Most people like to use Plenny Shake for their breakfast or lunch, but every now and then a true biohacker emerges to truly put our product to the test.
Previously, Lee Primeau lived on Plenny Shake for six months and had his blood tested afterward. So you can imagine we were impressed when someone else came around and doubled that: a 12-month 100% Plenny Shake diet! We were even more impressed when we read about and saw the results for ourselves. And then we got an update about his 3 year anniversary in 2020 - it blew our minds... 3 years exclusively on Plenny Shake combined with just two 30-minute full body workouts per week completely transformed this man's body!
He calls himself Phloating Man and we asked him about his reasons to go on a completely liquid diet, why it worked so well for him, what the downsides are, and what his advice would be for people considering to do the same.
‘12-month journey’
First of all, why did you do it? What motivated you to do this kind of experiment?
“A few years ago, I kept coming across news articles of people doing 30-day challenges with these new meal replacement products that claim to provide 100% RDI. That piqued my curiosity, and I wanted to experiment with it myself.
I did some research into what products were right for me. I ultimately chose Plenny Shake because...
- It was the most affordable
- It had more protein than most others
- It had more flavors
- It was lactose-free (plant based)
What was meant as a 30-day experiment turned into a long-term habit. I've been on an all Plenny Shake diet for more than a year now and still going strong.
It's become so routine to me now that it's just something I do like brush my teeth or take a shower. Not a lot of thought goes into it anymore.
I treat it more like a prescription... "Take three of these shakes a day to control your weight and stay alive. Adjust the dosage as needed". Products like these are the closest thing to simply popping a pill to give your body the fuel it needs to function.”
He adds, “My main motivation is still curiosity. I think it's a worthwhile goal to help determine the minimum system requirements humans need to operate. So by eating according to current RDI every day for a long time, I can see if I become toxic or deficient in any areas and we can adjust our knowledge.”
So, when did you first start noticing the results of this major diet change?
“I started by using one of those online TDEE calculators to help me determine how many calories I need a day. I wanted to lose weight, so I made sure to be on a moderate calorie deficit for thirty days. Sure enough, the pounds started shedding. I lost ten pounds the first month. Excited about the progress, I wanted to keep going another thirty days. After five months, I lost thirty pounds. However, I felt like I got too thin, so I started exercising and switched to a moderate calorie surplus. Like clockwork, I started slowly gaining muscle. After another seven months, I was the most muscular I have ever been in my life. That's when I decided to share my progress online.”
What was the biggest positive thing about this all Plenny shake diet?
“The biggest positive thing about being on an all Plenny Shake diet is the convenience. Three major conveniences are:
- Time
- Money
- Calorie tracking
In regards to time and money, I spend less than 30 minutes a day doing food-related things (meal prep, consuming, clean up). There is no traveling to get food, no waiting in line, no refrigeration, no cooking, and no wasted leftovers.
It is way cheaper than my previous diet that consisted of cereal, fast/frozen food, and home cooked Filipino dishes.
Also, I stay in my vehicle part time when I am far from home for several days, and powdered food has been a godsend in that situation.
With regards to calorie tracking, it's stupidly easy to keep track of calories when you eat the same thing every day. Losing/gaining/maintaining weight is all about calorie management. Being confident that I can control my weight at will is a great superpower I've gained since experimenting with this diet.
What was the biggest negative thing about an all Plenny shake diet?
The biggest negative thing about on all Plenny Shake diet is the social aspect. Sharing meals is a bonding experience for most people, so I miss that part.
I can imagine you received tons of feedback and possibly even weird looks from people around you. How did people react to your experiment?
“When people first hear about my 100% powdered food diet, their knee-jerk reaction is usually disbelief. They can't imagine something like this can be healthy or sustainable. However, after sharing my progress pics and blood test, they start getting interested. I've gotten quite a few people to incorporate modern meal replacements in their diet after they saw my results.
Reddit user ‘Dreiter’ commenting on the blood results. Now that’s what we call ‘an interesting compliment’
What would you tell a reader that is curious about trying a Plenny Shake exclusive diet?
“My advice to people curious about trying such a diet would be to start off gradually:
Order a sample of all the flavors to see which one you like. Then, replace one meal a day at first. When you are used to that, replace another meal and so on until all your meals are replaced.
- Try it for 30 days straight, and I think you'll fall in love with the convenience. After that, you don't need to be 100% like me unless you want to help with the sample size of testing if our current RDI is accurate.”
He concluded, “Most people will just want to use it to replace meals when they are busy. It's perfect for your boring and routine meals. You can save the other meals for special occasions with friends and family. I can definitely say my experiment with this diet has improved my quality of life and will continue to recommend people to try it out!”
