Originally Posted by ShelbyLynn8:
How long does it typically take for quest items to ship?

Quest is pretty fast with their shipping... I placed an order on Friday and I received it today :) I would say 2-3 business days.

The peanut caramel crunch bar from Nashua Nutrition is unrestricted and delicious. I'm a big fan of bars and since I have the peanut surprise for breakfast, I love having some of the unrestricted on hand for a snack - very portable (no mess in my purse!).

Originally Posted by nat1015:
Okay, so I have had the opportunity now to try my alternatives and here is my review of them:

Protidiet Honey Nut Cereal- I liked the taste but didn't realize when I ordered it that it doesn't have the powdered milk like the IP crispy cereal. Luckily I read past posts that indicated this before the box came in and I grabbed a box of EAS Low Carb French Vanilla RTD when I was at the store. I put a little of that in my cereal.

Protidiet Maple Oatmeal - This is definitely not like IPs. It has a weird texture and a different taste. I'm not wary of weird textures so I will still buy it but it turned out lumpy...and not in a oatmeal type of way. haha. I still liked it fine though.

Protidiet Peanut Surprise- I LOVED this bar. Unfortunately my son did too ;/ so I bought a couple of more boxes. I figure that they would be good for him to bring one to school as a snack because the protein will make him satisfied when his blood sugar starts dropping. He is always starving halfway through the day at school and comes home famished. As I mentioned before, in the pictures it looks like a chocolate drizzle on top but it isn't...it is a peanut butter drizzle.

Protidiet Chocolate Drink- I am on the hunt for a replica of IPs chocolate drink. This is not it. It has a very different taste...it isn't as smooth as the IPs version. I'll still drink it but I will probably buy a different brand next time to experiment.

So, my overall impression is that the alternatives that I tried are good to save money (I bought 4 boxes for about $55 including tax and shipping) and I liked them (especially the peanut butter bar) but if you are looking for exact replicas of IP, these are not it.

Thank you for this! I bought the Honey Nut Cereal too and didn't know what to do with it! The box has been sitting there untouched. I was about to eat them dry. :)

Hi GeorgeR,
According to my coach the bars are necessary and should be eaten at night so that your body uses the carbs to help burn fat. One a day won't hurt and I have found it is a great motivator. Just sayin...

Originally Posted by kcasey54:
According to my coach the bars are necessary and should be eaten at night so that your body uses the carbs to help burn fat. One a day won't hurt and I have found it is a great motivator. Just sayin...

What!?!?
Your body uses carbs to burn fat?
Where did your coach get trained?

I've read research on Ketogenic diets from many well-known doctors & researchers over the last 10+ years. I've also read both of Dr Tran Tien's books.

The bars & other restricteds like chips are designed as a treat so we don't feel so deprived. They're there to help and people who use them generally have better long-term compliance on plan. They are part of the plan. That being said, remember there are a few restricteds designed for other meals, such as the maple oatmeal.

And, I have to be careful with restricteds. They set me up with terrible cravings for more. And the bars are FULL of artificial sweeteners, which many researchers say send the same signals to your brain & body as sugar.

My coach tells me NOTHING. I had no idea there were other restricted foods besides the bars. Are there other restricted besides oatmeal and the chips. Thanks!

Originally Posted by GeorgeR:
My coach tells me NOTHING. I had no idea there were other restricted foods besides the bars. Are there other restricted besides oatmeal and the chips. Thanks!

IP crisps (chips) are not restricted, puffs and ridges are except sour cream and onion puffs. Wafers are restricted. My clinic has two shelves to separate the products.IP should make the boxes light green and dark green or something to help identify.

Originally Posted by Sheena1966:
Thank you for this! I bought the Honey Nut Cereal too and didn't know what to do with it! The box has been sitting there untouched. I was about to eat them dry. :)

I use a small part of my 1 oz allowed milk and then add COLD water. I know it sounds a bit odd, but it actually tastes just fine (be sure it is cold!). I only want enough to wet the cereal, so it doesn't take much and tastes perfectly normal.

Originally Posted by GeorgeR:
My coach tells me NOTHING. I had no idea there were other restricted foods besides the bars. Are there other restricted besides oatmeal and the chips. Thanks!

Tell your coach you want a complete list of all IP foods and you want the restricteds marked on that sheet.

Lisa, once again I thank you for your wisdom. I had a rough time last week with eating more than 1 bar a day, not quite 2, but more than 1. Then I notice how I was craving sweets again, thinking how cravings had not been an issue for my first month and wondering what's up. Artificial sweeteners! Makes perfect sense. Now, how do I keep the bars in my cupboard and stay out of them?! Also, my WI reflected the extra bites, I am hoping that will be motivation enough not to sabatoge what I am trying to achieve.

I wonder if anyone can tell me what real foods can be substituted for IP foods. I got the Quest Bars and Simply Protein chips but seem to have had a backslide since using them...I also have so many sensitivities that when I stopped the IP products I lost 5 lbs in one week (I only have 22 more lbs to go) after losing only 2.5 in week one.

I would like to stop all the processed and go to real food. My coach said 2 eggs or a can of tuna is ok but would like more than just those.

thanks!

Originally Posted by ChipnDip:
IP crisps (chips) are not restricted, puffs and ridges are except sour cream and onion puffs. Wafers are restricted. My clinic has two shelves to separate the products.IP should make the boxes light green and dark green or something to help identify.

I was just reading on a IP site that said Barbq crisps are restriced. Is this true? Thanks!

I found some marinara at wholefoods that was only 1g sugar and tried it on top of the Quest Fettuccine. The fettuccine was as good as it could be I guess, but the texture was just too gelatinous to be enjoyable. Ill stick to the chips and bars!

Originally Posted by Adventuregurl:
I wonder if anyone can tell me what real foods can be substituted for IP foods. I got the Quest Bars and Simply Protein chips but seem to have had a backslide since using them...I also have so many sensitivities that when I stopped the IP products I lost 5 lbs in one week (I only have 22 more lbs to go) after losing only 2.5 in week one.

I would like to stop all the processed and go to real food. My coach said 2 eggs or a can of tuna is ok but would like more than just those.

thanks!

I have the same concerns Adventuregurl. I never snacked after dinner and certainly not on chips or candy. That is what I feel like I am doing with the bars and protein chips. I find I crave something sweet after dinner, and I feel that is from the artificial sweeteners, as Lisa suggested. I would love to figure out IP friendly soup and chili. I have made pancakes with an egg and protein powder, also have made large flake oatmeal and protein powder that aligned with IP.

ommamma and Adventurgurl--

I've struggled with all the processed food too; didn't grow up eating much at all from packages and have pretty much kept that habit into adulthood, so all the silver pouches *feel* weird/wrong even though I (thank heaven) haven't had any severe reactions to them.

In looking into "real food" alternatives, I have found it really challenging to get the right amount of protein (usually around 100g) while still keeping carbs and fats under/around 40g. IP (and other highly-processed alternatives) can only achieve the macronutrient profile of the program BECAUSE they are highly processed.

The only viable option I found in my research would be a TON of lean meat and/or eggs (about 1lb/day) *plus* the usual "discretionary" dinner protein, which wouldn't have to be lean. But even then, the bioavailability of those protein sources isn't as high as the isolates in the IP foods, so it still wouldn't be the same. And basically turning into a carnivore until I reach goal doesn't mesh with my values/lifestyle any better than eating 75% processed food ;)

For what it's worth, my thinking has been; the "packets" part of this whole thing is temporary. Even if it takes me a year, that's *one* year out of the rest of my life. I have tried SO many other options before and never been successful. This program is working for me, so that success feels worth the temporary discomfort (both psychological and physical) of following the plan.

(I have limited myself to one 'sweet' food a day, however, (and usually make it a drink in the morning) because I too find the sucralose "conditioning"--and I don't want to feel like I *have* to have dessert every day)