I am doing so well but don't want to blow it now..need advise!
Hi
I am very new to this site and am looking for some support as recently I have found myself being okay with a bit of cookie here and a handful of chips there. I MUST get out of this mindset before I blow my entire diet.
I am thinking about going back to day one and being super strict with myself again even cancelling out my restricted snacks (bars) for a couple days until I am back on track.
I have also found this new addiction to Perrier. I drink about a bottle a day. Is this a no no?
Welcome WeeSea: Good that you realize that your cheats are just going to make maintenance harder when you get there. What did you mean about going back to day one? Are you in a different Phase from P1?
It is best not to cut out your restricted if you are feeling the need to have cookie or chips, but choose a restricted that doesn't trigger cravings for you.
Try posting and following the 100% No Cheat Zone thread since those that give it 100% are the most likely to keep it off as maintainers, and not have to redo IP after gaining back thanks to old habits. Several gals on here have been helped by the Beck Diet Solution book - which looks at the emotional and mental aspects of dieting/weight loss/maintenance. Also check out the Maintainers threads for some good advice from those who are keeping it off (some had hundred+ pounds lost and also some maintainers for several years).
Ask questions on the Daily Chat forum thread and there are lots of experienced (and successful) IP'ers who can help.
Hello Weesea and welcome! Hang in there, I know you can do it! I''ll start IP diet next week, so I'm not in your shoes yet, but maybe try to drink some water with lemon slices, eat the unlimited veggies you're allowed, I think is lettuce and cucumbers? (I've been reading a lot of great/helpful information in this forum, and this is a great community and support ) or get here and post when you feel like you're about to cheat or need encouragement, that's what I'm planning on doing
canadjineh that's very good advise, I will follow it too! I also read in other threads about the Beck Diet Solution book, and I am planning on borrowing it from my public library
Hi
I am very new to this site and am looking for some support as recently I have found myself being okay with a bit of cookie here and a handful of chips there. I MUST get out of this mindset before I blow my entire diet.
I am thinking about going back to day one and being super strict with myself again even cancelling out my restricted snacks (bars) for a couple days until I am back on track.
I have also found this new addiction to Perrier. I drink about a bottle a day. Is this a no no?
Weesea - your first step was a good one in looking for advice. You can't fix what you don't admit.....
If that thread is correct, Perrier is fine but I would be more concerned about the "slipping".
The snacking is a hard thing - I have found for me, I absolutely need to be 100% non cookie/chip free because it only led me to eat more that is off the program. A very slippery slope for me.
Some people like me find the restricted bars to be a hot button. If I eat one, I want to eat more, and have in the past. If the sweet bars are a trigger for you, you might want to consider something that does not trigger such a response. That last IP "snack" is important and maybe you can find something that is less sweet and maybe not a trigger?
Last edited by schenectady; 08-05-2014 at 09:12 AM.
Ok so this is why you don't cheat!!
We went to our cabin this weekend. I was feeling really good. Down another lb and positive about getting through the weekend. I brought my IP snacks and my water enhancer, lemons etc. I brought all my veggies and planned the meat portion for the three days. For my family I had some pop for the kids and bought all baked chips except one bag of cheezies for my husband and a bag of m&m's because I knew they would whine if I didn't bring anything. Oh and a birthday cake for my son. A really small one! First day went well. I stayed on plan except a couple of little things. I had a handful of baked chips and about 6 m&m's. Then next morning started out good again but it was my son's birthday so this is where I crashed. I had a hot dog and chips for lunch and then of course I had to have cake. Then that lead to more chips and lots of sunflower seeds around the campfire. Then that lead to m&m's. Hmph. So because my system is all messed up I woke up starving today! I ended up eating toast for the first time in months! I had my IP shake and usually I would have an egg if hungry but I forgot them. Then we were packing up today and my blood sugar hit bottom. So I gobbled some crackers and a cheese string. Still starving and out of protein bars (my daughter swiped my last one) and don't want IP salt and vinegar chips so I ended up eating another hot dog. Finally my blood sugar leveled out and I stopped feeling like I was going to faint. So the moral of the story is don't start in the first place!! Cheating completely messed me up and it was exactly like the IP video where he talks about how eating a bunch of carbs brings us up just to crash and then a cycle begins. The IP way of eating keeps us level and helps to make us more sane when making food choices. Sorry for the long post but I thought I would share in case anyone has a big weekend away planned.
I posted this on an Ideal Protein Facebook page. Hope this helps!
Ok so this is why you don't cheat!!
We went to our cabin this weekend. I was feeling really good. Down another lb and positive about getting through the weekend. I brought my IP snacks and my water enhancer, lemons etc. I brought all my veggies and planned the meat portion for the three days. For my family I had some pop for the kids and bought all baked chips except one bag of cheezies for my husband and a bag of m&m's because I knew they would whine if I didn't bring anything. Oh and a birthday cake for my son. A really small one! First day went well. I stayed on plan except a couple of little things. I had a handful of baked chips and about 6 m&m's. Then next morning started out good again but it was my son's birthday so this is where I crashed. I had a hot dog and chips for lunch and then of course I had to have cake. Then that lead to more chips and lots of sunflower seeds around the campfire. Then that lead to m&m's. Hmph. So because my system is all messed up I woke up starving today! I ended up eating toast for the first time in months! I had my IP shake and usually I would have an egg if hungry but I forgot them. Then we were packing up today and my blood sugar hit bottom. So I gobbled some crackers and a cheese string. Still starving and out of protein bars (my daughter swiped my last one) and don't want IP salt and vinegar chips so I ended up eating another hot dog. Finally my blood sugar leveled out and I stopped feeling like I was going to faint. So the moral of the story is don't start in the first place!! Cheating completely messed me up and it was exactly like the IP video where he talks about how eating a bunch of carbs brings us up just to crash and then a cycle begins. The IP way of eating keeps us level and helps to make us more sane when making food choices. Sorry for the long post but I thought I would share in case anyone has a big weekend away planned.
I posted this on an Ideal Protein Facebook page. Hope this helps!
Sheena - I am sorry you had such a challenging time! I am still trying to work on planning so that I always have a generous and varied supply of IP packages where I can access it. Still a work in progress!
I do try hard not to cheat- by that, I primarily mean that I do not plan or even think that in any given occasion or party, I will eat xyz which is off the program. It does not mean that non IP food does not pass my lips....I have struggled to tame my emotions and to learn how NOT to turn to food for comfort while under stress. Sometimes I win, sometimes I do not.
That is one thing for which I am very grateful that my coach is around and accessible. We are trying to go over my behaviors and emotions and derail that connection a bit.
Hang in there Weesea! I think one of the things that might help you stay accountable with the "nibbles" is to hold yourself accountable in your food diary with those. All the little off-plan bites can really add up...especially when we are trying so hard to stay in ketosis.
As far as restricteds, I think everyone differs in how they deal with them. For me and my SERIOUS sweet tooth, I think the restricteds have been the main reason that I have been able to stay OP since April without cheating. I look forward to my restricted every day and plan to eat when I know I will enjoy it the most (often when my kids are eating their own sweet treats). I enjoy the IP wafers but only have those a few a week since they do seem to trigger me to want more chocolate. I can't have the chocolate soy puffs for that reason. I have had really good luck with Quest Bars (need to get the ones that meet IP guidelines, see altnerative product or quest bar threads). They are sweet but filling....and they do really well traveling as they won't melt like some of the IP wafers/treats.
The Bect Diet Solution Book is amazing and very helpful!
Weesea -- been there, done that, altho not since I started IP a few weeks ago.
First, I should tell you that I am married to Jack Spratt -- a 12-year gastric cancer survivor who has to work hard to keep his weight above 125... that means my kitchen and pantry are loaded with high calorie items that he can graze on -- chips, popcorn, peanut butter and/or cheese crackers, Fiber One Choc Oat bars (yummmmm), M&Ms, and the freezer has Skinny Cow truffle bars, Friendly sundae cups, and bags of frozen strawberries we harvested from the garden. The list of off-program foods, within my easy reach, goes on and on.
I have gotten to where I can walk past those things and not even think twice most of the time, but one thing that seems to help me when I am looking for something between meals, and some cuke or salad has no appeal, is to make myself drink a full 8 oz of water, take a look at my profile photo that also lives on my phone, and give myself 15 minutes of timeout before letting myself actually cheat. That usually gives me time to divert my attention to something else, and get past the urge.
Maybe there is a similar ritual you can create for yourself that will produce a similar effect.
oneuh2; your husband sounds like mine....mine is tall and slim, has always eaten what he wants. The house is full of chips, and popsicles, ice cream bars, cookies, etc, etc, etc....
It kills me, I feel like if I look at this stuff I'll put on weight. But I've gotten pretty good at not wanting it, now especially since I've been on IP.
My trick for the munchies is a big cup of hot tea with little stevia. Fills the belly. The hunger is mostly in your head.
Your homes sound like mine! Dh has problems keeping weight on and he and his brother are the original munch monsters. The whole year I was on P1 I managed to buy all their food and none of it bothered me usually. I banned one food from the house but I figured I was going to have to learn to not eat the carby snacks at some point so I should do it from the start.
Every time I was seriously tempted I would either get on the treadmill and listen to loud rock music on my ipod; drink a cup of hot tea or just go to bed. Surprisingly after a few weeks I quit being tempted for the most part - it just didn't appeal to me any more. I think we can make it a habit to not eat that stuff just like it was a habit to eat it.
What I mean by going back to square one is that maybe I should go back to being as strict with the diet now as I was when I first started 37lbs ago. I just feel that now I have become a little slack because I am doing so well and am seeing such great changes in the mirror.
Again, thanks for your advise about the snacks. Today I went to see my coach, told him how I was feeling and he gave me some new treats to enjoy like the chips because the lemon wafer bars were a serious trigger for me.
Looking forward to what the scales show next week
Looks like you've got this Weesa -- you have a good plan and some sour/salty snacks instead of sweet. I remember last summer when we were in the boat and e1 was eating chips, I would take 3 or 4, break them in small bites, suck the flavour off the chip, then throw it in the water leaving a little trail of chip bits floating by. My boys were aghast that I would waste their good snacks. I didn't want to eat them, just wanted a "taste". I'm so glad now for the IP chips so I no longer have to spit 'em out. LOL
I am doing so well but don't want to blow it now..need advise!
Hang in there, I know you can do it! 
I''ll start IP diet next week, so I'm not in your shoes yet, but maybe try to drink some water with lemon slices, eat the unlimited veggies you're allowed, I think is lettuce and cucumbers? (I've been reading a lot of great/helpful information in this forum, and this is a great community and support ) or get here and post when you feel like you're about to cheat or need encouragement, that's what I'm planning on doing 
