I am an overweight diabetic that is in non medicated chronic pain. At what this plan is costing me, I cannot afford to cheat.

I went on the IP diet mid December and started losing 3.5 pounds a week....then it started tapering off. I was than hit with the dreaded constipation, and even though chugged on, in the three weeks I lost 4 pounds. Initially, my insulin usage dropped dramatically, but it has been slowly creeping up.

The only non ip stuff I use is soy cream..but that has been from the beginning..

I think I have been plateau'ing but I am told it is impossible.

It took me a couple of weeks to find what IP foods I liked, and even though I would like others tastes, I have stuck to it.

I made a comment after one of the vids challenging one of their statements.. I got an e-mail from one of them and even thought I have responded several times, sill haven't heard back nor has my comment showed up..

This week, without constipation, I gained weight. No one knows why..

In other diets, the way to kickstart yourself is to go off for a week or two and go back on..

Other than by being hungry all the time, I have no real problems with IP..

Can anyone help ? Has anyone ever plateau'ed ?

I guess there is a second question..are there any real world substitutes to some of the IP food that will work.. ?

Thanks, Ian

Sorry you're having troubles.

We really need more information - what is your starting weight? Current weight? Did you really start mid-December? Of this year or last year?

Are you getting all your water in? Maybe you could post a couple of days worth of menus and someone might be able to spot a trouble area. Are you on the regular IP protocol or the diabetic protocol?

You may have seen the scale go up after a long bout of constipation if you were drinking more water - I know if I have an issue, I'll go down a pound or two when things start moving and then back up as I rehydrate.

There's a very active thread regarding alternatives that will work on P1 on the board - you might want to take a read through that.

What exact date did you start? (It isn't mid December yet!)

Are you following the protocol without variation? (The soy cream is a variation. What are the ingrediebpnts a fad how many carbs?)

Besides water, are you using all supplements, salt, oil? These are essential, as well. And, yes there are real-food choices. I'd suggest spending some research time on the site. I researched for 6 weeks prior to starting and had found all the info by then.

Also, what protocol are you following? Many of the IP clinics seem to give clients different ideas on what the standard is.

The one I work to is:-

3 packets per day (maximum of 1 restricted)
4 cups of approved vegetables (maximum of 4 per week off limited list)
8 oz (raw) lean protein (can be eggs, meat, fish, tofu)
2 tsp olive oil
Minimum 64 oz of water (to maximum of half of body weight)
Iodized salt
Vitamins, Probiotics, Digestive Enzymes

As Ruth Ann and Lisa have stated, there are lots of reasons you could be seeing gains when you are OP.

Weight loss isn't an exact science. Many things affect it - if you eat too much salt you will retain water. Onions cannot be caramelised or they become a "sugar" carb.

I have noticed that my water percentage has crept up on weeks when my weight loss (net loss) has been lower than in previous weeks. This would appear to be normal from what I have read.

If you can post an example of your daily intakes people will have an idea of what is going wrong for you, and be able to point you in the right direction.

I am sorry, I meant mid September. I can be such a klutz sometimes.

Little history. Involved in a bad car accident on ‘06. I was waiting to turn left when a kid in a pick up truck hit me doing 45 mph w/o brakes (he was talking on his cell phone). I just saw him in my rear view so I turned and grabbed my Beagle just before he hit me so my buddy wouldn’t go through the windshield. I broke off 3 adjustment pegs on my seat adjuster. I was an active guy at the time. Skip forward in time. I ballooned to 315 and was on methadone and almost double recommended amount of a beta blockers.

So in ’08, I stopped taking my insulin and with weight watchers, lost 70 pounds in 14 weeks. Went back on insulin. In ’09 I stopped taking all pain killing meds. 6 months of dts. Spine still damaged in a couple places…using other methods of pain control…unfortunately, food is one of those. I cannot excersise. One of the things that seem to take a hit during my medicated time was the signal from my stomach that tells my brain that I am full. I still do not have that.

Still very unhappy with weight. Tried WW again.. went at it the same way but stayed on insulin. Really bad results. My doc says WW really doesn’t work for diabetics. She is not particularly crazy about IP either but with all my research, it seems to be the best for me.

Started IP this September. 286 pounds. Normal protocol. I want to get down to 215.

My regime.

3 packets per day (maximum of 1 restricted). I have gone on 4 when they thought my core was dropping too fast.
4 cups of lettuce. As much approved veggies as I want – raw mushrooms, celery, onions, turnips, radishes, onions, etc… my salads are quite big. Walden’s dressing or what I make from IP recipes.
8 oz (raw) lean protein (can be eggs, meat, fish, tofu)
2 tsp olive oil
Minimum 64 oz of water (to maximum of half of body weight) – one cup of water for every cup of coffee you drink
Sea salt…not a lot because of high blood pressure concerns.
Vitamins ( I go beyond the minimal list and they know what I am consuming

In a week normally go through 7 cappuccino mixes, 3 apple oatmeal, 1 crispy cereal.. and 4 other drinks. Big salads. 8 oz of lean meat each night. Sometimes I bake my veggies (not onions). 7 restricted snacks. Having the same thing over and over allows you to monitor other stuff with other variables popping up. I think of this as a bit more complicated slim fast diet. With the constipation, a bit more water and lettuce fixed the issue as well as something IP calls floralax. I have a goal so I can stand the monotony but I wouldn’t mind bring in other tastes. I actually really like food The IP folks are not going to tell you what other brands you can use .. I do have the calorie / protein content of the IP food stuffs,,

I think I am using all real food choices now. There really isn't that much variety. And I don't have time for complicated recipes.

I do have one outlier and that is soy cream. The numbers are so low that it shouldn’t be a concern...and it isn't like I am using a lot of it. I really don’t like the IP stuff for coffee…

Couple things I find with the IP stuff, you have to add a lot more water than suggested and most of the stuff is far too sweet. With the soups, the texture bothers me.

I started out losing 4 pounds a week and the losses have been slowly getting smaller and smaller. I thought the weight would come off in a more linear fashion.

I think the only solution now is get off the coffee for a week or two. I like loose teas as well so I will just more over. The results will be there or not… not quite sure I am going to make it through X-mas… but I can always re start just after x-mas..

Could you point me to where I can purchase the alternate foods.. I did find one site here in Canada that was recommended (low carb store) but they knew nada about the IP diet and couldn’t recommend anything…

Thanks
Ian

Wow, you've been through quite a lot!

Have you tried, or has it been suggested, that you use fewer restricted IP products? When I started, my clinic recommended sticking with 3 unrestricted packets a day. Most days I still do that - I only have 1-2 restricted products a week.

I don't use IP products in my coffee either - I use fat-free milk and a splenda, it took some getting used to but I'm good now. Also, you could try flavored coffee - the other day we were out of milk so I sprinkled some cinnamon in the grounds before brewing. I added a splenda and it was pretty good.

Just a couple of ideas, I'm still learning myself and this board is a great place to do it!

Sorry to hear all that you have been through - but it sounds like you have really been working to get where you want to, and that's admirable!!

Let me address one specific thing you mentioned.

Weight loss is NOT linear.

Losses may be moving along at a good clip for a while because there is a big gap between what you are eating in calories, and what your body needs to function. Along the way, you may see some high loss weeks and some low loss weeks. The body needs to adjust to what you're putting it through. Stress, illness, injury can all cause you to retain water periodically - and if you have injuries that flare up, when you're in pain it's VERY likely your muscles will retain some water.

Also, the closer you get to goal weight, you WILL see a slowdown in your losses - because that gap between the calories your body needs and what you're eating is going to get smaller as your body gets smaller.

A TRUE plateau is when you show ZERO losses (on the scale OR in inches, because sometimes weight loss shows on the measuring tape and not the scale) for SEVERAL weeks. It doesn't sound like you're there yet.

You mentioned your goal weight, but what is your current weight? You may either be closing in on goal, or hitting a point where your body will take a couple of weeks to adjust to its new size.

Stick with it.
I would not use the soy cream. Stick with the protocol 100%

My pattern is lose 1 - 1 1/2 lbs one week, no loss the next. Not losing is normal, especially after a large loss. I lose on average 4-5 pounds per month. But it comes off! Stick with it

As for constipation, I use Smooth Move tea. You can count it as a water since it has no caffeine. And it works in about 12 hours.

Or take a mild laxative. I do that about 1 time per week before I weigh in.

Two things I noticed... when you say you cannot exercise, do you mean you are quadriplegic? If not, you may be able to use a lift at a pool (most city operated pools have this) and wearing a life jacket do some water walking in waist to chest deep water. At first it would be good if a friend went with you just to walk alongside you for security and support if needed. If you are comfortable with deeper water in your life jacket (pool provided) you could do some deep water walking/'running' totally suspended. Please check with a physio and your doctor about this. I have had 25 years of experience working with persons who have been disabled (temporarily & permanently) from workplace and car accidents. Although I cannot prescribe a physical exercise course for you personally, you need to be proactive with your health team. Tell them you want to exercise and get some of your life back. Be firm about it. You can also get a hand bike if you are afraid of the water. ANYTHING is better than nothing, and it will help with your emotional health as well as keeping your muscle tone and perhaps improving your strength, stamina & energy. If you have not signed off on insurance yet they should be able to pay for your pool passes, hand bike or whatever else a physio in concert with your surgeon has prescribed.
Second: a bit of gentle movement may be all you need to help the constipation problem as well.
Try using packets that are not about sweetness - the rotini or the chili or something else.
Pain from injuries cause stress hormones (cortisol) which increases fat storage plus there will be ongoing inflammation which also causes you to retain water. Weight loss/fat loss is NOT linear.
Best wishes go out to you Ian. Take charge of the rest of your health and I'm sure the weight loss will follow.

Thank you for your response. I was at first non ambulatory but I am stubborn. I now can do 1/2 mile of slow walk..I may say that I seem to be going a bit faster as I lose weight. My balance is a bit sketchy sometimes so I am very careful in the winter.

I am not dumping on IP...It am quite tickled with it

I am now discovering posts on this board that helps with alternate food ..thanks for the kick in the butt..

I see an osteopath and a deep tissue massage person each twice a month. My mobility is due to their skill working on my body..in fact, I was able to avoid an operation on my c4-5 and 6 due to the work of my ostio.

The better I feel, the more I want..

Ian

It is kind of funny, IP is blaming the flavoured coffee for my increased needs for insulin..

Thanks. I have been stuck in the 240s for at least a month... I am trying to think skinnier I had wondered about the chronic pain..I am sure it effects the blood sugar.

It is nice to see that I am not abnormakl with the weight loss.

Thanks. All the folks in the IP store I go to have been on the plan. I see not to have the "normal" problems. I am, spending too much money to cheat..that is the Scotch coming out in me

What a subject Water is the key.

I need to spend some quality time on this board..

Great news, Ian! This gives you more options... you may be able to use a recumbent bike as well, and walking in the water takes the weight off your joints including spine, helps you work on your balance, and also helps move cerebral spinal fluid better. It massages your internal organs so that can help with constipation too. You can also do a course of leg lifts and swings through the water at the side of the pool and upper body strengthening work with hand held paddles or even just movements through the water.

If you are a 'fighter' rather than a having a 'victim' outlook you will see much greater results in a quicker period of time and just feel better about your life. Give your beagle a hug and stroke often... pets help a lot in healing, physically and emotionally.