Next stop: The Duke Diet

Like Jillian, Duke offers a free initial assessment of your weight situation and goals. I took it. The result:

“Your current weight is too low for us to recommend that you lose weight. However, our program can also teach you how to incorporate healthy eating habits and exercise into your life — which is important for everyone. Please discuss your weight and health goals with your doctor, who can advise you how to proceed.”

It looks like Duke’s program is for serious losers, not for people like me who only want to get rid of 10-15 pounds to look a bit letter and to fit into old clothes.
Nonetheless, I’m still invited to join:

“While we don’t recommend a goal weight for you, we would like to encourage you to improve your lifestyle with our online program. As a member, you’ll get all the tools and support you need to improve your lifestyle. You’ll have access to our renowned Duke experts, plus 16 online tools! “

These are the tools:

• Personalized Meal Planner
• More than 400 Recipes
• Personal Recipe Box
• Shopping List Tool
• Nutrition Guides
• Eating Out Guide
• Behavioral Health Assessments
• Message Boards
• Custom Fitness Plan
• Exercise Video Library
• Weight Tracker
• Lifestyle Journal
• Food Log
• Calorie Calculator
• Fitness Calculator
• BMI Calculator

The price of Duke Diet & Fitness online program is similar to Jillian’s, $4 per week, with the first week free.

What I like about this program:
The medical expertise brought in by the team of specialists in various areas such as nutrition, fitness, behavioral health, diabetes, cardiovascular disease.
Duke is one of the top universities in the world. Their research and development resources are huge, therefore I trust they thoroughly test programs like The Duke Diet & Fitness.

What I don’t like:
The Duke Diet website looks no different than any other weight-loss site out there. It doesn’t pass the trust and reputability of the Duke University to the reader. However, I believe one shouldn’t judge the Duke program only by looking at their site.

If you want to give it a go, here’s the link: We’ll Help You Trim Down: Based on proven weight loss approach. Now online to help you

(calorie intake) – (calorie consumption) < 0 => weight loss
(calorie intake) – (calorie consumption) = 0 => maintenance
(calorie intake) – (calorie consumption) > 0 => weight gain

Fitting into this formula is the hard part. It’s easy to get lazy after a day of work and skip the fitness routine you promised yourself to do every day. It’s easy to eat more than you should. When it comes to self-discipline, there’s plenty of room for improvement for many of us.

This is why joining a weight loss program can be a great idea. Although I find diet meal plans like Wonderslim or Diet-to-Go quite convenient, I still feel there’s something missing. Eating right is not enough. Fitness is important too.

Jillian Michaels runs an online program that helps people lose weight. Jillian is a fitness expert, well-known to the public from two TV shows: “The Biggest Loser” and Losing It With Jillian”. I joined her Online Fitness Program: TV’s toughest fitness guru wants you to lose weight with a free plan. After entering my height, my weight and my weight loss goal, I had to go through a questionnaire. Based on my answers, I got a customized weight-loss plan. Everything she advised me in there makes sense, however there are only rough guidelines for a healthy lifestyle customized according to my preferences, my body shape and my food cravings. The plan is in fact a pitch for Jillian’s paid services as fitness trainer and life coach. At $4 per week, with the first week free, I’ll probably join Jillian’s program, at least for a while.

What I like about her is that she’s honest. She doesn’t full you into thinking weight loss is easy and that her program would help you get fit without hard work. She promises you “work”, but she says she has secrets and tricks to make it easier.

What I don’t like about her is that she focuses so much on selling. However, if her program works, it’s worth the $4 per week. It’s even worth whatever other products she advertises on her website and I might be enticed to buy. This article: “Amber lost nearly 90 pounds with Jillian’s program!” shows promising results, anyway.

What you get when you become a member of Jillian’s online program:

• You learn how to change your behavior to reach your goals
• You learn how to eat right for your metabolism
• Tools to help you reach your goals:
  • Calorie calculator
  • Ultimate menu guide
  • Interactive weight tracker
  • Access to message boards and “Ask Jillian” section
  • Fitness advice videos
  • Wellness team
  • 151 printable exercises

You can join the program, if so you wish. However, the so-called “free weight loss plan” is only a common sense guide based on your honest answers to the questionnaire. You need more than a plan to lose weight and become fit: you need heaps of determination and consistency. If you have these two, you can succeed for free. If you don’t, no paid program in this world will work for you. Ever.

Berry Yogurt WonderSlim Protein Diet Smoothies (7 Servings/Box)
Price: 10.99

Key features of the WonderSlim Protein Diet Smoothies:

• High Protein – 15 grams Per Serving
• Low Calorie – 100 Calories Per Serving
• Enriched with 23 Vitamins and Minerals
• Trans Fat Free
• Saturated Fat Free
• Aspartame Free
• Use as a Meal Replacement
• This shake is creamy with a light blueberry flavor. Just add ice cold water, stir well or shake it and enjoy! The Strawberry Yogurt version is creamy and sweet and it contains tiny bits of strawberries (and seeds).
• DietDirect offer you Money Back Guarantee on all purchases, so if you aren’t happy, you can make use of that.

Strawberry Yogurt WonderSlim Protein Diet Smoothies (7 Servings/Box)
Price: 10.99

Berry Blast WonderSlim Protein Diet Fruit Drinks (7 Servings/Box)

Key features of the WonderSlim Protein Diet Fruit Drinks:

High Protein – 12 to 15 grams of Protein (depending on flavor)

High in Vitamin C – 100% of the Daily Value

Low Calorie – 60 to 100 Calories Per Drink (depending on flavor)

Low Carb – 1 to 7 grams Per Serving (depending on flavor)

Most Flavors Fat Free, Cholesterol Free, Trans Fat Free, Saturated Fat Free

The drink is very easy to prepare, it mixes very well with water

Flavors:

Berry Blend: Nice combination of of the darker berries like blackberry and boysenberry type fruit flavors. Sure to please the mixed fruit lover!

Kiwi & Berry: Savor the sweet flavors of strawberry and kiwi while treating your body to a protein-rich thirst-quenching cold beverage! Delicious!

Tangy Lemon: Enjoy a crisp refreshing glass of lemonade and get both 12g of protein and 100% DV of vitamin C!! Just mix with 8 oz. of cold water pour over ice and enjoy!

Cran-Grape: Popular drink for those who like a little tartness and taste of cranberries added to grape juice. Great for mornings or anytime you’d drink cranberry juice.

Tangy Orange: Tastes like orange juice. Enjoy a crisp refreshing glass and get both 12g of protein and 100% DV of vitamin C!! Just mix with 8 oz. of cold water pour over ice and enjoy!

Berry Blast: Delicious fruity-punch like drink with more protein (15g) than the other fruit drinks.

WonderSlim Protein Diet Fruit Drinks come with Money Back Guarantee. Note from DietDirect: “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose treat cure or prevent disease.”

Berry Blend WonderSlim Protein Diet Fruit Drinks (7 Servings/Box)
Price: 10.99

Cran-Grape WonderSlim Protein Diet Fruit Drinks (7 Servings/Box)
Price: 10.99

Kiwi & Berry WonderSlim Protein Diet Fruit Drinks (7 Servings/Box)
Price: 10.99

Tangy Lemon WonderSlim Protein Diet Fruit Drinks (7 Servings/Box)
Price: 10.99

Tangy Orange WonderSlim Protein Diet Fruit Drinks (7 Servings/Box)
Price: 10.99

Diet To Go: Portabello Lasagna

Diet plans are a challenge for many people. This happens because each of us is unique, so we can’t expect a general weight loss program to fit everybody and to give results no matter who’s following it. This is why a diet and fitness program should state that the results aren’t typical. That’s the reason why I thought Diet To Go might be a good weight loss plan, since they clearly warn the customer that not everybody is granted those great achievements we see on their website.

Do you know why I can’t lose weight? I’ve got a big problem with cravings: I simply can’t eat diet foods when my family is eating all those good, delicious meals I like so much. Besides, I cook for them, so the temptation gets even bigger. Unfortunately, the other members of my family are thin, so I really can’t put them all on a diet only because I need to lose 40 pounds. So, my problem with diets is their lack of variety in the first place. Second of all, I can’t control my hunger. If I don’t eat enough, I feel dizzy and I can’t function properly. If I go to bed on an empty stomach, I find it impossible to fall asleep, so I need to get out of bed and grab something from the fridge. Under these circumstances, there’s no wonder I’m overweight. An independent study done by National Business Research Institute in October 2008 has shown that you can’t lose weight if you’re hungry all the time. One needs to feel full in order to allow the brain to focus on something else than eating. That study was about the Nutrisystem program, and it proved that 80% of the subjects were never hungry while following this weight loss program. I suppose that’s because of it’s high flexibility: what other weight loss plan allows you to eat pizza or desserts? Or to take a snack between the main meals? These are the main advantages of either Nutrisystem or Diet To Go, as I see them:

1. Variety: my brain gets bored if I feed myself with the same foods repeatedly. I need variation, I need creativity in all my life, meals included. That’s why fad diets are a big no-no for me: who can eat cabbage soup for a month and not die of boredom in the 31st day? A typical diet-to-go day could include a chocolate chip scone for breakfast, a vegetable beef soup at lunch, macaroni and cheese at dinner,  pretzels for dessert and light yogurt with fresh blueberries as snacks.
2. Hunger control: I’ve got this dizziness problem that prevents me from respecting any strict diet that supposes an individual could eat only three meals a day. I remember a book by Carlos Castaneda, in which Don Juan Matus, his Indian mentor explained Carlos that the best way to stay fit is to eat very small portions many times a day, rather than bigger quantities two-three times a day. I can’t agree more with him, I’ve always felt like having at least 5-6 meals a day.
3. Convenience: I’m busy, so I can’t afford spending half day in the kitchen, preparing complicated diet recipes. That’s probably one of the reasons of my actual weight: too much fast food, too often. Diet To Go allows online ordering, so I can save time on shopping and the best of all is that I can choose those fresh-frozen meals which take only a few minutes to prepare. I don’t need to count, I don’t need to measure and I don’t have to measure anything, so preparing meals is as quick as possible.
4. Flexibility. Nutritionists say that weight loss plans need to be adjusted according to the age and the health status of the overweight person. For instance, weight loss diets for men should be totally different than diets for women. It’s normal for a man to eat different foods than a women does, and that’s a plus of such portioned meals diet programs: they take into account that we are unique individuals with specific needs.

If we were to make a comparison between the main diet-to-go systems available on the market, we could immediately notice that Diet To Go seems to come with the lowest average cost per day. Additionally, they are also the only company which delivers fresh, non-frozen food in some local areas (you’ll have to check if you live in that area or not). Diet To Go has another advantage: they don’t outsource, all their food is made at their quality controlled facility.

However, I think that one can lose weight even without Nutrisystem, Diet To Go or another such system, because let’s be honest, it’s only a program that delivers you portioned foods, in order to teach you how much to eat and how to combine foods in order to enjoy a fit silhouette. Besides, one can’t really eat from a box for the entire life, so this diet has to come to an end after you learn the basics of healthy eating habits.

If you want to try such a diet plan, just click on the banner below and see if that one suits your needs. And yes, I’m going to earn a small commission if you decide to try their food. As Diet To Go offers flexible meal plan options that are fully customizable, I think you’ll be pleased with your new way of eating and hopefully your pounds will soon start to shed.

Zotrim contains plant extracts like Guarana, Yerba Mate and Damiana, so we can say it’s close to the natural remedies like teas or fruits. It’s a herbal food supplement. The idea is that when you take the pills, they cut your appetite, so you eat less. In the same time, they intensify the fats burning, so we could say Zotrim has a double effect, therefore a better efficiency when it comes to losing weight.

I’ve found one of the scientific studies for Zotrim, and specialists there claim and prove that Zotrim helps to reduce energy intake by delaying gastric emptying or by stimulating an early feeling of fullness. This is great, because most of the times, we tend to eat more than we need, because the fullness sensation appears when we’re already too full. Why I’m a bit skeptical on this study? Because it included persons with the BMI between 22 and 24.9, which falls within the range of normal.

Zotrim’s Consultant Dietitian, Jane Griffin says its no surprise men and women dislike their “jelly belly” above any other body bulge:

“When we gain weight our belly is often the first place that we notice it. It looks unsightly and is unhealthy too. We should keep our bodies healthy and partners happy by controlling our eating habits with a weight loss aid such as Zotrim – a natural way to keep you feeling full for longer.”

I can resonate to that, I simply hate my love handles and my jelly belly above all other aspects I’d like to improve in the way I look.

Dietitian Jane Griffin adds to her above words:

“I recently advised a group of ladies who had tried most things but failed to lose weight. They took Zotrim and I am amazed by the results – after just a few weeks most dropped at least a dress size.”

You know what? I might try Zotrim, because I want my last year’s dresses to fit again.

Do Wonderslim Products Taste Good?

While it is true that most of the Wonderslim food replacements have a pleasant taste, some of them are rather strange, so I prefer not to include them in my diet. I’m talking here about the protein bars. I’m probably a bit subjective as I can’t stand this type of products, so my review may sound a bit negative when it comes to such foods. However, the salad dressings, the diet cheesecake and the hot beverages such as the hot chocolate, are truly a great discovery. I must confess I’m a big fan of them, so I tend to exaggerate sometimes.

Wonderslim Starter Kits

The products are grouped in starter kits planned for 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks. After I talked to my physician and got her approval for trying this, I’ve ordered the smaller 2 Weeks WonderSlim Starter Weight Loss Kit. After that, I decided I want my further kits customized, so I included only those diet foods that I liked most, leaving aside those protein bars and smoothies which were not appealing at all to my food taste.

Since I’m happy with my weight loss pace, I’ve decided to stick with this program for a while longer, so I opted for the 12 week kit, which saves me a lot of money. You can see below all kits, so you can make yourself an idea of what you get for your money:

WonderSlim 12 Week Starter-Kit Price: 589.00  You pay $500.65 after available discounts The 12-Week Starter Kit qualifies for 15%Volume Discount which is applied automatically in your shopping cart. This kit provides you with everything you need to lose weight using delicious perfectly portioned WonderSlim meal replacements for a period of 12 full weeks at a cost of only $5.96 a day. It allows you to eat every 2-3 hours, with no calorie counting. WonderSlim meal plans are nutritionally designed to meet the weight loss needs for BOTH Women and Men; providing 1000-1200 calories/day for Women and 1500-1700 calories/day for Men. What’s included in the pack? Your kit includes all of your WonderSlim Meal Replacements (15 grams of protein per serving) Protein Supplements (12 grams of protein per serving) and Bars (10 grams of protein per serving) needed to follow the meal plan. You’ll receive Meal Replacements Breakfasts Lunch Items Snack Bars Desserts and more plus a Daily Meal Plan Lifestyle Guide Maintenance Plan Food Diary and Food Shopping List. Have Questions? 12-Week Starter Kit Includes: - WonderSlim Multi Vitamins (90 ct) WonderSlim Meal Plans (1000-1200 calories for Women 1500-1700 calories for Men) - Food Shopping List - 20 oz. WonderSlim Blender Bottle - Food Diary - WonderSlim Lifestyle Guide. This complete Lifestyle Guide includes guidance on: Exercises & Activities Nutrition Information Behavior-Modification Techniques Maintenance Plan For Long-Term - Weight Loss Meal Replacements: (252 Servings) 36 Boxes Pudding/Shakes: 42 Chocolate Cream 42 Vanilla Cream 42 Mocha Cream 21 Strawberry Cream 21 CocoMint Cream. Smoothies: 42 Berry Yogurt 42 Strawberry Yogurt. Breakfast Supplements: (88 Servings) 14 Boxes 21 Cinnamon Crunch Cereal 21 Berries ’n Chocolate Crunch Cereal 25 Apple ’n Cinnamon Oatmeal 21 Hot Cakes. Lunch Supplements: (84 Servings) 12 Boxes Lite Entrees: 14 Vegetarian Sloppy Joe 14 Zesty Chili 7 Spicy Cheese ’n Pasta 7 Cheese Steak Macaroni. Soups: 14 Chicken with Noodles 14 Chicken & Vegetable Cream 14 Tomato. Snack Bars: (84 Servings) 12 Boxes 7 Peanut Butter Crisp 7 Caramel Butter Pecan 7 ChocoMint 7 Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin 7 Sampler Pack 7 Tangy Lemon Crisp 7 Chocolate Peanut Butter 7 Cookie Dough 7 Creamy Cookie 7 Caramel Brownie Nut 7 Chocolate 7 Butter Toffee. Dessert Supplements: (84 Servings) 12 Boxes Cakes: 21 Double Chocolate Cake 21 Cheesecake. Puddings: 7 Dark Chocolate 7 Caramel. Hot Drinks: 7 Hot Chocolate 7 Cappuccino. Fruit Drinks: 7 Berry Blend 7 Cran-Grape. ** Starter Kit items may vary based on product availability. Consult your doctor before starting any diet exercise or supplementation program. OUR GUARANTEE: Were so certain youll be pleased with the WonderSlim 12-Week Starter Kit we offer our Money Back Guarantee on all purchases. Important Information: Can I Do All Liquids? First consult your Doctor. He or she will determine if you are medically qualified to begin a full fast or full liquid diet. They will also monitor any and all relevant medical conditions ongoing. Please Note: If you opt to do a 100% liquid diet or if you go on a very low calorie (VLC) diet (fewer than 1000 calories per day) you should be supervised and monitored by a physician.

WonderSlim 2 Week Starter-Kit Price: 149.00 You pay $134.10 after available discounts. The 2 week WonderSlim Starter Kit provides you with everything you need to lose weight using delicious perfectly portioned meal replacements for a period of 14 days at a cost of only $9.58 a day. What’s Included? Your kit includes all of your WonderSlim Meal Replacements (15 grams of protein per serving) Protein Supplements (12 grams of protein per serving) and Bars (10 grams of protein per serving) needed to follow the meal plan. You’ll receive Meal Replacements Breakfasts Lunch Items Snack Bars Desserts and more plus a Daily Meal Plan Lifestyle Guide Maintenance Plan Food Diary and Food Shopping List.

WonderSlim 4 Week Starter-Kit Price: 239.00 You pay $215.10 after available discounts. The 4 week WonderSlim Starter Kit provides you with everything you need to lose weight using delicious perfectly portioned WonderSlim meal replacements for a period of 4 full weeks at a cost of only $7.68 a day. Your kit includes all of your WonderSlim Meal Replacements (15 grams of protein per serving) Protein Supplements (12 grams of protein per serving) and Bars (10 grams of protein per serving) needed to follow the meal plan. You’ll receive Meal Replacements Breakfasts Lunch Items Snack Bars Desserts and more plus a Daily Meal Plan Lifestyle Guide Maintenance Plan Food Diary and Food Shopping List.

WonderSlim 8 Week Starter-Kit Price: 429.00 You pay $364.65 after available discounts. The 8 week WonderSlim Starter Kit provides you with everything you need to lose weight using delicious perfectly portioned WonderSlim meal replacements for a period of 8 full weeks at a cost of only $6.51 a day. Your kit includes all of your WonderSlim Meal Replacements (15 grams of protein per serving) Protein Supplements (12 grams of protein per serving) and Bars (10 grams of protein per serving) needed to follow the meal plan. You’ll receive Meal Replacements Breakfasts Lunch Items Snack Bars Desserts and more plus a Daily Meal Plan Lifestyle Guide Maintenance Plan Food Diary and Food Shopping List. Have Questions? 8-Week Starter Kit Includes: WonderSlim Multi Vitamins (60 ct) WonderSlim Meal Plans (1000-1200 calories for Women 1500-1700 calories for Men) Food Shopping List 20 oz. WonderSlim Blender Bottle Food Diary WonderSlim Lifestyle Guide This complete Lifestyle Guide includes guidance on: Exercises & Activities Nutrition Information Behavior-Modification Techniques Maintenance Plan For Long-Term Weight Loss Meal Replacements: (168 Servings) 24 Boxes Pudding/Shakes: 28 Chocolate Cream 28 Vanilla Cream 28 Mocha Cream 14 Strawberry Cream 14 CocoMint Cream. Smoothies: 28 Berry Yogurt 28 Strawberry Yogurt. Breakfast Supplements: (57 Servings) 9 Boxes 14 Cinnamon Crunch Cereal 14 Berries ’n Chocolate Crunch Cereal 15 Apple ’n Cinnamon Oatmeal 14 Hot Cakes. Lunch Supplements: (56 Servings) 8 Boxes Lite Entrees: 14 Vegetarian Sloppy Joe 7 Zesty Chili 7 Spicy Cheese ’n Pasta 7 Cheese Steak Macaroni. Soups: 14 Chicken with Noodles 7 Chicken & Vegetable Cream. Snack Bars: (56 Servings) 8 Boxes 7 Peanut Butter Crisp 7 Caramel Butter Pecan 7 ChocoMint 7 Sampler Pack 7 Chocolate Peanut Butter 7 Cookie Dough 7 Caramel Brownie Nut 7 Butter Toffee. Dessert Supplements: (56 Servings) 8 Boxes Cakes: 14 Double Chocolate Cake 7 Cheesecake. Puddings: 7 Dark Chocolate 7 Caramel. Hot Drinks: 7 Hot Chocolate 7 Cappuccino. Fruit Drinks: 7 Cran-Grape. ** Starter Kit items may vary based on product availability. Consult your doctor before starting any diet exercise or supplementation program. OUR GUARANTEE: Were so certain you’ll be pleased with the WonderSlim 8-Week Starter Kit we offer our Money Back Guarantee on all purchases. Important Information: Can I Do All Liquids? First consult your Doctor. He or she will determine if you are medically qualified to begin a full fast or full liquid diet. They will also monitor any and all relevant medical conditions ongoing. Please Note: If you opt to do a 100% liquid diet or if you go on a very low calorie (VLC) diet (fewer than 1000 calories per day) you should be supervised and monitored by a physician.

At less than $600 for almost three months, I’m spending about $6.6 per diet day, plus some grocery money, because I feel the need to eat one real meal a day, consisting of salads, fruits or lean meat, plus a little bit of chocolate. I know I shouldn’t be eating chocolate, but I have to spoil my senses at least a bit, for not losing this weight loss motivation. It’s a good choice and I’m feeling energetic and optimistic. I hope my pounds won’t come back on my hips and belly after I finish with the Wonderslim diet products. I’ll keep you posted after the 90 days are over.

Update: I’ve been asked by a few readers to post some more details about separate Wonderslim products. Here they are:

Wonderslim Soups:

Wonderslim pasta dishes and other meal replacements