Whatever you all want to do, just let me know.
I am all for it, I need to kick this weight, I am tired of it and now I have a 4 month old and am getting on in years, I cannot wait any longer.

There's a newbie thread already. We can post on that one and cheer eachother on :D (Started 7/1)
I'll post on it and get it back up to the top

Though it would be fun to have your own thread...you'll be missing out on soooooo much! I do encourage you all to just jump onto the Newbies Thread that already exists and then check out the Daily Thread/Weekend Thread each day. There is so much encouragement and STUFF to learn from each other old and new. There are a couple of us likewise that began about the same week back in Late Jan. early Feb. and we know who we are, yet so often I learn something really important from you Newbies. Smile. Enjoy!

I too am a migraine sufferer. I had a horrific headache the first 3 days on IP, stayed in a quite, dark room. So, I recommend you start on the weekend just in case you do get a migraine. Mine was gone by day 4. Hope this helps you.

Oh Canada, I feel so ignorant. :o Still kudos for starting! You sound like me. Since I am starting tomorrow (Sat) I
m going out for Mexican and margaritas tonite. Already have everything mapped out for tomorrow. How did you do this first week?

I posted this in the other JUly newbie thread and thought Id put it in this one also.


Just thought I'd introduce myself and share some of my weight loss journey.

My name is Darbi, I'm 40 years old with 2 daughters, 1 step daughter, 1 step son and 2 grandchildren.

Growing up I never really had a weight problem. In my early 20's I hovered around 135 and thought I was fat. What an idiot!!!
My heaviest was about 3 years ago at 226. I lost about 15 lbs in 8 months just making better food choices and not going for seconds. Then I joined a gym. I started working out 5-6 days a week doing boot camp style classes and also started running a couple times a week 5 km. I was also eating a very clean, balanced diet. I also had a personal trainer for 2 of those work out days. I became super strong and more fit than most skinny people I know. I could do 60 full on man style push ups, over 250 squats and more crunches than I care to count. I lost 15 lbs, in the first 6 months, slowed down to 3 days a week and put on 10, went back to 5 days a week lost 5 in 4 months. It didnt seem to matter how hard I worked, I just couldnt get past the 190 mark. So after beating that dead horse for a year and a half I threw in the towel. I also work full time and the hours I put into going to the gym and running were taking a toll on my family and my relationships. I never had time for anything or anyone. That is what finally brought me to ideal protein. I'm on day 5 and have lost 5.5 lbs. That took me 3 months at the gym. I'm not knocking the excersize thing, because it sure made me feel great. I definately will start back up in a few months, but no more being a slave to it. I'll probably start running again as it gives you such a natural high( all those endorphins get released) but I'll also get on my bike and ride with the kids, go for a hike with my man (if I can get him out of the lazyboy lol), jump on the trampoline with my daughter and walk the dog. No more saying I don't have time because I have to go the gym.
I think this program is finally what I need. And being able to have the support all of you is crucial to my success. Thank you

Ive stayed OP so far, I'm on day 5 and am still really struggling with constant hunger. But I've lost 5 lbs so that motivates me to stay the course. Enjoy your margaritas!!

Tons of water and silly as it sounds DILL PICKLES for hunger for craving times and for headaches. Those are often due to lowered potassium and the pickle fills that void. It can be pretty miraculous!

Cheating will bring a return of those symptoms. Migraines just aren't worth it for me anymore. Remember, this is only Phase 1 and as fast as it works is relatively short term. Phase 2 & 3 are really quick and then you are OUT OF THIS DASTARDLY YOYO OF HEAVINESS! Smile... We can do this. I can do this. I will do this.

OK I'm stoked now and hope you are too!

I have the hardest time finding how to get to anything on this site. I can't figure out how to find the forums, how to find my posts, finding people posts that I would like to follow, trouble uploading my picture. I would really like to learn more as I start ip in a few days. I have a degree in computers but can't seem to navigate this particular site:)

I'll look into adding you all to my buddy list now...

I am new to this forum stuff. Getting the hang of it... i Think we could start a new forum. we could also give one another our emails and start a distribution list of our own, and we can always communicate on 3fat chicks as well. we can invite people that start within two weeks of our start date if they would like to be part of our gang. From muffin tops to tube tops we will get there in no time with support!! I am going to my first appointment on Thursday and I'll start IP on Friday. The mother who has a son at my school is going to be my coach, so she can always pop in on me at anytime and make sure i'm not eating a doughnut! ;)... She just stopped in today and she looks amazing, so motivational. I'm taking next week off to organize my house and now my eating lifestyle. :carrot:

Another thing I did was create an IP binder with a sections for daily food journals, also a section for recipes and notes that I find by googing, looking at blogs, etc... maybe it's a bit too organized but I want to do this right this time around.
How are your preparations for this lifestyle change?

You can do a search by individuals names if know it or what I usually do is click on new post and click on one that is for Ideal Protein, once you are there you can look at the top, click on Ideal protein and it will give you all of the new post that have been posted since you last looked. It took me a while to get used of using the site also.

I'm still finding ways to make this easier. Open up the 3fatchicks website and select "Forums"

Select "Search" and type in "Ideal Protein"
All the IP topics will come up

When you want to search for your own posts or someone else's select "Search" and then at the bottom of that little search screen - select "Advanced Search" - The world opens up now. Smile. Fill in the user name of the person you are searching for posts for - Check off (bottom left, I think) "Posts" (rather than "threads").

I have noticed that when searching via the "Threads" selection, the word I'm hunting for will be highlighted (as in a normal "cached" article) but when I do a search for that word by "Posts" the word/item I'm searching for is not highlighted.

I still haven't figured out how to include a picture... Sigh. Don't feel bad about that degree and being "lost"... one of my roles at my last job was "computer guru" and every time someone referred to me as that I snarked my drink (diet soda/coffee/water). If a computer degree is more than 2 days old me thinks it is already going non-current. LOL! ...but it sure is one of the best choices going. Smile. :dizzy:

Newbie Intro
 

Hi, all! So glad I found this forum, and this thread... there doesn't seem to be a lot of IP internet activity, except right here!

I wanted to introduce myself... Kate from GA. I'm 36, have two wonderful kids (my son is 29 months, and my daughter is 5 months, both February babies, so no more Memorial Day parties for us!), a fantastic spouse (most of the time!), and also count my MIL and two large German Shepherds as members of our household. Did I mention I work full time? Yeah, that's to keep me out of the house!

My story is similar to so many others of you - I gained weight with the birth of both kids, and now have a heap to lose. I was doing WW, but was so frustrated with my very slow progress. I work out 4-5 days a week, and have for years... someone else mentioned it, but it's like having some "me" time, and I look forward to it. Anyway, with all this, I figured I would lose weight but it's just not happening. My mom and aunt have both had GREAT success with IP, so I found a coach nearby, and that was that.

I started Saturday, so I'm in the middle of Day 4, and I feel pretty great. I didn't have awful carb hangovers, just a mild headache, and an extra cup of coffee fixed that (yes, I did have my requisite additional glass of water to compensante). Mostly I feel good that I'm doing something really good for my body. I deserve this! My hubby is traveling right now, so having quick dinners is awesome; I'm sure there will be an adjustment when he gets back, but I'm hoping to be into it enough to make it a non-issue. He's a big boy and he can fend for himself, and if he touches my veggies there will be he** to pay!

I'm looking forward to you all on this journey. I'm going to stop babbling now, and look for some recipes... I love to cook and I'd like to keep things interesting! Chat soon!

Welcome MADDY! Smile. I am so happy that you are determined to not quit! Cheating is in our nature. We want to see how far we can stretch before getting into a FIX. I think your majors in college will explain and continue to show that this is just the way humans are wired. What we are trying to do is against our nature and therefore will be a constant battle... until we just plain GIVE IN TO IT and refuse to wander even a little. The best thing I've done (and I do love my celebrations and rationalizations that allow for a Mai Tai and then and then and then - I think I read something on another thread you shared your joy of weekend celebrating - smile) is to read Dr. Tran Tien Chanh's book (the developer of our protocol) and it is free and a pdf that you can find at the bottom of the first entry on each Daily Thread or Weekend Thread. I began it last night (about 75 pages) and couldn't put it down... not that it is light reading but WOW BROUGHT THINGS TO LIGHT! I won't cheat now. I can't afford to and I don't mean $$$. I want this to be short term and then on with my new life. I already feel so very much better (45 lbs down of 65ish) and just keep delaying my own success. Not anymore! Please consider joining me in a denial of "I deserve to cheat or I deserve a little break" and let's grab the success we so deeply deserve for ourselves. Smile. Hoping to see you at victory!;)

This is a great idea! I tried to post on this last night but I'm not sure what happened. It never went up so I'll give it another shot.

My name is Nicole and I'm 37 years old. Iv'e been married to my high school sweetheart for 16 years, we have a 4 year old son. I work as a nail technician at a popular Resort/Spa, been there for 18 years.

I like scrap booking and photography. And just plain spending quality time with family and friends.

I started with IP 2 years ago and lost 42lbs....so your probably wondering why I'm here now. Stress from work and life has a bit to do with it. A couple months ago my father-in-law became very ill, thus changing our life style up a bit. With all the visits back and forth to and from hospitals and nursing homes and working full time jobs we began to eat out a lot or get take out, my routine was officially put on hold. And thus began the weight gain from eating terrible. My Father-in-law lost his battle to cancer on June 23rd. So on July 4, I began IP again to loose 15lbs not as significant as last time but I swore I'd never get that way again. I will now re learn my old routines and habits and get myself back on track.

This time around has been very difficult, I have unbearable withdrawal symptoms from sugar I suspect...sugar is evil. Horrible migraines wich I kicked the first time on the diet. No energy, very moody just feel tired all the time. I know all this will get better thus far 2 weeks into the diet I have good and bad days.

Thanks for this site, its very helpful to see other are going through the same things as well. And I love looking at all the great ideas for recipes and such that everyone have.