[MeghanO]

Originally Posted by Mom22

Meghan O you're doing awesome! We started almost the same time, at about the same weight. you're doing better than I am - wish I knew your secrets. Regarding the food surprise thing - life is like that - full of surprises - sounds like you did the best you could. And good on you having a workplace with a boss that wants to take staff out for lunch!

I would have to say my secret is LOW CARB. My wellness coach would prefer that we keep our carbs between 20-25 to get the best results which means picking IP products with low carbs. I have yet to order the bars or pancakes, any of that real yummy foods. I also had to learn that just because that veggie is on the approved list doesn't mean I can eat it in abundance. I have to limit my Green Peppers & Zuchinni, among others. SO I have been eating alot of Mushrooms & Spinach lately, but it is working & will get me to my goal faster & back to real foods! I LOVE THIS DIET!

Merry CHristmas

[Lilita175]

Originally Posted by ottawa

Congratulations to everyone on their weight loss and continued efforts.
I sometimes think of the song "she's not pretty she just looks that way" when I think of desserts etc. and remind myself that they look better than they taste!!!

I am now 3 pounds from my goal and should actually be on Phase II but had decided to stick with Phase I till after the holidays as I know I will have a few drinks (and only a few as I know that they are going to hit me fast after so long with no alcohol) and a few of the foods that I have not been having. I also wanted to give myself some leeway for the eventual few pounds that I thought I would gain back when I went off the diet. So Monday will be Phase II for one week and then Phase III for one week after that for me.

Some weeks have been frustrating but all in all it has been the best diet I have every tried and I think it will be a life style that I can stick to afterwards!!
Best of luck to everyone during the holidays whatever your eating plans are, Season's Greetings and All the Best in the New Year!!!!

Thank you to everyone for all their help, motivation and information!!! It has really made a difference for me while on this plan!!!!

Wow, Ottawa, I didn't realize you were so close to goal! That is wonderful and you must feel great. Do you think you could start a "maintenance thread" that we could all look forward to joining when we get there?

I think I will need even more support when I get to maintenance!

[Mom22]

Originally Posted by MeghanO

I would have to say my secret is LOW CARB. My wellness coach would prefer that we keep our carbs between 20-25 to get the best results which means picking IP products with low carbs. I have yet to order the bars or pancakes, any of that real yummy foods. I also had to learn that just because that veggie is on the approved list doesn't mean I can eat it in abundance. I have to limit my Green Peppers & Zuchinni, among others. SO I have been eating alot of Mushrooms & Spinach lately, but it is working & will get me to my goal faster & back to real foods! I LOVE THIS DIET!

Merry CHristmas

good to know - I never even thought about checking out my veggies. i just assumed that if they're on the approved list, they're o.k. i also don't eat any of the restricted IP products. none of the snacks, oatmeal, pancakes, etc, so was really wondering why my weight loss had stalled. i do eat a lot of zuchinni and will check out some of the rest. thanks for the tip!

Merry Christmas IP Girls (and guys)!

[Lilita175]

Originally Posted by MeghanO

I lost 3.8lbs this week & a WHOLE bunch of inches everywhere! Looking & Feeling Good. Total very close to 30lbs in 7 weeks!

As I was walking out the door to head to my IP appt, my boss sprung a lunch date for the office to CHINESE. GRRRR!!!! I hate food surprises on a diet! I LOVE CHINESE food but not when I am dieting!!! So I am not sure yet if I put myself out of ketosis or not, guess I will find out tomorrow when I get on the scale as I have been steadily losing ½ lb the past 2 weeks! There is sugar in everything or it is fried. So I choose Egg Drop Soup, boiled Shrimp, hard boiled eggs & Peppered shrimp. The Peppered shrimp wasn’t breaded but there was a little bit of sauce, but not sure what type of sauce & of course probably sautéed in some type of oil. Advanced notice people, advanced notice!!! I could have blown it all but I didn’t do it too bad…did I?

So as for my question earlier about what food or restaurant do you want to go to when you are off this diet…right now I DON”T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE!!!

Meghan, you are so funny! I love that phrase "food surprises on a diet."

That is so accurate. Especially during the holidays! At my employee Christmas party last weekend (at an Italian restaurant)I thought I had done so well (lots of salad and a moderate serving of chicken with penne pasta and a glass of red wine)until they brought out the dessert: warm chocolate and almond pizza on a very thin crust.

Talk about a major "food surprise." I did have a slice. But I had planned to "slip" that evening by eating "no carbs" all day before the party.

I am not calling it "cheating" any more either. I'm using Dr.Tran Tien's terminology. I'm calling it a "minor slip" "major slip."

According to Tran, after a minor slip you just go back to your diet, whatever Phase you are in.

After a major slip, the "treatment" is one full day of "no carbs."

Makes sense to me!

[Lilita175]

I went to my routine follow-up appointment with my M.D yesterday and my cholesterol is higher (240 from 210 last May.)

However, my triglycerides were much lower and my "good" cholesterol was higher which made my "ratio" look better.

She had never heard of IP but she looked up the Tran Tien Chan diet online while I was there (she is a very cool doctor) and totally approved of it!

Her scale was broken (my luck!) so I could not get weighed! But she could tell I had lost weight.

She wanted to start me on cholesterol pills but I asked her to give me more time to lose the rest of my weight.

She told me to lay off the steak and eggs (my favorite proteins) and to eat more fish (but no shrimp/no lobster.)


She told me she will give me 3 more months to bring my cholesterol down with no pills. Whew! So I am now more motivated than ever to get to goal and re-check my cholesterol by March, 2010.

She also told me that the weight I lost so far is "not yours" until I have maintained it for at least 2 years. I agreed with her on that point. She said so many people lose weight then stop dieting, gain a little of it back and then give up and gain it all back.

She told me that when I get to my goal and if I gain a little back that I should not give up and go back to my old ways of eating.

I am so there mentally already. I have not been at this size (size 12 jeans) in over 20 years! I am not going back to my old ways of eating. I HATED being over 200 pounds!

Well, thanks for "listening" and have a GREAT HOLIDAY (if you are celebrating it.)

P. S. Torchlaker........I really miss you!

[mepeterson]

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays everyone. I hope that each of you have a SCENTsational holiday with whomever you are spending it with.

[Maia]

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I decided to take yesterday and today off, but am still making good choices. I didn't weigh today, but did check my ketosis. Still in, but just barely! But I am down 10lbs since Nov. 30th, so it is a merry Christmas, indeed.

Hope all of you have a safe and happy holiday!

[joshb]

Merry Christmas all!

[mepeterson]

I have seen on here a few times that people are able to check to see if they are ketosis. How? thanks for the info. Hope everyone had an amazing holiday

[mepeterson]

OK so I got a Wii for christmas with the Wii fit plus and it is sooooooo cool. The board makes me laugh everytime I stand on it because the little voice says OHHHHH. HA ha that is to funny. The games on it are pretty fun and I have now been playing on it for two days (opened it Christmas Eve) and my muscles are sore. I love the rythym boxing and the obstical course.

[joshb]

Yay I lost weight on christmas week!
Lol.
I stuck to the plan, had ham and cauli mashed.

Down 5.8 lbs. christmas week =DD

[Mom22]

Originally Posted by mepeterson

OK so I got a Wii for christmas with the Wii fit plus and it is sooooooo cool. The board makes me laugh everytime I stand on it because the little voice says OHHHHH. HA ha that is to funny. The games on it are pretty fun and I have now been playing on it for two days (opened it Christmas Eve) and my muscles are sore. I love the rythym boxing and the obstical course.

I have had this game since about mid-Nov. Absolutely love it! Games are fun and as you get better you unlock advanced courses, etc. even the simple balance games give your muscles a run for your money. try the hula hoop, or the advanced step - you'll sweat.

you asked about how people know if they're in ketosis - I've seen others post on this site - apparently you can buy ketosis sticks - in the pharmacy I believe. you pee on them and they change color. check previous posts (probably Nov) and there's some discussion. If you've ever been pregnant, you'll recall the your nurse will "dip"one of these sticks in your urine to determine if you are developing...what's the word? preeclampsia??

[40andrdy4chng]

Hello everyone, I am going to be starting the Ideal Protien on January 4th! The kids will be back in school and the holidays over. I wanted to give myself the best possilbe start. I have never been on a forum so this is all new for me. I've enjoyed reading your victories, your tips on modifiying the foods to make them better, and your encouragment to others. I look forward to begining this new chapter in my life!

[Lilita175]

Originally Posted by joshb

Yay I lost weight on christmas week!
Lol.
I stuck to the plan, had ham and cauli mashed.

Down 5.8 lbs. christmas week =DD

Hi Josh! Congrats on the wt. loss on Christmas Week. I gained a couple of pounds but I am not worried.......back on IP the day after Christmas.

How's the documentary filming going? My brother-in-law is a film documentarian so I understand the process. The "success" is in the editing.

I hope to see your film someday!

[LauraVP]

Hi everyone, I have been lurking since November, but couldn't get my account to activate til now. I started IP Dec. 8th. So far 13 pounds gone! Thank you to everyone for sharing your ideas, pitfalls, and triumphs. They are a great inspiration!

A while ago there was a discussion on estrogen and soy. I don't think anyone mentioned the fact that all animal products, as well as wheat, and many other healthy foods contain estrogen. Sometimes these are healthy plant estrogens, and other times (like in much of our commercial animal products) there are estrogens from hormones given to the animal, as well as xenohormones that mimic estrogen and plug into receptors, which can cause problems for us as well. You can google estrogen in food and find lists of foods that both contain and inhibit estrogen. I use natural progesterone cream to help balance out the excess estrogen I am getting in food, and try to eat more of the estrogen inhibitors like broccoli.

If anyone has any lunch ideas to make these 2 cups of veggies and lettuce more interesting, I would love to hear. That is the only tough part of the day for me. I am so bored with lunch

The last thought I would like to share with everyone, is the idea of making a list of everything that is better now in your life than it was last year at this time. I do this instead of making New Year resolutions. I have found it very empowering. It shows you how far you've come, how much you've accomplished, and leaves you feeling like you can do anything! (because you can!)

Cheers!