Before I started the IP Diet, I was VERY CONCERNED about "starvation mode" as all the info that I got from my nutritionist and doctors and off the web said that women should never eat less than 1200 calories a day (and men 1500 i think) lest they fall into that dreaded "starvation mode" where your metabolism slows down and your body starts "hanging onto weight/fat" in spite of reduced calories. In any case, after I twisted my nutritionists arm, she reluctantly agreed that I should try the 950 calories a day that I am getting on IP, because she thought I was at much more risk being 100+ pounds overweight than I would be at getting too few calories.
So in any case, I started the IP Diet at 326 pounds and I am 6'3" tall ... and I've been doing 3 IP packs and 8 oz lean meat the whole time ... and I've had tremendous losses ... with NO starvation mode! As a matter of fact, this is the first diet where I have hit no serious weight loss plateaus.
I do have a few tricks though ...
When I get hungry, I have a large mug of organic decaf coffee (w. 2 packs stevia, dash of cayenne pepper, 1 tsp Saigon Cinnamon (best source ...
http://www.julietmae.com/holiday-coo...igon-cinnamon/), 1-2 heaping tsp. of IP choc drink mix, 1/4 cup fat free organic milk). I sip on that heavenly drink for an hour and it kills all my hunger pangs.
On the few days when I feel ravenous and want to cheat, I have an extra 4 oz lean protein (turkey or chicken patty).
Since I switched to a better grade of olive oil (
http://www.julietmae.com/holiday-coo...gin-olive-oil/) my skin is pristine and clear as a bell. Grocery store bought Olive Oil, wasn't so good.
I switched to frozen organic vegetables (from grocery store "fresh" vegetables) in early September and have never been happier. Frozen Organics are not only MUCH BETTER TASTING than their supposedly fresh counterparts from your local grocery store, but much more nutritious. And infinitely easier to deal with. (Thanks to a fellow 3FC poster for that tip). For great info on the benefits of FROZEN vegies (over grocery store "fresh") ... watch this video ...
http://www.wimp.com/freshfrozen/
I have also been exercising the whole time on IP (30 minutes on a recumbant exercise bike and 15 minutes of back stretches and stomach crunches on a yoga ball).
I drink bottled spring water with cinnamon teabags during the day.
Finally since I started taking Probiotics (50 to 200 billion strength) and 1 heaping tsp of Yerba Prima colon cleanser every day (for the past 3 weeks); I am never constipated anymore and my intestines are pristine. My early days on IP were constipation city, but not anymore. I wish I was doing this last step the whole time, but was scared off by IP's edict of nothing else allowed -- and the Color Cleanser has 5 g of carbs and 20 calories, but tons of soluble and insoluble fiber.
I have never added salt to my diet (I am getting plenty of sodium from my 3 IP packs), nor do I take IP's vitamins -- but I do take my own vitamins (Multi, D3, B complex, CoQ10, Biotin (for controlling hair loss)).
I am as healthy as I've been in years, feel great, and kicking it with losses. This is the first diet I've ever been on where I am not having significant or serious weight loss plateaus -- instead my losses have been pretty much straight down averaging about 4 pounds a week or 17 pounds a month.
I think that my only conclusion is ... I have to agree with John .. that "starvation mode" resulting from restricted calories on an IP style diet is a pile of hooey.
I have to admit that my results do make me have one thought -- I wonder if an under 5'5" female is getting too many calories at a 950 daily total (which is where IP Phase 1 works out). However I don't know enough about this stuff to make that conclusion. But certainly the "caloric deficit" between the 950 calories I am eating and my high basal metabolic rate (being 6'3" tall) is much bigger than someone who is 5'5" or less -- it's certainly not surprising to me, based on that fact, that my losses are larger and more rapid than someone a foot shorter than me. If someone like me, who started off with a BMR of 2250 calories, is having such great results (losses) eating 950 calories a day ... Shouldn't shorter (more average sized) women under 5'5", who have BMR's in the 1500 calories range, be eating less than 950 calories a day to get more rapid weight loss results? If you simply maintain the same calorie deficit ratio, I am guessing that a 5'5" woman should be eating closer to 650 calories a day to get the kind of weight loss I am getting -- and not the 950 calories that IP P1 is giving you. Maybe John can chime in about this thought as it does make me wonder. In any case, I know that IP P1 does work for more average height women, it just takes them longer (than it's taking me) to lose the weight. (And I seem to be reading more and more threads and posts lately about women complaining that their losses are too slow or they are stalled ... and they are frustrated).
