How do I choose the food for the week?
 

I've run about 10 searches and haven't seen much on this so i hope this is not redundant.

I'm in week 1 and my coach gave me tons of different ones, I like that.

But when I go in Tuesday for my WI, what do they say to me about choosing the foods? I know some places make you choose boxes and others let you do packets... I mean my weekly fee (84) covers food for the week right?

Are RTD drinks in food i can choose?

How many things do you choose? I mean we need 21 items for a week in phase 1, I did buy 6 RTD as i'm ot of the house a bit and also use the vanilla as my creamer.

Sorry if this is DUMB but I am clueless. I did see a woman leaving my center with a box of cookies as well as individual packs.

Thanks!

For me, we buy individual packets and can buy how many we want. The first week after my starter kit, I exchanged a few packets I didn't like and then bought a few extras so I could have some choices throughout the week. Now I buy my faves and try to add in a few new things here and there.

Like vanilla pudding. I have it several times a week so I usually buy at least 5. And I always get white cheddar ridges for some lunches. I don't do bars much because I'd prefer a shake in the evening and savory restricteds for lunch.

It'll depend on your coach because on my first week, my husband got the week 2 set so we could compare and contrast so I made a draft of what I wanted to get the following week but my coach said I had to get the set week 2. They might let you do all the set weeks (1-4) and then you get to choose on your 5th week. Am not sure about this though, just basing it on my experience at the clinic.

So you pay per item? Why did my coach tell me it was 84 a week? That's where I get confused.

I calculated how much my RTDs cost each, and if i multiply that times 21 it's more than 84.

This is why i feel clueless. I know i can call and ask! Just thought i'd check here.

Funny how we all like different stuff! I used to love savory food but since I started on IP, I find myself craving the sweet stuff. My fave pudding so far is the Dark Chocolate. :dizzy:

And I think if I'll get to choose my food, I'll definitely pick up the bars. Can't do without them!

At my place, RTDs are $5, not $4 each. Regular items are $4. 3 items per day for 7 days is 21 items. 21 items at $4 each is $84.00.

AHA! Gotcha, I bet that's where the number comes from! :)

Now i'm curious what he will do! Either way I am taking notes of what I like!

Thank you!

See, the bars to me aren't as filling, though very delicious! I like making a pudding into a nice, frosty shake that fills the blender. Then I have two large, thick glasses of shake. Yum!!

No problem!

Those chocolate soy puffs are my fave. I had those for dessert last night SO FREAKING GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really like the pudding as a shake too. So much better than the fake sweet of some of the fruit drinks.

Yes I love the soy puffs too, wicked good! I don't really like any of the fruity drinks, maybe the occasional wildberry yogurt shake.

I did make a strawberry shake with the strawberry pudding and WF strawberry syrup...yum!! I did WF chocolate syrup with the banana pudding, too.

I think every clinic is run differently. The one I go to gave me a starter kit for the first week with a sample of alot of different packets - I think I had about 27 different items - and I was charged per item. Then starting the second week, I go online onto their website and order whatever I want the day before my appointment and they have it ready when I go in the next day and I pay for it when I pick it up. We're allowed to purchase single packets ($4) or boxes ($28). Sometimes I'll order more than the 21 items I'll need for the week just so I'll have enough of a selection and in case they run out of something for the next week or if I have to postpone my weigh-in for a day or two.

It is the same at my clinic - we can buy individual packets.

And adding spinach and/or lettuce helps bulk it up.,

Have you spoken to your coach about this? And were you given a sheet about which foods are restricted (for your 1 a day choice if you want) vs. the non-restrictives?

Its is great your coach gave you a variety your first week to try so that you arent stuck with a whole box of food you dont like at all.

For me when I began this program what I did was create a worksheet that basically had the 3 times a day I would eat IP and then I would astrick my restricted since I did do one a day as recommended. Some people dont eat any restricted that is up to you however i found it helped me stick to program and not cheat. It gave me something to look forward to as well.

So I would pick a few new things I hadnt tried each week and I would go with things I know for sure that I loved ...
Here is just an example of what I mean, and of course with each of my lunches I would either have a salad with 2 cups veggies and WF salad dressings or 2 cups of steamed veggies with a yummy seasoning sea salt.
I like to do that for soups, and even add the veggies into the soup.


Breakfast Lunch Snack
1. Omlete, Mushroom soup, *Chocolate soy puffs
2. Vanilla pudding, Chocolate drink mix, *Choc / PB bar
3. Cappucino drink, *Sw cheese curls, Strawberry pudding milkshake
4. *oatmeal, Leek soup, vanilla RTD in coffee
5. strawberry pudding (waffles), Choc RTD, *Apple cinnamon soy puffs
6. crispy ceral (pancakes), *White Choc bar, butterscotch pudding
7. choc pudding milkshake, chicken noodle soup, *Peant soy puffs

Hope this helps you