A New Way to a New You

Holly on fuel and fitting it all in

A few things I've learned that I'm excited about on this A New Way to a New You journey include an understanding of the preparation needed to fit it all in and the knowledge I've gained about how to fuel my body to make sure I'm ready for anything!

I've always enjoyed exercise. What I've realized throughout this process is how much prior planning it takes to get all those workouts in! As well as the extra hours for sleep, I might add.

In terms of dieting, I believe this is a lifestyle change and it has been amazing learning how to combine all the necessary components such as protein, carbs, fat, etc. to give my body the best fuel it needs. It runs a lot better now and life has taken on an energetic edge!

Too focused on the scale? Marshall takes a more holistic approach to health

It has become apparent to me that dieting and weight loss programs that I am aware of focus mostly on losing weight.

And to lose the weight, take a crash course in changing behavior for a given period of time. Results are normally temporary at best.

On the A New Way to a New You program, I truly realize that dieting with proper meal planning, weight loss, and exercise are vital to achieve optimal health. Weight loss alone will not accomplish optimal health.

The "aha" moment for me was when I understood that I needed to change my lifestyle, not just my behavior. Changes in my knowledge about optimal health, my values, attitude, priorities, and my behavior have given me a new way of living that I can continue for a lifetime.

One day at a time to a healthy Liz!

I relate one of the shifts I have made through the A New Way to a New You program to keeping my house clean ...

Some people are fanatical about keeping their house clean, so much so it stresses them out. This is how I felt about dieting in the past. If I had a day that didn't go exactly as planned then I was stressed out. (No wonder that didn't work, huh?!)

Some people don't take the time to clean their house at all, it's just not a priority. They're just waiting for someone else to clean it! I think this is how I got to the place I was when we started this journey, which led to my weight gain and having future health concerns.

Then there are the people who do a little each day to keep their house clean and prioritize their time to keep their house organized. This is where my shift came.

I want the health, energy, and body that comes from doing something every day. Some days will work out perfectly and others won't but I know that if I do something every day and that is how I live my life, it will never be as bad as it was and will only get easier and become a way of life!

Dorothy: A taste for healthier fare

One of the biggest surprises for me over the course of the A New Way to a New You program is how my palate has changed for certain foods.

If I don't make myself a big salad every day, I feel like I'm missing something. Being creative has really helped a lot - there are so many good veggies you can put in a salad. I always buy three colors of peppers, cucumbers, celery, carrots, red cabbage, red onions, flowering kale, spinach, tomatoes, sprouts - anything that looks good to me.

I've figured out that if I do a lot of prep work upfront, loading up on a filling salad is just a matter of grabbing ingredients from the fridge and throwing them together. I cut up enough for a couple of days of salads for the whole family. I'm also getting better with portions. I'm able to eyeball it and I'm reaching for a proper portion without even thinking about it now.

Now that I'm consistently eating better, I'm also less tempted to choose things that aren't as healthy for me. With eating the right proper foods, your body will let you know what's good for you - that was reassuring.

I'm really excited that my daughter Julia also seems to be on board with healthier eating. She's actually asking for salads - it's not something we're having to force on her.

Carmen: Seeing food as fuel

It's become clear that weight loss in a permanent and healthy way has nothing to do with starving or sweating until we pass out.

Food has taken on a new definition in terms of weight management. That four-letter word "diet" has now become "fuel". Food = fuel, not cravings, not being forced to eat what we don't like, feeling deprived and then going back to what we "like" which was full of empty calories and/or fat and no energy. What I now "like" and have more taste for, is what's good for me and that is a plate full of colorful fruits and vegetables and right portions throughout the day.

I used to weigh 200 pounds and couldn't go up a flight of stairs without stopping or huffing and only ate about two times a day. Now, 17 pounds lighter and inches off everywhere, I'm running circles around my old ideas of health, food, and exercise and I eat five times a day and and exercise 10-20 minutes per day. (Who would've thought?).

All thanks to this A New Way to a New You program!

Here's a quick snapshot of my losses and gains since mid-February:

Down an additional 10 pounds for a total of 17 pounds since I started.
Down 1% body fat.
Up .3% muscle mass.
Down 2 inches from my arms.
Down 3 inches from my waist.
Down 1.5 inches from my hips.

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.

Carmen: Encouraged

It was unimaginable for me that I could lose weight, be stronger and fit, and on my way to my optimal health without starving, not slaving away hours at the gym, and fit it all into an already busy schedule.

Oh, what a relief 4-3-2-1 and A New Way to a New You is! Dr. Duke Johnson's book is also mind-blowing!

At the end of the 12 weeks, my word will be TRANSFORMED because I’ll have a new life and I’ll have new habits. I’ll have more optimal health habits that’ll last a lifetime and will give me more life – I’ll live longer probably because of all of this and if that’s not transformation I don’t know what is.