I think you did the right thing with the extra packet. My coach gave me an allowance of 4 packets a day to start out. She then told me when I had similar symptoms that I could have no more than 5 packets a day. One restricted item per day. However, my first week I did do 4 packets a day, until I went back to work after the holidays. I seemed to be so distracted with work I was able to maintain on 3 packets. I remember waking up with the hunger in the mornings in the first 3 days. I did notice over this weekend, I've been a little hungrier, anticipating the next meal. Probably because I'm sitting around watching football and not at work being busy. Not too bad though.

Good morning everyone!
We woke up to a light dusting of snow here on Vancouver Island this morning. But we have blue sky and pretty sunrise happening. I guess I won't be going out into the yard to do garden cleanup like I'd originally planned! Oh well, it doesn't look all that bad with the snow covering it anyway! :D
I feel fabulous this morning. Had a peek at my scale and at the rate I'm going I should be down at least 4 lbs by WI on Tuesday.
As I've mentioned before, we go to Mexico on March 5th for 10 days. I want to be down to 170-175 by then. That would be about 80% to my goal. My coach wants to phase me off for the vacation and, given what happened over the Christmas holidays, I'm okay with this. Once I get back from Mexico it'll be back in the IP saddle to get rid of the remaining 10-15 lbs with an eye to being solidly in maintenance before summer.
I can't wait to go shopping next month for new, much smaller, summer clothes for Mexico!!!
Have a great Sunday everybody!

I also found the puddings sickeningly sweet and weird, so I threw the vanilla pudding in the blender with a bunch of ice and up to 16oz or more of water, some pumpkin pie spice, and blend it up for a delicious eggnog. Or make chai tea, use that instead of water and you'll get a chai frappe. It dilutes the sucralose, you get more liquid and I find it very satisfying. It also has less carbs than the RTD shakes (little trick)
I'm also with ya on the WF dressings. I need to add fresh french style mustard, cracked pepper other seasonings. Tell you the truth, I'm liking good old mustard, lemon, fresh garlic and one teaspoon of olive oil, whisked up and yummm...so much fresher tasting!

You're progress is awesome, it is so inspiring to read your post!!
I have to lose 50 lbs, I've done it before and heck I will do it again!!!!!
I am on day 5 and I feel great, I didn't feel hungry this moring, but I ate my crispy cereal anyway.
Thanks for sharing your story and Congratulations!!:D

The way that I make the chai tea thing is I brew a decaf chai tea bag with 12 oz of water for about 20 min or until the water has cooled off significantly. Then I use the tea water and shake that with the dry vanilla (or I heard butterscotch was good too) pudding mix. Shake till blended, pour in a mug and heat till hot! (Usually a minute or so). Yum. I've never had it with the RTDs - my coach has never had vanilla.

Had my WI in yesterday -- just didn't get it posted. I lost another 3.4 pounds. Today is my birthday and my husband is going to take me to supper for a very planned birthday meal so I stay within protocol. However, birthday cake will be chocolate pancake made into muffins -- he even bought me some silicone bakeware muffin cups that I can use to make them !! He is so supportive.

However, last night my Mom was asking me how much more I want to lose. I would like to lose a total of 60 for sure (have over 42 off) and may go down another 10 pounds lower before I phase off -- but here is what she said: "Don't lose too much more, your face you will be too thin." Though she was excited that I was losing weight, now I think I am in for that kind of reaction. But I am not going to let it deter me -- I am going to do this until I feel really good.

Thanks Mrs Dietrich for posting the Chia tea recipe. I finally tried it and loved it. I also found the pumpkin pie spice to mix in with my vanilla puddings and mmm mmm goood... Hope everyone is having an fantastic weekend!

Ugg had a nasty winter storm yesterday, woke up to a large ton of snow but the nice police officer from two doors away already snowblowed my driveway and sidewalks. So I sat on the couch and ate my oatmeal but now it is sitting like a lead balloon in my stomach. Have a good day everyone.

Well, it has been a total of 10 days on IP...and I will go to weigh in on Tuesday. At home I have lost about 4 pounds, so we will see what it says. I feel good, not hungry. It was however, my TOM, so it was difficult to start of with my first week and a bunch of cravings.

Looking forward to what they will tell me this week.

Have a great rest of the weekend.

tcswain - happy birthday!
jupiter - I'm on day 12 and today's the first day I'm tempted to have a 4th packet or increase my protein b/c I'm so hungry. Never felt this hungry in the last week and half and I've actually had to force myself to eat a 3rd envelope a couple of times. I'm going to have more romaine before I start running my errands so I don't pick up anything off protocol. Congratulations to folks reaching their goals, maintaining, and continuing to lose and making good choices!

Use the vanilla pudding as a shake instead. Make 10 to 12 oz of chia tea, the tea bag type not the liquid type. Let it cool(if you use the shaker with hot liquid it "explodes" when you open the top!) and use the tea as the liquid for your pudding. I heat mine up in the microwave and have it warm but in the summer iced chai will be good.

:bday2: And a big YEAH! to supportive husbands! (I have one too. :) )

I hope this comes out ok...I tried the chocolate pancakes as muffins and they were gross! :p I've noticed a lot of people have mentioned having them as a cake substitute but if that were my birthday cake...sorry, no.

I don't want to discourage you but I'm just wondering if anyone else has made these with better success then me. Did you add something or cook them differently or anything that made them lighter or fluffier? I found them to be very dense, dry and heavy. Dipping in chocolate syrup or slathering strawberry jam did not help. My coach refuses to carry the choc. pancakes now because she has also had no luck with them.

My personal "treat" choice now would be crepes with strawberry jam, choc. syrup and a bit of fat free whip cream.

Wow! 42 lbs good for you. Do you have progress photos?
There has been quite a bit of discussion on this topic of friends and family having comments about being "too thin". I agree with the idea that those that are have become used to us as "heavier" have a hard time getting used to the new, improved and thinner version. It does not fit the mental image that is stored in the brain. As long as you are still losing it seems your body is wanting to shed the fat. When a serious stall happens and the weight release stops after several 10's of lbs maybe it is your body saying "I've lost enough". Keep up the good work!

I make the "choc muffins" on a regular basis. Not exactly choc cake but I like them. I use just water to have the consistancy of cake batter, not so thin it will pour. I use the mini muffin tins I find that they cook much more evenly. I get 6 mini muffins out of one packet I fill the 6 empty spaces with water so the cooking is even. They actually rise like miffins. I add flavored stevia sometimes for different flavors.

I am not a tea drinker but so many people kept raving about this drink that I thought I should give it a try...I love it! I tried it with the butterscotch pudding first since I didn't have any vanilla and it was great. I have also tried it with Advantage RTD vanilla. Still good but I haven't got the ratio quite right yet.

Thanks for the idea Jess! :hug: