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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.

Lumen - Is it really the future?

15 replies

TheWeightJustKeepsComingBack · 22/01/2024 07:32

Morning - new user name, not posted previously in Weight Loss….but I can’t keep on shying away from the fact that I’ve put a bloody stone on over Christmas. A stone I certainly don’t need. My BMI is now 33 and I’m 48. I can’t carry on like this and need to get back in control. I love a gadget and am someone who starts of with good intentions and then easily falls off the wagon. Last good attempt was 4 years ago and I lost 4 stone. But as always it went back in and then some. Now perimenopausal and feeling ridiculous that I’ve reached this age and still not got my weight under control. I’ve contemplated wegovy (but thyroid problems in the family, don’t want to risk it) and blood sugar monitors (but they as well as wegovy take away from those in medical need) so I’ve decided to spend my Christmas money on one of these. Haven’t seen many threads about them, so thought I’d start one of my own! Hopefully the gadgetry and science will keep me on track and I’ll learn a bit more about my body along the way.

OP posts:
Unabletomitigate · 22/01/2024 07:51

I could never afford a lumen, so never got one, but going low carb is an interesting journey.

If you want to learn more, try the following podcasts, there are loads on the science behind ketogenic diets. I would recommend starting with those by Gary Taubes, and Jason Fung.

https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalks/

STEM-Talk

Bi-weekly conversations with some of the most interesting people in the world of science and technology. Subscribe to the podcast.

https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalks

Twizzletoe · 22/01/2024 08:15

Seems rather expensive to me and somewhat gimmicky. Surely you will know if you are in ketosis (if that is what you are going for) by using some very cheap urine ketostix. Do you really think this would stop you snacking or eating unsuitable amounts of carbs? I have had great success with a nutrition tracking app called nutracheck. Recording your intake has been shown to improve weight loss.
Honestly I would spend the money on nutracheck, some personal training and/or psychologist sessions.

Twizzletoe · 22/01/2024 08:20

The website says that it determines your needs from the morning measurement so suggests macros each day. But I meal plan a week ahead I work long days, kids to get to school and need to take in lunches etc. So having to vary things day by day would be difficult. It also mentions peer reviewed articles but I couldn’t find them linked via the site.

LovelaceBiggWither · 22/01/2024 08:26

Wegovy and ozempic are in short supply but blood glucose monitors aren't. You would not be taking anything away from diabetics. That said, I'm not sure they are any use at all for supporting weightloss.

TheWeightJustKeepsComingBack · 23/01/2024 13:57

Well…….I’ve taken on board all you have said, and I’m going return it when it arrives. I’m going to try and focus on regaining the momentum I had when I lost all the weight last time and reassess at the end of February. I know there is no quick fix, I’m really just looking for a way of maintaining motivation I guess. Intermittent fasting and low carb works for me, I feel less hungry that way. And now that the days are getting longer and we’re past Christmas then hopefully it will be easier.
Might try some of the weightloss hypnosis on Spotify and see if that works.
If I can get my brain on board with a no spend weightloss……then maybe I can do this.

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StephanieSuperpowers · 23/01/2024 14:00

I have one, bought with great hope and enthusiasm. I can't honestly say that it has helped me very much. It's interesting for a while, but when the weight doesn't start to shift, well, you do lose interest.

TheWeightJustKeepsComingBack · 23/01/2024 14:07

It’s just bloody hard @StephanieSuperpowers isn’t it. Some days I just have an insatiable need to eat and my brain is never satisfied whilst my body complains when I’ve had too much.

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StephanieSuperpowers · 23/01/2024 14:12

I hear you. I had exam results coming today, preceded by a terrible binge (they were fine in the end, not at all worthy of all I ate!). Generally though, a lower cost solution that's helping in the wider scheme of things is berberine, in case that's any help.

Grumpystripes · 23/01/2024 14:22

I got one on a trial, used it for about a month and then ignored it. The app it comes with wants you to track food but doesn't work and is incredibly clunky. It also went wrong with me in that days where I'd almost overdosed on carbs and done no exercise seemed to be much better according to the machine than when I'd not eaten many at all.

Another vote for nutracheck here!

TheWeightJustKeepsComingBack · 23/01/2024 15:02

Is Nutracheck similar to MyFitnessPal? I used that (the time before last) and it worked to an extent, but the logging bored me in the end - I’d stick to what I’d previously logged to keep it simple - which did work I suppose!

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TheWeightJustKeepsComingBack · 23/01/2024 15:03

Well done on the exam results @StephanieSuperpowers - I agree, stress really messes with the food brain!

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Twizzletoe · 23/01/2024 19:40

Nutracheck has a really good uk food database I did a free trial of MFP and just found nutracheck much simpler

TheWeightJustKeepsComingBack · 23/01/2024 20:33

Do they charge for MFP now? It was free when I used it previously.

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TheWeightJustKeepsComingBack · 24/01/2024 07:17

Well, I want the cancellation request 2 days ago now and still not had a response. There is nothing worse than poor customer service and a poor response time to queries.

OP posts:
cremebrulait · 05/02/2024 09:20

I turned 49 this weekend. I want to use 3.5 stone. I've been using Lumen since August - I've lost about 7lbs. I'm not suffering major perimenopause but likely somewhat impacted.

I'm going to give you some background. The last few years have been insanely stressful. Recovering from DV and coercive control, diagnosed with PTSD 5 years ago, my child had a diagnosis and needed years of therapy, I was diagnosed with a rare disorder which means I will always be prone to depression, I was very isolated while working in the USA during the pandemic with pretty much nobody around me except my child who is now 7.5yrs. (I'm Canadian and a long time UK resident), I had employer issues, etc. I had unimaginable PMDD which I couldn't take medicine for because I can't take SRIs. And to no surprise I was barely getting 4 to 5 hours sleep for 5 years and no holiday.

First of all it is not marketed as a weight loss device - it helps you improve your metabolism which in turn can help you lose weight. I Lost 35 pounds doing the BetrHealth plan and then another 15lbs but I couldn't keep it off and I was frustrated of course. But that first 35 lbs was lost by focusing on the gut biome. There were no restrictions to volume of food just eliminating things that are bad for the gut. After that you add back things to see how they effect you but its not a matter of one thing at a time to see how you respond. So this is why I got Lumen to understand better how things actually impacted my metabolism and to stop guessing because trying to stay on that gut-biome list of food was limiting.

So in August I got the Lumen after just finally returning to the UK (which was a complete upheavel of events to move when we did and get accommodation in this market. I started to see results fairly quickly in terms of my metabolism improving. A few weeks after I got made redundant! Then I got covid for the first time. Then we had to move again my little Lumen device made it clear that STRESS is my enemy much more than food itself.

That said, using the Lumen and for the period of time I am really focused on hitting the macros and getting exercise (my goal is 12,000 steps/day) I was losing weight. But I've been struggling with the exercise. However, I'm sleeping better than I have in forever. PMDD is minimal. Everyone has been saying I'm glowing and look like I've anti-aged. lol.

So my point is, Lumen does exactly what it proclaims it will do. It is not a weight loss program. It is a tool that can help you lose weight. But it's not a holistic program in the sense it is going to hold your hand like a personal coach. I love it because it is a tool that helps you connect the dots. Like most women if I do not get sufficient sleep I cannot lose weight. And that makes sense because it's during sleep when your body most efficiently burns the fat. It helps you understand how long between when you eat last in the evening and when you eat the next morning. It helps you understand how much carbs you can eat and how to cycle carbs and what combination of macros to eat. There's so much more.

If you want to really learn more about Lumen search for "Maria Fox Lumen". She's a British police officer who was on the brink of health disaster and is now somewhat of an athlete. She has a book on amazon.

And finally as far as Lumen customer service. When I send messages in the app I get very fast results. I've not had any bad experiences, quite the opposite.

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