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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Experiences with Zoe

154 replies

MrsLeBon2 · 02/09/2023 08:33

I’m thinking about signing up to the Zoe app. I’m a ‘normal’ weight though at the top end but with a lot of bloating/flab and I’d like to find out more about how I react to food to I can try and minimize the menopause weight gain. It’s pretty pricy but wondering if it’s worth it?

OP posts:
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Loopytiles · 03/09/2023 12:40

Think zoe will be debunked by scientists.

BicOrange · 03/09/2023 12:45

I also really recommend listening to the podcasts before you sign up.

LaurieFairyCake · 03/09/2023 12:47

I don't stick to the advice 100%

If I did I would never eat ice cream, fruit, chocolate, cakes - they are ALL Zero rated for me

What I DO because of it is eat the above with a large handful of nuts to slow the sugar absorption

So when I was on holiday there was no way I was going to go without ice cream every day - so that's what I did

Without Zoe I wouldn't know how I was still prediabetic even after losing 5 stone!

I wouldn't know how terrible my blood sugars were and I wouldn't know how much better I could feel if I just ate every type of nut every day

At night I eat a whole bag of chocolate nuts - been doing that for 6 weeks and haven't put on even an ounce!

I also eat a pot of guacamole and crisps every day for lunch - wouldn't have occurred to me it was good for me

Playfulpups · 03/09/2023 16:39

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Playfulpups · 03/09/2023 20:31

You didn’t like it when I asked you to explain yourself then Meadowdog?

Invisablewoman · 09/09/2023 10:02

I’m contemplating this. I’m not overweight but do have more visceral fat than I’d like, suffer from IBS and bloating and now I’m full peri menopause. I’m just wary of the cost and whether it’s a fad/gimmick. The presentation of it as a scientific study definitely makes it appealing. I’m already eating kaffir and loads of veg but have a weakness for wine, beer and sweets 🤦‍♀️

igivein · 09/09/2023 13:42

It’s working really well for me. I’m morbidly obese and post menopause. I actually ate a ‘healthy’ diet but also ate a load of crap on top, SERIOUS chocolate addiction and major emotional eating, hence the morbidly obese.

My weight has always been a rollercoaster, I’d cut the crap, lose 5 stones, fall off the wagon and put it all back plus more besides. But since menopause cutting out the crap didn’t seem to do it and I just couldn’t lose any weight.

I started Zoe at the beginning of August. The initial assessment agreed my diet was good (I didn’t mention the chocolate … just my normal meals 🫢)but the scores came as a bit of a surprise, things like brown rice (which I ate quite a lot of) scored very low for me, whereas avocados score high nineties.

I’ve lost almost two stones so far, and I still get to eat chocolate (I’ve gone ‘hardcore’ and I’m now on the M&S 100% cocoa dark chocolate - even I can’t eat more than a couple of squares of that!), but if I eat it with a meal rather than as a stand-alone it doesn’t spike my glucose.

Just in the short amount of time I’ve been doing it I feel so much better - fewer joint aches, more energy, clearer skin, better mood. There’s no other word for it - I feel perky 😁

Playfulpups · 10/09/2023 20:14

Im perimenopausal and went off piste for a few weeks and was back to waking every day at 4.30am. Since I’ve restarted Zoe more contentiously (not even hardcore Zoe) I’m back to a more reasonable 5.30/6.30am.

Fretfulagain · 16/09/2023 10:11

I'm chewing my way through the 'breakfast cookies' as I type. I don't like sweet for breakfast so I'm finding it hard going.

I'm not expecting my life to change with this and am uneasy about the cost, the ruthless advertising (it's everywhere!) and evangelical tone, not to mention the money they must be making. I recognise the whole thing is an expression of first world privilege and is certainly a fad (lot of upper arm monitors appearing on people in the gym) but I'm self-obsessed enough to have fallen for it. I'll hide behind the 'science' and 'healthy eating'. I say this in good humour. There are worse failings than being a member of the modern day army of 'worried well'. Smile and if anything can shift this post-meno belly I'm in! Smile

BeforetheFlood · 16/09/2023 10:39

I have the same mix of curiosity/reservations/scepticism as pps. I think it's useful to hear all perspectives and we shouldn't be 'ignoring' anyone's thoughts.

There's so much about it that is sensible and straightforward and I instinctively believe that personalised solutions and programmes are the future for health and well-being. But the price of this is a concern and I think people are perfectly reasonable to at least question whether this is well-marketed but potentially fairly basic. It's good to hear too from people who have found it positive. All voices welcome as far as I'm concerned.

pompomdaisy · 16/09/2023 10:51

Zoe sensor came off this morning and im eagerly awaiting the results. We can't tell you if the money is worth it. If you can't pay your rent then no it's not worth it but if you have spare cash and want to find out how your particular body responds to foods then yes it does that. I've found it really eye opening and I'm slowly losing weight.

BeforetheFlood · 16/09/2023 10:56

Fretfulagain · 16/09/2023 10:11

I'm chewing my way through the 'breakfast cookies' as I type. I don't like sweet for breakfast so I'm finding it hard going.

I'm not expecting my life to change with this and am uneasy about the cost, the ruthless advertising (it's everywhere!) and evangelical tone, not to mention the money they must be making. I recognise the whole thing is an expression of first world privilege and is certainly a fad (lot of upper arm monitors appearing on people in the gym) but I'm self-obsessed enough to have fallen for it. I'll hide behind the 'science' and 'healthy eating'. I say this in good humour. There are worse failings than being a member of the modern day army of 'worried well'. Smile and if anything can shift this post-meno belly I'm in! Smile

Interested to hear what think of it as the programme progresses. Keep us posted!

Inkpotlover · 16/09/2023 10:59

I have a friend who is losing weight healthily and steadily on the Zoe app and highly recommends it. Unfortunately you can't sign up if you don't eat gluten, as I can't, because of the muffin test.

Fretfulagain · 16/09/2023 11:02

Currently lolling (as in lazing not laughing out loud) on bed feeling slightly nauseous after cookies. Envy
Not looking forward to more cookies in four hours. Urgh.

You have to avoid strenuous exercise. I am interpreting this to mean 'remain prone'.

This could get very dull (for you I mean). I am going out tonight and fully intend to enjoy steak frites.

I am feeling a bit bored. I have the poo collection to look forward to. Who'd have thought that would be a highlight?!

Fretfulagain · 16/09/2023 16:47

Mucked up finger prick test. Bled much more and much faster than I anticipated and I got blood in the wrong window of the test strip. There are spares of everything except the strip so I've used the chat feature on app to flag. Nothing in leaflet about what to do if it goes wrong and no reply to chat message - sent it 20 mins ago.
Frustrating as these tests are time consuming and feel I've wasted hours. I know it's what I signed up for but lack of info irritating. No clue if I can redo blood test or if I have to redo the whole day. Sigh.

BasicDad · 16/09/2023 18:27

Fretfulagain · 16/09/2023 10:11

I'm chewing my way through the 'breakfast cookies' as I type. I don't like sweet for breakfast so I'm finding it hard going.

I'm not expecting my life to change with this and am uneasy about the cost, the ruthless advertising (it's everywhere!) and evangelical tone, not to mention the money they must be making. I recognise the whole thing is an expression of first world privilege and is certainly a fad (lot of upper arm monitors appearing on people in the gym) but I'm self-obsessed enough to have fallen for it. I'll hide behind the 'science' and 'healthy eating'. I say this in good humour. There are worse failings than being a member of the modern day army of 'worried well'. Smile and if anything can shift this post-meno belly I'm in! Smile

Instated today too. Mine were muffins though, very dry, falsely sweet and hard to eat.

My arm has been hurting a bit today. Didn't hurt on placement, just some movements really hit a nerve. The tests have gone well. The poop catcher being a bit ingenious but still disgusting.

Looking forward to the results.

Fretfulagain · 16/09/2023 18:59

You've done better than me! Grin

Hope your arm is ok.

I agree the rest meals are unpleasant but the poo hammock is smart!

EricInk · 16/09/2023 19:05

I've started it this week too. No results about food yet but interesting to find out how low my blood sugars are - lots of low glucose warnings and I think I need to change the way/foods I eat!

BasicDad · 16/09/2023 19:20

Quick question. I've done day 1, but it doesn't say anything about eating dinner. What are you supposed to do?

BicOrange · 16/09/2023 20:51

BasicDad · 16/09/2023 19:20

Quick question. I've done day 1, but it doesn't say anything about eating dinner. What are you supposed to do?

After all the tests you can eat as normal. Log in the app if you want, you get scored retrospectively when you get your results, which is useful. And making notes in the monitor app is useful for some people to help interpret their spikes etc.

InconvenientPeg · 16/09/2023 21:30

I've had my results about 3 weeks.

My blood sugar control is terrible, which I'd predicted because it's been that way since I was a kid. It means for me, it's actually better to eat plain chocolate than brown rice 😂 blood fat is good and microbiome ok.

I'm trying to slowly change my diet, switching to things that won't send me on a blood sugar spiral. Overall, I'm eating less (I used to snack and carry food because I would need to stave off hypos). I've lost about 4lb.

I'm struggling with missing the sugar rush I get from every standard carb, including things like potatoes and brown rice, but accepting it's an addiction I need to wean myself off and that it will take time. Today has been awful and I haven't stopped eating but have managed to stay away from anything with lots of processed carbs, so we're calling that a win.

It's helping me to think about how my body feels after certain foods.

The Facebook groups can be helpful, but can also be a bit toxic, with some people constantly trying to hack it, and others swearing that processed food never passes their lips anymore. I'm getting a lot of eye rolling exercise in!

I've had big events the last two weekends, with a lot of booze and food I didn't have a completely free choice in. It's helped to figure out what the best choices were, rather than normally I'd just give up and eat everything thing because I couldn't tell what was better or worse.

It is worth it to me, I paid for the app for 4 months. Atm I feel like might want it longer, but also worry that it might become a bit obsessive, so will deal with that when I get there. Other diets have worked for me, but my body never felt comfortable, or like people told me it should, like oats keeping you full, so for me, it's been about finding out about that and working on it.

lljkk · 16/09/2023 21:52

Do Zoe people publish population summaries about all their paid users?

I imagine that everyone who signs up to Zoe App is also a research subject, their data will be processed for further scientific articles. True?

LegendsBeyond · 16/09/2023 22:08

Why are people who haven’t got experience of the programme even commenting? The OP is asking for personal experiences, not the views of randoms. I’m signed up for November & looking forward to starting. My sister is already on the programme and has slowly lost 8lb. She also looks fantastic, much healthier.

lljkk · 16/09/2023 22:18

Why are people who haven’t got experience of the programme even commenting?

Ooh, me me! I can answer that one.

This is MN and people post all sorts of shite on here.
hth.

Does Zoe ever publish statistics about how much weight loss its users have had, as in ... I dunno. "People who follow the programme for 6 months and started out wanting to lose at least 6k usually have lost at least 3kg" that kind of factual statement about their own users. You would think they must collect the weight loss data & would use it in their marketing.

lljkk · 16/09/2023 22:28

I found below statement repeated a lot online. Said by journalists. It's supposed to be results in a Brit Med Journal article, but i can't find the original article. I wondered if the participants who lost the average 4 kg were signed up to the ZoedietApp or ... something else. I'm wondering about the devil in that detail.

"Study results show that people following the Zoe programme for 12 weeks experienced an average weight loss of 9lbs (4kgs)."