Meet The Canney’s!
We met freshman year of college and have been married for 14 years. We have two sweet and smart boys – 8 and 12 years old, and two fluffy dogs. We live in MA and enjoy traveling to warm places. We love hiking and camping (as long as it’s glamping with a shower!). We’ve always been active with sports and the gym.
What led you to join Stronger U?
Shannon- I considered it for a few months and saw people have quite a lot of success, but felt overwhelmed by the concept of counting macros. One night I was just feeling down on myself and felt like I needed to do something to change my trajectory.
Bryan- I had recently gotten a physical and my weight had put me into an unhealthy bracket. Additionally, my athletic performance had declined from what I was used to.
What were your eating habits like before Stronger U?
When we ate at home, we thought we ate pretty healthy. Looking back, our meals severely lacked protein and our portions were crazy Our biggest downfall, though, was how often we were eating out and our choices when we ate out. We developed routines focused on food. We would often grab on-the-go meals for breakfast and lunch rather than planning ahead. On Friday nights we would get pizza and mozzarella sticks and make ourselves sick. On Saturday nights, we loved going to our favorite Mexican restaurant and ate two baskets of chips before dinner even came. After dinner, we’d go to our local ice cream stand. It was all delicious, but we were making ourselves feel sick from over-indulging.
Why do you think Stronger U worked so well for you?
We both like routines and consistency. We mostly eat the same thing every day for breakfast and lunch, but we still plan our day in advance. Molleen gave us the advance from the beginning to “keep it simple” and that has helped us so much.
While we had temporary success through cleanses, they didn’t provide a long-term solution without depriving ourselves. Stronger U gives us the flexibility to indulge and celebrate, but 95% of the time, we’re in our routine. Rather than consistently over-indulging, we use food to fuel our bodies.
It’s also been really helpful joining Stronger U with a partner. We both have the same goals and celebrate each other’s successes. And who else but another SU member would be willing to talk about carbs and loose belly skin!
What was something you regularly ate while on Stronger U that people wouldn’t expect you to eat on a diet?
Shannon– Chocolate! Almost every night after dinner, I sprinkle chocolate chips onto greek yogurt at the end of the day to meet my goals.
Bryan– I’ve never been huge on snacking or really into sweets, but I’d say candy. I’d have 20-25g of Skittles a couple of nights a week. It’s less than a recommended serving size, but enough to satisfy any cravings and didn’t force a huge shift in macros in the day.
Has your activity and/or fitness levels improved?
Both of us have always been active with sports and the gym. Shannon plays soccer and Bryan plays flag football. We both attend classes 4 to 5 days a week (equates to about 3 hours total) at our gym ranging from boxing to weight lifting to metabolic effect. For both of us our performance has dramatically changed. We feel lighter and faster. Our mobility has improved and energy has skyrocketed.
How much weight did you lose with Stronger U?
Shannon- 22 pounds
Bryan- 38 pounds
Tell us about your non-scale victories
Gaining abs, dropping pant sizes, and feeling strong.
If someone is thinking about joining Stronger U, what advice would you give them before beginning their journey?
We spend so much time and energy looking for quick and easy results. Stronger U isn’t a quick solution, but it’s something that can be maintained. Invest in yourself and trust the process.
