Starting IP Over the Holidays - I must be a masochist! ;)
Hey Everyone - I'm starting my 4th round of IP (over the course of 5 years) on Monday. IP is the only thing that has ever worked for me, so I'm a life long believer. I've been taking my weight loss EXTREMELY slow. I think there is a lot of psychological issues that go with food and weight for me, so each time I lose a chunk, I take a break to let my brain catch up with the rest of my body.
Over the last year I've gained 30 lbs back and I just couldn't wait any longer to get started - even if the timing (because of the holidays) isn't ideal. I just can't bring myself to go out and buy another size larger of clothes - that would be a big defeat for me. So, instead - I'm just jumping in!
Glad to be here - look forward to talking with you over the next few months.
jaimie Great loss for the first month You should definitely be pleased! Hope it continues at that pace for you, but don't get discourage if it slows down, most of us average 1-3 lb /week
Stormy glad you're joining us 2015 folk, the more the merrier. Everyone has something different to share, so it's always good to hear how others are getting along.
anamatria Welcome!
HIS - 60 lb, and GOAL!
Just thrilled for you, I know those last few lb were a struggle. It sure sounds like you've got P3 under control!
Beth - Same for you too, looks like you've got P2 going well ...and still losing .
I must admit I'm so envious of you and HIS, my gosh. bread and yogurt and granola and raspberries...Oh MY... I can hardly wait to get there!
Thanks for the cabbage recipe BTW. I'm not a big cabbage fan, but I'll have to try this!
This has been a bit of this/a bit of that day. DH is off with a friend to a horse show for the day, and I was up really early, so I decided to clean out my spare closet this morning. Everything seems to find its way into there; I found things I seriously don't remember putting in there. A clock I bought years ago and never found a place for. A box of DS' old baseball jerseys. Stuff like that. I've been putting that little chore off, it felt good to get it all done. Lots of space in there now
This afternoon, I drove a friend for a hospital treatment (out of town) so that took most of the afternoon. I had a bowl of soup before we left, but was pretty hungry when I got back, so a cup of green tea and a caramel nut bar did the trick! Leftover grilled chicken for dinner, with a big salad, nice not to have to cook!
It's Friday the 13th, hope everyone's luck was good today!
Hi ana! Welcome! You can do this! We got your back!
Ro - After 10 months on IP this was my first time eating cabbage . How it tastes...The recipe I found online compared them to garlic bread...um yah, thats a bit of a stretch but it had gotten a little crunchy in places, soft in others, and I used real crushed garlic with pink salt and a little pepper. Maybe if it had cut the right way (my fault for coring the cabbage) and remained round it would have gotten a little crispier - but with the salmon I had with lunch, it was PERFECT. I'm shocked how much I liked it! after all my harping on the bg #'s
Actually, I had gone ahead and ate this morning but showed the nurse my reading from before breakfast - she noted it and PDoc and I discussed my numbers.
She said everything sounds perfect (as far as numbers fasting, 2 hours post meal, bedtime) and it is not unusual for bg to drop like mine after not eating for 5+ hours. Advised keeping a Quest bar in my purse at all times but she doesn't expect me to continue have episodes once my caloric intake levels out / up in P4. If anything else needs to be addressed, we will know Monday.
Blue - lol - I am envious of you to a greater degree. Tomorrow's breakfast was a s**t ton of work and anxiety. I don't want to screw it up - but there is so much information available now on line that makes P3 fairly easy.
IP doesn't give you a nice list that says "buy this, not that" - and actually I think it's good b/c it does force you to slow down and read labels / do a little math to make the macros line up.
This is where an app like MFP will come in VERY handy!
Thank god for the internet too
...and funny enough - on the protocol facebook page a local (to D.C.) IP'er was looking for WF products and it started a conversation about what could be found where...I mentioned I couldn't fine the dips ANYWHERE! Well ironically tonight I stop in the one store that NEVER has WF products and lo-and-behold, what is lined up with the Hershey's chocolate syrups, etc near the ice creams...WF dips - caramel, chocolate, & marshmallow!
May I say...I actually like the marshmallow dip lol
Last edited by hysteria_625; 11-13-2015 at 09:42 PM.
anamatria, welcome to our little corner of the 'net.
Blue, go you on the closet clean-out!
Ro, I'm trying a Combat bar for the first time in the morning. I'll let you know what I think.
Beth, haha, yeah, cabbage steaks are NOT like garlic bread... but they are pretty darn good. For me, they're like roasted Brussels sprouts - too addictive and I have trouble staying within normal portions.
Sounds like you have a good plan for tomorrow. I bought Fairlife low fat milk, which is higher in protein than regular cow's milk, and plain Fage greek yogurt, also high in protein. I have my Bob's Red Mill muesli, which I can only have 1/3 cup of, so I hope the yogurt/fruit/milk helps fill me up. For bread, I just got Sara Lee low-calorie whole wheat bread. And you all already know about my Smucker's peanut butter which I've been dreaming about for weeks. I'll start with oatmeal in a jar on Sunday. Oh, and I got some apples for the oatmeal. Apples are probably my favorite fruit, and it's going to be hard to eat just 1/2 an apple for breakfast.
My daughter is spending the evening and night at a bachelorette party at a big casino tonight. She went prepared, with some zucchini chips for snacks tonight and chocolate Quest muffins for tomorrow's breakfast.
Last edited by HereIStand; 11-14-2015 at 12:37 AM.
Lol HIS - I am paying for my cabbage indulgence yesterday - scale was up almost 2 bloat pounds - a combo of the cabbage and 4 mile walk / jog I did yesterday.
Can I just say again how wonderful it is having the energy to get out and exercise - and without the weight, I feel so much better - hills don't wind me like they used to and I don't think it will take very long to increase my stamina Even started thinking I may be able to go skiing again this winter!
Getting ready to go prep P3 breakfast #1
Linda / Frawnie - thinking about you both - hope all is well
Beth - that's good news about the BG readings, I know it's been a big worry for you.
So... all this talk about P3 lately has got me thinking. It sounds like there's some work involved in figuring out the foods. Truth be told, I haven't really been tracking anything with MFP or anything else, I just follow the program and since it's worked, haven't worried.
But should I start??? Sound like it's something I'll have to do for P3.
I asked my coach last week, and she said not to worry, it's all laid out really well, but from what I'm hearing from you guys here, it sounds more complicated.
Also, all the foods you're talking about. Beth and HIS, you've been out looking at labels, figuring out foods...I wonder if it would be helpful to people facing P2/P3, not just now, but going forward as well, to have a dedicated P2/P3 Thread? What do you all think?
We really have a pretty limited choice here in my small-ish town. I'm starting to worry that I will have some problems finding appropriate food when I finally get there.
BTW, my home scale (nekkid of course) was just below 150 this morning
Now, my official WI won't show this, it's usually about 2lb more (they won't let me strip to weigh-in ) but it was a really nice start to my day!
Blue - that's awesome - Congrats! I am working to get to next "decade" so I know how great that feels. I hope I get there this week but it will be a stretch.
In regards to your observation/question, I can share my experience with you. I did IP the first time Aug 2014, about a year ago. I did exactly what my coach told me to do - just followed the program like a lemming (wound up getting ill and having to abruptly stop the diet - don't know if diet was cause or contributing factor). I believe in the science so even though I became ill, there was no established cause and effect so once my labs came back normal I started again. However, this time I have been much more vigilant and have tracked everything! I see an obesity doctor this time not trusting the motto, "it is a medically supervised diet", because they had no answers for me when I became ill and told me that it was just diet fatigue and to keep going. In addition to getting routine testing done, as I mentioned, I have tracked everything. I have gone through IP literature so I know the macros they are applying. Consequently, I do my own meal planning each day in my spreadsheet and the source of the products could be IP, natural, or from Nashua. I feel so much more confident that I will be able to successfully transition and maintain as I feel I have learned a ton more than a year ago when I was getting close to goal. In fact, that is another thing I learned - a goal weight! Also, I know my Active Metabolic Rate (AMR of which BMR is a big factor). I know that I can eat 3x more calories than I have been consuming on P1. I am aware of the 3:1 ratio for P4. I have found a ton of recipes and keep adding to my collection.
So, I guess in short, I think you should be doing some prep now. It will not seem so daunting a few weeks from now when you are ready to transition. And, I wouldn't worry about being in a small town. You can order anything you need. If you would like me to share a bit more about how I went about this, PM me. I am happy to share my experience. I feel so much more confident about transitioning than I did a year ago - a year ago I was dreading it. I have read many similar stories here, and I think not arming oneself with info along the way is part of the problem. Don't get me wrong - I'm sure you'll be successful - I just think it is that much more challenging than if you do planning/research now. Plus, a side benefit is that my research has led me to new recipes that are P1 compliant (or I doctor them to be) which is contributing to my being OP because I am not bored in spite of me doing P1 for about 12 months out of the last 16 months.
Height: 5'-2" - 41 years old - 2015 Reboot: 165.4/136.0/135
I also track in MFP. I think it is very helpful to see trends and if the scale is up, you can usually find the source (a higher sodium day, or you ate something different, etc...) I know if I use any kind of hot sauce or eat out (even if I stay 100% OP), I am ALWAYS up on the scale the next. Tracking helps me take the panic out of seeing the scale go up. I have also been tracking my food for years, so it is just a habit to keep doing it.
Weigh in today and down another 1.4#. Phew! I was sweating it this week as the scale did not make any movement until Thursday. I hate when that happens. Down a total of 12.2#. I am hoping to get to 150# by Thanksgiving. I am not planning on staying OP for Thanksgiving, so I would love to be at 150 (12 days!) and then hopefully be able to work off that gain by my next weigh in. That is the plan, anyway.
Ro- I got the Quest multi-purpose powder and made the egg sandwich today. OMG. It was SO good. I cooked up 1 egg and 1 piece of Applegate Farms Turkey bacon and made the "roll". I loved it. Question- the roll was a bit bland, it felt like it was missing something. Have you ever added a pinch of salt to the mixture? I might try that next time. I didn't want to add any salt because the turkey bacon has a fair amount of sodium in it, but it really felt like it could have used it. Or some other spice...
I might have to give the cabbage steaks a whirl. I am a little nervous though, because cruciferous veggies don't really agree with me (if you know what I mean!). They do sound really good though.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend. It is rainy here, so it is going to be an awesomely lazy weekend
Beth, I saw your breakfast photo on FB. Looked yummy! Was it everything you hoped it would be? And did it keep you satisfied for several hours? That's what I'm hoping for - that it will curb the carb cravings later in the day.
Ro, I had my cookie dough Combat bar before my run... OH MY. Definitely the BEST protein bar I've ever had. If I continue to use them as my pre-run fuel, that will motivate me to get out of bed in the morning . LOL. I can see why it's dangerous to keep several around. My GNC only had the cookie dough and cookies & cream flavors; I'm going to get some pb ones on Amazon.
Blue, technically you don't have to track every day on P3, as long as you've done the work ahead of time of figuring out some breakfasts that will meet protocol. But I think tracking is important for long term success. I have a friend who did IP through much of 2015, and when she got to P4, she was utterly lost on how to manage her diet. She said her coach, who she really liked and trusted, had taught her nothing about macros, BMR, etc. She had to go back and do P1 again within a couple of months.
I live in a small town, too, without tons of shopping options. Our grocery store is a Super Walmart, but I was able to find what I needed there. You don't have to buy a ton of specialty foods, but you do have to be prepared to spend some time reading labels.
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My 4-mile run is complete. I read an article this week that said that even for experienced runners, the first 10 minutes suck. haha. Once I get past that first mile, my pace seems to get more fluid. I continue to be surprised that I'm running 9-10 minute miles, which is faster than I could run 30 years ago. I'm sure it's because I'm carrying so much less weight now. I think my pre-run carbs are helping, because I don't feel like I'm dragging after 2 miles, and I also don't feel utterly exhausted when I finish.
My next race is a bigger 5K next Saturday, and I committed myself to a 10K run in January (the one with pancakes afterward). I'm thinking about doing a 15K Hot Chocolate run in February. The post-race festivities include hot chocolate, and fruit with chocolate fondue, and it's supposedly one of the best organized races around. Lord knows how much I love chocolate.
hysteriaI LOVE my Brooks! I am an RN, and they are seriously THE BEST! Hope you like them!
HIS thanks for the encouragement! You ladies are all at goal, or close, so it is good to see what your losses looked like from the earlier stages. I am fine with 1-3 week, I was just surprised to see how quickly I dropped to the slow losses. Some people on Profile lose 5 a week for the first couple of months. I was HOPING to be one of them, but I am not.
Stormy and Anamatria, I am sooooo glad to have some news ladies who will be in the beginning of this program with me. I am one month in and holding strong. Welcome!!
I broke into the 180s today- by a very slim margin- 189.8. BUT, I will take it! Woot woot!! 40 pounds to go!!
jaimie - I'm one of the ones who did NOT lose 5lb a week. I've stayed pretty steady all along at about 2/week, until the last little while where it's been between 1 and 2. We all lose differently, so don't be discouraged, it'll all come off!
Ro and HIS and jenny - Thanks for all you advice. You've kind of echoed what I've been thinking in my head for the last few weeks as I've started thinking about the next phases. My biggest fear is getting to maintenance and losing control. I know I can do it, but I haven't been sure I have the tools to do it, if that makes sense.
My losses have been pretty steady all along (only one week a small gain, but I know why), and I've had no health issues, and tolerate all the food well. Even the last few weeks with adding some alternates like Quest, etc., it's all stayed the same as always. So I think I should be able to keep going to goal without any issues.
I'll look at MFP and try to get it figured out... if you all have any hints/tips/advice before I get started, please do share.
I'll try tracking everything for the next few weeks and see how it goes.
Ro, I appreciate your PM offer, thank you so much!! and I may take you up on that once I've had a stab at it for a few days. It sounds like you use your own spreadsheet for tracking. Is it more work to do that than MFP? I have a Math/Science background so charts and tables are in my comfort zone.
I have a big binder full of recipes I've come across, so I have a lot of resources for P1 compliant meals; actually, even pre-IP, our meals were meat/fish and veggies/salad, so the food part on P1 has been pretty easy. Going forward, I know I have to do some learning to do to make sure I don't gain, that's really a big fear!
But I'm still quite a way from goal, so I should have lots of time.
Jenny - Sorry, yes, I add a fair amount of salt to mixture. I do that with the PB powder too. I have thought about using other spices too such as rosemary but I haven't done that yet.
Congrats on the weigh-in.
I keep wavering back and forth. I am now leaning towards staying OP on Thanksgiving. My recipes are spurring me on.
HIS - I am not sure if you negotiated a discount at your GNC, but I get mine there for $11 less a box than on Amazon. So, if you get them for under $22 at your GNC like I do, then tell them to order them for you to save $. I went to Vitamin Shoppe today to buy them for my brother and his son as my GNC only has the peanut butter and my nephew doesn't like chocolate (I know!) so I went to get him the cinnamon swirl and white raspberry and my brother the cookies n cream to add to his pb supply, and they came up $33 dollars more for the 3 boxes than GNC. They told me they will only price match a corporate GNC and not a franchise so I told them to cancel what they had rung up and walked out. I have their membership so I gave them the business about the uselessness of it.
And, all I can say is that if you think that flavor is great, wait until you have the PB - you will spring out of bed - LOL.
Congrats on the run! I can't run with 2 reconstructed knees but when I was doing my home remodel, I found I had much more sustained energy throughout the day on days I had the Combat bar. I'll be interested to see if you feel that.
Jaime - Congrats on the mini-milestones - next decade and 1 month in!
Blue - LOL. I was a math major I haven't used MFP so I can't compare. I think it may just be my OCD. Seriously, I have been tracking my diets in spreadsheets for years so it was just easy for me to take that format. I started with getting a spreadsheet together that had all the IP and alternative products as that food list was very different from any diet I ever had. I like to have the data in my hands. I create my own charts from the data and such. I find it so easy to do meal planning. I do a lot of copying and pasting from 1 tab to another so that makes meal planning very easy (my spreadsheet has 6 weeks' worth of tracking in it before I start a new one). I have compiled the rules around alternates in it as well as the info for calculating AMR, etc so I just feel better knowing I have a local copy of my own data that I can analyze and meal plan very easily. Plus, I print my daily food journal as well as my weekly summaries when I go to the doctor/nutritionist - they really like it.
I think MFP has an advantage in that their food database is massive as I understand it. Occasionally, I have to add a food to mine when I try something new (like cabbage today, for example).
Regardless what tool you use, I think the key is tracking macros and knowing your BMR and calculating your AMR. If you don't know how to do that, you can just Google it and you'll find a Jillian Michael's link where she explains the algorithm for that (I used that term because of your background - hehehehe).
I have learned a ton by doing this and feel so confident for the first time in my life that I will be successful in maintenance. I have never maintained a weight - I have been gaining or losing my whole adult life so I know your concerns. And, I know these are only words - I haven't yet actually done it, but I think it starts with proper, sufficient knowledge and the right mental state, which I now have.
Starting IP Over the Holidays - I must be a masochist! ;)
You should definitely be pleased! Hope it continues at that pace for you, but don't get discourage if it slows down, most of us average 1-3 lb /week
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. How it tastes...The recipe I found online compared them to garlic bread...um yah, thats a bit of a stretch but it had gotten a little crunchy in places, soft in others, and I used real crushed garlic with pink salt and a little pepper. Maybe if it had cut the right way (my fault for coring the cabbage) and remained round it would have gotten a little crispier - but with the salmon I had with lunch, it was PERFECT. I'm shocked how much I liked it!
after all my harping on the bg #'s 
