Here is a question for this group.

All of us are going to be IP-ing for a long time. Most of the time I stay focused on the day or week ahead. But when I think about doing this for months and months, it feels discouraging. A good WI for me is 1-3 lbs, but sometimes that feels like a drop in the bucket.

What kinds of things do you do/think/say to your self to stay motivated for the long run?

I try to keep my scope narrow, "one day at a time", if I think about it as drops in the bucket I do get discouraged. I have co-workers doing this diet with 50 lbs or less to loose who have either reached goal or are almost there. I get sad thinking it will be a whole YEAR before I can relax a bit. However, every day I am a day closer. Every pound I am a pound closer. I even get discouraged sometimes looking at folks on here who started around the same time / same weight and seem to be dropping weight so much faster. It makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong. So, for me, I have to keep my head down and my eyes focused right in front of my feet. One trudging step at a time.

I guess in short I'm saying that I'm trying to learn to succeed DESPITE discouragement. I can't keep quitting because it's hard. It will never be easier than it is RIGHT NOW. I will never be younger. I think it's a lie I've tried to tell myself that somehow I have to ENJOY every moment of this journey -- I won't. I will enjoy the fruits of the labor. This is how I'm getting through. :)

I know 1-3 lbs a week doesn't seem like much, but it really adds up quickly. As an illustration for my own purposes, I used to add up the pounds lost per week (for people who have that listed in their signatures) because I didn't believe it could really add up to what they'd lost - but even those single pound weeks add up incredibly over time. Find someone who's been doing this for a while who has their weekly losses listed and add it up yourself. The power of time is amazing!

As far as not getting discouraged, I try not to think too far ahead. My goal has always been to drop to the next range of numbers (like 199, 189) and not think too much about goals beyond that.

I also realized during a particularly difficult time (when I was in the 230s) that I was so happy with my progress up to that point that I'd be willing to continue with IP just to maintain my losses. That thought got me through that time and also motivated me to keep going (because if I continue with IP I will lose, not just maintain).

I also think the longer you do it the more confident you become and therefore less discouraged. I've been through holidays, birthdays, vacations and many temptations while on IP, so I know I can keep doing it.

And, as of today, I am unofficially at 100 lbs lost and I am excited to keep going!

100 lbs, AMAZING!!! :) Congrats!! And I agree with what you say, the lbs do add up quickly, a 1-3 lb loss a week is good!!

congratulations Peppertree!!!!!! WOOHOO!

And I agree that looking at the long term picture can be discouraging. So most of us focus on one day at a time, one week at a time, one mini goal at a time. I just hit my 50 pound mini goal so my new focus is on my halfway point which is 16 pounds away. If I focus on the small goals, they will eventually get me to the finish line.

I figure that I have a choice: Next year at this time I can either be significantly lighter in weight (if I stay on IP) or I can still be fat (if I quit). I choose to be lighter next year at this time. I always keep that in mind. No matter how slow going it seems, I am better every week than I was the last week.

and honestly...the years go by so fast. We are almost to Christmas already! Next year will be here before we know it! It is a little like driving in a car. If you stare straight ahead (at the ultimate goal) it seems like the car is driving slowly but if you look directly out of the side window you can see the world going by so fast! If we focus on the end result it is going to seem like it is going slower than it is.

Thank you!

Oh and also, I have a planned cheat on the horizon. This isn't for everyone but I promised my son that no matter how much I weighed on New Years Eve, I will uphold our tradition of having sushi on New Years Eve. So on NYE no matter where I am in the program, I will have sushi, a glass of champagne and potentially 1 other alcoholic drink (glass of wine maybe?). And then right back on P1 the next day. That keeps me going too. Ideally, I'd like to be in onederland on that day but we will see.

Part of what keeps me going is knowing where I'd be if I didn't.

I have dieted so many times and gained it all back plus some each time. P1 has become a way of eating that is routine and fits my lifestyle. I know I can live with it and slowly loose, but if I fall off the wagon now I will almost definitely regain. I don't feel like my head is in the right place yet to successfully maintain my loss without seeing this through to goal and transitioning into a long-term healthy eating plan.

Thanks for all the great responses to my question! They came just in time; I just got back from a -1 WI.

I am going to focus on this week. My goals for this week are to continue at 100% OP and to try one new recipe (i think boredom with my current menus is behind some of my lack of motivation).

Congrats, Peppertree!! So inspiring!

One recipe that has made all the difference for me is the English muffin from pancake mix. I buy the unrestricted mix from Nashua Nutrition, make them on Friday, and take them with me when heading to my sister's for the weekend along with some ham. 1 muffin and 2 oz meat is pretty close in protein to a packet and lets me feel like I'm eating normally while everyone else is having lunch.

1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
3/8 tsp baking soda
1 tablespoon milk (from daily allotment)

Mix all ingredients and pour into two egg rings in a pan over low heat. Cover and cook until set (dull on top and sides starting to pull away from the rings.) Remove from rings, turn over, and cook a few more minutes.

FYI - I use the whole egg and count the yolk as part of my oil for the day, but you could use just the white and oil separately

I hate that people call this a "cheat".

I know it is controversial (read the early parts of the 90% thread) and have resisted saying this before, but for those of us with a really long way to go I feel like planned breaks are necessary.

1) Some people develop thyroid issues from long-term really low calorie diets.

2) It is one thing to say "It's just one Christmas, you can eat [insert food of choice] next year" to someone who can loose all they need to in less than a year. It's another to think about year after year without being able to have that special holiday treat or continue in certain traditions that you value for more than just the food they revolve around.

3) Mentally, knowing when I will be off plan again helps me stick to it the rest of the time. I miss fruit a lot. But, knowing that I will be able to have apples at Thanksgiving makes it easier to not eat them now. I've been doing IP for nearly a year and probably have at least another year before goal. Two years without fruit is just sad to me and I refuse to consider it a "cheat" when I do choose to eat one during a planned break.

I have intentionally taken ~2 weeks breaks every 3ish months to let my body know it will get full calories again at some point and keep it guessing. Ketosis is the body's back up method for when there was no food to hunt or gather. We weren't intended to live in this metabolic state for years on end.

I plan my breaks around an event that I really don't want to feel this restricted at. I still eat reasonably, but do indulge in off plan items. Some posters have commented that by planning a break around an event, we aren't learning to deal with life's challenges, but I greatly disagree. I am dealing with them all the time. Lunches with co-workers, many family birthday celebrations, weekend trips, baking cookies and cake with my nephew without a single lick or bite, etc. But just like maintenance has the fun day that is then followed by a P1 day, I choose to have some time off that is immediately followed by getting right back on plan.

I'm sure some people on this board will think I'm not really following IP because of this and they are welcome to think that. I disagree that this diet has to be 100%, 100% of the time in order to be successful. My goal is to get to a healthy weight, without damaging my body in the process, while learning to keep that weight off for the rest of my life. Ideal Protein has allowed me to do that better than any other diet I have been on.

Am I lengthening the time I will be in P1? Absolutely. But what's the point of reaching goal if I've compromised by body's ability to maintain that new weight. 2 years of full time 100% vs 2 and a half or 3 years where I've not stressed over Christmas dinner or spending a week baking my best friend's 3-tier wedding cake. I'm in it for the long haul and I have chosen a path that doesn't lead to beating myself up over "cheat". A few extra months doesn't matter to me if I get to spend the rest of my life at a healthy weight.

I am about 10lbs away from hitting 100 (which will be in 7 months since starting IP) ...

I think the thing that keeps me motivated in the beginning was I told all my co-workers and friends what I was doing ... That kept me accountable so I could not cheat. Every week they would guess how much I lost after my weigh-in and my co-workers excitement kept me excited.

I now how have several mini goals

1) to do a high ropes obstacle course end of this month
2) to ride a horse again
3) to do a 5k walk/run in November
4) to do a 5K run on the anniversary that I started IP.

Great topic today. I do try to not dwell on how far I need to go. I look at this one day at a time. However since this is my second time around within 2 years I look at this differently than the first time. Instead of seeing a goal within a years time, I see a new lifetime way of eating. I am however using some days as P2 instead of P1 this time. I had a EAS shake for breakfast today, will have a large salad at lunch with some chicken breast or Tuna for lunch, and ground turkey with lots of veggies for dinner. I will have a restricted bar for later in the evening. There is no date of being done for me, but at some point I hope to add fruits and dairy back. I take the supplements and drink the water per protocol.

The last time I did IP from 6/2012 thru 6/2013 I did not add any extra packets, unless I was exercising. So from 355 to 180 I had 2 packets a day 1 restricted. I followed P1 protocol fully that time. This time I'm doing I'd say 50%/50% between P2 and P1. The losses are about the same for me, but I'm still on the higher end of the amount to go, this may change as I get down with less to lose.

Anyway bottom line is I'm trying to make this a life long doable plan that I can stick to with a few modifications when I am at the weight I want to maintain, rather than even thinking about "having" to open anther packet. I couldn't bring myself to get back to the P1 idea when I hit goal. P2 or P3 is where I need my head to be for the rest of my days if I want to stay in a more normal weight range. For new it IP or first time through for certain I highly recommend sticking to the protocol written in the order written. Phase off as written. Don't give up! I have a lot of regrets for not being a maintainer the first time (my mother was ill a long time, she passed away, and other life happenings - but yes I should have taken care of me along with others - I know this), but I'm not beaten. I'm back with a new mind set/understanding, and a new plan for maintenance.

Congrats! That's 1 pound gone for good!! I know that can be disappointing, two weeks ago I lost 1.2, but the last couple of weeks have been better. As long as you are moving in the right direction and staying 100%, that weight will come off!


Peppertree - WTG on your 100 lbs!! :D


As for me, I'm taking it one day, sometimes one meal at a time. I do think ahead about where I'll be in two months, Christmas, my nephew's wedding in April, etc. but not focusing on losing x pounds at a certain pace.

Do you ever watch Dr 90210? It's a cosmetic (and remedial) plastic surgery show that covers liposuction and skin removal on occasions.

What keeps me motivated is knowing that my insides look like some of the patients - full of yellow lumpy fat that is stretching my skin and coating the organs that I need to live.

On the weeks when the scales don't move too far (and I know that there will be weeks when they don't) I'm going to keep telling myself that my heart isn't having to work so hard because it may be half a pound lighter in fat.

It's easy to see how far we have to go and get discouraged. Many of the successful 100+ losers make small goals along the way so they have lots of achievements to distract them from how many more goals are needed. Some people buy clothes in smaller sizes and regularly check whether they can get into them, do them up, wear them outside.

The problem for me is that my brain is focused on the scale, and sometimes scales aren't a good indicator of what is happening during the IP regime, because so much of it happens internally rather than visually. This is why NSVs are so important.

Any time you're feeling low on willpower, just come here and pour it out. :)