Welcome back to the Daily Chat thread - post your plans for today, share what's been happening, ask questions!

Some forum lingo:
NSV = Non-scale victory
TOM = time of the month
WI = Weigh-in
WF = Walden Farms
OP = on plan

Bookmarking:
Ideal Protein Sub-forum Home page
Consider making it a bookmark or a favorite in your browser so you can come back easily to get your RDA of Ideal Protein information.

Information for newbies:
Check the sticky page (top of forum, above all the topics) for lots of good information and please read here before asking what might be a frequently asked question: Information on Ideal Protein phases (1-4), IP Ultimate List Recipes, FAQ, Newbie Guide, Exercise, and other Important Threads,
and here are the most recent Ideal Protein Protocol sheets

And before you cheat, read this thread:
The Real Cost of Cheating on Ideal Protein

Before starting new threads: spend some time reading the forum. Most new threads are duplicates, triplicates, quadruplicates. Folks who are the most successful, make time for research/reading.

Recipes Here
Ideal Protein Diet Recipes #4 -current thread open for posting
Recipe thread #3
Tips and Recipes from the Incredible Weight Loss Center
Fun with Ideal Protein Packets
Fun with Veggie Purees!
Mix'n in the kitchen...Recipes from the Rainbow
MiX'N' iN THE KiTCH'N.... Recipes from the Rainbow Volume 2

For those looking for alternative products
Here is a thread with tons of info. Spend some time in it. http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...phase-1-a.html
And here is a link to a chart to help you choose appropriate products

Tickers and Signatures:
There are 2 requirements to have access to signatures and tickers. You must have been a member of 3fatchicks for 20 days AND posted at least 20 messages anywhere on the 3fatchicks forum. When you've met those requirements check The Ultimate Signature and Ticker Thread for more information and instructions.

Quoting:
The best quoting tip - EVER!! Thanks Rosie, aka 6710.

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Progress photos
Mini-Goal Photo Album.

Other helpful links related to the Ideal Protein Dr. Chanh Tran Tien's website

Good Morning Everyone.....

Rainy Saturday morning and I have to head out to work....

Just had my Vanilla RTD and packed my BBQ soy pkt. for the road!

Hope everyone has a good day and I hope I don't get stuck in a downpour LOL...

Well, my wife and I attended our 40th HS reunion last night, more or less the reason why we started IP in June. Very happy I did it as I am now within 5lbs of my weight when I was in HS. I'm in Phase 4 and feeling a little anti climactic. I had a goal and I met it. Now the sprint turns into a marathon. Early indications are that I have altered my lifestyle enough to keep the weight off. Wondering how many Phase 4 people continue to see their coach and how often.

Hi Tom, like you I am now in phase 4. It's definitely the hardest phase as I no longer have a measurable goal to work towards and I now have to make choices every day. That was the best part of IP, the fact that I didn't have to worry about decisions - it was all clear on the sheet. I'm now turning my attention to fitness goals. Running 5k is on the list. I am also thinking about rewarding myself with massages or other non food treats for such things as not missing a day of updating my food journal for a month or not going above the weight I have set where action must be taken. Still playing with these ideas. Ultimately though, this was all done with the intention of feeling better about myself and being healthier and I have achieved those things. There is a great book I would recommend called Refuse To Regain. I am working my way through this now as I do not want to be repeating this process in a year!

I see my coach every two weeks. She said I can move to once a month but only when I feel comfortable doing so. Every two weeks feels right for now.

Forgot to add Congratulations on meeting your goal!!!

So I just got back from my clinic, which corporate has taken over and I was informed that the Garlic and fine herbs chips are restricted? Is this true? I thought they were unrestricted, since my clinic send out an email saying there were unrestricted. I swear that place is a mess.. Talk about contradicting info.

Kissi & evemomma: You are both right. I used an online caluculator and according to that I am at a BMI of 29 which is overweight. Wow! I'm not obese anymore! NSV!

My coach has stopped Saturday appts (Bah) so I'm not sure when I will be able to go in and see him again for the BCA. Those things are unreliable at best but I was just curious. I think I'll just stick with manually calculating BMI. So my next goal is to get to average. According to the CDC calculator, that would be 140 lbs which is 5 lbs less than my current goal. I'll just keep plugging away and see how I feel when I get to 145.

My son was in a wall/rock climbing competition last night and as I stood there watching all these strong, fit people doing their thing, I was jealous. I want to be strong and fit too. Another goal. But baby steps right now.

Today's WI - 0 lb lost. 1/4" on thighs. It's just one of those weeks.

I had a big personal NSV yesterday. My school district has a big meeting at the start of each school year. Each school dresses in matching shirts of some type and the auditorium is divided into school sections.

Last year, I wore a 3x to the meeting. Yesterday, I wore an XL. No one said anything about noticing a difference, but I felt a difference and FELT so much skinnier. I still have a long way to go, but I'm feeling a whole lot better than I felt this time last year.

I try to avoid being in pictures or posting any online that might get taken... I trust this space and this community, so here is a profile pic that will hopefully be my 'before'. Staying OP and committing for the duration will take me down the path to 'after'.

Congratulations to us both!!!!! My coach told me yesterday that I made it juuuuuust barely. Anything over 169 would have kept me in the 'obese' range. Definitely a NSV!

Two people used the word "skinny" to describe me this week. Just saying "You are getting skinny" I don't think anyone has everyone described me with that word. I have always had an athletic build. I know with this diet, I'm losing a lot of inches in my midsection and my hips, I guess it is showing.

Good morning. Enjoying some chocolate pudding for breakfast right now. . Just finished doing my first start of making the "too big" pile of clothes. Yes, it's a great feeling but I am going to miss some shirts. Lol. So I just thought of something. Are there postings of ppl passing down clothes to others as they start going down in sizes? Even though I want to help those that are getting to the size I was. It's a blessing for them cause they are making a step down too. I know we all battle the cringe of buying new clothes. So I almost would rather help us thru this journey vs taking to goodwill where the racks are already so full. Thoughts?

Are they saying that about all the chips or just Garlic??
When the chips first came out there was a lot of confusion as to whether or not they were restricted... some clinics said yes and some said no. Back and forth and back and forth. We then had a couple coaches on here who said, no, not restricted. So I think that is how most people are using them at this point, though some count them as restricted if their coach insists and they don['t want to fudge the log.

Interesting if you now have a "corporate" clinic since you would think what they said is how IP intends it!!

Anybody have the nutrition info on garlic and other IP chips??

Happy weekend!!!
My daughter is home on a three week break from grad school and my nephew from NY is visiting. So my daughter picked up a pizza from a local eatery for him to try (my all time favorite) she also brought a bottle of wine- I have not had wine in my house since beginning IP. I sautéed mushrooms and spinach and made scrambled eggs, I didn't feel deprived. My thinking is changing, because instead of thinking- I can't wait until I hit goal so I can have pizza and wine, I was thinking, I need to visit the maintainers thread to see how/if I can eat a piece of pizza (not the whole thing). I want to learn phase 4 so I am prepared.

Congratulations! That is awesome! I have always wondered why people don't say anything. Keep up the great work!

We are having our yearly corporate meeting at a Chinese restaurant next week. I'm dreading it. Is there anything at a Chinese restaurant that is OP?