The Amway Nutrilite Weight Management Program aims to provide a personalized approach to weight loss, moving away from the one-size-fits-all dieting mentality. This program incorporates a genetic test to identify an individual's ideal diet based on their genotype. However, the program has faced scrutiny regarding its long-term effectiveness, nutritional balance, and cost.
The Core Concept: Genotype-Matched Diets
The cornerstone of the NUTRILITE Weight Management Program is a genetic test. This test involves a simple cheek swab sent to a lab for analysis. The results are compiled into a comprehensive, approximately 30-page document detailing personalized lifestyle recommendations. These recommendations cover six key areas of an individual's lifestyle and habits, highlighting nutrient strategies that may yield the most beneficial results. The genetic profiles generated are intended to reveal the type of diet and exercise best suited for each person's unique genetic makeup.
In 2012, Amway North America promoted the NUTRILITE Weight Management Program, emphasizing the genetic test's role in helping individuals discover their genotype-matched diet. The program offers weight management plans tailored to the results of this gene test.
Program Structure and Components
The NUTRILITE Weight Management program offers three plans: Carb Reducer, Fat Trimmer, and Better Balancer. These plans are designed to align with the results of the Inherent Health® Weight Management Genetic Test.
The program promotes lasting lifestyle changes rather than severe calorie restriction or overly strenuous exercise. A key component is a day-by-day journal, spanning four weeks, that includes daily meal plans, shopping lists, and recipes. The journal also incorporates an exercise plan, suggesting cardio, resistance training, core exercises, and stretching. The exercise plan is designed to be flexible, fitting into as little as 10 minutes per day. The journal encourages users to track their feelings, accomplishments, and progress throughout the program.
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The program incorporates NUTRILITE supplements, intended to address potential vitamin, mineral, and nutrient deficiencies that may arise during weight loss. Supplement options range from multivitamins for general nutritional support to products aimed at boosting weight management results or increasing fiber intake. NUTRILITE also offers meal replacement options and snacks, including bars and protein shakes, designed to satisfy hunger and support metabolism.
Clinical Study and Claims
A clinical study presented at the 2010 American Heart Association's Joint Conference suggested that individuals following a diet recommended by the Inherent Health Weight Management Genetic Test experienced greater weight loss compared to those on non-genotype-specific diets. However, it's crucial to note that the information available does not provide extensive details about the study's methodology, sample size, or long-term outcomes.
Criticisms and Concerns
Despite the program's personalized approach, it has faced criticism from nutrition experts. One concern revolves around the initial phase, which involves three days of protein-only consumption. While this may lead to quick weight loss, it is argued that it's not a sustainable or nutritionally balanced approach.
Protein Intake and Muscle Preservation
A significant criticism centers on the amount and distribution of protein in the diet. Experts argue that the program may not provide sufficient protein at each meal to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which is essential for muscle repair and rebuilding. Consuming a minimum amount of protein in one meal is necessary to stop muscle catabolism (breakdown) and promote muscle building. Younger individuals may need around 15g of protein at a single meal, while those over 45-50 years old may require closer to 40g due to the blunting of muscle protein synthesis as we age. Spreading protein intake in multiple sessions may not optimize muscle preservation.
Since dieting is inherently a catabolic state, it breaks down tissue. A low-calorie diet leads to the burning of both muscle and fat. The weight will be dropping off but you’re not eating enough protein in one meal to preserve muscle. This is a problem when it comes to maintaining your weight. There’s less of the muscle tissue that helps you preserve that metabolic rate (muscle helps protect metabolic rate). It would be difficult to meet overall protein requirements with the amount of protein recommended at each meal and snack. For fat loss, it is recommended to consume a minimum of 2g of protein per kg of body weight. If we do the math on the per meal and per snack amount of protein recommended, it might equate to 81g of protein across a day (allowing for 18g of protein in three meals, and 9g of protein for three snacks).
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Meal Frequency and Satiety
The suggested meal frequency of eating every 90 minutes is also a point of contention. Critics argue that this frequent eating pattern can be distracting, making it difficult to concentrate on daily life outside of the diet. A person could be hungry a lot of the time, not able to concentrate on your actual life (outside of your diet) and more likely to cave under the weight of this hunger later in the day, the week or even later in the month. Even though there are clear guardrails on the amounts to eat in this diet, if you’re constantly under fuelling yourself, it is harder to adhere to the plan. And adherence is arguable the most important factor required for sustainable fat loss success.
Furthermore, it may not allow for adequate satiety, as some individuals require a certain volume of food to feel satisfied. Appetite and satiety involves a complex interaction of hormones and signalling molecules from our gut and our brain that does require (for a lot of people) a certain volume of food in order to feel satisfied on a smaller amount of calories. This is why it’s best practice to AVOID having to eat as often as this and instead eat three full meals.
Cost and Sustainability
The program's cost is another concern, particularly with the inclusion of supplements and meal replacement products. Critics point out that real protein sources, such as egg whites, meat, and fish, can be more filling and cost-effective.
Long-Term Weight Management
Some individuals have reported losing weight initially but regaining it later, along with muscle loss. This can reinforce the idea that diets don't work, potentially leading to discouragement and a negative impact on self-worth.
Alternative Program: Begin 30
Amway also offers the Begin 30 program, a 30-day plan focused on holistic wellness. This program aims to improve eating habits, physical activity, and mindfulness. It involves following a Mediterranean diet, taking at least 7,000 steps per day with a minimum of 75 minutes of cardio or strength exercise per week, drinking at least half their weight (lb) in ounces of water per day and practice mindfulness one to two times daily.
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The Begin 30 program incorporates three gut-loving products to support a balanced gut microbiome. Participants also consumed Nutrilite supplements during the study, including Nutrilite Balance Within Probiotic and Nutrilite Begin Daily GI Primer supplement.
While not specifically designed for weight loss, the Begin 30 program aims to promote overall well-being. Participants reported positive results, with 96% stating they would continue implementing parts of the regimen on their own.
GreenSelect Phytosome
Some NUTRILITE weight management products incorporate GreenSelect Phytosome, a green tea extract. Green tea is a popular ingredient in weight management supplements due to its potential effect on weight loss.
Dietary polyphenols such as EGCG tend to be poorly bioavailable and are not well absorbed into the body. These limitations may reduce the potential health benefits of dietary polyphenols found in green tea. Phytosome technology is designed to help overcome these limitations and to stabilize and better deliver these polyphenols to the body.
Clinical trials have explored the use of GreenSelect Phytosome for weight loss and weight maintenance. Results suggest that GreenSelect Phytosome green tea extract may aid weight loss when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and exercise program. Green Select Phytosome green tea extract is formulated in lecithin and delivered as a unique phospholipid complex which may help improve the absorption of EGCG in your body.