by Caitlin H,
Jun 24, 2024
Name: Richard Frank
Age: 74
Occupation: PR firm owner + entrepreneur
Meal Plan: Balance-D
Favorite Meal: Sliced Turkey
Start Date: Jan. 3, 2023
Starting Weight: 210 lbs.
Height: 6 feet
Pounds Lost: 15
When Richard’s two children sat down with him on New Year’s Day to outline several life changes he needed to make to start caring for himself better, he took it to heart.
Richard, a longtime public relations firm owner and entrepreneur, had spent his days at a care facility helping look after his late wife, Linda. Linda had a rare neurological condition called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), which causes problems with balance, movement, vision, speech, and swallowing.
“I was there every day and running my business,” Richard said, adding that he often worked from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. so he could spend time with Linda. “I was not eating well. I was running myself ragged and not taking any time for myself.”
His kids—49-year-old Tracy and 45-year-old Wes—emphasized several life changes: fitness, working less, family and social time, and eating healthier. Eating healthier was especially important to Richard. As a person with diabetes, he said he needed to better control his blood sugar levels, which often spiked due to poor food choices.
“My key focus was to get my diabetes under control,” Richard said. “I take insulin twice a day — even so, my blood sugar levels were erratic. I thought I could better control my numbers by getting into a stable meal program.”
Richard signed up for Diet-to-Go two days later, on Jan. 3rd. Within five weeks, he lost 15 pounds and saw a rapid stabilization in his blood sugar levels.
“For me, just the process of having a box show up on my doorstep with meals for the week was sufficient guidance,” Richard said. “I got accustomed to that style of meal, that style of eating, that quantity of food.”
At the time, Richard and his friend of 25 years, Matt, had just started a business selling high-performance home entertainment systems. Richard said Matt cared for his 90-year-old mother while working hard to meet the demands of starting a business.
“Starting a company is busy, busy, busy, and to do all the things I’ve asked him, it’s been hard for him to take care of himself,” Richard said.
Matt’s weight grew to 460 pounds, and Richard decided to have his Diet-to-Go meals sent to Matt’s home in Phoenix instead.
In five months, Matt dropped 80 pounds.
“It was much better quality food than he was preparing, much healthier for him and his mom,” Richard said, adding that the weight loss increased Matt’s confidence to present their company’s product to prospective buyers. “It was a boon to his life.”
Richard said it was also a blessing to his own life, serving as the catalyst he needed to make significant changes, including working with a personal trainer twice a week, prioritizing sleep, and spending quality time with his family.
“Diet-to-Go got me into the habit of eating more balanced meals, eating smaller meals,” he said. “It was enough to give me the nutrition and energy to get everything going.”
Shortly after transferring his meal plan to Matt, Richard had knee surgery. During that time, he focused on completing physical therapy. Later, in 2023, he joined an eight-week wellness program that took a balanced approach to health. It included chiropractic and massage appointments, fitness, heart rate monitoring, and nutrition counseling.
“I started following good habits with Diet-to-Go, but, even so, felt I could be doing better,” Richard said. “[The wellness program] engaged me more with food preparation.”
Richard substituted unhealthy carbs like pasta and rice with vegetables and lean proteins.
“I’m a busy guy,” he said. “I trust in the ingredients I choose, and I trust in my portion control. I don’t check ounces, quantities, or grams. I don’t micromanage it; I just watch it carefully.”
Richard said Diet-to-Go and the wellness program helped set him up for success, even through Linda’s passing in the summer of 2023.
“Specifically, about Diet-to-Go, the factor that helped me the most was that it showed up at my door — the ease of customer access,” he said. “Concerning my longer journey, it was fueled by my success with those first five weeks of Diet-to-Go.”
Richard said he now feels confident in his understanding of nutrition and portion size and enjoys making meals for himself and his girlfriend.
“Last night, I made a dinner of braised sea scallops on spaghetti squash…and a side salad with low-calorie Greek goddess dressing,” he said. “It was a really good meal. I’m having fun experimenting and learning as I go.”
Richard advises others to take it one step at a time.
“Every day is different. You’ll have some days when you’re good and some you’re not. That’s okay, give yourself grace,” he said. “Keep trying to make each week better than the week before, and you’ll get there.”
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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager
Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.
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