Franny's story: “I was filling everyone's bucket but my own”
Franny is 44, a communications executive and a mom of two who loves food. For years she bounced between restrictive diets, and she was filling everyone's bucket but her own. She started with us right after Thanksgiving, travelled three of her first four weeks, ate more than she had in years, and came out feeling on top of her game.
Here's how.
In her words.
Franny at a glance
- Who: 44, communications executive, mom of two (10 and 8)
- Where she started: years of restrictive diets, low energy, reaching for chocolate all day
- The hard part: starting, two weeks before Thanksgiving, with travel on the calendar
- What changed: more real food, at-home strength workouts, daily steps
- Now: sleeping better, cooking for her family, and feeling on top of her game
Years on the diet roller coaster
Franny always thought of herself as a healthy eater. Food is also her love language.
Then came two babies. She gained 50 pounds with her son and 45 with her daughter. She lost it the hard way, on a very restrictive plan, and it didn't last.
Then the world shut down, and it all came back, plus some.
She tried short crash stints. You lose five pounds in a week, then gain it back and then some. Sound familiar?
“I was grasping for any quick fix.”
Filling everyone's bucket but her own
When I asked Franny who the woman in her before picture was, she didn't hesitate.
Someone who felt out of control. Tired all the time. A little down on herself.
“I was filling everyone’s bucket but my own.”
Work. Her husband. The kids. Friends. Social events. Then her, left with nothing, reaching for chocolate all day.
Here's the thing. That's most of the women we coach. We fill everyone's cup to the top and take whatever drop is left.
There is never a perfect time
Franny found us through an Instagram post from someone she follows. These women had kids, jobs and social lives, and they looked great. That was the hook.
She signed up two weeks before Thanksgiving. Then she regretted it. Holiday parties. Kids' class events. A family trip. So she pushed her start back a week.
Then she travelled for work two of her next three weeks.
“There is never a perfect time.”
Our first call? She was in the car on her way to the airport. I'll admit, I wondered how this would work. Then she turned out to be what I call a very low-maintenance client. She took the information and ran with it.
Eating more, and eating real food
Franny had been dieting since high school. Now she eats more than she did before. Way more.
“Now I’m actually eating probably more than I was before, like way more, but good foods.”
The big change was simple. She'd been grazing on her kids' snacks all day without realizing it, and it was making her hungrier.
Now she builds a real meal on a plate, eats it, and it carries her to the next one.
No food scales. No obsessive tracking. On day one she asked me whether something was a fist or a palm. My answer: use your common sense and go with it.
And it all felt easy from there.
The scale wasn't the point
A few weeks in, she weighed herself. A little down. Not dramatic.
But her clothes fit better. People complimented her on the trip. The bloat was gone.
Why that matters: when you build muscle and lose fat at the same time, the scale moves slowly while your body composition changes fast. Most women come to us wanting to lose weight. What they actually want to lose is fat.
The holidays, a ski trip and getting back on track
Franny will tell you straight. Over the holidays, she had a drink most nights for about 10 days.
She messaged me about it. My answer: just get back at it. Drink a lot of water. Get your veggies in. Keep moving.
She didn't overcorrect with one meal a day. She just went back to the basics, kept her steps and workouts going, and enjoyed a ski trip with friends.
“I could get back. I knew the tools.”
Workouts at home, and a morning walk that's just hers
Her husband suggested a trainer at the gym. She said no. Some days she only has 45 or 50 minutes, and the gym eats that before she's even started.
So she trains at home. When her kids were home sick, they just sat and watched.
And the steps? Life-changing, in her words. After the lunches are made, she takes a 20-minute walk before the day starts.
Her daughter, who's 8, used to ask why she was always at the gym. Now she's the one saying, “Go get your steps in.”
Who she is now
She hadn't worked out consistently in three and a half to four years. Now she loves it.
She's sleeping better. She cooks now, and her husband used to be the cook. The family loves the food too.
Her 10-year-old couldn't believe her after photo.
“Someone who feels they’re filling themselves up first, and actually is giving more to others.”
Franny's results
She still has brunch with friends. She still travels. She still loves food.
What changed is that she knows what to do now, and it's sustainable. She kept going with us in Metabolic Mastery, our ongoing program.
Results vary by individual, based on your starting point and commitment to the program.
Watch Franny's interview
Franny sat down with me after her 8 weeks. Twenty-two minutes, and you'll want her energy.
Her advice if you're on the fence
Just start. “Just do it. You will not have regrets.”
Drop the old rules. No carbs, no fruit, no eating after a certain hour. In her experience, those backfire.
Push through the first weeks. “You'll feel like you gained back something that maybe you lost or never even had.”
Ready to start yours?
- Watch the short video on our homepage. It walks through why your body stopped responding after 40 and the method Franny followed.
- Apply for a call with Chris. The application takes a few minutes, and Chris reads every one himself.
Frequently asked questions
How did Franny lose weight without dieting?
She stopped the restrictive plans and started eating more real food: full, balanced meals instead of grazing on her kids' snacks. Add at-home strength workouts and more daily steps, and her body composition changed without a crash diet.
Can you do the program while travelling for work or over the holidays?
Yes. Franny started right after Thanksgiving and travelled three of her first four weeks, plus a ski trip with friends. She enjoyed herself, stayed mindful and kept doing her workouts and steps.
Did Franny have to weigh or track her food?
No. No food scales, no obsessive tracking. She used simple hand portions and common sense, and focused on eating real food.
What if I go off track over the holidays?
Franny had a drink most nights for about 10 days over the holidays. She didn't punish herself. She got back to water, vegetables, her steps and her workouts, and kept going.
How much time do the workouts take?
Franny's home workouts take about 45 to 50 minutes, plus a 20-minute morning walk. The whole program is about 4 hours a week, with no gym needed.