We are excited to announce today’s guest blogger, Shar! Shar shares her experience with Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less and how the small changes she made led to even better results than expected–even including Brussels sprouts for Christmas dinner!
Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less made a difference to my health and well-being in so many ways – even in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The weight loss of almost 10 pounds and being 2 inches smaller around the waist, is almost a side effect of all the other wonderful changes I have noticed in the 15 weeks of the program. I expected losing some weight and some inches, but did not expect the incredible increase in energy, positive mood, and better quality of sleep that came along with the healthy eating and increased exercise, which I learned to include as a normal part of my daily routine. Before Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less– there were at least two days each week where I would come home and have to lie on the couch for an hour before I found the energy to do even basic housework. My sleep was constantly disrupted, and as a result it was a vicious cycle of feeling sluggish and tired, over-eating to compensate for the tiredness, and not having the energy to exercise.
This program helped me to ‘get back to basics’ and establish healthy habits of eating wholesome and nutritious foods and taking care of myself physically by incorporating more movement. I haven’t had this much energy since I was in college 20 years ago! And I haven’t slept this well since before I became a parent nearly 10 years ago! My instructor was amazing – very positive and encouraging. She offered many real-world examples of how to easily incorporate the lessons into busy schedules for working mothers and families.
Even though the class is now over, I am continuing to practice the Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less principles. When we traveled to see family last weekend I packed my resistance band and used it, and did simple things like take a walk whenever I could, take the stairs at the hotel, etc. I was also very choosy about desserts – what type and how much I ate, instead of just eating everything in sight – and refused the fried foods altogether. At the office holiday party, I filled up half my plate with salad, another 1/4 with grilled veggies, and the remaining ¼ with the pastas/casseroles in very small quantities. I chose one bite-sized dessert, and skipped the rest (cupcakes, pies, hot choc with whipped cream, etc). According to the gym scale, I have lost 10 lbs since the beginning of Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less! Hope to maintain or lose even more in 2014. AND – you all will be very happy to hear this – I served a grilled vegetable trio as a side dish for Christmas dinner! Beets, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, and Butternut squash , pictured below. I recommend this program to anyone and everyone!