​Here is proof that eating well doesn’t have to be painful or difficult. In mid-January of this year, I paid a visit to my massage therapist, Denise Kennedy. I love getting massages from Denise – she is pretty darn good at what she does! At this visit, she seemed much more chipper and happier than usual. I asked her how her holidays had been and how she was doing. She proceeded to tell me that she was feeling absolutely great because of this diet that she had started after the first of the year called AdvoCare. “AdvoCare is a program that teaches you portion control, how to eat less but more often and makes you pay attention to what you're putting into your body”, Denise explains.  “A huge part of that is eating organic and staying away from preservatives and packaged food.”  She considered the program upon the advice of her sister who had been on it herself.

Denise gave it a try, and had already dropped about five pounds a week or two into the program – she  was cooking and eating her own meals, and felt fabulous. In subsequent conversations with her, she reported that she continued to feel great (and it was obvious in her demeanor), was enjoying the cooking aspect, wasn’t having any cravings, and had lost more weight. By the end of the 24 Day Challenge that is the jump-start component of the program, Denise had lost about 11 pounds and continued to lose weight, dropping another five pounds in the week after finishing the program.

She looks great and says she feels fantastic. Two weeks ago, she told me that she has lost a total of 21 pounds! Denise also said that she didn’t feel as tired and sore during and after massages –  that her stamina had improved. And in just this short period of time, her body had developed a sense of what food was good for it and what was not, as her first “celebratory meal” ended up not feeling as good in her system as the food that she had been eating on the program. Denise says that her favorite part of this entire experience is “ getting me back… and I've only just begun.”

So I asked her if I could interview her and share her success with others… to let other people know that it is possible to lose weight and feel great by adjusting what you eat. She agreed, and I have written this article to do just that.  

Now, The point of this story is not to endorse AdvoCare, or to do an advertisement for it, but to illustrate Denise’s success and the power of a balanced and nutritious diet of whole foods.   AdvoCare’s program does include supplementation along with its diet plan, and it is likely that these supplements added to Denise’s success with the program. But she gained so much more from just learning to eat well.
 
LM: What made you feel that you needed a program like AdvoCare? What or who led you to decide to do this?
D: Genetics first and foremost. I lost my mom at 46. She had a heart attack. My father is diabetic.  As I approach my 40s, I've really been looking at my health and it's not good.  My sister told me about this program she was on and she loved how she felt and wanted the same for me. With some coaxing, I did it. I'm so glad I did. I feel amazing!!

LM: What were your goals or desired outcomes for following the program? What did you initially want to get from it?
D: My goal was not just to lose weight and increase my energy but to make a lifestyle change - one that would keep me healthy so I can enjoy my life not sitting on my butt and watch it pass me by.

LM: How were you feeling both physically and mentally before you started the program? Did you have any doubts about whether or not it would work, or that you would be able to stay with it?
D: I was tired of being tired. Tired of feeling bloated and uncomfortable. I used to have this energy and positivity that I no longer had. It's one of the reasons Mariah encouraged me to make some changes.  I wanted to feel like myself again.

I doubted myself, not the program. I saw it working with my sister and knew if it didn't work with me, it was because I failed - that I didn't want to change badly enough.

LM: What was the most difficult part of starting the program? 
D: The hardest part was just starting the program. I did put it off for a while but once I started it, I didn't want to stop.

LM: What was the easiest part? And did you experience any significant challenges during the program?
D: Easiest: Meal prepping. Everything is ready. I'd cook once every three days. Come home...heat it up and serve.

Challenges were remembering the supplements. I'd forget but the more into the program I got...it became second nature. So nothing significant.

LM: Did you experience any cravings, and if so, when did they come on and how did you manage them? Did you have any “cheat days” where you ate something you weren’t supposed to eat, and how did you feel physically after doing that?
D: I really thought it was going to be hard to cut out chocolate, but it wasn't. I didn't and still don't crave it like I used to. Funny thing I found out- I craved all the good food I was putting into my body. I couldn't wait to have my apples with peanut butter, or my cashews with dried cranberries. Couldn't wait to get home to make my turkey taco boats!! So the cravings were very manageable.

No cheat days, but after the initial 24 day challenge is over you get to have a celebratory meal. Chicken. Fried. Steak. It was so delicious but I didn't like how I felt after. I felt...gross and heavy. Nothing I ate in those first 24 days made me feel that way.

LM: Were you very strict with yourself on the program, following it exactly as it was laid out? Or did you modify the program at all?
D: I followed it almost to the 'T' but I did have a cocktail now and again. You're not supposed to have any alcohol for the first 24 days but I'd have a vodka/soda water with lemon once a week.

LM: At what point in the program did you start to feel better – where you knew that the nutritional program was making a difference in how you felt? Did you feel both physically and mentally healthier?  How do you feel now?
D: Within the first 5 days I noticed I had more energy. Mornings were no longer my enemy! The bloated feeling was all but gone. I felt more focused. I had a little pep in my step and a smile on my face. I feel absolutely amazing!!

LM: What are the top three health benefits that you have received from participating in the AdvoCare program? What was your favorite part about the program?

1. I've lost 21lbs!! Taking that small amount of weight off has made my back and feet feel better instead of hurting all the time. I have arthritis and disc degeneration in my lumbar spine and plantar fasciitis.
2. My overall mood...I'm happy. I haven't felt like this in a long time.
3. The increased energy. I'm out and about doing my thing again.

LM: How long have you been on the program, and how long do you think you will continue on with it?
D: I started the program right after the first of the year. The knowledge I have gained by doing this will stay with me always. I will continue to put healthy, organic food into my body. I'm addicted to how I feel...it's such a huge change in such a short amount of time that I would be an imbecile to go back to where I was.

LM: What would be your advice to anyone who has the same health goals as you and who may want to embark upon a nutritional program/plan like AdvoCare?
D: Do your research. Find a program that works for you. Advocare happens to fit for me and my life. I'm excited about my future...I haven't felt that way in a while. I was disenchanted with life. If that's something you identify with, then stop making excuses like I did and start making some better choices. Once you make these changes, I promise you, you will feel amazing!! If you fall off, dust yourself off and get back to it.
 
Thank you, Denise, for sharing your experiences and success on the AdvoCare program!

This article is for educational purposes only. It is not an endorsement of AdvoCare. You can check out the AdvoCare program here.

​Let’s face it, sometimes dieting sucks. We have to eat things we don’t like, and don’t get to eat the things that we want. We count calories. The cravings drive us crazy. But we persevere, at least at first…and then after a short while (maybe a few months) the diet starts to peter out. We don’t want to be restricted every day. It’s too hard to think about following the diet, and we don’t have enough time to plan our meals appropriately. We are tired of the food. And we start to give into the cravings. We start the slippery slope of cheating. Pretty soon, we are back to square one and looking for the next diet that we can try.

But what if I told you it didn’t have to be this way? That you could lose weight and feel better with just a little effort?

 I think we sometimes focus too much on weight loss only, when just eating right will not only yield weight loss results, but will also help us feel so much healthier. We can have more energy. We can get rid of digestive issues. We won’t feel so stressed out. We can lower our cholesterol and stabilize our blood sugars. We can say goodbye to chronic headaches and other aches and pains. We won’t get sick as often - or at all.  AND… we’ll lose weight.

​So what’s the secret?

A balanced and nutritious diet of whole foods.

Okay, so you read that and think “Uh, that is  vague and tells me nothing. What the heck does this mean?” So here it is broken down:

• Balanced – eat regular meals of good and fresh proteins, fats, and carbohydrates… all three, every day, at every meal if you can
• Nutritious – eat good and fresh proteins, fats, and carbohydrates high in essential nutrients like amino acids, vitamins, and minerals- organic if you can afford it
• Whole foods – good and fresh proteins, fats, and carbohydrates (seeing the trend here?). Except for things like grains and beans, if it comes in a package, it probably isn’t considered a whole food. Mac & Cheese, canned chili and soups, and ready-made pasta sauce may have started with whole foods (and additives that aren’t whole foods too), but by the time you buy and eat them, they don’t fit this category anymore.

That’s really it. It’s pretty easy.

“But it isn’t that easy”, you say… “eating like this is complicated, and difficult, and impossible. I don’t know what to cook. I’m not a meal planner. I work long hours, I have kids at home, and I don’t have the time nor the inclination to cook all of my meals.”

I get it – it can seem daunting at first. But trust me when I say that when you work out the rhythm and structure of eating well, you’ll find that it wasn’t that difficult after all – and you will feel so much better. Your wellbeing (and the health of your family) is worth it.  Plus, it is a more cost effective way of eating. And you don’t have to be super strict with yourself – the aim is to eat this way at least 80% of the time.

Whether you are making your own meals or eating out, a critical first step is to think and plan before you eat:  Am I eating meals a few times a day? Do I have a protein, a fat, and a carbohydrate on my plate? Are all the ingredients known and nutritious?  Are they fresh – were they freshly made? You probably can’t say “yes” to these questions for any meal that you get from a fast food restaurant, for meals at many other types of restaurants, or for packaged and processed foods.  But even if you are eating out, picking restaurant and meal options where most of the answers are “yes” can go a long way.

With this type of dietary approach, you don’t have to calorie count – just watch portions. You don’t have to eat foods that don’t taste good to you (unless you just hate vegetables, in which case I’m sorry, but you’ll need to eat at least some of them). You don’t have to do any weird diet dance of vinegar, maple syrup, and lemon juice as a meal to drop weight.  You just need to think before you eat and answer “yes” to the questions above– and you will not only feel physically and mentally better, but you will likely lose weight because the body can shed unnecessary weight when it is balanced and fortified adequately.  Many cravings for salty, sweet, or fat-laden foods are signs of imbalance, and will diminish or disappear on their own when the body is getting the proper nutrients that it needs from protein, fats, and carbohydrates.

Now for some people, it can be a little more complicated because they may need to eliminate certain foods that cause them distress when eaten – for instance, people who have true food allergies, are gluten-sensitive or intolerant, are diabetic (or close to becoming so), or have a great deal of inflammation in the body may need to limit or avoid certain foods that cause physical and mental reactions to them. But the premise is the same – they should eat balanced and nutritious whole foods too, just without the “offenders”.

You can feel better, look great, lose weight, and keep the weight off by eating right.  Why not give it a try? Here are some ways to start:

• Eat breakfast – the vast majority of people do not do this. The saying that it is “the most important meal of the day” is no joke – eating breakfast helps fire up your metabolism, balance blood sugars for the day, and helps minimize cravings for caffeine or sweets before lunch (and sometimes throughout the day).  Breakfast needs to have a protein in it to achieve these results though. Even a protein breakfast smoothie that you make yourself works.
• Eat at home as much as possible. We don’t always know what goes into yummy restaurant dishes like Jambalaya, pizza, chow mein, enchiladas, or even burgers and fries. The food you are eating at a restaurant may not always be fresh, and there may be hidden and unnecessary additives like sugar, MSG, food colorings, or rancid oils. Cooking with whole foods at home allows you to know exactly what you are eating, and to eliminate all of these unnecessary additives.
• Cook for a few days at a time, and freeze what you can’t eat in a couple of days. Food is most nutritious when it is fresh, so eat prepared foods within 2-3 days of making them. Defrost frozen food items at night so that you can take them to lunch or have them for dinner the next day.
• Make and take your lunch with you – this doesn’t have to be difficult and is way better for you than getting lunch at Taco Bell or Burger King. It takes a little planning and about 5 minutes in the morning to do it. A chicken breast and salad, a thermos of homemade beef and vegetable soup, rice and beans, or leftovers from the night before are all great options.  Even organic nut butter with some crackers or whole grain bread would do in a pinch.
• If you eat out, opt for a simple dish with a protein and vegetables. Ask your server for some olive oil to drizzle over the vegetables. Or visit restaurants that offer organic, healthy meals.
• Drink plenty of water. Everyone knows that they need to drink lots of water – we just don’t always do it. Dehydration can cause physical issues such as headaches, constipation, dry skin, and low blood pressure.  Over time, it can adversely affect organs too.  Put a water pitcher somewhere where you will see it and pour from it - use it as 1) a visual cue to drink water and 2) a way to measure how much you are drinking each day.

If you need the structure and discipline that a formal diet plan offers, look for those that are based upon whole foods and a balanced approach to eating.  Shy away from diets that restrict fat intake (more on this at another time), require you to eat only their food, rely only upon calorie counting, or use meal replacement shakes for your only food during those meals. These types of diets may not be balanced and nutritious.

Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post titled “Eating Right=Feeling Great AND Losing Weight” which is about one of these structured types of diets called the AdvoCare Program, whose balanced approach includes nutritious, whole foods. The article is an interview with my massage therapist who has had some recent success with the program.