[Got2benow]

Aunt Sheshie, that maybe exactly what is going on with me! I rarely deprived myself long enough to be hungry.... Now mind you I have been on diets forever, but I would always manage to find something to put in my stomach. I am so addicted to sweets it is truly sinful. I am just like Annieann77 , not sure I could move on to phase 4. Training my mind? Might be best to start searching for a brain transplant!!!!!

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sheshie

From my own personal experience, might not apply to anybody else:

Before I started on the IP protocol, I was pigging out every day, especially in the evening... I thought my stomach had to be full all the time, & it felt weird if it wasn't... I doubt I had actually been really, physically hungry in many, many years... so, when I started IP, it took me a while to get used to not being stuffed 24/7... I can't really remember when I got used to the feeling of having an empty stomach, but somewhere along the line I did & it really isn't at all uncomfortable to me anymore... I finally realized that having an empty stomach & being hungry are actually two different phenomena... sure, I still have cravings, but those are mental or emotional things, rarely a physical thing...

hugs

P.S. Just wanted to add this... IP is as much about retraining the mind as it is about retraining the body... I've quoted this before, but it still means a lot to me: A permanent solution takes hard, smart work & sacrifice on your part... human nature always seeks the path of least resistance...

Aunt Sheshie is so insightful, and I think she is onto something. I, along with most of us, have a huge appetite. I struggled with IP in the beginning, and always seemed to be hungry, almost ravenous when meal times got closer. I would eat but never feel full. My appetite has completely changed with this program, but it did not make the change until very recently. I couldn’t decide when to start phase 3, struggled with the last few pounds I needed to loose to reach my goal, and during that time I noticed my hunger had abated. I had to remind myself to eat. I became full quicker, with less food. I then realized that my body was telling me, “hey! You’re done!” I even skipped a meal out of necessity (nothing around to eat) and didn’t blink an eye. And I am not one to miss a meal. Ever. So I think Aunty Sheshie is correct that IP retrains our minds as well as our body. When I read about others in phase 4 (maintenance) who say it is so easy to follow, I get it now, whereas before, I would fear that I would go back to my old habits. I know now that just won’t happen. I am a few days into phase 3, and feel completely satisfied hunger-wise. So in time, when you are ready, and when your body is ready, you will find that mix. You will control your hunger, rather than the other way around. It happens, but in the meantime, you’ll have to wrestle with the hungries. I used to down a cup of coffee or tea between 3-4 pm, and that seemed to help.
Good luck!!

[Got2benow]

Wow Jenny, I love your stats! You made it through the holidays and managed to fight off " the hungries! That alone deserves a medal! For the last 3 days I just want to bake a chocolate cake w/frosting and sit down and enjoy! It is almost ridiculous how much I think about it. I just hope I can be " Jennylike" and make it to the slim side. Thanks girl.... Proud of you

[Rocky Monarch]

Originally Posted by longdivision

i'm not sure how accurate this is, so it is just a suggestion. for about 3 weeks i was not hungry at all. it was a serious chore to force myself to eat anything. i spoke to my coach about it and he thought that the complete lack of hunger came from not eating enough carbs (i was eating a lot of lower carb veggies like cucumbers for my 4 cups a day). he suggested that i add a restricted every other day to increase my hunger. it worked. so, it might work the other way as well. maybe you are eating too many carbs and that is making you feel hungry all the time. try skipping the restricteds for a bit (if you are currently using them), and try eating the lower carb veggies only for a few days. this might make your hunger go away.

I would tend to agree with this. If you feel like you are "starving" I think you are teetering on falling out of ketosis and your body may not be easily accessing your fat (read my further thoughts below)

Originally Posted by Aunt Sheshie

From my own personal experience, might not apply to anybody else: Before I started on the IP protocol, I was pigging out every day, especially in the evening... I thought my stomach had to be full all the time, & it felt weird if it wasn't... I doubt I had actually been really, physically hungry in many, many years... so, when I started IP, it took me a while to get used to not being stuffed 24/7... I can't really remember when I got used to the feeling of having an empty stomach, but somewhere along the line I did & it really isn't at all uncomfortable to me anymore... I finally realized that having an empty stomach & being hungry are actually two different phenomena... sure, I still have cravings, but those are mental or emotional things, rarely a physical thing...

hugs

P.S. Just wanted to add this... IP is as much about retraining the mind as it is about retraining the body... I've quoted this before, but it still means a lot to me: A permanent solution takes hard, smart work & sacrifice on your part... human nature always seeks the path of least resistance...

I could not agree more and wish I could have figured this all out so clearly before! I have been sitting here reflecting on Aunt Sheshie's wisdom and others' great input. here is my 2 cents..

1. "starving" is an actual feeling of not enough food. Weak, dizzy, possibly nauseous, cranky, etc. And it does not go away, it only "lessens" briefly if at all, right after you eat. If you feel this way, I think you are getting too many carbs for your own personal sensitivity, and you are not fully into (or wavering into and out of ketosis). I agree that you should try going 2-3 days with no restricteds, and only the unrestricted veggies (what is called bootcamp). While this sounds counter-intuitive, it may force your body into going after your fat reserves. Since the pure IP plan is only about 700-800 calories a day, you need that other 500 calories to come from burning fat--which if it's working efficiently should make you feel pretty good.

2. being hungry: this is the normal human response when it is time to eat a meal. On IP it should happen about every 2-4 hours...everyone is a bit different for how long you will go (due to your metabolism) and your own biorhythms. This is good, and its part of learning the new way of looking at food...you eat a reasonable amount and later you get hungry. Then you eat another reasonable amount. What does it feel like? I'd like to see how others describe their feelings??

3. Craving: this is about wanting to eat food (even being obsessed). This is not about truly feeling hungry, its more about feeling entitled to eat. Or that you are supposed to feel "stuffed" all the time. Feeling like an empty stomach is a bad feeling, when (unless you actually feel hungry!) it is not.

Figuring out when you are feeling each of these (and I am pretty sure we all feel all of them from time to time!) is the key to a final and successful phase 4. There are good, healthy reasons to eat. And there are lots of unhealthy reasons to eat. And the time you are on phase 1-3 will help you identify each of them and learn new ways to deal with them.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Got2benow

Wow Jenny, I love your stats! You made it through the holidays and managed to fight off " the hungries! That alone deserves a medal! For the last 3 days I just want to bake a chocolate cake w/frosting and sit down and enjoy! It is almost ridiculous how much I think about it. I just hope I can be " Jennylike" and make it to the slim side. Thanks girl.... Proud of you

I sure went through periods of sweet cravings, it can be difficult to resist. Try to address the craving by eating something permitted, like the WF chocolate syrup. During one week recently (probably PMS time) I had a terrible sweet tooth, so I used a recipe from the recipe thread and froze the WF chocolate syrup along with some WF marshmallow fluff in an ice cube tray. Those little pops helped me over the hump. I still have a few in the freezer, but the craving has passed.

I must confess, however, I had two cheat-days over my journey: Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don't regret either day. This diet must be tailored to each individual, do what is right for you, and if you slip up, get right back on the band wagon. You'll do fine.

[NonieRuns]

So, I'm a little different. I am in to my 7th week and have not been hungry between meals until now! I have always been satisfied until my next meal and even sometimes not that hungry but knew I should eat. This week I have actually woken up in the middle of the night with hunger pangs. Yes, I know the difference between hunger and cravings. It's weird but I'm sticking with it and determined to get through. Thanks everyone for these supportive forum threads!

[thoad]

Afternoon all, I just started IP Saturday and I am starving. I really dont feel a difference with the exception of being tired and hungry all the time. I hope when I weigh in on Friday I will be as successful my first week as everyone else has.

[Tate]

I'm 2 and a half weeks in and felt the same way. Added an egg at breakfast. Not sure if it helped or my bod is adjusting,but overall while aim still hungry, im not starving anymore. If you are just too uncomfortable, I would add a few oz of lean protein during the day. Hope things get better.

[Shetaz]

I have to also say thanks to Aunt Sheshie and everyone else for their words of insight. I, too, went through a phase early on where I felt famished all the time - I could eat a meal and within moments felt like I hadn't eaten in hours. Fortunately, that has passed, and while I now know when I am hungry (like today when I had to make do with some BBQ ridges for lunch because I'm working 2 jobs and had to spend my lunch hour at one with no other provisions), I also feel satisfied when I've had my meal. Dinner was ALL of my day's veggies and my protein, and I felt fine after. I know that some have had success adding a little extra protein, others with cutting back on restricteds. That is what is so great about IP - you can work with it to make it work for you. I'm so excited to be a part of this forum and all of the encouragement and support. I think we are our own best coaches!! Thanks, truly - all of you!

Sherilyn

[PSSeattle]

Thanks so much to all of you for your honesty. I feel like so many people who do IP aren't upfront. Of course your body is hungry. You are eating less than 900 calories a day! This thread makes me feel like there are others out there who understand what I am going through because some days it is stinking hard!!!!! And I am hungry! And it's good to know I might just be hungry till I'm done

[Kellyc14]

Originally Posted by PSSeattle

Thanks so much to all of you for your honesty. I feel like so many people who do IP aren't upfront. Of course your body is hungry. You are eating less than 900 calories a day! This thread makes me feel like there are others out there who understand what I am going through because some days it is stinking hard!!!!! And I am hungry! And it's good to know I might just be hungry till I'm done

I've been hungry lately. I've been eating my lunch early (9:30-10) and then my snack at lunch time. It's better when I'm home at night. I was wondering the same thing- should I feel hungry? I'm not having cravings though, sugar, sweets, pizza- don't even tempt me! That's major for me. I like the way I feel on IP. Not bloated...just hungry.

[kcandponies]

I am SOOO glad I am not the only one. I quit IP last year cause I felt so bad, and after 6 weeks, was too tired of being strong and fighting the hunger.

On week 4 of my re-start. Hungry all the time, cranky and slow losses are really tough....I want to quit already, but that won't get me anywhere.
Guess I will be hungry with the rest of you all. Wah!

[ChipnDip]

Originally Posted by kcandponies

I am SOOO glad I am not the only one. I quit IP last year cause I felt so bad, and after 6 weeks, was too tired of being strong and fighting the hunger.

On week 4 of my re-start. Hungry all the time, cranky and slow losses are really tough....I want to quit already, but that won't get me anywhere.
Guess I will be hungry with the rest of you all. Wah!

How many packs are you having?

[wba66]

Hey all.

New to the forum. Started IP officially 2 weeks ago, and like you, first few days were okay, and then the next week was horrible. I was so hungry that I was eating other things just to get me full. I know I was "cheating", but it was foods that I was able to eat while I was on the Medifast diet (pretzels, PB2, etc). It turned out that this just made me hungrier, getting into the starving feeling where I was starting to feel light headed and just all out miserable. After talking to my coach, she said I was keeping myself out of ketosis because of the cheating.
So this past Monday, I re-started and have been 100% and its been difficult, but not as miserable as last week. Not saying that anyone is cheating, but sounds like people are having the same symptoms.

Have a good night!

[Kellyc14]

Originally Posted by wba66

Hey all.

New to the forum. Started IP officially 2 weeks ago, and like you, first few days were okay, and then the next week was horrible. I was so hungry that I was eating other things just to get me full. I know I was "cheating", but it was foods that I was able to eat while I was on the Medifast diet (pretzels, PB2, etc). It turned out that this just made me hungrier, getting into the starving feeling where I was starting to feel light headed and just all out miserable. After talking to my coach, she said I was keeping myself out of ketosis because of the cheating.
So this past Monday, I re-started and have been 100% and its been difficult, but not as miserable as last week. Not saying that anyone is cheating, but sounds like people are having the same symptoms.

Have a good night!

I'm 100% OP, follow it to the T. I even stopped drinking MIO in my water (only drank it for two days) after hearing you shouldn't drink much of it. And some days (not all) I'm starving! Today was one of those days. I ate my dinner at 4:30 when I got home from work, but I was fine after that. Maybe it's not real hunger I'm feeling? Or maybe I need to space my meals better and add more lettuce? Actually I haven't been eating lettuce....ooopsie maybe I'm not following it to the T?

Anyway, I am committed to staying 100% either way.