I am looking for some help, advice, suggestions! I am currently at sort of a stand still and either maintaining the same weight or up 0.2#s...I have been doing Ideal Protein Since May 17, 2013 (signed up at 3FC in Feb 2014) and have lost a total of 65#so far.

My coach and I sat down and looked at my daily schedule, and she is at a loss... and told me that my schedule is working against me and the Ideal Protein program. I am on a modified version of phase 1 or its Phase 2 Honestly I don't know... I do know my coach put me on it due to money issues, but Im here and sticking with it!!!

Okay... here is my daily schedule. I am a CNA at a nursing home and work second shift. I usually get up around 10:30am or so, and have a drink (Pineapple Banana or peach mango).... then some where between 12:30pm and 1:30pm I will eat lunch (8oz Protein, 2 cups veggies and a salad usually). Then I will go to work bout 2:30pm. My dinner break is only 30 minutes and is at usually 4:30pm.... I usually have 2 cups veggies, and 8 more oz protein. Then I will have my Restricted some where between 7:30pm and 8:30pm. Usually I have cravings for "junk" like chips or cookies or some kind of junky snack food, that I know I can't have... I Try to drink more water to help cure that craving but most of the time it isn't working. I work til 11pm and usually go to bed about 12 or 12:30. On my days off I try and stick to this type of time frame. I am getting anywhere from 75 - 100 oz of water in a day.

My coach says it (schedule) stinks and wishes I could move my break and my supper to when I have my snack (restricted). I guess what Im looking for is any suggestions to tweek what I am doing now to some how get my body going again and everything working together again and get back on my losing ways.... If anyone has any type of questions please let me know and I will answer them to the best of my ability! Thanks in advance for any help any one my be able to pass my way. Thanks and God bless!!

Is the modification where you add the extra 8 oz of protein? I guess I don't know much about phase 2, but I know that in phase 1 we are only suppose to eat 8 oz of protein in a day... Maybe the doubling of protein is the problem?

Huge congratulations on your fantastic progress! 2 things come to my mind:
First the obvious question: When you say it doesn't work, are you eating anything off program?

If the answer to the first question is no, is it possible you aren't eating enough and are in starvation mode (metabolism slows down to conserve energy & weight loss stalls)? Maybe you need more fuel to meet your body's minimum metabolic needs. Other 3FC posters have great info about how many packets or equivalents we need at certain weight landmarks. If I recall, isn't it advisable to have 4 packets over 200 lbs? Maybe 5 packets over 300 lbs?

Along those lines, working as a CNA is equivalent to significant exercise, for which an extra packet is recommended. I also think being tall means your body needs more to meet minimum needs. My weight loss was pretty steady but after a few months I was so hungry all the time that I "cheated with chicken" adding an extra 6-8 oz COOKED almost every day. It wasn't really planned--i just couldn't seem to do without it. I have a physically active job, too, and wonder if this is why it worked out for me, as I didn't do ANY formal exercise. (btw, the chicken was breast meat, no skin).

You might consider looking at the alternatives thread, though there's nothing like a good coach. Possibly you could eat a packet of two of alternatives at half the price and buy just enough IP to have access to the coaching. It bothers me a little that your coach "hates your schedule". That would make me feel stressed. I think a coach should be able to work out a plan that fits anyone's schedule--that is your life! Unless you actually wanted to and could change your hours.

Good luck and keep at it--you're doing really really well.

Deanna: you look amazing!

It is well known that people who work shifts have a harder time losing weight.

My first question is are you sticking to the program 100%?

Are you caving when the desire for junk overwhelms you? You said, "Usually I have cravings for "junk" like chips or cookies or some kind of junky snack food, that I know I can't have... I Try to drink more water to help cure that craving but most of the time it isn't working." That suggests to me cheats may be responsible for your lack of losses.

If you're eating 2 meat/veggie meals, that is phase 2.
A modified or alternative program also includes a dairy, a fruit, and a starch serving daily.

It shouldn't really matter what time of day your Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and snacks are, as long as you are sticking 100% to the plan, including all o your supplements, salt, and oil, and not caving to the desire for junky snacks. Those carbs can really throw a program like IP out of whack and put all weight loss at a halt.

CNAKAY,
I would suggest moving some stuff around so that your cravings have a chance to be quelled. Also, be sure you are taking the supplements.
Could you possibly work up to have 8oz of protein and 2 cups of vegetables for breakfast at 10.30?
1030 8 oz protein plus 2 cups veggies
1230 nonrestricted packet
430 8 oz protein plus 2 cups veggies
730 restricted packet
midnight nonrestricted packet

Is the restricted packet setting you off? Maybe a better choice for 730 would be the recipe pudding muffins, which have a little more protein and you get a lot of mini muffins.

At your current soon-to-be-shrinking size, you are probably being underfed and/or something else in your head is triggering the "WANT to snack on unhealthy things" urge.

There are other things you might be able to do, like adding a cup of celery in with salt for a crunchy snack or perhaps chewing gum.

You could also try moving to phase 3 for a week (but you have to be 100% on that) then moving back to phase 1.

I have read things, too, that do suggest night shift work makes weight loss difficult. You a swing shift, so it has an impact but not as severe as night shift.

It is really important to stick 100% consistent with something, for two weeks, so you can fairly analyze what is really happening, and make appropriate adjustment for another two weeks.