Hey SlowNSteady, Yes, I am actually keeping better records of my losses for my friend who owns an IP franchise and she's using me as a guinea pig. We were both curious how fast someone could lose weight if they did not cheat at all. She has had other people on IP but most people seem to cheat occasionally (at least her clients do). The cheat rate seems lower on this forum (perhaps the people here are more hard core?). That being said, I do love data and statistics, it's interesting.

I admit that for the first week or so I was substituting colon cleanser for vegetables (being careful to match calories and carbs with the vegies) but after getting a smack down by Lisa, I decided that I really needed to follow the program more exactly. Actually vegetables have started to grow on me! They aren't so bad once you get used to them and do help to give you that feeling of "fullness".

Your recipe for cooking peppers sounds yummy! Does "carmelizing" add any sugars? I know that onions get sweeter when you carmalize (and I think the IP protocol says no caramelized onions ... right?).

Do you want to know what vegetable really has a lot of bang for the buck? Broccoli !! Although the smell is so bad when I steam it, that I haven't eaten it that much. (It makes my whole house stink for days.) I might have to try microwaving frozen organic broccoli -- though I know fresh is better than frozen.

Keep up the great weight loss work! I am ROOTING FOR YOU!!! and everyone here!

Avalon: Amazing job so far. Just wanted to add though...frozen veggies can actually be better than fresh in times. Frozen are picked when ready then frozen immediately. Fresh veggies lose nutrients quickly and you never know how long they've been sitting in the produce department.

Keep it up!

avalon: Join us on the 100% thread. No cheating there.

@ "smackdown". Let's call it "guidance". Besides, veggies really are better for us (and if you're keeping data, you need to follow the plan 100%)

I'd have to check on the carmelizing the bell peppers. We are for sure not supposed to do that with onions. If it intensifies sugars in peppers (makes them taste sweeter) I'd also advise against it for the duration of P1.

RE: smell in the house.
I have some friends who use the side-burner on their outdoor grill anytime they are cooking something stinky (for them, it is curry). I don't think of broccoli that way, but if you think your house stinks, buy some great scented candles or turn to outdoor cooking . My mom always burns one when cooking bacon.

RE: cheating
I bet those of us who are 100% stick to it better b/c there is so much support on this forum. I don't think I could have stuck to it so long w/o my 3FCipeeps!

Great tip! I didn't know that. Frozen vegetables might become my new best friend.

I needed the smackdown/guidance -- honestly!!! If your response wasn't so emphatic, it might not have registered.

Interesting ideas on how to deal with the broccoli smell. Unfortunately, I've never been big on candles and outdoor cooking is not an option. I think I might try microwaving frozen broccoli as I bet that has much less of a smell; especially since you only cook what you eat in a single meal and aren't storing it (cooked) in your fridge.

Avalon: You are hilarious and love that your a stats freak; it's inspiring and really interesting. Congrats on 35lbs & 11 inches lost in 47 days, that's amazing and so proud of you. That's highly respectable that you are helping your friend who owns an IP franchise - you are a great data source. I'd be curious to hear about her conclusions for both men & women (100% non-cheaters)??

Ps. Great Red Pepper icon - brilliant! Congrats Again on your success!!

KareVT, your 15.4 pounds lost so far is GREAT ALSO!!! Keep it UP!!

So far I am FASTEST LOSER in her program!! Others have lost more weight, but it's taken them longer.

Well, good question. I know the protocol specifies only "raw" onions, but doesn't say that for peppers, so not sure. They sure are yummy so hopefully the way I'm preparing them (kind of 'caramelized'/charred in a hot pan - like they do for fajitas) is ok. I'll have to ask my coach, or even do a little surfing online for an answer.

You're probably a lot taller than many of the other folks. This increases your BMR and is gonna help you lose faster, than, say, a person who is 5'3".

Weight loss isn't a race, it's a journey. We all get to travel out own road.

Last year there was a gal who is about 6' here. She lost about twice as fast as me. Sometimes I'd get "down" & start comparing my losses to hers until it dawned on me that a bigger body is going to have a different metabolism than my smaller, shorter one.

Congrats on the speed & I'm not trying to discount it at all (lucky you!). At the same time, everyone's losses are equal in my mind...big & small...fast & slow...they are ALL GOOD so long as we're sticking to the protocol and all headed in the right direction. Keep up the great work!

Did my end of week 5 weigh in sat and down 23.5 pounds and 18 inches feeling good too.
Ladies who were talking about broccoli stinking when steamed/boiled , ziplock makes steamer bags that come in a 10 pack. I love them for steaming my veggies at work. Ive used them at home a few times and really didnt notice a smell after i was done eating. They can be steamed frozen or fresh. Broccoli is really good by adding a tbs of water and some ip salt and black pepper to the bag. Ive only seen these at walmart but havent looked for them anywhere else. Looking forward to another op week .

Exactly right!!! Not only am I seventy-five inches tall (which could be up to a foot taller than most here) I also started at 326 pounds which is much more overweight than most on this board as well.

If you think about it, just having me walk from my desk to my refrigerator was like me carrying a 130 pound backpack -- so my burn rate was higher for sure. And as I get closer to goal, I know that my burn rate will slow and losses will be harder to capture.

Yes, I wasn't meaning to imply I was racing anyone or this is a contest of any kind. For me, it's more of a scientific experiment of how fast a tall grossly overweight person could lose weight on IP. Just want is possible?

In any case, weight loss is an individual process. Everybody is fighting their own genetics and body chemistry and body type here. And every pound lost is sacred, whether it takes you a day or a month to lose that pound!

And we are ALL WINNERS HERE!!! Attempting to lose weight to improve ones health and life, is the noblest of causes and I salute you all for making that effort!

By the way, the last time I was 190 pounds (my goal in this diet), I looked like this. This was taken 20 years ago in 1993 in my family room addition.

Avalon - Beautiful pic! And you only have to go back 20 years!! I have to go back about 30 years to find a picture of myself at my goal weight!

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and here's to a 100% OP Monday and start to the week!

I just want to put in my 2 cents . . . no judgement or anything like that intended. I stick to the protocol 100% because I've always gotten myself into trouble when I start modifying diets. But that's just me and my preference. BUT, I also "drank the koolaid" with IP and I am not just focusing on how to get the weight off quickly, but I'm also buying into the whole "reset the pancreas" thing so that when I am done not only will I be thinner and healthier, but my body will know how to handle carbs and sugars so the weight won't pile back on. I work with someone who has lost over 110 lbs since December and he has a "cheat day" every month when he goes out to dinner and has what he wants. Obviously it hasn't kept him from losing weight. I discussed this with my coach (who is also his coach) and she expressed concern for his long-term success because he hasn't allowed his pancreas to fully rest. I guess time will tell.

Just some food for thought. It would be a shame to work so hard to take the weight off and sabotage yourself along the way.

Well, it's Monday and I've got to get myself in the shower! Have a great week, everyone!

Especially if that self sabotage doesn't teach us the skills we need for maintenance. We can only do so much to save people from themselves.

The best way to follow the plan is 100% - for SO.MANY.REASONS.
In addition to the physical aspect that you pointed out, we learn self-control. We learn different ways of behaving. And we learn that food and drink is not as important as we thought it was.

We only learn those lessons when we figure out how to stick with it through times when we don't want to.

Hello my August ladies!!!!
Today is my fourth weigh in! I'm feeling good because I stayed 100% OP at the wedding I went to this weekend! I really like having the August starters together in a thread because it's so great to compare notes with us all starting at the same time! I'll check in later with my progress but wanted to say hello and happy Monday!!