Shaklee 180 - What's in the Box

I couldn't really call this a review blog if I didn't at least show you what you will be getting for your money.

I ordered my Shaklee 180 Transformation Kit at the end of December when the program was first introduced.  When I ordered there were some choices I could make on what kind of smoothee, snack bar, meal in a bar and tea I would like.  I decided not to make any choices for my first order and just took the variety pack that comes standard.

About a week later a pretty good sized box was sitting at my front door.  It was very bright and colorful and not just a typical brown cardboard box.  You will definitely know when your kit arrives.

The kit is filled with products that are intended to last for 30 days and provide you with two meals a day, snacks, tea and a metabolic boost supplement. The program also comes with online support that includes exercise and meal tips and suggestions. There is also a chance to win rewards while you are on the program.

**UPDATE - Now, when you purchase one of the Shaklee 180 Kits, you also get access to their mobile app.  It came out in early February. I am very impressed so far with what it has to offer.  I started doing a post about it here.

Inside the box your will find the following things:

3 canisters of Shaklee 180 Energizing Smoothee Mix
You can choose from 4 different flavors and mix and match in any combination you would like. The flavors include Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry and Cafe Latte.  If you don't make any changes you will get what I did - 1 can each of the Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry.

2 boxes of the Shaklee Meal-in-a-Bar
This time you can choose from two flavors, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip or Blueberry & Almond Crisp. Again you can mix or match but if you take the standard pack you will get one of each. There are 7 bars in each box.

1 box of the Shaklee Snack Bar
There are three flavors available including Chocolate Chocolate, Peanut Butter or Lemon & Cranberry.  There is also a variety pack box that gives you a few of each of the flavors.  This is your option when you take the standard order.  The box has 10 bars total.

1 box of the Shaklee 180 Energizing Tea
You get 30 servings of either Pomegranate or Green Tea with you order.  Again, you get to choose. The standard pack comes with Pomegranate.

1 bottle of the Shaklee 180 Metabolic Boost
This supplement is powered by green tea and helps gives your body a boost to help it burn calories naturally.  There are enough tablets for 30 days - 3 times a day. (90)

The box also comes with some written documentation, but I will have to admit I didn't spend much time looking it over and now I seem to have misplaced it.  I will try to do better about looking at it with my next box and if there is anything super cool or important I will provide an update.  There is lots of stuff online at MyShaklee180 so I think anything important can be found there.

I am saving the review of the online materials for another day.  I will also look at each product individually and do a review in the coming weeks.

My first impression of the kit was good overall.  It all looks very nice and it was well thought out.  I have enjoyed all the products I have tried so far and I have been impressed with the fact that I have not been hungry during the day following the smoothee and meal bar plan.  The tea does seem to provide a little pick me up so that was a nice surprise.

The things that concerned my were the amount of snack bars provided.  Only one box.  That isn't enough to have a snack bar every day.  But maybe that wasn't the intent.  But seeing that I haven't even eaten a single snack bar yet and I am 10 days in maybe this is really a non-issue.

One thing I do see as becoming an issue for me is the number of meal bars.  The program is set to have you do a smoothee for breakfast and some lunches.  I have only been eating the meal bars for lunch because I haven't figured out how to make the smoothee at work yet.  But I guess that is a problem I will deal with in about a week.

Shaklee 180 - Day 8

Well one week down and I am still going strong.  Well actually I am getting stronger or should I say doing better.  The first week I was just scratching the surface and trying to at least get started with the program.  I was all gung ho at the beginning of the year and spouted off lots of wonderful resolutions but then actually following through was, of course, a different story.

But I did get started and now this week I am trying to really do it right.  I went to the MyShaklee180 website that is provided to everyone using the program.  It seemed like a pretty good site with tips on staying active, eating the right foods and eating the right portions.  I didn't have time to look around much but I put it in my plans to come back and do a more in depth review of the website.

They did have a contest - what looked like a 'biggest loser' type of deal where you could win different prizes.  It looked like there might be weekly prizes (maybe from a drawing) and a couple of major prizes to be given out at 90 and 180 day intervals.  Remember the premise of the plan was 90 days to lose the weight and 90 days to keep it off for a total of 180.

I did enter the contest and even uploaded my pic.  I wasn't brave enough yet to do the shirtless pic but well see after a couple of months.

They website also mentioned a phone/tablet app for apple and android but apparently that is still in production.  I would mark this down as a negative.  If you are going to roll out a fancy new program it would be nice to have all the tools available from the beginning.  The app is promised to be here so I will make note of it and do my review when it shows up. (Update: (02/2012) - The mobile app has now been released.)

As far as my personal day, I was still at 254 pounds so I didn't lose any more weight over the weekend but for me just maintaining my weight over a weekend is a huge bonus.  This is the tough time for me because all the kids are home and we are out doing things and sometimes its eat on the go.  Which can mean not as controlled or healthy.

For Monday (day 8) I did the shake for breakfast (added my fruit as always) and I did add the Metabolic Boost supplement, FINALLY!  For lunch I had the Shaklee 180 Meal bar and then I had a normal dinner - crock pot pork with green chili, rice and beans. I took a Boost at dinner but missed it at lunch.  I tried the Pomegranate Energizing Tea after dinner and was not super impressed.  However, I am not a tea person so I will give it a couple of days before I pass final judgement.  For snack I did have 2 oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (not a suggested snack) and some mixed nuts.

So far I like the shakes and meal bars and don't find myself starving or dying for a big meal or a hamburger.  I think I can do this breakfast/lunch change.  I will report back later on how things are going.  See if anymore weight comes off. In the meantime, I plan on doing some more reviews of the products and support and trying to add some more exercise into my routine.  I think I will check out some of the Shaklee workouts.

Shaklee 180 - day 1 thru 7

OK, I ordered my Shaklee 180 kit at the end of December when the product was first launched.  I received it about 5 days later in January.  That fit perfectly into my New Years resolution and I was already to go.

BUT then life happened like it does for most of us and I was already breaking my plan.  I had all kinds of excuses like starting a new job but anyway I failed to start like I wanted.

Jump forward to Monday January 21st.

OK, now I am finally getting started.  I am still not completely ready but I figure if I keep letting all the little excuses and life problems get in my way I will never get going.  The plan recommends that you add exercise to your weekly routine and that was one of my biggest excuses.  NO time.  But I am going to at least start with the plan and then start adding in exercise as I go.

Here are the basic daily food and meal plans:

• Breakfast: Shaklee 180 Energizing Smoothie, a serving of fresh fruit and 1 Metabolic Boost (a supplement)
• Lunch: Shaklee 180 Energizing Smoothie or a Meal-in-a-Bar and 1 Metabolic Boost
• Dinner: A healthy meal that includes a protein, a salad, vegetables and a smart side item.  (It does give some examples of good choices.)  Again you take 1 Metabolic Boost.
• Snacks: It recommends you eat one of their Snack bars each day to help get the Leucine you need to make the program work.  It also provides an Energizing Tea and gives examples of guilt free snacks to add to the diet.

My week:

I did kind of get started on Monday the 21st.  I had the smoothie for breakfast and then I had the meal in a bar for lunch.  I did the strawberry smoothie and added a banana and some strawberries so I had my fruit blended into the smoothie.  It was very good.  I did take my normal vitamins that I have been taking for the past couple of years as well.  The Meal-in-a-Bar was the chocolate peanut butter.  It was also good.  It is a little dry so be sure to have some water to drink.  

Overall, I was not at all hungry throughout the day.  I did have a snack when I got home around 5 but I was not dying of hunger or anything.

I have done this same routine from Monday through Saturday.  I had the Smoothie for breakfast and the Bar for lunch and then ate normally for snacks and dinner.

I did NOT follow the plan very well though.  I did not take the Metabolic Boost at all.  I did NOT add much exercise other than I did play soccer with my kids for about 45 minutes last Sunday.  And I did not use the snack bars, tea or much else.  I did try to cut back some on the amount of snacking I do after dinner and I did cut back a little on my portion sizes at dinner.

So as far as being a good plan follower, I FAILED.  However, I started weighing in last Monday and figured I would have a weekly weigh in.  I was 261 pounds to start the week and today (Sunday the 27th) I was 254 pounds.

SO even though I wasn't that good at following the plan, I DID LOSE 7 POUNDS the first week.

My conclusion.  GET STARTED.  Don't wait until everything is perfect and you know everything about the plan or have your life regulated so well that nothing ever changes or surprises you (I know that will never happen in my life).  Just get going.  

I plan on going to the MYSHAKLEE180 website today and signing up - like I was supposed to on Day 1.  I will report back what I find.

My goals this week are:

1. to be registered for the plan online and see what they have to offer
2. add in more of the plan such as the Metabolic Boost, Snack Bars and Tea.
3. add in at least some exercise and hopefully start a routine
4. keep losing weight - my goal is to be down to 250 by next Monday (February 4)
5. add a blog post each day (from now on) to keep myself on track and give an honest review for anyone reading my blog

I also plan on trying to write a detailed review of each of the products that come with the Shaklee 180 plan from the shakes and the bars to the website the apps and the support.  I am going to be realistic and not guarantee one this week but I will do my best to do a new one each week.

I am adding a picture I took on day 1 so I would have a reference to look back on as I travel through this journey.  It is not my most flattering pic but it will do.  Maybe by not being so wonderful it will just make me look that much better as I progress through the plan :-).  I was not quite brave enough to post the no-shirt look.  Maybe that will also change...

Shaklee 180 - Day 1

Starting the Shaklee 180 Plan

Ok, I thought I would share my 180 day journey here on my new Shaklee 180 review blog.  I am hoping to help anyone and everyone looking to lose some weight by giving them the inside scoop on this new Shaklee 180 plan and how it is working for me. 

Here is a little more about me and getting started on the plan.

Every year I, along with millions of other people, decide I should lose a few pounds. It has been my goal to get to 225 pounds for a few years now.  I have tried several things and have actually lost some weight (I even got close one year and was 232) but I always end up putting it all back on and come January I am back to my max weight again.

So this year I am going to try a new plan that has just come out from the Shaklee corporation.  It is called Shaklee 180.  It's premise is 90 days to lose the weight and 90 days to keep it off.  A complete 180 turnaround.  It sounds good and I have been using Shaklee products for around 20 years so I know the company and I like and trust their products so lets see if the Shaklee 180 turnaround kit is a winner.

I am acually going to start a blog as a journal to my daily successes and failures and give my opinion (good or bad) about the product.  I am hoping this blog will be binificial to others, but mostly I am hoping it will help me stay on track by being my watchdog.  I am terrible at sticking with some of these "plans", but I want to give this one an honest try.  So I am committing myself to 180 days.

You can see that I am not so wonderful at acting on all those resolutions as it is January 27 2013 so I am almost a month behind.  But better late than never.

I actually kind of started the 180 plan last week (Monday the 21st) but I havent read all the plan so I have only been doing about half of what I am supposed to be doing.  But so far I am happy with what I have seen.  I plan to do my 'official' weigh ins on Mondays but so far my weight has dropped 7 pounds!!  I was at 261 on Monday and I was 254 this morning. WOOHOO!!

Lets see what happens when I really start following the entire plan.

My Shaklee 180 Experience

I am starting this blog to give my experiences with the product and give an honest opinion of how the Shaklee 180 plan works.  It will be a review of both the products that come with the plan and the plan itself.

I would love for anyone who is interested in weight loss, the Shaklee 180 turnaround plan, or anyone using the Shaklee 180 plan to join me and follow my progress.  If you are also using the plan, please comment on what you have seen and how you feel the product is working for you.

It is time to go from resolution to action.  Good Luck to us all on a successful weight loss journey!!