The end of June 2010 I met my health coach and started on a journey to get healthy and lose weight. I had tried and failed many programs in the past so was scared and nervous but made a committment and started this journey at 230 pounds. My goal weight is 140 pounds.
Along the journey I have suffered from kidney stones and infections, low back pain (SI joint), hormone issues, fatigue, and auto immune symptoms. I have had a wonderful support system with my health coach, the nutrition hotline and doctor.
I have currently released 40 pounds and gone down several clothing sizes, but it has been and continues to be a journey. I have had ups and downs with the scale. It is a love hate relationship so to speak but I am not giving up. I have recently made a committment to only weigh myself once per week as the number on the scale is not a reliable measure of health for me and only discourages me most days. I have purchased new pants as I have decreased in size which has helped encourage me along the way. I do struggle with seeing any changes when I look in the mirror, but am constantly encouraged by others as to how much my body has changed. I am working hard on positive self talk. It is amazing to me that when I go to bed talking positive to myself that is usually the first thought I have when I wake in the morning.
Dr A's Healthy Habits book and my health coach's e-mails have taught me a lot about myself. The first few weeks were the toughest in the sense that I experienced a lot of mental hunger. I had to learn to diferentiate between physical and mental hunger. I had to learn why I was eating. Teaching my body to recognize hunger and fullness signals that I have been ignoring for many years takes time. My body has learned to function well in starvation mode. Eating within one hour of waking up and then every 2-3 hours throughout the day has awakened my body.
Journaling my foods and feelings has taught me a lot about myself and made me more accountable to my plan. I am doing this for me and want to make sure that everything I am doing is going to be sustainable because this is my new life. When I have stopped journaling along the way I usually fall off plan and don't take in as many calories as needed. I have not eaten off plan since starting except when I have under eaten.
Water intake has been key for me along the way. I was already drinking a large amount of water because of my kidney stone issues but have started measuring my water intake and make sure I get a minimum of 1 gal per day.
There are several options for when I feel hungry and have already eaten the calories on my plan. I use water, pickles, olives, and celery when I get munchie and have already eaten my calories. I discovered that I get munchy feeling when I am tired or stressed so I have also learned to go for a walk even if it is just around the building for 2 min and that helps olivate that feeling.
Anyone who knows me, knows I do not enjoy exercise. I work 10-12 hours a day and am exhausted and need sleep sooooo I have never exercised or been athletic in my life. In the past three weeks I have started walking 1-2 miles per day, water aerobics twice a week, and exercise class three days per week. It is important not to do more than 45 min per day of strenuous exercise on this calorie intake. I have found that it is also important for me to eat an hour before I go to exercise class and to have a protein shake soon after to avoid dizzyness or fatigue. Call me crazy but I think my body is starting to like and ALMOST crave exercise. The water aerobics is not strenuous but is a work out and stretches and feels good on my back and legs. The trainer teaching my exercise class is very qualified and is very aware of my lack of experience and makes sure that form is good to avoid injury. He is patient and I am already seeing improvment in my strength.
I am excited that this program has helped me to reset my metabolism and my glycemic index. As of today I still have 50 pounds to go to get to my goal. I was pre-diabetic with insulin resistance and have gotten off medicaitions since starting. I am working hard to teach myself habits that I can carry on forever. I eat within one hour of waking, eat small amounts every 2-3 hours while awake, drink 1 gal of water / day, journal my food intake and feelings, participate in blogs, communicate with my health coach regularly, use the resources made available to me, exercise 45 min 5-6 days per week, and eat on plan.
Right now I am praying for direction about whether or not I should become a health coach for this program. I know I am passionate about it and it is working for me. I am sharing it with everyone I know because so many are struggling with weight issues like me, but I want to make sure I can commit the time needed to coach others along the way. I am sure that being a health coach for others will also help me along this journey.
This program will work for anyone if followed correctly. Use the resources available. Take control of your life. Do this for yourself not for anyone else. Celebrate your victories. Make life changes not diet changes. The journey is the reward.
4 comments:
Good work Renee! I love to read about people who finally take control of their health and weight, as I was one who previously believed I could never be thin and then proved myself wrong! (And by thin, I mean size 10! lol, it's where I'm happy) But after Oliver I was struggling to lose the last 10 and my old way wasn't working 5 years later. Thankfully my friend turned me on to the Primal Blueprint and now I, like you, want to shout it from the rooftops because it is so easy and I feel so good! www.marksdailyapple.com
Renee! I am SO PROUD OF YOU! And thankful that God is giving you the strength to do such rigorous training(mental, physical and emotional). "Discipline" is something I continually battle with. I so admire you for sticking with this, especially now in the early days when the soreness, tiredness, pain and struggle to establish new habits are their toughest. I can see that you are going for this with everything you have. May God put all the willpower, emotional support, and encouragement you need into your life daily. Moment by moment. Keep on keeping on! I'm so happy for you! I Love you! It's so exciting to think about what a different life you are going to have by being healthy! :)
Through your struggles and discoveries you have blossomed into a new person since we met. You are an inspiration and I continue to learn so much from you. Keep shrinking and growing in health and spirit! Always, Janet, Your Coach
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