Out of curiosity I would like to do a poll as to whom is on Strictly IP foods and whom is on Alternatives. The daily chat has been mostly of people on alternatives and the new threads have also been about alternatives. There is nothing wrong with this at all, I am just curious.

Strictly IP

Alternatives

I just want to add that if you go to the beginning of the daily thread, any day, there is a line that says information on the phases of IP.
If you click on that there is lots of info and recipes etc. One thread is about alternatives and it has a very helpful spreadsheet comparing the nutritional "readings" of alternative products to IP products.

Strictly IP foods

I was strictly P Phase I-II, however I'm now using alternatives in Phase IV.

I strictly used IP foods. I am starting phase 3 this weekend. I may go to alternatives in phase 4/maintanence.

I put alternative since that's what I'm using at the moment, but I'm in the process of trying to switch back to IP to some degree. There are just some products they have you can't replicate.

Strictly IP

Strictly IP

I am strictly IP.

I used 100% IP products for the first 3 months and had amazing, fast success. When I had to start travelling a lot again (and getting stopped at the border checks for bringing in food products) I started using Atkins and a few other alt products easily available in grocery stores where I travelled... just to make sure I didnt gain. Our clinic also ran out of some of my "go-to" foods and took a few months to get them back in (customs), so I tried an alt ketosis based pre-packaged diet (Easy Diet) here (in addition to IP. For example, soup or drink) and that was disgusting and made me really appreciate the taste of IP!!!

I liked a lot of the Atkins bars quite a bit, but found that I absolutely lost way more weight when I was 100% on IP. I am sure a lot of alt foods will allow you to lose weight fine, but personally found that I do not lose as much weight or feel as satisfied (not hungry or craving) when I eat alternative.

So if anyone asks, I always say it is so worth only eating IP foods. My experience with alt was fine for maintaining, but not for consistent big successful weight loss.

I use 90-95% of IP but drink an occasional EAS drink. About 1-2 a week. The EAS chocolate is too hard to pass up b/c it is delicious and about $1.50 compared to the $5 per RTD for IP. Also it's allowing me to kinda stock up on extra IP packets to add variety for later.

Combination.

I purchased some products on idealtogo and also purchased from SAMs the EAS shakes and pure protein bars. This is my second week on the plan.

When I was in the weight loss phases, I was strictly IP.

Now that I am in maintenance, I use alternative products when I need to do a P1 day. I also still eat a Pure Protein bar (alternative bar) every day as a snack and I also drink an EAS shake (alternative shake) every day after my workout.

Since I am no longer going to my clinic every week and because of the price, it is much more convenient to use alternatives. Especially because they just supplement my diet now, and are not my WHOLE diet (by diet, I mean "eating plan").