Hi all,

This is my 4th week on IP, Phase 1. I went on this diet to lose 20 lbs and my loss has been so slow and minimal.

The first week I lost a total of 1.4 lbs. Had to combat the big C. It was also the week before TOM. Lost 1.75 inches, 2 lbs fat mass, and gained .6 lean mass.

2nd week I lost even less, just .6 lbs. Got Novi-lax and Miralax and tried to wait out the TOM. Lost 1.5 inches, 2.6 lbs fat mass and gained 2 lbs lean mass.

3rd week I lost .8 lbs, .50 inches, and lost 1.4 lean mass and gained .6 lbs fat.

I tried to review what I ate and the only thing that would come up as a "cheat" would be the pinches I'd get from my husband's Think Thin bars. If I were to total all the small bites I had, it would probably come up to half a bar.

I'm concerned about what my gains and losses will be this 4th week because my husband and I have ordered a bunch of stuff from Nashua and are planning to replace some of the IP stuff with them just because staying 100% OP is too expensive for us, especially since I'm also getting a lot dental work done.

This is my alternative plan:

Breakfast
PROTI-DIET Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
(90 cal, 10 cal from fat, 1g total fat, 0 sat/trans fat/cholesterol, 280 sodium, 100 potassium, 6 carbs, 1 dietary fiber, 0 sugars, 15 protein)

OR

PROTI-DIET Bacon Cheese Omelette
(100 cal, 25 cal from fat, 3 total fat, 1 sat fat, 0 trans, 125 cholesterol, 350 sodium, 120 potassium, 2 g carbs, 0 dietary fiber, 1 sugar, 15 protein)

Lunch
IP Chicken Patty or IP Potato Puree

or

PROTI-THIN Chicken Noodle Soup
(90 cal, 0 cal from fat/sat/trans, 5 carbs, 0 sugar/sugar alcohol/dietary fiber, 15 protein)

or

1/2 PROTI-THIN Caramel Delight Bar (though the listing below is for a full bar)
(150 cal, 30 cal from fat, 3.5 total fat, 2.5 sat, 0 trans, 16 carbs, 3 dietary fiber, 5 sugar, 5 sugar alcohol, 15 protein)

SNACK/DESSERT - to be eaten after dinner

IP RTD Vanilla

or

EAS Carb Advantage Vanilla/Chocolate

or

PROTI-DIET Hot Cocoa
(90 cal, 5 cal from fat, 0.5 total fat, 0 sat, 5 carbs, >1 dietary fibre, 2 sugars, 15 protein)


Any thoughts on this plan? I don't want to tell my coach that I'm trying alternative products but I'm afraid to go there for my Wk 4 weigh in and find out I've not only lost lean muscle, but gained fat AND weight.

Do you think my miniscule losses (and sad fat gain) were due to the 1/2 Think Thin bar I ate? Will using alternatives harm my progress even further? I've been reading the different threads on alternatives but I'd appreciate the direct advice on my specific case.

Thanks again, everyone!

I forgot to add that I also look forward to my restricted bars every day but am thinking of cutting my intake to HALF a BAR each day and see if that helps with the weight loss.

I've read that PURE PROTEIN bars are good alternatives, am thinking of using them, too. I plan to use PP flavors that have the lowest sugar and carb content as other flavors have more.

I haven't been on IP very long at all, but I am wondering: are you eating all of your protein? I don't understand why you would gain fat and lose muscle unless maybe the scale is a little off. I know they aren't 100% accurate and maybe fluctuate a little. I don't think a few bites of the bar would have anything to do with it. Are you exercising? If so you will need an extra packet. What about adding in a couple of egg whites in your day and see if that helps.

also wanted to add that from what I have read, people doing alternatives have just the same successes as people that do the IP program. I would try eating the lower carb foods and see if that helps but I think you may need more protein....

Thanks for replying, fourstubbs! My coach and I are baffled by this as well, though she did tell me not to worry about it so much since I'm still, technically losing weight and inches.

Yes, I eat all my protein, if ever I eat this way:
Mon - 2/3 protein
Tue - remaining 1/3 protein + 2/3 new protein
Wed - remaining 1/3 protein + 2/3 new protein....

and my coach said that was okay. She also asked me if I was getting more oil than I'm supposed to and there's a slight chance of that but I'll measure the oil strictly from now on. Am just concerned eating the alternative products will make it worse, since they're not ideal protein stuff and I don't know how my body is going to react. My coach also said the half Think Thin bar may not be responsible for the fat gain and lean muscle loss.

Can you explain this better for me? I'm confused Thanks!!!

I'm on day 10 and doing alts., and have split up my veggies and protein throughout the day. Typically, a cup of spinach in the morning in my shake, 1 c. morning snack, a 1/2 cup chopped up on a lettuce salad for lunch (+protein), and 1.5c for dinner (+protein).

sorry, fourstubbs, i should've been clearer:

My husband is the one preparing our meals (when he comes home from work) so dinner is usually the heaviest, and where I get my 6-8 oz meat protein. Eating all that meat in one sitting is difficult for me so I only consume 2/3 of my dinner and then finish the remainder the next day. And then I repeat the cycle, which allows me to spread my meat intake throughout the day and still get the allotted 6-8 oz in.

Here is an excerpt from Ideal Protein book "because it's your life" by Dr. Tran Tien Chanh: the organs require proteins every day in order to fuction properly because the body does not store protein like it stores fat. during an absolute protein deficiency, tissues wear out and muscle mass melts away." So obviously in your case you don't have an ABSOLUTE protein deficiency, but since you had a little lean muscle loss, I would definitely add a couple of egg whites to your day... I just got the book, but if I read anything that might pertain to you I will certainly let you know! As far as the alternatives, look for products that are of the same nutritional values. I think you will be fine! (I don't think the oil has anything to do with muscle loss, just my 2 cents. LOL )

Thanks!

Let us know if you start losing more weight. I also don't have too much to lose, but have not lost too much since starting the diet. I saw a loss initially that first few days when I accidentally followed the diabetic's alternative plan by adding in food when I shouldn't have. Once I discovered my mistake, I changed to traditional IP with no 'real food' until dinner time. That's when my loss slowed down. I felt like total crap too, yet I wasn't even a little bit hungry
I have decided to give the diabetic Alternative Plan phase 1 a try instead. I feel better with some carbs and maybe it's a fluke thing, but I just went down 2 more pounds this last 2 days. It would be nice if this worked for me, b/c I really like how easy the IP diet is!

Hey all, I've just had my 4th weigh-in yesterday and I lost 2.8 lbs! I know that seems like a small number but it has been my best weekly weigh-in/weight loss to date. So alternative products do work and I'm happy they aren't hindering my progress.

Kifli, I hope the alternative phase 1 works for you better!

I have never been in this position as far as weight/height porportion so don't know if this observation is valid.
But according to your stats you are 5'6" and a bit and you weigh132 pounds which is concidered to be an ideal weight for your height. Possibly your body is not going to let go of any of these pounds easily.

Maybe I missed somethng but are you getting all of your required 4 veggies daily? It's fine to split your 8 oz of protein across the day but be sure to get it all in. I've also found that having a wide variety of protein helps weight loss - be careful of having only the totally lowest calorie (energy dense) proteins, mix it up and see how it goes. Also as Pat said, you are nearly at the perfect weight for your height given general charts, so at that point, it will be slow going. Stay in touch, let us know what works for you.

Sorry, I must've forgotten to include veggies in my plan but yes, I do consume the 4 cups of veggies daily.

As for the ideal weight, I am feeling pretty good at 132.8 but just based it on a time when I felt at my best, which was 2 years ago and I was around 125-128 lbs. I also got a lot of compliments then so I'm aiming for that number.

Thanks for all the encouragement, though!