I worked my 12 hour shift yesterday (12noon to 12 AM) at the hospital.

Before work, I spent the morning clearing out my fridge of all the Thanksgiving leftovers (except the turkey) and packing them "nicely" to take to work.

I placed all the leftovers (including a big bag of dinner rolls and a cube of butter) in the break room. Then I announced to all my co-workers that I had brought food for them.

By 4 pm all the left-overs had been eaten. Yay! I sipped on an IP chocolate shake (over ice) and then had a huge green salad with sliced turkey for my dinner break.

Now, the reason this was a "non-scale victory" for me is because for as long as I can remember in my adult life, Thanksgiving leftovers were part of the "weekend after Thanksgiving eating binge" for me.

I mean, I even used to buy an "extra" pumpkin pie that I stashed in the fridge which of course I would then eat all of it myself over the weekend.

I am talking about multiple eating events. "Snacking" all day every day (from Friday to Sunday) on the left-overs and huge slices of pie with whipped cream for dessert.

This was the beginning of
"the Holidays" every year for me!

So I am sooooo happy that I have kicked this "carb monkey on my back" to

the curb this year.

My rapid wt. loss on IP (20 pounds in 6 weeks) has been a great motivator.

I am going all the way with this!

Thanks to all of you for your great support.

Keep reading and posting here, it has helped me tremendously to stay on track.

Lilita

I added my ticker!

I went out to a housewarming last night - didn't cheat (too much) - drank glass after glass of water. I skipped my protein snack after supper and snacked at the party on a couple of cubes of cheese, sliced sandwich meat and celery and such off the veg. tray. it was hard because there was so much good food there. I didn't miss the drinks but man oh man no fresh fruit off the fruit tray (strawberries) and no chips and dip - I miss chips more than anything else. I wore an outfit that makes me look...not too fat and I got lots of compliments on my look so that was motivating. I've lost around 15 lbs in 1 month and at 5'4" it's starting to show.

Here's the interesting part - a friend of mine is also on the IP diet. She told me she cheats all the time and she's losing and looks fantastic. She sticks to the IP diet during the week and then on the weekend she eats (almost) whatever she wants. And yeah, she really did - lots of drinks and snacks. She says that's the only way both emotionally and financially for her to stay on the diet. she figures it might take her longer but it's her way of doing it. It reminded me of an article I read a while back in First Magazine. They were promoting something called Carb Cycling. That's where you eat high carbs for a couple of days and then high protein/low carb for a couple of days - the results were really amazing. maybe....?? Just thought I'd mention because if that's the case, we are going to be able to go off this diet and maintain our weight with very little difficulty.

So glad you American girls are getting through Thanksgiving!

Mom22....I bought a book last summer called "Cracking the Fat Loss Code" or something like that. The author was Wendy Chant. I see that "3fatchicks" has a forum for them. It sounded really interesting. I did it for about 2 weeks...but I didn't lose any weight.

Lilita...wow...you are strong! I always remember eating LOTS of pumpkin pie after Thanksgiving. Turkey was never my favorite anyhow....and I have lots of chicken left. I have had chicken 4 days in a row now, so I am pretty sick of it. I think that the fast weight loss on IP is a great motivator.

Hi Everyone,

Got to tell you that I absolutely COULD NOT eat that IP food. No way. So I had to quit the program.

However, I have found what works for me and wanted to let you all know because as you come off of IP IF you start to gain weight I want to encourage you to pick up the book The Metabolism Miracle by Diane Kress. It is amazing and from what I've read by you guys on this forum I think many you probably have the Metabolism B syndrome that she writes about. I've only been on program for 1 week and I feel terrific. Better than I have for YEARS. If you are diabetic please please read this book.

That's it from me. Good luck to you all.

Texan123

So! Today begins Day #1 for me, starting with the crispy cereal. Definitely tastes like Splenda, but certainly not objectionable. The part I'm most nervous about is the feeling hungry... portion control has always been an issue for me.

Also, I remember being concerned that getting in at least 64 oz of water would be difficult... but man, you need all that just to take your supplements!

Which reminds me... how were you all told to take your supplements? My coach said to take all four CaMg and KCa at night.

Also, remembering earlier in the discussion... my coach actually gave a reasonable reason for eating your snack before bedtime instead of between lunch and dinner, so your body has more to work with while repairing itself at night. So those of you not eating your snack at bedtime because you need it to get through the day... maybe split it in two, and have half of it then? What do y'all think?

Oh, and one last thing... where were y'all told to take the waist and hip measurements?

A new beginning, how exciting!

I have so many posts to go back & read. My home computer crashed last week & then the holidays came. But I wanted to report on a weight loss last week of 3.4 lbs on week three!!! I can live with that. As has been repeated numerous time on this site, it is a better weight loss number then any other diet we have been on! I am just glad those dang pies are out of my face now!

Meghan

Crispy cereal - did not like at all - I think because it appears so small with a few pieces of rice krispies floating around. Portion control for me is a big issue too. Got to be honest for the first 4 days I was really hungry - I drank a lot of water to get through it. My counselor also told me to eat an extra protein pack for the first few days if I was really hungry. I didn't but it's an option. I liked to think that if I was feeling hungry that was the pounds melting off - and I did lose over 5 lbs that first week. Not so hungry after the first few days - apparently once you get through the first few days, you're in ketosis and really burning fat.

Supplements - they wrote on top of the bottle how many to take/day and that made it easier. CaMg my sheet says 2 with supper and 2 with evening snack. 1 Potassium in the morning with breakfast. 1 multi-Vitamin with breakfast and 1 at supper.

I get measured in the following spots: neck (I've lost about 3/4" in my neck and can really tell), upper arm, chest (above boobs), upper waist (below boobs), smallest part of waist, belly button, hips (at widest), thigh, knee, calf and ankle. You really do lose in all those spots and it's exciting.

Well all the anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday is over. I hope you all had a wonderful time.

@Torlaker You make me laugh, you make me cry. My deepest sympathies go out to you. I also had a horrible loss this year (stillborn full term) so I understand with the holidays and anniversaries and everything in between make it really difficult to sometimes get through a day. I'm really excited that you get to see you family in December. Your an amazing women. You have been through a lot. As someone said you took this forum to a whole new level.

@Echobaby I'm totally up for bikinis at 5am. In the snow!



We all have different reasons for our weight gain and what caused us to get to this point, but like I've said before I would be lost without ALL.

Texan123, I looked up the book; it looks very interesting. Are you diabetic? Diabetes runs in my family.

You go girl!!! I ate all low-carb for TG this year, and the fam was behind me all the way on it! LOL, gave my dogs the left over pie (woof)!

Princass: thank you so much. I hope I make you laugh more than I make you cry!! I only get in those moods (brooding) once in a great while. I am so sorry for your loss. I cannot even imagine the pain. Do you have other children?

Elisha - I didn't like the crispy cereal at all. I eat the oatmeal with a little WF syrup on top. I feel way more full with it....plus I get frustrated chasing those 5 little rice krispies around the bowl. Water is a key these first days...wash those toxins out!! I had a killer headache for 3 days and lived on aspirins. I take most of my supplements at night (cuz it takes me ALL day to get up enough nerve to swallow the horse pills!). If I remember, sometimes I split up the CalMag - 2 in the afternoon, 2 at bedtime. (I always heard magnesium helps you sleep). Yeah..that is where I get in most of my water...swallowing those things. But - I can tell you -- I can definitely feel it if I don't take them. I don't take my measurements....my nurse takes them....I just get excited about them!! She always has a hard time finding my waist. I am definitely built like a rectangle....always have been even when I was skinny.

Meghan0 - you lost 3.4# the week of Thanksgiving?? I am so impressed....you are doing wonderful.

Texas123 - I totally understand not liking the IP products. I am getting pretty tired of them myself. At first, I experimented...but now I stick to the bars, oatmeal and puddings. I was pretty disappointed with the other stuff. Is there a website about The Metabolism Miracle? Geez, I thought I had Syndrome X (or whatever it is called)....I don't want another syndrome.

Well, I wore out an outfit I altered today to do errands. Everyone was commenting on how different I looked. I think I am gonna have fun with this....BUT Ihave to watch myself. One starts hearing compliments...and then thinks, "Hey, I don't look bad at all" -- and then poof...I am off the diet.

I am glad some of you are posting again. I got worried that the Thanksgiving holiday might have caused some of us to go off IP, and not get back on. Ya gotta admit....these next few weeks are gonna be tough!! We gotta hang tough!

OgDog: I bought some Lactaid milk (I am lactose intolerant)...fat free...but geez, the sugar and carb amounts are just awful...but I am gonna try the pudding thingy again.

Back to altering....we are expecting snow tonight! I gotta alter some warmer pants!

Princass, I want to tell you how very truly sorry I am for your stillborn baby. I also had a stillborn baby boy at full term in August of 2003. I don't know if the weight you are losing is from your pregnancy, but I HATED having to carrying around that weight with NOTHING to show for it! Hang in there & I am more then willing to be you email buddy if you need support dealing with your loss. Time heals.

IS any one actively exercising??? I am considering joining a Curves or Curcuit type of gym for a few months. You know the women only gym where you do strength & cardio? I would love to hear how exercise is going for others
Thanks, Meghan

Hey guys!
I had my fourth weight in and lost 6 lbs!

So my first month I lost 32 pounds =o amazing.