I had a bad experience at my clinic last week, spent the weekend reading through the Alternative threads here and made the decision to switch to alternatives. I have a long way to go to reach my goal, the $$$ saving is a bonus if I get the same results. If not, back to the clinic and IP products. But, the alternative bars I'm now buying for $10.49/box of 7 are sold at my IP clinic for $3/bar and I've been using them already for 2 months instead of the IP bars. Losing weight, especially a lot of weight, is an emotional battle and for me personally, I just won't put up with drama from an IP coach when I need to be encouraged. I'll go 2 more weeks because I had just stocked up on IP packets the week before, but when it's gone, I'm gone!

Sometime's people just have personality conflicts. I wouldn't let a bad coach make you want to abandon the program. I would think that if you found another coach in the area they wouldnt charge you that start-up fee.

I switched to all alternatives after about 2 weeks on IP, because of pay cuts at work. I really liked my coach, but actually get way more coaching on this forum since I check it multiple times a day, versus a once a week weigh in with the coach.

I'm on week 10 now and have consistently lost 2-4 lbs each week. I also order my supplements on plainprotein like Scorbett does.

I wish everyone had fabulous coaches like some people report. But it seems many clinics are only in it for the $$

I'm really glad there are alternatives and support on this forum for use of alternatives!

The best weight loss plan is the one that works for you

This seems pretty simple to me.
The IP program, as per the book and the sheets, calls for:
3 packets a day (your shakes)
4 cups veggies from approved list
1-2 tsp EVOO
your sea salt
water water water
8oz lean approved meat protein

I mean come-on! How simple do we need it!
I use IP supplements, purchased on Amazon. I use EAS carb Advantedge shakes ($4.74 a 4 pack at Walmart)...I do NOT use any restricted items. Daily calories run around 800....protein around 100g...thats it folk's. No Coach, No clinic, nothing but the above. My weight loss is shown below, and I am very pleased with it. I have never taken extra shakes in a day, just my 3 the sheet says. I printed latest sheets off this forum, read MANY threads here...and got going.
If I need a coach, I have you all here! The best coaches in the world!
This program (as I do it on alternatives) cost me LESS then if I was eating "normal". It SAVES me money!
My doctor monitors me. Saw me last month did complete blood work, all good. Will see me agin in November and do blood work again. He watches the "big picture" for me, covered by my med insurance. He is better then any IP coach when it comes to my health.
You do not need a clinic or a coach to do this program. Look at Atkins and South Beach! You read the book, learn the rules, and BAM...you are on their program. You can buy their products or not, up to you. No clinic, no coach.
Point: IF you have the resolve...and can go it "alone"...such as I am doing with the help of all of you HERE, then you don't need a clinic nor a coach. Some people do better with the clinic and coach, granted....as they need that accountability...so decide which person you are, and have at it. But either way, you don't need restricted items to get through a day. If you really do, try doing atkins! I lost my first 100lbs on atkins and LOVED it! Never hungry! Then I stalled for 3-4 months and switched over to this program and have been losing pretty good!
It is all a matter of your needs and your personal resolve. Almost ANY diet will work if the person is dedicated and loyal to it. It does not, IMHO, require special food packets.
Cheers
Jake

I agree. It didn't even occur to me that I might continue to go to the IP clinic for coaching and weigh-ins, etc.,, once I'd decided to stop purchasing their products. It's nice if they're willing... but I didn't expect them to be willing. In my mind, it's an Ideal Protein Clinic & Coach, using Ideal Protein products. That's their program/plan, and that's what they base their expectations of success on. And their reputation. It was an assumption on my part (and somewhat due to my embarrassment at having decided after all not to continue with them after only 1 week) but it didn't seem as if an IP coach would be willing, or even in a position to coach somebody who wasn't using their products and being 100% compliant to the IP plan (which in my mind includes 100% use of their products). For me, saving $ was a trade off for losing the contact with my local IP Coach. But the fact that I'd found everyone here at 3FatChicks made me feel I could get the support I needed here.

I do believe, however, that the IP Coaches need to be more understanding and supportive to those who decide to switch to alternatives for financial reasons, and not berate them for doing this. In today's economy it's understandable. And I'm assuming that most people who 'switch' are like me, and had no idea that one could use alternatives while following the protocol and basically get good results. If I'd been aware of this before visiting my local IP clinic, I might not have even gone to them in the first place.

What do you have to do to become a IP coachr?

Your coach is being unreasonable. I had to "get some things straight" with my coach at first because of personality but we've come a long way. It's when they're demeaning and rude that it's tough to take. I pay over $100 each week also because I'm doing 4 a day (I'm not doing my own protein at dinner) but I'm saving that much on wine so it's even ... I saw many people using the alternatives so I'd say go for it, or go for a different coach. As far a the supplements, I do think they're necessary and they are easy to stomach when there's not a lot of food in your belly ...

I have written this before but worth another mention here on this thread:
The local IP clinic here is a Chiropractor...I know him and have spent gun range time with him. He saw IP as a "money tree" for him, so he started his "clinic".

He then hired his wife and daughter as "coaches"...both UNTRAINED as to nutritional needs and with no background in any related field of expertise. He simply made them coaches. He had them do some reading of course of materials provided by IP. And then they were coaches. The same "coaches" I see talked about here, over and over...

It is VERY safe to say that most all of you here know MORE about nutrition, the IP program etc then they do.

Yet people go in there...get "sold" on the IP program, and listen to these dim-wits like they know what they are talking about, just because they were hired on to be a "coach".

Thats the reality of it. I am sure there are well qualified persons doing the job of "coach"...but with rare exception, and based on many of your comments here...they (qualified coaches) seem to be rare indeed. They are sale-persons. Just like that work at your car dealership, your appliance store etc...
If they don't sell, they don't keep the job. Thats the bottom line. Money.
Cheers
Jake

I lost my weight a couple of years ago...the first 50 pounds and four and a half months with the clinic, coach, and IP foods. The next four months alternatives and no coach. The last 16 months with many reboots to keep it off....all alternatives. The clinic/coach had nothing to do with my success, but I am sure I made them some money.

What helped me succeed:

1. Number one by far this website

2. My frame of mind...I was ready and determined

3. My husband's support

4. my focus to NEVER cheat

5. This is a given...stepping on the scale...during the loss phase because it goes down every day, but stepping on in at leasst weekly during maintenance keeps me in reality and not denial.

I've been on enough commercial weight loss programs to be wary of diet coaches. Yes, some of them are terrific, and really know what they are talking about (even if they don't have formal training). And some of them are just there because it's a job. Those who have lost a significant amount of weight themselves are usually more relatable, and more helpful.

Personally, if I am going to work with a coach, then I want that person to either have some formal nutrition/kinesiology training OR to have successfully lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off. But at the end of the day, all of these centers (including IP) are businesses, with a core objective of earning profits.

Wuv, if you were my coach, I would be able to justify the cost difference between IP and alternatives. As it is, my coach doesn't really care as long as I'm on time for my appointments, leave within 10-15min, and buy as much stuff as possible. She never let me know that some of the supplements are optional, tried to push the cleanse on me like it was mandatory, etc, etc. We also have a personality conflict -- she's too nice and I'm strong willed, so when I said I was planning to have some drinks at a bday party 2 weeks in, she said ok (thank heavens I have you guys to stop me as I never really though of it as being "wrong" since she said it was ok).

There's another coach across town that 2 friends go to and I think some people on here. She is probably more like you Wuv, knowledgeable, able to hand out tough love when needed, listens to her clients, etc, etc. She said she'd see me and not charge the up front fee again so I'm deciding if I want to do that (probably a 30-45 min drive depending on the time of day) or if I want to go it alone...either way, next week I'll be leaving my current coach.

And Wuv, I know we all think it but thank you for sharing your experience with us too!!! And your tough wuv

IP stuff is medical grade food. It's a higher quality of protein, which means more of the protein contained in the food is bioavailable for the body to utilize. It's the reason for the astronaut packaging - to ensure no oxygen gets into the product and starts degrading the protein. Which is why you should consume any IP product within 24 hours of opening the package. You'll still get protein from it, of course, but less.

If I could vote for the best post in a thread, THIS WOULD BE IT. It is plain and simple. No frills. That is what this plan is about and I agree with this post to a tee.