I am basically doing IP on my own right now until I have the money at the end of May. I am confused on the whole exercise thing. I see some people don't exercise at all and some that keep right on.

Up to now, I was doing Curves three times a week. If I keep that up, should I have extra protein that day?

Most of us here who do a lot of weekly or daily exercising need to eat an extra IP packet or 2. Your body isn't getting enough protein to replace the muscle you're burning while exercising, and you risk either losing muscle mass, or not losing anything at all.

The best thing to do is talk to your coach and see what he or she recommends based on the intensity of your workouts. Also, the first 2 weeks should be mostly exercise-free as your body is getting used to your new way of eating.

The diet recommends no exercise until phase 3. Personally (after 33 weeks). I did not exercise too much for the first four month...leisure walks at lunch and some Wii workouts and kicked butt on the scale.

I added 2 times a week heavy duty weight training (resistance) with a personal trainer starting in January...the loss stalled for about 3 weeks. Since then I continue to work out with her 2x week and recently started adding walks again. My pace is about 1/2 of what it was, but that is because I have had a ton of planned cheats. With all those planned cheats I have continued to lose though.

Personal recommendation....continue doing what you were doing before you started and drink an extra shake or a 1/2 of one (I do a 1/2)

Hi!

I totally agree with Treena's comments here. Check with your clinic/counselor for advice and really "honestly" consider how "hard" you are really working out.

I started exercising (beyond walking the dog) and got back to my running, although at much lower weekly mileage, about six weeks into the program. I am still on Phase 1 and if I had to wait until Phase 3...I would have gone crazy!!

Exercise or not, I have been a slower than average loser so that hasn't made much difference for me, but mentally I needed to get those endorphins kicking in again. And I also started using the "athletic" protocol on my long or hard run days (extra packets on those day) and that has helped my energy level and recovery immensely!

I just ran a great 5K race this past weekend and am doing a Half this coming weekend and I continue to lose 1.5 lbs. per week.

So in answer to your question: To Exercise or Not to Exercise? I would say "error on the side of exercise!" It is the ONE THING that will help you maintain your goal weight once you get there and to develop the exercise habit early is only a bonus in my opinion!

Good Luck!