Hi all, I haven't written since I've introduced myself... so a little update. ..I've had 3 weighins...lost 15 lbs so far. I've had a few cheats..( leftover kids food, a bite here and there... ) definitely not worth it as my last weigh in was only 1lb. Everyone who says don't cheat that first time because it'll be so much harder to stop IS RIGHT! Everyday I would try to stop the "bites" and I would fail...for a week straight. I decided to stop the games and try my best... I've been 3 straight days with no cheats!

You'll find the most successful in both short term & long term into maintenance are those that don't cheat - stay 100% - it's actually easier than allowing yourself a little extra (that very often leads to more extras). That said, if you fall down, pick yourself up and dust off and carry on 100%. Don't plan the cheats :nono:!

Good work, NowItsMyTurn29!

Liana

Liana, I've only been on IP for 17 days so I have no med changes yet, but I hope to experience that in the future!! As a matter of fact, I just got the results of bloodwork which was drawn at the end of last week and it shows a significant drop in my A1C (a long term test showing the blood sugar levels)! I need to mention that there was a wait list to sign up for IP, so in the interim I went on a low carb/low cal diet which I'm sure contributed to my good A1C.

IP won't be able to reverse my diabetes (nothing can!) but it has already improved my health and may lead to rx changes for me! So there's another reason for me to carry on. Thanks for asking.
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I am 17 days in....I feel like I am not losing anything. I can't tell if it is TOM because I had a hysterectomy but still have my ovaries. Hoping that is why I am feeling like crap. Kinda bored with the food we are having as well. Tried going out to get something different but hard to know what they are cooking with. Telling the server No carbs, sugar or dairy in my food, they look at my like I am crazy. Need to get out of this funk!!!

Hang in there lalbers77, you are probably losing in measurements. I'm a slow loser on the scale, and my clinic's scale weighs 4 pounds heavier because I go in the afternoon, usually after lunch and 3 bottles of water. If you're able to choose ahead from the restaurant's menu, I find it's less hassle to order. I just say I have dietary restrictions, and usually order grilled veggies with no oil or butter; salad, no dressing, meat the same, that kind of thing. Check the recipe threads for a way to change up the packets. You've got this!

I am down 7 lbs after 2.5 weeks. The first 8 days were intensely hard, my head was spinning and and I think I could lose more but I cheated a bit had some chips some bites here and there and some wine....but I'm still down. ;):cool::smug::smug::smug::smug::smug:

Yeah, sticking with it 100% is always easiest. A cheat here and there can snowball very quickly.
When it comes to off plan food, I don't look at it as food I can never have again, they're just foods I cannot have right now.

I might want some fettucine Alfredo, but by passing up on it today, I'm probably a week closer to getting to eat it again, and at that point in time I'll be better equipped to make the choices that will help me eat that pasta with little affect to my body/weight.

All that said, I'm not 100%. I eat way more tomatoes and onions than is allowed, but I don't eat any restricted food, so that's my trade off.

I know the temptation NowItsMyTurn29 but I agree with everyone else...try not to give in to cheats because I think it's a pretty slippery slope! I try to tell myself "no" because if I taste it then I'll remind myself of what I'm NOT eating right NOW (but will again in the future)instead of being content with all of the good things we do get to eat. For me, I play a bunch of little games like, "Well, I could have that now but I'll just have it later". Of course I don't really plan to have it later but somehow it seems like I'm not really telling myself "absolutely not". Silly but works for me.

Congratulations for 3 days of no cheats!!:carrot: That is great.

Hang in there everyone else too! We're all going to have good and bad days but hopefully more good than bad.

Accountability time. I had some cheats on vacation. Have you heard about the camel's nose and the tent parable? If you give in once, it is hard and harder to say no in the future. SO TRUE. Anyway, I am back on the wagon. In the two weeks that I've been on IP, I lost 6 pounds. Not bad, but if I was 100% compliant, I would have lost more. Good luck to my fellow IPers, never give up!
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Couple of places I've found will help you out with such requirements:- Any good steakhouse - just ask them not to put butter on the steak and bring steamed or grilled veggies without any dressing. This has been my absolute saving grace on days when I've really been desperate for a change.

Olive Garden - they have a Rosemary chicken dish which they can bring to the table without any sauce. I always ask for a side of asparagus with no balsamic vinegar and have them bring olive oil to the table and carefully measure it off. Unfortunately, their salads either come house dressed or without dressing. You can ask for oil and vinegar on the side and try to be very mean with them, but at least it gives you the option to socialise if you need to.

Check out Rainbowsmiles' cooking with packets thread (it's linked from the first post in the Daily Chat threads every single day). She (and others) put some truly amazing recipes in there for us to make food that doesn't feel like a restriction from the packets.

Don't forget that you can use spices and herbs to change things up, but be careful of the sodium amounts as these can (and frequently do) lead to water retention.

Be patient while your tastebuds get used to the relatively bland flavours of IP food. It's very much worth it once you can get firmly into ketosis and see those numbers coming off each week, but it does take a little time for your body to adapt to the lack of fat, sugar and salt that you've been used to. No way round that, sadly.

Stay strong, it will get easier. :)

I wanted to chime in and tell you I'm slow at losing weight, too. It's frustrating when you see everyone else losing large amounts. While I'm happy for them, I wish I could experience the same! So keep reading 3fc posts to keep yourself motivated, look for new items to eat (search recipes and what people are eating today), review your food journal to make sure you are IP compliant, and ask questions on this forum! There are so many experienced posters who understand the science behind the diet, and they can and will help you if you reach out. The remainder of us (your fellow newbies) will be your cheeleaders. Stay strong, good luck, and keep posting!:cheer3:

I'm struggling with IP... Even though I was already doing a ketogenic diet... I just think the drop in calories is more than my body can handle right now... I'm really not sure what to do... :?:

Hi TripSwitch: Your body is craving the fats you were substituting for carbs on your previous diet. Hang on and distract your tastebuds with allowable strongly flavoured items. The fat is where the flavour resides so that is why you are missing it. I use a lot of Frank's Hot Sauce (only the Regular, Extra Hot, or Chili & Lime), Cholula, Tabasco, Braggs Amino's (or soy sauce - not gluten free for me though), mustards (German, grainy, Dijon, yellow), and infused vinegars (herbs or garlic steeped in them). Pickles are a great way to distract yourself. Choose quality ones that are crunchy and not too salty (I always buy garlic 1/2 salt). Try using herbal teas with lots of flavour and steep for a longer time for more intensity. Look at different herbs and spices, curry powders, rosemary, fresh basil leaves, mint, adobo spice, cilantro, etc. to get more interesting flavour. Just be careful to experiment with the amounts as too much can ruin your dish. Start small and add if needed.
Above all, Hang ON! One meal at a time! Eat your allowable extra veggies whenever you feel like it.

Liana

Everytime I want to cheat I should remember this....
last week "small" cheats: lost 0.6lbs
this week no cheats: lost 4lbs
VERY excited with my loss and hopeful to continue having willpower!

Awesome, and yeah... pretty straightforward! Congrats on your awesome loss this week!!!