IT’S NOT A DIET, IT’S A LIFESTYLE, AND THAT’S EXACTLY HOW LORETTA APPROACHED HER WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY.

What was the largest factor to your weight gain in the past?

There were two: complacency and lack of education. Growing up, I watched the females in my family get less fit as they aged. They’d say ‘your body changes after you have kids’, so I just accepted that that was going to happen to me too. I was never taught (because my parents were never taught) what a healthy lifestyle actually looked like.  Yes, I took gym classes in school and knew about the Canada Food Guide. And I knew that being active was important and that portion size mattered, but never knew what that entailed for me personally until I started using the FitMethod. 

There were many factors to your weight loss. What do you think was the largest contributor to your weight loss?

There were two large contributors that worked simultaneously for me. The first contributor was trust: I chose to go to the experts so I had to trust the plan that they laid out for me. But the plan was devised with me, as much as it was for me. Once I committed, I saw slow, steady results. Not going to lie – it was work at first, but only because I was learning new things. I still follow the plan, but it is engrained in my life now, so it is less effort. A healthy lifestyle requires effort, but the payoff is worth it. The second factor is the ability to think big-picture or long-term. Yes, I could eat this box of crackers for a snack or have cookies every day (and I used to do both of those things) and that would satisfy the hunger pangs or emotional eating binge, but long-term the result is what you see in the before photo. For an older parent with two young children, that behaviour was impacting how much and how actively I could play with my kids. I wanted to be able to actively play with them and I couldn’t comfortably do so. 

What advice would you give to anyone that is starting their lifestyle change? 

#1 – Don’t go for the quick fix diets for two reasons: they aren’t personalized, and they aren’t sustainable. FitMethod is not a diet; it’s a lifestyle. I am living proof that FitMethod works and is sustainable. Trust me – I am not deprived: I have treats and eat out in restaurants, but I have learned how to make smart choices. At almost 53 years young and I am in the best shape of my life physically too.

#2 – There will be ups and downs in your journey but keep your eye on your long-term goals.

#3 – It isn’t about ‘being skinny’; it’s about being strong and healthy.

You have managed to keep the weight off for years. What reasons can you attribute to keeping the weight off?

I continue to periodically check in with Jason. It is immensely valuable to have someone completely impartial to review my progress. I’ve had periods of weight fluctuation over the years (read ‘gain’) but working with Jason helps me to understand why so I am able to regain control over my choices. Even after all these years, there are still things I can tweak because it is a lifestyle. I choose to live this way to live my best life and to be a role model for my teen girls. It is not about losing weight so much as it is about being strong and healthy.

I started skiing when I was 46. It was a ‘never ever’ before then and my husband wanted our girls to learn how to ski. If I hadn’t felt strong and healthy, I would have never tried it. And now, we have this special time together as a family. For your readers, it may not be about skiing, but my point is that everyone has the ability to change their lifestyle for the better. I know that I’ve done that working with Jason.