I'm done having kids, so there's really no reason for me to carry around the extra weight I've been carrying. Even though I have had 6 c-sections, and it makes working out a bit of a challenge, I admit that laziness and a fondness for carbs has made my weight balloon up to 15 pounds more than ideal. My clothes hadn't fit in some time, and I hated the way I looked in photos. More than that, though, I have dealt with the inflammation issues in my hands and ankles that always seem to come on when I get more than 8 pounds over ideal weight.
So, when the folks at Personal Trainer Food asked if they could send me a 28-day box of food for me to review, I was super, duper excited. My main challenge these days is finding time to eat. With a full-time freelance writing career from home and the 6 kids to care for with my husband, I sometimes feed them, then rush off to take a call or finish an article. I might go all day without eating properly, then settle in front of the TV at night and binge on chips and wine.
With nothing to lose (except for 10-12 pounds), I agreed. I checked out the website and chose my breakfasts, dinners, and lunches for 28 days. Snacks would be from a selection of healthy food items from my pantry (including olives, certain nuts, hard cheeses, veggies, and a daily apple.)
The box came last Friday. It was mammoth. Because I had been having back issues, I made the kids bring it in. Opening it up, I could see that everything was still frozen, and there was so. much. food.
The individual packages contained breakfasts (an egg dish and sausage or bacon), individual veggies portions, and individual meat portions. I'm not a huge frozen dinner fan, and so much of it looked like frozen dinners. I was a bit skeptical if any of it would taste good, but I do love a good steamed veggie from the microwave, so I had hope I could do this.
I set out right away to store the food. While some of the meats can be kept in the fridge for up to 14 days, the veggies and breakfasts need stored in the freezer immediately. I took everything out in grocery bags to my big deep freeze, except what I would eat for the first week. I separated out 7 random breakfasts, meats, and veggies and stored those in the house freezer.
I started the plan on a Friday evening. I could have waited until the next day, but I had already weighed myself the day I knew that the food was coming and jumped right in! (The weight below, with clothes on, was the highest I had been without being pregnant.)
My first meal was the Bacon Cheese Chicken Sticks 2-pack with yellow squash. The folks at Personal Trainer Food were kind enough to throw in 3 of their signature sauces to the box. (These shelf-stable condiments really make a difference in giving flavor and a much needed buttery mouth feel to the days and days and days of plain veggies. Trust me. They are a difference maker.)
Chicken in a stick usually turns me off (BK chicken fries are the devil), but these were so tasty! Yes, I would eat them in a boat, I would eat them with a goat! They had a great texture, perfect bacon flavor and some gooey cheese throughout. My kids were jealous when they smelled the meal coming out of the microwave. More than enough food to fill me up here.
For the purpose of this review, I was sure to order at least one of everything -- even those things I knew I wouldn't necessarily love (such as gluten-free chicken fingers and lima beans.) I can't tell you how they are if I don't try them, right?
Surprisingly, for the next meal, I accidentally warmed up the gluten-free chicken strips. They had a weird, sticky texture at first, but once allowed to cool a bit from the microwave, they firmed up and tasted quite good. I had never had a gluten-free coating with as much flavor. In fact, aside from the initial appearance out of the plastic bag, they were delicious and something I would eat without even being a GF eater.
As you can see, the portion sizes for the meat are fantastic. Certain veggies give you more. I topped the cauliflower florets with the Bacon Cheddar Butter Sauce. While the texture wasn't exactly the same in terms of creaminess, the flavor of a good cheese sauce was there. Yum!
Chicken strips almost always need sauce, but these were so well seasoned, I didn't care. I suppose I could have indulged in the Sriracha Butter Sauce, but I didn't. They were eaten too fast to notice.
How did it go the first week? To be honest, I have felt a bit hungry, especially when I stay up too late working. I want more food, but I'm out of meals or have already had my daily limit of cheese or nuts. So I have worked more flavorful decaf teas into my evenings, and the occasional cup of organic chicken broth. I may also snack on some cut up cucumbers. I really miss beer, and I really miss grapes. The kids had a taco salad with Doritos on it. I was a bit wistful, but it wasn't too bad.
After one week, I'm down 4 pounds. But more importantly, I have almost completely gotten rid of love handles. I couldn't believe that could be done with just 20 minutes of walking a day down our country road and back. I even found an ab muscle hiding in there! At a mere 5 foot, 2 inches, even just a few pounds less made a big difference on my small frame. I'm excited to see the results of how I look and feel, without much concern for overall weight (which isn't a good indication of health for me, personally.)
(OK, so about that walking thing... I have been walking with my husband daily, and we have been loving the time together. We are so busy, and it's the perfect way to catch up without the kids around. We chat about everything and have time to reconnect. We may walk a bit longer than 20 minutes -- because we really have been enjoying the company!)
I'll have some before and after photos to share with you, but here is an idea of what I was dealing with before I started. Yes, I could squeeze into a size 6 in some clothes, but I was more practically a "stretchy size 8". None of the clothes that I wore after my 5th baby fit me now. I was having to wear two layers of shape-wear to get a smooth look in my favorite "worn" tee. And the family "chin" that seems to hit all of us at about age 35? I was really looking "chinny" in photos. I'm excited to see if that extra chin bloat goes away with this program, along with the pain in my hands and ankles. I might even be able to wear my wedding ring again!
Join me next Saturday morning, where I will give you the 2nd week progress! Can't wait? Learn about the Personal Trainer Food program here.
*Samples received to review. Opinions are my own.
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Personal Trainer Food Review
So, when the folks at Personal Trainer Food asked if they could send me a 28-day box of food for me to review, I was super, duper excited. My main challenge these days is finding time to eat. With a full-time freelance writing career from home and the 6 kids to care for with my husband, I sometimes feed them, then rush off to take a call or finish an article. I might go all day without eating properly, then settle in front of the TV at night and binge on chips and wine.
With nothing to lose (except for 10-12 pounds), I agreed. I checked out the website and chose my breakfasts, dinners, and lunches for 28 days. Snacks would be from a selection of healthy food items from my pantry (including olives, certain nuts, hard cheeses, veggies, and a daily apple.)
The Delivery of Personal Trainer Food
The box came last Friday. It was mammoth. Because I had been having back issues, I made the kids bring it in. Opening it up, I could see that everything was still frozen, and there was so. much. food.
The individual packages contained breakfasts (an egg dish and sausage or bacon), individual veggies portions, and individual meat portions. I'm not a huge frozen dinner fan, and so much of it looked like frozen dinners. I was a bit skeptical if any of it would taste good, but I do love a good steamed veggie from the microwave, so I had hope I could do this.
Storage of Personal Trainer Food
I set out right away to store the food. While some of the meats can be kept in the fridge for up to 14 days, the veggies and breakfasts need stored in the freezer immediately. I took everything out in grocery bags to my big deep freeze, except what I would eat for the first week. I separated out 7 random breakfasts, meats, and veggies and stored those in the house freezer.
I started the plan on a Friday evening. I could have waited until the next day, but I had already weighed myself the day I knew that the food was coming and jumped right in! (The weight below, with clothes on, was the highest I had been without being pregnant.)
My first meal was the Bacon Cheese Chicken Sticks 2-pack with yellow squash. The folks at Personal Trainer Food were kind enough to throw in 3 of their signature sauces to the box. (These shelf-stable condiments really make a difference in giving flavor and a much needed buttery mouth feel to the days and days and days of plain veggies. Trust me. They are a difference maker.)
My First Meal
Chicken in a stick usually turns me off (BK chicken fries are the devil), but these were so tasty! Yes, I would eat them in a boat, I would eat them with a goat! They had a great texture, perfect bacon flavor and some gooey cheese throughout. My kids were jealous when they smelled the meal coming out of the microwave. More than enough food to fill me up here.
For the purpose of this review, I was sure to order at least one of everything -- even those things I knew I wouldn't necessarily love (such as gluten-free chicken fingers and lima beans.) I can't tell you how they are if I don't try them, right?
Gluten-Free Foods
Surprisingly, for the next meal, I accidentally warmed up the gluten-free chicken strips. They had a weird, sticky texture at first, but once allowed to cool a bit from the microwave, they firmed up and tasted quite good. I had never had a gluten-free coating with as much flavor. In fact, aside from the initial appearance out of the plastic bag, they were delicious and something I would eat without even being a GF eater.
As you can see, the portion sizes for the meat are fantastic. Certain veggies give you more. I topped the cauliflower florets with the Bacon Cheddar Butter Sauce. While the texture wasn't exactly the same in terms of creaminess, the flavor of a good cheese sauce was there. Yum!
Chicken strips almost always need sauce, but these were so well seasoned, I didn't care. I suppose I could have indulged in the Sriracha Butter Sauce, but I didn't. They were eaten too fast to notice.
First Week Results
How did it go the first week? To be honest, I have felt a bit hungry, especially when I stay up too late working. I want more food, but I'm out of meals or have already had my daily limit of cheese or nuts. So I have worked more flavorful decaf teas into my evenings, and the occasional cup of organic chicken broth. I may also snack on some cut up cucumbers. I really miss beer, and I really miss grapes. The kids had a taco salad with Doritos on it. I was a bit wistful, but it wasn't too bad.
After one week, I'm down 4 pounds. But more importantly, I have almost completely gotten rid of love handles. I couldn't believe that could be done with just 20 minutes of walking a day down our country road and back. I even found an ab muscle hiding in there! At a mere 5 foot, 2 inches, even just a few pounds less made a big difference on my small frame. I'm excited to see the results of how I look and feel, without much concern for overall weight (which isn't a good indication of health for me, personally.)
(OK, so about that walking thing... I have been walking with my husband daily, and we have been loving the time together. We are so busy, and it's the perfect way to catch up without the kids around. We chat about everything and have time to reconnect. We may walk a bit longer than 20 minutes -- because we really have been enjoying the company!)
I'll have some before and after photos to share with you, but here is an idea of what I was dealing with before I started. Yes, I could squeeze into a size 6 in some clothes, but I was more practically a "stretchy size 8". None of the clothes that I wore after my 5th baby fit me now. I was having to wear two layers of shape-wear to get a smooth look in my favorite "worn" tee. And the family "chin" that seems to hit all of us at about age 35? I was really looking "chinny" in photos. I'm excited to see if that extra chin bloat goes away with this program, along with the pain in my hands and ankles. I might even be able to wear my wedding ring again!
Here is where I'd like to be... 133 pounds, my weight just two years ago, and what I weighed a year after having my last child. (I was still nursing then, so keeping the weight off was much easier.)
*Samples received to review. Opinions are my own.
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