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TOM = time of the month
WI = Weigh-in
WF = Walden Farms
OP = on program

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Other helpful links related to the Ideal Protein diet:

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Good Morning all!!!! Up early, early here getting ready so I can wake the kids up next and head to the dentist, three of them have check-ups... (please be good check-ups)!!! Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend - I know we did but it feels like we just ran, ran, ran. Thanksgiving break this week so the kiddos will be home all week hope everyone has a great day!!!

Good Morning Everyone....I am new to this site and new to the IP diet...I have been on it for a week now and everything seems to be going well. I have my first WI today and I am very excited about it. I do have a small problem...does anyone have any ideas for the crepes, I have been putting cinnamon in the batter plus jam and syrup on them but I am not enjoying the texture. I am lactose Intolerant and allergic to whey...so I am very limited with the food I have to buy...I only get crepes for breakfast
Have a great day!

hwmgrl - argh dentist on a monday...hope it is a good check up for the kids

barbel - good morning good luck on your WI

I think my office will be a ghost town this week...I'll be surprised if there are 10 people here today LOL Hope everyone has a great day and great OP week.

A heads up from my coach...thought all would appreciate!

Dieting Around the Holidays
How in the world am I going to get through this?

The Holiday Season is upon us once again. This time of year makes most of us reflect on many things and celebrate many things. Regardless of your religious affiliation, there are many gatherings and events this time of year.

First of all Thanksgiving gives us pause to reflect on the things we all have to be thankful for in our lives. While everyone has different circumstances in their lives, at Thanksgiving we can all find something to be thankful for. We live in a pretty good country even though sometimes folks disagree and squabble. The Holiday Season is the time to put aside those differences.

Most of us spend Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends and…

FOOD!!! OMG! Huge Turkeys (Oven Roasted, Fried, Smoked), Hams, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Stuffing (with more Gravy), Candied Yams, other Vegetables covered with so much sugar, cream and marshmallows that they can pass for dessert rather than Vegetables. Oh and speaking of dessert… Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Pie, Pecan Pie, Cheesecake, all piled with whipped cream.

Then, after weeks of holiday parties, the same thing happens just one month later… whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Festivus, or any other holiday, one of the common themes is usually a celebration feast. Tablefuls of food, glorious food…

And there at the end of the table is you… sitting there with your little silver packet of Ideal Protein, 6 ounces of water in your Ideal Protein shaker, just waiting to dig in.

Is this realistic? Of course not!!

So how do you get though the Holiday Season? The first thing to do is get the proper mindset. You know these stumbling blocks are there, so you must plan for them. If you prepare yourself, then the Holiday Season can be just as enjoyable for you without sabotaging your diet.

THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS GO OFF YOUR DIET OVER THE HOLIDAYS!

Let’s see some examples of what you can do.

Thanksgiving or other large Holiday Meal

Even if you have no input whatsoever into what goes on the Holiday table, if you look around, you’re bound to find some things that won’t throw you off your diet. Use the main Holiday meal as your “regular” meal for the day. White meat turkey is usually very healthful and certainly falls within the acceptable protein category. You really should skip the stuffing, potatoes, and gravy, but you already knew that. Right? Look around and see what veggies are available. You already know what you can have. Just make the best choices.

Here’s a better scenario: let’s say you DO get some say-so as to what’s on the menu, or better yet, you’re hosting the meal. Well, that opens all sorts of possibilities, doesn’t it? Salads, allowable veggies, the possibilities are endless. And don’t think you can’t have good stuff. Grilled Asparagus, Portabella mushrooms sautéed or grilled. Grilled or sautéed sliced squash.

Don’t skip breakfast on the day of your big meal. Eat your normal IP breakfast, whatever it might be. Also, don’t skip your evening snack.

Office/Work Parties

If you can’t skip these, again all you need to do is plan ahead. If your party is being held at a restaurant, it is certainly acceptable to ask for an alternative selection. Most restaurants these days are prepared to be accommodating. Don’t be self-conscious about asking. Remember, baked or broiled lean protein (fish, shrimp, scallops, chicken, lean pork or beef), green salad and non-starchy veggies. Avoid cheeses, gravies, sauces, sweets and alcohol.

Office/Work Snacks

This is probably the worst trap around the Holiday Season. There’s no real solution for this either. No substitute for Betty’s famous “Does this make my butt look big?” Brownies, or Mary Lou’s Oatmeal Raisin Caramel Fudge-Dipped “low fat” Cookies. Just say NO! Don’t walk by them, walk around. Keep some IP Protein Bars in your desk or lunchbox. Even if you eat an extra IP Protein Bar one day, it isn’t the end of the world. I don’t recommend it, but I’d rather see you eat an extra protein bar than a 500 calorie cookie that is going to send your pancreas into shock. Better yet, take some celery sticks, or slice some cucumbers in one of those disposable bowls or even a zip-lock bag. It isn’t going to be sweet, but it’ll be crunchy and sometimes that’s all you need. Be sure to keep some Walden Farms dressing at work for times like this.

Is It Easy?

No, it isn’t easy; at least, not at first. But you didn’t sign up for Easy did you? No, you signed up to lose weight and get healthier. You really need to look at this over the long run, not just for one meal, or one Holiday Season. As you progress, it will become easier and easier. By the time next Holiday Season comes around, more than likely you won’t have to face these kinds of dilemmas. You will be able to go to Holiday dinners and eat the right foods in the right combination without even thinking about it.

Oh, did I mention: THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS GO OFF YOUR DIET OVER THE HOLIDAYS!

What Do If I Do If I Slip?

If you slip up during the holidays, DO NOT waste time beating yourself up and thinking that you just can’t do it. Get back on the IP Diet ASAP! If you’ve already moved on to Phase 2, or Phase 3, you might need to go back to Phase 1 for a week. Talk to your Coach. Your Coach is not going to belittle you for slipping up. Your coach is going to encourage you, and tell you exactly what you need to do to get back on track.

Happy Holidays from the Ideal To Go Staff!!

Welcome Barbel----good luck to you on the program.

I had my first meal out to eat since starting IP and I believe I did okay. We went to a Mexican restaurant and I passed on the chips and salsa, I stayed away from the wonderful oooey gooeey cheesey dishes and ordered the steak fajitas. I gave the tortillas, beans, rice, sour cream and guacamole to the table to share and I put the pico de gallo and salsa on top of my fajitas. I did pick out all the grilled onions. My only worry came after I ate...I wondered if they put sugar in the salsa???? I didn't ask because if they did the damage was done--and while it didn't have a sweet taste added sugar is now something I am trying to be mindful of. Good luck to everyone this week and especially those in the U.S. celebrating Thanksgiving.

Good morning everyone and welcome to new members.

Over the weekend, I wanted to do some Kale chips, went and did my grocery shopping but did not find any kale ... As I came back home unpacking the veggies I bought, I looked at the kohlrabis I bought and thought: .... their leaves look to have the same texture as Kale... I always throw these in the garbage as they are so hard to be put in salads or to be eaten raw, but since I was so in the mood for Kale chip I said why don't I try to make chips out of them exactly like the kale ones, and you know what, they turned out great, now to think about all the times I used to throw them in the garbage what a waste.

I bought some RTD shakes over the weekend from GNC that I got on specials, so they turned out to be a little bit less than $2/bottle.

I am back on track now and I can't wait to start to see the numbers on the scale getting smaller.

Good luck everyone with your weight loss journey.

Good to see you back (and back in the saddle), despite the pain. You will get through this and as everyone said, we're here for you.

Cat - great words of wisdom, thanks for sharing! We've already had Canadian Thanksgiving, and I made it through (turkey and veggies) no problem. It's not worth blowing it for one meal that can set you back so far. There are lots more Thanksgivings to come, enjoy them slim healthy!

Good morning everyone! I survived the first of many Thanksgiving get togethers I have scheduled for this week. Went to my father-in-law's house yesterday. For lunch, I had turkey and green beans. The turkey was injected with hot sauce, garlic, and other stuff and then "fried" in a greaseless frier that FIL just bought. Have to say, it was pretty darned good! Yeah, I probably had some salt. Not a diet breaker, IMO. We brought cucumbers and fresh broccoli from our garden just in case. Wound up just bringing that home, so had a shake and cucumbers for supper last night. After eating the meat for lunch, I was missing my RTD chocolate shake, lol! We had a great day, saw my sister-in-law and her kids that are in visiting from Pennsylvania. Had a great day with family! Everyone was very interested in my diet, so I answered many questions about IP. I've lost 50 lbs since I've seen a lot of them, so it wasn't like I could keep it a secret. FIL is retired and loves to fish, so he always gives me fish to take home. Freezer restocked!

Good morning everyone, hoping you all had a very warm and cozy weekend! I am not sure whats going on with me, I am OP but have tested myself the last 5 mornings and I am not in ketosis...I have been doing IP for 9 weeks and never had this problem. I am so frustrated!! I am sure I have a bladder infection which I am heading to the Dr about this morning, could this be whats kicked me out of ketosis?? I am so confused and don't know what to do...

That's a really good question. How do you test yourself to see if you are in ketosis? I have never felt as though I'm in ketosis because I haven't had the symptoms I've read about. No sweet/metalic taste in my mouth, no breath odor. Anyway....I'm curious to find out if it is your bladder infection that has kicked you out of ketosis. Good luck with dr, hope you get some answers to your questions.

thanks for posting that Cat!
I am watching my dear friend's 2 1/2 year old and 9 month old. Holy moly. I had to make extra coffee. I give all you mother's props. Right now it's calm in the house... but that could change any second. So glad i have the week off to spend this quality time with the kids and help my friend's out. I am an only child so there are like my niece and nephew.

Can't believe it's almost 11am here and I haven't had my Breakfast packet. Maybe this is a sign that when I have kids I might be thin from running around?

Anyone else in the U.S. planning on making IP friendly foods? I can't wait to make my IP stuffing and mashed cauliflower with green breans and rhubarb crumble dessert. I figured I might eat a little more IP food than normal, but I think it's better than eating off plan, feeling miserable and setting myself back.
Hope you all can make the best decisions too!

Gettinmygrooveback - thanks for the great article and so true too.

Thanksgiving will be easy enough here as we won't be home for Thanksgiving this year, so it will just be the four of us (husband and kids). We ordered our turkey this year from one of our favorites BBQ restaurants here in town. They smoke it and it taste SO good. My husband is going to make the rest of the food that he and my son will eat, and I'm going to make the food that my daughter and I are going to eat as she is doing IP with me. Should be an easy enough holiday to get through. We do fly home for Hanukkah in late December to spend with my entire family. My daughter and I will be fine, but definitely a lot of food there not on plan. Loosing weight taste too good to ever cheat.

If I had to guess she is using ketosticks, from what I have heard they are never that reliable anyways.

I have had weeks that I don't lose weight at all up through Sunday and I have my WI's on Tuesday and I still end up losing 3 or 4 pounds by Tuesday.
Just wait until your weigh-in and don't stress if you are in ketosis or not.
Heck I haven't really noticed any of the symptoms of it for months, but I am still losing weight so I must be.
Have a great day everyone, and stay OP!