Ask Lee: the man who will live live on Plenny Meals for 6 months

[Anastasia]

Say hi to Lee, our new ambassador
He will live on Plenny Meals for the next 6 months.

As a student of Dietetics, Lee Primeau was an early adopter of our meals and recognized that we were reshaping the future of food and nutrition. That’s why, in 2016, he decided to live on nothing but Plenny Shake for 6 months straight. Yes, you read that right.

And guess what? After six months of ONLY Plenny Shake, his blood tests showed he had become healthier!

Now, five years later, Lee is ready to do it all again. Starting June 3rd, every day for six months, he will use Plenny meals for breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack. All meals except for dinner - we’re not monsters.

Ask Lee about Jimmy Joy and his diet;
Follow his health journey on Instagram;
Stay tuned for Lee’s weekly physical and mental health updates on the forum;
After the 6-month experiment, we will update the article with new information, blood test results, and some of the most interesting Q&As.

[Anastasia]

[eathealthlee]

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for the delay in the posting but there were a couple of hiccups along the way.

From now on I will post here every Sunday.

A little bit about me, my name is Lee Primeau and I was born in Plantation, Florida USA. Currently I live and work in the Netherlands. I have my Bachelors of Science in Human Environmental Sciences with a major in Food and Nutrition from The University of Alabama.

I have had numerous jobs in my life but the most memorable were my military service (U.S. Air Force as a Military Police Officer) and my current field.

Currently I am working in Biotech where I breed cells for medicinal treatments.

I enjoy doing these experiments because it keeps me connected to the field in which I originally studied. I like pushing my body to see in the end what results are shown.

On to the experiment itself:

So I received the initial lab results and included them here. It is important to know that I received the Corona vaccine 1st dose (Pfizer) a couple of days before the labs were taken. From the labs you can see that I am fairly healthy and no values had extreme high or low readings.

Regarding how it went so far, since I began (3June2021) I have found it difficult to stick to the exact caloric range I specified. Some days I either went a bit over or a bit under my target of around 2,200 kcal. This experiment is harder when comparing it to my previous experiment where I ate only Jimmy Joy meals and drank mainly water for six months straight. (see link above for more information) I find this interesting, but starting today I am going to stick to the original plan which is to eat Jimmy Joy 4 times a day (breakfast Plenny Shake 95 grams, 1st snack, 1 Plenny Bar, lunch 1 Plennypot, 2nd snack 1 Plennydrink then a home cooked dinner) for a total of 2,200 kcal a day of which JimmyJoy meals will comprise of 1,600 kcal.

I will increase my exercise routine, the plan is to do exercises within my home such as jump roping, push ups, sit ups, burpees, jumping jacks. I am exited to see if I make it to my goal of gaining at least 1% of muscle mass, losing a minimum of 1% of fat a month and finally getting to my goal weight of 159.6 lbs or 72.3 kg.

I took photos today of my body for the before and started tracking my weight to include muscle mass, total body water and fat percent using my at home scale. I wanted to use the BodPod measurements but that provided difficult to obtain with the current pandemic.

The values are as follows:

Height: 5¨11 inches or 1.80 meters
Weight 181.4 lbs or 82.3 kg
Muscle percent: 43.1
Total body water percent: 63.4
Fat percent: 15.5
Goal weight difference: 21.8 lbs or 9.9kg
Kcal per day: 2,200 (meaning needed to reach goal)
BMI: 25.3 placing me just in the overweight category which is between 25.0-29.9. (source CDC)

Regarding how I felt, I like how Jimmy Joy´s products are easy and convenient to make. At the moment I am very busy with a starting a new job, being a husband and a father. I have also found that I have more energy than previously before and I sleep better.

FYI once a month there will be a live Q&A with me under Jimmy Joy´s Instagram page. (@JimmyJoyFood).

I hope you enjoy the experiment and I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Lee

[Mlove]

Very interesting and brave of you to share this much with us! Good luck!

[Nino]

Good luck @eathealthlee! Looking forward to your updates

[eathealthlee]

Hello All,

So this week has been interesting. I have been able to stick pretty good to the exercise regime this week. Besides 23 and 24 June (received my 2nd Corona shot Pfizer felt a bit tired and had a headache) I was able to wake up in the morning to do exercise. At the moment, three days a week I perform push ups, sit ups, crunches, burpees and jump rope. Personally I am a morning person, usually I wake up at around 5:00 am. For me this has many benefits, since I have a family. This is one of the only times I am able to give my full attention to things as once my wife and daughter are awake my full attention is on them.

Regarding how I am feeling physically, overall pretty good. Since I started a new routine with exercise I am slightly more tired but none of which would keep me from performing my daily duties. With time my body will get used to this.

Mentally, I am good. I love how the Plenny Meals are easy to make and this helps reduce stress in my life. As before I would have to take time out to plan and cook my meals. Since becoming a father, time is always scarce. Now my only concern is planning dinners.

-Lee

[eathealthlee]

Hello Everyone,

Another week down and here is what happened.

So this week I was able to stick to the meal plan very well but have not had time to keep up a steady exercise routine. The intention was to wake up (while my family was asleep) early most days of the week which I do, but I always find myself logging into my computer and handling day to day business. Sending out emails, closing out needed day to day administrative stuff. It is a constant struggle to keep up and balance exercising, work, family matters and day to day business.

There are some changes on the horizon which will help my situation, recently my gym announced that it will be open 24/7 and starting next week I go to working 36 hours a week. My plan is to start off slow and go from there. So I will stick to the caloric intake of no more than 2,200 kcal a day and exercise 1 day a week at the gym. Once I get used to that routine, I will bump it up to two days a week and eventually to the end goal of 3 days a week.

I have not been weighing myself as I want the end result to be a surprise not only for you the audience but also myself.

What I do like about Jimmy Joy is that it does give me more free time, as you know of which is something I am currently limited in. Consuming it does save on the stress of planning out my meals. It is easy to take with you on the go as it either comes prepackaged (Plenny Bar and Drink), can go into a shaker (Plenny Shake) or just needs hot water added to it (Plenny Pot).

Less stress helps me sleep better and in turn does give me more energy so that is a plus.

I do notice that it is important to drink enough water while eating Plenny meals, so you should take that into account. It is important to remember that all Plenny Meals contain ample amounts of fiber so plan accordingly.

That is it for this week.

Cheers,

Lee

[eathealthlee]

Hey all,

Another week bites the dust.

So this week I was able to exercise at least one day, yay! It felt like an accomplishment since I was so strapped for time. I went for a 20 minute run outside before heading into work. Mainly if I do run it typically is in the gym due to my allergies but found on that particular day (it varies quite a bit) that it was tolerable. Mother nature is a beast.

I implemented another trick which will help me towards my weight loss goal. That is increasing my NEAT. Which stands for non-exercise induced thermogenesis. Basically any type of activity which burns calories but is not considered exercise such as walking, typing, doing yard work, taking the stairs instead of the elevator etc.

At my work there is quite a large parking lot, so I will park at the far end so I have to walk further which will score some NEAT points. In addition if possible, I take the stairs at work and will be doing yard work this week. Another tip you can implement is standing as opposed to sitting. Every little bit counts.

With regards to Plenny Meals, I really like eating them. They are easy to prepare and take on the go and can be consumed rather quickly comparative to other meals.

My wife also enjoys eating them as they fit our busy lifestyle.

That´s all I have to say.

Cheers,

Lee

[Yoyo_Loco]

@eathealthlee

a home cooked dinner

Hey Lee! I know there are ways to count calories in regular food, but how do you do it when it comes to the cooked dinner. I usually consume many more calories than expected when I cook at my place. Do you have a simple way to do it? Like, do you eat pretty much the same every evening? or every time you check the calories per food and weigh the portions to be sure about the calories?I mean, that is why I consume JJ, so easy to know how much I am consuming, then I take care of my calorie intake (since I am pretty sedentary at the moment).

[Mahsa]

Hello there,

Check out these 3 useful pro tips by Lee to make the most out of your complete food journey.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CRi6go9igzf/

To summarise:

Tip #1. Drink enough water
Drink enough water to prevent gastrointestinal issues like gas or bloating. After each Plenny meal, I drink at least two cups (500 ml) of water.

Tip #2. Wait 20 minutes
Wait at least 20 minutes after consuming a Plenny meal before eating something else. You might think you’re still hungry, but especially with foods that contain fat, it takes your stomach 20 minutes to communicate to your brain that you’re satiated.

Tip #3. Take it slow
If you’re to consume Plenny meals for a majority if your meals, don’t jump into it without a transition period. Eat 1 meal per day first and see how your body responds. Gradually increase the amount of meals you take to avoid gas and bloating.

[eathealthlee]

Hi,

This week, I will switch gears and do an informative piece on pre and probiotics and how to help keep us healthy.

In addition, I will speak a little about Bacillus Coagulans.

Let´s dive in; prebiotics is the food of the gut microbiome. Which are derived from dietary fibers, so ensuring you are getting your daily intake of both fruit and vegetables is an excellent way to ensure you take in this much-needed health benefit. A healthy gut microbiome is linked to an improved immune system. So the adage, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, has some actual weight here.

Probiotics are the actual beneficial bacterial strands within our guts themselves, which number in the trillions. There are two main beneficial strains of bacteria for the human body which are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria.

Let´s get on with the strain within Plenny meals, Bacillus Coagulans. Although in their class (Bacillus), you can see them marketed under as Lactobacillus. A study published in Taylor & Francis online by Hun, L in 2009 revealed that individuals who have IBS and took Bacillus Coagulans seemed to have improved abdominal pain and bloating. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3810/pgm.2009.03.1984)

This is interesting because compared to my first experiment with Jimmy Joy, I had a persistent issue throughout its consumption with gas. I do not find this is an issue with this experiment. Mind you; I was eating 100% Jimmy Joy meals the first time around and now consuming 75% of my caloric intake through Plenny Meals. I can not help but think that maybe the probiotic included within this version may be why this time around, the gas issue is a thing of the past.

Cheers,

Lee

[eathealthlee]

Hi,

Excellent question so if you are looking at it from a caloric intake, then it is all about the macro´s.

I have the following tips and tricks which I found work well for me.

There is an easy to count how many calories your home cooked meals have:

Protein and Carbohydrates contain 4kcal per gram.
Alcohol is 7 kcal per gram (if you are looking to loose weight I would abstain from alcohol all together for many reasons)
Fats is 9kcal per gram

So from this it is easy to weigh off your food with a scale and calculate your total caloric intake for your meal.

So lets say I have a 600 kcal allotment for dinner and I want to cook spaghetti.

Then I would use 75 grams of pasta which equals 300 kcal.

Now I have 300 kcal left over.

I would use 50 grams of lean meat which equals 200 kcal.

Leaving me with 100 kcals, for this I would include some vegetables, (we do not use sauce from a can but instead use tomatoes to make the sauce with herbs etc) throw in some light mozzarella for fats and you have a meal.

The benefit to eating this way is that you know roughly how much calories are in your home cooked meal. So if someone has an issue with portion control they know exactly how much you can eat for their allotted caloric intake. Once the food is gone, they can work on the feelings around why they eat more than physiologically necessary. Weight loss/gain has a large psychological component to it.

After a while you will not have to weigh it out any more it will just come natural.

Does that answer your question?

[eathealthlee]

Hey Everyone,

Sorry for my league of absence, my daughter was sick with the RS virus and in the end it spread to the entire family but we are feeling better.

So this week I would like to talk about expectations vs reality.

Coming into this experiment I thought it was actually going to be easier than the previous experiment.

In reality is has been quite the opposite.

What has changed since the last time?

Well our family has grown by one since the last experiment. This adds in extra challenges such as balancing my routine with my daughters schedule.

Do any of you struggle with keeping up your routines? If so, what are some good tips you have that have helped you stick to them?

I am looking forward to hearing your responses and suggestions.

Lee

[spitters]

Hi Lee,

Thanks for sharing your experiences here!
Just to compare notes, and to send you a little encouragement:
I’ve been doing this since around October’20 and have lost 20kg, which I gained due to a knee injury and the lock-down.
( I’m 185cm and 75 kg now. ) All my vitals have improved: high VO2max, low resting heart-rate, …

One thing I’ve noticed was that my scale tells me I’ve lost about 4kg of muscle mass. My muscle percentage has gone up by 3 percent points, though. The scale is just guessing based on impedance, so it’s possible that it’s off by a bit.
I’ve recently switched to the new Plenny Active, as I hope the extra protein helps to build muscle.
[ Another possible explanation: Access to the gym has also been restricted due to covid, so I’ve been focusing on cardio and body weight, as opposed to free weights. ]
I’m wondering what your experiences are in this respect.

Good luck on the extended family!

Bas

[Soywent]

I’ve been getting 90% of my calories from J2 for over 2 years and for 3 years before that with Soylent and similar products.

Let me know if you have any questions. Piker.

[eathealthlee]

Hello Bas,

Congrats on the weight loss!

Good to hear your vitals have improved. Does this further give you motivation to continue?

From what I know about these kind of scales it can fluctuate depending on a multitude of factors such as how well hydrated you are etc. So I would not sweat it.

A good tip would to use the scale at the same time in the day, I always use mine right when I get up in the morning as that is when I get the most consistent readings.

Nice move switching to the Plenny Active, I expect that you get better results with that move.

I can not answer on what I have been experiencing yet as while I have weighed my self since beginning, I disabled the body fat/muscle mass feature because I want the end results to be a surprise.

Performing cardio should reduce your overall fat mass while increasing lean muscle mass.

I will ensure to come back to your question of what my experiences were when I finish the experiment.

Thanks for the post!

Lee

[eathealthlee]

That is really cool! I am curious to know what have your experiences been regarding muscle mass/ fat mass gains or reductions? Did you take labs before starting your journey?

[spitters]

Indeed, I believe that the scale (Eufy) is less accurate than I hoped.

Yes, of course I’m continuing. Never change a winning team.

Good luck your experiment!

Bas

[eathealthlee]

Hello Everyone,

I am excited to say this week went a lot better.

I was able to run Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I woke up very early and was motivated to get out of bed to exercise. In addition I was able to stick to the meal plan really well. I am really motivated going into this next week.

I noticed that throughout the week I was calmer and able to deal with the stress of day to day life a lot easier. I attribute this to not only the feeling I get after exercise but also an improved efficiency in day to day tasks. When you do not have to think and plan the majority of your meals it saves a bunch of time.

I did decide to make a switch back to just Plenny Shakes. This was done for ease of implementation, I can just make the shakes and put them in the fridge the day before. I am not worried about this skewing the results since the macro and micro profiles for Jimmy Joy meals are pretty much the same. Maybe due to the nostalgia of the previous experiment but I now know I am biased to towards the Plenny Shakes. =) My favorite flavors are Chai Latte for breakfast, Strawberry for lunch and Vanilla for midday snack.

This coming week I will start implementing push ups, sit ups and continue with cardio.

[LeePrimeau]

Another week down and this is what I found🤭. So my exercise routine has been steady while family life has been busy, I was able to get in a run three times this past week. Something interesting I came across was that I’ve had a craving for salty foods. I think it is my body telling me that I need to replenish the sodium lost from the exercise performed.

Occasionally when needed for my dinners I use lo-salt which contains less sodium and (in turn is replaced with potassium) when compared to regular table salt. If this is something you are considering trying watch out as it can have a negative effect on your body with certain medications. High blood pressure runs in my family so I have to keep an eye out on my overall sodium intake. Diet and exercise has kept it at bay.

Sodium intake in general is interesting. It balances necessary amount of fluid, keeps blood pressure regulated, absorbs and transports nutrients. The American Heart Association says physiologically speaking 500mg should do the trick. Of course it is an essential mineral needed within the body. I’ve learned that some individuals are hyper sensitive to table salt (sodium chloride), and in turn run a risk of running into issues with blood pressure while others are not even effected by it. Same goes for caffeine, each individual metabolizes it a bit differently.

I just use the go by feeling system and listen to when ever my body craves it and that works for me.