Hello!
I just was looking for people who have had similar experiences to me and I am curious to know how they stay motivated.
I did ideal protein in 2013-2014 and lost 35 pounds. Since then I have gained it all back plus quite a bit more. I am planning on starting again but I've had a hard time the last 2 years finding motivation and commiting

The rebooter thread has lots of support and people at a similar point!

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...rebooters.html

Hi Katie,

I lost 65 pounds on the plan in 2014. I gained that back plus another 24 pounds. In the 2 years, I did phase 1 every 3 weeks and then would go back to my old eating habits for 3 weeks - I did this for a couple of cycles last year and overall I was gaining because I wouldn't lose what I gained in the 3 weeks off and I couldn't break my cycle of doing phase 1 for more than 3 weeks. I eventually did with alternatives in the fall of last year but then in December, I got super busy with traveling and went off and didn't start again until March. The idea of doing IP didn't appeal to me as well as I thought I needed a diet with more fat so I did keto for 3 months and didn't lose any weight to speak of. I then went off the rails for a month because I was reeling from 3 months of 800-1100 calories not resulting in any weight loss - never happened to me before. I took the family to Vegas at the end of June and realized there are a ton of mirrors in Vegas and I could not stand how I looked. Plus, with the dry heat, my joints were so inflamed I was not comfortable. I started IP the day after I got home and was so depressed to see the additional 24 pounds from when I had started before but by then, I just committed myself being so motivated by how I looked and felt that it was all the motivation I needed.

Through years of yo-yo dieting I know that there is something that happens that gets me to commit and uncommit - I don't know any other way to describe it other than a switch getting flipped. Once that happens, I don't need external motivation as it all comes from within. I know for me the average time from when my brain says you need to get yourself under control to that switch getting flipped is about 3 weeks. I don't know if I am unique in this. I would assume not but sure not everyone goes through this. If this resonates with you, then I say you are getting close to your internal motivation taking over and kicking in.

Good luck!

I lost about 95 pounds with Atkins in 2003-04 (243 to 148) and maintained for years around 155. Then I got hit with some massive life stress/complexities in 2011 and lost my workout time. I had gotten used to being able to eat whatever I wanted (not totally, but within reason) and gained 60+ pounds over a year. After years of trying to eat healthy and working out, but losing and gaining the same 15-20 pounds, I knew I needed something more intense. Started IP in April and down almost 60. 20 to my goal! Not easy, but it works in a way nothing else has for me.

Congrats SE on the results this year!
We have the same amount of weight to lose to goal - 20 lbs.
Did you maintain all those years with low carb given you lost almost 100 pounds via Atkins?
What is your transition plan? I am planning to transition to keto which is why I am asking to see if you are planning to do something similar.

I used to just avoid white bread (flour, potatoes, etc) and minimize sweets. Mostly ate foods made from scratch. When I started running after maintaining for several years (10-15k/week), I could eat even more and ate healthy, but just didn't worry. Atkins stopped my binge eating years ago, but binge eating or not, the dropping activity, which reduced my metabolism, and no change in eating piled it on.

A few months ago I did the math. I was probably eating about 2000-2200 calories daily. For a fit, very active women of 150 pounds, makes sense. For a sedentary women, it's about what's needed at my age to maintain 220 pounds, so that's where I went. Part of why IP appealed to me was that it gave my pancreas a chance to restart slowly. Right now I do walk, but plan on more running and weights soon just because I feel better and have to worry less. It becomes habit, but it's a life-long battle of vigilance. I'm lucky that I'm still very healthy.

My plan is to go with what IP recommends. Don't mix fats and carbs! Also, continue cooking from scratch more than not, avoid processed foods, limit refined flours and sugars, lots of veggies, and up my activity level.

you are SO RIGHT about the switching flipping feeling when it comes to deciding to do this or not. Totally get what you mean. And each day you feel stronger.

Yes, another +1 in the switch flip. I have found that I need to be at a total point of frustration and desperation to truly commit to P1. And then I have all the motivation in the world and nothing can make me stray. But if I am just feeling a little "bleh", then I will not stick to P1.

I so hear what you all are saying. It took me months to finally get back to Phase 1. Every time I looked in the mirror I was like "Ick" but I couldn't find the motivation or wrap my head around doing this again. Then one day I woke up, stopped beating myself up because I gained all my weight back +, and it just clicked. I knew if I could get through those first 3-4 days it would all be good. I'm really glad to see people posting. This forum was a huge support and kept me going 1st time around with IP.

So discouraging to see so many posts of people who did IP previously but gained back all the weight and more. I suppose that is the case for any diet plan if you stop following it. Just goes to show you weight management runs much deeper than the foods we eat.

I always think jeez "how much weight have I lost in total over my lifetime?" I have not figured out how to keep this weight off. I am really good at losing weight, that is the easy part for me. I am determined to keep the weight off this time!!!!!!!!

Ratherfly - If one falls back to old eating patterns, weight gain will happen on any program. Most if not all of us did some sort of diet prior to IP and yet we all wound up here so that happened with other programs too.

Jelliehel - I so hear what you are saying as I have same thoughts and struggles but here's the good news. After so many struggles, I am successfully maintaining (even losing a bit) - I was the queen of yo-yo dieting! All these times of dropping 60-100 pounds only to gain it back and start over again. I got to the point that I didn't even want to start again and then once I did, I thought about going to biggest loser camp or a fat camp which was my lowest point because I had lost confidence in my own abilities. I can't believe I ever got to that point. I think it is a journey and we learn a little more each time we do this. And for me, I feel this last time, the light bulb went on for me about how to maintain. First, it was recognizing I need to follow a low carb lifestyle and the added step of following a high fat one so a ketogenic lifestyle. Why have I found this important for me to be able to maintain - because the fat is satiating and low carb doesn't cause blood sugars to spike and crater so I don't go through bingeing episodes. And, it forces me to cook at home more to avoid the fast food pattern as that leads me to make bad food choices. I love the foods that I can have following a keto lifestyle for maintenance - they are so satisfying that I an successfully maintaining finally. But, I have learned to never say never so I need to stay vigilant to continue to succeed in maintenance. I have never felt this much in control and satisfied though - it is a great feeling! I learned this through so many attempts before so I think they served a purpose to get me to this point because what I am doing now is based on the collective knowledge I have gathered along the way.

so true! its a way of life... and once we have reached goal and know our triggers... we always have to be conscious of it. Today we have a 'team' xmas lunch yay so I am looking over the menu again.

Think I will do mussels or shrimp gratin. protein + a bit of fat = low carb

Ro-your words are so encouraging and I am confident that I will keep it off and learn what will work for me in maintenance. I am no spring chicken (47 years young) and when I recently had blood work I was so-so scared of the results. I just didn't feel well and I know it had everything to do with the way I was eating. My blood work was okay, a few blips here and there, but I thought this is my last chance to get my stuff together and lose this weight for good.

Thank you. You will do it! And, I am 48 so we are in same boat in that regard!