Hello Everyone,
I'd like to begin by saying that this is my first time posting in a forum, on any website, ever- but since beginning Ideal Protein on December 13th, (and finding this website 4 days later), I have spent countless hours here reading your posts and learning from your experiences. The support and understanding I have received simply by lurking through old posts has been invaluable.
I am not sure how much weight I really want to lose on this diet, probably since I have left strict instructions with the coaches not to tell me my starting weight (I feel like the number would distract/depress me). I can estimate that 25 pounds would be perfect, and I know that might seem like a small goal, but I am only 5' 2.5" and with a 15 year history of PCOS those are extremely stubborn pounds. I love the program thus far- I have experienced success at my first three WI- but more importantly- it has stopped the extreme mood/energy/fatigue swings that used to plague me.
One of the my daily routines, and the one that starts me off on the right foot daily- has been that (after I wake up and drink a pint of water with 1/2 shot of apple cider vinegar- a holdover from before IP- and maybe an old wives tale- but I still believe the benefits) I start my IP by making a drink and splitting it between 1 1/2 cups of decaf coffee. I enjoy the comfort of the ritual, and since my taste preferences run towards salty/savory and never sweet- it helps temper the sweetness of the drinks. I prefer the vanilla drink since chocolate was never my demon ( fresh bread and butter/cheese should have slept with one eye open)- but I was afraid of getting into a rut and getting bored with my diet. I was also concerned about the carb counts in the chocolate drink. I asked my coach during my first WI if there was a discernable difference between the drinks and pudding (I don't care for pudding but thought I could just substitute it in my coffee) and she went and looked at the boxes and said they had 4 carbs. So, on my second WI I purchased a box each of chocolate and vanilla and have been alternating.
At this point- 25 days in- I had already decided I was going straight vanilla on my next order (it reminds me of beloved 1/2 1/2, which I don't miss when I use it) but for whatever reason I started looking up nutrition online and saw the chocolate drink had 9 carbs! (7 net carbs?).
Can anybody verify this? And also- I would love some advice/insight as to whether or not switching entire to vanilla would have a positive effect on my inches/pounds lost. And I want to stress- I am NOT complaining- I have been very happy with my losses, and I also find our coaches extremely helpful and supportive so am not trying to throw them under the bus.
Background- 31 year old female. Active/athletic but have felt limited in recent years due to back pain from lugging around upper body. PCOS since highschool with irregular menstrual cycles still- have been prescribed metformin, but haven't been able to get an answer as to whether it is safe on the protocol. Ideally- the program would help get my weight down to where I wouldn't have to start using it. Estimating starting weight between 148 and 160... but that may be dysmorphic since I step on scales backwards. Just know that even my large pants are tighter than normal. I knew I probably wasn't going to experience a huge 7-10 pound loss due to my height, but have been VERY happy with 3.6, 4.2, and 3.2 losses in 20 days and 16+ inches.
My question is whether those 4 extra carbs every other day had an effect on my loss, and whether you think cutting them will be beneficial, especially as I know things slow down after the first few weeks. I have followed the protocol excactly- save for missing one snack and having a couple of slices of bacon over XMAS-New Years week- simply because at night I bartend in a ski resort town and was working super long shifts and needed energy. I told my coach about the bacon and she said it was better than a cracker- since I lost that week it didn't appear to stall me. I only eat restricted food twice a week- kind of thought I would save the extra carbs for when I start lightly exercising again because I know I will be hungrier/burning more energy. I know KetoStix aren't alway accurate, but since I got into ketosis, I have checked daily with them first thing in the morning and have always been in the deeper spectrums.
I know there are people here with boatloads of experience, whether it be personal- or helping/mentoring others. I do apologize for such a longwinded post. I guess I just wanted to put my background out there to help get the most informed advice, and probably I also am a little nervous, and tend to ramble when I feel exposed.