For everyone else who has had hair loss during IP... how long did it last? I have been losing hair since mid-September now! Hoping it is going to stop soon before I'm bald. Luckily I had really thick hair to start with, but it's really thinned out now! I don't want to be skinny and bald!

Glad to hear everyones weekend is going pretty. I have been catching up on reading post today, as the last 2 weeks have been pretty busy. I have a cold right now so none of the food tast good to me the packets don't tast at all, well so much for enjoying food. I am hoping that I can tast again soon because, it makes it hard to stomach the food.

I hope everyone esles weekend goes well, and congrates on all the NSV and WIV.

Way to GO!!! What a wonderful accomplishment, OnMyWayforGood! I'm so thrilled for you but I must also admit to being just a little envious--the week I took for Thanksgiving, birthdays and family visit has cost me an additional week to make up lost ground. But I'm back on track and will be following in your footsteps and joining you in the 200s soon. I also want to lose 40 more by Christmas, so I'm cheering you on sister!

Hi Mamadancer. Welcome to another Ontarian! Re phasing out for Christmas: I'm with EatAnts aka Sheila. It should be completely your decision whether you phase off or not. By now you know the program well enough to do a week or two on your own without seeing your coach, so if you choose to stay on protocol or not phase out completely, you can do it on your own.

I took a modified "off protocol" week and as I mentioned above it's taken most of this week to get rid of the extra pounds. Basically, that one week off cost me an additional week, so where I might have lost about 7 lbs in two weeks (I've been averaging a little over 3lbs/wk), I lost 1 instead. I don't really regret it, but by the end of my week away I was firm in my resolve to stay on program over Christmas. What this week gave me was the knowledge that I can now handle the traveling and time with extended family without emotional eating. It's a BIG change, let me tell you!!

After discussion with my coach, we decided that I wouldn't phase out. She said that it would be easier to get back on track if I kept eating the 3 packets a day, and that's what I did, and it hasn't been hard to get back on track at all. My off protocol stuff was mostly about dairy products and low carb toast and PB for breakfast. What was surprising was how little it mattered in the end. Yup, I enjoyed it. But not as much as anticipated. I was surprised that I chose to snack on IP stuff (bbq chips, bars) during the week, rather than other off-protocol possibilities. And when I left there was some of everything remaining--I didn't finish the bottle of red wine in a whole week that included my birthday, we didn't finish the cheesecake (2 net carbs/slice) and I was never tempted to snack on it, which surprised me. What became clear during the week was how little "meaning" the off-protocol foods contains for me now.

My now 11 weeks on IP have helped me to have a major head-shift in regard to food. Before, I was afraid that I would have a huge emotional back-lash if I didn't have some "treats" for the trip and my birthday, but having had the experience I am now very comfortable with the idea of staying on protocol for Christmas. There won't be a backlash, because unlike with other diets I just don't feel deprived with IP. And there's NO GUILT, which for me has been associated with food for most of my life. When I want sweets, there are guilt-free bars and drinks, when I want salty/crunchy I can have the bbq chips and FEEL GOOD about it! It's like some kind of miracle since I've had such a fraught relationship with food in the past.

For Christmas I'm pretty comfortable with this decision. My social circle is quite small at present, so I'm lucky in that I won't have a huge number of events and temptations, and I'm just going to bring RTDs and IP snack foods everywhere I go.

So, all this just to say, "follow your gut" on this one. Do whatever feels right to you. My off-protocol experience was a good learning opportunity for me to see how much I've changed and now I know that I don't need off-protocol "treats" anymore. But I wouldn't know that without this experience. Phase-out or don't, it should be entirely up to you.

Jackie

Congrats on the weight loss, but I have to ask about the Mamadancer part because our family spends a lot of time dancing. What kind of dancing?

I have seen so many people make this observation, and it puzzles me every time. (I'm not picking on your, Jackie.

If you go off plan for one week and it takes you one week to lose the weight you gained -- so you get back to were you started -- then you've wasted two weeks, by my calculation.

Since this issue is essentially about money and screwing up expectations of when you'll hit the next phase, I think knowing that you have the real potential to waste two weeks or more should have a greater and more realistic impact on the choices we make.

You are so right, Linden. Any time that I cheated, I found myself more disappointed by the lower loss than excited about the food/drink consumed. So weird, but a valuable lesson. I think you go through it once or twice and then it's a matter of live and learn!

Linden, this reminds me of a sales call I was on with a rep from my company. When the customer said, "Your program is expensive" she asked, "What are you comparing it to?" He said, "Our budget" and laughed.

I think that those who post about this are expecting to have no weight loss in only one week, so losing 2 weeks to weight loss is 1 more than they expected. You're comparing it to "if I never went off plan." Different basis of comparison = different # of "wasted" days or weeks. [end. spock. logic.]

We can do this! Together! I feel a little off this weekend... like a bittersweet victory. I had some kind of stomach bug Thursday and Friday. I don't get the flu ever, seriously, and from the belly button up, I felt fine. From there down, I was crampy and had nothing but the big D over and over. I came home at noon from work Thursday and stayed home Friday. I barely had anything to eat other than broth, crackers, and 7-up. I had to help somehow with my concern of dehydration. However, without packets and vitamins for two days, the details on my scale show I lost a massive amount of muscle. SO, as I'm feeling better today and back on track again, I have to wonder what will happen to that muscle/fat next week again!

However, we can shoot to lose 40 by Christmas--- great luck to you and I'll have to keep track of your progress with you! I fought with the tail end of the 300's bouncing back and forth over 2 1/2 weeks or so, which was partially mental as the last time I got close 10 years ago, I never made it. In fact, I went drastically in the other direction. I made it this time! And you will, too!!

On another unrelated, tell me why I've waited 15 weeks to try the cappuccino again?!! I had it Day 1, nuked it and fried the protein, threw it all out, and didn't try it again! Weeks ago, I realized people had success with 50% power and going slowly microwaving it. So I got one packet to try again a few weeks ago... but forgot about it! And tonight, I made it, and YUM! And here I just bought my packets for the week this morning! I'll have to get some next week... that will be great going through the winter with something warm to drink!

Have a great evening everyone!

Thank you for checking -- if you get a chance. The scale has never been my "friend" but I think I will have to start embracing it if I want to keep my weight down when I get off IP. For me, that will be awhile.

Hey, back. It is great to hear from someone who has lived in the area. You are exactly right -- I would love to have the resting metabolism calories. I will look into this.

I also had my WI today. It was later in the day than the time that I usually weigh in. I lost 2.4 lbs for the week, which I was happy about because I was afraid I hadn't lost anything. But my total weight loss in 4 weeks is 19.6 pounds Very happy about that !

I feel like I need to clarify myself. Yes my consultant insists that all her clients are off plan for the holidays but going off was my decision before I ever started. I have a goal of where I want to be by then and will feel good about phasing out. I did have a major cheat weekend recently (Canadian Thanksgiving) and did not gain anything. The following week continued as usual. I agree that the decision to go off is completely personal and I just wanted to clarify that I have made the best decision for me.

Its a WW # WW67WC

I also noticed that "The Biggest Loser" scale does calories.

Congrats on the weight loss, but I have to ask about the Mamadancer part because our family spends a lot of time dancing. What kind of dancing?
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I am an assistant dance instructor so I do ballet/tap/jazz/hip hop/highland/clogging/lyrical. I also have 3 daughters who dance.

A properly-fitted bra makes an unbelievable difference! Good for you for doing that for yourself.
4 lbs in a week is AMAZING! And sometimes family members don't say anything because they don't want to make you self-conscious or want you to think that they judged you as "fat" before. Body issues and family are such delicate areas in and of themselves, that blending the two leads to a lot of and One of my sisters-in-law didn't say anything to me when she saw me, but told my mother that I looked great.
Interesting theory about food dreams. And what a great observation about your mother's perceptions of you. Your presence of mind in that moment is really inspiring.

And, for 26.5 lbs gone!
No wonder you're excited! I hear you sister -- I've been hovering in customs and immigration. I wonder what's wrong with my passport -- do you need a visa to travel to Onederland?

EatAnts has suggested Magnesium Citrate. Another option is Vitamin C. One of the recommendations for when you start to feel a cold coming on is to take Vit. C in 1000 mg doses, increasing by 1000 mg every hour to "bowel tolerance" aka diarrhea.
Ciebelle -- it's been a challenging adjustment, doing the program and letting your body do its work. Good for you for shifting how you think about your efforts and your results. And hooray for that LBD NSV!

on your weight loss and on passing that milestone! Great new photo in your avatar -- your face is looking brighter and your jawline is more defined! And your smile, as you lose more lbs, will it continue to get bigger?
Some people have posted about this. I've had times when not even my favorite packets inspired any appetite. I looked at it as a good thing -- I can start to look at food as fuel primarily, secondarily as a pleasure in my life. The previous pattern of course is that food was one of the main pleasures.

How long has this been happening for you?

Welcome Mamadancer! As others have said, you're the person on the program. You get to choose what you'll do. There's lots of experience here on the forum both on sticking with the plan during challenges and on going off plan and returning. Good luck!

Yes, of course! Thanks for your kind words on the updated photo! I thought 40 lbs was amazing, and now to look at 55, I can hardly believe it! What will it be in another 100 lbs?!! Exciting to wait and see!