Hey- does anyone in maintenance know if when you are doing your phase 1 days if it is OK to have more than one restricted item? I know when we're doing phase 1 'for real' if you do more than one restricted it can kick you out of ketosis, but when you aren't in ketosis to begin with, does it matter???

Thanks,
Chris

Well, I'm thinking that it doesn't matter. Even with 2 restricted, you're still getting way less carbs in a day than you would eating a normal, healthy diet. But, hey, what do I know? I'm not exactly the poster child for perfect phase 4!!:o

Seriously, am I kidding myself when I think that this will be easier when it's not summer/party/vacation time?

Had a great weekend celebrating our son's engagement (BBQ for 40 people), and getting to know our new daughter-in-law to be, and going to the lake for a few days this week. Here's hoping I don't do too much damage before it's all over. Well, gotta get off my butt and get to yoga class!

Let me know how your phase 1 goes. I'll be doing that when we get back. How long do you plan to do it for?

We're headed out of town this weekend to our friends' ranch to float a river, celebrate birthdays, etc. so I figured I'd do a modified phase 1 / phase 2 Monday thru Friday this week. No alcohol in preparation (my liver will thank me later) and phase 1 unless I have lunch meetings (like today). I expect it to be an indulgent weekend. :D

I'm glad the BBQ was fun. How do you like your future DIL? It was the first time you met her, right? Does she fit in well with the family? Enjoy your week.

I don't think this is going to get any easier in the fall, but I'm hoping it does. I've been sick for a while so I haven't been working out. I'm planning to get back to it after work today. That will help me feel better.

She seems really sweet, and its great to see them together. She's Swedish, so when she goes home in less than 2 weeks, we will maybe see her once before the wedding, which will be in Stockholm next summer. So, we'll make the most of our time together at the lake, and I'll be skyping more! Really excited to be planning a trip to Europe!!

Well, hope you have a successful 'prep' week, and a super fun weekend!!

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When I was at the gym today, the two women who have both completed this diet were there....and they convinced me to do it....and they both have put weight back on. One has put on 10 pounds and the other nine. Yikes, I'm so scared of doing that!

The one that put ten pounds on said that she knows she's drinking too much and not eating right, like too many nuts and fruit, but the other one was so upset...pissed really. She didn't say what she's been eating and I don't know how closely she's sticking to maintenance. I didn't want to ask because she was really upset and the class was about to start.

I decided when I was starting maintenance to stick with phase 3 because carbs, alcohol, chocolate and nuts got me in this fix in the first place and if I start eating them again, even in small doses, I know eventually I'll go overboard and start gaining again.

I'm realizing that this is gonna have to be for the rest of my life if I want to keep the weight off and I'm just gonna have to be very vigalent about it. It was just scary seeing both of them gaining weight back after working so hard to lose it.

I will be starting phase 2 'officially' next week although this week my coach recommended I do half phase 1 half phase 2. I'm thrilled with my results from following IP and terrified of going off phase 1. I've just become so addicted to going down pant sizes and losing weight every week and being on the diet doesn't even feel like a sacrifice anymore as the only thing I miss is being able to have a drink now and then. I finished Dr. Tran's book not too long ago and started looking at the posts from this thread at the same time and had a little break down at the thought of regaining any weight. But I have confidence in my ability to follow maintenance and reading RockyMonarch's post in a different thread that she has been maintaining for over a year sets it in my head that such things can be done. Dr. Tran also mentioned the cyclical gain and loss of weight throughout the year- that we have a tendency to put on weight in the fall to prepare for winter and that these 4-5 pounds that we may gain can be dealt with by going through phase 1 again. So... I hope it's okay that I'm posting here and I look forward to maintaining with all of you!

What a GREAT POST. Post away.

Losing weight is as addictive as carbs!

I am lucky to have a couple of friends that have completed IP and are still successfully maintaining to observe and follow their example. With any diet there are people who don't keep it off. I know that I can never go back to mindlessly eating, I need to write it down and have structure in my diet. I have developed so many new eating habits over the last 6 months. I am nearly done losing weight but my journey will continue. I have to maintain these habits for the rest of my life. It will take work and commitment. I will be starting my maintenance program in a couple of weeks! I look forward to maintaining with you too!

On a personal note, Day two of Phase 3 and I am down a lb! I hope this keeps up!

Thanks for posting Brandy and Linden. Brandy it's good to know we will be maintaining together as we have similar lifestyles with three little ones under foot. I'm happy to hear that you're still losing even in phase 3... I've had a girls weekend planned for awhile now that will be coming up the weekend after next- smack dab in the middle of phase 3... was really hoping to phase off prior to it so that I could use the 'cheat' day for the bevvies that I know are going to take place...

Bump!..

hugs :hug:

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Hi, I've just finished reading all the "Life After P1" threads and they are great! I just began P2 today and feel so prepared from all I just learned...my eyes are a little blurred and my husband would finally like some computer time! If you're just beyond P1 go back through the Life After P1 threads...great info!

Thank you to all the great contributors!!!

Thank you! I thought I had searched and read these threads, but I must have gotten side tracked in my Phase 4 panic. It was reassuring to see other people have felt as confused by it as I was.

Good luck to you as you phase out. Phase 3 breakfasts are incredible....

I can't wait until I get to P3 breakfast!!! I feel so prepared to hit P4 after reading all these threads... I saw two friends who did IP last year and one told me he wanted to stay in P2 because he was clueless about what to do in P3 or P4...we go to the same clinic so I'm thinking I'm really fortunate to have found this site and link when I did. I feel so prepared and READY to hit life after P1.

Congratulations on your weight loss success. It's unbelievably awesome!!! WTG!!!

Yesterday I saw 2 of 6 friends who did IP last year and all are in maintenance. Only one of the six has completely reverted back to his old eating styles and gave up on IP. One women who lost 50 gained 12 back and is now in P1 to get back on track. Her husband also lost 50 and gained 5 back but doesn't follow P4 as per the protocol, but whatever he's doing seems to work. Another women who lost a significant amount (which I don't remember the # lost) gained some Christmas weight but is doing fine on maintenance. Her husband is currently doing a reboot because he put on 10 - 15 lbs and wants to get to a more comfortable weight. The last guy who did IP and is in maintenance I forgot to ask about so I don't know how he's doing...

The one person who didn't stick with it has always done what he wants regardless of the outcome so being overweight may not have been such a big deal to him, so don't get discouraged that you'll be one of the failures. Personally, I don't think he was mentally prepared to do this for life and make changes. I also think he may have gotten excited about it because so many of our friends were doing it but when it got to maintenance he just gave up and said "the heck with this"...he's a very jovial man who loves to enjoy life and food and drink may be his "ticket" to enjoying life...

Well, this is what's going on in my life in "Life After P1".

Today is my first week in P2. It's exactly like P1 except the lunch. I'm going on the scale a lot! I was actually down another pound this morning and it's only day 3 of P2 so I'm hoping for a two pound loss when I get weighed in on this coming week. I'll be back to post an update. Or just to share my thought...

:)

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Question... last night I ate more protein than the 7 oz for maintenance. I had roasted a pork tenderloin and it was done by evening, and I just scarfed a piece, well after dinner was over. I'm thinking that it will have minimal impact on the diet because it was low-fat, no carb, right? I know what to do if I splurge and combine the fat and carbs, you do a phase 1 day. But too much protein?

Personally, I think you should be fine.

I start phase 2 today.

Yeah!!! Congratulations! Enjoy!!!!!

Yah!!! Almost there!!! I'm currently googling nutritional information for my upcoming P3 breakfast. So far I'm looking at turkey bacon, cheddar cheese, egg whites on whole wheat bread...along with the other requirements (fruit and dairy)...I can't eat real bacon and I'll probably go with low fat cheese due because I don't want my cholesterol to go back up again... :)

Don't know if you can get them where you live, but I just tried Morning Star breakfast sausages this morning and they were pretty good. Soy based.

Thank you! So if they're soy based are they're vegetarian? I'm not a faithful vegetarian but I wouldn't mind trying a meatless sausage

They are vegetarian but not vegan. Just noticed they have egg whites, probably as a binder. The base is TVP with wheat gluten, soy protein, egg white, corn oil, spices, vitamins... 2 links have: 80 calories, 3 g fat, 3 g carb (minus 2 g fiber), 9 g protein, 300 mg sodium, no sugars.

I used their "Grillers Prime" burgers every now and then too. I really prefer black bean burgers, but they weren't allowed on Phase 1. Oh my...now I can get some! or make some!

I eat meat too, but sometimes this diet just seems like so much of it, so I enjoy varying it up a bit.

Phase 2
 

So day 1 Phase 2 felt a little more like starting anew than I had thought it would. I think I got all my requirements in but I sorta messed up.

I ate two boiled eggs at lunch with my veggies and then maybe 4-5 oz of chicken at dinner. Because I was hungry and delayed dinner I had my snack before dinner and forgot my nighttime meds. Oh well. It's funny, I have some packets to burn through but then I realized when could I have my soup. It only made sense at lunch so this is a learning process, still. Not a challenge but an adjustment. I had just been on autopilot for so long. I mean not that long but still it was a while. Until recently I could not wait to get to phase 3. Now I am like, okay I can wait.

Great thanks for the information. I love black bean burgers too...I'll have to start looking into those again for maintenance! :) I've been eating a lot of Tofu and eggs on this diet...I cannot wait to have my egg whites again... soon!!! :)

Isn't it funny how P2 is just changing lunch but it feels like so much more! Being in autopilot and making this ONE little change is so BIG!!! LOL.

OH, and yesterday I forgot my dinner vits!

I had "extra" restricted bars and indulged yesterday...no weight gain. It's my TOM and my cravings were crazy...I'm going to have to find a strategy to fight them in the future. It seems like when I was fat I ate what I wanted, when I wanted so I never noticed my TOM cravings! Now they are so obvious...like red wine on a white carpet... :)

I went shopping for P3 breakfast and I'm ready to go tomorrow morning...I have blueberries, egg whites, lf cheese, turkey bacon, whole wheat bread and butter...I have to do my worksheet to make sure the serving sizes etc. But I think this is everything!

What is everyone having for P3??? Any thoughts yet?

Crazy, right? But, that's okay. It does make me realize how easy it will be to slip on P4 so I might need to set up a new plan for P2 even though it will only be short time. I love this though. Going to seriously start saving money. It will go to other things like clothes and make up and stuff but I will be paying less and less each weigh in.

How long did you do P2? I need to remember to get my P3 sheet before I change so I have enough time to shop.

My coach tells her clients P2 is two weeks but I told her I was going to cut it short. She was okay with that 'cause I've been a doing well. I will have done a total of 8 days on P2. P3 I know I can't cut short and it will be the full 14 days.

My cravings and desires to have non-protocol items (cadbury mini eggs) is growing stronger and stronger...I don't know if it's a TOM issue or because I'm nearing the end of the protocol and will be allowed some things real soon!

At your next visit ask for the P3 information so you can get acquainted with it. Lunch and dinner will not change from P2 to P3 but breakfast will...for the better...but I will miss my AM chocolate...

Today I stayed in sweats all day (real big baggy ones and I almost forgot all the weight I lost!). I kept looking in a mirror to make sure I was still "skinny"!!! LOL!!! ;)

Went for a bra fitting today and the lady said immediately, "you're small" when she measured my rib cage and I was like, hunh?

I miss the sweets too. Weird. I have to wait like 12 hours from breakfast to snack to get some goodie in my mouth. I did pop a few choc balls in my mouth after lunch.

I fell in love with fat-free plain Greek Yogurt, with frozen berries on it and some stevia too. The Oikos and Chobani brands have alot of protein in them.

Also tried the Morning Star breakfast links and they are pretty good too. Have always loved oatmeal, the original (not the quick-cooking, as that is higher glycemic index) and the Irish Oats. The Kashi go-lean and Bear Naked granolas are great too. You don't get alot, but they are satisfying. I also tried unsweetened, unflavored almond milk and now I love it! I have regular butter and the reduced fat butter, regular cheese and some fat-free cheese. Always on the hunt for fat-free anything, so I can spend my fat-grams on something else.

It is tricky at first to add up all the grams and calories of each category, but eventually I found my 'greatest hits' and made index cards that are on the refrigerator so I can pick out one, even half asleep, and make it in a jiffy.

Come evening, I start to get excited about what to have for breakfast! ;)

purple sky, After my breakfast I had coffee with WF chocolate syrup...it should fill the void 'til my night time IP chocolate snack! ;)

sewmam, I like the index card idea. I feel like my breakfast this morning was just as undesirable as my first IP salad...which was pretty nasty. It took a few salads and experimenting to get into the groove...At least I can safely say (well, right now) nothing tastes as good as feeling skinny!! :)

While on phase 3 for surgery I also did the index card thing. It helped because I could assemble it while the coffee was brewing (which for me is before the brain wakes up). Lol.

Anyway, tomorrow back to p1 for the last 18 or so pounds. I will certainly be out of the house faster in the morning.... Hope you all don't mind if I visit this thread now and then until I am back for good. A

Hi! Visit away!!! The more the merrier! :)

Hey all,

Just recently finished reading all of the "Life After Phase 1.." threads. WOW I gained so much knowledge! :dizzy:
I originally was looking up information to start my phase out process for an upcoming vacation in May. I still have 2 full weeks until my coach wants me to move to phase 2 with a week of p2 and week and a half of phase 3. Tomorrow I weigh in and expect to have a 3lb loss according to my scale. That leaves me around 7lbs to my goal weight. I set it at 115 because I wanted to have a good cushion but really want to maintain 120.

My DBF (dear boyfriend) thinks I should be done and is very happy with my weight. I just wasn't sure because I havent went shopping for any new clothes yet and really have no idea what size i'm in anymore! All my clothes I wear are baggy and I was waiting until I get to goal to go shopping. I feel thin. I feel great about my body! Of course standing naked in front of the mirror before entering the shower every morning I don't think I'm perfect but am far from where I was. I think also a lot of my imperfections just need to be toned with exercise.

So after a long talk we decided that when I phase out for vacation that I'll stay in phase 4 and maintain. If I'm not happy I can always go back to phase one, right? I may have to after vacation anyways! I still have 2 weeks of phase 1 left along with a week of phase 2 and hope to lose as much as possible in that time. Maybe it will help with my view of imperfections?

Anyways.. Just wanted to say Hi and hope to learn more with your insightful ideas/comments about life after phase 1. I was nervous and really scared of moving out of the security of phase 1 but now I feel I'm ready.

Just wondering, has anyone used a glass of red wine as their carb choice for dinner in phase 4? I know it's probably wishful thinking, but thought I'd give it a try!

Those threads really helped me too!!! Congrats on all the hard work you've put into this! You're going to love maintenance. :)

No...I know they consider it a small slip if you have a glass of wine with dinner (but not on a regular basis). This small slip doesn't need to be followed with a P1 day the day after (as in the "fun" day when a full P1 day is required). Try posting this question on the Maintainers thread...there are more experienced folks there and it's a really active thread.

Cassie,
What did your coach say about the time when you are on vacation? Will you be doing that as phase 3 or phase 4?
thanks!