Thanks for the reading tips everybody! I too like to keep reading up on alternative approaches. Helps me remember why I did this and why I will always want to stay involved and in control of my diet and life.

Evepet: I liked Why we get Fat also. I am also reading: Sugar the hidden addiction by E. Boroquez.

Momto2cs: Do you work in a gym? Did you figure out a day off from exercise? I am exercising almost everyday.

Samba: I have not had raw whole chocolate products..but they sound interesting. Hope you reach maintenance soon.

Goodeatsandwine. Thanks so much for the link. Those breakfasts in a jar look great and so quick to grab. I have been thinking of adding chia seeds into my diet as well. I love that thick greek yogurt and fruit..had not thought of adding oatbran. are you eating the oatbran instead of oatmeal as it is lower carb?

NewEnglander: I hope you are feeling better. It is awful to be sick. My cravings are always worse if I am sick and tired. Hope your dog is oK from surgery. Do you still have eggs in that safe?

My mom sent my husband a giant box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts for his bd. He told me to take it to school. So I spent the day letting my kids have one piece. Well. the fumes of the chocolate were getting to me! Chocolate smells wonderful.

Cajun: some people have fruit with yogurt for a snack..I eat fruit in the mornings.

Purplesky: That book looks intriguing.Pistacio pesto sounds wonderful. I like easy.

Sewmam: I hope your doctor can help you. I like the holistic approach also. I am on thyroid medication and it has helped.

Sunnymae: Do let us know how your transition eating plan to organic works. It is something I aspire to. I am not eating packets or bars. My only packaged indulgence is low carb cereal and pancake mixes. ..but then there is WF syrup.

2ride: I am glad Phase 2 is working for you. It is healthy way of eating. Good luck on your dog trials this weekend. Hope the weather cooperates.

Today's experiment will be to eat a zero carb breakfast ..no packet..and see if that gets my upped 2 pounds off.

Hello everyone.....just checking in. I am doing a 100% on plan month of May hoping to lose the last 5 that I am up and then another ......whatever to prepare for summer. I am determined that when these 5 come on that I will focus very hard to never let myself go up 10 pounds again.

Not sure if you saw these on another post I made, but I think these are great maintenance rules:

1. NEVER avoid the scale...if you are avoiding it, must likely you know you are gaining and don't want to face that reality.

2. remember to do phase 1 days...they don't have to be packets, but get those carbs and calories down to a phase 1 level.

3. If you go more than 10% above what you lost...phase 1...100% until it is all gone.

4. Think about setting up reboots for different times of the year just to remind yourself about control. (mine are January, May, and September...hopefully for the rest of my life)

Any one else have good ideas to just keep it off forever...not for a month, a year, but forever.

I think I will post the rules in a few places in my house.

Happy weekend everyone...planning on golfing, gardening, hiking;)

I eat berries every morning, sometimes again in the evening. I also sometimes eat half an apple b/c it has fiber. I rarely eat a whole apple. Most other fruit is high carb and screams SUGAR to me now.

Hi all

Maille-I don't work in a gym, although I have considered it. I work as an engineer, so the $$ is just too good to forgo, even working 3 days a week.

I took today off from the gym. Yesterday I took a little extra of the mct oil I use (my ip clinic sells it, it's supposed to help burn fat, I see it used a lot in the bodybuilding forums).

Well too much of any oil is a laxative and I spent all day yesterday in and out of the bathroom. Seriously-I was down 5 pounds by the night!

This morning I still feel dehydrated, with a mild headache, and decided this was a good day to stay home and rest! The kids have no school, do I can try to get in enough salt and water to get back to normal!

Have a great day!

I like your rules. I know over Christmas I avoided the scale, to my detriment!

I also have 1 pair of fat pants. If I have to wear them, which I did on jan 2, I have gone off the rails. If I put them on today they fall off, but that is the difference 10-15 pounds makes on me.

Hope you and your dog are feeling better today...
I as well love chocolate... and the easter egss have done me in, especially the Reese's eggs... I have a big one in my freezer, in the basement (out of site out of mind) but then cadbury had the chocolate truffle big ones on sale and ohhhh they were so good, have one of those in my freezer as well. I try to stay away from chocolate as much as I can same as peanut butter... do use pb2 and cocoa in my shakes in the morning. At our Sweet Tweet store they have chocolite bars and they are only 35 cal so I have also had them. I keep a supply of nashua healthsmart peanut butter chocolate bars but try only to eat them about once a week.

darn eggs.:devil::devil:

GREAT rules!!!! I think I may even print these and tape them on to my fridge

:D

The scale rule is the big one...I avoided it for 3 weeks around the holidays...result 12 pounds up....

A really great commited inspiration on this site a few years ago....did the same and found herself up half of what she lost (about 40 pounds)....another one found herself up almost all the weight.


Personally I avoid it so that I will lose some and feel better about the number I see, but in reality.....I am not facing reality.

Thank goodness only a few pounds up right now.

I got the idea of eating oat bran after reading The Dukan Diet. It seems to be his 'secret' to maintaining weight; it is good for you, only 2-3 tablespoons added to my breakfast keeps me full and satisfied until lunch AND I'm incredibly regular now! I recommend it to everyone now...even people not on a diet.

Agreed! I typically only eat fruit at breakfast and it's usually berries. For some reason they seem less sweet to me.

Hi Darbs!
Great tips! I am going to join you on a reboot (except I won't be starting until the 6th). I am a little over what I like to be, but would also like to get under 130. I am giving myself 6 weeks back on P1 to see if I can get into the 120's.

I have been toying with the idea for a while but it wasn't until recently that I actually felt ready to do it and make the commitment. I am actually excited about it and to see if I can get into the 120's. It has been almost 1 year since I started IP and I think it is a good time for me to jump back onto P1.

I am going to do a combination of IP and alternatives this time. I ordered a couple of boxes from Nashua to get me started and I purchased a box of the RTD chocolate from my clinic. I just haven't found anything that I like as much as those, and they are great to throw in my gym bag for a post workout shake. I am supposed to get my nashua shipment tomorrow so I will be all set to start on Sunday.

I am hoping that I will have more free time in the coming weeks so I can get on 3FC more for support. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel of my last 6 weeks of craziness :)

Good luck with the reboot. I was hoping to get down to 140, but those vanity pounds are just too hard to lose without total dedication, which I have been unable to maintain on the weekends.
I took out my summer clothes today and most of my size 6 stuff is almost too big! I am still amazed at how my body continues to change even at the same weight. After my oil dehydration day yesterday I can even see my abs! Lol

I need to DEFINITELY watch this rule!!! I never want to get on it now that I am in phase 4. But I have forced myself to get on it once a week... and I keep surprising myself :D My numbers have stayed the same!! I haven't gained!

BUT if I am nervous about getting on it now (and I am sticking to good eating habits) I can totally see how I REALLY won't want to get on it if I slip up.

Thank you for the get well wishes! I'm still under the weather and got our dog this morning. Poor pup is pretty miserable. He's on Tylenol with codeine...along with six months of therapy... :(

I was so stressed yesterday that I hit candy and ice cream again and today is P1. The scale looks fine so I'm all good with it.

Love the rules! We are so far ahead of the pack (i.e. our overweight friends, family, neighbors, co-workers etc.) because we are so aware of what goes in and how it impacts up. We should really be so proud of ourselves for taking care of ourselves!!!

Thanks for all your support my 3FC Friends!