Oh, the headache!!! You have my sympathy!

I'm not officially on IP yet as my orientation was cancelled for last week... but I decided to transition in using alternatives, too. I have a horrid headache today and think I'll pull a few carbs back in than what I had originally planned. My hope is when I start strictly IP it won't be such a shock to the system.

It's nice to know we're not alone in our headache misery.
This, too, shall pass!

Hi, and WELCOME to ALL of you. Thanks for both joining and telling us a little bit about yourself. It's so good to be able to put a personality to a name although, if you keep posting, I'm know you, individually, will soon become a real person. Please keep posting?

And for those of you with splitting headaches there are 2 tried and true solutions: Take a little extra sea salt AND bump up the water. You should be getting a minimum of 1/2 ounce water for each pound of body weight plus extra for the amount of coffee and caffinated tea you drink. You may have read this already but if you haven't tried it, please do.

Hi Everyone,
I started a week ago. My first weigh in was Friday. I lost 5.6 the first week.
I am 47, and in menopause, so 5.6 was great and unexpected. I am very happy. I have not had any headaches, but get light headed some, and my legs ache often.
The hardest part for me is the vegetables. Yuck!
The site is very helpful and motivating.

There is light at the end of the week! My second week of IP was SO much easier than the first. Luckily, my headaches only lasted a few days but I was hungry all the time. I went on a cruise after 2 weeks on IP so now am back to week 1 and am allowing myself an extra protein portion a day to help with the hunger. Hang in there!

Way to go on the first week! I am not a huge fan of salads at home but I like to eat a salad of lettuce with grilled veggies (on my george foreman grill) and grilled chicken for dinner. Somehow the grilled veggies make it much more appealing. I'm not much of a veggie eater either so I bought my first Walden Farms dressing and use it for dip with 2 cups of raw broc/cauliflower for lunch.

By the way, I love your user name, I named my dog Mango

to ALL of you! I have to agree with Linden (so good to see you back, by the way, and praying for your family)...PLEASE continue to post so we get to know you, and you get to know all of us! When I joined up, I got a major piece of advice, and that was to ask questions if you need, but also READ! Lots of the time we answer questions with a link to another thread, mainly because the answers there are so much more comprehensive than we can give in one post. Like the Exercise thread...I love it. LOVE IT!

Again, welcome, you'll love IP and the people you meet here.

Hello Everyone,
My name is Cheryl from Spokane WA. I just finished my 2nd week on IP. I was amazed at how well I followed the program. I usually end up cheating alot but I stayed true. My Chiropractor Son is considering becoming a coach and carrying the product in his office so I was his guinea pig. I promised a 2 week trial and lost 9 1/2 pounds. So I think I will continue and see if my weight loss continues. I have 100 pounds to lose which can be overwhelming but the quotes on the site have helped me to realize I can lose 2 or 3 pounds 30 or 40 times. The first week was horrible while I was detoxing. At some point I actually thought this was what going through drug addiction withdrawal was like. Now I am okay and am not hungry. There are times I really want to eat something other than a vegetable and I have to work through that. I think the key is making sure I have the IP foods that I like and will satisfiy me. Already I have 4 standbys. I have all the WF products on hand also. I know my family would love if I could lose this weight and they are all being very supportive. This site has been very helpful during my intial weeks and I hope to use it every day. I find it weird though that the most current posts are at the end of the link. Seems that it should be just the opposite. Happy Monday and thanks to all of you.

Hi Cheryl, and WELCOME. Go up to the purple bar where it says Quick Links and click on edit options. You can change the order in which messages appear.

Mango I'm same age as you & pre-menopausal. I had headaches, light headed and legs aching but it eased up as I got more into the diet.

I'm with you on the vegetables!!! Yuck!

Hi everyone, I started 3 weeks ago, and so far no problems except with vegetables...
I was really skinny as a kid and my mom was always telling me to eat more. Therefore I loved eating. Then when I hit my teens and got big, my mom then switched to lose weight and you will feel better. Unfortunately I lost my mom when I was sixteen. My family was always getting me to try and lose weight but since I was sixteen and cooking for the family it was really hard to even think about losing weight. I have done areobics and played sports, volleyball and softball through my 20's but never really lost any weight. A few years ago I joined the running room and did a couple of 5 ks but lost my running partner due to injury. I continued to run until I moved work locations, there just wasn't really any place to run. Even though I didn't like running, I miss it. I stopped weighing myself after I hit 195. I remember telling one of my friends if I get any fatter please tell me. Of course she didn't. Just before Christmas I had a weird experience, and was told it meant that I was beginning a rebirth. So I thought to myself this is the year I will do it. I am lucky enough to work with Rene and he is a big inspiration to me. As most of my friends know I am very cautious about anything I pursue. I did my research and with the help or Rene decided to start IP. My first "real diet program" ever. I can still hear my relatives say "she has such a pretty face now if she would just lose weight" well now I am going to. After 11 lbs in the first week and 3 in the second I am encouraged and I have wonderful support at work. I hope to take my next vacation and be able to ride on every rollercoaster not just the ones I "think" I will fit on. I am also looking forward to running better with my dog while doing agility. Thank you all for all the information it has helped these 3 weeks and I hope to be fit and healthier in the coming months.

Wow!! So many new people and lots of exciting energy. Welcome to all and congrats on all your successes so far. I'm looking forward to getting to "know" you all better!

Hello everyone! First, I am new here and I hope I am posting correctly. If not, let me know. Have to figure my way around the site, which by the way, is amazing!

I am on day four of the IP diet. It has not been difficult as I have done loads of research and thought I was prepared. My most difficult issue is coffee. I can give up sweets, chips even wine!! But I am really struggling with half and half in my coffee. It's awful to go without and it's making me cranky. I have tried the RTD vanilla shake but it just doesn't work for me. Does anyone know of ANYTHING to replace the half and half; or do you think in very limited, strict amounts it will through me off?

Thank you!!!!

WELCOME! And boy have you got it right, from the very beginning. Research, research, read, read. It sure helps. (And it's kind of reassuring and comforting, too.)

Ooops: edit. About the half and half. If I remember correctly some coaches recommend a tiny bit of 1/2 and 1/2 over skimmed and low-fat milk because it has fewer carbs. You can check it here: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

HI! I'm Jennifer. I started IP 2 weeks ago, but I just found this website today. I have spent HOURS just poking around and absorbing all the information, tips, recipes and encouragement. I am so excited to have company on this journey.

I am 56 years old. Like many of you, I have tried every diet in the world (many of them multiple times) with limited success. I have been heavy for years and get so discouraged by my body image. For the past 5 years, I have participated in a support group for food 'addicts'. I have maintained a 25 lb weight loss during that period and have learned many things about my powerlessness over food. But I still have 50-60 lbs to lose.

I am tired of being this size. My son is getting married this fall and I want to buy a spectacular dress.... and that won't happen for me in the plus size dress department. I want to lose the weight fast ... no more prolonging the agony.

I found IP at my chiropractor/homeopath. A woman at my church lost about 150 lbs on the plan and I was so inspired that I decided to give it a try. After I started, I found out another friend of mine lost 50 lbs on IP through another clinic.

So here is am. I started out with a bang ... and stumbled/fell down big time yesterday I feel physically AWFUL -- now I can see how much better I felt when I adhere to the IP plan without exception. The posts on this site have inspired and encouraged me. I am back on track

Hi there...I have been on IP for about 5 weeks and have lost 21 pounds...I do feel fatigued from time to time, but that might just be the single parenting of three kids (one teenager, one acting like she is a teenager, and one little guy), one full-time job, one upcoming divorce, and one wee little dog

Growing up I was an 'eat anything I want and stay slim' girl...in high school, I topped out at 118lbs. (5'5" frame) - and eat anything, I did! I developed a junk food/candy habit that would make any doctor cringe...but, I stayed slim and didn't have a care in the world (wasn't really thinking of health ramifications)...

College brought on the 'freshman' fifteen and twenty and thirty...by the time I left college I was @140-150 lbs...I didn't seem to notice or care...I was working/dating, etc...

Married at 24, first baby at 25...gained 60 pounds when pregnant (used it as an excuse to pig out) after my daughter was born, I got back down to @150....no problem...second pregnancy I behaved myself and even exercised - I gained 35 pounds which I quickly lost after my second daughter was born...now, this is where it all goes crazy

When I became pregnant with my son - I abandoned everything I learned about eating better and exercising and just lost myself in food...i gained @70 pounds...After my son was born, I was 190 pounds...when he was @ 2 years old I decide enough was enough...i started walking 3x a week and eating more veggies and fruit - low carb for the most part and i started to lose weight...when i was down 20 pounds i joined a gym nearby and started to do some really challenging workouts including kickboxing, pilates, and sports conditioning...after a year of eating well and working HARD at physical activity, i was down 60 pounds! I weighed 130! Oh, happy me

AND I KEPT IT OFF - for about 2 years, then it came creeping back...the less and less attention I paid to myself and my own well being, the more the weight came one...food was my comfort...I was living a frantic life and convinced myself that food preparation was something I simply did not have time to do...

OK - make a long story short - husband moves out, I'm depressed, punishing myself with food (if that makes sense) for a failed marriage...not taking care of myself...not caring in general....

I'm not sure what the turning point was but I think it has a lot to do with my knees At my peak weight of 203 my knees were killing me and I was having a hard time getting myself up out of the chair...i envisioned not being able to keep up with my kids and 'chair-ridden' - much like my own overweight grandmother...I LOVE to dance...i imagined not being able to dance...I imagined not being alive - and well, that was enough...no more guilt at a failed marriage, not more punishing myself, only love - and the love for myself that I have re-found has come in the form of committing heart and soul to losing the weight and getting fit...

when I was fit, i felt more sure of myself - stronger - physically and mentally - and I remember it so vividly...It truly wasn't about fitting into this outfit or that outfit (althought that was nice) - it was about feeling like a player in my own life story - there was nothing I couldn't do...I want to taste that victory again...

so, i'm glad to be here - your stories are amazing...my hat is off to you all!!! keep up the good work and I look forward to getting to know you all...