I am on day 2 of IP....I want to make sure that I do the program correct, so I have a few questions.

I am really struggling with not being allowed to have diet coke!! Are there any suggestions for helping with this withdrawal?? Can I have crystal light and/or hot tea with splenda? Are there any other beverages allowed?

Are sugar free gum and mints allowed on the program?

I am having daily headaches. I am adding my sea salt and drinking my water. Is there anything else I can do to eliminate these headaches? I think they are either from caffeine withdrawals or from my hypoglycemia.

Thanks!
Lisa

Most Crystal Light has aspartame in it, so no to that. I've heard there is some made with Splenda, but I've never found it. Tea is fine with Splenda, but, if you are having more than one caffeinated beverage a day, you just need to add the same amount of water to your daily intake.

There are several carbonated waters that are lightly flavored and have no aspartame or carbs. I drink La Croix flavored waters, they come in a can and make me feel like I'm having a soda. I also drink a lot of iced tea, both regular and decaf. You can also put a slice of lemon in your water for some variety.

Check the gum and mints to see what the sweetener is. Sometimes I have a half a stick of gum when I need it and it doesn't seem to bother me. I've heard Listerine breath strips are ok.

I had headaches for about the first four or five days. Keep up the salt, drink your water and make sure you're getting all of your protein. They will pass.

Good luck!

Thank you Stacey! I will definitely have to look into the flavored water! I didn't realize they were allowed and I need more of a variety. Do you use anything to flavor your tea? Do you know if there is there a limit on the amount of splenda we can use? I keep reading how the headaches tend to go away after 3 or 4 days, so I am just praying that I only have one or two more days of this. I know the pain will be well worth it when I reach goal weight! I'm really glad I found this forum to get ideas & inspiration...now if I could only figure out how to use the site more efficiently (it took me a while to find my initial post

The crystal light is dependant on your coach. Some allow it, some don't. Mine does. For tea (and coffee) I use the vanilla pudding mix, and a little cinammon. Gives it a chai taste Plus I'm getting a packet in. You should talk to your coach about anything off protocol and see what exactly is allowed and not.

How are you doing so far? Have the headaches gone away?

I can't add to the good advice already here. Just a hello!

I was told as much decafe tea as you wish...

hi there! Day 2 and it's much better than Day 1. I'm doing ok with cravings and I"m sticking to the plan... but I'm not confident that I'm meeting the sea salt requirements. What possible consequences I might experience if I'm not? Also, I have a scale and weighed 5 oz of pork/beef and it seems like a lot. More than the "size of your palm" portion I was looking for... Anyone else have that thought? Thanks for your insight~

Are you weighing the meat pre-cooked or cooked?

I'll let someone else answer to the consequences of not taking the salt, but I can give you some advice on taking it. Dissolve it in a shot glass with warm water, and have an ice water chaser ready. It's really not too bad that way.

I have only a three more days on the program than you but here goes!

Sea Salt: IP eliminates some foods and greatly reduces some others. Your body needs the nutrients in those foods; taking the sea salt and the supplements aims to replace them. Also, in the first few weeks, you lose a lot of water weight, and with that electrolytes (minerals dissolved in the water). You take the sea salt to maintain your electrolyte balance. If you don't take the salt, I'm told that the most common result is a headache.

meat portions: I asked very specifically were the weights before or after cooking. My coach said that they are BEFORE cooking. Cooking shrinks the meat (water, etc.) so the cooked portion will be much closer to the "deck of cards" or "size of your palm."

Thanks for the replies! I did weigh before cooking - I guess I just wasn't eating enough protein before. And the warm water dissolve is probably the best option for me - I find that chunky salt to be a bit much. Beginning Day 3 and looking forward to the Day 4/5 return of energy.

For eyeballing meat without weighing, I use the deck of cards comparison, which is supposedly 3 oz cooked. I think the size of your palm is an excellent measure for some people, I have thin hands, but for people like my DH with thick hands, it would double the portion. A deck of cards works for everyone.

Thank you all for the warm welcome! I am super excited!! I have been on the program for 4 days and have already lost 7.2 lbs!!! I guess all of the headaches have been worth it

Right now I am going through Ideal to Go until my doctor gets his clinic up and running. I asked my coach about the crystal light and he said if it doesn't have aspartame, I can have it (except I can't find it anywhere). He also said I can have sugar free mints, but I can't find any without aspartame. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Taylor - thanks for asking about my headaches! They are still there, but not as bad. I think my body is trying to adjust to the lower calories and carbs and detoxifying from all of the bad things I ate before starting IP. My coach said to have just a few chocolate puffs if I feel light headed from my hypoglycemia, so that should help too.

I just want to say I am so grateful that I found this message board! When not working through a clinic you kind of feel alone on this program, but this message board has helped me tremendously! Thank you to all of you for your tips, tricks, and inspiration!

Create a great day!
Lisa

I started out with "chunky" sea salt as well. I quickly found I like the finely ground sea salt better. Plus I started using iodized sea salt to help with thyroid function.

A lot of health food stores carry Spry gum and candies, which are sweetened with xylitol and are allowed on the plan. You can also order it online if you can't find it nearby.

Aloha!

In regard to the diet coke issue, I love to buy a big bottle of club soda add real lemon & lime and stevia, and it tastes like sprite! I had children over and their diet coke fiend parents , and all loved!! Welcome! You'll do great, it is really smooth sailing after the first few days! Promise!

Thank you ladies! Today has been much better so far! In regards to the gum... Is it okay to have if the gum is sugarfree, there is no aspartame, but the carbs and sugar alcohol have 3. I know on Atkin's b/c of the 3 sugar alcohols, there is technically 0 carbs. I hope that makes sense.