Hi Mimi, thanks for the support....My starting weight is 188, I am 5'5.
So if we lose between 1-3 lbs a week are we still in ketosis, how do we know?
What I am concerned about is if there is anything wrong with the way I am eating...if I need to correct something.

I am a vegetarian, I do eggs or tofu for dinner. Hubby and me have started together, we cook and eat together the same foods...since guys lose faster he has already lost 11 pounds..I am thrilled for him!.
But want to see what I can do to make sure I am in deep ketosis.

BlueFish -- although I now average over 3 lbs/wk, I started very slow, also! I lost only 1.1 lbs my first week and thought I would give up after a month, but it kicked in. I'm really glad I did! Good luck!

OK - so there is no "light ketosis" or "deep ketosis".

Ketosis is a metabolic process where instead of relying on glycogen stores for energy, the body converts to consuming fat for energy. Deplete your glycogen stores by minimizing carb intake = ketosis. Eat above 80-100 carbs per day = not in ketosis. Either you're in it, or you're out of it.

How is losing 5lbs in two weeks "awfully slow"? It sounds like you may have been set up with unrealistic expectations. When they talk about the 2-4lbs average loss per week that many clinics advertise with, they are talking about the average weekly loss over your ENTIRE weight loss journey from the first week to the last week, not a hard and fast weekly number. Some weeks will be higher, some weeks will be lower. It's all totally normal and as long as you are following the P1 protocol you're on track.

Consider this. With your current "awfully slow" rate of loss, you would be looking at 10lbs per month if you kept going at that rate. Is that slow?

Oh thanks for clarifying a lot of things Scorbett, I felt the awfully slow for two reasons and both could be wrong I suppose:
1) Hubby lost 11 pounds in two weeks eating the same food as me( I understand that men lose differently and I should not compare, but I am human...:))
2)My coach said I am not losing like how I should in ketosis...added to my own inconfidence this vote from her is making me feel slow.

Thanks for that clarification on ketosis and carb intake...so I need not keep my total carb intake less than 25-30 then? to make this happen?

I would be more than happy with 10 pounds each over 3 months...as long as I know its going to happen...and I am not eating anything wrong. I guess the expectation was setup that first week everyone loses much more than the rest of the weeks. So my question that if I lost 3 pounds first week then how would other weeks be.
I agree that I should look at average and not each number...I guess I should just have confidence in the system.

Thanks again for the support!!So glad to have found this forum.I would be going bonkers without it.

Scorbett has given you some excellent advice. Yes, you will see others losing more, but don't lose sight of these very important factors:-

1. It all boils down to your starting body weight and metabolic rate. Let me give you an example:-

240lb woman with metabolic rate of 1900 calories per day. IP is around 850-900 average. This means she's making up 1000 calories from burning fat (until the metabolic rate drops as a result of regular intake of reduced calories/carbs).

150lb woman with metabolic rate of 1350 calories per day. Only 450 calories worth of fat will be burned off.

At some stage the two ladies will be in a similar weight bracket with a similar metabolic rate. This is why people coming to the end of their weight loss journey tend to lose a lb or less per week, because there is only a tiny difference between what they need to eat to maintain their body weight and what is reducing it.

Hope that makes sense.

2. Some people are also exercising (once you've been on IP for a couple of months you will have an idea of whether you can expend energy on a moderate level of exercise or not) and this, again, creates more calorie deficit.

3. You may be insulin or leptin resistant, which means your body will be reluctant to release large amounts of fat for burning until the ketosis has got your pancreas' insulin production under control.

Please, don't compare yourself to anyone else on this journey, because you are unique and your biology is totally different to everyone else. You will lose weight at the rate your body is willing to lose it. 2 -3lbs per week is still VERY respectable, when most dieters on Weight Watchers and other non-keto plans are barely losing a lb. :)

First thing, love your use name and quote..permission to succeed is what we all need don;t we?

Its so motivating to know there are others like me who made it.....if you don't mind can you let me know how long it took for you body to actually lose 3 pounds steadily? I was also going to re-think after end of 4 weeks.

Thanks a lot for the info and support again! It keeps me motivated !

Bluefish, You are in ketosis and having good weight loss! Generally the people with the greatest weight loss are those who have the higher starting weights because the calorie deficit is relatively larger. It's better not to compare because so many variables affect weight loss, but if you do, I'd suggest comparing to someone with comparable height and starting point, and then take it all with a grain of salt. : ) it takes a good 4 weeks for the fat burning enzymes to upregulate. Maybe you didn't have a ton of excess water when you began, which comprises lot of the whoosh of week 1 weight loss.

Thanks Briael, true, I should not compare and should not make small of the weight thats going. I do have insulin resistence , high triglycerides etc, hope the ketosis will help me to reverse it.
I am glad to hear so many response saying that that kind of weight loss is normal...I am feeling much better .
I am starting at 188 and trying to get to 158 first. I don;t know about my metabolic rate, I am a IT professional, sit most of the day and walk intermittently, no regular exercise.I used to take long walks in the past, I don;t anymore due to lack of time. Also exercise is not recommended in IP phase one right?Maybe I can add it in later.

Thanks a bunch again!

Thanks for the support and word of advice Mars, from all the responses of experiences IP members I feel I need to be patient and wait for a month atleast for my body to show the change. I am very glad to know my weight loss is not bad. Unfortunately I personally don't know any women doing this diet to compare notes....so I am glad to find this online forum and support.
I will post my results...

You are doing great - and if you are following the Phase 1 protocol as it is written, you will be in ketosis, plain and simple. No counting carbs or calories necessary! The diet is DESIGNED to get you in ketosis. There are rare folks who are so very carb sensitive that ketosis is more challenging to get to...but it's rare. I mentioned the 80-100 carbs range (and that is NOT net carbs but total carbs) because that is roughly within the range of what would be considered "low carb" for the average person. IP Phase 1 actually keeps us below this range (Probably closer to 50-75 total carbs per day).

Thanks! Can't let the weight loss baggage -- stop us :)

You will hear many times on 3FC that weight loss is not linear -- I tell you that my losses vary from week to week from that original 1.1 to 7.7 another.

It is normal -- and your body is yours -- not like any of the rest of us!

Head up and weight down! :):)

I am questioning the eggs and/or tofu at night. If you have 3 protein packets for the day there is no need for more protein. One of those packets is usually the evening snack.

That's the dinner protein meal for the OP -meat replacement options

If it makes you feel any better, the first week that I was on IP I only lost 1 lb. I think the second week was 2 or 3 lbs but I stuck with it and have now lost more then 30 pounds. For the first weigh in, it was my time of the month. I followed the diet 100% but my coach started me off on 4 packets a day. When I only lost a pound that first week I was really mad because I knew I didn't cheat. I weaned myself off the 4th packet when I didn't feel like I needed it any more.

My ketosis symptoms were never very noticeable. My ketostix were garbage and would always be on the "light/trace" end, but I was seeing great WIs. If you are following the program, I don't see how you could be out of ketosis.