Project Description
Michel and Ana’s Success Story
Michel and Ana A. have been part of our Companion Health community since the very beginning. We are grateful to be able to work with these two superstars. Their positivity and willingness to try new things inspire us to do the same in our own lives.
Ana is the primary chef in their household, and Michel is quick to express his gratitude for her amazing culinary skills. Supported by Ana’s constant innovation in the kitchen, Michel has developed a love of vegetables, which he mostly disliked when we first started working together.
Things are very different for Michel today. Not only is he eating lots and lots of vegetables, but he has also figured out an enjoyable way to stay active. This is a big feat, as regular exercise used to be a real struggle for Michel. Until he rediscovered his love of tennis. Michel enjoys the game and the camaraderie. And it helps to have an accountability partner waiting for him on the courts!
Ana has experienced a transformation of her own. Eating vegetables has never been a problem for her, but she will tell you that she is now done with diets. And she realizes that making a schedule for herself is important. As a mom who is back in college improving her English (she was an architect back in her home country of Brazil), being organized and creating a routine sets her up for success with healthy eating, regular exercise, and stress management.
As an added bonus this month, we asked both Michel and Ana to tell us their stories. We hope they make you smile!
Michel Abranches
I have tried to do food control 100 times, but I was always hungry. I used to think I could eat any type of food, but that I just needed to eat less of it. I understand my body better now, and I need a lot of food—but the right food. Vegetables can be delicious, especially the way Ana prepares them. With this way of eating, I never feel hungry. And now, I think before I eat, I just played tennis, do I really want to eat that?
Planning in advance is also very important for my continued success. In order to stick to a healthy menu, I used to try to eat before our family would go hang out with our Brazilian friends on the weekends. That didn’t work because it wasn’t as fun for them or for me. I started bringing my own healthy food to their homes, including salads. They were all supportive. Now, they tell me I don’t need to bring my own food. They make salads for me and are eating better themselves.
The last test to see if this new lifestyle is sustainable for me occurred last Saturday. My friends brought over the Brazilian bread, Pão Francês, that I love so much. I knew if I ate one piece, I would eat another. So I ate several pieces of my healthier bread, and I felt content.
Ana Abranches
Michel and I have done every weight loss diet imaginable. We always focused on calories and tried to restrict the amount of food we ate. I realize now that it’s not about counting calories; it’s about what and when you eat.
The quality of the food is especially important. Because of our work together, I have learned to read labels. And we didn’t even have to give up pasta! Instead, I changed the type of pasta we eat. There are so many healthy substitutions you can make. My favorites are Jovial brown rice pasta and Explore Cuisine green lentil pasta.
