diet | It's Time To Lose Weight

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.

It’s official. The results of the endoscopy show that I have Celiac Disease. What does that mean? The Celiac Disease Foundation defines it as:

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. 2.5 million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications.

I already knew that I felt better when I eliminated wheat and other gluten containing foods from my diet. But to have a medical report state that there is visible evidence of damage to my intestine gave me resolve to revamp my entire diet.

I have researched for the “optimal” diet. One site will say one thing and another will contradict it entirely! How am I supposed to know what’s best. I fortunately have an office mate who is on the same search. She gave me her copy of The China Study to read. It is a dense book to read but provides such insight to the health/nutrition link, I could not stop reading it.

Like so many Americans, I have struggled with weight loss and health issues for years. Doctors prescribe pills and very little nutrition counseling. As many others, I am drawn the slick marketing of diets that claim will help you lose weight quickly. But I know that is a temporary fix. As I have gone through this process of trying to lose weight, I finally got it. When the light bulb went on in my head, it was almost anticlimactic. My nutritional needs are different from every one else. I began with the Paleo diet and moved to Atkins, all with the best intentions. What I didn’t realize was that I really hadn’t changed my way of eating. I still allowed myself to have processed foods. Once I eliminated those, I began to see weight loss come more easily. Then I realized that not all food is equal in value. That’s where The China Study helped shaped my views.

Although I am not eating a fully plant-based diet, I am limiting my animal protein. There are specific reasons that I have not made the leap and I will go into that later. The change has been dramatic.