  A 5 min read What’s your name and where do you come from? My name is Nicole Nguyen and I was born and raised in Long Beach, California. Do you have a family and what’s your profession? I have been married for 15 years to my high school sweetheart and we have two children—a son, Aidyn who is 13 years old and a daughter, Kailyn who is 11 years old. I am a licensed clinical psychologist and I teach doctoral level psychology courses at an online university and have done so for almost 10 years.  'How did you get introduced to PLT?
I posted in a Facebook group about my frustration with the results I was seeing with another nutrition coaching service, and a current PLT client, Brandy Hyche, reached out and told me about PLT. Who is your coach? The one and only, Paul :) Name 3 things that sum up your thoughts on your coach 1. Encouraging 2. Supportive 3. Patient Are you engaged in regular exercise/a sport? Yes! I take Orangetheory classes 5-6 times a week, as well as The London Method, a local barre class, 1-2 times a week, and I walk 5 miles 1-2 evenings a week. I also own a Peloton bike and try to ride it when I can’t get to any of my other workouts. How did you find your PLT onboarding experience & community experience? The onboarding experience was seamless and the community has been extremely encouraging and supportive. I love seeing everyone’s progress photos and stories, as well as the meal plan tips and recipes. What dieting programs had you tried previously and what makes PLT standout from previous programs? Before trying PLT, I had tried a few other weight loss programs, including a medical weight loss program that required me to get HCG and B-12 shots, as well as take an appetite suppressant. After that, I decided to try Stronger U. I had heard many success stories and decided to give it a try. However, I was very disappointed with the program and only lost 3 pounds in 12 weeks! When I asked my coach for support over the 12 weeks, I was made to feel that I must be doing something wrong, as the program “works for everyone,” so it must be me. I was so discouraged and ready to give up, until Brandy reached out to me and told me about PLT. The rest is history!! The difference between PLT and SU is incredible— never once has Paul made me feel that any stalls in my weight loss journey were my fault or something I am doing wrong. I appreciate that he takes everything into consideration when looking at my numbers—it’s not cookie-cutter at all. Every body is different and everybody is different—Paul and PLT know that and customize macros and numbers to each individual. What successes have you found since joining PLT, scale or non-scale? I have lost almost 30 pounds since starting PLT. I’m a pretty slow loser, so I couldn’t be happier with my progress so far. I am down almost two pants sizes and I am almost at my “goal” weight. How have you increased your nutritional education since PLT? I’ve learned so much about food and how it is used to fuel my body. I pay more attention to what I eat and how it makes me feel. I also realized that I definitely wasn’t eating enough protein before starting PLT. Oh, and that not all carbs are bad ! What 1 piece of advice would you give to people considering joining PLT or new members? My advice to those considering joining PLT, is to do it—you won’t regret it. To any new members, I would say, trust your coach and don’t give up—this will work if you stick with it. Your turn now; what 1 thing would you like to ask me? What has been the hardest change for you to make from your “old” self to your “new” self and what foods, if any do you miss the most? I really miss pizza—it’s a hard one to consistently fit into my numbers. Hi Nicole, tks for the question! This one is interesting to me. Back when I started my journey I knew nothing about nutrition, in the years before I had tried a few programs too...from Weight Watchers to Atkins! I still felt some carbs were bad to eat so I removed bread and potatoes from my diet for 2 years and honestly never missed them! I managed to lose 57lb in 20 weeks so it worked by luck more than judgement lol. Eventually I learned it was about calorie control and now there's no foods I restrict, I usually eat a PBJ daily ;) There is 1 food I miss, but that's more from relocating to live in America and that's CURRY! Curry is extremely popular in Great Britain, there's a carry-out restaurant on nearly every street and it's very much part of British life and culture. Where we live in America, curry isn't easy to find, the nearest good one is a 40 min drive away, so over time we have stopped eating it. Instead I generally ensure I eat some when I travel home to see my family! I love it but really can't eat it often due to its calories but it's an even nicer treat now! Tks Nicole, for taking the time to share your PLT experiences with the community and myself Paul
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 A 4 min Read PLT prides itself on working with our clients towards greater nutritional education and habits. As part of our education program we have created the PLT 'ABC's' The PLT ABC's; Accountability, Balance, and Consistency are the building blocks of our program. PLT coaches work with their clients to cover the step by step techniques of the ABC's; clients also use them as a check list to work towards their goals. Let's look a little closer at each of the ABC's A is for Accountability Accountability extends beyond the task of being accountable to your nutrition coach. It also asks whether you are:
B is for Balance Balance encompasses both your diet and your lifestyle
C is for Consistency Consistency is important for more than just food tracking. Consistency also covers:
These building blocks help our clients through their daily lives and towards their goals, it also aids the coaches working to help their clients achieve. tks Paul    What’s your name and where do you come from? My name is Whitney McEvoy. I'm originally from New Jersey, but currently reside in Center Valley, PA. Do you have a family and what’s your profession? I'm married 13 years to my husband, Lochlann. And we have a spunky, full of energy, yet compassionate 8 year old daughter named Niamh. That's pronounced "Neev". (yes, we know it doesn't look like that's how it's to be said. And yes, it's an Irish name ) How did you get introduced to PLT? There was a buzz among some of the members at the CrossFit gym I belong to who were already PLT members. They were kind enough to share their experience with me. Who is your coach? My coach is the mini beast, Tracy O'Connell Name 3 things that sum up your thoughts on your coach 1. Compassionate 2. Motivating 3. Inspiring Are you engaged in regular exercise/a sport? I currently belong to CrossFit Threefold and have been a member there for 2 years.  How did you find your PLT onboarding experience & community experience?
It's been a friendly and supportive experience. What dieting programs had you tried previously and what makes PLT standout from previous programs? I have tried SO many dieting programs over the years. I've struggled with my weight most of my life, even as a young school-aged person. I've tried Atkin's, Weight Watchers, Renaissance Periodization, 21 Day Fix and the 2 B mindset from Beachbody. And I also tried doing Paleo and Keto since some people I knew did it and lost weight. I'm sure there's others that I just can't recall or have blocked out! Everything would bring some quick results, but it was always short lived, and I'd gain it all back and then some. None of these diets taught me how to sustain a healthy balance, or what to do once the dieting was over. There were so many things that were "off limits", and I always felt like I was failing, starving, and graving the off limit foods. These programs were also for the masses. I was following programs that were not taking in account anything specific to ME! PLT is MY plan made by MY coach for ME!! This has been huge! My life, my stressed, what my stats are showing are all taken into account, and a plan is made so that I'm still reaching my goals. There's also nothing that's "off limits". This psychologically works for me. And if I do indulge, I track it and keep going. I feel calmer about the entire process than with any other program. I have a professional in my corner that's helping me, and rooting for me. My coach makes the changes, I just need to follow what I'm told to get the results. It's been the best experience I've had, and so glad I took the chance! What successes have you found since joining PLT, scale or non-scale? I've achieved some PR's in the gym since joining PLT. Finally crossed a threshold on the scale that I haven't seen since before the birth of my child. Clothes are fitting better, and most importantly, I feel happier. How have you increased your nutritional education since PLT? Since starting with PLT, I remind myself more often that food is fuel for the body. If I fuel it properly, it'll perform better. I pay attention WAY more to nutritional labels, and make more conscience decisions on if that indulgence is really worth all those macros! What 1 piece of advice would you give to people considering joining PLT or new members? Don't wait, just join. You won't regret it. It's not a gimmick or a quick fix fad. It works if you do the work. Your turn now; what 1 thing would you like to ask me? How many coaches do you have on staff? Hi Whitney, tks for the question! We currently have 7 awesome coaches working at PLT. They come from a variety of athletic backgrounds, each with their own coaching style but all following the PLT methodologies and ethics. Each coach is allowed freedom to coach in their own personal style but they all apply the core policies that are integral to PLT. Tks Whitney, for taking the time to share your PLT experiences with the community and myself Paul  A 4 minute read The key to Success When following your PLT plan, the number one key to success is to eat your coach allocated calories. The best way to do this is to plan your day ahead of time, entering your food into your tracking app so you know what and how much to eat to meet your targets. Preparing food is an important part of your weekly process and a worthy investment of your time. You have likely seen on social media beautifully created meals that ‘fit your macros’ and dreamed of opening your fridge and finding neat containers stacked and ready for you to heat and enjoy….this is NOT required at all but as with anything, it’s down to personal choice… Whether you are cooking/prepping for just yourself or you have a family of ravenous active teen athletes to cook for the process is the same: PROTEIN FIRST! Protein is the nutrient you want to be sure you always have on hand as it is where you start your planning everyday; plan ahead spreading your allotted amount of protein throughout the day to keep you satiated and then add in carbs and fat according to your numbers. PLT has created two videos on how to plan your day. Please review the links below for your appropriate tracking app: My Macros+ My Fitness Pal What you cook is entirely up to you and your family’s tastes, PLT recommends you eat lean proteins when on a weight loss plan; here are some great suggestions to start the ball rolling:
CARBS…are vegetables carbs?? Why yes, yes they are but let’s start with our starchy carbs:
And now the ‘other’ very important carbs – VEGGIES! Not all vegetables store well when prepped ahead so PLT recommends purchasing convenient steam bags of fresh veggies from the produce dept. at your grocery store as they are great time savers on busy weeknights! Here are a handful of easy to prep ahead veggies that keep for several days at least:
So, how are you going to make all this food without it taking all day?
As your food cooks, break out your containers; there are two different ways to store your delicious prepped food: BULK STORAGE PROS:
PROS:
Although not actual food prep, having some basics on hand is the last step to ensuring a successful week. As with anything, this is down to personal preference and your individual nutritional needs but here are some goodies to always have on hand:
Happy prepping! Thank you, Patti   The PLT Community exists more than just online, it's very real & united through a common bond of health, fitness and well being. We are from all corners of the globe, from New Zealand to Zambia, Australia to China, Spain to Hong Kong. Our community works together, regularly getting out of our comfort zones, trying new things, training hard, living, loving, laughing; we are better together Here are some of this amazing community’s recent activity and achievements... FB LIVE Coaches Corner topics covered:
 As part of our Client Catch Up series coach Paul interviewed our AMAZING clients:
 We ran/walked in races from 5k to half marathons!  We competed in CrossFit competitions with friends and kids! We prepped food with our kids!
In fact we prepped and ate a LOT of food!  We worked out together, hiked up hills, cycled together & played hockey!
Our community continued to work hard, learning more about nutrition, creating new habits and progressing towards our goals. This community knows how to have fun, we know how to work for change and most of all we come together as a community every day to support, inspire and love one another. Continuous Effort Tks Paul    A 5 min read What’s your name and where do you come from? My name is Carla Fischer (Charlie since I was an infant). I’ve lived in Sussex County, NJ for over 30 years. Do you have a family and what’s your profession? My husband of 29 years is Bill (Also a PLT member!) We have five children, four sons and a daughter with a range in age from our oldest of 25 down to our youngest who is 13. I home educated our children while working odd jobs from the time my oldest was six years old until 2016. At that point, my youngest went to “real school”. I have been a full-time Realtor for the past six years.  How did you get introduced to PLT?
I watched my coach's transformation over time. I knew her since high school and was inspired by her success. Who is your coach? Coach Patti Lawson Name 3 things that sum up your thoughts on your coach 1. Tenacious 2. Committed 3. Centered Are you engaged in regular exercise/a sport? An injury has caused me to stop temporarily. I go to physical therapy 3 times a week, and am hopeful that I will soon be able to go back. I love to walk/hike and garden. How did you find your PLT onboarding experience & community experience? I love our Facebook community! I also enjoy Coaches Corner. Onboarding was fine; a big change that I most certainly needed! What dieting programs had you tried previously and what makes PLT standout from previous programs? Mostly Weight Watchers after each of my children were born. Two miscarriages in my early forties caused a lot of hormonal challenges that made it difficult for me to reduce my weight. What successes have you found since joining PLT, scale or non-scale? I have reduced my weight by over 40 pounds since beginning in March 2019. I am down 3 sizes, which is nice! I find that I don’t hide as much. My confidence at work has improved as well How have you increased your nutritional education since PLT? I understand the importance of striking balance in each meal and in my day overall. I am committed to staying hydrated, which also has a direct impact on my energy. Reading labels is second nature, and portion sizes are much easier to gauge What 1 piece of advice would you give to people considering joining PLT or new members? One thing? That’s hard! I would say to begin each day with your meal map completed, which will enable you to end each day content that you kicked ass then repeat Your turn now; what 1 thing would you like to ask me? How can someone overcome boredom/food ruts when on a program long term? Hi Charlie, tks for the question! This one is is very person dependent. Each client on the program has complete food freedom and chooses their own foods to eat, initially it certainly makes sense to choose 2 or 3 proteins and 2 or 3 carbs and mix & match to create menus. This removes the stress from food decisions and gets the client tracking well and making awesome progress. Over time, as tracking becomes more second nature, a person can become more adventurous should they feel they wish to. PLT would always recommend switching up proteins, eating some fish or ground turkey if they always favor chicken maybe and using different spices and salsa. Low/no calorie dressing options to change the flavor profile of their foods. I like people to eat more potatoes, for the micronutrients, than rice and certainly be a little more adventurous with their veggie options. The options are endless, as no foods are off limit, just some meals require a little more effort to track which is why they're usually introduced as the client becomes more experienced with their tracking. Tks Charlie, for taking the time to share your PLT experiences with the community and myself Paul  A 3 min read When we diet everything is about CALORIES and energy balance. Energy balance is the relationship between energy in (food & drink consumed) and energy out (calories being used daily). To lose weight we need to be in a negative energy balance. What is a negative energy balance? A negative energy balance is when you consume less calories than you use daily. Whether you do Weight Watchers, Keto, Atkins or PLT etc it’s always CALORIES. The other dietary systems just hide the numbers from you but you are still tracking and controlling your calorie intake. After calories, it’s MACROS which are important. Overlaying macros into the diet equation gives you a ‘better’ ‘healthier’ plate of food; macros help tailor your diet in a way that benefits your body more in daily life and as we diet helps the process. However, not all macros are created equal... PROTEIN This is the most important macro when dieting. It helps you stay full which avoids hunger, helps with diet fatigue and adherence. If you are fuller you are less likely to have BLTs and snack on chips etc. It also helps you retain skeletal muscle as you cut/lose weight. Often in maintenance, our clients will be set only a protein target their personal PLT coach will ask them to eat intuitively afterwards. The process of conversion of protein to fat is challenging for the body and very rare. So protein does has some magical properties** CARBS & FATS are somewhat interchangeable if losing weight is your goal. We each have a personal dietary style that will favor one of these 2 macros over over the other. We also find that when a person is overweight, they are likely more insulin resistant which often requires a lower carb/higher fat set-up. The process of conversion of carbs to fat by the body isn’t easy either and your body generally won’t choose that option as fat storage, despite the interwebs scary comments! When you eat more calories than your body requires, your body will rarely choose to convert carbs to fat, despite many interweb posts.. When we eat more calories than our body requires, the body will generally store FAT as FAT as there’s no conversion! ** So if you are very very hungry and need to go over your plan, protein should be your choice as it will do very little damage to your goal. Ensure you hit your protein every day, after which, eating to your calorie requirement will ensure you have great success Tks Paul  |
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