[QUOTE=showgirlaz;3274047]Thank you! My coach is pretty stern about how the plan goes. I don't know anything about lengths of time. I just know he doesn't intend me to transition to phase 2 until I reach my goal. You are right about the differences between phases 1 and 2 though. I would love to have even 1 restricted but I feel guilty when I add just a tablespoon of tomatoes too a salad! 
I thought for my sanity, I might request to stay in phase 2 while I lose the last 20. At least I have the advantage of having 2 normal meals a day. Maybe it isn't an advantage I don't know. 
Maybe living off packets and salads is easier! Truthfully, most of my weight came off the first 3 or 4 months. In the past 6 weeks I have only lost 13 pounds. I say only, and I am grateful but, I will be on this quite awhile longer as things move along slowly.
The packets are convenient but my friend cooks a lot of lean turkey patties (I like the Kirkland Turkey Patties in the frozen food section at Costco), lean ground beef, chicken breasts, etc. in advance, freezes them so they're ready to go.
It's easy to boil a couple dozen eggs, grab 4 hard-boiled eggs and eat 1 and the whites of the remaining 3 w/ yummy sea salt. She has lost more in the past 2 weeks since giving up the coach b/c he was stressing her out and not wanting to allow any room for alternative anything! She felt that 120 days was too long to stay on full restrictions. I'm amazed at how she's still losing pounds and inches having put herself on phase 2.
I'm kind of following the guidelines she used in phase 1 but can't afford all IP so have found EAS, real eggs, and other items to substitute for the $$$$ IP stuff. I have lost 9 pounds in 2 weeks and feel pretty good. We're both staying away from the New Life Styles and Lindora products that have aspartame and / or HFCS. We have also found that 3-4 oz of canned tuna is a good IP packet replacement comparable in calories, carbs, fat, but it's real food!!!! With a couple leaves of romaine, it's very satisfying! I just know that by the time IP products were purchased (and the TAX really added up, too) and she spent gas $$$ to and from a stressful "coaching" session, she realized she had spent enough after 90 days and could manage almost better on her own. She's still losing inches, she's saving gas and IP $$, travel time to and from "coaching" sessions that were not healthy for her.
I think the "keeping of sanity" is so important, too! I saw a couple others posting comments about IP not really addressing the "emotional / mental" aspect of dieting. I know the 1/4 bar each AM is enough to keep me sane at this point and I am losing pounds and inches.
