ZOE NUTRITION NEW THREAD- anyone want to join in?

[LisaLovedUp]

I've started a new thread as my previous one was titled for techie stuff.
If anyone is fairly new to this please join in and we can share!

I am now on Day 4. All tests done and now recording my food each day. It takes me ages as my phone is slow (needs replacing) and some things I eat aren't listed (it relies a lot on packaged foods.)

eg yesterday I made a veggie curry and the only options were branded readymade ones so I just had to pick one I felt was close enough, rather than itemise every veggie in the one I made.

I noticed this as some 'negative' feedback on another platform.

Has everyone/anyone done the advanced health questionnaire? I started it but gave up. I felt it was more for their data gathering (which is fine to an extent) but also very intrusive and I didn't want to give my personal medical history when it may not be 100% safe from hackers.

I'm going to feedback on this to them.

My blood sugar readings so far are in the 4 - 5.4 range mainly although on a couple of mornings it was below 4. The highest was 7.3 after a sweet dessert ( a one-off for me - out with friends) plus ice cream.

Any tips from more experienced users welcome!

Hi @Redrobin75 I did the muffin and blood test 3 times, I was distraught as I'd planned it so carefully (at least I thought I had), but first time around I was too hydrated and spilled blood over the sample as it came out too quick (sorry for the graphic details!), second time I couldn't decide if there was enough blood on the sample so I added another couple of drops but they congealed as I'd left it too late and the sample spoiled.

I was in your situation and considered using the estimate, but the whole idea of Zoe is that its personalised so I went through it a 3rd time and was pleased to get it right!

It was trickier than I hoped and I honestly think they should give a spare sample kit to each person, as it would be easier to prick a second finger and try again rather than getting Zoe to post a new kit with muffins to you.

For the money you invest and the trust you need to have in the results I'd definitely do it again.

Good luck.

@MrJellyBelly , thanks for the advice. I can't open a new chat on the app but I've just read on the FB unofficial chat group re some tips to contact Zoe via instagram so am going to try that - good thing I like social media!

@redredrobin75 The app had an update around midday so hopefully its fixed the issue. That said I have yet to get an answer today. My replacement muffins and blood test arrived today cause I gushed like crazy total gore mess last time. So Ill take my time this time lol I feel like I dont know how to get the mist out of the blood sugar sensor. I do these challenges in the morning and then my body craves everything in the afternoon. Carbs regardless seem to spike, but then thats expected to go up anyways. I then end up binging in the evening and the spike looks like a mountain range. Trying to break myself from that pattern cause the triggers are so real. Im actually really frustrated cause I just want to trust the process, but I still feel like I dont know what I am supposed to be doing.

@towardsexperience I think it's best to just eat your normal food in the CGM period, I didn't do the challenges but made up my own to see what happened if I ate a pastry etc. But I didn't eat any chocolate for the 2 weeks as too embarrassed to input it on the app and I started to lose weight. The longest period is waiting for the results as you can input your food to get the scores later on but at the time you dont know if the food is good or not. I will try another chat to do the blood test again but I dont know if I will ever get enough blood to fill the card, at least I don't mind the muffins that much!

@rredrobin75 I'll just keep logging. I've tried some different things. I had some veg tonight before trying pizza, and there was no spike, whereas pizza was a huge spike on its own. Did you have any updates, like if the samples were received or anything? I haven't heard anything, but assume that's typical. I can't wait till the scores come back.

@towardsexperience , after a couple of weeks an update appears on your profile page that you can click on to say if your samples have been processed. But it said my blood had, it was only when the results arrived I read the tiny text that said my blood fat number was an estimate and not from my sample.

It really worth joining the Zoe nutrition unofficial chat Facebook page, it's really active and people post stuff all the time.

I’m starting tomorrow and have fallen at (almost) the first fence in that I stuck the sensor on, downloaded the Libre app for the glucose monitor and failed to notice that I had to sign in using the ZOE details and not my own.

Tried to delete the Libre3 app, but for some reason it won’t re register me 🤬 as a ZOE user.

Have messaged them, but will try the FB group.

Can you talk a bit more about how the challenges work, please? I'm doing it in June and this kind of concerns me as I understand one has to eat, wait several hours, then eat again and not exercise in the meantime. I try to exercise daily, and if I don't do it in the morning, I just can't do it in the afternoon. So it seems during the period of using the CGM I won't be able to exercise at all, is that right?

@BusyBeeBB , you don't need to do the challenges, they are just ideas for you. Zoe only use the first 3 days of data from the libre app to calculate your scores. I recorded my exercise in the libre app so I could see how it causes spikes and I made up my own challenges, so for example I no longer eat banana bread because in my head I can remember the spike it caused.

There are quite a few faults with the programme and worth remembering

• challenges are optional
• exercise isn't taken into account by the programme - ie if you run long distances it won't tell you to eat more carbs
• the blood fat result is often an estimate because the blood test hasn't worked but you only find out when you get your results and read the tiny print amongst the many pages of text
• during the wait between end of CGM and getting the results keep recording your food as when you get the results (and make the second payment) your food turns into scores.

Best of luck!

Did you end up hearing from Zoe? I have been attempting to reach them for 3 days just adding more information on the open chat. I did the blood test and nailed it today with the muffins, but no one has still responded. I have no idea how to reach them so I sent an inquiry on the website, via fb and via instagram. Nothing yet. But mailed off my results and took photos of all the barcodes etc. reset the muffin tests and logged them today but cant log the blood test 🤷🏼‍♀️ Im a bit annoyed to not have a response in 3 days when the icons say their available and it said within 1 day response time. Which its usually even within hours! Paid a lot of money, and hoping for a lot of insight with this process, I just hope they finally get back to me at some point and Ive not messed something up!! only 4 more days with my sensor, trying to make the most of it by testing regular foods we eat now and trying to do better food / fast patterns!

@towardsexperience , yes after the app update on I think Thursday I could open a new chat and sent them a message and they are sending me the muffin/blood test kit for the third time and hopefully my final time. I hope they get back to you. It's worth Jo

It's worth joining the Facebook page, it's really active, there is lots of moaning about customer service.
It's called U.K. Zoe chat (unofficial).

@towardsexperience and @redrobin75
I mistakenly logged into Libra with my own details instead of the ZOE ones. As it wasn’t working with my GMonitor , I still went ahead with the muffins etc and the poo and blood tests.
Ive had periodic responses from them, and it’s shown that

a) it’s a clunky system to ask people to log in Zoe details into an app that appears to have nothing to do with ZOE in appearance

b) the stuff arrives with SO much info which needs reading in conjunction with the ZOE app and Libra app. It’s overwhelming. Does the blood sample need 26 sections?

c) I thought it was hugely over packaged

Theyre now saying I have to do the muffin/ fasting again and that they’ve reset my monitor, but after 4 days of faffing around I’m having a SOH failure.

I think because it's still so new to the UK, it's still trying to work out the kinks. I had a note on my sensor that advised making sure the details were the ones they provided. I then followed the video on the app to apply the sensor that re-inforced the details, but I remember having to search the login stuff out. Im not sure if it would be the same for each kit, but it should have been maybe more up front. They have it in the works for the two systems to be integrated, but however long that might be lord only knows.

They will want to see your responses to the muffins for the blood sugar response. The blood test is the blood fat response from what I understood. I had to do the muffins twice because I over-bled on the test, I had to take my time with the second one, but I also said to my husband it seems like a lot of steps on a piece of paper you have to keep flipping and rotating.

I finally had a response from them after messaging them through the facebook and IG profiles. But it was a game of just sitting and waiting. I think they may still have a lot to suss out to fine-tune it all. I can't wait to see my results, but I plan to buy another CGM to monitor it myself once the scores are back. Then, make a journal where I log as many foods as possible with screenshots, etc.

I do apologize. What is SOH failure?

I have attempted to join the fb unofficial chat. But totally not fb saavy!

@towardsexperience

Great idea re CGM. I bought a couple of spares and was delighted to notice the impact of a year of low carb eating had in my blood sugars.

Last year I oscillated around 7.2, this year the same food kept me around 5.2. Last year I was borderline T2 Diabetes while a year later I'm firmly in the 'normal' ranges. So rewarding to know the changes I made have had such a brilliant result in a year.

Sense of Humour (SOH)

Hi all, so my kit finally arrived today but I’m not sure when to start. I have a few newb questions if anyone would help kindly answer:

• Is there a list of ‘challenge’ foods that they suggest you try so I can prepare in advance?
• I order Gousto meal kits every week. Should I choose more basic meals or take a break to make the best out of the monitoring period. How does it work with curry, stews etc where you can’t pinpoint the specific food?
• I’ve freezed the muffins for now, do you have to stick to starting within 4 weeks? (I have a holiday upcoming so I’ll be eating differently to my ‘normal’ pattern).

Thanks all in advance :)

Oh gosh I feel like an idiot lol! Sorry not used to typical socials lol 😆

I am excited to see how things go for me as well further down the line trying another CGM. My pharmacy has easy access to them also so thats positive. I have an extra from a clear out they had of their libre 2's when they restocked the 3s. I think its fascinating how much things can change even with a long term lifestyle change too. I have been intrigued to learn most carbs really spike and trough me, but wholemeal bread, while it causes me acid, is neutral and evens out some meals. Cant wait for the results.

@Reereeree ,
Don't worry about the challenges, many people ignore them or use food they normally eat, the challenge results are just for you, they don't influence your Zoe results that you receive after 4 weeks.

It's best to eat as normal until you get your results so 5 weeks or so after you start.

The muffins can be frozen for 6 months, tell Zoe to change your start date. Contacting via the chat is the biggest challenge at the moment because they either reply immediately or days later.

In the FAQ, there is a blood sugar challenge library. I can't remember exactly where, but I want to say it's in the sensor tab. I personally used the ideas in there and worked with meals I make regularly. I've tried treats we might have on a day out, comfort foods I may only have once in a while, just to see the effects. You want to eat things you would normally try. Of course, carby things. Vegetables, starches, etc. I found that potato is one that I dont do well with, so I may be able to find a combo where I eat it in the future, or nix it all together. The scores will help with that eventually.

I'd say putting the CGM on, the first 3 days is your typical eating, then you have 5 days of blood sugar challenges. i.e. day 1 bagel. day 2 4 strips bacon. day 3 bagel and bacon. day 4 bagel with immediate 30 minutes of movement. day 5 bagel 10 minute wait then 4 strips bacon.

The app will prompt you to try other tests too but you do not have to do the ones from the library, Id say find meals you normally eat and try swaps or combos with ideas you get from the list for sure.

Gousto, it might be worth trying a couple, maybe? Or try to recreate them at home? It's worth eating what you would typically eat.

Currys, stews, etc. recipes like that. I'd say try to weigh your ingredients so you can log it correctly. I made a soup and wrote all the ingredients with their weights, and then divided it into portions on paper before logging it. -but That's excessive, I think - lol

I haven't figured it out quite yet, but there is a recipe feature, so I imagine you add all the ingredients, then select 'portion' when logging it.

I would say you only need about 6 hours set aside for the test day, dont feel like you have to wait like crazy to start your kit. No good time like the present, though I understand going on holiday being a bit of a hiccup.

With the breakfast muffins, microwave each individually, micro 20 seconds, eat the first, 20 seconds eat second. etc. The second time went a lot easier on me and did it in the 15 minutes.Youll wait 4 hrs and then eat lunch muffins. 2 hrs and then your blood test. The test dries for an hour.

In doing the blood test, spend time looking at the good and bad examples on the page. Sit down with everything, take your time, get a good drop of blood on your finger after the cleansing wipe, and focus on getting the square just filled. I had a blood bath on the first one and had to re-do the muffins and test.

Familiarizing yourself with any of the info is well worth it. Your libre info is in the package dont log with your own email it will save you trouble as a previous poster bless them. Trying to think of anything else Id have wished someone told me! lol 😆

Good luck! Sorry for the lengthy reply!

@towardsexperience, the recipe part of the app works when you get your results, that's when you get the score for each food. It's also when you make the second payment.

It's worth logging some food during the wait for results as you then get a score for those food combinations.

I am about a month into Zoe and am beginning to get the hang of it. The instructions for the first couple of days weren't great. I started my food challenges far too early. A simple 1 page summary of week 1 would have helped.

In terms of the start, it is best to start on a day that you are at home all day. You can freeze the muffins, but defrost them the night before your "test day". You need to fast overnight (coffee/water/herbal teas okay), eat 2 mufffins, fast for another 3 hours and then scoff 3 muffins and then do a finger prick blood test. I've been doing these for Covid studies for months and I find it easiest to get blood from the vein that runs up the side of the tip of my ring finger.

I had a Libra 3 monitor and had to insert it the night before muffin eating. With hindsight I should have popped mine further up the back of my arm, not in the muscle, and asked DH to position it. Mine gave erratic readings for the first night.

Zoe contacted me a couple of days in because they couldn't connect to my blood sugar readings. It isn't a disaster if you don't get the login stage correct, The sensor ID keeps all the results.

The 2 week testing stage is frustrating because they restrict the flexibility of the app. Later on you can include recipes for any number of people and say what portion size you ate. I found that a lot of food I ate wasn't recognised/graded. I therefore get daft daily scores sometimes.

I had a message this afternoon to say that they were being snowed under with queries. I appreciate that they want/need the revenue but it would be more sensible to proceed at a slower pace.

PS double check the muffin-eating timings (the app and the leaflets will tell you). I now wonder if it was 4 hours apart.

I suppose that the advantage of a Gousto kit is that it tells you the weight of all the ingredients. It is a lot easier once you get the test results and get your scores.

I've been intermittent fasting with Zoe for a few months so I did "food challenges" for breakfast. I felt quite unwell after several days of white rice and/or cheese.

@towardsexperience and @Reereeree

Yes, SOH failure is what I’m experiencing atm! 🤬🤬🤬

Whatever you do, please input the ZOE login in details and NOT your own. I’m getting very varied responses from the Zoe chat.

They’re sending me more bloody muffins but I’m not prepared to re-embark on this until they can read my monitor.

I appreciate I hadn’t read the instructions properly the night before. I’d left the following day free to eat the muffins, but had had to go to London for the day to take DM out for her Christmas present… with Waterloo station closed. It was a nightmare.

I was stressed and tired when I got home, and just desperate to apply the monitor and sign up.

So… leave plenty of time the night before too.

@Ohyeahwaitaminute , all monitors only last 14 days, diabetics who wear them all the time change them every 14 days. Maybe you should ask for a new monitor too. What a nightmare for you.