How to ace your first month on The New You Plan

Buckle up baby, you are about to ride the Meal Replacement train! Find out how to get the most out of your very first month on The New You Plan.

We are so excited for you! You have made the commitment to give 100% to your diet goals and use The New You Plan’s total food replacement option. Summer is already here, you can enjoy longer days, lighter clothes and hopefully a healthier you, so it really is an exciting time for your transformation! The next month is going to be a time when you feel your health, energy and self-esteem all increase. Are you ready?

At New You HQ we are all about being prepared and part of that is knowing EXACTLY what to expect from your first month on the plan. So we have spoken at length with our experts and our fabulous customers to create a week-by-week rundown of what you can expect in your first month of total food replacement.

Week 1

Before you start

You will have received your packs and welcome pack from The New You Plan and the best thing to do is to get organised for the week. Depending on your starting weight, you will be consuming 4 or 5 food packs a day and drinking at least 2.5 litres of water. Get your packs organised for the week and know what you will be choosing to eat each day as this will help you stay in the best frame of mind for success.

Your first day

Weigh and record your weight on the first day you start your New You Plan. You can weigh yourself as and when you like but we recommend once a week, in the morning, at the same time and wearing the same clothes (or lack of clothes!) each time. Record your inch measurements too to compare each week. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did as the changes are going to be amazing.

Mindset

It’s going to feel a little strange not eating your usual food or portion sizes and the best way to style this out is to know for the next 30 days you will only be consuming products that come in New You packaging. Own that. You are choosing to do this plan. No-one is forcing you. This is a positive choice. If you approach this plan from a point of deprivation and reluctance it is going to be a harder journey for you. So buckle up baby, you are about to ride the Total Food Replacement Train.

Secret Slimmers

This is your secret weapon during your first month on plan and beyond. Secret Slimmers is our private Facebook group solely for customers. It is full of fabulous people just like you, creating their best lives and helping others to create theirs at the same time. Only members can see what you post in this group and it’s a great source of motivation and practical information as well as amazing competitions and giveaways. If you are not yet a member, visit our Secret Slimmers group and ask to be added. You don’t have to post anything; simply reading the posts can be super motivational in itself.

Detox

Depending on your diet before you start The New You Plan, you may experience some detox symptoms. These can range from a slight headache to feeling a little tired as your body adjusts to being on plan. This is normal but it is better to be prepared. If you can, schedule a few early nights in your first week.

Weight loss and water weight

By sticking to the New You Plan TFR option, you are creating a calorie deficit. This means that your body - which requires a certain amount of energy or calories each day - is going to receive less of those calories. That means energy will be sourced from your body’s fat reserves. And this is how you will lose weight. Before, the body will use its fat reserves however, it will turn to its glycogen reserves. This is because glycogen is easier for your body to use as energy. If your glycogen reserves are full, your body doesn’t burn fat so your first week on TFR uses up your glycogen reserves. Glycogen holds water so your weight loss for your first week can be anything from 3lbs to (in extreme cases) 15lbs. It’s important to remember you will not lose this amount each week. This water loss is setting your body up for fat loss next week.

Ketosis

By the end of your first week, you will start to feel more energetic and may have entered a mild ketosis state. Various factors affect ketosis so you may or may not achieve it but rest assured the calorie deficit you are creating will result in a fabulous weight loss.

Week 2

By now you are flying; the detox symptoms will be long gone, your tummy will be flatter and your energy will be off the charts. Our customers find they become super efficient in this time with houses being cleaned from top to bottom, ironing piles being decimated and even garden sheds being de-cluttered.

Weight

Record your weight and measurements, remembering to try and measure and weigh at roughly the same time of day as last week to ensure consistency.

WHATEVER your weight loss is today, know that it is the perfect weight loss for you and your body. It is tempting to compare your loss to others on the plan but everyone’s journey is different.

The New You Plan averages around a stone a month of weight loss so look at the month as a whole rather than just one week’s results. Remember a lot of this weight loss this week is from glycogen but that initiates and ignites your body’s fat-burning mode. So whether you have lost 5lbs or 15lbs in your first week, your body is now primed for fat loss. Whoop!

Water baby

It is important to be sipping water throughout this plan, aiming for at least 2.5 litres a day. If you aren’t usually a water fan, our thirst-quenching water flavourings can really help. Expect to be running to the loo a lot more as your body processes the extra liquid. This is normal and as an added bonus, you will increase your step count at the same time.

Mindset

As people start to notice you are only consuming New You food packs each day and not eating your usual food, you might experience some negativity around what you are doing.

Despite the NHS promoting VLCDs (Very Low Calorie Diets) such as the New You Plan, many people don’t quite understand them. You may experience some negativity around your choices or be encouraged to ‘eat proper food’. This might be where you really have to dig deep to stick to your choices but your weight loss from week 1 will be a great motivator and Secret Slimmers will be a fab source of support.

Week 3

Half-way through your first month! By now you will have created a routine around your packs and water (and loo trips!) so everything will start to feel much easier. You might have created positive habits around sleep, perhaps you are walking more or journaling in your Magical New Me journal. Your energy will be high and your clothes may have started to feel looser but this is not the time to get complacent. Remember the plan. 4 or 5 New You Packs. At least 2.5 litres of water. Consistency is your friend this week (and every week ;-) )

Weigh yourself and take your measurements again at the start of this week. Now we know we have mentioned this a few times but we will just give you another gentle reminder. Your weight loss in week 3 is not going to be as big as your weight loss in week 1. Week 1 was mostly water weight but that means that this week’s loss is fat loss. Oh yes! Burn baby burn. Again, try not to compare your weight losses with other people’s – this is your solo ride and it will be perfectly tailored to your body.

Week 4

You have almost completed a month on plan! You will really start to notice changes in your body shape now. You may have dropped a dress size or two and your energy will be high. Look at how far you have come. Whether you have stuck to the plan or had a blip (temporary come off plan) you are doing brilliantly.

A word about blips. We get it. Sometimes you might come off plan. It might be a planned meal or it might be an ‘aghhhh’ moment that makes you reach for something that isn’t wrapped up in our lovely New You packaging. The KEY thing is to GET OVER IT and KEEP GOING. Hop right back on that train. Don’t wait for Monday. It happened. It’s ok. Now get back to creating the BEST YOU.

Weigh and take your measurements. You should be close to a stone weight loss (the average monthly weight loss on New You). This is your week for… guess what? Consistency. You know it. 4 or 5 packs each day. At least 2.5 litres of water. It’s not rocket science but it works like magic.

This is the time to think about your next month on plan. Do you have more weight to lose? Perhaps you’d like to try different packs? Maybe add in a walking routine? Check to see if you need to place another order too. Preparation is key.

One month completed

You have done it! A month on plan. You will have lost close to a stone or more in weight. Your clothes will feel looser. We are guessing there is a bit of a spring in your step and a bit more sass in your walk. Basically, you’re Beyoncé. Even if you are male. Weigh and measure. Check-in with Secret Slimmers, reach out to us if you have any questions and give us a call to plan your next month of awesomeness.

Because although this is YOUR personal journey, we are right there with you. Not just cheering from the sidelines, but walking every hesitant step until you get that sassy swagger and even then we will help you work it. Why? Because we have walked that walk. From our founder Julz to our Customer Service agent Gareth, we have been on our own weight loss journeys. So we get it. We get the fearful, hopeful, exciting rush of losing weight and keeping it off. We get the highs and lows. And we get the fabulousness that is you.

Are you ready to get started on a really, really, really easy diet plan?

To start your first month on plan click here.

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