I have been reading posts on this site for a few days and am so glad to see such a supportive group of people. I have my first consult tomorrow evening. I'm excited, nervous, unsure and excited. I have so much to lose so right now it seems like such a long road but I hope to be successful and change my life.

I attended one of the workshops for IP last week and haven't stopped thinking about it since. I've been doing a lot of cardio the last few months and it sounds like they suggest that I take it down a few notches, that makes me nervous. I'm nervous that I will be hungry on this plan....do you really not get hungry? I also dream about losing the weight, 150 pounds (wow) and how unbeleivable, I can't even imagine, that would be. Then I think about my skin and how I hope that somehow, miraculously, I won't have sagging skin at the end of this process. Oh, I should stop worrying, wondering, and just try to be positive about all of this. I hope to get to know you all better. Here I go.....

Welcome!
No one was more skeptical than me! I was convinced that this would be just one more plan that I would throw money at and be disappointed with. I thought I could not lose weight at this age, and the fact that I have been overweight most of my life meant I always had to be that way. I'm so proud to say I was wrong!
I was not hungry when I followed the protocol exactly, and the results you will see each week are motivation enough to keep going.
The other question I asked myself was, "So, what if I don't try it? In 3 months from now it'll be summer (I started in March) and I'll still be fat and miserable, dodging cameras, sweating in long pants because I'm too embarrassed to wear shorts..... just exactly as I was last summer." So, in the end I figured, "What do I have to lose???" Turns out - almost 40 lbs!
IP honestly has changed my life!
Good luck with your decision!

edit: I was 184 before I joined, so down 35 to date and still losing in maintenance... albeit more slowly. I plan to stop at 143 - that's how I'm getting the '40' number

Good on u for making the big decision to jump right in!

You'll have some setbacks along the way here and there but they'll only be temporary! Just keep asking questions and looking for support and keep tweaking here and there until it works!

Sometimes, it'll be diet, shopping headaches, recipe problems, motivation, compliance, tricky exercises, lack of social support, cheat days that turn into cheat weeks! It's totally normal. Just keep making those changes and you'll be surprised at where you end up and how fast you get there!

All the best

In ever stopped exercising. Do what feels right for you.
The sooner you start the sooner you will feel better. And the weight will come off.
Wouldn't you rather worry about excess skin when the time comes?

Don't be nervous just give it an honest shot. I think you will be impressed with your results. I was really hungry the first week. It kinda sucked but it has been much better. I do not miss the way all the carbs and sugar mad me feel. Besides loosing about 100 pounds in three months I just feel better. I want to loose 250 so I know how feel when you say that huge and impossible sounding goal but you can do this. check out the discussions in the general ares about loose skin, I did and learned quite a bit.

I just finished my first week. It was a little difficult but I'm hoping this week will be better since I picked out my own food. I had a total of 28 packets to start and there were a few that I really couldn't force myself to eat, so I didn't. I threw out what I didn't like and just opened up a new packet.

My doctor said I could do whatever exercise I'm already doing, just don't add anything new at first. I lost 7 pounds which is more than I'd lost in all of the previous year. It really does work and I'm also looking at more than 100 pounds to lose.

You can do it!

You'll be so glad you did this. It has been the easiest diet I have ever been on. I have lost 40 lbs in 9 weeks. I am rarely hungry and i don't eat much of the salad because it's too much food. This forum helps so much. The first week is the hardest but just take it one day at a time. Good luck!

Had a similarly large amount to lose as well, and went through a lot of the same "worries" at the onset. If you commit 100%, you'll be amazed at a) how quick things start working, and b) how easy it is to follow once you get the hang of it and start getting motivated by your results.

I just started too and the first week was hard and I was hungry and I hated it.....but it worked, it really wasn't that hard to follow and I proved to myself that I can do it and actually have some self control. I did sneek a few bites off my husbands plate on sat and actually thought to myself, it really doesn't taste as good as I remember it. Good Luck to you! This site has been awesome.

Welcome to the journey. This is the only diet that has ever worked for me. This carb addict is just started my 7th week today, and it is life changing. It really is quite easy to stick to. I like what Nate said about there will be some obstacles, but they are only temporary. We are with you!

Hi there. This is the end of my first week, my first WI is this afternoon. Can I tell you how excited I am?

I started IP with out knowing about this website. Talk about a lot of worries and questions, wow. You are so lucky that you found this site and must have a better understanding of what you are facing.

A few of the things I've learned from this site? 1. Men and Women are different and loose differently. Guys seem to lose weight a lot faster than women, so please, don't let our weight loss discourage you. 2. (one of the best things I've learned) You will have snags, weeks of no weight loss, maybe headachs, but all that is normal. Even if you have a week of no weight loss, what about inches? I bet those weeks inches have gone. Headachs? Are you getting the right amount of salt? Seems easy, this diet takes all sodium out of your food, the sea salt the tell us to eat puts it back and will help prevent headachs. 3. There are some AWESOME people on this forum. Tons of information.

Anyway, I just wish you all the luck. The hunger thing is weird. On about day 4 or so I couldn't even eat the dinner I fixed for myself that evening. It was just too much food. I was thinking, wow, I am so full, can't even eat all this. The next day the scale said I had lost weight! Be full and still lose weight? I'm all for that.

I ended up taking a photo of myself that I hate and tacking up on my wall for motivation.

I am just at the beginning of my IP journey, but I can tell you that I am not feeling hungry at all. I am eating what the plan calls for, drinking all my water, and I have a huge bag of lettuce ready and waiting. Yesterday I won a battle with a Snickers bar, and felt the power!

I read this IP board for 2 weeks, formulating an alternative plan, before I actually started on Monday. I feel like I am in for the greatest adventure of my life, and I am so totally ready!

Best of luck to you!

I'm only four weeks into my IP journey and I cannot say for a single day so far I've regretted it. Some moments have been hard, but that's where mental strength and silent pep talks come in; there's always this forum as well! The toughest times is when I see other people eating my favorite foods, but I just remind myself that looking good all day (eventually!!) will feel soooo much better than how that tastes for a few minutes.

Regarding the concern about sagging skin - everyone is different and will have different results to this. I spoke to my coach about this as well since I was concerned and I was "given" the green light to do yoga, pilates, and small weight exercises to tone. If you have a good coach you should be able to be open and honest about your concerns and she/he should have some great tips/advice for you!

Good luck on beginning your journey to a healthier and smaller you!

The first week of withdrawal will suck, especially if you're a carb addict like most of us. It will all pass in given time. Each day that goes by it gets easier and easier. This is the easiest diet I've been on. Make sure you get your one a day restricted IP food, these are delicious and imo they help you from not cheating. Best wishes you can do it!

Welcome! You've taken the first step! Let us know how your first consult goes. Folks have already given you great advice. This is a great place to be; this is a great plan to follow. I travel for work and find it works really well for me on the road.
Good luck!