Hello natalie062913,

I'm doing something now that is really working well for me and my mom. Send me an email at [email protected] and I'll send you some free info.

Happy to hear of your loss, Natalie. I feel a bit like you did, we're sticking to protocol and not seeing the results others post about. Yes, I know we're not supposed to compare, but we do. I had a nice weight loss my first week (6.6) then an okay weight loss the second (1.8). The third weigh in was dissappointing to me, only .8. I really expected (and felt as if) more of a weight loss that week. Seems each week I say... If next week doesn't show more of a loss I'm switching to WW.

I've been through this! I'll tell you what helps me accelerate the process a bit, but in the end your body will lose the weight when it wants to.

1) Talk to your coach about what vegetables you're eating. I really like yellow squash and its on the list but its higher in carbs so I cut it out. Change up the veggies you eat and ALWAYS measure it out. Sometimes sticking to only the list of unrestricted vegetables is the way to go

2) Choose only UNRESTRICTED IP products. The restricted ones are super delicious I know, but they're less in protein and a bit higher in carbs and can slow you down

3) If you're a coffee drinker like I am, don't use the allowed 2 oz of fat free milk, cause that can also slow you down, I use a DAB of WF creamer. Its not the best, but I get the caffeine I need.

4) WALK! At least 3-4 times a week for like 30 minutes or so, but don't work too hard!

5) Water is a savior! Drink more than whats on the protocol sheet

Hope it gets better!

Not a very chatty board is this? I'm new to IP and looking for all the support I can get. Anyone out there?!.......

I started on 11/1. I had my 4th weigh in this morning. I am down 11.6 pounds since the start. Of course my first week I was down 6.6 so the balance of the weeks are pretty slow going. This week clocked in at 2.6 which was okay. I'm alright with it, but not ecstatic.

I'll tell ya, this IP when done to protocol is quite restrictive! Generally less than 1,000 calories a day and NO ADULT BEVERAGES. Um.. sorry about that. Can you tell that's a sore spot? I'm over the hump, but I still look longingly at a nice glass of cabernet.

Anyway, just curious as to if others may have had a slow go of it?

Here is the breakdown:

Week 1: 6.6
Week 2: 1.6
Week 3: .8
Week 4: 2.6

Here's me:

56 years old with about 30 pounds to lose. Well, now about 20.

At 56 you do realize you won't likely be losing very fast.... Almost 3 lbs a week is pretty great on any diet. And yes, about the ADULT BEVVIES.... remember this is only a phase of weight loss. Once you are into maintenance you can start to add SOME back, but of course it is always smart to choose moderation and the lower carb drinks, not the syrupy sweet creamy drinks. Hard clear liquors, or wine as opposed to Bailey's Irish Cream in Hot Chocolate, or a Pina Colada, lol.
The amounts you are losing look pretty normal to me. I only had about 31 to lose and so we don't have as much 'on board pantry' to use up as some do. Those of us who are relatively smaller also have a lower metabolism than bigger people (think of how much energy it must take for an elephant's body processes, compared to a gazelle's... compare how much food they have to take in to keep up their respective healthy, muscular bodies). That also goes for how tall you are as well. Petite women will need less total food energy than taller women. Doesn't matter whether you are getting the food energy from your intake or from accessing your 'on board pantry.'


Liana

I asked how your weigh in went on the Newcomers thread but I see you posted here instead, Ratherfly....
You could always join in on the 50+ IP'ers thread too.... http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...me-14-a-8.html

Another one of those dratted issues of age. Geez, so many things stacked against us. LOL Younger women and men, the weight just falls off. Me? Gotta fight for every ounce.

(I'm really in a good place, actually. The plan is working and it's not very difficult to stick with for me.)

I will check out the thread you mentioned since any and all support is a great thing.

Thanks so much, Liana!

As I have mentioned before, those look like great numbers to me!

I started back on P1 today as I feel bloated after my week of not counting calories (keto but no calorie counting).

I am fasting today and then will start with alternatives tomorrow. I also think I am going to do a bootcamp as I don't feel like eating meat. I think I am tired of meat following keto so I need a break as a girl can only eat so much bacon, sausage and fatty meats. I don't know how long I am going to do P1. I am going strictly by how I feel and what the scale says but I won't weigh myself for 2 weeks as I don't need to discourage myself by seeing a scary number right now!

how are you doing ?

Great! I weighed myself after a week rather than waiting 2 weeks and I am back to my pre-Thanksgiving weight so I'm happy about that.

Congrats! I'd love for you to keep reporting your weigh-in results. I'm on week 5 and while I haven't had any gain weeks my weight loss has dropped from 8.8lbs/week to 1.2/lbs and 1.4lbs the past 2 weeks. Like yourself I'm not going to feel like this is worth the $ unless I see a 2.5lbs weight loss average. I'm trying to being patient and I'm going to start drinking more than 2 litres of water but if I don't see an uptick in weight loss I may start to become discouraged. I don't care if sometimes it's only 1lb if other weeks it's 4 lbs, ya know? But $200 for 2.6lbs is scary.

A couple comments for newbies:

(I did IP Jan 2015 - Dec 2015, lost 90 pounds, and currently doing a yearly, recommended reboot)

IMHO, this list above is for folks who are stalled and also referred to as "boot camp".

Here is my understanding / $0.02

1) You can eat unrestricted veggies all you want (iceburg lettuce, uncooked spinach, cucumbers, etc...), but these DO NOT count towards your 2 cups - again, spinach ONLY if its been cooked. You will still need to eat 2 cups of other vegetables, such as squash, cauliflower, broccoli, etc - and only 4 cups per WEEK of higher carb restricted veggies such as tomatoes, brussel sprouts, green beans, and rutabaga...but you don't have to eat restricted veggies

2) I can be a rebel, but also understand the IP protocol is set up as it is for a reason, ie, with 1 restricted product (higher in calories / carbs generally) per day. If you are just beginning your weight loss journey, I feel it is more important to be eating the restricted daily & it doesn't have to be a sweet - if I remember correctly, there are savory restricted products as well (soy puffs I believe). If you stick with the plan long enough and lose weight, there will come a point where your bodies metabolism has slowed down and being able to take out the restricted product for a week to shake things up may become necessary. IMVHO, doing it too soon, or trying to do the entire program without is asking for trouble. The program is already designed to limit calories (generally) to 700 - 950 per day, and that is WITH a restricted product.

3) Dairy & I don't agree, so I didn't use my 2oz of milk unless it was for a recipe, and that was rare. IMHO though, unless you are having an inflammatory reaction to dairy products, 2 oz shouldn't be an issue

4) 1st go around, with close to 100 pounds to lose, I didn't start exercising until about 3 months in...I couldn't have imagined those first 3 weeks doing much of anything truthfully - I was exhausted. Reboot has been different, as the last year+ I've been exercising 6 days a week, but even in reboot mode, I've cut back, a LOT - but I agree that starting a light exercise regiment is important for maintenance

5) You CAN get too much water & that causes electrolyte imbalances...be sure you are getting your salt / potassium...and if your feeling wonky, my favorite, a dill pickle

IMO take those restricted packs and throw them out the window . My wife struggles with those little money bags of guilty pleasure . I am unfortunate enough to be obsessive compulsive and look at the pragmatic side of temptation, were as if its there ,it will get eaten .

I personally don't care much for the restricted items; however, I have found that I lose more when a I have a few per week. I say that the impact of restricted items on your progress depends on the person. There is no one size fits all. People just need to see what works for them individually.