Please think twice before signing up to this DIET!!!
Please think twice before signing up to this DIET!!!
I joined the 8020 lifestyle plan after seeing Dan on TT, for £25 a month (back then) for a 16 week content sounded too good to be true.. well I suppose it was because it was truly a waste of money, time and effort. you are lead to believe for the money you will get bespoke cal/macros, 16 weeks content to help you ‘stop dieting, start living’, advice on nutrition as well as support, recipes, menopause knowledge and he can cure binge eating. On joining you fill out a form and get calories etc for this you will get given the basic generic calories you can find on any tdee calculator (just look for the maintenance calories) and told to walk 10k steps or build it up from 6k this is the same for everyone so the starting info as ‘sold’ is NOT bespoke! I questioned the cal limit and was told to eat the calories ‘enjoy the extra food and freedom’. After a bombardment of emails (there are so many!) I watched the first two weeks videos, took my first set of measurements and starting photos, weighed and tracked it all on the spreadsheet as well as the eform they send. Ps there are 14 points on your body to measure … each week! You are told not to weigh but I’m glad I did.
after a couple of weeks I asked some advice on a live as I’d not really lost anything (almost 1cm in total) I was concerned I was missing something however I was hitting all the targets, drinking, walking calories etc. I was simply told to trust the process. Few more weeks I asked the same question as again no loss but my scale weight had increased. This time I was asked a series of Q’s then told to email all the measurements, progress photos, photo proof of cals eaten and steps count. Not really sure why I needed to do this as I was submitting most of this weekly on the forms sent out. anyway I did and I was told I could increase steps but not reduce calories and continue to trust the process again it’ll work (oh and don’t weigh).
Additionally I was offered a one off phone call with Dan for £99 if I felt I needed extra motivation, or had I considered upgrading the plan. Having watched the videos so far done the mindset work, met all the targets I really couldn’t see the benefit of paying more speak to someone, I did consider the higher package but I couldn’t afford it and apart from a monthly call I couldn’t see what difference there was that wasn’t already being ‘promised’ as part of the initial package.
More weeks passed and I went to see my GP for BP check up. my weight had increased further, bursting into tears I explained that I had been trying so hard, the plan I had been following, I even took print outs of the spreadsheet I had been tracking everything on, the GP was very helpful and advised me to STOP this diet ASAP, the ethos around move more was ok ‘in theory’ but the calories set were way too high and no amount of walking would counter balance the calorie input is been put on! Let alone create a deficit. When I mentioned this to 8020 it was laughed off and suggested I change my GP.
If you are one of the unlucky ones who are stuck in the plan contact citizen advice as they were very helpful with how I should proceed.
Additionally Dan often ranted about trolls on lives & I once felt sorry for him however after a little investigation it’s clear almost all those which he calls trolls are simply disappointed past members speaking out, they’ve treated some of these people terribly by 8020, staff, supporters or Dan himself.
anyone leaving truthful reviews of their experience is being branded a troll however 8020 has admitted to to failing members but still refuse to accept their plan is anything but successful, they have not done anything to try to make amends or provide what’s simply been paid for, nor refund for a mis-sold product/plan.
Ps There is some great support from past members who have come together (who 8020 calls ‘tattle’ trolls) a quick Google search should point you in the right direction. This is by far more positive than the toxic academy support you will have access to if you join the plan.