Yay Jig!! I agree with Slipfree that we're going strong at 6 months because every one of us is determined to get healthier and we are supporting each other.

Congrats to Steph on your extra small scrubs and doing well in your first week of maintenance!

Thank you all for your congrats and kind words. I was definitely smiling today when wearing my x-small scrubs. I made sure to tell my coworkers and they were all very happy for me. They are all skinny minnies so I wasn't worried about gloating a bit lol. I'm loving the freedom of maintenance. Can't wait until you all get there too. It was scary at first but I think I'm getting the hang of it. Treats actually feel like treats now instead of out of control binging all day long. I still keep track of everything I eat in MFP and have started to walk more with the dog.

I got stuck with the patient from **** for 2.5 hours today. Really would love a glass of wine but I'm donating blood tomorrow and pretty sure they don't appreciate that sort of thing lol.

Love to you all!

Steph- yay for resisting the wine and for giving blood.

Fun day meeting up with Kawaii. Learned a lot at Phantom fat class. One line, "every pound has it's story." More tomorrow, when I have my notes.

Hope that you had a great OP day

Hey all! I am back from my conference and ready to enjoy a long weekend!! I don't have to travel for over a month now so I'm ready to get busy losing!! Not to mention I will be going to my home town on May long weekend and I haven't seen anyone there since last summer... hoping to shock a few people... jig is right, it never gets old!!

So,this is my progress so far. The before picture is actually 25 pounds lighter than my weight this past June. As of this morning, I am down 80 pounds since June. 67 since starting IP in October. Seeing these pictures side by side has given me even more motivation to get to goal.

Slip: Beautiful!

Thanks IPN! After the phantom fat class, I decided to follow the recommendation and acknowledge my journey in pictures. It is time to shine the light.

Slipfree---You look amazing. Great photos. Thanks for sharing with us

Had my WI yesterday lost 1.2 lbs. I will take it since I cheated a bit while in Boston. I was happy when I came back to DC and stuck to IP.

Going on a 1 week cruise Saturday and I will loosely try to stick to P3-that is what is recommended for me to try by my coach. I am going to still take my multivitamins and I have some bars and chips with me. We will see what happens.

I tried the new triple chocolate wafer--it is very good. It tastes amazing if you put in the freeze

Also I hate the new Omega 3 Fish Oil pills - the dark ones. My coach recommended I put them in the freezer this way the smell goes away and it does.

Steph--Congrats on being in P4. I think that is very exciting for you and something well deserved. It is something we can all inspire to get to!

Slipfree, thanks so much for the photos, not only is the progress awesome to see... I love putting a face to the 'nickname'! Very encouraging to see! Although you are hot in the before photo... You are definitely looking hotter these days!!

Slip,

I'm so stinking happy. I am super privileged to be friends with you in Real Life, not just here online at 3FC. You're beautiful in pictures, and in person. I'm so glad that you had your ah ha moment, and that you're going to let your inner light shine.

Shine on!

Fish oils that smell fishy actually contain rancid oils and are NOT good for us (they increase all the issues fish oil is supposed to decrease, like free radicals and inflammation)

I learned a LOT about fish oils a couple years ago and only buy high-quality oils that have been well tested by IFOS. Some are available in health food stores and others online (that's were I get mine). All carry the IFOS seal. When I started IP, this was a non-negotiable for me.

I realize this. But IP has told me that the new ones (dark in color) smell cause they are made now with krill not because they are rancid. Thanks for the info though.

Steph: Your comment about "treats actually feel like treats now" made me really think. I have had some treats since Oct and that is how they have felt to me too, before Oct that was the norm. I guess that is how skinny people think!

Slip: Every pound does have a story, can't wait to hear more. You look amazing!! So happy for you.

Hiker: I am sure you will shock more then a few people on May long weekend. I have a family wedding in August and I can't wait to shock some people. So fun!

Lucci: Congrats on the loss this week. Have a great time on the cruise, where are you going?

Kawaii: How did you like the Phantom class? Tell us more!! LOL

So DH got home from a week away last night and all we wanted was to sleep in today, well that worked until 7:30 when his work phone rang! Grr! Oh well, time to start cleaning.

A friend of mine posted this this morning on Facebook. It really made me think about something that Slipfree has been saying about her relationship with food. That she doesn't eat for anything except joy. This quote takes it one step farther.

"The very purpose of our life is happiness, which is sustained by hope. We have no guarantee about the future, but we exist in the hope of something better. Hope means keeping going, thinking, ‘I can do this.’ It brings inner strength, self-confidence, the ability to do what you do honestly, truthfully and transparently." - Dalai Lama

Going wedding dress shopping with my niece/goddaughter today. 8 of us are going with her and then out to a fancy place for dinner. Checked the menu ahead of time and thankfully, they have seared tuna. I am 3 ounces away from 169, and I want it bad.