Hi,
I am new to ideal protein. I started 1 week back. I am 5.2" height and 150 lbs weight. My goal is to reduce 20 lbs. My question taking 8 oz of protein a mandatory thing? Please let me know

Thank you:

Yes - all of the food on your phase 1 sheet is necessary, every day. The diet is too low in calories for you to skimp on anything you are allowed to have. The 8oz of protein should be measured raw, as different meats cook down to different weights and measuring raw keeps it more consistent.

That said, if eating 8oz of protein is too much in one sitting for you, you can break it up - have 2oz of meat protein with lunch and 6oz at dinner, add an egg to breakfast (one whole egg is about equivalent to 2oz meat protein) and reduce your dinner protein, split half between lunch and dinner...whatever will make it work for you.

HI Sprotein nice to have you here. I am new too and our stat are almost the same, I star this past Saturday weight 152.8- 5.1" and my goal is 30 to 35 pound.

Reading through the forum I have help me a lot, Scorbett knows what she is taking about, but I weigh my meat cook I find some of as do raw some do cook.

But you definitely need the 8 oz, it is a very low calories already, so we can compromise no eating the 8 oz.

Hope to see you at goal

You should always measure both your meat and your veggies raw. Once they are cooked, different meats and veggies will have different volume. It can also vary based on HOW you cook. Measuring raw is the more consistent way of getting what you need and not too much, particularly with meat.

8oz of meat is really closer to 9.5oz of raw meat, which is going to increase the number of calories you are eating.

I know and you are so right, I measure my veggies raw, but I am doing my protein cook, just for know, I may change it after.

On my way out to buy my potassium. 99mg you say right.

Thank you soo much for your replies

Ugh, I have never weighed my meat ( mostly because I was too cheap to shell out the $30 for a food scale at Target....) but think I need to start. May have been going overboard!! thanks for the reminder-- anyone recommend a cheaper scale?

If you need to measure the meat cooked, just know that meat reduces too.
8 oz raw usually reduces to 5-6 oz cooked (from the times I've measured before/after)

I have the one Scorbett recommended, love it!

I bought mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond using a $5 off a $15 purchase coupon and got it for $12

Hi,
I have another question. Can I eat banana pepper pickles during this program?

Pickled banana peppers are fine, just count them with your daily 4 cups of veggies. And keep an eye on whether the extra sodium causes you to retain a little water. But they are fine just like regular pickles.

I too am curious about the 8oz of meat. The Phase 1 sheet I was given says 5-8oz of meat. I've been OP to two weeks and rarely have consumed 8oz and yet when I have my weekly check in, they haven't said that I should be eating more. Should I up my intake then? Sadly, I have far more faith in this thread and peoples' experiences than in the 'coaches' at the clinic I go to. I have yet to see the same person twice when going there, so any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

You were given an old sheet. The most recent IP Phase 1 sheet is from Feb 2013. There is one in the stickies at the top of the forum.

Not sure why some coaches don't stay current...

Thanks, Lisa!