Hi everybody......I am still here, but have been limiting my time on the computer. I find I can get on, and stay on for hours (buying material...buying clothes....looking up info for my trip, etc.). The last 2 mornings, I would not let myself come on and EVEN look at my emails, etc...it is now 1am....and I should be in bed....but I wanted to write to say HI.

Basically, I have been sewing and trying to clean too (should be working on my taxes). I leave for Cleveland around March 20th, and then leave for St. John USVI on March 26th. Talked to my son today....(I always stay with him when I go down)....and am thinking that with all the "drama" going on at his house, I might be better off staying at my sisterinlaws. If that is the case, I could go down a little later, cuz she works everyday. We THINK my son has a job....finally. We will know tomorrow, I think.

Bad thing is that I just haven't been able to concentrate on IP at all.....I must have a mindblock when I get within 3# of my goal (happened in December, too). I just haven't had time to make up the puddings, etc., so I keep grabbing sugarfree Klondike bars. They are fast...cool and creamy....and way too many carbs. I do eat an IP breakfast and dinner...but it is all the stuff that I eat otherwise. I had even made up a plan of things I should do everyday (work on taxes, exercise,clean...). Thing is...I just don't have the energy so the plan doesn't seem to be working well....lol.

Well, I see some of you are struggling like i am......I did order Lindora's products, but they just don't fill me up like IP....and yet, the cost of IP is just too much for me right now. IF I had done things RIGHT, I would have been on maintenance already.....and not having to spend the extra monies anywhere (ie, lindora, newlifestyle, netrition, etc.).

Mirazon....you inspire me. Lilita...are you feeling any better? How long have you been off work??? MePeterson -- I have had strep twice....it is awful. All I wanted to do was sleep. Toomanycats - I did glance thru the new Atkins book on Tuesday, altho did not buy it. One big change I saw was not using whipped cream or cream cheese anymore...The recipes are more strict...yet, it seems like there is more fruit allowed now. Swilk....I hear ya as far as being upset with your clinic. I have been so lucky there....even tho I am not following IP exactly, they still want me to come in and weigh in....(and lose these last 3#!!). StaceRP -- boy, you are right when you say IP is a parttime job. I think from September until December 20th, all I thought about was IP...did I eat the right amount? Did I drink enough water??? Apparently, I am totally "blonde" -- and can't seem to focus on many things at once...so right now, IP has taken a backseat to the things I must accomplish here before i leave.

Heck, I think I have only driven my car for any distance 4 times since I got it.....and still don't know how to work half the stuff that is in it. It does have Sirrius radio for 6 months....and I sure do like that. I can listen to Elvis 24 hours a day....or my 60's music, or gospel. I still can't figure out how to answer my stupid bluetooth, tho.

Well, I did want to check in.....and let you all know I am still alive. I am getting excited about my vacation.....3 weeks! Of course, I am nervous cuz I have never done anything like this by myself....but am hoping that by taking "babysteps" for my vacation, that I might try the Czech Republic next year OR go spend a month in Florida or South Carolina (altho -- geez, the east coat has had worse snow than we have in Upper Michigan. The news says we are down at least 30" -- and some places in Michigan are down 100" of snow. This is unheard of here.

Going to bed now.....I do think of you all, even if I haven't been online....

Swilk - i feel for you - when we pay a consultation fee and pay for IP products (which have a 100% markup), we expect a certain level of service and it's frustrating and disappointing when it's not forthcoming. Use us here - between all of us we've been at this for quite a while and have likely come across every situation and experienced all the range of emotion that goes along with this diet. Ask, vent, experiment - don't hold back.

Torchlaker - i'm so jealous about your holiday and have my fingers crossed that things will work out for your son. I hear you about the mindblock - i'm like you, 3 lbs from my goal, and i seem to be slacking. it's my mind playing tricks on me (again) - i'm starting to "sneak" a couple of chips, eat a little extra and i'm starting to get into the "well i'll be done right away so i can eat what i want" mindset. I just can't start down that path again or i'll look like i did before too.

I would agree with others here too - this diet seems like a full time job - and maybe that's the mindset we need to keep as we progress. our food choices and decisions need to be considered all the time. no more eating mindlessley and with no thought to our health (and weight). No more walking past the food and just reaching out and eating one more bite - always thinking, always considering - is that one more bite worth gaining back the weight. I don't know - it exhausts me to think i'm going to have to do this forever - but i do know that's the reality.

NEED HELP!!!
Ok so i am struggling with what to do. I love being on IP and would prob be a lot further along if I did not have some cheats here and there but here is my problem. I am leaving for Vegas in May for 12 days and then to Hawaii in June for a week. I don't want to be on IP while in Vegas becuase it will just be a waste of money. Going to play pool so drinking and good food involved. I am just not sure what to do. I am not at my goal weight and don't want to quit but I know I won't follow the diet while I am gone. What would you do?

I would go off IP but eat sensibly - don't go crazy. There are some strategies that others have suggested previously. Have your protein first, this way you are somewhat full and don't go wild on stuff that's not good for you. Taste things before digging in - after you have a taste, you may find you're satisfied or you may find that the food looks better than it tastes - then decide - is this worth it. Drinks - have red wine or voldka with diet soda. after all this time of not having drinks, it won't take much - sip so as to limit the number of drinks you're having.

If you've made a conscious decision to have that certain food - then have it and enjoy it - let go of the guilt - it's the one thing that won't make you thin anyway - so just don't bother.

Welcome Back Torchlaker. Sorry that so much is going on. My daughter went through a relationship problem last year and she really needed me. I was on a 3-day vacation once with my boyfriend and still talking with her on the phone constantly (he didn't complain which is why he is a "keeper.)

I was so "enmeshed" with her as my therapist would say. But I didn't care, my baby needed me. She finally worked out her problems (she went to a counselor) and I was able to "back off" and let her live her life again. One good thing is that she is more mature now after all that has happened to her. We had a good holiday season with "her guy" still in the picture and I am thankful for that because he is my grandson's Dad.

Melissa: Las Vegas! Yay! I am the one that gained 12 pounds in 2 weeks while on vacation in Texas last January. I have lost about half of it since coming back . Would have been more if I hadn't been sick these past 2 weeks and drinking home-made chicken noodle soup that my daughter made for me, plus won-ton soup and red curry......you get the picture LOL.

As for my vacation, I would do it all the same except that I would drink more water and take psyllium fiber capsules (6 caps. twice a day) and Miralax every 3 days or so because at least 5 pounds of it was "bloat" and constipation. Also, I would have packed some nuts to snack on between meals and to have with my alcohol. I did have my IP packages with me but never opened one! There was too much great food around (home-made Mexican food!)

At the restaurants, always eat several bites of your protein first. "Tasting" foods is a great idea. You will find that a lot of it looks better than it tastes.
Think of yourself as having a discerning palate and only eating food that tastes wonderful. If it tastes wonderful, go for it! At the bars, always order water with lemon along with your drink. One glass of water for every alcoholic drink. And always eat something before you drink alcohol. And focus on having fun with the people you're with, being in the moment.

Mom22 has some great tips. You will not be in control of your environment that is for sure. Do not feel guilty about that! Do the best you can by eating protein rich foods whenever possible and let the rest go. IP will be here when you get back. And you can do "strict IP" before you go to Hawaii.

Hope this helps! And you still have all of April (and warmer weather) to help you get to your goal! You're almost there!

I have 10 more pounds to go and it feels like a mountain I have to climb! I went through my diet journal and was re-inspired because I have come so far since I started IP.

Well, today is my first day back to work after 3 weeks off. I am looking forward to being in a routine again. IP is easier for me when I work.

Have a great week-end everyone!

Thanks ladies for the advice. I meet with my coach on Monday so will talk to her about it. I am prob going to stay on ip at least until I leave for Vegas (give a little more time to loose a few lbs.) I also may continue to have the shakes for breakfast (i have the chocholate pudding shake) becuase I struggle eating in the morning and that has worked really well for me. Usually when we are there we bring our own food for breakfast, lunch and the go out for a nice dinner. I guess I am really struggling becuase I miss food. I want to go out to eat and have a baked potato, or go to subway and have a sanwich. I know I will do these things in Vegas but I guess just try to keep the damage small. some of you who are on the alternative plan will you please give me an example of what a whole day of food looks like for you?

why does no ones weight tracker at the bottom work? is it just me?

Torchlaker, did you ever get the rueben pizza? Oh, why did I think of that...my mouth is watering.....

Yes, the weather is getting weirder everywhere. Here in southern California I don't think we have gone a single week wihout major rain since....I don't know when. Maybe Christmas. But I'm happy because I love the rain and we needed it. All those storms that hit the east coast started here. Here comes another one East Coasters! Sorry.

[standing up in front of group]

"My name is Birman, and I am a recovering pizza addict"

Ugh, I think it's something in the stars that we're all struggling. I just started Phase II this week... I fit into size 8 pants, but just barely, and I am sick of this diet. I haven't even weighed myself since Monday, and I used to hop on the Wii every morning to get more data points. I've been getting really dizzy for the past few weeks, and I think it might have something to do with how I'm eating. So I'm transitioning off, and will try to work out and tone up some more. If I'm not where I want to be by the beginning of summer, IP will still be around. I've dropped enough that as long as I maintain, I'll only have to be on it for about a month, but I just can't do it right now. At least now I know more about how to eat.

you guys notice they took off our tracker bars? WTF?

Will you still come here and tell us how you're doing?

That's so funny - yeah food addict - that's me!

I noticed our weight trackers are missing too - the 3fc ones aren't working but the ticker ones still are. i contacted them and asked but no response yet.

mepeterson - you asked about typical day of food. i'm on phase 2 and typical day:
breakfast - egg creations 3/4 cup of a combination of flavoured and egg white (still supposed to be using IP but these eggs are exactly the same nutritional profile as the IP eggs and much cheaper).
Lunch - leftover meat from supper or can of salmon/tuna or?, lettuce (usually but not always) and 2 cups veggies. sometimes i eat out at lunch - usually the Dairy queen and have their grilled chicken salad with bacon bits (real ones), cheddar cheese - everything but tomatoes (they're not good this time of year anyway) no dressing.
supper - meat (any kind - whatever i'm cooking for the rest of my family), salad, veggies
snack - pudding or other ip product (i've recently been trying the bars but don't find them as filling as the pudding)
down to one ip packet a day and i'm really watching how much calcium is in the ip packet that i eat - if it's high, i skip my calcium supplements. too much calcium was making me constipated - now that i watch how much ca, everything is moving and regular as clock work. I'm really finding the cost reasonable now that i'm only doing one ip a day and not having to restock calcium as often.

I'm like the rest of you though - i've been at this long enough and ready for it to be over...although i'm coming to the realization that it's not really ever going to be over - this is a challenge that i'm going to have to work on forever - like birman says - recovering addict.

i too am sick of this diet - i had thought at one point about lowering my goal weight again and then decided that i'm not going to do that. i'm going to try to get through the phases quickly and just be happy with where i end up - then i'm going to maintain for the summer. if i want to lose some more, i can go back on phase one in the fall.

i was talking with a friend of mine who has lost 67 lbs. she is having the same struggles as the rest of us - ready to be done but having trouble being dedicated enough to get those last few pounds off. funny but we were both talking about how we look now - we know we look better but it's still not good enough. we still want to be thinner - too weird that you can lose a bunch of weight and look at least 100% better than you did before but it's still not good enough. why are we so hard on ourselves?

Thank you everyone for your support. It's nice to have some place to vent and find some common ground.

mepeterson -- I just got back from Vegas, and I agree, there are just too many good restaurants to stay on IP! We tried to eat breakfast and lunch as sensibly as possible, and then "splurged" at dinner. I actually ate the "healthiest" at the buffets (the Paris buffet is the best in my book), because I could eat small amounts to satisfy my cravings. I was able to get some protein in, and then have small samples of things I'd been craving for 2 months, but didn't want to overindulge with (although I definitely went to town on the soft cheeses... I miss cheese!!!). I also drank a mixed drink or wine almost every night I was there. I only gained four pounds over the course of the week, which I lost pretty quickly coming back, and my ketosis-level weight loss finally seems to be kicking in again. Have fun, I would love to go back!


elishatamar -- I feel the same way about the diet; I've been successful on it, and I can always come back to it if I feel that I need to. Psychologically, I'm trying to convince myself that I am not a "failure" for not seeing the diet through to my goal weight, especially in light of the toll that IP seems to be taking on my body. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I'm going to do. Good luck to you!