I don't think my clinic will see me without purchasing food from them. I haven't found anything that I absolutely, completely love, so I don't think I will miss switching to alternatives.
The cost is so different. I can go in Nashua Nutrition and buy 21 boxes for ~230' which would cost me around ~1700 on IP! My car is crap, I still have student loans I'm trying to work on paying before I graduate... That savings can be used for very productive things!
I don't think I'll worry about accountability... If I want to cheat or not, seeing some lady once a week won't stop me.
My coach was very good, just too far away. I just sent an email saying I couldn't afford the time it was taking to go to the clinic and canceled my next appointment.
That was all it took, no confrontation involved. I am sure more than half of the people who start at clinics drop out.
Cost is a huge issue so they must hear that a lot. I switched to alternatives and just continued on.
Pat
I'm having a hard time understanding why so many people find it difficult or uncomfortable to tell their coach how they feel. I don't do IP, so I am curious about something. Do you sign a contract with them where you agree to buy the supplements in exchange for having the weekly coaching? Or do you pay a separate fee? If you pay a separate fee (somebody mentioned a $200 upfront cost), I don't understand why you would feel obligated to purchase supplements if you don't need them.
The sales of the supplements is the #1 reason why I do not go to weight loss centers anymore. Been there. Done that. I did LA Weight loss a few years ago and it was obvious from early on that their goal was to keep you buying the supplements. I spent a lot of money up front to join the program. I have no problem with the idea of using supplements -- and I do use them. But when there are alternative products out there which are half the price, then they cannot expect you go buy the products from them. And nobody who goes to meet with their coach should feel bad about saying this. You have paid them for a service. If they want you to continue buying product from them, they should do it at a fair price.
I'm having a hard time understanding why so many people find it difficult or uncomfortable to tell their coach how they feel. I don't do IP, so I am curious about something. Do you sign a contract with them where you agree to buy the supplements in exchange for having the weekly coaching? Or do you pay a separate fee? If you pay a separate fee (somebody mentioned a $200 upfront cost), I don't understand why you would feel obligated to purchase supplements if you don't need them.
The sales of the supplements is the #1 reason why I do not go to weight loss centers anymore. Been there. Done that. I did LA Weight loss a few years ago and it was obvious from early on that their goal was to keep you buying the supplements. I spent a lot of money up front to join the program. I have no problem with the idea of using supplements -- and I do use them. But when there are alternative products out there which are half the price, then they cannot expect you go buy the products from them. And nobody who goes to meet with their coach should feel bad about saying this. You have paid them for a service. If they want you to continue buying product from them, they should do it at a fair price.
There is no contract and you just pay as you go. The only things is that these clinics also make their money off of the bars, shakes, etc, so they might not want you to keep coming in for the weigh-ins and counseling if you don't buy product.
There is no contract and you just pay as you go. The only things is that these clinics also make their money off of the bars, shakes, etc, so they might not want you to keep coming in for the weigh-ins and counseling if you don't buy product.
I agree that if you don't pay an up front fee, and the only money they are making is from the sales of supplements, then you should not go to the centers and get free coaching from them. In that case, the cost of getting the coaching is built into the cost of the supplements. In that case, the quid pro quo, that makes sense.
But I read that somebody mentioned that they paid an up front $200 fee for the coaching. In such a case, then I think that person should not feel the least bit bad about going to the weekly weigh-ins and get coaching -- without feeling compelled to buy the supplements. In that scenario, you have already paid for the service you are receiving and you don't owe them anything. The fact that the coach makes a commission off your supplement purchases wouldn't make me more inclined to buy them! Like I said above, if I already paid for the services, then don't try to guilt me into buying the supplements. If the services really cost more, then charge me more -- or make it clear that the supplements are part of the cost of getting the coaching. This should be spelled out clearly up front (if it is not).
That savings can be used for very productive things!
I don't think I'll worry about accountability... If I want to cheat or not, seeing some lady once a week won't stop me.
I just told her for budget resons I just couldnt do it anymore. Ofcourse she tried to talk me out of it BUT I cant be talked into something I'm NOT ABLE to do anymore. I do alternatives (Atkins) & still do fine . I dont like to get into altercations but if they want to give me the stuff @ reduced cost I just cannot continue.....although I do love the taste of many of the IP products
Last edited by 1spunkygal; 10-11-2012 at 02:48 PM.
I agree that if you don't pay an up front fee, and the only money they are making is from the sales of supplements, then you should not go to the centers and get free coaching from them. In that case, the cost of getting the coaching is built into the cost of the supplements. In that case, the quid pro quo, that makes sense.
But I read that somebody mentioned that they paid an up front $200 fee for the coaching. In such a case, then I think that person should not feel the least bit bad about going to the weekly weigh-ins and get coaching -- without feeling compelled to buy the supplements. In that scenario, you have already paid for the service you are receiving and you don't owe them anything. The fact that the coach makes a commission off your supplement purchases wouldn't make me more inclined to buy them! Like I said above, if I already paid for the services, then don't try to guilt me into buying the supplements. If the services really cost more, then charge me more -- or make it clear that the supplements are part of the cost of getting the coaching. This should be spelled out clearly up front (if it is not).
When I went the initial cost covered about 10 days of shakes/bars, 1-2 months of supplements and the initial consultation. I had to still pay $20 for consultation and then the bars/shakes were extra about $84 a week.
It's not an inexpensive weight loss program that's for sure! I changed to the less expensive alternatives because of a pay cut. I get all the counseling I need on this forum, so I don't miss having the coaching.
WOW! I paid $400 for the initial one hour consultation, 10 days worth of food, the 'free BCA' and one bottle of each of the supplements. The food costs me between $84 and $100/week. I take the the MVI only once a day, the pot/cal and the cal/mag as directed, but I take a prescription prenatal vitamin for my other MVI.
I am thinking of moving away from the supplements (except for the pot/cal, I don't know where to get potassium gluconate). And even that one, I am going to order on Plainprotein.com because it is cheaper.
I am thinking of doing the Costco shakes as well, in addition to the IP products to cut back a little bit. My coach/clinic is SOOO strict, they would kick me out of the program for using alternatives. I cannot drink plain seltzer, chew any type of gum or use WF more than a few times per week (which I don't follow, haven't had an issue with weight loss). In fact, my clinic keeps track of orders of both the food and the supplements.
She gave me a hard time about my RX prenatal, but exactly how does an IP coach, not trained in medicine/nursing, dispute what my MD has prescribed for me? I won that one!
Just my 2 cents, as I never did IP per say. I've been alternative from day one, and in 27 days I have lost 20.5lbs... So the IP PROTOCOL absolutely works!
And remember, this is FOR you, BY you. And not a coach, a company can change that. YOU are in control of your life!
I do love the IP program. I've lost 30 pounds in a few days over 4 weeks and I have 13 more to go to my goal. However, I just could not write another check to my coach, it is just too expensive. So I have been researching alternatives on this website forum. I'm going to try a few. Anybody have any preferences they want to pass along? I'm open.
I paid ~ $200 to start off. This included a little over a week's worth of food, all my vitamins, a shaker, sea salt, and I guess the remainder went for the coaching?
My first order from Nashua should be coming in tomorrow -- then ill be going alternative. I just can't pay that much for the food if I know I can do the same program for cheaper. I need to start saving up for a new car -- the death-trap I drive won't last too much longer. I'm already saving hundreds and hundreds if dollars by going alternative
I paid $450 on day one, included a shaker, some salt, suppliments and 35 single packets of food............ I think it was called a sampler pack or something............. $150 of that was for consultation, got me for another $300 over the following two weeks............. but worth every penny
