Hi ladies,

This is my first real diet. I'm 46 and for the first time ever, I really don't like what's reflected in the mirror.

I'm at the end of day 4 on a high-protein diet and am already bored. My hubby and I are on it together, which helps with the support factor, but perhaps you ladies can help me jazz things up a bit.

At the bottom of my sheet for week 1 (Ideal Protein) it says I can eat Ideal Protein Foods. I don't want to buy any, but is there something I can make that would break the monotony of 4 cups of vegetables, Isopure drinks 3 times a day and 8 oz. meat? We're taking vitamins and drinking lots of water.

I also just noticed that I haven't been taking any calcium or magnesium pills. Suggestions?

Thanks,
Sally

Hi! I am fairly new to this forum but I know there are Ideal Protein recipe threads that can help. Have you tried salads with Walden Farms dressing? I absolutely love sautéed shrimp with broccoli in garlic and other herbs and spices. Also, although you ate not doing IP, if you can find Maple Groves Farms sugar free pancake mix and Walden Farms syrup and you like that sort of thing, you will love it! Try nettrition.com. Also the quest bars are delicious. I might also suggest what I call a 3+1 omelet from Bob Harper's Skinny Rules. Three egg whites and one yolk. Add veggies and herbs and spices and it is an amazing omelet! When in doubt, spice stuff up, literally! Keep it up! :-)

I would think one could not exist for long Just drinking the same drinks as your only food other than veg and 8oz protein!!!!

What is the reason you don't want to use IP foods? If it's the price, then
I suggest you look at the alternatives thread and shop for some foods to give you variety. If you are already "board" then you won't last long enough to even see the benefits.

Keep reading and you will find LOTS of ideas.

I'm pretty new at this but fortunately found this site before I started. There are sooooo many good suggestions and recipes that I'm eons away from trying them all!!! Even tho I've gained a tad over the last couple days (hope it's fluid since I'm not cheating) I'm still "game on"!!!!

Good luck with finding some "excitement"!!!

I have managed with just IP drinks and the "allowed" real food except for subbing a meal a few times a WEEK by having egg white omlettes with vegetables OR a lunch salad with 2-3 oz protein. Eliminating the IP foods with gluten forced me to adapt to what was left, WHICH IS THE DRINKS. I don't order from the alternative sites because of the expectation to get my food from my IP site weekly. They would not continue to offer me the guidance if I was NOT doing that because they don't charge for the program. Although my self motivation is strong enough to go it alone, I want and will need the advice and insight once beginning transition to the next phases. They also weigh and measure every week. (they track 11 parameters) on a manual chart. I get a copy and I transpose the stats they keep to an excel sheet and grid for myself.

My losses have been consistently 2.5-3 lbs a week. (*had 3 weeks since Jan 10 less than 2 lbs...but also had a few 3-4 lb. weeks) ..and I'm close to goal now. Mentally prepared for a slowdown in the lbs department.
So bottom line...I deal with boredom by making a real egg white omlette or using some left over chicken on my salad for lunch.... then going online to my favorite stores and do some window shopping for when I am ready to reload my closet.... !! (Or go to the mall and try stuff on...it's a real head trip and the drinks are not so boring after that).

OK... what am I missing here? My Phase 1 handout says I can have 2 whole eggs plus 2 egg whites for my proteing???? I have used 1 egg and an egg white for an omlet thinking it would be 4 oz of protein for the day and ate the rest with my veggies at night. Is this wrong?

The most recent sheet (Feb 2013) shows 4 whole eggs and 2 egg whites = your protein serving (replacing the 8oz of meat). You could eat half of that and have 4 oz protein later.

I think Lisa may have also indicated that you could have 2 eggs/1 white (can't recall for certain here!) to replace an IP packet (as if you had eaten the IP omlet as a packet) and still have your full protein later.

65x65, congrats on such willpower!

Balanced Life, I'd forgotten about omelettes! Thanks for the reminder.

This is the plan I've been following, and for each Ideal protein Food, I've been having an Isopure shake. I have four flavors, but it's still boring.

As far as swapping those out, I can only have things that compare to the Ideal Food bars, soy puffs, chili, oatmeal, pancakes, soy nuts, salt and vinegar + BBQ ridges, southwest cheese curls, dill pickle zippers, chocolate chip cookies, white cheddar ridges (and spaghetti twice a week).

It's that latter list I'm most confused about, because all those suggestions have carbs or fat in them. I thought the idea was to try to go for 0 everything except protein (which Isopure aims for), and I fear I'll be setting myself back if I start to try any alternatives.

Phase 1:

Breakfast
1 Ideal Protein Food + optional tea/coffee with 1 oz. skim milk + vitamins and KCL (Potassium Chloride)

Lunch:
1 Ideal Protein Food + 2 cups allowed veggies + unlimited lettuce + salt

Dinner:
8 oz. allowed meat/fish + 2 cups allowed veggies + unlimited lettuce + salt + vitamins + calcium and Mg

Before bed:
1 Ideal Protein Food + calcium and Mg

Sometimes I'll have 4 oz. eggs with 4 oz. meat for the 8 oz.

It might be that you are misunderstanding the IP Program/Protocol. IP is NOT a HIGH protein eating plan. It is low calorie, low fat, low carb, moderate protein. The IP protein is designed in such a way as to give you the best source of protein while controlling for those other items.

You do not want to eliminate carbs and fats. Your body needs them to survive - ESPECIALLY when you are already limiting them significantly. The IP products have these in controlled amounts so you get what you need with the remainder coming from the 8oz of selected proteins and your 4 cups of approved veggies.

The 0-0-0 you are referring to is what one can have IN ADDITION to what is already accounted for in the IP packets. In other words, all the planning and control has been done for you by IP, so they do not want you to add any "extras" that would alter the amounts you are already getting in the eating plan. (FYI - IP recently recinded the 0-0-0 allowance, but with so many who have been so successful before using that rule for additions, many will continue to follow it and use those "extras" in limited amounts.)

When people select Alternative items that compare to IP, they use the IP product "rules" and select alternative items that have the same/similar amounts of fats/carbs/cals etc. The general rule for selecting alternative products is:

• Under 200 calories
• Less than 30% calories from fat (multiply the calories from fat by 3 - must be lower than the total calories)
• 8g or less NET carbs - unrestricted
• 9g-16g net carbs - restricted;
• 17g net carbs - super restricted (only twice per week);
• above 17g net carbs is too high to be good for Phase 1
• at least
• 12-15g protein

Hope this gives you some more to think about!!

Happy dance!!

Are you Happy Dancing because now you can have more variety than you first thought??

Yup. Had a delicious coffee/Visalus/Isopure drink this morning. Looking into how to make a high protein veggie omelette for lunch now.

Thanks so much for the help.

1 whole egg + 3 egg whites = 1 IP omelet packet

Remember, IP isn't a high-protein plan. It is low carb, low fat, low calorie, moderate protein.

Thanks. I went for a 1 egg + 1 egg white omelette with a slice of ham and some spring onion.

I'm trying to find a list of alternative restricted foods that give me the same nutritional content in a packet laid out by JLUS.
Under 200 calories
Less than 30% calories from fat (multiply the calories from fat by 3 - must be lower than the total calories)
8g or less NET carbs - unrestricted
9g-16g net carbs - restricted;
17g net carbs - super restricted (only twice per week)
12-15g protein

What about things like unsweetened coconut milk or coconut/almond flour or certain cheeses or oatmeal?