Quick weight loss tips?

Wait, how on earth did you pull that off? Losing 70 pounds in a single month?! 😲

Jumper said:Start eating 6-7 times a day, load up on protein and healthy fats (think walnuts, fish oil, flaxseed oil), stick to complex carbs like oatmeal, eat tons of veggies, and don't go overboard with fruit. Just doing that will make a massive difference. If you throw in a gym routine three times a week, you'll see incredible results and definitely feel good about yourself.
I wish someone had pointed me toward the right path when I was seventeen. 😢

Solid advice, and honestly, it's the only way to do it.
Most people struggling with their weight just want a quick fix to look better, so they fall for all these fad diets that are completely wrong.
To put it simply, when you slash your calorie intake to the absolute minimum, your body tries to compensate for the energy deficit by breaking down muscle—since muscle is basically a luxury that requires too much energy to maintain—while simultaneously hoarding fat stores for the "starvation" stage.
When someone loses weight that way, they aren't actually losing fat; they're mostly losing water and muscle mass. This tanks your metabolism, which is terrible news, because as soon as you stop the diet, the weight comes rushing back—usually as fat instead of muscle.

madd said:Well, I actually got started with Herbalife because my cousin works as a distributor, and I’d seen some positive feedback from folks on this forum too. Initially, I tried combining Herbalife with the Herbalife zone, following that specific recommendation from MacGregor. Just to be clear, please don't go blaming him—that was entirely my own call, prompted by his posts which seemed quite grounded and realistic to me at the time. To tell you the truth, I just couldn't stick to the zone diet; it felt far too complicated for my lifestyle, so I ended up essentially subsisting on a single apple a day.

Honestly, those slim tablets for appetite suppression are your best bet. They're completely natural and help curb that constant hunger, so you end up eating less without feeling like you're starving.

Go read the post by redcrane5, please.

Kimberly Flores3 said:those slim tablets for suppressing appetite are the best; they're totally natural and curb your hunger so you eat less without actually feeling hungry.

Yeah, sure. Maybe try reading the post right above yours first.☕

madd said:I actually got into Herbalife because my cousin is a distributor—plus some folks on this forum have had good things to say about it. I tried combining Herbalife with the Herbalife zone, just like that MacGregor guy suggested. Don't go blaming him, though—that was entirely my call, mostly because his posts seemed pretty grounded to me. Honestly, I couldn't stick to the zone; it felt way too complicated, so I ended up just eating an apple a day.

I feel like I need to jump in here because it seems like people are missing the point—and honestly, I’m worried you might be too—and things are starting to get a bit nonsensical.

Just because your cousin is a distributor doesn't mean she knows exactly what she's doing... in fact, people who operate that way often end up failing because they miss the actual goal.

If you want to lose weight HEALTHILY, you need to:

- Eat 3-5 MEALS throughout the day—meaning at least three meals and two snacks. A meal is generally considered anything over 220 kcal, so an apple can't count as a meal; it’s just a snack.
- Drink at least 2 liters of water daily.
- Cut down on total calories.
- Increase (or at least maintain) your intake of all essential nutrients.

So, if you're starting a weight loss plan using Herbalife, you SHOULD still keep one regular meal (if you want), but swap out the other two for shakes (Formula 1). Each shake is roughly 220-250 kcal and packs all the nutrients your body needs.
Basically, Herbalife meal replacements help lower your calorie intake while still feeding your cells. Since they're based on soy protein, which acts as building material for your body, you won't feel that constant hunger signal hitting your brain.

It is technically possible to live on shakes alone, but you'd have to hit your caloric minimum (at least 1200 kcal), which means drinking about 5 or 6 shakes a day.

I don't know what your current weight is, but if you're only having one apple and two shakes a day, you're overdoing the deficit and that isn't good for you. Typically, healthy weight loss averages about 6-11 lbs a month for men—it might be more the first month if you're carrying extra weight, but that average holds true. For women, it's usually closer to 4-9 lbs per month.

I agree that the zone is a bit much to manage, so finding a balance with everything is probably the best way to go.

Quick question: how long has your cousin been doing this, and does she actually provide "follow-up"—as in, does she check in with you every day?

viky said:At seventeen, you're already hanging out on forums listening to some guy who clearly cares more about his bank account than anything else. Honestly—it’s frustrating seeing people brainwash kids just to line their own pockets. I really hope that money doesn't sit well with them. :2up:
If your goal is to slim down while actually staying healthy—and maybe keeping your mental health intact too—you should probably chat with a doctor. Just ask for a nutritional plan that actually supports your body.

I haven't met a single person who's ever walked away from a doctor with a solid, actionable weight loss program. Let's be real here.

I already covered the rest of my thoughts in my previous post, so I won't bore you by repeating myself. 😁

Jumper said:Start eating 6-7 times a day—focusing on high protein and healthy fats like walnuts, fish oil, or flaxseed oil. Stick to complex carbs—think oatmeal—lots of veggies, and don't go overboard on the fruit. Just doing that will make a massive difference, and if you hit the gym three times a week, you’ll see great results and actually feel good about yourself.
I wish someone had pointed me toward this path when I was seventeen... 😢

All this is solid advice, really—but trying to balance all those requirements while simultaneously cutting calories can leave you spinning in circles... that's usually when getting active helps jumpstart everything.

Cut the Herbalife, just stick to an apple and actually take the time to read what Angela Rodriguez2 told you.

I don't get why you're chasing simplicity when it comes to eating—just two shakes and an apple? Our bodies aren't really built for that kind of routine. You have to put in the work to prep actual healthy meals; there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Go talk to a doctor about the weight loss stuff.

And don't go experimenting on yourself!

Angela Rodriguez2 said:I have to jump in here because I see a lot of people completely missing the point (and honestly, I’m worried you might be too), and things are starting to get pretty nonsensical.

Just because your cousin is a distributor doesn't mean she automatically knows what she's doing... actually, if she's doing exactly what you're describing, then she's doing it wrong and that's why it isn't working. We just can't wrap our heads around the logic here.

If you want to lose weight in a healthy way, you need to:

- Eat 3-5 meals a day—meaning at least 3 actual meals and 2 snacks. For this context, a meal is anything over 220 calories, so an apple doesn't count as a meal; it's just a snack.
- Drink at least 2 liters of water daily.
- Cut down on your calorie intake.
- Increase (or at least maintain) your intake of all necessary nutrients.

So, if you're starting a weight loss program using Herbalife, you SHOULD keep one standard meal (your choice) and swap out the other two for shakes (Formula 1). Each shake is roughly 220-250 calories and packs all the essential nutrients your body needs.
Herbalife meal replacements actually lower your calorie count while simultaneously feeding your cells. You won't feel hungry because the whole thing is based on soy protein that nourishes your cells (since protein is basically the building block of the body), which prevents your brain from sending those "I'm starving" signals.

It is technically possible to live on nothing but shakes, but you'd have to hit your caloric requirements (minimum 1200 kcal), which means you'd be chugging at least 5 or 6 shakes a day.

I don't know what your current weight is, but if you're only eating one apple and two shakes a day, you're overdoing it and that is definitely not good for you. On average, healthy weight loss for men is about 7-11 lbs a month. I say average because if you're carrying a lot of extra weight, you might drop more in the first month, but long-term, that average holds true. For women, it's usually about 4-9 lbs per month.

I agree that the Herbalife zone is overly complicated and that finding a solid combination of everything is probably the best way to go.

Question: how long has your cousin been doing this, and does she actually do "follow-ups"—as in, does she check in with you every single day????

Well, I'll give you credit on a few points:
- Having at least 5 meals a day (frequent, smaller meals help kickstart your metabolism, which is huge for losing weight).
- Drinking at least, and I mean *at least*, 2 liters of water a day (if you're dehydrated, your body reacts by holding onto water in your tissues, and it won't let go until you start hydrating properly again).
- Calculating your daily caloric needs and splitting them into five meals (try consuming more carbs earlier in the day and more protein toward the evening).
- Adding in extra vitamins and minerals.

In my opinion, you don't need any shakes at all to lose weight (unless you're in a situation where you can't grab a real meal); you just need a well-balanced diet and exercise.
I especially wouldn't agree that you can live solely on shakes. Especially since soy protein isn't a complete protein (it lacks enough essential amino acids in its structure), it's hard to digest (because of the cellulose casing), and a diet like that misses out on vital fiber and healthy fats like Omega-3s.
To wrap this up:
Cut sugar, sweets, and generally simple carbs from your diet (you can eat fruit, but don't go overboard), and stick to complex carbs (brown rice, whole grains, potatoes, even pasta).
Minimize saturated fats and focus on unsaturated ones (flaxseed, fish, or olive oil).
Use high-quality proteins that provide all essential amino acids (eggs, milk and dairy, meat, and fish).
And finally, get some exercise in any form—walking, running, cycling, whatever.

redcrane5 said:I'll give you that one—we actually agree on this part.
I try to stick to at least five meals a day—keeping them small, though—since frequent snacking helps keep the metabolism moving, which is pretty huge when you're trying to lose weight.
Make sure you're drinking at least 2 liters of water a day—it's pretty basic, I know. If you don't stay hydrated, your body basically goes into survival mode and starts holding onto every drop of water it can, which won't let go until you actually start drinking enough again.
I’d just figure out my daily calorie target first—then split that up into five meals. I usually try to front-load the carbs earlier in the day and lean more into protein as evening rolls around.
Just some extra vitamins and minerals—nothing too crazy.

Who can actually nail their daily calorie count these days? — honestly, I'm still trying to figure it out myself.

I’m actually really enjoying working with the Shape works program—it’s got this great personalized touch where we calculate everyone's specific caloric needs, both basal and daily. It gives us a solid starting point to build out a meal plan, whether that includes shakes or just regular food.
Of course, those numbers are going to shift depending on your body composition—you know, things like BMI, weight, and age.

redcrane5 said:In my opinion, you don't actually need shakes to lose weight—unless, of course, you're in a rush and can't grab a real meal—it really just comes down to a solid diet and hitting the gym.

That’s exactly where the catch is— Unless we just can't manage to sit down for a real meal—which happens to the best of us..

I wonder how many people could actually pull off three high-quality meals a day—you know, the kind that actually hit all those daily nutritional targets we're supposed to aim for? And I'm not even talking about the whole five-meal-a-day thing.
Can you ever really be 100% sure that your breakfast or lunch actually hits those vitamin, mineral, or fiber targets? You can try your best to aim for the right numbers—really, you can—but there’s always that nagging doubt... especially since the quality of ingredients lately has been such a downward slide. Just look at this:

I can't see the image you're referring to—looks like the link didn't come through properly. If you want me to take a look at something, feel free to try again—I'll be here.
I found this PDF link—it looks like some deep dive into nutritional supplement research from the late '80s through the early 2000s. Might be worth a look if you're into the data side of things—though I'll probably need a massive coffee to get through the whole thing.
I stumbled upon this interesting read about vitamin levels—definitely worth a look if you're curious about how they actually affect us.

redcrane5 said:It’s honestly pretty impossible to survive on nothing but gurus—especially when you consider that soy protein isn't actually a complete protein since it lacks enough essential amino acids. Plus, it can be a real pain to digest because of that cellulose coating... and you end up missing out on vital fiber and those healthy fats like omega-3s that we all need.

Don't go talking about things you don't quite get—or haven't actually seen for yourself.
These shakes pack in 52 different nutrients—plus plant fibers, omega-3s, antioxidants, and basically everything else our bodies need to get through the day... it's not just some basic, 100% pure soy protein, either. It’s actually a blend of soy and whey designed to hit those five essential quality standards you really need:
1. It packs ALL 9 essential amino acids—the ones our bodies just can't make on their own (isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, cysteine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, and histidine).
2. Little to no cholesterol here.
3. Minimal to zero saturated fats.
4. Protein Efficiency Ratio (P.E.R.) reaches up to 2.5.
Just so you know, 2.5 marks a high-quality protein.
5. Amino Acid Score—this measures how digestible and absorbable the protein actually is... the max is 100.

So, we're looking at a P.E.R. of 2.5 and an amino acid score (digestibility/absorption) of 100. 🙂

redcrane5 said:To wrap it all up:
cut out sugar, sweets, and basically any simple carbs from your diet (stick to fruit, but don't go overboard)—instead, opt for complex carbs like brown rice, whole grains, potatoes, or even pasta.
Keep saturated fats to an absolute minimum, and lean more on unsaturated ones—think flaxseed, fish, or olive oil.
Stick to high-quality proteins that provide a full profile of essential amino acids, like eggs, milk and dairy, meat, or fish.
And finally, get some movement in—whatever works for you, whether it's walking, running, or cycling.

I'm totally with you on that—it really is the foundation of solid nutrition and good health. We can essentially use cellular nutrition to help patch up those gaps (the ones we can't always control).

Angela Rodriguez2 said:Who can actually calculate their exact daily calorie needs these days???

Personally, I’m lucky enough to work within the "Shape works" program. It’s got a much more tailored approach where everyone gets an individual breakdown of their caloric needs—both basal and daily—to give us a solid baseline for building a meal plan, whether you're using shakes or sticking to whole foods.
Of course, those numbers shift depending on your body composition, BMI, gender, and age.

And that’s really the catch— unless we have the luxury of sitting down to a perfect, balanced meal every single time.

Think about it: what percentage of people can actually manage three high-quality meals a day that hit all the nutritional marks we need? And that's not even counting five meals a day.
Can you honestly guarantee that your breakfast or lunch has enough specific vitamins, minerals, or dietary fiber? You can try to aim for it, sure, but you can never be certain because the quality of groceries in America has absolutely plummeted. Just look at this:

http://www.iskrica.com/gallery/slike/1958_11.jpg
http://www.nahrungsergaenzung.de/dow..._1986_2002.pdf
http://www.wolframkober.de/Interesse...htvitamine.htm

Don't lecture me on things you don't fully grasp or haven't seen firsthand.
The shakes I'm talking about contain 52 different nutrients, including dietary fiber, omega-3s, antioxidants... basically everything our bodies crave daily. We aren't just talking about some pure soy protein here; it's a blend of soy and whey designed to meet five essential quality standards:
1. It contains ALL 9 essential amino acids that the body can't produce on its own (isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, cysteine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, and histidine)
2. Little to no cholesterol
3. Low to zero saturated fats
4. A Protein Efficiency Ratio (P.E.R.) of up to 2.5.
A 2.5 rating means it's a top-tier protein.
5. Amino Acid Quantity Criterion—which measures how available, digestible, and absorbable the protein is. The max score is 100.

So, in this case, the P.E.R. is 2.5, and the amino acid availability/digestibility hits 100. 🙂

I completely agree with you on one thing: a solid diet is the foundation of good health. We can reinforce that by filling in the gaps—those nutritional holes we can't always control—with cellular nutrition.

- Nobody said you had to calculate calories down to the decimal point; you just take a standard chart from the internet and tweak it to fit your life.

- My schedule is packed. I work from 7:30 to 5:00, hit the gym four times a week, and I'm out with my wife and kids or meeting friends almost every night. Yet, I still manage to eat five quality meals and one or two protein shakes a day. It all comes down to how you organize your life and what you actually want out of it.

- As for the quality of the food I buy and eat, I'm not interested in debating that with you, and I honestly have no idea what you're trying to prove with those links. Can you prove that these shakes don't use GMO soy or milk protein from cows that have been treated like machines?

- From what I can tell, you make your living selling these "magic potions," so I get why you feel that way. I've seen plenty of ads promising the moon in a week or a month. It's wild how naive some people are, thinking they can drop years of weight in thirty days while sitting on the couch eating chips and watching TV, all while staying perfectly healthy.

- What I’m trying to get at here is that there’s no such thing as a magic potion. It really just comes down to eating a well-balanced diet, having the actual desire to change, and the willpower to stick with it (because let’s face it, this is a marathon, not a sprint) plus working hard enough to actually sweat for it.

redcrane5 said:- Nobody said you need to calculate your daily calorie intake down to the exact decimal point. Just use one of those online charts and tweak it to fit what your body actually needs.

- I work from 7:30 to 5:00, hit the gym four times a week, and I'm out with my wife, kids, or friends almost every single day. Despite all that, I still stick to five high-quality meals and maybe one or two protein shakes a day. I guess everything just comes down to how you organize your life and what you're actually aiming for.

- As for the quality of the food I buy and eat? I’m not even going to get into it. I honestly have no idea what you're trying to prove with these links. Can you prove there isn't GMO soy or protein from some crazy cow in those shakes?

- From what I can tell, you sell these magic potions, so I get where you're coming from. I've seen plenty of ads promising the moon in a week or a month. It’s wild how naive some people are, thinking they can drop weight they've carried for years in just thirty days while sitting on the couch eating chips—and somehow stay healthy.

- My point is, there’s no magic potion. There's just a balanced diet, enough willpower to keep at it (since this is a long game), and working hard enough to actually break a sweat.

Look, redcrane5, don't even bother arguing. Just let it go. This Calimero guy is clearly an expert, a total MacGragor.

The Herbalife zone is the answer to all your problems...🙂

You keep bringing up the Herbalife zone... but honestly, it looks like you didn't read the fine print or you just don't get it. You dropped 18 pounds, sure, but you haven't learned a thing. Now you're just walking straight into being naive in the world of the food tycoon, HL, and all that.

Anthony Rodriguez58 said:Look, redcrane5, just stop arguing. Let it go. This Calimero guy is a total fraud, basically a MacGragor type.

I’m done. I had no idea it was like that.😉

redcrane5 said:Nobody’s actually saying you need to calculate your daily calories down to the exact decimal point—it’s more about grabbing a general guide from the web and just tweaking things to fit what your body actually needs.

I didn't mean I was claiming it’s "exactly 100%"—that’s pretty much impossible to pin down since everyone’s metabolism works so differently—but those were just the averages pulled from a large group of study participants. They're laid out in the charts, though I have to admit, I couldn't track down the original source online. If you happen to have a link handy, I’d really appreciate it if you could share it.

redcrane5 said:I work a standard 7:30 to 5:00 grind—hit the gym four times a week, grab dinner out with the wife and kids or catch up with friends almost every single night—and I still manage five solid meals and a couple of protein shakes a day. It really just comes down to how you organize your life and what you’re actually aiming for.

So, you're having one or maybe even two protein shakes? Just curious—what's the reasoning there? 😉

Organization and willpower are exactly what most people are missing—and honestly, almost everything around us makes it harder to stay on track—from our schedules and jobs to restaurants and ads, and even the social circles we hang out in. Trying to balance all that is a massive struggle for most. I really admire your drive and determination, though you're definitely in the minority there. Just curious—what exactly goes into those five healthy meals you eat every day?

Let's throw a stone at anyone who can honestly claim they're eating three high-quality meals a day—I'll go first.

redcrane5 said:I’m not really interested in debating the quality of what I eat—not that I have much to say about it anyway. And honestly, I'm not sure what you were trying to prove with those links? Unless you can show me that those shakes aren't made with GMO soy or protein from some questionable dairy source, I don't see the point.

I don't see it that way—honestly, there are about 60 health departments across the US keeping a really close eye on this stuff, and they haven't found any issues over the last four years. This industry is just too massive and carries way too much reputation for them to let something like that slide. So, you can pretty much toss that idea of an "attack" out the window—it's just not happening.

Look, what I'm trying to get at with those links is that the nutrient density in our produce just isn't what it was 10 or 20 years ago—it’s definitely declined. Plus, between all the environmental toxins we're constantly bumping into (stuff we can't really control), it creates this perfect storm where the body just isn't getting everything it needs to function properly. That's why we end up needing supplements to fill those nutritional gaps—for safety, really. It's pretty basic stuff for any athlete or anyone who actually pays attention to what they eat.

redcrane5 said:Since you're in the business of selling those magic potions, I totally get where you're coming from—I really do. I've seen so many ads promising the moon and stars in just a week or a month, and honestly, it’s wild how naive some people can be... thinking they can just sit on the couch, munching on chips while watching TV, and somehow drop all that weight they spent years building up in a matter of days—all while staying "healthy."

Look, you've got it a little wrong here.
I'm not really in sales—I'm paid based on results—but since I can only guarantee what you actually achieve using these products, you can call it whatever you like.

I never claimed anyone achieves "overnight success." I'm all about changing nutritional habits, but having changed my own lifestyle without any supplements or strict diets, I know firsthand just how much sacrifice it takes... and as soon as people hear the word "sacrifice," they usually bail.
Not many people have the willpower to flip their lives upside down overnight—habits take time to build and they don't just vanish easily. I'm living proof of that; when I dropped 50 pounds in three months just by making sharp decisions about what and how much I ate—basically just resetting my eating habits—plenty of friends wanted the same thing. But once I explained the actual "road to success," they basically told me to get lost and kept doing what they were doing. I realized most people struggle to change everything at once, which is why this is such a great solution—you still get to eat whatever you want for lunch (whatever Mom makes), but instead of a heavy breakfast or dinner, you just have a shake, maybe some fruit or veggies for a snack, and you manage to lose the extra weight without the constant hunger or the mental stress. (That first guy in the thread was being way too extreme, so he's not a great example anyway)
Plus, I help people shift their habits gradually since I'm with them through the whole process, offering bits of guidance and education until they find their groove.

redcrane5 said:- What I'm trying to say is there's no magic potion—just a well-balanced diet, the desire and will to stick with it (since it's a long process), and working up a good sweat.

There’s a hard way and an easy way, but the real value of cellular nutrition isn't just about losing (or gaining) weight—it's about total health, specifically getting those 52 nutrients into your system, which is incredibly tough to pull off with a standard American diet. 🙂

The mission is nutrition !!!

redcrane5 said:I’m done—didn't realize it was like that.😉

It looks like you've got your own way of seeing things—and honestly, I get it. You seem to be falling for those trolls who have nothing better to do than stir the pot in every decent conversation. To me, when two people who actually know their stuff just trade ideas and info, that's just a "normal conversation"—not some big debate. 😉

Charlie Brown said:Look, you clearly have your own take on things. You're falling for those trolls who apparently have nothing better to do than sabotage any decent discussion. I’d say two people actually knowledgeable about a topic swapping info and perspectives is a "normal conversation," not some heated debate. 😉

A "normal conversation"? With someone like you, who pops up on this forum under a brand-new username every single week???🙂
MacGregor, MacGregor, The Punisher, Guinness, Charlie Brown...