Hope everyone had a good day. This is what I ate today. Breakfast: sauage, toast, egg, cottage cheese and grapes. Lunch: stir fry with chicken ( like I ate on phase 1). Dinner: spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce (frozen sauce I made last summer), whole wheat crackers and a small salad. I am having trouble figuring out what I should eat at the meal that I am suppose to eat fat ( no carbs). So far that has been at my lunch. Any ideas?

Good morning all! I have a question. Do we have to phase out (go back through all the phases) if we jumped back onto phase 1 after being in maintenance? I only plan on being on phase 1 for 5-7 days to lose these extra lbs. Thanks! Everyone have a great day.

I'm still fumbling around trying to find my way in maintenance, but it sounds good to me. I have been trying to eat pretty much what I ate on phase 3, just added more carbs (like fruit) and fat (nuts). My daughter is still in phase 1 so I still make "legal" suppers. I also eat tons of veggies.

I am wanting to phase off before my trip to Jamaica at the end of May. I know it is a ways off, but I was woundering when a good time to start phasing off would be. I will meet with my coach tomorrow and probably discuss it with her if I don't forget again.

Hi Judy,

Thanks for the menu ideas. I think your lunch sounds perfect. Protein and fat, no carbs. Are you just asking how to mix it up a little? I like ground beef or steak with fajita vegis stir fried with a little fajita seasoning or Mrs. Dash chili lime seasoning, served in endive leaves instead of taco shells. The endive make great little scoops.
I still haven't ventured into a phase 4 dinner. I just don't crave the complex carbs. My coach has been on vacation this week and I am leaving for 6 days in Philly on Thursday (work) so I haven't been able to ask how important the carb dinner is. I read Dr. Tran's maintenence chapter again but still not sure. It's funny how I am still planning on taking all sorts of packets with me. Thank goodness I can check a bag this time!

Lynn

Lynn

I have thought about this too, but I don't know the answer. You look beautiful. I am glad you met your goal before your trip. I want to go some where where it is warm, wear shorts, sandals, ect. and be outdoors all day.

I don't seem to have a problem planning a menu for the carb. meal. I can't decide what to do for the fat meal. I know how to add fat to a meal, but I'm unsure which veg. to eat at the fat meal. Have a safe trip.

Thank You! I did contact my coach and he said there is no need to phase out. That's good news. It seems like phase 1 has been a little tough this go around coming from 10 days of indulgence.

Good to know. Thanks Clarice. You do look great!

Thank you. Keep us posted, how many days you stay on phase 1 and then go directly to phase 4. Noisy, aren't we? It is about time for me to do my 3rd. "fun" day. I got a bad headache when I did the first one. I had pressure in my head the evening of the second one. We'll see what happens this week. It's like my body does not like all that sugar.

Phase 4 was scary at first, (and I hear you petiteandcute on the headache!) but then again so was ph. 3 for me. It's about doing this in the real world with real food and real choices. It's scary and exciting for sure. It's definitely been a learning curve for me. The powerful thing is...we have choices...good or bad ones we can make. I've already made bad choices on one of my free days, so my body could tell me...YOU CAN'T do that to me girlfriend...got it? So...I got it. Now I know I have to drink tons of water if I"m consuming any alcohol on a free day AND that vodka is better for me than too much red wine AND my body doesn't like lots of fatty food anymore. It actually makes me queasy. So I'm trying to listen and respect what she's telling me. I guess my bottom line, "screwing up" on a free day (at first) is just how we find out what works and what doesn't. It's up to me to use my willpower not to force my body to do things she just doesn't want to do anymore. That would be an act of self abuse and unkindness towards myself...I've already been there and have that tee shirt.
Thanks as always for listening to my rambles, AND I love this thread and everything we're talking about on it.

I am still on phase 1. Something weird happened the day after I started phase 1-I gained another 3lbs!! I don't know if all the stuff I consumed just caught up or what, but I lost 2lbs and would like to lose at least another 3 before going back. Hopefully by the end of the week!

I didn't have any headaches or anything after my "fun" day, but can see how your body is saying "what in the world are you giving me??" after eating cleanly all week.

Phase 1 has been rough on me this week (worse than when I orginally started the diet!)....hopefully I won't have to do this for a while.

Hey, I feel ramblings are the pathways to great knowledge and wisdom. You are right, we do need to listen to our bodies-something, unfortunely, we are no longer "programed" to do.

Just started phase 2. Loving being off the IP lunches...the mushroom soup was my fav...but I was tired of it. My WI last week was a bit discouraging with an increase of 1lb (131) but with 1% BF lost and 3 inches. I'm building muscle right? I really just want to hit 125 so I hope that by being very careful I'll take off the last few pounds in phase two. Does anyone have thoughts on what they did or will do in phase 4 when you are 100% on regular food - what you will do for vitamin supplements. Been ing this week and last trying to add some extra omph to phase 2 results. Wish me luck!

Has anyone here switched from Ideal Protein foods to Lindora? I ordered several things after I entered phase 4 simply because they are MUCH cheaper than IP. Most of them taste great, but I'm not sure if they are not as satisfying (although the ingrediants and nutritional content are very similar) or if it's just me. I just seem to be hungry and always "wanting" something else with these. I'm thinking that I may need to switch back for my recoup days as much as I hate to because of cost. Anyone else have this experience?