So I've had a few friends (not local) who have been on or have completed ideal protein and have all had positive results. I am in desperate need to get healthy and am just tired of being "morbidly obese" based on my BMI. I've checked on the IP website and have called most of the clinics in about a 15 mile radius to me but they all charge different amounts (ranges from $550-$280) to start on the diet (food, vitamins, everything needed to start). What's up with the price difference? Also weekly food cost varies from ($84-$110/week). Some places charge a consultation fee, some places won't let me just walk in and start unless I go to some educational class. What made you go with one place over the other? I don't want to just go solely by price; you know go to the lowest price place and not lose weight otherwise I'll be out the money and the same weight nor do I want to spend the most and also not lose weight. BTW I'm located in San Francisco so if anyone has a recommendation please let me know. Thanks and I am excited to begin this journey soon.

The main one in the City is called Nutriworks. They charge about $350 for start up and an education class. They also require you to buy boxes for food, rather than picking and choosing your own packets. I'm not sure if they charge for WI's.

There is another clinic in Daly City that charges about $200 for start up and does not require an education class. You can pick and choose your packets ($4 each). No cost for WI.

That sounds frustrating. I was referred to my coach by my naturopath. She charged 150.00 for consultation and 150.00 for first weeks worth of foods and vitamins. I pay about 89.00 a week for food packets, my clinc charges 4.25 per packet. Possibly you could check YELP and see if anyone has any suggestions on there. Best of luck!

Thanks for the reply ALM2000. I don't know if I called an office in Daly City but I did call the Nutra place and they seemed more about selling me something than being concerned about me. I've even called another one in the city in a dental office but that was a bit of an odd place to lose weight. Looking at your numbers, you've done GREAT!! I guess I'll go in for a class or consultation and see who I click with. I think me clicking with my future coach is really important. I really don't want someone who just wants me in and out in a few minutes like I was just a dollar sign without any personal consideration. How has your personal experience been with your facility and coach? Maybe I can do it without a coach...

Thanks for your reply, Ilovesugar. I really don't like going on yelp opinions because some of those yelp comments can be totally off. I guess the best recommendation would be from someone I knew that did it and they trusted their coach/facility. Do they charge you for weigh ins?

The Daly City clinic is called Total Care Chiropractic. I have a friend in NB that goes to Nutriworks and another from the EB (Livermore) that goes all the way to DC for Total Care. Yes, it is so important to click with your coach and feel comfortable with him/her. Good luck and please let us know how you are doing.

If you enable your PM feature through your user CP, I can message you re: my experience.

I hear ya, sometimes reviews can be more of a hassle than helpful. I don't pay for weigh ins or measurements. I meet my coach every Friday and we chat for 15 minutes, so weight and measurements and I only pay for the food I purchase.

Wow, from Livermore to DC. That's a drive!! I'm not sure I would make a drive like that unless it was a highly recommended spot. How does your friend like the Nutriworks? I don't know how to enable the PM feature. I'll try and play with it. (I'm not a real computer savy person, just emails and surfing for me )

My choice was all about how I "felt". Losing weight is such a personal, intimate experience that I had to pick carefully. My sensitivity is important.
I went with a clinic that sells by the packet and ultimately the one that was the friendliest on the phone & the most forthcoming with info. I had been reading this forum for about a month so I knew what to ask.

Thanks for your reply. Yes I think it is important for me to feel comfortable with who I see and becomes my coach otherwise I'll hate them and possibly the diet.

For the people who are able to buy the packet, you can't do this at all locations? Some clinics make you buy the whole box? Whole box of one item? What happens if you don't like it, can you trade em out? Also are all the products the same cost such as bars, drinks, pre-made? ALM2000 I'd love to hear about your experience with the clinic you go to and the diet overall before I start. Your experience might help me pick one place over the other. I looked and don't have of those for instant messaging but I can give you my email so you could give me the information that way. How do I message you? Or should I just put my email on here? Darn, these new computer things.

You will be able to enable the PM(Private Message) feature after you have been here 20 days and have 20 posts.
For your own security, please do not post your email in the forum. We get lots of visitors who "harvest" emails.

Check out reviews of clinics on yelp.com

Wow ... what a racket! I guess I'm lucky I can go through my doctor's office. I pay for food only (no charge for measurements and WIs), and that's all I have ever paid for other than routine blood work at the start. I have a second round of routine blood work (covered by insurance) coming up in March.

Clinics are supposed to sell by the box because the individual packets are not labeled for individual sale (a flaw on IP's part in my opinion). Some clinics realize what a hardship that is and have devised ways around that...either with trade baskets or by outright selling individual packets (and providing label info). At other clinics you're just stuck with product if you don't like it. The unfortunate thing is this: how do you develop a variety of products at home when you are only buying single boxes? This is an expensive initial investment.

Re: cost.
At most clinics, all the packets cost the same per box, however, the dry packets come 7/box and the ready-to-drink items come 6/box...all for the same price!