We are allowed 4 cups veggies a day from the "accepted" list.
So if I were to have my 1 cup raw spinach in my morning shake...and still have 4 cups of other accepted veggies in that same day...whats wrong with that? I mean the spinach is only 7 calories and 1 carb. People eating restricted items and most bars get a heck of a lot more then that.
Just for the record, I have been doing the extra cup as described for the past 2 weeks, and my losses are shown below here. No damage, no difference in loss. I have lost 43 lbs in 46 days.
I do not do any restricted items ever....and I always choose the lowest carb veggies from the accepted list.
Just wondering if IP has a reason for the 4 cups only rule...
Thanks all!
Cheers
Jake
Last edited by mammoth357; 08-19-2012 at 08:31 PM.
...So if I were to have my 1 cup raw spinach in my morning shake...and still have 4 cups of other accepted veggies in that same day...whats wrong with that? I mean the spinach is only 7 calories and 1 carb. People eating restricted items and most bars get a heck of a lot more then that.
....I do not do any restricted items ever....and I always choose the lowest carb veggies from the accepted list.
I am no expert but I think you answered your own question with your great habits -- no restricteds and the lowest carbs possible = a great success for you. I'm inspired. HOWEVER there are people like ME who love the restricteds and the higher carb veggies and so the "extra"s add up pretty darn quickly. Personally, I morally feel if I am eating THAT much spinach (it's NOT natural!) I would have an extra veggie if I needed it LOL. I know if you eat too many carrots, your skin starts turning orange.... wonder if I'll be getting "green" soon
I personally don't think it would make any difference, if you are eating the lowest carbs and no restricted, but if I were to do it, I would feel like I was cheating!! I'd feel SO guilty!!!! Sometimes I want to eat an extra packet but then I know that i'm not supposed to at this stage on IP..(entering my 5th week...but have to say no to myself!!
Its sooo strange because all the coaches have different rules BUT MY coach says as long as the veggies are from the allowed list i can eat as many as i like.
I have a program on my iPhone called my Fitness Pal and it has all the IP foods and their nutritional values plus every other food and it counts everything for me. So if I have extra veggies i put it in my FP tracker and I can see ow many carbs I have had for the day. Its supe handy!
Its sooo strange because all the coaches have different rules BUT MY coach says as long as the veggies are from the allowed list i can eat as many as i like.
I have a program on my iPhone called my Fitness Pal and it has all the IP foods and their nutritional values plus every other food and it counts everything for me. So if I have extra veggies i put it in my FP tracker and I can see ow many carbs I have had for the day. Its supe handy!
That's interesting. It sure hasn't hindered your weight loss any... I use my fat secret.com to track my intake. Its really helpful for me...
I have been using fitday.com to track everything that goes into my mouth...since 2005. It keeps all the data too...so I can see a graph of my intake, nutrient values, and my weight from 2005 to present. My lowest weight in that time was 257lbs (in 2006) which I am now only 8lbs away from hitting! My highest was OVER 400 (late in 2010). My goal is 240 so on the home stretch! I lost just over 100lbs on atkins, stalled for 3-4 months, switched to IP July 3rd, and here I am!
I count the morning cup of spinach as a freebie...outside that its straight by the sheet, 4 cups veggies (usually spinach, kale, collards, cauliflower 2x a week and broc 2x a week with eggplant (which I say is NOT restricted, 1x a week. My only drink is water, plain old water. I use a few walden farms products, but never more then the equivalent of 2-3 packets splenda a day. And I have my 3 shakes each day.
I just checked and have not turned green just yet...haha!
Somtimes I add in 4oz tuna or sliced zero carb deli turkey at lunch with salad to help me make it to dinner, and noon to dinner time is my hardest hungriest time. When I do this, I drop dinner down to 4oz of meat so it balances.
My calories run between 700-850 a day on average and my protein runs around 100-123gr a day depending on which meat choice and which shakes I use in any given day, as my EAS shakes are 17gr per, while my other ones are higher....
I was hoping for 5-7 lbs weekly loss, but VERY happy with what seems to be 4lb losses weekly...considering I am metabolically challenged.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD...I do like spinach but am not supposed to have it due to my gout, which I take meds for and is under control....so I have spinach anyway! (not supposed to have mushrooms either or cauliflower, but seems to be ok if I limit these.
Happy Day to all and thnaks for responding!
Jake
Last edited by mammoth357; 08-20-2012 at 09:09 AM.
Gotta say - I do not measure my veggies (nor do i weigh my protein) - somedays I'm probably over. My losses are lower than the average - but my average is 2.6# a week, I'm happy with that.
For dinner veggies we have eggplant maybe once a week, last night we had rutabegga, which depending on what you call it is "select" or "restricted" if you call it swede. Other than that it's zuccini, yellow squash, asparagus, broccoli or we really like fennel roasted- yummy. For lunch I usually have a pepper or cukes - I put them in a 3 cup container that I fill 2/3.
Gotta say - I do not measure my veggies (nor do i weigh my protein) - somedays I'm probably over. My losses are lower than the average - but my average is 2.6# a week, I'm happy with that.
For dinner veggies we have eggplant maybe once a week, last night we had rutabegga, which depending on what you call it is "select" or "restricted" if you call it swede. Other than that it's zuccini, yellow squash, asparagus, broccoli or we really like fennel roasted- yummy. For lunch I usually have a pepper or cukes - I put them in a 3 cup container that I fill 2/3.
Hi Lynnie...I don't measure any more also, as have learned how much to use and am sure I am pretty close. 2.6 lbs weekly is AWSOME..>Congrats! I like zucchini very much and have it when I get to market and if they have some that look good... I use it for a baked zucchini lasagna with walden farms tomato basil sauce. No cheese but still comes out pretty tasty! Basically it is about the same as eggplant parm but again, no cheeses. I make my eggplant the same way.
I cut slices, mix 2 egg whites in a bowl...add herbs...dip slices and fry in 2tsp evoo. then layer in small bake pan and spread wf sauce between layers adding more herbs...and repeat until my slices are all in. Bake 350 for 30 minutes and it is darn tasty!
Cheers
Jake
I cut slices, mix 2 egg whites in a bowl...add herbs...dip slices and fry in 2tsp evoo. then layer in small bake pan and spread wf sauce between layers adding more herbs...and repeat until my slices are all in. Bake 350 for 30 minutes and it is darn tasty!
Cheers
Jake
Yum!
Go Jake Go! You are doing awesome
BTW, I got the cheerleader from Rainbow. I just had to show off her talents!
Hi Lynnie...I don't measure any more also, as have learned how much to use and am sure I am pretty close. 2.6 lbs weekly is AWSOME..>Congrats! I like zucchini very much and have it when I get to market and if they have some that look good... I use it for a baked zucchini lasagna with walden farms tomato basil sauce. No cheese but still comes out pretty tasty! Basically it is about the same as eggplant parm but again, no cheeses. I make my eggplant the same way.
I cut slices, mix 2 egg whites in a bowl...add herbs...dip slices and fry in 2tsp evoo. then layer in small bake pan and spread wf sauce between layers adding more herbs...and repeat until my slices are all in. Bake 350 for 30 minutes and it is darn tasty!
Cheers
Jake
That sounds delicious, Jake! Do you find that the WF sauce is good as it is or do you add anything else to improve the flavor? I've never tried it but other WF products I've tried I've needed to doctor up to stand it. Just wondered what you thought in the zucchini lasagna.
Back to the original question.
First, interestingly, a couple weeks ago my coach said spinach now can count as either a vegetable OR lettuce. So the fact that the extra vegetables are spinach, which is kind of "free" like lettuce, is significant plus it clearly is not impacting weight loss.
From the mental piece of it, I think the "exactly" 4 cups is partly about discipline, kind of as a preparation for maintenance. Plus, many people have commented on how they really like the rules of Phase 1.
My own opinion is that coaches should be adjusting the program a bit at certain weight increments. Maybe at 20 or 25 lbs increments above 200 lbs (depending on Lean Mass) extra protein and vegetables MUST be eaten. Maybe there should be a particular calorie deficit that is maintained in relation to the scale weight/lean mass of the person. Just like some people discover they need to stay on the lowest carb side of products and vegetables, maybe there is a bit of quantity adjustment that should be made, just like adding a packet for exercise.
If we think in terms of business strategy, IP might be targeted to women weighing 200 lbs or less with goal weights between 120 and 140. So the diet quantities of protein packets, protein and vegetables (thus calories) are set so that the calorie deficit created should average about 1000 calories a day to get a 2lb/wk minimum.
If you use the crude formula of 140lbs x 15calories per lb = 2100 calories a day to maintain 140 with just above sedentary movement, then IP at 800 to 1100 (the new calorie target with the 8oz of meat) gets you there. You lose faster above 140 due to a greater deficit and slower after 140 due to a lower deficit.
I'd love to know the science around the uptick in the protein and thus the calorie target (are bigger people now doing the diet? is this a bone thrown to the "don't go below 1200 calories a day" crowd?). Were people "cheating with meat" and it had no impact? I can see why the 4 cup thing stays the same, as that ketosis window must be the same no matter the size of the person.
Extra Veggies? Whats the big deal?
I use my fat secret.com to track my intake. Its really helpful for me... 
