I'm having a really hard time. I've been on maintenance for awhile now and it's not going well. I have gone up about 15 pounds. I can't afford the IP packets any more, my husband refuses to pay. How do I get back in ketosis without the IP packets. I'm really struggling, I could use some help!!!

There is an alternative thread that might be helpful for you. Stop kicking yourself. Maintenance is really hard. With the loss there is always this goal to lose weight. With maintenance it is much harder to grab onto that goal. However, you are asking for help before it has gotten too bad. Others here will be able to help you far more than me since I am a newbie at this maintenance thing.

Alternatives work just as well. If your husband completely refuses to give you any money towards the meal replacements, you could do a low carb diet that would out you in ketosis as well although I don't think the results are as quick.

How have you been handling your phase 1 days After fun days now?

I should also say, don't be disappointed in yourself! You caught this at 15 pounds and nit 50! You can get back to your goal.you got this!

Don't be disappointed... You are taking action NOW and not later!

First have a heart to heart with yourself to make sure you are committed to losing the 15, phasing off correctly AND working harder in maintenance than you do during weight loss!

Then have a heart to heart with your husband... Let him hear your recommitment and tell him you are returning to the plan that works for YOU. Yes, you can easily use alternatives that cost half the price of IP with the same results, but more important is that you are in control of your health. Being overweight is far more expensive for much longer than IP is for the short term.

Read the current Alternatives That Work in Phase 1 thread. The first post gives you guidelines and if you go down 5-6 posts you will see one I posted with some further details. Start researching the products and where you get them and you can be back on IP at half the cost in a few days.

15 pounds won't take long at all if you are 100% ready and committed!

Ditto what the others said Lulu - congrats for catching yourself at 15 pounds! Maintenance is hard, harder than losing - there is no "maintenance sheet" that has clear guidelines and rules.

Whether you do P1 with IP products or alternatives, you can get the pounds back down now and use the time to plan out your maintenance. Think of it as a learning experience and just keep going. You can do this!

One of the Oct. newbies has lost all of her weight on Phase 2. That would require and alternative bar/packet for only one meal each day. Wishing you luck

be compassionate with yourself. Everyone here on maintenance has gained up pounds and has had to work them off. You are wise to see 15 pounds is a turning point. If you cannot afford the alternative products then check out the South Beach diet site online. It is low carb and uses regular food.

Hang in there.

I have been pretty much phase 2 since February. I have a RTD shake for breakfast, salad with meat and/or hard boiled eggs (enough to equal the 15 grams of protein in a packet) for lunch, 8 oz protein at dinner with veggies, and a snack bar or chips some other time during the day. If I buy lunch at work, it often comes with far more protein, so I skip the snack packet that day.

I have been buying everything from Nashua Nutrition since December. With the lifetime discount and their occasional sales, my shakes average around $2 a piece and the chips and bars are $1.50-2.50.

$5 a day doesn't seem like more than your husband should be willing to commit to your long-term health (mental and physical.)

Lulu64: Good that you caught it at 15 lbs. Look at that as a victory because it could have gone on much longer and gotten much worse. It will only take a few weeks until you are back into maintenance again and you get feeling like yourself.
My husband lost 18 lbs just doing the diet with 'real' proteins - I cooked for him but did P1 myself with IP & alternatives. The trick is to do the low fat proteins that equal the gram amounts of the packets. Eggs mixed with egg whites work well as does lean white fish, and chicken & turkey breast. He still did the 4 cups of veggies and unlimited romaine/salad veg. It is easier with packets as you don't have to figure anything out, but it can be done this other way too, just takes a bit more nutrient research & planning.
And of course you can get your support & 'coaching' from us - we are all here for you!

Liana

I just found my post. this is the first I have been able to see all the wonderful advice. I really appreciate the help. I have been doing 2 scrambled eggs and a slice of ham for breakfast, cucumbers and zucchini with a hard boiled egg for lunch. Green beans and chicken or pork chop for dinner. Last snack has been an Atkins snack bar. This has been my menu for the last 2 weeks. Not seeing much results though.

I would not do the Atkins bar for losing weight... I have it very occasionally in maintenance, since they are quite high in carbs & fats - more like a super-restricted, no more than once or twice a week. Try going into a Curves and buying their Yogourt & Berry Bliss or the Chocolate MEAL bars- not the snack ones for something a bit lower and still chewy & dessertlike if you need that.

Here's a comparison:
Atkins Peanut Fudge Meal Bar 15g protein, 10g fat, 19g carbs
Curves Yogourt Berry Bliss 13g protein, 6g fat, 15g carbs (net)

Even better would be to go for a Vega Protein smoothie at 15g protein, 0g fat, 3g carbs (net) - I love the Tropical Tango, and Berry flavours - no dairy, gluten, soy, or sugar, and they give you that yummy fruit flavour from actual fruit.

Liana

LuLu, you are NOT getting enough food, especially at lunch! One HB egg is not enough protein to replace a packet. Eating too little food (meaning less than IP) will slow or stall losses and is NOT healthy!

First, do you have the new (June) phase 1 protocol sheets... Some changes to unlimited veggies and a few other things. It us I always a link in the first post of every Daily Chat thread!

How about -

Bfast - one whole egg and three whites (buy pure whites in a carton) because that combo is an exact replacement for a packet. OR... Look for Maple Grove Farms SUGAR FREE pancake/waffle mix found in the grocery store. Near Bob's Red Mill and gluten free products. $3.99 a box... Just use 1/3 cup mix with water to get batter consistency. No need to add egg or oil, though I often add one egg white. Serve with Walden Farms maple or blueberry syrup.

Lunch - use an acceptable IP alternative protein shake such as EAS CarbAdvantage (not the other kinds of EAS) available at Walmart/Target stores 4 for $5 or Pure Protein (same stores) 23 gram protein drink, 4 for $8 AND 2 cups approved veggies.

Dinner - your 8 oz meat and 2 cups approved veggies

Snack - another shake or Quest bar from GNC.

These things are NOT going to cost what IP does and in fact probably cost pretty comparable to what you (and hubby) already spend on meals. I just can't imagine he could have anything to complain about with using these foods to achieve your health and well-being!!!

The one other thing you really MUST DO is get the vitamins required to follow such a narrow eating plan as IP. Post in the alternate thread to get comparable vitamin recommendations at local stores for less than IP.

Good luck and please keep posting!!

thanks for the input, and the menu ideas. I think this will really help me. I don't see my coach anymore so I'm kind of stumbling around by myself. thanks again for all the kind words and encouragement. I feel a lot better now, I HAVE A PLAN!!!

Wow Lulu, look at all this great support and advice! You ladies rock! Love reading the posts here! I'm only on week 4, but feel confident that this is the place to come for support, advice, and information.