Hi, all! I am a newbie, on day 11 of IP, and as of day 2, I completely lost my appetite. I am having a really hard time getting my food in. I have skipped packets and lunches, and had days where I barely eat dinner, because eating feels like a chore and I just never feel hungry, even when my stomach is growling. Also, I started IP right after finishing my period, and I got it again on day 7, and have had it since, cramps and all. I have been doing my water and vitamins, and have been forcing myself to get in all 3 packets (starting the past few days), but it's been tough. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm also wondering if salad at lunch is compulsory, or if I can just have my 2 cups of veggies and a RTD, and whether or not skipping the salad will hinder or slow down my weight loss. I apologize if this is a re-post of any kind. I have been "lurking" on this site for about a month now, and I have read tons of threads, but I can't seem to find much on this issue, and I'm a little desperate for answers. My coach had absolutely no answers for me (all she does is weigh and measure me and sell me food, she doesn't do much coaching) and I will actually be switching coaches and clinics soon. I am 100% dedicated to IP and to staying 100% OP, so I really want to get past this!
I haven't experienced this myself. I will stress that it is important you get all of the things they tell you to in each day, ie 4C veggies, 2tsp oil, 1/2tsp sea salt, 3 packets. My coach said the lettuce is not compulsory, it is meant to help keep the big C away. Hang in there
When I first started I felt the same way. Your body is adjusting. I didn't eat salads with my lunches.
I did a morning drink, soup with veggies for lunch, dinner, and a drink for "dessert"
The important thing is to eat ALL 3 IP Packs. Salad is a filler if needed, but isn't mandatory. Also, make sure you're getting your oil and salt in as well.
I guess I'm a newbie too, just starting my 4th week today. My coach stresses the importance of eating everything on protocol. This will keep you in fat loss mode and prevent you from losing muscle, which is the whole philosophy of the diet (I'm not an expert. These are just my understandings so far).
The first two weeks were a struggle to fit all the food in. I wasn't hungry until the third week. My coach said it's good that I'm hungry now because it means I'm in a fat losing zone. At this point in the diet, I feel very good and I'm hungry! I'm eating breakfast for the first time in my entire life, and it feels great. I think that once your body adjusts to ketosis you will start to feel hungry for the foods that you need. Also, IP products that were yucky in the first week are now yummy. I have heard of others having weird symptoms from their cycle. Hang in there. It will get better, and you will feel great! Don't forget your water.
I Feel EXACTLY the same...and eat like you mentioned. I'm on day 13 and down 5- yeah! but some days are a struggle to eat. I'm not a big veggie person (except all the ones I CAN'T eat) . But I do find that if I've had a good nights sleep and awaken and start earlier and can do it in pieces throghout the day and not feel bloat by 9pm. My husband is doing it also and is down 25+ been a month for him. but he puts chicken in his soups...or veggies and has side salads. WAY too much food for me!! the packets alone are filling!!! i need to stretch it. ...I never ate 8 oz of lean protein before this, wow it's alot :P Good luck to you my friend.
Boil and mash cauliflower and add it to the soups. Or sautéed some mushrooms and add them to the mushroom soup. They taste better and are easier to eat.
Don't feel obligated to eat the salad. Or make a salad with spinach and it will count as your veggies.
Don't miss out on the oil. It helps with fat loss and constipation.
If 8 oz of protein is too much at once have a hard boiled egg or some tuna as a snack.
I've noticed my cycle is out of whack as well. 3rd week of the alternative IP, and I'm having longer cycles than ever. I've also been on the depo shot so I haven't had a true period in over 2 years. But this diet kicked them into gear.
Fat cells store estrogen and other hormones in them so that is most likely a running factor as to why your time of the month is now times of the month.
I was told to take a slow release iron 2 times a week during my cycle, and keep up on my water. You might see less weight loss before or during your period as well.
I've had my TOM twice one month before and they lasted for at least a week.
There are days I'm not hungry at all. I mix my veggies in with my shakes and replace my protein I'm supposed to have with another shake. I do alternatives so I Am not sure if that is ALLOWED but it works for me. Better to drink the protein than nothing at all.
I had the same questions in the beginning. I'm on week 13 and have only just started feeling hungry, but I'm down 35 pounds and thrilled.
I wound up eating more frequently and often had veggies that cooked down a lot like spinach. I found the roasted veggies were easier on my stomach and had to split up the protein in to different times as I couldn't get 8 ozs. down at one time. So I have 3-4 oz of protein at lunch time and the rest at dinner time.
I still don't eat any of the free veggies as I've never been able to tolerate eating that much food.
Thank you guys so much for the feedback! It feels really good to know that there is such great support here, and to know that other people have gone through the same thing I'm going through. Today is day 12 and for the first time, I managed to eat my whole lunch! It was hard, but I had 2 cups of veggies and a vanilla RTD. I'm really trying to get everything in, it just seems like a lot of food. I just have to find a rhythm and figure out how to work it into my life. It doesn't help that my coach doesn't seem to know anything at all about IP, other than how to weigh people in. I will be switching clinics (and coaches! yay!) this week, and I'm looking forward to getting better advice and support (as opposed to none at all). Taking this one day at a time.
Q[QUOTE=Momto2cs;4352254]Boil and mash cauliflower and add it to the soups. Or sautéed some mushrooms and add them to the mushroom soup. They taste better and are easier to eat.
Don't feel obligated to eat the salad. Or make a salad with spinach and it will count as your veggies.
Don't miss out on the oil. It helps with fat loss and constipation.
If 8 oz of protein is too much at once have a hard boiled egg or some tuna as a snack.
Questions about the spinach....does the spinach in the bag count? My coach told me that does not count as a vegi, only if it's actually spinach, like in a can. Thanks for your time.
I feel the same. On day 5 & had to skip a shake today. I feel stuffed. It's hard to eat it all. I can drink the shakes, but with the veggies is too much. Im having my first way in in two days. Hoping my coach can help me with this.... I'm very alert and have lots of energy, just feel stuffed all day.
Boil and mash cauliflower and add it to the soups. Or sautéed some mushrooms and add them to the mushroom soup. They taste better and are easier to eat.
Don't feel obligated to eat the salad. Or make a salad with spinach and it will count as your veggies.
Don't miss out on the oil. It helps with fat loss and constipation.
If 8 oz of protein is too much at once have a hard boiled egg or some tuna as a snack.
Questions about the spinach....does the spinach in the bag count? My coach told me that does not count as a vegi, only if it's actually spinach, like in a can. Thanks for your time.
That has got to be the strangest advice a coach has ever given. Spinach grows in the ground. It is picked and put in a bag or a can. It is all the same thing.
I had the same problem for the first 3 days. I talked to my coach and she suggested spreading out everything throughout the day. So now this is how I fit everything in:
Breakfast - Scrambled egg (counts as 4oz lean protein) with 1 cup sauteed spinach & 1 cup sauteed green onions and mushrooms (all mixed together), 1 IP shake
Lunch - 1 to 1/2 cup of raw veggies, 1 IP food
Dinner - 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked veggies, 1-4oz lean protein
Dessert - 1 IP food (choc shake, jello, etc)
This way I'm starting off my day with 2 cups of veggies and 4oz of protein so there's not as much "pressure" for me to eat so much later on in the day. I think it's just about finding what works for you and your body. But I will stress that it is VERY important to get all your compulsary items in (4 cups veggies, 5-8oz lean meat, oil, salt, water, vitamins). I've noticed that on the days that I am not as hungry and I do not eat all of my veggies or my protein, it seams my weight will not budge for a few days. I think that this happens because instead of being in ketosis, your body is barely getting any calories and going into starvation mode....so it's holding onto everything you're giving it. Just my hypothesis...
I feel the same. On day 5 & had to skip a shake today. I feel stuffed. It's hard to eat it all. I can drink the shakes, but with the veggies is too much. Im having my first way in in two days. Hoping my coach can help me with this.... I'm very alert and have lots of energy, just feel stuffed all day.
Hang in there, Cyoungms! It will get better! Be careful, though, because at the beginning, I had great energy, but no appetite, so I didn't eat all of my food, and it caught up to me and I felt SO tired and low energy for a few days. It took 2-3 days of making myself eat all of the food I was supposed to to get my energy back. I am at the beginning of week 4 now (23ish days in...I finally lost track of the days, which feels really good!) and I feel so much better. Thanks, everyone, for the support and ideas! It really helped! I found my groove and got my appetite back, and after 2.5 weeks, I finally stopped (heavily!) spotting. I think that IP can be a shock to the system, and it just took my body a little time to adjust. I have been doing an RTD for breakfast, an RTD with raw bell peppers and cucumbers for lunch, the usual dinner, and a restricted snack. If I'm not feeling very hungry at dinner, I eat 2 eggs instead of meat, often scrambled with spinach and arugula, and it's yummy! Wishing you all a happy, OP, IP day!
Newbie with NO appetite on phase 1!
