FAQS:

The following are some frequently asked questions about the Success Meals program and how to most easily and successfully embark upon your journey. Please remember, if you have a question that is not covered here, no question is a dumb one. If that happens, or if there is some part of the program you would like more information about, do not hesitate to give me a call - 816.561.6678 - or drop me an email: info@successmeals.com and I'll do everything I can to help you out.

How do you customize the meals?

Success Meals starts your customized meal plan with a complete evaluation of individual fitness goals. Then we determine the client's basal metabolism rate (the calories he or she expends throughout the day). This is done with a formula using factors such as gender, age, height, and bodyweight. From this figure, coupled with the client's profile, the ratio of macronutrients that are used in the meals is determined. As an example of macronutrient ratios, a client with a goal of body fat loss might start off with 45% of the calories coming from carbohydrates, 35% from protein and 25% from fat. Then, as with all our meal plan programs, the necessary caloric intake is converted to grams and then divided by five (the number of meals per day) yielding five "ideal" meals. Each meal contains an individualized nutritional profile, keeping track of your daily caloric, carbohydrate, protein and fat consumption. And, with Success Meals' great taste you won't feel as if you're missing out on anything.

I normally don't eat breakfast. I just can't stand food that early in the morning. Do I have to eat breakfast?

Yes, you do. Let me ask you this - what have all those years of not eating breakfast gotten you? Probably nowhere in the fitness scheme of things - right? Breakfast is critical - and it's easy to understand why. During the nighttime, the body actually goes into a phase that slows your metabolic rate down. In essence, the body is in "fast" mode, and is functioning at a very slow metabolic rate. And that mode doesn't burn a lot of calories, which is what we really want. By eating breakfast - every day - you actually break that fast - hmmm, wonder why they call it "breakfast" - and jump start your metabolism. This gets your body humming and gets the calories burning. The first week may be tough - especially if you've developed a long-time habit of not eating anything in the morning. But, if you can start a new habit - and stick with it - you'll be amazed at the difference you'll see.

I'm busy. All the time. Sometimes, I'm so busy I forget to eat. If that happens, is it okay for me to double up on some meals?

No way, Jose! This will actually do more damage than you think. These meals are specifically designed to give your body the exact amount of calories that it needs at each meal. By skipping a meal, then doubling up, it actually causes a spill-over effect, and will drive the excess calories into fat storage. Its kind of like filling your gas tank. You don't let the gas tank run dry, then fill it up extra full, in order to compensate. If you do, the excess gas runs onto the ground. With your body, that excess fuel runs into your hips, your thighs, or your tummy - all the places you don't want it to be. So, don't double up. Try and eat all your meals on time, every day. It really works.

Can I skip a meal? I have lost weight in the past by "starving" myself. Won't this speed up the process, since, in essence, I will be eating fewer calories each day?

Again, absolutely not. Let's go back to the gasoline example. Would you attempt to drive from Kansas City to Denver without ever stopping for fuel? No way - that would be silly. Well, if you skip a meal, that's what you are expecting your body to do. The body is a machine - just like a car. It will not accept deprivation and will signal you very clearly if you try to do that. The body's signals are easy to recognize - they are fatigue and low blood sugar, and an overall feeling of laissez-faire. The thing to remember is this. The people who diet in the "starvation" mode, are generally the ones who end up at McDonald's saying "Yes, Supersize everything" and have to be dragged out by Ronald himself. The body literally has a "mind" of its own. It won't accept - for long - our stupid tricks like starvation diets. It needs fuel. Fuel with specific ingredients. At specific times. When you treat your body in this fashion, you can count on losing fat, gaining muscle - which burns way more calories than fat - and gain a tremendous amount of energy.

Can I add condiments to my Success Meals™?

That's like holding a loaded gun. Stop and think about all the different things that people could loosely define as condiments. I'll bet there even a few who would define some Lay's potato chips as a condiment. After all, doesn't everything taste better with chips? Seriously, any condiments that you are supposed to have will be included with your daily delivery of Success Meals™. If your meal comes without condiments, that means they aren't supposed to be there. It's hard to remember - but its very true - that things like ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressing and my personal favorite - barbeque sauce, are yummy for a reason. They all contain calories - calories that you don't need. Sorry.

What beverages can I have with my Success Meals™?

Just like condiments, some of our favorite beverages contain lots and lots of calories. In fact, even the caffeine in drinks like diet sodas can be detrimental to people trying to maintain a fitness and nutrition regime. However, we'll let you have caffeine if you need it. The things to stay away from are things like regular soda, juice or even milk. You've heard it a million times, but I'll tell you again - one of the most critical elements of any nutritional program is plain, old, good and good for you water. The body desperately needs hydration and the more water you drink, the healthier you'll be - and the quicker you'll see results. We recommend you drink two 8 oz. Glasses of water with each Success Meal™. If you need to "doctor it up", add a little Crystal Light. It will add some zest and cost you zero calories.

What if I have a moment of weakness and fall off the Success Meals™ wagon?

One thing we pride ourselves on is the fact that we have very close relationships with all of our clients. We don't believe in preaching and don't expect each and every person working with the Success Meals™ program to be perfect. That's just plain unrealistic. Of course you will be tempted. Of course you will from time to time stray from the program. Hopefully, those times will be few and far between, especially as you get into the rhythm of the program and get your stride. However, if you do succumb to temptation - if you reach for that cheeseburger or the French fries, don't panic. Just count that day as your "free day" and move on down the road. Remember, in order to succeed on the program, you only get one "free day" a week, so you have to remember to choose your "cheats" carefully!

What happens when I'm done with the program? Will the weight come back on as soon as I quit the Success Meals™ program? Do I have to sign on for life?

This is a loaded question. People are people are people. Human, fallible, tempt-able, strengths, weakness - and all the things in between. All those things factor in to your individual level of fitness and nutrition. I have some clients who enjoy the convenience of Success Meals™ so much that they have participated in the program almost since its inception. For them, Success Meals™takes away so much of the day-to-day hassle of eating and all the things involved in "fueling" the body, that they love the fact that somebody else does all the work for them. Other clients work through the program, learn to adjust to good, healthy eating habits and finish up a 6 or a 12 or a 24-week stint of Success Meals™ committed to continuing those good habits on their own. And they generally have pretty good luck. And, they have the safety net of knowing that they can go right back to the program any time they feel they need some extra help. In a nutshell, the key to staying lean for most of us it simply pay attention to what we're eating. The Success Meals™ program is effective - both during the regime and after you've completed the program, because it forces you to be aware of what you're putting in your mouth - all day, every day. Once you can get to that point on your own, you are home free.

My business requires me to travel. How in the world can I stay on the Success Meals™ program when I need to be on the road from time to time?

No problem. As a matter of fact, a great majority of our client base is comprised of busy professionals who regularly travel. As such, this is one of our most frequently asked questions. Here's the answer - we've built into the program the option to "suspend" your Success Meals™ deliveries to accommodate your busy schedule. The "suspend" meal days will be added to the end of your Success Meals™ program, so you won't miss out on a thing! The tricky part will be to try to adhere to a healthy eating program during the time that you travel. All too often, when we're on the road we zip into Burger King or McDonald's and grab something to eat there, because it's the road of least resistance. If you're going to be traveling, we are happy to provide you with some advance suggestions on the kinds of meals you can get on the go that will be as closely tailored to the specific Success Meals™ program that you're on as possible. You just need to give us as close to 48-hours notice as possible and we'll get your meals suspended until such time as you return and are ready to resume.