Anne Parr PRO TRAINER

It seems like every year we are bombarded with messages about some new unknown supplement, fitness trend, or other health-related product that’s supposed to be the next big panacea for producing mind-boggling weight loss and the body you’ve always wanted. Don’t you know if somebody actually came up with that ever-elusive “magic pill” gimmick for improving weight and health that they’d make Bill Gates look like a welfare recipient with all the money that would start pouring in hand over fist? But, alas, it’s never gonna happen. Even still, the diet industry is big business because clever marketing and strategic products are being aggressively targeted to a captive audience of desperate people who are tired of being overweight, unhealthy, and out of shape. That’s why tactics like these have helped crazy diet schemes strike it rich seemingly out of nowhere overnight preying on the innocent. The latest of these is the “Body By Vi” program from Visalus Sciences. I first heard about this company from a friend of mine at church (I’ll call him John) who has worked in various sales jobs as his primary source of income for most of his life. Knowing that I have a substantial following online from people who are interested in the subject of weight and health, John invited me over to his house to make me a healthy milkshake that he said he could taste like any flavor I wanted. Wow, sounds impressive. Actually, not really. I’m a natural skeptic and was hesitant about spending any of my valuable time listening to what he had to say. But because I respect John’s faith and sales success over the years, I decided to hear what he had to share. What I discovered in those two hours was a much bigger lesson in why low-carb dieters should be wary of these Visalus products.

What’s funny about Visalus is it is a typical MLM (multi-level marketing) company requiring you to buy into the company and to find other enrollees to sponsor as part of your personal pyramid network. I’ve never understood why I’m always approached by people to join their favorite MLM (from Amway, Avon, Pampered Chef, MovaVie, Cutco, Shaklee, Pre-Paid Legal and every other one you’ve ever heard of), but I guess I have that certain special something they are looking for. Maybe it’s because I enjoy talking to people and feel comfortable holding conversations that they think would make me a great salesman. I dunno, but I’ve been bombarded with people trying to get me to join their MLM since I was a teenager and it’s still happening to this day. John just knew with what I already do for a living promoting healthy nutritional concepts on my popular blog and podcasts that Visalus would be the perfect fit for me.

I suppose he knew what he was getting himself into asking me to try a protein shake product from Visalus…but maybe not. As he and one of his fellow Visalus promoters were trying to paint a picture of how I could attain financial freedom through being involved in this company (this is the major thing I ABHOR about MLM schemes–”join our team and all of your money woes will disappear”–UGH!), I was reading through the paperwork they had in a big 3-ring binder describing the Visalus plan featuring the aforementioned protein shake mixes. Anyone who knows me will tell you I read labels very carefully before putting something inside my body. If there is an ingredient in a food I am going to consume that I don’t want to have in me, then I want to know beforehand. Scouring the ingredients list of this Visalus protein shake mix, I noticed the very first ingredient in the shake was the primary source of protein–SOY!

I engaged John in a conversation about this expressing my concerns about the protein source being soy instead of whey, for example. He said, “Oh, I’ve only heard good things about consuming soy. I thought it was supposed to be healthy.” I explained to John about my podcast interview with Dr. Kaayla Daniel who wrote the book The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food and that I personally prefer to steer clear of this darling ingredient of the low-fat diet advocates. Speaking of dietary fat, there was only 1g of it in this Visalus protein shake mix along with 7g carbohydrate (5g of which is dietary fiber) and 12g protein in this 90-calorie meal replacement shake. When I told John the fat-protein ratio was way off base from what I would typically consume (my ideal food intake is high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb), again he repeated that he thought consuming less fat was healthier. It was a teachable moment that I didn’t mind sharing with him because I respect him and wanted to make sure he fully understood the concerns I had with this MLM company he had associated himself with.

Reluctantly, I agreed to have him make me one of the Visalus shakes as he promised to me when we spoke on the phone. He said, “I’ll make whatever milkshake you want and it will taste just like the real thing!” My favorite flavor is cookies & cream, so that’s what I requested. When I inquired about how many flavors Visalus made, he said he likes to take the vanilla shake mix and blend it with ingredients to make whatever flavor I wanted. I was confused somewhat by this answer. When I inquired further about my cookies & cream milkshake, he assured me it would taste amazing and be healthy because he used skim milk and Oreo cookies! O-M-G! Are you freakin’ kidding me?! Here I thought it was a cookies & cream flavor and he’s putting sugary, wheat-based carbage in this “healthy” shake. I was flabbergasted to say the least and explained that the supposed benefits of consuming the nutrition contained in this shake don’t override the huge insulin-spiking carb bomb he just added to it. Since he took the time to make the shake, I appeased him by having one small sip. YUCK! It was so gross I told him I wouldn’t be able to finish it. I was sorely disappointed. John said he’d share my concerns about the soy, fat content, etc. with the Visalus company and see what they say in response. More on how they responded in a moment.

I’d been meaning to blog about this for a while, but it came to a head again recently after I received the following e-mail from a new blog reader who was excited about this new company she’s involved with–Visalus:

More information: http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/low-carb-dieter-beware-soy-based-body-by-vi-visalus-protein-shake-mixes-not-a-panacea/12336

More important is Healthy balanced eating than short term quick fix products that don't allow a journey to wellness to occur.   Mantaining proper exercise and nutrition is the key to a better life.  If you are struggling see the professionals who will help you make a change for life. 

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Wishing you a fun safe Christmas! 

Anne Fitness & Health for life!