I have been observing a few people say they have been gaining some weight with the shops. I am just curious if I am the only one. Since I started I have gained about 15 lbs (lost a little but easy to come back).

Anyone successful in mystery shopping and losing weight? What are your tips? Do you just avoid the beloved five guys shops and any food shops?

Exactly right. I will not take restaurant shops since being diagnosed Prediabetic. Since that fateful day I've lost 5% of my body weight and it's dropping. My health is far more important than picking up a few "fun" shops. There are ways around it; throw away the fast food, take home food for the family, only at 1/2 portion, etc. However, I don't think I would enjoy my "careful eating" and mystery shopping combined. I can live without restaurant shops, so I do.

Grocery shops have become more interesting now!

I still do some BUT with a big difference.

I recently diagnosed myself as Pre-Diabetic (aka Metabolic Syndrome) after finding out my blood sugars were going up as high as 169 (having been totally normal just last year). That demanded a change, and fast.

I jumped on the Low Carb bandwagon and there is no going back. I feel much better and have lost some inches. My blood sugar readings are now back to totally normal.

This means at FF shops I only eat the meat out of the middle and throw away the bread (and once you start doing this you realize that was the biggest proportion of the meal). That can look odd when doing the eat in portion but so be it.

I taste one fry (well maybe two or three if it fits into my carb count for the day) and bring the rest home to hubby who is Type 2 and shouldn't be eating them either.

I often will throw the bread into a nearby field for the birds and critters.

I had to drop the Panda Express and Sub shops though as there is no way to eat around the carbs in those meals.

I have heard though that 5 Guys will put your burger on lettuce instead of a bun with no hassle, but not sure if that would affect the shop (I don't recall them stipulating you couldn't make requests). Then of course you would look pretty foolish sitting next to that virtual mountain of salted fries and not eat at least some of them. Sigh ....

I gained weight when I was shopping full time years ago. I'd spend all day shopping and all night working on reports. There was no time to exercise and I am also someone who gains when stressed. i never did fast food shops and have always had healthy eating habits. The weight came off once I entered the workforce an was able to get an adequate and healthy amount of sleep.

Every time you take a Five Guys shop you can follow it up with a Planet Fitness shop.

It's all about calories in versus calories burned, and keeping an accurate accounting of what you eat. I still eat Five Guys when I'm looking to shed a few pounds of fat, but I forgo the cheese and fries. A "regular" burger with pickles, onions and ketchup is less than 800 calories. That fits my weight loss plan. At Panda Express, I'll have the steamed veggies with Kung Pao Chicken and Beef & Broccoli; again, that totals less than 800 calories. At 2400 calories a day, I lose a pound a week.

I highly recommend using MyFitnessPal on a committed basis if you're looking to shed fat. Track as accurately as you can, and target a loss of 0.5 to 1 pound per week. Incorporate some weight training and light cardio, and you're golden. If you're not seeing results after a couple of weeks, drop your calories. It isn't magic, and there are no special snowflakes - if you're consistent, it works.

I have a history of high cholesterol even though I'm thin, so lately I've stopped doing ff shops. If they are bonused well, I'll do it but only eat one bite and toss the rest.

I highly recommend the Fitbit Flex. It's a bracelet you wear and it tracks how many steps you take, your water intake, calories burned, etc. You can link it to your smartphone or computer, and you can compare to your friends who have Fitbit. Hubby and I each have a Fitbit and we motivate each other. I'm competitive so I try to beat him in daily and weekly steps!

Agreed that MyFitnessPal is awesome. It's really helped me shed 5% body weight over a few weeks.


Mantis Wrote:
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> It's all about calories in versus calories burned,
> and keeping an accurate accounting of what you
> eat....
>
> I highly recommend using MyFitnessPal on a
> committed basis if you're looking to shed fat.
> It isn't
> magic, and there are no special snowflakes - if
> you're consistent, it works.

Don't agree with "It's all about calories in versus calories burned" because WHAT is eaten is just as important as calories. However, that's a discussion for the general forum!

Some related shop info.... the work out place says required 30 minutes work out after is required. And they WILL check video. Ok used to checking video. But find it on the offensive side they will observe your workout on video. Sad to think the even workout places are /can be scrutinized even on a non shopping basis.

I already had weight issues. I don't do fast food shops. I don't eat anything that isn't healthy unless I'm starving and that is all thats available. But the long hours in the car don't help that is for sure. I guess I need to start jumping on the treadmill after even though that is the last thing I feel like doing.

I would say, if you don't have the willpower to throw out most of the fries, try to have the willpower not to apply for the shops in the first place.

I like the idea of doing fitness shops as often as you can get them. That might help.

I find exercising when dieting is a huge motivator for me. I look at food and think, If I eat that, I just wasted that 20 minutes on the orbital. So I was getting a double bonus out of the exercise I did -- the calories it burned, and the calories I didn't eat because I didnt' want to waste the calories I burned.

I mainly shop on weekends and usually do between 8 and 12 shops each time. That is 8-12 times of walking across big parking lots, walking in big stores, in and out of the car double that. I get half of my exercise from mystery shopping. On the fast food shops I don't eat all of it. Portion control and calories in versus calories burned, just takes a little discipline.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2014 08:52PM by cjbstar.

I exercise everyday... I go more by body fat percentage than weight. I'm thin but about 170lbs so..

At a powerlifting meet in June of 2005, I was, for the first time, over my limit of 242 lbs. by 1 1/4. Thinking this was an anomoly, I wasn't concerned until that Oct. when I was 11 lbs. over and maxed later at +19. I, in ignorance, attributed this situation to advancing age and a problem metabolating food.

In the fall of 2010, I was fired by Market Force and began the following drops:

1-Weight
2-Blood pressure
3-Sugar

As I recall, within 3 mos. I had shed 25 lbs., my BP was down a total of at least 50 points, my waist had been reduced by 1 1/2" and I was no longer a borderline diabetic. To this day, I've maintained the afore stated and wouldn't consider returning to those assignments. For me, the thought of ordering the food, but only partaking in a nibble is far too tempting. In addition, I now read labels on packages I'm considering for a purchase and, on several occasions, have been quite surprised at the rating of some contents.

I generally put weight on easily. But, I do not do fast food shops except for the upscale ones and some of those pile the calories on as well. I will replace my dinner with them. I almost always do food shops at dinner for a variety of reasons. I prefer my "big" meal at dinner which I know is not the healthier way to eat but also because they will sometimes allow more reimbursement for the same menu. I try not to eat the required dessert in an upscale place but just have a taste or two and then take the rest home. For the appetizer requirement if they allow soup I will order that. I do not really like fries that much and avoid the creamy soups which are calorie heavy.
I never throw food out so if I am not eating it or taking it to someone I do not do the job. I do this part time so I can be pickier than those trying to pay the rent with mystery shopping.
I would also recommend if you can spare the time that you walk the stairs from one shop to the other if in a mall. If you have two shops a few blocks apart, park your car and walk over to the second shop, if near your home bike over instead of driving. You can carry a lot of paperwork in a backpack and as long as you are not having to purchase a large or heavy item you can carry them in your backpack as well. I know many people will say they do not have the time and it is probably true for some but for others it is a matter of priority. Do not be afraid of cold weather and walking or biking. On many days if you dress correctly you will be fine as long as it is not currently snowing or raining or there are large mounds of snow around. When I lived in Colorado I biked to work every day thru the snow too!! (that part i do not recommend tho as biking in the snow was messy and probably dangerous too but my car never started in the really cold weather.)

Hubby and I are eating a "vegan-ish" menu (him more than me), but I've really ramped up the amount of vegetables I eat each day. When I know I'll be out during lunchtime I bring a sandwich bag full of cut up veggies, which equals about two cups. Even if I'm having fast food, eating the vegetables in the car while I review the shop guidelines helps me practice portion control once I get inside.

I won't do the McD shops, since I would have to go by myself and can't stand the food. I like Panda shops since I can get steamed veggies and a wok smart entree. My daughter likes fast food so I'll pick up Arby's, DQ and Wingstop occasionally so she can get her fix. If you don't have a teen, I think Arby's has some healthier food choices, you can get a grilled chicken sandwich and a side salad. Maybe look into healthier choices and if they don't have them, skip the shop??

I'm really glad the Five Guys and Smashburger locations are a ways away in either direction, means I have no desire to pick them up at all since they are never bonused enough to cover the time and gas.

Reading this thread made me hungry enough to brew up a salted caramel mocha cappuccino and bake off two orange cranberry scones. No report to write and I didn't even have to get in my car. I did get my exercise first by bringing the trash cans up the drive way

Recently, whilst driving from shop to shop, I heard a report on business tech portion of a radio portion of a soon to be released scanner that would allow the user to scan a food item. It would subsequently report details of carbs, fats, etc.

That sounds too good to be true!

I wonder if Spock has told Bones about it?

dixiewhiskey Wrote:
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> I exercise everyday... I go more by body fat
> percentage than weight. I'm thin but about 170lbs
> so..


That really is the thing. %BF is a WAAAAY more accurate measurement of overall health than weight. Too bad it's still kind of hard to measure accurately and consistently. The digital devices can vary greatly depending on the time of day, amount of fluid in your system, and stuff like that, and the calipers take forever.

I have been sticking to Exxon and Verizon audits lately and it has helped. With Exxon I avoid the snack aisle like the plague and buy only flavored water for my in-store purchase. I will take the once quarterly steakhouse shop in my area for datenight with hubby but that is about it for food. I abhor wasting food and my husband hates leftovers so it is a dangerous combination.