Weigh-in (Day 84):
• Tamsin – no change – lost 13 pounds in 12 weeks!
• Eden – -1.6 lbs – lost 25.5 pounds in 12 weeks!
I can’t believe this is the last official post for The NutriSystem Challenge. Tamsin and I have lost a total of 38.5 pounds combined and gained a friendship. It’s been amazing connecting with a member of the community this way. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of her in this space. She has an open invitation to contribute anytime.
Most likely, we will be testing out NutriSystem’s maintenance program. I suspect we won’t be blogging about it weekly but we will have a regular weigh-in and posting schedule sorted out soon.
I am so grateful to the team at com.motion and NutriSystem for asking me to participate in the program. I was nervous at first because I had never done anything like it before. I’d always been uncomfortable with the idea of food supplements and diet food. Not anymore. It worked for me. I feel great and I’m loving every minute.
I’d be lying though if I didn’t acknowledge the psychological component and my prior experience with Weight Watchers – both were critical to my success. I was highly motivated and ready for a drastic change. It was more than the food. If you’re wondering, I’m at exactly the same weight I was at when I became a Weight Watchers lifetime member in 2002. The biggest difference is I lost almost the same amount of weight in half the time with NutriSystem and I didn’t need to go to weekly meetings or public weigh-ins.
I’m looking forward to continuing with some NutriSystem products at least for the short-term. I’ve started altering my bigger clothes and buying new ones so there’s no way I’m prepared to give up my new body or the benefits of being more than 25 pounds lighter – a lot on my barely 5’3” frame.
As for Tamsin, here’s what she had to say…
Hey thereAre there any questions on your mind we haven’t answered? If so, please send me an email or leave a comment. We’ll do our best to help. What we haven’t learned is what it’s like to order the food and receive deliveries as a regular customer. If you have, we’d love hearing from you as that is one of the most frequently asked questions I get whenever people ask me how I lost the weight.
No change for me this week, but I DID start working out with my favourite Goodlife trainer in a Women On Weights (WOW) program for the next 8 weeks. Not sure I'd promote Goodlife, but NS definitely got me pumped to keeping trying with the weight loss and maintenance!! My trainer, who I haven't seen in a year, told me I looked "amazing" and that she almost didn't recognize me. She measured me, and we compared the inches to 1 year ago. Major inches lost in my thighs, calves, and waist combined. Amazing! I credit MOST of that to NutriSystem.
I am eager to keep working out and practicing the eating habits that I picked up from NS - portion control, frequent minimeals, PROTEIN, and water, water, water!
Tamsin
As a final note, we still owe you some pictures of how we look today. It would be awesome if we could have makeovers first à la Stacy and Clinton from What Not to Wear. Being a bit more realistic, spending a few hours with a wardrobe planner at Yorkdale would be awesome. Any takers?
Congratulations, guys! I'm still not sure if I would have the will power to stick with the food that you did. Kudos for accomplishing your goals.
ReplyDeleteTamsin should know that, if she is starting to work with weights, she could be losing body fat but gaining muscle. Muscle is heavier, so she can be losing inches while the scale remains the same.It is all about how you feel, not the pounds lost.
I do believe in exercise along with healthy eating, so hope you both persist with the exercise/increased movement.
Best,
Connie
Thanks for sharing your experiences with Nutrisystem. I'm also a WW lifetimer who is about 18 pounds over my goal weight. I'm tempted now to give nutrisystem a try to lose these stubborn 18 pounds! I think I'll avoid the scrambled eggs though. They freak me out.
ReplyDeleteWay to go ladies :)
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with maintenance!
Thanks everyone for your encouragement these past 12 weeks. For me, losing the weight was probably easier than keeping it off will be. Please continue providing your support.
ReplyDeleteConnie, you are so right. I need to up the ante on my exercise. I've got some plans in the works. Stay tuned. Tamsin already has that covered. As for the fat vs. muscle weight, that's true but I also had A LOT more to lose from the get go. ;)
Andrea, NutriSystem may help you with those stubborn 18. I suspect both NS and WW will help me keep my weight off. IMHO, you're wise to avoid the eggs although Tamsin may disagree. She started liking them.
Marie, Thanks again. You are an amazing role model in the weight loss and maintenance department.
Cool.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to fat versus muscle, I was actually referring to Tamsin. That may be why it looks like she lost less, although I bet her clothes are equally fitting looser. Although I haven't seen her, so am just guessing.
:-)
Cheers!
Thanks for all the encouragement and feedback!!
ReplyDeleteGood point, Connie. I wondered about that throughout my NutriSystem experience. My trainer has me working with weights now, but the pole fitness that I teach 2-3 times a week is also a weight-bearing exercise, and definitely tones muscle. I agree that weight isn't the only measure, and I am working with my trainer to track my % body fat too.
p.s. Andrea - The food is great, just skip the eggs!
I'm catching up on blog feeds and reading this late but wanted to give a big congrats to both of you on reaching your goals. I think you've done an exceptional job at talking about weight loss and dieting openly and honestly. It can often be a very private and difficult topic. I think you've removed some of the stigma by talking so publicly about your experiences. Congrats to you both and keep up the healthy habits!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kathryn!
ReplyDeleteKathryn, Thank you so much for your insights. The NutriSystem Challenge has been an interesting and rewarding experience on many levels. Glad you appreciated Tamsin and I putting it out there. Sometimes it was tough revealing so much of myself and my struggle with food and body image issues.
ReplyDelete