[shanib123]

I'm on Ideal Protein Diet, and it's going great. I've lost about 15 lbs, 20 inches, and 5% body fat. For my dinner protein, I've generally been having 8 oz of Trader Joe's extra-firm high protein tofu, usually seasoned with soy sauce and some spices. I am now transitioning to phase 2 of the diet, and since I need to provide 2 protein meals for myself (as opposed to the IP pre-packaged ones), I am concerned. What have the rest of you vegetarians and vegans had as meat substitutes on the IP diet? I'm trying to stick with the following nutritional values for my proteins:
Fat: < 5g
Carbs: <5g
Protein: >20g

Unfortunately, there are not a lot of vegetarian foods that fit this criteria, especially if you're trying to avoid soy protein isolate. I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian, but I hate the taste of eggs. I have used 2 Beyond Meat products, but they do contain soy protein isolate.

Any suggestions on this topic would be greatly appreciated. My IP consultant is fabulous, but she doesn't really know what to do about my problem, and she's asked around, including at an IP convention, and no one really knows what I should be eating for my own protein as I move through phases 2, 3 and 4.

Thank you in advance for any advice you can give!

[Mizzthingaling]

There are some thread on this over in the Ideal forum if you haven't looked a those.

When I was doing I used Quorn, Boca, Trader Joes and Publix meat substitutes. I needed to lower sodium and that was one of the reasons I learned to make seitan. If you aren't gluten free it is a low carb substitute that a lot of those brands use instead.

Also, you can add low carb protein to some meals to boost the protein. Is milk allowed on P2? If so you may want to find a low carb yogurt to add some boosts during the day.

Being a veggie on IP takes more planning because it is to catered toward meat eaters.

[ReadyToGetHealthy]

I"m also having a hard time with the protein This is my first day on this forum and the end of my day 3! Do you know if I can have morningstar farms sausage patties (2) for my dinner on a salad?
Thanks for your help!

[ksdunham]

i lost 30lbs last summer and i am a lacto-ovo vegetarian. some nights i ate eggs, but i have found after much searching that the field roast meat loaf and hot dogs fit the program. soy bologna also but you have to eat 8 slices to make up 8oz. it is do-able....baked tofu was also something i ate (although i do not care for tofu). once in a while i would sub 2 ip packets for the 8oz protein.

[Kitkat1990]

Sorry this is a bit late!

I wouldn't recommend any kind of processed vegetarian protein, especially if you're trying to avoid soy (so Quorn etc. is out).

Try: chickpeas, lentils (green, red, yellow, brown), quinoa, beans (haricot, black-eyed, butter, kidney etc.), hummus, beansprouts (remember to blanch so there's no e-coli!), seeds, nuts and wholegrains.

Lentils and beans are really good if you cook them into spicy tomato stews, curries, soups etc. - just use spices to make the dish really tasty

[Mizzthingaling]

Kitkat, Shani is on the Ideal Protein plan. None of those options you mentioned are allowed on that plan until later phases. She is not in the phase where they are allowed so she may have to work with the processed food or stick to tofu.

[earthjazz]

My coach provided me with an Ideal Protein document entitled "Supplemental Vegetarian Protein Examples," dated 2011. Here are some of the proteins listed on that sheet

Edamame
Eggs
Liquid egg whites
Soyrizo
Franklin Farms Original, Portabella, and Chili-Bean Veggiburgers
GimmeLean Beef & Sausage Style
Light Life Smart Dogs & Smart Deli
Marjon Grilled Tofu
Quorn products (some people have terrible reactions to the mycoproteins)

It also lists serving sizes, carbs, protein, fat & calories for these products. Perhaps your coach can provide this list.