When I started using Huel 16 months ago, I was a reasonably fit 52-year-old pescatarian male, around 5’10" and 78.4kg / 173lb. My only little bug-bear was that weight - not huge, but definitely above ideal.
From the start, I had Huel once a day, and often twice - three scoops, circa 800ml water. Two months in, I incorporated intermittent fasting into the mix, where I finish eating by 8pm (which was no change for me, as I don’t sleep well if I eat too late) and then fast until noon the next day. Now, 14 months later, that remains my default day.
It took about five months for my weight to drop to what it is today - 70kg / 155lb - which is exactly where I want to be. I weigh myself every morning and keep a written record. I’m not obsessive, but I continue to find it interesting and I feel that, at my age, if I don’t keep a close watch on the pounds, they could gradually creep up again. Just as a typical snapshot, since the start of this month, I’ve had one Huel a day all except six days, when I had two, and I missed IF twice. I don’t give myself a hard time if I miss IF - it’s usually due to entertaining, drinking late, or some other fun event, and the odd day here and there isn’t going to matter.
Last week, I went to the doctors over a little skin place on my thigh that had changed recently - he says it’s just an age thing and definitely nothing to worry about, which was great. I’m so rarely there that I tend to get a few checks done at the same time, and I was delighted with these results…
Blood Pressure - perfect (can’t recall the exact numbers but that was his word!)
BMI - perfect (ditto)
No anaemia, diabetes, prostate or thyroid issues.
Total cholesterol - 4.5 (perfect)
HDL (good cholesterol) 2.2
As you’ll appreciate, I’m bloody delighted with all of that!
On a side note, I took a bit of a risk at the weekend. I always make up my Huel the night before so it’s in the fridge for a few hours before I have it. Due to a meal miscalculation, I had one on Sunday that had been in the fridge for over the 24-hour recommended maximum - closer to 36 hours, in fact. And I drank it. Look, it did taste a bit odd, and I ended up having only about 4/5 of it, but I was absolutely fine afterwards.
I’m a little warier of the Huel bar I found. The only one in the house, and I lost it for ages, and now it’s turned up, it’s best before date is November last year. I might have a cautious nibble, but I’ve never actually tried one so I don’t know what to expect.
I summary, then, Huel suits me beautifully, as does intermittent fasting. It’s helped me to feel now at the peak of physical health, a feeling backed up by my mini-medical last week. As long as Huel continue to sell the Original Vanilla (because I really, really dislike the “New and Improved”) I’m a customer for life, for sure.
