Pounds Lost: 11.2All-Over Inches Lost: 10 Jessica Lievendag, 48Pounds Lost: 4.8All-Over Inches Lost: 9.5 If Jessica Lievendag had tried countless weight loss programs, but none worked for long. She had too many constituencies to please: her husband, her kids, and last of all, herself.[sidebar]“ I was preparing two or three different meals for everybody,” Jessica says. “Every meal was a challenge. And I would put myself last. I just gave up.”This time was different. Jessica and her husband, Scott, both committed to the 32-day Sugar Smart Diet plan. Working as a team made healthy cooking easier: Jessica would pick up groceries on her way back from work, and Scott, who works from home, could get the basics started during the afternoon.The couple generally didn’t do meal planning together in the past. But this time, said Jessica, “it felt more collaborative. We’d talk about what activities were going on and which meals to make. It didn’t feel like such a burden.”Now they can sit down as a family and enjoy the same meal, and have even started trying new foods together. “I’ve tried new things like quinoa and bulgar,” said Jessica. “And if I never eat white rice again, I’m fine with that.” The grains, she said, are a great substitute for pasta and rice that her family never would have tried before.Jessica is still in wonder at her husband’s newfound cooking abilities. “And he’s learned to food shop,” she adds. “Amazing.” See how one woman lost a total of 17 pounds on The Sugar Smart Diet!
