If those fun, eat-with-abandon celebratory memories are still sticking with you (in the literal sense) you might be looking for some new health, wellness and weight loss inspiration. Here are three incredible Bergen County Moms who lost weight, got fit and literally transformed themselves inside and out. What were their secrets? You’ll be amazed!
Ruth Sorbanelli One stepchild and two biological children Lost 40 lbsThat A-Ha Moment:
Ever since I had my kids, I struggled with my weight. At my heaviest, I weighed about 180lbs. I got used to ‘eating for 2’ and continued to eat that way after my son was born. My ‘aha’ moment really didn’t come about until my husband decided to lose weight. He weighed about 300lbs. and I remember thinking, “if he is going to lose weight, we can do this thing together and give each other motivation and accountability."
How Long Did it Take You?
The first 30lbs took about 1 year. It took me about 6 months to reach the goal I set myself with my husband, then I set myself another goal and that came a couple of years later with the Clean 21 that The Gym runs every few months and I was able to drop the last 6-8 pounds that clung to me for dear life. For me this was a real eye opener, this program helped me learn how bad certain foods are for my body and that it’s not just about calorie counting, but what I put into my body that makes all the difference. The last 6-8 pounds were not truly an intentional weigh loss, it was more of an accidental weight loss, because when you eat clean, unprocessed, unrefined, whole foods you don’t have a choice but to lose weight.
How do you maintain it now?
Now, I maintain my weight by taking spin classes, running and weight training classes 3-5 days a week. Eating is still a challenge for me, because I LOVE food, especially carbs. But I have learned to manage that and make better food choices and some of the foods that I used to love are not as satisfying to me anymore.
How did this transformation change your life and impact your family?
The ways that my transformation changed my life included a complete and total lifestyle change. Being able to make informed food choices (just because the packaging claims that it’s good for you, or all natural doesn’t mean it’s true) helped eliminate a lot of the persistent ailments that I had, like migraines, anxiety and general aches and pains. After completing my 7th round of Clean21, I am more comfortable with the whole food choices that I make, it all has become sorta second nature. Mine and my husband’s transformations impacted the family in a huge way. Because I am the one who cooks, we eat more fruits and veggies and have really changed what we eat. We have all really made strides in weight loss. We don’t ever eat McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or other fast foods. My youngest is still a little resistant to eating like the rest of us do, but I am confident that I am leading her by example and that one day it will ‘click’ with her.
Hilary Wallace Mom of two kids Lost over 40 lbs
That A-Ha Moment:
I had gained over 60 pounds with my last pregnancy, and lost my confidence and sense of self. I apologized for myself constantly. Put myself down relentlessly. This was not the role model I wanted to be for my children. One night while out to dinner with my husband and his work colleagues, I let out a slew of self deprecating remarks to make them laugh. A very wise and beautiful woman sitting next to me didn’t laugh. She told me to “shut up and do something about it!” It hit home.
How Long Did it Take You?
After enlisting the help of an inspiring trainer, and participating in bootcamps with a group of like minded and supportive women, I managed to lose over 40 pounds in the first 3 months.
How do you maintain it now?
I love sharing my addiction to strength! I have since obtained my CrossFit Level 1 certification at Virtuosity in Brooklyn, NY. I have competed for 2 years at Mayhem in the Meadowlands as well as numerous other CrossFit throwdowns. My friends, family and people at the gym noticed the changes in me and asked for my help. I began personally training people and teaching bootcamp classes. Recently, I also began training people with Parkinson’s disease using strength training and methods from the Delay the Disease program. The affects of exercise and strength training for people with Parkinson’s has been nothing short of miraculous and I am blessed to be a part of these peoples’ lives.
How did this transformation change your life and impact your family?
I’ll never forget catching a stomach virus and the vomiting just wouldn’t stop. Instead of my usual, “oh cool, I’ll lose some weight!” I thought, “damn, I hope my one rep max lifts won’t go down”. It had now become about my performance rather than having a thigh gap. My family absolutely benefitted from the changes I made as well. I love it when my kids see all the great things I can do with my body now. I also run various road races and coach my third grade daughters’ Girls On The Run team. GOTR is a non profit organization that has created a program dedicated to unleashing girls confidence through accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness.
Sari Schiff 4 kids Lost 10 lbs
That A-Ha Moment:
After talking nutrition with Clean 21 Program Leader Rachel Miller of The Gym, I realized she really made a lot of sense and she got me thinking about things I had never considered before when it came to eating.
How Long Did it Take You?
Once I got the hang of how often to eat and what a clean plate should look like...both portion and color...it was easy. My body would let me know when I needed fuel and within a few months I was down the 10 lbs I had been struggling with.
How do you maintain it now?
I take a couple of hours a week to prepare my food. Bulk cooking is really a must. Being organized and always having good options in the fridge is the key to success. Having Rachel on my side to reach out to about ingredient substitutions and bounce off recipes and ideas is really helpful. And of course exercise. ...I have always been into fitness. My passion is outdoor cycling and yoga.
How did this transformation change your life and impact your family?
Last year I got AFAA group fitness certified and have been recently sharing my passion of exercise with others. The combination of eating healthy and exercise are both two very important parts of my busy lifestyle. My husband and 4 daughters are quite picky eaters. They are defiantly a work in progress. I try to offer changes slowly to them. Sometimes I won't share about the ingredients in a recipe. My pantry offers them some "kid friendly" junky options ... I'm hopeful that being a good role model will pay off in the end.
