I still use the shiritaki tofu noodles (also known as miracle noodles) and the yam noodles (same macro counts & both are OK for IP) in maintenance when I want to do a higher fat ratio meal over top of noodles. This just won't work with regular pasta/GF pasta because the carb count is too high. I only use regular GF pasta or rice when I'm doing the higher carb ratio meal. Or on my 'Funday' when anything goes.

Open the package, and dump them into a fine sieve and run hot water over them for a few minutes to rinse the stinky soaking fluid out and to heat them up well. You may have to untangle them a bit with your fingers but they are quite firm & hold their shape well. They are really good added to a stir fry for a chow mein. They are also a lot cheaper than the IP pasta packs, I get mine at my local regular grocery store for 1.79 a package which is two 4 oz servings.

Liana

Total Daily Calories?
 

Hi all I am new to IP and I am trying alternatives for IP. First I would like to say thanks to all you ladies for the invaluable information regarding the diet plan. A friend of mine has lost a lot of weight following IP and I wanted to try it but couldn't afford it. Thanks to you ladies I am able to try it using alternatives and look forward to my new weight loss journey. I started alternatives on Tues the 10th and we will see how it goes.

Now my question is how many calories should we aim for per day? I have been following all the rules and suggestions about what to eat and tracking my food intake on "myfitnesspal". Yesterday I was under 1000 calories. I wanted to make sure I am eating enough calories so I won't go into starvation mode. However, I checked this morning and I am in ketosis per the ketosticks.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Originally Posted by tysgirl319:
Hi all I am new to IP and I am trying alternatives for IP. First I would like to say thanks to all you ladies for the invaluable information regarding the diet plan. A friend of mine has lost a lot of weight following IP and I wanted to try it but couldn't afford it. Thanks to you ladies I am able to try it using alternatives and look forward to my new weight loss journey. I started alternatives on Tues the 10th and we will see how it goes.

Now my question is how many calories should we aim for per day? I have been following all the rules and suggestions about what to eat and tracking my food intake on "myfitnesspal". Yesterday I was under 1000 calories. I wanted to make sure I am eating enough calories so I won't go into starvation mode. However, I checked this morning and I am in ketosis per the ketosticks.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

The great thing about this diet is you don't have to count calories or points or anything like that... Don't get freaked by MFP and its 1200 cal suggestion etc. All you need to do is make sure your alternative products meet the IP standards for macros and eat your veggies as per the plan, drink your water, take your salt and your vitamins. Each of these things is very important to success & health while you do this plan. Don't skip out on any one thing thinking it doesn't matter much. You don't have to count calories so ignore MFP suggestions. I'm in maintenance and use MFP just to track my ratios of fat to carb in my meals. It always tells me I need more carbs, and my fat% is a bit high, and I eat more protein than suggested. There isn't a way to set it up for IP plan or maintenance lo carb style.

You will do fine if you make sure you don't have too many unrestricted alternatives - that seems to be the tricky part about alternative products from what I've seen. The top of the daily thread may have more links to using alternatives and how to figure the right ones out.

Liana

If you want, send me a message & friend me on MFP and I can help with your diary if you wish. I have the same username on MFP - but do need an intro email as I don't friend randomly- let me know you are on IP on 3FC :) MFP is mainly set up for the 'calories in calories out' counting crowd so it needs a little tweaking for us. It isn't so much the low calories that put you into what they call 'starvation mode', it's the lack of nutrients, vitamins, minerals. There are scientists who feel that restricting calories can increase your life span as it has been proven in mice but they are serious about getting all the needed vitamins & minerals and nutrients for healthy life. Just an interesting side point.

Originally Posted by canadjineh:
The great thing about this diet is you don't have to count calories or points or anything like that... Don't get freaked by MFP and its 1200 cal suggestion etc. All you need to do is make sure your alternative products meet the IP standards for macros and eat your veggies as per the plan, drink your water, take your salt and your vitamins. Each of these things is very important to success & health while you do this plan. Don't skip out on any one thing thinking it doesn't matter much. You don't have to count calories so ignore MFP suggestions. I'm in maintenance and use MFP just to track my ratios of fat to carb in my meals. It always tells me I need more carbs, and my fat% is a bit high, and I eat more protein than suggested. There isn't a way to set it up for IP plan or maintenance lo carb style.

You will do fine if you make sure you don't have too many unrestricted alternatives - that seems to be the tricky part about alternative products from what I've seen. The top of the daily thread may have more links to using alternatives and how to figure the right ones out.

Liana

If you want, send me a message & friend me on MFP and I can help with your diary if you wish. I have the same username on MFP - but do need an intro email as I don't friend randomly- let me know you are on IP on 3FC :) MFP is mainly set up for the 'calories in calories out' counting crowd so it needs a little tweaking for us. It isn't so much the low calories that put you into what they call 'starvation mode', it's the lack of nutrients, vitamins, minerals. There are scientists who feel that restricting calories can increase your life span as it has been proven in mice but they are serious about getting all the needed vitamins & minerals and nutrients for healthy life. Just an interesting side point.

Thanks canadjineh! I sent you a friend request on MFP (I think I did it right). I am making sure I only do one restricted per day and only my two unrestricted as per protocol. I have been eating egg whites and pickles (only 1 or 2 small ones) to help with the hunger gaps. I am also trying to make sure I get the full 2 cups of veggies in. But otherwise I think I'm okay. I still have a bit of a "learning curve" but I think I have the basics down.

Originally Posted by tysgirl319:
Hi all I am new to IP and I am trying alternatives for IP. First I would like to say thanks to all you ladies for the invaluable information regarding the diet plan. A friend of mine has lost a lot of weight following IP and I wanted to try it but couldn't afford it. Thanks to you ladies I am able to try it using alternatives and look forward to my new weight loss journey. I started alternatives on Tues the 10th and we will see how it goes.

Now my question is how many calories should we aim for per day? I have been following all the rules and suggestions about what to eat and tracking my food intake on "myfitnesspal". Yesterday I was under 1000 calories. I wanted to make sure I am eating enough calories so I won't go into starvation mode. However, I checked this morning and I am in ketosis per the ketosticks.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

If you want to keep it SUPER SIMPLE (that's me!) go to the first post in this thread and get the little pink guide to selecting alternatives, then go down about five posts and look for a post from me with just a bit more detail. Those posts tell you the numbers to look for on each product. If you pick each product using that info, then you Don't NEED to count or track anything (YAY!)

Just follow the Phase 1 sheet exactly but use your carefully selected alternative products instead of IP foods.

That's it!,

(Of course some people want to track it all, but it is really and truly unnecessary because IP did it all for us!)

Thank you all for these posts - they are very helpful for a new person!

Hi all! I am just starting the IP Alternative diet plan. My girlfriend has been doing IP for a while and has lost a ton of weight, unfortunately like many of you the cost of IP is just too much. I must say I am quite overwhelmed by the vast amount of suggestions and information on this forum. My real question is has anyone looked at the Body by Vi shakes? The nutrition facts look good to me, I just don't know about the ingredient restrictions.
Nutrition Facts:
90 cal
7 carbs
5 fiber
<1 sugar
12 protein
This is the link for what I was looking at. http://visalus.com/pdf/products/vish...ngredients.jpg
what do you all think?

For everyone doing alternative products, what are your favorite restricteds that you can pick up in the grocery?

Originally Posted by KaitlynnJean:
Hi all! I am just starting the IP Alternative diet plan. My girlfriend has been doing IP for a while and has lost a ton of weight, unfortunately like many of you the cost of IP is just too much. I must say I am quite overwhelmed by the vast amount of suggestions and information on this forum. My real question is has anyone looked at the Body by Vi shakes? The nutrition facts look good to me, I just don't know about the ingredient restrictions.
Nutrition Facts:
90 cal
7 carbs
5 fiber
<1 sugar
12 protein
This is the link for what I was looking at. http://visalus.com/pdf/products/vish...ngredients.jpg
what do you all think?

I'm not an expert on alts but IP has 15 grams of protein. It might be fine for one meal, but if you used it for all three, you'd be light in what you need. And over the course of a week, even one meal a day would be like losing more than one protein serving.

Originally Posted by CO_6:
For everyone doing alternative products, what are your favorite restricteds that you can pick up in the grocery?

I'm doing a mix. Not a favourite but I did buy grocery store soy nuts when I read the IP pack and saw there wasn't anything special there. $3 for seven servings rather than $4 a pack. That being said, I have t really eaten them. A serving is veery small and I would rather eat something else. Glad I learned that as a $3 lesson. I have enough IP packs in my cupboard that I don't like.

Originally Posted by CO_6:
For everyone doing alternative products, what are your favorite restricteds that you can pick up in the grocery?

My favorite are the Quest Bars. I don't eat the restricted ones though. You can find them at GNC stores. I also found them at 711 last week.

C06- I only have one bar that I buy from the grocery store and that is the pure protein Peanut bar - http://www.amazon.com/Pure-Protein-C...e+protein+bars
I buy them at Target, they are cheaper generally than Walmart and Amazon.com.
The test of my restrictives are from nashuanutrition.com

Hi IP Friends- I trust all of you members who have been working at this for some time to give your honest opinion on the pure protein RDS; with 35 gms of protein a can. I tried it today and it is the closest In tastto to the ready made vanilla IP that I have found and 1/2 the cost. my question is if I have 2 of those a day with my snack and follow the sheet from center exactly will I be taking in to much protein? Thanks for your weigh in. :)
Day

Originally Posted by Happydays123:
Hi IP Friends- I trust all of you members who have been working at this for some time to give your honest opinion on the pure protein RDS; with 35 gms of protein a can. I tried it today and it is the closest In tastto to the ready made vanilla IP that I have found and 1/2 the cost. my question is if I have 2 of those a day with my snack and follow the sheet from center exactly will I be taking in to much protein? Thanks for your weigh in. :)
Day

YES - it really is way more protein than an IP packet should be (IP ranges between a minimum of 12 and max around 20). IP is a moderate protein eating plan and as such limits protein in the packets and in the 8 oz meat portions.

Many people use HALF the shake at a time as a packet (blend with coffee, coffee ice cubes, spinach, etc to give more volume) OR there is a Snack Size PP that is 18 grams and just right!

Originally Posted by Happydays123:
Hi IP Friends- I trust all of you members who have been working at this for some time to give your honest opinion on the pure protein RDS; with 35 gms of protein a can. I tried it today and it is the closest In tastto to the ready made vanilla IP that I have found and 1/2 the cost. my question is if I have 2 of those a day with my snack and follow the sheet from center exactly will I be taking in to much protein? Thanks for your weigh in. :)
Day

I buy a 23 gr pure protein RTD at Walmart in ontario. I only use it when I am too rushed in the morning as I know even it is high.