OK, this might be a really dumb question but I have a question about our lettuce vs. 4c of veggies. The way I understand it, lettuce is a free food all day long, and we need to eat 4c of the allowed veggies per day.

So, I, the queen lover of all kinds of veggies, am having difficulty some days getting in those 4c of veggies if I am also eating lettuce. The lettuce is not REQUIRED, right? I have the most trouble with this at dinner time. I love, love, love having my hot protein meat (ground turkey, ground beef, roasted chicken) served over top of a bed of romaine lettuce. By the time I eat that all, there is no room left for my 2c of other veggies...

So, should I be cutting back on my lettuce on dinner? I am using probably 2c as the base for my meat salad. I *do* put in some other stuff: mushrooms, raw onions, green peppers -- but certainly not 2c worth.

Any advice?

~phoenix~ <----stuffed with veggies

Lettuce is not required, try substituting raw spinach at dinner with your protein on top as spinach counts as a veggie.

I've only been eating the lettuce on days that I'm really hungry and I also find that it's an easy way to get in my olive oil.

I agree with MaMaZu....use spinach instead of lettuce, or, make kale chips for your veggie. Two cups raw cooks down so much, and they are so light and airy, that they don't really make you feel full. I can eat 2 cups of those no problem, but sometimes looking at two cups of broccoli or cauliflower makes me want to gag.

Do you bake these until they are nice and crispy? any tips?

Foudn it, I will try the kale chips!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-kale-chips/

The way I read the protocol for Phase 1, it is only iceberg lettuce that is unlimited. If you are using romaine, arugula, spinach, etc., you should be counting it AS your veggie. Maybe mix the lettuces to make more volume?

Hmm, see, I just had my first meeting and was told I could count greens such as spinach and romaine as my lettuce. She also told me I should try to eat it twice a day, even in small portions to help bms.

I have spoken with 3 different new IPers lately, and they were each told they could have "unlimited leafy greens." I am NOT following this advise and wish they wouldn't either. They are eating kale and spinach, along with lettuce, and aren't counting it towards their veggies! They are following protocol as per their coaches (different coaches). I really wish these coaches were more regulated!

My coach also told me that I could have the veggies on Our list as much as I wanted. But minimum I had to have at least 4C a day...

It is so confusing and frustruating when everyone is getting different information for the same diet!!!

Sheena, I agree! I was told I can have all the kale, spinach, etc I wanted. But NO splenda, which I thought was one of the only sweeteners we COULD have...

Hi, I have just started the program and I was told I could eat all different kinds of lettuce, plus cucumber and celery...

Wow, I can't believe how different everyone's coaches are! Although from reading here, I did kind of pick up on that fact. I think that I am going to just stick to what I've been doing and using romaine as my base. Last night I did use spinach as the base and that was a nice change. I cannot stand iceberg lettuce actually.

Even if on some days I end up eating too much in the veggies department, when you think about it, that's better than eating something that is TOTALLY off plan. I didn't get overweight by eating too much romaine lettuce that's for sure!

Thanks everyone for your input.

I agree! I had been unknowing skimping on my olive oil, too. But when I put it on my salads, I get it in, and think I've started losing a little more- and more consistently. Amazing!

Thank you sooo much for posting this question, I have been in the same boat. I eat my 4c of vegetables but am really not hungry enough to have lettuce as well. I do eat a lot of kale, spinach, etc. so I guess that kind of counts as both, sort of.....