Thank you lisa32989! You are right, I didn't gain it overnight, it was over 5 years, and here I am trying to lose it all in 3 months! Ha! Thank you for the perspective that helps a lot!

I feel exactly the same way right now as you described! I wish I could fast forward to the end result, but I know time flies and if I stick to it I will be happy with the results. I am just so sick of feeling fat and unattractive, and tired all the time.

I am day 5 and got most of the first week side effects on day 1 & 2. I was EXhausted! I had a terrible headache, and woke up with a charlie horse day 2. I started feeling much better late on day 3 and I don't know if it is because I ate a little later than usual, but last night while making my dinner I became so sick. It was all I could do not to throw up and to force my food down. It is the first dinner I did not consume lettuce, but I just couldn't. I did eat my snack though.

I feel so much better this morning and actually think I had more energy when I got up. I am thrilled I have decided to take this step to improve my health and get to a good weight, which I don't know what that really is anymore. lol.

Thanks to everyone for the support. This site is invaluable!

Quick question....I am having a hard time figuring out how to get my salt at lunch time when I eat fresh veggies and have an IP drink. I tried putting it in my water, but could not drink it. Any suggestions? I didn't like it on my fresh veggies.

Do you like chocolate drinks?
The salt enhances the taste of chocolate, so I would say test it on the small amount and see how it feels
You place a salt (smaller amount than right now) and add a flavor like Lemon or MIO?

There is a lot of info on this issue in the threads, I have seen them but didn't pay attention as I am ok with salt as is.

Good luck! :)

Thanks for the tip. I do love chocolate, and have been drinking the chocolate drink mix every morning! I will try this.

Hi, all!

Started IP program 5-13 and had my first weigh in today & down 7 lbs!! (Picked up initial foods on Fri, 5-10 but didn't actually start program till Mon.) I'm tickled pink -- in spite of countless other dieting attempts, think it's the first time I've lost more than a pound or two in years! 3.5 lbs of the loss was water weight loss, but I'll take any kind of loss I can get!

Like dak1lls, my day 3 was brutal (major headache, lethargic & generally puny) but was much improved the morning of day 4.

Thanks to all here for the great tips, stories, & support!

Dak. Welcome! Just hang in there. As you begin to lose the time passes. Enjoy the journey! I 'm glad you have made it through the first few days. You really will begin to feel better and better. As you get near to your goal you can decide on your final weight. I was not able to imagine being at this weight, and my initial goal was 16 pounds higher than my current weight. I love the weight I'm at now. I've even got a pound or two of wiggle room.

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I always put a tiny bit of olive oil, salt and pepper on my lunch salad. Also, I put some on my veggies. I usually roast them in the oven with evoo, salt and pepper. So I always get the salt in that way.

I also had surgery and put the weight back on. I think the diffrence in this program is its a lifestyle change once you phase out of the protocol. I put 1 pound a month on for 7 yeras and regained 110 pounds. Im only 4 weeks in on this but it feels like a lifestyle change indeed.

Why does everyone keep calling this a diet. If you want to live a normal life you should think of it the way it has been talked about in IP's literature. It is a reset of the pancreas and the thyroid. I don't ever want to "lose" weight again because what has been lost can be found. I shall be burning up stored fat and resetting my clocks. I have had weight loss surgery and now I am resetting my clocks. Mind and body. Welcome to all other newcomers.

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New to IP and trying to go alternative route due to cost. Any restrictions on sugarless gum and coffee (caf or decaf)? I typically start my day with coffee lightened with powdered soy protein...hot or blended with ice, depending on the season. It seems like that would be compatible with the IP program.

Some clinics prefer their clients don't use sugar free gum, some sugar alcohols still cause a glycemic reaction in the body - but there are plenty of people who use the SF gum with no issues, so I would say try it, and just pay attention to your body.

Coffee and tea - decaffeinated you can have as much as you want and it counts towards your daily water (includes herbal decaf teas). If you drink caffeinated coffee or tea, your first cup doesn't count for anything but if you have any beyond that, you need to add an equal amount of extra water to your day. Caffeine is a diuretic so you need to replace the water your body will try to get rid of to prevent dehydration.

A diet is just the "sum" of food eaten by someone to control their weight...So, anyone who is eating to control their weight is on a diet. ;)

Thanks for the tips! Very helpful.

Still new to IP
 

Hi all -

I started the IP program May 10, lost 6 lbs by first weigh in - probably not all fat! Am liking the way I feel now, 9 days in! Plenty of energy in the afternoons and evenings. Not too much in the mornings - except today, I found a way to do the omelet that served me well and left me almost full. It was cooked with 1/2 finely chopped yellow bell pepper, and my body was satisfied.
It's like feeding a mule or something - the body. If there's enough crunchiness and flavor, the verdict is good. Started at 201 lb, and have set a 75 lb goal. Have to give my appreciation for the support given and example set by Joysh!
Majofki

Hi Majofki!! Welcome to the forum! I know you will meet your goal and I'm excited to watch the process! :welcome: :welcome2: :welcome3:

I am concerned that I may be using too much oil. I primarily use the Grape Seed Oil mixed 3 parts oil to one part apple cider vinegar to make a salad dressing. When I pour that on my salad I don't measure. I also use the oil to cook my protein and veggies. Am I only to use the 1 - 2 tsp. listed on my Phase 1 sheet? I just don't want to eat too much of it. I haven't gone to my first WI yet. I go at 10 days for my first one, per my coach's instructions, and then weekly after that. Not sure why so long for the first one? Anyway, I appear to be losing weight but don't want to be cheating by accident. Thanks to anyone who can clarify for me. :dizzy:

Your limited to 2 tsp. per day of oil and that includes what you use for both salads and cooking. Don't make the mistake of NOT measuring your oil. A tsp. is very small and it is likely you are over pouring! I keep my measuring teaspoon out on my counter at all times! It might help if you put two teaspoons oil into a shot glass in the morning to use throughout the day and then when its empty, your done!

Love your shot glass idea! Going to make it part of my morning routine. :)

Hi all, I just started today. I had the oatmeal for breakfast and hated it!!! Anything I can do to make it better? I usually eat breakfast at work and so can't cook the omelet. I am waiting to try that on the weekend. Thank you for having this group discussion. I will really need help and support.

It's really good with a pinch of cinnamon.

Love the shot glass idea. I'm officially on day 1 and while retrieving my oil shot glass, I spilled all the toothpicks within and had to play pick up sticks all over the K floor. Great time killer - I forgot to think of snacking for those few minutes. Any other suggestions to get me thru day 1 :) Keep the suggestions coming!!

The oatmeal makes great muffins! Check the recipe threads!
I don't think I ever ate it plain

Thank you for the tip. I have definitely been overdoing the oil! At least i have been losing weight this week, or i would be really upset with myself. For some reason i had it in my head that the 1-2 tsp was a minimum. I don't really know why. :dizzy:

I found the Mix'n'in the Kitchen link on another thread and "wow" she has so many great recipes! I found one where she made IP mayo...and mayo is my weakness!

So tonight I made a chicken salad for dinner and it was delicious! I mixed 4 oz. of chopped chicken breast ( used canned and it had no fat or sugar ) and chopped up 2 hard boiled eggs, then I chopped dill pickle, celery, yellow sweet pepper, and cucumber really small and put them together in a measuring cup until the veggies added up to a cup. Then for my other cup of veggies I measured 1 cup of fresh spinach. I also added a cup of chopped iceberg lettuce.

I made the mayo recipe and used 3 tsp. on my chicken salad. It was a lot of salad, so I mixed and mixed it with a fork until it was well incorporated. I salted the salad too but didn't use an entire 1/8 tsp of sea salt, since the mayo had some.

I usually would not like a salad like this, but I have found that things like this are delicious to me now, only after a week on IP. The taste was so yummy that I am going to make this again sometime. My husband even liked it.

Just wanted to share. I know we are all used to cooking or preparing food a certain way, and I love finding new good things to eat! :carrot:

OK everyone, I had my 2nd WI on Monday night and was down 4 pounds! That makes 11 in 2 weeks, I am so excited! And now that I am in the swing of things I am finding the diet to come so naturally. Even my family is eating better because of it.

Just so you know I am chewing 2 pieces of sugarfree gum a day- one after breakfast and one after lunch. It really helps me. My coach said in some people it came make them hungry cause their body starts digestion process once they start chewing, but since it hasn't affected me he said it is OK.

Hope next Tuesday I will have more good results, I am getting my willpower ready for the long weekend!

I really love the bars for breakfast. I do a peanut butter one or a lemon poppyseed one with my coffee.

Or I will do a chocolate drink mixed in with my coffee for breakfast, then have a bar or soup for lunch.

Can you tell me what brand of gum you are chewing? I miss my gum so much! All the gum i find has aspertame. :(

You must be on cloud nine! Congratulations! That is so awesome! :carrot:

My first official WI is tomorrow. My clinic does the first one at 10 days and then weekly after that. I am so anxious to see my numbers. I weighed myself a few times at home, but don't know how my scale compares to theirs.

I know this question wasn't directed at me, but I chew Spry gum. I find it at health food stores, like Sprouts or Whole Foods, and I've read you can get it from some dentists or online. I pay $.99 a pack, so it's about the cost of any other sugarless gums I used to buy. It has xylitol, which is great for our teeth but toxic to dogs, so I keep it up high on a shelf or zipped up in my purse (just in case). I also use Listerine strips. Check ingredients carefully, because the store brands sometimes have aspartame.

Hi all. Just started IP on May 13. I have a total of 33 lbs I want to lose. My first weigh in was yesterday and went well. 7.6 lbs and 5 inches. I am here for support as I'm not very pleased with my clinic. My coach hasn't a clue about overweight issues. On my first visit she mentioned being on the diet. I asked a couple of questions and learned it was for one week. I'm sure that was mandatory to sell the product. I seem to be opposite from most. My first three days were fine then the next 4 were really hard. I'm starving. I have not cheated, followed the protocol precisely, drink at least 12 cups of water daily, have only missed a supplement at one meal. This is day 9. Does this pass?

I use Cinnamon Trident, it's sweetened with sucralose!

I was ready to chew my own arm off for the first few weeks. I remember dishing out my cat's food one day and thinking, "gee, this actually smells really GOOD", and bringing it up to my nose for another wonderful whiff. A clear indication I was hungry, because the smell of my cat's food normally gives me the dry heaves.

But then, on day 22, something changed. I wasn't hungry anymore. I wasn't counting the minutes between meals. I wasn't picturing my cat covered in BBQ sauce. I think some of us are just slow to get there.

It might help you to have half of your meat protein with your lunch, and divide your snack in half to eat between meals. I often do both around TOM when the hungries sometimes come back.

Remember too that if you're exercising you need to eat an extra packet.

But whatever you do, don't give up WBurns. You are doing so well and it WILL get better!!

Hi all, I'm fairly new as well. I started IP in the fall and withing 3 weeks the office closed as the owner had cancer and closed the office. I just started again and went to my first weigh in. I lost 3.7 pounds and was down 2inches. I'm so happy to have found this sight and for a couple of days I was a lurker, now I'm so ready to lose this weight and feel better. I'm glad that I have a site to make new friends and we can do this together.

Thank you!

Thank you!

Ok you totally crack me up. As my cat sits at the foot of my bed my first thought is hmmmm yum

Welcome. You will find lots of support here!

Today was my first WI....8.5 lbs down! So happy!
:carrot:

Congrats my first wi is in the morning eeks

How did your WI go?