Is Blogilates Lying to You about LUMEN? (Can You HACK Your Metabolism?)

Hey everyone I’m Abbey Sharp welcome to Abbey’s Kitchen. In todays video, we will be talking about Lumen, the metabolism tracker designed to help lose weight.

Thank you to my dietitian colleague, Eric Williamson, for his contribution to the video!
Eric Williamson, RD

A FEW DISCLAIMERS
1) The information in this video is for education and entertainment purposes only, so you should always speak to a health care provider about your unique health needs.
2) Please use this video (as with all of my review videos) as educational, not as unique recommendations.
3) Please be kind in the comments.
4) Trigger warning to those with disordered eating tendencies.
5) Don’t forget to subscribe to this channel and ring the little bell so you never miss out!

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If you liked this video, please leave me a comment below with your thoughts and let me know who you want me to review next!

With Science & Sass,
Xoxo Abbey

Contribution by Giselle Segovia RD, MHSC

[orozcoee]

Hi Abby- I’m a Latina woman and I would love for you to talk about how diet culture has completely villainized cultural foods that may be perfectly healthy but are seen as unhealthy because they aren’t the Mediterranean diet, or bland chicken breast with salad. Also how it makes it so difficult to track ethnic foods on any food tracking apps because they’re never listed so we automatically think they’re bad or stop eating a balanced meal because we can’t easily track it. And so foods that are good for you or not inherently bad like plantains, ropa vieja, morisqueta, enchiladas, tortillas, pinto beans, rice, albóndigas, etc are thrown out and replaced with a Eurocentric diet.

Also I love your science backed videos. It’s so refreshing. No bro science here just real peer reviewed information and I love for this.

[Chelseyandfam]

As soon as I saw the title of the video I answered, “yes.” She will say anything for clicks and likes. I loved blogilates 10+ years ago but as soon as she started her “weight loss journey” as a healthy 130lb woman I was out.

[jjcc]

The phrase “Hack your Metabolism” immediately puts up reds flags for me

[addilee]

Ah! PhD student studying energy metabolism here with a particular focus in indirect calorimetry (using respired gas to estimate metabolic state and heat production)! We had a quick discussion about the Lumen in our lab. So in RER or in our words RQ is the ratio of CO2:O2 in L/d. If over 1.1 are in fat deposition, 1 is maintenance, and 0.71ish is fat metabolism. While lumen gets the CO2 it misses a huge part of the equation... O2! As you said CO2 tells you a piece of the puzzle but not everything because oxygen is such a huge component of understanding our metabolism especially when fats are being utilized for energy!

[kclark]

This diet/device was the catalyst for me to quit dieting after years of restricting. The feeling of failure if I woke up in carb burn, the weird meals just to hit a macro number, the inability to be flexible at all.

[athinacrilley]

The words 'hack your metabolism' alone just annoy tf out of me. Your metabolism doesn't need to be 'hacked' 😩 thank you for covering this and clearing up all of the bs for everybody!

[Demonessneko]

I used to absolutely love blogilates because she would promote equality, and self love etc. But now, I find that her message doesn't necessarily align with her actions, and ultimately I became concerned about her own wellbeing and denial . I had to stop following her :( . I'm terrified over people who look up to her, who may struggle with food / weight loss / exercise. The relationship with exercise and food needs to be looked into and healed, before takin in any journey.

I really hate how fats and carbs are so villainised: they're VERY important fuels that our body needs to just function, and are crual for muscle gain or fat loss.

Thank you for making this video! Your insight is amazing and very neutral :)

[shweta]

Girlll your hair is looking so good 💁🏻‍♀️

[biancasadventure]

I don’t like any gadgets/products that say they’re gonna help you “lose weight” and I’ve never liked blogilates. I don’t watch her but what I have seen, not for me. Thanks Abbey for keeping it real. The best weight loss plan is one that is sustainable and you can stick to :)
I think a lot of people want to lose weight fast but don’t realize that they didn’t gain the weight overnight either. It’s taken me 3 years to lose 64lbs and yeah it’s way slower for a lot of people but I’ve been able to stick w it and I was fixing my relationship w food first. making a lifestyle change was the best thing I could have done for myself!
And only getting stronger! Y’all got this too 💪🏽

[tizi]

Abbey you need to get yourself a Lumen. Period. End of story. You can't talk abut the device without having tested t on yourself. I would actually be very curious because I would trust you opinion.
Lumen does exactly what you are saying it should be doing. It DOES stress the long term goals of FLEXIBILITY over just constant fat burning and it does teach you to monitor this. On boosting or higher carbs days you are encouraged to test you carb burning abilty after eating a higher carb meal. This is a crucial and important measurement.
I personally feel I have learned a lot about my own metabolism and have built healthier habits. I have not lost any weight with Lumen but my body composition has changed, although not dramatically.
Overall, I feel Lumen could really use you.

[cortneycynefin]

Thank you for this video!!!! My BS meter alarmed when I saw the first ad for Lumen.

[Julie-pouk]

I kept seeing ads for Lumen and thought this has to be so triggering to use, especially if you're someone who suffers from years of restriction. It's just another way to measure yourself and find more reasons why you may not be good enough. It's so unhealthy to have imo, and more so seeing influencers promote it

[theferalacademic]

“is blogilates lying ab-“ yes. always yes.

[douglasquist]

I use lumen and like it
All it does is adjust macro carbs fat protein
To equal your calorie intake
It always adjust these to 1800
After work out the app changes all macros but keeps it at 1800

[Wellspring.speaking]

The quantifying of everything down to such specifics seems to be missing the big, complex picture that is life. There is so much data out there and I feel like devices like this are selling people a false sense of control over something that needs to be dealt with much more holistically. It is preying on the desperation people feel for an easy answer

[anng]

I'm a long distance runner and I would love more sport nutrition videos!
Also, I tried lmnt and the mango chili was my favorite, too! I don't care for electrolyte drinks that taste overly sweet, so I thought these were great.

[maryorem]

Hey Abbey, I have a question for you. I’ve struggled with an eating disorder in the past and I used to look up to Cassey. But after she posted about being disappointed about her recent 90 day journey she made me feel insecure about my muscle building and how I work on myself. Do you think you could possibly do a video about her after 90 day journey and some of the pointers she brings up her fat precent age and about how much muscle she’s gained. She keeps talking about how she’s feeling unhappy with herself about that she didnt gain as much muscle and maybe bring up some things she could have done better. Thanks! Also I love your videos!

[jennagrooms]

I kept seeing ads for Lumen and knew it was a gimmick. Then one day when looking up stuff on google, lumen popped up and for shits and giggles I took their “quiz.” It told me I need to intermittent fast to boost an already high metabolism. I don’t have a high metabolism. I’m trying to fix my metabolism after being sick for over a year and unable to eat more than 1200 calories. I called bs from the start.

[chiefschicktx]

As far as diet/exercise science info you are spot on. You do however seem to have a few misconceptions about Lumen. If you use it for weight loss it gives you macros that keep you in a calorie deficit and Lumen will tell you that is what causes the weight loss, not your lumen numbers/flex score. You can meal plan it's just a little different from traditional meal planning. Once you get to the point where you are in fat burn every morning it has a pattern at that point you can plan down to the berry. Lumen does suggest fasting can benefit you if you get a higher number in the morning but it doesn't direct you to do so. They encourage clients to pay attention to their hunger cues and follow them. It's not for everyone. It does take some work but any healthy weight loss method does. It doesn't hamper my social life at all. If I have an event I take a meal or even a day off or even a week off and go back to following the plan the next day, not a big deal.

[KaoruYWerk]

Thank you for this video. I was almost lured into buying Lumen because of their Black Friday deal, but I stopped myself and searched for reviews. I was glad to have found your review. I have been trying to recover from years of “diet mentality” and recently stopped weighing myself too because I get so fixated on every little change. After watching your video, I no longer have the desire to try another thing that could set me back on my journey to re-establish a healthy relationship with food.