Lumen review | can this little device really help you understand your metabolism in menopause?

Have you heard of the Lumen? It is the first hand-held device and app that tracks your metabolism and guides you towards healthy weight loss with a daily personalised nutritional guide.
 
I do have to admit - I found the results fascinating, especially once I upped my daily readings, I could see the benefits of my workout and how choosing a salad over a sandwich made a big difference to my metabolism. If I was struggling with the motivation to do my workout, taking a Lumen reading before and after was a good reminder of how much I benefit from moving my body!

Lumen is easy and intuitive to use. All you have to do is download the Lumen app, pair the Lumen device using bluetooth and start measuring your breaths. 

Lumen uses a CO2 sensor and flow meter to analyse your breath. You are asked to take a deep breath into the device, hold your breath for 10 seconds then exhale fully. It takes a bit of getting used to, but the Lumen app will teach you how to do this. For an accurate reading you are asked to relax, sit down, both feet on the floor and using the handheld device, follow the breathing instructions to get your Lumen Level - an indication of whether you’re in a fat burn or carb burn state. Lumen ask that you do a daily reading continuously for two full weeks to allow it to get to know you and your body and start to create the best daily nutrition plan for your metabolism.

Read my latest blog post and get 10% off at Lumen - Understanding hormonal weight gain | especially why fat always ends up on the belly!

Using the Lumen to help with menopause weight loss!

Measuring and understanding your metabolism

Before Lumen, the only way to measure your metabolism was in a clinical setting with costly and time-consuming tests.

​Lumen began with twin sisters, Merav and Michal. Both scientists and athletes who have won Ironman competitions, they were determined to develop a way of providing personalised nutrition advice. Four years of hard work and Lumen was launched on Indiegogo, it is now the only device in the world to offer personalised nutrition.

Lumen is a personal wellness device and coach that can help you take the guesswork out of your nutrition, but can it work in reality?  

I lead a very busy life! I am post-menopause, partial to carbs and a glass of wine, and very aware that my nutrition, whilst 'okay' could be 'a lot better'! I was intrigued to see just how easy the Lumen metabolism tracker might be in telling me more about how my body is using the food I’m consuming, and maybe help me adjust my habits.

I am petite and have maintained a fairly constant weight most of my adult life, until I hit my 40s and began to feel, well '40 and frumpy', there was definitely a change to my shape and i knew I needed to apply myself to improving my habits around nutrition and exercise! It can be so difficult though, at a time when we are busier than ever, teenage chidren, older parents, it seems like everyone needs a bit of us but we want to find time for our own needs too,

My efforts to exercise more and adjust my diet have been well documented on my blog and like everyone I am always searching for the holy grail, the solution that will work.  Consistent effort, small sustainable changes and education around why we need to make better choices, all contribute towards the result we want.  

It is easy to blame menopause but it is now widely accepted that as oestrogen declines so we find it more difficult to manage our weight.  In a very large recent study by ZOE researchers, the findings were that menopause leads to significant changes in metabolism - not only linked to weight gain but a higher risk of heart disease, greater sugar consumption and worsening sleep.  

The conclusion was, it is possible to make changes by understanding metabolism, improving diet, gut health and using HRT.

Breath in, the Lumen instructs you to keep the ball in the circle, hold your breath, then breath out, keeping the ball in the circle again!

My first two weeks using the Lumen device

First of all you need to unpack and fully charge your Lumen using the charging dock. What’s great about it is that it has a very long battery life and does not need charging very often. The Lumen is also very compact and easy to transport, so you can pop it in your handbag, and even take it on holiday if you want to!

When you open the app for the first time, you are invited to answer a few questions to help Lumen create your personalised nutrition plan. There are different tracks you can choose from - 'Fitness Performance', 'Metabolic Health' and 'Healthy Weight Loss'. You’re also asked if you would like to track your monthly cycle, I ticked that I was going through menopause and taking HRT.

Taking my first Lumen level was a bit daunting (and it helps if you remove the lid first), but the instructions on the mobile app are so easy to follow. You’re guided through it from start to finish and there are very helpful videos from the Lumen experts that will explain everything to you.

For best results, you need to be patient and take your morning breath measurement first thing for two weeks, I found the short videos very useful in understanding more about metabolic health and fitness goals, and I quickly got into a routine of taking my Lumen measurement and watching a short and informative video.

Whilst Lumen is calculating your Lumen reading for that day, I loved how different quotes pop up keeping me educated, interested and motivated about the health journey I’m on. For example, this one was helpful in understanding what to expect from Lumen levels - "The goal is to have lower Lumen levels in the morning and night and higher after consuming carbohydrates".

Once your breath has been analysed, you are then given your recommended macros (carbs, protein and fats). Based on your level, the app will build a personalised macro diet for you and recommend  'a low carb day' or 'a high carb day'.

Do I need to keep a food log whilst using Lumen?

This was my first question to the very helpful support team at Lumen. I have tracked in the past, using My Fitness Pal or similar and I am not at all keen to do it again! I find it too much of a faff if I am honest and whilst I believe calories have a role to play in healthy weight loss I am not overly keen on being obsessed by recording every morsel I consume. I am much happier using an intuitive approach to a healthy diet.

Certainly Lumen can guide you in understanding your metabolism and it gives you a recommended meal plan (there are also meal ideas) and the day's suggested macros (grams of carbs, fat and protein) with a tip like 'get plenty of protein and low-carb veggies to help you feel full' and whilst not rocket science it is like having a personal coach in your pocket as a reminder!

The advice was I do not have to track my food intake if I do not want to.  Of course if weight loss is your goal then it can be really helpful to track your meals. I used the daily macro suggestions as a guide, I upped my protein by using a protein supplement and I tried to avoid a high-carb meal in the evening.

My first flex score from Lumen

After two weeks of consistent use you are then given your Lumen Flex Score which will tell you how flexible your metabolism is, the more data you have provided to the Lumen app, the more accurate it can be. I am currently 7.5 with Medium Flexibility.

The goal is to be metabolically flexible so that your body can switch the type of fuel it needs i.e. switching between carbohydrates and fat. This can help you with weight control, energy levels and improve your insulin resistance.

Lumen offers tips and advice on how to best manage your metabolism for healthy weight loss.

What is the benefit of using Lumen?

Ultimately the goal is to use your Lumen scores to educate you into understanding your body's needs so you can adjust your daily habits to improve your health, get fitter and lose or maintain weight.

Lumen provide a lot of information within their app, they want Lumen to work for you and the Lumen team are on hand to support you.

If you need help to understand your own metabolism and reach your goals, then Lumen could be a really handy device for you and using Lumen is a great way to kickstart a healthy lifestyle.

What do Lumen scores mean?

A Lumen score of 1 suggests you are mostly burning fat through to a score of 5 where you are mostly burning carbs. The goal is for your score to be a 1 or 2 in the morning which would mean that your body has burned through any carbs consumed the day before and has moved to fat burning. I've yet to get a score of 1-2, my best so far has been a 3.

But Lumen have a video to explain why! Three ways to fix high morning levels ... firstly make sure you are hitting your recommended macros especially that you are getting enough protein, then look at the type of carbs you are consuming and try to have them earlier in the day and then finally move your last meal earlier in the evening, don't eat too close to bedtime, then you are more likely to wake up in fat burn.

It is also important to remember that decreasing stress and getting good quality sleep will really help you wake up in fat burn too!

Take a Lumen reading 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after your workout!

My conclusion after using Lumen for a few weeks

If you love personalised health data - maybe you have an Apple Watch or similar fitness tracker, then you could love Lumen!

Without a doubt I am very impressed by the quality of the bite-size educational videos within the Lumen app and I am a strong believer that education is the key with any fitness or weight loss goal.

However, I am not sure that Lumen is for me on the long term, I have certainly found it really interesting in understanding more about my metabolism but once you have that data you then have to find the time to actually incorporate the advice into your lifestyle. I've done so many different fitness plans and a diet plan is helpful in the short term but the reality is that daily life takes over, and a busy work schedule and social commitments come along to derail us.

Do I want to be held accountable to a metabolism tracker? Yes I'd love to wake up in fat-burning mode and accountability can only be a good thing but I am not sure I can remember every day.  But I can see me dipping in and out of it and using it to adjust habits and create some accountability.

I know I need to increase my physical activity and I am currently working with a personal trainer to do exactly that, we meet over 'zoom' weekly and I use her app to complete 2-3 further 'snackable' workouts.

My diet isn't dreadful, I don't snack or graze on high sugar, high carb things like crisps, cakes or chocolates. And I have decided I don't want to go back to tracking my food intake. I have considered trying intermittent fasting but I miss by 7am cup of tea too much!

I have been focussing on my diet in the last few months, having had a course of EMSculpt NEO body contouring, it is important to eat well and exercise to get the best possible results and Lumen has helped me understand my metabolism during this time.  I am feeling slimmer and fitter!

I do think the Lumen is a great tool though and certainly if you are an athlete, or you are training for a specific sporting goal, or you need to up your activity level and really learn about your body's ability to burn fat and how to lose some weight, I think Lumen could be a really fantastic addition to help you create new habits.

It isn't cheap but they do offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are undecided and want to give it a go.

Plus if you use my code FIFTY there is an additional £50 off the current prices (expired).  NEW discount code is FIFTYFF for 10% off here.
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Honestly there is so much info provided within the app that alone is a huge benefit, take a look at the Lumen website to understand more about the benefits of using Lumen.

Love from
Michelle xx


​Disclaimer: I was gifted the Lumen for the purposes of my blog review, if you purchase using my discount code, then I will receive a small affiliate commission.

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