I actually obsessed over food, morning til night, while continuing to gain, and gain, and gain. I would plan a diet, and the planning of it, and the reading about it, and the talking about it - just became obsessive. And oh my, I DO love to eat! - so I know what you are referring to. However, on IP, it is so structured, that it has been an actual RELIEF to not have to think too much about what I am doing, and I really don't think much about food anymore. I do plan my meals - that's important - but then I just kind of let it go, and just make sure I get my planned meals in during the day.

I do have a question. You mentioned when you take your first bite of your bar, you are already lamenting that this will be it, and wish you had more. Before IP, were you a carb/sweet addict? I sure am/was. I wonder if the bars, because they are similar (to me) to eating a candy bar - if it triggers your psychological addiction to wanting more and more. I have been on IP for 3.5 wks now, and I have yet to have a bar or restricted. Now, I will say, you ARE allowed on the program to have 1 restricted per day from the very beginning, but because I am so sensitive to sweet carbs, I discussed it with my coach and we decided to wait until I was well into ketosis to have one of the sweet restricteds. I was given the 'go ahead' last week, but I have just chosen not to. As long as I'm satisfied with what I'm having so far (my mocha smoothies quench that need for something sweet), I am going to forego the restricteds all-together. I don't have any misconceptions that this will help me lose faster. I just feel it is right for me and my past addictive binge behavior with sweets. So, just a thought. Perhaps try going without the sweet bars for a week and see if you can break the craving and obsessing over food (especially if it is sweets you are obsessing over)?

Hello everyone! Just dropping in to say Good-bye before I leave on my trip tomorrow to LA. I imagine I won't be on the forum much, if at all. So everyone have a fantastic week and keep on chugging along! Just think all of you will have great losses and when I get back I will be terrified to step on the scale! lol

Well I phased off of IP over the last 9 days, and I must tell you all that I don't feel as good! Since having carbs in the morning, I feel more sluggish through out the day. I also seem to crave stuff more- especially sweets! ugh! So in some ways I am looking forward to getting back to phase 1 when I get back on the 22nd. It does worry me about eventually phasing off for maintenance long term down the road...I guess this is good practice. Just have to learn to make healthier choices from now on, no matter what.

I had my parents over for supper tonight. Made chicken fajitas. I ordered some low-carb tortillas from thelowcarbgrocery.ca and they were actually very good, with only 3 net carbs per wrap! Highly recommended! I skipped out on the buttertart bar dessert! wahoo for me but I was craving chocolate so I had the new chocolate brownie. It did the trick....then I went on to crave salty- so I had a pack of wonderslim pretzels! UGH. 2 restricteds in a row. But it's better than eating non-IP food I suppose! I have been more relaxed with myself these past couple days in preparation for my trip...I am just crossing my fingers that I will get right back on track. I have to, and I will! I have come to far to stop now!

Its weird because I almost feel "guilty" for giving myself a week off of dieting. Like I don't feel I deserve it. Yet I know I do...such tangled emotions right now! Anyway, I will let you all know how it went when I get back! I set myfitnesspal to "maintain weight" and it is allowing me 2000 cal a day! Wowzers! I won't even get close to that, and that is a great thing!

See ya all in a week!!

I work in a bar and have done really well being around "bar"" food 5 days a week. Today all my coworkers brought in different desserts to share throughout the shift... I wouldnt even go near them, didnt want to even know what they were. very proud of myself for staying op again today

Have a great holiday!

Congrats! I know that can be tough sometimes. I've been avoiding all the potluck food left behind on evening shift; usually it's bad junk food. Nothing for me to eat anyways. But somedays - I would really like a taste or a nibble but know it's not worth it

Have a great trip!

Just wanted to remind the newbies...those wraps are not P1 approved, but they will be great for maintenance.

Thanks! I don't think the bars are triggering anything - it actually happens with everything. But because I can bulk up meals with veggies, it only happens with the snack... it doesn't matter if it's a bar, shake, cereal or soup! The actual "eating" doesn't last long enough for me!

I was so happy to read this because it means I'm not the only one! The thing that's been a little different for me on IP is that even though I think that same thing as I start my meal/snack, if I give it a few minutes after I've eaten, I usually don't actually feel hungry or have a craving to have more. Usually. I think that's why this is working for me. I'm generally not truly hungry.

I'm having a bit of a "day" today because the scale isn't doing what I'd hoped. Grr. BUT I do know this is working and I CAN do it. I do find myself thinking crazy thoughts..."only -1.6 this week, that's terrible" but I am focusing on trying to change my inner dialogue. It's hard. Harder than choosing to stay OP maybe.

Wish me luck. The weather is insanely beautiful here today so I'm going to take a leisurely walk and buy a book and people watch.

I am so grateful for this forum.

Have a great OP weekend all.

That's awesome! You go!

Dang -- I typed up a post and it was eaten by my computer! You'd think TODAY was Friday the 13th!

So -- good morning everyone! I hope you had a great week. I wasn't on here much and I think all my posts were on the daily chat thread, so I hope I didn't miss anything on here.

I am downright flabbergasted by how well IP is working for me. When I had my first consultation my coach said that because my muscle mass is a lot higher than average (I have no idea why), I would probably lose faster - instead of 3-4 lbs a week, more like 4-5.

Had my third WI on Thursday and was down another 5 lbs for a total of 19!! I can actually see a difference in my body! This week I wore a couple of tops that I hadn't worn for months because they clung to my fat roles and made me uncomfortable, but now they fit like they should. I've been afraid to try on pants (shopping in my closet). Even though I can see changes in the mirror, somehow I'm afraid that my tight pants will still be tight . . .

Well, I have to work from home today so I better get to it. Have a wonderful weekend!

I actually did buy 1 box of the candy bar things - um yeah - Im not doing that again. I would like to blame TOM but I know better in my heart. It's WAY too much like eating a candy bar. and yes I did eat more that I am supposed to.

I find that with a regular candy bar I can ignore it because "I don't eat those anymore" works for me. But when it is said "Well here is a candy bar that you CAN eat" I struggled with it.

Plus it is ready to eat and I dont have to do anything to prepare before I can eat it. So it is Soooooo easy to overindulge. So I am just not going to buy those anymore (plus they really aren't all that good to boot. go figure!).

Good point- thank you for clarifying that. However...I think if you were really craving a "wrap" like item this would be ok as maybe a super restricted- it only has 50 calories and 3 net carbs, 5g protein and 2g fat. Occassional use would not derail you on P1 in my opinion. But yes great for maintenance forsure, or anyone living the low carb lifestyle.

Now THAT is a NSV! Way to stay STRONG! Feels good to be in control, huh?

If veggies help, plan to add veggies to your snacks too. As long as you stay within the 4 cups/day, you can space them however you want.

I can identify with the 'always wanting/expecting more' when it comes to what I see on the scale. So far, I've been happy with what I've seen on the scale each week (the first 3), but it's so stupid, I'm already anticipating that I will be discouraged at some point! Old habits die hard! Like you said, I really need to change my inner dialogue because it certainly didn't help me before!! I just have to remember that no matter what, it will happen if I stick with it. I have looked at some of the weekly weigh in results from some of the successful 'senior' IPers, and I can see where some had 0 loss, or even a gain for a week, yet they kept at it and the next week was 3 or 4 or 5 lbs! So, I have to keep that in mind the first time I'm confronted with a loss that is less than I'd hoped for.

AWESOME Job!! You are rockin' it!

I realize some have no problem with the bars at all, and I WISH I didn't, but I have the same struggle you do. For now, I am just doing without. At some point, though (WAAAAY down the line) I will give it a try because I hope by that point I will be in control of my eating, no matter what it is. That would be my goal for maintenance, for sure.

Have a GREAT OP Saturday Augusters!! I love that everyone is so active on this thread and we are really a dynamic group that is sticking together in this journey and helping each other along!

Thanks for all the suggestions and support... great ideas that I will try

Just a word of wisdom...this plan works much better once you stop justifying items that are not allowed.

If you really "need" a wrap, egg whites spread thinly in a pan and cooked or romaine leaves work just as well.