Hi Guys!

I've been lurking for a while, have read Oct, Nov and Dec Chats (which took a long time) and am finally commenting. I started Dec 16 and have lost 9#. I was sick for a week and did not do program.

I have gotten some great ideas, the mustard vinagerette, broccoli in soup and just wanted to finally say hello.

I am married and have 3 kids, 12, 10 and 4 and a pug. I log my food in sparkpeople.com food journal every day. I gained a bunch of weight and two other moms had lost weight through IP, and that's how I found IP.

I aslo wanted to share my favorite dish:

Turnip Fries
Peel and cut turnips like fries
toss in bag with a little bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a bunch of Essence of Emeril. Bake at 425 for 30 min, turn halfway through cooking. Add salt!

Also, I'm getting ready to experiment with WF Coleslaw and make a tuna salad with a lettuce wrap!

I love reading this forum and love IP!

Thanks Luvmymarine - I am a 4-6 right now, 6 is pretty baggy but fits exact in the tummy area but huge in butt and legs. I think youre right maybe I just dont have a lot more fat to lose but my arms have fat and my stomach still has a bit of a gut and love handles. Youre right on the low estrogen thing, yes i started the pill today to try to get that back, and youre right with the facial hiar and bone loss, thats what the doc said.

Baseball mom, there are tons of recipes here: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/othe...t-recipes.html

Feel free to add yours, it sounds yummy!

Thanks ogdog13 for the confidence.
I plan on only a few drinks and I am sure they will have seafood etc. I think I am more worried about my willpower right now. Like I said before I am making some poor food choices, had to have ice cream last night, and I cannot stop eating peanut butter for some reason, I am nervous that I will throw caution to the wind etc... I am sure I will be fine but I have a ton of anxiety about it. I sort of feel weird like lots of people are telling me how great I look etc, and I think that somewhere in my brain I am using it as an excuse to sneak a little here and a little there. Is anyone else having this problem. when I started I was so faithfull then the holidays came and I can't get back on track. What is wrong with me?

Melissa, maybe you should swing into my IP office & pick up some Gymnevia. Also I have personally noticed that when I am following the plan to the T...I don't seem to crave as much, and the Gymnevia helps.

Torchlaker: thanks for the tip on eating protein 1st thing and last thing each day. 'cause eating carbs first thing while on my road trip sent me down the wrong track for sure.

Mepeterson: Have a great time in Mexico! Drink bottled or filtered water only. Order water with every alcoholic drink and don't drink on an empty stomach.
Take some Pepto Bismol (tablets) with you in case of Montezuma's Revenge. There are some great protein choices in the nicer Mexican restaurants. Grilled fish, chicken, meat. Don't be afraid of the goat meat (cabrito) it tastes just like slightly gamey chicken and is very lean.

I have a plan for my upcoming trip. I will be staying at my Dad's house for 2 weeks and his kitchen is Carbohydrate Central. He always has a freshly baked cake on his counter, ice cream in his fridge, fried potatoes with his eggs and homemade flour tortillas and refried beans. (He is 95 years old and gets to do whatever he wants. LOL.)

So I am going to buy and boil some eggs and eat one each morning when I first get up. That will get my metabolism going in the right direction and control my hunger. And I will take plenty of IP protein bars with me and I will have as many as I need to control my cravings for carbs throughout the
day. And then I will have a protein before bed. Other than that, I plan to relax and enjoy myself. We are having a big birthday party on Jan. 23rd for my Dad who will be turning 96.
Four of my siblings are also on IP so it will be great to see them for the first time since we have all lost weight. And I will be asking for their support while I stay with my Dad because they know all about his cooking. LOL.

On another note: I have been trying Creative Visualization (I live in California after all) to get to my goal weight. I find a few minutes each day, take a few deep breaths, close my eyes and imagine myself in the near future at my goal weight. The body dysmorphia gets in the way and it is very hard to do! But I think it will help me "accept" my future self at a normal weight.

Also, I joined fitday.com to start keeping track of my carbs.

Have a great day everyone and keep posting.........it is the one thing that has helped me the most.

Melissa, is it that time of the month for you or are you PMSing at all? Gosh how I want ice cream and chips when I hit those two times. Sounds to me like you are out of ketosis is all, hence you are having the cravings and hunger.

I'm glad you saw the Dr. and they figured it out. Yes 13% is VERY low for a woman. My son, who is 21, 6' and 140 lbs. has 9% body fat. And he looks all muscle and bones to me, even though he eats like a sow. Well, good luck from here on out. You'll do it.

Thanks echobaby, I appreciate your support, and thanks for the info on the BF %, good toknow.

I just ordered the Gymnema!! What a great price. Thank you to whomever poasted the link (echobaby??).

http://www.puritan.com/gymnema-sylve...-359875008-_-e

Hey folks, I start the IP program on the 20th. Was gonna wait until after the colonoscopy I have scheduled on the 22 but they said it didn't matter. I currently weigh 187# and would like to get down to 120 (haven't weighed that in 25 years). I've been reading the Nov & Dec threads and trying to learn as much as I can. Thanks to everyone who has posted - it really helps us newbies.

Thanks Baseball Mom for that recipe...I sooooo need something crunchy & salty right now! And the turnip fries will hopefully do the trick. AND Turnips only have 3.8 carbs per 1/2 c serving! I work right next to a Fuddruckers & there sign is advertising there new waffle fries & tater tots!

Hi everyone! My husband and I started IP on Tuesday and are doing well with the eatting! It just sucks not working out right now! But soon I can do some stuff! I am glad there is an area to write and talk to everyone! Any key tips would be great or recipes! Hope everyone is doing well!

The scale finally moved today! I have a habit of daily scale hopping, it never gets me down, just interesting to watch and take note. I only count my official weigh in each week for where I really am! I have been 100% OP for the last seven days, my last cheat was on New Years Day. I was back in Ketosis by Monday but the scale didn't move until this morning. It is amazing how much of a difference it is to be OP, no cravings, I want more water, etc. The one thing I am having trouble with is getting in enough veggies and lettuce. If we are full after eating the IP packet and veggies, do we have to have lettuce? Anyway, glad to be back into the swing of things and feeling good.

hi everyone:
still in ohio...still watching the stupid snow fall. Did I tell you that they haven't gotten much snow in Michigan since the day I left????

Cole75...I am glad you got the whole estrogen thing figured out. I had a hard time getting pregnant, and I think it was because I was TOO skinny (28 years ago.....hard to believe now!). 13% is definitely althlete. Anything above 25% is supposedly overweight. My goal had been to reach 24.9% (I am at 25.5%)...still need to talk to doc about that.

Shellydar.....I just had my colonoscopy on Dec.16th. I had to have liquids all day rather than eat my IP packets. Really cool tho.....cuz you SURE will lose some weight. I loved getting on the scale the next 2 days (but all I did was complain about the colonoscopy for weeks before-- poor Lilita, Echobaby and Ogdog had to keep reading about it).

OK - gotta admit...I don't think I have ever eaten a turnip....and have never peeled one. Baseball Mom...do they peel like potatoes??? They sound good made the way you suggested.

AND....I think I should get rid of my scale cuz it reads 4=6# heavier than the drs scale. It is only 2 years old....and I paid $40 for it. Anyone have any suggestions for a good scale??

I checked at GNC for gymnea (sp?). It was $18....and the guy was pretty nasty when I asked if they had a smaller bottle.......haven't checked into the link that was given yet. Big difference in price??? I usually take L-glutemine for sugar cravings.

Lilita...your plan sounds good for your trip. How exciting it will be to see your siblings after all of their weightloss and yours. Gotta admit, tho....my mouth was watering reading the things your dad makes. How wonderful that he can do that at his age!! Geez, I am 62 and don't cook like that. When do you leave?

Mepeterson -- your trip to Mexico sounds like so much fun. Do the best you can....but don't stress. You already know IP works so you can get right back on it when you get home. At least that is my plan (if I ever get home.....lol).