Yep, I'm finally "there."

I'm ready to move through the next phases and onto a new way of approaching carbs/food.

When I first began this journey, losing weight wasn't a singular goal; there was so much more involved (personal, professional, short and long term goals...). I never started with a specific end goal weight. I just wanted to fit back into my old clothes from a few years ago. It was a weight/size I was comfortable with. Once I reached this goal, I knew I wanted more. That I deserved to be more than "just comfortable.". I wanted to look and feel great. The Hard thing with unknowns is knowing when you're "there." How do you know something when you've never experienced it?

For me personally, this isn't about a specific size or number (though I'll happily admit I love seeing the size zero and extra small on my clothing tags). It's
about a feeling. I haven't weighed myself in awhile which has taken away this ridiculously arbitrary number to define me and that particular moment. Which is not what I want long term. Right now, I don't plan on weighing myself until I complete phase 3. I'm aware of potentially/probably gaining 3-5 pounds of the normal gain back weight and I'm okay with this. I recognize and trust my body to do what it needs to do. Eventually I'll weigh myself so I'll have a baseline number to use in conjunction with how my clothes fit, but right now I don't need a "number." (side note; even though I haven't stepped on the
scale, I know I've still been losing because my clothes are a little bit looser).

What does "there" feel like? It's hard to put into words, but simply put: it's
the most calming feeling of just being.

Participating in this board has been an incredibly insightful tool. Reading about others triumps and trials has been motivating and enlightening. It doesn't matter if you're a seasoned IP'r or a newbie, I can sincerely and honestly say i've learned from and appreciated all of your posts.

I'm there! Yeah me.

Congratulations makeitmatter! I'm proud of you for not just your weight-loss, (although that is fantastic!!), but for the happiness you have found within yourself. Your post sounds like you are very content to just be you and I'll admit I'm a little envious at the moment but what motivation to me to get there! again-

Congrats!

Yay!!! Congrats!! I'm looking at it the same way as you... I don't care what the final numbers are, I just want to stop where it feels right. My original goal was 160 because that was the lowest I ever remembered being. But like you said, I don't just want to be comfortable!

Congrats again!!

I'm so happy for you. You've shared so much over the months, but I guess this is the epitome. So there is a there there.

Congratulations!

Congratulations!! Keep up the good work.

Congrats, MIM!

I know what you mean -- I have changed my goal to ten pounds lighter than originally. When I get to that goal, I'll reevaluate. I just know that I'm not "there" yet.

This is such thrilling news, & I am sooooooooo very proud of you!.. (& maybe a little envious!).. I love it that you are so at peace with where you are, in such a wonderful place... like you, to me "there" will not be a specific number... since starting the IP protocol, I've never thought of a weight or size I just had to be, but when I got there, I'd know it... right now, I don't feel like I'm very close yet, so I'm still gonna be depending on your great advice & motivating & encouraging words to help get me there...

Congratulations, my friend!..

hugs

What a great accomplishment. I am so proud of you and most of all I am proud of the peace you have found within you. That is the ultimate goal for me and I try to live life that way. Keep being that wonderful, inspiring, and motivating woman. You have come far in your journey.

That's great! Let us know how it goes!

Yay!

I know what you are talking about. I originally wanted to just weigh "under 200 pounds", and figured I'd be a size 16-18. When I got there, I thought 180-190. When I got there, 170. Now? I'm looking at 160. At my height, I hit the top of my "Healthy" range at 169, and I want to be well within it. I'm even considering trying for 156, because that would put me at exactly 50% lost from my high weight (and is what I weighed when I got married 23 years ago), but that might be *too* low, now, as I have a bit of redundant skin. If that weight is cancelled off, it probably takes at least 5 pounds, maybe as much as 8? I don't know.

I already have a spouse who is becoming less supportive, because he thinks I'm getting "too thin". But my coach agrees that 160 is totally doable, and his wife told me of other people having difficulty with the change in me; that if someone just saw me, they wouldn't think I was too thin, that it just seems that way to people who knew me as a very big woman for the entire time they knew me.

When I hit the other Phases, I know I'll get on the scale, because I'm so afraid of gaining weight back. I saw what just 2 bad days did, and if anything starts happening, I want to nip it in the bud. If I didn't weigh, I'd be sure that it was inching up, and be a wreck.

I do admire your ability to step back, pick a comfortable place, and not be ruled by the scale. I'd like to do the same... but I don't know if I can.

First -- to makeitmatter! What a journey -- enjoy the destination!

Second -- sgorny have you checked out the supplementary information PDFs for phases 3 and 4 in the phases thread? IIRC there is a recommendation to allow yourself a manageable range 3-4 lbs. When you get to the top of that and stay there for a couple of days, or heaven forbid go past it, that's when you reactivate your Phase 1 or Phase 2 plan for a week or so.

Third -- sgorny I completely agree with your coach's wife. People are used to seeing you a particular way and your weight loss is requiring them to adjust their brain connections! I had someone -- someone who lives in my building ?! -- suggest that I should stop with the weight loss yesterday. I just laughed and said, "Well you don't see me naked. Being tall, I can spread the extra pounds over a greater surface area."

If you and I had started at our current weights and wanted to drop 10 or 20 pounds, nobody would bat an eyelash.

Congratulations on your weight loss and your attitude. I spent most of my life thin and also am having a hard time deciding what weight I want to be now. I look fine where I am to most people ( a size 10) but I know I have very small bones and plenty of fat left so I plan to keep losing until I feel comfortable and that will probably be at a weight considerably more than the 123 lbs I weighed for most of my life. I feel like I have more muscle mass now and I might actually look really gaunt and older at too low a weight. Right now I look healthy and if I lose another twenty or so pounds I think I can still maintain that.
Each person has to make up their own mind about what looks and feels good on them. Age plays a role too, as does bone structure and muscle mass.

Makeitmatter--Congrats! You have arrived at what sounds like a wonderful place. I think I'm a bit envious too, but also so gratified to hear that you have peace about your body. What a great goal!