Jen Goldfarb

Jen's Story

I remember when Roger was first testing out the Transformation with himself and Beth as the test subjects. I had already been working with Riss for 7 1/2 months and had lost about 40 lbs. I remember Riss telling me bits and pieces about the transformation- the struggles, the challenges and the outcome.

I remember Roger losing a significant amount of body fat and Beth losing a significant amount of weight and improving her lab work results. I knew that I wanted to tighten things up diet-wise but I don't think I was fully aware of what that would look like in the Transformation. I don't remember what my Why was the first go around, but I can tell you that it was probably weight related.

I think both Roger and Riss knew that I needed my first Transformation and I wasn't ready to know that I needed it. I never ate off plan and didn't miss a single work out.

The second time around I was SO READY. I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish that weren't all weight related and accomplished more than half of them. I made a new tofu dish each week, never ate off plan and tightened up. I only ate brown rice as a grain.

What did the Transformation mean to you?

Transformation is safe. Transformation food never makes me feel sick. I can successfully portion it without a problem (which is a huge success- in the past I could overeat ANYTHING!), and I have a clear mind when I eat that way. Living off of a plan (diet and exercise) with built in support (Riss, Rog, goal partner and community) is a recipe for success. It meant that I could be challenged to do things that I never thought I could do and succeed (cook healthy meals, run a race, eat clean, stick to a plan).

Compare/contrast life after The Transformation to life before it.

I honestly learned how to cook while on transformation. I was forced to. Not being able to buy packaged food was a major hit for me since I have always relied on it (and overate it) and I had NO IDEA how to make a meal from scratch. The majority of my time on Transformation (and now a part of my every day life) is cooking food from scratch.

I know that Eat To Evolve (a paleo food delivery service) is important and handy for folks who have significant time constraints and the means to utilize it, but for me- on a Social Worker salary and being vegetarian- I have no choice but to cook.

I learned how to make a pot of curry, dal, tofu quiches, scrambled tofu, tempeh buffalo wings, homemade vegan sausages and I learned how to roast vegetables so that they aren't mushy. I learned how to read labels- something I thought I already knew how to do- and pick out items that that are good, better and best for me.

Life before transformation wasn't very "solid." I had some tools to lose weight since I had been working with Riss, but I was a blank slate with no exercise or food experience.

Overall, Transformation is where I started learning about myself, my food addiction and my relationship with others. It forced me to take an honest look at myself because my never failing friends Ben and Jerry couldn't fill the void that I had at my core.

I will never forget having it out with Riss about ketchup. I think that through my whole experience with Riss I really learned what a friend IS. Before I thought that friendships should always be sunshine and flowers- and that friends should never disagree or argue (I hate conflict).

In my relationship with Riss I've learned that it's good to be challenged by friends and pushed to take an honest look at who you are, where you're going and then take the friend's hand to help you get there.

Now I know what works for me (beans, vegetables, fruit and exercise along with open communication) and what doesn't (ice cream, white bread, sugar and hiding in my house, on the couch, watching tv) and am aware of my own limits when it comes to indulgences (treat meal etc.)

What would you say to someone considering the experience?

I've said it a million times and I'll say it again. Marissa saved my life and Roger taught me how to live the life that Marissa saved.

I was 262 lbs. and couldn't run errands. Now I run races.

First transformation I lost something like 30 lbs. I broke the 200 lb. mark. I lost something like 27 lbs. the second time and was at the lowest weight I've been at since age 20.