I agree with those who say to be prepared - so helpful for success.
I am doing a re-boot and one thing I discovered this time around is David's Tea! OMGoodness! I have always been a tea drinker and drank herbal tea the first time around but the flavours were nothing like at David's Tea! There are several herbal or low caffeine that are amazing and satisfy my 'sweet' craving when I have eaten all my allowed food for the day (my faves so far are the mint chocolate, movie night and bubbie's baklava - going to try the one with nuts next time!). Most teas have 0 carbs per cup but some might have 1 or 2 so be aware in the ones that you are choosing!
Really enjoyed reading this thread! It was a great confirmation that I am headed in the right direction. Quite a few of the tips I already incorporate but some others were real eyeopeners ie: how using restricted items can benefit and also splitting up the 8 oz. of protein. That later one will come in handy as I transitioned to phase 2 on Friday. Keep them coming!
A tip I have goes along with prepping veggies for the week; I also prep my 8oz proteins. I buy trout, chicken breast and ground poultry in bulk and weigh it all out before I package it up for the freezer.
I have a muffin tin that holds 4 oz of raw ground turkey and I either make that into mini meatloaves or "cabbage rolls". They freeze really well and are a great timesaver.
I have a muffin tin that holds 4 oz of raw ground turkey and I either make that into mini meatloaves or "cabbage rolls". They freeze really well and are a great timesaver.
I completed 5 months on the program a week ago. I hadn't really looked at my measurements for the 5 months. I sat down last Monday and reviewed them, and I am just in awe. I know everyone has been telling me how great I look, but I was still questioning how good.
I am finding looking at the improved measurements are having such a positive influence on my psyche, and I think are really key to maintaining these long term as I get close to P2.
I can't believe I have lost 8 inches off my waist, 10 from hips, 7 from thighs and 2.5 from arms. This is resonating with me way more than 62 pounds lost or 15% body fat lost.
I will not allow inches like this to creep back and will make these measurements part of my ongoing maintenance. I don't know if I am unique in this but what a profound impact these numbers are having on me mentally.
1. cut meals into smaller meals to eat more often. it helps prevent getting hungry or "noshy" in between meals
2. use frozen organic vegetables instead of supposedly "fresh" vegetables. not only do you never have any waste with frozen organics since they keep practically forever in your freezer. they are very convenient since you can heat up only what you are eating right then. plus frozen organics are fully vine ripened and have better taste and better nutrition value than supposedly "fresh" which is picked early (while still "green") and ripened in warehouses. i can't stand the taste of "fresh" broccoli (which stinks when you cook it) ... but frozen organic broccoli doesn't smell at all and tastes like mashed potatoes.
3. drink high quality water and get all your water in. i drink evian water. i know it's a bit pricey but better water tastes better than tap. if you hate the taste of water toss some herb tea bags in your water. I like cinnamon apple spice as it makes the water taste a little bit sweet from the cinnamon. if you can't afford high quality bottled water, get a high quality water filter for home use.
4. drink hot coffee or hot tea in between meals or late at night when you get hungry. i make coffee with a bit of cayenne pepper, saigon cinnamon, stevia, and a dash of sugar free flavored creamer. that tastes like you are having desert and kills your appetite and cravings.
5. if you like to weigh yourself every day. always weigh yourself at the same time and under the same conditions. I like the morning right after you get up and go to the bathroom. It really smooths out your weight loss line and prevents freakouts. 50 oz of water weighs over 7 pounds so if you weigh yourself after drinking water, your weight could be much higher.
6. when getting through those tough first few days on IP, eat some extra protein like lean chicken breast. it will keep you in keytosis, but give you that extra boost to get through those start days. After day 4, go back to the regular plan.
7. get the highest quality olive oil available for your oil addition. i love Juliet Mae Olive Oil which tastes like butter, is great on vegetables, and can be ordered online ... http://www.julietmae.com/black-frida...gin-olive-oil/
While you are at it, get some of her to-die for Saigon Cinnamon (hot, spicy, sweet) http://www.julietmae.com/spices/saigon-cinnamon/
Grocery store bought olive oils are mostly of very low quality.
8. go to bed early. i always find later at night is a danger period for me. better to be sleeping. always strive for between 7 to 8 hours (no more no less) studies have shown that around 7.5 hours is optimal and helps with weight loss. most people dont sleep enough.
9. take morning walks if you can. weight bearing is great and a walk is a great time to clear your head. if mornings are not possible, anytime is fine. i walk for an hour (4 miles) every morning and it gets my metabolism kick started for all day burn.
Thank you Avalon really good tips!!!! love the product suggestions going to try both!!
Thanks, everyone, for the non-food event ideas. I play Bridge fairly regularly, and snacks had become a bit of an issue. It's January though, so people are scaling it down. I used to contribute a lot to the snack bar. These days, I just bring a jar of pickles, and you know what--those pickles get more takers than a lot of the other snacks I worked so hard on and spent so much money on in the past. So that's good. That's becoming more of a non-food event for me. Also, that dance idea sounds fun, except I am self-conscious about my dance moves. Someday soon though I will consider doing it anyway. Maybe, closer to summer:-)
So glad I found this thread! What great "real life" ideas!
Ro22 we seem to be on a pretty similar path to me, I am just a little ahead of you. Lots of what you are saying rings true for me - the reality of everyone telling me how good I look didn't really sink in for me until the last 2 weeks. I have gone off program exactly once in 4 months for a girls weekend and even then I didn't go nuts, hopped back on Monday morning and still lost that week!
I have some fear of the day I reach my goal (and it is going to happen soon) - anyone else obsess about P2-P4 and if they can keep it up??? I don't know how to articulate it but I worry that I can only do this because of the program and maybe I can't do it myself in everyday life? Not sure that makes sense but hope somebody knows what I am talking about!
IrishAnn I definitely know what you're talking about! Phase 2 wasn't much different for me. I just pretty much ate dinner leftovers for lunch. It was Phase 3 that scared me. I felt totally out of control for the first week. I kept feeling like the breakfasts were way too much food. I felt stuffed and uncomfortable for hours and then I had a very difficult time eating lunch. I have always eaten a later lunch, about 2:00, and I was still full from breakfast. My lunches often didn't make it to a full 2cups of veggies and 8 oz of protein. I'm into my 2nd week of Phase 3 and plan to start maintenance on Saturday. I have to say that I'm a bit terrified. I followed the program all the way through, and it worked. I have continued to lose during Phases 2 and 3, but maintenance doesn't have the same safety net. I do well with structure, but maintenance offers nothing more than a few guidelines. I can only hope that maintenance will work just like the earlier phases did. I trusted in and followed the program, and just need to take that leap of faith. Honestly, I think I will be a little reluctant to add back in too many carbs. Maybe just a small serving of whole grains at dinner a few times a week. I think it will be a lot of trial and error. But knowing I can always rely on a day or 2 of Phase 1 to get me back on track is comforting.
So glad I found this thread! What great "real life" ideas!
Ro22 we seem to be on a pretty similar path to me, I am just a little ahead of you. Lots of what you are saying rings true for me - the reality of everyone telling me how good I look didn't really sink in for me until the last 2 weeks. I have gone off program exactly once in 4 months for a girls weekend and even then I didn't go nuts, hopped back on Monday morning and still lost that week!
I have some fear of the day I reach my goal (and it is going to happen soon) - anyone else obsess about P2-P4 and if they can keep it up??? I don't know how to articulate it but I worry that I can only do this because of the program and maybe I can't do it myself in everyday life? Not sure that makes sense but hope somebody knows what I am talking about!
IrishAnn - I know exactly what you mean. I am afraid of P2-P4, but I will take one day at a time. I know that I am never going to add those inches back so I'll figure it out and so will you. I have a user conference next week and went to try on my business suits, and I was swimming in them. I am down two more sizes to a size 8! I had never even been a size 10 as an adult so I am just amazed.
I am struggling recently though. I am starving! I am 5.5 months in and the last week I have felt fuzzy and have headaches throughout the day which sounds like week 1 symptoms that I never experienced. I don't know if my body is telling me it is time to transition or if something else is going on. I have incorporated a few alternative products, and I am wondering if maybe it is not the same quality protein as IP, and therefore, causing hunger. I haven't seen anyone else post anything along these lines, but I do know I don't feel right for the last week. I hope it goes away. I have already added a 4th packet.
Ro22 - just found my way back to this thread, still figuring out how to find my messages!
But...so interesting that you noted feeling hungry and adding alternate products. I just did the same thing! I did all alternates last week and have been HUNGRY! Unlike you, I didn't make the connection until you said that.
I am going to go all IP, no alternates next week and see if it helps! I will post back after my experiment now that I have figured out how to find my posts!
I wouldn't say this is a tip or a trick.
I imagine the effect at large calorie deficet is somewhat blunted also.
Grain Brain Author Dr. Perlmutter has this on his site.
