According to the "Lean Body Mass" measurement she did when I started this program at 404lbs, I need to consume enough protein to support a lean muscle weight of 246lbs. This calculates to over 4 pkts/day to get the protein necessary to support that goal.
In order to keep some variety in my meals, I don't buy the pkts by the box but individually which is slightly more expensive ($1.05 savings by the box), but when alternatives cost $1.00-$1.50/serving it is very hard to justify the excessive cost.
I should also mention, she is recommending that I use my FLEX funds to buy my foods as her other clients do... yet according to the IRS code, that is NOT exactly legal... but if I can find a loophole that allows me to do that, it might change my views a bit.
Yeah, I'd be very careful about trying to use flexible spending account money for the program - you should actually talk to your benefits administrator, they are ultimately the ones who say "yes" or "no" to approving the spending. I know at least with our health insurance plan, they would not reimburse for the IP products, because they were not doctor-prescribed they classified as "over the counter" products and not eligible for reimbursement.
According to the "Lean Body Mass" measurement she did when I started this program at 404lbs, I need to consume enough protein to support a lean muscle weight of 246lbs. This calculates to over 4 pkts/day to get the protein necessary to support that goal.
In order to keep some variety in my meals, I don't buy the pkts by the box but individually which is slightly more expensive ($1.05 savings by the box), but when alternatives cost $1.00-$1.50/serving it is very hard to justify the excessive cost.
I should also mention, she is recommending that I use my FLEX funds to buy my foods as her other clients do... yet according to the IRS code, that is NOT exactly legal... but if I can find a loophole that allows me to do that, it might change my views a bit.
My Flex company won't let me use flex funds for food. Bummer.
The good news about IP is that you eventually only need 1 per day. I just ate the cost (literally ) and stayed all IP. now I am in phase 3 and only have 1 packet a day.
According to the "Lean Body Mass" measurement she did when I started this program at 404lbs, I need to consume enough protein to support a lean muscle weight of 246lbs. This calculates to over 4 pkts/day to get the protein necessary to support that goal.
At 6'1" there is no possible way you have 246 lbs of LBM. I would doubt you have more than 200 and that is only if you're a really strong dude.
I sympathize with you; that is why I left Jenny Craig because my coach was not supportive. Your health comes first so you need to do what you gotta do. I'm an emotional eater so I had to leave JC. Now I have a really nice coach.
I can understand her maybe not liking the fact that you are on alternatives, after all, she is running a business...BUT she needs to act professionally and if I were you I would speak to her with my pocket book and go somewhere else or do it yourself! She has no right to berate you like that!!!
I had my weigh-in this morning and sat there and endured a 20 minute tirade about how I "need to be ON the program or NOT". She was referring to the fact that I am desperately trying to find alternatives to the lousy tasting and way overpriced Ideal Protein food packets. I have tried substituting with EAS AdvantEDGE, GNC Wheybolic Extreme and Quest Nutrition bars. Admittedly, the Quest bars sucked, but the nutritional value of the GNC Wheybolic Extreme is much higher than the IP drink mixes and don't taste any worse and the EAS AdvantEGDE is SOOO much easier and actually good tasting. The biggest kicker is they are WAAAYYYY cheaper.
Now, today's weigh-in was only -2.6lbs, which on any other diet would seem like a lot, but she was irate and blamed my lack of significant weight loss on my use of "SH*T" products. Now the real funny thing is that for the first 4 weeks of the program I followed it to the letter... I lost a lot the first 2 weeks as expected, but then I had two miserable weeks with a 2 and 2.6 lb loss. This was all while following all the rules. The next week I was about ready to quit because I cannot justify spending $120/wk to only lose 2 lbs so I starting using the EAS drinks, the GNC powder and the Quest bars. That week I lost 5.6lbs and was much happier. Funny thing is she made a comment about the alternatives, but with a 5.6lb weight loss she didn't have a leg to stand on. Now this week with a poor weight loss, the same supplements I was using the week previous are now to blame... Hmmm...
If I could get my IP packets somewhere else, I would happily do so, but I refuse to pay someone else a starter fee that I paid to her... I don't want to stop the program... but I don't feel that it is fair to expect me to either fork over the money and take the 4 packets/day as she demands or drop out altogether... Shouldn't there be an acceptable middle ground?
So, am I being unreasonable here? Or is she? She says that she could lose her disributorship if she lets me do this, but I think that is a load of hooey! I am pretty certain it is all about money and she (and IP) won't be raking in what has to amount to a huge profit from all the packets...
I just can't WAIT 'til she finds out I found alternatives to the IP Vitamins!!!
My Dr. actually insisted that he oversee my vitamins and supplements as he is the one who monitors my blood work. While IP is a good plan and there is huge success in clients, supplements are their largest revenue. When I met with a caoch, she was willing to accept the supplements/vitamims from my Dr, how could she argue, but was adamant about alternatives. She said she is not educated enough about them to effectively coach me. Fair enough. (I feel that I am and
The weigh ins and meeting with a coach have an excellent benefit, especially if you have a long journey.
I however chose to do IP to go since I have a shorter journey and I wanted to do the alternatives as well. IP is very expensive and I have 2 kids in college..but I digress.
Ideal to go...they ask you if you belong to a clinic ( I didn't although I interviewed them & they had my info on file), fill out the health info, your assigned a coach and you buy your products. End of coaching.
I suggest you find a more realistic and flexible clinic/coach near you. Yeah it's a pain in the butt but it's a relationship that you may need to be successful..only you can decide that.
I'm sorry your going through that. Kudos to you for improving your health and joining IP. You will get tons of support here. Make the choice that works for you..it's your health and your hard earned money.
Clinics rely on ongoing food purchases to maintain their cash flow. Coaches need to be paid, and generally are doing this as a job, not for the benefit of others. You should expect the clinic to enforce their policy on the use of ip food. Hopefully they were clear about that up front.
That said, it would not be unreasonable for you to purchase 3 packets a day from your clinic and supplement with one alternative product. I told my coach I couldn't use the ip bars as the sugar alcohols don't agree with me, so I use simply bars instead.
If you do the math, $4.15/pkt * 4 Pkts/day * 7 days = $116.20 + 6% taxes = $123.72 every week!
That amount doesn't even take into consideration the cost of the vitamins they have me taking!
ohh I didn't see the part about 4 packets! What about cutting down to 3 and having some eggs as a supplement? we don't have ours taxed here so it's just $4 per packet.
Last edited by AnnaBoBanna; 09-12-2012 at 09:56 PM.
DH was on 5 and he started at 296. He needed that much protein to support his daily functioning. I myself am on four and have been since I started. Just food for thought.
On the flip side, I'm with the pp who said she could see how it's hard for your coach to COACH you on alternatives when that's not her area of expertise. That's not the program she's offering - she's offering IP. The protein in IP packs is different than in other commercially available products. it just is. So while I can understand your frustration, I can, at the same time, see hers, too.
I don't think she is being unreasonable...she is an IP coach and so how can she coach on other products? I think she could have been nicer about it for sure. However, part of the cost of IP vs alternatives is the one on one coaching.
The protein in IP packs is different than in other commercially available products. it just is. So while I can understand your frustration, I can, at the same time, see hers, too.
I have been on 3 packets/day since I started too, at 304lbs. My coach did give me enough packets for 4/day for my first week if I needed them. I have only ever used 3/day.
According to the "Lean Body Mass" measurement she did when I started this program at 404lbs, I need to consume enough protein to support a lean muscle weight of 246lbs. This calculates to over 4 pkts/day to get the protein necessary to support that goal.
In order to keep some variety in my meals, I don't buy the pkts by the box but individually which is slightly more expensive ($1.05 savings by the box), but when alternatives cost $1.00-$1.50/serving it is very hard to justify the excessive cost.
I should also mention, she is recommending that I use my FLEX funds to buy my foods as her other clients do... yet according to the IRS code, that is NOT exactly legal... but if I can find a loophole that allows me to do that, it might change my views a bit.
I use my FLEX funds, haven't had a problem with them so far, hope I am not doing something ilegal...
I had my weigh-in this morning and sat there and endured a 20 minute tirade about how I "need to be ON the program or NOT". She was referring to the fact that I am desperately trying to find alternatives to the lousy tasting and way overpriced Ideal Protein food packets. I have tried substituting with EAS AdvantEDGE, GNC Wheybolic Extreme and Quest Nutrition bars. Admittedly, the Quest bars sucked, but the nutritional value of the GNC Wheybolic Extreme is much higher than the IP drink mixes and don't taste any worse and the EAS AdvantEGDE is SOOO much easier and actually good tasting. The biggest kicker is they are WAAAYYYY cheaper.
Now, today's weigh-in was only -2.6lbs, which on any other diet would seem like a lot, but she was irate and blamed my lack of significant weight loss on my use of "SH*T" products. Now the real funny thing is that for the first 4 weeks of the program I followed it to the letter... I lost a lot the first 2 weeks as expected, but then I had two miserable weeks with a 2 and 2.6 lb loss. This was all while following all the rules. The next week I was about ready to quit because I cannot justify spending $120/wk to only lose 2 lbs so I starting using the EAS drinks, the GNC powder and the Quest bars. That week I lost 5.6lbs and was much happier. Funny thing is she made a comment about the alternatives, but with a 5.6lb weight loss she didn't have a leg to stand on. Now this week with a poor weight loss, the same supplements I was using the week previous are now to blame... Hmmm...
If I could get my IP packets somewhere else, I would happily do so, but I refuse to pay someone else a starter fee that I paid to her... I don't want to stop the program... but I don't feel that it is fair to expect me to either fork over the money and take the 4 packets/day as she demands or drop out altogether... Shouldn't there be an acceptable middle ground?
So, am I being unreasonable here? Or is she? She says that she could lose her disributorship if she lets me do this, but I think that is a load of hooey! I am pretty certain it is all about money and she (and IP) won't be raking in what has to amount to a huge profit from all the packets...
I just can't WAIT 'til she finds out I found alternatives to the IP Vitamins!!!
I take prescription vitamins, can't take IP vitamins, I told my coach about it and she was fine with that, she said she can't go against with what my doctor is prescribing... I heard a couple coaches that let their clients to take their own vitamins, they only purchase the food, so I'd think this is just up to the coach.
) and stayed all IP. now I am in phase 3 and only have 1 packet a day.
