Originally Posted by Avalon1957:
Another thing to use is some great decaf coffee ... with some Saigon Cinnamon ... and some Stevia ... and some sugar free hazelnut creamer ... that tastes like desert and has less than 10 calories and no sugar.

Another thing I have used when I start feeling famished or munchy is some diced up chicken breast with some French's Mustard (maybe 4 ounces or so of chicken). That will satisfy and kill any craving without giving you a carb/sugar jolt.

Decaf coffee is also something I drink a lot of. I find if I buy a kind that I really like, I don't even have to add the sweetener to it.

I'm also glad I'm not the only one who does mustard on chicken (and, like, everything else). I have craved mustard several times since starting, and my best guess is that a hamburger with mustard on a bed of diced dill pickles and lettuce was one of my go-to meals, last time I did IP. :)

Originally Posted by Ted Sheckler:
I have tended to just be very abrasive about stupid questions and observations about what I am eating by others.
...

I know guys tend to be far less polite, or feigned polite, but I am telling you the look on the other person's face is the ultimate cure for anxiety.

Whew, I don't know if I could manage it, but your comebacks did make me laugh!

My approach is more often to be vague and change the subject, although someone in another forum suggested answering EVERY question in GREAT DETAIL as another possible tactic.

If someone really made me uncomfortable, I think I would probably just tell them so and say I don't want to talk about it.

Originally Posted by 3sisters:
Yes! And your 'tomorrow' is TODAY!! I feel pretty confident in saying that almost all of us had cravings - at least when first starting, if not still, occasionally. So, it IS possible to get past them. Are you prepared? Do you have some dill pickles, cut up cucumbers and celery, hard boiled eggs, ready for when those cravings hit? Avalon has given you some great ideas as well. Remind yourself that you will only get PAST this initial hard part, if you get THROUGH this initial hard part! Accept that it will be hard, but once you have conquered it, things will go much more smoothly for you. But if you never get past it, you will continue to have to battle the cravings. So if you don't have your 'ammunition' ready - do that today! You need to give yourself the tools needed to succeed. Make today your FRESH START!! Resolve that by the time Thursday rolls around again, you will be over the hump and well on your way! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! :carrot:

Thank you! I do feel renewed and ready to do this today. I have all my IP meals ready and good to go! I wish that I had some hard boiled eggs but I do have my IP foods. I feel optimistic!

Originally Posted by the_magpie:
I'm also glad I'm not the only one who does mustard on chicken (and, like, everything else). I have craved mustard several times since starting, and my best guess is that a hamburger with mustard on a bed of diced dill pickles and lettuce was one of my go-to meals, last time I did IP. :)

OMG. P1 brings out the craving for STRONG flavor in me.
I use so much extra spice. I'm pretty sure it is because of the limited fat. Fat is where a lot of food flavor resides. Therefore, I replace with kicking up the heat and spices several notches.

Originally Posted by 3sisters:
Yes! And your 'tomorrow' is TODAY!! Make today your FRESH START!! Resolve that by the time Thursday rolls around again, you will be over the hump and well on your way! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! :carrot:

I love, LOVE the positivity in your message! :cp:

Originally Posted by Mariposah79:
Thank you! I do feel renewed and ready to do this today. I have all my IP meals ready and good to go! I wish that I had some hard boiled eggs but I do have my IP foods. I feel optimistic!

Fantastic! Sounds like you've got this!! :D


Just to catch up with your question about restricteds, my opinion from what I've seen and experienced is that it's different for everyone. When I started, my coach encouraged me to stay away from restricted products because it can speed up losses (I also asked the IP guru's this in one of the video forums and they confirmed it, but said to work with your coach). I started adding them in 1-2 times per week after about 3 months.

That said, I switched clinics last week and my new coach said that now I am much more active, she wants me to have one every day - during the day before dinner. My friend who lost 70+ pounds at this same clinic tried a restricted every day, but it was too much for her so they had her go to every other day.

TL;DR - Every body is different. Hopefully your coach has the knowledge to help you make the program work for you.

Originally Posted by JJTx:
I love, LOVE the positivity in your message! :cp:



Fantastic! Sounds like you've got this!! :D


Just to catch up with your question about restricteds, my opinion from what I've seen and experienced is that it's different for everyone. When I started, my coach encouraged me to stay away from restricted products because it can speed up losses (I also asked the IP guru's this in one of the video forums and they confirmed it, but said to work with your coach). I started adding them in 1-2 times per week after about 3 months.

That said, I switched clinics last week and my new coach said that now I am much more active, she wants me to have one every day - during the day before dinner. My friend who lost 70+ pounds at this same clinic tried a restricted every day, but it was too much for her so they had her go to every other day.

TL;DR - Every body is different. Hopefully your coach has the knowledge to help you make the program work for you.

That's interesting. Thanks for that!