What is Real Meals 365 all about?
Real Meals 365 is Houston’s finest healthy fresh food provider. Fresh meals, never frozen means full flavor and freshness with each delicious bite prepared by our executive chef. It’s like having your own personal chef! Whether you are interested in weight management, improved health, or simply don’t have time to cook, Real Meals 365 is dedicated to working with you to achieve your goals 365 days per year.

What makes Real Meals 365’s program more effective than other diets?
Real Meals 365 is about keeping a healthy and balanced diet. Our plan is based on Dr. Sears’, ‘The Zone Diet’ containing a balanced nutritional approach of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% "good" healthy fat. We do all the work of food shopping, prepping, calorie-counting, cooking, and cleaning, so you can enjoy your gourmet meals hassle-free!

How does Real Meals 365 system work?
Select your gourmet meals from our chef’s 5 week rotating menu or Everyday menu for unbelievable taste and variety.  Order online or call us direct at 713.668.REAL(7325). Choose home delivery or pick up from our retail location at 300 Shepherd located one block north of Memorial Dr.

How much weight will I lose?
Many clients experience weight loss while eating our delicious food. However, the most important aspect of the Real Meals 365 program is that it promotes fat loss and not just weight loss. The average person can lose approximately 1-1.5 lbs of fat per week.

When will I receive my food?
If selecting home delivery, we deliver between 6-9 pm each Sunday and Wednesday. Your food will be packed in an insulated cooler with ice packs and placed by your front door unless instructed otherwise. Or you can pick up your meals at our retail store located conveniently located at 300 Shepherd one block north of Memorial Dr.

Can I just pick up my food?
Of course you can! Convenience is the cornerstone of Real Meals 365. Pick up is available at 300 Shepherd one block north of Memorial Drive.

How is the food heated?
Every Real Meal 365 meal is packaged in a microwaveable container. All of our meals have been thoroughly cooked so if you choose, can be eaten cold. Just remove the lid prior to heating and heat according to the label. Most meals will reheat within 1-3 minutes. When oven heating, remove your meal from its container, plate it, and heat until thoroughly hot.

Do you have counselors I could talk to?
If you have a medical question or concern, we suggest you consult with your registered dietitian or physician. What we do is provide well-balanced, healthy meals. We have a registered dietitian that consults with us on a regular basis to ensure nutrition quality.

How many calories do your meals contain?
We offer 2 different meal sizes that are labeled small and regular. "Small" meals are between 300-350 calories.  "Regular" meals are between 500-550 calories. If selecting full meal plans; we offer 1,200-calorie per day plan, and an 1800-calorie per day plan. This is based on the daily average of our full meal plan that includes 3 gourmet meals and 2 snacks.

How long can I stay on Real Meals 365?
You can be a Real Meals 365 client for as long as you wish! We believe Real Meals 365 to be a healthier eating plan than you could prepare for yourself on a regular basis. Let us do the work for you. We'll roast your turkeys, soak your beans, and bake your muffins. Our meals include so much variety; you’ll never be bored!

Does it matter when I eat my daily meals?
Yes. Please eat your first meal within an hour of waking to get your engine moving. Space out your meals every 3-4 hours for optimum results.

What do I do with my empty bag if you deliver?
When we deliver your meals, please leave the empty insulated bag and ice pack outside your door and our driver will pick it up at the next scheduled delivery.

What can I do to maximize the program's effectiveness?
We suggest that you do not eat past 8 pm. Drink 8-10 glasses of water, limit your caffeine intake and excercise 3 times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes. This is good not only for the body, but your mind!

Can I afford this program?
Yes you can! On average, people spend approximately $25-$35 each day on food that does not guarantee proper portions, convenience, balanced vitamins and minerals, nutrition, or overall quality. That doesn’t even account for waste, time to go to the store, time to cook, or time to clean up. Real Meals 365 provides you with all of those benefits at an affordable rate.

What if I don’t need to lose weight?
People choose to eat healthier for many reasons including weight maintenance, health improvement and weight loss. If you do not need to lose weight, you can enjoy many of the benefits of Real Meals 365 just like any of our other clients. Experience increased energy, mental clarity and focus, convenience, and overall health improvement.

How long before I can expect results?
In the first few weeks’ clients can expect higher energy levels and a significant decrease in hunger and carbohydrate cravings. During the first week you may lose up to 4 lbs of water and body fat loss. Client results do vary; however, most people lose approximately 1 - 2 lbs a week of body fat thereafter. It is important to remember that weight loss should not be your primary objective - rather a loss of body fat and a feeling of general well being should be your goal. Results largely depend on which program you have opted for as well as how much commitment you have put into your lifestyle change.

Will I gain weight back once I complete the program?
Real Meals 365 is a healthy eating plan as opposed to a diet. Our philosophy is "Get Real for Life," by eating real food. Everything in moderation is the key to the Zone, and conforming to Real Meals 365 concept is something you can continue to do even at home. We aim to incorporate healthy eating and general well being into your life and you can continue to do this even when you have finished or take a break from the program.

What if I have High Cholesterol?
Real Meals 365 meals are all meticulously balanced so as to enable you to lower your cholesterol. High Cholesterol is not a result of eating foods high in cholesterol. This soft waxy substance is essential to brain chemistry, memory and formation of cell membranes and hormones. It is harmful when it forms into a plaque that builds up in the arterial walls. The cause of this build up is the intake of unfavorable carbohydrates that insulate insulin. Real Meals 365 meals use favorable carbohydrates in all our meals.

What if I have diabetes?
Dr. Sear's "The Zone Diet,"was originally developed to help people with diabetes and heart disease. The number of Americans suffering from Type II diabetes and other conditions such as hypertension, high triglycerides and low HDL's is skyrocketing. This program will be safe for both Type I and Type II diabetics. Type I diabetics will see their insulin dosage greatly reduced almost immediately and should be working closely with a health care professional. For Type II diabetics this is the perfect diet because it corrects elevated insulin levels and you will have much improved blood sugar control by following the program. We encourage you to consult with your doctor to see if this program is suitable for you.

Isn't 30% fat too much in my diet?
This denotes that 30% of your energy intake will come from fats. It takes fat to burn fat and we need an incoming supply of dietary fat as part of our diet. Real Meals 365 meals are made using monounsaturated fat, which helps to slow the entry of carbohydrates into the bloodstream. By having fat in the diet it will stimulate the hormone Cholecystokinin (CCK) which tells the brain to stop eating. It is very easy to overeat on a low fat diet!

Should I take supplements?
Our meals have an excellent base of vitamins and minerals. We do recommend pharmaceutical grade fish oil as a wonderful source of essential and health-promoting omega 3 fatty acids, as well as a rich antioxidant multi vitamin.

Should I eat three meals and two snacks even if I am not hungry?
Definitely! The program is all about the hormonal responses to food, missing meals or snacks may confuse your body and cause you to crave food at odd times. This hormonal balance will shift and this can have adverse effects. You will also want to keep your metabolism up by eating regularly. By eating all your meals you will not feel hungry and therefore it will be easy to follow the program. Don't forget that we will have calculated your daily nutritional requirements so we advise you to eat all your meals including the snacks because the meals provided regulate your body's response to insulin and this is what will keep you in The Zone.

Should I eat before working out in the gym?
Yes! Eating one of your provided snacks 30 minutes before working out assures that you will access the hormonal benefits of being in The Zone, which means that you will burn body fat.

What should I drink?
Water should be your main beverage. There is no substitute to clean pure H2O. The caffeine and artificial sweeteners found in coffee, tea and some soft drinks can have a negative effect on your insulin and should be kept to a minimum or totally avoided. Try to use decaffeinated options.

Can I drink alcohol?
Alcoholic drinks contain high sugared carbohydrates. Alcohol increases insulin levels, which sabotages your weight loss efforts. You can have alcohol but remember to drink in moderation. If you are having wine without food, try to combine it with some protein such as low fat cheese.

Is it ok to eat rice, grains and pasta?
What makes our program so special is that no foods are excluded. Everything is balanced to your requirements. If you are going away and want to stay in The Zone you can still follow a healthy eating plan by eating everything in moderation. When consuming carbohydrates the best choice is always vegetables and fruits. Rice, bagels, pasta and sweets have a higher glycemic index, which means they contain more sugar than the more beneficial carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruits.

What if I go away for the weekend?
Simply contact us by Wednesday prior. We can pause and resume your delivery days.

What if I go out to lunch or dinner?
Simply skip the appropriate meal from your daily delivery and try to order a meal at the restaurant that falls in line with the meal plan you are following. Save that delicious meal for later. Or share it with a friend.

How do I receive deliveries if I live in a secured building?
If you live in an apartment building we can leave it with the concierge or in another place of your choice. If you live in a secure building that does not have a concierge, you can make arrangements to provide our delivery staff with a building key to leave your cooler outside your apartment door, or in another secure area of your choice.

What if I pause and resume at a later stage?
You can return to Real Meals 365 fresh food delivery program at any time. We will keep your client profile on hand and it can be updated at any time to begin deliveries.

When will you charge my credit card?
Real Meals 365 will charge your Credit Card on the day you commence ordering. You will only be charged for deliveries made the upcoming week.

Do I have to sign a contract?
No.

What is food at Real Meals 365 like?
We believe that food is really only good for you if it's a pleasure to eat. We specialize in creating delicious meals using an array of all natural ingredients from around the world. Delicious food is always our first priority.