Puregym Pure Loser Lite (weight loss course)

Vailara

Has anybody done this course or signed up for it? I have and I'm a bit apprehensive! I know nothing about it, but had a google and it seems it involves quite a restrictive diet and is competitive? Not sure if there's an exercise class included as well? The website just says "the next six weeks won't be easy", but doesn't elaborate!

sijomial

IMHO restrictive diets are a short term fix to a long term problem and don't teach anyone how to maintain.
As for competitive weight loss - that's an awful idea. Different people with different start points, end goals and capabilities trying to lose "weight" not fat.

My guess is they then will add a tough workout regime as well which could well be completely unsuitable for many of the people doing it.

spongeh

We did this last year when they first introduced it and quit after week 2... we got bored of having to have the same food ALL the time. They give you a small booklet of recipes and thats all you've got for 6 weeks, we much prefer the Slimming World recipes and using MFP for portion control

Vailara

Oh, you're kidding me - just eating their recipes all the time for 6 weeks? Is it true that you have to cut out caffeine and all sorts of things? No wonder the website was so vague about what it entailed.

I agree about competitive weight loss, Sijomial - I think it might even encourage bad practice (like dehydrating before weighing). I don't have a hope of winning as I'm already dieting and don't like to have a big deficit. And I have heart disease so I don't want to do a workout that's too tough for me.

I know I should have looked into it before I booked on, but there was no information on the website and I thought it might book up quickly so signed up as soon as I saw it.

theonly1iknow

I've just received an email about this too, I agree, the website is very vague. But a VLCD is not for me. Think I'll stick to MFP, even if I paid 70p to weigh in at the gym it'd be a darn site cheaper than paying to starve.

Vailara

I thought I'd better report back now that I've been to the first session!

It was actually a pleasant surprise. There seems to be quite a restricted diet for the first week, then after that some of the restricted foods can be eaten in moderation, with portion control. There wasn't an exercise class at the first meeting. There will be bodyweight exercises next time, but apparently we are able to do these at our own level. It doesn't seem that we'll have to stick to the recipes, thank goodness, and after the first week, the diet pretty much fits in with what I eat anyway.

My big reservation was that we were encouraged to lose 2lb a week, which is far too much for me - I know from experience that I do better on a smaller deficit. But I'm happy to lose more slowly on it. I do like the group support aspect. I hardly know anyone who is overweight so it's nice to be doing it in a small group.

jst1986

I know people who have done it and had some success but as has been said its a 'quick fix' and you need to keep plugging away at the end of the six weeks or the weight goes back on!

Vailara

Yes, I've been plugging away for getting on for three years (lost a lot of weight, maintained, and now have decided to lose a bit more), so it's just a bit of a boost/moral support. I'm not going to stop dieting after the 6 weeks! I do find some of information they've given me contradictory, though, so I'm going to find it hard to stick to for that reason, and I don't think all of their recommendations suit me. But I am looking forward to going back!

Vailara

I thought I'd report back having now completed all the sessions and signed up for another lot.

The course does seem to be quite individual depending on the instructor. As we were quite a small group, it felt more tailored. A lot of the advice was on exercise - we were shown how to make up exercise routines, bodyweight exercise, circuits, HIIT, weights, etc. We were given the diet and advice on eating, but I didn't feel it was strict. As I mentioned, the "diet" was a bit contradictory. For instance, the recipe book had recipes including "banned" foods. We were supposed to give up gluten, but were told wholewheat pasta was OK in moderation. Caffiene was banned, but at the end of the book, it said to reduce caffiene slowly (when we'd supposedly already given it up!). But I felt that all this made it less prescriptive.

I enjoyed going to it as a support group. (Isn't group support meant to help wit losing weight?). If you're already a member of Pure Gym it works out cheaper than Slimming World or Weight Watchers at £2.50 a session. It wouldn't be worth joining Pure Gym just for the diet class, though. I'll have a different instructor next time, so it will be interesting to see if the class feels different.

I did lose weight doing the class (although I was losing weight anyway!).