I agree - it is contagious and makes everyone feel good, positive and upbeat! I wish you and everyone here an AWESOME evening and an even more AWESOME week ahead! xx

Ok, weekend 2 on IP and I survived! Ha! Well, better than survived. I did WELL! Succeeded on my first outing (beer tasting), had only sashimi and perrier (pat self on back). Felt great about this and feeling pretty good about myself too!

I have been having to take milk of magnesia every day or every other to keep things moving...otherwise, things are so sluggish the bloating etc. is unpleasant and I look 5 months pregnant :/ I was told it should ease up the second week but I may not be so lucky. Will have to see if its ok to do the MOM this often....

I think dinner tonight was a bit off in proportions. I didn't cook and I was so busy getting each whiny kid tended to that I just kind of shoveled. It was all good for me (cabbage, broccoli, fish, shrimp, turkey meatball) but I think I exceeded 8 ounces of protein and probably didn't have quite 2 cups of veggies. I am usually better but I guess some days are like that. At least I also had 2 salads on top of my earlier veggies so I should be ok. I will prep all my veggies for the week tomorrow so I can be sure to have the right quantities once again.

Port - I feel you on the fatigue. I cannot figure out WHY I am so tired in the afternoon. I keep having my "evening snack" earlier and earlier (like almost just after lunch today) because I keep hoping it'll help with my energy level. But, then I cannot sleep at night. It is a weird kind of thing. I have noticed that when I can get out for my daily walk, that I feel MUCH better in both energy level and my food obsession. WHen I sit around all day, I think wayyyy too much about what I am not eating even though I don't mind at all what I AM eating. go figure!

Sometimes I sigh or look longingly at food on other people's plates, food on tv, or just lament about a craving but at the end of the day, I am here by choice. I am the will to be here and feel very privilged that I am able to do so and am grateful to my family for sacrificing for me and with that in mind I endeavor each day to be as true to the diet as I can be, while gentle with myself if (like today's protein overage) I am not perfect.

Anyway, Happy Sunday everyone and here's to another great week!!

I dont know if i can do this tonite..right now i want to eat like 6 donuts..i call it eating my feelings..its anger..anger.. anger..i just want to stuff in the anger with food..Part of me thinks: Eat all the donuts you want..you will pay for it and then you will get back on plan"... the other part of me goes "dont eat the donuts..eat bacon..cause at least bacon works on diets that are lower in carbs"..then part of me says "no..eat nothing..drink water and just sit here and keep typing till the anger lets go and that surge of wanting to stuff my mouth goes away".. Right now..im just trying to breathe...inhale..exhale...
Im so used to eating my feelings cause i dont like feeling anything..its my escape...but its what made me so big in the first place..
And im sorry.. i am negative..all the time..im negative because i dont like my life..and i dont like who i am..and ....sometimes i wish i could wake up and have it magically go away..and i know that my life is not even close to being as bad as other people have it...and i guess the other thing is..its hard..cause im the kind of person that wears my emotions all over..Its like some people can just pretend that everything is okay..but when
i come in the room..i wearr it ..despite how hard i try to hide it..and i dont even know how that works..im trying to make myself stop do that..

Why are you so angry? Go for a walk, get on the elliptical, punch a punching bag, do jumping jacks, direct that energy somewhere so that it helps (releases endorphines). Munch on crushed ice, eat an extra IP pack if you need to, floss your teeth, then paint your fingers and toes. You will have fresh breath, pretty hands/feet, and tomorrow you will wake without regret and firmer! You can ALWAYS decide to have a donut later, this is not a forever thing. But, for now, put yourself on top. Picture yourself in a cute little black dress and sling back heels. Put the $2 for donuts into the "I deserve it because I kicked a$$ on IP" jar that will, in the end, by you a new fabulous wardrobe for your efforts.

The cravings fade away. You will become stronger. Talk about the feelings not just what it is but why and perhaps you can work through it in a productive manner. It WILL work if you let it. Don't self sabotage, you will just be angry x2

Port -what in the world is going on? I read one post and you just mention fatigue but not being hungry. Then in another, you mention it's easier to stay on the plan. Then in another or two you talk of being angry and wanting a donut. This is all over the board . . . take a step back. Focus. Smile.

I am starting IP tomorrow and really nervous
 

Ok, I am looking for encouragement and ideas for success....I start IP tomorrow for the first time. I cut up my veggies for tomorrow and have all my protein packs ready for the week. For anyone else who recently finished their first week, do you have any words of wisdom to share?

Stolaf, I'm at the end of day 6. Prepare to have nauseau, headaches, weakness, dizziness. The ip packs are really gross the first 2 days. Start looking for recipe threads to find great meal variations. I think a person has to be truly committed to do this long term. I weigh in tomorrow. Best wishes!

Porthardy, you wouldn't be here if you didn't want to lose the weight. That being said, maybe you should consider speaking with a counselor or pastor concerning the anger issue. If that is not dealt with, even if you lose weight now, you will most likely gain it back. You must be 100% committed to succeed on ip. Whatever you decide is what you have to live with every day. As for me, stomach folds and back fat have to go in the name of Jesus!

Stolaf - I have to disagree. I did not have headaches, nausea etc. I also think some of the IP packets are delish (but do agree that the soups need some help). You will find some you like, some you don't. You will adjust to the flavors of some. For me, I have learned to like the Cream of Chicken soup made with extra water, Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy, chopped asparagus and broccoli -- tastes a little like a spicy cream of asparagus soup. That plus a giant salad or lettuce stir fry and I am typically pretty full!

Drink a lot of water, don't diverge from the program even if hungry. Instead eat more lettuce. After a few days (3-5 typically), you get into a routine, the hunger should fade and you are well on your way!

Coliep, I think the big difference in the way our bodies reacted to the ip diet may be the starting weight. I started off at almost 200 lbs and you started off at around 150. Also, I hinged on carnal right b4 knowing I would have to give them up :) I am not sure what weight stolaf will be starting at since it is not included in the profile info.

Stupid auto correct... I meant to say I binged on carbs! Haha

Well everyone..this was not a day of overcoming last night..it was a day of self inflicted sabatoge...I survived NOT going to the store and NOT buying donuts..instead i bought some more iced tea stix sweetened with splenda and im glad i survivde the NOT eating 6 donuts..cause that would be a typical binge behaviour..However..i did NOT succeed at staying OP..After my fiancee had a great fight with each other..we were invited out on a double date and we even got a babysitter to watch our daughter...so we went out with another couple and i looked at the menu and went "cant have cant have cant have"...and then chose the infamous gluten free pizza with the low carb toppings..I ate about 3 slices and quit..but then we got home..and watched a movie and i hoovered two pieces of nanaimo bar..Needless to say..i more than likely kicked myself out of ketosis...jumped up the scale two pounds(im guessing its not fat considering i didnt eat 3500 calories yesterday) and nod w feel pretty stupid.. Part of me goes: " Well..if your gonna be on this diet for a year at least, you mine as well have a cheat day here and there" and the other part of me goes "well that was stupid..you kicked yourself out of ketosis probably and are going to have to suffer probably at least a week or more of trying to get back into it on top of those stupid craving issues and tiredness and hunger feelings all over again....ARGHHHhh!!!! Why why why do i never think about the consequences of how im going to feel next week? or this week? Its like..it doesnt kick into my brain till ive already done it...Its like..how many times do i have to get slapped on the wrist before i realize its gonna hurt..

Im not mad...not mad anymore and the fact that i stayed away from donuts..feels like an accomplishment..cause i would have hoovered 6 usually before eating the rest of the nights food for dinnner...but i didnt..so i feel success in the binge department..i dont feel like i ate my feelings so much as i used to...but i definitly got to work on this ...cause i need to learn how to cope with feelings better..in terms of feeling them instead of trying to get them to go away...So....yesterday was a bad day..ok..

But today is a new day...arent you glad whirlybird that His mercies are made new every morning? I am..cause it means i can start ove fresh today...and thats what im going to do.. im going to start fresh this day...

Ive got my water and my iced tea stix..i bought a new water bottle..yay me...and ive found a great way to make my cream of chicken soup taste better...and im ready to start over...So here is to the beginning of week 1 AGAIN.

I like hinged on carnal . .. sounded more fun ;-)

Port - that IS an accomplishment! We take each little battle as it comes. You are not alone in that!! You made decent choices considering your environment and will make better ones each time. Don't take offense, but I am going to call you out. You DID think in advance of your digressions. You thought about it ALL day yesterday (based on your posts). You absolutely KNEW what would happen by CHOOSING to eat what you ate. You didn't do now, think later . . . you just chose one night of a gluten free pizza over 1 week of induction phase I. It was a conscious choice and, it sounds to me, one well thought out. You knew yesterday that it was going to hurt, you thought about the consequences, you debated/battled them. unfortunatley this time you gave in, but continue thinking in advance like you were but spend your other time developing diversion strategies. You could have ordered a plain salad or just requested the veggies that were on that pizza. You could have been the biggest pain in the rear end ordering the most complex annoying dinner EVER. It CAN be done. You could have opted for an IP meal or shake and brought it with you citing dietary restrictions. Come up with an ATTACK PLAN. You clearly need this in your arsenal. IMO, physical things can be very helpful for body and mind.

For example, when you have a bad day don't spend all day having a bad day. That changes nothing. That improves nothing. You can change your response. Change what you do. So, for an attack plan try something like this:

- Make a nice ice cold cup of water with a splenda and fresh lemon juice (i.e. OP lemonade). Shake it up or freeze it in cubes and then crush it up.
- While that is in the freezer getting deliciously icy, do 10 each of: jumping jacks, sit ups, squats, walking lunges, dips. Then go for a 30 minutes walk. Let the pace be dictated by your energy / needs. While walking thing about how great you are feeling on this diet - how it is easier to walk now that you are X pounds lighter; look at your muscles and notice how you see them more now; consider how PROUD you are to be taking care of you; how BLESSED you are to be able to afford and have access to IP; how STRONG you are to be succeeding. If you are angry at someone or something, let it out with each breath and refuse to bring it back in the house with you. Adopt an "i'll show you" attitude by showing you can succeed notwithstanding temptations.
- When you get back inside, have a large glass of ice water. Spash water on your face or take a nice shower to cool off. Put on some perfume or smell good lotion or something to make you feel pretty and smell nice. Look at your face. Smile. Relax.
- Go sit down and enjoy your slushy. If it needs a snack to go with it, have a green salad or lettuce stir fry.

When done, if you are still not that much better go for some retail therapy. Get out of the house. Go see a movie. Go buy a pair of shoes. DOOOOOOO something distracting. Or, call a friend and vent (when you are not at home). Keeping busy can help keep your hands away from your mouth and the talking / exercising / keeping in control could be helpful =)

Heather, what can I say partner, nothing that hasn't been said by the others of this forum.
Apparently this is harder for some than it is for myself, and I should have been online over the weekend to give my support.
I am on computers 40+ hours a week for work, and it's hard to get motivated to get online, but I will make a better effort to check in on the forums.

Start fresh this week, we are about the same weight now, so it will be like we just started fresh together this week.

The weekend was pretty good for me, surprisingly wasn't too tired considering I got up much earlier than I usually do on Saturday to go get the wife's oil changed. I didn't get any exercise other than walking on Saturday though.
I did get 30 minutes n on my trainer on Sunday though, so that's always a positive thing.
I got my new biking shorts in on Saturday which made the trainer much more comfortable, so hopefully I will get more riding in this week when my wife goes out for her nightly walk.

Stayed totally OP this weekend, actually slacked on my veggies for 2 meals, but other than that I was right on track.

I have a busy morning but I will be back in a bit, have 2 meetings this morning.
Everyone have a great morning and a great week!!! :hug:

Coliep and whirliebird...... thanks for your replies..... so far so good on my first day. I had the mango peach shake for breakfast which was really good! I am hungry now and have had so much water I feel like my teeth r floating! The afternoon is usually the toughest time of day for me.

Well I started yesterday, went to the movies and brought by huge 32oz water bottle. The key to those periods when we get hungry and want to cheats is to keep busy, brush teeth, drink water and chew gum. Also, I think about how much I will regret it if I did cheat and how bloated I would feel. NOT WORTH IT! Stay strong everyone. My first weigh in isn't until next Monday...and I don't own a scale, which i think is a good thing. Some are obsessive about that. Don't focus on numbers between weigh in's just focus on how you feel!

Try adding some roasted or steamed veggies to the chicken , leek and mushroom soups... defiantly add more h2o if it was super thick and try cooking it for 30 seconds at a time and stir in between, my fist packet of soup was a disaster it exploded like a bomb in my microwave. But with adding veggies and the proper cooking I began to like the soups a lot.

Good Luck

When I go to the moveis I save my restricted for that time of the day and I usually bring southwest curls, white cheddar crisps or peanut butter soy puffs and eat that w/my h2o.

When you get those cravings it will be the test of your will power, try not to give in...this diet really works but try to follow protocol. Have some sugar free gum or dill pickles or eat some veggies instead of giving in, some days will be better than others. You can do this!

Welcome all you new comers to the thread, making it sound like I know what I am talking about lol. Day 10 for me so far, so still a newbie to the whole thing myself.
Thanks for the tips on the soup, honestly I think I am going to just stay away from the soups for awhile. I have to say I am probably the most picky SOB you will ever meet.
That and the chicken soup reminded me of the fricken cookie diet, I tried that a couple of years ago, and the day I had the soup was the day I got pancreatitis, most horrible pain you can have as a male, ended up getting my gall bladder removed 2.5 months later as a result and 18 stones taken out.

As a side effect I am one of those people that after the surgery have one of the bad side effects, which counter-acts one of the main side effects of this diet, so I am normal for the first time in 2 years so whoopee lol.

Southwest cheese curls have to be my favorite, it takes me about an hour to eat them, I savor each one and only chew probably 5 out of the whole package. Makes for a great evening snack.

I did try a small bight of the peanut butter bar last night, WOW, I would have eaten those off of the diet, pretty tasty.
Hope to try the white chocolate and peanut bar this week, they were on back-order her last week.

Had my cappuccino for breakfast this morning and having orange drink and veggies for lunch today.
Hoping to maybe get some fat free ham tonight and grill it for a change of pace.
It's hard doing this type of diet for someone who is so picky but I am making due, the fact that most of the food is actually pretty tasty makes it easier for sure.

Keep up the good work everyone....
Second weigh in on Wednesday, looks like I will be one of the typical 2nd week slow down people :(

You should check out sticky #1, 2 and 3 for great ideas for recipes and such.
I love the bars and southwest cheese curls and white cheddar crisps.

My fav drinks are Pina Colada Drink w/10oz. and Strawberry Pudding w/10oz h2o mixed together( I mix my shakes w/ immersion blender so I don't get any clumps) , separate into 2 mason jars or blender bottles and chill now ready to serve.

Do the same w/Orange Drink and Vanilla Pudding
Do the same w/Orange Drink and Lemon Pudding
Do the same w/Chocolate Drink and Wild berry Yogurt
Do the same w/Chocolate Drink and Cappuccino Drink
Do the same with Chocolate Drink and Strawberry Pudding

I add 10oz h2o for each packet including puddings because I make them into drinks.

Here ia a yummy idea I do at breakfast w/my coffe, I make my coffe the day ahead and chill it in the fridge. Mix 10/oz. cold coffee w/chocolate drink or cappuccino drink add ice and drink, YUMMY!

A lot of you suggest chilling drinks the night before, I know my wife is going to try that out.
For me, it just doesn't work, at least at this point.
I try to take the minimal things I can when I am riding my motorcycle, and a premixed drink is just one more thing I don't want to pack on my bike.

Maybe I will remember to mix some up on Friday and give them a try over the weekend.
Luckily I have one more free weekend of IP before I have to teach.
Teaching in the hot sun always makes dieting harder because you need you energy to do all the running around we have to do in the sun. I should be ok by the weekend of the 29th. Luckily I can use my camelbak on the range and keep up with my water intake.

Finally after 20 long days I get my ticker! But it said, error so I do't even know if it shows up! argh!
Oh well. The losing is going slow, but at least it's losing and not gaining. I am SO happy, this diet has gotten SO easy for me! I can't even believe how wonderful I feel, and how I enjoy this so much. My only hope is that eventually all of you feel this way!

Ok, hoping to not plant the seed here but man, oh, man do I want peanut butter!!!!!!!! I love it and miss it! I think I am craving fats :/ Anyway, I was going to cheat and have a TBSP instead of olive oil but then I realized I accidentally bought the kids organic peanut butter with added sugar! I normally get all natural peanut butter with nothing added except sometimes salt. I guess this was a blessing in disguise (though I don't particularly want to feed it to them either) but I won't cheat if it has added sugar . . . I somehow have justified the natural peanut butter cheat but not the sugary kind. Craving isn't gone but I am saved from my temptation no less . . .

For my PM snack I made a double shot of espresso and poured it over my frozen chocolate drink. Shook it up. Icy chocolatey mocha goodness. Wish I didn't feel like I could eat 3 more of them lol!! On the bright side, just a few hours from dinner time!

Try the peanut butter bar, it's really good tasting.

I am afraid of the bars . . . afraid I will want more than one. Even so, I am not permitted restricted food yet :/

Ahh,
It's funny how much advice varies from coach to coach, some say to wait on restricted, some don't. Some say no coffee, some say go ahead.

The bars are actually pretty filling, first time I had one for a snack it lasted me 2 snacks, but I seem to be kind of unusual in that fact.
My wife pounds them down pretty quick lol.

Ugh. I am certain none of them would agree with my skewed thinking . . . that a TBSP of natural nut butter (peanut or almond) is an ok cheat. This is my second time doing it and I KNOW I am not supposed to but I do it anyway. But I have somehow also rationalized it a bit so my mind is twisted. On one hand, I know its wrong and regret it and on the other I do it anyway and thing "eh, it won't derail my progress". Guess I may find out the hard way that it does :/

So, I am a bit annoyed with my doctor's office. I left on Thursday w/o a diet log, without a follow up appointment, without havnig a BMI check. I left a message and nobody has called me. I will run out of food on Thursday morning. Sooooo they are going to need to squeeze me in and I hope they can. . . . Does anyone else feel that your "coach" is more of a just a conduit through which products get sold? I don't feel they are very knowledgeable or anything . . . but that's just me.

Glad to find this posts, this is Day 3 for me.....we were away all weekend at my daughter's softball tournament out of town, so I figured if I survived that, I could do it at home. Packed all my food, and did it, didn't like it (McDonald's smell filling the car tough to resist!!!) but I did it. I am struggling with creative ways to choke down the 2 cups veggies twice a day, I relish breakfast where all I have to do is eat the IP food......

JellyRoll,
I feel like you, only it was 15 lbs in a year. Kept fooling myself till the 10's wouldn't button and my fav. shorts I was avoiding wouldn't go past the hips..

I am on Day 3 and have had a headache for the past 6 days (I get headaches from neck injury already), afraid to take anything not knowing what reacts with what????

Hang in there! We can do it, not letting the headache give me an excuse to eat something, just had a shade (the cranberry/blueberry something, pretty good!!)

Today was my first day!! (kind of ..). I said I'd start today, but was traveling and didn't get home to my IP shipment until snack time (3pm). But, I think I did an okay job at mimicking - Whey protein isolate shake for breakfast, cauliflower/cucumber/chicken for lunch, then home to my first IP bar, for dinner grilled chicken and zucchini. Curious about a couple of things:

1) Lettuce stir-fry?
2) How many people wo on IP and does it increase weight loss or decrease for you? For some reason when I workout - I lose weight faster (probably water retention).

Oh - I also wanted to give a little background - I'm 28 but have already yo-yo dieted more than I'd care to count. It started in high school .... at my heaviest I was 170. I've gotten down to 135 2x in my recent history and each time gain the weight back. I know I'm fortunate in some ways because even my heaviest has been a lighter starting weight then some - but the emotional fatigue and loss of self esteem in regards to weight has taken its toll with the constant regain .... constant ... if only I had kept with it ....

I am glad someone else had the same question about the lettuce stir fry, I thought it was just me.:p

Thanks for sharing this with us. I tried it yesterday with the chocolate drink and I think that is my new obsession.

Whirleybird, you made me laugh out loud, I am with you, the back fat hanging over the bra is too much to bear, I live in Florida for Pete's sake....can't wear a hoody anymore out in public!!! I teach and have not taken my kids anywhere to the beach due to will NOT be in pubic 1/2 dressed!! Buying a bigger bra killed me....

Need an accountability partner.....
 

Okay everyone, I just read all the posts for this thread, it sounds like an awesome group and we all have more or less the same story.......I love some of the direct comments on setbacks, I think for me an accountability partner is a key to my success.... any takers??? I need to partner with someone.....

Josey, I am here a lot since I work from home. so I would be glad to help ya out!