I Tried Factor75
My experience with mail order Keto
Factor 75*, a mail-order food delivery service, provides health-conscious customers with Keto and other low-carb meals. I first found the service via Facebook advertising; having never tried a Keto-related service, I was intrigued.
As described by the company, registered nutritionists set and plan Factor 75's ready-to-eat meals. Chefs then prepare portions; finally, the company ships the meals to the client's doorstep, who hopefully reheat and enjoy it.
What Exactly Is Keto?
Keto is a dietary choice where individuals attempt to put their bodies into nutritional Ketosis to benefit from the state. Keto-Mojo defines it as:
“ Ketosis is a natural metabolic process where your body uses fat for fuel rather than glucose (carbs).”
The fat-burning and weight-loss benefits of the ketogenic diet are now relatively well-known. Keto and related low-carb diets may help lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and sugar levels while curbing your appetite and reducing triglycerides.
The Ratio Of Macronutrients In Keto
Carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids are examples of "macro" nutrients. They're the primary source of calories in our diets, and each one may help achieve fitness and health goals in different ways.
Keto diets generally have a specific ratio of carbs, proteins, and lipids(fats). A sample macronutrient range outlined below aligns with the Keto standard:
- Carbohydrates should make about 5% of daily intake
- Protein accounts for about 25%.
- Fat accounts for about 70%
In general, it's easier said than done and may take the better part of two weeks to enter Ketosis. My reality is; sub-fifty-gram carbohydrate diets are hard, especially with my current dietary concerns like muscle growth.
My Low-Carb Meal Kit Requirements
For me, the aspects that I took into account when considering the service were:
- Ingredients: A low-carb meal delivery service should provide fresh foods suitable for a low-carb diet. The food should also be healthy, balanced, with plenty of fruits and vegetables and minimal chemicals or preservatives.
- Variety: The meal delivery service must provide a diverse selection of meals to help me feel satisfied while on a diet and not get bored of the food.
- Prep times: The meal service must offer prepared or minimal preparation times. I'm, after all, lazy first, choosing to focus my energy on the gym and outdoor activities.
- Economics: Alternative diets like Keto can be costly, and meal delivery services vary in price. Therefore I needed to factor in the total daily cost vs. meal planning.
- Flexibility: Does the service offer the ability to skip weeks, and how easy is it to cancel if it doesn't meet my needs?
Enter my Factor75 experience
At approximately 600 calories each meal. Factor75 offers a variety of low-calorie and low-carb choices. I chose the Keto option, and due to the advertised discount, I ended up paying about $7 a meal for the first week of meals which included lunch and dinner for 4 days.
They pre-pick the meals for me based on my preferred subscription, and I was allowed to replace meals as needed up to the week prior. I chose entirely beef and chicken-based products. I then waited for my delivery.
The following Tuesday, my tracking notification popped, and I had a FedEx delivery waiting for me. I enjoyed the meals and add-ons I purchased, so much so that I ordered a second week.
The product's taste exceeded my expectations outside the cheap vacuum-sealed prepared food boxes. The food was how I would expect restaurant-quality Keto to taste if such a thing existed in my area.
Unfortunately, that is the best praise I can give this service at this time; more on that later.
The Fallacy Of Net Carb vs. Total Carbs
With the popularity of Atkins, South Beach, and Keto diets. Food marketing teams coined a popular new phrase, "Net Carbs." This marketing term uses quasi-science to subtract "healthy" carbs from unhealthy (sugar) carbs.
Officially The USDA does not recognize the net carb value; hence it appears on the front of the packaging rather than the rear of the box with the food label.
Products generally start with a high-carbohydrate base, then pile on the fiber, bad fats, and sweeteners; delicious, right? Sadly, the "Net Carbs" prominently displayed on the front of the box might be 2–3x the advertised total when adding all the carb sources together.
I've been unable to find articles substantiating this high-tech arithmetic. So, where you may be shooting for a 25–50g carb day, if not diligent, we may end up having eaten 200carbs while recording only 50g net.
My Final Verdict
Several delivery businesses provide tasty, healthy, and easy-to-prepare meals, if not costly. Factor75 was delicious, and I hit mild nutritional Ketosis, as verified by my handy blood glucose meter.
Still, I never went higher than .5 blood ketones (1.0+ is my goal). Not hitting my desired level of ketones was likely due to the Net Carbs vs. actual Carbs dilemma described above. I also felt hungry while on diet and found myself having food cravings.
Sticking to the above-stated requirements, Factor75 met some of my needs, including:
- Ingredients
- Variety
- Prep-Time
- Flexibility.
Unfortunately, the service fell flat in meeting my specific Keto goals. Even with having Intermittent Fasted, continuing my subscription at 99$ for four days worth of food (8 meals) felt high. After my trial, I returned to Keto recipes online, created grocery lists, and put the work in.
