I'll use your example. What happens to the excess carbs in a case where you consume 5000 calories in a 4000 calorie burn day? Eh, nevermind - JohnP posted some links that probably show what I'm looking for.

By the way, incredible job with your weight loss!

Did you find the answer? Carbs not used for energy are stored as glycogen, not fat. Dietary fat in a caloric excess is what causes us to accumulate fat but it is the caloric excess that is contexually key. No excess calories, (hypercaloric) no fat gain.

How are my fellow male IP'ers doing? I will have my first WI after going to alternative products, but still strickly following IP protocol. Hope everyone is doing well and seeing great results.

Hi John, IP is based on a book by Dr. Train Tien. I'd really encourage you to read it.

http://www.trantiendiet.com/site/IMG...re_Dr_Tran.pdf

Im still doing good, I'm using alternative products. Isopure for shakes and I'm eating another protein for lunch. I'm still losing inches and weight. I haven't worked out as much this last week bc I'm in grad school fulltime, have a small business, and I'm doing my internship right now so its been a little hectic.

I am just starting a form of the IP diet. The dr I have has modified it so you do not use as many packets of food and you also eat normal food. I think you take in around 1500 calories a day. The first week I lost 12 lbs, second week 7.5 and tomorrow I have another WI that should be about 6 lbs. My family dr also has be on Xenical fat blocker pill. I lost about 12 lbs in 10 weeks on those. I think my current diet is working because I have cut out in between meals junk food. The program kind of makes you think twice about snacks because of the cost. The tracking every week also helps. My dr provides a free maint. program when you have met your goal.

I'm starting my third week on the IP plan. I've read Dr. Chanh's book and reviewed the plan phase sheets and the science seems fairly sound although I'm certainly not an expert on the science.

One point that Chanh makes is that there is a fundamental difference between a program to lose weight and one to maintain weight; all of this is based on the role of insulin and the pancreas. His plan is losing weight with the protein supplement/low carb/low fat phase and then phasing into a more balanced approach and ending with a whole food maintenance approach. At least that is how I read it. He nowhere recommends staying in the first phase for longer than a few weeks unless you are dangerously obese and are under a Dr.'s care.

I think I will be on the plan longer than the four weeks but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My observations thus far are:
The packets are expensive - the plan is expensive - but, that motivates me to stay OP and not cheat.
There are alternative products that can be used and I will shift to that at some point.
The packets, although expensive, are very handy when traveling. I will be out of the country for two weeks in July and plan to pack along enough packets to get me by and help me stay OP. Hopefully they'll get through Customs!
So far the plan works. I'm losing weight and am not hungry. I feel good and have better energy levels than before I started. I'm sure I can have relatively the same results with alternative products - and will begin transitioning when I return from my trip.

This obviously isn't the only way to go about losing weight but it is working for me. I'll keep you posted as things progress.

Insulin is not responsible for weight gain or weight loss. Calories are.

John,

I'm certainly not arguing the point one way or the other, I'm merely reporting what the man writes in his book. It is fairly obvious that calories are the problem but there also seem to be other factors which vary from individual to individual in terms of the body's ability to deal with some sources of calories VS others. Chanh's point is that an over active pancreas will exacerbate the inability to lose weight, thus the effectiveness of the high protein/low carb/low fat program. I'm not defending the position one way or the other, just reporting his opinions in a rather abbreviated form.

And, as I said, so far on the program, albeit quite early on, I am losing weight; whether it is fat, muscle, or water - who knows. Give me another few weeks and I'll have better data.

thanks.

To all those who think IP is good or bad, I say it is a wonderful program. Pricey but worth the results. You can do IP on your own without buying their products. I finally finished my journey after taking 2 months or so off the program. I started back up and headed to the finish line. I weighed today 192.6 which I have not weighed since HS over 14 years ago. I feel great and it was worth it all. I enjoy the freedom from my 104#'s I lost between dieting on my own and IP. I lost a small person. Now to keep it off and put on some muscle mass to help me maintain. Look at my photo's, the program obviously works! It worked for me. I did not realize I was that big or heavy. I guess you just get "used" to it as normal. I will never be that big again!

Juiceman11 - what a great story! There is hope for us all! The best part is that when you get my age, you won't have had inflicted all the extra wear and tear on your body by carrying around that "small person"; your knees and feet will thank you - not to mention your heart and most of your other organs.

Best wishes on keeping the weight off.

Hi,

I am on a form of the IP diet, a diet done by Dr's in Quebec Canada. It relays mostly on eating better, low cal and low carb. You have to take some protien supplements but you do not just eat those. The protien is to stop muscle loss. Since May 25th I lost over 50 lbs. You do have to see the doctor every week for weight in and to get protien. This helps me stay on track. I was doing better at the beginning but I still average about 4 lbs a week. Sometimes more.

I have struggled with my weight all my adult life, I hit 256 pounds and decided I needed to change. I started running, well actually walking but got up to running. I then read a book that changed the way I feel about food, the South Beach Diet. Now when I put something in my mouth I have a better idea of whether it is good or bad. I know that SB is only one of many diets, but I feel it is more of a lifestyle change than a diet.

How does this relate to the thread? My wife and I did the SB about 8 years ago, she is now on IP. I really don't like it for the reasons John stated. I don't think it is healthy. There were two things that really put me off 1) there was a statement that there was no such thing as a balance of carbs in a diet (Wha????) 2) My wife was told that resistance exercise would sabotage any success. The only exercise she was told was good was cardio, that if she did any resistance training her body would go into "starvation mode" and start storing more fat.

I try to eat well, lean protein with veggies and carbs that are low on the glycemic index. I also exercise, I try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio a day and weight train 3 - 5 times a week. I have been really dedicated to it for about 7 weeks and have lost 11 pounds, my weight loss has stalled but my fat % continues to go down. Isn't that what we should strive for, reducing fat?

There was a comment on the cost, IP is expensive if you buy their food and vitamins. My wife's bill is over $500 a month.

I have to disagree with a lot of what JohnP has posted. This thread is specifically called MEN ON IP. I'm sure intentions are good, but I dont agree with aggressively trying to talk someone out of a diet because of hearsay instead of going to the source and reading Dr. Tran's book or asking questions to folks who have been on the diet. (Both successfully and unsuccessfully and find out why.)



But regarless of "facts", what it boils down to is:
"Does it work for me" and "What is the experience like."

And my this case, it has been a resounding YES IT WORKS FOR ME. I lose between 4-10 lbs a week (7-10 or more the first two months. An average of 5+ after that). And what's it like? I have regained my "old life" and have never eaten so healthy or so well.

I also am a type 2 diabetic who was at max meds before starting the diet (with my blood sugar levels rising) who is now on minium meds infrequently for over 2 monhts with excellent consistent levels.

I have been on Ideal Protein for about 3 months and have lost 58lbs. Without increasing my excersising and still enjoying REAL food every day.

I have been on a lot of other diets through the years... SlimFast, Nutrisystem, Jenni Craig, Weight Watchers to name a few... and nothing worked as well or as fast as Ideal Protein does for me. (Atkins actually worked for me, but I got too many headaches and the amount of fats it allowed made me uncomfortable. But I also thought it worked well.)

There is a science behind the diet which is included in the free pdf someone else posted from the doctor who started the diet. The more I read about it and WHY it worked (or didnt work) helped get my mind around how I could be successful.

I actually dont think this diet is for everyone, because it does restrict what you can eat and not everyone is able to have the willpower to do that. But the reason I think it is great for guys is because you can see results within the first week and visably feel the difference the first month. The speed of the weight loss was a huge benefit to keep motivation and dedication high.

It is working literal miracles for me and allowing me to enjoy fantastic, hearty, healthy meals every day.

If you dont believe me, feel free to check out the Facebook page I created to log my eating journey on the diet. Its just recipes with pictures that I took myself so other dieters can see real shots of exactly what the food looks like as well as how to make it. All photos and recipes are approved for Phase 1 (the starting phase) so there's no tricks of great things you cant eat until later.

Check it out.

http://www.facebook.com/idealproteinlohja

Is it expensive? Yes... but I have been so desperate to lose weight I was contemplating surgery which isnt healthy or long-term helpful. the cost vs what I have lost in weight and gained in new habits cant be measured. I also honestly feel that the higher cost is a huge motivation for not cheating. If you know that Ben & Jerrys will knock you out of ketosis and take 2-3 days to get back in, its like throwing away 6 packets or more of food. Thats a lot easier to justify when you arent paying for it.

But whatever diet you choose, I wish the best success to find something that works for you.

41 years old. 50lbs overweight. Type 2 diabetic. High blood pressure. Joint pain. Short of breath and energy. Doctor told me that oral diabetes meds were no longer keeping my sugars under control (avg. 240)! Insulin seemed the next stop. Consulted 67 yo father who was in same situation, advised to go on IP, lost weight and was taken off all meds.

I started 8/1/11. It was rough but I had all of the right incentives. The weight came off very quickly at first. Having the premeasured, no thought packages was truly "ideal" for me and kept me from cheating. Three weeks in, I was taken off all diabetes meds. Six weeks in off of high blood meds.

As of 11/1/11 lost 40lbs. MANY inches, nothing fits, BMI half of what it was. Did I lost muscle? Who knows, it's not like I could see it before... I sure did lose belly fat, as well as thighs, cheeks, butt, etc.

I have not felt this good in years, but the downhill slide was so progressive I never noticed how bad I felt UNTIL the weight came off and I could compare.

Total loss 40lbs. Total cost -$780. New me? Priceless!