kind bit of encouragement. You make me smile...huge!!!!!

Well now you've really burst my bubble. I was hoping I was on the verge of a growth spurt now that I've lost some weight... I was thinking 5'7 would be a good height for me. Maybe 5'8...

Hi. The 160s are really starting to get to me. I did lose 2 lbs this week, so I'm down to 164.5. But... It seems like its been taking forever. Congratulations! At least you broke through one barrier.

In keep thinking I will try another few weeks of strict phase 1 to lose the last 5 pounds. But I am pretty much into a size 4!! Really, isn't this good enough??? But it does become hard once you are thinner for a while and no one comments...but should be better! Life is hard!

LOVE this post, Laura! Youre a very wise young lady - some people spend their entire lives thinking 'I'll be happy when...'!

So proud of you for all you've accomplished!

Well, I got a nice surprise yesterday. After gaining one pound the first day of phase three, then staying exactly the same, I was down 2 pounds yesterday morning! Really never occurred to me to hope for a loss, just that I wouldn't gain.

I'm starting phase 4 tomorrow, a day early, as my daughter & I are going on a day trip to visit my parents, & I promised my mom when she asked what I could eat, that I was going to thoroughly enjoy whatever she makes.

I'm finally starting to feel like I've turned a corner in the feelings & thoughts I'm dealing with in this stage. The positive ones (hope, belief in myself that I can be successful in this transition, are overpowering the negative ones (guilt over eating so much, fear that I'll start gaining, etc). It occurred to me that it's not so different than what I experienced around week 3 of Phase 1, when I really started to KNOW that this was going to work FOR ME!

I'm just so thankful for this journey, for all I'm learning, & for all of you!

Darbs, please don't let the BMI issue rob you of any happiness! You've succeeded in an amazing body transformation, and been an example & encourager to so many!

A body fat/muscle mass percentage will be a far more accurate measure. Go for it!

Laura - Congrats on the 150's!!!!! You have done and amazing job!!! and you look great. I think your post on "good enough" is so very well said. I know how it goes, until we see ourselves the way other's see us it seems we are striving for some sort of idea of what we should be. I told my coach yesterday that the more I lose, the less confident I become - what is up with that???? I think you are a truly beautiful woman and I wish you lots of happy mind meets body (what it looks like to everyone else) peace.

Pxlkitty - the 160's are AWFUL!!!! I think when we are 10 pounds or within striking distance of our goal our weight just SLOOOOOOOWWWWS way down - I guess the good news is that you are close, but ahhh isn't that the bad news as well? (ha,ha,ha). You also look amazing - what a HUGE transformation. You, like Laura and all the women on this site are a truly beautiful woman in every aspect of the word beauty. I guess the great thing about loosing weight is that all of us had a chance to develop other parts of ourselves as our bodies weren't "ideal" now that we are loosing weight there is a richer and a truer beauty in all of us...and that is a substantial NSV

Phase II update: I am bouncing all over the place -I was in the 150's went to phase 2 and ended up...gulp, sigh...in the 160's again -- I swear 16...is becoming my nemesis. So with my thoughts and coaches input...I am returning to phase 1 for a week to see if I can get well into the 150's before phasing off since I seem to be one of those unfortunate individuals that does not loose in phase 2 but seems to gain (ugggggggggg)

I think you have got it. You have done so great you should be proud and I am sure your whole family is proud of you too.

Well said, I think a return to phase 1 for a week will help you and then you can go to phase 2 and still lose weight. I am worried about the last 10 to 20 lbs and I still have quite a way to go... I look forward to hearing your results and "your Pictures"...

Oh my goodness, you have all stated what I have been feeling so perfectly! should I be ready to phase out? Are the 32 levi's close enough? (I love button fly levi's) when is enough enough? I don't have the money for the packets this month so I am trying to alternative my way through, it is much harder this way! I don't know how you guys have done it!
So far I'm jumping between 157 - 158. I sure miss the 3 lb. a week losses we had in the beginning. I didn't go weigh in last week since I felt guilty about not buying any packets, but I really need to get measured, so I am going to go this week. Maybe I'm losing inches instead of lbs?
Have I rambled enough? What is the answer? when is enough enough? I had a student tell me to quit because I didn't look good. Of course he's a little 5' toad with an attitude. My husband tells me he is so proud of me and that if I quit now it would be ok since I've come so far.
Rambling!!!