Welcome back to the Daily Chat thread - post your plans for today, share what's been happening, ask questions!

Some forum lingo:
NSV = Non-scale victory
TOM = time of the month
WI = Weigh-in
WF = Walden Farms
OP = on plan

Bookmarking:
Ideal Protein Sub-forum Home page
Consider making it a bookmark or a favorite in your browser so you can come back easily to get your RDA of Ideal Protein information.

Information for newbies:
Check the sticky page (top of forum, above all the topics) for lots of good information and please read here before asking what might be a frequently asked question: Information on Ideal Protein phases (1-4), IP Ultimate List Recipes, FAQ, Newbie Guide, Exercise, and other Important Threads,
and here are the most recent Ideal Protein Protocol sheets

And before you cheat, read this thread:
The Real Cost of Cheating on Ideal Protein

Before starting new threads: spend some time reading the forum. Most new threads are duplicates, triplicates, quadruplicates. Folks who are the most successful, make time for research/reading.

More Recipes Here Mix'n in the kitchen...Recipes from the Rainbow
MiX'N' iN THE KiTCH'N.... Recipes from the Rainbow Volume 2
Fun with Ideal Protein Packets
Fun with Veggie Purees!
Ideal Protein Diet Recipes #4
Tips and Recipes from the Incredible Weight Loss Center

For those looking for alternative products
Here is a thread with tons of info. Spend some time in it. http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...phase-1-a.html
And here is a link to a chart to help you choose appropriate products

Tickers and Signatures:
There are 2 requirements to have access to signatures and tickers. You must have been a member of 3fatchicks for 20 days AND posted at least 20 messages anywhere on the 3fatchicks forum. When you've met those requirements check The Ultimate Signature and Ticker Thread for more information and instructions.

Quoting:
The best quoting tip - EVER!! Thanks Rosie, aka 6710.

Searching:
If you can't find what you're looking for in this forum using the website search function, try using the "double search" using Google.

1) Go to Google.com. Search 3fatchicks by using the term site:3fatchicks.com at the end of your Google search.

For example, if you want to look for "big mac in a bowl", type "big mac in a bowl site:3fatchicks.com" in Google search. No need to include the quotation marks when you type.

2) This will bring up the page that you are looking for, now hit Ctrl+F to search on that page. Type "big mac in a bowl" and all instances of that search term will be highlighted.

Progress photos
Mini-Goal Photo Album.

Other helpful links related to the Ideal Protein Dr. Chanh Tran Tien's website

I just placed my first order for non IP food. I'm starting radiation therapy today and between the cost of my surgery and radiation, and my reduced availability, I'm just not able to justify the cost of the IP food when I can find substitutes for less money. I just hope I've chosen well - very challenging for me to sift through all the info! Wish me luck

Good morning all!

Yesterday could have been an excuse to go off the track, but I stuck with it. We had dinner plans with friends, and we were going to a favorite restaurant. In the past, I would have said " Hey, I'll just take today off, and start again tomorrow." (We all know how well THAT works.) Since I have decided that "days off" are not an option, I had to come up with another plan.

I knew that dinner would be late, and at an amazing Mexican restaurant, so I moved my evening snack to late afternoon. There is no way that I can go to a restaurant while ravenous and be trusted to stay OP! No starchy/cheesy/fatty appetizer would be off limits! I had my snack, planned what I would order, and stuck to my plan.

My hand stayed out of the chip basket, and I was really happy with my food. I usually get chicken tacos, and a basket of chips with pico de gallo, but all I really craved was the chicken and the pico. I asked if they would make me a plate of lettuce, with the chicken/tomatoes/onions/cilantro/jalepenos on top, and they were happy to oblige. Same flavors, and I stayed OP!

It took a bit of work beforehand, but as someone said yesterday (Lisa? I think it was Lisa...) "KNOW THYSELF!"

You'll do great - lots of people have had great success using alternatives. I'm sorry you're going through so much right now and admire your resolve to stay OP. You are truly inspiring!

Good for you - that is outstanding! And you get to wake up this morning and feel good about your choices and not all bloated and yucky! Double score!

Good luck and praying for you during radiation

Good morning! Accomplished a lot of yard work and gardening this weekend, and got a bit of a suntan, too. I also got 90% packed for my trip which made me realize that my nice summer tank tops from last year need to be donated! and I also decided to try on a dress that I bought years ago as weight loss motivation for a friends wedding (married two years now ) and it is at the point where if I don't wear it now, it will be too big and I will never wear it, so that went in my suitcase as well. I have been lucky to be able to use my sisters huge closet of clothes while losing weight, so since I'm saving a lot I am going to treat myself to a nice shopping spree when I hit goal.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Hope everyone has a great and OP Monday!

Thanks ladies for your kind words!

Well done! I'm glad you shared how you did it. I have been avoided Mexican restaurants since beginning IP over a year ago. Now I have a road map, thanks to you!


LakeLover -- Sifting through all the available products and their nutritional values is, indeed, exhausting and overwhelming. I'm sure you made good choices. Sending lots of love and prayers to you during this time.

Good job! I don't think I'll be able to go to a Mexican restaurant for a while...chips and salsa are my #1 weakness. I'm in Texas, so great TexMex is everywhere! I went out for chips, salsa and a Margarita the night before I started IP...

I did plan ahead and go to a nice steak place with my family and stayed completely OP. It was hard, as they had yummy appetizers and the restaurant's Shiner Bock Beer bread. (I'm not a big bread person, but that stuff is amazing - even the smell felt like it raised my blood sugar!) I brought salad dressing, salt and stevia and enjoyed myself. Although the broccoli gave me indigestion! Ha! Oh well, it was a really nice Mother's Day with my all my favorite boys.

I'm still in ketosis, but up a pound or so...I'll just stick to it and power through until Friday.

I hope everyone else had a great Mother's Day with their moms or kids.

These kinds of posts are really helpful. I have a tendency to meet friends a lot over food: lunches, dinners, happy hours, so I think that will be my biggest challenge. Saturday night we attended a paella party and I barely stayed OP. Passed up the lovely vat of sangria, had a plate of paella, but only ate the chicken and shrimp. They also had these killer chocolate chip cookies. I stared at them for a long time, but managed to restrain myself.

I had contemplated having a shake before I went, and I wish I did - lesson learned for next time!

Back to OP, good thing I didn't have too bad of problems getting on track the first time. Been easy so far and I was lucky enough to not have gained any weight over Friday. Now to hopefully lose 10lbs in 4 weeks lol, we'll see though not sure if my body is going to stay in the plateau it's been in.

There was wonderful slaw at a dinner event Saturday night. Ate the first bite--oops that was mango--then stuck to cabbage. Ate the green beans from 3 bean salad. Burger in a bowl.
With the leftovers on my plate they probably thought I was one of those picky eaters.
If they only knew.
In another time and place, I'd have eaten it all then gone for more.

Great job staying OP, everyone. It's amazing how much willpower we can muster when we set our minds to it. IP has given me more willpower than I have ever had on any other diet. I think because I know it works and I feel like I am really learning things that will help me maintain for life.

I just got back from my weekend away from my brother's college graduation. Managed to stay OP all the way. I might have had some cross contamination at a restaurant we went to (I got pan seared scallops, and asked for it to be cooked in olive oil, but didn't think to ask if it was coated in flour). I didn't feel so great afterward, but I tried my best and didn't eat anything off plan intentionally.

This is embarrassing, I hate to be like this and feel really rude but I find myself staring at other's people plates, not because I want what they have but because I'm calculating how many calories or carbs are in that meal. I never say what I'm thinking of course, but I need to relearn to keep my nose on my own plate again.

Hope everyone has a great week!

That is funny that you say that about staring at people's plates because I caught myself doing that Friday! We had a work training at one of the best places to eat in my town and I was very picky about what I at and stayed OP. My coworkers who often complain and say they were trying to loss weight went all out on their meals. I couldn't help but try to figure out how much they were eating! lol