What brand of extracts are you guys using? And where do you get them? I looked at the grocery store, and the ones I looked at contained alcohol.
I'm new to the forum, but wanted to respond and let you know that I ordered flavoring oils to jazz up the puddings and drinks. They do not have any alcohol and are 3 - 4 times stronger than extracts. I've been on IP 5 weeks and these have really helped disguise the protein taste!
Oh i wanted to add something else. i had a bad experience this week with one of my lunch dishes. i work at a papermill, 10 hour shifts so it can be tricky on this diet for such a long day. ( i wake up at 530am, and dont return home till 6pm) so i found a hearty dish that helps get thru such a long day. its not a recipe so not posting on that thread...i use a packet of the leek or chicken soup - and add one whole package of the frozen chopped spinach, and a small can of asparagus. the spinach really beefs up the soup. so i was eating my soup as mentioned above and was 3-4 through it, when i looked down and seen a damn bug. it was a lady bug too. now these are wayyyyyyyy out of season here. we have had snow for weeks already. so this likely came from the frozen chopped spinach package. sadly i am a wimp with bugs, always have been. now i do not know if i can stomach that soup anymore, and that was a lifesaver for me at work. then someone said, how do you know it did not come from those packets your using....NOW i am checking every damn packet. seriously, it could not be from those i hope...had to be the spinach....sorry, but thought i would share this...
I wouldn't worry to much about the packets. The packets are created in an air tight lab with men/women in white suits. These are pharamcutical grade products.
Texan123 - you are SO right (maybe I should print that off, huh??). I decided to cut up veggies and take some chicken....maybe doctor up that awful tasting onion dip I got from WF...The chicken could be added to any salad (we order in one night). Am also taking my own salad dressing. I remember I barely snack at this retreats because I am so busy.
Still can't think what to have for breakfast, tho.
Mirazon - what are flavoring oils? Are they the same as DiVinci or Torani syrups? I, too, have to cut the "chemical" taste of nearly everything.
Off to the weighin. Geez, when I started IP, I weighed in summer clothes. It is 48 degrees out now and getting colder....so I have to wear my heavier clothes. Last time, I wore a sweatshirt and took it off to weigh and measure.
The jelly takes a couple hours to set. It is just like Jello. :-)
I made the jelly 2 days ago, and it still hasn't set.
I know some of you have been told not to exercise, and some have been told it's okay, etc. I just want to share my own experience. I find that I have more consistent weight loss when I walk. I just do 20-30 minutes, no big deal, no "power walking", nothing intense, and not necessarily every day. Now that it's finally cooling off a little here in Houston, I want to be outside. I also find it's easier to get myself going when I understand that exercise can just be walk, not an hour-long ordeal. Also, I find I have more energy not that I am no longer consuming sugar and bread products. I know they were making me feel sluggish, I just couldn't give them up until I found Ideal Protein.
As far as extracts go, I think it would be safe to use the ones preserved in alcohol, because you don't use very much—maybe a teaspoon. When they say no alcohol, they mean don't sit down and have a beer or a glass of wine at night, not alcohol cannot be the tiniest ingredient in anything you eat.
Well, finally found a doc somewhat in my area that sponsors this. He is a chiro. in Akron Ohio....about 40 miles from me. They are having a Ideal Protein open house type thing where they will explain it and give samples to taste.... it is on the 28th...so I have signed up to go. I am not to sure about the cost... If you use 3 a day....that would be 6 box per 2 weeks (paydays) and that alone is around $160.00....... dont know if I can afford that regardless of what I like or not. But, I will check it out. I may end up just buying a good whey protein shake or two and doing this on my own...we will see. Physicians weightloss program is the same as Ideal Protein....but...alot of theirs are sweetened with aspertame...and I dont want to use that...but they are half (really half) the cost of Ideal protein.
Vicki
Last edited by sweetpoison; 10-20-2009 at 11:07 AM.
Well, finally found a doc somewhat in my area that sponsors this. He is a chiro. in Akron Ohio....about 40 miles from me. They are having a Ideal Protein open house type thing where they will explain it and give samples to taste.... it is on the 28th...so I have signed up to go. I am not to sure about the cost... If you use 3 a day....that would be 6 box per 2 weeks (paydays) and that alone is around $160.00....... dont know if I can afford that regardless of what I like or not. But, I will check it out. I may end up just buying a good whey protein shake or two and doing this on my own...we will see. Physicians weightloss program is the same as Ideal Protein....but...alot of theirs are sweetened with aspertame...and I dont want to use that...but they are half (really half) the cost of Ideal protein.
Vicki
Hi Vicki --
Don't know how much you have to lose but that is another thing to factor. While Physician's weightloss program may be 1/2 the cost if it takes twice as long (or longer) to actually lose the weight 1) it will end up costing the same and 2) you will be on it longer -- you want to see results right now!!!! Just like the rest of us -- we are motivated by that ongoing loss.
Okay, my 2 cents. And yes, it is expensive and everyone has to decide what they can personally afford. You might keep track of what you are currently spending on groceries to see how it would compare. Now all I buy at the grocery store are approved veggies, chicken, fish. My grocery bills are way down, which they should be since the majority of the meals are IP which average out to $3.86 a meal (which is a packet).
I am going to have to try to find some of the things you all are using to "cut the taste of the soy" and the smell. Also, with the premixed chocolate drink the first sip I take tastes chemically then the next one doesn't. Guess my taste buds adjust somehow.
Did buy the Walden Farm choc syrup and the maple syrup.
I think I am going to drink the jello from now on.
Does the lettuce count as the veggies for the first two cups of it and then you can eat as much as you want or do you need to have 2 cups of veggies other than lettuces? A little confused on this.
As for salad dressing I prefer the olive oil, apple cider vinegar and sea salt and peppler.
On the Raspberry Jelly, I had one time where this didn't set up at all, and had it set up perfectly the other times. Then I realized that the box instructions, the packet instructions, and the handout instructions are all different. One calls for warm water, another for hot water, and another for boiling water. I realized that the time it didn't work out I had used warm water. The other times it was hot, probably between 175 - 195 F. I had to throw out the one using warm.
I think they modified the instruction to warm water to emphasize the use of the shaker (probably to promote sales of it). Which is silly, because with the hot water, the powder completely dissolves, and you can mix it easily in the bowl.
Anyway - try it again using hot or boiling water, and see if that fixes it.
Another note on preparing these. I don't trust the packet instructions and always double-check on the Preparation Instructions. One of the handouts that I'd received mentioned that the quantity to water to add was all originally in mL (these were developed in Canada), and had been converted to oz. I believe that the metric quantity is more precise, and probably the better one to use. My liquid measuring cups all have both, so it ends up not being a big deal.
I like to use the shakers to prepare the drinks, pancakes, and omelet; but most of the other items I prefer to make in a bowl with a whisk. The pudding especially is too thick (I think) for the shaker.
I have never had any problems with the jello "setting", in fact, it settles so quickly that if i leave it too long, it is rock hard almost. I do use boiling water, and exact amt shown on package....it works every time. the jello is one of my favorites, and sometimes i put a little WF choc on top. tastes good!!
On the Raspberry Jelly, I had one time where this didn't set up at all, and had it set up perfectly the other times. Then I realized that the box instructions, the packet instructions, and the handout instructions are all different. One calls for warm water, another for hot water, and another for boiling water. I realized that the time it didn't work out I had used warm water. The other times it was hot, probably between 175 - 195 F. I had to throw out the one using warm.
I think they modified the instruction to warm water to emphasize the use of the shaker (probably to promote sales of it). Which is silly, because with the hot water, the powder completely dissolves, and you can mix it easily in the bowl.
Anyway - try it again using hot or boiling water, and see if that fixes it.
I boil the water then add the packet. The warm water never worked for me.
Hi, back from a weekend away for business/pleasure. Cheated w/wine evrynite and still lost. But PLEASE don't take that as an "ok" to cheat!!!!! Otherwise I packed my lunch evry day before the seminar and on day two I ran out of vegies so I went to the hospital cafeteria salad bar and got raw broccoli and cucumber to add to my brought lettuce. The best part....every table had a big pile of candy bars, starburst, etc. on both days and I wasn't evn tempted!!
Re: the ladybugs. They definately came from the frozen spinach!! When I was a kid (40 yrs ago) I stopped eating frozen spinach because of the ladybugs in it. Fortunatly, it was my brother who always found that nice crunchy bit but it was enough to make me stop even trying it.
I had the chocolate covered soy bits today and they were good.
I had the raspberry jelly and it was awful! It only partially set up. I think it would have been better to just drink it.
Make sure you're using the exact amount of WARM water and shake it up really well. I've only had a problem with it setting up once, and I think I used too much water. When it sets, it tastes very close to regular jello. Hope this helps.
Also another thing I've learned the hard way...don't try to heat the cappuccino up too much...it gets kinds of "chuncky". Otherwise, I really it.
Back from the weighin -- kinda disappointed. Lost 2#.....nurse says I am not eating enough veggies, especially in the afternoon (which I don't eat any at all). SO - I bought a bunch of veggies...and am going to make the WW soup listed under recipes and hopefully, freeze some. I DID eat my veggies this afternoon.
BUT -- I am over halfway to goal now,so there is good news....ya know...why are we disappointed with 2# - 3# - 3.5#? Got to thinking about it....most diets, you barely lose 2# a week. This is the lowest weight loss in 6 weeks. OK - talked myself into it. I am happy with it...and one more pound, and I will be the lowest I have been in 18 years!!!
Might try to make the cookies listed on the recipe page too-- maybe that will make me not want to try those belgian waffles. Just eat them in my room, and skip the whole breakfast room altogether.
Flavorings
