There is a thread 'Calling All August Starters' - check in there periodically and get to know your fellow newbies, but check in here on the current 'Daily' thread -- a new one is started every day - this is the best place to post your questions and ask for tips and help from the forum members who are approaching or at goal and have been in this community for the duration of their IP experience.

Also check out the 'Home of 100%' thread -- another really great place to learn and build a habit of staying on program. Read thru as many of the postings there as you can make time for. There is a LOT you can learn.

As far as getting tired of lettuce... I have been mixing it up with romaine, baby spinach, butter lettuce, and field greens. I add some cukes, sometimes some zuke, but my favorite addition is jicama - I use a dressing of one part vinegar, one part water, and stevia with some salt and pepper and garlic and herb seasoning. The jicama is crisp and crunchy and with the dressing it makes any lettuce into a great salad. Even with nothing else added.

To be honest - I never felt the headaches and tiredness -- I was so jazzed to be getting going on actually losing rather than continuing to gain weight. I kept busy, went to bed early (looking forward to waking up in the morning and checking my home scale for signs of progress).

Hang in there - you CAN do this!

Thanks ariel13!

The coach didn't measure me. He had some concerns that if I'm hungry I'm not in ketosis and wondered why. My gut says there might be too many sugars in this IP food for me to get into ketosis.

You can buy Ketone strips at Walmart or in any drug store. They are in the Diabetic section. They are easy to use and measure the ketones in your urine. I know that I am in Ketosis, but I still like to measure a couple of times a week. It just makes me feel like the process is working.

I hope that you get to feeling better soon.

[QUOTE=oneuh2;5056542]As far as getting tired of lettuce... I have been mixing it up with romaine, baby spinach, butter lettuce, and field greens. I add some cukes, sometimes some zuke, but my favorite addition is jicama - I use a dressing of one part vinegar, one part water, and stevia with some salt and pepper and garlic and herb seasoning. The jicama is crisp and crunchy and with the dressing it makes any lettuce into a great salad. Even with nothing else added.

Oneuh2,
I have really enjoyed reading all your different food prep ideas in different threads. It has inspired me to mix it up. Thanks so much!

Adventuregurl - Do you keep a food log? Your coach told you that you were not in ketosis, how does he know that? I also wonder if I'm in ketosis.

Lose2Win - What are your symptoms of ketosis?

oneuh2 - That sound very YUMMY! I will give it a try. I LOVE jicama, I wish it was part of the unlimited veggies.

Hello again everyone! It remains an inspiration when I see how many folks are facing either tedium or stresses and manage to keep on keeping on through it all. Keep it up, everyone! I lost 2.4 lbs this week and I am 2.4lbs closer to goal. Have a great weekend one and all!

Although I haven't posted in months I lurk quite a bit. I've been in maintenance since December and it's going very well. I ran across a quote on Pinterest and thought with a bit of modification, it would work for us.

Here's the original:
If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it.

I like it this way for our IP journey:

If you are persistent, you will get it off.
If you are consistent, you will keep it off.

Go IPers!!

Jicama is a Select veggie - one of those that we need to have 4 cups of each day... I can get a lot of jicama into my salad and still stay within that 4 cup limit -- I am grateful it is not on the occasional list!!!

Ariel,
I don't really have any symptoms in particular. I've done measurements with the strips that show I am producing ketones. A few days into the diet, I was in ketosis.

Sorry this probably isn't very helpful.

Literari on losing 2.4lbs and yes, you're closer to your goal!

WillowVee Thank you so much for sharing that motivational quote with us I'm collecting inspirational/motivational quotes to write them down and place them on my fridge and pantry! This will be one of them


oneuh I love jicamas with lime and chili powder, I like, like the crunchiness...I gotta get me some this weekend to eat them next week, are 4 cups about half a jicama? Maybe one will last me for a couple of days?

Lose2Win Thanks, yes, you are helpful! I don't have any symptoms besides very dry mouth, so I might be in ketosis already!