What is Isagenix and is it the Magic Diet or a Big Scam?

A friend of mine recently informed me that she had been doing Isagenix and wondered if I wanted to potentially pitch it to my clients.  So, like any well-informed person would (and should) do, I looked into the details.  The first thing that pops up on my search, is the ABC television's review of the product.  Even though the headline calls it a big scam, they didn't prove anything to me  either way.  Can you lose 15 pounds in 9 days?  Can you reduce cravings?  Thus, I continued my own research.

The Claims

Direct from the Isagenix website, with their products:

• Accelerate healthy weight loss
• Optimize health
• Feel younger
• Have more energy

The Success Stories

• One woman, who participated in the IsaBody Challenge, lost 32 pounds and 13% body fat.  Of course she did!  She also participated in 1,000 calorie burning workouts a day!
• One woman lost 131 pounds.  Oh yeah, she's also running marathons.
• Another woman lost 10 pant sizes.  Oh yeah, she hit the gym.
• Another woman - is now a fitness professional.
• A man, noticed significant improvement.  You would too after "non-stop workouts and clean eating".
• Another man, a former athlete, is now competing consistently.

What do all these success stories have in common besides the fact that they used Isagenix products?  They all worked out; some of them incessantly, like 1,000 calorie burning workouts, running marathons, and "non-stop" workouts.

The Product and Program

• Free product upon enrollment
• Auto-ship (a nice word for a subscription based product, which means you keep paying monthly)
• A plethora of products ranging from jumpstart programs (9 day and 30 day) with fat burning and cleansing (remove those icky toxins from your fat cells and digestive tracks) to maintenance programs for sustained energy and youth for life.  They come in shakes, meal replacements, bars, chocolates, soups, and teas to name a few.  There's also lines of vitamins, skin care and beauty care products - too numerous to mention.
• The weight loss and cleanse programs retail for anywhere from $150-$700 just to get you started.
• Some shakes sell for $54 for 14 packets.
• The IsaLean Shakes (meal replacement) products are all natural, full of herbs, vegetable powders and root extracts to name a few.  You'll find everything from broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, pumpkin, seeds, quinoa, and millet in the shakes.
• The IsaLean Soups (squash) for instance has so many ingredients, my eyes went a little buggy looking at them (see the list at left), but at least they are natural.  In comparison, my squash soup recipe has 4-5 ingredients:  squash, chicken or vegetable stock, salt, pepper and maybe some red pepper or other spice.
• The Cleanse product and Fat Burning System claims to help moderate calorie control on Shake Days.  (Oh yeah - you'll also abstain from food on Cleanse Days.)
• Cleanse products support the body's natural ability to remove toxins and impurities. 
• The Cleanse product contains a powerful natural laxative in aloe vera leaf gel.

The Conclusion

The Pros

• It's natural.
• It may jump start a weight loss program.
• It may cleanse your colon.
• It may give you more energy.

The Cons

• It's a "diet" with supplements.
• Supplements include cleanse, shakes, bars, soups, snacks - that you pay for.
• A diet is calorie restrictive - and anyone can lose weight on a calorie restrictive diet if they follow the plan.  The problem occurs when you get off the plan and start eating "normal".
• Isagenix keeps you in their program, by convincing you that you need their shakes (at least once a day) as a meal replacement for maintaining your weight and energy.  This makes it just like Slimfast or Shakeology or other "one a day shake" plans.  No different.
• Read the Shake Day Guidelines at right.  See the fourth bullet?  It says:  Engage is an exercise program with both aerobic and resistance training.  That's right.  Exercise alone, without any additional supplements will help facilitate weight loss, optimize health, feel younger, and have more energy.
• Read the fifth bullet.  It says:  Drink plenty of water.  Water is a natural diuretic and will help you lose weight, feel less bloated, and will help remove toxins naturally from your body, without the use of supplemental products.
• Looking at the "Your Path to Success" note to the side:

• Bullet point #3:  they give you a tape measure to measure results.  Remember, if you're drinking a lot of water (natural and free detox/cleanser) and you're exercising, you'll see results without supplemental products.
• Bullet point #4:  Buy healthy foods and remove unhealthy foods and snacks (including sodas and foods with artificial sweeteners and other junk foods) from your home.  If you do this alone, you'll see results, without supplemental products.

So, what's the conclusion?  You don't need this product to lose weight, have more energy, be healthier, and/or feel younger.  Save your money.  You simply need to stick to a plan that includes the following natural and free things:

1. Eat healthy foods.
2. Avoid unhealthy foods.
3. Drink plenty of water.
4. Exercise regularly.

Kathy is an accomplished Ironman triathlete, marathoner and age group champion in cycling road race, and is available for coaching you for your goal or next event.  Check out Kathy's Healthy Active Living Coaching options for health, fitness and sports performance at 365fitt.com.  

365fitt is about training for the event called LIFE, focusing on physical, nutritional and emotional wellness through lifestyle adaptations.  Kathy is also available for personal training and wellness consultations and corporate wellness.  365fitt invites you to participate in a Healthy Active Living trip to incredible destinations.  

Please visit 365fitt for more information.  Live 365fitt!