Do Diet Programs go in and out of style or popularity?
 

Is it ME ... or does it seem like there was huge explosion in the numbers of people that adopted the Ideal Protein Diet from 2012 through 2014. But lately it seems like that interest has really waned. I am not sure if my perspective is skewed, but it seemed like from 2012-2013-2014 ... there were a LOT more people in this forum ... posting about their efforts and progress with the IP Diet. Today this forum seems so quiet (almost dead) by comparison.

I guess it makes sense that some diets might be kind of cyclical in nature ... gaining and then losing popularity. But just curious if anyone else has noticed this. And if you think I am wrong about this -- post it. I might have a skewed memory of how things seemed a year or two ago.

HOPE EVERYONE IS WELL and doing great!!

I would agree with you. When I first did IP in 2011, the boards were so active, that it was almost impossible to keep up! Now, it hardly seems like there is any activity, just a few random posts here and there each day.

I do wish they were more active, because they were such a great source of support for me the first time.

Two reasons ;),
They've either gone back to old habits and regained enough that they have quit coming here,
or they are happily in maintenance and don't feel the board is as necessary as it used to be for their continued success.
:)

Life is pretty busy for almost all of us, so I guess it's a matter of priorities - online life or real life.
Blunt but likely true.

Liana

Thanks for that feedback! I guess my thoughts were not about OLD dieters ... from years ago ... but my observation that there are very few NEW people starting with IP. Maybe the IP diet is not promoted as heavy as it was a few years ago ... or maybe there are other new diet programs that are similar that are getting more traffic. I have a friend that is doing Medifast ... which I think is similar to IP.

Yes I totally agree that I would fully expect that OLD IP Dieters from a few years back would fall away ...

But there is just not as many NEW people coming up through the ranks ...

At least that's how it seems

Not a huge deal either way ... but it was just interesting (curious) to me.

By the way SO SORRY to hear of the TERROR attacks in Paris France right now ... last I heard over 30 dead ... I am sure that will continue to rise. So sad.

Yes- I see there is not as much activity on here as there was when I first joined. But when I first got on this website/blog, I would read lots of old posts so had a lot to catch up on. Also, several other popular " programs" have been put out there since like yoli, thrive, advocare, which I have looked at all of them and sampled the products. Premise is about the same for all- cut out the sugar, eat protein, veggies and take their supplements. I am back to ideal protein as their products just taste so superior to me even thou they are spendy. Have a good weekend

I think too the Facebook format has overtaken the forum format. Instant gratification...
...and it's not just IP - the Low Carb forum I've been part of for 12 years...while it ebbs and flows, seems to have become a handful of "regulars" - LC'ers who have been there as long, if not longer than me

I wonder how much of it is the cost of IP products versus other diets out there. Keto diets are not new, and are not particularly difficult to do without buying packets. There's also been a major interest in the paleo forums.

IP is rather extreme in terms of carb and caloric restriction in comparison to the alternatives; and I suspect that many people simply can't survive on such low levels. Whether it is physically true, or a psychological barrier, it is still enough to make many people turn away. After all, just look at how many people ask about IP and are absolutely horrified by how little the diet really comprises. :)

My first thought was FB, too. And younger internet users don't even turn to FB that much. Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram... they seem to like the abbreviated contact those platforms provide.

Then, too, IP is expensive. In many places, the economy hasn't really recovered, despite gov't claims to the contrary.

And then there are the newer popular weight management philosophies like paleo and Whole 360, which both seem to be very popular among people I know.

Great feedback everyone. I think you all hit the nail on the head!

I am an administrator on the Ideal Protein Alternatives FB page. We have been running just over a year with 5,000 members joining in that time. I think it may be the format of FB vs Forums...