I have always had one restricted a day, its like a little snack, I love it. 3-4 unrestricted for me and one restricted. Always worked well for me.

Coach said if your hungry have a packet, your body needs it, some days we burn more then other days. We have to learn to listen to our body, it almost tells what what we need. The other night I woke up at 12:30 starving so had a ip shake, then went back to sleep, when I weighed in the morning was down a whole lb. I go to the gym each day and work is pretty active and stress full so I burn off alot I guess. The packets dont have alot of waste, its pure protien in them, Not like eating a hamburger where most is waste our bodies dont need and empty calories.

I love this discussion--it is helpful for me. I haven't been having an extra non-restricted--my coach only mentioned it for the first week. So, on those hungry days I am going to have an extra silver packet.

Locks, I agree with you that we should listen to our body. I wonder if we should listen when it is the other way?? That is, if we aren't hungry. Yesterday I had two non-restricteds and my meal. I know I am suppose to have 3. So, I made some pudding and had it at about 9:45. I wasn't hungry at all. I had it because I have read that we can lose muscle if we don't have enough protein. What would you have done?

What my coach is telling me really makes sense to me. You need the 3 nonrestricteds per day for the protein. They are VERY low carbs and little calories but high in "ideal" protein which our bodies must have or we will break down muscle. The restricted then gives you the carbs your body must have to function. I'm going to o this for a week and see how my weight loss is. I was down another 0.8 this morning and I had 3+1 yesterday:)

Well said locks! This makes sense to me!!

I tend to eat the restrict one early in the day, if I have one. I get up for work very early and normally get hunger for it around 10:00. that gives your body the day to use up the extra carbs.

My coach was quite adamant that I have one restricted a day, preferably for breakfast. If the body goes into starvation mode from ingesting too few calories, your metabolism slows down resulting in a slower weight loss. I've lost 40 lbs since May (some before I started IP) and it's been the case for me. I've never had a week where I've gained, but I've been a slow & steady loser -- in the best possible way!

My coach told me that I must eat 1 restricted each day to ensure I get enough calories and carbs. I'm a VERY slow loser, so some weeks I haven't had restricteds to try to speed up the weight loss, and those are the weeks with my lowest losses! I find the weeks that I have more restricted's, I lose more! It's definitely different for each person, but I would try it out to see. I am now eating 1 restricted each day.

My coach tells me that 2 unrestricted a day, 1 restricted. I try and find ways to speed up my weight loss but it sounds like cutting IP food out may not be the way to do it. I am told not to do any cardio or exercise at all and I wish we could and burn more weight. Anyone doing so - would love your advice on how you are sucessful in that.

There is a whole thread about exercise. Most do 1/2 a bar before they work out and the other half after. Here is a link to the thread http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...-exercise.html

I dont know why Coachs tell us no exercise. Mine said go for it, but not wild. Imagine losing alot of weight with no muscel tone, thats going to look real bad. Once your not 20 anymore things arent so elastic, and well the little bit of movement makes a nice shape. I have a packet before or after training, depends on the time I go. Since I am doing alternaitves mixed in I use the powder mix protien to help keep the price down a bit.

My told me to hold off for about two weeks on exercise until I'd gotten into the diet and my body had settled into its new routine, then to begin adding exercise slowly. Made sense. They also suggested 1/2 bar before and 1/2 after as well. I did have a couple bars one night when I was very tempted at a potluck, but as they said it was better to have two in a day and not cheat then to cheat.

Thanks! That's the same as me, but good luck to you. :) I've only recently started about a month ago and lost 13 pounds. Don't lose motivation! =\ Those cravings sometimes really get to ya.