Hello, my March beauties! I've been out of town for the last week. Airplanes, hotels, public transit, other people's schedules... None of it is exactly conducive to staying OP. But I took a bunch of packets and did my darndest and I'm happy to report that I didn't gain any weight. I didn't exactly lose any either, but hey! I'm calling it a win! I'm looking forward to reconnecting with you all. I've missed you!

I have a question for you IP peeps. I have split my lunch and dinner last night with an 8 oz steak precooked 8 0z obviously and this has helped enormously with my hunger which was causing massive headaches. I did the same today as it really helps stave off hunger cravings. Is this ok?

Also do you know if a NY striploin is okay or is it too fatty.

And are you having more than one cup of coffee per day. My coach says no.

Thanks for letting me know your thoughts.

Thanks SusieCJ!! I am going to try the chili tomorrow. I just made rutabaga fries in the oven and I love them! I used a splash of olive oil, I know I should measure, and Mrs. Dash tossed in all together and baked them until they were crispy. I had never had a rutabaga before, and now I am in love with them! I am going to split my protein as well, I can't eat that much at a time with the veggies. I am finding I am really full all the time, that is something new! I used to have a large Dunkin Donut latte every morning on my way into work, I find the cappuccino RM mixed with a cup of dark roast black coffee is really good, not the same, but really good and I feel like I haven't given up anything.

I will be anxious to hear how you do with your first weigh in. I am weighing in early this first time as I didn't start until 2 days after i began the program. so I am not holding out for miracles, just baby steps leading to a better way of living and eating. Keep sharing!!!

Welcome back Ideal Annie! Traveling for an entire week and not gaining anything?? I definitely call that a win

I'm down 6.4 this week! Figured with last week's weigh in it averages out to 4.4# which is more than fine with me. Probably won't keep up that way but that's okay..as long as it continues down, down, down.

Welcome to all the new folks too! I really encourage everyone to keep trying different IP foods and tweaks until you find some that work for you. My coach gave me a bunch of recipes all good for phase 1 so maybe your coach has some as well? And, lots of recipes on Pintrest, here and the IP coaching website. They had a good sounding one for getting 2 shots of expresso on ice then adding the liquid vanilla IP drink to it for a "latte". I'm looking forward to trying it.

Have a great week everyone!!!

I bought the reeses easter egg for my husband and it was hard to resist but I did it! All I could think about was to take a bit! hehehe Thankfully I bought tons of ip chocolaty products to curb my crave! I had the chocolate pudim flavour for breakfast and cookies and cream bar for snack. Not the same thing but helped. I did not cheat and made me quite happy!

I love to eat the crisps for lunch when I save some of my meat from dinner, it is specially good with fish! Fish and chips all the way and no cheating! hehehe I try to make myself excited about the foods and I hope it helps me stay focused!!!

Try buying different products, they have a good variety, today I tried the potatoes ip thingy and like it. I think it would be also good with meat. Beef and potato... yum!

My coach suggested that I save some of my meat from the evening and eat next day for lunch if I am ok with that and I think its fine. I am not sure about the striploin but I normally look at it if looks too fatty you can see the white stuff all over it and I go for the leaner ones. Also, I think the cups of coffee are ok you just need to be mindful of the milk and splenda. I bought the coffee whitener and I use it or I mix my coffee with my vanilla drink. If you are ok with black coffee with very little splenda or none at all I dont see the problem.

Hi IPeeps: If you are having more than 1 cup of coffee, don't forget to have an extra glass of water per cup, as coffee is a diuretic. If you wish you can trade out a cup of water for a cup of herbal tea with no caffeine. This is especially nice if you are craving sweeter or fruitier flavours. Things like Apple Cinnamon, Peach, Orange Spice, Wild Berry Zinger, Peppermint...
you get the picture.

Liana

Vpohani I drank whatever coffee I wanted, technically on the program they say one cup, and if you drink two you need to compensate with water because coffee is deydrating. I generally drank one to two cups, but sometimes three. I drink my coffee black or with a splash of milk. Coffee helps me edge the hunger and blood sugar stability a little.
I did notice though that I really had to add water if I had more than a cup, because sometimes if I was drinking coffee through the morning I would forget the water. I stared using the mangosteen packets after a few months and those really helped.

Like Liana suggested above, I also started in the afternoons switching to herbal tea (Bengal Spice with lots of cinnamon and a dash of sea salt really does it for me). Good luck!

Well survived Easter, I cooked the meal for 10 people and that helps with not wanting it as much, I did talk to my coach and she said go ahead and enjoy but remember it is one meal, well surprisingly I really mainly stuck to the plan, haad turkey and veggies the rest I seemed fine without! Mind over matter I guess!

Okay before I reveal my weight loss number, keep in mind that I am on the Alternative Plan for diabetes so my first week loss will not be huge like others on IP....drumroll, please....4 lbs! Hey, I am very happy with it as when I try to lose weight on my own, I can only lose about .8 pounds per week, if anything! So this is a big deal for me!

Also, I take a blood pressure pill that also has a diuretic in it so I'm not going to have as dramatic of a water/weight loss. All in all it was a good result that's got me feeling less like Debbie Downer and more like Optimistic Olive.

Anyways, dummy me was late to my first weigh in by about 7-8 minutes and my coach wasn't able to measure me. Apparently they only schedule 15 minutes and the office is very busy. She didn't comment on my weight loss, my hubby is away on a business trip, and my dog doesn't speak English so I need some support from you guys!

SusieCJ this is awesome! Really.
I am a slower loser also, and also was generally slower on IP, even though I wasn't Alternative. 4 lbs is amazing. I truly didn't bother much with the numbers - scale and inches - as long as I was on program and headed overall downward, I just trusted the speed my body wanted to go, and knew that I would just stay on it until I reached my goal. Usually in a month I had two weeks of very little, then two other weeks of a bigger jump - so I had to learn not to get into a mental quandry on the "off" weeks.
For me personally and how I know my body, I knew losing a little slower was actually better for me in the long haul and keeping it off.
Keep going - you are succeeding and will continue to if you never give up!

Great Job! Congratulations Optimistic Olive love that name

So, after my first month, I am feeling great! Down 21 lb, 14 inches, and off of my 2 blood pressure medications. If I can only stop my husband from unintentionally sabotaging my efforts... Ah well, I would have to stop letting him sabotage me.

I was addicted to coffee, IP finally helped me kick the habit, I stick to my teas now

Marshacup, 21 pounds?! Kudos to you!!