Matt: Inspired

This is the halfway mark for our A New Way to a New You participants. Six weeks down and six weeks to go. We asked each of them to share one word that describes their current state of mind and what they hope that word will be after the next six weeks. Matt's word is INSPIRED.

I've lost almost 30 pounds and I'm inspired to lose more!

I'm down six percent body fat and inspired to get down more.

My endurance and strength are building and I'm inspired to be strong again.

I'm fitting in clothes that I haven't fit into in a long time and I'm inspired to have a whole new wardrobe.

I'm hungry less and feel better and I'm inspired to live at a different level of heath.

Our family has spent time together shopping for healthy foods, fixing healthy meals, enjoying healthy snacks, doing 4-3-2-1, bike riding, taking walks, and dream building and I'm inspired to achieve new levels in our family's health and dreams.

My self image is up, so I'm more productive, more confident, and performing at a higher level. I'm tired less, so I'm alert and at the top of my game more often. I'm very focused on changing my health, but at the same time I'm seeing better results in my professional life and I'm inspired to achieve new levels of prosperity.

My wife Blakely has been a tremendous support. I couldn't have made it this far without her. She is doing a ton of the shopping, food preparation, and packing food for me to take when I leave the house. She is a huge encouragement and motivator for me. I am looking better and stronger and I'm inspired to be more of the man she deserves!

I'm learning so much about optimal health and optimal living and I'm inspired to learn more. I'm inspired to be greater and make a greater impact in the lives of people with whom I come into contact.

Matt making an impact on the people that matter most - his two young sons.

Matt and Liz: 38 pounds and dropping

Matt and Liz share their progress after five weeks. Between the two of them, 38 pounds have officially been lost!


After five weeks, Matt has lost 27 pounds, making his current weight 245 pounds.

The second week in, I had to deal with a kidney stone. I spent most of the week in either doctor's offices or the hospital, so I didn't lose any weight that week. I couldn't exercise, but I was able to stick to the meal plans.

That made me realize that a huge benefit of being on the program is that I only had good stuff to eat in my house, so sticking to healthy eating was pretty easy.

The third week, I was able to pick up my workouts and just this past week I started doing two sets of 4-3-2-1. I'm playing with my boys a whole lot more. I went for a walk around the neighborhood with my three-year-old and I actually didn't feel like I was going to be out of breath. It was fun to walk with him and feel good at the end.

I think when you're mentally making healthy decisions, it leads you to subconsciously make other healthy decisions.

With diets in the past, I accomplished them because I got really committed and worked really hard at them, but when the commitment waned or I lost interest, I stopped. With the A New Way to a New You program, it just feels like my habits are changing. This is a "diet" that I can do and a way I can continue to live the rest of my life.



After five weeks, Liz has lost 11 pounds, making her current weight 198 pounds.

This is most definitely a lifestyle change and because of my history with yo-yo dieting, I'm really looking at it as a lifestyle change. Just going for the fruits and vegetables first is a huge, huge part of it.

A couple of weeks ago I got sick. In the past when I'd get sick, it would always end with this terrible hacking, dry cough. This time I didn't have that cough and it's the first time in my life that I haven't had that cough and I really think it's the fruits and vegetables and eating real food instead of a bunch of processed junk. It’s totally incredible.

Up until now, I've made sure my four-year-old daugher Nyomi was eating right and I'd eat the quick fix. I would say I tend to put other people before myself, which can be a gift, but it's also a challenge IF you also don't take care of yourself.

For example, I haven't been to a doctor in the last four years and I'm realizing how important it is to get my "health team" together. So I'm lining up a new doctor, which in itself is a lifestyle change because I never wanted to go to the doctor, but I'm learning that there has to be a balance and a concentrated focus on my health.

It's funny because people are definitely noticing that something is different about me, but they'll usually ask if I did something to my hair. I've been trying on summer dresses that fit again and that feels great. It's amazing that such a small amount of weight could make such a big difference. It's so exciting.

We have trips planned this summer and we have our 10-year wedding anniversary in July, so those are my motivators for staying on track. I'm really looking forward to taking Nyomi to water parks this summer. I really want to go to the waterslides with her and not feel like I have to wear this full cover-up swimsuit so I don't scare people away! I don't want to have to think about that when I'm there and I know I'm on my way to being a size where I won't have to worry about it.

Matt on setting healthy habits for the next generation

I lost five pounds the first week and I felt like I had more energy.

It’s crazy to be on a “diet” and be more full than when I wasn’t on a diet, but that’s how I feel following the program. Part of it’s just eating all the stuff that’s on the meal plans. With the small snacks in between the bigger meals, I’m not starving when it comes to mealtime. I’m ready to eat, but I don’t feel like I need to eat everything!

Before, I barely ate any breakfast and I’d eat a larger lunch and dinner. I used to get really tired after lunch, but with the new system, I don’t feel like I’m getting tired after lunch.

I’m excited about creating different habits for my sons. We were eating out so much, always eating fast food, so it’s fun to cook with the boys. They’re definitely learning how to be healthy from the start and they’ll definitely understand that health is important.

In terms of exercise, the first week was fun. Ten minutes doesn’t take that long and it’s amazing how much you feel the ten minutes at work on your body. At the end of the week, I did a 4-3-2-1 session and then I went and swam – it was awesome to have my muscles remember what a workout felt like.

Welcome!

Welcome to A New Way to a New You! This is a blog about seven people who are trying to change their lives, one bite and one step at a time.

They were brought together to participate in the 12-week A New Way to a New You program developed by NUTRILITE®, the world’s leading brand of vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements. The program is designed to help people lose pounds and inches in a safe, healthy way.

It's a chance to focus on nutrition, exercise, supplementation, and overall health, with the ultimate goal of making lasting lifestyle changes so that the participants’ battle with weight will be their last. The seven people selected are people just like you, with demanding jobs, families, and commitments, but they’ve pledged to fully commit to the plan set before them.

They've been on the program for about four weeks, and will continue for another eight weeks. They're following recipes and meal plans developed in accordance with the nutritional guidelines of the Nutrilite Health Institute, working out with an exercise plan developed by Sean Foy, Lead Fitness Consultant for the Nutrilite Center for Optimal Health, and using NUTRILITE supplements to complement their eating plans and further their weight-loss goals. You can follow along at home by using the NUTRILITE Trim Body System.

So, without further ado, take a minute to meet the seven brave souls who have agreed to share their weight loss and healthy lifestyle journey with you! Meet Carmen, Dorothy, Holly, Lisa, Liz, Marshall, and Matt by checking out their profile pages and "before" videos on the navigation to the right. Stay tuned this week and next as we show you how their first week on the program went and follow along for the rest of their experience.