Thanks! I find it very interesting how people are reacting to the "new" me and I'm not even done yet. Look out world!

Congrats on your loss! Your doing very well. I started on Oct 24 and have had no cheats....Totally on track and have only lost 20lbs. :pSo 18lbs with a planned cheat is wonderful. Keep it up
:hug:

Holy Cookie:D....That NEW cookies and cream bar sounds Amazing!!

I'm going on vacation from 12/26-1/02 and will not have IP. Totally freaking out. I have been searching for a dealer in the area I'm going but no luck. I think with all the airline security that it will be more problems/stress then I want. I don't know. Anyone have any suggestions?

Lilita, I found a couple of pumpkin recipes online that you might be interested in:

Pumpkin Granola Bars
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
Blend the pumpkin, egg, butter, honey, and molasses in a mixing bowl or food processor.
Add the oats, sunflower seeds, nuts, coconut, wheat germ, and cinnamon, mix well.
Spread this mixture into a lightly greased 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan.
Bake in a 350*F oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown. While still warm, cut into 3-by-1 1/2-inch bars.
For very crisp bars, remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely.
Makes about 30 bars.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 30
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 87.4
Total Fat: 5.4 g
Cholesterol: 11.3 mg
Sodium: 16.0 mg
Total Carbs: 8.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.4 g
Protein: 2.1 g

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Spiced Pancake
Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 4 tsp baking pwder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• .5 tsp ground nutmeg
• .5 tsp ground ginger
• .25 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3 TBSP apple butter
• 3 egg whites

Directions
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolk, pumpkin, brown sugar, and apple butter. Stir in milk until well-blended.

3. All at once, add milk mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

4. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until light and fluffy (you can use a fork, whisk, or electric beater for this). Fold egg whites into batter.

5. Ladle batter by 1/4 cup amounts onto a preheated nonstick griddle lightly sprayed with cooking spray, Cook until evenly browned on both sides.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 20
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 74.3
Total Fat: 0.5 g
Cholesterol: 10.7 mg
Sodium: 176.3 mg
Total Carbs: 15.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.9 g
Protein: 3.2 g

Pumpkin Frittata
Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato (8 oz), peeled and sliced
• 1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lg carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 whole eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup canned solid-packed pumpkin puree' or freshly cooked pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

Directions
Cook sweet potato in boiling water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large, nonstick, oven-safe skillet, warm 1 tsp of oil over medium heat.
Add carrot, scallions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until carrot is tender, about 5 minutes.
Set aside to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, stir together whole eggs, egg whites, pumpkin puree', ginger, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Stir into carrot mixture.
In the same skillet, warm remaining 2 tsp oil over medium heat.
Add sweet potato and stir to coat.
Spoon egg/carrot mixture on top and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Cook until bottom is set, about 5 minutes.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake until frittata is set, about 10 minutes. Serve in wedges from skillet.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 203.9
Total Fat: 10.6 g
Cholesterol: 122.7 mg
Sodium: 481.3 mg
Total Carbs: 7.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g
Protein: 13.0 g

Pumpkin Smoothie
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lightly sweetened chai tea concentrate (Oregon Trail or Tazo work nicely)
• 1/2 Libby's 100% pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 Almond Breeze - Unsweetened Vanilla
• 2 scoops Aria Vanilla Women's Protein Powder
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 packet splenda
• 1/2 tbs pumpkin pie spice (or just add cinnamon & nutmeg to your liking)

Directions
blend all together with 1/2 cup ice and enjoy!

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 171.5
Total Fat: 3.0 g
Cholesterol: 2.0 mg
Sodium: 197.3 mg
Total Carbs: 12.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 7.5 g
Protein: 14.0 g

I tired to make the plain crepes today and ended up with a complete mess. Equal parts burned fragments and raw dough.

Suggestions?

I had not heard about the limited eggplant! Thanks for that reminder, tonight would have been night 3 of eggplant as I made the Ratatouille for dinner a few nights ago. I have NEVER had eggplant before, but that recipe was good! You can find it in the recipe section. Thansk again for that reminder. Weigh in in a hour! Crossing my fingers for a bigger weight loss then last week!

Meghan

Are you talking IP Crepes or one of the recipes posted crepes?

Hi Holly, we probably use the same Coach here in Billings, MT. I just LOVE her, don't you. As long as you stayed with the allowed veggies you will do fine. Be sure to keep a food log so that she can help you if the weight is not where you want it to be! My first week, I lost 9 lbs! In a few weeks she will have you do carb counts. AS a result of my food journal, she helped me realize I was consuming to many restricted items, ie higher in sugars. Hope you do great at weigh in!

Meghan

I would check it in your luggage. Or if you are seeing a doctor, you should be able to carry it on with a doctors prescription or note?

Pip888
 

Hi,
Home due to the blizzard, was looking for some recipe ideas for Ideal Protein and found you. I have been on the diet for 13 days and lost 9 lbs. This from a fast food, sugar junky. I started the diet because at age 53 and menopausal, my blood pressure had started to climb. I go to Dr. Friday to see how that's going. I really love the protein foods (puddings, choco. drink, soups, omelet, cappucino). I have worked on being very creative with the veggies and salad because I normally don't eat those things.

the IP plain crepe mix.

I broke my plateau!
 

Today was my WI. I lost another 3 pounds and have officially broken a plateau. Yay!

I was "stuck" hovering around 186-188 for the past couple of weeks and today I was 184.8!:D

So my total wt. loss since Oct. 14 is 25.2 pounds. And I have lost 16 inches!

My size 14 pants are falling off me but I haven't had time to go shopping for size 12's.

I tried on some size 10 slacks that I bought at the thrift store a couple of weeks ago. They pull up just fine and look great but I can't close the side zipper just yet.

Ladies, these slacks are beautiful! They are made of thick black cotton with a little stretch. They are fitted with "yokes" at the waist (no elastic!) and they have dark red stitching down the side seams.

I hung them up in my closet so I can look at them every day. Just 5 more pounds and I can pull the zipper up and start wearing them.

I will then take pictures and post them here.

My DBF does not SEE the wt. loss. I now weigh 10 pounds less than when he first met me 3 years ago and he thinks I look "about the same as always."

I had gained 15 pounds over the 3 years (lots of dinner dates with drinks and appetizers) after I met him and he never commented on it.

So I guess it's true that people that see you every day don't see the difference.

Anyway, I feel GREAT and am looking forward to what 30 pounds less will be like in terms of energy, health,and great clothing options.

I have an appointment with my doctor next week and will get my cholesterol and blood sugar re-checked. They were elevated (above normal) 6 months ago.

My doctor does not know yet that I am on this program but she had encouraged me at my last appointment (last May) to "eat less carbs and less fat."

At that time, we both went over all the foods I shouldn't eat but we struggled to come up with a list of foods that I could eat! The best we came up with was non-fat cottage cheese for breakfast (no fruit, no grains) , chicken and fish the rest of the day and of course green vegetable and salads.

So IP is very similar to that "plan" but much more do-able because of the variety of the packages.

Onward and forward!

Sorry, can't help you there. I make myself plain old egg whites for breakfast. I do have some flourless crepe recipes in the recipe section though.

Wow Ogdog!

Those sound great!

I should've "reported" that I came up with a "quick fix" in the meantime.

The other night for a my bedtime snack, I added a "dollop" of canned pumpkin to my Crispy Cereal package and poured on the pumpkin pie spice and a "splash" of Half & Half.

It was very satisfying!

Thanks for recipes! That frittata looks tempting and so does the chai drink. And the pancake recipe is something I will definitely try when I get closer to goal wt.

Lilita, congrats on breaking that plateau, there is nothing more annoying than hitting one! More good things from there!! You go girl! :carrot: :carrot: :carrot:

The person who said to pack it in your checked luggage is probably right. I'm going to Houston from 12/21-12/28 and I hadn't even thought of what I would do until you brought this up. Guess it won't be in my carryon.

Also, if anyone is going to buy the products online, this site has almost everything, but they are a little cheaper.

http://store.aimtobehealthy.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=3

It wouldn't be good for you, though, Princass, because you have to buy entire boxes(7 packets). Also shipping takes exactly 7 days(from the east coast to the west).

QUOTE: LILITA

My DBF does not SEE the wt. loss. I now weigh 10 pounds less than when he first met me 3 years ago and he thinks I look "about the same as always."

I had gained 15 pounds over the 3 years (lots of dinner dates with drinks and appetizers) after I met him and he never commented on it.

So I guess it's true that people that see you every day don't see the difference.


This was true of me, too. My son only noticed last week and said, "Whoa, mom, you lost so much weight...I just now see it."

I remember reading about the people on the Duke Rice Diet some years back. They talked about how everyone would lose in "layers". For some, every 50 lbs. would be another layer where people would all of a sudden see them differently. For people less heavy, it would be every 25 or even 10 lbs. After I read that, I realized that this is really true. It's like a whole new person every layer.

I was excited to see that there was somebody from billings on here. My first weigh in went awesome, I lost 8.4 lbs!! Still can't believe it. I started working out today too, so hopefully that will help to.

Cerpes/Cake
 

You can make into a cake. I don't know about the crepe.

add to 2 oz. water before you add packet:

2 packs splenda
dash vanilla ext.
dash sea salt

mix really well. Bake in the microwave for 45-60 secs.

good with coffee. The chocolate esp.

CONGRATS!!!! See, it works!

Hi, Pip, welcome and congratulations on your loss. Come on over and join us on the december IP chat if you're bored.

I lost 4lbs this week & 2 inches of my chest & 3/4 inch on my thigh, but no loss any where else! I will take it! Thanks for the support friends!

Well, I had my last weighin before my vacation yesterday..surprisingly, I reached my minigoal of 40# before Christmas. I added up the inches today...and it was 18" overall...BUT - that was 4" off my bust....4.5" off my waist and 6" off my hips!! I will just do the best I can while I am gone...and finish it off when I get back.

PrinCass...I did buy some things to take with me, plus I am doing an order from Netrition. Could you buy some things and ship them down to wherever you are going? I am driving, so it isn't a problem. Yeah...I wouldn't take them in your carryon (maybe a bar, if you get hungry).

I had problems with the crepe mix too....until someone here told me to do it in a larger pan (I was using a small frying pan). That worked out well for me.

Well, we are snowed under. No schools open in the area. It is a heavy snow so the tree limbs are bending to the ground. I was supposed to teach painting at the senior center today...but we don't have the luncheons if there is no school. Now the gals have to wait until I get back to see their pendants.

You all are having wonderful losses. Keep it up! I am at the point now where everyone notices and it is kinda fun. Am anxious to get my families reactions when I go home.

My goal weight will probably change. I decided i wanted to get to 24.9 BMI...(25 is considered overweight). I am at 25.5...so whatever weight I am at when I reach that is probably where I will stay. I had told myself I would go off IP after yesterday...so today seems really wierd. I am looking around thinking..."Now what do Ieat?". Been on IP since 9/9...I guess I got too comfortable about not thinking about my next meal...other than my dinner meal.

I weighed in today, a day early. I lost 1.6 lbs. and was a little disappointed. I had a lot of trouble drinking all my water each day. I can't complain about 1.6 lbs. though because I have gone from an 18 size pants to a 14 and from XXL shirt to an XL in 5 weeks. Can't beat that!!!!!

Last week that was all I lost to & I blamed it on my cycle, could that be the issue? I was back up this week as you can see per my signature below! Keep up the work, you are seeing results!

YES!!! It was the cycle. I was disappointed when it happened to me, but as soon as the bloating passed, the scale wooshed down. And this(the wooshing down) was in a week where I full on cheated for 2 days. I'm going to try not to forget this next time, as it is quite discouraging.

On that note, I've been taking, in addition to all the other supplements, a "balanced B complex". I remembered that I used to take it years ago to help with PMS, and it did. Including the water retention. I guess I just gradually stopped taking it and forgot all about it. Until this past really bad monthly cycle.

Hey, sorry Josh and the other guys!!!!!:p

Binge Eating Disorder
 

Hello everyone!
I am planning on Starting IP in January....want to make it through the holidays first! Anyhow, I suffer from Binge Eating Disorder (self-diagnosed). It's fairly new to a lot of people, but I meet all of the criteria. I'm just wondering if anyone else has BED and how the plan is working for them. I lost 50+ pounds over 5 years ago and was able to control my eating and do good, but then met my food-loving boyfriend and have packed it all back on. I don't want to do that EVER again so I just wanted to hear from some others. Thanks! :?:

Have you ever been to counseling for it? Also, is your boyfriend going on IP with you? Or maybe he could just try to start eating low-carb, low fat....doable?

Thanks for the idea
 

Congratulations, Torchlaker on reaching your minigoal! I'm not sure if I can make mine, but I'm being really good. I just discovered unsweetened almond milk(vanilla) and have been using it in my coffee, so now I have 2 cups(of coffee).. 1 in the morning and 1 in the early afternoon. It's making a big difference in my energy level to actually walk on my treadmill when I get home.

Thanks for the idea of shipping my packets ahead of time. It'll just be my luck that someone searches my bags.

+Ogdog,

You ever make shakes or cook with unsweetened almond milk? It has only 2 carbs per cup. They also have chocolate, which I haven't tried.

Echobaby: Is that almond milk that is in the regular aisles? I tried soy milk a few weeks ago..yuk. It didn't thicken my SF pudding either....but I have never tried almond milk. I did buy some Lactaid to try to make my own puddings (lactose intolerant) and did that today with regular SF pudding. It is okay. Actually, I liked the IP better.

I am lucky -- years of working the police dispatch desk - I learned to drink my coffee black (milk was usually old and curdled)....I am TRYING to learn to drink tea. But - since I left dispatching -- I rarely even drink coffee. Believe me, on midnight shift, I drank a LOT of it.

I was trying to make YOUR goal, too - ah well......

Not so Lil Richard...I don't really know anything about BED? Hopefully, someone will read your post and help you. I wonder if you search on the internet - maybe under lowcarb AND BED together? Probably all of us have binged and one time or another.....but I am guessing BED is an eating disorder, right? I wish you all the luck in the world.....

Torchlaker - Congratulations on making your goal and also to everyone else who has lost. Even if it is only a pound or two some weeks, other weeks end up making up for it somehow!! Thankfully.
I am getting closer and closer to my goal and have also started to wonder what I will end up eating. I am trying to start planning ahead so the transition will not be so hard.

Good luck to everyone this week!!

Ogdog13: Thanks so much for the pumpkin recipes I love pumpkin anything so I have printed these and will definately be trying them out.

I am new to Ideal Protein. I started Dec 5., which means it's only been 5 days. I have lost 3.5 pounds. But the scale hasn't moved in 3 days now. I am already starting to get discouraged with my loss. Or lack of... What if I just lost a few pounds of water and that's it? I know I shouldn't be weighing every day, but I have been, as I am skeptical of how well I will lose on this plan. Granted, I only have about 20 pounds to lose, so maybe that's why I'm losing slower than those who have more to lose. But it sure is discouraging! I typically have an IP food for breakfast, an IP food for lunch with a salad (oil and vinegar dressing), an IP bar for a snack, and grilled chicken or fish with salad and a veggie for dinner. I've been measuring my meats and veggies to be sure I'm not having too much or not enough. In the mornings I drink 2 cups of coffee with Splenda and FF, unsweetened Coffee Mate creamer. Other than that, I drink only water all day. I have skipped my salad twice. If anyone sees anything wrong with what I'm doing, I welcome any suggestions. Thanks.

On a side note, I don't know how to get back into my profile to post my starting weight, etc. Help!

LuvMyMarine: I only have/had 30 pounds to lose and I found that I lost a nice amount the first week and next to nothing the following 2 weeks even though I did not cheat. It was frustrating but I stuck with it and the weight started coming off regularly (3 to 3.5 pounds per week) This is week 8 for me and to date I have lost 24 pounds so that really averages out to 3 pounds per week. I have found that making sure I get my water in and that I exercise at least 3 times a week has really helped. I also found that going a week without the bars and also trying to have a bar every second day helped also as I kept my carbs down without them. Sure did miss them though. You might want to make sure you drink extra water to make up for the coffee.

As for updating your profile, on the tool bar on top in purple you will see User CP, click on that and it will bring up various options that you can edit to change your weight etc.

Keep at it and you should find that you will lose the weight, maybe not as fast as people that have more to lose but it does come off.

Ottawa - boy...you ARE really close to goal. Yesterday was my first day not on the IP products, and I did have a hard time. Didn't help that I was running a fever. I think I am going to have a hard time transitioning to real food these 3 weeks. I ended up eating an Oh Yeah protein bar for breakfast and then went back to bed. Couldn't make myself eat any lunch, and had a can of soup for dinner (was freaking out cuz it had 19 carbs). I find myself looking at different foods, thinking "Whoa...too many carbs (then it is TOO many calories and/or TOO much fat"). My nurse just said to make sure I had a protein at breakfast and a protein at night. Looking at just a lowcarb diet, it seems like so much fat....looking at a lowfat diet seems like too many carbs...well, you get the picture.

Luvmymarine.....If you don't have a "particular" goal in mind (like losing all 20# before Christmas)...you will do fine. Your food journal looked basically like mine. I did an IP bar everyday....but others didn't eat the restricted foods or limited them, and it seems like they lost weight faster than I did. I also skipped salads for lunch. I still did average about 2.5#-3# a week until the last few weeks. You might try a pudding, a shake or a drink as your snack, since those are not restricted. I was also told that on my first week, I could have up to 5 IP products a day...and some days I did because the transition is hard. Like you, I weigh myself everyday (don't think it is a good idea...but I do)...but I did find that MY scale is way off from my doctors (6# difference this week...which is awful...and it is an expensive scale). When is your first weighin?

Well, I was kinda dreading tonight because it is a potluck dinner at my friends house and I didn't know how "strong" I would be (yeah, I have avoided things like this....I would go to restaurants because I had the control). I didn't want to make my dessert yet, in case it was cancelled due to the weather..and then those darn "Mint Chocolate dessert bars" would be in my house and I am the only one that lives here. We are buried under a foot of snow....but they still haven't cancelled the party. Just waiting to hear....

I think we ALL come into this IP program, expecting BIG results and BIG weight losses every week. Most of us on this forum have found that the average loss is 3# a week. It may not be what you are expecting when you first come in....but in reality..think about it. Have you ever lost 3# a week on any other diet? Some weeks are more....some are less...but it all seems to average out. I am sure others that have been on this awhile would agree (SandraB - Ottawa --?). The main point is to stay consistent...follow the program....and try not to get discouraged.

As far as the weight loss results are concerned....not only are we losing more than on any other diet...I have never been on one (and I've been on them all) where I'm really not hungry between meals. With IP, I may have an occassional hunger twinge.....but not real hunger. And if I cheat, it is because I want to taste something, not because I'm hungry. I'll take that any day over WW, or Quick Weight Loss or some of the others.
My son-in-law asked me last night if I think I can stay on this long term enough to lose the weight I want to. And I could honestly answer, absolutely!

Last night we took our kids and their families to a Texas Santa's Wonderland, about an hour away from our house. In preparation for this event, knowing that I wouldn't be able to find any food I could eat, I ate my protein and veggies for lunch. We left way too early for me to have dinner, so I made my omelet, wrapped it in foil and took it and a protein bar with me. It was pretty amusing for the kids to watch me eat that little omelet in the car. But the real chuckles came when everyone was sitting around this huge campfire, eating chili, drinking hot chocolate and there I was munching on my new cookies and cream bar :) Made me very proud of myself and my family was proud of me too. :)

I haven't cooked with it, but I can tell you I love it. It is thicker than soy and rice milks. Oat milk is good too. Not sure what the carbs are on that.