[Lainey]

Hi, I am REALLY interested in starting the Ideal Protein diet. Could anyone doing this diet please give me some information about it:

1. What is your average day like (how much food, how often do you eat, do you exercise)?
2. Do you take supplements and do you have to buy special IP supplements?
3. What's approx. your weekly weightloss?
4. How much did it cost?
5. Do you think I could just buy the food and do the diet or do you think it's absolutely necessary to do this diet through an IP clinic?

Basically, any information you could give me would be sooo great! Thank you!

[Bellamack]

There are numerous threads that will answer in detail all of your Q's, you can do a search.
Briefly:
Breakfast: IP packet
Lunch: salad, 2 cups veggies (acceptable ones), IP packet
Dinner: 5-8oz (depends if seafood or meat) 2 cups veggies, salad
1 hour before bed: IP packet

Cost varies for initial consult, but weekly food for me is $87/wk
Loss for woman average 3-5 lbs/wk, men a littler higher
You can use substitutes, you can search for those also. Many use EAS shakes, Pure Protein Bars and order from Noshua.com, Lindora.com
Welcome!

[jennydoodle]

Check out the thread "new here..." by useruser. I give a pretty detailed answer to just about the same question.

As far as cost, it is roughly $4 for each packet at my center.

Also, if you check out the sticky thread for "Alternatives" you will see that there are a lot of people who do IP without going to a clinic and what products they use.

That being said, I like the accountability of IP and going to a center to get weighed in every week. For me, it is worth the money. Also, I know by using IP products I am getting the very best protein and the very best packets. I do not know what is in the alternative products and if it is as good as IP.

Based on your current weight, if you are a "good loser" you can probably expect a 3# average. If you are a "slow loser" (like me!) I would say you will be closer to 2# average. You can see in my signature what my actual losses are, but I am just over 2# average. But that doesn't get me down because I have never been on a diet that had me losing like this. Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig had me averaging 2# a month. I kept a spread sheet when I was doing JC and it took me 28 weeks to accomplish what I did on IP in 7. Best decision I ever made!