Long and crazy story short: I am on Phase 1 and I had a bad cheat at dinner-time last night.

This was unplanned and the food I ate was really the only option as I was dealing with a car emergency, out of town, having a major low blood sugar (I am hypoglycemic) problem, without any IP food or any alternatives to what I ultimately ate: pizza. FYI: when your car breaks and its a Sunday in the middle of tiny towns, the only thing open is a pizza place.

I am comfortable with the fact that after almost two months on this diet that I had to do what I had to do. I don't feel guilty and I don't really feel like I am ruined. What I am concerned with is that my weigh in is Thursday morning and I am going on a hiking trip Friday the 18th-the 27th (for which I am switching to the alternative plan). What can I do between today and my weigh in to get rid of a few pounds so I don't end up feeling remorseful for having to deal with life.

After the cheat I drank 60oz of water and this morning I had a blue/cran granata drink + 40oz water so far. I am planning on sticking with the lowest carb items (peach mango drink, lemonade) for the rest of the day as well as at least 100 more oz of water.

Any other tips?

I am not counting on a big loss this week nor the week I am on the hiking trip but I did want to see a few pounds go at the least.

Thanks in advance.

my best piece of advice for you is to just move on, don't dwell or perpetuate the cheat. Do bootcamp for a few days and hope for the best, but it sounds like you have the right attitude about it already

I've seen "bootcamp" referenced several times. What exactly does it mean?

Bootcamp means to only use non-restricted packages and select veggies and to stay below 30g of carbs per day - it's how we used to begin our IP program, some coaches made you stay on bootcamp until a certain percentage of weight was lost, some would say a certain number of weeks. It's not a common practice now for coaches to recommend it, but it can help after an unplanned cheat, or if you have hit a plateau etc.

Thanks!

I'm starting my 3rd week and i haven't really had any restricted items yet and i was wondering if i should cause otherwise, if i do hit a plateau than i will have nothing lower to go to?

sometimes in a plateau adding more carbs helps too, in fact my coach recommended I have a week of higher carb items including restricted and a week of bootcamp and cycle through that to shake your body up and break through a plateau.

according to my coach, there isn't much difference in weight loss by adding or taking away restricted items but that some people are more sensitive to the higher carb items and avoid them.

your body will try to fight losing weight after a while when it steps back and goes whoa, what are you doing to me - that's a good time to shake things up to give it something it wasn't expecting

I think you are just fine. How was the pizza. lol. You have been so good and got right back in the groove, you should be ok

The pizza was NOT tasty. It was NOT worth it. Had I not been lost for four hours (and therefore more than four hours past dinner) and had I actually remembered to replenish the packets in my glove compartment...I would have survived. Now I am dealing with the gastrointestinal upset from such a rapid introduction of YUCK! I can honestly say now that everything is stocked and I am not leaving the house without at least a packet on me no matter what because the situation I faced last night was not even tasty!!

I am just hoping to flush my body with all this h20. Worst thing about all this shennaigans, aside from my cheat and the car repair, is that my TOM is due this week so its all against me!! AHHHH.

It is just a week, maybe two. Think about all the weeks you ate poorly before IP and pat yourself on the back for all the control you have had. I think this is part of learning how to use the program. We will all have a situation like this and it is important to understand how to get back on track and not to let it ruin your progress.

An IP emergency kit is always handy to keep in your purse:

1 or 2 packages of food (a bar & a shake)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 days vitamins
3 pkg of splenda
1-2 individual WF dressing packets

That's what I always keep with me for those days that catch you off guard

My understanding, if after you have a BIG cheat, if you do low carbs for the next few days, you will be OK. Your pancreas will not be able to store it as fat.

Tomorrow is a new day...start over.

I am sure you will be ok after your hike.

I had a similar cheat over the weekend ....ok, mine was probably worse than yours: texas BBQ beef brisket sandwich with BBQ sauce, fries and ranch dressing, pie and ice cream for dessert. I also forgave myself and moved on. I had been on the program for 5 weeks without a singe cheat. I countered the cheat with 2 days of ready made shakes for breakfast, ready made shake and salad for lunch, and fish and salad for dinner. The result for me was a 2.3# weight drop this morning (weigh in day).

Counter the cheat and Im sure you will be fine!!!!!

Gotta love the emergency kit!! I sometimes keep a few of the soy puffs or garlic nuts to use on a salad as "croutons" or if I am unsure there will be a good source of protein.

I also keep stevia (dry) and a bottle of liquid flavored stevia with me now instead of splenda.

Sounds crazy but, the best "bottle" I found to keep my homemade dressing in that doesn't leak all over, is one of those bottles like you use for storing breast pumped milk. The brand I like are the Medela and they have a convenient 2.7oz (80ml) bpa free bottle. It is very convenient if I want to prepare a dressing to take with me (EVOO and vinegar or lemon dressings do not have to be refrigerated). AND, I LOVE that these don't leak.