I drink something like this. My local grocery store carries it and it is doesn't taste too bad. It is a company that i have never heard of and I can't find any place else. I think the lesson is to just keep trying till we find something we like. ;)

I would like to substitute EAS shakes for some IP products due to cost, but I'm afraid to. I'm having great success with IP (4 pound a week average loss).
Do you think I'll be OK using an EAS shake a day and continue to lose?

It's my opinion that EAS shakes are one of the better options out there for cutting the cost and still seeing results. I've used them from time to time. At 110 calories, 4g carbs (2g net carbs), and 17g protein, I actually prefer them to the IP premade chocolate and vanilla drinks (which seem to be unavailable at the moment anyway). They haven't impacted my loss at all (and shouldn't, because they're on par carb and calorie-wise with most of the unrestriced IP items).

That said, there was an article recently that raised concern about heavy metals in many protein products, including EAS shakes and powders. EAS responded that consumers shouldn't ingest more than 3 per day.

Where I live, I can get 4-packs at Wal-Mart for $5, or a 24 pack @ Sam's Club for around $27.

Question
 

There are several of you who have mentioned you are using the EAS drinks in place of the IP shakes. Is your coach aware of it? How do you get away with only buying two boxes of product per week? I want to do this to save a few pennies. I normally buy 3 boxes per week. I'm afraid if I tell my coach I am going to use them instead of buying my shakes, I will be told I'm not in compliance with the protocol.
Thanks, Rosie

Rosie, that's exactly what happened to me. Other not so nice words ensued and I am now flying solo. I've been on the program 14 weeks now so I think I was ready for it. It's been one week and I have to tell you, I was absolutely THRILLED to not have to go to my coach's office and weigh in this morning. It was great and I don't regret my decision one bit. Not sure if I would've said this a month or even six weeks into the program, but I am much happier now. I mainly use Pure Protein but also have EAS and IP products on hand.

Thanks for the reply nitenic. I think I will just have to tell my coach I got a bunch of free product from a former IPer, so I'm cutting down a box for a while.

I just started for my second time on IP. The first time worked great! I loved the results but then went PT at work and the cost deterred me. THen I jsut got crazy and at whenever and whatever...yeah, that doesn't work so well! I started back 2 weeks ago. I still find it hard to pay the cost and have often wondered if you couldn't find a happy medium between Atkins and IP. However after reading the posts and googled the both, I still beleive that the IP approach and schedule of phases is best. I found this thread very helpful in saving money while still following the "plan". I have a 21 year old daughter who would love to do it too but can't afford the IP "food" either. I think we are going to try the EAS alternative. I do like the tested cheat of the laughing cow cheese on flax seed crackers. My weakness is not sweets but cheese so that may just be what I need. Thanks for all of the great advice! I hope to find motivation here daily from now on! great job everyone! What an awesome decision to get healthy and then look good in the process!

I have done lots of research into the alternatives. It was making me crazy spending so much on IP. I have started using some of the Protidiet products from Diet Direct.com. I puddings, soups and eggs are petty close to IP in ingredients and taste great! I have added the chocolate and caramel cereal bars also!!

Lord knows I'm as subversive as anyone, maybe more so because I actively work at it. But something I learned early on is that you simply cannot succeed at breaking the rules unless you understand them. That way you can use the reasoning behind the rule to your own benefit.



Love your wording on this paragraph on breaking rules...I live by that and it works so well for me!

I read the quote without seeing what you said and thought Gee, I could have said that. Duh. :D:D:D:D:D:D

Can eggbeaters be used instead of the IP omlette stuff?

Lindora
 

Has anyone tried adding the lindora products to the ip plan AND noticed any negative effects like lack of weight loss or stalling? I've compared the ingredients lists of both boxes (both ip and lindora) and the ingredients are the same. In some cases the food is identical! I think the company that makes the bars for ideal protein also makes the bars for lindora. The packaging is the same. This lindora product has aspartame but that ip product has aspartame. I've been a slow looser and I don't want to make it worse by introducing something that will slow me down even more or stop me altogether. I've only lost 10 lbs in the last 7 weeks but lost 7 inches. I've been doing ip for 6 months and I just need some variety! Am I making a mistake? :?:

Figgy: It didn't slow me down. :)

Isopure no carb shakes
 

I started taking these shakes on the 6th day of my IP journey. I have lost just the same with them. I only use a half of serving bc one serving has 50 grams of protein. So I just use one scoop which is more cost effective you are still getting 25 grams of protein. Plus when you split it you only get 105 calories and a half a gram of fat. Here is the nutrition info about Isopure
Click for larger image
The elite protein elixir. 50 grams of 100% whey protein isolate. 1g of fat, no lactose, and glutamine enriched but with zero carbs. Also sweetened with apartame free Sucralose™, the only zero calorie sweetener made from sugar.
Size: 3lbs
7.5lbs
Flavors: Cookies 'N Creme
Dutch Chocolate (low carb)
Banana Cream
Mango Peach
Strawberries & Cream
Mint Chocolate Chip
Creamy Vanilla
Pineapple Orange Banana
Alpine Punch
Apple Melon
Packaging:


Nutrition Facts (Creamy Vanilla)
Amt per Serving % Daily Value
Serving Size: 2 Scoops (62g)
Calories 210
Calories from Fat 10
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat .5g 3%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 320mg 15%
Potassium 750mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 0g
Protein 50g
Vitamin A 50%
Vitamin C 50%
Calcium 60%
Iron 6%
Vitamin D 50%
Vitamin E 50%
Vitamin K 50%
Thiamin 50%
Riboflavin 50%
Niacin 50%
Vitamin B6 50%
Folate 50%
Vitamin B12 50%
Biotin 50%
Pantothenic Acid 50%
Phosphorus 50%
Iodine 50%
Magnesium 50%
Zinc 50%
Selenium 50%
Copper 50%
Manganese 50%
Chromium 50%
Molybdenum 50%
Chloride 20%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

I have used alternative IP products for quite some time now, but I also suffered from slow losses and plateaued. However, I did that when using IP products as well. You could always try a week of IP products to see if that makes a difference, but I suspect it wont. We are attracted to this diet because of the rapid weight loss, and stalls are thus more frustrating. I think shaking up your diet (switching dinner and lunch) may shake you out of your stall. There are a few threads addressing this topic with a lot of good ideas. You may want to check them out. Hang in there, you will see the scale move again soon!

I have only used the alternative sites (Lindora, Nashua, Doctor's Best) and have lost 60 lbs.

Do research though...You can't just order whatever from these sites. You need to compare to IP and make informed decisions. For example, I prefer Lindora's Mint Hot Choc to Doctor's Best (yuck) and Lindora's is lower in carbs and calories (if I remember correctly).

Please check out the link below...this is a spreadsheet a LOT of us put together so you could compare the various products!

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?...vdXAza3c&hl=en

This spreadsheet is amazing. Thank you everyone who worked on this!

Does anyone know how atkins endulge chocolate coconut bars compare to the IP bars? I know longer have the box and IP doesn't print info on the packages.

Can anyone explain to me what the different highlighted areas on the spreadsheets mean??

Bump

You can find out all the nutritional values on IP foods by going here:
http://www.idealtogo.com/idealproducts.taf

You can just click on the IP food you are interested in and a window will open with the nutritional info.
I right clicked on the window after it was opened, then selected "print picture" to print a copy of the Nutrition Facts.
Then you can compare with other products.

Can this get a sticky to keep it up top?please?

You may have already figured it out, but the highlighted fields are "restricted" food items and the other are "unrestricted"- IP protocol lingo

I am sooo interested in this spreadsheet but it wont let me open it! It says I dont have access to this file when I click on it. Can you help? Thanks!!!

I can't open it either.

See if this link works....this is one that was put together by someone comparing IP, Lindora....etc.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?...CMr939oK#gid=0

i like it...what supplements?
 

Yes, I love, love laughing cow and I miss it so much! What type of flax seed crackers do you use? nutritional info? Also, I'd like to also know which supplements you're using too. My coach is very "strict" about using only IP supplements. Thank you!!!

I too am looking for a replacement for the Potassium Calcium supplement from IP, I have found replacements for the other 2 just not this one.

Thanks

Ketosis
 

I started IP in Jan. and almost immediately lost 20 lbs. I then got tired of paying the high prices so switched my drinks to EAS - that's about the time I started using Ketostix - I'm wondering if the reason I am never beyond the "Trace" color on the test strip. Should I be further into ketosis?

Can you share with us the names/brand names of those replacements? I'm trying to figure out how to get a hold of replacements, too. :) Thanks

My husband says his nutritionist said EAS has high levels of arsenic and other metals. He doesn't want me to use them but they are yummy. BTW, how far into ketosis should we be? I'm using ketostix but they always show just a trace amount --- I wonder if it has to do with the EAS drinks. I started testing after I started using EAS so I just don't know.

As long as the sticks are measuring some amount, that is just fine. Being darker in color or lighter really means nothing in terms of "level" of ketosis. If they are darker, you should probably drink a bit more water as you are dehydrated. As long as you are getting a reading, you are fine.

I had just discovered the Nashua site. Did you like their products, if so, which ones? Better than Lindora?

I :val1:LOVE:val1: Lindora's Mint Hot Chocolate...and nothing on Nashua compares. However, there is more in the way of selection at Nashua. From Lindora I order:
Chix Noodle Soup, Mint Hot Choc, Choc Pudding/Drink, Double Choc Pudding and Rasp Hot Choc...everything else is fairly comparable at Nashua so I get bars, puffs, etc there.

I order mostly from Proti Thin and Proti Diet....but I try to make sure they compare to IP products (using that Google spreadsheet). My favs from Nashua (Of course most are restricted!!!!!!!):
Proti Diet- Honey Nut Soy, Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, Peanut Surprise Bars
Proti Thin- Chocolate Decadence Bars, the Wafer Squares, Chili Lime Puffs, Choc Puffs, and Soy Nuts (for crunch on your salad!)

i can't get any of the spread sheets to open. ;(

when you use these substitutes, do you still lose?

Does anyone have any recipes for the Syntrax Vanilla Bean Torte flavor drink? I'd like to spruce it up a bit. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. :)

Also, I'd like to find out if there is any yummy replacement out there for the IP chocolate drink mix. Any ideas???

YES! I lost 20# in 4 weeks using ALL alternative products! There are others on here doing the same thing!

Has anyone compared ProtiLIfe to IP? Has anyone tried any?

I found a whole line of these products at my local Walmart store. I bought the chicken noodle soup and had it for lunch today. It is yummy (tastes lik Lipton soup-in-cup to me)! I just wondeer if it really is compatible with IP. It seems to be. :confused:

I had a good look at the boxes of IP bars and I think the ProtiLife ones where quite similar but I could be wrong...

I don't think we can get ProtiLife in the US. I use ProtiDiet products. I wonder if they could be from the same company? I love PD's chicken noodle soup!

When I searched for alternative products, I went to idealtogo dot com and clicked on "shopping cart".
That brought up the Ideal Protein foods and I was able to see the nutrition labels of the IP foods and then compare them to altenative products.


I use ProtiDiet puddings, soups, and beverages.
I read customer reviews on each product to see which tasted the best before ordering. They are $10.99 for a box of 7 from nashuanutrition dot com and dietdirect dot com.