A lot of people always post how their coach allows certain things as "free" items but I go off the sheet until that sheet changes by the protocol. Too many extras make me feel like i'm cheating anyways.
My coach went to the Alberta IP confrence on Monday and in Alberta they allow celery as a free food (up to 2 cups un counted per day). She even showed me info from IP as she knew I would second guess her, it comes right from the company!
I copied straight from my sheet (US) but as long as you follow your protocol and track/monitor your progress it all works out!
I am a newbie, just started this week.
What kind of lettuce is free?
Some say Romane, some say Napa only..
does anyone have a list of "unlimited" lettuces.
I switched coaches part way through and it was the best move I could make. I challenged my new coach with all sorts of controversy on this site, she researched it and this is what I got back.
Celery and cucumbers are counted as your 4 cups daily veg. However if I am having a challenging time and find myself really hungry even after my daily food allotment, then I could resort to additional lettuce, celery or cucumbers to get me through. However, remember the word moderation. Best of both worlds for me.
My sheet says lettuce is green leaf, romaine, head lettuce types. I've been treating arugula like lettuce too until I noticed on the sheet one day that it is a select veg. My coach and I looked up details on my calorie counter and found arugula had fewer calories and carbs than green leaf lettuce so I'm now allowed to count that as lettuce.
Coach also confirmed raspberry jelly and blueberry cran drink are occasional freebie packets, I.e. every few days if I need a little extra but not counted as one of my three.
Unlimited Raw Vegetables/Lettuce:
Arugula, bibb lettuce, boston lettuce, celery, chicory lettuce, cucumber, endives, escarole lettuce, frisee lettuce, green and red leaf lettuce, iceberg lettuce, mushroom, radicchio, radish, romaine lettuce, spinach and watercress lettuce.
Select Vegetables -2 cups PER MEAL [I]weigh before cooking[I]
alfalfa, asparagus, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, bell peppers, cabbage(all), cauliflower, celeriace, celery, chayote, chicory, collards, cucumbers, dill pickles, fennel, Gai Lan(chinese broccoli), green onions, jicama, kale, kohlrabi, mushrooms, okra, onions(raw only), hot peppers, radish, rhubarb, sauerkraut, spinach, swiss chard, turnip, zucchini/yellow summer squash.
Yep, this is the latest. Remember if those veggies are raw you can count them as free. If you choose to, because you just cannot get to 4 cups of veg (NOT counting lettuce), you can count cooked celery, mushrooms, radishes and spinach in your 4 cups. (measure before cooking though).
Newbie, too, but been reading all I can. So if we eat the "free" veggies cooked (mushrooms, celery, spinach, etc) they count towards the req'd 4 cups but if we eat them raw, we don't count them? This has really been the only thing that I am confused about so far.
Newbie, too, but been reading all I can. So if we eat the "free" veggies cooked (mushrooms, celery, spinach, etc) they count towards the req'd 4 cups but if we eat them raw, we don't count them? This has really been the only thing that I am confused about so far.
Newbie, too, but been reading all I can. So if we eat the "free" veggies cooked (mushrooms, celery, spinach, etc) they count towards the req'd 4 cups but if we eat them raw, we don't count them? This has really been the only thing that I am confused about so far.
You can count it either way if anything on the "unlimited" list is eaten raw - it actually allows for a lot of flexibility!
What I often do is have a spinach, mushroom and cucumber salad for lunch. If I'm still hungry later in the day, I can have up to 4 cups of veggies at dinner. if I'm not hungry, I just have my regular 2 cups at dinner and count the salad as the other 2 cups. If you have an unlimited veggie as a snack, have a full cup and then you can choose how to count it based on how hungry you are through the day
Thank you both for such quick responses! You've certainly cleared up my confusion! I guess the cooking changes the nutritional value as far as carbs are concerned?
What kind of lettuce is free?
Your Free Vegis
