I have been cheating! Its so hard for me to just eat the normal veggies and packets. I am not sure why it was so easy to start with and now I am really stuggling. I live at home so I think my dad is going to do a movtivating thing for me They will pay for it if I lose at least 3 lbs at home. BTW I am only 19 and still in college. I know that i eat too much meat and dont drink enough water. How do you stay on track?

Lindin
What wonderful news! Congratulations to all of you.
Pat

It is difficult to stay motivated, but it really takes self discipline. As someone who has struggled with their weight all of their life the best advice I can give you is to stick with it because it doesn't get easier when you are 45 and your body is complaining at you because you've been carrying too much weight for 20 years. Remember, it's one decision at a time... one meal at a time.

Since I'm a student too, even though I'm old, I do find it helpful to have crunchy things I can pick on while I'm at my computer studying. I use the Southwest Cheese Curls and cucumbers. I used to have pickles, but they are still too hard for me to choose. I make deals with myself of saying to myself "I'm going to get this water bottle emptied before I get up". Whatever you can do to motivate yourself and stay focused from minute to minute.

A lot of people struggle if they have done IP and then go off. It seems it is hard to stay on after that. Living healthy is a choice we make or "not". Does the food give you enough pleasure that it is worth eating it? Food addiction is as bad as heroine or alcohol. It is a bit more socially accepted, but alcoholics that want to quit stand in front of that mirror and say to themselves that they are "not going to drink today" and many fail without help. I have stood in front of the mirror many times and said "I am eating only what is on "plan" and the food, particularly carbs, calls me. I eat it, feel like crap, and the circle of failure starts again. This plan is different for me because I use this forum as a constant support. I know I want my life to be different and I do not want to be dependent on food to make it better for me. Because it can't! My life and the way I feel about myself is only going to improve if I do things differently - no one else can do it for me. Find something within yourself that motivates you and get going on down that road of recovery. Food addiction is very difficult to understand, but if you are trying to lose weight and have had problems this is the plan that works for many of us. It removes the culprits (fats, and carbs) and our body does the rest. Good luck and keep coming back - you now have a support team.

I absolutely loved your post Rosemary. I think we can all relate to it and use it in our lives.

Thank you, thank you all so very much. It's funny. I have friends all over but they see far away sometimes. You, on the other hand, seem right next door. That's so lovely.

Sheshie, I think pictures will wait a little while because I'm not sure everyone looks their best when they're 24 hours old. Kmrose, It is hard when you're pulled in so many directions. Just ask Marion. But we all have our addictions, small and large. Acknowledging is a first step, I guess. Still, your not getting enough water really worries me. If you can just overcome that, things will probably get better all around. Sorry, sound like another parent which I'm sure you don't need. But like the others, I REALLY want you to succeed. Now is definitely the time to do it. I don't know where you live but if you can possibly just get out and walk a little to clear your head, it might help? And Rosemary. is heroine addiction like chick lit? (Sorry, but I can't resist a great typo. )

Linden - You are too funny! Sometimes my brain works quicker than my poor fingers and sometimes my fingers work faster than my mind. I did reread this before I sent it and still didn't catch it . I use to be a substance abuse counselor and I am absolutely sure I know how to spell "heroine". Hee-hee!

Hi Everybody!!

Just introducing myself here. I lost a lot of weight quickly on IP, but the cost became to much and so I had to stop suddenly (I didn't even phase off, bad girl!!). I've maintained within 5lbs of my weight loss (and I'm assuming that's the glycogen again), and am starting again the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That's when our families leave so I can get back in my normal routines and it gives me enough time to get my alternatives lined up and ordered.

Is it silly that's I'm actually really looking forward to being back on IP? I mean yes I am going to miss a lot of the foods but by the same token I really liked how strict it was. I'm never wondering "can I eat this" or spending hours on the computer looking up points or calories.

In addition to getting all of my alternative foods I'm also looking to get a new scale. Do you have any suggestions? I was thinking about one of those body fat scales but I don't know how accurate they are or how easy to use they are. The one we have always weighed me several pounds higher than the one at my coach's clinic or doctors office. Plus it seems to be on its last legs and I don't want to have to replace it halfway through.

That is awesome!! Is that pretty standard for Germany? I always wanted a home birth (and still do) but with the complications we had with my first daughter it's not going to happen.

Welcome back! I was kind of like you when I came back in that I looked forward to the foods because of the simplicity they allowed. It's a great mentality to keep.

Hi, and welcome back. I remember your really burned up the boards your first time out; and, I hope the second will be the same. I don't think it's silly to look forward to coming back, especially since you seem to have gotten the hang of it first time around -- except for not phasing off. Just try not to dig the hole deeper over Thanksgiving?

A number of people think the Omron scale is good for measuring a lot of things and it does have very good ratings.

And no, I don't think that's quite typical of Germany. Overnight is more likely. But they got the doctor's permission and the midwife has to, legally, visit today to make sure everything is OK. This isn't the first child and from what I could see yesterday, everyone was doing extremely well -- thank
the gods of wee children and new mothers.

For those that don't make it over to the daily chat, I figured I'd share here that I weighed in this morning and lost 4.1 pounds. That means I have less than 50 pounds to go to my goal which although I know that is a lot to some of you it's so much less than my overall goal which was 120 pounds. Of course, the analytical in me is thinking that if I just keep doing that every week I can be done in 12 weeks! I know, I need to be realistic, but I'm not in the mood this morning!

I figured I'd share what I have had to do to adapt the program to work for me with my activity level. I am pretty much doing Phase II in that most days I have two meat meals and I am either adding 2 or 3 packets (or an alternative) on top of that. I also have some days, like when I'm dancing, when I eat two restricted items.I really like the packets for breakfasts and snacks, but they just weren't cutting it for lunch and dinner; particularly since it's really hard for me to eat lettuce and firmer veggies with my mouth still. I realize this may need to change and adapt a bit as I get closer to goal and on the weeks when my activity is lower, but for now, it's working.

I wanted to throw that out here because I do think that as tempting as it is to think the answer is always less or fewer carbs, a little more might be better sometimes. Definitely not an excuse to go overboard, but if you are stalling, it might be worth a try.

Hope everyone has a great week! I'll be checking in more today I expect since I'm supposed to be working on my school!

Very interesting reading everyone!
Welcome back NavyMom, you know how to do this, you will be fine.
Marion what you say is very true. I am always amazed when people slow down a bit the advice that comes on the boards about, "my coach said not to have restricteds; Cut back on the protein at the main meal etc. etc"

The boards are so busy that I can't remember where I read or saw things so often, but I saw a video clip somewhere with one of the head honchos with IP internationally. He was the one who was the advisor in the nutritional aspect of it. He said everything that is listed on the protocol sheets has been carefully researched. The daily restricteds are necessary because the brain has to have a certain amount of carbs or you are in trouble with fuzzy thinking. So the program as outlined is very carefully balanced.

Lindin , what a good decision you made to spend time in Germany to be close for such momentous occasions. Each of them will only happen once.

Here is something I am wondering about myself. I have now been on the program 16 weeks and am losing very slowly, about a pound a week. I am fine with that, my biggest issue is like Marion said, making sure I get enough food in in spite of the time my work demands.
But Dr Tien's book clearly states that he meant the program as a short term. Many people had far more to lose than I did but they lose much quicker in that case.
I'm thinking back to all the ''old" low carb diets and the advice that it was dangerous to be in ketosis too long. Is this really true? This is the only way I can lose weight so plan to keep on trucking but I am concerned about that.

Rosemary, I hope when I retire next summer I will have time to develop a heroine addiction. Oh wait that would have to involve bonbons too. Better not go down that road.
Seriously, I loved your post too!

pat

Good luck! I agree with the simpler way of eating mentality. And that is such a positive way of looking at it! Thank you for sharing , i'll try to remember that!

what alternatives are you using and where from? i recently considered switching to alternatives, but wondered what specific foods people ordered. i am so used to the ip packets, i am worried about switching. The cost savings is important for me to stay on this diet till i reach my goal!

Holy Hannah, Marion, 4.1 pounds sizzles. Whatever you're doing, keep it up! But seriously, with the amount of activity the added packets or bars seems reasonable. Sometimes I wonder if I'm getting enough carbohydrates, 28-32/day. But that's the high end of what was recommended when I started and walking is no way as active as dancing, plus working, plus school and family, and all other points you have covered. But it's got to be way lower than what most people who eat a bar (or cookie!) on top of 2 packets lettuce, and fairly high carb vegetables like brocolli. I wish I knew. But how very satisfying the feeling must have been when you finally took it in.

Pat, I don't think being in ketosis for an extended period of time is harmful, so long as you are getting plenty of protein AND not eating up muscle. I just wish I knew fairly precisely what is enough of protein, fats, and carbs. But too many variables, I guess.

I have been trying to answer your message and Marion's but the browser keeps shutting down when I get into the messages. WTH? I dreamed last night I flew to England to buy a computer. Not London, to the Tate, to the theatre mind you, but to Manchester. Manchester? Weird.

Thanks LindEn,( I was spelling it wrong.)
I had to smile that you ended up in Manchester in your dream. My 87 year old mother was a "warbride" from Manchester. She would say of course you went to Manchester if you had a choice. Her sisters used to laugh when they would visit because these elderly British ladies in Canada still referred to themselves as "brides".
The reason I am wondering about length of time in ketosis is because I seem to remember there were concerns about kidney function but I may not be remembering correctly,

Pat