Do you have memories taking up space in your head that don't belong there anymore? Those thoughts that have negative energy, that sap you of your self confidence? I know I do. My head is swimming with them. That was the past, and its time to let go of the memories, they are not serving me, and yours are not serving you. Here is my story:
* "Sue has a big butt." 1969
* "You need to diet. You're too big for gymnastics" 1971
* "Your body fat is in the obese category" 1987
* " We need lean people for the shoot, remember, the camera adds 5 pounds" 2010
In 1969, at 14 years old and 116 pounds, I started crash dieting. It was the result of the embarrassment I felt when two boys were talking about me. I really didn't know how to diet, just that my mother went on a diet and hardly ate anything. So that's what I did. No food all day at school, and a ground round patty with a tomato on top, cooked in the microwave for dinner.
Obviously that didn't work, because two years later, at 16 years old and 142 pounds, I was at it again. Eating boiled eggs at school lunch while the other kids had their burgers and pizza.
In 1987, I was stunned to learn that I was "Obese" (more than 30% body fat). Now that is a terrifying word. Yes, after having two children and a crappy marriage, I ballooned up to 174 pounds. My reaction this time was to enroll in a weight loss clinic at the hospital. In order to participate, you had to lose 20% of your body wt....oh yea, and pay $1000 per month. My goal wt.....128 pounds. This was a liquid diet of 800 calories per day. No solid food of any kind. During the three months on the diet, I was counseled about eating, and how to count calories. The main exercise that was recommended...walking.
So every day for three months, I walked 4 miles, drank my meals, and was losing wt. I did reach my goal weight of 128 pounds, with no muscle on my body....but I was skinny. That lasted about one week. I literally could not eat anything without gaining weight. Part of the problem with introducing food to my diet, was the diet counseling I received. This was a hospital, for heavens sake, and they told us that a calorie is a calorie, they are all the same. I desperately wanted to believe them, so for my first meal, I had a jelly donut. It stayed within my calorie count for that meal, so what was the harm. A calorie is a calorie.
It took me a couple of years to gain all the weight back, and then some. So believe it or not, I went through the program again.
So let's fast forward to 2006, the year of my marriage to Michael. He is so awesome, and so fit that I was overwhelmed by it. The thought of keeping up with him was overwhelming to me. Heck, I'm the chubby kid, so I didn't even try. I topped out at my highest weight ever in 2009 before the light came on.
Enter the Spinach Nutrition Plan. Michael and I worked on this plan for members who needed diet/nutrition counseling. I, however, didn't use it. Why?? Because I thought I already knew so much about diet and nutrition that I didn't need to, from three decades of reading, and trying, every diet that was currently the rage. But knowing and doing are two different things. Finally, I started to follow the Spinach Nutrition Plan to prove it works. Folks, it does!!
Here are my beginning photos compared to photos taken in July. They are not my official 60 day challenge pictures, but you will be able to see how following the Spinach Nutrition Plan can change your appearance. I lost 20 pounds before we started the 60 day challenge, using the plan.
I am not starving myself. In fact, I have trouble eating all the food. In addition, it tastes good. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are so fresh and sweet tasting, they make my mouth happy. The thought of a jelly donut does not even sound good to me anymore. The explosion of flavor in fresh berries is far more enticing.
I don't know if I will be ready for the next photo shoot, but frankly, I don't care. I am happy with my progress, and that's all that counts.
So stick with the plan. This is not a diet! This is a lifestyle.
Until tomorrow,
Sue
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