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Friday, October 3, 2014

My Story!





Hi, I wanted to share my story so I can help others who have been in the same place that I have been in! Morbidly obese, Depressed and didn't think it was ever going to end! I thought I was stuck at my nearly 300 lbs and no where to go! I tried so many diets! I can't tell you the money I spent doing programs or buying food from other programs to just try to loose weight! Some things were even successful for a short time until I decided to go back to eating the food like I did before starting any program.  I was emotional eater and a yo-yo dieter my whole life! There were many things I would pass up doing because I was embarrassed to go out in public! Even when I tried and dressed up I felt like it didn't help I was still a pretty big girl! Just nothing seemed to help!

 I would pray about it a lot as well! I remember being in bed crying one day so sad because my mom had just died of colon cancer! My grandma died a short few months after that. I was just the biggest I have ever been and felt like there was nowhere to go.  I remember clear as day, which I believe was God, telling me you can lay here and feel sorry for yourself or you can get up and do something about it.  So I don't know why it clicked that day I believe its because I was tired of being depressed! I was tired of life just sucking all the time for me.  Tired of my weight and fighting it every single day! That is how I felt anyway! So for the next few days I decided I was going to do something about it.  I mean what is the alternate decision? Depression right and life sucking! So I know I didn't want that! So I prayed and asked God to help me! 

I really felt like I should not be eating meat.  I felt strong about that! I found ETL and was hopeful! I found it hard to stick with it though! After about a 6 months to a year trying to do Eat to Live I remember telling God OK this isn't working out for me.  So it would be awesome if you could lead me to a site that would help.  So I Google plant based and found plant purity (which was the name before protective diet).  I didn't really want to try something new but was willing to try some of the recipes! The ones I tried I liked! There were a couple I was like yuck (after being on PD some of those yuck recipes ended up being my favorites)! But most of them were quite enjoyable.  So I decided for 30 days I am going to commit and do it no matter what! I was thinking to myself how do I keep myself accountable! That is when I thought I would blog about it! I remember emailing Julie and asking her if she would mind! She was so excited and so was I! Now I know I had to do it especially if now I was going to write about it and give it a honest review! 

It was intention to only do it 30 days! Usually I was not good about sticking with diets so I thought I could do anything for 30 days right! I am going to tell you that was the hardest 30 days! Just because I was detoxing and wanted old foods that I was giving up.  I was happy that Julie helped me through that and having her coach me and encourage me was one of the best things ever!  After the 30 days and loosing 16 lbs in the first month I thought wow this isn't bad I could go longer! So I did! I have been doing PD for 18 months now! A year and a half which amazes me! If you would of told me I would not eat sugar, meat, oil, processed foods or nuts ever again I would of laughed at you! I am sharing this because I was where you are at! I do understand and know the things you face when it comes to food! After all that said I am so glad I have lost over 100 lbs and all my labs are better than ever! Last time I got my labs done my Total Cholesterol was 121! That was amazing to me! I can't remember the last time I got sick and I work in a hospital! I have never felt better!

  I just want to share this with other people who are fed up and just want more out of life! If that is you and your ready to make a change please use this link and go to Protective Diet Sign up for a free account and try some of the recipes! If you are ready to go all the way and never look back sign up for PD-ED! With that I will help you and encourage you! 

Another important thing I want to get out there is my my mom died of colon cancer which could be prevented by just the food we eat! I know there are a lot of programs out there that help you get healthy and loose weight but this program reduces your risk of cancer.  There are so many foods that are processed and meats that are just not made like they were back in the day! So many people have their fingers in our food and they are just out to make a buck! Do the research and you will see for yourself! I am looking forward to working with you! Please if you have any questions just ask:) You also can find me on Facebook this is my link! 

Thanks for reading!
Kristie
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Saturday, April 12, 2014

Encouragement for those who need to lose more than 100 pounds

Now that I've lost over 200 pounds people ask me to share some tips on how I got started and stayed motivated.  So I thought I would blog about it and hopefully it will help someone.
  • Set small goals & reward yourself
    • Every time I thought about having to lose 200+ pounds I got discouraged and would think there is no way I would be able to do it.  When you focus on the large number it makes it seem impossible.  It's like thinking about having to climb a mountain.  Yes it is going to be hard but take it one step at a time and before you know it, you'll reach the top!  I started with 5 pound weight loss goal.  This is one of the best things Weight Watchers did for me.  You got a sticker for every 5 pounds you lost.  I started collecting those stickers and before you know it, they add up.  I wrote out a list of rewards that I would give myself at certain intervals.  At first, the rewards were at smaller increments like 10 pounds and 20 pounds then I started spacing them out more.  Some examples of my rewards were: music, books, new shoes, new clothes, jewelry, nails painted, massage.  Some that are still on my list:  horseback riding, ride a roller coaster, go on a zip line tour, get another ear piercing, and a tattoo. 

  • Positive Affirmations
    • Your mind is very powerful.  What you think and what you say eventually comes to fruition.  Write down some positive affirmations and say them every day (whether you believe it or not).  Before long you will memorize them and can say them to yourself when you start to get discouraged.  Some of the ones I used are:
      • I accept and love myself just the way I am.
      • I am worth loving myself.
      • I am grateful for this amazing gift God gave me and my body's ability to heal itself.
      • The choices I make every day will improve my health.
      • I am in control of my thoughts and actions.
      • I take good care of my body, I eat right, I look good, I feel good, and I weigh what God wants me to weigh.
      • As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he; therefore, all of my thoughts are positive.
  • Stop the excuses
    • "I'll start on Monday." "I'm too stressed."  "I can't afford to eat healthy."  "I have no support."  Every one can come up with an excuse.  You will always have an excuse, but you will always also have a choice!  Decide to find a way no matter what!  Decide that you are worth more than the excuses.
  • Start a success journal or wall
    • I sectioned off part of the wall in my office where I hung cork-board.  I have quotes and pictures on there that motivate me.  I also have a success journal.  I record all of my monthly measurements in there but I also journal about other milestones.  For example, when I noticed that I could buckle my seat belt again.  Or when I was finally off all of my medications.  I made a list of all of the ailments I suffered from and as I no longer had to deal with them, I checked them off my list.  
  • Track your progress monthly
    • I tell this to people all the time and wish I would've done it when I first started.  It's so important to take pictures and body measurements from the beginning.  I know we avoid the camera at all cost when we are overweight, but believe me, you will wish you had them later.  I would suggest taking your weight, body measurements, and pictures at the beginning of every month.  
    • Make sure when you take the pictures that it is on the same background (like in front of a blank wall).  Be sure to take a picture from the front and the side.  Use a photo editor to add the date and current weight.  There were many times that I would pull up my old pictures and compare them side by side.  It helps keep you going when you see how far you have come.  Sometimes we can get stuck in the old mind thinking we are still as fat as we were when we started.  Seeing the pictures helps you realize that your mind can lie to you!   Take notice of and appreciate the things you do like about your body.  Don't always focus on what still needs to improve.  There will always be something that needs changing.  Instead of standing in the mirror and thinking your saggy skin looks gross.  Focus on the things you find beauty in, like the contours of your face, neck and shoulders.  Feel the strength of your muscles or celebrate the fact you can feel muscles or bone at all! 
    • Learn to appreciate the small changes.  When you hit that plateau (every one will!), you need to learn to celebrate the small things.  Even if you have to take it hour by hour and celebrate the fact that you didn't eat the pan of chocolate chip brownies that your husband made and screams your name every time you walk by them!
  • Find support
    • If you live alone or don't have family and friends around you that support you living a healthy lifestyle, get online.  There are lots of support groups on Facebook.  The one I like the best is Protective Diet Living.  
  • Before you put it in your mouth ask yourself if it will harm you or heal you?
    • When you can focus on only consuming foods that will not harm you then you can shift your mindset from one of deprivation (I can't eat chocolate, chips, etc.) to one of offering.  I offer myself the ability to eat healthy foods that will help me reach my ideal weight and live life to the fullest.  

Sunday, January 5, 2014

The real me

It's 5 am and I have been awake for 4 hours now.  I seem to have my greatest epiphanies in the early morning hours.  A lot of times I can't get back to sleep because my mind is in a constant loop, sometimes a strange loop, I'll admit.  So I decided to get up and write some of this down.

Tonight I am embracing the real me.  It's been 3 years since I started down my road of transformation.  It originally started with just wanting to lose weight but has transformed into so much more than that.

Even my husband says that I am a completely different person than what he met.  I do admit that I have changed a lot but I believe that I am finally growing into the real me.

I'm learning to embrace everything about me, exactly where I am at, in this moment.  Yes, I have made mistakes in the past.  I have been on top of the mountain and in some pretty low valleys, but I believe ALL of those moments have made me who I am today.

The weight loss journey has evolved into an exploration of who God wants me to be and how He wants to use me.  It amazes me to think how He knew every stupid mistake I would make before I was even born.  I can barely comprehend that He knew every good and every bad thing that has ever happened to me or will ever happen to me before I was born.

I am still here, still alive (more "alive" then ever actually), still desiring more, still embracing change, because He has not failed me yet!  I have never been one big on trust because of my life journey so far, but I believe God is using those experiences to teach me to trust in Him because He takes all of it and turns it into something good for His glory!

I have to admit that I have been reluctant to think about New Year's resolutions in 2014.  Mostly, because I never really seem to stick with them.  This year I think what is on my heart is to focus on what God thinks of me instead of everyone else and to appreciate that I am making progress.

It may sound cheesy to some when I say I want a deeper relationship with my Heavenly Father, one where I can truly relate to Him as Abba, Father, but I am announcing that I resolve to not care what man thinks and not let that stop me from seeking His presence in my life, everyday.

I have to say that this is probably the first time I can remember that I'm excited to see what changes He will bring me.  I encourage all of you to embrace change, even if it is hard, the rewards on the other side will be worth it!