Welcome back to the Daily Chat thread - post your plans for today, share what's been happening, ask questions!

Some forum lingo:
NSV = Non-scale victory
TOM = time of the month
WI = Weigh-in
WF = Walden Farms
OP = on plan

Bookmarking:
Ideal Protein Sub-forum Home page
Consider making it a bookmark or a favorite in your browser so you can come back easily to get your RDA of Ideal Protein information.

Information for newbies:
Check the sticky page (top of forum, above all the topics) for lots of good information and please read here before asking what might be a frequently asked question: Information on Ideal Protein phases (1-4), IP Ultimate List Recipes, FAQ, Newbie Guide, Exercise, and other Important Threads,
and here are the most recent Ideal Protein Protocol sheets

And before you cheat, read this thread:
The Real Cost of Cheating on Ideal Protein

Before starting new threads: spend some time reading the forum. Most new threads are duplicates, triplicates, quadruplicates. Folks who are the most successful, make time for research/reading.

Recipes Here
Ideal Protein Diet Recipes #4 -current thread open for posting
Recipe thread #3
Tips and Recipes from the Incredible Weight Loss Center
Fun with Ideal Protein Packets
Fun with Veggie Purees!
Mix'n in the kitchen...Recipes from the Rainbow
MiX'N' iN THE KiTCH'N.... Recipes from the Rainbow Volume 2

For those looking for alternative products
Here is a thread with tons of info. Spend some time in it. http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...phase-1-a.html
And here is a link to a chart to help you choose appropriate products

Tickers and Signatures:
There are 2 requirements to have access to signatures and tickers. You must have been a member of 3fatchicks for 20 days AND posted at least 20 messages anywhere on the 3fatchicks forum. When you've met those requirements check The Ultimate Signature and Ticker Thread for more information and instructions.

Quoting:
The best quoting tip - EVER!! Thanks Rosie, aka 6710.

Searching:
If you can't find what you're looking for in this forum using the website search function, try using the "double search" using Google.

1) Go to Google.com. Search 3fatchicks by using the term site:3fatchicks.com at the end of your Google search.

For example, if you want to look for "big mac in a bowl", type "big mac in a bowl site:3fatchicks.com" in Google search. No need to include the quotation marks when you type.

2) This will bring up the page that you are looking for, now hit Ctrl+F to search on that page. Type "big mac in a bowl" and all instances of that search term will be highlighted.

Progress photos
Mini-Goal Photo Album.

Other helpful links related to the Ideal Protein Dr. Chanh Tran Tien's website

Amber
Re: last nite's question about significant increases/decreases overnight. This is an EXCELLENT lesson for why weifghing more than once per day is downright silly.

The main thing that is changing overnight is the amount of water in your system. It's amazing how much water weighs! A gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, and a pint of water (16 ounces) weighs 1 pound (in metric, 1 liter of water weighs 1 kilogram). This means that if you drink a 1-liter bottle of water, you instantly gain 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) from the water! That's a big weight change, and it can happen very quickly.

Overnight, there are two processes that cause you to lose water gradually. The first is respiration. Each time you exhale, you lose a little bit of water (exhale onto a cool piece of glass and you can see this moisture). The second is transpiration through the skin, also known as sweating. Over the course of a night, both of these processes eliminate quite a bit of water.

Then there is the tradition of using the restroom prior to the morning weigh-in. That process can eliminate up to 1 pound (0.5 kilograms) of water.

According to this water information page, the average person eliminates about 1.2 liters of water in urine each day, and also eliminates about 1 liter a day through perspiration and respiration. That's 2.2 kilograms (almost 5 pounds) of weight fluctuation happening throughout the day!

You may have heard that it's important to drink about eight glasses of water every day. Respiration, transpiration and urination are the reasons why!

Hi I have only been doing this for 2 weeks and doing well. Unfortunately I have to go out to eat two times next week. How do you plan for it? what do you order that keeps you on track.

Plain meat & veggies. No sauce or oil/butter.
Salad. Either use oil & lemon (most vinegar in restaurants is balsamic) as your dressing or bring a WF packet with you.

I usually save my occasional veggies for eating out. That way I don't have to worry that I've had too many for the week.

Sometimes I order a salad instead but the meat isn't usually 8 oz on a salad. I end up asking LOADS of questions. Ceasar salad w/ no dressing, cheese, croutons works.

It becomes second-nature after a while. My friends and family are used to the way I order.
I typically save my oil that day for my restaurant meal, as well. That way if my directions aren't followed well, I don't stress.

Preparation is the key!

If it's up to you, restaurant you know offers a light menu, salads, grilled meat Steakhouses are great, but i've had success anywhere from fast food (Culvers, Subway, Arbys) to breakfast/hometown joints (IHOP, Bob Evans, Cracker Barrel) to chains (Red Robin, Chile's, Texas Road house, Ruby Tuesdays) and local restaurants can be VERY accommodating.

First, i tell the server i am on a strict special diet and apologize in advance for asking lots of questions. Salads can be tricky...I have better success with side salads. I order no dressing, cheese, croutons.....sometimes use a restaurant' s evoo but prefer to bring my own baggie pouch of WF dressing. I usually order a grilled protein (salmon, steak, chicken, mahi mahi) which usuallt comes with two sides. I ask the meat be dry grilled with no oil/sauce/. seasonings. Then I see what veggie sides will work: steamed broccoli, grilled asparagus, side salad. If there's only one option I get a double order. I also make sure the veggies don't have sauce/seasonings.

I have also have luck with build-your-own omelets...delicious alternative!

If you get a chance, vie the menu before you go...then you won't stress while you're there

Tip generously for the server's hard work!

LOL I knew it was water. I actually have a pretty um... "exact" body. With pretty consistent accuracy I lose approximately 3.4lbs while I sleep, occasionaly I lost 4-5 but those are the whoosh days when I am losing lot's of weight. I was actually more curious about how I can "gain" 3lbs of water weight in 24hrs but it takes me 72hours to shed the same water weight lol

IP43 - per your last comment on weekend chat I have to say my ex husband appears to be finding my lost pounds buahahahahaha he's one of those eat what he wants and never gain a pound, but he turned 40 recently so I think that male metabolism is slowing down and all I can say is HAHAHAHA

Well ladies (and gentlemen out there), I worked and dieted and stayed OP to get to this point. I am not yet at goal, but I had planned all along to be diet free on this trip. I hit my first major goal... under 200 although I only saw it briefly thanks to TOM I'm still calling it goal met. I am fully aware that when I get back from vacation I may have some weight to make up for, but I plan to eat more p3 this week. Not going buck wild, but this was my plan all along. Then when I return I will be going all alternatives as I am out of cash for IP... I hope to lose at least 30 more lbs by my birthday at the end of septemeber (although I may need to go for 40 since I will probably gain some weight this week). Off to enjoy my vacation!

My husband laughs whenever we eat out - he says I order the most expensive bowls of lettuce ever!

Seriously. it becomes second nature after a while. Ask questions (how is it cooked, is it marinated?), ask for exactly what you want (no oil. no butter, naked, steamed, dressing on the side). Rarely has the waiter been anything but anxious to help.

The more often you do it the more comfortable you will become. This is an important skill in managing your food, for life!

Hope everyone had a nice weekend! I'm recovering from helping a friend with yard work at her office on Saturday. Might have overdone it in the heat and sun, but I was very glad to be able to help her out and spend time with her.
Got a really nice phone call last night telling me that my sermon yesterday really touched someone - it is always neat to hear that kind of feedback!

Here is what I am wondering about today: carb cycling. Not major crazy stuff, but just intentionally changing up carb amounts on different days. I feel certain that I saw someone on here saying something about it but can't for the life of me remember who it was. Does anyone have any insight into it, or experience with trying it while OP?
It's new territory for me to be so attuned to my body and what works best for it. I'm actually enjoying learning, when it's explained in a way I can understand it!

Hi everyone! I'm back after a 10-day trip to the beach. Through determination, small miracles, and a LOT of patience and support from my hubby and kids, I was able to stay 100% OP the whole time I was away, despite being surrounded by everything pre-IP Annie would have snarfed down in abundance. I am so so so happy that I made it. I feel like I can do ANYTHING now!

While I LOVED being away from my computer, I'm glad to be back online now. I've already read about a hundred posts here this morning, basking in the support and motivation and hope I find here! I don't "know" a single one of you, but I missed you and I'm glad to be back with you!

Congrats to everyone with staying OP while on vacation and over the weekend! I have a quick question - is sparkling mineral water ok? I'd like to get a Perrier with lime when friends are drinking cocktails, but I want to make sure this is OP.

I console myself when I know I have water weight with the reminder my later father taught me as a child ' "A pint's a pound the whole world round". Thanks, Dad.

Yay, I finally got my ticker! After several days of not budging, the scale finally moved down a bit over the weekend. Looking forward to my weigh in tomorrow and I'm hoping to be down at least 6 pounds total (in two weeks).

I'm also celebrating a non-scale victory today. A month or two ago I bought a new dress for a work meeting. The dress fit, but after wearing it all day I decided it was really a little too snug and not quite comfortable yet. Well, I'm wearing that dress today and I'm happy to report it not only looks better on me than it did before, it definitely fits better too! As cute as it is, I'm looking forward to donating it once it's too big!

My BF is moving in, so we spent the weekend cleaning out my closets to make room for his clothes. I looked at these adorable dresses I could wear two years ago but are now too small for me. I put them in the spare closet (I really just needed the room) but seeing them reminded me what I'm trying to do here - fit back into them!

Today is the day! My first weigh in on IP. I have been weighing myself every morning since I started (which I can see is a bad idea) I couldn't help myself. It is neat when you see the scale go down but I do not like the anguish if it has not. Probably best to stay the course and put the scale away.

I was very surprised by myself this week. Many small victories at staying OP. I am very proud of myself. My boyfriend tells me that my stubbornness may actually pay off for once. =)

Wish me luck me luck on my first weigh in. Why did it have to be a 5pm tonight? ugh! After almost 2L of water today I am sure the scale will not be kind. Preparing myself so as not to be discourages. I told myself that I would give this 2 months.