Do you mind pointing me to where you found that spreadsheet? Also, if you want to add TLVancouver as a buddy on fatsecret I'd love to connect in as well :) - my username was taken too!

I'm glad a few people have mentioned the annual re-boot thing. I'm confused about that. I've read the book more than once, but it is still not clear to me why we would need to do it. If we've been successful in maintaining our weight, than why would it be necessary?

Thanks,

Karen

I have to agree with you. If someone is at their goal weight and they feel good, there should be no reason to do phase 1...

I remember reading in one of Novak's posts in the "Life After" thread (post # 27) about her phase 4 workshop. Her coach said you could do 2 weeks of phase I annually if you wanted. I don't think it is a requirement but I also don't think it will hurt. I had borderline hyperglycemia before I started IP last year so it seemed like a good idea to "Reset" my pancreas annually by going through the phases. No science behind it that I know of. The gist of the post was to do what works for you.

Lynn

Phase 3 what do I do?
 

I am 2 pounds from my phase 2 goal and will be moving to phase 3 soon......though I am nervous. Have no idea about breakfast or dinner ideas......everyone keeps saying to look at stickies.....I cant find them, nor do I have time to read 100 posts to find out some breakfast ideas. I just signed up for fatsecret, though I havent received the email yet to confirm ot. Please add me as your friend and if you have ideas for meal planning or spreadsheets please share. Username should be granby

Phase 3
 

I signed up for fat secret but i have been waiting for 10 minutes and havent received the email they said they were going to send.

it looks like you were successful. when you log in, check out your buddy requests. i just sent you one.

Fatsecret
 

I tried to check my biddy list but it says I need to confirm based on the email they sent me but i still have no email.

Check your junk email! I signed up to as sandyh50.

Sent you a buddy request. Welcome to the group.

Lynn

In regards to the reboot... in Dr. Tran's book he explains that it is to be expected that we will gain 5- 8 pounds throughout the course of a year... if you are maintaining within 2-3 I don't think there is any necessity to do the reboot. My coach said that the once a year reboot is recommended and that usually the preferred time is after the holidays because of the excess that is associated with them. And that is all that I've heard and know...;)

me too please... thanks

here is the link for phase 3 info, look for Jordanna's post on this page:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...et-phases.html

Wow. So much activity here. As to the annual reboot, I got the impression it was more to reset your pancreas again than it was for weight loss. I plan to do it in January (even though we've only been in maintenance a couple of months), and each subsequent January. For those of you nervous about fun days, just trust in and follow the strict Phase 1 day afterward. It really is a miracle. We have pretty regularly now started our fun day on Friday night and continue through Saturday night. Sunday is Phase 1. And Monday my weight is fine. I went 5 lbs below goal in Phase 3 to have a cushion, and since I've been on Phase 4 I haven't even gone up to my goal yet. I have been experimenting with being a little more relaxed about tiny cheats throughout the week. Even though the scale isn't really reflecting a difference, I feel much better emotionally if I stay disciplined through the week and let myself enjoy my extended cheat/fun day on the weekend.

My new lunch find...packaged chinese chicken salad from Sam's Club. It has two packets of chicken, dressing, peanuts and crispy noodles. I chop up my own romaine, use one packet of chicken, and not even a half a packet of the dressing, peanuts and crispy noodles. If I were disciplined about stretching it, I could easily make 4 lunch salads from it by adding extra chicken. It's pretty tasty and convenient.

To find the breakfasts on fatsecret, type "ideal protein phase 3" into the search bar at the top of the screen. when the food results come up and tell you that there is nothing, click "meals" on the right near search...

you can search for teh following: foods, recipes, meals, challenges, exercise...

I made a great Autumn maintenance dinner last night. I baked a sweet potato and topped it with crumbled Morningstar veggie sausage, WF pancake syrup and "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" spray. Reminded me of a dinner my Mom used to make using winter squash. It had 6.5 g of fat, 32 g of carbs and 22 g of protein. I'll definitely be making that again.

I would participate in a January "re-boot." I won't be at a year anniversary, but would like to drop another 10 lbs, and after the holidays seems like a good time to tackle it.

I am enjoying my extended vegetable selection in Phase 4. I ate spaghetti with spaghetti squash last night instead of noodles and a big plate of beets. Yum! Those beets have been sitting in the garden uneaten for months waiting for Phase 4.

I just signed up for the fatsecret website. Member name hemimom.

Please add me as a buddy. I am really struggling with Phase 4 and would like to see what everyone is eating.

I have to totally agree with you about the being disciplined during the week thing. It does make the cheat day all the sweeter and it really helps with keeping my focus. My cheat days tend to be pretty gung ho because I've spent all week wanting this or that and telling myself I can have it on my cheat day. Which I usually do. But hey, better one day a week than seven, right? Kept thinking on my last cheat day that more often than not, that would have been a pretty regular day for me a year ago. Yikes. I'm probably even better on my cheat days because at least I'm conscious to still order skim etc- saving calories where they don't really matter anyway... which I would not have done before. Very thankful to be 'awake' now and conscientious of how what I eat and drink affects me and my body...
I'm waffling a bit about joining you guys on the reboot. What you say about making this the first annual January reboot makes sense to me... but... my bday's in January and we're going away to Hawaii in February. There's about 4 weeks in between these dates. That would only leave enough time for one week each of Phase 1 & 2 then the proper 2 weeks of phase 3... can I still tag along? It's always more fun when everyone's in :D

It seems weird to think about a reboot when I start phase 4 Thursday but my current plan is to do it the start of each Sept (one year after I started and the timing is after our summer at our lake cabin). If I do 2 weeks I'll be through the stages (with a little shorter phase 2) by Thanksgiving (Canadian).

It seems so far away :) - hopefully I don't need a reset sooner.

Hey Capricious,

I am going to Hawaii next week. I haven't been to Hawaii in 22 years. Last time I went I was a beached whale (pregnant). I'm going to the Big Island. I've never been there. Vacationing with the FIL. Where are you going?

When you're in Hilo, think of me, OK?

[N.b. The Big Island was just named the 7th most beautiful island in the world. And up to 20 million tons of debris from the Japanese tsunami is headed toward the Hawai'ian Islands. But you'll miss it. I hope you love the island as much as I do.]

Woolberger..On how to make pumpkin lattes..Unfortunately Starbucks only carries a few sugar free syrups..not the pumpkin sugar free one. I am going to make my own at home.
I like the morning star sausages also..I use them for taco meat. Your recipe sounds perfect for fall.

How exciting that you are going to Hawaii next week. It is one of my favorite islands. The volcano is worth going to. How fun that you are going as a thin you. I am going to Hawaii in Dec. to visit my family.

Capricious: I often reflect on what I used to eat and how I have changed. This seems to hit particularly as we approach the holidays. It is nice to reflect on the good changes that have occurred. It seems like you are calm on your cheat days.
I am going to Hawaii also..but in Dec. Just hoping the planes are flying.

Today is WI day and the day I tell my coach I am moving to Phase 3. I am ready!

PixlKitty..Thanks for the in depth posting on how to navigate FAt Secret..It is appreciated. I think I have a block against fats, yet I know they are needed. I am going to try the whipped butter.


For those of you that have a Cash and Carry Store nearby..I hear they sell SF syrups at 3.00 a bottle.

ah would be nice to have a cash and carry, my store only sells the big bottles and about $9.00 each.... but I found this online while I was in "training" last week... lots of good recipes and the pumpkin latte is one of them...
Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie Latte
INGREDIENTS
1 oz. Torani Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie syrup
8 nonfat oz. milk
2 shots espresso* INSTRUCTIONS
Steam milk and Torani together. Pour heated, flavored milk into a tall glass and add brewed espresso*. Spoon a thin layer of foamed milk over beverage. *If needed, 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee can be substituted for 2 shots espresso

http://shop.torani.com/

cold still
 

Hi all, a question for you maintainers... when your pancreaus restarts do you get warm again? I am a little tired of being cold for 9 months... and winter is coming... It will be a horrible winter if I have to wear gloves at work.:dunno::dunno:

Joanne! You're in the 140's ?!??? How did I miss this momentous occasion- congrats! And it looks like your past 2 WI's have both been 3's? That's awesome- so very, very happy for you right now! I'm freezing my ***! off right now and like you, living where we do, I can't believe it's only autumn and winter is looming. I. am. going. to. be. an. icecube.
woolberger- I'll be going to maui in February. We go with my husband's family usually. Love, love, love it there because as I was just mentioning winter here is horrible and it is so nice to go somewhere there's flowers, sunshine, water and such a feeling of peace. The only bad part is coming back ;)
The skinny pumpkin lattes I get are from Second Cup- which is Canada's version of Starbucks...
Maile- WELCOME TO THE LAND OF AWESOME BREAKFASTS!! I know you don't get much of a chance to enjoy them, as you mentioned you're short on time in the mornings, but the feeling of having yogurt, fruit and toast again is one to be cherished :D Heck, I've been on maintenance for two months and I still cherish getting up in the morning to a bowl of fruit & yogurt with granola... missed out on it this morning and I'm still feeling a bit ripped off- ahhh- tomorrow though, tomorrow is a few mere hours away...
And don't shy away from the fats, they are so helpful in the digestive process! They are not the enemy (at least not on their own anyway ;))...
Been a bit under the weather as a bad cold is passing thru my family and haven't been getting my exercise in- think I have to set a date with the dvd player & Jillian Michaels. Love it when you're about 5 minutes from the end and want to die a bit she's yelling "Don't you quit!!! You don't quit when you see the finish line do you??? No!!! That's when you put even more into getting there!!!!" . It's incredibly good timing and I love the analogy. Would really like to run a 5k this year...

Yes I snuck it in monday after my weigh in... happy to be finally there, and hopefully will continue to lose as I think now instead of moving to phase 3 my coach will have me go to my goal in phase 2, which isn't bad but I was looking forward to breakfasts this week... so I have to wait a few more weeks... I have time, am not going anywhere.
As for cold, one of the ladies I work with and have known most of my life, is always cold and she is now happy that I am too... such a bag.. we were comparing how cold we were this morning at the -5c we know it is getting colder. I have to find new clothing for winter, thermal underwear, a new winter coat, gloves and hats as even my head gets cold now where as before I just covered my ears and I was fine. When I go for walks with the furry girls long sleeved shirt, 2 hoodies and a fall coat (and that is more than I wore all last winter) yikes.

Do any of you by chance have any low carb Greek salad dressing suggestions? I can't wait to have a Greek salad with feta Fri on my first phase 4 day :)

BCgirl I use Renee's Spring Italian or Creamy Italian dressings on my greek salads- both are super yummy! Greek salad has always been a fave of mine too and has been a regular go to lunch... although... have had an absolutely fabulous warm spinach salad the past couple days that I'm so hooked on. Never tried wilting spinach before and after I tried it I could have kicked myself for not having had it before now in life. Have to admit spinach has never been a favorite but it sure is now.
1 T evoo
1 cup chopped peppers (red only or a mix)
1 garlic clove
1 tsp lemon juice
2-3 cups of spinach
20- 30 grams feta
Heat the oil in a large skillet add peppers over med/high heat 1 minute. Turn heat to medium saute another 3 minutes. Add garlic & lemon juice saute another 30 seconds to a minute add spinach keep sauteing until all the spinach has wilted. Remove from heat and stir in feta. Serve.
Seriously, it doesn't sound like much but this is ridiculously good especially when it's cold out and you're freezing...
2ride- I'm both happy and sad for you. Happy that you're weight loss seems to have restarted sad that means more Phase 2 but Phase 3 will be here before you know it. And once again your patience is astounding, keep up the great work!!

I absolutely lovelovelove EMERALD cocoa roasted almonds for a snack- just enough to satisfy a chocolate and crunch craving if you buy them in the 100 calorie packs- yummy yummy- 4 carbs.

You guys are prompting me to search airfares for a spring break in Hawaiii! My favorite part of Maui in winter/spring is the humpback whales! And the heat. Definitely the heat!

I am not nearly as cold now that I'm eating more. Not as warm as last winter with my huge extra layer of fat, but warmer than I was all summer. Funny how carbs heat up the body.

I have a question. Lunch is supposed to be vegetables and meat, no carbs in Phase 4. Do the "restricted" vegetables from Phase 1 count as a carb? Can I only have beets and spaghetti squash for dinner, or do they now count as a normal vegetables?

Thank you for sharing the spinach recipe. That sounds so easy, it may be dinner tonight!

Good luck with vacation planning! We just booked 2.5 weeks in Costa Rica over Christmas so I have to get going on my workouts to be bikini ready :)

My understanding is that all vegetables are allowed in phase 4, including at lunch.

I'm surprised to admit how good that spinach sounds - before IP I didn't eat nearly enough vegetables. I'll let you know when I try it.

That sounds wonderful!!!!! I am going to get out my expresso maker..which has been put away all of these months and try it. Thanks. are you enjoying your breakfasts?
I am freezing also!!!!! I have not lost the cold feeling. I have heard that silk long underwear and bamboo???? are the best.

Pauley..I don't know the answer to that as I have not reached 4. However, I have heard that the airlines are going to raise the rates on Nov. 1. The prices are already high. I love to see the Humpback whales also..Maui has beautiful beaches. Boy could I use that 80 degree heat today!

I feel warmer now than when I was on the diet.

I use Brianna's vinaigrettes. I actually like the French vinaigrette on my Greek salads.

Yes, this is true. All veggies allowed. YAY!.

BC..I have heard that Costa Rica is beautiful, warm, and friendly. How fun that you are working into a bikini. I am working into my one piece.

PixleKitty..I love that quote on the bottom and have copied it for my use. It is so true.