Itaboutime: I use Special K protein, Kashi Whole Puffs and Healthsmart Cinnamon. I like Chobanni yogurt plain as it tastes like sour cream. Other have eaten granola in Phase 3 and have put SF syrup on it. I think the brown splenda has more calories than the regular splenda but have not heard anything about it. It is exciting that you are getting closer to Phase 3 breakfasts!

Capricious>.I am very excited about your Costco sausage and chicken burgers. Thanks for the tips. Plus your idea of adding rice or WW soup is a good one..and easy. We are big Costco shoppers. Last night my husband returned with a total indulgence of Alaskan Crab legs from Costco. They were wonderful.
I am also hooked on pumpkin pie latte..as well as gingerbread and eggnog lattes.

Bcgirl: I have been reading about the excellent effects of Chis seeds. Do you just dump them in or do you have to grind them? Do they have to be refrigerated?

Joanne: I found the Phase 4 carbs/fats confusing also..and my coach wasn't a great help either. I still stir fry my vegetables or roast them with olive oil for dinner. It seems like fats include cheese/dairy also. I am glad your maintenance is going well. So I have decided that potatoes would be the perfect way to donate my poundage. Today's mission is to buy potatoes for our food bank.

I saw my coach yesterday. I am going to stop in once before Xmas and then after New Years. I really am ready to continue without the coach. So far so good as I am staying under my goal weight..

I was observed by 5 administrators in my class yesterday. This was very stressful to have people watching you teach. Thank heavens my students behaved. The good news is that even though I was stressed about the whole event, I did not turn to food.

Congratulations Jennydoodle!!!!! That is very exciting that you have entered maintenance!! I would love to hear how you are doing. Are you still eating the pudding cakes?

We've had to do one of those health assessments at work to get health insurance. This is the first year we've had to do it, and thank goodness it coincides with me no longer being in poor health! I was able to answer the questions truthfully and get a top score!

Thanks folks for sharing the cereal information. I haven't had any type of hot or cold cereal yet but I'm thinking this weekend may be the time to add it back in. I'm missing oatmeal with the freezing weather we're having.

I'm glad you made it through your observation with well behaved kids Maile! My husband is an elementary school teacher and he gets really stressed for his observations too. I feel for you guys.

So my 3 year old daughter was crying the other day because she had hurt herself. I actually handed her a cookie "to make it better." Good grief! What is wrong with me?! Way to set your kid up for the same eating disorder you have Mom.

Grrrrr. Five! Isn't that a bit excessive? Poor kids were probably cowed.

itsabouttime-
I too am in Canada so my list quite resembles BCgirl's...
Liberte Yogurt
1 C Blueberries or raspberries or the two mixed together
1/4 C Ancient Grains Granola (Costco Brand)
I like, and will also use, Nature's Path Pumpkin Granola, Kashi Honey Almond in lieu of the granola.
I've tried the Oikos yogurt and don't like the taste as much as the Liberte and it is higher in calories and fat. Same goes for the president's choice brand and Danon. I like a very tart taste so have really enjoyed my greek yogurt- never tried it before Phase 3 but had liked plain yogurt in the past and didn't find this to be too much of a jump...
Bread: WW brand, Bodywise (can be found at Costco) and one that I have only found at Safeway and like the best of all is a low cal winnipeg rye bread.
Top the bread with Kraft natural peanut butter. Was buying Adam's brand natural peanut butter before but the Kraft is easier to spread and has less calories... I still like to use WF spreads on top of the peanut butter for a PB&J type effect...
There is an excellent turkey sausage made by Grimm's that is at Costco and comes in a round shape. This can be paired with an egg and low fat slice of cheese sandwiched in an English Muffin for a breakfast sandwich -it is very good. I always liked having this with grapefruit (but I haven't had it for awhile... should tho' now that I'm thinking about it).
Turkey bacon, eggs, toast with lite cream cheese and an apple or grapefruit is one I like on the weekends when eating with the whole family...

To those on Phase 4- has anyone tried the Larabars? They are all natural bars comprised typically of fruit and nuts. Not as sweet as the IP bars or most protein bars but they are all natural and still quite yummy...
Thank you Maile... it's so good to know that I'm not the only one with latte issues... Good for you for getting through such a stressful time without turning to food. It's such a positive reinforcement each time we deal with our emotions rather than eating them. What a battle it is to try and reprogram something that seems so innate. These are the strongest NSV's in maintenance... And to Pauley for recognizing it- it is so habitual to distract the kids from a hurt with something tasty. I catch myself with this as well- wanting to reward a good report card with dessert... Old. habits. die. hard. As long as they do though that's what really counts.

Thanks! It feels so good to have finally made it here I actually haven't had a pudding cake in months! I think I OD'd on them, as I ate them every single day for months. Today was technically my first day on maintenance, so, so far so good.

I really wanted to be able to be on maintenance by the holiday's, so I met that goal. I am hoping to stay steady through new years and then I will think about possibly taking off another 8-10 pounds (but on alternatives this time). This time of year is extremely difficult to be in a weight loss mode, so my goal was to get to a good place and then be able to stablize that through this time of year. There are just so many gatherings and dinners and parties, that to be in P1 just seems so hard and restrictive. At least with maintenance you can make adjustments and utilize "cheat" days for the holidays and parties.

Anyway, that is where am at and am hoping that this is truly my last diet!

Haven't tried the Lara bars, but I have found some other really delicious bars I thought I would throw out there.

1). Detour Lean Muscle- I think these would actually be acceptable in P1 as they compare pretty well with the IP bars. But these babies are just like eating a candy bar!
2). Think Thin Bars- definitely only a P3 or maintenance bar, but they are tasty (especially the "nut" or "crunchy" ones). Plus they have a decent amount of protein and very low sugar
3). Odwalla Bars- again, only a P3 or P4 bar, but soooooo good! These probably need to be consumed in moderation, but they are made with whole ingredients and organic. I do not think there is more than a gram or 2 of protein in them, so definitely a treat.

Jennydoodle- It's funny because I just finished a big box of the detour bars! They are very good and like you said so comparable to the IP bar for stats. I was still having an IP bar once a day and have been trying to wean myself off of those so moved onto the Detour bars. But I've also been trying to steer away from 'fake' sugars hence the Larabars. They are higher in both calories and fat but less in sodium and they have no sugar or sugar substitute in them. Maintenance is so close to clean eating but it's so hard to take that final plunge and go fully clean. I can feel the muscles in my abdomen but they are not clearly defined and the allure of eating clean is that maybe that definition could be acheived... Just parting ways with my sugar free syrups... ahhh... that's a tough one. Why is it that the hardest things are always the most worthwhile?
woolberger- are you lurking? Haven't heard from you in soooo long

Maile; it sounds as though they are top heavy with administrators if they can spare 5 at one time to observe. You must be happy to have that behind you!

Thanks everyone for the support on my observation. Yes, it was top heavy..normally you have only 1 principal observing. However, they have received a Walk through grant where they invade your school with 15 people and sit there typing on IPads during your observation. Yes the kids reacted and I am very glad it is over!

Yesterday I chose to buy 6 bags of potatoes and donate them to our food bank..Looking at an entirely filled shopping cart of potatoes and realizing that this was the weight that i carried..was a cathartic??? emotional moment. As I carried them in I felt like I was giving away the pounds I had lost for good.
Crazy as it seems, it was a very good experience. Needless to say I had to have 5 fifth graders grab my 20 pound bags...and everyone wondered why I was giving away so many potatoes!
Thanks Joanne for the idea.

Capricious: I applaud your effort to get rid of SF syrups.That is also lurking in the back of my mind..to get off my sweetener dependence. I printed all of your good tips to take to Costco with me. I also am trying to get off the IP packet a day. In my case it is pudding. I agree with you about the hardest things being the most worthwhile.

Jennydoodle..Thanks for the bar info. I am trying to find a snack to replace the IP oudding. I still have your pudding cakes periodically. Maintenance should be very helpful in the holidays.

Pauley..It is amazing how even after teaching many years, you get nervous with observations. I would not feel bad about the cookie. You are giving your 3 year old so many other excellent ways of living healthy.

Pat: Thanks for the thought..I was happy to have had it done. I had been dreading it for weeks. I do not know how people think it is normal to have 5 adults sitting there with ipads..

Linden..Hope you are not freezing in Germany. are you getting the short days like we are?

Hey ItsAboutTime.....I started eating my restricted item for breakfast....now I always have a bar....and then chocolate drink( I warm mine in the microwave for hot chocolate) in the evening. That helped me speed up my numbers a bit. Might be worth trying?

What's funny is, that before IP, I ate VERY clean. Now, I am back to the "fake" stuff That was the biggest factor I had to consider when my doc approached me with trying IP. I am so against fake and processed food that I was a little taken aback with all the packets. Of course, now I thank the heavens everyday for IP, but I am back eating the bars and the sugar free coffee syrup and the Mio or Crystal Light...

I agree, the next thing to go will be the sugar free syrups for my coffee. One thing at a time. I have a feeling that the bars will be the last to go They are my saving grace sometimes in the afternoon.

I think the Think Thin and the Odwalla bars will fall right in line with the Lara Bars though, and should be a good choice for those of us eating clean. Back in the day I used to make my own snack bars. I should probably get back to that. They were delish!

Congratulations on the symbolic victory. Definitely a cathartic experience, I'd say. And surprisingly it was 54F here today, lovely. But fewer than 8 hours of daylight.

I, too, have a question about eating processed food. Bread, for instance, and peanut butter and cheese with they're salt. I will start making my own breads but can't get the right pasturized milk to make cheese. I know because I tried to make paneer saag for the family a couple of weeks ago with pathetic results. I wonder if others had problems with water retention when they went to phases 2 and 3 and, perhaps more important, did the problem go away? I gained a little weight in the past 3 weeks and the only factor I can identify is sodium. (It's also true that there may be more sodium in processed food, and less sugar, here than in the states.)

HaHaHa. You caught me! I actually check in here almost everyday but I don't feel like I have anything to contribute. After the Family vacation (husband's father & stepmother), then the family Thanksgiving (my brother, father) and the upcoming family Christmas (my brother, sister, Father & MIL) (do you see a common theme here?), I'm spent. I love my family but I feel a touch like Cinderella (pre-prince).
I'm doing well. I was able to drop the 3 lbs I gained in Hawaii and have maintained since. I am checking in once a week in Fatsecret to update my challenge stuff.
I love the conversation about sweeteners. NO WAY am I giving up my SF syrups. My kitchen counter looks like a coffee shop. I actually drink black coffee in the AM but love a sweet treat in the afternoons. I use it to flavor my FF yogurt too. I also have the occasional IP or alternative bar. I've been eating artificial sweeteners my whole life all the way back to cyclamates so it's too late for me!
Sorry for the silence. I'll at least let you guys know I am here.

Lynn

Glad to see you all here! I did see the scale drop a pound on my third day of phase 3. 9 more days and I will be a maintainer!! Woohoo!