Weight-Loss Success! How I'm Reaching My Goal Weight with Diet-to-Go

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Say Hello (and way to go!) to Maren P.

* Weight loss results may vary based on starting weight and adherence to the meal plan. 

When Diet-to-Go launched our online Community and meal and exercise trackers back in June of 2014 we hoped that it would act as a good support tool for our customers. As in all online Communities, folks come and go, but Maren has been a steady presence in the community, often among the very first to offer her fellow community members feedback and support. Maren is not just an active myDiettogo Community member, she has contributed exponentially to the forum and has also inspired us with her epic bike journeys on the West Coast. We caught up with Maren after the 2015 Seattle Film festival.

DTG: How did you hear about Diet-to-Go and what made you choose us?

MP: A friend had been telling me about Diet-to-Go for many months. His daughter had been using the program. Initially I thought it was just one more expensive “gimmick” having tried Nutrisystem, semi liquid diets, and other prepared meals in the past. I always found I disliked the food, and would rapidly regain the lost weight.

I had been successful with weight watchers years ago, but had no appetite for weighing, measuring and preparing meals and, least of all, going to the meetings.
 

DTG: What was your “enough is enough” moment?

MP: I’m not completely sure. I do know I was tired of the up and down and empty promises to take better care of myself. I am a primary care physician and I knew I should “put my money where my mouth is” when advising patients to exercise and eat a healthy diet.

I will be 65 this summer and I decided I wanted to set an athletic goal of biking 200 miles in July on the Seattle to Portland ride to encourage myself to get in shape. A phrase that motivated me to meet this goal is “if you worry about the weight of the bicycle, take care of the weight of engine”.


DTG: What meal plan are you on and for how long?

MP: The first 6 to 8 weeks I was on the Carb30 plan. This helped me curb the tendency to binge on crackers, popcorn, bread, etc. I have to admit that I had a bit of a carb addiction.

I lost over 10% of my body weight on the Carb30 plan. I am currently on the Vegetarian plan and have been for over two months. About once every two weeks I substitute in a fish meal. I am so glad that Diet-to-Go gives me the opportunity to customize my meal plan in this way. I have, on occasion, eaten meat when out or at someone’s house. I have been happy with the variety of food on the vegetarian diet and I feel great.
 

DTG: What did you like or what surprised you most about the plan?

MP: I like that the food is ready to go; I just microwave it and it is ready. I like that it has helped me to reprogram myself to what a healthy portion size is.

I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty the food is. Initially, I personally found some of the Carb30 meals too salty, but I have learned to read the nutrition labels at the beginning of the week, and substitute. The vegetables are prepared well, most of the time, and a brief microwaving leaves them “al dente."
 

DTG: How long did it initially take before you to saw results?

MP: In the fall I lost some weight fairly quickly, but put most of it back on over the holidays.

When I restarted in January 2015, I shed weight immediately on the Carb30 menu, and have continued to do so since.
 

DTG: What was your starting weight? How much weight did you lose?

MP: First let me say that I am 65” tall. A year ago I weighed 187 pounds. When I first started DTG in November, I weighed 180 pounds. When I restarted in January, I weighed 176 pounds. In June, I weighed in at 135.8 pounds! I was losing on my own but not as fast and a well as I am losing now that I am using the Diet-to-Go meal plan. My goal is 130 to 135. So I am almost there!
 

DTG: Have your friends and family made comments about your success? What have they said?

MP: Many people have commented on my weight loss and on my new slim body. They are very pleased, and tell me I look younger and healthier.
 

DTG: What has been your secret to success?

MP: Secrets to success:
1. Tracking everything I eat
2. Exercising regularly
3. Forgiving myself for the occasional slip
4. Participating in the online forum community
5. Taking stock that the handful of times I overindulged feeling too full really didn’t feel very good
6. Oh, and one more thing - admitting to myself that eating those sweets or “junk food”, that called to me, would provide only very fleeting pleasure, nothing compared to the joy of feeling light, lithe, and more energetic.
 

DTG: How has losing weight improved your life?

MP: I am no longer taking medication for high cholesterol or high blood pressure! I have more energy, am happier, and have been “shopping out of my attic” and wearing clothes I haven’t worn in 20 years.
 

DTG: What do you think about the Diet-to-Go community?

MP: I have found the other participants inspirational and the staff of DTG outstanding in their support.
 

DTG: What does the future hold for Maren?

MP: I am about 5 pounds from my goal weight. I know the challenge will be maintaining that weight for a lifetime. I have some trepidation about returning to cook for myself. There have already been weeks, when I was travelling, where half my meals were not Diet-to-Go and those have gone well.

I expect that I will transition first by ordering half my meals and starting to cook a few days a week. I also plan to stay on as part of the Community online, and, if I do regain 3 pounds or more, to immediately go back to a full time program. 

Author: Brandi Redo
Brandi is a Certified Health Coach at Diet-to-Go, based in Lorton, VA. Balance is the number one mission in Brandi’s life. In her spare time she loves to bike, do Zumba and play tennis, but hates gym exercise. She is an amateur gardener and nature walker, who is on the constant look out for interesting insects and small animals. Brandi encourages people to “find the sweetness in life.”

 

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