The Graphite Blog

Jeff Leffew, a human resources executive, joins Graphite this week as our second guest of the series. Find out how Jeff stays motivated and what he has done in the past to lose weight. Check out his story below!

In the past, I’ve tried different methods for maintaining my weight. About three years ago, my wife and I tried a nutritional cleansing program called Isagenix. It was difficult, but I lost about 32 pounds. After doing the program for about a year and a half, I stopped after a back injury.

About seven or eight months ago, I began using an app on my Droid called “My Fitness Pal.” I started counting calories and losing some weight, but I didn’t stick with it long enough to see lasting results.

I’m somewhat of a competitive person, so I think that helps me stay motivated. I knew that I needed to do something to lose weight, so when I was offered the opportunity to be a guest on Graphite, I thought I would give it a try. I know with greater focus on portion control and eliminated late night snacking I can get ahead of the weight=loss curve!

After losing the weight on the nutritional cleansing program plus a few pounds using “My Fitness Pal,” I’ve gained most of the weight back. One of my goals is to drop 20+ pounds while enhancing my energy level and broadening my wardrobe options! I’d also like to exercise more consistently. Right now, my workouts aren’t very consistent – some weeks I only go the gym once or twice. My goal is to go to the gym, consistently, four times a week for high-intensity workouts. I want to burn more calories than I consume!
 

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Meet Katie Gilmore, marketing pro and new Graphite user. We'll follow Katie, and three other guests, as they take a 60-day, self-monitoring journey to reach their wellness goals. The series begins with each guest explaining their goals, history of weight loss, and personal tips for staying motivated. Check out Katie's story and stay tuned for more of her experiences along the journey.

I really struggled with my weight from about 2003 to 2007. During that 
time, I was able to get my weight under control a couple of times, but
 couldn’t keep it in check. In ’07 my sister told me about an online calorie counting tool.

I used that and for the first time was able to really understand how many calories I was eating. It helped me learn how to spot high calorie add-ons like sauces and cheese. I used it until I got to my goal weight and felt comfortable that I could stay there. I used it again in 2010 to stay on track for my wedding.

I stay motivated because I want to get up every day and know that I can 
pull any outfit out of my closet and that it will fit. Another
 motivation for me is being in decent shape so I can do social things
 with friends, like go for a bike ride or a hike.  With this tool, I want to get past just calorie counting and make sure
that I’m getting the right nutrition. Specifically, I want to get my
 recommended fruit/vegetable servings each day. I also want to get into 
the habit of eating breakfast during the week.

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