Good Morning! I'm back after losing 56 lb last year. In the last 6 months or so I have moved across the country and have taken 2 vacations and 2 minis ones too. So it's time to get back on track and lose the 20 lbs I put on. I made an appointment at my local clinic and after I got there found out they are phasing out Ideal Protein and going with HealthWise. I have never heard of this and was concerned since I really liked the Ideal Protein food. She assured me it taste as good. When she showed me the Chili packet it looked just like one I had order from Nausha Nutrition. When I got home I checked the products are they are the same as HealthSmart. Probably just made by the same company. Because the HealthWise are lower in calories I need to have 4 packets a day. It's still cheaper than IP. She never said why they were switching but I'm sure cost is a factor.
I expect to have the same success.

Although I am not as close to goal as you are (AWESOME, btw!), I have also recently increased my exercise. I have still been losing even though I have gone to 4 packets AND extra whole eggs on exercise days. I try to keep to the lower calorie packets but still eat a restricted:

Breakfast: RTD Chocolate Drink
W/O: weights 30 minutes, cardio 45-60, cardio is 70-90% HR
Immediately after w/o: 1 boiled egg, drink packet
Lunch (early): Spinach smoothie with pudding or wild berry with frozen rhubarb, and salad
1st snack: Boiled egg
2nd snack: restricted
Usually walk/jog for at least 45 minutes because I'm so antsy lately
Dinner: per IP, with salad

If I don't eat those eggs, I am starving. I do this 4-5x a week.

IP has helped me learn between cravings and hunger. If I don't want a boiled egg, it's a craving (almost always TOM, which lasts 1.5 weeks because my cycle has gotten stretched to 45 days on this diet).

I do use alternatives in addition to IP, mostly drinks but I do use the dry cereals when I'm bored or need something to chew.

EDIT: I do have my coach's blessing for this, I won't eat egg whites plain, she said to eat extra whole eggs or tuna.

Ha! I'm in the same boat regarding that leek soup. Honestly I am not interested at all. I'm only on day 2 but I know I'll be down to some less desirable products by next Wednesday (couldn't schedule my weekly appt until Day 8).

I am thinking about buying 4-5 boxes next week depending on what I like this week. It's kind of a pain to have to spend that much all at once but I figure it's better than eating the same exact thing every day.

I ate four IP packs yesterday because I had a headache, so I'm really glad my coach included 28 different things to try. I am going to split up my protein today (I could not get 8oz down yesterday evening!) and try to stick with just 3 packets.

Glad to hear you are down 8lbs. I weighed myself this morning (always do while the shower heats up) but am only going to consider weekly weighins as official.

Day 1 of restart for me today but I won't have my official stats until I see my coach on Friday. I hope to avoid some of the GI issues I had last time by limiting the soy somewhat.

I'm committing to staying 100% OP until Thanksgiving even if I have issues. Then we'll see, hopefully I can hang in there to goal!

I like a lot of the IP foods but they don't all like me! Still this is by far the best plan ever for real results.

Thank you so much. I seriously have been on the verge of tears for the last few days trying to figure out if I go to P3 and phase off in order to run or figure it out. Heading to my appointment in about an hour and going to discuss your strategy. Can I ask what your daily calories and weekly losses are like?

CONGRATS! Wow, your first 8 days flew by! I feel like you just started yesterday! Some clinics allow you to buy individual packets that add up to one box. That's clinic by clinic so yours may not allow it! I think that is what you're referring to?

You are doing amazing! Happy to see you were able to hang in and so close to goal. Woohoo!

OMG I know, I'm glad it went by fast!

I really hope my clinic is like that or else I'm not sure how I'll be able to handle eating the same thing for 7 days in a row... lol

I am so sorry you feel like crying

How about a go-go-turkey dance line to make you smile

:t urkey:

and some to cheer you up

Jemma, the restritcted IP foods are only 1 a day - so it's either 1 bar or one soy crisp, etc. With alternatives, I use the QUEST bars, and even tho their net carbs and total calories are less than the IP bars, I treat them as restricted so only 1 a day. I mix up when I eat them - sometimes I have the savory soy puffs with my salad (like croutons) as lunch and then have 2 cups of mixed cukes and celery as snacky food I can crunch inbetween protein meals. The term snack in IP vernacular just means eating a meal that's not labeled breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's not to say you can only eat a 'snack' type food at that time. Hope that helps. Lisa and my coach are really adamant that you eat all your packs a day and make sure your total calories are sufficient. I discovered, since I don't eat meat, that a lot of the times, 8 ozs are not enough calories - 8 ozs of chicken are about 300 calories whereas 8 ozs of cod are 200 so I usually have to augment with a whole egg or some shrimp. Calories are very important, you don't want to go into starvation mode. Hope this helps.

Hahahah! Thank you so much. It is precisely the reason 3FC is so amazing.

WI today, down 2.4lbs! Excited!! However, I have come to the realization that I can't afford to keep doing it OP. I am searching for alternatives, because I believe in this program and want to continue the success I am having. I ordered some items from Nashua and so I am hoping they are good. But the shipping is crazy expensive to Canada so I need to find another place hopefully here that I can get some product from.

Sarita: You have done amazing! I think it's a combination of being so close to goal and the extra cycling to work. Nothing wrong with experimenting with an extra egg or two per day. You have to make the program work for you. Keep it up!

Congrats on the loss of 2.4 lbs!! Check out the alternatives thread AND ebay for IP stuff too

I order from two Canadian companies: Lowcarbgrocery.com and Lowcarbcanada.ca. I use mostly IP products, but there is a decent selection of alternatives on these sites. Shipping is really reasonable and quite quick.