How does BistroMD help you lose weight?
BistroMD targets insulin resistance and the Metabolic Syndrome.
Does it seem like every donut goes right to your hips in a way that it never did five years ago? If you’ve developed insulin resistance and the Metabolic Syndrome, as more than 80 percent of overweight people have, there’s a different process running your machine. BistroMD meals are specifically designed to get your body back on its normal metabolic program so you can lose weight effectively and finally get healthy again. This is a gradual process and it can take 4-8 weeks to reprogram and retrain your body.
BistroMD is Effective for Weight Loss.
BistroMD scientifically targets insulin resistance and the Metabolic Syndrome. Every ingredient is combined in each dish to retrain your metabolism to allow for the best loss of weight and, more importantly, the loss of body fat.
BistroMD Supplies Your Body with Protein.
If you examine the protein content of other weight loss meals, you will see that many of them are low in protein and high in simple carbohydrate. By consuming carbohydrate without the proper balance of protein and fat, your metabolism remains untrained and unbalanced. Simple carbohydrate is inexpensive and exactly what a dieter does not need. If you’ve ever felt hungry and dissatisfied after eating, the meal may have been lacking essential nutritional components, like protein.
How many calories am I eating on this plan, and what is the macronutrient breakdown?
Our dietitians design each day in your meal plan to fluctuate. Our plans with snacks contain between 1100-1400 calories per day. About 40-45% of these calories are from protein, 30-35% come from carbohydrates, and 20-25% come from fat.
Is BistroMD appropriate for diabetics?
BistroMD is appropriate for people with Type II Diabetes.
Many people who need to lose weight are diagnosed as diabetic or pre-diabetic, which is why Dr. Cederquist has designed meals that are also suitable for people living with this condition.
The meals in our program focus on the proper balance of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and low fat. Lean protein is what is keeps you feeling full, and what helps keep your blood sugars stabilized.
To accommodate your dietary needs as a diabetic, we avoid all simple sugars in our meals such as white bread, potatoes, and pasta. These foods can cause your blood sugar to spike and then drop rapidly, causing you to feel hungry again shortly after you eat.
All of the meals in our program are properly portioned to give you the right combination of these essential nutrients. As a diabetic on our program, you won't have to worry about preparing your meals to suit your dietary requirements, or worry about over-eating. We do all of the preparation and cooking for you!
If you do have an existing medical condition, please consult with your doctor before starting a diet.
Why do you include snacks in your meal plan? Is it more beneficial to have a meal plan with snacks?
Each snack from BistroMD is protein-based and contains on average between 8-15 grams of protein. Our program supplies protein roughly every 3-4 hours. This lean, adequate protein will boost your metabolism and curb your food cravings to help you stay healthy and lose weight.
Are your meals suitable for seniors and elderly people?
Our meals are definitely suited for seniors and elderly people.
With our meals, there is no need for grocery shopping, cooking, or cleaning, which makes them convenient for elderly couples or elderly people living by themselves.
Our meals are also properly portioned and well-balanced to contain foods that are required to provide healthy senior nutrition.
Our program is also perfect for the elderly man or woman living with health limitations that prevent them from shopping and cooking for themselves.
Each meal just needs to be heated, then it's ready to be eaten and enjoyed.
Is BistroMD a low glycemic plan?
At BistroMD, our meal plan was designed around the concept of the glycemic load, rather than the glycemic index.
The importance of the glycemic load has to do with the way your metabolism effectively burns fat from the foods it digests. Where the glycemic index is your body's response to only certain foods, the glycemic load has to do with the way your body responds to combinations of different foods. This is why the balance of proper foods with the right nutrients is vitally important.
If you are only eating certain foods day after day, your metabolism will adjust to this eating pattern and won't know how to respond when you take in different foods. By focusing on the concept of the glycemic load, your metabolism can effectively cope with your the changes in your diet, and retrain itself to burn fat more effectively.
What is “My Night”?
“My Night” is your one free night each week to enjoy a structured break from the program. Our research shows that allowing a “My Night” reward where you are able to choose your own dinner outside of the program enables you to make healthy choices and also remain dedicated to the program longer. Each of our 7 day plans include one My Night.
Please know that you are not charged for this meal as the price of our 7 day plans which include the “My Night” are adjusted vs. our 5 day programs.
We encourage you to develop healthy eating habits and that includes learning to enjoy food normally when you are not dieting. We hope that you will enjoy your “My Night” and jump right back into your nutritional program the next day.
We want you to succeed on this meal plan and achieve the results you want to achieve. As you move forward please do not hesitate to ask us questions. Also if you have a question for our dietitians, please let us know as our experts can provide free support for you.
If “My Night” does not work for your lifestyle, please know that we are happy to provide you with a dinner to replace “My Night” for future shipments. Please let us know and we can provide you with the cost for this meal.
What if I eat out or eat something not on the meal plan?
We encourage you to develop healthy eating habits and that includes learning to enjoy food normally. Because BistroMD is so simple and convenient, enjoy your “My Night” and jump right back into your nutritional program the next day. Our 7 day plans include "My Night".
What should I drink, and how much? Can I drink coffee, tea or milk?
We recommend drinking a minimum of eight glasses of water each day. This can be in the form of regular water, flavored water (like Propel, Fruit 2.O), decaffeinated diet soda, any diet fruit juices (like Diet V8 Splash) and Crystal Light. These drinks help keep you hydrated and help "flush" everything out of your system.
You are allowed to drink caffeinated drinks like diet soda, coffee, or tea but it is recommended that you limit them to two per day. Caffeine can act as a diuretic so when you drink caffeinated beverages you lose water. If your body loses too much water because you drink too much caffeine you can become dehydrated.
When you become dehydrated your body will retain any fluids and you will retain more water. While you want to lose some water weight, you do not want to lose too much water weight. Drinking two caffeinated beverages per day is fine and won't necessarily cause your body to retain water, but it is important not to drink more than is recommended.
If you use creamer in your coffee make sure it is low-fat. If you use sugar, use a sugar substitute like Splenda.
It is important to avoid most fruit juices because many are high in sugar.
Milk is okay to drink because it contains protein, however, limit the milk to one eight ounce glass per day because of the lactose and fat content. If you are going to drink milk it is recommended that you drink the low-fat or skim variety. Don't fall for flavored milks with added sugars and fat.
Can I drink alcohol and still lose weight?
Yes you can, however you must do so in moderation. The recommendation is for women to consume no more than 3 alcoholic drinks per week and men to consume no more than 4 alcoholic drinks per week.
If you have more specific questions about alcohol consumption, we can have our dietitians contact you directly to discuss.
Do I have to give up my fresh fruits and vegetables?
With BistroMD, we provide nutritionally complete meals with an entree and sides. All of our meals contain vegetables that are cooked to perfection. If you have a craving for fresh fruit and vegetables you can still eat these if you are on our plan.
If you wish to have fruit, we recommend that you eat no more than one serving per day, and that the fruit is eaten with some type of protein (i.e. a protein snack). Fruit contains a natural sugar called fructose, which can cause your blood sugar to spike when eaten alone. If you eat your fruit with a protein snack, this will help stabilize your blood sugar, and prevent it from fluctuating.
You can also eat your favorite vegetables while on our plan. In fact, only one cup of raw vegetables is only about 25 calories. This caloric count is small, but it is recommended that you limit your raw vegetables to no more than four cups per day, which is the equivalent of a large salad. If you choose the salad route, watch out for things like croutons, cheese, and dressing. If you want some dressing on your salad, use only two tablespoons or less of a low fat or light dressing.
Is BistroMD advisable for women who are breastfeeding?
Our dietitians usually recommend our plans with snacks that provide 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. However this plan averages 1200 calories per day which is not enough for a woman who is breastfeeding. If you would like to receive meals from BistroMD while you are breastfeeding, our dietitians can work with you to create a plan that will suit your individual needs. Please give us a call and we would be more than happy to have one of our expert dietitians follow up with you directly.
What is the sodium content of BistroMD meals?
Unlike many pre-packaged meals provided by other diets or in the freezer section, our expert dietitians keep a close eye on your overall sodium intake. At BistroMD we work diligently with our chefs to ensure that all of our meals fall under the USDA's recommended guidelines of 2400 mg of sodium per day. As a target range, the majority of our meals have less than 500 mg of sodium. Some of our meals with certain ethnic flavors like soy sauce based sauces may have slightly higher sodium content. In either example you can see that our daily sodium content falls under the USDA's guidelines.
How do I maintain my diet if friends and family around me are not eating healthy?
The BistroMD program was developed to teach you the skills you need to maintain a healthy new lifestyle for the rest of your life. What's great about our program is that we give you all the tools and support you need to succeed at weight loss on your own.
In order to achieve success on your own, it is important that you express the importance of what weight loss means to you to your close friends and family. If you are open and honest with them, they will support you, and maybe take some inspiration from you and make an effort to change some of their own unhealthy habits.
The more open and honest you are with friends and family about what being healthy means to you, the more they will appreciate and value what you are trying to accomplish.
As a BistroMD client, you also have free dietitian support available to you when you find yourself in a situation where you need additional support. Our dietitians are here to help you. They can give you tips and advice that will help you get through hurdles and maintain the focus on your goals.