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8/1/12 8:15 A

Please don't post on this thread as it is now closed.
Please go to the thread "Weekly Discussion #18" to respond to any of these posts.

Thanks!



Edited by: FUNFIT53 at: 8/11/2012 (19:52)

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7/31/12 10:06 P

I'm starting week 3 and still sometimes feel those cravings. I try to focus on my goal and remember it won't be worth it to cheat and I will have a cupcake again...just not today. I have found that staying busy distracts me from the hunger pains and cravings. I just literally take it one day at a time.

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7/28/12 9:26 A

Please don't post on this thread as it is now closed.
Please go to the thread "Weekly Discussion #18" to respond to any of these posts.

Thanks!

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7/28/12 1:21 A

Thank you, Amy!!! Your support really helps!!! How is everything going for you??

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7/27/12 11:21 P

Yay Alex!!!!! Just plan ahead and make up your mind you will not cheat. You can do it!!!!!!!!

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7/27/12 10:33 P

Second we weigh in and lost 9.5 lbs! So happy! I am a little concerned about staying on protocol when I leave for vacation next week.

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7/27/12 9:48 P

Gail - Thank you! I love the Olympics and I love changing my ticker!

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7/27/12 7:39 P

Amy - I love your new ticker - the American Flag with the swimmer!

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7/27/12 4:23 P

Lil - wecome to the group, and yay for you!!!!!

current weight: 188.9

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160

Posts: 318
7/27/12 2:33 P

Gail~ so glad maintenance is going well for you. Your picture looks great.

Kimmie~ you look great too. Being under 200 is awesome!

Val~ glad to hear you are doing so well. Hope the interview goes well. Maybe the job change will help you too. Not sure how active you are now but a newton could mean new exercise opportunities to get to work. Walking more in and out of buildings, using the stairs, etc. I know for me that as much ask hate traveling all the times get more exercise when I am on travel than when I am working in my office at home.

Nan~ how ya feeling? Recovery going ok.

Well I am in the airport heading home finally. I will only be home for a week but I am excited about weighing in. This will be my first weigh in since I started back OP (4 weeks ago) I have slipped up a few times but jumped right back OP. I have to find a good salad dressing. I may have to revisit the walden farms products because I am so tired of plain salad. Weigh in Wednesday can't wait.

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7/27/12 1:56 P

Good Afternoon,

My name is Lily, I started the IP on Tuesday, and I already down 10 pounds, my mom started it and has lost 40 pounds, so far I feel really great and no cravings.

Posts: 148
7/27/12 11:39 A

KIMMIESUE and GAIL: Great new photos! I decided to change mine up as well. We forget how different we look, as Gail says. Kimmie, you are gorgeous, girl! Gail, so glad you're out from under the hat and shades and looking so svelte! My first photo was also with hat and sunshades. I guess we try to hide when we're heavier! I'm so happy for both of you as I've been able to follow your whole IP journeys.

My photo was taken at my mother's 90th birthday celebration earlier in the month. It is my hope and prayer that I am as vital and connected as my mother is at this age: still driving, playing bridge, going to church, learning the computer, having people come and stay, visiting former pupils in the old folks' home (!), and basically having a ball. The only thing I'd change is the food pushing...it seems to be a carryover from her farm upbringing. I eat much healthier now than my Mom, although she has consistently eaten a pretty good diet all along, just too much bread and sweets for me. I'm actually grateful for this time of having to figure out what my body needs instead of just mindlessly heading into diabetes and heart disease. My Mom dodged the diabetic genes in her family but I didn't so I do have to be extra careful about carbs and IP has helped me so much with that.

Big job interview today: I haven't interviewed for anything in 20 years so this is a big one! I've taken a year off and am now hoping to get back into my field, teaching at the college level. At least my colleagues who are on the interview panel will notice the big physical change, thanks to IP. I'm thrilled at the 60+ lb. weight loss but it's more about the internal changes that are happening. One good thing: I look about 15 years younger, according to the reactions I've had from so many people. That feels good because I left this particular job 15 years ago!

Edited by: VALDRAKE at: 7/27/2012 (12:03)

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7/27/12 10:39 A

Val - good to hear from you - I can't imagine how difficult it has been with such limited choices. But I think you will find a great sense of relief as you do phase off. You have learned some good habits here, and it is easier to carry them forward now that you know. I find it amazing the difference for me when I don't have enough protein in my breakfast. I am starving way before lunch, as opposed to when I have that good slow burning quality fuel for this engine!

KimmieSue - congrats - I agree with taking pictures along the way. I just never got around to it - but now as I'm looking back on other pictures, I can see how bad I looked at other times compared to the reflection I see now.

I'm sure that other people find this to be true - but I am amazed that everyone wants to know what I did, but when I describe the concept - the protein and clean carbs but no dairy, fruit, bread, pasta, potatoes, sugar, ALCOHOL, etc, during the weightloss phase only - there is not one person I've talked to that says, ok, fine - what's next, how do I get started. See, ladies, everyone wants the results, but not everyone is willing to do the hard work that it takes to achieve the success. And all of us know that once you get started, it's not that hard to keep it goint.

Compared to a lifelong struggle with weight, this was - ironically -"a piece of cake!!!"

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7/27/12 8:35 A

KIM ~ Way to go! Getting below 200 was one of my milestones too and it feels so-o-o-o good to be below that number. Congrats!

VAL ~ Good for you for phasing off correctly. You have done remarkably well considering how limited your choices were. I think you will love Phase 3...I know I do!

NEW ~ The rule is if it doesn't appear on the protocol sheet, then the item needs to be zero carbs/ zero fat/ zero sugar. If the water chestnuts meet that criteria, then I would say you can use them, if they don't meet that criteria, then don't use them.

Have a great day everyone!

Edited by: FUNFIT53 at: 7/27/2012 (08:36)

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97.4

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7/27/12 7:42 A

Good morning, I am starting day 3 and I feel great (well a little tired) I am going to try to eat my snack between breakfast and lunch today as I get up so early in the morning I'm done with breakfast by 5:45 am and then lunch is not till 11:30 (if I eat it earlier I'm starved for dinner).

I did have a quick question though, I saw a recipe on line that included water chestnuts but was not sure if this was on plan or not, can someone please let me know as I would like to make stir-fry tonight.

Thanks again, KZ

Pounds lost: 18.6

0 13.95 27.9 41.85

55.8

Posts: 148
7/27/12 2:28 A

Hi all: I made the decision to phase off IP temporarily for the rest of the summer. My body seems to have habituated to having such a small variety to choose from because I can't have soy, which means that I have a very small choice of whey protein products only. No bars, only 2 puddings, 1 soup, omelets, jello and a few of the drink mixes, plus the ready made drinks and puddings. I'm not complaining. I've done well on that small array. I have tried several times to add the 2 chip-style restricted products but one makes me nauseous and the other makes me crave carbs.

I am finding, though, that my stomach must have shrunk because I'm having trouble eating all of the "real protein" in Phase 2. That's a lot of protein: 5-8 oz. at lunch and the same at dinner. Everything else is the same. My body doesn't know what hit it! I feel stuffed but will stick it out for the two weeks and get to Phase 3 where I can have the structured breakfast that includes some fruit and dairy, both of which I really miss.

I intend to go back on Phase 1 when the summer's over because I am only about 1/2 way to my goal. Hopefully, I will be able to stick with the good habits. It's funny, though, because I'm already missing the convenience of Phase 1. I have to think ahead more to make sure there's enough protein cooked twice a day. Phase 1 seems so easy in comparison.... I guess you always want what you don't have :))

Keep on keeping on and have a great summer! I've got a job interview today (Fri.) which could change things up quite a bit. Will wait and see how that goes....

Pounds lost: 63.0

0 34.95 69.9 104.85

139.8

Posts: 18
7/26/12 9:18 P

Well it's now official.....I am out of the 200's!!!!!! It seems like it has taken forever but this is the best feeling. I struggled for the last 3 weeks with really slow weight loss, but looks like I am back on track. I have 41 days till my hubby and I go to Maui for our 10 year anniversary. I would really like to lose 12 pounds by then.

It is great seeing so many new people on here. Trust me this program is fantastic. We can and will ALL reach our goals.

I think it is time to post post some new pictures, was In Seattle a couple of weeks ago so I will put those up. I think it is important to take pictures the whole way through this program so you can see your progress. Even after loosing 65 pounds I still look in the mirror and see the heavier version of me. So pictures let me see how far I have come.

Well good luck for everyone who has weigh in's coming up.

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7/26/12 7:29 P

Only iceberg & romaine lettuce are free. The cabbage & spinach are counted as part of the 2 cups vegetables for lunch or dinner.

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97.4

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7/26/12 6:59 P

Hi All, I have a quick question... I made a batch of salad mix (cabbage, spinach, lettuce) are they all "free" or just the lettuce? I was going to add two cups of veggies in addition but I do not want to go over. Please help!

Pounds lost: 18.6

0 13.95 27.9 41.85

55.8

Posts: 501
7/26/12 2:43 P

Hi, COLORADOMOM

depending on your daily caloric needs, the 1-pound loss may not be a plateau. If the difference between your calories in and out is around 500 per day, then you should see a 1-pound weight loss (3500 calories) per week.

Based on your current weight, age, and activity level, your daily caloric needs may now be lower than you expect, since you have already lost 34 pounds. At the same time, the number of calories you consume may be higher than you think.

If the difference is higher than 500 calories, you should see a bigger loss, but your body might temporarily compensate for the fat loss by storing extra water, which will eventually be released again.

One other possibility: If you have inadvertently consumed starches, then your body may be storing extra water to digest those, my coach told me.

Since you are losing inches, your are still on the right track

current weight: 152.0

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7/26/12 1:58 P

Hello to all my fellow Ideal Protein followers!!! I am new to this forum but not to IP. I started in May and am now down 34lbs. These past couple of weeks I have only lost 1lb at my WI but my inches have gone down quite a bit, also my Body Fat %. My coach tells me I shouldn't worry but I am not liking the slow weightloss. Have any of you come across a plateau and been able to get over it?? If so...what did you do?

Posts: 501
7/26/12 11:42 A

JMUGOAL160,

I had also considered dropping the restricted foods from my menu. Since I don't like anything sweet, I had stocked up on various "chips" versions, but realized quickly that they actually make me hungry ! It's the same problem I have when eating starches or sugars.....

My coach told me that having one restricted food per day is essential, since they are designed to provide an adequate amount of carbs. Now I am using the chips as "croutons" in my lunch salad, rather than eating them by themselves, and that seems to solve the problem.

Instead of cutting out the extra calories in the restricted food, I am carefully tracking my calories at lunch and dinner.

Initially, I had misread the instructions and used 2 TABLESPOONS of olive oil, each day, instead of 1-2 teaspoons. That's 240 calories instead of 40-80 !

Now I use a little pump to spray the oil onto my salad, instead of pouring it, which cuts down the calories significantly and has had an immediate effect on my weight loss.

Initially, I also used up the beef steaks and ground beef from my freezer. This resulted in dinners that were over 600 calories, including the veggies. Now I switched over to chicken and fish, which keeps dinner around 400 calories. However, I do add another protein meal between breakfast and lunch.

For the first 5 and a half weeks, I averaged 1150 calories per day. Now I am down to just under 1000. So far, I have lost 20 pounds in 7 weeks. My fancy scale tells me that the loss is 18 pounds of fat and 2 pounds of water, no muscle loss.

I still have 50 pounds to go. Let's hope my metabolism doesn't slow down !

My fancy scale tells me that I have not lost muscle yet, just fat and a bit of water. That makes me think I am on the right track.

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7/26/12 10:49 A

JMUGOAL160 ~ I have eaten a restricted item once a day, every day since I started this diet in December. I am very pleased with my weightloss. The protocol is already very calorie restricted and Ideal Protein has calculated very carefully what will allow you to lose the weight best without destroying the muscle you have so it is always best not to mess with it. You might lose weight faster but maybe you would also lose muscle instead of fat or maybe your body would think it was starving and shut down weightloss altogether. Stick with the protocol and you can't go wrong. Anyway, that's my advice.

Love the website! Here is a link everyone can click on: www.hchc.org/updates/

GAIL ~ LOVE your new picture! You look great!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Edited by: FUNFIT53 at: 7/26/2012 (11:00)

Pounds lost: 97.4

0 24.35 48.7 73.05

97.4

Posts: 55
7/26/12 10:29 A

Thanks for the website! I can't wait to check it out!

I am not a fan of any of the drink mixes. Boy do I try, but I cannot get myself to like them. I do like the pre made Vanilla in the box (makes a great coffee creamer too) and I did enjoy the pre made mango drink in the container. It's really thick (drinkable yogurt) so I made a smoothie with it this morning.

Ice in a blender
mango drink
1 oz. unsweetened coconut almond milk

It was really delicious and filling!

Tomorrow will be day 11 and it's my first WI. I'm bummed bc I just got my monthly friend yesterday, so I'm praying it does not mess with my numbers! Wish me luck!

Pounds lost: 28.6

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Posts: 180
7/26/12 10:00 A

JMUGOAL160, since I have not lost "weight" in 2 weeks (but have lost inches) I cannot say if restricted are hurting or not. It's not a race to lose and as long as either weight or inches are coming off, I'm staying OP. I even add extra protein if wanting something different (like a hard boiled egg). For me, the restricted are a Treat and I don't want to give up my treat or might begin feeling deprived..like on past diets!

yes, it sure has gotten quiet lately. Hope everyone's ok. The newbies need all you veterans!

Edited by: LORMINE54 at: 7/26/2012 (12:32)

Pounds lost: 28.2

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7/26/12 12:34 A

Just picked out this profile picture because when I hit goal weight I'm going to feel as gorgeous as this chick looks and I'm going to celebrate with a glass of Tattinger's!. Good thing IP calls for no alcohol, so I can save up to buy a bottle of this!

Pounds lost: 31.5

0 12.5 25 37.5

50

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7/25/12 11:38 P

Hi All!

Stumbled on this hospital IP website last night: http://www.hchc.org/updates/ It has lots of GREAT recipes - just mouse over the words "Ideal Protein Recipe of the Week," etc., and it will take you to that week's recipe. Play around on this micro site for other info/recipes - great salad dressing recipes.

Today is Day 13 - first WI was Day 11; down 7.5 pounds. I'm happy with that. Next WI...hoping for five more. I'm starting to feel like I'm getting some traction.

BEST news - I'm wearing a bra today that has not fit comfortably in years! It's 10:30 PM and it's still on! Love that!

Does anyone know if you'll lose more if you stay away from the restricted IP foods?

I'm finding that my staple foods are: Soy patty; Crispy cereal, chocolate and cappuccino drinks, raspberry jello, and tomato basil and chicken noodle soup.

Take care!

JMU

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7/25/12 9:52 P

Hope everyone is doing well. Sure has been quiet around here!

current weight: 188.9

205 193.75 182.5 171.25

160

Posts: 55
7/23/12 1:19 P

Just want to say that I woke up this morning super excited to weigh myself for the first time ever in life! I've never been excited to weigh myself! I'm down 8 lbs exactly after 7 days! I dont have time to get officially weighed in at my center until Friday, so hopefully I'll be down a few more pounds by then!

To those who have just started, hang in there! Once you get past day 3 or 4, it's smooth sailing. I have no desire to cheat anymore esp. after seeing these kind of results.

Sexy wedding dress here I come!

Pounds lost: 28.6

0 15.25 30.5 45.75

61

Posts: 19
7/22/12 2:54 P

As someone who has been a food addict for most of my life and tried pretty much every diet out there and failed, I totally agree with that article. I have to say that the IP diet is the first and only diet that I have ever felt I could actually stay on long enough to reach my goad and then maintain. I've never really given a lot of thought to what I am eating until I started on the IP diet. I'm no angel, and have had my moments when I've slipped, but it is so easy to get back on protocol and get back on track. If ONLY it wasn't so expensive. That is the one drawback that I find with this diet. I have started using some replacement items in place of the IP items, and luckily, I must have made good choices. I haven't noticed any difference. I guess, protein is protein. Hope everyone else is having success!

Michele

Pounds lost: 48.0

0 18.25 36.5 54.75

73

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7/21/12 2:17 P

2BASTRONGMOM--thanks for the support! Congratulations on your loss, too! I agree--a loss is a loss! Time is going to pass whether we lose quickly or whether we lose at a slower pace. I am just happy to be losing :)

Posts: 501
7/20/12 10:31 P

VAL,

great article ! Thanks for sharing ! It is consistent with what I just learned about addiction and dopamine, in my most recent psychology course.

The funny thing for me is this: You can show me cookies, candy, cake, ice cream, chocolate and you would never elicit a craving from me. Somehow, around age 17, I couldn't stand anything sweet anymore. So, no binge eating for me, fortunately.

HOWEVER.... as soon as I eat even moderate amounts of starchy foods, potatoes, pasta, rice, I start feeling somehow "unbalanced" and need to eat more - even just more vegetables or more salad. And as long as I keep starchy foods on my menu, I simply can't lose any weight, although I do exercise.

My conclusion is that some of us have a faulty switch when it comes to the attraction of certain foods, and some of us may have a faulty pancreas that goes overboard producing insulin that breaks down starch and locks up body fat.

In any case, we need "food rehab", and the IP Diet might just turn out to be what cures us

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7/20/12 9:43 P

Wow Val - great article- definitely a keeper. And I concur - so glad to see you back!

Having phased off (and with the same concerns that you expressed at the end of your post) I can tell you that I have intentionally steered clear of anything with white flour (actually anything that is not a whole grain), and any sugar. I don't even want to tempt fate by testing my willpower in the face of these malevolent substances. Perhaps with time I'll feel more comfortable, but if its working this well, why try to fix it?

I also have had an interesting experience where I've gone back to having almost a pure protein breakfast - it holds me alot longer, and dimishes cravings I was having. There definitely is a change on maintenance - but WE GET TO CHOOSE HEALTH EACH DAY!!!

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7/20/12 9:08 P

Val - thank you for that article, and I'm happy to see you back. It's scary how carbs and sugars are worse than cocaine, but I can certainly believe it. I'm having a rough food day today....I haven't cheated (I haven't cheated yet on the program), but darn it, if there was pizza in my house I would eat it. Really rough tonight. And it's all mental. It's such a shame so many of us go through this.

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7/20/12 8:31 P

VAL!!! So glad to see you back here! And thanks so much for that wonderful article...it explains a lot about some of my own behaviors. You always have such good stuff to share with us.

Pounds lost: 97.4

0 24.35 48.7 73.05

97.4

Posts: 148
7/20/12 4:38 P

Here is the article from Dr. Amen's newsletter. By following IP, we short circuit the insulin and hormonal responses that fuel all of this but I can testify that the cravings can be intense and here's why:

Article:

If we’re all so smart, why are so we fat?

Good question.

Let’s cut to the executive summary: it’s not because we don’t know what to do.

Take hormones, for example. You’ve probably heard a thousand times how important hormones are for weight loss.

You probably already know that insulin—aka “the fat storage hormone”—is produced by the body in response to elevations in blood sugar.

Elevations in blood sugar are produced whenever you scarf down carbohydrates—particularly the high-sugar, high-glycemic processed carbs we Americans love so much.

So the solution is easy, right? Cut out the carbs!

Not so Fast…

If it’s so easy, then why do so many of us have so much trouble doing that?

Why, in the face of the massive amount of information showing that high-glycemic (high-sugar) carbohydrates contribute to weight gain, heart disease and even cancer, do so many of us continue to binge on the very foods that make us sick, tired, depressed and fat?

Why do we continue to overindulge in pasta, cookies, chips, candies, ice cream, cereal and donuts, while ignoring what we know to be true about them?

Why do we continue to find these foods irresistible?

And why do we ignore what we already know about them, much as a cigarette smoker ignores the connection between tobacco and lung cancer?

It’s Because Your Brain has Been Hijacked…

The “pleasure centers” in our brains have literally been hijacked.

We’ve lost control of a primitive biological switch buried deep in our brain that controls what we pay attention to, how we act and most importantly, what we eat.

I call this the “impulse control switch” and for most of us, it’s gone completely haywire and we find ourselves eating precisely the things we know we shouldn’t.

At a recent workshop I conducted in Southern California, one woman described her struggles with junk food.

“I’d find myself obsessing about Haagen-Dazs,” she said. “I wasn’t hungry. I didn’t even want the ice cream. But I got excited about driving to the supermarket and buying it. The anticipation turned me on. The ice cream was almost an afterthought.”

This woman illustrates an important point: eating and the desire to eat are two different things and involve separate mechanisms in your brain.

How does this happen? Simple.

It’s all controlled by a brain chemical called dopamine. Dopamine controls pleasure and contributes to your brain’s “reward circuitry” for food or anything else desirable.

How Your Impulse Control Switch Gets Flipped in the Wrong Direction…

Dopamine’s role is to keep you totally focused on getting things that are critical for the survival of the species – like food, shelter or sex.

When we go after those things, we feel intense pleasure – something that is fueled entirely by dopamine.

The only problem is that we’ve discovered a few sneaky ways to trick our brains into releasing dopamine to get a fake chemical “high”… for example, with drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.

The “rush” you get from these things is also fueled entirely by dopamine. It’s the biological reason you get hooked.

And, as it turns out, the dopamine factories that ignite when you chug a beer or inject heroin are the exact same ones that fire up when you eat sugar or high-sugar foods!

In fact, some studies have shown that sugar is MORE addicting than cocaine—a startling fact that Dr. Oz recently discussed on his show.

And in today’s world with super-addicting food everywhere, our dopamine factories light up like Christmas trees, our brains get hijacked and we become utterly helpless to resist that mouth-watering bowl of buttery pasta that’s calling our name!

Have You Been Attacked by a Dopamine Bomb?

Addiction specialists refer to things that create these “dopamine bombs” as “super-stimuli”.

Think drugs, alcohol, skydiving, the internet, porn and sugar. These are literally super-sized versions of everyday experiences. They flood your brain with feel-good dopamine.

Do them often enough and eventually you become desensitized to anything that doesn’t produce the same massive dopamine rush.

This re-programs your brain in a very bad way, leaving you wanting – in fact, needing – more and more of these dopamine-spiking substances to get the same effect.

Translation: your cravings for refined carbs, for sugar and all of the other things that make you sick and fat go through the roof and become almost impossible to resist!

And here’s the catch – for or nearly everyone, repeated exposure disables the behavior control switch that says “enough!”

That means that even if you don’t consider yourself an “addict” with an addictive personality, you can and will still suffer the consequences of being attacked by dopamine bombs, whether from drugs, alcohol and most importantly, food.

Can You Really Be Addicted to Food?

The same impulse control switch that drives some people to cocaine addiction also works to make you obsess over rewarding foods.

IMPORTANT: Don’t think for a second that this doesn’t apply to you because you are not an “addict”. This applies to every single one of you without you even knowing it!

And that’s why so many people can’t figure out why they can’t keep the weight off for good.

The more delicious and pleasurable a food, the more attention you give it. The more attention you give it, the more passionately you seek it out.

Unfortunately, these rewarding foods are exactly the ones that spike your blood sugar, cause your insulin to soar, and ultimately flip off your fat-burning hormonal switch.

That's when you become sick and fat.

Dopamine fuels your drive to go out and get Haagen-Dazs or a Cinnabon and it’s responsible for making you feel like nothing else will satisfy you.

That's one powerful brain chemical...

Pair that delicious, palatable food with a powerful emotional stimuli—say, that wonderful memory of eating your grandmother’s apple pie—and those powerful associations release so much dopamine that your reward circuits become hijacked.

Willpower doesn’t have a chance.

End of article.
Note from Val: Following IP is the antidote! I wish that I had known how powerful the carb addiction would be when I didn't phase off IP properly, though!

Pounds lost: 63.0

0 34.95 69.9 104.85

139.8

Posts: 148
7/20/12 4:19 P

Hi, all:
Welcome to all the newbies (how exciting!) and thanks to my forum buddies Gail, Kelly and Nan who have all reached out to me. It's great to read through the posts and see how far everyone's come! I remember when some of you "super losers" were newbies yourselves and now you're way down the weight loss trail. Good for you!

I've had a challenging month and have learned a great deal about what not to do when on IP but I can't say it's all been for nothing. I've learned a good deal about my dysfunctional reactions to situations that have caused me to sabotage my weight loss. So, I've put on some weight, not having thought ahead to phase off the protocol, and I don't recommend this at all! I've put on about 5-8 lbs. (I've put on and lost the same 5 lbs. about 4 times now!) and now have a UTI infection, probably due to eating refined carbs.

But the good news is that I'm back on the IP protocol 100%. I didn't actually ditch IP--I just opened the door to cheating and the hunger for carbs got out of control. Just when I thought that it was just me, I got a newsletter from Dr. Amen that addressed this issue. I can't find an online copy so I'm going to cut and paste it into another post. It may help some of you realize that there is a reason for our extreme carb hunger when we go off IP, which is why we should avoid little cheats here and there. It's much better to phase off, as Nan and Kelly did, before the huge challenge that we're facing hits. I wish that I had foreseen this past month but, seeing as I didn't, I am still so grateful that I can just get back on the "train" again and go on (I blew up the tracks--great visual!). I am still down a whole bunch of weight and feeling much better than I would be if I hadn't started IP. I also know that IP works for me when I follow it properly and, even following it less than perfectly, I prevented a much worse weight gain.

I've been back on IP 100% for the past 4 days and am now starting to feel the carb addiction ease. It really is true that, if you stay away from sugar and refined carbs completely, the trigger to overindulge diminishes. But, if you blow up the tracks, don't be too hard on yourself! Just get back on and continue the journey...I intend to!

Edited by: VALDRAKE at: 7/20/2012 (16:21)

Pounds lost: 63.0

0 34.95 69.9 104.85

139.8

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7/20/12 1:00 P

3.5 lbs is great! I would take it...I only lost 1.5 lbs
Just remember, every loss is a loss!

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7/20/12 12:28 P

Congratulations to all the great losses this week!

I lost a modest 3.5 lbs. my first week. Kind of disappointed, but a loss is a loss :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

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7/20/12 10:38 A

Boochky - I highly recommend the book Suddenly Skinny. I read this 7 weeks ago (it's a quick read) and I'm rereading it now. This is a woman who lost 100+ pounds on Medifast and talks all about the changes in your life as you lose weight. She's talks at length about loose skin. www.amazon.com/Suddenly-Skinny-Survival-Co
mplete-ebook/dp/B005MDCS5U

Within that book, as well as what I've read, skin might take up to 2 years after loss to tighten up. Yes, you may never get back to where you were. Perhaps you need to take a little time and mourn that. But please do not get discouraged....being at a healthy weight with flabby skin beats overweight/obese and a short life, but skin that fits.

Hang in there! This whole process is life-changing, and there will be emotions.

current weight: 188.9

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7/19/12 5:29 P

Well, this was a weird week. I got food poisoning Saturday after eating my lean protein dinner out. So, for two days after I pretty much only ate sugar free jello. Yesterday I was feeling dehydrated so I drank a Vitamin Water which I *thought* was Vitamin Water Zero, but it was the full sugar version. Argh. 30 carbs. I didn't eat too much else yesterday, so I am hoping I will stay in ketosis. I guess it was worth it to feel better and restore my electrolytes, even if it sets me back a little.

I'm getting sad because I have only lost 50 of the pounds I want to lose and already I am getting loose skin on my belly and upper arms. I'm so sad to know that even when I lose the weight, I won't have the body I want or used to have. I always thought if I lost the weight, I would get back to where I wanted to be. I never realized I had ruined my body for good and it is bumming me out.

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7/19/12 4:07 P

That's amazing!!! Great job.

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7/19/12 2:51 P

Pounds lost: 97.4

0 24.35 48.7 73.05

97.4

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7/19/12 2:25 P

First week down, had my first weigh in last night and although I don't know what my start weight was (don't want to get stuck on a number), I lost 15.6 pounds and 3 inches on week one. Having lost 180 pounds, and run a marathon in the past, (regained due to medical issues), I know what it takes to succeed but never did I think I'd lose that much. Just the motivation I needed to keep me going. Cravings gone by day 5 and only find myself hungry mid-morning so that is when I have my snack. I'm so glad I found Ideal Protein. Now I'm excited at the thought of being able to run again.

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7/18/12 1:57 P

This is off the IP corporate video(s) that my coach distributes everyday through his Rockford, IL practice:

Using a little sugar-free gum is OK if it’s sweetened with xylitol or erythritol. Ideal Protein gives a thumbs-up to SPRY gum. Avoid gum sweetened with aspartame.

JMU

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7/18/12 10:57 A

If you are looking for a fresh breath solution, there are "Altoid Smalls" Indgredients: Sorbitol, corn starch, wheat maltodextrin, natural and artificial flavors, acacia, magnesium sterate, sucrulose. 0 Sugars, 0 Carb, 0 Fat, 0.5 Cal. My coach said 1 is okay. I wouldn't make a habit of using them. But, I keep them in my car for emergencies...like lots of red onion on my salad and I'm not near a toothbrush :)

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7/17/12 9:44 P

My coach told me I could do up to 2 sticks of gum per day, but cut it in half each time (so 4 tiny pieces throughout the day). I think I normally only do 1 or 2. Today was a "1" day. Oh, and this is the sugar-free gum (of course, with xyletol or aspertame though).

Edited by: PURPLEPIECAT at: 7/17/2012 (21:47)

current weight: 188.9

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7/17/12 1:26 P

2BASTRONGMOM

You might actually be doing everything right. Your weight loss is gated by two main factors:

1) How many calories your body needs, given your current weight, activity level, and age
2) How many calories you consume through the IP meals and your own food

The calorie shortfall results in burning your stored fat. However, you need to burn 3500 calories to lose just one pound of fat.

In my case, the difference between my calorie needs and my intake is 740 calories per day. This means it will take me almost 5 days to lose a pound, while following the protocol to the letter.


Edited by: MONADM1 at: 7/17/2012 (13:27)

current weight: 152.0

210 192.5 175 157.5

140

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7/17/12 1:17 P

I am too new to offer insight Strongmom!

Thanks Funfit!! I looked at it and didnt even notice that! writings way to small on the container. I guess thats why they said moderation.

Thats a great link below. I book marked that one!

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7/17/12 1:08 P

Another low weight loss week. Focusing on the fact that I still lost, but I wonder if i am doing something wrong that is keeping the loss so slow. ???

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7/17/12 12:46 P

FUNFIT:

You rock, chick! Thanks for the awesome information and purity of protocol!!!

I did think about munching on a clove for breathe issues.

Wanted to share this AWESOME site recommended by one of my clinic coaches: http://calorielab.com/index.html

It shows how a vegetable's carb count changes from a raw to cooked state. E.g. 1 cup of asparagus raw has 5.2 carbs; cooked, it has 3.7! But cabbage carbs increase when cooked - my guess would be cooking it brings out the natural sugars.

Be strong - JMU (That was for me, I keep telling myself to be strong.)

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7/17/12 12:27 P

Alcohol...isn't part of the protocol. It has less to do with the nutritional value of alcohol and more to do with the fact that when your body has to metabolize the alcohol, it stops metabolizing the fat and may even knock you out of ketosis.

According to the web link for the gum, it contains 1 gram of carb for 1 piece.

Edited by: FUNFIT53 at: 7/17/2012 (12:30)

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0 24.35 48.7 73.05

97.4

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7/17/12 12:20 P

I just pulled it out of my purse...its Nature's Sweet Life cinnamon gum with xylitol. No sugar no carbs. I found it on google....
http://www.naturessunshine.ca/ca/products/catalog/product/default.aspx?stocknum=5405

The clinic offers it to combat what they call "mud mouth". I didnt have to buy it, but I love candy lol, so I bought this and the lemon drops they sold. They are pretty tasty actually.

Is there any liquor that is carb and fat and sugar free.....my research shows gin!

I do intend to go through all the stickied forums so I will keep my questions to a minimum until i do so!

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7/17/12 11:11 A

Even the gum who sells? IP doesn't have a gum. If your clinic is selling you a gum, then it must be a brand they believe is OK to use (aspartame is usually what they want you to watch out for). I, personally, haven't found a gum that doesn't have aspartame in it so I don't chew gum.

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7/17/12 10:49 A

@Nan...even the gum they sell? will that take me out of ketosis....(although i am probably barely in it lol)

@strong mom.....thats a great motivator!!

Anyone know why we have limited calcium?

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7/17/12 10:25 A

@buxom
My head trick to get past a craving is to say to myself, "is that piece of food worth $36", because that's how much IP food I'll be eating just to get myself back into ketosis. It's worked so far. That and my kids, who are the best motivators. They are learning to make their own food and to clean up after themselves when snacking so "Mommy doesn't have to see/touch the food she can't eat"

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7/17/12 9:39 A

Yup, bad breath can happen. Here is an explanation for it:

Halitosis is a good sign! Bad breath occurs when the body is in ketosis and producing ketonic bodies. This symptom means that the body has exhausted its carbohydrates supply and is burning its fat reserves to produce energy. DO NOT START CHEWING GUM! Even sugarless gum has carbohydrate and can ruin your ketosis. Use Binaca Breath spray or chew raw cloves.

You can find this excerpt and other information at
www.ihpweightloss.com/ideal_protein_diet.h
tml
located under the "How Your Body may Initially Respond" button.

Another thing to try for the bad breath is the Listerine strips I found at Wal-mart. The bad breath usually goes away as your body gets acclimated to using fat for energy so I wouldn't get too concerned about it.

Have a great day everyone!

Pounds lost: 97.4

0 24.35 48.7 73.05

97.4

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7/17/12 8:35 A

JMUGOAL160. Bad breath? I asked my DH to tell me if it happened. He's not said anything so after 2.5 weeks, no bad breath. Not sure what brings it on.

Pounds lost: 28.2

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7/16/12 11:23 P

Alex1414:

Yes, I use the IP enzymes. (Day 4). The brand is "Natura." I take two at lunch and two with dinner. My past knowledge of enzymes tells me to take them 30 minutes before a meal - I'll ask my coach if doing this makes a difference. The enzymes are part of a 20 pill/capsule daily supplement protocol. Coach also added an extra (to make four) Omega IIIs and two Black Current Oil pills.

I've developed this visual metaphor to stay on the program: I see train tracks...with a train moving along...if I break protocol whatsoever...it's like blowing up the train tracks and derailing my train. Days 1, 2, and 3 were tough enough that I wish to not repeat them. That's what worked for me today, anyway.

No headache today - at all. No "true" food cravings. But I can tell you that I'm going to get a lot more projects down because I won't be watching much TV. Too many food/restaurant commercials. Yesh!

Tomorrow evening is the monthly support group/seminar at my clinic. I'm hoping to meet some compatible locals on the program. It would be great to split and share food boxes with folks.

Kimmysue - Wow. 61.5 pounds. That's awesome - when did you start?

My daily coaching video talked about the potential of bad breathe today. Yikes...do any of you veterans have any tips? Is this a reality?

JMU

Pounds lost: 31.5

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Posts: 18
7/16/12 10:56 P

Buxom_Blossom- I have found that after the first week all the cravings go away. I always loved sweets and fried foods, but now my hunger and cravings are gone. Stay with it and just remember having a cheat is not worth the 3 or 4 days it takes to get back into ketosis.

Posts: 3
7/16/12 9:25 P

@JMUGOAL160

I had a headache at work this afternoon and it was making me cranky so I did try some salt in warm water and is worked instantly. That's a fantastic tip.

Today was tough. I started out really well and was feeling good then went to my parent's place for a family BBQ and nibbled on a few off limits things. I feel sick to my stomach from the sugar.

I know the hardest part for me will be to not even have a little tate of anything not on the protocol. In my head I think what's the harm of a bite of this or a bite of that, but the truth is it does matter.

Anyone have any tricks to get over the head hunger and stick to the program?

I'm in Canada. Smack-dab in the middle of the country in Saskatchewan.

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7/16/12 8:37 P

Thanks I am excited to be here. I would be more excited if i could navigate all these pages lol!

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7/16/12 7:56 P

Welcome to the group Shardianne!!!

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160

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7/16/12 7:35 P

Today was my fourth week weigh in I am down another 2.8 pounds for a total 14 pounds. This weekend was tough a wedding and 2 birthday parties but I made it through and I want to thank all of you who post on this page your encouragement really helps.

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7/16/12 6:46 P

I am on day three! Oddly, i have had no bloating....maybe its coming still.

I am prone to migraines and will try the salt trick, thanks! I look forward to learning and hearing about everyones' journey.

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7/16/12 1:02 P

Alex - I didn't start using enzymes until week 4, just because. No reason. If the bloating worked for someone, and you can afford the enzymes, then go for it.

Your body changes a lot on this protocol, so don't be worried about the bloating. If it's extremely uncomfortable, I would talk to your coach. Make sure to get in all of your water too.

current weight: 188.9

205 193.75 182.5 171.25

160

Posts: 180
7/16/12 12:29 P

JMUGOAL160, try mixing the strawberry pudding, pour into bowl and putting into freezer for 30 min or so. Gets more of a sorbet texture and and tastes better I think.
Looking foward to trying tomato soup!

Also for salt just add a pinch in your regular glass of water throughout the day. After a few glasses, it hardly tastes salty and will get rid of headaches and other cramps.

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7/16/12 11:27 A

Starting day 4 and feeling very bloated. I attribute a lot of feeling this way to switching from HMR to IP. It is hard to feel feel full or bloated when on 5 shakes a day. Hoping this subsides. Read on 3 Fat Chicks that someone had success getting rid of the bloating using IP enzymes. Does anyone use these?

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7/16/12 11:13 A

Blossom - the salt trick is:

Mix 1/4 tea spoon of the real sea salt with 1/4 (or 1/2 cup) of water. It helps if the water is warmer - dissolve the salt and DOWN it. It's kinda nasty - but I wanted to get rid of the headache. I did it again last night (Day 3). Let me know how it goes if you try it.

It looks like you and I will be taking the same path - similar weight loss goal at similar stage in the program. I'll be looking for your posts! In what part of the country are you? I'm west of Chicago.

All:
Tried the tomato basil soup yesterday with added spinach and scallions. That's a keeper. Did the strawberry pudding for snack....hmmm...not so much. Only ate half and then split a bar in two to satisfy my sugar urge. Worked beautifully!!

Good morning to Day 4 - happy to get week 1 under my belt and then I'll just count weeks...and pounds dumped! ;-)

Have a great day, all-

JMU



Edited by: JMUGOAL160 at: 7/16/2012 (22:58)

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7/16/12 6:07 A

Momadm1 -

Wow! That is a sophisticated breakdown! But extremely thorough. I know that my weight loss was slower than the projected results for IP, and certainly slower than many other members. But it was still alot faster than anything I have ever done, and people who are asking me about it now are amazed that it was so quick. I think our starts and our destinations were about the same.

Regarding water weight and water retention, I still found that water is my friend. My step-coach told me that the more water in my body was helping the muscle percentage. Now I can tell immediately when I haven't had enough. And as Wuv2bloved said, the results are not always just the numbers on the scale - sometimes it seems that the body needs to catch up to what is on the scale, or the scale needs to catch up to the shifting in the body. Its really about being comfortable in your own skin and knowing that you are in a sustainable place.

I am guilty of stepping on the scale every day now (just once) but it is because I don't completely believe and trust that I am in maintenance and have maintained within a pound or two where I want to be. Eventually, I hope to trust that this is my new reality.

Enjoy the ride!

Posts: 501
7/16/12 1:00 A

IZZY,

I can't help but track my weight twice a day, and not just on one scale, but on two different ones ! I measure weight, percentage of body fat, visceral fat, muscle, and water, as well as my basal metabolic rate, and my BMI. Then I create spreadsheets and graphs from all that....

You may have guessed it: I am a project manager, and can't live without schedules, budgets, or graphs....

Having this much data - both for myself and my husband - does provide a few insights:

There is often a 2-3 pound difference between our morning and our evening weight. So, we are not surprised when our official weekly afternoon weigh-ins don't show the same numbers as the home scale.

There are fluctuations from day to day in the amount of water we may be retaining, for a variety of reasons. Therefore, looking just at the weight without considering the fat percentage may be misleading. Eventually, that extra water will come off again.

It seems like the body is trying to do its best to maintain a certain weight, even if that means retaining water, which will eventually be released again. Our weight-loss curve is never smooth. It's always up-and-down, but the overall trend is downwards.

My husband has taken up very long walks, early in the morning. As a result, he has put on 4 pounds of muscle, in the last month. His fat loss is actually 4 pounds better than his weight loss would indicate.

Over the last 37 days, I have lost 14.5 pounds, which comes to 0.4 pounds per day. Of those, 11 pounds were fat (0.3 pounds per day).

This seems actually pretty good, since my basal metabolism is only about 1600 calories per day, plus another 200 for my sedentary lifestyle. The IP diet provides about 1060 calories per day. On paper, I can therefore only burn 740 calories of body fat.

Since each pound of fat is the equivalent of 3500 calories, it should take me 4.7 days to lose just one pound, without adding any exercise. So, it looks like losing 0.3 pounds of fat per day, or 2.1 pounds per week, is actually better than I should expect.

For people who are younger, or heavier, or more active than I am, their daily calorie requirement would be higher, and therefore they could see more daily weight loss than mine. This also means that each person's weight loss will slow down, over time, since the lower weight will result in a decreased daily calorie requirement.

It looks like the weight will come off, if we just stick to the diet.


Edited by: MONADM1 at: 7/16/2012 (01:00)

current weight: 152.0

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140

Posts: 3
7/15/12 10:24 P

I'm on day two and am feeling pretty good. I'm a little hungry after supper (chicken and veggie stir fry) but am thinking that some hot tea will take the edge off.

I had an IP omelette with extra veggies for breakfast, then for lunch salad, an IP chocolate shake and two eggs and the southwest cheese curls for an afternoon snack.

My coach recommends eating as many eggs as you need for the first week, until the blood sugars are stabilized. Did anyone else do that?

I feel better already, like the bloat is gone.

You mentioned the salt trick and am curious what that is?

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7/15/12 3:08 P

Dear Wuv2bloved!

I just watched your YouTube current week video. I LOVE the purple/pink top. You look fabulous in it. Thanks for letting me know that the salt trick is one to keep in mind throughout the entire weight loss process. You must be so happy - that's what I'm longing for - to be happy in my own skin again. And to wear the thousands of dollars worth of clothes hanging in my closet.

I feel GREAT today (Day 3). Herb and Cheese Omelette w/mushrooms and spinach this morning with a "real" sunny side up egg on top - I'm not sure why I did that - I guess I feel like I'm eating "moon food," and needed to see a real egg.

I tried the Dill Pickle snack last night - just thought I'd eat it to get the third IP protein requirement in me - couldn't believe how good there were. I'm going to sprinkle a few into a chicken/cabbage lettuce wrap and pretend it's a taco salad.

Easier today than I thought - yeah!

God bless!

JMU

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7/15/12 12:07 P

The scale can be an evil thing to get on everyday. Judge your losses by the way you are feeling and the way your clothes are fitting. Sometimes we lose inches and no weight, don't get on the scale more than on your official weigh in day. This way when you do get on the scale you will be surprised and not stress about it all week long. Stressing will cause you to gain as well so its best not to stress. The program works....TRUST me.....I have been on it for 63 weeks now with 170lb loss. Follow the program and you will be amazed at the results

current weight: 222.0

388 341 294 247

200

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7/15/12 11:31 A

IZZY ~ If weighing each day is causing you to second guess the diet, then you probably should not weigh each day. I am always 3 pounds heavier at my official weigh-in than I am at home first thing in the morning. There are lots of reasons you don't weigh the same on your scale first thing in the morning versus the official weigh-in at your clinic. What you have had to eat, all the water you should be consuming (water weighs a lot!), hormones, stress, scale differences, clothing, etc.

It might work better for you to only weigh-in at your clinic once a week and then you would be very, very pleased with the amount of weight you have lost. After all, you have lost an average of 2.75 pounds per week...which is a very good amount per week! 11 pounds in a month is nothing to sneeze at! And this is weight you will probably never see again.

Atkins is a very viable alternative as long as you are willing to do all the tracking yourself. But the IP system has already been figured out for you and all you have to do is follow the protocol until you reach your goal weight. Simple & satisfying...that's the diet for me!

Good luck!



Edited by: FUNFIT53 at: 7/15/2012 (11:32)

Pounds lost: 97.4

0 24.35 48.7 73.05

97.4

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7/15/12 11:20 A

This was posted by IZZYBUGS on last week's thread and I thought it was important enough to copy here:

Thanks to all who take their precious time to write on this board. The encouragement has been so HUGE for me! I don't respond sometimes but I do read it. I have been frustrated this past week. I weight each morning when I wake up... I hit 179 for the first time in a very long time a few days ago..but by the time I went in for my weigh in.. the scales there showed I had only lost 1.5 pounds in a week :( geeesh that's so frustrating. I don't know what happened between that morning. Total weight loss to date after a month of being on the program is 11 pounds. I'm a little disappointed but I'm trying to stay positive. I've spent a lot of $$ and have not cheated at all. But, according to my scale at home I've lost 15 pounds...so I'm not sure what's going on there. I'm trying not to get discouraged. I keep thinking about hopping off the IP train & just doing straight up Atkins. I lost about 40 pounds with that a long time ago, but problem is keeping it off. I went to IP because of the maintenance part of the program. I truly don't think I could maintain Atkins over a long period of time. Somebody who knows more about IP PLEASE tell me more about the positives of IP vs. Atkins... lol I need some reinforcement. Thanks so much! God bless you all! C




Edited by: FUNFIT53 at: 7/15/2012 (11:33)

Pounds lost: 97.4

0 24.35 48.7 73.05

97.4

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7/15/12 11:19 A

LORMINE ~ Thanks!

Pounds lost: 97.4

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97.4

Posts: 180
7/15/12 10:39 A

FUNFIT53, thanks for keeping this going. Definitely miss you when you were unable to post. Hope all is getting better. Everyday I learn more by reading your posts and encouragement!

Pounds lost: 28.2

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7/15/12 10:34 A

Hello and welcome to the discussion thread for the Ideal Protein Diet Sparkers Team!

Be sure to go back and read Weekly Discussion #16 to make sure you don't miss anything!

Let's get to know each other and help each other as we use the Ideal Protein Diet to lose the excess weight we are carrying around...sometimes for years. If you have a question, this is the place to post it. If you have hints that will help others, this is the place to post it. If you are struggling with sticking to the protocol, this is the place to ask for help. Let's discuss how we are doing with our weight-loss because it's always encouraging to hear other people's stories!

Be sure to click on the "Track this goal" for the goals at the bottom of our front page. I think they will help you to be mindful of some of the things we need to be doing. PLUS you receive points for completing each goal!!!

Pounds lost: 97.4

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