I thought all of us who started at the New Year could check in here.

I'm starting to get more familiar with the food choices and finding more things that I enjoy.

One surprise that I like: chocolate chip cookie. I thought it would be yuck but it's good and it's huge. I've eaten it for lunch a couple of times and it's very filling with my veggies and salad.

The scale is down 6 lbs! Woo hoo! Can't beat that. I had a baby 7/27/12 and this is the most progress I've made in losing the baby weight besides the initial big loss after delivery.

Dinners have been good and simple. My husband is doing the diet as well so usually just grill our protein every night and prepare 2 cups of veggies for each of us and the salad. My 3 year old is eating the same stuff.

How are ya'll doing?

Hi! I lost 5 pounds so far. I'm on the Altlernative Plan for diabetics. I'm not a diabetic but I think this plan will work better for me and it is. I'm also riding my stationary bike for 22 minutes a day!

Hi! I'm dong great. I just had the cookie last night for the first time. Way too big for a snack. Sounds perfect for lunch or maybe breakfast. Love the idea of eating cookies for breakfast. It was one of those nice surprises when I had it. So good. Not sure how much down, I weigh in next Tuesday. Clothes are already feeling "not so snug".

I'm doing better than I thought I would! I don't really enjoy the IP food aside from a select few which I have made my staples. I lost 11 pounds my first week! This is all the motivation I need to keep it up! Well that and this site

Here's to a great 2013!

Great 1st week -6.6 lost and this week is going well.

Week one down 3.1 lbs

Congrats on your losses and stick with it everyone! I'm down 5 pounds after week 1.

CONGRATS ALL -- you're doing great! I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but I hope people understand that you'll have bigger losses in week one and two but then they'll taper down quite a bit. I'm "rejoining" you so started last July. I think some people get upset when they don't see these big numbers every week and wonder what is wrong when the answer is "nothing". The program advertises 3-5 pounds a week, but I think that's a bit misleading as it will most likely end up being 1-3 lbs. Keep with it -- you'll see results everyweek -- but not 5 or 8 pounds all the time

So far so good. This diet has been surprisingly easy to stick to. I was sick with flu last week and lost 5 pounds. Am 100% better this week and my scale says I'm down a few more pounds already. Next weigh in is Tuesday.

Most of the food isn't bad. I really like the double chocolate bar, haven't tried the chocolate chip cookie, somehow I missed that! The puddings are pretty good, I usually sit mine in the freezer for about a half hour which really firms it up and gets it nice and chilly.

Really like the Wildberry yogurt shake. I do same thing with that, whip it up and then let it sit in freezer for about a half hour, helps soften the little fruit bits and thicken it more.

Broccoli cheese soup with extra veggies and the chicken soup are favorites. Tried the chili for the first time yesterday and the flavor was good, but texture was weird. Makes me a little nervous to try the bolognese spaghetti! Has anyone had that yet?

I thought I'd stop in for a quick visit and odder encouragement.

Be sure to check the fun with IP packet thread (either in the stickies or in the first post of the daily chat) there are LOTS of ideas for making packets taste better. I'm not a fan of most packets by themselves but jazzed up, it's a whole new taste sensation.

One of the complaints I've heard is that people get bored if they keep their food too simple. Remember you CAN make recipes, use your crockpot, and LOTS of spice. I made chicken/veggie soup when I was sick. I stir fry veggies frequently. Check all the recipe threads for ideas and to keep things interesting now and into maintenance.

Great idea for a thread! Keep up the good work! This diet is so easy!

CONGRATS to all who joined in on IP for 2013! Ive been on IP since 10/1 and I love it. If you haven't tried jicama you are in for a treat!!! I ventured out and tried it and now it is a weekly veggie for me. roasted cauliflower and cabbage are wonderful too!! WHO KNEW?!?!?!

Hello All......I've been on IP for a week tomorrow which will be my first WI.....feeling a little anxious. I've followed the diet very closely so hopefully I'll see a significant loss.

My favorite thing to do is roast a head of cauliflower, 2 pablano peppers, 1 red pepper and a whole head of garlic, sprinkle with Real salt, pepper, cilantro and basil and a very little curry powder. Then I use all natural organic chicken stock (0/0/0) and puree it into a medium thick soup, warms me right up on these cold days and I don't get sick of it at all.

Congrats to everyone! I started last week doing IP using alternative products and have lost 8 pounds so far. Last night I had a slip up in that I had some frozen cookie dough in the freezer and decided to make it and take them to work to get them out of my house.

Well....after eating several cookies, I just threw it all in the trash because I realized my willpower is not good enough yet to undergo that temptation! Beat myself up for several hours but then just decided it is over and done with and to move on :-)

Today I had a victory in that I went out to lunch for the first time on the program and ordered a salad with cubed turkey on it. Managed to ignore both the yummy looking roll and blue cheese dressing on the plate so perhaps last night taught me something :-P

Good work! Next time just tell them no dressing or take your own dressing with you, and ask them not to bring rolls or bread. It's a lot easier if they're not within reach.