hysteria_625:
"Our bodies are amazing machines...the reaction I had to the additional 120 calories and fat was nothing short of miraculous, imho - miraculous that I've stuck with this and am so in tune with my body that I could feel the energy. Basic science 101 - calories = energy...but until you feel something like that...I really, really need to start listening more carefully to mine..."

This is exactly what happened to me as I lost weight. I got to about 142 and just got stuck and felt ill, with no energy. I decided along with my coach to do the Diabetic Alternative protocol and voila, I felt tons better, and had way more energy, AND continued on to lose the last 10 lbs easily. My body just needed more food to do its job effectively. It may be something to consider, similar idea to G4H's plan. Glad you are feeling better.
Liana

acidlollipop - Onederland! That's so...well... ONEDERFUL

mandasquared -You should be so pleased, you're off to such a good start

Beth - Great pics! WOW, you're looking really good in that last pic. I love those side by side comparisons, really shows the amazing progress you've made.

I'm finding your analysis of what's been happening to you so interesting...and so glad you're sharing your thoughts on it all. It sure is something I'm going to think about as I go forward, maybe experiment with adding extra calories and fat when I seem to be slowing down.
Good luck with your plan!
Anyway, thanks for posting it all, pretty good bet I'm going to get to the point you're at, and so glad you're doing all the hard stuff
...and also thanks to Amber and Liana, you've both been there, and it's so great for the rest of us to share in your insight and advice.

For me, that extra 1 oz of cheese (which some days became 2 oz which was fine also) just completely saved the last five months of IP - I was on for one year. My coach told me to add it.
It was like entering heaven. She told me buy a pack of shredded cheddar & shredded parmesan, and sprinkle it on a bag of the IP chips, add peppers and toast in toaster oven. I had this every single night for a while. I was like in complete heaven. I got me off the “wall” and got me through the Nov. & Dec. Holidays. Going to parties and being able to have veggies and a small chunk of cheese - it was the weirdest thing but it just kept me on track.
And also it made me feel like I could succeed in maintenance, because by adding that little extra fat and calories, I felt like I could eat like that the rest of my life.

Like you mentioned Beth, what about 100 calories did was all that I needed.
Interestingly enough, the main thing I craved the last two months of IP was avocado. And yogurt. I told my coach that and she told me to add an extra 2 tsp of oil a day. That also helped.
And then once I was out of P3, avocado and yogurt were the first welcome additions (yogurt was part of P3 brekkie also).

Mostly just saying I think it’s important at the end of P1 to start to trust your body in whatever way is accurate for you. Tricky slope of course toward “cheating” but even that needs to be negotiated through trial and error I think.
I didn’t “cheat” during P1 but in maintenance (by my person definition anyway) it all needed to be worked out. What is good for your body, what is OK within reason once or twice a week, or once a day, and what just doesn’t work.

Grateful: that cheese you had (omg it's been so long), was that while you were still on P1?
I find myself getting hungrier now in P1, so I've been adding an extra unrestricted. That happens a couple of times a week when I do a lot of walking. So far it hasn't stalled any losses. I can't go to bed hungry.
I finally know what it really feels like to be hungry. I used to always be eating/snacking that I never got "hungry". I always thought I was hungry but now I realize for the most part, I was giving in to cravings.

Good Morning Everyone!!! Thank you so much for the support regarding my lament earlier in the week. HIS thank you for posting the variations that you daily experience. After this week, I will only weigh myself at home on Wednesdays. My weigh in day at the clinic is usually Saturday. If I'm up, I may check it Thursday too. I knew that this was what would happen to me, I couldn't resist the temptation, it stares at me-lol. It's so pretty too- and it's new. Beth this is the one I got,on Amazon- about 60 bucks including shipping. EatSmart™ Precision GetFit Digital Body Fat Scale
BethThose pictures are INCREDIBLE!!! What a transformation!! Nice definition in your quads too!
AcidONEderland!! Congratulations! A great feeling I remember!!! Great job!
Manda Awesome job! 20 lbs!! Think about 20 grapefruits...that's what is missing from you!!! Good work!
AmberI think once I get to maintenance, I will be a regular weigher- I will have to be. I will need to be in control of things at that point. What you said makes complete sense. (Then again- I have found everything I have read from you does. You've gotten things really well put together and figured out.
Beth As usual, there are so many things you have posted about that I can completely relate to. The hunger, the fatigue, the obsession about the next thing I'm going to eat- we really do seem to mirror experiences. It's cool because you are "alternative" and I have been 100% IP until last week when I started integrating some alts. I have Janeva's cookbook and I love it. Haven't done a lot of stuff, but what I have done I like a lot. Of course, me being me, I toy with the recipes too.
I've been so busy at work, I've been exhausted, and just super stressed with some family stuff- it's really good to come here and even if I don't reply to stuff, just read and gather information. I've been feasting on the information on the maintainers threads. I juts read what I wrote, I'm going to leave it-Freudian slip?? lol
Thank you again everyone for your support!!!

Sorry I've been MIA. Our doggy died last week, and I immediately got strep that didn't go away with the first round of antibiotics, but now is finally gone, thank god. And now I have to go to a funeral out of town this weekend.

I have missed a ton. Wow. I see a theme of the need to be flexible and know yourself and your body's needs. You are all becoming quite insightful about yourselves!

Some NSV's. I put on an old hoodie from when DH and I were first dating and he said, "I haven't seen you in that in a long time." I said, "I couldn't fit into it!!!" And I was leading a therapeutic class, and one of the patients who hadn't seen me in a year completely didn't recognize me. She said she couldn't believe I was the same person. Wow.

CAn you shae this diabetic protocol with me please? Ive searched and cant seem to find it. I have a friend interested in IP but is a severe diabetic. Wanted to find out more before he started it. Thanks!

I haven't been posting much lately other than in the daily what are you eating thread ...and have even missed a day or two there. I rotate my menus so a lot of times it is a repeat.
Someone asked about collagen; I've been using Neo Cell powder pretty much since the beginning. I don't know how much it has helped all I can think is if it HAAS helped I'd hate to think how saggy I would have been without it!
I order from vitacost and right now it is on sale.
http://www.vitacost.com/neocell-supe...mg-250-tablets

Beth...you are looking so good!
Everyone stay strong and IP on!

Amber, oh that's a great idea with the cheese! I love cheese all by itself (I come from a long line of dairy owners); I wonder if I could have an ounce of cheese in the evenings when my hunger is just crazy bad? I haven't looked at the nutritional analysis of a hard cheese - is it mostly just protein and fat?

MiWi, you had a hard week. So sorry about your dog. Kudos for staying OP in the midst of everything.

The next couple of months are going to be challenging for me. Our son moved back home yesterday, to save some money before he gets married in December. He's 6'9" and eats everything in sight, AND manages a Mexican restaurant, so there will be lots of food here that I don't normally buy. And my Couch-to-5K running is ramping up; I was looking forward to the winter running season, but found out yesterday that my husband will probably be having a big back surgery (his 5th) in late December, which will really cut into my running time, as he needs a lot of care after these surgeries. I'm nervous that if I can't run, my weight will start to creep back up. He was in a serious motorcycle accident 12 years ago and broke some vertebrae (also fractured his pelvis and shattered his jaw), and he now has rods from his neck to his tailbone and lives with chronic back pain and limited mobility. One of my motivations for losing weight was to be healthy enough to care for him as we age. I really need to keep this weight off!

I started typing out a response and then accidentally closed my browser

I see it was meant to be though

Thank you Linda, Frawnie, everyone for the compliments

Linda - Was thinking about you this morning! Not sure about the quads I have to laugh a little b/c the shorts I wore last weekend were literally falling off of me! I couldn't walk more than a slow gate, or they were going to end up around my ankles! I finally had to tie a hunk of twine from a hay bale through the belt loops. Sorry about the family / work stress - I totally empathize though. Wish there was some 'easy button' to resolve the exhaustion.

Liana - you rock - I've considered P1-alt diabetic too...but am SO afraid to add in carbs (its basically a few more calories & a fruit if I remember correctly)

HIS - you're ahead of me I have P2 / P3 protocol sheets in my IP photo folder on my phone. For P2 I know nothing changes, except the additional protein at lunch on P2 - pretty easy & wow - sorry about your DH's on-going health issues we got your back lady! & yah - if that was my son, I'd have to ask him to please leave the leftovers at work.

BTW - regarding additional exercise - I saw some posts on FB this morning about when to add packet(s):
General rule of thumb - 1 packet for every 1/2 hour of strenuous exercise - strenuous meaning anything that raises the heart rate - with the caveat of "listening to your body"

blue - Sometimes I feel like I am 'bothersome' with my novels so its reassuring that they may help others. We are all on this journey together & what was successful for one may (or may not) be successful for others. Obviously we've all found great success with the original program

Amber - Your post got me thinking...so 1oz cheese is 110 cal, 9g fat, 0 carb. 1/2 of a medium avocado is 130 cal, 12g fat, 6g carb, 5g fiber (http://www.avocadocentral.com/nutrit...th-facts-label) - not a huge difference, and while cheese is certainly great for flavor, imvho, the avocado would be a healthier choice...I also thought at some point there was a conversation started about IP opening the door / discussing adding 'healthy' fats into the program??
Anyway, just my long-winded way of saying I'd be more inclined to go with an avocado - especially after that great "power-up" I experienced


...the effects of which are wearing off - but yay me, I was 100% OP yesterday and scale was down -0.6 this morning & if my body cooperates TOM should start in earnest tomorrow.

I know I am not alone with this slow down / reassessment and its great to know there are things I can change and experiment with.

Busy weekend ahead - DD19 has moved her b'day party back up to tomorrow now that her partner is well again. Saving my Ansi cookie dough bar for the firepit while they enjoy chocolate bday cake and smores Then we are going to go to the Maryland Renaissance Faire over the weekend! Figure we will take the cooler (so I can pack a bag of veggies and bars) but given that "real" medieval food choices should include fire-pit chicken / beef, I should be fine

Hi Guys,
I love reading about how you are all doing. Seeing some of your pictures are great inspiration. I have been seeing some of you mention collagen in a few of your posts. So how does it work? I know there are the IP collagen jelly packets, which I have on occasion as my snack but don't always want to use one of my 3 packets a day on a jello. So how have you worked it into your routine and how has it helped?

I know this is my 2nd post today, but I just had to share this NSV somewhere. Hubby & I are having a meeting this afternoon to refinance our house, so after my 3 mile walk, I showered and got ready to go.... And discovered I now fit in the smallest clothes in my closet - size 10! I think it's been 20 years since I could wear these clothes. I was going to reward myself with a pair of size 10 Gap jeans when I got to goal, but now I'm thinking I'll need a size 8!

AWESOMESAUCE!!!!!

HIS !!!!!

Frawnie - So I found Neo Cell super collagen +C supplement at our big wholesale club - but to get the full daily amount it's 6 pills?? Is that right? I mean I am willing to give it a go - it was on sale too and I get 360 tablets - so a 2 month supply...but is yours the same? Feel like I am becoming a pill pusher the top of my microwave is full!

I started asking about the collegan protein because my clinic recommended the IP jello. I agree with the comments though that it's not really filling. I did some googling and see this protein is really beneficial for skin, bones, hormones etc. So worthwhile to do some research and add.
I find I'm having a 4th packet on the days I have jello.
Happy Friday all!