[sallycl]

Originally Posted by ghardeway

Your very welcome. i hope they help.Inches galore- but the scale is slowly moving. I sent you a very informative document on the IP protocol.

Yes I got it. Very informative. I think I will try it on my own for a while to see how i do.

[ljwc]

Down 41 lbs (with a goal of 69) and it's been a struggle. Losing at about half the projected rate - so no magic. Just sticking with it. My "contract" will expire before I lose it all, which translates to buying extra weeks with the center if I want to take advantage of their maintenance offer. I can't afford that, but since it's been working so far will just keep plugging along on my own for the remaining 28. I HAVE enjoyed the accountability factor. Not surprised that I'm not hitting the 3 lbs weekly advertised - didn't really expect that. Know enough about nutrition to know there is no magic cure.

I'm not complaining - just being realistic.

BUT, this whole process has brought my blood pressure down and I already look much better. Still miss my wine. Know that there are people out there who get into something akin to an anorexic mindset when they're dieting - don't see that in my future. 4 dry months has been good for one of my best friends - my liver!

If we really believed in magic diets, this would be so much easier. However, most of us know how we got fat and always knew what to do!

I like QWC's plan because it is easy to follow, uses real food, no point counting or any of that business. Supplemental bars and beverages, while a part of the program, can be found online if not in stores, so that really isn't an issue.

Anyway, got to get a second wind here and finish that 28. Not getting my new swimsuit til then and it's time!

[ljwc]

Originally Posted by robbinOloxly

I am done with my first week and I am so incredibly sleepy. I have 2 kids, one with me all day and I take care of my 90 yr old grandma during the day and I work 5p-9p at night... plus i usually work out during the day, jogging or something cardio based... I can barely keep my eyes open at work!!!

My lady at the center said it would be couple weeks before I get some energy! blech! i am dying over here!!

this happen to anyone here??

I go through tired phases - and I don't have children to wrangle! The boost drinks are supposed to help with that. I suspect that you're already "boosting". Maybe you should try reversing your meal order - doing your largest meal in the morning for extra energy and your smallest "breakfast" meal at dinnertime? That might give you more energy to face the day. Just a thought.

[ljwc]

Originally Posted by roho42

interesting because i was on the program for about 6 months the last time and never officially did a 7 day break. do you have the details? is it "eat what you want" for 7 days or just less strict?

I think I was doing something similar because about every week or two I would have a "cheat" day which seemed to keep me from plateauing but it wasn't part of the program

Okay, is the 7-day break the same as the 3-day break? I think a couple of people have been curious about what each day consists of - and sure would be nice to know. Thanks. BTW - my center hasn't mentioned a 7 day plan to me OR cheat days!

Can you give specifics or confirm if it is something like this: breakfast - 2 eggs; lunch 8 oz. chicken w/ 2-3 cups lettuce; dinner - 5 1/2 oz beef w/ lettuce and 1/2 cucumber. 1 orange (1/2 morning, 1/2 afternoon) 64 or more oz water. 2 supplements (1 bar; 1 beverage) 6 oz. skim milk. Can use fat-free salad dressing sparingly (<32 calories) 1 T lite butter

[roho42]

Originally Posted by ljwc

Okay, is the 7-day break the same as the 3-day break? I think a couple of people have been curious about what each day consists of - and sure would be nice to know. Thanks. BTW - my center hasn't mentioned a 7 day plan to me OR cheat days!

I should say you wouldn't have been told about cheat days because they aren't on the plan. I just found that about once every 2 weeks i would have a bad day, would gain a pound or two, do the water flush and still lose 3-5 pounds a week. i think what i called a cheat day simply helped me deal with built up cravings and probably stopped any plateaus

as for the specifics of the 7 day break, that was not part of the program in south florida...

[erinh52098]

I bought some EAS CarbAdvantage today & some bars to try out. I like the Zone bars, but they are a bit disproportionate in cal/fat/carbs/protein.

I have been mostly following the plan & exercising, consistently for the past 2 weeks and am losing, slowly but surely. Each mess up I have I eat really clean (1 protein & vegetables/fruit) for the next 3 meals. I need the structure and the QWLC plan does that for me.

Today they served chocolate sundaes at work and I ate one; sure enough my stomach hurt after eating that. I am noticing changes in food preferences and tolerances.

[i will lose weight]

I was bad Sunday and ate pizza and a cupcake. I wasn't out of control, just was a crazy day and made bad choices I think because I knew I wan't going to show a loss due to my cycle. Needles to say I was up today at WI today. Put me on the water flush. Hope to be back down soon.

[roho42]

Originally Posted by i will lose weight

I was bad Sunday and ate pizza and a cupcake. I wasn't out of control, just was a crazy day and made bad choices I think because I knew I wan't going to show a loss due to my cycle. Needles to say I was up today at WI today. Put me on the water flush. Hope to be back down soon.

No worries...it happens to all of us. I've had a bad day the last 3 years now...still trying to get started again. I think actually leveraging the center was crucial last time because the face to face accountability kept me motivated in the beginning and then the weightloss kept me motivated after that.

[i will lose weight]

Thanks for the encouragement Roho! I lost what I gained and down some too! Last day of the Omit/Water Flush today. Really very doable. I am 1lb away from my mini goal that I made for the past Monday (hopefully will hit it on Friday) and I have set a new mini goal for July 8th of 45lb total loss. I have had a sick kid at home for the past 3 weeks and now I have tonsillitis. Both kids' birthday parties were this past weekend so I should not have too much extra temptation. Hopefully now that school is over, everyone will stay healthy and I can focus on taking care of me too and take time to prepare for the diet. Hope everyone has a successful rest of the week!

[i will lose weight]

just wanted to see if I did the tracker right

[ljwc]

Originally Posted by i will lose weight

just wanted to see if I did the tracker right

I haven't figured out to do the tracker yet so kudos to you - and kudos for that 32!

[ljwc]

Okay, as of this morning (on my scale, which isn't "official" but usually accurate) down to 175. So, I'm cautiously pleased. Yesterday was rainy and I was hungry all day long!!! Inside activities - even the ones that needed doing and would have been easy enough to do- just didn't spark. Made it through the day without being bad - tough one for me.

[i will lose weight]

Originally Posted by ljwc

Okay, as of this morning (on my scale, which isn't "official" but usually accurate) down to 175. So, I'm cautiously pleased. Yesterday was rainy and I was hungry all day long!!! Inside activities - even the ones that needed doing and would have been easy enough to do- just didn't spark. Made it through the day without being bad - tough one for me.

Awesome job...way to stick with it!

[roho42]

I'm beginning to think that there is some "magic" diet out there that QWLC and several others are based on. there are so many similarities between IP and QWLC and some of the other similar variants I've heard of (including something that my company staff health lady is preaching) and they all seem to work based on similar principles. The primary difference seems to be the products that they sell to "enhance" the diet.

a bunch of people at work are doing this plan that the staff lady gave them that when I compare the food list and the frequency, it is very similar but NO supplements or products, all food. and my friend has lost about 40 pounds in 9 weeks and he hasn't even been 100%. and others are seeing similar results.

I can't imagine that a protein supplement containing good protein and garbage is going to be better than a real food quality protein. perhaps the carb blockers and gold plus and quickboost can help as well.

the basics of the plan are 5 meals a day, first 3 are protein, carb, veggies. last 2 are protein, fat, veggies. plus 10k steps per day (walking, not running or anything). i know QWLC doesn't push the exercise but they also say it helps (though they don't push strength training because it affects the scale)

of course the foods listed above have to be all approved foods and the list is eerily similar at least for the protein and carbs (they do allow beans). The veggies are pretty much unlimited (but i don't think corn or peas but even if not I would avoid those)

I wish I would have known that this was the plan she was pushing because the group that is doing it stands to win $1000 but I didn't sign up because I thought she would require the funky circuit exercise in the lobby 3 times a week that she hosts and other funky stuff that i won't feel comfortable doing let alone have time for.

I'd really be interested in finding out if there is a plan or science that is the base of all of these programs and read up on it. Regardless, I'm thinking that a merge of QWLC and my work plan may be in order. I have too many starch replacements and puddings left that i can use for emergency meals and the rest i can focus on the real foods which is really what i was looking for (e.g. replacing the supplements with products that don't have crap in them). and i can use the quickboost and other stuff too and see how it goes.

[ljwc]

Trying hard here - ordered a swimsuit - didn't have the courage yet to visit stores and face those mirrors!

Next question here for this group. Skin tone.

To set the stage - I'm losing at a slower rate than QWLC "sells" but that's not really a bad thing although I'll run out of time before my contract ends.

Skin elasticity at my age (62 bleh.......) isn't great at best. But I've never had cellulite or any sagging skin issues in my whole life. Now there seems to be a general skin too big thing going on. I've been reading and am making sure that I use skin care lotions and such more generously than ever before. Some of the reading indicates that this is to be expected - and (along with following through with a regular fitness routine for arms, ...) should expect to see some improvement with time for the skin too big thing. Basically giving that elastic covering we call skin opportunity to adapt.

Has anyone else gone through this and how much time did you wait before being concerned? I read 2 years in one place!

Of course, I can disguise arms and legs more easily than a protruding belly and nothing is in the range that would tilt me toward a surgical option!