Wishing everyone a great week! I am celebrating because I have almost made it through my first weekend and I am totally OP!!

I buy a large bag of chicken breasts at Sam's and thaw them out in fridge. I then divide the bag into thirds. I cook all thirds differently (one bunch I'll cook spicy, another plain, another shredded, etc.) After I'm done cooking allow them to cool well. Cube those that weren't shredded & weigh in the snack bag. If one bag is short 4 oz. I write how many oz. are in that bag so I know I need to add something else to it when I pull it out to use it. I then freeze them. You can either set them out the night before in the fridge, take them right out the freezer and put them in your lunch box, or put them in your dish frozen during cooking. It's REALLY easy - no more mess, no more measure.

I'm trying the Texas chili tonight for dinner. However I just realized that I used 2 oz of green peppers and 2 oz of diced tomatoes and I put it in the crockpot to cook all day. I just realized that I'm cooking the tomatoes and wondered if I should eat it due to the 'cooked tomatoes' would someone let me know what they think please? I don't want to ruin myself for 3 days by eating it.

Thanks for the compliment Lori. I tried quoting you earlier and my stupid phone won't let me for some reason. I've been wondering where you were. I'm glad to see you back!

I'm in day #1 and have a question about the HNS's. I had grape concentrate with breakfast and it was okay. I had pink lemonade powder with lunch and didn't like it, even though I love real pink lemonade. Does anyone have any suggestions of what flavors they like, even though I know we are all different. Are the concentrates better tasting than the powder? I also had trouble stirring the power until it didn't have any clumps in it. Thanks.

OMG!! That is TOO funny!! I have been doing the SAME thing, and MY towel gap just closed as well!! (well, if i suck it in a tiny bit) LOL! That is weird, the things we notice, huh? I am going on vacation in six days, and I started packing and going through the closet. Most of my clothes HANG on me!! I bought a pair of (drumroll, please) size 16 capri's Friday!! My ultimate goal is a 12, but hey... a 16 ain't bad from where i came from!!YAY!!

Ali, I like both honestly but prefer the concentrates. I like grape, kiwi melon, mixed berry, orange in the concentrates and as far as powders I like peach mango, pink lemonade, and lemon. I usually put the powder in first and then add water, stirring as I go. If I'm home I use a whisk too. I always add ice too. Hope that helps.

ali-I bought a shaker cup at GNC. It has a little ball gizmo inside it so when you shake it all of the powder mixes quite well. They are somewhere around $9.00. If you ever get the meal replacement shakes, which mixes with 16 oz with water and is a pretty big pouch it does a good job mixing the shake up as well.

My staple flavors have been the grapefruit in powder and the kiwi melon in concentrate. Grapefruit was out so I tried lemon and that was better than the pink lemonade one; tastes a bit like Countrytime Lemonade to me.

Good luck to you!

ali g. I like the grape, orange, berry, and green tea with cranberry. I only use the concentrates. For one thing, I hated the skittles in them (never could get all of them out) and I can mix them in a small bottle of water and take them anywhere. BTW if you shake the powder ones they mix a little better.Good luck on the program. This is a great place to be!

WTG on the 16. That is so great! You should feel very proud! That 12 will be coming your way soon! Keep up the great work.

Welcome Ali, I actually enjoy the mixed berry, grape, and orange concentrates. I find the powders mix well in my bullet blender also.
Good luck with the program!

Thanks everyone for your welcome and your help with HNS flavors. Now I have another question. I track what I eat on a website that includes all of the nutritional information. I think I ate everything I was supposed to eat today, but my calories only came to 520. That is very low. Is that about right for day 1? The breakdown of protein, carbs and fat was correct at about 60%/20%/20%, so I think I did everything right. If that is correct, does the number of calories go up after day 4? (I have 30 pounds to lose.)

LOL I can tell I have lost inches more than the scale shows pounds. Keep up the good work. We will get there.

Hello all you successful ladies....I am on vacation this week, so I am mostly just reading everyone's post and enjoying and I am so very proud of you who can get the towel around you and for getting into a smaller size of capris and jeans....that is fantastic. You have to be so very proud of yourself, and I bet you are checking yourself out in the mirror more than ever now. Keep up the good work you all.....and welcome ali g.....keep asking questions...that's how I learned so much from these talented women!!!!

Does anyone else have trouble with leg cramps at night? I have had cramps almost every night since getting on program. If you have had them, did you figure out how to handle them? Any help would be appreciated...ouch!