Here I go again! Back on Phase 1

Well - again! I have started phase 1.  Today is day 4.  As always, it is going fine.  I am up around 20 - 23 lbs.  Gained by drinking toooo much beer, and eating all the wrong foods.- day after day - week after week!

The last time we started back on Phase 1 - I only lasted from Jan thru to early Feb -- because I have this job now that means I have to travel more, I used that as an excuse to "cheat" because I am eating in restaurants.  Plus - last time - it seemed like the weight was not really coming off (I only lost 12 lbs) - I think I was "pushing the envelope" too often and too much.  this time - I am going to try and stay committed until my birthday (June 20).  I will take a day off then -- and then try to keep on track until hubby's birthday (July 18).  Then maybe we will be able to go into maintenance at that time...

What is so frustrating about it is that I KNOW it is possible to maintain.  I did so - for an entire year.  I followed the guidelines for maintenance - and I stayed the same weight.  When I deviate from those guideline - I slip back into my old habits.

I am down a few lbs already, and am feeling good!

Recipe idea -- if you have an Actifry - it works really well for making turnip fries.
Cut turnips (or if you are in Canada - they are called parsnips) into fry shapes.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil and spices.
cook for 25 minutes (first batch - the second batch usually takes less time because the Actifry is already warmed up).

Eat with low carb Heinz ketchup.
-we order our ketchup on line at http://www.thelowcarbgrocery.com/

by the way -- maintenance is EASY.
Rules are:
For breakfast eat protein, carb, fat, dairy and fruit.
Lunch and dinner -- whatever you like - BUT be sure that you do NOT eat a carb and a fat together in the same meal.
One day a week - cheat day - have whatever you like.
the day following a cheat day -- NO CARBS - all day.

That's it - easy peasy.

So - I  need to make sure that both hubby and I are committed to staying the course after we take of these extra lbs we have put on.
The problem seems to be -- there are SOOOO many things to celebrate! 
If the sun is shining - we should have a beer!
If we get company - we should have a "good dinner"!
If we are in a mood - we should have a cocktail!
if we
if we
(you get the idea) -- every day is a celebration of life!  AND we have always celebrated and rewarded ourselves with FOOD and DRINK!

Its a new day!
I hope to check in more often - I have FOLLOWERS!  (Still think that is very cool!)
Thank-you all -- and good luck on your weight loss journeys.
kmac

Day 16 on Phase 1 of Ideal Protein

Day 16 -- I am down 12 lbs!  Happy Happy Happy!
Couple of things that I had forgotten from the first time on phase 1:
1.  I don't seem to need much sleep - I am not tired..
2.  I enjoy tea in the evenings!
3.  I have more energy when I eat like this, than I did when I was "off the wagon".
4.  I love that emotion of PRIDE when I wake up in the morning and say to myself, "what a good girl I have been!" -- Beats the heck outta waking up and saying, "Don't be such a bad girl today!"

Tried a new recipe!
Take brocolli -- coat with a bit of olive oil and spices - roast in a single layer in a 375 oven for 20 minutes -- it is AWESOME!  We like it way better than steamed brocolli.

Why did I let myself get this far above my self imposed "maximum"?  I am not nearly as heavy as I was the first time I went on this journey, but STILL -- what was I thinking!  I know better.  Hubby and I have promised ourselves that once we take off this summer weight we WILL go onto the maintenance program as suggested by our IP coaches.  I know that works, I did it for a long time with great success!  sheesh!

Just need to get exercising on a more regular basis and the weight will continue to go away.

Hope you are all having great success on your IP plans - this system works!
kmac

Followers! Maintenance! Summer is coming!

I have a couple of new followers!  How great is that!  Thanks for signing up.  I really am impressed with the number of page views my blog gets, but to see "followers" - just makes my day.... I feel sort of "famous". 

Please feel free to comment and share your experiences - or if you have questions, maybe I can try and answer.

I really don't have anything exciting to report....
I have taken off my Christmas weight - whew!  I do NOT want to face that big loss again!

Other than that -- just plugging along.   I am looking forward to summer!
Thinking about getting a BowFlex - do some muscle buidling before bathing suit season.  (although, I feel pretty good right now - more muscle will make it easier to maintain.).

kmac

One of my favorite recipes (we are going to keep buying the puffs, we love it so much) is:
6 chicken thighs,
Use Bullet and grind up one package of puffs..
Use like shake and bake...coat the chicken
Bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes on a pan that lets the fat drain away (I have a pizza pan where the top part has holes in it, and the bottom is like a deep dish pizza pan - it works really well!).

I will try to post more IP friendly Recipe's that we used.

Maintenance!

Christmas has come and gone..........I ate and drank my way through the holiday.  Started at the top end of my "limit" that I had set for myself - and then gained 8 lbs!  No biggie - back on phase 1.  It has been 2 weeks today, and I am down the 8 I gained.  I just need to take off a few more, to get some "cushion".  My hubby transitioned just before Christmas.  (24th was his first day on maintenance).  He gained a bit over the holidays as well - and has spent the last 2 weeks on phase 1 as well.  As of this AM he is 1 lb over when he transitioned to maintenance.  AWESOME! 

the Moving Goal Post....

November 20th, 2012.
I am maintaining now, alll is well.  I have no reason to think that I will not be able to keep this weight off.

My husband is still going strong.  It has been 14 months now.  He has lost a total of 218 lbs!  Wow Wow Wow.  When he first started :  his goal was 88lbs higher than he is right now..  As he reached that, he lowered the goal by 20, then 30, then 50, etc. pounds.  I think after all the times of trying to take off weight and failing, he just didn't believe that he would EVER be THIS light.  Today - the moving goal post is only 2 lbs away!  I THINK this will be it - and then he will transition to phase 2.  I couldn't be more pleased for him!

Ok -- lunch is over...back to work.

That was EASY!

I started back on Phase 1 on the 10th - today is the 22nd and when I weighed this AM I was UNDER (by .4lb) where I was when I started maintenance in May.
It is JUST as easy the second time- so there is no excuse for letting that 6 lbs become 10, become 20 etc...

Now that I have taken off that 6lbs, I need to decide if I want to carry on for a while on Phase 1 and see if I can take off an additional 10 to 15, or if I should join my husband when he transitions to Phase 2.  Yep -- he weighed the other day - and was 1 lb from goal!  By Thursday when he meets with Carrie at Ignite Health and Wellness, he WILL be at goal.  Actually - he will be 30lbs PAST his initial goal, and 5 lbs past his second goal.  He is slimmer now than when we got married (back in 1990!).  His inches lost is something like 130" !! wow!  I know they often say that your inches equals your lbs lost, but because a good amount of my husbands extra weight was surrounding his internal organs (heart, lungs etc), we are unable to measure those inches.  I couldn't be more proud of my ol' man!

If I can take off 10 more lbs, I will be at the weight I was when we got married....hmmm - something to think about!

I have a number of coworkers who are on the program, they are doing incredible as well!  I think this really is a new diet revolution!

Good luck on your weight loss journey - it CAN be done!. 

Back on the PHASE 1

As of yesterday I am back on Phase 1.  I had gained that 6lbs while on vacation this year and the weeks in between my vacations, and then my hubby was out of town for 1 week, then another 3 weeks, so I deviated off the  maintenance lifestyle.   I ate and drank and ate and drank - and didn't follow the guidelines at all. I am NOT surprised that I gained this.  It DID take me 4 or 5 months to put it on.  The first while (3 months or so) on maintenance I was really good, I didn't find it difficult to follow the "rules" - and I deviated some, and still was able to maintain.  Just the summer that did me in.  Really - if I have to go on Phase 1 for a few weeks after a great summer -- really not a big deal.  Easy Peasy!

Thought I should nip this 6lbs (and the 2 more that seem to come and go) in the bud!.

I lost .4 of a lb yesterday, so I am on my way.
I MIGHT even decide to take off a further 10 or 15 0 depending on how I am feeling and how it is going etc. etc.
I actually forgot to have my 3rd protein pack yesterday - I remembered after supper...so I had heated up the chocoate drink (just a minute - at 30 sec intervals) and had hot chocoate.  Was nummy!  This is JUST as easy the 2nd time around as it was the first time, but I think I am more excited than I was before.  I KNOW the weight is going to roll off...

My hubby is 3 lbs away from his goal!  He has lost 203 lbs!  WOW!  he is 1/2 the man he use to be! 

THANKS to my new followers!  I now have SIX followers - that thrills me!  It means a lot to me that I have some people who really ARE interested in this journey we have taken.

until next time (I will try to keep you posted in a week).
kmac

Maintenance / Anniversary / New follower!

Today is Sept 17th, 2012 - it was EXACTLY 52 weeks ago that my hubby and I started the IP diet.
So, happy Anniversary to us!  I have been maintaining for approx 4 months now -- so a third of the year.  I am up a tiny bit - (4-6 lbs), but it is due to extended holidaying.  I am back following the guidlines for maintaining.  If I don't take this couple of lbs off in a reasonable amount of time - I WILL pop back on to phase 1 for a bit.  NO WAY am I returning to that weight I was before!
My hubby -- OMG!  I am sooooooo impressed with how he has done / is doing.  He didn't acutally weigh on day 1, but we are fairly confident when we say -- he is down almost 200 LBS!  To have lost 197 lbs over a period of 1 year is just so impressive!  We have been married for 22 years and I have NEVER seen him like this!.  I measured him the other day -- he is down 121" !!  He is thinking that he maybe wants to take off approx. 7 or 8 more lbs - and then he is going to transition onto phases 2, 3 and maintenance.  I am so proud and happy for him - (and me, because he is more active and outgoing).
Over the course of the last year, we have been sharing our successes with family and friends and co-workers.. and 12 other people have signed up because they have been inspired by our success - most of them have done and are doing very well.  I am so pleased to have played a part in someone making this positive change in their lives.  What a great feeling!
Follower!  I have a new follower!   Thank you very much!  I am sorry that these blogs have tapered off and become few and far between.  I will try to do better.....Feel free to post a comment -- that should motivate me to get on here and update.
Take care all !  Good luck on journey's of your own.  IP Rocks!