Hey all you more experienced IP'ers: Do I need to have an extra packet on the days I exercise? 1/2 a packet before and 1/2 a packet after?

Thoughts?

I've been doing gentle yoga and trying to stay w/ 30 mins cardio in the afternoon, but yesterday I was gassed after 20 mins.

yup you do

It really depends on you personally. There is no absolute yes or no on this. On my first time doing IP I was working out 4 days a week prior to starting. I continued working out 3 days a week after starting IP just adjusted my work out to be moderate rather than full out like I was use too. My coach told me if I felt like I needed an extra packet then it would be o.k. I didn't feel like I needed it and stuck with 3 a day. I averaged a 6lb per week loss. However if you don't add the extra packet and you stop losing you may be putting your body into starvation mode and truly need the extra packet to continue losing. Like I said everyone is different but that's based on my experience and what I learned.

If you are just practicing gentle yoga, I wouldn't worry about adding extra unless your weight loss slows down/stops while being 100% OP. More intense yoga or cardio, I would definetly add an extra. I always (expecially with yoga) take my extra protein after.

I was told by my coach that if and when I started exercising I was to use the extra packet so that my body didn't go into starvation mode.

If you can eat eggs, havin a couple boiled eggs or an egg white omlet with some spinach is always a great after work-out fuel! I never liked to waste packets when I uped the cals and protein after workouts. The biggest thing is more water and a little sea salt after cardio!!

Sometimes I will split a bar up half in half... and other times I will eat my dinner about an hour or so before I have derby practice, then have a RTD afterwards.

I think this is a must read article if you're at all interested in exercise, even if you only get through the 3rd paragraph.

http://www.dukehealth.org/health_lib...ning-belly-fat

And walking at 3 mph or less, unless you are really badly out of shape, shouldn't require extra protein.

I thought I would chime in since I have been doing yoga 2-3 times per week while on the program and I have never had an extra packet. I still average over 3lbs/week and I am not sure if it would be better if I added a packet on those days but I have never felt like I needed more. I may test it in the future but for now I am just sticking to what I have been doing. I want to add more cardio eventually and may add more protein or packets then, have to talk to my coach about it. I would ask your coach, if you are not doing alternatives, and see what he/she says.

I do add more, I am doing Roller Derby on a banked track for a solid 2 hours 2-3 times a week! If I dont have anything I become pretty lethargic. but this is just me!

I workout 5-6x per week doing Crossfit or running. I always have a 4th packet on workout days, and I have it post-exercise.

That sure makes good sense to me.

Thanks for all the replies - I think I'm going to play around with it and see what works for me.

Talk to your coach. When I spoke with mine she was pretty clear that she did not recommend that I exercise to the point where I needed anything else, but did suggest I save a bar or packet and have 1/2 before and 1/2 after. She wanted to see me hold off on exercise routine until I finished with phase 1. I walk with my wife many nights and look forward to getting into a routine but for now the weight loss effect if IP is working great and I don't want to monkey around with success. I have plenty of time in my life to add the exercise back in.