Yeah, it's a pretty expensive week.  I'm about to start the 2nd week of UM but I remember thinking after my first bout of oliveoil/lemon juice in the morning that if I hadn't spent all the money I might just thow in the towel.  Then I learned to hold my nose while swallowing and perservered.

Did you print out the UltraSimple Guide? I couldn't have done without it and once you get into the swing of it, it really is simple. I do a version of USD and UM Phase 1 because it is simple. And I can remember feeling overwhelmed.

I thought I was going to do the whole second USD but didn't. I felt myself getting really angry.  So instead of giving up, I decided to do as much as I could with a smile, and looked to the simpler week, I still lost about 8lbs or so, including the Preparation Week. After that week I was able to breathe a whole lot better.

There's a list of vegetables and fruits in UM which don't absolutely need to be organic. Avocadoes..bananas...asparagus, I think..Someone suggested a link to find more but I don't know what that was.

I still don't think the shakes are great  but they keep me from being hungry. They work for me. After being on this diet I now like dark chocolate. I used to take my husband's and add sugar and cream if what I considered "real" chocolate wasn't in the house and I was craving.

Junkfood wouldn't last 2 minutes around me. I swear it called my name. Now, I'm not always thrilled with what I'm eating but I feel liberated. Not always looking for my next fix.  I can sit beside people who are eating junkfood and not care. I hated being controlled by food.

A number of us have benefited from reading and re-reading that little book umpteen times. Something new almost always pops out.

In 6 weeks I've lost about 15.5 lbs. 50-60 to go. But this seems to be away of eating I can deal with. I hope you can to.

Best in health to all,

Carolyn59

Well, I can certainly relate to your "frustrations" too, it seems as if you took the words out of my mouth in fact. I spent quite a bit, around $200.00 too but I must confess I am not sure if all my fruits and veggies were "organic" at least they were fresh! I also did not buy any bottled water for the same reason you mention about two major bottling companies coming from the Tap anyway.  Both me and my mom are doing this diet together, and trying to encourage one another.  There are learning experiences is the way we are viewing it.  We started yesterday too just because of eagerness to get going with it. Our broth took all day to cook, not the "one hour" it mentions in the book, I tried the turmeric in the rice and my mom hated it, so I'll be eating that rice for a week by myself, (did a plain batch for her), we tried steaming turnip greens last night and it was too gross to even describe, but the shakes, chicken, and other steamed veggies were at least tasty.  We both felt encouraged today when we were both 2lbs lighter though so that is helping us make it through day two.  I've found that just reading other people's comments here is a real boost. I was even able to help someone find the recipe for the almond-flax chicken! I know that nothing worthwhile is ever easy, and as long as we all keep remembering the multiple benefits promised from this diet, and lean on this support system, then perhaps we all can succeed. But your complaints made me feel that I'm not the only one, so thanks for that!  

I don't think Ultra Complicated Diet would have sold so many books!  At first read, it IS complex.  And I know, no question, that some of the things I'm doing aren't right...I find it out afterwards.  But all in all, especially after the first 7 days,  life gets easier.  No more drinking olive oil (altho, frankly, it didn't live up to its gross billing.  It went down pretty easily, and kept you regular as well.)  Nothing is going to make the shakes taste better as long as you are putting in the recommended flax oil.  That stuff is bad!  But the flax seeds are okay.  And there is nothing better than having that smoothie in the morning and next thing you know it is lunch time.  Hey, I forgot the snack!   

I think one of the harder parts is finding the stores that  carry this stuff.  But that can be fun too.  In the UM diet, we are told to buy pomegranate molasses.  Well I looked everywhere.  Then someone posted the URL for a place that sold it far cheaper than on Amazon.  I checked it out, and their storefront is a little over a mile from my house.  Now, how cool is that!

It is pricey, still, once you make that initial investment, it gets cheaper.  Let's face it--ever look at the pricetags on the potato chips, cheezos, pop,  ice cream, cereal (and on and on and on) that we've been getting fat on?

Keep on keeping on,  It is kind of a fun diet, what with people online to touch base with!

Ginny

I completed the USD several months ago and did the whole thing from Sunday to Sunday and lost 13 pounds.  It was worth it!  I was pain free (mostly) for the several weeks following the diet that I tried to stick to it!  I've fallen off as of late with graduations, showers, weddings, and birthdays, but now I'm back and just as committed as in round one!

Yes it was expensive that first week and I hated the homemade broth, so I bought organic vegetable broth at my local Kroger store and I still lost the 13 pounds!  My protien powder lasted a month so I can't complain about that cost.  I don't notice the olive oil taste in the lemon juice coctail, maybe you could try more lemon juice.  Then just gulp it down and have your hot tea ready.

I have put almond butter ( 1-2 T.) and half a banana in the shakes from the beginning and now I buy bananas, (not organic) and peel and cut them in half and wrap them in wax paper.  I find strawberry  or mixed berry with the almond butter and banana shakes to be very tolerable and filling, keeping my hunger at bay from breakfast till lunchtime. 

Eat your Tuscan Beans for lunch, or for a snack if you get really hungry.  I loved the Lime Mango Pecan snack!

Sorry you are having a frustrating time!  Glad to hear you are going to stick with it for the week.  Good luck and I'll be looking for a success story from you.

I'm somewher in week 3 I guess. I haven't lost any weight, have no change in my shape/fit that I can see and just keep wondering, while gulping some more A.M. Oil and lemon, what I'm doing wrong. I only need to take off about 15-20 lbs. Someone said it's harder to loose when you don't have as much to take off. I don't know if that's true but I sure feel like giving up. Guess I'll go have another cup of broth.

I am on my second week with the USD and I too found it expensive and anything but simple (even with the downloads). I guess my biggest problem is that I've seen very little in the way of results. I've been a healthy eater for a long time, and probably eat too much of a good thing. I walk 5 days a week. The best I can say is that I've "cleansed" from the holidays and can button some pants that wouldn't do so right after Christmas. I need to see results or I will lose my resolve. Reading all the "success" stories hasn't helped because I think I was already doing many of the recommendations. I'm in the process of reading the Ultrametabolism book now, and am planning to continue using the USD until I finish, but after that...? Any encouragement out there?