Is BistroMD Worth The Cost?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlP-A8G2KOE[/youtube]
What up world?!?! Long time since I’ve posted a REAL blog. But I have something special for you in this article. I was asked a good question by my uncle Jay, and the question was available for everyone to see on one of my many facebook wall posts. I say it is a good question because I questioned it myself while on the program. Here is the question from my uncle Jay.
“I noticed the site is $180 for meals and snacks for one person for 7 days. Question? Why not just buy the food and cook it?!”
Since I had already asked myself this question beforehand I was prepared for it. I presented my argument to BistroMD prior to this event, and they made sense to me. We then thought it would be a good idea to make a video on the subject. Hence the video you see here was created. However, I would like you to see my written response to uncle Jay prior to the creation of this video.
So here it is…
(Me) “I’m glad you asked that uncle Jay, because I’m working on a comparison, that will show you when you add the time spent cooking, cleaning, going to the grocery store to buy HEALTHY food (not junk), prepare it, and package it for a whole week. Takes a lot of work. As a husband who goes to school, runs two businesses, has two children (one is a new born) I just don’t got the time for all that. Would you??”
(Uncle Jay) “So he says this to the Salvation Army officer – LOL – seriously though – I am counting the time it takes to shop and prepare – and you can make some great dishes in a short amount of time – in some cases – the same time it takes to heat up a dish – I think a salmon dish with an asparagus side would take me 10 minutes or so. I see the appeal with the ease of shopping and cooking with your schedule and I am not hating you for it – but the economics just do not apply to all when you think of $180/week for one person in a household of 4(me, you). Multiply that out for each member (assuming we want all in our households to be eating healthy) and the amount is staggering.”
(My finale response) “I do see your point Jay. But have you ever gone on a diet before man? I mean, 5-6 healthy meals a day?? You named one meal. I eat 35-42 meals a week. Let’s say each meal takes 10 minutes to make, (not likely) that’s over 6 hours of cooking. Actually we have documentation of recent studies which prove it can take an average of 9-16 hours a week for a person to cook the amount of food BistroMD sends one person in one week.
It’s sad to say but nutritional food is very expensive, and when you eat 2300 calories a day (that is my case others do eat less), that is a lot of money. I was on Michael Thurman’s “6 Week Body Makeover.” It is a great weight loss meal plan, a do it yourself type of diet, I lost 30 pounds in 6 weeks! The problem is it was like a full time job for me, and I spent over $125 a week for myself alone. When you add all the extra work I had to do, my time seemed more valuable elsewhere. When I compared the amount of money I make while working, I realised I get paid much more to work then I do at home weighing, seasoning, cooking, and then packaging my meals for the week every week for who knows how long.
See the problem is 6 weeks was not enough for me to reach my goal and I couldn’t continue on with that full time job. So I fell off, and gained 40 lbs back in the next 5 months. I did ask my wife for help, but she is also a full time employee, full time student, full time mother, and doesn’t have time to cook for me or even herself (not to mention I am a terrible cook who burnt a box of mac n cheese lol). So we find ourselves eating out, and spending even more money!
So I realized that I needed my own personal chef, but I couldn’t afford that! But that is exactly what BistroMD is for me, my own personal chef. I also have my own personal dietitian who I speak with on a weekly basis, and email anytime I have a question. I have an online support community, weekly reads to help inform and motivate me, success stories from other dieters, and much more. Now I have the confidence I need to succeed. I don’t worry about cooking, or what I’m going to eat, I just worry about working out, and staying on the plan because I got a long way to go.
You see the reason people live the Yo-Yo life, is because they don’t understand that this is a real big job. It takes months and in most cases years to make a real lasting change. Do you really think you could last an entire year cooking for yourself every week?? And after that year learning how to maintain the new body you have?? Well maybe you can do it, but I’ve been trying it for more than half of my life Jay! I have literally burned over 300lbs of fat off of my body, but have never been over 300lbs or under 200lbs. Why is that? Because I was never able to stick to a plan long enough, and maintain it, so I always went back.
I can’t ever go back again Jay, not anymore! I was meant for more than this! How can I say I am more than a conqueror when I haven’t conquered my own self?! I watched both of my father’s parents die early, my father almost died twice. His brothers almost died at least once, and each one of them, including his three sisters has diabetes and some form of heart disease. But yet I see my mother’s parents outlive them. My mother’s father is 80 years old and still strong.
I have to break the cycle Jay! You have to break the cycle Jay! We can’t pass this down to our kid’s man! This is more than just me this is for my family, my loved ones, and any person who wants this same change! I am on a mission man! My army is www.FatManUnleashed.com and we teamed up with www.BistroMD.com to put a, “Death to the Yo-Yo Life” once and for all! I am never going back to where I was again! Mark my words! This time next year, you won’t even recognize me!
Excuse me for my passion, and many words. I say this with all respect. Much love Uncle Jay.”
This was posted October 15th 2010 on my facebook wall. I’m still praying that my uncle Jay would choose to change his life, and the lives of his wife and children. And I say the same prayer for everyone else who is living the life of obesity. We have to make a change, we are killing ourselves slowly. Lets work together and put a “Death to the Yo-Yo Life.”
Hey Frank,
Thanks for this post. Just noticed your site and wanted to post my comments. I can completely understand what you are saying about the value you place on time. The bistro system allows more time to go about your daily life without having to worry about every meal. I think its a question of how much you value your goals. Naturally everyone knows that a good diet will lead people to achieve their fitness goals along with a good fitness program but most lack the know how of how to design a good nutrition program.
It’s been awhile since I checked out your blog.
And so I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate all the staff who have helped the overweight or former overweight people.
But most of all I really appreciate the fact that you are keeping it real and telling us your mistakes and your struggles.
Great video and post Frank. I couldn’t agree more. I am a father of four (8,6,3,new born), I barely have time to sit down during dinner. My wife and I both work full time and meal times are insane. Luckily my wife is a great cook. While we have not tried the BistroMD program, I have friends and clients who have used the program and they have been very satisfied with the home delivery system. Keep up the great posts.
HOLY CRAP – i couldn’t have written this better myself. COOKING IS SUCH A TIME DRAIN. I used to subscribe to South Beach Diet and the Men’s Health Personal Trainer. And guess what – it worked. In a year I dropped 75 pounds. But the problem was was it was my whole life. I don’t think people get that. IT IS SUCH A COMMITMENT AND YOU HAVE TO BE OBSESSED AND WILLING TO FORCE THE TIME OUT!
One reason ABC’s Extreme Makeover Weight Loss edition is such a good show AND SUCH an awesome portrayal of true weight loss. People try. People lose weight. People fail. It’s awesome. They follow people for an entire year on the show. It’s crazy! My family and I are addicted and watch every Monday at 10. So glad to see a show finally showing weight loss in the right light. Guess what people- IT SUCKS, IT’S REALLY HARD, AND IT TAKES TIME!! 🙂
Great post! I totally agree with you! I don’t know if in Australia Bistro MD exixts, I am definately going to look in to it! I cook every day for myself and my partner, breakfast, lunch to bring to work, and dinner!And it takes so much effort and time, I get most of my groceries delivered, but I still go to the butcher and fruit and veg shop myself coz I like to pick them myself! It’s such a repetitive job, and it takes up most of my free time! I have to get up one hour before my partner to prepare lunch and breakfast. I don’t et any type of cereal or bread, just veggies and eggs, turkey cottage chees for breakfast…For lunch and dinner it’s salad or veggies and some sort of lean protein. But I have to do it, there is no doubt in my mind that I don’t wanna do it! I refuse to eat out, or order in. 5 days a week we eat clean like this, and weekend we have one or two cheats. I just wish sometimes my partner cooked more! 😉 He only cooks once a week, and thats steak! lol
Great post,
I think this speaks some truth a lot of people dieting might not want to admit to themselves. There are a lot of people who want to get committed to a new diet, get super jazzed on working in day in and day out, and then sadly get burnt out and rebound to the easier lifestyle, or rather the most comfortable one. Ideally building into a healthier body joins the building of a newer healthier lifestyle that soon becomes the more comfortable one, but sometimes you need a little help.
Not taking the help and always bouncing back is far worse than taking the help and making the transition for good.
Thanks for sharing the post and video. I will try BistroMD program.
I applaud the passion in your argument, Jay. You have tried and tested different methods and incorporating BistroMD in your program is what you found that’s working, and will hopefully continue to work, for you. What anybody on a program should realize really is that it’s not about what’s cheaper or what’s the current hype, but rather what best suits their needs to become healthy. That the purpose of these different support systems is to offer options that are viable for people who have challenging needs. We are all in the battle to stay healthy, whether we admit or not, and we share our experiences through blogs to hopefully encourage anyone who’s willing to listen to change their choice of lifestyle. Keep it up!
This seems like a great meal option, and I’m really glad that you decided to change your life and lose some weight. The only thing that I would be worried about is life after you reach your goal weight. If you quit the meal plan and go back to your old eating habits, you’ll just gain the weight back.
Of course, if you can find a sustainable alternative that fits into your lifestyle, you should be able to keep the weight off, but if you have to keep paying $180 per week, you might end up skinny and poor. 🙂
Hi. Am very surprised to find your website and especially focusing on tips to help men lose weight! I think it’s an incredible idea and some of the tips really work. I also used to be pretty plump (fat duckling, HA!) but have managed to lose quite a bit of weight and have been leading a much healthier and confident life.
Three cheers to you!
Gillian
Cooking can be a time drain. But i love it to cook in the weekends. It would be great to get meals for only 4 days or something. In the weekend i try to cook really healthy and do grosseries at the store for the rest of the week. But is is a pain.
Great post… My wife is a great cook. While we have not tried the BistroMD program, I have friends and clients who have used the program and they have been very satisfied with the home delivery system.