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
Friday, November 28, 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014
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.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
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!
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!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
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
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
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