When we first met Rachel and Jenny in the Fat to Fab contest, we were excited…and could hear the excitement and nervousness in their voices as well. We spent the day with each of them, in Utah and NY, respectively. We got to meet them, learn their history with dieting and talk about the program a bit more and what our role would be as their weight loss coaches.

We went to the grocery store, did a quick "kitchen makeover" and sat and worked with them to see how they could both make improvements in their own lives. We went through a series of basic measurements to start--body fat, body weight, and blood pressure. And then we were off to the races. We started by setting up both participants with weekly meal plans and associated grocery shopping lists. The meal plans were designed to provide around 1500 calories, which is what has been shown to be most effective for long term weight loss and maintenance. We also spoke with both of them regularly during the contest. We really wanted to stress that they weren't just changing their diet and exercise to win a prize, but that they were creating new habits and behaviors. While meal plans are helpful because they lay out a map right in front of you, our goal was to teach long term strategies for success. We wanted Rachel and Jenny to be successful long after they became FAB! We did this by holding group teleseminars once a month with all contestants on the phone call. In these teleseminars we discussed how to handle key problem areas, like strategies to overcome cravings, success tools to "handle" social situations, parties, the holidays, etc. On the "off weeks" from the group calls, we also spoke with each participant individually to help navigate around any personal barriers, questions, or situations that may have come up.

As time went on, both Jenny and Rachel began to answer a lot of their own questions and successfully navigate their own situations. It was wonderfully rewarding to hear them break through barriers and accomplish big goals. When Rachel finally realized she needed to lose the stinkin' thinkin' and when Jenny started taking on road races (on foot and bike!), we knew these ladies were making this challenge their own. So our job was to teach them all of the necessary tools to make clean, healthy decisions in a variety of situations. Their job was to figure out what tools to use and when to use them. Not every tool works in every situation; if you're trying to hammer a nail with a saw, you won't make great progress. Similarly, if you're trying to navigate eating at a holiday party, only knowing strategies for making time for exercise wouldn't be effective either.

Over time, both Jenny and Rachel began to develop their own unique strategies for their own situations. They began accomplishing bigger and better things. And that brings us to today, where together they lost a total of 74 lbs!

Meal Plans

About Our Nutritionists:

Kara I. Mohr, PhD, FACSM is an international weight loss expert. Her advice and expertise has been sought out by leading publications and media outlets. Her straightforward, common sense approach to changing eating and exercise behaviors has helped thousands shed the pounds and transform their bodies. Dr. Kara Mohr has a PhD in exercise physiology.

Christopher R. Mohr, PhD, RD, CSSD is a sought after nutrition expert with a client list including LL Cool J, Chef Emeril Lagasse, and Denise Austin. He is a weight loss expert whose information has helped thousands lose weight permanently. Dr. Chris Mohr has a PhD in exercise physiology and is a registered dietitian.

More from the Mohrs:
Is Your Kitchen Making You Fat?
Is Your Grocery Store Making You Fat?