Forgot to mention earlier... Beth, you had been wondering about how many people had to come back and redo IP. I asked my coach, and she didn't have any numbers, but said, in her experience, the ones who keep the weight off were the ones who changed their habits. the ones who come back (or just gain and don't come back) are the ones who go back to all the old bad habits. Something I think we all know anyway.

Linda, I never really liked many of the IP bars, except the choc/coconut one. I do like the old Quest ones I've been able to find and a few of the Protithin. But I don't use any of them all that often, usually just if I'm out, they're nice to have, in case I get hungry...so I wouldn't miss them much. But yeah, the real stuff ... I am not baking my usual shortbread cookies this year. Way too tempting, I know I'd be eating them.
And peanut butter, boyoboy, is that ever on my "first thing I'm going to have" list
BTW, I was thinking about getting some PBfit or PB2 for later...(what is the difference between them anyway?). And while I was googling, I stumbled across trader Joe's Peanut Flour, which apparently is much the same, add water to make PB, and tastes better and costs less. Sadly, nearest Trader Joe's here is more than an hour... but for anyone else, might be worth a try. Oh, and they said add a pinch of salt, tastes better with that.

SO... I have BIG challenge ahead of me in the next week. Every year (for many years) I make many batches of peanut brittle (and cashew brittle, and almond brittle, and whatever else I decide to try. My go to gift, and every year my list of people to give it to grows. Seriously yummy, if i do say so myself, everybody loves it, and everybody asks when I'll be making it. So I pretty much have to make it! Much too tempting to have a taste of each batch. Or even to pop a couple of nuts into my mouth! And I can't do it all in one day, so it usually stretches out over a week. I am determined to NOT let anything find it's way into my mouth, but boy will it be tough!

Hysteria_625: You can push through muscle belly soreness that is steady and not stabbing, but do not push through soreness at a joint, or a sharp stabbing sensation.
(from my physio rehab specialist days, lol)

Liana

Liana - thanks! No sharp / stabbing - just achy & sore - I need to work on my hip flexors

Thanks for asking Blue - again, sort of a non answer imho - around here, PB2 is sold everywhere, pbFit, which I like better, is only sold at the big box store (BJs) - but powdered peanut butter tastes awesome and is versitile! Goodness I don't envy you having to make all that brittle! Stay strong lady!

So I gave in to my craving tonight - I had another helping of cashew butter with snack tonight...mixed it into some cottage cheese and a little liquid stevia - it was amazing! I was so super hungry tonight and had a Kind bar too went over 2,000 k/cal - first time since last January!

Hysteria_625: If you want a really good hip flexor stretch sit on a table high enough so that your foot can dangle with a 90 degree bend at the knee. scootch your bum to the edge, tuck one knee in toward your chest, lay back and let your other leg hang down off the edge of the table. Have a friend there to support it if it is too intense a stretch. A friend with a bit of anatomy knowledge can also help you make sure your dangling leg is aligned properly so you are not compensating by hip rotation.
Then switch legs by pulling the dangling one up first before letting go of the tucked leg (lumbar spine safety) and switching.

Liana

Beth Sounds like an amazing snack!!! I am loving reading all the things you are eating. I know we're all different, but your choices are going to likely be my go to's when I begin the phase journey...and if they work for me, BO-NUS! ☺
Blue after my scare with the brownies the other noght- I don't envy you the brittle making detail....DBF makes a ton of stuff every year- he's doing it Saturday and it will take us all day Sunday to deliver- I am planning on doing the tree and Christmas cards- I will do my best to unwrap the "kisses" for the peanut butter cookies- but...and I am going to make some peanut butter cookies with Quest powder for his oldest daughter who is back on P1, she is one who has done the diet on and off over the past couple of years- so I thought it would be a nice thing to do for her to try to help her keep on track.
Blood work this morning, so I can't have breakfast until after- so that'll be about 2 hours later than normal. DBF's Christmas party is tonight. There isn't a lot there that I'll be able to eat- I figure the turkey and hopefully there will be a veggie tray. Otherwise it's all foods I can't have- steamers in butter, paiella (sp?) ham, salads - potato macaroni-etc, cakes, cookies, blah blah blah...but I enjoy going for him. plus, it'll be fun to see some of the people who probably have thought what's that good looking guy doing with that fat blob... ...you know how you can just tell by looking at their face? I'm a hypocrite here- I suffer from "b*t@hy resting face" and people always think they know what I am thinking - they're usually wrong.....
Anyhow- time to get things ready for the day, fold a load of laundry and make the best of FRIDAY!~!! ☺

I love cottage cheese and have some in the fridge right now. Have you tried the Biggest Loser pancake recipe? I made it yesterday - yummo. It calls for cottage cheese and oats blended with other stuff for the batter.

I agree that muscle soreness is just something you have to push through, and you're doing all the right things for treatment (stretching/rolling). Make sure you're getting rest days, though. Muscle recovery is really important. And try to vary your running routine, so you're not running hills every time. My longer runs are on hills, but my short run, where I focus on speed, is a mostly flat route. Gives my quads a rest and strengthens my hamstrings. Honestly, other than the days I do speed work, I don't push to exhaustion, and that's probably why my runs are fun. At my age, I'm not in this to set any records, you know?

Your coach's answer sounds like the corporate line. IP says they don't have statistics on success rates, but I bet they do, and I bet a lot of IP users fall back into bad habits. Like any other diet plan, you have to commit to making long-term changes, and most of us have eaten poorly for years, so it's hard to maintain. I also know, from reading posts in the FB groups, that many coaches don't do much to prepare their clients for maintenance. These poor dieters have no idea how to eat within the 40/30/30 macro range, or how to plan their day's intake of food.

I have both PB2 and PB Fit, and I like PB2 better. It seems like a smoother texture to me. I bought them both at Walmart. PB Fit also has more calories than PB2. There's a Trader Joe's about an hour from me. I'll have to pick up their powdered PB the next time I'm in the neighborhood. I do like a lot of their foods.

Have to go hit the road. I'm doing my 5 mi run today because we're supposed to get thunderstorms all day tomorrow. I did the elliptical at the gym yesterday. I wear a FitBit Charge and it fascinates me how the technology is able to know what I'm doing and for how long. I just wish it had a GPS function so I could measure my runs more accurately.

I agree with the other ladies. You can push through muscle soreness, but not "stabbing" pain. Actually, I have found that the best remedy for sore muscles to exercise through it. Whenever I am sore, if I take a rest day, the soreness is worse, however if I workout, the soreness subsides. I think it has something to do with pushing the lactic acid buildup out.

Oh- and to comment on the success rate, etc...

I fully agree that IP coaches are not fully equipped to help it's followers make lifestyle changes. From my personal experience, I was able to maintain my losses from IP for 15 months. But I did this following the P1 during the week method and eat whatever you want on the weekends method. At the end of the day, this is NOT an ideal maintenance plan.

My regain story has been told many times before on these threads, but the end of the day, I didn't really know how to eat for maintenance. This time, I feel SO MUCH MORE equipped to handle maintenance when I am ready. I have learned so much over these last couple of years that I finally understand my body, how it reacts to certain foods and what I need to eat 90% of the time to keep the weight off this time. Lots of whole foods, fruits, vegetables, nuts, a low to moderate amount of whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins. It was a long journey to understand this, and while it stinks that I am back losing weight, it is all part of the process and if I can get it right once and for all, it will be worth it.

Hi Everyone! I'm starting the Ideal Protein diet next month (after the holidays and a half marathon). I'm starting to wrap my mind around it and lower my carbs.

What would you recommend a person new to IP get? I know I'll need a scale.

Also, what sauces/dressings/spice brands are ok? I've seen posts about Walden Farms and Flavor God, but I've also come across Simple Girl products. Those seem to have better reviews but I wasn't sure they were ok.

What products would you recommend for Week 1? I'm thinking Vanilla RTD, broccoli/cheese soup, and vanilla crispy squares.

Liana - I just watched a YouTube video where 2 people were doing this and it looks amazing! I visit my chiropractor next week and am definitely going to zero in with her on the hip flexors

Linda - another way IP has changed my tastes - hopefully for life. I truthfully thought cottage cheese tasted like curdled milk (which is what it basically is )& couldn't stand it. I tried a spoonful plain last night and wouldn't do that on a regular basis, but with a little stevia and fruit (even without the nut butter) - mmmmm

Jenny / HIS - thank you for your input I know I am starting this with a bit of an issue (knee) and am trying to go slow, but I am so darn impatient IP (and life in general over almost 40 years) has taught me a little bit about being patient but I love seeing my split pace inching down a couple seconds at a time

HIS - oh no, definitely NOT doing hills every day...that was actually my first training run taking that route...DH said "I told you it was hilly" - and actually there is an even steeper / hillier route I will probably need to do coming up soon for my 1 hour / 5 miles...but that is my weekend long run and I get to fully rest the next day
I think I found the recipe - 3 ingredients, right? Cottage cheese, eggs, and oats? These sound amazing!! I found a 2 ingredient banana / egg recipe too I want to try.
Pbfit does have about 20 more calories for a 2T serving - different stroke for different folks

Jenny - I hear ya on pushing through...and I did. Training is 4 days a week, 2 of those days are back to back...and by mile 3, everything felt pretty darn good and I had my fastest mile that morning that first mile sucked donkey scrotum though
I just need to stay away from the Facebook pages
Don't get me wrong, I am in no way, shape, or form a "perfect" human being...or afraid of failing / gaining the weight again...I've lost and gained a hundred times for a hundred reasons.
It just frustrates me to no end when someone posts "tell me exactly what you eat all day in Phase X" I saw one post this morning where a lady said she'd been crying because of the anxiety ...where is your coach? Why have they not prepared you with tools like MFP to be successful in maintenance? and if its that bad, take the reigns yourself and read, research, do a little work yourself & take responsibility to find out what it takes to be successful...Is it just ignorance / bad coaching or...? Idk & I think I am spending too much time worrying about it and need to TAB

Welcome beaka! Congrats on the 1/2 marathon - I finished IP and DH & I are training for one in March.
I was an alt-product user, but many here were coached and used IP products.
You will need a scale to measure your food and I would also recommend looking into a spiralizer for zucchini, a good peeler (for chayote squash), and a good blender (Ninja is my go-to).
I never did Skinny Girl, but have seen people use them...I continue to use the Walden Farm syrups into maintenance


Pleasantly surprised with the scale this morning but have literally felt myself bloating up today yay for gassy cabbage

Saturday starts with small Christmas parade DD10 is performing in and then it's our first present to the girls when we head to the beautiful coastal town of Annapolis for the all-ages, kid friendly Carbon Leaf concert this was suppose to be my dive back into beer but as of today, still not interested. Guess the real test will be when we get together with everyone and the pressure is on - most likely DH will be drinking anyway so I'll need to drive.
Can't believe Christmas is 2 weeks from today

Go and have a great time! Just strut yourself right in there and they'll be thinking, WOW, isn't he lucky to have a hot babe like that!!
(oh, and definitely eat a bar or something before your go...)

You're both so right on the mark! I am so thankful every day for all the great information here and that everyone is so generous in sharing both their successes and struggles. I know the only way to be prepared for maintenance is to prepare for maintenance. Learn as much as possible about how to manage it. There's lots of help and information from other people, but in the final analysis, it's all on my shoulders to learn what I am going to need, what is going to work for ME.
It's actually a shortcoming of IP, imho, that P1 is so structured, you can mindlessly follow it. I know I did, and sure it worked, and at the start, it's probably a good thing to be held by the hand and led along...but lately I've come to realize I need to learn a lot more going forward if maintenance is going to be successful. Like jenny said, I'm going to have to learn how my own body reacts to certain foods, learn what to avoid and what works best for me. Knowing that at this stage of my journey is so important.

Hi all,

Sorry I have been absent for a couple of weeks. I weighed in last Thursday and lost 2.2 pounds but missed moving down a decade. Missed this weeks weigh in because I was traveling out of town to a pharmacy convention in New Orleans. The home scale as me solidly in the 230s.

I am still plugging along on P1 feeling that I am staying on program. I got a new a fit bit prior to leaving for the meeting and did over 15,000 steps each day. I planned ahead as much as I could. I brought cups of blended spinach for my morning shakes, and muffins with zucchini for snacks. I also brought bags of celery, mini cucumbers, and mini peppers. Unfortunately the refrigerator froze some of the veggies. Monday night was really hard as we had a difficult time finding a restaurant that I thought could accommodate my requests and at 10 PM at night settled for a mcdonalds chicken salad (it was a true low point for me so far). I added a packet / egg white veggie omelet on some of the days to account for the extra activity.

I missed the ability to control the cooking and vegetables and was happy to come home.

Caught a nasty cold on the trip and did not sleep well either. I came home from work early today and took a nap ( I only do when I am sick). At 8pm I still needed to eat a packet and protein. So I made a chicken soup out of 2 rotini pasta, costco canned chicken breast, cabbage and celery. Turned out very good, and split it into 3 servings. I still needed another 1/3 of a packet, so I made the orange drink.

Other than the cold, I think my body liked the extra walking. I think I will have a hard time reaching 15000 steps during the week, but I think I will try to do that 2 days a week to start with. Unfortunately with the cold I did not even hit 10000 today.

Thanks Blue- it was a good time - I had turkey (albeit deep fried) probably 4-5 oz, some broccoli (I had Jicama in the truck for the ride home)
Need to vent- I shouldn't be, BUT I'm a little pissed....only .4 down so it's taken a month to get 1.2 lbs. off and make it to 135....I know, I'm getting closer to goal, but I think that I could get to 120 and be better-and I expected a slow down- but I'm keeping the goal at 130. Does anyone think that using the Quest powder would have anything to do with it? I NEED to get to 130 otherwise I will have NO wiggle room for my "scream" weight...
Oh, and another reason I'm pissed- apparently there is a shortage of crispy squares. so again, my clinic is out and how long they will be out remains to be seen.
I just needed to have a little pity party for myself, I'll be fine- just a little discouraged because the scale in my bathroom this morning led me down the rosy path of figuring I would have a lb. at the clinic.
DBF is baking and I just had to unwrap a whole bag of Hershey's kisses....which I love. The house smells of sugar and really good and I just had my lunch- and I wish I could have a blasted sweet crispy square.
SMD-good job staying OP and planning and the loss!! We've missed you

Linda - don't get discouraged, you are soooo close to goal, and it's expected that the losses will be slow. I don't think the Quest has any effect, I've been using it, and so far I'm staying on track. I checked Nov, and lost 5lb for the month, Dec is 2.2 so far. So keeping my usual 1lb or so/week. But I still have more than 10 to go, so I'm totally expecting those teeny losses. But like you, I like where I've set my goal, it puts me at the top range of BMI and I don't want it to be any higher than that.
Although, you know, this week, I had a much better loss, and I had 2 dinners out (beef both times) with probably more fat than usual. Maybe eat some fattier meat for a day or 2, it might shake thing up for you.

smdawheel - Travelling is tough, you did great to stay OP, and a good loss. You'll reach a new decade next WI!! That soup sounds good, and glad you found something to eat with your cold, being sick is always such a challenge.

So I made the first 4 batches of brittle (peanut and cashew) this morning...I had NOT A TASTE, Not even one, none of those nuts popped into this mouth! , but OMG, the smell was driving me right up the wall. NUTS!! SUGAR!! Had to get out of the kitchen, I'll make another 4 batches this afternoon, maybe almonds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, not sure yet.
DH tested each batch, he says better than ever! I'm going to get them packaged up ASAP so the temptation is not there in front of me.
Wish me luck, this has been hard, but I'll never hear the end of it If I don't get them made.

Have a good weekend, everyone!!

Wow! SO many of you at/near goal and in P4. Just checking in- I am still trucking along and staying OP 99% of the time. I have just been posting in the 180s thread more frequently. I am excited to say I am no longer obese, which was my first mini goal. Down 25 pounds in 8 weeks. Thank you ladies for the support, and I do read all of your advice which is really helpful. 33 to go, so almost half way there!