I hope you and your family are finding comfort being together. Take care of yourself. :hug:

All the best. I remember those days and I dont miss them one bit. (PhD Economics, 2001). You can do this! What will your degree be in?

Do you hate all veggies? That will change eventually but my recomendation is to try something you never thought you could possibly like. I really really enjoy sliced up peppers especially the yellow and orange ones. Before IP if I took anything off a veggie tray I would avoid the peppers like the plague! Or cucumbers with lots of sea salt! And snack away. Try something new whats the worse that can happen you have to choke it down. Sounds like that is what you are already doing!

I am working on a PhD in Counseling psychology. Need comps, practicum, internship, and dissertation and I am done. Hoping to graduate in 2013 or 2014. Thanks for asking!:D

you didn't say how many calories... I hear the vanilla pudding is really go in coffee. I love it in my chai tea

those pictures show how hard you worked, congrats, I have been wondering how to take a picture of myself unfortuantely I have no full length mirrors... I wonder why that is:dizzy:

congrats keep up the great work. That is why I have pets instead of kids and husband... they eat what I give them. hee hee

oh chocolaty chai? at Superstore? I never heard about that... will have to try this week. Thanks.

HAPPY Cleaning, and welcome back missed your humor. When you are finished cleaning can you come and do my house? am going to start by getting rid of old clothes today.:carrot:

My friend said I can shop in her closet, as she has clothes from 0 -16 so I should have fun. She is now very interested in IP and wants more information when she gets back from her vacation in costa rica.. am looking forward to shopping. Happy Sunday everyone :hug:

Joanne

congrats pxlkitty4,
thats so exciting for you. way to go!:carrot::carrot:

I too have been missing for a while. Susie B - thoughts and prayers with you and your family. Peggy - welcome back! At least you have a proven place that you can go to to get back into those size 8's. To me the worst part of trying to lose weight before IP, was trying so hard and not getting results.
I've been at a stall for weeks now. I keep hovering around the same number, up .5 lb, down .5 lb. it's driving me insane. But for me it's a problem because if I don't lose 3 lbs. a week, the coach yells at me and tells me that I'm obviously non-compliant and going to be "terminated". I'm following this diet - and it's frustrating when I'm following the program well - and I think Oh Good! tomorrow I'll definitely see a loss! and then don't. or worse, have gone UP. It's just frustrating. But I had to cancel my WI on Friday because I hadn't lost a thing this week, I've had to feign illness so that I don't get reprimanded, or fired from the diet. I'm feeling like I just can't handle the pressure - I literally hate going to my coach - and so I've been looking at getting some of the IP products on eBay, and getting the rest from Nashua (I've tried the caramel nut bars, the chocolate soy puffs and the hot chocolate there and they're exactly the same for 1/3 the cost). I just don't know if I'll start to fail at the diet if I don't have that accountability every week. But I have to say that the mental anguish and fear of going to the coach each week is making this diet more difficult. Thoughts anyone? I am, in every other way, happy with my progress. I am getting smaller, even though the numbers aren't falling as fast as I wish they would. And I've learned more about how to do this program from this forum than I've ever learned from her. Thank you all for your help, it's been invaluable.

I have tried almost every veggie out there---I am not one to turn my nose up at something without having tried it. Most I find beyond repulsive (the ABSOLUTE worst are onions, radishes, peppers, kale, celery, and asparagus) although in the "good news" category I did just realize I can have zucchini and that is something I can tolerate, so at least it would give me something to exchange with the broccoli, as for the past 2 weeks, I have been eating 4c of broccoli a day and it is getting really old. Cucumbers taste ok, but then I end up burping cukes for the next several hours (even the ones they say are "burpless". I also hate pickles.

I so feel for you. I'm no fan of veggies either and will not eat them without being cooked in something. I still stand by the IP Leek soup as the best way of having them. Just chop up a cup of cauliflower and broccolli and steam them until soft and then mix them into the hot soup. It's pretty good. Somewhere around week 3, I didn't have to choke vegetables down but I'm still not crazy about them. I just count them as part of the process and get it over with.

Have you tried cucumbers since you were on IP for a couple weeks? I HATED cucumbers because they make me burp, too (yes, even the burpless), BUT since IP they don't do that to me anymore. I read somewhere that many people have gas/burping because of combinations of foods. Seems that was the case for me. (Just a thought...)

What a DIFFERENCE!
20 pounds and she thought you looked fine, just think another 20 pounds and you will look SUPER FINE! I hope she sees you when you are finished.
I live in the real world, don't we all? Thanks a bunch for the kind words.

Susie B - my thoughts are with you and your husband, may your father-in-law take comfort in all you around him.:angel:

Can you find another coach? I don't think this one is in it to help you but after your money. If you can't find another coach, weigh in every week, and post your results on here... and if we don't hear from you we will be asking whats going on. :):nono:

Oh dear, I feel your pain! I will be taking my comps (for my MA) in a few months, and I'm already nervous.

Thanks Cheekywit for responding to the exercise question. I did spend a couple hours yesterday poring through the various sticky topics - so much good information in here. I did walk to the store this morning, but I'm mostly going to focus on stretching and very light pilates for a few weeks until I know what I'm doing. The coach asked me what kind of exercise I do, but didn't offer her own recommendations.

Normally I don't lose weight without a big effort at the gym, so it feels a little strange to let go of that acquired wisdom and just trust the diet to do its thing - but since I'm naturally lazy, I am sure I can handle less activity for a while. ;-)

This diet has been pretty great so far. I guess my only challenge has been to get in *all* those vegetables - after a point I get sick to my stomach from all the bulk. I made a very light red curry last night with a tiny amount of 'lite' coconut milk (no carbs), a small spoonful of red curry paste, and a pinch of stevia. Plus lots of chopped fresh Thai basil. I got my 4 cups in pretty easily. Tonight I'm going to try that with some white fish added in. :)

Oh and I *love* the omelets, which surprised me. I made a frittata with fresh asparagus and mushroom. I do dot the top with fresh goat cheese (1 tbsp - less than 1 carb and 25 calories) but as I don't add milk or sugar to my coffee, I'm figuring I can handle a tiny trade-off.

SusieB, wishing you and your family strength and peace.

Can't believe your coach acts so unprofessionally and unkindly toward you! Some are useless, but that's just terrible. Are you able to switch coaches or clinics? Either way, sounds like you'd be better off without her.

Don't give up - you are making progress!

Hers is the only clinic in the area to my knowledge - and if I could switch, wouldn't I have to start all over with the $300 deposit to start with a new office? I contacted Ideal2go to see if I could purchase the foods online from them and I was told that they couldn't help me, that they're not allowed to interfere with another clinics clients. So, I'm sort of stuck with her, or no one. And yes, her main concern is that she be allowed to continue her new franchise.