My Review: HMR Program For Weight Loss (Diet, Recipes, Rules & Cost)

Time to review HMR Program for Weight Loss – a diet plan that seems to be very popular:

  • ranked among the best short-term weight loss diets
  • based on meal replacements
  • very expensive

Judging by this, you may feel intrigued by this program.

Don't worry – we will look at the diet, recipes, rules and cost.

In short, this article will tell you everything you need to know about it.

Note: This review is based on my own research + analysis of HMR Program.

Review Summary

Full Name: Health Management Resources Program by HMRHMR Program

Product Type: Weight Loss Food

Best Actual Price: $189 (starter plan, three-week supply)

Cheapest Place To Buy: The official website

Designed For: Making weight loss quick and accessible.

My Rating: 6 out of 10

Recommended?: Not exactly – it's not worth the money:

  • based on meal replacements
  • requires you to eat 6 times a day
  • very rigid diet

These aspects definitely do not justify the expensive price.

I assure you that there are other diets that are more affordable and of higher quality.

 

What I Liked About It

  • Pretty helpful in terms of weight loss
  • Quite convenient to use
  • Teaches you to lead a healthier life
  • Available both online and face-to-face

 

What I Didn't Like About It

  • All about meal replacements
  • Consists of lots of processed foods
  • Its calories may not be enough for some people
  • Very restrictive
  • Not very inclusive when it comes to dietary restrictions
  • Recently resumed business activities, so information is still up in the air
  • Not exactly affordable

 

 


HMR Program In A Nutshell


Given the fact that it's regarded as a very efficient diet for short-term weight lossHMR Program

You probably know a thing or two about HMR Program, right?

Now, there are a couple of aspects that set HMR apart from other options:

  • focused on meal replacements
  • provides few calories
  • is very restrictive

While this program might get praised a lot, it is definitely not for everyone.

Not only does it provide a low amount of calories that might leave you wanting more…

But it's also not a viable option for people with all sorts of dietary restrictions.

That being said, if you have a gluten allergy, a lactose intolerance, or anything of the sort…

You cannot enjoy this diet program safely.

Now – another aspect that is highly important is that HMR was recently bought:

  1. They announced that the company is closing down a few months back.
  2. As of the beginning of 2023, their website says they are resuming activity.

Right now, the subscription service is on hold.

There is also very little information regarding how everything will work from now on.

As such, time can only tell how HMR Program will fare going forward.

Regardless, it's unlikely that they are going to lower their price.

Before halting their activity, they used to be quite expensive.

Honestly, you're better off going for a program that is able to give you all the information at once.

There are many alternatives that are more put together than HMR, trust me.

You just need to give them a chance.

 

 

 


#1 – What is HMR Program?


In short, HMR Program consists of a diet that helps you lose weight easily:

  • very restrictive
  • based on meal replacements
  • low in calories

Right from the start, you should know that such a diet is not for everyone.

Now, be aware that HMR Program was inactive for a while.

This may affect the accuracy of the information in this article…

Because the company very recently came back, but it's unclear how much of it is still the same.

It is simply too early to make sure that everything is how it used to be.

The official website states that the weight loss programs and service options will remain unchanged.

In the end, only time will tell.

Until then, let's look at how HMR Program worked until they took a break, shall we?

  1. Program consisted of two phases.
  2. May have also included in-person meetings (depending on your location).

If you didn't know, this program also entails coaching and medical supervision.

Of course, this is all to ensure that the weight-loss process is going as it should.

Also, be aware that when it comes to the entrees…

They arrive frozen, which may not be ideal for your health [1].

Here's what the HMR diet contains:

  • processed foods
  • shakes
  • fruits & vegetables

Basically, you will have to give up on quite a few foods you might like.

In the past, it also used to be subscription-based.

For now, it seems like this aspect was put on hold.

But let's see how exactly everything works out.

 

 


#2 – How It Works & History


Time to dissect the ins and outs of HMR Program:

  • how it takes action
  • whether it's for you or not
  • its history
1. How It Works

As I previously said, this diet works in two phases:

  1. Weight-Loss Phase – consuming only HMR products, plus veggies & fruits.
  2. Maintenance Phase – regular foods are reintroduced, but you still eat 2 HMR products per day.

Together, they are supposed to teach you to stay healthy and thin.

On top of that, it follows the “3+2+5” rule for your everyday diet:

  • at least 3 HMR shakes every day
  • 2 HMR entrees
  • 5 servings of veggies and/or fruits

I also mentioned that you can opt for coaching and medical supervision.

You should know that you can choose between losing weight at home or in person.

Of course, this depends on whether one of the HMR clinics is in your proximity.

Regardless, feel free to choose whichever option suits you best.

From there, you will be asked to choose which food you would like to receive.

Now – the reason why HMR Program has potential is that it creates a calorie deficit [2].

If you only eat what the diet recommends, you will consume about 1000 calories per day:

  • meals provide no more than 300 calories
  • shakes only go up to 100-160 calories each
  • getting more fruits/veggies gives you a couple hundred more

Keep in mind that the program also encourages you to work out in order to burn more calories.

That way, the pace at which you shed extra pounds is faster.

Besides, if you're worried about consuming meal replacements…

According to studies, they can be quite good for weight loss [3].

But oftentimes they are hit-or-miss.

Plus, fruits and veggies contain lots of fiber, which makes you feel full for longer periods of time [4].

All in all, it seems like HMR knows the basics of weight loss: portion control and low calories.

2. History

Initially, HMR was founded by Dr. Lawrence Stifler, along with a team of specialists.

Together, HMR provided its services to various medical centers, hospitals, and health systems.

As time went on, it caught on and became more and more popular.

Eventually, however, in early November the company announced its closure.

But at the end of 2022, HMR was bought by the same parent company that owns Profile Plan Nutrition + Wellness.

Knowing this, the return of the program makes sense now.

 

 

 


#3 – Weight Loss Plans (6 out of 10)


This section will present to you the plans available for your weight loss journey.

Now – keep in mind that it's unclear how much remains the same.

At the moment, the official website is still working out the details.

But I will tell you about how everything used to work before November 2022.

1. Lose Weight At Home

Essentially, everything is delivered to your door and you get to enjoy every service from home:

  • the food
  • online coaching
  • assistance from a team of specialists

For now, there are not many details on the official website.

Most pages that once gave information regarding their programs now redirect to the homepage.

Seems like the company needs a bit more time to sort out the logistics.

At the time I'm writing this article, however, it is uncertain how long this will take.

Regardless, this plan does not require you to be at a clinic to get all the benefits.

Due to this, it is definitely the more convenient option.

2. Lose Weight In Person

Of course, this presents you with the exact same benefits…

Only that you will also go to the HMR clinic in order to enjoy some advantages in person.

Apart from that, there is no real difference.

Some people may feel more motivated if they are in contact with other people on the same journey.

Therefore, if you think you're one of those people…

Maybe an in-person approach would benefit you more.

However, remember that it depends on your location.

So check whether a clinic is close by before signing up for this plan.


Conclusion

Because of the very recent return of HMR Program, minute details may or may not change.

Still, their plans are quite customizable…

You can choose the foods and whether or not you want to take part in a face-to-face program…

Or if you would rather go through everything from the comfort of your home.

Still – there are much better selections out there.

 

 

 


#4 – Meals & Menu (6 out of 10)


It's finally time to get to the heart of the matter – the food from HMR.

It's currently unknown how much of the menu is subject to change.

Still, I will tell you about what everything looks like right now.

1. The Menu

Let's remember that the HMR Program diet consists of:

  • pre-packaged meals
  • shakes
  • fruits and vegetables

Of course, these are mainly compulsory for the first phase of the program.

However, you never fully remove HRM foods from your diet, so they remain relevant going forward.

You might find HRM to be too strict, though.

Besides, you can probably tell that it is a pretty rigid diet.

It does not really comply with many dietary restrictions.

So, if you have severe allergies or follow a very particular diet, maybe this is not the best option for you.

Now – it is true that this program comes with considerable advantages:

  • pre-planned
  • pre-portioned

This means you don't have to count any calories, nor do you have to prepare anything.

However, there is not a lot of variety, which may leave you feeling like you want more.

It may even lead to overeating, since you might feel like you need to compensate.

Not to mention that this diet is very low in calories, which might not be enough for everyone.

Of course, that depends on how active of a person you are.

Regardless, this program could be too much for some people.

In other words, definitely don't go for it just because it has a high rating.

It's always best to look into the details to work out whether you see yourself committing.

2. The Meals

In case you are curious about what HMR offers on your plate…

We finally reached the point where we can talk about these details.

Again – because the website is still incomplete, we don't know if this is everything they have.

Still, let's go through them one by one.

Here are the HMR shakes:

  1. Vanilla
  2. Chocolate

Next, here are a few of their entrees:

  1. Crustless Chicken Pot Pie
  2. Fiesta Chicken
  3. Lasagna
  4. Mushroom Risotto

Last but not least, the snack bars:

  1. Fudge Graham Bar
  2. Chocolate Peanut Butter
  3. Double Chocolate Chip
  4. Iced Oatmeal

Also, they offer a chicken soup mix, if you're into that.

Keep in mind that you can check the nutritional facts on the packaging.

Of course, this also means that this information is available online.

However, I agree that HMR lacks variety in terms of entrees.

There are not that many options to choose from, which might bore you after a while.

Knowing that in the first phase, you have to eat 2 of their ready-made meals daily.

It's up to you whether you can put up with that or not.

Still – know that there are better options out there.

 

 

 


#5 – Results (7 out of 10)


As you may know, HMR is not exactly new on the market.

Still, from my experience, it's quite hard to find reliable user reviews online.

This is a bummer because user feedback is quite important when deciding on a purchase.

On that note, let us see what people think of HMR as a whole.

1. Positive Reviews

First off, let us look at the advantages that HMR Program has.

That way, you can see whether or not it is compatible with what you are after.

You might know that HMR has a rather promising reputation if you have read anything about it.

It is time to see why that is.

Keep in mind that while there are some success stories on the official website…

I normally steer clear because I am looking for unbiased opinions.

Therefore, here is what 3rd party websites have to say about HMR Program:

  1. People appreciate how convenient this program is.
  2. Some also said the entrees taste good.
  3. A few also claimed they don't get hungry while on this diet.
  4. Customers are also saying they are seeing results in terms of weight loss.
  5. They also like that HMR teaches them to live a healthy lifestyle.

Someone even said they managed to lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time:

Of course, these are very reassuring.

After all, the most important thing about a weight-loss program is for it to work.

Of course, it has to do so in a healthy and sustainable way…

Which many customers claim to be true.

2. Negative Reviews

On the flip side, there are also less favorable aspects of HMR.

It is true that this applies to everything, however.

Still – it's important to take into account potential issues…

So that you can decide whether you want to compromise.

Let's get to what people were not liking when it comes to this program:

  1. Some people said this is no different than other programs based on meal replacements.
  2. A few customers also said they did not experience any weight loss.
  3. People also said some of the entrees were inedible.
  4. A few people were having negative experiences with face-to-face coaching.

It looks like one particular customer was accused of lying to their coach…

Which is far from an ideal situation.

Getting rid of a customer for reasons which are not grounded is definitely the wrong move.

That being said, maybe following this program in an online format is better.


Conclusion

To be fair, the fact that user reviews are quite rare when it comes to HMR is off-putting.

It should not be this difficult to find people talking about something that is supposedly very popular.

Plus, the reviews contradict each other at some point.

Regardless, while HRM Program is far from the worst weight-loss program I have seen…

It is definitely not overly impressive either.

 

 

 


#6 – Side Effects (7 out of 10)


You may have noticed that the user reviews do not mention adverse reactions.HMR Program

In turn, we cannot fully assess the safety of HMR Program.

That's because we lack the experience of previous users in this department.

Still, here are a few symptoms to keep an eye out for:

  • exhaustion
  • excessive bloating
  • no energy

Whenever your diet goes through a drastic change, you might feel these issues.

It is essential that you monitor the situation to prevent everything from worsening.

Otherwise, you might find yourself dealing with more dramatic symptoms.

For example, in more serious cases, you might even deal with diarrhea and/or abdominal cramping

None of which are particularly pleasant, of course.

Besides, remember to closely inspect the state of any ready-made meal before eating it.

The worst-case scenario is that you get food poisoning.

Of course, if you are paying close attention to how the food looks…

You should not run into any of these issues.

 

 


#7 – Price (5 out of 10)


Generally speaking, weight-loss programs tend to run for pretty high prices.

Let us see – is this also the case for HMR Program?

Allow me to give you all the details below.

1. The Exact Price

Although it may not seem that way when you look at everything separately…

HMR Program tends to get quite expensive fairly quickly.

Right now, you are not able to buy proper plans, given that the website is being reworked.

However, we can still infer the cost based on what is available at this moment:

  • one week of First Phase would cost over $100 (14 entrees, 21 shakes)
  • additional servings of fruits & veggies vary in price

As you can see, it is far from affordable.

Not to mention that you can't even get everything you need from their website.

Obviously, you have to take care of the fruits & veggies part of your diet.

This means that the price will fluctuate based on their cost.

2. Competitor's Price

If you're not convinced by this program, you might want to know if there's a better option.

Fortunately, I can tell you about my top recommendation for a weight-loss meal plan.

It's a program called Nutrisystem:

  1. Nutrisystem works much better in terms of weight loss.
  2. That's because it is based on actual food instead of meal replacements.
  3. Not to mention that Nutrisystem caters to many dietary restrictions.
  4. It is also much more customizable than HMR Program.
  5. Also, don't forget that it's less strict as well.
  6. On this note, if you prefer a diverse menu, Nutrisystem is the way to go.
  7. Lastly, my recommendation saves you money since it starts at $9.99 per day.

Keeping all this in mind, I definitely think Nutrisystem would benefit you more.

It's a much more lenient approach to weight loss.

Plus, you don't have to wait around to go for one of their plans…

You can just find out everything on the spot with no waiting around.


Conclusion

Now – HMR Program is not the most expensive weight-loss program ever, that's true.

However, it is also far from affordable.

In the First Phase at least, you will be spending well over $100 per week.

If you can successfully transition to the Second Phase, the price will slowly dwindle.

Still, this doesn't change the fact that you start off paying large amounts of money.

From this perspective, there are better alternatives out there.

 

 

 


#8 – Final Conclusions


Now that the article is reaching its end, let's go over the main ideas regarding HMR Program.

1. Meal Replacements Are Key

I'm sure you got this by now, but HMR Program heavily relies on meal replacement.

This means that instead of having a meal, you will instead drink a smoothie, for example.

As you can see, this program wants you to eat 6 times a day.

However, only 2 of those times consist of actual food.

The rest are smoothies and/or fruits & veggies.

Still – you might find that this diet provides few calories.

Be sure that your body can handle this.

2. Very Restrictive

You might have noticed this already, but HMR is very strict.

Especially when it comes to the first part of the program, at least.

During that time, eating anything that is not from their brand is heavily discouraged.

So, if you have any cravings, you should know how to keep them under control.

Otherwise, this program might make you struggle a bit.

3. Back In Action After Closing Down

A few months back, HMR Program announced its end.

Since the beginning of the year, they suddenly return and aim to resume their services.

They claim that no changes are going to be made to the way they used to operate…

But the details are yet to be disclosed, so no one really knows what is to come.

Because of this, we cannot tell what will follow.

 

 


My Verdict – Worth It Or Not?


Short answer: No, it's not that impressive.HMR Program

HMR does not have that much going for itself:

  1. Based on meal replacements.
  2. Quite low in calories.
  3. The First Phase is very strict.
  4. Pretty rigid diet overall – not a lot of customization.
  5. Does not cater to many dietary restrictions.
  6. The company just resumed action, so details are still being worked out.
  7. Not necessarily affordable.

All in all, while HMR is definitely not a bad option…

I definitely would not say it stands out from other alternatives.

Given that it is rather restrictive, you run the risk of giving in to cravings…

Or maybe even overeating.

I assure you that there are options out there that do not put you in such situations.

For instance, remember Nutrisystem?

It is by far my top recommendation for a weight-loss meal plan:

  • very efficient for losing weight
  • makes for a highly customizable experience
  • offers viable options for people with allergies
  • lower in price, higher in quality

Keeping all this in mind, I assure you that Nutrisystem is the superior choice here.

I am confident that it has everything it takes to impress you.

So, don't hesitate to give it a try!

References:

1 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-17216975/

2 – https://journals.physiology.org/doi/-full/10.1152/

3 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-30675990/

4 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/-PMC6888291/

Written by 

Sara is passionate about health, beauty and cosmetics. She likes to do research and to find new information about various medical topics. You can connect with her via Linkedin.

Last updated: January 12, 2023

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