Hi I'm new to 3 fat chicks and new to ideal protein. My goal is to lose 115 pounds. I'm 5'6, 246. Upon the recommendation of my coach she recommended I start on a Thursday because the fourth day would be the hardest. I should have followed my gut... To withdraw on a Saturday is TOUGH. I'm so used to sleeping in, eating and just vegging out on the weekend. At least if I started on a Monday I would be busy (At Work) for the first few days to not be tempted to eat! Since it's such a drastic lifestyle change, I wasn't ready to be home, with a t.v. On and not be able to eat. It's not an excuse to delay my start date but it is seriously too hard my first few days to land on a weekend. So I decided to re start on Monday with a fresh start. Did anyone else find this to be true? Does the start date matter for you?
P.s. I LOVE the food!

Good luck on your IP journey, Mariposah.

Thursday is a great day for WI - better than Monday as most people don't drink all their water and tend to have more temptation put in their way on the weekend (well meaning family and friends trying to offer you food and alcohol).

Glad you like the food, that is a real bonus and will help keep you on plan.

I started on a Friday for which I stuck to it for 7 months. I started a higher protein approach on Monday of that first week but I didn't start IP until Friday corresponding to the first availability for an appointment with the local IP clinic which I found to be much more rigid than what I was doing the prior 4 days. I was fed up by that point, and quite frankly, it would not have mattered what day of the week it was. Sorry if that sounds harsh but you have to look long and hard at this and determine if you are really ready. Think about this - if you had started Thursday, you would already be in ketosis using fat for energy!

You're absolutely right. I just basically ate a whole bunch of junk and am starting to feel guilty:/
I thought i was ready and on some levels I think I am. I was craving sugar really badly. I know when I'm in ketosis the hunger shouldn't be an issue. I just needed to get there. The truth is that while being within a few days into ideal protein, it is tough when it falls on a weekend because I'm bored and I can't focus on anything else besides eating. But no excuses. Back on the wagon. I just hope I didn't do much damage!

I know I need to start on a Monday to make me feel like I have a fresh start and my past mistakes are truly in the past. I was overweight LAST week, but THIS week, I'm trying to be healthy. But I agree with Ro- if you're truly motivated, you'll make it work. Next week is another weekend with the same challenges you're experiencing now.

If you need to wait until Monday to restart so you can shake off the mistakes of this weekend, I completely understand. But don't use that as an excuse to go all out tomorrow- eat clean and healthy, and go into Monday feeling a little stronger than you would have otherwise. And remember, LAST week you were weak and fell off the wagon. THIS week, you are trying to be a better person, and you're going to succeed.

Thank you. It's just being on day 3 on a Saturday leaves me very vulnerable because all of my cravings haven't cleared and being home alone and bored is not good for me. At least if I start on Monday by Saturday I would have been strong into the plan and temptation wouldn't be as much of a big deal. (I hope this makes sense) but thank you for your kind words! I want to make this work.

Don't beat yourself up - what's done is done. But, given the nice weather that seems to be happening many places, don't sit home and be bored - go for a walk, etc. Try a new hobby or something that you have been meaning to do. Plan ways to be creative with this diet - there's lots of recipes and ideas here. Good luck and know this forum is a great place for support, a kick in the pants when you need it and a wealth of info!

I was going to say what Ro said -- don't get stuck at home, if home is too tempting!

The other thing that I wish someone had told me when I was first starting IP: eat low-carb for a few days before you start. (In your case, at least tomorrow.) The transition is a little easier if you aren't burning through LOTS of extra glycogen.

My other advice? Throw out the junk! You have your sheet, listing what is and isn't OK to eat; throw out what isn't OK! I know it's hard to throw away food, and if you really can't bear to do that, then take it somewhere and donate it, or give it to a friend or family member. Just don't keep it around.

Finally, remember: on your first week (or two? I think it depends on your coach) you are allowed an extra packet if you're hungry. You'll still lose weight. It's OK.

I was the exact opposite- I need to be 100% during the work week and the thought of going through the worst of the keto-flu was in no way, shape, or form appealing. Plus, I knew I needed to work on developing new weekend habits. I found 3FC, started posting, finding new recipes - so now Saturday's tend to be shopping, chopping, cooking, and cleaning - or Sunday depending on what day we do something with our DD10. I started reading again, playing games with DD10, and when the weather clears, plan to add in a nice walk.

Also sounds like you need to plan your snacks and packets carefully for your first week.

If you crave sweet things and/or chocolate, choose your packets to include a shake or pudding and get some of the chocolate soy puffs. Identify your "weakest" willpower time of the day and put your snack in there - or divide it into two and have them when you are finding temptation hard to resist.

You're right - the cravings will disappear once you are firmly into ketosis. It doesn't mean you won't want them anymore, just that you don't have hunger adding to the equation and driving the "need" to have "something", which just happens to be junk food.

You CAN do this. Your WI day ultimately doesn't matter, it's just a weekly marker to identify how much you are losing in that time frame. Pick one that works for you.

Let me give you my trick for the first 4 days. Allow yourself up to 6 IP packs a day ... or a double dose of meat and veggies for the first few days. This will really help you stay on track while you are breaking all the "bad" food cravings and addictions -- and get you used to the foods to be eaten in the IP diet. Then on day 5 drop back to the strict phase 1 diet. This works like a charm -- and is much better than spending day number 2 and 3 with a massive headache and climbing the walls with food cravings. Yes, it's a bit like "easing in" to the IP P1 diet -- and actually delays your start to the strict IP P1 protocol -- but is much preferred to caving in with a cheat on day 2 or 3 and having to start over completely. Once you get to day 5 all your cravings should be gone and staying 100% becomes relatively easy.

What everyone has said already! Another trick that really helped me is to not go more then 3-4 hours without a protein. So for me, this meant I broke up my lunch to have a mid-morning bar or shake and then my veggies at lunch (I even added in a portion of my dinner protein at lunch). Use the free veggies also to fill in for the afternoon. Or, have your evening snack bar between lunch & dinner (and at the beggining add in extra. I started with 4 packets, but I think some clinics allow up to 5 depending on your starting weight) Last, when I was having the keto flu, there were a few times where I went to bed at 8:00 right after I put my kids to bed. I felt better and didn't sit around wishing for food!

I was thinking of doing something like this except no real food. Did you mean no real food or 6 packets in addition to food?

Thanks, all. They were all very helpful. I am new to IP and have been reading around of people only doing un restricted packets to speed up weight loss. Have any of you found this true?

You'll find differing opinions on this, because people either make use of restricted packets and think they're necessary, or don't use them and think it speeds things along. I haven't really found much comparison by one person using both methods, unless they overdo it on the Quest bars one week, which is a no no for both camps.

I don't think it makes much difference, what makes the difference is what works for you. I don't make a point to have a restricted a day, but sometimes I want chocolate covered soy balls for my snack, and I'm not going to stop myself, because that'll do more damage to my motivation than just allowing myself the damn soy balls! :P