How Diet-to-Go helped a stressed, devoted researcher regain his health

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The demands of obtaining a doctorate degree are extremely high. It’s stressful, time-consuming and often exhausting.

Studying, researching, reading and writing are all part of the equation, but for many post-bachelor’s-degree students, it also takes a toll on their health.

It certainly did for James Crispo, a former visiting research scholar at the University of Pennsylvania.
 

James Crispo's Story

James moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in August 2014 as a visiting Fulbright scholar to pursue research on the utilization and safety of Parkinson disease medications at the University of Pennsylvania.

The demands of such comprehensive research were intense, to say the least. And James’ health quickly started paying the price.

The Struggle

“I was just focusing so much on my studies...it was taking over my life,” James said. “I needed to get back, to get some checks and balances to make sure my health was getting taken care of.”

Besides letting fitness fall by the wayside, James had poor eating habits. He skipped breakfast and ate whatever was quick-and-easy, rather than what was healthy.

The Diet-to-Go Solution

“That’s the reason I started Diet-to-Go,” he said, adding that he also got a gym membership and started fitting in exercise three times a week.

James said he immediately loved Diet-to-Go because not only was it convenient, but it also forced him to make the lifestyle changes he needed to get back to his full potential.

“With the Diet-to-Go program, you have regimented meals. You eat breakfast, lunch and dinner,” he said. “My use of the service was to start correcting a series of bad habits accumulated over the last decade.”

James also said his purpose with Diet-to-Go wasn’t really to lose weight, but rather to reshape his body.

“I re-compositioned the fat to muscle,” he said. “I’m arguably in way better shape than a year ago. That focus [is not] on a number [on the scale]...it’s more about eating balanced meals and knowing that you’re getting into the gym. It’s a whole a combination of eating well, physical activity, etc.”

When asked what surprised him most about the process and Diet-to-Go, James said it was the cost and that he literally didn’t have to go to the grocery store the entire year he ate it.

“Eating healthy [with Diet-to-Go] doesn’t cost significantly more than a grocery store,” James said. “You’re buying more. You’re eating out. Food spoils. But Diet-to-Go gives you everything you need.”

James has since returned to Canada to live with his wife, Dominique, and work as a senior research facilitator at the Health Sciences North Research Institute in Sudbury.

“From a lifestyle perspective, I’m 180 degrees from where I was a year ago,” he said. “I see changes in my body, and that makes it all worthwhile.”

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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager

Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.

 

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