IDEAL PROTEIN DIET

Very low calorie plans might take off weight fast, but it is not without dangers:

http://drsuetalks.blogspot.com/2011/04/dangers-of-very-low-calorie-diet.html

I would be very suspicious of any diet plan that does not allow you to exercise. They probably say that so you won't pass out on the 1,000 calories a day they allow. And too high of a percentage of protein in your diet can cause health issues in some people

It sounds a bit too much like the dangerous HCG diet scam to me

I would vote "NO"

Actually it is the best advice for people eating ultra low calorie diets. This is why 90% of the people cant lose weight on this site eating their 1200 calories and exercising 5-6 times a week. You either take a moderate deficit approach and move, or take a large deficit approach and dont move. You cannot succeed on alot of activitity and ultra low calories.

That's because you're supposed to be EATING the exercise calories CREATING only a moderate deficit. DUH!

I am on day 8 of the IP diet and I am having excellent results. As of my measurements yesterday, I am down 4 lbs and 3.75 inches. I am an avid runner (did my first half marathon last September in 2hr 42 mins), spinner and overall workout-aholic. I have been working with a trainer for the past few months and have been baffled at why I have not been losing weight. I have been following MFP very well... no results. So, the next thing to think about things in my diet. As most people have, I believe now that I have a gluten intolerance and have been a victim of "Wheat-belly". THe first two days were hell. I had a headache and I was hungry. (I was also on my period, so I am sure that had something to do with it). Yesterday I went spinning and worked out with my personal trainer and ate the normal prescribed day's food and felt fine. I actually had more energy. I am doing this through my chiropractors office. I am also new to the whole concept of chiro (thought they were kind of flaky), but I had my first adjustment 2 weeks ago and so much of my pain (plantar Facitis) has disappeared. So, I see myself as making a full body change and I feel so much better and more energized for it. As for as the investment, my first payment was $312 and now I just buy food weekly as I see necessary. The investment is definitely keeping me on track. I am happy to answer any questions on my experience. I am not an expert and I am only on week 2, but am more than happy to share.

On day 25 and happy to report a loss of 10 pounds and around 9 inches!!! I am thrilled. I am totally into the grove of this kind of eating now and for the most part it is really easy. I am working out fairly normally which is a fair amount (spinning, lifting and running 3-4 times a week). I wasn't too large to begin with, just out of my comfort zone. I am 5 pounds from goal and am so much happier and comfortable with myself. Big kudos to this program!

Good luck with your weight loss, but eating less that 1,000 calories a day is really putting your body into the danger zone -- ESPECIALLY when you are doing heavy exercise. Even if you feel good, you can get sick FAST when you cut your calories too low.

Many doctors would not approve of a plan that relies so much on protein. Eating too high of a percentage of protein can put a lot of stress on your body. (See http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-protein-diets/AN00847 )

Just because a "doctor" created or recommended a diet, that does not necessarily mean it's safe. There are doctors that would do anything to make big money selling books, diet kits, etc that promise quick weight loss

If you want a doctor to supervise your diet, that's up to you. It is not necessary if you want to just shift your diet towards protein. Proteins are harder to metabolize so it means that you actually boost your metabolism by eating protein — yes, you burn calories by eating. According to what I've read, protein requires almost 25% more energy to digest compared to fat and it can up calorie burn by as much as 35 percent.

Just read the article you referenced:
"For most healthy people, a high-protein diet generally isn't harmful if followed for a short time, such as three to four months, and may help with weight loss. However, the risks of using a high-protein diet — usually with carbohydrate restriction — for the long term are still being studied. Several health problems may result if a high-protein diet is followed for an extended time: "

The key is not doing it for too long. I have been doing it for almost 5 weeks and feel fantastic. I will reach a point soon where I have achieved my goal and phase 2 will begin, then phase 3 and finally phase 4. I like this plan because being bored with the foods I can eat, I have had to find healthy ways to make the food taste good. I have found fantastic new recipes that my family loves using fresher ingredients and homemade dressings, etc.

It is all in the learning. As I add foods back into my diet, I will be much more mindful of what I am putting in my body to maintain the goal that I am finally achieving. I am a bit of a heath nut, so I am very careful of what I do to my body. With 2 extremely obese parents (one of which passed away at 59) I know that staying sit and strong will take continuous work for the rest of my life, but I am committed and I love how I am feeling now that I have detoxed my body from all of the nastiness and look forward to filling my body with better food choices as this chapter of my journey comes to a close.

Very low calorie plans might take off weight fast, but it is not without dangers:

http://drsuetalks.blogspot.com/2011/04/dangers-of-very-low-calorie-diet.html

People need to get out of the mindset of numbers................It is NOT about the number of calories one takes in, but the quality of the NUTRITION one intakes.

People never used to count calories, ate plenty of fat and were never obese.

I don't count calories any longer and I will never count them again. I focus on the nutrition found in the Natural foods I eat.

I did ideal protein a year ago and lost 40 pounds in 3 months. It costs $340 a month. No exercise, because you literally are too weak, at least in the beginning. Even if you don't exercise you still lose, it's not a lifestyle diet, it's an extreme diet. I found myself dreading social settings because of having to explain my pre-purchased package protein "foods" My kidneys were effected big time by this diet. I got my first kidney stone because of this diet, and have had kidney issues ever since. Does it work? Yes. Is it healthy? I'd say no. It distributed at "health centers" try... chiropractor's offices that want the extra income. I made it to the final phase and had to stop due to finding out I was pregnant. I gained it all back, and now I've lost the majority on Weight Watchers with exercise incorporated. Will you lose, yes-- a lot, if you don't cheat at all. It will cost a lot, you won't feel like yourself, I was moody. Overall, for quick-- I need to fit into a wedding dress diet-- I'd say yes. For lifestyle, long term. HECK NO.

It is sad that some doctors and health and weight loss consultants are willing to put people that come to them for advice on exreme and dangerous diets just to make a quick profit.

I am on Ideal Protein and absolutely love it. It's the easiest thing i have ever done.

At 47 yrs old and 5'11", I went from 240 lbs to 187 lbs 12 weeks later.

Ideal Protein is a Ketosis based diet protocol. The thing about Ketosis is that while i am only consuming 900 calories a day worth of protein and veggies etc, my body (being in a state of ketosis) is eating 2000 calories a day of it's own fat stores. So my body is effectively getting 2900 calories a day to live on.

Through ketosis, I lose more weight sleeping at night than I used to on an ellyptical trainer for an hour.


My intial fee of $175 included first week's food, and 2 hour long consultations. After that, the food is $85 /wk. Call me a fool, but my wife and I have been enjoying our best summer since the turn of the century.

I'm not sure why all the hate? There is nothing (other than the results) extreme about it. It is a ketosis based, low carb, high protein protocol that has been around in this basic form since the '70's.

I'm not sure why people think it is unhealthy to lose 4.5 pounds a week. By MFP standards, I'd be healthier at 225 lbs or so right now? Instead, I've been enjoying the best summer i've had in over a decade. I have totally found my Mojo, I'm riding in the front of the pack on our 3 hr mountain bike rides 3-4 times a week. At every get-together all I hear are compliments from friends that are astonished at my transformation. You should see the looks on their faces. I have gone from the absolute last notch on my belt to the first notch, and now it is too loose also.

Ideal Protein has been a fountain of youth for me. I feel absolutely awesome. I can't believe all the jump in my step these days.


From Dr Peter Attia's EatingAcademy.com

Ketosis (or keto-adaptation) – Ketosis is a state, achieved through significant reduction of carbohydrate intake (typically to less than 50 grams per day), at which point the body makes a fundamental change from relying on glycogen as its main source of energy to relying on fat as the primary source of energy. In particular, the brain shifts from being entirely dependent on glucose, to being primarily dependent on beta-hydroxybutyrate – a so-called “ketone body.” Ketone bodies are chemical structures made by the liver (also somewhat in the kidney) out of fatty acids, primarily.

Our brain can only function with glucose and ketones. Since we can’t store more than about 24 hours worth of glucose, we would all die of hypoglycemia if ever forced to fast for more than 24 hours if it weren't for the fact that our liver can take fat and select amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and turn them into ketones, first and foremost to feed our brains. Hence, our body’s ability to produce ketones is required for basic survival.

Keto-adaption is a state, achieved through significant reduction of carbohydrate intake (typically to less than 50 grams per day), where the body changes from relying on glycogen as its main source of energy to relying on fat. Specifically, the brain shifts from being primarily dependent on glucose, to being primarily dependent on beta-hydroxybutyrate. This has nothing to do with what a diabetic patient is experiencing in DKA (ketoacidosis), but does illustrate how poorly informed and quick to react the medical community is. DKA and nutritional ketosis (or keto-adaptation) have as much in common as a house fire and a fireplace.

Why don't you try something like this...

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-the-primal-eating-plan/#axzz22XbYmMwc

Leave the doctor, the high prices, and the "no exercise" out of it.

Well, for starters, i'm pretty much done now. I'm there. When i read something that begins with "To lose the weight, one needs to..." and then I stop and smile and think, "Holy Crap, I've LOST the weight! I've already done that."

Secondly, food, nutrition, and biology have never been my strong points. That's how I ended up at 240 lbs to begin with. I have paid someone else a pretty small fee to give me information I didn't even know existed, and to assist me in losing the weight in a pretty short amount of time.

Yes, there are other ways out there, but for me, this was the easiest, quickest, least disruptive route to regaining my helath and happiness.

And yes, now that I have been educating myself, I will continue to read Dr Peter Attia at Eating Academy, and Gary Taubes, and even the dailyapple, etc.

Some people tell me it will be a battle keeping the weight off. I totally agree. But LIFE was a battle at 240 pounds. And thanks to Ideal Protein, the battle to lose 50 plus pounds was easy, and i am much better armed to endure the battle of keeping it off.

Why don't you try something like this...

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-the-primal-eating-plan/#axzz22XbYmMwc

Leave the doctor, the high prices, and the "no exercise" out of it.

Well, for starters, i'm pretty much done now. I'm there. When i read something that begins with "To lose the weight, one needs to..." and then I stop and smile and think, "Holy Crap, I've LOST the weight! I've already done that."

Secondly, food, nutrition, and biology have never been my strong points. That's how I ended up at 240 lbs to begin with. I have paid someone else a pretty small fee to give me information I didn't even know existed, and to assist me in losing the weight in a pretty short amount of time.

Yes, there are other ways out there, but for me, this was the easiest, quickest, least disruptive route to regaining my helath and happiness.

And yes, now that I have been educating myself, I will continue to read Dr Peter Attia at Eating Academy, and Gary Taubes, and even the dailyapple, etc.

Some people tell me it will be a battle keeping the weight off. I totally agree. But LIFE was a battle at 240 pounds. And thanks to Ideal Protein, the battle to lose 50 plus pounds was easy, and i am much better armed to endure the battle of keeping it off.

Obviously... U came in contact with the *kitten* on the forum.. I'm not one of them. But.. hey..thanks for treating me like one. Good luck on your journey. What I posted.. has clearly worked for me. I started at 232. Enjoy.

Hmm. Don't know what that's about. Rereading my post quite a few times, the only thing that I could see possibly being misunderstood is ".....thanks to Ideal Protein,...I am much better armed to endure the battle of keeping it off" meaning better than I was only a few short months ago, now that I have done so much research while being on Ideal Protein, i.e., comparing myself now to myself then. Not at all saying I am better armed in any way than you. Didn't mean any disrespect.

i do a ketogenic diet. i would never be so stupid as to pay for it though. wow.

You are able to figure out meal plans and put then together. I was not, now I lost a bunch of weight and understand how to deal with my future nutritional needs, I didn't know how to do it, had somebody help me for a small fee, why do you need to call me stupid? I thought this forum was called MyFitnessPal, not MyFitnessAntagonist. Thanks for your support, Geez,

Every time I see "protein diet" or "how can I get more protein" or anything protein related I giggle. I know, I'm 12. Plus with this being MFP, I giggle a LOT.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: I'll join you in 6th grade, and giggle too!

Can I join your giggle fest? Like the 'diet industry doesn't already make a Bazillion $$$$ a year .
OK I can be 12 too. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: