Ready to lose weight? Just order an Isagenix weight loss system, open the box, and follow the simple instructions. Then… bam! Results! Well, not exactly. While this may work for many, there are some individuals who need to customize their systems, in particular their Shake Days.
An Isagenix Shake Day consists of two Isagenix shakes, two small 100- to 150-calorie snacks, and a 400- to 600-calorie meal, which adds up to around 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day (see our recommended Shake Day schedule in the Wellbeing & Weight Loss Guide). For most sedentary, middle-aged to older adults who only burn around 1,800 to 2,000 calories each day, the 1,200- to 1,500-calorie range is just right for weight loss.
But there are others who have daily energy requirements that are much higher. Activity level, gender, and body size can each greatly influence a person’s calorie requirements, creating the need for more food.
For example, men typically have larger frames and more muscle mass to support than women. A 6-foot man of average weight and activity level could require upwards of 2,700 calories just to maintain weight, while a 6-foot, 7-inch tall man might easily require more than 3,500 calories. And regardless of body size or gender, a person who is extremely active or works a physically demanding job will also have higher energy requirements, even when the goal is weight loss.
A person requiring 3,000 calories per day put on a regimen providing just 1,500 calories likely wouldn’t stay on it long. It would lead to hunger and fatigue. The best plan is the one that cuts calories by the minimum amount needed to produce fat loss, or around 500 calories below what is needed to maintain weight.
If you find comfort in the one-size-fits-all instructions offered by a basic Isagenix system, the idea of modifying your Shake Day may be a little intimidating at first. But don’t worry! We’ve put together a step-by-step guide that will not only help you to determine whether you need to modify your Shake Day, but will also show you how to customize your Shake Day to ensure weight-loss success.
Steps to Customized Shake Days
STEP 1: Determine whether you’ll need extra calories
As a first step in figuring out whether you may need to modify your Shake Day, ask yourself:
- Am I a male with a larger frame?
- Am I an athlete or do I work a physically demanding job?
If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you should customize your Shake Day. You’ve established that you have higher energy needs than the average sedentary or moderately active adult and now need to decide how to modify your Shake Day to ensure optimal weight-loss success. To do this, you’ll first need to set a target calorie goal for your Shake Day, which can be done by completing the next step.
STEP 2: Figure out your target calorie goal for Shake Days
There are two ways to figure out how many calories you should be eating to lose weight. The first is to go to an online website that offers a calorie calculator, such as this site. The calculator will generate a specific amount of calories that you should be eating to lose weight based on your gender, age, height, weight, and activity level. Because this number is based on an equation, it should be kept in mind that it may not be completely accurate and will likely need to be adjusted based on your body’s response.
A more accurate way of determining your daily target calorie goal for weight loss is to figure out about how many calories you are currently eating to maintain weight, and then reduce this number by 500. You can download any calorie tracking app, such as the IsaLife app, and enter all of the food you eat each day into the tracking database. Do this for five days, and then figure out the average calorie intake per day. Cut this number by 500, and you’ll have your target calorie goal for Shake Days.
Example: Your average calorie intake after five days is 2,600 calories: 2600 – 500 = 2100 calories per Shake Day.
STEP 3: Add calories to the shakes, snacks, and third meal to meet your target calorie goal
Now that you’ve set your target calorie goal for your Shake Day, it’s time to implement a strategy to increase your intake so that you can hit this number. The best way to do this is to add calories to your shakes, to increase the calories in your snacks, and/or to add calories to your standard 400- to 600-calorie meal.
- Easy ways to add about 100 calories to your shake:
- Add one serving of fruit
- Add 1/3 cup of oats
- Add 1 Tbsp. of nut butter
- Mix shake with one cup of skim or 1 percent milk
- 200- to 300-calorie snack ideas:
- Whole Blend IsaLean or IsaLean Bar
- ½ cup hummus and fresh vegetables
- Pair one cup of fat-free Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with one of the following:
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- A serving of fruit
- ½ cup of granola or trail mix
- 10 almonds
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- Add calories to your 400- to 600-calorie meal
- You should already have 30 to 40 grams of protein in your third meal. But you can easily bulk this meal up by adding an extra serving of complex carbs or extra dressing to your salad.
This is what a Shake Day might look like for someone with a 2100-calorie target goal:
- Breakfast: IsaLean Pro Shake + banana = 400 calories
- Mid-morning Snack: 1/2 cup of low-fat granola with 1 cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt = 280 calories
- Lunch: IsaLean Pro Shake + 1/3 cup oats = 400 calories
- Mid-afternoon Snack: Whole Blend IsaLean Chocolate Indulgence Bar = 230 calories
- Dinner: Large third meal (1 serving extra complex carbs, one serving extra fat) = 800 calories
One of the great things about the Isagenix 30-Day System is that it is easily customized to the individual to make losing weight easier. Don’t be afraid to personalize your Shake Days. Often a unique approach, tailored to the individual, is the best way to ensure weight-loss success.
Looking for tips for your Cleanse Day schedule? Check out “Plan Your Perfect Cleanse Day.”
