Modere is taking a Mediterranean approach to health with its M3 Weight Management System.
Since the program launched in the U.S. about a year ago, more than 100,000 have taken the M3 Pledge, committing to three products and three lifestyle changes for a period of three months. M3 was developed around the Mediterranean lifestyle, which has been the subject of extensive scientific research and a number of books and diet plans. The healthy habits of countries in the Mediterranean region inspired the lifestyle changes incorporated into M3. These include cutting sugar, refined flour and fried foods; drinking sufficient water and logging 7,500 steps on a daily basis.
The aim of the program is to help users build healthy habits, without the need for drastic lifestyle changes or “miracle” products. Modere’s North America General Manager, Justin Serra, feels this is one of M3’s biggest selling points, considering that the average American starts and fails a diet four times a year. “People feel like it’s doable, it’s simple, and it actually makes sense,” Serra told DSN. “If you just step back and think about all the different diet fads that are out there, you realize they’re not really sustainable and some of them just aren’t safe.”
The core of the program is the M3 Body System, three products that align with Modere’s “Live Clean” philosophy. M3 was developed by nutrition company SAVI Health and Greg Horn, the former CEO of General Nutrition Centers. Modere acquired SAVI and its flagship weight-loss system in February 2016. During the three-month program, participants supplement their healthy lifestyle changes with Burn, a morning thermogenic to boost metabolism; Sustain, an afternoon protein shake; and Sync, an evening fiber drink to support digestion.
In keeping with the Mediterranean way of life, participants are also encouraged to eat plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, as well as lean proteins and healthy fats. This is a departure from some conventional dieting wisdom, which says that losing body fat requires a low-fat diet. In a recent two-year study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, people who followed a reduced-calorie Mediterranean diet lost 52 percent more weight than those who followed a reduced-calorie low-fat diet.
Participants can work toward their goals as part of a community, through a private, invite-only Facebook group where customers share tips, challenges, recipes and before-and-after photos. The group provides both a support system for users and a marketing tool for the company’s independent sellers, known as Social Marketers. According to Serra, “Our Social Marketers really feel the Facebook group is their most powerful prospecting tool, because it’s social proof that M3 works.”
This particular weight-loss program is also noteworthy for what it lacks—an emphasis on fitness. Users may set a goal of 7,500 steps a day as one of their lifestyle changes, but M3 is not about sculpted abs. “We don’t want to set people up to feel they have to get up at 5:30 a.m. and go to the gym in order to be successful,” said Serra. “The average person just needs to move around a bit more.” The goal, he said, is to help individuals reach a higher level of wellness, and to do it in a sustainable way. “We’re trying to help people lose some pounds for sure, but at the end of the day we want people to feel great.”
