Happy Tuesday ladies!!

CenTX - I don't think it's cheating at all, I say go for it as well. You deserve it just as much as anyone. Make sure you keep us posted if you do decide to join. HUGE congrats on the 75 pound loss, that's amazing!!!! :D

ether - I don't weigh in during the week at all. I only use my scale at weigh in as that is what works for me. I find I get obsessive over daily weigh ins and let it affect my mood (and potential eating) WAY too much. That's not to say I won't ever do it again, but for now I know it's not something that helps me stay positive and focused!

kcodrums - that's an amazing loss over the holidays, good for you!! :D

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The weather here is getting me down as well, it's darn cold out! It took me over an hour to get to work today when it usually takes 25 minutes tops. There is a ton of snow and I am SO ready for winter to be over! Only 3 more months, ha!

All good here, was 100% OP yesterday and did it feel good! I am happy to get back at it, I find it SO much easier when I am in my normal routine. Here's to a great day!

Nice job CenTXchk!

Had my weigh in this morning - UP 1! It is TOM, but I've never had an up week. No cheating either. I'm not going to focus on it, just stay on plan and look forward to a big woosh next week.

Forgot to add this cool quote I saw this morning:

"Change might not be fast and it isn't always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.". - Charles Duhigg

WI went well....down 2 ~ I am glad I listened to my coach on the extra packets!! :carrot::carrot::carrot:

Yes Lisa your right ;);) And when I know I need those 5 packets I always pick the lowest ones LOL...Kind of my own mind game...


Yeah ..... 100 Lbs is close and I am sure you will get there... I to am on the edge of being smaller than my DH for the first time in a long long time...

I don't think your cheating at all. Your doing a diet program and winning!

This program does work! Just look at people's stats!

Sorry about your work issues! Hope you get them sorted out....

Post away...these people keep me very accountable and they are a wealth of information...

Ugh sorry about that up, but it will be gone in no time..

OK time to get some work done around here since the snow is coming down and I am not in the mood to go grocery shopping and push that cart thru the snow LOL.... It's ok I have plenty to do around here....

Happy Tuesday all, Snowing here in PA. Had a pink lemonade for breakfast, and getting ready to go make my chicken patty and a salad for lunch. My councilor told me he would rather I have an extra packet if I am hungry in the afternoon. So if I am hungry this afternoon I will have some mushroom soup. I have the salt and vinegar crisps at night because that is when I get crunchy hungry... My hardest time of the day is around 3-4 oclock so that is why the extra packet....
I hope everyone has a great day it is really my first week back OP I was a little bad over the last two weeks I am preparing for the headaches to return....:)

Don't forget that you have a whole list of "unlimited" raw veggies on the P1 sheet that you can eat too! I always keep a baggie of cucumbers, celery or mushrooms on hand in case the munchies hit.

Congrats on the 75lbs, that is wonderful news! Like the other people, I agree that you should join the competition. Your choice of diet is just more effective, that's all. Is it cheating? No. They have the opportunity to ask why you are losing more and make the change, they have the ability to do research on effective diets .... you go for it, and we'll all cheer when you get first prize! LOL

It really helps having others on the same program. You can swap recipes and have mini competitions among yourselves. I know that I would probably have had more difficulty staying OP if hubby wasn't doing IP with me. Encourage them to come to 3FC and join us. :)

I also weigh daily - sometimes once first thing in the morning and once late at night. I like seeing the variations, and I have learned that it is mainly water weight. Especially on days when my sodium count is higher. If I eat fish for dinner rather than chicken, my weight will be 3lbs up at night.

Do you use a tracker for your food? Many people like MyFitnessPal, but I use SparkPeople. It doesn't show sodium per meal, but you can add a sodium tracker at the foot of the page. It does, however, show fiber, so you can see your total carbs and net carbs instantly.

One of the little tricks that I've discovered in the last 4 weeks (which seems to give me one slower WI and then a WHOOSH the next week) is to have my first drink of the day a hot water with a squeeze of a fresh lime, with the slice dropped in. I like the acidity first thing, cleans the morning "fuzzies" out of my head with it's eyepopping sharpness. It also warms me up and has the added bonus of making my breakfast shake taste much sweeter! :)

Congrats on an excellent IP start! I love those starting weeks when WI numbers look big! They certainly help keep us focused until the program starts to feel much easier. :)

When I was a kid, we had a sandpit that was forever growing rhubarb. That stuff will survive a nuclear winter, I'm sure! Lucky you having a fresh supply, I'm jealous. Enjoy it. :)

Welcome back. I think weight loss is a learning experience. Each time we diet we learn a little more until we're experienced enough to make maintenance stick! :)

One of the things hubby loves is when I make raw cucumber zoodles (they are wetter than zucchini ones, but still tasty) and top it with a mix of mushrooms, garlic and celery as a little snack. I don't care for it, but he loves it and it stops him from reaching for the feta cheese! :)

Wow - everyone is actively engaged today - all of us in the mid Atlantic area of the US are having some snow - it began here in DC area around 4AM and turned out to be a bit more than the weathermen predicted. I am still off work using up my 2014 leave hours - so glad I did not have to face a commute today.

My official WI is on Thursday - a bit more than a week since my last as I adjust back to my pre holiday schedule. I too weigh in daily at home... now on 2 scales. My analog scale is the one I have used at home for a number of years.... but last month I got a new Aria digital scale (the one that wirelessly connects to my Fitbit software on the computer). The digital tells me my weight with tenths of a pound accuracy, like the official WI scale with my IP coach. So I see more ups and downs from day to day now - changes I could not see in the needle on the analog dial. It's a bit freaky, I must confess.

I know the downward slope is full of day to day variations, so I don't get too wrapped up in those changes, but the official WI is always a bit of a surprise - I am never totally confident as to what my official number will be.

My new years resolutions include being more mindful of my water intake and measured quantities of veggies to really be 100% OP. This week I am hoping for a couple of pounds down and some progress working my way thru the 180's.

I recall that it was the late 1980's when I was last in the 170's...

I also got the Aria for Christmas and it has actually stopped me from weighing myself more than once a day so I can see the change. I used to weight myself every time I got my clothes off which was a bit excessive as it did not relate. I also log my daily weight on a fun app called Happy Scale. It is free and will show you how your weight can fluctuate but not mean you are gaining. It also predicts based on your history when you will reach your goal. Is kind of fun to watch.
I really only take seriously my weight once a week as WI as that shows me the progress I have made.

I'm in week one of reboot this week after a very bad Fall but great success in the year and a half prior. Am getting over the disappointment of the setback.

What is really stark after coming off of the period of bad eating habits and back into the program are the familiar feelings.

Physically: I feel good energy, not bloated, sleeping well. Because it is week one I am still feeling physical cravings (can't wait for that to dissipate).

Mentally: clear. alert. focused.

It's great to be back!

What I am doing different this time... I was a lurker on this site my first time round - never posted but read a lot and felt the power of the community. This time I'm all in!

Good luck on all your goals everyone!!

Day 2 of Ideal Protein.... I did it last year and now am trying to loose the last 20 or so pounds.... I remember the first few days being rough but how long does it take untill I'm not hungry???

For me I think it took about 5-6 days until I felt better and wasn't hungry anymore. Now I take my pills before dinner and I'm so full from that I have to force myself to eat!! HA!

Being prepared is one of the key element on this diet. Make sure you have all the ingredients you need for a healthy diet. Today I took the skin off of a whole chicken stuffed it with lemon slices and cooked it in the crockpot. This will give you protein for several meals. Delicious

Any ideas what one is too do if they run out of food before their next weigh in? I am ready to join again but don't think I will have enough food before my next WI 1/17.
I was thinking of replacing the food I run out of with a hi protein food, like Hard Boiled eggs. Thoughts?

You can use eggs - 1 whole and 2 egg whites I think is the substitute for a packet.

You can got to GNC to get some Quest protein powder for making shakes or muffins or pancakes. Other health food stores may have comparable diet foods.

Place an order tonite for some alternatives - check the alternatives thread for food item ideas and place your order online - shipping costs at Nashua Nutrition are not bad, and I find products at Vitacost where any order over $49 earns you the right to free shipping. They deliver within a few days.