Information & Chat > Health, Fitness, Diet and Lifestyle

Losing Weight: Reversing 38 Years Of Slow Growth

(1/199) > >>

andrewfi:
As is no secret I am not the skinniest bloke in any room - unless that room contains a local chapter of the North American Over Eating Society.

The process started when I was in my teens when I was actually a bit of an athlete - running and sailing were my things. Sadly I broke my neck in a motorcycle accident and that put an end to pretty much any sporting activity other than darts or golf, and golf is, as a brighter bloke than me noted, nothing more than a good walk - spoiled.

So, over the years my weight has increased, very slowly from about 150 lbs to almost double that at the imperceptible rate of less than 4 lbs per year.

The light of my life who is a sporty, fit, sometime model, fitness instructor and all-round hottie decided that something was going to be done to roll back some of those years.
So, a couple of weeks ago she dragged me off to meet her boss - a bloke who runs Herbalife clubs in Estonia and countries around us.

Me the dubious one when it comes to MLM and network marketing and the products they sell, partly because, in my past, I made a living from network marketing. Also, frankly, was concerned about replacing 'real food' with shakes and powders and stuff.

But, she's the boss and I want to be the man she wants to be with, so I had a job to do.

Igor, her boss, turns out is a really pleasant fellow, genuinely so. I also met his mother she helps him run the club I attend. He has a really cool take on the system I don't know how generally the model is applied but he has something like a Herbalife cafeteria going on. Each day folks show up to partake in their daily ration of 'product' for which they pay a monthly subscription.

Anyway, they measured and weighed me and checked my BMI and other stuff. Tutting and clucking ensued. Turns out I am old before my time...

I chose to not do the daily thing, no need and I live too far away to make it fun. At the moment I go back once a week for a weigh in.

Tell you what though, they have some great success stories. Yesterday I was sitting with an old biddy, well, she didn't look so old - maybe a healthy mid 60's. Only thing was, we celebrated her 80th birthday. Another woman, dead proud of her figure, and she should be! I saw the before pics. She's 74 and looks nothing like it. I met a bloke who has lost almost half his body weight in a couple of years. Same kind of scale of task as me.

The mutual support going on there is impressive. Different people all sharing the same kind of goals -OK, my little hottie is actually trying to gain weight, but still, Herbalife covers that too!

Anyhoo, I bought myself some of the basic meal replacement shake mixes and started counting calories and drinking LOTS of water. I already go swimming most days of the week. I set myself a target of 1500 calories.
I don't know if any of you folks have tried Herbalife or similar but I was quickly struck by one thing: If one follows the program it is actually quite hard to eat as much as 1500 calories per day! The shakes are 90 calories each and there's two of those. Well, in between snacks and grazing, which suits me, it leaves me with enough calories to have a real face filler of a meal once a day.

I had expected to be a bit down on energy, but surprisingly I am not, so far at least. Swimming is fun still, work is the same as ever. I understand why I need to drink so much water but it is hard to build that habit. I am replacing the water in the food I don't eat.

There was an odd experience the other day. I really fancied a Hesburger (local chain in the countries around here) 'Mega Meal'. So I took myself off and had one. Strange thing, only a few weeks ago I could tuck one of those away with alacrity. The other day, it was as much as I could manage. But another effect was notable: the taste!
For some reason I could taste stuff in there that I'd never noticed before, layers of flavouring in the sauce they use, the flavour of the beef, even the cheese seemed to be somehow louder.

I like that the use of meal replacements makes it easier to keep to a calorie budget because choices are taken away. I don't have to count the calories and make yes, no, maybe choices or feel like I am cheating. I load up a shake, which, it has to be said, tastes very bland, chug it down and get on with the day. My main meal, although I count the calories is always easy because whatever I want will never break the budget!

So, the results!
Well, first week, apparently usually a week when big changes are seen, saw me knock off 5.5lbs. This week is on target for similar, probably 5lbs, longer term I reckon it will fall to a couple of pounds a week. That'll see me at my 16 year old weight in about 18 months. After that, I reckon if it takes me as long to put the weight back on then I don't need to worry too much about dieting ever again! ;)

Has anyone else here used Herbalife?
How did you get on with the system?

Markje:
I don't trust Herbalife, too much aggressive marketing.

I am however on the same quest as you. Weighing in over 240lbs and it should be near 170 according to the doctors.

I did buy a kettlebell to improve strength in my arms, so far it has helped me get rid of an annoying 'click' in the elbows and they feel supple again. but noticable strength, not yet.

Mark.

Volshe:
I am glad you went that route, i did hope she'd influence you there.  :) I used Herbalife at the time, not only basics, but the whole program and cosmetics too, it's excellent. As a product, it's great, i don't think you'll find many negative reviews on it. Some peeps do blood tests before and after, the results show. (Even if it's placebo, who cares, as long as it's working.)
Over here for some reason all the peeps who were into Herbalife, did Silva Ultramind too (this http://www.silvaultramind.net/ ),  (so did i of course ;)), combined it does give one an extraordinary empowering effect.
My cousin and wifey just discovered it all last year, gave us all hard time by trying to take everyone to lectures with them, were buying supplements for all extended family and so on... It's exciting, especially in the beginning, feels somewhat of a discovering a new religion, and the newbies sometimes get overly enthusiastic (read: bore everyone else to death  ;D).
Meanwhile, i personally gave up on all kinds of powders, shakes and such and consume only non-processed, clean food (that's just me, without a slightest desire to talk anyone into anything ;)),
but once again, my experience with Herbalife was great, i don't regret it - to the contrary, I felt great and energized while on program.
Btw, for what i remember it does reduce appetite, but i think they suggest to eat vegan vegetarian while taking it, also there was some great explanation on why they advice so. Go easy on burgers, that is.
Something else: they say shake for breakfast and dinner, lunch is normal; sometimes i'd have shakes for breakfast and lunch and eat the regular dinner, for me it didn't make any difference.
That's it, for what i can remember. Enjoy the process, i am sure it will work for you  :)


edited to correct: i remembered, fish was ok to eat, but not meat ( i think)

Volshe:

--- Quote from: Markje on December 04, 2015, 02:03:11 PM ---I don't trust Herbalife, too much aggressive marketing.

--- End quote ---

Try it, the product is great, albeit the marketing is indeed of a new-religious-movement. (And the owner of the company died a strange and premature death, drug overdose or something, can't remember for sure.) It's very expensive too, given that you buy all the supplements and cosmetics, not only shakes (i don't think shakes alone have a profound effect. Anyway it is, Andrew's SO is involved with it and she can get everything for him on a big discount, so it's not a biggie.) That aside, product as such is great. I am not sure if it's a myth, but presumably initially it was developed for Soviet cosmonauts?

Markje:
I believe there are 2 main reasons why herbalife works, that can be achieved without it

1) It forces upon you a 3-meal/day diet, no snacking in between.
2) Because the shakes digest quickly, your body reduces your stomach size, meaning that any non-herbalife food is smaller portions and you feel 'full'.

1) is easy, don't snack and eat healthy balanced diets for 3 meals a day
2) Smaller portions work here too, which also helps reduce the calory count.

Mark.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page