Hi everyone- I have been lurking and reading alot of the posts because I finally came to my breaking point of no self control. Lots of my friends have lost a huge amount of weight on IP so I decided to give it a go.
I started today and my first meal was a peach/mango shake. It tasted okay but I had to hold my nose drinking it. Blech! Are any of the items better smelling or should I buy duct tape for my nose ? I know someone mentioned a straw so I am heading to the store later for straws and lots of lettuce.
I'm excited and nervous at the same time.

On my first day I had the peach mango shake too, I hated it
I returned them the next day and got the ready to drink chocolate and vanilla shakes, they were much better. They need to be really cold though.
Congratulations on joinning You'll get a ton of support here!

A straw will help, it did for me atb least:-) good luck!!!

Clowngirl
I started Monday
the first day I felt horrible and was starving
I am on day three and scale says six pounds
I had ate the house down before I started
I got the puddings for shakes,and will not do That next week
I do not like either of them. Yogurt Berry shake is OK
Love the broccoli soup. Trying chili today hope it us good
The bars also are good. Next week I am doing the pre made
shakes I think. I need new supper recipes though,it is hard
for me because I don't really know how to cook.
I am not going home for Thanksgiving so I can stay on this diet. I am going
to eat at Christmas and enjoy then get right back on
I know I will gain,but better to loose some now than
be that much bigger.

Everyone has their own likes and dislikes.

I don't like the chocolate pudding as a drink as I find it too fake.

I do enjoy the berry yogurt and make it with 300 ml of cold water and then keep it in the fridge or on my desk for at least 1/2 hour before drinking it, it gives it time to thicken and soften the berries. I actually look forward to this as my breakfast

I also enjoy the powdered vanilla pudding with about 300 ml of cold water and drink that as a drink. Lately though I've been making the raspberry jello with extra water - dividing it between to bowls and letting it set in the fridge, then I divide my vanilla pudding between the two and let it sit - I use these as my evening snack and enjoy them. The combination between the jello and pudding is refreshing

Brocolli & cheese soup as well as chicken are not bad and taste much better if you add steamed broccoli & cauliflower to them.

Cheese Omlettes are tasty and I make them the night before and bring them for my lunch, first I quickly fry up some mushrooms, celery and perhaps peppers then remove and add the omlette mix and then cook - it heats up fine in the microwave the next day and is quite filling

Chili & Spaghetti are both good - however just remember if you have a "restrictive" for lunch you can't have a bar or chips for a snack, you'll have to choose something like a drink, pudding or jello

Best of luck, I know I only learned a few things after being on the diet for 7 weeks instead of learning them at the beginning such as:

1) You NEED 3 packets a day (breakfast, lunch & snack), if they say it is up to you to have a restrictive as a snack, it means if you don't want a restrictive you STILL require a different packet for a snack
2) 1-2 tsp of oil is required and ON TOP of what you use to cook
3) 1/2 tsp of salt/day is required and you will find if you have it on your veggies for a snack and throughout the day you will avoid feeling light headed
4) ONLY lettuce is free, everything else counts towards your 4 cups of veggies. I've started bringing 3 cups of veggies to snack on through the day and leave 1 cup of veggies for my dinner, otherwise it was too hard to eat that and my evening snack when I got home

Hope some of this is beneficial to you - good luck!

I like the Orange drink and the mango. i make the shake with extra water, then add ice to keep it cool. I also use a straw, then sip on it during my commute and early morning at work.
That being said, I am enjoying most of the food so maybe my taste buds are less sensitive.
I put the chili in my salad some days to change things up. It is good.
I have added WF Caramel Syrup to the chocolate pudding to change up the "after taste."'
It is a easy program once you get past the first week. Stick with it and you will see success. Best of luck.

I started yesterday with the orange drink, yuck I didnt like it at all it had that weird protein smell and taste I ended up drinking it down with a straw and that helped allot, I was concerned after having that as my first meal I was worried what the rest would taste like. Fortunately I had the cheese broccoli soup which was really good and then I had the southwest cheese curls which were also fabulous!!! I felt like I was starving yesterday afternoon and I cheated and had 100 calories of beef jerky a little dissapointed in myself but today I will do better.

I had the Chocolate powder drink (Hot Chocolate) for breakfast mmm it was delicious and I think I am going to try the chicken soup for lunch with broccoli and I am going to pick up a veggie pack to snack on this afternoon so I dont feel so hungry after work.

Welcome New IP's,

Been on three weeks. Only problems with starting program were: 1. Terrible headaches on day 3 & 4 ( have not returned)- adding more salt did help. 2. Pee all the time. 3. Sleep less but not really problem I quess because I still have more energy...

Well I started Monday so maybe we can help each other
Did u do the chocolate shake and heat it up? I am wanting
some hot chocolate. Can we use Hershey coco. I looked
and it looked fine to me. I thought about getting peppermint
extract and using it in it. I need supper recipes. I have
done the same thing two night s. Can't do big Mac bowl because
I don't have dressing. I need simple easy recipes. Can someone help me out.
Also I have been doing four packets. Having my bar in morning helps
Before lunch. I am starving now and did shake this morning.

my only recomedation would be to get a dropper or something for the extracts, they are pretty strong. I also tried the peppermint extract but ended up adding way too much and now i cant even smell peppermint...

Hi Clowngirl and Like you, I was on this site for awhile before I actually started my program. The amount of information you will find here is amazing. Be sure to check out the stickys for some great information, recipes, etc.... Be sure to get the Big Mac Bowl recipe, it is great and takes care of that junk food craving! I am on my 8th full day, and as for the food I like the vanilla pudding because you can add so much to it. This morning I added 10 ounces of cold black coffee, a dash of vanilla, and some Sugar Free Kahula syrup and had a wonderful coffee smoothie for breakfast. Everyone here is very supportive and helpful. Good luck to you! (oops forgot to mention I made my smoothie in the blender not the shaker)

I would not recommend anything like the Hershey's coco for now, I would give yourself a few weeks before adding stuff like that. Try to get your body used of eating this way then introduce other things. I am not sure if we are allowed the Coco or not. Again this is IMO...
Here is a recipe for the thousand island dressing if you don't have the WF one....

Here is a low carb Thousand Island Recipe if needed:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar free ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons Splenda
2 teaspoons sugar free sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon white onion, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
dash pepper

**mix all ingredients in a bowl & refrigerate for an hour

Thank you guys for all the hints and tricks! It was a rough first day (boy I am already detoxing from the sugar and carbs) but I made it! I kept telling myself all day that I can do this. My vegetables never tasted so good as the ones I had with dinner. I'm going to stay away from the peach mango for now. I can't look at the box without cringing. I am looking forward to getting thru the first week. If I can do that I know I can do anything!

Nice way to stay positive... every single one of us has stuck it out... and usually your first weeks weigh in will be worth it!!

Welcome Clowngirl!

I know exactly how you felt about that drink - I got so sick of all the foods that I started getting the drinks instead (even mixed with ice it just wasn't enough of a "meal" for me). The first one I had was the peach mango and I thought I was drinking pee. It really turned me off the drinks, until I tried the wildberry yogurt. That one is delish.

I have tried all of the foods and am just counting down the days to not having to do the packets anymore, as right now the only ones I can stomach are the oatmeal, chocolate pancake, banana pudding and the yogurt drink. Someone recommended adding pumpkin pie spice to the vanilla pudding, but that didn't work for me, a former pumpkin fanatic (I bet I could have eaten a whole pie given the chance). Maybe you'll like it!

I add boiling water to the chocolate pancake mix, stir until thick, and eat it out of the bowl like ice cream. My coach taught me that trick. I used to just love the Ben & Jerry's brownie batter ice cream, and this is close enough to work for me.

As far as detoxing goes, I planned the start date of my diet so detox-day would happen on the weekend. The day after I started I got sick - unbelievable nausea hit me on the bus on the way in to work, and I almost didn't make it. Headache from ****, and the foods I chose for that day were the worst - thank goodness I have an amazing support person because I didn't think I was going to make it. My body was just like 'what the h*ll!' By the third day I felt fabulous and have felt that way ever since. This diet truly changed my life. Good luck to you!