I thought about this a lot today, and I have realized that you have to do what works for you. I think so much of my weight loss has been derailed because I listened to bad advice over and over again when I was on various programs. Someone always had something better that they were doing,etc. and I would get doubts, and then as soon as I hit a plateau, I would lose confidence in both myself and the program and stop. I have a lot of confidence in this program, and I am finally at the point where I can look back and say that following through is key.

I can see that happening. My brother lost a lot of weight and we were all worried about him. Now that he has been at this weight a few years I now realize he is just healthy and looks great.

I know it's not true December, but I started today. Wasn't as bad as I thought - glad I can ease into it while I'm on winter break. Just have to keep it up when I start teaching again!

Anikens, I'm a teacher, too. Started Dec. 1. I'm finding it's easier to do while I'm at school and have a strict schedule.

How did everyone do with Xmas? My birthday is the 27th and no cake was strange. Not so much craving sweets but just because it's a tradition. We always do cheesecake factory, which is phenomenal. This year we did a Mongolian grill restaurant where I could eat meat and veggies.

I've been overdoing it a bit on the meat lately because holiday events have been aplenty and I snack on meat instead of all the other garbage to get through them. But my coach said I can't really overdo the protein so that was good to hear.

I did cheat a little on xmas day with cheese and homemade pasta and wasn't as strict about my eating this week. But I brought my own Salmon & Arugula and veggies to snack on to Christmas dinner and avoided all sweets so it was overall a win for Xmas week.

I'm up .2lbs this week and am happy with it as I was not super strict overall. My coach was more disappointed than me, lol. But knowing the binge eating that could have taken place, this is a major win for sure.

Hope everyone else had a great Xmas and survives New Years!

My birthday isn't until July, and that was the one day I had considered going off program for. My guess is that I won't go off program for it though. I want to stay 100% until I phase out. So I am glad you made it through that day with no glitches. And it looks like you handled the holiday temptations quite well. Congrats on making it through

Any tips for making it through the school year on IP? I will have one week down by the time I return to school. What are your go to meals, etc.?

I've been thinking a lot about this too. I started on Dec. 26. I teach HS and our lunch is at 10:51 - about the time I've been eating breakfast on break! I've come up with 2 options for myself a) continue to eat breakfast at this time, just during my lunch period, then eat my lunch packet/veggies as my after school snack at 2:10, then dinner protein and sweet treat packet as I've been doing. or b) breakfast during planning at 9:04 like I've been doing, 1/2 dinner protein and veggie during lunch, other 1/2 as after school snack, then a packet/veggies at dinner, and then sweet treat packet.

I guess I'm just going to have to experiment with everything and see what works best for me. Also, I'm going to have to get a whole lot better about prepping the night before.

I'm a teacher, and this is what works for me:
6 a.m. breakfast of 2 scrambled eggs (4oz protein)
9:30 a.m. grab a drink made from a MR packet mixed with 10oz water. I can drink this down while I'm teaching. I'm a music teacher and have to keep hydrated all day so the kids are used to me drinking water.
11:15 lunch.....2-3 oz protein and 1 C veggies
3:30....snack. This is when I enjoy my restricted bar
6 p.m. supper more protein (anywhere from 3 to 6 oz depending on how much I had earlier in the day) and another C of veggies.
an hour before bedtime ~ another packet....usually the pudding.

I go to the store probably 2X a wk. Sunday evening I cut and measure my veggies for M-W. and put 2 C servings in baggies in the fridge. I cook my lunch veggies for the next day and put it in a container and then cook my supper. All I have to do is grab a baggie out of the fridge. Then I do the same thing on Wed or Thurs evening. If I'm REALLY busy, I buy the pre-cut.

I love a variety and mix yellow squash, mushroom, cabbage, broccoli, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper all together in a bag.

Every Sunday night, I sit down with all my packets for the week and divide them into zipper bags that I reuse every week. I put one Restricted, one drink, and one other packet into each bag. Then into the cupboard. Every night I grab a baggy for the next day and put it in my purse so it's ready to go.

I have 2 shaker cups....one that stays at school and one for home.

I have 2 Rubbermaid 32oz drinking bottles....one for home and one for school. The one at school.....I drink one in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. I visually divide the bottle into 3rds and drink a 3rd during each class. My conference is 7:45-8:30 a.m. so I teach all day with only a short lunch.

I wrote a lot, but I hope this helps. Preparation is EVERYTHING, and it's really not that hard. On busy nights, I pick up a rotisserie chicken at HEB.

I will definitely be following your lead
1. Yes, I agree planning is everything, and I really like that Ziploc idea. I already have my vitamins for the week in a Ziploc in my purse.

2. Timing is crucial too, and my schedule is so varied on break...hmmm. I will have to see. But one thing I noticed is that I enjoyed having a simple cup of coffee w nothing else. So I will probably do that at work in the morning. But have a morning smoothie before I leave in the morning around 6 am. I shut the door in the living room area, and I think (I hope) that it did not wake my roommate when I put the Ninja on high. And well, I could also blend my shake in the evening and have it ready to go when I leave.

English teacher here, so I write a lot read a lot. Keep the ideas coming

Oops, I noticed I wrote "1 C" of veggies. I have 2 cups at lunch and 2 at supper. Last night was crazy (Mama in the hospital) so I had to eat all 4 cups in the evening. Had indigestion afterward.......

I'm a teacher too.
I travel from school-to-school so don't always have access to a microwave.

For MONTHS, I made a veggie puree to add to IP soup.
I made the soup, added the puree and took it to work in a thermos so I could have it anywhere. Veggies in the puree: bok choy, leeks, celery, mushrooms. I also make home-fermented pickles so I usually take one of those.

My typical schedule:
7 am: coffee
10 am: Breakfast: spinach/chocolate pudding mix/coffee smoothie (made at home, take in 22 oz tervis tumbler). If there is extra that doesn't fit, it goes in my 7 am coffee

L: I used to have soup with puree until I restricted soy protein. I also tend to make the zucchini muffins (recipe thread). I can make 4 batches of them and have 3 muffins (either savory or sweet) and either celery or a pickle. All easily transportable and nothing I need to heat.
If I KNOW I'm going to be somewhere with a microwave, I may take some caulimash with IP potato puree. I still usually have my pickle.
And, I take romaine lettuce leaves to munch on (kinda like chips) if I get hungry.

After school snack: chicken broth with veggies or cooked, pureed rhubarb jello (made with plain gelatin0

D: Usually it is a big salad with meat on top. I usually have my veggies with B/L/S and don't have any left for dinner. Since IP has added more "unlimiteds" this hasn't been as big of an issue (when I first started, I had to count the spinach, celery, and pickle (cuke)).

S: In the winter I prefer a hot chocolate (LOVE WLS cocomint cream). In the warmer months, it is usually a fruity drink.

**Other ideas
If I take anything that needs to be shaken, I mix/shake at home & put in an empty strawberry/banana smoothie bottle (I save a bunch). Then I don't have to lug a shaker to work. I already take enough!
My lunch bag has two 1-liter bottles of water, my breakfast smoothie, and my lunch/lettuce. It is pretty big

Also: I have emergency packets EVERYWHERE. Desk, car, DH's car, purse. Just in case I forget something.

Sunday is my veggie prep day. And weekends are the time we make most of our meat for the week (mostly crockpot, smoker, roasting). If I cook during the week, it usually to make some taco meat for a taco salad or something else easy.

I usually stir fry some veggies for the week (same veggies as puree but also add bell peppers).

These are just my go-tos. Of course I vary things. But I try to keep it very simple.

What is WLS Cocomint cream and where can I get it? Would LOVE some hot chocolate. Before I started IP, I would sometimes make hot chocolate from unsweetened cocoa and unsweetened almond milk. Really miss it although I didn't do it that often. Sometimes you just want to drink something hot in the winter.

I also keep packages of tuna packed in water in my classroom.....for emergencies.

I'm a teacher, too, and I find it much easier to stay OP during school. Here is what my usual eating day looks like...

4:30-Up and at 'em! Light work out.
5:30-Dark Chocolate Pudding made into a drink with 9 oz water, Nescafe powder, tons of cinnamon.
11:00-Same drink, but with Vanilla Pudding and cauliflower puree made into soup with cilantro, lime, serrano peppers, and curry powder.
3:15-Snack-pudding of various flavors made into a drink.
5:45- Dinner-I make enough vegetables on Sunday to last through Wednesday lunch then make enough on Wednesday night to last through Friday night. Then I just eat whatever meat I'm making for the family.

I also bring 3-32 oz bottles of water with me to school. I use one of the waters to make my lunch and snack because the water at my school is disgusting.

Easy peasy.