Nearly every night, I feel like I am forcing myself to eat dinner. It is so much food all day long on this protocol! I am used to eating much smaller quantities of much higher calorie foods, and this is such an adjustment.

I was having trouble eating enough lean protein for dinner, so I decided to eat half at lunch. But the thought of eating the other half now just makes me feel sick. I am going to save it for tomorrow. I know we are supposed to follow this diet without any deviations, but I am going to sub another IP drink and call it a night.

The "bootcamp" protocol has you replacing the evening meat with an IP pack I believe, so I don't think it's a big deal if you used a pack instead. You still got your protein in. It beats the alternative of being starving and wanting to munch

Funny you say that. Today I had to force down my dinner as well. Don't know why, just wasn't hungry. Well I think I had my lunch too late, but it was weird making it that long with out feeling like I couldn't wait for meal time. Still have to get one more IP food in too. Yikes, first time for everything.

I can't believe the standard program isn't considered boot camp!

Yeah, I rarely want to eat anymore. I just do because I have to. Not that food isn't good (made rutabaga fries with rosemary and garlic today--delish). It is just a different experience eating food for fuel instead of to satisfy a carb craving.

I was just talking to a friend about this tonight! She is also OP and is finding the ammount of food very difficult! I would honestly be much more okay with JUST having the packets and maybe 2 cups of veggies, but 4 cups of veggies is just SO much! I also suck at making weird recipes out of vegetables, I always screw it up, and end up making something that disgusts me and it makes me so depressed and frustrated!

The only thing I have found that helps me get in a lot of veggies without it really feeling like I am eating too much, is the Chinese Fried "rice" recipe, its very good, but still lots of food.

I felt like that in the beginning, and definitely could not do the whole 8 oz protein at dinner (I split it 2/6 with lunch and dinner). I now look forward to the next meal or snack, and I like to put my egg whites in breakfast (like make my pudding into pancakes) which holds me better until lunchtime at work. My downfall has always been night eating, and I am so happy I am satisfied with my restricted snack in the evening. My coach said to finish all food by 8 pm but sometimes I have a late meeting or just want to stretch that to 9 pm (she said to do the best I can with this). I am usually up until midnight so I don't think ending at 9 is too bad.

One thing to remember is that you weigh/measure your food *before* cooking - and some things shrink *a lot* when cooked! I thought the protein for dinner was an extraordinary amount until I realized that. Even still, I often split it between lunch and dinner.

sometimes I eat my dinner at lunch but mostly I split my protein between lunch and dinner... I have had 3 coaches during this journey and all have encouraged me eating all 4 cups of veggies, the only way I was able to get all is making soup purée.

I hear you on the night time eating. I am usually around 9pm as well. Try to go earlier, but sometimes it is just easier to make it through the rest of the night if I hold it off a bit.

There have been a few meals that I thought I was stuffing myself-I stopped and just saved it in the fridge, but I snacked on it later. I'm still checking my hunger these days-it is difficult for me because I battle with emotional eating. I have to ask myself each time if I am truly hungry or just wanting to eat because I am nervous/anxious or bored. Yes, it is a new experience to eat for fuel instead of emotional soothing. It's a journey toward healthy eating for life.

When I first started on the IP diet I felt the same way. I would stare at that huge chunk of meat/fish on my plate and wonder how I was going to get it down. A few weeks in that changed and I had no problem eating it, and probably could have eaten more if it were allowed.

Give your body some time to adjust to the diet. Also, try eating some fish, as 8oz of fish might not be as intimidating as 8oz of meat.

And now this morning, post-RTD breakfast, I am STARVING. I've already had 32 oz of water and a cup of hot tea, but my stomach is still rumbling. Eventually, I will figure out how to space out my eating so my body can adjust.

I should try some of the purees, but in the past, I haven't been so good about eating the soups that I make. I guess I just need to try more of these fabulous recipes I always see here.

I made rutabaga fries last night with fresh rosemary and garlic. My husband ate 3/4 of them before I smacked him on the hand and told him they were for my lunch today! I am looking forward to them. I had a few and they were pretty tasty!