Hi Everyone! I am starting to get a little discouraged. In the past couple weeks I have lost very little weight. The past 4 or 5 days, my scale hasn't budged. I am following the plan to the letter. No cheats whatsoever. Is this normal, and if so how long does it last. As we all know, this plan is not cheap, especially if you are a larger person when you start. I can justify the expense when I am losing, even if it is slowly, but I find it hard to justify when I am losing nothing! Does anyone have any advice or "secrets" lol! Also wondering about exercising. I was told that there should be absolutely no exercising while on this plan, yet from what I read online at different sites, other coaches say "yes" to exercise. Hoping this stall or whatever you want to call it is over before my feeling of helplessness takes over. I have been overweight all my life and this plan has been working wonders up till now. I welcome the advice and suggestions of everyone here on this site!

I think it is hard to help without knowing a typical meal day. Also has there been any inch loss? IP recommends light exercise, light weights, walking, water aerobics, light yoga.

I stalled in week 4 and 5, but then on I went. I do yoga and water aerobics. Keep sticking to it!

B: Chocolate drink mix
S: Chocolate drink mix
L: Chicken Noodle Soup
S: Chocolate drink mix
D: 11 oz meat plus 2 cups of veg
2 snacks between that at 9:30

Minimum of 2 litres of water per day, but somedays it's upwards of 3.5 - 4 litres

I don't go to bed normally until around 1 am so I eat my snacks by 9:30, rather than 8, for two reasons, 1: hard to fit them in, and I would be hungry again before I go to bed.

I normally only eat 2 cups of vegetables because I have Irritable Bowel and vegetable tend to wreak havoc on my digestion. Green, cruciferous vegetables normally help people with constipation and regular bowel habits, but it has the opposite effect on me. Gas bloating and constipation! So I try and get my two cups in each day, but 4 would just about kill me. Considering I didn't like vegetable until I started this diet, I am doing good with them.

Beardude, how long have you been on IP? I have had two slowdowns during the past 6 months while remaining OP. Sometimes the body has to adjust. My advice is to stay the course. Focus on what you are doing right for your body. As for cost, the key is acceptance. Pay for program now or pay for health related costs later. Based on your numbers, IP has been working. Patience and getting in your water are the keys. Hope the scale starts moving again

What 2 snacks are you eating before bed? I understand the 4 IP packets you're having throughout the day. It's kind of hard to justify a stall when you're not following the protocol 100%. Could you try some different veggies that are easier on your system to get your 4 cups in every day? Maybe you need to shake things up a bit by replacing one of your 4 packets with a restricted or split your 8 oz of protein between lunch and dinner? Sometimes your body just needs a little change. Hang in there! My IP journey is taking longer than I expected and is costing me an arm and a leg but I'd rather be healthy and broke than fat and unhappy any day

I've been on plan now since January 13, 2014. 11 weeks, going into the 12 week. I have been pleased with my weight loss. I have lost 54 pounds in that time, but I was just wondering about the past couple weeks, whereas nothing seems to be helping. I have lost 20 inches in that time, but I don't really understand the whole measuring thing. The coach measures in 5 or 6 different areas, but I have lost weight in other areas, probably more so than in the areas that are being measured. lol! For instance, I don't have what you would call a "neck" lol, but what I do have has seen a loss of at of least 2.5 to 3 inches, maybe more, but that isn't factored into my figures. I have lost significantly where my pants and belt sit, but she measures around my belly, and around my butt/hips, so that isn't factored into my figures.

I usually save my restricted snack (normally a Orange Wafer bar) and a Drink mix, or sometimes a bag of the unrestricted soy chips) I keep my Restricted snack for after supper as it gives me something to look forward to, especially if you are at home watching tv or out with friends who are eating whatever they want.

I have tried splitting my meat protein between lunch and dinner, trying to surprise my system, so to say.

By the way...how does everybody get those little tickers under their posts!

Beardude, how many packets a day has your coach advised? The number that you are having for your current weight seems high in addition to having additional protein (11 oz versus the 8 on the protocol sheet) We have two people in our group that started at your weight. They did not have more than 4 packets, 3 unrestricted and one restricted.

I was given 6 packets a day, one breakfast and 1dinner, 3 unrestricted snack and 1 restricted. I started out with 14 oz of meat and I am down to 11 now. I started at 360 and I am down to 307.6 now (where I have been for 4 or 5 days, lol)

I do think you need more veggies. Also are you getting your healthy oils? The problem with eating at night is you don't have time to burn it off. However, you are doing well. 54 pounds is great, and your body may need a pause to catch up. That often happens.

I too question the number of packets and higher protein. I know Lisa has posted a chart of weight vs packets before and you might be right in line, but I didn't recall that many for your weight. I also have never seen more than the 8oz of meat.

I also agree that your body is catching IP with some significant losses over 11 weeks and you need to be patient with it!! AND you are losing inches. A stall is NO CHANGE in inches OR weight for four weeks. You aren't stalled, you are just loosing differently/slowly than you want... But Averaging more than 5 lbs a week!!

Coaches have specific areas they are supposed to measure so everyone is consistent across the board ("supposed to" being the key). But that doesn't mean you aren't losing in lots of other places!! As long as you are noticing all those other places, that is another personal victory for you. Just because it's not officially recorded doesn't make it any less of a success!!!

Stay the course and you will continue to be successful!

I understand the whole idea of not eating at night, but the whole 8 o'clock thing is for people who go to bed earlier, say, 10 or 10:30 maybe. I am a night owl. I only get my second wind when most people are going to bed. So I don't think 9 or 9:30,for my snack is too off considering I don't go to bed until 1 or 1:30, and maybe later.

I would love to eat more vegetables, but like I said They cause me too much pain. If no one has irritable bowel problems, they don't know what someone has to go through. Also, I live in the eastern most province in Canada. Newfoundland is an island, and getting fresh produce like those that are named on the Ideal protein sheet are hard to get at any time of the year, and some I have never seen in my grocery stores. I live 3 hours away from a |major" grocery chain store, so it's not like I can drop in on my way home from work and pick up a new vegetable, so I have to stick with the slim picking that I have in my local grocery store (and believe it or not, I have to travel 45 minutes to get that!)

What stood out to me was the oil too, maybe you just didn't mention it. The olive oil works wonders as IP is very low fat, you need health oils to lose. I actually went with Dr Tran's original suggestion of a Tablespoon a day when I stalled out. Also make sure some of your meat and fish is not totally very low fat. I stalled when I was eating mostly all chicken breast and shrimp. The stall broke when I added in more beef and salmon.

6 packets a day seems like a lot, even people who are very large starting usually get 5 at the most.

Whoops, didn't see where you lived until after I posted. I am from Nova Scotia and has a very good friend in Labrador so I know what you are going through with the veggies.

Do you have to travel to the coach or is there one in the area. I suspect you are paying quite dearly for the packets. Has your coach gone anywhere for training or just getting the packages from someone one else?
Just curious because of a situation someone from a very northern community on this end of Canada went through.