It seems fitting that my first round starts one week from today and I’m sharing my review of the FASTer Way To Fat Loss® program.
Quick conclusion if you don’t want to watch above: I lost 5 inches and 5 lbs in 6 weeks! While weighing yourself is not part of the final program, I did anyway because I was curious. Muscle weighs more than fat and the goal is to lose fat and build muscle to rev your metabolism so sometimes we lose sight of our achievements when we just look at a number on the scale.
As a breastfeeding mother, my milk supply was fine! I did not notice a decrease but see the video above for more details on this. I also was fine with the intermittent fasting. I took a few modifications that you’ll read about below.
Why did I like it? I love following a program. I liked that I had a schedule to follow. You get a workout program, an eating schedule (low carb, regular macro, low macro days) and community support! If you have a question, someone else probably does to. Your coach shares live video trainings with tools to help you melt fat and then provides support in a Facebook group updated daily where you post your macro chart from the day before for accountability. I noticed results within 2 weeks. My clothes fit better, I had more energy and felt great about how I looked!
I still am practicing IF after my round finished and while I’m not counting macros I’m much more vigilant about eating more whole foods and a balanced diet with more carbs!
Review
I was new to carb cycling and intermittent fasting before starting the program. I was nervous about being able to make it to noon without eating but the truth is that we focus on progress not perfection. As a breastfeeding mom, I actually did a 15:9 split which means I fasted for 15 hours and ate during a 9 hour window. I also did not do the low macro days which just means your goal is to consume 25% less total macros daily.
I chose to eating between 11 am and 8 pm most days. The most challenging part of the program for me was not the fasting but counting macros. The trick is to create a menu for your following day at night but I never could seem to get my act together. I often found it would be after dinner and I still hadn’t hit my target macros for the day, usually protein or carbs.
It took about a week for me to get good at hitting my macros. These numbers are determined with the help of MyFitnessPal. I’ll be honest, I kept track religiously for 2 weeks and couldn’t believe the results I saw. My clothes fit so much better and I was eating more carbs than I have in years.
As a result, I stopped being so religious. The results stalled because I took my foot off the gas pedal but I liked where I was at and I didn’t go backwards at all. My goal for my round is to do better tracking my macros more regularly. The goal is daily but if I can’t get, there it’s to track at least 4 days a week.
The program does not have a meal plan but there is a cookbook you can buy. I like this about FWTFL. I hate having meal plans because I’m picky, I like making easy meals and I cook for my family. I need simple recipes that can be toddler friendly as well as make Nick happy. He’s in love with the Low Carb Egg Roll in a bowl that I discovered for low carb dinners. Since I was looking for meals that fit my macros, I learned how to grocery shop and cook without a plan forced down my throat and am able to continue shopping and cooking this way even now that I’m not in an active round.
No foods are really off limits but we recommend a gluten and dairy free diet during the 6 week program. This is how I used to eat back in my pre-kids super SarahFit days because I saw results when I ate this way the fastest. I am not a big dairy person, so this was super easy and something I totally agree with from a health perspective. I think dairy free all the time can be challenging but for 6 weeks, you can do it! Gluten free is tough for me but I will admit, the two weeks I eliminated it completely, I saw such promising results. Bloating was WAY down and I just felt better. I did add some gluten here and there in the form of treats from Flour and it really didn’t make me feel great after it had been eliminated.
In my round, I am recommending a gluten and dairy free diet but if that’s not something you’re able or want to do, I totally get it. This isn’t a diet but a lifestyle change. The rise of veganism has made dairy free alternatives just as good as the real deal. But as a parent who went to quite a few pizza birthday parties during her 6 week program during the hours of 11-1 pm, it’s a challenge when you’re eating window begins and you just love cake so much.
The Workouts
When I signed up for the program, I was convinced I wouldn’t do the workouts but then I WANTED to do them. They were similar to my training plans back when I first started out as a trainer. I found them a little short and easy at first however, in hindsight, I think that’s great because you’re just starting IF and most workouts will be in a fasted state and if you had these impossible routines, you would never make it to your goal eating window. It allows you to ease into the IF lifestyle and building muscle!
Towards the end of the 6 weeks, they got longer and more challenging. Most are around 30 minutes and can be done at home or at the gym. I actually did the home workouts AT the gym because I don’t love stationary machines. There is also a low impact/beginner workout program too. The longest workouts could be an hour at the end if you take your time but I could finish in 40 minutes if I focused. I often didn’t have time to finish all 4 sets and would just get in at least 3.
I have been getting a lot of questions on Instagram about the workouts so here is a quick run down. You don’t need a gym. If you do them at home, you’ll want a few sets of dumbbells. I would recommend a set of medium and heavy so like 8-12 lbs and 15-20 lbs if you consider yourself advanced like me. You could probably get away with the 12’s as your heavy set.
If you are training for a race, you can do the program! You’ll have a slightly modified workout program (see comments below for an example) and will not do low macro days (usually women have 2 of these unless you are nursing). You should still do strength training though as the program is on fat loss and the science behind utilizing cardio and strength training in combination with carb cycling.
If you love your Barry’s Bootcamp or Peloton, you can still do them. I did Peloton HIIT classes for a few of the sprint workouts. If you sign up for my round, I’ll work with you to create a schedule. While the workouts for the program are ideal for optimal results, it’s a lifestyle change and I want to make it work for you! Classes are social, I get it. I like them too!
I chose to do a corporate round with Amanda Tress, the creator of FWTFL, because I knew I might be interested in becoming a coach and wanted to see how she ran her groups. Jen Kedrie, who is a certified coach, was super helpful in helping me decide to enroll. In hindsight, I think a smaller group with Jen would have been more encouraging for me to keep track of my macros as I don’t think anyone noticed I wasn’t posting. If they called me out, I probably would have!
If you do a corporate round, Amanda has to have certified coaches helping in each group. She can’t possibly answer all the questions herself. I totally get this, and it’s no fault of hers, but if you are interested in the FWTFL program, definitely check out a coach like Jen or me.
You’re also supporting a coach who is trying to earn a living. Not sure if you know this, but working at a full time trainer is HARD and doesn’t pay very well. FWTFL is very generous with their coaches and affiliates. They make you really feel like you are part of their team. FWTFL is not an MLM. If you wanna be a coach, great! Your main goal is to help people, not encourage them to be coaches. If your clients also wanna become a coach, that’s great but as a coach, your primary goal is to help people lose fat and live a healthier lifestyle. Make sense?
If you have any questions, leave them below. Spots are VERY limited in my group right now. I have about 8 left before I cap it off. We start with prep week exactly ONE WEEK from today!
Sign up and get more details here!
