13th attempt to IP & need support please
 

I am looking for strong support from women who have stuggled but have had success on IP. I have started 13 times this year and have not made it more than 4 days without cheat and then a crash two days later.

My most difficult time is at 8 PM night when I sit down to watch the tube. Water and herbal tea don't seem to be enough? I eat dinner at 5 PM.

Should I drink an additional protein packet?

Any other ideas for me?

Are there any small support groups here? Is that what the boot camp is for?

Sure appreciate hearing from anyone who stuggled but succeeded.

Thank you all for sharing.

Pam

[QUOTE=stayingalive;3756816]I am looking for strong support from women who have stuggled but have had success on IP. I have started 13 times this year and have not made it more than 4 days without cheat and then a crash two days later.

My most difficult time is at 8 PM night when I sit down to watch the tube. Water and herbal tea don't seem to be enough? I eat dinner at 5 PM.

Should I drink an additional protein packet?

Any other ideas for me?

Are there any small support groups here? Is that what the boot camp is for?

Sure appreciate hearing from anyone who stuggled but succeeded.

Thank you all for sharing.

Hi Stayingalive...

If drinking an additional protein drink
helps you to stay on track, I say do it! I always drink a RTD vanilla drink putting 1/2 in coffee, so it's like a sweet snack. Also, are you drinking enough water after dinner?

It's tough to get through that first week, but once you have a big first weigh in you will be motivated.

Best of Luck, you can do this!

Yes, do an additional protein.

One word of caution, if you have tried IP multiple times without success, all you are doing is throwing your body in and out of starvation mode. You must stick with it long enough to get into ketosis. If you can't make that commitment then IP isn't for you. If you decide to make the commitment and stick with IP, you will find an almost overwhelming amount of support on this site. :hug:

Btw, everyone here has struggled at some point. :?:

:)Bless your heart! You must be so frustrated!

I always eat dinner between 5 & 6 and then between 8 & 9 have a protein pack... usually a shake or pudding. I love love love the powdered chocolate shake!

It has helped me massively to know that I have a wonderful treat while watching evening TV and all those (how dare they) food commercials! Smile. That's a lot of how I ended up here in the first place. Easy fast food and smothered in cheese and cream pasta and pizza.

The snack at night is new to me. I usually ate dinner very late and no snack. The encouragement for us to be done eating by 8 spurred me on to earlier dinner with a snack. I begin Week 7 tomorrow! I can't believe it! The first two weeks were really trying for me but I made the commitment to not cheat at all - though I did take advantage of the beginner's right to have 4 packets the first week and 1/2 through the second week. I should hit 20 pounds loss tomorrow. I haven't been this light in almost 20 years. I am so excited that I stuck it out and made it through the tough days. It is so fun when the Ketosis kicks in and the losses begin! Try to hang tough! If you've tried 13 times then I think you are committed to the program and can do it! I'm rooting for you! Keep tuned with the 3fatchicks for support. I can't wait to hear your successes!:)

Just remember that the first week is the hardest and it will suck and you will not feel good. Go into it with the attitude that its going to be hard at first but in the end it is so worth it. You have your whole life after IP to eat carbs but you can do that being happy with your body with some sacrifice instead of continuing living your life unhappy with yourself and not sacrificing for a while (I don't know how much you want to loose). Thats the attitude I take when I think about quitting. I am tired of being fat and feeling happy with my body is better than being able to eat the foods I want. THERE IS AN END POINT! You can do this!!

I struggle too- and often "crash" big time after a minor slipup. It helps me if i just work to get-over the minor slip and try to feel good about how i'm doing overall. IP is kind of all or nothing, but don't beat yourself up over the small slips and you'll be less likely to have BIG ones. I do have an extra packet if i'm starving or having a really tough craving. It really helps, and hasn't stalled my progress (that i've noticed). Also, if you just commit really strongly to 2 weeks, the change you'll see will motivate you SO MUCH that you'll be less likely to crash. If all else fails, go straight to this forum. There are so many knowledgable and supportive people here. It will always pick you up!!! Good luck- keep us updated!

Eating another protein pack is MUCH better than cheating!! Always!! Is your dinner late enough for you? Are your meals spaced out well? You could always have a salad or omelette if you need to chew something.

LADIES...thank you all so much for your words of encouragement. I will try a 4th packet at TV time and I will NOT beat myself up for failed past attempts.

I can do this program and will NOT cheat the 1st week so I can feel and see some of the success all of you have experienced.

I will get busy on the threads and try to connect with all you who made the effort to give me some support.

hi Stayingalive, good for you for taking control of your life...you are worth this!!

I think its a really good sign that you have identified both the time of day and the activity that triggers your cheating. My advice: for the next week, you do NOT sit and watch TV during that time. Specifically book time to go out (with friends, to the library, take a walk, work late, ANYTHING) but do not go sit in front of the TV. Once you remove the trigger it will be MUCH easier to avoid eating. And once you are into ketosis it will be much more simple to handle. So give yourself a break by removing yourself from the hardest situation.
Good luck! :carrot:

Great idea....
 

Rocky Monarch,

Thanks so much for the tip about doing something else, ANYTHING else, to avoid the trigger. I will and I can and I will read the threads and post tonight to AVOID a cheat which will throw me off.

I love your quote...yes we do chose.

Thanks again,

Pam

I wholeheartedly agree with you, Adrean. You said it perfectly.

I have been having 4 protein packs every day and I have been averaging 3+ lbs per week. I know everyone's body is different but another pack is better than cheating.

Good luck on your journey.

I am not experienced, in fact I am just starting today but my coach told me that for the first week (and even into the 2nd) that if I am hungry, I need to eat. She suggested that I first start with celery and allowed vegetables but also suggested that I could eat hard boiled eggs (preferably the white only) or white cooked ham slices. I don't know if this information could be helpful to you or if others on the board will agree.

She says that into the second week though, the extra food will have to stop as my body becomes more accustomed to the diet.

Another thing that has worked for me is eating some pickles! The crunch, salty flavor, etc. make me feel like I'm munching away on something. They are on the approved list of veggies, so just make sure you count them toward your 4 cups in the day. You can rock this!

I loved my puddings which I turned into shakes with ice and water at night. They were my life saver. I also topped them off with Hood brand sf/ff whipped cream and drizzled WF chocolate syrup on top of the whipped cream. Total diet saver!!! We have to do things that totally satiate us. Those treats go a long long way and help me get thru w/o cheating. I heard a great quote on tv about when we stray from the program/any program. To see it as a lapse and not a relapse. Kinda takes the sting out of a slip and helps to see it as a small moment that can be moved on from.
Congrats on the great weight and inch losses and personal gains.

This may confirm that I am odd... But go to sleep early. Shut off the tv and go to sleep. You can't eat while u r sleeping.

I know if I have one cookie, then I'll eat the bag.

Thanks to whomever mentioned pickles. I forgot about them!!!

I know I feel great once I get a few days in. Go for it!!!!

This really helped me during the first few weeks. I would even put a little mustard on one and wrap it in a lettuce leaf so I felt like I was eating a wrap. :D

I am only on day 5 of IP. What has helped for me when I feel cravings is water with some crystal light, WF peanut butter with WF choc. over it or my snack shake in blender with ice.

I quit watching TV. I got Netflix and a Sims 3 game. I sit in my room with the computer so this way I don't even think of eating because no food or drink are allowed in our bedrooms (house rule).

Thanks for the other advice I will keep them in mind.

7 PM here & doing something else
 

I want to thank all of you for words of encouragement and the honest truth about the challenge of week 1.

I am achey, spacey and have audible hunger pangs--but I determined to make it through this 1st day because it will pass.

I am amazed to hear how much you IPers have lost and to hear how good every one feels.

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for being here and sharing.

Pam

As others have said, the first week is tough, however, YOU CAN DO THIS!!! I am in week 4 and have never been happier. I am no longer hungry or craving anything. I am excited to eat veggies which I had never been excited to do up until this point. Hang in there and when you feel the urge to cheat, turn to these forums for support. :hug:

Hey Pam!

How is day 2 going?

I was not doing so good last night and early this morning: headache, eye migraine, feeling "funny" but I took advice and had some salt and I am feeling much better now. I also took an Omega 3 last night and I have been having (a little bit of) ham in addition to my packets, supplements and approved veggies.

I hope you are hanging in okay! You can do it!

If you are a tv muncher and not just hungry at night then keep a restricted snack for tv time. The southwest cheese curls is a huge snack. While eating your restricted packet at night is not advised (you should have it in the morning) if it keeps you on the diet until you have some momentum to switch over to a pudding or drink then I say do it. Another possible trick would be to break up your routine and NOT sit and watch tv at night if it makes you snack. Try reading a book instead.

Yup, those are normal symptoms. Don't worry, when you get into ketosis the hunger pangs will go away.

Try going to bed early and get enough rest. Also, eat a dill pickle and drink your water. It really helps.

Made it through day 2...
 

It was much easier today. I drank my way through (water) some hunger before lunch and had a hot tea after dinner.

For my veggies, I had edaname...hope they are allowed.

Hope you had a good IP day and night.

Thank you all for your tips and support.


Pam

One thing that is helping me at night is freezing a RTD choc shake in the morning and then eating it in the evening as an "ice cream" I can eat it slow and it satisfies me.