CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet

The Program has provided the foundations for the lifestyle changes I have made a choice to implement. Eating better and exercising more. I am physically toning and mentally in a better head space. The principles are understandable and I now need not feel I have to keep a strict record of meals and exercises but am still achieving results. My aim was to use the program to make a permanent change in these areas so that it becomes instinctive rather than forced and to this end, I am on my way. Step 1 was making to commitment. The Program facilitates but I needed to make the commitment to change to make it work.

We have tried various diets before, and although we have lost weight, they have never been useful afterwards and we have worked much harder on other diets to lose weight. This programme had lots of variety, some very good meals, many of which were quick to prepare and tasty. We have even used meals for dinner parties. Both my husband and I lost>10% of our body weight over the 12 weeks and have recommended the diet to friends. We continue to follow the programme and are confident we can maintain our new weight as we have been preparing and cooking our own meals on the programme from the start. Where meals required expensive cuts of meat, it was easy to substitute alternatives with good results.

The refund offer was important to us and did offer ongoing incentive when the going got slow in mid-term. We also had a similar problem to other posters with obtaining our refund (now resolved) - all I can say is be very sure you upload your weekly photos and that they stick in the website before you claim the refund. But in fact, we feel the diet would be worthwhile even without a refund. It’s that good.

I had the Gluten Free program. It was essentially the same 6 meals repeated over 12 weeks. Each week I uploaded a photo, put weight in and measurements. When I applied for the refund I was told it would be acted on. It was not and i had to follow up. I was told my refund was refused as I not uploaded the images which was incorrect. I will be taking this to consumer affairs

The diet is good, however the customer service is not. We cancelled the the 12 week program as per your terms and conditions (all of them) on the last day of the program, yet you still decided it was ok to charge us $19.95. Still waiting on our refund. Not ok, this is fraud.

Very happy with this new approach to weight loss. Totally different to any other weight loss plan I’ve tried and am very pleased with my weekly losses. Even managed to maintain over the Xmas/New Year period, an achievement in itself

The food was excellent, both the range and the quality.
Importantly, I learned how to eat better.
Fortunately, the program offers room to move.
I was able th lose 8kg in 12 weeks

Hi this is my second week, this are going well and I can see the difference already. The program allows me to swap meals which means I do not waste food.. Still trying to work out the indulgences as I have a sweet tooth and do enjoy a beer, but have managed in the last week and a half to reduce both with more AFD and very little sweets. I will persevere and keep working towards the end goal.

The Total Wellbeing Diet really lived up to expectations, after seeing a friend achieve fantastic results I decided to join. I started this journey after putting on so much weight from the stress of a very messy divorce, a knee reconstruction, the loss of my beloved mother but the most devastating life changing event was losing my gorgeous 17 year old son which spiralled me into comfort eating over quite a few years. I was a little worried as I started in November and was going through the Festive Season while doing the program which involved plenty of parties and dinners out. But I managed to lose just over 11kg in the 12 week TWD Program 1 and no doubt the extra incentive of getting a refund helped me achieve this fantastic result.

The Menu Plan was easy to follow with great recipes which could be swapped out for another recipe if you wanted. I am allergic to a couple of vegetables which after consulting with Customer Service who informed me to swap with other vegetables, all the recipes were achievable. The menu had lots of variety with my two sons also enjoying the meals and benefiting from the healthier diet . It's great to get the weekly shopping list so you know what you need to buy and I love the TWD app on my phone so I can check my menu and record as I go along. The Facebook CSIRO TWD official Support Group is a great place to get tips and encouragement.

This TWD has definitely shown me how to eat healthy and made me feel so much better, I have more energy and enjoy cooking the variety of meals. I find the food fills me up and I actually don't always eat all the allotted food as I am too full. I recently had a blood test and for the first time in years my iron levels are perfect, my doctor is always telling me to take iron tablets but I didn't take any during the 12 weeks, so it goes to show that proper eating is the best thing for your health. The exercise plan is fantastic, easy to follow and achievable. I am going onto Program 2 and looking forward to receiving new recipes and continuing my weight loss, I would like to thank all the staff at TWD for making this possible.

The menu plan was easy to follow and the recipes were tasty and easy to make. The menu plan gave lots of choice and my husband liked the dinners so that was good because you didn't have to worry about different evening meals. I liked that you still had fruit even though it was high protein diet - "low carbs" were not emphasised. Instead of the usual shop, i just bought what was needed for a couple of days. I found the breakfasts great - lots yoghurt and oats. Never thought that a smoothie could keep me full till lunch. As far as exercise goes, I had a stroke years ago, so on recommendation of my Physio I did gym and pool sessions regularly.
My lifestyle has changed for the better after 12 weeks - better choices, more exercise and the occasional indulgence. Proud of my loss of 10.1 kg - about half way to my goal.

I have found this program very easygoing. To make a food for me was very quick as I new from the menu what I have to make. Never felt hungry and my indulgent was only little sweet. Also haven’t done much exercise and the best thing I’ve been told that I’m getting my money back. I’d like to suggest those who is straggling to loose weight

My doctor has been at me for years to lose weight because of my blood sugar levels (Type 2 diabetic). This diet was adaptable to my needs and so easy to follow! When I weighed in with my doctor after just a few weeks he was thrilled and at my last visit he couldn't stop smiling. My long term blood sugar has dropped from 9.2% to 6% and I am 10kg lighter.

I started off using the menus and found the shopping lists really helpful. Replacing snacks with crudites has made a huge difference and helped me deal with hunger. The diet plan is very easy to follow and stick to even when eating out,

During the first week I was a little hungry, but I soon got used to the portion sizes. Being able to have some indulgences helped. I was able to follow the program on most days.

What a scam!!
I had very bad customer service when starting the program so did not continue the program. Paying the one off fee of $199.
Then they started automatically taking $19.95 per month from my account. Remember l sign up for a one of fee program.
[name removed] (customer services at CSIRO) tells me they will not refund the fee and it in the terms and conditions.....really!!
Well your marketing is false and l will me making a formal complaint to the Victoria ombudsman and will ensure l communicate with everyone l can the scam!!

The TWD program offers not only convenient weekly menus with the flexibility to suit YOU and also your family's tastes, and exercises that fit your abilities, preferences and time, but also if you're interested, it gives you the tools to teach you how to create your own daily menus that fit your nutritional and energy requirements and, in my case, helps me to create meals that work for my body while also keeping my meat-and-3-veg man happy :)

The menu offers about 10 options for each meal, and I would have tried the majority :) Let me tell you, they are all filling and tasty! There have been times I've rechecked the recipe to ensure I haven't misread the measurements, as there's so much food!

What I've really loved about the program is the convenience. One day a week I'll spend an hour or so choosing each meal for the next week, then I'll print the shopping list, mark off any items I already have in the pantry or freezer, and head off to the shops. With the list in my hand, I don't need to go down every aisle, which saves time and avoids impulse purchases.

Every day I know what we're having, so can prepare breakfast (ie. ready to throw into the blender for a smoothie in the morning) and lunch too, so it's ready to grab from the fridge before heading off to work...very convenient!

Lastly, the exercises, tracking tools, support team and other TWD members offering tips and support make this program something special!

I have found this equally easy as another program I tried a few years ago (but closed down) to follow. In some ways it was easier in that the preparation of the meals was minimal which makes a big difference when you are a full time working person. I am not a fussy eater and I found every single meal very tasty and filling. Toward the end of the 12 weeks, I was sharing the salad serving of one as the full serve was too much. Like anything, planning is the key. I didn't keep anything else in the house other than what was on the menus and I shopped each Saturday as per the shopping guide. I came home and chopped up everything in readiness for the weeks meals and this made putting the salads together so much easier. I did spend a bit more on groceries that I had been, but found that I wasn't spending money anywhere else ie eating out, so it all evened out in the end.
I have decided to repeat the first 12 weeks again to lose some more weight before I try program two. I am happy with the amount of weight I lost given my time was over the festive season and I did indulge at times. That is a benefit of the program in being able to have your "treats". The program has certainly curbed my appetite and yes there were times I was a little bit hungry initially but not in a drastic way.

One thing I think could be improved is for the program to keep up with changes in products. I initially spent 3 days looking for the cereal that they noted, only to find it was no longer called that. Fortunately I found a person in Safeway who knew the product and showed me its new packaging and name. I think that that should be reflected promptly in the plans that are provided and online content updated.

I found help in navigating the online system somewhat lacking and I wrote at the start and thought that when you sign up, they should contact you to check how you are going and are you managing everything ok. I had a lot of questions and didn't feel that the online emails were prompt enough or were lacking information. In the end I asked could someone ring me. I had my list of questions, they were very helpful in answering them and explaining what I needed to know, plus went through the website options with me, which was all so valuable. I think if the did that initially, it would be so much more helpful. I still don't know how to write up my own choices in the app, so I tend to not record because I don't know how to do it. Yes I know there is an online forum, but there is so much traffic going through it, it is not easy to find responses to similar queries. I think it would also be good if you could determine people in your area via the blog who are also undertaking the program to lend or garner some support.

Overall, the program is fantastic. Good healthy, clean eating. I have just purchased one of their books to get other recipe ideas (it would be good if we could access those on line) and I see myself just continuing along indefinitely because it is all mapped out for you and I now make better choices (and less of them) when I eat out to align with the program's guides. Whilst I still have quite a lot of weight to lose, I am feeling so much more alert each day and can stay focussed for the whole day. Beside the number of the scales, that is the biggest difference I have noticed in my well being. I have had a great outcome and it has all been without the help of exercise, so I am looking forward to the results when I add in an exercise program as well. I've only just been doing some walking for the first 12 weeks.

I did the program for three months and lost 7.8kg, almost three kilos more than my goal. I like this diet because it Is a high protein low GI diet which makes you feel less hungry. When you don’t feel as hungry it is easier to stick to the diet. The downside is if you don’t like eating meat particularly red meat, however the diet does offer alternative meals if you want to avoid meat. The other downside to a high meat diet is it can get expensive but again you can swap the meals. Another good aspect is the app which really helps with the organisation needed to stick to the meal plans it provides shopping list of ingredients for each week, a calories counter and weight tracker. This diet also offers you a full refund if you complete the diet and achieve a “net weight loss”. I’m really not sure how they determine this , if you lost 1kg of three months you would have achieved a net weight loss but that really doesn’t meant you have successfully completely the diet ?! Anyway it is a good motivator, I got my money back. So far I know three people who have decided to try it after seeing me loose weight and then asking me how I did it.

Common sense program
Easy to cook meals
No wastage ingredients
Actually works
Great support and a terrific fb support page you can go to to ask any questions first
I am menopausal so didnt expect much but lost weight consistently
Their is no catches
Get a refund if you lose a single gram and send them a weekly photo
Read the terms and conditions and cancel any ongoing subscription in your final week and not a further cent will be taken. I say this because seen a review where they obviously didnt bother reading conditions.
Best program out there, and I've tried plenty!!!

Program was easy to follow using the app especially. The recipes were delicious and easy to prepare, taking the stress out of what to cook every night. My family loved them too! The biggest plus of the program is really keeping you accountable. The weekly weigh in and photo was confronting at first but by week 5 I really noticed a difference and that took my motivation to the next level. the program is balanced, no fasting or weigh loss shakes so I never felt hungry and it was easy to follow wherever you are. I made it through Chrissy and New Year with success and didn’t feel like I was ever missing out which speaks volumes about the program becoming a lifestyle rather than a fad diet. Thanks CSIRO well being diet

I lost almost 9kg on the Protein Balance Program with CSIRO TWD. So impressed I signed up for another 12 weeks.

I have loved this diet. Not just for my weight loss but for the ease of following and adapting the program.

Of all 12 week style programs I have done this is by far the best. The way the protein is spread across the day has suited my metabolism (I'm in my 50s) and definitely held off any cravings. I lost weight so easily and then hit a plateau and that was when I started execising and have seen great results again.

The weekly meal plans are so easy to follow and tend to follow a pattern. So two alternating breakfasts, wraps for lunches one week and rolls, sandwiches, salads the other. So much easier when shopping and for meal prep. It's also easy to swap meals around using the app and then keep a track of how you are doing. However, my weekly grocery bill definitely went up by at least $100.

Each week allows you to have indulgences too. Such a great idea to add these and feels guilt free. So can have a glass of wine or small portion of chocolate etc.

I have used this plan with my family too and just modify a little for my two young kids. So if it's stir fry for adults then I add rice or noodles in. BBQ meat and salad I then add in couscous for the kids etc.

I qualified for the refund which was a really good driver for me too. Easy to do - just loose weight (no fixed amount) and load a weekly photo. From what I can see people miss out when they forget a photo.

One last thing is the support you get is awesome. Especially on the FB page. The support is from fellow dieters as well as CSIRO. It's a very positive page to be on.

Good luck if you make the decision to join!