Any other "pear shapes" out there? I'd be interested in swapping notes about how the fat loss is distributed with IP on a pear shape..

I'm a little concerned that I may end up with no boobs and a huge butt if it comes off the top first.

canadjineh- I hope to skip sizes too! ;) I've been 100% OP since day one, and I sometimes wonder if there's something else I should be doing. I see one coach every week, so always the same person measures me. She lost weight with IP diet, and her before and after picture is part of the clinic's advertisement. She's nice, but I sometimes think she's not very knowledgeable, when I ask something if she doesn't know the answer, she makes sure to find out for me, therefore I'm so thankful for having very knowledgeable and helpful ladies in this forum! :hug:

You're probably right, I'm maybe losing fat from around my organs. Last month I started at 45% Fat and I'm still at 45% fat, but I've lost lbs. and inches, so what is it from, water? She told me that it doesn't show difference right away, that normally they do those readings after a couple of months into the program, and she told me that my BMI went down, so that's very important, obviously it went down because I've lost 21lbs. She assure me I wasn't losing muscle because I was taking the IP products.

Ariel13: I wouldn't worry too much about the 'fat vs lean mass' machine measurement. They are not that dependable and if you have a very high body fat % (I don't mean to sound mean) to start with, they don't measure past a certain point. If you've lost that much weight and inches you have lost fat, no doubt about it! Good goin'! Have you noticed any difference in the fit of your clothes, rings, watchbands? Bet you will see those inches drop pretty dramatically soon...

Liana

Thanks canadjineh :hug: Yes, I'll try to stop thinking too much about it ;) I know I have high fat % I was very shock myself! That's why since I have such high fat % I thought I would lose "volume" faster. YEs, I've noticed difference with some of my clothes, they're getting too big! :carrot: Actually today, a coworker told me that I'm "transforming" and my weight loss was noticeable, people around me see it, but I don't, I keep on seeing myself the same way. I only "know" because my pants and shirts are looser.

I've never known what shape I am, can you please describe them?

The minds a funny thing, I've lost 51 lbs and I still see myself the same too! I take a lot of pictures because it helps to really See myself, and even then I'm not so sure! I sent my daughter two pictures the other day, I thought I could see the difference but again I wasn't "sure" thought maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, and she said she could definitely tell. I'll try to upload the pics on here in a while.

You're doing a great job!! Just let IP do the work!! :)

Briael- you will find that your weight distribution is very different when losing with IP. I've always had a lot of cushion on my upper thighs and hips and when I hit goal last time I was very slim in both these areas. It did not however increase my bust :(. And I wasn't left with much unfortunately...
Ariel- I would have to second canadianeh. The body composition monitors used are far from reliable (the readings will differ drastically depending on how well hydrated you are). I don't know about you, but for me the last thing I want to do before a weigh in is guzzle a boatload of water- the scale is sure to show me a much higher number if I do. So... I accept the fact that the body comp data will be skewed.
Even if you have the same coach measuring every time if they hold the measure differently or even slightly change the spot this can greatly effect the reading. The best measure is you. You know how your tops, pants, underwear fit before and only you can gauge how they feel now. And with your great losses it can only be assumed that everything is at least much more comfortable if not loose. Sometimes trying on things from your closet that were previously a bit too tight or ill fitting can really help highlight your loss. You're doing awesome and have such a positive attitude- just keep going and everything will fall into place.

I wrote the post above last night- before I saw the last set of responses!
So...
Ariel- congrats!! If people are noticing and you are noticing looser fitting clothes- that is awesome! Our brain really does play tricks on us with rapid weight loss. We still see ourselves as we were. I just remember feeling like I was the same but the clothes looked better. Give yourself time- your eyes will catch up.
A pear shape is smaller on the top, rounder on the bottom
An apple shape is rounder in the upper body (bust and belly) and tends to have slimmer legs
An hourglass is round in the bust, slimmer in the waist and rounder in the hips thighs
A banana is roughly proportionate from top to bottom.
When you get to goal there is a website where you can input your measurements and it will tell you which category you fall into. This can make shopping simpler as you can look up ahead of time which styles and even brands will suit your body type best... Hope this helps...

I see Refreshingme answered for you above, in a much better manner than I could. :)

Thank you for your response, that helps a great deal. Both of the previous diets (WW and a combination of calorie control/gym) saw me losing disproportionately from the top and still having a Kim Kardashian butt. You've given me hope that I may be able to bring my shape more into line with what I'd like. :)

@Ariel, I'm in the same boat. I've lost NO inches, but 12 pounds. And my clothes fit slightly differently around my bust, but my pants still fit the same. I'm kind of confused, because 12 pounds is a lot. My husband says he sees it around my face. LOL

Good morning Augustuns!

Hoping that everyone is full of steely resolve to stick to plan, and that our Monday weigh-in folks have some good results to share! :)

Good Afternoon IPers,

So this weekend was my sisters wedding, and I went off plan for 2 days :(
I weighed myself this morning and only gained .7 of a pound. I thought for sure I was going to hop on the scale and it be up 5+ pounds, but it wasn't. I found that even though I went off plan I didn't stuff my face or eat till my tummy was going to burst. I'm back on plan today, and plan to stay 100% OP for the remainder of my Phases.

I had a question for those of you who have slipped up and had a cheat day.
Did you have horrible heart burn immediately after eating bread or sugar?
I ate lasagna and as soon as I ate it, I had the worst heart burn!!

Staying away from bread and sugar has sure helped with my acid reflex and Colitis, and just my over all health and how I feel.

I just have to share I met my 12, 000 steps and went over by 836. 6.06 miles! Two months ago I was stuck in my house afraid to walk in case of panic attacks. I'm so happy! I'm praising myself ala Beck. ;)

Great job! That's fantastic distance!!!

I started on 8/11 and have been doing great but I guess I'm not getting a period this month. Anyone else have this problem.

Im the opposite ive been on mine since the second week.

Ohhhh, I don't know... you might get a surprise later when your body catches up to what is going on...
BTW **important note** make sure you have extra birth control methods in place as hormones are out of alignment with the high fat loss, and the pill, etc doesn't always do the job. There have been a number of IP pregnancies, lol. It's a 20+ year booboo. :o

Liana

I am officially down 14.8 pounds, in 5 weeks! Very exciting. I just think about how many times I've resolved to start dieting (tomorrow) and then days, weeks and months pass. I've really reminded myself this week that dedication and putting myself in uncomfortable situations can prove results. :) Have a happy weekend everyone.

Congrats newsluv! You sound very happy and positive- it is infectious so thank you very much for sharing!
Nodee- great job on taking so many, many steps toward your new self!
Shelby- have the heartburn issues resolved?
Laurie- mine has disappeared many times over the course if my IPIing experiences. It does return but it's irregular.
I am glad there are stil so many of us kicking around in here!:carrot:
Trying, trying to work on my patience. It helps
To focus on one day/ week at a time... Rather than the finish line which can seem oh so far away. I know it will get here.

I initially posted this in the wrong place. I'm not very good at knowing where to post:

I just wanted to share (hope this is the right place) that I just lost another 3.5 lbs. this week doing IP alternatives (as I am allergic to most IP and other products).

18 lbs. since Aug. 8th isn't bad considering I'm 54 and have PCOS, hypothyroid and am allergic many things including gluten and sucralose. When there's a will, there's a way. :carrot:

I finally got my ticker right so I think we're good!

Wow Adventuregirl! You are doing so well especially when you have so many additional food challenges. What a great number!
You are free to post this in the daily chat, here or the weight loss challenge (not sure if you're participating??)... Or all of the above :wink:... We have to shout our victories from the rooftops after all!
On that note I am pleased that Weigh in number five provided me with another 1.6 loss. I'm inching ever closer to my pre pregnancy #4 weight. Five more pounds. And I can't seem to help myself from forecasting; trying to predict which week will be the one I will get there. It's a great way to drive myself crazy. Cause I know I'll get there. So I keep telling myself "patience, patience".

Started August 25
 

Down 17 pounds to date.

This week was slowest ever...only down 1 lb and less than an inch

Suggestions on kicking things up a notch for next week?

Are you doing any form of exercise at all? I've found that I am losing fairly decently, but I am walking for at least 30 mins (maximum 60) per day and I'm quite active around the home all day.

I try to keep my heart rate low enough that it doesn't get into a range where my muscles need more fuel than the ketones my body has produced from fat burning. That way lies muscle loss where they convert to glycogen to be used as you have no instantly available food stores to use.

Don't know if it's of interest to you, but Sparkpeople offer a "tracker" for something like $10, which records all your physical activity during a normal day (steps you take etc). If you don't want to splurge on something like a garmin or an app for the cellphone, this is a cheaper, clip on version that may help you realise the difference between active days and less active ones.

I have been walking a couple of times a week...will try to make it more regular this week.

I'll chime in and join this thread as I'm an August starter who was just too shy to post earlier. I started on August 3 and am down 20 lbs. Hoping to break the stall I've been in the past two weeks (only 1lb losses and minimal inches) at my WI on Friday.

Welcome, Lexukc!
You are doing awesome! :carrot: You started about the same time that I did. Sometimes small weight loss weeks are followed by big ones.

I hope you will keep posting. I've always been very quiet about my weight and my weight loss attempts. I'm finding this community is helping me come out of my shell. In my "real" life, I am becoming able to talk about it more.

Can't wait to hear from you again!

Had my weight in today..... sorry to say no loss. But I didn't gain either. I have stayed on plan 100% for 37 days and will continue. I did lose about 1 inch.

I'm kind of a lurker too :). But, I just wanted to chime in on the "mini stalls" when you are 100% OP. I had a week where I didn't lose much and only lost 1/2", but the next two weeks that followed were decent. I wasn't getting enough veggies. I now keep a bag of cukes near me at all times to snack on throughout the day.

Thanks for the support everyone! It's so nice to have such a great base of support here!

Hello Wonderful August Starters!! ;)

Can you believe we're starting October already?! :o I've been very busy with work, extracurricular activities, and I enrolled in graduate school, but I still come by and read your posts, I just don't have much time to write a post :( I want to let you know that I am very happy that we're still following IP and I'm very proud of everyone's achievements!! :hug: Congratulations to everyone!! Also, thank you for your continued support! :hug: Today was my 7th WI, and in total I've lost 36lbs :carrot: and yes, I've been 100% OP since day one :D I still have a long way to go, but I'm closer to it every day :D Good luck to everyone!:carrot::carrot:

Glad so many are still doing well. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a whoosh at my WI on Friday, as it's been three solid weeks of 1lb - but hey, that's still three pounds down!

It's great to see the quieter members posting. :)

Don't forget that there are many things that contribute to not losing - water retention if you have a little more salt, ToM, hormones, constipation, not drinking enough water or not having enough carbs to stop your body from panicking and generating glycogen.

On IP it is important to make sure you eat all that you are supposed to eat. Unlike a conventional diet where if you eat less you lose more, IP is the other way round. If you eat too little your body panics about not having enough and stops burning fat and the liver starts producing glycogen, which defeats the purpose of the protocol.

I don't like lettuce, so I don't have it, but I do keep an eye on the carbs in each of the different packets and try to balance it between 30 and 35 per day.

October!!!
 

:carrot::carrot::carrot:

So happy it is October! I have traveled most of September and will be traveling again in mid-October. It has thrown me into a routine of weighing in every two weeks. Even with all the travel, I've managed to continue to lose weight at a steady rate. I haven't always been perfect, but I've always tried to keep my protein, carbs and calories in line with IP principles. My first trip was difficult. My second trip, I really came with a game plan of how I was going to stay 100%, and I have done so much better.

So far, it has been easy. I hope I am as strong as those of you who have faced weeks of disappointment.

I just saw the one year thread that the October 2013 IP'ers recently started. It is awesome to see their success. While I am living one day at a time, I can't help thinking about us all in August 2015!

Keep it up, August friends!

I'm glad to learn that you're doing well and continue to lose weight :cheer:
lexuck- Many here pray to the IP gods for help with weight loss (and it seems to work! :o ) , so I'll pray to them so you can have a good WI tomorrow :carrot: But, just like you said, a pound is still a pound, and that's a good loss! Good luck tomorrow! :carrot:
Briael- I'm glad you're still posting, and even though I don't post daily like before, I do read the posts, but I will try my best to post at least a couple of time a week because it feels good to communicate with you because we understand each other and you're a great support! :D
Lose2Win- :hug: You're awesome for sticking to the plan when you travel so much!!! I'm happy to find out you're doing so well!! :D You're right about the October 2013 thread, I just visited it too, and I also couldn't help to imagine that's going to be us next year too!! Time goes by so fast, I still remember when we just started IP back in August! Keep up the good work :carrot:

:dust: for everyone! :carrot:

I was so happy to see this thread on the first page again (and on the top no less!). And to read posts from you again Ariel, I really missed your cheeriness. Life has been busy getting into that September swing of things where all the extracurriculars start up again. We are going away for four days to the mountains and taking the VIA (a passenger train) to get there. I have all my food packed, hope finding a P1 dinner falls into place without too much difficulty. I am really happy that people have started to acknowledge a change in me. Very encouraging. And I do look forward to 10 months from now when we are celebrating our IP anniversary. One day at a time and we'll all get there.

Is it just me or is time starting to speed up now that we're firmly in the routine of the IP diet? At first I felt like I was living between meals, clock watching and listening to my stomach growl in complaint. Now I get hungry, but it's more like a sensation than that gnawing "eat now or else" feeling.

Yes!! I completely agree. I used want to get to the end of the diet so I could eat "normal" foods again. Now I just want to get to the end to be a lean, healthier me. I am much more content with the foods.

Isn't it awesome to feel hungry sometimes? I don't think I had felt that feeling in a long time prior to IP. And when I eat my IP food, even if it is something small, I am content.

Great observation, Briael!

My last weight in lost 3.5 lbs. Very happy with that will have my next weight on Tuesday so far scale has not moved but will stay positive that I will lose something between now and then. Have about 15 lbs to reach goal. I have a roast and turnips in the crock pot and roasting cauliflower and garlic for dinner. Happy with my progress.

Really enjoy reading everyone comments and tips, they are the best.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Yay, the whoosh fairy visited - finally! Lost 4lbs at my WI on Friday. I am so excited to be down 28lbs since starting IP.

RefreshingMe- :wave: How you've been?! :hug: I'm happy to see you're doing well and that you continue to be an active poster :) Good luck on your trip to the mountains, that really sounds very relaxing! You're doing a great job staying OP :D
Briael - I feel the same as you Briael, time goes by so quick, I know I've been very, very busy, but it seems that my WI's come faster, before I would count the days, now I don't even notice how days fly so fast! I also don't live to eat, like I did before, now I eat because I have to or because my stomach growls just like yours! hahaha, I hear my stomach growl almost every day, and I don't even know if that's out of hunger or because it's upset. I hope this feeling continues because I have many more months to go.
bolt - Congratulations on your weight lost!:carrot::carrot: Wow! Only 15 lbs. to reach goal, that's awesome!!! :hug:
lexukc - YAY!!! :carrot: I see that my prayers to the IP gods to help you did the miracle!!!! :cp: Congratulations on your weight loss!! :D

I will go for my WI on Wednesday, I think I've lost weight, well, I don't know how many, but inches for sure because the pants I was wearing last week now fit me loose :bunny2: I'm super happy, but these pants are the smallest size I own, I've gone from size 18 to 12! :D My sister advised me to go to a thrift store and get me some pants with elastic or stretchy pants because I look funny wearing loose, oversized pants. I might go this weekend and get me smaller sizes because we shouldn't spend money on clothes until we get to our goal weight. I was thinking I wanted to be a size 8, that's the smallest size I've ever been, but now I think I want to be a size 6. Do you ladies have a size in mind? :dust: for everyone!!:hug: