Hello all!! I've been a little MIA the last few weeks. Still chugging along though. I've had more cheats than I would like, but I keep picking myself back up, haven't given up! I've even continued to lose, albeit at a slower pace. I have officially lost over 40 pounds, which I am very excited about. I now weigh less than I did when I graduated high school, almost 10 years ago! I weighed in at 155.4 at my clinic, but I was hanging out at 157-159 for a couple of weeks. I think my body is having a harder time now that I'm getting closer to goal, so it's wanting to give up less and less. Summer is also hard because all of the delicious, in-season fruit is so hard for me to turn down. We only get really good fruit in Montana in the summer and spring, it's not nearly the same the rest of the year.

Reading everyone's updates is amazing, and so motivating!! You all are doing awesome! Hope everyone has a great Holiday weekend, enjoy yourselves!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to introduce myself - I started IP on June 1 and have been lurking daily ever since. Finally decided to take the plunge and start posting myself because the wisdom, motivation and humor I have found here is what has kept me on track this past few weeks. Thank you all!!!

Thanks y'all for your well-wishes!

Hey, FunkyMonkey! Cute name. Welcome.

There is a wealth of wisdom and guidance here. Great forum, great people. Follow their advice and you will do nothing but lose. <-- lil' weight loss humor.

Hehe, I like your joke

Thank you! That is definitely my plan. I have committed to staying on the "real" IP plan at least through October, which will hopefully get me to my goal. If I need longer, I may try some of the great alternatives I have learned about on these threads.

YAY!! Congratulations! What an amazing accomplishment!!

Your enthusiasm is contagious and you always take the time to be so encouraging to everyone! Thank you!

Thank you for the reminder! I will be in Chicago this weekend for the 4th - need to prepare my veggies and have my products on hand so I know I will be covered and not leave it to chance!

I have to say I have never (with a straight face) used the words "missed it" in regards to exercise!! LOL! Yet I know to successfully keep my weight off once I reach goal, incorporating exercise into my everyday life is going to be imperative! I am having a terrible time getting myself to even START exercising - and by exercising I am not referring to anything drastic - just simply WALKING! As I continue to lose, I start to feel more motivated to add exercise and 'solidify' the losses, but that is kind of a fleeting in-the-moment feeling that I have yet to act on. I just can't seem to get STARTED! Anyone have some advice you could give me? If you weren't an exerciser before, but now are - what got you going?

PS - down another 1.2 this week! Saw 177.8 on the scale, which is infinitely better and more motivating than 178 to me! I know it's weird, but it has been hard for me to accept that I am actually in the 170's now! I keep thinking it must be a fluke! So every little bit of space I can put between me and that 180 mark, the better I feel - and the more I can let myself start believing it!

LegalEagle welcome back! I missed that monkey with the glasses.

Welcome to the new folks….

3 sisters I think the one thing I have learned re: exercise is you have to do something you enjoy 75% of the time. 25% you have to push yourself to start it - there is just a natural lethargy that happens. But find something you enjoy once you push through the initial inertia. Like for me, I have actual fun doing hot yoga, yoga, pilates, walking, swimming, dancing. I HATE group hopping classes like aerobics, and I HATE gyms, I’m not that into group sports. I know weight training is important, so I have had to find ways to do it that do not involved standing and lifting free weights - I have tried over and over for 20 years to do it, and I actually have developed the knowledge, but still hate it. So… I don’t worry about doing that any more. Whatever I can do that moves my body around is worth it. Better than doing nothing I remind myself.

And for me also I have to change it up - I’ve been doing yoga for about 10 or 15 years, but I go through phases where I’ll get really into it, and then not want to do it for a few months, and when that hits I have to just let it happen and not judge myself and figure out what else my body wants to do. I get bored and want to try something else, so why not, as long as it’s movement. Lately I haven’t wanted to do it but for some reason I keep thinking I want to go back to running for a while…. so that might happen soon. But this month all that’s on my mind is swimming…. so July my end up being a swimming month.

JTX - I am so so so happy for you... We have been on this adventure together from the start and I am so happy you are at goal...I am slow and steady with a good mix of stress mixed in right behind you!

Busy day for me yesterday and never did get here. Working today and tomorrow, but should be able to take sunday off to relax and unwind before the week ahead...

JJTx - big ditto from me - fantastic one year results! Like Sue, I am trying to offload the last few lbs and then phase off right behind you!! You have rocked P1 and I am confident you will meet the challenges of maintenance - looking forward to sharing that with you!

Liana - great pix - the dancing chick really cracked me up!!! And that svelte cowgirl for Jen is ooh la la! Thanks for posting those and keep 'em coming!

Sue - I saw that treatment for your DH's Hodgkins is imminent - so glad this has turned out to be a treatable condition, and I commend you for working your way thru the stress without casting your IP program to the wind. You have been hanging in with grace and determination!

3Sisters - Exercise that is fun for you is so much easier than forcing yourself to adopt a habit with something that seems more like work. That said...

Most anyone on 3FC knows that I highly recommend dancing for exercise. Great fun - meet lots of nice people - have an excuse to dress up now and then for semi formal dance parties. Really good exercise to improve balance, strengthen core, and improve brain faculties like memory and focus. Studios are everywhere - Arthur Murray studio and Fred Astaire studio offer good beginner packages, and independent studios do too. Almost all have a guest party or open house where you and other newcomers can give it a try with mini group lessons, and most all have a free introductory private lesson. Groupon and Living Social almost always have a deal if you are in or near a good sized metro area. And you never need a partner - you will dance with instructors and other students - bring a partner if you have someone who is willing, but it's not a show stopper to have no partner of your own. And don't let yourself believe that you have 2 left feet - everyone can learn to dance if they can stand and walk!

I went to my studio's open house on Sunday taking a couple of friends who are just starting out, and enjoyed 2 hrs of social dancing, also had a dance based fitness class (some Salsa, ChaCha, Swing) there that day, had a Quickstep class last nite (new and advanced dance for me) and I go to a beach themed dance party tonight. Oh and I have a new July class in Viennese Waltz on Monday evening! So much fun and I am always learning and improving. AND it is a fabulous stress reliever. I highly recommend it!!

For those of you with HEB stores, check your weekly ad - my store has $1 off all Walden Farms products this week.

3sisters: When you get that 'fleeting feeling' jump up right then and go walk, even if you decide it's just around the block. If it feels good after you do the block, just keep on going until you need to get back. Once you get started, it will help you build up the endorphins (feel good hormones). Then walking will feel like more fun and you will remember for next time you have a fleeting feeling, lol. Once you start you can always move into trying other exercise activities. I must admit that after all these years, (I used to teach fitness classes - which I enjoyed - once I got there) I still have to sort of psych myself up to get out and do some exercise. And it doesn't matter what it is, I don't do stuff I don't enjoy, lol, I'm too old for that. I only do sports/exercise that I like. But even then I have to 'force' myself. The idea is that you don't discuss it with your inner being, you just get up put your shoes on and get out. No time for your treacherous heart to argue with your logical brain. We all know it's good for us, but it does take a bit to overcome inertia.

I love dancing too, oneuh2!! Mainly DH and I dance to Rock, Country (we Two-Step & I Line Dance), and I love House & Progressive Rock (think hours long rave, lol). Well, honestly, I will dance to anything with a beat except Rap (yuk). The longest continuous time I have danced without sitting down was 5 hours of House/Progressive at a club, but that was when I was 46 and before I got my chronic condition. I know I have to take breaks now, although I would still sway & bounce around on my chair, lol.


Liana

Legal - glad you've stuck around and if nothing else, have started learning how maintainence will go

JJTx - congrats again on making goal!!! Amazing accomplishment

One / Liana - love dancing too - but I'm with you Liana - more rock / country / Americana type music - was getting my boogey on at Def Leppard last night

Made my goal of -60 on 7/2! Treated myself last night to an impulse purchase at the concert in a size M!!!!!! A NSV - while hubby was getting a beer a guy tried to hit on me lmao!!!

hysteria

60 is an amazing accomplishment, and great timing that you got to celebrate at the concert! Sounds fun!

I'm sure that you can see the difference in how you look, and for sure hubby too, but there's just something when someone else lets you know you look GOOD - like getting hit on - just puts that big smile on your face

Beth - Yeah!!!

One - Thanks you are great support as always...

Off to work this morning for me....Yeah I know it stinks, but DS is working all day too....