I agree. Staying active on this forum really helped me a lot my first go round.

Congrats on your 6 month maintenance!

So glad I found this thread today!!!

I had a rough week last week---as I get closer to goal I find myself getting more relaxed. Agree that this website is much needed support to continue to visit after goal and if the weight shoots up 5-10 pounds...get right back on plan before it spirals out of control.

After years of dieting (low-carbing) - this plan is pretty much how I was eating before but IP has less amounts of carbs/fats/serving sizes.
Don't think I have been much in ketosis through this process as I am doing the diabetic plan but I feel so much stronger and healthier!

My clothes are fitting better but I seem to still be between sizes - one size is too baggy another too tight. I may have to lower my goal by 5 pounds or so.

I am Determined to maintain by tweaking my food amounts!

Thanks to everyone who posted in this thread!

Thanks, Taye168! In my previous 'fat 4 years' I ate a lot more servings of carbs than I should have - easily 4 servings of brown rice in a meal, and a half a bag of organic tortilla chips at a time wasn't a good idea either, lol. Yes, I ate 'healthy' as that has been my lifestyle and the way I was raised, but too much food is still too much food in the end! That coupled with my favorite carb/fat combo (3 servings of full fat cheese and 3 servings of tortilla chips) at night for 'snackies' did me in. I'm actually surprised I didn't gain faster... only 8 lbs a year.

I still eat good food, I just watch the amount I eat now, and don't combine my higher carb with my higher fat in one meal. It's the trick to maintenance alright! I just laugh when someone says you can lose weight just by eating healthier; that ain't the whole story.

Best wishes to all you gals re-working your food plan to get the regain off! You already know how to do this - just remember to study up a bit more on maintenance....

Liana

Canadjineh - Like you, I would tend to indulge in higher than recommended carb snacks (popcorn & harvest cheddar were 2 of the usual suspects). After I passed my goal the 1 st time I maintained a couple months without too much effort, but as time passed I my bad habits crept back. I have been waaay overindulging in trail mixes & nuts. They are definitely 'food without brakes' for me, & it saddens me that I doubt I'll be able to reintroduce them into my diet any time soon ( if ever).

I'm very interested to hear more about the reference to tweaking the timing of your food. Are you referencing the fat/carb split or something else? My only complaint on the IP program was the lack of information provided at phase 4. I understand & appreciate their rationale, but I am the kind of person who believes the more info the better! I am fully committed to re-losing the lbs I regained, & want a better plan for maintenance than I did before.

Thanks for the words of encouragement - your maintenance meal plans never cease to amaze me

Yep, SkyeAvery, talking about the fat/carb split, time for carbs (1 meal) and then time for fat (the other meal).

I hope my maintenance meal plans on the other thread might give some others ideas... Some people do well with structure - having their same favorites often and never worrying about figuring something out for dinner. Others (like me) want a fresh and new flavour experience all the time, lol, and use a lot of different foods and spices to get that. I am always experimenting with herb & spice flavour combos and different ethnic foods. Either approach works with IP maintenance - whichever keeps you from being stressed or bored with your food. Food should be a fuel, yes, but also a pleasurable experience. It could be the comfort of a recipe that's like an old friend, or the excitement of a new flavour experience - your choice.

Liana

Wow so many familiar posters. I am in the same boat. I regained 20 of the 30 I had lost. I am so fed up that I can't fit into my clothes. I seemed to have totally adjusted to IP so well that I completely stopped losing. So gave up and regained steadily while trying all the latest wonders out there diet wise.
I could have written most of what you all said, we all have reasons for why we gained. But what shocked me is how each decade makes this so much harder. I am in my mid 60s and still working. So time is a bit of an issue but an aging already bad metabolism is the pitts!
But today felt chilly, I got annoyed at all the prep all the other food plans required and it suddenly felt like a light went on.
I realized the IP type plan was so much easier when I was working. So I put an order in to Nashua for all my old favourites and felt as though a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.
Now if it also will fly off my belly I will be so pleased.
This time the scale is not going to be part of my plan. I am just going to follow the protocol and see what I weigh by Christmas.
I see some of you on BB and was so happy to see so many "old" IPers here.
that was my second sigh that I can do this again!
pat

We are in this together! I'm hoping to phase off in December but we'll see how it goes, no rush getting to the finish line We are a little wiser this time around

Nice to see you Pat! Welcome back.

Barb

Indeed!! Older and WISER!! WE CAN DO THIS!!!

I'm also hoping to lose this extra baggage by Christmas....

.....BEST. CHRISTMAS PRESENT. EVER!!!!

Heading to Disney for a quick weekend getaway in Nov so it'd be nice to be wearing a SMALLER SIZE by then hahaha!!!

(Hi Pat!! Welcome back!!)

This thread is so inspirational! I'm so glad. I stopped in to see what was going on and realize I'm not alone in this.

I started IP in April 2013 at 256lbs, by December 2013 I had lost 80lbs and had reached 176. My lowest weight in 20 years! I was so thrilled. I cleaned out my closet at 186lbs and replaced all my clothes, I didn't want to make it easy for myself to gain weight again. But sadly I allowed my severe back injury that occurred in mid-November derail my weight loss. After four excruciating months, lots of pain meds and major surgery, I had only put on 10lbs by March 2014 and remained steady at 186lbs for awhile. I was in a pretty good place, but couldn't seem to get back on plan. Just thinking of going back on plan made me panic about the food I wouldn't be able to eat while on IP, I was in complete diet burn out. And to top it all off, I was having serious relationship and work issues (my officemate is a newly recovering alcoholic and is now a food addict who eats ALL DAY LONG) and I was so STRESSED. So I started eating uncontrollably and gained an additional 30lbs by August 2014.�� My clothes were literally bursting at the seams at this point. I was down to five outfits that fit and were only semi-appropriate for work and I am not buying new clothes! I finally had to look in the mirror and say enough is enough. No matter what else is going on in my life, I deserve to be healthy and comfortable in my own body.

In mid-August, I visited my primary care physician's office and noticed they offered the IP program. I had left my old clinic because my coach quit and my new coach was all wrong. I search for another clinic because I didn't think I could go to another office without paying the initiation fee again. But my doctor was more than happy to offer me the coaching and allow me to purchase food again without paying the fee again!!��

So I started again in August and have gone from 213lbs to 203lbs. I've had a few stumbles along the way and a vacation where I didn't follow the plan, but I'm getting there. I'm 99% on plan, and working towards being 100%. I realize now that I'm never going to be one of those people who can just eat whatever they want and will always have to incorporate IP eating in my diet. I'm always going to have to monitor my weight and adjust accordingly. I think self awareness will be the key to my success.

Kudos to everyone for all the hard work and success so far. Keep up the good work. ��

I am with you all. I will be restarting tomorrow, 9/7/14. I have been having such a hard time recommitting! Each day I start...then fall off. I was a rigid 100%er before...I'm not sure why I'm having this problem. Well, I have my packets out & ready...and I'm soooo ready to rock this reboot with all of you!! We can do this!!

For me the first day is the hardest. Not because of the ketosis flu, but the mental game of it. Once you get through the first couple of days then it starts to become second nature. Good luck to all of us restarters! Stay strong and focus on how great we feel each day we stay on plan!

Pat, so good to see you again. We can do this one more time.

Jacaline: I totally understand your feelings. I have lost and regained hundreds of pounds on every type of diet there is for many years. I am much older than you. All of the advice to you here is great. Don't focus on the past and make today a new day. Planning, planning, and more planning is helpful. Posting here for support is also invaluable. Is there any way you can find another IP coach who is more supportive? I always came away from my coach meetings feeling happier and more motivated.
I know you can do it. Take one tiny step and more will follow.

Hello to Scorbette,Patns, and Dana. Life certainly gets in the way and detours us. I was happy to see you and hope your restart is going well. The good thing is that IP works. Thinking of all of you and sending warm hugs.

Fitmom - I hope you're having a great OP day & that your 1st day goes well! Keep us posted - I hope you did something fun with your packets to kickstart yourself in a fun way - like a crispy cereal pancake - one of my personal favorites. Sounds like you have your head in the game & are prepared to kill it!