WHAT THE INTEKAI DIET (ITK WAVE) IS AND HOW IT WORKS
BY: FITZ-GEORGE RATTRAY
I have been asked what the InteKai Diet is (ITK Wave) and how it works. Starting off, as diets are conventionally understood ITK is not a diet. It is a system of eating designed meals at different stages to create various changes.
The ITK Wave sees members losing as much as 4 to 10 pounds in the first week and a controlled average of 1.5 to 4 pounds per week, until they reach their healthy goal. Members make their own food choices within the food type and serving size guides of the ITK assignments. ITK handles the counting and calculations and members handle the learning, adhering, preparing, partaking and benefiting.
The majority of the selections offer as much variety as your imagination can manage, believing wholly in balanced nutrition.
Beginnings
At practically 400 lbs., no one wants to go on a scale at that weight and I didn’t have a scale which could actually measure me. I took close note of the gastric modification surgery. As fate would have it, I had the opportunity to observe the process up close.
After seeing the challenges I came up with what I thought was a brilliant idea, simply eat the same foods. It worked for the first week but in the second week, comparatively I lost next to nothing. It was at this point the realization struck that there is no easy solution.
When a stomach is empty for a certain time or filled there are a set of hormonal secretions which promote feelings of satiation and hunger. More importantly this difference also affects the Basal Metabolic rate (BMR). This was the challenge we had to overcome, which we did, with the ITK Wave equations.
Now we have conquered the effect of human metabolic adaptive reactions, allowing us to preempt and overcome the physiological challenges. Over time our experience taught us there are multiple science-based weight loss techniques which will improve results, which we have and continue to integrate. Eventually we became highly aware that the main issues opposing change was not simply physical, but emotional.
Realising the importance of the emotions was a turning point, the availability of peer groups and coaches have improved the ITK success rate, understanding that it is upon the member to reach out, making the decision to take that step for their own development and change.
Our methods
We calculate and design specific assignments. They are specific to each member for a specific week based on the numbers from the previous week. The assignments are described in the most general terms to allow members to build their choice making skills. Regardless of occasional similarity each week’s assignment and the portions are calculated to help members maintain muscle mass, while utilizing fat stores at a respectable rate. This reduces the tendency to plateau or rebound. Weight Loss driven by the ITK Wave algorithms is designed to minimize the unavoidable plateauing, while promoting and optionally coaching, active lifestyle and exercise while maintaining a path for behavioral change support.
We do not use the following methods
* Prepackaged foods (although incredibly convenient, they create dependency and slows developing new choices and relationships with foods).
* Placeholder foods (low calorie versions of the addictive foods which will simply hold the place for future cravings for their full sugar full calorie versions).
* Meal plans or menus. You will benefit from making the finer choices, growing your instincts, habits and discipline.
ITK is generally nonrestrictive, it is a new balance of calories, macros, fiber and nutrients as dictated by the ITK algorithms and your personal healthy choices, ensuring that eating habits and behavioral patterns are improved.
Foods
It is important that a wide cross section of foods be available. There are guidelines but only very few exclusions. Proteins, carbohydrates, seasonings, vegetables, fruits, nuts and more are all included, in the times, combinations and portions assigned, but we maintain the widest healthy selections of foods utilized. So, if you do or don’t eat red meats, chicken or seafoods, if you are vegan, vegetarian of any sort, live in North America, the Caribbean, Asia or anywhere on the planet, your ability to choose your foods will remain intact.
Other features
Pre-diet coaching: Options are available for members who know that they are not completely prepared to adhere to meal assignments, but are open to allow support and guidance to develop management tools and overcome old patterns opening the path to positive change.
Diet re-profiling: Individuals who are aware that their food habits or health probabilities are leading them down the wrong path, but are already at their preferred size become members not to lose weight, but specifically to improve their food choices and by extension their chances for having a happily healthy future.
Long term Maintenance System
After a series of weight loss successes, we found that one of the hardest tasks is long term maintenance. We saw evidence and studies showing that relapse was almost guaranteed for more than 75% of people who lost weight, within one to two years after their fat loss. To negate this, we created an ITK Maintenance Phase, specifically formulated to slowly turn over full control to members, over a two-year duration, all the time giving full access to coaches for the support necessary for success.
The Realities of ITK Change
Real change is about more than weight loss. It’s focused on building a sustainable lifelong lifestyle and a set of habits and patterns which will keep you as far away as possible from needless suffering, lessened physical and mental qualities and debilitating pains for the rest of your life. Many members have seen medical issues solidly improved. Many have also seen their physicians take them off their diabetic and blood pressure medications (of course always consult with your doctor before making any changes).
Tamara Rayner King – St. Croix, ITK Member, said recently to us: “Has ITK changed my life? Let me count the ways.” 1. Portion control. I definitely know when to stop. 2. Preparation: Will save you time and bad decision-making. 3. Having a backup: Keeping at least 2 snacks with me, because you make plans and life happens. 4. Accountability: Writing it down honestly and truthfully, allows you to see your good and bad decisions.
InteKai with adherence, personal responsibility, consistency and communication, opens a future filled with possibilities of increased health, mobility, positivity and hope
Having PCOS and Harmone Imbalance, it has been a battle for weight loss. I am now heading to the end of my second month of ITK Wave and have lost 10 lbs. This may seem like a small win, but anyone with the harmone imbalance will know that this is good. It is a slow process but one has to be determine to stay on track, maintain the diet and acknowledge when you cheat so that you can get back on track. Looking forward to the next 2 months!
Congratulations Shelly, we knew you could do it.