By: Gunner Shroy
Customer Support, Personal Trainer Food
By week three of our 2015 Walk the Walk challenge we were all seeing results. So far, our group of 10 had lost a total of 100.8 pounds—but we were even more excited about our non-scale victories!
You’ve probably heard us talk about non-scale victories before; these are the myriad of ways that you and your body are changing that the scale can’t track, and they’re fantastic signs of progress! A non-scale victory can be anything from inches lost to replacing an unhealthy habit with a new alternative.
This week, we talked with some of our participants about their favorite non-scale victories so far and their best tips to help you lose weight.
Maria, Customer Support
Lost 8 inches in 3 weeks.
Maria is a mother of three with a busy family life. She’s been walking the walk with us as part of her determination to reach her weight loss goals and has been excited about all of her non-scale victories from overcoming cravings to tracking her inches lost.
Need some help with cravings? Here are Maria’s three best craving-killing tips!
- Kill cravings with hot beverages.
“Sometimes a craving can creep up on me in the evenings. When this happens, sipping on a hot beverage like decaf coffee or herbal tea, does the trick for me and takes the cravings away.”
- Bring on the heat!
“If you like spicy foods, try adding some hot sauce or peppers to your meals. The spicy kick is great at keeping my appetite and cravings at bay.”
- Out of sight, out of mind.
“Remember that cravings are a mental game—the easiest way for me to avoid them is to keep those tempting cheat foods out of the house. If a craving does crop up, I drink a full glass of water and find something to do. When I’m not thinking about cravings, they disappear on their own!”
Jessica, Sales Director
Lost 12.25 inches in 3 weeks.
Our Sales Director, Jessica, is a busy professional. Between working long hours and an active personal life, she’s constantly going all day long. Over the last three weeks, she’s loved the extra energy that she’s found by changing her diet while walking the walk.
Are you juggling a hectic schedule? Jessica shared with us how she does it!
- Schedule time for yourself.
“Like many of you, my life is pretty busy and I’m always on the go. Working long hours, commuting, taking care of pets, spending time with my Little Sister, running errands—it can add up to a lot of stress! Stress has been proven to raise cortisol levels which can trigger increased appetite and sugar cravings. To keep all of that in check, I make sure to schedule some time that is just for me every day. It can be 20 minutes to do my walking, time to enjoy a meal, or a few moments to breathe deep.”
- Feed your body right.
“Eating the right foods has helped me stay energized and get more done in my day. Avoiding sugar, processed carbs, and alcohol has also improved my sleep so I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take it all on.”
Amanda, Weight Loss Coach
Lost 13.75 inches in 3 weeks.
Two young kids would have anyone running around—Amanda has been loving the extra time she’s been finding in her schedule to spend quality time with her family and get out for social events with her friends.
Amanda talked with us about her tips for keeping up with her family and social life as well as shaking up her meals with Creative Food Ideas.
- Remember how many beverage choices you have.
“Avoiding alcohol while on Personal Trainer Food has not been a huge issue for me—even when being social! I love going out with friends, and I join right in while sipping on a diet soda, unsweetened ice tea, or sparkling water. Being social is all about enjoying the company of those you love”
- Get creative with your meals!
“I love that the Personal Trainer Food guidelines make it so easy add endless variety to your meals. There are so many BORING diet plans out there—but Personal Trainer Food is just the opposite. Last week I made a delicious Meatza with one of our Angus Burgers and my favorite pizza toppings. Check out the recipe here!”
- Spend your extra time with family.
“Being a mom can mean juggling a million things at once, especially with two small kiddos! Personal Trainer Food saves me so much time that I used to spend cooking—and my whole family loves it (even the kids). Now I get to spend all of that extra time having fun with my family!”
Rhett, Cold Storage Representative
Lost 14.6 pounds in 3 weeks.
Along with spending a lot of time on the road for meetings, Rhett and his wife have also been in the process of buying a new home. With all that time on the road, Rhett has been finding it easier than he thought to find meals within the PTF guidelines. He’s also been having a lot of fun finding more opportunities to get out of the house and be more active.
Have a moment where you need a little extra motivation? Rhett has some great ideas for keeping the big picture in mind:
- Keep in mind what you’re saving.
“My wife and I have been in the process of buying a house, so we’ve been watching our money more than usual lately. After doing the math, we found we were saving money by using Personal Trainer Food. Not only were we cutting down our grocery expenses (and eliminating wasted foods), but not buying lunch or drinks out was also a HUGE savings.”
- Take it one day at a time.
“Beer was my favorite food group—I can pair beer with everything and it never judges! At first, cutting out beer was the hardest part of starting this program. But, after the first Friday night out without beer, it’s almost like it never registered with me anymore. I just stopped thinking about it for a while!”
- Find a new hobby or delve back into an old one.
“Along with the positive changes in what I’ve been eating, I’ve had a great time exploring new ways to get outside and keep myself moving and active. I’ve been having lots of fun trying out activities I never thought I could enjoy!”
Save money with Rhett! Join us and use code WALKTHEWALK at checkout for $75 off of your order.
Teresa, Accounting
Lost 10.75 inches in 3 weeks.
When we chatted with Teresa, she was excited to show us the dress she was wearing for the first time in two years. Even though the scale wasn’t showing as much, she has been seeing great results with the changes in her body and being able to wear clothes from the back of her closet.
Even while walking the walk, Teresa hasn’t stopped cooking for her family. Here are her tips for you:
- Cooking for others? Eat your meal first.
“One of the challenges I faced every day was preparing supper for my family. The foods that they eat, like mashed potatoes, spaghetti, and gravy, are not foods that I’m eating. I found that eating my supper before I started cooking for them ensured I was feeling satisfied and I wasn’t tempted to ‘lick the spoon.’”
- Find your new comfort food!
“Here in Texas we just experienced the wettest month in documented history. Without our usual sunshine and blue skies, I found myself wanting to reach for my typical “comfort foods.” Once I realized how the endless rain and clouds were affecting my mood, I chatted with one of our Weight Loss Coaches—they were able to help me find my new go-to “pick me up” that is completely within PTF guidelines!”
Frank, Operations Director
Lost 21 pounds in 3 weeks.
Frank has been thrilled by the new, healthier habits that are becoming second nature to him. Often finding himself at school and sporting events to support his teenage sons, he’s found ways to stick to the plan in places where he’d previously indulge in unhealthy foods.
Stuck in places where you thought you didn’t have options? Here’s how Frank is doing it:
- Think ahead as you’re planning your schedule.
“I’m not sure “busy” is the correct word for my family life… With two active teenage sons, “consumed” is probably a better description. Their activities keep me on the go constantly! Before starting this challenge, I never thought about what I was eating. I just grabbed anything convenient and fast—and didn’t even realize how that was adding to my weight gain. Now, even though my schedule is just as hectic, I think ahead a little to plan what I’m going to eat. Whether I pack lunch, we’re eating at a restaurant, or have to grab fast food, I know that I can find something that fits my plan.”
- Make sure you have snacks on hand.
“One of my sons plays baseball for both the high school team and a club team—so I can easily end up at the ball field 4 days a week. Sounds like an active dad, right? Maybe I left out a key word here: ball field concession stand. A double header used to mean two or three hot dogs with the works, some nachos or chili pie… and don’t forget about the sodas to wash it all down. This has all changed now. Now I bring a Personal Trainer Food snack and a water bottle with me to every game. Guess what? I’ve survived and don’t even miss the concession stand at all!”
P.S. Try these tips for yourself–join our Walk the Walk challenge and get $75 off of your order with the code WALKTHEWALK at checkout!
About the Writer
Gunner has long had an interest in healthy eating and nutrition. As a professional Yoga Teacher and Ski Iinstructor, he had to find a way of eating that made it easy to maintain his weight and keep his energy sustained when engaged in these demanding activities for long periods of time. Through experimenting with his own eating habits and different dietary plans, Gunner found that eating along the Personal Trainer Food guidelines helped him to meet these goals.
Thanks for your inspiring thoughts! I’m just refocusing and getting started again after surgery. The inactivity and stress prior to my surgery was definitely not good for me. I’ve started the recumbent bike daily, but haven’t been cleared for weight training yet. Hopefully, I can start adding in weights next week.
Hi Patt,
We’re glad that you enjoyed–and it is great to hear that you’re getting refocused and right back at it! Eating the right foods is a great step as you’re taking care of yourself and recovering. You can add activities back in as you are able and cleared by your doctor, the recumbent bike sounds like an excellent option.
Please feel free to reach out to our Weight Loss Coaches at any time if you ever have any questions.
One more: SPOIL YOUR APPETITE! If you’re feeling unusually hungry, it’s been too long since your last meal, or you’re going out for a special dinner, eat a HEALTHY SNACK before hand. It will reduce the likelihood of overeating.
That is an excellent tip, Robin! (: