[QUOTE=hockyemom;3033253]Something new that I have just tried and absolutely love!!! Some others have probably already done this, but I added about 2 tsp. instant coffee to my (ready-made) chocolate drink. I'm not really a coffee drinker, but the addition seems to thicken the drink a bit and make it taste richer. And I tried it hot the other day on the way to my son's hockey game and it was really, really good.

(Is instant coffee allowed on IP? I think I remember seeing somewhere that we are allowed coffee, but since I don't usually drink it, I kind of ignored what I read -- if anyone knows if we shouldn't be having this, please let me know.

I have the Chocolate Drink & add a a shot of espresso or even a 1/2 cup of coffee. LOVE it, it is sorta like a Mocha. I even add Coffee to my Cappichino.

Hi, everyone. I just got back from my weigh in. Haven't weighed in 2 weeks and I'm down another 7.2 lbs. and 5.5 inches. A total of 17.2 lbs. in a month. I'm so excited. I've gone down to pants sizes. This diet is awesome!!!

Welcome to our new members. Congrats to those that are seeing the scale move and hang in there to those who aren't - don't get discouraged by the scale.

Here's what I've been told about coffee and exercise

coffee - coffee is allowed but you need to drink an equal amount of water in addition to the water called for in the diet.

exercise - I think it goes like this - if you were exercising before, then you're good to keep exercising. if you haven't been exercising before, you're supposed to take it easy the first week or so until you get into the swing of the diet. this diet is limited in calories so if you haven't been exercising and start going at it, you'll be really hungry - you might chew the leg off a small child. If you have to really work out (i.e. aerobics) then you're supposed to add a protein pack to compensate.

I lost 4.2 lbs last week - i'd been disappointed because the week before it was only 2 lbs (I know 2 lbs is better than on most other diets but I'm a little spoiled with this diet and expected more). my counselor suggested I not have any of the restricted packs and to make sure to eat my lettuce. the lettuce is supposed to aid in digestion - I think it helps move things along too. Eating this way seemed to work - felt great after the weigh in.

couple of meal ideas I've tried out lately - I cook up frozen broccoli/cauliflawer (2 cups) mash it and add the chicken soup to it - seems like real soup and is my all time favorite lunch - simple, fast and tasty.
i made a "taco" salad and it was yummy. Cooked hamburger, added green pepper and mushrooms and seasoned with taco seasoning. Served over lettuce. it had everything but the chips (and cheese) it made the lettuce...not so cold and flavourless. Cooked turkey burger and flavoured with the WF balsamic dressing and it was yummy too.

loved reading the posts!

My coach told me that I can count any water that I use in mixing the protein packets, as well as decaf tea. That should help some. I'm starting my sixth week, too and I think I might start to walk some in the neighborhood. Don't want to commit to a gym.
I get really tired of the lettuce...I use WF thousand island. It's pretty good and that makes it a little better. The new bbq chips are good and so are the soy nuts. My favs are the vanilla peanut bar and the ready made choc. drink and the omelet. I like the stew and the chili, as well. They are all easy to add other veggies to.

I'm not sure on what kind of lettuce everyone is eating, but if you try different kinds - I like Romaine the best - i can't even eat iceburg lettuce anymore, it is so tasteless.
I take the broccoli slaw and treat it like coleslaw - add WF honey mustard (didn't like the WF coleslaw dressing), let it sit in refrigerator overnight and it tastes pretty good.
We had cheesecake(one of my favs) for Thanksgiving and of course, brought the left overs home - i'm taking that and my son's birthday cake to work tomorrow to let others enjoy it (and it get it OUT of my house!! - it seems to be calling my name every time i go in the kitchen. :) )
Love reading the posts. Everyone is doing great. I also like to read the not so positive posts - makes us all humans doesn't it?

I'm back! I see some of us didn't have a good turn out so far as weight loss after thanksgiving. I had only lost half a pound and that was not going over board with the food. I'm down 12 1/2 pound since Nov 3rd. lost 6 inches. I only have 18 more pounds to go... Yes thanksgiving was a setback but I'm doing good this week and hope to have a better week when I weigh in next wednesday.

i really like the mashed veggies and soup idea, going to try that...

someone commented about the cold. this is really coincidental because recently i was telling a coworker that i am chilled all the time. i am usually the one who is overheated in the office. i notice it at home as well. i definitely am connecting it to this diet.

has anyone wondered if you could skip your evening packet in order to add an ounce or two of meat to your meal? most nites i dont require that snack, but i would love to trade it in for a little more meat. may be one of those things i test out and see how it works out. i try to limit red meats to once a week, and personally i find a 5oz steak quite small...but it is what it is!!

Weigh-in (35th day)
 

Well it's been 35 days since I started the IP diet, so far I've lost 18lbs, which is about 1/2 pounds per day and I've lost a total of 27 inches.:carrot: I was hoping to lose more weight, but the inches make up for the pounds.

I have done this as I do not end up eating dinner till approx 6.30-7 pm so I really do not require the snack (unless I am wanting something sweet and then I have a pudding). I try not to do it more than 1 or twice a week just in case it somehow makes a difference. I have been on IP since Oct 19 - 47 days and have lost a total of 21.3 pounds. Only 8.5 pounds to go to my original goal but I am thinking of adding another 5 pounds to that goal so I have some wiggle room when I change phases.

I was asking about staying on Phase I till I have reached my goal, rather than switching to Phase II at 80% and they told me I could if I wanted to, as you lose more weight in Phase I than Phase II. Has anyone done that or has everyone switched to Phase II at 80% of your goal?

You are very welcome Lilita! Again, if there is something in particular that you don't see that you want to see let me know and I'll do my best to find you an appropriate recipe.

Congrats chjsmom! Keep up the great work!! :carrot:

Optichick, although it isn't calorie or ff, I have posted some delicious recipes online for salad dressings that use olive oil and cider or white vinegar, which do follow IP rules. Using those has helped me with not getting too sick of salads all the time. Hang in there.

Ottawa, I know my coach said to cross out the 80% and stick to Phase I until 90% of weight loss is achieved... and I know for me, 90% is what I'm actually planning on keeping off, the other 10% I added on to account for water weight when I start eating carbs again.

As far as being cod goes... I'm already cold-natured, so maybe I'll just turn into a popsicle stick! One other thing to consider, though, is that a lot of us are probably getting less iron than usual (I know I'm cutting out a ton of red meat), so if you can you probably want to check with your doctor to make sure you're not becoming borderline anemic. Fair warning, though, iron supplements due tend to plug you up even more, so if your doctor recommends you take that, see if he can recommend anything to help you moving!

Ottawa, I switched to phase II at 95% of my weight loss (tuesday) and my coach was not againt the idea... Would there have been more time before the Holidays, maybe I would have continued phase I for 10 more pounds... I find phase II harder besause I could rely on protein packets for lunch before... got to cook some leftovers for me now!

On www.trantiendiet.com, you can find that the recommandations have changed for the intermediate phase (2 weeks for phase II and III)... wonder if this info is more recent that what my coach told me?

Has anyone tried the new www.idealprotein.com website?? Did you have access to all the tools?

:)

Congrats on everyone's weight loss and continued success. I love all the advice and recipes. I'm definately trying the mashed veggies in the soup.
I haven't been on in a few weeks but working 2 jobs isn't leaving a lot of computer time at night.
So I just finished week 5 last Saturday and I'm down 25.4lbs.
Does anyone use the Ketostix? When I first started using them I was in the Large range and now that I've introduced 1 restricted item a day I'm down to Moderate. Last week I only lost 2.6 and this week so far my scale is only showing a 2lb loss. I know I should be happy with that but ya I want more ha ha. I'm wondering if my carbs are too high. I know when I asked my counselor I got the 25 to 35 grams of carbs per day but it varies by person. Has anyone else had similar results with the weight loss number being lower.
I also have to agree with being cold. I now have a heater blowing at my back all day long in the office.
thanks again to every one on here for the support & advice
Marina :dizzy:

Heating Up!
 

Well, lot of posters "Old and New,"

Post-thanksgiving thoughts: glad it's behind me. All the leftovers are gone from my kitchen.....took'em to work or threw'em out.

Ogdog: would love a pancake recipe and a low-fatish pumpkin pie (substitute) recipe. TIA.

Torchlaker: where are you? I looked up "torch lake" and it is a beautiful area but I couldn't see you in any of the pics.LOL

Pre-Christmas thoughts: I have a couple of parties to attend and am looking for a special dress to show off my new figure. Great motivation to stay on track.

I added fiber capsules (metamucil) and drank water all day and it really helped if you know what I mean. I lost a pound overnight. Double LOL.

Except for a measly point 4 pounds I am almost at the 25 pounds eliminated mark (since Oct. 14) The ticker below does not allow the "point 4" in 185.4
so I'll take it.

I changed the "the little chick" on the left bar from 20 pounds to 25. Woohoo.

New veggie recipe I loved: I cut and trimmed some brussel sprouts and steamed them. Then I sauteed them in olive oil and a tiny bit of butter. MMMhmmm.

Just now posting since Thanksgiving. I was good on the actual day, cheated a tiny bit on Sat, and then went ahead and ate carbs wtihin reason on Sunday. I got right back on the bandwagon and still managed to lose a pound for the week, so not too bad.
Ive started substituting IP foods with some foods I ordered from lowcarbu.com. I found a blueberry/cream flax hot cereal that is to die for, 2 net carbs, and 150 calories. the other hot cereal I got was only 90 calories. I am finding that the Dixie Diner meals are similar nutritionally to IP in calories, protein and carbs, the only difference being on the website you can mix and match whereas at my center you must buy a box of the same item. The price per packet was close. The breakfast cereals were much cheaper. I have IP chicken soup coming out my ears from earlier in the plan. They also have a nice teriaki chicken soup at lowcarbu I am going to try. I also bought some shirataki noodles to try. I will let you know how that goes. Ive also decided to go Phase II even though I have 8 lbs to go. I am running alot and feel like i need more energy for that. So at this point, I am doing a combo of IP and lowcarbu packets, and adding a few carbs via soymilk/dairy.

I have visited the trantien diet websit a few times and this time came across the following info that I think is worth sharing with you all. It talks about lots of the points we've pondered over the last while. Also, we've worried about how we keep this weight off after we're done losing. It looks "fairly" straightforward. Quick version - don't eat fats and sugars in the same meal and if you do have a slip up - avoid all sugars the next day. It's long but, I've copied the info below.
Stabilization
Now that you’ve shed those extra pounds it’s time to discuss stabilization.

Stabilization is where things get interesting, but you must never forget that this diet is not a definitive diet.

Daily Eating Plan and Diet Slip-ups
Stabilization is a two-part process: the first part deals with your daily eating plan and the second, with managing diet slip-ups.

The notion of a balanced diet is the basis of stabilization. Balance is when things do not change. You neither lose nor regain weight when you eat a well-balanced diet.

Separating Carbohydrates and Fats
During the maintenance phase, I recommend that you separate carbohydrates and fats, or sugars and fats, on a daily basis. Sugar makes you gain weight and so does fat, and that’s why you separate them. If I had two troublesome students in my class, I’d separate them. You initially excluded fats and carbohydrates from your diet and now you’re reintroducing them. As long as you separate fats and carbohydrates, you will not gain back the weight you lost.

Managing Those Diet Slip-ups
The second part of the stabilization process focuses on managing diet slip-ups.

If you had to stabilize your weight for life by eating only three little green peas and a green bean, you’d be very depressed and would never manage to stabilize your weight.

The first notion that is reintroduced after you’ve completed this diet is the notion of pleasure. There can be no pleasure if there are no diet slip-ups. It’s impossible to achieve long-lasting balance in life without pleasure. You’d quit your job if you derived no pleasure from it. You’d wonder what was wrong with your relationship if you derived no pleasure from it.

There are two types of diet slip-ups: minor slip-ups that are inconsequential and major slip-ups that must be dealt with.

Weight gain is the result of bad habits and not a one-time slip.

What is a minor slip-up?
You could have a minor diet slip-up when you go to a movie, a play or a concert and have only an hour to grab a bite to eat. You don’t have enough time to go to a fine restaurant, so you go to a regular restaurant. Which foods are unavoidable in restaurants? Fatty foods, because you’re not the one doing the cooking. Which are easily avoidable? Sugar, bread, pasta and dessert. It’s okay for you to have a small glass of wine. Since you did not load up on carbs and fats, this slip is a minor slip and you don’t need to make up for it.

Contrast that with going to a fine restaurant once every week or two and ordering everything you want. You have a first course – perhaps some foie gras – and a main dish served in a sauce. As a matter of fact, you have the works – starchy foods, dessert, cheese, wine and bread – because you have the right to! That’s a major diet slip-up and you can easily make up for it the next day by avoiding all sugar for that one day only. Your goal is not to lose weight, but to make up for your one-meal overindulgence because you want to prevent the fat from entering your fat cells.

Insulin
Fat can only enter a fat cell and be stored in it if it has a little the key to open the cell’s door. That little key is insulin. Your pancreas secretes insulin only when you eat sugar. If you eat no sugar the day after your major diet slip-up, your pancreas will secrete very little insulin and there will be no little key to open up the fat cells to let in the fat.

Weight Gain After a Big Meal
You might still gain two pounds the day after you ate a big meal and that’s very maddening. You think to yourself, “I ate one meal and gained two pounds and it’ll take me a week to lose those two pounds”. You also think it’s so unfair that one meal made you gain two pounds. You conclude that the diet doesn’t work because your weight is yo-yoing!

Don’t worry. You didn’t gain two pounds of fat. Your body is unable to lose two pounds of fat in a day and it can’t gain two pounds of fat in a day either. Remember, two pounds of fat equal 9,000 calories, and women eat an average of 2,000 calories per day. How could you possibly eat the equivalent of four to five days of meals in just one meal? You can’t. And even if you could, your body would be unable to assimilate all those calories. What do those two pounds of fat represent then? They represent the weight of a big meal that you have not yet eliminated and the water your body has retained in order to digest it.

When you eat a slice of ham or an egg, you don’t drink a quart of water. However, when you eat a big meal, you drink a lot more liquid in order to digest it. Water is essential for digestion. Let’s break down the weight of a big meal: the first course weighs 5 ounces and the meat dish, 7 ounces. There’s 12 ounces right there. Add to that the weight of the vegetables and starchy foods, which is another 7 ounces, and your meal’s weight goes up to 19 ounces. You also have to include the weight of the bread, dessert, and liquids. When you add it all up, you see that it’s normal to gain two pounds after a major diet detour. It’s not the end of the world, because those two pounds are not two pounds of fat.

All you have to do is go back on the protein diet for one day and avoid all fast and slow sugars.

Eating: A Conscious Act
Eating is essential; it’s one of life’s most essential acts.

Eating must be a conscious act; it must never be unconscious or automatic. Never fill up on cold foods while standing in the kitchen, because you’ll never feel satisfied. Never eat while doing other things at the same time. Don’t get yourself some food and then sit down and eat it in front of the television. Don’t grab something to eat and then sit down at your computer. You’ll end up going back for more food, because you don’t know how much you’ve eaten or what you’ve eaten. You ate automatically and unconsciously.

If you’re at a party or a reception where there are all kinds of tasty finger foods, you could eat up to 15 or 20 canapés and petits fours. Afterwards, you wonder if you should have dinner because you feel like you haven’t eaten at all.

A meal is a very special moment.

Simplymar, you're averaging more than 5 lbs. a week!!!! That's better than most of us here. You're doing great.

Ogdog, have you tried using almond flour for any recipes? I'll attach a link for a Lady who's done a lot with it. She's gluten intolerant.

http://www.elanaspantry.com/recipes/

Hey, Valkyrie must almost be in maintenance now. I think her wedding is in January or close to it, so I guess we'll let her off the hook for no updates:D

Echo, I can't keep up.. there are so many new people!!
I'm two pounds from goal......aaaaggghhhhh! Sorry I've been scarce on here.. been on the road for the past 6 weeks then the holiday week of course. I work with computers so in my off time, computers are not my first choice!
Everyone is doing great.. I'm going to sit down over the weekend and catch up on the end of November and beginning of december and get all this stuff updated. December 9.. I'm phasing off the diet one way or another.. I hope I'm at goal!!!
Talk to everyone soon

Echobaby, I have not tried almond flour yet, although it is on my list of things to buy from netrition with the next order. I have read good things about it being very close to cooking like normal flour. I'm anxious to try it. Do dogs taste testing doggie cookies count? Probably not, I'll have to make a couple batches of cookies and have my nephew try them eh? I look forward to your link. I found my info on lowcarbfriends.com.

Yeah. Nephew try them! Videotape it to make fun of him later in life.

Hi everyone: Betcha thought I fell off the planet, huh? I have been really busy trying to finish Christmas gifts. The necklaces I make take 2-1/2 weeks from start to finish...and I only have one week left!! OMG!!

OK - I probably should throw out my scale. I didn't gain....in fact, I lost half of a pound. My scale showed me at 7# more than the doctors scale!

So - what we decided to do since I only have one more weighin before I leave for Ohio is to try the substitute bars/cereals I bought to see how they affect me. So - as I try them....I will try to report. CoolBreeze...I tried the Maple Dixie Diner cereal this morning. It was okay...I think I put too much water in it (very soupy). It held me until my late lunch. I have tried the "Oh Yeah" protein wafers. Not bad. They just don't fill me up like IP bars. I cannot find anything that is like the puddings, unless I make them myself (Ogdog has some good recipes). So, I might buy enough puddings to get me thru until I get back.

I had a real "pity party" when I went to weighin. Life just started to seem overwhelmng to me again. I told her I was sick of salads, sick of the diet, tired of cooking from scratch everynight...yadahada. Finding out the trial had been moved, my son losing both of his jobs, being alone for Thanksgiving, my house is a mess cuz I have no energy and I spend all my time altering clothes or working on Christmas gifts, etc. etc. etc..... So basically, I am on a version of Phase II this week...only not adding meat for lunch (I don't eat lunch)...but a bar or something from Netrition. My nurse was also going to talk to the doctor about something for depression. I do feel better today than I have.....so maybe I am coming out of it.

Mom22 - thanks for posting that info. Kinda depressing to think I can't have butter on my veggies ever again, tho.

Lilita - so you looked up Torch Lake, huh? I hope the beautiful colors showed up (I think there are pix on torchlake.com). It is an amazing lake. I bought a boat in April.. learned to drive it, but never learned how to dock it!! Next year! I am going to the Caribbean in March...and the owner of my condo said, "Wait until you see the colors." My hubby and I parasailing in Punta Cana 2 weeks before he died. Yup, the colors were beautiful....they are the colors of Torch Lake. My whole house is decorated in all the beautiful blues and aquas of the lake.....

So - what did I learn this week? One - even if it is a $40 scale...don't believe it!! I can make substitutions as long as they are healthy ones (My new one is Greek Yogurt - no fat - has 12g of protein. I don't like yogurt...but used it for deviled eggs and horseradish sauce). I DO put fatfree reddiwhip on my puddings...they look yummy that way!! I can find lower priced IP substitutes BUT I haven't found any that have the low amount of fat, carbs and calories that IP has.

I learned that I am probably NOT going to get all my Christmas gifts done before Christmas...and will just worry about my granddaughters. I am excited, tho....I bought some "butterfly" cut outs, and plan to paint those...cuz I feel like a butterfly. I started out a fat caterpillar...and am slowly turning into a butterlfy!

......I think we are all turning into "butterflies." We are going to a new place of renewal....This will be a brand new start for many of us. I read something a few days ago..."Just when the caterpillar thought his life was over, he turned into a butterly." That is us!

One thing as mentioned earlier in this forum....I won't be saying I need to lose weight on New Years Eve. My hubby died on New Years Eve...so it is a hard time for me. Last year was awful....since it was the first year. BUT -- being able to say that I did follow thru with ONE New Years Resolution should help me feel better this year. He would want me to be healthy and stick around for my son!!!

Ive basically been living for dinners my stir frys every night, ive had them for about 3 weeks in a row and i cant get tired of them they taste sooo good.

chopped bokchoy, chopped napa,chopped green onion, chopped red cabbage, bean sprouts, soy sauce, 2 tsp olive oil.
^
Amazing.

My dad is actually going to go on the diet as well, and we are gonna incorporate it into the documentary now, where im actually changing my family as well, we are all overweight. My clinic just got the Oreo cookie bar in which im excited to try =o

Ive basically been having Crispy cereal every morning with two splenda packets delicious. then a bar, then a big stirfry with 4+ cups of veggies and chicken. Thats my big meal of the day.

Cold
 

Yes, I'm cold all the time. Used to be the opposite. Noticed it early on, when wyoming was still in the 50's. Not like the 0 degrees it is right now! But I just read two days ago that in tests they injected rats/mice with insulin and their core body temp went up. So I assume since we are ingesting low carbs our bodies are not churning out insulin...so we all feel cold. Just a thought. :brr:

Welcome Back Torchlake, Valkyrie and Josh!

Welcome back all of you that "keep coming back."
To reiterate: this forum is a major cornerstone of my success on this program.

I have a great need to "share" this great program with others (like sharing a great book or great movie) yet I want to keep it "private" to a certain degree so people don't "watch" what I'm eating.

You guys and gals are great "listeners and sharers." Thank you.

Everything you write about helps me. I love the tips/recipes/links/feelings. Keep' em coming. PLEASE!

Yesterday, I tried Phase II (2 legal meals per day) because I was out running errands all day with my DBF and we went to a restaurant for breakfast then I cooked a meal at home for dinner. It seemed like so much food in one day!

My point is that when I do get to Phase II (for real) it will be so wonderful and easy to live with. I was so satisfied with my 2 meals that it was hard to eat anything else. Plus it was way less food than I used to eat before IP.

My DBF commented at the restaurant that I used to "order so much more food" at restaurants before IP.


I read Dr. Tran Tien's thoughts on stabilization and ordering all those courses at a restaurant.

My stomach can't hold that much food anymore! I'm 56 years old. I never want to go back to "stuffing" myself with food.

I see myself easing into my older age as a slender, healthy and well-dressed (Ann Taylor, anyone?) woman that does not need to eat huge quantities of bad food to satisfy some psychological (or whatever it was or is) need.

IP is teaching me this.

Sleep cycle.
 

Question:

Has anyone's sleep cycle changed since starting IP?

OMG, mine has!

I sleep deep and hard for 5 or 6 hours and then I wake up and can't sleep anymore.

Day 1 on Ideal Protein
 

Today I started the Ideal Protein diet. I had the Maple Oatmeal Mix for breakfast. It was pretty awful. That's what I feared. I hope the other Ideal Protein foods are better than that. I've been reading over the recipe thread, and I found some that look pretty yummy. I wish I knew for sure which recipes could be used on Phase I of the diet. I don't want to accidentally cheat! I am off to the grocery store. I have to get the veggies I need. TTFN!

Good Morning All.... Well winter has finially hit us in Alberta so we will have a white christmas after all, yipee :D. I love reading all the post on this forum!!!! My husband is officially out of the 200's after starting IP Oct 30, his total to date is 41, men lose so much faster the buggers!!! I do have to say I am totally impressed with him, he was a real junk food junkie.
He did agree with the change is sleeping cycles and he no longer snores :carrot: which rocks for me. Also, he puts on an extra shirt or sweater as he is often cold as well.
Josh-Great job, it is awesome that you are getting your Dad on IP, I am also trying to get my Dad on, both sides of our extended families have weight issues.
Anyway, just wanted to say great job to everyone!!!! Have a great weekend!

I also sleep better and get to sleep faster. I don't' know if it is from a lot less sugar in my system or someone said the magnesium in the last supplement helps - but I really like that i can sleep well.

Luvmymarine: It took me a little bit to get used to the Oatmeal, but now I really like it. I put a little Splenda on it and about a Tablespoon of Walden Farms Pancake syrup. I also make it a bit differently then the directions say..and it seemed to change the texture to more oatmeal-like. I put 1/2 c. water in the microwave for 35 seconds...then I mix the water and oatmeal in a bowl with a whisk...pour it into a small soup bowl..and put the mixture back in the microwave for 20 seconds....take it out and stir it....and put it back in again for the last 20 seconds. See if that makes any difference....

I sleep deep when I finally fall asleep. I am a nightowl...so it is hard for me to go to sleep, but you are right....probably the magnesium is helping us sleep deep.

Lilita...had to laugh when you mentioned the lunch with your DBF. Last month when my son came up, I took him to one of my favorite restaurants. I knew this was gonna be tough...cuz I love their bread and their creme brulee. SO --when the bread came, I DID have one piece, dipped it in the flavored olive oil, and then pushed the rest of the loaf to him. His eyes just lit up! So - I ordered a salad and then I ordered 2 Creme Brulees for us. When it came, I took 2 bites - and thought, "This is good but not worth gaining weight" -- so I pushed the Creme Brulee over to him too. He said, "Boy, I REALLY love this diet you are on." Later he told me he knew I was serious about IP when I passed the Creme Brulee!!

So -- you picture yourself as an "Ann Taylor" type, huh? Isn't it fun to think what we are going to wear? Me? I guess I am more like the Mom or Grandma on "The Nanny" -- I love the glitz and glitter. I just started wearing more lately cuz I feel more confident that I can pull it off "thinner."

I still feel "hot" AND "cold" -- but colder much more often. As I write this, there is a beautiful light snow falling (we have about 6" of snow)...I am in fleece pajamas and "Muckalucks"....but I still have to dress in layers. Since I have lost over 6% bodyfat...I betcha you guys are right...I lost my insulation!

Very interesting reading. A great reminder that we'll always have to be diligent to succeed!

Thanks for this explanation...This makes sense!! Others that are cold because of "lost insulation" are close to goal. I still have PLENTY of insulation and couldn't understand the constant cold feeling.

You know, they closed all the Ann Taylors here. I thought she was gone forever. I'll go online and see what's new.

I find I don't want to really discuss the diet with anyone. Maybe from some of my coworker's initial reaction to it. I just don't want to deal with the negativity. But you're right, I am bursting to talk about it with all you guys here.

Mirazon, I see you are still clipping along. Way to go! My next weigh in is Monday, and I haven't even glanced at the scale since my last disastrous weigh in last Monday. I feel a lot lighter, though. I've been perfect except for last night, I went out to dinner with my boyfriend and his father, and ate on program, but had a diet coke and vodka, because they were slurping down margaritas.>>>>:carrot::carrot:<<<<<that was them. Needless to say, I had to drive home.

Same here...I sleep well, but for fewer hours and wake with more energy. It's a WIN-WIN!!! I also used to be a really restless sleeper...sheets and pillows off the bed in the morning. Since starting IP I spend much less time making the bed! I was never officially diagnosed with sleep apnea, but think the wt loss is helping my breathing at night so I'm not as restless.

Hi Echobaby, Yes I'm staying faithful to the program. When I started, I was told at my weight I would have to lose 50 - 75 lbs before people would start noticing. That is proving true. People are now consistently saying "There's something different about you" :) they haven't figured out what yet.

Congratulations on being able to stay on program while having dinner out! That is a HUGE accomplishment. As the holidays get closer, there are going to be alot of challenges to face. I wish us all much success as we conquer them!!

I have noticed exactly the same. I used to wake up with a fog too, and now I bounce out of bed. I absolutely love this feeling!

Sleeping...
 

Interestingly enough my husband went for a sleep study for apnea just before he started IP, we went in for his follow up and they want to retest him as he has lost so much weight. Before he stopped breathing 40 times per hour so it will be interesting to see what the next study shows. Also, he has suffered with headaches since forever now it is rare that he gets one!!!!

Temptation Proof
 

Wow Ogdog. Thanks for all those great recipes! I sure appreciate all of you who post on here. I don't have a lot of time to keep up on the posts, but the last few days I've been having that creeping feeling of "one bite will be OK" and so tempted to cheat. I came on here and read up and feel like new again! This is such a great group.