[skinnyemmie]

So....I am on day three, have lost five pounds and am miserable!! Headachy, weak. I know this is to be expected so I can deal with it. What I am struggling with is so far I find the food to be very disappointing. I can eat the omelet, the spaghetti, and the ready to drink vanilla. I have hated other food or drink I've tried.

It literally makes me gag. I think it's a texture thing. I tried putting veggies in the soup and it helped some but I couldn't manage even half of it. I think I may be a "supertaster" as textures have always bothered me and if I don't like something I eat I can hardly even swallow.

I have invested a lot of money and believe in the program and am excited about my weight loss so far. What can I do about this??? I just don't see me staying on this plan if I have to eat an omelette and spagetti every day. I'm just really disappointed. I have added seasonings, changed the water content but it really hasn't helped.

looking for a little encouragment here!

thanks

emmie

[Jasesgirl]

I too have issues with texture..which is why its hard to eat lettuce..it makes me want to gag mostly..

One thing i figured out was..if you take veggies and cook them and then puree them to make a soup so its a pure liquid..it helps it to go down faster..and ..i tend to stick to my favorite veggies only..so kholrabi fries and zucchini chips! etc..just got to get creative..

[rooster on a diet]

first of all im sure you heard this but the taste will get better as you move foward on this diet. They're were meals that i could not eat at first ( cereales, choco pudding and soya patty ), but with time, i have found some way to tweek them or just get used to the taste.

Second thing, is the spagetti. You probably already know this, but this meal is the most restricted meal on this diet. NO MORE THEN TWICE A WEEK. So be careful with thoses, but i know what you meen, there my favorite too.

If you like the spaggeti, i have an alternatuive for you ( Kinda thai if you like that stuff ). I take the tomato soup and add zuccinni to it, and cut it with a mandoline so i get spagetti shape nooddles. Just add hot thai chili sauce 0/0/0 and you have a great Thai soup with spagetti zuccinni.

But the most important thing to remenber is, the taste will get better with time and EXPERIMENTATION. Jazz it up

[disgal]

I have not been too thrilled myself with most of the packets. But I managed to lose weight all these months by sticking mainly with the RTD Choc shake, the cereal (making pancakes), and the yummy snacks! I didn't use the soups, nor the puddings (well, maybe just a few times, but not much).

I can still remember how mentally sad I was that first week when I tried many items and didn't like them ( I thought "how am I ever going to do this"), but at least tried them..just didn't purchase those specific items again. I was ok with having the same items each week. It is true, your tastebuds will change, and I have tried a few oldies, but didn't love them (so I stayed with what worked for me). You may not like some of the items now, but may come to love them a few weeks in.

I just want you to know that it's possible to just use a few of the available products and still stay on plan for quite some time!!!! Hope this helps!! Best wishes!!

[coliep]

I find spicing it up and adding veggies helps me, though I didn't have a strong reaction like you are mentioning. I thought everything was ok, but didn't love it but here's what I do:

- Heat 1/2 tsp oil in saute pan and put a tsp of minced garlic. Add chopped romaine, salt to taste + Mrs. Dash's extra spicy seasoning. Cook until softened. Then I add the omelet mixture - it ends up like a scramble. Once cooked, I top with some hot sauce.
- Heat 1/2 tsp oil in soup pan and throw down 1 cup chopped asparagus until softened. Add in chicken soup prepared with extra water. Add white pepper to taste. This actually tastes like cream of asparagus soup to me. I eat it with a green salad made with 1 cup of other chopped veggies, lemon juice and WF dressing.
- Puddings - I mix with coffee for a frothy drink or use extra water and freeze
- Shakes - I make with extra water and also freeze.

I find I need something to chew or I am less satisfied, so fear each meal or snack I make sure there is something there. If I don't love the IP taste, I use a lot of spice (white pepper, crushed red pepper, Mrs Dash spicy, hot sauce, Thai chili sauce, Reduced sodium tamari).

Just experiment with some and I bet you will figure it out. When feeling crappy, take a nap. The weekend is here, be kind to your body!

[Linden]

Originally Posted by skinnyemmie

looking for a little encouragment here!

thanks

emmie

I struggled a LOT in the beginning with both texture and sweetness until I followed a suggestion Jordanna made: mix the pudding packets with 12 - 16 oz. of water and drink it. Not only do the puddings have fewer carbs but they (to me) taste better than the cloying drinks. Now that I can't get IP products in Germany (and the best substitute I've found is Syntrax Matrix), I REALLY appreciate the quality, and texture, of the IP products. I hope you stick with i tand that all the good suggestions here help.

[Pauley]

I totally agree with you! Hate most of the IP packets and they make me gag. I've been getting by with RTD vanilla (actually EAS which is cheaper), omeletes and lemon pudding cakes (you turn the pudding into a cake). I make my own vegetable soup. I just can't choke down the IP soups. It is working. I've lost 26 lbs in just over a month. Trade in the packets you don't like for the few that you do and stick with it!

[skinnyemmie]

Thank you guys SO much! I do feel much better this morning so things don't seem so bleak. You gave me some great suggestions. How do you turn a pudding into a cake? Good idea on making the pudding into a drink, too.

Sure helps to get support from those of you who have been there. Thanks again and it sure helps I lost another pound today! 6 pounds in four days! Only a measley 21 to go! LOL!

emmie (hmmm that emoticon makes me want to eat carrots! How about a big fat dancing head of cabbage?!)

[Sherwood]

Posted by jennydoodle - pudding cake recipe:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-In a blender, combine (2) egg whites, (1) t. vanilla and 2 oz. of water. Blend well
-Pour liquid contents into a bowl, and gently fold in pudding packet. I usually add a little powder, mix it up, add a little more, etc... The final result is a "batter" similar to brownies. And yes, I lick the bowl and spoon
-To bake, I use (2) small corning ware dishes, you could also make them in a muffin tin, and divide them into (3) equal muffins. I spray the bottom of the dish with Pam so the cakes won't stick.

The cakes will get VERY large while baking, and will deflate when cooling. If you put too much batter into a small baking dish, your cakes will literally explode in the oven. It is VERY important to only fill the baking dish or muffin tin 1/2 way. Which is why you will get 2 small cakes or 3 muffins.

-Bake at 350 for 15-16 minutes. Let cool and enjoy a mini cake.

(2) notes:
1). I have only tried this with Lemon, Butterscotch and Vanilla puddings. They have all turned out excellect! I haven't tried with Chocolate because I don't really care for the chocolate pudding, it is very chalky to me.
2). If you are making the cakes in a muffin tin, fill the empty muffin "holes" with water so that the cakes bake evenly.

[niknakjack]

Originally Posted by skinnyemmie

So....I am on day three, have lost five pounds and am miserable!! Headachy, weak. I know this is to be expected so I can deal with it. What I am struggling with is so far I find the food to be very disappointing. I can eat the omelet, the spaghetti, and the ready to drink vanilla. I have hated other food or drink I've tried.

It literally makes me gag. I think it's a texture thing. I tried putting veggies in the soup and it helped some but I couldn't manage even half of it. I think I may be a "supertaster" as textures have always bothered me and if I don't like something I eat I can hardly even swallow.

I have invested a lot of money and believe in the program and am excited about my weight loss so far. What can I do about this??? I just don't see me staying on this plan if I have to eat an omelette and spagetti every day. I'm just really disappointed. I have added seasonings, changed the water content but it really hasn't helped.

looking for a little encouragment here!

thanks

emmie

For me the shakes were not getting blended well enough, so I invested in an immersion mixer(hand held mixer) best investment. Bed, Bath and beyond or Kohl's has them. I bought mason jars and I experimented w/mixing packets. I also make several up ahead of time and store in the fridge in the mason jars this way they are alway cold and a better texture when I drink them. To bring to work or on errands I put in a lunch bag with Ice Packs.

My favorite is IP Strawberry Pudding w/10 oz. water
IP Pina Colada Drink w/10 oz. water
blend together and separate into 2 mason jars or blender bottles store/chill in fridge

IP Orange Drink w/10 oz. water
Ip Vanilla Pudding w/10oz. water
blend together ans separate into 2 servings, chill and enjoy!

IP Chocolate Drink 10 oz, water
IP Cappuccino Drink 10 oz. water
blend together ans separate into 2 servings, chill

IP Chocolate Drink 10 oz. water
IP Wild berry Yogurt Drink 10 oz. water
blend together, separate into 2 servings, chill

This is my go to every morning
IP Packet Chocolate Drink
10 oz. cold coffee
blend together, serve over ice
YUMMY!

Have you tried any of the restricted bars or snacks like the southwest cheese curls or my favorite is the white cheddar crisps I eat them with my salads at lunch like croutons. My favorite bar is the vanilla peanut.

the soups I add roasted broccoli and cauliflower too its yummy like that.
you can puree the veggies if you don't like their texture.

Good luck to you I hope you start finding foods that you like it will defiantly help.

[2RIDEROLLERCOAST]

First Welcome, next have a look at the fun with packets sticky, that helps greatly. I agree with Linden, I find most IP products tastes way better than the alternative products the quality in IP products are much better. You just have to keep trying, your taste buds do change..