Ideal Protein v.s. MFP?

LucyAndDiamonds

Has anyone done both? It seems like EVERYONE is doing Ideal Protein (I know of four or five people) as it's the new "it" diet. I'm not thinking of trying it myself but has anyone else? How was it? My old boss was on it and she lost an ASTONISHING amount of weight in a very short amount of time...To the point I was getting a little worried about her (the only things I saw her eat in two to three months were protein shakes, frozen broccoli, and frozen spinach). My boyfriend's mother is on it now and she's lost about 15lbs in a month. I asked her if it was one of those diets that "teaches you how to eat" (which is what I prefer as it's more about a healthier lifestyle for years to come for me) and she said it's not. My old boss almost seemed afraid of quitting it.

It's kind of funny...I was over at my boyfriend's earlier after a really intense workout (I burned around 850 cals). I like eating light during the day and consuming most of my calories at night after I've worked out when I'm hungriest. I had around 1,700 calories for the day so I allowed myself my daily "cheat" (I have way more will power if I allow myself a treat everyday...Plus I've had a hard time reaching my caloric goal so a little junk food helps me to not be too under) which was some fried chicken (I had more than a whole day's worth of calories so why not right?). She asked how my diet was going and I told her...Then she saw my dinner and felt the need to comment "What kind of diet is THAT?" Isn't it great just to have the option?

AntWrig

Infomercial?

Sarauk2sf

If you have to drink a bunch of shakes it does not teach you how to eat.

I had a quick look at their website - there are some glaring inaccuracies in their marketing of their plan, including

"Our protocol restricts sugars (simple and complex) until 100% of your weight loss goal is achieved…why? Because, as long as sugar is being consumed, your body is not burning fat"

They go on about the importance of maintaining LBM in an effort to sell the shakes but from what I can see, make no mention of exercise. Unless you resistance train you will not be preserving LBM no matter how much protein you get.

It's just another low calorie meal replacement shake plus a bunch of additional products there are selling from what I can tell. I can also find no nutritional information on the website.

nexangelus

It's just another low calorie meal replacement shake plus a bunch of additional products there are selling from what I can tell. I can also find no nutritional information on the website.

This ^^^^^^^^

In order to learn about food, your attitude towards it, why you overeat/undereat/binge, etc, one needs to be in contact with real food as you mentally evaluate and re-evaluate things. This includes losing weight and gaining weight. Quick fixes are just that, you lose weight fast or gain it fast, but the mind has not been trained or re-trained with the body, so there is still a gaping hole and a major problem...

LucyAndDiamonds

That thing about the sugars is just nuts...Fat stores are for long term energy and sugars are for short term...You need both...Of course if you over consume you'll just create more fat stores but it's about moderation.

I kind of wondered when my boss did it "How are you going to act during the holidays when you're off the diet and you have a TON of food you haven't eaten in months in front of you?" Anyone would binge. She stayed on it very strictly and like I said seemed almost scared to come off of it and kept going for another five pounds when she'd already lost the weight she'd planned plus some. My boyfriend's mom a few nights ago was actually trying to justify to me about having a piece of fried chicken because she felt guilty about breaking the diet that one time (even though she's lost 15 lbs in about a month or so). I don't know...Obviously it does work for a lot of people looking to lose but the mindset of it just doesn't seem healthy to me you know? That aside is it actually a nutritious diet? Is it based off of palio or clean eating or just another atkins?

ArroganceInStep

Shakes are 'easy'.

I make them because if I eat whole food:
A) It's a PITA to prepare that much food
I'm lazy
C) I'd fill up the fridge and it'd be expensive
D) Did I mention I'm lazy?

I don't think there's any real intrinsic value of a cheap MRP vs a protein powder vs some of these super duper expensive MRPs. Just look at the nutritional content and figure out what you need and what you don't mind the taste of.

For me that's a high quality protein powder with PB2 and milk.

I'm perfectly comfortable looking at the shakes I consume as a permanent fixture in my diet.

I'm not trying to say this Ideal Protein whatever is good (I haven't even looked it up). Even if it is healthy and nutritious, most people get onto these sorts of things for entirely the wrong reasons. If you lose weight on such-and-such diet and then go back to your old habits...you'll go back to your old weight. So whatever paradigm you want to follow make sure it provides you with adequate nutrition and is something you can stick with long term. If you can't it's a waste of time.