so I despise lettuce and was thinking about adding my two daily salads to my shakes. I already add spinach to one of my shakes for a serving of veggies, but thought I could add the lettuce too. I have a vitamix so it mixes everything smooth. Veterans out there can you see any negatives to doing this? This is only my first week so I'm still learning. I've been choking down the salads and I've lost 7 pounds, but it's miserable to eat them. I see my coach on Tuesday so I will check with her as well. Thanks this forum is great

You can if you want to.

However, lettuce is completely optional. It is unlimited, if you choose, but you don't have to have any if you don't feel like it.

Personally, I think it's good to keep you full and regular but it's your choice! Don't "choke it down" if you don't want to!

I know lettuce is like a "free" food what about spinach and cabbage?

Iceberg lettuce is "free" and you can have as much as you want. Adding it to your shake won't help you reach your 2 cups of veggies per meal. Stick with spinach (or even Kale) in your shakes. I do that for my lunch. Sometimes if I'm busy at lunch time I'll have my shake with spinach for breakfast and than a bar for lunch.

Both are 'select' veggies and need to be counted towards your 4 cups (measured raw) per day.

Now my coach said I have to have 2 salads a day in addition to my 4 cups of veggies. She said the salads were not optional.

Yuck! I hate salad! No way could I fit in 2 a day! Maybe 2 a week. Tell her to shove it!!! Just kidding, be nice. But don't force yourself to eat what you don't want to. I puree spinach into my chocolate smoothie for lunch almost everyday. I don't like raw veggies for the most part, I like them to be hot and savory. I sautee or grill for dinner. However, on occasion I have microwaved frozen broccoli in chicken broth, just for something different. If you don't want to eat the salads, don't! Lie to her if you must. But the rest of us are having great success with or without iceberg lettuce.

Ba ha ha Colorado girl you are hilarious! Thanks. I just read through my IP paperwork in my binder and it does say that the two salads are mandatory, but I think I will just eat what I can tolerate. You are to funny!

That sounds COMPLETELY like "house rules" meaning made up by the clinic/coach, not mandatory IP protocol. I don't even understand how salads can be "in addition" to the 4 cups veggies!! Are they saying "salad" is iceburg lettuce ONLY??? Otherwise anything else in it would be part of the veggie count.

Look at the current aiP protocol sheet (stickies and daily thread) and it does not show salad as a mandatory.

It seems like the longer IP is out there more, more clinics/coaches are adding their own twists and tweaks to it!!

My coach said lettuce is anything named "lettuce":
Iceberg, romaine, Bibb, leaf, boston

The protocol does not list lettuce or salad as mandatory. Just unlimited and free. One of the coaches at my clinic requires daily salad but my coach (RR and owner of the biz) does not.

That is totally house rules and not IP protocol.

And, Colorado girl, now I have the song Take This Job and Shove It in my head, substituting lettuce!

@ Lisa Like your song! Though now it's going to be an earworm tonight (probably while I eat my salad - my choice however! )