Hi everyone - I was around when I was on Phase 1 and I reached my goal mid December. I haven't gained more than 2 pounds (max weight 110) in total and actually went down to 106 and stayed there for a few weeks too.

HOWEVER I'm a bit embarrassed as to my wonky maintenance routine - I tend to really not watch my eating for 3-4 weeks and then do a week of Phase 1 and that keeps my weight in check.

I tried the fat/carb separation and the one day/week of P1 and I just couldn't get it to work for me - it felt like food prison.

I still see my IP Coach on a monthly basis and she said if this is what works for me its fine.

Just wondering if anyone else has done a similar thing. It definitely seems to work for me and I actually enjoy my week on IP - it feels like a good cleanse.

Just looking for your thoughts.

Hi how long did it get you to get to that low weight. I am also 5 feet and now I weigh 124 but I haven't lose weight in a month and wondering how you got that low. I am shooting for 115 but I can't handle phase 1 for 2 more months. Seems unreasonably long since I'm Losing lots of hair. Help

I was 124 when I started IP - I had lost 8 pounds on Weight Watchers but it took me forever. I lost 15 pounds on IP in about 8 weeks - averaged about 1.75 loss per week. My goal was also 115 but ended up getting down to 108.

I followed the protocol religiously - not one teeny tiny cheat, 10+ glasses of water per day etc.

So you ate all the food even the restricteds everyday? Thanks for your quick response

Everyone has to figure out for themselves what works best for their particular body in maintenance Slow to Lose. Your approach seems to be working well for you. It is likely helpful to be physically active for your way to work. Many people would find it difficult to get back on phase 1 for the week but you can do that so it is a good plan for you.

Lexi the biggest reason for stall is because people (some under advice from coaches) start cutting things out not because people are adding things in.

Yes I did, I would have DIED without a restricted - it was what kept me sane. :-)

Thanks Patns - my husband actually calls my approach to eating "feast or famine". I do work out btw - not as much as I would like, but I do it.

After 3 weeks of eating whatever I want, I actually crave getting back on Phase 1 for a week - it starts tomorrow and I really look forward to it - I don't find it hard at all, I like it!!

I work for an Obesity research facility and some study they have done show that some people, not all, do not tend to begin to gain weight or show a major body changes for about 2 to 3 weeks of eating bad or not exercising. There are a few Dr's here that I've complained to before about not working out or eating right for a couple of weeks and they would tell me.. just make sure to not go totally out of control for more than 2 or 3 weeks and I should be good. It sounds like this is the case for you. I would just be sure to throw in some walking or working out in your routine, but if you believe it works for you and you feel good.. I say go for it. However, if I were you, I would take a look back at your weight etc in about 6 monts to a year and then see how you have been affected by doing this.. but really, it sounds like your doing great at maintaining and I think that'll be very different for each person. Great job!!

My only concern for you would be the impact of putting yourself into and out of ketosis so often in a period of time. A week on phase 1 is enough to get you there - then just as quickly as you got in, you get out. It might work from a weight perspective but might not be too good for you from a liver and kidney perspective.

Just a thought!

I do work out - as I mentioned in a previous thread, not as much as I would like, but I do get in some cardio and weight lifting every week. I am keeping a record of my weekly weight, so yes, it should be interesting to see how it goes.

Must be really fascinating work that you do!! Cutting edge really - any new findings or research that you care to share? I find the entire field fascinating.

It's actually a very very good thought and something I should probably look into more actually.

Where is my buddy John these days - he always had good info on these things.

Since I am one of the IT geeks here, I don't get to be involved with all the lab and science that my facility does.. but it is amazing to hear the things they are learning and understanding. This facility and several others are coming out with the fact that BMI is not the best way to tell how much a person should weigh (we all knew this in our heads! ha!) but they are actuallly proving it in the studies they do here and with collaboration at other facilities. They also came out with lately after much research that the DASH diet is the best diet for you currently. I'm very interested in the results that I will see soon on the studies they are doing for Insulin REsistance and Metabolic Syndrome. Since I have this, I think it will benefit so many people who have it or don't even know they have it! Others research like childhood obesity is an interest to me too. They currently go to several area schools and do studies with the kids there and I think it's great that they are working so hard to fight it. But we have so many other studies such as prenatal studies, cancer studies, exercise testing studies, effects of blueberries, studies that tell us if oats or best for you and dementia studies as well. Dementia runs in my family, so that is something I would love to see progress on. Most of the Dr's here will tell you that calorie and/or carb restriction is the most effective way to lose weight.. and that is without excercise. So yes, it's cool to be apart of this type of facility.. it's hard becuase not everybody wants to help fund it all! Ugh!!

What is the DASH diet?? Never heard of that one? And blueberries?? Tell me more.

And it's funny that no matter how many studies they do - it really does come down to calories/carbs. That ain't rocket science is it? Based on the research you have seen, what do you think of the IP protocol? I assume that since you are on the IP thread you must be OK with it?

Thanks for letting me pick your brain - even if you are IT I'm sure you see the work!

The DASH diet was (I believe) created for people with cardiac risk - it stands for Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension - but I have been hearing more and more that it's very highly regarded as a weight loss plan and eating approach. Here's their web page if you want to look into it, and I believe the CDC or NIH has a free document available on following the DASH plan

http://dashdiet.org/

What you're talking about is actually practiced quite a bit in the body building community. It's called the Cyclic ketogenic diet - what you're doing isn't exactly the same but it is similar.

My personal opinion is that so long as your liver and kidneys are working well that you will have no problems physically going in and out of ketosis but in terms of study or research I am unaware of any that has been done. This type of diet would be a poor choice for anyone who is severely insulin resistant, but I don't think you are.

Based on how we evolved over hundreds of thousands of years it would make sense that we're extremely well adapted to periods of shortages when it comes to carbohydrates but the long term health consequences are unknown.

That said - you may find that over time this type of dieting causes results you're not happy with from a body composition perspective. If you have "problem areas" or places where you tend to accumulate fat quickly and lose slowly your method of dieting may end up with you being extremely lean except on your problem area.

so true! this diet had made me lean out everywhere except mu tummy, my biggest problem area.