Thanks for the kind and calm words. :) I just freaked out because I have "been there and done that" so many times. When I saw the 160 I thought, "Here is goes again" just like so many other diets I have done. I really didn't think that I would gain so fast (like when I did other starvation diets in the past). You are right, I just need to learn just exactly my body can handle. I think I am going back to daily weigh ins until I get a handle on this. I was so looking forward to just kicking back and enjoying myself this weekend without worrying about every little thing I ate. It is so hard when you have to eat out for all meals. I guess I will just take some protein meals and make do until I get home and get a handle on this. Thanks again!

Thanks for the feedback Sunny.

Phase 4 is confusing and the least regulated part of the diet. I'm on my third week, doing ok so far, but still questioning everything I eat. I haven't even had pasta yet, even though it is permitted. I cooked up a spaghetti squash, and have enjoyed that for dinner for a few nights this week. I am sticking to the Phase 3 breakfasts, Phase 2 lunches with a bit more fat, about 1 0z of nuts, and mostly Phase 2 dinners with a bit more carbs, eating a handful or crackers or a piece of bread. My exercising is back up to where it was pre-IP, so that may be helping in keeping my weight steady. I plan on using another free day this weekend (seems I suddenly have tons of events to attend), but they are working out fine. Good luck everyone!

I agree that phase 4 is hard. I technically have been here for 3 weeks but I can honestly say I am not doing it as written. I too continue eat the phase 3 breakfasts & phase 2 lunches. My dinners tend to be phase 2 also. I occasionally throw in a piece of whole grain toast with dinner. I have not tried any pasta, potatoes, rice, chips, crackers, etc. They all scare me. I also haven't touched any alcohol since October. I track my food on My Fitness Pal to make sure I am not taking in too many calories and I continue to use IP or alternative products for snacks. Hmmm...doesn't sound much like phase 4 does it? I am maintaining so far. I was in Philly for 6 days and did OK there but otherwise, no big event has given me a reason to really fall off the wagon (yet). I'm always looking for ideas for those carb dinners.

Lynn

I just ordered some low carb wraps and pita bread from netrition.com. I am hoping that they will be good and sustainable. They only have 6grams of carbs. They also have cookies with really high ratings/reviews but are sold out right now. I think I need to start stocking up on low carb alternatives like these to help me stay the course. I have lost 3 1/2 lbs since going back on phase one on Monday. Strange 2 days to gain 6lbs......4 days to lose 3lbs. Oh, well, at least I have a tool for getting it back off again. Hope everyone is having a great low-carb day! :)

What I didn't mention before is that I am also still using IP or alternatives for snacks. I keep the bars, RTD's and salty snacks around so I am getting protein if I am hungry. I use Julian Bakery Smart Carb #1 bread. It has 12 gms of protein and 12 gms of fiber per slice. Very filling. You can order it on-line or check the website to see if there is a store around you that carries it.
Good for you staying on phase 1. I'm not sure I could go back. Maybe that's why I'm being so OC!

I`m a little confused...when you say no fat for dinner, what does that mean? No meat, or dairy or what?! Sorry I`m kindof slow about this:D I`m not in phase 4 yet, but will be in 2-3 weeks and trying to figure it all out and make a plan before I get there, as that works best for me! I plan on keeping the phase 2 lunches as part of my routine, and using whole grains if my body will let me, but the supper seems to be a challenge to figure out. It`s really not that hard it it?! Just using common sense and eating right??

CRAZY Behavior
 

I originally posted this on the Ooops thread, but after reading this thread I thought it would be better posted here.

Food is my addiction. Before I started IP I was steadily gaining and bingeing nightly and if I started early in the day it was all day. Out of desperation I decided to try IP and was THRILLED. When you adhere to this diet, it works. In 17 weeks I lost 37 pounds and went from a size 14 to 4. I can't ever remember being this size. When you work IP, it works and it works fast!

I was loving life and me until Phase IV started. It has been 3 months and I am on a constant seesaw from bingeing to Phase I/II. Within 2-3 days I am back to my ideal weight and then it starts again with the bingeing. This is insane behavior especially since I savor the food in Phase 1 and am very satisfied and more energetic, but in Phase IV, it becomes a free for all, bingeing, feeling disgusting, tired, out of control and angry. I'm thinking that certain foods trigger me (thanks I'm Svelting) like splenda, wheat products, gum, Big Bites, even Pure Protein Bars.

My other thought is that being so strict on Phase I, has a boomerang effect. Obviously, I am all or nothing. When I am on Phase I, I am perfect, but can't seem to understand how to be "perfect" or simply follow Phase IV because it is so vague or open ended. Also, since I can lose weight by being on Phase I, I tend to rationalize that I should "live" it up because tomorrow I can IP. Crazy, huh?

Is anyone else experiencing this? Can anyone help me live a more balanced food life. I don't want to gain my weight back, but the system I currently have is not working. Help me to break away from ideal IPer on Monday, but Audrey the plant in Little Shop of Horrors on Tuesday?

Thanks,

P.S. I have tried Overeaters Anonymous and it was not helpful. My next plan is wire my jaws shut. Please help me if you can.
__________________

Ugh!!
 

I too, struggle with Phase IV. I do best when there are rules in place to follow. Phases 1-3 were easy for me. I think it would be best for me to follow Phase 3 and have an occasional cheat day, but not one per week. I do stay on plan (whatever that means....no over-eating i guess) for 5 days a week...then have my cheat day...generally it includes pizza, icecream...i wouldn't even say it's excessive as sometimes it just amounts to how I used to eat on a daily basis. I have a hard time doing Phase 1 the next day as the big breakfast is my favorite. This last week we went out on a Saturday night. I had been on plan all week....I had 5 beers and my dinner consisted of fried halibut chunks, tartar sauce, a salad with minimal ranch dressing, and sweet potato fried with a poppyseed dipping sauce (very sweet). I did a full on cheat day Sunday...bagels with cream cheese, pizza for lunch, followed by an icecream treat..then scalloped potatoes and ham for dinner. I was up 3.2# from Saturday morning to Monday morning. Yikes!! I did phase 1 for the last 3 days and and lost it. I guess I would rather just live comfortably in Phase 3 and have minimal cheats and not have to worry anymore about losing all the time. Smart choices need to be made...at this point it is up to us to be accountable. Not an easy task, but a tool we need to use. Best of luck to you....just remember we all struggle, but IP has given us the tools to manage all the hard work we have done. Best of Luck:hug:

Thanks, Spiffsgal. I really like your idea of staying on Phase III and then indulging in the occasional cheats. I suppose I just have to convince myself that today's cheat doesn't have to be a major blowout. It almost seems as though I am in a trance and automatic pilot once I begin. The aggravating part is that I innocently say that I can eat something and then the floodgates open. It is so crazy because I have total willpower when I am in Phase I/II/III.

Thanks for "weighing" in on the subject. It is somewhat comforting to know that others are experiencing what I am going through. New meal, new beginning! Thanks!

Well, the good news is that when you HAVE a protocol you do follow it. So, I would suggest you sit down and map out a customized phase 4 protocol for yourself. I would start with the phase 3 sheet, keep breakfast exactly the same.

Now you just need to add some dairy or other fat to lunch (cheese, dairy, "real" dressing on a salad, yogurt, etc.) and add a slow carb serving (brown rice, a sweet potato etc.) to dinner.

Soooo.....
Write out a list of "fats" (and appropriate portions) to add to your lunches. Write out a list of "slow carbs" (and appropriate portions) you can add to your dinners. Staple it to your Phase 3 sheet.

That IS the phase 4 protocol, essentially and it will keep you at your ideal weight. Give yourself one free day a week to do whatever you want, then Phase 1 for one day, then back on YOUR personalized phase 4 protocol.

good luck!!:hug:

Great idea Rocky! I have been following your suggested protocol, and have maintained well, although this is only my third week in maintenance, it feels manageable. I was afraid that once I introduced carbs back into dinner I'd have cravings for chips and sugars, but that has not happened. I do feel in control, even with going a bit overboard on my first free day.

I have had 1/2 C to 1 C of pasta for dinner a few evenings this week, and no ill effects (when added to spaghetti squash or miracle noodles, you get a nice plateful). Portion control is something we all must focus on. When I add fats at lunch, I am careful to measure the right amount of mixed nuts. I also measure the carbs at dinner. Sure, it is not the same way we ate before IP, but this diet was designed to retrain our bodies and minds. The weight will come back if we are not diligent. That being said, I don't feel like I am dieting any longer...I feel like I am living a healthy lifestyle, and at the same time not feeling deprived (because of the free days).

Only a month or so ago I couldn't even give away the clothes I had grown out of. Now, they are sitting in my garage and I don't give them a second thought, except for donation. I don't have a fear of gaining weight, I am not going through each day hungry, I look forward to each meal, and am enjoying life. I have been overweight my entire life, but no longer, and very pleased at the experience. I don't feel like I am fighting with myself any longer about food, if that makes any sense.

Good Morning all...

Thank you so much for all your advice. It is so nice to hear that this can be done and without going crazy.
Janedocmom - maybe a visit or two with a registered dietitian to set a up a plan for you? Dr. Tran was very clear that the diet and the maintenence were two different specialties. He said keeping the weight of involves "Dietetics". It would give you a written plan to follow initially with some ideas you may not of thought of to get your favorites in without overindulging.
Let's keep this thread going. It helps to hear how others are managing this new phase in our lives!

Lynn

Back on Track
 

Thank you for all the support!

Rocky -
You are the voice of reason and serenity.....always! Your self confidence and achievement of coming to peace with the Diet Demon exudes from every message. I eagerly look forward to your comments. I have been on Phase II for the past 3 days and lost 7 pounds and although I am up 5 pounds from my original lowest, I think that I will accept that 123 is a good weight for me and not keep trying to push it to 118 again. I am 58 perhaps my body does not want to go there. I am still a size 4 and feel good and my constant effort at trying to get down to 118 is perhaps causing me to boomerang like a do.

I started Phase III today and will stay on it for 1 week before I begin your great suggestion for Phase IV. You certainly simplified a plan and made an excellent way to approach it initiallly until I get more in contol. Thanks!

Jenny -
I definitely agree that keeping the carbs low and to minimum is essential. I have already proven to myself that I am a carb addict and have difficulty controlling them once I start. How many times do i have to go on binges to realize that once I start taking in carbs, I go into my carb coma and keeping on going until I am about to burst.

Lynn -
Thanks for the suggestion. I just reread Dr. Trans booklet on maintenance. I was considering going to WW and trying their maintenance plan, but IP is really less cumbersome than counting points (Ugh, I hate counting points!). Rocky, will be my dietician since her suggestions are so reasonable and sound.

No matter what, I think that IP is fantastic in that it is so incredible that one can veer off onto the eating exit and then get back to where you were in such a short period of time if you work this program. I feel an enormous amount of security and comfort in returning to Phase I/II after I am out of control.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions and support. It really helps to know that you are out there, have experienced some of these feelings, struggling with similar situations, willing to offer your successful suggestions and proving that one can change one's food addiction if one wants to change.

:thanks::thanks::thanks:

So glad to hear all of you on maintenance chiming it. It's such new territory for all of us. I agree with everyone on measuring out the carb portions and simply doing exactly as the protocol for ph. 4 is written out. The free days are a great release for me, but I don't feel especially deprived on regular days either. By the grace of G-d, even on my wild free days, where I do indulge until I go to bed, including a vodka martini and possibly large amounts of chocolate covered almonds, something in me the next morning can get back on track and keep me going in the right direction.
Even on regular ph. 4 days, sometimes if I'm just feeling like a treat, I'll have a protein bar with a cup of coffee in the afternoon, and also my jello with sf ff whipped cream on top (Hood Brand) but most days I stick to the only one dessert, which is late at night, close to midnight (I'm a musician and keep later hours) Just knowing that dessert is coming after my last meal will keep me from overeating the carbs at dinner.

Other treats I throw in when I need an extra sweet and don't want to cheat.
Sparkling water and ice in a 16oz tumbler
about 3 oz of plain sf almond milk
wf chocolate syrup
stir it up for a NY style egg cream. (it's very northeast coast, but hey, that's where I'm from :0)
It totally satisfies me.
If I'm really in need of gratification I'll top it off with my Hood brand sf,ff whipped cream.

Let's keep sharing tricks and tips so we can help each other stay on track AND have a good time. You guys are the best!:smug:

I have a question for all those of you who have been successfully maintaining for a while. I am coming up on phase 4 pretty soon and feel like the biggest gray area for me is the post cheat day (phase one recovery day). I know that phase 4 is not highly structured, and that you kind of have to "find what works" and all that, but I would really appreciate some information about how successfull maintainers have been handling their post cheat day recovery day. I have read Tran's book and have heard numerous times that "there isn't a right way/you have to figure out what works for you/phase 4 is not clear/etc", so I'm really looking for some input from those have had some experience with maintaining and can share what works for them. Some specific areas that I would loved addressed include: example meal plan for post cheat day recovery day (the day after the cheat day) How low you try to keep carbs? Are carbs the only thing kept to a minumum or are fats and calories as well? Any info pertaining to the phase one day (the day after your weekly cheat day) would really take a load off my mind. Thanks!!!!

Wow, I had no idea how much cheaper Lindora is to IP. When I hit stabilization I'll be ordering from them and picking up the EAS low carb ready to drinks from Walmart or Sams Club.

I've mentioned this before ... one guideline I've seen for carbohydrate consumption is 100-150 g per day for fairly effortless maintenance. That and sufficient protein will cover easily cover your body's glucose needs for the day. You have to find your own sweet spot on the carbs though -- for some it's much lower because they have smaller bodies, do less exercise, dysfunctional metabolic regulation. Oddly, some people with thyroid do well even in weight loss with over 50 g carbs.

HI Mike, I've followed the plan that the post cheat day is pure Phase 1 bootcamp:
no restricted veggies or packets
4 "servings" of protein
Salad
2 cups of veggies twice that day
LOTS of water

For the "protein servings" I use a combination of egg white omelettes, some chicken or beef, and the RTD shakes or other pre-made products (for the convenience). I order from New Lifestyles and still get a few IP products that nobody else seems to do as well.

Hi Mike, it is good to hear from you!

I am starting my 4th week of maintenance, and so far so good. Others have a lot more experience than me, but I have been able to navigate my way successfully through three free days so far (with this past weekend being more of two evenings of free choices, rather than one full day). Each day after my free day, I stick to low carbs. Sometimes that involves alternative IP products, sometimes just whole foods, or a combination of both. My first recovery day was more of a challenge, since I had been 'over-served' with alcohol the night before. ;) I seemed to crave carbs after having more than 2 drinks. However, since then the recovery days have been easy peasy. Usually omelet for breakfast, PH 2 salad for lunch, and a PH 2 dinner, I try to keep lower carb veggies on hand for those days. Also the evening protein snack should be low carb as well. I threw in an afternoon snack yesterday, and enjoyed some cheese, which helped tied me over. I don't know how the science works, but it does. Its important to have the foods you need on hand so you don't get hungry and reach for the wrong item. Good luck and let us know how you are doing. How do you like PH 3? When do you start maintenance?

Great idea Sunny!

The treats I enjoy in maintenance:

I use WF pancake syrup in my greek yogurt in the morning and for my late night snack. I also use WF chocolate in my morning coffee for a home made mocha latte, with added sugar free whipped cream. To lighten the coffee, I use sugar free almond milk like you Sunny, which is very light in carbs, cals and sugars).

Fat free greek yogurt is a great source of protein for a late night snack, especially with some raspberries stirred in. Proti-diet has a chocolate dream bar, which is only 6 carbs a serving. I chop up and throw in half a bar with the yogurt mix, and love it!

I also have a protein bar with a cup of tea or coffee during the afternoon. There is a carbonated drink called 'Nice'. Sweetened with splenda, its 0/0/0 and a nice change of pace from water.

I don't feel deprived at all on maintenance. Any other ideas out there?

Here we go again! I'm back from a 3 day weekend with friends and staying out of state. I am back up my usuall 6lbs and on phase 1 today. Probably take me all week to take off what 3 days put on! Hopefully after this I can have a few weeks of "normal" maintenance without travels to try and get this phase 4 down correctly

Thanks I'm Svelting, JSP, and Rocky Monarch for the helpful responses! Much appreciated. I had my first phase three breakfast this morning. I made the "All American" (2 eggs, bacon, toast with butter, and grapefruit). Ugh, soooooooo nice and yummy. I didn't notice any physical discomfort or changes at all. I think I am really going to enjoy the next two weeks of phase 3. This morning the scale showed a total loss of 70 pounds for me in the 3 months and 1 week of this program. Wow! what an effective weight loss program indeed. This diet has lived up to all it's promises (no hunger, easy to follow, yummy IP products, 5-7 lbs average a week, etc...).

Great Stuff Jenny. I will def. try the yogurt, raspberry and I love the idea of the chopped up protein bar.Gives you that heath bar, chunky monkey flavor.
Keep the great tips coming. I can tell I'm going to need them. I've been feeling very lax and struggling with wanting a sense of "normalcy" and not wanting to think about this stuff all the time. Bargaining with the devil on just wanting to be like everyone else and feeling encumbered by the constant vigil. I know I'm going thru a rebellious stage and I guess it's better just to say it out loud instead of acting it out, so thanks for listening everyone. Keep those tips coming please!!! :dizzy:

Yogurt
 

Jenny,

I'm with you. I LOVE, LOVE LOVE the fat free greek yogurt. I eat it almost every morning made with Splenda & vanilla extract. I dip my apple or banana slices in it. For snack/desert at night, I squirt a little SF flavored syrup in it (chocolate, caramel, Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce) and add chopped SF chocolate or last night I crushed some IP Choc Soy puffs. Heaven! I can't believe this stuff is good for you!

Sunny,

I mix the chocolate RTD with equal parts seltzer for a chocolatey, sparkley treat. Is that like an egg cream? I'm not an East Coaster.

I don't really feel deprived on maintenance either. I actually like eating this way. (Yay!)

Lynn

Need Phase 4 advice
 

I've been a read-but-don't-write member for a few months. Thanks for all the encouraging words from those who post here.

My info: Started IP on Dec 1, 2010. Down from 188 to 143 Yeah! 5'6" Size 18 -> 8. I don't cheat, but my loss has been typically < 3# per week. Twice, my coach had me switch to Phase 3 for a week and then back to Phase 1 (to jump start the process). I'm going to move to maintenance soon.

I plan to start Phase 3 in about a week, and then on to Phase 4 two weeks later. Looking for advice on Phase 4, as like many of you, I am leary of going away from the structure of IP. Also, I am a vegetarian (but I do eat some seafood -- way too much seafood while on IP Phase 1).

I'm worried about Phase 4 maintenance. It sounds like others are struggling without the structure of Phase 1 - 3. And I'm going on a cruise in May - yikes!

Does anyone have sample menus for vegetarians? I work full time (or more) and just have time to grab lunch in the cafeteria (typically salad bar, or pre-IP a sub with hummus and lots of veggies).

I'm meeting with my coach next week for a consult on phase 3 / 4, but I'm not clear on dairy. I use dairy as a protein source. As far as food combining, is dairy a fat or a protein?

Also, any advice on liquids (other than water) post-IP? I have only been drinking water, decaf tea, or occasionally a seltzer water with Stevia vanilla drops. I know I will have a glass of wine on cheat days.

Thanks for any advice.

Mtngal,

Congratulations on being close to goal. Phases 3 & 4 are great.

If you go to the first post on this thread by I'm Svelting, there are links to the first 2 "Life After..." threads. Look for posts by Novak. If I remember right, she is vegetarian and had some great ideas and insights.

Linden...If you are lurking, maybe you have some suggestions.

Good Luck to you and let us know how you are doing.

Lynn

Congrats on your success! You will love PH 3/4. I was very nervous about it, but in time was able to adjust to the new requirements. You may want to read Dr. Tran's book on maintenance. I read it often, to keep things in perspective. I am not a vegetarian, but Lynn is right. Novak is, and the original 'Life After' thread is full of helpful info. I not only read that thread, but I copied tips from it into a word doc I often reference.

As for dairy, it can be both a fat and a protein. Your PH 3 sheet should have specifics on how to utilize your dairy carbs. I have a higher fat greek yogurt in the morning (2%), and a fat free yogurt in the evenings, since it is important to keep carbs and fats separate later in the day.

Drinks: My days consist of coffee, water, tea, sparkling 'Nice'. I don't drink soda, but I wasn't a soda drinker before IP. Dr. T writes that a glass of wine with dinner is permissible. I usually have a drink or two on my free days (and over the weekend enjoyed a few beers, which I truly missed, to no ill effects). Was there a specific drink you are not sure about?

My advice is to gather as much info as you can, from as many sources as you can, and take it one day at a time. I am in my 4th week, and am not fretting about each mean any longer. You'll do great!

Hi Mountain G,

I think Jenny did an excellent job of answering the question AND her tone is just right. What I mean is "you'll love" it, if you give it half a chance. Many people in phase 4 revert to phase 3 because they find it easy to follow and productive.

You've done so well so far; why should the endgame be any different? Forget the hand wringing and rationalizations about cheats you can read here. You're your own person. And successful. I, too, wish you good luck and I know you can make your own.

Linden

Just an edit but not an afterthought: Read what RockyM and petiteandcute have to say. They're perfect role models.

Hi all! I apologize in advance, I'm not sure if I'm posting this quesiton in the right place or not, it's my first post :-)

I've been on IP for 9 weeks now (total loss of 22 lbs.). This past week was slow, just a 1 lb. drop. Right now, I'm 6 lbs. away from my goal weight (my goal weight includes an extra 5 lbs. to make up for the possible weight gain in Phase 3 and 4). I'm still not totally clear on when to switch to Phase 2. I'm actually a little terrified, I have my Phase 1 routine down. I feel like I may be a little stalled and maybe Phase 2 will shake things up a little. I thought about stayin on Phase 1 just one more week and then moving to Phase 2, my coach thinks I can do it a little sooner, but she's leaving it up to me. What do you all think.

BTW, I love reading all the posts! You are all amazing!!

hey waterbaby, "come on in, the water is fine!" :D Really, it sounds like you are ready for Phase 2 and it may well "shake things up a bit" as it does for some people. The point about Phase 2 and Phase 3 is to re-learn your eating habits, both for your body and your mind. So you don't want to run and jump off the dock, but just wade in slowly. We'll be here, splashing in the waves, waiting for you to join us! :hug:

I'm with Rocky on this one. You are ready to start re-integrating and you will keep losing those last pounds while coming back into the real world of food nicely and easily. I lost another 5 lbs while phasing off. I'm on ph4 and probably lost 1 1/2 lbs during this time. Not everyone gains back those 3-4 lbs on this diet. I did not. So, like Rocky said, come on in and we'll be there. Good luck. :smug:

My opinion only but these "life after" threads get so long to read thru. May I suggest starting one specifically for "phase 3" and one for "phase 4". Otherwise, some of the information may be hard for folks to sort thru as the thread consists of it all. I know personally I will be on phase 3 soon so right now that is the one I want to learn and read about. Just a thought.

If there was a post for 3s only, perhaps the 4s and graduates would stop reading AND posting helpful suggestions. With only 1-3 posts a day (5 the max I found) I don't, personally, find the length a burden.

Alaskaipjourney. I totally agree. It's tough to find specific information in such a large vague thread. There is a lot of questions/concerns/aspects/issues/etc that surround phase 3 and phase 4. Why should there be just one thread for such important specific information. The more specific the thread, the better. Just my opinion.

I just posted this in the "phase 3 breakfast thread" too...

I've been thinking the last few days it would be great to start a Recipe and Menus thread for Phase 3 and 4, since that seems to come up a lot. We'd want to be sure it stayed "clean" with just recipes and menus, and no chatting so it did not get filled up too fast, and then it could become a very useful sticky. (and we keep this thread for chatting) What do you all you Phase 4 people think?

I agree with Linden...I do what I can to check in on the daily chat and this one, to pass on what others passed on to me...but trying to check in on 3 places will start to get a lot harder. I guess I also think that since Phase 3 is so transitory (2 weeks total) and it's part of Phase 4 (breakfasts) it seems that reading ahead about phase 4 would be useful to 3's?

Thanks rocky and sunny mae!! I'm starting phase 2 today! Will see how it goes...

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I have read the other two threads on this topic, and appreciate the advice there also. I liked Jenny's suggestion about cutting / pasting some posts into another doc -- I had already done that!

As far as things to drink beyond water, I saw some posts in another thread on MIO - sorry, but the day-glo colors look disgustng to me. Has anyone tried Zeria sodas? I saw them at the health foods store that sells WF. I avoid aspartame and I'm just looking for something besides plain water.

I'm also Wondering if people continue to use WF dressings in phase 4?

I love the idea of a Phase 3/4 recipe thread. I still eat Phase 3 breakfasts even though I'm in maintenance. I'm still looking for new things to try. It's fun since my tastes really have changed.

I do still use the WF dressings. I have my favorites: Thousand Island, Bacon Ranch, Chipolte Ranch, Sesame Ginger. Why not save the calories?

Lynn

I think this is a great idea IF, and a really B I G if, people could refrain from the chat clutter. (And no cheat chatter.) We could also cherry pick selectively among the great recipes from previous threads.