I've been doing the alternative plan for about 8 weeks and I'm down 26 lbs. I seem to fluctuate between losing and gaining from day to day. I feel like if I only weigh in once a week, then I'll find that nothing lost during that week and I'll be even more disappointed. I did start working out yesterday (weights) and woke up with a raging headache. Not sure if one has anything to do with the other. Will be doing yoga today and tomorrow and will see about doing weights again. I think adding workouts will help me lose weight faster. So far I've been losing 2lbs a week past couple of weeks.
Feeling great today! I'm not sore from running, I'm no longer stuffing myself into my bras but fitting into them, and even my fingers are thinner!
I also just passed the six week mark, which is where I faltered the last time I was on IP. Unfortunately, I need to lose another 8 pounds before I'm equal to my old beginning weight, but I'm on my way!
Currently planning an involved menu for a party my roommates are throwing this weekend. Making all kinds of unhealthy stuff for them, but I don't feel like I'm missing out at all.
Way to go Shark! Everytime I think about cheating...that little finger at the bottom of your quote reminds me not to do it!
Super excited for the upcoming weekend!!! Baseball game and Family!
If I wake up hungry (is that a good thing???) my brain says oh wouldn't it be nice to go out for breakfast and just have some kind of high protein and veg omelet. Then I sigh big, pack up my 16oz coffee and my IP RTD cappuccino and go to work. Now if the rest of the day was only that easy...
When you wake feeling like that, sub your egg & whites (or the IP omelet packet) in for breakfast and throw some veggies in there from your 4 cups. Problem solved and you don't have to cheat to do it. If you are really hungry, throw 2 cups of peppers, mushrooms, and green onion in. Just use your freebie veggies later on in the day to supplement the remaining part of your 4 cups of regular veggies. Breakfast can be some 'big food' (have a soup with added veggie puree, or make the omelet packet, or use one of the meal packets like rotini, etc. adding in some of your veggies for the day) if you are very hungry in the morning. It doesn't have to be a drink or shake.
When you wake feeling like that, sub your egg & whites (or the IP omelet packet) in for breakfast and throw some veggies in there from your 4 cups. Problem solved and you don't have to cheat to do it. If you are really hungry, throw 2 cups of peppers, mushrooms, and green onion in. Just use your freebie veggies later on in the day to supplement the remaining part of your 4 cups of regular veggies. Breakfast can be some 'big food' (have a soup with added veggie puree, or make the omelet packet, or use one of the meal packets like rotini, etc. adding in some of your veggies for the day) if you are very hungry in the morning. It doesn't have to be a drink or shake.
Liana
Thanks... ^THIS is definitely what I think I should be doing... Before starting IP even though I was following a keto plan it was LCHF... and I was probably taking in close to 400 calories... So it's no wonder I'm having a bit of a tough time adjusting.... Really was thinking that I might need the Alternative Plan.
Tripswitch, you can throw your veggies in anywhere during the day as long as you get your 4 cups in. If you are used to eating more food for breakfast it can still be done on regular P1. Just use a different packet, one that feels more like food to you and less like a drink or dessert. Have a your drink or pudding packet for one of the other meals if you like.
Works fine!
I have a question regarding restricted foods... my coach told me 1xday is fine. I do notice on here some folks don't have any restricted to lose more weight. Does anyone know if actually makes a difference if you follow the 1x/day or none at all?
Easiest way to do this, NowItsMyTurn29, is to not tweak the plan when you are first starting. This is such a major change of eating style for most when they start that it is enough to handle mentally without making it more complicated. Since you've just started, stick to the plan and watch the pounds fall off... good that you are asking questions though; if you do wonder about something, check with your coach and check in with us on the daily chat since some of us have more experience than some coaches, lol, and not all coaches are trained and knowledgeable to the same degree.
Wishing you the best in your health journey and WELCOME!!
Liana
Last edited by canadjineh; 04-14-2015 at 09:15 PM.
Reason: spelling
I've been doing the alternative plan for about 8 weeks and I'm down 26 lbs. I seem to fluctuate between losing and gaining from day to day. I feel like if I only weigh in once a week, then I'll find that nothing lost during that week and I'll be even more disappointed. I did start working out yesterday (weights) and woke up with a raging headache. Not sure if one has anything to do with the other. Will be doing yoga today and tomorrow and will see about doing weights again. I think adding workouts will help me lose weight faster. So far I've been losing 2lbs a week past couple of weeks.
Adding workouts will not help you lose weight faster... it will help you tone up and get into better habits for maintenance. If you are doing heavy lifting or circuit type training, you will need an extra packet or a couple eggs afterward to keep from getting weak, dizzy, or possibly headachy. Weight training may make you gain weight in the form of water needed for muscle repair and building but it will not be fat so don't fret about scale ups & downs.
BTW, 2 pounds/wk is very respectable and nothing to frown about! Betcha it's more than you've lost on diets before....
I've been doing the alternative plan for about 8 weeks and I'm down 26 lbs. I seem to fluctuate between losing and gaining from day to day. I feel like if I only weigh in once a week, then I'll find that nothing lost during that week and I'll be even more disappointed. I did start working out yesterday (weights) and woke up with a raging headache. Not sure if one has anything to do with the other. Will be doing yoga today and tomorrow and will see about doing weights again. I think adding workouts will help me lose weight faster. So far I've been losing 2lbs a week past couple of weeks.
Congrats on the solid losses. Some of us do bounce around the same lbs for the week, it's not unknown - especially if you are physically active and your water levels are constantly fluctuating.
Waking with, or developing a headache post-exercise, can be one of two things - not enough sodium (remember that most foods that are accept on IP and Alts program are very low in sodium so you need to supplement it) or not enough magnesium (muscle aches and weakness that persists beyond 3 -4 hours). Electrolytes are important. If you are taking your potassium pill, it will balance out the sodium so if you exercise AFTER that supplement you may need a quick salt pick-me-up to follow.
IP isn't a conventional diet because your metabolism is no longer exclusively in the anabolic (from food) range. While your calories/carbs/fats are restricted your body is also in the catabolic state (burning your own body's fat stores - cannibalism if you like) alongside minimal food intake. This means that excess exercise without balancing the necessary caloric intake will put your body into starvation mode and it will refuse to give up body fat as part of the ketogenic program.
This is why exercise is frowned upon in the early weeks of IP. At 8 weeks you should be in established ketosis (to the state where you no longer smell ketones or have major symptoms) and be able to lift weights. Just remember that you need to keep your exertion level to within what your body will tolerate in ketosis. I aim for around 75% effort and seldom need an additional packet. If I feel dizzy, lightheaded, weak or I struggle to complete my 3rd set then I will put an extra packet equivalent in there. I always follow up with water and tend to schedule exercise about 60-90 mins before a meal time so I know I can get my salt in, too.
What exercise will do (especially strength training) is firm up the underlying muscle so your body size shrinks faster, rather than losing the weight quicker.
Week 14 down 5.6 lbs this week! Total loss 14 lbs. average 1 lb per week. I am now doing a mix of the alternate and regular. Is has finally produced some results. Sort of one week alternate one week regular. Just depends on how my blood sugars are doing.
Waking with, or developing a headache post-exercise, can be one of two things - not enough sodium (remember that most foods that are accept on IP and Alts program are very low in sodium so you need to supplement it) or not enough magnesium (muscle aches and weakness that persists beyond 3 -4 hours). Electrolytes are important. If you are taking your potassium pill, it will balance out the sodium so if you exercise AFTER that supplement you may need a quick salt pick-me-up to follow.
IP isn't a conventional diet because your metabolism is no longer exclusively in the anabolic (from food) range. While your calories/carbs/fats are restricted your body is also in the catabolic state (burning your own body's fat stores - cannibalism if you like) alongside minimal food intake. This means that excess exercise without balancing the necessary caloric intake will put your body into starvation mode and it will refuse to give up body fat as part of the ketogenic program.
This is why exercise is frowned upon in the early weeks of IP. At 8 weeks you should be in established ketosis (to the state where you no longer smell ketones or have major symptoms) and be able to lift weights. Just remember that you need to keep your exertion level to within what your body will tolerate in ketosis. I aim for around 75% effort and seldom need an additional packet. If I feel dizzy, lightheaded, weak or I struggle to complete my 3rd set then I will put an extra packet equivalent in there. I always follow up with water and tend to schedule exercise about 60-90 mins before a meal time so I know I can get my salt in, too.
What exercise will do (especially strength training) is firm up the underlying muscle so your body size shrinks faster, rather than losing the weight quicker.
Hope that makes sense.
Briael, Thank you for the above explanation regarding excessive exercising! My spouse rolls his eyes when I tell him exercise is not permitted when starting IP--he thinks I've either misunderstood or am coming up with reasons not to exercise. It's frustrating when he constantly encourages me to walk around the local lake or do some mall walking. Now I understand the science behind the reason. I'm going to print your explanation and put it with some of the handouts I received from my coach! Then I shall tell my hubby to take a long hike on a short pier! But in his defense, IP is such a nontraditional diet so I understand his comments.
Hello all!! I am struggling this week. Just can't get out of my funk. Thinking I am bored with salad for lunch each day. Need to change things up a bit!!! Hope everyone else is having a great week.
I ran out of my vitamins so going to Walgreens to get some. Does anyone have any recommendations on what brand or what they have bought in the past?
I have a question regarding restricted foods... my coach told me 1xday is fine. I do notice on here some folks don't have any restricted to lose more weight. Does anyone know if actually makes a difference if you follow the 1x/day or none at all?
Same with my current coach. I don't seem to lose any more or less no matter how many close to the cut off line restricteds I eat during the week. (those just at the border line of not being restricted). Last time I more micromanaged what my carb intake was and didn't lose any more at a faster rate. It is slow no matter what I do. Of course I won't be eating any of the high carb IP things like the brownies as my restricted!
I'm trying to catch up on my reading here. Got a phone call on Friday that my dad was in hospital and not doing well, they didn't think he was going to make it. We hopped in the car and drove 11 hours to see him. A little back ground- he came down with pneumonia the week after thanksgiving and was hospitalized. While in the hospital they found a tumor in his lung. Lung cancer, and COPD. He had the tumor removed in March and started chemo and radiation in April. His oxygen level went down to 60 and he was put in hospital. They didn't expect him to pull through, however he seems to be improving. I stayed in the hospital with him Saturday through Monday and then we came back home.
It's difficult being so far away from him. Taking things one day at a time. I haven't gone off of IP, but I haven't been doing it properly either. I really can't tell you what I have eaten for the past few days. Eggs for breakfast in the hospital, lots of black coffee, salads. Not enough protein or water. Trying to get back on track since being home, but I missed my WI and haven't had a chance to go WI and get my food, so I have just been drinking Advantage Carb Control for breakfast, lunch, snack and I forgot to eat dinner last night...
Anyway, I am going to go read and catch up. I don't post much but I read daily, except for the past few days....Missed you guys.
Well I am back, I have to make this thing work again and by that, I mean my head because somehow I was able to do eight awesome months before. Extra motivation here is, now I am getting ready to move from Colorado to Florida to be with my sweetie of almost 7 years. In part I just want to look better when I see him again and in part I am afraid how terrible I will feel in the heat and humidity.
In pre searching things in the area I will be, Jacksonville. I have already found there will be many IP clinics I can chose from, So I am hoping once I get there and actually going back to a clinic will help as well.
So my plan is to plan for each day and not get lazy in that regard. Also to make sure I get on the forums every day before and/or after work. In reading through this thread I saw mention of a group of you on MFP and that actually sounds like a good thing too. So I will be seeing if I can get into that group.
Then I sigh big, pack up my 16oz coffee and my IP RTD cappuccino and go to work. Now if the rest of the day was only that easy...
