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Original poster

Anyone just started the ZOE nutrition testing?

198 replies

SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 05/02/2023 09:39

I’ve started today — and only managed one out of the three breakfast muffins (ate two but one came straight back up!) Anyone else fallen at the first hurdle??

OP posts:
LulooLemon · 23/03/2023 11:59

@BeforetheFlood Porridge gives a low-ish score for me, so not a great breakfast by itself.

But... if I add a decent handful of berries, the score improves, and if I also add a couple of teaspoonfuls of almond butter (protein and fat) it becomes a good breakfast choice that Zoe says I can enjoy regularly.

MaverickSnoopy · 25/03/2023 14:43

I got my results a week ago and have lost 4lbs so far and I've only had 1 day of scoring 75 so far. I have good blood sugar, poor blood fat and good gut health. I've unpicked the report and identified ways to help myself. I've struggled with eating fats for quite a while and have had so many regular gp tests to no avail. Using the app I've been able to regulate what I'm having and have also got myself a good digestive enzyme and probiotic. I actually feel like I know how to help myself now.

NeverApologiseNeverExplain · 25/03/2023 17:49

My kit arrived today. Very exciting! I’ll be starting on Monday. Does anyone know if the muffins will be alright not to freeze, given that I’ll be eating them about 48 hours after receipt and I’d need to take them out to defrost tomorrow evening anyway?

redrobin75 · 25/03/2023 18:00

They defrost quickly but I'm sure they would be ok to leave in a cupboard. Make sure your hand is really warm for the blood test, for me it was much worse than eating the muffins and because i messed the blood test up I had to redo the muffin / blood test day 4 days later! Also if you don't already follow the Zoe unofficial FB page, it's really good and very active, I found it via MN.

LulooLemon · 25/03/2023 19:07

@NeverApologiseNeverExplain I did my muffins five days after receiving them. Zoe said that was fine. They had a really long use-by date anyway. Good luck with them!

@redrobin75 Did they taste just as good the second time round? 🤣

@MaverickSnoopy Sounds like you're doing brilliantly.

NeverApologiseNeverExplain · 25/03/2023 19:12

Thanks both. So you mean you kept them out 5 days without freezing and still edible? (I mean vaguely palatable, I know that they would not go off).

Thanks for the tip about the FB group. Do they send you more muffins if you mess up then?

redrobin75 · 25/03/2023 19:31

@NeverApologiseNeverExplain , I was so traumatised by the blood thing that the taste of the muffins was forgotten. Yes I sent a photo of my pathetic blood attempt and they immediately said it was no good and resent the muffin kit and blood kit for free, luckily I had a free day when it arrived. I'm waiting for my results now, 4 weeks since I started the whole thing and 1 more week to wait.

Wiltsguy · 17/04/2023 10:33

Doesn’t drinking diet code invalidate the test. You’re only supposed to drink water black coffee or black tea. No milk. No sugar.

MrsKHEG · 21/04/2023 11:02

Well this is interesting! I've just started on this, joined up in Jan and the stuff arrived this week. Testing day yesterday was horrendous, I managed to get the muffins down and found drinking water at the same time seemed to "dissolve" them a bit, but the quantity in the time was difficult. I had dreadful indigestion all day and felt really awful, then threw up at 5 after eating them at 9 and 1. I've just contacted Zoe and they said the muffins are designed to challenge your body... I would love to know why it happened but they weren't able to tell me. Hope this doesn't put off anyone who's yet to eat them. I know 4 people who have eaten them without this effect !😀

MrsKHEG · 21/04/2023 11:12

Oh no! this is bad news as my blood sample didn't reach the line - like you I thought I was clear on what to do and didn't notice till too late. I may be dull but couldn't work out where the pricker thing was either so I'd used them all and couln't reuse it. I don't think I could get through the muffin day again. I was so sick in the evening and felt dreadful 🙄

LulooLemon · 21/04/2023 12:29

@MrsKHEG Sounds horrendous. I agree, the sheer quantity of those muffins is daunting.

People accustomed to eating small portions at mealtimes may struggle. I remember getting through the first of three and looking in disbelief at the remaining ones.

redrobin75 · 21/04/2023 13:35

@MrsKHEG , I did the muffin day yesterday for the THIRD time so they don't really effect me too much and it turned out I had good blood sugar levels.
The first time I couldn't get any blood and I hadn't read the instructions properly and Zoe told me to not post the sample.
The second time was in the same week and I thought was ok but when my results arrived my blood fat was estimated. It took a while to get the chat function to work and get them to send me a new set and I'm not doing it again if the sample I posted yesterday doesn't work. Interestingly I have been on the Zoe diet for 2 months now and my stomach wasn't as keen on the muffins this time round.
Best of luck with it all!

Steakandquinoa · 21/04/2023 13:45

Ugh, SO glad I’ve eaten all my ‘muffins’ , just hoping I don’t mess up the blood test now. The morning ones were so hard to swallow, I not fussy about food at all but they almost defeated me, like eating bath sponges. Took me nearly an hour and two hot, black mugs of tea.
Lunch ones we’re slightly better somehow.
Still glad I signed up, but feel a bit guilty about spending so much money.

MrsKHEG · 21/04/2023 15:08

I can not believe you've done the 'muffins' three times 🙄heroic! Even if my blood test was no good there's no way I can face them again... Whatever the challenges your body is being put through by the so called muffins is not worth it for me... I'll just have to go without that bit of info. Shame but there we are. Hope your latest offering is acceptable! Thanks to whoever pointed to the facebook group, it's really interesting.

InconvenientPeg · 22/04/2023 21:47

Am considering this. Slightly scared by some of the bad reviews, although there seem to be lots of great ones.

The pricing explanation is awful, I think it's £299 for the tests which I need to pay now, and £299 for a year's sub to the app, which I pay when I get the tests. Is that right? I've read it over a few times and it's really not very clear.

I've had a tough few years health-wise and really need a bit of knowledge on howy body has changed and how to eat best for it now, and it seems like this might work for that.

redrobin75 · 23/04/2023 07:51

@InconvenientPeg , I've paid for 4 months only and will probably stop then. You pay the second instalment when you get your results and then apparently the app will stop for me after 4 months. I think I will have learnt enough by then. If you choose to restart at a later date you get your app data back,

InconvenientPeg · 23/04/2023 10:20

Thanks @redrobin75 that's helpful. I hadn't even thought that I wouldn't necessarily need it after a while.

redrobin75 · 23/04/2023 11:07

@InconvenientPeg , I'm 2 months in and I kind of know what will score well and what will score badly, the temptation is to not bother scoring low score foods. I also have days off. As you can see from my other posts I'm now waiting for my third attempt at the blood fat test so will be interested if they are able to give me a score and how that influences my food choices.
I would add making the initial decision is just the start of a very long journey with endless choices but it's really working for me and I've lost weight.

zobalina77 · 23/04/2023 11:23

I signed up on the 11th so just waiting for my kit. I was hoping I'd get it by Wednesday as have a day free on Thursday to do the tests but haven't had an email to say it's been dispatched yet so not hopeful. I've signed up for 4 months as I'm hoping that's long enough to figure out what's best for me to eat. Am thoroughly expecting all my results to be bad and am looking forward to making changes.

Flibb · 23/04/2023 17:01

I'm hoping to start tomorrow, but now nervous about the muffins and blood test. I'm working from home tomorrow but maybe I should book a day off.
Don't suppose anyone knows how late I can leave it to put the blood sensor on? I can't put it on until this evening, thought it just had to be on overnight before starting but the app is pestering me!

LulooLemon · 23/04/2023 17:45

I think any time in the evening is fine

redrobin75 · 23/04/2023 18:28

@Flibb , this evening is fine and you can easily fit in a days work tomorrow but make sure you warm up your hand well before the blood test. If you go on the Facebook page (Zoe nutrition unofficial chat) there will be other people starting and some people post asking for help every few hours!

Flibb · 23/04/2023 20:30

redrobin75 · 23/04/2023 18:28

@Flibb , this evening is fine and you can easily fit in a days work tomorrow but make sure you warm up your hand well before the blood test. If you go on the Facebook page (Zoe nutrition unofficial chat) there will be other people starting and some people post asking for help every few hours!

Thankyou! I think im ready to go and I'm in the group now 😁

Flibb · 24/04/2023 08:37

I'm almost through the muffins. I don't think they taste too bad, 2 would have been a doddle, but this third one is very hard going!

MaverickSnoopy · 24/04/2023 11:17

I'm curious to know what everyone is eating and what people's gut busters are. I get a really high score for avocados and nuts.