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