Meet NuVal’s Mom of the Month: Sally Galvin!
Today I’m pleased to introduce you to NuVal’s First Mom of the Month! Her name is Sally Galvin and she lives in Olathe, KS.
Sally has lost 115 pounds in the past 18 months and she credits much of her success to trading up to better nutrition using NuVal scores.
This is Sally’s Before picture:
And here’s her After Picture:
Isn’t she beautiful? She looks so happy!
Sally treated us at NuVal to an interview so that we could find out how she accomplished this amazing weight loss, how it has changed her life, and what she thinks of NuVal.
NuVal: What was the trigger for your weight loss?
Sally: It was our family trip to Walt Disney World. Before the trip I started using an elliptical machine. After a couple of weeks I realized that I hadn’t lost any weight after working out almost every day, so I knew I had to get on top of my diet too. I really just started to pay attention to what I was buying at the grocery store by looking at the NuVal Scores at HyVee.
NuVal: What have been some of the challenges?
Sally: I have a family and a full time job (like most people) so I have to cook meals that my family will like. And I don’t have 8 hours a day to work out. I made a lot of little changes that I could easily live with, stuck with them over time and added physical activity. I still have to balance the tastes of my family. It doesn’t do any good to make nutritious meals if no one will EAT them. But I try to upgrade nutritionally every chance I get. NuVal helps me greatly in that arena especially where no one would ever really know the difference.
NuVal: What do you think is your “secret” to your success?
Sally: A lot of my success in changing my body took place from the shoulders up when I lost my “all or nothing” mentality. For example, if I “mess up” and eat a cookie, I don’t think that I’ve ruined my day so I might as well eat 6 more. Or if I’m late and can’t get in my full 90 minute workout, I should just do nothing. I also learned how to really listen to my body so that I eat until I’m satisfied instead of full and how long different kinds of foods sustain me. Most of my weight loss has been mental. I’ve changed the way I think about eating and food. Now I’m satisfied eating 1-2 French Fries off my kid’s plate instead of getting my own plate because I know I’ll feel so much better afterwards.
NuVal: What do you think of NuVal? (Sally shops at Hy-Vee, where they have NuVal scores on shelf)
Sally: I love NuVal. I think it’s a terrific tool. NuVal has really worked by helping me make lots of little changes, even while feeling like I’m not really sacrificing anything. But, making these little trade ups day after day, week after week has made a difference for me. I love NuVal and I love my HyVee for supporting its implementation at their stores. The system cuts through all the clutter and makes it easier to decide amongst brands or even between options offered by one brand (do I buy the Wheat Sara Lee English Muffins or the Whole Grain? Let’s see which has the higher NuVal score!). That’s really been the biggest help that I’ve gotten from NuVal- seeing where can I trade up nutritionally and make better choices.
NuVal: What kind of impact has NuVal and your weight loss had on your life?
Sally: The biggest change in the way I feel as a result of NuVal is my energy- it’s really amazing. We went for a walk with the family and I was racing the kids to the park. Before this I would have been way behind. I also feel more comfortable physically. My general fitness has vastly improved too. My friends want to know what I did to lose the weight and how I did it. They expect me to say it was a pill or a magic diet, but I really just exercise now and have control of my eating because of NuVal.
NuVal: What do your kids think of NuVal?
Sally: What makes me happiest though is the interest my kids take in the numbers. My 4 year old son frequently asks me what “number” or “rating” his orange or broccoli gets. He likes to “keep score” and this has sparked a real interest in nutrition. He wants to know, “what good stuff is in this?” So I do my best to fill him in on the vitamins, fiber, etc in his food and hope he’s storing it all away. Anything that helps steer him in this direction and gets him thinking critically about what he’s eating is GREAT for this NuVal Mom!
NuVal: What are some of your New Year’s Goals?
Sally: In 2012, I’m considering trying to run a 10k, which is crazy because I’ve never done a 5k. I’d also like to maintain my weight and maybe lose 10-15 pounds.
NuVal: Thanks so much for sharing your story!
Sally: I’m happy to share my story with anyone because I really feel like I did it RIGHT. I lost weight slowly, reasonably, and without feeling like it was taking over my life.
Posted by: Melissa 12 comments
Posted in: Mom of the Month
Tags: Mom of the Month
on Jan 5th, 2012 at 9:22 am
Sally, congratulations! What a terrific and inspirational story. Thank you so much for sharing! You have a beautiful family.
on Jan 5th, 2012 at 9:23 am
Wow what an amazing story!! Congratulations Sally on the hard work you put in and on the wonderful role model you are to your children. You will motivate many with this story.
on Jan 5th, 2012 at 9:27 am
Wow, great story! Congratulations!
on Jan 5th, 2012 at 9:45 am
Way to go, Sally! That’s real dedication and you are a terrific role model for your family. Congratulations!
on Jan 5th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Way to go, Sally and Hy-Vee!
on Jan 5th, 2012 at 10:50 pm
Sally should be Nuval’s mom of the year. She not only looks great, but is a wonderful mother.
on Jan 6th, 2012 at 12:27 am
Sally we are so proud of you. You look wonderful.
on Jan 6th, 2012 at 7:57 am
That’s great Sally! Keep up the good work!
on Jan 10th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
Sally, congrats! That’s a tremendous achievement. You should be very proud of your hard work — glad Hy-Vee and NuVal could help!
on Jan 10th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
You’re a goddess, Sally!
on Jan 11th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
I’m so proud of you! You inspire me. I’ll run that 10k with you!
on Jan 14th, 2012 at 4:47 pm
Sally has always been determined. Once her mind is made up, it will not be changed.
As the mother of a child who was over-weight, I worried about how the extra pounds would affect her body. Sally has become the beautiful young woman who exudes health and life and can take on any challenge. I am SO proud of her.