Im glad I read this... I did the whole "no restricted foods for first 2-3 weeks" and I'm going to pick up my 4th weeks food tomorrow.. I'm going to try and stay away from them now! Or limit myself to one or two a week!
EEK! I eat one restricted a day- a bar- and it gets me through! I am still losing weight in week 2 but this is soooo good to know so that if I stall out, I can just cut out the restricted and see what happens! Thanks for the tips!
EEK! I eat one restricted a day- a bar- and it gets me through! I am still losing weight in week 2 but this is soooo good to know so that if I stall out, I can just cut out the restricted and see what happens! Thanks for the tips!
When I started IP in 2010 we weren't allowed them for the first 3 weeks, and after that I would only allow myself 3 a week. I saved them for movie nights, or if I was going somewhere that it was more convenient just to throw a bar into my purse for snack.
I was told to take in the 80 oz. of clear water and after that, I could use drink additives etc. I found that using anything that has aspartame slows down my weight loss. I am now using unsweetened kool aid mix and adding either truvia or splenda.
I also have been told no restricted foods until I get to maintenance. Only exception was to have as an emergency when I am traveling. I did go on a family vacation and still lost 5 lbs!
I wish my coach was just around more....i've only been on a few weeks and only seen her 2X since my initial visit, after that its just the really nice receptionist weighing me in and selling me my foods...she has very little knowledge of the program. So really you should shop around if you have more than one clinic in your area and ask them how they run the program with current folks. If not for these boards, i would have quit IP a long time ago....Initially i was angry at the lack of support of my coach, now i just look at my clinic as my IP packet source and get my support and information here
...so thank you my IP coaches you are all truly helping me change my life.
I was told the same thing! I asked her about the Phase I sheet where it says to not have them in weeks 1-3, and she said it was an old sheet and was fine now.
I also wish my coach had told me about carb intake per day. And about exercise - she hasn't mentioned exercise at all.. if I should, if I shouldn't, when I can, what it will do to my weight loss.. still not sure on that stuff.
And about the not everyone losing 3-5 lbs per week thing even if you don't cheat.. didn't know that.
WHOA! I have also been told by my coach that I can have 1 restricted a day... thats prob why I am NOT losing ANY weight... I honestly feel a little cheated by my coach... why is this not widely known and put out to ALL coaches? Crazy...
I am on day 6 and just weighed myself... I think I gained .2 lbs.. I have followed the diet exactly, all the salt, water and salads... frustrating to know that possibly the restricted foods are sabotaging my progress...
I think I almost want to cry...I have been working so hard to be true to the diet... I guess I will have to discuss this at my first weighin...
Thanks for all the great info.. I am glad I read these tips..
WHOA! I have also been told by my coach that I can have 1 restricted a day... that’s prob why I am NOT losing ANY weight... I honestly feel a little cheated by my coach... why is this not widely known and put out to ALL coaches? Crazy...
I am on day 6 and just weighed myself... I think I gained .2 lbs.. I have followed the diet exactly, all the salt, water and salads... frustrating to know that possibly the restricted foods are sabotaging my progress...
I think I almost want to cry...I have been working so hard to be true to the diet... I guess I will have to discuss this at my first weighin...
Thanks for all the great info.. I am glad I read these tips..
The program is designed to have 2 non-restricted and 1 restricted per day. I have done that and have had success so far.
I highly suggest you not weigh yourself in between meetings with your coach unless you can detach yourself emotionally from the numbers.
Last edited by IdealProteinNewbie; 08-03-2013 at 10:56 AM.
Here are a few things I really wish my coach had told me:
1. If you are taking pain medicine you usually gain weight; or it is very difficult to lose it. This is of concern if you have fibromyalgia and must take daily doses.
2. If you have hypothyroidism, it is very difficult to lose weight.
3. Also, with hypothyroidism you should not eat soy products. This includes soy sauce, tofu, and all the IP products with soy isolate. There is only ONE IP product that is low carb that doesn't contain soy -- strawberry pudding. (And I'm getting a little tired of it.)
4. Likewise you should avoid foods that interfere with thyroid function, including raw broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, spinach, turnips, soybeans, peanuts, linseed, pine nuts, millet, cassava, and mustard greens. You should only eat them cooked and keep the servings modest.
5. The IP foods are low in vitamin C so a small supplement, 60 mg or less, may be helpful -- especially in the winter time.
6. Recent research shows that people should not have more than 400 mg of folic acid a day. Two daily IP multi-vitamins contain 520 mg, although most over-the-counter vitamins contain 400mg or more in one tablet. So watch it if you're taking your own vitamins.
7. And very important -- if you have hypothyroidism you should never take a calcium supplement within 6 hours of taking your thyroid medicine. The calcium interferes dramatically with thyroid medicine.
I asked specifically about my thyroid problems and my coach said it would be an issue... So I am soo glad you posted this! I have only been on the program for 6 days and have not seen any progress.. after reading this and the info about the restricted items I am starting to see why... Now what do I do will ALL the food I bought that has soy? Is it just the snacks that have soy or the meals too? How do I find out what food I have include soy in the ingredients?
I asked specifically about my thyroid problems and my coach said it would be an issue...
I have only been on the program for 6 days and have not seen any progress.. after reading this and the info about the restricted items I am starting to see why... Now what do I do will ALL the food I bought that has soy? Is it just the snacks that have soy or the meals too? How do I find out what food I have include soy in the ingredients?
3. Also, with hypothyroidism you should not eat soy products. This includes soy sauce, tofu, and all the IP products with soy isolate. There is only ONE IP product that is low carb that doesn't contain soy -- strawberry pudding. (And I'm getting a little tired of it.)
Since this post from over 1.5 years ago was quoted, I just wanted to make sure to clarify. There are MANY IP products that do not contain soy isolate. They do, however contain soy lecithin, which has virtually all the soy protein removed.
Most of the IP restricteds have soy protein, however.
I am personally avoiding soy protein for thyroid health.
Everyone is different. It was a worry for me initially. Also... However I've lost about 10 lbs a month since I began... And I also have age against me. I'll be 65 in 3 weeks. Give your body a chance to figure out if this will work for you. I have been 100% compliant... In the beginning was losing inches and was disappointed in losing very undramatic amounts compared to others.....+\- 2 lbs a week. Now, I'm down 60 lbs...and about 40 inches since mid January and transformed from size wp16-18 to pxs & 2s and 4s. If I'd given up early on... There would not be the dramatic overall change of NOW.. My body as it turns out... Is loving this diet!!
I'm very carb sensitive, and have learned this is a lifestyle that I will gratefully embrace and although my losses were slower...After years of failure with other things.. I'm glad I gave it a chance. Also need to be gluten free.. So paleo is it for me going forward. I'd never had discovered that was an option to consider with out this last six months! in addition my MD has been involved and monitored my blood work. She encouraged me to keep on after it was apparent there was no negative impact to my thyroid test results...and the scale was trending the right way. If you have concerns thyroid function could be hampered, get your PCP to monitor you for a while. Not bad to have kidney and liver function as well as glucose and electrolytes checked after a timespan on the diet to compare to your baseline. And above all.. Be good to yourself and be patient. Most of us reached the desperate state over a long time...3-6 or 12 months now is not so long to invest in success. You're worth it.
Best wishes to all the newbies...hope you find IP a self preserving and positive journey to get to good health and the weight you want to be!
I need a little help, Im on week 11 and I have lost 40LBS. It has been pretty incredible to see the weight litterally fall off.
I hit a plateau I have been at 159 for a week and a half now. It is hard to keep inspired when you are doing everything right and not seeing the results. I'm used to the almost instant gratification...lol! and it makes it harder.
My goal is 135, I thought I would have reached it by the end of september, but at this rate maybe Halloween.
Any tips on how to speed up the process, or any change I should do to kick start it again?
EEK! I eat one restricted a day- a bar- and it gets me through! I am still losing weight in week 2 but this is soooo good to know so that if I stall out, I can just cut out the restricted and see what happens! Thanks for the tips!
you are all truly helping me change my life. 
I have been at 159 for a week and a half now. It is hard to keep inspired when you are doing everything right and not seeing the results. I'm used to the almost instant gratification...lol! and it makes it harder.
