Is anyone using New Direction products for weight loss?

I have been doing this plan for three weeks. I haven't had much success. The "meals" do not fill me up at all. My aunt has had great success on it, though.

kommodevaran wrote: »

mrs_dolittle wrote: »

Hello! My husband just started the New Direction LCD program. I'm trying to plan and prepare his meals. He was given a food exchange list but nothing that explains how to use it. It seems like he is missing something in his binder. Will call the dietitian tomorrow but I do not know what to ask for. Any help will be appreciated.

I suggest logging in MFP's food diary and hit calorie/macro goals eating your ordinary food.

Solid.

So this is what £200 a month for all the appointments plus £60 a week for the food? Yeah I wouldn't pay that! Plus what are you all going to do when you hit your goal weight? Do you know how to eat a proper balanced diet?

blewvelvet wrote: »

I started this on 10/24. 2 days lost 2 lbs. I do have some headaches/ear aches....not sure if it correllates. Also. Im surprised these foods use aspartame. I'm not a fan as long term can cause kidney stones. Would prefer they use stevia instead. But overall the food/shakes/pudding/bars..aren't bad!!! I will continue on the two week trial..see what happens. AND I make it really easy on myself..I go down to the deli salad bar and use mixed greens, beets, tomatoes, some beans and a scoop of tuna or 2 hard boiled eggs into the salad. I do the same at home...If the food does not tide me over..I make a small salad version just before bed.

You have lost 2 lbs of water weight, nothing else. Don't fall for these things. Make yourself real protein shakes for half the price if that's what you are into. Just need a protein powder, some almond/coconut milk and a bag of frozen fruit. Will end up being ~300 calories or so depending on what you brands you get.

You will get the same results if you cut their foods out and just eat healthy like you described after. That's where all the fine print for these results come form "Results are from a balanced nutrition and exercise program."

blewvelvet wrote: »

4th day - 10/27 headache gone..but so tired...no energy. Woke up at 3:30am till 7am..went back to sleep 7-9:45am. I would recommend starting this on a Wed or Thursday. I might have a sinus infection or an allergy..not sure if that correllates. Still down 2 lbs.

ZOMBIE THREAD alert

I've done the weight loss shakes (different brand). Lost weight - then regained it......as an overwhelming % of people do with these types of diets. Meal replacements teach us nothing. We need to figure out what we are doing wrong & change it.

As @ericwhitty pointed out - real food works for weight loss too. It's all about a calorie deficit. If you are tired & have no energy perhaps the calories of this plan are too low, or you need a different macro mix (protein, fat & carbs). There is no "magic" in weight loss shakes. It's merely a gimmick to make it easier to count calories. But these shortcuts don't help us fix our mistakes. Keeping the weight off will take an effort.

I started New Direction 800 cal. Diet on 3/7/17' so far doing well with the shake, pudding, and drink. I was starving my self before so not sure if that effect weight loss? This is 2nd week and have lost 4lbs. I have knee replacement and only 45 degree bend with that leg and a bad Achilles (may need surgery). I go to pool 3x week and walk for over 1hour and 1 of those days that a water acrob. class and exercise class with new direction staff 1 day. It is hard to do exercise out of pool, do you think I will still lose a lot of weight

I just finished the trial of the food and TODAY is my first "official" day in the program. I'm so excited there is a forum on here! I'm already down 17 lbs with just the two week trial.

Any insights from the seasoned veterans?

I'm surprised at the profound lack of knowledge by those hostile to New Directions. I did a lot of research before getting on this program. Hospitals use this program. Clinical studies are done using it, such as this peer reviewed journal where Robard's VLCD New Direction products literally helped avoid liver transplants. Read yourself.

http://www.nature.com/nutd/journal/v3/n11/full/nutd201336a.html

I don't work or know them btw. So far in 4 days lost 4.2 lbs. 4 ND products plus 1 small meal a day.
Be sure to drink your water or u will stall.

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elyelyse wrote: »

I've been on the program since late November and I'm only averaging 1 to 1.5 lbs of weightloss per week. Its very hard to drink only liquids (800 calorie diet) and I occassionally cheat and eat solid food but I choose healthy foods when cheating. I'm disappointed in the cost of this program and wonder if other diet meal replacements would do the same thing for me at a much lower cost. I have 70 lbs to lose so I know it will be worth it in the long term, I just don't know if I can continue with the high cost and the deprivation of normal food (salads, proteins would be wonderful to eat again)!

i wish that people didn't feel the need to go to these extremes. Many people lose at that rate eating normal food, and a lot more calories. you don't have to feel deprived, you don't have to spend tons of money.

Agree except with the don't have to feel deprived point. If someone is used to eating 3000+ calories a day and needs to get to 1500-2000 to lose or maintain, there will most likely be some feeling of being deprived at least initially. This can be mitigated somewhat by lowering calories gradually

Saying you don't have to feel deprived sets a bit of false expectation IMO.

Zombie thread and terrible topic. Sidestepping that VLCDs are against the TOS of MFP.

--if you convince yourself not to eat for a magical weight loss interval under the "I'll tough it out and win" theory, you will lose weight while actively toughing it out.

--if spending lots of money makes you more likely to tough it out because you have now shown your commitment with your pocket-book, spending money will make you more likely to adhere for a while.

--If you send me money now, and you don't consume calories, you will lose weight--ok: where's my money?

--very few people will manage to transition from weight loss to multi year maintenance successfully.

--I don't see how learning nothing about maintenance and entering maintenance from a position of the worst possible hormonal balance and setup with zero prior exploration of long term eating, moving, life and any sort of future maintenance strategies will enhance your already low odds for long term success.

Successful weight loss buys tickets to a maintenance lottery.

Sort of like a 50-50 draw which draws many winners as opposed to only one. But, still--for sure--way more than half of the participants will fall by the wayside during early maintenance.

You can go into the draw with only one ticket. OR you can stack your odds by collecting lots of tickets on your way there.

I'm glad I stacked my odds as much as possible between 2014 and 2016 collecting all the little tickets I could. It has been very helpful these past 5 years.

Mr_Knight wrote: »

I just started a weight loss program called New Direction.

Isn't that a boy band?

LOL I thought that too