The last few days I have struggled to finish all of my dinner. Actually I plain and simple haven't finished it. I will eat maybe 3/4 of my meat and the same with my veggies but then I hit a wall and cannot eat any more. I am one who if I go overboard, I will get sick and I definitely don't want that.

Has anyone experienced this before? I am worried that I am not getting in enough food, but on the flip side, I cannot make myself sick. My routine is always the same...

Breakfast 8
Lunch 12
Snack 3ish
Dinner 6-6:30

I have tried to do the snack after dinner but am too full to do it that way.

Okay, off to slumberland I go. GN fellow IPers!!! Sweet dreams!

I've noticed this too. I can't eat NEARLY as much as I used to. Honestly I wouldn't worry about it. Just make sure what you are eating is healthy, and try to keep track of the calories so you know you're getting a sufficient amount every day. But I say if you're full, you're full! But if you're super worried, maybe you could nix eating all of your lunch at once, and have it in 2 parts and try to bulk up during that? Like eat half of it at 10:30 and the other half at 1:30, and add like a snackpack (you know, the 100 calorie things? They're the best!) or a banana to it. That way it's spaced out more and you're only adding a small amount so you might be able to eat more? That's what I'd try.

Snack Pack? Bananas? Now I know we aren't talking about IP anymore, or at least phase 1 we aren't.

I'm not an IPer at all, but I think that you should stop when you are full and don't worry about finishing it all. I'm just very opposed to force feeding and very much in favor of listening to my body when it comes to food. Or maybe reduce the amount of meals by one, space each out a little bit more. I just don't advise letting your head tell your body how much to have. If you are full, then stop.

I am 100% OP with IP!!! I haven't had a snack pack or any fruit since August and won't do that until I hit my goal and am phased back in. I posted this though as I was concerned because I am so full at dinner. I was looking for feedback from other people doing IP that might have had the same experience...

Thank you for all the posts though! I am also all about listening to our bodies...although many times we aren't communicating clearly with each other!!! LOL!!!

I have had this same issue - especially in the last 3 days. I'm either just not hungry at all or I start eating my dinner and only get about 1/2 - 3/4 through. I'm trying to push to eat it because I'm afraid of slowing my metabolism down but so far doesn't seem to be a factor. I have a feeling it is a phase and the appetite and capacity to eat it all will pick back up. We are eating so few calories the way it is so I feel we need to try and eat all of our dinner, but I'm not about to force myself!

Often at dinner I get full too. For that reason I usually eat my protein first and then my veggies. I know both are important, but I also know the protein will keep me fuller longer. I usually eat about 3/4 of what is on my plate, and will never eat more then what my stomach can handle.

Be thankful you guys! I've been hungry at some point nearly every day on IP and have always eaten every scrap of my meals. I wish I was one of those people that just felt full and couldn't finish a meal!

I know you mentioned you have tried, but try pushing back your snack until later in the evening.
I go from about noon when I eat lunch until about 9:30-10:30 until I eat dinner.
The only time I will eat anything in between is if I ride my bike when I get home, then I will have a protein bar, otherwise I wait until I get back from the track to have dinner, then I eat my snack about an hour after I eat dinner.
Now I know I have a strange schedule compared to some, but if you didn't snack at 3, then ate dinner at 6 you could probably get your snack down around 8 or so.
Just my opinion.

HAHA!! Me too!

One thing that I do is skip all the lettuce these days... I was feeling way too bloated, so for dinner. I will usually use baby spinach for "lettuce" and will have some kind of salad for dinner and vary up my meat... chicken, turkey, fish...

Have you ever tried making a soup with the four cups of vegetables and having it for lunch? Then a nice size salad and protein for dinner. Works for me but I prefer to have more food in the morning and at lunch than in the evening.

Linden,

I love soup (except the IP ones!!!). Do you have a recipe for a good vegetable soup? That might work.

I am also going to try canned tuna tonight as I think of it than lighter than a lot of other fish and chicken.

I think if you speak with your coach you'll find that getting in all the IP, protein and veggies is important, but how you get them in can vary. I'd be inclined to spread them out more throughout the day if you can. I'm still on 4 IP but we added some more protein to build back some muscle mass, so I eat at 7AM, 9AM, 11AM, 2PM, 6PM and 8PM, coach didn't want me doubling up on my protein intake all at once. I have my veggies at Noon and 6PM.

I didn't much care for the IP soups straight up, so to speak, but I did enjoy mixing mushrooms and broccoli in with the mushroom and broccoli soups with a tablespoon of chives or finely chopped raw onion on top. (Can't get the IP products here now.) I also always make chicken broth from the chicken carcus and use it for a base for mushroom soup and broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus emulsified. No-salt boullion works, too; or just fresh herbs, sea salt, and pepper. In summer a cold cucumber and dried dill soup. But my absolute favorites are rhubarb soup, hot or cold, and a variation n Greek avgolemono soup. Here's a basic recipe: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1648...250192,00.html

I usually substitute cauliflower "rice" and increase the lemon juice a little. But watch the carbs. Hope these help.

Firtst, I read the suggestion about eating a banana and almost choked on my Vegetable Chili.

But I did experience not being able to finish my protein last night at dinner. It was an 8 oz grilled chicken breast. I made sure I ate at least 6 ozs of it, but that was all I could do. I also had a salad with it, which I ate first.

My coach told me never to skip a packet. Actually, she said "skipping a packet is unacceptable." If I am full, I go for the light drinks, like peach mango or blueberry/cranberry granata.

I would NEVER have thought I would be full from 3/4 of a chicken breast. Ever.