I'm re-starting IP tomorrow. I had started it for the first time in my life about 1 month ago. I had lost 7 lbs in 2 weeks, but dropped IP due to a couple of temporary circumstances. I'm now back to focusing on IP, but what irks me about being on Phase 1 of IP is that we are not allowed to exercise.

Has anyone broken this rule? I'm not a hardcore exerciser (obviously...I'm 40 pounds overweight after all....gained a solid 10 pounds each year for the past 4 years), but I do feel like I need to work my heart muscle by doing some cardio.

Can you still lose weight if you decide to do 30 minutes of exercise 3 to 5 times per week? IP is supposed to be healthy, so it boggles my mind that just A LITTLE bit of exercise is not encouraged. Any thoughts?

The issue with IP and exercise is that the diet is SO low in calories, exercise can actually HURT your weight loss because you aren't taking in enough calories to sustain daily function, exercise and muscle recovery.

After the first 3 or 4 weeks on IP your body should be pretty well adjusted to the diet - at that point if you felt like you wanted to add some light exercise (lower intensity than before IP, if you exercised regularly) that is fine - BUT you need to add an extra packet within 1/2 hour after finishing. Exercise will NOT improve the results on the diet, but if it makes you feel good to do it, there's no reason not to. Just give yourself a couple of weeks, and make sure you add the extra packet if you decide to start. Also, listen to your body - if you are unusually fatigued, shaky, or don't feel good, your body might not be ready for exercise or you may be doing it at too high an intensity.

I personally wouldn't waste my time on cardio unless you feel like you want to get some light walking in. What would be more benificial is some strength training to help bulild muscle while you lose fat. 2 to 3 times per week for no more than 30 minuties would be very helpful. Also make sure on your workout days you get in an extra IP food right after you exercise.

You CAN exercise on P1. There isn't a No Excercise rule, but a suggestion to wait a few weeks to let your body acclimate to the diet first (unless you we're regularly exercising prior to IP). And of course, add the extra packet Scorbett described

Then suggested to start with something gentle (walking, yoga, gentle home video - no P90!) to ensure that adding exercise doesn't slow weight loss.

As Dana mentioned, there is growing research that we have wasted countless hours on cardio equipment and would much better spend our time building muscle. Remember, 80% of weight loss is in the kitchen. The exercise sure make us feel good tho, doesn't it?

I would think that exercise would increase cravings... after all exercise increases the bodies need for calories.

I've been walking since about my 4th week on IP (I've always loved to walk). I make sure I get my extra packet, and since I enjoy the walking so much, I'm not craving anything because of it. It makes me feel good, active, positive, and I get to listen to music while doing it, so it's just a really feed good experience for me.

I'm right there with you Starshine! I really enjoy walking and I find it really helps me with my mood and general feeling of well being. I find it even more uplifting in the winter months when I really don't get outside in the sun much!

I've never heard this! I've always thought that cardio was the best for losing weight because that gets your heart rate up and burns calories. Accordingly, my exercise routine (when I've been on one) has always focused mainly on cardio, and to a lesser amount on building muscle. Can you tell me what study(ies) you've read? I'd be very interested in reading them.

Joe, this article explains it pretty well: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitne...ining-workouts

The basic gist is that when you build muscle, your body is consistently burning more calories throughout the day. Cardio gives you a burst of calorie burn while you're doing it, but the overall impact isn't as great.

I know (and believe) that you shouldn't trust everything you find on the internet, but there are many studies and various reports, etc. talking about the benefits of strength training vs cardio - you just need to google.

Also the IP program itself appears to endorse Slow Move Strength Training as it's preferred method of exercise.

you can help maintain muscle while on ip, but you won't gain muscle (except for newbie gains) at a caloric deficit. muscle gain requires a caloric surplus.

True - though I don't think anyone here is trying to bulk up, just improve muscle tone and overall fitness. Also we are not "technically" operating at a calorie deficit in the way that you would think of with traditional diets - the ketogenic diets work because we consume less calories, but our bodies use up our stored fat to make up the calorie deficit to a normal functioning level.

I do yoga about 3 times a week (started out doing 'gentle' yoga, but the classes I've taken lately aren't so gentle, lol). I've abandoned cardio- I tried swimming a few times, which was my pre-IP go-to workout, but it just made me feel run-down.

So you CAN exercise, just not of the all out, huffing and puffing variety.

Except in overweight novice lifters who can, for a short period, lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. (Also steroid users)

You say the most interesting things. Allow me to clear something up for you. Dispite what you've read or heard - there is no such thing as a technicality when it comes to energy. ALL diets work because we consume less calories and your bodies makes up the deficit with stored fat.

In conventional diets there are still glycogen stores from which the body can also draw energy. In ketogenic diets the glycogen stores are depleted and the fat stores are the go-to for making up the deficit.