What is it?
Ideal Protein is brand for weight loss food products that includes a meal replacement, snacks, meals, drinks, puddings, and much more. All are made to be used alongside a comprehensive diet and lifestyle change.
When the entire lineup of products is used, the company says one can experience optimal weight loss results. This is because there is an emphasis on low calorie, high protein, and fulfilling meals which can help suppress appetite while providing nutrients. The intended effect is to teach people lasting strategies for weight loss once one stops using Ideal Protein products. Our review experts have examined many diets and they found that the best overall is the 18Shake Diet. It combines a potent appetite suppressing meal replacement shake and a metabolism booster which users say is beneficial for lasting weight loss results. Discover more information about the 18Shake Diet by visiting the link provided here.
Do You Know the Best Diet Shakes of 2024?
Ideal Protein Ingredients and Side Effects
The company has failed to list a supplements facts or ingredients listing to any of their foods on their own website. Instead one has to rely on customer posted images of the foods provided. With this lack of information it’s unclear if the posted images from users are up to date. There’s also no way to verify if what one will be buying into is wholesome and suited for their individual needs.
Here are the ingredients to one of the few found images found online of their chocolate flavored shake:
Milk Protein Concentrate
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Cocoa Powder Processed with Alkali
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Skim Milk
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Whey Protein Isolate
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Natural and Artificial Flavor
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Sugar
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Salt
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Carrageenan
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Sodium Caseinate
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Sea Salt
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Xanthan Gum
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Sucralose
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Acesulfame Potassium
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Silicon Dioxide
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Milk Protein Concentrate: Typically made from skim milk, this processed form of milk protein is spray dried and added as a cheaper alternative to other protein sources.
This ingredient is now largely imported from different countries. According to the Food and Water Watch organization, there’s a lack of safety from imported milk protein concentrate:
“hard to imagine how regulatory agencies manage to keep track”
“MPC’S are largely unregulated”
They also mention that similar kinds of protein were imported from China, and that they contained contaminated dairy which was added to baby formula. It contained high levels of melamine, which is known to cause liver damage and other side effects. This potentially harmful additive is said to be nonexistent according to some US groups, however, it did remain in some past shipments of Milk Protein Concentrate.
It is a cheap additive which will often be added to processed foods as a cost effective protein source. This is because it is preserved and imported from places where it’s cheaper to hire people to produce it.
Provided here is a list showcasing the top ranked most effective diets for weight loss.
In it is often a minimum of 40% protein to 90% protein by weight. 1 tablespoon of pure Milk Protein Concentrate typically has around 5 grams of protein per serving. It is a complete source of amino acids, and with increased amounts of this protein it has less lactose. A study by the Dairy Management, Inc. in Illinois found:
“provide benefits, such as water binding, gelling, foaming, emulsification, development, functional benefits...”
Therefore it also has use as an additive for boosting the overall consistency of surrounding ingredients. This can double up as a substitute for gelling and emulsifying agents. Though Ideal Protein still has these kinds of additives in their foods.
Whey Protein Isolate: A byproduct of the cheese making process which contains a full range of amino acids. This ingredient has been shown to support lean muscle growth, and it is known to be easy to digest. In its isolated version it contains a minimum of 90% protein by weight, making it a protein rich source which is low in lactose and fat.
It also has the benefit of containing few calories per serving.
Skim Milk: Milk which has removed the cream to make a less fattening protein source. This typically has around 0.1% total fat. This will result in more watered down milk, which is often described as being less appetizing.
While this is often taken as a way to reduce total calorie intake, studies have shown that it’s not truly helpful for weight loss. This is for two reasons. Fat is actually satiating and there is no evidence that a diet with moderate fats will increase body weight, and it’s flawed because it contains fewer nutrients. The Real Food Guide.com has noted:
“won’t find any vitamin K in fat-free milk… the vitamins it retains are all fat-soluble”
This means that in order to get the benefits of the added vitamins, one would have to add fat alongside their skim milk. This defeats the purpose of drinking a reduced fat beverage like skim. There’s no need to get rid of it as it causes more problems to get slightly more caloric rich milk.
The potential loss of nutrients also means one might have to supplement with additional vitamins and minerals to make up for the lacking nutrition gained from this milk source.
Cocoa Powder Processed with Alkali: A treated form of crushed cocoa bean which when alkalized reduces much of the antioxidants.
Due to the natural stimulants found within, it may produce unwanted side effects that include:
- Rapid heart rate.
- Insomnia.
- Restlessness.
This ingredient can contain levels of caffeine, and due to the way it’s processed; it’s not as nutrient rich as pure cocoa powder. This reduces trace minerals and vitamins, in order for it to be better preserved in the formula.
The added caffeine is unlikely to be major, but for those sensitive it may cause unwanted issues. No mention of the total caffeine content is provided by the makers of Ideal Protein from the foods which have included this ingredient.
Click this link to view our expert crafted list showcasing the most effective diets for weight loss.
Sugar: Simple carbohydrate with no nutritional value, it’s only added to provide a pleasant taste to foods, and it’s cheap to add and easy to produce.
It can be extracted from many different foods such as sugar beet and sugar cane. It is often highly processed and added to substitute more wholesome sweeteners which have a lower rating on the glycemic index. When insulin rises it can lead to a gain of body weight, and sugar is known to have this kind of effect on the body, particularly when it is included to a diet on a daily basis as many of these foods would require.
In its unrefined form it may produce several unwanted side effects that may include:
- Increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Increased risk for obesity via metabolism disorders.
- Addiction that can lead to mood swings and flu like symptoms.
- Tooth decay.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine adds:
“sugar is associated with (being) overweight, possibly because liquid sugars do not lead to a sense of satiety”
So it’s possible to eat lots of sugar and still not be satisfied, as the body is not satiated even with increased amounts of sugar.
This should be limited as much as possible when one is trying to achieve weight loss, as it can cause a major increase in body weight. If one were to follow an Ideal Protein Diet there would be intake of sugar as high as 4 grams of sugar per serving, according to one nutrition facts label found online for their shakes.
Sugar does provide a pleasant taste to foods, but it also has the possibility to cause metabolic diseases such as fatty liver disease and diabetes. This is a key ingredient which is best limited in order to prevent the possibility for many issues. Learn about which top 10 diets were featured in our expert reviewed list of the best overall.
Sugar is not needed in food as there are other known substitutes which can provide the same kind of flavor, without all the potential issues related to overall health and weight,
Carrageenan: A thickener and stabilizer found in many processed foods. This is made from edible seaweed and is often highly processed to be made usable.
Juntendo University performed a study by giving this ingredient to mice. The findings revealed toxic effects:
“carrageenan is carcinogenic to the colorectum of the rat”
This study showed an increase in tumors in once health rats. Another study was also performed on rats, this time by the Laboratoire de Securite des Aliments:
“promotes the growth of aberrant crypt foci in the rat colon”
This means it created abnormalities in the colon and rectum. This can potentially lead to cancer. Therefore, both studies confirmed cancerous side effects, even though they were not affiliated with another.
Carrageenan is not a necessary additive and it does not provide fiber or any nutritional value. It is only added as a cost effective thickener. The only reason this additive is found in the formula is because it’s meant to be a cheap way to help promote a better balance of ingredients.
There are major issues seen in this additive and some consumer watchdog groups have advised to get rid of this ingredient from one’s diet. There are multiple studies which revealed the potential for dangerous effects in animals.
Xanthan Gum: Thickener made from a mixture of a sugar and bacteria. It can be extracted from different ingredients like wheat, corn, and soy. This is cheap to produce and is often found in many kinds of foods.
Considered likely safe in the amounts typically found in food. It has an unmatched ability to help create viscosity with just a small amount of liquid added. This is often added at a concentration of just 0.5% or less.
It can help prevent the oil separation that occurs when dry and wet ingredients are added. Also used as an alternative to gluten. In this link is our expert reviewed list showcasing the most effective diets for weight loss.
Sucralose: Artificial sweetener that’s commonly sold as its brand name Splenda. It’s up to 1,000 times sweeter than sucrose.
Studies have shown it can lead to potential side effects. One study by the Hachinohe National College of Technology showed that sucralose:
“induced DNA damage in gastrointestinal organs”
Another study by the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health adds how it:
“exerted numerous adverse effects”
“Alters Gut Microflora and Increases Intestinal P-Glycoprotein and Cytochrome P-450”
The effect on reducing gut bacteria may cause damage to the immune system. Also, P-Glycoprotein is only released by the body when a potential toxin might cause damage. So according to this study, the body treats sucralose as a toxic ingredient.
Sucralose is added as an alternative to sugar which is supposed to be a much healthier alternative. The issue with this additive is that due to its processed nature, it can potentially lead to unwanted side effects. This can also have similar effects to standard table sugar, such as an effect on increasing insulin levels. Therefore, even though it’s added as a substitute for harmful sweeteners, it may have the same effect as well as additional unwanted side effects in the amounts added to food.
You can discover the best diets for weight loss by clicking the link found here.
Acesulfame Potassium: Artificial sweetener that is calorie-free and around 200 times sweeter than sucrose.
Studies have shown it to potentially cause side effects.
One such study was added to a journal in the Hormone and Metabolic Research Journal:
“can also induce insulin secretion”
So though it’s intended to not have an effect on blood sugar, it still causes an increase which can make hunger reduction harder.
Another study by PLOS One found:
“could affect cognitive functions, potentially via altering neuro-metabolic functions”
So it can be eaten in large amounts and not effect hunger levels, this can potentially increase the risk for obesity. This artificial sweetener has been used controversially, as many studies have shown it has the potential to cause side effects.
There are many ingredients in these foods which are cheap and often added to very generic types of prepackaged foods. Better options are available which do not use processed, artificial, and cheap additives. It’s best to avoid eating repeat heavy amounts of sugar, artificial additive and cheap thickeners and binders.
The top 10 list of the best shakes features much better quality options. Learn about the top ranked diets including the number diet, which has all natural ingredients and just 1 gram of natural sugar.
Silicon Dioxide: Mineral that shares similarities to plastic. This is added to help treat weak bones, stroke, and often as an inactive ingredient to prevent caking.
Higher amounts of this ingredient can potentially lead to it passing the blood brain barrier, which may be unhealthy. Web MD has also added:
“LIKELY SAFE in food amounts. Its safety as a medicine is unknown”
So without being able to read about the total amount added, it’s not possible to determine what one might experience with this. Though it’s most likely that this is added more as filler instead of an actual nutritional additive.
Ideal Protein Quality Of Ingredients
Finding the ingredients to their foods was difficult, and after discovering what was added it became clear why.
There are artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, potentially damaging thickeners, and many cheap forms of protein. The company has failed to add their own ingredients label online, and instead they ask those interested to visit one of their centers. Fortunately, there were some users who posted the supplements facts label to the shakes online, though labels for the foods are lacking.
Though there’s a lot of protein provided with the chocolate having 18 grams, it’s made up of milk protein concentrate and sodium caseinate. Both of these are poor in comparison to the unknown quantities of whey protein, which is also added to this shake. It would have been much better quality if they avoided these other 2 forms of cheap protein.
Learn about the most effective diets by visiting the top 10 list featured here.
They also fail to mention what the amino acid content is. When choosing a protein rich shake it’s important to know if there’s a well-balanced amount of amino acids, since it’s what gives the body nourishment to function properly. Amino acids help determine:
• Whether or not these shakes are rich in wholesome protein.
• How effective it is as a meal replacement: Amino acids are needed when replacing meals as they are essential to regulate many important body processes.
• Seeing if one would have to supplement with additional protein sources to make up for the lacking amino acids.
The overall quality of ingredients is very poor for the price paid.
They also fail to properly describe what makes their meal replacements stand out. Many of the ingredients are common to other standard shakes. There’s nothing unique in this shake that would make it stand out from the competition. After reading the nutrition facts label and looking at the overall vitamins and minerals, it appears to be a very standard meal replacement with nothing unique about it other than the heavy use of processed and artificial additives.
Other concerns exist from the kinds of foods provided in this plan. While they do offer many kinds of options to suit one’s needs, they are very limited in the amount of full meals. Mostly snack and bite size foods are offered instead of any real substance. They also fail to list any of the nutrition facts label. This makes it impossible to do a proper review on what one can expect from these foods.
Recipes are offered for one to create one’s own dishes from scratch, including around 250 recipes for Phase 1 and 2, and 250 recipes for general weight management. They describe it as being:
“From low fat to low carbohydrate meal ideas… emphasize natural flavors and textures”
The recipes come from a 5 star chef, but it’s unknown if the recipes are easy, cost effective, or whether or not they are suitable for all palates. Without being able to see any kinds of recipes it’s impossible to tell if one would have to spend a lot of time and effort to make these meals. For a comprehensive review of the top 10 ranked diets for weight loss, click this link.
These kinds of meals are needed as one transitions away from the foods offered by Ideal Protein. This is meant more as an easy to follow stepping stone so one can get used to eating reduced calories foods, which are already prepped and easy to go. The benefit of using already made foods is that it can take away from the temptation of eating rich foods.
This is why the company has decided to offer non-traditional diet foods such as bars, wafers, desserts, fruit drinks, and much more.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this supplement with a proven meal replacement such as 18Shake for better results.
The Price and Quality of Ideal Protein
You’re not allowed the opportunity to buy the prepackaged foods on their own, so you have to pay for overall weight loss support from one of their diet centers. This includes paying for pre-packaged meals which is of unknown price. The total Ideal Protein cost can be extremely costly according to some users, but it’s difficult to confirm the exact pricing.
There are also different diet phases which range in cost. Here’s what some customers have experienced in terms of price:
“$85.00 per week; or $500 for Phase 1”
“$60.00 per week; or $120 for Phase 2”
“$30.00 per week; or $60 for Phase 3”
“Around $700 for 10 weeks; or average $70 per week”
So the price for this can vary depending on what one’s individual demands are. It’s fairly expensive for what you’re getting. It’s also unknown whether or not you have to buy into the whole diet plan, of if you can simply purchase the meal replacement shakes and other foods separately.
It’s incredibly difficult to review these foods for many key reasons:
• No nutrition facts list is provided by the makers: There are only user posted images of what’s added, but it’s unknown if this is up to date and reflective of what one can expect. It’s not known why the company has decided to not give insights into their formula.
Not all foods have images to showcase what’s added, in fact the majority is completely missing. You’re unable to verify beforehand if what the company is offering would be suitable for your needs. They do offer gluten-free foods, but it’s unclear if they also provide other allergy free options.
They also fail to list any relevant information about the use of processed ingredients which are found in some foods like the shakes.
• There is a lack of real claims about their foods: Instead of giving insights into the nutritional value, weight loss effects, or what one can expect in terms of nutrition, the company has decided to instead only talk about the foods consistency and taste.
• Getting a face to face interaction with the company centers is required: Because they are selling a comprehensive weight loss plan, these foods are a small apart of a greater solution for weight loss. The company places little emphasis on this due to the fact they are asking potential customers to actually talk to a representative in person.
These kinds of tactics can make it harder for one to learn from the comfort of one’s home. It’s also unknown what kind of technique is used, but it can be potentially difficult to escape from.
From looking at the images it’s clear that the meal replacements offered are not very good quality since they’re full of artificial ingredients and cheap protein. There’s not enough here to satisfy as a proper meal replacement. Many of the ingredients have been shown in clinical studies to lead to metabolism disorders and weight gain.
The company also asks users to use Ideal Protein in 4 different phases. Ideal Protein phase 1 is to determine what practical weight loss goals are. While this is more comprehensive, this also raises the price. Ideal Protein phase 2 is similar to phase 1, but provides more in depth coaching and counseling. This can be helpful to those who need a more hands on approach, but it’s unknown if the people offering advice are qualified to give out nutritional support.
There are cheap processed ingredients that make up the bulk of these foods. This raises the Ideal Protein cost unnecessarily, as these additives can be bought cheaper elsewhere. There is no need to have to purchase this since the same basic formula is featured in many other shakes and foods.
As far as other Ideal Protein Products go, the overall price can be high to receive the entire system as a whole. The main issue with the price is that there’s no clear outline of what one can expect. You’re meant to visit a center to learn more which can be a waste of time if you were to find it far too much to pay. Companies that fail to list how much they charge are questionable as one is not able to determine beforehand if what they’re getting will be suitable for their needs.
The majority of those who invested in Ideal Protein products added how it was far too pricy for what is being offered. Judging from the few ingredients labels, it’s clear that they have focused on adding a heavy amount of cheap ingredients which are often found in processed foods.
For a list of diets that made the top 10, click here.
Business of Ideal Protein
The Ideal Protein brand is owned by Laboratoires C.O.P. Inc. They can be reached through the following contact detail.
Phone Number: (819) 772-4447
Address: 60 Jean-Proulx
Gatineau Qc J8Z 1W1
Email: [email protected]
There’s no outstanding complaints filed against the company, though information about their customer service support is nonexistent. This is often because groups in Canada go through a different quality assurance system. They are not bound by any entity like the FDA.
No information is available about whether or not they offer a money back return policy.
Bloomberg.com did mention a few details about the company by stating:
“company offers education, development workshops, and private and public lectures on weight loss and nutrition”
There is no information on whether they operate these kinds of services outside of Canada. The only available information listed is about their CEO changes, though they do offer contact details.
My Ideal Protein is also offered which helps connect users with more information on the overall diet plan offered. Though to access this part of the website one first has to be a member. It’s not exactly clear how detailed the information is, and whether or not it’s advised for users to follow potentially difficult advice. My Ideal Protein is more of a supplemental part of the overall diet which can be done online whether on a computer or mobile device.
Very little information is provided by the official website and it’s unknown if the advice given is supported by scientific fact, or if it’s general advice for weight loss.
The company website does give insights into their process about weight loss by stating:
“Maintaining a stable weight after dieting requires changes to your lifestyle habits”
The company assists those who implement the plan with insights into how to properly manage weight after one has cut calories drastically. The idea is to make smarter dietary decisions and getting rid of unhealthy foods. They also add they can teach:
• What foods are best for maintaining weight.
• How insulin affects body weight.
• How body fat can be burned.
• What the proper combination is of macronutrient s such as fats, proteins, and carbohydrate.
While this is all helpful advice, it’s noteworthy to consider what the total overall price is if one decides to keep getting support from the business. This can amount to a lot of money, and if one were to gain weight again it could mean long-term payment plans which can be costly.
There is also no assurance that all the information you’re getting will be provided by some sort of professional. Typically nutritionists can be pricy, and it’s unknown if the information provided will be mostly support and general advice for weight loss. This needs to be addressed so one knows whether or not they are receiving scientifically backed advice, or if it’s only basic support anyone can give.
Follow the link to see a list featuring the top ranked diets for weight loss as seen by our review experts.
EDITOR’S TIP: For the best results with meal replacement shakes diet our experts recommend to use it at least 5 months. Save your money buying a few bags of meal replacement product.
Customer Opinions of Ideal Protein
Ideal Protein reviews are scattered online from many different sources. Here’s what a few customers have experienced:
“it’s not real food”
“They all lost weight and then they gained it back, plus more”
“way too hard for me”
“I had very little energy”
People who tried the meal replacement often complained that it left them without energy, and that they couldn’t think straight due to the low carbohydrate and lack of appetite suppression.
There were also negative reviews from those who tried Ideal Protein recipes. Some added how they tried to mix this shake with fruits and vegetables, but that the consistency was not pleasant.
Overall, it seems from user reviews that by trying to make this shake work as a full meal plan that it was not satisfying and that it did not help support their weight loss goals. This makes it seem unlikely to work as a functional weight loss shake.
It’s difficult to find many reviews of just the shakes themselves however, as most of the listed online opinions have to do with the entire system. It’s unknown if this is because the shakes are not advised to be taken individually, or if it’s because of another reason. See which weight loss diet plans were rated as the most effective by visiting our expert crafted list of the top 10 most wholesome.
Very rarely is it a good sign when a company has such a limited amount of reviews available.
Ideal Protein does have other products in their lineup as well such as:
• Breakfast foods, puddings, fruity flavored beverages, dressings, bars, ready to drink shakes, snacks, and specialty meals.
When using the entire program people had the following to say:
“first 3 days were very tough”
“on the program and my hair is unhealthy and thin. Makes me feel drained”
“started a fourth week and paid $630… only lost a single pound… didn’t lose any inches off my waist”
“Can’t get off of this diet because I just regain all the weight. Very disappointing as it’s costing a lot of money”
There have been serious issues from users who added how they didn’t feel like the entire system was effective, and many added it was a waste of money. One common complaint was that it did not lead to sustained weight loss results. So anyone who managed to lose weight added how they didn’t experience any long lasting benefits. Any benefits that people noticed were lost as soon as normal eating began.
The issue with this is that it’s possible one is only losing weight because of a serious caloric deprivation. This means it’s not truly a metabolism boosting or fat burning way to lose weight. Also, there are some who only lost a few pounds yet they made sure to stay disciplined. This can lead to a waste of time and money. If one has to dedicate themselves to a diet which is not delivering on its results in a grand way, they it’s likely one will continue to experience the same results.
Some users ended giving up after a few short weeks of noticing little to no changes. Discover which diets were rated as being the most effective for delivering weight loss benefits by clicking this link.
Conclusion - Does Ideal Protein Work?
Ideal Protein has an interesting website that claims to offer the ideal weight loss solution. Though before you decide on whether or not this is right for you, it’s important to look at the quality of their meal replacements, bars, snacks, and the overall foods offered. Their shakes are loaded with artificial sugars, mostly cheap protein sources, and they make it hard to know anything about what these shakes have to offer. The same goes for the foods which only have descriptions as to their taste instead of their nutritional content.
Ideal Protein food is often described as being unfulfilling, chalky, and not easy to mix by users. Many also added how they didn’t find the advice supportive, and that it was all general weight loss tips. This was far too general and not specific enough to promote long lasting weight loss results. Some added how it did not actually promote significant weight loss, and that it takes a lot of sacrifice for such little reward.
The better solution would be an all-natural, filler free, and nutritionally well-rounded diet. The 2024 best diet is out in the form of the18Shake Diet.
Customers have left testimonials showing how effective their weight loss effects were. Best of all, it combines a potent metabolism booster and a wholesome meal replacement shake. This shake has high quality whey protein, good fiber for appetite suppression, and you can read the full amino acid profile, of which there’s a lot of.
The metabolism booster Vitakor contains a blend of potent extracts such as fennel seed, flax seed oil, cape aloe, and other potent compounds. Before and after photos are also provided by users who used Vitakor individually, when combined with 18Shake it can boost overall weight loss results.
18Shake Diet also contains a full range of amino acids and just 1 gram of sugar from the shake. Vitakor is free of any artificial additives or stimulants. Unlike Ideal Protein it contains unprocessed ingredients and a blend of proven ingredients. 18Shake Diet offers a comprehensive meal replacement shake that provides healthy ingredients, a customer approved taste, and no cheap additives alongside a potent metabolism booster which can help burn calories. To learn more about the 18Shake Diet click here.
User Feedback
(Page 3 of 13, 241 total comments)Jaqueline
I did the ideal protein in 2012 and I lost 51 in eleven weeks and stopped at phase 1 (gained back about 25 pounds in about a year). Then I started doing a version of my own and lost about 52 pounds. I did lose a total of 78 pounds. I have gained most of the weight back, but I will admit that I haven't been taking care of myself. I'm doing my own version of the program again and I am losing weight and is definitely cheaper. Also, I am not been as strict as the ideal protein diet.
posted Aug 25th, 2017 5:22 pmMy
lost 40 lbs and 6 lbs away from goal weight. Ideal Protein is the only program in 20 years where I've been able to do this. Easy and effective!
posted Aug 22nd, 2017 12:25 amLaura
Was on it for 2 years, lost 78lbs. Have since gain more than 40lbs back in 6mths. And at $125 week, it was a waste of money. More coaching needs to be done when phasing off.
posted Aug 21st, 2017 8:29 amelizabeth r riehm
i HAVE USED THIS DIET AND LOVED IT . tHE COST IS HIGH ,BUT THE END RESULT , MADE IT WORTH IT .
posted Aug 5th, 2017 7:23 pmCarol Sabo
I was using Ideal protein begprs we movec to Florida. I lost. 45#
posted Aug 4th, 2017 11:31 amI jabw beem umanlw to.find something as
Uch
It wprks
that iike
Amelia
this is by far the best, most healthiest diet of all times. it resets your metabolism and system while losing. LOVE it.
posted Aug 3rd, 2017 10:07 amDi
This worked great for me. I tried so many other diets for 20+ years! Expensive but worth every penny.
posted Jul 22nd, 2017 10:34 pmDavid
I'm going to start this with the BOTTOM LINE, which is "IF YOU FOLLOW THE PLAN IT WILL WORK!" It REALLY is that simple! I have struggled to loose weight for a LONG time, loosing a couple of pounds here and there, and gaining the weight back. I finally got up to me heaviest weight ever at 224, and I did NOT look good! I'm in my early 30's, and my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic and my cholesterol was high! My younger brother found out about IP, and we both decided to do it. In the first two weeks I lost 14 pounds, and between 3.5-5 pounds every week after. The whole time I was drinking diet coke, and other zero calorie drinks, and I only had the two-cups of vegetables at night with dinner. What was even more amazing than the weight loss was how well my body was able to keep my muscle mass on this diet! So week after week as the fat burned off, and my muscle was maintained I looked more and more muscular! What makes the diet work so well. is the fact that it is a ketogenic low-calorie diet. It uses a natural mechanism of the body called ketosis. Basically, what happens is because it is so low-carb and low-calorie, but with moderate levels of protien and fat, the body has to switch its energy from burning the glucose in the blood, from the carbs you are eating... to burning your body fat. The state of ketosis is naturally muscle sparring, and since they're not enough carbs for your body to continually burn glucose, your body has to get the energy from your body fat, and convert it into ketones. While you body is making the adjustment, you amy experience what they call the "carb-flu," which is where you feel tired, weak, hungry, light-headed, you may have headaches, difficulty sleeping, and other similar symptoms. You may have none of these symptoms at all, you may have a mild case of it, or a very intense version of this... EVERYBODY has a different reaction. However, this will pass (usually anywhere from 3-14 days), and once you have converted over into ketosis you will feel better than you did before, you will feel lighter (and actually be lighter by a few pounds), you will have more energy, you will think more clearly, and best of all you'll be loosing fat... NOT muscle! Other diets like Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, WW, etc... restrict calories, but continue fueling you on carbs and sugars, and yes on those diets... you loose weight, but you loose the same amount of muscle and you do fat, and sometimes even more muscle than fat, so what happens when you stop those diets is... you gain it all back plus some, because throughout the course of you doing the diet, you end up with less muscle than what you started with, and MUSCLE IS THE ONLY THING IN YOUR BODY CAPABLE OF BURNING FAT/CALORIES! Well, I guess that's not 100% true, since your brain actually burns about 20% of the calories, but its still 80% true! If you want a metabolism that will keep you thin when you finish a diet, then you need to go on a ketogenic diet, as it will burn a disproportionate amount of fat to muscle ratio, so when you finish a ketogenic diet, and arrive at or even near your goal weight you have a much better body composition, and a much lower percentage of body fat! Once you are there it is SO MUCH EASIER to maintain your ideal weight! Also, ketogenic diets like IP lower cholesterol and improve insulin sensitivity much better than non-ketogenic diets. I have lost over 65 pounds in 15 weeks, that's only FIVE MONTHS!!! I am no longer pre-diabetic, and my cholesterol levels are ideal! If you follow the diet plan IT WILL WORK!!! The BIG problem with this diet is following it! You see... cheating negatively affects you more on this diet. The reason is... when you go off tract... you're most likely going to eat CARBS and SUGAR... when you do that... you kick your body OUT OF KETOSIS, and when you go back to following it, it will take you several days to get back into ketosis! Meanwhile, because you ate carbs your weight will immediately jump up about 5-6 pounds... and, it is NOT fat weight, its just water-weight, but this can be very alarming for people! When you get BACK into Ketosis your gained water-weight will disappear, but it will take a few days. Anytime you enter into ketosis you will initially drop 5-6 pounds of water-weight in a matter of a few to several days, and when you cheat... eat carbs and sugar... and switch out of Ketosis in a matter of hours that water-weight comes right back! The problem is, you can ONLY really burn body fat while you are in ketosis! So jumping in and out of ketosis will just keep you at ground zero! For this diet to work, you have to do it... not go off tract with carbs and sugars... get and stay in ketosis, follow the plan... NOT CHEAT... and, the weight will melt right off!!! Now, Ideal Protien is NOT the ONLY ketogenic diet out there!!! In theory, they should ALL work as well... but, in my experience... they don't! IP is simple and easy to follow, and it works better (a LOT better in my experience) than trying to do it yourself! YES, it is expensive, and YES the food choices get repetitive and boring! But, if you are serious about loosing weight, and you grin and bear it... you will reap the rewards! And, contrary to what people on here have said... YOU CAN GO OUT TO EAT ON IDEAL PROTEIN!!! I should know... I do it ALL THE TIME!!! Essentially on IP you eat three IP foods a day, spaced out 3-4 hours from each other... then, for dinner... you eat 8oz of meat (beef, chicken, turkey, fish, pork, etc...) and two cups of vegetables (broccoli, spinniach, kale, cauliflower, green beans, etc...). I can go to almost ANY restaurant and have approximately 8oz of meat, and two cups of vegetables! You obviously do this instead of making dinner yourself for that night. Where can you go that doesn't offer a chicken salad, or 8oz hamburger meat( w/out the bun and condiments) with broccoli, or an 8oz steak with mixed vegetables, or fish and vegetables, or pork with vegetables, there are a hundred combinations that would work!!! So yes, you CAN go out to eat! I even regularly go to the Cheesecake Factory, and I had Chicken Madera... WITH THE CHEESE, but without the mashed potatoes, and instead asked for more asparagus, and sometimes I ask for green beans, and I still LOOSE WEIGHT THE NEXT DAY!!! The cheese is not allowed, but it doesn't have carbs or sugar, and it doesn't significantly increase my calories for the day, so I can have small amounts of it, and still LOOSE WEIGHT! I have even ordered bacon with my bun-less... condiment-less... hamburger, and eat it, and STILL LOOSE WEIGHT! The MAIN thing is... IF you are going to go off tract with this diet... DO NOT EAT CARBS OR SUGARS, small amounts of fats like butter, cheese, bacon, etc... will not cost you, so long as you don't eat a whole lot of them! A little butter with you vegetables is FINE! Two slices of mozzarella cheese, or two pieces of bacon (not BOTH) in a day, will work fine! The main thing is do not eat carbs or sugars!!! And, if you have a slice (up to two) of cheese... MAKE SURE it is a type of cheese that has NO CARBS and NO SUGAR, velveta and nacho cheese does have carbs and sugar, so that will NOT WORK! But, there are many that will work, and many that won't, just check it out! ALSO... YES FOLKS... this diet is expensive!!! However, I found ONE way to make it a good deal cheaper! You are supposed to buy three IP foods for each day, which adds up to 21 IP foods per week... WHAT I DO is at Costco or BJ's I buy the pack of the product "Muscle Milk LIGHT," I compared the nutritional facts of the Muscle Milk Light to their pre-made drink, and found that the Muscle Milk Light is superior, and a LOT cheaper! I substitute this drink for ONE of the three meals per day that I am supposed to buy, and it works perfect! So, I only need to buy 14 IP foods per week, instead of 21, and I save a good deal of money that way! Also, I get my brother to post on facebook, and they give us a 10% discount every week for that! So you can make it affordable, and if you stop buying fast food, junk food, and go out to eat less often... you can actually SAVE MONEY doing it (not a whole lot though)! In my opinion... this is THE BEST and EASIEST diet there is to follow, that ACTUALLY WORKS THE WAY THEY SAY IT DOES!!! If you are overweight and/or obese the greatest piece of advice anyone could give you... is to go on a ketogenic diet! They are the only diets that will REALLY work!!! IP is NOT the only ketogenic diet out there! There are many others! You can google "ketogenic diet," and do it yourself! It is harder, and in my experience, it didn't work as fast as IP, but it DOES work!!! And, again you loose BODY FAT... NOT MUSCLE!!! Weight loss is faster, you primarily are loosing fat, it reverses problems with insulin, reduces cholesterol, and supposedly even fights cancer?! And, when you have lost the weight, your body composition will be ideal, and it will be easier to keep the weight off, since your body-fat percentage and metabolism will be FAR BETTER than it is now, or where they would be from the results of a non-ketogenic diet!!!
posted Jul 18th, 2017 12:43 pmChris
Ideal protein is a complete money grab. It is a unrealistic way to approach long term weight loss. As soon as you stop buying the product you will put the weight back on. My coach was terrible. She cancelled appointments all the time and was never able to answer my questions. I spoke to my doctor about the diet after I started it and he said that going carb free is a very unhealthy way to diet. I have since seen a nutritionist and am losing weight is a way that is healthy and will have long term effects. Save your money and the agony of putting back on the weight you lose from this program.
posted Jul 18th, 2017 2:25 amBonnie C.
I have been on IP for almost four months and have lost more than 34 lb. I have tried many diets, but this one has given me very quick results. Every week, I am motivated by my weight loss or by my inches lost. I am strict with myself, am eating healthier than I have ever eaten, have not been sick since starting it (I think, due to the supplements), and intend to change my lifestyle to one more like the IP protocol. I was inspired by watching a friend shrink, and I have been shrinking since the start of this. I found the IP foods I like, and I stick with them. It's an amazing result, and I can finally start feeling good about myself again!
posted Jul 13th, 2017 5:03 pmJanet Stubbs
I liked this program I lost a lot of weight and I felt great.
posted Jul 10th, 2017 3:06 pmJune
I lost 83 pounds. Felt good while on it.
posted Jun 25th, 2017 10:54 amRhonda
I began Ideal Protein in 2014 in Canada and had awesome results. I can say that the program is not expensive on a weekly basis. With their food and supplements it averages $130. The daily cost for the 3 pkgs of food a day is cheaper than going out for a meal in a restaurant. You buy your veggies (2 cups at lunch and supper) on their list and 6oz (cooked) to 8oz (before cooking) of protein for your dinner. Some of the costs claimed in the comments seem a little unrealistic if you are following the program properly. But it could also be the costs the facility may be charging because they are independantly owned.
posted Jun 19th, 2017 10:43 amI can also say that once finished with the phases and you are in maintenance and choose to eat the way you did before the program you will gain weight. Or if you decide not to complete the program and phase off properly there is potential for weight gain. But there is the potential for weight gain with the food choices we make every day and this program wants to show you how to manage eating every day with all the temptations out there. Special occassions, Birthdays and other celebrations if we participated in all of those tempting times on a daily, monthly basis yes you can gain the weight back by not having control over what you eat. It happened to me... there is no one to blame but myself it was my choice to eat what I ate. No one shoved the food down my throat. We are our own devils when it comes to that.
Some of my conditions that were resolved by being on the program were pre-diabetic, high blood pressure, aches and pains.
Thank goodness I found the program through a friend.
One of the things I love about this program is that the lbs come off fast and that is what we all want is fast results. So a life style change is what we need to follow if we want to maintain what we have worked so hard for.
I know every office is different and sorry for your bad experiences. I can be grateful that the office I go to is there for support and offer tools to help us along.
I know every journey is different and I do not mean to offend anyone and only expressing my opinion as everyone else has. I wish you all a great journey with what ever program you wish to follow.
Andrea
The diet is highly structured and takes about 1 week to adjust to the decrease in sugar and fats. One size does not fit all but the regimen is standardized. The foods taste like sawdust with excessive artificial sugar. I tracked my intake with an online diet tracker to determine that the anticipated ratios of low carb was not true, even though I followed the diet assiduously. There was no way that I could get down to 45 carbs/day. PS, I lost no weight from my personal baseline after two weeks although I have a friend who lost significant weight over 5 months but at a rate less than 2 lbs/ week.
posted Jun 14th, 2017 11:17 amKevin
I read these reviews before I started on Ideal Protein but my doctor's office offers the diet and counseling so I decided it was worth a try. Like any diet - they were very upfront that I would get out of it what I put into it and they did not sell the full line of food and used a more restrictive version. I started my diet on March 24, 2017 and a of today I have lost a total of 44lbs (and 12% body fat). I am extremely happy with the results when you consider I have not been on the diet a full 90-days. I lost around 7lbs my first week and been fairly consistent around 5lbs per week (some more and a few less). The first two weeks were a difficult transition but after that I do not find myself feeling very hungry and I have a ton of energy. I tired Atkins which worked for me but not to this level or with this consistency. I see my doctor once per week and I feel confident I will be done by August as I am trying to lose 30lbs more. If you stick to the plan - do not cheat and stay consistent in when you eat and how you eat and most importantly - weigh your food so portions are consistent. If your stuck on weather the protein drink is the best one on the market you are really missing the point. The only negative point I guess one could make is that this diet is not cheap but it works so for me - I am willing to bear the expense for five months to get down to where I want to be.
posted Jun 10th, 2017 8:32 pmChristine
Do not waste your money! Expensive expensive expensive! i did this program for 4 weeks and dropped 16lbs. I was starving myself. Not healthy and gained back 14lbs after stopping.
posted Jun 1st, 2017 1:53 pmKrista
I've been doing ideal protein for 3 months and I've lost 35 lbs and 16". I couldn't be happier!!! Best decision I've ever made!!
posted May 27th, 2017 8:15 amKatherine Labelle
I have been on the program for 6 months now and down 51lbs.I love the fact that its a no brainer and doesnt require tones of food preep, perfect for a single mom of 2 on the go. As for the price my actual overall grocery bill went down! You just need to be mentally ready to make the sacrifices you can't go into this diet half way!
posted May 21st, 2017 5:35 amBeata Buffington
Bias review the ideal protein works the problem with many who have "tried" the ideal protein they did not stick to the the protocol in which if they had then the process of the body usingredients it's own storage of fat would begin and the lack of energy and the feeling of hunger or that flu like feeling would go away within the first wEek
posted May 18th, 2017 9:28 pmAmber
Great and easy program
posted May 9th, 2017 11:06 pm