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HEALTH

HMR Program
#26 in Best Diets Overall

Overall Score 2.8/5

Overview

What is HMR Program?

This diet has been reviewed by U.S. News' team of expert panelists. LEARN MORE »

The Health Management Resources Program is a weight loss system designed to reduce
calories via meal replacement with added fruits and vegetables. Through this program, the aim
is to learn healthy lifestyle strategies, increase physical activity and personal accountability.

Any diet may help you lose weight, but people who change their lifestyle through the HMR
program maintain signi cant weight loss through either the medically supervised, in-clinic or at-
home options. Three times as much weight is lost and kept off using meal replacements,
compared to traditional diets, experts say. The HMR Program was developed more than 30
years ago by Lawrence Sti er, a behavioral psychologist and former president of HMR. HMR
meal replacements – low-calorie shakes, meals, nutrition bars and multigrain hot cereal – are
eaten in place of other meals and snacks. In addition, eating fruits and vegetables, which are
naturally low in calories, helps displace higher-calorie foods from a diet. By mixing vegetables
and fruits with HMR meal replacements, you have lling, nutritious meals. Physical activity is
essential for successful long-term weight management, and a little exercise – just 10 to 20
minutes of walking per day – will help you attain weight-loss goals.

Low-Calorie Diet
These diets provide far fewer calories than is generally recommended, which leads to weight
loss.

Pros & Cons

Meals delivered to you

Phased approach for quick start on weight loss

Eating out limited

Shakes could get humdrum

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U.S. News Best Diet Rankings

HMR Program ranked #26 in Best Diets Overall. 35 diets were evaluated with input from a panel
of health experts. See how we rank diets here.

HMR Program is ranked:

#26 in Best Diets Overall

#1 in Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets

#10 in Best Weight-Loss Diets (tie)

#24 in Best Heart-Healthy Diets (tie)

#24 in Best Diabetes Diets (tie)

#9 in Best Commercial Diet Plans

#26 in Best Diets for Healthy Eating (tie)

#17 in Easiest Diets to Follow (tie)

SCORECARD 2.8/5

Short-Term Weight Loss 4.0/5

Long-Term Weight Loss 2.3/5

Easy to Follow 2.4/5

Healthy 3.0/5

Scores are based on experts' reviews.

How does HMR Program work?

The HMR at Home Program – also referred to as the Healthy Solutions Diet – is HMR’s most
population option. It averages 1,200 to 1,500 daily calories and involves two phases.

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Phase one is the Quick Start phase, during which the goal is to lose weight as quickly as
possible. Take these steps to get started on HMR at Home:

The Quick Start diet kit includes all the HMR foods you need for the rst three weeks, except
for fruit and vegetables, which you provide yourself.
Automatic food shipments will then arrive every two weeks. Home delivery helps ensure you
never run out of food, which could interrupt your weight loss.
You'll also start learning healthy lifestyle strategies.

You then transition to phase two once you reach your goal weight, or you're ready for less
structure in your diet. While the time in phase one depends on the your individual weight-loss
goal, expected weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds per week, with an average weight loss of 23 pounds
over the rst 12 weeks.

[Check out Nutrisystem, which also features prepackaged, delivered meals.]

In phase two, you'll receive HMR food monthly, work in other healthy food options and focus
more on lifestyle changes while either maintaining your phase one weight loss or continuing to
lose weight at your own pace. Weekly telephone coaching sessions with dietitians and exercise
physiologists provide support and encourage accountability.

Phase one uses the "three-two- ve" daily diet plan. That means a minimum of three HMR
shakes, two HMR entrees and ve 1-cup servings of fruits and vegetables. If you're hungry, you
can eat more of these low-calorie foods and still lose weight. For variety, you can mix and match
HMR foods and the fresh, canned or frozen produce you buy, but you don't have to make any
other food choices. "Staying in the box" – on the diet – is easier when you keep these foods at
home, work and everywhere you go, along with reducing access to tempting outside foods as
much as possible. You're urged to avoid fast-food restaurants and coffee shops, and to consider
temporarily limiting social activities that center around food. Adding physical activity is the
second part of this phase, with the goal of quickly working up to burning 2,000 calories each
week. You can spread physical activity throughout the day, and it can be moderate-intensity
exercise, such as walking, swimming, dancing or using a treadmill at a moderate pace. Tracking
is done through the HMR mobile app.

Phase two – the transition phase – lasts four to eight weeks. You continue with physical activity
and progress tracking, but now the food plan shifts. You'll eat some HMR foods and continue
with the same amount of fruits and vegetables (35 servings a week), while gradually adding in
healthy non-HMR, low-calorie foods. The goal is to start building healthy eating habits for long-
term weight maintenance. You begin to make food choices while strategically using at least 14
HMR foods a week rather than higher-calorie outside meals. You'll focus on lean proteins
(including sh, skinless chicken breasts and veggie burgers), using low-calorie cooking methods
such as baking, broiling and steaming and grains (including rice, pasta and oatmeal), and you'll
practice balancing low- and higher-calorie days along with physical activity levels.

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*In-Clinic Options: About 60 U.S. hospitals, medical practices and other facilities offer the HMR
clinic programs, which combine structured diets, lifestyle education, group support and the
HMR weight-loss foods. Some plans are medically supervised, and all offer a weight
maintenance program. All HMR participants receive a medical screening when they join. Based
on the diet you choose, your body mass index and your medical history, the staff will decide if
you need medical supervision. In general, people with 50 or more pounds to lose will achieve
their goal more quickly with the HMR Decision-Free diet, which includes medical supervision,
because the calorie range is so low (about 500 to 1,000 calories per day). With the Decision-
Free diet, participants eat only HMR meal replacements (no added fruits or vegetables). People
on the HMR Healthy Solutions diet generally don't require medical supervision except in certain
circumstances, such as taking medications for the treatment of diabetes.

D O ' S & D O N ' TS

Do: Eat a lot of fruit and veggies.

Learn More »

What can I eat?

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1 of 12

HMR Multigrain Cereal

HMR Multigrain Hot Cereal is a hearty and satisfying whole grain cereal with a blend of oats, wheat and corn, plus
tangy red currants, cranberries and apple bits.

( C O U RT E S Y O F H M R P R O G R A M )

How much does HMR Program cost?

The retail value of the three-week HMR starter kit is $301.65, with new members able to buy a
starter kit for $179 to $199 (and free shipping when joining the program. The standard two-
week reorder kit costs $185. Individually, shakes, cereal and soup run between roughly $2 and
$2.50 per serving. Entrees cost $3.70 per serving and can be ordered online. You'll save on
costs in the meat and processed-food sections of your grocery store, while possibly spending
more money than you're used to spending in the produce aisle.

Will HMR Program help you lose weight?

Losing weight can be simpler if you outsource meal preparation and limit food decisions and
high-calorie temptations. A meta-analysis of six studies, published in the International Journal
of Obesity in 2003, concluded that meal replacement strategies can safely and effectively lead
to signi cant and sustainable weight loss. In phase one, HMR delivers all your low-calorie, heat-
and-eat entrees and add-liquid-and-blend shakes. Sticking with HMR selections plus fresh
produce, along with recommended levels of moderate exercise (about 36 minutes of daily
walking at an average pace), should lead to weight loss. The at-home program reports an
average loss of 13 to 20 pounds overall, with higher numbers for people who take part in weekly
phone counseling.

HMR-sponsored research shows obese patients using HMR meal replacements plus vegetables
and fruit lost nearly 29 pounds more than patients who just received weight-loss counseling
over 24 weeks. Another study found an average 37.5-pound loss in 18 weeks and a 43.5-pound
loss for medically supervised patients in 19 weeks. Other HMR-sponsored studies showed
similar or better results.

In April 2015, a Kansas-based health care system using the HMR Program released data on
nearly 1,000 participants who enrolled between 2009 and 2013. After a year of participation,
patients lost 19% of their body weight on average.

In a 2015 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers reviewed the results of 39
randomly-controlled trials of commercial weight-loss programs, including Weight Watchers,
Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, HMR, Medifast, SlimFast, Optifast and Atkins. Along with its cohort of

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“very-low-calorie programs,” HMR participants lost 4% more weight in the short-term than
counseling, but longer-term results were mixed.

How easy is HMR Program to follow?

The HMR Program is ranked #17 in Easiest Diets to Follow (tie)

S E E H O W OT H E R D I E TS R A N K E D »

As with any diet, you may miss fatty foods, especially at rst. Snacks made with HMR shake
powders should satisfy your sweet tooth (with added noncaloric sweeteners), although you
might get more than your ll of shakes and smoothies during phase one. Phase two involves
daily calorie balancing, estimating and tracking physical activity, and learning how to gradually
phase in outside food choices, especially lean proteins, including low-fat dairy and grains.

It’s convenient but you need a blender. With the meals and shake mixes delivered right to your
door, HMR phase one saves a lot of time at the supermarket, although you'll be frequenting the
produce section and picking up allowed add-ins, such as diet sodas, vanilla extract, sugar-free
gelatin mix, mustard, salsa and spices. Because shakes made in a blender are more lling, you
might want to consider bringing a blender to work, or blending shakes at home and using a
thermos for transport. Entrees and hot cereals are microwaveable, and packages are shelf-
ready (no need to refrigerate).

There are resources for recipes. The "Recipes for Weight Loss & Weight Management Booklet"
in the HMR starter kit includes recipes for vanilla and chocolate-mix shakes, oats, mousses,
hot drinks and puddings, along with several recipes for HMR Multigrain Hot Cereal, like Maple
Banana Bonanza. One page has suggestions for adding vegetables to HMR 500 Chicken Soup.
The 14 entree-based recipes in the booklet include beef stroganoff with noodles, cheese and
basil ravioli with tomato sauce, chicken creole with brown rice, ve bean casserole, and
Mexican-style beef and bean enchiladas with sauce. For more options, you can turn to the HMR
website (www.hmrprogram.com) for hundreds of additional recipes.

Eating out is tough. You'll want to avoid restaurants altogether in phase one – even if they
would allow you to bring your own HMR foods (and prepare them), you're advised to control your
environment and stay out of temptation's way. Tips for staying on track in "challenging" food
environments, like parties, include bringing your own entrees and fruit and veggie packets, and
eating a meal at home before you go out, as well as creating a list of restaurants with enjoyable
low-calorie options for phase two.

Delivery is a timesaver. Having entrees and shakes delivered to your door – with the option to
also order foods like HMR BeneFit bars, chicken soup and multigrain cereals – should cut time
at the grocery store. You won't have to spend much time meal planning, either, especially during
phase one.
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Choose your level of support. Program support materials include the phase one and two guide
and recipe bookletsand the HMR Calorie Guide. You can take advantage of free group coaching
by phone, and click on tips and blogs on the HMR website, where you can also connect with
fellow dieters in the community section. HMR recently added an online platform featuring
resources for building a healthier lifestyle and tools to track lifestyle behaviors. A digital-only
option, including the online app and behavioral coaching resources, is available if you prefer a
do-it-yourself approach. If you choose the in-clinic option, in-person classes are available at
most HMR locations.

Feeling full shouldn’t be a problem. With six total meal and snack breaks throughout the day,
not to mention the "more is better" option to add additional HMR foods if you're still hungry, you
should feel as full as you need to. The phase one booklet says that, depending on someone's
weight, a person would have to eat between eight and 10 shakes daily to stop losing weight.
However, moderation is still a good idea with whatever diet you follow.

Tailor the taste to your preferences. The HMR foods and shakes are edible in and of
themselves, and because you mix and match selections – tailoring them with your own favorite
fruits, vegetables, spices, low-calorie condiments, sweeteners, sauces and other add-ons – how
it all tastes is largely up to you.

How much should you exercise on HMR Program?

The goal is to burn at least 2,000 calories or more with physical activity each week, building up
as quickly as possible. Strategies include spreading out activity in short amounts throughout
the day and doing moderate-intensity exercise such as walking, swimming, dancing or using a
treadmill at a moderate pace. Walking is most popular among HMR clients. It would take a 225-
pound person about 36 minutes of walking per day at an average pace to meet the goal,
according to the brochure. Tracking your own physical activity as well as food intake is part of
the program. Physical activity lowers your risk of heart disease and diabetes, helps keep weight
off and increases your energy level. Most experts suggest getting at least 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity exercise – like brisk walking – most or all days of the week.

Want to learn more about the HMR Program?

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