Libby

For a long time, I was convinced that there was a secret to losing weight and no one would tell me. But for real, I felt like I had really tried. I thought I understood how to eat "clean" and workout but throughout my late twenties, I just kept moving in the wrong direction. I consistently felt like I was stuffed into my clothes and refused to buy bigger sizes. I talked to doctors and nutritionists but they all told me what I already knew--diet and exercise. 

What I failed to identify was the negative cycle I had fallen into. Never one to miss out on fun, I routinely went out on weeknights, enjoyed cocktails, and whatever food sounded good in the moment. I didn't prioritize sleep and woke up tired so I'd skip my workouts. I was eating based on how I felt rather than how I wanted to feel. 

I live in NYC and work in Healthcare Administration in an outpatient setting. During the height of Covid-19, I was redeployed to work in the hospital. There was an outpouring of generosity in the city for essential workers and that mostly took the form of food. I was sitting in a conference room with boxes of donated girl scout cookies, pastries, lunch being delivered, and bowls of candy. The worst part was there was no one around to judge me. So I sat there and just ate. I chalked it up to being in an unprecedented, stressful time as I mindlessly consumed. I'd go home and have wine, get up and do it all again the next day. Until I got to my heaviest. I finally had an Aha! moment where I realized, I can take control of this weird time in the world and do something positive for myself or I can stay the course. I signed up for MANNA that day. 

MANNA gave me so much peace. I remember in the first 2 weeks, I was sleeping better than I had in years and waking up before my alarm feeling well-rested. The early weeks showed me that I'm capable of resisting temptation when I can see the bigger picture and experience the benefits that come from fueling your body the right way. I realized that I crave routine and consistency. 

The weight loss has been a great byproduct of the program for me but even better is how I feel about food. I don't think about how I can't have something that I enjoy. If I want it, I have it. I may slightly tweak a recipe or customize an order because but I'm not restricting anything. I'm eating more now than I did for years. I'm not hungry because I'm fueling my body the way I need to, to support a healthy lifestyle. More than anything I've learned that changes take time and you have to be patient and consistent. Accountability with MANNA helped me get there in such a non-judgmental way which felt so different than anything else I've ever tried. 

To anyone who is thinking about trying MANNA, I say go for it. Make an investment in yourself because you are worth it!