Ideal Protein-- weight loss stalled. - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Snozzeberries · 10-18-2014, 12:13 PM

Ideal Protein

I am on week 7 of phase 1 ideal protein. I have lost 30 pounds. However I lost most of it in the 1st 4 weeks and have been stuck at the same weight (keep going up and down the same 3 pounds for the last 3 weeks). The only thing I have changed is that I have begun eating the vegetarian "meats" from the list my counselor gave me of approved veggie options. I asked her if it would slow down my progress and she said that it shouldn't... But I feel like it is. (I was just seriously sick of meat since I'm not a huge meat eater normally, although I'm not technically a vegetarian).

Anyone else out there experience this?! I do eat eggs sometimes too, and I think that coupled with the carbs in the veggie burgers that meat just doesnt have might be part of the problem. Perhaps if I eat 2 eggs I should forgo an IP food? (I eat the eggs to supplement the protein since 2 boca burgers are only 5 ounces of protein as well as lower in grams of protein).

I hate to go back to meat, but I will if it helps lose the weight faster. I am still 30 pounds from my half way mark to my goal-- and sticking to this diet is getting harder and harder.

Briael · 10-18-2014, 02:17 PM

Hey Snozzeberries!

Are you taking an enzyme supplement at all? With the higher ratio of protein your body may be struggling to process it effectively.

Hubby and I have also found it hard to eat 8oz protein in one sitting - pre-IP we had mainly veggies with 4-5oz meat so it took a while before our stomachs (and digestion) got used to more in one sitting.

We normally use a couple of eggs (or whites, or both) in the IP packet recipes (we like to make bread rolls out of the potato puree and muffins out of the vanilla or wildberry yoghurt packs) to supplement the slightly lower amounts of protein, but we also take probiotics, antioxidants and digestive enzymes to help stop constipation.

One major thing that we've both noticed is that the more water we drink, the better the loss.

Don't give up ... weight loss isn't an exact science, as every body is different. If you stay on plan you WILL lose eventually. From looking at the WI numbers under posts, I see that many people have slow periods and then they'll have a big whoosh 2 weeks down the line. It seems fairly normal and understandable. When you lose weight suddenly the body has to make adjustments.

We're all in this together, I know you can do it!

Snozzeberries · 10-18-2014, 03:00 PM

Thanks so much Amanda. I noticed you started IP 2 days before me! Also, I am just taking the vitamins the program makes you purchase. I have been feeling extremely tired the last few weeks as well, almost like im fighting off a bug or something -- but obviously since I never come down with anything thats not the explanation. I think maybe I should check into so probiotics or something. I have a feeling you are right.

Also. Very interested to know how you make muffins and bread!

Hawaii69 · 10-18-2014, 03:04 PM

Another suggestion is to eat the 8oz of meat separately. I eat 4oz at lunch and 4oz for supper. That is much easier for me as I don't like to eat a lot of meat all at once. Congrats on your loss so far! You are doing great!

Briael · 10-18-2014, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snozzeberries

Thanks so much Amanda. I noticed you started IP 2 days before me! Also, I am just taking the vitamins the program makes you purchase. I have been feeling extremely tired the last few weeks as well, almost like im fighting off a bug or something -- but obviously since I never come down with anything thats not the explanation. I think maybe I should check into so probiotics or something. I have a feeling you are right.

Also. Very interested to know how you make muffins and bread!

You need to check out some of the awesome recipes here on 3FC. Recipe Links.

The other place I look is Pinterest. Just type Ideal protein in the search box and away you go. As a general rule, I just add a whole egg or 2 egg whites and a 1/4 tsp baking powder for anything that I want a bread or cake-like mixture for. Add the water in small amounts at a time and, if you bake a lot you will see the consistency start to become what you normally expect. I am not 100% compliant (I don't deviate much but I do like some of the non-approved spices) so I add thyme and some grill spices to my "bread" rolls.

I'm not sure how enthused I would be about staying on IP if I hadn't found 3FC-IP and all the wonderful recipes that those before us have made. I know that I can stick it out til I have reached goal weight and can maintain from there with all the innovative ideas that our fellow IPers have come up with for the less desirable packets.

I loathed the lemon tea one, but when you bake it into a muffin with a lot of ginger and some all spice it becomes tolerable.

Snozzeberries · 10-18-2014, 11:23 PM

Very interesting! Thanks so much for your help! I am going to have to try some of the recipes you suggest, and of course the recipe link and Pinterest!

lisa32989 · 10-19-2014, 08:18 AM

It certainly could be the veggie "meat"

Most are made with soy. You'd need to watch carb content of those extremely carefully. Remember, real meat doesn't add carbs. I find the more highly processed my foods, the less I lose.

Snozzeberries · 10-19-2014, 02:16 PM

Thanks so much you all! I am back on real meat today. I'm going to do as Hawaii suggested and break it up. I really want to be down 40 pounds by the end of October so, I just need to suck it up and get over the meat issue. Maybe make the veggie burgers for the especially crazy evenings when I get home late and dont feel like cooking.

The only problem is, I am a very busy mom, with 15 college credits, and hour daily commute, a part time job and 2 teenaged sons at home. (And my hubs is an OTR driver who is gone all week). But. I have to stop making excuses; so I will just have to get up a bit early to cook breakfast. (I know I should be prepping my meals on the weekends but my good intentions to do so always seem to fall by the wayside when some other project comes up. Right now its midterms. And catching up from a crazy week last week. Thanks again ladies!

scorbett1103 · 10-20-2014, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snozzeberries

Thanks so much you all! I am back on real meat today. I'm going to do as Hawaii suggested and break it up. I really want to be down 40 pounds by the end of October so, I just need to suck it up and get over the meat issue. Maybe make the veggie burgers for the especially crazy evenings when I get home late and dont feel like cooking.

The only problem is, I am a very busy mom, with 15 college credits, and hour daily commute, a part time job and 2 teenaged sons at home. (And my hubs is an OTR driver who is gone all week). But. I have to stop making excuses; so I will just have to get up a bit early to cook breakfast. (I know I should be prepping my meals on the weekends but my good intentions to do so always seem to fall by the wayside when some other project comes up. Right now its midterms. And catching up from a crazy week last week. Thanks again ladies!

I feel your pain. I have 2 kids (age 7 and 5), I work full time, I'm a full time student and a den mom for my older boy's Cub scouts. My husband works nights and I work days, so when I'm home I'm usually on my own. It can be done!!!

The key is prep. I cook up 2 lbs of chicken breasts at the beginning of the week and keep them in the fridge - easy to reheat when I can have a sit down dinner, and easy to dice and eat cold when I have supper on the go. I slice up a bunch of cucumbers and bell peppers for fast veggies. And I make a 4-serving batch of IP friendly veggie soup and freeze in individual portions so I can toss one in my lunch bag for work - soup + a packet = perfect lunch! The cooking/prep takes me all of an hour. I have 2 cans of tuna (either on a salad, or made into tuna patties) at least once a week as a meal. And I set up ALL of my packets for the week ahead of time.

Once you get into a routine of committing the hour or so to prepare for the week, it makes ALL the difference in a busy schedule! Meal planning has always been a budgeting tool for me so it's a great habit to get into for post-IP life too!

Snozzeberries · 10-20-2014, 08:11 PM

I will make it my goal to do so next weekend. Thanks for the tips!

I just weighed in today and lost 4 pounds. (I didnt stop eating the veggie burgers until thursday, and literally dropped like 3 pounds the next day).

Compared to last weeks 0.4 pounds I will take it!

ChipnDip · 10-20-2014, 09:52 PM

Some people are sensitive to the hydrolized (sp?) soy protein in the fake "meat". I have been told not to eat it. I could have caused water retention for you.

Snozzeberries · 11-02-2014, 09:03 PM

My weight loss has stalled out again this week. I dont get it, I have been 100% compliant. The only things that are different is that I have been having 1 IP restricted mint protein bar a day-- and I have been drinking more coffee than usual (its an old habit i seem to turn to when I'm feeling stressed and exhausted). Coffee does make me retain water (no its not a diuretic for me, although I do make sure I up my water intake when i do have coffee). I have had a cup almost every day this week. But I dont feel bloated.

Next week I'm going to try to not eat restricted and no coffee-- and see if that helps, but is it that weird that I could be that sensative to restricted items?

Hawaii69 · 11-02-2014, 09:32 PM

Hey there;

Wow, it looks to me that you have done well! Am I right seeing that you lost 35lbs in a couple months!Good for you! I had some better weeks than others. Some weeks I would 'whoosh' and others I'd stay the same or go down a few ounces but I was losing inches every week. If you are dealing with stress and exhaustion, that can affect your losses too. I think that you have done excellent so far. As far as being sensitive to restricted items, everyone is different. All I know is that I always had my restricted and it never affected my losses. And they allow us to have it on the plan so it shouldn't affect our loss. I would keep drinking all your water, taking all your vitamins, get your oil in and stick to the plan. I did it 100% and the lbs came off. You are doing great. I hope this helps!

scorbett1103 · 11-02-2014, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snozzeberries

My weight loss has stalled out again this week. I dont get it, I have been 100% compliant. The only things that are different is that I have been having 1 IP restricted mint protein bar a day-- and I have been drinking more coffee than usual (its an old habit i seem to turn to when I'm feeling stressed and exhausted). Coffee does make me retain water (no its not a diuretic for me, although I do make sure I up my water intake when i do have coffee). I have had a cup almost every day this week. But I dont feel bloated.

Next week I'm going to try to not eat restricted and no coffee-- and see if that helps, but is it that weird that I could be that sensative to restricted items?

It's probably more likely the coffee than the restricted. Coffee makes you retain water BECAUSE it's a diuretic. When your body is dehydrated, it holds on to whatever hydration it gets. Drinking extra water is the remedy for water retention, letting your body know it's not going to be water deprived. You may not be upping your water intake enough.

You may also want to look at the sweetener in the bar that you've been having. It's pretty unusual to be so carb sensitive that a restricted will cause a stall - but it IS possible that you are sensitive to the sweetener used in certain products. Check the ingredients, and see if there's something that isn't used in the other products you typically have. That might be the source of your sensitivity.

Snozzeberries · 11-02-2014, 09:40 PM

I am very happy with my loss so far. The past 4 weeks have been weird tho where i lose 4-5 pounds one week and nothing the next. My coach says that if you dont lose weight, its likely a food problem, so I guess I over analyze everything I'm doing on those weeks. It could be because of the exhaustion too. Lack of sleep definitely affects me everytime. Thanks for your feedback!

Admittedly, I am excited and sometimes impatient. I want to be gone with this fat and never go back! Nothing has worked me me before like this, so when it became a matter of "when" rather than "if" i became so excited that i sometimes have to step back and check myself a little. Lol