Here is the official phase 1 sheet from Ideal Protein. This is for the celery and cucumber debate. Ideal Protein does NOT consider them "free".
Why some coaches say that those foods are "free" are not being 100% true to the program.

Man I wish coaches would get together on this...we are discussing this in another thread as well...thx

Well, they aren't supposed to help people modify but I do like to think that they are human....and that they aren't intentionally trying to get people to circumvent the rules.

It does cause a lot of confusion and frustration on these boards , generally though not everyone on IP is using these boards either.

You're right we all human and if having a few extra cucumbers and celery in your day helps keep your head in the game, go for it!!! Way better than going off plan.

I agree, but also feel a bit cheated as I love cucumbers, and dont love some of the other veggies that have been making up my 4 cups lol...

Oh well, learning to love bell peppers now...If I could only make some headway with water...

I HATED bell peppers...totally eat them EVERYDAY in maintenance (all but the green)...also severely disliked brussel sprouts...didn't let any of my family eat any at Christmas...stole them all....LOVE 'EM!

I always had a wide variety of veggies for my meals, it helped that I could get them for cheap already cut up at work...now that meal isn't as cheap (b*ggers changed the price on me two weeks after goal...had a good run though) so I bring them to work (mixture of veggies).

Still hate peas though (NOT that they are allowed on phase 1)

I am really fortunate living in the Hat...about a 2 min drive from my house is a greenhouse that sells, cukes, peppers, tomatoes, all on the honor system. They are all bagged, and every bag is a twoonie. 6 huge cukes, 6 huge peppers, or about 6-8 tomatoes...

Nice living in the greenhouse capital of Canada lol...too bad I dont live closer to a mushroom farm...but you know how it goes, no chicken farms, no mushroom farms...

Oh and brussel sprouts will have to stay off my list as Ive never had them without cheez whiz...but I do miss my peas, love em...

Ishbel,
I just say your photos! Just what I needed to see today. Was feeling down. YOU LOOK GREAT!! So fit and healthy now. May I ask - do you have any extra skin? It doesn't appear so. Did you work out? What is your secret to such a dramtic loss and looking like you were never a day overweight?
I'm 46 and feel super flabby and saggy! I fear I may need tons of plastic surgery once I get to a healthy, fit weight!

Mine was 2 bucks for two cups already chopped and washed...so really I spent 45-50 bucks a month on my lunch meals...and got a really good selection without working or thinking too hard about it...

really...you wanna live near a mushroom farm?

No chicken farms? I get free range chickens from the hutterites for cheap, you should call them (you gotta have some close, I have them close)...get the guys in on it at work and make a big order...they are SUM GOOD CHICKENS

awe thanks, I still have skin but I think I was blessed...I also had really good muscle tone (if you read my goal thread), everyone in my family has good muscle tone...I actually used to be on the provincial cross country ski team and I think with IP I kept that muscle tone (especially with the high quality protein).

I can pretend to fly away like the rest of us who've lost a lot of weight, but I have been told by fitness friends that I'm unusually lucky. (sorry) :/

I have lots of skin on my tummy...but...I like what I am and I'd chose that over what I was...I decided to own it...and I named her "Martha" lol.

it's easier to accept what I am over what I was then worry about my saggy skin.

It helps that my VIP doesn't care. I'm uber scared of surgery, I get it for free in Saskatchewan (just have to wait my turn) after a large weight loss. So waiting for the call is also helping me wrap my head around how scared I am too.

Are you doing IP? It does wonders for your muscles...I didn't workout, just walked when I could.

We eat soooo much mushrooms...and you know what the mushrooms grow in right??? Thats why you need chicken farms...for the chicken chit...I dont want a chicken farm for the chickens lol...

But ya, between chickens and the garden veggies the hutterites here have some of the best foods, and very reasonable...and will barter for anything lol, but mostly beer, and whiskey. Since Im not drinking, its a win-win!

didn't know it was chickens...knew it was the brown fertilizer....

move to Maple Ridge BC? Money's Mushrooms are there! lol

I am a little confused. Are cucumbers not allowed as much as bell peppers? I thought it was two cups at lunch and two cups at dinner of any in the "allowed" group. Couldn't you have all two cups of cucumbers if you wanted?

Also, I was wondering about the "free" vegetables. I didn't think there were any that didn't apply to the two cup rule. Is this right? Or do different clinics just run the program different?

I like pretty much all the veggies but there does come a point when the thought of eating ANY of them makes me !
So this is my new thing for lunch:
2 cups fresh spinach
8oz of cold water
Throw it in a blender, blend it until it becomes green water
1 choc mix IP Pak
handfull or 2 of ice
BLEND
You can add banana or vanilla extract if you want, great way to get veggies.