We actually do have a standard and a training that we are to do...plus monthly meetings and seminars...I'm sorry the info your getting is wrong...yes you can have frozen veggies..I lived on them while I lost my weight..the steamables were my best friend..throw them in the microwave and easy...:hug:

Do you have a link to the "offical" ideal protein page? There are a lot of different ones. Although I understand that they may discourage going to unofficial forums as the main source of information, I would argue that people SHOULD go to the forum, but just check in with the coaches if there are questions.

Sad to hear about unprofessional coaches. Reading some of these threads, I am surprized about some clinics forbidding restricted IP foods/ vegetables. At least for me, I wouldnt have been able to stay on the diet at the beginning if i didnt have something like a bar to look forward to as a "treat" or to feel spoiled for getting some tomatoes in my salad or to get grilled eggplant for a change up.

I am happy my coaches seem to use their heads and tailor their feedback to the needs of the different people on the diet. I started with 5 packages a day (because of my weight and to overcome my perceived mental barrier of dieting=suffering) and I still lost fast and started building good habits.

Whereas other people I know have started with 3 packets and had no problems.

I would love to write in Finnish somewhere because my English is not so good...is there any forum yet in Finnish ?

I doubt there will be a forum in finnish any time soon, but most likely I will work withe the coaches to start translating my FB page once the clinics are officially set up (http://www.facebook.com/idealproteinlohja) and have a Finnish FB page where users can comment/ discuss in Finnish.

I'll let you know.

I am one of the ones who is not allowed any restricteds. I am in my 6th week and haven't had a restricted vegetable or a restricted packet. The first week I was told I could have up to 4 packets, but she said, "I know you won't need it, you should be able to do fine without it." So, I didn't.

You should be able to have your restricted by now, have you asked about it again? you should also be able to eat your occasional veggie also. Maybe they just forgot about it, ask next time you go in.

I am really "into" this program and my clinic is good. I told my coach that they needed to start a progress board or do some type of motivating thing, like we do with the spread sheets and do it for a month and the one with the largest weigh loss for the month say get a free box of food or something like that. She said most of the clients don't want it to be known that they are "dieting" so I said take pics but cut of the heads....lol...I just want people to see the progress because sometimes we don't see it in ourselves but can see it through others.

I would really want to work at my clinic and would like to see the program more advertised. If it was more advertised we could be a much healthier state!

WOW! Your new photo is stunning! Love love love your photos of progress. Absolutely inspiring.

Thank you, I post a new picture every month so people can see that this program DOES work and you can see the differences that a month makes. I see more difference in my face pictures than my body pictures, that is why I post the face pictures. Sometimes I look at my pics and thing wow I never saw myself that way, so I know I will NOT let myself go back to that again.

Wuv, I asked last week when would I be able to eat a tomato. She frowned and said she didn't know. I said, well in a couple of weeks, longer? She just said, I don't think so. I don't want to mess up your weight loss.

WOW, you can have a tomato but only like once or twice a week. I have noticed if I eat tomatoes it slows me down. If it is on your sheet there is no reason why you can't eat it. You have been on it long enough to be able to eat the occasional veggies or restricted one. Now remember this is only my opinion and I am not a coach. You can see my results and I have had restricted since day one. In fact, my coach didn't even realize i was eating 2 restricted a day for the first month. I was eating 2 bars a day and still lost. It was my brother who started the program after me that told me I was not eating correctly because we were comparing what we bought for the week. I do not find having a restricted has slowed me down at all. This week I am doing no restricted to see if there will be a difference. So I will see.

I'm also really motivated and dedicated to do this diet. I just wish my coach was more knowldegeable. I have a couple of friends that go to a clinic that is run by nutritionists and I get a lot of info from them and from this site. I bring that info back to my coach and she seems surprised to hear what I'm saying, and a bit put out over it. She is really sweet and I don't want to hurt her feelings, but I don't think she is very smart. I don't confront her on a lot of things, such as vegetables naturally containing carbs. I just smile and say "ok" when she tells me things that I know aren't right. I'm just worried I'm not getting the full benefit of what this diet can do. Will not eating restricteds hinder me in the long run?

I wouldn't overeat the restricteds, but a bowl of oatmeal every once in a while sounds heavenly and filling.

I have to buy my packets by the box so I have 7 days of restricted. I would go by what your friends are telling you. My coach does the same things when I bring information to her that I have found on here or researched myself. I understand they can't know it all but they should have some type of general information. Not having restricted will not hinder you at all. Restricted just gives you more carbs.