Hi Ladies,
How are you all doing? Sounds like everyone is great! I added in the bar.... Thank you for the advice. I'm at 137.0 and Tom is coming..... I'm stalling because of it. Its mentally difficult to be on such a strict diet and hit stalls and not lose 2 lbs a week every single week... at least for me it is

I've continued workouts... 1600 meter row and milerun yesterday... that was crazy! I didn't run the mile, I took breaks. I did the row though and all the lunges and squats and froggers and push ups and burpees, oh my....


I am going to keep going until Feb 14, V day then I'm planning a cheat dinner and the feb 15 to march 17 100%. we are leaving for vacation on the 19th.... so I'm doing phase off and p2 and p3 that week.

I am hoping to get to 125ish by then... wishful thinking I know.... but anything's possible, lol.

I never thought I would survive 2013 and I did....

A few pounds and a diet should be easy for me after that year....

I stopped the pre-workout drink... I just don't trust it.... seems too sweet to be calorie free, and no nutrition info makes me wonder.

I have a protein shake before my workouts.

Anyhoooo, talk soon ladies... baby is sick today(((

Thought I would share an experience with hacking packets...

I love the chocolate cake I make with the IP Chocolate Drink mix packets. It is so rich and delicious. I found the recipe on a remote IP clinic site when I searched for what i could do with that packet. Previously, I posted that recipe on this forum. I realized where the richness and texture comes from. Last night I made a batch and I forgot to add olive oil. I remembered to put it in the peanut butter bread loaves that I make with Quest protein powder. What a difference the olive oil makes in both cases (just a tsp per packet/serving). I forgot it in IP recipe and it was a noticeable difference and I never used it in my baking with Quest so I now know to use a tsp of olive oil in ALL my baking packet hacks, regardless whether it is IP or not.

Also, the chocolate cake recipe called for both baking powder and soda so I used the same recipe for the Quest powder, and it came out more like a loaf vs more dense so I think baking with both is important.

I am loving both. I have yet to find a protein powder that has the rich chocolate flavor IP has in that drink mix. Quest does not as theirs is a chocolate milkshake flavor. I ordered some Weight Loss Systems pudding today so I am going to try using that as it appears as a darker chocolate. If that works, that will be one less item that i am dependent upon IP for. That would take me down to just 1 which is the Chicken Soup. No one has a comparable one - not even close - in my opinion.

So glad to see you posting here Ro!! happy new year!
I have missed you!

And thanks for sharing this little tip for IP Packet baking - I am doing some this week to get back in the habit of grab and go muffins, cookies, and now I can try cake! thanks for sharing!

WI #2 today and my total down since Jan 5 is 8.4 lbs -- a little constipated today so I think I'm really a couple lbs less, but I will wait for the official read to tell me that - down 4.5 inches and really feeling it through the midriff area. It will be so good to be able to bend over without the spare tire obstruction - just gotta do the work to get there.

Hi Purple I started last week on IP weighed in for the first time today lost 6 3/4 lbs and hope to have continued success. Good luck with your journey

Hi Cheryl!

Thanks for that. I miss you too! I have been meaning to catch up on Facebook and be involved more here but work has been soooooooo crazy and when I say crazy, I mean crazy. I have probably been out of my office chair (work at home) a total of 15 hours since Friday morning and that includes sleeping. I guess it is good that I am currently suffering from major insomnia - even though I am so drained I can't fall asleep. I guess I just can't turn my brain off as we work to get our next software release out. This year has taken off like crazy and in year 3 of running my own company, it couldn't be better!

I have been meaning to congratulate you on not just the losses and commitment but your enthusiasm - the tone of your messages is drastically different from what it was so I am so happy for you to have dealt with all you did and come out the other side!

I have not weighed myself yet as I like to see large losses so when I feel I have the Christmas weight off and into the 20 additional pounds I wanted to lose this year, then I'll start weighing.

I have another recipe idea to share. The good news in having insomnia is that the time I am not spent working, I am incorporating new ingredients/ideas as the rebooting on IP with the same foods can get boring so I am doing a good job with keeping it fresh.

I have been craving Italian meatballs so I took a pound and a half of lean turkey meat and added a new ingredient that I got from Nashua Nutrition (order came today) which is the Proti-VLC pasta sauce. I ordered it with the intention of adding it into my meat to make meatballs. I ordered all 3 flavors but the one I used for this was the Tomato Parmesan. The add in is only 50 cal, 1 g Protein and 7 carbs (4 net) and I added an egg and Italian seasoning. I rolled out good size meatballs and baked at 350 for 20 minutes. While that was baking I was simmering a little olive oil, Italian seasoning, Basil, Salt & Pepper with Bella Terra San Marzano diced tomatoes and garlic (get from Whole Foods - 1/2 c is only 2 carbs). When meatballs were done, I put them in the sauce to simmer another 10 minutes - I can't describe to you the deep, rich flavor. The Tomato Parmesan pasta sauce within the meatball really made this something I now crave.

I can't say that I have enjoyed my meals on IP more than this time around with all I have learned the last 2 years. I know people were dreading rebooting but I am really enjoying it because of the variety and the how good the recipes are that I have been making. So, word of advice, is if you are struggling/craving look to make things you really enjoy in an IP friendly way and not just at dinner but all meals of the day. Do not just settle on having the packets the way they are. I have done it both ways and I am really enjoying it by being creative and finding ways to make what I like IP friendly. The first time I did IP, for 5 months, I had the same dinner about 5 days a week which was extra lean group turkey over either lettuce or spinach with WF ranch dressing. I tolerated the WF ranch dressing. What a difference tolerate vs enjoy makes!!!

Keep up the great work, Cheryl and all!

Good morning rebooters! I have been a bit busy, so haven't been able to jump on the boards in a few days, and they have been a rough few days for me as well.

I ended up having a small cheat meal on Tuesday night. I went out for a work dinner and there were chips and guac... You can all guess the ending to this story I am a food logger, so I plug everything into MFP, even standard P1 days. I logged everything from the dinner and came in at 100g TOTAL carbs (for the entire day), which is not too terrible. I have found that when I am deep in ketosis, I can push around 100g without kicking myself out, as long as I go back to low carb the next day (which I did).

I am back "on the wagon" and continuing my reboot. I am not expecting anything out of my weigh in on Sat. I will be happy to have remained the same this week. I thought a lot about it and I realized that I am ok with this. I am basically where I want to be (except for those few vanity pounds) and there is still time for me to continue with the reboot.

When I checked my weight on Tuesday morning, I was 138.6, which is a little bit up. I am not sure what prompted the uptick because I was OP all weekend. However, I have had a lot of changes lately and they all came at once, so it could be a combination of things or it could be something as simple as I didn't drink enough water. I am not concerned about it, but I am keeping diligent notes and observations on anything that could impact how I feel. I have had some prescriptions and dosages change, as well as having some things added. Overall, my measurements are in line (no upward movement), I feel good and my clothes are fitting good. So it is all A-OK, but still keeping track of things to see if there are any major changes or shifts or if my weight does continue to climb.

Ro- Thanks for the packet hacks. I am seriously addicted to making the Quest "cookies" (same recipe as cake) and I have been making them into waffles lately. The peanut butter is my favorite. I will have to try adding some olive oil and see how I like it. The meatballs sound great! I have also done something similar with chicken, which I call "Chicken Parm Bake". In a corningware dish, I put chicken breasts and a low carb marinara sauce. I have found that there are a few jarred marinara sauces out there that have 6-7g carb and 2g fiber, so I use that. I bake in the oven at 350 for 25 min and then sprinkle some parm on top. I love it. You really quench the Italian food craving. I know tomatoes are a restricted veggie, so I usually do this more in maintenance, but it could easily be done 1-2 times a week in P1 or P2.

I have also made pizza crust with the Quest multipurpose powder. I hacked Janeva's recipe and made a few modifications, and it turns out great. I mean, let's be real, it's not going to taste like REAL pizza crust, but with some sauce, cheese and toppings, believe me, it gets the job done and satisfies the craving. Of course, it's not really P1 compliant because of the tomato sauce and the mozzarella, but I have used it in maintenance when I need a low carb meal and am really craving pizza. I don't have the recipe with me, but I will post it later.

Hope everyone is hanging in there as we get ready to head into another weekend.

Jenny,

You got control of it so its no biggie. I am planning on a cheat meal on valentines day as well. you are lucky you stayed in ketosis... It would take me 4 days to get back into ketosis and I would be up 4 lbs. LOL....

I was 136.4 this morning.... so 11 to 12 lbs to go... YAYYYYY.

This time has been rough for me. My husbands chaotic schedule hasn't helped at all. I'm looking forward to our vacation, we really need it!

I have allot of rough moments throughout the day... I somehow get through them... I save the bar for those moments, LOL.

I have continued my orange theory workouts.... some good, some bad....

I cant do high weights anymore. I usually grab 20's or even 25s and now im lucky to be able to life 15s....

I haven't had the crazy improvement yet... It will happen though because im running and rowing better this week.

I usually burn 600 calories, according to their fake calorie counters... LOL...

Other than that, Im going to meet my sisters at Milos restaurant tonight, I already looked at the menu and planned on no cheats! I hired a sitter....

Ill check in tomorrow to report....

XOXOXOX

Jenny -

Good to hear from you! Thanks for the tips! I use Quest also the way you describe in maintenance but because I follow a keto lifestyle while maintaining, the recipes are mostly almond flour, coconut flour and then a few recipes also include protein powder for which I use Quest. The recipes I follow in maintenance are quite different from IP as if any one meal's macros are the way they are on IP, I would never hit my day's macros in keto as I can't have a heavy protein meal or I'll never get my fat in while keeping my desired fat to protein ratio on keto.

Btw, I tasted the batter prior to putting the Peanut butter in the oven to bake and I realized that it was fantastic just by itself so I have made a note to include a tsp of olive oil even when I am making it for pudding along with the other ingredients so the only thing that will be different is if I bake it or not. That is great to know because when I am traveling I can't always bake, but I do have individual packets of olive oil that I got on Amazon so this is very portable for me.

Perhaps your body is telling you it is good where it is and you should treat that as a sign to switch to maintenance. You could always do maintenance for a month and do IP for 2 weeks to get off the remaining vanity weight is a way to cycle things so you aren't doing P1 for too long.

Jenny, I started going to Orange Fitness Theory and burned 432 cals yesterday. I made the conscious decision to have some brown rice sushi for dinner last night because I knew I would be right back at the gym today. This morning I lost 1.5 pounds from yesterday! So don't sweat it, everything is an ebb and flow. That little cheat felt great because I knew I had worked off a lot of calories for it. Then I went and burned 677 calories today haha....I think I'll just have an extra restricted though.

Kmap Way to go! That nice loss in week 1 is always encouraging! You can do this!

Ro22: So glad your business is hopping - sorry it's keeping you so busy, but then again, busy hands are not snacking and less tempted to cheat. Thanks fr sharing your cooking tips - I cannot tell you how much I look forward to getting the weight back off and fighting the good fight to maintain. I really enjoyed the butter and bacon on Keto, and I confess it was hard to let it go as I came back on IP.

Jenny and Lexi - you guys are so bold with your exercise, but I know it must help with maintenance. I do think it is smart to really do IP when you are re-booting, and not add in cheese and rely on the restricted veggies or carbs.... BUT - we all learn by trial and error that we are each different and our body chemistry, triggers and balance of macros can be very different.

I am trying hard to make myself follow the P1 protocol - using the IP Packet hacks that only add in egg white and use the existing oil and the approved extra flavorings and sweeteners. I know this will make the P1 phase go by faster for me.

Hanging in....
cheryl

Hi All!

Just a quick post before I leave for work. It's a wonderful feeling to move my ticker down! Today is the beginning of Week 2 for me on this reboot and I'm down 8 pounds. True, some is water weight, but I don't care. My ticker gets moved and I get to do a happy dance.

More later.

Hi Joysh! Thanks for the reminder to move my ticker down . 29 pounds since early November-not too shabby. For anyone who doubts this program please don't. It works!!!!!!

Ro- Thanks. Your words really hit home for me and I have been thinking about them non-stop. I think you are right. I did weigh this week and stayed the same. Since I am within 2# from where I want to be, I am going to go back on maintenance for awhile. P1 will always be there, and I think cycling P1 is a good idea. I think our bodies become very adapted to P1.

So, starting tomorrow, I am going to transition back to maintenance. I bought and did meal prep this weekend, so I am ready to go. I think that mentally, I need to be off P1. I literally fantasize about binging. Seriously. I think my body is telling me to knock it off because I am at a healthy weight.

I have found, for myself, that it is so much harder to do P1 when I am satisfied with my body. When I rebooted in 2015, I was so unhappy and I was distraught about all the bad advice I was given and had essentially gained everything back. Rebooting now was about losing those few pounds gained over the holidays to get back to a place where I feel comfortable. Now that I am there, I have a hard time justifying to myself why I should stay on P1 just to lose 2 more pounds.

I'll check back in on you ladies, but for now, my holiday reboot is officially complete.

Jenny,

Sounds like the right move and I am happy for you that you recognized it before you binged or became ill. Congrats on the successful reboot!

For me personally, I am very proud of myself. I was in Puerto Vallarta over the weekend for my sister's wedding and I stayed OP the whole time. As part of my planning, I was nervous about the food there so I decided to do the equivalent of a 3 day IP boot camp which is no meat - replacing it with 2 packets so that is what I did using alternatives. I was worried about Mexico customs confiscating any food (with the expense of IP, I didn't want to risk them taking the food even if it was in packaging). So, I didn't take any baked goods or IP goods. So, what I did was I went to Vitamin Shoppe and got 9 individual packets of Quest peanut butter protein powder which served as breakfast, lunch and snack for 3 days. I got a bag of quest chips and an oatmeal bar for each dinner. I used my olive oil in my pudding recipe with the Quest peanut butter powder (I ordered little packets of olive oil from Amazon a while ago and brought those along). I brought a couple of Stevia packets and salt packets and also included those in my pudding. I am very happy that I made a plan and stuck with it and bypassed the breakfast buffet, etc.

I could have done that but I want my reboot to be as short as possible so that was the trade off I made. I will weigh for the first time since reboot next Monday and then determine how much longer I will do the reboot. My goal for next Monday is to be at my pre-Christmas weight. I want to lose an additional 10-20 pounds depending upon how I feel so I will know how much longer on my reboot then, but I know I won't be worrying over the next week about how much of a setback I caused, which is what would have happened if I did plan/stay OP.
I felt pretty good in my swimsuit and family was telling me to stop dieting so I think I am close.

I hope everyone else's reboot continues to well and we continue to read about successful reboots like Jenny's!

Starting week 4 of my reboot and down 11 pounds. I have really enjoyed this reboot--may sound funny but from Thanksgiving to New Year every event was about food and wine. By the time I started my reboot on January 2nd I was so miserable from all the junk and over eating. I feel like I am in control of my eating. I have had social events but they have beein in restaurants where I can order what I want. I hope the rest of my journey will be as postive as my last 3 weeks. I was so excited at the frozen section of Walmart to see cauliflower rice. So convenient to have in the freezer.