I have just completed my two week trial of The New You Plan. I promised myself I would stick to this diet 100% as it was such a great opportunity to try something I haven't had the chance to do before. I have tried meal replacements previously, but this plan was very different so I thought I would tell you all about it.
I was surprised after my initial phone call organising my meals and choosing my snack options, to see a pretty small box arrive, with all food and drinks in packet form - apart from the four snacks I chose. This fascinated me and I couldn't wait to see how the meals we had discussed would turn out and what they would taste like. I had no idea what to expect but my initial thought was that there is a good variety of sweet and savoury options, which is rare for this kind of diet. The diet is what's known as a VLCD (very low calorie diet) and TFR (total food replacement). The plan is very simple with just a few foolproof steps.
*4 Meals per day
*4 Litres of water per day
*2 - 4 snacks per week
I started by sorting my meal box into days so I could focus a little easier. I was sent a selection of tasty shakes, my favourite was the chocolate mint. I also had a hot meal for every day such as cottage pie, my absolute favourite was the spicy noodle nosh - really delicious! The portions are small for a big eater like me but after the initial couple of days I no longer felt the hunger pangs that I normally feel and felt generally a lot more satisfied than even the larger regular meals, very bizarre but brilliant! As well as the shakes and meals there are some other options which are unusual for this kind of thing, one was a maple pancake which was really tasty if very well cooked. The other was an omelet that came in powder form that was surprisingly good and made a nice change from the sweet shakes. I was also able to have porridge of various flavours so there was a really good mix which meant I didn't get bored. There are also a range of meal bars which are nice, but I think I am just not a meal bar fan. Too small and too sweet for me - whatever brand diet. I don't know why. The tropical coconut one is amazing though and I would definitely order those again!
Along with the food I was sent a drink powder - 'pineapple fat burners'. These were a welcome addition to the substantial amount of water I was drinking and gave me a really good energy boost that I have not felt in ages. Throughout this diet I felt so much more alert and happy than normal - I don't know if this is a usual side effect but I felt really, really good.
The results from my first week were amazing, after only the first day I felt lighter and less bloated and had lost a whopping 10.5 pounds by the end of the week! Not bad for a week of good behaviour and tasty foods. The first few days can make you feel a bit ill while your body adapts, but I only felt like this for one day, lucky me! By the end of week two I had lost 13 pounds in total, 10 centimetres from my waist and 4 centimetres from my hips, I am really pleased with that. By the end of the trial I really felt ready to have proper food, but do you know what? I miss the New You food and crave the milkshakes, especially the ease of choosing meals and preparation. I'd love to do this plan again some day but the price is quite high (well worth it if you have the money) so I will have to do a little saving first. I did find at first the shakes upset my tummy but this soon settled down, this was really my only bad point (apart from having to smell cooking bacon and not eat it).
The portion sizes and meal options were great for me. They took some getting used to and I think those around me felt worse about the portions than I did. I didn't feel constantly hungry or dizzy and felt better than ever so I can't argue with that. Although this diet undoubtedly works really well, it does still rely on you having the willpower to not eat other things, to drink the water and get to grips with your normal eating or binging habits.
If you are reading this thinking you need to lose weight then this is a really good place to start. As long as I drank lots of water I wasn't too phased by food around me but being with my children all day that seem to want to eat constantly, I did struggle at times. It was a real eye opener to realise how much I open the snack cupboard or fridge and I was so proud of myself for not giving into temptation for two whole weeks. I would love to see what the results would be had I carried on - I already felt like a new me in just that short time. I wish I had done this years ago!
It's probably worth mentioning that previous to this diet I have been eating relatively healthily, so it wasn't perhaps as much of a shock to the system as it would be doing this from the off - but the quick and healthy results would soon have you hooked whatever your starting point.
Along with the food I also received a great shaker bottle for mixing and drinking shakes with a built in whisk ball (picture above) this was well worth buying. You can also buy a journal for filling in your thoughts and feelings which would be well worth dong if you are doing this long term, great to look back on all those negative thoughts you had in the beginning - they soon change.
The meals are packed with the vitamins and minerals you require and worked out to be a very safe way to lose weight. It is important to speak to your doctor before doing this diet though, as with most - just in case.
The meals are packed with the vitamins and minerals you require and worked out to be a very safe way to lose weight. It is important to speak to your doctor before doing this diet though, as with most - just in case.
So, the results speak for themselves, the food (for me) was pretty tasty and adequate for my hunger levels and I normally eat lots! That leaves the presentation and the service.
The food arrived in the box wrapped in pink tissue paper with a sticker on top saying 'We believe in you'. This sums up the love and care that this company give to all their members. The support available is like nothing I have experienced before. You are welcomed with open arms unlike those clique weekly meetings you get locally. The people that work there give such a personal touch and their Facebook page is always there to keep you motivated with selfies, videos, offers and support. I can't stress enough how good the service has been, really blown away by the niceness of everyone I have encountered.
I took on this review thinking that I may as well give it a shot and try lose a few pounds, but never expected to lose as much, to find it so easy or to enjoy it so much or want more.
I really can give this plan a big thumbs up. It may not be a life time way of eating, but will change your habits of a life time like no other diets I have tried, you will feel happy and supported and when they call it a 'New You' plan, they aren't kidding.
To find out more or order you can visit them on their website. If you'd like £5 in points to spend on products, you can quote code HbTKDAF0 when registering for your first order.
Thanks for reading,
Wafflemama
Disclosure - I was sent a two week box on exchange for A trial and honest review.