Hi all! I'm back after regaining most of the weight back. I've been trying to lose it without going to this extreme but making no progress, so here I am. I started yesterday and so far I'm feeling okay.

Hannahrose, I chuckled when I saw you fiance calls it "space food"...my hubby does too! Now I'm using alternatives so the packs aren't foil wrapped so we call it the unlimited lettuce plan! I eat a lot of lettuce!! LOL

So off I go for day 2! Hope you all have a great OP day!!

1 month update: down 19.6 pounds! *super jazz hands*

quick question: is spaghetti squash allowed? it says yellow summer squash, which I have no idea what that is but spaghetti squash is yellow and a squash?

howdy: No, spaghetti squash is not allowed. Summer squash is yellow or green zucchini. Winter squashes (spaghetti, acorn, butternut, etc) are not allowed

IdealProteinNewbie darn! I really wanted a spaghetti squash for dinner!

Lol! In my house we call them MREs (from the military 'meal ready to eat').

Well, my husband has returned to the middle East and I'm back in the saddle starting today.

We had a phenomenal visit full of all the food we are not supposed to eat. We celebrated our 13th anniversary, Christmas, my birthday, valentines day, our youngest's birthday and st Patrick's day in one little tiny week. It was a LOT to cram into a small space of time and the scale definitely shows it, by almost 5lbs.

I fly to visit him for 11 days in April and I want to actually have a visible difference in my body. I want him to look at me and actually see the change. Unfortunately, that gives me only a month, as my trip is the very beginning of April. Is this even possible? I'd lost 17lbs from 1/9 to 2/14 and there was literally no visible change. How much does a person have to lose before it's noticeable? Kind of rhetorical, as clearly the answer has many, many variables.

Anyway, that's what's on my mind tonight. Thanks everybody!

Please accept my condolences on your neighbor's passing. And also your husband. I can't imagine how painful a loss that must be.

glad to hear you had a great visit with your husband home what is your SW/CW etc? It took until I am 12kg (which I think is 26ish pounds??) for my body to look smaller but I am still in the same clothes just looser and more comfortable. How are your measurements going? I also think we are the last to see our body changes. Did your husband notice anything different yet?

My starting wight was 174 and my weight before binge week was 157. Weighed-in Monday afternoon at 162. My husband did not notice a difference, nor has anyone else. I've lost 9.5 inches overall. I have one pair of jeans that were too tight that are now just comfortable enough to wear, though not for long. And one coat that zips up more easily now. Other than that all my clothes seem to fit the same.

Okay, I'm done whining now. There's nothing I can do about it except to be very diligent to stay on plan. Maybe he will be able to see a difference. Maybe not. Only thing I can control is what I put into my body.

Just a thought...maybe pick up a couple of new outfits right before your trip to see him? He might not notice if you are wearing the same ole same ole-but a new outfit might show off the changes. Plus you get to feel great!

Haha! That fits too! And sometimes it feels like we are eating MRE's!

You know, that is a really good idea.

Hey guys!
I'm new to the forum, and to be honest, new to the "forum" format. I'm used to Facebook and texting of course - so I'll just brace for a learning curve.

I'm in my 40s with two elementary aged kids. Married for 15 years.

5'9. Lowest weight ever: 148. Starting weight two weeks ago: 193.
I lost 5 pounds the first week (wow! yay!) and I think I've lost a few this week. I have my second weigh in today.

So far I am really, really happy with this Ideal Protein diet. Geez LOUISE it is SO expensive!!! I think it's weird though, psychologically, because since I dumped SO much money into it, it actually seems to really keep me from cheating.

I've done tons of diets before (Weight Watchers, Paleo, Vegan, lots and lots of entering my foods on My Fitness Pal) - But this one is really effective for telling me EXACTLY what to eat. There's no guessing or rounding on calories/quantities.

I'm also glad to be starting this time of year so that I can see results for SUMMER! I know that's really trite, but seriously. I so want to enjoy the summer and feel young and healthy and free to move around and be myself. SO done feeling self-conscious, shame, jealousy, comparison.... Bla, bla, bla. I'm so excited to feel more "me" - and move and play and feel good.

Thanks for letting me crash the party! I'm looking forward to getting to know ya'll.

Great job everyone! So good to hear from everyone. I only lost 1.4 pounds and 2 inches this week. I think the stress of working FT on my feet and taking five classes messes with my weight loss. I am constantly running from class to work and back again. I have been feeling really exhausted for the past few weeks (since the new semester began), so I asked my coach about it. She suggested two hardboiled eggs with lunch and it has really helped. I also generally eat eggs or low carb/low fat/low cal vegetarian options for my dinner protein, so I'm going to try to eat meat this week to see if that helps my weight loss because it is less processed and less soy in my diet. The amount of processing and soy in the IP foods is kind of startling, but I keep telling myself that this is temporary and that my past diet was worse. Twenty pounds to go!

Okay ya'll! I'm eating Kale Chips for the first time and they are sort of good! They still taste like kale but the salt makes them potato chip-y. I got these at Starbucks for $5!! (Yikes) But at least now I know I like them enough to try making them at home.