I started IP on 10/1 too! I have a much longer road than you do though!!! Congrats on your weight loss!

Actually timing of meals is not dictated in the "official" protocol or guidelines that I am aware of. I do agree that when you are eating carbs through the day, timing your meals can help keep your "engine" running at a steady pace instead of overloading your system with big meals and long stretches between eating. IP though is a different situation, you have burned through your glycogen stores and are not taking in large amounts of carbs that create a big response in your body. I have not yet seen any studies done on timing of meals on KETOGENIC diets specifically, but from personal experience I have not seen a difference in my losses between weeks when I was able to time meals out evenly versus having a more erratic schedule and frequently going more than 4hrs between meals due to scheduling.

"on this plan not exceeding 4hrs between meals is part of the guidelines."

Wow - My coach never told me that! Weird how we're all supposedly on the same plan, but we get some widely varying information. Guess it's a good thing my coach isn't a stickler for the details, because my schedule would not allow that. I can see how it would sure help with the hunger if it were possible, though . . . .

My coach is always stressing the importance of the meal timings. She has me right down the exact time I eat each meal in my journal as well. I paid good money for her coaching so I follow it exactly as she has said and I have been really happy with my results and never experienced any issues with hunger or cravings since I started.

I assumed it was part of the official protocol the way she stresses it but if not then feel free to ignore it. "Individual results may vary". Like I said, it's all pseudo-science and everyone body is unique so whatever works for you, stick with it. But if something isn't working, identify the variable and make necessary corrections.

Ketosis is a little more complex than just calorie in / calorie out. Sometimes consuming more (additional packet) will get you through stalled or sluggish weightloss.

There is not a problem with splitting up the portions. You may not be getting enough protein and that is why you are hungry. Ask your coach about that too.. If you get really hungry and feel like cheating, another packet is better then cheating any day : ) There is a level of getting used to the decreased amount of food / calories

I tend to get hungry between breakfast & Lunch, when I discussed this with my coach she told me to split up my lunch, so I have my veggies about an hour before my lunch. It has worked me and I continue to lose.

My coach lets me split up my veggies and snack on them through the day or when I get hungry but I have to get my full protein serving on schedule. I can split my meat serving but I need to combine it with a packet ie 4oz meat + 1/2 packet for lunch and 4oz meat + 1/2 packet for dinner.

You can take my information and learn or you can toss it in the garbage.My point for posting here is to help people because as my sig says good information is difficult to find.

I'm not going to go into a large amount of detail here but I'll point out that a very large factor that affects us in many ways is stress. If you don't eat within an hour of waking or every four hours it's not a big deal. This isn't something to worry about. People following the IP diet (or any diet) should time their meals in a manner that is easiest for them because science says meal timing and frequency is irrelevant to fat loss. This is a well established fact dispite the myths to the contrary. Ketosis is not relevant to this.

I originally challenged you because of your assertions regarding what you coach has told you. Of course it has worked for you. Fat loss is a function of calories. You follow the program, you eat at a deficit, you lose weight. If you ate every 5 hours or every 3 it would make no difference to your results.

It's not "pseudo-science" it's the laws of themodynamics.

If you want to read a study take a look at this research review.This one was done in 1997 and looked at all the liturature and determined meal frequency makes no difference. Not exactly the same thing as timing but quite relevant.

As for your final assertion - again you're confusing correlation with causation. This forum and the internet is littered with anedotal evidence. My weight loss was stalled and I _______________ (fill in the blank with something they did or ate) and I lost weight. Therefore you should ________________ when your weight loss is stalled. Reality - most likley what they did was unrelated to the loss in weight. Cooncidence. Fat loss is fairly linear but since we have no way to easily and accurately measure fat we rely on weight loss which is not linear. Care to guess what a large factor or water retention is (which is why weight loss can stall)? Stress!

In summary - people shouldn't feel they must eat a given number of times or at specific times to get results. It's almost completely irrelevant. Keeping things simple and don't make it more difficult that it needs to be.

Love your input John! I see you as the voice of reason when we get too hung up on certain points or parts of the program.