‘I Did The Optavia Diet And Lost 55 Pounds’

My name is Lynnette Grimaud (@iamnettyyy), and I am 33 years old. I am from Edison, New Jersey, and I am a contracts and proposals manager. I wanted to be the healthiest I could be for my son, so I tried the Optavia diet and changed how I think about food.

I always felt like the bigger girl in class growing up and I constantly struggled with overeating. I was raised by a single mother, and I had to eat whatever food was affordable for me and my siblings, which usually wasn’t very nutritious. I didn’t always feel worthy of being loved or accepted—and it was mostly because of how much I didn’t like the way I looked. For years it was drilled in my head: “Lose weight!” Being raised in a Hispanic household, weight was a cultural focus at every major holiday function for me.

As I got older, food became my comfort. It made me feel good. However, I was so embarrassed about my eating habits that I would “sneak-eat” meals. I would go to Wendy’s and get a number-six with a lemonade, and a double stack on the side with cheese. And let’s not forget a five-piece chicken nugget with a double chocolate chip cookie.

At the age of 25, I became pregnant and a single mom myself. I fell into a depressive state. So many changes were happening with my body, and life wasn’t what I thought it would be.The eating habits from my pregnancy trickled into the postpartum period, and I got bigger and bigger over time. I dealt with my sadness through food again.

As time passed, I understood my son needed me to be strong and healthy to be a part of his life long-term. He is my Why.

I also think back to February 2019, when I went to a close friend’s wedding. I didn’t want to be photographed, but they caught me in a candid moment. When the picture was published, I was in so much shock by how big I looked. I could not believe that was me. It was time for me to take back control.

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My godmother reached out to me and told me about a weight-loss program called Optavia. She had become a coach through the company and really wanted me to sign up to try the meal plan. I was skeptical at first, but decided to give it a try for a month—and I lost 15 pounds. I was loving it.

Optavia is essentially a diet program that ships prepackaged mini-meals and snacks straight to your door. (It costs money, FYI!) It’s designed to be low in carbs and calories, and you also eat lean meats and veggies as part of your meals. The meals are called fuelings, and the plan changed my entire perspective on food. I now view foods as fuelings! With Optavia, it’s convenient and simple to grab and go and not have to worry about what to eat. Overall, I try to eat a lot of veggies and lean protein.

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I started to feel healthier, more confident, less bloated, and had more energy on a regular basis. I even sleep better and, all around, don’t drag like I used to. My blood sugar levels are balanced and my blood pressure is in a healthy place. This was major for me, considering diabetes and high blood pressure run in my family.

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Here’s what I eat in a day.

• Breakfast: Egg whites with onions, peppers, spinach, and half a cup of oatmeal.
  
• Lunch: Half of a sweet potato with ground turkey.
• Dinner: Lean meat and greens.
• Snacks: Optavia Decadent Brownie or their Cinnamon Cheesecake Swirl. Their Crisp Bar fuelings are good too. When I am out and about, I make sure to take those with me.
  
• Dessert: I typically save dessert when I go out to dinner every once in a while.

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I focused on my nutrition first, then I started to focus on working out.

I wanted to start feeling stronger and more fit, so I started going to cycling classes and Zumba (I love to dance!). I created my own Zumba playlist and would dance for cardio for one hour, five days a week. Then I also added in 45 minutes of resistance training for my muscle growth.

At first it was tedious getting into the habit of working out, but I enjoyed the stress relief and sense of accomplishment after I was done. I felt my body was thankful that I took the time to work through weakness!

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These three small changes have made a huge impact on my overall weight loss.

• I changed my mindset and learned to be patient with myself. I had to really understand that time was going to pass regardless, and I had to stop putting hard “stop dates” on myself. I would feel so disappointed if I didn’t meet the “deadline” I set. So, I changed my way of thinking and started speaking positively on a regular basis. I started telling myself I loved what I saw in the mirror and truly accepted myself.

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• I made my journey public for others to follow. I decided that I wanted to help women who struggle with the same things, so I became an Optavia health coach myself and developed my Instagram page to invite people on my health journey. This platform is made to encourage, motivate, and empower—and it keeps me accountable too.

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• I started making the gym a priority. I am working toward my fitness goals because it helps keep me motivated and sane during trying times we are having. It has been a vital part of my journey because I am able to see the differences in myself as well as the differences in those who are watching me. I love being that motivation.

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I lost a total of 55 pounds.

I want women to know it wasn’t easy, but it definitely is possible. You always hear that consistency and discipline are key. And this is true, but be patient with yourself and your individual process. The reason so many people fall off of their healthy eating is because they want the results yesterday. Start by taking small steps that lead to long term results.

Drink plenty of water, substitute donuts for fruit bowls, and shift that state of mind from can’t to can. I am so glad I went through this journey because my strength was shown when I finally came out of the dark place and was able to smile confidently and say, “Yeah, I did that!”

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