Why the meal replacements and not just the eating plan?

I have thought about this question alot as I completed the certification as a health coach.  There are three basic thoughts about this weight management plan.  First is to build the discipline to eat six small meals per day - eat when you are hungry, but don't overdo it.  Secondly, is the need to make sure that when eating only 100 calories per meal for weight loss, that we still have complete nutrition, and there are ideal ratios of carbs, protein and fats that keep our digestion regulated, and allow for fat burning.  We need to be eating around 1000 calories or so, to encourage weight loss.

Thirdly is the need to learn how to prepare meals that are balanced and portion controlled for the rest of our lives, creating a lifestyle that encourages weight management.  We will need to manage around 2000-2500 calories on average for maintenance.  We also need to know how to manage salt, fat and sugar.

Surrounding all that is a fitness behavior that keeps our bodies maintained and trim, rebuilding muscle and other infrastructure health.

While it is possible to start off a diet plan focusing on the food, the reason we like this approach is that it allows for focus on the lifestyle change first.  Moving to a five meal replacement, one lean and green is challenging enough without having to prepare each 100 calorie meal and match the nutritional ratios right each time.  The prepared foods allows for the focus on eating every 2-3 hours, developing that routine and becoming confident in the results.  The coach can focus on the discipline of mealtime.  This is why calorie or point counting never worked for us - we had to incorporate too many decisions and disciplines at one time.  I like the stepwise approach better.

There is a time of transition where the focus moves to exercise as a component, and when we will move to a lifestyle of small meals, but with coaching begin to understand how to cook and eat well without the replacements.  Then we might still buy some of the replacements for the times when we are in a hurry, but move to a lifestyle of healthy choices.

So - the bottom line is this .  There is no charge for advice!  I would be happy to give you advice on moving to a six meal per day program to promote weight loss with no expectation of a meal plan purchase.  I would be happy to help you buy the meal replacements at a discount so you can try them and see the discipline perspective.  But, to me, the main thing is to find a way to feel healthy, if you don't right now!