ITG Diet Blog

When it comes to getting healthy and losing weight, it’s safe to say that many of us are looking for the quickest route to get there. These days, it’s all about fast results. However, that weight wasn’t put on in a day. Using a quick fix such as medication sounds appealing, but is it healthy? It took time for us to gain weight, so losing it in a healthy way should probably take some time as well. New drugs, designed for diabetes, are being used off-label for weight loss to get that quick fix that so many people are looking for. Will we ever learn? Is there really a quick fix for weight loss?

It's that time of year: Summer is coming to an end, last minute vacations will be wrapping up, and the kids will be going back to school over the next few weeks. What better time than now to begin focusing on yourself, your health, and your weight loss goals? Start your preparations and planning and be ready for the upcoming holidays!

Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of the summer season! It's been a long, cold winter and we all deserve a lot of warmth and sunshine this year. Throwing a backyard barbecue or cookout yourself means you're in control of the food situation and can have everything you need to stay successful all around you. 

But what if you're going to be visiting someone else's party this weekend?

French fries are an American staple… they go great with hamburgers, smothered in chili and cheese, or dipped in zesty ketchup. Fried foods in general are delicious, there’s no denying that. However, is there a link between eating these golden fried foods and your mood?

You’ve been doing great on the program, sticking to the guidelines, watching what you eat, not cheating, and losing pounds every week. Then, that day inevitably arrives: you’re invited to dinner at a friend’s house; a surprise guests brings over wine and snacks; you decide that you can take a day or two off to enjoy some fun foods and beverages. Then… the next day, you feel puffy, bloated, tired, and fatigued. You check your weight on the scale. It has spiked dramatically!

Have you noticed that when you eat or drink off-program foods, your weight tends to immediately increase? It may be one or two pounds but could add up to even more! What is going on inside your body, and why does this happen so quickly?

Being overweight or obese in the United States has grown to critical levels over the past few decades. Throughout 1970-1980, foods with added sugars surged in popularity. The obesity rate in the United States in the 1970s was 15%. Today, in 2023, it is more than 42% of the adult population. Sugar intake increased in children back then, and our addiction has continued to spiral out of control. Recently, prescription drugs meant for diabetics have come into focus as celebrities and many doctors have promoted the benefits of using them to reach weight loss goals more quickly. However, off-label use of these drugs could spell a recipe for disaster, especially since their long-term effects are currently unknown.

Are you ready for some football? If so, you need to prepare and be ready for some healthy recipes to help you survive the big game! ITG has many recipes that you can view and print for free to help you stay compliant, whether you are on Step 1, Step 2, or you are looking for healthy recipes to maintain your goal weight in Step 3 of the ITG Diet Plan.

If you're a savory, crunchy, salty snack lover, we've got some great news for you! ITG has just added BBQ Curls. They've got a sweet and tangy barbecue flavor with lots of crunch. Plus, they're just 3 carbs and 110 calories per serving!

Enjoy them on their own as a snack, or chop up your lettuce, slice your vegetables, make some Creamy Dijon Dressing, and pour those BBQ Curls right on top for a delicious topping that gets you the protein you need at meal time! You can also use a variety of Walden Farms Dressings, available direct from ITG.

Try the new BBQ Curls, or enjoy Cheesy Curls and Sour Creamy Oniony Curls for a little more variety!

When you first get ready to start the ITG Diet Plan, you'll fill out a Health Status Intake Form. On the very first page, there are a few extremely important questions you will answer that can help your Coach prepare you for taking those first steps.

Can you feel the chill in the air? As the cold, snowy days approach, wouldn't a delicious cup of something hot and sweet really hit the spot, warm you up, and make you forget about winter for a minute? If you said "Yes," we definitely agree!

When you visit your local coffee shop for their tasty drink selections, remember that the ingredients aren't listed on the side of the coffee cup - so check online and make sure you aren't derailing your healthy eating routines in any Step of the ITG Diet Plan. Every 4 grams of carbohydrates is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar.

We have seen some very innocent-looking concoctions so full of sugar that they give us a sugar rush just looking at the nutrition facts! Some of the most popular drinks ...

If you have been carrying extra weight for too long, making the decision to get to work on your health and weight loss goal is a big step to take. You must also realize that it is a major commitment, changing how you think about the foods you eat for life.

Getting started on this goal in the midst of holiday season might seem like a recipe for disaster. FOMO kicks in when you think of all the holiday dishes that you WON’T be eating. However, it’s better to get your mindset right and your program started before the holidays arrive rather than waiting until the New Year.

The holidays seem to arrive more and more quickly each year! If you are currently on the ITG Diet Plan and are wondering how you will survive this year’s feast, look no further! Each of the recipes included below is a delicious alternative that you can enjoy while on all stages of the ITG Diet Plan. Let us know which are your favorites - and who knows, you may even fool some of your family and friends into enjoying some healthy side dishes with you!

When you're working toward your health and fitness goals, it can be tough to stay accountable and on track. Whether you're working with a coach, trainer, a friend, or a family member, there are still many ways that you can continue holding yourself accountable when no one else is around.

Gaining weight can be a cause for stress, such as when you can’t fit into clothes or find it difficult to partake in activities you did with ease before. Beginning to gain weight can cause a cycle of putting on more pounds over time, which in turn causes more stress. You can’t simply eliminate all sources of stress in life, but you can learn ways to keep it from controlling your thoughts and eating behaviors.

These days, there are a lot of things that worry us – the economy, global crises, the effects of the pandemic, inflation – the list goes on. That worry and stress tends to show up in the form of extra pounds on the scale. Why is this?

Bring a taste of the fall season to your day by adding Pumpkin Spice! Get creative with your coffees and protein drinks by adding a dash of flavor. You can also use cinnamon, nutmeg, and other seasonings for delicious beverages without all the sugar.

We checked out the menus of some of the most popular coffee chains in the US. If you want one of their pumpkin flavored specialty drinks, be prepared to get a massive dose of sugar in your system!

Nearly everyone experiences constipation at some point in life. Constipation is a symptom that can be caused by many factors and is defined as having a bowel movement 3 or less times in a week. Poor diet, dehydration, or a lack of exercise are very common culprits. Women typically experience constipation more often than men, especially on a ketogenic diet. This is due to hormones and how the digestive system slightly differs between the sexes. What can you do if you are experiencing constipation?

We eat when we're happy. We eat when we're stressed, sad, bored, or lonely, We often eat more than our body actually needs.

In the past few decades, our food tastes and habits have been changing. We used to eat due to hunger and for our energy needs. These days, we eat for pleasurable experiences, and those foods are densely packed with sugar, salt, and fat. Plus, everything is readily available any time of day or night at stores and drive-thrus.

Summer Frustrations are quickly approaching…

Remember a few weeks ago you made the decision to get in shape for this Summer?  Maybe you made some New Year’s resolutions?  Maybe you committed to a certain date that you wanted to be a certain shape?

How’s that working out for you?

Have you stuck to your plan and lost some weight?

Did you start the diet and give up?

Or are you partially doing the plan and doing the diet “your own way?”

If you’re in the majority and are doing the ITG Diet plan successfully and losing the weight you want, then kudos to you!  You’ll be the one everyone will be asking for your secret.  You’ll be the one with the new wardrobe.  You’ll be the one with that renewed twinkle in your eye and spring in your step.

Over the years and from an early age, we've all been taught how bad it is to eat fat. From low fat foods, to reduced fat foods, to low fat lifestyles, avoiding fat has been engrained in our thinking: that eating fat will cause us to gain fat. While too much of any nutrient can very easily be converted and stored as fat in the body, fat is still an essential part of our diet. What types of fat are healthy, which should we eat in moderation, and what types should we avoid? 

Selenium is a trace mineral that is found in small amounts in nuts, meats, and some vegetables. Trace minerals such as selenium are needed for many of the body's processes, including proper muscle development, cell maintenance, immune system responses, and thyroid hormone metabolism.