No it will keep you from burning muscle as fuel. It will also keeps you from passing out, I almost did! The extra packet should be an unrestricted.
Awesome dude!

leaving my comfort zone?
 

I am on week 5 and have been able to be in my office and have found it easy to follow the program. I found out today I have to travel with another person from the home office to Montreal next week. People tell me they bring their own dressings and have salad at restaurants but I have not come up with one I like yet. What do you guys use for dressing? I have not eaten out since I started this and am a little nervous to break routine. Anyone have any tips for being prepared?

I've got walden farms usually on me at all times (thousand island )...just went out to eat tonight...had a 6oz filet and steamed veggies....

most restaurants will have just an oil and vinegar if your in a pinch

Buzzard,
I have to eat out a lot with work. Here are some tips.
1. Sit down restaurants only. Fast food never works.
2. Salad bars, even small ones, are life savers. Big plate of lettuce and they usually have enough on plan veggies to make 2 cups.
3. You can always find oil for dressing but vinegar that is not balsamic can be an issue. Try this oil and a couple of lemon wedges squeezed on the salad is very tasty.
4. Carry your sea salt in your pocket. Can't get it at the restaurants.
5. The tricky part is the side options. Utilize google to see what resturant options are around and then visit their site to look at the menus. You can get grilled chicken, fish or steak almost anywhere but finding the veggies done on plan is the hard part.
6. Ask questions. How do you prepare the steak? Do you use butter on the steamed veggies.
7. Pretend to have food allergies. Wait staff will respond easier to request if they think it will hurt you.
8. Maybe the most important, from the time you leave the house your water bottle should be in your hand. Staying hydrated makes it much easier to control hunger when you may get off your regular mealtimes, or a veggie had a hidden ingredient. Keeping 120oz plus of water a day helps flush so many things out of your system.
9. Know where the bathrooms are...
10. Water bottle with a locking top make great shaker replacements for the powdered drinks.
11. Pack plenty of the bars, premix drinks, powdered drinks etc... Trying to find a microwave, bowl and a spoon can be harder than you ever thought.

Hey Buzz, I'm Canadian. When in Montreal try and go to Swiss Chalet (or Chalet Suisse) there :). If you order the Healthy Quarter Chicken with veggie medley with a side salad you'll be happy! I don't sweat the dressing to much. It is a balsamic which seems to be ok, diet wise.

"Buzzard"
I use the Walden Farms, but add a bit of green salsa, to spice it up. If I know in advance (usually do, since I don't go out that much), I will mix a bit of WF ranch with some green salsa.
I did a lot of salads the first week, and do them for lunch sometimes, but dinner
is usually cooked veggies. And if I make extra cook veggies at night, I pour a IP soup over them for lunch the next day. Makes a nice veggie soup.

Great list. I no longer use the Mixer for anything. I use disposable cups for soups and puddings when I am not at home. Put a little water in the bottom of the cup. Put the packet in. Put the rest of the water in. Wet the spoon or fork, then place it in the cup and stir slowly, then pick up speed.
The reason for putting a little water in first is it prevents stuff from being lost at the bottom where the spoon can’t reach while stiring.

The reason for putting the packet in, then the rest of the water. It prevents people from thinking you are on crack cocaine. That powdered stuff flies everywhere if you stir to fast.:coffee:

HA, SOS used to be my favorite Army breakfast. I don't really think they will be giving us MREs while at GTMO, at least I hope not.

The Class 6 store wouldn't be as bad as all the fast-food/coffee shops this base has. I'm going to have to walk around with blinders on and a nose plug so I don't see/smell any of it. :dizzy:

I joined in '94, haven't ever had the enjoyment of c-rations. It's wild for me to think they used to put smokes in them and a carton was $1.15? WOW, a pack of Marlboro Lights run around $5.00 now. (That is my next big life change. Gotta put those things out of my life)

There is another thread in IP called “Trying to find the courage to start all over again!” As I listed my other diets I have been on, I thought of that scary thread. I have never been as successful the 2nd time on a diet as I was the first time. That’s one of the reason I must complete all 4 phases. Failure is not an option. This is too easy, I don't feel deprived, yes Shawn just walked by with a plate of mostacholi and of course the thought of shoving his face in it never occured to me, I am fine :nose:

Any of you dudes using a sleep apnea machine. I have had to use one since '09 when I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. It was kind of a fluke that I even got checked out (wife was bugging me about my snoring). I have used it everyday up to about a week ago as I felt that, with the weight loss, I would try not using it. It was an interesting test but the last few days I have felt a bit draggy so I'm gonna fire it up again. I have set up another appt. to check where I stand with the sleep apnea now before I quit the machine cold turkey.

Just wondering if there are any SA sufferers on our little forum.

One of my customers came in to my store today to discuss his sons weight issues. He is about 19yrs old now and 340lbs. My customer just went through a quad-bypass and heart issues run in the family so he is obviously concerned about his son. He has been watching my weight drop and was really interested in getting his son (and wife apparently) into IP.

I still can't get my head around the irony that the former BigT, known for Blueberry Pie, Big Macs and chip dip, is now giving diet advice??!!:dizzy:

The wife has been on the machine. She doesn't use it as much, the sleep-specialist thinks she will be off it soon. She is off blood pressure meds now.