Hi there.

I am thinking about going on the Ideal program - but one big problem: I DO NOT LIKE VEGETABLES!

I don't know what to do, I have heard that there this program has a great success rate and with a 251 cholesterol and a 319 triglycerides I have to do something.

Pretty upset and discouraged.

Any help would be wonderful.

Thanks all.

Sue.

I am not a big veggie fan but have a few that I eat almost every day - zucchini and mushrooms. I also eat my lettuce in a smoothie (using a IP product).

If there is a vegetable you like focus on that. Vegetables are an integral part of the protocol.

Good luck.

Carol

Welcome Sue...and hope you find this is the thing that may be a game changer for you.

Take time to consider all..read here and realize that in addition to DOING this or any diet...the reality is your food preferences will need to change.

A lifestyle change is the only way to take significant weight off and more importantly, keeping it off will most likely require a major shift for the rest of your life from what you have been doing.

Take a step back and determine where this thought fits in with what you are willing to do. If counting calories alone will work for you...then perhaps you are someone who can eliminate veggies...and work around your preferences. That is a lot cheaper. Many of us have discovered that simply does not work in the long run.

Best wishes...but do take some time to think about what others who were not veggie lovers at the outset have to say about being on this plan. If you need to lose more than a few pounds, being on this program long term will necessitate you incorporate the vegetable factor to ensure proper nutrition.

Sue if you decide to do this program and would like some input as to what facility might suit your needs don't hesitate to PM me. I started out at Matzner but left and currently purchase my food at Christie.

Believe me, I was a vegetable HATER before IP. But after a few weeks, I find I actually like them. The trick for me was switching from foul tasting (IMHO) fresh vegetables in my grocery store to frozen organic vegetables. First off they are already washed and cut up, so all you do is dump out what you are going to eat in a bowl, microwave for a minute or two and eat. You never throw anything out that's gone bad. Also you are never hassling with washing them or cutting them up or cooking/steaming raw vegetables. Finally, these taste so amazingly great (and I HATE VEGETABLES! At least I have my whole life up til I discovered these).

One final benefit is studies have found that frozen organics actually contain more nutrients than fresh in most grocery stores, since the frozen kind are fully ripened on the vine and flash frozen when they are peaking, unlike most grocery store fresh vegies that are harvested early while not fully ripe ... and ripen in the subsequent weeks in warehouses and trucks and trains on the way to your local supermarket.

Try these, you might be surprised. These are actually really great mixed together in a bowl with some turkey or chicken. OMG! Heaven.

By the way, after a bit over 4 months on IP, my Triglycerides are 77, my Cholesterol is 183, and my A1C is 5.8 (no meds). All down significantly from pre-dieting days earlier this year. (At my worst, a few years ago, my Triglycerides were 456, my Cholesterol was 249, and my A1C was 10.0). So what you eat and losing weight can make a HUGE DIFFERENCE in your health.

Hey Sue, not sure you can do this without Veggies. I love veggies so it has been easy for me. Gardenhoe, I am at Matzner. That is where my chiro is at so it is easy.

What I am learning from being on IP is that food is used to fuel your body, not to cure boredom or for pleasure. Do I enjoy all of the things I eat? No. But I would rather be healthy than please my taste buds. I have also come to like things I previously thought I hadn't. It's funny how delicious something can taste after being on a very limited diet. I used to hate mustard. Now I love it.

IP works, and is worth having a pep-talk with your taste buds.

I absolutely hated HATED veggies too, I liked tomatoes and cucumbers lol. I think cleaning my palate by getting rid of sugars and junk helped me taste the veggies.

I took the time to challenge myself with cooking veggies and I really believe that IP helped me learn to cook veggies with various seasonings. It taught me how to cook other stuff too lol.

Start with the few you like, check veggie recipes online and remove sugar (and other items not allowed) or substitute it. Go to your local bulk store (Bulk Barn here), grab just enough seasoning for that recipe and try it. I think I actually started with Mrs Dash and the variations of that.

It's doable, I promise

Totally unrelated, but your before and after pictures are amazing!! What an inspiration!

Thanks! Have a bump now, I should update that thread lol

Congrats!!

Thanks so much for all of your help and guidance. Monday, my husband and I will sign on the dotted line to start IP. But we are going with what they thought would be a better fit for us, the Alternative Plan.

Unfortunately you lose weight slower but I am able to have certain fruit. I'm going through Christie.

Anyone doing the Alternative Plan?

Sue.

Sue,
You made a good choice going with Christie and an even better choice doing IP for your health! Good luck!!