[IP MOM]

hi everyone
every time i google anything about ip i get this forum so i hope you can answer a question for me. i have not been sticking to this diet well the past few weeks and in recognizing that i am wrecking havoc on my body i need to phase off. after just reentering ketosis i cheated again yesterday. today i started phase 3 - my question is, is there any point in doing phase 3 for 2 weeks or will it not work now? i really just want to phase off and not regain my 30 pounds

[New Englander]

Hi, Sorry you've been struggling. Phasing off is to allow your pancreas a chance to reawaken and get you out of ketosis. If you're not in ketosis I don't believe there's anything to phase off of...

But...why not try to get back into ketosis and recommit? This site is extremely supportive and helpful.

But, to maintain your 30 # loss (WHICH IS AWESOME) it will be just as hard as losing if not harder... You'll have one "free" day and the other six days you'll eat a specific way (as per IP). It's doable, but still work.

Good luck!

[IP MOM]

thank you. i have been struggling pretty bad. yesterday was just a small cheat (ip cookie for breakfast and then a second restricted that evening) but a cheat nonetheless i suppose.

[New Englander]

Oh, don't worry about that. One day (towards the end of my P1 journey) I ate an entire box (ALL SEVEN) of IP double chocolate bars!!! They were so good. I never told anyone!!!

That's not that bad. The best thing you can do is get back on the wagon. I was truly committed 110% until I ate the entire box...one right after the other...but I still reached goal and so can you!!!!!!!!

[IP MOM]

thank you for your support but i am just tooo tempted too often, i need to phase off. will phase 3 work for me now do you know?

[LizRR]

I agree-I have done the 2 restricteds/day before...evil choco soypuffs...just get back and on the horse! Copied from another post:

My coach held a Phase 3/4 workshop recently, this is my 3rd hand info as she explained the importance of phasing off properly - btw, no wonder you switched coaches - your old one sounds AWFUL! The goal of the phases is to gradually get your body adjusted to the higher calories so you don't jump straight from a 900 calorie/day famine to storing the 2000 calorie/day feast. Also, gently increasing the insulin levels your pancreas creates is a focus, as the worry is if you go from 0-60 in terms of insulin production you can restart the carb craving swings that got many of us into Phase 1 to begin with. My coach does NOT use scare tactics, but she does believe very much in the program having successfully gone through it herself and truly cares about all of her clients and wants us to succeed.

The Phase 1 to 100% goal is focused on weight loss at ~900 calories/day. The low carb gets you into ketosis, you start turning fat into ketones->which in turn get turned into glucose, lowers insulin which reduces cravings, rests the pancreas, etc. The protein is set at a sustainable level to maintain current lean mass, and the fat is kept low so that the body burns your body fat to create the ketones, not the dietary fat.

The Phase 2 at 2 weeks is designed to gradually get your body used to increased calories at ~1100 calories/day. 'Real protein' has more calories per absorbable protein than an IP packet. People typically still lose a few lb during this time as an IP packet is replaced with 'real protein'.

The Phase 3 at 2 weeks is designed to continue to get your body used to increased calories at ~1500 calories/day and also introduce carbs & healthy fats as the pancreas is 'gradually awakened'. People typically gain a few lb during this time as the glucose reserves are rebuilt in the blood stream, balancing out the Phase 2 losses (so you should still be maintaining your Phase 1 goal weight). High intensity exercise can be done now!

Phase 4 is for life as you maintain your goal weight at ~1800-2600 calories/day (depending on each person). Our clinic has a schedule where in Phase 4 we meet weekly in month 1, 2x/week in month 2, then every month for the rest of the first year, then meet yearly thereafter (more if we need/want to). She said it is totally normal to gain a few lb over a year as life goes on and we try to adjust, so the reboot accountability is recommended.

[IP MOM]

BTW is the one packet in phase 3 restricted or unrestricted

[patns]

I'd just go right on into phase 3. Seems like that is the point you are at.

edited to ask: do you mean you didn't do phase 2??? two restricteds in a day at the end of phase 1 is not a huge deal. Why don't you just go into phase 2 and continue the process?

[Delgen]

Originally Posted by LizRR

I agree-I have done the 2 restricteds/day before...evil choco soypuffs...just get back and on the horse! Copied from another post:

My coach held a Phase 3/4 workshop recently, this is my 3rd hand info as she explained the importance of phasing off properly - btw, no wonder you switched coaches - your old one sounds AWFUL! The goal of the phases is to gradually get your body adjusted to the higher calories so you don't jump straight from a 900 calorie/day famine to storing the 2000 calorie/day feast. Also, gently increasing the insulin levels your pancreas creates is a focus, as the worry is if you go from 0-60 in terms of insulin production you can restart the carb craving swings that got many of us into Phase 1 to begin with. My coach does NOT use scare tactics, but she does believe very much in the program having successfully gone through it herself and truly cares about all of her clients and wants us to succeed.

The Phase 1 to 100% goal is focused on weight loss at ~900 calories/day. The low carb gets you into ketosis, you start turning fat into ketones->which in turn get turned into glucose, lowers insulin which reduces cravings, rests the pancreas, etc. The protein is set at a sustainable level to maintain current lean mass, and the fat is kept low so that the body burns your body fat to create the ketones, not the dietary fat.

The Phase 2 at 2 weeks is designed to gradually get your body used to increased calories at ~1100 calories/day. 'Real protein' has more calories per absorbable protein than an IP packet. People typically still lose a few lb during this time as an IP packet is replaced with 'real protein'.

The Phase 3 at 2 weeks is designed to continue to get your body used to increased calories at ~1500 calories/day and also introduce carbs & healthy fats as the pancreas is 'gradually awakened'. People typically gain a few lb during this time as the glucose reserves are rebuilt in the blood stream, balancing out the Phase 2 losses (so you should still be maintaining your Phase 1 goal weight). High intensity exercise can be done now!

Phase 4 is for life as you maintain your goal weight at ~2000-2600 calories/day (depending on each person). Our clinic has a schedule where in Phase 4 we meet weekly in month 1, 2x/week in month 2, then every month for the rest of the first year, then meet yearly thereafter (more if we need/want to). She said it is totally normal to gain a few lb over a year as life goes on and we try to adjust, so the reboot accountability is recommended.

Wow! This is incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for this amazing information. I sort of knew it, but your explanation is really great!