Congratulations on arriving in One-derland!!! YAY for You!!!

Question: Is there a recommended length of time to stay on the IP diet? Is there a maximum number of weeks to stay OP before breaking or phasing?

As far as I know - you stay on program on P1 until you reach goal weight (or very close), then you stay on program for P2 for at least a week and on P3 for at least 2 weeks, and then you go to P4 which as I understand it, is the ongoing maintenance protocol - new norm eating lifestyle for keeping those extra pounds off.

In the first posting that Lisa uses for the IP Community Daily Chat (that's this thread), there is a link to all of the IP protocol sheets for all 4 phases -- they provide all the info on these points, I think.

I love reading about others' successes. 111 pounds! Congratulations on your victory! So inspirational. And I hope I can say I've done as well as you a year from now.

Lets say it took over 2 years to achieve your weight loss goal, is that too long to remain at the calorie level/ketogenic state?

I guess that's a good question CO_6 -- I think I would see my internist a bit more regularly - at least every 6 months so long as I had no bothersome side effects - just to be sure everything was ok.

I just saw my doc last week, a bit more than a year since I had seen him last. In Feb 2014 he told me that I was NOT pre diabetic as I had feared (all my bloodwork was in the normal range except Triglycerides were borderline). I expect my new results to show everything well within the normal range, and I asked for Vitamin D and thyroid to be checked. I think those are 2 areas that can be at risk - but my statement of those risks is just based on my observations of anecdotal evidence where there have been issues raised by others here on the 3FC IP sub forum.

Most people can lose 100 lbs in 10 months if they follow the P1 protocol. And in my opinion - totally personal opinion - that's enough of a weight loss to call for real medical monitoring, not just whatever you get from most IP clinics -- so many are part of a chiropractor office in my area, and I don't think that's adequate for medical monitoring of morbid obesity. For someone with notably more weight to lose, it just seems practical to engage a medical expert to advise along the way.

Its not the ketogenic part of it I'd be concerned about as much as the very low calorie part.

It is VERY hard on thyroid.

You might want to read some of Lyle McDonald (if you can get past his arrogant style) for more info.

He believes in diet breaks.
You can read more in his Rapid Fat Loss Handbook.
Just Google it.

I have read a little of Lyle McDonald. His ideas on diet breaks and free meals do seem to make logical sense to me. Incorporating some of his ideas with IP is something I've been mulling over, especially since I'm someone with more to lose and will likely be on this diet for quite a while.

TBH, 2 times I've been in situations where I let myself get overly hungry without IP compliant food available so I just ate what was on offer. If nothing else, having read his ideas made it easy for me to just consider that my meal was a planned free meal and then very easily just get right back on IP the next meal. But also I wonder if it helped give my body a sort of reset. Before, I'd have let one "bad" meal spiral into many because I'd "failed" at being perfect.

On another topic, does anyone ever dehydrate their veggies? My friend gave me some squash "chips" she'd made in her dehydrator without oil and they were pretty good. If you have experience, what other IP compliant veggies have you tried that you like? Are there any particular spice blends you like to use? I'm going to borrow the machine and try a few things.

Looking over the list of select vegetables, I was thinking of trying kale, bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms, and/or okra.

Hello Ipeeps! I wanted to share my experience and a lesson learned about not taking supplements. Well, I had the ultimate crash today, so much that I didn't go to work and ended up at the docs with a low blood pressure. I told him my symptoms and the diet that I had been on. He told me to get off the diet, at least temporary. Well. I realized that I was dehydrated and all the walking I have done, I have depleted my stores with no supplements on board. Not smart! So I have loaded up on extra h20 and potassium and actually feel better. Lab work pending, I think that's what the problem was. DONT Forget supplements!

Oh yeah, BTW, after all this, I now have to move my ticker to the right!

check out this thread for dehydrator discussions!

This is great! Thanks oneuh!

Congratulations!! This is so awesome!

Love This Lisa!

Great Job! and Happy Birthday

So Happy for you I will say it again on this thread! You inspire me.... I am plugging along to phase2.... soon I will join you.



OMG I so miss nuts! That would trigger me for sure.... Just get back on track. you can do it...

Welome Back!

DS turns 17 today and goes for his driving test. Good luck to me and him LOL....

So all this talk about being on program too long ... I am going to hit 1 year at the end of june. I still have plenty to go and at the rate I lose I won't see goal till the end of the summer. I have tossed around the idea of phasing off for vacation in July, but honestly I am scared to death of phasing off and never getting back on ... I have travelled before with a sack full of IP foods, seems like I will be doing it again....In order to phase off properly it looks like I need 4 weeks and I am running out of weeks LOL.

Quick question, I know someone posted about baking "cookies" from their Quest bars, anyone know what temp and how long? I tried them at 325 for 12 minutes but they were not the best, so I think I didn't do it at the right temp/time. (I did post in alternative thread already, just hoping someone can answer today)
Thanks!