Frequently Asked Questions

How much weight will a person lose on the Be Good To Yourself program?

Research shows that weight loss occurs at different rates for every individual. In general, people can expect to lose between 0.5 – 1kg of body fat per week on the program, however they may find that they lose more weight in the first couple of weeks as their body adjusts to the new eating plan.

What is the problem with losing weight too quickly?

Many rapid weight reduction products and programs only encourage loss of body fluid or muscle tissue (not actual body fat). This can set up the “yo-yo effect” where rebound weight gain occurs once the products or programs are ceased. Often people can gain more weight than they lost in the first place, which is not only disappointing – but can have negative consequences for their health. Rapid weight loss can also place a dangerous strain on the body’s vital organs, such as the liver and kidneys. For this reason safe and healthy weight loss is generally considered to be between half and one kilogram of body fat per week.

Who should seek medical clearance before commencing the Be Good To Yourself weight management program?

Generally, if a person is taking medications or if they have any serious health conditions they are advised to seek medical clearance prior to making any changes to their diet and exercise regime.

Why does the Be Good To Yourself program include Formulated Supplementary Foods – the Shakes and Lunch Bars?

Changing the entire way a person eats to get them started losing weight can be very difficult. Having access to fresh low-calorie, nutritious meals can be hard for them to achieve when they have busy lifestyles. Often people will start a “diet” to lose weight with the best intentions – but can lose momentum when it feels like meal planning is too time consuming. Be Good To Yourself Shakes and Bars offer a variety of easy, nutritious, delicious and cost-effective options so that people can lose weight and begin their journey towards a leaner, healthier body – without dramatically changing their lifestyle!

Do people need to count calories on the Be Good To Yourself program?

No! They can choose a Be Good To Yourself meal plan where all the hard work is done. Your qualified Be Good To Yourself Wellness Coach can advise which plan would best suit a your needs, based upon your TDEE and lifestyle. In the long term however, it will be important for a person to have an understanding of how many calories some foods contain and what are acceptable meal portion sizes, so that they can lose weight and keep it off for life.

I have heard that protein-dominant diets are unhealthy?

There is a difference between a protein-dominant diet and a protein-rich diet. Protein-rich diets encourage eating protein almost as a sole source of food; up to 95% of what is eaten is protein. This type of eating is not only difficult to maintain, it is lacking in other essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fibre. Protein-rich eating also encourages very rapid weight loss and a condition called ketosis, which can be dangerous for a person’s health.

A protein-dominant diet such as the Be Good To Yourself meal plan, encourages eating approximately 50 – 60% protein, 20 – 30% carbohydrate and 10% essential healthy fat with each main meal. This type of eating is not revolutionary; it has been embraced by many leading researchers in nutrition and health.

What is 'Healthy Fat' and 'Unhealthy Fat'?

Healthy fat refers to essential fatty acids e.g. omega 3 from fish or omega 6 and 9 found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. Obviously there is a bit of saturated fat when people eat meat, but lean cuts as recommended keeps this to a minimum.

Unhealthy fat refers to fats from processed oils and saturated fats from animal fats such as meat, butter etc.

Do people need to keep taking Be Good To Yourself products forever?

No. Once they have achieved their ideal weight, they can start to taper off the Shakes and Bars and begin to eat balanced, nutritious protein dominant meals in their place.

When people stop using the Be Good To Yourself Shakes and Bars would they put the weight back on?

No! If they follow the protein-dominant eating principles that they have learned on your weight loss journey, they will not regain any weight. Be Good To Yourself Wellness Coaches are trained to create a specific maintenance plan, based around the person’s new Total Daily Enegy Expenditure (TDEE), and assist with lifestyle tips and follow-up consultations when necessary, to ensure that they remain their healthy weight for life.

What foods can people eat on the Be Good To Yourself program?

Be Good To Yourself focuses on what people can eat rather than what they can’t! We firmly believe that a balanced, nutritious meal plan never has to be bland or boring! People can choose from a broad range of proteins (meats, seafood, eggs and vegetarian); carbohydrates (e.g. breads, pastas, whole grains and rice), vegetables, salads, fruits, nuts, dairy products and desserts. People are only limited by their imagination when it comes to preparing meals and snacks from these ingredients on the Be Good To Yourself meal plans.

Do people feel hungry on the Be Good To Yourself program?

The Be Good To Yourself program has been designed to ensure that people are eating regular nutrient-rich meals without an overload of calories. People may be surprised by just how much and how often they can eat and still lose weight on the program! The Be Good To Yourself Shakes and Bars are protein-dominant and the Bars are an excellent source of dietary fibre. Scientific research shows that eating protein and fibre within a meal helps us to feel fuller for longer afterwards and also helps to balance our blood sugar levels, so that we tend to not crave sugar in between meals.

Further to this, the Be Good To Yourself Shakes contain a unique ingredient collectively called Medium Chain Triglycerides which are healthy fats that help the body to feel full and satisfied after they are consumed.

Can a person drink alcohol on the Be Good To Yourself program?

All alcohol contains calories and excessive consumption is not good for a person. Alcohol should be avoided however if a person chooses to have an alcoholic drink remember that it is adding to their daily calorie intake and will slow them down from achieving their weight management goals. Consider this, a standard glass of red wine contains around 90 calories and it takes most people an average of half an hour of exercise to burn this amount of calories off! A standard can of premixed spirit and cola, this has around 250 calories – this is the same amount of calories a person would eat in a medium calorie meal. One standard glass of wine has been incorporated in to the BGTY 1800 meal plan and can be consumed if desired.

Can pregnant / breastfeeding ladies go on the Be Good To Yourself weight management program?

Weight loss programs are generally not advisable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, unless specifically directed by a person’s doctor or health care practitioner. This is because there are very specific nutritional requirements for mother and baby at this time.

Is the Be Good To Yourself weight management program recommended for children under the age of 18?

Weight loss programs are generally not advisable for children unless specifically directed by their doctor or health care practitioner. This is because children have very specific nutritional needs during their time of growth and development. 

Can a person within the normal BMI range commence the Be Good To Yourself program?

A person with a BMI of less than 18.5 is considered underweight and we cannot advise such a person to join the BGTY program. This contraindication is also printed on the product packaging to assist staff and consumers to make informed choices. A person with a BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered within the normal body weight range and we would recommend also utilising the Waist to Hip ratio and body fat calculations to determine whether or not this person is suitable to join the program. It is possible that a person within the “normal” BMI range simply wants to lose 1 or 2 kilos on the program, and this would be acceptable provided they do not move into the underweight range at any stage.

Is the Be Good To Yourself weight management program suitable for vegetarians?

Yes! There are a variety of options when creating healthy protein-dominant meals from vegetarian sources. The Be Good To Yourself meals can easily be tailored to suit vegetarian preferences. The Be Good To Yourself Shakes and Bars do contain milk ingredients and are therefore not suitable for ovo-vegetarians or vegans.

Do people need to take a multivitamin or mineral supplement during the Be Good To Yourself program?

Yes. The Be Good To Yourself products do contain vitamins and minerals, and the meal plan contains fresh and healthy foods, however we recommend “topping up” with a multivitamin and mineral supplement to ensure that people are getting all of the micronutrients that their body needs every day.

Can people with food allergies join the Be Good To Yourself program?

All potential allergens are listed on the packaging of the Be Good To Yourself products. Fortunately there is a huge choice of foods to make up meals and snacks and the Be Good To Yourself Wellness Coach can assist in designing a meal plan that would suit individual needs. Ask your pharmaciest to recomend the appropriate product.

Do the Be Good To Yourself Shakes and Bars contain gluten?

No. All Shakes and Bars are gluten free.  

Will people have any adverse effects from the Be Good To Yourself Program?

Some people may experience bad breath due to the change in their metabolism and food they are eating - using sugar-free gum can reduce this.

Changes in bowel movements and frequency can occur - depending on the individual they may move their bowels more or less often and this relates to both the changes in their diet and the increased fibre in each meal. Of course, if they have any concerns or if symptoms persist, they need to seek the advice of the pharmacist or healthcare professional.

What if a person’s weight is not changing on the scales?

It is important that a person is aware of their weight on the scales – but it can be counter-productive for them to weigh themselves every single day. As people start to lose weight their body shifts and changes and the most important element is that their body is losing actual fat. If people weigh themself at a different time of day, or they are wearing different clothing, or if they are premenstrual, or if they have just had a big glass of water – the scales won’t be an accurate reflection of their true body weight.  

What if a person’s weight is going up and down on the scales?

Even though a person’s weight may be decreasing on the scales, and their measurements can be declining as expected, body fat measurements can change up and down each week for no apparent reason. This can be due to a person’s level of fluid hydration and is of no major concern. Wellness Coaches might find it more appropriate to point out body fat percentage measurement to their customer only on a monthly basis. This will help to reduce any potential confusion that may arise from fluctuating readings from