Today at my WI the coach (I see different ones every time but they are all very clear on the policy of the clinic) said I cheated every day this week by drinking sparkling water (I carbonate it myself with a Soda Stream). I never would have thought that was cheating. Three cheats and they kick you out of the program and she is reporting me to the doctor who heads the program (this was my first one so I'm not at risk I don't think). I was really upset, first of all because she was so rude to me, and and secondly because I've tried so hard and passed up so many things to be 100% OP...Also, I love sparkling water and really enjoyed it...I can't understand what's wrong with it...she couldn't explain it but said "bubbles effect the gut." Has anyone else heard this or know why? I think I could accept it better if it at least made sense to me...

The coach didn't need to be rude, especially if you didn't know and she couldn't explain why.

Here might be why...
IP Phase 1 as written is trying to help us achieve a healthy Acid/Alkaline (ph) balance. Typical tap water ("still" water) has a pH of 7, which is neutral. Typical carbonated water has a pH of 3 or 4, more acidic. Even though your soda stream probably just adds carbon dioxide (and not any salt as found in store-bought soda water), even just the carbon dioxide puts an added stress on the kidneys, as the body tries to rid itself of the gas. This is a link to a short article on this: http://www.livestrong.com/article/11...s.-flat-water/

I also tried to attach a file that I found at a site called ihpweightloss.com, which has the official IP logo on it. It shows still water as alkaline and then has soda on the high acid end.

Before IP I drank Perrier (carbonated water) to replace a desire for soda. I stopped it altogether when I started IP; it wasn't as bad as I feared, and I can usually get in 3 liters/(100 oz) of still water each day. Sometimes I warm it a little in the microwave or make sure it is not real cold which makes it easier to drink and "enjoy".

You've made lots of other changes during your first 4 weeks on IP. Hopefully those have become a routine by now. Stick with the rest of the plan as you have been. Then decide if carbonated water is what is going to keep you on or if you are able to give that up until Phase 4. You could try weaning yourself off the carbonated water by getting in 32 oz of still water then having 8 oz carbonated as a treat (wow, carbonated water as a treat sounds kind of crazy).

You could also consider changing clinics, if that is an option, and asking any new clinics the carbonated water question, using their ability to explain it as the criteria for which clinic to pick.

Thank you so much for the response infoplease. That is a good explanation. I was already drinking 3L of still water with one to two glasses of sparkling water as a treat at the end of the day this week only. I definitely don't want to stress my kidneys so it will work for me to put it aside until phase 4...thanks again for taking the time for such a thoughtful response. This site is the best!

Great info on the bubbly!

Some coaches are definitely better than others!

Thanks for clearing this up... Been on IP for 17 weeks and just decided to have Perrier randomly the other day, silly really.... should have just left well enough alone, but oh well now I know. Sorry your coach was so rude about it LSJ, sounds like a power trip to me...lol

My coach said club soda was okay as long as it didn't contain some specific ingredient which right now I can't recall, but Perrier doesn't have it, so I drink it occasionally.

She's going to "report you to the doctor"? Perhaps you should ask to speak directly to the doctor and inform him he has a nasty, power hungry (pardon the pun) b#tch on his hands.

You didn't know. She couldn't explain. You are paying them. You call the shots. If she's going to be that nasty, I would take my business elsewhere. JEEZ, that hacked me off!

Please let us know what happens.

What Lakewood said!!!!

Copied & pasted from the daily chat:

All diet drinks (i.e. sugar-free, carb-free) are NOT contraindicated on the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method. The problem that can arise is imbalances in acid / base regulation. Our protocol is very alkaline and this is why we do not see complications common to other “protein type diets”, namely kidney stones, gout, bone spurs, etc. Some diet drinks (Crystal Light for example) are mixed with water and these are acceptable. Many others (flavored Aqua-fina, Dasani, etc.) contain alot of phosphoric acid. This is a very strong acid and will play havoc with the body’s bicarbonate buffering system. The same goes for diet sodas…particularly the “brown ones”…Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, root beer, etc.).

Flavored seltzers are usually OK, just read the label and make sure it is carb-free and contains no phosphoric acid. Carbonated beverages contain CO2 which, when dissolved in water becomes carbonic acid, a weak acid (unlike phosphoric). To have a glass of these occasionally would not be a problem, but consuming large amounts (like in place ofthe 2 liters of water per day) would not be a good idea. The pH of Perrier is about 5.7, weakly acidic.

http://www.iwlnow.com/?page_id=553

I gave up my seltzer at the beginning (I've only had 3 WI.) I asked my coach if it was ok, and they said yes. I"ve been drinking 2 or 3 liters a day for the past week or so.

Last week, I only lost 2.7 pounds (vs 6 and 4 my first two weeks (haven't updated my profile yet)). I wonder if the seltzer is the reason for the lower weight loss?

lynnie - unlikely: more likely is you shed more water weight the first couple weeks, which is typical. now you're getting into actual "weight" loss.

Me too! Reaally irritating to think a coach would behave so snarkily in this situation where the client obviously didn't know better... and then not be able herself to explain the reasoning behind it. She deserves to be reported for being so inconsiderate and rude. Whoever owns/runs this clinic should be aware of what a poor coach he's got on his team.

PS. - LizRR - thanks for that link. I've just spent an hour reading info there - very useful. I think I'll refer back to it often.

Good day all,
My coach told me I could have a bit of Perrier water and it is good mixed in with the orange drink. But no crystal lite the only thing is products that are sweetened with Splenda so I found Milo drops u put in water and they are good hubby a nd I are only 1 week in IP and we have not cheated !

Coaching is such a fine line of deciding what a dieter needs to hear and what tactic they should use, I wish they had some training in that. Coaching is such a 'trust' relationship....I'm sorry she treated you like that.

Stick to it and tell her how you felt? Maybe then your trust can rebuild....or ask for a different coach?

The clinic I go through actually gave us carbonated water sweetened with vanilla cream flavored liquid stevia at their open house. Now, I have it every few days, or if I go out with friends since I'm not drinking alcohol.