Hi,
I see many familiar faces. I have gain 20 lbs back in last two years.
Trying to lose 15. Today is my reboot day. So excited to be back.
Becky

Hi Boseas! Yes, check the alternatives thread. It's really helpful.

I actually will buy drink packets (piña colada, mango peach, and banana pineapple) from my IP coach. The rest of the items (soups and snacks) I'll get from Nashua.

Started Dec. 1 and am doing well and pleased with the results. My coach holds weekly classes instead of individual meetings. I find the classes very helpful and supportive since there are people in all stages of their weight loss journey. There's one thing that bothers me. I see some of the "Maintainers" there picking up big bags of product. My goal is to be able to maintain without the expense of weekly IP product. The expense is about doing me in. Will definitely be checking Walmart and HEB for comparable vitamins since I just can't afford the IP ones.

Getting back on the wagon after over indulging over the holidays. Gained 8 pounds of my weight back. Figure a month of two back on Ideal Protein should get me back where I was plus loose a few extra...

Hello. Brand new newbie here. I've never ever dieted. But a lot of friends have had great success with IP and I'm not happy with where I am now. My goal is lose 15-20. My goal is really to make it through the first three days....day 1 is tomorrow (SAT). I am so glad I found this forum. I've been reading like crazy these last few days! Appreciate in advance your patience, if I ask basic questions!

MizBeadz - I don't think you have to continue using IP products to maintain, I think that's why there's phases. That being said I think it's a choice regarding whether you use IP in maintenance or not. Some people may like certain products and choose to incorporate them into P4. I'm pretty sure when I'm in maintenance I'll get buying some chocolate mint bars...I love those things. That way when I'm craving chocolate I can have one of those instead of a carb laden chocolate bar or other treat.

I'm having a rough day today. My blood sugar was really high this morning (161), so I had to get on the treadmill for 45 minutes and will have to do it again tonight. I'm feeling very weak and tired and horribly depressed. I'm eating on program but I just feel weak and weepy and hopeless. This is the way I felt the last time I did this diet, and why I only lasted 10 weeks. Oh also - after a perfect day yesterday, my weight was up this morning. I've lost 1 lb. in 4 days. I guess this could be carb flu, have chills, can't get warm, waves of what feels feverish chills but I don't have a fever.
Anyone?

Have your tried the alternative plan for diabetics? Perhaps you would feel better on that

Thank you Lisa, yes, my coach has encouraged me to use the option of eating foods from those extra food groups. I haven't been doing it very much, but this evening I did. I feel a little better now, the shaking has stopped.

Question - how do you figure out how many cups of veggies to count if you are making a big pot of chili or soup? I've got a chicken tortilla soup I want to make, modified for IP, but it's going to make enough for several people. Does chicken broth "count" anywhere?

Glad to see I'm not the only one rebooting. I tried rebooting in August and did well for a couple of months. I got down to about 20 pounds from my goal but then once Thanksgiving came, all efforts went right out the window. I ate whatever I wanted and I'm paying for it now. All of my clothes are tight and I hate looking at myself in the mirror. So I'm making a fresh start. I am afraid to weigh myself and decided that I will stick with IP religiously for a month before weighing myself. (I'm estimating that I put on about 10-15 pounds in the past month based on how my clothes fit.) This way, I won't feel so overwhelmed by the scale. I know, it might sound stupid to some of you but for me this will give me incentive to do my absolute best to get down as far as I can before I actually see the number. I'm doing a mixture of IP products and alternatives. Today's day 3 for me and so far, so good!

Texasgirl, I don't know how you would measure, I would just put the amount of veggies that you want to put in - figuring in how many portions there are and guesstimating from that. I don't think you can really go overboard with veggies in a soup or chili.

Exactor,
I think you're smart not to weigh yourself. My coach suggested that I not weigh myself every day and so I've stopped. Because yes, the weight went up from one day to the next, and I was horribly depressed. This is a marathon, not a sprint. I'm going to ask her not to tell me tomorrow either at my first WI. I don't want to know. I know that I'm going to be on this program for months. I do feel a little smaller this week, it's only been 6 days but I do feel a little less jiggle and my joints don't ache as much. That's enough. I don't need to race with myself or anyone else. I dream every night about being able to wear some of my cuter clothes again. I'm hoping that in 5 months, there will be a noticeable difference.

I just began Monday, I'm starting to feel a little better. My goal initially is to get under 200lbs. Taking my time with this plan so it's my last :) how are other Janurary starters doing?

restarting
 

i regained all of my weight and more following the conclusion of IP. I was stressed with new job. so here goes nothing to starting agin. 24 hours in.