Geez, I didn’t expect the flood of emails asking me about my diet. I didn’t want to give you the name until I had reached my weight loss goals, but I figured I should publish it now, or have to deal with answering all the inquiries… So the diet is NOT the Cohen diet, but I believe it follows many of the same “rules”… Essentially, it is a diet that examines your blood chemistry or numbers, and they “tailor” a specific eating plan “customized” to your blood chemistry and your weight loss goals. The eating plan is QUITE SPECIFIC in that it says exactly how many grams of protein and vegetable you should eat at each meal, and it outlines acceptable foods and those that are off-limits. There no carbohydrates (rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.) with the exception of just a few all fiber biscuits, even the brands of those are specified. They tell you how much water to drink, how to weigh your food, what things you can’t add (not much salt, no soy sauce, no patis, etc.) to your prepared foods. No sugar at all. It sounds horrible or restrictive, but as you may have noticed from the meals I photographed and posted on this post, this post and this last post, they weren’t as bad as you might think. Diet cokes are NOT allowed but you can drink several cups of tea a day.
I would NEVER have believed I could lose 22 pounds in one month, but I did. And better yet, my blood chemistry is simply superb. So there MUST be something to the program, but I will caution that this is only based on my experience and knowledge of two other people (both readers of this blog) who have also tried it and were extremely pleased with the results. There are no injections, no exercise if you weren’t already actively exercising, and no other hoops to jump through. Just follow the eating plan STRICTLY and watch the pounds melt away. I did not “cheat” at all until the fourth week when I was traveling and hosting several dinners at excellent restaurants, and even with those digressions, I still managed to take 22 pounds off. I had bad headaches on ONLY the first day of the diet, and by the third day I felt normal, even better than normal and I had lots of energy and wasn’t any more cranky than I usually am. :)
The diet cost roughly $650 including remittance fees. Plus the cost of your blood tests (which I had to do for my cardiologist anyway). It sounds like a lot, roughly PHP25,000 at current exchange rates, but far less than the locally available Cohen diet, and I thought it was good value for money considering how many times I have tried to lose weight on my own to no avail. If you are NOT committed and inclined to CHEAT on the rules, do NOT even attempt this diet. If you can envision spending two months in near rabid pursuit of weight loss by sticking to the rules, you may be rewarded with 20, 30 or 40 pounds in weight loss. Each program is tailored to a specific person, they strongly discourage sharing eating plans and warn that they may even have a negative effect on your diet if you pursue the wrong eating plan for you.
I plan to do another few weeks to lose a few more pounds and will then start a month-long “re-feeding” program where some of the foods I have given up will be re-introduced to my diet. If I manage to keep say 15-20 pounds off for the rest of this year, I will be pleased as punch. If I could do this when I am CONSTANTLY cooking, living and breathing food, then I suspect many of you can do it too. If you would like more information, please look up FAT LOSS LABORATORY, a clinic out of South Africa, and contact their Philippine representative Bambina Wise at bambinawise@mac.com — tell her Marketman sent you… :)
What worked for me may NOT work for you, so be forewarned. I paid for this diet with my own money (actually Mrs. MM gave it to me as a Christmas present), and did not have any intention of “endorsing” it in any way, but I was so pleased with the results I am happy to share the name of the diet, the clinic, and the person you need to contact for more details. I am not connected with the FAT LOSS LAB clinic and receive no benefit or remuneration of ANY KIND for mentioning it on this blog.
39 Responses
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MM, do you have to pay via credit card or can we pay bambina wise directly?
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE WEIGHT LOSS!! :))
Key MM, just curious, were you able to measure before and after bodyfat % readings? Here’s a decent online calculator that’s pretty accurate when compared with skinfold and/or electronic readings. https://www.stevenscreek.com/goodies/pi.shtml
Disregard the first reading as calculations based on weight and waist-size are for more accurate. If you kept records of your stats before the diet, you’d be able to measure how much of the weight you lost was fat and how much was water and/or muscle.
knifenut, just did that calculation and it says my body fat percentage dropped from 21% or roughly 41+ pounds of fat to 17.5% or 30 pounds of fat. So I take it that I lost 11+ pounds of pure fat? That’s a lot of chicharon. :) That body fat percentage of 17.5% puts me well in the range of “healthy body fat of 11-22% range for men of my age group” — but I would like to bring it down further to say 16% or 15% if possible.
Finally, the big reveal! Thanks MM. Would you mind showing the before and after pics? They should probably give you a major discount next time around with all the referrals you will giving! Great job! And btw, how did you find them?
Thanks for sharing your secret!
I marvel at your unwavering perseverance, MM. that’s the key to all weight loss attempts!!
Your “before” weight together with your height is exactly my husband today. I’ve done South Beach several times and I find that when you go back to it say a year later (in case you put on 5-10 pounds) it isn’t as effective as before. What I did like about it was that you could eat sugar-free snacks like pudding and chocolate. Does this diet allow this? I don’t think we can live without sweets :-(
natie, discipline works in this regard. :) asunta, one of the blog’s readers was on the diet, and on the first 4 months lost 49 pounds. She is a friend and someone whose opinion I trust. Another friend is also on the diet.
ok, i will check it.. thanks thanks
congratulations MM! i would like to ask how much did the diet program cost?
Thanks for sharing!
Sir MM, do they offer free consultation?
MM, 63 down now. From a size 16 US to a size 6 US. Petrified of gaining it back but best advise from MAE who started this whole thing for me: do the refeeding and train your body. When you finish with that, alternate your days between eating normally and eating Fat Loss Lab way. Keeps you on the straight and narrow. Emphasis on the narrow!!!!! :-) Well done us!!!!
Wow! The monetary cost seems pretty daunting but considering this is money put into a program in exchange of OTC and maintenance meds, then this diet program looks worth the cost. And at a pound a week of weight loss that has one feeling great after looks like this is something to look into.
Thanks MM and congratulations again!
The key word is discipline, which is sorely not in the vocabulary for most of us who are in constant battle with the bulge. Congratulations Marketman!
Hi MM,
Do you have to stay on the diet to keep the pounds that you lost, off or does the program prescribe a less stringent “maintenance” diet to switch to once you hit your target weight?
Dear MM – I can’t thank you enough since this can be life saving for my daughter. We will put her on this program asap. Thanks for sharing and I am really praying she will achieve the same superb results that you have achieved. Congratulations and God bless! :)
P25k pesos is no small amount, but considering how some people spend money on other things, this seems ok (if you can afford it and did not steal the money), what with the health benefits & psycho-emotional boost you get.
I heard some celebrity hookers go for 50k (the cheaper ones na yan) and can give the same psycho-emotional boost for 20 minutes. But I digress.
hello! would you know if they have a version of that here in the US? Thanks!
THANKS MM for sharing the info! Here’s to more healthier MM readers!
Margszie, I don’t know if there is an equivalent in the U.S., but I suspect there is. However, all of this was done over the internet, so I didn’t have to go into a physical clinic (although I see my regular cardiologist here in Manila) for the diet. tenbreedmountaindog, 50K for a celebrity hooker? Yowks. Carol, you are welcome, yours was one of a deluge of emails so I decided to do a post instead of answering each one separately. :) f, as I understand it, the refeeding process allows you to consume most of what you normally used to eat, albeit in smaller amounts I suppose. And should one see rapid weight gain, a few days on the old regimen seems to set things right again. However, a huge caveat on that part of the diet, I have yet to experience it myself. Quillene Petite, I spend roughly PHP4,000 per month on meds, so if the doctor takes me off meds, the diet pays for itself in 6 months. That’s another way to look at it. :) susie b, congrats… for anyone reading between the lines, she is who told me all about the diet. And 63 pounds off in 6 months is simply amazing. andrea, no free consultations.
MM, congratulations again. I admire you for your discipline. Can always rationalize the expense in that it is for one’s health. Have to cancel Saturday’s lab appt. will now have to wait til next month. Maybe, will lose some more pounds by then, :)
Can a 65 yr old with hypertension do this diet?
Even your water consumption is controlled? Or is it that you have to drink a minimum amount of water per day?
Gerry, sorry, that didn’t sound right, there is a minimum amount of water you need to drink every day… for me, 2 liters plus. Menchu, sorry, I don’t know, please forward your question to the representative mentioned above.
congratulations MM, it deserves a celebration for the accomplishments of losing 22 pounds ;D. Once again CONGRATULATIONS!
got it! thanks for the response!
Wow!!! Thanks MM!
Thanks MM. After reading your diet for the first time, i was intrigued. Then when you posted your results, i was amazed. Now i’m thankful as you have finally shared your secret diet. Like you i have been on countless diets looking for that magic one…now i again have renewed hope..but this time will put in a lot of discipline with it..Thanks again MM.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Wow! That’s a lot! Congrats MM!
I encountered a book a few years back titled, “Eat Right For Your Type”. In a nutshell, also had the idea of certain food being good/bad depending on your blood-type.
But I guess there might be more to the “Fat Loss Laboratory” than just blood-typing…
Congrats again! Here’s to hoping the pounds stay off :-)
I also read a book entitled Five factor diet by harley pasternak. The likes of Halle Berry, Orlando Bloom, Jennifer Hudson, Megan Fox, Natalie Portman and many more used this 5 factor diet. Eat More … five meals a day. Work out less, only 25 minutes a day – five days a week and enjoy one free day.
hi, thanks for this post. where would you recommend I get a digital scale and the crackers and the nonfat mayo (in Makati/nearby area)? I just enrolled…inspired by your weight loss and your posts on the food you were allowed to eat while on the diet. Much thanks —
CB, you can get WASA at Rustan’s or the Jacob’s at Rustan’s, Landmark or Cash& Carry. Nonfat mayo from landmark. Not sure where you might find a digital scale in Manila.
Salamat; appreciate it, MarketMan.
Hi, MM! Congratulations on the significant weight loss. I emailed Bambina a while ago. Would know you if she has a contact number? Thanks!
Hi MM, Just wondering. Were you able to maintain your weight after one year? I am about to sign up with Bambina. Thanks.