Wow! What an explosion of posts since I was last on! That's really great to see! Forgive me for not quoting and referencing each comment to the right person, though I truly admire those of you who take the time to do that. So here's my hodgepodge:
I LOVE peanut butter too. The IP vanilla/peanut bar helps me with that craving. 2 T of peanuts is about 3.5 carbs I think, so better to sprinkle that over your dinner and satisfy the craving ~ In the past, I found that if I didn't, then I would end up eating other things that didn't satisfy and I would overeat.
Sweeteners~ I do not like artificial sweeteners either. And there are studies that show that they lead to obesity. I believe IP uses splenda b/c it is so far the safest option (until proven otherwise!) and Stevia, while lower glycemic, does have carbs depending on how it's processed. I will go back to using stevia and naturally sweet foods on maintenance.
Dressings~ basically a mix of oil and acid~ the french use a 3 to 1 ratio, but for IP I use 1t of olive oil, and 3t of either raw apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice, or fresh lime juice. I add a little water to make it go further. Other ingredients include salt and pepper, maybe fresh garlic or shallot, and dried herbs like mint & oregano or an italian seasoning blend. I use fresh herbs in my salads for more flavor~ cilantro, basil, mint ~ they help a lot! Sometimes I add a little dijon mustard~ a little goes a long way for flavor.
Lettuce~ someone mentioned that we eat lettuce for more than just hunger, but for the fiber. Yes! that is why it's so important. You will lose more if you eat a lot of it. Besides salads at lunch, I will often serve my dinner (whatever it may be) over a bed of lettuce.
Setting a goal weight~ please don't let yourself get stuck on a number. Look at your lowest weight in your adult life, post children. That's likely a good ballpark. And as you approach it, see how you feel in your new body. Let that be your guide. I read on here where someone lost a bunch then maintained a year and then decided to go back on and lose 10 more pounds. Sounds sensible!
Headaches~ the salt water has worked for me every time, however I have taken motrin for inflammation while doing IP and it hasn't affected my weight loss.
Which brings me to my understanding of headaches etc. Most of us regard unpleasant symptoms as proof of our bodies doing something wrong. But the body isn't designed to be sick or healthy, it is designed to survive. Everything it does is in response to survival. We make choices in our daily lives about what we eat & drink, how we rest, exercise, & breathe, and how we think. Our body responds physically to every choice we make in these areas. Now this might sound strange to some of you, but when I get a headache, I will do things to make it better (i..e. salt water, more water, rest, meds, etc) but first I close my eyes and say "thank you." Because I know that my body is responding perfectly. I trust it. I then try to figure out what made this headache necessary and check my recent choices in each of those six areas I mentioned.
And for those of you who have felt discouraged recently because of slow loss or even gain at the scale, understand that our thoughts truly create our reality. While it's wonderful to have a support community here online, we must also be mindful of our conscious mind and what we allow it to dwell on. When I lost a lot in my first week, my coach told me not to expect much loss the second week. I thought to myself, no thank you. I know that my thoughts create my reality. I had a big loss the second week too.
If you have a bad week, I would encourage you to look at that list I mentioned and check the choices you've been making. I know that if you take two people who both follow the diet exactly, and one is thinking positive thoughts all week and one is thinking negative ones, the one who is positive will have more weight loss than the negative thinker. So feed yourself positive thoughts. "I am thankful and grateful for my slender body." "I love my body which is getting sexier and thinner every day." "I fuel my beautiful body with healthy delicious food." (if anyone wants the science behind this, let me know and I will ramble more!)
Most of us think we are positive thinkers. Pay attention to your thoughts and how they FEEL. What I tell my kids is, "Be your own best cheerleader!" Talk to yourself with love, compassion, and encouragement.
Someone mentioned their coach is no longer coaching. If you just follow the plan as written, you will lose weight. I would encourage anyone in this situation to read everything on Dr. Tien's website, and spend some time reading these threads again and again.
Thank you for letting me ramble! I hope you all find something useful to glean~
peace