Hmmm, haven't thought about adding vinegar to them before baking. Will definitely have to try that! I have really enjoyed eating them with just salt and it's probably something I would have never even tried before IP.

I loooove kale chips but that means I have to stand at the oven all day, because as soon as a batch comes out I eat them while still warm and have to make another, ad infinitum.

Hmmm, kale goes on sale at my local grocery starting Sunday.... :chin:

Liana

protein packs and heat
 

I want to keep an emergency stash of protein products in my car, but am worried about heat in the summer. It's not uncommon to have temps up to and above 100 degrees here and I'm sure the internal temps in closed up cars must go even higher.

I'm wondering how drink powders or the liquid concentrates will fare?? (I have been using alternative products.) I love how easily the liquid concentrate dissolves in a bottle of water, so I'd prefer to keep some of those in my glove compartment or center console.

V-8 has about 10 carbs per serving. Anything not on the P1 sheet needs to be 0 carbs/0 fat/0 sugar

Had another one of those conversations in which someone said they know someone who lost a lot of weight on IP... but then they always have to say, "But, of course, she gained it all back."

This time, I replied, "Well, she gained it all back when she lost it on Weight Watchers, too. So, it's not the diet's fault." Then, I named another mutual friend who lost 100 pounds ten years ago (on low carb/Atkins type diet) and has kept it off. I said, "She has kept hers off because she still lives a low carb lifestyle. She never went back to her old way of eating."

The conversation didn't make me want to give up, but it made me mad and makes me want to prove people wrong. I know that it will always be a struggle and that I cannot go back to the way I was eating before. But, knowing that and doing it will be completely different things. Maybe it's better that I have a lot to lose and it will take time and practice to get there. I hope to be well trained by the time I get to maintenance.

Oh, I forgot another comment in the conversation I just posted about. My friend also said, "An extreme diet like Ideal Protein can't be good for people. I wonder what doctors say about it?"

I said, "It was a doctor who started me on it, because OBESITY is not good for people."

A bit off topic, but what brand of liquid drink concentrates are you using? Do you like them? I'm looking to switch to alternatives. Thanks! :D


For your question, can you keep the packets in your purse? I carry a giant mom-bag (like Mary Poppins. Need a pen? Advil? Crayons? Seven different Chapsticks? Three sizes of Bandaids? Coat rack? Probably in there. :o ) Throwing in a few extra items isn't a big deal. I know that I would never be anywhere without my purse, so that seems like a safe place to stash some spare packets.

I can't imagine that the products would last very long in my car during the summer, but I live in the southeast. In the winter, I think it would be fine. We don't get much below freezing.

discouraged
 

Hi everyone. I am new to this site and IP. I am finishing up my 14th day on IP. I am CONSTANTLY hungry and its driving me nuts!!! I talked with my coach today about it and she doesnt know why i am and pretty much told me its all in my head.
Here is what i have been eating:

BF: IP Wild Berry Shake (8:30)
Snack: IP BBQ Chips (10:30) becuase im so hungry
Lunch-IP Chicken A LA King and 2 cups veggies, usually peppers and cucumbers.(12:30
Snack: IP PUdding or Carmel Nut Bar(4:00, if i can make it that long)
Dinner:8 oz of meat and some cooked veggies

Im not thrilled with my coach, so i thought i would ask here...what am i doing wrong?

I lost 7.9lbs the first week and 2 this week, so im happy about that, but ready to quit because of constantly being hungry. My hair has also changed, different texture, more thin etc and that worries me to.

Any input from the experts here would be great.

Thank you

I'm not an expert, but I've made it through the first week without being hungry. I couldn't imagine needing a packet every 2 hours. :(

How much lettuce are you eating? I find that a big part of not being hungry on IP is making sure that I get my salads at lunch and dinner. Use an IP-friendly dressing, of course. Also, someone posted a great bit of information about the benefits of romaine lettuce. I can't find it right now, but I think it was in the FAQ sticky? Anyway, the lettuce is really important to the plan.

I'm glad that you're getting help instead of giving up. The folks on here are an incredible wealth of knowledge, and I'm sure that someone will be able to help you to figure out this problem. :)

Auntto6cuties: Are you sure you are getting the MINIMUM of four cups of veggies in? Make sure you hit that. Additionally, you can eat unlimited lettuce, so be sure to make HUGE salads with your veggies! If that doesn't work, I would suggest eating a hard boiled egg when you get super hungry.

I have issues with food addiction so I have to think to myself, "Am I really hungry, or do I just want to eat?" Really look inward and try to figure that out.

Good Luck!

Question!
I have done the chocolate shake with spinach combo many times, and I love it, but I was wondering if anyone has tried adding veggies to a different kind of drink and seen good results? I LOVE the cran-granta drink, but I cannot fathom if any veggies could be mixed with it? Suggestions?!

I've had a slip up and am trying to get back on track especially with my veggies, so I am looking for more sneaky ways to get them in at breakfast. I've tried pureeing them and putting them in soups but I cannot deal with the texture.

I will be going to my clinic in a few minutes, so I will greatly appreciate any quick responses!

LOL......THIS explains a LOT!!! REALLY?? Gotta love it!!!:smug:;):dizzy::^::D

4C veggies
 

Hillary...actually the 4 C vegetables is not minimum or maximum...it is
4 C just like the animal protein is a set amount of 8 oz raw. ...non negotiable.

Veggies have carbs...so "more" or "less" will be outside the plan guidelines. Initially a few over may not matter but as one gets closer to goal, measuring is very important. Too many will most probably slow things down. Not getting enough may result in not enough carbs to "run your engine"....that fog...fatigue and even headaches.

Only true lettuce is unlimited. If I misunderstood your response...my apologies! Jut want to clarify this.
Best wishes-

Hi All!

This is my first day on IP. I had a few friends who did it with great success but I kept brushing it off until there was no point in waiting any longer. I've been lurking here gathering information and researching online for weeks and finally made the appointment and met with my coach this week. I'm super excited for this journey to get going!

So the lunch thing went OK. I ate my zucchini muffins before I went and we sat outside on the patio because it's a glorious, beautiful day here. I told the waitress I wanted a plain side salad, with romaine, iceberg and a few tomatoes. Olive oil on the side with some lemons. When she brought it out it was mixed greens, with shredded cheddar cheese, fried tortilla chips and avacado drowning in ranch dressing. I sent it back. Everybody else (there were about 20 people there) was eating and one person asked where my food was. I just said they got it wrong and it should be coming soon. The waitress came back with the right thing and it worked out ok.

I had a great time outside with my coworkers for several hours before we came back to the office. I'm glad I went. Thanks to all for your advice.

two pounds until I am no longer obese by my BMI standards... YAY..

65-- Yes, you are correct. In my head I was combining two different thoughts and it came out wrong. Thank you for clarifying my mistake!!

No problem...I figured you knew...but worry when we don't catch those quick answers, (which we all fire off), and someone needs to do an "addendum" for readers who may not actually have mastered the basics.

Hi y'all! I know this has been answered (because I read it a few weeks ago...) but I can't find it again and I forgot what it said.

I'm pretty sure I have the flu. Body aches, chills, headache, fever (though never over 100.5?). The doc did a swab yesterday but barely entered the nasal canal PLUS it was a rapid test so it's not so accurate and it came back negative. I don't have any cold symptoms like the runny nose and such. Let me get to my actual question.....background wasn't entirely necessary I guess...

Is the IP protocol hindering my immune system in anyway? I'd really like to get better ASAP. I've stayed 100% OP since I started feeling ill but I don't know if the low calorie and carb counts are hurting anything. Thoughts?

I am so happy that the lunch worked out well. There will always be situations where one might be tempted to go off because of some reason, many of them quite understandable. But add one lunch to one birthday to one anniversary to one baby shower to one wedding to one family reunion.....one needs to draw the line in the sand!

That being said I am so proud of you sending the salad back. It is not worth going off IP by not wanting to possibly ruffle feathers. This program teaches to put yourself first and learn to stand up for what is important.

Kudos to you on all sorts of levels.

I feel your pain. My doc has been trying to get to the bottom of my stall, too.

Not everyone gets the reduced appetite from ketosis.
Usually people who weren't insulin resistant to start.
IP works for many people but it doesn't work for everyone.
There is an alternative plan that includes a dairy, a starch and a fruit every day, one in each meal perhaps you want to look into that, especially if you have already determined that this is true hunger and not just cravings and wanting to eat.
Simple answer, you might not be doing anything wrong.
But just to emphasize make sure that you're getting all of your oil, all of your vegetables and eating two salads daily. If you're still super hungry after all of that then perhaps looking into that alternative plan might be a good option for you

I was incredibly hungry for the first month. I was taking an aspirin a day and it was coated with something that I guess had carbs. Once I quit taking it, the hunger disappeared. Check your medications as well as the food you are eating.

Went for my results appointment with my doc today. She was really good to explain all the blood work results with me. Good news is my thyroid seems to be functioning normally. My cholesterol was very low. Even the good cholesterol. She said it was all so low that it matched that of someone with an eating disorder. Good thing I'm in maintenance now so I can incorporate more of those good fats back in my diet. Vitamin D is low as usual but not as low as it's been in the past. Iron was a bit low which is weird considering the amount of protein and veg I eat but hemoglobin is perfect. Otherwise everything looks good. Thought you all would be interested to know the blood work results of a recent IP graduate!

I agree with what RuthAnn posted on this topic- perhaps he has to come to terms with the idea of the changing look of your body and how other men will see you. Rape is not about sexual attraction; it is about power. Maybe have a talk with him about this?

That being said, have you considered carrying pepper spray, taking self-defense classes, etc? That might ease his mind, and would be beneficial for you, too.

This is an AWESOME tradition! I may have to steal it LOL
I have one sister, but then acquired four more sisters and three brothers through remarriages. My family is awesome! Recently, my sis and I started doing cousin dinners with my female cousins. We go once a month and catch up. I want to get my siblings together for regular dinners, too; it is so fun!

Excellent! Welcome!

Wow, glad everything worked out. Usually, most places (even bars) will have a burger you can order plain and bunless.

If I recall correctly, in the past, Lisa has mentioned that the lack of sugars in the IP protocol actaully helps in recovering from illnesses, as the viruses thrive on sugars. On IP, you are starving those buggers! Feel better soon!

I am the youngest of 7 girls. Our "sisters day" is the first Saturday after June 4th, our parents anniversary. We started it 3 years ago, after both parents were gone. No spouses, no children, just us. We have a blast. I wish we had started the tradition sooner.

Thanks! I was hoping that was the answer. 15 pounds in three weeks. No virus is going to stop that momentum if I can help it!

Wow, had no idea. Thanks!

This is an awesome tradition too! We also exclude the spouses, kids and pets! It started because I wanted a weekend to finish all the convos that we sisters had all left hanging because a toddler needed to go potty, a teenager had a fender bender, the dog had an accident on the new rug and dh was having trouble getting the grill lighted or enough ice in the cooler......and wasn't sure where the "big burger tray is..."

Yours sounds really special too...

Reenhag...borrow away!! You are young and can make lots of memories! Our spouses support this, and never felt left out because one day we won't be 5 anymore...and they know we would regret not doing this. I also host sister weekends. I have the most bedrooms in my house, and my kids are both gone...plus we have no pets...and dh goes to vist one of our grown daughters when they all come so we can have a 3 day Pj party. We try to do this about every other year...

In my 10 weeks OP there was once I thought I was getting the flu. I always take a homeopathic treatment when that happens. It was just automatic this time too. It tastes sweet and I instantly thought - carbs! Aaahhh! Nutrition data says 0-0-0 but it did have sucrose in it so I had to make myself feel better by peeing on a ketostix. The flu never did get me!

I know you do Lisa :) Some people have no idea what slow weight loss is or a stall/plateau. I am plugging along though.

I also was positive for the gluten blood test, I don't want the biopsy. She is going to do an ultrasound of my adrenals too, since my mom had Cushings syndrome. I will let you know.

65, Ruth Ann, schenectady and getnlean, I am number 4 of 5 sisters as well! We stay in close touch with a daily ongoing 'group texting' (Hawaii69 is number 3)

How wonderful! I can't imagine not having my large family. The holidays are a crazy chaos that I love, but it is so nice when just the 7 of us get together. Awesome that you have family support for I P too!

Thanks! I got another NSV today, too: one of my MALE colleagues (the art teacher) told me that he could tell I've lost weight. :D

I had a male collegue mention my weightloss today too.... isn't it wonderful?? I know some people get uncomfortable (and I have too on occasion) but when its just a sincere complement I eat it up!! Okay, you would think by not I wouldn't use the word 'eat' like that!! Still learning apparently.. LOL

I haven't caught up to the end of today so maybe people have answered these all but I think
1) you're starting to look smoking hot and your hubby is noticing and thinking everyone else is thinking your as hot now too! (= compliment in a weird way)
2) As someone said, he may be feeling self-conscious about himself. Validate that you appreciate his worries, and that he's right - his wife IS smoking hot -- but isn't he a lucky guy that your eyes are only for him :dizzy:
3) I liked all the other advice given about safety precautions to go over with him to show him you're as prepared as you can be.


I would buy a shaker at Walmart (cheaper than IP) and leave it in your car with a powder packet. You can get a bottle of water at any store/drive through/vending machine to have a cold refreshing shake that won't go bad. I tried adding the powder to a water bottle and made more of a mess than it was worth. Lol (or get a funnel at dollar store -- that would work too)

I'm not sure about "wrong" but you do have BBQ chips for breakfast snack and then an Caramel Nut bar for pm snack = 2 restricteds. Turn one of those into boiled eggs or celery or something. A shake can be much more filling too if you add the ice and make a smoothie. I get 2-3 servings of thick liquid from one shake pack. If the taste is too diluted you can add a shot of a flavour liquid like a DaVinci syrup maybe? Finally, loads of people have mentioned to make a large salad. At work when I make my salad people at first questioned "Is it staff lunch? Are you making that for all of us?"... Nope people -- get your eyes off my prize! :dizzy:

My thoughts are that when I'm on IP I'm taking more vitamins and eating more healthy food than I ever have before so I can't see that hindering your immune system. It is a brutal time of year for illness and tons of people are sick right now. I have all of the above, including sinus and sore throat - we all just keep getting better then giving it back to each other. Just remember to avoid cough syrups etc. that are loaded with sugar

The BBQ chips aren't restricted, they just taste like they should be!

Just a note: BBQ chips are unrestricted

Great minds Hiker! And I didn't realize you and Hawaii were sisters - how cool!

Ruth Ann we must have been typing at the same time! Yes Hawaii has been inspiring me to keep going and her workout schedule will be tough to keep up with when I start maintenance!!

Hello, I M new to this and have been on ideal protein for a month. I am close to my goal weight now because I only had 20 pounds to lose but have not lost much since the first week. I lost 12 pounds the first week and barely 2 since then. I am a bit frustrated. Has this happened to anyone else out there?