Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

The Fresh Diet

The Fresh Diet… Winner!

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Well it’s Day 31 of The Fresh Diet for me, and although you’re probably going to skip over the next few paragraphs to see if you’ve won, I’m hoping you’ll circle back and give me a virtual high five!

I lost 12 pounds on The Fresh Diet! After an initial burst of rapid weight loss, I tailored off to a healthy loss of about 1.5 pounds per week. And, I had to tweak my calorie intake just slightly over the past two weeks to keep up with Reid’s growth spurt – his demand for more breastmilk meant I had to consume slightly more food to stay sane. But overall, I am thrilled to pieces with the results and would recommend this diet to EVERYONE!

Great news! The New Years Special has been extended until Wednesday – so if you’ve been sitting on the fence, I’m hoping you’ll make the momentous decision and start 2011 off FRESH!

I really, really wish I could award this prize to everyone – you ALL have wonderful reasons for wanting to live a healthier lifestyle, and I only hope that you’ll follow through on your health and fitness goals regardless. The winner for this giveaway was drawn randomly via random.org.

I’d like to send a special thank you to Kat (Inspiration Can Be Found Everywhere) for the continued support through her awesome comments and daily Tweets! You totally rock! And, thanks to all the readers who entered the contest and did their best to spread the word – MUAH!

Drum roll please….

The winner of 31 days of The Fresh Diet (value $1,394.69) is… RACHEL!


Congratulations! Please send me an e-mail with your complete mailing address, plus telephone number, and a representative from The Fresh Diet will be in touch with you shortly.

To everyone else, be sure to “Like” The Fresh Diet on Facebook! They have contests and giveaways daily, with tons of chances to win!

Thanks to everyone who participated, and of course, to The Fresh Diet!

The Fresh Diet: Day 21

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I’m back, folks. And – unfortunately – with no real news; still holding at a total weight loss of 9 lbs. What happened? Well, Christmas happened.

I postponed The Fresh Diet delivery on the 24th, 25th and 26th of December, reasoning that between the Turkey Fest and Leftover Turkey Fest, I would not do the diet justice. Nervous I’d put on about 5 lbs from all the holiday indulging, I had a plan:

1. Try everything. It’s Christmas! And I wasn’t about to pass up my mom’s delicious prime rib or my mother-in-law’s scrumptious cookies. However, I kept my portion sizes small and resisted the urge to go back for more – simply grazing and sampling instead of binge-eating.

2. Keep sugar in check. Simple carbs are my enemy – and unfortunately, my Achilles heel. So I made sure to load up on veggies, whole grains and protein, so that by the time I sliced into our traditional Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake, I would have little room to test my willpower. (I did have a sliver; it was divine.)

3. Get back on track. The wonderful thing about The Fresh Diet? Delivery resumed on Monday, so whether I liked it or not, my diet effectively restarted. More nervous than I’d been in a long time, I climbed on the scale yesterday morning to see that my Christmas break had resulted in +1 pound; today, after just one day of healthy eating, I’m back down to my pre-Christmas weight loss – 9 lbs – which come to think about it, isn’t too shabby considering I was off the diet for 3 days during which I ate, ate and ate!

So, instead of waiting for that elusive 1 pound to post a pic, I thought I’d share this photo from Christmas Eve – here’s what I look like at 135 lbs! Only 10 more to my goal!

Don’t forget you can ENTER TO WIN The Fresh Diet for 31 days!

The Fresh Diet: Day 14

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For the last two weeks, I’ve been wrapping presents, fine tuning holiday menus, cleaning the house, getting the boys ready to meet Santa, and about a thousand other little things that always seem so vitally important around the holidays.

Oh, and in the past two weeks, I’VE ALSO LOST 8 POUNDS ON THE FRESH DIET!

That’s right folks – after my initial loss of 5 lbs, I followed it up with and additional 3 lbs of flab. I’m starting to like the shape of my thighs again! And, today while shopping, I quickly tried on a snazzy little top… and was pleasantly surprised to find medium was too big; that’s right, I’m down with size S again! Woot! Woot!

A few readers have asked about portion sizes, so I’ll say this: it’s as much food as I was normally eating pre-diet. I am NEVER hungry, because I’m eating the same quantities (sometimes more), just better food. In fact, tonight I actually gave my husband an entire portabella mushroom cap, because there were two included in the meal (in addition to a grilled chicken breast and honey glazed carrots). But I just had to make room for my Pina Colada Cheesecake, you see.

Once I get down 10 lbs I’ll be posting a picture – can’t wait to show off my new curves!

The Fresh Diet has a nifty promotion on at the moment that shouldn’t be missed – Get 5 days for just $155! That’s only $31 per day for the most delicious, healthy and convenient meals you’ll ever enjoy. What can you do with 5 days? You can:

1. Kick start your healthy eating. In just five days, I was already down 4 lbs. Imagine how much better you would feel; imagine how much motivated you would be to keep going. Some customers (who initially had more weight to lose) have even reported being down 6-8 lbs in the first few days. Holla!

2. Treat someone. Shauna made the wonderful suggestion of giving The Fresh Diet to a new mom. OMG. What a splendid idea! Imagine – coming home from the hospital, and having all your meals (plus snacks!) taken care of. No planning, no cooking, no thinking. Plus, you know that the meals will be nutritionally balanced, which is essential to keep up your energy for all those sleepless nights. And with the current promo, it’s more affordable than ever to give this awesome gift. You’ll be a hero!

3. Curb your post-Christmas spending. What are you going to spend $155 on this Boxing Day? Gadgets? Clothes you don’t need? Other stuff you probably won’t use. Take that money and do something for yourself!

Call The Fresh Diet today and make your healthy eating goals a reality. And… don’t forget you can ENTER TO WIN The Fresh Diet for 31 days!

The Fresh Diet: Day 10

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Ten days into my Fresh Diet and I’m down 6 lbs. Woo hoo!

(This past weekend I rocked a stretch top, leggings and sex-kitten boots. My self-esteem has increased dramatically after just a few lost pounds!)

I’ve been thinking about how much I love the program, and have come to the conclusion that the very best feature of the diet for me is the overwhelming variety of foods available. Specifically:

1) During previous attempts to lose weight, I’d follow the same routine – visit a grocery store on a Sunday afternoon and load up with “diet” foods – cottage cheese, roast turkey, baby spinach and fruit. And then I would proceed to eat the same foods over the next few days, convinced that I could survive on a bland, never-changing  diet of foods low in fat (and consequently, enjoyment). By the third or fourth day, I was craving a change… which usually came by way of lasagna and/or french fries. Buh-bye, diet.

With The Fresh Diet, I’m eating well – and also experiencing a range of foods I’d never have the time, money or commitment to prepare myself. Another turkey sandwich? I don’t think so. Today, my lunch is a Lemon Pepper Grilled Shrimp Salad with Yellow Tomato, Cucumber, Alfalfa Sprouts, Baby Lettuce and Citrus Dressing. Now in the past, would I have spent a Sunday afternoon purchasing all these ingredients for one meal? Not likely. So what keeps me going (and successful) on this diet is the ability to enjoy different, delicious foods while still eating healthy and having the convenience of zero prep.

2) If we’re talking about variety, then let’s talk choice. Every day I have a choice of 1 of 4 breakfast items, 1 of 4 lunches, 1 of 4 dinners (plus a choice of 2 sides of 6) and I can select 2 of 6 snacks. (If you’re a closet mathematician and can calculate the number of possible combinations, be sure to leave a comment with that figure – I’m curious to see just how many choices there are).

Think you’ll have a hard time deciding? You will. May I present a day’s offering:

BREAKFAST

1. Mango Stuffed Honey Wheat French Toast with Raspberries and Banana Ricotta
2. Cinnamon Apple Old Fashioned Oatmeal
3. Fresh Fruit Salad with Cantaloupe, Raspberry, Papaya,Pineapple & Banana Ricotta
4. Spinach & Feta Cheese Egg Bake with Fresh Papaya

LUNCH

1. Thyme Infused Chicken Salad with Arugula, Orange Segments, Strawberry, & Blueberry Vinaigrette
2. Roasted Eggplant & Havarti Cheese Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Bell Pepper Pesto & Baby Lettuce
3. Sloppy Joe Sub on Whole Wheat Bun with Asparagus & Fresh Marinara Sauce
4. Tofu Caesar Salad with Romaine Lettuce, Sun-Dried Tomato, European Cucumber & Caesar Dressing

DINNER

1. Cider Braise Pork Medallions
2. Grilled Chicken Breast with Spiced Pomegranate Sauce
3. Sesame Soy Grilled Tofu
4. Fillet of Swordfish with Raspberry Lime Sauce

(Sides)
1. Herbed Cauliflower Mash
2. Roasted Acorn Squash
3. Wild Rice & Cranberry Pilaf
4. Sauteed Shitake Mushrooms
5. Braised Belgian Endive
6. Green Beans with Walnuts & Garlic

SNACK

1. Creamy Banana Cheese Cake
2. Cherry Maple Oatmeal Cookies
3. Mini Veggie Egg Rolls with Peanut Sauce
4. Grilled Chicken Skewer with Broccoli & Thai Peanut Sauce
5. Vegetable Crudities with Baby Carrot, Broccoli, Celery & Blue Cheese Dip
6. Coconut Macadamia Nut Muffin

Okay, raise your hand if you think you can stick to this diet.

With the addition of foods you would normally wouldn’t prepare for yourself, and the ability to choose from a variety of delicious combinations, The Fresh Diet is NEVER BORING. Shakes, frozen cuisine and ahem, cottage cheese-roast turkey-baby spinach-fruit every day is a thing of the past! My taste buds literally dance for joy with each bite. And I’ve lost 6 lbs in ten days! Time to go reward myself with Chocolate Cupcake with Hazelnut Mocha Glaze.

Don’t forget – you can enter to win 31 Days of The Fresh Diet!

The Fresh Diet: Day 7

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I could go on and on about how much I love The Fresh Diet (and likely will over the next few weeks), but aside from the chef-prepared meals, delicious desserts (chocolate chip cheesecake… mmm…) and the extraordinary convenience of it all, I’ll bet there’s one thing you want to know – Does it work?

Drum roll please… in one week, I’VE LOST 5 lbs!!!

Can I do a happy dance? I’ll do a happy dance (it’s exercise)!

Now I know the first few pounds always come off easily, but let me tell you – those are 5 more pounds than I’ve been able to take off in about 2 years (between and after pregnancies, that is). I feel energetic, have ingested more greens in one week that I do in an average month, and have tasted at least 3-4 new, delicious foods.

The best part? I’m learning to eat with my eyes. Today, I actually postponed delivery of my daily meals as I attended my annual Girlfriends Holiday Luncheon. Nervous that I would easily fall off the wagon, I was amazed at how easy it was to make healthy food choices and still feel full with the right proportions of carbs, protein and fat. Everyone should eat The Fresh Diet way!

Now I must go make dinner (sigh, I suppose I’ve been very spoiled with the convenience of having my food delivered to my door every day) but I’ll be back tomorrow with an update on some of the delicious menu items coming my way this week!

Don’t forget – you can enter to win 31 Days of The Fresh Diet!

The Fresh Diet: Day 2

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What’s for lunch today? How about…

Cajun Seared Tuna Salad with Baby Corn, Tomato, Baby Lettuce & Tart Cherry Vinaigrette.

Hands down, this was one of the BEST salads I’ve ever had. Perfectly cooked tuna, tart vinaigrette and an abundance of green goodness.

Want it? Enter for your chance to win The Fresh Diet for 31 days!

Lena Loves… The Fresh Diet

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… and you will too!

So I’ve started a month long journey towards eating fresh, tasty food… and hopefully losing a pound or two along the way. After carefully researching programs that are healthy, convenient and easy to follow, all roads lead to The Fresh Diet.

But you didn’t really think I’d go on and on about this awesome diet without sharing the goodness with you – of course not!

So here it is… drum roll please…

The Fresh Diet has generously offered one Listen to Lena! reader the chance to win The Fresh Diet for 31 Days! (value $1,394.69) 

“The Fresh Diet’s Premium Choice is the first and only diet delivery service that allows you to choose from a variety of our delicious daily menu items for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and hors d’oeuvre. With our state of the art website you can choose all of your meals a month in advance by simply logging into your The Fresh Diet Account.”

You’ll receive:

3 Fresh Gourmet Meals & 2 Snacks
4 or more choices for each meal
Unlimited dislikes to be excluded from your menu
Personal Concierge
FREE Daily Delivery
Rollover Days
The Fresh Diet Online Account

Woot! Woot!

(The Fresh Diet currently serves clients daily in South East & West Florida, Chicago, Indianapolis, the NY Tri-State area, Southern & Northern California, San Francisco, Boston, Washington DC, Baltimore, Virginia, Philadelphia, Houston and the Greater Toronto Area.)

To enter, simply visit The Fresh Diet, learn about the program, and then leave a comment here telling us why you’d like to win this amazing prize.

You can also qualify for extra entries! Remember, you must leave a separate comment for each. You can:

(1) Follow my blog, Listen to Lena!
(2) “Like” Listen to Lena! on Facebook
(3) “Like” The Fresh Diet on Facebook
(4) Follow The Fresh Diet on Twitter
(5) Tweet about this giveaway (tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/27cly2u)
(6) You may Tweet daily.

I’ll draw for a winner on January 10th, and make the announcement with my wrap-up post on The Fresh Diet. Good luck everybody!

The Fresh Diet: Day 1

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It’s Day 1 of The Fresh Diet!

I’ve been bouncing off the walls for the last few days waiting for my first delivery. I had even worked myself up into a tizzy, worrying that they may forget me “en route” (much like I used to fret that Santa would pass up my chimney).

So this morning, I bounded downstairs with what can only be described as joyful anticipation, et VOILA! The Fresh Diet’s trademark cooler bag was waiting for me!

LOVE that today’s menu was peeking out of a side pocket; it reinforced the fact that I was receiving chef-prepared cuisine. The bag was hinged shut with plastic tie strap, giving me confidence that no prying fingers were able to get to my food before I did.

So what’s on today’s menu?

Breakfast: Portabella Mushroom, Shallot & Parmesan Cheese Egg Bake with Fresh Papaya
Lunch: Lemon Pepper Grilled Shrimp Salad with Tomato, Romaine Lettuce, Whole Wheat Croutons & Ranch Dressing
Dinner: Grilled Chicken Breast with Roasted Yellow Pepper & Shallot Sauce with Roasted Red Beets and Cilantro Roasted Yellow Tomato
Hors d’oeuvre: Cucumber & Green Papaya Slaw with Low Fat Yogurt
Dessert: Raspberry Vanilla Pudding

Diet food? I don’t think so. I wolfed down my breakfast before it occurred to me to take a photo, but I was more patient with my lunch. Now tell me, wouldn’t you love to have this delicious grilled shrimp salad prepared for you – with the right proportions of carbs, fat and protein? The thinking (and cooking) are done for you – all that’s left is to enjoy.

You won’t be able to see it from the photo, but trust me: they don’t skimp on portion size. The salad was comparable to a packaged salad you would find in your grocery store or cold counter.

And the taste? Well, let’s rewind to breakfast – I simply could not believe that such a light, airy egg bake could also be so dense and delicious. I was seriously FULL after eating, and remained pleasantly so for about two hours, which took me to lunch time. Now I probably don’t have to say it, but the grilled shrimp salad was DIVINE.

It’s just about time for my mid afternoon snack – or hors d’oeuvre if you will – and I’m still feeling wonderfully satiated and high on the fact that I’m eating FRESH food.

Now here’s the elephant in the room – the cost. The Fresh Diet is not inexpensive. The Premium Choice plan is $1,394.69 USD for 31 days, and the Chef’s Choice is slightly less at $1,084.69 USD. But, YOU decide what your time, grocery bills, nutrition and healthy eating habits are worth. If you grab takeout a lot, on average, you can spend approximately $20-$25 each day on food that does not guarantee proper portions, convenience, balanced vitamins and minerals, nutrition, or overall quality. The Fresh Diet provides you with all of those benefits at a comparable daily rate.

I’ll be back later this week to update you on my progress – if the other 30 days are anything like today, I’d say this is one diet everyone can stick with.

p.s. Blogging a FABULOUSLY FRESH giveaway later today!

Countdown to… The Fresh Diet!

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Friends, I have a confession to make. I’ve been keeping a secret for some time now… and even though I find it simple to go about my day-to-day routine, I’ve always had this nagging doubt at the back of my mind.

I’ve lost my mojo.

You see, I used to be a hottie; a slim, pretty girl with an infectious smile and a carefree attitude about food and fashion. I ate what I wanted, threw on a t-shirt and skinny jeans and if the occasion called for it – put on a smashing little black dress. Life was simple.

But two years and two pregnancies later, I’ve held onto an unwelcome 20 lbs that I. WANT. GONE.

I hate being so far from my ideal weight. I hate stuffing toast into my mouth when I’m bored. And most of all, I hate holding onto the notion that just because I’m a stay at home mom, I have little motivation to look my best.

So in my last trimester of pregnancy with Reid, I set three (3) major goals for myself:

1. Breastfeed my baby for at least 6 months. (Woo hoo! CHECK!)
2. Make time to look pretty – play with makeup, keep on top of fashion trends, take care of my skin (work in progress)
3. Lose the baby weight in a healthy, lasting way (no more excuses)

Well, Reid turned 6 months old last week, and as I have a well-established milk supply, it’s time to say goodbye to this lingering pregnancy weight. (For the record, I know the holidays are right around the corner – but what better motivation to stay on track on turkey day than to start a diet regime now?)

So I started researching diets – ones that have a proven track record of being healthy, offering a variety of foods, and most of all, are easy to follow – because let’s face it, with two little guys to occupy my time, meetings, measuring, and making separate meals just aren’t in the cards right now.

So it just seemed like such good timing when I read a review about The Fresh Diet courtesy of Soulla from The Confessions of a Blogaholic. She tested the diet on behalf of PTPA (they’ve since been declared an Award Winner) and raved about it!

“How does mango stuffed honey wheat French toast with raspberries and banana ricotta cheese sound for breakfast? Scrumptious right? Follow it up with thyme-infused chicken salad with arugula, orange segments, strawberries and blueberry vinaigrette. Mmmm…

Throw in some charred lamb loins on whole wheat crostini with oven roasted tomatoes as an hors d’eouvre, and Greek-style meatballs with feta cheese, along with a side of roasted bell peppers and roasted sweet potato for dinner. And finally, top it off with some cherry vanilla cheesecake.

And what if I told you this food could help you lose weight and you wouldn’t even have to lift a finger in the kitchen? Sound too good to be true? Well it isn’t. This is a typical day on The Fresh Diet!”

I have to admit, I all but fell off my chair. I’m a shameless foodie; I find every excuse to make (and eat) chef-calibre cuisine. Combine that with the fact that the meals would be freshly prepared (never frozen!) and be specially balanced for optimal weight loss… and I was in heaven.

“The Fresh Diet provides the right balance of food in proper portions to help you lose weight, feel energetic, and maintain proper health. This is done by providing our customers with a healthy balance of good carbohydrates such as “low-glycemic” whole grains, legumes and vegetables, lean meat and fish proteins and healthy fats. Our program consists of a healthy balance of 40%, 30% and 30% carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Just as important to the proper balance of meals is exceptional taste. Think about this. How many times have you tasted “diet” foods that tasted terrible? The Fresh Diet was created by a Cordon Bleu Institute trained chef, and all of our kitchens are staffed with gourmet chefs. Together they prepare 40/30/30 meals that are sinfully delicious, properly balanced, and perfectly portioned for ideal nutrition and weight loss.”

Holy Hannah.

So why am I rambling on and on about it? You guessed it! I’m going on The Fresh Diet for 31 days! The good folks at The Fresh Diet offered me the chance to stop whining about my fat thighs and do something about them. So I’ll be blogging about my journey to kick-start my weight loss, with a goal of losing at least 6-8 pounds to begin with. (The Fresh Diet offers an adjustment in caloric needs for breastfeeding mamas, so I can be sure that I’ll safely lose weight while continuing to feed the little guy.)

My first delivery is scheduled for Monday – you can be sure I’ll blog all about it… and, I just happen to have a HUGE giveaway up my sleeve! Tune in for all the details, and wish me luck!