Reason behind lettuce, celery, and cukes?
 

Can anyone explain the idea behind the unlimited, compulsory lettuce, celery, and cucumbers? I have not had any of these in the past several weeks, and I'm still losing. I didn't plan to not eat them, but my schedule is kind of whacked in that I'm lucky I get 3 packets, 4 c of veggies, and 8 oz of meat. I do get my water, though, and almost always get my vitamins.

The Phase 1 sheet says lettuce (only) is unlimited but not compulsory.
Some coaches seem to be changing the protocol and adding cukes & celery to unlimited and now I'm hearing making things compulsory???

My sheet states these are compulsory and unlimited. There are so many different protocols under the same diet, and I'm trying to sort through them all. Like I said, I'm losing weight, but I don't want to hurt my body. I would assume the reason behind it is to counteract hunger with foods that won't make you gain.

I always had a cup of cucumbers as one of my 4 cups of veggies. It hasn't hurt me...

Laury411: Is this your sheet or is yours different?
This is the official IP Phase 1 Protocol Sheet
Lettuce (only) is listed as unlimited but it does not say it is compulsory

Attachment 43481

My coach told me only lettuce was unlimited. It's both for filler and to help with digestion since our fiber intake isn't very high. For me, cucumbers are my primary veggie source. I usually eat 2 cups a day. I'm glad they are not "unlimited" or I would have to find more veggies easy for work, lol.

There is only ONE phase 1 protocol - but it becomes evident as you are on here longer that some coaches change the protocols themselves. In case the PDF doesn't work for you - here is a link from the Ideal Protein website for the most recent Phase 1 sheet, updated June of this year:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/4448522-post13.html

THIS is the only sheet that needs to be followed. Anything else is somebody else's protocol.

Ha ha...I am glad cucumbers are not mandatory...I hate them!

And I'm glad lettuce isn't. I don't hate it but I get sick of salads quickly!

Compulsory unlimited just makes no sense. You would have to be eating those suckers all day every day. ;)

My coach says ONLY lettuce is free. I count cukes and celery in my 4 cups.

I tried to copy and paste a shot of my paper, but have not been able to. Under my lunch and dinner, it says lettuce, celery,and cucumber to not count toward your vegetables, and are mandatory. From my weight loss standpoint they must not be mandatory for loss because I don't eat them.

Sounds like your coach made their own paper, or are using old materials (though I can't find even old sheets that say celery and cucumber are unlimited). It's frustrating because the program has 25 years of research behind it, and it works as written. I find that there are a LOT of coaches out there that don't just trust the program.