The HMR Diet: Weight Management Plan Reviews, Cost, Foods, and More

HMR stands for Health Management Resources, the company that developed the diet 40 years ago, notes U.S. News & World Report. It is a low-calorie diet and combines portion-controlled HMR shakes and entrées with fruits and vegetables. Also incorporated are a light amount of moderate physical activity and support from peers, such as HMR health coaches and medical professionals.

HMR Diet Phases

There are two main phases of the HMR program, says Adam Schafer, RDN, a dietitian at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois. (The medical center has a partnership with the HMR program.)

Phase 1: Fast Weight Loss This phase lasts at least eight weeks (depending on how much weight you aim to lose). It focuses on eating HMR food replacements (like shakes, nutrition bars, and low-calorie prepackaged meals), plus fruits and vegetables.

Phase 2: Maintenance This phase involves slowly getting off meal replacements and back to regular food. During this time, you might eat five meal replacements per week (versus 14 in phase 1). The ultimate goal is to completely get off meal replacements but maintain your weight with the new healthy habits you’ve adopted from the program. HMR suggests transitioning into an eating pattern in line with the Mediterranean or DASH diets.