Hi Cinthia! yw. I didn't have really bad side effects, I just had an awful metallic taste in my mouth, an insatiable craving for water. Plus like I said before, no appetite. these were my side effects, yours might be different! The reason I want to get off the met., is I want my body to be able to function without the medicine, like before I was diagnosed. Plus, those pills are huge, I had to take 4 a day! Well good luck as always, keep in touch!

My MD also prescribed Metformin for pre-diabetes, fatty liver, carb cravings. I lasted a week on it. The dry mouth, insatiable thirst, and dizziness made me stop it and look into other diet options. I was lucky to find this diet plan so quickly. I've only been on it a week (6 lb loss), but am looking forward to my next set of blood work.

So today was WI # 1 and I lost 6 pounds. The week went easier than I expected. I planned ahead and avoided strenuous activity the first 2 days. Thought of it as "my personal retreat". I'm having some problems with the hi sodium content of the packets..maybe that is why I only lost 6 in my first week (not much different from WW). My other problem is constipation. I used to take probiotics and plenty of fruit and fiber and never had a problem. Has anyone tried the IP laxatives? Any other recommendations for Ph 1?

Thanks for the info about metaformin shoban. I can see why you want to stop taking them. Congradulations on your lose! You are doing great!

cscape-congradulations to you too-6 lbs., that's great! Thanks also for your experience with metaformin. I'll have to see how it goes. Hopefully I can lose enough weight to not stay on it.

Good luck everyone!

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading your posts for a couple of weeks and hoped I could join your encouraging group. I could use partners too and want to start off saying that all of you have made my own efforts easier - just knowing that there are other folks like me doing our best and also struggling.

I've been dieting seriously since March and started IP two weeks ago to have a more structured weight loss effort. I'm doing pretty good and haven't been hungry and my sister is doing it with me so that helps too. I'd like to lose a LOT of weight. I figure if I am going to see myself differently (healthier/thinner/etc) I might as well image myself back to my 20's weight. Since March I have lsot 37 lbs with 15 lbs in the past two weeks on IP. I've learned a lot in the past couple of weeks. Gotta eat every 4 hours, gotta drink a lot of water, and gotta eat the right things. Lean meat, veggies and lettuce. I like the drinks and have favs - cappuccino (mix with 7 oz water and 8 oz cold coffee w/2 splenda) very yummy. I also like the orange drink, pina colada, chocolate and wildberry yogurt drink. My sister created a great olive oil and white wine vinegar dressing with fresh garlic and spices that we can use, too.

How much are other dieters losing per week? I hope for 2-3 lbs. per week. Is that reasonable?

I wanted to comment to the person who wondered if IP was worth the money. In my town it is $200 to join and $200 worth of supplements and 7 days worth of food packets. Each packet has around 18 grams of protein. Then its $4/packet and you need 3 per day plus your veggies and meat. I figure it is similar to what I would spend on my own food anyway so that's how I justified it. Plus like the other person said, if you are able to give up some meds because your health improves, that would be great too.

Thanks for letting me join in!

Hi Skimmer....welcome! I lost five pounds the first and the second week, but expecting it to go slower from here on out. I would be happy for a good solid two pound loss per week. That sounds reasonable to me.

You've got a good start....hope it continues to go well for you.

My only problem right now is my husband wanting to eat more than I do. He cooked lunch and dinner...even fixed my plate. Makes it hard to turn down. I am hoping I didn't sabotage myself too much. I think today I ate more than any other day since I started dieting about two and a half weeks ago. But...it is hard to be "perfect" every day. (Ha...as if that was something I could aspire to anyway!) I'll just have to see what the scale says tomorrow.

I am in my first week too. Doing well except no appetite tonight, but I forced myself to eat the chicken noodle soup and some roasted asparagus. Hubby and I went out to lunch today and I ordered salmon with steamed veggies and I think that is why I am not in the mood for food tonight. .

6 lbs. is a great start! congrats! I know exactly what you mean about the hi-sodium content. I couldn't handle the soup pkg. (I still have 3 in the cupboard), I read where some members add purreed cooked veggies to them? I haven't tried that yet. About the constipation: My coach suggested an organic laxative tea, I found one with SENNA, called appropriately, Smooth Move. Haven't tried it yet, you could try that. I haven't tried the Novi-cleanse. Hope this little bit of info helps! Good luck with wk. 2!

Welcome torrihoward, I think the 1st wk. was the hardest, and I didn't drink all my protein pkts. My coach said I needed to make sure to have all 3 in order for this plan to work. It gets easier. I do have a bit of trouble getting the salt 1/2 tsp. in. Well continued good luck!

Hi Skimmer! Hey, you and I are about the same body wt., glad you joined our" little circle." I'm on my 3rd WI Mon., so according to my scales, I'm down 5. But we'll see tomorrow. My coach told me I could lose anywhere from 3-5 lb. a week. It's getting easier, if the scales cooperate! I like the cappuccino drink w/coffee too. and the chocolate drink. I've bought some flavoring extracts to "bump up" the flavor, like the orange drink. And lucky for you to have the sister-support, always helps. Well good luck! and keep in touch!

Everybody is entitled to a little slip-up, you just have to get back on track. I know my hubby, unintentionally, has a donut,(I can smell it) and eats it in the car beside me. Temptation! I don't think they realize, they're not making this any easier! Hey, you an I started on this together bout 2 1/2/ wks. ago. See!! 2 1/2 wks already, we've been on this! Are you over the side effects of the pain pills? Hope so, and keep in touch!

Hi everyone! Thanks for the welcome and I am really glad to be part of this group. This morning was one of those mornings where I would really love to have bacon, eggs, grits, biscuits and gravy, you know? But I had an IP Orange Drink instead. One of the things that I keep thinking about (immediately after fanticizing about some delicious food I can't have right now) is that "wow, if I eat that it will turn into sugar and put me 2-3 days behind in my weight loss". I just never thought about it like that before. So I quickly let go of the southern breakfast I would have had a few months ago and ate some pickled okra instead, LOL. (If you are not from the South you are probably really grossed out right now.) Anyway, pickled veggies are allowed so when I want some kind of crunchy snack, it is going to be a go-to food for me I guess. Everyone, have a great day today and thanks for sharing your experiences here!

ShoBan, I am over the withdrawal from the pain pills and have no desire to take another one, but I am not exactly feeling energetic. I slept wrong....I think that is what caused it...and my back has hurt for 3 days, although considerably less today. I just feel so heavy....and I have a lot to take care of outside and in this heat.....well, all that doesn't help. It was 99.3* here at 5 pm and going to be hotter tomorrow. I usually like "warm" weather, but it is so bad, I can't go out except early or just before dark. I am soaking in sweat in less than a minute when I do.

I guess good news about the slip up in my diet. I was still 180 this morning and that was after I had drank a bottle of water.

Welcome, justbecasue. Yes....that is a very sobering quote!! I'm not on the IP diet, but it is sort of a wake up call if a person really is serious about losing weight. The main thing for me is to stay motivated....especially the days the scale doesn't move for days on end.

Hey byu, Sorry to hear bout your back, I do know about backaches, and knee problems. My knee has been tender, and a little swollen since Memorial Day. I'll probably have to go get a shot, that always seems to help calm it down. But the heat is a definite energy-sapper, and I know you have the humidity, to deal with. Here in the west, we have a more dry heat. Hang in there, and do you ever wear those neck-coolers? They help me keep cooled down some. Sorry, I'm rambling... Get to feeling better, and til next time!

I never thought about age having any difference with our wt. loss. I'm not sure on my average yet, this will be my 3rd wk.WI. My coach told me I could lose 3-5 lb. a week, I only lost 2.4 last wk. But 12. the wk. before! As long as I keep losing is fine with me! I wish you continued good luck! What I do like about 3FC is the information I can find, and recipes. I print out alot of threads, and study them the following day, keeps me motivated. I get support from all of you, cause we're all in the same boat! Onward and upward! Keep in touch!