Journey to Health, Volume IV

It has been one year today since my surgery and 18 months since I made the final decision to take charge of my life and my health. I have no regrets!! Like I’ve said in my other updates, I have more energy than I’ve had in years. I enjoy going out with my husband and family. I love taking pictures again. I have a new confidence that I didn’t know I could have. I look back at pictures and barely recognize myself, especially since some of them were just last year. There are days it seems like it’s been forever since I started this new journey and yet other days it seems like it’s only been a few months. I lost a part of my identity when I gained so much weight and am so happy to have found me again...  A transformation that has me putting the past right where it belongs. I’m closer to the Lord now that I can hear from Him and follow the path he has set before me instead of hearing the lies of the enemy. It’s a path I have ignored and turned from for so long because I believed the lies and was insecure.

I really am happy with where I am today. Although I’ve plateaued for the past 6 months, I am completely ok with that. I lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time and my body has been adjusting to all the changes (90 pounds in about 6 months). My mind is still adjusting to the changes. When I feel hungry, I sometimes still put more food on my plate than what I can eat. I’m still cautious about eating in front of others, wondering if they are judging me (I’m working hard to overcome this). I have thought about the possibility of stretching out my stomach and becoming obese again and that is terrifying. I have to continue this mind-set of staying healthy because I’m out of options. It really is all about the mind. The pill popping/shake drinking/you must eat our food programs are only temporary and never worked for me. They’d temporarily work but never long term. Matter of fact, I don’t know one person that they’ve worked for long term. As soon as the products and food are stopped, the weight comes creeping back, sometimes fast and furious and sometimes slowly. And don't even get me started with the programs that claim to be all natural but are loaded with artificial ingredients and synthetic garbage. It's an unregulated market and these companies can say anything they want to get you to take their products. It sure would be wonderful if there was a magic pill/program for obesity, but there is not. It really is a mind-set and one that is very hard to maintain. Stress and boredom are the top reasons for weight gain. Who can escape stress?  There are times I don’t feel stressed but know that I am because of everything going on in our life. I’m also very grateful that I have essential oils to combat stress and every other ailment I have, I don’t know where I’d be today with these oils. They really have helped me maintain a clear mind and get to where I am today.  And no, this isn’t a pitch on the oils; I just must give credit where credit is due. I use oils daily for health and wellness and use specific ones on the days I’m stressed, sad or just need a boost in energy. I LOVE my oils! As for boredom, I don't know many people who are bored but from what I read, it's the reason people eat so much so we'll go with that. Thinking about it, I have definitely eaten when I've been bored.

Let me be clear, I’m not pushing surgery. It has helped me in my journey but again it really is a mind-set. I survived Christmas 2016 on liquids only. I didn’t take one bite of real food for weeks and contemplated cancelling it all together. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the change in how I think about food and what I choose to put in my mouth. I don’t always make the right decisions, I let coke slip back into my life and have to consciously decide daily if I want to drink it or not. I LOVE coke, absolutely love it, but also know it’s extremely bad. The sugar alone is just ridiculous (but oh so good). I also know exactly what I need to do to rid myself of the cravings for Coke (one drop of Lemon oil in a shot of water twice a day). I’ve had entirely too many scotch-a-roos and pretzel/rolo/M&M things the past 5 days – TOOO MANY! But, I somehow managed to not gain a single pound during the holiday, actually I'm a pound less today that when we arrived in Iowa 5 days ago. Where I failed with the yummy, chocolaty, caramel pretzel goodness, I made up for it with my meals and ensured healthy veggies and protein were on my plate (and a little bit of jello salad goodness).  

BTW - Have you noticed my husband?? He is down 40 pounds!! He has changed the way he eats and has continued to work out (he heads up a crew of workout peeps at our home 3 times a week). He takes a couple of essential oils each day to help with his appetite and has also changed his mind-set.  He is consciously making really good choices on what he eats. I’m super proud of him.

Our entire family has become healthier since I made the choice to take charge of my health. Kiarra has become vegetarian and I’m so proud of her and the choices she has made to get healthy as well. Now if we can just get Jayden and Taryn to eat a few more veggies....it's a work in progress.

My advice is simple. Research. Research. Research. Google is the most wonderful tool and it's always right at our fingertips, you can find anything and everything out there. There will be lots of information, some good, some bad and of course lots of opinions (just like my opinion above, it's my opinion).  Not everything you read will be accurate, so you have to dig and read the good and the bad and then weigh your options to make the best decision for you and your family. If you are going to use a product, make sure it has undergone 3rd party testing and is truly natural (using one that is full of artificial gunk may help you lose weight but then you are damaging your health in other ways). And please, do not pick a pill or a program because it makes you lose weight the fastest, we all know how those turn out. It's better to make wise eating choices and lose slow than to lose super fast. And yes, I am aware that I lost the second half of my weight super fast. It wasn't good but the alternative for me was far worse. As I've written in my previous blogs about my journey, I researched, spent time with nutritionists and doctors, prayed about it a lot (for years) and made the best choice for me. Once you get your mind-set right, you will be able to accomplish anything you set your mind to!

Just as I said in my last update, if you are suffering with your appearance and/or weight, please reach out to me. I can’t wave a magic wand and fix anything but I will certainly listen, encourage and be a friend you can confide in. 

ps – If you are currently on journey to better health, I am extremely proud of you and will support and cheer you on. Anything anyone does to better their life and their health is something to be very proud of. It’s a big step to take and one I don't take lightly. As women, we need to build each other up and support one another especially when it comes to our health and appearance. It's important to have an accountability partner who you love and trust but who will also be brutally honest with you.

A HUGE thank you to my husband, my children and all my family and friends who have supported me during this time. The countless texts, FB messages, and words of encouragement have been extremely helpful and I greatly appreciate it.