IP/Alternatives
 

Out of curiosity I would like to do a poll as to whom is on Strictly IP foods and whom is on Alternatives. The daily chat has been mostly of people on alternatives and the new threads have also been about alternatives. There is nothing wrong with this at all, I am just curious.

Strictly IP

Alternatives

I just want to add that if you go to the beginning of the daily thread, any day, there is a line that says information on the phases of IP.
If you click on that there is lots of info and recipes etc. One thread is about alternatives and it has a very helpful spreadsheet comparing the nutritional "readings" of alternative products to IP products.

Strictly IP foods

I was strictly P Phase I-II, however I'm now using alternatives in Phase IV.

I strictly used IP foods. I am starting phase 3 this weekend. I may go to alternatives in phase 4/maintanence. :)

I put alternative since that's what I'm using at the moment, but I'm in the process of trying to switch back to IP to some degree. There are just some products they have you can't replicate.

Strictly IP :dizzy:

Strictly IP

I am strictly IP.

I used 100% IP products for the first 3 months and had amazing, fast success. When I had to start travelling a lot again (and getting stopped at the border checks for bringing in food products) I started using Atkins and a few other alt products easily available in grocery stores where I travelled... just to make sure I didnt gain. Our clinic also ran out of some of my "go-to" foods and took a few months to get them back in (customs), so I tried an alt ketosis based pre-packaged diet (Easy Diet) here (in addition to IP. For example, soup or drink) and that was disgusting and made me really appreciate the taste of IP!!!

I liked a lot of the Atkins bars quite a bit, but found that I absolutely lost way more weight when I was 100% on IP. I am sure a lot of alt foods will allow you to lose weight fine, but personally found that I do not lose as much weight or feel as satisfied (not hungry or craving) when I eat alternative.

So if anyone asks, I always say it is so worth only eating IP foods. My experience with alt was fine for maintaining, but not for consistent big successful weight loss.

I use 90-95% of IP but drink an occasional EAS drink. About 1-2 a week. The EAS chocolate is too hard to pass up b/c it is delicious and about $1.50 compared to the $5 per RTD for IP. Also it's allowing me to kinda stock up on extra IP packets to add variety for later.

Combination.

I purchased some products on idealtogo and also purchased from SAMs the EAS shakes and pure protein bars. This is my second week on the plan.

When I was in the weight loss phases, I was strictly IP.

Now that I am in maintenance, I use alternative products when I need to do a P1 day. I also still eat a Pure Protein bar (alternative bar) every day as a snack and I also drink an EAS shake (alternative shake) every day after my workout.

Since I am no longer going to my clinic every week and because of the price, it is much more convenient to use alternatives. Especially because they just supplement my diet now, and are not my WHOLE diet (by diet, I mean "eating plan").

I am about 75% ip with some low carb protein powder included, usually for breakfast. I use designer why which is sweetened with stevia to try to reduce the sucralose in this diet.

I mostly eat the soups and puddings.

I started out 100% IP and stayed that way for a long time. For those of you familiar with my issues, you may remember that my coach was one of the ones who didn't allow any restrictives (veggies or packets) until phase 2. Before I went to phase 2, I had the occasional Atkins or Pure Protein bar. I am now in Maintenance and have a pure protein bar as a snack most days. I also use a combination of IP and alt products for phase 1 days, mainly because I stocked up on IP products and still have some. I'm not sure how I should vote in the poll though, so I didn't.

I started 100% IP then found that I couldn't keep up with the cost, so I switched to alternatives after I lost 40+ pounds. Now I am using 100% alternatives only because it is much cheaper.

100% alternatives out of necessity... no clinic and no way to get IP products

I used IP products for 5 months, I hit maintenance last month and now am starting to buy Alternative products on Nashua. I have to budget better this year and save, save, save money. :)
IP products definitely taste better than the Proti-Diet products I have recently purchases though... on the plus side, with every order I have gotten 3 free products: coffee drink, soy nuts and a bar!

Alternatives (Proti-Diet) for me, and I am happy with them. I do not necessarily agree that IP tastes better, at least not in all cases. I like the Proti-Diet breakfasts and soups and bars just fine. The soups are not as thick, but I like to put blended veggies in anyway. I also like the EAS shakes and bars as well. My loss has been slower, but I also admit to an occasional mixed drink. I AM NOT RECOMMENDING THIS TO ANYONE. It is strictly my personal decision, and I am fully aware that this is most likely why I am not losing faster. However, it is the trade-off I have decided that I can live with. (Thank you for not blasting me :^:, just thought I would be perfectly honest.)

If I had the money, I would totally do the whole clinic thing and buy IP products. I appreciate the work the creators of IP have done and the quality of the products. I believe the products are worth the money. And it would be nice to have a coach (if I got a good one that is). I just don't have the money.

So... I use EAS Shakes and Pure Protein bars for my alternatives. They are easy to find, at my Walmart and BJ's (Costco-like store). I'm very curious about the Proti-Diet stuff, but haven't ordered any yet because what I'm doing has been working. The one week I gained was when I went off program for a week after Christmas. Other than that, I've averaged 3 lb losses each week, so I'm very happy with it.

IP only. I did not know there were alternatives. I don't want to do all the thinking and calculations on my own. I knew this was pricey and a commitment so we cut down on spending before and during the holidays.

My husband and I did only IP in the beginning. After a few months we started adding in alternatives (Lindora) due to the cost of IP. My coach understood about the cost and was okay with us doing this. I do about 75% Lindora and 25% IP. We were able to maintain over the summer and mostly over the holidays (I gained 8 lbs) using this method. I recommitted myself to IP again now I only use one Lindora product (cappacino) in the a.m. then the other two are IP. I will say that using mostly IP this time I don't feel as bloated but maybe it's because I don't have the little cheats that I was doing before.

Man all this talk makes me want to go back to 100% IP again. I loved meeting weekly with my coach and I did like some of the food (like the cap and jelly) better than anything I can find in the alternative realm.

Both the first and now the second time doing IP, my husband and I use "mostly" IP... other than 1 Atkins shake every morning with our coffee (closest I can get to my Starbucks addiction! LOL!) and we use "Oh Yeah" bars once or twice a week. So far it has worked for us and our budget.

I am mostly IP but do order from www.nashuanutrition.com their HealthSmart items which are so close in numbers to IP foods. They have a Starter kit with 5 boxes (7 per box). Each box is a Variety Pack. One VP of Hot Chocolates, one of Protein Bars, one of High Protein Crispy Bars, and of Shakes/Puddings, and one of Fruit Drinks. The grand total for that kit is $47.95. Also the site has free shipping over $99. Nashua is also a source for the Proti products. I do love saving money. My husband's favorite IP product is the Caramel Nut bar. The HealthSmart Caramel Crunch bar he thinks may even taste better than the IP. The calories are about the same though they are perhaps slightly smaller in size.

Strictly IP

I should have added that I was strictly IP till I reached my original goal. Smile.

Survalia, I'm not at all judging, I for one, CANNOT WAIT to get into maintenance so that I can do the wine tasting tours around my house. So, I completely understand....just wanted to let you know I've read that alcohol is hard on your liver while in ketosis. Of course, alcohol breaks down to sugar so every time you will more than likely go out of ketosis. I've also read that going in/out of ketosis is hard on your body.

Strictly IP and loving all the food.

Strictly IP and have been very pleased with most of the food...not a fan of the soups, though (except the chicken).

IP products

IP only. I tried doing alternatives on my own, but couldn't stick with it w/o my weekly meetings with my fabulous coach. I just can't imagine doing this without her support. Most of the IP food just tastes so much better than any alternatives I tried, too! My favorite are the dill pickle zippers - such a treat! Not a huge fan of the bars, though...

Just a beginner, but, strictly IP

Yes, I'm updating my own news... The Starter Kit above does contain aspartame in some of the items. I checked last night and the only legal pudding/shake is New York Cheese Cake and most of the hot chocolates had aspartame. Sigh. I'll save them for "someday" if I don't throw them out first.

Which alternative products did you choose?

Both IP and alternatives (Lindora) for me!

I use protidiet. I just want to point out that the products we get in Canada are less likely to have aspartame in them than the same product bought in the US.

Pat

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