Day 2 and in Ketosis!
 

Had another successful day and checked my ketones on the ketostix and I'm good!!! YEA!! Sometimes it feels like being on phase 1 in so much easier then being on maintenance. It's so cut and dry instead of leaving options open to the individual. I also contacted my coach and scheduled an appointment to restart with her Wednesday of next week. (So that gives me a week to get good into my fat burning mode) Currently I am using alternative products. I'm not sure if I can truly afford to be on IP again. I would be tempted to stay on the alternatives if I see a good loss next week. I mean, I know what I need to do but sometimes it is nice be accountable to someone else besides myself. Well I hope you are all having a great OP day! I'll check in again tomorrow.

I'm retiring at the end of this school year at the end of June. But I want to have more than a "few" years of being alive!:) I know what you mean Rosemary.
Pat

thanks I will look into this brand as well. I for sure will look for 1 with a memory, I would like it to store at least a month of weigh in information. Congratulations on getting to maintenance

Thanks for the info I will go and check out the post. I checked on amazon.ca and the only model they have is a 500, they don't give any info about it so I will google the 500 and see what I get for info. Might just be a different model # for Canada it is $84. Funny how those little metal things get us so wrapped up in stepping on them.

I brought the subject of buying reflective tape to put on my coat when I went to dinner last night and son and daughter were horror stricken that I would deface a good coat (that's getting too large.). Had all kinds of expensive alternatives to offer. I've never heard of a flashing arm band but I'm off in a few minutes to look for one. Thanks a lot.

I Googled the instructions manual last night so I'm going to take another crack at it. Thanks, too, for the offer of help. It's much appreciated.

I just checked Costco online here in Canada for the Omron scales and the same Omron 500 scale is $59.99 there. The 500 doesn't do the age but does everything else that the model 514 does.

:rofl: I am sitting here with my Dad and this made me laugh out loud (I never do that). Thanks for making my day.

Day 4 and Counting!!!
 

I totally agree with you about Phase 1. It is so much easier than the other Phases. It is a huge relief not having to make so many choices. Good luck with the alternatives. I tried doing alternatives many times these past 10 months and have not been very successful. This time around I am doing IP. Perhaps I am empowered because of my pocketbook rather than any unique ingredient in IP. So far, so good and am feeling like I did the first time around when I was strict IP all the way. Good luck with your IP journey!

[QUOTE=Linden;4069178]I brought the subject of buying reflective tape to put on my coat when I went to dinner last night and son and daughter were horror stricken that I would deface a good coat (that's getting too large.). Had all kinds of expensive alternatives to offer. I've never heard of a flashing arm band but I'm off in a few minutes to look for one. Thanks a lot.

You are too funny. I can just imagine their faces. I do think that it is worth it to go with the flashers rather than mar your beautiful coat that will soon be going out your front door without you in it. I purchased my arm band at a sporting goods store. I am sure there is a comparable store where you are in Germany. They have vests, armbands and head gear...you could be a walking Christmas tree!

But having it tell you your age is the best part. That is if it is going down. When I had regained 18 pounds, my age went up 9 years......double whammy!

Well, I am almost through Day 4 and feel terrific. Although this is when it is most dangerous for me. As soon as I am feeling as though I have things under control, I tend to let my guard down and cave to temptation. This time I am committed to IP and to checking in.

May the IP power be with you all!

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[QUOTE=janedocmom;4070115]I totally agree with you about Phase 1. It is so much easier than the other Phases. It is a huge relief not having to make so many choices. Good luck with the alternatives. I tried doing alternatives many times these past 10 months and have not been very successful. This time around I am doing IP. Perhaps I am empowered because of my pocketbook rather than any unique ingredient in IP. So far, so good and am feeling like I did the first time around when I was strict IP all the way. Good luck with your IP journey!

Thanks for your information, I would sure like to find the 1 that tells your age I think that would be a nice feature. I haven't had any luck so far finding your 514 up here, might have to get my daughter to pick 1 up in the States when she goes down again. I am going to keep searching for now.

Glad to hear you are feeling good and everything is going well for you

It takes a lot to get me to laugh out loud at 6 on a very dark morning when its 35 degrees outside. But the combined remembrance of their faces, and the chagrin on mine when I remembered my coat was still at the cleaners and that I wasn't going anywhere, sure worked. Walking Christmas tree? I have no shame. Bring on the lights. And I'm going to tackle the Omron today. :D

Okay Ladies and Gents! I got duped!
I'm not sure where else to put this, and everyone here is always so helpful and supportive.

Let me start by saying I've never been a big fan of my coach. He's not a bad guy, very motivating, but I've always got my info. from this site rather than him, because frankly, he's doesn't know what he's talking about!

Well, I've had quite a hard time re-strating (surprise!) and at my WI last week we agreed that the best way to get going again would be to detox, start fresh. Well....He's an ******** dealer and he convinced me that they had the superior cleanse products compared to IP (I should have done my homework!) so... I gave him my CC # and he ordered my products. Now, what I thought we had agreed on was a 6 days cleanse costing me $11/day....What I actually got was a 30 day cleanse costing me $350!
Okay, Okay, Now I'm freaking out! I don't know how to live off IP yet! I can't handle a 30 day cleanse! But I sucked it up, it's only a month right?

I started yesterday and it turns out the program is not unlike Phase 1, but... the products taste aweful.

So, do I suck it up? Clear all the "Toxins" out of my body, put up with the aweful tasting shakes (no other options like soup)....
Or do I throw the $350 and return to IP? which kinds feels like quiting....which is my #1 problem!

HELP! thoughts, answers, wisdom...anything!
Jamie

I'd be really hard nosed about this. One, I'd call your credit card company immediately and tell them to stop payment on this bill. Immediately write down all the details including the medical recommendation that cleansing is useless and can be seriously harmful. 30 DAYS!!!! Then call him; tell him you've stopped payment and that you think you've been duped, seriously duped. Return the products to him immediately and say that you have in your letter to the credit card company. If he gets snarky, report him the the Better Business Bureau. If he isn't a member, slam him hard on the internet. And it wouldn't hurt to write to his parent company as well, just to have a record.

The credit card company may wait a month or two to send you the form to finalize the complaint (hoping you'll forget it). Don't wait until then to write out all the points you have while they are fresh in your memory and don't forget to include how uncooperative he was when you return the product (if he is). If he accepts the return, credits your account, withdraw your complaint. AND THEN, for heaven sake report him to IP.

I just noticed that the products i am refering to will not post on this site.
So lets just say it a company that employs a pyrmid marketing system starting with isa....

Absolutely get a refund and return his product. Go back to IP, I don't think the clense is necessary myself but I know IP does sometimes recommend that you do one.

Jaime, please check post number 31 here http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/ideal-protein-diet-236/

and then the one it sites. Pyramid marketing should really tell your credit card company something!

Day 5 and almost over
 

I am ecstatic to report that I stayed OP all day. I switched to Phase 2, but definitely OP. I am attending my sons parents weekend at his school and did not know what to expect, but plenty of "reserves" if I couldn't find appropriate food. He had a fabulous salad bar in his dining room and I was so much in heaven that I was able to resist all the amazing looking pastries. I was going to cave a few times, but immediately grabbed a bottle of water and shot it up with MIO and my desires dwindled.....thank god!

What do you do when you come to a "fork" in the road to either follow the angel or the devil. My goto's have been Davinci flavoring teas, water with MIO, broccoli either baked or broiled. Any other suggestions are appreciated.

I drop to around 20 carbs a day, for ONE day. Yesterday I had 3 cups of Romaine with 25 g cider vinegar, 3 cups of raw baby spinach with 1/2 lemon, and 2 cups of Belgium endive, chopped and mixed with the Romaine. I did this the first time because raw spinach and endive are my absolute favorite go-to vegetables (and 2 of the very few raw vegetables I can eat that aren't goiterogenic). It occurred to me, though, that a "white" vegetable probably wasn't too smart. I was literally dumbfounded when I read its nutrient list: 17 calories, 1.25 g protein, 3.35 carbs, 3.2 fiber (how's that ratio of carbs to fiber!), .25 g sugars, .2 fat, good calcium and potassium, low sodium, good folate and choline, excelent carotene and vitamins A and K. And all 18 essential amino acids. A virtual guilt-free vegetable and as nutritious as spinach. The consequence of eating these three is that I had trouble getting over 20 carbs yesterday and today, for the first time since last Monday, I'm below Monday's weigh-in having yo-yoed up and down because of naprosyn.

Sorry this is so long-winded. But if it helps. . . .

Edit: An afterthought. I also was light on oil because I wasn't frying, brazing, etc. anything and I don't like much oil on salads. So I had 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil in a large Rooibos "tea"; no sweetener. All organic and unprocessed, and wonderful! [Geeze, I'm so virtuous.] :D

I am going to try this today. It sounds like something I would like and something I can do. Thanks!

I agree that this issue needs to be addressed. The need to be congruent in what we think and how we act is very important in our journey of life. If we cannot learn to love ourselves enough to take care of ourselves, we will not be able to be successful at the things we want for ourselves. Be true to yourself and deal with this (he used his influence irresponsibly). It will make your journey, "this journey", so much easier. ODAT

Checking in to see how everyone is doing.....I broke my rule and stepped on the scale....Bad me. But, it is moving in the right direction. Now to get thru the weekend. Should be easy since there is NO FOOD in the house other than IP permitted. My poor husband is missing his peppermint patties, peanuts, and chips. Too bad I say.

Smart say I. I think when we reach 500 posts we should call the next thread Hard Time Restarting (But We're Doing It.)

And won't some of the rest of you please chime in and answer Janedocmom's question? Every little hint helps.

I got seriously serious yesterday when I stuck my head out into 34F weather and almost went into instant hibernation. Context: In my other life I own a house that neither has nor needs a furnace.

So I decided if I was going to continue to lose I was going to continue to walk, outside. Hence the added exercise bar. (Looks kind of impressive as steps, doesn't it. I considered kilometers or miles but steps look so much nicer.)

Now if I can just get through the Russian brunch tomorrow (Berlin is
FAMOUS for it's Sunday brunches). Does caviar count as a protein?

I don't see why not... check out Benefits of Caviar... love your exercise bar!.. keep warm!..

I drink gobs of green tea flavored with peach DaVinci syrup, keep kosher dill pickles on hand at all times, & when I really think I'm hungry, I eat a boiled egg...

hugs :hug:

When I get home at night, and start fixing dinner, my old habits try to talk me into snacking on chips, pretzels, sliced cheese, or anything that is off program. (Before they were removed from my house) Now I grab the jar of dill pickels and push past the temptations. Also grab a glass of water with MIO and then head out to walk the dogs. Remove myself from the kitchen until dinner is done.

Tonight I am sitting here watching the Iowa Hawkeyes on tv and sipping water with Mio. Do I want a pizza and beer? Dang right I do! But, I'm not giving in. If I do, tomorrow I will be on the devil's list. So not worth it.:devil:

I think you just picked the name for our next thread! I find it interesting to see how many views this one gets. A LOT!

Brrr...it's coming to Iowa soon too. Last year I purchased a pair of snow pants and boots to walk the dogs. Looks like I will be needing them in a month or so. Sometimes that brisk air puts a little quickness in a walk.

Never had caviar......don't think I've ever seen it either. Now I'll have to google it and check it out.

:devil:Well who am I to talk about not being a friend with the devil:devil:?

Back on today. I hate it when the devil wins.......dusted myself off and back on program today. Why in the heck can I make it 6 days in a row and then wham....I fall from grace? No excuses. Time to buck up and getter done.

Day 1 already includes a trip to the ER. The good news is nothing is broken and I have x-rays of my ankle, knee and hand. I'm heading in to make my on plan lunch... let's see if I can remember how to do this!

Eee-youch. Some of us try to do this less dramatically, hoping for the big effect at the end.

Two days until it's 6 weeks and I was so hoping to be half way through. In fact, yesterday I was more than half way. Gained 3.9 pounds between yesterday morning and this morning and it wasn't the Russian brunch because I decided to avoid temptation. Two pain killers. That can be the only explanation. 841 calories; 109 g protein; 24.3 g carbs; and low fat, sugar, salt with 108 ounces of water. No tea; no coffee. I could weep.

Thanks for your input ladies.
I've decided to stick it out, kind of like IP using Alternatives, except for every 7th day is a cleanse day.
I have let my coach know that I am disappointed, and that I will not be using these products again after the month is over nor referring anyone to use the products.
After my initial freak out I decided that this may be the best way to get me going again. Today is my 4th day OP and I feel great.
Jamie

So disappointing, Linden! Especially when you've done everything right. Those are the times I really need to not react and realize the weight will come off, if not this week then the next. My body reacts the same when my back starts acting up and I have to take muscle relaxers and Vicodan. Allergy meds can wreak havoc, too! Hang in there and good for you for getting to the halfway mark.

Thanks Samyswan, (I love your name),

I know you're right and I need to stop being a baby about it. I even knew it might, probably would, happen and under the same circumstances I would take the pills again no matter how much I hate to. But damn. OK. I'm finished. Thanks for letting me rant.

I've been avoiding taking pain killers today, but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to come Thursday when I have 8 teeth removed. I also have a huge final paper due Sunday that I haven't hardly started. I may have decided to begin this on the wrong week, but I'm just going to power through it. Just remind me of the good results I've had if I start to whine too much. ;)

Okay, I'm going to see if I can clear off my desk to a point that I can actually write.

Day 7 (I can't believe it!)
 

[QUOTE=Aunt Sheshie;4072127]
I drink gobs of green tea flavored with peach DaVinci syrup, keep kosher dill pickles on hand at all times, & when I really think I'm hungry, I eat a boiled egg.../QUOTE]

I forgot about dill pickle and they got me out of a diet pickle over the weekend. I bought Pumpkin Pie DaVinci syrup and am hooked.

What a way to begin! It's like riding a bike once you start. Glad it wasn't too serious and I hope you can keep the aches and pains away. Did you fall dancing?

Oh, Linden, I am so sorry to hear about your gain. There must be something in the air because when I weighed in today I was 3.8 pounds heavier than yesterday. So I feel your gain pain! I thought that mine was do to too much salt because I was woofing down dill pickles and heavy salted turnip fries, eating late and and the diet gods not wanting me to get too confident. From the sounds of it, you are so incredibly disciplined and exacting what you eat, I can appreciate your frustration. That being said, what is the alternative????? The only answer is to stay the IP course and you will be successful. If your back is acting up, then you might not be as active as usual, you may have had more salt than your body is accustomed to (aren't you glad you didn't have the caviar?), or sometimes our bodies show a weight gain prior to a big loss. Hope that helps keep you motivated. :^:

BTW whatever happened with the Omron 514? Does it work now? Can I help you troubleshoot?


Thank you for helping with some food suggestions for the "crazy" times when I want to eat. They were helpful, but does anyone have any food thoughts for when I am driving in the car. It takes an hour by car to visit my son and fiance and I am always wanting to put something in my mouth. Besides drinking water, protein drinks, tea, I am looking for something else. I use to eat Shark Bites when they were on the market since they were the only suckers we could eat. But, true to my compulsive nature I was going through 4+ packages at a whack!
:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

Nah, I normally don't fall dancing. I was just walking out of church, twisted my ankle, tried to catch myself, but my purse threw me off balance and I landed on my knee and hand! I'm sure it was quite the spectacle. My hand has a really big scrape and bruise. I sure like your theory of keeping aches and pains away!


Is it just me or is the tomato basil soup pink?

Marion, you're sure taking that spill well. I thought of you this morning when I caught a glimpse of my elbow in the mirror. It looks as though it were dipped in the water that's left over from mixing all the Easter egg dyes. But at least I can cover it with a long sleeve. :D:D

And you all might like to check out posts 450 and 453 in Maintainers if you haven't already. They sure resonate for me.

Janedocmom, I'd kill for a DaVinci syrup or a pickle, any kind of pickle, that didn't have sugar. Well, maybe kill a bug but Berlin doesn't have many except lady bugs. And no fleas; no heart worm disease. Can you imagine?

Thanks Linden, I will see what I can do to find those posts after I have made some progress on my term paper. There are moments that I wonder if I picked the wrong week to restart, but there's never a perfect time. Ultimately, I think it is easier for me to have my foods pretty basic as long I can handle the lower energy level with the craziness.

Have a great day everyone!

Sorry about all of the pain people are in - I didn't know how severely pain killers affected weight loss. I don't have any at the moment so I am thankful for that. I have recently come off of Prozac and Trazadone which are psychotropics prescribed for an eating disorder 15 years ago. I was told that it may take some time for my body to start to lose because it is trying to adjust to working without those drugs. I am prescription free for the first time in over 20 years. I am totally amazed at what losing weight will do for someone, and what it has done for me. I have gained some back, but I know I will lose it again. Be careful out there and avoid the pain. Keep working at it One Day at a Time! ODAT

Rosemary, I think the observation you made on another thread, that this was the one program, of all the others we could have chosen from, that we all chose to come back to, was luminously brilliant. While I can hardly say that the past six weeks have been a breeze, it sheds some light on what, for me, has had the feeling of comfort and even a bit of optimism against odds -- that I can be moderately successful. Having said that, I just barely squeaked by my half way mark, six weeks to the day. Whew.

And what you said about pain killers is equally true of psychotropics. In gratitude I'm sending a huge WHOOSH your way. With the trade winds across the Atlantic I sure hope it picks up speed. :hug:

Today is my 3rd attempt. I cave at day 3 telling myself I cant do it etc. But I need to, Im swollen and busting out of my size 16. Im 5'11 and feel like Im the biggest person on earth:( I hope to find time to go thru threads to help me. Im doing this on my own because the local Coach isnt really easy to talk to or understands, she has always been itty bitty. Thanks for having this group.

You can do it! Just think about all of us here cheering you on! Be strong and getter done:hug: