I hope I am following the rules here - I am new

I am really struggling with what to do on Thanksgiving. On one hand - I'm contemplating staying on "protocol" all day, but "cheat" with a little desserts. I'm on the fence about cheating - it's not about whether I can get back on the strict diet because that won't be a problem, it's just I don't want to GAIN weight. I've read where people stay the same (that'd be fine), where people gain and even where people still lose weight. I'm down to about 13lbs until my goal and I've used Thanksgiving as motivation - that I will indulge a little in the dessert even if it means adding a week to my journey because I have been so dedicated and given up so much!

Secondly, if I decide to stay on protocol....I'm looking for some good Thanksgiving alternative recipes........like for faux cauliflower potatoes, dinner rolls, some type of pumpkin dessert or sweet dessert besides (mug cake). It also confuses me how I would "count" all of the items when tweaking them. Things that go from unrestricted to restricted confuse me. If I can get some yummy recipes to get me through, I won't need to cheat anyways! I just want to feel like I'm having Thanksgiving lol, not just the "norm".

Any insight on my struggle......AND recipes would be COMPLETELY appreciated!!!!! I'm hoping by Dec 24/25 I will be at my goal and I can enjoy Christmas eve dinner with my in-laws and Christmas dinner with my family.....well enjoy a balanced dinner!

This ties into your other post. You will not be following protocol if you go from achieving goal weight by Christmas and go right into a "balanced dinner". By balanced dinner, I assume you mean greater carb intake than the protocol calls for. You need to at least do 2 weeks of P3 to gradually introduce carbs (in the morning to trigger an insulin response just once in the day) If you want to have a balanced dinner at Christmas time, my advice to you would be to do P3 for 2 weeks before (or 1 week at least) so you don't shock your system. Be prepared to see the scale jump by many pounds as you will retain water and fill your glycogen stores - key thing to keep in mind is that this weight gain is not fat and you will quickly lose it when you are back to P1 after the holidays to get to goal.

As far as Thanksgiving recipes go, there is a recipe thread which you can access from the Sticky thread. I have compiled many recipes listed here so you can use that as ideas. Search for my name with recipe booklet which will be attached. I have updated that throughout so get the latest or PM me with an email address and I'll just email to you. In addition to that, there are some wonderful recipes in Janerva's recipe book, available for purchase here http://www.janevasidealrecipes.com/
I got my copy yesterday and am just blown away by all the ideas. You can also do a Google search and find IP recipe ideas for Thanksgiving foods you are interested in. If you order that book now, you can have it in time for Thanksgiving with a day or two to settle and prepare for the recipes.

Sorry - my plans for Thanksgiving are simple (and I use alt-products)
- turkey leg
- green beans
- mashed cauliflower (with a little salt, garlic & onion powder)

I might experiment with dessert - but it will not be using IP products

So......everyone sees the scale "jump by many pounds" when they phase off the program and go back to a balanced diet? So everyone's goals are unrealistic if many pounds will be added immediately.

People work with their coach to set a goal knowing that glycogen and water weight will happen. I would ask in maintainers thread to see what happened to folks when they properly transitioned. I have heard this could be 5-8 pounds but I have also heard of people continuing to lose in P3. You will get more responses on your question from more experienced IPers if you post within an existing thread.
Alternatively, you seem to have a negative impression of this program so if you are more comfortable with a traditional approach, switch back to that as that may be better for you all-around as I would find it hard to follow something if I didn't think it would ultimately achieve my goals in spite of what people tell me.

Not negative at all - I set my goal at 140....and no one told me that would actually be 145-148 when all is said and done.

It's a very successful program - I've lost 15 pounds in 3 weeks.

Maybe it's other people being negative to my ideas - telling me that I will gain weight, its hard to maintain a balanced diet afterwards because lots of people gain all their weight back and more.

I'm not saying I'm going back to my old habits as of recent....but I will go back to my old habits of calories in < calories out + exercise and I will enjoy a balanced diet.

I feel the negativity is being thrown my way. Not to mention, it is a bit discouraging to hear - oh when you hit your goal, you will then gain 5 - 8 lbs. I mean who is okay with that?! I just worked my behind off to see that # on the scale and now I won't?! Im not the only one who feels that way, I'm sure.

This is part of the reason I reset my original goal. The poundage part anyways- actually- truth be told, when I was asked to set a goal, I gave a size, not a weight. After a while, I gave 140 as my goal weight. As I closed in on 140, i wasn't comfortable with myself yet, so I set it for 130. As of last week, I discussed with my coach that I will know when it's time, my body will let me know. I don't think it's going to be 130 either. Until I get there, I won't know for certain. I am going to phase off when I am below the weight that I want to be in the end so that when the glycogen stores fill out and whatnot, I won't be freaking out about it. I've read so much, and know myself pretty well, so this is what my plan is. My coach was fine with it. She's an amazing coach, she's 3 years as a maintainer and has tons of tips and offers great suggestions. She also points out the obvious and gives me a lot of education. I hope that your coach is a good one. I've seen an awful lot of stories from people with lousy coaches- and that has got to stink. Who do you feel is throwing the negativity, the people on the forum or people in your life? If it's the people in your life-prove them wrong and tell them to go pound sand! On here, I'd have to say I'm sorry- I've been lucky enough not to encounter negativity from people on the boards. Chin up and keep smiling!

You have to understand the science behind a ketosis diet. This isn't just a "calories in < calories out" diet. When you're on this protocol, the carb intake is so low, the glycogen and attached water in the cells is depleted. Once you reintroduce carbs in P3, the glycogen and attached water stores refill, which is why you gain a few pounds (usually 2-5, for women). This is not an increase in FAT.

Yes, there are some people who set their goal weight a little lower than they can maintain, simply because they don't want to go above a certain number on the scale when they phase off. Other people go by how they feel and how their clothes fit (which doesn't usually change with the return of those 2-5 pounds).

Going through the phases of this protocol is important for the restoration of proper pancreatic function. People who don't want to follow the process of phasing off often have trouble maintaining a healthy weight in the long run.

I just wanted to follow this up by pointing out that these few pounds of water you regain are the same pounds that make up the big losses of the first week of this plan for most people.

Because P3 is still lower in calories than what you probably need to maintain, you might not see a regain that week. The accumulating water could be balanced out by continued fat loss. But, for those who have been loosing very slowly their last few weeks, the P3 calories are probably close to what they need to maintain, so they don't continue to loose fat and the glycogen stores refilling appear as water weight on the scale.