I've tried limiting my restricted foods to only 2 or 3 a week and have not noticed much difference in weight loss at all. I saw if eating the salty snacks will keep you on plan, than eat them. If you like the convenience of a bar, eat it. As long as you're only have one a day, you're fine.

And calling it the "bad wall" is ridiculous!

Check out Mt Olive brand pickles - they make a no sugar added bread and butter using Splenda.

I've eaten restricted here and there (strawberry wafers are yummy). I tried having one a day, but my weight loss slowed way down, so I tend not to eat them.

I recently tried the cranberry pomegranate bar - omg - that thing is so sweet!! I which IP (and other companies) would come up with non-candy like protein bars. I'm not looking for turkey dinner in a bar (like Charlie & the Chocolate Factory ) but I'm trying to get away from sweets.

As far as the pickles go - I use the Vlassic Sugar Free (Splenda) pickles - they have bread & butter as well as gherkins. I use those in my Big Mac in a Bowl.

I agree 100%!!! I avoided the sweets on P1 for the same reason, but even the vanilla RTD I used each day to lighten my coffee left me with a sweet tooth, stronger than before IP. I think it's an area IP could work on to make their diet much better in the long run.

A friend of mine has a friend who is in the food processing biz.
I'm approaching him to develop organic soy/guten-free items sweetened with stevia (no artifical sweeteners), and focusing on items that are not so sweet. The problem with the non-sweet options is they have soy or gluten and I can't have them!
This is why I choose to make zucchini muffins or spinach smoothies....it cuts the sweet. I never really got started on the IP bars. I've had a couple. they are REALLY sweet!

A product such as above would be excellent for post-surgical bariatric patients, as well. Again, to not train the body to want sweet all of the time is important for maintenance!

I had gotten myself off of sweeteners prior to IP so was disappointed that I needed to move back to sweetened coffee using vanilla shake. So I bought some Syntrax plain & diluted the sweetened ones with the plain mix. Meantime, I've cut way back on coffee additives and am almost able to drink it black now.

Hey Facing;
I just wanted to let you know that you can do the diet even if you are travelling. My coach phased me off for our holiday and then I went right back to Phase 1 when I returned. I did bring restricted snacks with me and chocolate drink packets to put in my coffee. I made sure I drank lots of water and we walked lots. But, I also enjoyed myself. I was able to maintain. My coach and I were both very happy about that.

Thanks for the coffee idea, Lisa. I need to address this. We are at the dawn of time regarding healthy, allergen-free, non-triggering alternatives imho!
(Though I have to admit, just about anything that tastes good can trigger me). I hope your contact takes you up on your great ideas. And gives you cred!

Another area I would like to see evolve is informed coaching/ PT for large people over all. I had such poor guidance after laying out big bucks for trainers who were thin & athletic from birth. They meant well but were clueless about tailoring a plan for 50+ yr olds over 200 lbs. Single leg stands, for instance, led to pain and injury for me at 220 lbs. Eating bananas to satisfy hunger led to more hunger and weight gain. I could keep ranting! I'm so grateful to have tuned in to 3FC!

Thanks Hawaii! I have another trip to Mexico a week later for a wedding and may want to ease up a little then, but planning to remain OP for this first trip! Wish me luck guys!
Also I just came back from my week 3 weigh in:
Down 2.4 lbs. 2.2 was all fat. Total loss- 11.8 lbs and 8.5 inches!

Congrats Facing! Good job!

My first time around on IP I stuck to plan of 1 restricted item per day and it really helped me curb my sweet tooth. However in my reboots any time of restricted slows down my loses in fact brings them to a halt. So I stick to mostly unrestricted. I keep a few chocolate soy puffs packets on hand to take on days I am really having a bad sugar craving. Also it is easy to parse them out and eat over a period of time instead of all at once.

I think not having the resisted each day does not prepare you for after IP. I had mine each day late afternoon and never had difficulty restricting it to just one. I found that it helped to develop the mindset that a treat is just that, just one small thing. But that said I find things made with atifical sweetner way too sweet and after awhile I stuck with Quest bars which are not very sweet and very high in fibre. The low fibre was a big problem for me with IP.

hi Patns
I just noticed you're in Edmonton - I lived out there for almost 30 years - just moved back to the Ottawa area(I grew up here) 5 years ago - I'm going to Calgary and Edmonton in May to visit my sons

Yes, I have been here for 12 years now. I am originally from Nova Scotia but moved out here because my son and daughter moved here. Seems to be what happens with everyone from the east. I hope we have good weather by May.

I'm late to this party, but I honestly cannot see how less than 5 carbs a day is going to make that much of a difference, unless you're super carb sensitive. So for instance, if I take out my chocolate soy puffs (10 net carbs) and have something with 7 net carbs instead, which is unrestricted- I doubt that is going to matter. Unless you go from a super-restricted to an unrestricted or something. But honestly, I would go crazy if I didn't get my restricted once a day!

I am not sure that this question revolves entirely around the number of carbs in the restricted vs unrestricted. For me, and maybe for some others, these sweeter or saltier snacks are triggers which sometimes lead me to want to eat more of the same.

There are many for who this is not the case, but now and probably after IP on maintenance, I will try to omit as much as possible these sorts of foods which are triggers. That will probably be my "real life".

I did not get to be the weight I was eating too many salads and chicken breasts. I got it because I could not control my intake of sweets, long after my "hunger" should have been satiated. I am not a 'eat only one' kind of person. I do not know why but I have recognized that.

So instead, I make my snacks or treats things I enjoy especially on IP and try to wrap my mind around that. It has worked so far so I can only can that I will continue that pattern for me.