Hi there! I'm a newbie to this site but have been lurking and reading for a few days. Your challenges and personal success stories are AMAZING! I was going to try my local IP location but for a few reasons I've decided to give it a go on my own. Been there, done that....every diet.....some great successes (Atkins 50 pounds), some total failures (Atkins +60 pounds), and here I am again bigger than ever with self esteem issues that will take years of therapy to undo. I feel ready, again, to get healthy for myself and my family and after researching my options I want to try the IP progam using alternative products. I've read the threads, and sticky's and I'm quite overwhelmed. My initial fears....I'm lazy...hate prepping/cooking it needs to be fast or I'll grab something guilty. I hope to work on my laziness as I start to lose b/c I did see lots of good recipes that seem pretty quick to prepare. I LOVE my morning and afternoon coffee with half/half....the thought of caffeine withdrawal and trying to function at work has me scared. Are there any energy drinks allowed so I could wean off the coffee? I saw a product call MIO that are drops you put in water that have caffeine in them. Thoughts? Water....I drink almost 80 oz. a day but it's Vitamin Water Zero and from what I've gathered is not allowed. I'll probably switch to Hint flavored water or any other recommendations? I'm going to make some little changes right now and hope to start my program on September 1. I know it's going to be hard and I hope my husband can handle the Linda Blair in me that will surely rear her ugly head!

you can have your caffeine. Just need to add an extra water for each cup of coffee.
I use a splash of vanilla protein shake instead of cream. I was a half/half or better yet, heavy cream user in my coffee pre-IP. I'm really trying to cut back on the protein shake & get used to drinking it black. Owning a cappuccino maker spoiled me.

And, yes, you need to get over kitchen laziness in a hurry! I spend WAYYY more time in the kitchen now. But it is all good b/c eating more homemade & more veggies is better for me.

Welcome! You can make really quick meals that are OP and delicious with a little planning ahead. I prep veggies once a week and all meats get frozen into appropriate sizes. The Foreman grill and roasting veggies has been my lifeline - toss a couple of cups of veggies into the toaster oven, when they are half done get the Foreman going and in 20 minutes dinner is ready. I usually get set up for the next day while dinner's cooking.

I have always drunk black coffee so that wasn't hard - it was the 8 to 10 cups a day I was having! Now I'm down to about 1.5 in the morning and sometimes another cup in the middle of the afternoon. You can do this!

Thanks, Lisa! So you use a ready made vanilla shake for your coffee? When you say a splash...a couple of T's? Yeah, the only reason I have a kitchen is because it came with the house!

I cut up all of my veggies (except ones that spoil easily like mushrooms, cucumber, etc) the day I do my grocery shopping. It takes time then, but I would rather do it once than daily. Then when I am making my veggies it is only a matter of grabbing some out to eat raw, throwing some in a steamer, or cutting them a bit smaller and dropping them onto a salad. It really is about a lifestyle change, not just changing the way you eat. You CAN do this!

Thanks, Ruth Ann! I hope I can do it.....I'm an 8 cup drinker as well....tried a sip of black over the weekend and OMGosh...blech!

Thanks, Susie! You were a BEAUTIFUL bride! The veggie prep won't be my problem it's the meat. LOL I know I probably sound whiny...actually, I know I'm whiny which is why I'm slowly preparing myself for all the changes I need to make so I don't get overwhelmed on Day 1 and quit.

Preparation is the key, both mentally and by making sure you have everything you need on hand to be successful. I do the same with freezing my meat in perfect portions, then I take it out of the freezer every morning and I usually just BBQ. Less dishes that way, and it's delicious. The thing I was worried about the most was what I would make for my husband, but he has just been eating whatever I eat and hasn't seemed to mind.

And thank you, I am hoping to fit into that dress again, and then have it be too big for me.

For meat prep, consider barbecuing once each weekend and make extra that you can eat early in the week and freeze some for later.

I often BBQ a center cut pork roast which we have part of for dinner that night then I slice some to freeze and leave some out for stir fry during the week. At the same time I roast a whole chicken or chicken parts and also grill some burgers or even throw on a meatloaf.

So in one cooking session I have most of my meat for the week and some for the freezer to have on hand.

Crock pot is another excellent way to cook meat with almost no effort.

A very easy way to do the meat is to get a George Forman grill. Oh and as JLUS crock pots are super easy too.

Regarding the MIO with caffeine, my coach said only to use the regular MIO and stay away from MIO fit or any of the other drink flavors that have caffeine.

Thanks! JLUS & patns for your meat prep suggestions. Meeshelle, darn, I'm hoping for something to help me wean off my coffee.

Try Teeccino- an herbal coffee that comes in tea bags. It is caffeine free, but gives you the sense that you are drinking coffee. It comes in flavors. Add a little vanilla RTD and you'd never know the difference! You can fool yourself lol.

That's one question I have for my coach...why you aren't supposed to have MIO with caffeine, but coffee is ok.