Thanks, HereIStand! I guess I never wanted to admit that I wasn't born with the metabolism to be naturally thin, HAHAHAHA!! That somehow something was making me gain weight outside my control...Once I accepted that this is a way of life for me I lightened up about it. It has been an easier week. Appreciate the support! Have a great day!

Hi Happy2bme1, it is very encouraging to see that others have had to start again. My coach was telling me that people have to learn how their bodies can maintain. Makes a lot of sense. She herself has a "tune-up" regularly. In thinking over this whole weight loss thing, it seems to me that after feeling shame for being "not thin" (echoes of years of my relatives always commenting negatively on my weight whenever I saw them) it is heartening to accept that I have the means to silence the echoes simply by adopting a new way to take care of myself aside from binging. Good luck to all of us!

Hi Navydocmom-boy can I relate about the phasing off part. I can't believe how quickly I ballooned back up in all of the old familiar places...simply because I jumped right back into eating whatever I wanted whenever. I do think the Phase 4 is a bit confusing. I need to read the threads for advice (when I get there again haha)
Best of luck!

Back again
 

Welcome back!! Sometimes it is not the end result but the knowledge we gain to Know what to do to redirect when we don't feel comfortable.

I started again on Monday, right now I am using up some extra food packets and will probably go to alternatives when they are gone. I am hoping to be successful and phase off properly. Having surgery in December and would like to be at goal by then........27 lbs. to go.

Hello! I'm wondering if any of you could be of help to me. I am on week 4 of Ideal Protein and I'm a bit discouraged. This is my second time on the protocol, I lost 20 pounds a year ago and gained 11 back so I'm looking to lose that.

Week one I lost 6 pounds! I was not expecting that. But since then the last three weeks I have only lost 1.5. One week I was up two pounds, the next week I was down a pound. It's not consistent.

I have been constipated a lot and tried everything! Senna, apple cider vinegar, more lettuce, mineral oil and it only seems to work for a few days and then I'm stuck.

I also tried all non-restricted packets and I actually gained that week. I am not cheating and barely exercising (walking and easy yoga)
Any suggestions?! I have been losing inches but I feel like I should be losing something.

PBlover17: I know it may not seem like much consolation, but you don't have much to lose according to your profile and info in your post, so you WILL NOT be losing much each week.
Actually what really counts is the inches, as it doesn't matter what the scale says, you ARE slimming down. Be patient and realize that doing this diet multiple times will not get you the quick results of the first time. That's why it's so important to learn new healthy food strategies and to phase off properly.
Hang in there, you will make it to your goal... but it will take more patience than the first time. BTW, Magnesium is the antidote to constipation, especially if you have upped your calcium as calcium is very 'binding.'
:hug:
Liana

Hang in there! Little losses are GOOD, they are getting your body ready for maintenance. Also, when you have very little to loose it comes off much slower.

Hi folks, I am back on the wagon again. I need to lose 18 pounds. Stress, depression got a head of me and out came the wine and snacks. It's been day two and I am hungry, I slipped a little today, so back again tomorrow.
We can do this folks!
Thanks for the support Ipeeps.

I remember you! I am also back, for my third time!

rebooting here too. hard starting up. had great success first time around. 100 % for 8 mos. lost 80 pounds. trying to lose 40 this time with alternatives live protithin and protidiet along with leftover ip products. i had waaaay too much food fun this summer . :/

Why does the summer get togethers all have to be fun food and wine. Need to get back on track. Day 3 of reboot.

Day 4 of reboot. Why is it easier to gain weight than lose weight. I am a not a person who can't have just one bite.

day 3 of reboot...had a mild headache however not as bad as the first time on IP. feeling no hunger, however a tad anxious/worried it won't work the second time around. if i stay 100 % will i lose like the first time? want to wait to weigh in after 10 days so I won't get discouraged. I need to see a good 5 pound loss in those 10 days to keep me motivated.

Mae5, I'm on a reboot through my clinic and they said (contrary to popular lore about ketosis plans the 2nd time around) that their experience has been that patients actually lose faster and have an easier time of it. They said the reason people are slower the 2nd time is that they generally don't follow protocol as strictly. But for those that are OP, the losses can be similar or faster. I've only been on a reboot for a week but lost 8lbs the first week.

And, I'm aware that things will likely slow down here pretty fast because I only have about 10 more to go.

Good luck!!!

Thanks Amber. Still no budge on the scale and I am 100 % OP. Only been since Monday so I think my body may still be getting used to the intake of protein, food etc. I'll keep you posted.

Hi everyone!
I restarted again for the millionth time on Monday.
I first started IP June of 2012, I got 2 lbs from my goal and then slowly started cheating here and there.
I restarted in January of 2013 and was the most successful at this point. I got to 126, had a vacation planned so I phased into P3 while on vacation and then got back on the wagon as soon as I returned and hit 123. At the time I decided 125 wasn't small enough and I wanted to get to 120. I had another vacation a few weeks later again and this time I didn't follow P3, in fact the only diet I followed for that week was "eat everything in site"... ever since then I've tried restarting time and time again but can't ever seem to even get to two weeks.
I'm hoping this time around it's my official third and final time and I'll have the success I've seen so many others achieve.
I set my goal back to 125, thinking this is maybe more realistic, but I'm also telling myself to stay on plan till Sept 30 and then re-evaluate. I don't want to get that diet fatigue I've gotten so many times in the past that has led me to pig out and gain all and then more back from my starting point. So if on Sept 30 I'm starting to feel it coming on, I'm going to phase out and work on maintenance for a while and will come back when I'm focused again.
(I know, it probably seems pathetic that I can't even make it six weeks on this diet and others have been 100% on plan for a year!)

Best of luck to all of us restarting!

After almost a MONTH I'm finally in Ketosis! I had to add more protein and less vegetables and pretty much go to a phase 2 protocol but BOY does it feel fantastic not to be hungry all the time!

I'm down almost 12lbs, so I'll call that learning curve a success!

good luck knm, I'm routing for you:carrot:

I hear you!!! I felt like I was reading my own words. I am back again too. I lost 80 pounds last year and phased off for the holidays 1pound away from goal:?: I maintained for awhile..............then went on an eating frenzy that never seemed to end!! I got rid of all my "big girl" clothes so when I was down to just one last pair of stretchy pants last week I said enough of this!! I started back I am OP for the last 3 days and plan on being here until I shed the 30 pound gain. I am thankful I have this diet to turn to because I know it works but I am more thankful I have this wonderful support group on 3FC's! The stories and advice I get here are both inspiring and invaluable to me!!:broc:

I am back again too! I reached my goal weight in 2011? and I wish I had known then what I know now. My IP coach told me that as long as I worked out and ate well that my metabolism would burn baby burn but unfortunately I am not built that way. I have learned a lot since then, but I have to admit that restarting has been a hard thing to truly commit to.

I joined the thread on food addiction and read up about stress eating. The strangest thing happened...I got BORED with stress eating. Then I felt depressed, as though I had lost a friend.

That's the other thing...when I reached my goal weight, I felt like I didn't know my own body. Hard to describe the feeling but I didn't know how foreign it would feel to no longer have my fat roll.

Now I have TWO fat rolls and I am 100% committed to IP on alternatives. Wish I could afford a coach but this forum seems like it is so supportive! We are all so brave to start again.

Yes we are!! :D

Me too...Let's keep it going. I like hearing these stories. I made a list last night of all my trigger foods to help me keep my 20/20 hindsight intact. Also working on the list of foods I will be able to eat plus a list of restaurant items that are offered so I can commit to what I will order before I get there.

My latest mantras are: "If I am not losing, I am gaining" and "you have to plan for success". Do y'all have any mantras to share?

I don't have a mantra to date however I have been thinking back to how great I felt......healthier, more confident, and waaaay better clothing options....so I just keep thinking of that when I get hangry:o. I really like your mantras!!

Along the planning lines:

If you fail to plan, plan to fail.

Not the most encouraging but most truthful I've seen in all my years of yo-yo dieting

Hi All,

I am back after losing 50 and putting 30 back on and time to get it off on day 5 of restart, yesterday was shaky/nasueated on getting up think it was from no salt. Today better. Just want to feel better in by close I had gotten rid of all bigger sizes and refuse to buy new cloths as weight has gone up so have few things to well. Plus hate the way I feel. Feel better on ideal protein and it works if you stick to it. Hope you all have a good day and stay on plan, and plan to stay on plan.

How is everyone doing this weekend? Time to go stock up on veggies and get ready for next week. I didn't think that restarting would feel so good but somehow having strict guidelines is easier that open season. IP feels like a food friend that I had forgotten...good to be back on track. Anyone feeling more motivated than ever? Hope so...feeling optimistic is a LOT better than beating ourselves up.

amyniagara. I am more motivated then every? Hope you have a wonderful day. Feels good to be doing something for myself and my health.

Hope everyone has a great day.:o

Hey everyone....I'm back too. I lost a ton of weight in early 2013 using IP and was doing really really well until the last 8 to 10 months....and it's all 'creeped' back pretty much so here I am again. I just picked up enough product to get me through the next 3 weeks or so. I found a place nearby that let me come buy the food and not have to see a coach. I know what to do....just need to do it now.

Hi Cheekyskeeter welcome back and nice to see another Canadian :)

Hi everybody, I'm back too for round 3. I did IP about 18 months ago and lost a lot of weight, but then ended up with an unrelated health crisis and I dropped off the diet and gained much of the weight back. I had a pretty decent restart, but then my teenage daughter was in a terrible accident and the time and money and brain cells I'd been spending on myself had to be redirected. In the meantime, I've gained back everything and more. My daughter is still recovering from a traumatic brain injury, but she's doing much better and she and her three little brothers are all back to school after a long summer and... well... it's time for me to take care of me now. I've enjoyed reading through this thread and I'm glad to know I'm not alone. No coach for me this time around. I've got some leftover IP product and will supplement with alts. I'm in for reals this time, for the long haul.

Welcome back IdealAnnie. I'm sorry to hear about your daughter but glad to hear she is recovering.

I am back again as well! I did IP back in 2012 and lost 50lbs, but never reached by goal weight. I decided to take a break from IP, didn't phase out to do so and never returned to the plan. I have gained 60 back since then.

I am on day three today and so far everything is going well. I notice I'm a little on the crabby side, but that's to be expected.

I know this round is going to be a struggle, I'm starting at a time where we typically do a lot of tailgating, which involves adult beverages and food that's not OP. ...but there's never a *good* time to start, right?

Hi Everyone,
I'm back too. In 2012 I lost 43 lbs on IP going 10 lbs below my goal. (I was one of the lucky ones that continued to lose through Phase 2, 3 and into Phase 4.) However, over the course of 2 years I've gained back 18 lbs which means I'm now 8 lbs over goal. Back here on Alternatives to lose 10 to 15 lbs.

So how did all that weight creep back on? I've concluded its portion sizes that are too large combined with adding back bread/cake/cookies/ice cream on a more frequent basis. I just can't control myself with those foods.

Good Luck to All! Keep posting too. You all are so inspiring.

Hi All,

Yup, I'm back again, too. Somehow 22 pounds of the 82 pounds lost found me again. I'm ready to take them off and get back into the clothes that I love.

I, too, was very successful on IP. I reached goal in March 2013 and have kept most of it off, except for 10-15 pounds that I keep gaining and losing. I lost it last spring, gained it, lost it in the summer, then gained it back again. Ah, well.

I don't seem to have much control when I'm not OP. I'm good for a while and then I give in to my cravings.

Well, today is my first day back OP, with Alternatives. It's been a good day and I'm eager to get back into ketosis and lose the water-weight. I know I will. I like eating OP and always feel good when I'm on it.

Best wishes to you all! :)

I love this little "I'm back" group!! It makes me feel less horrible for gaining back so much. It is so nice to know we all have something to turn to when slip ups happen. Before IP I would have gone into a helpless spiral and would have remained overweight and gained even more but I knew what I needed to do and when I was ready (10 days ago) I went back on plan! Staying motivated and reading all of your stories are such an inspiration to me!! I am going it alone with no coach using alternatives this round but I feel like I have tons of coaching and accountability on this thread!! Just wanted to say Thanks!!

I agree that it's brave to start again. It's hard for me to admit I need this, but I know I need the structure. It's nice not to have to think of what to eat, how to cook it, what not to eat... It's true that there is never a "good" time to start. At least with me, there's always some trip or event that involves food and/or drink. I know that when I make the decision to do this, I just do it. But this time it took a little longer to make that decision. I guess I was having too much fun stuffing myself. Ah, well!

Amy, I agree, that feeling motivated and doing something about it does feel better than being on a gaining streak. I like the way I feel on IP.

Yes, cbl, I also lost during the other phases. And I, too, admit, that after these years I still haven't learned to really control myself with those foods. Well, we're back and we can do this together!

Me too! Glad to part of this group. Let's support each other in this and get it done! I'm on Day 2 of my restart and the water is washing away the toxins, sugars, and imbalances in my system. I know I'm going to feel clearer and lighter in just a few days!

Have a great day, everyone!

How's everyone doing this weekend? Staying OP here, which hasn't been easy. I miss beer and sweets, but I HATE being fat. Guess that's my motivation so far. What keeps you motivated?

I'm on day 5 of my reboot and staying OP. Haven't been on the scales since I started but I can feel the loss. I'll post a lb loss update on Wednesday.

It's not been easy. Aside from all the planning that's necessary for this Plan, life threw me a few scary and sad curve balls this week. But the good news is that I didn't comfort myself with food. Next week starts tailgate season for me so I'm making plans for how to deal with that.

mamacitaof2 - my motivation .....I hate thinking about my weight ALL the time. Also, my clothes are getting tight and since I gave away all my old clothes I'll have nothing to wear soon if I don't some of this weight off. I refuse to buy a "bigger" wardrobe. Hang in there...you can do it!

How is everyone else doing?

My motivation is similar I miss feeling good in my skin! I am excited to see my clothes get looser and that keeps me motivated!! I hope everyone is having a great weekend!