I found out a year ago that I was in the beginning stages of kidney disease. I have also struggled with my cholesterol. After reading about kidney disease, it seemed apparent that a whole food, plant based diet was best.

I began eating less meat and dairy, with some results. I was looking for a vegetarian online cooking class to focus on during January and February, and also try to lose a few pounds.

I came across Justine's Program and the rest is history.

It has been a journey and I have only been doing this for 9 weeks. I have learned so much, gotten incredible support and the tools to be successful.
I have lost 9 lbs, my cholesterol has gone down 37 points, my kidney functioning has improved and blood sugars going in the right direction.

My doctor was impressed and supported what I am doing. He also said, "Jan, I hope you have a lot of $$$ because I believe you are going to live a long time!"

I am 67 years old and feeling quite good, even after going through some very stressful years recently. Deaths and a divorce.

Justine is perfect for me. She is straight forward, honest, full of knowledge and great ideas, as well as a great WFPB chef! I also love her constant genuineness. "Not perfection, but a process, and step by step progress"

I believe my eating is forever changed. If I can successfully eat this way for 90% of my food/nutrition intake into the future, I am confident that I will be doing the best for my body and keep my weight within normal range.

One month in: I have been on one diet or another for the last 30 years. It all started with me wanting to lose 10 pounds. With each diet I lost some weight but always gained back more until I was 30 to 40 pounds overweight. But far worse than that, I developed terrible eating habits. My health suffered and I was exhausted looking for the next diet that would work. I just wanted to feel better and not obsess about food and what I was having for the next meal.

When I read about Reboot with Real Foods, it all just clicked. I have found this program easy to understand and follow.

I am sleeping better, have more energy and enthusiasm each day, better digestion and no longer obsess over food. My type 2 Diabetes medication has been reduced and I am hopeful that it will be reduced further or possibly discontinued in the next few months. And walking is getting easier each day, some weight has been lost and my knees are responding well. Even stairs are getting easier.

I already have a good selection of foods to eat at meals or to snack on. Kale was not something I bought or enjoyed. I tried your hint to wash and dry it, chop into small pieces and keep in a container in the fridge. Well guess who is adding a “pinch of kale” to meals every day now and enjoying it? Your emails and videos are so inspiring and I am constantly learning new ideas with food.

Almost 1 month in, can’t wait to see the changes in 3 months, 6 months, 1 year etc.

2 months in: I have been on it for 2 months. It will not be a 2 , 3, 4 month change, it has become a permanent lifestyle for me.

Positive changes that I have made are:

I use batch prepping each week.
I always have frozen meals in the freezer and a good variety of cut up vegetables in the fridge.
Also a good variety of fruit, beans, lentils, steel cut oats, whole grain brown rice, spices etc. I still marvel at all the good food now in the fridge, freezer, pantry and cupboards.
I have started walking each day and also do stretches and seated work outs.

Quality of Life improvements that I have noticed:

Sleep much better.
Less aches/pains, especially in my knees and back.
Better digestion.
Amazing improvement in my energy levels (and it keeps improving). I feel like I did 20 -25 years ago.

On November 25, 2020 I weighed 176 pounds. As of January 24, 2021 I weighed 152 pounds. Down 24 pounds so far.

This has been an amazing journey Justine. One that I enjoy more and more each day. Thank You!

Conclusion of program: My doctor is going to be amazed.

I joke with my daughters that the only number I cannot reduce is my age! : )

We recently had Justine lead some of our clients through a program to help sustain them in eating healthy food by empowering them with helpful tips and useful suggestions including ones related to the purchasing and preparation of delicious, healthy foods. Her teaching approach gave people the knowledge and tools they needed to feel motivated to keep putting healthy food on their plates and in their bodies.

Justine is non judgmental and engaging. She is an effective teacher who can take an otherwise complicated subject and make it fun using carefully selected support materials. She helps build participant's confidence to help them enjoy important aspects of healthy eating such as meal selection, meal preparation and grocery shopping.

Overall, she’s a skilled plant-based educator who consistently scores high in participant satisfaction and is easy to work with. We’d highly recommend working with her.

I was trying to go solo with the plant based diet but it soon waned and I relapsed. I am a zero willpower person who could always find a reason to justify the cheat. When my husband got sick and no traditional medicine solutions worked we decided to really ‘go for it’, plus half the people on TV were professing that plant based diets had solved all of their problems. Look at Simon Cowell and the Rock!

We started slowly by cutting out dairy and meat – that was reasonably easy and I researched thousands of vegan recipes and tried a lot of them, half of which ended up in the garbage. Nothing was ultra-delicious or satisfying (we were always hungry), and we became convinced that this was just a new form of torture and/or we were weak and pathetic. I just knew if we wanted to get serious we needed help to sort out our priorities.

How do you feel now, AFTER?
[TR] Surprised really really surprised. Excited to carry and confident using the tools and guilt free - we deserve to love what we eat, life is far to short to be on a restricted crazy diet.

Once we got the first weeks meal plan from Justine we promised we would not deviate even if it was horrible - after all this time we were paying! Justine is so realistic and really listens.

The first batch prep was a bit like a hurricane had hit the kitchen but the satisfaction of all those meals for the packed up and in the fridge was wonderful. We have sailed through this month and more than once my husband has said ‘this is definitely the best you have cooked so far’ – so nice to see him tucking into healthy meals and enjoying them.

Justine’s daily emails, coaching sessions and videos have been so interesting that we really looked forward to them. We have proudly told everyone that we had made some diet changes for our health, shared recipes and have become total converts without feeling the need to explain!

Honestly there was never a feeling of being deprived in any way, we have eaten lots more than we did before and apart from one sauce everything was ultra-yummy! Cravings we pretty minimal and even when they struck there was always a healthy treat – I just love bliss balls!

The recipes did look odd and used some things I had never purchased before but who knew how good whole food, plant based would be, and with NO oil (my personal Achilles Heel).

Justine has been right there to answer (very quickly) any questions and is so supportive that even eating out was a breeze. She has a realistic approach to eating and has definitely done her homework.

I have a stressful job and during this particularly difficult month I have not felt half as frazzled, always knew I had food to see me through those moments where I would have normally turned to ice cream and chocolate. I’ve felt good.

The biggest change has been in my husband – he seems mentally clearer and has not experienced any of the paralyzing muscle ‘cramps’ that have plagued him for the last two years, definitely has more stamina and energy.
I will say that finding Justine has been a life changer, we feel we are on a sustainable track and know that as we go into retirement we have the tools to live healthier and stronger lives.

Thank you Justine