I am new to this web-site and have posted some messages, but I am not sure how to find out if anyone has responded.

I will be starting into my 8th week on the program and I have lost 35 pounds --- which I am thrilled with!

I have some questions:

1. Green cabbage - can we eat it or not?
2. Regular tomatoes (not cherry) - can we eat them and how often?
3. Restricted foods - my coach gave me a bar on the first day and told me that I could have the restricted foods, but only once a day. I am reading that some coaches were saying no to restricted foods until 3 or 4 weeks into the program.

I welcome all answers and thank you in advance!

There is a ton of answers to everything all over this forumn....read read read....that is how I learned so much. I have been on the program 5 weeks today and I am down 25 pounds. Green cabbage is listed as approved on my list of non-restricted veggies. Tomatoes are a restricted (limited per week) and my coach allows restricted food items from the beginning. But my choice is that I did not have any for a few weeks and the past few weeks I have had two per week....soy nuts as a snack once and I made the chili on Saturday. I will continue that routine for a few more months. I live off the omlettes and vanilla shakes. Good luck on your journey.

Yes, green cabbage is permitted.
Any tomatoes are limited as an occasional vegetable. They may be had 2x a week. A maximum quantity of 2 cups per week.
Yes. Restricted foods are permitted from the beginning. You may have them once per day. Most people try to add them in slowly to get a feeling for how they are impacting the weight loss.

Lorrie, I know I've answered at least one of your questions and others did too, but I can't remember where.

A couple of suggestions:
Something that might help is for you to bookmark or "make a favorite" of the pages where you've posted questions.

If you click on your username next to your post, you'll see an option to "Find all posts by JonathanandZeus" Click that. You'll get a list of every post you've made. Click on one of the links and read your post and those that follow!

Hope that helps!

Thanks I'm for your advice --- I did what you said and VOILA --- I found the replies to my messages --- thanks so much!!!

Thank you from me too! I could never find the responses to things I posted either nor am I able to remember where I posted! Nice to know they can be found again.

I heard about ideal protein today and I am skeptical about it and it's results. I have tried everything from all the different "fad" diets to Releana (HCG) and nothing seems to help me. Growing up I was always overweight so I took measures into my own hands and became anorexic and bulimic. After realizing that wasn't an answer, I gained all of the weight back plus some and went from 130 lbs. to 350 lbs. I know I need to start exercising however at my current weight there is no way I can do anything. I lost a considerable amount of weight in May after being diagnosed with Celiac's Disease however I decided not to listen to the doctors or my body and gained it all back and am currently 198.5. I need to get back down to 130 and was wondering if IP would be good for me...any suggestions or comments would be great!

IP works if you follow it. It's strict and no cheat so you have to be willing to make the adjustment in your eating habits, and as with all plans you will gain the weight back if you don't follow the maintenance plan and go back to the eating that caused you to gain weight. I lost over 30 pounds in less than 2 months on IP and have been at or below goal weight for the last month on maintenance. I loved the structure and for me the fact that it worked made it easy to follow.

Good luck

It totally works, but as BCGirl said you must follow the program 100%. No cheats and you must follow all 4 phases. I have been on just about every diet out there too (most of us have). And while this is the strictest diet I have ever been on, it's also been the most successful for me (about 35 pounds in 9 weeks) and the easiest by far. Check out the website, read this forum and then make your decision. Best of luck to you in whatever you decide.

go for it....but do not use the ideal products ...search the altenative products for ideal protein on this site Three fat chicks on a diet ..I use alternative products and have lost 38 lbs since august 19th 2011...you can find all the phases on this site as well...otherwise it will be around -94 dollars a week...plus vitamins and first visit...good luck...

I started this diet on Nov 1 and I am having great results so far. I was also diagnosed with celiac disease and can relate to your story, I yoyo dieted for years and tried all the risky diets. I find this one has really worked for me. Considering we are already conditioned because of the Celiacs not to eat what everyone else eats it makes it easier to follow because we are used to being "high maintenance" lol I hate being considered high maintenance. I find its also beneficial because I hate telling people that I am dieting so instead I just tell people that I am eating special gluten free granola bars or gluten free protein shakes, not diet shakes. that way I dont need to answer all the questions that everyone seems to have about diets and their opinions. I considered doing the alternatives but I find because of my personality it really helps me stay on track by seeing a coach once a week, even though its only to pick up food and chat it still helps me stay on plan.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Hello everyone. Im excited to start IP on my own. I ordered some material about the program and printed out some food comparison charts in case I want to order alternative products but I am still a little confused about a few basic ideas of phase 1. From what I understand, per day it's:
3 IP packets, 5-8oz protein (I have a list of permitted items), 4 cups of veggies (I have a list of permitted items), 64 oz of water, supplements and 1-2 teaspoons of olive/grape seed oil.
My question is....is a soup pack the same as a pudding or drink mix or soy puff or protein bar?? I understand that some items are "restricted" meaning 1 per day but does a pudding or an orange drink mix etc count as an actual IP MEAL PACKET or are these things snacks?? I am about to order some food and I just want to be clear. Any help would be great. Thank you!!

Yes the packets are the actual meal packets. For example breakfast could be an orange drink, lunch a soup packet with veggies, snack a restricted bar, and dinner 8oz (the new requirements are 8oz for all meat) meat with 2 more cups veggies. Or if you were on a strange schedule you could do soup for breakfast, bar for lunch (with veggies), dinner, and drink for snack. Point being it doesn't really matter what you have when. Hope this helps and welcome to the boards!!

Navy mom is correct... Have 3 packets. One which is a restricted.... Then your meat meal... If you stick with it. It will work. I would also recomme d more water than 64 oz. That is the minnimum... Also. Don't forget to take your vitamins!!

I do not know anything about Celiac's Disease but know that there are one or two people on this site who have Celiacs and do IP. I will tell you I have been on every diet known to man. Non of them were as successful as IP has been and I am only on week three. I am a slow loser and down 9.25 lbs but for me that is great. One year ago Feb. I tried HGC drop. I lasted 3 weeks, was starving the whole time and lost 7 lbs. I am not hungry at all on this diet. The first couple days can be hard on some. I did not get any head aches or any of the other issues.

I say go for it. All you have to lose is weight!