Well Christmas is in the rear view mirror now...made it thru perfectly fine. Everyone got a care package to take home and all but a few cookies are still hanging around as my SIL and BIL are in from California tomorrow for 1 day only so we are spending the day with them and I needed a few desserts for them....they don't bother me anyway so no biggie.

Amazing how great it feels to be in control for the holiday....

Today I go buy my Christmas gift....a new bedroom set from DH! Yeah me.. I have wanted a more modern one for some time now and DH finally caved and that's my present.... Also a gift card for old navy from my son with a note to buy some clothes that fit lol....

I can't believe how great I feel knowing I made it thru the holiday without a taste of my favorite things....even my extended family are impresses with my willpower of being able to do all the cooking and baking and not having a bite...

Only one more occasion to go....New Years Eve...we do a neighborhood party. That's easy for me to walk around with water all night....its apps and desserts so I will bring a bar and I am good to go...

I haven't been on here for a couple of days, busy with the holiday!! I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas!!! It was nice to focus on family and not food!! My family was amazed that I cooked and served all of the delicious food and didn't take one bite! I was too busy to even be tempted!!! I stayed OP! What a great feeling.

I'm sad that Christmas is over. It's my favorite time of year. DH is off today and I am at work. Alone. sigh.

Way to go, Sue! I commend and admire you! I have made it thru the food challenges of these holidays mostly by avoiding my usual cooking/baking. Not sure I could refrain from licking fingers like you have.

Oh Kellyc14 -- so glad that your family was supportive, and I'm sorry you are feeling sad, and it's really too bad you had to go back to work right away -- hopefully you can focus on some fun times this weekend!! You are doing so well with your IP program - you have MUCH to look forward to!!!

Like Sue, I am glad to have the Christmas part of the holidays behind me - I was struggling to get all the gift stuff together and having it all wrapped and tagged and ready to go at it's prescribed time. I finally got it done, but it was a very late night the day before Xmas Eve and Xmas Eve too -- I am worn out.

I have a fun New Year's Eve planned - super dance party - another opportunity to dress up -- I am excited to have that whole experience to look forward to. Life is certainly feeling good right now!

Last year I have a clear memory of feeling so gross the day after Christmas...bloated, my face all puffy, sluggish...it was awful. I started that day and went a solid 3 months of low carb-pretty clean eating...but by Sept. I had gotten up to my high weight. That's when I gave IP a try...and 4 months and 47 pounds later, I'm still going strong.

It's so great to crave roasted veggies instead of pizza & cookies.

It's so nice to feel on top of things and in control this year!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was great, full of family and friends and an abundance of foods and alcohol that I am happy to say I avoided with ease.

Wishing everyone the best in the New Year.

Last night I was finally hitting a wall after so many temptations that I successfully avoided all day and guess what I cheated on?! Roasted cauliflower mash and radishes. As I was sat there and thought about the cheat I had to laugh that I would EVER consider some plain veggies as a cheat. And it did the trick. So, here's to eating an extra cup of veggies and feeling like I was being decadent!

Happy Boxing Day everyone!

Such creativity with healthy foods & habits & attitudes!!

Hello everyone,

Three weeks today since I've been on IP and I'm down 8 pounds. My initial reaction was disappointment, seeing so many folks with drastic results, wondering if I'm not doing it right. Then I tell myself that it's still 8 pounds, and an average of 2.5 a week is not too shabby.

But still... anyone else out there who is struggling with managing their expectations?

Thanks,
Lynette

Yes, that was me last year when I did IP for the first time. I didn't have the big "whoosh" on the first week and averaged 2 to 3lbs a week. But...a few months in, I realized when I was telling myself I was "only" losing Xlbs per week, I was doing myself a big injustice. Find something in your house that weighs 2 to 3 lbs. Hold that in your hand every time you think of what you're losing and remember - that is leaving your body EVERY WEEK. You are doing amazing, don't forget that!!!

Happy Boxing Day everyone! We made it through Christmas and now on to a new year and a lot less of ourselves

I enjoyed Christmas, it was pretty drama-free and for my family, that was amazing. I am still sick though, didn't really get to enjoy the wonderful roast beef dinner my sister and niece prepared but it was nice being with family.

Speaking of being sick - does anyone else struggle to eat when they're sick? I'm staying OP when am eating but I just haven't been able to get everything in the past few days. I just now made myself a veggie egg scramble - added a few more egg whites and veggies to make up for not eating breakfast. I made myself some bone broth soup the other night and that was good but today, I can't even imagine eating a whole bowl. Oh well, hopefully I'll feel better soon - it's my son's 13th birthday tomorrow and the start of a hockey tournament for him so I better, lol!

Jo

Unfortunately, many begin IP with unrealistic expectations, often set by their coaches. The list of factors that contribute to how quickly you are able to lose is about a mile long - age, starting weight, metabolism, hormones, stress level, sleep...on and on. The truth of IP is that the AVERAGE weight loss on this diet is between 2-4lbs per week - that is when you take a person's weight loss from start to finish, and average it out over how many weeks they were on the diet. It is NOT a week-by-week expectation. Sadly, many coaches do not "pitch" it this way.

You are doing FANTASTICALLY - if you stay at the average rate you've experienced thus far, you will be losing between 8-10lbs per month. Where else can you see those kinds of results? Remember that weight loss is NOT linear - you won't see the same numbers week after week....some weeks may see big losses, some may see low or no losses on the scale (but a drop in inches!) - the BEST thing you can do is take a deep breath, watch the trends....and next time you are in a supermarket pick up a box of butter...that's 1lb of fat that will help you visualize the weight you have said goodbye to!

Try not to compare yourself to anyone else on this journey. Not because it will discourage you, but because you are unique. Your weight may be lower than their starting weight, you may be more/less carb sensitive, eating less salad, drinking less water, having a little more sodium - your biology triggers how much your body will let go of, not just what you put into it.

8lbs in 3 weeks is still great. You could be 8lbs up over this Christmas period instead so it's a major achievement to be focused on losing weight when everyone around you is eating and drinking.

Keep up the good work, and those extra lbs will be gone in no time!

---

I was seriously worried when I saw the Christmas feast my brother-in-law and his wife had prepared yesterday. Only IP compliant food was the beef tenderloin (cooked to perfection). Beautiful cedar smoked goose that I just couldn't resist seconds of, but I managed to restrain myself with all the carb heavy foods (and there were lots) by having a single tablespoon full of each to be polite to the cooks.

I too have lost at a rate of 2.5 lbs per week (average). But, I have been at that average for 5 months now, so I am down more than 65 lbs! There were times in the beginning when I wished it was happening faster - especially when others were posting huge losses. One thing that helped: I made a chart in excel that showed a loss of 2 1/2 lbs per week into the future. Then I could look at where I might be by a family wedding, or Thanksgiving, or New Year's. My "actual" line wiggles a litle around the "predicted" line, but it has been pretty darn close over time. I am right where I hoped I'd be as 2014 ends, and now extending the chart into 2015.

Hi all - Got through Christmas OP. I've been hungry lately. Really wanting to just crazy indulge in sweets. Willpower muscle being exercised, but getting tired.

Made it through Christmas! Moving on.......

ladelineb, I've been doing this since Dec. 1, and my weight loss has been similar to yours. Was disappointed, too, since I've read of so many people and dramatic weight loss right off the bat. I'm down 11.5 pounds since Dec. 1. Just keeping at it. It's better than gaining.

I've noticed some of my tops are too big, but no such luck with my bottom half. Will be measured Tuesday for the first time since starting IP. Looking forward to the numbers.

Feeling hungry today but not giving in.

Waiting a little longer before I set up a ticker.