The meals weren't filling enough, especially if you work out: I'd inevitably get hungry again an hour or two after each meal, which may have had to do with the workouts I did each morning. Sakara recommended drinking detox tea between meals to hydrate and curb hunger, but I still had to supplement with my own snacks. The guide specifically says that it's fine to eat a snack when you get hungry, and given more time, maybe I would've been fine without. But it would be frustrating to pay $350 a week for the full meal plan and then still have to buy your own food on the side.
There wasn't in-depth nutrition info: The meals didn't have nutritient breakdowns, which was on purpose. In the guide, Sakara stated that it intentionally left calories off of the meals to discourage the stress that can come along with calorie-counting. In terms of protein, the guide noted that "a day of Sakara meals typically has 40 percent more than the daily protein requirement." I was still a little annoyed. Especially after working out, I wanted to know for sure that I was getting enough protein and carbs for recovery. Did I still need to eat my protein bar on the side? I couldn't tell, which was frustrating.
I got cravings, especially at night: The meals were satisfying and tasty, but I often didn't feel full enough, especially after dinner. I got weirdly intense cravings, which led to a lot of post-dinner snacks like cereal and toast with chocolate spread. (Apparently, breakfast didn't quite satisfy my sweet tooth.) It wasn't clear whether this was a side-effect of eating less in general or just eating fewer processed foods and sugar. Sakara tells clients that the meal plan takes some getting used to, so it's possible that this too would have worn off if I'd followed it for longer.
My stomach felt "off" on the last day: It's impossible to know whether this was a direct result of the meal plan or just something weird going on with my hormones, my cycle, or my body in general. I felt cramped and bloated all day and I didn't feel as good after the meals as I had the first few days. My body could've been reacting to something unrelated to Sakara, or it could've been, again, part of the adjustment process to the new way of eating.
