Slip - I love "you're doing great today and that's wonderful". This is so much work and I know for me it is often one day or one meal at a time. I think my DH gets sick of hearing me talk about what I will eat or won't eat. Like you said Slip, "we need to work the program" I often think about maintence like AA, and working the steps, the strategies and one day at a time. It's for life so that we have a life.
Rayze- I hope life has calmed down for you. sounds like your body has repsponded well to P3. I wonder about easing into P4 maybe just adding a carb once a week or some snacks and see how your body responds. Look at what are you eating maintainers thread for some ideas.
Vachincy - I'm enjoying watching the oscars now, I really enjoyed the opening number with Neil Patrick Haris. I have so many movies still to watch. I'm glad that you are trying to find time for you you deserve it. Keep chugging along you can do it.
It's supposed to be another frigid day, I think they are saying it will fell like -30 or -35 tomorrow morning. I had a good P1 day but noticed towards the evening that I started to go off track which was annoying because I worked hard all day but I felt like a bit like a small train that could not stop. I got out of the kitchen and ca,e upstairs to brush my teeth. Tomorrow is another day and will focus on a meal at a time. I need to go buy more P1 food.
Hi to everyone and hope you have a great start to the week
Thank you for your posts Slip, Rayze, and Vachi about making time for ourselves and staying in the present while being aware of the big picture. This fits with what I have thought about this week while taking off up pounds. I've taken off 5 of the 6 since last Tuesday and I'll just keep going.
Did a lot of pruning this weekend. Things are starting to leaf out because of the unseasonably warm weather. I have a cottage style garden in front without grass. Replaced a rose bush that was not in a good place with a floribunda bare root.
Last night, walked through the dept store, browsing through size small and felt like an imposter in the wrong section. I'll get used this at some point.
Well one week from today I will be starting P2. I am terrified. P1 has been a no brainier as we were so restricted but it worked and can't say I was ever hungry. I am not quite at the second goal I set. Have already reached my first goal and decided I would go until the end of Feb and then head into maintenance. I am in Florida for the winter and need to be maintaining before I head home in April. I don't want to cut the phases short so feel I should start to transition.
I am excited but scared of managing. My plans are to weight daily, set a scream weight and enjoy treats in moderation. I have really gotten used to being without sugar and other carbs so would like to keep a fairly low carb existence. I must say I am looking forward to having wine on occasion.
Anyway I will be reading this thread and getting my inspiration to continue my journey. I have not weight this little for 20 years and am looking forward to my new wardrobe. Keep posting. Us newbies need you.
Murrcat - I understand the imposter feeling. I went jean shopping at the Gap and laughed at how small the jeans looked. Then I tried them on and, poof, they fit! Exciting and weird.
I'm looking forward to my P1 day tomorrow. Simple.
Went in for my last P3 visit with my coach on Friday, and had gained 5 pounds. My coach was alarmed. I know that you gain with glycogen after you get out of ketosis, but not 5 pounds.
So she put me back on phase 2 for 2 weeks, then we will go to phase 3 again, then try to get onto phase 4.
This worries me. I was pretty good during phase 3. Oatmeal and fruit in the morning, and regular lunch and dinner as prescibed.
So here is what may have gone wrong:
Instead of a fat in the morning, I had half and half in my coffee...A couple of cups in the morning.
Was not good with water. I have a hard time getting that water in anyway, and sort of took a break from it.
Had some Mayo with canned salmon for lunch a few times.
So maybe I had too much fat. The carbs are what worry me the most, and I was super careful with that.
Anyway, I am glad I am going back to P2 and lose the 5 pounds again. Then try to start off P4 at a better weight.
Cindy, I had a small amount of half& half every day through all the phases. My clinic prefers it to milk.
I understand your worry about this Phase, I was soo nervous that I posted my breakfasts every day on the a Life After Phase 1 thread. Just wanted reassurance from veterans that I was not messing up.
How about measurement? Unfortunately, a little oatmeal goes a long way carb wise.(Granola too)
What type of oatmeal?
What was your protein in the morning?
Are you using a food calculator? My clinic recommended this especially during phase 3. There is also a great worksheet on the Life After Phase 1 archived thread.
Hello I have been reading this thread on and off for the last year. I started IP almost a year ago (I guess technically 11 months) and in two or three weeks will be entering Phase 2. My doctor said that I can enter it whenever I wish, but want to reach a slightly lower goal if I can, and work from there.
This thread is actually what helped me decide to start IP, as I could see here that people were maintaining for long period of time, and that was critical to me - like many, I have lost and gained a lot of weight in my life, but the maintenance has been what has hard.
Given that, I am nervous to go to Phase 2. These last few weeks I have been hungrier than the whole past year - is that typical when you near your goal?
I had a little, as you call it “food outburst” last week for the first time since I’ve been on the protocol, I ate probably 6 extra packs of IP snacks, and gained 7 lbs overnight, which was really crazy and scary - I have lost it now after 5 days back on track… I know what happened, I did a very intense workout the night before and was starving after. My doctor said these last few weeks likely exercise wouldn’t work (I have exercised throughout) and turns out she was right.
It did make me more nervous about eating more, because I gained weight so quickly, and I made the mistake of reading other message boards (not 3 fat chicks) where people tell horror stories of re-gaining weight after Phase 1… so it calmed me again to come back to reading here for two hours….
It seems that most of you have done just fine by following Phase 2 and 3 just as dictated, and then continue in Phase 4 also as recommended. I actually do quite well at following a program, so need to remind myself that if I follow the program I will be fine. My doctor continues to assure me this also.
I think I am actually just having mental anxiety, due to past weight gains, I seem to be someone who easily gains weight, and doesn’t tolerate carbs or sugar well at all (my weight topped at 317 in 2009 after a bad car accident, but prior to that hovered around 250 - a pattern of losing down to 200 and then slowly gaining again). Part of the reason I started IP was that I had been losing weight for about 4 years but only 1 or 2 lbs a month, sometimes none, and very slow, though I was on a very strict regimen of only carbs every few days (fruit every few days, brown rice every few days). My doctor said I definitely was insulin resistant and recommended IP, which was a life saver, I feel better than I have felt in a very long time. He said now I should be able to eat Phase 4 as recommended, once I go through Phase 2 and 3. Especially because I was basically doing a version of P4 for 4 years.
I know this is a long post…. I’m allowing it given it’s my first and hoping my sharing maybe to get some good simple support and/or advice from all of you veterans.
One question I have - is it best to hold out on Phase 1 just a little longer, and go a few pounds under my goal?
I still have abdominal weight that is a little bothersome with how clothes fit, but everything else is getting a little thinner than I think is needed, and my doctor things that the belly fat might be hanging skin. I am starting to wonder what my “proper weight” is, and if I am getting to the point where actually I need to eat more now and go into maintenance, as my body seems overly hungry.
He said he thinks once I get into Phase 4 and start exercising more intensely again my body will tone out over time. Is this true?
I am actually not a “freak” about vanity, but after all of this hard work, I do want to end at the right goal, and not kitty foot around just because 2 more weeks is harder… I hope this makes sense. I want this to be a lifetime thing for me.
Thank you!
Last edited by Grateful4Health; 02-23-2015 at 10:32 PM.
Hello everyone - I hope you are all having a good week. Enjoying the catchup on everything I've missed.
Thank you for the reassurance about glycogen, PishPosh & Murrcat - I have a feeling that is exactly what is going on.
Slip - your post really resonated with me. I was shopping for spring clothes the other way (FORGET YOU, WINTER!!) and started chatting with the lady at the fitting room. I don't know how it came up, but we started talking weight, and she's lost hundreds of pounds and kept it off. She made a similar comment, about how she goes to WW meetings as if it were AA. I told her Lisa's quote, about "picking your hard," and how I have a great online support group. We both agreed that having support is the key to success.
Grateful4Health, welcome - I'm not sure what kind of advice I can give, because I haven't been in maintenance very long. I did find that I couldn't exercise as I got closer to goal - I would pass out or feel faint. It took weeks to shave off the last few pounds, so I was hoping exercise would speed up that process but it didn't. I also wanted to stay in P1 longer so I could get down to a lower "buffer zone," but at a certain point my body told me to get off and I listened. I continued losing weight and hit goal in maintenance. I'd still like to get off those 5 extra pounds, but I'm hoping adding exercise back in now that my carb count is safer will help get those off.
Ok, whether your skin will go back depends on how long you carried 50+ lbs and how old you are now and genetics. I carried 35-40 of the 50 lbs I lost for 20 years and it's been a year and I still have enough loose skin around my tummy that it looks like a roll of fat. I'm 54, and I've pretty much concluded that it's not going to get much smaller. i took collagen and used collagen-based topical cremes the whole time I was on the program and in the year+ since and I think it's helped. The other thing is about your goal weight - most people continue to lose 1-3 lbs after they start P2. I did. Then I gained 3 lbs when I started P3 and I find that the weight I was as I started P4 has been the right weight for me. So really, it's up to you. Do you know what your muscle % and fat % numbers are? I found that to be a better measure than the scale. I reached goal not only as a weight measure but as a body fat % - which my coach encouraged me to do.
Maintenance for me has been a much bigger challenge (as everyone on here can attest!) Learning what works for you with carbs, fat and calories will take time, be patient with yourself.
Cindy, I had a small amount of half& half every day through all the phases. My clinic prefers it to milk.
I understand your worry about this Phase, I was soo nervous that I posted my breakfasts every day on the a Life After Phase 1 thread. Just wanted reassurance from veterans that I was not messing up.
How about measurement? Unfortunately, a little oatmeal goes a long way carb wise.(Granola too)
What type of oatmeal?
What was your protein in the morning?
Are you using a food calculator? My clinic recommended this especially during phase 3. There is also a great worksheet on the Life After Phase 1 archived thread.
Lots of questions, hope they help a little.
I was having 1/2 cup of old fashioned oatmeal with 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (recommended by my coach as a protein source) and a fruit. 1 apple, 6 oz berries, etc.
No feed calculator. did you find that online?
Hi Delgen: I use MyFitnessPal.com for my calculator - since I can find out how many calories, carb grams, fibre grams, protein grams, and fat grams.
That way I can see at a glance if my carbs seem to be a bit high, or if I'm eating enough protein, or in P4 if my 3:1 ratios are on.
Not sure if this is what was meant, but it sure helps me.
Cindy, I used Fat Secret to calculate my Phase3 breakfasts, it is available free online. I use Greek yogurt too. I know that Ruth Ann introduced foods slowly at the guidance of her coach. I think it allowed her to figure out her food sensitivities and carb tolerance?
Darth, so with you about being done with winter -7 this morning! Sick of it . I am very grateful for the support here and have found it vital to post honestly. The sharing of the good and the bad has helped me realize that there is no "perfect" route on this journey. Bumpy, messy and imperfect- but necessary.
Grateful4, welcome! I completely agree with ecdcslim. I lost in Phase2 and 3, but my determining factor for moving out of Phase 1 was my body fat %. If you can tough it out, I would get to your goal weight before making the transition. Starting out on the low side allows room for your range in maintenance.
NSV- my brother stopped by today. Have not seen him in a month and he said that I looked thinner and asked if I was below my goal!
Quick hello before shuttling my kids to school and off to work. We got some GREAT news on Monday when we took my daughter in for her pre-op appointment for her umbilical hernia surgery - they couldn't find it anymore! It healed over the summer from her last appointment. We got to cancel her surgery which was scheduled for this Friday. Yippee!
Reading everyone's posts here, just having a hard time finding a chance to post. Want to give everyone a collective "You can do it!" to all our new maitainers and those who keep working away. It is definitely a whole lot tougher than the weight loss phase but SO worth it!
Hello everyone! The oatmeal/granola back and forth prompted me to post this recipe, which I'll be trying this weekend, as soon as my Quest PB protein powder arrives: http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/201...-giveaway.html.
I haven't plugged in all the stats into MFP yet, but I'm giddy over the 4.5g net carbs per serving. Right now I'm having a Bear Naked granola in the morning with 10g protein and only 10g net carbs with some almond milk and raspberries. I also made some spinach egg muffins so I get in two eggs... but to be honest, I don't like them. I'm SUCH a cereal person. Would it be terrible if I just had granola/almond milk/berries only every morning? Or is it absolutely essential to get everything crammed in in the morning?
Thank you all for the feedback, it was really helpful, especially ecdcslim "Breathe LOL". It did make me laugh, and made me relax again
I spoke to my doctor this morning and we decided to just start Phase 2 today - which I feel really good about. They said a month ago maybe to start, and I think my body is clearly asking for it now. So far so good... thank you!!!
Back to phase 2!
I have been reading this thread on and off for the last year. I started IP almost a year ago (I guess technically 11 months) and in two or three weeks will be entering Phase 2. My doctor said that I can enter it whenever I wish, but want to reach a slightly lower goal if I can, and work from there.
