It’s time for New Year’s resolutions again!!!  Last year, I wrote a heartfelt post on what I wanted to achieve. My resolutions were no different than the top statistics from around the globe. And some of you, my blog friends, kept up with me all year offering words of encouragement! Thank you for that!!!

The top resolution of all time is losing weight! Although I had tried just about every method sold on late-night infomercials, I lost and gained more over and over. Weighing more than my perfectly fit six-foot-tall husband and being faced with even more photographs during my fabric launch, I signed up for a new program in September that one of my clients recommended. It happened that another client owned the program closest to my home!!!

Things that had hindered my success in the past were not enough time to make meals in advance, cooking, following recipe directions or weighing things. This diet is pretty precise, and most of it’s prepared for you, which can be seen as either welcoming or too restrictive, depending on your personality. For me, it was great!! Grab three bags and go!

The program was medically designed and developed over 25 years ago by Dr. Tran Tien Chanh in France. Well, so far so good – I love French design, so a French diet? This might be the one for me!

The session starts by a weigh-in, complete with measurements of every piece of your body and an analysis of your body’s fat ratio… Yikes!! The results were definitely depressing, but then again, I wouldn’t be there if I looked like I did when I was 40! I had a 47% body fat ratio – really unhealthy!!! This program takes on the belief that the body cannot burn fat as long as sugar is being consumed. While on the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method, you eat foods high in protein which will help your body burn fat reserves instead of muscle. Each week during your weigh-in, you see if your weight loss is from fat or muscle.

You restrict sugars, both simple and complex, until your weight loss goal is reached. Women can expect to lose two to four pounds per week, while men can lose four to seven pounds per week on this program. But there is no cheating or it doesn’t work… That means no wine! Well, that took care of another of my New Year’s resolutions! It was actually easier for me to give up alcohol than it was Diet Coke!!!

You leave the meeting with a bag full of natural nutritional supplements and more than enough food for the first week so you can try different items. Basically, you eat three of their packaged meals a day and one meal with two cups vegetables and 8 oz of a protein! My average weight loss per week was 3.5 pounds for the first couple of months and then it slowed down for the Holidays!!  That thing called cheating came into the picture!

One of my favorite parts is that exercise is not recommended while getting to your goal weight since you’re eating only 900 calories per day. So I will have to tackle my exercise resolution this year!

While on the Ideal Protein plan, you eat prepackaged meals that the company manufactures. There is no sugar allowed as long as you are on the program! The eating plan is designed to help your body burn stored fat and allow your organs to function properly. Although there are a lot of options (pasta, omelettes, chili, etc.), I tended to gravitate to the items that required no cooking. All the food was tasty, just not much of it. Here is what I liked!!

Triple chocolate and lemon wafers… I loved all the bars for breakfast!!!!

Broccoli and Cheese and Chicken-Flavored Soup Mix! I just used the Keurig to have instant hot water and stirred in the soup mix. This was a perfect lunch with a side salad!

And these were my go-to snacks in the afternoon or after dinner, depending when I was the hungriest!!

Since I love chips so much, I was happy to see that they have a wide selection. This is an easy grab and go snack or for a lunch with 2 cups of vegetables!!! I typically skipped the veggies though!

I’m so grateful for the support of you, my blog friends… Thanks again for encouraging me to work towards my resolutions.  I so far have lost 32 lbs and 17.5 inches, all in the first three months and only gained 3lbs through December–uggg!!!!. I still have 20 more to go!

This is the one I went to: Ideal Body Houston. I worked with Ally and Maryam who were both awesome and so supportive!!! 5757 Woodway Drive, Suite 125, Houston, TX 77057.  If any of you have any questions, I am so happy to share with you my experience!!! Wish me luck on getting back on the bandwagon!!!!!

And…. exciting news on the home-front!

My youngest, Sammy,  graduated from A&M over the break!  We are so excited for her, she has accepted a position teaching kindergarten at Sherwood Forest here in Houston! A dream of hers since she was little, she will do a great job! Our middle child Kirby, on the far right, is coming to work for Segreto in Jan.!!  With her keen color sense and her design skills she will be a great addition to the Segreto Team! John and I are so proud of them both!!!!

Wishing you much health and happiness in 2016! xo  Leslie