Drop 25 pounds every month

2B Mindset, it promised no counting calories, no cutting food groups, no forbidden foods, no required exercise. Protein could even come from plants—important to Judi, who’d been a “junk-food vegan” for decades. She signed up that day.

A promising start

Instead of set portions or calories, Judi got general guidelines. Before her first bite at any sitting, she’d drink 16 ounces of water. And when she dug in, veggies were the emphasis. “Water first, veggies most and more water,” Ilana repeated in a video. Breakfast and lunch were nonstarchy veggies, protein and high-fiber carbs; dinner was 75% veggies and 25% protein. And Judi was free to add a little fat to make veggies more delicious. If she was hungry for seconds? No problem! She just had to drink water, then eat veggies and protein before she tucked into any fiber-rich carbs. Even low-fiber treats—like wine or cupcakes—were fine on occasion so long as she first had water, veggies and protein. To boost results, she had to write down everything she ate and weigh herself daily, looking for clues as to what worked best for her body. “I think we’ll get the hang of it pretty fast,” she told Kevin. “And I’ll create habits that’ll keep me from going overboard without making me feel deprived.” The next day, Judi drank her water and made a Shakeology protein shake for breakfast, adding greens and berries to the blender. At lunch, she heaped a plate with salad, added beans for protein, a little flavored balsamic vinegar and fruit on the side. She made chili and broccoli for dinner. She enjoyed big, superfilling portions. Hunger is not going to be an issue, thought Judi. She’d written everything down, not a hassle since there was no measuring or diet math. The rest of the week was much the same. She shed 5.5 pounds, faster than she’d lost in years. By month’s end, she was down 10 pounds. And the pounds kept disappearing—20, 30, 40.

Rain— and rainbows

Did Judi face challenges? Yes. Her disabled adult daughter had a medical emergency and ended up on a ventilator for weeks. “It would’ve been easy to revert to stress eating,” Judi recalls. “But I realized my healthy new habits were actually comforting. So I kept drinking water and prepared meals to bring to the hospital.” Thankfully, her daughter recovered— and Judi, who gradually added exercise, went on to lose 110 pounds at age 68.

“Kevin and I decided to go back to Ireland,” Judi says. “This time, I walked up to nine miles a day with endless energy— and enjoyed whiskey, potatoes and soda bread while losing weight. I am in a different body. And this year, we’re planning to travel to Scotland and climb to the top of Edinburgh Castle. It’s 430 feet high, but nothing can stop me anymore!”