LauraPh2009 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Today is day 31 and I feel great mentally and physically – better than I thought I would! Along with the diet I used to the month to reflect and be calm. I had been doing endurance sports for a couple of years and completely exhausted from it all. I loved every minute of my 30 days off! Overall: Lost 6 pounds ( I FEEL much lighter!) 2 inches off waist, 2 inches off hips, 1inch off thighs Calm and relaxed No digestive issues or bloating Sleeping soundly and waking up before alarm clock Mentally very clear and alert all day Stress and anxiety gone! Off thyroid medicine My story – It is long, but I felt compelled to write all the details for some reason A little bit about me – I am 43 years old and have been battling weight most of my life. I have been a yo-yo dieter and exerciser for years with an “all or nothing†attitude. I was either fanatical about counting calories or binge eating – nothing in between. In 2008 I reached my peak weight of 276 (at 5'6â€). Heart-breaking. I felt horrible and was depressed. Top it off my only daughter was leaving for college. I was sad and alone. My doctor, of course, put me on all sorts of anti-depressants and anti-anxiety but they didn't help so I stopped them. I knew something just wasn't right. After pleading for blood tests it was discovered that I was hypothyroid. She put me on some Synthroid and things started turning around for me. I started feeling better and exercised. The first 40 pounds came off easily. 2009 was a whirlwind of dieting – mostly calorie counting and cardio exercise. I felt good and weight kept coming off. By the end of the summer I had lost 51 more pounds. My most successful challenge was doing P90X and dieting … the problem was that as soon as the 90 days was over I fell off the wagon badly. I decided to start running. I trained for and ran my first half marathon and decided an even better I idea would be to train for and run a full marathon in February 2010. 2010 As marathon day approached I was ready to get it over with but the weather did not cooperate and it was cancelled. I was devastated. I felt it had to do it so I signed up for another one a few weeks later and ended up dropping out at mile 16. This was not a good place for me. I felt like my whole self- worth was riding on finishing this marathon. Needless to say, I felt like a failure. What does a binge eater do when disappointed? Eat. And Eat. I managed to put on another 25 pounds by 2011. 2011 My life changed when I discovered Marks Daily Apple. I stumbled upon an article that led me to his website, which lead me to Rob Wolf, which lead me to Whole9. I couldn't get enough info. I started doing Crossfit-type workouts on my own and eliminated gluten. I immediately felt better and within the first few months I lost 10 pounds without calorie counting or obsessing. I felt free. The one problem was that the marathon was still hanging over me. I had to finish one so I signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2011. Training went well and I continued eat primal. I did decide to use gels during training so even though I attempted a Whole30 at one point, I was never really successful because I was “in trainingâ€. I finally completed my marathon and was thrilled. I ended up gaining those 10 pounds back. 2012 I thought I needed a new challenge to help me lose weight so I decided to start training for a triathlon. Starting biking and swimming. Up until 30 days ago my year has been spent swimming, biking, running. Day in and day out. Sometimes up to 20+ hours per week. I kept getting more and more tired and my waistline was increasing. At this point I was eating “mostly†Paleo… with some cheat meals and cocktails. Needless to say, those were not doing me any good. Mentally I was not in a good place. For some reason now, over the past couple of years, I decided that I had to constantly prove myself. Prove that I could do things. I was doing all these things and still at 200 pounds! People called me an inspiration. Somehow I didn't feel like one. I was tired and sad and fat. I worked hard – nobody trained harder than me. I ate pretty good overall. I should be losing weight! I met someone who told me it was ok to stop. For the past 30 days I did Whole 30 for real. I stopped exercising except a few restorative yoga sessions. I laid out in the sun, turned off the TV, listened to music and read books. I added coconut oil to my diet along with some magnesium and fish oil. I feel better than I have in years mentally and physically. I feel calm and at peace. With lots of soul searching I have learned that I am good enough. I do not need to prove anything. So I am continuing with another Whole30 without stopping. I do not want to add anything back into my diet right now that I have eliminated; corn chips, alcohol, dairy. I feel so good and I do not want it to end. I do want to add back exercise – there are still fitness goals out there that I want to achieve but I have to do it in a sensible way. For the next 30 days I am going to continue with yoga and also add strength training. Hopefully this will help me lose more fat and only then will I consider running and cycling again. I look forward to posting after my next 30 days! My blog: My Healthy Challenge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cary Williams Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Today is my 31st day. Weighed this morning and was down 12 lbs. The strange thing about it and it is echoed from others, you always feel like you have lost more. Perhaps that is the body cleansing itself. I have lost about an inch on my waist, but chest and hips are more noticeable areas of weight loss. This is an ongoing project for me. I have always been sugar addicted and now that urge is gone. My wife has been on the program with me but has not lost any weight so she has gotten frustrated...But I appreciate her, because she continues to cook us wonderful meals. Overall it's been a great 30 days and I'll continue with the program....Thank you ISWF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhmomi Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Lauraph2009 - What an incredible story. So happy for your journey and all the things you have learned along the way. Being truly happy with yourself does bring peace. I feel it some days more than others. One thing I decided last fall is that my health and fitness should be just as high of a priority as that of my children. Before I placed their needs above mine. Since I changed my approach I feel happier with myself and my body (thank you Jonathan - my trainer) and I am doing things with my kids that I would have hesitated to do before. Feeling comfortable in your own skin is an incredible blessing. Wish I had learned it earlier in life, but it's never too late! It's funny, I'm older than you (45) and you said your daughter left 4 years ago for college. I'm still waiting for my little one to go to kindergarten next year! My kids are 4, 6, and 8. Like you I am working very hard to put an end to yo-yo dieting and yo-yo exercise. I have been working all year to create new healthy habits one by one. Just like the Whole30, not all of them stick the first time I try. But I keep trying and making progress... Cary - Awesome results. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Lee Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Laura, I'm so happy to read this. Great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraPh2009 Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Lauraph2009 - What an incredible story. So happy for your journey and all the things you have learned along the way. Being truly happy with yourself does bring peace. I feel it some days more than others. One thing I decided last fall is that my health and fitness should be just as high of a priority as that of my children. Before I placed their needs above mine. Since I changed my approach I feel happier with myself and my body (thank you Jonathan - my trainer) and I am doing things with my kids that I would have hesitated to do before. Feeling comfortable in your own skin is an incredible blessing. Wish I had learned it earlier in life, but it's never too late! It's funny, I'm older than you (45) and you said your daughter left 4 years ago for college. I'm still waiting for my little one to go to kindergarten next year! My kids are 4, 6, and 8. Like you I am working very hard to put an end to yo-yo dieting and yo-yo exercise. I have been working all year to create new healthy habits one by one. Just like the Whole30, not all of them stick the first time I try. But I keep trying and making progress... Cary - Awesome results. Congrats! Yes, I started young:) I had my daughter when I was 20 and like you (and probably a lot of parents) she was my only priority. ONLY PRIORITY. Lots of things suffered along the way but are slowly being repaired. I think the past two years I have been avoiding thinking about what the heck I am going to do with myself now that she is a grown-up! She is 23 now and getting married in October to her boyfriend of 5 years. She has done all the right things, in the right order and is HAPPY beyond belief. I am trying to switch my gears to being PROUD of the independent, smart daughter I raised rather than sad that she is grown up. It is good to finally start finding peace with myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Wonderful story, so happy for you. Enjoy your new lease on life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Wonderful stories, everyone! Big congratulations!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Roy Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Wonderful story! Thank you for sharing it with us. Best of luck on your continued journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Jeanne Penrod Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Great story. I feel like I can relate a lot to your story. I hope I have the same amount of success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLC1968 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I agree with everyone else, great story! Thanks so much for sharing. Except for the children thing, I can relate to a lot of your story as well and it really resonated with me. (I think it's time I wrote my own!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberrantatavia Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Laura, I'm another one that can really relate to your story... I've lived that parallel life. While I wouldn't change a moment of the time I spent raising my kids, it was my only priority as well. I've also been paleo for a few years and am now going down the whole30 trail. Thank you so much for sharing! Melissa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraPh2009 Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 Thanks everyone. I can't wait to get caught up and read your stories. I debated about typing up the whole long-winded progression, but I am happy I did. It is not just about the past 30 days. The great feeling for me is that now I can put it all behind me and just move forward! It is a very, very good feeling. So happy to know there is great support here as I continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suziq0507 Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I can totally relate to your story. Thank you for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisydaisy Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 What a great story, congratulations! I love that this whole experience has helped you find that inner 'calm' and confidence in yourself. I have been feeling the same, but hadn't really attributed it to diet - but think you're right, as I had previously been aware that 'bad' food certainly made me feel like crap, in particularly it had a strong mental impact and I'd start feeling quite down - but now feel 'light' and free, with so much more positivity. Good luck with the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara M Clark Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Thank you so much for sharing your story! I really enjoyed your post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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