Hi Mimi,
Yes, my coach's scale does do that, but she hasn't printed it out for me. I will have to ask her to do that next time so I can take it home and actually pay attention to all the measures and see where I'm at and can focus on improving those numbers as opposed to my overall weight.

She said I'm in the healthy range for everything except that if I should slightly increase my water % (I think I was just below 50 maybe?) and that would help with the BMI, cuz my BMI I want to say was 26.1 or something? I'm just in the overweight range --- again, this is all from memory so I could be off with those numbers.

I should mention, that the last time I did IP I got to my lightest weight and I was doing only pilates until I got to phase 3. I think it definitely helped me tone, but I probably didn't gain a bunch of muscle because my weight fell rather quickly without hitting much of a stall throughout the process. That being said, when I did get to phase 3 and 4 I found it tough to get back to the gym and doing intense exercise.

I would follow what Scorbett mentioned, she's a vet when it comes to IP! I'm not sure what the exact IP protocol is, I think it partly depends on the coach.

I am actually following Pro Energy - it's basically a new line that many IP coaches in western Canada have switched to.

I'm basically following the same protocol minus the odd difference, one of which being that exercise is actually encouraged on this program. The advertise to exercise something like 20 or 30 minutes a day, but I was pretty active before I decided to reboot so my coach said I could keep up with my workouts as long as I felt I had the energy and wasn't getting dizzy.

I've felt perfectly fine in keeping up with my workouts, but my weight isn't falling off this time around like it has with IP in the past. This could very well be because I'm working out, but since I'm not ready to give it up I'm hoping I can get over this hump and then things will start coming together again. My workouts are a combination of cardio and weights - bootcamp type classes and kettlebell classes.

I should also mention, it's currently TOM, so that may have also hindered my last two weigh ins... although, in the past, on IP, I never found I had many issues during TOM.

My coach told me not to exercise intensely for the first few weeks, and I read somewhere that I should only do some mild exercise during P1 such as walking for 30-40 mins 3,4 times a week. So I stopped training taekwondo and went on the bike for 30-40 mins several times a week. Now as Scorbett said, cardio is not recommended, and weight training is permitted. I am kinda a bit confused here. Have I been doing the wrong thing?

Best place to ask questions is the daily thread, where you're not just asking newbies.

Re: exercise
After your body has acclimates to ketosis, you can add it back in slowly. If you're doing fine with bike riding, then do that. I'm preferring yoga (which is a strength building and and stretch at the same time). I noticed someone mentioning Pilates earlier. This is a strength and toning exercise as well. It doesn't have to be weight training to build strength.

Hi all, I'm feeling discouraged today. In the last two plus weeks, my weight has hardly budged. I lingered at 172 for over a week around Thanksgiving and TOM, and then dropped to about 170.6, but now I've been staring at that number for over a week. I think I set my sights too high by losing 6.5 in my first week and my coach telling me he expected from that first week that I might lose about 4-4.5 a week, but now I can't help but get on the scale every morning and get frustrated staring at the same number. I know the answer is to be patient and let it run its course, but I can't help but try to make sense of it. Am I just a really slow loser? Am I doing something wrong? I've been 100% OP with the only exception being an occasional egg white, so all I can think is that I'm stressed out over exams (because I am), but would that affect it? I know that this isn't quite the plateau that others experience, but I'm just feeling frustrated and wish there was something within my control I could do to get things going. More lettuce perhaps? Even more water? I tend to get my 4 cups of veg without much lettuce in the mix because salads that are just lettuce + cucumbers feel the most like diet food to me, and I'm not a fan of mushrooms. Do I need to suck it up and add a salad a day?

First of all, looking at your numbers I will say shame on your coach for setting that kind of expectation with you. My first time on IP, I had over 70lbs to lose. I lost 10lbs my first week, and then lost an AVERAGE of 2-3lbs per week. 4lbs per week was NOT a realistic expectation to set.

Second - it sounds like you are really emotionally attached to what the scale says. Because of that, I would recommend that you STOP weighing anytime other than your weekly weigh in. Weight fluctuates through the week and through individual days. It's normal. But if it's going to have you hyperexamining your eating and thinking that you're doing something wrong (which you're not) - you need to get away from the scale for a while.

Last - and if you have read other threads you have seen this before - WEIGHT LOSS IS NOT LINEAR. Meaning, it's not going to be a straight, steady downward slope. You may have a week or two of 2lb losses and then a week of nothing or next to nothing on the scale. It's normal - the body takes time to adjust along the way. Your body may not lose pounds in a week but it may lose inches. Weight loss is not just measured on the scale.

A little over a week at the same weight is NOT a plateau. SEVERAL weeks with zero change in weight AND inches is a plateau. So relax - you are doing everything right, and the diet is working. Use this time to figure out why you are getting emotionally attached to the numbers on the scale, and how to control that so it doesn't stress you out unnecessarily. Hang in there!

Scorbet, thanks for your cheerleading. I hope I'm not alone in feeling emotional about this whole process or being anxious for it to work. I've tried so many diets that have done nothing for me that when this one actually showed results and my coach made that comment, I got my hopes up too high. I'm still working on trusting the diet and need to also work on not picking apart every little thing that I do. I hadn't expected to feel so emotional about all of this, which I guess may be naive.

Sorry to be the needy poster this week, everybody!

Here's a hug for anybody else out there who needs it.

Thanks Lisa, I actually searched the forum and found some old posts on it. I think I will stick with my bike riding till I reach my goal and then go back to normal training.

That is really strange that they would not let you buy extra food. My clinic is happy for me to buy anything I want. This actually turned into an issue with me as I was spending over$150/week but I am very happy with the variety. I have a whole shelf full of IP food. My favs are the vanilla drink (with 4oz of coffee with a shaker andice), the mint Choc bar, Brocco/ched soup and the premade puddings.)
Great start good luck!!

Morning ladies!

MaPetiteChoux - You are doing soooo good, I would second what scorbett says in regards to weighing each morning! Stop checking the scale, it's a hard habit to break, but I am sure you will feel better once you do. Wait for your weekly weigh in, it might help bring the stress down too as you won't get nervous for each morning!

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All good from me! I survived a work potluck yesterday and stuck to my salad and IP Jello. I'm pretty pleased as there were really tasty things there. I knew I would feel worse about myself if I had even a little, so I stuck to it 100% and am feeling good.

My Dad is in the hospital and I am taking him to the cafeteria for dinner tonight. I will bring something from home to eat with him, I think. I would rather that then have to order special and risk it not being OP.

Happy hump day!

Yes, it would. Stress increases cortisol in your body, which does inhibit weight loss. I agree with the others -- try to stay off the scale for a few days. My weight goes up and down up to 3 pounds over the course of a single day!

MaPeptiteChoux - I agree with Scorbett, shame on your coach for setting unrealistic expectations for you!! Hopefully you'll feel better going forward though. I don't know if this is something that will work for you but I've only allowed myself to weigh myself one time during the week aside from my weekly weigh ins. It helps me get my mind off the number and instead I focus on how my clothes are fitting and how good I feel. You could try something like that? Also, you are losing, and that's good! Everyone seems to have their low or no loss weeks, but then they also have weigh loss weeks to balance it out. Remember, most other diets you can expect to lose 1-1.5 lbs per week. From your stats I can see you've lost 14 lbs!!! That's amazing!! Weight loss is a journey, appreciate the little victories as you go!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Hi There!
Great to have another Bostonian on the thred!

Best wishes!
Cheers!
Heidi

Welcome from another Mass**** I'm south of Boston!

Thanks, that is a great idea! My coach just weighed and measured but I will ask this week.