Hi friends! Happy Thanksgiving week!

I am doing pretty well and feeling good. It’s amazing how much my energy has been connected to what I was eating. I don’t wake up feeling so exhausted anymore and I feel like I am able to walk my dog easier and do workouts without feeling completely fried. I feel like I finally have a better handle on making better choices because it’s just a habit at this point. I am down about 14 pounds from when I first started, and I feel pretty good with that. I had to buy a new belt for my jeans because it was on the tightest notch, and I still had about an inch that was loose. That felt like such a big accomplishment, and it made me happy to see that progress. Obviously, I would love to be down a lot more, but I also want to be realistic and make sure this is a diet I can sustain long term. This is just the beginning of my weight journey and I plan on keeping up with it even after the program!

Changing up my meals

I spoke with Dr. Egan a bit about that at my last appointment and I think we are going to modify my shake schedule during the week. Instead of the 3-4 shakes and one meal per day, I think Monday through Thursday I will start doing 5 shakes and just not have a meal. This will be convenient and easy to swap, plus I will still be able to have a bit more flexibility on the weekends for dinner with friends.

We also spoke a bit about continuing my Weight Journey on the Motivate program so I can continue using the meal replacements when I am done with the Ultimate program. The biggest issue many people have with their diet is planning and resources, and I think having the meal replacement shakes on hand is an excellent way to help bridge that gap. Especially when coupled with better food choices in general.

I mentioned previously that I was in a Mindful & Intuitive Eating class with the Grand Rapids Center for Mindfulness. I feel like that class, coupled with the knowledge I have learned at true. has been priceless. When we break out into small groups in class, I hear so many women discussing a lot of shame they feel when they are eating. I am guilty of this, and my inner critic can be really nasty and beat up on me.

In my small group I mentioned that I would never speak to someone else like this, so why do I talk to myself like this? I am learning to be kinder to myself and look deeper.

We’ve also spoken a bit in class about eating without distractions and really tasting the food to see how it makes us feel. Dr. Egan and I spoke a bit about this at my appointment and I told her I had a couple of bites of birthday cake recently and I felt like I didn’t really like it that much, so I didn’t finish the cake. This was a big moment for me! Don’t feel guilty about not finishing food when you are full or don’t like it! Listen to your body!

Chef Anna

Getting to talk with Chef Anna was also so useful and eye-opening. It was so nice talking with her and learning more about nutrition as a whole. She was so sweet, and I felt like I was not judged at all. I was honest about my food habits prior to the program and my little knowledge of cooking. I learned some really helpful tips and tricks as well as some really great recipes to start implementing. It is mind-blowing when you really start paying attention to nutrition labels and you realize what is in the food you eat!

My plan for Thanksgiving

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and applying everything I have learned. My plan is to try to have a couple of shakes beforehand and then eat the healthy food before having a bit of the not-so-great dishes. I am not feeling super anxious or nervous, so I feel like that is a good sign!

I am feeling good and pretty proud of myself for sticking with the program and staying committed. It has been so motivating to see results every week and have the support of the true. team behind me. It feels like it has not been that long since I have started the program and I can’t believe how fast it has gone by.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! – Sam