PaleoRieko Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 NutriSystem…Jenny Craig…Weight Watchers…Cabbage Soup Diet…Atkins Diet…The Food Lovers Diet…you name it, I have tried it. Every time I started a new diet program, I would think – “this is it…this is going to work because ________________ said it workedâ€. And every time, I would find myself struggling with lack of energy and being distracted by hunger which eventually lead to my demise. I drove my husband crazy with my yo-yo dieting and the amount of money I had spent on different programs and products. My weight continued to grow and I honestly felt like I should just give up and just come to terms with the fact that I was always going to be fat. Fast forward to 2013. I turned 30 on May 7th, weighed almost 290 lbs and I had gotten to the point where I stopped getting my period…I did not get my period for 5 months. I kept taking pregnancy tests and each time they came back negative. I was panicked and went to the doctor's and he told me flat out – “Rieko, you are too fat. Your hormones are so out of balance right now with your weight. You have to lose weightâ€. I tried to lose the weight again but nothing spectacular and I felt even more discouraged. I fell into this horrible cycle of depression where I hated myself for the way I looked so to comfort myself, I ate and then would loath myself for not having any self-control and back around I went in this cycle. Food was my warm fuzzy blanket that I cozied up to when I was feeling upset, angry or stressed out. With that came the constant heartburn, constant urge to nap during the afternoon (which I couldn't because I was at work) and feeling drained by the time I got home so picking up fast food on the way home for dinner was all I had the energy for. Every morning I would wake up to feeling swollen, especially around my ankles and joints. I also had a really hard time getting up in the morning, even after getting 7 or 8 hours of sleep. Fast forward to the New Year 2014, my co-workers decided to challenge and support one another through a weight loss competition – our very own Biggest Loser. I figured that I had better sign up because it was going to look weird if the fat girl didn't join! I started doing research on diets that I haven't tried, I had heard about the Paleo lifestyle and that is how I stumbled across the Whole30 website. I read through the program rules and thought – geez, this is going to be way to hard…there is no way that I can do this. And then I got to the tough love portion of the program rules! “Beating cancer is hard. Birthing a baby is hard. Losing a parent is hard.†Simple phrases but they made such a powerful impact. How many times had I told myself that it was too hard to stick to a diet or that it was too hard to eat healthy? I couldn't believe that I never put it into perspective the way Melissa and Dallas did. I felt a whole new feeling of encouragement, focus and drive. January 6th was Day One of Whole30. At my initial weigh in, I weighed 286 lbs. I couldn't believe how much I had let myself go. I stuck with the program and the first few days were a rough but I kept chugging along. I joined my local Gold's Gym my second week and started working out every morning - up at 4:30am and in the gym by 5am. I started to notice that my clothes were getting looser, my energy level was way up and I was wide awake throughout the day! I was no longer getting heartburn in the afternoons and I no longer felt groggy or tired by the time I got home. I was even sleeping through the night! I no longer was waking up to swollen ankles or joints and I stopped feeling puffy and marshmellowy. By the end of week 2, my husband commented that I had also stopped snoring at night. I had more energy than I ever had and I was in the gym every day. This was HUGE for me because I was that girl who would circle the parking lot of the mall until I found parking near the entrance! I started posting on my Facebook about my progress and how I was feeling and it inspired others to start their own Whole30 as well. A lot of people were asking questions and were curious about how the program works and what Paleo is. Being able to share with others about my progress, experience and information really helped me to stick to the program. Week 3 got tricky because I suddenly started to really crave and even DREAM about my favorite comfort foods. I can't even tell you how many times I was tempted to just drive through somewhere to just get a little something and before Whole30, I totally would have. This time was different. I told myself, “Beating cancer is hard. Birthing a baby is hard. Losing a parent is hardâ€. Today is February 5, 2014 and today is the end of my Whole30. I have lost 23.5 lbs since I started the Whole30 on January 6th. I feel great and I am going to continue on my path by following a Paleo lifestyle. I totally do not refer to Whole30 or Paleo as a diet anymore – it is a lifestyle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Wonderful results! Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryztle Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Great job!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marceeruns Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 So inspiring!!! Very proud of you! Keep up the good work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarletta Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Those words in the tough love part of the program rules got me motivated to do this as well. I thought of a close friend who has just spent a year battling bowel cancer and thought, well if I can't do this then goodness help me if I ever find myself battling cancer! Congratulations on your achievement. You have done amazingly well. Especially getting up at 4:30 am every morning to go to the gym! You deserve a medal!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bep0819 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Great story! The tough love got me as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritishChelle Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Congrats!! Great job staying dedicated and focused. I'm on day 7 and hope to have a great story like yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tj V Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thanks for sharing! I'm on Day 3 and I'm glad to have found your results and others. They help to encourage me to stick with it! Good for you and congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisaf83 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Fantastic well done. Very inspiring x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newkime1 Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I'm on day 5 and I want to thank you for your post. I really needed your inspiration as I'm struggling. You made me realize I can do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nina.nassi Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Inspiring !! I understand how you feel "no in control of my own life"! But this is changing. I'm on day 21 of my whole30 journey and I feel so empowered. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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