Good morning all. Is anyone else in the US still having trouble getting used to DST? I woke up this morning at 7:15 (being retired is a luxury) and figured it was about 5 or 5:30 judging by the amount of daylight. Finally looked at the clock and was shocked. I've got a 9:30 hair appointment and need to get my caffeine fix in (which for me is a pot of coffee) before going anywhere!

Scoble -- Ubee will be so happy to know that she's being effective even when not here. I'm still chuckling over the image of trying to kick yourself. Glad you had a good day -- it's really motivating, isn't it!

Magpie -- Getting through a stressful day is HUGE! Those are the times when it's hardest to stay on plan. Glad that IP is working for you.

Weightloss73 -- Welcome to our little group! Fi hit on the main points -- in fact she does such a good job with new chicks that we should just appoint her as official welcomer.

Andrea -- Had to go convert C to F, but that's a definite warming trend! Or at least it is for living that far north. I'm not sure I know (or remember) what you do, but wondered if they have a compressed work week option. If not, do they allow people to work from home occasionally? I know that I found working from home greatly helped with not having to spend my entire weekend doing things for around the house. Just being able to throw in a load of laundry or 2 or 3 or run the dishwasher, etc. was great. Obviously, there are many jobs that can't be done that way.

Fi -- First of all, egads, what a horrible trip to see Mike. I don't think having two men doting on you makes up for the falling and pain. Now, go get your knees x-rayed. You've done something. Have Bob drive you to the hospital and go to the emergency room entrance. They will come out with a wheelchair or else Bob can park and go inside and get one. Don't make Ubee and me come out there and take you there (it will take me about 3 months to drive across country!). You know, I hope, that my nagging is because I'm worried you've either broken something or more likely torn one of those umpteen ligaments in your knees that are needed for things like, you know, walking!

On the diet front (figured I'd throw in something about dieting)........first, does everyone have one meal of the day that is the "main" meal -- more calories in that meal than others? Second, when do you eat that main meal? I'm still struggling with wanting to snack at night. In trying to break the carb cycle of my life, I'm realizing that maybe I would do better with my main meal at noonish instead of evening. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed eating patterns making a difference in their ability to stay on plan.

OK, off to get the hair whacked and then to the gym. I haven't been for a week, and it's time to get my butt back in gear. Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

Good Morning Chicks!!!

It's still a bit cool here in Central Texas... too cool for shorts and yet that is what I have on...

Betsy - well the grass is still not cut... hoping for a warm up today... I chose a 5th wheel so that I could unhook and go toodling around and see the sights... backing up will be the most challenging part for me as well... and this summer will be my fledgling journey... I am going to take it for an overnighter before I go on the big trip to make sure I know what all to do... my fur kids will go with me too... as for Main Meals... I really try to make my main meal at lunch but sometimes it winds up being in the evening... it does seem like that is when I eat the bulk of my calories... when I am at work I always want a mid morning snack but this week I don't seem to need one... of course I am having breakfast 2 hours later at least...

Scoble - good job on the snacks... that is always one of my problems... I want to snack if there is something in the house...

Magpie - yea for a productive day... I have been on spring break this week and did not have a productive day at all yesterday... was kind of bored actually... now I have to make up for it today.... LOL

Weightloss73 - it is great to have you here... this is the place to stay motivated... I know what you mean about not getting in enough water... I have to stay on top of that and some days I still don't do a very good job... I also have to stay on top of getting in my steps or exercise... I have done pretty good lately with logging my food and my food choices... but anyway... post as often as you can... we are here to support you and once again WELCOME!!!

Fi - you are one determined person, I can say that for you... I can't imagine being in such pain in the first place... I am with Betsy... go to the hospital where they will have a wheel chair for you to get some x-rays... I definitely am keeping you in my prayers...

Plucky - first of all let me say that I am the person who goes for ease and then I am also very frugal... to make my stew I use what I need to from the fridge (meaning something like carrots or tomatoes that need to be used)... the last stew I made I used 4 potatoes cut into chunks with the skin on, 1-2 onions chunks/diced, baby carrots (from the fridge), two servings of my leftover pinto beans, then I added 1 can green beans, 1 can english peas, 1 can corn, 1 can sliced carrots (I love carrots), 2 cans of stew tomatoes and then I seasoned with salt, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. I cook all this together in the pot for 30-40 minutes... Of course this makes a huge pot of stew, good for quite a few meals. When I figured up the recipe on CalorieCount it was about 150 calories for 1 cup. Even if that is off a little it is still not bad (it is hard to judge how many servings). I can take out a serving or two and add a few more seasonings such as basil or parsley and give it a different flavor and add some cooked chicken. Or I might just have it with some different seasonings like Mrs. Dash and have a sandwich with it. It is really very versatile, it fills me up and I get in my veggies.

Alright Chicks... I need to get moving... I think I will do some laundry and hang it out on the clothesline... Hoping to get some mowing done before the day is over... still a little cool here but maybe once I get moving it will feel really good...

I hope you all have a Wonderful Wednesday... a Perfect On Plan day!!!

Hi everyone. I'm keeping track of the chat so far.

Fi: For the love of all that is holy, get checked. I'm afraid that your knees will give out at the absolute worst time.

Weightloss73: Welcome to the forums. You'll find that these people are good people and supportive.

Went over on calories yesterday. To be honest, I'm cutting myself a little slack this week. I'm afraid of either outcome on these exams. Ever since I did okay last year, and was invited to the competition last year, my spouse has been pushy about me continuing my education in this particular area. I can't help but feel that maybe it was a fluke, though, like I got lucky. If I fail, I will be disappointed in myself, if I succeed, it means that a lot more is expected of me. I'm not sure that I like this kind of pressure. I like doing this as a hobby, but I can't imagine having to do this as a job. My spouse is pushing me to try to make a career of it. Some people like risky, high pressure situations. I don't. On one hand, I don't want to disappoint my spouse, but on the other hand, it's my life.

Welcome, weightloss73!

Fiona, that sounds awful. I agree with the others; please find a way to get your knees x-rayed! It's possible to rent a wheelchair--even a motorized one. And I know they sell them on Craigslist; that 's what I did with mine after I couldn't use it. (Long story.) ... Oh, also, re: cream, a friend of mine who is a food scientist says that cream (or apparently butter will do it, too--the fat is important) pulls out some of the tastiest components of coffee and makes it just better. So there's science behind your and weightloss73's approach. ... That said, IP being as strict as it is, I drink mine black most of the time, and I've found that I can taste differences in it that I couldn't before. And that's been a cool experience. If either of you decides you need the sweetener & whitener but don't want proper cream anymore, Walden Farms makes a delicious (but kind of pricey per serving) "calorie free" creamer. The sweet cream is amazing, and I use it as a treat.

Plucky, I really want a 4-day job, too. (Though at this point, a job of any kind would be welcome. I don't do well as a freelancer, it turns out.) It makes me want to live in Europe, with their 35 hour work weeks.

PJ, I hope you get everything done today that you set out to do!

Betsy, my main meal is dinner, which I guess conventional wisdom says is no good. Maybe over time I will be able to shift it to lunch. (I'm going to digress about IP's rules in a minute.) It's just ... always been that way for me. Breakfast is a bite before work (so I can take my meds) and then I finish it slowly at my desk until 10, maybe. Lunch is something warmed up in the microwave and eaten at my desk, though ideally I use the saved time to take a walk or something. And dinner is something I have actually bothered to cook (maybe in a crock pot, maybe in a big batch on Sunday, or maybe when I get home from work), and I eat with my sweetie, often while watching one of our favorite shows on Netflix. (THAT habit, I want to get out of when we live together again. I enjoy watching shows with my sweetie, but it's easy to spend the whole evening doing that.)

So.. IP. During Phase 1 (the main phase, which may take me more than a year to complete), you get a breakfast packet, a lunch packet + 2 cups veggies, a snack packet, and dinner is 6-8oz of meat or tofu and 2 more cups of veggies. Unlimited salads (with some caveats). So it sort of builds in this "dinner is the main meal" thing, though there are people who do their meat meal for lunch, certainly. THEN, during Phase 4/Maintenance, you're supposed to do I-forget-what for breakfast, and for lunch you can have fats and proteins, and for dinner you can have carbohydrates and proteins. But you're not supposed to mix carbs & fat (except maybe for breakfast?), and I can't find anything online suggesting that you're allowed to swap the carb meal and the fat meal, which is just not going to work. I have lots of fantastic low-carb recipes, but they all have fat, and they're mostly what I think of as dinner foods. So... I may just stay low-carb and not follow Phase 4, or... I don't know. I've got a long time to think about it.

This is already long, so I'll keep the general update short. It's rainy today, so I don't feel guilty about not going for a walk (I'm still sore from Sunday & Monday, and my weigh-in is tomorrow; I'll do a nice walk after that). I'm still really stressed about this job/moving uncertainty going on, maybe more so because there's not a thing I can do about it until I hear back from this one (work from home! half-time! but will they offer it to me, and will it pay enough?) job. I want things decided, y'all. ... Anyway, since there's not really anything I can do about it, I think I may distract myself with a trip to PetSmart, a book, and a couple of hours at a coffee shop I like (decaf coffee, of course; otherwise, how will I ever get enough water in? ).

I've been on 3FC for 20 days, now. vv look, I have a ticker! vv

I hear you! I hear you! I also heard my psychiatrist, with whom I had to have a phone app't because Mike (my Qigong instructor) insisted that I not take the long walk to see my shrink, to call him (my shrink) instead.

Anyway, what I mean by "I hear you" is that I made an app't to see my primary care doc on Monday. I can't imagine being able to walk from the parking lot to his office, even with Bob's help, until Monday, so please don't give me grief about that. And I have to see him in person (his nurse says) before they'll give me a referral for whatever kind of scan I need. So in the meantime, even though it hurts a bunch, I'm getting up at least once every hour or so, just to keep my muscles in shape and get more practice with my trekker poles. I don't think I'll fall down the next time I venture out because I'm getting better at using the poles like crutches.

Thanks for all the support, y'all. It makes a big difference in my overall mood and self-confidence, that y'all think of me as a determined person, even when personally, I know I am a sloth. =laugh= Did you know that sloths move so slowly, they have their own species of algae, that grows only in the ecosystem of their fur? I think that's hilarious. The next time I slowly limp, with trekking poles, to the bathroom, I'll check my hair in the mirror to see if it's turning green.

Oh, and Betsy, I definitely have only one big meal a day, and it's lunch. Somewhere around 6-7 o'clock, I give myself permission to snack, on a few macadamia nuts or cheese sticks, or some organic salami. No carbs, though, not until bedtime, when I have my daily dose of muesli and cream. Those muesli carbs really help me get to sleep. That's the "on plan" version of how I eat: I don't care to talk about the "off plan" version, because it's embarrassing. =shrug= I'm on plan today, and that's what counts.

Betsy ~ Yes I was able to schedule my rides on Monday this week but I'm gonna start scheduling my rides on Friday instead starting this Friday.

Pjvw34 ~ Yes If I could send the nice weather your way I would. I was born in Corpus Christi Texas by the way. We are gonna take a trip there in a few years.

Weightloss73 ~ Welcome to the forum and the thread.

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I woke up at 7 a.m. this morning and I was out the door by 7:30 a.m. I got home at 4:30 this evening. Its now almost 7:00 p.m. I helped with the DA4A monthly lunch at 10:30 and then at 2:00 p.m. we had peer support and then at 4:00 p.m. I went out in the lobby to wait on my bus. I'm gonna take today off from working out but I'm still dieting, I never take the day off from that.

I just did my 600 leg raises with my left leg, which is the one I do on odd-numbered days. Tomorrow will be the 12th, so I'll do 600 with my right leg then. That's what I'm doing to get my legs in better shape. I hope you come back soon, Sam, because you're my hero when it comes to working out. I thought about you with every single leg raise. And I thought about all the rest of the wonderful people on this thread—Terra, Betsy, Pam, Andrea, Donna, magpie, tootsie, weightloss73, Ubee, Scoble, Cindy, and anyone I've forgotten: you help me be strong! And it's not just my upper legs, either: in between each of the five sets of leg raises, I work on my lower legs.

And it sure does take a lot of strength to do all 600 leg lifts, y'all, but they'll get easier day by day. And they worked before to stabilize my left knee, all the way back in February 2012, when I fell on my own stairs and injured that knee.

Soft tissue injury, huh? Well, I ate on plan on Monday, Tuesday, and today, Wednesday, so I'm on a roll here... just watch out! I want to drop some 50 pounds more to get this awful weight off my knees. And then I don't know how many more pounds to get to my good stable weight.

I'm on it. I'm a-workin' on it.

And, lest I forget, today I'm grateful for my two marvelous kittens—orange tabby oriental shorthairs. That's Oscar on the left and Nénu (nay-noo) on the right. They make me laugh, and that sure is a good thing, these days...

Good Evening Chicks!!!
I hope everyone is doing well this evening...

Fi - 600 leg lifts??? Fi YOU are my Hero!!! Wow!!! You go girl!!! Oh and I could never even imagine you being a sloth... cool bit of trivia on them though... PS I am glad you have a plan and an appointment to see about your knees!!!

Terra - I know you would send me good weather if you could... love the coast of Texas but then again there's not much of Texas I don't like... I don't get to the coast much though

Magpie - I got a lot done... plus got in my 10,000 + steps today and I can sure feel that in my feet... it's the first day I have met my step goal since I bought my UP Move and have been counting steps... that part sure feels good... will keep you in my prayers on your job situation... I know it's hard when things are up in the air!!!

Tootsie - I just wanted to say one little thing here... I know you don't want to disappoint your spouse but remember this, ultimately you have to make yourself happy...

I had a successful day and got a lot done so I am very happy with that... It sure turned out to be a beautiful day here... I was able work in my garden area... plant some flower seeds and get half of my yard mowed... I am ecstatic... It looks so good!!! I hope to be able to mow the rest of the yard tomorrow or Friday... at this point I might have to take a day off and rest a little... My feet usually hurt so bad until I get used to steady exercise and get a few pounds off... that is why this time I have been trying to incorporate exercise into my regular day so that I would get used to it without the pain... but since I did a lot today I am not sure how I will feel tomorrow...

I hope everyone has a wonderful evening!!!

Hey Everyone.
I'm new to 3 fat chicks. I'd really be interested in joining this group. I currently weight over 300lbs and have just made it through my first week on IP. If any of you are also doing the IP program I'd love to hear any advice you could give on it.
Thanks!

Welcome, jane101!

Good Morning.

Fi Yes I am definitely a fellow lover of cream in my coffee.
600 leg lifts, that is inspirational, and with sore knees. Are these exercises you learned from your instructor?

Betsy I work at a College in the financial aid office, we are considered front line staff. We need to be on site to meet with students. If in the future I can only work 4 days a work week then I am sure we could work something out however I am only back to work after a 2 year disability leave. The college kept my job position for me but I had to learn a new job because I could not physically do my prior job. So long story short I have only been back to work for 10 months and I will give it a go doing full time for now. But I do appreciate your suggestions.
As for diet my biggest meal is dinner, I can eat lighter for breakfast and lunch but I am most satisfied with dinner as my main meal. I always leave room in my plan for a larger dinner and a small treat with plain tea for after dinner.

pjvw34 The stew sounds delicious and I will try a variation of it soon. I hear you about simplicity for sure.

Welcome Jane.

Well off to begin my day. Have a healthy day.

Hello noobs!
Fi....your knees sound awful! Pain can make your quadriceps switch off or you could have bits floating in the joints which interfere with the mechanism...either way...answers are needed!
Sheep update.....lambs are finally appearing, and daffodils and crocuses...or is it croci?
Bad chest news. Despite the oral antibiotics my last sample grew the same old bug (and lots of it) and a new bug I had never heard of!
Next step Intravenous antibiotics......mercifully they can be done at home....every 12 hours. However the community nurse doesn't have capacity until next Monday and in the meantime things are getting worse again. I REFUSE to go in to hospital......my boy has been through enough without me being whipped in to a medical ward. So I am going to have to take it easy for a few days until the treatment starts. I can only just about walk from here to there without coughing so exercise is out of the window!
Have had blood tests to check my immune levels as I am a bit of a medical mystery!Have a good day chickens.
Love you all.
Donna

Donna: Hope that you feel better soon. That sounds horrible.

Pjvw34 ~ Yeah I bet Texas is beautiful, I cant wait until our trip. Hopefully its sooner then a few years.

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Woke up at 7 a.m. and now its 9 a.m. I'm gonna start watching for my bus at 9:40 a.m. I'll get to school at 10:30 maybe and then I'll have cooking class and then I'll come back home at 2 or 2:30 today. I'm gonna do my 20 min. 1 mile walking dvd tonight before bed. I hope everyone has a fantastic day.

Wow, that's awesome! 10,000 steps is like 5 miles (maybe a smidge less for people with long strides, and quite a bit more for shorties like me ). That's a major accomplishment!

Thanks for the prayers, PJ. ♥

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Welcome, jane101! I'm on IP and (still) over 300 pounds, too. (Though I hope to hit the 2's in less than a month from now.) There's a whole forum for IP here on 3FC: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/ideal-protein-diet-236/ - But I'm happy to chat with you here, too, if you've got questions. We can make our own thread, even, in case others do, too.

~~~

Fi - 600 leg lifts sounds like a LOT! Go you!

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Mountain - Oh, I have asthma and get bronchitis more often than most people, so I have a little bit of a sense of what that feels like. (I'm reading "chest" as "lungs." Forgive me if I'm wrong.) Be so careful, lungs are precious. It probably won't help much, with this particular bug, but when I've got bronchitis, lots of hot tea (herbals, green, black, oolong, or just lemon in hot water -- doesn't matter, just a constant stream of heat and liquid) and using Vick's Vapo Rub (or the Badger chest rub, if you prefer organic) are a good start. This is going to sound stupid, but I swear I get better faster if I sleep with Vick's on my feet. There's no logical reason that should work, but it seems to? Anyway, many hugs, and I hope you're feeling better, without having to go to the hospital, soon! (I hate hospitals, too!)

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Oof, I'm going to be late for my IP appointment! Much love to you all!