End of Isagenix 30 day program - A review

Well there it is, the end of 30 days on the Isagenix Program.  In summary I lost bang on 12 kg's in those 30 days with 1 .3 kg's of that loss being muscle and a body fat composition of 24%. Given that result you would think that I would endorse the product as the weight loss program of choice. Well lets see....

To start with let me outline what I see as some of the pro's and con's of the program;

Pro's :

• It works, plain and simple.  Want to lose weight fast, follow the program to the letter and you should drop body fat pretty quickly. 
• It's simple.  Not much thinking needed on this program.  Follow the bouncing ball, take the supplements when it says and you only have to prepare a small meal (400 - 600 cal) once per day.
• There is lots of support from the closed group facebook page for those that need guidance on the program.  Even though some of the advice that is given on these posts is either wrong or misguided they all seem to be there to help you along and keep you motivated.
• Cost, yes it's $600 for the 30 day program and then $300 per month to continue on, but if you account for the fact that it replaces many of your meals, you should either come out cost neutral, or for many people, a cost savings.  Don't believe me?..... work out how much you spend on alcohol / fast food / processed food and eating out per month.
• Strict calorie restriction is supported with dietary supplements to make sure you are still getting the trace elements and macro nutrients you need to support your weight loss. 

Con's

• Pills, pills and more pills..... I just can't handle taking the tablets or even cutting them open (time consuming) and putting them into shakes ect.
• I like to eat and chew my food, shakes are just not the same.  Yes they are convenient way to replace a meal or even a way of getting the protein you need to support muscle growth. If you have the time, natural whole foods are always a much better source for those nutrients
• Lack of education about healthy eating post program.  The Isagenix system is apparently a lifestyle change where you remain on the program for life. Nope, I don't think so.... 
• Network marketing bordering on pyramid selling.  Like it or loathe it, you need to be a certain kind of person to sell this way.  Personally I can't and it would do my head in to become an Isagenix consultant.  But that's more to do with me than the system.  I am sure it works well for many people who like that kind of thing and can make good money doing it.. If anyone wanted to do the program, let me know and I can put you in touch with the rep.
• Non peer reviewed "in house" research and assertions that claim that Isagenix helps you live longer, cleanse the body of toxins , rejuvenate cells,  and potentially cure many clinical diseases.  Some of this stuff just doesn't sit quite right with me.
• Fasting one to two days per week....yes it has a sound basis in scientific and dietary research.  But barley eating for a whole day is a real struggle, let alone two! And yes, I know that as caveman we went days without eating which is part of our genetic coding.  But as I have expressed to many people, even if  you discard the deaths as a caveman from being eaten by predators and the advances in modern medicine over the past 1000 years, the life expectancy of a caveman was significantly less than we enjoy today. (sorry Paelo peeps, it's the one flaw I see in that caveman methodology too but I am really a fan of the clean eating thing) 
• Sever calorie restriction that at times left me lethargic.  There were days when it was difficult to get going, especially on "Cleanse Days".  I tried to find that balance, but really it was a challenge that many will find way too difficult.  Lets be clear, you still need to be disciplined on this program, this is not a magic pill.

On the last week of the program I just had to go off the tablets.  I got really bad heartburn / re-flux which I just couldn't stand.  I still lost the 3kgs in the last week staying on the shakes and watching the food intake. Include just one last cleanse day on the Wednesday and I was relieved to not have to do another one. Isagenix will tell you that the pills are a crucial part of the program for longevity but I personally reckon you can get that from just eating a balanced diet.  

I suppose I can best compare this program to many I have seen prescribed by Natropaths.  Significant caloric restriction supported with vitamins and supplements.  As a way of dropping your body fat in a very short period of time I would say it works as well as anything else I have seen.  But I would only suggest this if you were well versed on how to eat healthy and clean in the first place. I am lucky, I know what should and shouldn't be eaten.  If you also have the knowledge then go for it.  You really have nothing to lose and it really could be the kick start you need to get you motivated.

However, Isagenix isn't something I could provide a blanket recommendation for so won't be selling here at the center.  For me it worked well even if it did require some significant sacrifice.  Had I not committed to the rep that I would do the full 30 days, I may have piked out sooner.  But in the end I am 12 kg's lighter in the month and overall 17 kg's lighter in 2 months.  This means I can train harder and longer and also just that bit more committed now to shedding those last 15 kg's of body fat that I would like to see the end of.    

What's next for me?  Well I am going back to the higher protein, moderated carbohydrate diet that I know works well for me. You could say it's closest comparison would be the Paelo diet but perhaps just not to that strict extreme. Plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, salad, nuts, steamed chicken and turkey breast, lean red meat and eating food as much as possible in it's natural state.  So still staying as much as possible off the sugar, no bread, rice, pasta, alcohol, sweets ect.  And in real terms this should be achievable for everyone.  The aim is to get back the 1.3kg of muscle that I lost on Isagenix and still drop body fat.  Yes it will be slower, no doubt, but probably more sustainable int he long run in my view. However I will say that the objective is now that much closer in sight and will acknowledge that I have Isagenix to thank for providing that impetus.   

For now bring on Christmas day and then the boxing day left over food scrounge. It's going to be a real treat and a reward for all the effort, but I suspect my tolerance for high fat and sugar food will be relatively low compared to other years .  Then it's two weeks of eating remote village grown organic fruit, vegetables, including local "delicacies as well as locally caught fish and lobster. Lets see what living in a remote Solomon Islands village and surfing 6 hours a day does for the waist line!

I'll do one more post just before xmas just to sum up what has happened post program to see what the effect of the return regular eating means for body composition before signing off for the year.

Until then...

Cheers and happy eating

Jason

    
 

End of week 3 on Isagenix

So this week I have varied my strategy slightly with the Isagenix program.  I decided that Wednesdays were going to be my "cleanse" day and that I would extend this week through till Saturday to align with the end of the 30 day program next Saturday.

The change of cleanse day was strategic in that it was very difficult to not eat food for the day while you watch your family eat throughout the day.  I would watch on, longing for just a small bite of what they were eating which ultimately led to the slip off the wagon that I spoke about last week.  At least on a Wednesday's I can get through most of the day without this added distraction.  I can see this as being a big obstacle to being on the Isagenix system any longer than a 30 days.

The other change this week was to add in some more fruit.  An apple a day plus a banana every second day whether as a snack or a pre-workout meal.  It gave me more energy and also got the digestive system moving which had seemed to have stalled....   I'll also admit to partaking in some home made pizza on one night which was made with my weight loss goals in mind so it wasn't all bad and almost fits in the 600 cal balanced meal / day.

Still no sugar, no pasta, no rice, no coffee, minimal dairy, and virtually no bread (except the wholemeal pita bread I used as a base for the pizza) and of course no alcohol.

I also upped the ante with the exercise, doing weight training four times a week (45 min each), playing squash twice a week (about 60 mins each) and also trying to keep up last week with blokes half my age at soccer pre-season training (around 90 minutes).

And the result...... 2.8 kgs in 10 days. However the body composition shows me regaining 0.5 kg of muscle and losing 3.3 kg in body fat, just what I was looking for.  Hydration levels are still at a good level across the board, as they should be given the amount of water I am drinking each day on this program.  So that's an overall weight loss total of 9 kg in 23 days with now only 1.3 kg's of that loss being muscle.

So I am just 1 kg off my aim and the expectation of 10 kg's loss in 30 days on Isagenix. I think with a week of concerted effort I could make that another 2 or 3 kg's to finish off with a bang.

So you would think that given these results I would be an Isagenix convert.  Well not yet.

I find myself counting down the days till the end of the 30 day program.  I am also really finding the tablets harder and harder to swallow. The Isagenix people say that this is a lifestyle change that people should stay on forever.  Isagenix goes to great lengths to describe the lifetime benefits of this program that extend beyond just the weight loss.  I will say right here and now that a lifetime on Isagenix is not me.  For me it will be whether this program is something that I would recommend as a way of getting the excess weight off in a short time frame to give clients the incentive they need to forge ahead.

The true test will come in the 2 weeks post program up until the reward that will be the annual Christmas feast.  I still have my goal weight to reach by Christmas which will see a return to the clean eating regime that's still devoid of coffee and the other highly refined carbohydrates mentioned previously.  I will continue to monitor the progress and see what happens once I come off the Isagenix system and post those results on my blog.  I think this will give a fair and unbiased comparison of the program.

7 Days to go and I'll see you all on the other side....  

All the best

Jason

Isagenix - End of Week 2

Another week down on the program and a 2kg loss this week. The body composition again shows that 25% of that loss (.5kg) was muscle in spite of increasing my caloric intake. Intercellular and Extracelluar fluid is actually higher so none of this loss has been fluid. I am confident I can gain that muscle back easily once I achieve my goal weight but it is a little disconcerting none the less. 

I'll admit to "falling of the wagon" on the night of what was supposed to be a single cleanse day. Key to that though is the same with any healthy eating program, and that's not to let one bad meal ruin the rest of the day/week/month. So I completed a full clease day the following day to make up for it and I felt very sick after eating the indulgence food so it has discouraged me from doing that again.  

I am still finding a liquid breakfast, plus taking the supplements pills difficult to adjust to. It's always hard to break a lifetime of habit, but Isagenix promote this as a lifestyle change that promises many long term benefits. 

There is certainly no criticism from me about trying to get people to understand what is going into their body. But in spite of 6kgs lost in 2 weeks I am still yet to be a convert of this program long term.  

So 15 days down, 15 to go....watch this space to see if I can be turned to a long term convert to the Isagenix system. 

Isagenix Progress after week 1

Well it's been just over a week on the Isagenix program and I have stuck to the program as it has been prescribed.  This included a 2 day "deep cleanse" on Saturday and Sunday which saw me eat nothing other than supplements from the Isagenix program.  Yes it was tough and I don't think I have ever gone that long without eating a solid meal.  But it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be and I managed to keep myself busy to take my mind off food.  The Isagenix supplements that you do take, help take the edge off the cravings for food as well as does drinking heaps of water that has you off to the bathroom at least once an hour or so. During that time I researched the benefits of fasting and cleansing on the body and found some credible research of the benefits of this type of meal replacement/cleanse program.

I don't really feel like I have more energy or clarity I need to account for the fact that I was on a clean eating program leading up to Isagenix. So the effect may not be as profound or noticeable as for someone who went straight from poor eating to Isagenix.  I have overcome my need for the early morning coffee kick start so that's an up side I suppose.

For me the biggest challenge is taking all the supplementation that is required for such a low calorie diet.  I understand the need for the supplementation but it seems like I am taking tablets all day which is certainly taking time to adjust to.

So the result after week one..... I have lost just over 4 kgs and I am very happy about!  I did a Body Composition Analysis and found that just over 3 kg's of that loss was body fat, while there was some muscle loss of just under 1kg.  Muscle loss is something that can certainly be a by product of calorie restriction when aiming for fat loss but I am not really that keen for that loss to continue.  On the up side is that my hydration, intra and extracellular fluid remained high so the weight loss wasn't just fluid loss.

So my adjustments which are permitted on the program is to slight;y increase my calorie intake and I am going to do that with my meals. I am now going to have 2 smaller meals a day instead of the one meal a day of 400 to 600 calorie.  So my two solid meals will be my lunch (steamed chicken/turkey with salad) at around 350 - 400 calories and an evening meal with the family of about the same calorie intake and avoiding the foods that will adversely affect the program.

My initial thoughts on the program?  Yes it works and there is some solid research and medical endorsement for this type of nutritional intake.  Can I see at this stage it will be life long change to Isagenix as the company suggests?  Not so sure just yet but I will reserve my judgement on that until the end of the 30 days.

What I can see at this early stage is that it would definitely be a great kick start for anyone who is motivated by rapid results in the early stages of a weight loss regime.  I can see that a good body fat loss in a week could work for most, especially if you included exercise in the plan.  It is also a convenient way of "eating clean" that doesn't require a great deal of meal prep to get right.  You can also learn how to control portions on the program so that should you chose to stop doing the program you can continue to keep the weight under control and not yoyo back up to where you started.  

Bring on week two and let's see if we can keep this momentum going!

Do Meal Replacement/Cleanse Diets Work?

Do I think meal replacement and/or cleanse diets work?  Well in my opinion yes and no....allow me to explain...

I have always been very hesitant about the benefits of meal replacement and cleansing programs in long term weight loss goals and the sustainability of those wanting to loose body fat. Let's be clear, there is a very big distinction between fat loss and weight loss.  During very caloric restrictive weight loss program you can loose a significant amount of muscle along with body fat.  It's a bit like throwing the baby out with the bath water. As trainers we guide our clients to make correct food choices for a healthy lifestyle and portion control for overall weight management.  But being a skeptic is all well and good as long as you can back that up with the real world experience.

Overwhelmingly the fitness industry subscribes to the gradual weight loss mantra as being the best way to keep the weight off and shape the body.  Ideally we have been taught to aim for 0.5 to 1kg weight loss per week. However recent studies have found that rapid weight loss may also be as equally beneficial in motivating overweight people to keep on the wagon and shift the excess body fat.

So who's right?  Well I can tell you that I am definitely against any eating program that dictates no exercise.  These are just designed to see the number on the scales go down without the well documented benefits of exercise.  Have no doubt about it, the mulit-billion (yes BILLION) weight loss industry is dependent upon you loosing the weight and putting it right back on so they can hit you up again for the next round of kilo busting weight loss products/subscription.  This is vastly different from the Health and Fitness industry where we want to see you maintain your fitness, health and well-being and attain a body shape that you are happy with rather than just a number on the scales.

In the real world though, many do find it difficult to prepare all the meals required for clean eating and a better alternative to fast food could very well be a meal replacement.  In my view, anything that makes you consider what you are putting in your mouth is not all bad and can help you to maintain an healthy eating regime.

With this all in mind, I recently received some very slick marketing material and emails from a company called Isagenix. I initially dismissed them as another fad meal replacement program, promising the world but really just being another another quick fix shake program.  But the rep from the company was persistent and I eventually relented and looked into it further.  After some initial research I was still not 100% sold on the concept but I did like the encouragement of it's participants to engage in weight bearing and cardio activity as part of the program.  I also liked their focus on size measurement rather than weight on the scales because as we should all know 1 kg of fat has much more volume than 1 kg of muscle.  This program also caters for different goals, from fat loss, to muscle gain, different age groups and activity levels including athletes.

Some more phone calls and a few glowing endorsements from prominent sports people later, I decided to give it a go and see what happens.  After all, how can you judge something unless you are prepared to try it yourself first.              

So this month I am going to go on the Isagenix Program as a 30 day trial.  I have just received the product and in essence it is a mix of protein shakes, low carb protein bars, vitamin/macro nutrient supplements, and cleansing natural herbal products.  These are taken as a 9 day or 30 day program including a 500-600 cal regular clean home cooked meal a day.  In addition to this there are "cleansing days" or "deep cleanse" days which are minimal calorie days, much like the 5/2 diet (2 days fasting followed by 5 days eating) to flush out "toxins".  Refined carbohydrates are out (no sugar, no alcohol, no wheat or dairy) as is caffeine in order to establishing an alkaline state which is supposed to be best state for making use of fat cells for energy.

My goals....well many know that I do tend to carry some extra weight.  It's never really bothered me as size and strength is what mattered as a 1st grade local and representative rugby union prop which I played for many years. For me, being strong and fit is not always dependent on a certain body shape. I still ride motorbikes (both dirt and road), surf regularly, play squash and can do most things I did when I was younger, maybe just not as well.  

I have noticed recently however that as I get older that my joints are growing less tolerant of the extra load that is put on them my joints from these extra kg's.  I also have a 2 week surfing trip coming up at the end of the year with my 16 year old son Caleb in the Solomon Islands. So I want to be in better shape to make the most of this subsistence lifestyle surfing trip into one of the last surfing frontiers left in the world.

Already I have for the past month been eating as clean as I can, cutting out sugar, bread, rice, pasta, soft drinks ect. I don't drink alcohol regularly anyway (maybe a beer every six months) and I don't smoke so it's all good there.  I am doing good hard weight training 4 times a week and cardio twice a week. It's definitely having an effect with dropping size, gaining muscle, getting stronger, fitter, having more energy and just feeling better overall. So it will be a good way to compare each methodology back to back.

I am going to give it a red hot go and stick to the program religiously so we can make a fair assessment.  I will do a body composition analysis and post the results each week as well as my thoughts on how the program is working.  My aim is to drop 10 kg of body fat during the 30 day program as I have already dropped a good 5 - 6 kg of body fat in the last month so I think that an achievable goal.

Lets just see how it all goes and if it works and it's a sound program then I may then consider making it available here at the center.  Until then, keep an eye out on the blog to see the updates and wish me luck.

Cheers

Jason

What Is Crossfit?

So what is Crossift?

I have had a few questions from our members about Crossfit and what it involves.  Crossfit is a worldwide fitness movement with numerous variations across the globe.  It essentially relies on social media for it’s promotion, workout routines and administration.  It can be set up at a very low cost with some gyms manufacturing their own equipment (NB. All Australian fitness equipment should be be correctly engineered and certified for commercial fitness use) 

Very simply, Crossfit is a exercise regime that uses multi joint functional movements that have been taken from other disciplines such as Olympic Lifts (Squats, Clean and Press), gymnastics (Olympic rings ect..), kettlebells, polymeric training, and powerlifting (deadlift).   Exercises are grouped together into workout routines called the “workout of the day” (WOD’s) and completed to time. WOD’s are then given names so that it can be replicated by all Crossfit gyms or “boxes” and then posted online for comparison.

Crossfit was originally founded in the military and has been used by Specialist Police and Special Forces tactical squads for well over 30 years. It was then developed for mainstream use and incorporated into a business model by Glen Crossman in 2000. I have been doing Crossfit style routines for many years, especially when I was with the Police Tactical Unit in the NSW Police State Protection Support Unit.  We used functional training movements to develop and train or operatives and it is a very effective training method for these high end applications.  Of course it wasn’t called Crossfit back then and if you get a chance watch the Crossfit World Games on Foxtel as these guys and girls are very fit and do some amazing routines.  

Here at BSFC we use many of the exercises and movements that make up Crossfit routines.  You will find that we use them as part of our boot camps and you may also see that we prescribe many of these full body functional movements as part of our gym programs. This is of course depending on your personal fitness needs and capacity to complete them safely. If any of these exercises interest you please feel free to speak with us.

It is important to note that many Crossfit trainers will tell you that the ONLY way to train is the Crossfit way!  Some will tell you that other training such as isolated movements (eg bicep curls)  to improve your strength or fitness is a waste of time.  You will typically find that these instructors are new to the fitness industry or are unqualified and are yet to accept that there is benefit in isolated movements and other exercise regimes.  Isolated movements ARE beneficial, even for Crossfit athletes, and are not just for aesthetics.  More than that they can help significantly with completing some of the functional movements used in everyday life.  There is a long list of the reasons why isolated movements and other routines are beneficial and if you would like to know more again please feel free to come in to the centre and ask me.

What we won’t do here at BSFC is encourage you to train until your hands are shredded or you drop to the floor with absolute exhaustion.  Some Crossfit boxes will try to make you work to that level all the time. You would need to have very specific training goals for us to take you to that level.  A thorough one on one assessment should be conducted prior to these extreme levels of exercise, and that's not just filling out a questionnaire! If you do chose to do this without experienced supervision and assessment of your capacity then you risk suffering from a condition called Rhabdomyolysis. You can find out more about this syndrome at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhabdomyolysis .

You will also find that Crossfit instructors will prescribe diets based on the “Paleo” style of eating which prescribes eating only non-processed foods that we would have found when we were caveman hunting and gathering.  This form of eating has gained wider acceptance throughout the word and has proven to be very successful.  If you would like advise on this eating regime we are only too happy to give you a run down as we have found that many of our clients have achieved very good results on this diet. Again this would have to be suited to your personal goals and needs.

Finally, there are some dangers to be found in some Crossfit WOD’s, gyms and instructors.  As you progress through some of these extreme routines your form can be decline significantly, especially if you are not under adequate qualified supervision.  You will risk significant injury, especially if you have not built a solid strength base.  There are some additional risks to lifting very heavy weights, especially squats, deadlifts, and unusually shaped objects such as concrete balls found in some Crossfit boxes.  If a trainer tells you to do these heavy lifts as the only way to get strong, ask them to conduct a functional assessment first. If they don’t know how to, or say it’s not important, you should walk away and find a certified strength and conditioning coach to explain why these functional test are very important to longevity.   Certainly “full on” Crossfit routines, gyms and instructors are a great way for those who have developed a base level of strength and fitness to take it to the next level.  They work well if you are an athlete, in the military and or police tactical squads, but just be cautious if it is your first exercise experience or you are returning to physical activity.

If this Crossfit style of training appeals to you please come and see me and we can set you up with a Crossfit style routine that is safe and will progress your training to the next level with minimal risk.  

BSFC Fitness Questions and Latest Health Trends

Welcome to my band new blog!  I decided that it was time to catch up with technology and use this forum to post questions from members as well as provide updates on new fitness trends.  Feel free to make comment or ask questions, but please understand that if I find anything offensive or derogatory that it will be removed.
I think that by doing this it will answer some of the questions that many of you have been have not had the chance to ask. 
I also welcome your feedback, so tell me what you think good bad or otherwise.  I will do my best to respond to all posts within a short time frame.  This blog is also linked to my facebook and twitter accounts plus our web page so you should be able to access it just about anywhere.