Okay, I'm going to be Debbie Downer for a minute. Truth be told, I am having a hard time eating the packaged food. I heard some people describe it as 'delicious' and one website even said some of the packets were 'gourmet'! SAY WHAT????? I dislike the food so much that I eat it standing, with the tv on, in order to distract me from the horror. Therefore, I am thrilled when others say how they tweak the packets to make them better. Any tricks you mentioned are noted by me! So please share your experiences! Okay, I'll put a sock in my mouth and stop the Debbie Downer comments now...
I use alternatives, so I can't really comment on the official IP packets, but I agree, they're not great. I hate eating out of a packet! I've found a few things that make it more bearable- substituting eggs and/or Quest chips once a day, finding the few packets I actually like and eating primarily those, etc.
But I just remind myself that it's not forever!
And after IP, I'm going to be more mindful of what I eat so I never have to eat this stuff again!
Hello all! Well, it's day 5 of the diet for me and
I am having a hard time eating the packaged food.
So please share your experiences!
--Susie
SusieCJ I had the same experience the first two weeks - I don't think there was one thing that I liked. I had mostly only eaten whole foods for several years prior and I wasn't used to all the artificial tastes and flavoring and the weird sugar substitute thing. My coach was actually a little flustered with me because she kept wanting me to be excited about the bars and things and I didn't like any of it.
A couple things that might be encouraging:
1. My palate did change over time, and I started enjoying some things.
2. I learned which products I actually somewhat liked, and I felt fine about just sticking to those. I had a bag of chips every day for lunch, I had about 3 different bars and the wafers that I liked for restricted, and I had a pudding or RTD for the other snack. I usually added cinnamon and/or a little ginger or himalyan sea salt to the drink or pudding, sometimes a dash of extract. I also added cinnamon to my coffee and tea, and sometimes a little salt also.
3. I didn't do much more than that, I liked the simplicity and not cooking. I made my meats on the weekend and put them in individual containers, froze part of them. I put my veggies and leafy greans in baggies for the week and just grabbed some every day to take with me in my cooler for the day. I ate everything raw except sometimes I cooked things with the meat meal. It was just easier for me.
4. For my 8 oz protein I had a hard time getting it down, so I made a lot of "soups" - I would measure the meat separately, then sometimes cook vegetables and measure those, and mix them together with some broth in individual portions. It worked great. On really hard weeks I pureed it all together in the blender so it was easier to get down.
5. Several people on this board mentioned that I might like some things more after a few months - I did try a few things here and there - sometimes I liked them a little better, but I mostly just stuck with what I like.
6. I have tried a few of the Alternative products but the IP was better for me.
7. I just decided to approach the whole thing the same way I would with any medical treatment - those "space packets" (as I called them with my friends - they remind me of NASA astronaut food) were just part of my medicine, and I took them more like that.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Good luck!
I'm just 5 weeks into IP, and I keep seeing other March starters freaking out because they haven't lost weight 3 days into week 2 or 3.
Here's my food for thought:
I'm a daily-weigher because I love data. I started weighing daily after two weeks, and at first I was concerned by my progress. But after watching my weight daily over the past few weeks, I've realized how incredibly inaccurate daily weighing is, and after seeing comments from other daily weighers, I see how detrimental it can be to a person's motivation.
I've now learned to expect my weight to remain +/- .2 pounds all week, drop several pounds a few days before weigh-in, and then go up about .5 pounds for my weigh-in. I've learned that this is completely normal for my body, and as long as I stick to the diet, I am successful every single day.
This week, I watched my weight go up three pounds since last week's pre-weigh-in drop, then down one just this morning. But having watched my erratic losses in the past four weeks, it's totally not a big deal. I'm still 100% OP, I started running this week, my belly is visibly shrinking every single day!
I use alternatives, so I can't really comment on the official IP packets, but I agree, they're not great. I hate eating out of a packet! I've found a few things that make it more bearable- substituting eggs and/or Quest chips once a day, finding the few packets I actually like and eating primarily those, etc.
But I just remind myself that it's not forever!
And after IP, I'm going to be more mindful of what I eat so I never have to eat this stuff again!
I've read a lot of positive comments about Quest Chips so I will ask my coach about them. I don't suppose she'll approve me using non-IP food, but I'll run it by her. I had my first package of IP Salt and Vinegar Crisps yesterday and I'm not sure if I will even keep the remaining bags!
And your comment about being more mindful of what you will eat when you are off plan has occured to me, too! I shall visualize some of the IP Packets when I reach for a second helping of pizza or ice cream. What an incentive that'll be!
Hello all! Well, it's day 5 of the diet for me and I'm glad I'm still around! Whenever I get 'blue' I turn to 3FC and everyone is so inspiring that I kick myself in the rear (which is fairly big) and push onward!
I am a recently diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic so I am on an Alternative IP Plan for the intial two weeks. This means I won't have the dramatic initial weight loss that others experiece but, hey, the weight was sooo slow to come off when I dieted on my own that I doubt it'll worse. (For example, it took me about 8 weeks to lose 5 lbs. at the start of the year.) So if I lose 2 lbs. I'll be ahead!
Okay, I'm going to be Debbie Downer for a minute. Truth be told, I am having a hard time eating the packaged food. I heard some people describe it as 'delicious' and one website even said some of the packets were 'gourmet'! SAY WHAT????? I dislike the food so much that I eat it standing, with the tv on, in order to distract me from the horror. Therefore, I am thrilled when others say how they tweak the packets to make them better. Any tricks you mentioned are noted by me! So please share your experiences! Okay, I'll put a sock in my mouth and stop the Debbie Downer comments now...
On a positive note, I am happy to be so committed to losing weight! Ideal Protein is so unique and uses a totally different approach to dieting. My old dieting methods were not working and I am thankful my doctor told me about IP! And I am very thankful to have found 3FC--my support group!
--Susie
I agree the packets are not great, I also get bored of the veggies hehe but I repeat to myself that they are good and try to only focus on the stuff I like. What I dont like I swallow it cursing and wont buy again! hehe I think its diet food, not whole foods so it wont have the same taste... I think for diet food it taste good, much better than I was anticipating, it doesnt mean it will taste as good as real chocolate drink or pudim! I know it wont and it shouldnt... as it doesnt have carbs and carbs are the stuff we like! hehehe
Hang in there, try to focus on the stuff you like and motivate yourself so you stick to it. Good luck and repeat to yourself many times you like it until you believe hehehehehe
Dickinsp and Grateful4Health, thanks for the support and advice! I am struggling with the packets but my current mantras are 'one day at a time' and 'this won't last forever'. I think I'll set up some (non-food) rewards, too: manicures, pedicures, a movie, etc. And of course, once I lose some weight I can also clothes shop - that's another incentive! Damn, by the end I'll have a beautiful wardrobe, the nicest nails, AND I'LL BE THINNER!!
Hi IdealAnnie! I am returning after 3 years. I lost 120 pounds in 7 months the first go round. Felt and looked great. I didn't finish the phases and the food eventually was in controll of me. I gained 80 pounds and my health is affected. I am going to do this because I am worth it. Thank you for starting this thread, it helps to feel more connected and not alone.
I lost 90 lbs in about 9 months, I also didn't phase off. I let food take control and here I am 2 years later restarting. Taking it one day at a time.
Hi everyone...I am so encouraged by your posts! I am not exactly a March beginner as I started yesterday. My first day was really great. I added the cappuccino ready made to my black coffee and it was good! For lunch I tried the broccoli soup and was only able to eat half. I think next time I will either add more water or add some roasted broccoli to the mix. The one thing I did that I am not sure was good, was I ate the bag of BBQ crisps throughout the day. I counted them as my snack. For dinner I made pork tenderloin on the grill and roasted a bunch of veggies. So day one down and I am still really motivated!
Hi everyone...I am so encouraged by your posts! I am not exactly a March beginner as I started yesterday. My first day was really great. I added the cappuccino ready made to my black coffee and it was good! For lunch I tried the broccoli soup and was only able to eat half. I think next time I will either add more water or add some roasted broccoli to the mix. The one thing I did that I am not sure was good, was I ate the bag of BBQ crisps throughout the day. I counted them as my snack. For dinner I made pork tenderloin on the grill and roasted a bunch of veggies. So day one down and I am still really motivated!
I always eat the crisps as snacks! Sometimes I use them as lunch as well. They are unrestricted and you can use it as u wish. So nothing bad!! Yesterday I went to a friends house for Easter lunch and I ate the crisps for lunch with a tiny bit of fish! hehehe made me feel good as everyone was having a full meal of fish and rice.
Well week two way in was done 10 lbs, so did a happy dance!!
I too struggle with some of the foods in the pkg, so talked to my coach and I am doing the shakes adding the veggies to them and the Restricted Bar for breakfast, I do find I can tolerate the pkgs if I cook my own veggies and add to them. I use the suppers to make myself feel like it is worth it, but using the reciepes and I also do a lot of the chocolate or cappucino drinks for snacks, I know this costs a bit more but if I give up the money I spent will already be wasted, so it is worth it for me. I add ice to the drinks and blend with hazelnut stevia and it is like an ice drink.
Ladies, I made cauliflower "rice" today and its great! For those that miss their rice like I do its a great substitute!
The way to make is to buy the head of cauliflower, cut up your 2 cups and put it in a food processor. Once its processed you put the content on a warm frying pan with a lite bit of olive oil. I used the sea salt and garlic powder to give it some flavour. I let it brown gently and voila! Great to eat as rice. Of course its not the same thing but it does the trick!!!
You can try it at home there are many recipes online as well!! Oh happy day!!
I always eat the crisps as snacks! Sometimes I use them as lunch as well. They are unrestricted and you can use it as u wish. So nothing bad!! Yesterday I went to a friends house for Easter lunch and I ate the crisps for lunch with a tiny bit of fish! hehehe made me feel good as everyone was having a full meal of fish and rice.
Thank you for clearing the crisps guilt for me! Yesterday was hard mentally. I was putting together the kids Easter baskets and really really wanted a Reeses egg! I wish I would have purchased something chocolaty.....
YUMM! I am going to try this today....I have leftover roasted cauliflower! I wasn't sure what to make with my ham...I am making potatoes for the rest of the family.
Hi everyone...I am so encouraged by your posts! I am not exactly a March beginner as I started yesterday. My first day was really great. I added the cappuccino ready made to my black coffee and it was good! For lunch I tried the broccoli soup and was only able to eat half. I think next time I will either add more water or add some roasted broccoli to the mix. The one thing I did that I am not sure was good, was I ate the bag of BBQ crisps throughout the day. I counted them as my snack. For dinner I made pork tenderloin on the grill and roasted a bunch of veggies. So day one down and I am still really motivated!
Hi Kaleidomom! I just wanted to say hi and welcome you to IP. I started on March 30 and will have my first weigh-in tomorrow, so I am also very new to the program.
The broccoli soup didn't sit well with me, either. I had added two cups of steamed chopped broccoli and I still had a hard time with it. I found the chicken noodle soup and veggie chili to be better. Maybe you'll want to try them the next time!
I think it was GreatfulForHealth who gave me the best advice - this diet is short-term and your health will improve so focus on that rather than the food!
Another change I made is to divide the 8 oz (raw) of protein between lunch and dinner as it was too much to eat at one sitting. Fellow bloggers suggested that to me!
Unfortunately I am on the Alternative Plan for the first two weeks of IP because I have Type 2 Diabetes so my weight loss will not be great at first but it is what it is.
But good luck to all! I continue to read this forum and stay motivated!! Thank you and hugs to all!!
) and push onward!
!!
