Love the avatar! Welcome to the forum!

Since you have done Atkin's you will find this diet fairly simple. The best thing is you don't have to eat eggs for breakfast! There is a good selection of foods you can eat for breakfast. Make sure to drink 64 plus ounces of water and keep the salt handy for the headaches. Take the supplements as suggested. I did Atkin's the week before thinking I would be through the carb withdrawal but was not really strict and my first week was rough. It gets easier so hang in there. I typically drink a premade vanilla drink for breakfast during the week for convenience. I toss it in the freezer for an hour or so to get it slushy. Kind of like a vanilla shake. For lunch I usually have a large mixed lettuce salad with 2 cups mixed of radishes, celery, green onions and red cabbage. I use vinegar and olive oil as a dressing. I put some garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, pepper, basil and oregano in it. For my lunch protein I usually have a vanilla or butterscotch pudding with cinnamon. I also make the pudding ahead of time and put it in a dish in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes. I like it really cold or somewhat frozen. For dinner 2 cups veggies and 5 oz lean protein or 7 oz fish or seafood. You may want to check out the recipe thread. Be careful though, not all the recipes are IP compliant. I usually have the jello every evening as my snack to help tighten up the skin. I use 10 oz of boiling water for the jello though because with 5 oz it sets up like knox blox.

HINT: When you make the pudding in the shaker, cover the shaker with saran wrap before you put the lid on that way you don't have to try to lick the inside of the lid.

GOOD LUCK!

Great plan. I'm so happy when people give us their plans to combat the obvious uncomfortable encounters - social time with friends & family where everything revolvles around delicious food! You'll do great!

I can't beleive it ! I am in the 180's now . I don't rememebr the last time I weighed in the 180's . Rejoicing ! Rejoicing ! Everyone have a great day ! You can do this and it will be worth it !

1st of all, I love that you gave us your play by play for the day. I often wonder how everyone does it. I'm a pudding in the morning (in my coffee), and then from there I just waiver, switching around and not having a solid feeling of a plan (maybe now in week 2 I'll get better at it).

However, I have to tell you, my husband just looked at me like I'm a nutcase because I laughed so hard when you said "that way you don't have to try to lick the inside of lid" which of course I DO every single morning!!!

So thanks for the awesome tip!

You are doing great! I can't wait! Thanks for sharing the news!
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MuayThaiGoddess - Thank you for researching our moods/serotonin for us. That is useful information. I learned something new today!

I've been on SSRI and SNRIs before for pain management, but I didn't know that carbs effected the levels! The Dr (chiropractor) who fitted me for the SpineCor brace told me that endorphins are being released in our bodies as we lose weight, which is why you feel so good when losing (I felt pretty good weeks 3- 8). He was also on Ideal Protein at one point so he knew all about the diet/protocol. I'm not losing weight anymore, so maybe my natural high has gone away - and I hope your natural high starts soon! I got fitted on Feb 18 and I'm going again on April 22 to check the fit. He said that I might have to get smaller shorts and we can adjust the thing to fit as necessary. Haha. My hips were around 39 inches on Feb 18. They now measure in at 37 inches. I have to look at how much I have accomplished and feel happy about it! I wonder if I feel down now because I am eating carbs at breakfast - up to a max of 50g with all the food combined (fruit + complex carb) - and then none for the rest of the day? I've gone back to the phase 1 veggies for my other meals instead of using all veggies as the phase 3 sheet says. Maybe I should actually eat the non-allowed in phase 1 veggies because they have more carbs? What do you think?

I have to go out and walk more I think. That should get those endorphin levels back up! I also find that things work themselves out when I'm walking, and by the time I get where I'm going (often a loop around the lake), everything is resolved. Without even thinking about it actively! I like being in the moment of walking in nature too. I haven't taken my usual long walks lately due to pain, but I really have to make myself go out and do it. I keep telling myself I will do my 45 minute short walk loop in the morning at 6 or 7am before work (with my dog!). But I am not really a morning person so I can't seem to get myself going like that. I tend to do the short 20 minute loop with my doggie and that's it (habit= autopilot first thing in the morning). Other than that, I wander around the house trying to get ready and then 2 hours later I get to work. I like the morning but my brain isn't functional yet. I like watching the sunrise too but that's always due to my crazy dog getting up early! I love that little dog so I don't mind too much. He's my drill sargent in the morning! He runs around "talking" to me (it's a throaty little bark noise that Huskies make) until he gets me out the door! Then he trots along, smiling, smelling everything, marking things, trying to chase squirrels, barking at other dogs... Ah to be a dog! They are such happy little beings. And then there's my sweet cat. He is my nap buddy and he's a purring machine! He lays on me (front paws on my abdomen) and makes himself comfortable. Then we fall asleep together. I'm so lucky to have 2 nice little animals who comfort me and make me go outside and get moving. I think the cat would enjoy being outside, but I can't imagine putting a harness on him to take him for a walk! <<Insert screeching cat noise here!>> Also he had a surgery/problem (PU surgery) in January, so I would never let him go outside. I joke that he is my $4,000 cat! And I'm so happy he's still alive. During his 4 week recovery period, I was worried he would give up and die. But he made it, and now he's better than ever! He needs to lose some weight too, but I think he's lost about a pound and a half since January. He weighed 15 pounds before, so that is a lot for a little cat to lose! Everytime he meows at me for more mood, I tell him, "Hey buddy, I'm on a diet too. I know you want more food but you just can't have it!" Heehee. I have a picture of him so maybe now I will finally make it my profile picture on here.

Birman and other cat lovers - does anyone grow grass inside for their cat to eat? I bought some oat grass and wheat grass that's meant to be eaten by cats. My cat keeps chewing on plastic bags so I think he needs some plant matter in his diet. He also tried to eat some cut flowers.

I am about to make a large purchase on Lindora of bars, puddings, and some mix to make cheesecake things (I assume it's a stiff pudding). Thanks BevS for announcing the 25% off sale of their regular prices and the free shipping! The vanilla drinks on there are exactly the ones that we get from our IP coaches, right? My bf hasn't tried them so I thought I'd get some of those too. The caramel nut bars seem mostly the same (I have the caramel nut bar IP box sitting in front of me). The ingredients are exactly the same but in a slightly different order. The ones on Lindora have 10 less calories (only 150 cals) than the IP bars. In phase 4, there's one indulgence day (aka cheat day where you eat whatever you want, but I prefer the more positive word indulgence to the negative word cheat) followed by one strict phase 1 day per week. I think I will use the Lindora packets and/or soy isolate powder from Trader Joe's on those phase 1 days. I'll have to do the comparison (looking at older posts/threads/attachments) between Lindora foods and IP foods but there's no way I can keep eating the IP foods because they are really expensive! I've followed the diet eating only IP packets so far, so I can't feel too bad about it. It was easy and quick and the weight came off! Now to keep it off. It should be easy in the beginning since my dear honey (LOL like DH=dear husband but can't exactly call him that since we're not married!) is still on phase 1. And I'm so proud of him. He used to always get McDonald's and drink regular sodas (2+ per day). I didn't know what to expect with him going on IP but he has done fabulously! He went through withdrawl at the beginning from the soda. It happened the 2nd and 3rd day but he powered through it! I'm taking him to buy more jeans today. He wears jeans every day to work and they obviously don't fit him anymore. Way too baggy! And he's just finishing up week 3! Who else had to get new trousers on week 3? I didn't lose it that fast, that's for sure!

I hope you all have a fantastic day! I'm going for a long walk in the rain if I have to! Goddess, does this mean you can receive PMs tomorrow? How exciting!

Carlashera- thanks for the encouragement. We are all in this together and everyone here is so wonderful and supportive. It makes me happy to know you.

Have a wonderful "Ideal" day everyone! You all are doing great!

You are amazing! Your husband is going to be so proud of you! 60 pounds gone!!! WOOHOO!!! I am sure you feel terrific.

YIKES!!! Have you lost all that just since January??? That is AMAZING!!! Are you working out along with the diet?

Sorry, Kelsey.....I meant Carla.....Once I get down past the posts it's hard to remember.....oh I think Goddess just wrote about that!! LOL
I am going on a birthday outing with some friends today. A movie and dinner. When my friend called me yesterday she told me about this diet she was going to start that was recommended by her doctor. Guess what??? It's this diet. She was so excited that I was already on it. We will have lots to talk about today. I already sent her a bunch of info that I have learned on this website. Hopefully she'll join the group. That will be 2 local friends on the diet and 1 that has met her goal. I'm really excited about that. Have a great day everyone.

Happy Sunday everyone! I just spend an hour reading through the posts of this week and again, some AWESOME weigh ins and NSV.

If all goes well tomorrow at weigh in i may just crack 30 pounds lost in 4 weeks. If not it will be close. I have 5.5 months til my wedding and Im trying to lose as much as I can to be smoking hot on my big day. I want everyne who is there to be like OMG she looks fantastic.

Im starving this morning and Im not sure why, my ketostix shows the dark purple but Im thinking maybe missing my 2 cups of veggies at lunch yesterday may have something to do with that.

Im going back to the gym tomorrow but Im just going to do light cardio and concentrate more on my arms, shoulders and back with the toning.

Does anyone get really itchy after eating or drinking any of the IP packets. I seem to itch everytime I finish one of them?

Have a great Sunday everyone!

It's so nice to have both local support and this board for support! I really think it makes a huge difference in our lives. I just wanted to say thanks guys.

Wow! 30 lbs in 1 month is awesome! Great Job! You will look amazing by the time your wedding arrives. Don't get your dress until the 2 weeks before and then it may still need taken in by the wedding date.

I have noticed some itching at times after I have eaten. It usually goes away fairly quickly but I wonder if it is a slight allergic reaction. Are you writing in your journal, make sure you note if it is certain protein packs that are making you itchy and then discuss it with your coach.

LOL Well, that is certainly true!! But I am even having trouble remembering people's names now. It's kinda scary

Good afternoon IP friends,
Thank you for the insight on the "moods"! I also had some initial lightheadness, but that has since passed. I have a question about the ketostix, is that something we should be checking? and where do you find them, is it like a litmus paper thing?
Thank you for all your help! I love the seran wrap idea, because it is so hard to get all that pudding off the lid!!
Julie

Oh no - thought I was cooking lamb for Easter. Now we are going with a group for brunch at the best restaurant in town. I will survive it - heck I spent week 2 in Napa watching everyone else eat and drink. But I hate having to look at all that luscious food I can't touch. Maybe it's finallly time for a cheat? No, I don't think so either.
Scale starting to get stuck. Time for a scale dance-- like a rain dance but gets the scale moving down instead of rain coming down. LOL.(shades optional)