I started on the Ideal Protein Diet in May 2016. I started using alternative products such as Wonderslim and Bariwise about 1 month after I started. I had lost 60 pounds in the first 3 months or so but now I have been within a 2 pound range for the last month. I go up 1 pound I go down 1 pound. I haven't really changed anything with the exception of chewing Trident sugar free gum. I chew 4 to 6 pieces a day. I have tried to stay within the vitamin calibrations of the Ideal Protein diet but I'm wondering if I'm off with the vitamins as well. I don't understand why I am stuck. If anyone has any suggestions or advice, I would really appreciate it!

60 pounds in three months is pretty amazing! It could be that your body is adjusting to that? I know that my losses seemed to slow down there during my weight loss (I lost just over 100 pounds in just under 8 months), so that could be a possibility? I never used alternatives, so I'm not sure what affect those might have. Are you making sure that you keep up with your water? Still measuring and weighing foods and veggies? Adding too many extras? It may be worth taking a week and eliminate all the extras (no Walden Farm products, no gum, etc.) and diligently weighing and measuring your food, and writing everything down, and see if that jumps starts things? Then add things back in slowly?

Yes I was thinking along the same lines. I haven't been quite as diligent with measuring out my veggies as I was in the beginning. Also, I agree, it might be time to cut out the extras and see if it makes a difference. Thank you so much for your reply and good luck to you!

Your huge loss means your body is demanding time to adjust. Are you measuring for inches lost which are more important than pounds lost? Often the body loses one or the other but not both.

You need to be diligently exact weighing meat raw and measuring veggies raw. In addition to gum, what other extras are you having (sweetener, WF products, water flavors, etc)??? Each serving is one "extra" and you are limited to no more than 5 per day. The carbs add up!

Alternatives will have no bearing on losses IF you are using the correct guidelines to select the right ones. You can check those out with our detailed guidelines at

Ideal Protein Alternatives
https://www.facebook.com/groups/811159348959492/?ref=group_browse_new

Job well done!

A couple of things come to mind...

Maybe you are at your ideal weight? It's hard to know what is a healthy weight, esp for those of us who have been overweight for a while. When I did IP, my coach encouraged me to pick a lower weight than was right for my large-boned frame. There came a point when I just knew it was time to phase off.

Sometimes the metabolism gets sluggish from the caloric restriction. It's counter-intuitive but you might try adding in some extra protein or a lower calorie, non-restricted packet. My coach advised some people to add a packet to get out of a stall, esp those who were exercising.

But as said above, it might just be that your body is taking a pause & adjusting.

Thank you both for the advice. I do drink naturally flavored seltzer water which has 0 everything, carbs, fat, sugar, etc. It doesn't contain artificial sweeteners. Does that count as an "extra"? Other than that I have WF dressing once a day and a few pieces of trident gum. Those are my only extras. Maybe I will try adding an unrestricted packet as I am exercising. I am definitely not at a healthy weight. My BMI is still in the obese range, I would be delighted to get into the overweight range. Thanks again for your support.

MellowYellow - I've been hearing/reading more about BMI not being the best/only indicator!

http://www.medicaldaily.com/body-mas...obesity-372852

One thing to keep in mind about seltzer or other carbonated waters is that they should not be counted as your actually water. From what I understand, the diet is more alkaline and they are more acidic (or vice versa??). I had about a month where I drank a lot of carbonated water - usually I was making my own at home with a soda stream and adding a 000 water enhancer so I didn't see how it could make a difference, right? But for that time period my losses really slowed. When I stopped carbonating the water, but still used the flavor enhancers it made a HUGE difference. So something else to keep in mind! May be worth just doing totally clean for a week, no carbonation, no flavored items (even if 000 - because all the traces do add up!) just to get you jump started again!! Keep us posted on how it goes!

My coach makes me count every piece of SF gum, splenda packet, WF product - only four "hidden carbs" per day. Selzer water can effect your hydration and results so I would limit it to 1-2 x week treat. This is advise from my coach not me but it has worked!