oops meant to say as far as I tell the only thing that I have done wrong is the Crystal light with aspartame

It could be, try to find the one with splenda instead. What do you eat in a day? write it here and we will see what we can find wrong. are you getting all of your water, veggies, protein and packets in?

I’m Marion. I’m 44 years old and I’ve been married 26 years. We have 3 daughters that are 20, 17 and 13 years old. I have been dancing since I was 12 years old in one style or another and that’s how I met my husband.
I’ve struggled with weight since I was in 5th grade--- or at least my view of my weight. By the time I was in high school, I was buying into weight tables that said I was fat even though I was dancing at aerobic levels for 4 hours a night 6-7 nights a week. When I had a body fat test done sometime between when I was 18-20, I was 20% body fat, but because I weighed 185 pounds, I believed I was fat.

I had a pretty serious ankle injury that stopped me from dancing and resulted in surgery number one and some weight gain which kind of just got out of control. After several attempts at various diets including the infamous Phen/Phan pills, I yo-yo’d all over the place. Coupled with having PCOS which has led me to several miscarriages and hormones that just are uncooperative my metabolism was rolling downhill. I’ve had two more ankle reconstructions since then as well.

Perhaps the final straw for me occurred in 2003 when I was working with a doctor and finally making some progress. About 3 months into treatment, I found out I was pregnant (which had also happened the last time I had lost weight), but this time it was twins. A couple of months later, I began to spot and soon found out I was miscarrying. I worked as a wedding coordinator the day I lost my babies. I was pretty upset and took an unhealthy attitude that I just didn’t care. Here I was getting healthy and I still lost my babies! More weight gain.

Several factors that were for the most part out of our control led me to the point that I added adrenal fatigue onto an already growing list of medical problems. I didn’t begin treatment for that until 5 years later which was February of 2010.

Even though I have struggled with weight and medical stuff for the last several years, I was finally able to start putting the pieces together to make changes in my life and probably, most importantly, God was changing my heart.

In March, I started to really make changes in my life by changing what I was eating and exercising beyond dancing that is pretty much “normal” life for my body after all this time. In 4 months, I had a net weight loss of 16 pounds which was better than the 301 pounds I had started at, but it was going to be a long journey and I was really having doubts. I had gone back to school the year before, but finally decided on getting my BS in Sports and Health Science with a concentration in Exercise Science. I felt like I was sticking my neck out being the fat girl in a fit major, but it has worked well for me.

I went for a chiropractic adjustment and he had an Ideal Protein brochure there. I asked a couple of questions, but was EXTREMELY skeptical, but it did seem to meet most of what I thought I needed to do to lose weight. I talked to my husband figuring he’d say no, but he said, go for it. July 7th was my first day. Tomorrow I go in for my 20 week weigh in. It’s been two weeks since my last one, but as of week 18 I was down 56 additional pounds which averages out to just over 3 pounds per week.

My last two weeks have been pretty crazy for reasons that would all sound like complaining, so I’m going to skip it, but I had been very committed to staying with IP until I reached my goal of 185, but I’m starting to think differently about that now. Part of doing IP was to give me an opportunity for some behavior modification which I believe has happened, but there are lots of things going on that are making me think about phasing out to a plan that I can/will follow for life. I’m going to talk to my coach in the morning and seek her counsel. I have already spoke to my husband who agrees with my thought process. I may even decide to start back at a later point, but we’ll see.

Feel free to read through my blog linked in my signature for more details on this whole journey. As I make a decision about what I’m going to do from this point, I’ll probably end up posting more of those factors and details there but for now, I’m just trying to sort them out.

So, that's my intro from the first go around. I'm older now, and maybe a little wiser. I phased off around Thanksgiving/Christmas last year and maintained my weight for several months. In March of this year, I started a new job and about two weeks later I started having extreme vertigo. It was a long four months with no real answers but the symptoms have disappeared. Some thoughts it was food allergy related (possibly whey), others were that it was thyroid issues and the list goes on. I think it might have been stress related which affected all of the above; after all, full-time work, full-time student, homeschooling one child, dancing 3 nights a week and just life... it seems logical. Whatever the case, it's gone, but my weight went back up about 25 pounds from my lowest. I don't like those new clothes feeling tight! So, here I am again, doing what works.

My motivations...

My husband and I are going to dance a showcase(think recital for dance) together in March to a piece of music from Burlesque called "Something's Got a Hold on Me". It's high energy, sexy, fast east coast swing and I want to look my best for my role as the diva!

My oldest daughter is getting married in August and I want to be able to look at the pictures and not feel self-conscious.

Finally, I just be healthier.

Welcome back Marion, at least you know it works and you are back again that is all that matters :)

I have an IP protein for breakfast, usually steamed broccoli and an IP soup for lunch, or salad lettuce,onion,broccoli and WF dressing with IP protein, dinner a salad a veggie and meat and an IP protein for snack... Some days are better than others on my water, was told crystal light would count for some water intake!! somedays i have a hard time eating as much as I am suppose to and just have an IP protein for breakfast and lunch and snack and then have a decent dinner, always stay low on carbs generally less than 15-20 grams per day once or twice as much as 20-25. I will defiantley cut out the crystal light with aspartame, but really miss something with flavor.

Decent dinner? are you eating other carbs besides what is in the veggies, packets and meat? Water is VERY important to get it all in. Try just putting some lemon or lime in your water or even some of the Divincy syrups. Try drinking hot tea be creative, you can do it :)

bumping this since we have so many newbies, maybe you can find someone in your area and become buddies :)

Hi Everyone,

Just had second WI down 18 pounds (week 1-12lbs, week 2-6 lbs). I have been on yo-yo dieter for years. Tried them all- but always gained every pound plus a few. Starting weight 280

I love this diet except for terrible heachaches on days 3 & 4.

My only worry was that : I am sleeping less and urinating it seems every hour.
Coach says that means I am ketosis.. (the urinating problem) and sleeping less is very common too.

I am so glad I found this board. Everyone is so helpful...

Welcome to the boards endless, the headaches will be gone sooner than you think and you will feel great. The urinating thing....think of it like this....EVERYTIME you go.....you are releasing FAT!!!....I will take not sleeping as much if it means I am losing fat!....haha....If you don't drink after 6-7pm you won't go to the bathroom as much usually. I drink until I go to bed but usually i go to bed around midnight or so and sleep til 5 then have to get up and go...haha....you will figure out how your body works and do things around that.

Thanks so much for your words of encouragement. You are a inspiration I think for many posters:)

IP newbie
 

I'm Kristi and have been on the IP diet for12 days. Two of those days I had a prep and the colonoscopy, so they didn't count for much. I'm having a hard time with eating the 2 cups of vegetables at lunch and dinner. I seem to only be able to eat about 1 cup. So far so good. I've lost 3 pounds, with at least 50 to go. I think that I'll just think 3 pounds at a time.

Hi. I am Michelle, 44 years old. Been with my bff bf for 15 years. He saw me skinny (140) when we first met...I blossomed slowly and steadily after that ;)Started IP Aug 2, 2011, @ 220 lbs. I am 170 lbs today~Yahoo 50 lbs. I do not have children. I am an awesome Auntie to my nephew :) I do have a spoiled chocolate labby which I walk everyday. So thank for this board and for Ideal Protein. Thank you everyone :)

hi all my name is jessie and i started ip oct 8th and had my second way in the 21st. Ive lost 22 pounds so far but need too loose 118 to be where i used to be a few years ago. Trust me ive been on every diet out there, nutrisystem was the last one in which i gained weight on it. I love this dt so far. I just had major back surgery sept 21 so started this about two weeks after. A question can i way out my veggies or do i have to measure them out in a cup. Another thing total C all the time, and the ip stuff does not help im up to taken five pills so when it runs out im going back to smooth move because i know that works. I live almost three hours from my ip clinic, since there isnt much around where i live in nw nd in oil boom country. But the drive is worth it because i tried a shake and soup dt from a womans clinic and it did not work for me at all and was totally starving all the time.

Thanks for letting me vent
Jessie

hello all!
 

i'm allie, i just started ip on saturday. all is well so far and i am going all the way! however, i have this weird anxiety that it will not work for me. i don't know why, i guess i just want it so bad.:dizzy:

it's great to hear all your stories and comments!

You are welcome and there are a lot more to come along the way. I have lost 92lbs so far and still have 97 left to go but only 46 left to go to my first goal then I'll decide how much further I want to go down. 26 weeks ago I started at 388lb my first goal is to get to 250 then probably 200 but we will see once I get there. I take it one day and one lb at a time. This past week I got into a new Century of the 200's its been 20+yrs since I have seen the 200's :)

Welcome Kristi, I hope everything went well with your colonoscopy. I find for lunch I will have a cucumber or pickled okra. Usually one cucumber is right around 1.5cups and the pickled okra I have around 20. This is what I have had for lunch veggies since I started and it works for me :)

Welcome Junetwin, congrats on the 50lbs gone. I have a cat and 2 dogs and 2 boys....i have a house full of spoiled going on....lol

Welcome Jessie, you will find lots of recipes, information and support here on this site. Never be afraid to ask a question, someone is always around to answer :)

As far as the measuring of the veggies, I find if you weigh them there is a lot more than if you use the measuring cup. I would stick to the measuring cup (I think) that is what you are suppose to use but I am not 100% positive about that (just my opinion)

Welcome Allie, when I say this program WILL WORK FOR YOU....I am living proof. If you follow this program to a complete T, I have no doubt at all that it will work for you. Just remember this is a NO CHEAT DIET, no bites, tastes or nibbles of anything that is not allow. Since April 27, 2011 I have not had anything that is not on program. If I can do it so can YOU!


My best advice to all of you is to read the very first post of the daily thread. There you will find a sticky's section with lots of information about the phases, recipes and other very important information. Take the time to read this post and click on the links, they will be very helpful to you. If at anytime you have a question or anything don't be afraid to ask, it might have been asked before or hasn't been asked yet, you might be helping someone else out at the same time. Best of luck to all of you ...Lisa