I have had all the symptoms since day 3. Today I used the stix first thing in morning and based on them, I am in ketosis. I believe I am in ketosis, it's just that they are not released as much as the first time. Still no weight loss but 2 pounds and this is the start of day 6. It is rather strange that I only had 2 pounds of water weight to give? My biology is just different this time around or it could be the water retention before the TOM. It is frustrating on some level but since I am certain I am doing the program correctly, I have to stay positive and keep going for now. I am 100% going to add the daily physical activity though; that should help me out if my body is using the ketones already for energy.

I wish I had records of my progress from the first time. I am hoping that the clinic has it so I can do a comparison just for my sanity's sake.

Thanks for sharing, Lori. That is good to know. My brother came over today and said, "I see you are losing weight again". I am in week 3 of my mini-reboot so it seems I am losing faster than I seem to feel. I will have more of a clue on Monday when I weigh myself.

There may be no rhyme or reason to any of this. When I first started IP (having never followed a higher protein diet and would have described myself as a carb-aholic ), I lost only a total of 5 pounds in first two weeks. One month after going off diet due to doctor's orders, I started IP again to get off what I gained in that month. My first 2 weeks, I lost 16 pounds (12 the first week). You would have thought it would have been other way around. I am hoping I just continue to lose at a good rate and lose inches and in same place - it doesn't feel that way though but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised on Monday when I weigh myself.

I like the concept of this thread, and sharing our ideas for what we are doing a second time around to make IP more specific to our own lives. My original loss was approx 50 pounds when I stopped abruptly for health reasons, with still about 15 to go. Since then have had a few major life events, but now my life has calmed down, and am back to lose what now is around 30 pounds. I will share what I have learned.

When you are in ketosis, you have the appetite depressant of not being hungary. Once you go off that, you crave sugars if you have relied heavily on the IP sweet bars and treats. It took me awhile to admit to myself, but I have a food addiction and periods of stress and other emotions would send me into uncontrolled caloric intake. IP protocol is excellent at fat loss; however it does nothing whatsoever about food addiction. My coach was very knowledgeable about protocol; absolutely unhelpful about food addiction. I had to go through "sugar withdrawal" before I even tried to reboot! It took me about 3 weeks to "re-set" my tastebuds. I am doing it without a coach (still have some left over packets) because the most difficult part is the food addiction and it's not what I am comfortable talking with my former coach about.

My reboot started April 1, and this is what I am doing differently:
1) Reading about the emotional link to food addiction, and doing private journalling.
2) Trying for more whole foods than processed foods.
3) Not using any bars or sweet treats. I have researched the lowest sugar fruits, and use those in small amounts as a restricted.
4) I use oil daily: the IP 2 tsp amount, but of any healthy oil or salad dressing, sesame seed oil for frying, or olive oil for salad. These are regular brands, not the Walden Farms. The Paul Neuman olive oil salad dressing is very good, and I use it all the time not just for IP. Two tsps of mayo with a serving of the rotini, with dill and cucumbers and just a teeny sprinkle of feta make a great tasting pasta salad that doesn't taste "diety".
5) I have multiple vegetable food allergies and spinach, lettuce, celery, green peppers don't agree with me. My new friend is V-8 juice for my vegetables and for the potassium and sodium.
6) I know I am in ketosis, because I've lost my appetite, but am not testing myself. Weigh myself every week or two to make sure am on the right track, but am not obsessing with it. (Last time weighed every day--a big boost for the scale to move every morning.)
7) I use the Living Cookbook software, which has nutrients for any recipe you load in. It is amazing how much normal food already has a lower carb count. So I am eating "normally" of many of my favorite recipes.
8) At work, I sip from a thermos with Atkins Cafe Carmel on ice. I also like EAS or Atkins strawberry with a few frozen unsugared blackberries as ice cubes. I really like the EAS Strawberry Banana mix to make at home with skim milk and ice if you want. Target has a chocolate malt powder that isn't bad if you add Greek Yogurt for thickness. I try to mix it ups, so I'm not doing all whey or all soy too many days in a row.
8) I use no artificial sugar products except those in the drinks.
9) I use plain lowfat Greek yogurt in smoothies, etc.
10) I always had a problem with the water, and I devised a system for water that works for me, on or off IP. I have a glass container I keep in the fridge, fill it with water, add about two jumbo frozen strawberries from Costco (unsweetened) that seep into the water and flavor it (takes about 12 hours). It will keep for days, and I've usually finished it by the time the strawberries look white and waterlogged, and then toss them out to make a new batch.
11) I use tiny bits of off protocol food for flavor: a few raisins in a chicken salad, a few sprinkles of feta in an omelet, etc. Not the normal amount you would use in a recipe, but just a small taste of it so you don't feel deprived.
12) Trying not to have the mentality that "when I .... I can eat cake, ice cream, etc." The deprivation trigger feeds food addictions, per my reading.

Top priority is to overcome food addiction, second is to lose the fat.

Ended up starting last Wed. April 29th..figured why wait til the 1st of May. Been on plan about 99%. I feel fine...mild headache but not as bad as the first time around. Hopped on the scale today and am 4lbs down. Was going to wait until Wed for my at home WI for wk 1 (reboot) but I couldn't resist. It is also TOM so I was surprised I dropped any at all...probably just water but I don't even want that on my body. Angry I am even having to go back to this...I knew I would go up a few pounds after stopping the 8 mos IP first time around but not this weight I've gained so quickly. It isn't the number that bothers me most but how my pants fit. It all came back on thighs, backside and hips. Will not, repeat, will not allow myself to do this again...Not worth it to "let go"and eat normally for my body. Any excess unfortunately goes straight to my hips. Forging on !! Looking forward to a successful MAY and JUNE...Good luck everyone

A little friendly reminder, that eating 'normally' isn't normal. It is common, though. We need to work on a new norm for when we get into maintenance again (or for the first time, lol).
Hang on peeps! We can do this!
Liana

Hi Everyone!

Just checking in for a quick update.

I'm finally back where I feel very good about myself. I started my reboot on Jan 2 to lose 23 pounds that I had put on. I was 21 over my goal weight. I lost 14 pounds very quickly (in 4-5 weeks) but the remaining 7 have been a very, very slow go! Admittedly, I have not been as 100% strict as I was the first time around when I lost 80 pounds.

But now I'm down to 3 pounds away from my goal weight and my clothes are fitting just fine. I feel really good and ready to begin phasing off. Some days I have a P2 day, but mostly I'm continuing P1 until I get to the goal weight. Then I plan to phase off slowly, as I did the first time.

It's 2 years since I first reached my goal weight of 125, so I consider myself to be a "success story." That said, I realize that I can never, ever eat the carbs and sweets that were my habit. I have to realize that this will be my life if I intend to continue to maintain. I agree with Canadjineh and Mae and the rest of you: We have to find our "new normal" and be happy living with it.

LizRR - good to "see" you! How's the baby?

Pishposh - so good that you are doing this now. I definitely encourage anyone to get back on the wagon before it all comes back. Yes, we need to find what works for us.

Happy May to you all!

Hi Joysh!!! So nice to hear how you are.

well there you have it! amazing weight loss of 2 pounds in one week! it is what it is. I have a feeling it will be better this week. Most of the inches were lost from waist and thighs.

Hoping for NOT a gain for the second week. Any loss you got, I will take.

I agree, and I'm really trying to take this to heart! I've started thinking up all the delicious things I get to eat once I'm at my goal, but none of it is the stuff I used to eat. Like, having half a sandwich and soup for lunches when I used to have a greasy sandwich and fries, or having a healthier tortilla pizza for dinner when I used to eat at LEAST half a takeout pizza.

Trying to get my mind in the right place so my body can catch up to me, rather than the other way around!

Down .8 pounds at WI today...not a huge loss, but down an inch and a half in my waist, and a half inch each in my bust, thighs, and hips.

Bodies are weird.

My WI yesterday was a -1.8lb but my coach reminded me I was wearing heavy jeans this week and a light weight skirt last week so I probably lost more than the 1.8 :-) Now that summer is nearly here, maybe I should wear the same thing every Monday for WI day!

I was trying to wear the same thing and then the pants I was wearing sorta fell off, so I had to start wearing something different!

I am rebooting too! Was on from 3/14-8/14 lost about 38 never got to goal. I have put on 10#. Want to lose 30.

I forgot how to use this - how do I see my posts - I am suppose to hit reply to write a post right?

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