Mandy and Conner Volpe not only created a healthier lifestyle for themselves, but have lost a combined 176 lbs. — which is more than either of them weighs now! In December 2014, Mandy and Conner celebrated one-and-a-half years of healthy living — something they started working on as a married couple because they wanted to create a healthier lifestyle for their marriage.
To help them live that healthier lifestyle, they both started using MyFitnessPal. Said Mandy: “MyFitnessPal changed the way we think about food and exercise. It’s become a way for us to track our food and fitness and to visually chart everything — we can actually look at how we’re eating and exercising and use it as a way to correct ourselves if need be. It lets me see how eating a certain way — say a cupcake — how that would affect my weight if I were to eat one on a daily basis.”
In addition to tracking food and exercise, Mandy and Conner love the variety of the MFP database, “It’s great because you can track your food whether you eat out, eat pre-packaged foods, or make foods from your own personal recipes,” said Mandy. “It’s so easy to integrate into daily life. It’s free so you don’t have to spend money to make it happen like you would for a gym membership or at-home equipment.”
Probably the greatest challenge for them has been shifting how they celebrate things. They now eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, and enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and half marathons. Though it’s been tough, they’re committed to this lifestyle. For them, it’s no diet or fad — and because of the work they’ve done, they’re healthy, have newfound athleticism and look at themselves in a new light.
