As a patient of Dr. Greuner‘s (hernia surgery), my activities were limited, therefore, while healing, I turned to his Instagram page for guidance on fitness and healthy lifestyle choices while on the mend. Following him, provided me with amazing insight. He teaches you that what you put into your body is important on so many levels and made me very aware of how I should be treating my body for overall heal and the benefits of exercise and making good and healthy food choices are imperative to everyday function. I owe so much to Dr. Greuner – more than he’s probably aware – he really helped turn my life around and he truly cares about others well-being.
Let’s read through Kristine Immediato’s journey to finding her true self.
Women Fitness:
You have had an incredible fitness journey and lost 45 pounds. What motivated you to embark on this journey?
Kristine Immediato:
I was tired of feeling badly about myself. I didn’t like feeling tired all the time and didn’t like feeling down about myself; especially when I’m a pretty upbeat person. The weight gain was starting to affect my overall mental state, and once that started to occur, I knew I needed to make a change immediately.
Women Fitness:
In the course of your fitness journey, what were the milestones that you had to overcome?
Kristine Immediato:
I think the biggest milestone was finding a routine in general that I could stick with. I think it’s easy to lose weight and harder to keep it off and stay committed.
Women Fitness:
What is your fitness regime like now? And how was it back then?
Kristine Immediato:
I didn’t really have a fitness regime back then, but was always active on some level. Now, I’m very. I take the stairs always vs an elevator, I’ll climb the escalator stairs as opposed to standing, I take cycle classes, weight train, ballet barre, yoga, walk a few times a week, and am always on the go. Anything outdoors is a must vs inside.
Women Fitness:
You made several small changes in your everyday diet to adapt a healthier lifestyle. Tell us about them.
Kristine Immediato:
I started out with small changes so I didn’t go into crazy mode and go too drastic as sometimes that’s not good, so I began with ordering dressing on the side instead of on my salad. I completely eliminated soda and opted for seltzer with a splash of cranberry for a refreshing drink. If I wanted a hamburger, I would get it without a bun or I’d scoop out the bun if I wanted to feel like I was eating a “burger” and only have a handful of fries vs the entire order – I’d scale back on portions. I do not believe in deprivation but moderation. I’d rather have a little over none. I feel by eliminating and saying I can’t have that, it only made me want it even more so for me, it’s moderation not deprivation.
Women Fitness:
In a typical day, what do you take for breakfast-lunch-dinner? And what are your go-to healthy snacks?
Kristine Immediato:
I never skip meals, ever! My typical day is a half squeezed fresh lemon with warm water first thing in the morning and then a cup of coffee. For breakfast, I’ll have a 1/4 cup of oatmeal with 1/2 cup of almond/coconut milk or mix it with protein shake and a banana. Lunch is usually grilled chicken or shrimp over salad with avocado and olive oil, dinner is a lean fish with veggies or sushi with a salad and my healthy snacks are a cheese stick with an apple or a handful of natural almonds, trail mix (in moderation bc of the sugars in the dried fruit) pop corn, rice cake with almond butter – things of that nature.
Women Fitness:
Share with us your top 5 tips for someone who is looking to lose weight, say about a 50 pounds.
Kristine Immediato:
- Just start – as silly as that sounds – the first step is always the hardest, but the most rewarding.
- Make small goals for yourself – don’t start too high or you’ll become overwhelmed.
- Find a person who will support you – it’s always good to have someone you can text, share recipes with, struggles with, etc. Everyone needs a person or 10!
- Track your food – everything! As annoying as it is and it can be at times, it helps keep you aware of what you’re eating as you’re sometimes not!
- Don’t give up – EVER! We all slip up… tomorrow is a new day!
