Chapter 1
Why Glow15?
The Scientifically Proven Plan to Look and Feel Younger in Just 15 Days
“You’re never too old to become younger.”
— Mae West
You never forget your first time . . .
For me, it was shortly before I turned forty. I was rushing to get ready in the morning and had my usual 5 minutes to throw on some makeup. About 15 minutes later, my kids were late for school because I had to apply more of everything—more moisturizer, more concealer, more coverage. I had spent so much extra time trying to hide my lines and discoloration and working hard to brighten my dull skin.
That was my first time: The first time I realized I looked older. Felt older. Was I old?
For my friend Jenny, it was at thirty-eight, when a stranger called her “ma’am” instead of “miss.”
For my cousin Rachel, forty-three, it was when she found her first gray hair . . . in her eyebrow.
For my colleague Suzanne, thirty-four, it was when her husband asked her if she was tired in the morning after she had had a full, restful night’s sleep. He said her dark circles suggested otherwise. It was the first time she realized she looked older.
The funny thing about it is that it’s not about anyone else actually noticing; but when you experience your “first time,” the way you feel about yourself changes.
Complain about it to your best friend, notice it in the rearview mirror, start pulling your face back contortionist-style to see what surgery could do? When this type of aging starts, is there anything you can do to delay and reverse it?
The answer is yes.
And it’s the reason I created Glow15—to make your first time your last time. While getting older may be inevitable, you do have the power to change the way you age.
Glow15 Can Increase Your Youth Span
This revolutionary, science-backed program is designed to increase the amount of time in years that you live with vibrancy, with energy, with focus, and with glowing radiance. It will empower you to improve your health, your beauty, and your confidence.
In just fifteen days, you can go from:
- unhealthy to healthy
- exhausted to energized
- restless to restful nights
- dull, damaged to supple, smooth skin
- foggy to focused
Glow15 is the culmination of scientific research and life-changing advice from world-leading medical doctors, PhDs, dermatologists, sleep doctors, nutritionists, and fitness experts. It is the first plan of its kind that gives you the power to outsmart the aging process and recapture your youth. Harnessing the power of autophagy, Glow15 keeps you looking and feeling young.
Autophagy boosts your body’s innate ability to repair itself from within, allowing you to rid your cells of the damage that causes aging; improve cell turnover for more efficient and effective function; and regulate your immune system to fight future infections, reduce inflammation, and help lower your risk for cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Methods of boosting this process have been studied for years at leading institutions and universities all over the world but have not been practiced outside academia or become part of the mainstream conversation—until now. Glow15, based on groundbreaking 2016 Nobel Prize-winning scientific research, is the first plan to pull the curtain back on this less-recognized but fundamental system that keeps your cells young.
Glow15 is a lifestyle plan specifically designed to work for your life—so that you do more than just survive, you thrive. Here’s what I mean by that. In life, the green light is always on. We go. We go again. And then we keep going. The many complexities of our lives are beyond demanding. Our jobs require us to be focused. Our families—the heart and soul of who we are—rely on us to be energetic and affectionate. Our friends need us to be strong and supportive. And our drive to meet these demands can’t be properly summed up in a few sentences, in 140 characters, or in a funny Facebook photo.
We want it all. Too often, we do it all.
We have multiple jobs—whether it’s at work or at home or both. We have lots of stress, arguably too much of it, and we get worn down by the constant buzz of life.
So what happens when we have all this pressure and all these responsibilities and all these dreams that we haven’t quite gotten around to pursuing yet and our bodies—bombarded by pollution, environmental toxins, and contaminants—start to look and feel older than they should?
We carry the weight of the world, and it’s pretty darn heavy. It’s damaging our cells, which can lead to weight gain, low energy, and dull and dry skin—the telltale signs of premature aging. Life can become even harder to keep going, let alone going at the level that we want and deserve. That green light starts to dim.
But that doesn’t have to be the case. Glow15 enables you not only to keep going, but to go better, to go stronger, to go smarter.
Putting Glow15 to the Test
I worked with an incredible team to take complicated science—which until now has mostly been practiced in research labs—and translate it into an easy-to-follow, user-friendly program that works with our fast-paced lives.
Leading nutritionists and registered dietitians supported and developed a food plan with an understanding of how we really eat. Whether you usually prepare dinner for your family or spend most nights eating out for business, Glow15 can work for you. You will eat real food, available in real grocery stores for real budgets. Plus, you will have real indulgences like chocolate and red wine. Though it’s not designed as a weight-loss plan, Glow15 works to boost your autophagy to help you burn fat and change your shape.
I collaborated with a group of world-class researchers—medical doctors, PhDs, scientists, and innovators—to navigate the exciting world of polyphenols. These nutrient-dense powerhouses boost your autophagy and work to reduce inflammation, increase immunity, and fight the signs of accelerated aging. Sourced from plants, they are readily available in vegetables, spices, teas, nuts, seeds, and oils. We’ve identified the most powerful polyphenols to supplement your diet. They not only repair cell damage that can lead to disease, but also work to prevent it.
Fitness experts and exercise physiologists took abstract ideas and helped adapt them into moves you can do to look and feel younger. You won’t need a gym or any high-tech equipment. No matter your fitness level, these routines are both easy to follow and appropriately challenging so you can get more out of your workout (and do less).
Renowned sleep experts and sleep doctors were consulted to create a customized sleep plan to help you determine your sleep type. By making the appropriate adjustments, you can drastically improve your sleep quality, allowing your body to repair and recharge overnight so you wake up more energized and focused, ready to tackle the day.
And skin experts—from dermatologists and leading chemists to aestheticians—assisted in assembling the ideal list of ingredients for rejuvenated skin. In addition, they helped to identify which ingredients lead to premature wrinkles and dullness and created DIY treatments guaranteed to give you back your glow.
Collectively, we created a plan that we knew worked in theory; but more important, I wanted to test it and find out how well it worked in actuality. I was the first guinea pig.
I tested the plan. And I tested it again. And then I tested it some more!
I know Glow15 can work for you.
Because it worked for me.
As I mentioned earlier, I began to experience the signs of aging in my mid-thirties. First it was a few extra pounds, then drier and duller skin, and a new feeling of blah—not really exhaustion, but no longer revving to go. And just as I began testing the Glow15 program, I became the CEO of a publicly traded nutrition and wellness company. The pressure of the new job, coupled with the demands of my family, created more stress than I’d ever experienced. But instead of seeing increased signs of aging—as should be expected with added anxiety—the opposite held true. The stubborn weight I had gained disappeared, my skin became clearer and brighter, and my energy levels tripled!
I was so thrilled with my results that my inner circle of family and friends wanted to try the program. They, too, were blown away by the changes they saw in just fifteen days. My mother, Valerie, lost 8 pounds of fat and gained 2 pounds of lean muscle. Plus, she said she hadn’t slept so well since before I was born! My sister-in-law Karen lost 4.5 pounds and her body fat percentage dropped from 28 percent to 26 percent. She was particularly impressed with how much smoother and more even her complexion looked. And one of my closest girlfriends, Monique, reduced her body fat by 10 percent. While no one told her she looked tired before she started Glow15, Monique couldn’t believe how many people commented on how well-rested she looked after fifteen days on the program.
This was what the scientists and researchers had explained was possible with autophagy—to unlock the power of youth by reactivating your cellular process. And now that possibility became an actuality.
Clinically Tested, Woman Approved
I was excited with my inner circle’s results. It was a promising start, but I wanted to prove Glow15 worked with women on a larger scale and in a controlled setting. My goal: To evaluate the plan and then improve upon it.
Heather Hausenblas, PhD, an internationally renowned expert in the link between physical activity and healthy aging and the associate dean of the School of Applied Health Sciences at Jacksonville University (JU) in Florida, developed a clinical study in conjunction with the Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences at JU to test Glow15 on thirty-four women between the ages of thirty-five and sixty.
They represented all of us—nurses, deans, stay-at-home mothers, CEOs, administrative assistants, lawyers—a diverse group of women with busy lives. They work, have families, and are constantly faced with the increasing health struggles that come with aging. The VISIA state-of-the-art facial imaging system was used to provide quantitative skin analysis. Changes in weight, assessing whole-body densitometry using air displacement via the BOD POD, were calculated in pounds, fat loss, and body composition. Personal accounts and professional evaluations were collected. The data was recorded at fifteen, thirty, and sixty days.
Dr. Hausenblas was impressed by the findings. She concluded that the plan had profoundly positive changes on the participants’ health. “I was surprised not only by their weight loss, skin improvements, and increased energy, but by their enthusiasm to embrace the lifestyle changes. They seemed empowered by [the study] and motivated to continue practicing it even after it ended.”
During the course of the study, 100 percent of the women lost fat mass. Dr. Hausenblas explained that changes were not only in pounds measured on the scale, but that participants actually gained muscle mass and improved their total body composition. More than 85 percent saw a reduction in their body mass index (BMI). The women’s body fat dropped by approximately 10 percent after sixty days, and they lost an average of 9 pounds—some losing up to 7 pounds in the first fifteen days.
In addition, the women reported significant improvements in their skin firmness, complexion, youthful appearance, glow, pores, fine lines, elasticity, wrinkles, smoothness, crow’s feet, and tone. A dermatological assessment found an improvent in overall tone and a noticeable reduction in wrinkles. More than 90 percent lowered their blood pressure—systolic BP improved from 127.31 to 122; and more than 80 percent lowered their heart rate—on average from 74 to 70 beats per minute. Plus, a significant improvement in the women’s sleep quality was noted. The average sleep quality rating changed from “fairly good” to “very good.” In addition, participants reported positive mood changes, less anxiety, and an increase in energy and overall health.
The numbers show that Glow15 scientifically and clinically works; but it’s more important to know that it can work in your life. And I’m happy to report that the study participants found that to be true—like Lindsay, a working mom in her mid-thirties who had had three kids in the past four years. She told me that before she started the study, she couldn’t remember the last time she did something for herself. “Between my kids, my job, my husband, and my friends, I felt guilty about spending any time on me. I’d only look in a mirror to put on makeup, and that was really for my coworkers—to spare them the sight of my dark circles and blotchy skin.”
She admitted to being a bit overwhelmed for the first fifteen days and feeling guilty for spending time on herself by changing her diet, exercise, and skincare routines. In fact, she confessed, “I mean, I’m a little embarrassed to admit how often I went to bed without washing my face. Now, well, my glow shows! I can actually leave the house without makeup and show my naked face. And when I choose to wear it—love that it’s now a choice—my foundation goes on much more smoothly.” Lindsay’s fifteen-day imaging results revealed a nearly 30 percent reduction in brown spots, 25 percent reduction in pore size, and overall improved color.
Glow15 Success Story
Lindsay “I finally put myself first”
“It wasn’t until I started Glow15 that I realized how much I let myself go. Now I can’t believe how far I’ve come!
“Between my kids, my job, my husband, and my friends—I felt guilty about spending any time on myself. I’d only look in a mirror to put on makeup, and that was really for my coworkers—to spare them the sight of my dark circles and blotchy skin. The amazing thing is, now that I started taking care of myself, I feel like I’m so much more present and engaged with everyone else. Don’t get me wrong, it was a lot of change at once for me, and that was a bit overwhelming—from the diet to the exercise to skincare. I mean, I’m a little embarrassed to admit how often I went to bed without washing my face. Now, well, my glow shows! I leave the house without makeup, and when I choose to wear it (I love that it’s now a choice), my foundation goes on much more smoothly. With Glow15, I’ve seen a 30 percent reduction in my brown spots, a 25 percent reduction in my pore size, and overall improved color and fewer wrinkles in just 15 days! I’ve gone from a size 8 dress to a size 4, and the confidence I feel is more important than any number on the inside of my jeans.”
Lindsay felt other changes before she saw them in the mirror. Her clothes got looser and her body fat dropped—going from a size 8 dress to a size 4 in thirty days. During the course of the study, Lindsay continued to build lean muscle while her body fat percentage decreased by 10 percent. Now Lindsay says the confidence she feels is more important than any number on the inside of her jeans. “Honestly, it wasn’t until I started Glow15 that I realized just how much I had let myself go,” she says, “but now I can’t believe how far I’ve come.” What I love about Lindsay’s story is how it echoes the study’s larger-scale results.
The researchers at JU were particularly inspired by the compliance of the women. Of the thirty-four women, thirty-three completed the program, and the one woman who had to drop out after thirty days, because of an unrelated health issue, asked if she could continue on her own. Dr. Hausenblas said, “Adherence rates like this are very rare, especially with behavioral intervention, where there are so many different changes. People really liked the program and noticed results quickly, so they stayed.” That showed the researchers and me that the plan was something that was both doable, enjoyable, and effective.
The women in the study benefited from Glow15 because of its power to work naturally in harmony with your body—boosting autophagy to enhance vitality. I wanted—and always want—women to experience the results of healthy weight loss, more lean muscle mass, improved skin function, and improvement in markers that show risk of disease. So I’ve continued to share the program (and continued to test and tweak it) with women all over the country. You’ll see some of them reflected in the pages of this book. Shawn, a forty-six-year-old mother of four and business owner, told me she had tried everything to lose weight—different diets, different exercises, different everything. And it all failed. She kept trying to hide her body, wearing big shirts “always untucked” because she didn’t want anyone to see her bulges. “My control-top stockings tightened my breath and circulation more than my tummy,” she said.
But once Shawn tried Glow15, her transformation began. She took 4 inches off her waist, going from 33 inches to 29. “I’m tucking my shirts in now!” And she lost more than 7 pounds in the first 15 days. She even lost 13 percent of her body fat—dropping from nearly 33 percent to 28.5 percent—all in just 15 days. Those changes created momentum for her to keep going.
Shawn recognized that some parts of the program were an adjustment, but now she can’t imagine life without it. “Glow15 is no longer just a plan for me,” she says. “It is my lifestyle.”
Stories like Shawn’s inspire me, their results drive me, and my hope is that they will motivate you to glow, too. By following a lifestyle that activates autophagy, countless women have seen immediate results—in all aspects of their lives.
If you answer yes to more than one of the following questions, I believe Glow15 can help you, too.
- Have you put on weight in recent years that you can’t lose?
- Do you think of food often or feel like you are constantly dieting?
- Do you have elevated blood sugar, blood pressure, or cholesterol levels?
- Do you have a family history of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, or Parkinson’s disease?
- Do you crave more energy and stamina in your day?
- Is it hard to recover from exercise? Do you feel tired and sore the next day?
- Is it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep?
- Do you wake up more than twice per night to use the bathroom?
- Does your skin look dull and your hair feel dry and limp?
- Do you feel you need to be wearing makeup to leave your house?
Glow15 will help you defy not only the visible signs of aging, but the invisible ones, too. You will boost your autophagy to combat the environmental toxins, outside stressors, and other factors contributing to aging.
Glow15 Success Story
Shawn “No more love handles”
“For me, Glow15 succeeded where everything else failed. As long as I can remember, I’ve fought the fat around my stomach—and no matter what I tried . . . foods, exercises, wishing and hoping(!) I kept losing the battle. Before Glow15, I had not so endearingly referred to the flesh hanging over my jeans as ‘love handles.’ I wore big shirts and never tucked them into my pants for fear someone would see the bulges. My control-top stockings tightened my breath and circulation more than my tummy, but I depended on them too. Not anymore—while I need to go shopping for smaller size clothing, my new hip bones (who knew they were under there?!) are holding my pants up! I’m not going to pretend this was an easy overnight change—intermittent fasting made me ‘hangry’ and protein cycling took some getting used to—but I kept at it and lost over 7 pounds in 15 days. More than that, I took 4 inches off my waist (yes, I’m tucking my shirts in now!), lost over 13 percent of my body fat, and decreased my body mass by 2 percent. Glow15 is no longer just a plan for me, it is my lifestyle. Every Sunday I prepare for the upcoming week. I use the shopping list for activating foods and try putting my spin on recipes. Plus, I always fill two muffin tins with an Egg15 recipe (so far, my favorite is adding cheese on High days and peppers and onions on Low days)—and I love that those are now the only ‘muffin tops’ in my home!”
By showing you the right foods to eat, the best nutritional supplements to take, the smartest ways to exercise (without spending a lot of time), the unique ways to improve your sleep, and the groundbreaking strategies for radiant skin, Glow15 will help you look and feel younger than you chronologically are.
Best of all? It takes only fifteen days to see significant changes.
Let’s get glowing.
First, I want to help you understand more about the most important breakthrough in the science of aging—autophagy.
- 87.5% of the women had an improvement in their
- 87.5% of the women
- 96.9% of the women
- 100% of the women
- 87.5% of the women had an
- 90.3% of the women had an
- 81.3% of the women had an
- 90.3% of the women had
- 93.8% of the women had
- 90.6% of the women had
- 100% of the women had a
- 91.3% of the women reported
- 91% of the women reported