I'm new to IP and this forum and wanted to know if anyone else has trouble eating all the food in a day. I'm so full especially after dinner and really have to make myself eat the snack. Is this normal? I'm finishing up with day 2.
It's a great way to condense your veggies and also add flavor and texture to some great dishes. We did the Chicken Brocolli Cas and it was awesome. Really amazing how you can get that many veggies in such a small serving.
3 packets, (2 non-restricted, 1 restricted) 4 cups veggies, 8 oz meat, (everything measured raw) 2 teaspoons olive or grapeseed oil, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, unlimited lettuce and minimum 64 oz water per day is what is required.
I have to eat my snack around 4:00 otherwise I'd never make it to dinner. You can also snack on veggies throughout the day, to help spread everything out...just subtract from your allowance.
I found it harder at the beginning too but you will get used to the volume in time. Some days you will want more than others. I eat lighter proteins like fish, tofu and eggs on days I need not as hungry. Purées work well, add spinach to your morning chocolate shake so you can decrease veg later. Only eat lettuce on days when you feel like you have the room.
I had trouble at the beginning as well, but it was in part due to the fact that I was measuring things incorrectly, and I was using 4 packets instead of 3 accidentally. Make sure you are measuring your protein and veggies prior to cooking. They can shrink considerably when cooked. Also, although unlimited lettuce is allowed, it is not mandatory that you eat any if you are not hungry. You also can split your protein so you're not eating all of it with dinner if that's too much for one sitting. (Personally, I never had a problem eating a single hamburger for dinner, and that's what is allowed on the program. Again, these shrink considerably with cooking.) Lastly, I have never eaten my snack after dinner as I'm just not hungry after the biggest meal of the day. I choose to eat it instead during the middle of the afternoon.
Bottom line in IMHO is that the equivalent of a burger/can of tuna/etc., two servings of veggies, and 3 packets a day is really not an enormous amount of food. How long have you been on the program, and are you losing weight? If you're measuring properly and sticking to the program, I'd echo what some others have said in terms of the purees and mixing veggies in with your soups, and also splitting the protein throughout the day. I'd also consider moving your snack time.
Thanks everyone - great advice. Today is day 4 for me and I have already begun breaking up my protein. I find the packets filling though so am trying to use more of the drinks and snack-like foods (restricted) once a day. I think it's also all the water I intake. I've been drinking at least 80oz/day - more on the days I work out (I'm military and have to work out sometimes with a group and have no say in how much or how long). I'll look more into the purees as well. Thanks again!
Since I am hungrier during the day, I end up eating every 3 or so hours:
Breakfast: 2 eggs & 1/2 C veggies
Snack: chocolate drink
Lunch: 1C veggies + 1-2oz Boars Head turkey or hb egg
Snack: choc chip cookie or strawberry wafer (usually something restricted)
Dinner: 2-3oz chicken/steak, salad
Snack: hot chocolate
The IP foods don't really fill me up so this seems to work for me
I'm new to IP and this forum and wanted to know if anyone else has trouble eating all the food in a day. I'm so full especially after dinner and really have to make myself eat the snack. Is this normal? I'm finishing up with day 2.
I went through the same thing. The second week is when I went into ketosis, and that's when all the detox side effects happened for me, and I was hungry (stomach growling) constantly for the second week. Still struggle eating all my dinner sometimes (2 months OP), but the full pangs pass within an hour. Just keep eating. I try not to drink water near dinner time. I wasn't an over-eater before IP, I was in starvation, so I think that's why it seems like so much, it's way more than I've ever ate - now I need to learn portion control - in reverse.
IdealProteinNewbie , 03-02-2013 09:18 AM
bubbleblower , 03-02-2013 11:44 AM
