Hi
I am still new to the program (day 6) so I am checking out all the great discussions on this site. My coach told me that only lettuce was "free" or unlimited, but I have seen some posts saying that celery is too. What has everyone else heard?

And what is the "ideal to go" site? Is it cheaper to order from them rather than my clinic?

My coach and my Phase 1 sheet only says lettuce too.

Hello,

To my knowledge, only lettuce is free on this diet. Celery should be measured while measuring your 2 cups of allowed vegetables a day.

As for the ideal to go, it is a program that allow people who live in an area where there is no IP coaches to purchase their IP products online, but they don't let everybody buy from their site, you have to live in an area where you can't do IP through a center.

Just confirming what's already been said before - according my Phase 1 IP Protocol sheet only lettuce is 'free', celery should be counted as a vegetable, and idealtogo is for those out of the way from a clinic (the price is the same on the site, plus you pay shipping).

I now buy my IP products from buyproteinfood.com. Free U.S. shipping on everything, no minimum order. Not sure about costs to ship outside the U.S. $27/box, $4.00/indiv. packet, and NO TAX. My clinic charges 9% tax. They don't always have everything in stock but have most stuff. Ex--no broccoli/cheese soup when I ordered earlier this week. (But my clinic didn't have any, either, when I joined and was out for awhile.) I was still buying a box now and then from the clinic so they wouldn't realize that I'm not getting everything from them, but this clinic is so busy that's hard to even get the same coach every time (even though there is a schedule and I have never changed my day/time). So, no one knows that I'm not buying from them.

wow- i just checked out the buyprotein site. It is perfect. I will just have to figure out how to make sure my dr doesn't realize I am not buying everything from them. I love the sample packets on the buyprotein site.
Thanks so much for the great info!

Oh NO!!!! Am I messing up? I thought you are supose to have 2 cups veggies at lunch and 2 with dinner???

I think it was a mistype - you are supposed to have 4 cups veggies a day. 2 cups @ lunch, 2 cups @ dinner (or spread across meals if you fell so inclined - just get the 4 cups/day!).

Indeed! Sorry, I meant to say in your 4 cups of veggies a day

My coach has told me romaine lettuce, celery and cucumbers are free food. They do not count towards your 4 cups of veggies, even if u want it to. Lol.

My clinic says only lettuce is unlimited, just like the sheet says. Also only 2 tsp per day of WF products, egg whites counts as my dinner protein, and we are allowed up to 4 packets of stevia/splenda per day, however I limit myself to 1 per day (if that even) because it causes cravings for me.

1 medium cucumber (about 8" long): with peel: 9 grams effective (net) carbohydrate plus 2 grams fiber and 45 calories; without peel: 4 grams effective (net) carbohydrate plus 2 grams fiber and 34 calories

Could you imagine if cucumbers were unlimited in phase 1......they would add up if you were to eat say 3 a day.

Below I have copied straight from the Phase 1 Protocol PDF. Note that Cucumbers and Celery are EXPLICITLY listed in the 'Select Vegetables' list (i.e., should be counted to your 4 cups/day). So any coach advising they are 'free' along with Lettuce are not following the protocol sheet.

Note: I am not an expert by any means, but when in doubt - I always follow the sheet.

Vegetables

Select:
Algae, Alfalfa, Asparagus, Arugula, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Bean Sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage (red, pak choi, bok choy), Celery, Celeriac, Chicory, Collards, Cress, Cucumbers, Dill Pickles, Endive, Fennel, Field Salad, Green Onions, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Mushrooms, Okra, Onions (raw only), Hot Peppers, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Sauerkraut, Sorrel, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Turnip, Watercress, Zucchini

Occasional (You may choose two items only per week from this list):
Brussels Sprouts, Beans (Green & Wax), Eggplant, Palm Hearts, Snow Peas, Swede, Tomato

Not permitted:
Artichoke, Avocado, Beets, Carrots, Chick Peas, Corn, Olives, Parsnips, Peas, (all) Potatoes, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Squash, Yams

As of this week lettuce AND celery are free foods! (in Canada anyways)

Is this for sure? (I have no coach at this point). Or another one of those things where different coaches seem to be providing different info? I just had a cup of lightly cooked celery blended in with my lunch cup of tomato & basil soup today. If celery is indeed a 'freebie' now, then I technically still need 3 cups of veg by the end of the day...I had my 2nd cup of lunchtime veg in my salad with romaine lettuce.

Just fyi purposes, here's the nutritional stats I found re 1 cup of celery....

Serving Size --1 cup, diced (120.0 g)

Amount Per Serving - 1 cup
Calories 19
Calories from Fat 2
Sodium 96mg
Total Carbohydrates 3.6g
Dietary Fiber 1.9g
Sugars 2.2g
Protein 0.8g