Ideal protein diet

[Anonymous]

Considering going on this diet as I have a good 40-50 lbs to lose. Looking for feedback from others who did it: pros, cons, side effects, successes, failures and any other info. Thx

[Anonymous]

I know someone who did it and lost a lot of weight. But it's expensive and I dont think it's worth it. Just do low carb, it's pretty much the same.

[Anonymous]

Didn't do it myself, but know a few people that did.

I agree with PP, it's just low carb with a pretty big deficit.

One con is that it includes a lot of their processed/artificial foods like bars, chips, etc.

One pro is if you don't want to figure out it on your own, they'll tell you how much and what you can eat, so there's pretty much no learning curve.

[Anonymous]

It's basically meal replacement shakes with 1-2 low carb meals per day. It's an ultra low carb diet that induces ketosis. It's easy to look up online how to diet into ketosis. Buy some very low carb protein shakes

[Anonymous]

I successfully lost over 40 lbs using this plan. Their replacement food tasted fine to me, but I mostly stuck with shakes, drinks, chips and bars. The ingredients in the foods are definitely NOT things you want to spend your life eating, but I was willing to do so for a couple of months to jump start my much needed weight loss. Their food is also $$$$. The plan worked for me bc it was very prescribed and I didn't have to put a lot of thought into it. I also really connected with my coach. I am in the "maintenance" mode now and it is clear that you can't go back to old eating habits and expect to keep the weight off. To make it work you have to spend a few months dedicated to weight loss but also be willing to make a life change overall after you reach your goal. If you aren't ready to do both of those things then I wouldn't recommend spending the time and money buying into their program.

[Anonymous]

Just eat healthy, whole foods. Incorporate a lot more fresh veggies and fruits. Much better than any fad diet.

[Anonymous]

Look at Ideal protein Alternatives save money. Just google ideal protein alternatives

[Anonymous]

I did it last year, lost 35 pounds, and have kept it off. The first 3 days were hard for me, after that it was fine. The biggest advantage for me was I really got used to eating smaller portions, and that has stuck with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just eat healthy, whole foods. Incorporate a lot more fresh veggies and fruits. Much better than any fad diet.

Yep.

Stop counting carbs, but choose quality carbs - plants loaded with fiber. Lots of vegetables, fruit, beans, wholesome grains, etc. Eat real food and food that looks like what it was created as (ie, not from a box, not from a styrofoam or shrink-wrapped container, etc)

[Anonymous]

does this diet cause kidney stones?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:does this diet cause kidney stones?

It did for two women in their 50's.
But then maybe it was just a coincidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does this diet cause kidney stones?

It did for two women in their 50's.
But then maybe it was just a coincidence.

also you are supposed to drink 64 ounces of water a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I successfully lost over 40 lbs using this plan. Their replacement food tasted fine to me, but I mostly stuck with shakes, drinks, chips and bars. The ingredients in the foods are definitely NOT things you want to spend your life eating, but I was willing to do so for a couple of months to jump start my much needed weight loss. Their food is also $$$$. The plan worked for me bc it was very prescribed and I didn't have to put a lot of thought into it. I also really connected with my coach. I am in the "maintenance" mode now and it is clear that you can't go back to old eating habits and expect to keep the weight off. To make it work you have to spend a few months dedicated to weight loss but also be willing to make a life change overall after you reach your goal. If you aren't ready to do both of those things then I wouldn't recommend spending the time and money buying into their program.

Op here - I also need something prescribed in order to be successful. Would you mind telling me how much you paid for fees and food. Also, how long did it take you to lose 40 lbs.? Thx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I successfully lost over 40 lbs using this plan. Their replacement food tasted fine to me, but I mostly stuck with shakes, drinks, chips and bars. The ingredients in the foods are definitely NOT things you want to spend your life eating, but I was willing to do so for a couple of months to jump start my much needed weight loss. Their food is also $$$$. The plan worked for me bc it was very prescribed and I didn't have to put a lot of thought into it. I also really connected with my coach. I am in the "maintenance" mode now and it is clear that you can't go back to old eating habits and expect to keep the weight off. To make it work you have to spend a few months dedicated to weight loss but also be willing to make a life change overall after you reach your goal. If you aren't ready to do both of those things then I wouldn't recommend spending the time and money buying into their program.

Op here - I also need something prescribed in order to be successful. Would you mind telling me how much you paid for fees and food. Also, how long did it take you to lose 40 lbs.? Thx

I paid a few hundred to get started with a coach, which includes the first week or so of food and vitamins. After that it cost me approximately $4.50 for each IP food. You typically eat 3-4 of their IP foods per day, depending on what your daily routine is like (so approximately $95-$125/ week). It took me 3 months to lose 30 pounds and I usually only had 3 IP meals per day. After that my loss slowed down bc I wasn't being as stringent in following the plan (though still within a very prescribed framework) -- which my coach and I were ok with. I was still losing and neither my coach nor I wanted me to "burn out". If you follow the plan you will lose weight -- that is the easy part. Keeping the weight off is the challenge, but I really think it's just a mindset of not going back to old habits.

[Anonymous]

I also did Ideal Protein and lost about 40 pounds last year. I'm back on now and have lost about 15. If you do it right (e.g., don't cheat), it works wonders. Personally I need a very prescribed regime, as do you, and for me it is the ONLY thing that has every really worked. If you are in ketosis then generally you shouldn't be hungry unless it is time to eat. It's not one of those diets/lifestyle changes where you are just constantly hungry all the time.

It is expensive, but I find it worth it. I typically spend about $100/week on their food. You get a coach and go in for weekly weigh-ins (which are super helpful as they are not just about the scale...they measure your waist/arms/legs,etc, look at fat vs. muscle %, talk through successes and challenges). I go to Ideal Body Wellness in the Palisades.

The one thing that is very, very hard about the program is also what makes it work. It is very strict. When you are eating out, meeting friends/family, you cannot participate in what they are eating. If you have the right mindset it is not a big deal, and you can bring other food.