By Jenna Bergen Southerland, Prevention
Anne Marie Russo had always loved summer. Every year, she'd spend
hours by the pool and at the beach with her husband and their three
children. "I always wore a two-piece," says the stay-at-home mom. "Even
after three pregnancies, I could still pull it off." When Russo turned
50, though, everything changed. Suddenly, the Italian foods she used to
eat without care—like chicken parm, pasta, and meatballs—were sticking
to her midsection.
[post_ads]"It was frustrating to see my middle getting thicker
and to see myself creeping up in sizes," she recalls. "My husband always
told me I looked great, but I felt unattractive. It was bumming me out
and making me feel awful about myself." She tried to shrink her growing
waist by skipping breakfast and pushing herself through three intense
boot-camp classes a week, but nothing seemed to work, and it was
becoming harder to run up the stairs without losing her breath. "It was
like I hit a wall. No matter what I tried, I felt like my body wasn't
changing." (See more amazing Fit in 10 transformations—and learn how you can get started—here!)
When
she realized she no longer felt comfortable in the two-piece swimsuits
she loved, Russo knew she needed to make a change. "I hated the idea of
wearing a one-piece; it just made me feel older and not as attractive,"
she says. "I thought, if I don't do something now to change the way I'm
eating and exercising, then I'm only going to get heavier."
Anne Marie Russo had always loved summer. Every year, she'd spend
hours by the pool and at the beach with her husband and their three
children. "I always wore a two-piece," says the stay-at-home mom. "Even
after three pregnancies, I could still pull it off." When Russo turned
50, though, everything changed. Suddenly, the Italian foods she used to
eat without care—like chicken parm, pasta, and meatballs—were sticking
to her midsection.
"It was frustrating to see my middle getting thicker
and to see myself creeping up in sizes," she recalls. "My husband always
told me I looked great, but I felt unattractive. It was bumming me out
and making me feel awful about myself." She tried to shrink her growing
waist by skipping breakfast and pushing herself through three intense
boot-camp classes a week, but nothing seemed to work, and it was
becoming harder to run up the stairs without losing her breath. "It was
like I hit a wall. No matter what I tried, I felt like my body wasn't
changing." (See more amazing Fit in 10 transformations—and learn how you can get started—here!)
[post_ads_2]
When
she realized she no longer felt comfortable in the two-piece swimsuits
she loved, Russo knew she needed to make a change. "I hated the idea of
wearing a one-piece; it just made me feel older and not as attractive,"
she says. "I thought, if I don't do something now to change the way I'm
eating and exercising, then I'm only going to get heavier."
When Anne Marie heard about Prevention's new Fit in 10: Slim & Strong—for Life! program, she was excited to see the simple plan combines 10-minute clean meals
with 10 minutes of easy exercise a day for lasting weight loss. "The
idea of being strong and lean for life really appealed to me," says
Russo. "My kids are almost out of the house, and I want to have the
health and energy to enjoy this next stage of my life with my husband."
So Russo started following the simple Fit in 10 eating plan
and squeezing in a 10-minute routine each day. At first, as her body
adjusted to clean eating, she admits she felt a little irritable. "My
body was used to having a lot more sugar," she says. "But once I started
reading labels, it made me think, What the heck have I been eating?
It taught me how to eat healthy, and showed me that it can be really
easy and enjoyable." Russo also realized that, with a few simple tricks,
she could lighten up the Italian meals she loved and still see results.
"Once I started eating this way, the extra weight fell away," she says.
"I never felt deprived or like I was on a diet, and the 10-minute meals
are family-friendly."
The 10-minute routines also made Anne Marie a consistent exerciser.
"There wasn't a day that I missed a workout," she says. And that little
bit of commitment had big payoffs. Soon Anne Marie was seeing changes in
her body. "My arms were stronger and more defined, and my belly started
to shrink," says Anne Marie, who lost nearly 16 pounds in 8 weeks.
Before starting the program, she had trouble getting through exercise
without feeling winded. "Once I started eating healthier and doing the Fit in 10 routines, I could push myself a lot harder. I had so much more energy."
[post_ads]Now
Anne Marie is down 27 pounds and back in her two-piece suits. "Fit in
10 was the right thing for me at the right time," she says. "The program
showed me that healthy food can taste delicious. I definitely want to
continue eating and exercising this way." (Got 10 minutes? Then you've
got time to lose the weight for good with Prevention's new 10-minute workouts and 10-minute meals. Get Fit in 10: Slim and Strong for Life now!)
Why Anne Marie Loves Fit in 10
- The simple food plan teaches you how to eat healthily. "I had no idea there was so much sugar in my diet. The program and recipes really make you think about what you're eating."
- It proves you don't have to work out for hours. "It's amazing what 10 minutes of daily sculpting work did for my body. I'm stronger and much more toned."
- It helps you drop inches fast. "At the beginning of the summer, I was probably at the heaviest weight I'd ever been. Now I feel so much better in my clothes."
