Group

Last shipping day for Plantable orders Monday April 24th. Place your orders now.

cancel-button

3 Things I Learned About How to Change My Habits for Good

By Elisa Udaskin

I've been a yo-yo dieter my entire adult life. I've done it all! From counting points to programs that sent me prepared meals to protein shakes and, yes, even keto. I would lose 20 lbs on a diet over a few months, keep it off for a bit, then inevitably 'fall off the wagon,' and the weight crept back on. The last diet I tried was keto. While I did lose some weight, when I stopped being strict, I half heartedly attempted to follow the high-fat, low-sugar principles but also started eating what I thought was healthy. The result? After a few months of this ‘mix’ I ended up being at my all-time highest weight - the same weight that I was when I was 9 months pregnant!
 
I felt terrible. I couldn't fit into the largest clothes in my closet. Still, worst of all, I would crash mid-afternoon, take naps, and feel uncomfortable in my body, which really affected my mood. Especially when I knew I was going out and would see friends. I would get totally stressed when they wanted to take a group photo or a selfie - as I knew it would end up on their social media posts. Everyone would see how terrible I looked and how I felt as I tried to hide behind others.
 
Exactly one year ago, I was introduced to Plantable and did the 28-day Reboot program. I lost 16 lbs in the 28 days and got my energy back - no more afternoon crashes. But that wasn’t the best part. Today, one year on, I've kept all the weight off! Sure, I went up and down a few pounds throughout the year but what was different this time was that I could keep myself on track. I was mindful of sticking to what I learned from the 28-day Reboot and from my coach, because I had made new habits that I actually enjoyed and I wanted to maintain. Plantable impacted my life so much that I ended up joining the company as CMO a few months later! I am so proud to be working for a company I believe in that helps people feel their best, restores self-esteem and brings them to their healthy selves!
 
I wanted to share my most significant learnings from my experience, hoping you'll find it as helpful as I did.

I never truly understood why I kept returning to old habits a few weeks after finishing a program. 
My coach, Julie, explained to me why I kept on returning to old habits after I had successfully lost weight. It was because all the programs I previously tried never really broke my sugar addiction. I would save up my points to splurge on a piece of cheesecake, continue to use Splenda in my coffee, and make homemade salad dressings with heavy doses of natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey. These are just some things I would do to satisfy my sweet tooth. She explained that the main issue was that I kept being addicted to sugar, which drives hunger, which ultimately kept me craving for more. Food and sugar! When I used to 'fall off the wagon' previously, I mindlessly continued to crave sweet things that led me back to eating the way I used to.
 
When I did the Plantable Reboot, I ended my sugar addiction by eating foods with no added sugar or sweeteners and real, whole food, loaded with fiber and nutrients, that actually kept me full and helped keep that “sugar voice” out of my head.  Julie showed me how to make swaps so I didn't feel like Iwas constantly sacrificing. Changes like a simple balsamic vinegar and olive oil homemade dressing without the maple sugar, I liked to add. After about a week, I didn't crave the same types of sweets as I did before and found that something like an apple did the trick.
 
I learned to read nutrition labels differently.
I always read nutrition labels, but my main focus was on total calories. I would eat all-natural fruit & nut bars and beverages that touted all their nutrient and antioxidant benefits. Keeping the calories down was my motto. I didn't realize that most of these foods were laden with tons of sugar, even if natural, still sugar. One of my biggest 'aha' moments was when Julie told me to read the nutrition label of the 'healthy' bread I was eating. Didn't it say how healthy it was on the packaging in big, bold letters? I had no idea that one slice contained 5g of added sugar. That’s more than one teaspoon of sugar in a slice of toast! Switching to Ezekiel bread with zero grams of added sugar was an easy swap-out for me. I wish I had always known this fact! Now I first look at the sugar content to decide what to eat.
 
It's too hard to do it alone.
I've done many programs where I used an app and online resources. But having an actual person to speak with, message my questions when going out for dinner and always encourage me, made the most significant difference. Julie took the time and interest to learn about my routine, my habits and my triggers and guided me on how to pause and listen to my body to see if I was truly hungry or if it was an emotional reaction. She gave me suggestions on what to snack on to curb my hunger cravings between meals, so I felt satisfied. Now when I'm feeling peckish I have my little baggy of almonds, a fresh apple, or edamame pods to snack on for the crunch and satiety I need.
 
One year on, I've kept the weight off and feel terrific!
 
Learn more about how you can support your health and well-being with our 28-day Reboot program.