I use Morton Lite Salt, which is an Iodized salt with Potassium Chloride, and it has 50% less sodium than regular salt. It's stats are:

Calories: 0
Sodium: 290 mg
Potassium: 350mg
Total carbs: 0
Protein: 0

I hope this helps!: )

Whey of Life Protein powder
 

Are any of you familiar with this product? A local vitamin/health food store has it in individual packets ($2.25 per packet). The calorie/fat percentage/carb counts look pretty good, but the sweetener is not familiar to me (Earthsweet?).

http://www.bluebonnetnutrition.com/p...Protein_Powder

Looks like EarthSweet is sweetened with a number of fruits which would not be IP compatable.The stats look good though a little high on protein.

Thanks, Blessedamberly! I like many of their products, so I'll order them tomorrow. The chocolate RTDs are exactly the same as the IP ones, and half the price. I also like some of the soups. And the chocolate soy puffs and white cheddar crisps are also exactly the same as the IP brand!

Thanks!!!

I have to say that I actually really like the reduced sodium salt. My husband always used to chide me if I ever used salt on anything (he never uses salt), but now I can say "it's healthier!". And I prefer the less salty-salt, if that makes any sense. :)

I am a huge fan do their broc and cheese soup mixed into cauliflower purée- one of my favorites.
I wish I would have had the guts to do alt. when I was OP originally. Would have saved me so much.

blessedamberly....why does it take guts to do alternatives? You can't hear my tone of voice..I'm not trying to be attacking or up in your business..just trying to understand where you are coming from. I've only done alternatives and am having great success so far...I know nothing of going to a clinic personally...hence my curiosity. ;)

I wouldn't quit my clinic for about 10 months. I just didn't trust myself. I think the biggest thing is the accountability of going in there and having to face the scale with someone watching. It was hugely motivating for me. To do it alone, with no face-to-face accountability is what I think of as "guts".

Please see my comment below.

Lisa pretty much summarized for me- it was the do it alone with no accountability. I had started and gotten to a certain point and quit how many times with other diets and I just didn't want to fail. I have 2 young children that I didn't want to fail. Now that I have done it, been successful, and maintained up until some issues in the health department I knew I could do it and not need anyone for a simple reboot.

Thanks for sharing ladies. Understandable. Personally I have never been so afraid of a diet, meaning failure like I was with ideal protein. Crazy but, fears are fears. I felt like I had so much ridding on this and it was so important to me to succeed, and still is. It makes me wonder if this hadn't meant so very much to me, if I hadn't done the research on alternatives, would I of had the accountability to go it alone? Hmm...

Agreed. I'm doing the 3 months until my friends wedding. Then I'll re-evaluate.

Johnsdeere: It certainly did take a lot of research for me to go out on my own. I don't know that I needed the accountability of a coach/clinic as much as I just needed to really understand what I was doing. I think the fear of failure came into it for me as well. I just felt like I had so much riding on this! I think that explains the panic when we lick a finger or absentmindedly taste something while cooking and run to the sink spitting and rinsing our mouth. I laugh at the thought now, but it is so important for me to succeed as well. This site is so great for this reason, we all have so many similar concerns; whether we are losing weight to be healthier or look great in our clothes. It is nice to go to a place where others understand what we are going through.

:?:I am soooo tempted to try the alternatives because saving money is always a welcome thought but I am so nervous to try it. I don't want my weight loss to slow down. Rationally, it seems that if the carb/fat/protein levels are the same in both the alternative and IP brand food that my weight loss would remain the same but my irrational side makes me think that there is magic weight loss dust in the IP brand foods...

murphypuppy, I averaged the same weight losses when using alternatives as I did with IP products and I weighed less when using alternatives. It really does save $$

No magic in IP, I promise. As long as you're picking compatible products you will be fine.

PS. This is coming from someone who did all IP, then a mix then all alternatives then back to a mix.