Are you weighing yourself the same time every day? I weigh myself before breakfast, so the number is as small as possible and I can be motivated to push through the periods I'm hungry during the day. :-) A few things to consider, also, would be where you are in your cycle and whether or not you've pooped in the past few days. If you're on medication, it might also affect what the scale says... for example, people on certain anti-hypertensives don't have as much water weight to lose, since many of those drugs are diuretics.

My mom is actually in a similar spot as you... We both started 11/30, but she's only about 5'1 and is also only looking to lose about 20 lbs. Her first week she only lost 3 lbs, and she's complaining that this week she hasn't lost anything.

As far as food goes, try not to skip the salad. Are you using any restricted veggies in your salad? Or too much oil in your dressing? Remember, while this is a low-carb diet, a gram of fat requires twice as much energy to burn off than a gram of protein or carbohydrates. Are you eating any other restricted packets on the same day as the bars? They're restricted because they're higher in carbs, so they slow down ketosis. You probably want to cut back on bars in general, go a few days a week not have any restricted packets. My coach also told me to have the snack after dinner, that's when it will do the most good. Or you might split it up, have half in the afternoon and half before bed.

Also remember, the best measure to how you're doing isn't your scale, it's your clothes!

QUOTE: tORCHLAKER:

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.

Yes, it's in the aisle where they have the coffeemate, etc. No, soymilk is not delicious(to me).

You have to make sure you get the unsweetened almond milk, as the regular has 8 gr. of carbs per cup(not bad for maintenance, but for us, not so much). I tasted it before it was chilled and...it tasted like almonds and water. When chilled, it tastes very close to milk. I have the vanilla, but they make plain and chocolate, too.

LuvmyMarine,

Somewhere I read that we shouldn't use the bars in the first week, because we're trying to go as low carb as possible to get into ketosis. Also, as some others have said, it seems like only having 2-3 per week works best. Are you eating the oatmeal, chili, or other restricted items every day, too? Eating these and the bars on the same day would make it almost impossible for you to go into ketosis, which is the thing that really kills your appetite and allows you to lose so rapidly.

New goal!!
 

@ EVERYONE-Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas for my vacation. :wave:

The losses this week are wonderful. Keep up the great work!!

@torchlakerI love your new planned BMI!!!
24.9!! :lol:

@OGDOG- Thanks for the website....very helpful.:yes:

~Your body is the baggage you must carry through life. The more excess the baggage, the shorter the trip.~:D

HELP PLEASE!!!!!!

The boss is taking us to lunch tomorrow! Ahhhhh! This is not is my diet. We are going to Applebees. What can I order that is with in plan? I would to skip this luncheon but since there our only 4 of us, I better go.

Meghan -Applebee's has some WW items. You might be able to get away with one of those if they aren't covered in sauces. Check out their website and then you can plan ahead on what you can order and you won't feel out of control!

I'd get the shrimp and spinach salad w/o the bacon or the chili-lime chicken salad and just bring my own dressing...

MeghanO - I remember stopping at Applebees when I was about the 3rd week on IP. I truly can't remember what I ate....but it seems like it was a steak salad. I remember being thrilled that it was close to plan and it didn't cause a gain.

Mmmmm...I think I would like the almond milk then. I miss almonds. I use almond DiVinci syrup in my Vanilla puddings.

Luvmymarine - There are some really good suggestions here about what might be holding up the weight. (I don't have a cycle anymore....so that is never my problem...but YAY!! I don't miss it). I never heard about not using the bars the first week, but it makes sense. A bar will fill me up totally.

OptiChick: Had to laugh at you sitting around the campfire eating your bar. My fibromalygia support group had a Christmas party Tuesday, and they held it at Arbys. Normally, I would get a salad from Arbys, but I think this little "bug" I had coming on was making me kinda nauseated. So - everyone was sitting around eating all the goodies they brought, and the Arby's sandwiches, and I pulled out my bar. It was even funnier when they were passing out the cookies, candy, etc.....the girls would get to me and smile, and walk right past me!! I loved it because they were being supportive.

Had a real shocker today tho....I guess I hadn't really looked at myself "nekkid" since I lost the weight. I had to try on a shirt real fast, so I dropped my robe (just showered) and tried on the shirt. There was something wiggling down by my thighs - so I turned the overhead light on!! OhmyGosh...it WAS my thighs!! My inner thighs!! Heavy or thinner...I always had muscular legs so this was a shocker! I had bought the Tony Little Rock and Roll stepper from HSN to tackle inner thighs and core....but I haven't even opened the box cuz I was too busy. Here I was...all concerned about the new wrinkles in my face....and I have all this loose skin under my arms, my belly and my thighs (mostly places I try not to look....lol!!) So I GOTTA address this problem quickly. I have been BAD at exercising this past month, cuz I was so busy doing everything else before I leave!! Personally, I do not believe the Pomegrante drink would have helped (at least that was what Dr.Oz said)....SO - My NEW advice - gals. If you have as much weight to lose as I do....maybe exercise more than I did...cuz gals...you ARE gonna have some loose skin! (Of course, my other thought is - well, all those BIG losers on Biggest Loser had the same problem...and look how much they exercised....mmmmm..always an excuse, huh?)

Oh geez....another thought ..does anyone watch "The Biggest Loser"? I have watched it since the beginning and love it! But this year....since I was doing IP shortly after the season started, I really did listen to the trainers more (not that I exercised more....I just listened MORE....lol!!). I also watched Diet Tribe on Lifetime. I can't remember who said it earlier in this forum....(ValKyrie...SandraB??) - but just think...this year on New Years, you won't have to say you are gonna lose weight...you are already on your way.

PS: Did ya all notice that I changed my ticker from a ladybug to a butterfly? Yup...I am starting to spread my wings! The compliments are so nice, everyone....especially cuz I have worked so hard on the "inside" too!

Elisha, you and I started on the same day. I am in a similar situation to your mom, almost exactly. My coach's scale showed a 6lb loss. But I have been hovering between 144.6 and 145.2 since Sunday. My cycle is irregular, but I think this is probably the cause right now. Because I have not cheated at all!

That 145 is very emotionally debilitating to me, for some reason. I am hesitant to purchase more product unless I start seeing some more results. It's a very expensive way to maintain 144! But I do think it's probably my cycle, so I am going to give it a little more time. Trying to be patient!

FYI, my coach told me she traveled all the time with her packets in her carry-on. Unless you have the ready made drinks, I think it should be fine. I plan to pack what I need for the week in my checked baggage and one packet in my carry-on as a snack.

DON"T GIVE UP!!!!! If you get time, read back through all the October and November chats. Each of us has gone through what you are now, and, in my case, the only thing keeping me from quitting was reading those posts and seeing other people come through these kinds of stalls fine. Better than fine, GREAT. You'll find if you follow everyone's progress, that IN EVERY SINGLE CASE whether we are 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 years old, morbidly obese, obese, just chubby, close to goal weight, WHATEVER, we all average 3-3.5 lbs. per week if we stick with it. Have faith, and you'll be very happy.:)

YEA!!!!:trampo::broc:

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. I had forgotten that some IP foods, other than bars, are restricted. You add those to the bars I was eating and it's no wonder I was losing so slowly! To be safe, I think I will avoid the bars all together for a while and see how that works. I was hoping to have at least the majority of my weight off by the end of January, as I'll be attending the Krewe of Centaur's Mardi Gras Ball.

I don't have an actual Ideal Protein coach like most of you. I am the office manager of a chiropractic clinic, and our doctors just ordered this program and plan to start offering the products to patients after the holidays. Our female chiropractor has been on it since just before Thanksgiving and has lost 15 pounds. She says she feels great! I was not willing to begin before Thanksgiving, so I just started. Hopefully I will now start to lose as well as she has.

so many good stories! Luvmymarine - I was having some of the same challenges - was disappointed in my weight loss - although it was still a lot more than any other diet - my coach suggested to make sure and eat my lettuce as it aids in digestion and cut out the restricted items (even for a week) to get things going again. I did that and lost 4.2 lbs that week.

Maia - regarding the crepes - I was having the same struggles - here's the trick...
Spray some Pam in your non-stick frying pan. heat up the pan -this is the trick because then the pam doesn't just soak into the crepe but actually keeps it from sticking. pour in the crepe mix. be patient - don't flip too early or they fall apart. if you like them crispier, flip them more than once. you can roll some of the WF jams up, veggies, or whatever. you can sprinkle in some spices and make them nice and crispy too. hope that helps.

From all our experiences, you will be at goal or within 5 lbs. of it by Mardi Gras. Are you gonna wear a bikini? That is what we all are gonna do when we get to goal. To the store. IN THE SNOW!!!:dance::dance::dancer:

I don't have a coach either. This site is great for those of us going it solo.

Went clothes shopping last night.
 

and I am officially a size 12 jeans and size Large in sweaters/tops.

That is down from a tight size 16 jeans and very fitted XL in tops.

I bought 2 jeans and 3 tops and 2 (smaller) bras (sorry Josh and other guys) all on sale at JCPenneys.

I got home and threw out the rest of my baggy clothes. Wow, my closet now looks so empty but somehow so Zen and easy to manage.

And I have been "decluttering" other areas of my home. Who needs a dozen bottles of body lotion? Or 2 soup ladles? Or stained bedsheets? Or cracked dishes? lol

IP recipe tip: I added low sodium club soda to my Wild Raspberry Yogurt package (after I mixed it) and it was like drinking an ice cream soda! It was yummy.

Oh, and I'm down another pound!

I need some help....I forgot that I was out of my cal-mag and my coach is out of town until my weigh in on Tuesday. I think someone posted a product that was close to the IP supplement. If you know....please let me know.
Thanks!

Re: cal mag
 

I would go to Target or other discount super and buy Calcium and Magnesium. This can be seperate or a combo product. Just look at the cal-mag bottle and try to duplicate the milligrams. That's what I did. But it was impossible to match exactly; so for instance instead of 4 tablets a day I take 3 of the product I bought to equal the cal mag product. I did the same with the fish oil. Kept burping it up:barf: so I bought "burpless" fish oil.

Optichik - I got mine from Netrition.com...can't remember the name...but like Toomanycats, I only need to take 3 to equal the CalMag. I wouldn't try to go without it too long.

Echobaby - you said it right! Read the prior months posts -- so many of your questions will be answered because we all have had the same struggles, etc. You should be at your goal by the end of January...no problem. I learned a lot on the forum, and I had a coach (nurse).

Lilita -- we are the same size. I am in a 12 Jean and a L top. I think I just ordered my last order from Roamans. I ordered their small and it is too big on me!! Before I wore a size 22 top...and 18 jeans (and they had to be elastic waisted cuz my hips and waists are nearly the same size....still are...but I can wear button jeans for the first time in years).

I just HAVE to share what happened tonight....it was thrilling for me. I guess my red hat gals haven't seen me much since I started losing weight...altho I did try to hide it as much as I could at the October meeting cuz I didn't want any negative feedback. Tonight, I just wore jeans and a purple top I had worn once, then it shrunk. Everyone was so surprised!! Everyone told me how wonderful I looked..how healthy I looked...how I glowed...yadayada. I felt like one of the finalists on Biggest Loser! Of course, my hair has grown out quite a bit..and it is darker...so there were a lot of big changes. NOT ONE negative feedback. AND....I was so worried about the food. Well, there was only pieces of chicken that were on IP. So - I had one drink mixed with diet 7-up. I took half of the portion sizes of the casseroles...and then ate only half of that. I stayed away from the appetizer table...and I had one dessert (usually I would try everything!!). I was only doing this subconsciously, too....I was enjoying the conversations and truly just forgot to eat. I threw away so much food (the children in India...yeah I know)..but I enjoyed what I ate...I just only ate a few bites. This shocked me as much as them!! It was really fun!! NOW - I really can't wait to show my family next week!! It just seems all worth it when the compliments start coming in! Before, people knew something was different, so I would just tell them it was my hair!!

On the hostess' bulletin board was a picture of a few of us at a function a few years back....and one of the gals said, "Wow....here is a good BEFORE picture of you." Fun...fun...fun!!

Luvmymarine....I would hate to see you give up so soon. My "emotional" number was 170...and it seemed like I was stuck there...altho I really only had one week where I didn't lose anything the whole 14 weeks I have been on IP. Your body is detoxing right now....you are going into ketosis...your body needs to adjust. The scale is only a small part of it. If you read past posts, you will see inches are lost....My fat percentage went down every single week...so did my BMI. My blood pressure went down...my cholestrol went down. Try NOT to focus so much on the scale...really (I wanna give you a hug...cuz I do understand. I still get on the scale daily).

Torchlaker, Our Resident Poet (and you didn't know it),

Of the many things I would love to comment on, the thing you said that sticks out the most is,"I truly just forgot to eat!" That is awesome. I am starting to experience that, too. All the Christmas goodies my coworkers. vendors, EVERYBODY bring in to my job just fly right under my radar now. WHY DIDN"T I KNOW ABOUT I.P. BEFORE?......you sneaky Canadians, keeping this hidden for so long :club:.....I'm just kidding....I'm Canadian by origin.

Anyway, my emotional number will be 150. It always has been. It is just so hard to break through.

One more thing: I made the chocolate pudding same as always. 2 Splendas, splash vanilla extract, dash of salt,..blah,blah...but I made it with ice cold unsweetened almond milk instead of water. Delicious!!!!! Try it!:carrot: OK, Good Night. I'm loopy.

Ya know Echobaby - I was wondering the same thing tonight. How could I forget to eat? Why could I pass up these foods now but couldn't before? It can't just be IP...it has to be something inside us that is changing. (Now I DID eat some stuff when I got home cuz I realized I was hungry...but it was all good choices).

Congrats everyone. I haven't been on for about a week (or maybe longer). What great posts and ideas.
I once heard that the first one or 2 bites are the best, and then we don't really taste much after those bites. I think that is true for most things (except the cheesecake I had at Thanksgiving - :)
I'm moving on to Phase II and I think i am doing ok. It is sometimes easier to eat the packets than to think about what to fix.
My family hasn't noticed much weight loss either, but I have dropped a size and sometimes 2 in jeans, so I know someone has to notice sometime! But then i remind myself I'm doing this for me, not for them.
You are all such an inspiration to me. It is great that we can all share whatever is bothering us and we get positive and supportive feedback. Thanks everyone!

So I went to a conference last evening wearing my new duds:Size 12 jeans, Size L cable-knit sweater (new supportive bra) and some suede boots, nice jewelry and hair "done."

My co-workers were there and one of them called me "skinny minnie."

That is all, thank you.

P.S.

Hey Torchlaker: you are at my "Goal Weight."

Wanna trade inches (height) or pounds? LOL

Hmm... I wonder if there is any way to make a creamy-style dressing using the almond milk...

Ogdog? I'm going to try the chocolate cake with it tonight.

Im a one now!
 

This week, a milestone was reached. My weight starts with a 1 for the first time in probably 25 years. I lost 41 pounds on this program, since Labor Day. What makes it more amazing is that I lost 50 prior to that on my own. My biggest concern has been pre- diabetes. My glucose at last check is still mildly abnormal, but improved. What really improved has been my cholesterol and blood pressure.
Regarding exercise, I am starting it now that I am concerned about wiggly jiggly skin. Exercise was partly how I lost weight prior to IP. I had been doing group training for probably a year, so really missed it at first when starting this program. A month ago, I ran/walked a 5 K which was my third one but really the most exercise I had done recently. I was warned by my coach not to, but did fine. When torchlaker mentioned the loose skin, I had a similar story 6 weeks ago. We were in a hotel visiting our kids, and I saw something in my thigh, in the full length bathroom mirror, that I thought looked like a tumor. I showed my husband, and he said it was nothing. But it was... loose skin. So I recently started water aerobics again.
MeganO ( and others)- it is so funny you mentioned being cold. I have never been this cold in my life, as I sit here with a mini electric blanket on my lap. I question myself as to why I would want to stay in Iowa, with cold weather like this. It has bothered me more than ever now, but the snow is pretty.
Josh- how your success journey is continuing.
Princass- You mentioned travel. I went to Las Vegas in September, on this program and lost 6 pounds that week. I took my IP products, lettuce, cans of tuna and shrimp. I did have one fruit smoothie in the airport that was 89 calories and loved that. So it is doable. And I hope you are under 200 by Christmas also. I am loving to admit to finally getting past that number.
Maia- I had the hardest time making the crepes. Mine looked like a blob that looked similar to oatmeal. Finally, I learned to add the maximum amount of water it said to add, and did on a hot griddle, instead of pan. I used olive oil and PAM to coat the pan. They were much better then. I used Walden Farm strawberry jam and rolled them up. I do think the peanut butter of Walden Farm is not good. I sometimes dip my soy chips into peanut butter like dip, and it works.
Torchlaker- you are so inspiring and keeping me going. My son will soon be deployed as a National Guard member. He is 22 and my baby. You have been so helpful in your postings. I have added some Adkin products to my plan but I do not do more than one daily, since they are not as low carb as IP. I have used the bars and vanilla drink occasionally, which helps lower the cost of all this. In regards to stomach problems on this program- I was struggling terrible with bloating and gas pains. I started Phillips Colon Health, 1 daily. It is a probiotic and seems to help me avoid the diarrhea/constipation cycle.
Luvmymarine- I would have to agree with you about the oatmeal. I was never an oatmeal fan before this program. So I do not know why I thought my taste would change. My coach put it in my bag for my first week, and I ate it "like a good little girl" but would not choose it again.
Thanks,everybody, for helping each other by this forum. Also thanks to all those who post recipes. It is all helping me to be the healthiest I have ever been.
Sherry:D

ogdog: could you find a spinach/egg fritatta that is IP friendly? I bought some fresh spinach the other day and it (fritatta) sounds really good!
thanks - i have to go back and relook at the recipes again. Sometimes i just need a change and i find quite a few recipes that sound really good. Thanks for all your work on those.

what is the difference between the Ideal Protein way of eating and Atkins?

The I.P.program we are all on includes 3 packets of different scientifically engineered protien foods which are used as 3 meals or snacks per day. We also eat for dinner 1 serving of lean protien; up to 2 cups of green, non-starchy vegetables plus up to 2 cups of salad greens w/ low-no fat, no sugar dressing. That's this program. Plus a bunch of water and vitamin/mineral supplements. The protien packets are unlike any protien I've ever tasted. No aftertaste(to me, at least).

The major difference between I.P. and Atkins is that while Atkins allows unlimited calories and fat, but almost negligible carbs, we limit all 3. We eat, at the most, 900-1000 calories per day; no more than 3g. fat; and between 20-40 carbs. The packets we make and eat + the dinner meal should provide us with 100g.+ of protien. This is to spare our muscle mass while burning our body fat for fuel. Countless people who have their body fat measured weekly can tell you that this is so.

The only diet I've ever lost a lot of weight on before this was Atkins. I have been on it for more weeks than I have on this(5 1/2 weeks), and have used it successfully more than 3 times that I remember. I can tell you unequivically that this is faster and easier. But it is more expensive.

The last 3 phases on I.P. are designed to help you transition to regular eating(no, not cakes and chips, but not diet food, either). I obviously have not experienced the transitional phases yet, so I can't tell you with any authority if they are as successful. But what I can tell you is that everything I read about this diet has been proven out thus far. I knew from Atkins that ketosis kills your appetite, so that was no surprise. But what I was TOTALLY surprised by was the consistent 3-3.5 lb. weight losses everyone averages. Even people with relatively little to lose. Every week may not be stellar, but the averages don't lie. There were women here before(who are now in maintenance) who lost more than 140 lbs., and more than half their body weight. The average was the same as for us just starting.

God Bless Dr. Atkins for being revolutionary. But from him, they honed it down to develop I.P. By the way, their research is almost as old. We just never heard about it's popularity because it was big in Canada, not here. Whew, let me get off my soapbox. Suffice it to say that if I ever have to lose weight again, there is nothing else I would do but this, provided I had an extra $340 or so per month to spare. Sorry for rambling.:dizzy:

echo....thanks for the explanation and good luck! :)

Leslielou:
The best explanation for you can be found on Dr. Tien's web site:
http://www.trantiendiet.com/site/spip.php?rubrique27
There he lists the "plan" and the foods you eat for each phase. Back in October someone posted the actual sheets we get from our Coach's. That showed the intake, vitamin's etc. we are supposed to do daily.
Good Luck on your journey.

recipe:

You Won't Believe it's Cauliflower Pizza Crust

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower*
1 egg
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp fennel
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley

**pizza or alfredo sauce
toppings (make sure meats are cooked)
mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Farenheit.
Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, combine cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Press evenly on the pan. Sprinkle evenly with fennel, oregano and parsley.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes (15-20 minutes if you double the recipe).
Remove the pan from the oven. To the crust, add sauce, then toppings and cheese.
Place under a broiler (grill for the Europeans) at high heat just until cheese is melted **.

Notes:
*I use frozen cauliflower prepared according to package directions. After cooked and slightly cooled, I shred cauliflower with a cheese grater, and then measure for the recipe. (Don't pack down the cup with cauliflower. Just fill it with a spoon or the cup itself.)
** The pizza sauce I use is Great Value Pizza sauce from Wal-Mart. At only 3 net carbs per quarter cup, you get a lot of punch for little carbohydrate pow.
*** You can try re-baking the pizza at 450 once you add toppings if desired, but the crust is not quite as crusty. There is a minimal difference, so see what works best for you.


Nutritional Information for the entire crust:
calories: 434, fat: 25 g, carbohydrates: 8 (net), 13 if counting all, fiber: 5 g, protein: 41 g.


Nutritional Information for one serving: 109 calories, 7 grams fat, 2 net carbs, 1.5 grams fiber, 10 grams protein.

Echobaby: Your explanation of IP was wonderful...putting it into layman terms and very detailed.

Sherry: Great post. My prayers will be with your son. Do you know when he will be deployed?? Will he be going to Afghanistan or Iraq? CONGRATS on being a "one". A few years ago, my starting weight was 216 and I went on Atkins. I remember doing the happy dance when I finally got below 200. This time, I could see my weight inching back up there. I didn't think I could do such a restrictive diet, since I could mentally barely keep my "head above water." In all actuality, I think the "restrictive" IP was JUST the answer. I really didn't have to "think" anymore. Good luck on your journey.

I am kinda hoping that the "loose skin" kinda adjusts itself. I know my "face" is adjusting. Remember when I was so upset about the loose skin (i.e., wrinkles) on my face? It is not nearly as bad now....guess my skin is settling into itself. I DID finally unpack the Tony Little Rock and Roll Stepper from HSN last night. OK -- it is hard. I think it is a movement I probably have not used much in my life....cuz I can feel it is my ankles and knees (it goes side to side). Once I am actually on it....then I have to keep my balance. It is supposed to work the core (and inner thighs, etc.). I can see that it does.

Lilita....Yeah, I will take some of those inches. I USED to be 5'7" -- but I have lost 2", I guess. (Getting old sucks.....). Nice thing is, most of my friends are my age...so they are shrinking too....so I still look tall to them!

Well, so far - no gain, no loss! I will be happy with that if it stays that way until I get back. Tomorrow is an all liquid diet for that stupid colonoscopy on Monday....So - I SHOULD weigh myself Monday morning, huh?? I gotta drink a gallon of this yucky stuff....(complain, whine.....)

I wanted to share something else...but I don't think it is legal to post a link here. A few weeks ago, I was searching "mature skin" - and found this gal who makes up her own creams, body lotions, etc. I got the sample face cream and eye cream, a masque and a toner. She is so reasonable..and I just love the products. I think a 4oz. jar of cream is $15.00 (sample size was $4.50)- which is pretty inexpensive compared to the creams I have been using. My skin is very sensitive and it handles these products well. I just went in to do my "weekly" blackhead removal...and there wasn't any! I was shocked. I love fashion...I love creams...and I try to treat myself to something every 10 pounds...(not food! Lipstick, or mascara, yadayada).

Oh well....I really need to clean my house. I have a feeling I will be in the powder room a lot tomorrow.

This is my first week. My scales show an incredible loss of 7 pounds. I hope it continues. The only 2 things I didn not like were banana pudding and the cereal.

86 (don't use) and it is phase 1 compliant. Use cheese though, just eat less...LOL. Page 32 of recipes along with a couple others that looked good and are phase 2 compliant.

elishatamar, check out page 22 of the recipes section. There are some creamy dressings listed there that you could try the almond milk in!!

toomanycats....thanks for the info...but I just wanted to know the difference between the two. thanks again

Does anybody know?
 

Hi. This is my first posting. I am almost done my 5th week of IP. I found this forum prior to while researching to see if this was something I wanted to try. I was always a ww girl (for about 10years) but the last year or two it hasn't been working for me and no matter how well I stuck to the program I would have frustrating weeks with no signs of progress. I love IP - it has finally gotten me off the plateau I was stuck on for way too long!

I have been enjoying everyone's posts so much over the last month. My coach is great but I have definitely learned more from all of you. I look forward to new posts to see what else there is to know. I also appreciated the warnings about the less than tasty IP products. So far I really enjoy all I have tried. I am really enjoying IP because I have a sweet tooth and like the texture of carbs so the crepes/pancakes and most of the other IP products help satisfy that need which is why I failed when trying Atkins.

My question to anyone who may know is how important is having the restricted IP package. I have to admit that they are my favourite but my progress has slowed down - I haven't lost in a 1.5 weeks. I read some of you said your coaches recommended watching the number of bars you had and other restricted items if necessary but for how long?? Could you just do it the whole time with no resticted IP or do the extra carbs serve a purpose?

I'm not so sure the purpose of extra carbs. It's just that the bars are so dang tasty and more like real treats. I've never ordered them because I knew I'd be eating them every day. I thought you were supposed to eat them only twice a week, but there are some people here who eat them a lot and not had too much of a slowdown, like Torchlaker.

Pleased...I would think it would be GREAT if you could go without any restricted (how can you do that with a sweet tooth? I can't!)...I believe the only requirement is THREE packets a day, right? Puddings and drinks are not restricted...so it might help with the sweet tooth...get the protein packet in and not be restricted.

Pleased and Fav24fan - welcome! Fav - I do not like the cereal or the banana pudding either! There is a lot you can do with the vanilla puddings....Fav - your stats are similar to mine...nearly the same start weight, and goal weight altho I am 2" taller! (I don't think I will go all the way to 140...when you are my age, you kinda need SOME fat to fill out the wrinkles!).

You both have probably noticed that OgDog is like our "food guru." You tell her what you want....she always finds it! Valkyrie is our biggest loser (that I know of)....she hasn't been posting much cuz she is getting married in less than 2 months!! She is gonna be one beautiful bride with over 100+ weight loss. Mirazon and Echobaby are always cheerleaders..Lilita is our philospher....!...we have so many great people on the forum...and I get something from every single one of them! I am gonna miss you all if I don't have access to a computer when I go to Cleveland.