SUMMARY

If you’re single, meal delivery for one person is an option worth considering. You’ll have access to nutritious meal options made with fresh ingredients, with no cooking and no cleanup. Here’s what Fresh N Lean subscriber Debbie Macrae had to say about her experience with our company’s meal delivery service. 

Fresh N Lean is a meal delivery service that provides food made with organic ingredients. Our tasty, chef-prepared cuisine is always fresh and never frozen, and we offer five convenient meal plans: Protein+, Keto, Paleo, Standard Vegan and Low-Carb Vegan. Choose Fresh N Lean for affordable nutrition, delivered to your doorstep. 

If you’re single with a busy, active lifestyle, cooking may seem like more trouble than it’s worth.     

Fortunately, meal delivery services can lend a helping hand. These companies can simplify meal planning and meal prep for busy singles.

The list of companies providing services in this area is vast; it includes names like Daily Harvest, Home Bistro, Home Chef, Green Chef, Sun Basket and Territory Foods. The services differ from one company to the next. For example, some companies provide meal kit delivery that may require cooking and meal assembly. Others provide precooked meals that are good to go after you’ve warmed them for a minute or two in the microwave. 

So, what’s the best meal delivery service for your needs? Many people prefer the convenience of having prepared meal options that require no cooking and meal prep. If precooked meals sound like a good idea, consider Fresh N Lean. Our precooked meals include organic ingredients, and they’re chef-prepared and dietician-approved. We don’t just offer you a gourmet meal that tastes great; each delicious meal on our menu is also a healthy meal that can help you reach your fitness and wellness goals. 

Best meal delivery for one person

Sometimes customer reviews can help you find the best meal option for your needs. Debbie Macrae was looking for a service that provides healthy meal delivery for one person, and she chose Fresh N Lean. She wanted a plan to offer one fresh meal after the next, and she didn’t want to worry about cooking or following a recipe. Here’s what she had to say about our food and our service. 

Debbie, thanks for being part of the Fresh N Lean family! How long have you been with our service? 

Just over a year, I think.

Why did you decide to subscribe to a meal delivery service? 

I was done cooking after 20 years – my kids were doing their own thing meal-wise, and I was tired of trying to eat low-carb and healthy on my own. 

What made you choose Fresh N Lean specifically? 

I did a lot of research. Finally, I read a blog from someone who tried all of the top prepped meal services and recommended Fresh N Lean based on the quality of food and serving size. I also ruled out any services requiring prep or special ovens like Tovala.

What are your health goals, and how does Fresh N Lean’s meal delivery service support your objectives? 

I had already lost weight on a very low-carb, low-fat diet and needed to find a plan with low carbs and moderate fat content. I also wanted to eat fresh, sustainable, free-range and grass-fed.  

Which meal plan did you choose and why? 

I chose Paleo because of the reasons I listed above – this plan allows me to maintain my perfect weight! It includes complex carbs like sweet potatoes – no pasta and grains. Although I love pasta and grains, I need to avoid those carbs in daily meals and save them for eating out. I add steamed chopped kale to every meal to get my veggie fix.

For you, what are the most significant benefits of having your meals delivered? 

I enjoy healthy eating while maintaining my diet needs without any planning — I look forward to eating now!

Has eating a diet based on Fresh N Lean meals changed how you feel physically and mentally? 

The portions are perfect – I feel full and satiated after eating dinner without needing more. And I look forward to eating dinner every night by myself (with my dogs) – I arrange my meals when I first get them to eat a different protein every night. I miss my Fresh N Lean dinner ritual when I go out to eat!

Is there any advice or encouragement you’d like to share with our readers? 

Don’t spend your hard-earned money on a bunch of cheap carbs – the protein variety Fresh N Lean offers is amazing! You can always add veggies and carbs easily if you want to – just microwave your Fresh N Lean meal, then dump your pre-steamed (microwaved) veggies on top! For example, I microwave the seafood dishes for only 2 minutes and chicken or beef for 2.25 minutes – this makes it perfectly heated without overcooking. Yum!

Next steps

If you’re looking to simplify your life with meal delivery for one person, subscribe to Fresh N Lean. We deliver our chef-prepared meals to your home or office, and we make them with fresh ingredients. 

The post Meal Delivery for One Person: Debbie Macrae’s Fresh N Lean Review appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

SUMMARY

If you’d rather not spend time and energy on meal prep, cooking, calorie counting and grocery shopping, prepared meal delivery services can help. These services can provide meal options that suit your dietary preferences, with everything shipped to your front door. Customer reviews can give you insight into what each meal delivery company has to offer. Here’s Lizzie’s review concerning her experiences with Fresh N Lean’s fully prepared meal delivery service.  

Fresh N Lean is the nation’s largest organic meal delivery service. Our tasty, chef-prepared cuisine is always fresh and never frozen, and we offer five convenient meal plans: Protein+, Keto, Paleo, Standard Vegan and Low-Carb Vegan. Choose Fresh N Lean for affordable nutrition, delivered to your doorstep. 

Consuming a consistent diet of nutritious meals isn’t as easy as it appears.

It involves grocery shopping to purchase fresh ingredients. And you have to give some thought to dietary restrictions — for example, if you’re on a paleo, vegetarian or low-carb diet, you’ll have to plan your recipes and macros to make sure your tasty meals fit the guidelines. Then you’ll have to cook the meal. And if you like the idea of using meal prep to plan ahead, you’ll have to portion your prepped meals to meet your dietary needs throughout the week. 

If that sounds exhausting, know that it can be. But fortunately, there’s an easier way to access delicious meals that are good for your health — a prepared meal delivery service can deliver food to your front door. 

Whether your goal is weight loss or just general health improvement, a meal delivery company can support your journey. However, there are many prepared meal delivery services out there. If you want to evaluate a meal delivery company and see if it’s right for you, it’s a good idea to look at what customers have to say in their reviews. 

With that in mind, we decided to connect with Lizzie. Lizzie is our customer service manager here at Fresh N Lean, and she’s also a subscriber. We did an initial interview with her last year when she first signed up with our fully prepared meal delivery service.

Here’s what she had to say about her experiences with Fresh N Lean’s chef-prepared gourmet meals during a year that’s been nothing short of chaotic and unpredictable for most of us.

Lizzie, thanks for taking the time to talk to us about fully prepared meal delivery! In our last conversation, you talked about your journey with skin cancer. How have your follow-up checks been going?

Hey, yeah, I’m all clear! I had a few things checked out here and there, but everything has been coming back negative for the scary stuff. One of the benefits of having some history with positive results is that they’ll see you pretty quickly, so you don’t spend too much time worrying. 

Are you still on Fresh N Lean’s Protein+ meal plan? If so, how do you think you’ve benefited from a high-protein diet?

I switched to the vegan meal service to cut cholesterol and give my body a complete health overhaul. I loved the high-protein diet — it provided well-balanced meals, and I was never hungry. But for my own health goals, I made a change and am focusing more on clean, green, and lean food. 

Fresh N Lean’s prepared meal delivery service gives customers the flexibility to switch from one meal plan to the next when they choose. Have you stuck exclusively to one plan?

I think I’ve tried everything! That’s one of the benefits of working here. I think it’s one of those things that’s more normal than we like to think. We as people change, so why wouldn’t our eating preferences change too? I feel like there’s honestly something for everyone, and we’re always happy to help people find what works well for them. 

What are the most significant benefits of having your fully prepared meals delivered?

I think this question has a million answers! Especially since the pandemic — it was a crazy ride. And we never actually stopped coming into work since Fresh N Lean is an essential business. So with all the uncertainty, prepared meal delivery was a lifesaver. And now, with things a little more settled, it’s a time saver to be able not to have to worry about juggling “regular life” with meal prep.

Prepared meal delivery services give you the chance to benefit from a consistent meal plan. Do you think your current diet has changed the way you feel physically and mentally?

One hundred percent. As the saying goes, “You are what you eat.” I physically feel lighter and cleaner. I think when you know you’re eating healthier, you will automatically start to feel better. Just knowing that you’re taking better care of yourself, that you’re choosing to take care of yourself, is huge. It affects how you see yourself and feel about yourself.

It seems as if there are many mental health stories in the news these days, which isn’t surprising given the current situation. Do you think there’s a link between diet and mental health?

You know, I think there is. I’m not a doctor or anything, but I do know it helped me in particular. After my surgery, I stopped working out, going to the beach, swimming, all of that. I didn’t feel like myself, and I wasn’t comfortable in the sun.

The first time I went back to the beach (a year after the surgery), I started to get ready to go into the water and was hit with this fear. Like, a ton of bricks out of nowhere hit me, and I quickly started covering myself up completely. I almost had a panic attack.

The feeling of being scared while standing in a place I’d always identified with flipped me over. I started getting Fresh N Lean’s prepared meals delivered after that and slowly became more confident. Through the change in my diet, I focused on a positive change that I was working on for myself, and little by little, the other things started to follow.

Are you using Fresh N Lean’s prepared meal delivery services for all your meals, or are you supplementing with food from your kitchen? Would you mind describing a typical day of meals?

I’m eating Fresh N Lean for most meals, but I supplement. I’m eating the vegan plans but am also working out. I want to make sure I’m getting enough proteins and healthy fats for a sustainable change, so I add avocado, nuts, some dairy here and there, and egg whites.

I’ll usually wake up around 4:40, make myself 16 ounces of celery juice, head to the gym around 5 am for an hour or two so I don’t have to stress about getting to work on time, then cook up some turkey bacon and eggs (or that tofu scramble that Fresh N Lean makes — oh man, is that thing good!).

Then, at work, I’ll heat some soup. Or heat some Fresh N Lean and relax. You will probably find me in the office kitchen here cutting up some carrot sticks or cucumbers to munch on at some point during the day.

And with dinner, it depends on where the family is. If they’re with me, I’ll heat two Fresh N Lean prepared meals in a pan and season with some spices (oh my gosh, is there anything better than Tony’s Creole Seasoning on like — everything?) and split it between the three of us. Then, I’ll make a salad or cook some extra protein for them, and add some avocado toast for me, because it’s California — haha!

I also eat two to three fruits during the day. Depending on what’s in season, it’s always a banana and sometimes an apple or a pear.

Pro tip: The Fresh N Lean prepared meals are also perfect soup bases. When it gets chilly here and dips below 70 degrees, sometimes I’ll throw a meal in a pot with some tomato soup base, and boom — soup! Each Fresh N Lean prepared meal is a versatile product for me, and I love finding ways to get creative. 

In your life, what’s been the biggest challenge associated with the unprecedented times we’re currently experiencing? What have you done to preserve your wellness and sanity?

The biggest challenge is trying to act like this is normal in front of your child. If you don’t hold it together as an adult, that kid will be a gnarly little stress ball, guaranteed.

In the beginning, when we couldn’t do anything, I think getting creative with things to do for fun when none of the neighborhood kids were outside playing was an experience. Doing that while still driving to work every day and trying to hold it together here and doing my best to grow the department so we could help customers was pretty tough.

Knowing that every person calling in was going through some version of the same thing added a vast weight and sense of urgency. It was pretty easy to find me running on fumes there.

I think I cried more times in the past year than in the entirety of the rest of my life put together. (Sorry, guys! Thanks for the Kleenex — it was me who caused that shortage!) But I think that was part of the whole process — just forging through and trying to do my best to make sure everyone else was alright. I honestly didn’t take care of myself until maybe the start of this summer. 

The most significant step any one of us can take is understanding that it’s okay to be wherever we are. If that’s not a positive place, then we acknowledge that and start to make better choices a little at a time — little by little. 

Have you set any health goals for the months ahead?

I will focus on staying the course and staying healthy — going to the gym four to six times a week and eating right. I’ll also take time to clear my head and be mentally well by hitting the water.

With everything happening this year, it’s been hard for many to stick with an exercise routine. So, what kind of exercise have you been able to include?

Well, I had COVID in December — that hit me pretty hard, and I’m still building lung capacity back up. That being said, my better half bought me a really sweet rowing machine for Christmas that is in our living room. If I’m not able to hit the gym in the morning, I’ll hop on that after work and row or stationary bike to an episode of Baywatch.

I also have a breath trainer to work out my lungs and increase my lung capacity. You can get them online for $20 bucks, and it’s helped on my road to recovery. Every day is ab day, like it or not. Then I’ll rotate my legs and back, and then I’ll do my cardio. Some days are easier than others, but it’s consistency that’s key.

Prepared meal delivery services make it easy to maintain a consistent diet and eat a healthy meal every day. In your experience, does a person’s diet impact the way they function at work?

Yeah, for sure. If you start the day heavy and greasy, you aren’t giving your body the right fuel to make it through the day, and you’re going to have that energy crash at some point. Eating cleaner helps you understand what your body needs and when.

In your life, how has 2021 differed from 2020?

I think I’m a little more hardened on some things and care less about what other people think about me, but I’m not sure how much of that is just age. I think we all put a little bit of a guard up somewhere, but coming out of that year, I think I started to accept that it was okay to take it a little easier on myself. So I’m doing more things for myself and (trying to) not feel guilty about it.

You manage our customer service team here at Fresh N Lean. Have you come across any success stories from our customers that have made you feel proud of the work we do?

Shoot, yes! Every day! I’m so impressed by the caliber of people that we have here. I’m lucky enough to have connected with a few (you know who you are!) — from the teachers to the nurses, to the people ordering for their parents, everyone. I think every person I’ve talked to was taking a positive step for themselves or someone they love, and I’m proud to have such an amazingly rad group of people. 

Is there any advice or encouragement that you’d like to share with our readers?

Holy guacamole! Life is hard! But that doesn’t mean you have to be hard on yourself. It’s so easy to be negative, but you need to wake up every day and tell yourself you’re worth it. Eventually, you’ll believe it — keep on truckin’, little buddies!

Next steps

Lizzie has used Fresh N Lean’s chef-prepared meal delivery service to bring her closer to her health goals, and so can you.

We support your health with organic ingredients. And if you’re a picky eater, we can customize each fresh meal to suit your dietary preferences. 

We’ll never send you a meal kit that requires cooking — each healthy meal on our menu is fully prepared for your convenience. Subscribe today to get delicious Fresh N Lean meals delivered to your door. 

The post Prepared Meal Delivery Services: Lizzie’s Fresh N Lean Review appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

SUMMARY

A meal delivery service can help you reach your health goals. And the best way to evaluate these companies is to look at first-hand reviews posted by their customers. These meal delivery service reviews can also help you decide what type of service best fits your needs. For example, you can choose a service that sends prepared meals to you. Or you could opt for a service that sends a meal kit — each meal delivery kit includes ingredients and a recipe. 

Fresh N Lean is the nation’s largest organic meal delivery service. Our tasty, chef-prepared cuisine is always fresh and never frozen, and we offer five convenient meal plans: Protein+, Keto, Paleo, Standard Vegan and Low-Carb Vegan. Choose Fresh N Lean for affordable nutrition, delivered to your doorstep. 

Getting your meals delivered can significantly impact your health and nutrition, but not all meal delivery services are the same. 

There are lots of different options out there. And there are many variables to consider when making meal delivery part of your overall health strategy.

In this article, we’ll take a look at a few meal choice alternatives. And since meal delivery service reviews provide insight that can help you decide which route to take, we’ll also include an interview we conducted with Fresh N Lean customer Garry H. In his interview, Garry reviews the benefits of meal delivery and talks about his experience with Fresh N Lean. 

Meal kits or prepared meal delivery?

Let’s start by covering some fundamental decisions you’ll need to make when picking a meal delivery service. 

With meal delivery, you can choose between meal kits and prepared meals. 

Let’s start with meal kits. Typically, with a meal kit delivery service, you’re sent a meal kit every week. This kit usually contains recipes and pre-portioned ingredients that you can use to make a healthy meal for yourself at home. Since no meal planning and grocery shopping are required, a meal kit delivery service can help you avoid making tedious trips to the grocery store. But with this type of service, cooking is required. If you’ve read meal delivery service reviews for this type of subscription, you’ll quickly see that a meal kit service is not the best choice if you want to spend less time in the kitchen. 

Now let’s take a look at prepared meal delivery. As its name indicates, a prepared meal delivery service sends prepared meals to your home or office. Every individual meal comes cooked and fully assembled. With this meal plan option, you don’t have to spend time cooking or grocery shopping to get a delicious meal on your plate. 

Fresh or frozen?

Your options don’t end there. You can also choose between fresh meals and those that are frozen. 

Some meal delivery companies send you food that’s frozen. This approach can apply to either meal kits or prepared meals. Naturally, a frozen meal requires thawing. And some meal delivery service reviews for this type of subscription make a good point: Once you’ve thawed frozen food, it may not taste as fresh as you’d like. 

Another meal plan option is to look for a prepared meal delivery service providing food that’s 100 percent fresh, with fresh ingredients. Since these nutritious meals aren’t frozen, you don’t need to thaw them. These fresh meals are ready to eat.  

What about dietary restrictions and preferences?

The final aspect to consider when choosing a meal delivery service concerns dietary restrictions and preferences. 

If you’re following a particular diet, you’ll need to choose a meal delivery service with a meal option that caters to your preferred way of eating. 

Many meal delivery companies provide diverse options. For example, if you’re on a vegan diet, vegan meal delivery services can ship a healthy vegan meal to your door. If you’re vegetarian but not vegan, some companies send you nourishing plant-based meals. And if you’re on a keto diet, paleo diet or high-protein meal plan, there are companies with meal choices that match your needs. 

What if you’re a picky eater who doesn’t like certain ingredients? Some meal delivery services allow you to customize your meals so that you can exclude a particular ingredient. We offer this perk at Fresh N Lean.  

And what about those who prefer to have their meals prepared by a chef? Meal delivery companies like Fresh N Lean provide chef-prepared food that’s tasty and good for your health. 

Meal delivery service reviews: Meet Garry H. 

A while back, Garry H. posted a testimonial on our Fresh N Lean reviews page. After reading his feedback, we reached out to him so we could have a deeper discussion. In his interview, he talks about the variables he considered when choosing a meal delivery service. He also discusses his experience as a Fresh N Lean subscriber. 

Garry, thanks for posting your testimonial on our meal delivery service reviews page. How long have you been with our service?

I signed up with Fresh N Lean on January 29, 2021. 

Why did you decide to subscribe to a meal delivery service? And what made you choose Fresh N Lean specifically?

I decided a meal delivery service would be my best choice since I was not good at calculating the macro numbers needed to achieve my weight loss goal. I chose Fresh N Lean because I tried other plans that sent me meal kits with recipes and ingredients. When I cooked those other meals, they came out nothing like I was hoping for — I’m just not a good cook!

What are your health goals, and how does Fresh N Lean’s meal delivery service support your objectives?

My health goals were to lower my weight and cholesterol to healthier numbers. Fresh N Lean uses the healthy organic ingredients I need, and you don’t over-season the meals with salt for flavor — that has helped me keep my sodium intake at a lower number. I like that Fresh N Lean puts “Add salt and pepper to taste” on the label, leaving the sodium levels up to me.

Which meal plan did you choose and why?

I have tried and enjoyed three of your meal plans. I started with your Keto meal plan to kick start the weight loss. Then, after losing 20 pounds in the first six weeks, I switched over to the Paleo meal plan. I stuck with Paleo for the next six weeks and lost another 15 pounds. After that, I switched over to the Protein+ meal plan to support my workouts and lost the last 5 pounds. 

A lot of people write meal delivery service reviews about the benefits of having their food delivered. For you, what are the most significant benefits of having your meals delivered? 

I enjoy using a meal delivery service. I’m a single male who does not know how to shop! And when I tried shopping before Fresh N Lean, I could not figure out all the macro numbers to make my meals keto or paleo.

Has eating a diet based on Fresh N Lean meals changed the way you feel physically and mentally?

Since getting my weight down, the most noticeable improvements are lower cholesterol and better sleep. And hikes that used to take me four hours now take just 2.5 hours. No stopping to rest — just go, go, go. 

Many people find inspiration in meal delivery service reviews like yours. Is there any advice or encouragement you’d like to share with our readers?

My advice to others is to stick with it — it’s tough, but the rewards are worth it. And remember that it’s OK to add to your meal for flavor. I like adding an avocado or green chilis — these foods are compatible with the macros of the keto, paleo and high-protein meal plans. Even though I reached my health goals months ago, I still get Fresh N Lean meals delivered — I like that they’re healthy and come right to my door. My personal opinion is that Fresh N Lean’s meals have added years to my life, and I couldn’t be happier.

Next steps

Garry H. used Fresh N Lean to help him reach his fitness goals, and so can you. You can read more stories like Garry’s on our testimonials page. And for added inspiration, take a look at this keto success story from another one of our satisfied customers.

We’ve got meal plans to suit all preferences — whether you’re looking for a vegetarian option, a vegan meal delivery service, or chef-prepared paleo, high-protein or keto meals, we’ve got you covered. And our convenient delivery allows you to skip time-consuming trips to the grocery store. So subscribe today to get Fresh N Lean meals delivered to your door. 

The post Meal Delivery Service Reviews: How to Use Them appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

SUMMARY

If you’ve read keto diet reviews, you know many people have fallen in love with the keto diet. The use it for all kinds of reasons — fitness, diabetes and blood sugar management, weight loss, reducing body fat and maintaining a healthy body weight. Chase G. used Fresh N Lean’s Keto meal delivery to reach his health goals, and he shares his strategies for keto success. 

Fresh N Lean is the nation’s largest organic meal delivery service. Our tasty, chef-prepared cuisine is always fresh and never frozen, and we offer five convenient meal plans: Protein+, Keto, Paleo, Standard Vegan and Low-Carb Vegan. Choose Fresh N Lean for affordable nutrition, delivered to your doorstep. 

If you want to integrate the keto diet into your health regimen, you have an endless array of approaches to consider. 

Whether it’s a keto pill or a keto supplement, there are countless products out there aimed at keto dieters. These products claim they have the power to raise your ketone level and help you enter nutritional ketosis more quickly. Ultimately, these “magic bullets” promise to help you realize all the benefits of a keto diet. Of course, these benefits include everything from fat burning to weight loss. 

And it doesn’t end with products — you have options that extend beyond a ketone supplement or a keto-focused weight loss pill. There are custom keto diet plans that promise to supercharge your results. Whether you have overall health goals or specific weight loss goals, each competing meal plan has its version of what’s necessary to achieve keto success. 

It can all get pretty overwhelming. If you’re confused about which path to take on your keto journey, know that the best advice and guidance often comes from keto diet reviews. These are stories taken from the trenches — real-world accounts of successes and setbacks. 

With that in mind, we’ve decided to share a story from a keto dieter we came across on Fresh N Lean’s page of keto diet reviews. His name is Chase G. He’s been a Fresh N Lean subscriber — onboard with our Keto meal plan — for almost nine months.

Chase used our keto meal delivery service to limit his carb intake and raise his ketone level. Sticking to this low-carbohydrate approach has been easy since his food is delivered — there’s no time spent shopping for low-carb foods or worrying about hitting the right fat macro. Read on to learn about his experiences with Fresh N Lean’s Keto meal plan.  

Chase, thanks for being part of the Fresh N Lean family. We enjoyed reading your testimonial on our keto diet reviews page. How long have you been with our service? 

I have been a Fresh n Lean customer for about nine months. 

Why did you decide to subscribe to a meal delivery service? And what made you choose Fresh N Lean specifically? 

I chose Fresh N Lean because I needed a new, more holistic approach to my diet and fitness routine during the pandemic. I initially chose Fresh N Lean because of the variety of healthy, fully prepped meals available — meals that fit my unique dietary requirements. 

What are your health goals, and how does Fresh N Lean’s meal delivery service support your objectives? 

I initially started the service to lose weight and make better daily food choices. The meals are perfect for me — they offer the right balance of proteins, vegetables and calories, and they’re low in sodium. They’ve allowed me to maintain an ideal weight, and they support healthy levels of good fat in my diet.  

Which meal plan did you choose and why? 

I chose Keto because I wanted to lean out a bit. I have stuck with it because the service makes it so incredibly easy to follow a diet.

Many people on our keto diet reviews page talk about the benefit of combining a ketogenic diet with meal delivery. For you, what are the most significant benefits of having your meals delivered? 

Getting your meals delivered is easy. Since I have young kids, I don’t have a ton of time; meal delivery saves me an awful lot of headaches on busier days. I like not having to come up with something for dinner and lunch that fits my health objectives. I bring the box in, refrigerate it and warm it when I’m ready. 

Has eating a diet based on Fresh N Lean meals changed the way you feel physically and mentally? If so, please share details on the changes and improvements you’ve observed. 

I have seen a more normalized level of energy and mood. Working at home at the onset of the pandemic left me free to wander to the pantry whenever I felt hungry. I don’t get the big spikes in energy levels anymore and feel much better overall. My body has attained a new level in terms of appearance — I have moved leaps and bounds from where I was. I can work out for longer periods. And even on non-workout days, I feel more able to manage whatever the day brings me without needing a pick-me-up. 

Is there any advice or encouragement you’d like to share with readers inspired by positive keto diet reviews like yours? 

Fresh N Lean’s food and plans are consistently awesome, and they make it easy for you to shape a routine and achieve your goals. Give it a week or two, and I would wager you feel better, mentally and physically. You can hit your goals. They are hard enough to reach without the burden of having to prep every meal. With Fresh N Lean’s Keto meal delivery, you can focus on your activity vs. what your next meal is. Meal delivery puts your energy in the right spots. 

Next steps

You can read more Fresh N Lean keto success stories by visiting our testimonials page.

Here’s a keto tip: You don’t need the latest keto diet pill or keto diet supplement to succeed on this low-carb diet. And you don’t need some expensive custom keto diet plan. 

You need to be consistent and stick with the program — watch your carbohydrate intake, avoid refined carbs, get plenty of healthy fatty acids and be mindful of starchy vegetables. And as Chase G. said, the easiest way to ensure you stay true to your keto diet plan is to get an affordable meal delivery service to provide you with tasty, convenient cuisine. 

If you find it overwhelming to plan macros and map ideal levels of saturated fat and net carbs, subscribe to Fresh N Lean’s Keto meal plan. We make it easy for you to become a keto success story. Fresh N Lean provides a cost-efficient, no-hassle approach to the ketogenic diet, delivering delicious keto meals to your home or office. 

The post Keto Diet Reviews: Chase G. Hearts Keto Meal Delivery appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

SUMMARY

There are many keto success stories out there. Meet Tony F. We connected with him after he posted a testimonial regarding his keto journey — and subsequent health improvement and weight loss success — on our Fresh N Lean reviews page. Unfortunately, his demanding work life in IT caused him to neglect his diet over the years, and he paid the price. Now he’s using Fresh N Lean’s keto meal delivery service to regain control of his health. 

Fresh N Lean is the nation’s largest organic meal delivery service. Our tasty, chef-prepared cuisine is always fresh and never frozen, and we offer five convenient meal plans: Protein+, Keto, Paleo, Standard Vegan and Low-Carb Vegan. Choose Fresh N Lean for affordable nutrition, delivered to your doorstep. 

If you have a stressful job, working under all that pressure can eventually take a toll on your health. 

That’s what happened to Tony F. For years, he worked in the hectic IT world, in a job that required him to be on call almost 24/7. As a result, he couldn’t put as much time and care into his health and diet as he would have liked. Over time, he found himself facing a problem many of us have wrestled with: unwanted weight gain. His weight eventually topped out at over 380 pounds, and he developed related ankle problems.

Tony F. is now retired. After trying out a couple of other meal delivery companies, he discovered Fresh N Lean. And after just a few months on our meal plan, he noticed tangible results. 

He posted a brief account of his story in his testimonial on our Fresh N Lean reviews page. His was one of the most inspiring keto success stories we’ve encountered. We reached out to him for more details regarding his health and weight loss journey on a ketogenic diet.  

Thanks for being part of the Fresh N Lean family, Tony. How long have you been with our service? 

I’ve been with Fresh N Lean for about four months. 

In your testimonial on our Fresh N Lean reviews page, you said you’re on the Keto meal plan. Why did you choose this plan? Were you inspired by the many keto success stories out there? 

Unfortunately, over the years, I’ve found more weight than I’ve lost. However, when I’ve lost weight, it’s been on a low-carb diet. Unfortunately, that still didn’t help me with portion control and the challenges of eating a monotonous diet — which led to me straying from a healthy lifestyle.

The Fresh N Lean plan ticked all the boxes: It provided me with a low-carb diet, helped me with portion control, and provided a variety of meals to keep my meals interesting! Oh, and I can’t forget to mention how you use almost all organic and non-GMO components. Healthy eating has never been easier. 

In your Fresh N Lean testimonial, you said that after subscribing to other meal delivery companies, ours was the best fit. What sets Fresh N Lean apart? 

First, and most importantly, the food is delicious. You would think that many of the meals were coming straight from a high-end restaurant. The chef that came up with the Turmeric-Coconut Salmon should get an award. And all the meals can be ready in under 3 minutes.

Second, the Keto plan provides you with low-carb-but-delicious meals. I’ve also found the sodium content better with Fresh N Lean. The other meal service had a very high salt content in their meals. 

Additionally, the variety with Fresh N Lean’s meal plan is excellent. Salmon, cod, beef, bison, chicken, roast turkey and more — with a good selection of vegetables. The other meal plan didn’t come close to the variety (nor the taste!).

Finally, your vacuum-sealed packaging keeps the food much fresher and allows it to be easily stored in the freezer should I have any meals remaining for the week when the new shipment arrives. 

Our meal delivery service gives our customers flexibility to switch plans. Have you stuck exclusively to Keto? Or have you experimented? 

I’ve stuck with the Keto plan and have no plans to change. Why mess with success? 

Are you using Fresh N Lean for all your meals, or are you supplementing with food from your kitchen? Would you mind describing a typical day of meals? 

I use Fresh N Lean for the core of all my meals and then supplement other foods to round the meal out. I eat two meals per day, and I do intermittent fasting for 16-18 hours.

I’ve never been a big breakfast person, so I start lunch at around 2 pm and eat dinner between 7-8 pm. I keep my calories to 2,000 per day, net carbs to about 25 grams, and my total carbs to around 50 grams. I’m not super religious on any of those amounts, but I achieve those most of the time. 

Fresh N Lean meals form the backbone of my lunch and dinner. For example, I’ll usually have one of your meals for lunch and supplement the meal with some low-carb additions. I’ll add things like some keto egg salad, maybe some high-fat low-carb cheese, nuts (usually a pecan and pumpkin seed mix) or nut butter (pecan, macadamia, or Nuttzo butter), and low-carb crackers.

Some days, I won’t worry about supplementation and just eat two of your meals. Since most of your meals are between 400-500 calories with low carbs, that’s easily done. 

Have you used other keto success stories as inspiration for setting health goals regarding your keto transformation? 

My goal is to lose 1 to 1.5 pounds per week on average. It’s good not having to worry about making my meals from scratch and not having to figure out what to buy and where to buy it.

Knowing that I’ll have a ready supply of delicious meals helping me meet my goals allows me to look at this as resetting myself to a healthy lifestyle and not a “diet.” For me, with all the weight I want to lose, this is a marathon and not a sprint. 

Do you think your current diet has changed the way you feel physically and mentally? 

Definitely — I don’t feel as sluggish, and I feel more alert. Also, the weight I’ve lost so far has helped me with pain in my ankles and feet. 

What are the most significant benefits of having your meals delivered? 

Literally, at my fingertips, I’m getting healthy, nutritious, and delicious meals with unmatched convenience every week.

I don’t have to worry about grocery shopping except for the incidentals I want. I don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen trying to produce keto-type meals. It makes sticking to a keto lifestyle very convenient. And all at a good price. What’s not to like? 

You said you’ve been in a stressful line of work over the years, and it prevented you from prioritizing your health. What kind of work did you do, and how did it impact your health? 

I’ve been in the wonderful world of IT for my 42-year career. I graduated college with a degree in computer science, started working as a systems programmer trainee, and ended as an IT executive running major technical divisions and data centers.

And I was on-call 24/7 for all of those years — I worked a lot of long hours and weekends if there were problems. If you’re in this field long enough, you realize that we don’t run the computers – they run us! I enjoyed it all, but I’m not good at a work-life balance. So for me, it was more of a work-work balance.  

You’re now retired. Was retirement the main factor that caused you to begin focusing more on your health? 

Yes. I had to do something to improve my health. My body, especially my ankles and feet, were telling me I had to do something. 

In your testimonial on our Fresh N Lean reviews page, you said you’d lost weight since starting with our meal delivery service. Please discuss your weight loss journey.

I’ve lost 60 pounds. If I keep up the good work, I should hit my goal weight in the year 2345. Ha! That should indicate how much weight I put on and how much I need to lose. I also think I was born with a double-dose of the genes that predispose you to gain weight! So losing weight was always a challenge for me, but Fresh N Lean has dramatically reduced that challenge.

And since I’m far from perfect (to which my wife will attest), I’ll go off the wagon now and then. But with a ready supply of healthy Fresh N Lean meals in the refrigerator, I can jump back on the wagon the next day. The biggest thing I miss is bread. I try to stay away from it, even though there are good low-carb substitutes these days.  

Has exercise been a big part of your keto success story? How much exercise do you typically aim to get in a week? 

I had gotten out of the habit of exercising. I stopped when the gym closed because of the pandemic. So, starting a couple of months ago, I began to create a routine here at the house. 

I try to do three to four light sessions a week for about 45 minutes per session. I use resistance bands and some light dumbbells. YouTube has some great low-impact and beginner routines and even chair workout routines for those days when my ankles or feet don’t feel up to it. I’ve also started trying Apple’s Fitness+ since they have routines for beginners and seniors. 

However, almost all of my weight loss has come from the diet. Therefore, I look at any exercise I do as more of a mobility play than a weight-loss mechanism.  

You said your current journey with Fresh N Lean is no longer a “diet” but a health choice. Can you talk a bit about what that means to you? 

When I think of a diet, I think of “I’m going to lose weight starting on this date and ending on that date.” Diets aren’t necessarily healthy if you’re eating highly processed foods loaded with additives or chemicals.

And most people, when they think of diets, think of taking protein supplements or various powders or “fat-burning” pills. Those things don’t work or only work in the short term — it’s not sustainable. I’ve been there and done that too many times.

Finally, when you finish the diet, you haven’t learned anything. Not how to eat properly, or how to eat clean, or how to watch your portions.

Fresh N Lean helps me with all of those items. I can honestly say that with Fresh N Lean, I’ve never eaten healthier. 

Does your experience with meal delivery impact the choices you make when you’re cooking for yourself or eating out at restaurants? 

I don’t do a lot of cooking for myself — hence the 14-meal Keto plan! However, Fresh N Lean meals are good training wheels for eating at restaurants. The Fresh N Lean meals have helped train me to pick the right foods and portions when I’m eating out. So even when in a restaurant, Fresh N Lean helps me achieve my nutritional goals. I just try to mimic what you send me.  

Do you have advice for readers who’ve been inspired by your testimonial and other Fresh N Lean keto success stories?

It’s never too late to try and put yourself on a healthier path. I just turned 66. With many diet failures behind me over the years, I look at the past as the past. Look to the future. I needed a service that allowed me to work on being healthier while eating healthy organic whole foods — without having the experience consume my life. Fresh N Lean does that.  

Next steps

The ketogenic lifestyle is more than just a weight loss program. It can help with lowering your blood pressure and normalizing your blood sugar.

Undoubtedly, the keto way offers profound benefits for health and wellness. You can read more Fresh N Lean keto success stories by visiting our testimonials page. 

Sometimes a lifestyle change can change your life. Do you want to enjoy the same delicious cuisine that helped Tony F. get his health on track and become a keto diet success story? If so, join our keto community. Subscribe to Fresh N Lean’s Keto meal plan to get these meals delivered to your door. 

The post Keto Success Stories: Tony F. Does It the Keto Way appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

Every new year is a chance for change. Not because the clock striking midnight will magically make 2021 perfect, easy and free of any challenges. It’s a chance for change because every new year is a fresh start. 

Life is going to keep flying by, and on this wild ride, there’s no rewind button or pause button, but there is a reset button. Every year, you get a “Fresh 12” — a brand-new set of 12 months to dust yourself off, leave the past behind and start again. 

If this year has been rough for you like it has for many; if you’re feeling stuck, if you’re not in the shape you want to be in, or if you’re living well below your potential — now is the time to reset! 

This new year has endless possibilities; it can be a year of redemption, victory, breakthrough and achieving your goals. It can be anything you want it to be; it’s up to you. 

A new vision for your life 

“A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.” – Rosabeth Moth Kanter

How do you begin to harness those possibilities and shape your life moving forward? You do it by creating a vision that will bring out your best going into next year. 

A vision is a clear picture of who you want to be, what you want to accomplish and what you want to enjoy in 2021. Your vision is what focuses you on what’s most important, and it fuels you to keep pushing forward.

Your vision doesn’t have to be perfect or elaborate, but it does have to inspire and energize you. Otherwise, as the days, weeks and months begin to roll by and blend together, it’ll be easy to slip into old habits, lose focus, and let next year be the same as this past year. 

To get you into the mindset of shaping your life and creating a compelling vision for this year, ask yourself: What do you want this next year to look like? What do you want it to be about? What goals do you want to achieve? What are you committed to changing in your life this year? What are you no longer willing to settle for? What do you want to enjoy more of? 

As you write your vision, you might find that there are many things you could include. To keep your statement concise and effective, focus on the things that are most important to you and within your control — things that will maximize your fulfillment heading into next year.

Here’s a template to fill in for your 2021 vision statement:

My vision for 2021 is to enjoy __________________________________, to do  _______________________________________ and to be ______________________________________. 

Below are some examples to get you started:

• My vision for 2021 is to enjoy the opportunities life brings, to make $10K/mo. in my business, and to be a generous giver to those around me. 
• My vision for 2021 is to enjoy my health; to lose 30 pounds and get in the best shape of my life; and to be a passionate example of resilience and joy. 
• My vision for 2021 is to enjoy quality time with my friends, significant other and loved ones; to successfully pivot into a new creative career; and to be grateful and persistent in the pursuit of my goals. 

Take a moment now to think about your vision, and what you want to do, be and enjoy this new year.

Summary: By creating a personal vision statement for 2021, you are psychologically resetting and refocusing on who you want to be, what you want to achieve and what you want to enjoy more of in this next year. Your vision acts as both anchor and compass, guiding you toward your goals and anchoring you in your potential. 

Science-backed goal setting: Achieving your most ambitious goals

Once you’ve got your vision mapped out, it’ll inform your goals for this year. You might have set goals in the past, but if you failed to accomplish them, it’s likely you were missing one of the most essential elements of achievement. Goal-setting is much more than writing words down on a piece of paper. When you set goals effectively and methodically, it actually activates parts of your brain that direct your attention and guide you to achieve those goals. 

Consider this: Your brain processes 11 million bits of external information per second; by contrast, your selective attention or conscious mind only processes up to 50 bits per second. All of the information your brain is taking in is constantly competing for that tiny fraction of your selective attention. Your brain’s system for deciding what gets filtered out and what gets focused on is determined by what is most emotionally significant.

Research shows that when you set “emotionally significant” goals (i.e. goals that you are highly motivated to achieve) it activates your amygdala, the emotional center of your brain. Depending on the degree of emotional importance, your amygdala will prioritize your specific goal higher or lower in terms of your brain’s selective attention. This is similar to the way your brain “dampens” the volume of other people’s conversations in a crowded room so you can better hear and focus on the person you’re talking to. 

Once a goal registers as important, your prefrontal cortex — the part of your brain in charge of decision-making and planning — goes to work. When engaged in goal achievement, the prefrontal cortex guides you toward any relevant information, actions or behaviors to help you accomplish your goal. 

ScienceDirect puts it this way: “[The prefrontal cortex] is consistent with its role in synthesizing diverse information about the external and internal world in order to produce goal-directed behavior”.

So, how do you take advantage of this when it comes to setting and achieving your own goals? 

Studies have proven that setting goals that are “stretchy” and specific are the most effective in activating these parts of your brain and maximizing your results. 

Stretchy goals are goals that are highly motivating, challenging and emotionally significant. Hence, they “stretch” you. By setting goals that are emotionally charged, it tells your brain that these goals are important and require priority in your selective attention. This is the same reason why passive goal setting is often ineffective. When there’s no emotion associated with your goals, the amygdala doesn’t get activated, and the brain doesn’t support you in the process of achievement. 

The second part of effective goal setting is to set goals that are ultra-specific. When your goal is too broad, vague or immeasurable, it’s like typing a city or state into your GPS instead of the exact address you want to get to. By being specific in exactly what you want to achieve, your brain will know precisely what to hone in on and guide you toward. 

Summary: Many people fail at achieving their goals because they don’t properly engage the goal-seeking functions of the brain. By setting goals that are highly motivating and ultra-specific, you engage parts of the brain that highlight relevant information, actions or behaviors to support the achievement of your goals. 

Wyatt’s story: From reset to transformation 

This process of resetting is exactly what one of our customers did just a few months ago. During a time when the majority of people were stuck at home without access to a gym, Wyatt decided it was time to reset and turn things around. 

He set a big, ambitious goal that was specific and emotionally significant to him: Wyatt chose his goal weight and committed to taking charge of his health. During his journey, he discovered our keto meal plans, and in just three months, he dropped 50 pounds. He shared his progress with us, and he’s continuing to drive toward his goal weight. 

“I have been using your meals for approximately three months, and in that time, I’m down nearly 50 pounds…I am such a fan of the meals and of how easy it has made the weight-loss process for me…Thank you for helping make my weight loss possible…I am forever indebted to your service and will continue to use you all even after I reach my goal weight!” – Wyatt G.

The question is, what are you going to accomplish? What are you going to transform? What goals are you committed to achieving this year?

Here’s a five-step system for achieving your most ambitious one-year goals: 

5 steps to 1-year goals

1. Freewrite 1-year goals

If you were approaching the end of 2021, what would you have wanted to accomplish? What would you be proud of accomplishing? What would you regret letting another year go by without accomplishing? 

Put music on, and write down all of the goals you want to achieve in the next year. 

Set a timer, and write for five minutes. 

2. Circle your top 3 goals for 2021

Out of all the goals you’ve written down, circle the top three that excite you the most and that you’re absolutely committed to achieving this year. 

3. Rewrite your goals to be specific and measurable 

Example: “I want to get in better shape” becomes “I’m committed to hitting my goal weight of 170 pounds by 12/31/2021”.

Example: “I want to increase my income” becomes “I’m committed to becoming the top performer in my company and increasing my sales volume by 10 percent by 12/31/2021”.

4. Engage your brain (emotional significance exercise)

Re-queue the music, put a big smile on your face, and under each of your three goals, write down why this goal is emotionally significant to you. 

Ask yourself, how would achieving this goal absolutely transform your life? How would you feel after achieving this goal? What would achieving this goal mean to you? What would it ultimately cost you to let another year go by without accomplishing this goal? 

Put emotion and energy into this as you write. This is the part of the process where you engage your brain to help you achieve these goals and bring them into fruition.

To keep your brain engaged, re-read your goals with excitement, gratitude and anticipation every other day. 

5. Take strategic and proven action

Engaging your brain to support your goal achievement is essential, but without taking strategic action, you won’t get very far. For example, if you want to get in better shape but you keep eating highly processed foods and maintaining caloric surpluses, it doesn’t matter how motivated you are — your body won’t change.

Instead, seek out others who have had a similar starting point to you and who have achieved the results that you desire. Model their strategy and put it into consistent action. 

Overcome any obstacle: The common denominator of success 

If you’ve faced setbacks this year, you might find it easy to be inspired by other people’s achievements, but you may feel stuck when it comes to your own. It might be that you’re excited about the possibilities but doubt whether you have the ability to make your goals happen. Beyond the science and strategies of goal setting, there’s one factor that will help you take action and break through any obstacle that comes your way. The common denominator that makes the difference between those who achieve their goals and those who don’t comes down to one thing: grit.

Angela Duckworth, author of the New York Times best-selling book, Grit, explains it this way: “The highly successful had a kind of ferocious determination that played out in two ways. First, these exemplars were unusually resilient and hardworking. Second, they knew in a very, very deep way what it is they wanted.”

Put simply, grit is the combination of passion and perseverance. 

These two qualities are present in every single one of our customers who found success after facing a setback. They all had different talents, goals, and strategies, but every one of them knew exactly what they wanted and persevered until they achieved it. In the face of adversity, they dug deep and found a way to keep going, push through and find a new gear no matter what. That same grit is available to you right now.

Here’s the truth: Tough times don’t last, but tough people do. 

One of the toughest things for people to do is to take action. They put it off, they procrastinate, and before they know it, another year has passed. Don’t wait. Fresh starts don’t come by very often, so when you get a “Fresh 12,” make the most of it. Start planning for next year, create a new vision with worthy goals, and begin putting your passion and perseverance into practice. Now is your time. 

Summary: Grit is characterized as the common denominator behind the success of high achievers. Grit is simply the combination of passion and perseverance. You have all the potential and grit you need available to you; you simply need to begin to take action in the direction of your goals. Don’t let another year go by. Use this fresh start as a chance to reset and transform your life. 

The post Hit the Reset Button and Start the New Year Fresh appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

SUMMARY

An illness is a setback that can have long-lasting effects on your fitness. Meet Lizzie, a young wife and mother who plans to use a high-protein diet to deal with the weight gain that took place after her bout with skin cancer. This is the first installment of her before-and-after weight loss story.

Fresh N’ Lean is the nation’s largest organic meal delivery service. Our tasty, chef-prepared cuisine is always fresh and never frozen, and we offer five convenient meal plans: Protein+, Keto, Paleo, Standard Vegan and Low-Carb Vegan. Choose Fresh N’ Lean for affordable nutrition, delivered to your doorstep. 

It can be hard to get your health and fitness back on track after an illness.

And if you’re dealing with that while grieving the loss of a loved one, the process can be even more challenging. 

This is the situation currently being faced by Lizzie, our Customer Service Manager here at Fresh N’ Lean. Lizzie is 34 years old; she’s an avid surfer who loves riding waves off the coast of Huntington Beach, the seaside town that’s become her home since she relocated from her native Delaware. She’s a wife, and a mom to an 8-year old girl. 

Poised and unflappable, Lizzie is our very own force of nature. She goes above and beyond to provide excellent client service to those who purchase our meal plans, and she handles every task with cheerfulness and grace. 

Lizzie was diagnosed with skin cancer a couple of years ago. Thankfully, she made a complete recovery. At around the same time, her beloved grandfather passed away. The stress of these combined events brought weight gain. It also had a negative effect on her mental state and overall quality of life. 

Now Lizzie is ready to turn things around and take her life back. She plans to use Fresh N’ Lean’s high-protein meal plan as part of her health strategy, and she’s taking us along for the ride on her before-and-after weight loss adventure. Along the way, she’ll be sharing the highs and the lows, as well as photos that chart her progress. 

This article is the first of an ongoing series of interviews that will track Lizzie’s journey. As the series unfolds, you’ll get a firsthand perspective of what it’s like to use a high-protein diet for weight loss and improved wellness. 

Diagnosis and treatment

Hi, Lizzie. So, you came out on top after a run-in with skin cancer – nice job! How did that whole experience affect your life?  

Hey, how’s it going? Thanks — it kind of threw me for a loop for a while there to be honest. I went in not even knowing anything was wrong. I had a buddy of mine post something on Instagram about the importance of getting things checked out. I’ve always been a water person; I started swimming when I was maybe five or six. Because of that, I’ve spent a lot of time in the sun, and I figured it probably wasn’t bad to start getting things checked out. I honestly didn’t think they’d find anything. I was 32 at the time and always thought skin cancer was something that happened to people who’ve spent more time here on Earth than me. 

They took a biopsy of something on my back, just to the right of my left shoulder blade, and sent it in to the lab for testing. I think it didn’t really sink in until after the surgery was over that it was actually a kind of big deal. That was the biggest trip for me. 

What kind of treatment did you have to go through? 

So, when they find anything on the melanoma scale, they’re going to get a little deeper into things, and look at more than just what’s on the surface. Whether pre-cancer, getting there, or full-blown melanoma, it’s always better to get it taken care of sooner than later because melanoma goes down into your skin kind of like a dandelion root through soil, and gets into the bloodstream. 

Mine never got bad like that; they caught it way before it got to that point. The treatment for me was a small surgery. I thought it was just going to cover maybe an inch or two, would take 10 minutes and boom, you’re done. After laying on the table for an hour and a half, I remember them telling me they needed to make sure they “clear the margins”, and they’d start suturing up soon. Since they can’t really see where all the abnormalities are, they opt for a larger removal area to make sure they’ve gotten all of the bad stuff out, and you’re only left with the good cells. Of course, this is a good thing. 

My incision ended up being about five inches long, and they went to a depth of maybe half an inch. (I only saw the “sample” briefly. Heads up, if they ask if you want to see it, just say no! Ha – it’s too weird to see a piece of what was just part of you in a jar. It’s gross. Don’t do it.)

Basically, they went all the way through to the subcutaneous fat (the layer underneath your dermis). After seven internal stitches and five sutures, they glued then taped me back together. It took place in a “high movement” zone — weird to think that one spot on your body would be more so than another. But in any case, the location made them extra careful, because they wanted to make sure that I didn’t split the stitch. 

From there, I went to work for about an hour and a half, then went home and slept for about 20 hours. I’d really underestimated the toll it would take. This was where the mind stuff started in. Suddenly now, all the normal things you’re used to doing scare the crap out of you because you’re afraid to tear something. 

I now go back every six to 12 months to get checked out. They found another spot last time, but that one ended up being about half the size as the first. You don’t really know how much they’ll need to remove until they’re there. The last time wasn’t bad at all — far less scary.

Life post-surgery

What kind of symptoms were you left with after treatment was completed? 

Well, there was definitely a huge mental game that started happening once I got home and my husband helped me change my bandage for the first time. Since it was on my back, I couldn’t see it or really do anything to take care of it, which was really weird. 

There were some weird nerve things that happened while the nerve endings grew back. The biggest thing that I’d now discovered was that I was afraid to be out in the sun. That was completely new and unfamiliar for me. The doctor said that anything showing up now was probably from a bad burn I had when I was a kid, or something 20-plus years ago. I knew I was wearing sun block now — I use Sun Bum SPF 70, and I have for years. But I still couldn’t get the worry out of my head. 

I started to throw myself into taking care of my family, spending less and less time taking care of me. I’d also recently lost my grandfather, and to me he was the best person I’d ever known. I was already a little shaky after that, so with the surgery and newfound sun-phobia I felt 100% not myself, and I went into a depression. I tried here and there to work out, but as a swimmer, all the back exercises just scared me too much. I was gaining weight, and falling further from myself and my health.

How much weight did you gain after treatment? And how did the weight gain impact your overall quality of life? 

I gained about 80 pounds. I switched from working in restaurants, running around all day and doing water sports (which burn a lot of calories) to no exercise and jobs that involved working at a desk. I felt sluggish, ugly and sad. I found myself in a place that was really unlike me. 

Every time I tried to get myself motivated, I’d feel guilty about not spending time with my family, or not keeping things in the house clean or something like that. 

I go to the water to get calm and gain perspective – it’s kind of like meditation for me. I wasn’t out on the water, I wasn’t getting my rejuvenation, and I was floundering.

Diet, cooking and portion management

Fresh N’ Lean offers five meal plans: Keto, Protein+, Standard Vegan, Low Carb Vegan and Paleo. You’ve chosen the Protein+ meal plan for your fitness journey. What made you choose a high-protein diet for weight loss? 

I chose Protein+ because I thought it was important to show those who may be on the fitness journey with me the importance of a well-balanced diet while you’re working out. I’ve always been quick to gain muscle, which bulks you up at first but then helps with fat-burning. I wanted to make sure I was giving my body enough protein (for muscles), carbs (for long-term energy) and veggies (because my Mom told me to always eat them) while I’m getting back to myself. 

Plus, a high-protein diet mimics how I tend to eat anyways, so I feel it’s the most sustainable long-term. Sustaining is my goal after all. I’m going to be shooting for 135 pounds, which is in the middle of my healthy weight range and what I was at my healthiest.

What has your diet looked like over the past couple of months, prior to starting with the new meal plan? What foods would you consume in a typical day?

Takeout when I was tired. Cooking for my family and then being too tired to eat so skipping meals. Beer. I love beer — really just Rolling Rock and Coors Light, so arguably not beer, but I like it. My husband says that beer and cheese are my weight-loss Kryptonite. So, like a superhero, I will conquer that and find a healthier way to enjoy things.

Gosh, I had everything – Chinese food, pizza, pasta, pierogi, copious amounts of chiles rellenos. Food that fed my emotions rather than fueling my body and spirit. 

How much time do you typically spend cooking? Do you think the convenience of having meals delivered will give you more time to spend on other things?  

I used to go to the grocery store every day. I love cooking, I really do. I come from a family of seven. Now I have a family of three, but I still cook huge amounts of food. After working in restaurants for 15 years, I’m not sure what an actual portion is anymore. 

Meal delivery saves me time. While I’m still cooking for my family, I’m not cooking for myself. I’m not focusing on managing my portions. I can get over-analytical and obsessive about things like that. I think that’s true for a lot of people, and I don’t think it’s healthy. 

So, meal delivery is saving me more than the actual time spent preparing the food; it’s also preventing me from spending time obsessing about portions while I’m lying awake in bed. It definitely will give me more time to do other things that help me take care of myself, such as fitting in a workout or reading a book about whales. I really like whales.

The role of exercise

You’re a surfer, which is very cool. Would you consider yourself to be active or not very active? How much exercise do you typically get?  

I am! I just like being in the water. I consider myself active, which is why this whole thing was such a trip. I knew I was fit, but now here I am with a body that’s different than it used to be, talking to people who are still fit and just feeling out of place. It’s one thing when you’re out there surfing and you catch a wave, no problem. It’s another thing when you’re out there sitting on your board, and you realize you’re sinking! I’ve become more inactive due to my own self-doubt and now am super-stoked to be back on it. I am trying to work out once a day. 

Do you plan to integrate exercise with your new meal plan journey? 

Oh, for sure. You need to. I’m doing CrossFit maybe three to four times a week, and the other days I just hop on my exercise bike at home and watch an old episode of Baywatch or an old Jean Claude van Damme movie or something. It’s what I’d be doing anyways, so I may as well move while I do it. Mind you, if I’m working out longer, I don’t go too hard. It’s not a race, and at a heavier weight, it’s important to read the signs my body is giving. There’s a lot more stress on your joints with more weight, so my whole focus is sustainability. Also, drink water. An ounce per pound of your body weight every day. It’s important to stay hydrated.

Goals and expectations

What kind of physical improvements do you hope to see as a result of your new diet? 

I want to be fit! I want to be able to have increased stamina. I want to fit into all my dresses and fancy business casual work outfits! I want to see my stomach go back to the size it should be so I can’t overeat as easily! 

What kind of mental and emotional improvements do you hope to see? 

 I want to be happy when I look in the mirror and recognize my face. Not for nothing, but I’ve got some nice cheekbones in there. Haha! In all seriousness though, I just want to feel like myself again. I want to love myself enough to be able to say I’m worth it. That, in itself, is the most important thing. I think that’s what most of us want.

Next steps

Join us over the next few months as we walk side-by-side with Lizzie on her path to better health.

Interested in eating the same organic, high-protein cuisine that Lizzie will be enjoying during her fitness journey? Subscribe to Fresh N’ Lean’s Protein+ meal plan to get these foods delivered to your door.

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