Some of you know me well, and possibly some of you don’t really know me in person at all! As my way of full disclosure…let me start with…I am unapologetically a little bit of a healthy eating freak! I have been known to stop people in the store and ask them what they feel is best about what they are buying, or just outright say “don’t buy that”, “buy this instead” and here’s why!
GET THE BACK STORY
So have I always been like this…of course not! I fed my kids Mac & Cheese from the blue box with no cheese in it! LOL Chicken Nuggets used to one of my favorite snacks! When I was growing up a trip to McD’s was a moment of excitement…very rarely happened! While my kids were growing up, it was a meal time staple in our busy world of 2 working parents and life happening too!
So why did I change? Well, I watched my weight creep up steadily over the years…I attributed it to aging! And then my health got increasingly worse…again, I am old, what did I expect! BUT then my Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, my Aunt died from complications surrounding Diabetes, and my husband was diagnosed with a form of Bone Marrow Cancer and not a good one! So, I had to take a hard look at my life and what was I willing to do about changing my health! Should I keep relying on the DR to prescribe a new pill (with lots of side effects) and of course then another pill to offset those side effects! You know what I mean! I had to look at the only thing they (Drs) recommended to help my husband was a very expensive poisonous pill! And yes, he does take it and it is very scary! But I also make sure he is getting good supplementation and healthy food choices. It has made a difference! In 2008, he was told he had 3-5 years to live, guess what, he just retired!
MOVING FORWARD
Well, I started looking at adding supplements to my regimen…and that started my relationship with thousands of people dedicated to healthy life. I met some passionate Health Coaches who supported all my small changes to healthier lifestyle. Better nutrition choices and supplements took away my husband’s need for pain killers (anti-inflammatory pills) for pain, although we found in later years, they had already taken a toll on his kidney function. Better nutritional choices took away my need for 7 different pills completely for 9 years and all the heavy feeling around my middle became less heavy! So I started researching intently everything I could! And as I started to improve my health and his and set a better example for my boys…I started sharing with those I love and care for. Some listened, some tried and quit, but the percentage of life changing benefits have been tremendous.
BUT I still was heavy – almost 200 lbs at my highest and I was still 165 and I still wore a size 16-18, still couldn’t climb the stairs like I wanted to…then along came another Health Coach, who taught me how to combine the right foods for fat burning awesomeness. This way of eating was called FAVAO at the time and became my passion and I learned how to eat well, lost cravings for tons of sugar, had more energy and LOST 35 lbs!
AM I PERFECT NOW?
Do I make the wrong choices for my body now…of course I do! I sometimes indulge, but immediately get back to the business of eating the right way for me…after all I am human and swayed by emotional eating and advertisements like anybody! BUT then I felt so much better and started exercising again little steps and went from that 16-18 to generally a 10-12! The beauty of this is my weight had not changed, just my body composition. I became a Certified Personal Trainer at the age of 57! I chose to use my Personal Training Certification and began teaching BarreLatte – you know Barre with a little cream and sugar!
YOU KNOW THE TERMINOLOGY – SH$T HAPPENS
I felt like a new person! I had more energy than I did 20 years ago. My medical numbers were better than they have been ever! I slept better and deeper! I had clients working with me and having amazing breakthroughs. And then I had a STROKE!
Yep, that’s right, in the middle of the healthiest stage of my life, I had a STROKE. It was the worst time for my past to catch up with me, and the best time as I had a great medical team and a fast, full recovery. I was told by my DR that had I not been in the physical and health condition I was in; it would have been worse. For goodness sake, I was driving when I had my first sign. Now people tell me – they would have never guessed I had had a debilitating stroke.
I HAVE TO SHARE
No really… I HAVE TO share! I fully believe that to not share what I have learned would be like committing the sin of the desert… knowing where the water is and keeping it to myself. Have you talked to me lately? I will to share, without apology!
I went back to school to earn my designation as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach a few years before this blip in my life. I was actually 58 at that time and continue to be passionate about helping those I sincerely care about improve their health. Are you someone I have supported on your healthy journey? I say thank you for trusting in my journey and allowing me to be a part of yours!
Transformation is possible at ANY AGE. Age is just a number.
THE TIME MARCHES ON
Welcome to my “official” 5th year of this wonderful coaching lifestyle! My goal for you is to jumpstart a change. Jumpstart your choices, and to look for better ones. To help dispel some of the myths surrounding your “diet” mentality. To learn why a calorie is not just a calorie. To understand how to stop beating yourself up and to create in you a passion for health!
Thank you for listening… well “reading”! Now let’s do this dang thing! Check out my website…schedule a call – Choose the Eat Cake Without Guilt Option.
I AM a Transformation Health Coach . I AM forever thankful for 2nd chances!
