USANA Reset Program--I lived to tell the tale!

(I started this review on Saturday but it's taken me a few days to finish it up.)

So my five day long Reset program is over and this morning I celebrated with a low-glycemic breakfast of scrambled eggs.

The Reset program is a 5-day plan that includes three meal replacement shakes plus two snack bars per day, plus you are supposed to have one serving of fruit and one serving of veggie each day. The shakes and snack bars are low-glycemic, and the whole idea of the plan is that diets high in hig-glycemic index foods create a situation where your body holds onto fat.

Included in the kit is a DVD that explains the science behind the system and the information there resonated with me. I have definitely noticed that I never feel full after eating a meal based on potatoes, for instance. Now that I have gone through these five days I have realized that high-glycemic foods probably have a lot to do with my inability to lose weight, and even my recent weight gain when I was eating mostly raw foods for two months. (I gained 7 pounds doing that!) Even when I ate all raw, there was a lot of fruit and grains in there, and the non-raw food exceptions I allowed myself were almost always high-glycemic items.

As you know from reading my day-by-day journaling, at first I really didn't like the shakes. I actually considered dropping out of this review because I felt so distressed by my hunger and the limited choices. However, by day three is was easier, and I think if I had had only chocolate shakes I would have been just fine. (chocolate covers a multitude of sins!)

USANA rep Anne Marie Litz told me that I didn't have to only eat the shakes and bars, and that I could add to the plan if I wanted to. I did, adding one or two additional fruit/veggie servings to each day plus one serving on a protein in the evening.

I did do some exercise as the plan recommends, but did not manage to get it done every day. Still, I lost 9 pounds and one inch from both my waist and my hips! Not bad for five days, eh?

It would have been helpful if the DVD had reminded me that the first day or two on any dietary change is usually the hardest. Sometimes it is so hard that you feel like you can't go on. In every case when I have radically changed my eating I have experienced that after the hardest days it gets much, much easier.

It would have also been helpful if I was single and could have just had no temptations around my house. It is hard to do a diet like this when you still have to cook for everybody. If I could have just done other things and stayed away from the kitchen altogether it would have been way easier.

The Reset products have a lot of soy in them, and I do not believe soy is a good thing for most people to consume on a regular basis. (menopausal women would be the one possible exception) Soy can mess with your hormones in some unpleasant ways so I would encourage you to do some research on the subject before making soy a regular part of your diet. Mercola.com is one good site for getting a lot of information about why soy is not a healthy food. However, for a short-term situation, I felt reasonably ok to go ahead and use it.

Would I recommend Reset to you? Well, that depends. Some things to consider:

Are you comfortable with the idea of replacing your regular food with a shake?
Are you comfortable with adding soy products to your diet?
Do you feel that you can dedicate 5 days to the ups and downs of feeling hungry, withdrawal from high-glycemic foods, etc. so that you can have optimal results?

Since Reset wasn't something I was specifically looking to do I wasn't as great a test case as I might have been under different circumstances. However, losing 9 pounds in 5 days is losing 9 pounds in 5 days! It is over and I can't complain about that!

Obviously now that I have lost some weight I would like to keep that going, rather than just gaining it all back right away. I am going to try out low-glycemic eating and see what kind of results I get. USANA has a nice page about that on their site, so it gives me a good starting point for knowing what would be good choices. (Unfortunately the individual page links don't seem to work for this site, so I am including the information at the end of this post as well.) I also found a really great little workout place near my home that is also inexpensive, so once the kids get back into school I am going to start working out and hopefully dropping another 30-40 pounds.

Anne Marie shared a little about getting into USANA:

I am married, and mom of two kids ages 7 and 5. I work part time as an engineer and got involved with Usana after speaking with Lynn Allen-Johnson. I told her that I had been looking for a home based business, tried a few things, and they didn't work. She told me it was because I didn't have the team support required to build a business. She told me everything offered by her team and I joined right then! It was the best decision I ever made!

I plan to replace my income and quit my job by next summer - I can't wait!

Anne Marie has a special offer for my readers:

Anyone who becomes a preferred member this month will receive a free Sense sampler pack. It has trial sizes of all the Sense products. Retail value: $19.95

I don't know what all is involved in setting that up, so go check out her site or email her at
mela_mom1@yahoo.com

Low-glycemic breakfasts

Start your day with a healthy breakfast to boost your metabolism. Eating low-glycemic foods will give you energy to get through the morning and won't leave you feeling hungry again an hour later. Try these suggestions for a healthy breakfast:

• A USANA NUTRIMEAL™ shake
• 100% stone-ground, whole-wheat toast topped with low-sugar, natural peanut butter and sliced banana
• Light yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and low-fat granola or bran buds
• Steel-cut or old-fashioned rolled oats cooked in fat-free milk mixed with dried apricots and nuts
• Low-glycemic cold cereal (look for whole grains, oats, and bran) with low-fat milk and fruit; hardboiled egg
• Whole-wheat pita stuffed with scrambled egg; fruit
• Sourdough French toast topped with natural applesauce
• All-bran muffin with low-sugar fruit topping; fruit
• Buckwheat pancakes topped with fruit
• Multi-grain waffles topped with natural applesauce
• Pumpernickel toast topped with melted low-fat cheese; fruit
• Rye toast topped with light cream cheese, fruit
• Vegetable omelet; extra lean turkey bacon; whole-grain toast
• Low-fat cottage cheese with fresh fruit and almonds

Low-glycemic lunches

A light afternoon meal will help you get through the day. If you order out, substitute vegetables or cottage cheese for high-glycemic sides such as chips or fries, choose whole-grain breads, and include some low-fat protein. Here are some other ideas for lunch:

• Homemade or canned soups--vegetable, lentil, black bean, split pea, minestrone, or barley (feel free to add extra vegetables)
• Sandwiches made with lean meats on whole-grain wheat, rye, pumpernickel, or pita bread; fresh vegetables; fruit salad
• Veggie burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mustard on whole-wheat bun; cottage cheese
• Pasta salad with vinaigrette dressing; assorted fresh vegetables and low-fat cheese
• Mixed green salad with grilled chicken and vinaigrette dressing; whole-wheat toast topped with natural peanut butter
• Vegetable quiche; sliced tomatoes; fruit
• Light yogurt with fruit; whole-grain muffin with melted low-fat cheese

Low-glycemic dinner

Enjoy the many low-glycemic possibilities available for dinner. Watch out for high-glycemic side dishes and large portion sizes that could sideline your weight loss efforts. Here are some tips to keep your dinner healthy:

• Limit intake of high-glycemic starches--baked or instant mashed potatoes, fries, instant rice, boxed side dish or stuffing mixes, refined white breads
• Choose low-glycemic starches like pasta salad, whole-grain or sourdough breads, baked sweet potatoes, small new potatoes, corn, peas, or basmati rice
• Fill up on fresh, non-starchy vegetables and leafy green salads
• Include lean meats, such as chicken and fish, or substitute legumes for protein
• Try any of the breakfast or lunch suggestions for your evening meal

Low-glycemic desserts

You may not be able to have your cake and eat it too, but you can eat some tasty low-glycemic treats. Try some of these sweets for dessert:

• Sugar-free jello or pudding layered with fruit
• Natural applesauce with light whipped topping
• A small piece of dark chocolate
• A few chocolate-covered strawberries
• A few chocolate-covered almonds or peanuts
• A couple oatmeal cookies with low-fat milk
• Poached fruit
• A root beer float with low-fat vanilla ice cream and sugar-free root beer
• Baked apples with dried fruits and nuts

Low-glycemic snacks

Snacking can be the quickest way to undo all of your weight loss efforts. You can stay on track by grabbing some healthy alternatives when you get the munchies. Try these smart snacks:

• A USANA NUTRITION BAR or FIBERGY BAR™
• A small handful of mixed nuts or trail mix
• A small bowl of low-fat popcorn
• A few whole-wheat crackers topped with low-fat cheese
• Celery or a banana topped with natural peanut butter
• Some whole-wheat pita chips topped with hummus
• A handful of baked tortilla chips with fresh salsa
• String cheese and an apple
• Fresh or dried fruit
• A hardboiled egg
• Fresh cut vegetables
• An oat bran muffin
• A 100-percent-juice bar

Tips for maintaining a low-glycemic diet when eating out

Let's face it, everybody loves eating at a restaurant now and then, but it seems almost impossible to make good food choices when faced with so many options. Here are some suggestions for eating well when you're eating out:

• Avoid buffets and other all-you-can-eat restaurants
• Don't go when you're starving; eat a small snack first
• Limit alcoholic beverages
• Keep your hands out of the breadbasket, or even better, ask the server not to bring it
• Go for the salad bar
• Order items that have been prepared healthfully: steamed, broiled, roasted, etc.
• Don't be afraid to ask for substitutions
• If portions are large, split yours with someone
• Keep low-glycemic foods in mind and order the best choice available

The following are some tips for specific types of restaurants: Chinese

• Order traditional dishes that feature moderate portions of proteins (meat or tofu) stir-fried with an assortment of vegetables and flavorful sauces
• Avoid the fried foods and white sticky rice, order brown rice if available
• Broth-based soups like hot and sour, egg drop, or wanton are good choices
• Order foods cooked in black bean, oyster, Szechuan, or hot mustard sauce

French

• Look for Mediterranean-style items
• Avoid the bread and high-fat sauces
• Order broiled, steamed, or poached foods
• Choose tomato/wine sauces, broth-based soups

Greek

• Choose roasted lamb or chicken dishes prepared with lemon and yogurt
• Order gyros and Greek salads
• Avoid the filo-dough, mounds of feta cheese, and puddles of olive oil
• Try baked fish and chicken dishes that are healthfully prepared

Indian

• Order healthfully prepared legumes, chicken, fish, and vegetables
• Choose basmati rice--as a side or in biryanis--and chapati bread
• Try the tomato-based sauces and tandoori dishes
• Avoid sauces made with large amounts of coconut or coconut milk

Italian

• Steer clear of the white bread and cheesy, creamy sauces
• Choose tomato or marsala sauces
• Order a half-portion of pasta and combine with a salad
• Go for the thin-crust pizza loaded with vegetables and low-fat cheese

Japanese

• Try miso soup and edamame (soy beans) for an appetizer
• Limit the sticky rice (ask if brown rice is available) and avoid tempura
• Choose sashimi, yakitori, teriyaki, sukiyaki, and grilled dishes
• Order udon or soba noodles

Mexican

• Stay away from the cheese and refried beans
• Order grilled seafood and chicken dishes: tacos, burritos, fajitas
• Ask for low-fat cheese, whole-wheat tortillas, and light sour cream
• Limit guacamole if watching your weight

Thai

• Order dishes that combine proteins (meat or tofu) with vegetables
• Choose curry, chili, basil, lime, and fish sauces
• Opt for long-grain rice over white rice
• Try pad thai and other stir-fried noodle dishes, ask for less oil to be used in the preparation

Stocking the refrigerator

The grocery store may seem overwhelming when you are trying to eat a low-glycemic diet. Shopping for food shouldn't be stressful. Keep the following tips in mind next time you are at the store:

• Don't go hungry; eat a snack to avoid impulse buying
• Shop the outside edges of the store first, which is where you will usually find the better food choices
• Check out the ingredients. Limit foods with large amounts of sugar, flour, salt, refined grains, and hydrogenated vegetable oil.
• Peruse the "Nutrition Facts." Look at calorie, carbohydrate, and fat amounts for each serving. Also look at the fiber, sodium, and sugar content. Evaluate them against your weight loss and nutrition goals.
• Focus on making healthy choices of whole, unrefined foods.
  • Stock up on legumes, whole grains, nuts, healthy oils, fruits, and vegetables, low-fat proteins, and light dairy products.
  
  
  What Counts as a serving?
  
  
  Vegetables

  • 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables
  • 2 cups raw, leafy green vegetables
  • 1 large whole tomato
  • 1 large pepper

  Fruit

  • 1 cup whole fruit juice
  • 1 medium apple, orange
  • 1 cup whole grapes
  • About 8 large strawberries
  • 1 cup diced melon

  Grains

  • 1 regular slice of bread
  • 1 cup cereal flakes
  • 1/2 English muffin
  • 5 whole-wheat crackers
  • 1/2 cup cooked pasta or rice

  Dairy

  • 1 cup of milk or yogurt
  • 1 1/2 oz. natural cheese

  Protein

  • 1 oz. meat, poultry, or fish
  • 1/4 cup cooked dry beans
  • 1 T. peanut butter
  • 1 egg