Tag Archives: nutrition

26 Pounds Lost in 20 Weeks

Blog Posts, ,

That’s the official count – I’ve lost 26 pounds in the last 20 weeks. I feel  like I have discovered a hidden treasure. Eating has never been so easy for me than it is now. I have tried every conventional diet with the same results. Lose a few pounds and then gain it right back and more when you stop eating that way. That’s no way to live. Eating for a lifetime is the right way.

It has been such an amazing journey.  It has been such a life transforming event that I’ve enrolled in nutrition school to get my certification. I want to help others learn this process and make their lives better. I feel better than I have in a long time. I’ve started weaning myself off my medications. My blood pressure was down to 103/70. I don’t need medicine anymore if I can sustain that type of pressure.

I have contacted a close friend who is a chef. We’re going to partner to bring new, whole food recipes to people. This is going to be exciting for me. I can’t wait to set up a web site and begin doling out information to help folks like me.

I haven’t forgotten that I said I would post a picture. I’m still 5 pounds away from my goal. When I hit it, I will post those pictures. It’s hard to looks at them now, realizing how heavy and unhealthy I was. It’s taken years for me to get the right “prescription” for health and I did it on my own!

More than anything, this has been an empowering journey. Learning how to heal my gut, lose weight, and keep it off has been so satisfying that I never want to go back to the way things were before. This time I know I can keep the weight off and feel better every day.

Keep an eye out for the upcoming pictures – and soon, a new website.

Successfully Managing Food on Vacation

Blog Posts, ,

I did it! I managed to go on vacation at a all-inclusive foreign resort and gain only 1 pound in eight days. I proved to myself that I have changed my eating habits permanently. I ate all the great food that I wanted but avoided all the things that I knew would be my downfall.

All week, I didn’t have desserts because they were mostly cakes and since I don’t eat grains, they were easy to avoid. On Friday there were chocolate covered strawberries. I let myself enjoy the sweet taste of fresh strawberries and some high quality dark chocolate. I even found it easy to eat just a couple and not eat as many as possible, like I would have in the past.

There was so much good food to choose from that I didn’t feel that I was missing out. I skipped the pasta and crepe stations and headed to the roast beef carving station. I ate three lobster tails one night! There were great choices of vegetables and salads. I never went hungry. Plus, I was pleasantly surprised that the kitchen staff were aware of Celiac Disease and would guide me away from food that was made with flours.

I’ve been working on increasing my knowledge in nutrition and overall health. I’m listening to webinars and reading as much as I can get my hands on food as medicine. I’ve realized my personal journey has brought me to the decision that I want to be a nutrition coach. I’d like to help people find their optimal nutritional formula. Since everyone is unique, it will be a personal journey for every person. I’d like to help guide people so they don’t have to go through the painful process of self discovery and take years to finally get there.

I’ll be posting along the path to my new career. I hope you join me.

Getting Close to My Goal

Blog Posts, ,

Every day brings me a little closer to my goal of losing 30 pounds. I’ve lost 21.5 pounds now and not stopping until I reach my goal. I am so happy that I finally figured out the food combinations that work for me – and what doesn’t work. Here’s the list of food that I have eliminated to burn fat to lose weight:

  • All grains
  • Limited dairy – I only eat a small amount of cheese
  • No peanuts, pistachios, or legumes
  • No soy or soy products
  • No sugar or artificial sweeteners, except stevia
  • No processed foods of any kind

When I say no grains, I mean none. I am not eating anything that could be made into a cereal – wheat, rye, barley, corn, rice, oatmeal, etc. This may not be permanent but I won’t go back to eating foods with gluten because of the Celiac Disease. I can tell my insides are healing because I don’t feel bloated after I eat, no gassiness or other issues.

I thought giving up sugar would be difficult. But I managed to ease myself out of the hold it held on me. At first, I was making low carb desserts to get me through the transition, using stevia as the sweetener. After about a month, I was able to give up the desserts. Now I eat a simple snack when I want something like a sweet treat – cashews and dates. Here’s how I make them:

  1. Take 1 cup of cashews and chop them up in a food processor. Set aside.
  2. Remove the pits from 9 dates and chop them up in a food processor until they look like a lump.
  3. Add the cashews to the dates in the processor and pulse them until they are thoroughly mixed.
  4. Using a small cookie scoop, make small cashew date balls. Refrigerate.

Once you are free of the sugar addiction – and I know I was addicted – this treat will be all the sweetness you need. I eat two for a snack and feel satisfied. As I get closer to my goal, I know I can’t afford to let up on the good nutritional habits I’ve developed. I’m never going back to being fat!