Yay! Continued weight loss in phase 3 is possible!!
 

I am really excited to find that weight loss is still possible on phase 2 and phase 3. I had to phase off early (hair loss, physical symptoms), but was always 100% OP. I did one week of phase 2 and lost 1/2 a pound, then in phase 3, even with the great breakfast meal transition and exercise, in my first week I lost another 1.25 pounds. I was expecting a gain, and my coach said that no one could lose in phase 3...well? So there is hope for any of you that may be in my situation and phasing off before you're quite ready. My total goal is a 100 pound loss...65.75 pounds down and 34.25 left to go. I plan on focusing on the next 14.25 for now, and then the last 20 after that I'll take nice and slow. My coach says I can consider going back to phase 1 in August if I'm not at goal yet by then, but recommends not going back any sooner. Love reading all of your inspirational stories each night. Have a wonderful weekend :carrot:

Congrats!!! And it sounds like you have a solid plan to get where you want to be :)

Yes you can DEFINITELY still lose weight in Phase 3, depending on what your weight is when you enter it. Calorie-wise, Phase 3 is right around (or a little less) than the calories allowed on Weight Watchers - so if they can lose weight on that number of calories, it stands to reason that we would too :)

The reason some may not lose in P3 has more to do with when they enter it - at a lower weight, your body needs less calories to function, so the difference between P3 calories and what your body needs is going to be smaller. Smaller difference, means little or no loss.

How many calories is Phase 3?

Once I hit Phase 3, my calories were between 1200 and 1500 daily. Before that, I was around 900-1100 in Phase 2. There's no strict calorie guideline for Phase 3, just that your breakfast should be between 400-500 calories and have a particular balance of nutrients.

I can't wait for phase 3 breakfast!!!

I have been curious about this. Once we phase off, is it still possible to lose weight off of IP or once our bodies function like this do they always need IP to get the weight off?

If you eat less calories than your body needs to function, you will lose weight. Doesn't matter how you go about that. However, how long it takes the weight to come off, and whether it really stays off, depends on the method you choose.

Your body isn't going to become "immune" to other diet plans (or even additional weight loss on IP) just because you lost weight using IP this time.

Don't forget that once you phase off, you are no longer in ketosis. Your body goes back to functioning off of glycogen stores just like before.

Just curious because I have tried for YEARS to lose weight and counted calories, worked out like crazy and never had any success. (still waiting to see success with IP...first weigh in in 2 days). I am just hoping this helps my body figure out how to use my insulin the right way and that in the future if needed I could lose weight 'on my own' again. Thanks for the INFO!

Why didn't you have success? Ultimately it would be because you were consuming too many calories. On the IP diet you eat 700-900 calories a day.

The big question is why were you consuming too many calories. Probably many reasons. Dietary choices can play a big role on hunger. For many people, carbs do little to satiate. Also, exercise drives hunger in many people. For me personally, if I do an hour of cardio I'm going to be very hungry.

But in the end - fat loss is always an equation of energy. Energy is measured in calories. Calories in vs calories out.

I wish I could answer your question on why I didn't have success...if I could I probably wouldn't be on this diet or as frustrated as I am. I tried EVERYTHING. Low calories, higher calories to compensate for my activity level and still nothing. I was told I was borderline diabetic and that because of that my body wouldn't process and release the extra fat because of all the extra insulin. So thus, I am on IP. I wish it hadn't had to come to this but when you track everything you eat, hit EVERY calorie goal you set with a nutritionist and exercise to the degree I was, I couldn't do anything else.

There are more reasons for weight loss/gain than just calories in vs calories out in my instance....i wish it was that simple!

Hormones and body chemistry definitely play into dieting! That's why I mentioned that anyone can lose weight on a calorie deficit - but the METHOD can be what makes the difference, either because a particular plan just "clicks" better with a person, or because a plan works better in light of health issues or imbalances within someone's body. If there was really a "one size fits all" diet, the weight loss industry wouldn't have so many players :)

hormones play a huge role in this. I have almost every hormone out of whack because of PCOS, low thyroid and menopause. Losing weight, no matter what the exercice regime or low calorie did not work.

IP is working, and working incredibly well. I have lost more weight in 8 weeks than I did in almost two years with a trainer and a strict diet. I also have not felt this good in a very very long time, more energy, no acne, hair is thicker. My only last two complaints. horrible sleep and arthritis is inflammed since on IP. But I can live with these two when everything else has calmed down.

I don't mean to sound insensative to your experience but in fact - it is always this simple. Ward studies (where people are on 24/7 lockdown) have proven this over and over.

Why some people have problems is that the input side of the equation (what you eat) can have an effect on the output side (calories the body expends) and sometimes dramatically so. As well there are other hormonal things that can be affected by what you eat which further affects the caloric output.

The fact that a nutritionist was unable to help you doesn't mean you're exempt from the energy equation. What it means is you didn't have a great nutritionist capable of putting together a customized dietary approach for you.

Fat loss doesn't happen if there isn't a caloric deficit and fat gain doesn't happen unless there is a caloric surplus.

Thank you girls, scorbett1103 and ginettepv. There is something more going on with my body than just what seems to be so it wouldn't release fat. I have exhausted my ability to try on my own which is why I turned to IP. Thanks for the encouraging words.

I just started phase 3 today. Breakfast was wonderful! Definitely something to look forward to. I am a little concerned about gaining weight back, which seems to be a common fear in phases 3 - r. Hoping to use some of the great recipes on here!