My Dr says, "Anyone living north of Sante Fe is vitamin D deficient. I was so low (3 years ago)that she started me on a prescription strength of 50,000 IU every 3 weeks for 6 months. I now take D3 everyday. I also had my dad start taking it 2 years ago, after a mild heart attack. 3 months ago, his cardiologist said "You should be taking Vit D" We had a good laugh over that one...

Oh congratulations that is great, I was really happy at being 40lbs lighter too, please let us know how phase 3 is going as it will be something to look forward to in the months ahead (at least for me)

I have found that our hormones are out of wack and there are weird times I have cravings too, I try to think more about the reasons I am dieting and where my goal is... don't get me wrong I stand with the fridge open from time to time looking what can I eat... the nice thing is it is all veggies in there. I usually grab a dill pickle and I also am really into Chai teas. I have a chocolate chai tea when it is a chocolate craving and it helps. I also try doing things when this happens like having a full 20oz glass of water it makes me feel full, or I go for a walk as my dogs are always wanting to walk. Stick with it and your rewards will be a healthier fitter you.

That is so awesome, I guess weird is good. I haven't been around any of my relatives since I started and want to surprise them this summer. As I think they will be surprised. My brother knows I started but he doesn't know I continued.. I think he thought I would lose like 20lbs and quite. I just want to shock the heck out of them all with a new improved me..

That is great, great job this week. I love this forum as it lets us talk to others that are going through the same stuff.

NSv - So yesterday at lunch I was having lunch with a girl at work and she was quizzing me on my diet and what I thought she should do to lose the 10lbs she needs to lose... me she is asking ME diet advise! I thought that was really nice. She is kind of shocked at my goal but I figure for me it will be a wait and see, my body will tell me when enough is enough..
Then I was at another office (I support 3 different offices) and one of the lady's there said stop she wanted me to stand still so she can see how much I had lost as everyone in the office was talking about my weight loss. So I stopped and she was quite impressed. I of course had to tease her (she may be 100lb if that) she had the cinnamon Chocolate cake I made for them, and she ate it for breakfast. Apparently I don't have to taste my food and it is still good for others to eat. I was also stopped by a second person who said wow you have lost a lot of weight. and asked me how I did it.

The compliments are great but why is it I still feel the same? I know I look different and my clothing isn't fitting and I have others that now do, but I still feel the same. Hopefully when I am in the 160s or so I will start feeling that I am different.

I think with this we have to start thinking about ourselves differently, and enjoy every change. We all lose at different rates and speeds and I think that helps us adjust to our new selfs from week to week.

Have a great day I am going to get off my butt and clean house. Spring cleaning wooohooo... Take care all

Drive by....still doing my thing, staying OP.

Congrats to ALL for sticking with it and the shrinkage!!!

Have my plan for this weeekend--we are staying at my MILs tomorrow night and then out to Easter brunch after Mass Sunday. Tomorrow I will have my "real food" protein at lunch, feign illness at dinner and sneak a shake in up in my bedroom. Sunday, my coach said I can eat as long as I stick to salad and protein (my initial plan was to put food on my plate but just take a few bites and kind of push it around "pretending" to eat so I could stay OP). Hopefully I will be rewarded by my efforts at weigh in on Wednesday!

Hope you all have a blessed Easter!

I dito the oil-I get cravings too-usually for savory stuff and increasing my oil helps-a LOT. Just don't overdo it because it softens me up the next day....

WOW! Congrats!

Don't forget to take progress photos. I am taking them for myself, but I am not posting them (at least not yet!) I love going through and browsing the albums of the people who have finished or are close to finishing.

My wife when she was on this plan felt the same way. The only thing I can suggest is to search through the message boards and try to find recipes that might be alternatives to what you're craving. There are all kinds of tips and tweaks that we never thought of - ways to make chicken nuggets, pizza, rice, mashed potatoes etc. Hope you stick with it - once you can find a rhythm the lbs & inches coming off will be all the motivation you need to keep going!

This post made me LMAO - tyvm.

You're gonna do great and soon enough you'll be one of those triple digit people w/ sagelike advice for the future noobs and will be an inspiration to even more people. Keep up the great work I'm so happy for you!!!


On a personal note - Very strange NSV for me today. For the first time in a long time my sagging gut doesn't touch my skin when I "suck it in". May sound gross but it's a nice feeling to feel air instead of skin when it's like that - gotta keep plugging along so it does that naturally - still helps to see light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm heading out of town this weekend and know of a few "fancy" dinners that we're supposed to go to. I'm gonna see how much i irritate the waiter/waitress' with all my modification requests lol. I figure if I get no sauce of any kind that i'll be able to tell if there is spit on it since it should be dry lol.

Hope everyone has a great weekend - I'm gonna try to poke my head in but my wife doesn't like me being anti-social by being on the computer while visiting family.

Cravings.... they can be a struggle. I assume you are frustrated because you expect that the foods are things you "should" be allowed to have, but you "can't" since you are dieting. My suggestion is that you reframe that by saying "Those are things I could have, but I am choosing not to right now to meet my goal> I am in control, I am powerful, and i get to deicde what I eat and what I don't, based on what I want for me". Say it even if you don't believe it at first---just keep saying it. Eventually you WILL believe it.

If the craving is emotion-centered (meaning you have a feeling you would like to "eat away" or "numb out" from, then I have an alternative suggestion (one that you may not like)......sit with that feeling---FEEL IT. Angry? Sad? Disappointed? Ashamed? Whatever it is---just acknowledge it. This can be really hard if you are used to eating your feelings away. You may or may not be successful--just keep trying. Eventually you can learn to become more comfortable with uncomfortable feelings.

Best of luck to you on your journey!

Well stopping by quickly while I eat my mongolian stir-fry-with protein, for lunch. Just found out I don't have to go to Newark (NJ) next week which is good. Newark is scary.
I broke my nice work pants yesterday I was going to the bathroom and tried to zip them up and the zipper came off in my hand-not because it was tight (in fact they were starting to get loose around the thighs) but because I wear them pretty much every day I am at a client site and I've had them for almost 2 years now. I am kinda bummed because I haven't gone down a size (yet) and now I have to buy a new pair. Thankfully there are some good easter sales. There is not rush since I won't be going anywhere (at this point) next week so I may take my time. Maybe there is something in the basement that will fit me in the meantime.

Happy Friday and long weekend (to you lucky people who get holidays this weekend)

I've ate out at least 20 times since starting IP. I have yet to have a waiter/waitress get irrated, in fact the opposite happens, I just explain I have some diet restrictions and am careful to ask questions and make requests-nicely of course. They have all been very helpful and usually ask me leading questions when I am ordering to ensure they are in line with my dietery restrictions.

Good Luck!

JUICEMAN, When I push my self too hard at the gym I feel so tired and shakey, One time I stayed an extra 20 mins to do just bike, wow the next day I had no energry. I do notice that the weights feel nice, I started light, and when I feel energetic I add more. I do notice though I dont have the same kind of energy ressource as before. Its hard to explain. Its like there isint a surplus there for me, enough to get the basics done but not more.

I have great results from the weights though muscel definition is so so nice on a leaner body. Weight training shows fast, and when we stop we lose it fast as well.

I work out before work so I still move a bit after and helps with less lactic acid setting in. I am not more tired though to do my work, thats inportant, but woooo hooooo when I hit the pillow I am gone lol... I still eat 4 packets a day sometimes 5. My coach said when your active long hours, feed the body fuel so that it can manage and keep up with you in a healthy way.

Is there anyone out the like me??? I only like the premade shakes and the PB soy puffs! Severe texture issue and this is all I can handle. I know that when you are on a diet you want to change things up so your body does not get used to your routine, I do not see myself being able to do that. Has anyone else been in a similar situation!

Interested to hear replies, because I'm the same way. I can not Choke down food that I can't stand the texture of...so really protien shakes/drinks are going to be my only option.

I have been sticking with it - there were a couple of days that I had 2 restricteds (1 was moving day and I didn't get dinner, so the 2nd restricted was my dinner at 11:30 at night). Other than that, no cheats. I don't have restricted veggies more than twice a week and no more than 1 restricted IP per day (except for twice). I eat my veggies for lunch (sometimes not with dinner - it just depends). Haven't had anything off protocol.

My coach doesn't know why I'm hungry either. For a week he told me to have an extra packet but this past week he told me he didn't want me to (I suspect because I haven't lost much the last 2 weeks - .6# one week and 2.6# the next). I can't do things like snack on cucumber, celery, or lettuce because I'm a teacher and can't just start chomping down veggies in the middle of teaching. His only other suggestion was to drink hot tea.

I don't know if the restricteds make me hungrier or not. My coach doesn't make us do the first week or two without them so I've always had them. I'm going to try and not have any today since I had 2 yesterday and see how that goes.

My coach doesn't let us have crystal light

Tea does help, but I'm just usually so busy I'm often not in a place where I can make tea.

I know exactly how you feel. I know I'm looking GREAT (relatively speaking), but still have to notice how when I'm in the bathroom on the toilet there is a 'fat roll'. Now is it like it was? No, but I'm still critical of myself. Why can't we cut ourselves a break?

Hi everyone,

This is my first time writing on this thread. I've been reading everyone's messages for the past few weeks and I have found it very encouraging. I am finishing my 3rd week on IP. Week 1 I lost 7 pounds and 2 week 2 I lost 5 pounds.

I just came back from WI-3 and I only lost 1 pound. I'm pretty discouraged. I think I became too confortable and I have been eating things that were off program. I thought they were ok since they had no carbs but I guess I was wrong.

I would like you guys to tell me what you think of eating these foods in very small quantities:

mayo (I hate the WF dressings, all of them...I don't really know what to use on my salad)
olives
nuts
peperoni
butter

I also did not have any restricted all week. Do you think this could have impacted my weight loss. My coach tells me I should only have restricted about 3 times a week. What do you think about that?

Thank you so much for your help!