Happy Tuesday! For every month in 2020 we plan sending inspiration your way and we’re setting it off by spotlighting one of Fresh ‘N Fit’s longtime brand ambassadors, Tiffany P.
Tiffany first tried our meals back in 2017 but we recently checked in with her to hear firsthand how her journey begin and where it is currently.
Fresh ‘N Fit: Can you give us a brief history about your relationship with fitness, nutrition and weight loss?
Tiffany: I’ve always been around fitness in some shape or form my entire life. Whether it was sports, dance teams or marching band, I’ve always been pretty active growing up. After I graduated college, I immediately joined a gym and then an outdoor boot camp shortly thereafter. Fitness goes hand-in-hand with nutrition so I began to learn more about it once I joined the boot camp, which was called Yardie Fitness.
I learned all about macros, portion control, reading labels and dangers of artificial ingredients. We tracked all of our food in logs and reviewed them weekly with the trainer. I meal prepped all of my meals on Sunday to last for the week and I’ve always kept a pretty consistent weight (give or take a few pounds).
In 2016, however, I quickly gained around 30 pounds due to stress and depression. I fell out of all the healthy habits and routines I used to do. It was hard to get out of that rut and did not take charge of my weight again until the beginning of 2019.
How big a role did meal prep play in your nutrition and weight loss journey?
Meal prepping played a pretty major role. At the beginning of 2019, I wrote down all of my triggers that kept setting me back and 3 things were clear. 1) I did not enjoy cooking anymore, 2) I’d lost sight of portion control and 3) between my demanding career and bustling little 5 year old, I needed convenience.
Fresh ‘N Fit Cuisine was the perfect meal prep service because it did the thinking for me! I didn’t have to think about my calorie counts or if I ate too much because it’s already portioned out. It curbed my impulse eating. All l I had to do was just heat the meal and enjoy. Fresh N’ Fit took the headache out of the nutrition side and made my weight loss journey that much easier! Showing me that I could eat a 400 calorie meal and be full was a huge benefit.
What does a typical day of eating look like for you and do you follow any specific type of diet?
My Fresh ‘N Fit meals mainly come from the Healthy Mix menu, but if I see something I like from the other menus, I’ll usually give them a try too. If I’m trying to drop weight at a more rapid pace for a special event, I tend eat the low carb and paleo meals. My typical day consists of 6 meals a day: a protein/ carb packed breakfast to refuel after my morning workout, FNF for lunch, FNF for dinner with 3 healthy snacks (like pistachios or fruit) in between meals.
What is your current fitness regimen and how do you stay motivated?
I currently workout at Orange Theory at least 4 – 5 times a week. I love the concept of heart-rate based interval training and the variety of having treadmill, rowing and weight training blocks. Depending on the day, I’ll focus on strength, power or endurance. My favorite things about Orange Theory are the intensity of the workouts and the sense of community within the group. Like Fresh ‘N Fit, Orange Theory does all thinking for me since all I really have to do is just show up for the hour and their professional coaches guide me though workout templates. In the past, I was a part of an outdoor boot camp for several years that REALLY molded me in my healthy living journey. I was also a member of a kickboxing gym for a few years, which I really enjoyed.
I try to stay motivated by remembering where I was and not wanting to go back there. I didn’t like how the extra weight made me feel physically and emotionally. These days I just feel lighter, younger and my brain is much more sharper!
What advice would you give to others who are looking to make changes to their health, nutrition or fitness routine?
Take some time to write down your triggers, the things that set you back and how you may be self-sabotaging your health. Then find a solution to tackle each trigger. Set small goals each month (ex. lose 5-7 pounds) so the overall picture isn’t so overwhelming. My last piece of advice is to be patient and kind to yourself, change take time and there will be minor set backs. Healthy living is a marathon, not a sprint!
When it comes to nutrition and fitness, staying motivated can be difficult. Let the Fresh ‘N Fit chefs simplify meal prepping for you so you can focus on being the best you can be.
Use offer code BLOG012020 at checkout to get 10% off your first order. (Offer expires 9am, January 24, 2020)